A lot more is riding on Arsenal’s Europa League campaign than just simply picking up a piece of silverware.
The club are likely to be in a position where they need to win the tournament in order to qualify for next season’s Champions League.
As it stands, the club are 13 points adrift of the top four in the Premier League, with just six games left to play.
In Europe, Arsene Wenger’s side have looked relatively comfortable, although they were given a scare on Thursday night in their quarter-final second leg against CSKA Moscow.
The North London outfit headed into the fixture with a commanding 4-1 lead from the contest at the Emirates, but nerves began to jangle when CSKA went 2-0 up after 50 minutes.
Arsenal recovered, though, with goals from Danny Welbeck and Aaron Ramsey, but it was Mohamed Elneny who received most of the plaudits from fans.
The Egyptian international assisted both goals and put in a display that proved he was worth his recent contract extension.
Earlier today, Arsenal were drawn against Atletico Madrid in the semi-finals of the competition.
The Spanish outfit were arguably the toughest opponents that the Gunners could have drawn given that RB Salzburg and Marseille were also in the hat.
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Supporters have since given their reactions to the draw.
On Sunday, as Chelsea laboured towards victory over Hull and limped ever closer to the Premier League title. Liverpool and Anfield was playing host to the ‘Juan Mata Show,’ as the 26-year-old Manchester United midfielder was tormenting their dearest rivals.
With home draws against Burnley and Southampton in the not so distant past, Mourinho’s men have lost all the early season flair which differentiated them from any other Jose side.
It is over a year since Mata departed Stamford Bridge for Old Trafford. Are Chelsea beginning to miss the mercurial midfielder?
The strangest thing about Juan Mata’s masterclass on Merseyside, was the fact that it came out of nowhere. van Gaal, similar to Moyes and Mourinho before him, did not trust the Spanish midfielder. He will trust him now.
When Mourinho dispensed of Mata’s services in January 2014, it was a move met with almost complete confusion. The two-time Player of the Season at the Bridge was now seen as surplus to requirements.
His main strengths have always been his technical abilities as opposed to his physical prowess, his work-rate has always been questioned, something Mourinho could not facilitate.
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Instead, the Chelsea midfield is packed with players who are happy to, coining an English phrase ‘Put a shift in.’ Even Willian, has transformed himself from a typical Brazillian attacker, to one that is willing to curtail his own attacking tendencies in order for the team to succeed.
Juan Mata’s Manchester United career has hardly been an unmitigated success. David Moyes did not manage to fit him into his United side. van Gaal has also struggled, but as the Dutchman has continuously searched for the perfect midfield blend, he may have stumbled across it. His last two performances, against Tottenham and Liverpool, have, almost definitely, been their best showings of the season.
Chelsea’s early season form, seemed to perfectly vindicate their manager’s decision. Nemanja Matic has established himself as one of the world’s great defensive-midfielders and early season Cesc Fabregas was unquestionably the best footballer plying his trade in the country.
But as winter turned to spring, Mourinho’s men have begun to stumble.
Following a humiliating defeat to lowly Bradford City in the FA Cup, Chelsea were eliminated from Europe by 10 man PSG. Fortunately for the Blues, their early season form seems to have done enough to secure them the league, but their 2015 has hardly been one to excite fans and perhaps more importantly, the owner.
Fabregas has become the centre of recent criticism from his own fans. His early season form now seems a distant memory. Where once he was dynamic, he is now becoming static.
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Chelsea are the massive odds-on-favourite, to win the title come May, maybe earlier. But it is of no doubt, that for the first time since he’s left, they will have been looking at the magnificent Mata and wishing him to still be in the blue of Chelsea.
Mata’s career was in danger of tailing off. A relic of the tiki-taka era. His performance on Sunday, proves he still has a long future in the English game.
Chelsea may still come to regret that fateful day in January, 2014.
As some of the best football teams in the world battle it out in the Quarter-Finals of the UEFA Champions League, Heineken® has unveiled the latest element of its ‘Road to the Final’ campaign with the launch of a new ad campaign. The ad demonstrates how, with imagination and resourcefulness, one man is able to witness club football’s most prestigious event – the Final itself.
Premiering today, the ad is the latest element of the brand’s global integrated ‘Road to The Final’ campaign as it celebrates its seventh consecutive year sponsoring the UEFA Champions League.
The ad features one lucky fan, who receives a ticket to the UEFA Champions League Final. The only problem is that he is on the other side of the world and faces a race against the clock to get to the match. Through a combination of resourcefulness, imagination and inventiveness he manages to overcome every obstacle put in his way – to be rewarded with the ultimate football experience – a pitch side seat at Wembley, arriving just before kick-off.
Throughout the ‘Road to the Final’ campaign, Heineken® is encouraging fans to engage with the brand through a series of unique activities from on-pack to in-bar and social media, offering incredible once-in-a-lifetime prizes.
The brand’s Facebook fans can play a pinball game featuring elements of the advert. Players can compete against each other – and Heineken ambassadors including Clarence Seedorf – to earn bragging rights and UEFA Champions League prizes. For the Semi-Finals, eager fans will have the chance to engage with Seedorf through Twitter – with the most resourceful receiving prizes for their imaginative responses to Heineken’s task.
As the ‘Road to The Final’ campaign reaches its climax, Heineken® will be rewarding fans for displaying inspiring and imaginative behaviour by offering tickets to the UEFA Champions League Final in Wembley and this year’s Star Final VIP viewing event, in Ibiza. More than 250 lucky fans from around the world will have the chance to experience the combination of football and music in the world’s party and nightlife capital.
Hans Erik Tuijt, Heineken’s Global Activation Director, commented on today’s announcement: “We are delighted to launch the next stage of the ‘The Road to The Final’ campaign with this new TVC. Our fans are intelligent, quick witted and worldly people so we’ve worked hard to craft a campaign that they will enjoy being part of.
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We want consumers to watch the advert, engage with the brand – play the digital game, Tweet Clarence Seedorf and come to Heineken® events. If they do that then they might even get the chance to see the Final in a uniquely Heineken® way whether it’s in Wembley or even Ibiza.”
https://youtube.com/watch?v=c9paI3n9-Q0
Head over to Heineken’s Facebook page to play ‘The Road to the Final’ pinball game: www.facebook.com/heineken
As reported by The Scottish Sun, Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has played down the prospect of attacker Scott Sinclair leaving the club this summer.
What’s the story?
Earlier this week reports emerged that the 29-year-old was angling for a move back down South to have another crack at the English Premier League.
However, Brendan Rodgers appeared to pour cold water over that suggestion in his pre-match press conference yesterday.
When asked about the player, as quoted by The Scottish Sun, the Hoops boss said:
Scott is very happy, he is a fantastic player for us and, again, he is coming into a part of the season where he was really effective last year.
He has got 17 goals, a lot of assists and this is as a wide player. He is a very important member of our squad and importantly he is very happy.
Clearly he is still rated at Celtic Park, but he has found himself on the bench in recent matches, so can he hit the heights again that made him such a favourite with supporters?
Can he still play a role?
There’s no doubting that Sinclair has failed to replicate his form of last season this term. On their way to an unbeaten domestic treble, Sinclair scored an impressive 25 goals, also creating 11 assists, making himself a hero with fans.
While his performance levels have dipped in his second season, his direct goal contribution is still beyond every other Celtic player. So far this term he’s banged in 17 goals and assisted 15 times. Nobody else in Rodgers’ squad has scored more.
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Perhaps pre-mature then to completely write off his Hoops career. He may have been poor in recent months, but he still has a big role to play in the tail-end of the season and beyond. Celtic are unlikely to want to let him leave any time soon when he is still producing.
Well, that was absolutely baffling and brutal to watch for Arsenal fans.
In truth, the Gunners cannot complain about the result as their performance gave them what they deserved – they probably didn’t even deserve a consolation goal!
It was such an ‘Arsenal’ performance that you couldn’t help but laugh; from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s lifeline in the dying minutes to the same man costing Arsenal in the dying seconds to gift the Ligue 1 outfit a third goal and all but killing off the tie.
Nothing went right for the boys of north London, epitomised by the fact Dimitar Berbatov, one-time hero of their arch rivals Tottenham Hotspur, found his name on the scoresheet.
If Arsenal are going to comeback from a 3-1 defecit, then there aren’t too many better teams to face in this competition, however, the fact only six teams in European cup history have gone through after a first-leg defeat, I wouldn’t bank on a footballing miracle.
Anyway, here’s what we learnt from tonight’s clash at the Emirates.
Walcott’s Arsenal career over?
Theo Walcott was yet again on the bench for Arsenal tonight and although the Englishman has the most appearances and goals of anyone in the current squad, that lengthy spell on the sidelines appears to have cost him dearly.
Arsene Wenger opted to go for Danny Welbeck alongside Alexis Sanchez and Olivier Giroud in the final third and with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain also returning to the squad tonight, you have to question just how long Theo’s Arsenal career will last.
Arsenal have their Patrick Vieira replacement
Well, kind of. They don’t own him but boy should Arsene Wenger do everything he can to make sure they do. Geoffrey Kondogbia put in an imperious and physical performance in the middle of the park, capped off with his fine opener (via a helping hand from Per Mertesacker).
It is hard to replace someone of Patrick Vieira’s talents, however, Arsene Wenger could go a long way in doing so by bringing the former Sevilla midfielder over to the Premier League.
Time for Gabriel
Per Mertesacker was at fault for two of Monaco’s three goals tonight, sure, it is hard to blame the former German international for the first goal – a wicked deflection – however, shouldn’t he close down Kondogbia quicker?
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The blame can firmly be placed at Mertesacker’s door for the second, though, with the central defender’s rash decision to close down Monaco on the halfway line backfiring majorly, leaving Dimitar Berbatov to run through unmarked and to smash home.
Arsenal never really change
They always do it, Arsene Wenger’s side always trick the footballing world into thinking they’re ready to return to the upper echelons of English football. And then they go and do things like trail Liverpool 4-0 after 20-minutes or throw away a 3-0 lead at home to a bang average Anderlecht.
North London derby performance aside, Arsenal’s recent form had been impressive and they were expected to coast past Monaco tonight, have the job done after the first-leg. However, the footballing version of suicide is never too far away from this group.
Both Harry Redknapp and Mauricio Pochettino celebrate their birthdays today and neither will settle for any less than the perfect birthday gift – three points.
Redknapp’s arrival at Loftus Road looked to have given the doomed London club a much needed boost at first, but the novelty appears to warn off now as they search for a first win in six top-flight outings.
The Saints will believe a a few more wins can be enough for them to secure Premier League safety and they’ll be targeting three points against a relegation rival today in order to keep those survival hopes well and truly alive.
Here’s how the birthday boys’ teams line up today:
QPR: Cesar, Traore, Samba, Hill, Bosingwa, Granero, Park, Hoilett, Bothroyd, Mbia, Remy. Subs: Green, Taarabt, Mackie, Onouha, Jenas, Fabio, Townsend.
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According to The Sun, Barcelona are interested in signing Tottenham midfielder Christian Eriksen after Spanish newspaper Sport claimed the North London side are scrambling to secure their star man’s future.
Whats the story?
Eriksen was a target for Barcelona in January before they secured the signing of Philippe Coutinho from Liverpool.
According the The Sun, Nou Camp chiefs remain keen on the Dan following his stunning form since Christmas.
Eriksen has been key to Spurs excellent form and instrumental in their push for top 4. However, the wage structure at Spurs has meant a number of key players are stalling contract extensions.
Eriksen would be a huge loss, bigger than Dembele or Kane
The Dane’s influence on Spurs goes somewhat under the radar, with Harry Kane, Dele Alli and Mousa Dembele taking the limelight. He is not someone who seeks the stardom but deserves it.
Eriksen, who is valued at £63m by transfermarkt.com, is Spurs most important player. He links their midfield and defence and is the driving creative force. While others have sometimes faltered, the midfielder has consistently performed form Spurs.
He regularly provides excellent chances for top scorer Kane and Son. Eriksen’s importance was highlight when Kane was injured.
Without Kane’s goals and holdup play, Tottenham had to be a bit more clever with their play. This was led through Eriksen who’s excellent range off passing and ability to get a goal allowed Spurs to continue to win without Kane.
His importance was highlighted against Chelsea when he scored an excellent goal just before half-time to change the tide of the game. The goal was very much his own doing and without it Spurs may have struggled to get take the points back to Wembley.
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Losing Eriksen would be a massive loss for the North London side. Without the Dane, Spurs go flat and lack creativity. Dele Alli and Son do not have his guile and calmness. He links the team together and is an important part of Mauricio Pochettino’s game plan.
He is the master of finding space and is the main supply chain for Kane’s goals. While Spurs could cope without Kane they would struggle to fill the hole that selling Eriksen would leave.
As far as left-field signings go, talk of Nene to West Ham this week has been… erm… out there. The Brazilian was recently released by Qatar side Al-Gharafa and is believed to have undergone a medical in east London ahead of a short-term deal to join the Hammers.
A few weeks ago a fair few Irons supports probably hadn’t even heard of the 33-year-old, and we think they would have been better off keeping it that way.
Here are FIVE reasons we think this deal is destined to be one to forget…
Been in a sub-standard league for too long
No disrespect to the Qatar Stars League, but it’s not exactly on a par with many top-level European divisions. The Middle Eastern game is so far behind the elite competitions that it’s simply impossible for players to maintain any sort of ability in comparable ability to those plying their trade in the best set-ups, meaning that Nene’s decline could be a worry.
The Brazilian opted to cancel his contract with Al-Gharafa, read into that what you will, on the back of two years in Qatar, in which time he netted 20 goals in 43 showings.
Too old
At 33, soon to be 34, Nene is clearly at the back end of his career. The tricky and versatile attacker used to be a decent performer in the French top tier, but PSG’s cash injection coincided with his move away from the club. More than 10 goals per season between 2009 and 2012 in Ligue 1 – the last of which he notched 21 – shows that he was once a dangerous forward, but the years have a way of being unkind to pacey goalscorers, and adjusting to a demanding league now will be tricky.
Smells like a panic addition
With Andy Carroll injured and the goals at Upton Park drying up, Nene looks like a desperate throw if the dice to get the Hammers’ top four charge back on track. Since the turn of 2015 Sam Allardyce’s men have slipped away from a shock Champions League charge, and now look in danger of missing out on a spot in the Europa League – albeit the competition can be a poison chalice.
Last gasp, panic buys rarely come to fruition, and with Enner Valencia and Diafra Sakho more than able to bang in the goals, Nene is not really needed.
Zarate’s struggles in a ‘Big Sam’ team
Football – Paris St.Germain v Boca Juniors – Emirates Cup – Pre Season Friendly Tournament – Emirates Stadium – 11/12 , 31/7/11Nene – Paris Saint Germain Mandatory Credit: Action Images / Jed Leicester
As much as Allardyce claims he’s not into direct football, West Ham are a physical ‘up and at ‘em’ type team when at their best. There’s nothing wrong with that approach, despite the negative words from ‘tiki taka’ hipsters, but only certain types of players can really thrive in such a system. Nene is not too dissimilar to summer arrival Mauro Zarate in terms of approach, and with the former Lazio man now at QPR on loan you can reach your own verdict on what is appreciated in east London.
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The Hammers have failed with freebies before
Football – Paris St.Germain v Boca Juniors Emirates Cup – Pre Season Friendly Tournament – Emirates Stadium – 31/7/11Boca Juniors’ Diego Rivero (L) and Paris Saint Germain ‘s Anderson Nene in actionMandatory Credit: Action Images / Jed LeicesterLivepic
Remember Mladen Petric? Nope? Razvan Rat? Meh… West Ham don’t have a great record of snapping up free agents, so learning from mistakes could be wise. Carlton Cole has contributed, to an extent, since being brought back in from the footballing wilderness, but even his toils – he has bags of English top tier experience – show that freebies are not always bargains…
Newcastle are preparing a move for West Ham defender James Tomkins, according to reports from talkSPORT.
The Magpies have endured a tough start to their Premier League campaign, notching 20 points in 20 matches.
One reason for this has been the club’s shaky defence, which has conceded 37 goals, one more than bottom placed QPR.
This has forced manager Alan Pardew to set his sights on defensive options and he has highlighted Tomkins as one of his top targets.
The Hammers star has become frustrated this season by a lack of first-team opportunities, leading to speculation that he may be willing to leave London.
Last season Tomkins struck up a solid relationship with Winston Reid, but this term Sam Allardyce has elected to partner the New Zealand international with James Collins.
The Upton Park club will be reluctant to allow the 23-year-old to leave, but he may hand in a transfer request should Newcastle’s interest further.
Tomkins graduated from the East London outfit’s famous academy set-up, making is debut during the 2008 season.
He left the club later that year to join Derby on loan, but returned to the West Ham first-team for the 2009/10 season.
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His impressive form last year gained him a placed in the Great Britain team for the 2012 Olympic Games.
Marcus Rashford has proved that, even amid the most competitive era of the Premier League, promising youngsters can still break through at a club the size of Manchester United. No doubt, the England international enjoyed his fair share of luck, but he had the talent to take his opportunity and is now an important player for club and country.
With that in mind, we recently looked at some of United’s best performers at Premier League 2 level this season, and then asked Red Devils supporters to vote for which youngster has the best chance of becoming a future star at Old Trafford – with Angel Gomes, Joe Riley, Demetri Michell and Zachary Dearnley the four candidates.
And our poll revealed that the vast majority of Red Devils supporters, a whopping 85%, believe 17-year-old attacker Gomes has what it takes to become a key player at first team level.
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Can Gomes break into Jose Mourinho’s starting XI next season, United fans? Let us know by commenting below…