December 2007 Archives
PREMIERSHIP FOOTBALL
Arseanal and Manchester United picked up vital wins at the weekend to keep their respective title aspirations alive but who has what it takes to last the pace and be crowned Premier Champions next year?
In any long distance race being perched on the shoulder of the leader is always the favoured position.
That way you know when you have to put your foot down and inject that extra speed to see you cross the line in pole position.
So when Sir Alex Ferguson looks at the Premier League table this morning and sees his side in second place he'll be more than happy.
In beating Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday Manchester United registered their 6th 1-0 win of the Premiership season.
With the likes of Tevez, Ronaldo, Rooney and others in top flow the defending Champions will take some stopping but if any manager can conjur up the magic to spoil Fergie's party then it's Arsene Wegner.
The Frenchman was understandably euphoric at the final whistle of the win over Chelsea at the weekend and said Arsenal are good enough to last the pace until the end of the season.
He said " It is good that we are still top because we put pressure on Manchester United. They have to know that we're there and we'll be there until the end of the season. We know we have to work every game and we will not give up."
PREMIERSHIP
INTERNATIONAL FOOTBALL
I listened with dismay this week as English managers and former players criticised the Football Association for appointing Fabio Capello as the next England manager.
The likes of Steve Coppell, Gareth Southgate and even ex Wales boss Mark Hughes say they should have gone for an English man for the International hot seat.
Southgate who certainly didn't shower himself in glory when wearing the white shirt said " I don't think an England team should be coached by anyone other than an English man."
This coming from a player who says he loved playing under Swede Sven Goran Eriksson.
Coppell, currently boss of Reading said "I am sad. I am a proud English manager and would have loved an Englishman to have been in charge."
If Coppell was so worried then many will wonder why he didn't apply for the job himself then.
PREMIERSHIP FOOTBALL
It's Sir Alex Ferguson's birthday on New Year's Eve but he must have thought it came early at the weekend as both Arsenal and Liverpool crashed to unexpected defeats.
To cap it all off Ryan Giggs (left) scored his 100th league goal for United as the Premier League Champions waltzed to a 4-1 win over Paul Jewell's Derby County.
At the Madejski on Saturday Liverpool seemed to have had their minds on other things and when manager Benitez took off Steven Gerrard with 20 minutes remaining Reds fans must have realised the gaffer was interested in this week's Champions League must win game against Marseille and not the three points at Reading.
But the best early birthday present for Ferguson came on Sunday when Middlesbrough suprised all by defeating League leaders Arsenal in convincing fashion.
From the bench a sombre Arsene Wegner sat motionless as Gareth Southgate's side, who had started the day in the bottom three, ran the gunners ragged eventually winning 2-1.
Stewart Downing opened the scoring in the 4th minute for Boro from the penalty spot after former Arsenal striker Jeremie Aliadiere was brought down by Kolo Toure.
A deserved second goal arrived for the home side in the 74th minute when Tuncay Sanli fired to the net from a tight angle to send the Riverside into a celebratory frenzy.
BOXING
Ricky Hatton has decided not to take the advice of former World Heavyweight Champion Lennox Lewis after suffering a comprehensive defeat at the hands of Floyd Mayweather in Las Vegas on Sunday monring.
Lewis said in the wake of the welterweight loss " Ricky now has to sit down and see how he wants to re-establish his career. But if it were me, unless I feel I could come back and beat Mayweather, then I would retire."
However 29 'Hitman' Hatton says he has no intention of hanging up the gloves.
He said on Sunday " I'm not finished, I'll be back, don't worry. I'll have a few months off and have a proper think and speak to my trainer Billy Graham. I still think I've got improvement in me but tonight wasn't my night."
The British fighter was stopped in the 10th round by the impressive Mayweather in the first defeat of his professional career.
Reacting to the defeat trainer Billy Graham said that his man must now move down a weight division as welterweight does not suit Hatton.
Regarding the issue of retirement Graham said " If I thought he was slipping, I'd be the first to advise him to retire, but the way I feel is if he wants to carry on, I'll be with him until I do see those signs."
Hatton's legion of supporters (15,000 of them were in the MGM Grand arena for the fight) will be also be hoping their favourite son keeps fighting and keeps giving 100 %.
It might only be early December but already the form of the top four means any points dropped gives a distinct advantage to the others.
On Wednesday night at St. James' Park Wegner watched his Premier League leaders stumble to a 1-1 draw with a Newcastle United side who have been poor so far this season.
Remember this is the same Newcastle side who were hammered 3-0 at home two weeks ago when Liverpool picked up all three points in the North East.
Many in the know have questioned the depth in talent of the current squad and believe as the season progresses the gunners will suffer for not having accomplished players to spring from the bench.
For the visit to Middlesbrough on Sunday Arsenal will again be without Cesc Fabregas, Mathieu Flamini, Alexander Hleb, Robin Van Persie and Abou Diaby.
Its fair to say that any side would suffer if robbed of such talent and Arsenal seem no different.
With confidence shaken the likes of Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea will be hoping the Gunner's impressive start to the season is about to end.
BOXING
Rarely in recent times has a fight attracted so much attention.
In the early hours of Sunday morning Stockport's Ricky Hatton will face Floyd Mayweather Jr in the biggest welterweight fight since the 1999 clash between Oscar De La Hoya and Felix 'Tito' Trinidad.
The MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas is the venue and thousands of British fans are expected to flood the arena cheering on their man.
Both fighters are undefeated and Hatton predicts the majority of the pressure will rest on his opponents shoulders.
He said " He's got to dig deep at the weekend to win. I've never seen Floyd did deep, grab the bull by the horns and pull a fight out of the bag. I'm sure he's in the best shape of his life, but he does not realise how good I am and that's going to be a shock for him."
