Bristol Rovers v Scunthorpe United – 10.08.13,Pictures by Neil Brookman,Bristol Rovers young goalkeeper, Matt Macey
After impressing Arsene Wenger on a short trial, Arsenal have completed the signing of Bristol Rovers goalkeeper Matt Macey, The Metro reports.
Macey, 18, has signed a four-year contract with the Premier League leaders in a deal thought to be worth around £100,000.
It’s believed that Macey also had offers from Everton and a number of Championship sides, but opted to move to Arsenal as he has always had his heart set on a move to The Emirates.
The League Two strugglers tweeted yesterday that the move had been completed, stating: “Goalkeeper Matt Macey has now joined Arsenal #bristolrovers.”
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The 6 foot 6 inch shot stopper, who has already played for the Arsenal U-21 side is aiming to be Arsenal’s number one goalkeeper in the future, but the teenager will have to be patient as he will have the likes of Wojciech Szczesny, Lukasz Fabianski, Emiliano Viviano and Damian Martinez to get past first.
Liverpool arrive at Carrow Road this Saturday desperate for a first Premier League victory under Brendan Rodgers.
The Reds were unfortunate to lose at home to Manchester United last weekend, and will be without Jonjo Shelvey following his controversial red card in that fixture.
Martin Kelly will also be missing, following the news he will be sidelined for six months with a knee injury sustained in the closing stages of Sunday’s defeat.
Although centre-back Daniel Agger has a good chance of being fit for Liverpool despite being carried off on a stretcher last weekend.
The Denmark international sustained bone bruising in the defeat by United but could retain his place in the starting line-up, although forward Fabio Borini (ankle) is rated at 50-50, after he was withdrawn at half time of the same game.
Norwich will be without on loan Tottenham forward Harry Kane, who looks set to miss six weeks after damaging his ankle in the 1-0 win over Doncaster in midweek.
Nuri Sahin is set to make only his second Premier League start for Liverpool since joining on loan from Real Madrid. The Turkish international grabbed both goals as Liverpool recorded their first domestic win of the season at West Brom in the league cup on Wednesday evening.
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The corresponding fixture last season saw Luis Suarez steal the show, scoring a sublime hat trick as Liverpool ran out 3-0 winners.
To celebrate 25 years of the Premier League each week in Football Fancast we’re going to be looking back at a memorable game that took place on the corresponding date. This time out we revisit a quest for safety that many believed to be impossible.
Languishing as they presently are in the fourth tier it would not surprise if Coventry City fans are rather endeared towards Tottenham Hotspur. It was, after all against the North London giants that the Sky Blues enjoyed their most memorable of days, a classic FA Cup final complete with a thrilling comeback and Keith Houchen’s diving header. And here, ten years on almost to the day, their successful jaunt to White Hart Lane finalised an escape so great it would have made Steve McQueen think twice about attempting it.
It was a recovery that seemed so implausible six weeks earlier. Then a home defeat to West Ham left Gordon Strachan’s men second from bottom and though teams were still comfortably within reach the latter stages of the fixture list was anything but kind. Of the six games that remained two daunting away-days to Liverpool and Spurs offered scant hope for a side with a pitifully low scoring record that term, while home tests against high-flying Chelsea and title-chasing Arsenal were hardly causes for optimism. It seemed that after two successive seasons of just about doing enough to stay in the Premier League, Coventry’s fortunes were finally on the wane.
But then Dion Dublin rediscovered his scoring boots at just the right time, scoring an unforgettable winner at Anfield and starting off a three-goal blitz that downed Chelsea before draws with Southampton and Arsenal meant that come the final day of reckoning the Midlands side still had an outside chance.
Here’s how the table looked at 3pm on May 11th 1997. Forest were down and above them Coventry and Middlesbrough each had 38 points with the latter boasting a significantly superior goal difference (what with Coventry’s shyness in front of goal). Two points ahead of both teetered Sunderland.
All three faced difficult away games but with the Mackems heading to Wimbledon and Boro travelling down to mid-table Leeds there was no question that Coventry had the toughest examination. This may not have been a vintage Tottenham side but it was still one that contained Sol Campbell at the back and Darren Anderton on the right. Up front prowled Teddy Sheringham. This was still Spurs.
Furthermore even an unlikely win would probably not be sufficient. Should either of their North-East counterparts also prevail, Coventry would be doomed to endure their first spell outside of the top flight since 1967.
Let’s deploy a shortcut at this juncture and offer up a spoiler alert. Boro drew – with Juninho famously inconsolable on the final whistle – while a poor Sunderland XI went down with barely a fight against Wimbledon at Plough Lane. Victory then, against Sol and Teddy and the lads, would suffice.
12 minutes in and the travelling faithful had something to cling to, as Dion Dublin continued his rich vein of form with a near-post flick beyond the grasping palm of reserve stopper Espen Baardsen. Approaching half-time it got much, much better when Paul Williams stuck out a leg to redirect a Gary McAllister corner goal-bound. It was only the eighth time that Coventry had scored two goals in a single game all season and four had come in the last six games.
If they could take this lead into the break they were surely favourites to emerge victorious but this was a relegation haunted side, and relegation haunted sides never did things the easy way. As the referee prepared to blow up for half-time Sheringham’s long-range free-kick thundered the crossbar and fell to youngster Paul McVeigh to guide it home.
This is my last PL25 look-back and so many of them have featured last gasp winners and spectacular feats. Perhaps it is fitting here to end with a celebration of fortitude and heart.
Because that’s what Coventry showed to see out the game, restricting the hosts to just a single chance (that in truth they really should have dispatched) during 45 minutes of sheer agony and desperate resolve.
As the final whistle blew the players looked stunned and naturally so because they believed this against-the-odds triumph was nothing more than a salvaging of pride. But then realisation dawned: the fans had radios and were going berserk; Strachan was hugging anyone within grabbing distance. The other results had gone their way too.
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That April and May, Coventry City jumped over barbed wire fences on their motorcycle. They boarded a train without thanking the guard in English. They had pulled off a great escape.
What happened next?
In his first full season in charge Strachan moulded a side of experience and guile to a mid-table spot with a front two of Dublin and Huckerby that terrorised defences.
Four months in to the following campaign Spurs sacked Gerry Francis and brought in Christian Gross. From bad to gross you might say.
Arsenal vs Liverpool is one of the most hotly-anticipated fixtures on the English football calendar. While the title race has proved beyond both clubs during the second portion of the Premier League era, their meetings always provide excitement and drama as two sides famed for their offensive enthusiasm and attacking flair go toe-to-toe in what often descends into a straight-up shootout.
With Arsene Wenger and Jurgen Klopp at the helm it looks to be a similar case when they meet again on Friday night, and separated by just one point in the table, the coming encounter could have a huge say on which side qualifies for the Champions League come the end of May. So, can history tell us anything about how Friday’s 7.45pm kickoff will pan out? Football FanCast takes a look…
Head-to-Head
Since the inception of the Premier League, this fixture has been incredibly closely fought overall, but that doesn’t tell the whole story. The stats say that no side has had the upper hand in this fixture, but from March 1994 to August 2000, Arsenal failed to beat Liverpool in 14 attempts in all competitions, 12 in the Premier League and two in the League Cup. Since then, the tables have been turned and it’s Arsenal who have been the dominant side – until last season.
In 2016/17, Liverpool did the double over Arsenal for the first time since the 1999/00 season while the reverse fixture earlier this term ended in a thumping 4-0 home victory at Anfield.
Top Scorer
Top scorers in Liverpool v Arsenal fixtures in the Premier League tell the same story of Merseyside dominance in the 90s and north London dominance in the 00s. Robbie Fowler is the top marksman in this fixture in the Premier League with nine goals, whilst Thierry Henry is just behind him with eight.
But that just shows the quality of this fixture – both sides’ top scorers against the other is a bona fide Premier League legend, though an honourable mention has to go to Andriy Arshavin who famously scored four goals in one game against the Reds, which brings us onto…
The Unforgettable Match
That one game is the unforgettable epic that was the 4-4 draw at Anfield in April 2009. That year was without doubt Liverpool’s best chance to win the Premier League until the 2013/14 season when Steven Gerrard’s memorable slip against Chelsea saw Manchester City pip the Reds to the post.
The draw with Arsenal at Anfield was a classic for the ages, where the lead changed hands plenty of times on a tumultuous afternoon.
A 90th minute Andriy Arshavin goal – his fourth and final goal of the game – looked to have won it for Arsenal and gifted the title to Manchester United, but Yossi Benayoun, who would later go on to play for the Gunners, popped up with a late equaliser.
It wouldn’t have mattered in the title race anyway. The draw was Liverpool’s only dropped points since February, but so consistent were United that they still won the league by four points. The extra two for beating Arsenal may have put added pressure on Alex Ferguson’s side, but we’ll never know if they would have cracked.
The Shared Hero – Kolo Toure
Outside of the Premier League era, figures like Ray Kennedy – who played over 200 times for Arsenal and nearly 400 times for Liverpool- and Michael Thomas – who famously scored a last-minute goal at Anfield to win the title for Arsenal – inevitably come to mind.
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But in the Premier League era, Kolo Toure stands out as a player who played for arguably the defining sides of both clubs recent history. For Arsenal, that’s an obvious one, as Toure played in the Invincibles side of 2003/04. But for Liverpool, perhaps it’s more debatable. He made 24 appearances for the Reds, including 20 in the top flight, as Brendan Rodgers’ side came close to lifting the Premier League crown in 2013/14.
What perhaps makes Toure such a shared hero, however, is how popular a figure he’s become in football. He’s earned cult status and even a drinking game based around his name and even when not at the full extremities of his powers, has always seemed to find a way to connect with the fans.
At some point or another, English football will have to make a move to separate the term ‘tactics’ with boring; they don’t have to have such obvious links. But David Moyes, in his first real test as Manchester United manager, got a result that would have suited him just fine.
The United manager clearly doesn’t have the charisma of Jose Mourinho, which was highlighted in the pre-match interviews. For the former Everton boss, it’s about efficiency over style, and that’s how he set his team up.
The first big clash of the season came so soon in the campaign that perhaps there was an opportunity to be adventurous, to make the most out of the creative and in some way fearless talents in the squad. Is this an indicator for what’s in store for the first season at least of Moyes’ tenure?
Wayne Rooney came into the side to make his first start of the season, and there’s a feeling that his inclusion was something of a safety net. What if Rooney were left on the bench and United lost? Even further, what if they were even more toothless than they were with the England forward in the starting XI? Whatever issues there are between the manager and player – and we’re led to believe there are none – were apparently swept under the carpet for another day.
But Shinji Kagawa, much to Jurgen Klopp’s heartbreak, I’m sure, remains on the sidelines of Moyes’ United team. The Japanese international, much like Juan Mata, would have injected some flair, further cutting edge and something far more interesting to the match, perhaps even a match winner. But this could be an early sign that Moyes is yet to shrug off the underdog mentality that he held at Everton; would Bayern, Juventus, Barcelona, or Real Madrid have been excused for playing it so safe at home to one of their rivals? Certainly the dullness of the affair would have been far more prevalent in the media abroad had one of the continent’s major twin hitters conjured something so lifeless.
You’d have to hope that Moyes wasn’t taken back by the occasion of playing against Mourinho, now the ‘older head’ among the obvious title challengers this season. United were good without being great. There was a lack of urgency and a lack of willingness to commit. If a goal came of something then great, otherwise at least there was enough to attempt to stem the tide from Chelsea’s attacks. It will be interesting to see what happens in the Champions League should United be drawn against one of Europe’s elite clubs.
A major test has been navigated without much damage, if any, and in fairness to Moyes he could still be searching for a level of comfort in the United dugout to unleash something a little more enterprising. That’s the hope at least. Manchester United, as the biggest club in England, surely can’t be defined by a fear of playing attacking football to its maximum and with the most obvious resources in the squad as the logical first steps.
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Is United’s draw against Chelsea a sign of things to come in the big matches?
Chelsea winger Florent Malouda looks set to return to his former club Lyon in January after being snubbed by Blues boss Roberto Di Matteo according to the Daily Mail.
Malouda has enjoyed five successful years at Stamford Bridge but it seems his time in West London may soon be over after he was forced to train and play with the Under 21 squad when Di Matteo confirmed he wasn’t in his plans.
Di Matteo signed plenty of attacking players in the summer and the likes of Eden Hazard, Oscar, Daniel Sturridge and Marko Marin are all ahead of Malouda in the pecking order at the Bridge so it seems it is time to move on.
The 32-year-old left winger has been in contact with his former clubs coaching staff and it seems Lyon would be more than happy to take the French international back home.
“Our door is always open to former players,” Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas admitted.
“Malouda has been in contact with our coaching team very recently.”
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“We’ve also spoken with Jeremy Toulalan who has been having problems at Malaga.”
West Ham fans are praying the latest reports on David Moyes are true, after a report from the Telegraph claimed the manager must impress in the final games to keep his job.
According to the Telegraph report, both David Moyes and the West Ham owners are unsure whether the Scotsman is the right fit.
Now that Premier League survival is secured, Moyes must play positive football in the final two matches to prove he can keep the fans happy with entertaining football.
The former Manchester United manager has completed his objective by keeping West Ham in the Premier League, but fans have grown increasingly frustrated by his uninspiring tactics.
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The Hammers’ 2-0 win at Leicester on Saturday secured their top tier status for another season, but fans have been lining up new managerial candidates for several weeks now.
Moyes’ side host Manchester United on Thursday night, who could rest players with second place pretty much locked up and an FA Cup final on the horizon.
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The Hammers then welcome Everton to London, who will surely be there for the taking given the toxicity surrounding the Toffees and Sam Allardyce.
Some of the best Twitter reactions can be found below…
Since first breaking onto the scene under Sir Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford just a few short seasons ago, Danny Welbeck is someone who has certainly seen his fair share of attention from within the English footballing community.
The 24-year-old striker – now plying his trade in North London under Arsene Wenger – has been spoken of rather highly during his brief career in the Premier League, with some even suggesting that the former Manchester United man is capable of becoming a true England great in the next few years or so.
Having totalled only four solitary league goals throughout the past 2014/15 campaign however, such grand plans for the still developing Danny Welbeck have seemingly been put on hold for now.
Such a meagre return last term simply wasn’t good enough for a player initially sourced for £16 million – and as the Gunners famously have strong competition for places among the many attack-minded players in their squad – the current Arsenal and England forward certainly has his work cut out next year if he is to impress in the English top flight once again.
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With such a notion in mind then, does the determined no. 23 still have something valuable to offer Arsene Wenger ahead of the 2015/16 campaign, or does his signing at the Emirates simply represent one of the few mistakes Arsenal have recently made in the ever precarious transfer market?
It seems the general option may be split. Some view Danny Welbeck as an extremely hard worker and someone more than willing to put in an adequate shift for his boss, as well as his teammates. He does certainly possess a quick turn of pace in the final third, and when playing with confidence up top, the unpredictable front-man is always eager to impress in front of goal.
Welbeck has played as an out-in-out centre-forward during his time in the Premier League, yet the former Old Trafford favourite has also proven willing to do the business out wide on the flanks often enough to be considered a versatile asset.
At the still promising age of only 24, Danny Welbeck certainly has enough time to make a real name for himself in the English game, and tie his performances down to a truly consistent level. It would definitely seem somewhat premature for anyone within the wider footballing community to completely write the England striker off now – but as the no. 23 is certainly no youngster anymore – time is seemingly running down for Welbeck as he looks to really assert himself successfully and maturely in the Premier League.
However, whilst the current Emirates favourite admittedly puts in the work and could never really be questioned in terms of effort and determination, huge question marks ultimately still surround the fate of Danny Welbeck at a club as high profile as Arsenal. Sure, the former Red Devils front-man would certainly not look out of place doing the business for one of the Premier League’s ‘lesser’ teams shall we say – but does that mean that Welbeck actually has what it takes to lead the line for England and the Gunners as his career plays out further?
The answer could well be no.
In the cold light of day, it does in fact seem like the 24-year-old has been somewhat over-hyped throughout his time in the English game. Yes, he’s relatively quick across the pitch and doesn’t lack confidence when given the chance in front of goal, yet because the striker is evidently lacking in terms of solid technical ability, sometimes looks short of ideas in the final third and often fails to display the footballing intelligence required to truly make it at the top, perhaps it’s fair to say that the current Arsenal front-man will never really become a great player in the modern era.
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Ultimately on the basis of last season in particular, the signs seemingly don’t look too promising for the 24-year-old at the Emirates going into the new campaign.
Of course, he’s an admirable trier, and yes his unpredictability can sometimes serve him well on the odd occasion – but as hard work simply doesn’t take you all the way within the ever competitive realms of modern day football – maybe we can suggest that Danny Welbeck will ultimately fail to hit the lofty levels many had expected of him upon his initial emergence within the English game.
The Liverpool tenure has been no easy task for Brendan Rodgers. Although the Reds have only managed to improve upon last season’s final standing by one place in the Premier League, the Northern Irishman’s inaugural season has been dogged with off-pitch complications and financial restrictions.
The papers have rumoured he will only have a small transfer kitty at his disposal in the summer, but nevertheless, the Anfield faithful will be expecting a handful of new recruits to raise the quality or add to the depth of the first team in time for their next campaign.
With every transfer, the planning behind the scenes, involving scouts, managers, chairmen, accountants and agents, has been going on a long time, and it will be no different with Liverpool’s future summer purchases.
Therefore, to keep you in the loop, we’ve created a shortlist of five potential signings already on Rodgers’ radar.
Click on Kevin Gameiro to reveal Brendan Rodgers’ summer wishlist
Arsenal and Theo Walcott have come to a short-term agreement that the player will not leave the club before the transfer window ends, Sky Sports claim.
The England international winger has less than a year left on his contract with the north London outfit, and has refused to pen a new deal as yet due to disagreements over wages.
With Liverpool and Manchester City loitering and ready to pounce should the Gunners opt to sell the attacker, rumours were rife that Arsene Wenger would cash-in on the player to avoid losing him for free in a year’s time.
However, it is believed that the latest round of talks have been more positive, and although a new contract has not been agreed upon, the two parties have agreed that a hasty sale before the end of the week is not the answer.
Arsenal had to sell Robin van Persie to Manchester United earlier this summer as the Dutch maestro was in a similar position.
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