Tag Archives: plots

Petrescu plots Stuttgart stumble

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Dan Petrescu finally got his Dynamo Moscow stewardship off the mark with a dramatic 3-2 win against city rivals Lokomotiv Moscow on Saturday and will need the same levels of commitment from his players to overturn a 2-0 first-leg deficit against Stuttgart in the Europa League on Tuesday (Dynamo Moscow 8/5 draw 11/5 Stuttgart 7/5 – 90 minutes).

The 44-year-old signed a three-year contract with the capital club after resigning from his post at Premier League rivals FC Kuban Krasnodar and guided the White and Blues to a first win in six thanks to a Christian Noboa winner.

His predecessor Silkin had stood down on August 6 after Dynamo’s 4-0 home defeat by FC Spartak Moskva

A 2-0 defeat against Rubin Kazan followed and Dynamo’s plight took a turn for the worse when they fell to a bad-tempered 2-1 home defeat by Terek Grozny in which Vladimir Rykov and Kevin Kuranyi were both sent off.

Dynamo held on for 72 minutes before a Vedad Ibizevic brace secured Bundesliga side Stuttgart a 2-0 win at the Mercedes Benz Arena in Germany last Wednesday but Petrescu may feel he now has the dressing-room on-side.

Bruno Labbadia may have felt Stuttgart were past the post ahead of the trip to Russia but a stoppage-time defeat by Wolfsburg on the opening day of the new German domestic season on Saturday will have given him food for thought.

Summer signing Ibizevic from Hoffenheim remains key to their chances of progressing in Europe and the approach to this return leg from Labbadia will be intriguing.
Does he try kill the game or protect what he has?

The Reds were knocked out of the Europa League last season by Benfica but are regulars in this competition and history suggests they can be relied on to find the net on their travels (the last time they failed to score on the road in Europe was against Sevilla in 2008).

Dynamo will have a slight edge in terms of match sharpness but defensively they cannot be trusted and a lack of goals at the other end means it would require Stuttgart to collapse in spectacular style to not go through.

The ‘over 2.5 goals‘ and ‘both teams to score‘ projects appeal given that Dynamo have to chase this game but it is difficult to envisage Stuttgart flopping.

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Pep plots hard miles

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Pep Guardiola has warned his all-conquering Barcelona players that Monday’s visit of Villarreal is when the season starts for real (2/9 Barcelona, 5/1 draw, Villareal 12/1 – match prices).

The Catalans notched up a 12th win under Guardiola’s tenure on Friday when they lifted the Uefa Super Cup thanks to a 2-0 win over FC Porto in Monaco – one month after seeing off bitter rivals Real Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup.

The smart money suggests the 4/7 outright favourites will again be the team to beat but Guardiola said his players should take nothing for granted.

He said: “We’ve won two titles and we are very happy with that, now the league will show us if we continue to be as competitive as we have been in recent years.

“This team have to show again what we have shown over the last few seasons. We have made a good start and now we have to get down to the day-to-day work.”

He added: “There’s always room for improvement. I have to be on alert – that’s an obligation of the manager. It takes a long time to build a team and just a moment for it to fall apart.”

The Camp Nou boss faces a selection headache in defence because of injuries and suspensions biting hard.

Gerard Pique, Dani Alves and Adriano are all out while captain Carles Puyol remains a doubt, but new signings Cesc Fabregas and Alexis Sanchez could be in line for their Primera Division debuts.

Barca last lost an opening day fixture at home in December 1939 against local rivals Espanyol at Les Corts and completed a La Liga double over the Yellow Submarines last season.

Santi Cazorla and Joan Capdevila have both left the club but coach Juan Carlos Garrido has managed to keep hold of star strikers Giuseppe Rossi and Nilmar, who between them netted 50 goals in all competitions last term.

Regarding Monday’s clash, Garrido told the official club website: “Barca have won everything and have won with almost insulting ease against great opponents, but we have high hopes and will try to win.”

Jose Mourinho’s 11/8 second favourites Real Madrid beat Zaragoza 6-0 on Sunday to kick-start the capital club’s chase for a first Primera Division title since 2008.

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Ferguson plots Barca downfall

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The countdown is well and truly on for the biggest game in the European football calendar this season, with Manchester United ready to try to stop the might of 10/11 favourites Barcelona in the Champions League final.

United and Barca contested the final back in 2008-09 in Rome but it was a night to forget for the Red Devils after they fell behind to an early Samuel Eto’o strike and never really recovered their composure.

Superstar Lionel Messi put the game to bed 20 minutes from time as United failed to cause too much trouble for keeper Victor Valdes and his patched-up defence which included Manchester City’s FA Cup hero Yaya Toure as Dani Alves was suspended forcing captain Carles Puyol to right-back.

The final two years ago was set up for Cristiano Ronaldo, who at the time was on the verge of  a switch to Real Madrid, but he failed to deliver in a free role as Sir Alex Ferguson opted to push Wayne Rooney out to the left wing.

Ferguson’s reasoning  – and who can really criticise the all-conquering United boss? – was to pack the midfield and try to use the pace of Ronaldo to expose Puyol, Toure, Sylvinho and Gerard Pique, but it simply did not work.

Michael Carrick and Anderson failed to get to grips with Messi, Xavi and Andres Iniesta so much so that Carlos Tevez was introduced for the Brazilian at half time, to little effect though in the grand scheme of things.

Ferguson is wily enough a character to have taken all of those points on board while he will also be contemplating the fitness of Scotland captain Darren Fletcher who missed the 2009 final through suspension.

Ferguson trusts the all-action midfielder in the big games – seemingly in contrast to laidback striker Dimitar Berbatov – but his countryman has only just returned from a medium-term lay-off through illness and so will need to be monitored this week.

It is something of paradox that for all the money United have lavished in the transfer market over recent years that Fletcher, who came through the ranks, could be key to Saturday’s midfield battle.

He might not win the game but he can certainly have a say, if fit, in how long United are able to stay in it which would give them a chance of overturning the odds (United 3/1 – 9-0 Minutes).

And perhaps there is a danger of over-stating Barcelona’s chances at Wembley based solely on two years ago in the Italian capital as the season before United accounted for the Catalans in the semi-finals without Frank Rijkaard’s side scoring a goal.

“We showed fantastic concentration in those two ties,” said Ferguson. “That is the key for us. It is an important issue in terms of Saturday.”

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Donovan plots England upset

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USA's Landon DonovanMidfield ace Landon Donovan says USA go into Saturday’s opening Group C fixture with England believing they can produce something “special” (USA 13/2 England 4/9 draw 16/5 – match betting).

The US are the underdogs in Rustenburg, but Donovan says the squad takes great self-belief into the tournament based on their success at last year’s Confederations Cup, played in South Africa.

America finished runners up in that tournament, having beaten Euro 2008 winners Spain en route (4/6 USA – Group C To Qualify).

Donovan said: “2009 was helpful in that it gives us the belief that we can do something here. Aside from that, that is the past, and so our job now is to focus on the present.

“But we know we have the ability to be special and now the focus is on bringing that out of us every time we play.

“However, we also have to be aware of the the bigger picture in that this is just one of three games which are all equally important.

“We can win on Saturday and not advance to the next round still and we can lose this game and still go through.”

Donovan added: “Last year (in the Confederations Cup) we thought we were out after two games. Then we played well against Egypt and it changed everything. We have to keep the big picture in mind.

“I understand what this game means but there is more to it and we have to be ready to react no matter what happens on Saturday.”

Meanwhile, USA coach Bob Bradley has confirmed that Jozy Altidore will be available for the clash with England.

The striker missed a warm-up game against Australia over the weekend as he recovered from an ankle problem.

However, Bradley said: “The injury cost him a couple of days (training) but, from the start, we knew it was very minor.

“The fact he is back in regular training means he is available for whatever role we choose on Saturday.”

Bradley is also optimistic that key defender Oguchi Onyewu will be able to complete 90 minutes against England if called upon.

Onyewu has just returned to fitness after suffering a patellar tendon injury seven months ago and did not complete any of USA’s three warm-up games.

But Bradley said: “The fitness programme that we have put our players through for the World Cup means all 23 players are ready to play 90 minutes on Saturday if asked.

“It is a credit to our staff and the players because they have worked incredibly hard.”

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