Eurosport - Sun, 16 Nov 20:26:00 2008
Reaction to the weekend's Premier League matches, with Manchester City manager Mark Hughes singing the praises of two-goal Stephen Ireland.
Hull City 2-2 Manchester City
Phil Brown: "It was a great second-half performance from our boys and I have to give credit to them for that. I gave them a lot of stick at half-time because of the way we threw a goal lead away but they seemed to respond and came out in the second half well. I was loathed to make changes because of the way we played in the second half. [In the first half] we just took our foot off the gas for 35 minutes. The game plan was working then all of a sudden Stephen Ireland capitalised on a poor backpass."
Mark Hughes: "It was a great response from our side but [the opener] was poor goal to concede, a catalogue of errors which could have been avoided really. Losing [goalkeeper] Joe [Hart] is a big blow to us but we recovered to put ourselves back on terms quickly and we got our noses in front. I felt [Stephen Ireland] was outstanding in the game and has been in every game he has played this year. He has worked extremely hard in the summer, come back fit and strong and wants to be part of what we are doing here."
Everton 1-1 Middlesbrough
David Moyes: "We missed a lot of opportunities and have played better. When they went ahead with a goal on the counter-attack there was always the chance that they could do that again, so we needed to be careful. But give us credit, we kept going forward although we found it very difficult to score. I was pleased for Yakubu to have scored. He had a couple of other chances beforehand so he will be pleased with his effort too. He did a lot better in this one, overall it was a better performance from him."
Gareth Southgate: "We played very well in the first half but we needed a second goal in that spell to see us through. We did well on the break, but we didn't pass the ball well enough. We showed some different characteristic in this one, we had to roll our sleeves up and defend the box. We defended a lot of stuff in the air and we stood up to the physical challenge because Everton are a big, strong side. We showed we are capable of digging in and getting something from the game."
Saturday's games
Bolton 0-2 Liverpool
Gary Megson: "[Rob Styles] gave a ridiculous decision against us at Old Trafford, that was a mistake. We spoke on the phone on the Monday and we didn't make a lot of it, regardless of the Respect campaign. Now there has been another one. We seem to be on the wrong end of him making mistakes."
Rafael Benitez: "The rules are very clear. They say that the six-yard box is for the keeper, if you have three players in front of him and he cannot go for the ball, then it is simple, it is a free-kick. Sometimes you see five or six attacking players in the six-yard box, that is wrong. The rules say it is for the keeper, he has priority. If he has three players blocking him and he cannot do anything, he cannot go for the ball, it is a foul."
Arsenal 0-2 Aston Villa
Arsene Wenger: "The performance was not good. Top-level performances are about consistency and at the moment we are not consistent enough. Everyone is very down, it is a massive disappointment. Now I don't see them before Thursday or Friday, so I don't have [chance] to pick them up."
Martin O'Neill: "I thought we were exhilarating. We were fearless. We have ability in the team, mark my words, it's getting them to believe they can keep going. You have to show a bit of character and determination after two defeats and I thought that we showed that in abundance. The landmarks are to do with consistently performing. It was a great performance but it's a tough old season."
Manchester United 5-0 Stoke City
Sir Alex Ferguson: : "[Cristiano Ronaldo] was very pleased [with his 100th goal for United] and the crowd was delighted. He is on fire now, he's back. He has overcome his operation and he's getting quicker every game."
Tony Pulis: "The game plan was to keep things as tight as we could but we conceded after a couple of minutes. I thought we did OK after that, but they scored in first-half injury time and that kills you. They then scored just after half-time and could smell blood after that. They played some smashing football."
West Brom 0-3 Chelsea
Tony Mowbray: "You can't shut up shop against sides like that. I saw them against Middlesbrough who tried to shut up shop and they lost 5-0. You are playing top players."
Luiz Felipe Scolari: "[Nicolas] Anelka is happy because he has more confidence. The players, the fans believe more in Anelka than before. They give him more chance to score goals. Anelka is a very good player, has good skill, good delivery, good shots. In all the games now he is scoring one or two goals. It is fantastic for us."
Roy Hodgson: "I really did think we played well. It was unfortunate for their goalkeeper that he made such a bad, glaring error for the first goal. But over the 90 minutes, the way we played and the amount of pressure we put on the Spurs defence, I don't think we've got any reason to do other than pat ourselves on the back and to claim the victory was a well deserved one."
Harry Redknapp: "[Heurelho] Gomes is the first-team goalkeeper. His record at PSV Eindhoven tells you he was a world-class goalkeeper. He made some great saves after the goal, so I have got to keep believing in him and stay with him. The goalkeeping coach has got to work with him. I always think goalkeepers and their coaches have a special relationship and he's got to get into his head this week."
Newcastle United 2-2 Wigan Athletic
Joe Kinnear: "It was highs and lows, wasn't it? That's the worst we have started since I have been here, in the first half. We went for broke with three strikers up and created numerous chances. We should have put the game to bed, really."
Steve Bruce: "It's a howler of a decision. [Emerson Boyce] absolutely got the ball. The referee has got to be absolutely nailed on before he gives a yellow card or before he gives a red card because those decisions change games. That's why we go nuts. I think we comfortably would have gone on to win the game with 11 - we should have won the game with 10, if Henri Camara had taken his chance."
Blackburn Rovers 1-2 Sunderland
Paul Ince: "I have just had a go at the players as I am upset and angry. We could have been three or four goals ahead by half-time. We got punished in the second half. It was a diabolical performance and the players should be a bit embarrassed by what happened."
Roy Keane: "Since I have gone to Sunderland there seems to be a story every week about something. Where do the stories come from? I honestly haven't got a clue. It is just crazy. The answer is obviously no [I am not leaving]. I am very happy and obviously even happier when we win football matches. But these stories that I am not happy or that I am resigning are just nonsense."
West Ham 0-0 Portsmouth
Gianfranco Zola: "We really tried but quite honestly I didn't expect Portsmouth to be that good at the back. We also needed some good saves from our goalkeeper [Robert Green] when they came back at us and in the end it was a good result considering we have lost five of the previous six games."
Tony Adams: "Their goalkeeper [David James] was magnificent. He pulled off some great saves. I'm disappointed we didn't come away with all three points - I thought we created enough chances to have won the game. We certainly played well enough."
Comment 4 - 23 of 23
Aston villa is a good team as per this season they have been trying but beating arsenal does not means they are better than arsenal no,its just that luck was not on their side they will meet man united next and you will see how man united will beat them and remember that arsenal beat man united,so football is all about concentration and luck.chelsea today have focus and they are determined that is what is still propelling them by the time they lose a game or two you will see that they too will be finding it difficult to play good football like last season. up man united.
Stephen Ireland is only a good-for nothing scumbag, @#$% traitor
never heard abt the rules that benitez mentioned. maybe FIFA should come up & explain it to the managers/players/ref if there is this rule (2 managers spoke differently on this rule). funny rules, liverpool have become luckier this season, but forget abt the title, 1-man-team cant win the league. liverpool will never walk alone, hahaha...
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Say whatever u wanna say of me being a loser. I m sick and tired of Mr Wenger and his comments which do not make sense. The last couple of years it's the same exuses of a young team who needs to mature. Mr Wenger, it is 4 years without a trophy, one can hardly call this a big club. Get u some world class players or just stop making these exuses.
Karl what happens when Chelsea starts to lose you jump ship again,its fans like you that give good ones a bad name hope you do leave for Chelsea you have been a bad luck for Arsenal.All the same we did play without emotion and I think Bendtner is not really pecking up for us Prof should just give Vela a chance till Eduado comes back its better to play with someone who has 2 chances and converts than 10 chances and we are still at square 1.
liverpool need to keep up momentum, finally they have some decent strikers to compare to united and arsenal. chelski? no. your not a real fan unless you supported them in the zola days
k
a is
r a
l loser
Wenger says the next time he sees his players is Thursday or Friday if i was him i would have given them the biggest bollocking of their lives after the Villa result and had them in for training today (Sunday) instead of them swanning off on international duty.
Arsenal have some fantastic kids coming through maybe he should start using some of them at first-team level just to give the "so called superstars" a much needed kick up the @#$%.
Looks like Tottenham will be buying a new keeper come January, Arry says that Gomes (was) a world class keeper at PSV, obviously now he's seen him a few times he must think differently, Gomes' days look numbered.
Former Manchester City superstar sulk Anelka might be good at scoring have good skills and so on but will somebody please show him how to take penalties, us City fans were exceptionally dissapointed last season.
Even if my club Man City was in the conference (nearly been their, lol) i would never ever dream of turning my back on them, never, you support a club for life, how anyone can jump ships ? amazing but to me that says they cannot be a true football supporter and most probably never even been to a game, talk about been in with the in-crowd.
Aston Villa played a great game but we can't get ahead of our self because we have man u next week.
You can say what you like about Chelsea's wealth, lack of history, etc. But the bottom line is you resent us because we are doing well and winning. It is always the way that the current successful team is despised. And as for money, we had to spend just to catch up, and add some excitement to what was becoming a predictable and boring league.
As for respect? Man U still spend more than us and Liverpool are just hilariuos how they always have an excuse for losing (don't worry, there's always next season!) Arsenal are the only rival I respect, because they manage to build exciting teams, with comparably little finance. Arsene Wenger maybe the greatest manager of the modern era. I'd love to see how AF or RB coped with the same budget.
i agree 100 with gunnerious. even if you do sink that low, does it really have to be for Chelsea? when abramovic resigns, then who are you going to turn to? i support Manchester United, but i respect Liverpool 10 times more than Chelsea, and i respect Arsenal 100 times more than Chelsea.
@karl post 2
turning to chelskie???
the scumford bridge outfit ? backed with roubles to turn them into a top class team?
the team with no history?
as an arsenal supporter i do respect the likes of man u and liverpool but pushed up chelskie? NO WAY!!!!!!!
i agree i can't see us seriously fighting for the league title anymore
but turning from Arsenal into a chelskie supporter is at least 1 step back mate
so i assume u never been a loyal supporter
i support england and arsenal through good and bad times and i'm a kraut btw
nuff said
Karl you dont just swap teams according to whos winning a real football fan sticks with his team thro thick and thin
Which rule says the 6 yard box is for the goalkeeper only Mr Rafa Know All?
karl thx god ur not arsenal fans anymore. ur a disgrace n yea, u chose d right team nw - jz like any typical chelski fans
Great game by United .. although Stoke where very poor. Happy for Ronaldo .. but man of match is definitely Carrick .. fantastic player.
Haha - yeah, I think you'll find Calamity James plays for Tony Adams's side.... much to his annoyance.
Karl - 'rats leaving a sinking ship'
Arsenal LOST Arsene Wenger ,, He did not do well to lose 2-o against aston villa no really.
Congratulations!! to Liverpool and chelsea .
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