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Bye bye Wembley, welcome home Spurs!

Posted on by Olivia O.

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Tottenham Spurs fans may or may not have been singing Ariana Grande’s ‘thank you, next’ to Wembley stadium after moving into their new home.

The North London club has been playing all home games at the Wembley stadium since April 2017 during the 2017/18 season.

This resulted from the Spurs team needing to vacate White Hart Lane at that time.

Wembley has been to Tottenham Spurs a home away from home but then, there’s no place truly like home.

It was with Joy that the Spurs senior team played their first competitive home game at their £1 billion new stadium hosting Crystal Palace on April 3, 2019.

The new stadium which is called ‘Tottenham Spurs Stadium(a name which doesn’t quite sit well with a lot of fans has a seating capacity of 62,062, making it the second largest club ground in England behind Manchester United’s Old Trafford which currently boasts of a seating capacity of 74,994 people.

The new stadium also has an edge over their North London rival’s Emirate Stadium of 60,260 seating capacity (Hold your L dear gunners)

On their first competitive senior game with Crystal Palace, emotions were very high from all over the stadium as some fans were in tears, ecstatic shouts here and there and the support was on a high.

Although at half time, the game was still on a nil draw, the atmosphere was still very much pumped; there was no sign of panic from the Spurs players even though all their pressing efforts were met with so much bold opposition from Palace.

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At the halftime, Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino was extremely emotional as he shared his thoughts on the new stadium becoming a dream come true.

“We all feel the same way, so excited. I got the same feeling when we left White Hart Lane on the last day, we were crying and now on the first day in the new stadium, we need to feel the same emotion; we need to cry because our dream became true”

The players were probably reminded of the impact of that game on their fans as just ten minutes into the second half; Son Heung Min scored the first senior competitive goal at the brand new stadium.

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The uproar was out of this world and that was all the momentum they needed to fire on.

Christian Eriksen doubled the Spurs lead on the 80th minute.

And although Palace tried to create a few sparks at the late stages of the game, it was a little too late as no one could stop the North London club from taking all three points with a clean sheet in the first game at a stadium they will call home for a very long time.

The club can finally get the thoughts of their 1 point from 5 games glitch behind them as they seek to finish the season in that most sought after top four position ahead of their North London rivals; Arsenal, Chelsea and also Manchester United.

Spurs will be hosting 4 out of their six remaining games and hopefully the feeling of a new home will still come in handy.

With the stability of a new home, Spurs may not have any more excuses to give as to why they shouldn’t finish in the top 4!

Share your thoughts below, do you think that Spurs’s new stadium will give them an edge to finish in the top 4?

 

Should they have waited till next season to move into their new stadium?

Don’t forget to check out other thrilling football stories on footystation!

 

No need to panic yet: Why Chelsea should not sack Maurizio Sarri.

Posted on by barema Kwem

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Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri has been under immense pressure, following the 0-2 defeat the team suffered against Manchester united in the FA cup fourth round fixture. This was just after the embarrassing 6-0 thrashing at Etihad (not only was this the worst defeat in the Abramovich era, but the first time Chelsea conceded 6 goals in a premier league match). Everything seems to be going wrong with club at the moment with 5 losses in the last 10 games, including a 4 nil defeat to Bournemouth. This has led to speculations as to whether the manager should be sacked or not.

Roman Abramovich has never hesitated to decide the faith of a manager at Chelsea. However, in Abramovich era, only two managers have been sacked in their first season. The first was Luis Scolari when he was sacked in February 2009 and then Andres Villas-Boas who was dismissed in March 2012. With the club currently in 6th position, a chance to participate in the champions league is looking unlikely. If the board is to take the decision to sack Sarri, now will be the perfect time to do it.

Who is to blame for the issues?

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Chelsea team at a training session. (Photo | Twitter | Chelsea FC)

There are many debates among pundits and fans as to who is to be blamed for the situation at Chelsea. One thing is for sure, and that is the fact that Mr Sarri deserves some criticism. As a manager in a big and demanding club like Chelsea, you have to deliver regardless of the circumstances you are faced with. If you are not able to, then you are kicked out immediately. Sarri needs to be flexible with his tactics and approach, right now he needs to be thinking of how he will survive this season rather than insisting on playing Sarri-ball. Over the season Sarri has maintained the same starting eleven and like for like substitutions, even in situations the team was losing, it was that bad that the fans had to voice out their frustration in the game against United, it was an unpleasant sight to watch when the fans booed him. The only time I could remember that happen was the situation with Rafa Benitez. Sarri has been reluctant to twitch his team selection, this has led to questions about the Italian’s tactics. I understand the ‘success’ he achieved with Jorginho sitting in a three-man midfield at Napoli, but the player has struggled in that position since joining Chelsea at the start of the season. He lacks the pace and strength to play in that sitting role. I would expect he takes Kante back to that role and play Jorginho in a more advanced role or sit him on the bench. The objective right now should be securing a top four position in the league and winning the Europa league.

Sarri needs more time.

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Sacking Sarri will defeat the whole aim of hiring the Italian in the first place. Sarri was brought on board for the attacking style of football he played at Napoli. Since 2004 up until last season with Conte, Chelsea played a defensive style. Last season the team played a 3-5-2 formation under Conte, Sarri inherited the same set of players who were used to the defensive football. This is a transition period for the team, you do not expect things to just change overnight, these things take time to actualise. The board needs to back him up, give him the players he needs to play his style of football, especially with the transfer ban looming upon the club. Look at Guardiola and Manchester City for example, Pep’s first season was not all that, he was given the players he needed the next season and everything clicked for him. I believe Sarri has what it takes to take the club to greater heights. He wants to play an attacking football, a style the club and the fans always wanted. He needs to find a way to communicate his ideas to his players.

Questions have been asked over Sarri’s authority and control over the players, following the incidence between the manager and Kepa Arrizabalaga during the Carabao cup finals. This is the one thing he needs to get right. The moment he loses control over his players, then he loses everything. As Sir Alex Ferguson once said, ‘’if the coach has no control, he will not last…..you can’t ever lose control; not when you are dealing with 30 top professionals who are all millionaires. If anyone steps out of my control, that’s them dead’’. Sarri needs to get that right in order to have a lasting career at Chelsea.

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The cup finals at Wembley on Sunday showed that the Coach still had his tactics right and he is ready to make adjustments in order to get results. With the season drawing to a close, crucial matches are coming up. The team needs to build on their impressive performance they showed against Manchester city, and try get results in order to secure a top 4 finish and at least get to the Europa league finals. I understand the club needs to keep winning trophies, but Sarri is not in Chelsea just for trophies, but for his style of play as well. As long as the club is still interested in playing an attacking style of football, the board and likewise the fans need to exercise some patience with the coach and allow him to build the brand of football they want to see at the club.

 

Golden Gloves🧤

Posted on by niclause

Goalkeepers, they are the last line of defense and very recently the originators of an attack. Goalkeepers have always been an essential part of the team. More often than not they get to be amongst the best in the team squad like Gigi Buffon, David d’ Gea, Manuel Neuer, Jan Oblak, Iker Casillas to mention a few.

Back in the day, goalkeepers weren’t valued as much both financially and otherwise. It seemed then as though if those kicking the ball and running around played very well, they would have good results with no attention given to the goalkeeper. Not even a thought crossed their minds to select a goalkeeper as one of the best players in the world.

A time came when goalkeepers showed their value and extra talent which the world couldn’t turn a blind eye to.

3 Mar 1999: Peter Schmeichel of Manchester United throws the ball out during the UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg match against Inter Milan at Old Trafford in Manchester, England. United won 2-0. Mandatory Credit: Ben Radford /Allsport

The likes of Jorge Campos of Mexico,  Jose luis Chilavert of Paraguay,Jose luis Chilavert of Paraguay, Oliver Khan of Germany, Peter Schmichel of Denmark were among the stand out goalkeepers who showed greatness with both feet  and hands being a threat to opposition on either goal side whether its saving a goal or scoring one. Jose Luis Chilavert of Paraguay

In this present day, they would be called sweeper keepers.

As things changed the value of goalkeepers began to get a lot of attention. Clubs like Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspurs, Liverpool, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid can boast of having the best goalkeepers in the world and with the level of competition amongst teams now, to convince a club to let go of their player of standout talent the interested clubs have to break bank.

In the premier league recently, the three most expensive goalkeepers in the world currently reside with clubs all fighting for the league trophy. But does this mean they are recognized as the best in the world? They might be close but I think clubs have realized it’s difficult to price out great talent from any side these days but nothing as we know all too well in football is impossible.

With goalkeepers being in high demand these days, will this be the moment a goalie can join the elite of those considered as the best in the world and equally purchased at a very high cost?

Mou and the 3rd season madness

Posted on by niclause

jose-5Looking at his calendar, it’s just about 3 days to the kickoff of Jose Mourinho’s third season in Manchester United and he is adamant to have a better record this time around.

As fantastic a manager Jose is, the records have placed him in a very questionable position. Is this going to be his last season with the Manchester club?

Coming to the premier league in 2004/05, Jose dubbed “the special one” set the English league ablaze as he took home as manager of the London club Chelsea an amazing double in the Premier league and league cup (now the Capital One Cup) ending a 50 year drought for the club. Retaining the Premier league the following season, it seemed there was no stopping “the special one”

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On the arrival of his third season at the London club, everything began going downhill for Jose and Chelsea football club. Although reaching the semi-final of the Champions league and winning both the FA cup and league cup, aspirations for Jose and the club had been knocked off course.

Parting ways with the English club side in 2007 Jose Mourinho made his way to Italy where Inter Milan handed him an opportunity to set himself back at the top.

This he did with such aplomb. Although winning the Serie A, he was viewed as not doing so well with the Italian side.

On comes his second season and Jose Mourinho made believers out of doubters as he picked up the treble with the Italian side which included the Champions league. As he stares himself in the mirror, with the world of football recognizing him as one of the best coaches, he had no room for errors.

This was mourinho at his best. But will his decision to leave Inter Milan at the end of the season haunt him as a wrong one made?

Making his way to the Bernabeu, it couldn’t get any bigger for Jose.  The only coach referred to as a galactico arrived in Spain to shake things up. Prior to his arrival Real Madrid had underperformed even with stars like Cristiano Ronaldo and Ricardo Kaka in the side. Winning Madrid’s first trophy since 2007/08 laliga title and ending an 18 year Copa del Rey drought, he finished the season as Copa del Rey champions. On his second season at Madrid Jose Mourinho clinched the league title which hadn’t happened for the Madrid club in 4 years and also getting to the semi-final of the champions league in the successive year. This was considered as a huge success taking the league title from arch rivals FC Barcelona but this only made the club and fans hungry for more and it was only fair for Jose to deliver.

His third season at Real Madrid was the worst of his career as Jose Mourinho put it as he lost the dressing room, having disagreements with senior players and as they went on to have a trophy less season, his stay at Madrid coming to a colossal end.

Real Madrid’s new coach Portuguese Jose Mourinho attends the team’s first training session of the season at Real Madrid’s sport city in Madrid on July 16, 2010. AFP PHOTO / DANI POZO (Photo credit should read DANI POZO/AFP/Getty Images)(Photo Credit should Read /AFP/Getty Images)

Jump forward and here comes the second coming of the manager they knew as the special one”. That’s right, Jose Mourinho back in London with the Chelsea faithful. Was this to be a match made in heaven?

With the aim to replicate is prior success and this time steady the ship, Jose came on board seeming a lot more calm and happy hence dubbing himself “the happy one” in a press conference. As usual the brilliant manager got off to an amazing start winning his first game of the season but eventually finishing third place. His second season was a much better one as Chelsea took home the League cup and the premier league. Jose Mourinho concluded the season as the league manager of the season.

Unfortunately for Jose he couldn’t maintain his successful ride as relationships soured between him and some players in the club as the club did miserably leading to his yet infamous exit from the London club.

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Since the exit of legend Sir Alex Ferguson, Manchester United have struggled to win games, titles and keep a manager, but it is safe to say that Jose has put that to rest. Winning the Europa league, having being able to lure quality players to the Manchester side once again and finishing second on his second season in charge, Machester United seemed to be moving in the right direction.

Going into his third season at the club, would this be strike 3 with curtains being drawn on his tenor  at the Manchester club? Will the third season curse follow him or will there be a different history being made this season? You should know Jose wins the league in his following season after a second place finish in his just concluded one.

So which will it be? It’s looking like the latter as the Reds put the 2015/2016 champions Leicester to the sword in their opening campaign.

Question:

Do you think Jose will win the premier league with Manchester United or will he be leaving the club this season?

 

 

Who is on the Radar?

Posted on by niclause

The FIFA World Cup has come to an end and a lot of disappointed faces as people pass side comments on waiting for the next four years to enjoy football again.

But for some they have been on the edge of their seats, biting their finger nails contemplating on who would line up for their clubs come August. That’s right the leagues across Europe and the rest of the world is about to begin. We all enjoyed the world cup but you should know that even with the hunger to win the trophy on everyone’s radar, the tournament was also an exhibition of talent and we all want some these players representing the clubs we support. Do you have an idea whom clubs in Europe are prepared to pull out their check books for? With the transfer window already open and quickly coming to an end here are some of those whom have impressed enough to acquire some attention..

  1. Eden Hazard

The Belgian star has been on the radar of big clubs like PSG, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich for quite a while now but after a stellar performance by the 25 year old in the recently concluded world cup in Russia, the Chelsea star man has a fierce competition for his services as both power houses Real Madrid and FC Barcelona eager to have him on board. As both teams losing influential players in Andres Iniesta and Cristiano Ronaldo both teams would want to fill the void left by the players before the end of the transfer window.

 

  1. Thibaut Courtois

The Chelsea and Belgian shot stopper could be leaving the club in the summer. After a great outing at the FIFA World Cup in Russia receiving the golden glove as the best goalkeeper of the tournament and with the Belgian team getting to their best ever finish in the tournament, Spanish giants Real Madrid have intensified their interest for the Chelsea no 1.  Courtois having flirted with the idea of leaving coupled with his family being in Madrid and his refusal to sign a contract extension has made the move more likely to take place.

 

  1. Ivan Perisic
during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and Spal at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on September 10, 2017 in Milan, Italy.

The 29 year old Croatian and Inter winger picked up the interest of English giants Manchester United. Scoring 3 goals in the tournament to get the Croatians into the finals, his performance has indulged the English club to step up their game. After being on the manager’s wish list last summer, his recent impressive performance has definitely not gone unnoticed as he will bring competition to the left wing with Alexis Sanchez.

 

  1. Harry Kane

The English and Tottenham Hotspurs star man has been on the radar of the Spanish giants Real Madrid for quite some time now but interests became glaring after a golden performance by the forward in the concluded world cup as he walked away with the golden boot, top scorer of the tournament. The 24 year old is said to being hunted for with an arsenal of £100m and might be too good an offer for the English side to turn down.

 

  1. Paul Pogba
MOSCOW, RUSSIA – JULY 15: Paul Pogba of France celebrates victory by kissing the World Cup trophy following the 2018 FIFA World Cup Final between France and Croatia at Luzhniki Stadium on July 15, 2018 in Moscow, Russia. (Photo by Lars Baron – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)

The World Cup hero Paul Pogba has been in the news since winning the trophy with France. The Manchester united ace is being heavily linked to a move to clubs Juventus FC and FC Barcelona as they try to fill the void of departed club legend Andres Iniesta. Having a difficult season with Manchester United mostly due to lack of attacking freedom, it seems like he might just seek options elsewhere with the likes of PSG, FC Barcelona, Juventus FC and Real Madrid FC on his tail. One thing is certain though, Pogba is a talent that could do great things at any club side.

 

Here are some honorary mentions:

KAZAN, RUSSIA – JUNE 30: Kylian Mbappe of France celebrates after scoring his team’s fourth goal during the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia Round of 16 match between France and Argentina at Kazan Arena on June 30, 2018 in Kazan, Russia. (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)

Kylian Mbappe (France, PSG) – rumored to be wanted by Chelsea FC, Arsenal FC, Liverpool FC, Real Madrid FC, Manchester United, FC Barcelona

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Ngolo Kante (France, Chelsea) – rumored to be wanted by FC Barcelona

Ivan Rakitic (Croatia, FC Barcelona) – rumored to be wanted by Juventus FC, Manchester United

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Aleksandr Golovin (Russia, CSKA Moscow) – rumored to be wanted by Chelsea FC, Tottenham Hotspurs, Monaco

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Yerry Mina (Colombia, FC Barcelona) – rumored to be wanted by Liverpool FC, West Ham United, Everton FC, Leicester City, Wolves FC

kasper Schmeichel (Denmark, Leicester City) – rumored to be wanted by Chelsea FC

Ante Rebic (Croatia, Eintracht Frankfurt) – rumored to be wanted by Arsenal FC, Manchester United, Bayern Munich, Tottenham Hotspurs, Everton FC

Benjamin Pavard (France, Stuttgart) – rumored to be wanted by Arsenal FC, Bayern Munich, Liverpool FC

TRANSFER GIST

Posted on by niclause

Lukaku at Old Trafford

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Lukaku has started off in style for his new club Manchester United scoring in their preseason friendlies and starting up a bromance with star midfielder and friend Paul Pogba which can lead to a great partnership for both players and the club.images (5) Manchester United participates in their first competitive match of the season as they take on Real Madrid in the UEFA Super Cup and Romelu Lukaku is eager to prove himself.

As the Premier league season about to kick-off in a couple of days, Manchester United start off facing a man, a face they know all too well in Javier Hernandez as they take on West Ham United in their first fixture.

Will Lukaku be the man to take them back to the top of European football or will the man also known as Little P or Chicharito start Manchester United off with heartbreak..?

 

 

 

Welcome Home Wayne Rooney

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Wayne Rooney, the son whom left to look for greener pastures outside his home and in process winning all titles and picking up legendary status along the way is set for a return to his home to rule as king.

Rooney with good performances during the preseason tour for Everton FC and a wonder goal to keep the Evertonians salivating for more, the season is heating up and Rooney seems ready to set clubs ablaze.

The boy, the man, the legend, the King….

 

 

 

A new number 9 era at Chelsea FC…. Curse or Blessing??

A lot of players in the 20th and 21th century have put on the number 9 jersey for Chelsea football club. Players like Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Hernan Crespo, Gianluca Vialli, Mateja Kezman, Fernando Torres to name a few. The number 9 shirt which holds a lot of significance in football having to be the number worn by your most potent striker hasn’t been all that successful in recent times for Chelsea FC with the goals being scored by their players in the number 9 jersey dropped significantly. The last player to put on the number 9 jersey for Chelsea FC was Radamel Falcao who had terrible period of form in the club.

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There is a new man in town. His name is Alvaro Morata. The question now is will Alvaro Morata be the man to change the bleak situation associated with the jersey number 9 since 2005 at Chelsea FC?

On Sunday, 6th 2017 Morata took part in his first competitive match, the Community Shield where Chelsea took on Arsenal who had a debutant forward of their own in Alexandre Lacazette.

With the Arsenal striker starting the game and the Chelsea forward starting on the bench, both players would need time to adapt to the league as both players couldn’t find the back of the net when given their chances.

One thing is for certain, that is both players are world class and have points to prove as the season begins.