Manchester City midfielder Samir Nasri has had a parting shot at former club Arsenal, stating that the North London outfit can no longer compete with their Premier League title rivals.
The 24-year-old completed a move to City earlier in the transfer window, claiming he left to win silverware, and made his debut against Tottenham at White Hart Lane on Sunday.
The Gunners have had a slow start to 2011-12, with defeats to Liverpool and Manchester United, and the former Marseille playmaker feels it was the right time for him to leave the Emirates.
“Arsenal remains a big club, but the building of Emirates Stadium changed a lot of things. It has changed the ambitions, so far. But it is not Arsene Wenger, it is the club’s politics, the officials,” he told L’Equipe.
“Arsenal doesn’t have the same funds. They can’t make the same coups as before in the transfer market. They are rather forced to sell their best players and bet on young ones.”
Nasri was entering into the last year of his contract at Arsenal, and reveals he had made his mind up to leave at the end of the 2010-11 campaign.
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“My decision was made in June. I wanted to leave after our difficult end of season. Arsene wanted me to stay. I’m glad Arsenal got a good sum. I prefer to leave like that than at end of my contract. I did the same with Marseille.
“Yes, it was [the right time to leave], there are sure signs. The departure of Cesc (Fabregas) to Barcelona is one of them. The defeat against Birmingham in the League Cup final was very harmful for the minds. Today I feel like I’m in a team where I can win titles.”
HM Revenue and Customs has announced it is to come down on footballers suspected of tax evasion to ensure that they are not avoiding payments during the country’s economic plight. An ‘affluence team’ consisting of 100 members is being conceived by the government to scrutinise the tax affairs of the estimated 350,000 people whose personal wealth exceeds £2.5m, including many Premier League footballers.
Any footballer found skipping payments or working around the tax system could be handed additional tax bills. “HMRC are aware of a potential tax issue concerning the payment of agent fees and are taking steps to ensure the tax rules are respected,” the tax authority said in a statement. “When a third party pays a fee to an agent acting on behalf of an employee, the fee may count as part of the employee’s taxable earnings and so be liable to tax.”
Some 2,000 extra tax inspectors are being hired to make sure that Britain’s wealthiest are paying their full liabilities. “The government has made £917m available to HMRC to ensure that tax rules are adhered to across the board,” HMRC said.
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Tottenham striker Emmanuel Adebayor has stated that he is happy with how he has started his tenure at White Hart Lane, and feels he is getting back to his best.
The Togolese forward is on a one-year loan deal from Manchester City, and has scored three goals in his first three games for his new team.
The African attacker set up the opening goal for Rafael van der Vaart against Wigan in a 2-1 win on Saturday, and is happy with his contribution.
“I’m getting my form back slowly and I think I helped my team to win,” he told talkSPORT.
Adebayor’s display was made all the more impressive by the fact that he suffered an injury to his eye, and had to play the second half with impaired vision.
“Unfortunately the second half was quite difficult because I was playing with only one eye. I couldn’t see the ball, I couldn’t see my opponents or anything but I managed to stay on the pitch for 90 minutes,” he concluded.
Spurs take on Shamrock Rovers in the Europa League on Thursday, before Adebayor goes up against his old club Arsenal in the Premier League on Sunday.
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With football matches around the country providing week’s worth of controversial conversations within the football community, ‘dodgy’ refereeing decisions are still as prominent within the game as they have ever been. However recent claims that ex-footballers could provide the answer to our refereeing needs, it appears that the likes of Martin Atkinson , Mark Clattenburg and Phil Dowd, among others, perhaps require the experience of professional football in order to correctly judge decisions in play.
A tough challenge, a dive in the penalty area or a soft red card can provide hideous ramifications for some clubs, leaving these examples as a major part of our modern game and many football fans and ex-players alike calling for changes to the refereeing system.
Over recent months Roberto Martinez and Robbie Savage have each voiced their opinion that, if refereeing quality needs to improve, then ex-footballers could well be the ones to do it. This could leave the Roy Keane ’s and Eric Cantona’s of the game taking charge, as the FA and many fans hope to increase the presence of respect and etiquette in each game.
The hypothesis behind this is potentially correct, as it appears that knowledge of the physical game can have a large impact on decisions. Therefore with 50/50 tackles being penalised consistently, along with tackles from behind resulting in yellow cards and obvious recent occasions of ‘Phantom’ red cards, it seems that the referee is given the discretion to decide what is right or wrong. However these referees appear to have memorised each and every rule in the book, leaving the decisions based upon rules not the human being enforcing them. This in turn leaves complaints of ever increasing magnitude, ruining games for the unfortunate, paying fans. This could leave the door open for the ex-players to come in and save the day, as they attempt to rule with good knowledge and judgement that other referees may lack.
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Unfortunately, despite these aspects, respect is something that must be earned, and as a referee, the players will not care about how many caps you got for England, or how many goals you scored for Manchester United. The final result is always the same and players must once again prove their worth, this time as a referee. Furthermore, if the name of the previously mentioned Robbie Savage appeared wearing the lonely black kit, the respect towards the referee would perhaps decrease, leaving us in a more problematic situation than we are currently. This appears to show that the advantages of this idea seem to be flawed in considerable ways.
However, considered in an ideal universe, the ex-players may fit the bill, with the fitness needed to keep up with the game and the right attitude to handle disrespectful players. Yet what is the motivation for these individuals to put their names forward? Those at the highest level will have built up a reasonable retirement fund, and with the abuse and blame that current referees have to brunt, it doesn’t matter who you are, you will receive criticism, abuse and anger week in week out.
This leaves the likes of Roy Keane to choose the managerial route, an arguably more appealing role than a referee. The assets that they gained from playing in the highest division could potentially be put to far more use as a coach or manager than as a referee, as they attempt to pass on their knowledge and experience to the future of our game.
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Therefore it appears there is one answer to the question ‘Should ex-players become referees’, and that is ‘no’. Yet the long story is that it is not that simple. Should they be trained properly in the rules and regulations that referees uphold, there is no reason why ex-players cannot successfully become referees. However the end result would be exactly the same, as the ability to see whether the ball has crossed the line, or if a player has hit another off the ball remains the same. This again leaves controversial decisions as a major part of our game, and in turn sends us back to square one once more.
Article courtesy of Patrick Archard from This is Futbol
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Gareth Bale struck twice to stretch Tottenham’s unbeaten run to seven games in a relatively comfortable 3-1 win against QPR at White Hart Lane.
The Welsh winger scored in each half, sandwiching a Rafael Van der Vaart strike, to send Harry Redknapp’s men into fifth and put their poor start to the season firmly behind them. The duo gave Spurs a two goal advantage going half time before Jay Bothroyd nodded in his first goal for Rangers to give their travelling fans hope of a comeback. Those thoughts were quickly dashed as Bale tied the game up with a superb third goal to make it six wins in their last seven games. R’s boss Neil Warnock will be pleased with his sides display as they sought a second consecutive London derby victory after they triumphed over Chelsea last week. But they failed to match their hosts with Bale and Aaron Lennon causing problems on the wings all afternoon. In fact Spurs should have been at least four up before break with visiting keeper Paddy Kenny enduring a busy first forty five minutes.
Van der Vaart was the first to test him from a free kick before the Dutchman saw his cross headed over by Emmanuel Adebayor as the home side started brightly. Their passing and movement was a delight to behold as Rangers struggled to cope with the pace and ingenuity of Redknapp’s front five. It was no surprise when they took the lead with just 20 minutes on the clock through the industrious Bale with a more direct approach bearing fruit. Brad Friedel’s long punt upfield was flicked on by Adebayor into the path of Van der Vaart who in turn played Lennon in down the right. The winger cut inside and teed up Bale to crash home an unstoppable effort from the edge of the area for his first goal at the Lane since New Years day. He should have doubled the lead moments later but could only send Benoit Assou Ekotto’s cutback well over the bar. The away side tried in vein to get themselves back into the game but they were two down before they could even blink with Van der Vaart cooly finishing from 16-yards after Ledley King’s long range effort deflected into his path.
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Despite taking a lead into the break it was Rangers who started the better of the two sides in the second half with Warnock opting for a more attacking approach bringing Jamie Mackie and Jay Bothroyd on for the ineffective pairing of Sean Derry and Adel Taarabt. It paid instant dividends as Heidar Helguson shot wide before flicking on a corner to the waiting Bothroyd who nodded in from close range for his first Premier League goal in five years. That was as good as it good for the visitors as Van der Vaart tested Kenny from range once again before Bale made sure of the points with a sublime goal. Exchanging passes with the lively Lennon the Welshman unleashed a stunning left footed strike that flew into the top corner to seal a comfortable win and keep Spurs firmly in the top six.
When people think of Arsenal’s success this season they think of Robin van Persie, and why wouldn’t they? The only person to have scored more goals than the Dutchman in 2011 is Cristiano Ronaldo. Never has the phrase the flying Dutchman been more relevant, except perhaps as an ironic description of Dennis Bergkamp. Indeed few would doubt that Arsenal’s number ten has been there most important player so far this season, but is he?
Well that depends upon the way you lack at the stats. Arsenal’s win percentage this season with van Persie in the team is sixty three per cent whilst without him the win ratio is only fifty per cent. Not bad you might think especially considering that fifty per cent of the games where he didn’t play weren’t drawn but lost. Then consider the same statistics for Alex Song. With him in the team Arsenal have won just over seventy per cent of their games. However without him Arsenal have won just thirty-seven per cent of their games this season. In fact in the Premier League Arsenal have only won eighteen per cent of the games in which Song hasn’t started.
I’m not trying to say that as long as Arsenal have Alex Song then they don’t need van Persie, that would be ridiculous. However what you do have to realise is just how important Song is to the team. All Arsenal fans have held him in high regard for the last couple of years but rarely does anyone truly appreciate just how much he is doing for Arsenal. When Fabregas and Nasri left in the summer and Wilshere got injured we have looked to Ramsey and Arteta to supply the assists from central midfield and perhaps Walcott on the wing. So who has got the highest number of assists for Arsenal in the Premier League this season? Alex Song. Both Walcott and Song have five league assists whilst Song has also been creating goals in Europe, most notably with his brilliant quick feet and cross to van Persie to open the scoring against Dortmund.
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It’s not just that Song has more assists than anyone else in the team either. It is the type and timing of his assists that is so impressive. Being an Arsenal fan you got used to seeing Fabregas neatly chipping balls over the last line of the defenders for van Persie to run on to and many, myself included, thought that Arteta would be the man who would be capable of this but week after week when I’m at The Emirates and I watch our captain make those runs behind the defence Arteta always fails to play the type of ball that the Dutchman has become used to. Song however is not afraid to try this sort of pass and you only need look at our last game to see an example of that. Without attacking full backs we had to attack through the centre and the only player who could muster a pass good enough to evade the well-organised Everton defence was Song. Obviously van Persie’s finish was sublime but the fact remains it was the only decent service he got all game, and it came from our ‘holding midfielder’.
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Song isn’t getting these assists when we’re 5-0 up in the Carling Cup either, he’s getting them in important games at important times. For example in the Champions League at home against both Olympiakos and Dortmund he provided wonderful assists for the opening goals. Similarly he did this against Everton on Saturday and his assist for Santos’ goal against Chelsea was truly exquisite. His first touch took him away from the Chelsea defenders and then to play a thirty-yard through ball off your wrong foot is not to be understated. His performances have truly spectacular this year.
As well has his vastly improved attacking prowess this year his defensive performances have been better than ever. Against Everton he won back possession seven times through tackles and made four interceptions, more than any other player from either side. Nobody doubts that Robin van Persie has been the driving factor behind Arsenal’s success this season, his goals have been irreplaceable, but as Thierry Henry pointed out in his speech at the unveiling of his new statue outside The Emirates a striker, no matter how many goals they score, is nothing without their team mates and Alex Song’s performances this year have proved that he is up there with the most important of them all.
For more Arsenal news and views follow me on Twitter @H_Mackay
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With the Premier League season reaching the half way point, supporters are in the perfect position to assess their team’s performances and the areas in which their football club need to improve. Once again the Premier League has been broken up into three tiers, with each team facing their own private battle.
Unlike previous years there has certainly been some stability on the managerial front with only Steve Bruce succumbing to the bullet so far, as clubs look to show patience with their managers to turn around their current plights. The managers may not be so patient with players at their disposal and may look to make significant changes in the January transfer window.
The January transfer window is loved and loathed in equal measures, with many managers and supporters alike welcoming the opportunity to freshen things up, while others see it as a source of distraction. History shows it is a renowned place for panic buying, as last January certainly proved, but there have been notable successes in the past that shows it can be a significant period to turn around a club’s fortunes. I feel the African Cup of Nations and the unprecedented amount of long term injuries we have seen will force many club’s hands and subsequently we can expect to see another expensive month for many Premier League chairman.
So how do you feel about Newcastle United’s fortunes so far this season and would you look to see changes made this January window? Who would you like to see brought in and ultimately who would you like to see moved out in the coming weeks?
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You hesitate to say that there is such a thing as ‘now or never’ for any club, partly because the concept of ‘never’ doesn’t really exist in football, but it is important to recognise opportunities. That is exactly what Spurs have this season, an opportunity. I’m not talking about the opportunity to break in to the top four and establish themselves as Champions League contenders, I’m talking about making that final, and harder, step to becoming one of the top English clubs. They’re in a position this year where you wouldn’t bet against them coming third, they could definitely achieve a second place finish and they could even win the league, something they haven’t done for fifty years. You would say that with their current squad the title seems optimistic, and I would agree, but what is the January transfer window for if not to improve your squad, to take it that extra mile and become a team that could turn opportunities into reality?
Their current crop of players is undoubtedly the best they have had in my generation and I have heard those older than me say that the squad is up there with the best they have ever had. However, their standing is far from guaranteed, as is their seasonal success. Redknapp has never been one to shy away from improving his squad and there should be no change this January. They are lucky enough to be in a position this season where not only have they acquired Emmanuel Adebayor on a season long loan but they also have Scott Parker in, arguably, the form of his life. These two players and Brad Friedel have been exceptional this year but that is not something Spurs fans can take for granted. Clearly Friedel is still playing well but he is now in his forties and cannot be expected to be as good next year; Adebayor will presumably be heading back to City next year unless Spurs are prepared to break their wage structure to a significant degree and with Parker’s advancing years and the injury problems that normally blight his season you could argue that the stage is set for Spurs this year. I’m not saying that they will be a lesser squad next year as I’m sure they will add players in the summer. However, whether they, or at least some of their players, will be playing as well is a different matter. Moreover you have to consider that next year you would expect Arsenal, Chelsea and United to all improve upon their current squads. This year is a huge opportunity for them. Redknapp has given Spurs the belief that they should be up there with the best, but you feel they still lack the belief to go on and win the title. Yet with a few choice signings, particularly with regards to support for Adebayor up front Harry can take his team to the next level.
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It’s all very well building a brilliant team, but without trophies those players won’t stay at the club. Tottenham’s local rivals are testament to that and with rumours of Modric still being interested in a move away Redknapp will have to prove to the players already there that there is a reason to stay. Building a team is not just about buying players and playing well. If you want your team’s improvement to have any kind of longevity then success is a must. Even if they weren’t to win the league this year, with just a couple of signings Spurs could easily finish second and possibly have success in another competition like the FA Cup.
Like I said, nobody is claiming that it is now or never for Spurs, but perhaps this season does represent one of the best opportunities they could get for quite some time. A team may spend one year challenging for the title and think they are on the up and up but Liverpool’s dip from 2009 when they came second to 2010 and Arsenal’s dip from last year when they could have won the league to this year prove otherwise. Redknapp must recognise this and go all out this year. If that means spending in January then spend he must.
Follow me on Twitter @H_Mackay
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Footybunker and Clubcall are both reporting that Sir Alex Ferguson is looking to make a move for CSKA Moscow midfielder Keisuke Honda.
The transfer offer is reported to be a player-plus-cash deal involving Dimitar Berbatov heading to Russia along with £4 million.
The Japanese superstar has already attracted the attention of a number of Premier League clubs including Liverpool and Arsenal. Arsene Wenger is particularly keen on Honda, describing him as a “genius” following his impressive showing at the 2010 World Cup.
A free-kick specialist and a player who could solve United’s lack of creativity in midfield, Honda has continued his fine form that brought him to the world’s attention in South Africa – despite a number of injuries over the past year.
With Danny Welbeck and Javier Hernandez keeping Dimitar Berbatov far from Alex Ferguson’s first team plans as a partner for Wayne Rooney; the United striker – who was the club’s top scorer in the Premier League last season – may want to weigh up his options away from Old Trafford.
Disappointingly for the Bulgarian, he has done well for United whenever called upon this season. Yet, the young striking options available at United may be a signal that Berbatov’s time at the club are coming to an end.
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United have also reportedly been watching Honda’s team-mate Alan Dzagoev, as another option for their midfield problems.
What a difference a few minutes can make. At around 9.45pm on Tuesday night it looked like Macclesfield would be deep in the mire. Heading for a defeat that would have left them within striking distance of teams in the drop zone – it was beginning to feel like the downward spiral could become terminal.
Enter George Donnelly. Rising to head home an equaliser with the last touch of the game and send the Moss Rose into raptures, his goal could have massive ramifications for the remainder of the season. It snatched two points from the Pilgrims and dealt the Silkmen’s relegation rivals a bitter blow whilst simultaneously giving themselves an enormous boost – Wedgebury’s reaction as he raced towards the crowd to celebrate reflected how much it meant.
At the same time in Kent, Hereford were missing a penalty and then conceding a late winner in their epic 5 – 4 defeat toGillingham. Thus another side fighting for survival sees their hopes crushed – bad news for them but fantastic news for us.
When the fourth officials were holding up their boards Simmo would probably have dreaded picking up a newspaper let alone trying to pick up his players after what would have been the ninth defeat in ten. Yet by the time final whistles were blown the story had completely changed, the squad will be relishing the trip to Bristol whilst two of Simmo’s counterparts would be left scratching their heads on long journeys home. Surely this will be a turning point in the season.
Despite the thrilling end to the game three points would still have been preferable, but it at least allowed the Silkmen to build on the impressive away point gained at Oxford. These last two results have been achieved on the back of a tactical switch to a 5-3-2 formation. Mendy has dropped back to play as a centre back in the continued absence of Nat Brown, playing in a back three alongside Futcher and new signing Connolly, while Daniel and Marshall play as the wing backs.
Nobody is going to claim that this formation will produce the most attractive football the world has ever seen and it was second best to the Pilgrim’s efforts during the earlier periods of the game. The midfield potentially suffers (although injuries have left it weak enough already) and although the front pairing work very hard to chase down anything sent their way, neither is a big target man for long aerial balls.
Ultimately however ugly it may appear, you can’t argue that it has improved results. Yes we need to start pulling out some wins, especially against those around us, but having lost the previous eight games the first objective is to stop the rot and this setup makes Macc harder to beat. Long-term it will probably not be the solution but it may steer us through the current rough patch.
It appears that the Silkmen are starting to at least edge round the proverbial corner and spirits will certainly be high. One note of caution – their recovery needs to continue gathering pace quickly, given their remaining fixtures. Even with a fully fit squad away form was far from impressive (trips to Rotherham, Gillingham and Southend currently hold little appeal) plus promotion-chasers Crawley and Shrewsbury still have to visit the Moss Rose. Bristol on Saturday offers potential but another crunch home tie againstHerefordin midweek holds most importance.
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Three or four points by the time I write next will give a much healthier outlook for Macclesfield’s league prospects and, as exciting as the drama was, I honestly do not mind if they don’t leave it quite so late this time…