Thursday, May 5, 2011

News in Brief - Thurs 5th May

A review of the news from around the grounds of each Barclays Premier League club.

Arsenal

Arsenal Rangers are hopeful Arsenal will allow Kyle Bartley to return to Ibrox next season. The Gunners defender impressed the Gers management after joining on loan in January, but a knee ligament injury cut short his spell north of the border. And the Light Blues will approach Arsenal about the possibillity of bringing back Bartley after the summer. First-team coach Kenny McDowall said: "Walter (Smith) is going to contact Arsene Wenger and ask the question. We'd love to have the big fella back as it's no secret he came up here, fitted in well and enjoyed himself. He's a top player." Bartley made nine appearances for Rangers and found the net in the away win over St Mirren.   
Aston Villa

Aston Villa Aston Villa's new kit for the 2011/12 season will be available following its official launch in July. John Greenfield, Head of Merchandising at Aston Villa, said: "The new kit will be revealed in the Villa club shop in July and will go on sale then. The best place to purchase the new kit will be in our stores at Villa Village and on New Street. We have been working closely with our kit partner, Nike, to ensure that the on-sale dates for the home and away shirts can be announced soon. The kit design is still being finalised and, while a prototype of the new kit has begun to be circulated, I would like to emphasise that it is not the finished product. We look forward to finalising everything over coming weeks and we will keep our fans updated when we have further details and confirmation of the official launch and on-sale dates."  

Birmingham City

Birmingham City Ben Foster does not want to set a points target to avoid relegation. "I don't think we can get caught up in how many points we might need," he said. "We just need to go into every game looking for all three. We are not looking at relegation or anything like that. We have got three games left and with the goal difference, it's like five points. If we do end up going down being five points off the relegation zone with three games left, then we would only have ourselves to blame. Luckily it is in our own hands and that is a big thing. That is what you would want in this situation."     

Blackburn Rovers

Blackburn Rovers Jason Roberts believes Blackburn have turned a corner after their win over Bolton Wanderers last weekend. The victory saw Rovers increase the gap between themselves and this Saturday's opponents West Ham United to six points, with the veteran striker wanting to carry the momentum on for the remainder of the season. "Hopefully it is a turning point for us, it has been coming," said Roberts of the win over Bolton. "We aren't there yet but it puts us within touching distance, but we can take that into the game against West Ham and I think we will have a big chance. Now it is time to capitalise, to keep that winning mentality, to keep that momentum. We've got games coming up that we think we can get something out of. West Ham away is a tough game but we know that if we perform like we can, then we will give them a problem. There are a lot of teams in a worse position than us and I think that is what we have to remember."   

Blackpool

Blackpool FC Charlie Adam has pledged to give his all in the remaining matches of Blackpool's relegation battle after admitting his form has taken a dip in recent weeks. He said: "For the last few weeks I have been frustrated with the way I have played. I'll openly admit that I've not played as well as I think I probably could have. But the players in that team have helped me and hopefully if I keep trying to work as hard as I can, if other things don't happen then my work-rate will help the team. The important thing is that you keep on trying 110 per cent every week, and then we'll see what has happened by the end of the season - if we can stay in the league."    

Bolton Wanderers

Bolton Wanderers Zat Knight believes the club must spend in the summer if they are to move forward. "We haven't got the biggest squad but the players who have come in have tried hard," he said. "That's one thing we have got here, heart. But we do have to add to it as well. You can't just rely on heart, we need depth as well."  


Chelsea

Chelsea The club's captain will speak directly to fans on Wednesday 11th May as part of John Terry Day on Chelsea TV. The number 26 will field questions from Blues across the country during the live phone-in and look back over his trophy-winning time with the club. To ask the captain a question live on air call 0844 543 4969.   

Everton

Everton Ayegbeni Yakubu is ready to call time on his Everton career and seal a permanent move to Leicester. The 28-year-old Nigerian joined the Championship club from the Toffees in mid-January and insists he is happy at the Walkers Stadium. "I think I've had enough [at Everton] and I have to look for somewhere to go - I would love to stay [at Leicester]," Yakubu said. "Hopefully I can settle things there and come back. If I could come and play for Leicester that would be great. I had a great time at Everton but I think I have to move on. I've had a great four months at Leicester and my season has been really good. It feels like home and I feel like I've been here for three or four years - I'm enjoying it. The players and the fans have been really nice to me and hopefully I will see them again." Yakubu has scored 10 goals in 19 appearances for Sven-Goran Eriksson's side during his loan spell.   

fulham

Fulham Mark Schwarzer has been delighted with the progress made at home this season. "In the time that I have been at the club we have been very, very strong at home and we have done very well at Craven Cottage which has become a bit of a fortress for us at times. We want to try and maintain that strength, while securing results like we did at Sunderland on our travels," the goalkeeper told the official Fulham website. "If we can do that - then we could see a big difference. The second half of the season has been very good and we're now ninth in the table and we want to keep ourselves in the top 10 and end the campaign in a strong, positive position. Had we managed to turn some of those draws we've had this season into wins - we could well have been talking about an even higher finish come the end. But it's been a season of progression for us and next year could be another interesting one for us." 

Liverpool

Liverpool Alan Hansen believes Kenny Dalglish's tactical nous has turned Liverpool's season around. From being down in the lower reaches of the Barclays Premier League they are now pushing for Europe under the caretaker-manager. Former Liverpool and Scotland defender Hansen believes his former team-mate deserves immense credit after stepping in following the departure of Roy Hodgson. "For me the big thing has been the flexibility of the formations that Kenny has used and how players have adapted," Hansen said. "Kenny knows the game and he knows players, but also ingrained in him is the Liverpool way - the pass and move game that our club's success was based upon. Right from the word go, as he has said himself, he wanted to see players passing and moving on the training ground. We're reaping the rewards of that already."   

Manchester City

Manchester City Vincent Kompany is confident Manchester City will complete their quest for a Champions League place, having amassed a seven-point lead over Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur. "We are on course," said Kompany. "We have gone a tremendous way since the takeover happened three years ago. It is a completely different club now and it would really be a great way to start the success story we want to have with City by achieving Champions League qualification and winning the FA Cup this season. That is our target, and it becomes even more important than ever now."

Manchester United

Manchester United Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola expects to face a very different Manchester United side to the one they beat in the 2009 Champions League final as the two teams meet in European football's showpiece at Wembley later this month. "It will be a different game to the final in 2009 - they are a different team with different strikers," said Guardiola.

Newcastle United

Newcastle United FC As well as young goalkeeper Tim Krul, Newcastle also have Fraser Forster, 23, banging on the first team door. The youngster spent the whole of last season helping Norwich to the League One title, before making a temporary switch north of the border to Celtic, where he has been first choice this campaign. And Steve Harper is confident that the goalkeeping situation at St. James' Park should be bright for the forseeable future. "Fraser has had two seasons now playing week in, week out, so will have come on leaps and bounds, and Tim will finish this season having probably played 20 Premier League games," he said. The pair of them will come back next pre-season champing at the bit. It's fantastic for the club. I'm not getting any younger, so it's going to get harder every season to keep the two lads at bay. I've told them I'll help them every which way I can, but I'm not going to lie down and give them the spot - it's up to them to come and take it. One day they will."

Stoke City
Stoke City Stoke defender Marc Wilson has provided Matthew Etherington with encouragement as he attempts to battle back from injury in time to play in the FA Cup final against Manchester City on 14th May. Nine days after helping Stoke book a return trip to Wembley with the opening goal in their 5-0 semi-final victory over Bolton, influential winger Etherington tore a hamstring in the first half of the 3-0 Barclays Premier League win over Wolves. The 23-year-old said of Etherington: "Hopefully he's got a good chance. I think for the semis I was in the same position as he was and I ended up making it so hopefully he can do the same thing and get himself back for the final. He's been different class for us this year and he gives the team a lot. He's a strong character. He's got to be. If he was to miss it he'd be devastated and everyone at the club is willing him to get back as soon as possible. I had a little bit longer, I had three weeks and I think he had 18 days, but I think he's got every chance." 

Sunderland


Sunderland Steve Bruce believes Craig Lynch has earned the possibility of further first team opportunities between now and the end of the season. The 19-year-old attacker made his senior debut as a substitute last Saturday against Fulham following some fine displays for Sunderland's reserve team. He impressed during a brief 15-minute cameo and could be in line for more action before the season's end according to manager Bruce, who believes the Academy product is showing plenty of potential. "Lynchy has done particularly well in the reserves," he said. "It wasn't a particularly nice time for him to come on [against Fulham], but the boy has a bright future. Saturday will have done him the world of good. I'm sure he'll have a chance of figuring in the last few games of the season. The injury situation has given the young lads a chance and a couple of them have grasped it."  

Tottenham Hotspur


Tottenham Hotspur Harry Redknapp led the tributes to Sandro after the Brazilian's excellent display and goal in the 2-1 defeat at Chelsea. Typically breaking play up and keeping it simple throughout the match at Stamford Bridge, the all-action midfielder showed he has another string to his bow with a stunning opening goal. "It was a fantastic goal, a great strike," said Redknapp. "He really covered some ground at Chelsea, he worked his socks off for us in there. All I said to him when he came over (after scoring the goal) was that he wanted to hunt Frank Lampard down everywhere and I just told him not to go chasing after him but to wait until he came in the final third of the pitch, that's when he had to latch onto him. He was just going too deep with him and we didn't want that. He's a good player and I like him a lot, a young lad with a bright future." 

West Bromwich Albion

West Bromwich Albion FC West Brom should be able to welcome back Jerome Thomas for this weekend's Black Country derby at Wolves. The 28-year-old winger missed Saturday's 2-1 victory against Aston Villa with a groin complaint but has now returned to training. The Baggies could also have Chris Brunt, Steven Reid and Gonzalo Jara available, although coach Michael Appleton admits their return is not guaranteed. "Jerome trained on Tuesday, which is positive for us and as far as I'm aware there hasn't been any reaction from the injury," Appleton told the club's official website. "With the rest, we are just monitoring them daily and if we can get one or two of them back for the weekend then fantastic. But we probably won't have a firm idea on the likes of Steven Reid until the end of the week. Gonzo is similar to Reidy. They have both had scans and nothing has been shown to be too serious, but come Friday and Saturday, we will probably have a better idea on who is fit and available for the game."   

West Ham United

West Ham United West Ham have asked to recall Jordan Spence from his loan spell at Bristol City. The Hammers have two injuries in defence ahead of their match against Barclays Premier League relegation rivals Blackburn on Saturday. City boss Keith Millen is planning for the final match of the season against Hull at Ashton Gate this weekend without the England Under-21 international. "West Ham said they have a couple of injury concerns over defenders and would like to take Jordan back," Millen confirmed via the club's official website. "They have a 24-hour recall clause and it looks like he will be going back to them. But we are hoping the injuries clear up and Jordan would then be able to end the season with us before going back to West Ham for the last few games in the Premier League."

Wigan Athletic


Wigan Athletic Ali Al Habsi believes Wigan need to collect five points from their remaining three matches to give themselves the best possible chance of Premier League survival. And the Omani international is confident the squad has it in them to achieve that 40-point tally, saying: "We have to get a win and maybe two draws from the three matches that remain, and we're more than capable of doing that if we can play to our potential. It will be hard, of course it will, but we have a clear idea of what is needed to achieve that and the belief to make it happen."

Wolverhampton Wanderers


Wolverhampton Wanderers Wolves will stay up if they win Sunday's Barclays Premier League derby against West Brom, according to manager Mick McCarthy. McCarthy is convinced the impact of victory would be worth more than just Black County bragging rights. Wolves could win and still finish the weekend in the bottom three, but McCarthy said: "If we win on Sunday, then I don't doubt for one minute we'll stay up. If we win this one, we go into our last two games with far more confidence after an away draw at Birmingham and a home win. It's no good thinking and wishing it though - we have got to do it which is completely different against a team in form. We could win the next three or draw two and win one and stay up - I don't know what it's going to take. This result won't be a defining one - unless we win, and then it will be defining."

No comments:

Post a Comment