Tag Archives: matt

Rafa Benitez plays down talk of David Luiz being future long term Chelsea captain

Posted on by

I'm not ready to make Luiz my captain yet, insists Chelsea boss Benitez amid doubts over Terry's future

By
Matt Barlow

PUBLISHED:

12:54 GMT, 16 April 2013

|

UPDATED:

13:15 GMT, 16 April 2013

Rafa Benitez has dismissed claims that David Luiz is in line to replace John Terry as the long-term captain of Chelsea.

Terry was left out of Chelsea’s FA Cup semi-final defeat to Manchester City at the weekend and has missed a number games this season.

Goalkeeper Petr Cech led the side in Terry’s absence at Wembley on Sunday, but Luiz has been cited as a possible long-term replacement.

Future leader: Rafa Benites has played down talk of David Luiz being Chelsea captain

Future leader: Rafa Benites has played down talk of David Luiz being Chelsea captain

But Benitez played down the suggestion saying he did not want to praise the Brazilin too much.

‘I don’t want to talk about the future when we’re involved in top four challenge and Europa League. He’ one of the important players we have, there are others, I don’t want to give too much credit to him. He is a key player and will be in the future.’

Vegard Forren abandons Liverpool trial for Southampton talks

Posted on by

Saints set to snatch Forren as 4.2m defender abandons Anfield trial for St Mary's talks

By
Matt Barlow

PUBLISHED:

11:43 GMT, 15 January 2013

|

UPDATED:

11:43 GMT, 15 January 2013

Vegard Forren is considering the option of a permanent transfer to Southampton rather than his planned trial at Liverpool.

Forren, a Norwegian international central defender, arrived in England last night and was expected to report to Liverpool for a trial today.

Change of plan: Molde defender Vegard Forren has abandoned a trial at Liverpool in favour of talks with Southampton

Change of plan: Molde defender Vegard Forren (also in action, below) has abandoned a trial at Liverpool in favour of holding talks with Barclays Premier League side Southampton

Heading off: Norway international Forren (No 5) looks set to leave Molde for a move to England

But the 24-year-old has other options in the Barclays Premier League including Saints, who are keen to strengthen their defence and thought to be among the clubs who have agreed a 4.2million transfer fee with his club Molde.

Fulham and Everton are other clubs who have been monitoring Forren, who has been capped five times by Norway.

Molde boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer confirmed earlier this month that the defender was set to leave the club, possibly for the Barclays Premier League.

Southampton manager Nigel Adkins

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers

Upper hand: Southampton boss Nigel Adkins is leading the race to sign Forren ahead of Brendan Rodgers (R)

FA Cup third round: A view from the sofa

Posted on by

View from the sofa: No naked butler but heroes aplenty as it goes bananas

By
Riath Al-samarrai

PUBLISHED:

23:42 GMT, 6 January 2013

|

UPDATED:

00:28 GMT, 7 January 2013

As is so often the case, it was Jeff Stelling who delivered the sentence that best summed up the day. ‘O’Brien is in for Matt Armstrong-Ford, the naked butler who failed a fitness test this morning. He’s become an instant hero.’

It’s just gone 3.17pm and the wise men of Sky Sport’s Soccer Saturday are getting excited. Middlesbrough have won a penalty and Ishmael Miller has stepped up to take it. Liam O’Brien, the stand-in goalkeeper for Hastings, ranked 18th in the Ryman League, makes the save and it stays 0-0.

Instant heroes; new and unusual stories. If it’s not a new story, it’s a good old one. In a nutshell, that’s the ‘magic’ and the ‘charm’ of the FA Cup’s third round. It’s the novelty, the lop-sided match-ups, the possibilities, the temporary seating, the quirks of history. Often, the fixtures serve up a belter, but it’s usually context over content.

Providing the drama: Jeff Stelling and the Soccer Saturday team keep the viewers up to date with the 3pm kick-offs

Providing the drama: Jeff Stelling and the Soccer Saturday team keep the viewers up to date with the 3pm kick-offs

And on Saturday, as always seems to happen on the first weekend of January, there was no shortage of context.

Joe Cole was back at West Ham, restarting his career almost 14 years to the day after making his professional debut for the club in the same competition. Manchester United were once desperate to sign him. Their interest had long since died by the time they arrived at Upton Park.

Bournemouth’s Wes Fogden has overcome a tumour that ate into his spine and he spent months in a body cast. The paper talk is of overcoming adversity, leading into a discussion of Bournemouth’s prospects against Premier League Wigan. Then there’s Hastings again, with puns on 1066 and all that, and Mansfield, whose manager, Paul Cox, got married two days before taking on Liverpool.

Instant hero: Liam O'Brien saves a penalty from Middlesbrough's Ishmael Miller

Instant hero: Liam O'Brien saves a penalty from Middlesbrough's Ishmael Miller

Southampton’s Jack Cork has been saying how desperate he is to match and silence his dad Alan, who won the FA Cup with Wimbledon; Southampton are 4-1 down against Chelsea after an hour. But Fogden goes close for Bournemouth against Wigan, before Eunan O’Kane puts the League One side in front. Non-League Luton are leading against Wolves. Goldberg pulls one back for Hastings.

So far only Brighton have banked what, on paper, is an upset. ITV certainly saw the 2-0 win coming, hence the live coverage.

But then Macclesfield of the Blue Square Premier pull level with Cardiff, the leaders of the Championship. Matthew Barnes-Homer, who has scraped a living playing in the US, Sweden and the Midland Alliance, scores the goal. And then the winner. The gap between the sides is 81 places.

Back on the pitch: Wes Fogden plays for Bournemouth after recovering from a tumor

Back on the pitch: Wes Fogden plays for Bournemouth after recovering from a tumor

‘It’s all gone bananas, Jeff,’ says Soccer Saturday reporter and occasional manager Iain Dowie. Kieron Dyer has scored for QPR in injury time against West Brom. Is that irony or magic Joe Cole looks reborn as West Ham draw 2-2 with Manchester United.

By the close of play on Saturday, there are a couple of fruity upsets — notably Macclesfield over Cardiff and Luton over Wolves — but no genuine giant has been knocked on his backside.

On the phone-ins, some Cardiff and Wigan fans aren’t happy with the changes that their managers made to their respective sides.

But that doesn’t matter so much. Barnes-Homer, Robbie Simpson of Oldham, Brighton’s Andrea Orlandi and Alex Lawless of Luton are instant heroes. ‘Magic,’ as Stelling said.

Hastings goalkeeper Matt Armstrong-Ford delight at reaching FA Cup third round

Posted on by

My best night in football! Hastings goalkeeper delight at reaching FA Cup third round

|

UPDATED:

00:04 GMT, 14 December 2012

Hastings goalkeeper Matt Armstrong-Ford spoke of his “best night in football” as the non-league minnows booked an FA Cup third-round trip to Middlesbrough.

The Isthmian League Premier Division side went all the way against Harrogate Town tonight, going to penalties and winning 5-4 in front of over 4,000 fans at the Pilot Field.

Armstrong-Ford was not called upon in the shoot-out as Harrogate`s misses – from Lee Elam and Tom Platt – were wild hacks over the bar, but that did not stop him savouring the moment.

Joy: Hastings players celebrate their dramatic win over Harrogate on penalties

Joy: Hastings players celebrate their dramatic win over Harrogate on penalties

'It`s my best night in football, this makes it all worth it,' he told ESPN.
'It`s the best thing that has happened to me in football. It doesn`t get any better.'

The keeper`s 90th-minute error – he misjudged a cross which allowed Platt to cancel out Lee Carey`s penalty – may well have been costly, but Dee Okojie kept his cool to put them through from the spot.

'It was hard work,' Carey said.

'I dreamed about scoring last night. I told the boys in the car I was going to score. When we go behind, we still believe we can win the game.'

Winning moment: Dee Okojie scored the decisive penalty for Hastings to send them to the third round

Winning moment: Dee Okojie scored the decisive penalty for Hastings to send them to the third round

The Isthmian League minnows will face Championship side Middlesbrough in January

The Isthmian League minnows will face Championship side Middlesbrough in January

Player-manager Sean Ray was a rock-like presence for his side, and he is now dreaming big.

'The character of the players and the desire… Every game we have played we deserved to win. You can`t question their character,' he said.

'This is my first time as a manager in the FA Cup. Only another five rounds to go and we`ll be at Wembley!'

Zebre 14 Harlequins 57: Smith nabs a brace as pool leaders Quins secure bonus point win

Posted on by

Zebre 14 Harlequins 57: Smith nabs a brace as pool leaders secure bonus point win

PUBLISHED:

16:34 GMT, 8 December 2012

|

UPDATED:

16:34 GMT, 8 December 2012

Harlequins remain on course for top spot in Heineken Cup pool three after a comprehensive victory over Zebre in Parma.

The Aviva Premiership pacesetters ran in eight tries to secure a winning bonus point.

Sam Smith scored a brace with Nick Easter, Matt Hopper, Rob Buchanan and Ben Botica also among the scorers for Connor O'Shea's high fliers, who also managed two scrum penalty tries.

The most Zebre could manage on a bitterly cold day was a first-half breakaway try by Leonardo Sarto and a late consolation for Alberto Chillon.

Two tries: Sam Smith helped Quins to an easy win

Two tries: Sam Smith helped Quins to an easy win

With Biarritz losing to Connacht last night, Quins' destiny now lies in their own hands and victory in next week's return against Zebre will effectively seal their passage through to the quarter-finals.

Harlequins were good value for their win and barely had to break sweat for some of their tries.

The first came for Smith on 26 minutes, a routine dash for the corner after the Zebre defence had been stretched on the back of a Maurie Fa'asavalu turnover.

Evans converted, adding to an earlier penalty, and already it looked as though the game was up for a desperately limited Zebre side, who failed to get out of their own half in the opening half hour.

Things went from bad to worse for the hapless Italians when serial offender Mauro Bergamasco was sent to the sin-bin for a ruck offence.

With that it looked as though the floodgates would open, and Smith helped himself to a second try after linking superbly with Tom Williams.

Again Evans converted to leave Quins 17-0 up and coasting.

Complacency cost Quins as they went in search of a third try before half-time, and it was Zebre who instead struck next, Sarto racing away after one too many passes cost Quins.

It was shortlived joy for Zebre, and Quins were back in business within three minutes of the restart as Easter bagged their third try after the visiting forwards wrestled the home pack into submission.

Danny Care, Matt Hopper and Mike Brown all went close to adding a fourth, but in the end it was the forwards that took the plaudits, forcing a penalty try after dominating the home scrum.

They would do so again later in the half as Zebre went into meltdown, and sandwiched in between was a fine individual try by Hopper, who showed great footwork to outmanoeuvre the home defence.

He was eclipsed shortly after, however, by substitute prop Buchanan, who scored with practically his first touch after another irresistible attack by rampant Quins.

A late try by Chillon proved scant consolation for a disillusioned Zebre, and it was left to another substitute, Botica, to wrap up the scoring for Quins.

Southampton want Matt Phillips from Blackpool for 5.5m

Posted on by

Southampton set to raise the stakes in Phillips chase with 5.5m bid

|

UPDATED:

22:53 GMT, 21 November 2012

Southampton are ready to offer 5.5million to take Blackpool midfielder Matt Phillips in January.

Swansea City have also made an offer but that is understood to be around 3.5m.

The 21-year-old is out until late December after surgery on a torn toe muscle.

In demand: Blackpool winger Matt Phillips is wanted at Southampton and Swansea

In demand: Blackpool ace Matt Phillips is wanted at Southampton and Swansea

Hong Kong Open: Live leaderboard

Posted on by

Hong Kong Open leaderboard: Keep up with the latest scores

UPDATED:

23:00 GMT, 14 November 2012

Rory McIlroy is at Fanling for the defence of his Hong Kong Open title.

You can keep track of all the latest scores right here.

CLICK HERE FOR THE LIVE LEADERBOARD

Star names: (l-r) Rory Mcilroy, Paul Lawrie and Matt Kuchar are in Hong Kong

Star names: (l-r) Rory Mcilroy, Paul Lawrie and Matt Kuchar are in Hong Kong

Blackpool 2 Bolton 2: match report

Posted on by

Blackpool 2 Bolton 2: Late Delfouneso strike leaves new man Appleton with a point

PRESS ASSOCIATION

PUBLISHED:

17:36 GMT, 10 November 2012

|

UPDATED:

17:36 GMT, 10 November 2012

Nathan Delfouneso struck late to deny Bolton and ensured Michael Appleton avoided defeat in his first game as Blackpool manager.

Mark Davies put the visitors ahead but it was all square after 19 minutes when Blackpool's England Under-21 international winger Tom Ince superbly brought up his third goal in as many matches.

A pleasingly open game produced a host of chances as each side pressed for the win, and it was Wanderers who landed a telling blow in the 71st minute when Lee Chung-yong converted Chris Eagles' cross.

Salvation: Michael Appleton started with a draw after his side equalised late on

Salvation: Michael Appleton started with a draw after his side equalised late on

Match facts

Blackpool: Gilks, Eardley, Cathcart, Baptiste, Crainey, Grandin (Kevin Phillips 80), Basham, Sylvestre, Matt Phillips, Taylor-Fletcher (Delfouneso 46), Ince.

Subs Not Used: Halstead, Evatt, Martinez, Harris, Dicko.

Goals: Ince 19, Delfouneso 81.

Bolton: Bogdan, Ricketts, Mills, Knight, Warnock, Andrews, Spearing, Eagles (Pratley 79), Mark Davies, Petrov (Lee 58), Ngog (Kevin Davies 88).

Subs Not Used: Lynch, Ream, Afobe, Butterfield.

Goals: Mark Davies 16, Lee 71.

Att: 15,525

Ref: Jon Moss (W Yorkshire).

Click here for latest Championship results, fixtures and table

But on-loan Aston Villa striker
Delfouneso, on for the injured Gary Taylor-Fletcher at the interval,
pounced nine minutes from time when Bolton failed to deal with Stephen
Crainey's free-kick.

Blackpool and Bolton remain 12th and 17th respectively in the npower Championship and are separated by two points.

Appleton, installed at Bloomfield
Road on Wednesday evening after Ian Holloway left to succeed
recently-appointed Bolton boss Freedman at Crystal Palace last weekend,
opted not to alter the Blackpool XI that recorded a first win in six
games at Sheffield Wednesday in midweek.

Kevin Phillips and Ian Evatt returned to the bench following injury and suspension respectively.

David Ngog, who scored the winner
before being sent off in Freedman's first game at the helm against
Cardiff last weekend, was restored to the starting line-up alongside
on-loan Liverpool midfielder Jay Spearing and winger Martin Petrov.

Ngog had the ball in the net early on but was flagged offside when applying the finish to Sam Ricketts' cross.

Blackpool left-back Crainey was
allowed to venture forward as Petrov neglected his defensive duties and
Elliot Grandin smashed the resulting centre over.

Davies gave Bolton a 16th-minute lead, collecting the loose ball to slot home after Alex Baptiste's interception to deny Ngog.

The response was instant and
magnificent as Ince cut in from the right flank and curled beyond the
helpless Adam Bogdan from 25 yards.

Opener: Mark Davies struck for Bolton to get things underway

Opener: Mark Davies struck for Bolton to get things underway

Craig Cathcart had the opportunity to
send Blackpool in ahead at the break but was off target when he met
Matt Phillips' corner unmarked
Petrov thrashed a volley over from
Davies' chipped pass early in the second period and the end-to-end feel
remained as Wanderers captain Zat Knight did well to clear following a
jinking run from Matt Phillips.

Lee was introduced in place of Petrov
shortly before the hour and shortly afterwards Blackpool midfielder
Chris Basham might have punished his former club for further slack
set-piece marking.

Ince was agonisingly close to finding
the decisive touch when Crainey collected an excellent Sylvestre pass
and flashed narrowly wide of the far post in the 65th minute, before
Bolton led slightly against the run of play.

Davies picked out Eagles on the right flank and his cross was met by a sliding Lee to cap a fine team move.

Having led for three minutes in the
first-half, Wanderers managed 10 this time around before Kevin Phillips
knocked down Crainey's set-piece for fellow substitute Delfouneso to net
for the first time in nine appearances.

Phillips almost snatched the points
for Blackpool but Bogdan atoned for poor positioning by palming over,
while Bolton's Kevin Davies came on to make his 600th career appearance
in the closing minutes.

League Two review: Gillingham stay top after Burton thrashing

Posted on by

League Two review: Gills stuff Burton as Fleetwood lose ground after draw

PUBLISHED:

20:00 GMT, 20 October 2012

|

UPDATED:

22:10 GMT, 20 October 2012

League Two leaders Gillingham continued their fine start to the season with a thumping 4-1 victory over Burton Albion.

Tom Flanagan (22) and Matt Fish (40) put the Gills two up at half-time and, although Zander Diamond pulled one back (54), Myles Weston (59) and Joe Martin (63) quickly put the game beyond Burton.

Gillingham have 32 points after 13 games and stayed three ahead of Port Vale after they won by the same scoreline against Wycombe.

Winning feeling: Matt Fish is congratulated by Lewis Montrose after scoring for Gillingham

Winning feeling: Matt Fish is congratulated by Lewis Montrose after scoring for Gillingham

Joel Grant put the visitors ahead from the penalty spot in the 20th minute but Jo Kuffour was sent off just before half-time and Vale took full advantage.

Ben Williamson (59) drew them level and Tom Pope netted his 15th and 16th goals of the season in the 66th and 87th minutes before Ashley Vincent made it four in injury time.

Fleetwood lost ground after being held to a 1-1 draw by AFC Wimbledon, Byron Harrison cancelling out Steven Gillespie's 10th-minute opener just after the hour mark.

Bradford ended a four-game run without a win by beating Cheltenham 3-1 to climb to fifth and within a point of their opponents.

Marlon Pack gave the visitors the lead with a 29th-minute penalty but Nahki Wells levelled, also from the spot, on the stroke of half-time and City went on to win it with a second from Wells (68) and one from James Meredith (83).

All square: Fleetwood Town's Dean Hoell and AFC Wimbledon's goal scorer Byron Harrison fight for the ball

All square: Fleetwood Town's Dean Hoell and AFC Wimbledon's goal scorer Byron Harrison fight for the ball

Sixth-placed Exeter have now lost five of their last six games after Chris Atkinson (32) earned Chesterfield a 1-0 win while Rochdale dropped out of the top six following a 3-1 defeat by Plymouth.

A Guy Madjo penalty and a header from Andres Gurrieri put the hosts two up inside seven minutes and Bobby Grant missed a penalty (55) before Dele Adebola (76) did pull one back. Madjo made sure with a second penalty in injury time.

Rotherham secured a 3-0 victory away at struggling Aldershot with goals from Lee Frecklington (34), Robert Harris (56) and Alex Revell (82).

Struggling Bristol Rovers gained a valuable three points in a 3-2 victory over 10-man Torquay. Tom Eaves (15) and Matthew Lund (17) put Rovers two up before Joe Oastler was sent off for a second yellow card.

Torquay defied their numerical disadvantage to level through Rene Howe (53), scoring for the seventh straight league game, and Aaron Downes (59) but Eaves popped up with the winner 14 minutes from time.

Morecambe left it until two minutes from time to net the winner against Southend, Jack Redshaw earning a 1-0 win, although the match ended on a sour note when Richard Brodie was dismissed for violent conduct.

The biggest winners of the day were Oxford, for whom Tom Craddock scored the opening four goals (12, 23, 36, 71) in a 5-0 victory over Accrington. Alfie Potter grabbed the fifth 12 minutes from time.

York were the division's final winners, 3-2 against Dagenham & Redbridge. Ashley Chambers' opener (19) was quickly cancelled out by Luke Wilkinson (23) but Chambers (37) and Matty Blair (65) restored the advantage before Wilkinson netted a late consolation.

Steven Fletcher was a bargain for Sunderland – Martin O"Neill

Posted on by

Fletcher was a bargain at 12m purrs O'Neill after hotshot's latest strike

|

UPDATED:

21:00 GMT, 23 September 2012


No stopping him: Steven Fletcher (left)

No stopping him: Steven Fletcher (left)

Martin O'Neill believes 12million signing Steven Fletcher will prove 'great value for money' after the striker scored his fourth goal in three Barclays Premier League games for Sunderland in the 1-1 draw at West Ham.

Fletcher, 25, is the only player to have found the back of the net for O'Neill’s side in the league this season, in which Sunderland are still unbeaten but have not registered a win since March.

‘It has helped us as he is the only one to score,’ said the Sunderland boss. ‘He has also taken the goals brilliantly. There is an extra part to his game, which we did not have last season.

‘I have never paid more than 12m for a player, (but) I think Fletcher is a quality centre forward and will prove great value for money.

‘(The run without a win) is not a psychological barrier for me. It is not something Steven Fletcher is concerned about as he was not here and may not even know. It is genuinely not a problem.’

Sharp shooter: Fletcher (left) smashes home his goal at Upton Park

Sharp shooter: Fletcher (left) smashes home his goal at Upton Park

Fletcher’s former Wolves team-mate Matt Jarvis impressed on his West Ham home debut as a second-half substitute, keeping the ball in play for Kevin Nolan to score a stoppage-time equaliser. The winger insisted Fletcher will not see his hefty price tag as a burden.

Jarvis said: ‘The price tag is one of those things you can’t walk away from but he has showed his class. That’s why he’s got such a goal-scoring record.

‘We had a great combination together at Wolves and I’m pleased he’s doing well — just not against West Ham.’