Tag: Watford

  • Arsenal’s Wenger understands Mertesacker’s wish to retire

    Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger says he understands club skipper Per Mertesacker’s desire to stop playing next season because of the mental and physical toll the game has taken on the German.

    The World Cup-winning defender said in an interview with German publication Der Spiegel that his “body was finished” and that he would rather sit on the bench or in the stands.

    Mertesacker has made only 11 appearances for Arsenal this season.

    Arsenal had already announced the 33-year-old would take up a role with the Premier League club’s academy next season.

    Wenger was asked about Mertesacker’s comments at a news conference on the eve of Thursday’s Europa League last 16 clash at home to AC Milan which they lead 2-0 from the first leg.

    “The quotes weren’t a surprise for me,” Wenger said.

    “To be a pro footballer is high expectations. They are very demanding of themselves and that creates stress.

    “There is huge expectation from the environment they are in and that creates stress. To play at the level they play you need a huge resistance to stress. You are depending on your body.”

    Wenger described Mertesacker, who he signed from Werder Bremen in 2011, as the model professional and said he could change his mind about playing again.

    Read Also: Suffering is part of my job – Wenger

    “I think once you stop for a few months you are ready to play again,” Wenger said. “Of course, he’s had a very long career and he puts pressure (on himself) in every single training (session).

    “He never plays one minute without being totally focussed and that demands a huge amount of effort which is why he made the career he has made.”

    Wenger’s side have had an upturn in form after a four-match losing sequence in all competitions, beating Milan away followed by a 3-0 Premier League win at home to Watford.

    However, they are 12 points adrift of fourth-placed Liverpool so their most realistic hope of qualifying for next season’s Champions League is by winning the Europa League.

    Midfielder Aaron Ramsey said finishing off Milan would not be easy but the Europa League was a ‘massive opportunity’.

    “We saw how good they are and we can’t take our foot off the gas,” the Welshman said. “We’ll treat it as 0-0 and go out to try and win the game, that’s the right mentality.

    “It’s a massive opportunity for us. This game is very important for us and our season.”

    NAN

  • Full-Time: Watford 2 – 1 Arsenal ( Clerverly, 90′ )

    Full-Time: Watford 2 – 1 Arsenal ( Clerverly, 90′ )

    Tom Cleverley has scored the second goal as Watford came from behind to defeat Arsenal by 2-1 at Vicarage Road Stadium on Saturday.
    The referee blew the final whistle after four minutes of additional time.
    Cleverly scored the second goal at the 90th minute after he got a loose ball in the 18 yard box and he did not think twice to make a bully shot that gave the lead.
    Arsenal should have won the game but Ozil and Iwobi could not convert their begging chances at two different occasions in the second half.
    Troy Deeney converted a spot kick at the 71st minute to level Arsenal at 1-1.
    The referee blew for penalty when Richarlison shoved Bellerin on the left side of the box, and when the two bumped shoulders Richarlison fell. It sincerely looked like a dive, what is however certain is that that was a controversial call by Neil Swarbrick.
    Deeney could not miss the cahnce to convert the spot kick as his first league goal of the season.

    Per Mertesacker had however scored for Arsenal at Vicarage Road Stadium to give the visiting team a lead.

    He scored at the 39th minute converting a power header from a corner kick. The goal was Per Mertesacker’s first Premier League goal since December 2013.

    The German defender has made 151 appearances  and has six goals so far for the EPL club
    Per Mertesacker is a German professional footballer who plays as a centre back for Premier League club Arsenal. He also played for the Germany national team but retired in August 2014 after winning the World Cup.

     

  • EPL: Some of The Things You Might Have Missed

    EPL: Some of The Things You Might Have Missed

    English Premier League on Saturday was action pact as expected as 17 goals were recorded from the seven matches that were played.

    Incase you missed the matches including the star match of the day at Stamford Bridge in the game against Pep Guardiola’s side, read below some of the things you might have missed.

    Chelsea 0 – 1 Manchester City

    OPTA FACT

    • Kevin De Bruyne has scored nine of his last 11 Man City goals from outside the box, including each of the last four.

    A game which didn’t quite live up to its billing – not helped, of course, by Alvaro Morata limping off in the first-half with a hamstring injury. After a goalless first-half, Manchester City’s control greatly increased and Pep Guardiola’s playmakers began to make deep incisions into a shuffled Chelsea’s defence.

    When Kevin De Bruyne eventually gave the visitors the lead, after a well-timed pass from Gabriel Jesus and scything move, it was a goal they thoroughly deserved. And, ultimately, it was an advantage they protected well: Chelsea mounted a vague response, but all the best chances in the remainder of the game fell to City.

     

    Saturday’s round-up, as Tottenham run over Huddersfield and Manchester United continue to click through the gears.

     

    Huddersfield 0 – 4 Tottenham

    OPTA FACT

    • Harry Kane now has 13 goals for club & country in September 2017; his best ever goal tally in a single month of his career.

    A real lesson. Huddersfield have begun Premier League life well, but this was not David Wagner’s best day: Huddersfield played into Tottenham’s hands, got caught too high up the field three times inside the first half-hour and conceded as many goals in the first half as they had in their previous six games.

    Spurs spent most of the second half well within their comfort zone, but two goals from Harry Kane (who is now just 14 goals short of Teddy Sheringham’s Premier League record for the club) and Ben Davies capped a performance in which they played some of their brightest football of the season. Moussa Sissoko added a fourth from close range in second-half stoppage-time.

    Goals: Kane 10′, 23′, Davies 16′, Sissoko 90′

    Bournemouth 0 – 0 Leicester

    Bournemouth certainly started like a side determined pull out of the relegation zone before the international break. Jermain Defoe had the clearest opportunity, but slammed his shot against the crossbar. Eddie Howe’s team were the better of the two and certainly posed the tougher questions but, oddly for two teams who don’t exactly specialise in clean sheets, this proved a stalemate.

    Goals: *Tumbleweed*

    Manchester United 4 – 0 Crystal Palace

    OPTA FACT

    • This is the first time that Marcus Rashford has assisted two goals in a single game for Man Utd.

    Exactly the start here that Palace didn’t want. Only three minutes had passed when Marcus Rashford knotted up Joel Ward before setting up Juan Mata to open the scoring. Ten minutes before the break, an impressive Manchester United performance was further rewarded by their second, Fellaini scoring after good work from Ashley Young. Fellaini would double his tally just after half-time and Romelu Lukaku scored a late fourth for his seventh goal in as many games.

    Goals: Mata 3′, Fellaini 35′ & 48′, Lukaku 86′

    Stoke 2 – 1 Southampton

    OPTA FACT

    • Saido Berahino is now without a goal in 31 hours & 23 minutes of Premier League football (Stoke & WBA combined).

    Stoke have quietly begun to go off the boil, having not won a Premier League game since beating Arsenal in August and having not led in any game at all since their 4-0 win over Rochdale in the League Cup. Mame Diouf gave them the lead here, heading in Xherdan Shaqiri’s corner on 40 minutes.

    It wasn’t all good news in the first half, though, as there was still time for Saido Berahino to miss a penalty. His wait for a first Stoke goal continues. Fifteen minutes before time, Maya Yoshida acrobatically converted Shane Long’s flick to score only Southampton’s second goal away from home this season. Peter Crouch would have the last word, though, scoring late against his old side to win Mark Hughes three overdue points.

    Goals: Diouf 40′, Crouch 85′- Yoshida 75′

    West Brom 2- 2 Watford

    OPTA FACT

    • Abdoulaye Doucouré has scored 3 goals in his last 7 league games, as many as in his previous 57.

    Despite losing, Tony Pulis would have been greatly encouraged by the improvement he saw in his side last Monday at Arsenal and West Brom initially built on that here, scoring twice in three first-half minutes through Salomon Rondon and Jonny Evans. A first goal of the season for each and the first time since May 2017 that Pulis’s team had scored more than one in a game. Abdoulaye Doucoure pulled one back before the interval and then late, late into second-half injury time, Richarlison headed in Jose Holebas’s free-kick to steal a point.

    GoalsRondon 18′, Evans 21′ – Doucoure 37′, Richarlison 90′

    West Ham 1 – 0 Swansea

    OPTA FACT

    • Swansea have never kept an away clean sheet at West Ham, conceding 75 goals in 32 games in all comps (W2 D7 L23).

    Not a first half that gave anybody great reason for cheer; these really are two sides struggling for confidence. It didn’t really improve in the second period, either, and this game – if anyone chooses to remember it at all – become more notable for Slaven Bilic’s curious substitutions; Javier Hernandez’s withdrawal, in particular, proved unpopular with the home fans.

    Still, West Ham mounted a late siege and, after Andy Carroll had hit the bar minutes earlier, Diafra Sakho (remember him?) finished well to snatch the points. A relief for the home fans, less so the ones who (quite understandably) decided to leave early.

    Goals: Sakho ’90

  • Watford hands Silva two year deal

    Watford hands Silva two year deal

     

    Marco Silva has been appointed as Watford head coach on a two-year deal, the Premier League club have announced.

    The 39-year-old stepped down as Hull City boss following the club’s relegation and has opted to stay in England.

    The former Sporting CP head coach had been linked with the vacant post at Crystal Palace and with Porto back in his native Portugal.

    Watford chairman and CEO Scott Duxbury told the club’s official website: “Marco was one of the most sought-after head coaches in the Premier League.

    “His pedigree and promise speaks for itself with his achievements in top divisions elsewhere across Europe, as well as his work at Hull City last season.

    “We are delighted to have secured his services and to be welcoming a head coach of his profile and potential.

    “It’s an exciting time to be a Watford fan and I’m sure all supporters will join me in offering Marco and his family the warmest of welcomes to Vicarage Road.”

    Watford announced on May 17 that Walter Mazzarri’s deal as head coach would be terminated despite the former Inter boss having secured their Premier League survival in his first season in charge.

    The Hornets finished 2016-17 in 17th place in the table, six points above Hull in 18th.

  • Wenger’s future at Arsenal will be decided after FA Cup final

    Wenger’s future at Arsenal will be decided after FA Cup final

    Arsenal manager, Arsene Wenger, said a decision on his future at the club would be made at a board meeting after their FA Cup final against Chelsea on May 27.

    The Frenchman will be out of contract at the Emirates at the end of the campaign as he prepares for the final Premier League game of the season against Everton.

    He hopes that the club will finish in the top-four for the 21st consecutive season.

    “I don’t know what will happen in the meeting,” Wenger told a news conference on Friday.

    “There are many aspects of a football club which has to be discussed at a board meeting. One of those is what happens with the manager, the players coming in and contract renewals.

    “The most important thing is to win the football game. What happens to me after that is less important,’’ he said.

    When asked whether a decision will be announced shortly after the FA Cup final, he replied, “of course.”

    The North London club is relying on an upset to secure Champions League qualification.

    They are sitting fifth in the standings, one point behind fourth-placed Liverpool and three behind third-placed Manchester City.

    Liverpool host already-relegated Middlesbrough and Manchester City travel to Watford who languish 16th in the standings.

    Arsenal has won their last four league games and Wenger expected his side to focus on their own performance ahead of the final weekend of the season.

  • Ola Aina stars with Chelsea in Watford seven goal thriller

    Super Eagles defender Ola Aina on Monday played the last 15 minutes of Chelsea’s seven goal thriller against Watford which ended 4-3 in favour of the Premier League Champions at the Stamford Bridge.

    The new invitee into the national squad was the substitute for Kenedy at the 75 minutes in the last home game match for Chelsea.

    The defender who has already secured a Nigerian passport ahead of his possible debut next month brought calm to the Chelsea defence that conceded thrice before his introduction.

    There are expected that coach Gernot Rohr may shortlist the England youth international for the the AFCON 2019 Qualifiers match against South Africa.

    The left footed player came close to winning the game for Chelsea but his effort was saved by the Watford shot stopper before Cesc Fabregas popped up with the winning goal for Chelsea two minutes before full time.

    Meanwhile, John Terry was all eyes behold in the game where he moved from hero to zero in the space of 35 seconds. Terry made his 716th Chelsea appearance and likely his penultimate one at Stamford Bridge, scoring his 67th goal.

    The 36-year-old defender will leave Chelsea this summer after 22 years and will also be expected to play on Sunday when he will lift a fifth championship title and 15th major honour.

  • Okaka not ready to play for Nigeria

    Okaka not ready to play for Nigeria

     

    Watford forward Stefan Okaka, says contrary to insinuations in some quarters, he is not thinking of dumping Italy for Nigeria.

    The 27-year-old was born in the Italian city of Castiglione de Lago to Nigerian parents, who later obtained the Italian citizenship.

    Okaka has four caps for Italy’s senior national team, the Azzurri, but all four appearances were made in friendly games which makes him eligible for Nigeria’s Super Eagles.

    The strongly built striker has established himself in the English side Watford’s starting line-up and he’s now eyeing a place in the Italian squad according to his brother and agent Charles Okaka.

    “Yet there have been no recent contact with (Gian Piero) Ventura but it’s obvious that the National Team is among the next targets, ”Okaka told Tuttomercatoweb.com.

    “Stefano knows that if one works in the right way, with determination, things come by themselves.”

    Three years ago, Okaka, who is a former Italy youth international, indicated that he was interested in representing Nigeria, but he was included in the Italy squad by back then coach Antonio Conte.

    He made his Azzurri debut against Albania on 18 November 2014 replacing Sebastian Giovinco in the second-half. The last time he played for Italy was against Germany on March 29, 2016.

  • Ighalo hints of Premiership return

    Ighalo hints of Premiership return

     

     

     

     

     

    Less than one month after moving to the Chinese Super League, Nigeria intentional and former Watford stiker Odion Ighalo has hinted he will he could return to the Premier league in the future

    Ighalo, 27, sealed a £20 million switch to the Chinese Super League on deadline day despite interest from other Premier League sides.

    “I am looking forward to the challenge of playing in China,” Ighalo said. “I know life goes on and I must do what is best for me. My agent, Ladi [Salami], worked hard of sorting my future out and I happy with the deal.

    “Of course, if it is possible to come back to the Premier League one day, I would love to do that. It is a great league with so many great teams and the fans are brilliant, so you never know what might happen in the future.”

    Ighalo joined Watford in 2014 after an initial loan spell and scored 39 goals in 100 appearances, finishing 2015 as the year’s top scorer across the top four divisions.

    “I have a lot of happy memories from time at Watford, helping them win promotion to the Premier League, scoring goals in the Premier League breaking a lot of records, so they are great memories for me,” he said.

    “The fans were great to me and I would like to thank them for their support, and I will miss Watford.”

    The former Udinese ace dismissed suggestions that his move to China was for the love of money, insisting that it was the desire to play more regularly.

    “I need to play more and I want to play every game and that was not happening at Watford this season,” he said.

    “Don’t get me wrong, the money is good in China, but I am going there to play. I have been in Europe now for 10 years and I think playing in China will be a good challenge for me so it was time to go.

    “I turned down bigger money last year to go to China, so it is not just about the money. I want to play and make a big effort to be successful.”

  • WBA hold talks with Watford over Ighalo

    WBA hold talks with Watford over Ighalo

    English Premier League (EPL) side, West Bromwich Albion, is reportedly in talks with fellow English topflight side, Watford, to sign Super Eagles striker, Odion Ighalo.

    The striker has been heavily linked with a move to China already this transfer window, with similar speculation surrounding him last summer, Owngoalnigeria.com reports.

    A move to the Black Country would be much closer to home and reports said the deal could be as much as £17m.

    Ighalo has been at Vicarage Road for two and a half years since joining from Udinese, scoring 33 times in 91 appearances.

     

  • Ighalo fires blank as  Watford edge Hull City

    Ighalo fires blank as Watford edge Hull City

    DESPITE playing all 90 minutes, Super Eagles winger, Odion Ighalo couldn’t find the back of the net as Watford managed a 1-0 win over Hull City at the Vicarage Road Stadium in Saturday’s Premier League match.

    Ighalo was expected to hit the goal scoring headlines after a poor run of form in the early part of the season, however, he couldn’t find his way through the tough tackling Hull City defenders.

    An own goal from Michael Dawson in the 83rd minute was enough to separate the two teams and give Watford coach, Walter Mazzarri something to smile about.

    In all, Ighalo has managed to score just one goal this season. He’ll be desperate to score more in their future matches if he’s to maintain his place in the starting line-up.