Two of the surprise movers of the Premier League season face off on Saturday when Blackpool host Sunderland at Bloomfield Road.
But the Black Cats will have to make do without leading goal-scorer Darren Bent, who completed a shock move to Aston Villa on Tuesday.
Sunderland have enjoyed an unbeaten start to January with wins over Blackburn (3-0) and Aston Villa (1-0) and a 1-1 draw against Newcastle United last Saturday.
The impressive run has seen Steve Bruce’s men carve out a seat at sixth on the table, with Bolton four points adrift in seventh and fifth-placed Tottenham three points ahead.
Blackpool, meanwhile, continue to confound pre-season expectations of an early trip back to the Championship.
The Tangerines are 10th on the table with 28 points, despite a torrid start to the New Year with three losses from four games.
Most recently, Ian Holloway’s men went down 3-2 at West Bromwich Albion, conceding a heartbreaking late winner to Peter Odemwingie after Gary Taylor-Fletcher brought the visitors level in the 80th minute.
But there is still plenty for Blackpool for be positive about, not the least that they defeated Sunderland 2-0 in their away fixture last month.
DJ Campbell was the hero in that meeting with a match-winning brace, and the former Leicester City striker has been among Blackpool’s best in January with goals against Liverpool and Birmingham City.
Sunderland carry one of the longest injury lists in the league, with Danny Welbeck (hamstring), David Meyler (knee), Lee Cattermole (back), John Mensah (ankle), Frazier Campbell (knee) and Michael Turner (knee) all on the sidelines.
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Add to that Bent’s defection and Bruce certainly has a number of headaches at the selection table.
Blackpool have their share of injury concerns, with Marlon Harewood (hamstring), Matthew Gilks (knee), Billy Clarke (knee), Malaury Martin (knee) and Chris Basham (broken leg) all unavailable.
Saturday’s encounter could be a swan song for Blackpool skipper Charlie Adam, who has been linked to Liverpool, Aston Villa and Birmingham City in the January transfer window.
Captain Jakub Blaszczykowski admits it’s a dream come true for him and his Poland teammates as the co-hosts prepare to kick-off Euro 2012 against Greece in Warsaw on Friday.
Franciszek Smuda men are gearing up to tackle 2004 champions Greece in the opening Group A fixture of the tournament and, despite being the lowest ranked team in the finals, there is a belief that Poland can make the knockout stage.
It’s only the second time White Eagles have qualified for the competition in it’s 62-year history but with the draw handing them a negotiable group expectations have soared amongst supporters.
But Borussia Dortmund midfielder Blaszczykowski insists that the pressure will act as a stimulant for the Polish to go out and enjoy performing in their home nation and savour the moment.
“The whole country has great expectations and we are aware of it but it will only motivate us to win,” he told reporters at a press conference.
“These are things players wait their whole career for – to play in a tournament like this, in such a great stadium.
“This is a dream come true, the only thing we can do is realise those dreams and make them last.”
They’ll face a tough task against a Greece side that surprised the entire football fraternity after triumphing over host nation Portugal eight-years ago.
A run of just one defeat in 21 games under Fernando Santos during his two-year reign, including an undefeated qualifying campaign, means the Greeks will come into the tournament in high spirits and many will be predicting a routine win over the Polish in the National Stadium.
However captain Giorgos Karagounis has played down his countries chances of causing another upset and is adamant that they must avoid defeat in their opening game if they are to have any chance of making the quarter-finals.
The 35-year-old midfielder said: “If you cannot win then you must not lose because it is the first match.
“We know what we are capable of as a side and we will try and produce it on the pitch.
“Since there are so few games you cannot afford to make any mistakes.”
Injury News
Poland head coach Smuda is sweating on the fitness of Sochaux defender Damien Perquis as he continues his recovery from a fractured elbow.
Greece could be without two key players in the form of defender Vassilis Torosidis and Sotiris Ninis.
Torosidis has a knee injury and looks likely to miss out whilst Ninis struggles to over come a shoulder problem but has a chance of featuring.
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Key Players
Roberto Lewandowski
The Borussia Dortmund striker heads into Euro 2012 off the back of a stunning campaign that saw him score 30 goals in 46 games and lift the Bundesliga title for the second year in succession. Poland know that if providing Lewandowski with the adequate service represents their best chance of making it through the group stage. With scouts from some of Europe’s elite sides likely to be in the crowd the 23-year-old will be keen to get off to a strong start and impress his potential suitors.
Giorgos Karagounis
With 115 caps to his name Karagounis is the most experienced member of the current Greece squad and remains key component in their midfield. He was part of the team that defied the odds in 2004 and will be hoping to use his knowledge to help the Greeks to victory in their opening game. The veteran skipper is the man that keeps the engine room neatly structured ensuring it operates with a faultless efficiency. And whilst the goals have dried up in recent years his blend flair and grit make him the ideal man to Hellenic side into the tournament.
Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien is expected to be sidelined until January after undergoing knee surgery on Monday.The Ghana international, who has a history of knee injuries, ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament and the meniscus in his right knee in pre-season training last week.
The injury is said to have stunned Chelsea officials, who were expecting scans to reveal a simple twisted knee after Essien fell innocuously during a training drill.
Instead, the 28-year-old has had surgery to repair the torn structures and faces up to six months of rehabilitation before he can return to the Blues.
It is Essien’s third serious knee injury in three years. The midfielder missed a large chunk of the 2008/09 campaign due to cruciate ligament damage and was forced out of the 2010 World Cup with a less severe medial ligament injury.
New Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas said: “Everyone at Chelsea wishes Michael well for his recovery.”
“His team-mates and all the staff and I look forward to helping him return to playing as soon as possible.”
The winter weather has taken a huge bite in the Premier League programme this weekend, with only the clashes at the Stadium of Light and Ewood Park given the go ahead. Hopefully tonight’s clash at Eastlands will make up for the loss of action as both sides are desperate for the win.
In the papers today there has been a mixed bag of stories which includes Cesc Fabregas airs title fear; Mancini calls on City fans to back Carlos Tevez, while Roy Hodgson eyes new faces at Anfield.
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Fabregas airs title fear – Sky Sports
Nelsen lambasts Blackburn owners – Guardian
Now Houllier orders his Aston Villa commuters to get moving – Daily Mail
Hammers chase Ade on loan – Sun
Mancini expects City fans to back Tevez against Everton – Guardian
Hodgson eyes fresh faces – Sky Sports
Everton fans can be forgiven an envious glance tonight – Independent
Tottenham offer contract to Juventus striker Vincenzo Iaquinta – IM Scouting
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Arsenal ready to sanction £2m sale of Nordtveit to Moenchengladbach – Daily Mail
McCarthy has board backing – Sky Sports
Bayern join race for Glen Johnson – IM Scouting
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Holy Crap – it’s live fantasy football! Become part of Man City v Everton and play Picklive for FREE Watch and bet live – spices up any game!
This season the goals have been flying in everywhere, with the first goal scored by Luis Suarez and the last by Sergio Aguero, this list of players identifies the ratio of how many goals have been scored in comparison to the cost of the goal based on the transfer fee of each player. Some of these players have been bought for bargains and have really shown what they are made off. Robin Van Persie for example was signed in 2004 for £2.75m, since then he has scored 96 goals for the club since he joined, 30 being from last season.
Grant Holt played a massive part in Norwich’s come back season to the Premier League last season. The Canaries signed Holt for an undisclosed deal of £400,000 in 2009 who has been a great cause scoring 15 goals this season in the Premier League to give them a successful run since promotion.
It just shows that millions of pounds don’t need to be spent on outstanding players, when you find can find a little gem to give them an opportunity, it can be very worthwhile in the end.
Click on Holt below to unveil the goalscorers with the best value per goal ratio
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These stats were compiled as part of the launch an exclusive ‘Cash for Goals’ customer promotion* Currys and PC World who commissioned Opta, Europe’s largest provider of football data, to find out who the ‘best value’ footballers are in the Premier League based on their real ‘cash-per-goal’ value.
Find out more about ‘Cash for Goals’ here – www.cashforgoals.co.uk.
Former Real Madrid player Zinedine Zidane will succeed Jorge Valdano as director of football at the La Liga giants.Frenchman Zidane, a three-time world player of the year, retired in 2006 after spending the last five seasons of his career in the Spanish capital.
The 39-year-old won the La Liga title and the Champions League during his time at the Santiago Bernabeu and has been serving as a special advisor to Real president Florentino Perez since June 2009.
Zidane is set to take over at least some of the duties of Valdano, another former player who worked as director of football in two spells between 2000-2005 and 2009-2011.
The 55-year-old Argentine, formally a close ally of Perez, was removed by the president in May this year.
The move was seen by many as a victory for head coach Jose Mourinho after a power struggle between the two men following the arrival of the Portuguese from Inter Milan in May 2010.
“We are going to start working in the role as director of football to the first team,” Zidane said.
“Mourinho has been fundamental in this, but so has the president as well.”
When asked what the roles entails, Zidane said: “We shall see.”
“Everyone has been asking me the same question, but I will be there from next Monday, until the end of the season.”
“Real Madrid is the most important thing that happened to me, both as a footballer and as a person. And I will continue to work with the club because it is the best.”
Real finished second in La Liga last season, losing out in the title race to Barcelona, who also beat them in the semi-finals of the Champions League.
Wolverhampton Wanderers boss Mick McCarthy says that there was no fallout with wing-back Jelle Van Damme before he opted to return to Belgium to join Standard Liege.
The 27-year-old spent just a few months at Molineux, but McCarthy had no problems with the Belgium international during that time.
He told the club's official website:"There was no point in keeping him. When someone moves, why does it always have to be the case that someone has 'fallen out'.
"He is a good player and sometimes it just doesn't work out. This was one of those occasions.
"He came, he started in the team, he got injured in his first game and things haven't worked out for him personally.
"He had his family life and sometimes all those little things add up to the fact that it just doesn't work out and that's what happened.
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"I like Jelle and, when he played, he gave his all.
"But, if he wants to go back, then even if there is one per cent not totally committed to it, then why would I continue to play him when I've got lads who are totally committed?"Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
There is something pretty seriously wrong with me. I just can’t stop crying.
For nearly two years writing on Football FanCast I have resolutely refused to nail my football colours to the mast. After last night’s simply astounding viewing at the Nou Camp, however, I cannot hold it in any longer.
Yet, as a Chelsea supporter, (gulp, I’ve said it) Tuesday’s Champions League night of triumph was staggeringly, epic and beautiful. Excuse the self-indulgence for a moment but it was so magical in a way that I could never have ever believed possible.
Maybe purists of the game will bemoan a crime against artistry and expression and a robbery on the grandest scale but for Chelsea- the nearest of nearly men on the European stage- this was tumultuous, ecstatic and ludicrously implausible all at the same time.
When John Terry slipped in Moscow I felt nothing. How can you regret a penalty shootout defeat with any real conviction? When Jose Mourinho’s negligently negative tactics went a long way to ending Chelsea interest in Europe each year between 2005 and 2007 I was similarly numb. Andres Iniesta’s late strike in 2009 was the worst of hammer blows but you always felt the late twist was on the cards- penalty decisions or no penalty decisions.
If the 1998 Cup Winner’s Cup win over Vicenza was an unexpected new pleasure for a new era of Chelsea fans and the 2004 Champions League triumph over Arsenal was cathartic then this was simply on a different level.
Throughout all of those nights of heartache a sterile numbness was all I could muster. Even when a homeless man goaded me minutes after Iniesta’s 2009 sickener I was not tempted to” do a Terry” and needlessly knee him in the back. It will, I concluded, just never happen.
And perhaps, even in this glorious afterglow and talk of “destiny” it still won’t. But even if May 19th ends in more heartache at the final hurdle this achievement stands alone.
Consider this first. The last time Chelsea fielded two non-centre backs in that pivotal position was during a November 2010 injury crisis. They were hammered 3-0 at home against a struggling Sunderland side. There was a full allotment of 11 men in Chelsea blue that afternoon too.
This phenomenal Barcelona side on the cusp of more history as the first side to retain the Champions League failed to score in 53 minutes against a makeshift Chelsea side that at times looked as if Jose Bosingwa’s monobrow was as likely to finally grow legs of its own and score a second goal than any of the other outfield players.
My Dad, not one for hyperbole and as anti-Chelsea as they come, called it the finest and most unlikely “perfect” performance he had witnessed in 50 years watching football.
And don’t let anyone tell you anything different; this was perfect. Ashley Cole pulled out of his spiralling nose-dive in form at the best possible moment. Jon Obi Mikel showed powers of concentration, discipline and application that he has not displayed since Chelsea last visited the Nou Camp three years ago. Ramires, Petr Cech, Branislav Ivanovic and a mentally exhausted Didier Drogba were each sublime in their bloody-minded resistance.
After 37 minutes, however, this bravery was surely going to be ruled incidental on another night of Chelsea European failure. Once John Terry had gone a long way in tearing down his own “JT. Captain. Leader. Legend” banner at Stamford Bridge and Barcelona took a 2-0 lead on the night, an old fashioned hammering was in the offing. No other outcome was possible.
Yet, one man landed a telling blow to the writers and sub-editors who can’t publish a Chelsea article without the term: “Old guard” making it into almost every sentence. Frank Lampard was possibly my man of the match and his contribution in the minutes before half time was tie-defining.
In a week where pundits and fans have been picking over contenders for the best XI in Premier League history, it is the criminally underrated Lampard that deserves an extraordinary level of credit. 150 Premier League goals, 88 assists and I am still to hear a single source suggest he merits a place at the top table. The highest goalscoring midfielder by more than 40 strikes and the second highest assist contributor does not, apparently, deserve a mention.
They say; “Look at the way Paul Scholes and Steven Gerrard can pass the ball. Statistics be damned, Frank Lampard could never do that.”
In consecutive weeks he has been afforded a single opportunity to play the lowest of low percentage incisive passes. He nailed both. Didier Drobga and Ramires cashed in spectacularly. Show me Scholes and Gerrard do that.
Yet, for all the inspired resistance, the iconic end came from an opportunistic, mistimed hack from Ashley Cole and the much maligned Fernando Torres was given a chance at redemption.
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The Spaniard rounded Victor Valdes and Gary Neville had his Gerrard- Olympiakos moment in the Sky commentary box.
And in a faux Irish pub in the centre of Brighton, some 950 miles away, my emotional floodgates finally opened.
Corinthians’ 2-0 home victory over Fluminense saw them cut Sao Paulo’s lead atop the Brazilian Serie A to two points on Sunday.A first-half double from striker Willian paved the way for Corinthians to record the win in front of their home fans at the Estadio Municipal Paulo Machado de Carvalho.
Willian grabbed his first after six minutes and when Fluminense defender Leandro Euzebio gave away a penalty on the half-hour mark, he slotted the resultant spot-kick.
In other matches, third-placed Palmeiras were robbed of a victory in the dying stages in their 2-2 draw at Internacional.
Goals in the second half to Kleber and Luan looked to have given the visitors all three points but Leandro Damiao equalised in injury-time.
Neto Berola’s 76th minute goal earned Atletico Mineiro a point in a 1-1 draw at Bahia while Botafogo climbed to fifth as they beat Coritiba 3-1 thanks to goals from Maicosuel, Elkeson and Alex.
Atletico Goianiense came from behind to defeat Ceara 4-1 with Anselmo netting a double but it was far more even in the other match of the day as Deivid’s 80th-minute equaliser secured a 1-1 for Flamengo at Atletico Paranaense.
Tottenham firmly announced themselves on the European stage this week, with a comfortable 3-1 defeat of holders Inter Milan. After their impressive by ultimately futile, second half display at the San Siro two weeks ago, this performance had Tottenham legends of the past comparing the victory to some of the club’s most memorable nights.
During a busy week for Spurs, there was also enough time for a controversial late goal conceded last week, and a very interesting game of cat and mouse between Harry Redknapp and the Premier League.
Wednesday’s result has sent the blogging networks into overdrive. There are entries on Gareth Bale’s rise from statistical burden to world beater, Peter Crouch’s none too impressive strike rate since his move from Portsmouth and potential transfer targets for Spurs during January’s window.
As always we also have the best of the web.
Featured articles of the week
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The Premier League’s new comic strip # 2
Walcott and Bale finally fulfilling the hype
Why Peter Crouch needs to take a back seat
Four transfer targets for Tottenham to ponder
Another FIVE things we learnt from Tottenham’s demolition
How Inter star failed his transfer audition at White Hart Lane
Give technology an inch in football, then eventually it will take a mile
One DEAL that Daniel Levy has to get right
There’s simply no better inspiration for Gareth Bale to follow
Spurs, Liverpool, United…whose need for Real Madrid swoop is greater?
WAG Weekly: Bale scores a beauty…well sort off!
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Click here to see the Best TOTTENHAM BLOGS around the Web this week
Best of the Web
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Do you know your history? – Dear Mr Levy
Inter for supper: Trotters for lunch – Spurs Musings with JimmyG2
Bale, Taxis and Two Fiddy’s Up – Who Framed Ruel Fox?
Sign This Petition And Help Get Him Sacked – Harry Hotspur
Another fine mess Mr Clattenburg- Spurs Musings with JimmyG2