Everton were unlucky to score an own goal in the 90th minute.

well thats chelski for you,always get the luck at home..

Mn utd normally dont bad either do they? Man UTD,chelsea etc always seem to have the luck

Wednesday, 09 January 2008
Carling Cup
Arsenal v Tottenham, Semi-Final, L1, 19:45


Saturday, 12 January 2008
Barclays Premier League
Arsenal v Birmingham, 15:00
Aston Villa v Reading, 15:00
Chelsea v Tottenham, 15:00
Derby v Wigan, 15:00
Everton v Man City, 15:00
Man Utd v Newcastle, 17:15
Middlesbrough v Liverpool, 15:00
West Ham v Fulham, 15:00


The Coca-Cola Football League Championship
Barnsley v Norwich, 15:00
Bristol City v Colchester, 15:00
Burnley v Plymouth, 15:00
Cardiff v Sheff Wed, 15:00
Charlton v Blackpool, 15:00
Hull v West Brom, 17:20
Ipswich v Stoke, 15:00
Leicester v Coventry, 15:00
Preston v Watford, 15:00
Sheff Utd v QPR, 15:00
Southampton v Scunthorpe, 15:00
Wolverhampton v Crystal Palace, 15:00


Coca-Cola Football League One
Cheltenham v Bournemouth, 15:00
Doncaster v Carlisle, 15:00
Huddersfield v Gillingham, 15:00
Luton v Swansea, 15:00
Northampton v Hartlepool, 15:00
Nottm Forest v Leyton Orient, 15:00
Oldham v Brighton, 15:00
Port Vale v Millwall, 15:00
Southend v Yeovil, 15:00
Walsall v Swindon, 15:00


Coca-Cola Football League Two
Bradford v Notts County, 15:00
Brentford v Chesterfield, 15:00
Chester v Mansfield, 15:00
Darlington v Bury, 15:00
Grimsby v Wrexham, 15:00
Lincoln City v Rotherham, 15:00
Milton Keynes Dons v Barnet, 15:00
Morecambe v Dag & Red, 15:00
Peterborough v Macclesfield, 15:00
Stockport v Accrington Stanley, 15:00
Wycombe v Rochdale, 15:00

Agreed.

Our recent results are obviously a problem, but I think the main beef with Allardyce is his tactics; it's "gritty" football even when it gets points. Newcastle fans love to see entertaining football, outscoring teams 4-3 and all that. The happiest we've been since Keegan left is when Bobby Robson brought some sort of spark back to the team. Allardyce, however, will grind out a 0-0 draw at Stoke, for example, and think it's a good thing, even though now we have to play one more game we could have avoided (and needed to avoid, really, because we haven't got a big enough team to play more matches than necessary, which is why we'd be fucked if we ever got into Europe with the present team).

When we went 2-1 down against Derby at home last month he made a straight substitution, bringing Taylor on for (I think) Cacapa. A straight replacement of a centre half for a centre half is hardly creative or positive thinking. It's "Stopping the rot" or "deficit prevention" - which is fair enough if you go 3-0 down at half time against an on-form Chelsea, but we happened to be playing a team at the bottom of the league, and they went in front early in the second half.

As for the players themselves, they need to play together consistently enough to get settled in their positions. N'Zogbia prefers to play on the wing rather than left-back (though long-term, that might be at the expense of Damien Duff, because Milner should play on the right). Taylor and Faye should partner each other at the back long enough to settle into playing with each other. It's no good to rotate an unsuccessful team; it does nothing for morale (Benitez at Liverpool gets away with it because he has the players to do so).

Anyway, I'd keep Allardyce but encourage a more positive stance going into a game. He's not as conservative as Roeder, and he's a better manager than Roeder, but at present his results are no better than Roeder's.

Just seen it on the text...
Bye bye Sam,can't say i'm sorry to be honest!
Give Mourinho the job

Allardyce reign ends at Newcastle

Newcastle have ended Sam Allardyce's managerial reign after eight months.
The club, currently 11th in the Premier League, said the decision had been reached "by mutual agreement".

Allardyce, who was in charge for just 24 games, said: "I am disappointed to be leaving Newcastle but I wish the club all the best for the future."

Former captain Alan Shearer has been strongly linked with the post but chairman Chris Mort said: "A new manager has not yet been appointed."

First-team coach Nigel Pearson will take charge of the team for Saturday's Premier League meeting with Manchester United.

Earlier on Wednesday, Allardyce had attended a news conference ahead of that game but gave no hint that his time at the club might be coming to an end.

Indeed, the 53-year-old had spoken at length about his plans for the January transfer window.

However, shortly afterwards, Newcastle announced news of his departure with a statement on their official website.

Allardyce took over in May, following Glenn Roeder's resignation, after eight years in charge at Bolton.

He was quickly working under a new regime at St James' Park after billionaire Mike Ashley completed his takeover, and long-standing chairman Freddy Shepherd left the club.

The new manager signed nine players during the summer at a total investment of around £26m, with Joey Barton (£5.8m), David Rozehnal (£2.9m) and Alan Smith (£6m) among the new arrivals.

The Magpies began the season with a 3-1 win at the Reebok Stadium but he soon came under fire from fans unhappy with the team's style of play.

The pressure built with a run of three straight league defeats over the festive period - although midfielder Nicky Butt was among those who urged the club to keep faith with Allardyce.

"It was an open secret that he was under pressure after making such a mediocre start - but the timing of his leaving was still unexpected," said BBC Radio 5 Live's chief football correspondent Mike Ingham.

"But Newcastle's problems stretch back over 30 years - not half a season. Managers have been hired and fired far too quickly.

"When will the penny finally drop that stability and continuity are the main ingredients needed to achieve success?"

The pressure is too much now in the Premier League

Former Newcastle boss Sir Bobby Robson

Former Newcastle boss Sir Bobby Robson said the news of Allardyce's departure had come as a great shock to him.

"I was very surprised and stunned when I heard the news," Robson told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"That's the eighth Premier League manager we've lost this season already. The pressure is too much now in the Premier League.

"The dismissals of manager are coming fast and frequent and it's rather sad for the game in many respects."

Allardyce's last game in charge was a 0-0 draw at Championship side Stoke in the FA Cup third round on Sunday.

He becomes the eighth Premier League managerial casualty this season, leaving with an overall record of eight wins, six draws and 10 defeats.

Since Kevin Keegan left 11 years ago, six permanent managers have now come and gone at St James' Park, while it has been 39 years since the club claimed a major trophy.

"Good luck to the next manager"..

It is a cut-throat business now for sure....

I predict Steve McClaren

Gods i hope not mate.....

I hope not for your sake..

Wow,ive been at work so i didnt know he had,had the sack it's a shame really they should have givin him longer theres no way a manager can prove himself in the amount of time Big Sam did,and like De Niro says Yogi i hope for your sake you dont get McClaren or you could be playing us next year.

Arsenal 1-1 Tottenham



Theo Walcott scored a lucky equaliser as Arsenal held Tottenham in the first leg of their Carling Cup semi-final.

The ball rebounded off Walcott's body following Young-Pyo Lee's tackle and looped over Spurs keeper Radek Cerny.

Jermaine Jenas had put Tottenham in front, slotting home into virtually an empty net after Robbie Keane selflessly played him in with a square ball.

Spurs were the better side and Lukasz Fabianski made several good saves while Steed Malbranque missed from 14 yards.

It was a tough break for Spurs when Walcott equalised after the visiting team had created most of the decent openings.

Even so, Spurs might still have won the tie but substitute Jermain Defoe smashed the ball wide after Aaron Lennon played him in.

The result means that Tottenham's long wait for a victory over their north London rivals continues - their last came in November 1999 - but it leaves them well placed in the tie with the next leg at White Hart Lane.

In truth, it was a below-par performance by Arsenal.

The smooth, incisive football for which Arsene Wenger's team are so often heralded was largely absent on an evening when Tottenham seemed more fluid and dangerous in possession.

But the Gunners demonstrated the resilience that has ensured they have remained unbeaten at home all season by finding what appeared to be an unlikely equaliser.

Arsenal had fashioned the first real opening, with Radek Cerny, preferred in goal to Paul Robinson, making an athletic save to parry a header from Nicklas Bendtner.

But Tottenham had shown early signs that they could unlock the Arsenal defence and created several good chances before taking the lead.

Jamie O'Hara struck a free-kick narrowly wide, Malbranque shot wide from 14 yards and then missed the target with a header while the sublime Dimitar Berbatov, at the heart of so many impressive moves, forced Fabianski into a decent stop with a low-range strike.

Malbranque's first chance in particular was an excellent opportunity from which he should have scored.

The ball broke to him after Robbie Keane was dispossessed and the French midfielder had time to pick his spot but instead drilled the ball wide.

Tottenham scored the goal that their superiority deserved after 37 minutes when Berbatov played Keane through down the left and the striker passed for Jenas to tap home.

Jenas had another strike on target before a half-time break that must have been more welcome for the home team than Tottenham.

The visitors continued to hold a good shape after the interval and might have been gifted a second goal when Fabianski spilled a corner but thankfully for him the ball fell to one of his team-mates.

Keane drilled a shot wide as Tottenham pushed for a second.

The midfield became increasingly congested as Arsenal came back into the match and, after a relatively open first hour, decent openings were at a premium.

But Walcott scored his team's goal in front of watching England coach Fabio Capello after collecting Eduardo's though ball.

Replays suggested the ball hit Walcott on the hand but it all happened so quickly it would have been harsh to penalise the Arsenal forward.

Arsenal: Fabianski, Justin Hoyte, Djourou (Sagna 46), Senderos, Traore, Walcott (Randall 90), Denilson, Silva, Diaby, Van Persie (Eduardo 46), Bendtner.
Subs Not Used: Mannone, Gavin Hoyte.

Goals: Walcott 79.

Tottenham: Cerny, Chimbonda, Dawson, King, Lee, Lennon, Jenas, O'Hara, Malbranque (Boateng 77), Berbatov, Keane (Defoe 83).
Subs Not Used: Robinson, Stalteri, Taarabt.

Goals: Jenas 37.

Att: 53,136

Ref: Mike Dean (Wirral).

Spurs played well and should have won and was lucky, they had plenty off chances to finish the game off. Arsenal played poorly tonight.

I agree spurs should have won and it was an extremelly lucky goal by walcott,i thought jenas had a very good game but how the fuck did Defoe miss in the last minute?

do you ever manage to join the predictor site i gave you awhile ago.

PredictorPro.com

I dont think you have ever given me that site before mate,but ill try it now

TRANSFER RUMOURS
Paul Robinson's future at Tottenham is in doubt after being dropped against Arsenal and he is reported to have had a furious bust-up with boss Juande Ramos when he heard the news. (Daily Mirror)

Tottenham are lining up a move for Lyon's £11m-rated Brazilian Fred should Dimitar Berbatov seal his dream move to Manchester United. (The Guardian)

Palermo's Mark Bresciano has played down reports linking him with a move to Fulham. (The Independent)

Valencia have joined Juventus in the race to sign Liverpool midfielder Momo Sissoko. (Daily Mail)

Toulouse have confirmed reports they have been contacted by Tottenham about Sweden striker Johan Elmander. (The Independent)

New boss Fabio Capello will select Wayne Bridge ahead of Chelsea team-mate Ashley Cole for the England left-back slot. (The Independent)

Middlesbrough are attempting to complete the £12m transfer of Brazilian striker Alfonso Alves from Heerenveen. (The Independent)

Defender Pascal Chimbonda is desperate to leave Tottenham in fury at the club's plans to sign replacement right-backs. (The Guardian)

Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill is preparing a £15m swoop for Chimbonda and his Spurs team-mate Jermain Defoe. (The Star)

Geovanni is poised to quit Manchester City for Deportivo La Coruna in the transfer window. (Daily Mail)

West Brom midfielder Richard Chaplow has moved to rivals Preston in a £1.35m deal. (Daily Express)

Birmingham boss Alex McLeish is ready to make a £4m offer for Everton forward James McFadden. (The Star)

Portsmouth have taken South Korea striker Cho Jae-Jin on trial with a view to signing the free agent recently rejected by Newcastle. (Daily Express)

Blackburn will listen to offers for defender Stephane Henchoz, with Fulham boss Roy Hodgson leading the race for his signature. (The Star)

Wolves want to sign Sheffield United striker Billy Sharp. (The Star)

Bolton striker Nicolas Anelka has agreed a salary package at Chelsea worth over £20m. (The Star)

Crystal Palace manager Neil Warnock has blasted Rafael Benitez for refusing to allow loanee Besian Idrizaj to return to Anfield. (The Star)

Middlesbrough are in talks with Lyon's Brazilian striker Fred about a £10m move to join Gareth Southgate's struggling Boro. (Daily Mirror)

Tottenham are set to reignite their interest in Maniche. (Daily Mirror)

Bolton want to sign Iceland right-back Gretar Steinsson from AZ Alkmaar - ahead of Newcastle and Middlesbrough. (Daily Mirror)

Wigan are hoping to sign Newcastle's Steve Carr after new contract talks with the Magpies broke down. (Daily Mirror)

Paul Robinson had a furious bust-up with Tottenham boss Juande Ramos after being axed against Arsenal on Wednesday. (Various)

Manchester City are determined to sign Roma's Mancini. (The Sun)

Sam Allardyce was told he would get just £8m to spend in the transfer window - a day before he was forced out. (The Sun)

The Magpies did however, agree a £5.5m fee with Arsenal for Lassana Diarra, just hours before his exit. (Various)

Fulham want to sign Watford striker Marlon King as they fight for their Premier League survival. (The Sun)

Bolton's Stelios is at the centre of an £800,000 transfer battle between Stoke and Sheffield United. (The Sun)

Middlesbrough are keen on signing Cristiano Lucarelli from Shakhtar Donetsk. (The Times)

Former Rangers defender Jean-Alain Boumsong's move to Fulham has been put on hold for a week. (The Times)

Bolton have held talks with Celtic over the possible transfer of defender Bobo Balde. (The Times)

Charlton want to sign Burnley striker Andy Gray in a £1m deal and are also keen on Colchester skipper Karl Duguid. (The Star)

Leicester manager Ian Holloway is ready to raid former club Plymouth for defender Paul Connolly. (The Star)

Swindon have made a bid for Reading striker Simon Cox. (The Star)

Hull have rejected Celtic's £1m bid for Hull defender Michael Turner, insisting they want £2m. (The Star)

Rangers will move for veteran Hearts goalkeeper Steve Banks if Roy Carroll makes the switch to Derby County. (various)

West Brom manager Tony Mowbray is planning a double swoop on former club Hibs for David Murphy and Guillame Beuzelin. (Scottish Sun)

Defender Zander Diamond will commit his future to Aberdeen but striker Lee Miller wants a move to England

OTHER GOSSIP
Newcastle United have earmarked Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp as their next manager. (Various)

Manchester City have pleaded with fans not to wreck the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Munich air crash next month. (Various)

Rafael Benitez has survived the latest round of talks with Liverpool's owners but has received no long-term assurances over his future. (The Star)

Graeme Souness will have talks with Scotland next week about becoming their new manager. (Daily Mirror)

Tottenham boss Juande Ramos has been served with a £2.2m writ by his former club Sevilla. (The Sun)

Mixu Paatelainen is the favourite to land the manager's job at Hibernian. (Daily Record)

BBC One's live FA Cup screenings

The FA Cup third-round replay between Manchester City and West Ham United will be screened live on BBC One on Wednesday 16 January.
The BBC's fourth-round coverage starts with Mansfield v Middlesbrough (1230 GMT) on Saturday 26 January.

The all-Premier League game between Wigan and Chelsea follows at 1715 GMT.

BBC One's third live game of the weekend is between Manchester United and either Reading or Tottenham on Sunday 27 January (1400 GMT).

Sky Sports will televise the third-round replay between Liverpool and Luton Town at 2000 GMT on Tuesday 15 January, followed by West Ham or Manchester City's trip to Sheffield United on 27 January (1600 GMT).



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Man City v West Ham
Wednesday 16 January, 2005 GMT, BBC ONE

Mansfield v Middlesbrough
Saturday 26 January, 1230 GMT, BBC ONE

Wigan v Chelsea
Saturday 26 January, 1715 GMT, BBC ONE

Man Utd v Reading/Tottenham
Sunday 27 January, 1400 GMT, BBC ONE

Not suprising Man UTD are on,i hope mansfield turn boro over,id like to go to that match but ive got no chance of getting a ticket even though my mate plays for them

Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp has denied speculation linking him with the vacant managerial position at St James' Park.
Redknapp had been the favourite to replace Sam Allardyce, who was sacked yesterday afternoon after an indifferent start to the season.
However, he expressed his satisfaction with his life down on the south coast, which he was unwilling to swap for the intense pressure that would come with managing English football's sleepiest of giants.

"I really do not know anything about this. I have not spoken to anyone from Newcastle," said Redknapp.

"When I saw Sam had left my immediate thoughts were that Alan Shearer was a certainty to take over.

"There's nothing in my being linked with the job. I had an offer not so long ago to take over at what I consider a massive club but I didn't go.

"I am happy down on the south coast."

Earlier, Redknapp's brother-in-law Frank Lampard Snr played down the link with Newcastle, saying that Redknapp, who has never managed north of London, would be unlikely to take the job at St James' Park.


Redknapp's rejection will add to the woes of Newcastle owner Mike Ashley after former striker and fans' favourite Alan Shearer also appeared to drop out of the running for the job.

According to the BBC, Shearer is happy with his role as a Match of the Day pundit.

However, Ashley could turn to former Tottenham manger Martin Jol, who has snubbed the offer of an interview at Fulham and turned down the chance to manage PSV Eindhoven in the hope of taking charge at one of the Premier League's big clubs.

He would be crazy to switch clubs.

I agree,theres no way id take the Newcastle job,theres to much expectation up there and i dont think no manager will ever live up to it.

And im not pulling the Newcastle fans down for that either(yogi,capo)

Haha, I logged off after my last post in this thread on the previous page, and two minutes later my Dad shouts to me: Allardyce had just been sacked.

TRANSFER RUMOURS
Manchester United are preparing a £12m-offer for long-term target Klaas Jan Huntelaar. (The Sun)

Meanwhile, after recent interest from Real Madrid, Manchester United have said they will never sell prized asset Cristiano Ronaldo. (Various)

Tottenham are keen to bring Middlesbrough winger Stewart Downing and Daniel Jarque to the club. (The Times)

Former Tottenham striker Freddie Kanoute has admitted he would love the chance to return to White Hart Lane and team up with former Sevilla boss Juande Ramos. (The Sun)

Meanwhile, Ramos has told his scouts to look for a new keeper with Ajax stopper Maarten Stekelenburg a possible target. (The Times)

Fulham have been told they must find £8m if they are to take striker Marlon King from Watford to Craven Cottage. (The Sun)

Blackburn manager Mark Hughes wants to sign Wigan and Wales midfielder Jason Koumas for £3.5m. (Daily Mail)

Reading have told Sunderland to forget their interest in midfielder Stephen Hunt after the Black Cats made an improved £4.5m offer for the Irishman. (The Guardian)

Birmingham boss Alex McLeish is ready to make an improved offer for Everton forward James McFadden and Hibernian defender David Murphy. (The Telegraph)

Newcastle's proposed £3m move for Porto defender Marek Cech has been put on hold after the departure of Sam Allardyce. (The Mail)

Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate is close to agreeing a deal for SC Heerenveen striker Alfonso Alves. (The Times)

Arsenal midfielder Lassana Diarra says his desire to leave the club left him in the wrong frame of mind to face Spurs on Wednesday. (The Guardian)

Aston Villa have insisted that striker Marlon Harewood is not leaving the club with Watford, Stoke and Crystal Palace among the clubs interested in the former West Ham man. (Daily Express)

Manchester City midfielder Dietmar Hamann has been rewarded with a new one-year contract. (The Mail)

Gilberto Silva has vowed to stay at Arsenal and fight for his place in the team. (Daily Mirror)

OTHER GOSSIP
Portsmouth boss Harry Redknapp is torn over accepting the Newcastle job after being tempted with a £20m transfer kitty. (The Mail)

Redknapp has been told that he can use owner Mike Ashley's private jet to fly him to and from his home on the South Coast. (Daily Express)

Portsmouth will be given £3m in compensation if Redknapp decides to leave Fratton Park for Newcastle. (The Sun)

The cost of sacking Allardyce and recruiting Redknapp could cost Newcastle £9m. (Daily Telegraph)

Portsmouth have vowed to hold on to manager Redknapp and have told Newcastle they face a fight to secure his services. (The Times)

If Newcastle fail to land Redknapp then Blackburn manager Mark Hughes is next on their list. (The Guardian)
---------------------------------------------------------------

Chelsea complete £15m Anelka deal

Chelsea hope Anelka will soften the blow of Drogba's absence
Chelsea have completed a £15m deal to sign Nicolas Anelka from Bolton.
The French striker, 28, has signed a four-and-a-half year contract and could figure in Saturday's game with Spurs.

Bolton had rejected a £12m bid from the Stamford Bridge outfit, who are short of fowards because of injuries and Africa Cup of Nations call-ups.

"It's not a secret that I was looking for one more striker, and Anelka has pace, is a good finisher and is scoring a lot of goals," said boss Avram Grant.


"But he also provides assists and can play in any system and with any other good players beside him him."

With Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou away on national duty, and Andriy Shevchenko injured, Grant was running out of options.

Shevchenko and Claudio Pizzaro, their other senior forward, have scored just five Premier League goals between them this season.

Anelka, who has scored 11 goals in 22 games this term, had been linked with a move Chelsea despite signing a new four-year deal with Bolton last August.

He has made no secret of his desire to play in the Champions League and is still eligible for this season's competition.

Anelka joined Bolton in 2006 from Turkish club Fenerbahce for a club record £8m.

He has also played for Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City in the Premier League and won the Champions League while at Real Madrid.

Cant see fergie buying anyone in January,will probley be in the summer,he has a great goalscoring record.

Ive never heard of him,who does he play for?

Ajax

Mmmm whats his record like then?