Tag Futebol

It’s 1956 and the UK has found its first heart throbs of the post-war era in the “Busby Babes” – a good looking and prodigiously talented team of young football players, including young teenager Bobby Charlton (Jack O’Connell: Harry Brown, This is England) and team mates Duncan Edwards (Sam Claflin: Pirates Of The Caribbean), Mark Jones (Thomas Howes: Downton Abbey) and Eddie Colman (Philip Hill-Pearson: Shameless).Coach Jimmy Murphy, played by the superbly talented David Tennant (Dr Who) and the revered but intimidating boss Matt Busby (Dougray Scott: Mission Impossible II, Hitman) guide the club to glory after glory.

By 1958 the Babes are riding high on the crest of a wave until the scheduling of a European Cup Tie in Belgrade demands that Busby charter a special flight to return the team to Manchester in time for Saturday’s kick off. During a refuelling stop at Munich airport, the arctic weather closes in. On a third attempt at take off, the plane never leaves the ground crashing into a fuel dump. Twenty three people on board the aircraft die as a result of their injuries, including eight of the Busby Babes…

The disaster sends shockwaves around the world. While Manchester mourns its sporting heroes, the surviving players are devastated, unsure whether they will ever play again. Critically injured, Busby is riddled with guilt about his decision to charter the plane, and with no insurance on the players, the powerhouse that was Manchester United seems doomed.

With its superbly talented cast and powerful script drawn from first hand interviews with survivors and their families, United tells how the extraordinary spirit of a community rebuilt the team in the aftermath of the crash, providing a powerful tribute to a tragedy that spurred the beginning of the global legend that is Manchester United.

See the trailer below:

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If you would like to pre-order a copy of the DVD ahead of its launch on August 8th then click on the link below:

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Arsenal’s fine start to the season has been accomplished without their talismanic captain for large parts of it. Cesc Fabregas has spent two separate stints out injured already, first with a hamstring injury attained during a 1-1 draw with Sunderland on the 18th of September which kept him out for a month. And more recently a knee injury incurred during the away defeat to Braga kept him out of action for a couple of weeks.

Yet the find themselves second in the league just two points off pace setters Manchester United, with Samir Nasri in particular catching the eye. Accompanied by the emergence of Jack Wilshere perhaps the Arsenal midfield is able to survive without the Spaniard. Added to this is the prospect of Aaron Ramsey who was looking extremely promising before his injury. So maybe it wouldn’t be a complete disaster if Fabregas was allowed to leave to the ready and waiting Barcelona, who are keen for their former player to return home. The extra cash, and surely it would be a hefty amount in excess of £30million, could be put to use strengthening other areas of the squad that are in need of addressing. Such as the goalkeeper or defence or even a midfielder that has a bit more steel as opposed to creative flair.

However I disagree, I think it would be a huge mistake for Arsenal to let Fabregas go. Mainly as it is not the business of big clubs to let their captains’ be prised away from just as they are approaching the prime of their careers. Surely Arsenal fans do not wish to see such a talented player leave the emirates? For all the other options they have in that playmaker role none of them live to Fabregas. Nasri has indeed has a great season, but his game is different to Cesc, although I agree you get the best out him playing down the middle than on the wing, but he tends to play higher up the pitch and is better in the final third than staring the play from deep where I believe Fabregas’s true talent to lie. Added to this, although being a good player since he signed for Arsenal, he has only really bee in outstanding form this season and you cannot base your team’s success in such a relatively brief burst of form. Fabregas has been at the top of his game and Arsenal’s outstanding performer over the last three or four seasons, that is not a role that is easily filled, nor should it be tried to filled unnecessarily, which is what his sale would be.

To look at the young pretenders such as Wilshere to step up to the plate is even more foolish and places a lot of pressure on his young shoulders. A player who is not yet 19 has too much to learn about the game to be the main focus and source of creativity of a team, especially one with genuine silverware aspirations as Arsenal have. An immerging youngster no matter how talented should not be thrust into that position, as he could easily crumble under the pressure, and does not know the game as well as his Catalan team-mate who is playing a major role in mentoring the young Wilshere both on and off the pitch.

I feel it is far too early for Arsenal to be relying on such young talent to be carrying the team. As a squad Nasri, Wilshere, Ramsey and Fabregas represent a terrific array of midfield options. Perhaps in three or so years if Ramsey and Wilshere keep up this level of progression then they could lead this Arsenal team. But at the moment for Arsenal’s present and immediate future it is imperative that they hold on to Fabregas, as you need a player in his prime at the top of his game not just extremely talented youngsters to hold teams together and win titles.

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Robin van Persie was last week named the finest Premier League player this season by his fellow pro’s, highlighting his consistency and ability across the 2011-12 campaign. It’s hard to argue that the Dutchman has been anything short of inspirational this term, with his goal-scoring touch bagging the Gunners over 20 points alone, and dragging the North Londoner’s up the table after a disappointing opening. Yet, for me, there is one man who has outshone the Arsenal captain, and that is Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney.

The Red Devils striker has been in fine form this term, putting the issues of last season firmly in the past and concentration on what he does best, performing on the field of play. Due to van Persie’s goal-scoring flurry, the Manchester United man’s edge in front of the net has gone unnoticed, yet the fact remains that the England international has bagged 26 in the Premier League, just two fewer than his Dutch counterpart.

It’s easy to forget that for quite some time this season United have been fairly poor, with injuries damaging the depth of the squad and hampering Sir Alex Ferguson’s options. As a result Rooney has been, at times, employed in a deeper role, being asked to sit behind the front-line, and dictate play from an almost central-midfield role. Although his performances in this position were not as rampaging as that we are used to when watching ‘Wazza’ his qualities were there for all to see, as the ex-Everton man controlled the pace of the game, aiding his attacking colleagues.

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His performances, not only this season, but down the years have drawn special praise form some of the world’s top talent, with Barcelona ace Lionel Messi stating his desire to one day work with the Manchester United star:

“It would be a dream to play with Rooney if Manchester United ever came to the point where they needed to sell him,” The Argentine told the Daily Star Sunday.

“I would personally go to the Barcelona president and ask that he be signed myself. There are always a handful of players in the world at any one time who can go down in the footballing history books. At the moment, there are maybe (Cristiano) Ronaldo, Rooney, Xavi and one or two more – but I can’t think of one that plays with the desire of Rooney. We all know football players at the top level are blessed with high wages, it’s no secret. But Rooney would play for 100 euros-a-week. You can see the fire in his eyes. It’s that fire which makes him the best of the best.”

Such high praise from, arguably, one of the finest players to ever play the game displays just how talented Rooney is, and his overall contribution to whichever team is lucky enough to have him.

One of the only drawbacks to Rooney’s game has been discipline, with the 26-year-old often suffering as a result of his desire and passion on the field of play. Many have said in the past that the remove his nasty streak would be detrimental to his game and that yellow, and occasionally red, cards are just part and parcel of his style of play. This season however, has seen an air of maturity of the part of the forward, who has ditched his questionable disciplinary record. Since his red card in the Three Lions shirt, against Montenegro, Rooney has curbed his temper, very rarely getting himself on the wrong side of officials, and as a result issues regarding his temperament have been all but removed. Yet, this hasn’t hampered his style of play, as the desire and all-action approach remains as strong as ever every time he takes to the pitch.

Although Robin van Persie has been a fine performer this term, Wayne Rooney has, arguably, been better in my humble opinion. The Manchester United striker has shown further improvement, building on his already vast skill set, and aiding his club’s pursuit of the Premier League title. It seems the Englishman is moving toward the very peak of his career, and this season has shown just how special he is, and his level of performances deserve more recognition than they have received.

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Should Rooney or van Persie been PFA player of the year? Have your say with a comment, or follow @Alex_Hams on Twitter

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It has long been argued if Steven Gerrard is indeed, the greatest midfielder ever to grace the Premier League. His records and achievements over the course of his long and illustrious career speak for themselves. Often known for his leadership qualities, Steven Gerrard has been Liverpool’s saviour on many occasions over the past 13 years of his career. His attitude towards the game and hunger for success truly make him one of the greatest players in the club’s famous history.

Since kick-starting his Liverpool career back in ’98, Steven Gerrard has played an amazing total of 556 games for his club, finding the back of the net 140 times. He was awarded MBE in 2007 and went on to add countless number of trophies and personal accolades to his name.

However, for many years Steven Gerrard remained the highlight of the team – and at times, the only one. He was often burdened by the weight of expectation but never did he surrender. Most Liverpool fans looked to him to be their savior, sometimes the players too. Gerrard was Liverpool’s only GO-TO man. He often became frustrated at the lack of big names in Liverpool’s squad of yesteryears which in turn resulted in their inability to compete at the highest levels. Gerrard always walked out onto the pitch with a level of expectancy only a few could handle, and yet he played his heart out week in, week out.

When Fernando Torres joined Liverpool in the summer of ’07, he instantly forged a threatening partnership with Steven Gerrard. With Torres’ arrival, Gerrard found in him a player who thrived on pressure and willfully shared some of his burden. Soon both players began to gel. In 08/09, Steven Gerrard scored 24 goals finishing as Liverpool’s top goal scorer. That season, the world saw a new Steven Gerrard – his attacking partnership with Torres being the prime factor.

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Consequently, Fernando Torres was sold in the January transfer window of 10/11 and the 50 million pounds Liverpool received were instantly invested in highly rated Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez. Moreover, FSG and Liverpool’s rich owner John Henry splashed heavy cash in the summer on other mercurial talent such as Charlie Adam, Jordan Henderson and Stewart Downing. To sum it up, Liverpool FC now has the financial backing to bring in quality players to help Steven Gerrard lift this club to dizzying heights.

To put it into perspective, Gerrard is no longer the only highlight of the team – nor is he Liverpool’s only GO-TO man. He will thrive on the huge skill capacity of Luis Suarez and his ability to bamboozle defenders at will, along with the physical presence of Andy Carroll and Stewart Downing’s ball-crossing attributes. Dirk Kuyt looks to have finally found his goal scoring boots following his move to the English Premier league from the Dutch Eredivisie after failing to make an impact on the scoring charts in the Premier League during his initial years at the club. However, Charlie Adam’s arrival at Anfield will perhaps be the signing which will benefit Gerrard the most. His vision and eye for goal is unquestionable – and as Sir Alex Ferguson said, his set-piece deliveries alone are worth 10 million pounds. Adam can fill the gaping hole left by Xabi Alonso’s departure, a feat many have failed to achieve before.

As a result, Gerrard can now play with fewer burdens on his aging shoulders. He will have the support of Downing, Kuyt and Adam in midfield and will be able to feed Suarez and Andy Carroll to devastating effect. Provided he stays fit, Gerrard will be able to play with less pressure on his mind and could very well turn out to be a high scoring season for Liverpool’s Talisman.

Hence, it is safe to say Liverpool now has a team full of match-winners – players who can share responsibilities and form a team capable of challenging for top honours. With the squad Liverpool now possess, they will pose a menacing threat to all Premier League teams and a rejuvenated Steven Gerrard could very well be the man to look out for!

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Article is courtesy of Waleed Ahmed at Live4Liverpool

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Having the dubious and rather ominous honour of being bottom at Christmas, West Ham will be happy to see the back of 2010, having spent pretty much every moment of it locked in a relegation struggle. Here are five things that West Ham need to do to ensure that Premier League football will still be at Upton Park this time next year.

Avram’s got to go

Nothing against the man, but it was a flawed appointment from the start. David Gold and David Sullivan were very quick off the mark with their vocal dislike and eventual sacking of Gianfranco Zola, and he maintained West Ham’s Premier League status. Whether the Davids have stuck with Grant because he was ‘their mistake’ or not, they need to push pride to one side and make the right decision for the club, which is to get in a new manager to attempt a push off the bottom of the Premier League to safety.

Buy a Prolific Striker

Buying a striker will always be a gamble, especially for a team down the bottom of the table, but West Ham desperately need someone who can score goals regularly. When a team’s top scorer is their supposedly ‘defensive’ midfielder, questions need to be asked of the strike-force. Carlton Cole and Frederic Piquionne are both very decent at holding play up on their days, but finding the net is something of a novelty, and for all Victor Obinna’s good play and endeavour, he has similar problems. I also don’t think the recall of Freddie Sears from Scunthorpe will rectify the situation either.

Turn draws into victories

An obvious one, but having drawn 7 games so far this season, all of which could, with a bit of luck, and a bit of determination, have been turned into victories, it is imperative when West Ham get into a position to win a game, they take the opportunity. If the Hammers would have converted 3 of their 7 draws into victories, they would currently be lying in 16th place.

Keep hold of Scott Parker

Having recently been known as such things as ‘Scott Parker United’, West Ham must retain the services of their top scorer, captain and general all round deity, to stand any chance of staying up. With suitors reportedly including Spurs and Liverpool, West Ham must keep hold of Parker to ensure cohesion within their team and a driving force on the pitch.

Plan for the short-term as well as the long-term

The Davids keep talking about their long term plan for the club, which evidently includes the Olympic Stadium and Avram Grant, but if they continue to look past West Ham’s current predicament, they may damage their long-term goals by failing to address their short-term failings. They need a new manager and need to bring in signings that will do a job for the east London outfit, not necessarily just signings that will flourish as part of their long-term ideals for the club.

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Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is ready to make an approach for Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho, and will put past altercations behind him to bring the Portuguese manager back to Stamford Bridge, according to The Daily Mail.

The ‘Special One’was sacked by the Russian back in 2007, but since then has gone on to massively successful periods with Inter and Real Madrid.

After Mourinho guided the Santiago Bernabeu club to the La Liga title last weekend, Abramovich is set to make the tactician his number one choice for the role of permanent manager.

Despite Roberto Di Matteo’s heroics in getting the club through to the FA Cup and Champions League finals, it is believed that the Chelsea owner wants a more established coach in the hotseat before next season.

Meanwhile, defender Branislav Ivanovic is targeting victory at Wembley on Saturday, which he feels will give the side momentum going into the Champions League final.

“It’s strange to play in the FA Cup final when it’s not the last game of the season but this is better for us because, if we win, it will give us extra confidence for Munich,” the Serb admitted.

“It will be a fight for the trophy against Liverpool but, when there is something to fight for, this group of players are going to fight until the end.”

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By Gareth McKnight

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A staggering 123 players were released by Premier League clubs at the end of this season in order to trim their wage bills, or to make room in their 25 man squads for next season. In amongst the players released are World Cup, Premier League and FA Cup winners, players who have played for Inter Milan and Barcelona, as well as those who have valuable Champions League experience.

With the newly promoted clubs looking to add much needed Premier League experience to their squads the players won’t be short of contract offers, with many still able to offer something to the already established Premier League teams as well.

Like all football fans out there, I love making up unrealistic ‘dream teams’, and this is my ‘Out of contract All-Stars’.

Click on John Carew to see the free agents’ who made my XI

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Compiled by Dan Blazer

It has almost been a year since Mark Hughes was sacked as manager of Manchester City. At the time his City team did not have the requisite consistency in order to give the club’s hierarchy the Champions League football it demanded.

As Hughes, now manager of Fulham, welcomes his former club to Craven Cottage, current City incumbent, Roberto Mancini, finds himself under a similar pressure that befell Hughes last year.

Although City sit fourth, three points clear of the chasing pack, Mancini must feel like his team owe him a big performance. A gritty win away from home against an obdurate Fulham outfit might be just the tonic for some fans who have begun to get on the back of the former Inter Milan boss.

City will have to wait anxiously to see if Joe Hart is fit after injuring his back on international duty and Fulham, who need points in order to steer clear of the relegation places, will hope that the week between fixtures will have given Andy Johnson enough time to recover from his first start in nearly two years.

Prediction: 0-2

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With 89 points on the board and a four-point cushion over Shrewsbury with two games remaining, Swindon can secure the lucrative title of League Two Champions on Saturday when they host Port Vale.

The season has been of mixed emotions on and off the field. An indifferent start to the season saw a 3-0 home win on the opening day, followed by 4 successive defeats in the league leaving Swindon 4th bottom on the 27th August. Many fans were calling for Paolo to be sacked and with the ensuing public bust-up with Leon Clarke numerous Robin’s fans doubted Paolo’s temperament and managerial skills.

Following on from August’s events, September could be seen as a success with four wins from six and a jump in ten places in the table. October started brightly and finished without defeat. This was the start of 1 defeat in 22 matches in all competitions.

A turning point in the Robins season was in the 93rd minute at Northampton. With Swindon trailing 1-0 at the break, a smart turn by Alan Connell made the score 1-1 but with Oliver Risser being sent off for violent conduct Swindon might have let their heads drop. A great run by McCormack followed by a cross from De Vita set up a vitally important second goal for the Robins. Ensued mass hysteria from the fans and from Paolo himself. Running the half the length of the field to celebrate will live long in the memory of those fans that where at Sixfields that afternoon.

The greatest achievement in this run was the 2-1 home win against Premier League side Wigan Athletic. Goals from Alan Connell and Paul Benson gave Swindon a deserved 2-1 win to set up a tie in the fourth round for the first time since 1996.

With a fourth round exit from the FA Cup at Leicester, Swindon’s only hope of going to Wembley was in the Football League Trophy. With a 2-1 victory against Southend earlier in December, the tie was set for a two legged affair with fellow league two opponents Barnet. After a 1-1 draw, the stage was set at the County Ground for what was a memorable night. An Alan Connell header found its way to the back of the net to seal a 2-1 aggregate victory and secure a return to Wembley to face Chesterfield.

Swindon climbed the table throughout February and after coming from behind to beat Shrewsbury 2-1 at the County Ground, Swindon where top of League 2. With the ensuing victories over Accrington and Burton, the Robins had secured 10 league victories in a row and opened up a 4 point gap over Cheltenham.

March will be much remembered for the losses to Oxford and losing at Wembley for the second time in 24 months. Swindon struggle recently to get ‘over the finishing line’ has been well documented. Two defeats in a row has seen some doubt over the strength of the team when key players are missing but undoubtedly this season has had more highs than could have been anticipated.

A year ago Swindon Town’s relegation had been confirmed, and with uncertainty over which manager would start the season, many were worried about the direction Swindon Town Football Club were heading. Paolo has transformed the club and team and will be remembered for playing football with style, passion and grace in a league where free-flowing football is rare. Planning for next season is vital, along with strengthening the squad and developing the players already on-board.

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You can follow me on Twitter for even more Swindon Town discussion.

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Tottenham missed the Champions League boat this season after a shocking run of form in the last third of the season has cost them dear. Harry Redknapp must be forever wondering what if, especially given the amount of points they have thrown away in particular at White Hart Lane.

At FFC this week we have seen a mixed bag of Spurs blogs that includes Tottenham join the £12m race; the rise of Luka Modric and Harry would be mad to take the job.

We also look at the best Spurs articles around the web this week.

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How Championship Manager’s FINEST fell by the wayside

Spurs join the £12m race for Montenegro ace

Is he really the right signing for Tottenham Hotspur?

Sell Gareth Bale or you’re doomed to fail, Spurs

Tottenham Hotspur – The ‘unofficial’ end of season awards

Harry would be mad to take the job…wouldn’t he?

Top TEN: Tottenham should never have let him go

The ‘rise and rise’ of Luka Modric

Could Tottenham and Arsenal benefit from a little faith?

Where do Rafa van der Vaart and Spurs go from here?

Deal hits stalemate as Tottenham hold out for full price

*Best of WEB*

Life gets tedious don’ it? – Spurs Musings From Jimmy G2

Tottenham Hotspur That Was The Season That Was. The Manager – Tottenham On My Mind

Tottenham’s Got Talent and the Daniel Levy connection – Dear Mr Levy

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Harry’s game – Martin Cloake Online

A Bid Rejected, A Bid Accepted & Another One On The Radar – Harry Hotspur

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Click on Wayne Bridge’s current lady below to unveil our WAG XI of the season

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