Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was left unhappy by the amount of stoppage time played in his side's 1-1 draw at Sunderland.
Darren Bent netted a last-gasp equaliser for the Black Cats in the fifth minute of stoppage time, with only four minutes having been put up on the fourth official's board.
Wenger said afterwards:"If you have a watch, you can control. It's as simple as that.
"It was outside the four minutes. I know the referee can give more than four, it's a minimum of four minutes.
"But in the four minutes nothing happened to justify the extension of the time. But I cannot do anything about that."
Meanwhile, Wenger was pleased with his side's overall display at the Stadium of Light, adding:"I believe the performance was good. We had problems to start in the first half.
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"In the second half we played very well. We were, even with ten men, in control of the game and unfortunately in the 95th minute they equalised.
"I was very pleased. We could battle, we could play, we had all the ingredients of a good team. We had a slow start, but in the second half we did well."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
Arsenal are believed to be weighing up a loan move for former striker Thierry Henry, who is on a break from his MLS duties.
With the top flight competition in the United States not restarting to March, the veteran French attacker has been training with the North London outfit in a bid to maintain fitness.
However, Sky Sports indicate that Arsene Wenger has made a loan bid to the New York Red Bulls for Henry, which would see him eligible to play for The Gunners over the next two months.
Henry is the club’s all-time top goalscorer and is adored by Arsenal fans for his performances over eight seasons in England.
The Gunners will be without Marouane Chamakh and Gervinho come mid-January, as both will be on international duty at the African Cup of Nations, and this may force Wenger’s hand to make a temporary move for Henry.
Arsenal defender Per Mertesacker feels that Henry still has the quality to play in the Premier League, after facing the speedy attacker in training.
“I am very happy to play against him in training and it is a great experience,” the Germany international told The Guardian.
“He is playing very, very good. He is a great opportunity for us but I’m not the manager. I couldn’t make a decision on what is possible for him or for us. In training, he shows his class and to have him with us is great because he shows his attitude, his experience.
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“He still has the same attitude he showed in a lot of games at Arsenal,” Mertesacker concluded.
This season the Premier League has proven to be one of the most tightly contested since it’s inauguration. With four games to go until the end of the season there is only nine points separating ninth placed Newcastle to bottom placed West Ham.
The race for fourth place is still wide open, with Liverpool’s resurgence under Kenny Dalglish adding them to the mix along with Tottenham and Man City. Arsenal’s failure to beat Bolton on Sunday has all but ended their title hopes and the title looks to be heading to Old Trafford. However, with the budding Champions still to play Arsenal and Chelsea the Blues are still in contention. So with everything to play for in all areas of the league I have compiled a list of the top ten players I think have contributed towards this ultra competitive season. These ten players are the surprise packages of the season.
The players who we maybe didn’t know much about, or who have excelled and made us stand up and take notice of them. You may disagree with some of my choices or think I have overlooked a player so feel free to throw your own choices in…..
Click on Peter Odemwingie below to see the 10 surprise packages
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A couple of weeks ago it was announced that Arsenal would be initiating a fan share scheme. With the full backing of the club’s board, fans are now able to buy a fraction of shares so that supporters can be given a stake in the club. People who opt into the scheme will be able to attend Arsenal’s Annual General Meetings, where they will have the opportunity to voice their opinions on how the club is run and they will be able to vote on policy. The announcement of the fan share scheme has gone down very well amongst Arsenal fans, who are delighted at the prospect of being able to buy affordable shares and have a influence over their club.
Whilst fans at Arsenal are pleased, at Manchester United there is great unease over the ownership of the club. The Green and Gold protest movement gathered a real head of steam last season, where scarfs in these colours could be seen across Old Trafford and discontent with the Glazers mounted. On Wednesday it was revealed that the club had failed to reach their season ticket target against the backdrop of the Manchester United Supporters Trust urging fans to boycott buying season tickets in the hope of encouraging the owners to sell up. With relations between the club’s owners and fans at such a low ebb, would it be a wise move for Man Utd to initiate a similar fan share scheme to Arsenal in order to bridge the gap?
When the Red Knights were interested in buying Manchester United earlier this year, part of their mantra was to propose that supporters trusts would be able to buy a 25.1% stake in club, which would give fans a decisive say in the clubs policy. It was a neat move by the bids chairman Keith Harris, who realised that getting the supporters on side would be crucial if the Red Knight’s bid was to have any chance of success. As it happened the takeover did not go ahead, but perhaps the Glazers could learn a thing or two from what was a popular bid from the Red Knights and consider a fan share scheme themselves.
If the Glazers iniatiated a similar fan share scheme to the one proposed by the Red Knights, it would surely ease tensions between the club’s board and the fans. If they were to offer supporters a chance to buy a certain amount of stake in the club it might actually give the Glazers a longer incumbency as owners of Man Utd. The impact the movement against the Glazers has had, can already been seen in regard to the disappointing season ticket sales, and as time goes on the level of discontent with the owners is only going to increase. There will surely come a point when the clamour for their departure will make their position untenable.
A fan share scheme would certainly go some way to bridging the gap between the supporters and the boardroom. The Glazers however, have only ever seemed happy with maintaining full control of the club, and though a fan share scheme might be a good move on their part, you would not be holding your breath for it. Such is the level of antipathy against the Glazers amongst the fans, that there is also no guarantee that it would sate supporters appetites for the owners heads. But if the Glazer family want to have any sort of popularity at Old Trafford without selling the club, then a fan share scheme might well be their best bet.
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Manchester City surrendered their lead at the top of the Premier League as they failed to score for the first time this season after being held to a goalless draw by West Brom.
Roberto Mancini’s millionaires failed to break down a resolute Baggies side at the Hawthorns and now only sit above rivals United at the top of the table on goal difference. Despite dominating possession for large majority of the game City just couldn’t find a way past the home side’s defence as Albion kept up their impressive recent form. Roy Hodgson had already masterminded away wins at Blackburn and Newcastle and his players made it seven points from the last nine to consolidate their position in the top half of the table going into 2012. The last 12 months have been a fairytale for the Citizens with Mancini guiding them to an FA Cup win in May whilst they are leading England’s top division at christmas for the first time since 1929.
It was no surprise that they swaggered into the Midlands expecting to travel home with another three points under their belts although they didn’t get exactly what they wished for. The Baggies consigned City to shooting from distance for much of the first half with Mario Balotelli and Samir Nasri both trying their luck but failing to beat Ben Foster. Even the usually impeccable David Silva was having an off day in front of goal side footing over the cross bar from 15-yards after being picked out by Sergio Aguero. The Argentinian was then guilty of spurning a golden chance allowing Gareth McAuley to make a last ditch challenge after breaking the offside trap with James Milner then heading wide from close range. The hosts seemed happy to sit back and soak up the pressure rarely venturing forward although when they did Christ Brunt flashing an effort past the post before Paul Scharner decided to try his luck from 30-yards forcing Joe Hart into a save.
More openings appeared in the second half as City became frustrated with Albions commitment levels continuing to rise after the break with Shane Long almost breaking the deadlock but couldn’t manage to direct his header from Jermaine Thomas’ cross towards goal. Brunt then fired a free kick wide of Hart’s goal before Thomas drove a 25-yard strike off the foot of the post as the pendulum swung in favour of the home side. The visitors weren’t out of it yet and continued to push for a winner but it wasn’t forthcoming and Mancini’s men will now head into the New Year with United breathing heavily down their necks
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Santos Laguna striker Darwin Quintero has had a six-game ban for violent conduct reduced to four on appeal.The Mexican Football Federation’s disciplinary committee, which handed the Colombian international the initial suspension on Monday, reduced the ban on Friday on appeal from Santos.
“After analysing the evidence supplied by the club, in the second sanction it is clear the hit made by Darwin Quintero is not violent so it is reduced to one match (from three),” the federation said in a statement.
Quintero had been given two bans of three matches each after being sent off in the 71st minute of Santos’ 3-0 win over Cruz Azul last Saturday when he headbutted opponent Christian Gimenez.
Quintero, 23, said he had reacted to being racially abused by Rogelio Chavez, an accusation the Cruz Azul defender has denied.
Quintero will miss four of the remaining five matches in the round-robin phase of the Clausura championship including Saturday’s visit to title holders Monterrey, returning against Estudiantes UAG on Aril 29.
Santos have also lost goalkeeper Oswaldo Sanchez, a 37-year-old veteran of three World Cups, for the rest of the season with a broken toe following an accident at home, the team’s coach Diego Cocca said.
Santos, runners-up to Monterrey in the Apertura in the first half of the season, are fifth in Group One, 10 points adrift of leaders Tigres UANL and seven behind Monterrey.
The top two teams in each of the three groups plus the next two best-placed teams in the overall standings go through to the knockout phase.
Last week I wrote an article highlighting the opportunity of signing good players from Manchester City’s swelling squad, however, I didn’t expect Tottenham to be one of the clubs to be in the market. The two clubs are some of the most evenly matched in the Premier League, and I can’t see how City’s back-up players would help Spurs’ already healthy looking squad. Harry Redknapp told SkySports:
“One or two walk through the door and it gives everybody a lift. I hoped Joe Cole would have done that if he’d come here but I think there are one or two out there who would do the same – maybe from Manchester City. Stephen Ireland would cost too much. I like him but he is expensive at £11million or £12million.”
I totally agree with what Redknapp is saying but I’m surprised it is his club that could be in the market. Perhaps if Tottenham were facing a problem in registering their eight home-grown players they might want the likes of Ireland or Micah Richards, but Spurs can boast an already impressive array of home grown talent.
After bids for Joe Cole and Scott Parker have been thwarted, and mentioning Stephen Ireland as a possible interest, it is clear Harry is in the market for a central midfielder. He already has Tom Huddlestone, Jermaine Jenas, and Wilson Palacios, as well as Luka Modric operating there towards the latter stages of last season after the emergence of Gareth Bale, and even Jamie O’Hara is still a Spurs player at the moment (although he will be injured for the next few months). As good a player as I think Stephen Ireland is, would he definitely hold down a first team spot at Tottenham? Redknapp obviously wants a squad big enough to compete in the Champions League as well as domestic competition, but for Ireland, he may just be swapping the bench at Eastlands, for one at White Hart Lane.
For Tottenham, their midfield is decent – Jermaine Jenas could be improved upon, but as a back-up he’s not too bad – but if they going to spend money, it should be on a striker to help an uncommitted Robbie Keane, and a centre-back to compensate for the fitness of King and Woodgate.
After their fourth place finish, Tottenham are one of the teams now in position where they are trying to break up the Big Four’s long-standing dominance. They have reached the point whereby to improve their squad the quality of players that they buy have to be of the highest standard. Clearly if they are interested in the same players as Man City they will not be able to match them financially, and have so look elsewhere, but at least further than the rest of City’s squad (although Bellamy could be an option?). The teams who should be trying to persuade Mancini to part with his squad players are the clubs just behind Spurs, Everton and Villa i.e. Fulham, Birmingham, Stoke and Sunderland, that’s where the likes of Ireland could flourish.
You get the feeling that Redknapp is getting itchy feet, usually so busy in the transfer window; this summer has so far been a quite one. Because there has been a lack of transfers generally, there hasn’t been the usual merry-go-round and knock on effect where clubs can pick up players from each other. That said, Spurs are notorious for leaving things late, and you wouldn’t put it past Redknapp looking further afield than the Eastlands training ground, and picking up a couple of quality players on deadline day.
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With the PL season nearly upon us, let’s see the WAGS that will be keeping the players on their toes. Click on image to VIEW gallery
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It may only be ‘just a game’ but let’s face facts, to many of us, football plays a massive role in our day to day lives. Over the course of a season it can take us from euphoric highs to shattering lows.
This weekly torture, in knowing that our mood will be defined by the weekend’s results, is something that we football fans strangely seem to thrive on.
While considering myself a patriotic Englishman, the international break did not quite have the same effect. Yes, I wanted England to do well. Yes, I was pleased with the back to back victories. However, did the results define my mood? No, international friendlies just don’t quite do it in the manner that club football does.
The point behind this article is that from the heart, I am passionate about English football. It may have been just two weeks without the bread and butter that is league football, but I have missed it. Now, taking that into consideration, you can see that I love our game in its current format.
When the eradication of promotion and relegation from the Premier League was mooted a few weeks ago I was horror-struck by the prospect. My view being, ‘if it’s not broke, don’t fix it’.
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I was once again dismayed this week, this time by a suggestion from Barcelona president Sandro Rosell. The 47 year old Spaniard put forth the idea that the Premier League, as well as Europe’s other top leagues, reduce the number of clubs involved.
If, for example, the Premier League was reduced from its current 20 team format to 16 teams, each side would have 8 fewer games per season. This, as Rosell went on to state, would allow European fixtures to be played at the weekend, ‘We could perhaps play Barcelona versus Manchester United on Saturdays.’
Indeed, Rosell said that the free fixture dates ‘are for the clubs to organise friendly games or to increase the European competitions.’
Now, don’t get me wrong, I am a massive fan of European football. The Champions League and the Europa League make the gap between domestic football that little bit easier. Yet, the very thought of watching Barcelona versus Manchester United on a Saturday night at the expense of a Premier League fixture, no, it’s not for me. By all means, back in May, in the Champions League final, it worked for me. Yet midseason, instead of Manchester United versus Swansea? I’m actually quite content to keep things how they are.
Thankfully, Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore calmed me down on Thursday night, as it seems he too, is happy with the game as it is.
Scudamore stated that, ‘Our clubs have no view whatsoever to be playing European football on a weekend. European football is a midweek competition, and domestic football is a weekend competition.’
In 2014 the ECA (European Club Association) and UEFA will have to negotiate a new deal to govern the structure of European football. Already the prospect of a breakaway European Super League has been mooted. Money talks and the top clubs may just be tempted when offered increased revenues?
I for one am fearful of a change, for me the current system works perfectly and European football is a healthy entity. I only hope that in a few years time I will still spend my Saturday’s watching the likes of Arsenal and Aston Villa play each other than Bayern Munich and Barca.
Do you share my fears for the future of English football? Will a European Super League be formed in 2014? Comment and follow me on Twitter @CamHumphries
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February 2011 marked the ten year anniversary of the ENIC leadership of Tottenham. What I look back on today is what Daniel Levy, managing director of ENIC, has done for this club. The job of a football chairman is in many ways a poisoned chalice. Chairmen are criticised for their decisions based on short-term effects when they have made them for a long-term impact; this is true of Daniel Levy’s management.
As I write this, Tottenham are placed fifth in the Premier League table and are in the quarter-finals of the Champions League. This season has been one of their best for the last twenty years. In that sense Daniel Levy has got the fans to where they all wanted to be, but it has not been an easy ride. Here are some of the most important aspects of Levy’s reign that, at the time, might seem incorrect, but have proved to be astute decisions.
Director of Football Role
Before Arnesan and Comolli, Tottenham had been used to buying players like Chris Perry, Rebrov and Tim Sherwood. These signings were all very much reactive in the sense that players would fill a hole for a season or two. Under this transfer policy the club were not going anywhere. The director of football role got Tottenham planning for future success; that success in now being realised and Daniel Levy can take credit for that.
Under Frank Arnesen, Tottenham bought players like Carrick (£3m), Lennon (£1.5m) and Defoe (£7m). Then under Damien Comolli, players like Bale, Berbatov and Modric. If you look at the personnel bought under the ‘director of football’, almost all have developed into very good players. Occasionally, they might not have produced their best football for Tottenham, but they have been sold for more than they were bought for. The director of football role might have had a short-term negative impact on the way the team played on the pitch, but the long term results are there for all to see and importantly it brought a change in attitude to spending at White Hart Lane.
Sacking of Jol
Arguably the most controversial decision Daniel Levy made was sacking Martin Jol. Levy received a lot of criticism for the manner in which he sacked Martin Jol. Jol may have been a genuinely nice guy and popular amongst of the Tottenham fans, but the fact was that Jol did not have the capabilities to take Tottenham to the level that Levy wanted. He may have never let anyone down, but I don’t think Martin Jol would have led Tottenham to break into the top four and beyond, at least not consistently. Levy is ambitious and ruthless and while this may have meant that Jol was mistreated, in the end it appears to be the right decision.
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Stadium Move
Levy has recently come under criticism for planning a move away from White Hart Lane to Stratford. Many have labelled this as ripping the heart out of the club. Much has already been written on this and will be fresh in people’s memories, but there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that Tottenham need to increase their stadium capacity if they are going to regularly compete for a Champions League spot. Levy’s ambition to make Tottenham into a club that regularly finishes in the top four, may at times unsettle fans, but his desire to move stadium is based on the long term future of the club and is not just a get rich quick scheme.
Financial Management
There are benefits that Levy has brought to White Hart lane that I have not had room to go into detail in here. For example the club’s wage structure meaning that it runs at a relatively low debt. Tottenham’s spending has meant that they are not now in tatters like for example Portsmouth or West Ham. Importantly, Levy he has not invested huge amounts of borrowed money like some of the other foreign investors in the Premier League (Liverpool and Manchester United) and he is not relying purely on the money of ENIC to fund the expenses of the club (Chelsea and Manchester City). In fact, after Arsenal, Tottenham is, financially, the best run club in England.
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In truth, Daniel Levy’s legacy will be judged by more than just one season. If he is to go down as a legend, Tottenham will have to maintain the standards they have set in the last two seasons. But considering the ambition and desire he has shown in the last ten years, there is no reason to expect Tottenham to fade away. In ten years he has taken Tottenham from a struggling club to one of the top clubs in the country. Tottenham now play exciting football under a great manager, have some of the most exciting talent in the country (as well as some awesome youth prospects) and all at a comparably low debt. Huge credit must go to Daniel Levy for this.
If you want to join Joe in applauding Daniel Levy you can do so on twitter.
Former Sunderland loanee John Mensah has said he would love a dream move back to the Premier League.
The defender enjoyed a successful World Cup with Ghana this summer, despite missing a penalty in their heartbreaking shoot-out defeat to Uruguay in the quarter-finals.
Mensah made just 16 appearances for the Black Cats last term as he struggled with injury, but he certainly demonstrated his capabilities at the heart of the Black Stars' defence in South Africa and, although he will return to parent club Lyon, he would welcome a permanent switch to England.
He said:"If it depends on me I would prefer to stay in the Premier League but in football today there are many things involved.
"Lyon is my club so they have their say as well. The sad thing is I never gave my best to Lyon.
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"I am resting now and want to get my batteries recharged for next season. I want to have an injury free season at the top level."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email