Toyota Football Fever Show 11
What the UK papers said this week?
PORTSMOUTH fans sing loudest and longest in
the Premiership, a survey says.
Passionate Pompey supporters spend an average 58 minutes
singing per match - at an ear-splitting 97 decibels.
Newcastle and Liverpool fans clock 96 decibels
— the same as a pneumatic drill - but don’t
sing for as long.
Nearest are Man United supporters —
55 minutes — who, with 34 different songs a match,
are the most inventive.
Charlton fans were found to be quietest —
65 decibels.
They, along with Middlesbrough’s supporters,
also sang fewest songs, with six, the survey discovered.
Champions Chelsea set the record for the
most foul-mouthed chants, website fanchants.com’s
research said.
1) Axe was 'psychological' blow to
Becks - Capello
David Beckham suffered 'psychological difficulties'
after being dropped by Steve McClaren, claims Real Madrid
manager Fabio Capello.
The 31-year-old resigned as England captain after the World
Cup in Germany before being axed from the squad after McClaren
succeeded Sven-Goran Eriksson as England manager.
Now Beckham's future at the Bernabeu is under question after
he stalled on signing a new contract following his lack
of involvement in the Real team since Capello was appointed
manager.
2) Magnusson's West Ham takeover inching
closer
The takeover bid of West Ham by Icelandic
businessman Eggert Magnusson began in earnest today when
his financial advisors started inspecting the club's accounts.
Magnusson has been given permission to conduct the process
of full due diligence and has instructed his team to move
as quickly as possible with a view to making a formal offer
sometime next week.
West Ham gave permission for their accounts to be made available
after an offer from a rival bid failed to materialise.
3) MICHAEL BALLACK made a huge mistake
joining Chelsea - according to former Germany midfielder
Bernd Schuster.
Schuster, now boss of Spanish club Getafe,
said: “Ballack is lost over there. The passes from
his team-mates fly over his head like aeroplanes.
“If he needed the money he ought to have joined Real
Madrid.”
4) GARETH SOUTHGATE’S future
as boss of Middlesbrough could be decided by a Premier League
meeting tomorrow.
The former England defender, handed the job in June, does
not have the required UEFA Pro Licence and his three-month
dispensation runs out after Saturday’s match at home
to West Ham.
Boro chairman Steve Gibson is confident he can persuade
his Premier League colleagues to let Southgate stay.
If not, coach Steve Round — who has the licence —
is expected to take over Southgate’s job title temporarily.
5) FROM RIVER PLATE TO CHELSEA...
River Plate's 18-year-old striker Gonzalo
Higuain is a target for Chelsea in the January transfer
window, says the Daily Mirror, with the Blues set to beat
ManYoo to the signature of the Franco-Argentine player,
who is yet to decide where his international future lies.
One winner in the deal is sure to be 'super agent' Pini
Zahavi, who reportedly owns 50% of the teenage
Last Weeks Premiership Results
| West Ham 1 |
Arsenal 0 |
| Harewood (89) |
|
Report: West Ham striker
Marlon Harewood came off the bench to score a late winner
against Arsenal as tempers frayed at Upton Park where rival
managers Alan Pardew and Arsene Wenger were involved in
a shoving match on the touchline.
Robin van Persie also appeared to be hit by a coin thrown
from the crowd during the first half of a pulsating game,
which ended with Wenger refusing to shake Pardew's hand.
| Tottenham 2 |
Chelsea 1 |
Dawson (25)
Lennon (52) |
Makalele (15) |
Report: Sir Alex Ferguson
will have even more reason to smile on his 20th anniversary
in charge of Manchester United after Tottenham stunned 10-man
Chelsea with their first home league victory over the champions
since 1987.
In a pulsating clash at White Hart Lane, which
saw Chelsea's England captain John Terry sent off in the
second half, Spurs produced a fine comeback to stretch their
unbeaten run to nine games.
| Aston Villa 2 |
Blackburn 0 |
Barry (pen41)
Angel (50) |
|
Report: Aston Villa climbed
back into the top six after an inspired performance by Gabriel
Agbonlahor helped them to overcome below-par Blackburn 2-0
at Villa Park.
A disputed Gareth Barry penalty and leading scorer Juan
Pablo Angel's sixth goal of the campaign were sufficient
to end a four-game run without a league victory.
| Fulham 1 |
Everton 0 |
| Jenson (66) |
|
Report: Claus Jensen's deflected
second-half strike gave Fulham the points at Craven Cottage
as Everton failed to hit the back of the net for the first
time this season. The Toffees still have not beaten Fulham
in London since 1966 but it was Jensen who was the keenest
on the day to make up for lost time after missing almost
all of last season through injury.
| Man Utd 3 |
Portsmouth 0 |
Saha (pen 3)
Ronaldo (10)
Vidic (66) |
|
Report: Sir Alex Ferguson
got the 20th anniversary present he was looking for at Old
Trafford as Manchester United ripped Portsmouth to shreds
and opened up a three-point lead over Chelsea at the Premiership
summit following a 3-0 win.
Despite his vast achievements during two trophy-ladened
decades at United, Ferguson prefers to look forward rather
than back and has his sights trained on lifting a ninth
league title next May
| Bolton 0 |
Wigan 1 |
| |
McCulloch (79) |
Report: Lee McCulloch stepped
off the bench and handed Wigan their second away win on
the trot with the only goal at Bolton. The Scotland striker
took advantage of his chance in the 79th minute, after replacing
the injured Emile Heskey in the Barclays Premiership match
at the Reebok Stadium.
| Watford 2 |
Middlesbrough 0 |
Woodgate(og6)
Young (60) |
|
Report: Watford finally
broke their winless run in the Barclays Premiership thanks
to a deserved 2-0 victory over a poor Middlesbrough side.
An own-goal in the sixth minute from Jonathan Woodgate -
he deflected Hameur Bouazza's shot into his own net - and
a confident finish after 59 minutes from Ashley Young were
enough to help Adrian Boothroyd's men to three points at
the 11th attempt.
| Charlton 1 |
Man City 0 |
| Bent (28) |
|
Report: Darren Bent scored
the only goal as Charlton clung on for only their second
Premiership win of the season after Manchester City failed
to end their away-day misery. Bent escaped his markers to
head home a perfect cross by man-of-the-match Jerome Thomas
just before the half-hour for his seventh goal of the campaign
and could have added more goals.
| Newcastle 0 |
Sheffield Utd 1 |
| |
Webber (68) |
Report: Sheffield United
striker Danny Webber piled the pressure on Newcastle boss
Glenn Roeder as his header snatched three Barclays Premiership
points at St James' Park. Webber powered a 68th-minute Nick
Montgomery cross past the helpless Steve Harper to hand
the Blades their first away goal in the league and a first
victory in four games and send the Magpies into 19th place
in the league table.
| Liverpool 2 |
Reading 0 |
| Kuyt (14,73) |
|
Report: Liverpool's rehabilitation
from their painful early season form continued apace with
their fourth victory at Anfield in 11 days thanks to two
goals from Dirk Kuyt in a 2-0 win over Reading. They went
go-karting in midweek for a spot of team bonding but they
took a long time to get revved up as Reading set out to
spoil from the start.
Team of the Week - West Ham Utd
Just for the way Arsene Wenger lost the plot
Player of the Week - Aaron Lennon
Scored another good goal and is settling down
in the Tottenham team
Donkey of the Week - Chelsea team
Always moaning nothing is ever fair! They
are now experiencing what all the other teams have for all
these years.
Upcoming Premiership Games
Arsenal v Liverpool
Suspensions
Injuries ARS - Lauren, Baptista, Diaby
LIV - Kewell
Prediction 3-1 (Actual 3-0)
Reason: Arsenal should come
back to form here. Liverpool are not quite in the same league
as Arsenal when it comes to passing football preferring
more of a direct game.
Blackburn v Man Utd
Suspensions
Injuries MAN - Solskjaer
BLA - Reid, Nelson, Enckelman ,Savage, Roberts
Prediction 1-1 (Actual 0-1)
Reason: Blackburn could
follow up Man Utd’s mid week shock by getting a point.
Blackburn have a solid squad and will fight tooth and nail
for something.
Wigan v Charlton
Suspensions
Injuries CHA - Lisbie,
WIG - Teale, Heskey, Hall, Skoko,
Prediction 2-0 (Actual 3-1)
Reason: Wigan should capitalise
on Charlton’s poor form and skill.
Everton v Aston Villa
Suspensions
Injuries AST - Delaney, Moore, Whittingham
EVE - Hibbert, Van Der Meyde, Pistone,
Prediction 0-0 (Actual 0-1)
Reason: Everton will be
happy with a point and Aston Villa wont be able to take
anything from the game
Portsmouth v Fulham
Suspensions
Injuries FUL - Bullard, Pembridge, Elliott, Elrich
POR - Johnson, Primus
Prediction 3-2 (Actual 1-1)
Reason: Should be an entertaining
game but I fancy Portsmouth to stop the mini rot and score
a few goals
Reading v Tottenham
Suspensions
Injuries TOT - Tainio, Gardener, Stalteri, Davenport
REA - Kitson, Murty, Mate, Brown, Cox, Halls, Convey
Prediction 1-2 (Actual 3-1)
Reason: Tottenham should
now and move out of the blocks now, I can see them sneaking
this one.
Chelsea v Watford
Suspensions
Injuries WAT - King,
CHE - Cech,
Prediction 4-1 (Actual 4-0)
Reason: After all the controversy
Mourinho will look to do the talking on the pitch and put
4 past Watford.
Sheff Utd v Bolton
Suspensions
Injuries BOL - O’Brien, Gardner, Fortune
SHF - Armstrong, Akinbiyi, Tonge
Prediction 1-1 (Actual 2-2)
Middlesbrough v West Ham
Suspensions
Injuries WHM - Ferdinand, Ashton
MID - Viduka, McMahon, Craddock
Prediction 1-3 (Actual 1-0)
Man City v Newcastle
Suspensions
Injuries MAC - Jihai, Logan
NEW - Kruel, Ameobi, Owen,
Prediction 3-1 (Actual 0-0)
Reason: Newcastle seem to
be doing well in the cup and suffering in the league, Man
City need to make this game theirs and score some goals.
