Tuesday, September 22, 2015
Seaman: Pressure on Arsenal in League Cup Vs Tottenham
Arsene Wenger's side have lost their last two matches, against Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League and Chelsea in the Premier League.
The club have not lifted the League Cup since 1993 - when Seaman was in goal - with two runs to the final in the past nine years ending in defeat in the showpiece.
And Seaman believes that the Gunners simply must progress to the fourth round, and has subsequenly called on Wenger to name a strong side to face Mauricio Pochettino's team.
"Arsenal's start has been okay, but it's not been as good as what they hoped for I'm sure," Seaman said.
"They have not had a great start, then they had a few good wins but they are going into this game off two defeats, and they don't want to go into their next Premier League game after three defeats.
"So makes it a little bit more important for Arsenal to win in that aspect. It's a massive game for the players and even bigger for the fans, the bragging rights are obviously dictated by who wins.
"It will be a good game, and will be interesting to see what sort of side both teams put out because they will definitely put some not regular first teamers in there.
"It is important both put decent sides out there because if Tottenham put a full strength team out and Arsenal put a youth team out it's not a good challenge. It's about getting the mixture right."
Simeone hails fantastic Griezmann display
The France international scored twice in the 2-0 win away to Galatasaray in the Champions League last week and repeated the trick again on Tuesday night.
Griezmann now has five goals for the season already in all competitions and Simeone says the sky is the limit for the 24-year-old.
He said: "He is in excellent shape, has grown so much and he is a key player for the team. His future will depend just on him."
Recent signing Jackson Martinez laid on an assist for Griezmann's second goal and Simeone was quick to praise the striker after the game.
"He entered the pitch very well and assisted Griezmann for the second goal," added the Argentine. "He is an enthusiastic worker and will try to fulfill the expectations we have of him."
Tiago started the game on the bench before being introduced in the second half, with Saul preferred alongside Gabi in the heart of Atletico's midfield.
However, Simeone says the veteran still has a big part to play at the club. "He is a very important player to us. He is the brain of the team. He knows what the team needs and you only can know it with experience.
"When he entered the pitch, the team changed and stopped suffering. Atletico improved from that moment and took control of the game."
Leicester 'fantastic' in win over West Ham - Ranieri
Andy King's powerful header sealed the victory late in extra-time at the King Power Stadium on Tuesday, with the hosts having dominated proceedings as West Ham goalkeeper Adrian pulling off a string of excellent saves to keep Leicester at bay, after Mauro Zarate's effort had cancelled out Joe Dodoo's opener.
And despite their wastefulness in front of goal, Ranieri was thrilled with the effort of his players as three-time League Cup winners Leicester maintained their unbeaten start to 2015/16.
"We deserved it. We made a fantastic performance, and created 10 great chances to score. Their keeper was man of the match," he said.
"We had the names of the first five penalty takers written down. But we deserved to score a winner. It was a great goal.
"We changed 10 players, but they played at the same level. They're a great group and they work very hard. I'm very happy."
Manchester City response delights Pellegrini
Raheem Sterling, Sergio Aguero and Kevin De Bruyne all found the net, along with a Vito Mannone own goal, within the first 36 minutes at the Stadium of Light, as City outclassed their hosts on Tuesday evening.
And after back-to-back defeats against Juventus and West Ham, Pellegrini was delighted to get back to winning ways.
"We played well, especially in the first half," he said. "Maybe in the second half, winning 4-0, we stopped our pace a little bit, but I am pleased because we started this game after two important defeats in the Champions League and Premier League.
"It was important to continue in this cup and it was important to try to win from the first minute.
"We scored four beautiful goals."
Pellegrini opted to start a host of big-name players, including Sterling, De Bruyne, Aguero and Yaya Toure.
De Bruyne and Sterling combined superbly to carve open the Sunderland defence repeatedly in the first half, and the Chilean reserved special praise for his two big-name summer signings.
"Kevin is a very good player and Raheem played very well also," he added. "It was useful for both players to be settled in our team.
"It is not easy at the beginning to make the correct movements, but both of them demonstrated why they are here."
The City boss then went on to reaffirm his high regard for the League Cup as a competition, although he was also pleased with the chance to give some game time to a number of youngsters.
"We won this cup two years ago and it is beautiful to play the final at Wembley," he said. "We will continue to try and play strong squads in this competition.
"We have a lot of players injured so it was not easy to play this game.
"It was important to start with a strong team and then to give minutes to young players during the game.
"Patrick Roberts, George Evans and Manu Garcia are three young players that will be part of our squad for the future.
"The game allowed us to make those substitutions."
Arnold on Lewandowski's five-goal haul: 'It's simply s***'
Bayern Munich striker Lewandowski came off the bench at half-time against Wolfsburg on Tuesday night and, with his side trailing 1-0, scored five times in nine minutes to turn the match on its head and break a clutch of records.
The Poland international became the first man in Bundesliga history to score five after coming on a substitute, and his first three strikes constituted the fastest hat-trick in the league's history.
But Arnold was in no mood for discussion, telling Sky: "We can't explain that, five goals in nine minutes. There is no reason to talk about, it's simply s***."
The 5-1 victory takes Bayern seven points clear of Wolfsburg at the top of the Bundesliga table, although Borussia Dortmund can move level on points with the champions if they beat Hoffenheim on Wednesday.
Carneiro leaves Chelsea after Mourinho dispute
Mourinho had called the club's medical staff "impulsive and naive" for entering the pitch late on in the opening day 2-2 draw with Swansea.
Carneiro and physio Jon Fearn treated Eden Hazard with minutes remaining of the game, leaving the Blues temporarily down to 10 men.
Carneiro was subsequently removed from her position on the Chelsea bench during matches and told to instead work with the players at the Cobham training ground.
But the doctor is believed to have stayed away from the club since the incident on August 8 and posted a message of thanks to well wishers on Facebook two days after the game.
The Football Association are also reviewing complaints that Mourinho used abusive or sexist language towards Carneiro.
Udinese 2-3 AC Milan: Rossoneri survive comeback to edge five-goal thriller
The Italy striker opened the scoring after just five minutes as the visitors made a superb start at the Stadio Communale Friuli, before Giacomo Bonaventura doubled their lead in the 10th minute.
Cristian Zapata's goal in the closing minutes of the first half seemed to have decided the match, but Udinese came roaring into the game after the interval.
Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu made it 3-1 shortly after the break and then substitute Duvan Zapata got another on the hour mark to set up a tense finale.
But there was no comeback from the struggling hosts, despite plenty of late pressure, and their hopes were finally ended in injury-time when Bruno Fernandes was sent off for a second yellow card.
Victory sent Milan fourth in the table for at least a day, while Udinese have now lost four in a row and look set for a battle against relegation.
Sunderland 1-4 Manchester City: Aguero, Sterling & De Bruyne on target for City
The Belgian - a club-record signing from Wolfsburg in the summer - netted his side's second goal after Sergio Aguero had opened the scoring in the ninth minute.
Vito Mannone then inadvertently turned the ball into his own net before Raheem Sterling added a fourth before half-time.
Ola Toivonen grabbed a late consolation goal in the 83rd minute, but it was City who comfortably progressed to the fourth round of the competition.
Atletico Madrid 2-0 Getafe: Griezmann fires Simeone's men level with Barcelona
The Frenchman's two strikes from close range - his fourth and fifth goals of the season in all competitions - proved decisive as the home side made it four victories from five league games.
Getafe, who suffered their fourth defeat from the same number of matches, could have equalised in the second half, but were left to rue a poor miss from Pedro Leon.
Diego Simeone made six changes to his starting line-up following Saturday's win over Eibar, with Fernando Torres, who scored in that game, and Yannick Ferreira Carrasco among the players brought in.
Bayern Munich 5-1 Wolfsburg: Lewandowski nets FIVE IN NINE MINUTES as the Bavarians cruise
The 27-year-old was introduced at half-time and fired in a four-minute hat-trick before adding two more in a breathless 15-minute spell from the home side.
Bayern started on the front foot but Wolfsburg stunned the Allianz Arena on 26 minutes as Daniel Caligiuri fired home emphatically following Julian Draxler's pass.
Pep Guardiola's side struggled to break through a resilient away defence and they almost found themselves two down when Josuha Guilovogui hit the post from his own half, with Manuel Neuer stranded.
But the half-time arrival of Lewandowski turned the game on its head as the Poland international became the first substitute to score five times in a Bundesliga match to leave Wolfsburg rattled.
Douglas Costa brought the first save out of Diego Benaglio with a low drive from 25 yards before Arturo Vidal curled over from a similar distance as Bayern settled quickly into their passing game.
Thomas Muller should have done better when he collected Mario Gotze's clever pass only to blast his effort wide of the right-hand post from the edge of the area, but a disciplined Wolfsburg took the lead just after the 25-minute mark, Draxler picking out Caligiuri on the break and the 27-year-old rifled a fierce half-volley past Neuer at the near post.
Neuer almost gifted Wolfsburg a second as he raced towards the halfway line only to miss an interception, but Guilavogui's lob from the centre-circle clipped the upright before bouncing wide.
Guardiola threw on Lewandowski and the change paid dividends almost immediately. Muller was denied by Benaglio after a fine team move involving Gotze and Vidal, and Lewandowski was on hand to poke the ball home on the rebound.
The Poland striker put Bayern in front just a minute later, lashing the ball into the bottom corner from the edge of the area, and he sealed a stunning four-minute hat-trick - the fastest in Bundesliga history - as he prodded the ball home after initially hitting the post after being set up by Muller.
Wolfsburg were completely rattled and Lewandowski helped himself to a fourth on 56 minutes as he turned in Costa's cross with a crisp strike.
But the former Borussia Dortmund man saved his best for the fifth - a sensational acrobatic volley which flew past Benaglio and left Guardiola speechless on the sidelines.
Benaglio made a double save to deny Gotze and then Muller from adding a sixth before a combination of the Swiss keeper and Ricardo Rodriguez on the goal-line stopped Lewandowski from scoring again.
Former Bayern man Dante blocked another Lewandowski effort inside the area as the champions cruised through the closing stages to go three points clear at the top of the table ahead of Dortmund's clash with Hoffenheim on Wednesday.
Seaman: Costa refereeing embarrassing
David Seaman says he was "embarrassed" by the performance of referee Mike Dean during Chelsea's 2-0 win over Arsenal.
Dean dismissed Gabriel at Stamford Bridge after he kicked out at Diego Costa following the striker's clash with Koscielny.
Gabriel, Costa and both clubs were subsequently charged by the Football Association for improper conduct, violent conduct and failing to control their players respectively.
Seaman was highly critical of Gabriel for being drawn into the incident - having not been involved in the original altercation - but felt the decision to dismiss the defender was the wrong one.
"Gabriel got suckered into it," the former England goalkeeper told Omnisport. "He made a silly decision with a flick, but the most annoying thing about it is a player can get a straight red for a little flick like that.
"Over the top tackles are not getting punished nowhere near as badly as that, it's just embarrassing, as a footballer I was embarrassed.
"The Rugby World Cup is on and they are flying into each other, and we're sending players off for little flicks. It just really got me angry… and I don't get angry often!"
Seaman says Costa should not be made out to be the villain, as players of his mould have been around for some time.
He added: "That's Diego, I know that and I've been retired 12 years! That's his game, he's not just that, he's a great striker and a great finisher.
"[But you] just get on with it, don't get drawn into it, you know what's he's going to be like.
"It's passion as well [from Costa], it's not out and out dirtiness, he's trying to win the ball.
"All the stuff that went on that we saw on Saturday goes on at every corner. The scratching and pulling goes on all the time.
"Just get on with it, a yellow each would've been enough and walk away."
Official: Gabriel ban lifted by FA
The Gunners defender had been dismissed for violent conduct after kicking out at Blues striker Diego Costa at the end of a continued dispute between the two players.
Costa has subsequently been charged with violent conduct by the FA and could face retrospective punishment following a further collision with Arsenal defender Laurent Koscielny.
But a statement released by the FA on Tuesday rescinded Gabriel's ban for violent conduct, but remains subject of a separate charge for improper conduct, for which the defender has until 6pm on Thursday to reply.
"Arsenal’s claim of wrongful dismissal in relation to Gabriel has been upheld following an Independent Regulatory Commission hearing," the FA statement read.
Barcelona to miss Rafinha for six months after surgery
The 22-year-old midfielder suffered a torn right anterior cruciate ligament during last week's 1-1 Champions League draw at Roma.
A statement on Barcelona's official website on Tuesday confirmed Rafinha had undergone a successful operation and that he will begin a lengthy rehabilitation.
The statement read: "According to the club’s medical services, Rafinha has been operated successfully on by doctors Ramon Cugat and Ricard Pruna following the cruciate ligament right knee injury that he suffered in the game against Roma.
"The player is expected to be out for around six months."
Barca are unable to field any new signings until January 2016 as a result of their transfer ban, but they have appealed to Fifa to allow them to field Arda Turan or Aleix Vidal due to the long term absence of the midfielder.
Arda agent 'not optimistic' after Barcelona ask Fifa to let winger play
Barca were banned from registering new players by Fifa in 2015 due to irregularities in the signing of young players for their La Masia academy, but the Catalan club still brought in Aleix Vidal and Arda in the summer with a view to handing the pair their debuts in January.
However, rules in Spain dictate that a team can register a player in La Liga and the Copa del Rey if they lose another to long-term injury, though coach Luis Enrique has already said that world football's governing body had previously told the club it would be unable to sign a new player in that case.
Still, Barca have appealed to the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) and to Fifa after Rafinha suffered cruciate ligament damage against Roma in the Champions League last week, which has ruled the 22-year-old out for around six months.
Turan, who signed from Atletico Madrid in a €34 million deal in the summer, posted a tweet on Tuesday with an image of himself alongside Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar in which he hinted at linking up with his team-mates in the coming days as he wrote: "The gang. Looking forward to playing together..."
But Arda's agent, Ahmed Bulut, told Cadena Cope: "He is happy with the possibility of playing before January, but we aren't optimistic about what Fifa will say. We hope Fifa will respond this week."
Bulut also added that his client is fit and raring to go if needed.
"He is physically and mentally prepared to compete," he said. "He has played two matches with Turkey this month in the Euro 2016 qualifiers. It has been difficult for him to adapt to five months without playing, but he has been lucky because he has felt comfortable in the team."
And speaking at the pre-match press conference ahead of his side's Liga game at Celta Vigo on Wednesday, Barca boss Luis Enrique said: "Arda and Aleix Vidal would already be playing if we were allowed to reigister them."
Shearer: Diego Costa crossed the line against Arsenal
The former Newcastle United striker still tops the all-time Premier League goalscoring charts after netting 260 times in the top flight.
Costa has received an FA charge for "an alleged act of violent conduct" after raising arms to Laurent Koscielny in Saturday's game, which came before he clashed with Gabriel, who was sent off in the aftermath.
The Spain international's manager Jose Mourinho leapt to the defence of his performance and, while Shearer does not believe Costa is a dirty player, he does think things went too far against the Gunners.
"I would describe him as an aggressive wind-up merchant," the 45-year-old wrote in The Sun.
"Winding up defenders is fair game — it happens, whether you like it or not. Central defenders try to kick you and Costa is turning it around and doing the same.
"You try to get one step ahead of the game and stand up for yourself. You let the defenders know that you won't be intimidated and they can't kick you.
"I would rather have Diego Costa in my team than against me, but he is treading a fine line.
"He is a street fighter. I like his aggression and the way he doesn't allow himself to be bullied by big central defenders.
"But there is a line and he crossed that against Arsenal."
Mourinho has confirmed that Costa, who could face a ban for his antics, will not start Wednesday's League Cup tie at Walsall.
Luis Enrique: Vidal & Arda being punished by Barcelona transfer ban
The European champions were last year banned by Fifa from registering players for two transfer windows due to irregularities in relation to the movement of players under the age of 18.
Consequently, while they were allowed to sign Vidal and Arda during the summer, neither man is eligible for selection until January.
"Arda and Aleix would play if we were allowed to have them at disposal," Luis Enrique told reporters on Tuesday.
"They are living a weird situation, similar when your parents punish the older son for something the little one did!"
However, Barca have reportedly asked Fifa if they can register Arda now, given midfielder Rafinha has been ruled out for the remainder of the season through injury.
Luis Enrique appeared to confirm that an appeal has been launched but refused to be drawn on its chances of success.
"It is not a question of being optimistic about Arda being cleared to play or not," the former Spain international stated.
"But the club is always looking at our best options. However, it is up to Fifa and we can only focus on what we're being asked to do on the field."
Turning his attention to Wednesday's trip to Balaidos, Luis Enrique admitted that he is expecting Barca, who boast a perfect record after four rounds of Liga action, to be given a rough ride by his old club.
"We are anticipating a hard game," he added. "Last year it was a very difficult game even though we played well and won 1-0.
Arsenal-Tottenham is London's biggest derby - Lehmann
The two local rivals meet in the third round of the League Cup at White Hart Lane on Wednesday night.
Lehmann never finished on the losing side in eight appearances against Tottenham and has particularly fond memories of their ground, having been part of the Arsenal side that secured the Premier League title there with a 2-2 draw in 2004.
"The game between Arsenal and Tottenham is the most exciting derby in London because the history is quite long," the ex-Germany international told Omnisport.
"It is different now with Chelsea, which came in just 10 years ago when Roman Abramovich took over.
"With Arsenal and Tottenham there is a geographical proximity and there is the rivalry just out of historic clashes which have taken place.
"I remember myself becoming English champion at White Hart Lane and the Spurs supporters didn't really like that! They were always very decisive games between those teams."
Arsenal are playing in the Champions League for the 18th consecutive season, while Tottenham's 2010-11 quarter-final run remains their solitary outing at Europe's top table since 1962.
Nevertheless, Lehmann is optimistic that the near neighbours could soon find themselves trading blows at the highest level.
He added: "I think Tottenham is a great club – it is traditional, historic. But it was always missing the last bit to break into the dominance of the top four clubs.
"They are always trying every year and I would like them to qualify for the Champions League. Why should Manchester City or whoever else always qualify for the Champions League?
"Of course, I wish it more to Arsenal [that qualifies], but next year I could see a game between Arsenal and Tottenham in a Champions League semi-final or quarter-final. Why not? It would be great."
Benitez: I don't favour Ronaldo & I'm not obsessed with him
Benitez took over at the Bernabeu this summer following the sacking of Carlo Ancelotti, and has led Madrid to second in La Liga with 10 points from his first four games in charge.
Question marks were raised over Ronaldo's performances as he failed to score in the first two games of the season, but the 30-year-old then hit five in a 6-0 win at Espanyol on September 12 to lead the Spanish scoring charts.
Keylor Navas has impressed at the other end of the pitch having kept five clean sheets in all competitions to break Miguel Angel's club record from the 1975-76 campaign.
But while Benitez acknowledges the importance of individual such as Ronaldo - who hit a career-best 61 goals last season - and Navas in his squad, the former Liverpool, Chelsea and Napoli coach is focusing on results ahead of Madrid's trip to Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday.
"The players know that Cristiano scores 50 goals a season. He makes the difference," he said at a pre-game news conference on Tuesday.
"There is one indisputable player, which is Cristiano. From there, we assess who is well and who is not. Cristiano manages his exertions well. As of today he is pretty good physically.
"What I want is to win. I am not obsessed with Cristiano scoring five goals or Navas not conceding. I have never thought about favouring anyone apart from the team."
"There is one indisputable player, which is Cristiano. From there, we assess who is well and who is not. Cristiano manages his exertions well. As of today he is pretty good physically.
"What I want is to win. I am not obsessed with Cristiano scoring five goals or Navas not conceding. I have never thought about favouring anyone apart from the team."
Benitez says that key to working at a club such as Madrid - with a Galacticos policy of making regular star signings - is the ability to converse regularly with his players.
"To manage a special group with such a high level is not easy, but I maintain individual conversations with them," he said. "With Toni Kroos I must have had like 20 individual conversations. We are in agreement with everything."
Of Jese Rodriguez - who has vowed to bide his time after reportedly becoming frustrated at a lack of game time at the Bernabeu - Benitez added: "There are players that are one step in front, and others that have done it better. Jese has talent and has to work.
"The youngsters have to push to approach the level of the best [players] in the world."
"To manage a special group with such a high level is not easy, but I maintain individual conversations with them," he said. "With Toni Kroos I must have had like 20 individual conversations. We are in agreement with everything."
Of Jese Rodriguez - who has vowed to bide his time after reportedly becoming frustrated at a lack of game time at the Bernabeu - Benitez added: "There are players that are one step in front, and others that have done it better. Jese has talent and has to work.
"The youngsters have to push to approach the level of the best [players] in the world."
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