TOP 100 SOCCER SITES
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| McLeish accepts Hart will leave Birmingham • Manager is resigned to losing on-loan goalkeeper• Targets 'two or three' signings this monthAlex McLeish hopes to sign "two or three" players this month, but the Birmingham City manager has said that the in-form goalkeeper Joe Hart will not be one of them.Hart joined Birmingham on a season's loan from Manchester City in the summer and recent performances have led to talk of the 22-year-old becoming England's first choice at the World Cup. Hart has been instrumental in the club's 11-game unbeaten run in the Premier League.Hart produced another fine display as Birmingham drew 0-0 at Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup third round on Saturday. His fingertip save to thwart Robbie Earnshaw was particularly impressive.McLeish said he would like to keep Hart but the Scot is resigned to the fact that he will return to Manchester City at the end of the season."We've asked them and there is no chance," he said. "Man City have said he's not for sale. To be fair that has always been the way as they said that in the summer. That has always been their stance. When he first arrived there were people telling me after one or two games I should maybe be thinking about making a change. They obviously couldn't see the good things he was doing and look at him now."We discussed it and changed a couple of things and he's improved. He's a guy who wants to improve, wants to learn and wants to be the best and it always helps when you have got a student who is receptive."McLeish is looking to strengthen his squad but he says Birmingham will not be forced to pay excessive transfer fees or wages."We'll try to bring two or three players in, but with the form we're in it's a bit of a dilemma," said McLeish. "Do I bring someone in for a huge transfer fee and on huge wages rather than keeping with the lads in the dressing room?"We are close to one or two things and we are in dialogue about players but one thing is for sure, I don't think there's any need for us to be fleeced. There's a lot of prices that don't appeal to me."The law of economics is that if someone is prepared to pay for it, then that's what it's worth. But, at the moment, we don't appear to be in any bun fights with anybody in terms of competition for players."Birmingham CityTransfer windowManchester CityPremier Leagueguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
West Brom 1-3 Nottingham Forest Nottingham Forest's relentless march towards the top of the Championship continued last night as Billy Davies's side vanquished West Bromwich Albion to leapfrog their Midlands opponents and move into the second automatic promotion place. Davies remains adamant that Forest need another season in the Championship to prepare for life in the Premier League but performances like this suggest his players have other ideas. Forest were excellent and thoroughly deserved their victory.It is now 18 matches unbeaten for Davies's team and the two goals scored in three minutes shortly after half-time were emblematic of the confidence coursing through the visitors. Radoslaw Malewski's brilliant volley fizzed past Scott Carson before Chris Cohen finished off a fine move that included four one-touch passes to put Forest 3-0 ahead after Dexter Blackstock had struck early on. There were 34 minutes remaining and Albion fans were already heading for the exits, with Roman Bednar's goal scant consolation on a chastening night for the home teamRoberto Di Matteo suggested beforehand that Forest were set up to defend but the Albion manager could not have got it more wrong. Forest's 4-2-3-1 formation included defensive insurance in the shape of the two holding midfielders, Paul McKenna and Guy Moussi, but there was also an attacking threat that was evident throughout a first half dominated by the visitors. The only surprise was that Forest only had a single goal to show for their efforts at half-time.Blackstock was the scorer, the former Queens Park Rangers striker escaping the clutches of the debutant Gabriel Tamas to steer a left-footed volley from Radoslaw Majewski's corner inside the near post. Tamas, signed on loan from Auxerre until the end of the season, was not having a good day at the office. Later in the first half the Romania international picked up a yellow card after swinging his left arm into the face of Paul Anderson.Albion had been abject, the home side unable to find any fluency, devoid of ideas and, not surprisingly, booed off at the interval. The one crumb of comfort for Di Matteo at that point was that his team had not conceded a second, with Forest squandering an excellent chance to double their lead in the 24th minute. Chris Gunter broke from the right-back spot and skipped around Joe Mattock before cutting the ball back into the path of Majewski but the Pole snatched at the opening, sweeping a right-footed shot from about 12 yards over the bar.The reprieve was only temporary. Two exquisite second-half goals confirmed Forest's superiority. Majewski grabbed the first, flashing a left-footed volley from an acute angle in off the crossbar and Cohen drilled home the second. Finally Albion roused, Bednar turning in Graham Dorrans' pass to give Albion hope. It was the first goal Forest had conceded in 630 minutes andtheir might have been a second but for two fine saves from Lee Camp to deny Jonas Olsson and Ishmael Miller another.West Bromwich 4-4-2Carson; Zuiverloon, Tamas, Olsson, Mattock (Koren, 65); Brunt, Dorrans, Jara, Thomas; Moore (Bednar, 46), Cox (Miller, 77).Booked Tamas, MattockSubs not used Kiely, Cech, Mulumbu, Martis.Nottm Forest 4-2-3-1Camp; Gunter, Morgan, Wilson, Shorey; Moussi (Tyson, 61), McKenna; Cohen, Majewski (Perch, 79), Anderson; Blackstock (Adebola, 75).Booked McKenna, BlackstockSubs not used Smith, Chambers, McGugan, McGoldrick.Referee L ProbertChampionshipWest BromNottingham ForestStuart Jamesguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Who's to blame for Liverpool's ruin? Even in mid-January it's clear the 20th anniversary of Liverpool's last championship, in late April, will pass quietly without fanfare on Merseyside. cbc.ca |
Aston Villa 3 Brighton & Hove Albion 2: match report If Villa were concerned about inability to score in recent weeks, they can rest easy, after taking tally to nine goals in two games. telegraph.co.uk |
Gerrard: Wolves draw is proof of progress • Captain praises run of five matches unbeaten• Club denies Yossi Benayoun will move to Dynamo MoscowIn what is becoming a familiar refrain at Anfield this season, Steven Gerrard has declared Liverpool have "turned a corner" in the wake of the goalless draw at Wolverhampton Wanderers. Rafael BenÃtez used the same phrase two months ago only for his team to subsequently regress but Gerrard believes that a fifth consecutive Premier League match without defeat represents genuine proof that Liverpool are moving in the right direction.The England international, who returned to the side at Molineux after being out for 13 days with a hamstring strain, admitted that confidence has suffered during a hugely disappointing season. Gerrard, however, highlighted the "character" and "desire" that Liverpool have demonstrated in recent weeks to avoid defeat at Stoke City and Wolves as a cause for optimism and also a reason to believe that fourth place can yet be salvaged from the wreckage of their campaign."We are really happy how we defended as a team [against Wolves]. I think it is a point gained rather than two lost," said Gerrard. "We've got a couple of home games coming up and if we take maximum points, I'm sure we'll edge into that top four. The important thing is that we are playing better. We've turned the corner and we are a much more difficult team to beat now. We would probably have lost the [Wolves] game 1-0 a couple of months back so we are defending a lot better."Confidence was certainly low a few weeks ago but we've had a couple of encouraging results. Stoke away was a tough game and the lads performed fantastically well against Tottenham. What we've shown over the last few weeks is that we can match teams physically and battle. Confidence is slowly coming back and, once that confidence is back, results will follow. We are very confident we can eventually edge into that top four."Gerrard admitted that his team-mates had found the league table difficult to look at this season but he has been impressed with their response during a spell that has yielded 11 points from a possible 15. "The most important thing for me over the last three or four games is the character and the desire the players have shown. That gives you major confidence because you know eventually that the quality of performance is just around the corner if the solid base is there."Liverpool, meanwhile, have insisted Yossi Benayoun is not leaving Anfield despite claims the Israel captain's agent has agreed a three-year contract with Dynamo Moscow. The Russian club's sporting director, Konstantin Sarsania, suggested the influential midfielder could complete a £7m move this week providing Liverpool consent to his departure."It is true that we have come to an agreement with the player's agent. In the next two days, Liverpool will make their own decision," Sarsania said. "When we completed the signing of Andriy Voronin, consent was given by BenÃtez. Now the Liverpool coach is against losing Benayoun, but the decision is not his, it is for the club's directors."Liverpool, however, have categorically denied that Benayoun is on his way. A club spokesman last night stated: "The player is not for sale and he will not be leaving." Benayoun is currently recovering from a broken rib and not expected to return until mid-February.Steven GerrardLiverpoolPremier LeagueStuart JamesAndy Hunterguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |