Barclays Premier League Thread

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Liverpool vs Manchester City preview

Liverpool will be out to avenge their woeful start to the Premier League season at home to champions Manchester City on Sunday.

The Reds suffered a humiliating 3-0 loss away to West Bromwich in their opening game of the season, while City grabbed a 3-2 win at home to newly promoted Southampton.

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers rested several big names for Thursday's Europa League play-off first leg win over Hearts, with Steven Gerrard, Luis Suarez, Martin Skrtel and Glen Johnson missing the trip to Edinburgh.

The quartet are expected to return for the City showdown as the Reds aim to bounce back from the worst start in their Premier League history.

Andy Carroll and Joe Cole, however, are likely absentees for Liverpool with hamstring complaints, while the suspended Daniel Agger will watch from the sidelines.

City will be without last season's top scorer Sergio Aguero, who is facing a month on the sidelines with a knee injury.

Italy international Mario Balotelli is expected to replace the Argentinean and partner Carlos Tevez up front as City search for their first win at Anfield since May 2003.

[deangel9]

a mai fost de gea in team of the week pana acum? )

[beavis]

a mai fost de gea in team of the week pana acum? )

Premier League 2011/2012 Thread

da, sezonul trecut... o etapa

[beavis]

Premier League - Team of the Week 2


Al-Habsi (Wigan Athletic)



Rangel (Swansea) - Vermaelen (Arsenal) - Pearce (Reading) - Baines (Everton)



Allen (Liverpool) - Kagawa (Man United) - Hazard (Chelsea) - Sterling (Liverpool)



Torres (Chelsea) - Tevez (Man City)

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Defoe signs new deal

Tottenham Hotspur striker Jermain Defoe has committed his future to Spurs by signing a new contract with the club.

The 3-year deal confirms the England striker will be staying with Andre Villas-Boas' side after being linked with a move away this summer.

Defoe is delighted to have agreed terms on a new contract to stay at Spurs for the foreseeable future and is also looking forward to joining up with the England squad ahead of their World Cup qualifying games against Moldova and Ukraine.

The 29-year-old is currently in his second spell at Tottenham after rejoining the club from Portsmouth in 2009 and despite not being first-choice last season he still managed to bag 17 goals.

He has already found the target this campaign scoring against Newcastle on the opening day of the season.

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City sign Maicon

Manchester City have completed the signing of Brazilian defender Maicon from Inter Milano.

Goal.com revealed on Wednesday that the Premier League champions were stepping up their attempts to sign the full-back, with the Serie A club having now confirmed that the 31-year-old is joining Roberto Mancini's side.

Maicon spent 6 years at Inter, winning 4 Serie A titles as well as the Champions League, under Jose Mourinho in 2010, during a successful spell in Italy.

The former Cruzeiro star is now reunited with Roberto Mancini, who initially signed the Brazilian from AS Monaco back in 2006 during his time in charge at Meazza.

With deals for Maicon and Scott Sinclair already completed, City have also confirmed that they have finalised a deal to take goalkeeper Richard Wright to Etihad Stadium.

Mancini is also in the market for Benfica midfielder Javi Garcia, as well as Fiorentina defender Matija Nastasic ahead of the transfer window's closure on Friday.

Richardson heads to Fulham

Kieran Richardson has successfully completed his move from Sunderland to Fulham.

The 27-year-old, who was born in London, signed a 3-year deal, with an additional year's option, for a undisclosed fee.

Richardson made 149 appearances for the Black Cats after signing from Manchester United in 2007 shortly after lifting the Premier League trophy.

Richardson's career began at West Ham, before he sealed a move to Old Trafford.

He made 81 appearances in almost 5 years with the Red Devils, which included a loan spell at West Bromwich.

Richardson joined Sunderland in July 2007 for an undisclosed fee following their return to the top flight.

Charlie Adam completes Stoke move

Stoke City have completed the signing of midfielder Charlie Adam from Liverpool on a 4-year contract.

The Scotland international has moved for an undisclosed fee, believed to be in the region of £4 million.

It was only last summer that Kenny Dalglish signed Adam for Liverpool from Blackpool.

He had been one of the Seasiders' star performers in both 2009-2010, which finished with their victory in the Championship play-off Final, and 2010-2011, the club's maiden Premier League campaign which ultimately ended in relegation but earned Ian Holloway's team plenty of admirers.

It meant Adam's stock was high when he arrived on Merseyside, but he has struggled to make a significant impact at Anfield and this season, under Dalglish's successor Brendan Rodgers, he has made just one start.

Adam netted just twice last term and is looking to rediscover his scoring touch from his Blackpool days, having managed 12 Premier League goals during the season they were in the top flight.

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Lennon signs new deal

Aaron Lennon has signed a new 4-year contract with Tottenham Hotspur, extending his stay at White Hart Lane until 2016.

The 25-year-old arrived at Spurs for £1 million in July 2005 from Leeds United and has since made 270 first team appearances in his 7 years with the club.

The England winger has scored 25 goals and provided 42 assists during his time in north London.

Balotelli to undergo eye surgery

Roberto Mancini has confirmed that Mario Balotelli will undergo eye surgery on Tuesday.

The 22-year-old Balotelli can no longer tolerate wearing contact lenses and requires surgery to correct his myopia.

Mancini said the Italian striker will not feature in City's match with Queens Park Rangers on Saturday.

"Mario is not ready to return to the pitch yet. He no longer seems to tolerate contact lenses. He's feeling alright now, but the problem can return any time", Mancini said.

Benayoun makes West Ham return

West Ham United have completed a season-long loan deal for Chelsea midfielder Yossi Benayoun.

The Israel international first joined West Ham in 2005 from Spanish side Racing Santander, helping the club to an FA Cup Final in his first season before moving on to Liverpool and then Chelsea.

The midfielder enjoyed 3 years at Anfield with Liverpool, where he scored 18 goals in 92 appearances and became an integral part of the Reds' midfield.

Injury hampered his time at Chelsea, but he has now been handed the opportunity to re-vitalise his career as Sam Allardyce's men look to ensure Premier League survival.

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Premier League - Team of the Week 3


Brad Friedel (Tottenham)



Zabaleta (Man City) - Vermaelen (Arsenal) - Clark (Aston Villa) - Ridgewell (West Bromwich)



Snodgrass (Norwich) - Toure (Man City) - Lallana (Southampton) - Cazorla (Arsenal)



Van Persie (Man United) - Fletcher (Sunderland)

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Arsenal ready to hand Wenger new contract



Arsenal are ready to offer new terms to manager Arsene Wenger.

The Sun says Wenger's current deal expires in 2014 and speculation has grown that he may retire.

But Arsenal’s chief executive Ivan Gazidis has backed Wenger, 62, and insists the club are committed to ending their run of seven years without a trophy.

Gazidis said: “It’s not sentimentalism or a reward for our services, it’s a belief that we have an incredible manager who is the best man to lead us forward.”

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Rodgers: Sterling won't get immediate millions



Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers says he won't be upgrading Raheem Sterling's contract significantly.

Sterling’s rapid progress has led to conjecture about how he will be rewarded. But Rodgers, while admitting that contract discussions have taken place, has made it clear he will not be getting too much, too soon.

"There has been dialogue between me and him - and that has been it," said Rodgers. "There has been dialogue between me and the agent to let them know where we are at - nothing official."

He added: "‘I worked with players at Swansea who had spent their lives in football and not earned more than two grand a week. They had played 400-odd games and were at the end of their careers. Now you see young players who are multi-millionaires. No matter what you say, it takes the edge off them. The point I have made to Raheem — and he has been brilliant, to be fair to him — is that he will earn it."

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Silva signs 5-year deal

Manchester City have secured the long-term future of David Silva, with the Spaniard signing a new 5-year contract with the club.

With Spanish giants Real Madrid, who City meet in the Champions League on Tuesday, believed to be keen on bringing Silva to Santiago Bernabeu, the Premier League side have moved to ensure the playmaker joins a number of first-team stars committing their future to the Premier League champions.

Speaking to the club's official website, Silva insisted City's ambition was a key factor behind his decision to remain at Eastlands, with Roberto Mancini's men now eyeing European success.

"I'm very pleased because I've been here for 2 years now and I feel very happy here at the club, in the city and with all the people", Silva said.

"So now I'm delighted to be extending my contract and being here really does feel just like home for me."

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Premier League - Team of the Week 4


Ben Foster (West Bromwich)



Lowton (Aston Villa) - Shawcross (Stoke) - Clark (Aston Villa) - Baines (Everton)



Scholes (Man United) - Fellaini (Everton) - Kacaniklic (Fulham) - Sterling (Liverpool)



Podolski (Arsenal) - Defoe (Tottenham)

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[deangel9]

Puştiul-minune al lui Liverpool, tată la 17 ani



Raheem Sterling (17 ani) a ajuns în prim-plan la Liverpool, dar şi în atenţia selecţionerului naţionalei Angliei, după ce în acest sezon a apărut în toate minutele pe care echipa sa le-a disputat în Premier League. Acum, presa tabloidă din Anglia a scormonit în viaţa lui privată şi a aflat un detaliu interesant despre puştiul-minune.

Despre mijlocaşul “cormoranilor” se ştie de puţin timp că a devenit tată la frageda vârstă de 17 ani. În aceste condiţii, calculul simplu a arătat că Raheem a conceput-o pe Melody Rose, acum în vârstă de 2 luni, pe când avea doar 16 ani.

Mama copilului este Melissa Clarke, cu 6 ani mai mare decât fotbalistul lui Liverpool. Aceasta oferă informaţii preţioase despre fetiţa ei, dar şi despre Sterling, pe contul ei de twitter. Fotbalistul nu a comentat până în prezent pe marginea acestui subiect. El şi Melissa nu formează un cuplu în prezent.

Sterling, a venit în Anglia din Jamaica la vârsta de 5 ani, împreună cu mama lui. A crescut într-un cartier londonez şi a jucat pentru juniorii celor de la Queens Park Rangers. La 15 a fost transferat de Liverpool pentru 700.000 de euro.

Sezonul acesta a început ca titular la Liverpool şi a fost convocat la lotul naţional al Angliei. Şi reprezentativa Jamaicăi l-a dorit în lotul mare, dar Sterling a ales Anglia.

[b3bytzu]

asa da g0lane

[deangel9]

tata la 17 ani?)

kidding

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Heskey: Inspired Suarez will fire Liverpool to victory over Man Utd



Ex-Liverpool striker Emile Heskey says Luis Suarez can fire his old team to victory over Manchester United tomorrow.

Heskey is convinced Suarez will be inspired to rattle United at Anfield.

The former England international told talkSPORT: “It’s difficult to go any other way than with Man United but with the likes of Luis Suarez, and fingers crossed he’s on his game, Liverpool have got a good chance.

“Over the years it’s been shown that Liverpool can pick themselves up for the big games like Manchester United, Chelsea and those sort of games.

“It has been a tough start for Brendan Rodgers but he’s stuck to his guns. He hasn’t got the players he would have liked to but hopefully some of those posts and crossbars can turn into goals.”

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Liverpool vs Manchester United preview

Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson wants his forwards to improve against Liverpool after a poor performance in Champions League.

Ferguson named Robin van Persie up front in Wednesday's Champions League clash with Galatasaray, while both Javier Hernandez and Danny Welbeck came off the bench late in the second half, but despite 18 shots for the game United could only claim a 1-0 triumph.

While Ferguson believed his team was much better in their second half against the Turks, the 70-year-old manager warned his strikers they must be more clinical at Anfield on Sunday.

"We could have scored 4 or 5 in the second half - and with missing the chances we did in the second half, we keep ourselves on the edge."

Although Ferguson's comments are merited based on their European performance, Manchester United actually lead the English Premier League for goals scored, equal with Fulham and Swansea City on 10 goals from 4 games.

That stat, combined with the fact Liverpool are one of the 5 worst defensive sides in the league, point to a big win for United.

While Liverpool may have finally found their scoring boots after a 5-3 comeback win away to Young Boys on Thursday in Europa League, the Merseyside club have scored just 3 goals in 4 games in EPL, although they were much sharper in Switzerland.

Manchester United head to Anfield on a 3-game winning streak in EPL having overcome Southampton 3-2 in their most recent league match, while Liverpool are yet to win in England's top tier this season.

Manchester City vs Arsenal preview

Lukas Podolski will hope he can continue his bright start with Arsenal when they travel to reigning champions Manchester City on Sunday.

The Premier League clash pits one of the best attacking sides in the competition (Manchester City) against the best defensive outfit (Arsenal) but it is up the other end where the game could be decided.

Podolski, who has scored 3 goals in as many games, could be key for the visitors.

The 27-year-old German forward scored Arsenal's first league goal of the season in their 2-0 triumph over Liverpool before getting involved in the 6-1 thrashing of Southampton and starting the London club's comeback in their 2-1 Champions League victory against Montpellier on Tuesday.

Podolski has arguably been Arsenal's buy of the European transfer window and will hope to take advantage of Manchester City's porous defence at Etihad Stadium.

The reigning champions have already let in 6 goals in 4 league games this season and conceded 3 times in 17 minutes to lose 3-2 to Real Madrid in Champions League on Tuesday.

Roberto Mancini reportedly chased central defenders Daniel Agger (Liverpool) and Victor Ruiz (Espanyol) during the latest transfer window in a quest to find a decent partner for captain Vincent Kompany and that failure looks to have cost the club so far.

Neither Joleon Lescott nor Matija Nastasic seem consistent enough, while Mancini does not appear interested in playing Kolo Toure again.

With Arsenal having scored 10 goals in their past 3 games, Arsene Wenger's side are surely excited at the prospect of taking on Manchester City's misfiring defence.

Wenger must still do without Wojciech Szczesny, Lukasz Fabianski, Marouane Chamakh, Bakari Sagna, Thomas Rosicky, Jack Wilshire and Emmanuel Frimpong against City, as all 7 are injured, but Arsenal's manager must be thrilled with how his team is playing.

Mancini will be sweating on the fitness of French midfielder Samir Nasri, who injured his hamstring in Madrid, while full-back Micah Richards remains on City's injury list.