Marseille’s title chase took another twist as the visiting French champions triumphed 2-0 at Stade Rennes in Friday’s lone Ligue 1 fixture.Star striker Loic Remy and Argentinean midfielder Lucho Gonzalez got on the scoresheet in either half for Marseille, who remain third but close the gap between themselves and second-placed Rennes to a single point.League leaders Lille are even on points with Renne, but will have the opportunity to open up a three-point buffer when they host Valenciennes on Sunday.Marseille, beaten 2-1 at home by Lille last weekend, resumed their push for back-to-back league titles when Remy brought his tally to nine goals for the season in the 24th minute.Andre Ayew picked out the French international with his cross and Remy powered a diving header beyond Rennes goalkeeper Nicolas Douchez.Lucho had an easy finish following the good work of substitute Jordan Ayew – younger brother of Andre – in the 80th minute.The Ghanaian striker beat his mark to a looped through ball deep in the area and pulled back his cross for Lucho to poke past Douchez.
Liverpool have won the race to sign England international Joe Cole after agreeing a four-year contract with the former West Ham United and Chelsea star.
The 28-year-old, who has agreed personal terms with the Reds and will undergo a medical in the next 48 hours, won three Premier League titles and two FA Cups during his seven-year spell at Stamford Bridge.
New Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson confirmed his interest in a player that has scored ten times in 56 appearances for his country at the weekend, although he had tried to play down the speculation.
"I know we've been connected with him – and it's good to know we're connected with players of that quality – but I don't have anything to report on the subject," he told Sky Sports News.
"I haven't had any discussions with him, but I had a brief chat a while back.
"If you want to know about transfer targets and how things are progressing, you'll have to ask (managing director) Christian Purslow because he's the man looking after those discussions not me."
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Cole found the net 38 times in 189 starts and 93 substitute appearances for Chelsea.Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
QPR chief executive Philip Beard has revealed that he feels the club may need to move to a bigger stadium to compete with their Premier League rivals, both financially and on the pitch.
The newly promoted team’s capacity at Loftus Road is only in the 20,000 range, which is considerably lower than the majority of the rest of the sides in the division.
With Tony Fernandes’ takeover of the London outfit, and money being spent on new players in the summer transfer window, ambition is there to be seen, but this may only be maximised by finding a new home.
“Loftus Road has a hell of an atmosphere when there is a game on but we’re constrained by the fact we have under 20,000 seats in the stadium,” Beard told Press Association Sport.
“So if we are serious potentially about the long-term growth of the club then I think we have to be serious about looking at what I call a new football stadium as part of a hub of a wider entertainment destination.
“Literally down the road from us you have Westfield [shopping centre] and you’ve got great transport facilities. If we can grow our fanbase, both homegrown and internationally, then I hope the future is very bright for the club,” he stated.
QPR have started their campaign in the top flight with inconsistent results, and were beaten 6-0 by London rivals Fulham last Sunday.
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Carlo Ancelotti has warned new defender David Luiz he needs to calm down as he battles to overcome injury and face Blackpool on Monday.The defender became a Chelsea hero when he scored against Manchester United in Tuesday’s 2-1 Premier League victory – and somehow managed to avoid getting sent off after giving the likes of Wayne Rooney and Javier Hernandez a real battering.Referee Martin Atkinson’s decision not to hand the centre-back a second yellow card infuriated United boss Sir Alex Ferguson, who now faces disciplinary action for his post-match outburst.And Ancelotti has warned the 23-million-pound signing, who also picked up a hamstring injury after racing around against United, he needs to take things a bit easier in future.”He has to know English football. He has to be more calm on the pitch. Obviously he’s showed fantastic ability and quality. He has to improve, but he will because he’ll have more experience and knowledge about English football. He can change his behaviour on the pitch,” Ancelotti said.”He’s showing fantastic ability offensively, obviously. He’s able to pass the ball and move in front without problems. He’s able to shoot at goal. But defensively, he can improve.”The Chelsea manager is hopeful his new signing will recover in time to face Blackpool on Monday but he may need a late fitness test.”Until now, he’s not been able to train. I hope he will train tomorrow,” Ancelotti said of Luiz. “Mikel, too, had a knee problem in the warm-up before the game against United. He had a scan yesterday, but everything was ok. I hope, also, that he can train tomorrow. The other players are fine.”Chelsea go into the match at Blackpool as huge favourites, not least because of the huge difference in financial muscle between the two clubs – after all the 50 million pounds Chelsea paid for Fernando Torres would probably be enough to buy Blackpool lock, stock and barrel. “I know, I know – but it doesn’t mean anything. Obviously, when you have the money you can have important players, top players. But the difference in football is teamwork. If you are able to reach teamwork levels with fantastic players, you can win the most important titles in the world. The most important thing is to have that teamwork,” he said. Chelsea must decide whether to recall Didier Drogba after he was left on the bench two games in a row. But Ancelotti is expected to stick with Torres even though the former Liverpool man is still waiting for his first goal in a blue shirt.”Everyone here isn’t afraid or worried because he hasn’t scored. Everyone is looking at his performances. He played a very good game – he didn’t score, obviously, and it’s important for the strikers to score,” he said. “But not for us. I’m asking him to have good movement for the team and to have combinations with the other strikers. He’s doing very well.”
Tottenham have moved quickly to deny claims made by Palermo that they have offered £28.5million to sign Simon Kjaer and Edinson Cavani from the Serie A outfit.
Palermo president Maurizio Zamparini claimed Spurs had tabled the offer for Denmark centre-half Kjaer and Uruguay forward Cavani.
However, a Spurs spokesman said: "Palermo's claims are inaccurate. We have not bid for these players."
Zamparini had earlier been quoted by Sky Italia as saying:"Tottenham have bid 35 million euros, an offer we cannot refuse, seeing as the two players have both said they want to leave.
"We will reinvest the money for these players. The midfield is my biggest concern, whereas in defence and attack we are fairly well covered."
Kjaer's representative Mikkel Beck has also said:"The situation has not changed since the summer began. He has a contract with Palermo for another three years, but he has been put in contact with so many big clubs in the last year.
"It is great that there is interest from these clubs, but I am afraid that nothing concrete has come from any of the interest as of yet.
"At the moment we stay put, and Simon is very patient. He knows what he has at Palermo, they are a top Italian team and are playing in the European Cup next year, so he knows what he has.
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"But on the other hand he has admitted that if any concrete offers come out of the current interest then he would seriously consider leaving Palermo this summer."
Twenty-one-year-old Kjaer is a rumoured target for several other clubs in England, as well as Bayern Munich and Juventus, while German club Wolfsburg had been linked with an interest in Cavani, 23.Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
The grassroots of the game may have been flourishing but the top tier of women’s football in England had become stale as the Women’s Premier League fell further and further behind it’s male rivals. But this summer saw the inaugural FA Women’s Super League (WSL), a semi-professional competition whose name alone promised a more glamorous exhibition of the best female players in the country. But was the first attempt at the WSL a success?
In attempt to develop the women’s game in this country the FA developed the WSL, a league of eight teams consisting of this country’s best female football players from Liverpool Ladies, Doncaster Rovers Belles, Chelsea Ladies, Bristol Academy Ladies, Lincoln Ladies, Everton Ladies, Birmingham City Ladies and Arsenal Ladies. The inaugural league started back in April this year and as a summer long event lasted until early September (with a mid-season break for the Women’s World Cup). The FA have further pushed the format by also introducing the Continental Cup, a knock out cup competition between the eight league teams with big name sponsors in tyre manufacturers Continental. In the final on Sunday Arsenal were victorious against Birmingham, with the Gunners’ clinching the double and making sure the WSL’s first season finishes on a high.
Arsenal Ladies also continued their dominance of the women’s game in the league by clinching the first WSL title (their 8th successive league win in the top tier of women’s football). Whilst Arsenal’s success carrying over into the WSL from the Women’s Premier League could be seen as a negative in the push for more competitive action, Arsenal only won the league on the last day of the season and by three points from Birmingham City. Birmingham’s attempts to dethrone Arsenal are testament to the increasing quality across a number of the top teams in England.
Average attendances have also been up for the league compared to the Women’s Premier League. An average of close to 600 people enjoyed the WSL before the mid-season break, a significant improvement on the WPL where only 100 spectators would often turn up to see games. 2167 spectators also turned up to see Arsenal crowned winners in the cup final, a healthy showing for the final event on the WSL calendar. Coverage of a handful of games on sports channel ESPN as well as a weekly round-up programme have also helped increase interest in the sport to TV audiences. The FA’s £3million investment also indicates their interest in making the WSL a long-term success and suggests a change in approach after years of the women’s game suffering from a lack of money.
But the underlying problems in the women’s game still seem to be there. The first ever game in the league, between Chelsea and Arsenal back in April, may have attracted a healthy total of over 2,500 fans but the game was still played at Tooting and Mitcham’s Imperial Fields ground. Whilst it is Chelsea Ladies’ home ground, surely a better venue for what was supposed to be the first showpiece event of the league could have been found? There have also been problems with pitches in these lower league venues, with criticisms from both players and managers about the quality of some pitches that could detract from the potential quality of the football.
I would have also concerns over the scheduling of the tournament. A summer fixture list could be seen as a way to generate more interest in the sport in the absence of the men’s game but does it detract from the longevity of the league? The mid-season break for the successful Women’s World Cup also potentially detracted from the momentum the new league was building as attentions were drawn to the world stage and away from the domestic game. The summer scheduling may have also been down to the Women’s Premier League (WPL), the old format for the top teams that is still running throughout the usual winter period.
Whilst some increased interest was drawn to the game by the introduction of the WSL, the WPL continued with very little attention. The loss of the best teams in the country to the WSL could be seen as both good and bad for England’s now second tier in the women’s game. The loss of the likes of Arsenal, Birmingham and Everton obviously detracts from the quality of the football but at the same time gives the smaller teams and players a chance to shine against more evenly matched opponents. Sunderland were crowned the champions of the last WPL, a huge success for the club and big boost for everyone involved. But is the WSL creating a disparity amongst teams?
Despite winning the WPL, Sunderland remain in the same league, something that limits their chances for development. The money and increased attention on the WSL also damages the WPL. Last season’s loss of TV coverage of the women’s Premier League Cup final between Nottingham Forest and Barnet due to supposed low interest is proof that despite the introduction of the WSL, beyond the now more glamorous roots of the top tier the same problems still remain. The FA must ensure that whilst they try to develop the WSL, the rest of the leagues don’t get cut off as the only long-term way to develop the game will be better competition on a wider platform.
As the first WSL season has now drawn to a close and Bristol Academy and Arsenal Ladies head onto the European stage hoping for success, the FA can take many positives from their first successful WSL season. Further attention, money and exposure will need to be generated around the women’s game and across all the leagues to make sure it is a continued success but the FA now have a good platform to hopefully keep developing women’s football in this country.
Do you think the WSL was a success or are the FA risking losing quality in the lower leagues? If you want to read more of my bite size, 140 character views and thoughts follow me on Twitter @jennyk5
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Corinthians outclassed Gremio Prudente in a 4-0 rout to rise to the top of Brazil’s Campeonato Paulista.A Fabio Santos penalty helped the home side at Estadio Municipal Paulo Machado de Carvalho on their way to victory, with Liedson making it two in the 19th minute.Dentinho scored a third in the 28th minute before Liedson’s second completed the rout in the 85th minute.Santos wasted a valuable chance to rise to second on the table when they were held 1-1 at home to Sao Bernardo.Former Manchester City and Galatasaray midfielder Elano netted a 43rd minute penalty, but Raul earned a point for the visitors at the Estadio Urbano Caldeira with a 68th minute goal.Mogi Mirim’s Ze Roberto scored in the 16th minute to help his side to a 1-0 away victory against Americana at the Estadio Decio Vitta.Oeste beat Linense 1-0 at the Estadio dos Amaros, with Anselmo Ramon scoring the winner in the 13th minute.And Ponte Preta accounted for second from bottom Santo Andre 2-0 away at the Estadio Bruno Jose Daniel.
WAGS, WAGS, WAGS… the media just can’t get enough of them and as we finish the Premier League season we couldn’t resist creating our very own WAG Idol, to find out which player has the loveliest bit of skirt on his arm.
We are running a series of club heats – so please select the wag that gives your club the best chance of taking the Wag crown.
Just click on the individual images of beauties to upload their galleries, so you can get a look of them in greater detail!
Janelle Khouri – Owen Hargreaves and current squeeze Janelle Khouri the happiest and most love fulfilled people on the entire planet. I say ‘squeeze’, incidentally, not because I have suddenly turned into Heat magazine’s ‘Spotted section, but because to do anything with Hargreaves above light petting would be to jeopardise his chances of appearing in England’s 2010 World Cup campaign.
Nikoleta Lozanova – Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov certainly seems to have a way with the ladies and any of a number of his flings could have made it onto this list. But Bulgarian model Nikoleta Lozanova is definitely a cut above the rest and would be enough to distract anyone from giving their best on the field. Interestingly Berbatov actually denied having an affair with the stunning Lozanova, which may have something to do with the fact that she is the current girlfriend of Bulgarian crime boss Georgi Stoilov, but given Berba’s track record this is hard to believe.
Sophie Houghton – Back in 2009 Italian youngster Federico Macheda burst onto the scene by netting the winning goal in a Premier League encounter against Aston Villa at Old Trafford. On the field Macheda hasn’t been up to much since then, but off it he has been a busy boy and has been dating the Wirrel’s Sophie Houghton. A winner of Miss Intercontinental Liverpool, the pair met on Facebook when Macheda was probably blown away by eye-catching pictures of Houghton. The stunning blonde is the youngster of the group but given her looks she might just topple her rivals.
Coleen Rooney – Probably the most well-known United WAG, Coleen was actually born on Merseyside but followed Wayne to Manchester when he signed for the Red Devils in 2004. Coleen likes to dabble in a number of things from TV presenting to celebrity product endorsement and she is never far away from the front pages of the British tabloids. Childhood sweethearts, Wayne and Coleen got married in Italy in 2008 and whatever she does in the Rooney household deserves some credit as Wayne can’t stop scoring right now, and she isn’t half bad to look at either!
Lisa Roughead – Unfortunate name, but that shouldn’t count against her when picking your favourite Manchester United WAG. Lisa Roughead actually married United midfielder Michael Carrick in 2007 on the same day that fellow Premier League stars Steven Gerrard and Gary Neville also tied the knot, which doesn’t seem like great planning. The Geordie became a proud dad in 2008 with the birth of his first daughter Louise in 2008, and he has done well for himself by settling down with the curvy blonde who is the outsider on this list, bet is well worth a second glance.
REMEMBER – Just click on the individual images of beauties to upload their galleries, so you can get a look of them in greater detail!
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So who do you think deserves to be Manchester United’s representative in our search for the greatest Premier League WAG?
Chelsea have had a bid of £27 million for Shakhtar Donetsk forward Willian rejected, and told to stump up £32 million if they want him, according to The Daily Mail.
The Blues are looking to bolster their attacking options this summer, and have already signed Eden Hazard, Marko Marin and Kevin De Bruyne, with Oscar and Hulk also in their cross-hairs.
However, the Stamford Bridge side have long-coveted the Brazil international, who is seemingly ready to move to open of Europe’s top leagues after excellent performances in Ukraine and in the Champions League.
Shakhtar manager Mircea Lucescu has admitted that Chelsea are interested, but they will need to up their offer for the South American star to move to west London.
“I had a conversation with Willian and the club president about Chelsea’s interest. I told Willian he can leave, but only if the right offer is made. He’s a great player.
“Willian was the biggest investment Shakhtar have made in a young player, and we have to respect that. Clubs should not assume that if a player is coming from the east that the price is lower.
“They paid a lot of money for Hazard but are not willing to pay that for Willian, even though he’s better in my opinion,” he concluded.
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The hype and excitement of deadline day may have been and gone but clubs across England still have one last chance to snap up a new player, with a handful of experienced Premier League footballers still available after being released by their previous clubs.
OK, these players are not the best in the world, with most the wrong side of 30. But their experience can be priceless come the end of the season. The likes of Joey Barton, Jonathan Woodgate and Owen Hargreaves have already been snapped up on free deals by Premier League clubs, highlighting the quality that is available with no money needing to be spent.
But with clubs understandably keen to do their business as early as possible into the new season, which free agents are still available and likely to be in demand?
The best example of an experienced player looking for a new club is former England international Sol Campbell. His underwhelming season with Newcastle last year may have put off any potential suitors but Campbell could be a good acquisition for a Championship side looking for strength and leadership within a dressing room. At 36-years-old his impact would be limited but I would not be surprised to see the former Arsenal defender have one last stint in English football.
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One of the most eye-catching names on a somewhat limited list of free agents is former Birmingham forward James McFadden. At 28-years-old the Scottish international is a player with plenty more potential years of football ahead of him and he would bring huge international and domestic experience to a club. McFadden spent a year out with a cruciate ligament injury before leaving relegated Birmingham City in the summer. Wolves have been heavily linked with the player in recent weeks and he would be an ideal free acquisition for a number of smaller Premier League clubs, with his fitness after a lengthy injury lay-off the only possible set-back. But if McFadden can prove his fitness, I would expect him to be one of the more in-demand free agents this season.
Former Wolves keeper Marcus Hahnemann is another player still available after leaving the Premier League club in the summer. At 39-years-old Hahnemann would only be a short-term investment but like Campbell, the experienced American could be an excellent addition to many dressing rooms if managers were looking for leaders in a team.
Defender Pascal Chimbonda left Premier League newboys Queens Park Rangers at the end of last season after playing a limited role in the squad that got promoted back to the top tier of English football. The well-travelled 32-year-old has plenty of Premier League experience and whilst it is easy to question why he moves around so much, Chimbonda would present a free deal that could benefit smaller Premier League teams or maybe Championship clubs.
Few names on the free transfer list will transform a team but for clubs searching to add to their squad with a very limited budget, free transfers present a bargain often worth the risk as managers continue to look for new faces well into the season.
Which free agents do you think are still worth signing? If you want to read more of my bite size, 140 character views and thoughts follow me on Twitter @jennyk5
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