WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2016 SPORTS McCarthy pulls out of Irish World Cup qualifier DUBLIN: Ireland midfielder James game time in two 2018 World Cup quali- fiers. However, on Monday the Football squad, while some players will be who scored the equaliser in the 2-2 draw McCarthy withdrew from the squad for fiers last month as he had just returned Association of Ireland (FAI) issued a assessed by the FAI medical staff,” read in their opening qualifier against Serbia, Saturday’s 2018 World Cup qualifier with from a groin operation. statement saying he would not feature the statement. is also a non starter. Austria ending a fiery debate between O’Neill said the Dutchman’s claim was and had been joined on the sidelines by Experienced defender John O’Shea is Ireland-whom O’Neill guided to the national coach Martin O’Neill and his rubbish and accused him of ‘bleating’ three other players. one of the players being assessed and last 16 of Euro 2016 — are presently lev- Everton manager Ronald Koeman over even though McCarthy-who has over 40 “Injury has ruled out Cyrus Christie, O’Neill will hope he is fit as he has been el on seven points with table-topping his fitness. Koeman blamed O’Neill for caps to his name-has only played just Stephen Ward, James McCarthy and hit prior to Monday by the loss of lead- Serbia as the Irish bid to reach their first giving 25-year-old McCarthy too much over an hour for Everton since the quali- Stephen Quinn from the provisional ing striker Shane Long. Daryl Murphy, World Cup finals since 2002. —AFP Europe no burden for Arsenal, says Wenger LONDON: Arsenal manager Arsene setting his team out with a back three. Wenger does not believe the teams free of Arsenal winger Theo Walcott said the Champions League commitment have an hosts had been surprised by the move, but advantage in the Premier League despite Wenger insisted his players had been pre- both Liverpool and Chelsea outstripping pared for the eventuality. his side. Chelsea’s recent fine form was sparked Liverpool are top after crushing Watford by a second-half switch to a 3-4-3 system 6-1, with Chelsea a point back in second during their 3 POCHETTINO ALL SMILES-0 following a scintillating 5-0 win over defeat at Arsenal in late September, but Everton, and neither side must contend Pochettino said he had not taken their with European distractions. approach as inspiration. Arsenal sit a point further back in fourth “Because Chelsea won 5-0 yesterday place following Sunday’s 1-1 draw with (Saturday), they didn’t discover the system,” Tottenham Hotspur, which followed a 3-2 he said. win away to Bulgarian side Ludogorets “It’s a good system to use depending on Razgrad in the Champions League. the players. But we don’t play like Chelsea. “It’s a bit easier to prepare for games We play with two strikers and Christian because you do not have the intensity of a (Eriksen) behind.” Champions League game, but if you asked Dembele was Spurs’ stand-out player them (Liverpool and Chelsea), both would and hauled them back into the game by like to play in there,” Wenger said. winning the penalty after driving into the “So you cannot complain about that. Arsenal box from deep in characteristic There’s a little physical advantage, for sure, fashion.Pochettino described the Belgium especially after the European weeks, but international as “a genius”. we have to live with that. While Spurs have now gone seven “It’s not an excuse. Even if they’re in games without a win in all competitions, Jose Mourinho front, it’s a small difference after 11 games. they have avoided defeat in their first 11 It’s very tight.” While Wenger did not feel league games for the first time since the Arsenal’s European exertions had weighed Double season of 1960-61. too heavily on his players, he was at a loss Spurs have lost Dele Alli to what Mourinho already showing to explain the drop in their level of intensi- Pochettino termed a “minor” knee injury ty against Tottenham. and he conceded he will need to juggle his After a strong start by Spurs, Arsenal resources skilfully if his team are to repeat signs of strain at United took the upper hand and went ahead in last season’s title challenge. the 42nd minute when Kevin Wimmer “All teams have good and bad moments headed Mesut Ozil’s free-kick into his own during the season,” said the Argentine, net. But Harry Kane equalised with a penal- whose side remained fifth in the table. MANCHESTER: Jose Mourinho has picked the media world who have been critical of his ing echo of the final days of his most recent ty early in the second half after Laurent “If you have bad moments, like we suf- fights throughout his trophy-laden coaching lineup selections and his team’s displays. job. His second stint at Chelsea ended sourly in Koscielny impeded Mousa Dembele, in fered last month, and you are still unbeat- career, typically against soccer authorities, He even said in an interview with British December 2015, when he was fired days after what Wenger felt was a “harsh” decision, en, all I can do is smile. Because I’m happy. match officials, the media and opposing man- broadcaster Sky Sports last month that his liv- saying his players had “betrayed” his work by and Arsenal could not find a second wind. “When you compete in the Champions agers. ing situation - he currently is staying in a defending so poorly in a 2-1 loss at Leicester. “Did we get a little mental blow when League and the Premier League, which for Now, he’s increasingly taking on his own Manchester hotel - “is a bit of a disaster.” Chelsea said there had been a “palpable dis- they equalised? I don’t know,” Wenger said. me are the toughest competitions in the players. The joyless, turbulent opening It’s the personal attacks so early his United cord between manager and players.” It could “But overall when we were questioned in world, you need all the squad fit. months of his tenure at Manchester United tenure that stick out, though, and it’s a worry- be heading the same way at United. — AP the final 30 minutes, we had no physical “We have suffered some issues and have been pock-marked with public outbursts answer good enough to win the game. I maybe we cannot rotate in the way we against the team in general but also against cannot question the spirit, but we looked a want to give freshness and put the players specific individuals. bit flat.” in their best condition, so we have to use England defender Luke Shaw has taken the As well as welcoming Kane back from a the same players. brunt of it. Six weeks ago, Mourinho was Ranieri backs Okazaki seven-week lay-off, Spurs manager “But I’m very happy with the way we fin- openly critical of Shaw’s defensive work in Mauricio Pochettino sprang a surprise by ished now. The feeling is fantastic.” — AFP United’s 3-1 loss to Watford in the Premier League. On Sunday, Shaw was one of two over Vardy at Leicester players - the other being Chris Smalling - criti- BRIEFS cized by Mourinho for failing to play through LEICESTER: Leicester manager Claudio Copenhagen. the pain for a league game against Swansea. Ranieri admits that Japanese international “But we knew it would be a tough match “There is a difference,” Mourinho said, striker Shinji Okazaki is his preferred option for against West Bromwich. It was the same last Coleman haunted by Serbia defeat player was defiant when he refused to “between the brave, who want to be there at CARDIFF: Wales manager Chris Coleman take the breathalyser on September 26, Premier League outings rather than England season in the 2-2 draw. “The first half was not any cost, and the ones for whom a little pain star Jamie Vardy. good. We tried to have a plan but it was diffi- is still rankled by the 2012 memory of telling the two police officers who can make a difference.” Usually, the their 6-1 drubbing at the hands of Serbia stopped him that the president of Las Vardy was left on the bench for the second cult to do this. The second half was much bet- Portuguese coach makes such comments after successive Premier League fixture on Sunday ter but we lost the match. as his team prepare to clash with the Palmas “will fix everything”, according to a loss or poor performance, using them as a same opponents in Saturday’s World Cup the court. Araujo’s lawyer, Lino Chaparro, as the champions were beaten 2-1 by West He added: “Danny has said nothing. Every kind of diversionary tactic in classic Mourinho Brom. Okazaki partnered Islam Slimani who player can make mistake. What can you say to qualifier in Cardiff. Euro 2016 semi-final- said he would study the court ruling. He style. Except on this occasion, United had just ists Wales have five points in Group D and had said in the past that he would appeal scored Leicester’s only goal after James him? “He is one of our best players. It is no won 3-1, meaning the remarks in some Morrison had given West Brom the lead. problem. He will overcome that, of course.” For trail both Serbia and Ireland, who have the ruling if Araujo was sentenced.