Elderly Teddy Sheringham aims to retire at end of season.

The internet is awash with blogs, articles, pictures and news of Arsenal’s Eduardo Da Silva’s horrific injury. An important topic, which is understandably popular but overshadowed in terms of news by Theo Walcott’s brace and first goals in the premiership, and Tottenham getting one over on the “big four” in the Carling Cup Final. While our hearts lie with Eduardo, on a complete recovery and that his football career has not ended at the tender age of 25, let us remember the football players to whom have had a long and prosperous career playing what us Europeans call the beautiful game.

Filed under: Champions league, England, Millwall, Nottingham Forest, West Ham, football, manchester united, portsmouth, premiership, tottenham , football, sports, Teddy Sheringham

11 goal thriller: Portsmouth 7-4 Reading

If Americans are ever going to be wowed over by the beautiful game, then watching this match might persuade them to make the switch to make soccer their number one sport. The Americans don’t seem to like the 1 -nil score lines. Nor are they particulary fond of the 2-nils, a 2-1 score line will still have them sleeping, a 3-2 scoreline might cause them to show a mild interest. Well you get the picture, American’s seem to like high scoring games or so i am told, as i don’t know many Americans.

I had an imaginary American friend called Bobby when i was a kid and i was trying to get him interested in football but he was having none of it. “But look!” i told him, “i know the score is only 2-1 but its entertaining. How can you not marvel at how skillful that player is,  or how dedicated this player is, look at that double drag back! The game could go either way” then came back the reply “Not interested, i’d rather watch Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls”. Suffice to say this was where our relationship ended, although i did try to get in contact with him on facebook but how many “Bobby’s” are ther in the US?

No one could ever of predicted a 7-4 score, not least the thousands of football bet-sters residing in Britain. But the way this season of the premiership is going is it really that surprising? A 6-0 drubbing of Derby at the hands of Liverpool. 5-0 to the Gunners was the scoreline when Derby met  league leaders Arsenal.  Fulham versus Manchester City ended 3-3. The Fulham versus Tottenham score also ending 3-3. And of course Monday nights game 4-4 Tottenham versus Aston Villa. Ok, so most of these results had involved one or three teams, most notably Tottenham, and Fulham probably highlighting that these teams are big on attack but not so clever in defence, and Derby’s inclusion in my ramblings has much to do with how easy it is to score against the premiership newcomers. Now we have the inclusion of Portsmouth and Reading intro this fray as an advertisement for multi million pound English football that has encouraged a shoppipng spree from many foreign billionaires including America (this would be welcomed by John Madjeski).

The first half offered few hints of what the outcome of the game would be. After 7 minutes of the game gone  Reading lost the ball in midfield which allowed brilliant work by John Utaka on the left, who seemed to waltz through the Reading defence before making sure he had time to deliver a pin point cross to Benjani Mwaruwari; who flug himself at the ball to volley the delivery home.

Portsmouth 1-0 Reading ( Benjani 7 minutes)

If Coppell is going to rectify the problems with his squad this season it is going to have to start with the defence for for the majority of the match they acted as if they were pub players and not premiership professionals. This is justified when not soon after the first goal, Reading goalkeeper Marcus Hahneman had a rush of blood to the head to try to catch Kranjkars corner. Having made an embarrasment of himself by spilling the ball to Papa Bouba Diop, he was relieved when Diop put the ball wide. Before the break Benjani,  playing as the lone striker, put his side 2-nil up when unmarked he shot a low shot hard into the bottom corner.

Portsmouth 2-0 Reading (Benjani 37 minutes)

Portsmouth could of had more than the seven they put past Reading such was the hoplessness of Readings’ defence. Chances for Benjani, Sean Davis and Utaka made sure Reading were always on their toes. But it was Reading who halved the deficit before the break. A freekick was awarded to Reading which Liam Rosenior struck the umderside of the crossbar and Dave Kitson who prodded the ball goalwards. Portsmouth’s defence had not been paying attention to Readings Flame haired striker when this should of been their main priority; David James reacted to his shot but Steve Hunt was first to the parry and headed the loose ball in.

Portsmouth 2-1 Reading (Steve Hunt 45 minutes)

The Portsmouth back line had previuosly kept 3 consecutive clean sheets, whereas Reading were just as stunned that they had managed to half Portsmouths lead. After the break. After the break Reading had levelled after David James jumped on the bandwagon of Top choice England keepers performing football blunders. Having rushed out of his goal to intercept the ball Dave Kitson spotted his opportunity to level and drove in a long shot into the Portsmouth’s empty net. The match suddenly started to spring to life even though 4 goals had already been scored. Utaka had a cross scrambled away from the line. Harper fired a good chance at the other end and Diop had a diving header ruled offside. James made amends for his earlier error when Mark Halsey ruled a handball in the Portsmouth area and awarded Reading a penalty. Nicky Shorey stepped up to take the spot kick but David expertly saved it and that was Reading’s chance gone to take the lead.

Portsmouth 2-2 Reading (Dave Kitson 48 minutes)

Hreidarsson put Portsmouth back into the lead. The defender outjumping Hahnemann to put the ball in the back of the net.

Portsmouth 3-2 Reading (Hreidarsson 55 minutes) 

Benjani however was determined to receive the man of the match accolade, and with an amazing solo run that wrong footed 3 Reading defenders scored to complete his hattrick. Speaking after the game he commented that “When i was in France, we won 8-4 against Nantes”

Portsmouth 4-2 Reading (Benjani 70 minutes)

Five minutes later Portsmouth decided that having been stunned by an attempted fightback from Reading, to move up a couple of gears. Niko Kranjkar made sure his name ended up on the scoresheet after heading in a Sean Davis cross.

Portsmouth 5-2 Reading (Kranjkar 75 minutes)

For those fans that normally prefer to leave 10-20 minutes early before a a football match ends to avoid traffic and rush hour, if they had done it here, they would of missed another four goals. Reading were not quite finished and a James Harper long range effort deflected off of Shane Long to give to falsely give Reading a glimmer of hope.

Portsmouth 5-3 Reading (Long 79 minutes)

Shuan Davis having set up Kranjkar for Portsmouth last goal, decided to get on the scoresheet himself.

Portsmouth 6-3 Reading (Davis 81 minutes)

In stoppage time, with both sides attacking to their fullest there were still more goals to come as the title of this piece suggests. Rosnoir brought down Kranjcar and  Sulley Muntari made sure he did not make the same mistake as Nicky Shorey at the other end, dispatching this footballing present giving to him in a bow from referee Mark Haseley. The Fratton Park faithful were screaming out “We want eight” as you do coming from your fans, but 7 goals was going to be the final tally for the Harry Redknapps side. While the final say went to Reading if not the three points.

Portsmouth 7-3 Reading (Muntari 90 minutes)

Having let in 7 goals, Reading did not want the scoreline to remain the same and demoralise them for the remaining games. Nicky Shorey who failed to score from the spot, did finally score a goal, firing a deflected 4th before the final whistle.

Portsmouth 7-4 Reading (Shorey 90 minutes-phew!)

In a post match interview Harry Redknapp compared his side to Real Madrid when they trounced Eintracht Frankfurt back in the 1960 European cup final. “I said to Tony Adams 7-3 was Real Madrid  against Eintracht Frankfurt at Hampden park; Francissco Gento, Alfredo Di Stefano, Ferenc Puskas, Jose Santa Maria- Sean Davis, Sulley Muntari” Maybe this will be the first and only time the likes of Sean Davis and Sulley Muntari will be compared to the Real Madrid legends but they are both fast becoming Fratton Park favourites. Steve Coppell’s side who last season had reached a point and a place away from European qualification are finding their second season in the top flight extremly more than difficult, with the loss of Steve Sidwell not helping matters. Though if we look to their spending last summer, they spent £3.1 million on players whereas Harry Redknapp’s south coast Real Madrid side had spent £30 million on players. Judging from this match it showed who had spent the most.

Filed under: Reading, football, portsmouth, soccer , football, sports

Liverpool seal Babel for £11 million and other transfer news

Babel moves to Anfield for £11 million

Liverpool has agreed terms with Ajax to sign the Dutch winger Ryan Babel for 11 million. The 20 year old will sign a four yeasr contract with Liverpool this Friday. Babel is a protege of Ajax’s famed youth system and he was a member of the Dutch team that won the under 21 European championship in June and also was in the senior squad in the 2006 World cup in Germany.

Arsenal had also been monitoring his progress but Liverpool were able to meet the financial demands of the Dutch club by supplementing their income through the saale of Craig Bellamy to West Ham.

Nugent signs for Pompey £6 million:

 

David Nugent completed his move from championship side Preston North End to Portsmouth yesterday in a deal that had cost the southampton team £6 million. The 22 year old signed a four year contract after negotiations between his former club and Everton (his boyhood club) broke down because Everton could not meet the £6million evaluation mark for the striker. He had also chose Fratton Park over a move to Sunerland who did manage to match Preston North Ends demands.

Nugent said of his move:

“i can no longer play for the England under 21s and i have to break into the senior squad. i am now playing in the premier league which will now further my career. i met Harry and straight away knew where i was going.”

“He sold the club to me  on the players he was bringing i, the squad is full of great names”

Nugent was unveiled today with another newboy, the Nigerian stiker John Utaka. 

Tottenham edge closer to signing Boateng 

Today Tottenham moved closer to sealing a deal that would take Kevin-Prince Boateng to White heart Lane after Hertha Berlin accepted an offer from the North London club. Sevilla also had a keen interest in the 20 year old midfielder placing a £2.7 milion bid last week but the Bundsliga club were tempted by a £5.4 million offer from Tottenham.

“The offer from Seville never interested us. It was not enough so we turned it down. We have accepted an offer from England but now we must reach an agreement.” said the Hertha general manager Dieter Hoeness.

The German midfielder has made 43 appearances for the Bundesliga side scoring four goals.

Filed under: football, football transfers, liverpool, portsmouth, tottenham