Category: EPL

Arsenal, Breaking News, EPL

I am a Football Priest: Arsene Wenger

Arsene Wengerhas compared being a football manager to entering the priesthood as both jobs involve making all-consuming personal sacrifices.

The 67-year-old Frenchman has been at Arsenal for 20 years and is hoping to extend that stay with a new contract at the end of the season although there have been calls for him to leave with the Gunners facing the likelihood of no silverware.

Wenger, who brought the last of his three Premier League titles to the north London club in 2004, made the comparison about the priesthood when asked about Barcelona handler Luis Enrique’s decision to step down at the end of the season and the stamina needed to coach a top club.

Read also: Famous Afgan Kid finally meets his Hero and it’s Heartwarming
“I think everybody experiences that in a different way,” said Wenger.

“What I can say, yes, it’s very demanding. It’s a sacrifice of your life. You have nothing else happening in your life.

“Basically you get 90 per-cent aggravation and 10 per-cent job satisfaction and you have to give everything in your life for that. You have to be ready for it.

“That’s what I always say to all the young people who want to go into this job. ‘Are you ready to sacrifice your life?’ It’s like a priest. You’re a football priest.”

Wenger, who was plucked by the Arsenal board from relative obscurity coaching Japanese side Nagoya Grampus Eight back in 1997, said football management had its down sides but for him it had improved himself immeasurably as a person.

 “I am a specialist in masochism,” he said. “I believe as well it allowed me to get to the next level as a human being, to develop my strengths in what makes a human being great as well.”
Read Also: Lionel Messi’s targets for 2017 as chosen by Barcelona

Wenger faces perhaps a pivotal few days with regard to his future.

On Saturday, Arsenal play Liverpool and on Tuesday will try to overturn a 5-1 deficit from their Champions League last 16 tie with Bayern Munich.
Breaking News, Champions League, Conspiracy, EPL, FC Barcelona, Laliga, Manchester City, Match Day, Messi, Neyamar, Suarez, UCL 2016-2017

Messi tunnel spat caused by alleged ‘asshole’ Arteta comment

The former Arsenal midfielder, who now works as a coach for Pep Guardiola, is alleged to have angered the Barcelona star.

The man responsible for Lionel Messi’s reported tunnel altercation after Manchester City’s 3-1 win over Barcelona on Tuesday night is alleged to be Mikel Arteta.

The Spaniard, who is part of Pep Guardiola’s coaching staff at Man City, reportedly confronted the Barca forward behind the scenes at the Etihad Stadium.

“What are you waiting for?” Spanish TV station La Sexta claim Arteta told Messi in the tunnel. “Go and get changed, asshole.”

Messi, who was reportedly furious with the comment, is alleged to have responded to the former Arsenal midfielder: “Idiot, come over here, don’t run off and hide!”

Arteta, 34, began his professional career at Barcelona but never made an appearance for the first team.

He retired this summer after five years at Arsenal to take a coaching role under Barca legend Guardiola.

Man City midfielder Fernandinho had on Wednesday denied reports that he was the person responsible for triggering an angry reaction from Messi in the tunnel.

Barcelona remains two points clear of Man City in Champions League Group C despite the midweek defeat in which an Ilkay Gundogan double and Kevin De Bruyne free kick canceled out an opening goal from Messi on the counterattack.

Credit: Goal

Arsenal, Breaking News, Champions League, EPL, UCL 2016-2017

‘So beautiful I started crying’ – Twitter reacts to Ozil’s magnificent winner against Ludogorets

The playmaker sent Arsenal through to the Champions League last 16 with a spectacular winner in the 3-2 victory and an outpour of admiration for the goal took over social media.

What. A. Goal.

Such is the technical brilliance of Mesut Ozil’s winner against Ludogorets that it will no doubt be replayed over and over again for many years to come.

Oozing immense composure, Ozil waltzed beyond several opposing players before slotting home the goal that sent Arsenal through to the last 16 of the Champions League on Tuesday.

Twitter exploded with admiration for the jaw-dropping strike and we have taken a look at some of the best messages here …

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Arsenal, Breaking News, EPL, Match Day, Ozil, UCL 2016-2017

ARSENAL FANS REACT ON TWITTER TO SUPERB LAST-MINUTE OZIL GOAL V LUDOGORETS

Mesut Ozil completed a fantastic comeback for Arsenal in the Champions League against Ludogorets with a fantastic winner in the 87th minute.

Ozil timed his run to perfection and was sent clear on goal. Instead of rushing Ozil chipped the ball over the keeper and then used his skill to put two defenders on the ground before slotting home.

It was Ozil’s seventh goal of the season and probably his best of the bunch. Ozil enjoys playing against the Bulgarians after scoring his career-first hat-trick against them in the reverse fixture at the Emirates.

Talking on BT Sport after the match, Michael Owen said the finish was as “cool as a cucumber” and that it “was a brilliant result for Arsenal.”

Arsenal fans took to Twitter to celebrate the goal that gave them a valuable three points after going 2-0 down in the first half.

They have qualified for the knockout stage with two games to go along with Paris Saint Germain. Both teams have ten points after four games but Arsenal top the group on goal difference.

Here is a selection of their tweets:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Arsenal, Breaking News, Champions League, EPL

Watch: Ozil last minute stunning Goal

The Germany international scored a late winner to clinch Arsenal a place in the Champions League knockout phase.

Everything is coming up Arsenal these days, and Mesut Ozil has been at the heart of it.

That trend continued Tuesday, as the German scored a brilliant winner against Ludogorets in the Champions League, completing a Gunners comeback from two goals down to a 3-2 win.

Late in the match, Mohamed Elneny sent Ozil in behind the defense, and the 28-year-old dinked the ball over the goalkeeper before calmly gliding past two defenders and finishing into an open net.

With the win, Arsenal clinched a spot in the Champions League round of 16 with two games remaining in the group stage. The Gunners are level on points with PSG atop Group A, as the French side also advanced with a win over Basel on Tuesday.

Breaking News, Champions League, EPL, FC Barcelona, Laliga, Manchester City, Match Day, Messi, Suarez, UCL 2016-2017

Beating Barca is a Landmark: Guardiola

group-c-table
Both Qualified in Top 16

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola says his side’s 3-1 Champions League victory over Barcelona is a landmark win for the club, but admits they did not do it playing the way he favours.

City had not beaten Barca in five previous attempts in Europe and Guardiola said after the Group C game on Tuesday: “It is a good step to say that once in our lives we played against the best team in the world and we beat them.

“We competed with Barcelona, but for now we did it in a different way. We played more long balls because we are still not ready to keep the ball and play like they do.

“They have been playing that way for 25 years. For us, it is three or four months that we have been trying to play in a different style.”

City staged a thrilling comeback after Lionel Messi’s 90th Champions League goal put the visitors 1-0 up in the first 20 minutes.

Guardiola, who won the Champions League twice as Barca manager, had seen his side lose 4-0 at the Nou Camp last month in the reverse fixture after goalkeeper Claudio Bravo was sent off.

But the 45-year-old Spaniard said that when it was “11 v 11” in the first game, his side performed much better than for the 38 minutes on Tuesday night.

“They were 1-0 up and we were really in trouble. They had a chance to score their second and if they had, then the game was done – finished,” said Guardiola.

Also Read: Watch: Ozil last minute stunning Goal

“Our equaliser changed absolutely everything for our mood. We also realised our build-up was too complicated, because they were playing a high-pressing game against us.

“We did not feel comfortable and we changed the way we played. We tried to play a little bit more direct.”

Breaking News, Champions League, EPL, FC Barcelona, Laliga, Manchester City, Messi, Neyamar, Suarez, UCL 2016-2017

Manchester City 3- 1 FC Bracelona

Manchester City staged a thrilling comeback to run Barcelona ragged and secure a fully deserved Champions League victory at Etihad Stadium.

Lionel Messi’s 90th Champions League goal, a counter-attacking masterpiece complete with cool finish from Neymar’s pass, put Barcelona in control as half-time approached.

The whole emphasis of the game changed, however, six minutes before the interval when Sergi Roberto’s mistake allowed Raheem Sterling to set up Ilkay Gundogan’s simple finish.

City, seeking their first win over Barcelona at the sixth attempt, were irresistible from then on as Kevin de Bruyne’s free-kick curved past Marc-Andre ter Stegen in the 51st minute.

Andre Gomes crashed a shot against the bar as Barcelona pressed for an equaliser, but City wrapped up a landmark win against manager Pep Guardiola‘s former team with 16 minutes left when De Bruyne played in Jesus Navas and, when his cross fell loose from Sergio Aguero, Gundogan was once more on the spot to score.

City will reach the knockout phase of the competition if they win on 23 November at Borussia Monchengladbach, who drew with Celtic on matchday four.

Breaking News, Champions League, EPL, FC Barcelona, Laliga, Messi, Neyamar, Real Madrid, Ronaldo, Suarez, UCL 2016-2017, Zlatan

Messi and Bale shirts help leg loss footballer Shaun Whiter

Lionel Messi and Gareth Bale’s signed shirts helped to raise more than £30,000 for a footballer who had both legs amputated.

Shaun Whiter was helping his friend Joey Abbs to change a tyre near Newmarket, Suffolk, when he was struck by a hit-and-run driver in July.

Mr Whiter, 27, had both legs amputated after they were crushed. Mr Abbs, sustained a serious leg injury.

A fundraising auction was held at Cambridge United during the weekend.

messis-shirt

Mr Whiter, an estate agent in Stansted, Essex, who was due to begin training with Newmarket Town FC, had his legs amputated below the knee at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge.

Mr Abbs, who played football with Soham Town Rangers, was trapped between his and Mr Whiter’s vehicles.

Messi’s shirt fetched £2,100 while Bale’s brought in £1,600.

Mr Whiter thanked the professional footballers for their help and said he hoped the auction would “create awareness of disability in the area”.

Mr Abbs said: “It has been tough, especially at the start but we have just been blown away by the support that we have had.”

A separate crowdsourcing appeal to raise £120,000 for Mr Whiter’s current and future medical needs has already reached more than £100,000.

Jan Adamec, 40, of Shetland Road in Haverhill, was jailed for more than three years last month after admitting two counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

Breaking News, EPL, Match Day, Zlatan

Manchester Derby: What the managers said

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola: “We are happy. I think the spectators enjoyed it because it was open until the end. First half we were better – in the second half it was difficult. We had counter-attacks and we didn’t finish.

“These guys have a heart – in the first half we won a lot of duels against a team physically stronger. In the second half, the long balls, you just pray because it’s almost impossible to control that.”

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho: “The two halves were completely different. In the first half we were below the level to play this match. You have to be completely ready in terms of the speed of your thinking and decision-making.

“The second half was completely different. We were a team that had the courage and honesty and dignity to chase with pride the result which I think we deserved – we deserved a goal in the second half.”

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Dedicated this win to their supporters.

Breaking News, EPL, Match Day, Zlatan

Bravo the only blot on City’s day

This was exactly how Pep Guardiola would have wanted it – a crucial victory that keeps Manchester City top of the Premier League table and marks them down already as the team to beat this season.

And in that opening half, City’s hierarchy were able to sit back and watch the sort of football they had in mind when their long courting of Guardiola finally came to fruition.

City were simply in a different class to Mourinho’s expensively reassembled Manchester United as they overran them in midfield, created space and chances while remaining cool under pressure.

It was only when Bravo’s ill-judged dash to claim a free-kick and subsequent poor handling cost them a goal that they showed any signs of being unsettled.

The 33-year-old keeper was brought to Etihad Stadium in preference to Joe Hart, whose style did not find any favour with Guardiola.

One of Bravo’s big selling points was supposedly his ability with the ball at his feet – but here he was shaky and indecisive, twice having to launch himself into desperate challenges on Mkhitaryan and Rooney after dawdling in possession.

Bravo is, however, a vastly experienced keeper whom Guardiola rates highly and so should be given time to settle.