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Raul Meireles: Why he will be key to any Chelsea Title Challenge
Chelsea managed to make an impact on transfer deadline day with the 12 million pound signing of Portuguese midfielder Raul Meireles.
Meireles handed in a transfer request to Liverpool on Wednesday, and will be reunited with Andre Villas-Boas. The Chelsea manager briefly working with the fellow Portuguese Meireles before the midfielder moved to Liverpool last year.Meireles finished last season as arguably Liverpool’s form player, and when he recovers from his current collarbone injury he will be an important addition for the Blue’s.
Chelsea have undoubted talent in the midfield department, but do have some depth issues that could hurt them over the course of a season. As impressive as Manchester United look right now, it is worth remembering that Chelsea had scored more, conceded less and looked equally impressive in the opening stages of the season.
Liverpool FC: Is an EPL Title Challenge on the Cards?
You will find very few Liverpool fans predicting a Title challenge for their team. The reason is not the players on the field, it is merely the humility beaten into them by 21 years of waiting for an English Title.
In addition to the frustration of constant failure to win the league, Liverpool fans have also been forced to watch bitter rivals Manchester United break their record of 18 English Championships. For a long time the fact that their club had won more league titles than any other is the only straw Liverpool fans had left to clutch, as they argued against the superiority of Arsenal, Chelsea and United.
It was also typical to hear Liverpool fans confidently exclaim in August that this was the year the drought would be broken, only to be disappointed before Easter rolled around.
Ironically, the lack of that optimism could be a big positive for this year’s squad. Pressure is elsewhere, with United expected to defend their title, Manchester City expected to compete after spending billions of dollars and Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas is expected to bring immediate success.
Brazil Remain Favorites To Lift The 2011 Copa America Title, Says Pato
Everyone’s now questioning Brazil’s strength in depth following the Seleçao’s unimpressive draw on match-day 1 of the 2011 Copa America in Argentina. Pato, however, remains proud and confident.
“We haven’t lost our status as favorites because of that [goalless] tie [against Venezuela]. Everyone is afraid of us,” Pato declared according to Terra US.“The only thing we have to do is beat Paraguay to get us on the road to the quarterfinals. If we are patient, the goals will come.
“The match will be hard but we are ready. It will be different that against Venezuela. We are both going to come out to play, make goals, and win.
“There are no easy teams. That doesn't exist anymore. But we do have those who want to play and those that don't. Paraguay will attack. So we will have more spaces.”
Fergie Would Win The Title With Any Of The Top Four Sides - Steve Bruce
Steve Bruce has heaped praises on his former manager Sir Alex Ferguson as Manchester United prepare for a title-winning match against Blackburn Rovers
It may have been quite some time since Steve Bruce played under Sir Alex Ferguson but the Sunderland manager does have very good memories of the gaffer by calling him a 'pure genius'. Manchester United are on the brink of lifting their record breaking 19th league title Steve Bruce believes that Sir Alex would win the title with any of the 'Big Four' sides.According to the Daily Express, Bruce said: “United were fantastic against Chelsea. It was a great performance. I hope they can reproduce it and beat Barcelona in the same fashion.
Liverpool Determined To Reclaim Throne As Devils Close In On 19th Title
Manchester United might be on the brink of lifting their 19th league title but Steven Gerrard is warning everybody to expect a fightback from Liverpool next season.
The Reds are on a riot in the Premier League recently with Maxi Rodriguez grabbing headlines with his explosive form. However, something painful could be happening to the Anfield faithfuls this weekend as Manchester United are on the brink of lifting their record-breaking 19th league title.The last time Liverpool won a league title was in 1991 when King Kenny was in charge and while Steven Gerrard has never ever lifted the Premier League trophy in his career, the Reds' skipper insisted that much more can be expected from them with Kenny Dalglish set to be in charge next season.
Barcelona Wants To Lay Hands On La Liga's Title At The Camp Nou Against Espanyol
A fifth Clasico for Barcelona in less than a month. Can RCD Espanyol defy Liga leader Barcelona?
Barcelona's dual chase both for the Spanish title and the Champions League has borne fruits, successfully reaching the final stage of Europe's most coveted title. Barcelona leads La Liga with 88 points, and could virtually become the champion if Real Madrid does not defeat Sevilla on Saturday at the Sanchez Pizjuan.The influence of Lionel Messi in Barcelona's scheme is indubitable: The Argentinean is both La Liga's top scorer and assist leader, with 31 goals and 18 assists. But Lionel Messi is not Guardiola's key to success, but the organicity of the Cule squad,
Javier Mascherano and Sergio Busquets have both proven great determination and comfort playing in the back line, something that might not be necessary now that Eric Abidal and Carles Puyol have recovered their form. Guardiola might choose not to risk the Spanish international defender unnecessarily.
Gabriel Milito, on the other hand, has not been seen with the rest of the Blaugrana squad during week's training and it appears like he won't be given many chances to make it into the starting eleven. Brazilian wingers Maxwell and Adriano are ruled out due to injuries.
"People believe the Liga is already won, but it's not. We want to close the deal the sooner the better" said Barcelona's defender Carles Puyol.
Have Pretenders-Looking Arsenal Indeed "Bottled" Their EPL Title Chances?
Six points behind Manchester United with five more matches to go is apparently too much for the Gunners to overcome, according to Petr Cech. Live Soccer TV analyzes the situation.
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The storyline has been pretty similar for the Gunners this season. The plot is somehow familiar to all faces at the Emirates with a good beginning, a disastrous climax and a poor resolution. Even Arsene Wenger's looks at White Hart Lane last week were pretty common in recent times as he witnessed his side lose yet another valuable 3 points after Spurs staged a magnificent comeback to derail their already slim title hopes.
Every season, Wenger keeps on repeating of the significance in the youth present in his squad. Maturity within the team has always been under serious doubt although the highly philosophical Frenchman stressed about how they would all find their feet one fine day. Presumably, he was expecting to see them all reach their peaks at a similar time so that he could transform himself into a 'human' La Masia.
Ancelotti 100% Focused On Chelsea vs West Ham As EPL Title Race’s Not Over
Carlo Ancelotti has described Chelsea vs West Ham as a fixture that deserves a lot of attention.
The Italian manager is wary of Manchester United’s dominance in the race for the English Premier League title, but he still believes in the Blues’ chance to retain their domestic crown. Chelsea are on a good run in the EPL and their last defeat takes us back to February 6 when they lost 1-0 to Liverpool. Since then, they have recorded 6 vital victories in 8 matches. “We are the in-form team in the Premier League right now,” Ancelotti told The Sun.
“We have started to play well again. Our important players are all fit and in good form. But we also have to be honest. The title is in the hands of Manchester United.
El Clasico: Barcelona aims for the title as they visit the Santiago Bernabeu.
A quick look at how well have they done in Madrid before?
Only six months ago, Barcelona overwhelmed Real Madrid at the Camp Nou and celebrated a sound 5-0 victory. The temperature of the game kept rising as the minutes went by, and referee Iturralde González was forced to book eleven players, without counting the ejection of Sergio Ramos.The situation is radically different nowadays, as the Liga title itself is at stake. But it is not the first time Real Madrid and Barcelona must face four Clasicos in a row.
Real Madrid claimed two victories back in 1916, while Barcelona won once and a memorable 6-6 draw at the Santiago Bernabeu.
A victory might keep Real Madrid eligible for the title, though they'd still have to overcome an alleged five-point gap in just seven games. Let's not forget Barcelona has only been defeated once so far in the Spanish league.
80 times has Barcelona been at the Santiago Bernabeu for a Liga clash, and the general outcome of their performance in Madrid is rather disappointing, with 50 victories for the hosts, 16 for the Blaugranas and 14 ties. Jose Mourinho's Galacticos have been much more effective than their eternal rival in Madrid. Los Blancos have scored 169 goals in the Bernabeu, almost twice as much as Barcelona with 89 goals.
Can Leverkusen Pip Dortmund To The Title?
The gap between the top two German sides is down to five points. The title race is not over yet.
Former Bayern captain and midfield general Mark Van Bommel made a very interesting comment following the Champions League final of 2010. Bayern, despite having all the stats except the most important one in their favour, had lost the Champions League final, 2-0. Van Bommel said that it is not the best team but the most effective team which wins. Best and effective are supposed to be synonymous words. However, a simple example from this Bundesliga weekend will clearly show what this means. Dortmund was the best team in terms if the way they played. They created innumerous chances but they converted just once. Meanwhile, Leverkusen beat St.Pauli after going a goal down. Lars Bender scored the winner.
This season, Leverkusen has been the most efficient side and has the best goal goals scored to chances created ratio. The ratio is even better than that of Hanover.
Arsene Wenger: No Need To Speak About Titles Until We Get Better
Arsene Wenger has admitted that his side should not speak about any title challenge after seeing a poor offensive display from the Gunners in the scoreless draw against Blackburn last night.
The Gunners' title hopes suffered a massive blow last night when they were held to a stalemate at the Emirates. The result leaves Arsenal trailing Manchester United by a massive 7 points with only eight matches to go.Nonetheless, Wenger praised Rovers for their gritty showings that obviously disrupted Arsenal's offensive game. However, Wenger was also quick to insist that his side's attacking section were also to be blamed for clearly showcasing their flaws
"Half of it is down to the fact Blackburn defended well but I feel it was more down to our poor offensive performance today," said Wenger.
Why Doubting Arsenal’s EPL Title Chances Against Man UTD Is 100% Correct
What is Live Soccer TV talking about today? Manchester United’s amazing power as giants or Arsenal’s delicate situation as English Premier League title contenders? Both, actually...
So as we’re discussing this topic, we are sandwiched between Manchester United’s lunch time dramatic 4-2 comeback away to West Ham and Arsenal’s upcoming late kick-off at home to Blackburn Rovers. The result at Upton Park today only adds more pressure on Arsenal’s shoulders. And this is the case not only because of what Manchester United achieved – a win at West Ham. What actually pushes the Gunners away from the favourites zone, ahead of their game against Blackburn Rovers, is the manner in which the Red Devils claimed all three points.
AC Milan Vs Inter Milan: Derby Could Possibly Decide The Title - Pirlo
Andrea Pirlo has heated up the upcoming Milan derby by stating that the clash between the two Italian giants could actually decide the Scudetto this season.
AC Milan will take on Inter Milan this Saturday in a very crucial clash that could even see Inter take top spot if AC Milan lose. The Rossoneri are just two points ahead of their city rivals and they will be looking to get back to winning ways after suffering a setback against Palermo three weeks ago.Nonetheless, Andrea Pirlo believes that his teammates have the ingredients needed to take the game to Inter Milan in a clash he described as a very 'decisive' one in terms of determining the Scudetto.
Chelsea Vs Manchester City: Torres Keeping Hopes On Premier League Title
Fernando Torres is convinced that Chelsea can still defend their Premier League crown if they win all their remaining games starting with tonight's clash with Manchester City.
Despite being ruled out from the title race by Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti himself, Fernando Torres believes that there is still a good chance for the Blues to retain their Premier League crown. Manchester City will visit Stamford Bridge tonight and while he believed that Chelsea can still win the title, Torres was also quick to insist that they cannot afford any further slip-ups.Torres told the Sunday Mirror: "Yes, there are a lot of points between us and the top but we have a head-to-head with United still to come, which will be a pivotal game.
"The teams at the top of the table still have to come to our ground. So we have to play until the last game.
Atletico Madrid Vs Real Madrid: Ozil Convinced On Title Glory
Ahead of what seems like a crucial Madrid derby after Barcelona dropped points last week, Real Madrid playmaker Mesut Ozil believes that Real have what it takes to win the league this season.
As Atletico Madrid get ready to host Real Madrid tonight, Mesut Ozil has spoken about Real Madrid's title chances by insisting that they have the ability to beat Barcelona and wrestle the title away from the Catalans. While he was quick enough to admit that Barcelona are a class above the rest, Ozil believes that Madrid are a young team that will continue to evolve."You can tell they [Barcelona] have been playing together for several years,'' the youngster told Spanish publication, Marca.
''We have a young team with great potential. We are on track to continue to evolve, that's what we're doing. With every game we get better and stronger. I am convinced that we can put on a great performance and win against Barcelona.
Liverpool Vs Manchester United: Title Bid Back On Track If We Win On Sunday - Fletcher
Manchester United midfielder Darren Fletcher has admitted that United cannot afford anything but a win on Sunday if they want to get their title bid back on track as the season draws closer to its ending.
Liverpool will host United tonight in a match being billed as the most important match of both teams’ seasons. The Red Devils suffered a demoralizing defeat to Chelsea last Tuesday and Liverpool also had their fair share of disappointment as they were totally outclassed by a very spirited West Ham side.Both teams will be going all out for victory and while Darren Fletcher believes that the Liverpool Vs Manchester United clash is always a big one, tonight's clash will be an even fierier one because of recent on goings.
Chelsea Vs Manchester United: Back In The Title Race? Absolutely - Frank Lampard
Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard has stated that Chelsea are now back in the title race after their 2-1 triumph over Manchester United at Stamford Bridge last night.
Chelsea defeated Manchester United after David Luiz and Frank Lampard both scored to cancel out Wayne Rooney's early goal for Manchester United. Frank Lampard's winning goal sealed a very important victory for Chelsea- one that Lampard feels has put them back on the title race.Chelsea are now 12 points behind Manchester United but Lampard believes that this victory and any improvisation in their front three's form would be a springboard to get back into the title race.
“We’ve closed that gap today, there’s still a long way to go, Man United are still deservedly top of the league, but we’ve showed there’s some fight in us as we’ve shown tonight,” Lampard told Sky Sports.
Chelsea vs Manchester United: EPL Title Hunt Back On If We Win – The Blues
The Blues still dare to dream about winning the EPL title as the doors aren’t closed mathematically. Ahead of the Chelsea vs Manchester United match, the Blues have rekindled their belief.
“This game can make us come back to fight for the title,” striker Fernando Torres was quoted as saying by The Mirror. “If we win this one, then we are closer to them... and we have will still have one more game against them.”
Chelsea coach Carlo Ancelotti echoed Fernando Torres’ statements. The Italian manager, who enjoyed life at the top of the English Premier League’s table with the Blues in the early stages of the season, is now under pressure to guide Chelsea in the right direction this term. Concerning his side’s fate in the league, Carlo Ancelotti prefers to think positively although the Blues are currently out of the top 4 zone.
Chelsea Vs Manchester United: Spending Spree Will Not Win Them The Title - Rio Ferdinand
Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has intensified the clash between Manchester United and Chelsea by stating that their spending spree during the January transfer window will not win them the title this season.
Chelsea spent a massive £75m on Fernando Torres and David Luiz in a bid to improve their performances and luck both on and off the field. However, Ferdinand who will not play any part in the clash at Stamford Bridge has stated that all their spending will not necessarily guarantee them the title for this season.'I just love transfer deadline day. The Torres deal did make me think "Wow, they’ve really gone for it,"' Ferdinand told the club's official magazine Inside United.
'But will those transfers really improve Chelsea this season? I don’t know. Next season, I would say yeah, they will. But it’s hard to settle in quickly in January'
Chelsea’s EPL Title Hopes Are Over But 4th Place At Least Is A Must –Ancelotti
Carlo Ancelotti has apparently given up on the English Premier League title. The Italian boss says that it is more realistic to think about qualifying for the Champions League, only.
“Now for us, it is difficult to think that we can come back and fight for the Premier League title,” the Chelsea coach told reporters as the Blues are looking to recover from last weekend’s defeat to Liverpool.“The gap is very big, we have to be honest. But the most important thing is to reach fourth place in the table to maintain Chelsea in the Champions League
“ And we have to fight with the other teams,” Ancelotti added as Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur and now Liverpool look dangerous.
“It is better for us to take it game by game in the Premier League. But, we have to reach fourth place as a minimum.”