Liverpool defender Jose Enrique has stated that the club threaten to lose their battle for a top four finish due to their faltering home form.
The Reds have dropped points unexpectedly at Anfield this season, with the latest disappointment a 0-0 draw with Stoke on Saturday.
The Spanish full back is hoping for improvement in performances on Merseyside, otherwise they will not feature in the Champions League once more next term.
“We lost two points again. We have to improve our home form because we have lost too many points at Anfield this season,” the left back told Mirror Football.
“It has been a similar story all season at home. It is frustrating because we are creating chances, but not taking them.
“I don’t think Stoke deserved a point. We had all of the ball, especially in the second half, and created two or three really good chances, but we just couldn’t score.
“We just have to stay positive. I think, maybe the Swansea game aside, we have deserved to win the other games we have drawn at home.
“If we start to take our chances, we can be in the top four. But if we don’t, then we will make it more difficult for ourselves,” he admitted.
Kenny Dalglish’s men travel to take on Bolton at the Reebok Stadium on Saturday, and the Spaniard is looking to get back to winning ways.
“I think it’s good we have a break now so we can prepare for Bolton.
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“Away from home at the moment we are getting better results than at home so hopefully we can get the three points next Saturday,” he concluded.
There has been no shortage of celebrity Arsenal fans over the years, for example even Her Royal Majesty the Queen of England has been accused of following the Arsenal in the past, before she broke Arsenal hearts by confirming that her allegiance lies with the Hammers.
However, these ten celebrities are fully fledged, Arsenal loving humanoids, and may I say, that as celebrity fans go, it is one of the finest lists around…
Click on the North Bank below to see the top 10 celebrity fans who have once graced it
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Well there you have it. The top 10 famous Arsenal fans. Think there’s a celebrity missing from the list? Don’t consider Piers Morgan to be human, let alone a celebrity? Get involved in the comment box below.
Mido has never been the most docile of footballers. His latest antics have cost him a transfer to Turkish side Kayserispor, and after being frozen out at Middlesbrough, it is a blow to his chances of playing football this season. After hearing that Kayserispor were interested in his services, Mido took it upon himself to make an impromptu trip to visit the club’s facilities, presumably to see if they met his high standards. They did, but the club were very unhappy with the unexpected visit and their spokesman has now said the deal is off, Suleyman Hurma is quoted in the Daily Mail;
“It took Mido around two months to consider our offer which is a very long time. Now he come without invitation after buying the plane tickets himself. Mido might be a good player but he is arrogant and has serious attitude problems. We are not going to sign a player with such attitude. I hope this will be a lesson for him.”
It is perhaps no surprise that Mido has scuppered this move, but what is disappointing with his career is the sense of wasted talent that surrounds him.
In the early days of Mido’s career he was considered one of the top young prospects in Europe. After starting his career at Egypt’s Zamalek and Belgian side Gent, Mido was transferred as a teenager to Dutch giants Ajax. Here he displayed both his talent, and his challenging personality. At Ajax he averaged a goal every other game, but was frequently criticised by coach Ronald Koeman and at one point was dropped to the reserves, reportedly there was also an incident where Mido threw a pair of scissors which narrowly missed Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s head. Despite his actions Mido was being linked with top clubs throughout Europe, and made a move to Marseille. It did not work out, and a year later he was plying his trade at AS Roma. Again he failed to settle, but a loan move to Tottenham Hotspur appeared to get his career back on track.
The Egyptian striker was impressive at Spurs, using his power and heading ability to cause problems for Premier League defences. He seemed to be settled, but when Spurs made the transfer permanent his form tailed off badly. He then made a move to Middlesbrough where he failed to impress, and was subsequently sent on loan to Wigan, Zamalek and West Ham all at which he struggled. Middlesbrough have made it clear they no longer want Mido, but if he repeats behaviour with regard to the Kayserispor transfer they might find it difficult to offload him.
Mido has some great attributes, he is big, strong good in the air, he can hold the ball up and at times he has shown some good finishing skills. The Egyptian is still only 27 but his career already seems dead in the water. His behaviour has not been good, amongst other misdemeanours in England he failed he once failed to report for pre-season training for a fortnight at Boro. West Ham were only willing to pay him £1,000 a week during his loan move, a sign of how he is now viewed in English football. Mido is easily young enough to get his career back on track, but he will need to radically alter his attitude if he wants to have success in his future. He does have the ability, he proved that at Spurs, whether he has the attitude, that is far more doubtful.
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Click on image below to see the gallery of Mario Balotelli’s stunning girlfriend
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Joey Barton scored and was then sent off as QPR slipped to their fifth defeat at Loftus Road this season against Norwich who moved back into the top half.
After giving the R’s an 11th minute lead Barton then saw red following a confrontation with Zak Whitbread and Bradley Johnson with the Canaries taking full advantage of their numerical advantage equalised just before half time time through Anthony Pilkington. Despite being a man down the home side more than held their own after the break but couldn’t hold on as Steve Morison secured victory for Paul Lambert’s side with seven minutes to go. It was a cruel blow to Neil Warnock who had hoped to guide Ranger’s away from the relegation zone after a poor run of eight games without a win saw them plummet to fourth bottom in the Premier League.
They got themselves off to the best possible start when Barton fired low past John Ruddy after some slick link up play between Clint Hill and Alejandro Faurlin on the left. That seemed to settle the home side who looked nervous in the opening stages and they controlled the game up until Barton saw red on 35 minutes after tangling with Whitbread and Johnson in the centre circle with referee Neil Swarbrick indicating the Rangers skipper had used his head in a threatening manner. That offered Norwich a route back into the game that the grabbed with both hands as Pilkington striking a precise left footed effort past Paddy Kenny to equalise just seven minutes after Barton’s dismissal. Despite having an extra man the visitors struggled to make their advantage count after the break with the R’s putting in a stubborn second half display.
Shaun Wright-Phillips’ introduction proved to be a shrewd one by Warnock with the diminutive winger’s pace causing Norwich numerous problems along with testing Ruddy with a low strike. New loan signing Federico Macheda was then introduced with 10 minutes to go as the home side sought a winner and the young Italian could have had a debut goal but was thwarted byRuddy who stole in to pluck a Wright-Phillips cross out of the air. The away side had failed to trouble Kenny during the second period but the keeper was picking the ball out of his net seven minutes from time after Morison beat him with a sweeping effort to ensure Norwich started 2012 off in the best possible manner.
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‘That Dutch lad that went on strike that once’ – the inescapable way that Pierre van Hooijdonk will be remembered by football fans in England. But is there more to remember and cherish about the Dutch striker after his time in Nottingham? Is it fair to hand a judgmental label to a player with such an impressive goalscoring record?
Van Hooijdonk began his youth career with his favourite side NAC Breda, where he played as a right-winger. However, at the age of just 14, he was told he was not good enough and was released. But, he was snapped up by V.V Steenbergen – where he switched to a new position of striker. After five successful years with the youth team there, he joined RBC Roosendaal.
Signed initially as a player for the future, van Hooijdonk was thrust into the limelight due to injuries and financial constraints at the club. He ended his first season with six goals to his name and was rewarded with a professional contract. The following year, he established himself in the side and scored an incredible 27 goals in 37 games – an impressive feat in his first full season.
Inevitably, bigger clubs noticed this and he was soon offered the chance to rejoin NAC Breda – a chance he took immediately. During his time there, he scored 81 goals overall and became a favourite amongst the fans. He also helped them gain promotion to the Eredivisie in 1993, as well as breaking into the international side. However, interest from around the continent was rife and he decided to join Scottish giants Celtic in January 1995 for just over £1 million.
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The Pierre we remember
Again, he didn’t disappoint. The side were without a trophy in six years, but within a few months of arriving, van Hooijdonk scored the winning goal in the Scottish Cup final. However, his time here turned sour quickly when he fell out with the club’s president. This left him benched for a lot of games – putting his place in the national side at risk. After an impressive 57 goals in little over two years, he left the club after a disagreement over a contract – reportedly stating that the £7,000 a week offered by Celtic ‘may be good enough for the homeless, but not for an international striker’.
He joined Premier League strugglers Nottingham Forest for around £4.5 million in March 1997, but his arrival did not stop the club getting relegated. However, he excelled in Division One and finished as top scorer, on the way to helping Forest to the title and an immediate return to the top league.
After returning from the 1998 World Cup with Holland, he found out that Kevin Campbell and Colin Cooper had been allowed to leave and the team had not been strengthened as promised. Van Hooijdonk immediately asked for a transfer – which was rejected. He stated he felt let down by the club and he could no longer play for his employers, so he decided to go on strike and went to train with former club NAC Breda.
Back in England, he faced heavy criticism from fans and teammates. The club were still refusing to listen to offers for him so, in November 1998, he returned. He managed eight goals that season, including one against rivals Derby – in which infamously none of his teammates celebrated with him. His goalscoring did not help Forest again avoid relegation and the club finished bottom of the league.
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Moving away from Forest
Inevitably, he left the club at the end of the season and joined Vitesse Arnhem for around £3.5 million. He scored 25 goals in one season to help them earn a UEFA Cup spot, as well as earning a recall to the national side. Again, his goalscoring was noticed elsewhere on the continent and he joined Portuguese side Benfica. Although he scored 19 goals in the one season he spent there, he did not see eye-to-eye with the chairman and was banished to the reserves. He returned to Holland to join Feyenoord in 2001.
He again became a favourite and fast became known for his free-kick abilities as well as his goals, and he helped the club reach the final of the UEFA Cup in 2002 – where he scored twice in the final to help beat Borussia Dortmund 3-2.
Despite his success, he felt it was time to move on again after a couple of seasons and joined Turkish side Fenerbahce in 2003. 24 goals in his first season helped the club to the 2003/04 Turkish Super Lig. He continued to find the net the next season, earning the nickname ‘Aziz Pierre’ (Turkish Saint Pierre). After helping the club to the 2004/05 title, he returned to his homeland to rejoin NAC Breda.
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Retirement…not always easy!
However, the stay was a short one and he decided to rejoin Feyenoord in the winter of the 2005/06 season, scoring eight goals that term. This was where he ended his career. After netting a further six goals in the 2006/07 season, he decided to announce his retirement from the game.
After ending his career, in 2008 he became a victim of fraud that saw him lose £2 million, which involved him investing in a ‘non-existent’ Chinese textile company – not the best way to begin retirement! He now works on Dutch TV, covering the Eredivisie in which he scored so many goals.
Well there we have it, the colourful and country-spanning career of Pierre van Hooijdonk. I think it is fair to say, no matter how many goals he scored or how many clubs he played for, he is always going to be remembered for one reason and one reason only by English fans. – ‘that Dutch lad who went on strike from Forest that once’.
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Listen to the first episode of our brand new podcast – The Football FanCast. Featuring Razor Ruddock, Gary O’Reilly and Toploader’s Dan Hipgrave makes a special appearance!
Sevilla's Brazil striker Luis Fabiano is adamant that he will remain in Spain this summer, despite continuing talk of interest in him from Italy and England.
The 29-year-old South American has been heavily linked with AC Milan again this summer, but Fabiano insists that he is solely focused on his current club.
He told AS:"My future is with Sevilla. I have never thought about leaving this year. I have had some offers, but I never considered leaving Sevilla.
"In reality, no-one ever looked for me and I have forgotten about Milan.
"From my point of view, they didn't come in seriously for me. They promised a lot of things, but they didn't fulfil those promises. It's a great club, but that's in the past.
"Therefore I am staying with Sevilla. I have won plenty here and this is a fundamental moment in my career.
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"A (contract) renewal? There is no rush. I have an excellent relationship with my club and I am sure we will reach an agreement."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
Maybe I’m biased but I can’t help thinking that England might have employed the wrong veteran Italian coach when they appointed Fabio Capello. It may be because when I was a 21-year-old kid, who had been sold against his will to AC Milan, Giovanni Trapattoni was the kindest of team-mates and a true friend. It may also be that Capello reminds me so much of the square-jawed, mean-hearted Milan manager Nereo Rocco, whom I loathed during my brief spell in Serie A. But it is mainly down to the outstanding job Trapattoni has done in leading the Republic of Ireland to Euro 2012. And in a month when I was made to feel very old by reading that it was me who had scored England’s 1,000th goal – and that our national team had scored another 1,000 goals since – it was certainly heartening to hear that Trapattoni, who is a year older than me, is in talks over a new deal.
Trap will be 73 by the Euro finals and he will be 75 when the next World Cup comes around, yet he’s desperate to lead the Irish to Brazil. Good on him because it shows that if you are mentally and physically healthy, it does not matter how old you are. Trapattoni is one of only two managers to have won league titles in four countries. He also won the European Cup as a player with Milan, the year after I left, and as a manager with Juventus. From having known him as a player, I’m pretty certain Trap will be the sort of man-manager who is warm and decent with his men – which, for me, is the key quality of any international boss.
At Milan, Trap and Gianni Rivera were the two players who took me under their wing, as they both spoke more English than the rest. During my frequent training-ground rows with Rocco, I can always remember Trapattoni saying: ‘Yimmy, Yimmy, don’t say nothing, Yimmy’. It was good advice – but I usually ignored it, answering back and causing another blazing row with the boss. Trap was a typical Italian player, a ball-winning midfielder who would grab his opponents by the throat or the testicles – yet he was also a visionary passer of the ball.
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It does not surprise me that many Irish fans and commentators have complained that his teams have been too cautious or negative – not that they’ll be moaning any more, of course. That great Milan team was not exactly free-flowing and cavalier. When it comes to football, Italians have always tended to be safety-first. It just seems that they are a little more liberal when it comes to spending euros! But in many respects, Trapattoni reminds me of another former team-mate of mine, Jack Charlton, who transformed Irish football thanks to the strength of his personality.
On a player-by-player basis, Trapattoni’s Ireland should be well beaten when they meet Capello’s England – either in a post-season friendly or in the group stages in Poland and Ukraine. But from what I saw against Sweden the other night – and from knowing how well Ireland always seem to do against the English – I think there’s every chance they could get a result against us. Not least because of Trap’s vast experience and know-how.
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The funniest thing for me about watching the Sweden match on ITV was Adrian Chiles introducing a clip of me scoring England’s 1,000th goal in a 5-1 win over Wales at Wembley in 1960. I’m absolutely convinced that nobody ever told me at the time, nor at any moment since, that I’d achieved that landmark. I wasn’t aware that I had scored the 1,000th goal until they started writing about who would score the 2,000th in Tuesday’s newspapers. Nobody was that botheredabout stats back then – but now football is a vast ocean of facts and figures. Perhaps they’ll present me with a plaque to mark my achievement. Gareth Barry has now been given the 2,000th goal, which is just as well because Swedish defender Daniel Majstorovic sure as hell wouldn’t have wanted any recognition for the milestone goal.
Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini pointed the finger at Mario Balotelli after his side were dumped out of the Europa League on Thursday.The Italian striker was sent off after just 36 minutes of the second-leg clash with Dynamo Kiev, and although City scored three minutes later through Aleksandar Kolarov, they were unable to overturn a two-goal deficit from the first leg.Balotelli was given his marching orders for raising his studs and raking his boot down the body of Goran Popov after losing the ball, leading to his straight red card.Asked if he hopes Balotelli would be frustrated by his red card, Mancini said: “I hope (so). Because I think with 11 players we would have won this game and got to the quarter-finals.””The problem for Mario is that he thinks he could be a fantastic player. But when he does something stupid like that, it is difficult for me, difficult for him and difficult for the team.”Mancini was still pleased with the performance, labeling it as ‘fantastic’ given the numerical disadvantage, before voicing his frustration with the Russian side’s time-wasting tactics. “I’m disappointed with the result because we deserved to score another goal, minimum. We played a fantastic game with 10 players,” he said.”Every time they dived and every time the referee saw it. But that is what happens. That is it.”But Dynamo manager Yuri Semin refuted Mancini’s claims that his side dived and insisted the match was a physical contest.”It is part of football,” Semin said.”There were some quite serious clashes. It was a tough game out there. That is why the referee gave quite a few yellow cards.”The result means City’s trophy drought, which recently ticked over to 35 years, could continue with the club’s focus now solely placed on the FA Cup where they meet rivals Manchester United in the semi-finals.
Javier Hernandez or the ‘Little Pea’ has had football fans talking of late, particularly in the red half of Manchester. The excitement that now surrounds his move to Manchester United has largely silenced those who called for a big name signing whilst questioning the club’s financial ability to do so. Signed from Mexican side, Chivas de Guadalajara in a deal thought to be around £7 million, United insist their pre-emptive actions secured a relative bargain that is rarely acquired in today’s bloated transfer market. The player’s style has earned him comparisons with club legend Ole Gunnar Solskjaer for his predatory goal-scoring instincts, quick movement and confidence in front of goal. Could the ‘Little Pea’ soon be Manchester United’s next ‘Baby-faced Assassin?’
Javier Hernandez came off the bench in United’s pre-season friendly against the MLS All-Stars on Thursday to score a sumptuous goal. He used his intelligence and sharp movement to exploit the space between the opposition defenders, controlling Fletcher’s through ball and promptly lobbed the onrushing goalkeeper. The attacker assimilated to the pace of the game without hesitation, giving a lively performance in which he tested the opposition keeper prior to his debut goal and won a free-kick which Darron Gibson expertly converted.
If pre-season form cannot be considered a reliable appraisal of a player’s potential, fans only have to cast their minds back to his performances for Mexico at this year’s World Cup. He excelled on the biggest stage of all, heaping more misery on the French squad by putting his side ahead against Les Bleus in their group stage encounter in Polokwane. In this game he came on as a substitute and rapidly repaid the faith of his manager by peeling of the last defender precisely at the right moment and rounded Hugo Lloris to score. In Mexico’s second round defeat to Argentina it was down to Hernandez to provide some form of consolation for his team. Finding space in the box he was able to turn Martin Demichelis and unleash a bullet shot with his left foot into the top corner. In these matches he displayed his numerous attributes, including the ability to find space, utilise his pace to unsettle defences, time a forward run and finish coolly with precision.
These enviable skills have drawn comparisons with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. This hero of the Stretford End was hitherto unknown before joining United but briskly announced his arrival with a goal on his debut against Blackburn. He was habitually used as an impact substitute during his years at Old Trafford and displayed a special knack of scoring late goals. Scoring these goals in important games became his forte as he had the ability to sniff out the slightest chance which he would invariably convert with a deadeye finish. The Norwegian was not always the perennial super-sub but he often had to use his versatility to secure a starting place. Adept at playing on the wing, Solskjaer displayed his talents not only as a goal-scorer but also as a provider. His highlights reel will forever show the four goals he scored in twelve minutes against Nottingham Forest and his instinctive injury time finish to hand United victory against Bayern Munich in the 1999 Champions League Final.
Hernandez’s traits invite comparison with the Norwegian who achieved so much at the club. Namely, the ability to make an impact, evade defenders, use pace and finish clinically. The confidence of the manager and expectation of the fans is there but the player may not simply walk into the starting line-up. United have various attacking options and Hernandez may have to demonstrate his flexibility before finding his own role in the club’s attack. Should he need any tips whilst reading the game from the bench ahead of making an impact he could do worse than consult the club’s reserve team manager, Solskjaer , for advice.
With the PL season nearly upon us, let’s see the WAGS that will be keeping the players on their toes. Click on image to VIEW gallery
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Andrei Arshavin has admitted that he is has not been happy with the level of performances that he has put in for Arsenal since joining the Premier League club, calling his personal displays average.
The Russia international has shown some glimpses of brilliance since moving to North London from Zenit St Petersburg in a club record £15 million deal back in January 2009, with the four goals he scored at Anfield in an epic 4-4 draw in April 2009 still in the memory.
Despite this, the attacker has not lived up to his considerable ability, and finds himself a bit part player at the Emirates, no longer guaranteed a place in Arsene Wenger’s starting XI.
As his inconsistency continues, the Eastern European admits that he needs to improve.
“Speaking honestly, I think my performances for Arsenal have been average,” Arshavin is quoted as saying in The Telegraph.
“I’ve done some good things, but I don’t assess my game on goals or assists. I look at the whole picture. Normally when I’m on the pitch I take control of a game but I haven’t really done that here. I’m an extra tool in the team rather than the main one, so it’s been difficult,” he admitted.
Arshavin’s current deal runs out in the summer of 2013, and his future in England hangs in the balance as he looks to be in the best possible form going into Russia’s Euro 2012 campaign next summer.
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