Norwich City moved back into the Championship’s automatic promotion places after a 5-1 away win at Ipswich Town on Thursday.What will make Norwich’s triumph even more memorable is the fact it was their second easy victory over their arch-rivals in the East Anglian Derby this season, with Thursday’s triumph surpassing the Canaries’ 4-1 win in November.
Andrew Surman kickstarted celebrations in the away end with his 13th minute strike and the Portman Road crowd were stunned when 11 minutes later, Gareth McAuley turned the ball into his own net for Norwich’s second.
Norwich were not content with a two-goal lead and wanted to put the match beyond doubt in the second half, with Simeon Jackson scoring his fifth goal in as many games after 73 minutes to seal victory.
Jimmy Bullard has impressed since joining Ipswich on loan from Hull City and scored a consolation for the hosts on 78 minutes, only for Russell Martin to respond two minutes later for Paul Lambert’s side.
Liverpool loanee Dani Pacheco added the finishing touches to the huge victory with his first goal for the club in the third minute of injury time to seal a convincing defeat for the hosts.
The result sees Norwich two points above third-placed Cardiff, who have a game in hand, but the big win has almost drawn the Canaries level on goal difference with the Welsh side.
In many areas, football has changed beyond recognition over the years; in some areas it has remained very similar. The fundamental essence of the game has remained, interpretations have differed. The game has been modernised with nets, and assistants, substitutions, offsides, fourth officials, scoreboards, chicken balti pies and so on.
Ken Aston, himself a referee in the 1960s, was the man responsible for inventing red and yellow cards. They were first used by FIFA during the 1970 World Cup. On the trip, punctuated by many traffic lights, Aston realised that a colour coding scheme on the same amber (steady) – red (stop) principle as used on traffic lights would traverse language barriers and clarify to players and spectators that they had been cautioned or sent off (thank you wikipedia). Thus was devised the system whereby referees show a yellow card for a caution and a red card for an expulsion. Players had been cautioned previously, but there was no visual confirmation of the punishment, the player was just told by the referee.
It was a great jump forward, a great idea by Aston. Astonishing that no one had thought of it before, but great nevertheless.
But isn’t it now time we moved with the times and introduced a new system of cards?
Yellow and red cards are no longer good enough in my opinion. It is a system that is not fit for purpose. A cynical tackle from behind merits the same punishment as putting your shirt over your head when scoring a goal. Leaving the pitch without permission is treated the same as some borderline red card offences, which is treated the same as taking too long to take a goal kick. Meanwhile, two missed tackles can mean the same as deliberately elbowing an opponent in the head.
Cards were introduced in simpler times. No edicts about celebrating goals, leaving the perimeter of the pitch, dissent, feigning injuries or questioning the parentage of the match officials. Players were allowed to get away with much more; many tackles that brought a tear to your eye didn’t even merit a free kick. Dismissals were really earned! It might make matters more confusing, but thankfully Graham Poll has retired so there’s a good chance that mistakes will be avoided.
The laws of football are simple when compared to other sports, a 50 page document where other sports have rulebooks covering thousands of pages. This is good, and I would never advocate wholesale changes to the game. But laws need to move with the times, and I’m surprised at the lack of discussion on whether the current system is good enough.
Afterall, when the laws were first drawn up in December 1863, they contained some of the following rules:
The maximum length of the ground shall be 200 yards (180 m), the maximum breadth shall be 100 yards (91 m), the length and breadth shall be marked off with flags; and the goal shall be defined by two upright posts, eight yards (7 m) apart, without any tape or bar across them. After a goal is won, the losing side shall be entitled to kick off, and the two sides shall change goals after each goal is won. A goal shall be won when the ball passes between the goal-posts or over the space between the goal-posts (at whatever height), not being thrown, knocked on, or carried. If a player makes a fair catch, he shall be entitled to a free kick, providing he claims it by making a mark with his heel at once; and in order to take such kick he may go back as far as he pleases, and no player on the opposite side shall advance beyond his mark until he has kicked. No player shall run with the ball.
The Laws of the Game are now written by the International Football Association Board who meet at least once a year to debate and decide any changes to the text as it exists at that time. So there are always things being changed, even if the fundamental principles remain.
To me, it also seems too harsh when handing out suspensions for picking up bookings over time. Five innocuous yellow cards can lead to a domestic suspension in English football (and a longer one at ten), and it only takes a couple in international tournaments to result in missing the subsequent game, which for an unfortunate few has been the final.
There are systems in place in other sports that give us an idea of what could be done. In field hockey a yellow card indicates a temporary suspension. The length of the suspension is determined by the umpire, but is a minimum of 5 minutes playing time. It is possible for a player to receive two yellow cards for different offences during the same match, however the period of suspension must be significantly longer with each yellow card.
In rugby league yellow cards are not usually used in the southern hemisphere with referees indicating a 10 minute suspension by raising both arms straight out with fingers spread (to indicate 10 minutes). This is the well-known ‘sin-bin’.
In the union code, during international matches, a yellow card also results in a trip to the sin bin. A player receiving a second yellow card in a game will also be shown a red card.
So here’s an idea – shout abuse at the referee and you get to spend ten minutes or longer in a sin bin. I like the ideas of sin bins for certain offences, those that aren’t malicious or violent or involve blatant cheating. Of course you never know if something would work, and only trialling it would tell if it is feasible or not.
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In field hockey, they have a triangular-shaped green card, which indicates an official warning, covering those who have committed a minor offence that does not warrant a more serious sanction. A second green card for the same player will result in a yellow card (5 minute suspension). A green card can be given to a specific player or to the captain as a warning to the entire team.
Many would naturally be concerned at altering the fundamental structures of the game, but I don’t see changing the caution system as that ground-breaking, and no more than changing to 3 points for a victory for example.
I’ve no solution myself that would make everything totally fair, but would love to see a trial of a three card system (green-yellow-red, with the option of jumping straight to a yellow card for bad-but-not-quite-red-card offences), or trial the use of sin bins for certain offences. Too many games are decided now not by the skill of footballers, but the number of players on the pitch. And that can’t be right.
Gamba Osaka finished atop their AFC Champions League group following a 2-0 win over Tianjin Teda on Wednesday.Yasuhito Endo broke the deadlock at Expo 70 Commemorative Stadium in the 73rd minute, before a Takashi Usami spot kick sealed victory for Gamba deep into injury time.
The result ensured the Japanese outfit finished top of Group E, with Teda also qualifying for the knockout stages in second place in the group.
Melbourne Victory finished their Champions League campaign on a positive note, earning a come-from-behind 1-1 draw at Jeju United.
Kim Eun-Jung put the South Koreans ahead after 25 minutes, but Diogo Ferreira’s stunning volley earned parity for the visitors at the Jeju World Cup Stadium.
The match also brought to a close the career of veteran defender Kevin Muscat, as the two-time A-League Championship winner made his last appearance in Melbourne colours.
Neither Melbourne nor Jeju qualified for the next stage.
FC Seoul were already guaranteed of their place in the knockout stages, but were held to a 1-1 draw by Group F cellar-dwellers Hangzhou Lucheng.
Nagoya Grampus had also qualified for the last 16, but finished their group stage in poor fashion, losing 3-1 to Al Ain, who still ended up three points behind the Japanese side in the standings.
Iranian club Esteghal earned a 2-1 win over Al Nasr, of Saudi Arabia, but it was not enough to earn them a top two spot in Group B.
Al Nasr progressed thanks to a superior head-to-head record against the Iranians.
Al Sadd finished on top of the group, unbeaten in six matches, following the Qataris 1-1 draw away to Pakhtakor.
Sepahan, another Iranian outfit, smashed United Arab Emirates club Al Jazira 4-1 away to finish on top of Group A, while Al Hilal secured second after a 2-0 win over Al Gharafa.
Corinthians had to come from behind in their 2-1 win at Gremio in Brazilian Serie A on Sunday.Tite’s side scored twice in the last 25 minutes to record the victory that will lift spirits at the club after their 2-1 aggregate final defeat to Santos in the Campeonato Paulista exactly one week ago.
But it could have been so different for the club, who were on the verge of making a poor start to the season when they trailed 1-0 on the hour mark.
That goal game from Douglas who netted from the penalty spot after Chicao had given away the spot kick but the Corinthians defender turned from villain to hero when he returned fire from 12 yards seven minutes later.
Portuguese striker Liedson then grabbed the winner with 17 minutes remaining as his new side continued to reap the benefit of his January transfer window move from Sporting Lisbon.
Liedson has now scored 12 goals in 17 appearances for the club he played for in 2003.
In other matches, Dagoberto and Lucas both found the back of the net in Sao Paulo’s 2-0 away victory at Fluminense while Alessandro’s 86th minute winner handed America Mineiro a 2-1 home win over Bahia in a battle between two promoted teams.
Atletico Goianiense won on the road with a 1-0 triumph against Cortiba, thanks to Marcao’s 73rd minute goal and Palmeiras won by the same scoreline with Kleber’s second-half goal deciding their match against Botafogo.
Continuing the theme of 1-0 scorelines were Figueirense, who surprised Cruzeiro with their victory, which came courtesy of a Marquinhos Parana own goal.
Barcelona target Cesc Fabregas insists he is happy at Arsenal, but also confirmed his frustration with the club’s six-year trophy drought.Fabregas, 24, has been consistently linked with a return to boyhood club Barcelona, who reportedly had a 35 million-euro bid rejected by Arsenal in June 2010.
A World Cup and European Championship winner with Spain, Fabregas has just one FA Cup success to show for his eight years in north London and is understandably disappointed with the team’s continuing silverware drought.
“A player who is not frustrated at not winning titles is either lying to himself or lacks ambition,” Fabregas said.
“There is a good team and a good manager and one of the most faithful fan bases in Europe. With those I believe we can make progress and one day win an important trophy.”
“I am an Arsenal player. I have been very happy for eight years and I am very happy. I am not thinking about football right now, just about my holidays.”
Fabregas looked set to depart the Emirates before the beginning of the 2010/11 season after publicly announcing his desire to re-join Barca.
But Arsenal resisted the Catalan giants’ advances and manager Arsene Wenger was able to convince his captain to reaffirm his commitment to the cause.
While Fabregas may again resolve to depart the Emirates Stadium, last year’s experience has taught him the reality that the matter is likely to be taken out of his hands.
“There have been no decisions,” Fabregas said.
“The truth is that it doesn’t always depend on the player and at the moment I don’t know anything.”
“He (Wenger) is the boss, the one who makes the decisions. You should ask him. I was injured at the end of the season and I haven’t seen him for about six weeks.”
“I am very happy where I am. Anything else would be speculation that is untrue. You can never say never in this life as so many things happen that you can never predict.”
The Premier League this week published the names of all players that have been released by top flight clubs this summer and it’s fair to say there is some top talent available for free.
A number of big names featured on the list with the likes of Patrick Viera , Jonathan Woodgate , and Seb Larsson all now looking for new clubs. Relegated Birmingham, West Ham , and Blackpool have released a total of 32 players between them in an effort to re-build for life in the Championship.
There are a number of players that will catch the eye and a number of Premiership managers will be searching for a bargain. Larsson for example, almost left Birmingham in January but chose to stay until the end of the year and rumours are that old boss Arsene Wenger is looking at bringing him back to Arsenal , the club that sold him in four years ago.
Although a number of players on the list won’t struggle for a club the future is slightly less clear for injury prone pair Jonathan Woodgate and Owen Hargreaves . Both have found their respective careers at Tottenham and Manchester United hampered by injury and presents something of a risk to any potential suitors.
Woodgate, once of Real Madrid is certainly a talented player and when fit would be a superb acquisition for any club, and he could be in line for a sensational return to former club Leeds United along with old favourites Lee Bowyer and Alan Smith .
The reasons for players being released are varied, some like Larsson leave because of ambition, whereas Hargreaves and Woodgate suffered because of poor fitness, but what of those elder statesmen on the list, players in the twilight of their career?
Vieira at the age of 34 for example has admitted a desire to stay in England but how long will the queue be for the former Arsenal captain’s signature? A player of outstanding ability and a leader on and off the field some believe he has one eye on joining former team-mate Thierry Henry in the MLS.
Kevin Phillips, once the Premier League top goal scorer, is now 37 and perhaps entering the final stages of his career. A proven striker he would be a valuable asset to any Championship club chasing promotion.
A number of clubs will be looking at this list and see it as a way of bringing in talent at bargain prices. There a whole host of international footballers that could provide much needed experience for a team’s fight against relegation of the push for Europe. Boudewijn Zenden has played for the likes of PSV Eindhoven and Barcelona and has represented Holland over 50 times a player like this could certainly add something to your club.
Matthew Upson is another name that a lot of managers will be looking at very closely, the central defender now 32 is in the prime of his career and represents superb value for money following his release from West Ham. An England international and former Captain of the Hammers he will certainly be one that should not struggle to find a new club.
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For now their futures are uncertain but there is no doubting the fact that there is a great deal of talent on offer and managers at home and abroad will be looking to find that player that could turn out to be the bargain of the century.
Read more of Patrick Giffney’s articles at This is Futbol
Charlie Adam has stated that he cannot wait to start life at new club Liverpool and that it is an honour to play for the Anfield club. The Scotland international moved to Merseyside this week from relegated Blackpool in a £8.5 million deal, and he has stated his admiration for his new employers.
“Since I’ve known about Liverpool’s interest I’ve been looking at the website,” the former Rangers playmaker is reported to have said in The Daily Telegraph.
“It has been a long process but now I can’t wait to get started and hopefully this will be a successful period in my career and in the club’s history.”
The 25-year-old also mentioned his respect for new boss and countryman Kenny Dalglish.
“Liverpool is a massive club with terrific players and a terrific manager. You have seen since the new manager came in the forward strides that have been made. Kenny has a terrific respect from players and people in the game. He is a wonderful manager and it’s an honour to be able to say I’m going to be able to play for Liverpool.
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“I see this as the perfect development for me to come here, play with such wonderful players and hopefully help the team to win trophies,” the Dundee born player concluded.
Andre Villas-Boas must have had some reservations in becoming the seventh Chelsea manager in eight years. It is fair to say that the Abramovich era, though a successful one for the club, has consisted of few successful managers. Only Jose Mourhino and Carlo Ancelotti were able to win the league at Chelsea, whilst the likes of Avram Grant and Luiz Felipe Scolari both ended their reigns in charge without any silverware to boast. High expectations are part of the package at Stamford Bridge, and this is something Villas-Boas will have been fully aware of. Whilst some of the names mentioned above looked to enforce distinctive playing styles on the players at the club, others often seemed too cautious in their management, perhaps concerned that should any drastic changes or tactics backfire, it would ultimately be them that would have to face the consequences.
Despite winning the double in his first season at Chelsea, Ancelotti often appeared to be very relaxed on the touchline, perhaps a little too relaxed at times, and this kind of attitude could be seen in the Chelsea players on a number of occasions throughout last season. Chelsea lacked the ability to grind out results, or to get that crucial goal, and never seemed to really get out of second gear for much of the campaign. Whilst Ancelotti’s capabilities as a coach should not be questioned too heavily – his CV speaks for itself – it seems that this style of play did ultimately cost him his job at Chelsea.
Earlier this week Villas-Boas claimed that his players must believe in his playing methods if they are to be successful this season, however he insisted that it was possible to be successful in football in various different ways. The important thing for Villas-Boas, is that the players are able to commit themselves to his ideas and strategies, regardless of what they are. Writing in the club magazine, Villas-Boas claims that his players must be willing to “commit and die for you and for the cause”. For some this may seem to be somewhat extreme, but perhaps should not be taken so literally. Chelsea seemed to lack the passion and desire of champions last season, and appeared to be frustrated and even disinterested at times. It seems almost essential that Villas-Boas is able to instill a sense of belief and a winning mentality back in to the players at Chelsea, and players ‘commitment to the cause’ is fundamental if he is to do so.
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The Chelsea boss insists that he is happy with the current Chelsea crop and that there is no need for ‘big’ or ‘radical’ changes, particularly with regards to personnel. On the field, he believes it is important that his players are ‘freed of decision making’. In order to “exploit the potential of every player to the full”, Villas-Boas maintains that players must be given a certain amount of freedom, “or else they will never test it.” We can rest assure then, that Villas-Boas will seek to bring the best out of what has often been referred to as an ‘ageing’ Chelsea side. Whilst many may consider this a risk, particularly due to the Abramovich’s limited patience, it is a risk he clearly feels is calculated and worth taking.
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One thing we can certainly hope to expect from Chelsea this season is goals. The tactics employed by Villas-Boas at Porto helped his side to 145 goals in just 58 games, and he will certainly be hoping to get these kinds of numbers out of the likes of Fernando Torres and Didier Drogba next term. Having spent almost 4 years at the club with Jose Mourhino, Villas-Boas believes his time at Chelsea before will certainly make things a little easier for him, and it seems fair to assume that if he can relay the confidence and belief that he has in his own abilities as a manager on to the players as well, then this Chelsea side may be a force to be reckoned with. Only time will tell us exactly how much has changed at Stamford Bridge since the appointment of Villas-Boas, but after a comparably poor season last time out, changes certainly do seem necessary. This are certainly exciting times for everyone involved with Chelsea, and this could well be the start of something special, should Villas-Boas be given the time to prove himself. As we all know, ‘time’ is not something that Abramovich is particularly fond of.
No goals at Craven Cottage, but it was certainly a lively encounter in West London.
Both Martin Jol and Alex McLeish were in charge of their first games at their new clubs and both will be satisfied to get off the mark with a point in a game that neither side really deserved to win on the balance of play.
Damien Duff and Bobby Zamora both went close on occasions for the hosts, while Emile Heskey and Stilian Petrov wasted good chances for the visitors.
Shay Given showed why Alex McLeish was so keen to bring him to Villa Park with excellent saves from Zamora early in the second half to complement his brilliant stop from Johnson towards the end of the first half.
Schwarzer was equally accomplished at the other end and two fine stops from Emile Heskey, who looked a handful on his return to the Villa line-up, ensured that it remained goalless
The game ebbed and flowed with neither side getting themselves across the finishing line; however both managers would have been satisfied with the result.
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As the dust settles on what was another entertaining, but in most cases, unfulfilling transfer window, supporters are left to reflect on their club’s performance within the past few months and whether they did enough to ensure that their team can progress this season.
There was certainly no shortage of millions splashed out throughout the summer and the usual suspects were the ones leading the spending and their respective starts to the season suggests it is money that has been well spent. There were some interesting loans deals as well, although it remains to be seen what difference they will make.
So how do you assess Man United’s performance? Do you believe that with the significant arrivals of the likes of Young and Jones that Sir Alex has done enough to ensure that the team can retain their title and look to capture the Champions League this season?
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