Toyota Football Fever Show
30
What the UK papers said this week?
1) Frank ducks fans punch
FRANK LAMPARD was attacked by a drunken Tottenham
fan as Chelsea celebrated reaching the FA Cup semi-finals
last night. The England star had to duck a punch thrown
at him by a thug who ran on to the pitch.
Tempers spilled over after Chelsea had clinched
a 2-1 win in this quarter-final replay to book a last-four
clash against Blackburn. Midfielder Lamps, 28, said: “I
saw the guy coming and wanted to keep my eye on him because
I thought if I turned my back I might get one on me.
“I just ducked and then the stewards
got to him. The way he ran at me I think he’d had
a few drinks. I don’t think he should have been on
the pitch in the first place.”
Jose Mourinho’s men threw their shirts
to their own fans in the White Hart Lane crowd at the end
of the game. But a home supporter escaped the security cordon
and got close enough to have a swing at Lampard.
2) United in Ron rage
CRISTIANO RONALDO was at the centre of a cheat
storm after his penalty put Manchester United in the FA
Cup semi-finals.
Ron won a controversial late spot-kick by
going down under Jonathan Woodgate’s challenge and
converted it himself. But Boro’s backroom squad were
fuming and shouted ‘cheat’ at the Portugal winger.
United No 2 Carlos Queiroz squared up to
his opposite number Malcolm Crosby after the final whistle.
And Ronaldo hit back: “There’s
always controversy when I play Middlesbrough”. “I
don’t know why. Maybe someone doesn’t like me
because I am too good”.
3) Boring Blues Blasted
FORMER England star Chris Waddle has launched
an amazing attack on Jose Mourinho after branding his Chelsea
team "boring machines".
The ex-Tottenham and Marseille winger insists
Mourinho should forget about ever getting a job at Real
Madrid or Barcelona because his style of football is a turn-off.
And Waddle claims it is no wonder Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich
has fallen out with Mourinho and always looks bored when
he watches games at Stamford Bridge.
Waddle said: "Mourinho has built a successful
team at Chelsea but they play like machines, they don't
entertain. They're not good to watch. He's played how he
needs to get results and they've won trophies, but that’s
it.”
4) Fergie eyes summer Gudjohnsen raid
ALEX FERGUSON has been faced with a shortage
of personnel up front since Henrik Larsson’s return
to Sweden, and he is already lining up Barcelona star Eidur
Gudjohnsen as a summer target.
Gudjohnsen , who moved to the Catalan giants
last summer, would cost United around 8m but Ferguson feels
the utility player, who can play anywhere in the front line
is exactly what his squad needs.
Barcelona meanwhile are expected to make
some new additions to their squad in the summer as well,
and Chelsea’s John Terry is emerging as the number
one target.
With Frank Rijkaard linked to a role at Chelsea,
Jose Mourinho could move the other way and Terry could find
himself working with his Portuguese boss once again.
Quotes of the Week
"Sometimes you've got to take defeat
on the chin" – Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard
confirms he was wrong to duck…
"In that situation, we would all love
to do that" Boro manager Gareth Southgate tells the
truth when asked to comment on his player, James Morrison’s,
very late, high tackle on Cristiano Ronaldo.
"City look like a poor side. You could
see why they're in the position they're in" Middlesbrough
winger Stuart Downing passes his verdict on a Man City team
that just beat Boro 2-0…
"I like the food, it has been excellent.
I especially enjoy fish and chips." Thank goodness
Carlos Tevez has enjoyed something during his stay in East
London…
“I need my weight for strength, like
Wayne Rooney or Paul Gascoigne" - Carlos Tevez again.
Quite possibly on the way to the chip shop.
Last Weeks F.A. Cup/Premiership
Results
Premier League
| Man Utd 4 |
Bolton 1 |
Park (14, 25)
Rooney (17, 74) |
Speed (pen 87) |
Report: Manchester United
signalled their intention not to let anything as trivial
as a mounting injury list derail their treble drive as they
smashed four past Bolton for the second time this season
to triumph 4-1 at Old Trafford.
| Chelsea 3 |
Sheff Utd 0 |
Shevchenko (4)
Kalou (17)
Ballack (58) |
|
Report: Chelsea kept the
heat on leaders Manchester United at the top of the Barclays
Premiership with a comfortable 3-0 demolition job on struggling
Sheffield United at Stamford Bridge.
| Middlesbrough 0 |
Man City 2 |
| |
Distin (61)
Mpenza (74) |
Report: Beleaguered Manchester
City boss Stuart Pearce was handed a lifeline as his players
snatched a precious 2-0 Barclays Premiership victory at
Middlesbrough.
Report: Portsmouth came within
inches of snatching victory at the Madejski Stadium, but
had to be content with a goalless draw against Reading.
The visitors' form had faded over recent weeks and they
had slipped out of the top six of the Barclays Premiership
as a result.
| Tottenham 3 |
Watford 1 |
Jenas (41)
Robinson (63)
Ghaly (85) |
Henderson (89) |
Report: Paul Robinson scored
an extraordinary goal from his own half to embarrass his
England rival Ben Foster in Tottenham's Barclays Premiership
3-1 victory over Watford.
Report: Wigan and Fulham
each nudged a point closer to Premiership survival after
dredging up a goalless draw of almost unimaginable tedium
at a drizzly JJB Stadium
| Blackburn 1 |
West Ham 2 |
| Samba (47) |
Tevez (pen 71)
Zamora (75) |
Report: West Ham manager
Alan Curbishley was entitled to celebrate after his struggling
side moved off the foot of the table by ending a run of
five straight league defeats with a 2-1 success at Blackburn.
| Charlton 2 |
Newcastle 0 |
Zhi Zheng (53)
Thomas (pen 88) |
|
Report: Zheng Zhi used his
head to dramatically improve Charlton's chances of staying
in the Premiership with a 2-0 win over Newcastle. The Chinese
international midfielder headed a 54th-minute goal and won
an 88th-minute penalty which Jerome Thomas converted to
turn the Addicks' home into Happy Valley again.
| Aston Villa 0 |
Liverpool 0 |
| |
|
Report: Aston Villa produced
a dogged performance to halt their recent slump and hit
Liverpool's hopes of claiming third spot in the Premiership.
| Everton 1 |
Arsenal 0 |
| Johnson (90) |
|
Report: Andrew Johnson grabbed
a late winner as a sleet storm fell on Goodison Park to
add further woe to Arsenal's season with a 1-0 win in injury
time.
FA Cup Quarter Final Replays
| Man Utd 1 |
Middlesbrough 0 |
| Ronaldo (pen 76) |
|
Report: For the third time
this season, Cristiano Ronaldo was involved in a penalty
row against Middlesbrough as Manchester United booked an
FA Cup semi-final meeting with Watford and kept alive their
Treble dream.
| Tottenham 1 |
Chelsea 2 |
| Keane (pen 79) |
Shevchenko (55)
Wright-Phillips (61) |
Report: Stunning strikes
from Andriy Shevchenko and Shaun Wright-Phillips kept Chelsea's
quadruple dreams alive by sending Tottenham spinning out
of the FA Cup.
Team of the Week - Charlton Athletic
Good weeks for Man Utd and Chelsea as usual,
but it was an excellent performance at the Valley which
saw Charlton Athletic collect three more points towards
safety, with a great performance from Zheng Zhi, which makes
it seven out of the last possible nine. Addicks fans are
beginning to believe that they can stay up this year now
with the gap to Sheffield United just four points, and manager
Alan Pardew must be given the credit for their turnaround.
How West Ham fans must wish he had been given more time
at Upton Park!
Player of the Week - Paul Robinson
Defenders by right score very few goals indeed,
and often like to celebrate when the rare occasions come
along that they hit the back of the net. So you can imagine
the sheer joy of Spurs and England keeper Paul Robinson
when his direct free kick bounced over fellow stopper Ben
Foster and into the empty Watford net! Robinson in fact
can be seen as downright greedy by other keepers as he now
has not one but two goals, scoring for Leeds United as well.
Upcoming International Games
European Championship Qualifying
(Saturday 24th)
- Czech Republic v Germany
- Greece v Turkey
- Israel v England
- erlands v Romania
- Portugal v Belgium
- Rep of Ireland v Wales
- Spain v Denmark
(Wednesday 28th)
- Andorra v England
- Italy v Scotland
- Serbia v Portugal
- Slovenia v Netherlands
- Spain v Iceland
- Turkey v Norway
Premiership Top Scorers Chart
Barclays
Premier League Top 10 players
|
Drogba |
Chelsea |
18 |
Ronaldo
|
Man Utd
|
16 |
McCarthy
|
Blackburn |
12 |
Rooney
|
Man Utd |
12 |
Yakubu
|
Middlesbrough |
12 |
Johnson
|
Everton |
11 |
Lampard
|
Chelsea |
11 |
Van Persie
|
Arsenal |
11 |
Doyle
|
Reading |
10 |
Henry
|
Arsenal |
10 |
Kanu
|
Portsmouth |
10 |
| Martins |
Newcastle |
10 |
