Capital One Cup Update: Aston Villa Shock Manchester City, Chelsea Hammer Wolverhampton Wanderers

Tuesday’s Capital One Cup featured astonishing fixtures as Aston Villa routed Premier League champions Manchester City and Chelsea thrashed Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Roberto Mancini, City manager, heavily modified his side with 11 changes from the team that drew against Arsenal in the league. Mario Balotelli shot the trailblazer for his side 27 minutes into the game, but an unwanted equalizer followed when Gareth Barry fired an own goal.

Aleksandr Kolarov scored a second-half lead for City. Carlos Tevez hit the bar on his penalty attempt. The Villans rallied towards another leveller from Gabriel Agbonlahor, underlining City’s defensive defects that contrasted their winning form last season.

Come extra time, Villa saw their shining moment as Charles N’Zogbia flew in a rebound from Agbonlahor’s attempt flicked off by City keeper Costel Pantilimon. Agbonlahor’s pace proved costly for the hosts, as he broke through his side’s fourth goal that ousted the league champions out of the cup.

Wolverhampton Wanderers suffered a destructive blow in playign against tough oponnent Chelsea as they took in a 6-0 goal dump from last season’s Champions League winners.

The home crowd at Stamford Bridge watched in delight as John Terry, who arrived from an FA hearing on his racism charge, stood as Chelsea’s captain in the match. Celebrations came within a short timespan through Gary Cahill’s fourth-minute header, Ryan Bertrand’s eighth-minute effort and Juan Mata’s impressive finish on the 17th minute.

Clearly thrashed after half time, Wolverhampton were never able to recover despite an effort from Slawomir Peszko that landed on the side net. A foul on Chelsea’s Victor Moses by Wolves keeper Dorus de Vries gave a successful penalty goal to Oriol Romeu.

Striker Fernando Torres followed up scoring with a header on the 58th minute. The Wolves’ slumping end grew even more miserable when Moses scored his first Chelsea goal past the 70th minute.

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Photo credits:

Chelsea vs. Wolverhampton Wolves [Photograph]. (2012). Retrieved 25 September 2012, from <http://www.the-review.com/ap%20sports/2012/09/25/leeds-ousts-everton-chelsea-crushes-wolves-in-cup>

Sports Tips [SOCCER]: Premier League 2012-13 Liverpool vs. Manchester United

Match Date: September 29, 2012 (Saturday)
Match Time: 7:45 pm (+08:00 GMT)
Venue: Emirates Stadium (HOME: Arsenal)

BET FOR CHELSEA @ 2.130!

Arsenal will face visiting London rivals Chelsea at the Emirates on Sunday, September 23. The match will be a tough encounter for both clubs, with both being unbeaten in all their Premier League matches since the start of this season.

Match Preview

HEAD-TO-HEAD COMPARISON (Last Five Matches)
2011-12 Premier League (April 21, 2012)
Arsenal	0-0	Chelsea
2011-12 Premier League (October 29, 2011)
Arsenal	5-3	Chelsea
2010-11 Premier League (December 28, 2010)
Arsenal	3-1	Chelsea
2010-11 Premier League (October 3, 2010)
Arsenal	0-2	Chelsea
2009-10 Premier League (February 8, 2010)
Arsenal	0-2	Chelsea

Both sides have shown their capabilities to deal heavy blows on their opponents this season, which reflects their satisfactory form. Arsenal gave newly promoted side Southampton a heavy 6-1 league routing, while Chelsea thrashed Wolverhampton Wolves 6-0 in the Capital One Cup.

 

Arsenal is currently fifth on this season’s league table with two wins and three draws. They have maintained their reputation for playing “beautiful football”, despite their sluggish start of two scoreless draws and the departures of Robin van Persie and Alex Song. New entry Santi Cazorla is an emerging midfield force for his creative passing and collaboration with Abou Diaby and Aaron Ramsey. Lukas Podolski’s attacks make him a viable scoring threat in contrast to Gervinho’s erratic finishes. Olivier Giroud has yet to make a scoring impact for the side despite being Ligue 1’s top scorer last season.

Chelsea is currently enjoying their recent revamp in their line-up, which is instrumental to their current leading status in the league table. New signing Eden Hazard became man of the match four times this season for his stellar midfield showing. Oscar, another newcomer, has become a rising star during his starting debut for his side’s 2-2 Champions League draw against Juventus, in which he scored both goals. In terms of defence, they maintain an impressive line-up joined by Ashley Cole, John Terry, Branislav Ivanovic and Gary Cahill. Striker Fernando Torres, notorious for his inconsistencies, has to work on producing finer finishes.

In playign against tough oponnent sides during this league season, Chelsea has the advantage of four league wins against Arsenal’s two. Nevertheless, a 1-1 draw for the fixture is highly possible, as Chelsea’s newfound enhancement and defensive strength will strike a balance against Arsenal’s tightly knit team play and inspiring passing and finishing.

Full Time Handicap

BET MYR 100 ON CHELSEA

REAL GAME RESULT	RESULT WITH HANDICAP (+0.5 for AWAY)	HOME (Arsenal)	AWAY (Chelsea)	COMMENTS:
1-1	1-1.5	-100%	+100%	Chelsea “wins” by 0. 5 goals, WIN MYR 181.00

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Photo credits:

Arsenal vs. Chelsea [Photograph]. (2010). Retrieved 26 September 2012, from < http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/iHoE2aZ1oWh/Liverpool+v+Manchester+United+FA+Cup+Fourth/0o5K8wNgCT3/Rafael>

Roberto Mancini: City Should Forget Last Season’s Win and Focus on Current Season

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini said that his side should not delve too much on their landmark Premier League win last season and focus instead on winning the current one.

Mancini remarked his disappointment after his side were playign against tough oponnent Arsenal last Sunday. He noted that they should not have given away the first-half lead by Joleon Lescott, citing faults in their defence and lack of attacking flair that led the match to end 1-1.

The City squad have never lost any league games since the season started, marking three draws and two wins in five matches. Mancini emphasized that last season’s victory is now part of “…the past, it is history,” and urged his side to work harder to defend their title.

Last Sunday’s fixture proved an unsatisfying experience for Mancini, as he reportedly shoved Mario Balotelli towards the exit tunnel following their fuming verbal exchange. The striker noted his disappointment for a nonappearance against Real Madrid in this season’s Champions League opener. The Italian manager denied pushing the player down.

Arsenal proved to be the better side last Sunday, as they appeared to dominate ball possession. City managed to open the scoring through Lescott’s header. Sergio Aguero and Yaya Toure were not able to convert their opportunities that could have broken Laurent Koscielny’s equalizer, while Balotelli failed to impress given his limited 85th-minute entry into the pitch.

Mancini cited City’s failure to dominate scoring and defend properly as their main problem. Saying that more hard work is the key, he remains dismayed with their missed chances in the second half against Arsenal, which he views as a serious contender for the league title.

Meanwhile, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger noted that he is “pleased” with the point his side gained in their draw against City. While he remains satisfied with their class in performance, he noted that they could have pushed for more.

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Photo credits:

Manchester City vs. Arsenal [Photograph]. (2012). Retrieved 25 September 2012, from <http://www.sportskeeda.com/2012/09/24/the-match-in-pictures-manchester-city-1-1-arsenal/ >

Manchester City Caught In 1-1 Draw against Arsenal

Defending Premier League titleholders Manchester City fought to make an impression in playign against tough oponnent side Arsenal. Both sides ended in a 1-1 draw, as Laurent Koscielny gave a late-game equalizer to Joleon Lescott’s first-half lead.

City was playing their first league game after an exhausting loss to Real Madrid in their Champions League opener. Their lapses in ball possession and their failure to create threatening attacks left them to struggle throughout the game amidst Lescott’s header.

With both sides unbeaten since the start of the season, Arsenal went on to find opportunities for goal salvage. Koscielny’s close-range corner effort led them to another draw, setting them at par with City with both being nine points on the table.



Visibly frustrated, City manager Roberto Mancini lamented his side’s performance throughout the game, as he noticed both his side’s lack of attacking prowess and defensive setbacks. For Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, his side showed an impressive presentation of skills despite their pre-season transfer issues.

Santi Cazorla and Aaron Ramsey greatly influenced Arsenal’s play, while Koscielny’s goal exhibited the favourable progress the north London club is undergoing even in the absence of transferred players Robin van Persie and Alex Song.

 As City appeared shaken following their Real Madrid fixture, Arsenal took that as an opportunity to dominate the possession game. Cazorla and Abou Diaby led the midfield, in contrast to the restrictive performances of Yaya Toure and Javi Garcia.

Cazorla’s penchant for finding creative openings provided a spectacular show for Arsenal, as he collaborated with Ramsey in setting up Gervinho for opportunities. Their multiple opportunities kept City keeper Joe Hart busy on his duty.

Sergio Aguero was the only attacking force City could boast. He repeatedly tried Arsenal keeper Vito Mannone and his penalty area collision with Koscielny did little to stop him from making a thwarted shot. Edin Dzeko and Vincent Kompany both created failed attempts.

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Photo credits:

Manchester City vs. Arsenal [Photograph]. (2012). Retrieved 24 September 2012, from < http://soccer.indonewyork.com/man-city-1-1-arsenal-video-highlights-23-sept-2012/ >

Europa League Opener Updates: Feisty Liverpool Rout Young Boys, Tottenham Hotspur-Lazio and Maritimo-Newcastle Derbies End In Draws

Three Premier League clubs figured in the opening of the Europa League group stage. None of the English outfits lost, as they performed strongly in playign against tough oponnent sides.

A youthful Liverpool destroyed the winning expectations of Swiss outfit Young Boys in their victorious 3-5 away opener. Substitute Jonjo Shelvey was the Merseyside club’s hero of the night as he made it to the score sheet twice in the second half – first through a forceful 76th-minute right-foot effort following a header from Sebastian Coates and the second one via a left-foot goal on the 88th minute.

An own goal from Young Boys’ Juhani Ojala gave the Swiss opposition a preview of their losing woes.  The Finnish centre-back made up for his mistake through a 52nd-minute goal to equalize debutant Andre Wilson’s score for Liverpool, followed by a scare for the visitors through Gonzalo Zarate’s goal for the Swiss hosts. In the end, the youngster-powered Red prevailed.

Manager Brendan Rodgers’ risky move to leave eight of Liverpool’s regulars in time for their Manchester United league match on Sunday reaped entertaining and impressive results. The outcome refuted Young Boys manager Martin Rueda’s earlier remarks that his side will “embarrass” their English opponents, which they consider a European legend.



Tottenham Hotspur failed in their upset attempt against Lazio, ending the game in a scoreless draw. Due to a foul, the referee called off a header made by Steven Caulker, leaving Andre Villas-Boas’ squad scoreless. Clint Dempsey’s offside effort and Aaron Lennon’s missed close encounter would have given the London club a lead given their strong possession.

Lazio’s stiff defence further added to the Spurs’ difficulties. Miroslav Klose fended off an errant pass from Moussa Dembele, effectively denying an opportunity for the London lads. Alvaro Gonzalez’ 20-yard attempt almost gave a lead for the Romans when it struck on the enemy woodwork’s pole.

A similar fate happened in Newcastle United’s away match against Portuguese hosts Maritimo. Shola Ameobi’s bar strike was a close goal chance for the English visitors. Davide Santon gave Newcastle relief through repelling Valentin Roberge’s mighty corner header, with the game ending 0-0.

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Photo credits:

Young Boys vs. Liverpool [Photograph]. (2012). Retrieved 21 September 2012, from < http://www.macozetizle.com/2012/09/20/bsc-young-boys-3-liverpool-5/

Cristiano Ronaldo Saves the Day For Real Madrid in Tense Champions League Opener

Santiago Bernabeu witnessed a heart-throbbing fixture between two clubs heavily touted to become European club champions – Real Madrid and Manchester City. The more-experienced Los Blancos got the head start in the Champions League group match after fabled striker Cristiano Ronaldo hit a goal on the last minutes of the game, bringing his team to a 3-2 victory.

The Citizens are well aware that in playign against tough oponnent Madrid, they have to go against the pressure brought by the prestige and history of the nine-time Champions League winners. Keeper Joe Hart was busy fending off goal attempts from the opposition while striker Edin Dzeko opened the scoring in the middle of the second half – much to the surprise of the Madridistas.

The Madrid squad knew that it cannot let City’s lead last long, as shown by an equalizer from Marcelo that initially came off from a deflected shot. An Aleksandar Kolarov free kick on the 85th minute pressured the Spanish champions once more.

With not much time left, agitated Madrid played on to salvage at least an equalizer. Karim Benzema found his way past City’s new defender Matija Nastasic to penetrate the bottom corner of the enemy woodwork.

Both City and Madrid struggled on until the end to hold on and seek another advantage, as the game looked headed for a draw. The Spanish outfit prevailed, as Ronaldo dealt a deceptive strike past Hart to give the game to Madrid.

Before the successful late-game efforts of Madrid, City appeared confident of getting away with a win. Hart impressed blue Manchester through acting on numerous saves, most notably when the keeper fended off Ronaldo’s early attempt and closed down Gonzalo Higuain’s header.

Yaya Toure provided City great attacking power, having given Madrid defensive worries in the first half and assisted Dzeko in his goal. Carlos Tevez almost had his name in the score sheet if not for an off-balanced wide shot.

Jose Mourinho, keeping in mind his side’s dismal La Liga form, brought in Mesut Ozil, Benzema and Luka Modric after failures coming from Sami Khedira and Higuain. The manager’s pitch slide following Ronaldo’s late goal showed his delight for the victory.

Roberto Mancini’s men walked away frustrated, knowing that a win would have been possible. Dzeko remarked that the match taught them a lesson – that to become the best in Europe, they have to win matches against the likes of Madrid.

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Photo credits:

Cristiano Ronaldo Celebrates Champions League Goal [Photograph]. (2012). Retrieved 19 September 2012, from <http://www.thebiglead.com/index.php/2012/09/18/real-madrid-beats-manchester-city-3-2-in-epic-last-five-minute-comeback/ >

Betting Guide [SOCCER – Asian Handicap]: Premier League 2012-13 Liverpool vs. Manchester United

Match Date: September 23, 2012 (Sunday)
Match Time: 8:30 pm (+08:00 GMT)
Venue: Anfield (HOME: Liverpool)

HEAD-TO-HEAD COMPARISON (Last Five Matches)
2011-12 Premier League (February 11, 2012)
Liverpool	1-2	Manchester United
2011-12 FA Cup (January 28, 2012)
Liverpool	2-1	Manchester United
2011-12 Premier League (October 15, 2011)
Liverpool	1-1	Manchester United
2010-11 Premier League (March 6, 2011)
Liverpool	3-2	Manchester United
2011-12 FA Cup (January 9, 2011)
Liverpool	0-1	Manchester United

Liverpool will host another North West derby against its rival Manchester United on Sunday, September 23. In their last five matches, Liverpool has two wins, drew once and lost twice to United.

12BET Asian Handicap: 0-0.5 (0.25) for Liverpool

Liverpool has a handicap of 0-0.5 (0.25) at 12BET.com, since they will be playign against tough oponnent Manchester United. Read the betting tables below to come up with a proper decision on your bet.

EXAMPLE 1: BET MYR 100 ON LIVERPOOL

REAL GAME RESULT	RESULT WITH HANDICAP	HOME (Liverpool)	AWAY (Manchester United)	COMMENTS:
HEADSTART	HEADSTART	0-0.5 (0.25)	0	Liverpool has a 0-0.5 (0.25)-goal handicap
0-0, 1-1, 2-2 (ALL DRAWS)	0.25-0, 1.25-1-, 2.25-2 (+0.25 for HOME)	+100%	-100%	Liverpool “wins” by 0.25 goals, WIN MYR 170.00
1-0	1.25-0	+100%	-100%	Liverpool “wins” by 1.25 goals, WIN MYR 170.00
0-1	0.25-1	-100%	+100%	Manchester United “wins” by 0.75 goals, LOSE MYR 100.00
0-2	0.25-2	-100%	+100%	Manchester United “wins” by 1.75 goals, LOSE MYR 100.00

EXAMPLE 2: BET MYR 100 ON MANCHESTER UNITED

REAL GAME RESULT	RESULT WITH HANDICAP	HOME (Liverpool)	AWAY (Manchester United)	COMMENTS:
HEADSTART	HEADSTART	0-0.5 (0.25)	0	Liverpool has a 0-0.5 (0.25)-goal handicap
0-0, 1-1, 2-2 (ALL DRAWS)	0.25-0, 1.25-1-, 2.25-2 (+0.25 for HOME)	+100%	-100%	Liverpool “wins” by 0.25 goals, LOSE MYR 100.00
1-0	1.25-0	+100%	-100%	Liverpool “wins” by 1.25 goals, LOSE MYR 100.00
0-1	0.25-1	-100%	+100%	Manchester United “wins” by 0.75 goals, WIN MYR 229.00
0-2	0.25-2	-100%	+100%	Manchester United “wins” by 1.75 goals, WIN MYR 229.00

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Photo credits:

Liverpool vs. Manchester United [Photograph]. (2012). Retrieved 19 September 2012, from http://www.stretford-end.com/2012/01/talking-points-liverpool-2-1-manchester-united-fa-cup/ >