WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2014 SPORTS Spurs vs City - surely not another 6-0?

By Ahmad Al-Othman Some would argue that a 7-point differ- Cardiff City, Swansea and West but a resurgent Tottenham side. Arsenal earlier this month could be a ence isn’t that huge of a margin, but it’s Bromwich Albion by conceding two Spurs on the other hand have been blessing in disguise in their quest for 4th KUWAIT: Fasten your seatbelts, sit back fair to say that it is a clear indication of goals, but it was the forward line in the below par until the sacking of current place or even 3rd if the opportunity and enjoy - you are about to witness one how powerful and enjoyable this league shape of Sergio Aguero, Edin Dzeko and beIN Sports pundit, Portuguese Ander beckons. Tottenham’s faithful fans have hell of a game! At 10:45 pm local Kuwait has been for the past 6 months. Alvaro Negredo that prevented them Villas Boas. Since the shocking appoint- been bewildered by their away form, time, is primed to host Manchester City’s lethal attack looks from being second best. ment of rookie Tim Sherwood until the which until yesterday was joint top with one of the classics of the current cam- unplayable at this moment of time, Quite strangely, they bagged 17 end of the season, the North Londoners the Gunners, but they surely would be paign, filled with entertaining attacking astonishingly netting more than 100 points on the road out of a possible 33, have won 16 points out of a possible 18, demanding the same consistent form on football and endless chances. Both goals in all competitions until this period but it was their all-win home streak that including a famous win at Old Trafford. It home soil and today’s match is no teams are in red hot form and looking of the season. Unbeaten in 19 games, aided their fortunes. It took them 4 is crystal clear that the signing of exception. Whether the lack of signings unbeatable at the moment - Manchester with the most recent defeat coming in matches to record their first away win in Sherwood restored belief in their side, during the current City fighting for the title and Tottenham November at Sunderland’s Stadium of the league against a much troubled especially when looking at the form of would come to haunt them back is yet to for the most wanted 4th place that guar- Light, today’s battle could end this terrif- West Ham side, but it evidently seems the once forgotten Emmanuel Adebayor be seen but one thing is certain - antees a Champions League qualifying ic run which included clashes against that Manuel Pellegrini put his finger on and Danish Christian Eriksen, who has tonight’s encounter won’t be a 6-0 spot. The Citizens, with 50 points, sit sec- Bayern Munich and Arsenal. Arguably, the wound and rectified the defensive been hitting top form since the manag- whitewash or anything of that sort, but ond in the Barclays table their defense looked leaky at times lapses. One thing is for sure - today’s er’s replacement. end-to-end attacking football with pas- while Spurs are fifth with 43 points. against mediocre sides such as Watford, opponents are not Watford or West Ham, The FA Cup exit to derby rivals sion, desire and redemption. Self-belief inspires Lampard

LONDON: believes Following the derby showdown there is a growing self-belief with- with relegation-threatened West in the Chelsea squad ahead of Ham, Chelsea will test their title their derby against his for- credentials with the trip to mer club West Ham in the Premier Manchester City, presently second, League at Stamford Bridge today. on Monday. Chelsea lie third in the division, Chelsea will have to deal quick- currently two points behind lead- ly with life after Juan Mata, who ers Arsenal, who could increase joined Manchester United in a their advantage if they win away £37.1 million ($61.2m, 44.8 million to Southampton late yesterday. euros) deal last weekend-a club But the Blues’ seventh consecu- record signing for faltering cham- tive victory in all competitions-a 1- pions United. But while Lampard 0 victory against Stoke last week- was full of praise for his former end in the fourth round of the FA team-mate, the England interna- Cup thanks to Oscar’s match-win- tional said Chelsea had the quality ner-has enhanced the ever- to cope without the Spaniard. increasing confidence at Stamford “Juan Mata’s an absolutely fan- Bridge. tastic player and, more than that, And Lampard, who skippered he’s a great lad, so I wish him all the team against the Potters, the best personally,” Lampard said. insists his team-mates, who have “The difficult thing here is that not lost at home under Jose there are so many brilliant players. Mourinho in a remarkable 72 fix- “Oscar’s been fantastic this season, tures, are developing the mentali- as has Hazard. Willian’s shown it as ty required to win silverware come well and we’ve got so many riches the end of the season. in that position, but you need per- “There’s a good feeling around formances like the one we got the place,” said Chelsea from Oscar and his free-kick was Lampard. “With the manager com- top drawer.” ing back it probably took a while Chelsea have scored 43 goals in for him to get his points across the Premier League but the but, in the last couple of months Hammers are averaging one goal a we’ve found that mentality and game from their 22 matches so far feeling in the dressing room where this term. we’re going out there with more “We need somebody in that confidence. “We have to keep that box to be productive and to start up because the minute you drop scoring goals, someone who only that the results will turn, so we needs one or two chances,” said Chelsea’s newly-signed player Nemanja Matic need to keep at it and carry on this West Ham manager Sam Allardyce. form. “At the moment we are needing everyone at West Ham-the fact not losing games is critical for us “As a team, we were all at it six or seven. “You have got to try that these players are coming back now, then hopefully we will start against Stoke and we were disap- and see light at the end of the tun- and that new players have signed producing more goals and victo- pointed not to be two or three up nel and stay positive. on. ries. at half-time because we would “The re-introduction of Andy “There are some big games “We are top of the league in have cruised it. But at 1-0, you Carroll and with the (signing) of coming up and if we start to get terms of quality crosses which sug- have to keep on your guard all the Marco (Borriello) now, it should on a bit of a roll, which is an unde- gests our finishing has been our way.” bring a bit more optimism to feated run to begin with because Achilles heel this season.” —AFP

Bayern Munich’s defender Philipp Lahm Crisis club Marseille out to stop the rot

MARSEILLE: French giants Marseille will aim to No place for egos in stop the recent rot when they host struggling Valenciennes in a Ligue 1 match initially post- poned earlier this month. Bayern’s title march Having sparred earlier in the season with top two Paris Saint-Germain and Monaco, Marseille have now slumped to ninth in the table follow- BERLIN: Captain Philipp Lahm has said 28 points that separate Bayern Munich ing a dismal run of form that also saw them there is no room for egos in Bayern and Stuttgart. With five defeats in their bundled out of both the French Cup and Munich’s squad as they bid to go 13 last seven games, Stuttgart are looking League Cup competitions over the last two points clear in the Bundesliga at to bounce back from consecutive defeats weeks. Stuttgart today. and try and sew some doubt in the They have only one win in their last six ’s Bayern take on strug- Bayern players minds over the ultimate league matches and three defeats in a row in all glers VfB Stuttgart in a re-arranged destination of the title. competitions. What’s more, their notoriously league fixture looking to extend their However, Bayern’s three main rivals fiery fans turned viciously against them last record unbeaten run to 43 matches. need all the help they can get from other week with one hardline ultra group blasting the Guardiola clamped down on any com- teams, as they hardly helped their cause players as “sub-human” in an internet posting placency by dropping top-scorer Mario in collectively picking up a combined that was later taken down. Mandzukic for Friday’s 2-0 win at total of just one league point over the Not only are matters on the pitch and in the Borussia Moenchengladbach for poor weekend. Guardiola’s side by contrast is stands causing concern but rumours are rife performances in training. showing no sign of dropping points. that the dressing room is far from a harmonious Lahm has said Bayern’s star-studded They are on course to break their own place. Jose Anigo’s team, the 1993 European squad can expect a few more tough-luck record last season for the earliest title champions, currently sit nine points off the stories to come in the following weeks in win when they were confirmed champi- Champions League qualifying positions, their quest for a 24th league title. ons in April with six games to spare. although they do have a game in hand. “We have an enormous squad and “This is a huge opportunity to Their one saving grace today is that they will when everyone is fit, there will be more extend our lead,” said Lahm. “Then it be entertaining a team in dire straits having Marseille’s French coach Jose Anigo recently dropped into the relegation zone. hard-luck cases for those not involved,” would be hard to catch us. We wouldn’t With home matches against Toulouse and three times!” As for Valenciennes, their coach competitions, will there be a revolt? “We don’t said Lahm. “I don’t judge the other play- be against winning the championship Bastia next up, a victory is a must if the nine- Ariel Jacobs is wary of a potential backlash from know. Do they have pressure and doubts? We ers. “The coach chooses the team, we title early.” —AFP time champions are to start to turn their the angered home side. “I don’t like to speculate don’t know that either. “We can’t rely on that, have to accept that and stand behind his increasingly miserable season around. on the level of morale at our opponents,” he we have to be ready physically and mentally; decision.” Even so, Anigo is far from confident, saying: said. “Marseille are coming off three matches Marseille’s quality will ensure this is a tough One of the stars who will definitely “Winning twice in a row at home is not easy, so without a win, being eliminated from two cup match.” —AFP not feature at 12th-placed Stuttgart is Matches on TV Germany midfielder Bastian (Local Timings) Schweinsteiger who has an inflamed knee ligament. Spain Copa del Rey Asian Cup expansion sparks debate The 29-year-old had surgery for an Bilbao v Atletico 22:00 ankle injury late last year, but aggravated beIN SPORTS 8 PHILIPPINES: A proposal to expand the Asian of around three billion. “We and other teams in Asia are catching up a knee ligament in the winter training beIN SPORTS HD 8 Cup to 24 teams has sparked a debate among “In the end, all will benefit in terms of tour- with the traditional powers such as Japan, camp in Doha. FC Barcelona v Levante 0:00 the region’s football bodies, with commercial nament profile and exposure and it will also Korea and Iran,” said Nonong. “These teams Bayern insist there is no risk of beIN SPORTS 2 and developmental considerations on one provide significant commercial benefits that need the chance to show what they can do Schweinsteiger missing June’s World Cup beIN SPORTS 2 HD side, and on the other a fear that it will dilute will help Asia as a whole,” said Philippines and a bigger Asian Cup would be a great in Brazil, but Guardiola wants his midfield the quality of the competition. Football Federation president Mariano Nonong chance to do so.” general back as soon as possible. Italian Cup The Asian Football Confederation’s Araneta. For the smaller nations, a short-term drop in “This is a problem for us and for him. SSC Napoli v SS Lazio 22:45 Competitions Committee recommended on The more powerful nations of Asia are con- standard is a price worth paying. Guam has We need him and so does the national beIN SPORTS 3 the weekend that the quadrennial tournament cerned it will damage their teams’ develop- been one of the fastest-improving teams in team. I hope he will be back as soon as beIN SPORTS - 3 HD be expanded from 16 to 24 teams. ment to play against minnow nations, and Asia in recent years. The tiny Pacific island Advocates say it will increase the likelihood harm the Asian Cup’s image as an elite compe- nation has climbed from 201st in FIFA rankings possible,” said Guardiola. English Premier League Having last lost in the Bundesliga in that big commercial markets like China, India tition. “The standards at the Asian Cup have in 2004 to its present standing of 162 and with- Chelsea FC v West Ham 22:45 and Southeast Asian nations would be improved in recent times and if Asian teams in sight of the continent’s top-ranked 24 October 2012, it would be a major shock beIN SPORTS 7 if Bayern stumble in Stuttgart. Stuttgart beIN SPORTS 7 HD involved in the tournament, while also fast- are to compete at the world level then it is teams.. coach Thomas Schneider insists “it’s a Aston Villa v West Bromwich 22:45 tracking the development of smaller nations important for everyone that it continues to Gary White, the national team’s English bonus game”, while captain Christian beIN SPORTS 5 by exposing them to higher-quality oppo- improve,” said Park Yong-soo, the head of the coach, has been at the helm for two years and Gentner sees it as “probably our easiest beIN SPORTS 5 HD nents. Korea Football Association’s International believes that competing in the Asian Cup match”, so low are the expectations on Sunderland v Stoke City FC 22:45 If China loses in February to Iraq in the final Deparment. would help the national team go to the next the hosts. beIN SPORTS 6 round of qualification for the 2015 Asian Cup, “Having more teams is likely to reduce the level. “Perhaps it’s better if we don’t look at beIN SPORTS 6 HD and with India already eliminated, then the overall quality. While we recognize that we “Expansion would be a positive move from the table at the moment and concen- Tottenham v Manchester City 2:45 Australia-hosted tournament would be with- have a duty to help the smaller nations devel- our standpoint as we are extremely aggressive trate on the game,” said attacking mid- beIN SPORTS 1 out representation from the two most popu- op, we need more time to discuss the issue.” in regards to being competitive,” White said. fielder Alexandru Maxim referring to the beIN SPORTS 1 HD lous countries in the world and probably According to the Philippines chief, the drop in “We believe we would claim one of the extra Southeast Asia too - with a shared population quality will not be as severe as some may fear. spots into future tournaments.” —AP