Manchester City appear to be reluctant to drop their asking price for Carlos Tevez, despite Corinthians claiming that a cut-price deal to bring the South American back to Brazil in January is close.
The Argentina international was found guilty of breaching his contract after refusing to enter the field of play against Bayern Munich back in September, and his club have subsequently fined him four weeks wages.
With a January move looking increasingly likely, Corinthians president Andres Sanchez has claimed that the Premier League side are ready to offload the temperamental forward at a lower price.
“Although many people do not believe it, Tevez is much closer to the Corinthians than you can imagine. The initial offer was €40m and that is now €18m (£16m) because of all the problems he has faced back in England,” the Brazilian executive commented.
Despite this, The Guardian details that City’s owners will stand their ground over their asking price for the former Boca Juniors attacker, and want to recoup the superstar’s market value.
City owner Sheik Mansour is one of the few people in the world than would be unfazed by the waste of £250,000-a-week on Tevez’s wages, and has stated that Roberto Mancini can select the forward is so required.
Despite this, due to Mancini and Tevez not being on talking terms, a move does look probable come the new year, with a raft of European clubs also keen to land the forward’s signature.
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Tottenham have announced a boost in annual revenue over the last year, and chairman Daniel Levy is targeting continued growth for the North London club.
The White Hart Lane outfit posted revenue of £163.5 million for the year to 30th June – up from £119.8 million in 2010.
The improved financial performance is largely down to increased attendances at Spurs home games and the side’s excellent run in the Champions League last season.
Levy has now stated that the club are considering de-listing from the stock market in order to bring in added investment, with a new stadium in mind.
“It is clear to us that increasing the capacity of the club’s stadium is a key factor in the continued development and success of the club and will involve the company in considerable additional capital expenditure,” the executive told Spurs’ official website.
“Given this requirement, we believe that the AIM listing restricts our ability to secure funding for its future development.
“We are ambitious for the club and have always taken the steps that we believe to be in its best interests.
“In looking to move forward and continue to fulfil our ambitions as a club, particularly with respect to raising finance for capital expenditure projects, I can also announce that we are intending to propose to shareholders that the company be de-listed from trading on AIM and be re-registered as a private limited company,” he concluded.
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Tottenham will look to continue their good run of form on Sunday, as they host Aston Villa at White Hart Lane.
It has been another tough weekend for Bolton Wanderers as the club and the fans face up to the thought of being involved in a relegation battle this term. Following an uninspired 3-0 defeat at the hands of Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday, they now lie 19th having scored just nine points so far this season. And now we are in December, there is the horrible possibility of Owen Coyle’s men sitting bottom of the pile on Christmas Day, a fate that has consigned so many to the drop.
Having made the perfect start to the season by beating QPR 4-0, their next three league games against Man City, United and Liverpool were hardly games that they would have expected to win but since then, other than the 5-0 retribution served to Stoke City, defeats against Sunderland, Swansea and West Brom have shown that there is a problem that needs sorting.
Phil Gartside has argued that while the side’s fortunes have not been great, the club has suffered a huge slice of bad luck with injuries and suspensions. It is hard to disagree with him on the injury front, with Tyrone Mears and Lee Chung-Yong suffering broken legs just days apart during pre-season to join Stuart Holden on the long-term injury list at the Reebok. There are also full-backs Sam Ricketts, Ricardo Gardner and Joe Riley, all of which could be used to sure up the leaky defence or provide options but are instead on the sidelines along with tough-tackling Sean Davis. All of these players could help fix the problems but many of them won’t be back until it is perhaps too late to salvage the season which leaves everybody associated with the Trotters cursing their luck.
However, Gartside’s bemoaning of the suspensions is less justified. Five red cards in 14 games is not a record for any team to be proud of and it is causing problems for the small squad but only Gary Cahill’s dismissal on Saturday can be questioned. David Wheater’s sending off against Everton in the previous game for an ugly tackle was deserved, as was the red card he received for tugging back Theo Walcott at the Emirates. Similarly, Ricardo Gardner can have no complaints about his sending off for two yellow cards against Swansea and neither can Ivan Klasnic, headbutting Norwich’s Marc Tierney in a moment of stupidity.
Additionally, the old saying ‘it’s harder to play against 10 than 11’ still applies when the team is not at the top of the league. There are more problems affecting the Trotters and they are growing ever larger.
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At the end of last season, Johan Elmander and Matt Taylor made their moves away from the Reebok while Daniel Sturridge inevitably returned to Chelsea having impressed during his loan spell. These players were replaced poorly, David N’Gog being the best buy but the £4.5 million fee plus wages have not yet been repaid and Tuncay and Darren Pratley coming in as two “cost-effective” solutions to the problem.
Meanwhile, rather than building a fresh team to go again, the club spent most of their time trying to hold onto Gary Cahill, a leading star who can walk away for free this summer. Arsenal were the side that seemed most interested during August but their £6 million offer was labelled derisory, although in hindsight it may have been a good deal.
Cahill is undoubtedly worth more but for a player that wants to leave the club and could now go for nothing, it was a moment of greed that could haunt them. If the offer had been accepted, it would have meant losing a great defender but the money could have been used to replace him and the other departed players to deepen the squad numbers and stop them from being caught short by injuries.
On the pitch, Coyle has tried to reinvent the club by throwing away the old, long ball tactics that worked well under Sam Allardyce in favour of an easy-to-watch style. But against Everton he resorted back to the old routine, lumping balls up to Kevin Davies, who looks a shadow of his former self, and it suggests that the manager has no idea how to change it around. When he tries his own masterplan, players no longer press the opposition and have lost their bite in the tackle. Others such as Gretar Steinsson and Martin Petrov seemed to be happy to take home their huge wage packets, sauntering around the pitch and almost refusing to get involved when the club needs them most.
The midfield appears unimaginative apart from Chris Eagles, who has impressed but can’t get very far when those around him are struggling for form. They are under confident and unlike in years before, the grit and determination which would pull them through is lacking.
Owen Coyle is a fans’ favourite as a player for Bolton and was a popular choice as manager. He still has the backing of most supporters even though they are currently sat in the Premier League departure lounge. Between now and Christmas the Trotters face Aston Villa, Fulham and an all-important local derby against Blackburn Rovers. If the team doesn’t improve during those matches and pick up a healthy chunk of points it could be curtains for the boss and a not-so-merry festive period at the Reebok.
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Liverpool were left fuming last night as the FA issued Luis Suarez with a £40k fine and eight game ban. The Reds feel it is incredible that a decision could be made based solely on Patrice Evra’s evidence and equally find it hard to fathom that the United defender wasn’t punished, given he admitted to abusing the Uruguayan.
Elsewhere in the news David Moyes is wary of Rodwell interest; Wenger looking to bounce back, while Mancini urges Bridge to find first team football.
NEWS
Pardew praises in-form Ba
Mancini urges Bridge to find first team football
Wenger looking to bounce back
Moyes wary of Rodwell interest
Luis Suarez hit with eight match ban
Beckham’s PSG deal close
Kean expects stay despite Bolton defeat
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TRANSFER TALK
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Spurs target £5m former Reds keeper Mihaylov as future Friedel successor – Daily Mail
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QPR line up surprise Bent swoop – Mirror
Kenwyne Jones on Wolves January radar – Metro
United lead Benfica, Udinese and Marseille in race for £15m Rodriguez – Mirror
Chelsea lead chase to sign £7m Bolton defender Cahill in January – Daily Mail
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has admitted that he may be in the market for a new striker in the January transfer window, but only at the right price.
The Gunners will have to make do without Gervinho and Marouane Chamakh in the new year as they travel to compete in the Africa Cup of Nations, and the French coach has revealed that he may look for a cost-effective replacement.
“We lose players like Chamakh and Gervinho to the Africa Cup of Nations so hopefully, touch wood, we do not get any injuries to our strikers,” he told reporters.
“But if an opportunity turns up in that department then we will buy.
“Economically the whole environment has changed and people suffer more. The clubs will suffer more financially and it’s much more difficult.
“Maybe we will have some opportunities because we are in a good financial situation,” he concluded.
The statement goes against Wenger’s usual policy, as it has been very rare that he has dipped into the mid-season transfer market.
Gervinho’s loss in particular will be a blow to the Emirates Stadium outfit, and will consequently pile more pressure on star attacker Robin van Persie.
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Ramires has been something of a revelation at Stamford Bridge, with the Brazilian already establishing himself as a driving force in the centre of Chelsea’s midfield.
The club’s official betting partner, 188BET, is offering all Chelsea FC fans the chance to chat live with Ramires.
Chelsea FC’s Brazilian international midfielder will be taking over 188BET’s Twitter account to answer fans’ questions during a special live interview on Thursday 2nd February 2012.
Ramires joined Chelsea FC in 2010 from Benfica and has already clocked up almost 50 appearances for the club, forming a strong midfield partnership with the likes of Meireles and Lampard. He has scored six goals for Chelsea, including the club’s goal of the season award last year for his strike against Manchester City at Stamford bridge, and also has 27 international caps with his native Brazil to his name.
He will be online at 1:30pm on Thursday 2nd February and will answer a selection of fans’ questions live via 188BET’s Twitter feed. To take part, all Blues fans have to do is log on to Twitter, follow ‘@188BET’ and submit their questions by tweeting ‘@188BET’ along with the hashtag: #askRamires.
So whether you want to know how Ramires thinks Chelsea FC will do in 2012, who the best dressed in the squad is or perhaps even if he has a special party trick, get online on Thursday and ask him your questions!
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Here at Football FanCast we’ll also be talking to Ramires with the help of a translator, so post your questions in the comments section below and we’ll pick out some of the best…
To remain or not to remain. That is the question. Theo Walcott has been at Arsenal a long time now and whilst still only being 22, he is certainly one of the Gunners more experienced heads in their quest for fourth place this campaign. A frustrating talent, Walcott’s inconsistencies have continued to deceive his adorning Arsenal public this term. Time is certainly flying by. Has Walcott’s clock ticked too far?
The well-spoken winger is currently enjoying a campaign free from injury and has been a constant fixture on the right flank for the Gunners. Arsene Wenger clearly trusts the player whom he groomed for many years as the natural successor to Thierry Henry. But with Henry back at the club this January, does this indeed represent the lack of impact made by the prodigy in the time elapsed. In short, yes.
Wenger recently spoke about team mate Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and modern football being in a state of ‘immediacy’ whereby great things are expected of young talents in a short space of time. Walcott has had years.
Whilst remaining to be one of the Premier League’s fastest players, Walcott continues to run with his head down, careering into the full back as opposed to getting beyond them and firing a cross in to the box. Whilst it must be accepted that Arsenal’s game is to play neat passes into feet around the box, many more chances could be created simply if Walcott got his head up and looked.
Chris Waddle criticised the England international back in 2010 stating
“I’ve never seen him develop. He just doesn’t understand the game for me – where to be running, when to run inside a full-back”.
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What seems to be more frustrating for Gunners fans is that Theo seems to go on a good run of form, for example at Carrow Road where he linked up with Robin Van Persie fantastically, and then goes missing in two or three games prior to a productive game. Following snippets of brilliance over the years and an ability to strike more often against Chelsea, Walcott has proved amongst the most frustrating of talents.
Many Walcott fans believed it was lift off in his career following his hat-trick for England in Zagreb but it is difficult to measure how far he has come in the time since.
A good finisher; Walcott far too often finds himself isolated on the touchline, only to be substituted for the likes of Andrey Arshavin three quarters of a way through a game. Theo himself would admit that he’d like to improve on just six Premier League strikes this season. He remains to be a likeable member of the Arsenal squad with chants of ‘Theo, Theo’ often radiating from the terraces, but this seems to be more in hope rather than expectation. It is all in too short supply from a player whose impact could be devastating if he mastered his final ball productivity.
It seems apparent that the likes of Gareth Bale and Ashley Young have improved tenfold in the same period of time as Walcott has had, but with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain now in the first-team reckoning, Walcott’s future first-team place may not be guaranteed, although England continue to select him for the senior squad.
Walcott has publicly voiced his desire to play up front for Arsenal in the past, but with Robin Van Persie’s form and indeed Walcott’s inconsistencies it is likely that such a wish will again fall upon deaf ears. A far greater contribution is needed in what is proving to be a gruelling roller coaster ride of a campaign for Arsenal, and Walcott’s tendencies to coast through games with little contribution is proving far too tedious.
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It may take more than a final whistle clap to the fans to truly appease the Gunners faithful on Walcott whom many Arsenal fans still think has the ability to become part of the clubs all-time folklore.
But with needs must this campaign, patience is certainly at a minimum. If Arsenal fans accept the role of timekeeper, they will find that Walcott’s best form is yet to arrive. Time to let go? Only time will tell.
Should Walcott be given more time or are you also frustrated with his inconsistencies? Follow me @ http://twitter.com/Taylor_Will1989
Last week was one to forget for Liverpool and Kenny Dalglish. The Reds forfeited a two-goal lead at Loftus Road and went on to lose 3-2 to QPR, before following that up with another Premier League defeat at Anfield against lowly Wigan Athletic.
Liverpool might have already won the Carling Cup this year as well as making the semi-final of the FA Cup with a tasty Merseyside Derby against Everton at Wembley on the horizon, but the Reds have greatly underachieved in the league and currently lie in 7th place in the table, 13 points off the top four.
Dalglish has got his work cut out to turn things round and it looks like he’d like to get his boots back on and play for the Reds as he tries to get the ball off Wigan manager Roberto Martinez. Can you provide a funny caption for this picture?
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Leave your suggestions in the comments section below…
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Check out our Caption Competition Gallery for some inspiration and to see the winners so far.
Last week’s winner: David Regan – click here to see all entries
Aston Villa have backed under-fire boss Alex McLeish, despite admitting that the situation at the club is currently less than ideal.
The Villa Park outfit are not yet clear of relegation danger, and after losing to Bolton on Tuesday night remain in 15th place on 36 points.
Despite only seven league wins this term, chairman Randy Lerner and chief executive Paul Faulkner have released a statement in support of the Scottish coach.
“Right now everyone connected with Villa is hurting badly,” the statement on Villa’s official website starts.
“A win was in sight against Bolton after a strong start and the tenacity the team displayed, although ultimately we weren’t able to hold on for the points.
“We very openly acknowledge the frustrations of Villa fans and share in them completely. What matters to us and the board at this moment is how we, as a club, handle adversity and the pressure it brings.
“Our horizon is the next three games and we continue to be in control of our own destiny. Young players side-by-side with more senior players are fighting hard for the club.
“They are now preparing for West Brom followed by Spurs and Norwich.
“We will continue to support and rely on our manager and the squad and therefore give them our full support. We are totally conscious, as is everyone at the club, that this is a very trying time for those who love Aston Villa.
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“We know that the team will continue to fight through every minute of the remaining games and we hope Villa fans will continue to show their great support,” it concludes.
So here it is, the final game of what has been a quite phenomenal season for Reading Football Club.
Reading fans will be travelling to St.Andrew’s in great numbers on Saturday, with over 4,000 tickets sold and as traditional for Reading fans on the last away game of the season it will be “inflatable’s day” adding to the carnival like atmosphere that should be created.
With Birmingham guaranteed a spot in this season’s playoffs and Reading of course already having secured the title, there may not seem a great deal to play for either team.
However, Birmingham have dropped to 5th in the table, meaning they would play at home in the first leg of the playoffs and away in the second. This is always seen as a negative, so expect Birmingham to be desperate to win, overtake Blackpool and secure 4th spot, meaning home advantage in the crucial second leg of the playoffs.
Reading will of course also be looking for the 3 points on Saturday; Brian McDermott is not the kind of manager to make wholesale changes for any game, despite having nothing to play for. With Jason Roberts suspended following his red card against Crystal Palace, Adam Le Fondre is the likely replacement, although Benik Afobe may be brought in to replicate Roberts pace and power. However, do not expect many more changes to the team that played Palace, if any.
Both clubs should be pleased with their seasons and hopefully both sets of fans should be in good spirits which should lead to a great atmosphere and a great game!
Birmingham are coming off the back of 4 straight draws and will be looking for a win to gain some momentum heading into the playoffs. The game earlier in the season between the two teams saw Reading come out 1-0 winners at the Madejski thanks to a Noel Hunt winner in the 75th minute.
Reading will also be keen to finish the season on a high, following our fabulous run. It will not be an easy game of course, with Birmingham boasting a very good home record having only lost once this season on home soil. This will not phase Reading however, who have recently won at arguably the hardest away grounds in the league in Upton Park and St Marys.
Reading fans should be happy that everything is already sewn up and not having to rely on a result in what is sure to be a competitive game on Saturday. Fans should take the opportunity to enjoy the game and give our players the full support and appreciation that they deserve before they embark on what is a huge summer for the club!
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