01/09/12 Premier League week-end round-up

West Ham 3 – 0 Fulham:

The early kick off in saturday's matches was a good chance for West Ham's new loan signing Andy Carroll to display his talents to the home ground, and he did just that, tearing up Fulham's defence and set the Hammers on the way after just 53 seconds when his knock down header allowed Ricardo Vaz Te to tee up Kevin Nolan to slot home with his left foot. Then in then 29^th minute the Irons doubled their lead after defender Winston Reid powered in a header when he found himself free from a corner. West Ham virtually sealed the win in the 41^st minute after Matthew Taylor finished from outside the box into the bottom corner. Carroll left the Upton Park pitch after 68 minutes after concerns over a hamstring injury, but he most certainly played a huge part the West Ham victory that was secured after a rampant first half display.

Swansea 2-2 Sunderland

Sunderland's new £14 million signing Steven Fletcher scored twice on his Sunderland debut to draw Swansea's 100% start to the season to a close. 

Fletcher's first came after Ashley Williams's horrific backpass was miscued and left Fletcher one on one with Vorm, and the Scotsman cooly slotted home. Swansea's response was almost instant when Wayne Routledge fired home from 10 yards out. However the resiliant Sunderland side struck back with Fletcher's second goal of the afternoon, a tap in at the far post just before half time. Sunderland were denied the win however after Michu secured a point for the home side who survived the last 20 minutes with 10 men after Jose Manuel Flores was sent off.

Tottenham 1-1 Norwich

Norwich managed to snatch a point late on at White Hart Lane against 10 man Tottenham, resigning them to their worst start to a Premier League season for four years.

Deadline day signing Moussa Dembele had put Spurs in front with a goal on his debut, but with time running out Robert Snodgrass managed to find a pocket of space and let fly with a low left-footed shot that beat the Tottenham goalkeeper Brad Friedel all ends up. Boos echoed around the Lane at the final whistle, leaving Andre Villas-Boas still without a competitive win as Tottenham manager.

West Brom 2-0 Everton

Unbeaten West Bromwich Albion recorded their best start ever to a Premier League season at the cost of Everton's unbeaten streak at The Hawthorns. 

Baggies Irish striker Shane Long tucked in the close-range opener from substitute Peter Odemwingie's low left-wing cross. Defender Gareth McAuley powerful header tied up West Brom's victory as Everton lost for the first time in 12 top flight games. Everton's best chance fell to in form Belgian midfielder Marouane Fellaini, but he slashed the opportunity wide.

Wigan 2-2 Stoke

Stoke and England striker Peter Crouch managed to rescue Stoke a point at the DW stadium after Franco Di Santo looked to have secured a victory for the home side Wigan. 

Di Santo's fifth goal in eight games had put the Latics 2-1 up in the 49^th minute before Crouch powered home Jon Walters' cross. Stoke's new signing Charlie Adam, who joined on deadline day in a £4m deal from Liverpool, was denied a heroic winner by Ali Al Habsi's stunning save late on.

Man City 3-1 QPR

The day's late kick off saw two big summer spending clubs clash, QPR signing 12 new players through the summer, and the champions Manchester City who made 5 signings on deadline day. 

City managed to maintain their unbeaten start to the new season against QPR at The Etihad. The Premier League champions were watched by Real Madrid head coach Jose Mourinho ahead of their meetings in the champions league. Yaya Toure gave City the lead in the 16^th minute in a first half that they totally dominated. QPR managed to stun the City crowd after grabbing an equaliser through Bobby Zamora 59 minutes into the game. Just 2 minutes later however City were back in front through Edin Dzeko before Argentinian striker Carlos Tevez secured the win in stoppage time to calm the home crowd's nerves.

This is the Premier League table as it currently stands, with 3 games being played on Sunday.

 Chelsea remain the only team to take full points from their 3 games, but Swansea City, West Bromwich Albion and Manchester City still also remain unbeaten. Everton slip down to 5th after their loss and West Ham are among the teams rising in the league after their comfortable win at Fulham. QPR remain near the bottom with only Aston Villa below them who play Newcastle United tomorrow.

Ledley King retires from professional football

Tottenham defender Ledley King, 31, has retired from professional football but will remain at Spurs in an ambassadorial role.

The former England international centre back has become unable to train on a daily basis due to his injury struggles over the past number of years.

       

King told Tottenham's website: "Sadly my injuries and inability to train have finally brought an end to my career, I'm pleased that I can continue to work within the club."

Tottenham announced today that a testimonial will take place at the end of the 2012-13 season for King, who spent his entire playing career with the London club after joining as a trainee.

After his debut in 1999, King went on to make a total of 264 league appearances, winning the Carling Cup in 2008, and became and remained club captain until his retirement.

The centre-back also represented England 21 times and was in the 2010 World Cup squad 2 years ago.

His last appearance for his country came against the United States in South Africa two years ago.

King spoke to reporters today stating: "I have been here since I was a boy,". "It is like a second home to me.

"I have always considered it my club and have always found it hard to imagine wearing the shirt of another team.

"I would like to say thank you to everyone at the club and to the fans.

"I have missed a lot of football over the years, but the Spurs fans have always been patient and incredibly supportive with me during difficult periods."

King's final appearance for Tottenham was a 1-0 defeat to QPR in last year's Premier League campaign on 21st April.

Team GB squad and their chances at the London 2012 Olympics

13 Englishmen and 5 Welshmen have been named by Team GB manager Stuart Pearce in his 18 man squad for the summer 2012 Olympic Games in London.

Interestingly, Pearce has not picked any Scottish or Northern Irish players for the tournament, and has even left out one of Great Britain's figureheads for the Olympic Games bid, David Beckham. Leaving Beckham out of the side has left pundits having mixed feelings about Pearce, and his choice to select Ryan Giggs, Craig Bellamy and Micah Richards as his three over twenty three players. Pearce confirmed there was no political pressure on him to select Beckham for his Team GB Olympic squad - and that he would not have accepted the job if there had been.

Swansea have three players named, the most of any club - Scott Sinclair, Joe Allen and Neil Taylor, while Tottenham defender Steven Caulker, who has been included, also played his football in Cardiff last year at the Liberty Stadium for the Swans. 

Other notable names that have been selected to play for Team GB include Chelsea's Daniel Sturridge, who many considered to be unlucky to miss out on the England team for the European championships that have just passed. 

Manchester United's up and coming star Tom Cleverley is one of the central midfielders to get the nod from Stuart Pearce.

Arsenal's Welshman Aaron Ramsey is also in the squad and bidding for a start in Team GB's opening game after stellar performances this year for Arsenal. 

London 2012 will be the first time that Team GB have competed in the men's football competition since the 1960 Games in Rome.

Team GB kick off their Olympic campaign in Manchester at Manchester United's stadium Old Trafford, against Senegal on July 26, before playing the United Arab Emirates at Wembley on July 29 and Uruguay at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium on August 1.

Team GB Squad

• Goalkeepers: Jack Butland (Birmingham City) and Jason Steele (Middlesbrough)
  
• Defenders: Micah Richards (Manchester City), Ryan Bertrand (Chelsea), Neil Taylor (Swansea), James Tomkins (West Ham), Craig Dawson (West Brom), Jack Cork (Southampton) and Stephen Caulker (Tottenham)
  
• Midfielders:Joe Allen (Swansea), Tom Cleverley (Manchester United), Ryan Giggs (Manchester United), Danny Rose (Tottenham) and Aaron Ramsey (Arsenal)
  
• Forwards: Craig Bellamy (Liverpool), Scott Sinclair (Swansea), Marvin Sordell (Bolton) and Daniel Sturridge (Chelsea)
  

Analysis of squad

The set of players that Pearce has chosen to represent Great Britain looks very promising as we have great experience in players such as Giggs and Bellamy as well as a lot of potential from players like Sturridge, Cleverley and Allen. Team GB's only problem could lie in not having an experienced, commanding centre-half in the squad and this could be a problem if we encounter any world class opposition.

Prediction

If our young players can step up to the big stage and our older, more experienced players can lead the field and show the younger players the ropes, I can see Team GB getting a medal at the Olympics this year.

Team GB will finish: 2^nd/3^rd Place

Please leave your comments below on your views about Pearce's selections and what round you think Team GB will reach this year.

Spain 4-0 Italy - Match Report

The class and composure of the Spanish national side helped them prevail over Italy by four goals to none in the European Championship cup final 2012, making history as they claimed a successive European crown and establishing a new record for biggest win in a European championship final. Goals from Manchester City's David Silva, Barcelona's new acquisition Jordi Alba, Chelsea striker Fernando Torres and late substitute Juan Mata secured a second successive European championship for the also World champions Spain.

What promised to be an exciting and tentative final proved to be more one-sided than one of have first imagined. Spain dominated play from the start and opened the scoring in the fourteenth minute with a headed goal from David Silva into the corner of the empty Italian net. Jordi Alba virtually secured the win with a brilliant darting run and from his left back position straight through the heart of the Italian defence, scoring the goal with a left foot side footed finish past Gianluigi Buffon. Fernando Torres scored his third goal of the tournament and Spain's third, not only securing the win for Spain, but also clinching himself the prize of golden boot. Torres also claimed the assist for Spain's final goal after his pass found Chelsea team mate Juan Mata inside the Italian penalty area with an empty net to slide the ball into and start the Spanish celebrations

Match Stats

                                              Italy                              Spain

Possession                             49%                               51% 

Shots on target                       6                                    9

Shots off target                       5                                   5

Yellow cards                           1                                    1

Corners                                   3                                    3

Fouls committed                     9                                   17

Injuries                                    2                                    0







Man of The Match
Jordi Alba: Rounded off a magnificent tournament for the 23 year old left back with a goal and a great performance. Gave his all for the full 90 minutes and bombed up and down the wing as we have been accustomed to since his introduction to the Spanish side.


Please leave a comment below telling us your opinions on tonight's final and who your man of the match was.

Spain vs Italy Player Ratings

Spain

Iker Casillas – 7 – made a great save from Di Natale, but was largely untroubled throughout.

Jordi Alba – 9 – endless energy, scored a superb goal and ran up and down the touchline like he has done all tournament. A real star of the tournament.

Gerard Pique – 7 – calm presence at the back, never had to work too hard and never looked struggled.

Sergio Ramos – 8 – another superb display, kept Balotelli quiet and nearly found himself on the scoresheet.

Alvaro Arbeloa – 7 – willing runner down the right side, a better quality of ball could have yielded more joy.

Xabi Alonso – 6 – efficient in the heart of the Spanish midfield, did his job as expected.

Sergio Busquets – 6 – no frills, no spills, linked well with the flair layers.

Xavi Hernandez – 8 – metronomic, provided two perfectly judged assists and was typically assured on the ball.

Andres Iniesta – 7 – an ethereal presence once more. Not quite at his best but still tormented Italy and linked well with Jordi Alba.

David Silva – 7 – typically effervescent, great alertness and movement to get on the end of Fabregas’ centre for the first goal. He looked quite rightly aggrieved to be substituted before the 60^th minute.

Cesc Fabregas – 8 – brilliant work for the first goal, made life difficult for the Italian backline all night with mazy runs and dropping off to receive a pass.

Pedro Rodriguez – 5 – was poor when he came off the bench didn’t offer much.

Fernando Torres – 7 – excellent cameo, looked lively and scored a neat goal and provided an unselfish pass for Mata. Probably won the easiest golden boot in history.

Juan Mata – 6 – Will be pleased to get an appearance and score a simple goal.

Italy

Gianluigi Buffon – 6 – Little he could really do for the goals, sang the national anthem the best of all players at the tournament.

Ignazio Abate – 5 – did offer a little going forward but the quality of ball was not up to scratch, struggled to deal with the superb Alba.

Andrea Barzagli – 5 – looked on his very last legs by the end of the game, once Torres came on his fatigue really showed.

Leonardo Bonucci – 5 – had a torrid time along with Barzagli. Let Silva run away from him for the first goal.

Giorgio Chiellini – 5 – unfortunate for his night to be ended so abruptly, was slightly caught out in the first goal.

Daniele De Rossi – 6 – some runs going forward but wasn’t able to affect the game really.

Andrea Pirlo – 5 – marked out of the game, denied the space and time he needs to thrive.

Claudio Marchisio – 5 – did not offer much at all going forward and was outclassed along with most of his Italian teammates in the midfield battle.

Riccardo Montolivo – 5 – Unable to affect the play in an advanced role where he was starved of possession and normally surrounded by men in red anyhow.

Antonio Cassano – 5 – very few glimpses of what we all know he is capable of, he was well patrolled by the Spanish backline. Fatigue has been a factor for him this tournament due to heart surgery earlier in the season which has denied us the best of him.

Mario Balotelli – 6 – worked hard but found little joy with an assured Spanish defensive display and not much service.

Federico Balzaretti – 7 – probably Italy’s best player on the night, offered some joy going forward and was generally solid at the back.

Antonio Di Natale – 4 – wasted a glorious chance that could have brought Italy back in the game. He was then largely anonymous.

Thiago Motta – n/a – injured only 4 minutes after coming on as a substitute for Riccardo Montolivo.

Leave your comments if you agree or disagree with these ratings.

Ten Transfer Targets

Its that time of year again, the transfer window officially opens tomorrow and with Euro 2012 drawing to a close the transfer market is set to take centre stage. Here is a quick run down of who we think will be making headlines for potential moves this summer.

NAME: Hulk (FC Porto)

Information: The quick, powerful and tricky Brazilian right winger Hulk has attracted attention from a number of clubs this transfer window and it is not difficult to see why. Hulk has attracted the attention of many prestigious teams after 21 goals in 38 appearances in all competitions for his club side FC Porto this year, and Hulk could be tempted by the offers he is receiving from clubs with more prestige amongst Europe than Porto.

Position: Right Wing but has been known to drift inwards.

Clubs interested: Chelsea, Real Madrid, Barcelona and Manchester City.

NAME: Leighton Baines (Everton)

Information: Baines has become one of the cornerstone's of Everton football club from his position of left back and is now attracting the attention of numerous big name clubs. After signing for Everton from Wigan in 2007, Baines has become of of England and the Premier League's most distinguished left backs. Many have been calling for him to replace Ashley Cole in the England national side and these calls are fast becoming hard to ignore. His pace, passing and dead ball skill has made him one of the most talked about players in this transfer window.

Position: Left Back

Clubs interested: Manchester United, Bayern Munich and Napoli.

NAME: Robin Van Persie (Arsenal)

Information: Club captain, goal scorer, talisman. These words are all used to describe Robin Van Persie, Arsenal's premier striker. With 37 goals in 48 games in all competitions Robin Van Persie has solidified himself as the English Premier League's best striker and has thus attracted a plethora of interested parties all battling for his services. With Arsenal's recent signings of Lukas Podolski and Olivier Giroud, could this spell the end for Van Persie at Arsenal, or could this be Arsene Wenger's desperate ploy for his talisman to stay?

Position: Striker

Clubs interested: Manchester City, Juventus and Real Madrid.

NAME: Fernando Torres (Chelsea)

Information: Often dubbed the “£50 million flop”, Fernando Torres has struggled to justify his price tag whilst at Chelsea, and many now believe that it is time for Chelsea to cut their losses and show him the door after a poor 11 goals in 49 appearances this year . But with the recent departure of Didier Drogba, many other now think that this could be Torres's chance to become Chelsea's main goal-getter, and prove that he was worth the substantial sum paid for him.

Postion: Striker

Clubs interested: Juventus, Athletico Madrid, Fc Anzhi Makhachkala and AS Roma

NAME: Clint Dempsey (Fulham) 

Information: The 29 year old American Clint Dempsey has caught the eye of a number of clubs after the 2011/2012 Premier League season, scoring an impressive 23 goals in 43 appearances for his club side Fulham, and was even voted the Fulham 'Player of the Season' by fans for the second straight season, edging out the likes of Moussa Dembele and Brede Hangelend. All of this has attracted attention from other Premier League sides as well as teams abroad. Dempsey could be tempted with the promise of Champions League football, something that his current side Fulham cannot offer him.

Position: Winger/ Attacking Midfielder/ Forward

Clubs interested: Arsenal, Liverpool, Everton, Tottenham Hotspur and AS Roma.

NAME: Luka Modric (Tottenham) 

Information: The Croatian playmaker has established himself as one of the most potent creative midfielders in the premier league, he was the driving force behind Tottenham’s early season form where for a time they threatened to mount a serious title challenge. The diminutive midfielder possesses superb vision and exceptionally quick feet, he is also blessed with a very powerful shot and is capable of scoring some outstanding goals from outside the penalty area. However with Tottenham’s season stuttering to a halt and missing out on champion’s league qualification, Modric will be looking for the exit door with rumours of a potential transfer request pointing to a swift exit from White Hart Lane

Position: Centre midfield but is able to play out wide on the left.

Clubs interested: Manchester United, Chelsea, Manchester City and Real Madrid

NAME: Joao Mountinho (Porto) 

Information: The Portuguese midfielder impressed in Euro 2012 as Portugal went on a fine run into the semi-finals. With a good range of passing he excelled as Portugal’s main playmaker ahead of the less technical due of Veloso and Chelsea midfielder Raul Meireles. He played a key role as part of Porto’s treble under Andre Villas Boas and a potential link up at Tottenham could be appealing, especially as the Premier League is a more prestigious league for Moutinho to showcase his talents.

Position: Central Midfield

Clubs interested: Chelsea had shown and interest but Tottenham may step up interest if AVB becomes manager.

NAME: Victor Moses (Wigan) 

Information: A tricksy winger who is well known for his dribbling skills and according to OptaSports he made the most dribbles in the Premier League last season. Wigan will be desperate not to let go of their prize asset after losing Charles N’Zogbia to Aston Villa last season. Moses does not lack confidence but can be wasteful in front of goal however at his best he can be scintillating as Arsenal found late last season. Moses may look to a bigger club to further his career in the near future and so a move may be on the cards.

Position: Left Winger

Clubs interested: Chelsea, Liverpool

NAME: Jan Vertonghen (Ajax) 

Information: A versatile defender who impressed as Ajax won the Eredivisie. Vertonghen has a real eye for goal and scored many for Ajax in their title winning campaign. He may be another off the Ajax production line who leave the Netherlands for a bigger challenge with many clubs vying for his signature. A move to Tottenham had seemed a certainty however a clause in his contract at Ajax may be a stumbling block for a potential move.

Position: Can play at centre back, left back or be deployed in a holding midfield role.

Clubs interested: Tottenham, Arsenal

NAME: Grant Holt (Norwich City) 

Information: A powerful striker who impressed for Norwich as they returned to the Premier league, he scored 17 goals for the canaries and was unlucky not to make it into Roy Hodgson’s England squad for Euro 2012. He has played for many English clubs in the lower leagues and has finished Norwich’s top scorer for three seasons running. He is usually deployed as a central striker with superb aerial presence who makes life difficult for opposition centre halves. His age (31) may be a factor in any move but going on last season’s performance Holt is more than capable of scoring goals in England’s top flight.

Position: Striker

Clubs interested: Aston Villa