Mourinho sees limitations as Chelsea stumble

Mourinho sees limitations as Chelsea stumble

 

West Bromwich (United Kingdom) (AFP)

 

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho felt that his team's draw against West Bromwich Albion underlined his controversial claim that the London club are the underdogs in the Premier League title battle.

 

Substitute Victor Anichebe's late equaliser on Tuesday earned West Brom a 1-1 draw that meant Chelsea were forced to settle for a lead of two points, as opposed to four, at the top of the table.

 

Branislav Ivanovic's goal in first-half stoppage time had given Mourinho's team the lead, but their failure to secure maximum points gives both Arsenal and Manchester City, who play on Wednesday, the chance to claim top spot.

 

The Portuguese played down his side's chances in the race to be crowned champions following their recent 1-0 victory over City at the Etihad Stadium, referring to them as the title race's "little horse".

 

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho felt that his team's draw against West Bromwich Albion underlined his controversial claim that the London club are the underdogs in the Premier League title battle.

 

Substitute Victor Anichebe's late equaliser on Tuesday earned West Brom a 1-1 draw that meant Chelsea were forced to settle for a lead of two points, as opposed to four, at the top of the table.

 

Branislav Ivanovic's goal in first-half stoppage time had given Mourinho's team the lead, but their failure to secure maximum points gives both Arsenal and Manchester City, who play on Wednesday, the chance to claim top spot.

 

The Portuguese played down his side's chances in the race to be crowned champions following their recent 1-0 victory over City at the Etihad Stadium, referring to them as the title race's "little horse".

 

Anichebe, on the pitch 14 minutes as a replacement for Morgan Amalfitano, headed home in the 87th minute to secure a precious point that lifted West Brom out of the bottom three by virtue of goal difference.

 

Mourinho refused to point the finger at individuals, but he admitted that his team, who were without the injured John Terry, had lacked "personality".

 

"I don't speak about names. We as a team made mistakes," he said.

 

"I don't like to individualise and if John is not here, it is not because I don't want, it is because he can't.

 

"He is a guy with big personality and it could be different. We accepted for too long their dominance in the last 20 minutes. We made a couple of defensive mistakes and were punished in one.

 

"My defensive line started playing too deep. We gave them the ball and waited for them to put it in our box and fight against it. But it is not our game.

 

"I think also a bit of a lack of personality. We must have the personality to get out. At the end of the day it is one more point and we have one more than the previous day."

 

West Brom manager Pepe Mel has now drawn all three of his home matches since taking charge of the Midlands club in January, but is still searching for a first win.

 

"I am proud of my players," said the Spaniard.

 

"It was good to have different halves -- the first was good defence, only two chances for Chelsea.

 

"The second good attack and mentality. It was the best performance (of his tenure). This is a good team we were playing.

 

"We have a day off then go to Spain for what will be like a pre-season (training camp). If we play as we did in the second half, we will win games."

 

(Agence France-Presse, 12 Wednesday February 2014 The Roman)

 

 

Wenger eyes swift Arsenal return to summit

Wenger eyes swift Arsenal return to summit

 

London (AFP)

 

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger wants his side to apply pressure on their Premier League title rivals by reclaiming top spot with victory over Crystal Palace on Sunday.

 

The Gunners lost their place at the summit of the table to Manchester City following their mid-week 2-2 draw at Southampton.

 

While Arsenal dropped points at St Mary's last Tuesday, City were rampant in a 5-1 mauling of Tottenham Hotspur 24 hours later.

 

But Wenger hopes his men can get back to winning ways immediately at the Emirates Stadium against Tony Pulis' resurgent outfit.

 

That will restore a two-point advantage for the Gunners over nearest rivals City, who host third-place Chelsea on Monday.

 

"That's our target," Wenger said.

 

"Can you win the next game if you give absolutely everything? Yes, so let's do it.

 

"It is a great opportunity for us to win our game and respond to our draw at Southampton.

 

"At the moment they (City) are on fire. But I believe we have just to focus on our own run because if you look at the schedule, if we are consistent we have a good chance to do it.

 

"You cannot speculate on any weakness in Man City in the coming months. So let's focus on us, and our strengths, in the coming months.

 

"It is the way we can do, if we keep the consistency and manage to win the big games -- one of them will be Man City at home (on March 29).

 

"Of course that will be very important. Of course they had an impressive win, and a great quality game as well at Tottenham.

 

“But if you analyse it well, this game could have turned as well. All the turning points went in their favour. If they had not gone ahead, you are not sure they would have won the game."

 

Arsenal have suffered a major injury blow, with Aaron Ramsey ruled out for up to six weeks with a recurrence of a thigh problem.

 

The Wales midfielder has been one of the stand-out performers for the Gunners this season, scoring 13 goals for the north Londoners in all competitions.

 

He will miss crunch league fixtures in February against Liverpool and Manchester United, the FA Cup fifth-round clash with Brendan Rodgers's men, and the mouth-watering Champions League last 16 first-leg tie against Bayern Munich.

 

"He finished training normally, came in and had pain. We checked in on the scan and is was a recurrence of his muscle problem," Wenger said.

 

"Why did it happen? Have we not been cautious enough? We have respected the procedures. Maybe we should have been a bit more cautious, but it was not obvious."

 

Wenger reacted to Ramsey's injury by bringing in Sweden international midfielder Kim Kallstrom from Spartak Moscow on a short-term loan deal.

 

Improving Palace have lost only twice in their last six matches under new manager Pulis, who has seen his side climb to 14th place in the table.

 

The south London club brought a raft of new players to the club before the January transfer window closed on Friday.

 

Goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey, centre-back Scott Dann and midfielders Joe Ledley and Tom Ince all arrived at Selhurst Park, while Jason Puncheon's loan move from Southampton was turned into a permanent transfer.

 

"Obviously it was good business done by the football club and we just hope it gels as quick as necessary to get us the points to keep us in the Premiership (Premier League)," Pulis told Sky Sports.

 

"The important thing was getting competition, and also getting cover. There's almost a third of the season to go, and we needed that.

 

"What we've got to do now is get them into the groove as quickly as we can."

 

(Agence France-Presse, 2 Sunday February 2014 The Roman)

 

Aston Villa 0 Manchester United 3: match report

Aston Villa 0 Manchester United 3: match report

 

Read a full match report for the Premier League game between Aston Villa and Manchester United at Villa Park on Sunday, December 15 2013.

 

[caption id="attachment_10783" align="alignnone" width="400"] (Celebrations: Manchester United players congratulate each other after scoring against Villa (Photo ACTION IMAGES))[/caption]

 

David Moyes walked slightly nervously towards the away dug-out for the first half, politely declining a request for an autograph from a lady in an Aston Villa beanie.

 

Making the same touchline journey for the ­second period, Moyes was far more relaxed, signing that autograph and shaking hands, having watched his much-criticised Manchester United side dominate Villa, scoring twice through Danny Welbeck.

 

By the end, Moyes was really smiling, having seen more sublime passing from Wayne Rooney and having admired Tom Cleverley crown a hard-working display with a well-taken goal, a moment that will do much for the midfielder’s confidence.

 

Moyes knows he will face far more robust challenges than this from an anaemic Villa side but this Premier League win, a first in five, still felt like a real tonic for the United manager.

 

The headlines will froth with less angst and abuse.

 

The phone-in polemics will simmer down.

 

Hysteria has left the building (for the time being).

 

Christmas now resembles a time of goodwill.

 

United have West Ham United at home followed by trips to Hull City and Norwich City.

 

They will certainly be buoyed by this visit to the Midlands.

 

Other pluses included the performances of Antonio Valencia and Rafael, who linked well and crossed impressively; 48.1 per cent of United’s moves came down the right compared to 25.7 per cent through the centre and 26.2 per cent via the left.

 

Darren Fletcher came on for his first game since Boxing Day 2012 after battling ulcerative colitis and his every touch was cheered by the United throng.

 

Phil Jones and Jonny Evans were rarely troubled at the back because Villa were so poor.

 

As potential ambushes go, this proved more of a welcome mat.

 

Seven points from a possible 24 at home is an alarming return for Villa and the Holte End was admirably restrained at the final whistle.

 

Barring an enterprising opening 10 minutes when Marc Albrighton twice tested David De Gea, Paul Lambert’s side were outclassed.

 

They lacked leadership on the field, ideas and defensive cohesion.

 

Only Albrighton seemed prepared to take on the champions with the requisite levels of invention and poise.

 

Villa were again handicapped by Christian Benteke’s loss of the swagger that made him such a potent force last season.

 

Benteke’s goals helped to keep Villa up and they urgently need him back in the old defence-shredding routine to prevent any slide and also dispel any suggestion that the Belgian looks a transfer request waiting to happen.

 

Gabby Agbonlahor was briefly influential but otherwise cautioned, ruling him out of the trip to Stoke City next Saturday.

 

Experienced Villa observers voiced their frustration.

 

“I just despair at times,’’ said their former striker Dean Saunders, who was covering the game for Radio Five Live.

 

“I know there’s a difference in budget but I watch the strikers and Agbonlahor, Benteke and [substitute Libor] Kozak have not put enough into it.’’

 

Saunders was particularly annoyed by the lack of effort closing down opposing players.

 

“I remember when I was a kid and I didn’t chase the goalkeeper and my youth coach sent me home for a week and told me not to bother coming back until he phoned me. As a striker you’ve got to run and they don’t work hard enough.”

 

Villa were outwitted in midfield.

 

They lined up 4-3-3 but United coped easily with Karim El Ahmadi, Ashley Westwood and Yacouba Sylla in midfield because the exceptional Rooney constantly dropped back to help Cleverley and Ryan Giggs.

 

Villa were either passed through or simply bypassed.

 

United’s speed down the right brought Welbeck’s brace.

 

With Robin van Persie out for a month and Javier Hernandez injured in training, Welbeck took his opportunity emphatically, starting after 15 minutes.

 

Rafael sent in a cross, rising towards Adnan Januzaj, whose header against the post rebounded across goal.

 

Welbeck reacted quickest, volleying the ball in.

 

“We are staying up,’’ came the laughing chant from the visiting fans, mocking reports of their demise.

 

Within three minutes, they were singing “champions” as United tore Villa’s obliging defence apart again.

 

Cleverley was gifted the ball by Nathan Baker in midfield.

 

This time Valencia delivered the ball in for the sliding Welbeck to double the visitors’ lead.

 

Villa were like their manager’s jacket: too short at the back.

 

United were in command.

 

Rooney and Welbeck shot just wide while Januzaj embarked on a couple of dazzling runs before the interval.

 

So Moyes willingly stopped to meet local requests before resuming his position in the dug-out, celebrating a third goal within five minutes.

 

Cleverley exchanged passes with Rooney, whose return was exquisite.

 

Struck with the outside of his right boot, Rooney delivered the ball behind Villa’s defence for Cleverley to run on and shoot past Brad Guzan.

 

Villa were beaten.

 

Matthew Lowton ploughed through Januzaj after 64 minutes and was fortunate that Lee Mason deemed it only a yellow.

 

Four minutes later, Moyes removed Januzaj and later called on referees to protect the winger from aggressive tackling.

 

As well as Lowton, El Ahmadi and Westwood caught Januzaj.

 

Each time, Januzaj got up, making light of the fouls.

 

Januzaj and Giggs were replaced by Ashley Young, who was booed by his former supporters in the Holte End, and Fletcher.

 

“Anybody who returns from an illness to play professional football on this kind of stage for a club like Manchester United shows a lot about the boy himself,” Moyes said.

 

“He’s had to be on his own, he’s been in and out of hospital, had operations.

 

“Today was a big message to a lot of people: if you’re not well then keep believing that you can get yourself right. More importantly he came on and didn’t look out of place. He stroked the ball about. I don’t think he gave the ball away. He was really good. I don’t want to put pressure on by saying ‘that is Darren Fletcher back’ because you just never know. It is definitely great for him because if you’ve been someone with maybe your career in jeopardy, to get back out there with the players and put the strip on and play is great. Actually he should have scored with a header and I told him that!’

 

The cloud over Moyes really had lifted.

 

(The Telegraph, 15 Sunday December 2013 The Roman)