Scott Murray's Blog, page 195
August 30, 2014
Everton v Chelsea: Premier League as it happened | Scott Murray
Chelsea were rampant from the kick-off at Goodison, though Everton kept them on their toes throughout in a nine-goal thriller
7.25pm BST
The managers shake hands, Martinez smiling more than Mourinho, which probably says a lot. Meanwhile Costa makes up with Howard, which is lovely to see. Chelsea celebrate a stunning win, as they leap to the top of the table. Everton, meanwhile... Im not sure what Everton can take from that. Its been a frustrating start to the season at Goodison all right!
7.23pm BST
90 min +5: Were gonna win the league, chant the Chelsea travelling support. You cant blame them for their early confidence, can you.
7.22pm BST
90 min +3: Terry was clocked in the mush as Courtois claimed that ball. The physios on, and everyone takes a breather. No doubt thats what happened with Costa, admits Johnny Rose, but Coleman was pretty clearly needling Costa at corners and trying to get him to lash out. If you dish it out expect to be given some back.
7.20pm BST
90 min +2: There will be five added minutes. The first goes by without incident. The second sees Drogba miscontrol in midfield, allowing Etoo to tear towards the area. Hes got the goal in his sights, and shoots, but Terry slides across to block. The resulting set piece is claimed, after a fashion, by Courtois.
7.19pm BST
Oh dear, poor Besic. Hes making his debut, and with his first touch is robbed by Ramires in the centre circle. Chelsea stream forward. The balls slid to Costa on the left. He takes a touch to set himself, and batters a low shot under Howard and into the net.
7.17pm BST
89 min: A change apiece. Fabregas is replaced by Drogba, while Lukaku makes way for Besic.
7.16pm BST
87 min: Etoo curls a pass down the inside-right channel, and hes not far from finding Lukaku, rushing in, ten yards out. Everton need something like this to come off very quickly if this astonishing rollercoaster is going to take another left-turn. What was it Mourinho said about that Tottenham-Arsenal match that ended 4-5? wonders Nasser Abourahme. Not football but a hockey score. Im glad hes come around. He taught Brendan Rodgers all he knows.
7.13pm BST
85 min: But theyre not soaking it up particularly well. A free kicks conceded near the right-hand corner flag. More pressure. Can Everton get back into this match yet again? Nope: Mirallass delivery is woeful, and Chelsea can waste time upfield.
7.12pm BST
84 min: Its all Everton right now in terms of possession, but Chelsea are concentrating on seeing this one out now. They seem happy enough to sit back and soak it up. Howard seemed to take exception to Costa clearly appearing to goad Coleman after the unlucky deflection that resulted in Chelseas third goal, reports Simon McMahon. Adopts pundit voice and climbs on high horse - that showed a lack of class from the front man.
7.11pm BST
82 min: Fabregas is booked for a clip on Etoo. The resulting free kick, to the right of the Chelsea box, is easily dealt with by the visitors. Hazard is sacrificed for Filipe Luis.
7.10pm BST
81 min: Courtois throws out poorly. The balls shuttled in from the right wing, breaking to Mirallas in the middle. Hes slightly ahead of the ball, but manufactures a flick towards the right-hand side of goal. Its flying in, but Courtois redeems himself by tipping onto the right-hand post! This is an astonishing match!
7.08pm BST
80 min: A cross wheeched into the Chelsea area from the left. Terry twists his body into the shape of a treble clef to turn it out for a corner with Lukaku lurking, six yards out. The set piece comes to nothing, but the balls soon coming back at Chelsea, Etoo heading lamely at Courtois from ten yards. This counts as a lull!
7.07pm BST
78 min: No goal is scored in the 78th minute.
7.06pm BST
Costa and Hazard take turns to zip around in circles down the inside-right channel. Eventually the ball is slid out right to Ramires, who strides into the area and launches a gorgeous shot into the bottom left withe the outside of his boot!
7.05pm BST
A free kick for Everton down the left. Its lifted into the heart of the Chelsea area. Etoo, on the penalty spot, winds his neck back and powers an astonishing header into the top left, Courtois at full stretch and left with no chance!
7.03pm BST
75 min: Chelsea look to lock this down, replacing Willian with Mikel.
7.03pm BST
This is getting daft now. Chelsea pass it across the front of the Everton area, back and forth, back and forth. Eventually Matic, just to the right of the D, is afforded too much time and space. Hes not closed down by Distin, and takes a whack towards the bottom right. The ball pings off the base of the post and into the net, Howard rooted to the spot.
7.00pm BST
72 min: Willian drops a shoulder and tears off at great speed down the right. He pulls a low ball back for Fabregas, on the edge of the box. But the Chelsea midfielder cant get a shot away, and Jagielka is given the opportunity to blooter clear.
6.59pm BST
70 min: Etoo comes on for his Everton debut, as if everyone wasnt already excited enough! He replaces McGeady.
6.58pm BST
Theres a pause before the restart, as Howard has taken Costa by the throat while Chelsea celebrate their goal! Hes booked. Haw. Then when the action begins again, McCarthy glides in from the right wing, swans into the middle, then slides a pass down the inside-left channel for Naismith, who takes a step into the area and slots a confident finish under Courtois. What an astonishing, brilliant game this is!
6.56pm BST
This came from nothing. Hazard suddenly turned on the burners, along the left. He reached the byline, drew Howard, and crosses. But the ball takes an immediate deflection off Coleman, making a challenge from behind, and pings to the left of the wrong-footed Howard, across the face of goal, off the right-hand post and into the back into the net.
6.54pm BST
65 min: Naismith loops a ball over the Chelsea back line. For a second it looks like Lukaku is free on goal, but Cahill slides to intercept. Adding insult to injury, the linesmans flag goes up for offside. Nobody appears particularly convinced by that decision. This linesman is having a shocker. Seconds later, Ramires is booked for a clip on Naismith, as the Everton man made off down the inside-left. This will be a free kick in a dangerous position, 25 yards from goal, just to the left. But the free kick is an overworked nonsense. Everton cant be passing up opportunities to pile pressure on Chelsea.
6.50pm BST
62 min: Everton have had 73% of possession since the restart! Naismith and Lukaku combine down the left, a couple of nice little one-twos, and so nearly unlock Chelsea, but Cahill sticks a leg out to break up the play just as Everton reach the edge of the area.
6.48pm BST
59 min: A free kick for Everton out on the right. Baines swings it to the far post, where Ramires heads behind carefully, conceding a corner. Mirallas hits the set piece long, to the far post. Courtois plucks the ball out of the sky - then gives the ball back to Everton with a hellish throw! Everton win themselves another corner. Mirallas again wastes it, this time failing to clear the first man. Good luck in calling the outcome of this match, because both teams are making mistakes, and both are attacking in the most manic of fashions.
6.46pm BST
58 min: This is absolutely non-stop. Costa bustles down the inside-right channel and feeds Ivanovic on the outside. Ivanovic wangs a wild shot wide right from the edge of the area. That was half a chance.
6.45pm BST
57 min: Everton take a quick free kick, launching long down the left wing and releasing Naismith on goal! But the referee calls the play back, as the ball was rolling. Now thats not going to calm everyone down, is it.
6.44pm BST
56 min: Costa and Coleman exchange some petulant shoves. Costa loses the head first, and is booked for one childish swipe too many. Goodison is febrile! Wonderful.
6.43pm BST
54 min: Another shot at goal down the left channel by Costa. This one is gathered by Howard at his near post. Its a wonderfully entertaining game. On the touchline, Mourinho and Martinez share a joke. This is a manic atmosphere. Its like someones filled the stadium with poppers.
6.41pm BST
53 min: Fabregas flicks a pass down the inside-left channel to release Costa into the Everton box. Hes one on one with Howard. He aims for the bottom right, but the keeper sticks out a leg and deflects brilliantly for a corner. From the set piece, Terry whistles a header straight at Howard.
6.40pm BST
51 min: Everton have started this half very brightly. Mirallas is brought down by Matic as he romps down the left. A free kick 40 yards from goal. Its whipped into the box. Distin rises highest and sees his header deflected wide left of goal. But hes not going to get the corner, because the flag goes up for offside. Its a correct decision, but only by a millimetre or two. Everton fans can be forgiven if they raise an eyebrow.
6.38pm BST
49 min: Meanwhile theres a football match going on. Barry wins a corner down the left, but nothing happens at the set piece, other than a boot accidentally flying into Ivanovics startled boat.
6.36pm BST
47 min: News filtering through that Chelsea have signed QPR striker Loic Remy for £8m.
6.35pm BST
46 min: Nearly a Chelseaesque start to the half by Everton. Lukaku rakes a ball down the inside-left for Naismith, who for a second is clear, but he doesnt have the pace. The balls flipped to the left for Mirallas, who pulls the ball back into the centre for Lukaku, advancing towards the area. The big striker batters a poor first-time effort miles over the bar. But thats got the crowd going again. Like they needed much encouragement.
6.33pm BST
And were off again! Everton are kicking towards the Gwladys Street Stand in this second half, and theyll be hoping the superstition brings them a little luck. Theyll also be hoping Chelsea, who were clearly buoyed before the start by Manchester Citys shock loss at home to Stoke City, dont come flying out in such a determined fashion this time round. The linesman who has made the contentious decisions has an apt name for being at Goodison, suggests Duncan Smith. Ron Ganfield. Say it loud, say it quickly.
6.19pm BST
Half-time newsreel:
6.18pm BST
Absolutely breathless, brilliant entertainment. Lets hope half time whistles by.
6.16pm BST
Coleman is sent scampering down the right wing. He reaches the byline and whips a ball into the area. Mirallas, level with the right-hand post, 12 yards out, guides a brilliant header into the top left. Thats a stunning goal! And the entire picture changes!
6.15pm BST
43 min: Jagielka steps on the ball in the centre circle. Matic whips the ball off him, and slides forward down the inside-left for Costa. Distin steps up, and the flag goes up for offside. Its another dreadful decision by the linesman, because Costa is onside. As it turned out, once Costa rounded Howard on the edge of the area down the left, his shot towards the empty net hit the right-hand post and stayed out. But the whistle had gone, and it was a bit of a waft. Hed have put that away had the whistle not gone, youd have thought. If Chelseas second goal was a shade offside, this linesman has paid Everton back with the Howard decision and now this.
6.12pm BST
40 min: Lukaku is a wee bit lazy walking back upfield, for he might have been able to spin and run after a first-time Naismith prod down the inside-left channel. But hes a couple of yards off as he turns to scamper after it. Chelsea were vulnerable for a second there.
6.10pm BST
39 min: Everton are enjoying a fair bit of possession right now. Theyre not doing a whole lot with it, but Chelsea are quiet, and that for now may be enough. Baby steps.
6.07pm BST
36 min: McGeady in space down the right. Courtois comes off his line to pluck the resulting cross out of the skies with supreme confidence. Hes the real deal. I guess you have to be to dislodge Petr Cech.
6.06pm BST
34 min: And yet if Everton score next, well have a game. The consistently excellent Mirallas cuts in from the left and tries to curl one into the top right from 25 yards. He doesnt get quite enough on the ball, but it was a decent enough effort that Courtois did well to claim.
6.05pm BST
33 min: Twice in the space of 30 seconds, Hazard is nearly sprung clear down the inside-right channel. But first Willian hesitates before attempting the killer pass, and then Fabregas gets his angles wrong. In between both passages of play, Matic stole the ball away from McCarthy with ease. Everton will be in trouble if they keep playing like this.
6.01pm BST
30 min: Fabregas, 20 yards out, has a low whack at goal. Hes aiming for the bottom left, but the ball clanks off Distin and flies an inch wide of the right-hand post. Howard had been sent the other way, hed never have got there. From the corner, theres a mild kerfuffle, and Ivanovic has a snapshot from the penalty spot. Its immediately blocked. Everton, after a fashion, clear. This game could still be on if Everton get the next goal, but if theyre the ones who concede, it could get ugly for the home side.
5.59pm BST
28 min: Mirallas takes a shot from 25 yards down the inside-right channel. It deflects off Ivanovic for another corner thats wasted. Meanwhile replays of the second Chelsea goal suggest Ivanovic may have been a touch offside when the ball got through to him. I can see why the goal was given though: he had his back to goal, and most of his body was onside, except a trailing leg and perhaps the tips of his well-toned buttocks. And by the time hed spun around very quickly, he was onside. Its hardly the worst error a linesman could make, though Everton fans may understandably not see it that way. Whod be an official, huh?
5.57pm BST
26 min: Coleman is very close to breaking clear into the Chelsea area down the right, but Hazard tracks back and pokes out for a corner. The set piece causes minor bedlam in the area. The dangers over when Lukaku, attempting an overhead kick, batters poor Ivanovic in the coupon.
5.55pm BST
23 min: Costa passes inside from the left, a loose ball which Willian is never getting. Barry slides in to intercept and set Naismith and McCarthy on a romp upfield with Chelsea short at the back. But the referee punishes Barry for a foul, as the beaten Willian was clattered to the floor. A generous decision. Fabregas floats a free kick from 40 yards out on the left towards the right-hand post. Howard claims. This is breathless stuff.
5.51pm BST
20 min: Everton appear to have cleared their heads, if nothing else. Thats no mean feat, because they were totally befuddled by Chelseas astonishing start. Naismith combines with Coleman down the right and has another whack at goal, but his low effort is blocked.
5.48pm BST
18 min: And so it continues. Naismith drops a shoulder and makes off down the inside-right channel with purpose, before fizzing a low shot inches wide of the right-hand post. Not 100 percent sure Courtois was getting to that, had it been on target.
5.47pm BST
16 min: And this is much better. A corner for Everton down the right. Lukaku meets it, leaping miles above Terry, and battering a brilliant header off the crossbar. It rebounds onto Distin, who manages to deflect the ball into the bottom-left corner of the net. But its no goal: the flag goes up, as Distin was, quite rightly, called offside when Lukaku connected with his header. What a crazy start to this match!
5.45pm BST
14 min: Everton are trying their best to get a foothold into this match. Mirallas makes a good run down the inside-right channel, screaming for a ball from Lukaku, in the middle of Chelseas half. Its a simple enough pass, but Lukaku snatches at it and concedes possession. Looking on the bright side: thats a little better.
5.42pm BST
11 min: Everton are totally stunned, a complete mess right now, their heads gone. Ramires slaloms down the middle of the park. Hes got options with the Everton defence running round in a baroque panic. A misplaced pass lets the hosts off the hook. Theyre not at the races at all!
5.41pm BST
8 min: Fabregas, on the halfway line to the right of the centre circle, rakes a gorgeous ball down the middle of the park. Hazard is after it, and looks like getting there first, ahead of the final defender. Howard comes out of his area and collects the ball outside the area. The referee and linesman, perhaps feeling a little sorry for Everton, pretend it never happened. Astonishing! That was definitely outside the area. Everton should have a free kick inside the D, and Howard should be walking.
5.37pm BST
5 min: McGeady attempts to get something going for Everton, as a few frustrated boos ring around the stadium. Eh? He looks to thread Naismith into space down the inside right, and manages it, though his team-mate is offside. Or is he? Turns out Fabregas had poked that one back. Everton a little unlucky there, but theyre not permitted to play on.
5.35pm BST
Everton are in total shock. After 2 mins 50 seconds, Ivanovic takes his turn to slide a ball under the desperate Howard. The ball had been worked in from the left wing, Ramires having set the move in motion with a lovely raking pass to Hazard. Ramires followed up, exchanging passes with Hazard on the edge of the D and slipping Ivanovic free. Jagielka was again at fault, playing the defender onside. A nightmare start for Everton, but Chelsea have flown out of the blocks here!
5.32pm BST
What a start! And so simple. Fabregas slips a ball down the inside-right channel. Baines and Jagielka have gone walkabout, and Costa is free! He swings a leg and blooters the ball under Howard, who is frantically trying to close him down. A crisp finish. Fernando will not be missed.
5.31pm BST
And were off! Chelsea get the ball rolling, and will be kicking towards the Gwladys Street Stand in the first half. Everton doing that in the second, just as they like it. Both teams are wearing black armbands in honour of Lord Richard Attenborough, the Life President of Chelsea who died earlier this week.
5.27pm BST
The teams are out! The theme to Z Cars blaring out of the PA, one of the most evocative pieces of music in football. A rare old atmosphere at Goodison. Everton are playing in their all-blue shirts ...
4.32pm BST
Everton: Howard, Coleman, Jagielka, Distin, Baines, McCarthy, Barry, Mirallas, Naismith, McGeady, Lukaku.
Subs: Robles, Gibson, Etoo, Besic, Osman, Stones, Alcaraz.
Chelsea: Courtois, Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Azpilicueta, Ramires, Matic, Willian, Fabregas, Hazard, Costa.
Subs: Cech, Luis, Zouma, Drogba, Mikel, Schurrle, Salah.
4.30pm BST
Its been a frustrating start to the season for Everton. A late equaliser conceded at Leicester City on the opening day was bad enough. But letting a two-goal lead slip at the end of an otherwise dominant performance against Arsenal at Goodison last weekend really hurt. Two points from two games is a distinctly average return, and yet the performances have nevertheless been impressive. Romelu Lukaku, Seamus Coleman and Aiden McGeady have all caught the eye, though the relentless and unsung Steven Naismith has perhaps been the star. Sparkling in attack, brittle in defence, whod think that Roberto Martinez was their manager?
Chelsea meanwhile have started their campaign in determined fashion. Despite conceding an early goal at Burnley and being forced to wait for an opener against Leicester, relatively comfortable wins were eventually secured. The big new signings, Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas, have slotted in seamlessly, swaggering about imperiously from the get-go. A relentless winning machine, occasional splashes of brilliance, whod think that Jose Mourinho was their manager?
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Burnley v Manchester United: Premier League as it happenend | Scott Murray
A first Premier League point for Burnley, as Uniteds wait for their first win of the season continues.
United agree fee with Ajax over Daley Blind transfer
2.37pm BST
Welbeck skips down the inside-right channel and into the Burnley area. He claims a corner off Shackell, but hes had the last touch. And thats that. Its the first point of the season for Burnley, and United are still looking for their first win. The result was about right on the balance of play, though United will look to those two penalty decisions, the one in the first half especially. Burnley very impressive, then, and United looking much better in attack. And the best thing is, nobodys in crisis! Itd be lovely if everyone remembered that.
2.35pm BST
90 min +3: Valencia and Rooney exchange a couple of passes down the right. Mee stands up well, refusing to let either man have a run at the Burnley area. But the hosts are defending very deep here, with United pressing hard.
2.34pm BST
90 min +2: Its all in the centre of the park right now. Burnley are perfectly happy with this arrangement, United less so.
2.33pm BST
90 min +1: There will be four added minutes. The first sees Valencia cause bother once again down the right. He wins a throw. But United cant carve anything out, and the balls soon being hugged tight to Heatons chest.
2.33pm BST
90 min: Reid is booked for a cynical block on Welbeck down the right. That stopped a quick break, as United cleared a ball bouncing around dangerously in their own area from a Burnley free kick out on the right.
2.31pm BST
88 min: Reid replaces Taylor.
2.31pm BST
87 min: Andersons corner isnt any good, far too long. It looks like its flying straight out of play to the left of goal, but Welbeck retrieves it brilliantly. The balls shuttled to Young, just outside the area. He shoots hard at goal, and the ball balloons off Barness arm. Youve seen penalties given for that, but the shot hadnt travelled very far, Barnes was turning, and it didnt look intentional. United are incensed, and you can understand their frustration, though their claim in the first half, Trippier on Young, was stronger.
2.29pm BST
86 min: Valencia drops a shoulder down the right and wins yet another corner off Mee. Before it can be taken, Mata is substituted, having twanged his hamstring. Januzaj comes on in his stead.
2.25pm BST
83 min: This is attack versus defence now. Valencia wins another corner down the right. The set piece is headed powerfully clear by Mee. United are soon coming back at Burnley again, but Matas cross from the right is misdirected. Burnley have played very well today, the equals of United more or less, but nerves are kicking in here, and theyre inviting trouble.
2.24pm BST
81 min: Young makes his way past Trippier down the left. His cross finds Welbeck on the left-hand corner of the six-yard box. Welbeck cant get his shot away, but works the ball back to Mata, on the edge of the box. Mata attempts to sidefoot goalwards first time, but gets it all wrong, shanking the ball harmlessly over the bar.
2.22pm BST
79 min: Ings is replaced by Barnes.
2.21pm BST
78 min: Valencia is looking lively. He goes on another run down the right, and sends a medium-height fizzer through the six-yard box. Its headed over his own bar by Taylor. The corner, from the right, is sent long, and Rooney wins a free header six yards out, level with the left-hand post. He must score, but heads powerfully down and wide left. That was dismal. Welbeck, just behind Rooney, might have been better placed to score.
2.19pm BST
76 min: Yet another loose ball across the face of the United area. Arfield picks up possession on the edge of the D, but cant get the ball out from under his feet, and Jones is able to steal the ball back and clear. United flood upfield, and Marney is booked for a cynical trip on Welbeck.
2.18pm BST
75 min: Anderson rather clumsily bowls Trippier to the ground, 30 yards out down the Burnley right. He accidentally stamps on the full backs hand for good measure. Ooyah. Oof. Ow. The free kick is a complete nonsense, Taylor attempting to find the net from a stupid distance and angle. His effort lands on the top netting, exciting the crowd, but it was never going in, and he wasnt beating a keeper as good as David de Gea from there.
2.16pm BST
73 min: A long ball hoofed down the middle by United. Rooney, on the edge of the area, cushions a brilliant header down for van Persie, racing into the box down the inside left. But Trippier gets across his man to take charge, and is fouled from behind by van Persie. Its the strikers last act of the afternoon, as hes replaced by Welbeck.
2.14pm BST
72 min: Valencia strides into the Burnley box down the right and wins United a corner. From the set piece, Fletcher attempts a Teddy Sheringham tribute act at the near post, but his flick on is easily swept up.
2.13pm BST
71 min: Jutkiewicz spins Fletcher in the centre circle. Burnley are two on two, with Ings threatening to break clear down the middle if hes fed the correct pass. But it turns out Jutkiewicz clattered into the Manchester United midfielder with unnecessary force, and a dangerous-looking attack is pulled back.
2.12pm BST
70 min: A slighly knackered looking Di Maria is replaced by Anderson. The Burnley fans with their musical satire again.
2.11pm BST
68 min: Blackett comes through the back of Ings, flooring his opponent and earning himself a booking. Thatll be a free kick to Burnley, out on the right wing, 30 yards from goal. The set piece is cleared out to the left by Blackett, but only towards Arfield, who rolls a low ball back inside for Taylor. Taylor shoots first time from the edge of the box, but its a pea-roller towards de Gea, who gathers.
2.08pm BST
66 min: Di Maria goes down with cramp. Then after a while, gets back up again. What a waste of money, chant the Burnley faithful. Banters out of fashion now, thankfully, so that probably qualifies as patter.
2.06pm BST
63 min: Mata is in plenty of space, 30 yards out. Young screams for the ball out on the left, no defender close to him. Mata blooters his pass into the stand behind the goal. He looks very apologetic as Young jogs back upfield with a face on. But United are pushing the hosts back now, the first period of sustained pressure applied by the visitors.
2.03pm BST
61 min: Fletcher clips a ball into the Burnley area from a deep position down the right. Van Persie is ahead of Shackell, 12 yards out and level with the right-hand post. He attempts to guide a header on towards the top-right corner. Its over the bar, but again that was close. United are turning up the heat on Burnley.
2.02pm BST
59 min: Di Maria chases after a long ball down the left. He barges Trippier out of the way and makes it into the box. His shot-cum-cross is blocked, but Rooney is there to loop the ball into the centre. Mee heads clear, though not particularly convincingly. Van Persie, 12 yards out, meets the dropping ball and batters a fine first-time shot towards the bottom left. Marney is on the line to clear. Burnley were both staunch in defence and a little lucky there. United suddenly exploded into life, their expensive new winger the catalyst for mayhem.
2.00pm BST
57 min: Corner for Burnley down the right. Its sent arcing to the far post, where Duff and Phil Jones clatter into each other. The ball flies out of play for goal kick, and in any case Duff appeared to have clumsily fouled the United defender.
1.59pm BST
56 min: Burnley move the ball forward. Its sent out to the inside-left channel, where it sits up invitingly for Mee, bombing along from his full-back position. His shot, from the best part of 30 yards, is ambitious and very wild indeed. Ings, in the centre in space, offers a critique of the effort.
1.57pm BST
55 min: United pass it left, then right, then back again. Its all in the middle of the park. Eventually Valencia gets fed up and takes matters into his own hands, skittering down the right. His deep cross is easily dealt with by Duff.
1.55pm BST
53 min: Di Marias first shot in anger. Hes sent into the Burnley box, Rooney sliding the ball to the left from the edge of the D. But his first effort on goal in English football is deflected out for a corner on the left. The set piece is looped towards the far post, where van Persie battles, but achieves nothing.
1.54pm BST
52 min: The home fans enjoyed watching Blackett tying himself in knots under a long ball down the Burnley right. He eventually gives away a needless corner, but Burnley over-elaborate with some fancy triangles and the danger is gone.
1.53pm BST
51 min: Di Maria isnt perfect, though. Here he is, passing the ball out of play for a goal kick, from near the halfway line on the left. The home fans enjoyed that.
1.51pm BST
48 min: Di Maria is close to sending Rooney scampering towards the Burnley area with a lovely sliderule pass down the inside-left channel. Rooney miscontrols, though. Di Maria meanwhile is flipped into the air like a fried egg by Ings. Free kick, though its in the centre circle and United cant get anything going.
1.49pm BST
47 min: A bit of space for Jutkiewicz as Burnley stream forward. Hes got space and options, but decides on a shot, and its blocked. Burnley get the ball back immediately, and Ings tries to set Jutkiewicz free with a dinked header down the inside-right channel. But theres too much pace on it. A lively start to the half by the hosts.
1.47pm BST
Were off again! No changes. Burnley get the ball rolling. That picture of Englands Captain Marvel in 1983 sent me googling down memory lane, begins MBM historian Harry Tuttle. Tangential to current events, I know, but I have to ask: was Ryan Giggs just the Welsh Arnold Johannes Hyacinthus Mühren? Look at the duration of Mührens career, the way he managed to sparkle on the big occasion from beginning (winning the European Cup with one of those Ajax teams) to middle (three FA Cup wins and one Uefa Cup win in seven years in England) to end (providing the cross to Marco van Basten in the 1988 European Championship final). And lets not forget that most of his career was spent on the wing. I know this is contentious, but you could easily make the argument that Giggs revived the spirit of Mühren with the added good fortune of playing in several great Man Utd teams. Im going to cite the notion that There has only been one Giggs as yet another example of unforgivable Premier League bias. There has been at least one other Giggs, and he even used to play on the wing for Manchester United.
1.34pm BST
Half-time entertainment: A film Bob Lord would have approved of.
1.33pm BST
And thats that for the half. Burnley are playing well. United are playing well in attack, but question marks remain about their defence. The level scorelines about right, though both sides probably deserve a goal each, Burnley having rattled the crossbar, van Persie denied by a magnificent save from Heaton. Should be a cracking second half.
1.31pm BST
45 min: A corner for United won cheaply down the left. Straight down Heatons throat.
1.31pm BST
44 min: Young nudges the ball past Trippier down the left and makes it into the area. Hes ahead of the full back and shaping to shoot from a tight angle. Trippier does well to get back into the race, then half shoulder barges, half shoves Young in the chest. Young, before he can shoot, falls to the floor, but he doesnt get a penalty. His reputation for diving may have cost him there, because it looked like spot kick.
1.27pm BST
41 min: A wee bit of possession for Burnley, but they do precious little with it. As for United, not much to report, other than a failed attempt by di Maria to link up with Rooney down the inside-right channel.
1.24pm BST
38 min: Fletcher is indeed booked. He cant really complain. Chris Foy has enjoyed flashing his cards around so far this season. Admittedly weve only got one other match to go on, West Ham versus Tottenham, but he flashed two yellows and two reds in that.
1.22pm BST
37 min: Fletcher steps on the ball in midfield and allows Ings to make off with the ball. He tugs Ings back, but the referee waves play on. He should probably book Fletcher for that in the next break in play, but well see. The advantage doesnt lead to much.
1.21pm BST
33 min: Another nutmeg, this time by Arfield on Blackett down the right. Arfield sails past the defender and into the area. He scuffs his shot from ten yards, though. Its deflected out for a corner, which comes to naught. United are looking very impressive when they attack, but still appear dangerously brittle at the back. Daley Blind and Marcos Rojo cant turn up too soon.
1.19pm BST
31 min: A lovely little nutmeg by former Manchester City youth player Trippier on Rooney down the right. He nudges the ball through the new England captains legs with an insouciant flick of his boot. Rooney cocks his head back, knowing hes been done, with an oh-for-goodness-sake expression on his face. All good innocent fun.
1.16pm BST
30 min: Phil Jones hoicks a long ball down the middle. Rooney takes it down on the edge of the area and cushions a pass inside for van Persie. Before the striker can connect, Shackell sticks a leg out to save the day. Route-one stuff from United perhaps, but it was skilful and attractive enough nonetheless.
1.14pm BST
27 min: United give the ball away near their own area again! This time its the new boy, di Maria. He gifts David Jones the ball, 25 yards out, just to the right of the D. Jones swings his left peg and sends a swerving, dipping volley goalwards. Unfortunately for the home side, thats straight at de Gea, who can tip over spectacularly for a corner. The set piece comes to nothing. We could easily have seen a few goals already this afternoon. Its a bright and breezy match.
1.12pm BST
26 min: But when youre playing against a defence as rickety as Uniteds, hope is always there. Valencia plays a loose pass down the United right near his own area. Jutkiewicz steps in, and whips a ball into the middle. Arfield, on the penalty spot, sends a header whistling over the bar. A decent chance, that, and the Burnley midfielder looks accordingly pained.
1.10pm BST
25 min: United have had 76% of the possession in the last five minutes. Burnleys fast start seems a long time ago right now.
1.08pm BST
22 min: Valencia is seeing plenty of the ball. A couple more runs down the right. They come to nothing, but United are slowly taking charge here. Blackett set the first run up with a gorgeous crossfield pass onto Valencias boot from the left-hand touchline. Pinpoint brilliance. Hes come a long way in 21mins 30sec.
1.05pm BST
19 min: A couple of half-chances for Burnley. First a little confusion in the United defence just outside the area gives Ings a sniff, but de Gea is out of his box quickly to batter clear. Then Jutkiewicz has a shot from 20 yards, but its almost immediately charged down. United go up the other end, di Maria buying himself a little space and time down the left before sliding a low cross into the area for Mata, who miscues his shot from 12 yards. A real chance spurned. Arfield blooters clear.
1.03pm BST
16 min: More space for van Persie down the inside-left channel. Hes not far away from winning a corner off Duff, but the ball comes off the United striker last. Louis van Gaals side are beginning to find a little rhythm here. Its the best theyve played this season so far, which might not be saying much, but its something.
1.02pm BST
15 min: Now its Uniteds turn to render an offside trap worthless. Di Maria, on the halfway line, rakes a delicious long ball down the inside-left channel for van Persie. Its on the strikers toes. Van Persie takes a touch and batters a fine shot across Heaton and towards the bottom right. But the keeper manages to get a strong hand to the shot. What a wonderful save. Top-drawer football all round there.
1.00pm BST
14 min: Nice play by United here, as Valencia tears past Taylor down the right, then slides a ball infield for Rooney, who tries to flick Valencia free into the area. Burnley clear. Di Maria tries to keep the pressure on with a cross from the left, but Heaton gathers. Burnley flood upfield. The busy Jutkiewicz runs clear after a long hoick down the left, but de Gea is out quickly to claim. Burnley nearly opened United up there.
12.57pm BST
11 min: A bit of space for Valencia down the right. His low fizzer of a cross - or is it a shot, aimed at the bottom left? - is hacked clear on the penalty spot by Duff. This is better from United.
12.56pm BST
10 min: A beautiful diagonal pass by Di Maria, on the edge of the centre circle, nearly drops to Van Persie to the right of the Burnley D. Shackell intercepts, heading clear. United are beginning to settle after that preposterous start.
12.54pm BST
8 min: Di Maria hasnt seen much of the ball yet. A brief skitter down the middle of the park, but his pass forward, presumably intended for either Rooney or Van Persie, was both aimless and harmless.
12.53pm BST
5 min: More space for Trippier down the right. His cross, just for a second, looks like floating freakishly into the top left, over de Geas head, but ends up sailing harmlessly into the stand. De Gea launches into some impromptu beat poetry, jazz-scatting eff and cee at his defenders in a rhythmic, lyrical fashion.
12.50pm BST
4 min: United are all over the place here. Evans, on the United right, turns and hits a lame backpass towards De Gea. Hes got the direction correct, at least, but the pace is lacking. Jutkiewicz latches onto the loose ball and tries to poke it past the outrushing keeper. De Gea manages to parry the ball, getting Evans off the hook.
12.49pm BST
3 min: David Jones steps up and aims a curler for the top right. De Gea, his feet planted, watches as the ball twangs off the crossbar and back out. What a fine free kick! Burnley are so unfortunate; a centimetre lower, and theyd be celebrating an early lead.
12.48pm BST
2 min: Trippier welts a cross into the United box from the right. Its half-cleared by Blackett. On the edge of the area, Jones clatters into Jutkiewicz under a dropping ball. Thatll be a free kick, just to the right of the D.
12.46pm BST
Were off! Its a sunny day. The moors verdant and beautiful in the background. The pitch looks in good nick too. English footballs record signing Angel di Maria makes his debut, starting in central midfield. United get the ball rolling, and Blackett, under no pressure whatsoever, passes the ball straight out of play. A nervous start from the young man.
12.42pm BST
The teams are out! Mascots have their hair tousled, hands are shaken, bad music is played over the PA. Well be off in a minute. Burnley are playing in their famous claret and blue shirts ...
11.50am BST
Burnley: Heaton, Trippier, Shackell, Duff, Mee, Arfield, Marney, Jones, Taylor, Jutkiewicz, Ings.
Subs: Wallace, Sordell, Reid, Gilks, Ward, Long, Barnes.
Manchester United: De Gea, Jones, Evans, Blackett, Valencia, Fletcher, Di Maria, Young, Mata, van Persie, Rooney.
Subs: Januzaj, Hernandez, Welbeck, Anderson, Michael Keane, Amos, James.
11.30am BST
Burnley FC, founder members of the Football League and one of the most famous clubs in the land, havent won a major trophy since 1960. Thats 54 years ago. Now weve got a sense of perspective, lets move on.
The Clarets have had a slow start to the season. Nobody expected much from their opening fixture, Chelsea at Turf Moor, and after taking an early lead through Scott Arfield, sure enough they soon found themselves clinically dispatched 3-1. That result was followed up by a narrow defeat at Swansea City and a home loss to Sheffield Wednesday in the League Cup. The last thing they need, then, is a visit from their illustrious neighbours Manchester United. Burnley might have won this fixture the last time it was played - 1-0 in 2009, Robbie Blake volleying home the winner - but its their only victory against the Red Devils since 1968. History is not their pal today.
Continue reading...August 29, 2014
The Fiver | An ear-splitting trumpet solo | Scott Murray
The transfer window slams shut on Monday. You wont be able to hear it slamming shut, because that self-aggrandising piece of work on Sky Sports News will spend the entire day playing an excruciating ear-splitting solo on his own trumpet. But trust us, it will be slamming shut. The most dramatic last-ditch deals are likely to involve poor old desperate Manchester United, who are looking to ship out Tom Cleverley, Shinji Kagawa, Danny Welbeck and Anderson while bringing in Arturo Vidal, William Carvalho, Nigel de Jong and Daley Blind. But even Manchester United fans must be sick of talking about the state of Manchester United right now, so for everyones sake lets turn our attention elsewhere.
Continue reading...August 28, 2014
Champions League 2014-15 group stage draw as it happened
5.54pm BST
5.48pm BST
With the usual no-easy-game provisos ... Thats a decent draw for Chelsea. It could have been a lot worse for Liverpool. But Arsenal and Manchester City have been handed the trickiest tests. More on the draw in your super soaraway Guardian anon, but for now the last word goes to the supporters of 1979 and 1980 champions Nottingham Forest. We Forest fans are feeling great! reports Simon Frank. We are top of division two, you know.
5.44pm BST
And so heres the full draw for the 2014/15 Champions League group stage:
Group A:
Atletico Madrid, Juventus, Olympiacos, Malmo
Group B:
Real Madrid, Basel, Liverpool, Ludogorets
Group C:
Benfica, Zenit, Bayer Leverkusen, Monaco
Group D:
Arsenal, Borussia Dortmund, Galatasaray, Anderlecht
Group E:
Bayern Munich, Manchester City, CSKA Moscow, Roma
Group F:
Barcelona, PSG, Ajax, Apoel
Group G:
Chelsea, Schalke, Sporting Lisbon, Maribor
Group H:
Porto, Shakhtar Donetsk, Athletic Bilbao, Bate Borisov
5.43pm BST
Roma, the 1984 runners-up. Wheres Ashley Cole going? Manchester, thats where! And what a group this is ...
Group E: Bayern Munich, Manchester City, CSKA Moscow, Roma
5.42pm BST
Bate Borisov. They miss out on a glamour group.
Group H: Porto, Shakhtar Donetsk, Athletic Bilbao, Bate Borisov
5.41pm BST
Celtic fans, look at what you could have won. Maribor are in with ...
Group G: Chelsea, Schalke, Sporting Lisbon, Maribor
5.40pm BST
Anderlecht next. And theyre in with Arsenal, a very tough proposition for Arsene Wengers side.
Group D: Arsenal, Borussia Dortmund, Galatasaray, Anderlecht
5.39pm BST
Malmo, the 1979 finalists, are in a glamour group with ...
Group A: Atletico Madrid, Juventus, Olympiacos, Malmo
5.38pm BST
Apoel go in here...
Group F: Barcelona, PSG, Ajax, Apoel
5.37pm BST
Monaco next. And this happens ...
Group C: Benfica, Zenit, Bayer Leverkusen, Monaco
5.36pm BST
A true legend on the stage now: Francisco Gento, who lifted this prize six times. Six times! Hell be pulling out the Pot 4 chappies. And the first out are the Bulgarian champions Ludogorets. Theyre in with Liverpool. Nothings easy, but Brendan Rodgers would have taken this ...
Group B: Real Madrid, Basel, Liverpool, Ludogorets
5.33pm BST
After pot C, then. Or was it pot 3? I cant recall. Lets not worry too much.
Group A:
Atletico Madrid, Juventus, Olympiacos
Group B:
Real Madrid, Basel, Liverpool
Group C:
Benfica, Zenit, Bayer Leverkusen
Group D:
Arsenal, Borussia Dortmund, Galatasaray
Group E:
Bayern Munich, Manchester City, CSKA Moscow
Group F:
Barcelona, PSG, Ajax
Group G:
Chelsea, Schalke, Sporting Lisbon
Group H:
Porto, Shakhtar Donetsk, Athletic Bilbao
5.31pm BST
Sporting of Lisbon. Theyre in with the 2012 winners Chelsea. Which means Bayer Leverkusen are in with Benfica and Zenit, and Galatasaray join Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund in what looks like a tough group.
Group G:
Chelsea, Schalke, Sporting Lisbon
Group C:
Benfica, Zenit, Bayer Leverkusen
Group D:
Arsenal, Borussia Dortmund, Galatasaray
5.29pm BST
Olympiacos are up next. They go in with ...
Group A: Atletico Madrid, Juventus, Olympiacos
5.28pm BST
Ajax of Amsterdam, the four-time winners. They go into a fairly exciting group alongside ...
Group F: Barcelona, PSG, Ajax
5.27pm BST
CSKA Moscow next. Theyre plopped into a group with the champions of England!
Group E: Bayern Munich, Manchester City, CSKA Moscow
5.26pm BST
Its Liverpool! And theyre in with the champions! A rerun of the 1981 final, then.
Group B: Real Madrid, Basel, Liverpool
5.25pm BST
Manuel Sanchis, formerly of Real Madrid, is the very man for Pot 3 action. His first act is to pluck Athletic of Bilbao out of the pot. Theyll be in with ...
Group H: Porto, Shakhtar Donetsk, Athletic Bilbao
5.24pm BST
After pot 2, this is how the groups are looking ...
Group A: Atletico Madrid, Juventus
Group B: Real Madrid, Basel
Group C: Benfica, Zenit
Group D: Arsenal, Borussia Dortmund
Group E: Bayern Munich, Manchester City
Group F: Barcelona, PSG
Group G: Chelsea, Schalke
Group H: Porto, Shakhtar Donetsk
5.21pm BST
Juventus. They go in with last seasons runners up. Which means Schalke are in with Chelsea.
Group A: Atletico Madrid, Juventus
Group G: Chelsea, Schalke
5.20pm BST
Basel. And theyre in with the holders.
Group B: Real Madrid, Basel
5.20pm BST
Borussia Dortmund are the next club out. Their 1997 hero pairs them with ...
Group D: Arsenal, Borussia Dortmund
5.19pm BST
The first proper English action of the evening! Manchester City are out, and theyve got to go in with Bayern Munich for some reason.
Group E: Bayern Munich, Manchester City
5.18pm BST
Shakhtar Donetsk now. Riedle puts them in with ...
Group H: Porto, Shakhtar Donetsk
5.17pm BST
PSG are out next. And theyre in with ...
Group F: Barcelona, PSG
5.16pm BST
Bolton Wanderers legend Fernando Hierro, who also captained Real Madrid to victory in the 2002 Champions League, is the next chap out with a remit to pluck balls from pots. Pot 2, then. Here we go ... Zenit are out first, and they go in with ... hold on, Riedle has knocked the pot of balls onto the floor. Oop! Perhaps they were too hot. Anyway, eventually theres a new set, and he does this:
Group C: Benfica, Zenit
5.13pm BST
After Pot 1 ...
Group A: Atletico Madrid
Group B: Real Madrid
Group C: Benfica
Group D: Arsenal
Group E: Bayern Munich
Group F: Barcelona
Group G: Chelsea
Group H: Porto
5.10pm BST
Right, here we go! Uefa general secretary Gianni Infantino, Iker Casillas and Karl -Heinz Riedle are about to pull out the first pot of balls. Im sure wasnt the only Manchester United fan to get a little surge of excitement at the draw being today before realising it had nothing to do with me, sighs David Flynn. Ah well, at least theres Burnley to look forward to. Or dread, depending on how you see the performance going.
5.00pm BST
The trophy has been plonked on stage. Well be underway in a minute. For the record, when Uefa practiced heating up the balls earlier this afternoon, Liverpool were drawn with Real Madrid, Juventus and Monaco. No word on who Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City were landed with, but lets not lose too much sleep over it, the real thing will be happening very soon. I cannot agree enough with your comment at 16:30 regarding dream draws, writes Richard Baker, who sounds like a very nice man to me. There is nothing more annoying than pundits go on about teams hoping for the easiest draw possible. Ive spent half my life watching City lose to crap teams, losing to Real Madrid and Bayern Munich makes a nice change.
4.55pm BST
Theres some introductory jazz going on in Monaco right now. No music as such, just some Uefa suit droning on and on and on in the free style, while the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Jerzy Dudek and Luis Figo try their hardest not to yawn and look bored. This Uefa dude is in the middle of the mother of all soliloquies! He must have a set of lungs like Miles Davis and the capacious cheeks of Dizzy Gillespie. Nothing to report yet, is the short end. Nature of live blogs for you. Could we perhaps swap Juve for PSG in that dream draw please? asks Chris Baynes. Completely agree about wanting to play the big boys but Turin 05 wasnt much fun for us travelling supporters. And while Im here Munich over Barca, been there done that. And Monaco is a nightmare for away allocations, so any chance of Anderlecht That said, I realise you dont fix the draw, and wont pass comment on whether Uefa ever do.
4.49pm BST
A 5.45pm CET start, my eye. Like everyone else, I should be working, writes Charles Antaki, roughly 15 minutes before being asked to clear his desk, but the FA photo draws me strangely. Two questions come to mind - was it really taken in 1967? You know, the Beatles, the Apollo space missions, the Six-Day War? Take four decades off and 1927 looks about right. The other question is less easy to resolve - namely, why is the gent on the right wearing an obviously false nose? Or was the cold refreshment particularly potent that year? I suspect well never know. Oh I think we know.
4.40pm BST
The hall at the Grimaldi Forum is filling up. The finger food must have run out. And the big stars are arriving, one by one. Cristiano Ronaldo has turned up with his hair slicked back and Ray-Bans on, a sharp suit straight outta Goodfellas. Hed have lasted about ten frames. Too thin. More Spider than Jimmy the Gent. Arjen Robben is also dolled up like a movie star, specifically Dick van Dyke out of Mary Poppins. Its an informal look. I wonder what his cockney accent is like? He wont have picked one up on the Fulham Broadway. Ill level with you, we should have started this at 4.45pm.
4.30pm BST
Dream draws for the English sides. How about these? Any of these would be pretty good:
Chelsea: PSG, Ajax, Roma (featuring Ashley Cole).
Arsenal: Borussia Dortmund, Galatasaray, Roma (featuring Ashley Cole).
Manchester City: Real Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen, Anderlecht.
Liverpool: Barcelona (featuring Luis Suarez), Juventus, Monaco.
4.06pm BST
For the record, the Grimaldi Forum has staged: The ballet ...
3.55pm BST
Thats the qualifiers out of the way, then. Arsenal made it through by the skin of their teeth. Celtic, meanwhile, were knocked out of Europe twice before the end of August. Trailing Caley Thistle and the Accies in the Scottish Premiership, the only way is up, Ronny Deila. And so weve reached the Champions League proper: 32 clubs, one cup. It sounds like a particularly violent reimagining of a popular romantic viral hit, doesnt it. But its not.
The tournament starts to take shape today at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco, where the most powerful folk in European football meet up to
learn about tax avoidance schemes
find out wholl be playing who in the group stages of the 2014-15 Champions League. For the first time since the days of the old European Cup, this years competition will be a free draw, reducing the chances of the same old names reaching the latter stages yet again, while giving a boost to some of the lesser names, lending the tournament a more exotic air no, of course it wont be. But we can dream, its free and they cant take that away from us. The seeded pots, then:
The Fiver | The England football family requires a new patsy
Now that $tevie Mbe has retired from international competition, the England football family requires a new patsy to relentlessly and aggressively criticise for trying their best but not being quite as good as Andrés Iniesta, Lionel Messi or Andrea Pirlo. Oh look! Here comes Wayne Rooney! The 28-year-old striker has played 95 times for England and scored 40 goals, which is no doubt not good enough, and now hes been made captain so folk can criticise him for not shouting or pointing or pumping his fist in exactly the manner theyd like him to as well.
Continue reading...August 27, 2014
Arsenal v Besiktas: Champions League play-off as it happened | Scott Murray
The match in pretty pictures
9.39pm BST
And thats that! Arsenal rode their luck - they were second best for much of this game, and further replays suggest the visitors may well have deserved a penalty when Wilshere clipped Motta - but theyve fought their way through to the Champions League group phase. Thats 17 in a row now for Arsenal. Seventeenth time lucky? Its about that time for this grand club.
9.37pm BST
90 min +3: Franco is sent scampering into the area down the right. He pulls the ball back from the byline. Monreal scoops clear. This has been one hell of a game!
9.36pm BST
90 min +2: Hutchinson in a bit of space down the right, with Arsenal hanging on here. Cazorla robs him brilliantly. What a finish to this game!
9.36pm BST
90 min +1: Koybasi is sent into acres of space down the left. A real fear that this could be curtains for Arsenal, with the box loaded and the hosts on the retreat! But Koybasi floats a hilariously poor cross into the arms of Szczesny.
9.34pm BST
90 min: Tore is booked for a comical late lunge on Sanchez. There will be four added minutes of this tense, absorbing match.
9.34pm BST
88 min: Ozyakup and Tore combine down the right and nearly carve out a chance in the box. Arsenal hack clear. Then Tore curls a deep cross into the Arsenal area from the right. Ba is gifted a header, a couple of yards out, by the left-hand post. But he cant connect. What a chance to put his side through! Is that going to be Besiktass last opportunity?
9.32pm BST
87 min: Pektemek is replaced by Tosun. A crackling atmosphere of fear and anticipation at the Emirates.
9.31pm BST
86 min: Szczesny is booked for wasting time at a goal kick. The Wilshere-Motta penalty appeal apart, this referee certainly isnt afraid to make a decision.
9.29pm BST
85 min: Uysal is booked for sticking the shoulder in Cazorlas boat.
9.28pm BST
83 min: Tore has a dig from the edge of the Arsenal D. His shot hits Koscielny. The hosts claim the use of a hand, but thats a cheeky shout. And in any case, if Besiktas arent getting a favourable decision on the possible Wilshere clip, theyre certainly not getting that.
9.27pm BST
82 min: Ozyakup makes good down the left, and dinks a little cross to the near post, where Hutchinson attempts to guide an ambitious header across Szczesny and into the bottom right. He doesnt connect properly and the header flies harmlessly off to the right wing.
9.25pm BST
80 min: Cazorla floats the free kick into the area. Koscielny and Sanchez both attempt to connect, ten yards out, but the ball floats through to Zengin, who gathers calmly. Noggin emerged in the early 1600s as a word for a small cup and later also as a small amount of alcoholic drink (compare the Norfolk dialect nog, meaning strong ale), writes Russell Turner. Later it also took on the meaning of head, originally in boxing. Why, is anyones guess. Maybe because a boxer hit in the head too many times is punchdrunk.
9.24pm BST
79 min: Sanchez twists and turns his way infield from the right, and earns a free kick as hes upended by Hutchinson. The Besiktas midfielder is booked, quite rightly so. This will be a free kick in a fine position for Arsenal, 25 yards out, just to the right of the goal.
9.23pm BST
78 min: Arsenal arent finished, though! Chambers, brought on to shore up the defence, goes on a skitter down the right, and whips a cross in for Sanchez, who shoots wildly over, clear on the penalty spot!
9.22pm BST
77 min: A change for Besiktas, with Kavlak replaced by Uysal.
9.21pm BST
76 min: As Besiktas break upfield from that escape, Debuchy clatters into the back of Pektemek. Its his second yellow, and hes off! And to add insult to injury, as Ozil is sacrificed for an extra defender in Chambers, the new boy is booked for coming onto the pitch before Ozil had left it! What a farce.
9.20pm BST
74 min: This is end to end stuff, highly entertaining. Besiktas load the Arsenal box, with Ba and Pektemek nearly earning space and time to shoot. But the hosts zip clear through Sanchez, who dances around down the inside right and nearly sets up Cazorla on the penalty spot. Then in the next phase, Monreal whips a low ball through the six-yard area. Oxlade-Chamberlain has the ball at his feet, with only Zengin to beat! But he hammers the ball straight at the keeper, who smothers brilliantly! What a save! Or maybe what a miss!
9.16pm BST
72 min: Motta floats a cross into the Arsenal area from the left. Ba very nearly gets on the end of it. The home side are being pushed back a little here. Noggin, the name for a small quantity of alcohol, usually a quarter of a pint, in which the name of the container has been transferred to its measure and its contents, writes John McEnerney. It seems to have been the idea of a container that gave rise to the fresh sense of a persons head, which started to be used in the eighteenth century. A lot of words originated through drinking. I love pints!
9.14pm BST
69 min: Sanchez, with dogged persistence, earns a free kick out of nothing near the right-hand corner flag. Another Arsenal free kick in a dangerous position. Can Ozil deliver a set piece as troublesome as the one Cazorla whipped in a few minutes ago? Nope! He floats it into the middle, and its easily cleared by Besiktas.
9.12pm BST
67 min: Loose play for Monreal down the Besiktas right, and Pektemek is able to lift a cross into the danger zone. Mertesacker clears. The home support is getting tense. Understandably so: an equaliser for the visitors will see the Turks through to the groups on the away goals rule.
9.10pm BST
65 min: Hutchinson bombs towards the Arsenal area down the left. His low cross is intercepted by Koscielny, who lazily flicks the ball up, Matthew Le Tissier style, and volleys clear. Very smooth. But the visitors are soon coming back at Arsenal. Flamini fails to clear a simple pass down the same channel, and Ba has the ball at his feet on the left-hand edge of the six-yard box! Luckily for Arsenal, hes got his back to goal. He spins but, disoriented, lashes his shot into the side netting. Hearts In Mouths Time for Arsenal, pt. III.
9.07pm BST
63 min: Sahan, sporting a hipster beard that must soak up a fair bit of product in the shower, is hooked. Tore comes on in his stead.
9.06pm BST
60 min: Cazorla whips a stunning free kick to the far post. Koscielny should convert from a couple of yards with a header, but misses the ball altogether. Debuchy attempts to guide a header home from a tighter angle, but can only head down into the side netting. So close to the second goal that would, one would assume, put this tie to bed.
9.03pm BST
59 min: Franco goes in the book for a fairly crude obstruction on Ozil as the Arsenal man goes on one of his half-paced meanders down the left. A free kick in a very dangerous position, just outside the Besiktas box.
9.02pm BST
57 min: Koscielny knocks Kavlak to the floor, 25 yards from goal, in a central position. Arsenal facing a little danger. The set piece is converted for three rugby points by ozyakup. Not brilliant.
9.00pm BST
54 min: A minor kerfuffle on the edge of the Arsenal area, and Ba shapes to shoot. Hes bundled off the ball by Monreal. No penalty. Then Ozyakup strides down the right and whips a cross in for Ba. Its inches away from the big mans boot. Arsenal have been lively up front since the restart, but theyre not looking that secure at the back. This could get very interesting if Besiktas find the net.
8.58pm BST
53 min: Arsenal keep coming, though. Wilshere plays a little dink round the corner to release Sanchez into the Besiktas box down the right. He should slot home, but hesitates and a Besiktas boot pokes out for a corner on the left. Again, the set piece is a complete nonsense.
8.56pm BST
51 min: Debuchy loops a ball over the top of the Besiktas defence down the right. Oxlade-Chamberlain is onto it, but Zengin rushes to the left-hand side of his box to harry and hassle. Its a high-risk strategy, but a good decision as Oxlade-Chamberlain cant get a shot away. Hes forced to settle for a corner, which once again is a complete waste of time.
8.55pm BST
49 min: Arsenal are in control during the early exchanges of this half. A corner down the left that is best forgotten. Then Cazorla diddles down the inside-left channel before dragging a shot across the face of goal from the edge of the box.
8.53pm BST
46 min: Cazorla in a little space down the left. His low ball is nearly met by Ozil at the near post, but the World Cup winner cant get his toe to the ball.
8.50pm BST
Right-o! Were off again. Besiktas get the ball rolling a second time. Can they respond to that immaculately-timed Sanchez goal? Soon find out. No substitutions. Meanwhile Philip West (25 min) is back, and hes got noggin on the noggin. No TV here in Istanbul, unless you want to pay a huge amount for a channel that only buys these games, so Ive been looking up fizzog and noggin. My French teacher at school c.1972 said Fizzog is related to visage, though actually comes from physiognomy. Seems the origin of Noggin is unclear, though. Any takers?
8.36pm BST
Half-time entertainment:
8.35pm BST
Well that changes everything. Arsenal were beginning to fray a little around the edges, but theyve broken the deadlock with the last kick of the half! Besiktas dont deserve to be losing, but as things stand its Arsenal who will be in tomorrows pot for the group stage of the 2014/15 Champions League! We could have quite a second half ahead of us ...
8.33pm BST
With seconds of the half remaining, and the Emirates getting nervous, Alexis Sanchez scores his first Arsenal goal! A loose ball on the edge of the Besiktas D. Wilshere attempts a one-two with Flamini, and the ball breaks down the inside-right channel for Sanchez, who slots the loose ball under Zengin!
8.31pm BST
44 min: Besiktas are growing into this game. Theyll be sad the half-time whistle will be heard soon. Ozyakup, on the left, rakes a glorious cross towards the far post, where Koybasi can take the ball down, cut back upfield, and lash a shot goalwards. Luckily for Arsenal, Monreal is awake and can block the shot the minute the ball leaves Koybasis boot.
8.30pm BST
42 min: Wilshere influences play down the other end now, slipping a ball down the inside-right channel. Sanchez races towards it, and is about to shoot from a tight angle, six yards from goal, when Zengin comes out to claim.
8.29pm BST
40 min: Sahan is in acres down the left, having beaten the offside trap. Arsenal are in trouble. A low cross is pulled back from Motta, who rushes into the area down the inside-left channel. He cocks his leg back to shoot from ten yards - and falls over. Wilshere is behind him, his breath on his neck. Did he touch Motta? Should it be a penalty? The naked eye says yes, though replays show that Motta goes down with no contact. Hearts in mouths again for Arsenal, who havent been particularly impressive at the back.
8.24pm BST
36 min: Oxlade-Chamberlain, out on the right, loops a cross towards the far post, where Sanchez is lurking. Franco slides in to concede a corner, wonderful defending. Even better, actually, as he was shoved in the back by Sanchez before he made his crucial interception, and wins a free kick. The frustration, and the tension, is rising on Ashburton Grove as Besiktas refuse to buckle.
8.22pm BST
34 min: Arsenal faff around in the middle, Mertesacker miscuing a header backwards and Koscielny standing around in the bus-queue fashion. Pektemek nips in down the inside-left and strides into the box. Hes about to let rip, but Debuchy comes across and clears the ball with a last-ditch lunge. If hed got that wrong, it was a penalty, and Debuchy would have been off. But that was a brilliant challenge. A millisecond later, mind, and itd have looked very ugly.
8.20pm BST
33 min: Ozyakup is quite rightly booked for a wholly cynical trip on Debuchy as the full back attempts to cause yet more trouble down the right. This is where an Arsenal goal will come from, Ill be bound.
8.19pm BST
31 min: A lull is broken as the ever-excellent Oxlade-Chamberlain zips down the right. His low cross is nearly gathered by Cazorla in the middle, but the Arsenal midfielder is crowded out on the edge of the box. Ed Singleton (14 min) is a fine name for an MBMer. Regards,
Bob Sociopath
Simon McMahon.
8.16pm BST
28 min: Ooyah! Oof! Debuchy and Motta clatter into each other as they leap for a high, loose ball. Neither player is at fault, but both are in some pain right now. Theyll be OK, writes Dr Murray, the resident Guardian quack who in truth has no idea. But they are up and running about again.
8.15pm BST
26 min: Ozil is in space down the left, running at pace. He knocks the ball past Koybasi, and forgets to chase after it. He can be sorely disappointing at times, can Ozil, who stands around looking confused. Sanchez, in space down the middle, wears a rather more animated expression.
8.13pm BST
25 min: Sanchez looks for the bottom-right corner with his free kick. Its soft, and easily gathered by Zengin. Was the noggin at 14 min actually his fizzog? wonders Phil West. Just to be certain you understand. The contact was on his temple, so qualifies more as turnip than boat. Glad to have been given the chance to clarify.
8.10pm BST
23 min: Veli Kavlak is booked for complaining vociferously after Ozyakup is pulled up for clipping Cazorla on the toe. This will be a free kick for Arsenal, 25 yards out, just to the right of goal.
8.10pm BST
22 min: Arsenal are getting an awful lot of joy down the right, though. Debuchy strides down that flank again, and loops a majestic cross to the far post, where Ozil confuses himself, ten yards out. Sanchez tries to unlock Beskitas with a rococo dribble inside the area, but hes crowded out, the chance gone. Shame Ozil didnt connect with that cross first time, for itd have been a picturebook goal.
8.07pm BST
19 min: A long ball hoicked down the Besiktas inside-right channel. Ba gets a yard on Mertesacker, but Szczesny is off his line quickly and gathers the ball on the edge of his area just before the striker can get a toe to it. A few hearts in mouths there, for a split second. Arsenal have had the majority of possession, but Besiktas dont appear intimidated.
8.05pm BST
17 min: Arsene Wenger is currently engaged in a philosophical exchange with the fourth official. Hes rather animated. No idea why. Debuchys booking, perhaps? He looks good in his suit tonight. As the nights draw in, hell get that long puffa jacket out again. A loss to tailoring. Not a whole lot going on right now, is the main thrust of this entry.
8.02pm BST
14 min: Debuchy is booked, quite rightly, for clattering Sahans noggin with his shoulder as the pair compete for a high ball. He was late, and didnt bother pulling out of the challenge. To be fair, he doesnt complain that much. Is it annoying if people email you whilst you are doing a MBM, without having anything useful to say? asks Ed Singleton, a query best described as meta.
8.00pm BST
12 min: Arsenal are on the front foot now, with Oxlade-Chamberlain zipping down the right wing again. The hosts getting a lot of joy down this flank. His low fizzer of a cross is behind Sanchez and hoicked clear of danger. I moved to southeast London recently and Ive been learning about Arsenals origins among workers in Woolwich and Plumstead in the 1880s, begins Robert Murphy. They were founded in a pub, played their first games played in a park, had financial troubles and narrowly avoided a merger with Fulham before being moved to North London in 1913. Not as grand as all that. Meanwhile a reader called Evereste insists Chelsea have a better postcode. I knew I should have kept my trap shut.
7.59pm BST
10 min: And heres another chance. Zengin comes out of his area to sweep up, but only succeeds in rolling a piss-poor clearance up the right side to Cazorla, who attempts to dispatch it straight back downfield and into the gaping goal. As long-range efforts go, its one of the easier ones - the ball wasnt kicked towards him at much of a pace, and hes only (only!) 40 yards out, with nobody hassling him. But he shanks a dreadful effort miles left. Hard to criticise him too much for missing the snapshot, I guess, but hes talented enough to have popped that one away more often than not.
7.56pm BST
9 min: Sanchez is brought down while running into trouble down the middle of the park. Arsenal dont get a free kick, though, because the referee waves play on, Wilshere romping forward with the loose ball and making it to the edge of the area, just to the left of the D. Hes looking straight at Zengin, coming off his line, but with only the keeper to beat he screws a shot wide right of the empty net. Chance.
7.53pm BST
7 min: Arsenal are enjoying the lions share of possession at the moment, though theyre not doing a great deal with it. Patience is the thing. It must be admitted that Arsène Wenger doesnt have the bearing of an obvious optimist - rather the contrary - so the idea of putting Alexis Sánchez alone again up front is an odd one, opines Charles Antaki. I dont think he ever played in that position at Barcelona and the experiment against Everton the other day was universally written off as an utter failure. Still, perhaps Sánchez played well up there back in his Udinese days, and Wenger has been studying the old videos; but it would surely take an optimist to bet on him doing so tonight.
7.51pm BST
4 min: Oxlade-Chamberlain sends Debuchy tearing away down the right. The French full back wins a corner. Mertesacker attempts to plant a header goalwards from the set piece, six yards out, centrally, but cant connect properly. A bright start by both sides. The atmospheres already perked up.
7.50pm BST
2 min: And its a fast start by Arsenal, with Wilshere sending Oxlade-Chamberlain into space down the right. His low cross is cleared, and soon enough the visitors are on the attack too, with Sahan in far too much space down the inside-left channel. He looks for Pektemek in the middle, but his cross is a wee bit too high and control is lost. Ba was in attendance too, with a two-on-one there for the taking. That will worry the hosts.
7.46pm BST
And were off! Its not a particularly blistering atmosphere at the Emirates tonight - jaded old Arsenal fans, with their 16 consecutive years in the group stages - but what singing there is will suffice for now. Itll heat up, Im sure. Arsenal get the ball rolling.
7.44pm BST
The teams are out! Arsenal are wearing their famous red and white shirts (pictured here in black and white) ...
7.12pm BST
Arsenal name Alexis Sanchez as their lone striker, with Olivier Giroud injured and Yaya Sanogo on the bench: Szczesny, Debuchy, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal, Wilshere, Flamini, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Ozil, Cazorla, Sanchez.
Subs: Martinez, Rosicky, Podolski, Chambers, Sanogo, Campbell, Coquelin.
Besiktas striker Demba Ba scored twice here as a Newcastle player (in a 7-3 defeat): Zengin, Koybasi, Franco, Gulum, Ramon, Hutchinson, Kavlak, Ozyakup, Pektemek, Sahan, Ba.
Subs: Gonen, Kurtulus, Sivok, Tore, Uysal, Koyunlu, Tosun.
6.45pm BST
Arsenal: Englands grandest club. Doubtless supporters of Manchester United, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea would disagree, and one or two might throw cataclysmic hissy fits if you posted such a statement on the internet. But the evidence is strong: those marble halls and Art Deco stands at Highbury, erstwhile Old Etonian owners, 1930s British Broadcasting Corporation telecasts via Alexandra Palace, white cricket shirts as alternate kit, a chairman called Sir Chips Keswick, all those league titles and cups in a big fancy cabinet.
Not so grand a legacy in Europe, though, strangely. A Cup Winners Cup, a Fairs Cup, one Champions League final and a fantastic brawl in a restaurant with Lazio over man-purses that spilled out onto the street. And thats that. Hardly a record of failure, granted, but definite under-performance when compared to their domestic grandeur. Time to finally lift Europes big prize, then? Well, perhaps. Arsene Wengers due some luck on the continent. But theyll have to get past Besiktas first.
Continue reading...Arsenal v Besiktas: Champions League play-off live! | Scott Murray
Email scott.murray@theguardian.comKeep up with all tonights scores across England and Europe
9.07pm BST
63 min: Sahan, sporting a hipster beard that must soak up a fair bit of product in the shower, is hooked. Tore comes on in his stead.
9.06pm BST
60 min: Cazorla whips a stunning free kick to the far post. Koscielny should convert from a couple of yards with a header, but misses the ball altogether. Debuchy attempts to guide a header home from a tighter angle, but can only head down into the side netting. So close to the second goal that would, one would assume, put this tie to bed.
9.03pm BST
59 min: Franco goes in the book for a fairly crude obstruction on Ozil as the Arsenal man goes on one of his half-paced meanders down the left. A free kick in a very dangerous position, just outside the Besiktas box.
9.02pm BST
57 min: Koscielny knocks Kavlak to the floor, 25 yards from goal, in a central position. Arsenal facing a little danger. The set piece is converted for three rugby points by ozyakup. Not brilliant.
9.00pm BST
54 min: A minor kerfuffle on the edge of the Arsenal area, and Ba shapes to shoot. Hes bundled off the ball by Monreal. No penalty. Then Ozyakup strides down the right and whips a cross in for Ba. Its inches away from the big mans boot. Arsenal have been lively up front since the restart, but theyre not looking that secure at the back. This could get very interesting if Besiktas find the net.
8.58pm BST
53 min: Arsenal keep coming, though. Wilshere plays a little dink round the corner to release Sanchez into the Besiktas box down the right. He should slot home, but hesitates and a Besiktas boot pokes out for a corner on the left. Again, the set piece is a complete nonsense.
8.56pm BST
51 min: Debuchy loops a ball over the top of the Besiktas defence down the right. Oxlade-Chamberlain is onto it, but Zengin rushes to the left-hand side of his box to harry and hassle. Its a high-risk strategy, but a good decision as Oxlade-Chamberlain cant get a shot away. Hes forced to settle for a corner, which once again is a complete waste of time.
8.55pm BST
49 min: Arsenal are in control during the early exchanges of this half. A corner down the left that is best forgotten. Then Cazorla diddles down the inside-left channel before dragging a shot across the face of goal from the edge of the box.
8.53pm BST
46 min: Cazorla in a little space down the left. His low ball is nearly met by Ozil at the near post, but the World Cup winner cant get his toe to the ball.
8.50pm BST
Right-o! Were off again. Besiktas get the ball rolling a second time. Can they respond to that immaculately-timed Sanchez goal? Soon find out. No substitutions. Meanwhile Philip West (25 min) is back, and hes got noggin on the noggin. No TV here in Istanbul, unless you want to pay a huge amount for a channel that only buys these games, so Ive been looking up fizzog and noggin. My French teacher at school c.1972 said Fizzog is related to visage, though actually comes from physiognomy. Seems the origin of Noggin is unclear, though. Any takers?
8.36pm BST
Half-time entertainment:
8.35pm BST
Well that changes everything. Arsenal were beginning to fray a little around the edges, but theyve broken the deadlock with the last kick of the half! Besiktas dont deserve to be losing, but as things stand its Arsenal who will be in tomorrows pot for the group stage of the 2014/15 Champions League! We could have quite a second half ahead of us ...
8.33pm BST
With seconds of the half remaining, and the Emirates getting nervous, Alexis Sanchez scores his first Arsenal goal! A loose ball on the edge of the Besiktas D. Wilshere attempts a one-two with Flamini, and the ball breaks down the inside-right channel for Sanchez, who slots the loose ball under Zengin!
8.31pm BST
44 min: Besiktas are growing into this game. Theyll be sad the half-time whistle will be heard soon. Ozyakup, on the left, rakes a glorious cross towards the far post, where Koybasi can take the ball down, cut back upfield, and lash a shot goalwards. Luckily for Arsenal, Monreal is awake and can block the shot the minute the ball leaves Koybasis boot.
8.30pm BST
42 min: Wilshere influences play down the other end now, slipping a ball down the inside-right channel. Sanchez races towards it, and is about to shoot from a tight angle, six yards from goal, when Zengin comes out to claim.
8.29pm BST
40 min: Sahan is in acres down the left, having beaten the offside trap. Arsenal are in trouble. A low cross is pulled back from Motta, who rushes into the area down the inside-left channel. He cocks his leg back to shoot from ten yards - and falls over. Wilshere is behind him, his breath on his neck. Did he touch Motta? Should it be a penalty? The naked eye says yes, though replays show that Motta goes down with no contact. Hearts in mouths again for Arsenal, who havent been particularly impressive at the back.
8.24pm BST
36 min: Oxlade-Chamberlain, out on the right, loops a cross towards the far post, where Sanchez is lurking. Franco slides in to concede a corner, wonderful defending. Even better, actually, as he was shoved in the back by Sanchez before he made his crucial interception, and wins a free kick. The frustration, and the tension, is rising on Ashburton Grove as Besiktas refuse to buckle.
8.22pm BST
34 min: Arsenal faff around in the middle, Mertesacker miscuing a header backwards and Koscielny standing around in the bus-queue fashion. Pektemek nips in down the inside-left and strides into the box. Hes about to let rip, but Debuchy comes across and clears the ball with a last-ditch lunge. If hed got that wrong, it was a penalty, and Debuchy would have been off. But that was a brilliant challenge. A millisecond later, mind, and itd have looked very ugly.
8.20pm BST
33 min: Ozyakup is quite rightly booked for a wholly cynical trip on Debuchy as the full back attempts to cause yet more trouble down the right. This is where an Arsenal goal will come from, Ill be bound.
8.19pm BST
31 min: A lull is broken as the ever-excellent Oxlade-Chamberlain zips down the right. His low cross is nearly gathered by Cazorla in the middle, but the Arsenal midfielder is crowded out on the edge of the box. Ed Singleton (14 min) is a fine name for an MBMer. Regards,
Bob Sociopath
Simon McMahon.
8.16pm BST
28 min: Ooyah! Oof! Debuchy and Motta clatter into each other as they leap for a high, loose ball. Neither player is at fault, but both are in some pain right now. Theyll be OK, writes Dr Murray, the resident Guardian quack who in truth has no idea. But they are up and running about again.
8.15pm BST
26 min: Ozil is in space down the left, running at pace. He knocks the ball past Koybasi, and forgets to chase after it. He can be sorely disappointing at times, can Ozil, who stands around looking confused. Sanchez, in space down the middle, wears a rather more animated expression.
8.13pm BST
25 min: Sanchez looks for the bottom-right corner with his free kick. Its soft, and easily gathered by Zengin. Was the noggin at 14 min actually his fizzog? wonders Phil West. Just to be certain you understand. The contact was on his temple, so qualifies more as turnip than boat. Glad to have been given the chance to clarify.
8.10pm BST
23 min: Veli Kavlak is booked for complaining vociferously after Ozyakup is pulled up for clipping Cazorla on the toe. This will be a free kick for Arsenal, 25 yards out, just to the right of goal.
8.10pm BST
22 min: Arsenal are getting an awful lot of joy down the right, though. Debuchy strides down that flank again, and loops a majestic cross to the far post, where Ozil confuses himself, ten yards out. Sanchez tries to unlock Beskitas with a rococo dribble inside the area, but hes crowded out, the chance gone. Shame Ozil didnt connect with that cross first time, for itd have been a picturebook goal.
8.07pm BST
19 min: A long ball hoicked down the Besiktas inside-right channel. Ba gets a yard on Mertesacker, but Szczesny is off his line quickly and gathers the ball on the edge of his area just before the striker can get a toe to it. A few hearts in mouths there, for a split second. Arsenal have had the majority of possession, but Besiktas dont appear intimidated.
8.05pm BST
17 min: Arsene Wenger is currently engaged in a philosophical exchange with the fourth official. Hes rather animated. No idea why. Debuchys booking, perhaps? He looks good in his suit tonight. As the nights draw in, hell get that long puffa jacket out again. A loss to tailoring. Not a whole lot going on right now, is the main thrust of this entry.
8.02pm BST
14 min: Debuchy is booked, quite rightly, for clattering Sahans noggin with his shoulder as the pair compete for a high ball. He was late, and didnt bother pulling out of the challenge. To be fair, he doesnt complain that much. Is it annoying if people email you whilst you are doing a MBM, without having anything useful to say? asks Ed Singleton, a query best described as meta.
8.00pm BST
12 min: Arsenal are on the front foot now, with Oxlade-Chamberlain zipping down the right wing again. The hosts getting a lot of joy down this flank. His low fizzer of a cross is behind Sanchez and hoicked clear of danger. I moved to southeast London recently and Ive been learning about Arsenals origins among workers in Woolwich and Plumstead in the 1880s, begins Robert Murphy. They were founded in a pub, played their first games played in a park, had financial troubles and narrowly avoided a merger with Fulham before being moved to North London in 1913. Not as grand as all that. Meanwhile a reader called Evereste insists Chelsea have a better postcode. I knew I should have kept my trap shut.
7.59pm BST
10 min: And heres another chance. Zengin comes out of his area to sweep up, but only succeeds in rolling a piss-poor clearance up the right side to Cazorla, who attempts to dispatch it straight back downfield and into the gaping goal. As long-range efforts go, its one of the easier ones - the ball wasnt kicked towards him at much of a pace, and hes only (only!) 40 yards out, with nobody hassling him. But he shanks a dreadful effort miles left. Hard to criticise him too much for missing the snapshot, I guess, but hes talented enough to have popped that one away more often than not.
7.56pm BST
9 min: Sanchez is brought down while running into trouble down the middle of the park. Arsenal dont get a free kick, though, because the referee waves play on, Wilshere romping forward with the loose ball and making it to the edge of the area, just to the left of the D. Hes looking straight at Zengin, coming off his line, but with only the keeper to beat he screws a shot wide right of the empty net. Chance.
7.53pm BST
7 min: Arsenal are enjoying the lions share of possession at the moment, though theyre not doing a great deal with it. Patience is the thing. It must be admitted that Arsène Wenger doesnt have the bearing of an obvious optimist - rather the contrary - so the idea of putting Alexis Sánchez alone again up front is an odd one, opines Charles Antaki. I dont think he ever played in that position at Barcelona and the experiment against Everton the other day was universally written off as an utter failure. Still, perhaps Sánchez played well up there back in his Udinese days, and Wenger has been studying the old videos; but it would surely take an optimist to bet on him doing so tonight.
7.51pm BST
4 min: Oxlade-Chamberlain sends Debuchy tearing away down the right. The French full back wins a corner. Mertesacker attempts to plant a header goalwards from the set piece, six yards out, centrally, but cant connect properly. A bright start by both sides. The atmospheres already perked up.
7.50pm BST
2 min: And its a fast start by Arsenal, with Wilshere sending Oxlade-Chamberlain into space down the right. His low cross is cleared, and soon enough the visitors are on the attack too, with Sahan in far too much space down the inside-left channel. He looks for Pektemek in the middle, but his cross is a wee bit too high and control is lost. Ba was in attendance too, with a two-on-one there for the taking. That will worry the hosts.
7.46pm BST
And were off! Its not a particularly blistering atmosphere at the Emirates tonight - jaded old Arsenal fans, with their 16 consecutive years in the group stages - but what singing there is will suffice for now. Itll heat up, Im sure. Arsenal get the ball rolling.
7.44pm BST
The teams are out! Arsenal are wearing their famous red and white shirts (pictured here in black and white) ...
7.12pm BST
Arsenal name Alexis Sanchez as their lone striker, with Olivier Giroud injured and Yaya Sanogo on the bench: Szczesny, Debuchy, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal, Wilshere, Flamini, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Ozil, Cazorla, Sanchez.
Subs: Martinez, Rosicky, Podolski, Chambers, Sanogo, Campbell, Coquelin.
Besiktas striker Demba Ba scored twice here as a Newcastle player (in a 7-3 defeat): Zengin, Koybasi, Franco, Gulum, Ramon, Hutchinson, Kavlak, Ozyakup, Pektemek, Sahan, Ba.
Subs: Gonen, Kurtulus, Sivok, Tore, Uysal, Koyunlu, Tosun.
6.45pm BST
Arsenal: Englands grandest club. Doubtless supporters of Manchester United, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea would disagree, and one or two might throw cataclysmic hissy fits if you posted such a statement on the internet. But the evidence is strong: those marble halls and Art Deco stands at Highbury, erstwhile Old Etonian owners, 1930s British Broadcasting Corporation telecasts via Alexandra Palace, white cricket shirts as alternate kit, a chairman called Sir Chips Keswick, all those league titles and cups in a big fancy cabinet.
Not so grand a legacy in Europe, though, strangely. A Cup Winners Cup, a Fairs Cup, one Champions League final and a fantastic brawl in a restaurant with Lazio over man-purses that spilled out onto the street. And thats that. Hardly a record of failure, granted, but definite under-performance when compared to their domestic grandeur. Time to finally lift Europes big prize, then? Well, perhaps. Arsene Wengers due some luck on the continent. But theyll have to get past Besiktas first.
Continue reading...The Fiver | That damn-fool FA commission!
The last time Manchester United competed in the second round of Tin Pot, the annual cup competition run by the Football League, they were stuffed 3-0 by York City in 1995. Now that was some result. United were the dominant team in the land, the best side in the country by a mile, on their way to becoming champions of England and the first-ever winners of a second Double. An XI featuring David Beckham, Lee Sharpe, Brian McClair, Ryan Giggs, Paul Parker, Denis Irwin, Gary Pallister and Phil Neville were thrashed on their own ground by a relegation-haunted rabble from the third tier, one of the great humiliations. And York City was an actual football club, a morally legitimate concern built from scratch with determination, love and patience, one which hadnt kidnapped the still-twitching carcass of another entity without a single thought for tradition or other peoples feelings simply to save themselves a few years effort and a bit of hard work.
Continue reading...August 23, 2014
Everton v Arsenal as it happened | Scott Murray
Arsenal were outplayed for 83 minutes before coming back at Everton and nearly nicking an astonishing win.
7.25pm BST
And thats that! This draw will feel like a victory to Arsenal, and a defeat to Everton. The home side were so much better than the visitors for 83 minutes. But Arsenal refused to give up, and could easily have won the game at the end. A brilliant show of determination by Arsenal, though Everton will take many positives from their performance too, when the sting of conceding a second late equaliser in two weeks dies down. The first heavyweight showdown of the season wasnt too bad, huh?
7.23pm BST
90 min +3: The Arsenal fans are pointing out the changes to the scoreline via the mediums of song and swearing.
7.21pm BST
90 min +2: Giroud is not too far away from planting the nut on a cross from the right wing. It sails out to the left of Howards goal. Everton have fallen apart. Theyre clinging on for the draw now!
7.20pm BST
90 min +1: There will be four added minutes. Cazorla attempts to float a chip over Howard from a tight position on the left. The keeper snaffles.
7.19pm BST
Monreal chases a lost cause down the left. He picks up the ball by the left-hand corner flag, and whips a cross to the near post, where Giroud ghosts in between Jagielka and Distin, and plants a wonderful header into the left-hand side of the net, Howard rooted to the spot! Goodison falls silent in disbelief. What resilience by Arsenal!
7.18pm BST
89 min: Everton have a chance to fling a free kick into the Arsenal box from a favourable position 30 yards out down the left. But they opt to tiki-taka down the clock. They lose the ball after 0.000001 seconds. Not a great idea, because...
7.17pm BST
87 min: How many times do they do that? It is fucking unbelievable! Arsene Wenger, there, arms thrown out wide, complaining at some Everton timewasting.
7.14pm BST
85 min: Mirallas is replaced by Atsu. Arsenal come at Everton again, hope renewed. A corners won down the right, and Giroud wins a header, level with the right-hand post, ten yards out. His effort sails wide left of goal, but Ramsey wasnt far away from guiding that home. Everton had looked so comfortable, Arsenal so impotent. And now look!
7.13pm BST
Now this is something! Cazorla drops a shoulder and makes a yard of space for himself down the left. He whips a low cross into the six-yard box. Ramsey, coming in from the right, slaps the ball home from a couple of yards out. This is back on for Arsenal! Itd be some escape!
7.11pm BST
82 min: Ozil standing around on the left a lot. Eventually Monreal tries to up the tempo by making off with the ball and whipping a cross straight through the area. Not ideal, but its something.
7.09pm BST
80 min: Ramsey, cutting in from the left, shanks an appalling shot miles right of goal. He wears the expression of a man who knows this isnt a good day at the office.
7.07pm BST
79 min: Everton look the more likely to score now. Coleman is an inch away from latching onto McGeadys pass down the inside-right channel and breaking into the box, but Mertesacker intercepts with a wonderful last-ditch sliding tackle. The corner comes to naught.
7.06pm BST
77 min: McGeady is in the thick of it immediately, racing down the right and pulling a ball back to the right-hand corner of the D for Naismith, who shoots crazily over the bar for three rugby points. Soon after the restart, Flamini is in the book for a late slide on McGeady.
7.04pm BST
76 min: And now Lukaku is replaced by McGeady.
7.03pm BST
74 min: A final roll of the dice by Arsene Wenger. Campbell and Cazorla come on for Oxlade-Chamberlain and Wilshere.
7.03pm BST
73 min: Coleman in space down the right. His cross to the far post is an inch away from finding the head of the inrushing Baines. Mertesacker eyebrows away in the nick of time.
7.01pm BST
70 min: Baines embarks on a determined run down the left. He reaches the byline, not too far from the goal, but the cutback is behind his attackers and the move breaks down.
6.59pm BST
69 min: Arsenal break upfield, and after a little pinball on the edge of the Everton area, the ball falls to Giroud. The striker hits low and hard towards the goal, but Howard smothers. This is better from Arsenal (if you ignore the three-on-two chance they gave up 60 seconds ago).
6.57pm BST
68 min: Mertesacker slips and allows Lukaku to tear off down the right wing. He cuts inside and has options ahead, either side, Mirallas and Naismith. But he hesitates, considers shooting, then attempts a ludicrous backheel back to the right wing to release Naismith. Nope!
6.56pm BST
67 min: Finally a little end product from Arsenal. The balls nudged in from the right wing, allowing Giroud to spin on the right-hand edge of the D and lash a low shot millimetres wide of the right-hand post. Not sure Howard was getting a hand to that, were it on target. Perhaps.
6.54pm BST
65 min: Arsenal are pinning Everton back a little here. But theyre not doing very much with all the territory. Everton look comfortable enough in defence as the visitors attempt to triangulate their way through a thick blue wall. I guess its too premature to call all that Arsenal title talk too premature, opines Niall Mullen. Still its hard to see how they can do it with that back 5. If you took Evertons back 5 and Arsenals front 6 youd have a hell of a team.
6.52pm BST
62 min: Ramsey and Oxlade-Chamberlain shuttle the ball to the right for Debuchy, who has opportunity to cross, hesitates, and settles for a corner off Barry. The resulting set piece is a homage to early Hollywood, a mishit corner, then a fresh-air swipe in lieu of a defensive clearance. The ball sails straight through the area and away from danger.
6.49pm BST
59 min: Arsenal are second best right now. And Everton are first to nearly everything. Naismith - who has been nothing short of brilliant this evening - so nearly robs a dawdling Monreal down the Everton right. A luckier bounce of the ball in a block challenge, and hed have been haring off towards the Arsenal area.
6.47pm BST
56 min: Chambers has been a booking waiting to happen, and finally hes shown a yellow card. Its a common-or-garden clip on Naismith, but the totting-up procedure will have cost him there. To be fair to the young man, he doesnt complain, perhaps expecting the inevitability of his punishment. I wonder if this season might prove a steep learning curve for this very promising young player?
6.45pm BST
55 min: Everton take the sting out of the game by passing it around the back for a while. Everton sides of old might have opted to ratchet up the heat after that challenge, but this is a clever team, with a street-smart manager. Arsenal cant get the ball right now, and they dont look particularly happy. Everton are in total control.
6.43pm BST
53 min: Brouhaha! Wilshere comes clattering into Barry. Hes late, and its clumsy. Its a lunge, but not a two-footed one, and hes only caught Barrys hanging boot. A yellow card seems about right, though for a second, with most of the players congregating for a high-octane chat, anything was possible.
6.41pm BST
52 min: Osman twists down the left and into the area. His dinked cross hits the arm of Ramsey, and theres a penalty appeal. But in fairness to Ramsey, the pair are ludicrously close together, and he also appears to be withdrawing his arm, rather than wafting it in the general direction of the ball. No penalty, which seems fair.
6.40pm BST
50 min: Giroud comes through the back of Baines. Its probably fair to say that Arsene Wenger has given his side a rocket; theyre contesting every ball as though their lives depend on it. Theyre in danger of losing the head right now, but too much commitment is probably preferable to not enough.
6.37pm BST
47 min: Naismith and Debuchy go up for a high ball. The former plants his knee in the back of the latter. Then the prone Debuchy plays David Beckham to Naismiths Diego Simeone. The referee sees the kick out, but opts to ignore it. Grown men Im describing here.
6.36pm BST
45 min 57 seconds: Giroud should have halved the deficit within a minute of his introduction! Oxlade-Chamberlain has the ball at his feet 30 yards out. He scoops a delightful pass down the inside-left for the French striker, who is facing the goal, on the left-hand corner of the six-yard box, with a ball dropping perfectly in front of him. He volleys wildly over the bar. What a start to the half that would have been!
6.34pm BST
Were off again! And Arsenal are off without Alexis Sanchez, who has been hooked in favour of Olivier Giroud. Heres Charles Antaki: The fullness and frankness of Wengers exchange with the fourth official would have included a) a contrite admission that his team have been rubbish; b) that the experiment of having Sánchez playing up front has failed dismally; and c) that were he able to make 11 substitutions he would be very tempted to do so. What part in the exchange the fourth official would play is unclear, besides nodding sagely.
6.18pm BST
Besiktas
Everton will have enjoyed that. Arsene Wenger storms off down the tunnel, having previously entered into a full and frank exchange of views with the fourth official.
6.17pm BST
Arsenal dont get to the interval in one piece. Lukaku rolls Mertesacker down the right wing, powerful brilliance. He then skips over Monreals sliding challenge, and bombs into space. He drifts inside, then just as he appears to be cocking his leg to shoot, dinks a little ball down the inside-right channel to release Naismith into the area. Naismith hammers a low first-time shot into the right-hand corner. What a lovely move ... although Arsenal claim Mertesacker was clipped, and Naismith was half a yard offside. The latter complaint appears more valid.
6.14pm BST
43 min: Mertesacker is booked for an agricultural lunge on Naismith. The visitors will be desperate to hear the half-time whistle.
6.13pm BST
41 min: Lukaku, striding down the inside-right channel, shapes to shoot but opts to release Naismith down the wing instead. Too much weight on the pass; goal kick. From the restart, Naismith nearly charges down a Szczesny kick upfield. Then Arsenal give the ball away in the middle of the park, allowing Mirallas to dance down the left. His low cross is behind Lukaku, who cant retrieve the situation. A more accurate cross, and that would have been a second for Everton. Arsenal are a shambles.
6.09pm BST
38 min: Arsenal are second best to everything right now. Its been a poor show since they fell behind. Only Oxlade-Chamberlain is coming out of this with any credit. He powers forward on a dribble, then charges down a poor Coleman clearance. No reward for all that hard work, though, as the ball clatters off his shins and out for a goal kick. But hes been very impressive this evening.
6.07pm BST
36 min: Ramsey concedes possession needlessly in the centre circle. Mirallas tries to beat Szczesny from the halfway line. The keeper was off his line, so fair enough. The effort flies harmlessly wide right of goal, and the keeper was scampering back to deal with any danger anyway.
6.06pm BST
35 min: Mirallas takes the resulting free kick himself, and is inches away from whipcracking a stunning set piece into the top left. Szczesny wasnt getting to that. Half the ground think the balls gone in, but thats the side netting.
6.05pm BST
34 min: Everton stroke it around the back for a bit. Its entertainment for the crowd, and very frustrating for Arsenal, who cant get a touch. Eventually the balls zipped down the left wing for Mirallas, who on the left-hand edge of the Arsenal box is rugby-tackled by Chambers. That should be a booking, but the referee shows leniency to a young player.
6.02pm BST
31 min: A poor clearing header from Jagielka is latched onto by Oxlade-Chamberlain, Arsenals best player so far. Oxlade-Chamberlain has another first-time shot from the edge of the box, once again looking to thread one into the bottom left. Hes not caught it properly, though, and the ball flies well wide left. Slightly better from Arsenal, though; theyve been poor since the goal.
6.01pm BST
29 min: Baines comes clattering into Debuchy. Hes booked, much to the displeasure of the Goodison faithful. But he can have no complaints, that was as late as challenges come. If there was a few joules more energy in that mistimed tackle, we could have been in red-card territory. As it was, yellow will do.
5.58pm BST
27 min: Baines hugs the left-hand touchline. He whips a low pass up the wing for Osman, who was a whisker away from nudging the ball infield to release Mirallas into the area. Hed have been one-on-one with Szczesny. Arsenal are leaving all sorts of gaps at the back.
5.56pm BST
25 min: Its end to end right now, with Baines sticking a cross down Szczesnys throat from the Everton left, then Ramsey nearly tin-opening a chance up the other end by twisting and turning on the edge of the home box. The Wales international cant quite get his shot away.
5.54pm BST
22 min: This should be 2-0. A simple ball down the middle by Everton. Naismith eyebrows it on for Mirallas, who is clear on goal! Chambers is right behind him. Mirallas chests the ball down with his nipple, leans back, and wafts a weak effort to the right of goal. On target was the bare minimum there. On the touchline, Roberto Martinez claims Chambers clipped Mirallas, who went down as he shot. Its really not very clear after a couple of replays, so the referee should be cut some slack if hes missed that one. For what its worth, to the naked eye it looked like Mirallas simply lost his balance while ballsing up the shot.
5.51pm BST
The free kicks shuttled out to the left wing, then inside to Barry, to the left of the Arsenal D. Barry lifts a diagonal ball over the Arsenal back line. The cross evades Lukaku, but Colemans bombing in from the right, and the full back heads powerfully into the top-right corner, giving Szczesny no chance whatsoever! Arsenal do the George Graham thing, claiming offside, but Ozil was playing both Lukaku and Coleman on. Brilliant goal!
5.49pm BST
18 min: Sanchez puts his shoulder into a 50-50 challenge with McCarthy, flipping the Everton midfielder into the air like an old sock. Everton arent very happy with that challenge, but a free kicks all theyre getting, just in front of the centre circle. Never mind, because ...
5.47pm BST
15 min: Coleman, clearing up to the right of his own goal, should put his foot through the ball. Instead, he attempts to thread a pass through the area. Its inevitably intercepted by Oxlade-Chamberlain, who sends a first-time shot whistling inches wide left.
5.45pm BST
13 min: Lukaku overpowers Monreal down the right and romps forward. His low forward pass towards Naismith is intercepted well by Mertesacker. Arsenal flood upfield, where Ramsey, his back to goal on the left-hand edge of the Everton area, tries to spring the offside trap with a backheeled volley. Theres confidence.
5.42pm BST
11 min: Oxlade-Chamberlain is looking lively, as he so often does. He scampers down the inside-right channel, taking advantage of a little space Everton have left him, and decides to shoot from 30 yards. Its optimistic, and always heading over, but it was a decent enough effort and not a million miles away from the top-right corner. After a slow and slightly sloppy start, Arsenal are in charge of this game right now.
5.40pm BST
10 min: Nope. Pienaar ambles off down the tunnel looking pained, the Everton physio throwing a sympathetic arm around his shoulder. Osman comes on in the South African internationals stead.
5.39pm BST
8 min: Pienaar is down again, perhaps still suffering from that early knee in the back, opines Dr Murray, the Guardian quack who has no idea. It doesnt look like hes going to continue.
5.37pm BST
6 min: Arsenal finally get their foot on it. And they nearly open Everton up wonderfully. Debuchy sprays a low pass up the right wing to release Oxlade-Chamberlain, who whips a cross into the centre just before the ball goes out of play for a goal kick. Sanchez is lurking in the middle, but Barry is tracking back well, spotting the danger and intercepting on the right-hand corner of his own six-yard box. Lovely play all round.
5.35pm BST
4 min: A brisk, sunny evening on Merseyside. Arsenal yet to wake up. Theyve hardly touched the ball! Everton are only fannying around in the middle of the park, its true, but even so. A very lop-sided start to this game.
5.33pm BST
2 min: The corner comes to naught. Szczesny lumps his goal kick straight out of play. Arsenal should be turning up soon.
5.32pm BST
And were off! Everton get the ball rolling, and theyre kicking towards the Park End in the first half. They knock it around the back awhile. Barry eventually loops a pass forward down the inside-left channel for Pienaar, who is kneed in the back by Chambers as the Arsenal youngster concedes a corner.
5.29pm BST
The teams are out! Everton are in their very distinguished blue shirts with acceptable badge. Some prefer a 1960s-style white collar to the 1930s-influenced darker blue, but no white is better than too much white...
4.40pm BST
Everton: Howard, Coleman, Jagielka, Distin, Baines, McCarthy, Barry, Mirallas, Naismith, Pienaar, Lukaku.
Subs: Robles, McGeady, Besic, Atsu, Osman, Stones, Alcaraz.
Arsenal: Szczesny, Debuchy, Chambers, Mertesacker, Monreal, Flamini, Ramsey, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Wilshere, Ozil, Sanchez.
Subs: Koscielny, Rosicky, Giroud, Cazorla, Martinez, Campbell, Bellerin.
4.30pm BST
The last staging of this fixture, back in April, made fools of us all. Everton obliterated Arsenal at Goodison Park, and the result felt epochal. Roberto Martinezs fresh, exciting side scored three. Arsene Wengers Champions League perennials were lucky to get nil. At one point Evertons right back, Seamus Coleman, ran up the wing juggling the ball for 30 yards. The Gunners 16-year residency of Europes premier competition appeared over. The new wave was crashing through.
It was Evertons biggest win against Arsenal for a quarter of a century, since Pat Nevin scored twice as Colin Harveys side, inspired by Norman Whiteside, battered George Grahams champions 3-0 in October 1989. That result put the Toffees on top of the table, a very good day all in all, seeing Liverpool were busy getting skittled 4-1 at Southampton. However, just as those particular results proved illusionary - Everton finished sixth that season, while their city rivals went on to lift the title - so too did last Aprils victory. Everton, with Champions League football in their grasp, collapsed afterwards, losing three of their final five matches. Arsenal meanwhile regrouped to win all their remaining fixtures, and sauntered towards the Champions League yet again, time to twirl a cane, enough puff left to whistle a jaunty trill.
Continue reading...Aston Villa v Newcastle United live | Scott Murray
An unremarkable game, in changeable conditions. A standfirst referencing the weather tells its own story, doesnt it?
2.37pm BST
Look at it this way: both teams have 36 more matches to play, and none of them will be as bad as that one. Still, Alex Simpson (55 mins) will be happy: Villa are top!
2.36pm BST
90 min +4: A lot of rain coming down here. Its biblical.
2.35pm BST
90 min +3: The rain is coming down in stair rods now! What a day of weather this has been. What a match, that were talking about the weather.
2.35pm BST
90 min +2: The ball lumped forward into the Newcastle area. De Jong, tracking back desperately, heads behind for a corner on the right. Then clears the set piece. Hes looked impressive since coming on, at both ends of the pitch.
2.34pm BST
90 min +1: There will be four added minutes. Taylor comes on for the sacrificed Ayoze.
2.33pm BST
90 min: In the centre circle, Delph nudges the ball past Williamson and romps forward. Williamson cant get out of the way, and obstructs the Villa midfielder. The referee has little option, though the Newcastle defender didnt really do much wrong, as he had nowhere to go and no time to react. Still, hes off, and the Villa faithful have forgotten all those bookings now.
2.31pm BST
88 min: Newcastle so nearly grab all three points at the death! De Jong, busy busy, snaffles the ball off a snoozing Vlaar down the inside-left channel. He breaks into the area and thumps a screamer straight at Guzan. The keeper parries. De Jong nearly latches onto the rebound, but Guzan snaffles. Brilliant play from the Newcastle debutant, making something out of nothing, even if the shot was straight at the keeper.
2.28pm BST
86 min: Some pantomime cheering now, as Newcastle receive their first caution of the afternoon. Williamson is booked for a sly tug on Bent.
2.27pm BST
85 min: Sissoko is brought down by Sanchez, who earns himself a debut booking. The home crowd are beyond livid, its what home crowds do.
2.26pm BST
84 min: Dummett, out on the left, hoicks the ball across to Ayoze, ten yards out on the right. Ayoze meets the ball with a half volley, blazing miles over the bar for three rugby points. Not an easy chance, and it would have been a spectacular goal, but he should have done a little better.
2.24pm BST
82 min: Cissokho comes down heavily on his ankle, and limps off. Hes had a good game, and receives the thanks of the crowd. Hell be replaced by Baker. I miss Aly Cissokhos smile and tears, both of which he displayed in his time at Liverpool, reminisces Ian Copestake. I will not sully this with a remark about the emotions his performances provoked, but I think Villa have themselves a man to warm to.
2.23pm BST
81 min: Its sunny again in Birmingham. Thats all there is to report. Never mind the beard, begins Jeremy Boyce. Who exactly is the disturbingly positioned ambulance waiting for ? Id be a worried fourth official.
2.21pm BST
78 min: Delph embarks on a baroque romp down the middle of the park. His curly path takes him to the left-hand edge of the D, but instead of shooting he scoops a delicate chip onto the head of Bent, just to his right. Bent loops a header just over the bar. Krul had it covered, but Bent was offside anyway.
2.18pm BST
77 min: Ayoze comes on for Riviere.
2.18pm BST
76 min: A free kick for Villa down the right. Westwood stands over it. He whips a high ball into the area. Senderos, level with the left-hand post, 12 yards out, flashes a header well wide right.
2.16pm BST
75 min: Bent comes on for Richardson.
2.16pm BST
73 min: Like a late-era Stock Aitken Waterman record, its high tempo, and low quality. Surely it must be absolutely clear just who the new look Roy Keane is impersonating? writes Michael Hall. Clearly he is trying to cast a role for himself as Captain Haddock in the next Tin-Tin movie. Either that or hes after the frozen-food dollar.
2.11pm BST
70 min: De Jong comes on to make his Newcastle debut. Anita makes way.
2.11pm BST
68 min: Now its Weimann in the book, for dissent. Hes unhappy at being pulled up for handball, one of those where a player leans in with his shoulder to control, the ball maybe scraping the upper arm. Youve seen free kicks given, youve seen play waved on. Whether it was worth the hot funk and subsequent booking - all of this was played out on the halfway line - is a moot point.
2.09pm BST
66 min: Senderos is booked for a cynical clip on the ankles of Riviere. Its a good spot from the ref, as the striker was chasing after a fine pass down the inside-right by Anita. Riviere would have been one on one with Vlaar. Senderos wags his finger at the official, but not with any great feeling.
2.06pm BST
64 min: Sanchezs first touch is an exquisite floated diagonal ball from a central position down the inside-right flank for Delph, who wins a corner. The set piece comes to nothing, but thats not really the point. The home support very much enjoyed the way their new player announced himself.
2.04pm BST
62 min: The first change of the afternoon. NZogbia, whose head has gone, is hooked before he gets himself sent off. Carlos Sanchez comes on to make his debut. He gets the warmest of warm receptions from the Villa Park faithful. Theres nothing like a new signing, is there?
2.02pm BST
60 min: Not for the first time this afternoon, a Newcastle player takes a fresh-air swipe from close range. This time its Williamson, at the left-hand post. Its a real slapstick affair. Why he didnt attempt to meet Cabellas looping pass from the edge of the area with his head, only he will know. Instead his feet get tangled up around the dropping ball, much to the amusement of the home support. A couple of corners result from this, but to little effect. This is better from Newcastle, though; theyve been the better team by far since the restart.
2.00pm BST
58 min: Incidentally, in the build-up to that Janmaat chance, NZogbia took a wild swipe at the back of Cabellas legs. The referee waved play on, with Newcastle on the attack. Lucky boy. He really wants to watch himself.
1.58pm BST
56 min: Janmaat nearly knocks Aston Villa off the top of our table, cutting inside from the right and curling a spectacular shot towards the top left. The ball has Guzan beaten all ends up, but shaves the outside of the left-hand post instead of nestling into the corner, as it surely deserves to. A breath-bothering strike. Alex Simpson (55 min) should probably take a screen grab, and quick.
1.57pm BST
55 min: After that brief flurry of action, another lull. Very much enjoying, in the new look minute-by-minute, the sight of the table alongside showing Aston Villa proudly atop the lot, writes Alex Simpson. Think thisll be the first AND last time however.
1.54pm BST
52 min: From the resulting free kick, swung to the right-hand post from the left wing, Williamson heads back into the centre, where Janmaat launches into a diving header from 12 yards. He sends the ball whistling goalwards, forcing Guzan into tipping over the bar. A lovely set piece, and a fine save too. The corner comes to nothing.
1.52pm BST
50 min: NZogbia is booked for a stamp on the back of Cabellas leg. A yellow card is probably the right decision, but it was a nasty enough challenge, and a player would require a talent for world-class chutzpah to moan about seeing a red.
1.51pm BST
49 min: A dreadful header out of defence by Williamson, who is tracking back under a high ball, and suddenly Weimann is in space and haring towards the Newcastle box. So he hoicks a pass ten miles over Richardsons head on the right and into the stand. What an appalling period of play. These two teams need to raise their game.
1.49pm BST
46 min: NZogbia cuts in from the right and has a pop. Its blocked, but balloons back to Hutton, who wins a corner with some persistent play down the right wing. Westwood takes the set piece, rather aimlessly, but thats a decent enough start to the half from the home side, and the crowd are in good voice. Not least because the rain has stopped. A welcome return to the British summer!
1.47pm BST
And were off again! No changes. But something must change. Villa get the ball rolling once more.
1.34pm BST
Half-time ATV Telespots:
1.31pm BST
Well, that was 45 minutes of football.
1.30pm BST
44 min: Its now tipping down. Autumns a-comin!
1.29pm BST
43 min: A ball looped into the Villa area from the right. Cabella nearly gets on the end of it, breaking into the box, but Hutton, channelling his inner Beckenbauer, cuts across from the left and sweeps off with the ball. Wonderful defending. Hes clattered by Riviere for his trouble. A lot of histrionics. The home fans arent happy, but theyll get over it.
1.27pm BST
41 min: Cabella has taken a finger in the eye. NZogbia the culprit, though its accidental. A lot of histrionics. The home fans arent happy, but theyll get over it.
1.25pm BST
39 min: A bit of space for Delph down the left. A ball looped into the middle. Agbonlahor very nearly gets his head onto the cross, six yards out, but Coloccini is on his shoulder, applying pressure. The Villa man mistimes his jump, and the danger is averted.
1.23pm BST
37 min: NZogbia wins another corner for Villa down the same wing. Again the set piece is overhit, though Cissokho does well enough to get eyebrows on the thing at the far post and keep it in play. All with good intentions, keeping the pressure on, etc., but all it achieves is setting Newcastle off on the break. Riviere tears along the left wing, but is stopped in his tracks by Hutton. Not much coming off for either side right now.
1.21pm BST
35 min: Corner for Villa down the left. The balls hoicked straight through the area, about 10 yards over everyones head. This games beginning to get a little tatty.
1.19pm BST
33 min: Newcastle probe, knocking the ball hither and yon. First Cabella attempts to unlock Villa down the left, but his low shot is easily dealt with by Guzan. Then Anita has a dig from 30 yards, his effort fortunate to stay within the confines of the stadium.
1.17pm BST
30 min: Its bombing along at 100mph, this, but to little effect. I hadnt seen Roy Keanes beard in this particular incarnation (pictured at the top) and it is an immediate classic, opines Charles Antaki. Salt-and-pepper, untrimmed, and vaguely nautical, it combines nicely with the mad eyes to give off the unmistakeable whiff of the enraged skipper of a fishing vessel your rowing boat has just got in the way of. One to steer well, well clear of. He does look as though hes been surviving on a diet of raw cod steaks washed down with pints of salt water. A handsome man nonetheless. Trawlerman chic. If he gets involved in any trenchant exchange of views on the touchline, hopefully BT Sport have Peter Capaldi on hand to describe the drama as it unfolds.
1.14pm BST
27 min: Now its Villas turn to cause a kerfuffle in the opposing area. First Westwood takes a batter at goal from a central position, on the edge of the box, but his effort is blocked. A corners eventually scrambled, from which Weimann whips a low ball through the Newcastle six-yard area from the left. Nobodys lurching in to poke home. Neither keeper has had a save to make, and yet this shouldnt still be goalless. Chances are being created.
1.12pm BST
25 min: After a lull, Newcastle suddenly switch on. The balls shuttled from the right wing to Gouffran, on the left-hand edge of the D. Gouffran shoots, but his weak effort squirts to the right. Riviere, on the penalty spot, swings a leg and misses. But he confuses Vlaar, and suddenly Cabella is free, ten yards out, level with the right-hand post. Cabella prods an uncertain effort wide left of the goal with Guzan flat-footed and beaten. That should have been the opener.
1.07pm BST
21 min: Colback gets to take a free kick this time. From 25 yards, in a fairly central position, he looks for the top-left corner of the goal. He instead nestles the ball into the top-left corner of the Holte End.
1.06pm BST
18 min: A round of respectful applause for the two Newcastle fans, Liam Sweeney and John Alder, who were killed in the MH17 air disaster. Both fans give their all.
1.05pm BST
17 min: Colback, 25 yards out, flips Westwood into the air like a fried egg. Out comes the vanishing spray, as the referee prepares the ground for a free kick. At some point were going to stop mentioning the vanishing spray, having got completely fed up of it, but not yet. NZogbia whips a stunner of a free kick towards the top right, but theres a little too much curl on the ball and it flies wide right. A fantastic effort, and Im not sure Krul was getting across to that.
1.01pm BST
16 min: Cabella finds himself in acres down the right, but woefully overhits a cross meant for Riviere in the middle. Another half-chance spurned, because Villa were light at the back there. A pinpoint cross, and Riviere would have had a free header, rushing in, from ten yards.
12.59pm BST
13 min: In the wake of the corner, Vlaar is down receiving treatment for Knee Jigger. Brief concern, with the player holding his face in agony, but hes soon up and about, and standing on the touchline screaming to be allowed back on. All appears well, writes Dr Murray, the Guardians resident quack who doesnt know what hes talking about and should be struck off.
12.58pm BST
12 min: Gouffran teases a mistake out of Senderos, who isnt quite as adept at shepherding a ball out of play as his team-mate Vlaar is. Corner down the left. From the set piece, Janmaat flicks on a header at the near post, the ball dropping at the far post, where Gouffran is coming in from the right. He swings a peg, and takes a fresh-air swipe at the ball. A tight angle, but hes close in, and that counts as a very good chance spurned.
12.56pm BST
10 min: Villa turn up the heat a little, with Cissokho heavily involved in two attacks. First he crosses deep, and NZogbia, racing in from the right, heads over the bar and onto the top of the Newcastle net from a tight angle. Then the French left-back strides down his wing and larrups a very decent shot right down Guzans throat. Promising stuff from the home side.
12.54pm BST
8 min: Newcastle pump a free kick into the Villa box from a deep position down the right. Some head tennis. A goal kick. How do you think it would go if Pardew called Roy Keane an effing old cee? wonders JR in Illinois, one of those questions that doesnt really need answering. I wouldnt mind witnessing that. Alternately Id like to see what would happen if Pardew head-butted Alan Hutton. Alternatively? Wouldnt both of those scenarios end up with the Newcastle boss wandering around Perry Barr looking for his septum?
12.52pm BST
6 min: Villa stream up the other end in double-quick time, Agbonlahor taking a punt from the left-hand corner of the Newcastle box. Its not much of a shot, and easily blocked. The game has suddenly sprung into life, mind, which is all good news.
12.51pm BST
5 min: Dummett breaks into a little space down the left, and swings a low ball into the Villa box. With Riviere lurking, Cissokho is forced to clank the ball out for a corner on the right. From the set piece, Sissoko takes a whack, standing just to the right of the D, but his effort is deflected, and easily claimed by Guzan.
12.49pm BST
3 min: Newcastle seeing most of the ball in the early stages, but doing very little with it. Aston Villa seem fairly happy to let them knock it around the back. Not a whole lot going on right now, tell the truth.
12.46pm BST
1 min: Vlaar shepherds a ball out of play for a goal kick, from 25 yards out, at glacial speed. The only way is up.
12.45pm BST
The players get in their huddles, the fans find their voice. A roar, and were off! Newcastle get the ball rolling, kicking towards the Holte End in this first half.
12.44pm BST
Victoriana. Under a shimmering
early-autumn
late-summer sun, the teams take to the Villa Park pitch, wearing their pretty kits. Claret and blue, black and white. Few football teams are able to look so effortlessly aristocratic. Both managers have named their opening-day starting XIs again.
12.05pm BST
Aston Villa: Guzan, Hutton, Vlaar, Senderos, Cissokho, Delph, Westwood, NZogbia, Richardson, Weimann, Agbonlahor.
Subs: Sanchez, Baker, Bacuna, Cole, Bent, Given, Grealish.
Newcastle United: Krul, Janmaat, Williamson, Coloccini, Dummett, Anita, Cabella, Colback, Sissoko, Gouffran, Riviere.
Subs: De Jong, Perez, Haidara, Elliot, Obertan, Steven Taylor, Abeid.
12.00pm BST
Aston Villa. Newcastle United. Two grand Victorian institutions which have seen better days, like Blackpool beach, or the railways. Since lifting the 1982 European Cup, the only trophy Villa have won is the Savo Miloevi Platter, twice, in 1994 and 1996. Since lifting the 1969 Fairs Cup, the only trophy Newcastle United have won is ... no, we cant be counting Second Division titles. Astonishing droughts.
Theres little hope of, respectively, an eighth or fifth league title this season. But a fast start may engender a little confidence, the sort that drives a club to a League or FA Cup win. Both clubs started the season in a blue funk, woe in the post, but the early signs give a little hope. Villa won their first game at Stoke, can give debuts today to Carlos Sanchez and Joe Cole, and are looking to win their first two matches of the season for the first time this century. Newcastle meanwhile werent expected to do anything against champions Manchester City in their opening fixture, and didnt, but competed fairly effectively anyway, are unbeaten in six against todays opponents (winning here last season on the way to completing a seasonal double), and have Siem de Jong and Facundo Ferreyra at the ready. A continuation of last seasons form, and theyd be heading along the right track, too. Its on!
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