LIVERPOOL VS WEST HUM

The Barclays English Premier League (EPL), considered as the best in the world.

Liverpool FC vs West Ham United


Match scheduled:19-04-2010 from 21:00 until 23:00 GMT

Week 35 / Round 35:: Barclays Premier League 2009/2010

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“My season is over,” Petrov told Trud daily.

(GSM) – Martin Petrov will miss the rest of his team’s games this season after injuring his knee. The winger said he wanted to get back to action, but his doctor told him he should rest for three weeks.
The Bulgarian said he is “very disappointed” after picking-up the injury as he may have played his last game for Manchester City. Having turned down a contract extension at Eastlands, Petrov is yet to confirm where he will be playing next season.
The player has not played since City’s 1-1 draw with Stoke City in February this year. He has since undergone surgery but declared himself unfit to play again for City this season.
“My season is over,” Petrov told Trud daily. “I wanted to play in several matches at the end of the championship but the doctors said I should take a rest for three more weeks.
“I’m very disappointed.”
Petrov, who joined the Eastlands club in 2007, has had his City spell plagued with injuries.

“My dream is still to triumph with United and win another league title. say Bulgarian striker Dimitar Berbatov

Bulgarian striker Dimitar Berbatov has admitted that he is desperate to stay at Manchester United.
It was reported earlier this week that United manager Sir Alex Ferguson plans to sell the striker this summer.
Berbatov told The Sun: “People have not seen the real Berbatov this season and I would have liked to have done more for the club.

“My dream is still to triumph with United and win another league title.
“At Spurs I have scored more goals with less problems and at United it has been more difficult.
“But I do not worry about the critics. In football it is harder to be a forward because people analyse errors more than success. My morale is high and I am always trying to overcome the situation.”



                                                      

Charles N'Zogbia fires Wigan's late winner against Arsenal

Three goals in the final 11 minutes gave Wigan arguably the most stunning victory in their Premier League history and slammed the door shut on Arsenal's faint title hopes.

he Gunners appeared to be coasting to victory on the back of goals either side of half-time from Theo Walcott and Mikael Silvestre, and with it hauling themselves to within three points of leaders Chelsea.
But after a run of eight defeats and a draw in the league against Arsenal, Wigan added to their maiden wins over Chelsea and Liverpool this season as Ben Watson, Titus Bramble and Charles N'Zogbia conjured an astonishing comeback.
The remarkable result leaves Wigan seven points clear of the drop zone and seemingly safe, whereas Arsenal can now kiss goodbye to any hope they had of the title after back-to-back defeats in the space of five days.
Tottenham's victory over leaders Chelsea yesterday had given the visitors a glimmer of hope on the title front, but that has now evaporated, and they have only themselves to blame for a late collapse.
For 40 minutes here they found themselves frustrated by a Wigan side desperate for points in their battle to stay in the top flight for a sixth successive season.
After being booed off the pitch on Wednesday following a goalless draw against an already-relegated and understrength Portsmouth side, Wigan were determined to restore the faith of their fans.
There was certainly an urgency about Roberto Martinez's side, but for 80 minutes they lacked a cutting edge.
Instead it was Arsenal who were in the ascendancy, initially in the 41st minute as Nicklas Bendtner split covering defenders Maynor Figueroa and Bramble with a through ball of pace and precision.
After riding Bramble's challenge and pulling away from Figueroa, Walcott then slid the ball underneath the advancing Chris Kirkland for his seventh goal of the season.
It was deserved as Walcott should have scored minutes prior to that after Abou Diaby had released him in behind Wigan's defence.
Although left with a one-on-one opportunity with Kirkland just outside the six-yard box, he opted to try and find Bendtner with a square ball, only to pull it behind him, allowing Wigan to clear.
Walcott could, and perhaps should have given Arsenal a two-goal cushion on the stroke of half time, only to narrowly clear the bar with a rising drive from just inside the area.
Prior to Walcott's opener Wigan were lively, but barely troubled Lukasz Fabianski, playing in his first league game since the end of last season with Manuel Almunia out with a wrist injury.
N'Zogbia, rumoured to be a target for Wenger in the summer, was narrowly wide with one curled effort, whilst a low, powerful 20-yard drive was straight at the Pole.
As a contest, it seemed to turn inside the opening three minutes of the second half, initially after just 40 seconds as Wigan were denied a penalty.
Referee Lee Mason, who had incurred the wrath of the Wigan fans all afternoon with his decisions, infuriated the locals further by turning a blind eye to Samir Nasri's pull on the arm of Watson.
Moments later, and from Arsenal's first attack of the half, Kirkland superbly denied Diaby at close range, with the ball eventually running for a corner.
Nasri proceeded to deliver an outswinger to which Wigan's defence were guilty of falling asleep, allowing Silvestre an unmarked header from the penalty spot beyond Kirkland's outstretched grasp.
Starting for Thomas Vermaelen, who misses the end to the season with a calf strain, it was Silvestre's first goal for a year since a 4-1 win on this ground.
Wigan, though, did not roll over and die. N'Zogbia first curled a tame effort that was easy pickings for Fabianski, on his 25th birthday, after being played in by Watson.
Watson was then denied by Fabianski who was at full stretch to prevent a low 20-yard shot from creeping inside his right-hand post, whilst Hugo Rodallega saw his scuffed shot trickle inches wide.
Then 10 minutes from time Watson hauled Wigan back into the game with a sidefoot effort from 12 yards after substitute Victor Moses had played the midfielder in from the bye-line. It was the catalyst for the comeback, aided by a howler from Fabianski who fluffed an N'Zogbia corner, allowing Bramble a free header which crossed the line, despite Clichy's efforts to hook the ball clear.
Then in the first of four minutes of added time N'Zogbia struck a curling winner from 20 yards to send the majority of the DW Stadium into raptures, and leave Arsenal's followers sickened.

Melchiot credits Martinez team-talkWigan defender Mario Melchiot pointed to the inspirational words of manager Roberto Martinez as the catalyst for the Latics' remarkable come-from-behind win.He told Sky Sports: "At half-time the gaffer said, 'Keep going, guys - I believe in you and you can do it', and that made a difference. I was happy that we kept going and Charlie [N'Zogbia] got a magnificent goal."Asked what the win would do for the Lancashire club, the Dutchman added: "It's very big. It's going to make a lot of difference to the morale of the team and those who come and see us."Central defender Bramble, who profited from a glaring error from Arsenal goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski to nod the equaliser in the final minute, hailed the battling spirit of his side."It shows what great commitment we have," he said.Commenting on his own goal, he added: "The keeper's pushed it in the air and I got the rebound - thankfully it crossed the line."Next up for Wigan is a game at fourth-bottom West Ham next Saturday which could secure the Latics' place at English football's top table, and Bramble warned his side cannot afford to rest easy while it is still mathematically possible to go down."We've got a massive game next week and we celebrate today, but we've got to prepare for next week," he said.

 

Former South African president responding to the announcemen

"South Africans should treat this decision with humility and without arrogance because we are, after all, equal,"
Nelson Mandela - 15 May 2004
Former South African president responding to the announcement

FIFA president announcing the 2010 World Cup host name

"The 2010 World Cup will be organized by South Africa, we can all applaud Africa. The victor is football, the victor is Africa."

 

Sepp Blatter - 15 May 2004
FIFA president announcing the 2010 World Cup host name

Parreira: Too early to determine progress

South Africa coach Carlos Alberto Parreira believes it is too early to assess how much progress South Africa have made in preparation for the 2010 FIFA World Cup™.

The Brazilian boss has put his players through three days of drills and physical work in the early stages of their nearly three-week training camp in southern Germany.

"We cannot tell you (about any improvements). It is only after games that we can see progress. It's a process. And we will know more after one, two or three games," Parreira said at the team's hotel in Herzogenaurach.

We should be physically very keen and at the highest level. We need to be a fighting team.South Africa coach Carlos Alberto Parreira
South Africa hope to play three friendly matches during their stay in Germany, the biggest being a match against China on 28 April.

Parreira said he and the South African teams bosses have worked hard in lining up more friendly matches, but to little avail.

"We need these friendly games. Of course if we could play Brazil, Germany or England it would be better. And it would be better to get a match against a Bundesliga team. But I have tried since December. Nobody is willing to play one game at this time," he said.

The coach reiterated that his emphasis during this training camp will be to bring his side into top physical shape.

"We should be physically very keen and at the highest level. We need to be a fighting team. And we have to emphasize our strengths. We are good when we put the ball on the ground. We can't think about contact, we have to stress ball movement and tactics," said Parreira.

The former FIFA World Cup winner believes about 14 or 15 players of the 25-man squad in Herzogenaurach will make the team for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

And he hopes to use the current camp to build upon the month-long session in Brazil to form a foundation for the team. And then after the European leagues are completed, his European-based players can come in and fit into the side.

"In Brazil and here we are defining the shape. And the players from overseas will fit into the shape," said the coach.

"We want to get the foundation set and then have the others come in and fit into the shape. If the foundation is solid, we are not worried," he said.

A problem Parreira does see is that many of the foreign-based players are not earning a lot of playing time. And that may pose a challenge come mid-May when they join the other players who have worked in camp since early March.

"It is not ideal. Those coming later will maybe play three games. The others had nine games in Brazil and three here plus the remaining three. And the overseas guys will only play at most three games. So having a player not playing for six months is a headache," he said.