The AET Soccer/Football Thread
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Defender puts lurid headlines in the past
By James Ducker
IT MIGHT SEEM STRANGE TO suggest that Rio Ferdinand has come of age in the past two months when the defender is 27, but that is what has happened. A season that started so miserably all of a sudden looks rosier for Ferdinand and while his dramatic return to form might not be enough to earn his club the trophy they crave, it is good news for England as they prepare for the World Cup finals in Germany this summer.
Sir Alex Ferguson had hoped privately that Ferdinand’s first goal in 140 appearances for Manchester United against Wigan Athletic last month would signal the end of one of the most turbulent periods in the player’s life and the manager’s wish seems to have been granted. Ferdinand marshalled the defence superbly against Liverpool, but that alone, it seems, is no longer good enough for him.
He wants to make a greater contribution, and for the third time in nine Barclays Premiership games, he was true to his word, popping up to power home Ryan Giggs’s free kick at the death.
“There is no reason why he can’t offer that (more goals),” Ferguson said. “It gives him the confidence and encouragement to attack the ball as he did today. It was a marvellous leap. He is 6ft 4in, he has a big enough head and a good spring so there is no reason why he can’t (score more).”
Quite what Ferguson meant by “big enough head” is unclear, but there was no mistaking the irony of his choice of words. Ferdinand has been too arrogant for too many people’s liking in recent years, but at last he appears to have taken a leaf out of John Terry’s book and decided that it is time to display leadership qualities hitherto conspicuous by their absence.
The lurid headlines that Ferdinand has generated over the past 3½ years must have had the scriptwriters of Footballers’ Wives, the ITV drama, rubbing their hands with glee, but United supporters, not to mention Ferguson, have reason to believe that the soap opera that has been his life has now reached its conclusion.
Ferdinand heads off Liverpool revival
Ferguson enjoys United stand
Victory fails to disguise shift in local power
Defender puts lurid headlines in the past
Chelsea bent but not broken
BARCLAYS PREMIERSHIP
Click team for page
Last updated: January 23, 2006
Pos Club name P GD Pts
1 Chelsea 23 37 62
2 Man Utd 23 22 48
3 Liverpool 21 17 44
4 Tottenham 23 12 41
5 Arsenal 22 18 37
6 Wigan 23 -1 37
7 Bolton 21 7 36
8 Blackburn 22 2 34
9 Man City 23 3 31
10 West Ham 22 -2 29
11 Charlton 21 -4 29
12 Everton 23 -15 29
13 Fulham 22 -4 26
14 Newcastle 22 -5 26
15 Aston Villa 23 -6 26
16 West Brom 23 -11 22
17 Middlesbro 22 -13 22
18 Birmingham 22 -11 19
19 Portsmouth 23 -23 17
20 Sunderland 22 -23 9
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hey i can´t wait anymore ....manu vs west ham on the 25th of february if i remember it right !!!I wanna be there than @old trafford....0
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NOT BAD FOR A LAZY PLAYER, SVEN(
:D;);))
Rio CLEARS ball off the line and then SCORES winning goal in last minute MAN UTD 1 LIVERPOOL 0
By David Mcdonnell
RIO FERDINAND made a mockery of Sven Goran Eriksson's claim that he is lazy with a stunning last-minute goal to give Manchester United victory over arch rivals Liverpool.
Eriksson had stung Ferdinand with his indiscreet views, but the England coach - who was watching at Old Trafford - was made to look a fool as the United defender turned in a man-of-the-match display.
As well as grabbing the winner, which Eriksson missed because he had already left the ground, Ferdinand made a goal-line clearance to keep United on course to clinch second spot in the Premiership.
And the England defender could not contain his delight at scoring the winner. "It was brilliant," said Ferdinand.
"But the goal-line clearance was just as crucial.
"I just stuck my head on the end of it and I was so glad when it went in."0 -
0
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DREAM TEAM RATINGS
MANCHESTER UTD
LIVERPOOL
Edwin van der Sar
7
Jose Reina
6
Gary Neville
7
Steve Finnan
6
STAR MAN:
Rio Ferdinand
9
Jamie Carragher
8
Wes Brown
7
Sami Hyypia
7
Patrice Evra
7
John Arne Riise
7
Darren Fletcher
6
Steven Gerrard
6
John O'Shea
5
Xabi Alonso
6
Ryan Giggs
6
Mohamed Sissoko
7
Kieran Richardson
6
Harry Kewell
6
Wayne Rooney
8
Peter Crouch
7
Ruud van Nistelrooy
6
Djibril Cisse
5
SUBS
Saha (for O'Shea) 6. Not used: Vidic, Silvestre, Rossi, Howard.
SUBS
Kromkamp (for Sissoko) 6, Morientes (Crouch) 6, Sinama-Pongolle (Cisse) 6. Not used: Traore, Dudek.0 -
what do you think this seems like a joke for me...
Hamburg have turned their attention to Besiktas striker Ailton after losing out on their number one target Dagoberto.
Atletico Paranaense, the Brazilian club soon to be coached by Lothar Matthaus, would not budge on their valuation of the 22-year-old striker and Hamburg now appear to have set their sights on a more familiar Brazilian.
Ailton is unsettled with Besiktas and can leave for 1.5 million euros and his Bundesliga experience could open the door to a move back to his favourite north of Germany.
As a Werder Bremen player, Ailton won the Bundesliga and golden boot award in 2004 before moving to Schalke.
After a disappointing season with the Royal Blues, Ailton moved to Besiktas last summer but has failed to settle their either.
While Dortmund and Cologne signalled their interest in the 32-year-old before Christmas, HSV appear more serious about signing him.
"Ailton is one of our options," said Hamburg team manager Bernd Wehmeyer to ARD television.
"Our director of sport Dietmar Beiersdorfer will be looking into a transfer."0 -
though game :
onday 23rd January , 15.15 GMT
Nigeria
v
Ghana0 -
0
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what a shitty game yesterday, liverpool and man u and thats the result!!!! If chelsea move any further in front the whole man u squad will have blurred vision.0
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a bit alternation
http://fotball.adressa.no/multimedia/archive/00039/west_ham_vanlig_39449a.jpg
so who will win tonight west ham or fulham??0 -
it will be a 2-2 draw0
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0
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not sure totally, just a hunch....but I do think that both teams are on a par with each other, and that both are well capable of scoring against each other..........not sure what I make of w-hams new signing dean ashton, I mean 7m is quite an expenditure0
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elmer wrote:not sure totally, just a hunch....but I do think that both teams are on a par with each other, and that both are well capable of scoring against each other..........not sure what I make of w-hams new signing dean ashton, I mean 7m is quite an expenditure
i agree with that ´bout dean ashton i´m not sure if this is good for west ham ....
any injuries ???
(ok i hope west ham win )
don´t be afraid my no 1 team will be and stay manu 4 ever:):)0 -
Im not too bothered who wins really, with regards to locality the hammers are my local prem club and went a few times in the 90's but lost interest with them now0
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elmer wrote:Im not too bothered who wins really, with regards to locality the hammers are my local prem club and went a few times in the 90's but lost interest with them now
they won ...hey it´s ok i don´t mind ...i don´t know why west ham got my intrest;)
and anton made a goal but i read tat the match wasn´t that good in the second half but hey west ham won so...0 -
Ferdinand keeps pace with big brother
WEST HAM 2 - 1 FULHAM
COLIN STEWART AT UPTON PARK
West Ham 2
Ferdinand (17), Benayoun (28)
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41248000/jpg/_41248724_ferdy203_emp.jpg
Fulham 1
Helguson (52)
ANTON Ferdinand revealed his stunning volleyed goal in West Ham's Barclays Premiership win over Fulham last night was the result of hard work on the training field - and sibling rivalry.
Superb first-half goals from Ferdinand and Yossi Benayoun had put the Hammers in control. Heidar Helguson pulled a goal back on 52 minutes and the Cottagers were denied what seemed a clear penalty when Paul Konchesky bundled Helguson over inside the penalty area but Uriah Rennie ignored the appeals.
Ferdinand revealed he had been working on volleying in training and admitted he is enjoying a friendly competition with brother Rio in terms of goal tallys.:D:):););)!!!!
"He (Rio) has been spurred on since I got my first goal recently but it's nice for me to get another one and make it 3-2," he said.
Earlier in the day, West Ham signed England Under-21 striker Dean Ashton, 22, from Norwich for a club record £7 million on a four-and-a-half-year contract.
this is better written:
Match Report
WEST HAM UNITED 2 FULHAM 1
Two stunning first-half strikes from Anton Ferdinand and Yossi Benayoun secured a 2-1 victory against Fulham that sent Hammers up to ninth place in the Premiership on Monday night.
Ferdinand's blistering volley and Benayoun's delicate chip proved to be vital as Hammers sealed a third successive 2-1 win, with Heidar Helguson's 52nd minute strike proving to be just a consolation.
Alan Pardew made just one change to the team that started last week's 2-1 win at Aston Villa, as Benayoun returned in place of Shaun Newton on the right side of midfield. Tomas Repka appeared for the final time in a West Ham United shirt before his move to Sparta Prague, while Teddy Sheringham had recovered from a calf injury to take his place on the subs bench.
After new record signing Dean Ashton had been unveiled to the claret and blue faithful just moments before kick-off, it was the visitors who made the brighter start and indeed, might have opened the scoring inside the first five minutes.
First Brian McBride fired high over the bar from 12 yards out after a loose ball hadn't been cleared, then his strike partner Helguson met Elliott's corner with a point-blank header from eight yards out that seemed goal-bound until it struck his own team-mate Boa Morte and was cleared to safety.
Having survived the early scare, Hammers settled into their rhythm and, with Benayoun and Etherington beginning to enjoy space on the flanks, it appeared likely that the Upton Park crowd and Sky TV viewers were in for an entertaining and open game.
While goals may have been on the cards, though, no-one was quite ready for the sensational moment after 17 minutes that gave Hammers the lead. There appeared to be no danger for Fulham when goalkeeper Antti Niemi cleanly punched Benayoun's corner to the edge of the box, and certainly not when Harewood could only nod the loose ball to the edge of the penalty area, where Anton Ferdinand was positioned with his back to goal.
However, in one swift movement, the central defender swivelled and, with a technique that Pele in his prime would have been proud of, unleashed a blistering, dipping volley that gave Niemi no chance as it flew into the top corner of the net.
As an almost stunned crowd stood in unison to applaud a truly remarkable strike - and one that will surely make it on to the Match of the Day goal of the season shortlist at the end of the campaign - Anton celebrated as only he can, in sheer ecstasy and with a 'stylish' jig of delight.
Everyone inside Upton Park was still recovering from the moment when, on 28 minutes, Yossi Benayoun decided to present a case of 'anything Anton can do, I can do better'.
After Etherington's pass had reached the Israeli midfielder on the edge of the box, he turned Carlos Bocanegra one way, then the other, before executing a simply delightful chip that again left Niemi clutching at thin air as it dropped into the net to make it 2-0.
Benayoun almost made it three with a fierce, dipping drive six minutes before the break, but this time Niemi was equal to the effort, and the hosts went in at the break comfortably in control.
Having enjoyed their fair share of chances in the first-half, though, Fulham were certainly not about to give up the fight and, just seven minutes after the restart, they found themselves right back in the game with a goal from Helguson.
A long goal-kick was flicked on by McBride and a rare slip by Danny Gabbidon let in the Icelandic striker, who fired home a sweet left-footed strike from just inside the penalty area.
Three minutes later, the visitors came close to equalising, as a weak goal-kick by Carroll was seized upon by Helguson, who raced into the box but was brought down by a challenge from Konchesky that referee Uriah Rennie deemed to be fair.
On 61 minutes, Fulham introduced Tomasz Radzinski in place of Steed Malbranque, and the substitute almost netted with his first touch - a dipping 20-yard volley that Carroll superbly tipped round.
The Hammers keeper had to be alert again moments later to keep out a fierce drive from Boa Morte and, having weathered the Fulham storm early in the second half, the hosts might have extended their lead with 20 minutes remaining, as Zamora beat the offside trap and raced clear, but the striker stumbled in the area and the chance was gone.
Five minutes later, Zamora went even closer, meeting Etherington's deep cross with a firm header that struck the base of the post and went out for a goal-kick. The striker was then replaced by Christian Dailly as Hammers attempted to close out the game and, but for a couple of hopeful balls into the box that were bravely headed clear by the immaculate Ferdinand, Alan Pardew's men again held firmly onto their lead for a third successive 2-1 victory.
As the final whistle blew, the over-joyed Hammers fans paid tribute to the departing Repka, who was mobbed by his team-mates as they trooped off.
Two goal of the season contenders in the space of 11 first-half minutes, a Club record £7million transfer confirmed on the same evening, and another tremendous three points in the Premiership - it's certainly a good time to be a West Ham United fan!0 -
what´z this all about ???a big clash between both clubs i think ...
Jamie Carragher has condemned Gary Neville for 'crossing the line' with his wild celebrations at Manchester United's late winner over Liverpool at Old Trafford.
Referee Mike Riley has confirmed to the Football Association he did not see Neville race 60 yards towards the Liverpool supporters following Rio Ferdinand's last-minute header, then grab his shirt before punching the air in jubilation.
The FA will now wait for Riley to assess the incident on video and also study written observations due to be forwarded by Greater Manchester Police before deciding whether to take any action against the United skipper.
Although Neville was subjected to abuse by a section of the Liverpool fans, Carragher does not believe there was any excuse for his England team-mate's actions.
As a Liverpool man born and bred, Carragher understands totally the emotions Neville was feeling when Ferdinand's header hit the net. But he still thinks the full-back should have been able to control his emotions.
"I think there is a line and Neville crossed it," Carragher told the Liverpool Echo.
"I have heard people say it is justified because he gets a lot of stick from the Liverpool fans but the truth is he gets the stick because he has been doing that for years. That is why it all started.
"I feel the same way about Liverpool as Neville does about Manchester United and from that point of view we are similar but I don't act like that when we score against United.
"If I did, I would expect United fans to give me the same amount of abuse."
Carragher also admits that Liverpool's Premiership hopes are over following the defeat at Old Trafford but he believes his side will win the title next season.
The defender told http://www.liverpoolfc.tv: "The aim definitely next season is to win the league, we have come on a long way. Twelve months ago we lost 2-0 at Southampton and I remember how bad that was.
"The strides we have made, winning the European Cup, and how close we are to challenging these top sides shows how well we have done these past 12 months.
"Hopefully over the next 12 months we will make a similar progression and finish off with us being champions at the end of next season."
But as far as this season is concerned, he added: "The chances of catching Chelsea are gone. They have a great side and they don't lose too many or even draw too many. It's a fight for second now."
"All the lads were gutted. To lose in the last minute is very disappointed, but we controlled the game and still have a couple of games in hand over them and are still in the Champions League.
"It would have been nice to get a good result against them to put us in pole position to finish second. But I still think if you ask Alex Ferguson they would rather be in our position with two games in hand and still the Champions League to play in.
"That was our first defeat after a long run and now aim to do that again.
"When you look at the bigger picture, you can bet Sir Alex would rather be in our position. We're still in the best position to challenge Chelsea and we've still got a chance of winning the top trophies."
The Greater Manchester Police have written to the Football Association to complain about Neville's antics.
A statement from GMP read: "Chief Superintendent Andy Holt has written a letter expressing his concern. No criminal investigation is taking place at this stage."0 -
Nigeria 1 Ghana 0
that´s so cool!!!!
Ismael Taye-Taiwo scored the only goal of the match as Nigeria beat West African rivals Ghana 1-0 in a Group D match at the El-Masry Stadium.
The win was just reward for the Super Eagles, who on the balance of play were the better side and created more chances than their opponents.
The opening minutes of the first stanza produced a war of attrition, with both sides cancelling each other out in the middle of the park.
Ghana started with a 4-5-1 formation, leaving Matthew Amoah to plough a lone furrow in attack, a role the striker seemed to thrive in.
Obafemi Martins and Julius Aghahowa led the Super Eagles attack, but got little change from the central defensive duo of Samuel Kuffour and John Mensah, who put in a series of goal-saving tackles in the first half.
Taye-Taiwo had two free-kicks in quick succession, the first wasted, but the second a Robert Carlos-like rocket that Sammy Adjei did well to claw away to safety.
A clever free-kick at the other end culminated in Amoah's shot striking the outside of the post as the absorbing clash began to open up.
Ayila Yussuf fashioned a header from Peter Odemwingie's right-wing cross, but the effort lacked purchase and a grateful Adjei fielded with ease.
Amoah then rounded off the Vincent Enyeama but his cross into the box found one of the many green shirts of Nigeria. And as Nigeria broke away, Odemwingie forced Adjei into an excellent save with a crisply struck shot.
During a frenetic conclusion to the first half Aghahowa created room for himself just outside the box before unleashing a shot that bounced off the stanchion and onto the side-netting, deceiving a section of the fans, who thought the Nigerians had opened their account.
Martins then set up Ayila Yussuf with a deft touch, but the latter ballooned his effort over before Wilson Oruma's thunderbolt was punched away by Adjei.
Ghana skipper Stephen Appiah forced Enyeama into a flying save on the stroke of half-time
Chidi Odiah and Odemwingie sent ferocious long range efforts narrowly wide either side of Adjei's goal before Kuffour was forced to hack away for a corner via the woodwork as Nigeria made a lively start to the second half.
Martins saw his shot from an angle come off the post and after the Ghanaians had ridden their luck and action moved to the other side Taiwo threw his body in the way to keep out Yakubu Abubakari's shot.
After a neat interchange with Martins, Christian Obodo shot straight at Adjei, as did Appiah at Enyeama at the other end just after the hour-mark.
Yobo tried to play himself out of trouble when a good old-fashioned clearance would have done the trick and was lucky that his sloppiness was not punished.
Karyea Kingston should have put Ghana in front but failed to make firm contact from seven yards although Enyeama was still required to make a superb diving save.
Amoah was next to squander a gilt-edged chance, glancing is header off Kingston's cross wide with 20 minutes to play.
Kanu entered the fray for Aghahowa with 10 minutes to play and immediately won a freekick on the right which Mensah did well to clear with Yobo breathing in his neck.
Taiwo struck following a clever free-kick routine with five minutes to play - his left-footed shot leaving Adjei flatfooted
Adjei then made a superb one-handed save to keep Martins' shot out as Nigeria looked to add their one-goal advantage.
However, Taiwo's first goal for his country was enough to condemn World Cup-bound Ghana to defeat and send Nigeria top of the "group of death."0 -
RIO'S GRANDE, BUT ANTON'S JUST SUBLIME
Anton Ferdinand
West Ham 2-1 Fulham
Darren Lewis
ANTON FERDINAND and Yossi Benayoun hit wonder goals as West Ham left Fulham without an away win all season.
Ferdinand upstaged his big brother Rio - who headed a last-gasp winner for Manchester United against Liverpool just 24 hours earlier - with a candidate for goal of the month on 17 minutes.
Benayoun's strike 12 minutes later was right up alongside it as Alan Pardew's men threatened to run riot in the first half and showed new £7.25million signing Dean Ashton the standards expected at Upton Park.
But the Hammers were pegged back in the second half as Chris Coleman's men conjured up a fine revival and capped it through a 52nd-minute Heidar Hegulson consolation.
Ashton was introduced to the fans before kick-off and he received a tremendous reception, as did Czech defender Tomas Repka, playing in his final game for the Hammers before joining homeland club Sparta Prague to be closer to his family.
Pardew's men were looking for a lift on the pitch, having gone into the game on the back of defeats in their last four home matches. Last time out they won 2-1 at Aston Villa but have not completed successive wins in 17 Premiership matches.
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Fulham were aware of that inconsistency and took the game to their London rivals, making the play and carving out the initial chances. Just two minutes in, striker Brian McBride blasted the ball over from the penalty spot from Luis Boa Morte's assist.
And from a corner won by Boa Morte four minutes later, striker Helguson missed with a free header inside the West Ham box.
The home side responded with flowing, incisive passing that took them to the edge of the Fulham area, but could not find the killer pass.
Instead, it was Fulham looking the most likely. If the record signing of Ashton was supposed to gee up Pardew's strikers, it was not having the desired effect.
So up stepped Ferdinand to show them how it was done. The goal was so good it should have been preceded by a drum roll.
When Fulham keeper Antti Niemi punched out Benayoun's corner, there seemed no danger to the visitors' goal. But the younger Ferdinand brother swivelled on his left leg and let fly with a powerful, dipping volley from 25 yards.
The technique was magnificent. Niemi had no chance. Even the replays on the giant Upton Park screens drew massive gasps from the crowd. And afterwards, every time the ball went anywhere near young Anton, the home fans shouted: 'SHOOOOOT!'.
He didn't, of course, instead resorting to the composure in defence which has seen him marked down as one of the most highly-rated young players in the country.
Then up stepped Benayoun to increase West Ham's lead. The skill with which he achieved it was exactly the reason that Pardew brought the Israeli playmaker to Upton Park.
Matty Etherington provided the assist just outside the Fulham area. Benayoun shifted the ball between his feet to bamboozle defender Carlos Bocanegra, then left Niemi clutching at thin air with a delightful chip to make it 2-0.
The game was by no means over and Fulham went on to prove it by bolting out of the traps in the second period. Helguson cracked the ball home after a mistake by Danny Gabbidon to get them back into the game.
Helguson then had a clear penalty turned down by referee Uriah Rennie after being brought down by Paul Konchesky. And McBride whistled a shot past the angle of the Hammers' post and bar.
But despite some heavy pressure, Coleman's men were unable to find the leveller and their awful away run continues.
WEST HAM: Carroll, Repka, Ferdinand, Gabbidon, Konchesky, Benayoun, Mullins, Reo-Coker, Etherington, Harewood, Zamora.
FULHAM: Niemi, Rosenior, Knight, Bocanegra, Bridge, Elliott, Legwinski, Malbranque, Boa Morte, Helguson, McBride.
ATTENDANCE: 29,812
MAN OF THE MATCH: Ferdinand
;);) 0
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