Showing posts with label Sports. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sports. Show all posts
Thursday, 1 August 2013
Arsene Wenger confident young Arsenal side will prosper this season
Arsenal are still targeting new players, following the remarks made by chief executive Ivan Gazidis who claims the club are in a position to make the most of their "new financial firepower".
Those who have been targeted by Wenger this summer include Gonzalo Higuain, Luis Suarez, Marouane Fellaini and Wayne Rooney.
Higuain has already left Real Madrid for Italian side Napoli, while the other three are still at Liverpool, Everton and Manchester United respectively.
But Wenger said: "We are still working on improving our squad but we have a base of young players who get a chance here and who started in the Premier League, such as (Wojciech) Szczesny, (Carl) Jenkinson, (Alex) Oxlade-Chamberlain, (Jack) Wilshere, (Aaron) Ramsey, (Theo) Walcott - that is unique, nobody else has done that.
"These players can have a special bond and they are on the way upwards, they are not over the hill.
"They will be better next year and that is why I am confident we will be stronger next season.
"We had a fantastic end to the season because we won eight of our last 10 (league) games.
"We have had a good pre-season and for the first time in recent seasons we have not sold any player (we have wanted to keep)."
However, the wage bill has been reduced thanks to the off-loading of Andrey Arshavin and Sebastien Squillaci and possible departure of Gervinho to Roma.
With the transfer window open until the end of August, Wenger has reportedly been handed £70m to spend on new players.
AdTech Ad Premier League: Steven Gerrard says Liverpool season hinges on Luis Suarez
Suarez remains heavily linked with a move away from Anfield with Arsenal having two bids rejected for the Uruguay international striker, the last one of £40million plus £1 which they believed would trigger a sale clause.
Liverpool have always maintained they merely had to inform the player of offers of that magnitude and have been steadfast in stating Suarez is not for sale.
Anfield captain Gerrard certainly does not want to see the 26-year-old leave - particularly to a club he sees as a direct rival in the race for Champions League football.
In an interview in the Independent, he said: "It's difficult every season to finish in the top four positions because of the power the likes of Manchester City, Chelsea and Manchester United have got at the moment.
"The likes of us, Tottenham and Arsenal are fighting to sneak into the other place that's available.
"Where we sit actually right now, it all depends on what decision Luis Suarez makes in the next few weeks. If we lose him then the challenge becomes even more difficult. It's that simple.
"If he goes to Arsenal, it obviously makes our season that little bit more difficult.
"It strengthens them an awful lot and they are our rivals for a top-four position. From the club's point of view it doesn't make sense at all, no matter how much money is put on the table."
Invest
Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, Gerrard emphasised Liverpool's need to invest rather than sell.
"This club needs to make one or two big signings if we are to compete for the top four - and keep Suarez," he continued.
"Alongside Gareth Bale, Luis is the third best player in the world after Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Luis and Bale are the two hottest properties out there at the moment.
"When you're in that position, you're going to get all kinds of teams wanting to pull you away, especially when you are at a club not in the Champions League.
"It's nothing to do with the British media [criticising Suarez]. Knowing the guy as I do that's probably the thing on his mind: wanting to be in the Champions League.''
Although Gerrard does not like the idea of Suarez leaving for North London, the midfielder would accept his team-mate leaving for Spain.
The 33-year-old continued: "If he was to go abroad to a Madrid or Barcelona I would totally understand it. He's a South American. He's good enough to play in either of those teams.
"From a family point of view, it's where they all want to be. Javier Mascherano, Xabi Alonso, some of the top players I've played with - their dream was to play for Real or Barcelona.
"If I was him I would wait for one of those two clubs because I think he's good enough to play for them."
Transfer News: Cardiff City interested in signing West Brom striker Peter Odemwingie
The Nigerian international has been training with the Baggies reserves this summer after attempting to force a move to QPR on the final day of the January transfer window.
Fulham have been linked with a move for the 32-year-old while Dubai club Al Nasr had an £850,000 bid rejected, and now Cardiff are reportedly poised to make an approach.
The Bluebirds have twice broken their transfer record this summer with the signings of Andreas Cornelius and Steven Caulker, spending almost £20m.
However, manager Malky Mackay says the Premier League newcomers are hopeful of further strengthening their squad before the end of the transfer window.
"We still have three or four irons in the fire and we have until September 2nd (when the transfer window closes)," said Mackay.
"We may well start the season still chasing targets but by the end of August I hope to have the squad together than can absolutely compete."
The Ashes: Michael Clarke 'tamed' England's bowlers at Old Trafford
The Baggy Greens skipper reached an unbeaten 125 at stumps - the first century by an Australian in the 2013 Ashes so far - as the tourists responded from their 347-run mauling at Lord's to end the day on 303-3.
Sky Sports pundit Atherton believes Clarke, who moved up from five to four in the batting order, was under immense heat after failing to score more than 51 in the series and seeing his side slip 2-0 down to England.
Captain's innings from Clarke
But he says the 31-year-old, who has been troubled by a back injury, displayed his class on a warm day in Manchester and showed his team-mates how to combat their opponents' bowlers.
"Australia have had an excellent day when they needed a good day and the captain, under significant personal pressure, played a gem of an innings," Atherton told Sky Sports Ashes.
"Clarke has had a number of issues - the shocking performance of his team at Lord's, the fact he hadn't really stamped his authority on the series, and thirdly the issue of where he bats - but he confronted them superbly batting at four, where statistically he has not had much success.
"He is a fine player, one of the best in the game, but he needed to lead from the front and show that England's bowlers could be tamed - he had a beautiful little battle with Graeme Swann throughout the day - and [he did]."
Atherton also reserved praise for 36-year-old opener Chris Rogers - recalled at the start of the series after a five-and-a-half-year stint in the international wilderness - who notched a fluent 84 after Australia had won the toss and elected to bat.
But the ex-Lancashire man also mentioned the continued troubles of Rogers' partner, Shane Watson, who, after being dismissed lbw three out of four times this summer, edged Tim Bresnan to slip fielder Alastair Cook to depart for 19 on day one at Old Trafford.
"I thought Rogers' contribution at the top of the order was critical," added the erstwhile England skipper. "He got his team off to a confident start while Watson was very introspective and deserved a hundred.
"England offered him lots of opportunities to drive through the offside and he didn't disappoint; he played some beautiful shots down the ground and through the covers, and when they got a bit straighter he clipped through mid-wicket.
"Watson, though, looks like someone who is struggling both mentally and technically and the great problem in batting is that when you try and correct one fault, sometimes it opens up areas elsewhere.
"If he is trying to keep his legs out of the way and stay leg side of the ball (to counter the lbw), suddenly he becomes more vulnerable on the outside edge, and England threatened him a lot that way before they got him out."
Transfer News: QPR midfielder Joey Barton keen on Marseille return
The outspoken player spent last season on loan with the French club and confirmed on Twitter he would welcome a move back there and the chance to play Champions League football.
Barton appeared to distance himself from suggestions on Wednesday by his agent Willie McKay that he might join Everton, the club he supported as a boy.
Instead he is keen to return to France, although QPR chief executive Phil Beard, speaking on 92Live, was keen to point out he remains their player and is back in pre-season training with the club.
"It's well known who I support. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to work that out," Barton wrote on Twitter.
"Good football agents will always be looking to move players, that's how they make money.
"Recent rumours are slightly wide of the mark, everyone knows where I would like to end up, in France, playing in the Champions League for Olympique Marseille, nothing has changed my end.
"If not, I am contracted to QPR and will give my all to help them regain their Premier League status.
"If something happens and both clubs decide differently, than I will assess my options."
Barton still has two years to run on his contract though and his financial demands may scupper his chances of rejoining Marseille.
He wants £3m to cancel the deal and with Barton on £70,000 a week, the player would cost QPR £7m if he was to see out his contract at Loftus Road.
Marseille are keen to have him back at the Stade Velodrome but believe it is up to Barton to negotiate a settlement with QPR.
The Ligue 1 side do not want to pay a fee for Barton though and are only prepared to offer him £30,000 a week.
Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers thinking carefully over new transfer moves
Simon Mignolet, Kolo Toure, Iago Aspas and Luis Alberto have all arrived at Anfield this summer but Rodgers has stopped short of admitting that more players are about to join.
"They have to be of the right quality, that's the bottom line," Rodgers told LFC TV.
"We've got money to spend on getting that quality in but if it's not available I won't waste it for the sake of bringing a player in.
"We're really working hard to bring in the type of profile that can really help us push on."
Rodgers praised winger Raheem Sterling, who faded out of the Liverpool side after an eye-catching start to last season, for his reinvigorated displays in pre-season.
"He has reminded me of what he was last summer, but he has got a little bit more personality now he has had a year's experience. At 18, he has looked really good."
Mignolet's arrival from Sunderland heralded the departure to Napoli on loan of Pepe Reina, but Rodgers feels his Belgian signing has the ability to develop into one of the best in his trade.
"Simon Mignolet has been first-class. He has shown that he is one of the top young goalkeepers in European football," he said.
"I think he will prove over the next coming years at Liverpool that he is a top goalkeeper."
Transfer news: Roberto Soldado blasts Valencia president ahead of Tottenham medical
The 28-year-old spoke out after agreeing to move to Tottenham Hotspur for a £25.8 million club-record deal and he pulled no punches when discussing his reasons.
As he prepared to fly out of Valencia airport to head for his Tottenham medical in London, Soldado was relishing the move but he was also strongly critical of Salvo.
"I'm very hopeful," he said. "But I'm leaving Valencia after three unforgettable years. But it's a new project and a new change in my life for me and my family.
"It is a good deal for Valencia and for me. All this time I didn't say a word to not harm Valencia's club image and the transfer itself until everything was totally clear.
"I'm leaving because I don't trust in the new (Valencia) project. The president all this time was telling me lies several times since I talked to him on the phone.
"I think the deal could have been done with sincerity but it was not.
"I wish Valencia all the best. They will always be in my heart.
"This decision was mine entirely and my family, no-one was pushing me to go."
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