Monday, April 27, 2009

Michael Owen, Obafemi Martins and Mark Viduka sworn to bit Portsmouth


Newcastle could only muster a point against Portsmouth at St James' Park, which has left their Premier League future hanging in the balance.
Resolute defending from Pompey left the home fans frustrated early on as Newcastle struggled to create chances.
When they did wasteful finishing from Michael Owen, Obafemi Martins and Mark Viduka, as well as a string of saves from David James kept them out.
Pompey almost won it late on when Richard Hughes's header hit the post.
The result lifted the Magpies up to third-bottom in the Premier League, three points behind Hull, but the frustration of the crowd at the failure to pick up three points was evident as boos rang out on the final whistle.
With just four goals in the last eight games Newcastle manager Alan Shearer opted to start with three strikers in his side in the shape of Viduka, Owen and Martins.


Despite the rousing atmosphere at St James' Park the home side struggled to find anything in the way of free-flowing football early on as well-organised Portsmouth managed to take the wind out of their sails with a resolute, defensive opening 20 minutes that would have delighted boss Paul Hart.
It was Portsmouth who created the first real chance 15 minutes in when a free kick on the edge of the area rebounded to Glenn Johnson who drifted towards goal, fired his shot in low but Fabio Coloccini got a touch ahead of Peter Crouch to avert the danger.
As whistles began to echo around St James' Park, Pompey may have thought their early job as spoilers was done but a half volley from Alan Smith, which deflected off the arm of Hermann Hreidarsson, had the home fans on their feet screaming for a penalty which Mike Riley waved away.
An air of tense desperation seemed to hang over Tyneside as Newcastle spurned a series of chances as Damien Duff tested James with an 18-yrad right-footed drive, Viduka headed over from close range and Martins smashed a volley over the bar from 8-yards-out when he should have done better.
Desperation levels were cranked up in the second half as, with Pompey restricted to counter attacking forays, the home side continued to miss chances, partially due to James' imposing presence in the Portsmouth goal and partially due to wasteful Magpies finishing.
Owen's deft back heel set Viduka free 45 second into second half, but the Australian's shot was straight into the body of James.
Martins was set clear one on one with James but the England goalkeeper stood firm before doing the same when Owen was one on one, although the former Real Madrid striker will know he should have done better.
Moments earlier James suffered one of the calamitous moments that have peppered his career, when he dropped a cross from Duff into the path of Viduka but the striker could not capitalise.
Newcastle hearts were in mouths when Riley again waved away penalty claims, this time more debatably, when Coloccini caught Peter Crouch late with a sliding challenge which sent the font man crashing to the turf.
Newcastle released men forward to try and win the game but they were left wide open at the back and looked like they might finish with nothing as Nadir Belhadj burst through and forced a top draw save from Steve Harper.
As the Newcastle players tired the chance of recording a first home win of 2009 evaporated.
Portsmouth continued to push on and were agonisingly close when Richard Hughes looped a header on to the post.

Ryan Giggs came like a magic to him


It has been a long time coming, but 18 years after making his debut, Ryan Giggs has picked up the Professional Footballers' Association player of the year award.
The 35-year-old Manchester United veteran, who is in line to make his 800th first-team appearance this week if he plays against Arsenal in a Champions League semi-finals, was handed the ultimate accolade from his peers on Sunday.
The Welshman hopes it will be the first of three trophies he wins in the coming weeks.
With United on course for a third straight Premier League title and two games away from a second successive Champion League final appearance, Giggs is on the verge of collecting more silverware for an already heaving personal trophy cabinet.


He has won an unprecedented 10 league titles, two European Cups, four FA Cup wins, two League Cups and a Fifa World Club Cup.
Yet the longevity of Giggs is an achievement in itself considering he is a winger who has spent his record-breaking days dazzling defenders in the most physically demanding league in the world.
"That's why if you asked any player or pundit in the world which left-winger is in their ultimate dream team, they'd say Ryan Giggs," said his first Manchester United captain Bryan Robson.


Ryan has fantastic balance, he's quick, a great athlete and lately his composure in the final third has improved."
Giggs has been a constant for Sir Alex Ferguson as the Old Trafford supremo etched himself into footballing folklore as the most decorated English manager with United, matched only in history by Liverpool's dominance of the late 1970s and early 80s.
"If Ryan could no longer contribute to Manchester United then Sir Alex would be the first one to tell him," said Giggs' former Wales team-mate Dean Saunders.
"United can't afford to carry passengers and if Giggs' standards had dropped then Fergie would have just opened the cheque book and replaced him with another world-class player because the United boss has no sentiment.
"But Sir Alex hasn't needed to because there has been no-one better than Ryan and he knows much of his success is down to the industry, vision and creativity of Ryan Giggs and whenever Fergie has celebrated winning a trophy at United, Ryan has always been with him.
"Players with Ryan's footballing brain are rare breeds; he's more than a left-winger, he can play in any attacking position and if you make the right run he'll see the pass - that's why he's still at United."
Giggs was the first superstar of the Premier League era but he never fell foul of the trappings of celebrity.


He is one of the game's great ambassadors," former England boss Terry Venables told BBC Sport.
"He is the prototype that every youngster should want to copy."
Robson, who played when Giggs made his United debut, added: "He has an unbreakable winning mentality and attitude to want to improve himself whenever he is faced with a challenge.
"There was once talk of him leaving United but he simply reinvented himself and became even better. A player with that much drive and focus is hard to find."
Giggs' 64-cap international career is the one barren area on an otherwise glittering CV.
Even Arsenal's Brazilian star Gilberto Silva admitted: "In his prime, Ryan Giggs could have represented any country in the world - even Brazil!
"To play regularly for a great and successful club like Manchester United for so long, you have to be a bit special."
If Giggs was never able to lead Wales to a major tournament, the boy raised in Cardiff has the consolation of a club career that seems to get better and better.

Google Tracker

Purchase For Sports Update