Newcastle United midfielder Cheick Tiote is the man Arsene Wenger wants to replace the departed Alex Song to bolster the Gunners midfield, according to the Daily Mirror.
The central midfield positions are worryingly vacant for Arsenal as they go into today’s tough clash away at Stoke City and Wenger has decided that Tiote is the man to fill the void.
It was reported that both Manchester City and Chelsea were told they would have to pay in excess of £20million to capture the Ivory Coast international in this transfer window but Wenger is adamant he can force the price down.
The 26 year old would also see an improvement in his weekly wages if he moved down to north London and Tiote is apparently very aware of the Gunners interest with under a week to go until the summer transfer window slams shut.
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Manchester United ensured they will finish second in the English Premier League this season with a 0-0 draw away to West Ham United on Thursday evening.
Although challenging for the title is clearly what they want, the point earned at least ensures they will finish ahead of Liverpool, Spurs, Chelsea and Arsenal, who all share similar ambitions to the Red Devils.
The performance wasn’t the most exciting from Jose Mourinho’s side against the Hammers, setting up with three centre-backs and two defensive wing-backs, leading to criticism from supporters who are rapidly losing patience with his negative tactics.
Fans want to see a more dynamic and expansive United side that brings an attacking style to their opponents, designed to go out and win games.
Some are so fed up that they’re calling for the Portuguese to go this summer.
Mourinho and his team will be hoping they can cheer supporters up by lifting the FA Cup when they meet Chelsea in the final next week.
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Fans took to Twitter to share their thoughts after Thursday night’s performance…
Let the hyperbole begin. Arsenal’s Community Shield victory, just the latest episode in their growing ever bitter rivalry with Chelsea, brings with it high expectations for the upcoming season.
The Gunners may be ready to mount a serious title challenge for the first time in years, only time will tell. What is for sure, however, is that the fortune of England international Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will be crucial to their chances.
Scoring the winner in the tradition curtain-raiser, ‘The Ox’ terrorised one of the best defences in Europe all afternoon. Right sided wing rivals Raheem Sterling and Theo Walcott have earned pay increases this summer, making headlines in the transfer window. Meanwhile, the ex-Saint has quietly been getting on with his business, trying to overcome his injury problems.
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Walcott has recently signed an extension at the Emirates, reportedly earning £140,000-a-week. After almost a decade of service, perhaps he is more entitled than Chamberlain to earn that sort of money, but the 21-year-old should not be too far behind.
He is one of the most exciting young players in Europe, and often gets forgotten about behind flashier names.
Sterling completed a protracted saga to Manchester City in a £49m deal earlier this summer. In that sort of mega-money world, what would Oxlade-Chamberlain be worth? Man City’s new man is also a hugely exciting prospect, but his international team mate has already achieved more.
Two FA Cup medals and two Community Shields is not the most packed of trophy cabinets, but still quadrupoles’ that of Sterling’s. It is hard to directly compare two versatile, dynamic young internationals at this stage of their careers, and the term ‘better’ may not be the best to use.
However, the Gunner provides a lot more of an end product than the £49m man. The City bosses are unlikely to have shelled out that sort of money for what Sterling has done, more at what he might do. This is not to say that Oxlade-Chamberlain is the end product, but using that kind of logic, he would surely be worth more.
Stunning performances in big games, against the likes of Bayern Munich, Manchester United and now Chelsea are what ‘Chambo’ is all about. His all action approach is reminiscent of team-mate Alexis Sanchez, and his versatility allows him to operate either out wide or through the middle.
End product is the only product to write home about in top level football. The belter to secure a second Community Shield was only half the story in an excellent performance at Wembley. This was £49m-esque performance against the current champions. It is not his first. Surely it will not be his last.
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Injury problems may affect any hypothetical price for the Gunner, but at just 21-years old, it is still likely to be upwards of £40m. Perhaps Sterling comes as more of a marketing package, but ‘The Ox’ is undoubtedly stronger.
Zenit St Petersburg striker Hulk is being linked with a move to Spurs after his agent admitted a switch to England could be on, according to the Metro.
The frontman has been linked with a move to Spurs in the past because of his connection with Andre Villas-Boas, who was his manager at Porto, and the speculation has resurfaced once more.
Big-spending Monaco have recently been linked with a mega money bid for the Brazilian but the players agent, Teodoro Fonseca, has denied this and admitted a move to England was currently more likely for the 26-year-old Zenit St Petersburg striker.
“There are two great teams of the Premier League to have made their interest known,” Fonseca told OJogo.
“It is normal that such news would arise because it was with Andre Villas-Boas and Porto where Hulk had his best time.
“The future of Hulk is with Zenit, but I have never made such statements [about Monaco], I have not spoken to anyone from France.”
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Raheem Sterling’s meteoric rise to stardom continues, as Stuart Pearce admits he is considering placing the talented 17-year-old in the England Under-21 squad for the upcoming European Championship Qualifiers against Azerbaijan and Norway. The Daily Mail reports.
Sterling’s great progress into the Liverpool first-team has attracted the admiring glances of Pearce, after the youngster’s man-of-the-match performance in the Europa League against Hearts and the equally impressive display against Champions, Manchester City.
Sterling was originally picked to play for the Under-19s to face Germany in Hamburg, but is now likely to be fast-tracked into the Under-21s.
It is promising news for Liverpool and Manager Brendan Rodgers, who has been delighted with the progress of Sterling.
“I have seen a lot of development in him in a short time. He takes on a lot of the concepts and he is very good with instructions. Normally wingers want to do their own thing but, tactically, Raheem is improving every day”, he said.
Sterling is also eligible to represent Jamaica as he was born in Kingston, something which his mother desires, but this latest development could see Sterling commit his future to England.
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Arsene Wenger took charge of his final home game as Arsenal manager against Burnley on Sunday.
The Frenchmen walked out to a rapturous reception and guard of honour before his players paid tribute by convincingly thrashing Burnley 5-0.
Goals from Alecandre Lacazette, Sead Kolasinac, Alex Iwobi and a brace from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang ensured Wenger’s 22-year reign as Gunners boss ended in style on home soil.
Wenger brought in free-flowing attacking football to Arsenal and this game summed up his footballing philosophy.
Club legends watched on, while many fans will be left wondering where this type of performance has been all season.
Addressing the crowd at the end of the game Wenger wished Sir Alex Ferguson a swift recovery before saying: “Thank you for having me for such a long time. Above all, I am like you an Arsenal fan.
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“I would like to finish with one simple phrase – I will miss you. Thank you for being such an important part of my life and I hope to see you soon.”
Football fans reflected on Wenger’s time as manager via Twitter afterwards…
Despite a 1-0 home defeat to Swansea this week ending an unbeaten run for Arsenal, the general feeling around the Emirates Stadium is one of optimism.
The Gunners look like a side capable of challenging for the Premier League title next season, while a number of summer signings would drill the point home further.
However, there will also be players on their way out of the North London club at the end of the current campaign, with attacking outcast Lukas Podolski surely amongst them.
The experienced Germany international has spent the second half of the campaign on loan at Inter, while he did not start a single Premier League game in the 2014 segment of the season.
With Danny Welbeck and Alexis Sanchez arriving last summer, Podolski is well down the attacking pecking order, with a player of his stature and track record craving regular first-team football.
As such, the former Bayern Munich forward will surely depart this summer; here are three Premier League sides that could land a bargain addition by moving for Podolski in the off-season…
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Newcastle
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Assuming that the Tyneside outfit stay in the top flight this season, there is set to be a major overhaul at the club this summer.
A new manager will arrive with plenty of players seemingly set to be sold and a real necessity for quality in the St James’ Park squad.
Podolski could be a shrewd acquisition that would bring the versatility to play in a number of different positions and bolster Newcastle’s limited options in the final third.
With goals in short supply in the North East, the German’s addition as either a central striker or someone to start in a withdrawn role would add menace to the team’s attack.
Aston Villa
One of the key issues that Tim Sherwood will need to address this summer at Villa Park is nullifying the over-reliance on Christian Benteke to get goals for the team.
When the Belgian has been injured or out of form the club have struggled, while his return to prolific showings in recent times has sparked an upturn in fortunes for the Birmingham-based outfit.
There will be a chance that Benteke could leave Aston Villa this summer, but whether he does or not attacking reinforcements would be most welcome.
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Partnering Podolski with Benteke would be an exciting proposition, while if the worst case scenario does occur and the Belgian leaves, the German would be a canny alternative to get goals for the side.
Swansea
Following the sale of Wilfried Bony in the January transfer window, Garry Monk’s attacking options are looking very limited, with Bafetimbi Gomis the only recognised number nine of real calibre at the Welsh club’s disposal.
As such, someone with Podolski’s eye for goal and ability to play as the main striker or amongst the supporting cast would be a smart option.
The Germany international would thrive on the creative supply of the Swansea midfield and wingers, with every chance he could be a revelation at the Liberty Stadium.
Dwight Tiendalli is set to hold talks with Swansea this week over a possible new deal to stay at the Liberty Stadium.
Tiendalli was a free agent when he was drafted in at the start of the season after a horror injury ruled Neil Taylor out for the entire campaign and he hopes to have done enough to earn a new deal.
The form of Ben Davies means Tiendalli did not play as much as he would have liked and with Taylor now back to full fitness it remains to be seen if there will be room in Michael Laudrup’s squad for him.
That will become a lot clearer when talks take place this week and Tiendalli has admitted he would like to stay with the Swans.
“Me and the club are going to talk about the future and we will see where it ends,” he revealed. “We’re going to talk this week. It’s not just about the last couple of weeks, it’s about all the games.
“I have a feeling I did my job well and we will see what happens. Of course I want to stay. I like Swansea.”
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Northants prove up for the fight as top-two contest in Group Three intensifies
David Hopps04-Jul-2021George Hill has already had one brush with stardom, not that many will have cottoned on. He was an England sub fielder who carried out a replacement bat for Ben Stokes before he won the Ashes Test at Headingley in 2019 in one of the most inspirational innings in history. Many decades from now, if he has any sense of a good story, he will regale his grandchildren with talk of how he gently pushed the cricketing Excalibur towards Stokes and muttered: “Use this, chosen one.”Two years on, as Yorkshire are undermined by injuries and England calls, the opportunity has come for Hill, a former England Under-19, to build his own career. His latest chance has come not just a little sooner than he might have anticipated, but in a way he might not have imagined.For the first time in senior cricket, Hill was charged with opening the batting. Tom Kohler-Cadmore and Will Fraine were injured; Dawid Malan absent for personal reasons. What’s more, there was no sense that his own bat had magical powers.Related
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But in only his fourth first-class game, and in a match where victory could be crucial for both these sides in gaining a top-two place, he responded with a career-best 71, averting disaster with pretty much 50% of the runs off the bat, as Northants rolled Yorkshire for 158.And, more to the point, he did it on July 4. In the USA that might mean an Independence Day BBQ, but in county cricket this summer it was the day when batting was confidently expected to descend into madness – the day on which county batters briefly revisit Championship cricket after a month of solid T20.On Friday night, Hill had made a minor T20 breakthrough that probably resonated more with him than anybody else. During a match-winning stand in the Roses match at Headingley, in which he played a secondary role to Harry Brook, he struck Lancashire’s high-class quick, Saqib Mahmood, over long-on for six and banged the bat on the ground as if to say: “I can do this.”On Sunday morning, the mental switch from T20 to four-day had to be clicked, even more so on a day in which no other Yorkshire batter made more than 22. On a slow, used pitch, offering a little seam and turn, 158 was not a totally disastrous score, but Northants moved to 61 for 2 by the close in a manner that suggested it was considerably under par. Thanks to Hill, Yorkshire remain in touch.Hill did have a moment of fortune when he was dropped at second slip by Gareth Berg, off Wayne Parnell, when 31. But he generally displayed an unflustered air and adapted to the opener’s role as if it was made for him. He stands fairly still at the crease – no huge trigger movement back onto off stump that is so on trend.”It’s a bit of a relief to be honest,” he said. “I’ve played a couple of games in the past and didn’t really feel like I did a huge amount, so it’s nice to contribute to the team. I thought, ‘I haven’t got a huge amount to lose’. I haven’t really opened before, so I thought I would go out there, give it my all and dig in.”Tom Taylor celebrates with his team-mates•Getty Images
It will be interesting to discover whether it becomes a more long-term switch. It looked like a proper approach from a proper opener. A proper knock. What was proper once, of course, is not necessarily proper now. When Kohler-Cadmore, arguably more suited to the middle order, returns, Yorkshire will need to have a proper think.Hill’s first boundary – a calm pull of Tom Taylor – set the mood for his innings. The were deft moments, such as when he guided Berg’s medium pace to the third man boundary, and brief nod to the expressive side of his game that T20 has encouraged when he skipped down the pitch to strike the left-arm spinner, Simon Kerrigan, for a straight six. Rob Keogh’s offspin snared him, lbw, pushing forward, immediately after tea.Yorkshire, second in Group Three, led Northants, a place behind, by 12 points at start of play, and with two sides qualifying for the top division in the final stages, and only two games remaining, this match could hardly be more vital. Yorkshire held off Northants by one run in early May and once again they are proving themselves redoubtable opponents.Such is the importance of the fixture that Yorkshire have signed Sam Northeast, who has left Hampshire, on a short-term loan. It would be a shame if Northeast’s county career dwindled away, at 31, amid the recognition that England will never come calling. His chance to appeal to new suitors, though, did not begin well when he made 3 from 19 balls before Tom Taylor had him caught at the wicket, belatedly trying to leave.Not that others had much to boast about. Adam Lyth had fallen early, Ben Sanderson having him caught behind. Rain forced an early lunch before Yorkshire suffered self-inflicted wounds against the let-arm spin of Kerrigan, Gary Ballance failing with a slog sweep and Brook, the leading T20 run-maker in the country, falling off that pedestal when he flogged the same bowler to mid-on.Dom Bess did get a decent ball from Berg which bounced a bit, and it may be Bess’ offspin that is most likely to salvage a difficult position. At the close though, it was the Northants stand-in skipper, Ricardo Vasconcelos, 32 not out and possessor of a deserved county cap, who was much the happier.
Officials ‘heartened’ by UK Government guidance allowing for return to competition from June 1
ESPNcricinfo staff31-May-2020The ECB has welcomed the UK Government’s go-ahead for the return of professional sport behind closed doors as it presses ahead with plans to host international cricket this summer, and stage a domestic season.In a further easing of lockdown restrictions imposed because of the Covid-19 pandemic, Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Oliver Dowden announced government health and safety guidance on Saturday for elite athletes and professional sportspeople to return to competition in the absence of spectators from June 1. He added that it was up to individual sports to confirm they could meet the safety protocols and therefore when to resume.The ECB, who are hoping to host a condensed international schedule at so-called ‘bio-secure’ venues, starting with a three-Test series against West Indies in July, issued a statement on Sunday saying they were “heartened” by the news. The ECB will study the guidelines to determine how they will help the sport emerge from lockdown, but it clearly saw hope for the resumption of domestic and recreational cricket.ALSO READ: ECB backs Covid-19 substitutes as plans for return ramp up“We are extremely heartened by Saturday’s announcement from the Secretary of State, which will support the return of professional, domestic cricket behind closed doors, and provides a meaningful next step for recreational players to begin playing at their clubs again,” the ECB statement said.”Over the coming week, we will seek to understand the specific guidance from Government’s medical teams so that we can provide support for cricket clubs who will be eager to see their communities safely playing in small groups. We extend our thanks to all those in Government who have worked hard to support the return of sport and we look forward to seeing players from across the game start returning to the field.”The ECB has been working on plans to hold televised international matches at two grounds – understood to be Emirates Old Trafford and the Ageas Bowl – with another base to allow a third team to train – likely to be Edgbaston. Each of the venues will be configured to encourage social distancing, along with the use of different zones to separate groups such as players and match officials from those not staying on site.England last week named a 55-man training group to prepare for the series against West Indies as well as planned visits from Pakistan, Australia and Ireland.Cricket West Indies has agreed to the scheduled tour of England in principle and is awaiting approvals from the various national governments in the Caribbean for player and staff movement on charterd planes. The Test series, part of the World Test Championship, was originally supposed to start on June 4 but was postponed when the Covid-19 pandemic hit.The ECB last week announced that no professional domestic cricket would be played in England or Wales until at least August 1, while recreational cricket would remain suspended until further notice, with the exception of using outdoor cricket nets and pitches for exercise under the government’s social distancing guidelines. It is investigating options for playing a domestic season possibly starting in August, including a County Championship split into regions and a T20 Blast competition.