The Malaysian Insider :: Sports
The Malaysian Insider :: Sports |
| Ancelotti not frustrated by Bale transfer saga Posted: 31 Aug 2013 08:45 AM PDT Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti has said he is not frustrated by the delay in sealing Gareth Bale's transfer and is focused on preparing for Sunday's La Liga match at home the Athletic Bilbao. Confirmation of Bale's big-money move to Spain from Tottenham Hotspur has appeared imminent for several days and Spanish sports dailies Marca and As reported it could come later today, with the Wales international's presentation at the Bernabeu to follow Monday. At a pre-training news conference, Ancelotti said he did not want to talk about the transfer market but was later drawn into responding to a question about whether the Bale saga was as frustrating for him as it has been for the media. "I am working with my players every day, my mind is not on players who are not here because we have to work," the Italian said. "For me absolutely it's not frustrating," he added. "I am happy to train with these players, if another one comes I will be happy the same. "Everyone knows Bale, he is a fantastic player. Everyone knows this. I don't know how long he will be a Tottenham player but today he is a Tottenham player." – Reuters, August 31, 2013. |
| Negredo helps nervy Man City edge past Hull Posted: 31 Aug 2013 07:31 AM PDT Alvaro Negredo came off the bench to score for the second successive game as Manchester City edged to a 2-0 win at home to promoted Hull City in the Premier League today. With memories of last weekend's 3-2 defeat to another promoted outfit Cardiff City still fresh, City again looked edgy in defence and lacking inspiration in attack before Negredo found the net. The Spaniard was brought on at halftime and 20 minutes later brought relief to the home fans inside the Etihad Stadium when he clinically headed home a Pablo Zabaleta cross from the right. Yaya Toure added an undeserved gloss to the scoreline with a fantastic curling freekick from 20 metres in the 90th minute to give City six points from their opening three games, three more than Saturday's opponents. City's performance, however, suggests there are still creases to iron out for Manuel Pellegrini's side. The pre-match talk was about their ability to defend set-pieces with the form of keeper Joe Hart under the microscope. City would have hoped that their defensive shortcomings, ruthlessly exposed by Cardiff last weekend, would have been alleviated by the return from injury of Matija Nastasic at centre back. Yet the uncertainty at the heart of their back four, still shorn of injured captain Vincent Kompany's steadying influence, was exposed within seven minutes. Sone Aluko needed the faintest of sidesteps to bypass Joleon Lescott, Kompany's stand-in, to open up an acre of space in front of him, but after bearing down on Hart, he scuffed his shot and it trickled past the post. The visitors then had the ball in the net four minutes later, but it was ruled out for offside. Danny Graham was allowed to loiter unattended, but had strayed marginally beyond City's defensive line when the ball was tossed into the box and his sliding finish counted for nothing. Lescott had a header tipped over by Hull keeper Allan McGregor but apart from that the home team's play lacked adventure. Negredo was brought on as a substitute for the third successive game at the interval and should have found the net two minutes later, but mis-timed a header and sent it well wide of goal. With City looking clean out of inspiration, the Spaniard made amends midway through the second half. The former Sevilla striker showed the penalty area instincts that persuaded City to spend 20 million pounds in the close season, when he got on the end of a fantastic cross from Zabaleta and headed down into the net. The goal-glut that City fans may have expected to follow did not materialise and in the end it was more a question of whether the hosts would hold on than extend their fragile advantage until Toure finished the game off. With a similar finish to his effort against Newcastle United in their opening match, he curled the ball into the top corner, leaving the keeper stranded. City go second in the table behind Chelsea, who were in European Super Cup action yesterday. Tomorrow, third placed Liverpool take on Manchester United at Anfield and fourth placed Tottenham Hotspur travel to Arsenal in the North London derby. - Reuters, August 31, 2013. |
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