David Beckham & Fabio Capello
- David Beckham
What is it with Fabio Capello and David Beckham?
Having changed Capello’s mind after being dropped from the Real Madrid squad back in 2007, we weren’t hugely surprised to learn that Beckham has managed to convince Fabs to back away from his statement that the player was ‘too old’ to be turning out for England any more.
Capello has apparently re-opened the door once again (after ending Beckham’s career via the media without actually mentioning it to the player himself), stating at the weekend that he and Beck’s ‘will have a chat’ once the Achilles injury is resolved.
As ‘are they/aren’t they’ love affairs go, this one is decidedly more interesting than some others we could mention. But in case anyone is unclear, it should be noted that we love David (beard and all) and hereby undertake never to close any doors on him. Promise.
A full list of the England squad for the Euro 2012 qualifiers against Bulgaria and Switzerland is here.
Scott Carson in England squad for Euro 2012 qualifiers
Scott Carson has been recalled to the England squad after a two-year absence.
- Scott Carson
The West
Brom goalkeeper is joined by Manchester City‘s Joleon Lescott for the Euro 2012 qualifiers against Bulgaria and Switzerland.
England squad for Euro 2012 qualifiers v Bulgaria (3 September) and Switzerland (7 September):
Goalkeepers: Scott Carson (West Brom), Ben Foster (Birmingham), Joe Hart (Manchester City).
Defenders: Gary Cahill (Bolton), Ashley Cole (Chelsea), Michael Dawson (Tottenham), Kieran Gibbs (Arsenal), Phil Jagielka (Everton), Glen Johnson (Liverpool), Joleon Lescott (Manchester City), Matthew Upson (West Ham)
Midfielders: Gareth Barry (Manchester City), Michael Carrick (Manchester United), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Adam Johnson (Manchester City), James Milner (Manchester City), Theo Walcott (Arsenal), Shaun Wright-Phillips (Manchester City), Ashley Young (Aston Villa)
Forwards: Darren Bent (Sunderland), Carlton Cole (West Ham), Peter Crouch (Tottenham), Jermain Defoe (Tottenham), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United).
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Five other players are recalled by boss Fabio Capello for the games on Friday and Tuesday after they were omitted for the 2-1 friendly win over Hungary.
Matthew Upson, Michael Carrick, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Peter Crouch and Jermain Defoe all return.
However, there is still no place for Liverpool midfielder Joe Cole who was also not selected for the Hungary victory on 11 August.
Chelsea’s John Terry and Frank Lampard, Fulham striker Bobby Zamora and Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand are all out injured.
Lampard and Terry were ruled out of Capello’s plans following their club’s 2-0 over Stoke on Saturday.
Midfielder Lampard will undergo a hernia operation next week, while central defender and former England captain Terry has injured his right hamstring.
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Jose Mourinho: Super Dad
- Jose Mourinho – Super Dad
Matilde Mourinho: Daaaaaad, there’s a lorry heading right towards us!!
Jose Mourinho: Don’t worry, my dear. A simple lorry cannot harm me… for I am the Special One!
Transfers Today: Hatem Ben Arfa
- Hatem Ben Arfa
He’s cute, he’s grumpy and he now plays for Newcastle United.
Without meaning to cast aspersions on the pride of the English North East, we see an unnerving symmetry developing in the Newcastle midfield now that Hatem Ben Arfa has succeeded in forcing his (loan) move from Marseille. We can only imagine what high jinks he and fellow ‘friskies’ Joey Barton and Alan Smith will get up to.
Funsies in store for sure!
England Premier League Week 03
England Premier League Week 03 Highlights
Premier League round-up
Sunderland inflicted big-spending Manchester City’s first defeat of the season with a late 1-0 win at the Stadium of Light, while Liverpool recorded their first victory of the campaign with a 1-0 success over West Brom.
Sat 28th August 2010
Blackburn 1-2 Arsenal Highlights
Blackpool 2-2 Fulham Highlights
Chelsea 2-0 Stoke City Highlights
Tottenham 0-1 Wigan Athletic Highlights
Wolves 1-1 Newcastle Highlights
Man Utd 3-0 West Ham Utd Highlights
Sun 29th August 2010
Bolton 2-2 Birmingham Highlights
Liverpool 1-0 WBA Highlights
Sunderland 1-0 Manchester City Highlights
Aston Villa 1-0 Everton Highlights
Elsewhere, Luke Young’s early goal earned Aston Villa a 1-0 win over Everton at Villa Park and Bolton rallied from 2-0 down to earn a 2-2 draw with Birmingham despite playing the second half with ten men.
Darren Bent’s last-gasp penalty earned Sunderland a dramatic win over Manchester City at the Stadium of Light.
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Aston Villa 1-0 Everton
Filed under: Aston Villa, England Premier League, Everton, Highlights
Aston Villa 1-0 Everton Highlights – 29/08/2010
Scorer: Young (9)
- Aston Villa 1-0 Everton
Luke Young scored his first goal for nearly two years to earn Aston Villa victory over Everton and boost caretaker manager Kevin MacDonald’s chances of becoming Martin O’Neill’s successor.
The former England defender, who rejected a move to Liverpool earlier this month, dealt a blow to the other side of Merseyside with his ninth-minute winner.
It was Villa’s second league win under MacDonald as they bounced back from their Europa League exit at the hands of Rapid Vienna.
Villa had leaked nine goals in their previous two matches, include a 6-0 mauling by Newcastle United at St James’ Park.
But they managed to hold on for a clean sheet despite being on the defensive for lengthy periods.
Everton dominated for long spells in terms of possession with Mikel Arteta pulling the strings in the middle of the park.
But they lacked a cutting edge until Louis Saha was brought on early in the second period.
It means Everton are still searching for their first win of the campaign and have collected only one point from a possible nine.
Sunderland 1-0 Manchester City
Filed under: England Premier League, Highlights, Manchester City, Sunderland
Sunderland 1-0 Manchester City Highlights – 29/08/2010
Scorer: Bent (90 pen.)
- Sunderland 1-0 Manchester City
Darren Bent’s injury-time penalty condemned Manchester City to their first defeat of the season as a glaring miss left Carlos Tevez red-faced.
The Sunderland striker converted the spot-kick in the fourth minute of added time to snatch all three points after being hauled down by Micah Richards in front of goal.
Bent’s strike was the Black Cats’ reward for a concerted second-half fightback after Tevez had let them off the hook with an astonishing early miss.
The Argentinian fired high over an open goal after being played in by Yaya Toure, and the visitors were made to pay as the points slipped away.
Roberto Mancini’s side dominated before the break, but were unable to take advantage, and the home side made the most of their opportunity despite losing striker Fraizer Campbell with what looked like a serious injury.
That brought greater urgency to Steve Bruce’s pursuit of Ghana international striker Asamoah Gyan ahead of the transfer deadline, although he was able to comfort himself with a spirited display by his team.
However, it took a fine late save by keeper Simon Mignolet from substitute Emmanuel Adebayor to give Bent his big chance in front of a crowd of 38,610.
Liverpool 1-0 West Bromwich Albion
Filed under: England Premier League, Highlights, Liverpool, West Bromwich Albion
Liverpool 1-0 West Bromwich Albion Highlights – 29/08/2010
Scorer: Torres (65)
- Liverpool 1-0 West Bromwich Albion
Striker Fernando Torres underlined his quality – and importance to Liverpool – with a brilliant strike to defeat 10-man West Bromwich Albion at Anfield.
Two knee operations at the back-end of last season and a late return from the World Cup have impacted on the 26-year-old’s fitness and match sharpness.
But a clinical strike midway through the second half – his first Barclays Premier League goal since 28th March and 50th at Anfield in all competitions – proved too good for promoted West Brom.
Torres was rested for the midweek Europa League play-off trip to Trabzonspor and the decision was justified with victory in Turkey without him and, more importantly, rewarded with the winning goal against the Baggies.
He had not scored in 10 matches for club and country coming into this match as he has been working his way back to fitness but even a 75 per cent fit Torres provides a threat for opposition defences.
Torres had three half-chances in the opening 45 minutes but none could have been classed a genuine opportunity.
Bolton Wanderers 2-2 Birmingham City
Filed under: Birmingham City, Bolton Wanderers, England Premier League, Highlights
Bolton Wanderers 2-2 Birmingham City Highlights – 29/08/2010
Scorer: Davies (70 pen.) / Scorer: Blake (80) – Scorer: Johnson (4) / Scorer: Gardner (50)
- Bolton Wanderers 2-2 Birmingham City
Kevin Davies and Robbie Blake struck from set-pieces as 10-man Bolton Wanderers came from two down to claim a draw in a fiery Barclays Premier League contest with Birmingham City.
Blues defender Roger Johnson began an eventful afternoon at the Reebok Stadium with an early opener before getting involved in an incident that saw Bolton goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen sent off.
Johnson had challenged Jaaskelainen for the ball just before half-time and the Finn appeared to slap him in the face as they regained their feet.
Craig Gardner doubled Birmingham’s lead but Bolton responded to the challenge to maintain their unbeaten start to the campaign.
Davies replied with a penalty after a foul by the ubiquitous Johnson and veteran Blake levelled with a stunning late free-kick.
Both sides went into the game with confidence after collecting four points each from their opening two games.
Changes were minimal with Bolton fielding the same XI that beat West Ham United last week and Birmingham bringing in the influential Lee Bowyer for Nikola Zigic.
Manchester United 3-0 West Ham United
Filed under: England Premier League, Highlights, Manchester United, West Ham United
Manchester United 3-0 West Ham United Highlights – 29/08/2010
- Manchester United 3-0 West Ham United
Scorer: Rooney (33 pen.) / Scorer: Nani (49) / Scorer: Berbatov (68)
Wayne Rooney ended his five-month wait for a goal as he set Manchester United on their way to a comfortable Barclays Premier League win over West Ham United.
Rooney’s 33rd-minute penalty after Jonathan Spector had fouled Ryan Giggs will hardly enter his personal hall of fame.
But it ends the talk of his scoring drought and should go some way to easing the 24-year-old back to top form after a slow start to the season.
Second-half efforts from Nani and Dimitar Berbatov, who took his tally to three in four matches, sealed victory to keep United in touch with early pace-setters Chelsea.
But for West Ham, the international break only provides further opportunity to worry.
Without a point under Avram Grant’s stewardship, the Hammers are now bottom of the table and facing a fight to preserve their top-flight status.
