Monthly Archives: May 2010

Chelsea Complete The Club’s First ‘Double’

Posted on by
Reply

post thumbnail

chelsea double record 298x300 Chelsea Complete The Clubs First DoubleChelsea fans have enjoyed the greatest successes in the club’s history since Roman Abramovich took over the club in 2004. Two big prizes have eluded them though-the Champions League and,up to this weekend- the domestic ‘Double’.

Now the Double has been secured thanks to a hard-fought victory over Portsmouth. The record books will show a bland 1-0 scoreline but that hardly tells the story of a match that refused to follow the script.

Chelea had been favourites to score a bagful of goals and they could easily have come in at half-time with a decisive lead. The Blues hit the woodwork five times in the first period including miss of the season- and possibly the decade- by Salomon Kalou from five yards out and no one in front of him.

Portsmouth battled hard but Chelsea seemed able to cut through the relegated side with some ease. The South Coasters clearly took heart though, because Avram Grant’s team came out after the break with a sharper approach and matched Chelsea for long spells.

The feeling crept in that this might be Portsmouth’s day and when substitute Javier Belletti rashly challenged Aruna Dindane, Pompey had a penalty. Unfortunately for their fans, Kevin Prince-Boateng hit a weak shot that Petr Cech saved with his legs.

As is often the case, Chelsea were in front very quickly after that let -off. David James had produced one excellent save to deny Didier Drogba’s free kick in the first half but he couldn’t reach another precise effort from the Ivorian.

The striker makes a habit of scoring in cup finals and though Portsmouth remained in the game they never really created another gilt-edged chance. The afternoon became notable for a second missed penalty when Frank Lampard of all people pulled his shot wide of the post.

Chelsea’s defence made sure that Lampard didn’t have to regret his miss. Michael Ballack might have felt justice was done as he was forced to leave the action after a late challenge from Prince-Boateng in the first half.

Chelsea have now won the FA Cup three times in four seasons and Ashley Cole has broken the record for winner’s medals, which has stood since the Nineteenth Century. The left back now has six in his collection- three with Chelsea and three with Arsenal.

  • Share this on del.icio.us
  • Digg this!
  • Share this on Reddit
  • Stumble upon something good? Share it on StumbleUpon
  • Post this to MySpace
  • Share this on Facebook
  • Tweet This!
  • Add this to Google Bookmarks

Related posts:

  1. FA Cup Final- How Many Chelsea Will Score?
  2. Chelsea Take the Premier League Title In Style
  3. Villa Maintain Push for Second Final But Must Take On Chelsea


ToteSport bookmaker will give you £60 in Free Bets. Click here to check them out.

Monty wants Woods Cup role

Posted on by
Reply

Colin Montgomerie says he wants Tiger Woods to be part of this year’s Ryder Cup (Europe 4/6 with totesport to win back the trophy) at Celtic Manor, claiming his presence will make it a bigger event.

The world number one is facing another enforced break due to a neck injury, which he suffered in The Players Championship at Sawgrass, a tournament he couldn’t complete.

Due to his off-the-course personal problems, Woods’ schedule is unclear with the only tournaments he is expected to play in being the US Open (5/1f to win at Pebble Beach) and July’s Open Championship.

Much of the media doubt whether the 14-time major winner will travel to Wales in October, as the US look to retain the trophy they won in 2008 in Valhalla.

European captain Montgomerie says Woods’ availability for the team event is an ‘unanswerable question at this stage’, but is hoping that he does make himself available.

The Scot told Sky Sports: “I’d like him to be in the Ryder Cup to be honest, I think any golf tournament with the world’s number one player in it is a bigger event, and if we happen to win the Ryder Cup with him playing I think it’s a better win for us.”

Woods’ Ryder Cup record is not that impressive for a player commonly regarded as one of, if not the best player to have played the sport.

The 34-year-old has played in five USA v Europe meetings, teeing it up in 25 matches, winning 10, losing 13 and halving two, and claiming just 11 points from a possible 25.

The US team have won the cup on just one occasion when Woods has been part of the team, at Brookline in 1999, although he will undoubtedly strengthen Corey Pavin’s team.

Meanwhile, Monty says he ‘very happy’ with how his team is shaping up with just over four months until the event begins.

With Europe having eight players in the top twenty of the world rankings, the captain is understandably upbeat about the team’s prospects of winning back the cup.

Montgomerie added: “I must be the happiest captain in many, many years to see what’s been happening. We might go there as favourites, I’m not denying that, we just have to play and prove ourselves the way we can.”

ToteSport bookmaker will give you £60 in Free Bets. Click here to check them out.

Santa Cruz delivers Paraguay win

Posted on by
Reply

Paraguay (50/1 to win World Cup 2010) needed a late penalty from Roque Santa Cruz to earn a 1-0 win over North Korea on Saturday.

Santa Cruz beat keeper Ri Myong Guk after the referee ruled substitute Nam Song Chol had handled the ball in the area.

Paraguay hit the post twice in a seven-minute spell midway through the second half.

Choe Kum Chol had North Korea’s best chance in the 35th but lifted his shot over the bar.

North Korea (12/1 to qualify from Group G) were without Japan-based An Yong Hak and Jong Tae Se who had not been released by their clubs.
Santa Cruz, who had looked off the pace for most of the match, stroked his shot high into the net to settle the match.

Marcelo Estigarribia and Eduardo Ledesma hit the post for Paraguay while Ri Jung-il nearly turned Jonathan Santana’s low cross into his own goal as the South Americans had the best of the second half.

North Korea, who drew 0-0 with South Africa in their previous match, defended tenaciously and showed flashes of skill in attack as they occasionally threatened Diego Barreto’s goal.

Lacking physical bulk, the North Koreans rarely troubled Paraguayan goalkeeper Diego Barreto despite the darting efforts of home bred North Korean striker Mun In-Guk and Russian league player Hong Yong-Jo.

Both teams are holding training camps in the region, Paraguay (7/2 to win Group F) in Evains-Les-Bains on the French side of Lake Geneva and North Korea in the Alpine village of Ayent.

Paraguayan coach Gerardo Martino admitted afterwards that his side had tailed off in the first half against the organised Korean defence, despite a clear athletic advantage in one-on-one challenges.

“That’s the characteristic of the North Korean team,” he said. “They defend well, can create difficult situations near goal, and are very quick on the break.”

“In the first half we weren’t very productive except for the first ten minutes,” Martino added.

But Paraguay picked up the pace in the second half, as Santa Cruz pressured the North Koreans into errors.

Long range shots from Marcelo Estigarribia and Eduardo Ledesma hit the woodwork before the penalty finally gave Paraguay the scoreline to reflect their efforts.

Paraguay next play Ireland in Dublin on May 25, the same day North Korea meet fellow World Cup qualifier Greece in Austria.

Paraguay are in Group F at the World Cup, which starts on June 11, with champions Italy, New Zealand and Slovakia.

North Korea are in Group G with Brazil, Portugal and Ivory Coast.

ToteSport bookmaker will give you £60 in Free Bets. Click here to check them out.

Bayern still on track for historic treble

Posted on by
Reply

Bayern Munich coach Louis van GaalBayern Munich are still on course to win the Treble after defeating Werder Bremen 4-0 to win the German Cup (Bayern 7/5 to win the Champions League).

An Arjen Robben penalty gave Bayern the lead against the cup holders, before goals from Ivica Olic, Franck Ribery and Bastian Schweinsteiger completed the rout.

Following the win, Bayern coach Louis van Gaal shot a warning to Jose Mourinho, ahead of the Champions League final: “We produced an impressive performance against a very good team, it was perhaps one of our best games of the season.

“Our victory was well deserved. On Wednesday we will start our preparations for the Champions League final.

“Jose Mourihno will have to have seen that we can produce some good football.”

The 4-0 win marked the 15th occasion that Bayern have won the German Cup and their eighth domestic Double.

Bayern have never won the Treble of domestic league and cup along with the Champions League, and could face an Inter side that might also be able to claim the unique honour (90 minutes betting Bayern 23/10 Draw 9/4 Inter 6/5) .

Jose Mourinho’s team won the Italian Cup with a victory over Roma and could complete a domestic Double by winning Serie A later today. Twice champions of Europe, Inter Milan have also never won a Treble.

Only five teams in history have swept the board in such a manner. Celtic were the first team to achieve the distinction in 1976 and have been followed by Ajax in 1972, PSV Eindhoven in 1988, Manchester United in 1999 and Barcelona in 2009.

There is also a personal honour at stake for Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho. Whoever is victorious will join Ernst Happel and Ottmar Hitzfeld as the only managers to become champions of Europe with two different clubs.

Happel was the first coach to have done this, having won the European Cup with Feyenoord in 1970 and Hamburg in 1983. Hitzfeld followed him with wins for Borussia Dortmund in 1997 and Bayern Munich in 2001.

Louis van Gaal first won the Champions League as manager of Ajax in 1995, while Jose Mourinho won the trophy in 2004 with Porto.

ToteSport bookmaker will give you £60 in Free Bets. Click here to check them out.

Fabregas fears future distraction

Posted on by
Reply

Spain’s Cesc Fabregas says unless his club future is sorted out quickly it could prove a damaging distraction at the World Cup.

But the Arsenal star says he is in no rush to leave the Gunners for Barcelona.

The midfielder was in the youth ranks at Barcelona before transferring to Arsenal at the age of 16 and he has often been linked with a move back to the Primera Division leaders.

Reports suggest he could be the subject of an offer this summer as Barcelona prepare for their presidential elections at the end of the season.

Fabregas readily admits that he does want to play for Barca at some point in his career, but is adamant he is not pushing for a move away from Arsenal.

However, the 23-year-old is keen to ensure any uncertainty regarding his club future is put to bed before Spain start their World Cup challenge in South Africa. They are 4/1 favourites to lift the trophy.

“I want to make a decision about my future before the World Cup,” said Fabregas, who expects to recover from a cracked fibula in time to be fit for the tournament.

“It’s impossible to perform at a tournament such as the World Cup if you’re not fully focused on the sporting aspects of the game. It does not benefit anyone.

“If I ever leave Arsenal it will be to play for Barcelona. I would like to go, whether they want me or not is another matter.

“I am 23 years old and I have a long career in front of me. I’ve never hidden the fact that playing for Barcelona is a dream that I would like to fulfil.

“I’m very happy at Arsenal. I’m in no hurry to leave the club.

“Barcelona are still playing for the Liga title and I’m still an Arsenal player. It would be a lack of respect to discuss a transfer now.

“No candidates for the Barcelona presidency have approached me, so I don’t feel used.”

Fabregas has been part of the Spanish set up since playing in the Under-17 side at the 2003 World U-17 Championships in Finland, and he was given a national call-up in 2006.

He played in the 2006 World Cup and at Euro 2008 where he helped Spain to lift the trophy. Fabregas was named in the Team of the Tournament, a 23-player squad selected by the UEFA Technical team.

He now has 47 caps for Spain, and has scored five goals, most recently in the friendly 1-1 draw against Austria in Vienna last November.

ToteSport bookmaker will give you £60 in Free Bets. Click here to check them out.

Forlan Wrecks Fulham Europa Cup Dream

Posted on by
Reply

post thumbnail

europa league 300x214 Forlan Wrecks Fulham Europa Cup DreamThe Europa League Final proved to be one match too far in Fulham’s long season, Diego Forlan’s second strike of the match won the game with five minutes of extra time to go.

Though the Cottagers put in a typically disciplined performance Atletico Madrid always carried more threat in the contest. With Bobby Zamora hampered by his Achilles injury, Fulham just couldn’t put their Spanish opponents under enough pressure at the back.

Atletico’s much vaunted strikers were the difference. Forlan scored the goals but his partner Sergio Aguero took the eye for his quick feet and darting runs, which left Fulham chasing shadows.

It is testimony to Roy Hodgson’s organisational skills that his players were able to cope. In fact, there was a period in the second half of normal time when Fulham appeared to be the side most likely to win.

Fulham’s equalising goal was typical of their season as Simon Davies produced a great volley from one of the few attacks that penetrated the Atletico box. Throughout their campaign, Fulham have taken every chance offered and lived on scraps- the final was no different.

Fulham’s goal came when then Spanish team were pushing on and looked capable of adding a second to Forlan’s poacher’s strike. The equaliser set them back and it wasn’t until midway through the second period that they started to put Fulham under concerted pressure again.

During the second half of normal time Hodgson had to withdraw Zamora and Damian Duff, probably his two best creative talents. The introduction of Clint Dempsey and Erik Nevland offered more running and graft but the ball failed to stick up front.

Atletico had more of the ball in extra time and though Fulham defended well there was always the feeling that the Madrid team would get one more gilt-edged chance.

Aguero provided it by besting Aaron Hughes and delivering a wicked ball across the six yard box. That man Forlan ghosted into the right place again and applied a delicate flick though the legs of his marker ands past Mark Schwarzer.

It was too late for a tired side to force yet another improbably comeback and at least the final wasn’t settled on the dreaded penalties. Fulham were always in the contest but Atletico were the better side and deserved their victory.

  • Share this on del.icio.us
  • Digg this!
  • Share this on Reddit
  • Stumble upon something good? Share it on StumbleUpon
  • Post this to MySpace
  • Share this on Facebook
  • Tweet This!
  • Add this to Google Bookmarks

Related posts:

  1. Europa Containment Is Key For Fulham In Hamburg
  2. Europa League Predictions: Fulham Hit The Big Time Against Juventus
  3. Europa League Predictions: Fulham Can Hold On At Wolfsburg


ToteSport bookmaker will give you £60 in Free Bets. Click here to check them out.

Ferguson wants to end on a high

Posted on by
Reply

Sir Alex FergusonManchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has revealed that he would not leave the club if the side were struggling (Manchester United 11/5 to win the 2010/2011 Premier League outright).

The 68-year old has denied speculation that he will be retiring at the end of next season and has recently stated that his health is the only factor that would see him leave Old Trafford.

Ferguson saw his side win the League Cup this season and run Chelsea close for the Premier League title.

The Scotsman, who has been at the club since 1986, would only leave the club if they were in a ‘good, healthy’ position.

He said: “If we hit a bad spell, it would not be the right time to go.

“I would not want to put the new manager into a situation where he was taking over a bad team,” he added.

The United boss is already looking to next season as he hopes to regain the Premier League title from Chelsea.

Ferguson said: “It’s a challenge. A few years ago it was Arsenal,  then it was Chelsea, and each time we’ve managed to raise the bar at our football club – and that is exactly what we are going to do next year.”

The manager was close to retiring from football back in 2002 but changed his mind after he saw his team suffer a poor run of form.

Ferguson also revealed that his wife Cathy had a big influence on his decision after he felt that 60 was a good age to retire.

United’s chief executive David Gill has stated that the manager will have a substantial transfer budget to buy players this summer.

The Old Trafford club have been linked with a number of players including Aston Villa midfielder James Milner and Joe Cole, whose contract at Chelsea ends this summer.

New signings may be coming to the club in the next few weeks as transfers get rushed through before the World Cup in South Africa starts, which will increase the cost for potential targets.

United have already made two signings in the form of defender Chris Smalling and striker Javier Hernandez and will be hoping to make a few more additions to the squad in an attempt to bring the Premier League title back to Manchester.

ToteSport bookmaker will give you £60 in Free Bets. Click here to check them out.

Evra targets England final

Posted on by
Reply

Patrice EvraManchester United defender Patrice Evra wants to banish the memory of losing out on the Premiership title by beating England in the final of the World Cup, with France 16/1 to take the title this summer.

The 28-year-old was part of the United side who did their bit by beating Stoke 4-0 on the final day of the season, only to see Chelsea down Wigan by an incredible 8-0 scoreline.

But now the former Monaco star has turned his attention to the international scene as France look to win their second World Cup, following victory back in the 1998 tournament.

Evra has taken the loss of United’s Premiership crown badly and hopes that the upcoming showpiece in South Africa can go some way to deflecting thoughts of Chelsea claiming the trophy from his mind.

“The World Cup is the only thing that makes me keep smiling,” he told L’Equipe.

“I will be with the team of France on May 15 and I will have had six days off.

“But I will give the best of myself, as I have done for Manchester United.”

France are not many pundits’ choice as potential winners this summer, with Spain the red-hot favourites at 4-1.

Brazil trade at 5/1 with England at 6/1 and Evra would love to overturn those odds and beat the country in which he plies his trade at the business end of affairs.

“I hope to win the World Cup,” he added. “I hope we play England in the final and beat them, certainly.”

France face a tricky task to qualify from Group A in South Africa and are priced at 1/3 to make it to the knockout phase of the world’s greatest football tournament.

But they will have to work hard to get past Mexico (4/5), Uruguay (evens) and the hosts, who are on offer at 21/10 to make an unlikely appearance in the last 16.

France’s glory years appear to be behind them at present but momentum is an important factor in major tournaments and, if they get on a run, Raymond Domenech’s men may yet cause a few shocks over the next couple of months, with the likes of Thierry Henry and Frank Ribery in their ranks.

The initial 30-man squad contains a number of English-based players, with Chelsea stars Nicolas Anelka and Florent Malouda sure to remind Evra where the Premiership trophy will be displayed over the next 12 months.

ToteSport bookmaker will give you £60 in Free Bets. Click here to check them out.

FA Cup Final- How Many Chelsea Will Score?

Posted on by
Reply

post thumbnail

John Terry Chelsea goal celebration FA Cup Final How Many Chelsea Will Score?This Saturday’s FA Cup Final has one of the heaviest favourites in post-war history as Premiership champions Chelsea seek to complete a ‘Double’ by beating bottom club Portsmouth.

Pompey can expect a lot of support from the neutrals because they are such massive underdogs but the way Chelsea have played in recent weeks doesn’t bode well for the fans travelling up from the South Coast.

The champions have been despatching sides from the mid-table areas of the Premier League with ruthless efficiency. In the league campaign they concluded their programme by hammering eight goals past Wigan- and the Blues hit seven goals on no less than three occasions.

There’s no doubting the bravery of Pompey’s run to the final and they did pull off a real shock to eliminate Tottenham in the semi-final. However, it was a game they could easily have lost and their crucial first goal owed a great deal to luck.

If Avram Grant’s team concede early or lose a man to a red card, the result could be very one-sided. High scoring in FA Cup Finals is a rarity, partly because the two sides are often well matched and also because players will give everything in the contest.

Since 2000, only Manchester United have netted three times and that was in the 2004 final against Millwall- a Championship side at the time. United were also the last team to hit four in the showpiece when they hammered Chelsea in 1994- and that was with the help of two penalties.

Four goals are rare. United did it in the replay against Brighton in 1983 but no team did it in the 1960s or 1970s and it was 30 years further back when Blackpool bagged four in the legendary 1953 final.

Big scores were rare even in the pre-World War Two era, when defences were much les efficient. There has never been a ‘five’ in a final, though two teams scored six- Bury in 1903 and Blackburn Rovers in 1890.

Six may be beyond even Chelsea’s glittering forward line this weekend but with the Londoners such hot-priced favourites, punters looking for a value bet might find it rewarding to wager on the correct score- and Chelsea might be in line to give their fans a real day to remember.

  • Share this on del.icio.us
  • Digg this!
  • Share this on Reddit
  • Stumble upon something good? Share it on StumbleUpon
  • Post this to MySpace
  • Share this on Facebook
  • Tweet This!
  • Add this to Google Bookmarks

Related posts:

  1. Villa Maintain Push for Second Final But Must Take On Chelsea
  2. Portsmouth Down But Not Out With FA Cup Final Berth Won
  3. Europa League Final: Can Fulham Win Or Athletico Win As Tight Match Is Expected


ToteSport bookmaker will give you £60 in Free Bets. Click here to check them out.

Chile boss makes surprise picks

Posted on by
Reply

Luis Marin, Jaime Valdes and Charles Aranguiz were the surprise names in Chile (9/2 to win Group H) coach Marcelo Bielsa’s 30-man preliminary squad for the World Cup.

Union Espanola’s Marin has won the battle for the third goalkeeping berth over Universidad Catolica’s Cristopher Toselli and will travel to South Africa alongside Real Sociedad’s Claudio Bravo and Miguel Pinto.

Atalanta midfielder Valdes and Colo Colo midfielder Aranguiz, who has just recovered from a knee injury, did not feature in qualifying, but both make the squad.

Flamengo midfielder Claudio Maldonado was not included despite getting over cruciate ligament surgery very quickly.

Universidad Catolica defender Hans Martinez and Osvaldo Gonzalez, who reached the Mexican Bicentenario semi-finals with Toluca, also missed out.

Squad: Claudio Bravo (Real Sociedad), Miguel Pinto (Universidad de Chile), Luis Marin (Union Espanola); Roberto Cereceda (Colo Colo), Pablo Contreras (PAOK), Ismael Fuentes (Universidad Catolica), Mauricio Isla (Udinese), Gary Medel (Boca Juniors), Gonzalo Jara (West Brom), Waldo Ponce (Universidad Catolica), Arturo Vidal (Bayer Leverkusen); Charles Aranguiz (Colo Colo), Carlos Carmona (Reggina), Marco Estrada (Universidad de Chile), Matias Fernandez (Sporting Lisbon), Gonzalo Fierro (Flamengo), Jose Pedro Fuenzalida (Colo Colo), Manuel Iturra (Universidad de Chile), Rodrigo Millar (Colo Colo), Pedro Morales (Dinamo Zagreb), Rodrigo Tello (Besiktas), Jorge Valdivia (Al-Ain), Jaime Valdes (Atalanta); Jean Beausejour (America), Mark Gonzalez, Hector Mancilla (Toluca), Fabian Orellana (Xerez), Esteban Paredes (Colo Colo), Alexis Sanchez (Udinese), Humberto Suazo (Real Zaragoza).

Meanwhile, Juventus winger Mauro Camoranesi feels Italy (12/1 to win World Cup) have “a very strong squad for the World Cup and nobody wants to take us on.”

Camoranesi has had a poor campaign, but remains in Marcello Lippi’s 30-man preliminary list.

“This is a very strong Italy squad for the World Cup and if I look at our opponents, nobody wants to take us on,” said the 2006 winner.

“The other teams know they’d be facing a side that has lifting the trophy as its sole objective.”

The Azzurri are the reigning holders with many of the same players who were in Berlin four years ago.

“We feel in good shape and now need to work ourselves very hard indeed over the next two weeks,” continued Camoranesi.

“History tells us the favourites for the World Cup are always the same, basically: Germany, Brazil, Argentina, and France.

“On top of them Spain have proved they are very strong by winning Euro 2008 and will fight to the end.

“With Fabio Capello’s arrival, England have improved a great deal.”

ToteSport bookmaker will give you £60 in Free Bets. Click here to check them out.