Bolton and Manchester United meet in the Premier League a week on Saturday and you could be there to witness the action live! We have teamed up with 188BET once again to give away tickets for the match at the Reebok Stadium. You could be there to see Sir Alex Ferguson’s young guns take on Owen Coyle’s Trotters.
United have been superb in the Premier League so far this season and will travel to the Reebok Stadium on the back of an 8-2 mauling against Arsenal. Wayne Rooney and co will be looking to make it four consecutive wins and keep their head above rivals City. Bolton on the other hand have lost their last two after opening their season with a 4-0 win away at newly promoted QPR. Coyle can take solace though as his side have played some neat football and were unlucky to lose their last two fixtures against Man City and Liverpool.
As usual the competition will run on a first come first serve basis! The 1st and 10th sign ups to 188BET will receive a pair of tickets for the game after they’ve placed a bet. If you miss out on the tickets don’t be disappointed as there are still prizes to be won. The 15th and 20th signups will receive a pair of tickets to a first team training ground experience whilst the 25th sign up will win a signed Bolton shirt.
The competition closes at 11:59pm on Thursday 8th of September so as long as you sign up and make your bet before then you’ll have a chance of winning. So sign up, place your bets and keep your fingers crossed! You be watching Bolton v United for free in just over a week’s time!
Click on the banner below to win home tickets to Bolton v Man United
Chelsea are set to make another bid for Luka Modric according to The Sun despite reports of them shying away from a deal.
Reports over the last week indicated that the Blues were preparing to give up on signing the Croatian and turn their attentions to other targets.
However it now seems that they are set to offer Spurs £30 million straight or £27 million plus Yossi Benayoun in an attempt to land the midfielder.
Modric has already stated his desire to leave White Hart Lane this summer to sign for Chelsea as they can offer him Champions League football.
Andre Villas-Boas is desperate to bring some creativity to the his midfield at Stamford Bridge and has chased the 25-year-old all summer.
Spurs chairman Daniel Levy has so far resisted any attempts to cash in on the clubs prized asset refusing to accept anything below their asking price.
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Manager Harry Redknapp was also unwilling to let Modric leave but is now coming round to the idea of selling him to generate funds to sign players.
Pocketing £30 million for the Croatian, who is unlikely to feature in Thursday’s Europa League game against Hearts, would certainly give him more than enough to secure his top targets.
So far this season we have seen Man Utd concede eleven goals in their opening ten games, Tottenham fourteen, Chelsea fifteen and Arsenal twenty-one. All had conceded less at this stage last year and for a club like Arsenal the news is particularly grim. They have conceded just under half of the total number of goals they did in the whole of last season in their first ten games this year. Have we got to the stage where the naivety of managers has reached new lows amongst the Premier League’s top clubs?
Man Utd
Manchester United’s figures for this year may not seem too bad at a glance, but you have to consider that they could have conceded a lot more. They have allowed more shots on goal than any other club this season and for a team that just spent almost £40m shoring up its defence with the signings of Phil Jones and David De Gea there defensive display’s have been mediocre at best. Fans might point to the injuries and suspensions to Vidic and Ferdinand but frankly Man Utd endured much worse injury crises last season and fared a hell of a lot better. To be conceding over a goal a game as champions is not what you’d expect and United fans will be hoping for an improvement.
Tottenham
Spurs too have bolstered their defensive options this year with the signing of Brad Friedel in goal and Scott Parker protecting the defence. On top of that they have regained Kyle Walker at right back to give them options that they didn’t have last year and club captain Ledley King has already played as many games as he did in the entirety of last season. However, if they carry on conceding at the rate that they are then they would end up conceding far more than they did last year.
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Chelsea
Chelsea has the excuse of a manager new to the Premier League that promotes attacking football. But to go from one of the meanest defences in the league to conceding five at home in one game then we can see that there are clearly problems to be addressed. Villas-Boas has said that Chelsea will not change their attacking style of football and whilst this is admirable and entertaining it also reminds me of a certain stubborn French manager enduring torrid defensive troubles of his own at the moment. Chelsea has proved under previous managers that the players they have can form a formidable defensive force and the subsequent, present frailty suggests naivety from the young Portuguese manager.
Arsenal
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The odd defensive faux pas is nothing new to Arsenal fans but even they will admit this season that there are worrying signs. Yes, they have new players who are struggling to adapt to the English style and language. But that is nobody else’s fault but their own. They could have signed these defenders at the end of last season and given them time to settle in but they did not. To concede seventeen goals in four away games is shocking by anyone’s standards, let alone a team playing in the Champions League. Whether the defensive coaching is conducted by Wenger, Pat Rice or another there has to be someone held to account for such meek defensive performances. In over two decades of watching Arsenal I have become used to watching them spontaneously implode as a team but to lose 8-2 at Old Trafford and be the only team beaten by bottom of the table Blackburn this season are new lows. The victory at Stamford Bridge will have gone some way to building confidence but to again concede three away from home is worrying. Arsenal cannot always expect to score five away from home against such tough opposition.
You could argue that these defensive frailties are merely signs that the league as a whole is becoming more competitive but to say that is to ignore the swathes of pitiful defending exhibited by most of the top teams this year. By and large the defenders for the teams in question are the same with perhaps one or two new faces added yet their performances are less convincing than ever. Chelsea Arsenal and Man Utd have all conceded at least five goals in one game this season. Does anyone remember the last time that happened to top teams after only a quarter of the season gone? The fault lies with both the management style and off field preparation. On Sky Sports over the weekend the commentary team, including ex-Gunner Alan Smith commented on the difference in coaching techniques between George Graham and Arsene Wenger saying that under Graham defensive coaching took place every single day – a stark contrast to Wenger’s methods. Obviously we want to see exciting attacking football in our league but sooner or later certain managers will have to look at their defensive performances for the current season and realise that something must be done.
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Newcastle are set to renew their interest in Sochaux forward Modibo Maiga in January after failing to strike a deal during the summer the Mirror reports.
After missing out on Melvut Erdinc Magpies boss Alan Pardew was unhappy that the club missed out on signing the Mali international before the transfer window closed but is now preparing to reopen negotiations with an £8 million bid.
The Ligue 1 club stalled on giving the Premier League club a decision on whether they were prepared to sell Maiga with the transfer window clock running down despite the striker being keen on the switch to Tyneside.
He is now suffering abuse from his own fans after publicly declaring his wish to leave the Stade Auguste Bonal and confessed that he is fed up with it.
“I have had enough of being booed by supporters right now, but anyway it does not stop me scoring goals for the club and making them happy” he said.
“I scored a double for them again (at the weekend). I had two chances on Saturday against Toulouse, two goals, just to thank them.”
The 24-year-old is still open to the idea of a move to St James’ Park at the turn of the year admitting that he wants to play in a ‘top league’ and that they are a ‘good club’
The 24-year-old said: “Newcastle? They are a very good club, I will not finish my career in Sochaux if I am scoring every week – that is the reality of football. I have not invented that!”
“At the moment I am here and scoring goals. I do not know when the transfer window opens what there will be. It depends also on the club, but in the near future I want to ply my trade in another top league. It is a genuine ambition, I will accept being booed for that!”
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Manchester City have announced that they want to build a new £100 million training facility next to the Etihad Stadium, but will have to wait to the end of the year to find out whether they can.
The proposed plan is for a 80-acre site next to the stadium to be renovated into a state of the art training facility, with a 7,000-seat mini-stadium, 15 full-size pitches, and accommodation for up to 72 youth players.
The Eastlands outfit have submitted their request to the local council to build the facility and will find out their fate on December 22nd.
“This could be the most important investment the club has ever made under its new ownership,” club chief football operations officer Brian Marwood stated.
“This is part of a 10-year strategy for long-term sustainable success. Phase one culminated in the club winning the FA Cup and qualifying for the Champions League last season. This signals the beginning of the next phase.
“We know that youth development has to be at the heart of this club. Investment in the transfer market has helped us reach a certain level, to stay there will take investment in player development, welfare and top-class facilities,” he concluded.
Meanwhile, The Telegraph reports that Roberto Mancini is set to give Owen Hargreaves his City debut against Birmingham in the Carling Cup on Wednesday.
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The former England midfielder has not completed 90 minutes of football in three years, but is reportedly fit and ready to compete.
Whether Manchester United ever get round to signing Wesley Sneijder remains to be seen, but you can’t help feel that this current squad is certainly good enough to retain their title this coming season. The fringe players have certainly stepped up in pre-season and given Fergie some genuine food for thought.
At FFC this week we have seen a mixed bag of Manchester United blogs that includes one rule for United and one for everyone else; Italian puts Fergie on transfer alert and while one door closes another opens at Old Trafford.
We also look at the best Manchester United articles around the web this week.
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Caption Competition: Manchester United’s ‘Mr Cool’ flying the nest?
Has Ferguson’s transfer spending gone far enough?
As one door closes at Old Trafford, another one opens
One rule for United and one for everyone else
Will injury see the changing of the defensive guard at Old Trafford?
Why Michael Carrick Must Put His Money Where His Mouth Is?
The perils of dragging your transfer feet
London vs Manchester, who has the power?
Paolillo puts Manchester United on transfer alert
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Best of WEB
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Now Rooney must come of age – United Rant
‘What now?…’ Can we silence our noisy neighbours next Sunday? – The Busby Way
Getting Filled Up On The Infamous Prawn Sandwich – The United Religion
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Has Fergie Simply Ignored The Barcelona Problem? – Red Flag Flying High
England to benefit from United’s transfers? – Stretford Enders
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Click on Davide’s misses below to see here in all her glory
It’s the moment you’ve been waiting for, the Sky Sports news ticker has transformed into that eerily seductive yellow. Jim White interrupts proceedings, you’ve edged to the very cliff face of your seat in anticipation and then your dreams materialise right in front of you. After months of speculation, weeks of negotiations and hours of medicals, YOUR club has finally signed THAT player.
It’s a momentous day; this is the man who can transform the fortunes of your beloved team. He arrives with a big reputation, he might even bag a debut goal but somewhere down the line the wheels of your shiny new superstar begin to fall off. He’s fallen out with the manager or started using the physio’s room as his new living quarters. Whatever the reason, he hasn’t lived up to expectations and is now likely to wallow in the reserves until being ushered out the back door, the minute that transfer window opens.
It would be easy to include Fernando ‘cow’s arse with a banjo’ Torres or Andy ‘cow’s arse’ Carroll in this list of faltering superstars but at least they are enjoying first team football at present. These ten players find themselves making impressive bottom indentations on the dugout bench or have been hastily shipped out on loan when no one was looking.
Click on Delph below to unveil the top 10 wasted talents in English football
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Post your suggestions @theunusedsub and I’ll make sure I lament their ability in a future article.
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Glenn Hoddle has put his hat in the ring for the vacant England manager’s position.
Hoddle was the head coach of the Three Lions between 1996 and 1999, before being sacked for making controversial comments about disabled people.
He has largely been out of work since then, but has admitted he would love another chance to lead the nation.
“If I were to die tomorrow, my life would be incomplete,” he told The Daily Mail.
“Would I get that opportunity (to manage England again)? Probably not. But I don’t dwell on the past and, if we fast-forward to the present, I think we have a batch of players capable of going to the Euros and doing well. I find it a very interesting moment.
“Because Stuart Pearce, Harry Redknapp, Roy Hodgson, myself – anyone – who went to the tournament with the status of a caretaker would have the pressure off him and the players would be liberated too, not least those who have been on the fringes and are accustomed to thinking that the manager doesn’t fancy them.
“Look at how a caretaker has worked for the England rugby team in the 6 Nations – they’ve done fantastically.
“Everyone’s got an edge. No-one’s sure of a place and everyone has an incentive. So I’d back the FA if they decided not to go for a full-time manager yet,” he explained.
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Dortmund’s triumph last season in the Bundesliga. Man Utd’s dominance at the beginning of this Premier League season. These two occurrences have one thing in common – an emphasis on youth. More so than ever before, younger players are being thrown in at the deep end at the higher echelons of the game and rather surprisingly, much to the chagrin of their elders, the majority have yet to be found wanting. With UEFA cracking down on the way clubs operate with concerns to their finances, football clubs are having to change the way they approach the make-up of their sides’, and this could have a lasting effect on the age structure of football.
Dortmund are a fine case in point. They cruised to their first Bundesliga title in 9 years last season, finishing 7 points ahead of nearest rivals, second-placed Bayer Leverkusen.
Under the guidance of Jurgen Klopp, Dortmund won the Bundesliga last year with a squad that had an average age of 24.3 years old – the youngest Championship-winning side in Bundesliga history.
At the heart of this vibrant outfit were Nuri Sahin (22 years old) and Mario Gotze (19). Add into the mix Mats Hummels (22) Sven Bender (22) and Shinji Kagawa (22) and the spine of their side was largely made up of what would traditionally be considered youngsters.
But what exactly is a ‘youngster’ these days?
In seasons gone by a youngster could constitute a player up to the age of 23 years of age (sometimes still young enough to represent their country in an under-21 international tournament). However, nowadays, the old adage of ‘if you’re young enough, then you’re good enough’ seems to most definitely apply.
Players have begun to break through at a younger and younger age. Arsenal last season were built around the influence of Jack Wilshere, a player whose maturity on the pitch belied his relative inexperience at a mere 19 years of age. Cesc Fabregas broke into the very same side at just 16 years of age and was an ever-present until his departure to Barcelona this summer.
The much-vaunted Man Utd side this campaign, or ‘Fergie’s Babes’ as some have rather bafflingly termed them (note to the Sun; they’re not his babes, just how much did they collectively cost?) had a starting eleven with an average age of 23.9 years old, despite the presence of wiser heads such as Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic.
Sir Alex Ferguson’s biggest legacy is his determination to constantly reinvent his Man Utd side and this season could arguably hail the dawning of his fourth great side. The likes of Wayne Rooney, David de Gea, Phil Jones and Tom Cleverley occupy key positions in a title-chasing side, despite none of them being older than 25.
So why are the top sides beginning to get younger and younger?
As far as I can make out, it simply comes down to the rigours and pace of the modern game. Seasons are much longer than they used to be, the pace of the game has quickened and there are simply more games than ever before to occupy a coaches mind.
Dortmund’s youth coordinator and scorer of that now infamous goal against Juventus in the 1997 Champions League final, Lars Ricken, had this to say on the matter: “Athletic demands have increased enormously, so it could be that the age structure is changing because young athletes can cope better with that.”
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Not since 2006 when Fabio Cannavaro won the FIFA World Player of the Year award has a player won an internationally recognised individual award older than the age of 25 years old. Of course this statistic is somewhat distorted by the two freaks of nature that are Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, but the point remains (disclaimer: you can use stats to prove anything).
Traditionally, outfiled players approach their peak, dependent on their position of course, between the ages of 27-29 years of age, but is that accepted truth now starting to change?
The pace of modern football is quicker than ever before. The demands that it has on your body must have increased exponentially over the last decade. The space between defence and attack has also shortened when compared to a decade ago; this in turn means that there is now a lot more congestion in the middle of the pitch. Expansive play, which grants the player more time on the ball, is a lot rarer than what it once was.
Of course, there will always be exceptions to this rule. Xavi Hernandez, the metronome around which the most successful club and national side in world football conduct their style of play, is hardly a spring chicken at 31 years of age. Andrea Pirlo has revitalised his career at Juventus so far this campaign at the grand old age of 32 and I very much doubt whether any club given half the chance would turn down the services of Samuel Eto’o at 30 years of age.
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Germany’s strong showing at the last World Cup was, in the main, built around the fluid attacking play of a younger generation. Brazil are currently going through a rebuilding process of their own which has thus far been built around the mercurial talents of both Henrique Ganso and Neymar at just 21 and 19 years of age respectively.
While the age of the golden oldie is far from over, as Ryan Giggs demonstrated on Wednesday, there has certainly been a noticeable shift. Certain positions will always suit players with more experience, such as centre half or goalkeeper, but on the whole, the sides that have proved the most successful over the past 3-4 years or so on both the domestic and national stage have revolved around the individual talents of players around or under the age of 25 years young.
Football is a game that deals in cycles, and this article may be entirely redundant by this time next year, but the financial fair play rules that FIFA are looking to enforce, helping to bring the larger clubs into check, could not only promote competitiveness in the long-run, they could also have a lasting effect on the ages of the talent within those squads. The age structure looks to be shifting with an emphasis now placed on youth; it would be surprising if this concerted move was reversed any time soon.
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I am shocked by some negativity hanging over Tottenham Hotspur at the moment. With the club sitting just three points off of the Champions League places with a game in hand and on fantastic form surely they should be favourites to steal that fourth Champions League spot for the second time in three years ahead of Arsenal and Liverpool.
Yesterday Roman Pavlyuchenko slated manager Harry Redknapp for failing to select him after praising his form and now defender Benoit Assou-Ekotto believes the club will fail if they don’t spend big this year. Having been worryingly quiet in the transfer market this summer, Redknapp managed to bring in Scott Parker and Emmanuel Adebayor and more importantly hold on to his key players that have started the season well.
With Adebayor and Rafael van der Vaart firing up front and Parker and Luka Modric combining in midfield, the first eleven is looking very strong. There is a lack of strength in depth at White Hart Lane but that does not seem to be affecting the results on the pitch with five wins in six games moving Spurs up the league to fifth.
Left back Assou-Ekotto, has urged the club to offer new, improved contracts to van der Vaart, Modric and Gareth Bale to prevent them leaving the club in the near future. Modric was persuaded to stay at Spurs in the summer by chairman Daniel Levy after Chelsea came in three times to buy the Croatian. With a current contract not set to expire until 2016 and the club rejecting a £40million bid in the summer, surely he isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
Bale has also stated his confidence in Spurs going forward, and is in no rush to move on; however Real Madrid and Inter Milan are interested in the Welsh winger. Van der Vaart has started to score goals again, playing in his favoured attacking midfield position and may attract interest in January or the summer.
Assou-Ekotto told the Evening Standard: “If we want to become great, the club have to do certain things differently so as to match what the top teams do in a financial sense. Since we qualified for the Champions League, we can say, yes, we have become a big team.
“Now, to become like Chelsea or Manchester United, we need to keep the same team for the next couple of years and make everyone happy to stay, rather than being in the situation we were with Luka Modric during the summer.
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“There’s a lot to be excited about at Spurs now with the new training ground and maybe a new stadium. It feels like the future could be really good for the fans but if the players don’t stay, we could end up like Aston Villa. Instead of being able to build on what they had, players ended up leaving Villa, so I hope Tottenham will make the right steps.”
Is Assou-Ekotto right to be worried or have Tottenham shown their ambition over the summer in rejecting a £40million for a player and now showing the rewards on the pitch looking very impressive?