Posts Tagged ‘Carling Cup’
United to loan out youngsters
Some of Manchester United talented bunch of youngsters will be sent out on loan this season. Danny Welbeck and Tom Cleverly are two who will be loaned out to gain first team experience.
A number of lower Premiership clubs will be after the two players. Welbeck spent a short spell at Preston last season before he suffered an injury. He scored twice in his five games under Ferguson junior.
Cleverly has had loans at Leicester and last season at Watford. He was voted Watford’s player of the year at the end of the last campaign. Watford were understandably keen to take Cleverly again. Ferguson thinks that both players need to be playing in the top flight at this stage in their career’s to continue their development.
Newcastle have shown an interest in midfielder Cleverly, as they look to prove Premier league outright betting wrong and assemble a squad capable of competing in this league.
Welbeck is being chased by a host of clubs, Blackpool look to be leading the pack. They would promise Welbeck a regular starting spot. Ian Holloway’s men who are favourite for the drop according to the football betting odds have resorted to giving Francis Jeffers a trail in their search for a striker.
Welbeck has looked dangerous in the Carling Cup games he has played for United and scored a delicious lob on his Preston debut.
Other player who may be given a chance of gaining some league experience elsewhere may be Mame Biram Diouf and Gabriel Oberton. Senegalese striker Diouf was signed last season from Molde. French winger Oberton has been linked with a loan move to Rangers. Both have been used on United pre-season tour on the States, meaning both may be kept at Old Trafford and given some playing time there.
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From back-up to Leed
With Jermaine Beckford leaving for Everton, the race was on for Leeds to replace the striker. Not the easiest job when you take into account Beckford’s 72 goals in 126 appearances for the Yorkshire side.
Billy Paynter was brought in on a free transfer from Swindon. Although Paynter scored 29 goals last term, he is more of a target man than an out and out goal scorer. Championship betting suggests that Lucciano Becchio won’t get 30 goals in a season but he will work all day to supply other people.
Many players have been mentioned in the press, to replace 30 goal Beckford. Billy Sharp, Leroy Lita and Gary Hooper have all been linked. Hooper, who enters the last year of his Scunthorpe contract this season, has been linked with Leeds for over a year. Celtic, Burnley and Middlesbrough are all supposedly in the hunt for the 22 year old. Scunthorpe are apparently asking for £3 million for Hooper, which may be too steep for Leeds. Chairman Ken Bates isn’t renowned for splashing the cash.
Leeds manager Simon Grayson might be confident enough in what he has already to impact on the Championship and even Carling Cup betting.
American striker Mike Grella, has been used sparingly by Grayson over the past couple of season. It’s been reported that many in the Leeds squad view him as their most skilful player. He has looked promising whenever he has been used and this could be a big season for Grella.
Perhaps the most promising find of last season was South African forward Davide Somma. After signing for Leeds in September 2009, he joined Chesterfield on loan before injury cut his spell short. He was then sent to Lincoln at then end of last season to gain more Football League experience. During his 14 games at Lincoln he scored 9 times. The quality, as well as quantity of the goals impressed Grayson enough, persuading him to hand Somma a one year extention to his current deal.
In Beckford’s early Leeds career, he spent time on loan in a lower division. When he returned from a successful spell at Scunthorpe, he brought that confidence back to Leeds and became an Elland Road hero. Many in West Yorkshire will be hoping Somma follows suite.
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Mancini: City can eclipse United
Manchester City could one day become England’s biggest club, according to manager Roberto Mancini.
The Blues are set to take on city rivals United in the Carling Cup semi-finals and Mancini believes that the balance of power between the two sides could be set to shift.
United have won 11 Premier League titles since 1992 while City haven’t lifted a trophy since 1981.
Despite the size of the gap between the two sides, Mancini believes it can be closed one day, although he is aware that it will take some time for City to eclipse the efforts of United.
He said: “If we work well, it is possible.
“United have a big history. They have been a good team for many years.
“City can become a big team in the next year. It is most important that we get into the top four.
“That would change the situation. Surely it would be better if City were also a big club in the future because then Manchester could have two clubs in the Champions League?”
While the Italian has already stated that he wants to bring City Champions League football next season, the timing of his latest comments could be seen as a foray into mind games.
The Carling Cup semi will be his first Manchester derby and given his comments about Carlos Tevez it does seem that Mancini is trying to play Sir Alex Ferguson at his own game.
Mancini said: “I hope that Carlos can score goals because he is an ex-United player.”
“But it is important that the squad plays well. And we must not forget this match is over two games.”
For his part Sir Alex says he no issue with Tevez doing well at City.
However, with United already out of the FA Cup the side will be keen to secure a Wembley final.
Anyone looking to make a Carling Cup bet will find that Manchester United are joint favourites for the tournament, but City will fancy themselves to cause an upset across the two legs of the semi-final.
Online betting experts also fancy City to do well in the FA Cup as United and Liverpool have already been eliminated from the competition.
Tags: Alex Ferguson, Balance Of Power, Carling Cup, Champions League Football, City Champions, City Rivals, Fa Cup, Foray, Gap, League Titles, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Mind Games, Premier League, Semi Finals, Sir Alex Ferguson, Two Games, Two Legs, Will Take Some Time