NST Online: Sports

Football / EPL: Wenger throws in title towel

Posted: 03 Oct 2011 05:17 PM PDT

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger(left) and assistant Pat Rice shout instructions to their players during their Premier League match against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday. — AFP picture

LONDON: Arsene Wenger admits Arsenal cannot be regarded as title contenders after falling 12 points behind leaders Manchester United following their 2-1 defeat at north London rivals Tottenham.

Wenger endured another frustrating day as his side crashed to their fourth loss in seven league games at White Hart Lane.

Their disappointment was compounded by a potentially serious injury to Bacary Sagna who was taken to hospital with an ankle problem that could keep him out for several weeks.

Arsenal's dismal start to the season mean they sit just two points above the bottom three and Wenger accepts it is unrealistic to consider his side to be likely challengers for the championship while they are in their current plight.

"I think at the moment we have to set realistic targets like to say today we want to get in the Champions League positions," Wenger said.

"At the moment we are 12 points behind Man United and Man City, it's not realistic to say today we will win the league. We have to fight to come back into a better position, that is the reality."

Kyle Walker secured his side's victory with a 73rd minute goal after Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey cancelled out Rafael van der Vaart's first-half opening goal.

Sagna was forced out of the game in the 68th minute of the game when he collided in mid-air with Spurs leftback Benoit Assou-Ekotto and landed against the perimeter fencing.

"We are very worried about his injury. He is in hospital at the moment but the first signs don't look good at all. It is fibula and ankle that has to be checked," Wenger said.

Wenger was clearly frustrated by the outcome and was involved in a confrontation with Clive Allen, one of the Tottenham coaching staff, as they made their way towards the tunnel after the final whistle.

Spurs manager Harry Redknapp said: "Arsene shook hands with me. I was pleased he shook hands with me. I think Clive went to shake hands with him and he missed Clive -- he didn't see him."

And Wenger confirmed: "I shook the hand of the manager and the assistant manager. How many people do I have to shake hands with? Is there a prescription? There were no words exchanged."

Redknapp admitted, however, that the abusive chants directed at Emmanuel Adebayor, Tottenham's former Arsenal striker, from Gunners fans had marred the occasion.

Vile chants were also directed by the home supporters towards Arsene Wenger and asked about chants Redknapp said: "It was disgusting. There was some pretty disgusting chanting at me but that's life.

"How do you chant something like that to someone? You can't be right mentally. You need help. There are kids up there as well." -- AFP

Football / EPL: Villas-Boas: More of the same please

Posted: 03 Oct 2011 05:13 PM PDT

Chelsea's David Luiz (left) is brought down by Bolton's Darren Pratley at the Reebok Stadium on Sunday. — AFP picture

LONDON: Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas insists his team's 5-1 destruction of Bolton showed they have finally discovered the ruthless instincts required to win the Premier League.

Frank Lampard scored a hat-trick within an hour on his 350th league appearance for the club, while Daniel Sturridge scored twice as Chelsea routed Bolton, who had to settle for a consolation goal from Dedryck Boyata early in the second half at the Reebok Stadium on Sunday.

The Blues are now in third place, three points behind leaders Manchester United, and Villas-Boas is adamant it was about time Chelsea won by a big scoreline.

"We have been looking towards this victory for quite some time," he said. "It happened because we were more prolific in front of goal.

"I would like to dedicate the victory to my technical staff and my players.
"We have been chasing this victory for quite some time, we have deserved this for some time but for various reasons it hasn't been happening for us but it happened today.

"I don't think it's a statement. It is just something that fills us with pride because it is not as though we haven't been trying to do this before.

"We have been trying but football is a game full of uncertain things and for various reasons -- luck, a lack of efficiency -- we weren't able to find a result like this before.

"We have been creating the same volume of opportunities, today we were just more prolific and it paid off very, very well."

Lampard was the outstanding performer among many for Chelsea, especially given the uncertainty surrounding his future under the new Chelsea manager.

Whatever the future holds for the 33-year-old, he showed at the Reebok Stadium that he is not losing any of his scoring touch with age.

Chelsea now go into the international break hot on the heels of pacesetters United and Manchester City and with their manager in optimistic mood.

"Next week two title contenders play each other -- Liverpool and Manchester United -- then the two Manchester clubs play each other the following week," he said.

"It is important for us to continue to win and close the gap. We have a difficult game against Everton and a difficult game against QPR but hopefully, if we manage to get six points out of that, it will put us in a better position."

Bolton manager Owen Coyle has now seen his team lose 11 of their last 12 league games and six consecutive this season.

Yet he remained defiant in the face of growing pressure and criticism.
"I took stick as a player and I will take it as a manager," he said. "I'll be back on that training ground to work because all I want to do is put a smile on the fans' faces.

"People have said lovely things about me and the success I've had for six years. If I come in for criticism now, so be it. I'll take it on the chin because all I want to do is work hard for those fans." -- AFP

Kredit: www.nst.com.my

Isnin, 3 Oktober 2011

NST Online: Sports

NST Online: Sports

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