2016
Putin Cup - Match Day 8 Update
With only two games left the Putin Cup is getting hotter than a Russian female shot putters under crackers and nearly has hairy, all is to play for with nothing yet, a bit like the contents of a Russian female shot putters under crackers !!!
Zenit 0 v 2 Lokomotiv Moscow
Zenit were looking to turn their improved form into consolation points whilst Loko were hoping to get back to winning ways after their week off from the action.
In a game with lots of huff but little puff the result was decided by goals at either end of the allotted 90.
Loko struck early when in the 9th minute Samedov crossed for Zurutza to head past Lodygin but had to wait until the 88thminute to finally settle things when Samedov turned provider for a carbon copy of his earlier goal with Granqvist this time applying the finishing touch.
Zenit Boss Hassan will be disappointed that his side didn’t show more in this fixture but is surely using them now as practise games whilst Loko Supremo Owen will be delighted to have made ground on Spartak and be breathing down the neck of Dynamo with a game in hand.
CSKA Moscow 0 v 1 Dynamo Moscow
Second met third in this Moscow derby which may go a long way to deciding if either of these two clubs will get their hands on the Putin Cup.
In a fairly evenly balanced encounter which hosts CSKA edged in terms of possession and goal scoring opportunities it was the visitors who were the only side to manage to convert when on 64 minutes Ari running onto a through ball from Ionov unleashed a fearsome drive from fully 25 yards that Valdes could do nothing about but admire.
Benteke had the only opportunity to make it all square 2 minutes later but after being wrong footed Victor did well to recover and save with his feet.
CSKA Manager Smith will be bitterly disappointed that his side couldn’t turn their chances into goals whilst opposite number Razzaque will just be glad to get another 3 points on the board to keep his side in pole position to take the trophy.
| Match Day 8 Table | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts |
| Dynamo Moscow | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 14 |
| Spartak Moscow | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 12 |
| Lokomotiv Moscow | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 11 |
| CSKA Moscow | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 9 |
| Zenit St Petersburg | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 5 | 14 | -9 | 0 |
Match Day 9 Fixtures – Weds 20th April
Dynamo Moscow v Spartak Moscow
Lokomotiv Moscow v CSKA Moscow
Achilles Cup - Match Day 6 Update
The final group games in the Achilles Cup pushed it all the way in the race to qualify for the Final to see who progresses to the World Club Cup.
Fenerbahce 2 v 1 Galatasaray
In a must win game Fenerbahce raced out of the traps looking fully intent on ensuring they did what was needed to secure 3 points and hope that the Olympiacos could do them a favour at Besiktas.
With barely 60 seconds on the clock Diego raced onto a through ball from Callejon and rifled a shot from the edge of the area that flew past a stranded Muslara and in off the post to put the Yellow Canaries ahead.
This set the tone for the game with Fenerbahce constantly pushing for the cushion of a second but they had to wait until the 49th minute when Callejon was again the provider this time for Potuk who made no mistake from close range.
The home fans celebrations were somewhat subdued with news having come through from the Vodafone Arena that Besiktas were ahead meaning if that result stayed the same the score here was meaningless.
Then after the hour the news came through that Olympiacos had equalised sparking the home fans into life, but with their destiny in their own hands nerves began to creep in to the hosts and in the 82ndminute those nerves were put on edge when Pizarro set up Inan to finish sweetly and set up a tense finally.
Fenerbahce battened down the hatches determined to hold on to what they had and successfully saw out the final few minutes which culminated in an explosion of fireworks and flares as the home fans knew there team had just sneaked across the line at the death.
This tournament has never been a priority for Gala Boss Prince and he will be glad to be able to concentrate fully on league survival, Fenerbahce Chief Brown will now be hoping to see off their Greek opponents in the two legged final and take his side into the World Club Cup.
Besiktas 1 v 1 Olympiacos
Besiktas went into this game knowing a win was the only result that would definitely see them progress whilst Olympiacos had the comfort of being home and hosed, a point would be enough to ensure they topped the table and gained the 2nd leg home advantage in the final.
Olympiacos looked like they had the cigar on in a first half that saw all the threat coming from the hosts who must have wondered how they managed to go in at the interval level with Wolfswinkel spurning a hat-trick of chances.
The hosts finally got their reward on 52 minutes Vazquez turned and struck a shit from the edge of the area that Kapino managed to get a glove to but was beaten by the power.
The home crowd who had been edgy up to this point erupted turning the stadium into a deafening cauldron of noise but just after the hour they were silenced, Mogilvets split the defence with a ball through to Benitez who kept his composure one on one against Zengin to slide the ball under the onrushing keeper.
Besiktas had no reply and as the clock ticked away their resolve visibly ebbed. The news had filtered through from Fenerbahce and at the final whistle to a man they looked visibly distraught as their Greek opponents celebrated around them.
Vogeleer will be devastated to have failed to qualify after being in the frame for the majority of the group stage, his opposite number McLean will be looking forward to locking horns with his countryman Brown in Achilles Cup final with a Highland twist.
Group Final Standings
| P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | |
| Olympiacos | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 11 | 6 | 5 | 12 |
| Fenerbahce | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 10 |
| Besiktas | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 7 | -3 | 10 |
| Galatasaray | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 14 | -7 | 1 |
Final 1st Leg – Weds 20th April
Fenerbahce v Olympiacos
Final 2nd Leg – Wed 27th April
Olympiacos v Fenerbahce
Inconsistency, thy name is Villa
I had been off to the Andamans in the last week with no wi-fi, sadly when I checked back I saw I had lost to Hamburg with my rotation side and drawn to Bordeaux with the same side. Disappointing but hopefully my holiday will not have a great impact on our promotion hopes. On to the Villa story now on SM....
First though, we have a quick look at where our former players are in game. While most of the RL Villa players are at external, there are a few at managed clubs. Promising youth keeper Matija Sarkic has been at Old Trafford surprisingly. Mr. Pocket Posting Picture, Joleon Lescott is at divisional rivals Crystal Palace and has played a lot in this GW, however it is good that we do not have such a character at our club. Aly Cissokho, who was our first choice left-back last season was moved on earlier in the year and surprisingly stayed unmanaged for the good part of 2 months, but he is now at Hellas Verona which is good for him. He has already racked up 11 appearances and 2 goals in the league which in 1.5 months is a good tally. Jordan Amavi has been by far the journeyman in this GW which is a tad sad for him. After we sold him to Benfica in exchange for Djuricic, he then moved with the Benfica manager Gursimran to Bayern. He has just moved back to England, to City of all places. Including a loan to Chievo, this is his fifth club and with hardly any game time I hope he can play more in the coming months. He is a good talent. Next up we have the versatile Leandro Bacuna who moved two days ago to Chievo Verona. He could be a useful rotational option for his new side. Jordan Lyden is another youth who is managed in this GW, again by Palace and looks to have decent potential.
I did not believe it when I was notified of the transfers of Ashley Westwood and Rushian Hepburn-Murphy to rivals West Brom. It is a shame to see them there of all places. I hope they can move again soon from that place. We finally have the trio of Jordan Ayew, Carles Gil and Adama Traore, who find themselves at Stuttgart, Dynamo and Wolfsburg, all decent talents. Hope they do well there.
With that out of the way, it is time to talk about Villa's performances since the Youth Cup loss to Leverkusen.
After the close loss to Leverkusen, we welcomed Sampdoria home. Gav Harmer's side has struggled a fair bit this season but we were aware of the quality they had. Adrian Ramos gave them a lead mid-way through the first half and at half-time were looking confident to hold the lead. The hairdryer treatment worked for me though and Doucoure got his 2nd assist of the club by playing in Topal who got his maiden goal for the club early in the second half. Why Topal abandoned his defensive duties to go charging ahead I do not know and luckily for him he converted the shot. To be fair he was a rock for the entire game and got MOTM which was well-deserved. He also got his 3rd TOTW appearance of the season and his first for us. Samp had more possession but we had 12 shots with only 4 on target. Wasteful finishing meant we dropped 2 points at home which could be crucial at the end of the season. Let's hope not, but it was a disappointing game.
After the close loss to Leverkusen, we welcomed Sampdoria home. Gav Harmer's side has struggled a fair bit this season but we were aware of the quality they had. Adrian Ramos gave them a lead mid-way through the first half and at half-time were looking confident to hold the lead. The hairdryer treatment worked for me though and Doucoure got his 2nd assist of the club by playing in Topal who got his maiden goal for the club early in the second half. Why Topal abandoned his defensive duties to go charging ahead I do not know and luckily for him he converted the shot. To be fair he was a rock for the entire game and got MOTM which was well-deserved. He also got his 3rd TOTW appearance of the season and his first for us. Samp had more possession but we had 12 shots with only 4 on target. Wasteful finishing meant we dropped 2 points at home which could be crucial at the end of the season. Let's hope not, but it was a disappointing game.
We travelled to North London for the Churchill Cup game against Spurs that was looking tough for us from the start. Although we took the lead with Drogba setting up Emenike in the 7th minute, that was as good as it got for us as they equalised 9 minutes later with Chadli assisting Rodriguez, who paid back the favour 18 minutes later to give his side the lead going into the first half. They were not done there and in the 59th minute Ozil's floating free-kick was knocked home by Rodriguez to make it 3-1. 8 minutes later Townsend set up Dembele to make it 4-1 and that ended a very tough game for us against a quality side. Hamez Rodriguez got MOTM for that great performance. David the Fox Piero's side dominated with 62% possession and 24 shots. Well done to him.
With morale pretty low Leicester came home the next day for an important Division 3 game. It was balanced for the entirety of the game and despite N'Golo Kanté running all over the place they were unable to break through. However, our RB Alberto Lora had different plans and instead of passing back to Hitz he smashed it straight into our own net to score an own goal and give them the lead in the 70th minute and the win. We also had a goal by Drogba ruled out for off-side. Luck is not on our side, yet again. Congrats Johann du Plessis, though.
The majestic Villa Park played home to the last game of our Youth Cup campaign where we played heavy-weights Real Madrid. Expecting a tough game against the likes of Alli and Donnarumma, Keano however had other plans and instead sent his main team to face us. Probably thought it would be better to thrash us and get his team in good shape rather than send his youth team when he had already qualified. Typical big-team behaviour. The result was irrelevant as we got the 3 points for RM playing an ineligible team. Although we did lose 4-1. Lewandowski assisted Ramos for the first goal and then Bale assisted the Pole twice to make it 3-0 by HT. Derlis did make it 3-1 but then Gaitan played in Fabregas to make it 4-1 and the end of the game, but we had the last laugh in the end, not that it mattered though as both Leverkusen and Madrid were through to the next round of the Youth Cup. This was expected as they were heavy favourites so no surprise there.
With morale pretty low Leicester came home the next day for an important Division 3 game. It was balanced for the entirety of the game and despite N'Golo Kanté running all over the place they were unable to break through. However, our RB Alberto Lora had different plans and instead of passing back to Hitz he smashed it straight into our own net to score an own goal and give them the lead in the 70th minute and the win. We also had a goal by Drogba ruled out for off-side. Luck is not on our side, yet again. Congrats Johann du Plessis, though.
The majestic Villa Park played home to the last game of our Youth Cup campaign where we played heavy-weights Real Madrid. Expecting a tough game against the likes of Alli and Donnarumma, Keano however had other plans and instead sent his main team to face us. Probably thought it would be better to thrash us and get his team in good shape rather than send his youth team when he had already qualified. Typical big-team behaviour. The result was irrelevant as we got the 3 points for RM playing an ineligible team. Although we did lose 4-1. Lewandowski assisted Ramos for the first goal and then Bale assisted the Pole twice to make it 3-0 by HT. Derlis did make it 3-1 but then Gaitan played in Fabregas to make it 4-1 and the end of the game, but we had the last laugh in the end, not that it mattered though as both Leverkusen and Madrid were through to the next round of the Youth Cup. This was expected as they were heavy favourites so no surprise there.
Division 3 football was back again and this time we had to make the trip to Wales to face Swansea who are a quality side with players such as Shelvey, Adriano and Ayew and were challenging for the play-off spots. We got off to a great start with Drogba scoring a penalty to put us 1-0 up in 4 minutes, getting his maiden goal for us. They did have a goal ruled out for offside but then Drogba assisted Markel Bergara for his maiden goal to give us a 2-0 lead in 28 minutes. Swansea's RB Parshivlyuk got sent off 3 minutes later to give us a great advantage which we did not let go. Though the Welsh side had more possession we were more dominant with Hitz getting a 9 rating for his show. Drogba got MOTM and his first TOTW appearance of the season, the veteran is still going strong. Good 3 points for us and tough luck Tony Lennox, good luck for the rest of the season.
We had an important game next up. One not for trophies, but for pride, for honour. The West Midlands Derby, part 1. Only a friendly, but pride was at stake here. I was looking forward to playing Norman Little's West Brom. On paper we were the better side but then we just did not turn up on the day. Said Berahino, the talented English striker, bagged 2 to give West Brom bragging rights. We did not have most possession, we did not have a single shot on goal (8 off target) while they had 6 on target out of 11. Hitz got MOTM again but a disappointing game. Revenge will come soon, Norman, be warned.
Our luck did not improve in the next game either. Lille were the next team to come to Villa Park and from past experience we know they are a strong and tough team to play. And they took the lead in the 31st minute. Peter Crouch converted a penalty to put his team 1-0 up. Poor play and we concede, what's new. There was more to come though. Micah Richards followed up from Lora and scored an own goal of his own to gift a 2-0 lead to Lille. By this time I was fuming, but we then gave them another penalty in the 80th minute which Crouch converted to give the French side a thoroughly undeserved 3-0 win. The stats were fairly balanced but we had no luck. Hitz had a bad day, Scocco got injured mid-game, we conceded two soft penalties, Richards scored an own goal, and then Enyeama had a blinder for them and got MOTM to boot. But Dave T's side took their chances and we played badly. If we miss promotion by 3 points I will look at this result with regret.
We finally had a game out of Europe, this time we made the trip to Valencia to face Levante in a dead rubber in the last game of the Youth Cup. Tom Parfitt has some quality youngsters in his side like Miazga and Success so it was a closer matchup than it would seem like. Romera gave the Spanish outfit a 1-0 lead in the 25th minute but then a minute later it was 1-1 with Forster-Caskey getting his maiden goal for the club (I think). Derlis assisted him for this. Romera made it 2-1 at the stroke of HT to give his side a decent shot at 3 points but we had other ideas and in the 69th minute CB Hodorogea assisted his defensive partner Turnbull who got his maiden goal too and equalised to make it 2-2. That wrapped up the Youth Cup for us. From the table below we can see though that we were only able to win twice (one against Flamengo in the first game and one the gifted win v Madrid in the 7th) and draw once against Levante in the 8th game. We did lose one each to Flamengo and Levante which is disappointing for the club. We could have come at least 3rd. Never mind, it was a good learning curve for the boys but whether Villa will participate in the next Youth Cup is a big question, if Rahul W is still at the club, that is. Good luck to Leverkusen and Real Madrid in the next round.
As I said our participation in next year's Youth Cup is in doubt as I do not want us to be making up the numbers and with Derlis (who also increased his rating to 88 earlier, making him a first-team player next season) turning 22 earlier he will not be available for the Cup which significantly weakens the team. Jake Forster-Caskey also turns 22 in 2 weeks after which I do not see much use for him in the main team which is why he has also been sold to AC Milan, of all teams, where he will be managed by Stephen Beddows. Beddows has shown an interest in youth so Jake may have a chance at Milan but I am not sure about this. Good luck to Jake though and we are happy to pocket 3 mil for future re-investment. I am not going to look for a replacement for Jake and Derlis till the end of the season though.
Back to D3 football where we flew to relegation-threatened Hamburg who still looked a decent side to play against. Surprisingly thought they got the early lead in the 13th minute courtesy Mpoku who was the MOTM and they continued to dominate possession and shots, eventually getting 3 points which could be crucial for their campaign. Well played David Marsden, another disappointing result for us.
We then had the last game of the Churchill Cup, an inconsequential game against Nicky Thompson's West Ham. Didn't have much to look forward here other than facing a quality player in Payet but it was Enner Valencia who gave them the lead in the 40th minute. In the next half though Veretout played in Eder who equalised in the 58th minute to finish off the game as a draw. They did have more possession and shots so I consider it a good result against a better team. The Churchill Cup went off badly for us as expected with a 0-5 drubbing to Chelsea, a close 1-2 loss to Arsenal, 1-4 thrashing to Spurs and a 1-1 stalemate to West Ham. Didn't expect any better to be honest. It is good these tournaments are done so we can now focus on promotion. Good luck to Spurs and Chelsea in the next round.
Bordeaux were the next team to arrive at Villa Park and they are also near the play-off spots so it is a tricky game. Khazri gave them a lead in the 17th minute but as usual Veretout was there to assist Eder who equalised 7 minutes later. Maurice-Belay however gave them a 2-1 lead going into HT, scoring in the 40th minute. It looked like they would take all 3 points but Sinclair, who started the season well but found himself on the bench too often than not, latched onto a Park assist to equalised late in the 85th minute and give us a well-fought point. We had more possession and there were a lot of shots in that game for both sides which means a point is probably the fairer result. Good game Anders Dahlby. Nice to note Park got a second TOTW appearance of the season for his assist.
Yet another friendly, this time I invited Stuttgart to come over but this will be the last friendly during the season. Rodriguez and Fred made it 2-0 by HT before Jordan Ayew scored on his return to his former club to make it 3-0 and nearly end the game. Derlis's goal a few minutes later made it 3-1 but that's how it ended. Well played Feargal but I don't look deeply into this result.
The next D3 game saw us fly over to Germany to face Hoffenheim. They did play a weak side but that did not stop them from taking the lead (again!). Rudy scored to make it 1-0, but 8 minutes later Okore scored only his second for the club to equalise. It looked like it would stay this way but Sanchez scored again late in the 80th minute to give us the lead and the win. Emenike had an impact with two assists. Okore also got his first TOTW appearance of the season for that. The win took us to 6th with 43 points, 4 points behind first-placed Basel. Tough luck Miguel Salgado. With 11 games left anything could happen and it is up to us to keep the division-winning consistency.
That starts with the home game v 20th-placed Sassuolo and if we do not get a win today I shall be disappointed. Hope we can get the win today and put pressure on our rivals.
Sorry for the very-long post but that is the round-up of the last 3 weeks. Too many games and now we shall be back to the nice two games a week schedule which suits me well. Good luck all!
Come on you Villans!
We had an important game next up. One not for trophies, but for pride, for honour. The West Midlands Derby, part 1. Only a friendly, but pride was at stake here. I was looking forward to playing Norman Little's West Brom. On paper we were the better side but then we just did not turn up on the day. Said Berahino, the talented English striker, bagged 2 to give West Brom bragging rights. We did not have most possession, we did not have a single shot on goal (8 off target) while they had 6 on target out of 11. Hitz got MOTM again but a disappointing game. Revenge will come soon, Norman, be warned.
Our luck did not improve in the next game either. Lille were the next team to come to Villa Park and from past experience we know they are a strong and tough team to play. And they took the lead in the 31st minute. Peter Crouch converted a penalty to put his team 1-0 up. Poor play and we concede, what's new. There was more to come though. Micah Richards followed up from Lora and scored an own goal of his own to gift a 2-0 lead to Lille. By this time I was fuming, but we then gave them another penalty in the 80th minute which Crouch converted to give the French side a thoroughly undeserved 3-0 win. The stats were fairly balanced but we had no luck. Hitz had a bad day, Scocco got injured mid-game, we conceded two soft penalties, Richards scored an own goal, and then Enyeama had a blinder for them and got MOTM to boot. But Dave T's side took their chances and we played badly. If we miss promotion by 3 points I will look at this result with regret.
We finally had a game out of Europe, this time we made the trip to Valencia to face Levante in a dead rubber in the last game of the Youth Cup. Tom Parfitt has some quality youngsters in his side like Miazga and Success so it was a closer matchup than it would seem like. Romera gave the Spanish outfit a 1-0 lead in the 25th minute but then a minute later it was 1-1 with Forster-Caskey getting his maiden goal for the club (I think). Derlis assisted him for this. Romera made it 2-1 at the stroke of HT to give his side a decent shot at 3 points but we had other ideas and in the 69th minute CB Hodorogea assisted his defensive partner Turnbull who got his maiden goal too and equalised to make it 2-2. That wrapped up the Youth Cup for us. From the table below we can see though that we were only able to win twice (one against Flamengo in the first game and one the gifted win v Madrid in the 7th) and draw once against Levante in the 8th game. We did lose one each to Flamengo and Levante which is disappointing for the club. We could have come at least 3rd. Never mind, it was a good learning curve for the boys but whether Villa will participate in the next Youth Cup is a big question, if Rahul W is still at the club, that is. Good luck to Leverkusen and Real Madrid in the next round.
| Aston Villa | 8 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 13 | 21 | 7 |
As I said our participation in next year's Youth Cup is in doubt as I do not want us to be making up the numbers and with Derlis (who also increased his rating to 88 earlier, making him a first-team player next season) turning 22 earlier he will not be available for the Cup which significantly weakens the team. Jake Forster-Caskey also turns 22 in 2 weeks after which I do not see much use for him in the main team which is why he has also been sold to AC Milan, of all teams, where he will be managed by Stephen Beddows. Beddows has shown an interest in youth so Jake may have a chance at Milan but I am not sure about this. Good luck to Jake though and we are happy to pocket 3 mil for future re-investment. I am not going to look for a replacement for Jake and Derlis till the end of the season though.
Back to D3 football where we flew to relegation-threatened Hamburg who still looked a decent side to play against. Surprisingly thought they got the early lead in the 13th minute courtesy Mpoku who was the MOTM and they continued to dominate possession and shots, eventually getting 3 points which could be crucial for their campaign. Well played David Marsden, another disappointing result for us.
We then had the last game of the Churchill Cup, an inconsequential game against Nicky Thompson's West Ham. Didn't have much to look forward here other than facing a quality player in Payet but it was Enner Valencia who gave them the lead in the 40th minute. In the next half though Veretout played in Eder who equalised in the 58th minute to finish off the game as a draw. They did have more possession and shots so I consider it a good result against a better team. The Churchill Cup went off badly for us as expected with a 0-5 drubbing to Chelsea, a close 1-2 loss to Arsenal, 1-4 thrashing to Spurs and a 1-1 stalemate to West Ham. Didn't expect any better to be honest. It is good these tournaments are done so we can now focus on promotion. Good luck to Spurs and Chelsea in the next round.
Bordeaux were the next team to arrive at Villa Park and they are also near the play-off spots so it is a tricky game. Khazri gave them a lead in the 17th minute but as usual Veretout was there to assist Eder who equalised 7 minutes later. Maurice-Belay however gave them a 2-1 lead going into HT, scoring in the 40th minute. It looked like they would take all 3 points but Sinclair, who started the season well but found himself on the bench too often than not, latched onto a Park assist to equalised late in the 85th minute and give us a well-fought point. We had more possession and there were a lot of shots in that game for both sides which means a point is probably the fairer result. Good game Anders Dahlby. Nice to note Park got a second TOTW appearance of the season for his assist.
Yet another friendly, this time I invited Stuttgart to come over but this will be the last friendly during the season. Rodriguez and Fred made it 2-0 by HT before Jordan Ayew scored on his return to his former club to make it 3-0 and nearly end the game. Derlis's goal a few minutes later made it 3-1 but that's how it ended. Well played Feargal but I don't look deeply into this result.
The next D3 game saw us fly over to Germany to face Hoffenheim. They did play a weak side but that did not stop them from taking the lead (again!). Rudy scored to make it 1-0, but 8 minutes later Okore scored only his second for the club to equalise. It looked like it would stay this way but Sanchez scored again late in the 80th minute to give us the lead and the win. Emenike had an impact with two assists. Okore also got his first TOTW appearance of the season for that. The win took us to 6th with 43 points, 4 points behind first-placed Basel. Tough luck Miguel Salgado. With 11 games left anything could happen and it is up to us to keep the division-winning consistency.
That starts with the home game v 20th-placed Sassuolo and if we do not get a win today I shall be disappointed. Hope we can get the win today and put pressure on our rivals.
Sorry for the very-long post but that is the round-up of the last 3 weeks. Too many games and now we shall be back to the nice two games a week schedule which suits me well. Good luck all!
Come on you Villans!
Levante - What's gone wrong....?
With the other club from Valancia rooted at the bottom of division 4, manager Tom Parfitt was hauled over the coals at the press conference before his side face Espanyol this evening.
Reporter: Towads the end of February, the club were mid table. Today, bottom. Why?
Parfitt: Well obviously because we havent won enough games. We are struggling for goals, but we have agreed a deal for a striker who will be in the stands tonight all being well.
Reporter: When relegation is confirmed, will you be walking away?
Parfitt: If we go down, I would hope to stay. I turned down Bayenr Munich to stay here, and I would like to see the board repay that loyalty should the situation arise.
Reporter: So you still believe you are the right man for Levante?
Parfitt: Absolutely. I know times are hard at the moment, but we are not in a financial position to go out and get the superstars, so I have tried to bring in players who I believe will improve and have a future in the game.
Reporter: Who has dissapointed you the most this season?
Parfitt: I wont be naming and shaming anybody, that isnt going to help team spirit in any way. I will say though that I am hoping to have a bit of a shake up of the squad at the end of the season, but only if I can bring on the players that I want.
Reporter: At what point do you think some of the so called futire stars will be ready?
Parfitt: Someof them have already had a chance or two in the first team, and tonight will see a few changes again.
Reporter: Do you not think you should just fall on your sword & do one?
Parfitt: If there is anybody who can do a better job, then they would be here already
Copa Del Burro - Semi Finals
The semi final 2nd legs were played last night as the first ever Copa Del Burro comes towards a conclusion. The first game saw favourites Real Madrid travel to the Estadio do Dragao and face off against Portugal's sole remaining sie, Porto.
The other match was an all Spanish affair as 2nd division side Athletic Club left Bilbao and headed for 4th division Malaga and the Costa del Sol.
Porto v Real Madrid Att: 11,800
Porto went into last nights match fully aware that qualifying for the final was a long shot at best, having already lost 5 - 2 at the Bernebeau in the first leg. That said, in front of their own fans, the Portuguese outfit went into the game determined to be no pushovers.
Unfortunately for them however, it didnt take long for Madrid to once again stamp their authority on another match. After 11 minutes Eden Hazard whipped in a delightful corner, and Neymar rose to put it home.
After 27 it was 2 - 0. The competitions top scorer, Robert Lewandowski blasted home after Neymar fed him the ball. In between the two goals, Real had also spurned a couple of other opportunities, whilst Porto had only created on chance for themselves.
66 minutes into the ga,e and Neymar was again the provider. This time an assist for Koke as the away side went 3 - 0 ahead.
The scoreline flattered Porto really, although in former Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas, they had the man of the match. The custodian single handedly keeping the scoreline relatively respectable.
Aggregate score: Real Madrid 8 - 2 Porto
Malaga v Athletic Club Att: 5,648
Ever since Greg Billington's arrival, Malaga have been in outstanding form, and the fact that they are in the semi finals of the prestigious Copa Del Burro, and challenging Genoa for the division 4 title is no coincidence.
Things started off slowly for the home side last night however. Behind after just 14 minutes to a free kick from Bilbao's Alberto Bueno. Ochoa in the Malaga goal got a hand to the ball, but the Mexican couldnt get enough of it and his second touch was picking it out of the net.
The rest of the first half was a fairly quiet affair, and 1-0 was how it stood at the break. Within 6 minutes of the restart however, the visitors were 2 up, and looking good to go through to the final. Ibai Gomez put in Balenziaga, and the man with the long name made no mistake.
As the hour mark came, Isreali Hemed scored, and was immidiately hauled off in oneof the poorest pieces of management this reporter can remember. Even worse than the time Stephen Beddows refused to give Mario Ballotelli "a hand" on the touchline.
As the game drew to a close, both sides missed good opportunities to win it. Well Malaga missed good opportunites, Bilbao were kept out by a great display from Ochoa.
Aggregate score: Malaga 3 - 3 Athletic Club (Tie level on away goals, single play off game to be played in Malaga on April 16th)
Football Adventures with Stephen Beddows
SM Top 100 co-owner Stephen Beddows (Frank being David Gold and Gordon being Karen Brady) this weekend went on a football adventure to arguably one of the uglier cities of Northern Italy, Turin to watch some top-flight football and here follows an account of his experiences.
It was Sunday 10th April, the day after my daughters birthday and mid-way through our mini-break to Italy and I decided that I’d had enough of my in-laws: hearing my mother in-law complain about everything and everyone apart from herself and her making excuses to ‘go out’ and ‘be selfish’ putting herself first as always and never actually realising how she portrays herself to other people such as myself…
Back to topic with my daughter dropped off and arriving at the train station in Alba, a pretty little town in Northern Italy I had my first challenge to surmount, the train. I always surmount challenges with great enthusiasm many girls have told me and this one was no different my first ride on an Italian train for 12 months… and a trip to that ugly city of Turin to watch the least ugly of its two sides, Torino… its a good job Juventus hadn’t have been at home otherwise I’d have stayed with the mother in-law.
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| An Italian Train |
I had been informed by the native mother of my children of the correct route by tram to take to arrive at the Olympic Stadium in Turin but decided to ignore her advice and took the advice of some locals who directed me via the metro and a bus to the Torino Olympic Stadium and then I went to purchase my ticket for my first Top Flight Italian game for a number of years, since 2008 in fact and I was mildly surprised at the cost of the ticket.
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| I generally pay 2x as much to watch Burton Albion in League 1 |
The time was now about 2:30pm and I thought about my stomach so proceeded to a nearby bar to buy some food, a slice of pizza naturally and a Birra Moretti and as all good Englishmen when abroad I decided to strike up a conversation with a local called Paolo. It wasn't Maldini but Paolo something or other and he shared a drink with me and offered to show me where to go in the stadium and said I could watch the match with him.
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| Olympic Stadium Torino |
So off I went with my new friend, Paolo (not Maldini) towards the stadium and an afternoon of football which I planned to follow with a English pub trip to watch Tottenham v Man Utd later in the evening.
The stadium (having been rebuilt for the Winter Olympics I believe) was a lot less modern than I thought and I soon learnt that it wasn't actually rebuild at all, just made smaller which I didnt really understand but what the hell eh... I was delighted by the intricate layout of the stadium, a simple bowl but what sticks in my mind most is when you go to the toilet the urinals are facing towards the pitch with a gap above them so that you can watch the game at the same time - ingenious...
Whilst the urinals were obviously a big plus point, the fact that you can still smoke in Italian stadiums is a real downer for me and was a downside of the experience.
I spent the first ten minutes or so chatting and learning some of the chats such as...
vaffanculo Atalanta
odio Bergamo
and
chi non salta e bianco e nero
and quickly mastered the songs joining in with Paolo and his friends.
Very quickly a goal by Bruno Peres after a delightful through ball by Acquah (who plays for Beddows in England 7777.) The fans were clearly delighted.
Paolo was just as delighted and as a 47 year old life long Torino fan he decided to buy some more beers.
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| Paolo was delighted |
Atalanta then played some Louis Van Gaal style football, side to side, backwards and then side to side again and eventually after doing this for 10 mintues they won a free kick and scored directly from it. (I have the video coverage but it is so boring I decided to not upload it.)
Torino won 2-1 and many Toro fans were delighted as they were apparently now mathemtically safe and not going to get relegated.
After the game with the transport strike in mind Paolo offered to drive me directly to the English Pub near to the station to watch the World's greatest team Manchester United, he agreed to drop me off and join me after he'd nipped to a local record fair that was going on nearby, he is a fan of vinyls and records apparently.
Obviously Man Utd were terrible... losing emphatically! And to drown my sorrows after that I went to Mcdonalds before taking the train back to see the Mother in Law!
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| Beer at Mcdonalds One of Europe's best assets |
Bayer 04 A Noisy Update!
No major signings for a while have seen things go a little stale and even our superstar Calhanoglu can't continue to carry Leverkusen like he has done over the last season and a half.
We will now enter the dreaded Part Exchange market over the next few days in a bid to save our Division 1 status among the elite clubs of Top 100.
Calhanoglu has 7 goals this season
In stark contrast to our poor league form we still manage to find ourselves in a Semi Final of the
Von Trapp Cup this evening against a far superior Dortmund side.
We go into the game as underdogs with Dortmund the bookies favourite to progress to a potential Final against likely opponents Bayern Munchen who thrashed Leverkusen in the Group Stages.
But the pressure is off and it will be a great chance for the lads to show what they can do in a tie which will be settled one way or another tonight.
VON TRAPP SEMI FINALS
Dortmund v Leverkusen
Bayern Munich v Wolfsburg
Then we move on to the U21 Top 100 youth cup and this is a tournament that Noisy has thrived in over the last season and a half as he took Fenerbahce to the Semi Finals last season before jumping to Leverkusen, Fenerbahce went on to lose in the final when playing over-age players overwise they would have emerged victorious.
This season Leverkusen were drawn in a mighty tough group featuring the heavyweight giants Real Madrid with star studded youth names but Leverkusen surprised many by winning the group with 6 wins and 2 draws.
In our first round knockout game we faced Beddows AC Milan after initially pulling Real Madrid in the hat there was a re-draw and we could hear Keano breathing a huge sigh of relief, It was a
thrilling affair with both sides giving it all in a bid to qualify.
In the end it was a poor lack of concentration which handed Leverkusen two pens in the game to see them progress 5-4 and set up a Quarter Final clash with Lokomotiv Moscow.
Could Noisy really take Leverkusen all the way?
YOUTH CUP QUARTER FINAL DRAW
Leverkusen v Lokomotiv Moscow
Juventus v Fiorentina
Manchester United v Real Madrid
Atletico Madrid v Villareal
On a personal note its been a hectic last couple of months for myself as me and my partner had our second child back in February another boy this time called Daniel who will be Jack's little brother but I think in years to come it will be Daniel leading Jack.
My first boy Jack who is 4 is severely Autistic and at this moment in time still Non Verbal so everyday it is a lot of guess work to see what he wants but we are getting there with him and with the fantastic help we are receiving for him, The improvements he has made over the last year have been brilliant and we hope in time the speech will come too.
Jack Daniel
Hopefully the future of English Football lies above :)
Right that's enough rambling for now until the next blog update.
Inside Espanyol!
Tonight Espanyol will travel to Argentina to face River Plate in a tough Division 4 fixture. Earle has named his starting 11 and it seems Miroslav Klose will make his first start in nearly a month. The German veteran hasn’t scored under Earles reign and suffered a slight injury in the 2-1 win against Torino on March 13th. Following this he was unable to regain his spot in the squad with Borini and Pavoletti becoming the regular starters. Klose is also ready to end his time in Spain with a move to Chievo Verona agreed. Earle is in negotiations as to when the German will depart but it could be as late as the end of the season. Earle has opted to put Pavoletti on the bench after just one goal in six games. Borini, on the other hand, has been in top form with 6 goals in his 11 games since signing from Lazio. The central midfield duo of Rosicky and Redmond have also hit strong form with 6 goals between them since Earle joined.
In transfer news Alvaro Arbeloa has become the joint most expensive signing for Earle costing £4 million. The 33 year old joined from Everton to help strengthen the still incomplete defence. Eloy Room has also been brought in as back up keeper for £2.4 million from Vitesse. However, with Mariano Andujar on the transfer list, Room could be called upon sooner than expected. Younes Kaboul is also set to make an exit after a training ground bust up. Earle is looking to bring in Ragnar Klavan from Boca Juniors to fill in the space for a fee of £4 million. Earle is also hoping to sign 3 more unknown players when they are better situated financially.
Since joining Earle has helped the Spaniards pick up 19 points in 11 games. With 5 wins, 4 draws and only 2 losses, survival is a real possibility now. Espanyol are now just 6 points off safety and with big games around them the squad will have to jump at their opportunity to rise. With 12 games left, Earle believes that if the teams current form continues they may creep out of the drop zone. He has also said that if worst comes to worst and the team is relegated he has no desire to leave the club unless they release him or a top offer comes along. “If we go down I’ll still be here, unless I’m let go or get an offer I can’t turn down, which is unlikely! But if I’m still here it’s a great opportunity for us to try new styles and possibly start some more developmental projects. No matter what happens, I’m excited for this clubs future! Whether it’s in Division 4 or 5, or maybe even 3, I’m excited. I just hope I’m here to experience it!”
Achilles Cup - Match Day 6 Permutations
It has gone down to wire in the inaugural Achilles Cup and with just one game to play the only things that are known are that Galatasaray have won the wooden spoon and that Olympiacos are in the final, whether they will finish top of the group is yet to be decided.
| As it Stands | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts |
| Olympiacos | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 11 |
| Besiktas | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 7 | -3 | 9 |
| Fenerbahce | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 7 |
| Galatasaray | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 12 | -6 | 1 |
Match Day 6 Fixtures – Weds 13th April
Besiktas v Olympiacos
Fenerbahce v Galatasaray
The permutations for the three clubs in contention are limited with the required results as follows.
Olympiacos – For the Greeks they just have to avoid being beaten by Besiktas in their final fixture to finish top of the table, no one would bet against it as they are unbeaten in their previous five outings in the competition.
Besiktas – They have their destiny in their own hands but need to win against Olympiacos to progress into the final, no mean feat considering the Greeks record. A draw wouldn’t be good enough if Fenerbahce win as their Turkish rivals have a superior goal difference.
Fenerbahce – The Yellow Canaries will only be singing if they win and Besiktas lose, any other result will see them as dead as a Norwegian Blue in a Monty Pythion sketch.
Predictions?
Given Galatasarys woeful form in the competition and home advantage I would expect Fenerbahce to be too strong for their opponents and to get the win they need.
A hard one to call in the other fixture given the previously mentioned impressive record of Olympiacos, it would be a brave or foolish man to bet against them completing the group stage unbeaten. Call me a fool because I have a feeling that with home advantage and a win at all costs situation the Black Eagles may find their Greek opponents without their foot fully on the gas pedal having already qualified.
Whichever way it goes good luck to all and may the ball run true.
Putin Cup - Match Day 7 Update
At the start of the evening a single point separated the top four teams and with Lokomotiv having the night off from the action it was a chance for the other three clubs to try and open up a gap at the top of the table.
Spartak Moscow 1 v 0 CSKA Moscow
This Moscow derby between the tables top two teams promised fireworks and is was aptly enough Spartak who showed most spark.
They took the lead on 10 minutes when Popov converted a penalty after a clumsy challenge by Lovren on Shirokov.
This looked by being the first of many as the CSKA defence was tested time and again by the hosts as they pushed forward. The visitors were content to counter attack whilst their back line held firm under the pressure but there chances of sneaking an equaliser evaporated in the 81stminute when Carrillo was rightly shown a straight red after a disgraceful challenge on Shirikov.
Houston will be ecstatic as his Spartak side returned to the top of the table whilst CSKA supremo Smith will be desperately disappointed with his teams performance and the result which sees them drop out of the qualification places.
Dynamo Moscow 3 v 2 Zenit
Dynamo went into the game knowing a win would take them into the top two whilst Zenit were still looking for their first point of the tournament but buoyed by their previous performance against Spartak.
Zenit fans must have feared a landslide after Dynamo took the lead on 12 minutes through Valbuena and then an own goal by Neto on 23 minutes, but Zenit are made of sterner stuff these days and pulled a goal back 2 minutes later with a Villa strike.
Davis restored the two goal lead Dynamo for the hosts a minute after the interval but Dzyuba hauled Zenit back into the game within 2 minutes.
Despite their efforts Zenit couldn’t find the equaliser which on the balance of play they will feel they deserved.
Razzaque will take his side to CSKA next week needing a win to keep up the pressure at the top, Hassan on the other hand will be looking for his sides improved performances to translate into points in the remaining two fixtures.
| Match Day 7 Table | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts |
| Spartak Moscow | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 12 |
| Dynamo Moscow | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 11 |
| CSKA Moscow | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 9 |
| Lokomotiv Moscow | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 8 |
| Zenit St Petersburg | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 12 | -7 | 0 |
Match Day 8 Fixtures – Weds 13th April
Zenit St Petersburg v Lokomotiv Moscow
CSKA Moscow v Dynamo Moscow