Stoke City have signed Charlie Adam from Liverpool in a deal thought to be in the region of £4million as Brendan Rodgers continues his clear out at Anfield.
The former Blackpool midfielder only joined the Reds this time last year but as soon as Rodgers took charge this summer it seemed the Scotland internationals days were numbered.
Adam joins the likes of Jay Spearing and Andy Carroll out of the Anfield door during the past 24 hours as Rodgers stamps his authority on his underachieving squad, but Stoke will be delighted to have captured an experienced Premier League player.
“It’s no secret that we’ve been looking to bring more goals to the squad and Charlie is a fantastic signing in that respect,” said Stoke boss Tony Pulis.
“Not only will his creativity and his eye for delivering a pass be a great asset to us, he scored 12 goals for Blackpool in the Premier League two seasons ago.”
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Adam added: “This club’s on the up and it’s great to be a part of it. I can do this club proud and I’m looking forward to the chance of playing in front of their passionate supporters.”
Southampton are reportedly considering drastic action to halt their defensive frailties by dropping Kelvin Davis and signing free agent, Craig Gordon, Eatsleepsport.com reports.
The Saints have leaked 14 goals in their opening four Premier League games since returning to the top-flight, including six against Arsenal on Saturday.
Manager Nigel Adkins may feel a change of personnel in goal could be the answer to making his side more solid at the back.
Former Scotland number-one, Gordon, was released by Sunderland at the end of last season as the Black Cats lost patience with the goalkeeper’s ability to remain fit after a series of injuries.
He broke the British transfer record in 2007 by becoming the most expensive goalkeeper – Sunderland signing him from Hearts for £9million.
The 29-year-old made just one appearance for the Black Cats in 2011/12 before Martin O’Neill decided Gordon was no longer in his plans.
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But the player insists he has put his recent injury troubles behind him and is ready for a new challenge.
The move could go ahead as the south coast side have only confirmed 23 players in their 25-man squad, meaning Gordon could still become a Saints player this season.
Southampton scored in the last minute against Fulham on Sunday to grab a 2-2 draw at St Mary’s Stadium.
Jose Fonte put the hosts one up after four minutes, however a Jos Hooiveld own goal and a late Kieran Richardson strike looked to have sealed all three points for the Cottagers.
Fonte popped up once more to hit the back of the net with the final whistle on the horizon, much to the delight of the home crowd.
Despite getting a point Nigel Adkins admitted that his side are capable of better performances.
“I’m trying to be positive,” Adkins told Sky Sports.
“We’ve got a point. We’ve come from behind at the very end there so I suppose that’s good character. The last five minutes were exciting for the crowd.
“But the second-half performance for me is nowhere near what we have been producing and can produce.
“We’ve been talking about it on the training ground all season – different ways to give ourselves a good defensive platform.
“Our first half is a little better when pressing up there but if you don’t press as a unit…
“If you look at the second half we were far too open, far too deep and there was far too much space for the opposition to play through us.
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“And in the end we’ve conceded a couple of goals because of that,” he concluded.
Daniele De Rossi is reportedly unhappy with the changes made at Roma, alerting Premier League suitors Manchester City and Chelsea, according to Mirror Football.
The combative midfielder has spent his entire 12 year career with the Stadio Olimpico club, but is said in the Italian press to have failed to adjust to new coach Zdenek Zeman’s way of thinking.
Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini in particular is said to be an admirer of the Italian international and had a number of summer bids for the star rejected by the Giallorossi.
Chelsea have also been accredited with an interest in De Rossi too, who is valued at around the £20 million.
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It remains to be seen whether the English duo will revisit their interest in De Rossi come January however, with City having bought alternatives in the form of Jack Rodwell and Javi Garcia, and the Blues looking to inject youth into their squad.
When I heard the rumour that Dougie Freedman was the favourite for the vacant managerial position at Bolton, I dismissed it out of hand.
I honestly believed that there was 0% chance of him leaving Palace for another job. Non-Palace fans will think it’s strange, or arrogant that I should take this stance, but that is because they do not understand. In this week’s blog I’ll attempt to explain the legend, and the pain of this week’s events, which saw him walk away from the club that loved him.
Palace fans have put Freedman on a pedestal since his playing days, during which he scored 107 goals in 360 appearances. A less than 1 in 3 return is decent enough for good Championship level striker, but outsiders must wonder why a forward who was never the proverbial 30 goal a season striker, and rarely the 20 goal striker, should be lauded as a folk hero amongst the Palace faithful. The number of goals he scored commanded respect, but it was the big goals in big games that really set him apart. Goals against Wolves and Charlton in important play-off semis stand out, but the goal that will be forever etched on the minds of Palace fans came at Stockport on the final day of the 2000/01 season when Freedman dribbled through the Stockport defence to score the goal that kept Palace up.
But Freedman was so much more than goals. His guile and style set him apart from other British strikers, and he was more likely to dribble through a defence or smash home a difficult volley, than score a “traditional number 9’s” goal. And he seemed to love playing for Palace. He left the club in 1997 to join Wolves, and then had three seasons at Forest, but amassed only 28 goals in 4 ill fated seasons. When he return to Selhurst in 2000 I recall him stating that he should never have left.
He was much loved at Palace, but other clubs just didn’t take to his style. By the end of the season Freedman had written himself into Palace folklore by scoring THAT goal at Stockport. From that point on it was clear that Palace and Dougie were a match made in heaven, and it would be difficult to prize him away.
Even as the striker’s powers were on the wane, he turned down lucrative moves to Leeds United and a rumoured £1m a deal to finish his career in the Middle East. It was characteristics such as this that made Freedman so popular. In an era where money seems to rule everything, it seemed that Dougie was letting his heart call the shots. Neil W*rn*ck’s arrival at Selhurst Park saw Freedman’s Palace playing career finally draw to a close.
Warnock didn’t fancy him, and gradually forced him out, first making him train the reserves, before finally loaning him out to Leeds and then Southend (who he eventually joined a permanent deal.) In 2010 W*rn*ck did the dirty on Palace just after the club had gone into administration, and left to join QPR. Paul Hart was brought in as caretaker manager to steady the ship and he brought Freedman home in a coaching capacity. It was a shrewd move by Hart, who also brought in Palace cup hero John Pemberton, who immediately won over the fans by bringing in the club hero.
Palace again managed to avoid relegation on the final day of the season, and the team of Hart, Freedman and Pemberton were hailed as heroes.
The club, which was teetering on the edge of obscurity, was brought out of administration that summer by the current owners, and they appointed George Burley as manager and he kept the Doog on as his assistant. Burley was sacked by Christmas, and Freedman was handed the reins as the main man. He saved the club from relegation for a third time, steering them to safety on the penultimate game of the season. “He saved us three times, He saved us three times! Dougie Freedman, He saved us three times!”
As a Palace legend Freedman was always going to be a popular appointment, but he genuinely seemed to be the right man for the job. He understood the club and its fans. He knew that this was a club that had a passion for youth development, and bringing through young players from their academy. He talked sense. He seemed to understand where the club was coming from in terms of its weak financial background, and was prepared to work with the club on putting it back on an even keel. He was prepared to buy cheap players and coach them to make them better. He seemed to be Palace through and through. He knew that beating Brighton was important and lead the team to victory away the Amex, and even bucked a trend by beating Millwall and Charlton in the derbies. He’s always seemed to protect Palace’s interests over his own.
Freedman has often talked about developing and looking after the young players, acting like a father figure to them. He’s encourage the likes Nathaniel Clyne and Wilfried Zaha to avoid leaving the club too early and damaging their development where the likes of John Bostock didn’t have that kind of guidance.
If only he could take his own advice. He’s been a manager for less than two years, yet he’s already jumped ship for a bigger and ‘more ambitious’ club. He’s also rumoured to have trebled his salary. And this is ultimately why Palace fans are so shocked and aggrieved at his decision, which seems to have come out of the blue. They loved him because of his Palace-ness, his passion for the club, its ethos, its players and its fans. He seemed to spurn the modern footballing greed for a higher calling. He seemed to embody loyalty and old fashion values.
And then he p*ssed all this up the wall for half a millon a year, and a bigger transfer budget.
To say everyone connected with Crystal Palace FC is gutted would be a spectacular understatement. From the owners to the tea lady, and the fans in between, we’re heart broken. They say they you should never meet your heroes because you’ll always be disappointed. Well we now know who Dougie Freedman is, and he’s just the same as ever other chancer. I’m not going to hang anyone out to dry for accepting a job on more money, nor joining a ‘better club’. What hurts is that we all thought Freedman was above all that. It turns out he wasn’t.
All the values that we had associated with the man and the manager have gone out the window, and it’s bitterly, bitterly disappointing. The reasons that Freedman was worshiped were based on lies, and therefore I withdraw from the fan club.
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I know that players come and go, but the reasons we love or hate them are different. We mostly worshiped them for their performances, but Freedman was supposed to be so much more than that. But ultimately, he wasn’t. I know some people think this is about football, and results. And that’s why they don’t understand. This is about so much more.
Palace could be rock bottom of the league and I’d still feel the same way – utterly cheated. Freedman was my all time Palace hero. I have his shirt, and my brother even got Freedman to send me a wedding card last month, along with a signed photo. I would even have considered calling my first born son Dougie, I certainly won’t be now. And I’m considering a Dougfire for my Freedman memorabilia.
I’m gutted he’s gone, but in the end the reasons we loved him were based on a mythical figure that didn’t exist. For me, the last thread of the romance of football is broken, and it’s hard to see how I, football, or Crystal Palace will ever recover. 23rd October 2012 – the day the music died.
It was a less than convincing performance from the Gunners but with three points and a clean sheet to take away, Wenger and Bould will be delighted. The attention of Arsenals poor defensive form had largely switched to the return of Jack Wilshere, and other than a bit of match sharpness he looked like he’d never been away. Great news for Arsenal and for England.
Mannone 7: Very rarely came into action but was up to the task when called upon.
Sagna 6: Looked a little bit off the pace in his come back match, but made a few good attacking runs to link up with the forwards.
Mertesacker 7: Dominant in the air and solid at the back. Had a quiet evening but should have scored a header.
Vermaelen 7: Looked comfortable at the back without any noticeable incidents.
Andre Santos 6: Made some good attacking runs and was a threat going forward but looked a liability in defence.
Wilshere 9: It was great to see him back playing again, and to everyone’s relief he looked the player he was before his injury. Linked up well with Cazorla and put in an all round sterling performance.
Arteta 8: A hint of offside for his goal in the 84th minute but he was in the right place at the right time for a very important goal.
Ramsey 6: Looked lost being played out on the wing but had a few chance from central areas.
Cazorla 7: As always an influential threat going forward but failed to show his glittering form of late. Also missed a sitter which would have sealed the game.
Podolski 6: Created very few chances and was out of the game for large periods. In a game that called for a goal scorer he didn’t deliver.
Giroud 6: He was a focal point for Aresnal but was mainly feeding off scraps and was unable to really influence the game. He’ll feel he should of scored but you feel Arsenal aren’t playing to his strengths.
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Oh how I miss Alan Curbishley. Every Friday I watch Curbs analyse the weekend’s coming matches on Sky Sports News and reminisce back to when I was a young man sitting in the stands at the Valley, singing “Valley Floyd Road” with my pre-pubescent voice-box, spoilt rotten with two Premier League promotions and privileged with high quality football. Little did I know the pain I would suffer as a result of the demise of Charlton Athletic.
Watching your club drop two divisions in three seasons is truely heartbreaking, and leads to internal discussions within one’s own head as to why and how you ever came to support such a club, when friends seem so much happier supporting Manchester United or Chelsea. I eventually worked it out by the way – a Charlton fan supports Charlton because their dad supports Charlton. Failing that, they support United but like the idea of watching a team in red play on a Saturday.
Chris Powell has certainly restored some faith and pride in the club amongst fans. A former player who always gave his best, Powell was the perfect fit after the club’s failure to get itself out of league 1. But following a successful promotion campaign, can the once-capped England international take Charlton any further than their current role as a middle to lower, possibly to much lower, Championship club? Or considering this is a similar position to where Alan Curbishley found the Addicks when he took over with Steve Gritt in 1991, was Curbs’ 7th place finish at the end of the 2003/2004 Premier League season the best a small club from South East London could ever hope for? Was he truly the Messiah? And now his time has passed, will we be forever banished from the promised land of top flight football.
It does seem, following the departure of “the cockney great one”, the solution was simply to find another Curbishley. Although Iain Dowie was given a fair amount of money, which he may as well have stood in the Valley centre circle and set fire to, we have forever been a club without finance.
Part of the reason for the Robins’ eventual demise was a lack of investment into the team. Players such as Claus Jensen, Scott Parker and Danny Murphy were replaced with the ageing Matt Holland, Amdy Faye and Bryan Hughes – the most passive midfielder in footballing history (i’ve never seen a single player play so many consecutive games without touching the ball).
Charlton’s record signing still stands at £4.75million for Jason Euell, although future incentives for Darren Bent’s £2.5million transfer from Ipswitch have probably now exceeded that deal. The Red Robins have always been a club that relies on their manager to get the best out of their players, with limited financial backing or resources. Even the fan base is relatively small compared to the majority of Premier League and many Championship clubs, who have stadiums far exceeding the Valley’s 27,000 capacity.
Looking back, it feels we bit off more than we could chew. Perhaps it didn’t seem so at the time, but expectations remained too high in the seasons following our relegation from the top flight, and huge pressure was installed upon Alan Pardew and the players for results. Charlton took a gamble on their first season in the Championship to keep the majority of players and maintain the team’s quality. Unfortunately, this didn’t work out as the club finished six points short of the play-offs. The following year, the Premier League quality players left, to be replaced by youngsters and players from the lower leagues. Instead of pushing for promotion, we finished bottom of the table.
By the way, a warning to all Newcastle fans about Alan Pardew – when things are going well for Pardew, they tend to go very well. But when the wheels come off, the man becomes somewhat powerless. It is not only his record at the Addicks that suggests this trend.
Charlton’s story isn’t the only case study of former Premier League teams that have had a spectacular fall from grace. Both Sheffield clubs dropped to League 1 following spells in the top flight and Leeds United we’re once a competitive European team who also dropped the third tier of English football.
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This year’s Championship is filled with former Premier League clubs, many of whom are finding life difficult at the moment. Bolton, Birmingham and Wolves are occupying the places above the relegation zone, and similarly Nottingham Forest and Middlesbrough continue their long stay in the Championship despite once being top-flight institutions. Leicester City continually struggle with promotion but once finished in the Premier League top ten four years in a row. All of the above mentioned clubs outweigh Charlton in terms of resources.
I remember disgruntled Charlton fans moaning about Curbishley’s difficulty in getting the club into the top ten, often ending the season with relegation-form ten game runs, but considering the club’s finances, fan base, facilities and likelihood of attracting quality players, was a bid for Europe ever an achievable dream? I fear we are now feeling the hang-over for our success-addicted binge.
Charlton fans are pessimistic by nature, but I would like to end on a positive note. Chris Powell is a good manager, despite recent disgruntlement at the start of the season from the Valley faithful. We are in a league where anything could happen – we are currently 14th, but are just five points from sixth. I am yet to be convinced that Powell is the next Curbishley, or that we have the quality in depth required to gain promotion. But should the Addicks return to the Premier League, i’ll remember to count my blessings.
Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert celebrated the performance of Andreas Weimann after his side’s 4-1 Capital One Cup quarter-final win against Norwich.
The Austrian netted twice to help the Villains book their spot in the final four of the competition, after replacing the injured Darren Bent on the 35 minute mark
Lambert praised the 21-year-old’s hunger and determination after the game:
“He was brilliant, one thing about Andi is he is a natural finisher and his work ethic for the game of football is absolutely brilliant.” He is quote by the club’s official website.
“If Andi was getting X amount of money, you’d get the same out of him in every game.
“That is a testament to him. I left him out just to give him a rest in the last couple of weeks but Weimann is a natural goalscorer.
“He ran himself into the ground, especially in the two Manchester games and the Arsenal game, but he came back tonight and he certainly knows where the goal is.”
The Scotsman was also happy with the overall performance of his team:
“I thought in the whole game we were excellent,
“Their goalkeeper made some terrific saves. Norwich had chances as well.
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“But I thought the lads were excellent. We’ve been playing like that since the Sunderland game.
“We’ve been playing really, really well and not had the results we might have had. I’m delighted for the team, I really am.”
Steve Morison opened the scoring for the Canaries, before goals from Brett Holman, Weimann and Christian Benteke decided the tie.
West Brom are looking to end their alarming decrease in form. They are winless in four and will be eager to get back to winning ways against the Canaries in this fixture. Norwich are flying though, they are unbeaten in 10 Premier League games and this is the best run in the side’s history in the Premier League.
Steve Clarke’s men still remain dangerous opposition for anyone and it wasn’t all that long ago they sat 3rd in the table.
The West Midlands outfit will be sure that this Saturday is the time where they turn it round and ensure they secure all 3 points and a vital victory.
Chris Hughton’s men though fear nobody at the moment and a run of six wins and four draws from their last 10 league games has lifted Norwich into the top half of the table.
A win would take Norwich to within touching distance of the top four and above this weekend’s opposition.
Youssouf Mulumbu remains suspended for Saturday’s clash with the Canaries at the Hawthorns. Claudio Yacob also remains a doubt due to a hamstring injury. There is better news for the Baggies on the goalkeeping front with Ben Foster returning to full training this week.
Norwich captain Grant Holt is a doubt for the West Brom game with a hamstring problem. Steve Morison is expected to lead the line in his absence and Harry Kane is back in contention following 2 months out with a metatarsal injury.
Ryan Bennett is also set to resume full training but Andrew Surman and John Ruddy are out for the long term and will miss out on this one for sure.
West Brom have kept eight clean sheets in their last 13 Premier League home matches, but will hoping not for another 0-0 like last week this time round.
Prediction: West Brom 0-1 Norwich
Check the odds ahead of the game at the Hawthorns with William Hill here
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After the fruitful festive period in which Crewe capped off a superb 2012 with six points from a possible nine to move within 3 points of the playoffs in League One, the first Saturday evening of the new year became a time to take stock and reflect on the early season prophecies that had Crewe cast in a possible fight with the possibility of a trip back to tier four after last year’s unexpected promotion.
The total of 39 points after 26 games after the game with Stevenage, which lies Crewe 17 points clear of the drop zone and still within a win of the top six, is a gross over-achievement for a side that lost its two best players in the summer and was, of just fourteen months ago, looking at the prospect of a slide into the Blue Square Premier. A run of eight wins in thirteen games stretching back to the end of October and a blip against Tranmere disrupting a 100% record in December had Crewe fans dreaming of Wembley again.
The Steve Davis era has seen remarkable progression so far and the journey upwards continues with every passing win, though it was down to Stevenage to provide a halt to the journey in the second home game of 2013.
Crewe had won their first against Carlisle in a scrappy 1-0 win, just like they did against Bury in their last home game of 2012. Results were coming, but performances, like the narrow victory at struggling Oldham or the defeat at table-topping Tranmere, were a concern. Luck was being rode and there was a suspicion that a defeat would come at the hands of a side who possessed the cutting edge to punish the naivety Crewe were showing in defending slender leads. Stevenage certainly had that and even though they too fell behind, to a first-half Chuks Aneke effort, another sloppy second half showing saw the home side’s luck finally run out.
In a tightly contested first half, Crewe just about edged it but were limited to half chances. Mathias Pogba nearly forced an own goal from Boro defender Mark Roberts from a driven low ball and it was Pogba again causing problems on the right side who caused the opening goal, drilling a cross for Aneke to sweep a shot past goalkeeper Steve Arnold. The away side responded, Greg Tansey curled a free-kick wide and Lucas Akins hit a shot which cleared the bar. Striker Marcus Haber, looking ever-dangerous, was prevented from heading in by Mark Ellis. A cross from Byron Moore hit the head of Stevenage defender David Gray which forced Arnold into an acrobatic stop on the stroke of half to keep the score at 1-0 for the half-time interval, similarly to the game with Carlisle five days before.
Similarly to the game with Carlisle however, Crewe came out after the break and sat off with the intention of protecting the goal lead. Stevenage duly punished such naivety with two goals in five minutes, Akins took advantage of some sloppy Crewe defending in the six yard box to stab past Steve Phillips for the equaliser, then Haber pounced on an uncharacteristic error from Ellis to make it two with a crisp finish. It was a double blow that knocked the sails out of the Alex and there was ultimately no way back.
Such has been the brilliant job Davis has done in south Cheshire that he rarely attracts criticism, but it was viable to aim the delay in substitutions towards him. Ajay Leitch-Smith bizarrely stayed off the pitch for the duration, while the lethargic Aneke and the ineffective Lauri Dalla Valle bizarrely stayed on it until the 75th minute, 15 minutes after Haber’s goal handed Boro the momentum, which in truth should have earned the visiting outfit a more handsome score-line. Max Clayton and Bradden Inman replaced the duo, but it was too late as still Crewe continued to struggle in terms of creating chances. Davis even put on Ryan Colclough, an inexperienced winger, for the physical Pogba in the first minute of injury time, it was ironic that a last gasp header presented itself to him, whereas Pogba perhaps would have buried it, Colclough sent it into the stands.
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Stevenage, driven by the grit and determination of Anthony Grant and Greg Tansey in the heart of midfield, fully deserved the win in what was a battling display. For Crewe meanwhile, it was a disappointing afternoon that would provide Davis with a great deal of thought for next week’s trip to Leyton Orient. The decision to play Aneke for example, ahead of the impressive Bradden Inman, backfired as the Arsenal loanee once again produced a showing which lacked effort. Leitch-Smith, one of last season’s shining lights in the promotion side, may be called back ahead of Dalla Valle as it is hard to see what the Finn offers in attack which the academy product does not. Luke Murphy, brilliant all season in his role of talismanic captain, also began to fade once again to raise questions over his fitness. It may be time to give him a rest despite his importance to the team.
Steve Davis is sure not to lot a rot set in and it is hard to think that the winning mentality installed in this side will be lost on the back of this defeat. There will be a week to prepare for the trip to Brisbane Road and the Stevenage defeat would have possibly laid bare the problems lying within the squad. Most salient of all, the point that a loss to Stevenage to deny a climb into the higher reaches of the third tier is now classed as “disappointing” is indicative of the incredible rate of progress Davis’s Crewe have made in the past 14 months. It is that which suggests they’ll be back to winning ways soon enough.