TOP 100 SOCCER SITES
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| Hull boss Phil Brown slams FA's decision to charge his side with misconduct Hull City manager Phil Brown pledges to fight the Football Association's "absolutely scandalous" misconduct charge. telegraph.co.uk |
Jason de Vos: My New Year's wish list As 2009 draws to a close, I've decided to forego the usual ritual of a New Year's resolution. I don't see the point in waiting until tomorrow to do what you can do today, so I've never really been into that tradition. cbc.cacbc.ca |
Roberto Carlos still wants to play at World Cup Veteran defender Roberto Carlos still hopes to play at the 2010 World Cup despite playing his last game for Brazil at the 2006 tournament. cbc.ca |
Peter Lovenkrands rallies Newcastle to raise game for West Brom test Newcastle striker urges team-mates to raise their game when the Championship pacesetters face West Brom Albion. telegraph.co.uk |
Portsmouth 1-1 West Ham Gianfranco Zola had called himself "an optimist" in the build-up, but even he recognised this as an opportunity missed. West Ham's new owners shivered in the stands and were presented with evidence of the size of the task ahead. An away point might be considered presentable, but familiar frailties ensured that their new club remained outside the relegation zone only on goal difference.That is an uncomfortable reality for David Sullivan and David Gold, given the capital they are pouring in. Zola's side have one win in nine games and need the reinforcements the owners are Âattempting to recruit. Benni McCarthy should arrive for £2.5m, though whether he will face his current employers, Blackburn, on Saturday remains to be seen. There is competition from Tottenham Hotspur that could deflect the attempt to sign Eidur Gudjohnsen from Monaco. Zola could do with a player of the Icelander's class, though the pursuit of Champions League qualification may well – understandably – prove more attractive than a struggle to avoid the Championship.West Ham's manager was quick to praise his players here, which might prove wise if he has to rely on the bulk of them to stave off the drop. There are signs of progress but there is frustration too that defensive uncertainty continues to cost them points.As tight as this match was, it should have yielded a win in Gold and Sullivan's first game in charge. West Ham were more threatening for long periods, only to be thwarted by Asmir Begovic's brilliance, the Bosnian saving wonderfully from Frank Nouble and Alessandro Diamanti midway through the first half. His best reaction save denied Jack Collison moments later, the goalkeeper leaping to his left to turn a shot around the post.When West Ham took the lead, it owed everything to a Portsmouth player, Younes Kaboul's back-header looping off ÂMatthew Upson's chest and over the stranded Begovic. That should have spurred the visitors on to a second away win of the season. Instead, they shrank back and were eventually punished."I didn't take it very well, to be honest," said Zola. "We had control of the game and I didn't see them scoring. But it's OK. Nothing can take away from the fact that we played a good game and we're getting better and better."Portsmouth's refusal to submit was admirable. They had been frustrated in the first half, Aaron Mokoena being denied by Rob Green's fine save in front of the England general manager, Franco Baldini, and Mark Noble scrambling Kaboul's volley from the line. Yet more impressive was their rally once behind. Kevin-Prince Boateng missed a presentable opportunity and Marc Wilson headed over before Danny Webber scored, four minutes after coming on, from John Utaka's pass.Pompey pressed in the closing minutes, but the final whistle prompted a groan from both sets of supporters."We needed the three points, wanted them and did everything we could to get them, but sometimes things don't go to plan," said Avram Grant. "But the Âhunger my players has shown has impressed me. I'm proud. Other teams might have broken given what we've gone through, but we kept fighting. We're still in the game and it won't be easy to kill us."Premier LeaguePortsmouthWest Ham UnitedDominic Fifieldguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |