Toyota Football Fever Show 8

What the UK papers said this week?

1) Mourinho furious about keepers’ agony

JOSE MOURINHO launched a scathing attack this week on Reading player Stephen Hunt, claiming that the Reading player deliberately tried to hurt goalkeeper Petr Cech, who had to have surgery on his skull after a fracture left him close to death.

The Chelsea manager also claimed that referee Mike Riley should have sent off Ibrahima Sonko for his challenge late in the game, which left Chelsea no.2 Carlo Cudicini unconscious.

“There is no chance it was an accident. You will have to ask Hunt if he meant to put Cech in hospital but he knew what he was doing, that’s for sure.” said Mourinho, who went on to criticize Reading for not organizing an ambulance to pick up Cech quickly enough.

Reading deny the accusations, stating that it was the Chelsea doctor who failed to call an ambulance.

2) Cech out for season?

After PETR CECH’S horror challenge – kneed in the head by Reading player Stephen Hunt – at the weekend it looks as if the Czech goalkeeper will be out for at least six months, maybe even the rest of the season.

Cech underwent complicated brain surgery at hospital after the incident, and independent medical advisors fear that although the operation went well, it will be a long time before Cech is playing football again.

With Carlo Cudicini also out after suffering concussion after a challenge from Ibrahima Sonko, third choice keeper Hilario was forced to deputized against Barcelona midweek.

3) West Ham Takeover bid gathers pace

ICELANDIC businessman Eggert Magnusson has reportedly stepped up his bid to take over West Ham by submitting an improved offer to the club's directors.
The 59-year-old, who is head of the Icelandic Football Association, is leading a consortium that had an initial approach turned down last week.

Magnusson's latest bid is thought to be approximately £75m plus an agreement to take on the club's £20m existing debts.

He is due to meet West Ham board members later this week, and West Ham fans will no doubt want the situation resolved one way or another as soon as possible.

4) Referee Riley mysteriously dropped

THE PREMIER LEAGUE have described referee Mike Riley's last-minute omission from the roster of referees for this weekend's fixtures as an "administrative error".

Riley, severely criticised for his handling of Chelski's controversial match at Reading on Saturday night, was due to take charge of the north-east derby between Middlesbrough and Newcastle on Sunday.

However, he has been replaced by Martin Atkinson, with the Premier League citing an unusual "administrative error".

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho had criticized Riley this week for his handling of the incidents around the injury of Goalkeepers Petr Cech and Carlo Cudicini.

5) Ribery to Gunners in Summer

ARSENAL boss Arsene Wenger wants to bring French World Cup star Franck Ribery to the Emirates Stadium, according to the winger's agent.

Ribery, 23, was linked with a £10m move to the Gunners in the summer but stayed at Marseille.

His agent Bruno Heidersheid told the News of the World: "Wenger likes Ribery a lot. He wanted to take him this summer but Marseille refused to sell.
"Arsene has made it clear he wants to take him next year."

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Quotes of the Week

“He was, without doubt, one of Graeme Souness' best signings" Newcastle manager Glenn Roeder on Turkish International Emre. Well - when compared to Jean-Alain Boumsong and Alberto Luque, the new tea lady would have been a good signing.

"It's given me time to go to the beach with the kids and spend time at home with Victoria so it's been different.” "It's something I'd rather not happen." David Beckham on being dropped from the England team, possibly not endearing himself to his lovely wife in the process…

"The referee has not seen anything. I felt it was a goal. We have to accept sometimes the referee give goals because they do not see things. Tonight we have something new - that they cancel goals because they saw things which did not exist" Arsene Wenger describing Thierry Henry’s disallowed goal, for once honestly didn’t see what happened, just like everyone else…

"I took my wife Theresa out on Saturday but she knew I wasn't really there. All I was thinking about was Nyron Nosworthy, Stan Varga, Clive Clark and Danny Collins. It was like taking the four out as well" Roy Keane, whose wife is learning that being married to a football manager has its drawbacks.

"I support Villa because Lee Hendrie plays for them" – singer Jamelia, who needs her head, or possibly her eyesight examined.

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Last Weeks Premiership Results

Wigan 1	Man Utd 3
Baines (5)	Vidic (62) Saha (66) Solskjaer (90)

Report: Ryan Giggs emerged from the bench to conjure up a 3-1 comeback win for Manchester United at Wigan. The Welshman had too much class for Wigan, turning the game on its head after Leighton Baines' stunning fourth-minute free-kick had given the Latics an interval lead..

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Arsenal 3	Watford 0
Stewart (o.g. 33) Henry (43) Adebayor (67)

Report: Arsenal's charge up the Barclays Premiership table continued with a comfortable 3-0 win over Watford at the Emirates Stadium. Following a slow start to the campaign, it is now four straight wins in the Premiership for the Gunners, who have a league match in hand on both leaders Manchester United and Chelsea

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Aston Villa 1	Tottenham 1
Angel (pen miss 74)	Angel (o.g. 76) Barry (81)

Report: Skipper Gareth Barry's superb strike rescued Aston Villa's unbeaten record and spared striker Juan Pablo Angel's blushes in a pulsating 1-1 draw with Tottenham, who finished with 10 men. Angel sent his spot-kick wide after Spurs defender Calum Davenport had been red-carded for a professional foul and then with 14 minutes remaining headed a Jermain Defoe corner into his own net.

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Liverpool 1	Blackburn 1
Bellamy (64)	McCarthy (17)

Report: Craig Bellamy ended the perfect week with his first league goal for Liverpool - but it could not salvage their 100% home Premiership record. Bellamy, captain of his country, scored his first Wales goal for 20 months in midweek, and followed that up with a face-saving equaliser against the club he left in the summer to move to Anfield.

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Man City 0	Sheff Utd 0

Report: Sheffield United hauled themselves out of the Premiership relegation zone by claiming their first away point of the season from a goalless draw at Manchester City. This was one of those fortunate afternoons for the Blades, though, as City squandered enough opportunities over the course of the 90 minutes to have won three matches, never mind this one.

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Middlesbrough 2	Everton 1
Yakubu (pen 27) Yakubu (pen miss 66) Viduka (71)	Cahill (77)

Report: Middlesbrough ended Everton's unbeaten start to the season with a 2-1 victory at the Riverside Stadium as Yakubu and Mark Viduka rediscovered their touch in front of goal. Yakubu converted a 26th-minute penalty and, after he had seen a second spot-kick saved by Tim Howard after 65 minutes, Viduka slotted home what proved to be the winner six minutes later.

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Portsmouth 2	West Ham 0
Kanu (24) Cole (82)

Report: Portsmouth piled on the agony for West Ham as Kanu's sixth goal in seven games and a late strike by Andy Cole subjected Alan Pardew's team to a sixth consecutive defeat. The goals enabled Pompey's former West Ham boss to maintain an unbeaten record against his old club since leaving Upton Park in 2001 - and dropped the visitors into the bottom three of the Barclays Premiership.

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Reading 0	Chelsea 1
	Ingimarsson (o.g. 45)

Report: Champions Chelsea required a deflected Frank Lampard free-kick to claim a 1-0 win at Reading and regain parity with leaders Manchester United at the top of the Premiership. The victory came at a cost, however, as goalkeepers Petr Cech and Carlo Cudicini were both carried off on an evening when expensive summer signing Mikel Jon Obi was also red-carded.

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Newcastle 1	Bolton 2
Ameobi (pen 19)	Diouf (55, 57)

Report: Newcastle once again squandered precious Premiership home points as Bolton striker El-Hadji Diouf plundered a double to complete a second-half comeback and secure a 2-1 win.

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Fulham 2	Charlton 1
McBride (65) Jensen (67)	Bent (78)

Report: Claus Jensen came off the bench to mastermind Fulham's 2-1 victory over former club Charlton and heap more pressure on under-fire Addicks boss Iain Dowie. Fulham had spent most of the match on the defensive until the arrival of Jensen in the 59th minute sparked them into life to go on and win.

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Team of the Week - Bolton Wanderers

Despite an ordinary start to the season, Bolton have now put a run of form of four wins and a draw together in their last five games. Sam Allardyce has built a wonderful team spirit at the Reebok and this week’s win against Newcastle at St. James’ typified their fighting style of play. Now up to third place in the table this could be the year that the Trotters break in to the top four.

Player of the Week - Wayne Rooney

In the last couple of weeks Wayne Rooney has come under a large amount of criticism, largely for his few poor recent performances. Write off Wayne Rooney at your peril – he proved against Wigan this week that he has lost none of his impudent brilliance, and alongside veteran Ryan Giggs, the two players orchestrated Man Utd’s resilient comeback from a goal down to maintain their position atop the Premiership.

Donkey of the Week - Juan Pablo Angel

Juan Pablo Angel had a minute-and-a-half he will want to forget this weekend, seemingly trying his best to single-handedly lose Aston Villa their game against Spurs. It all started to go wrong in the 74th Minute, when he blasted his penalty wide, spurning a chance to send his side ahead. Only 90 seconds later however, his day got worse as he somehow managed to head a harmless Jermaine Defoe corner into his own net! He must have been very grateful indeed when teammate Gareth Barry saved his blushes by scoring a late equaliser for the Villa.

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Upcoming Premiership Games

Aston Villa v Fulham
Suspensions
Injuries AST - Sorensen, Moore, Delaney, (Whittingham), (Samuel), (Cahill)
FUL - Pembridge, Boa Morte, Christanval, Elliott, Bullard, Elrich
Prediction 1-1

Reason: Aston Villa salvaged a point at home last week against Tottenham after a poor performance, and may find it hard again here against a Fulham side playing some good football under Chris Coleman. Fulham should show enough to leave Villa Park with a point.

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Charlton v Watford
Suspensions
Injuries CHA - Sorondo, Traore, Gibbs, Lisbie
WAT - Carlisle
Prediction 3-1

Reason: This game is make or break for Charlton manager Iain Dowie, and I feel that the players will rally behind their manager and give a good account of themselves at the Valley. They really must beat a Watford side at home who seem worringly to have forgotten how to win, having yet to register a Premiership victory.

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Chelsea v Portsmouth
Suspensions CHE - Obi Mikel
Injuries CHE - Cudicini, Cech
POR - Douala
Prediction 2-1

Reason: This game should prove an interesting spectacle, as both teams have some top quality players on form at the moment. Chelsea seem to have found their winning groove, and are grinding out the three points every week. At home I would expect them to do the same again here.

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Everton v Sheff Utd
Suspensions
Injuries EVE - Naysmith, Pistone, Hibbert, Osman, (Stubbs)
SHF - (Montgomery)
Prediction 2-0

Reason: Sheffield United seem to have finally found some form, and are fighting hard to retain their Premiership status for another season. Everton however have looked an improved side so far this year, and at Goodison Park should put last weeks disappointing performance behind them with a win.

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Wigan v Man City
Suspensions MAC - Thatcher
Injuries WIG - Montgomery, Tonge, Shipperley, (Kenny), (Webber), (Short)
MAC - Dabo, Isaksson, (Weaver), (Ireland), (Vassell), (Beasley)
Prediction 1-1

Reason: Stuart Pearce’s Manchester City, despite some lucky results, have performed very poorly this season so far, playing with a lack of flair and style. Wigan though are a team that seem to have a problem finishing their opponents off, and that may allow City to snatch a point here from the JJB.

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Blackburn v Bolton
Suspensions
Injuries BLA - Nelson, Enckelman, Reid, (Todd)
BOL - O’Brien, Gardner, (Pedersen)
Prediction 0-0

Reason: A blood and thunder Lancashire Derby this one. Both sides will not want to lose to their rivals, and as is usually the case in these games, they will probably end up sharing the spoils in a keenly contested draw.

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Man Utd v Liverpool
Suspensions
Injuries MAN - Silvestre, Park Ji-Sung, (Heinze)
LIV - Kewell, (Gerrard), (Agger)
Prediction 2-1

Reason: With the form that Manchester United are on at the moment, with Wayne Rooney back to his best, Paul Scholes scoring in midweek and Ryan Giggs turning back the clock, this should be a routine win for the Red Devils against a confused Liverpool. Rafa Benitez’s boys however tend to save their best for the big games, so it will be close but I don’t think it’ll be enough at Old Trafford.

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Middlesbrough v Newcastle
Suspensions
Injuries MID - Woodgate, Ehiogu, Riggott, Christie
NEW - Given, Owen
Prediction 2-0

Reason: Middlesbrough will want to continue their run from last weeks win against Everton into this North-East Derby, and the way Newcastle are playing at the moment, I would expect ‘Boro to be gifted at least a few chances to score during the game. I think Middlesbrough will narrowly win this, unless Titus Bramble starts for the Toon, in which case I think Boro will win by a lot

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Reading v Arsenal
Suspensions REA - Bikey
Injuries REA - Murty, Convey, Cox, Brown, Mate, (Sodje), (Kitson)
ARS - Lauren, Diaby, Baptista, Eboue, (Ljunberg)
Prediction 1-3

Reason: This should be a good, flowing game of football as Arsenal have been saving their best for their games away from the Emirates. Reading have shown they deserve to be playing at this level with some great performances, but a flying Arsenal team is difficult to deal with at the best of times, and I think this game will be one step too far for Steve Coppell’s side.

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Tottenham v West Ham
Injuries TOT - Dawson, Davenport, Ghaly, Malbranque, Tainio, (King), (Gardner)
WHM - Bowyer, Ashton, (Tevez), (Pantsil)
Prediction 2-1

Reason: The Hammers winless run surely has to end sooner or later, and this East London derby should give them the impetus to do that here at White Hart Lane. Spurs though will also be desperate to improve their form, and with their fans cheering them on, I feel that West Ham fans will be praying for a quick takeover after this one.

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