Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has stated that he in unsure when Jack Wilshere will be fit enough to return to action.
The England international midfielder has missed the entire season through injury, after rupturing ankle ligaments in a pre-season friendly.
Wilshere looked to be on the verge of return at the turn of the year, but a fresh injury has kept him out of action, with no date set for his return.
“It is difficult to set a deadline on Jack. We go week by week with him. But his last scan was very good so we don’t have worry anymore,” Wenger told the club’s official website.
“It is about progress and fitness, however I can’t set a date.”
Wenger has received a boost ahead of Wednesday night’s clash with Everton at Goodison Park, as Thomas Vermaelen and Andre Santos are fit to play, with Abou Diaby stepping out for the reserves.
“Vermaelen had a kick on his calf and after the game he had a big pain but he is alright.
“Santos is fit enough to start but he was like that for the Newcastle game.
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“Diaby is back but he is with the reserves at Liverpool. He will play for an hour,” the French coach concluded.
Arsenal defender Thomas Vermaelen has stated that his side are targeting successive victories in their remaining Premier League games.
The Gunners are locked in a battle for Champions League qualification with north London rivals Tottenham, Chelsea and Newcastle.
With Arsene Wenger’s men currently in third place and in pole position to claim third, Vermaelen has stressed the importance of commanding the automatic qualification berth.
“That is what we play for, the battle for third place,” he told The Sun.
“That gives us direct qualification for the Champions League. That is very important for the club and is our main target.
“I hear it every day on the streets. Fans ask us to be above Tottenham. If we win every game, we will do it.
“You must be consistent in the league and sometimes that’s not been the case. We will try to do better next year. I’m confident we can,” he concluded.
Arsenal are currently two points ahead of both Tottenham and Newcastle having played a game less; they face Wolves at Molineux on Wednesday night.
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Chelsea must pay £40 million if they are to capture Porto forward Hulk, according to Mirror Football.
The west London club are eager to land a new striker to replace outgoing Didier Drogba, and have identified the Brazil international as a potential summer signing.
The Blues are thought to have already offered £30 million for the South American marksman, but Porto are demanding more.
The Portuguese champions are said to be frustrated at the Premier League side’s poaching of head coach Andre Villas Boas last summer, and constant links for their players.
With an extortionate release clause in Hulk’s contract, and having watched Roman Abramovich splash the cash on Eden Hazard, Marko Marin and Kevin De Bruyne this summer, Porto are looking to get the best possible price for the star man.
As yet there is no news on whether Chelsea are willing to pay this price, as a fee is all that is believed to be holding the transfer back from being completed.
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Last week Tommy Smith became New Zealand’s youngest ever captain after leading the All Whites to a 2-2 draw against El Salvador and then captaining the side again in their 1-0 win over Honduras.
The 22 year old central defender has had a lot of ups and downs since breaking into the first team through the Ipswich academy though.
Smith got his first chance to play first team football in February 2008 when he went on loan to Stevenage who were playing in the Conference National at the time. After impressing at Stevenage the youngster managed to earn himself his first start for Ipswich on the opening day of the 2008-09 season. In his first few games he showed great potential and fans were delighted by his encouraging start. Unfortunately, a couple of injuries stopped Smith from gaining as many first team appearances as he could have and after recovering was sent on loan to Brentford for 2 months.
It was after this loan period that Smith really showed his potential and earned himself a place in New Zealand’s squad for the 2010 World Cup.
During the World Cup New Zealand remarkably finished the tournament as the only unbeaten team and a large part of their success was down to their sturdy defence, which also included current West Ham defender Winston Reid. Smith played every minute of New Zealand’s World Cup campaign and when he returned to Ipswich for the 2010-11 season Ipswich fans were expecting great things.
This wasn’t to be the case though as Smith struggled to find the form he had maintained during the tournament. As the season dragged on and results were hard to come by many fans turned on the players. Smith was hit hard by critical fans and most believed that he no longer would make the cut at Championship level. It made sense for him to go back on loan to a lower division side but even when he went to Colchester on loan he couldn’t hold down a first team role.
As we see so often with young players, the pressure must have got to Smith after the World Cup because everyone at Ipswich was expecting so much from him. It always proves difficult for young players to maintain their form which is something the fans and media alike always seem to forget. After not impressing at Colchester, Smith almost became forgotten about at Portman Road and most fans had lost their faith in the young centre back.
It was always going to be a long road of recovery for Smith but the New Zealand captain dealt with the challenge well and finally during the later stages of last season he began to find his form once again. Paul Jewell needed to assess how well Smith would cope in the first team before he could let his contract run out this summer.
Smith relished this chance to prove his worth and put in some very solid shifts next to Damien Delaney at centre back. Now fans didn’t know what to think, as one moment they were sure he couldn’t handle Championship football then the next they saw him playing better than most defenders at that level. Paul Jewell has now decided to keep Smith and this could well be a decision that has a massive impact on next season. At 22 years old, Smith should now be able to play a full season with some consistency and could well be a permanent starter for Ipswich.
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It is clear that Smith has learnt a lot because he has been through these highs and lows in his career already. Nobody thought at one point in time that Smith would become a key player for Ipswich but now it looks like next season will be his year to really shine.
Obviously nothing is certain in football and a few solid displays from Smith doesn’t all of a sudden make him a world beater. However, it has been great to see a young player turn things around in a short space of time and prove his critics completely wrong. If he continues with how he left off last season then there is no reason why he shouldn’t feature regularly for Ipswich next season and beyond.
Czech Republic midfielder Tomas Rosicky stated his opinion that Cristiano Ronaldo does not contribute enough defensively for Portugal.
Ronaldo scored two crucial goals as Paulo Bento’s side dumped the Netherlands out at the group stage but so far every goal his team have conceded this tournament has originated from an attack down the Seleccao’s left, the wing on which the 27-year-old plays.
And as the two nations will meet in the Euro 2012 quarter-finals on Tuesday night, the Arsenal midfielder declared that as Ronaldo is not the best player in the world, he should help out his team-mates at the back.
“He’s a good attacker, but he doesn’t want to defend,” Rosicky said, according to The Sun.
“Sometimes you can be so good you can afford not to help the defence and just score goals. But is he the best player in the world? I don’t know if he is worthy.
“People say Portugal are the favourites but how do you recognise a big team. Especially out here, all the teams are strong and only small details will decide who wins.
“There are not five big teams then the rest of us. This will be one of our most difficult matches in the Euros but we feel we have a chance to go through even against Portugal.”
However, Czech coach Michal Bilek has admitted his team will need to be wary of the Real Madrid forward and will adjust their tactics accordingly.
“Ronaldo is an excellent player and we will adjust our tactics to reflect that, be more defensive,” he said.
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“Ronaldo can score 40 or 50 goals a season. To defend against him takes exceptional effort. We must not give him any space or it is impossible to stop him.
“We don’t have stars, beyond perhaps Petr Cech and Rosicky, if we defeat Portugal it will be down to the team. Russia punished us for opening up too much. We strengthened the defence and that was the key.”
The nature of change means that not all of us are going to be quite so receptive to the bold moves of Daniel Levy. Indeed, as a blaze of Portuguese suave in Andre Villas Boas extinguishes the old school charm of Harry Redknapp, some supporters have raised eyebrows at what many perceive as something of a gamble.
But if you rattle out the clichés; think dust settling and mist clearing, then you can see genuine hope and optimism oozing out of the white side of North London.
With a new manager comes new ideas. Tottenham Hotspur needed a fresh ideology and as the page turns on the swashbuckling era of Harry Redknapp, it feels as if everyone is finally on board with Villas Boas’ appointment.
It feels as if the scales have been out on Harry Redknapp’s reign as Spurs boss for weeks now. The appointment of Andre Villas Boas had caught the imagination of some supporters, but it has been the valuation of Redknapp’s legacy that has been debated just as fiercely.
Whether it’s been picking at his tactical acumen, lauding his style of football or peeling apart his flirtations with the England job, the last month has been as much about the past as it has about the future.
And Redknapp’s achievements, to some extent, demanded such a close examinations. It would be beyond the realms of patronizing to call out supporters who questioned the logic in replacing Redknapp with a man who failed to last a single season down the road at Chelsea.
But as managers remain the variable, it is the club that will always be the constant. Part of Tottenham Hotspur’s constant, is the immortal motto “Audere est Facere.” The appointment of Andre Villas Boas and the subsequent shot of adrenaline that it’s brought to the club has personified that line.
Break away the title chasing hyperbole that Spurs were burdened with at the turn of the year, but don’t forget where it originated from in the first place. The Lilywhite’s were playing superb football, taking points at home and away and were beginning to develop a resilience that has deserted the club in recent years. No one can begrudge the part Harry Redknapp has played in that.
But to put the shoe on the other foot, they should have without any doubt finished third. There is no shame in hitting the financial glass ceiling of the Premier League. But Spurs should be spending the summer budgeting for a team playing in the Champions League. The failure to have a Plan B, to shake things up tactically and to break stubborn teams away from home fell on Redknapp’s lap.
For some, that isn’t necessarily deemed a failure. Redknapp did superbly well during his time at the club and two fourth place finishes in three years is a level of relative success not tasted in years. Yet you can sense there is more to come from this squad. That glass ceiling hasn’t been reached yet.
“To Dare is to Do” isn’t encapsulated by settling for what you’ve got. A manager who can eek out those points that maybe Redknapp was unable to is what Spurs needed. Andre Villas Boas is a risk, but isn’t that what daring is all about?
It’s unfair to dub the legacy of Redknapp as something of a specter following the club. But perhaps the continuous ridiculing of supporters in the press by daring to dream has brought them closer together.
A new training ground, new players, new manager and even a new kit manufacturer has brought a whole different feeling to the club. Villas Boas has spoken intelligently and affluently and brings with him a persona that’s instilled cautious confidence and steely optimism. A long way away from Redknapp’s amusing, yet often self-proclaiming press outings.
The way AVB spoke of building towards something are the sort of words supporters long to hear. Supporters felt almost embarrassed when talk of the title was bumbled about earlier on in the year. Villas Boas didn’t seem to blush when he mentioned the “t” word. For him, that is the requirement, the standard that the football club should be reaching.
Ambition, mentality and building are the words used at White Hart Lane from now on. The days of fans being told how grateful they should be for the good football or how unlucky the team was are over. Both Andre Villas Boas and Harry Redknapp possess sizeable egos. It just seems as if Villas Boas’ is fuelled by a diet of silverware and success.
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Maybe this is what has strengthened the feeling of anticipation at White Hart Lane this summer. Villas Boas represents a risk of sorts and that cannot be denied, as the achievements of Redknapp can’t either. But he has a determination and attitude that can galvanize the football club. He will have to get it right on the pitch, but off of it, he is already showing why he’s ben appointed.
Spurs might not currently have a title ready squad. But they have a title-craving manager. Who knows what the future holds on the pitch for AVB- but if he can harness the mood of the present, then maybe supporters will finally start speaking with the same sort of tone.
Have you brought into AVB-mania? Do you believe he can push the club into the unknown? Tell us what you think on Twitter, follow @samuel_antrobus
Manchester United are believed to have agreed a fee with Sao Paulo for Lucas Moura, and are closing in on a deal to bring him to Old Trafford, Sky Sports claim.
The Red Devils are in the market for a central midfield playmaker as a long-term replacement for Paul Scholes, and have been in negotiations with the Brasileiro club all summer over a possible deal.
Despite a credited interest from the likes of Inter and Real Madrid, United are thought to be close to agreeing a deal to bring Moura to England, with the Premier League club hopeful an agreement can be reached this week.
Sir Alex Ferguson opted to miss United’s pre-season game against Valerenga in Norway in order to stay in England to help push a deal through.
Moura is currently part of the Brazilian squad in the Olympics, and could feature against South Korea at Old Trafford on Tuesday.
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With the imminent signing of Robin Van Persie from Arsenal for £24m, Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson hopes his new strike quartet can emulate his treble-winning forwards of 1999.
13 years ago, forwards Andy Cole, Dwight Yorke, Teddy Sheringham and Ole Solskjaer were feared throughout Europe, and the Scottish manager hopes his new quartet of strikers can do the same. When Van Persie completes his move in the next 24 hours, he will join England forwards Wayne Rooney and Danny Welbeck alongside Mexican international Javier Hernandez.
Ferguson told The Sun “It’s great to have a player of Van Persie’s quality to come into the squad as it is. I’m really pleased. Rooney and Van Persie are two fantastic players and it’s tremendous to have both of them. What it gives us is more strength and combinations up front. Going back to the 1999 season, we had Yorke, Cole, Sheringham and Solskjaer — the four best strikers in Europe. We’re getting towards that now, with Wayne, Robin, Chicharito and Danny Welbeck. It’s a fantastic collection of players. I just hope that I pick the right combinations.”
Speaking of Van Persie, Ferguson continued: “He has not signed yet but a fee has been agreed. He will have a medical and, hopefully, that will go according to plan. We hope all these things will be tied up shortly. But sometimes medicals take a little longer and it may carry on until Friday. I’m sure he will be available for Monday’s game.” This suggests the Dutch international may make his debut for Manchester United on Monday against Everton at Goodison Park. However, after only playing half a match for the entire preseason, it is more likely he will occupy a spot on the bench.
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Tottenham have accepted a bid in excess of £9 million for defender Michael Dawson, according to Sky Sports.
The England international has captained the club in the past and grown in stature at White Hart Lane since signing from Nottingham Forest, but is thought to be surplus to requirements.
Andre Villas-Boas left Dawson out of his match-day squad for the opening day defeat to Newcastle, with Younes Kaboul and William Gallas preferred by the Portuguese coach.
With new signing Jan Vertonghen and promising youngster Steven Caulker also available at centre-half, AVB is ready to offload Dawson before the transfer window ends.
It is believed that QPR, who lost 5-0 to Swansea at home on the opening day of this campaign, are the frontrunners for Dawson’s signature, with Spurs accepting a bid.
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It is now up to the player to agree personal terms with the Loftus Road outfit to facilitate a move.
The latest move by Liverpool’s owners Fenway Sports Group (FSG) has been to look at implementing a collaborative technical committee at the club, but does this simply leave current manager Brendan Rodgers accountable for others failings? And is it the latest example of FSG’s well-intentioned plans lacking any coherent long-term thought behind them?
John W. Henry stated in his open letter to the club’s fans last week: “We are still in the process of reversing the errors of previous regimes. It will not happen overnight. It has been compounded by our own mistakes in a difficult first two years of ownership. It has been a harsh education, but make no mistake, the club is healthier today than when we took over. After almost two years at Anfield, we are close to having the system we need in place. It will not be easy, it will not be perfect, but there is a clear vision at work.”
In terms of the tweaking of the club’s playing style out on the pitch, under Rodgers so far, there is of course a clear vision at work, with a possession-based ethos at work, but off the pitch, the club still look all over the place nearly two years after FSG took over the club when it was on the brink of financial meltdown.
The Spirit of Shankly group are often widely mocked for the high regard that they hold themselves in, possessing an over-inflated sense of their own importance. However, their demand last week that a recognised executive is brought in to run the club from day-to-day was a sound one.
The departure of Pep Segura will certainly hit home even more now, after being promised a promotion under the previous tenure of Kenny Dalglish that never came and he resigned for ‘family reasons’ last month. While long-term target for a role in the new system, Louis van Gaal has already accepted the position of the national coach of Holland.
Ian Ayre told reporters at Rodgers press conference unveiling: “The structure is a more continental Director of Football structure where you have got a collaborative group of people working around the football area. We don’t envisage, at this moment in time, having a Director of Football per se, but having a group of people that will work collaboratively with Brendan to deliver the football side of things. It’s not signing by committee, it’s analysis by committee. Certainly not a structure where we would force any player on the manager.”
The set-up is likely to consist of a chief scout and a footballing administrator, much like West Brom and Manchester City have with both Dan Ashworth and Brian Marwood, although Roberto Mancini’s very public frustrations with the latter should show that this more continental system does not come without its own faults.
It appears as if Rodgers has been keenly aware of this technical committee being set up for some time, stating on his first day as Liverpool boss: “That was one of the items I brought up when I was speaking with the club, that I wouldn’t work directly with a Director of football. I work best around a group of people. You come to a big club or any club, you can’t do it on your own. There’s not one of us who’s better than all of us.
“Of course there has to be leadership, but if it was a Sporting Director that was something that I made quite clear that I couldn’t work with. What you need at a football club is an outstanding recruitment team, an outstanding medical team, an outstanding sports science team and player liaison team and these are all people who will come into the group and we will form a little technical board. There will be four or five people around that group who will decide the way forward.”
There still appears to be a lack of clarity to the roles at the moment, though, and should the club continue to under-perform, then where will the blame lie? Is it the collaborative panel that will help Rodgers liable? Addressing a shortfall in the club’s current system is all well and good, but why has it taken FSG so long to get going on the issue?
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FSG have shown a distinct lack of leadership time and time again over the stadium issue and now whether Rodgers requires a technical committee in place. A deadline day botch-up, the likes of which the club could have avoided with a new, fully-operational system in place like the one mooted above and it smacks of not only needless caution but a lack of certainty about what they want to do with the club – there’s only so long that you can blame the previous regime before people start to take a closer inspection of your own time in charge and FSG need to step up to the plate now and be decisive here.