Arsenal striker Robin van Persie has admitted that he is proud to equal Thierry Henry’s goalscoring record for most goals in a calendar year.
The Netherlands international scored against Aston Villa on Wednesday night to make it 34 goals for the North London club in 2011, equalling the French attacker’s record.
Despite being honoured at achieving the tally, Van Persie feels that winning trophies for Arsene Wenger’s men is more important than individual accolades.
“It is a big honour to equal Thierry’s record because he is probably the best player Arsenal ever had. To achieve what he did in a year is really special. It makes me proud,” he told The Daily Mail.
“I think it has helped that I haven’t missed a single Premier League game and featured for 90 minutes in most of them.
“When you have a good run, and you feel fresh and fit, you try things, you take more risks here and there than, for example, if you are just coming back from injury. You always need a couple of games when you’re back from injury.
“As a striker I think it is really important to have a go. If you look at my performances, I take more risks now because I know with the team behind me I will always get more chances.
“It’s not that I only get one chance normally, I always get one, two, three, sometimes four chances in a game. That sort of tells me that I can take a risk here and there.
“It (the scoring records) is not my main target. The main target is to win games and to help my team out and to have a good run.
“After losing to Manchester City, it is always really important to bounce back after a defeat. Great teams do bounce back and that’s what we had to do at Villa on Wednesday.
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“Now we have Wolves on Tuesday, then afterwards QPR both at home, so hopefully we can have a good run again,” he concluded.
Coupe de la Ligue: Marseille 1 Montpellier 0Marseille claimed their second-straight Coupe de la Ligue with a 1-0 win over Montpellier in the final on Saturday.
Nigerian defender Taye Taiwo scored the only goal of the game in the 81st minute as Marseille became the first side to successfully defend the Cup in its 17-year history.
The French champions went within inches of opening the scoring in the 32nd minute through midfielder Mathieu Valbuena.
He controlled a loose ball on his chest and hit a half-volley from just inside the area, but it struck the post and bounced clear.
In a scrappy second half, Montpellier defender Cyril Jeunechamp came close when he tested Marseille goalkeeper Steve Mandanda with a fierce drive.
But the Cup holders would eventually find a breakthrough nine minutes from full-time.
Montpellier shot-stopper Laurent Pionnier failed to make a decent connection to his attempted clearance from a free kick, and Taiwo’s right-footed strike found the bottom corner through a sea of bodies.
Marseille will be hoping their success has the same impact as it did last season when they went on to win Ligue 1. Didier Deschamps’ side sits a point behind leaders Lille with seven games remaining this campaign.
Birmingham City vice-chairman Peter Pannu has launched a withering attack on Blues manager Alex McLeish, insisting that the Scotsman is 'no Jose Mourinho'.
Talks over new contract at St Andrew's have hit the buffers in recent weeks, with Pannu claiming that McLeish is asking for far too much money.
He told the Daily Star:"I have been in talks with his representative and he was asking for a very large amount of money, which I was not prepared to meet.
"He has not been tried and tested yet. The club was relegated, then promoted and last year we stayed up, so he has done well.
"But to suggest that he is in the top class like a Mourinho, well, he is no Mourinho yet. The ball is in his court."
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McLeish, who has been linked with the managerial vacancy at nearby Aston Villa, took charge at City in November 2007, following spells in charge of Motherwell, Hibernian, Rangers and the Scotland national team.Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
Liverpool have been criticised for their unrelenting support for Luis Suarez by Kick It Out chairman Lord Ouseley.
The Uruguay international was found guilty of racial abuse against Patrice Evra in The Reds’ 1-1 draw with Manchester United back in October, and handed an eight-match ban.
Despite this, the Anfield club’s players wore t-shirts with Suarez’s face on it as a mark of support in a recent warm-up, and Kenny Dalglish has been adamant in his backing of the player.
This conduct is deemed as hypocritical by Ouseley, who feels the Merseysiders are guilty of double standards.
“Liverpool FC need to take a hard look at themselves and how they have responded to the complaint and the investigations into the allegations of abuse in the Patrice Evra/Luis Suarez case,” he stated to The Guardian.
“Throughout the entirety of the proceedings, over the past three months, all we have heard are denials and denigration of Evra. Since the publication of the 115-page report of the findings of the FA’s independent commission, Liverpool’s vitriol has increased.
”Suarez’s attempt at a belated apology is nothing short of lamentable. I cannot believe that a club of Liverpool’s stature, and with how it has previously led on matters of social injustice and inequality, can allow its integrity and credibility to be debased by such crass and ill-considered responses.
”Liverpool have been particularly hypocritical. You can’t on the one hand wear a Kick It Out T-shirt in a week of campaigning against racism when this is also happening on the pitch: it’s the height of hypocrisy.
”Liverpool players wore a T-shirt saying: ‘We support Luis Suarez’, seemingly whatever the outcome. This was a dreadful knee-jerk reaction because it stirs things up,” he concluded.
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Well here’s to the most pointless set of Champions League quarter final second legs in the history of its existence? Certainly for a very long time! Football fans the world over watched the eagerly anticipated draw in mid-March; mouths watering over the possibility of Harry vs. Jose, Gareth Bale adding Real Madrid to his list of ‘teams I destroyed this season’, the all-English clash of the titans Chelsea vs. United, Torres finally finding himself or Ancelotti out of a job, a refreshing bunch of youthful talented players in Shakhtar Donetsk (who won at the Camp Nou in December 2008) shocking the world by beating the best team in the world, and the current holders; the almighty Inter Milan after their breath-taking tie with Bayern in the last round coming face-to-face with surprise package Shalke 04 led by the ever aging, every prolific Raul. “What a draw” we said, “An all-English final, AT WEMBLEY” we said. And how wrong we were!
If anything there was goals, in fact in the first legs alone we saw eighteen hit the back of the net! None more so than Dejan Stankovic’s unbelievable first-time volley from the halfway line and Angel Di Maria’s thunderous strike at the Bernabeu. But as brilliant and as plentiful as they were they all served one miserable purpose which was to kill off any chance of a spectacle in the second leg.
Tottenham’s 4-0 drubbing at the hands of Real Madrid pretty much sealed their fate, a double from ex-Gunner Emmanuel Adebayor and the stupidity of red-carded Peter Crouch cost them a place in the semi-final a week ago. But nevertheless Harry’s boys turned in a typically defiant first half performance in the second leg; with a bit of luck they might have had a penalty or two. But then the calamitous Heurelho Gomes pressed the self-destruct button five minutes after the break. My 70-year-old Nan could’ve saved Ronaldo’s speculative effort, but not Gomes. 5-0 on aggregate and an away goal (despite wishful thinking from ITV who thought Spurs deserved the goal) well and truly distinguished any hopes of a comeback, as if we didn’t already know. The White Hart Lane faithful showed their appreciation after the game; Harry now turns his attentions to that crucial fourth-place finish. The special one on the other hand could still fulfil his prophecy and win Europe’s biggest prize with three different clubs, but it’s not going to be easy, El Clasico awaits!
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Tuesday night’s clash between United and Chelsea was the only competitive one of the round. Wayne Rooney resisted the urge to stick two fingers up towards his critics at Stamford Bridge when he bagged a crucial winner in the first leg and Torres once again showed his worth, £50 million of pure class, I think? No, Not at all actually. Ancelotti left us all amazed when he substituted the lively Drogba instead of the woeful Torres. The Spaniard started again in the second leg and you have to wonder who actually made that decision. Abramovich’s prized asset failed to get on the score sheet, while at the other end Hernandez (£44 million cheaper) put United ahead. El’ Nino hauled off in the interval and Drogba showed his worth. With 13 minutes to play he gave hope to the ten-man Blues, but it didn’t last long; seconds later Park Ji-Sung booked United’s place in the semis.
Completing the semi-final line up, Schalke and Barcelona surprised nobody. Schalke phenomenally won 5-2 at the San Siro in their first leg. Even the goal of the tournament so far just one minute in from Stankovic wasn’t enough to halt the German side that took Inter to pieces, following it up with a 2-1 win on home soil, 7-3 on aggregate!
Barcelona were in typically punishing mood when Shakhtar Donetsk came to visit in the first leg of their quarter final. The only surprise here was Lionel Messi’s failure to score in the 5-1 rout. The little Argentinian put it right in the second leg however; his 43rd minute goal was enough to secure the win, can’t imagine many people tuned in for this enthralling encounter!
So is it worth us getting excited about this year’s semi-finals? Of course it is! United won’t find it easy when they travel to Schalke, the threat of Raul could leave them with it all to do at Old Trafford. No doubt Mourinho will have something up his sleeve for Barca, and he’s going to need it if he wants to prevent a repeat of the 5-0 hiding they received earlier in the season.
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The dream final has to be United vs. Barca. It’s difficult to see anyone beating Guardiola’s boys right now but if anyone is up to the task then it’s a fully-fit United at Wembley! Ferdinand and Vidic will have to be fit and United’s fans need to make it feel like Old Trafford.
Wolves manager Mick McCarthy has allowed Austria international Stefan Maierhofer to join Duisburg on a season-long loan arrangement.
The 27-year-old only moved to Molineux last summer in a £1.8million transfer but failed to impress, starting only two matches for McCarthy's team.
He scored on his debut as a late substitute in a 3-1 defeat to Blackburn Rovers last September, but was loaned out to Bristol City for the last two months of the campaign. However, the striker failed to find the net in three appearances for the Robins.
He has now been given the chance to resurrect his career with the German second division club and could earn a permanent switch if he impresses.
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Meanwhile, Wolves have denied that Sam Vokes is set to sign for Crystal Palace but Andy Keogh continues to be linked with a move away from the club.Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
Pressure continues to mount on Chelsea boss Andre Villas Boas, as his side threw away a 1-0 lead to get beaten 2-1 by Bayer Leverkusen at the BayArena on Wednesday night.
Didier Drogba had given the Premier League club the advantage with a neat finish early in the second half, but Eren Derdiyok equalised soon after, and Manuel Friedrich gave the Bundesliga outfit all three points in injury time.
The result moves Leverkusen into top spot of Champions League Group E, whilst The Blues drop to second and are level on points with Valencia.
Unai Emery’s team destroyed Genk 7-0 in the other pool game, with Spain international Roberto Soldado grabbing a hat-trick.
With Chelsea to host Valencia at Stamford Bridge in the last game of the group, it is a do-or-die clash for the English team, but Villas Boas feels confident his team can still progress.
“We believe in what we do, we believe in the talent of these players, we believe in them and that talent that is going to take us through to qualification – of course,” he told Sky Sports.
“Any negative result is difficult, we were organised and compact, but we have conceded on the details and that has made the difference, we have to improve our focus and concentration levels.
“We thought we had the game in our hands at 1-0 as we were compact and solid and had good chance for 2-0 but we didn’t take the chance and eventually paid heavily in the last minute.
“Obviously with the run of defeats you improve your work, focus and determination because at the moment it is not sufficient.
“I think we defended well as a team in the 90-minutes – the first goal we lacked concentration and on the set-plays when you are not tuned to it, and even if you are, players can anticipate you and they made the most of the opportunity they got to take an unfair result in my opinion but that is the reality, a defeat where we should have got something – it is not happening for us,” he concluded.
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Chelsea have Wolves at home on Saturday, and simply must pick up three points to stop the bad run of form.
%image% Liverpool’s Dirk Kuyt scored two late goals as the Netherlands beat Hungary in an eight-goal thriller in Amsterdam on Tuesday.
The hosts moved to the brink of booking their finals but berth were pushed all the way as the visitors – beaten 4-0 in the reverse fixture in Budapest on Friday – twice fought their way back into the game.
Arsenal striker Robin van Persie’s early strike gave the Dutch a half-time advantage but goals from Gergely Rudolf and Zoltan Gera turned the game on its head.
Gera equalised again after goals from Wesley Sneijder and Ruud van Nistelrooy had got Holland back in front, before Kuyt had the final say to move Bert van Marwijk’s side to 18 points from six games.
In Soha, Sweden had to withstand a late barrage from Moldova to claim a 2-1 win.
The Swedes were able to break the deadlock on the half hour through Mikael Lustig.
But the result of the game was not confirmed until eight minutes from the end when Sebastian Larsson notched Sweden’s second, with Zlatan Ibrahimovic missing from the spot before the interval.
Gutsy Moldova were able to salvage some pride when Alexandr Suvorov grabbed a consolation goal.
Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp has admitted he has serious defensive concerns ahead of the new season.
Redknapp is facing the prospect of starting the new campaign without either the injury-plagued Jonathan Woodgate or captain Ledley King.
Woodgate made only three appearances last season following a long-running groin problem which required surgery.
Meanwhile, King's chronic knee problems means he cannot train fully and his appearances must be carefully managed.
King also had a groin problem picked up while on World Cup duty with England.
"Jonathan will not be fit for the start of the season. He's in a position where he can't train or kick a ball," explained Redknapp, who also has fellow central defenders Sebastien Bassong, Younes Kaboul and Michael Dawson to call upon.
"Ledley has come back and his knee is not great and he has a groin problem."
Meanwhile, Redknapp claims that despite the injury problems, his squad which finished fourth last season can seriously challenge for the Premier League title.
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He added:"You have to go in believing. I said last year we could get into the Champions League and we managed to do so.
"If you don't aim for the top you are never going to reach there. I think we could have a real go this year."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
Manchester City winger Adam Johnson has put pen to paper on a new contract at the Etihad Stadium, keeping him at the club until 2015.
The England international and big-spending Premier League club have been locked in discussions over a new deal for a number of months, but Sky Sports can reveal that the extension has been agreed.
Rumours have circulated in the English press that Johnson, who joined the side from Middlesbrough for £7 million back in January 2010, was displeased with his lack of regular first team action and a move was potentially on the cards.
However the new deal will go far to quash the speculation, as Johnson now fights to be more of a frequent fixture in Roberto Mancini’s starting XI.
Mirror Football indicate that the club will double the 24-year-old’s wages, with his current salary of £45,000-a-week being boosted to £90,000-a-week.
Johnson will be in contention for City this weekend, as they host Newcastle at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.
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