..::Football III::..

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Rodgers accuses Arsenal star Alexis Sanchez of diving


Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers accused Alexis Sanchez of diving to win a free kick during the Reds' 2-2 draw with Arsenal at Anfield.

Martin Skrtel headed home in the 97th minute to avoid back-to-back Premier League defeats after Mathieu Debuchy and Olivier Giroud had given the Gunners the lead against the run of play.

Rodgers was happy with Liverpool's display, as they limited Arsenal to 36.5 per cent possession and recorded 27 shots on goal, but accused the Chile star of simulation to hand his side an unfair advantage.

"Firstly it was an outstanding performance the quality of passing and movement on this pitch - which is awful here – the players put that to one side and some of our stuff was fantastic," he told Sky Sports.

"We deserved to be one up at half-time and I don't think it was a free kick in the build-up to their second.

"Alexis Sanchez dived for me and the referee bought it, but we have to defend better. We lost three duels and we need to win the first one.

"I'm delighted with our performances this week against Manchester United, Bournemouth and Arsenal, it shows we are getting back to where we are.

"At half-time we asked for more of the same with the same movement and then we showed great character to fight back from 2-1 down with 10 men.

"I don't think before this week we have been close to that level of speed and thought. You have to be creative as a coach to find a system that brings you back to that."

 

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Wenger regrets late Arsenal collapse


Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger admitted he was left with regrets after watching his side throw away a 2-1 lead against 10-man Liverpool in an entertaining draw at Anfield.

Goals from Mathieu Debuchy and Olivier Giroud looked to have sealed all three points for the Gunners following Philippe Coutinho's opener, but Martin Skrtel's stoppage-time equaliser rescued a point for the hosts.

And though Wenger believes the final scoreline was a fair reflection on the game, he admitted that he was disappointed with the way his side let a winning position slip.

"It was an intense game – we have the regret to concede a goal to a set piece in the last minute but overall it was fair result," he told Sky Sports.

"My first job is to win the games and if you win and be fair it's better but the regret dominates tonight when you're 2-1 up with minutes to go. Overall, objectively, it's a fair result."

The Emirates Stadium outfit put in a more disciplined showing than their previous visit to Anfield last season in which they conceded four goals in the opening 20 minutes before losing 5-1.

And Wenger believes the psychological scars suffered during that defeat led to his team's slow start in the first half.

"We had problems, last year was a bit in our mind. We didn't play enough and lost too many balls.

"Our flow was not there. The second half was better when we were 2-1 up – they had a few chances and it was a fair result.

"We were not spontaneous enough and played a bit with the handbrake then you lose the balls and put yourself in trouble.

"In the first half Coutinho and [Adam] Lallana gave us problems when they got in behind but in the second half we rectified it and gave them more problems."

The former Monaco coach also revealed that Giroud was suffering with illness, and praised the forward for the way in which he performed despite his poor health.

"Giroud was quite sick overnight but still it took him time to get into the game. In the second half he was much more influential."

 

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Low: I could manage a club again

Germany coach Joachim Low has suggested he could return to coaching a club team in the near future.

The coach has been in charge of the national team since 2006, winning the World Cup in the summer after a third place finish in 2010 as well as guiding them to the Euro 2008 final and the semi finals of the same competition in 2012.

After the tournament in Brazil, the coach revealed that he plans to stay at the helm of Die Mannschaft until after Euro 2016, but he has hinted that he could move on and return to club football in the near future.

"I would rule nothing out just now," he told Kicker. "It's very conceivable of course that at some point I will coach a club team again. Why not?

"I've trained myself to think about my future only every two years. As a coach I know that there will be a decision after every tournament. In 2012, the mood was very different from 2010. It changes.

"But there is no curse of the title, as I sometimes read."

 

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Falcao will shine for Manchester United - Carrick

Michael Carrick expects Radamel Falcao to go from strength to strength following his goal against Aston Villa on Saturday.

The Colombian striker's time at Manchester United has so far been undermined by injury issues since his loan move from Monaco.

But making his first start on Saturday since early October, Falcao netted for the second time in a United shirt to earn a 1-1 Premier League draw at Villa Park.

And Carrick believes his impressive header could prove to be the catalyst for a rich vein of form.

"He's scored so many goals over the years and you always feel that when he gets that chance he will score," Carrick told MUTV.

"He's scored a terrific header again and I'm pleased for him.

"After being out for a bit, that's him back and hopefully he can go on a bit of a streak for us and we, as a team, can return to winning ways and get on a roll again.

"Things are going okay, although we hoped for more [against Villa], but we didn’t lose and hopefully we can carry that on over Christmas and be stronger for it when we come out on the other side in January."

Louis van Gaal's side face Newcastle United at Old Trafford on Boxing Day and travel to Tottenham two days later.

 

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Ronaldo: Real Madrid can win Champions League again

Cristiano Ronaldo believes Real Madrid can build on their incredible success in 2014 and win the Champions League for the second time in a row this season.

The Spanish club beat San Lorenzo 2-0 to lift the Club World Cup on Saturday to cap off a year in which they also won the Copa del Rey, European crown and Uefa Super Cup.

And Ronaldo believes his side can improve even further in 2015 and become the first team to win the Champions League twice in a row.

"I hope that 2015 will be just as good as 2014 and we can win everything we have won this year," he said. "Especially the Champions League."

"Winning the Club World Cup is an historic moment that will have a special place in my life. It gives me motivation to move forward. Thank you to everyone who has helped me achieve something special."

 

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Hamsik: Napoli fear Juventus, but we can beat them

Napoli star Marek Hamsik has said his side know they can beat Juventus in Monday's Supercoppa Italiana, despite admitting that the Serie A champions should be feared.

The Copa Italia winners meet the league champions in Doha, Qatar, to battle it out for the Supercoppa, a repeat of the 2012 final in Beijing, in which Juve came from behind twice to win in extra-time after the Partenopei went down to nine men.

Juventus are now looking to make it three victories in a row in the competition, having beaten Lazio 4-0 last year. However, Hamsik is confident of getting the win and lifting the trophy, which would be his third with the club.

"The Super Cup is extremely important. I love the idea of lifting the trophy," he told reporters."Juventus are to be feared, as they know how to win and the team is full of champions, but this is a one-off game so anything can happen.

"If we beat Juve, it’ll be hugely satisfying for us and our fans, sending a positive image of Napoli and the city. We can do it if we replicate the performance against Roma."The Slovakia international says he has many good memories of playing against the Bianconeri, but admits the clash in China two years ago is not one of them.

"I’ve scored against Juve several times and each one of them was wonderful," he told reporters.

"Above all, I remember the double in Turin. We hadn’t won there for more than 20 years. There was also the goal in the Coppa Italia Final, our first trophy together.
"This time we're playing on an international stage, like we were in Beijing for the Super Cup in 2012. We shouldn’t have lost that game, not like that. It was a hard match and we could’ve won."

 

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'Madrid will keep breaking records'

San Lorenzo coach Edgardo Bauza predicted Real Madrid will "keep breaking records" after lifting the Club World Cup.

The Champions League winners defeated Bauza's side 2-0 in the final in Morocco on Saturday and extended their winning streak in all competitions to 22 matches.
That sequence is a club record and the Argentine believes more will follow, as a result of the exceptional balance Madrid boss coach Carlo Ancelotti has achieved within his star-studded squad.

"I think this Madrid, and I said this to Ancelotti when I congratulated him, this team achieved a balance that is really hard to get," the 56-year-old Argentinian said.

"Because at front they are extremely dangerous individually, like very few other teams in the world, and he has ensured that everyone defends in a team that isn't easy to accomplish that."I told him that was to his credit. And that thing makes them very dangerous, very dangerous and they are going to keep breaking records, I don't doubt it."

In a feisty opening to the match, San Lorenzo's Nestor Ortigoza and Pablo Barrientos both received yellow cards in the first 20 minutes, but Bauza rejected suggestions the referee cost his side the game.

"I don't think that he [the referee] had influence in the result, I think he was too severe at the beginning because he didn't want the game to escape his hands, but it was a regular match, a disputed final," he said."There were no rough plays, both teams were focused to playing, and there were the usual clashes of a football match and the referee didn't affect the result."

Although Real were widely expected to win the Club World Cup final, Bauza refused to get too excited by his team's achievement of reaching the tournament decider.

"For me, defeats are defeats, there are no good defeats or honourable defeats, and every defeat is painful for me, no matter who is the opponent."

 

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Rolls-Reus: Bierhoff says Dortmund star deserves a second chance

Former Germany striker Oliver Bierhoff says Marco Reus deserves a second chance after the Borussia Dortmund star was embroiled in a major controversy in Germany last week.

The 25-year-old was caught driving without a license by police after leaving the club's training ground and was subsequently slapped with a staggering €540,000 fine.

Reus had managed to evade authorities since 2011, despite being handed five speeding tickets and appearing in adverts for a major petrol brand, as well as endorsing car companies sponsoring BVB.

But he still retains the support of Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp, who offered him his public backing on Thursday, while Bierhoff has now also leapt to the defence of the Germany star.

"Marco has earned the chance to show that he has drawn the right conclusions from the whole episode and learned from his mistakes," said the 46-year-old.

"When you see what is happening around players who are the subject of so much hype, from the fans, media, sponsors, then his behaviour doesn't conform the required standards. But what is important is how he deals with it.

"Players have to remember that certain values are demanded of professionals and they are role models. But then maybe we should not expect too much from people in the public eye."

Reus was absent through injury as Dortmund were beaten 2-1 by Werder Bremen on Saturday
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The result completes a nightmare end to the first half of the campaign for the club, with BVB sat in 17th position, just one point better off than bottom-placed Freiburg.

They resume their league campaign when they travel to Bayer Leverkusen on January 31.

 

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Wenger hints at January signings & insists he is 'not scared' to spend

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger insists he is "not scared" of spending money in the transfer market and hinted that new players could arrive in January.

The Gunners paid over £30 million (€40m) for Alexis Sanchez in the summer and around £45m (€60m) for Calum Chambers, Mathieu Debuchy and Danny Welbeck, but the squad has struggled with injuries so far this season and sit in seventh in the Premier League heading into Sunday's clash with Liverpool.

Wenger was criticised for not buying central defenders or defensive midfielders during the close season and has earned a repuation as a reluctant spender over the years, something he puts down to the financial constraints of moving to the Emirates Stadium.

But after having to field a makeshift defence in recent weeks thanks to mounting injuries at the back, he confirmed that he will "without any doubt” move for a defender in January if he can find the right man.

“There is a huge difference between the perception that people have of me and the reality: I’m not scared to spend money,” he told reporters.

“If you go out with me one night, you will understand that.

"What I don’t like is to spend money that I don’t have. Now I have money so no problem spending it at all.

"What I fought against was spending money that would have put the future of the club in danger.”

 

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Barclays Premier Legaue 2014.12.22 Fixture

Barclays Premier Legaue 2014.12.22 Fixture

Stoke City Vs Chelsea

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Italian Super Cup 2014.12.22 Fixture

Italian Super Cup 2014.12.22 Fixture


Juventus Vs Napoli​

 

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Stoke City 0-2 Chelsea: Terry & Fabregas keep Mourinho's men three points clear

Cesc Fabregas starred as Chelsea re-established a three-point lead at the top of the Premier League with a 2-0 win against Stoke City at the Britannia Stadium on Monday night.

Manchester City's victory over Crystal Palace on Saturday had seen the defending champions pull level at the summit, but success over the Potters ensures Chelsea head into the hectic festive period out front in the title race.

John Terry's headed opener from a Fabregas corner with less than two minutes played gave Chelsea something to defend and Stoke rarely looked like finding a way through the visitors' determined defensive line.

Chelsea, for their part, often looked dangerous on the break after going ahead, but were unable to build on their breakthrough until Fabregas's scuffed shot 12 minutes from time.

While the result moves Chelsea three points clear at the top - with seven of the last 10 sides who have been top on Christmas Day going on to win the title - Stoke are 13th following a first defeat in three matches.

Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois returned from injury as Jose Mourinho made five changes to the Chelsea side that beat Derby County in the League Cup quarter-finals on Tuesday, but it was two of the players who retained their starting berths from the trip to Pride Park who combined to open the scoring inside two minutes.

Terry shrugged off Geoff Cameron in the box to get his head to a Fabregas corner and deal the hosts an early blow – the Spaniard providing a 12th assist of the season.

Stoke – boosted by the return of Bojan Krkic as one of two changes – struggled to make any inroads in the opening stages and were thankful when Diego Costa failed to connect properly with a Branislav Ivanovic cutback five minutes after the opener.

The ball almost ended up in the Chelsea net off Terry after 21 minutes – Steven N'Zonzi's 20-yard strike well saved by Courtois following a heavy deflection off the defender.

Referee Neil Swarbrick inadvertently then thwarted a promising Chelsea counterattack when he got in the way on the halfway line two minutes later, drawing the understandable ire of Mourinho, before Costa fired just wide following an error by Ryan Shawcross.

Phil Bardsley – already booked for a lunging challenge on Eden Hazard earlier in the half - might have counted himself lucky to still be involved at the break after avoiding a second yellow card for an apparent tug on the shirt of Costa.

Asmir Begovic did well to get down to his right to keep out a Willian strike early in the second period before clinging onto a soft Fabregas strike after Hazard had managed to force the ball into the six-yard box.

Stoke enjoyed a greater share of possession after the interval, but struggled to carve out any clear-cut opportunities as the match threatened to fall flat.

Charlie Adam's introduction after 68 minutes appeared to give Stoke something of a lift and the midfielder sent an effort narrowly wide of the left-hand upright shortly after entering the action.

However, Fabregas had the final say, diverting the ball into the back of the net after being played in by Hazard, who limped off late on after a tackle from Jonathan Walters, although there was an element of fortune about his finish.

Bojan sent an effort whistling past the left-hand post deep into stoppage time, but there was no danger of Stoke challenging Chelsea's lead at that late stage.

 

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Juventus 2-2 Napoli AET (5-6 on pens): Benitez's men seal Supercoppa after epic shootout

Napoli won the Supercoppa Italiana after triumphing in the penalty shootout following a 2-2 draw with Juventus on Monday.

Rafael saved Giorgio Chiellini and Simone Padoin's efforts from 12 yards at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium in Doha to give Napoli their first win in the competition since 1990 and deny Massimiliano Allegri his maiden piece of silverware at Juve.

Two Argentina internationals had battled for the headlines before that, with Carlos Tevez netting twice for the Serie A champions and Gonzalo Higuain responding with a double for the Coppa Italia winners.

A defensive mistake gifted Tevez the opening goal of the game – his 14th of the season in all competitions – after five minutes, the striker taking full advantage with a composed finish.

Higuain levelled things up seven minutes after the hour, Tevez's compatriot heading home his first goal in seven games.

That forced extra time, where Tevez looked to have secured a seventh Supercoppa Italiana crown for Juve early in the second period, but Higuain had other ideas with a last-gasp strike to force penalties.

In the shooutout, Tevez missed Juve's first kick, but it was Padoin's failure that gave Napoli victory - Rafael diving to his right to palm the ball away despite some earlier heroics from Gianluigi Buffon.

The two sides now begin their mid-season break, but will face each other again in their second games back in January at San Paolo.

Napoli made a shocking start to the match as some calamitous defending handed Tevez the breakthrough.

Raul Albiol and Kalidou Koulibaly challenged each other for a header 20 yards from goal, the loose ball dropped to Tevez and he advanced before coolly slotting under Rafael.

Napoli refused to let such a soft goal get to them and, after Jose Callejon had blazed over, Marek Hamsik was denied by the post.

The Napoli captain brought the ball down well and unleashed a low shot that deflected off Giorgio Chiellini but, with Gianluigi Buffon beaten, struck the upright.

Callejon should have brought his side level after 54 minutes following a pinpoint pass from Hamsik, the Spaniard controlling the ball perfectly only to drag his effort agonisingly wide.

Napoli continued to enjoy the better of things and deservedly drew level after 67 minutes as Higuain guided home De Guzman's left-wing cross.

Neither side was able to find a winning goal inside the 90 minutes, but Tevez appeared to have earned the win in the 106th minute, collecting a pass from Paul Pogba and firing into the bottom corner.

However, Higuain took the match to penalties with a poacher's finish, the 27-year-old reacting fastest to poke Dries Mertens' blocked shot beyond Buffon with two minutes remaining.

Both sides missed their opening efforts but Juve fluffed their lines three times with the scores at 5-5, with Padoin's miss proving decisive after Koulibaly had netted to make it 6-5.

 

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Patta gemak gihin Italian Super Cup 1ke

Congratzzzz Napoli​

 

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Flamini: It's crazy not to expect Arsenal to improve

Mathieu Flamini is confident Arsenal will kick on when they welcome back a host of key players from injury.

Mesut Ozil, Jack Wilshere, Aaron Ramsey and Mikel Arteta were among the absentees as Martin Skrtel's late header denied the Gunners all three points against Liverpool on Sunday.

Arsenal are sixth in the Premier League standings and Flamini believes the club will need all of their players fit in order to make it a memorable season.

He told the club's official website: "It would be crazy to think [we won't improve] because we lost so many key players and having them back is very important for the team.

"We definitely need them because in the championship and the last stages of the Champions League, you cannot do it with 11 players. You need 25, so it is important for us to have them back.

"The season is going to be long and we are only just arriving at Christmas now. I am very confident in the team, very confident in the quality we have because we have a few top players.

"The most important thing is to recover well and be ready for the next game. In probably 10 days, we have three or four games so it is going to be a lot. We have to recover well for the next game and if we are ready, it will be fine."

 

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Low thrilled with Boateng

Germany coach Joachim Low has heaped praise upon defender Jerome Boateng, who he feels has made great progress in recent years.

The defender was a key component of the side which won the World Cup in Brazil in the summer and is seen as a crucial player in the Bayern Munich back line.

And Low believes the 26-year-old has made great strides forward with club and country recently.

"Jerome has made extreme progress in the past two years," the coach told Kicker. "I am thrilled with him because he plays with incredible consistency.

"His passes are excellent, right and left. In the World Cup final he was like Mats Hummels and put in a superior performance."

The 54-year-old guided the country to glory this year and is contracted to the national team until after Euro 2016 and he insists that his side must improve even further to have a good chance of winning a second consecutive major honour.

"I know that we now have to reinvent in some areas us. Our opponents have been analysing the way we play, so we have set new targets.

"We have won the title and are at the top, but the art is now to confirm this and to become even better."

 

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Hodgson: England have improved since World Cup

England manager Roy Hodgson feels positive about the future of his team as he looks to put memories of a dismal World Cup behind him.

Hodgson's men took just one point from group matches with Italy, Uruguay and Costa Rica at this year's finals in Brazil to crash out amongst widespread criticism.

After the World Cup, Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard announced their retirement from the international scene, as England focused on the likes of youngsters Raheem Sterling and Ross Barkley.

England have made a fine start to their Euro 2016 qualifying campaign, with four wins out of four in Group E.

Friendly victories over Norway and fierce rivals Scotland mean Hodgson's men have won all six matches since the World Cup, and the 67-year-old is feeling upbeat about what lies ahead.

"Fortunately we've managed to redress the balance somewhat since the World Cup," Hodgson told the Football Association's official website.

"Obviously the team has been even further renewed. We lost one or two senior players at the end of the World Cup for one reason or another.

"That's forced us to look at what's available and many of the players available these days are the younger ones and luckily they've repaid our faith in them during this autumn period.

"Certainly on paper we're the best team in the [Euro 2016] group and as a result it will be our duty to make certain we qualify.

"Nothing I've seen so far has led me to believe that's not possible. But we've got our feet on the ground. We know we've got work to do, we know we can get better, we know we can improve.

"The players are working very hard at the moment to make certain that we become as solid and unified a team as we can possibly be.

"I'm pleased that we've had a good run of games now. I'm pleased that the team, in my opinion, is playing some good football and showing signs of a bright future."

 

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Hazard: Premier League is the hardest and best in the world

Eden Hazard has declared the Premier League the best and hardest in the world.

The Belgian has been in fine form under Jose Mourinho in his third season with the Blues, helping them to the top of the league standings at Christmas with a return of six goals and two assists in 16 outings.

It is understoodHazard is ready to commit to a new deal which will make him the highest-paid player in the club's history, and the attacker has underlined his happiness at Chelsea and playing in a "beautiful" league.

"England is the country of football. When I was at Lille, the fans were formidable and we achieved great things. Same thing goes for the Belgian national team," he told La Voix des Sports.

"But England is England, and it’s the best for football. There are a lot of fans and they sing for me. It’s always good to hear.

"England is the best league because there is no easy game. You can lose if you don’t concentrate hard enough.

"It's the most beautiful league, because it’s the hardest one. There are some teams up there, but they can always lose.

"It’s different to France. In England, people live for football. They don’t have anything else in mind.

"They only want to see a game in the stadium. There’s always 42,000 at Stamford Bridge. There’s no small game. Fans are always there, even in away games.

Chelsea head to Stoke City on Monday night, looking to put distance between themselves and Manchester City at the top of the Premier League.

 

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Galliani aiming for AC Milan Champions League qualification

AC Milan chief executive Adriano Galliani believes the club are making progress and should target next season's Champions League.

After a disappointing campaign under Massimiliano Allegri and then Clarence Seedorf in 2013-14, the Italian giants have shown signs of improvement with Filippo Inzaghi at the helm.

Saturday's 0-0 draw at title challengers Roma - despite playing the final 20 minutes with 10 men after Pablo Armero was sent off - was another encouraging result, with Milan heading into the mid-season break having lost just three of their 16 Serie A matches this season.Inzaghi's men lie seventh in the table, just two points from third and the final Champions League qualifying berth.

With the previous season's eighth-placed finish seeing them miss out on European qualification altogether, Galliani sees no reason why the improvements under Inzaghi should not lead to Milan challenging the top three this time around.

"The match in Rome was one in which we showed we were a team: we showed spirit, desire and determination, even with 10 men we continued to fight," he told Corriere della Sera.

"If we play like this we can compete for a Champions League place.
"It seems to me like the tide has turned. Last year we always lost against the big teams."

 

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Liverpool are back on track, says Lallana

Liverpool midfielder Adam Lallana believes his side are ready to kick-start their season after an encouraging performance against Arsenal on Sunday.

Martin Skrtel's stoppage-time header salvaged a 2-2 Premier League draw for the Merseyside club after substitute Fabio Borini had been sent off for a second bookable offence at Anfield.

Brendan Rodgers' side spent last Christmas top of the table, but sit 10th 12 months on having also been knocked out of the Champions League, but Lallana feels they are now turning a corner.

He told the club's official website: "I'm thoroughly disappointed we didn't take all three points [against Arsenal], but there was a good feeling about the whole atmosphere and the performance - and it's been like that for the last few games.

"We feel we're turning a corner and getting a little bit of rhythm into our game. That goal was huge for us at the end because we would have been thoroughly disappointed with losing, but it was a point, a good performance and we move on."

Injuries have stalled the 26-year-old's start to the season but the England midfielder, who has started their last three games in a new 3-4-3 formation, is relishing playing in a role supporting Raheem Sterling.

"I'm enjoying being on the pitch and playing in the system we have been playing," he continued.

"I feel it's one of my best positions, but I am happy to play anywhere. I just feel I am becoming a bit more relaxed on the pitch now - and a relaxed Adam Lallana is probably when you'll see the best of me.

"I'm happy with the way things are going on the field at the minute, but we just want to pick up more results.

"We've got a busy Christmas period and I feel if we can put in the performances we've shown over the last week, we're not going to be too far away from picking up a lot of wins."