Scott Murray's Blog, page 192
October 27, 2014
QPR v Aston Villa: Premier League — as it happened | Scott Murray
Charlie Austin was the two-goal hero as Rangers moved off the foot of the table
9.51pm GMT
And that’s that. A well-deserved win for QPR, who were as solid and impressive as Villa were lame and abject. Charlie Austin is the two-goal hero, but that’s a fine team performance. After their good but unrewarded display against Liverpool, there’s a sense that Rangers might just have stumbled onto a formula. They move off the bottom of the table, and are now just three points behind plummeting Villa, who have lost five on the bounce now without scoring once. Pity their poor players, who have to look Paul Lambert and Roy Keane in the eye after that.
9.49pm GMT
90 min +2: Fer is replaced by Kranjcar. Traore has a whack from the edge of the area, but it’s blocked by Lowton.
9.48pm GMT
90 min +1: Lowton rakes a lovely pass down the right wing, and Benteke’s got ahead of Caulker. However, Green is out to the edge of his box to claim, just in time.
9.47pm GMT
90 min: Clark tugs away at Traore’s shirt. A free kick for QPR near the corner flag down the right, and an excuse for the home side to run down the clock. Which they snatch with both hands. There’s going to be three added minutes.
9.46pm GMT
89 min: Benteke tries to lob Green from 40 yards. Nope. A goal now for Villa would certainly shake things up, but their performance doesn’t merit one.
9.45pm GMT
88 min: Benteke scuttles down the right and wins a corner off Caulker. It’s easily cleared, but lumped straight back. For a second, it looks like Clark is free down the inside-left, but he’s flagged offside and miscontrols anyway.
9.44pm GMT
87 min: Vargas is replaced by Traore.
9.42pm GMT
85 min: QPR are in complete control. Villa are a study in frustration.
9.40pm GMT
82 min: Cole has been in the thick of it since coming on, but his effort is counting for little. He tries to scoop a pass down the middle for Benteke, but it’s deflected into Harmlessville the moment it leaves his boot.
9.38pm GMT
80 min: It’s not Villa’s night. Benteke can’t quite meet a Cole corner from the right, six yards out. Then Cleverley unleashes a fine fizzer goalwards from the edge of the box. Green parries well, but the ball rebounds to Clark, who surely must poke home the loose ball from close range. But Sandro is right on his shoulder, and puts him off to the extent that Green can snaffle. The closest a poor Villa side have come tonight.
9.36pm GMT
78 min: Villa are seriously rocking. Sandro’s long-range daisycutter is deflected into the path of Vargas, who is clear in the area again but can’t quite stop the ball from pinballing between his legs. Austin tries to snatch a hat-trick goal, but can’t connect either.
9.35pm GMT
77 min: Lowton follows Weimann into the referee’s notebook, having upended an in-full-flight Hoilett.
9.34pm GMT
76 min: Rangers are pinging it around in pretty triangles. The crowd respond as you’d imagine. Olé! Olé! Olé! Olé! Olé! And there’s an end product to all this fancy footwork, too, as Fer drifts in from the left wing and slips a pass down the channel to release Vargas into the area! Vargas should score but, one on one with Guzan, batters his shot straight into the keeper’s midriff. That should have been the end of it.
9.31pm GMT
74 min: QPR sprung to life rather impressively there, having let Villa pass themselves asleep during the first 20 minutes of the half. This has been a dismal display by Villa, and their mood won’t be lifted by Benteke and existentialism’s Joe Cole clattering into each other while attempting to head Lowton’s cross from the right. Slapstick stylings.
9.28pm GMT
70 min: Villa respond by making a double change, hooking Westwood and Weimann, and sending on Cole and Bent.
9.27pm GMT
Something else happens quickly after - and this could have sealed the three points for Rangers! It’s another beautifully simple goal. Sanchez gives the ball away again, allowing Vargas to tear clear down the right. He whips a low ball to the near post, where Austin races in and slams into the bottom-right corner from six yards!
9.25pm GMT
67 min: SOMETHING HAPPENS! Fer, in plenty of space in the middle of the Villa half, having robbed Sanchez, sprays a lovely ball out to the left wing for Hoilett. Hoilett glides inside, and curls a gorgeous effort towards the top-right corner. It looks like it’s heading in, with Guzan beaten all ends up, but the ball drifts to the right and clips the right-hand upright. So unlucky!
9.23pm GMT
66 min: Agbonlahor, Cleverley and Cissokho are all putting in a shift down the Villa left, but their graft is counting for little. QPR aren’t seeing a whole lot of the ball, and yet look extremely comfortable right now.
9.20pm GMT
63 min: Hoilett comes on for the spent Zamora.
9.19pm GMT
62 min: This is scrappy nonsense right now. QPR won’t complain so long as the scoreline remains as it is.
9.17pm GMT
59 min: Magnificent goalkeeping by Green, who is put into all sorts of bother by a ridiculous looping backpass from Sandro. With Benteke lurking, Green chests down the dropping ball and lashes it clear with a confident swing of the leg. That could easily have caused the poor keeper embarrassment, through no fault of his own. A superlative clearance.
9.16pm GMT
58 min: Weimann is booked for a clip on Yun’s ankles.
9.15pm GMT
57 min: The Villa fans are trying their best to raise their team’s spirits, but their brave efforts aren’t doing much good. The visitors have had 70 percent of the possession since the restart, but are doing very little with it. A ball’s lifted down the centre, but Benteke is miles offside.
9.13pm GMT
54 min: Villa haven’t scored since Agbonlahor bundled in the winner at Anfield, a long time ago now. They don’t look like doing much to break that sorry run tonight. Westwood hoicks a free kick into the QPR area for Benteke, who heads down by the right-hand post. Clark is sniffing around but can’t connect.
9.10pm GMT
51 min: Zamora scoops a clever ball down the inside-left channel and into the area towards Vargas, who heads further on with a view to finding Austin. The ball clanks off Cissokho and clear, but QPR rather vociferously claim handball, and a penalty. The referee’s not having it, and quite correctly too, as the ball clearly brushed Cissokho’s left nipple. That could chafe, I hope he’s got a vest on underneath.
9.07pm GMT
49 min: Agbonlahor and Cleverley busy themselves down the left, before feeding Cissokho, who blooters a cross behind the goal. This is quite mundane. Nobody’s turned up for the second half yet.
9.04pm GMT
47 min: A bitty start to the half.
9.03pm GMT
And we’re off again! Weimann is good to continue, and neither team has made any changes. Villa set the ball rolling for the second half. “A more apt name for said commission (42 min) would be The Warnock Commission,” suggests Brad Lundgren.
8.56pm GMT
Half-time tactical analysis: They’re going into far too much detail on Sky Sports. Suffice to say Charlie Austin scored a fine route-one goal, registering nine-and-a-half on the Reep-o-meter®.
8.48pm GMT
Vargas very nearly latches onto a loose ball in the middle of the park, but he’s denied a free run at the Villa box by Clark. And that’s that for a half which was neither great nor awful. Rangers will be happy with their performance as well as the scoreline, while Villa need to up their game.
8.44pm GMT
44 min: This half is petering out. Both teams seem happy to let the clock do its thing.
8.44pm GMT
42 min: Weimann is limping still. Villa are clearly waiting for the half-time whistle before making a decision here. “I’m surprised no Chelsea conspiracy theorists have yet emailed to demand a Carragher Commission into the non-penalty incident from yesterday,” quips Justin Kavanagh. “Two men brutally scythed down, a strong suspicion of more than one assassin, and yet no credible whistleblower stepping forward. A nation wept.”
8.39pm GMT
39 min: Weimann looks to lash a shot goalwards from 20 yards. Fer blocks, and the ball loops to Benteke on the left-hand edge of the box. Benteke takes a touch and sends a weak effort straight at Green. Weimann felt that challenge from Fer and is limping around quite a lot.
8.38pm GMT
36 min: Lowton sends a sliderule pass along the right flank to release Weimann into space. Weimann crosses low first time, and Green comes off his line with Benteke lurking and Caulker suddenly thinking about the Liverpool game quite a lot. Green claims. No goal, no own goal. Another defensive calamity would surely be too cruel for QPR.
8.36pm GMT
35 min: Sandro, down the right, nearly finds the top-left corner of the Villa net with an absurd looper. It flies over the bar, which is probably the fairest outcome.
8.34pm GMT
34 min: Cleverley helps the ball down the left for Cissokho, who wheechs a low ball into the QPR box. It deflects back to the right-hand edge of the D, where Westwood attempts to curl a first-time shot into the bottom-left. It’s blocked by Henry.
8.33pm GMT
32 min: Sandro earns himself a free kick down the right. QPR have a set piece in a dangerous position, 35 yards from goal. Guzan punches Yun’s set piece clear, but Zamora’s soon powering into the Villa box down the left channel. He’s just about bundled off the ball by Vlaar and Lowton, and Guzan eventually comes out to smother, but the away defence looked pretty tatty there.
8.31pm GMT
31 min: Another left-wing cross from Cissokho. Weimann, despite having both feet planted by the penalty spot, gets his head to the ball and sends a lame effort to the right-hand side of the goal. Green ambles over to gather. “Lovely picture of the Rs from 1970,” begins Ian Burch. “My QPR supporting brother took me to Loftus Rd for my first ever game that season and we saw Rodney Marsh score a hat-trick in a 5-2 romp against Birmingham. Football has changed beyond all recognition since those innocent days, but nothing much would appear to have changed for poor old Birmingham.”
8.29pm GMT
28 min: Cleverley whips a ball to the left wing for Cissokho, who lifts a first-time cross into the area. Benteke was snoozing a little there, and misses the ball with QPR all over the shop.
8.25pm GMT
25 min: Villa aren’t dealing with simple balls up the centre of the park. Clark is in all sorts of bother under a hoof near his own D. Zamora very nearly finds himself clear in the area, but can’t locate the dropping ball, spinning around in circles like a teased dog. QPR have their tails up.
8.23pm GMT
23 min: Brilliance from Dunne here, though, up the other end, as he blocks Benteke’s shot as the Villa striker cuts in from the left. It’s a nice, open, entertaining game, with plenty of action at both ends.
8.22pm GMT
22 min: Yun larrups one from distance. It’s heading wide of the left-hand post, but Guzan rather clumsily tips it round anyway, for a corner. The set piece is sent long, and met by Dunne at the far post. But he’s trying to put the ball in the other team’s net here, and that’s not quite so easy, is it.
8.21pm GMT
21 min: Westwood lifts a ball down the inside-right channel. Benteke rises on the edge of the Rangers box, and uses the pace of the ball to guide a header towards the bottom left. It’s a clever flick, but just wide of the left-hand post with Green scrambling.
8.20pm GMT
19 min: Villa will need to take heart from the fact that Austin’s goal came against the run of play. They stroke it around the middle of the park awhile. Sandro puts a stop to their progressive pretensions by clattering into the back of Agbonlahor. He’s lucky to avoid a booking.
8.18pm GMT
A simple goal. Zamora, on the edge of the Villa box, rises above Vlaar and heads down for Austin, who creams a full-fat half-volley into the bottom-left corner. Guzan had no chance, that was so sweetly struck. Loftus Road erupts! But as sweet as the shot was, that wasn’t particularly clever from Villa’s point of view, as they failed to deal with a route-one set-up. Paul Lambert and Roy Keane erupt!
8.16pm GMT
15 min: Villa are on top here. Sanchez has a whack from 20 yards, Green doing well to snaffle a shot that’s swerving this way and that. Then Benteke heads on for himself down the left channel, breaking clear into the area and blasting a dismal effort over the bar from ten yards. He’ll no doubt claim to have heard the referee’s whistle before mishitting that - he was a mile offside - but you have to wonder.
8.14pm GMT
13 min: Weimann heads a poor Dunne clearance back down the pitch to Agbonlahor, who turns down the inside-right channel and embarks on a diagonal run to the left-hand side of the D. He tries to get a shot away, but it’s blocked by Caulker, who comes across to deal with the danger.
8.12pm GMT
11 min: Yun tries to make amends with a progressive meander down the left. His cross goes straight down the throat of Guzan. After their brisk start, Rangers haven’t offered much in the way of attack.
8.10pm GMT
10 min: Yun clumsily gives away a corner down the Villa right. No need for it! Westwood takes. QPR clear but, in something of a panic, Austin slices into the stand under no pressure. He’s not putting his team in danger, as such, but this sort of nonsense keeps Villa on the front foot.
8.08pm GMT
8 min: More space for Benteke down the left. He breaks clear into the area, but is penalised for a needless shove on Henry. Had Benteke put his head down and skittered towards the area with determination, he could have caused some problems there, though admittedly the same approach to playing never did Milan Baros many favours.
8.07pm GMT
6 min: Sandro gives the ball away to Agbonlahor in the centre circle, a dreadful pass. Benteke is fed down the inside-left channel, where he wins a corner. From which Westwood whips a glorious ball into the mixer, nearly finding Benteke’s head. Green is out to punch clear, albeit not in a particularly powerful style. Still, it did the job.
8.04pm GMT
3 min: Villa stroke it around the back awhile in an attempt to quell QPR’s early verve. Weimann bursts down the right and crosses deep. Benteke, at the far post, heads down and back to the edge of the area, where Westwood cracks a rising shot straight at Green. A decent move, that.
8.02pm GMT
And we’re off! QPR get the ball rolling. And they’re on the attack immediately, with Austin flinging a ball into the area from the right, then Yun lumping one on from the left. Sanchez is forced to hoick the ball behind for a corner on the right; it’s dealt with easily enough. But a fine start for the home side. “Listening to Jamie Carragher analysing the Man United goal from yesterday’s game on Sky’s pre-match programme,” writes Simon McMahon. “He’s gone through it frame by frame. All he needs now is to say ‘back, and to the left’ a few times and he’ll have solved the JFK assassination while he’s at it.” You might be on to something here; the top of Marouane Fellaini’s head does look like a grassy knoll.
7.57pm GMT
The teams are out! QPR sport their famous hoops ...
7.13pm GMT
QPR: Green, Isla, Dunne, Caulker, Yun, Vargas, Henry, Sandro, Fer, Zamora, Austin.
Subs: Traore, Hill, Phillips, Kranjcar, Murphy, Hoilett, Ferdinand.
Aston Villa: Guzan, Lowton, Vlaar, Clark, Cissokho, Cleverley, Westwood, Sanchez, Agbonlahor, Benteke, Weimann.
Subs: Okore, Bacuna, Cole, Richardson, Bent, N’Zogbia, Given.
7.00pm GMT
It’s fair to say tonight’s entertainment isn’t a race between two form horses. Queens Park Rangers have lost four of their last five matches, and are currently bottom of the table, somehow below a Burnley side who haven’t won in their last ten. Aston Villa meanwhile have lost their last four on the bounce, conceding 11 goals and scoring none. It’s not the easiest sell in the world, this.
But entertainment need not be a forlorn hope. QPR were excellent in their last match, a surreal 3-2 defeat at home to Liverpool in which their new approach of Trying Hard so nearly paid dividends. They’ll play much, much worse this season yet win. Aston Villa, on the other hand, weren’t very good in their last match, a 3-0 reverse at Everton, or the one before it against Manchester City, or the one before that against Chelsea, or the one before that against Arsenal. Yet the Premier League doesn’t throw up many harder runs. Those four losses aren’t ideal, but they’re certainly understandable. It’s easy to forget that Villa were top of the table after winning three of their first four games.
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QPR v Aston Villa: Premier League as it happened | Scott Murray
Charlie Austin was the two-goal hero as Rangers moved off the foot of the table
9.51pm GMT
And thats that. A well-deserved win for QPR, who were as solid and impressive as Villa were lame and abject. Charlie Austin is the two-goal hero, but thats a fine team performance. After their good but unrewarded display against Liverpool, theres a sense that Rangers might just have stumbled onto a formula. They move off the bottom of the table, and are now just three points behind plummeting Villa, who have lost five on the bounce now without scoring once. Pity their poor players, who have to look Paul Lambert and Roy Keane in the eye after that.
9.49pm GMT
90 min +2: Fer is replaced by Kranjcar. Traore has a whack from the edge of the area, but its blocked by Lowton.
9.48pm GMT
90 min +1: Lowton rakes a lovely pass down the right wing, and Bentekes got ahead of Caulker. However, Green is out to the edge of his box to claim, just in time.
9.47pm GMT
90 min: Clark tugs away at Traores shirt. A free kick for QPR near the corner flag down the right, and an excuse for the home side to run down the clock. Which they snatch with both hands. Theres going to be three added minutes.
9.46pm GMT
89 min: Benteke tries to lob Green from 40 yards. Nope. A goal now for Villa would certainly shake things up, but their performance doesnt merit one.
9.45pm GMT
88 min: Benteke scuttles down the right and wins a corner off Caulker. Its easily cleared, but lumped straight back. For a second, it looks like Clark is free down the inside-left, but hes flagged offside and miscontrols anyway.
9.44pm GMT
87 min: Vargas is replaced by Traore.
9.42pm GMT
85 min: QPR are in complete control. Villa are a study in frustration.
9.40pm GMT
82 min: Cole has been in the thick of it since coming on, but his effort is counting for little. He tries to scoop a pass down the middle for Benteke, but its deflected into Harmlessville the moment it leaves his boot.
9.38pm GMT
80 min: Its not Villas night. Benteke cant quite meet a Cole corner from the right, six yards out. Then Cleverley unleashes a fine fizzer goalwards from the edge of the box. Green parries well, but the ball rebounds to Clark, who surely must poke home the loose ball from close range. But Sandro is right on his shoulder, and puts him off to the extent that Green can snaffle. The closest a poor Villa side have come tonight.
9.36pm GMT
78 min: Villa are seriously rocking. Sandros long-range daisycutter is deflected into the path of Vargas, who is clear in the area again but cant quite stop the ball from pinballing between his legs. Austin tries to snatch a hat-trick goal, but cant connect either.
9.35pm GMT
77 min: Lowton follows Weimann into the referees notebook, having upended an in-full-flight Hoilett.
9.34pm GMT
76 min: Rangers are pinging it around in pretty triangles. The crowd respond as youd imagine. Olé! Olé! Olé! Olé! Olé! And theres an end product to all this fancy footwork, too, as Fer drifts in from the left wing and slips a pass down the channel to release Vargas into the area! Vargas should score but, one on one with Guzan, batters his shot straight into the keepers midriff. That should have been the end of it.
9.31pm GMT
74 min: QPR sprung to life rather impressively there, having let Villa pass themselves asleep during the first 20 minutes of the half. This has been a dismal display by Villa, and their mood wont be lifted by Benteke and existentialisms Joe Cole clattering into each other while attempting to head Lowtons cross from the right. Slapstick stylings.
9.28pm GMT
70 min: Villa respond by making a double change, hooking Westwood and Weimann, and sending on Cole and Bent.
9.27pm GMT
Something else happens quickly after - and this could have sealed the three points for Rangers! Its another beautifully simple goal. Sanchez gives the ball away again, allowing Vargas to tear clear down the right. He whips a low ball to the near post, where Austin races in and slams into the bottom-right corner from six yards!
9.25pm GMT
67 min: SOMETHING HAPPENS! Fer, in plenty of space in the middle of the Villa half, having robbed Sanchez, sprays a lovely ball out to the left wing for Hoilett. Hoilett glides inside, and curls a gorgeous effort towards the top-right corner. It looks like its heading in, with Guzan beaten all ends up, but the ball drifts to the right and clips the right-hand upright. So unlucky!
9.23pm GMT
66 min: Agbonlahor, Cleverley and Cissokho are all putting in a shift down the Villa left, but their graft is counting for little. QPR arent seeing a whole lot of the ball, and yet look extremely comfortable right now.
9.20pm GMT
63 min: Hoilett comes on for the spent Zamora.
9.19pm GMT
62 min: This is scrappy nonsense right now. QPR wont complain so long as the scoreline remains as it is.
9.17pm GMT
59 min: Magnificent goalkeeping by Green, who is put into all sorts of bother by a ridiculous looping backpass from Sandro. With Benteke lurking, Green chests down the dropping ball and lashes it clear with a confident swing of the leg. That could easily have caused the poor keeper embarrassment, through no fault of his own. A superlative clearance.
9.16pm GMT
58 min: Weimann is booked for a clip on Yuns ankles.
9.15pm GMT
57 min: The Villa fans are trying their best to raise their teams spirits, but their brave efforts arent doing much good. The visitors have had 70 percent of the possession since the restart, but are doing very little with it. A balls lifted down the centre, but Benteke is miles offside.
9.13pm GMT
54 min: Villa havent scored since Agbonlahor bundled in the winner at Anfield, a long time ago now. They dont look like doing much to break that sorry run tonight. Westwood hoicks a free kick into the QPR area for Benteke, who heads down by the right-hand post. Clark is sniffing around but cant connect.
9.10pm GMT
51 min: Zamora scoops a clever ball down the inside-left channel and into the area towards Vargas, who heads further on with a view to finding Austin. The ball clanks off Cissokho and clear, but QPR rather vociferously claim handball, and a penalty. The referees not having it, and quite correctly too, as the ball clearly brushed Cissokhos left nipple. That could chafe, I hope hes got a vest on underneath.
9.07pm GMT
49 min: Agbonlahor and Cleverley busy themselves down the left, before feeding Cissokho, who blooters a cross behind the goal. This is quite mundane. Nobodys turned up for the second half yet.
9.04pm GMT
47 min: A bitty start to the half.
9.03pm GMT
And were off again! Weimann is good to continue, and neither team has made any changes. Villa set the ball rolling for the second half. A more apt name for said commission (42 min) would be The Warnock Commission, suggests Brad Lundgren.
8.56pm GMT
Half-time tactical analysis: Theyre going into far too much detail on Sky Sports. Suffice to say Charlie Austin scored a fine route-one goal, registering nine-and-a-half on the Reep-o-meter®.
8.48pm GMT
Vargas very nearly latches onto a loose ball in the middle of the park, but hes denied a free run at the Villa box by Clark. And thats that for a half which was neither great nor awful. Rangers will be happy with their performance as well as the scoreline, while Villa need to up their game.
8.44pm GMT
44 min: This half is petering out. Both teams seem happy to let the clock do its thing.
8.44pm GMT
42 min: Weimann is limping still. Villa are clearly waiting for the half-time whistle before making a decision here. Im surprised no Chelsea conspiracy theorists have yet emailed to demand a Carragher Commission into the non-penalty incident from yesterday, quips Justin Kavanagh. Two men brutally scythed down, a strong suspicion of more than one assassin, and yet no credible whistleblower stepping forward. A nation wept.
8.39pm GMT
39 min: Weimann looks to lash a shot goalwards from 20 yards. Fer blocks, and the ball loops to Benteke on the left-hand edge of the box. Benteke takes a touch and sends a weak effort straight at Green. Weimann felt that challenge from Fer and is limping around quite a lot.
8.38pm GMT
36 min: Lowton sends a sliderule pass along the right flank to release Weimann into space. Weimann crosses low first time, and Green comes off his line with Benteke lurking and Caulker suddenly thinking about the Liverpool game quite a lot. Green claims. No goal, no own goal. Another defensive calamity would surely be too cruel for QPR.
8.36pm GMT
35 min: Sandro, down the right, nearly finds the top-left corner of the Villa net with an absurd looper. It flies over the bar, which is probably the fairest outcome.
8.34pm GMT
34 min: Cleverley helps the ball down the left for Cissokho, who wheechs a low ball into the QPR box. It deflects back to the right-hand edge of the D, where Westwood attempts to curl a first-time shot into the bottom-left. Its blocked by Henry.
8.33pm GMT
32 min: Sandro earns himself a free kick down the right. QPR have a set piece in a dangerous position, 35 yards from goal. Guzan punches Yuns set piece clear, but Zamoras soon powering into the Villa box down the left channel. Hes just about bundled off the ball by Vlaar and Lowton, and Guzan eventually comes out to smother, but the away defence looked pretty tatty there.
8.31pm GMT
31 min: Another left-wing cross from Cissokho. Weimann, despite having both feet planted by the penalty spot, gets his head to the ball and sends a lame effort to the right-hand side of the goal. Green ambles over to gather. Lovely picture of the Rs from 1970, begins Ian Burch. My QPR supporting brother took me to Loftus Rd for my first ever game that season and we saw Rodney Marsh score a hat-trick in a 5-2 romp against Birmingham. Football has changed beyond all recognition since those innocent days, but nothing much would appear to have changed for poor old Birmingham.
8.29pm GMT
28 min: Cleverley whips a ball to the left wing for Cissokho, who lifts a first-time cross into the area. Benteke was snoozing a little there, and misses the ball with QPR all over the shop.
8.25pm GMT
25 min: Villa arent dealing with simple balls up the centre of the park. Clark is in all sorts of bother under a hoof near his own D. Zamora very nearly finds himself clear in the area, but cant locate the dropping ball, spinning around in circles like a teased dog. QPR have their tails up.
8.23pm GMT
23 min: Brilliance from Dunne here, though, up the other end, as he blocks Bentekes shot as the Villa striker cuts in from the left. Its a nice, open, entertaining game, with plenty of action at both ends.
8.22pm GMT
22 min: Yun larrups one from distance. Its heading wide of the left-hand post, but Guzan rather clumsily tips it round anyway, for a corner. The set piece is sent long, and met by Dunne at the far post. But hes trying to put the ball in the other teams net here, and thats not quite so easy, is it.
8.21pm GMT
21 min: Westwood lifts a ball down the inside-right channel. Benteke rises on the edge of the Rangers box, and uses the pace of the ball to guide a header towards the bottom left. Its a clever flick, but just wide of the left-hand post with Green scrambling.
8.20pm GMT
19 min: Villa will need to take heart from the fact that Austins goal came against the run of play. They stroke it around the middle of the park awhile. Sandro puts a stop to their progressive pretensions by clattering into the back of Agbonlahor. Hes lucky to avoid a booking.
8.18pm GMT
A simple goal. Zamora, on the edge of the Villa box, rises above Vlaar and heads down for Austin, who creams a full-fat half-volley into the bottom-left corner. Guzan had no chance, that was so sweetly struck. Loftus Road erupts! But as sweet as the shot was, that wasnt particularly clever from Villas point of view, as they failed to deal with a route-one set-up. Paul Lambert and Roy Keane erupt!
8.16pm GMT
15 min: Villa are on top here. Sanchez has a whack from 20 yards, Green doing well to snaffle a shot thats swerving this way and that. Then Benteke heads on for himself down the left channel, breaking clear into the area and blasting a dismal effort over the bar from ten yards. Hell no doubt claim to have heard the referees whistle before mishitting that - he was a mile offside - but you have to wonder.
8.14pm GMT
13 min: Weimann heads a poor Dunne clearance back down the pitch to Agbonlahor, who turns down the inside-right channel and embarks on a diagonal run to the left-hand side of the D. He tries to get a shot away, but its blocked by Caulker, who comes across to deal with the danger.
8.12pm GMT
11 min: Yun tries to make amends with a progressive meander down the left. His cross goes straight down the throat of Guzan. After their brisk start, Rangers havent offered much in the way of attack.
8.10pm GMT
10 min: Yun clumsily gives away a corner down the Villa right. No need for it! Westwood takes. QPR clear but, in something of a panic, Austin slices into the stand under no pressure. Hes not putting his team in danger, as such, but this sort of nonsense keeps Villa on the front foot.
8.08pm GMT
8 min: More space for Benteke down the left. He breaks clear into the area, but is penalised for a needless shove on Henry. Had Benteke put his head down and skittered towards the area with determination, he could have caused some problems there, though admittedly the same approach to playing never did Milan Baros many favours.
8.07pm GMT
6 min: Sandro gives the ball away to Agbonlahor in the centre circle, a dreadful pass. Benteke is fed down the inside-left channel, where he wins a corner. From which Westwood whips a glorious ball into the mixer, nearly finding Bentekes head. Green is out to punch clear, albeit not in a particularly powerful style. Still, it did the job.
8.04pm GMT
3 min: Villa stroke it around the back awhile in an attempt to quell QPRs early verve. Weimann bursts down the right and crosses deep. Benteke, at the far post, heads down and back to the edge of the area, where Westwood cracks a rising shot straight at Green. A decent move, that.
8.02pm GMT
And were off! QPR get the ball rolling. And theyre on the attack immediately, with Austin flinging a ball into the area from the right, then Yun lumping one on from the left. Sanchez is forced to hoick the ball behind for a corner on the right; its dealt with easily enough. But a fine start for the home side. Listening to Jamie Carragher analysing the Man United goal from yesterdays game on Skys pre-match programme, writes Simon McMahon. Hes gone through it frame by frame. All he needs now is to say back, and to the left a few times and hell have solved the JFK assassination while hes at it. You might be on to something here; the top of Marouane Fellainis head does look like a grassy knoll.
7.57pm GMT
The teams are out! QPR sport their famous hoops ...
7.13pm GMT
QPR: Green, Isla, Dunne, Caulker, Yun, Vargas, Henry, Sandro, Fer, Zamora, Austin.
Subs: Traore, Hill, Phillips, Kranjcar, Murphy, Hoilett, Ferdinand.
Aston Villa: Guzan, Lowton, Vlaar, Clark, Cissokho, Cleverley, Westwood, Sanchez, Agbonlahor, Benteke, Weimann.
Subs: Okore, Bacuna, Cole, Richardson, Bent, NZogbia, Given.
7.00pm GMT
Its fair to say tonights entertainment isnt a race between two form horses. Queens Park Rangers have lost four of their last five matches, and are currently bottom of the table, somehow below a Burnley side who havent won in their last ten. Aston Villa meanwhile have lost their last four on the bounce, conceding 11 goals and scoring none. Its not the easiest sell in the world, this.
But entertainment need not be a forlorn hope. QPR were excellent in their last match, a surreal 3-2 defeat at home to Liverpool in which their new approach of Trying Hard so nearly paid dividends. Theyll play much, much worse this season yet win. Aston Villa, on the other hand, werent very good in their last match, a 3-0 reverse at Everton, or the one before it against Manchester City, or the one before that against Chelsea, or the one before that against Arsenal. Yet the Premier League doesnt throw up many harder runs. Those four losses arent ideal, but theyre certainly understandable. Its easy to forget that Villa were top of the table after winning three of their first four games.
Continue reading...The Fiver: Tat emporiums and ludicrous boardroom machinations | Scott Murray
Just as a week is a long time in politics, so 21 years, 11 months and 23 days is a fair old while in football. And thats how long its been since Nasty Leeds played Popes Newc ORangers in Big Cup as champions of their respective countries. How things have changed since then! Back then, ORangers would finish the season having retained their Scottish title and come within a hairs breadth of reaching the European Cup final. Nasty Leeds meanwhile would meekly crash out of Europe twice, Ronny Deila style, and finish their title defence in 17th place, trailing behind the likes of Norwich, Blackburn, QPR, Wimbledon, Sheffield United, Coventry and Ipswich, having failed to win on the road all season. OK, Nasty Leeds had already gone down the swanny by the autumn of 1992. But the overall point stands: look how things have changed since Nasty Leeds played Popes Newc ORangers in Big Cup!
Continue reading...October 25, 2014
Real Madrid v Barcelona: El Clásico as it happened! | Scott Murray
Real Madrid came from behind to take charge of the seasons first El Clásico fixture, as Luis Suarez made his debut for Barcelona.
Click here for the best images from the Bernabéu
6.50pm BST
And thats that! A fully deserved win for Carlo Ancelottis side. Barcelona started strongly, going ahead early through Neymars goal, but were almost immediately under pressure from there on in. Real were the better team for 86 minutes, and move to within a point of Barca at the top of the table. In other news, a decent enough debut for Luis Suarez, whose former team-mates at Anfield can take heart from the fact that theyre not the only ones to have been bossed by the European champions this week. Whether Barcelona would allow themselves to be held to a goalless draw at home to Hull City is another matter, of course, but weve gone wildly off piste now. A brilliant performance by Real, who have come from behind to win an El Clásico fixture for the first time in over two decades!
6.47pm BST
90 min +3: Ronaldo is booked for a little donkey kick on Alves.
6.47pm BST
90 min +2: And much good it does them. Messis dreadful effort only just about stays within the confines of the stadium.
6.46pm BST
90 min +1: Carvajal, who having been booked needs to watch himself, takes down Neymar, 30 yards from goal. Not much contact, though Neymars asking the referee to show a second yellow. But nope! A free kick in a fairly dangerous central position will have to do.
6.44pm BST
90 min: Corner for Barcelona, down the right. Rakitic takes. The set piece doesnt clear the first man, and the breaks on. For the 984th time today, a sloppy pass ruins a Real move with Barca light at the back. This time its the fault of Marcelo. The crowd groan in frustration, but not with any real passion. Theyre three minutes of added time away from celebrating Reals 92nd league victory over Barcelona. (Barca, for the record, have 89 wins in the bag.)
6.42pm BST
89 min: Modric is replaced by Arbeloa.
6.42pm BST
88 min: A couple of dangerous crosses into the Real area from the right by Alves. Both are mopped up by Ramos.
6.40pm BST
87 min: Benzema is replaced by Khedira.
6.39pm BST
86 min: Mascherano loops a gorgeous pass down the inside-right channel to release Alves, but the right-back cant bring the ball down in the Real area, and Marcelo can clear. Ronaldo very nearly breaks up the left wing, but Pique is across quickly to put a stop to his gallop.
6.38pm BST
84 min: In a bad moment for MBM reporters worldwide, Isco is replaced by Illarramendi.
6.36pm BST
81 min: Rakatic makes good down the right and whips a ball towards the near post. Ramos dives in to head behind. The corner leads to nothing other than a Real break. Ronaldo, Rodriguez and Benzema make for the Barca box, and should manufacture a shot at the very least, and probably should score. But they over-engineer the move, Ronaldo, eventually playing a blind pass to the right for Rodriguez. Sergi Roberto, who has bravely tracked back, is able to intercept. Barca are somehow still within range; Real have passed up a lot of chances to wrap this up in pretty bows.
6.34pm BST
80 min: Messi, in a tight position 40 yards out with his back to goal, flicks a superlative ball down the right wing for Pedro, who really should tear clear into the area, but allows Pepe to come across and stop him from getting a shot away. A goal here for Barcelona would, needless to say, change everything.
6.32pm BST
78 min: Marcelo, in acres in the middle of the Barca half, flicks a pass out wide to Rodriguez. Hed have set his team-mate free, had Mascherano not made yet another last-ditch challenge. Its been threatening to turn a little ugly for Barca, this. Mascherano is doing his level best to keep things civil.
6.30pm BST
75 min: Rodriguez turns briskly down the right and zips upfield, before raking a pass forward for Benzema. The Real striker should never be allowed to reach the ball, but Pique is ponderous on the edge of his own area. Benzema steals possession, then lays off inside to Rodriguez, who had kept on keepin on. Rodriguez shoots, but his effort is blocked by the equally relentless Mascherano. Real are in total control of this game now, the bosses of Barca.
6.28pm BST
74 min: Carvajal is booked for a reasonably agricultural challenge on Mathieu.
6.27pm BST
73 min: Messi bustles on the edge of the Barca box. He slips the ball to the left for Neymar, who falls backwards as he mishits a weak shot wide of goal. He didnt get anything on that at all. Casillas bollocks his defenders, knowing full well that a decent whack by Neymar would have had him in all sorts of bother.
6.26pm BST
72 min: Iniesta pulls up with Leg Twang. Hes replaced by Sergi Roberto.
6.25pm BST
71 min: Real look like scoring every time they go forward, only for the final pass to go awry. Ronaldo tears down the left and tries to set up Benzema again, but the ball inside is behind his team-mate.
6.24pm BST
70 min: Real stream forward again, Kroos sending Ronaldo and Benzema on their way. The former lays off to the latter on the edge of the area, and Benzema blooters high over the bar for three rugby-union points.
6.23pm BST
69 min: Suarez, on the right-hand corner of the Real box, whips a high cross to the far post for Neymar, who heads powerfully wide. Thats Suarezs final act of the evening, as hes replaced by Pedro.
6.21pm BST
67 min: Rakitic, to the right of the Real D, drags a lame shot wide left of goal. The visitors can take heart that theyre at least on the front foot right now.
6.21pm BST
66 min: Barca are keeping busy, Rakitic nearly releasing Suarez into the area with a sliderule down the inside-right channel. But Ramos is across quickly to intercept. Real are fairly comfortable right now.
6.19pm BST
64 min: Barca are tiki-taka-ing the ball around the edge of the Real area, but getting absolutely nowhere. Real spring clear through Marcelo down the left. Marcelo reaches the Barca box after a lung-busting run. He slides the ball right for Rodriguez, but the pass is poor. Mascherano is able to slide across and block, the ball looping into the air, and Bravo can claim. The visitors are on the ropes here.
6.17pm BST
A fine goal from a Real perspective, but a nightmare if youre a Barca fan. Isco chases a lost cause down the left. Iniesta and Mascherano get in each others way - think Willie Miller and Alan Hansen at the 1982 World Cup for Scotland against USSR - and the Real midfielder scoots away. Ronaldos soon got the ball near the Barca D. He shifts it right to Rodriguez, who slides it down the channel to release Benzema. A shots lashed into the bottom left, and the home side are in control now!
6.14pm BST
60 min: Rakitic replaces Xavi.
6.14pm BST
59 min: Suarez turns Ramos down the inside-right channel, and then goes to ground rather too easily. Then Alves hoofs the ball straight into Ronaldos teeth. Not a brilliant 60 seconds for two of the worlds best players.
6.11pm BST
56 min: But you cant keep Barca down. Neymar romps into space down the inside left, and his pullback so nearly sets up Messi to convert from 10 yards in the middle. Real clear, but not particularly impressively, and Mathieu, down the left flank, sends a stunning heatseeker towards the top left from 20 yards. Its going snugly into the corner, but Casillas turns it behind. The resulting set piece comes to naught. What a shot by the left-back, though!
6.09pm BST
54 min: Marcelo goes on another romp down the left. He shuttles the ball inside and sets up Kroos, who should shoot on the edge of the D, but lays off to Ronaldo on the right. The balls then slid over back left to Isco, whose shot-cum-cross is blocked and gathered by Bravo. But Real are soon coming back at their rivals, Rodriguez unleashing a rising shot from the right flank. Bravo again deals with it. Real have the scent in their nostrils right now.
6.07pm BST
53 min: Suarez busies himself down the inside-left channel, but cant bust through the Real back line. Real flood up the other end, Benzemas rolled pass down the middle very nearly sending Ronaldo clear. This isnt going to end 2-1. Its been getting cruelly brutal from Barcelona, writes Charles Antaki, in a tinder-dry email with the subject heading gimlet eyed toughs. That notorious rough-house heavy Iniesta has joined the ruthless bullies Neymar and Messi in the book. Pepe, meanwhile, has had a quiet game. Heh. Its easy to forget that these grand old clubs, marketed now as the aesthetes choice, were never afraid to embrace base thuggery as a way of life, back in the day, when needs must. Nothing wrong with that, of course. Marvellous!
6.05pm BST
Ronaldo and Benzema slide passes to each other down the right wing. Ronaldo takes a stride into the area, and sees his low, hard shot deflected out for a corner by Pique. The relief doesnt last long. A free header for Pepe as the corners hit long. Pepe batters a header into the left-hand side of the net from ten yards, and the home side have turned it around!
6.01pm BST
47 min: Suarez is taken down when zig-zagging towards the Real box down the right-hand channel. Modric is expecting to go in the book, and is somewhat surprised when the referee takes no action. Just a free kick, which Messi clubs into the wall.
6.00pm BST
And were off again! Real are immediately on the attack, Rodriguez and Benzema exchanging passes on the right-hand edge of the Barca box, the former taking a shot thats deflected, looping up and down and into Bravos hands. The defending in this match actually has been quite good given that both teams are essentially playing with eight attackers and two defenders, opines Gene Salorio. Yes, its been nothing if not great fun, a sugar rush. Like watching Luis Suarez era Liverpool play Luis Suarez era Liverpool.
5.46pm BST
Half-time intermission: In honour of the absent Gareth Bale.
5.45pm BST
Whoosh! Watch those 45 minutes go!
5.44pm BST
44 min: It couldnt last. Marcelo reaches the edge of the Barca box down the left and scoops a cross into the centre, where Pique misses his clearance, and Rodriguez fails to connect properly with a header ten yards out. His effort flies wide right. Ronaldo, next to him, looks pained.
5.43pm BST
43 min: No chances given up by either defence for approximately 180 seconds now. All very odd.
5.40pm BST
40 min: But theyre totting up the corners, too. Another down the left wing. Xavi takes the set piece, and hits it long. Pique connects at the far post, but his downward header is blocked and squirts out for a second corner. Casillas punches the second one clear. Good luck in calling which way this match is going.
5.38pm BST
38 min: Barca are totting up the bookings here. Their fourth player goes into the book, Iniesta clattering into the side of Modric with unnecessary force as the Real midfielder looks to break quickly upfield after a Neymar snapshot from 20 yards was easily blocked.
5.37pm BST
37 min: Reals tails are up now. Marcelo very nearly tears clear down the left again, but hes shoved off the ball by Alves, who really needed to deal with that situation. Barca can thank him at half time, if they make it that far.
5.36pm BST
Thats slotted away without fuss, into the bottom right as Bravo is sent the wrong way. The Bernabeu erupts.
5.35pm BST
34 min: Real are soon coming back at Barca. Marcelo romps down the left, reaches the byline, and crosses low. Pique, on the left-hand corner of the six-yard box, slides in to smother the ball, and hes deliberately handled this time. Thats a no-brainer for the referee, and a chance for Ronaldo to equalise from the spot.
5.33pm BST
33 min: Ronaldo takes a couple of stepovers down the left and wins a corner. Rodriguez takes the set piece. Ronaldo rises on the penalty spot, and powers a header downwards. The effort hits Pique on the hand, but the defender was so close to Ronaldo it couldnt have been deliberate. No penalty. But no matter, because ...
5.32pm BST
31 min: Alves has a whack from distance. The daisycutter takes a deflection en route to Casillas, but not so dramatically that the keeper is confused.
5.31pm BST
29 min: Words dont come easy to me, to quote the great FR David. Luckily you can turn to this Gallery of action from the Bernabeu.
5.28pm BST
27 min: This is a preposterously open match. Real give up a couple of chances within the space of 60 seconds. First Suarez nearly breaks through down the inside-left channel, but the ball clanks off his shin. Then Neymar looks to take a snapshot at the right-hand post, but Ramos slides across on his buttocks to deny him. This is not going to end 0-1.
5.27pm BST
26 min: Ronaldo cuts into the Barca area from the left, and bangs the old nips straight into Busquets. He falls and claims the penalty, but the referee decides he was looking for it. To be fair to Ronaldo, once the decisions made - or not made - he gets up quickly and gets on with it.
5.25pm BST
24 min: This is hectic. Rodriguez performs a stepover down the right and nearly finds Ronaldos head at the far post. The cross is intercepted by Pique. The balls shuttled upfield, where Kroos clumsily clanks into Messi and is very fortunate not to see yellow.
5.24pm BST
23 min: Suarez hasnt taken long to make an impression. He makes a little space for himself down the right again, then fires a low cross into the box. Its a brilliant ball, and its met by Messi, who surely must score, but his sidefoot allows Casillas to get in the way and tip out for a corner. The set piece comes to nothing.
5.22pm BST
22 min: Messi goes on a dribble down the middle, then tries to sliderule one into the bottom-right corner. He doesnt connect particularly well. Its pelting along at 200mph, this game, with not a lot of calm control on display. Its like an Old Firm game from 1987.
5.21pm BST
21 min: Neither of these teams look particularly impressive when on the back foot. Then again, by definition, who does? Ronaldo goes on a determined meander down the right, but his low cross into the centre is hacked away by Pique.
5.19pm BST
18 min: Ronaldo sends a pea-roller straight down Bravos throat. Barca appear to have weathered that storm.
5.18pm BST
16 min: Suarez goes on one of his power runs and wins a corner down the left. The corner doesnt beat the first man. Real clear, only for Pepe to shank a simple pass straight out of play at 90 degrees. Barca cant make anything out of the throw, deep in Real territory, but after that period of pressure, theyll be grateful for the breather.
5.15pm BST
14 min: Its fair to say this has been a lively start. How has English television been dealing with this?
5.14pm BST
13 min: Carvajal clatters into the back of Neymar. A lot of whistling. The referee tells the Barca player to get on with it. Neymar takes matters into his own hands, leading with his elbow as the pair compete for a high ball soon after. His arm clatters into Carvajals face, and theres a second Barcelona player in the book.
5.12pm BST
11 min: Barcelona are hanging on here! Ronaldo dances down the left in a very adroit manner, and loops a cross into the middle for Benzema, who crashes a header off the crossbar! Soon after, hes scuttling around near the right-hand post, and hits the frame of the goal again! How the home side havent equalised here is the big question.
5.11pm BST
10 min: Marcelo twirls through 360 degrees down the left, and slams the ball through the six-yard box. How on earth does Benzema not connect? Well, he doesnt, the ball an inch behind him as he rushes in with a view to hammering home from a couple of yards.
5.10pm BST
9 min: Sweet only gets you so far, though. Messi clatters into Kroos, and hes in the book. You could make the case that he should be walking now, but I suppose most players are allowed a saucy one early on.
5.08pm BST
8 min: Messi is upended, cutting in from the right. A free kick, and its wasted. Messi then turns aggressor, sliding in on Modric. He surely deserves to go in the book, but just look at his sweet little face.
5.07pm BST
5 min: Ronaldo is brought down just to the left of the Barca D. The resulting free kick is witless, banged straight into a startled Barca coupon. But the ball breaks out to the left for Isco, who strokes cross into the area. Benzema springs free, and flicks the ball past the outrushing Bravo. However, the keepers done just enough, as Benzemas flick bounces apologetically wide of the right-hand post.
5.05pm BST
Well, well, well. What a start for Luis Suarez! He cuts in from the right and flies a pass across the front of the area for Neymar, coming in from the other side. Neymar glides across, and launches a low fizzer into the bottom right! Suarez looks like a bargain already, though this Brazilian lad isnt half bad either.
5.03pm BST
2 min: Rodriguez, cutting in from the right, larrups a long, diagonal ball towards Isco on the left. Things look like opening up for Real Madrid early doors, but Isco cant get the ball under control.
5.01pm BST
Some atmosphere, but you dont really need to be told that. Casillas and Xavi shake hands. A coin is tossed. And were off! Barca get the ball rolling. They knock it around the back awhile. Mascherano swings a ball out to the right, where Suarez takes his first touch in the Spanish league. Its on!
4.58pm BST
A beautiful evening at the Bernabeu, and the teams make their way onto the pitch! You know how theyre dressed: Real in merengue white, Barca inblaugrana blue and red. Before we begin the beguine, to reference erstwhile Real Madrid reserve keeper Julio Iglesias, anyone for a bit of El Clásico Joy of Six action, from an 11-1 shellacking to Johan Cruyffs high point in a Barcelona shirt, via the Alfredo di Stefano affair? Hell whyever not.
4.12pm BST
Real Madrid: Casillas, Carvajal, Pepe, Ramos, Marcelo, Rodriguez, Modric, Kroos, Isco, Benzema, Ronaldo.
Barcelona: Bravo, Alves, Pique, Mascherano, Mathieu, Xavi, Busquets, Iniesta, Suarez, Messi, Neymar.
4.00pm BST
Say what you like about Luis Suarez, but the mans got star quality. Imagine the disappointment if, back from his latest ban, he doesnt start today! Well have to make do with Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, James Rodriguez and Neymar. Bah. Whats the La Liga refund policy?
Kick off: 5pm.
Continue reading...West Ham United v Manchester City: Premier League as it happened | Scott Murray
Diafra Sakho scored for a sixth game in a row as an impressive West Ham United deservedly beat the reigning champions at Upton Park
2.39pm BST
The home side hold out for a deserved win! City will kick themselves for not turning up until the hour mark, and the possession stats arent exactly in the home sides favour, but all of that means less than nowt: West Ham were much the better side. Thats three wins in a row for the impressive Hammers, the Premier Leagues new hot ticket; when it comes to the hipsters leftfield choice, Southampton are so last week. Meanwhile, somewhere, Jose Mourinho is performing a little soft-shoe shuffle.
2.37pm BST
90 min +4: A lot of whistling going on. No time for bubbles.
2.36pm BST
90 min +3: Jovetic turns down the inside-left channel and looks for the top right from the edge of the area. Adrian arcs his back and tips over spectacularly. The corners cleared, but the balls soon coming back at West Ham. Kolarov, rather desperately, hammers a shot from 30 yards. It flicks off the head of Collins and over the bar by inches. Another corner, but this ones easily dealt with by Adrian.
2.35pm BST
90 min +2: City have the ball, but theyre going nowhere with it.
2.34pm BST
90 min +1: A lot of faffing around. West Ham are perfectly happy with this state of affairs.
2.33pm BST
90 min: Milner cuts in from the left and rolls a fine ball down the channel to find Toure in the area. Toure takes a touch, then has a shot. It finds the side netting. But City still have hope: theres going to be five added minutes.
2.32pm BST
89 min: Kolarov wins a corner off Kouyate down the left. Sakho, who has today become the first West Ham United player to score in six successive Premier League games, is afforded a standing ovation. Hes replaced by Nolan. And then the set piece - whacked clear by Nolan. Sam Allardyce knows what hes doing, doesnt he?
2.30pm BST
87 min: City are passing, passing and pressing, but West Ham, sitting back, are holding firm. Navas eventually gets fed up, hoicks a cross into the West Ham box, allowing Adrian to claim. Relief for the home side.
2.28pm BST
85 min: Sakho enters the City box from the right. He goes down while tussling for the ball with Mangala. No penalty, but he suffers a whack to the noggin from Harts knee, and takes the opportunity to stay down and let the clock do its thing. Kompany isnt very happy about it, and discusses the measurement of the fourth dimension with the referee.
2.26pm BST
83 min: Aguero and Silva glide at speed down the inside-right channel. Silva very nearly releases Jovetic into the area down the left, but Sakho is back to intercept. West Ham flood upfield, and Noble has a half-decent effort from ten yards, looking for the bottom left. Hart gathers. These West Ham lads really know to put in a shift.
2.24pm BST
81 min: Panic in the West Ham box pt. II and III. First Kolarov is inches away from toe-poking a left-wing cross into the net. Then Toure lashes a shot miles over the bar for three rugby points. What a finish to a wonderfully open game of football weve got on our hands here!
2.23pm BST
80 min: Panic in the West Ham box as Navas lifts a ball straight down the middle. Aguero has a snapshot thats blocked. Kolarov puts the rebound over.
2.22pm BST
78 min: In between the goals, Cole came on for Valencia. City have now made a couple of changes of their own, Kolarov and Milner coming on for Fernando and Clichy.
2.21pm BST
An immediate response by City, and this is an absolute pearler! Silva shimmies in from the right - quicksilva - and drops a shoulder before unleashing an unstoppable curler into the top left! Adrian had no chance! City are back in this!
2.20pm BST
West Ham fly down the other end. Downing is in space down the left. He whips a cross into the area, right onto Sakhos head. Sakho powers a header down to the bottom-right corner. Hart reaches the header brilliantly, and claws it out, but the balls well over the line nevertheless. What a header!
2.18pm BST
74 min: Aguero and Silva tip and tap their way down the inside-left, but neither can fashion space for a shot. They pull the ball back to Toure, who curls a shot towards the top corner. It shaves the bar. So nearly an equaliser, but then ...
2.15pm BST
71 min: West Ham look the more likely. Song in space down the right. He cuts the ball back for Sakho, who attempts to power a sidefooter into the top right. Hes inches away, a wonderful effort.
2.14pm BST
68 min: Kompany cynically clips Valencia to the floor in the centre circle. Hes beginning to test the referees patience. One more of these snarky challenges, and he might well be walking. Aguero is not the only one who should have a red card - if that rendition of Im Forever Blowing Bubbles isnt a sending-off offence, I dont know what is, opines trad jazzs Marie Mayer.
2.11pm BST
67 min: West Ham are inches away from putting some clear claret-and-blue sea between the teams. Valencia turns on the burners down the left, reaches the byline, and slides a ball into the centre. Harts beaten, and Sakhos ready to poke home, but Kompany slides in to intercept just as all looked lost.
2.10pm BST
66 min: City have at least been a little livelier since Jovetics introduction, and so Sam Allardyce is taking no chances. He shores up his midfield with Kouyate, who replaces Amalfitano.
2.09pm BST
65 min: City wake up again, Toure injecting a bit of pace down the inside-right channel and slipping the ball out to Navas, who whips a low ball to the near post. Aguero should score, but somehow batters the ball onto the crossbar from six yards. What a miss! Toure cant bundle the rebound over the line, Adrian snaffling. That is an outrageous miss. Its not looking like Citys day.
2.07pm BST
63 min: There goes Citys brief burst of momentum.
2.04pm BST
60 min: Aguero has two snapshots from a tight angle on the left. Adrian parries, then Collins blocks. City are soon coming back at West Ham, through the same player, who sees a third effort from an unpromising position down the left wing hacked clear. Better from City, who have finally turned up.
2.02pm BST
59 min: Jovetic replaces a clumpish Dzeko.
2.02pm BST
58 min: City cant string two passes together at the moment. The home fans entertain themselves by mocking this ineptitude using the satirical device of jeering. Noble lifts a ball into the City box from the left. Sakho meets the dropping ball with a searing volley towards the top left that beats a flat-footed Hart and only just clears the bar.
1.58pm BST
55 min: Zabaleta has Aguero in space down the right, but passes the ball straight out of play. Aguero still has a look of impotent frustration plastered all over his mug. Its just not happening for City, theyre not dealing with West Hams intense pressing game very well at all.
1.57pm BST
53 min: Kompany, already on a booking, comes through the back of Valencia as the pair challenge for a high ball, 30 yards from the City goal. It would have been a harsh second yellow, and therefore an eyebrow-raising sending off, but youve seen those decisions given. West Ham settle for the free kick. Valencias effort is deflected, but Song chests down the rebound, to the right of goal, and curls the ball back into the middle, where an uncertain Downing lashes wide right from 10 yards. That should have been 2-0. If Downing had confidence in his own ability, hed be one hell of a player.
1.54pm BST
51 min: Downing clips a cross into the City box from the right. Valencia meets it with a powerful header, but its straight at Hart and hes offside anyway. Hearts in City mouths for a second there, mind you. Theyre not on their game at all.
1.53pm BST
49 min: Navas takes a couple of strides down the right wing and wins a corner off Amalfitano. The set piece is gobbled up by Sakho, who races clear of a lumbering Toure, the danger easily snuffed out. City, already trailing Chelsea in the league, need to change something and quick.
1.50pm BST
47 min: The corners a non-event, but City look to break upfield through Silva. Song falls on the ball and handles. His names quite rightly put in the book.
1.49pm BST
And were off again! West Ham hoick it immediately upfield, and Cresswell wins a corner off Kompany within the first 20 seconds of the restart. The corner in a minute. But first, heres something everyone, including the referee, missed just before the break. Aguero, frustrated, went in studs up on Noble, and brought his foot down on the West Ham midfielders ankle. Its a red card all day long, that, as dangerous and spiteful as it comes.
1.34pm BST
Half-time bippity-boppity entertainment:
1.34pm BST
Aguero and Silva pester Collins in the West Ham area, down the left. Aguero has a snapshot from six yards out, but Adrian blocks it out for a corner, and the set piece is cleared. And thats it for the first half. A late equaliser would have been thoroughly unfair on West Ham, who have been as impressive as City have been uncharacteristically toothless. A thoroughly deserved lead for the home side, who may not have had the best of the passing statistics, but have otherwise carved out the majority of the chances. Its almost as though most stats mean bugger all in the grand scheme of things. Who knew?
1.31pm BST
45 min: From the resulting free kick, West Ham nearly score. Some training-ground triangulation down the left, and suddenly Amalfitano is released into the area down the channel. He zips a cross straight through the area, Sakho millimetres away from sliding in to toe-poke home. City need to hear the half-time whistle. They need to regroup.
1.30pm BST
44 min: Kompany is booked for clattering into Valencia as the West Ham man picks up his heels down the left wing. He doesnt bother complaining.
1.29pm BST
43 min: Songs pass out to the right is inches away from setting Jenkinson clear on goal. Its underhit slightly, and Clichy can cover. City arent covering themselves in glory at the back this afternoon.
1.27pm BST
41 min: Amalfitano busies himself down the left and feeds Cresswell on the overlap. The left-back wins a corner. Nobles set piece is easily cleared, but West Ham are soon coming back at their guests. Cresswell again makes good down the left, and pulls a low ball into the middle. Valencia, level with the left-hand post on the edge of the area, meets it first time and sidefoots powerfully inches wide of the upright. Not sure Hart had that covered.
1.23pm BST
38 min: Aguero takes up possession down the inside-right channel. He cuts inside and skitters across the front of the West Ham box. He thinks about shooting, but opts to go down rather easily under a clumsy challenge by Reid. Thisll be a free kick, dead central, just outside the West Ham D. Toure steps up and batters the ball into the wall not once, but twice. What a witless waste.
1.21pm BST
36 min: Song tumbles Aguero to the floor down the right wing. City have a free kick in a dangerous position, 25 yards out. Navas loops a cross in. Dzeko, on the penalty spot, rises to head, but hes impeded by his own man Mangala, and the ball harmlessly pings off the top of his nut and out of play to the left.
1.19pm BST
34 min: City are still passing it around a lot, but its all pretty ponderous. West Ham look fairly comfortable right now.
1.17pm BST
32 min: A lull, but suddenly City spring into life, Aguero lashing low and hard towards the bottom left from 25 yards. Adrians got it covered, and the ball fizzes just wide of the target.
1.15pm BST
28 min: Sakho powers down the right and crosses for Valencia, who cant quite get a head to it. The ball flies back out to Downing, who from 12 yards so nearly guides a header into the top right. The efforts just over the bar. West Ham look like a damn fine attacking outfit. All hail pragmatisms Sam Allardyce, huh?
1.13pm BST
27 min: Aguero and Silva exchange crisp passes down the inside-left channel. The latter breaks into the area, but just as everythings opening up for him, the ball clanks off his shin and rolls through to a grateful Adrian.
1.12pm BST
26 min: Amalfitano thinks about whacking a dropping ball goalwards from 25 yards. Toure gets to it just in time, and nudges it away. City have enjoyed the lions share of possession, and carved out a fair few chances too, but they dont look particularly solid at the back today.
1.10pm BST
24 min: Amalfitano jumped into the crowd to celebrate his goal. Given hes on a booking, thats taking a risk, though of course it would be the most miserable of yellow cards, and a preposterous sending off. Happily, the referees not a picky bugger. City respond to going behind well, winning a corner down the left, Aguero putting himself about. The set piece is whipped to the near post, where Dzeko lashes a first-time rising effort over the bar while looking for the top-right corner. Not far away at all.
1.08pm BST
City fall asleep, though this is a sensational run by Valencia. Song slides a ball down the inside-right. Valencia rips past the snoozing Clichy and reaches the byline. He pulls a low ball into the six-yard box. Hart, Kompany and Zabaleta all take turns to fall over by the near post, and the ball rolls slowly, inexorably, towards Amalfitano, who leans back and taps into an empty net. Think Kevin Keegans second in the 1974 FA Cup final; that sort of finish.
1.05pm BST
19 min: West Ham lift a simple free kick straight down the middle. Sakho eyebrows it forward, on the edge of the City box. Valencia chases after it, and clatters into Hart, who manages to bundle clear. An accidental collision, both players entitled to go for the ball, even though it turns out Valencia was a tad offside as Sakho headed on. Hart requires a press of the magic sponge on his coupon, but hes soon up and about again.
1.03pm BST
17 min: Hart doesnt half like playing silly buggers with the ball at his feet sometimes. Here he is, pausing unnecessarily after taking receipt of a Clichy backpass. Sakho nearly robs him of possession, but after taking a risk in his own six-yard box, Hart eventually puts his foot through it.
1.01pm BST
14 min: City might have completed 63 passes now, or perhaps 64 or 65. Theyve won a corner down the right, anyway. Its wasted, hit long, Augero guiding it out of play to the left of goal. West Ham have probably done another pass, too. Look forward to reading a few columns about that next week, should that turn out to be the case!
12.59pm BST
13 min: Heres one for fans of statistics, and who doesnt enjoy reading about them, theyre lovely to read about, so fascinating and lyrical, painting pictures. City have completed 62 passes so far, while West Ham have managed eight.
12.57pm BST
11 min: Clichy, Toure and Dzeko, combine down the City left. Clichy is eventually found tight on the touchline. He whips a low ball towards the near post, where Dzeko prods towards the corner. Adrian turns the ball round the upright. Corner? Nope, because Dzeko was a couple of inches offside. Good decision.
12.55pm BST
9 min: But City hesitate at the back, Kompany and Mangala beaten by Valencia and Sakho respectively as West Ham help a high ball down the inside-left channel and into the City area. Sakhos challenge sends the ball looping goalwards, and Hart is forced to backtrack and tip over. The corner leads to naught, but thats a decent response by the home side, who were feeling the heat back there for a couple of minutes.
12.53pm BST
8 min: West Ham are suddenly on the back foot, and City are on top. Amalfitano is booked for a crude lunge on Navas after the City winger chases after a Zabaleta pass down the right wing. Thatll be a free kick to the right of the West Ham box. Navas gets up and takes the free kick himself, whipping the cross in for Kompany, who heads over from eight yards.
12.51pm BST
6 min: Noble chases after Aguero, who is dribbling down the middle of the park, and hacks him down, just before the striker reaches the D. Silva takes the free kick, getting the ball up and over the wall, but not quite back down. Hes looking for the top right, but its over the bar. Only just, though. City have hardly strung two passes together, and yet theyve already come very close twice.
12.49pm BST
4 min: A free kick for West Ham on the halfway line, won by Downing. Cresswell lifts the ball into the City box. Hart punches clear. Still a bit all over the shop, this game.
12.48pm BST
2 min: City have started in a very uncertain fashion. Hart hoicks a clearance straight out of play down the left. But West Ham soon gift the ball back, and Aguero is making good for the West Ham box. He has a Power Dig from 20-odd yards, the ball ballooning off the back of Collins, looping up then down and towards the bottom-left corner. Adrian is forced to dive and Gordon Banks the ball round the post for a corner. Nothing comes from the set piece. All a bit scruffy, Aguero honourably excepted.
12.46pm BST
And were off! City get the ball rolling, and they almost immediately lose the thing. Valencia has a whack from 25 yards, sending it roughly 25 yards to the right of the target. The only way is up for all concerned.
12.45pm BST
The teams are out! West Ham United are in their famous claret-and-blue shirts, while Manchester City should be playing in their equally iconic powder-blue tops, but arent. Theyre in their change colours of dark blue. Why? You know why. A quick blast from the PA system of that squelchy-bass version of Im Forever Blowing Bubbles, and then well be off.
12.03pm BST
West Ham United: Adrian, Jenkinson, Reid, Collins, Cresswell, Song, Amalfitano, Noble, Downing, Sakho, Valencia.
Subs: Nolan, Kouyate, Vaz Te, OBrien, Jaaskelainen, Poyet, Cole.
Manchester City: Hart, Zabaleta, Mangala, Kompany, Clichy, Jesus Navas, Fernando, Toure, Silva, Aguero, Dzeko.
Subs: Sagna, Milner, Kolarov, Caballero, Fernandinho, Demichelis, Jovetic.
11.45am BST
Manchester City beat West Ham United 3-1, 6-0, 3-0 and 2-0 last season. An aggregate score of 14-1. The Hammers will be wanting to improve on this today, Ill be bound. But then this is pretty much what we said about Tottenham Hotspur this time last week, and look what happened then.
West Ham will have high hopes, though. Theyre playing at home, for a start, where after a slow start to the season theyve won two on the bounce, against Liverpool and QPR. During a recent burst of impressive form - three wins in the last four - theyve also acquitted themselves well at Manchester United, and won at Burnley. After a decent summer of business - step, nay sashay, forward, Diafra Sakho and Enner Valencia - theyre suddenly a very tidy outfit. Everyones talking about Southampton as this seasons Premier League breakout characters, but West Ham, currently under the radar, could be even better. The leftfield choice de nos jours. The hipsters Southampton. Reigning champions City may have scored 20 goals in their last six matches, but they face a tricky test today.
Continue reading...October 22, 2014
Liverpool v Real Madrid: Champions League as it happened
9.37pm BST
On the final whistle, Anfield rises to warmly applaud Real Madrid, who have been as brilliant tonight as their own heroes have been dismal. A lesson learned? The return fixture at the Bernabeu will see if thats the case. A lesson taught, certainly. There goes Liverpools 100 percent record against Real Madrid. Ah well, like Rick and Ilsa, theyll always have Paris.
9.33pm BST
90 min: A throaty, emotional version of Youll Never Walk Alone. Liverpool and these supporters will need an awful lot of hope right now, because this team is almost totally bereft of confidence and quite frankly in a bit of a mess. Thankfully, well never have to face the likes of Real Madrid again this season, sighs Gar Byrne. Oh, wait.
9.31pm BST
88 min: Real pass it around the back. Sterling clips Pepe from behind. Some rolling and shouting. A lot of fuss over nothing. The referees not interested.
9.29pm BST
86 min: We love you Liverpool, we do. A hearty roar from the Kop. Its defiant. Depressed, but defiant. Can has a skelp from the best part of 30 yards down the inside-left channel. His hard thrash nearly curls into the top-left corner, but not quite, and Casillas has got it covered anyway.
9.27pm BST
85 min: Marcelo makes way for Nacho.
9.26pm BST
84 min: Johnson whips a cross into the Real box from the right. Sterling makes a run to head home from six yards, but Arbeloa reads the cross well, nipping in ahead to flick the ball out for a corner. The set piece is a miserable nonsense.
9.25pm BST
83 min: Markovic, who has been very quiet, wins a corner down the right. Lallana takes. Lovren throws himself at the ball and misses it. Liverpool fans can take heart that at least this is happening at the top end of the pitch.
9.23pm BST
81 min: Illarramendi replaces Kroos.
9.22pm BST
80 min: Isco has a dig, just to the left of the D. His effort is blocked, and rebounds to Modric, who fires straight down Mignolets throat from 25 yards.
9.21pm BST
78 min: Johnson cuts inside from the right, and then falls asleep mid-dribble. Ive never seen the like of it before!
9.18pm BST
75 min: To pantomime boos, Ronaldo departs for Khedira. At the restart, Can has a lash from 20 yards, but Varane blocks.
9.17pm BST
73 min: And heres the danger of pressing forward with too much vigour, as Rodriguez bombs straight at the Liverpool box, exchanges passes with Benzema to his right, and lashes a low shot inches wide of the right-hand post.
9.15pm BST
72 min: This is better from Liverpool, too, as Sterling zig-zags in from the left and rolls the ball inside for Allen, who cant get the ball out from under his feet, ten yards out. Lallana tries to flick the ball into the bottom left, but hes offside.
9.14pm BST
71 min: Can goes on a blistering run down the middle of the park, excitement enough to get Anfield roaring a little bit again. But his pass outside to Markovic on the right is too heavy, and the ever-excellent Varane is on hand to mop up.
9.13pm BST
70 min: Allen, to the left of the D, shifts the ball outside for Sterling, who sends a rising shot straight at Casillas. The keeper rather clumsily punches over the bar for a corner on the right. He probably should have gathered that. Real deal with the corner easily, then break forward. Rodriguez threatens to break into the area down the right, but hes stopped in his tracks by a tenacious Lovren. Liverpool would take 0-3 now, no question.
9.11pm BST
69 min: A little possession for Liverpool, but no penetration. Real are happy enough to sit back.
9.10pm BST
67 min: Can and Markovic come on for Henderson and Coutinho.
9.10pm BST
66 min: Sterling puts the ball into the Real net, lofting the ball over Casillas from the edge of the area.. But had scooted after a long ball down the inside-right channel from an offside position. The flag goes up.
9.08pm BST
64 min: Ronaldo should have made it four for Real. Isco swans down the left. He lifts the ball inside for Benzema, who shuttles it further to the right for Ronaldo. Liverpools shoddy back line has been ripped to bits. Ronaldo is one on one with Mignolet. He looks to chip home, but an uncharacteristically weak effort is blocked. An escape for Liverpool.
9.06pm BST
63 min: Sterling busies himself down the left, and wins a corner. The set piece is plucked from the sky by Casillas, who has had very little to do this evening. Liverpool are going nowhere, certainly right now, but arguably in more than that one sense.
9.05pm BST
62 min: Lovren fannies around while facing his own goal, 30 yards out. Ronaldo robs him, and takes a few steps down the left, before battering a shot towards the near post. Mignolet parries brilliantly, though the force of the shot nearly knocks him into the net.
9.03pm BST
60 min: Marcelo goes on a run of Gareth Bale style bustle down the left. He so nearly breaks into the area, but the chance to end a barnstorming run with an unstoppable shot is denied him by a combination of Allen and Skrtel.
9.01pm BST
59 min: Anfield is pretty damn quiet now. Give or take the small number of Real fans who are giving it plenty.
9.00pm BST
57 min: This has suddenly become very open, which probably isnt going to do Liverpool any favours. Lallana rolls a ball forward along the left channel for Sterling, who is one on one with Varane on the edge of the box. Sterling cant keep his feet. Real zip upfield and Ronaldos breaking into an awful lot of space down the right. He sashays inside and looks to spray a highly ambitious shot into the top left. Hes not far away.
8.58pm BST
55 min: Sterling has Allen in acres down the right. He hesitates, and plays the ball far too late. A chance to send Allen clear there. Real go straight up the other end and nearly score, Benzema racing into space on the left-hand side of the box. Reaching the byline, he pulls a low ball back for Ronaldo, on the penalty spot, but its cut out by Skrtel.
8.56pm BST
53 min: This is better from Liverpool. Lallana and Sterling exchange quick passes down the inside-left channel. Lallana enters the box, but hes hauled back by the linesmans flag, which has popped up rather generously for a borderline offside. A sense that if anythings going to happen for Liverpool this evening - even if its only a little bit of face-saving - theyll need a few of these decisions to go their way.
8.54pm BST
52 min: Lallana - who came on to great cheers from the home crowd, hes really made an impression at Anfield - wins another corner down the left. Casillas fists clear. Liverpool come back at Real, Lallana nearly sliding Sterling clear down the inside-left channel, but Skrtel getting in the way.
8.53pm BST
50 min: Blocked shots at either end, first by the busy Lallana, cutting in from the left, and then by Isco, taking a rather greedy pop with Rodriguez in acres of space nearby.
8.51pm BST
49 min: ... nothing. Gerrards dismal corner doesnt even beat the first man. Real are soon breaking upfield on the counter. Ronaldo has a probe down the left, then Rodriguez attempts to curl one into the top left from the right wing.
8.50pm BST
48 min: Liverpool pass it around the back awhile. Theyre given all the time in the world. Lallana bursts down the left and wins a corner. From which ...
8.48pm BST
And were off again! Balotelli has been hooked in favour of Lallana. Has the switch got anything to do with his swapping shirts with Pepe on the way down the tunnel at the end of the first half? Well never know. (We might.)
8.46pm BST
Looking On The Bright Side with readers various.
At least Madrid have stated, unequivocally, theyre not interested in Raheem. It was hard to believe, until they explained they already have plenty of good players. RIGHT-O. STAND DOWN, ALL CLEAR. - Grant Tennille
8.37pm BST
Half-time advertisement: A classic ad from 1981, the year of Liverpools greatest triumph over Real.
8.34pm BST
We could mention Istanbul. But memories of better days would only intensify the pain. This could be a long second half.
8.33pm BST
45 min +1: Liverpool so unlucky! Coutinho drops a shoulder to zip past Kroos down the middle, nudges the ball to the right, and unleashes an unstoppable riser towards the top left. Unstoppable, that is, apart from the post, the ball drifting just too far wide just at the last with Casillas beaten all ends up. No need to panic yet, writes Matt Dony. Just bring Didi Hamann on at half time.
8.31pm BST
45 min: Real are knocking it around rather a lot. Olé! Olé! Olé! Olé! Olé! Olé! Olé! Olé! Could I just be the first Liverpool supporter to say how much Ill be looking forward to a lack of European football in the second half of the season so we can concentrate on the league? quips
Eric Idle
Phil Sawyer. If you want me, incidentally, Ill be sat in the corner rocking backwards and forwards telling myself its all alright.
8.29pm BST
43 min: Balotelli makes good down the right and pulls a ball back for Allen, on the right-hand edge of the D. Allen steers a shot towards the bottom-left corner, and is unlucky to see it bounce a few inches wide of the post. Casillas might have had that covered, but he might not.
8.28pm BST
This is a risible shambles. The corners hit long from the left. Pepe bundles it back inside and down, past Skrtel and a flapping Mignolet. Benzema taps in from a couple of yards. That was beyond inept, the QPR game all over again. Liverpool are being taught a harsh lesson here.
8.27pm BST
40 min: Trouble at mill for Liverpool as they play a high line and misjudge it woefully, allowing Ronaldo to tear clear on goal down the inside-left channel. Fortunately for Liverpool, Ronaldo miscontrols, and Johnson can bundle the ball out for a corner. From which ...
8.25pm BST
37 min: Coutinho slides Henderson into space down the right, but Hendersons low cross is aimless. Gerrard and Johnson attempt to retrieve the situation 30 yards from the Real goal. They win the ball back between them, bustling away as they do. Then leave it in no mans land to each other. Marcelo runs off with the ball like a cartoon character with a bag of sweeties, or a pie stolen from someones kitchen window. Tee hee, now for a feast!
8.21pm BST
35 min: Sterling goes on a determined skitter down the left. Its a thrilling run, but the second he threatens to break into space, Kroos comes over and shoves him out of the way. A cynical charge. A booking, and its one Kroos is quite happy to take.
8.20pm BST
34 min: Gerrard, deep inside his own half, hoicks a long ball forward, with the intention of releasing Balotelli down the inside-right wing. The pass is woefully overcooked.
8.19pm BST
33 min: Sterling tries to get Liverpool going down the left, but Pepe crowds him out. Then Henderson does well to rob Isco down the right, but he meanders off down a cul-de-sac. Liverpool cant get anything going.
8.18pm BST
A simple goal, yet a fantastic finish. Kroos is in space down the left, after a period of Real pressure. He curls a cross towards the far post, where Benzema rises and guides a finely weighted header over Mignolet and into the left-hand side of the goal. That is sheer brilliance, and Anfield is utterly deflated, an audible snap as the atmosphere suddenly dies.
8.15pm BST
28 min: Ronaldo, 25 yards out, takes a step to the right and whips a low fizzer towards the bottom right. It flies inches wide. Its not clear whether Mignolet would have got to that, had it been on target. That double Balotelli burst apart, Liverpool are on the ropes here, and have been for the last ten minutes.
8.14pm BST
26 min: Mignolet hoofs long. Balotelli stuns the dropping ball magnificently, but his first-time pass down the middle, meant for Sterling, goes to nobody, his team-mate having decided mid-run to scuttle off elsewhere. Then Balotelli powers down the right, but theres nobody bar Sterling up with him, and his fierce, panicked cross flies straight through the area. A decent response by Balotelli.
8.11pm BST
24 min: Liverpool really paid for dropping off there. They try to ramp it up a little, Balotelli taking a snapshot from 20 yards down the left channel. But Varane blocks. Anfields in a funk.
8.10pm BST
Anfield is quiet now all right. Ronaldo, down the middle, passes right to Rodriguez, who pitching-wedges a ball over Skrtel down the inside-right channel and into the area. Ronaldos always getting there first, and sticks out a leg to guide a magnificent finish into the left-hand side of the stranded Mignolets goal. What an effort by Ronaldo, but an even better pass by Rodriguez. Liverpool fans with an interest in karma might want to blame pre-match iconoclast Graeme Souness, channelling Eamon Dunphy, for that one.
8.08pm BST
22 min: After a fast start, Liverpool have slowed down a bit. And the direct result of their less intense pressing: Real are enjoying more of the ball. In fact, all of a sudden, this is pretty much all Real Madrid. Anfield has gone quiet.
8.07pm BST
20 min: A Real corner, as Marcelo glides in from the left and Gerrard is forced to blooter a pass meant for Ronaldo behind the goal from 30 yards. The set piece is sent long, and lands at Rodriguezs feet to the right of goal. A tight-ish angle, but nevertheless Rodriguez loops a poor effort miles over the bar.
8.04pm BST
17 min: A bit of possession for Real. Arbeloa is sent into space a couple of times down the right, but his first cross is headed powerfully clear by Lovren, while his second is blocked at source. Liverpool have started well, a confident but not cocky start.
8.02pm BST
15 min: Rodriguez is back on the field, sporting a crisp new white shirt. Balotelli races clear down the left, but hes penalised for shoving Pepe in the back. Not sure he needed to do that, because Pepe was all over the place is dealing with a long ball. A decent run, though, and the much-maligned Balotelli has been lively during the opening exchanges.
8.00pm BST
14 min: Rodriguez is currently off the pitch getting a cut above his eye seen to. Not sure how he got it. Graeme Souness hasnt been on the field, has he?
7.59pm BST
13 min: Hendersons shot is harmless, but deflected wide left of the Real goal for a corner. Ronaldo heads the first set piece behind for a second corner. Gerrard loops it in, and Casillas flaps by his own right-hand post. Real eventually clear.
7.58pm BST
11 min: Liverpool pass it this way and that, but dont really go anywhere. Gerrard gets fed up and has a dig 30 yards from goal. He swings a leg and sends a dipping shot up and down and towards the bottom left. Casillas parries clear.
7.55pm BST
8 min: But this is Real, and the first shot in anger this evening is taken by Ronaldo, who cuts in from the left, drops a shoulder past Henderson, and fires hard towards the bottom-left corner. Mignolet is behind it all the way, and snaffles safely.
7.54pm BST
6 min: Henderson swings a ball from the right towards Sterling, who is one on one with Arbeloa. The former Liverpool defender shoulders Sterling to the floor with some force. The ref says no foul, and it looks a fair enough challenge, side on, shoulder to shoulder, if a risky one. Liverpool are soon coming back at Real. Henderson feeds Sterling into the area with a sliderule pass down the right, but the young England star is offside. Liverpool look lively.
7.51pm BST
5 min: Isco feeds Marcelo down the left. Marcelos in a lot of space and advancing towards the box, but with white shirts in the area, flings a wild cross behind the goal to the right. The first sign of gaps in the Liverpool defence, though. In my MBM Joy of Six, the first sentence of tonights preamble would be right up there, writes Simon McMahon. Dundee United, Barcelona, Liverpool, Real Madrid. Its like a whos who of the worlds great football clubs. Yes, throw in Basingstoke Town and Buckie Thistle, and weve got ourselves an article.
7.50pm BST
4 min: Lovren, of all people, is free on the left and crosses into the box. Henderson takes down the ball, turns and shoots wildly over. Hes handled anyway. A frantic start. Am I the only one who really fears for Gerrard tonight? wonders Sasu Laaksonen. No. Hes facing the best counter-attacking unit in the world and Toni Kroos - and hes supposed to make a difference. Prediction: Gerrards on-going decline gathers pace tonight, and Balotelli gets the blame.
7.48pm BST
2 min: Balotelli robs Isco in the middle of the park. Hes bearing down on the Real area, and has Sterling to his left, one on one with Varane. He should slide Sterling in, but opts for a solo run down the inside-right channel instead. You know how this ends up, and also how Sterling reacts.
7.47pm BST
And were off! Liverpool get the ball rolling. Within ten seconds, Henderson has clattered into Ronaldo. The only way is up.
7.46pm BST
The players were very keen to get going, rushing to their positions before the pre-match photos for Uefas anti-racism campaign could be taken. They all trot back and line up obediently. Then race off to their various posts again. Real Madrid have obviously won the toss, because Liverpool will be kicking towards the Kop in this first half, something they never choose to do.
7.43pm BST
The teams are out! Liverpool are in their famous all-red kit ...
7.00pm BST
Liverpool: Mignolet, Johnson, Skrtel, Lovren, Moreno, Sterling, Allen, Gerrard, Henderson, Coutinho, Balotelli.
Subs: Brad Jones, Toure, Lambert, Manquillo, Lallana, Can, Markovic.
Real Madrid: Casillas, Arbeloa, Varane, Pepe, Marcelo, Rodriguez, Kroos, Modric, Isco, Benzema, Ronaldo.
Subs: Navas, Khedira, Hernandez, Carvajal, Nacho, Illarramendi, Medran.
6.45pm BST
Just as Dundee United have Barcelonas number - four competitive matches, four wins! - so Liverpool are the bosses of Real Madrid. The two clubs have 15 European Cups between them, but rather surprisingly have only played each other three times in all competitions. And Liverpool have won all three. They emerged kings of the Parc des Princes in the 1981 European Cup final, Alan Kennedy and all that. They won 1-0 at the Bernabeu in the first leg of a last-16 Champions League tie in 2009, Yossi Benayoun the hero there. And they utterly trounced Real 4-0 in the return leg of that rubber seven days later; Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard did most of the damage, although Andrea Dossena is the man everyone remembers from that one.
Will Liverpool keep hold of their 100% record against Real after tonights highly anticipated encounter at Anfield? Time will tell, but the portents arent good. The red machine has been misfiring so far this season, Mario Balotelli a non-event up front, Gerrard looking leggy in midfield, the defence all over the shop, Simon Mignolet still unconvincing in goal. Their performance at QPR at the weekend was ... well, theres no point piling on, everyones already had their say about that. Compare and contrast to Carlo Ancelottis European champions. Theyve won their last seven domestic and European games, a run which has included two 5-0s, two 5-1s, an 8-2, and 14 goals for Cristiano Ronaldo alone. Add in the fact that Madrid are unbeaten in their last three trips to Premier League opposition, while Liverpool have only won four of 14 home matches against Spanish sides, and Brendan Rodgers team have quite a job on this evening.
Continue reading...The Fiver | One, two or perhaps seven almighty smacks in the mouth
Liverpool used to be better than Real Madrid. Yep. The Fiver would normally advise any disbelieving child under the age of 35 to seek confirmation from mater or pater about this. But here comes the Fivers time-travelling late-70s/early-80s throwback cousin, New Romantic Rubiks Cube Free Market Monetarism Disco Carter Reagan Callaghan Thatcher Sitcom Themes Written By Ronnie Hazlehurst JR Ewing Smokey And The Bandit II Ford Escort Mark III Fiver! Why dont we just ask him? So, were Liverpool once better than Real Madrid? Yes, says New Romantic Rubiks Cube Free Market Monetarism Disco Carter Reagan Callaghan Thatcher Sitcom Themes Written By Ronnie Hazlehurst JR Ewing Smokey And The Bandit II Ford Escort Mark III Fiver, before putting on a brown suit and going out on strike.
Continue reading...October 18, 2014
Manchester City v Tottenham Hotspur: Premier League - as it happened | Scott Murray
Four goals for Sergio Aguero in an astonishing match of four penalties, as City and Spurs served up yet another goalfest
2.40pm BST
Tottenham will point to referee Jon Moss pointing to the spot. Four times. But you can make a case for, if not necessarily agree with, pretty much every decision the referee made. Soft spot kicks and red cards, yes, but no egregious outrages. Sometimes teams just dont get the breaks. Spurs didnt today, though they were magnificent at times in attack. City were however much the better side, the world-class Sergio Aguero scoring four goals. Four goals. A much-deserved win, though expect the post-match press conferences, and no doubt some online chat, to be lively. You cant knock another five-goal thriller, though. City and Spurs: delivering goalfests since 1909!
2.35pm BST
90 min: Yaya Toure channels his inner Garrincha and nearly dribbles himself clear down the right, but upon reaching the Spurs area miscontrols and overruns the ball.
2.33pm BST
87 min: City are playing keepball. Then they spring to life, as Jovetic glides in from the left and offloads to Milner, who curls a powerful shot round Lloris and onto the right-hand post! City have been superlative going forward this afternoon. Outstanding. Astonishing.
2.30pm BST
85 min: Both sides seem happy enough to run down the clock.
2.28pm BST
82 min: Jovetic springs Milner free down the inside-right channel with a lovely sliderule pass. Milner cocks his leg back to shoot, but Rose executes a perfect sliding tackle to intercept and clear the danger. Spurs dont deserve to be humiliated here.
2.26pm BST
80 min: Townsend zig-zags in from the right and fires a heatseeker towards the top left from 20 yards. Its a fine effort, but rising just over the bar. Tottenham have ended up taking a bit of a belt in the mouth here today, but theyve been effervescent in attack, and given the borderline nature of a couple of these big decisions, could have easily had more of a reward. Funny old game, football, as a Spurs legend once famously opined.
2.23pm BST
78 min: City are stroking it around for fun now.
2.22pm BST
76 min: Yaya Toure comes on for Fernando.
2.22pm BST
A long ball down the City right. Aguero takes up possession, drops a shoulder to cut inside, and lashes low and hard into the bottom-left corner. What a finish! Four goals in a game, and a missed penalty!
2.20pm BST
74 min: But that ones battered into the wall. Eriksens shoulders droop. A little fight has gone out of Tottenham with that double penalty whammy, not to mention the red card. A general sense that Fazio has been unfortunate to see red, though Kaboul failed to clear the cross, taking a fresh-air swipe, so Aguero would have had the ball in front of an empty net six yards out. And when you start tugging folk back in the area, youre asking for trouble.
2.18pm BST
73 min: Dembele jinks down the left channel and is unceremoniously barged to the floor by Fernandinho. A free kick in a very dangerous position, 25 yards out, especially as Eriksen is on form today.
2.16pm BST
70 min: A change apiece, as Vertonghen comes on for Mason, while Silva makes way for Jovetic.
2.15pm BST
Aguero isnt going to top two penalties in one match, and this ones cleanly dispatched into the bottom left corner. Has this game got anything left for us?
2.14pm BST
67 min: Thats whats going to happen next! Rose misjudges a high ball down the City right. Navas races clear and reaches the byline. He fires the ball across the middle. Aguero was racing in to hammer home, but is tugged to the floor by Fazio, who has according to the referee denied the striker a clear goalscoring opportunity. Hmm. Kaboul was nearby, though Aguero was so close to goal you can see why Fazios been sent packing.
2.11pm BST
65 min: Milner connects with a left-wing cross at the right-hand post. Lloris parries and claims. What next?
2.10pm BST
64 min: This is an astonishing game of football! Rose makes good down the left wing and fires a low ball across for Soldado, who this time connects with the ball properly, sweeping a lovely first-time effort goalwards from 12 yards. If only he managed that 120 seconds earlier. But Hart is behind it all the way. Goodness me.
2.09pm BST
62 min: Soldado scuffs a dreadful effort towards the bottom-left corner. Hart is behind it all the way, parrying a ball thats soon hacked clear!
2.07pm BST
61 min: Soldado cuts in from the right and is clipped - very, very lightly - on the ankle by Demichelis. Another soft penalty, as the referee points to the spot!
2.06pm BST
60 min: A double change for Spurs, as Dembele and Townsend come on for Capoue and Lamela.
2.06pm BST
59 min: City come close twice within a minute, Navas zipping down the right and powering a shot towards the bottom corner. Its turned clear by Lloris. Then another City attack down the same wing, Silva lashing a cross-cum-shot through the six-yard box, Aguero inches away from sliding it home. The striker can only connect with the post, but hell be OK.
2.04pm BST
57 min: Rose fizzes a cross from the left straight through the City area. Spurs gather themselves, and Eriksen is soon dancing right to left across the front of the City box, and into the area. He attempts to clip the ball back inside and goalwards, and claims a handball as it strikes Sagnas hand. No penalty. Sagnas hand wasnt far from his body, and the player was very close to Eriksen.
2.02pm BST
56 min: A poor clearing header by Kompany drops to Chadli, on the edge of the box to the left of the D. Chadli chests down and loops a shot wide left. Spurs are getting back into this now.
2.01pm BST
55 min: Spurs win a corner down the left, from which they win a corner down the right. Lamelas delivery is dismal, failing to beat the first man, and suddenly City are on a quick break. Navas, scooting down the left, attempts to curl one into the far right, but his effort is blocked. All he gets for sprinting all the way upfield is a yellow card, earned for clipping Chadlis heels.
1.59pm BST
53 min: Spurs however have decided that the best form of defence is attack. Eriksen and Soldado exchange passes as they push forward to gain a foothold deep in City territory. Mason joins in from deep, and nearly breaks clear into the box, but takes a heavy touch as he plays the ball through the City back line, and the ball flies out of play. Thats a bit better from Spurs, and its all happening a very long way from their goal, giving the defence a little breather.
1.57pm BST
51 min: Navas in acres down the right. A simple ball inside will release Silva into the Spurs box, but he plays it slightly behind his team-mate, and all momentum is gone. City have started this second half very strongly. Spurs just need to dig in here for a bit, then see how things pan out as the clock ticks on.
1.55pm BST
49 min: Aguero, 25 yards out, lashes a low shot straight at Lloris. Its one hell of a strike, swerving away to the right at the very last. Lloris, slightly wrong footed, manages to right himself and parries. A brilliant save with a strong left hand. Then City are coming straight back at Spurs, Clichy making good down the right and fizzing a low ball towards the near post. Aguero, rushing in, clearly in the mood to claim his hat-trick, can only fire wide right under extreme pressure from Kaboul.
1.53pm BST
47 min: Aguero is close to breaking clear down the middle, but Kaboul just about manages to overpower him on the edge of the Spurs D. Another goal for City and youd assume this one is all over.
1.50pm BST
46 min: Another 45 minutes like the first 45 minutes, please!
1.50pm BST
Tottenham get the ball rolling for the second period. No changes. Now then, Tottenham fans could be forgiven for having the full-on funk with referee Jon Moss.Reruns of Citys first goal show that Lampard was in an offside decision and in line between Lloris and Aguero, so arguably interfering with play. There was a Spurs defender just in front of Lampard, so you can make the argument that Lloris would have been unsighted by his own man anyway. But still. Then to the first penalty, which was very soft, Lamela only just brushing Lampards back. This will sound like a cop out (and it is) but youve seen them given. However, Moss was the touchline official who called Danny Roses sending off in the 5-1 at White Hart Lane last season. That decision cooked Tottenhams goose that day. On the touchline for BT Sport during the interval, erstwhile Spurs boss Tim Sherwood gave the following tinder-dry capsule analysis: Moss likes to give penalties even when hes not on the pitch.
1.39pm BST
Half-time entertainment: Recreate the Eastlands PA system in the comfort of your own home!
1.35pm BST
Capoue tries to score from 40 yards, the outcome predictable. Up the other end, Navas cuts in from the right and sends a riser just over the bar, though Lloris had it covered. And thats that for the first half. A couple of Spurs players think about having a word with referee Jon Moss, presumably to moan about that very soft first penalty. Nevertheless, the scorelines just about right on balance. Having said that, the scoreline could be just about anything, in favour of either side. This has been superlative entertainment.
1.32pm BST
45 min: Milner bombs down the middle and blooters a shot towards the bottom right. Lloris flops over it like a wet blanket, the fire out. There will be three added minutes. Nobody will begrudge a single second, because this has been a spectacular end-to-end romp.
1.31pm BST
44 min: Milner crunch-tackles Capoue in the centre circle. City are three on two. The balls slipped down the inside-right channel for Navas, who is clear on goal. His rising shot is straight at Lloris, who does his level best to punch the ball into the top-left corner, but gets just enough on it. The ball flies over the bar, for a corner from which nothing comes.
1.29pm BST
43 min: Soldado turns Clichy near the halfway line and hares off down the right. Upon reaching the box, he feeds Eriksen, who is having a brilliant game. The Dane cant quite get a shot away. The ball finds Capoue, 25 yards out. His shot is no good.
1.28pm BST
41 min: Spurs have woken up. Eriksen twists and turns down the inside-right channel. He should shoot upon making space in the area, but lays off for Lamela in the centre. His effort is blocked, but the ball rebounds to Mason, who batters a fine effort goalwards. Hart parries clear, and the flag goes up for offside, Soldado still snoozing in the centre. But this is better from Spurs, who should be in all sorts of trouble, but after Agueros penalty miss are still in this highly entertaining game!
1.26pm BST
40 min: Eriksen makes himself a bit of space down the inside-right channel, dropping a shoulder then sending a swerving, rising effort towards the top-right corner. Hart punches it up and out for a corner, from which nothing develops.
1.24pm BST
37 min: Navas chases a ball down the right. Hes never getting to the ball ahead of Rose, and clips the full backs ankle. No booking, though that looked deliberate. No booking either for Capoue, who plants his studs on Silvas ankle soon after. Thats a poor show by the referee in both instances. He gets it right in between times, cautioning Dier for a cynical clip on Silva as City look to break down the left. All of this officialdom has broken up the rhythm of a fantastic game of football.
1.21pm BST
34 min: Mason shoulders Clichy to the floor and is booked, presumably for some backchat, because otherwise thats never a caution.
1.20pm BST
33 min: Spurs nearly look that gift horse in the mouth, allowing Aguero to tear clear on goal, chasing after a long ball, from the halfway line! He picks up possession and dances into the area down the right-hand channel. He turns Kaboul, the only Spurs player to catch up, inside out, but batters his shot straight at Lloris, who nevertheless saves brilliantly!
1.19pm BST
32 min: A very strange spot kick by Aguero, who tops the ball in the style of a weekend golfer. His shot, straight down the middle, is kicked away by Lloris. The ball rebounds to Aguero at mid height. He tries to acrobatically volley into the unguarded net, Lloris on the floor, but spoons over. Spurs live again!
1.17pm BST
31 min: Milner flies at speed down the left. He slips the ball inside for Silva, who takes the opportunity to go over the rash Kabouls hanging leg.
1.15pm BST
29 min: Spurs put a few passes together in the City half, attempting to regain their early confidence. Kompany bangs into the back of Chadli, 25 yards from goal, just to the left of the target. Eriksen gets the free kick up over the wall, but not back down quickly enough for the ball to nestle into the top-left corner. A decent enough attempt, mind you.
1.14pm BST
28 min: Fernandinho comes on for Lampard. I wonder what he thought about Fernandos earlier shocker? It wasnt wholly dissimilar to the Brazilians meltdown against Germany at the World Cup.
1.12pm BST
26 min: Lampard is down on the ground, having jiggered his thigh when stretching for a ball in a footrace with Mason. He wont be continuing.
1.11pm BST
23 min: Space for Navas down the right. He pulls a low ball back onto the penalty spot, where Aguero swivels and thrashes a first-time shot goalwards. A few inches to either side, and that would have been a ten-minute hat-trick, but its straight at Lloris, who smothers. All of a sudden, Spurs are rocking seriously here; City had a two-on-one overlap down the left a while before that, but the combination didnt come off.
1.08pm BST
22 min: Rose miscontrols a high bouncing ball down the right. Aguero is clear on goal as a result, but the flag goes up for offside. Lucky Rose.
1.06pm BST
Thats rolled into the bottom corner with supreme confidence by Aguero, who is now Manchester Citys all-time leading scorer since football was invented by Amstrads Alan Sugar [subs: please check] in 1992: 59 goals, one more than Carlos Tevez, seeing you ask.
1.05pm BST
19 min: City tiki-taka the ball down the left. Lampard exchanges passes with Milner and enters the area. Lamela brushes his back, and Lampard takes the opportunity to attach his nipples to the turf. A soft one, but there was a little contact, and the referee points to the spot.
1.03pm BST
17 min: And it should be 2-1 to City, as the home side win a corner down the right. The set piece is met by Fernando who, clear on the penalty spot, should be making up for his error by crashing a header home. He guides a poor effort wide left. And breathe! Theyre not going to bother breathing, are they? What an excellent game this is!
1.01pm BST
The goalfest is on! Fernando is caught fannying around in the middle of his own half by a sharp slide tackle from Mason. Soldado takes up the loose ball and strides forward, rolling the ball right for Eriksen,who enters the area and lashes a stupendous effort past Hart and into the top-left. Hart got a foot to it, and is lucky it hasnt been knocked clean off. That ball lashed into the roof of the net!
12.59pm BST
Did you predict that City would score first, then? Well done. Lampard busies himself down the inside-left channel, and upon reaching the Spurs area, slides a ball forward to Aguero, who takes a touch inside and larrups a low curler past Lloris and into the bottom-right corner. Unstoppable! Thats six in six against City for Aguero!
12.58pm BST
12 min: A beautifully open start to this game. Good luck in predicting wholl score first. Navas makes good down the right, reaching the byline and firing a low ball into the Spurs six-yard box. Lloris smothers, but only after performing a little song and dance with Aguero lurking.
12.56pm BST
10 min: And now its Citys turn to give the scoreboard a whack, see if they can get the digits turning as they so often do when these teams meet. Aguero exchanges passes with Silva, cutting in from the left. Hes one on one with Lloris, but offside. Just.
12.55pm BST
8 min: Lovely football from Spurs here, as Eriksen dances around on the edge of the City box, cutting in from the right and slipping the ball left for Soldado, who slips the ball back into the box for Mason, breaking into the area down the middle. Hes clear on goal! He should dink over Hart for the opener, but allows the keeper to smother. Spurs are soon coming back at City, too, Eriksen breaking into the box from the right and lashing over the bar from a tight-ish angle, ten yards out. In fact thats deflected, though nowt comes from the corner.
12.52pm BST
7 min: Wheres this goalfest, then? Come on lads, dont let your forefathers down!
12.51pm BST
6 min: The ball drops to Mason, 20 yards out, just to the left of the D. He squirts a poor effort wide left. Tottenham will be happy enough with this start, though.
12.49pm BST
3 min: A high-tempo start. Jesus Navas shows a couple of times down the City right, but cant do anything useful with the ball. Up the other end, Lamela goes on a right-wing sortie of his own, and so nearly flicks Eriksen clear down the channel and into the City box. Kompany is over quickly to snuff out the attack. Spurs looked lively there.
12.47pm BST
2 min: Aguero tries to diddle his way through the Spurs defence down the inside-left channel. Hes crowded off the ball by Fazio and Dier, and the ball bounces harmlessly through to the empurpled Lloris.
12.46pm BST
After the PA belts out a version of Blue Moon, the match kicks off. A key event if there ever was one, huh? City key event the ball, and pass it around the back a bit, though Spurs are pressing hard in the Pochettino Manner.
12.44pm BST
The teams are out! Manchester City in their famous powder blue. Tottenham in black, though of course they should be playing in white. Why are they not? You know why not. Hugo Lloris in a fetching bright purple. Well be off in a minute. Its on!
11.55am BST
Manchester City: Hart, Sagna, Demichelis, Kompany, Clichy, Milner, Fernando, Jesus Navas, Lampard, Silva, Aguero.
Subs: Dzeko, Kolarov, Caballero, Fernandinho, Jovetic, Boyata, Toure.
Tottenham Hotspur: Lloris, Dier, Kaboul, Fazio, Rose, Capoue, Mason, Lamela, Eriksen, Chadli, Soldado.
Subs: Vertonghen, Adebayor, Vorm, Townsend, Kane, Dembele, Stambouli.
11.50am BST
But enough of me droning on about that! Its often a goalfest when these two teams get it on. The last six fixtures, Citys score first: 5-1, 6-0, 1-3, 2-1, 3-2, 5-1. Theres that famous second-half, four-goal comeback by ten-man City in the FA Cup at White Hart Lane in 2004. A 5-2 home win for City in 1994. Spurs thrashing City 4-2 at Maine Road in the Cup in 1993. Seven goals at the 1981 FA Cup final, of course. City beating relegation-bound Spurs 5-0 in 1977. A 4-0 win for City in 1971. City winning 4-1, 3-1 and 4-0 within an 11-month period in 1967 and 1968. City beating reigning league champions Spurs 6-2 in March 1962. City winning 5-1 in here, City are thrashing Spurs a lot in 1959. The pair giving each other 5-1 hidings in 1957/58! Spurs beating City 5-1 in 1934. This is absurd!!! More of this today, please, teams!
Turns out the die was cast the very first time these two teams met, in the FA Cup in January 1909. The result counted as a shock, Spurs of the Second Division beating City of the First 4-3 at the Manchester clubs Hyde Road ground. Mind you, as Spurs were on their way to promotion, while City were busy getting themselves relegated, maybe it wasnt a huge one. The muddy conditions were not conducive to good football. In places, slush was ankle deep, reported the Manchester Guardian, and the strong wind which blew diagonally across the ground were against accuracy of method. To be of any use, a pass had to be kept low, and to place a corner kick well, it was necessary to aim many yards wide of the mark.
11.45am BST
Manchester City won this fixture 6-0 last season, and two months later triumphed 5-1 at White Hart Lane. Tottenham Hotspur will be looking to improve on that today, Ill be bound.
Kick off: 12.45pm.
Continue reading...October 17, 2014
The Fiver | Might as well be hung for a sheep as a lamb
Unlike the player himself, this Raheem Sterling story just runs and runs. Sterling, of course, recently signed a legally binding contract to become the worlds first seven-day-a-week, 24-hour non-stop footballer, if the self-righteous flak hes been copping all week is anything to go by. And last Sunday, he was caught bang to rights on camera in Estonia, having momentarily stopped playing football. There he was, sliding across the floor on his face, his legs no longer moving, having just drawn the free-kick that helped to win a European Championship qualifier for England, saving erstwhile Halmstads, Orebro and Neuchatel Xamax high-achiever Mr Roy the ordeal of fielding some very awkward questions. What an indolent wage thief! And ending up in the repose position, too, no doubt planning on snatching forty winks like some sort of communist, sleep paid for by you, the hard-working taxpayer. And dont get Roy started about the 63-minute bohemian sit-in on the bench, when the only discernible movement in Sterlings legs was a few muscle fibres repairing themselves! No wonder he was furious!
Continue reading...Golden goal: Eddie Gray for Leeds United v Burnley (1970) | Scott Murray
Winning is fun; its true, its true. What a moment to remember, what a thrill to enjoy! But lets be honest, when the bones are boiled down, theres never much left to sink your teeth into. And just as the devil has all the best tunes, so footballs beautiful losers boast the most romantic tales.
Ask the Brazil sides of 1950 and 2014, whose biblical failures ostensibly threaten to tarnish the countrys entire World Cup haul, but in fact make the story so much better in the telling. Ask last seasons Liverpool side, whose melodramatic widescreen capitulation (dir. Douglas Sirk) will be recalled in all its bittersweet glory long after many of the clubs actual titles have been forgotten. Ask Don Revies Leeds United, who in season 19 actually, there are plenty to choose from there, though one in particular stands out.
Continue reading...Scott Murray's Blog
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