Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Monday, April 16, 2012
Mata's 'ghost goal' spooks Spurs
Juan Mata scored a 'phantom goal' for Chelsea when they beat Tottenham 5-1 at Wembley in the FA Cup semi-final on Sunday.
The Spain international's shot didn't seem to cross the line, but referee Martin Atkinson was quick to award the goal that took the Blues 2-0 up early in the second half.
Three more strikes from Ramires, Frank Lampard and Florent Malouda followed, but it was the controversial decision to allow the second goal that had fans up in arms, with John Terry admitting after the game that he didn't think the ball had crossed the line.
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The Spain international's shot didn't seem to cross the line, but referee Martin Atkinson was quick to award the goal that took the Blues 2-0 up early in the second half.
Three more strikes from Ramires, Frank Lampard and Florent Malouda followed, but it was the controversial decision to allow the second goal that had fans up in arms, with John Terry admitting after the game that he didn't think the ball had crossed the line.
'Donkey' Carroll wins the derby by a head
It was a rare demonstration of the 23-year-old's scoring abilities, as the former Newcastle United striker has, at times, failed to justify his hefty €41 million price tag. But in the Liverpool derby, Carroll's strike proved decisive - a goal he celebrated like he had won the famous Grand National.
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Team Anelka to the rescue!
With big-spending Shanghai Shenhua struggling in the Chinese Super League, the Asian outfit turned to Nicolas Anelka, nicknamed 'Le Sulk', appointing him player-coach for the fixture against Tianjin Ted.
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Bombs away!
The 2011-12 season promised so much for
Liverpool. The permanent appointment of Kenny Dalglish in the Anfield
hot seat, coupled with the hiring of former Tottenham director of
football Damien Comolli and over €120 million (£100m) being splashed out
on new players since the Frenchman's arrival 15 months ago seemed to be
the right way of going about things following the dismal reign of Tom
Hicks and George Gillett.
However, despite lifting the League Cup in February, the plan has gone into disarray. The Reds suffered their worst form in over 50 years after a run of six defeats in seven matches, while many of their new signings have failed to justify their hefty price tags. But with the God-like status of 'King Kenny' on Merseyside, Comolli appears to have been earmarked as the fall guy. Question is, will he now be walking alone at the club ...?
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However, despite lifting the League Cup in February, the plan has gone into disarray. The Reds suffered their worst form in over 50 years after a run of six defeats in seven matches, while many of their new signings have failed to justify their hefty price tags. But with the God-like status of 'King Kenny' on Merseyside, Comolli appears to have been earmarked as the fall guy. Question is, will he now be walking alone at the club ...?
Plain sailing in Madrid and Turin ...
As the season enters its crucial period,
individuals can become heroes in key moments.
That was the story in the
Spanish capital on Wednesday night when Cristiano Ronaldo netted yet another hat-trick to guide Real Madrid past city rivals Atletico, and in Turin where Alessandro Del Piero came off the bench to seal a vital win for Juventus over Lazio to send his side to the top of the Serie A table.
However, in Germany it was a different state of affairs when Arjen Robben sunk his Bayern Munich side in the defeat at Borussia Dortmund.
However, in Germany it was a different state of affairs when Arjen Robben sunk his Bayern Munich side in the defeat at Borussia Dortmund.
First the
Dutchman played Robert Lewandowski onside for the only goal of the game,
before he twice cost his team a point when he failed to convert a
penalty and then missed from close range. It's sink-or-swim time for
Bayern in the title race, but it looks like Arjen is doing both.
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Pele set to unleash his jinx online
Brazilian football icon Pele caused a stir in the Twittersphere on Monday by becoming the latest high-profile figure within the game to join the micro-blogging site,
instantly amassing over 145,000 followers. The 71-year-old launched his
account by tweeting: "Hello world, thank you for welcoming me to
Twitter. I am very excited to share my life with you. Love, Pele."
So far, so banal. While widely regarded as one of the greatest to have ever played the game, the 71-year-old has also earned a reputation for quirky sound bites and dubious predictions. It is only a matter of time before he refers to himself in the third person, calls out Diego Maradona and predicts the USA to be the next superpowers in world football - although the 140 character limit might prove to be a bit of a hindrance.
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So far, so banal. While widely regarded as one of the greatest to have ever played the game, the 71-year-old has also earned a reputation for quirky sound bites and dubious predictions. It is only a matter of time before he refers to himself in the third person, calls out Diego Maradona and predicts the USA to be the next superpowers in world football - although the 140 character limit might prove to be a bit of a hindrance.
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Di Matteo forced into juggling act in Chelsea fixture circus
Victory would have seen Chelsea rise to
fourth position in the league, taking a huge step towards qualification
for next season's Champions League. However, the result meant that the
west Londoners remain in sixth position, two points behind the vital
cut-off spot for Europe's premier club competition.
With the team still competing on three fronts, the pressure on Chelsea is increasing by the week. It will need to be a fine balancing act if Di Matteo is to mastermind his side to success in the FA Cup and Champions League, as well as a top-four finish.
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With the team still competing on three fronts, the pressure on Chelsea is increasing by the week. It will need to be a fine balancing act if Di Matteo is to mastermind his side to success in the FA Cup and Champions League, as well as a top-four finish.
'Why always me?' Mancini ponders ...
Roberto Mancini was left asking: 'Why always me?' on Sunday, as his Manchester City side lost 1-0 at Arsenal to leave them eight points behind Manchester United in the race for the Premier League title.
A late Mikel Arteta goal sealed the three points for the Gunners, but it was the antics of Mario Balotelli that really grabbed the headlines after the Italian was sent off for two bookable offences, and was his usual petulant self throughout the game.Having just dealt with the Carlos Tevez saga, Mancini must be wondering why he has to keep babysitting his players while fighting Sir Alex Ferguson for the Premier League crown.
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Monday, April 9, 2012
Conte snatches Scudetto shield from Allegri's grasp
After AC Milan suffered a shock 2-1 defeat to Fiorentina on Saturday, Juventus took the initiative in the race for the Scudetto by reclaiming top spot with a 2-0 win over Palermo in the early evening fixture.
With just seven games left to play, the unbeaten Bianconeri now lead the sprint for the Serie A title, and coach Antonio Conte will be hoping his side can hold on to their advantage and see off Massimiliano Allegri's reigning champions.
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With just seven games left to play, the unbeaten Bianconeri now lead the sprint for the Serie A title, and coach Antonio Conte will be hoping his side can hold on to their advantage and see off Massimiliano Allegri's reigning champions.
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