Posts Tagged ‘Star Players’
Liverpool job is Roy Hodgson’s biggest challenge yet
He may have held 15 different coaching positions in a 34 year career, but Roy Hodgson arguably faces his toughest job test yet at Liverpool.
The Fulham manager has agreed a two year deal to take over at Anfield and will join in time for pre-season training this week.
But he comes to a club still battered and bruised after a disastrous campaign last year which saw early exits from both domestic cups, the Champions League and a lowly 7th place finish. The Premier League 2010/2011 odds suggest they could struggle again.
Added to that is the £350million debt placed on the club by controversial owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett, as well as doubts over the futures of star players Steven Gerrard, Javier Mascherano and Fernando Torres. You could have forgiven many a manager for not touching the job with a bargepole.
But maybe Hodgson’s calm assurance is just what they need. With so much drama going on, on and off the pitch, Hodgson’s first job could be to use his vast experience to focus the players on the task in hand.
The futures of Torres, Gerrard and Mascherano remain in doubt despite the appointment. I find it highly unlikely that all three would leave, with Torres the most likely to stay. However, any departure would boost Hodgson’s fairly meagre transfer budget, currently in the region of £15 million.
Stories linking Liverpool with Fulham players have already begun, - though I find Brade Hangeland a more realistic target than the aging if popular Danny Murphy. Hodgson is a canny enough manager to know he will have to buy a better class of player than he did at Fulham if Liverpool are to meet expectations.
He will, of course, have the full backing of the Liverpool fans regardless of whether they saw him as their first choice. But a planned protest by the Spirit of Shankly fans group this weekend highlights the deep divisions between the club and its supporters at present.
A few poor results and the atmosphere at Anfield could become poisonous as the fans direct their anger at the board, making life doubly difficult for the players. Hodgson needs hit the ground running if he is to get the club on the up again. The pressure is well and truly on.
There could even be further complications down the line. England’s World Cup odds made them third favourites for the tournament this year, but they crashed out.
If Capello hangs on, but leaves the job in a year or so Hodgson could be tempted to replace him.
Tags: Anfield, Champions League, Danny Murphy, Deep Divisions, Disastrous Campaign, Doubts, Fernando Torres, First Choice, First Job, Fulham, George Gillett, Javier Mascherano, Liverpool Fans, Pre Season Training, Premier League, Roy Hodgson, Star Players, Steven Gerrard, Target, Tom Hicks
Return of Robben crucial for Holland’s World Cup hopes
Whichever team wins the World Cup is likely to have plenty of things go their way in the next few weeks.
This could be a referring decision, a deflection to create a goal, or a player returning from injury earlier than expected.
It is the third example mentioned that could apply to Holland’s chances of success according to one of their star players Robin van Persie. The Arsenal striker is aware how important Arjen Robben is to the team and has expressed how keen he is for the winger to return to action sooner rather than later.
Holland have come in dramatically in the fixed odds betting lately, reflecting a surge of support from punters, but the winger’s fitness could be vital to the team’s chances.
The former Chelsea man is suffering with a hamstring injury at present and this will keep him out of the first match of the tournament against Denmark on Monday. However, they are hoping he will return for the clash with Japan five days later.
Van Persie would welcome Robben’s return with open arms as he describes his team-mate as an “awesome player” with a playing style that has “a lot of weapons”. He has been in fine form for Bayern Munich in the Champions League this season, after all.
It was then a bitter blow for Holland to learn that he had suffered a tear in his left hamstring and there was an anxious wait to see how long he would be out for. Van Persie has revealed that Robben has been “working really hard to join the squad next week”.
As for Van Persie’s views on the Holland team as a whole, he says that the “mood is great” inside the training camp after previous tournaments were overshadowed slightly by rifts inside the squad.
The best betting site odds make the Dutch 10/1 shots to win the tournament, and there is an expection they will win their first World Cup this year.
The good feeling in the camp, along with the potential return of Robben and the rest of the talent in the Holland team certainly puts Bert van Marwijk’s men in a decent position ahead of their games against Denmark, Japan and Cameroon in Group E.
Tags: Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Bert Van Marwijk, Betting Site, Bitter Blow, Champions League, Chelsea Man, Clash, Deflection, Expection, Holland, Odds, Punters, Rifts, Star Players, Striker, Team Mate, Training Camp, Winger, World Cup
Arsenal v Barcelona preview
What better way for Arsenal to put the agony of Birmingham’s 90th minute blunder goal behind them than a look forward to a massive Champions League tie against Barcelona.
In truth most Gunners fans will have wanted to avoid the Catalan club until at least the semi-finals, but the prospect of the two best footballing sides in the competition going head-to-head is a mouth-watering one. Since the draw has been made there has been nothing but excitable expectation from Gunners fans. The Champions League odds suggest Arsenal will struggle, but they are sure to give it their all.
There are plenty of sub-plots wrapped round this fixture, not least the return of Arsenal legend Thierry Henry, who will play against his old club for the first time.
The man who won two Premier League titles and three FA Cups in eight years at Arsenal still calls the place home and will no doubt receive a rapturous welcome from the fans. He has already said he will not celebrate should he score on Wednesday and I’m sure the supporters would find it hard to be hostile to their former hero should he find the net.
The two sides also met in the 2006 final, when Sol Campbell’s early goal was cancelled out by two late Barca strikes, with a controversial Jens Lehmann red card somewhere in between. The Arsenal players won’t openly speak of revenge, but it is bound to be on their minds.
The two star players on either side are both Barca Academy graduates. Cesc Fabregas, of course, moved from Cataluna to London at the age of 16 and has flourished at the Emirates. And we all know about the recent exploits of Lionel Messi, who has sent sports writers into a frenzy as they try to come up with new superlatives to describe the Argentinean.
Arsene Wenger has pledged not to man mark Messi, claiming they have too many good players to single out just one, and instead has challenged his players to show what they can do to worry Barca.
No team has averaged more possession of the ball than Arsenal and Barcelona in this year’s Champions League, while The Gunners are the joint top scorers and Barca have the best defence.
One thing is for sure, the game will be easy on the eye.
Key player Arsenal - Alex Song
It may seem strange to pick song given the amount of attacking, creative players on show but with Arsenal seeking to play their way past Barca it is vital Song holds firm in front of his back four - especially if Messi has the ball.
Key man Barcelona – Lionel Messi
Who else? Eight spectacular goals in a week added to the growing belief that Messi is the best player in the world right now. Although the World Cup betting makes him a 16/1 shot to be top scorer at the competition, he will doubtless set the tournament alight with his skill and flair. He the ability to score and create in equal measure, the crowd will rise in expectation every time he picks up the ball. Arsenal will hope he has an off day this time round.
Tags: Agony, Arsenal Players, Arsene Wenger, Blunder, Cataluna, Fa Cups, Fabregas, Gunners, Jens Lehmann, League Tie, League Titles, Lionel Messi, Premier League, Rapturous Welcome, Semi Finals, Sol Campbell, Sports Writers, Star Players, Superlatives, Thierry Henry
Buy Puma Lazio home shirt 2009-10
We have just taken delivery of the new 2009-10 Lazio home football shirt in all adult sizes.
SS Lazio play in the Italian Serie A and with a number of star players, most notably Macedonian forward Goran Pandev, will be hoping to challenge for the title next season. You can now buy the Laizo football kit online.
The shirt is priced at £39.99 and is available for immediate dispatch. Click here to buy the new Lazio home shirt.
Tags: Adult Play, Adult Sizes, Football Kit, Football Shirt, Home Football, Italian Serie, Lazio Home, Puma, Ss Lazio, Star Players
Buy PSG home football kit 2009-10
We have just taken delivery of the new 2009-10 Paris Saint Germain home football shirt in all adult sizes.
PSG play in the French Ligue 1 and with a number of star players including Claude Makelele and Mateja Kezman will be hoping to challenge for the title next season. You can now buy the PSG football kit online.
The shirt is priced at £39.99 and is available for immediate dispatch. Click here to buy the new PSG home shirt.
Tags: Adult Play, Adult Sizes, Claude Makelele, Football Kit, Football Shirt, French Ligue 1, Home Football, Mateja Kezman, New Psg, Paris Saint Germain, Psg Football, Star Players