Saturday 01.09.12
Robson downs Li Na at US Open Page 10 ≥
nsid de ≥ Paralympics All the action in our 8-page pull-out Inside
£15.8m MAN CITY: Roberto Mancini brought in Javi Garcia from Benfica, left, the champions’ biggest deal of the summer
£5m
FULHAM: Cut-price deal for the striker Dimitar Berbatov from Manchester United
£5.5m
£4m
SWANSEA: Spent a new club record on the Valencia winger Pablo Hernández
LIVERPOOL Sold the Scottish midfielder Charlie Adam to Stoke City
City and Spurs aim high • Tottenham make record £19.8m bid for Moutinho • City agree deals for García and Nastasic for £27.8m
David Hytner Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City were competing to make the most eye-catching transfer of deadline day last night with Spurs making a record bid for the Porto midfielder João Moutinho and the Premier League champions agreeing deals for Benfica’s Javi Garcia, for £15.8m, and Fiorentina’s Matija Nastasic for £12m (including Stefan Savic as a makeweight), subject to the paperwork arriving. On a typically frenetic final day of the transfer window at White Hart Lane, the club moved to finalise the £13m capture of the France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris,
despite a furious boardroom-level row in which the Lyon president, Jean-Michel Aulas, accused his Tottenham counterpart, Daniel Levy, of broken promises and unethical behaviour. Tottenham sold Rafael van der Vaart to Hamburg, his former club, for £10m while they moved Giovani dos Santos to Real Mallorca for £4m and loaned Danny Rose to Sunderland for the rest of the season. But it was the drama that surrounded the £19.8m offer to Porto for Moutinho that held the club’s supporters in thrall. Tottenham’s largest previous outlay on the transfer market was the £16.6m that they paid to Dynamo Zagreb for Luka Modric in 2008 but they demonstrated the willingness to better that with the move for Moutinho, who has been viewed as Modric’s replacement. Modric completed his protracted £30m transfer to Real Madrid on Monday. Villas-Boas worked with Moutinho when he was the Porto manager and he identified the 25-year-old as his priority midfield signing upon taking over at Tottenham in July. Villas-Boas had been pes-
simistic about the chances of a deal being completed, largely because he knows that the Porto president, Pinto da Costa, under whom he worked, always sells players at extremely high prices and, perhaps, because he could not see Levy extending himself so fully. Only on Thursday, Villas-Boas described the move for Moutinho as “an impossible deal for the club.” But Levy’s offer to Porto demonstrated the faith that he has in Villas-Boas, who has reshaped the team’s midfield with the signings of Gylfi Sigurdsson from Hoffenheim for £8m and Moussa Dembélé from Fulham for £15m. The finances were complicated as Sporting Lisbon, who sold Moutinho to Porto for €10m (£7.9m) in 2010, were owed 25% of any future sale profits while a third-party investor owned 15% of the player’s economic rights. Moutinho’s high personal terms also represented an obstacle. Villas-Boas had signed the centre-half Jan Vertonghen from Ajax for £10m in July and Emmanuel Adebayor for £5.5m last week,
and the deadline-day moves reinforced the theme of revolution in his squad. Lloris, the France No1, saw Lyon accept Tottenham’s bid last Sunday, with the down payment on the fee being £9.5m but, on Thursday night, the French club accused Levy of lowering his offer by £2m. It prompted Aulas into a tirade, although the deal was revived and Lloris reported
Inside
Mancini insists he is happy despite missing out on a first-choice quartet worth £116m Jamie Jackson, page 2 ≥
to Spurs Lodge yesterday for his medical. “The negotiation with the Tottenham directors has been the hardest I have ever had to undergo in 25 years,” Aulas said. “Daniel Levy talks a lot and goes back on what we’ve agreed in writing. Agreements have not at all been respected.” At City, meanwhile, in the closing 24 hours, Roberto Mancini signed Internazionale’s Maicon for £3.1m and Swansea City’s Scott Sinclair for £6.2m. He also recruited Richard Wright on a free transfer as his third-choice goalkeeper. On a frantic day, Southampton paid a reported £12m for the Bologna winger Gastón Ramírez while Fulham completed deals for Dimitar Barbatov and Kieran Richardson. At Liverpool, Brendan Rodgers’s clear-out continued as Charlie Adam joined Stoke City in a permanent £4m deal and Jay Spearing went to Bolton Wanderers and a season-long loan. Everton completed their fourth permanent signing of the summer with the £2m capture of Copenhagen’s Bryan Oviedo, while Swansea spent £5.5m on the Valencia winger Pablo Hernández.
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The Guardian | Saturday 1 September 2012
Sport
Football Transfer deadline day
Weekend at a glance
City splash out on the final day but not to the degree Mancini had hoped for
TV Today Paralympics London 2012 Channel 4, from 9.15am Football West Ham v Fulham Sky Sports 2, 12.30pm Man City v QPR ESPN, 4.30pm Leicester v Blackpool Sky Sports 2, 5pm Match of the Day BBC1, 10.10pm Football League Show BBC1, 11.30pm Rugby union Wasps v Harlequins ESPN, 1.15pm Rugby league Bradford v Hull Sky Sports 1, 7pm Cricket India v New Zealand Sky Sports 3, 5am Cycling Vuelta a España Eurosport 2, 3pm; ITV4, 7pm
Cricket Sussex v Hampshire Sussex will be hoping to make up for Twenty20 disappointment with a win in their Clydesdale Bank 40 semi-final SS1, today, 12.30pm Golf European Masters Sky Sports 4, midday Deutsche Bank C’ship Sky Sports 4, 7pm Motor racing Belgian Grand Prix Sky Sports F1, midday; BBC1, 12.10pm Tennis US Open Sky Sports 1, 4pm; Eurosport 4pm
Rugby union London Welsh v Leicester After all the controversy, London Welsh will get to show what they are made of against Manu Tuilagi and Leicester SS3, tomorrow, 1.30pm
Tomorrow Paralympics London 2012 Channel 4, from 9.15am Football Bordeaux v Nice ESPN, 12.45pm Liverpool v Arsenal Sky Sports 1, 1pm Soton v Man Utd Sky Sports 1, 3.30pm The Rangers v Elgin ESPN, 4pm Internazionale v Roma ESPN, 7.15pm Match of the Day 2 BBC1,10.25pm Rugby league Wakefield v Widnes Sky Sports 2, 6.30pm Cricket India v New Zealand Sky Sports 3, 5am England v South Africa Sky Sports 2, 10am Cycling Vuelta a España Eurosport 2, 2pm; ITV4, 7pm Golf European Masters Sky Sports 4, midday Deutsche Bank C’ship Sky Sports 4, 7pm Motor racing Belgian Grand Prix Sky Sports F1, 11am; BBC1, 12.10pm Tennis US Open Sky Sports 1, 4pm; Eurosport 4pm
On the web guardian.co.uk/sport The best in live minute-byminute coverage all weekend Paralympics Keep up with all the latest from our team of writers at the Games on Saturday and Sunday as the medal rush continues apace guardian.co.uk/sport/ paralympics-2012 Football Today: West Ham v Fulham, Man City v QPR. Tomorrow: Liverpool v Arsenal, Southampton v Man Utd and Barcelona v Valencia guardian.co.uk/football Cricket Tomorrow sees the fourth ODI of the series between England and South Africa at Lord’s. Our overby-over report begins at 10am guardian.co.uk/cricket
The Observer Tomorrow Brearley on Strauss The unmissable final analysis of England’s departing cricket captain by his Ashes-winning predecessor Paralympics 2012 Reports and analysis on a big day for Ellie Simmonds, Oscar Pistorius, Lee Pearson and co Plus Daniel Taylor on Liverpool … Karim El Ahmadi on his new life at Aston Villa … rugby union’s big kick-off … the awardwinning Said & Done
‘You don’t always get the players you want’ Liverpool sell Adam to Stoke City for £4m Jamie Jackson and Andy Hunter Manchester City were set to splurge £37.1m on the transfer window’s closing day on four players, leaving Roberto Mancini saying he was happy with them, despite missing out on a first-choice quartet worth £116m. In the closing 24 hours Mancini signed Internazionale’s Maicon for £3.1m and Swansea City’s Scott Sinclair, £6.2m, and Benfica’s Javi Garcia for £15.8m and Fiorentina’s Matija Nastasic for £12m (including Stefan Savic as a makeweight) were complete deals subject to the paper work arriving. He also recruited Richard Wright on a free transfer as his thirdchoice goalkeeper. Yet at the start of the window Mancini targeted Robin van Persie, who went to Manchester United for £22m, Roma’s Daniele De Rossi, valued at £30m but who stayed at the club, Eden Hazard, bought instead by Chelsea for £32m, and Javi Martínez, who cost Bayern Munich £32m. Asked about his signings some hours before the 11pm deadline, Mancini said: “When you finish the season, you have a meeting with the club, you talk about some players but sometimes maybe it is not possible to take all the players you want. You should have a different choice. But if I get these players, I am happy. “If we sign these players we’ve talked about, I think we’ll improve our team. They come to play in a different championship [apart from Sinclair] and maybe they need time. We are talking about one top player in Maicon, because he has experience. Nastajic will be one of the top defenders for a long time.” Mancini has voiced his frustrations with Brian Marwood, the club’s football administration officer, for missing out on his prime targets. Now the Italian claimed to have shifted his position. “I was frustrated as it is difficult to do everything in one week or 10 days, only this reason. Now I think they have worked very well in the last two weeks,” he said. Mancini had identified his favoured players in May but, apart from the £15m signing of Jack Rodwell from Everton, all the recruitment occurred in the window’s closing 24 hours. Asked whether this was not strange, he said: “This is the market, this is problem for Manchester City or Paris Saint-Germain, every time you go to buy one player the other club can ask £20m. This is not correct from the other club and this could be the problem.” Of Sinclair he said: “He plays in the same position as Adam Johnson but the difference is that Adam works with the ball at his feet and Sinclair runs into space. There are some differences but they are both wingers. Adam did very well for us, scoring goals. I hope Sinclair can do like Adam or better.” City have been drawn in the toughest Champions League group, alongside Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund and Ajax, like the Blues the respective champions of their countries. “If we get 10 points we
The sense and the nonsense of spending big There are many examples to remind us that footballers never come with a warranty, writes Kevin McCarra
will go to the second stage. I am confident. I will be happy with 10 points from this group,” Mancini said, a reference to the tally City accrued last season which proved insufficient for them to reach the knockout stage. The champions take on Queens Park Rangers in today’s late kick-off, a repeat of last season’s final-day fixture, which they won 3-2 in the closing moments to clinch the title. “We didn’t win the championship in the last second. We won the last championship during all the season because we deserved to win the championship. We did better than all the other teams,” Mancini said. “Football is beautiful for this because anything can happen in one game. In the last game we had 44 chances to score, they had three and they scored two goals. We had a problem with our heart but in the end it was good.” Mancini confirmed that the injured Sergio Agüero will not have to travel back to Argentina despite being named in their squad for the upcoming internationals. At Liverpool Brendan Rodgers removed several more high earners from Liverpool’s wage bill on deadline day as he attempted to improve his attacking options with Clint Dempsey. The Liverpool manager sanctioned the departures of Charlie Adam to Stoke City in a permanent £4m deal and Jay Spearing on a season-long loan to Bol-
Deadline day moves The leading transfers as clubs scrambled to finalise deals before the window closed * Pablo Hernández Swansea £5.55m from Valencia Dimitar Berbatov Fulham Undisclosed from Manchester United Maicon Manchester City Undisclosed from Internazionale Scott Sinclair Manchester City Undisclosed from Swansea Gaston Ramirez Southampton Undisclosed from Bologna Charlie Adam Stoke City Undisclosed from Liverpool Kieran Richardson Fulham Undisclosed from Sunderland Nigel De Jong Milan Undisclosed from Manchester City Giovani dos Santos Real Mallorca Undisclosed from Tottenham Rafael van der Vaart Hamburg Undisclosed from Tottenham Bryan Oviedo Everton Undisclosed from FC Copenhagen Jordan Bowery Aston Villa Undisclosed from Chesterfield Sam Magri QPR Undisclosed from Portsmouth Jay Spearing Bolton Season-long loan from Liverpool Richard Wright unattached Free transfer Danny Rose Sunderland Season-long loan from Tottenham Thorgan Hazard Zulte Waregem Season-long loan from Chelsea Park Chu-young Celta Vigo Season-long loan from Arsenal Amin Affane Roda JC Season-long loan from Chelsea * as at 8pm
When clubs hurl vast amounts into the transfer market they will often convince themselves that those sums are just the premiums paid on an insurance policy. Status is supposed to be secure thereafter. The logic is easy to follow among the well-funded managers. Roberto Di Matteo, for instance, was bound to bolster the Chelsea squad. The only issue more frightening than the expenditure is the prospect of decline if substantial sums are not spent. Financial fair play regulations should eventually check that impulse, but few doubted how Chelsea would conduct themselves this summer. Victory over Bayern Munich in the Champions League final came in a penalty shootout. It could just as easily have gone against them and the club might currently have been telling itself that the Europa League holds a subtle charm. Chelsea appreciated that the lineup
ton Wanderers, and was also hopeful of loaning out the young Spanish forward Daniel Pacheco as he continued to trim the squad size and salaries at Anfield. The moves followed Andy Carroll’s transfer to West Ham United on a season-long loan on Thursday night that will save Liverpool over £4m in wages. Rodgers was concerned about the size of the Liverpool squad before the late exits but allowed the four to leave in the hope of finally completing the permanent transfer of Dempsey from Fulham. The United States international was allowed to speak to Aston Villa after they agreed a fee with Fulham but informed Paul Lambert he wished only to join Liverpool, in an attempt to force a cut-price exit from Craven Cottage. Rodgers had a deal lined up to bring Dempsey to Anfield all summer but was waiting until the final day of the window for the club’s owners, Fenway Sports Group, to sanction a £5m fee on the 29-year-old. Before the sale of Adam and the savings on Carroll’s and Spearing’s wages, Liverpool were unable to fund a straight purchase for Dempsey and had offered Jordan Henderson to Fulham in exchange. Henderson, however, rejected the opportunity to leave Merseyside. “I would like to put on record my thanks to Charlie Adam,” Rodgers said. “He has been top-class since I’ve been here. He knew the situation but never gave less than 100% in every training session and game for me. The guys who have gone out have gone because they are passionate about playing football. Does it free up a lot of money for me to bring in other players? Probably not. We need to work on the finances at the moment.” Liverpool also moved for Daniel Sturridge after Carroll’s exit left them short of established strikers but that hit complications when the Chelsea player insisted on leaving Stamford Bridge only on a permanent basis. Rodgers dropped his interest in the former Manchester City player when Chelsea demanded a £15m fee, then revived it when the European champions became open to a loan deal. But Sturridge’s stance created a late problem for Liverpool. At Everton David Moyes completed his fourth permanent signing of the summer with the £2m capture of Copenhagen’s Bryan Oviedo. The 22-year-old Costa Rican, who can operate at left-back and left midfield, was granted a work permit at a hearing in London yesterday morning attended by Moyes and the Everton chairman, Bill Kenwright. The Everton manager also wanted to strengthen in central midfield but his budget was unable to stretch for deals for either Steven Nzonzi of Blackburn Rovers or an ambitious attempt to sign Michael Essien from Chelsea. Fulham confirmed the signing of Dimitar Berbatov on a two-year deal worth nearly £5m. The Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson had earlier suggested that the striker could go to Tottenham Hotspur, however Fulham were always confident of securing the striker’s signature and staff at the club had the No9 shirt prepared for him before his arrival. Kieran Richardson completed his move to Fulham, from Sunderland. The 27-yearold, who was born in London, signed a three-year deal, with an additional year’s option, for an undisclosed fee. needed an infusion of flair. So it was with that they handed over some £32m to take Eden Hazard from Lille. His immediate impact made it look as if the economics of football might have a semblance of good sense and the same might be said of Oscar, the 20-year-old midfielder who cost £25m from the Brazilian club Internacional. There are indeed all too many examples to remind us that footballers never really come with a warranty, no matter how much is spent. It is Andy Carroll who at present reminds managers that a hefty outlay puts their reputation and even job prospects at stake. Indeed, the £35m that Liverpool handed over to Newcastle United for Carroll would have been a prominent issue when the decision was being taken to sack Kenny Dalglish. The new manager, Brendan Rodgers, has packed off the striker to West Ham on loan.
Scott Sinclair has joined Manchester City from Swansea despite not being an initial target for Roberto Mancini Richard Sellers/Sportsphoto
Investing in the transfer market is bound to be excruciating on occasion. Footballers, as with any human being, can be disoriented when they swap one environment for another. People tend to forget just how Carroll flourished with Newcastle. The 2010-11 campaign showed then that he could act as rather more than a target man. The first half of that season, before the January switch to Anfield, had seen him find the net against Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City. There was no cause to suppose that his success depended on bullying the weak. At the time, Dalglish had not appeared eccentric or foolish in buying such a player, even if the fee itself was large. Managers may find it a little easier to maintain perspective in the summer than they do in the throes of mid-season anxiety, but the pressure is still there. Roberto Mancini seemed to have an array of targets at Manchester City,
3
The Guardian | Saturday 1 September 2012
Chelsea have always said they want to break even – but they’re breaking the bank first
David Conn
ranging from the seasoned Maicon at Internazionale to the young Scott Sinclair, who has arrived from Swansea City. The cost hardly registers with the public when clubs of outlandish means enter the marketplace, but many managers are obliged to take care. Arsenal sell well and Arsène Wenger is practised when explaining why he does not buy at those sort of prices. Nuri Sahin, of Real Madrid, eluded him and
Cost hardly registers when clubs of outlandish means enter the market but many managers must take care
has gone on loan to Liverpool instead, but the Arsenal manager remarked that he already had a midfielder of that sort in Jack Wilshere. This, of course, rather ignored the fact that an ankle injury stopped him from playing last season and he has yet to show he is ready for a return to the intensity of the Premier League. Wenger appreciates that Arsenal still have to pay off the debt incurred in building the Emirates, although that sum is under £100m after standing at £318m in 2008. Many managers have to be careful in their spending and Sir Alex Ferguson comes into that category. He has splashed out on Robin van Persie, but there is the shrewdness of an individual whose means were extremely limited in the early days of his career. At £17m, the price paid for Borussia Dortmund’s Shinji Kagawa will be a coup if he proves any sort of successor to Paul Scholes.
Clubs will also pay readily to acquire a sense of security. At a cost of £9m, Jan Vertonghen might well provide some solidity at the core of the Tottenham Hotspur defence as the new manager, André Villas-Boas, goes about his work. There are interesting projects everywhere and, for instance, Martin O’Neill’s effort to get a reliable contribution out of Adam Johnson, following a £10m transfer from Manchester City, should be intriguing. Mark Hughes’s project is on a larger scale than most, his total of acquisitions for Queens Park Rangers in double figures. A 5-0 loss to Swansea implied that the assimilation process had barely begun, but at least there has since been a draw at Norwich City. Outcomes are always difficult to predict. As managers may often complain, footballers, regardless of the cost, are as unpredictable as the rest of the human race.
Michel Platini held forth in Monaco’s taxfree sunshine to promise Uefa will enforce financial fair play prudence on European football, before the clubs spent multimillions in a last-day frenzy, and Roman Abramovich won his court case. This was another summer, another transfer window, another reminder that football revolves around big money and, in England, who owns a club. Abramovich, whose Chelsea were in Monaco for Uefa’s Super Cup final, was judged not to owe the billions claimed by his one-time associate Boris Berezovsky, but the dispute gave further insight into how Abramovich made his money. London’s commercial court ruled Abramovich never granted Berezovsky any actual share of the vast oil company Abramovich bought at a favoured price after lending Russia’s then president, Boris Yeltsin, financial support. Instead he paid Berezovsky fortunes, including a $1.3bn final sum in 2001, for krysha, “political patronage and influence”, which was “indispensable” to keeping his billions, in a country where, post-communism, most ordinary people were sunk into poverty. Around £1bn of Abramovich’s money, not far off that final payment for krysha to Berezovsky, has gone into Chelsea since 2003, the owner’s triumphant smile beamed across Europe when Chelsea beat Bayern Munich in dramatic style to win the Champions League three months ago. Chelsea have always said they want to break even and comply with Uefa’s rule that clubs can lose only €45m (£35.6m) in total from 2011 to 2013. But they closed this window having spent hugely once again: £32m buying Eden Hazard, £25m on Oscar, with Marko Marin (£7m), Cesar Azpilicueta (£6.5m) and Victor Moses (£9m) also signed. Manchester City, England’s champions and other major club fuelled by oil money, around £1bn since 2008 from Sheikh Mansour of Abu Dhabi, approached the last day as if prudence had suddenly taken hold. After the £12m signing of Jack Rodwell, the addition of only a third-choice goalkeeper, Richard Wright, on the day of the Champions League draw, seemed to vindicate Roberto Mancini’s grumbling that he was not being supported to strengthen his squad. Then City splashed on Maicon, Scott Sinclair and were close to agreeing a £22m deal for Benfica’s talented midfielder Javi García, bringing their spending to almost £40m in the last hours of the final day, which suggests they are not trembling in Abu Dhabi about Uefa’s accountants. City maintain that after Mansour financially supported the biggest loss in Premier League history, £197m in 2010-11, they are moving towards breaking even. Winning the league, Champions League lucre and partnerships including with Etihad, the Abu Dhabi airline – a deal which will be examined for arm’s-length “fair value” by Uefa – have greatly increased City’s income, but spending on players and their wages on this scale, even given the exits of Emmanuel Adebayor to Tottenham Hotspur and, more recently, Nigel de Jong to Milan, will make compliance with financial fair play a surprise. Outside those bankrolled two, American ownership, of Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool, is very different. A £30m loan to Liverpool by John Henry’s Fenway Sports Group last year, to aid recovery from the Tom Hicks and George Gillett era, is the only investment into a club by any of these owners. United’s, the Glazers, have famously loaded
debts on and caused £550m to be drained out in bank interest and fees since their takeover in 2005. Stan Kroenke’s Arsenal planned early this summer, spending a hearty £39m on Olivier Giroud, Lukas Podolski and Santi Cazorla to avoid any final-day desperation like the shopping which followed last year’s departures of captain Cesc Fábregas, to Barcelona, Samir Nasri and Gaël Clichy to City. Yet for all Arsenal’s arrivals, Robin van Persie’s departure to Old Trafford remains this transfer window’s signature move, a snub to the line that Kroenke’s “self-sustaining model” – which means owners putting nothing in – can claim a trophy while Chelsea and City are backed like this. Van Persie’s signing, £23m for the 29-year-old, rather contradicted Sir Alex Ferguson’s insistence for years that United will only invest in youth. Perhaps linked to the flotation of a tenth of United’s shares on the New York Stock Exchange, half of them sold by the Glazers to make £70m, Van Persie’s arrival, with Shinji Kagawa and Alexander Buttner, made this United’s highest spending summer for many years. Henry based his venture into English football on the faith that Uefa’s rules will be strongly enforced, a promise to run massively-supported Liverpool well on its income alone. Yet Liverpool’s most prominent moves have been to undo two of the huge deals FSG sanctioned just after their arrival on Merseyside, sending £35m Andy Carroll on loan to West Ham United, and selling £8.5m Charlie Adam to Stoke City. Despite billionaire ownership, the manager, Brendan Rodgers, talks like a man with no money to spend. Outside Tottenham, where the chairman, Daniel Levy, has sought to show ambition and a taste for getting the best of a deal, despite losing Luka Modric to Real Madrid, the notable activity was lower down the league. West Ham’s owners, David Sullivan and David Gold, have allowed the manager, Sam Allardyce, substantial cash to strengthen a squad, they hope, to stay up then take possession of the Olympic Stadium. Queens Park Rangers, their Loftus Road capacity still an earnings-limiting 18,000, have been startlingly acquisitive. Such frantic comings and goings generated huge interest, and money is pouring in; £3bn for Premier League UK TV rights from 2013-16 because BSkyB and BT are confident subscribers will fork out to watch it. Platini, watching Abramovich’s Chelsea play as Uefa’s 2012 champions of Europe, has two more years before having to prove he is indeed serious about reining in the indulgence of owners.
Number crunching
45
Different nationalities of players who have signed for Premier League clubs in this summer’s window
9
Spanish players who have signed for Premier League clubs, the most from any one country
28
Deals between Premier League clubs
116
Players signed by Premier League clubs as of 6.45pm yesterday
1
Italian signed – Fabio Borini of Liverpool, pictured – despite their national team reaching the final of Euro 2012
11
Players signed by Queens Park Rangers, the most by a single club as of 6.45pm yesterday
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The Guardian | Saturday 1 September 2012
Football Squad sheets Probable starters in bold, contenders in light
Today 3pm unless stated
Liverpool v Arsenal Tomorrow 1.30pm
Barclays Premier League
Sky Sports 1
Home P W D L F Chelsea 3 2 0 0 6 Swansea 2 1 0 0 3 Everton 2 1 0 0 1 West Bromwich 2 1 0 0 3 Manchester City 2 1 0 0 3 Fulham 2 1 0 0 5 Manchester Utd 2 1 0 0 3 Wigan 2 0 0 1 0 Newcastle 2 1 0 0 2 West Ham 2 1 0 0 1 Stoke 2 0 1 0 0 Arsenal 2 0 1 0 0 Sunderland 1 0 0 0 0 Tottenham 2 0 1 0 1 Reading 2 0 1 0 1 Liverpool 2 0 1 0 2 Norwich 2 0 1 0 1 QPR 2 0 0 1 0 Southampton 2 0 0 1 0 Aston Villa 2 0 0 1 1
Venue Anfield Tickets Sold out Last season Liverpool 1 Arsenal 2 Referee Howard Webb This season’s matches 1 Y3, R0, 3.00 cards per game Odds Liverpool 11-10 Arsenal 3-1 Draw 5-2
Reina
Liverpool Subs from Doni, Jones, Kelly, Carragher, Coates, Henderson, Shelvey, Downing, Assaidi, Morgan, Robinson, Yesil, Flanagan Doubtful None Injured Cole (hamstring, 23 Sept), Lucas (thigh, Nov) Suspended None Form guide DL Disciplinary record Y5 R1 Leading scorers Skrtel, Suárez 1
Arsenal Subs from Fabianski, Mannone, Shea, Ramsey, Djourou, Yennaris, Coquelin, Koscielny, André Santos, Arshavin, Giroud, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Eastmond Doubtful Szczesny (rib) Injured Rosicky (achilles, 15 Sept), Sagna (broken leg, 23 Sept), Frimpong (knee, Oct), Wilshere (foot, Oct) Suspended None Form guide DD Disciplinary record Y0 R0 Leading scorer n/a
2
Match pointers
25
Skrtel
Agger
• There have been seven goals in the 90th minute or José Enrique later in the last seven league games between these sides, including five in the last four 4
37
5
Johnson
Allen 24
8
Gerrard
3
Sahin
29
Borini
• Arsenal have failed to score in their first two games – the longest they have gone without a goal in the Premier League was 224 minutes at the start of 2011-12
31
Suárez
Sterling
7 9
Podolksi
Gervinho 27
Walcott
• Liverpool against Arsenal at Anfield has seen the jointmost own goals of any fixture in Premier League history
14
19
Cazorla 8
2
Arteta
Diaby Jenkinson • Arsenal are unbeaten in their last five top-flight visits 25 to Anfield (won two, drawn Mertesacker three) and have come from behind to secure those results
Gibbs 28
5
4
Vermaelen
1
Szczesny
New signing Nuri Sahin goes past Brad jones while Daniel Agger looks on during a Liverpool session at the Melwood Training Ground John Powell/Getty Images
Manchester City v Queens Park Rangers Today 5.30pm
Newcastle United v Aston Villa Tomorrow 4pm
Venue Etihad Stadium Tickets Sold out Last season Man City 3 QPR 2 Referee Chris Foy This season’s matches 1 Y0, R0, 0.00 cards per game Odds Man City 2-9 QPR 14-1 Draw 6-1
Hart
Manchester City Subs from Nielsen, Pantilimon, Wright, Kolarov, K Touré, Razak, Nimely, Sinclair, Milner, Dzeko, Savic Doubtful None Injured Barry (groin, 15 Sept), Richards (ankle, 15 Sept), Agüero (knee, 23 Sept), Guidetti (thigh, Oct) Suspended None Unavailable Maicon (late signing) Form guide DW Disciplinary record Y1 R0 Leading scorer Tevez 2
5
Subs from Cerny, Murphy, Taarabt, Young, Nelsen, Onuoha, Wright-Phillips, Faurlín, Diakité, Zamora, Johnson, Magri, Campbell, Hulse, Ephraim, Traoré Doubtful Diakité (personal reasons) Injured None Suspended Barton (fourth of 12) Unavailable Júlio César (late signing) Form guide DL Disciplinary record Y4 R0 Leading scorer Zamora 1
Lescott
4
6
Zabaleta Y Touré
Rodwell
42
17
• City won the title in this 22 fixture last season, becoming Clichy the first team to win a Premier League match after being behind in the 90th minute
Tevez 8
32
21
Nasri
Balotelli
Silva
• QPR have gone 17 topflight away matches without keeping a clean sheet and conceded 40 goals in that run
45
Queens Park Rangers
• City have won 28 of their past 30 home matches – Mark Hughes is one of only two visiting managers to avoid defeat in that sequence (with Fulham in February 2011)
9
Hoilett 23
Cissé
Mackie
7
12
Park 14
4
Granero
Derry Bosingwa • QPR have required 27 shots to score their one goal this 5 19 season – the worst ratio in the Ferdinand top flight among teams to have found the net at least once
Da Silva 20
6
Hill
Venue St James’ Park Tickets £26-51 (0844 372 1892) Last season Newcastle 2 Aston Villa 1 Referee Lee Probert This season’s matches 1 Y4, R0, 4.00 cards per game Odds Newcastle 4-6 Aston Villa 5-1 Draw 11-4
Match pointers
1
Kompany
1
Green
Krul
Newcastle Subs from Elliot, Harper, Bigiramana, Perch, Tavernier, Williamson, Tioté, Gosling, Amalfitano, Vuckic, Obertan, Marveaux, Ferguson, Good Doubtful Perch (neck), Tioté (calf) Injured Shola Ameobi (hamstring, 17 Sept), Sammy Ameobi (knee, unknown), R Taylor (knee, unknown) Suspended None Form guide LW Disciplinary record Y2 R0 Leading scorers Ba, Ben Arfa 1
5
S Taylor
2
27
Simpson
3
Santon
Anita 8
4
18
Cabaye
Aston Villa Subs from Guzan, Siegchrist, Burke, Herd, Baker, Bannan, Williams, Lichaj, Weimann, Delfouneso, Bowery, Johnson, Stevens Doubtful None Injured Agbonlahor (knee, 15 Sept), Albrighton (metatarsal, 15 Sept), Dunne (groin, 22 Sept), Gardner (knee, May), Carruthers (ankle, unknown), Petrov (leukaemia, unknown) Suspended None Form guide LL Disciplinary record Y2 R1 Leading scorer El Ahmadi 1
Match pointers
1
Coloccini
• Newcastle have not lost at home to Villa since April 2005 when they were beaten 3-0 and had Lee Bowyer and Kieron Dyer sent off for fighting each other
Gutiérrez
10
Cissé
19
Ben Arfa
9
Ba
Holman
Bent
N’Zogbia
14
7
10
• Villa are without a win away from home in nine Premier League games since they lost at St James’ Park in February
9
• Since the start of 2011-12, Newcastle have conceded more penalties (10) than any other team
Ireland 16
8
Delph
El Ahmadi
6
4
• The hosts have played 694 Lowton matches in Premier League history compared to Villa’s 34 774 but Newcastle have scored Vlaar 24 more goals and conceded 39 fewer
Bennett 27
Clark
1
Given
Roberto Mancini professes himself happy with the club’s summer recruitment drive so we now begin to find out if he is right. No one can forget how Manchester City beat Queens Park Rangers in the dying seconds to grab the championship as the sides reconvene. Mancini has four from the first six points available and he will not want a stutter before the break for the World Cup qualifiers. Even Mark Hughes might be losing count of how many new players he has brought in: a draw here for his revamped band would be a fine start for them. Jamie Jackson
The Aston Villa job must have seemed a great opportunity to Paul Lambert, but for the moment it is more of a trial. Even a defeat of Tranmere in the Capital One Cup would have been appreciated following the loss of both Premier League fixtures to date. Newcastle, however, will see this as another chance to confirm they are a club on the rise. The hosts’ full-back Ryan Taylor could be out for up to six months after sustaining a knee injury in the 1-0 Europa League victory over Atromitos on Thursday night. Kevin McCarra
Southampton v Manchester United Tomorrow 4pm
Swansea City v Sunderland Today 3pm
Sky Sports 1
Venue St Mary’s Stadium Tickets £38-48 (02381 780780) Last season n/a Referee Mike Dean This season’s matches 2 Y40, R0, 2.00 cards per game Odds Southampton 11-2 Man Utd 3-5 Draw 7-2
K Davis
Southampton Subs from Gazzaniga, Sharp, Hammond, Ward-Prowse, Cork, Lee, Richardson, Mayuka, De Ridder, Chaplow, Puncheon Doubtful De Ridder (calf), Cork (ankle) Injured None Suspended None Unavailable Ramírez, Yoshida (late signings) Form guide LL Disciplinary record Y2 R0 Leading scorers S Davis, Lambert 1
2
Hooiveld
6
5
Clyne
4
Schneiderlin
8
• United have allowed more 13 shots on target against them Fox (13) than any other side • Southampton have won 38% of their home matches with United in the Premier League, only Arsenal and Chelsea have a better record
20
S Davis
Lallana 21
Guly
7
9
Lambert
Manchester United Subs from Lindegaard, Welbeck, Giggs, Hernández, Powell, Scholes, Macheda, Bébé, Buttner, Anderson, Wootton, King Doubtful None Injured Ferdinand (hamstring, 15 Sept), Jones (back, 15 Sept), Young (knee, 15 Sept), Rooney (gash, 23 Sept), Smalling (metatarsal, Oct), Fletcher (bowel, unknown) Suspended None Form guide WL Disciplinary record Y2 R0 Leading scorers Da Silva, Kagawa, Van Persie 1
Match pointers
1
Fonte
Rodriguez
• Robin van Persie was sent off in his only previous Premier League appearance at St Mary’s Stadium
20
Nani
Van Persie
Valencia
17
26
25
Kagawa 23
16
Cleverley
Carrick
Evra
• Southampton were the topscoring home team (49) in the Championship last season
Da Silva
3
15
6
Vidic
2
Evans
1
De Gea
• Since the start of 2010-11, United’s win ratio with Wayne Rooney in the team is 71%, compared to 55% without him
Venue Liberty Stadium Tickets £35 (0844 8156665) Last season Swansea 0 Sunderland 0 Referee Roger East This season’s matches 0 Odds Swansea 5-4 Sunderland 8-3 Draw 12-5
Vorm
Swansea Subs from Tremmel, Tate, Shechter, Lita, Moore, Ki, Agustien, Richards, Bartley, Davies, Monk, Gower Doubtful Flores (groin), Routledge (thigh) Injured None Suspended None Unavailable Hernández (late signing) Form guide WW Disciplinary record Y3 R0 Leading scorer Michu 3
Sunderland Subs from Westwood, Campbell, Saha, Wickham, Kilgallon, Ji, Meyler, Noble, Bramble, Reed, Lynch, Rose Doubtful None Injured Vaughan (groin, 15 Sept), Bardsley (ankle, Oct), Brown (knee, unknown) Suspended None Form guide D Disciplinary record Y0 R0 Leading scorer n/a
Match pointers
1
Williams
Flores
• Swansea failed to score in both Premier League games Taylor with Sunderland last season – one of four teams that they Britton De Guzman drew a blank against both 7 20 home and away Michu
2
6
Rangel
4
3
15
9
12
Routledge
Graham
Dyer
• Sunderland won only two of their first 14 top-flight matches last season
10 26
Sessègnon
• Swansea have scored eight goals from just 11 shots on target – including three from three for Michu
Johnson
Fletcher
28
21
McClean
Larsson
23
7
6
Cattermole
Colback 14
16
• Sunderland have failed to score in six of their last eight Gardner league games
24
O’Shea
8
• Danny Graham has scored in three successive home appearances for Swansea
Cuéllar
22
Mignolet
Southampton have lost both their matches since returning to the Premier League and face another difficult assignment, even if Manchester United are still troubled by various injury issues. Sir Alex Ferguson’s side have looked vulnerable at times in defence during their opening two games, which should at least give the home side some encouragement after last week’s defeat to Wigan Athletic. Gastón Ramírez was not signed in time to figure but Emmanuel Mayuka, the new Zambian striker, stands by to make his debut at some point. Daniel Taylor
Michael Laudrup could hand a Premier League debut to new signing Ki Sung-yueng, but the winger Pablo Hernández was signed too late to be considered. Wayne Routledge and Chico Flores have both been troubled by minor injuries, but are expected to be passed fit for the Swans, who are aiming to continue their unbeaten start to the season. Summer signings Adam Johnson and Steven Fletcher are expected to make their first league appearances for Sunderland as the visitors look to record their first top-flight win in nine matches. Will Carpenter
Tottenham Hotspur v Norwich City Today 3pm
West Bromwich Albion v Everton Today 3pm
Venue White Hart Lane Tickets £37-58 (0844 844 0102) Last season Tottenham 1 Norwich 2 Referee Mark Halsey This season’s matches 0 Odds Tottenham 2-5 Norwich 7-1 Draw 4-1
Venue The Hawthorns Tickets £25 (0871 271 9780) Last season West Brom 0 Everton 1 Referee Jon Moss This season’s matches 0 Odds West Brom 9-5 Everton 6-4 Draw 12-5
Tottenham Subs from Cudicini, Naughton, Caulker, Townsend, Livermore, Falqué, Kane, Defoe, Bentley, Jenas, Smith Doubtful None Injured Gomes (ankle, 16 Sept), Parker (achilles, 16 Sept), Kaboul (knee, Dec) Suspended None Form guide DL Disciplinary record Y3 R0 Leading scorers Assou-Ekotto, Defoe 1
Norwich Subs from Rudd, Steer, Whittaker, Ward, Turner, Jackson, Hoolahan, Fox, Morison, Tettey, Tierney, R Bennett, C Martin Doubtful Snodgrass (calf), Ward (ankle), Whittaker (ankle) Injured Lappin (ankle, 15 Sept), E Bennet (knee, 15 Sept) Suspended None Unavailable Bunn (late signing) Form guide DL Disciplinary record Y0 R0 Leading scorer Jackson 1
Match pointers
Friedel 24
Gallas
Vertonghen
• Six of the last eight league meetings between these sides Walker Assou-Ekotto have ended in an away win Sandro Dembélé • Norwich have used 19 30 19 different players in their two Sigurdsson matches this season – more 7 11 22 than any other top-flight side Lennon Bale Adebayor • André Villas-Boas has won 25 only three of his last 14 9 league games as a manager Holt • Bradley Johnson has Surman Pilkington 7 committed more fouls than Snodgrass 11 4 8 12 any other player in the Johnson Howson division but has yet to receive Garrido R Martin a yellow card 28
13
18
5
20
32
5
Barnett
2
Bassong 1
Ruddy
• 13 of Jermain Defoe’s last 14 Premier League goals have been scored in the 60th minute or later
Foster
West Bromwich Albion Subs from Myhill, El Ghanassy, Lukaku, Jara, Dawson, Brunt, Fortuné, Tamas, Rosenberg, Jones, Dorrans, Allan, Thorne Doubtful Lukaku (ankle), Odemwingie (thigh) Injured Thomas (hip, 15 Sept) Suspended None Form guide DW Disciplinary record Y3 R0 Leading scorers Gera, Lukaku, Morrison, Odemwingie 1
Olsson
23
• Albion have kept six clean 6 sheets in their past eight Ridgewell home Premier League games
3
Reid Mulumbu
Yacob
21
5
• Only Chelsea, having played an extra match, have attempted more shots than Everton this season
Morrison 24
7
22
Odemwingie
Long
Gera • Gareth McAuley has made the most defensive clearances (nine) in the top flight
9
Everton Subs from Mucha, Hibbert, Heitinga, Mirallas, Barkley, Francisco, Coleman, Gueye, Vellios, Anichebe, Duffy, McAleny Doubtful Neville (hamstring) Injured None Suspended None Unavailable Oviedo (late signing) Form guide WW Disciplinary record Y1 R0 Leading scorer Fellaini 2
1
McAuley 2
Match pointers
7
Jelavic
• Leighton Baines has created Naismith more goalscoring chances for 14 his team-mates (13) than any other player in the division Osman
25
Pienaar 22
Fellaini
4
21
Gibson Baines 3
Neville • This is the first time since 18 2005-06 that Albion have avoided defeat in their first two Distin Jagielka 24 top-flight games – but they ended up relegated that season Howard 15
6
A meeting between two clubs that have started the Premier League season with real flourish. Albion will be full of confidence after picking up a point at Spurs on the back of their 3-0 win over Liverpool on the opening day, although Everton promise to provide their toughest test yet. David Moyes’s side were rampant in their 3-1 triumph at Villa Park last weekend and go into this game looking to secure the win that would make it three straight league victories at the start of the season for the first time since 1993. Stuart James
West Ham United v Fulham Today 12.45pm
Wigan Athletic v Stoke City Today 3pm
Venue Upton Park Tickets £36-55 (0871 222 2700) Last season n/a Referee Anthony Taylor This season’s matches 1 Y0, R0, 0.00 cards per game Odds West Ham 13-8 Fulham 15-8 Draw 9-4
Jaaskelainen
West Ham Subs from Henderson, Spiegel, Potts, Tomkins, Cole, Maynard, Maïga, Taylor, O’Brien, Diarra, Spence, O’Neil, Moncur Doubtful Collins (calf), McCartney (ankle), Reid (knee) Injured Collison (knee, unknown) Suspended None Form guide LW Disciplinary record Y4 R0 Leading scorer Nolan 1
Reid 20
Collins
2
19
Demel
3
McCartney 16
Nolan
21
Noble
4
Diamé
12
Carroll
7
Vaz Tê
24
Jarvis
Fulham Subs from Etheridge, Stockdale, Kelly, Baird, Briggs, Davies, Grygera, Halliche, Richardson, Kasami, Rodallega, Trotta Doubtful Petric (calf), Ruiz (hamstring) Injured Frei (pelvis, 15 Sept), Senderos (ankle, 15 Sept) Suspended None Unavailable Berbatov (late signing), Dempsey (unsettled) Form guide LW Disciplinary record Y1 R0 Leading scorers Duff, Petric 2
22
Petric
Ruiz
10
11
Kacaniklic
Sidwell
Duff
31
7
16
Riise 3
Hangeland
Schwarzer
Subs from Pollitt, Beausejour, Crusat, Watson, McManaman, Jones, Boselli, Fyvie, Stam, López, Kiernan, Gómez Doubtful None Injured None Suspended Alcaraz (one match) Form guide WL Disciplinary record Y2 R0 Leading scorers Di Santo, Koné 1
• Fulham have drawn just one of their last 17 league matches, winning nine times and losing on seven occasions
18 1
• West Ham have not lost at home to Fulham in a league match since November 2001
Riether
19 5
Wigan
• Carlton Cole has scored six goals in his last six Premier League appearances against Fulham and also scored an own goal in one of those matches
Diarra
Hughes
27
Venue DW Stadium Tickets £20-22 (0871 66 33 552) Last season Wigan 2 Stoke 0 Referee Martin Atkinson This season’s matches 2 Y10, R0, 5.00 cards per game Odds Wigan 6-5 Stoke 18-7 Draw 9-4
Match pointers
• There have been seven red cards in the last 14 top-flight meetings between these sides
• West Ham have committed more fouls (36) than any other side in the division so far this season
Fulham will look to bounce back after a cup exit to Sheffield Wednesday and the loss of Moussa Dembélé to Tottenham. They will welcome back most of their players who were rested for the midweek game and John Arne Riise returns from injury. Dimitar Berbatov was signed too late to play, but Kieran Richardson could make his debut. For West Ham, Andy Carroll is in line to feature but Jack Collison is injured and there are doubts about Winston Reid (knee), George McCartney (ankle) and James Collins (calf). Mickey McElhone
A 0 0 1 1 2 3 1 0 2 3 1 0 0 2 4 3 5 1 3 1
GD Pts +6 9 +8 6 +3 6 +3 4 +1 4 +4 3 0 3 0 3 -1 3 -2 3 0 2 0 2 0 1 -1 1 -2 1 -3 1 -5 1 -5 1 -3 0 -3 0
Habsi Boyce 17
Ramis
5
21
Caldwell 32
31
Miyaichi
Maloney 4 Figueroa • Stoke have won one of their McArthur 10 McCarthy last 13 Premier League matches, losing eight times Di Santo and drawing on four occasions 2 Crouch
19
25
2
6
Cameron
Whelan
17
4
Shawcross
Huth 1
Begovic
Barnsley v Bristol City Birmingham v Peterborough Burnley v Brighton Cardiff v Wolves (tomorrow, 2pm) Crystal Palace v Sheffield Wed Derby v Watford
Away A W D L 1 1 0 0 4 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 3 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 3 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 2 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 2 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 2 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 2 2 1 0 1 0 0 0 2 2 0 1 1 1 0 0 2 4 0 0 1 3 0 0 2
F 2 2 1 0 3 0 3 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 2 2 4 2 1 2 0 2
A 0 2 1 1 2 1 3 3 1 1 1 1 2 1 4 6 4 5 4 8 3 5 2 6
GD Pts +9 9 +2 7 +2 7 +4 6 +2 6 +1 6 +1 6 +1 5 +1 5 +3 4 +1 4 +1 4 0 4 0 4 -1 4 -5 4 0 3 -1 3 -2 3 -5 3 -2 2 -3 1 -4 0 -5 0
Hull v Bolton Ipswich v Huddersfield Leeds v Blackburn Leicester v Blackpool (5.20pm) Millwall v Middlesbrough (12.45pm) Nottingham Forest v Charlton
League One Yeovil Tranmere Swindon Stevenage Doncaster Notts County Crawley Town Sheffield Utd Brentford MK Dons Shrewsbury Carlisle Walsall Coventry Bournemouth Colchester Crewe Bury Preston Portsmouth Hartlepool Oldham Leyton Orient Scunthorpe
Home P W D L F 3 0 1 0 1 3 1 0 0 3 3 2 0 0 4 3 0 1 0 1 3 1 0 1 2 3 1 0 1 2 3 1 0 0 3 3 1 0 0 1 3 1 0 1 6 3 1 0 0 2 3 1 1 0 2 3 1 0 1 4 3 0 0 1 0 3 0 2 0 3 3 0 2 0 2 3 0 2 0 3 3 0 0 1 1 3 0 1 0 0 3 0 1 0 0 3 0 1 0 1 2 0 1 0 0 3 0 1 1 1 2 0 0 1 0 3 0 0 2 1
Bury v Notts County Crawley Town v Leyton Orient Crewe v Coventry Hartlepool v Scunthorpe MK Dons v Carlisle Preston v Swindon (tomorrow, 3pm)
Away A W D L 1 2 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 2 0 0 2 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 2 0 4 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 5 0 1 0 3 1 1 0 3 0 1 0 2 0 1 0 3 0 1 0 2 1 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 6 0 0 1
F 7 4 0 2 3 2 1 2 0 1 0 1 2 1 1 0 3 3 1 4 0 0 1 0
A 1 1 0 0 0 1 3 2 0 2 1 1 1 1 1 0 6 4 2 6 2 2 3 3
GD Pts +6 7 +5 7 +4 7 +2 7 +3 6 +2 6 +1 6 +1 5 +2 4 +1 4 0 4 -1 4 -2 4 0 3 0 3 0 3 -4 3 -1 2 -1 2 -2 2 -2 1 -3 1 -3 0 -8 0
Portsmouth v Oldham Sheffield Utd v Bournemouth Stevenage v Shrewsbury Tranmere v Colchester Walsall v Brentford Yeovil v Doncaster
Home P W D L F Oxford Utd 3 2 0 0 4 Gillingham 3 1 0 0 3 Cheltenham 3 1 0 0 2 Bradford 3 2 0 0 6 Port Vale 3 1 0 0 3 Exeter 3 0 0 1 0 Acc Stanley 3 1 0 1 2 Torquay 3 1 1 0 6 Northampton 3 1 1 0 5 Rotherham 3 1 0 0 3 Morecambe 3 0 1 1 3 York 3 0 0 1 1 Fleetwood Town 3 0 1 0 0 Wycombe 2 0 0 1 0 Burton Albion 3 1 0 1 6 Aldershot 3 0 0 2 1 AFC Wimbledon 3 1 0 0 1 Chesterfield 3 0 2 0 2 Rochdale 3 0 1 0 0 Bristol Rovers 2 0 0 1 0 Southend 3 0 0 1 0 Dag & Red 3 0 1 1 1 Plymouth 3 0 0 1 0 Barnet 3 0 1 1 2
Away A W D L 1 1 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 3 2 0 0 3 1 0 0 4 0 1 0 4 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 5 1 0 0 3 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 3 0 0 1 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 2 0 1 0 1 0 1 1 2 0 0 1 2 0 1 1 4 0 0 1
AFC Wimbledon v Dag & Red Bristol Rovers v Morecambe Cheltenham v Acc Stanley Exeter v Burton Albion Fleetwood Town v Aldershot Gillingham v Chesterfield
Plymouth v Northampton Port Vale v Torquay Rochdale v Barnet Rotherham v Bradford Southend v Wycombe York v Oxford Utd
F A GD Pts 2 0 +5 9 3 1 +4 9 3 2 +3 7 1 3 +3 6 3 3 +3 6 5 1 +1 6 1 0 0 6 0 0 +2 5 0 0 +1 5 2 3 +2 4 3 0 +1 4 5 3 0 4 1 1 0 4 3 1 +1 3 0 3 0 3 2 0 0 3 3 11 -7 3 0 1 -1 2 3 5 -2 2 1 1 -2 1 3 5 -3 1 0 2 -3 1 1 2 -3 1 0 3 -5 1
Blue Square Bet Premier Barrow v Kidderminster Braintree Town v Tamworth Dartford v Alfreton Town Forest Green v Hyde Hereford v Grimsby Lincoln City v Ebbsfleet Utd
Luton v Macclesfield Mansfield v Woking Nuneaton v Gateshead Southport v AFC Telford Stockport v Cambridge Utd Wrexham v Newport Co (1pm)
Scotland Clydesdale Bank Premier Aberdeen v St Mirren Celtic v Hibernian Hearts v Dundee (tomorrow, 3pm)
Motherwell v Inverness CT (tomorrow, 3pm) Ross County v Kilmarnock St Johnstone v Dundee Utd
• Only Sunderland (two) have had fewer shots on target than Stoke (four) this season and Wilkinson they have played one less game
Irn-Bru First Division Airdrie Utd v Cowdenbeath Dunfermline v Raith Morton v Dumbarton
Falkirk v Livingston (tomorrow, 3pm) Partick v Hamilton
Second Division Brechin v Alloa East Fife v Albion
Queen of South v Arbroath Stenhousemuir v Forfar Stranraer v Ayr
Third Division Berwick v East Stirling Clyde v Annan Athletic Peterhead v Montrose
Rangers v Elgin (tomorrow, 4.30pm) Stirling v Queen’s Park
Kightly
Wilson 12
Home P W D L F 3 2 0 0 8 3 2 0 0 6 3 2 0 0 3 3 2 0 0 8 3 1 0 1 2 3 2 0 0 5 3 1 0 0 1 3 1 0 0 1 3 1 1 0 2 3 1 1 0 5 3 1 1 0 4 3 1 1 0 3 3 1 1 0 4 3 1 0 0 1 3 1 0 0 1 3 0 1 0 1 3 1 0 0 2 3 1 0 0 2 3 0 0 1 0 3 1 0 0 1 3 0 1 0 2 3 0 1 0 1 3 0 0 2 2 3 0 0 1 2
• The recently transferred Wigan forward, Victor Moses, scored in both league games between these sides last term
9
Koné Walters Etherington 26
• Only two of the past 11 league games between Wigan and Stoke have ended in a win for the home side on the day
16
Stoke Subs from Sorensen, Shotton, Palacios, Delap, Jerome, Pennant, Whitehead, Jones, Higginbotham, Upson, Adam Doubtful Etherington (hamstring) Injured Ness (groin, 15 Sept), Sidibe (groin, 15 Sept) Suspended None Form guide DD Disciplinary record Y6 R1 Leading scorer Kightly 1
Match pointers
26
Blackpool Sheffield Wed Blackburn Bristol City Watford Middlesbrough Leeds Nottm Forest Charlton Brighton Wolves Huddersfield Bolton Hull Cardiff Ipswich Leicester Burnley Millwall Barnsley Derby Birmingham Peterborough Crystal Palace
League Two
Two managers at new clubs, both seeking their first league win, meet at White Hart Lane, familiar to Norwich’s Chris Hughton, who spent many years there as player and coach. Moussa Dembélé, signed from Fulham to replace the transferred Luka Modric, could make his debut for André Villa-Boas’s side, who are stuggling to gel under their new leader. Norwich’s summer signings have not broken the bank but include the former Tottenham defender, Sebástien Bassong. Robert Snodgrass should return for the visitors after a minor leg problem. Archie Smith
Sky Sports 2
F 2 5 3 1 2 2 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 1 2 0 0 1 2 0
npower Championship
Few fixtures illustrated the importance of Robin van Persie to Arsenal last season better than their trip to Anfield, where his 93rd-minute winner sent Liverpool into the tailspin that cost Kenny Dalglish his job. A goalless start has kept the spectre of Van Persie lingering for Arsène Wenger and he faces a team that has altered radically under Brendan Rodgers. The side that started and should have beaten Manchester City last week was Liverpool’s youngest since December 2003 and Nuri Sahin, who nearly joined Arsenal, could make his debut. Andy Hunter
ESPN
Away A W D L 2 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 1 2 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 2 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 5 0 1 0 2 0 0 1 3 0 0 1
21
28
• Defeat to Chelsea on the opening day ended a run of four straight home wins for Wigan
Having scored six goals in two games Wigan Athletic are looking to record their third win in as many seasons against Stoke City at the DW Stadium. Stoke are hoping their own goal tally will improve with the acquisition of Charlie Adam, who scored nine times in his first Premier League season for Blackpool. The Scot should be available having signed before midday yesterday. Despite Wigan taking three points on two occasions in the last two seasons five of the last eight top-flight meetings between the sides have been drawn. Michael Perkins
5
The Guardian | Saturday 1 September 2012
Football
Tough draw for Liverpool and Spurs but Newcastle stay close to home
Rooney’s thigh injury could be a blessing, says Ferguson Jamie Jackson
Amy Lawrence
Europa League draw
Such is the Europa League’s loaded schedule, the big issue for most managers is simply assessing the amount of travelling to factor in before Christmas. With that in mind, Alan Pardew was cheered by Newcastle United’s luck of the draw. With no journey more onerous than a hop to Portugal on their Group D schedule against Club Brugge, Bordeaux and Maritimo, Pardew is relaxed. “My gut reaction is that the travelling is good, so I’m pleased,” he said. “I didn’t really want to go to Ukraine or Russia or anywhere. The teams are of the standard you would expect so it’s a toughish group. Not the toughest by any means, but a test for us.” Liverpool have landed a long-distance trip, and it is a fascinating one. They meet one of the most intriguing names in the modern game, Anzhi Makhachkala, the Dagestan-based project backed by the billionaire Suleyman Kerimov. The Russian League team are currently managed by Guus Hiddink, and boast a few familiar faces including Samuel Eto’o, once the scourge of the Champions League with ck Barcelona, the former Chelsea wing-back urn Yuri Zhirkov and the former Blackburn mba. Rovers defender Christopher Samba. ung They also have in their squad a young Brazilian who should surely one day play k, a for the team from across Stanley Park, defender called Ewerton. me For Anzhi, a match against the five-time y European Cup winners is an extraordinary stepping stone. They have played only one previous match in European competition proper, a Uefa Cup tie against Rangers in
Group A Liverpool, Udinese, Young Boys, Anzhi Makhachkala Group B Atlético Madrid, Hapoel Tel Aviv, Viktoria Plzen, Académica Group C Marseille, Fenerbahce, Borussia M’Gladbach, AEL Limassol Group D Bordeaux, Club Brugge, Newcastle United, Maritimo Group E Stuttgart, FC Copenhagen, Steaua Bucharest, Molde Group F PSV Eindhoven, Napoli, Dnipro, AIK Solna Group G Sporting, FC Basel, Genk, Videoton Group H Inter, Rubin Kazan, FK Partizan, Neftci Group I Lyon, Athletic Club, Sparta Prague, Hapoel Kiryat Shmona Group J Tottenham Hotspur, Panathinaikos, Lazio, Maribor Group K Bayer Leverkusen, org, FC Metalist Kharkiv, Rosenborg, Rapid Vienna wente, Hannover, Group L FC Twente, e, Helsingborg Levante,
2001. Due to the political instability in neighbouring Chechnya, the match was played at a neutral venue. Anzhi now play their European matches in Moscow, which makes the logistics considerably less complicated for Liverpool. Their other assignments in Group A are with Udinese and Young Boys from Switzerland. Tottenham Hotspur also face Italian opposition, beginning with a match against Lazio which promises some nostalgia. Lazio’s general manager, Maurizio Manzini, who has been in the role since Paul Gascoigne arrived from Spurs in 1992, is moved by the prospect of a first meeting between the clubs. “Tottenham is a team Lazio knows very well, a great team with great traditions and we are very familiar with White Hart Lane starting from the time we had Paul Gascoigne,” he enthuses. “He is a mythical figure for Lazio fans and very popular in Italy. There is always a corner of Tottenham in our hearts.” The Roman club will invite Gascoigne to the match at the Stadio Olimpico. The Greeks Panathinaikos and Maribor, from Slovenia, complete Group J. It may take a while before we discover quite how interested managers such as André Villas-Boas and Brendan Rodgers really are in the Europa League. With a tournament that requires 15 matches and thousands of air miles, the sensible thing is to use squad players and hope for the best until a route to the final becomes a distinct possibility. For these two managers in particular, who are intent on shaping new teams at their new clubs, it is hard to imagine the Europa League being much more than a pleasant diversion for now. The final next May is in Amsterdam.
Sir Alex Ferguson believes Wayne Rooney’s thigh injury could be “a blessing” as the striker can now work on his fitness. Ferguson said the 26-year-old, who is out for four weeks, was dropped for last Saturday’s 3-2 win over Fulham because the manager could not select him and Robin van Persie, who was also not match fit. Ferguson said: “The injury is maybe a blessing because he can concentrate on his fitness now in the gymnasium in particular. He should be available for selection [after four weeks] because he will be able to train. He’ll do gym work, he was in the gym yesterday and he will be able to continue that. The minute he can start running that will help. It’s a bad gash but he was treated really quickly and we don’t expect any complications.” Rooney being only a substitute against Fulham led to speculation of a rift with his manager but Ferguson said: “He said himself he needs a few games and I wanted to play Van Persie at the start at Old Trafford. I knew he wasn’t 100% fit either. I couldn’t really start the two of them.” United face Galatasaray, CFR Cluj and Braga in what appears one of the easier Champions League groups. “The European Cup draw could have been worse,” Ferguson said. “There are some games that we have a bit of travelling to do. We have been to Turkey a few times and you are guaranteed an incredible atmosphere. Our first foray into the Champions League was at Galatasaray and that was an absolute nightmare. Romania [for Cluj] is a fair trip.” Ferguson is determined to guard against United being eliminated before Christmas.
“Unlike last year we won’t be taking any risks,” he said. “We have often used the group stage as an exercise to give experience to young players, especially once we qualify, but after last year we have to make sure we qualify first.” Ferguson is upset that the Football Association revealed Ashley Young has a knee injury, which forces him to miss tomorrow’s trip to Southampton, after Roy Hodgson omitted him from his England squad for the World Cup qualifiers against Moldova and Ukraine. “It was nice of the FA to let everyone know that Ashley Young is injured,” he said. “There is no point giving them any information now. We have a game on SunWayne Rooney will work on his fitness in the gym until his gashed thigh has healed sufficiently to allow the striker to run day and why should we alert our opponents who is fit and who is not fit. It won’t happen again. “He’s out, he got a knee injury last week, although it’s not serious. Obviously he will be ready in a couple of weeks’ time [after the international break].” Jonny Evans is fit to start at Southampton, though Ferguson is still missing Chris Smalling, Rio Ferdinand and Phil Jones. “On the centre-back front, which is really my main concern at the moment, Evans played Wednesday in the reserves and came through fine,” he said. “He is certainly the strongest option we’ve got. Jones is back doing some training but not ready yet. Ferdinand’s in the same boat.”
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The Guardian | Saturday 1 September 2012
Football
Window shopping: how the Premier League Ins and outs How did your club do? Key = In = Out
Arsenal
Aston Villa
Did they get what they wanted? Arsenal got their retaliation in first. Fearful that they would lose Robin Van Persie, they signed Lukas Podolski and Olivier Giroud, which ensured there would be no repeat of last summer’s last-gasp scramble. They chose to sell Alex Song, believing that they had sufficient depth to cope. Santi Cazorla already looks great to watch.
Did they get what they wanted? Assuming the Christian Benteke deal goes through (which it has not at the time of writing) the answer is probably yes. Did the fans get what they want? Probably not. Villa have developed a sudden fascination with the lower leagues and while unearthing young and hungry talent is a nice idea, the strategy also represents a huge gamble.
The deals (selected) Lukad Podolski Cologne, £10.9m Olivier Giroud Montpellier, £13m Santi Cazorla Malaga, £12m Robin Van Persie Manchester Utd, £23m Alex Song Barcelona, £15m Carlos Vela Real Sociedad, undisc Nicklas Bendtner Juventus, loan Yossi Benayoun Chelsea, end of loan spell Joel Campbell Real Betis, loan Manuel Almunia released Kyle Bartley Swansea, undisc Henri Lansbury Nottm Forest, £1m Ryo Miyaichi Wigan, loan
The deals (selected) Matthew Lowton Sheffield Utd, £3m Ron Vlaar Feyenoord, undisco Karim El Ahmadi Feyenoord, undisc Brett Holman AZ Alkmaar, free Joe Bennett Middlesbrough, undisc Jordan Bowery Chesterfield, undisc Carlos Cuellar Sunderland, free James Collins West Ham United, undisc Emile Heskey undisc
Chelsea
Everton
Did they get what they wanted? Yes. The aim was to refresh and revitalise an ageing squad and team, and the players bought have been the right age and have injected creativity to the set-up. Eden Hazard is already illuminating the division, albeit at a cost of £32m. The process of regeneration will continue, but this summer was a statement of intent.
Did they get what they wanted? For the second transfer window in succession, Everton moved swiftly and productively to improve David Moyes’ squad. The Everton manager still has concerns over numbers, but not the quality. The club suffered no traumatic losses and improved its attacking options with money raised from the sale of Jack Rodwell.
The deals (selected) Eden Hazard Lille, £32m Cesar Azpilicueta Marseille, £7m Oscar Internacional, £20m Victor Moses £9m Marko Marin £7m, Thorgan Hazard Lens, £1m Didier Drogba Shanghai Shenhua, free Jose Bosingwa QPR, free Rhys Taylor Southend, free Salomon Kalou Lille, free Romelu Lukaku WBA, loan, Sam Hutchinson Nottm Forest, loan Thibaut Courtois Atletico Madrid, loan Matej Delac Guimaraes, loan Sam Walker Bristol Rovers, loan
The deals (selected) Steven Naismith Rangers, free Steven Pienaar Tottenham, £4,5m Kevin Miralles Olympiakos, £5.3m Bryan Oviedo Copenhagen, £2.5m Jack Rodwell Manchester City, £12m Tim Cahill New York Red Bulls, £1m Joseph Yobo Fenerbahce, £2m James McFadden released Marcus Hahnemann released Royston Drenthe Real Madrid, end of loan period, Denis Stracqualursi Tigre, end of loan spell
Fulham
Liverpool
Manchester City
Manchester United
Newcastle United
What they wanted Martin Jol will not have taken any pleasure in losing Moussa Dembélé to Tottenham, despite the £15m it has raised for the club, but the Fulham manager can taken great delight in his purchase of Dimitar Berbatov for what appears a bargain £4m. The Dutchman’s other acquisitions also offer him experience and talent.
Did they get what they wanted? From the owners’ point of view, yes, with the wage bill reduced and several unwanted high-earners shifted on. From Brendan Rodgers’ stand-point, no. The Liverpool manager has acquired talent that suits his style, notably Joe Allen and Nuri Sahin, and is delighted to have moved on Andy Carroll and Charlie Adam.
Did they get what they wanted? Not really. Robin van Persie went to Manchester United and Roberto Mancini has spent the summer complaining about Brian Marwood, who controls the City supposedly large transfer budget. The decision to replace Adam Johnson with Scot Sinclair and Nigel de Jong with Jack Rodwell are also somewhat puzzling.
Did they get what they wanted? Yes. Sir Alex Ferguson’s headline coup for the club and their supporters was undoubtedly Robin van Persie’s signature, but Shinji Kagawa’s, the £12m arrival from Bundesliga champions Borussia Dortmund may prove just as exciting following a more than encouraging start to Japan international’s career at Old Trafford.
Did they get what they wanted? Sort of but not exactly. Significantly, Alan Pardew kept his best players but failed to secure long-term targets Matthieu Debuchy, Douglas and Andy Carroll. Vurnon Anita is the sole first team signing. With Ryan Taylor injured they lack cover at full back and, further forward, will be praying Papiss Cisse and Demba Ba stay fit.
The deals (selected) Dimitar Berbatov Manchester Utd, £4m Mladen Petric Hamburg, free Hugo Rodallega Wigan, free Sascha Riether Cologne, loan Keiran Richardson Sunderland, £2m George Williams MK Dons, undisc Danny Murphy Blackburn, free Orlando Sa Limassol, free Bjorn Risse Lillestrom, free Marcel Gecov Gent, undisc Dickson Etuhu Blackburn, undisc Moussa Dembele Tottenham, £15m Andy Johnson QPR, free
The deals (selected) Fabio Borini Roma, £10.5m Joe Allen Swansea City, £15m Oussama Assaidi Heerenveen, Nuri Sahin Real Madrid, loan Samed Yesil Bayer Leverkusen, £1m Charlie Adam Stoke, £4m Dirk Kuyt Fenerbahce, £1m Craig Bellamy Cardiff, free Alberto Aquilani Fiorentina, undisc Maxi Rodriguez Newell’s Old Boys, free Andy Carroll West Ham, loan Jay Spearing Bolton, loan Fabio Aurelio released, Stephen Derby free, David Amoo Preston, free Toni Silva Barnsley, free
The deals (selected) Jack Rodwell Everton, £15m Scott Sinclair Swansea City, £6.2m Maicon Internazionale, £4m, Richard Wright free Adam Johnson Sunderland, £10m Emmanuel Adebayor Tottenham, £5m Nigel de Jong Milan, undisc Greg Cunningham Bristol City, undisc Ahmed Benali Brescia, free undisc Andrea Mancini Valladolid, undisc Vladimir Weiss Pescara, undsic Owen Hargreaves released
The deals (selected) Robin Van Persie Arsenal, £23m Shinji Kagawa Borussia Dortmund, £12m Nick Powell Crewe, £4m Alexander Buttner Vitesse Arnhem, £4m Dimitar Berbatov Fulham, £4m Ji-Sung Park QPR, £2m Tomasz Kuszczak Brighton, free Paul Pogba Juventus, undisc Oliver Norwood Huddersfield, free Liam Jacobs Oldham, undisc
The deals (selected) Vurnon Anita Ajax, £6.7m Curtis Good Melbourne Heart, £400,000 Gael Bigirimana Coventry, undisc Romain Amalfitano Reima, free Leon Best Blackburn Rovers, £3m Fraser Foster Celtic, £3m Danny Guthrie Reading, free Alan Smith MK Dons, free Tamas Kadar Roda JC, free
Southampton
Stoke City
Sunderland
Swansea City
Tottenham Hotspur
Did they get what they wanted? Southampton broke their transfer record over the course of the summer, which points to proper ambition to retain their place back in the Premier League. Gastón Ramírez is close to signing and would be an eye-catching addition. Nathaniel Clyne appears a steal, though there may have to be more spending in January if they are to survive.
Did they get what they wanted? In Tony Pulis’s eyes, probably not. The Stoke manager used his programme notes last Sunday to stress the importance of strengthening but after years of heavy investment the club has spent carefully. Charlie Adam will add some much needed imagination to midfield while Kightly, if he stays fit, promises to be a decent addition.
Did they get what they wanted? Martin O’Neill wanted to add goals and trickery to his team and did so in the shape of Steven Fletcher and Adam Johnson, while also pruning an overblown, poorly balanced, squad. Importantly, the Sunderland manager also persauded the much coveted Stephane Sessegnon to agree a contract extension.
Did they get what they wanted? Paying £2m for Michu, the highest scoring midfielder in La Liga last season, could be the best signing of the summer and there is understandable excitement about the arrival of Ki Sung Yeung and the club-record deal that brought Pablo Hernández to south Wales on deadline day. Those days at ‘The Vetch’ feel like a distant memory.
Did they get what they wanted? Tottenham may have lost their creative core during the summer window through the sale of Luka Modric and Rafael Van der Vaart, but André VillasBoas will be hoping that new signings Moussa Dembélé and Gylfi Sigurdsson are more than adequate replacements. Joao Moutinho could also be on his way from Porto.
The deals (selected) Steve Davis Rangers, free Nathaniel Clyne Crystal Palace, £2m Paulo Gazzaniga Gillingham, undisco Emmanuel Mayuka Young Boys, undisco Jay Rodriguez Burnely, £6m Maya Yoshida VVV Venlo Ryan Doble Shrewsbury, free Dan Harding Nottm Forest, undisc Tommy Forecast Gillingham, loan Aaron Martin Crystal Palace, loan Jonathan Forte Crawley, loan Lee Barnard Bournemouth, loan Radhi Jaidi released
The deals (selected) Michael Kightly Wolves, £3m Geoff Cameron Houston Dynamo, undisco Jamie Ness Rangers, free Charlie Adam Liverpool, £4m Danny Collins Nottm Forest, undisco Jonathan Woodgate Middlesbrough, free Andrew Davies Bradford, free Salif Diao released Ricardo Fuller free Louis Moult Northampton Town, free Tom Soares released
The deals (selected) Adam Johnson Manchester City, £10m Steven Fletcher Wolves, £12m Louis Saha Tottenham, free Carlos Cuellar Aston Villa, free Danny Rose Tottenham, loan Kieran Richardson Sunderland, £2m Marcos Angeleri Estudiantes, undisc Asamoah Gyan Al-Anin, £6m Michael Turner Norwich, undisc George McCartney West Ham, undisc Craig Gordon released Ahmed El-Mohamady Hull City, loan
The deals (selected) Michu Rayo Vallencano, £2m Jose Manuel Flores Genoa, £2m Jonathan de Guzman Villarreal, loan Kyle Bartley Arsenal, undisc Jamie Proctor Preston, undisc Ki Sung Yeung Celtic, £5.5m Pablo Hernandez Valencia, £5.5m Joe Allen Liverpool, £15m Scott Sinclair Manchester City, £8m Ferrie Bodde released Casey Thomas released Joe Walsh Crawley, free Scott Donnelly free Andrea Orlandi Brighton, undisc
The deals (selected) Gylfi Sigurdsson Hoffenheim, £8m Jan Vertonghen Ajax, £10m Emmanuel Adebayor Manchester City, £5m Moussa Dembele Fulham, £15m Luka Modric Real Madrid, £30m Niko Kranjcar Dynamo Kyiv, £5.5m Vedran Corluka Lokomotiv Moscow, undisc Steven Pienaar Everton, £4.5m Sébastien Bassong Norwich, undisc Rafael Van der Vaart Hamburg, £10m Ryan Nelsen QPR, free Louis Saha Sunderland, released
Football, which has always been weird, seemed to get just a little bit weirder in the dog days of the Premier League transfer window. Perhaps the strangest moment of a slightly fretful summer arrived this week with the news that Manchester City, the richest club in the world, had signed 1990s goalkeeping curiosity Richard Wright. This is a move that seems not so much surprising as unsettling, the kind of transfer that might happen in a slightly confusing dream. In the case of Wright to City it is as though some kind of basic category mistake has been made, like catching a glimpse of a dog wearing a hat, or hearing someone describe in great detail what the colour red smells like, a mid-range Premier League goalkeeping version of that moment in the 1980s when the aged Let’s Dance-era David Bowie reappeared at the top of the charts pretending to be a regular guy who wears chinos and sings pop songs, but resembling to the
child weaned on Wham! and Duran Duran a frightening alien robot-lizard disguised as a country estate agent. This is not to denigrate the talented Wright, who seemed for a long time all set to leap into the bovine void left by the delayed retirement of David Seaman at Arsenal. If he now seems less an actual goalkeeper and more a kind of Shed Seven-listening, Tony Blairhigh-fiving, Millennium Bug-solving nostalgia item, this is no doubt related to the fact that after a productive start to his career he has averaged little more than 10 games a season over the past decade, most recently leaving Preston North End after five days due to “homesickness”. Plus he seems associated with a specific era in English goalkeeping, a generation of itchy, jumpy, pink-faced young men maddened to the point of distraction by the evolution of the keeper’s role from shamefaced Gollum of last resort into a spangle-shirted
Wright looks wrong but he’s not a robot-lizard in an estate agent disguise
Barney Ronay
Wright is remembered for falling over a sign warning him of the dangers of warming up in the goalmouth
quarterback, the goalkeeper-athlete with his “distribution”, his goal somersaults, his self-important sprints downfield. Goalkeepers of his era often seemed prone to calamitous strokes of ill fortune. Wright is remembered for the injury he sustained while warming up in a goalmouth after falling over a sign warning him of the dangers of warming up in the goalmouth. On his England debut he gave away two penalties, the first of which crossed the line after bouncing in off the back of his head. He
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The Guardian | Saturday 1 September 2012
clubs fared this summer A Maicon goal helped Internazionale to the Champions League final they won in 2010 and he would love to do the same for Manchester City Daniel Dal Zennaro/EPA
Norwich City
Queens Park Rangers
Reading
Did they get what they wanted? Norwich would have been hoping to bolster their strike force, but having not been able to do so, although keeping Grant Holt at the club could prove as important as a new signing. Other signings, like Alexander Tettey who arrived from Rennes, will strengthen a squad trying to cope with its second season in the top flight.
Did they get what they wanted? In as much as they have virtually added an entirely new squad, with players who have featured heavily in the Premier League. The arrival of Esteban Granero and Julio Cesar are particularly intriguing, even if Rob Green must be crestfallen to have been usurped as No1 already. This squad has huge depth, even if the team feels flung together.
Did they get what they wanted? Pretty much and they also did their business early, enabling Brian McDermott, the Reading manager, to integrate the new signings during pre-season. Russian striker Pavel Pogrebnyak is the most eye-catching while Garath McCleary has the potential to be the best free transfers of this window.
The deals (selected) Robert Snodgrass Leeds Utd, £3m Sébastien Bassong Tottenham, undisc, Steven Whittaker Rangers, free Alexander Tettey Rennes, undisco Javier Garrido Lazio, loan Michael Turner Sunderland, undisc Jacob Butterfield Barnsley, undisc Ryan Bennett Peterborough, loan Zak Whitbread released, Aaron Wilbrahim released Josh Dawkin released Matt Ball released Andrew Crofts Brighton, undisc Daniel Ayala Nottm Forest, loan
The deals (selected) Rob Green West Ham, free Samba Diakite Nancy, undisc Ji Sung-Park Man Utd, £2m Junior Hoilett Blackburn, tribunal Julio Cesar Internazionale, free Jose Bosingwa Chelsea, free Andy Johnson Fulham, free Ryan Nelsen Blackburn, free Esteben Granero Real Madrid, undisc Stephane Mbia Marseille, undisc Fabio da Silva Man Utd, loan Paddy Kenny Leeds Utd, £400,000 Fitz Hall Watford, free Rowan Vine St Johnstone, free
The deals (selected) Chris Gunter Nottm Forest, £2.5m Adrian Mariappa Watford, undisc Pierce Sweeney Bray Wanderers, undisc Pavel Pogrebnyak Fulham, free Danny Guthrie Newcastle, free Garath McCleary Nottingham Forest, free Nicky Shorey WBA, free Stuart Taylor Manchester City, free Micail Antonio Sheffield Wed, undisc Tomasz Cywka Barnsley, free Brian Howard Portsmouth, free Andy Griffin released Joseph Mills Burnley, loan
West Ham United
West Bromwich Albion
Wigan Athletic
Did they get what they wanted? Sam Allardyce has overhauled his Championship play-off winning squad but it has been the loan signing of Andy Carroll that has quickened the pulses at West Ham. In the striker, the club have a rough diamond and with Matt Jarvis bought to add threat from wide areas, there is the sense of optimism. Carroll could make the difference.
Did they get what they wanted? It could hardly have gone much better at The Hawthorns. Ben Foster’s permanent signing was tied up quickly and the club look to have unearthed another gem in Claudio Yacob, who arrived on a free. Roman Lukaku has arrived with a point to prove and has given Steve Clarke, the manager, plenty of forward options this season .
Did they get what they wanted? Roberto Martinez claims to be satisfied with Wigan’s work and the quality of their additions certainly justifies that stance. Losing Victor Moses, who was crucial to the club’s impressive form last season, is a major loss, however. There is risk in where the creativity will come from in a squad that has lost a lot of Premier League experience.
The deals (selected) Matt Jarvis Wolves, £10.75m George McCartney Sunderland, free Jussi Jaaskelainen Bolton, free Modibo Maiga Sochaux, £4.7m Mohamed Diame Wigan, free James Collins Aston Villa, £2.5m Alou Diarra Marseille, £2m Andy Carroll Liverpool, loan Rob Green QPR, free Freddie Sears Colchester, free Abdoulaye Faye Hull, free Julien Fauberte Elazigspor, free John Carew released, Sam Baldock Bristol City, £1.1m
The deals (selected) Ben Foster Birmingham City, undisc Markus Rosenberg Werder Bremen, free Claudio Yacob Racing Club de Avellaneda, free Romelu Lukaku Chelsea, loan Yassine El Ghanassy AA Gent, loan Keith Andrews Bolton, free Joe Mattock Sheffield Wed, free Nicky Shorey Reading, free Somen Tchoyi released Martin Fulop Asteras Tripoli, free Paul Scharner Hamburg, free Simon Cox Nottm Forest, undisc
The deals (selected) Fraser Fyvie Aberdeen, undisc Ivan Ramis Real Mallorca, £4.5m Arouna Kone Levante, £4.5m Ryo Miyaichi Arsenal, loan Victor Moses Chelsea, £9m Conor Sammon Derby County, £1.2m Hugo Rodallega Fulham, free Mohamed Diame West Ham, free Steve Gohouri Maccabi Tel Aviv, free Chris Kirkland Sheffield Wed, free Henry Thomas Colorado Rapids, free
also suffered a serious injury after falling out of his loft hatch at home, something I remember with a sense of distant kinship because I have also fallen out of my loft hatch and it is an unnerving experience, creating in that moment of freefall a sense of having been betrayed on some basic level by the floor. Perhaps Wright, as he fell, also grabbed uselessly at a piece of yellow foam ceiling insulation, shredding it into horrible feathery strips and creating a mist of falling grit and fibres that stung his eyes and tickled his throat as he lay splayed on the carpet thinking: “This exact same thing happened to that goalkeeper. Richard Wright.” Wright is not the only unexpected new arrival this summer. Jack Rodwell is providing a mini-Yaya presence in the revolving arm-wrestle of City’s midfield. Rodwell remains a slightly confusing player, an almost-prodigy of wonderful semi-talent who looks fantastic and runs around nicely but doesn’t seem
to do anything you can put your finger on, performing most noticeably in the thrusting midfield run-hulk role or more defensively as a non-specific central trot-about, all the while harbouring ambitions of performing as a high spec central mooch-about. Scott Sinclair has arrived from Swansea to provide occasional midweek jink-relief, and beyond that to reinforce the sense of City’s money being spent rather frugally this summer, like the kind of cobwebbed ancestral millionaire who emerges every fortnight in yellowing tweeds and spends £4,000 on cat food and candles. Of course all three have something else in common. They are Englishreared, thereby assisting in the annual rejig required by Premier League rules on “homegrown” players. Before Wright City had seven in their likely first-team squad, one short of the required eight. From this perspective Wright’s oneyear contract is a canny deadline-week investment, defusing at a stroke the
need to panic-negotiate any last-minute bids for English players and perhaps shaving a little off the Sinclair deal. Some have suggested City’s low key signings are an indication of a fatal stodginess in the relationship between Brian Marwood and Roberto Mancini. By now they were supposed to have towed an iceberg into dock, cloned William Shakespeare, lassoed the sun, announced the immediate capture of the vast parmesan cheese deposits of Mars. Instead they have tinkered with the base-notes, adding depth and a little regulatory compliance. For now they have two fine young English players and the summeroddity Wright, who may yet end up experiencing a dramatic late-career renaissance. But who deserves his own entry in the transfer lexicon as the Memorabilia Signing: a bargaining tool, a regulatory shemozzle, and another peculiar entry in the Premier League’s own grand shark-eyed fiscal odyssey.
Platini lays down law: ‘I want clubs to spend money they have, not what they don’t have’ Saturday interview Uefa’s president stresses the need for prudence and tells Dominic Fifield in Monaco of the possible penalties The setting seemed rather incongruous. Michel Platini stood Uefa suited and booted on a sun-drenched terrace of a plush Monte Carlo hotel, the Mediterranean lapping gently on the shore of the French Riviera below and luxury yachts drifting across the bay behind. One might have belonged to Roman Abramovich whose Chelsea, fresh from a summer spending spree that skirts £80m, were due to contest the European Super Cup. The scene oozed glitz and glamour and yet it was here, in this money-drenched enclave that boasts the highest number of millionaires per capita in the world, that Uefa’s president delivered his annual reminder on all things financial fair play (FFP). The implementation of a scheme rubber-stamped four years ago is under way with the implications of the rules that have attracted most attention, that clubs have to break even, already being felt. “We wanted to revolutionise European football when we first introduced this idea,” said the president. “We are never going back on this.” That mantra was repeated three times as if delivered for the oligarchs, American franchises and sheikhs who have transformed the face of football in recent years. Platini was speaking as clubs across Europe whipped themselves into a frenzy ahead of the closure of the transfer window. There is, Uefa insists, a uniform desire for FFP to work – both in terms of ensuring teams meet their existing debts, but also do not overstretch themselves – and yet the period since the plans were first made public has seen the continued spending of Chelsea, the eye-catching emergence of Manchester City and, more recently, Paris St-Germain, as well as clubs across Russia whose outlay on wages and in the transfer market would, at first glance, appear to fly in the face of all things FFP. Those clubs argue they are not spending beyond their means, pointing to commercial revenues and sponsorship deals to justify their considerable clout. But there is also the example of Málaga, a club purchased by Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser al-Thani of the Qatari royal family and who were heavy spenders last season, only for the owner’s interest apparently to wane and funds dry up. There have been transfer bans, the threat of legal action over unpaid wages and a player exodus since, with this the kind of meltdown FFP is aimed at preventing. Clubs bought on a whim can be discarded and left to disintegrate just as quickly. “It can happen at Málaga, it has happened at Portsmouth, it can happen everywhere,” said Platini. “Many people are coming into the game to make business, to make popularity ... some actually love football, but remember Uefa are there to protect [the clubs], not kill them. I just want clubs to spend money they have, not what they don’t have. I’ve spoken to football directors, chairmen and owners from all over the world, I’ve spoken to Manchester City’s owners in Abu Dhabi, and everybody has given their commitment to this plan. Some aren’t necessarily showing it, but we have been very clear with them. We have put the structure in place to implement these rules. If clubs do not respect the rules, they will get into difficulty, whether they are from France, from Italy, from England, from Georgia ...” The sanctions will range from warnings, reprimands and fines, to the deduction of points, disqualification or exclusion from competitions and withdrawal of titles. The break-even rule comes into ‘If clubs do not respect the rules, they will get into difficulty, whether they are from France, Italy, England or Georgia,’ warns Michel Platini
effect from the 2014-15 season – Uefa’s club financial control body is taking into account the financial years 2012 and 2013 – though the other element of FFP, the overdue payments rule where commitments have not been met to players or other clubs for transfers, has been running since last year. The Hungarian club Gyori, AEK Athens and Besiktas are already banned from European competition. Disciplinary procedures are under way against another 27 clubs, who are in the process of being informed. There was a criticism of national associations who allow such mismanagement to occur in their leagues – “Sometimes the associations don’t do their work and we have to come after [them]” – though the threat of punishment, Platini suggested, is already having an effect. While Chelsea and PSG have poured money into recruitment, the average spend in the last two windows was actually well down on previous years. There was a 36% decrease in the winter window, from €613m (£487m) in January 2011 to €393m this year. Indeed, 2012’s transfer spend of €2.146bn to 30 August represented only 78% of the 200811 average. Some might put that down to a difficult economic climate. Uefa and its president insist it is the shadow being cast by the imminent new rules. How, then, does a proud Frenchman react to Ligue 1 boasting arguably the richest club in the world given the money PSG has flung at Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Thiago Silva, Lucas Moura and Ezequiel Lavezzi? “I’m not here to be proud or popular,” added Platini. “I have to do my job as president of Uefa. We take decisions that apply
We wanted to revolutionise European football when we introduced this idea. We are never going back on this
for English, French and Russian clubs. Perhaps I will be unpopular [in France], but they will respect me. “Anyway, you think people in Paris think about financial fair play and PSG? Most people in Paris don’t even know there’s a club in Paris … It’s not London. This is France. It’s different, even if people are surprised at the amount of money PSG are paying the players. They are not used to that.” That sense of shock will apply to those clubs who fail to comply in the years ahead. The message from Monaco was clear.
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The Guardian | Saturday 1 September 2012
Sport
Rugby union Aviva Premiership
Distracted Hamilton vague over McLaren future as contract remains unsigned No agreement but driver expected to stay with team Immediate focus on repeat of 2010 Belgian success Motor racing Paul Weaver Spa-Francorchamps Lewis Hamilton is still some distance from finalising a new contract with McLaren, even though his old five-year deal has only four months to run. Hamilton has been back to his best form this season, after a tumultuous 2011, but, though he and his employers were expected to reach agreement during the summer break that ends with tomorrow’s Belgian Grand Prix, the two sides remain contractually estranged. When asked yesterday whether there was a sticking point the driver revealed: “There are lots of things. You never just sign a contract that’s given to you. Most of the time it’s shit. There are still lots of factors to be taken into account.” And when asked whether he saw himself at McLaren next year, Hamilton sounded even more vague. He said: “I don’t see myself anywhere at the moment. I really don’t because it is difficult to picture what is going to happen in the future. “It is quite a difficult, interesting time in Formula One at the moment. If the rules were to stay the same for the next
Spa-Francorchamps Cockwise
Kemmel straight
Eau Rouge
Les Combes Pit lane
Raidillon Turn 6 Malmedy
La Source
Start/Finish
Pouhon Bus Stop Blanchimont Turn 16 Rivage Turn 12 Fagnes
Stavelot Curve Paul Frere
No of laps 44 Lap length 4.35 miles Race distance 191.410 miles Fastest lap 1m 45.108s K Raikkonen, McLaren, 2004 First used 1925
World championship races 67 Most wins Ferrari (16) Pole position last year S Vettel, Red Bull Winner last year S Vettel, Red Bull
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five years it would make the decision a lot easier. But you don’t know what is going to happen because in 2014 the rule regulations change quite heavily. So you don’t know what is going to be the place. “In the end you have to take a gamble on that, though, don’t you, and I am not much of a gambler. I always lose money at the casino!” Leaving McLaren, though, may be a gamble too far for Hamilton, 27, who has been with the team since he was 13, and the two sides are likely to reach agreement later in the year, possibly October. Reduced to its simplest terms, the driver has nowhere else to go and McLaren cannot sign a better driver. The most likely alternative targets for Hamilton’s negotiators – Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes – do not have a vacancy. Ferrari may have one for someone else, because Felipe Massa is still driving on very thin tarmac, being 139 points behind his team-mate, Fernando Alonso, in the standings. But the thought of a Hamilton-Alonso reunion after their troubled pairing at McLaren in 2007 does not feel a plausible one. It is possible that Hamilton and McLaren might already have clinched a deal but for the recent death of an aunt on his father’s side, Diane. Hamilton added: “Right now it’s just personal, family stuff that is holding it up, mostly. I’ve had a lot to think about the last couple of weeks so I’ve put it off. And probably the next week or so I won’t be thinking about it. But after that … there are discussions.” At the moment the driver is more focused on repeating his 2010 success here. Since the German Grand Prix McLaren have had a highly competitive car. Lotus should also do well here and, though Alonso’s Ferrari was expected to be compromised by the long straights and the fast corners, the recent rain will have encouraged him. Meanwhile Michael Schumacher will be happy merely to complete his 300th race. He has had six DNFs in 11 races, more than any other driver, and yesterday was fined £2,000 for a pitlane infringement during the second practice session. Both sessions were badly hit by heavy rain. Sauber’s Kamui Kobayashi set the fastest time in the morning and he was followed by Pastor Maldonado and Daniel Ricciardo. But some drivers did not go out until the last 40 minutes. It never stopped raining after lunch and the second session was almost a complete washout, with only 18 drivers coming out, none of whom put in a flying lap.
Exiles eager to prove they are at home in Oxford and the top flight
Promoted only after a legal win, London Welsh know more tough battles start at Leicester tomorrow, writes Paul Rees
London Welsh start their first campaign in the Premiership against Leicester tomorrow at their new ground in Oxford, the city where, 127 years ago, the forward TE Jones scored the club’s first try, a few months after a group of Welshmen meeting in a Fleet Street hotel decided to set up a team to play a few matches a year, most of them on a tour of their homeland. The new club’s battle for survival was no less hazardous than their route to the Premiership last season, when they not only had to come through the regular season in the Championship and prevail in an arduous series of play-offs but then get through the obstacle course known as the minimum standards criteria (MSC). The problem was the primacy of tenure regulation, which London Welsh were breaching by proposing to play their Premiership matches at the Kassam Stadium; their Old Deer Park ground would have failed other criteria, not least those relating to capacity and floodlighting. The club overcame this hurdle with the help of an appeals panel made up of three QCs, whose judgment was that the primacy of tenure regulation should apply equally to those clubs in the top flight and to anyone seeking membership. Promotion was not even a whispered dream at Old Deer Park in the summer of
Sport in brief Cycling
Cummings wins Vuelta stage Britain’s Stephen Cummings won the 13th stage of the Vuelta a España yesterday and Joaquim Rodríguez maintained his overall lead ahead of a weekend of mountain climbs. Cummings broke off from the leading pack with four kilometres to the finish in the 172.8km (107.4-mile) leg. The Briton finished in 4hr 5min 2sec, while Cameron Meyer of Australia and Juan Antonio Flecha of Spain were four seconds behind. The German cyclist John Degenkolb, who has four stage wins, was seventh as the peloton crossed 40 seconds back. Rodríguez remains 13 seconds ahead of Alberto Contador and 51 seconds ahead of Christopher Froome after all three crossed the line with the peloton.
Today’s stage features five mountain climbs including a steep finish. AP Rugby league The forward Steve Snitch will join an exodus of players from Castleford after the club confirmed he would be leaving at the end of the season. The former Wakefield and Huddersfield player, who was not offered a new contract by the Tigers, is moving to Australia, where he is expected to play in the Queensland Cup. Snitch is one of eight departures from the Probiz Coliseum. Danny Orr, Ryan Hudson and Nick Youngquest are all retiring while Paul Jackson, Stuart Jones, Josh Griffin and Joe Arundel will continue their careers elsewhere. The club have already bid farewell to the winger Rhys Williams, who has returned to Warrington following the completion of his loan spell, while the second-row Lee Mitchell, who is also on loan from the Wolves, has yet to be offered a new deal. PA Cricket Chris Jones claimed his maiden firstclass wicket on a turgid final day of the County Championship match between Somerset and Surrey at Taunton – and it happened to be Kevin Pietersen. The 21-year-old bowled two overs of off-spin after lunch as the hosts tried to tempt Surrey into making a game of it with some declaration bowling and succeeded in having Pietersen caught at short cover for 58. It was a rare moment of interest as the visitors settled for nine points by batting all day from an overnight 58 without loss to close on 305 for five declared. PA
Stephen Cummings broke away to win the Tour of Spain’s 13th stage
England v South Africa ODI, page 10 ≥
Team guide Exeter look to dream on while Cipriani awakens Sale
Bath Head coach Gary Gold Expect something very different this season. The “Bath way” has not won much silverware of late so their ambitious owner, Bruce Craig, has turned to the disciplined South African approach of Gold – one of the coaches associated with that great Springbok era between 2007 and 2010. Last season Bath were probably a coach short. This time Gold has a galaxy in tow, plus a trainer in Allan Ryan who will guarantee peak fitness – word is that pre-season has been tough. There have been a couple of clever front-row signings in Paul James from the Ospreys and Rob Webber of Wasps. Last season 8th Guardian prediction 8th
Exeter
Shaun Edwards
Head coach Rob Baxter Can the dream continue? Why not? In fact I see no reason why the third season in the Premiership should not be the best yet. Given the wonderful rugby catchment area at Baxter’s disposal, plus two good “feeder” clubs in Plymouth Albion and Cornish Pirates, a great match-day experience, the coach’s ability to tease the best out players like James Scaysbrook and Haydn Thomas, plus seemingly sound finances, there is no reason why Exeter should not become a power in the land. However, this time Baxter has to fight on a new
front – the Heineken Cup – which will test his resources. Last season 5th Guardian prediction 5th
Gloucester Head coach Nigel Davies Add Llanelli flair to the Gloucester ethos and the result could be potent. Davies, a coach whose Llanelli teams always seemed to figure in try-ofthe-season footage, takes over from the more disciplined Bryan Redpath. Import Billy Twelvetrees from Leicester to play outside the fly-half Freddie Burns plus the former All Black No9 Jimmy Cowan to feed the ammunition to a lightning back line and Kingsholm should be an exciting place. Familiar faces like Luke Narraway, Al Strokosch and Rory Lawson have moved on but, like his coach, Ben Morgan has joined from the Scarlets. Last season 8th Guardian prediction 7th G L O U C E S T E R
Harlequins Head coach Conor O’Shea The champions will be the team to beat and the burden will be greater. O’Shea
Leicester’s heritage should reboot the England ambitions of Miles Benjamin
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The Guardian | Saturday 1 September 2012
2009, even though a few months earlier a plan had been drawn up with the aim of delivering Premiership rugby by 2012. A pending court case prevents the details of what happened then being recounted, but one of London Welsh’s most famous sons, the former Lions and Wales flanker John Taylor who is now the club’s managing director, feared for a few weeks that the Exiles, regarded in the early 1970s as the best club team in the world, would fold. “We thought we had investment not only to wipe out our debts but provide us with the means to plan getting out of the Championship,” Taylor says. “There was a period I feared we would be unable to pay the wages and be relegated to the bottom of the league system. If it were not for Kelvin Bryon [a former chairman and the principal investor] we may have folded. It was a horribly tough few weeks.” London Welsh went into administration but came out of it within a month. The
‘I feared we would be unable to pay the wages. It was a horribly tough few weeks’
club has only been fully professional for a year, opting before that to settle for life in the second tier, lacking the resources to sustain a push for Premiership status. The early years of league rugby from 1987 had been cruel to the Exiles: at one point they found themselves in Division Five (South), but after Clive Griffiths joined as coach in the late 1990s they started the climb back. At the start of the 1970s, they had supplied seven players to the Lions squad that won a Test series in New Zealand for the first time, Taylor among them. “There was a season when, putting a couple of players out of position, we could field a team of full internationals,” he says. “We had the likes of Gerald Davies, Mervyn Davies, JPR Williams and John Dawes and there was one year when we won the three merit tables organised by a newspaper, English, Welsh and Anglo-Welsh.” To play for the team then you either had to be Welsh, or of Welsh descent or to have spent at least a season with a club in Wales. When the rule was breached in 1976 to allow Neil Bennett, an English flyhalf who played seven times for his country, to become an Exile it provoked a revolt of members. Bennett had been provided with a game at Colwyn Bay to facilitate his membership – the committee had discre-
tionary powers – but it was called off and he ended up playing for the reserves. “The rule no longer applies in the professional era, but as a club we have resolved that we will always have Welshness at our core,” Taylor says. “London Irish have largely abandoned that principle, but we will not: it is important to us. We have a number of Welsh players, our head coach, Lyn Jones, is Welsh, and so are many of our administrators. We have dual membership of the Welsh and English rugby unions, but we play in England and some of our supporters are not Welsh.” The decision to play in Oxford did not garner overwhelming support from the club’s fans, but a decision had to be made quickly to meet the MSC deadline and there was no alternative in the London area. Coaches will be provided tomorrow morning from outside Old Deer Park and the London Welsh club in Gray’s Inn Road. Also, in the early years, followers of the club were peripatetic. Raynes Park, Balham, Kensal Rise, Cricklewood, Holloway, Hornsey, Hampstead, Acton, Hendon, west Kensington, Leyton, West Ham, Wandsworth and Herne Hill were all home for at least one season until the club moved into Old Deer Park in 1957. “If we had not signed an agreement with the owners of the Kassam Stadium,
Making the grade Sides who have been promoted from the Championship have had mixed fortunes in their first season in the Premiership but most have survived Harlequins 2006-07 7th A solid return, scoring same number of tries (50) as champions Gloucester Leeds 2007-08 12th (relegated) Manage only two wins and 12 points from a disappointing campaign Northampton 2008-09 8th Ten league wins keep Saints up thanks to Stephen Myler’s boot Leeds 2009-10 10th Tykes stay up despite scoring the fewest points and tries Exeter 2010-11 8th Stay up in their first year then go on to finish fifth last term Worcester 2011-12 10th Score lowest number of points but do just enough to survive
we would not have been promoted,” Taylor says. “We had to find a ground that no one in Premiership Rugby could complain about. What happens in the future remains to be seen: if we remain in the Premiership, negotiating to buy the Kassam would be an option. Oxford is a rich, if uncultivated, rugby area and we need to expand our fan base.” London Welsh’s promotion was only confirmed two months ago, leaving Jones with little time to recruit players. His biggest signing, Gavin Henson, suffered a cheekbone fracture in a friendly against Scarlets last weekend after an accidental clash of heads and will miss the opening six weeks of the campaign. “Gavin is due a change in fortune,” Taylor says. “He has been on the training ground this week and he is keen to do well. What we have to do this season is show that we can compete up front. We are under no illusions about what faces us and if we can hold our own in the scrum, it will give us a base. We have not come up to go straight back down and the likes of Lyn Jones do not contemplate failure. We fought long and hard to get here and our aim is to remain: Leicester will give us a good idea of where we stand.” Oxford will be a city of learning for the Exiles.
London Welsh, left, celebrate promotion against the Cornish Pirates – the Exiles’ Max Lahiff in action in that game, far right. John Taylor, right, wants to keep the club’s Welshness with signings such as Gavin Henson Paul Harding/Action Images; Jan Kruger/Getty
has not gone heavily into the transfer market and increased Test demands will reflect last season’s success. It is also worth remembering last season’s flying start while some players were away at the World Cup. However, Quins have an academy that provides depth – the second XV are always a tough nut – and you have to admire the way they stick by their values. Teams unfamiliar with success have been known to panic and tighten up at the sharp end of the season. Quins, after a tense semi-final, took their short-passing game through to a fine win in the Grand Final. Last season Champions Guardian prediction 2nd
Leicester Head coach Richard Cockerill One of the few predictions I’m prepared to make about this season is that Leicester will be involved in the Grand Final. But when aren’t they? They have strengths in important areas – like tighthead prop – that other clubs would die for and have been clever in the transfer market. Once the World Cup was out of their system, Leicester were close to unbeatable last season, scoring 70 tries. That was 17 more than Harlequins and suggests a heritage that should reboot new boy Miles Benjamin’s England ambitions. Mind you, there were also times – Ulster, Clermont and the Grand Final – when their defence needed attention. Last season 2nd Guardian prediction Champions
London Irish
London Welsh
Northampton
Saracens
Head coach Brian Smith Like a handful of clubs below the big three or four and above London Welsh and perhaps Worcester, London Irish start the season unsure what the months up to Christmas hold. Some old heads like Nick Kennedy, Bob Casey, Delon Armitage, Kieran Roche and Faan Rautenbach have left and we could also have done without the pre-season injury to Joe Ansbro, who is important to our defensive plans. However, Smith is back and has made some bright signings. He is determined that youth is the way to go and he has been right before. Last season 7th Guardian prediction 10th
Head coach Lyn Jones Sides promoted from the Championship are always dealt a difficult hand, but London Welsh suffered more than most from the delays that going to law caused. They won that battle and they are going to need to win a lot more to stay up. Most of Jones’s transfer targets will have gone elsewhere but he has done well snapping up Sonny Parker and Neil Briggs and deserved better luck than a fractured cheek after going for Gavin Henson. He is someone I’ve always rated because he has always done well by me, never being anything less than professional. Last season Promoted Guardian prediction 12th
Head coach Jim Mallinder Must be looking for a home semi-final at the very least. Up front they have a huge set piece and the new boy Dominic Waldouck, whose career has stalled over the past couple of seasons, will thrive on quality ball. Saints’ problem since Paul Grayson retired has been continuity at fly-half, the job being shared again last season by Ryan Lamb and Stephen Myler. Sides who succeed tend to have continuity at half-back. That said, they gave Harlequins a fright in the semi-final last season and were very much in the game until the death. Last season 4th Guardian prediction 4th
Head coach Mark McCall Saracens will see plenty of the world – Twickenham, Salford, Wembley, Murrayfield, and even the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels – before they settle in their new home at Hendon. That’s not until mid-February and, for a side who pride themselves on doing the little things well, it’s adding to the burden. They will also miss Andy Farrell but against that they have signed Chris Ashton, the best support player in world rugby, and Charlie Hodgson’s decision to give up Test rugby won’t hurt. When others are away on international duty, having a Test No10 available every week is good news. Last season 3rd Guardian prediction 3rd
London Wasps
Sale
Head coach Dai Young No excuses this time. The squad are really strong, particularly in the back row and I can see them back in the top six and qualifying for the Heineken Cup. Rob Hoadley’s move to coach in Japan was a loss but a second-row partnership of Marco Wentzel and Tom Palmer should guarantee plenty of lineout steals. The arrival of Stephen Jones, such a positive person, is good news for everyone at Wasps but particularly those on a learning curve. A couple of early wins and Christian Wade back on song – when he plays Wasps tend to win – and who knows? Last season 11th Guardian prediction 9th
Head coach Bryan Redpath Rugby thrives on its characters, which is one of many reasons to welcome the return of Danny Cipriani after two seasons with Melbourne. Sale have never been easy to beat on a Friday night under lights but with a new stadium and players like Cipriani and a potential Lion such as Richie Gray there is every reason to suggest a real head of steam building in the north-west. The chemistry will be interesting. Redpath, back where he played, likes a disciplined style but Cipriani, with the comfort of Dwayne Peel inside him, will want to be less predictable. Last season 5th Guardian prediction 6th
The chemistry between Danny Cipriani and Bryan Redpath will be key at Sale
Worcester Head coach Richard Hill If having Phil Larder around to coach defence was the secret to safety last season, then word is that Mathieu Rourre may be the man to do the trick this time by adding more firepower. With Phil Vickery and Nigel Redman looking after the forwards, Rourre, a long-time friend of Hill and once coach of France Under-19s, has been called in to inspire Worcester’s underachieving attack who, to compound things, have also lost two talented wings in Marcel Garvey and Miles Benjamin. Last season 10th Guardian prediction 11th
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The Guardian | Saturday 1 September 2012
Sport
Morgan provides the magic as England return to top of the world Cricket Andy Wilson The Oval South Africa 211
Robson’s American dream goes on as defeat of Li sets up a meeting with Stosur into the top 10 if she keeps playing like that”. Robson is the first British woman to go this deep in a major since Sam Smith at Wimbledon in 1998, and the first here since Jo Durie in 1991. Coming after her victory over the former world No1 Kim Clijsters on Wednesday, when she sent the Belgian into retirement a valiant loser, Robson is at the peak of her young powers. These are fantastic achievements – and she is still only 18, a relative baby on the Tour. Her promise glistens more brightly by the day. Andy Murray, meanwhile, faces Feliciano López in the men’s third round tonight. The Spaniard knows he has a monumental task to shift Murray out of the picture here. It is as if all the good points in his game — serve, speed, willingness to go forward — are automatically negated by Murray’s guile. That was certainly the way it went when they collided here in 2011, Murray hitting a pitch of perfection. For López, though, the history goes deeper than even that humiliation. “I remember he played a great match at Wimbledon [that year] at a time when I was playing my best tennis, having beaten [Andy] Roddick and some good players. He found a way to return my serve pretty easy, although it was a bit of a different match in New York. It was really windy and I didn’t play my best. I just hope to play much better. It is only one year ago, so I don’t think that anything has changed that much.”
Tennis Kevin Mitchell Flushing Meadows
England 212-6
England won by four wickets
Alastair Cook could have asked for no more in his first game as the undisputed on-field leader of English cricket. Tossing the coin in England’s blue one-day kit may have been nothing new for him, but the retirement of Andrew Strauss on the other side of the river 49 hours earlier ensured that Cook would be the centre of attention, and for all the right reasons after a return to the top of the world oneday international rankings with this first victory over South Africa in any form of cricket this summer. It was thoroughly comprehensive and impressive, even if South Africa allowed the standards they have been setting in recent weeks to slip. But England’s bowlers, especially Jade Dernbach and Ravi Bopara, deserved much of the credit for that. So Cook’s inability to get off the mark for 18 balls when he launched England’s reply was nothing to worry about – it would be very early days for the burdens of Test captaincy to be wearing him down. His dismissal for 20 from 47 balls, lofting a long hop from Robin Petersen to deep mid wicket, was more of a concern, especially when Bopara then wasted a review in an unsuccessful attempt to avoid falling for a five-ball duck, leaving England on 64 for three in the 18th over. But Eoin Morgan’s response was magical and magnificent. On a slow pitch which had favoured nagging medium pace rather than strokeplay, he nudged, carved and occasionally danced down the pitch with courage and invention. In scoring 35 of the first 50 he added with Jonathan Trott in only 34 balls, he had already ensured that the pressure was lifted. By the time he was dismissed, for 73 from 67 balls, Trott had contributed only 31 to a fourth-wicket stand of 108 inside 20 overs. But he had also done his job perfectly, with only another 40 required and more than 11 overs remaining he felt for one off the bowling of Wayne Parnell and got a thin edge through to the wicketkeeper, AB de Villiers. James Anderson claimed the best fig-
Eoin Morgan drives back past the bowler as South Africa’s AB de Villiers looks on at The Oval. Morgan made 73 from 67 balls Jed Leicester/Action Images ures of South Africa’s innings, mopping up the last three wickets in the space of eight balls to end with four for 44 – having become only the second England player, behind Darren Gough, to take 100 wickets in home one-day internationals when he bowled Graeme Smith in his opening spell. But it was Dernbach, a Surrey teammate of Kevin Pietersen’s who probably arouses similar feelings among Straussloving traditionalists with his collection of tattoos, a South African birthplace and an in-your-face attitude, who did the real damage. The tourists had cruised serenely to 73 for one in the 17th over, with Hashim Amla picking up where he had left off in their Test win at The Oval by gliding to 43 from 51 balls with the combination of stealth and skill with which the England bowlers have become wearily familiar. Then Dernbach, who had been called into the team in place of Tim Bresnan for only his second appearance of the summer, switched to the Vauxhall End and
bowled Amla with his first delivery - a nipbacker that darted between bat and pad as Amla worked to leg, and clattered into the stumps off the thinnest of inside edges. There was an even more spectacular Dernbach dismissal to follow, even if the victim was not quite as prized. It’s not an original gag, but Dean Elgar really was confounded by one of the variations which make Dernbach such a potent, if occasionally exasperating, one-day bowler – a beautifully disguised slower ball that also wobbled back through the left-hander’s gate. Wayne Parnell, another left-hander, edged another good one that left him slightly off the pitch to give Dernbach his third victim, and leave South Africa scrambling for a defendable total, even on this slow pitch, at 155 for six. Bopara’s continued selection ahead of Jonny Bairstow has provoked a few murmurs given his struggle for runs since he returned from the personal problems that led to his withdrawal from the last two Tests against South Africa. But here is was a huge asset.
Laura Robson, playing with the freedom and flaws of her tender years, delivered the biggest win by a British woman in more than 20 years when she advanced to the fourth round of the US Open here with a three-sets win over the No9 seed, Li Na. It took her two hours and 25 minutes to overcome the former French Open champion 6-4, 6-7, 6-2 in a stifling Louis Armstrong Stadium and she next plays the Australian Sam Stosur, the defending champion. It does not get any easier nor should it. Robson, a junior girls champion at Wimbledon at 14, is finally in the big time. Afterwards she said her plan had just been to take on her shots. “I knew if I kept sticking with her and playing my shots it might pay off and it did,” she said. “I had a few break points early on and I gave them up with average returning, so when I got a chance I knew I had to go for it. She’s a great hitter. I’m going to go back to the gym and try to recover for the next match. I’ve been injured loads in the past and this is my first time injury free. That’s the biggest improvement and difference.” Stosur, moments after her more straightforward 7-6, 6-2 win over the American Varvara Lep chenko said: “I have never played Laura before. She’s obviously full of confidence and had two very, very good wins. Definitely I can’t go into that match lightly. “I have to go out there and be on my game and ready to play some good tennis. She hasn’t been at too many tournaments where I’ve been able to watch her, so I have to do some homework and talk to my coach. It can be tricky playing someone [on a hot streak]. She’s got nothing to lose, after two of the best wins of her career. She’s starting to live up to the potential people have talked about from when she won junior Wimbledon when she was 14. I can’t go into it lightly. She will come out swinging.” China’s Li was less forthcoming in defeat. She acknowledged Robson had played well but, equally, thought her own game was not where it should be. She did agree, however, that Robson could break
Laura Robson became the first Briton to reach the US Open last 16 in 21 years
Results and cricket scoreboard Cricket
Somerset v Surrey
THIRD ONE-DAY INTERNATIONAL
Taunton Somerset (8pts) drew with Surrey (9). Surrey First innings 317 (KP Pietersen 163; SI Mahmood 4-62). Somerset First innings 294 (PD Trego 92, JC Hildreth 85, CR Jones 50; M Kartik 4-70, SC Meaker 4-75). Surrey Second innings (overnight 58-0) RJ Burns c Barrow b Dockrell ............................... 60 ZS Ansari c Trescothick b Mahmood ..................... 39 A Harinath not out ........................................... 105 KP Pietersen c Barrow b Jones............................. 58 Z de Bruyn c Trescothick b Dockrell ..................... 18 JJ Roy b Mahmood .............................................. 28 †GC Wilson not out............................................. 30 Extras (b8, lb10, nb4)......................................... 22
England v South Africa The Oval England beat South Africa by four wickets. South Africa HM Amla b Dernbach .......................................... 43 GC Smith b Anderson .......................................... 18 D Elgar b Dernbach ............................................. 42 *†AB de Villiers c Bell b Tredwell ........................ 28 F du Plessis b Bopara ............................................ 1 JP Duminy c Bell b Tredwell ................................ 33 WD Parnell c Kieswetter b Dernbach .................... 13 RJ Peterson not out............................................ 23 DW Steyn b Anderson ........................................... 1 M Morkel b Anderson ............................................ 7 LL Tsotsobe lbw b Anderson .................................. 0 Extras (lb1, w1) ................................................... 2 Total (46.4 overs)............................................. 211 Fall 50, 73, 120, 122, 141, 155, 195, 203, 211. Bowling Anderson 9.4-0-44-4; Finn 8-0-42-0; Dernbach 9-0-44-3; Bopara 10-1-31-1; Tredwell 10-0-49-2. England *AN Cook c Elgar b Peterson ............................... 20 IR Bell lbw b Steyn .............................................. 12 IJL Trott c de Villiers b Parnell ............................. 71 RS Bopara c de Villiers b Morkel............................. 0 EJG Morgan c & b Peterson ................................. 73 †C Kieswetter run out ........................................ 14 SR Patel not out ................................................. 13 JC Tredwell not out ............................................. 1 Extras (lb1, w6, nb1) ............................................ 8 Total (for 6, 48 overs) ....................................... 212 Fall 14, 61, 64, 172, 189, 207. Did not bat JM Anderson, JW Dernbach, ST Finn. Bowling Steyn 7-0-32-1; Tsotsobe 7-0-55-0; Morkel 10-1-41-1; Parnell 10-1-23-1; Peterson 10-0-39-2; Elgar 4-0-21-0. Toss South Africa elected to bat. Umpires HDPK Dharmasena (Sri) and RA Kettleborough (Eng). SECOND TEST MATCH (first day of five) Bangalore New Zealand 328-6 (LRPL Taylor 113, CFK van Wyk 63no, MJ Guptill 53; PP Ojha 4-90) v India. SECOND ONE-DAY INTERNATIONAL Abu Dhabi Australia 248-9 (MEK Hussey 61; Saeed Ajmal 4-32) v Pakistan (innings break). LV COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP Division One (final day of four)
Lancashire v Durham Liverpool Lancashire (8pts) drew with Durham (10). Lancashire First innings 262 (TC Smith 91, KW Hogg 60no, GD Cross 57; G Onions 6-41). Durham First innings (overnight 187-4) MJ Richardson c Smith b Kerrigan ....................... 41 *PD Collingwood b Croft.................................. 114 †P Mustard c Prince b Kerrigan .............................. 5 SG Borthwick c Chapple b Keedy ......................... 60 CD Thorp b Croft ................................................ 25 G Onions not out ................................................ 14 C Rushworth c Prince b Croft ................................ 7 Extras (b4, lb7, nb6)........................................... 17 Total (124.2 overs)........................................... 416 Fall cont 191, 205, 353, 383, 408. Score at 110 overs 353-7. Bowling Chapple 22-8-47-0; Hogg 12-0-63-0; Smith 7-1-33-0; Kerrigan 44-7-128-4; Keedy 31-2-101-3; Croft 8.2-1-33-3.
Total (for 5, 95.4 overs) .................................... 360 Fall 102, 118, 195, 232, 287. Did not bat *GJ Batty, M Kartik, SC Meaker, J Lewis. Bowling Trego 16.4-59-57-0; Kirby 12-2-33-0; Dockrell 37-6-129-2; Mahmood 17-4-45-2; Suppiah 1-0-2-0; Thomas 6-1-16-0; Hildreth 2-0-30-0; Jones 2-0-17-1; Buttler 2-0-11-0.
Warwickshire v Nottinghamshire Edgbaston Warwickshire (10pts) drew with Nottinghamshire (9). Warwickshire First innings 504-6 dec (TR Ambrose 151no, IJ Westwood 81, CJC Wright 53, ID Blackwell 69no). Nottinghamshire First innings (overnight 188-4) AD Hales not out .............................................. 155 *†CMW Read st Ambrose b Blackwell .................. 95 PJ Franks c Troughton b Rankin ............................. 9 GG White b Wright................................................ 9 AR Adams c Porterfield b Wright ........................... 4 LJ Fletcher not out .............................................. 4 Extras (b6, lb13, nb30)....................................... 49 Total (for 8 dec, 89.5 overs) .............................. 356 Fall cont 291, 302, 342, 348. Did not bat A Carter. Bowling Wright 27-3-107-2; Barker 15.5-4-50-1; Rankin 19-1-71-1; Milnes 15-0-78-1; Blackwell 13-4-31-1. Warwickshire Second innings V Chopra lbw b Fletcher ...................................... 27 IJ Westwood not out .......................................... 17 WTS Porterfield lbw b White................................. 3 *JO Troughton c Voges b White........................... 35 Extras (lb4) ......................................................... 4 Total (for 3, 28.5 overs) ...................................... 86 Fall 33, 44, 86. Did not bat †TR Ambrose, R Clarke, ID Blackwell, KHD Barker, TP Milnes, CJC Wright, WB Rankin. Bowling Fletcher 6-0-16-1; Franks 6-2-12-0; Carter 9-1-29-0; G G White 7.5-3-25-2.
Worcestershire v Middlesex New Road Middlesex (22pts) beat Worcestershire (6) by five wickets. Worcestershire First innings 323 (DKH Mitchell 133no, AN Kervezee 55; TS Roland-Jones 5-72). Middlesex First innings 306 (NJ Dexter 90, SD Robson 72; A Richardson 4-62). Worcestershire Second innings (overnight 44-3) MG Pardoe lbw b Roland-Jones ........................... 28 CJ Russell b Patel ............................................... 22 AN Kervezee not out .......................................... 64 ND Pinner b Roland-Jones..................................... 2 J Leach c Denly b Roland-Jones ............................. 4 †OB Cox lbw b Crook........................................... 12
GM Andrew c Berg b Crook.................................. 26 A Richardson run out ........................................... 0 Extras (b5, lb1) .................................................... 6 Total (62.4 overs)............................................. 186 Fall cont 63, 95, 100, 106, 143, 186. Bowling Murtagh 16-1-52-1; Roland-Jones 20-5-46-5; Crook 14.4-2-47-2; Patel 12-1-35-1. Middlesex Second innings SD Robson c Ali b Andrew ................................... 35 *CJL Rogers lbw b Richardson ............................ 15 JL Denly c Cox b Ali............................................. 48 SP Crook c Kervezee b Russell.............................. 30 DJ Malan c Hughes b Ali ...................................... 22 GK Berg not out.................................................. 26 NJ Dexter not out ............................................... 15 Extras (lb10, nb4) .............................................. 14 Total (for 5, 45.1 overs) .................................... 205 Fall 21, 98, 102, 152, 172. Did not bat †AM Rossington, TS Roland-Jones, TJ Murtagh, RH Patel. Bowling Richardson 18-4-64-1; Russell 10.1-2-39-1; Ali 10-0-49-2; Andrew 5-0-34-1; Leach 2-0-9-0. Warwickshire Sussex Nottinghamshire Middlesex Somerset Durham Surrey Lancashire Worcestershire
P W 14 5 14 5 14 4 15 4 14 3 15 4 14 2 14 1 14 1
L D Bt 1 8 38 3 6 26 1 9 25 4 7 28 1 10 28 5 6 17 4 8 20 4 9 21 6 7 16
Bl 39 35 37 36 39 42 37 30 40
Pts 181 159 153 149 145 137 111 94 93
Division Two (final day of four)
Derbyshire v Essex Derby Derbyshire (8pts) drew with Essex (7). Essex First innings 245 (DJ Wainwright 4-64). Derbyshire First innings 266 (RA Whiteley 56, T Poynton 55no; DD Masters 5-51). Essex Second innings (overnight 85-1) T Westley c Poynton b Turner .............................. 82 OA Shah c Madsen b Palladino ............................. 26 ML Pettini c Turner b Whiteley ............................ 50 RN ten Doeschate c Poynton b Turner.................. 52 *†JS Foster not out ........................................... 58 AJ Wheater not out .............................................. 8 Extras (b4, lb1, w9) ............................................ 14 Total (for 5 dec, 55 overs) ................................. 294 Fall cont 91, 133, 189, 261. Did not bat GR Napier, DD Masters, TR Craddock, MA Chambers. Bowling Palladino 9-0-47-1; Groenewald 9-2-48-1; Wainwright 19-1-103-0; Turner 13-1-80-2; Whiteley 5-0-31-1. Derbyshire Second innings *WL Madsen lbw b Masters ................................. 31 PM Borrington st Foster b Craddock .................... 13 UT Khawaja st Foster b Craddock ........................... 6 WJ Durston b Craddock....................................... 60 DJ Redfern c Shah b Napier ................................. 46 RA Whiteley not out ........................................... 11 DJ Wainwright b Craddock.................................... 0 †T Poynton c Foster b Masters ............................... 1 AP Palladino not out ............................................ 1 Extras (lb2, w2)................................................... 4 Total (for 7, 52 overs) ....................................... 173 Fall 42, 48, 51, 158, 160, 160, 163. Did not bat TD Groenewald, ML Turner. Bowling Masters 14-4-47-2; Chambers 3-0-13-0; Craddock 22-8-66-4; Napier 11-1-35-1; Westley 2-0-10-0.
Glamorgan v Northamptonshire Swalec Stadium Glamorgan (8pts) drew with Northamptonshire (6). Northamptonshire First innings 432-8 dec (NJ O’Brien 182, AG Wakely 75, D Murphy 54). Glamorgan First innings WD Bragg st Murphy b De Lange .......................... 26 NA James b Keogh .............................................. 36 SJ Walters b Hall ................................................ 98 MJ North c Wakely b Hall .................................... 57 BJ Wright st Murphy b Daggett .............................. 5 J Allenby not out ................................................ 46 *†MA Wallace not out ........................................ 21 Extras (b1, lb10, nb2)......................................... 13 Total (for 5 dec, 100.5 overs) ............................ 302 Fall 45, 73, 164, 177, 278. Did not bat JAR Harris, GG Wagg, DA Cosker, HT Waters. Bowling Brooks 24-6-70-0; Daggett 22-6-69-1; De Lange 19-8-51-1; Keogh 20-5-69-1; Hall 15.5-5-32-2.
Leicestershire v Kent Grace Road Kent (21pts) beat Leicestershire (2) by 147 runs. Kent First innings 350-8 dec (BP Nash 119, RWT Key 68, GO Jones 52, SA Northeast 52; RML Taylor 5-91). Leicestershire First innings 171-3 dec (MAG Boyce 78no). Kent Second innings SA Northeast c Naik b Thornely ........................... 20 *RWT Key c Naik b White .................................... 14 AJ Blake not out ................................................ 35 BP Nash not out ................................................. 25 Extras (b4, lb1, nb4)............................................. 9 Total (for 2 dec, 23 overs) ................................. 103 Fall 33, 45. Did not bat MJ Powell, DI Stevens, †GO Jones, CE Shreck, M Davies, MT Coles, AEN Riley. Bowling Thakor 3-0-19-0; Thornely 6-1-16-1; White 7-0-37-1; Naik 2-0-8-0; Jones 2-0-9-0; Boyce 2-1-9-0; Wyatt 1-1-0-0. Leicestershire Second innings WS Jones c Jones b Shreck .................................... 3 MA Thornely c Jones b Davies ............................... 4 †EJ Eckersley c Coles b Davies............................... 4 MAG Boyce c Coles b Stevens .............................. 23 JJ Cobb lbw b Stevens ......................................... 21 SJ Thakor c Northeast b Stevens .......................... 22 WA White b Stevens.............................................. 2 JKH Naik lbw b Davies......................................... 33 RML Taylor lbw b Stevens ..................................... 1 *MJ Hoggard not out ......................................... 16 ACF Wyatt c Blake b Shreck ................................... 0 Extras (lb5, w1) ................................................... 6 Total (49.5 overs)............................................. 135 Fall 7, 7, 13, 48, 78, 83, 88, 94, 132. Bowling Davies 16-6-24-3; Shreck 10.5-2-30-2; Stevens 14-2-35-5; Coles 7-0-31-0; Riley 2-0-10-0.
Yorkshire v Gloucestershire Scarborough Yorkshire (19pts) beat Gloucestershire (1) by two wickets. Gloucestershire First innings 215. Yorkshire First innings 61-2 dec. Gloucestershire Second innings RJ Nicol not out.................................................. 75 BAC Howell not out ............................................ 83 Extras (w1) .......................................................... 1 Total (for 0 dec, 10 overs) ................................. 159
Did not bat JK Fuller, *HJH Marshall, DM Housego, IA Cockbain, JMR Taylor, †JN Batty, AJ Ireland, WRS Gidman, LC Norwell. Bowling Gale 5-0-71-0; Lyth 5-0-88-0. Yorkshire Second innings A Lyth c Norwell b Ireland ................................... 40 JE Root c Housego b Norwell ............................... 43 PA Jaques c Cockbain b Fuller .............................. 79 *AW Gale c Marshall b Taylor............................... 14 GS Ballance c Cockbain b Taylor ............................ 5 A McGrath not out .............................................. 76 †AJ Hodd lbw b Gidman ........................................ 8 AU Rashid c Batty b Gidman ................................ 10 Azeem Rafiq c Fuller b Norwell............................ 24 SA Patterson not out ............................................ 0 Extras (lb5, w2, nb10) ........................................ 17 Total (for 8, 81.2 overs) .................................... 316 Fall 72, 119, 159, 183, 205, 245, 267, 312. Did not bat Moin Ashraf. Bowling Gidman 22-2-70-2; Norwell 15.2-0-63-2; Ireland 16-0-77-1; Fuller 10-0-63-1; Taylor 18-4-38-2.
Derbyshire Yorkshire Kent Hampshire Northamptonshire Essex Leicestershire Glamorgan Gloucestershire
P W 14 5 14 3 14 3 14 4 15 2 14 2 15 2 14 2 14 2
L D Bt 1 8 28 0 11 35 2 9 37 3 7 25 4 9 37 2 10 27 3 10 22 5 7 22 5 7 20
Bl 37 34 34 34 31 34 30 29 29
Pts 169 150 146 144 127 123 109 103 102
Cycling VUELTA A ESPANA (Spain) Stage 13 (Santiago de Compostela - Ferrol, 172.8km): 1 S Cummings (GB) BMC 4hr 05min 02sec; 2 C Meyer (Aus) Orica +0:04; 3 JA Flecha (Sp) Sky s/t; 4 S Clarke (Aus) Orica) +0:14; 5 L Gerdemann (Ger) RadioShack; 6 T De Gendt (Bel) Vacansoleil both s/t; 7 J Degenkolb (Ger) Argos +0:40; 8 A Davis (Aus) Orica; 9 B Swift (GB) Team Sky; 10 L Mondory (Fr) AG2R all s/t. Overall standings: 1 J Rodríguez (Sp) Katusha 48hr 56min 17sec; 2 A Contador (Sp) Saxo Bank +0:13; 3 C Froome (GB) Sky +0:51; 4 A Valverde (Sp) Movistar +1:20; 5 R Gesink (Neth) Rabobank +2:59.
Tennis US OPEN (Flushing Meadows, New York) Men: Second round: M Cilic (Cro) bt D Brands (Ger) 6-3 6-2 5-7 4-6 7-5; J Chardy (Fr) bt M Ebden (Aus) 6-4 6-2 6-2; M Raonic (Can) bt P-H Mathieu (Fr) 7-5 6-4 7-6 (7-4); S Querrey (US) bt R Ramírez Hidalgo (Sp) 6-3 6-4 6-3; T Berdych (Cz) bt J Zopp (Est) 6-1 6-4 6-2; F Verdasco (Sp) bt A Ramos (Sp) 7-6 (7-4) 5-7 7-6 (7-5) 6-4; J Blake (US) bt M Granollers (Sp) 6-1 6-4 6-2; G Simon (Fr) bt J Wang (Tai) 6-4 4-6 6-4 6-4; R Federer (Swi) bt B Phau (Ger) 6-2 6-3 6-2; D Ferrer (Sp) bt I Sijsling (Neth) 6-2 6-3 7-6 (14-12); S Johnson (US) bt E Gulbis (Lat) 6-7 (3-7) 7-6 (7-5) 6-3 6-4; N Djokovic (Ser) bt R Dutra Silva (Br) 6-2 6-1 6-2; R Gasquet (Fr) bt B Klahn (US) 6-3 6-3 6-1. Women: Second round: R Vinci (It) bt Y Shvedova (Kaz) 3-6 7-5 7-5; S Stephens (US) bt T Malek (Ger) 5-7 6-4 6-2; S Williams (US) bt MJ Martínez Sánchez (Sp) 6-2 6-4; S Errani (It) bt V Dushevina (Rus) 6-0 6-1; O Govortsova (Blr) bt J Konta (GB) 2-6 6-2 7-5; O Puchkova (Rus) bt K Bertens (Neth) 5-7 6-2 7-5; A Kerber (Ger) bt V Williams (US) 6-2 5-7 7-5. Third round: M Bartoli (Fr) bt K Mladenovic (Fr) 6-2 6-4; S Stosur (Aus) bt V Lepchenko (US) 7-6 (7-5) 6-2; L Robson (GB bt Li Na 6-4 6-7 (5-7) 6-2; P Kvitova (Cz) bt P Parmentier (Fra) 6-4 6-4.
Fixtures TODAY
Rugby union AVIVA PREMIERSHIP Exeter v Sale (3pm); Gloucester v Northampton (3pm); Saracens v London Irish (4.30pm); Wasps v Harlequins (2pm); Worcester v Bath (3pm) RABODIRECT PRO12 Connacht v Cardiff Blues (5pm);Edinburgh v Munster (8pm); Scarlets v Leinster (6.30pm) THE CHAMPIONSHIP Bedford v Moseley (3pm); Jersey v Cornish Pirates (3pm); Plymouth Albion v Doncaster (3pm)
Rugby league STOBART SUPER LEAGUE Bradford v Hull (7pm)
Golf
Cricket
OMEGA EUROPEAN MASTERS (Crans-sur-Sierre, Switzerland) Leading second-round scores (GB/Ire unless stated) 133 J Quesne (Fr) 68 65. 134 D Willett 67 67. 135 Paul Lawrie 69 66. 136 R Coles 66 70; T Fleetwood 70 66; D Howell 66 70; M Fraser (Aus) 68 68. 137 F Aguilar (Chi) 68 69; R Ramsay 69 68; R Wattel (Fr) 67 70; J van Zyl (SA) 69 68. 138 A Hansen (Den) 68 70; G Storm 68 70; O Fisher 65 73; P Hanson (Swe) 69 69; S Gallacher 67 71; S Barr (Aus) 66 72; R Finch 70 68; M Jonzon (Swe) 71 67; J Donaldson 69 69; G Bourdy (Fr) 63 75; B Wiesberger (Aut) 68 70; M Hoey 70 68; T Levet (Fr) 68 70; F Andersson Hed (Swe) 65 73. 139 B Rumford (Aus) 71 68; M Brier (Aut) 67 72; P Price 68 71; M Gronberg (Swe) 70 69; R Karlberg (Swe) 72 67; V Dubuisson (Fr) 68 71; S Dyson 69 70. 140 S Webster 69 71; R Fisher 70 70; C Montgomerie 72 68; E Goya (Arg) 74 66; R McEvoy 69 71; M Siem (Ger) 68 72; A Cejka (Ger) 69 71; T van der Walt (SA) 70 70; A Noren (Swe) 71 69; S Lowry 69 71; D Lipsky (US) 70 70; L Gagli (It) 70 70. 141 M Campbell (NZ) 70 71; M Manassero (It) 71 70; B Henson (US) 68 73; R Davies 66 75; D Lynn 73 68; S Hend (Aus) 71 70; F Zanotti (Par) 69 72; B Hebert (Fr) 72 69; G Havret (Fr) 69 72; J Randhawa (Ind) 68 73; R Sterne (SA) 72 69.
CLYDESDALE BANK 40 SEMI-FINALS Semi-finals Old Trafford Lancashire v Warwickshire (12.45pm) Hove Sussex v Hampshire (12.45pm) TOMORROW
Rugby union AVIVA PREMIERSHIP London Welsh v Leicester (2pm) THE CHAMPIONSHIP Bristol v Newcastle (3pm); London Scottish v Rotherham Titans (2pm)
Rugby league STOBART SUPER LEAGUE Castleford v Catalan Dragons (3pm); Hull KR v Wigan (3pm); Wakefield v Widnes (6.45pm); Warrington v Huddersfield (3pm)
Cricket FOURTH NATWEST ONE-DAY INTERNATIONAL Lord’s England v South Africa (10.15am)
11
The Guardian | Saturday 1 September 2012
Racing Chess Leonard Barden The 150-nation biennial Olympiad reaches half-way at Istanbul this weekend and its fifth round can be viewed, live and free on the internet, starting 1pm today. England had a fine start with three wins. Top-seeded Russia have a jinx to overcome. Moscow’s team has failed to bring home its expected gold medals since 2002, a decade during which Ukraine and Armenia, currently the No2 and No3 seeds, each won the Olympiad twice. What went wrong? Some Russian grandmasters simply buckled under pressure in crucial games, but there is also a technical factor. Now the first decider is match points, which means that a slip and a 1.5-2.5 loss to a major rival can be very costly. Despite the huge field only a handful of countries – the top three plus China, Hungary, Azerbaijan and the US – have any realistic hopes of winning, so that a match defeat is magnified. 3269 V Borisenko v E Nakhimovskaya, Riga 1968. How did White (to play) break through to the black king?
Frankel ‘finale’ to give Ascot bumper gate Champion Stakes to be unbeaten colt’s ‘last’ race Track plans for more than 30,000 on 20 October Greg Wood Ascot racecourse will plan for a crowd well above its original target figure of 30,000 for Champions Day on 20 October following confirmation that Frankel, the world’s top-rated horse, will bypass the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe on 7 October to run what is almost certain to be his final race in the QIPCO Champion Stakes. Frankel, who is unbeaten in 13 starts, nine of which were at Group One level, will be attempting to conclude his brilliant racing career with victory in Britain’s most valuable race, which has a prize fund of £1.3m. The bookmakers offer no bigger than 1-10 about his chances. Victory would set a European record of nine consecutive wins at Group One level. Frankel had been available at 1-3 with a run for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, which emerged as a possible alternative target, and a popular one with the racing
public, after his emphatic success when stepping up to 10 furlongs for the first time in the International Stakes at York. While many racing fans will be disappointed that Frankel will not contest the Arc, there will be considerable relief at Ascot that British racing’s star performer will line up on its showpiece card. “You would always try to make the most of what you have,” Nick Smith, Ascot’s head of PR, said yesterday, “but [the Champion Stakes] had been regarded as something of a given for some time and the Arc only appeared on the scene after the Juddmonte International. With the number of people who were already looking forward to it, in this instance that would have made it quite difficult. “Now we have much more certainty, we would hope that ticket sales will start to pick up. They were ahead of last year anyway but people will now start thinking that not only is there a chance to see Frankel, it’s pretty much definitively the last chance to see Frankel.” The first Champions Day at Ascot last October attracted a crowd of 26,000, with 30,000 suggested as a long-term target. However, Frankel was responsible for a year-on-year increase of 50% in the attendance figure when he ran at York and Ascot must now plan for a surge of interest
from racegoers desperate to see Frankel race before he retires to stud. “The site is licensed for 80,000 but, given that it’s an autumn day and it’s only in its second year, we’ve always said that we would aim for 30,000,” Smith said. “Now that we have a ‘Frankel’s final run’ situation, we probably have to rethink that and if we sell more than 30,000 tickets, we have to accommodate everyone. “The cost of temporary structures for one day would dictate that they can’t be the same kind of temporary structures that are financially viable for five days.
Will Hayler’s tips Bath 4.35 Gordon Flash 5.10 Prime Exhibit 5.40 Liber 6.10 Ballesteros 6.40 Berberana 7.10 Hanoverian Baron 7.40 Musically Beverley 2.05 Summer Dream 2.40 Shotley Mac 3.15 Sheikhzayedroad 3.45 Diamond Blue 4.15 Dinkum Diamond 4.50 Avon Breeze 5.25 Uncle Brit Chester 1.55 Becky Lou 2.30 Area Fifty One 3.05 Galician (nap) 3.40 Hoodna 4.20 Excel Bolt 4.55 Teak 5.30 Gin Twist Market Rasen 4.45 Underwritten 5.20 Piment D’Estruval 5.55 Chesapeake 6.25 O’Callaghan Strand 6.55 Osgood 7.25 Glingerbank Sandown 2.15 Kyleakin Lass 2.50 Master Of War 3.25 Captivator 4.00 Mijhaar (nb) 4.30 Law Enforcement 5.05 Scrupul 5.35 Cape Explorer
Obviously you don’t want to be in the position where there are 5,000 people wanting tickets and you can’t get them in but what we need to do is find a balance between getting them in and providing them with the right experience.” The size and depth of the opposition to Frankel on 20 October remains to be seen, as the confirmation that he will appear at Ascot could persuade the connections of some potential rivals to run in the Arc. Cirrus Des Aigles, last year’s Champion Stakes winner, is the joint-second favourite along with Nathaniel, who is expected to contest the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown next Saturday evening. Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager to Prince Khalid Abdullah, Frankel’s owner, said that the decision to run at Ascot had been taken in the best interests of the horse. “That was the overriding factor,” Grimthorpe said. “All the possible options were discussed [but] Prince Khalid has always wanted to do what was right for Frankel. “Sir Henry Cecil has now taken Frankel to the racecourse 13 times and every single time he has produced his best. Everybody always wants more. Once you have drunk at the well of Frankel, you definitely want to keep on drinking but there will always be a limit.”
3269 1 Qxh7+! Kxh7 2 g6+ Kh6 3 Rg5! (threat 4 Rh5 mate) fxg5 4 hxg5 mate.
A comfortable winner of all his 13 races over three seasons, Frankel is probably one last outing from retiring with his unbeaten record intact Phil Oldham/Corbis
Master Of War is Solario pick Today’s TV races Will Hayler The Richard Hannon-Richard Hughes axis has avoided other possible engagements to wait for this move up to seven furlongs with Master Of War (2.50) and the extra test of this colt’s stamina should see him return to winning form in the Solario Stakes at Sandown. Hannon and Hughes won this with King’s Ironbridge in 2000 and have since formed one of the most successful partnerships in British Flat racing. Master Of War was just unable to pick up Heavy Metal in Goodwood’s Richmond Stakes on his latest start but stayed on strongly and the third-placed Cay Verde has since been third in the Gimcrack at York. Sandown 3.25 Ladys First and Dank, first and second at Haydock last time out, should be thereabouts again but preference is for Captivator, who was not herself at Royal Ascot last time, but who has been freshened up since. Her previous second to Izzi Top is a fine piece of form and Kieren Fallon knows this filly well. Other TV races, guardian.co.uk
Today’s TV races Sandown Heidsieck Champagne Handicap 2.15 Piper (Class 3) 5f £8,092 More4 1 (3) 0403-1 Face The Problem (14,D) J Osborne 4 9.7 K Fallon 90 2 (4) 004510 West Coast Dream (42,D) R Brotherton 5 9.2 I Mongan 85 3 (7) 121100 Silvanus (10,D9) P Midgley 7 9.1 P Hanagan 84 4 (9) -23600 Catfish (28,D) B Meehan 4 9.1 M Barzalona 77 5 (5) 600041 Piscean (8,CD) T Keddy 7 9.0 R Clark (3)★ 89 6 (12)10-000 Ajjaadd (35,CD) T Powell 6 9.0 W Buick 78 7 (2) 021035 Kyleakin Lass (29,D) I Wood 3 8.13 R Hughes 83 8 (13)013600 Solemn (14,CD) J Bradley 7 8.13 L Morris★ 79 9 (1) /00-53 Edge Closer (51) A Carroll 8 8.13 P Dobbs 87 10 (6)300-00 The Thrill Is Gone (10,D) M Channon 4 8.12 C Bishop (5) 81 11 (11)0-5031Rowe Park (27,D11) Mrs L Jewell 9 8.11 S Golam 88 12 (14)202-26Soap Wars (33) H Palmer 7 8.10 M Hills 86 13 (15)100100 Jarrow (14,CD) J Bradley 5 8.9 S De Sousa 82 14 (8)322640 Arctic Lynx (28) J Best 5 8.8 Hayley Turner 80 15 (10)030006 Diamond Charlie (17,D) S Dow 4 8.7 S Pearce (3) 76 Betting
5-1 Face The Problem, 13-2 Piscean, 7-1 Rowe Park, Edge Closer, 8-1 Kyleakin Lass, 10-1 The Thrill Is Gone. Form Face The Problem won on his return from an absence at Doncaster. He can defy a 5lb rise at the main expense of Piscean, who stormed home at Newmarket but may be better at that 6f trip. Rowe Park turned back the clock at Newbury and his fellow veteran Edge Closer also showed there is life in him still when third at Newmarket.
2.50
Candy Kittens Solario Stakes (Group 3) (Cl’ 1) 2YO 7f £20,983 More4
1 (6) 215150 Chilworth Icon (31) M Channon 9.3 S Hitchcott 88 2 (1) 321 Dont Bother Me (23,D) N Moran IRE 9.0 R P Cleary 84 3 (4) 1 Fantastic Moon (29,D) J Noseda 9.0 W Buick 85 4 (7) 5211 Hasopop (49) M Botti 9.0 A Atzeni 87 5 (5) 51012 Master Of War (30) R Hannon 9.0 R Hughes 89 6 (3) 21 Mocenigo (23,D) P Chapple-Hyam 9.0 R Havlin 86 7 (2) 4114 Tha’ir (31,D) S Bin Suroor 9.0 S De Sousa 90 Betting
9-4 Master Of War, 11-4 Tha’ir, 9-2 Fantastic Moon, 6-1 Hasopop, 8-1 Mocenigo, 12-1 Dont Bother Me. Form Tha’Ir had Chilworth Icon back in fifth when landing the Chesham at Royal Ascot and has since performed at least to that level for fourth, beaten only a length by Olympic Glory, in the Vintage Stakes. Master Of War steps up in distance after a close second in the Richmond Stakes. Hasopop won easily at Newmarket.
3.25
TBA Atalanta Stakes (Fillies Group 3) (Class 1) 1m £31,190 More4
1 (8) 13-100 Clinical (28,D) Sir M Prescott 4 9.4 L Morris 80 2 (9) 30-120 Captivator (73,D) J Fanshawe 5 9.0 K Fallon★ 86 3 (10)0-2344 Epernay (17,D) I Williams 5 9.0 I Mongan★ 79 4 (4) 00-131 Making Eyes (43,D) H Palmer 4 9.0 M Hills 84 5 (7) 140133 Moone’s My Name (21,D) R Beckett 4 9.0 J Crowley 86 6 (5) 452656 Night Lily (29,D8) P D’Arcy 6 9.0 W Carson 76 7 (2) -10016 Falls Of Lora (35,CD) M Al Zarooni 3 8.13 S De Sousa89 8 (6) 116221 Burke’s Rock (12,D) J Noseda 3 8.9 Hayley Turner 85 9 (11) 6-421 Dalkova (41,D) R Hannon 3 8.9 P Dobbs 83 10 (13)2-1012Dank (21,D,BF) Sir M Stoute 3 8.9 R Hughes 88 11 (3)41-303 Gathering (36,D) J Gosden 3 8.9 W Buick★ 84 12 (16)10340 Irish History (21,D,BF) M Al Zarooni 3 8.9 M Barzalona 90 13 (1)-23261 Ladys First (21,D) R Fahey 3 8.9 P Hanagan 87 14 (12)-05321Princess Of Orange (21,D) R Guest 3 8.9 S Sanders 81 15 (14)443111 Sweetnessandlight (13,D) J Ward 3 8.9 T Durcan 82 16 (15)564625 Villeneuve (21) W Muir 3 8.9 M Dwyer 78 Betting 9-2 Dank, 6-1 Ladys First, 7-1 Irish History, 8-1 Clinical, 10-1 Falls Of Lora, Gathering, Captivator. Form Irish History flopped behind Ladys First, Dank and Moone’s My Name at Haydock but had put up excellent previous efforts to pick up prize money in the Coronation Stakes and the Falmouth. Falls Of Lora beat Ladys First on 2lb worse terms here before struggling in a French Group 3.
4.00
Piper Heidsieck Champagne Handicap (Class 2) 1m 2f £37,350 More4
1 (7) 42-330 Mijhaar (49,D,BF) R Varian 4 9.10 A Atzeni★ 90 2 (10)606000 Miss Starlight (121,D) I Al Malki QA 5 9.7 M Dwyer 79 3 (2) 430630 Start Right (10) S Bin Suroor 5 9.6 S De Sousa 87 4 (16)-60002 Man Of Action (21) S Bin Suroor 5 9.4 M Barzalona 88 5 (14)310-00 Labarinto (108,D) Sir M Stoute 4 9.1 G Baker 82 6 (6) 306032 Licence To Till (7,D,BF) M Johnston 5 9.0 R Havlin 81 7 (4) 200305 Miblish (29) C Brittain 3 9.0 R Hughes 77 8 (11)150-00 Fulgur (7,D) L Cumani 4 8.12 J-P Guillambert 82 9 (15)060-00 Pekan Star (35,D) R Varian 5 8.9 T Durcan★76 10 (8)-35043 Indian Jack (9) L Cumani 4 8.8 K Fallon 87 11 (12) 115 Valiant (51,D,BF) W Haggas 3 8.8 W Buick 89 12 (1)240630 Tinshu (28,D7) D Haydn Jones 6 8.5 W Carson 83 13 (17)2-0033Fadhaa (20) C Hills 4 8.4 P Hanagan 86 14 (5)-00200 Late Telegraph (8,D) Sir H Cecil 4 8.3 L Morris★ 81 15 (3)001266 Prussian (21,D) M Johnston 3 8.3 M Lane 84 16 (9)-36110 Chain Of Events (57,CD) Mrs S Humphrey 5 8.3 Hayley Turner 85
17 (13)400360 Colour Guard (13) M Johnston 4 8.3
S Hitchcott 80
Betting
11-2 Valiant, 6-1 Mijhaar, 7-1 Man Of Action, 8-1 Indian Jack, 12-1 Start Right, Licence To Till, Fadhaa. Form Mijhaar almost hit the deck when the victim of scrimmaging in the John Smith’s Cup but still has time to develop into a Pattern performer. Valiant didn’t come up to scratch when favourite for the Newmarket Group 3 won by Shantaram, but reverts to the distance of his previous couple of victories.
13 (4)005003 Alejandro (14,C) R Fahey 3 8.7 B McHugh 83 14 (15)425033 Toto Skyllachy (5,D) D O’Meara 7 8.7 A Mullen 87 15 (6)160600 Viva Ronaldo (32,C) R Fahey 6 8.7 Laura Barry (7) 78 16 (17)416130 Dr Red Eye (15,D) S Dixon 4 8.4 A Beschizza (3) 86 17 (3)360151 Verse Of Love (4) P Evans 3 8.1 (6lb ex) N Garbutt (7) 88 Betting
4-1 Verse Of Love, 5-1 Strictly Silver, 10-1 Powerful Presence, Galician, Bannock, Kyllachy Star, Alejandro.
ISF EBF Combermere Fillies Conditions 3.40 Stakes Chester (Class 2) 2YO 6f £11,342 More4 1 (1) 213030 All On Red (28,D) T B Coles 9.1 S Donohoe 89 Square Shopping Stakes (Listed 2.30 Golden 2 (5) 1 Hoodna (52,D) S Bin Suroor 9.1 F Norton 90 H’cap) (Class 1) 1m 5f £19,848 More4 1 (3) 10/2 Meganisi (105) Miss R Curtis 5 9.10 S Craine 86 2 (5) 14-040 Mohedian Lady (56) Sir M Prescott 4 9.7 S Donohoe 84 3 (9) -13505 Midsummer Sun (29,C) Sir H Cecil 4 9.6 T Queally 86 4 (11)-02155 Area Fifty One (7) R Fahey 4 9.4 D Nolan 88 5 (4) 1-0030 Never Can Tell (10,C) J Osborne 5 9.3 F Norton 83 6 (1) 062-30 Icon Dream (7) J Goldie 5 9.3 G Lee 86 7 (7) 54-000 Tominator (7) R Hollinshead 5 9.0 G Gibbons 82 8 (2) -10120 Quiz Mistress (30) H Morrison 4 8.12 M Harley 81 9 (6) -34431 Communicator (14,C) A Balding 4 8.11 R Mullen 89 10 (10)6-5062Scrapper Smith (8) A Whillans 6 8.10 P McDonald 85 11 (8)655140 Bolivia (30) Mrs L Wadham 6 8.10 A Beschizza 80 12 (13)022321 New Hampshire (34) T Coyle 4 8.10 L Topliss 87 13 (14)4-110 Rosslyn Castle (21,C) R Charlton 3 8.4 K O’Neill 90 14 (12)341245 Naseem Alyasmeen (27,C) M Channon 3 8.4 J Fanning 85 Betting
3.05
3 (8) 2 Coincidently (14) A Bailey 8.12 T Queally 86 4 (7) 410031 Mandy Layla (14,C,D) B Smart 8.12 G Lee 88 5 (4) 00 Pleasant Moment (12) T Dascombe 8.12 A Elliott 82 6 (3) 1 Queen Aggie (12,D) P Evans 8.12 P McDonald 87 7 (6) 063031 Sylvia Pankhurst (15,D) D C Griffiths 8.12J Fanning 85 8 (2) Beacon Tarn E Alston 8.9 T Hamilton — Betting
Evens Hoodna, 5-1 Mandy Layla, 11-2 All On Red, 7-1 Queen Aggie, 10-1 Coincidently, 14-1 Sylvia Pankhurst. Form Hoodna had a couple of subsequent winners behind her when making a successful start to her career at Kempton and there is no reason, on pedigree anyway, why she shouldn’t be more effective on turf. All On Red has already picked up some black type but was beaten a long way off a mark of 88 in a Newmarket nursery most recently. Mandy Layla has a bit to find with her on official ratings but proved her liking for these twists and turns when triumphing here a fortnight ago.
3-1 Communicator, 13-2 Area Fifty One, 8-1 Rosslyn Castle, 10-1 Midsummer Sun, Meganisi, Mohedian Lady.
Chester Standard Handicap (Class 2) 1m £28,012
1 (8) 040402 Bannock (7) M Johnston 3 9.10 J Fanning 89 2 (5) 144020 Brae Hill (42,C,D) R Fahey 6 9.8 T Hamilton 76 3 (16)100052 Atlantic Sport (5) M Channon 7 9.5 M Harley 85 4 (2) 212550 Dubai Dynamo (14,D) Mrs R Carr 7 9.3 D Swift (3) 79 5 (7) 360300 Imperial Djay (9,CD) Mrs R Carr 7 9.2 P McDonald 78 6 (1) 501000 Grissom (14) T Easterby 6 9.1 A Elliott 77 7 (12)113040 Powerful Presence (7,D) D O’Meara 6 9.0 T Queally 90 8 (11)301130 King Of Eden (14,C) E Alston 6 8.11 G Gibbons 84 9 (14)100000 Capaill Liath (14,D) K Ryan 4 8.11 G Lee★ 80 10 (9)450356 Kyllachy Star (14,CD,BF) R Fahey 6 8.9 F Norton 82 11 (10)115425 Galician (14,BF) M Johnston 3 8.9 L Jones 84 12 (13)411-42Strictly Silver (9) A Bailey 3 8.8 J Quinn 85
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Beverley Beverley Bullet Sprint Stakes 4.15 Betfred (Listed) (Class 1) 5f £18,944 1 (1) 524620 Borderlescott (28,D) R Bastiman 10 9.0 F Tylicki 84 2 (14)-30060 Burning Thread (10,CD) T Etherington 5 9.0 M Fenton 79 3 (3) 03-461 Cheviot (94,CD) I Semple 6 9.0 R Winston 85 4 (12)502040 Confessional (8,D) T Easterby 5 9.0 P Mulrennan★ 87 5 (9) -60531 Dinkum Diamond (18,D) H Candy 4 9.0 Cathy Gannon 89 6 (8) 360010 Elusivity (29,D) B Meehan 4 9.0 J Mackay 83 7 (7) -00320 Masamah (8,D7) K Ryan 6 9.0 J P Spencer★ 90 8 (13) /0020- Moorhouse Lad (350,D7) G Moss 9 9.0 P Mathers 82 9 (4) 41-004 Move In Time (18,CD) B Smart 4 9.0 T Eaves 85 10 (16)643505 Noble Storm (18,CD) E McMahon 6 9.0 A Nicholls 80 11 (10)-02020Pabusar (29) R Beckett 4 9.0 H Bentley 82 12 (15)331605 Statue Of Dreams (6,D) J B McCabe IRE 6 9.0 J Mitchell 83 13 (11)131230 Free Zone (22,CD,BF) B Smart 3 8.13 P Makin 88 14 (6)0-6001 Pepper Lane (14) D O’Meara 5 8.9 D Tudhope★ 87 15 (2)610012 Six Wives (7,CD) S Dixon 5 8.9 N Mackay 86 16 (5)-20650 Ponty Acclaim (10,D) T Easterby 3 8.8 D Fentiman 81 5-1 Masamah, 13-2 Pepper Lane, 8-1 Dinkum Diamond, Pabusar, Elusivity, 10-1 Borderlescott, Ponty Acclaim. Form Masamah gave a bold sight in the Nunthorpe last week, eventually going under by a little more than four lengths .
Betting
