Doubles from Miroslav Klose and Thomas Mueller helped Germany to a 4-0 Euro2012 qualifying victory against Kazakhstan on Saturday.The result in Kaiserslautern means Germany’s perfect record remains intact with five wins from five matches, establishing an eight-point buffer on second-placed Austria.
Klose’s brace saw his incredible national team record move to 61 goals from 107 appearances, meaning he just needs eight more goals to top Gerd Mueller’s national-team record.
While he has struggled at club level for Bayern Munich, Klose opened his account on Saturday after just three minutes when he met Bastian Schweinsteiger’s free-kick at the far post.
Another set-piece proved Kazakhstan’s undoing 22 minutes later.
Midfielder Mesut Oezil whipped the cross in and this time it was Mueller – winner of the 2010 FIFA World Cup Golden Boot – who found the back of the net.
Mueller was at it again just before half-time as Kazakhstan’s suspect defence was breached once more, with the Bayern Munich striker controlling a long ball from Oezil on his chest before slotting home Germany’s third goal.
The match petered out in the second and Germany lost some of their shape, with Kazakhstan coming close to scoring a consolation goal when Zhambyl Kukeyev’s effort was denied by the woodwork after 71 minutes.
But just before full-time, Klose added polish to the scoreline with his second to seal a 4-0 win in a match in which Joachim Loew’s side were never really tested.
Fergie will be hoping that his three new signings will be enough to wrestle their title back from West London. A lot of United fans are sceptical as to whether Sir Alex has done enough to strengthen the squad, to fill all the voids that were evident last season.
This week at FFC we have seen a mixed bag of Man United blogs which has included…Fergie pulls out a transfer rabbit? United should take Morgan’s comments with a pinch of salt and ten things United must do to regain a title.
Plus we have taken a look at the best Man United stories on the Web this week
Has Sir Alex pulled another transfer rabbit out of the hat?
The heir to Paul Scholes’ throne?
A Wayne Rooney non-story right to be condemned
Man Utd should take Morgan’s comments with a pinch of salt
TEN things United must do to regain the title
Right decision for him and ultimately Manchester United
A United signing that provides more questions than answers
Third time lucky for Berbatov?
EIGHT things that will happen this Premier League season
London vs Manchester but where will the title go?
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Best of Web
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Finally, a plan B – United Rant
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How many shirts Greg? Don’t believe the hype….. – Andersred blog
Comparing United To Arsenal and Chelsea After Homegrown Rule – RoM
Bébé the street kid now living the dream at Manchester United – Guardian
(Video)Chris Smalling talks Community Shield & joining United – The Busby Way
Achtung! No German footballers for Ferguson – Truly Reds
Tottenham forward Rafael van der Vaart has stated that despite Arsenal’s revival over the last six weeks, Spurs are better than them and are the number one team in North London.
The balance of power between the two bitter rivals seemed to be changing as Harry Redknapp’s men beat the Gunners 2-1 at White Hart Lane recently, but Arsenal are now only three points from the top four after beating Chelsea 5-3 on Saturday.
However, the Netherlands international was full of praise for his team and how they were playing, and believes they are superior to their local rivals.
“We are better than Arsenal,” the ex-Real Madrid man told Sky Sports.
“In our last seven games we have won six and drawn once. It’s a long season, but I think we have a bigger and better squad.
“Are we the best team in London? Maybe, but it’s still early. We’re in a good way. We are much better than we were last season,” he stated.
Van der Vaart labelled current league leaders Manchester City as the best team in the country, and hailed Roberto Mancini’s outfit’s performances of late.
“Man City are the best team in the league and below them you have a lot of good teams and we are one of them.
“At the moment they are really good. They are winning games easily and how they played against Man United was impressive, but they also have the difficulty of a lot of egos so that could also be a problem.
“When you play for a big team, when you buy a lot of good players and a lot of players also aren’t happy.
“Look at (Emmanuel) Adebayor. He is a great player for us, but he was not even in the squad at City and was training with the youngsters,” he concluded.
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Van der Vaart will be rested for the Europa League trip to take on Rubin Kazan on Thursday, with the match against Fulham at Craven Cottage on Sunday in mind.
Tottenham Hotspur can draw level on points with fourth-placed Chelsea if they beat West Ham United at White Hart Lane on Saturday.Tottenham are fifth on the English Premier League table and three points behind the defending champions, who occupy the final Champions League qualification place.If Spurs beat West Ham they will move on to 51 points, but would remain fifth due to an inferior goal difference.Nevertheless, a Spurs win would put the pressure back on Chelsea ahead of their home match against third-placed Manchester City on Sunday.But the visitors to White Hart Lane will be desperate to foil Tottenham and collect vital points in their battle to escape relegation. West Ham are third from bottom, level on points with Birmingham in 17th place and just one point behind Blackburn Rovers in 14th. If they win and other results go their way, Avram Grant’s side could leapfrog a number of the teams above them and leave the drop zone behind.They bowed out of the FA Cup at the quarter-final stage with a 2-1 defeat away to Stoke City on Sunday, but had previously been unbeaten after four matches in all competitions – including a 3-1 win over Liverpool.Spurs’ last hitout was a hard-fought 0-0 draw at home to AC Milan last Wednesday, with the result securing their passage to the quarter-finals of the Champions League following a 1-0 away win in the first leg in Italy.Despite their impressive achievement in European competition, Harry Redknapp’s side are without a win in their last two league outings. They lost 3-1 away to Blackpool on February 22, followed by a 3-3 draw away to Wolverhampton Wanderers on March 6.West Ham have only long-term absentees Junior Stanislas and Jack Collison on the sidelines.Tottenham will be missing centre-backs William Gallas and Jonathan Woodgate, while fellow defenders Vedran Corluka, Ledley King and Younis Kaboul are also in doubt.Midfielders Wilson Palacios and Tom Huddlestone are unavailable through their own injury problems, while Rafael van der Vaart could also miss out.
One of the most sought after free agents this summer, Joe Cole has yet to make his mind up over which club to sign for. Cole has said that he wants to play for a manager who loves him as well as find somewhere where he will get regular playing time, preferably in the centre of midfield and somewhere that will pay his wage demands. They are certainly a lot of requests to fulfil and it’s going to be difficult for Cole to find a club that can guarantee all of those requirements, certainly in England. However a foreign club may be able to meet his demands better and perhaps a move abroad could see Cole really thrive in another league.
The battle for his signature in England appears to have come down to three teams, Liverpool, Arsenal and Tottenham with several pros and cons to joining each of them. Liverpool are a big club but it’s unknown just how competitive they are going to be next season, Arsenal are also a big club but Cole probably won’t have guaranteed first team football. Finally Spurs probably could guarantee first team football but almost certainly won’t be challenging for the Premiership. The clubs themselves will also be taking a risk on Cole as he has endured some very injury prone years at Chelsea, his wage demands are said to be at least £80,000 a week and he is 28-years-old. It could take some lengthy negociations before Cole is able to sign a deal that suits both parties.
Joe Cole could also have some options and possibly better ones in other leagues, his best bet would probably be Italy as in Spain, it’s doubtful that the big two of Barcelona or Real Madrid would make a move for him. Although as Jose Mourinho knows him very well from their time together at Chelsea it wouldn’t be unthinkable that he could offer him a surprise deal. However were that to be the case, there is no way he would be a regular at Madrid with the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka in the team. Valencia are believed to be interested in Cole’s services but their financial struggles pretty much rule them out of the picture, if he was looking for an ambitious project then Sevilla could be an option. They have Champions League football next season and were previously league contenders not so long ago, however they probably aren’t a big enough club for him.
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This leaves Italy and AC Milan are believed to be Cole’s biggest suitors, they have apparently already offered him a deal but it is said be worth just £60,000 a week. On the other hand they have guaranteed him a starting role in his favoured central midfield position. Inter Milan haven’t been linked with a move for Cole but new manager Rafa Benitez will know all about his time at Chelsea, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see them make him an offer. Juventus need another wide player in their midfield and Cole would be a fantastic signing for them, personally as a Juve fan I would love to see Cole pull on the black and white shirt but I just don’t see it happening.
Although there are potential moves abroad lined up for Cole, I believe that he will stay in England as I don’t think he has the bottle to try his luck abroad. However very few players do today, and when you look at what has happened to the likes of Michael Owen and Jermaine Pennant it would be hard to blame Cole for not moving abroad. It would be a shame though as his game would suit a foreign league very well, both La Liga and Serie A aren’t as physical as the Premiership so he would have less chance of picking up another injury. La Liga is a fast paced league and Cole as a quick player would have no problem adapting; Serie A whilst some people call it ‘slow’ is a very technical league and as he is a very skilful and technical player those attributes would serve him well in Italy.
Whether Joe Cole will stay in England or moves abroad remains to be seen, but it would be nice to see an English player succeed abroad, especially as Cole is probably one of the very few who could make it.
Which club do you think would be best for Joe Cole?
Message me on Twitter with your thoughts
Click on image to see a gallery of the BEST BABES at the World Cup this summer
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Last month, Arsenal were among a host of Premier League clubs rumoured to be weighing up a bid for Brighton defender Lewis Dunk.
Following numerous injuries to the clubs defenders, the 19 year old defender has become an integral part of a Brighton side that has thus far excelled itself in the Champonship this season. An uncompromising centre back that looks set to have a big future in the game.
Now, after 13 impressive appearances this season, both Spurs and Man City are said to have joined the race for the youngster, with at least £5 million expected to be necessary to persuade Brighton to part with the talented youngster.
Money talks, and if a big club or big clubs were to come in for Dunk in January Brighton would almost certainly be powerless to keep the player, as manager Gus Poyet has already accepted, ‘He is going to play in the Premier League that is something I cannot control.’
It should asked however, what is in the best interests of Dunk? Many a footballer has been touted as the next big thing, got that ‘dream’ move to a top club, only to then see their career stall as first team opportunities are limited.
The importance of choosing the right club is paramount to whether a player will make it. Take two of Dunk’s supposed suitors, Arsenal and Manchester City. If Dunk were to move to North London, one thing that could be guaranteed is that he would be given a chance by Arsene Wenger, at a club so deeply grounded in youth development. Indeed, if he were to move from Brighton, his career may not stall.
Yet, let’s say Dunk gets his move in January not to Arsenal but instead to Manchester City, surely the chance of him getting his chance would be exceptionally slim? The sad fact is, the highest bidder for a youngster is where they would likely end up, whether that is the best place for him or not.
For many, the best possible scenario for the youngster will be at least another season at Brighton, first team football at any level is vital and the Championship is an exceptionally competitive and talented league. If Dunk is allowed to finish his footballing education at Brighton, he will be far better placed to fashion a long and successful career and avoid being another talented youngster thrown on the scrapheap.
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Comment below and follow me on Twitter @CamHumphries for cutting edge debate regarding all things sport.
Birmingham City will hope to shake off a Carling Cup hangover when they play Everton at Goodison Park on Wednesday.Birmingham stunned Arsenal 2-1 at Wembley to win the Carling Cup on February 27. It was just the second piece of major silverware in the Midlands club’s history – their only other success came in the same competition way back in 1963.But they suffered a damaging 3-1 loss at home to local rivals West Bromwich Albion in their first match back in league action and remain in danger of souring their cup final triumph with relegation to the Championship.Next up is a trip to Merseyside to face an inconsistent but dangerous Everton. David Moyes’ team accounted for FA Cup holders Chelsea with a penalty shootout win on February 26, then conspired to lose to second tier Reading in the fifth round last week. Everton’s league form has also been patchy, but they have won their last two matches, 2-0 at home to Sunderland and 2-1 away to Newcastle.While they are unlikely to be dragged into the relegation battle, Moyes will be eager to increase the six-point gap between 10th-placed Everton and Birmingham in 18th on 30 points with two matches in hand. The visitors will be without defender Scott Dann for the remainder of the season with a hamstring injury, while midfielders Alexander Hleb, Barry Ferguson and Craig Gardner are all in doubt.Everton have fewer concerns, with only midfielders Marouane Fellaini and Tim Cahill ruled out. In the absence of two of their key men, Everton are likely to rely even more on Spanish playmaker Mikel Arteta, who impressed in the win at Newcastle.”I thought he (Arteta) was outstanding, absolutely outstanding,” Everton assistant coach Steve Round said.”He was creative, he was elusive, he could have created three or four goals and it was a terrific performance.””We moved him to the left for tactical reasons because we thought he might get more space and it worked, he delivered.””I think you have seen Mikel steadily over the last six weeks improving his performance.””He is really starting to come through again, whether you play him in the middle, on the right or the left. If he’s in that form he is unstoppable.”
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has been financially constrained over the last decade because of the club’s move from Highbury to the Emirates Stadium. But many argue that it is now time for the Gunners to splash some cash in order to take them onto the next step.
Do Arsenal need to make some big money transfers to become serious challengers for silverware, or will the fitness of players like Robin van Persie determine Arsenal’s success next year?
The north London side’s fans were left to rue van Persie’s injury woes of last season and left to speculate on what might have been if the Dutchman had stayed healthy. Van Persie got injured on Novermber 14 2009 whilst on international duty with the Netherlands and did not return until the 2-1 loss against Tottenham at White Hart Lane…not even Serbian therapist Mariana Kovacevic’s miracle horse placenta cure was enough to get him fit sooner.
Last season the 26-year-old only played 16 games in the Premier League, but still managed to score nine goals in that time whilst creating seven goals via assists.
That season Arsenal faltered during a so-called ‘easy run’ when they were billed as Manchester United’s biggest threat to the title after Chelsea blew a big lead and seemed spent after their 1-1 draw with Blackburn at Ewood Park. But Arsenal failed to capitalise on their kind run of fixtures and dropped points against the likes of Birmingham, Tottenham, Wigan, Manchester City and Blackburn.
The poor run left Arsenal 11 points behind eventual Premier League champions Chelsea, but many Gunners fans argue that if van Persie and captain Cesc Fabregas (picked up an injury near end of season) would have stayed fit they could have achieved so much more.
As it is the Emirates outfit have not won any silverware since the 2005 FA Cup and if truth be told you cannot rely on the fitness of someone as injury prone as van Persie. This is why Arsenal must increase their squad’s depth this summer, so that when RvP decides to take his customary mid to late season holiday they may have a 15-20 striker in reserve this time.
Their fans will argue that a goalkeeper and the defence will have to be addressed as a matter of priority, but surely a big name striker could also work wonders?
Should they decide to cash in on Fabregas then Arsene Wenger would have more funds at his disposal and could even go some way to replace his captain for free if he wins the race to sign out of contract star Joe Cole.
The press has reported that Arsenal are set to spend a total of £30m on the likes of Phil Jagielka, Steven Pienaar, Mark Schwarzer and Laurent Koscielny. Whilst these are all good players and would fill some of the squad’s deficiencies, are they good enough or big enough names for a club like Arsenal?
I doubt whether they will be enough to usurp the rivals Chelsea and Manchester United, whilst Manchester City and Tottenham also seek to improve.
What do the Arsenal fans think? Do you want some changes at the club, or are the current squad good enough if they stay fit?
To follow me on Twitter: ajwilliams1987
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Click image below to see a gallery of the German babes at the World Cup:
The Europa League isn’t the useless parody of the Champions League it once was. With Tottenham unlikely to replicate a similar near-title challenge as they did last season, the club may be well-suited to launch a genuine assault on this European trophy.
At the moment, there’s simply too much weighing against Tottenham and another pre-February run in the league like they had last season. Their form was facilitated by some very good football from their themselves, but also due to the horrendous and unpredictable form of their nearest rivals. Now, however, those clubs have strengthened significantly and Spurs could find themselves in another tough battle for a top-four finish.
It would be extremely disappointing if Tottenham dismissed the Europa League in favour of a good finish in the league; they have a very good opportunity to land a trophy whose reputation is growing, and really, does anyone expect them to challenge for the title this season?
The sacrifice may come in the league, where Tottenham would likely lose out on a top-four spot if they performed well in European competition. But despite the financial benefits Champions League football brings, is it worth it throw away the prospect of a very realistic trophy come May?
Without Champions League football going into next season, Spurs have done a good job of landing a young and ambitious manager, one who was once highly thought of in England. The club have bought in two very good players in Jan Vertonghen and Gylfi Sigurdsson, and any possible proceeds from a Luka Modric sale would surely be reinvested. The club now have a manager who has shown his worth in this competition with Porto, and the team are not far off from being a genuine threat to other major clubs in the tournament.
Tottenham are hardly a major contender in the Premier League, despite what Harry Redknapp says—their budget simply doesn’t allow them to be a consistent close rival to the Manchester clubs or Chelsea. Instead, Tottenham have done extremely well in cup competitions in recent years, reaching two Carling Cup finals and last year’s FA cup semifinal. What was most promising is that on the whole (and discounting Juande Ramos’ time at the club) Spurs have found a good balance between cup commitments and the necessity to finish as high as possible in the league.
The battle they had with Manchester City a few seasons ago for fourth place is unlikely to be repeated, as City are now firmly above fighting for just a top-four place. It was also hugely disappointing for the club last season to finish in a spot that didn’t guarantee Champions League football, but again, are we likely to see them as close to the genuine title contenders over the next season?
Instead, Spurs need to continue to increase their global brand beyond being just a good English side and Champions League hopefuls. By landing the Europa League this season the club can continue to make a name for themselves on the continent, helping to attract a wider market of players and sponsorships.
It can sometimes be infuriating that the current generation of football fans consider Champions League qualification to be the highest achievement if a league title is out of reach. Again, the income from Europe’s top competition makes it seem worthwhile, but a trophy is still a great marker for a club and an important stepping stone.
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Harry Redknapp may not have seen much worth in the Europa League last season, and perhaps rightly so. But the competition drew a large audience due to it’s knockout round matches and Tottenham should look to take advantage.
The club’s budget for now will keep them firmly on the borders of Champions League and Europa League football. But Spurs are good enough to spread their ambition to more than just a good league finish. The club have the resources to win the Europa League, and it would be an excellent step forward for both the club and English football if they were to do so.
Chelsea have published a statement detailing the difficulties behind expansion at Stamford Bridge, and have admitted that although they have not decided on a stadium move, if they do choose to leave their current home it will be for a site within three miles.
Andre Villas Boas’ side have a smaller capacity at their home ground than their Premier League title rivals, and are exploring the opportunity to build a new arena for the club’s supporters.
However, with renovation work on Stamford Bridge the ideal choice, the side have revealed the obstacles stopping them from doing this.
“The club has reports and studies from as early as 2003/04 on various aspects of a redevelopment of the stadium and has spent a considerable amount of time and money in looking at various aspects of a redevelopment,” a statement on the official website reads.
“The bottom line is a redevelopment adding a significant number of seats needs a site of 16 to 18 acres or more, and at Stamford Bridge there are less than 12 acres.
“The club has worked with several architects firms looking for ways to redevelop each of the four stands at Stamford Bridge to increase capacity.
“The club believes that by 2020 all available sites within three miles will have gone.
“If we are unable to secure one of those sites, and did eventually decide that leaving Stamford Bridge would be in the best interests of the club and its fans, then sites further afield than three miles may be the only option.
“The club’s objective is to remain at Stamford Bridge or move to a new stadium within three miles,” it concluded.
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A new arena would be a huge outlay in Roman Abramovich’s millions, but in the long run would reap financial reward through increased attendances.