TOP 100 SOCCER SITES
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| Glory thump hapless Jets Newcastle Jets' four-match winning streak came to a crashing end as a Jamie Harnwell-inspired Perth Glory romped to a 4-0 A-League triumph at ME Bank Stadium. foxsports.com.au |
Wenger faces striker dilemma at Arsenal • Injuries may force Arsenal's manager to enter the market• But his side are the Premier League's top scorers with 51 goalsDespite injuries to three forwards Arsène Wenger is still weighing up the merits of signing a striker in January given that his team are currently the top scorers in the Premier League with 51 goals.The Arsenal manager said last month he could try to find a replacement for the long-term absentee Robin van Persie, particularly as injuries have also deprived him of Nicklas Bendtner and Theo Walcott.However, after Arsenal took their December goal tally to 15 with their 4-1 win at Portsmouth on Wednesday, Wenger said: "Football is not completely rational. The superficial rationality is not the real one sometimes. It's true that we have problems with our strikers. Even I say that. Everybody tells me to buy strikers, but when I look at the league nobody has scored more goals than us."We have players who move the ball well and everybody gets in dangerous positions. And that's why, with the confidence high, everyone can score goals. But we are still in the market."Transfer windowArsène WengerArsenalguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2009 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
BenÃtez wants Liverpool to show 'attitude' • BenÃtez will not underestimate lower-league opposition• Manager sees FA Cup as best chance for a trophyThe Liverpool manager, Rafael BenÃtez, has called for his side to show "attitude" against Reading in their FA Cup third-round replay at Anfield tomorrow. With the FA Cup representing one of the club's best chances of a trophy this season, BenÃtez cannot risk any embarrassment at the hands of the Championship side."We have to approach the game thinking about winning and not giving them any chances or any confidence that they can do something," he said. "In the Premier League you have to win but if you can't you say 'unlucky'. But in the Cup you have to win. The attitude is more important against teams from a lower division. After that you know you have some quality, but attitude is the key."BenÃtez has twice suffered Cup defeats by Championship clubs – in 2005, in his first season as manager, Liverpool lost to Burnley in the third round at Turf Moor, and in 2008 they were beaten 2-1 at Anfield by Barnsley, a result BenÃtez dwelt on."I remember [against Barnsley] and we were not doing badly," he said. "We had some chances and then conceded in the last minute. It was unlucky but it's the same situation now because it's a cup competition – you have to win and can't make any mistakes."Liverpool came from behind to secure a 1-1 draw against Reading in the first game at the Madejski Stadium on 2 January, but the Reds could not go on to force a win.That put a slight dent in confidence after back-to-back Premier League wins and BenÃtez knows tomorrow's tie is crucial not only to maintain momentum but for the rest of their season.For that reason he will not make the same mistake he did against Burnley five years ago when he fielded a weakened side and saw his team embarrassed and eliminated by a Djimi Traoré own goal.And even though their Premier League campaign, which takes them to Stoke for an early kick-off on Saturday, is still more important in the grander scheme of things, BenÃtez insists he is fully focused on reaching the fourth round."We know the FA Cup is a massive competition, so we want to progress and go forward as much as we can," he said. "Our priority now is one game at a time, so the first one is the most important. The FA Cup is a very good option for us to win something this year, so we have to approach the game thinking about winning. It would be very special to get to Wembley. We've been to Cardiff, but now we have to think about winning the first game."BenÃtez is still without the wingers Albert Riera and Nabil El Zhar, the defender Martin Kelly – all injured – and the suspended midfielder Javier Mascherano.And despite continuing speculation about the seriousness of the right-back Glen Johnson's knee injury, the manager has not put a timescale on the England international's recovery. "I was watching him yesterday and he seems OK," said BenÃtez. "It's a question of time. He's progressing but we have to wait."LiverpoolRafael BenÃtezFA CupReadingguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Raphael Honigstein: Clubs running afoul of FIFA's silly transfer rules In Texas, it is illegal to carry a concealed ice-cone. Donkeys are not allowed to sleep in bathtubs in Arizona. In Switzerland, you are forbidden from flushing the toilet after 10 pm. cbc.ca |
Ferdinand to appeal against FA charge and take on City • United defender opts to challenge FA violent conduct charge• Decision means Ferdinand can face Manchester City tonightRio Ferdinand has decided to take a calculated gamble and risk a four-match ban by appealing against the Football Association's violent conduct charge so he can play in tonight's Carling Cup semi-final, second leg against Manchester City.Ferdinand will inform the FA before 6pm this evening that he pleads not guilty to the charge of deliberately striking Craig Fagan in Manchester United's 4-0 defeat of Hull City on Saturday.By denying the offence, Ferdinand is then free to play against City before a hearing in London tomorrow at which he will argue that it was an accidental collision as the two players tussled for positions inside the penalty area.Ferdinand is, however, going against the advice of Graham Bean, the FA's former compliance officer who now advises United on disciplinary matters and spoke to the England international, as well as Sir Alex Ferguson, in a meeting at the club's training ground this morning.• Giggs urges team-mates to ignore derby distractions• Three more arrested over derby trouble• United winger Tosic joins Cologne on loan• Manchester United v Manchester City – live from 7.30pm!Bean's advice was that United should accept the charge because the FA might otherwise consider their appeal to be "frivolous" and the governing body could react by punishing Ferdinand with an extra game on top of the mandatory three-match suspension.Yet Ferguson agreed with Ferdinand that they should prioritise tonight's match even though it meant the possibility of losing the player for the next month in terms of domestic action.In the worst-case scenario for Ferdinand he could now be banned from Sunday's game at Arsenal as well as the following home match against Portsmouth, a trip to Aston Villa and then another away game against Everton. He would not be eligible again until West Ham United visit Old Trafford on 27 February.The Sunderland defender Michael Turner and Middlesbrough's forward Jérémie Aliadière have both previously been given extended suspensions by the FA on the basis of "frivolous" appeals against charges of violent conduct.United's representatives will point out to the FA the failure to charge Liverpool's Javier Mascherano for a similar incident involving the Leeds striker Jermaine Beckford during a Carling Cup tie at Elland Road last September.Nemanja Vidic, Ferdinand's central defensive partner, was not charged either after an almost identical incident involving the Wigan striker Hugo Rodallega.However, the referee Steve Bennett has already told the FA's disciplinary department that he would have sent off Ferdinand, and awarded Hull a penalty, had he not been following play elsewhere on the pitch.Rio FerdinandManchester UnitedPremier LeagueDaniel Taylorguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |