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By Chris Davie18
Aug 19, 2013 8:02:00 AM
The 63-year-old highlights the importance of his side's result against Fenerbahce on Wednesday but is confident that his players will bounce back after losing to Aston Villa
Arsene Wenger warns that negativity could spread quickly in Arsenal's squad following their season-opening defeat against Aston Villa.
Despite taking the lead through Olivier Giroud, Wenger's men slumped to a 3-1 loss following Christian Benteke's double and Antonio Luna's strike.
Arsenal were booed off at the final whistle but the 63-year-old believes that his side's campaign will be built on the result of their Champions League play-off tie against Fenerbahce on Wednesday.
"There's always a lot of dangers in a team as it's a human activity multiplied by 25. That means negativity can arrive quickly and spread quickly," Wenger told reporters.
"But it's the first game of the season and we want to bounce back. I believe our season will depend on how we respond to this defeat.
"What is important is to rebuild the confidence of the team before Wednesday night. That's a massive game for us but we'll bounce back because the spirit is good. We are short but we can only play with the players we have.
"Even if you go on the Eiffel Tower and you throw the money away, you have to play with the players you have."
The Chelsea manager says any further bids will be made in an official way and insists he will not contact the 27-year-old forward
Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has reiterated his side will continue their efforts to sign Wayne Rooney but insists their transfer conduct regarding the Manchester United striker will remain "ethical".
The London club have seen two bids for the 27-year-old turned down, despite the striker's desire to move to Stamford Bridge this summer.
When asked whether Chelsea are still pursuing Rooney, Mourinho told reporters: "We will try until the last day to add a new player to the squad, a striker.
"But in this moment every striker has a club, every striker belongs to somebody and I don't think it's ethical that I name players that belong to other clubs.
"If we have to make the bid we make it in an official way. We don't speak to players, we speak to clubs.
"We don't try like many clubs do go around and try to influence players to behave in a certain way we go direct to the club in the correct manner and we are going to try that until the last day of the transfer window."
Chelsea got their second era under Mourinho off to a winning start following a 2-0 victory over Hull City Tigers. Oscar and Frank Lampard struck the goals in the first half to secure the three points, and the Portuguese was buoyed by the reaction from the fans at Stamford Bridge.
"The reception was amazing. I was expecting that because I played here with Inter as an opponent and it was fantastic so I could imagine that coming to Chelsea would be like that," Mourinho said.
"When the game started I focused on the game and from now on I think they have to support the team, support the players, bring the players' songs back and support them because I know they like me a lot and they know that I give everything for the club.
"So let's support the team and we need that every game, especially Wednesday because we have a difficult opponent [Aston Villa]."
Arsenal fans' group writes to Gazidis detailing 'deep concern' over state of club
By George Ankers87
Aug 18, 2013 12:39:00 PM
The Black Scarf Movement issues the Gunners' chief executive with a damning open letter after perceived transfer failures saw the north Londoners beaten by Aston Villa on Saturday
A group of disgruntled Arsenal fans have written an open letter to chief executive Ivan Gazidis, expressing their "deep concern" with the state of the club.
The Gunners' 3-1 defeat to Aston Villa on the opening day of the Premier League season prompted the move, with a failure to act in the transfer market chief among the worries held by the Black Scarf Movement.
The open letter in full:
Dear Ivan,
We write to you as Arsenal's largest and fastest-rowing supporters' group, to convey our deep concern at the current state of our team going into the new season.
In early June, around season ticket renewal time, you were widely quoted following your Q&A event where you spoke about the club's new financial firepower and ambition moving forward. Many fans saw this as the club finally about to break free from the shackles of moving stadium; new commercial deals were coming into place, we had a vast amount of cash available in the bank, profit from the Queensland Road property project was secured, the vast increase in TV revenue was about to land on our doorstep, and after treading water since moving from Highbury it seemed as if we were finally going to push on.
What has happened since then is nothing short of a disgrace.
There have been noises coming out of the club over the summer that the market was slow, that other clubs weren't doing much, and that things take time if you're after top-quality players. We feel all of these were poor excuses, designed to deflect focus away from our shortcomings.
The only positive of the summer has been the release of many players who were generally considered 'dead wood' – and naturally this frees up more cash for investment in the team. But with the departure of these players, virtually no movement has come in the opposite direction and we're now left with a squad severely lacking in depth and experience. Indeed, the squad registered for the Champions League in the last week had to be padded out with kids.
As a group we have been concerned for some time that the Board running our club has lost sight of the raison d'etre - i.e. we are Arsenal Football Club; not a business purely focused on posting profits year after year.
You will have seen the results of our end-of-season survey, which came out in favour of Arsene Wenger but with 70 per cent stating that he has too much control over transfer negotiations and setting of wage levels at the club. The same survey revealed that 87% of fans feel the current board of Arsenal is out of touch with the feeling among fans and that 73% feel less valued by the club since we moved stadium.
It is our view as a group that the board of Arsenal is too relaxed about the competitiveness of our team, and that as long as a top-four place is secured, it is a case of 'job done'. This should never be the case but, despite hearing you say you're not happy every time we end a season with nothing to really cheer about, nothing changes.
So in June following your statement of intent, fans were rightly hopeful but what has happened since then? Yet again we've spent the summer dithering while others around us have strengthened, and once more we start the season playing catch-up. With five competitive matches due before the transfer window closes, there is every chance that our season could be dealt a hammer blow before we've had a chance to take stock, and this weekend's defeat at home to Aston Villa should act as a huge wake-up call.
We are now in a situation where we're faced with a carbon copy of 2011, where it took an 8-2 humiliation at Manchester United to force a 'trolley dash' on the final day of the transfer window. Of course by then it was too late. For Arsenal to be in that situation once is unacceptable; for it to happen twice in three years will be unforgivable.
It is imperative that the board of Arsenal does its job and manages the Manager – an employee of the club you are supposed to be running. What are Arsene Wenger's targets / KPIs set by the Board every year? Is the he not even answerable to the board, with free rein to do as he pleases as long as he helps the business achieve a profit? Is he having to do all the running himself when it comes to transfers or if support is there, is he taking it? Clarity is required here because something clearly isn't right at the club when it comes to the acquisition of new players.
You put all the focus on the Arsene Wenger yourself at that Q&A session in June, but to fans there is little evidence of questions being asked of him; this despite approaching the end of the transfer window with no sign of needed, established quality coming in. Does the board feel that it's been a good summer? Because we've now lost our opening game of the season, our squad is already blitzed by injury, once more today there were fans coming to blows in the stands. As a board member, does this even bother you?
Of course if we used the funds we do have available, brought in top-quality players and competed for prizes, in would come better commercial deals, you wouldn't have as much trouble trying to get corporate punters back into the stadium, and naturally the more successful we are it becomes easier to attract better players. Or is the board too short-sighted to realise this?
A competitive team isn't one which scrapes the position of fourth-best team in the league on the final day of the season and gets dumped out of domestic cup competitions by lower-league opposition; you need to realise that most fans are aware of this fact. They're not duped by finishing in a position which may result in us playing in the Champions League. So what, if the cash from that competition is simply banked and never sees the light of day?
It should be noted that as long term fans of The Arsenal we've seen plenty of lean times and poor teams over the years. Silverware isn't the be-all and end-all; we follow this club out of pure love and will always do so. However, loyal matchgoing fans continue to walk away from the Emirates Stadium, unwilling to part with their hard-earned cash when they feel let down and lied to by our board. We pay the highest ticket prices in football after being sold a dream, but it's always a case of 'jam tomorrow' and many have seen through the spin.
Enough is enough.
If the board is actually intent on making Arsenal a successful force in football once again, changes have to be made. Arsene Wenger should have experienced, qualified support to help bring in top-quality players, and he needs to be managed effectively if the right business isn't being done.
Or if the board is simply intent on milking the Arsenal brand for all its worth to the detriment of the team (but to the benefit of our bank account), season-ticket prices at Emirates Stadium should be reduced accordingly. Our loyal fans should no longer have to bear the burden after doing so for many years.
Make no mistake, if there is not significant improvement in our playing squad over the next couple of weeks, the rapidly growing anger in the stands will become difficult to overturn. There hasn't been a poisonous atmosphere like this at Arsenal for over 30 years and the board has simply stood by, while things have gone from bad to worse. I am sure you appreciate, this can no longer happen.
We look forward to your response in due course.
Yours faithfully,
Where Has Our Arsenal Gone (the Black Scarf Movement)
Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew using non-league tricks on Premier League players
John Mackie, his name was. “Centre-half,” Alan Pardew recalls with a glint of recognition in his eye, the years rolling away in his mind. “Good player. Tough. Did well for me at Reading. Stayed in the pro game for a little while. Not sure where he is now.”
Big ambition: Alan Pardew is hoping his Newcastle squad is more settled this season Photo: ACTION IMAGES
By Jonathan Liew
6:30AM BST 19 Aug 2013
A free transfer from Sutton United in 1999, Mackie was the first player Pardew signed as a manager. In those days, Pardew admits, transfer deals were done over “a bag of balls and a grand here and there”. Now, he sells players for £35 million.
The arrival of Joe Kinnear as director of football has been poorly received by Newcastle fans and poses a direct threat to Pardew’s own authority.
The modern transfer is a kitchen-sink drama with an ensemble cast, thick with smouldering intrigue and layers of plot.
“Layers is a good word to use,” he says. “Not only do you usually have an egotistic owner at one end and an egotistic owner at the other, but sometimes a technical director, and then a manager. An agent; sometimes two. Then the family get involved. All these people have to be satisfied in one form or another. It can get very, very messy.”
In the circumstances, Newcastle’s strike rate in the transfer market appears rather commendable. “We have to think out of the box a little,” Pardew says. “We have to look at people who haven’t quite arrived, like Moussa Sissoko, Yohan Cabaye, or Cheick Tioté. They’re a bit more difficult to find, and [chief scout] Graham Carr has done a great job.
“He’ll throw two or three players at me, and I’ll nail it down to one, maybe two. Then, where we used to pass it on to Derek Llambias, now we pass it on to Joe Kinnear, and he tries to find a financial deal. If we can’t do the deal, then we have to look again at our third choice. I’m not going to tell you which were which, but some players we’ve bought have been first pick, and some have been third. And a couple of the thirds were more successful than a couple of the firsts.”
It has been a quiet transfer window for Newcastle, with loan signing Loïc Rémy the only arrival so far.
“I think our squad is more than deep enough,” Pardew says. “We brought some guys in during the last window to address that. What does Rémy bring? Instantaneous – goal. A goal from nothing. We need that element of surprise.”
Rémy is the 11th Frenchman in the Newcastle squad. Striker Bafétimbi Gomis – whose move from Lyon is, contrary to reports, still on – would be the 12th.
“It’s word of mouth,” Pardew says with pride. “We’ve got that reputation in France for looking after players. Off the pitch as well. We’ve got a good game plan in terms of looking after where they live, and are proactive in making sure they take their English lessons.”
In the age of the sporting director and the specialist coach, a far larger proportion of a manager’s job consists of just that: managing. Creating the right blend within a squad is an underrated skill in the modern game with its polyglot dressing rooms. And it is here that Pardew’s m&d-flecked background – the jobbing non-League amateur made good – is most useful.
He was 26 before he turned professional. Until then, his career was a sideline wrapped tautly around his day job as a glazier; a montage of unheated non-League grounds and lumpy training pitches like the one at Raynes Park FC, where we are speaking.
Pardew is an ambassador for Budweiser Club Futures, who made a £50,000 grant to Raynes Park last season. The money has paid for a renovation of the clubhouse, a new roof, a new mower, and much else. For Pardew, born just up the road in Wimbledon, returning has been something of a labour of love.
“I played here three or four times,” he remembers. “I understand how important the local team is to the community, and how difficult it is with finance. These grants are absolutely essential for clubs like this.
“Coaxing people to come and train on a Thursday night after work is a skill, and I like to think I’ve taken a few of those skills into the leadership that I do. One of the biggest pieces of advice I got from Sir Bobby Robson was that you need to get the atmosphere right in the dressing room.”
To his South London street-smarts, Pardew has added a voracious appetite for the science and psychology of football, and a willingness to embrace the unconventional.
“I read Freakonomics this summer,” he says, referring to the 2005 pop-economics book. “The authors give an example of an Israeli kindergarten where the ladies kept picking up their children late. They imposed a fine of £20 an hour, or something, which was far too small. So now they were turning up five hours late, because the penalty didn’t outweigh the problem.
“I love things like that, because some of the finance in football has thrown the fine system completely out of the window. So you’ve got to find other ways to bring discipline. Things like that made me think about getting players to buy into the system, buy into the cause, rather than a petty fine.”
So what does he make of the blend in the Newcastle dressing room? “Last year, we were a young side,” he says. “We probably needed a bit more experience in the team, so that’s something we’ve looked at this year. Making sure that some players take on a few more leadership qualities. Cabaye, for example, I’m looking for a bit more leadership from him. I’m looking for Tim Krul to be a leader for the team.
“The bottom line,” he explains with an air of the grey-haired philosopher about him – the Wimbledon Wittgenstein, the Merton Malthus – “is that all football teams are made up of very similar characters, whatever level you’re at. You’ve got your miserable one, the one who’s out of the team. You’ve got your funny one, your clever one, your skilful one. And you have to blend it all together. That’s the same at non-league as it is at the highest level.”
Abramovich breaks his silence with message to Chelsea fans in programme heralding a decade of Roman rule
By RIK SHARMA PUBLISHED: 11:01 GMT, 18 August 2013 | UPDATED: 06:17 GMT, 19 August 2013
Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich, who rarely ever speaks publicly or to the press, has broken his silence to thank Chelsea fans for a decade of support under his rule.The Russian billionaire, who took over in July 2003, wrote a message in the matchday programme for the home game against Hull.It read: 'We have had a great decade together and the club could not have achieved it all without you. Thanks for your support, here's to many more years of success.'
Happy times: Roman Abramovich lifted the Champions League with Chelsea in 2012
A decade of success: Abramovich has helped create a side that has become used to winning silverware
Since Abramovich arrived, the club have enjoyed triumphs that they had never known before. As well as three Premier League titles, Chelsea have won the Champions League, Europa League, four FA Cups and two League Cups. In that time he has spent £713m on 72 players.
Kop talks for Willian as Liverpool and Spurs go head to head in race for £25m Brazilian
By SIMON JONES PUBLISHED: 21:48 GMT, 18 August 2013 | UPDATED: 06:29 GMT, 19 August 2013
Liverpool are confident of winning the race to sign Anzhi Makhachkala playmaker Willian. Talks are ongoing over a £25million move after Manchester United declared themselves out of the running for the Brazilian, leaving Tottenham as Liverpool’s main rivals. Newcastle and Arsenal asked to be kept informed. Willian is on around £85,000 a week and Liverpool are eager to make a marquee signing but Spurs could outbid them on the fee.
In demand: A number of clubs have shown interest in signing Anzhi Makhachkala playmaker Willian
Valencia left-back Aly Cissokho was having his medical on Sunday ahead of confirming his loan to Anfield. Meanwhile, Newcastle have been told they can prise Lille midfielder Florian Thauvin away from the club for £8m. The 20-year-old is one of France’s top emerging talents. Chelsea defender Stipe Perica has been loaned to NAC Breda for the season.
On the radar: Lille midfielder Thauvin is on Newcastle's list
Hallelujah, it works! Goal-line decision system used to full effect at Stamford Bridge with McGregor save
By JOHN DRAYTON PUBLISHED: 16:12 GMT, 18 August 2013 | UPDATED: 23:02 GMT, 18 August 2013
Goal-line technology was required again in the Barclays Premier League at Stamford Bridge on Sunday - and thankfully it was successful. Chelsea were 2-0 up in first-half stoppage time against newly-promoted Hull on Jose Mourinho's return to English football when Hawk-Eye was deployed. Branislav Ivanovic met Frank Lampard's corner with a firm header hit straight at Hull goalkeeper Allan McGregor, who saved on the line at the second attempt.
Getting ready: Ivanovic rises to meet the ball
Not over the line: Alan McGregor just about keeps the header out, with the system proving so
The referee's watch will only buzz when the ball crosses the goal-line, so it can be safe to assume Jonathan Moss felt no vibrations in a decision which is now out of his hands.There were no protests from the Chelsea players and Mourinho and Hull counterpart Steve Bruce shared pleasantries as the half came to an end. Replays also indicated the technology was working and Hawk-Eye's view of the incident was broadcast on television and on the big screen in the ground. Chelsea midfielder Kevin de Bruyne was happy with how the system worked, telling Sky Sports 1: 'It was clearly not over the line.
The technology is good so there will be no questions further.'The new goal decision system (GDS) was given an opening-day test at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday. An effort from Aston Villa midfielder Fabian Delph following a quick counter-attack beat Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny but struck the inside of the right-hand post and rolled across the line. GDS came into play as television replays showed the referee Anthony Taylor had been notified that the ball did not cross the line at any point.
Manchester United defender Wootton signs for Leeds The young centre-back, who made two appearances in the Champions League last season against CFR Cluj, has agreed a three-year contract with the Elland Road outfit
Wenger: We will not stop trying to strengthen the Arsenal squad The Gunners have yet to spend this summer, with free transfer Yaya Sanogo the only arrival, but the 63-year-old manager says the club are still looking to bring in new recruits
Arsenal in Valencia for talks over €20m Guaita The north London club sent a representative to Spain on Tuesday night with a view to signing the talented 26-year-old goalkeeper, who was recently on the radar of Barcelona
Zabaleta predicts open title race The opening round of fixtures led many to suggest the Manchester clubs and Chelsea will dominate, but the Argentine insists Arsenal, Tottenham and Liverpool are also threats
Oxlade-Chamberlain ruled out for three months with knee injury The England midfielder picked up the knock during the 3-1 defeat to Aston Villa on the weekend and Goal understands he will now be out until mid-to-late November
Manchester United's Baines and Fellaini bid a waste of time, insists Martinez The Toffees rejected as "derisory" and "insulting" a combined £28 million bid for the star pair, and their manager wants a renewed focus on the Premier League fixtures to come
Paulinho eager for Bale to stay at Tottenham The Brazil international insists he would relish the chance to play alongside the Welshman this season, but admits he has no idea whether he will get the opportunity
Chelsea squad keen to impress 'new teacher' Mourinho, says Lampard The Blues' record goalscorer says it feels like the players have gone back to school as they step up their effort to catch the returning Portuguese manager's eye
Baines seeks first-team assurances from Manchester United The Everton star is concerned that a transfer to Old Trafford could hamper his chances of a starting berth at next summer's World Cup in Brazil should England qualify
Roma jet in for Lamela talks with Tottenham Football director Walter Sabatini arrives in London to discuss a €35m move for the Argentine as Spurs prepare to pay a similar fee for Brazilian target Willian
Osvaldo plays down Balotelli comparisons Saints' record signing has distanced himself away from suggestions he will follow in the footsteps of his international team-mate and become a Premier League bad boy
Pellegrini: Barry's future at Manchester City in his own hands The 32-year-old, who is entering the final year of his current deal, could stay at the Etihad Stadium according to his manager but is free to leave in search of first-team action
Rodgers hails positive atmosphere at Liverpool The 1-0 win over Stoke on Saturday was an improvement to the 3-0 loss to West Brom on the opening day of last season and the Reds boss says it is a reflection of the squad's mood
Manchester City face defensive crisis following double Richards & Kompany blow The England defender is out for at least two weeks after picking up a hamstring injury in training leaving Joleon Lescott as Manuel Pellegrini's only fit central defender
Manchester City brought back to life by new boss Pellegrini The 2011-12 champions looked to have re-discovered some of the unity that was missing under Roberto Mancini last season during their exhilarating 4-0 opening win over Newcastle
Van Persie can get even better, says Moyes The Man United manager has been impressed with the striker since arriving at Old Trafford and says he is a "world class" player who can improve even further
Bale price ‘too high’, says Raul The Real Madrid legend believes the club would be better off abandoning their pursuit of the Tottenham star and feels the title battle will be fierce in La Liga this season
Pardew slams Arsenal’s ‘disrespectful’ Cabaye bid The Magpies boss was angered by the timing of the Gunners' approach for the Frenchman and felt it had a direct impact on his side's 4-0 defeat against Manchester City
Dzeko hails Pellegrini following Newcastle rout The Chilean manager's Etihad Stadium reign got off to the best possible start, as four goals against 10-man Newcastle sent last season's runners-up to the top of the table
Manchester City 4-0 Newcastle United: Pellegrini off to a flyer against shambolic Magpies Last season's Premier League runners-up began their assault on the title in fine fashion against a Yohan Cabaye-less Toon side that had Steven Taylor sent off in the first half
Rodgers hails Sturridge attitude The England international missed most of the Reds' pre-season preparations though injury, but returned in time to score the only goal in a 1-0 win over Stoke City
Pardew omits Cabaye from Newcastle squad following Arsenal bid The Magpies manager has been left angry by the timing of the Gunners' £10 million bid for the France international, who misses the Tyneside club's clash against Manchester City
Fulham sign Parker from Tottenham The 32-year-old, who has previously enjoyed spells with Charlton, Chelsea, Newcastle and and West Ham, has decided to spurn QPR in favour of a move to Craven Cottage
Arda Turan likely to leave Atletico Madrid for Premier League, agent claims Atleti are believed to want to retain the Turkey international, but his agent stressed he has a release clause of €24 million suggested interest from England, France and Turkey
Pellegrini: Manchester City don't have time to get to know each other The former Malaga coach warns that his new players must impress straight away and does not believe that his lack of Premier League experience will disadvantage their title bid
Zabaleta signs new Manchester City deal until 2017 The 28-year-old Argentine has established himself as a firm favourite at the Etihad Stadium since signing five years ago, and he is delighted to have penned an extension
Villas-Boas denies Tottenham bid for Willian The Spurs boss says the Brazilian is a player who he 'appreciates' and concedes the club could make further signings before the end of the transfer window
Ferdinand hits back at Mourinho swipe The Chelsea boss claimed Manchester United were not an "unbelievable team" last season, while the 34-year-old defender warns his side should not be ruled out of the title race
Van Persie is best striker in the world, says Michu The Spaniard believes the Manchester United forward will once again be a major contender for the Premier League's Golden Boot this season
Arsenal need to sign a striker, admits Giroud The Gunners forward believes that the club need reinforcements if they are to challenge for major trophies this year, with Arsene Wenger's pursuit of Luis Suarez stalling
Mignolet delight at 'dream' Liverpool debut The Belgium goalkeeper, signed from Sunderland, saved a penalty in the final moments against Stoke City to ensure that the Reds took all three points from their opening game
Mourinho: Chelsea have rarely played so well The returning Blues manager praises his side's impressive first-half display that brought a 2-0 half-time lead and thanks supporters for his welcome reception at Stamford Bridge
Pardew expects Navas to be Manchester City standout The Newcastle boss backs the Spaniard to be one of the Premier League's players of the season and expects big things in the campaign opener at the Etihad Stadium
He fights, he scores: Roma star Osvaldo docks in Southampton The big-name signing on the south coast has always been open and honest about his flaws but his relationship with Mauricio Pochettino has brought success in the past
Liverpool confident of beating Tottenham to Willian signing The Anfield club lodged a formal bid of €30 million with Anzhi Makhachkala for the Brazil international and are hopeful of completing the deal within
Chicharito rejected Valencia move, says agent The Mexico striker had the chance to speak with the Spanish club's sporting director over the summer but was not interested because he wants to defend the Premier League title
Villas-Boas: Soldado can be chief Tottenham goalscorer Real Madrid target Gareth Bale missed the opening game of the season through injury but it did not matter as the €30 million signing scored a debut winner
Outdated Wenger needs help to prevent his Arsenal legacy crumbling Correspondent's Column: The Gunners manager is not solely responsible for his side's shambolic summer, while Van Persie represents the Fergie gift that keeps on giving
Chelsea have plan B and C if Rooney bid fails - Mourinho
By Jay Jaffa26
Aug 20, 2013 7:40:00 PM
In July the Portuguese claimed the 27-year-old was his only transfer target but now admits he has other options as he remains determined to bolster his attack this summer
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has revealed that he has a back-up plan if his pursuit of Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney fails.
Earlier in the summer Mourinho claimed Rooney was his only transfer target, and the Blues have since had two bids rejected for the 27-year-old.
But United have not wavered in their insistence that the England international is going nowhere, and Mourinho has now admitted he has other options as he looks to bolster his attack.
"We have plans B and C," he told reporters. "Don't ask me names. It's difficult to speak about players from other clubs.
"We have the conditions to try to improve our team by bringing in one more player and we are going to try that till the end."
Samuel Eto'o has been heavily linked with a move to Stamford Bridge in the past week, having been among a number of players told they can leave Russian side Anzhi Makhachkala this summer.
But Mourinho insists he will not give up his pursuit of Rooney until the transfer deadline, despite United's bullish determination to keep their prized asset.
"You try, because nobody forbids you to try," he added.
"When you think that you'd like to have one player and the market is open and the official bids are not forbidden, official bids are always accepted in an ethical way.
"Of course, the player's owners can do exactly what we did in relation to David Luiz and Barcelona."
Rooney, Moyes and Co paint the town red as United embark on team bonding session after just two games
By GRAEME YORKE PUBLISHED: 22:58 GMT, 20 August 2013 | UPDATED: 23:10 GMT, 20 August 2013
Manchester United's 4-1 win at Swansea on Saturday suggests the team don't need a bonding session just yet. But David Moyes' men still took to the city on Tuesday night for a team meal, and what an excuse it was to bring their wives and girlfriends out for all to see.
Out and about: Rooney arrived with wife Coleen (left), while Moyes looked calmer after his second win as boss
On the town: Johnny Evans arrives with his wife Helen McConnell (left), while Nemanja Vidic walks in with wife Ana Ivanović on Deansgate in Manchester
With speculation rife surrounding his future at the club, striker Wayne Rooney turned up with wife Coleen, giving no clues about his future at the club.Chelsea boss Mourinho has already had two bids for Rooney rejected, but insisted his pursuit of the England man would not end. He said in a press conference on Tuesday: 'When you think that you’d like to have one player and the market is open and the official bids are not forbidden, official bids are always accepted in an ethical way, you try because nobody forbids you to try.
Photo opportunity: Rio Ferdinand poses with a fan on Deansgate in Manchester
Defender Chris Smalling (left) arrives with his partner, with midfielder Tom Cleverley (right) and girlfriend Georgina Dorsett fresh from his performances for club and country
Side by side: Robin and Bouchra van Persie (left) arrive along with Ryan and Stacey Giggs (right)
'Of course the players’ owners can do exactly what we did with David Luiz and Barcelona. It’s simple.'We do have a plan B and C, but I won't name names as it is difficult for me to talk about other club's players.'Moyes also turned up in Deansgate in Manchester looking relaxed, despite his former club Everton being unhappy with his bids for star players Marouane Fellaini and Leighton Baines.Everton boss Roberto Martinez said: ‘It was all a bit of a waste of time — time I don’t want the players to waste. The situation is clear.‘I’m not a big believer in having the transfer window open when the games are starting. I won’t keep talking about speculation. Our fans will be the first to know if there are any players coming in or going out.’
Pals: Danny Welbeck, Wilfried Zaha, David De Gea and Antonio Valencia make their way out
Cavalry: Alexander Buttner, Rio Ferdiand and Shinji Kagawa arrive at the team bonding meal in Manchester
Midfield maestros: Ashley Young (left) and Phil Jones (right) turn up with their partners
First win: United celebrated after beating Swansea 4-1 on Saturday
Spurs splash the Bale cash! Willian part of £60m spree to replace Real-bound winger
By NEIL ASHTON PUBLISHED: 10:02 GMT, 20 August 2013 | UPDATED: 22:39 GMT, 20 August 2013
Tottenham began spending Gareth Bale’s world record £85million transfer fee on Tuesday with stunning moves for Brazil winger Willian and Roma forward Erik Lamela. Willian was in London finalising his £30m move from Anzhi Makhachkala after turning down a move to Liverpool. The 25-year-old, brought in to replace Real Madrid-bound Bale on the left, had a medical and was discussing personal terms last night.The move for Willian will break Tottenham’s transfer record for a third time this summer, but their spending is not over. Spurs have al ready signed Roberto Soldado, Nacer Chadli, Etienne Capoue and Paulinho in a staggering £60m spree.
Thumbs up: These EXCLUSIVE pictures shows Willian arriving at the InterContinental London Park Lane Hotel ahead of his Tottenham medical on Tuesday afternoon. He is set to move to Spurs in a £30m deal
Wonderkid: Roma's Erik Lamela will also cost in the region of £30m
On the move: Anzhi are selling their prize assets and Spurs are in pole position for Willian
Champions League experience: Willian celebrates scoring against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge last November
Now Spurs chairman Daniel Levy has flown in from his Miami home to press ahead with negotiations for Lamela and step up interest in his team-mate Miralem Pjanic.The quest for Argentina forward Lamela, 21, shows the preference of manager Andre Villas-Boas for the best South American talent. Spurs hope to sign him before Sunday’s home Premier League clash with Swansea.Bosnian Pjanic, who has spent two years at Roma after moving from Lyon for £8m, is also on Tottenham’s wanted list.
On his way: Bale arrives for training in north London on Tuesday
Pace to burn: Lamela can play on either flank
Swap deal: Coentrao (left) has fallen out of favour at Real Madrid
ERIK LAMELA FACTFILE:
Born: 04/03/1992 in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Clubs:
River Plate (2009-11). Games: 36. Goals: 4.
AS Roma (2011-). Games: 66. Goals: 21.
International caps: 3. Goals: 0.
Real Madrid left back Fabio Coentrao is expected to agree to move to Tottenham as part of the package for Bale, who is awaiting the OK to head for Spain. Coentrao, signed for £30m from Benfica by Jose Mourinho in 2011, will replace Benoit Assou-Ekotto in defence. In attack, Emmanuel Adebayor and Jermain Defoe are likely to leave White Hart Lane. Tottenham have been busy all week and failed on Sunday night to sign Osvaldo from Roma because he had already agreed terms with Southampton.
London calling: The Brazilian had a photoshoot in the capital with Sportsmail's Alan Walter in August 2011
Spurs are using technical director Franco Baldini, who has an intimate knowledge of former club Roma, to secure their latest batch of targets. Baldini signed Lamela from River Plate when he was Roma’s technical director.Lamela is a regular in the Roma side — he scored 15 goals in 33 Serie A appearances last season — but Baldini is determined to land the forward and negotiations began in London on Tuesday.
International: Lamela has earned three caps for Argentina
Highly rated: Willian takes on Barcelona's Dani Alves (left) and Chelsea's David Luiz (right)
Spurs have also asked for playmaker Pjanic, another regular in the Roma team, as part of the package.Tottenham have travelled to Tblisi for their Europa League qualifier at the Dinamo Arena in Georgia tomorrow evening. By the time Villas-Boas and his team return to north London, Levy should have wrapped up the moves for Willian and Lamela. Crystal Palace manager Ian Holloway has been charged with improper conduct and bringing the game into disrepute over comments about referee Mark Clattenburg after Sunday’s 1-0 defeat by Spurs. Holloway alleged: ‘Certain clubs get fouls and others don’t.’
Bale out? The arrivals would appear to pave the way for the departure of the Welsh winger
End this transfer madness! Mourinho backs Pardew's calls for early end to window
By CHARLIE SKILLEN
PUBLISHED: 12:37 GMT, 20 August 2013 | UPDATED: 16:50 GMT, 20 August 2013
Jose Mourinho has agreed with Alan Pardew's calls for the transfer window to shut before the start of the season.Newcastle boss Pardew, furious at Arsenal's pursuit of Toon midfielder Yohan Cabaye, called for the window to shut before the first fixture is played to stop clubs unsettling rivals' players. And now Mourinho's support will have resonance at Old Trafford, with the Chelsea boss reiterating he wants one player - Wayne Rooney - before the end of the window.
Call: Jose Mourinho has said the transfer window shuts too late after the season's start
Jubilation: Mourinho rises from his bench to celebrate Frank Lampard's free-kick against Hull on Sunday
'Nothing has changed, at a certain point I agree with Pardew, that the transfer window goes too far, into the third and fourth fixture of the season,' he said.'I agree that it’s too much but it gives everybody a chance to be in the market while we are still winning or losing points.We trust a lot in our project. But we have conditions to try and improve our team with one more player and we will try until the end.'Mourinho has already had two bids for Rooney rejected, but insisted his pursuit of the England man would not end, saying:
Wanted: Wayne Rooney, in action for Manchester United against Swansea's Michu, is still a target for Chelsea
'When you think that you’d like to have one player and the market is open and the official bids are not forbidden, official bids are always accepted in an ethical way, you try because nobody forbids you to try. 'Of course the players’ owners can do exactly what we did with David Luiz and Barcelona. It’s simple. 'We do have a plan B and C, but I won't name names as it is difficult for me to talk about other club's players.'The Chelsea manager also revealed David Luiz would not be available for the visit of Aston Villa on Wednesday night, but could return next week with the Blues travelling to Old Trafford on Bank Holiday Monday.
Still out: But David Luiz could return for Chelsea next week after their clash with Aston Villa
Chelsea are wary of the threat Villa pose after their opening-day win over Arsenal, a result which has seen Gunners boss Arsene Wenger come in for intense criticism, but his cross-London counterpart still counts Arsenal as one of six teams capable of winning the league. 'We always expect the big teams to win their matches, but we cannot win all the time. It happened to Arsenal in this match,' Mourinho said. 'The second fixture we will probably see another contender lose points. I think that’s the beauty of this league and the beauty of football. It was not such a big surprise because Aston Villa can do that to any one of us.
Making his point: Mourinho praised opponents Aston Villa, with Christian Benteke and Antonio Luna
Signs are there: The result drew fierce criticism of Arsene Wenger, but Mourinho sees Arsenal as challengers
'If you see the stats from last season they have more points away from home then at Villa Park. 'They are team who have qualities to play away, to play the counter-attack game that they played at the Emirates. They are a good team so it is not such a big drama, they can beat any one of the contenders.'In this moment we cannot speak about two sides, we have to speak about six sides. It’s a difficult league, any of the six sides can lose points. I don’t know in this league if a draw is to lose two points or if it is to get one because it is a difficult league with difficult opponents. 'In this weekend out of the six, five managed to get the three points. Maybe in the second fixture it is another team who can’t win but in this moment I think we are speaking about six contenders. 'Let’s see if anyone of the six is good enough to make a real difference, to disappear and be in the zone to be dominant, or if it will be until the end with great balance between the sides.'
Strike a pose: Lampard hits his blistering free-kick to put the Blues 2-0 up in their opening match
Blues brothers: Chelsea player celebrate Oscar's (centre) opening goal of the season
Frank Lampard continued his evergreen streak at Stamford Bridge by scoring Chelsea's second goal against Hull with a stunning free-kick.Mourinho paid tribute to the veteran midfielder, who was a crucial part of his double-Premier League-winning Chelsea sides in 2005 and 2006.'We have a great relationship, I trust him a lot but he also knows that he’s not 25 any more,' he said.'The crazy Lamps that wants to play every minute of a Carling Cup match against a team from the Championship or the crazy Frank that wants to break the record of appearances and play in every minute of every match is not here any more.
Setting it straight: Mourinho was speaking ahead of Chelsea's second Premier League match of the season
'Now he wants to keep his performances high for the most seasons we can. We have to be clever and intelligent and protect these players that are over 30. We will do that naturally and I believe he will be a fantastic player for us.'I told him when I was not Chelsea manager, just by being a friend, I told him that that I wouldn’t see him play for another English club and I wouldn’t see him play in another small league because of his nature.'If he wants to go to the States or China or one of these new markets he can play until 40 no problem. But I don’t see that. I see a competitor. He wants to play at this level and I think that he can.'
Should Gareth Bale leave Tottenham, they already have a willing and able replacement in Gylfi Sigurdsson.
Willian will be Spurs asset, says Meulensteen
Ousted Anzhi Makhachkala boss Rene Meulensteen believes Tottenham will have landed "a major trump card" if they secure the signing of Willian from the Russian club.
Mourinho urges Chelsea to "destroy" rivals
Jose Mourinho wants his Chelsea team to show a ruthless streak and "destroy" opponents when the opportunity presents itself.
Lambert proud of unwavering Lerner support
Paul Lambert has revealed Aston Villa owner Randy Lerner's unstinting support never wavered even after their 8-0 battering by Chelsea last season.
Arsenal suffer Oxlade-Chamberlain setback
England and Arsenal were dealt a major blow when it emerged Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain expects to be out of action until November. Attack-minded Man City pleases Clichy
Gael Clichy has warned that Manchester City have no intention of easing up after making a flying start to the new season.
Elmander close to Norwich switch
Norwich are close to signing former Bolton striker Johan Elmander from Galatasaray, according to the Turkish club.
Wenger lashes out at Cabaye speculation
Manager Arsene Wenger insists Arsenal must be allowed to go about their transfer business away from public scrutiny - and defended his record in landing quality players.
Lambert hoping to earn Villa redemption
Paul Lambert has told his Aston Villa side they owe it to themselves and their fans to atone for last season's 8-0 humiliation by Chelsea when the teams meet again. Holloway charged by FA over poor conduct
Crystal Palace manager Ian Holloway has been charged by the Football Association in relation to his conduct after the Barclays Premier League match against Tottenham on Sunday.
Wenger admits Fenerbahce tie is crucial
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is in no doubt as to the importance of his side's Champions League clash with Fenerbahce - both in the short and longer term. Liverpool complete Cissokho loan deal
Liverpool have announced the signing of Valencia defender Aly Cissokho on a season-long loan.
Zabaleta expects tough title tussle
Manchester City defender Pablo Zabaleta expects to be involved in a tight battle for the title this season. Pardew cagey over Cabaye queries
Newcastle boss Alan Pardew wants to move on quickly after a harrowing first night of the season.
Mourinho keen on third Rooney bid
Jose Mourinho and Chelsea will test Manchester United's determination to retain striker Wayne Rooney before the transfer window closes because "nobody forbids you to try".
Wenger: Absolutely no chance of Suarez move Following two bids for the Liverpool striker rejected - the most recently totalling over £40 million - the Arsenal manager has admitted defeat but has vowed to bolster his squad
Ramsey renaissance vindicates Wenger's enduring faith The Gunners' British contingent, led by the Welsh midfielder, were in top form as Arsene Wenger's side took a huge step towards the Champions League group stages
Chelsea not Manchester United's biggest game, says Rio Ferdinand With the champions set to welcome Jose Mourinho's charges to Old Trafford on Monday, the defender feels clashes with Manchester City and Liverpool are more important
Liverpool vice-captain Agger looks to Gerrard for guidance The centre-back has succeeded the recently retired Jamie Carragher as the club's new vice-captain, and says he will look to the current skipper as an example to follow
Chelsea 2-1 Aston Villa: Ivanovic seals Blues win The defender headed home a Frank Lampard free kick midway through the second half, but could have seen red after appearing to elbow Christian Benteke just two minutes earlier
Yaya Toure thirsty for Manchester City success The 30-year-old midfielder aims to build on his Premier League opening day performance and insists his team are ready to dominate their opponents after a forgettable 2012-13
Lukaku relishing competition at Chelsea The Belgian spurned the chance to go back on loan to fight for his place at Stamford Bridge, and says he is keen to learn from Fernando Torres and Demba Ba
Norwich sign Elmander on loan The Swedish striker has become the latest summer addition to Chris Hughton's squad after joining from Galatasaray
Liverpool defender Coates set for lengthy lay-off The 22-year-old sustained an anterior cruciate knee ligament problem during Uruguay's 4-2 victory over Japan, and will undergo surgery in his homeland on Friday
I can handle City pressure - Nasri The Frenchman says he is well equipped to deal with the strain of being watched closely this season and believes he has made strides in putting the past behind him
Manchester United re-open Rooney talks with Chelsea & moot Mata swap as part of discussions Old Trafford officials have held informal discussions with their Premier League rivals in the last 48 hours, with talks centring on the forward's value and the Spanish midfielder
Joining 'legendary' Liverpool is a dream - Cissokho The French left-back has moved from Valencia on a season-long loan to provide competition for Jose Enrique and hopes to play in as many games as possible at Anfield
Liverpool make low-risk, high-potential Cissokho swoop The 25-year-old Frenchman arrives at Anfield looking to get his career back on track following testing spells with Lyon and Valencia, but should be well suited to English football
Arsenal buckle over Guaita price Gunners' chief negotiator Dick Law travelled to Spain on Tuesday for talks over the 26-year-old goalkeeper, but the Londoners have been deterred by Valencia's €20m valuation
Tottenham yet to agree Bale deal with Real Madrid Both clubs have moved to quash reports that a €109 million fee has been agreed for the Welsh attacking midfielder, despite Spurs' huge spending spree this summer
'We must destroy opponents' – Mourinho The Portuguese felt that his side took their foot off the gas against Hull City Tigers on Sunday, while he believes Manchester City are "big contenders" to win the Premier League
Meulensteen: I can see Eto’o moving to Chelsea The former Anzhi coach says the striker could leave the club and head to Stamford Bridge, and feels the 32-year-old has the potential to score a lot of goals in the Premier League
Wenger: Transfer window should shut before start of season
By Ewan Roberts59
Aug 21, 2013 7:44:00 AM
The 63-year-old manager believes that clubs should have a settled squad before the first match of the new campaign and urges the deadline for new signings to be brought forward
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has called for the transfer window to close before the season starts, claiming that it has a "destabilising" effect on clubs.
The window shuts for Premier League sides on September 2, by which time the Gunners will have played three league fixtures, including a north London derby and a Champions League play-off tie.
The Gunners have been involved in minimal transfer activity this summer, only signing Yaya Sanogo on a free transfer but, as exclusively revealed by Goal, have launched a triple swoop for Yohan Cabaye, Geoffrey Kondogbia and Atsuto Uchida.
And, despite having not yet spent a penny, Wenger has called for the deadline to be brought forward so transfer business is concluded before the start of the season.
"I repeat many, many times that the transfer window should be over before the season starts because it is a little bit destabilising once the season has started – to be there talking about what is not really important in football," the French boss told reporters.
"What is important in football is to go out [on Wednesday] night and see a good game [against Fenerbahce].
"All that other stuff is good for the newspapers but it is not real football. What is real football is the quality of the game and, for me, that is always the most important thing."
By Ewan Roberts94
Aug 21, 2013 8:31:00 AM
The Portuguese felt that his side took their foot off the gas against Hull City Tigers on Sunday, while he believes Manchester City are "big contenders" to win the Premier League
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has called on the west London club to find a killer instinct to ensure that the Blues do not just beat other teams but "destroy" them.
The Europea League winners won their opening Premier League fixture against Hull City Tigers but failed to add to the scoreline after registering an early two-goal lead.
Manchester City, meanwhile, struck four times against Newcastle to leap to the top of the table and Mourinho has urged his side to match that ruthlessness when they take on Aston Villa on Wednesday night.
"We want to win matches," the Portuguese told reporters ahead of his side's clash with the Villans, "but what I like is that when you have the chance to destroy - to beat them by three, four or five - we have to do it.
"If someone has the chance to do it to you, they will not forgive you. They will give you nothing. If someone feels that they can do it to us, they will do it. So, if we have the chance to do it, we have to do it.
"If we do that, we destroy an opponent, we get a much bigger result because going that way you have to score goals, even if the opposing goalkeeper saves a penalty."
Mourinho watched Manuel Pellegrini make his bow in English football on Monday evening and, impressed by what he saw, believes that City can mount a serious title challenge this term.
"I watched the game and they were very good. No doubt about it. They bought fantastic players, they have a fantastic squad and they looked very, very good," the Portuguese observed.
"When you look at the players they didn't have on the pitch - and some were not even on the bench - the squad is amazing. They are a fantastic team and an amazing squad so, yes, they are big contenders but, for me, I think we start, all six, on zero points."
Tottenham on brink of selling Bale to Real Madrid for incredible record fee of £94m
By SAMI MOKBEL PUBLISHED: 21:39 GMT, 21 August 2013 | UPDATED: 21:40 GMT, 21 August 2013
Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy was locked in negotiations on Wednesday night to finalise Gareth Bale’s world record £94million transfer to Real Madrid. Levy spent the day haggling over the sale of the Wales star, making sure his club received as much money as possible for their 24-year-old talisman. Madrid chiefs have grown frustrated at Levy’s hardball approach, and his tough stance was maintained on Tuesday during another day of high-level negotiations.
Heading out: Gareth Bale is set to join Real Madrid for a staggering world record transfer fee of £94million
Levy is adamant Fabio Coentrao’s pending switch to White Hart Lane should remain separate from Bale’s transfer, while Real Madrid want to use the left back as a makeweight in the deal.Speaking ahead of Thursday’s Europa League qualifier here against Dinamo Tbilisi, Spurs manager Andre Villas-Boas insisted a deal for Bale was not complete. But Real chiefs are confident the transfer, which will eclipse Madrid’s £80m world record capture of Cristiano Ronaldo from Manchester United, will go through before the September 2 deadline.
All the indications point to the forward’s imminent exit. Having already spent close to £60million on Roberto Soldado, Paulinho, Nacer Chadli and Etienne Capoue, Levy, director of football Franco Baldini and Villas-Boas continue to strengthen Spurs’ squad. Anzhi Makhachkala forward Willian is almost certain to join in a £30m deal, and the club were in advanced talks with Roma to land Argentinian forward Erik Lamela, another deal that could be worth around £30m.
London calling: Tottenham are on the verge of signing Willian (left) and Erik Lamela (right) for a combined £60m
Given UEFA’s Financial Fair Play rules, spending what could be around £120m, without selling prized asset Bale, is highly unlikely.When asked directly whether the deal to take Bale to Madrid was complete, Villas-Boas replied: ‘I can’t tell you anything about that. That is not true.’ But when pressed, the Portuguese manager’s stance appeared to soften.‘Ideally we want to keep everyone to make us stronger — that is the objective of the club. But we are dragging ourselves into the last weeks of transfer activity and it can become very, very frantic. We will continue to do some activity in the market, both ways.’ Losing Bale would be a bitter blow to Spurs’ campaign but after their mega-spending spree, Villas-Boas insists his side — even without the Welsh flyer — will be stronger than last season.
Next up? Fabio Coentrao (right) could move in the opposite journey to Bale and join Tottenham from Real Madrid
The ex-Porto coach added: ‘On the players that we have signed, it shows we have tremendous ambition.‘We look forward to being stronger than the year before, and I firmly believe we can be stronger. What we are doing at the moment shows our intentions.‘We are not only trimming the squad but adding tremendous talent. I think we can become very, very strong in relation to what we were last season. ‘It depends on the deals we are able to complete before the market finishes — and it hasn’t finished yet for us.’
New boys: Tottenham have already brought in Nacer Chadli (left), Paulinho (right) and Roberto Soldado (below)
Villas-Boas stopped short of claiming his side could compete for the Barclays Premier League this season, adding: ‘I don’t agree that we can be title contenders this season because everything is happening, everything is changing.
‘We have to create a team at the moment from all these new players that we have bought. We haven’t had lots of time to work with them but I believe that in the future, e can definitely achieve it.‘There are very strong sides in England — there is massive investment. In my opinion it is the best league in the world and continues to attract the best players.‘What we are building is a very, very strong side for the future, alongside massive investment in the structures of the club. So that (title) dream can hopefully happen in a couple of years.’
Mourinho takes aim at Lambert after spat, saying: 'He reminds me of myself ten years ago, complaining about every decision'
By NEIL MOXLEY PUBLISHED: 22:25 GMT, 21 August 2013 | UPDATED: 23:41 GMT, 21 August 2013
Jose Mourinho put one over Paul Lambert last night at Stamford Bridge and immediately accused Aston Villa’s manager of whinging, claiming that he lacks managerial maturity and that the Scot’s team deploy long-ball tactics. Chelsea’s boss wasted little time in trying to put Lambert in his place following a feisty evening in which the hosts ran out 2-1 winners in controversial circumstances.Christian Benteke had levelled an early Antonio Luna own goal on the stroke of half-time and Villa began to gain the upper hand.
Tempers: Jose Mourinho and Paul Lambert had a shouting match on the touchline at Stamford Bridge
Over the top: Villa boss Lambert was unhappy with Branislav Ivanovic's challenge on Christian Benteke
Branislav Ivanovic received a caution from referee Kevin Friend after a flailing arm caught Villa’s big striker in the face.Chelsea’s right-back the rubbed salt into the wounds moments afterwards by heading the winner. Lambert was furious at the decision. And his anger was only piqued when the match official refused Villa last-minute penalty after the ball struck John Terry’s arm.Mourinho said: 'Paul has a certain type of personality and behaviour on the pitch.'He reminds me of myself ten years ago when I was complaining about every decision when I want to coach my team and at the same time I want to have a whistle on my lip. He is the same.'He will change. With time and experience he will change because he complains about every, every, every decision.'But he is a young manager. Very intelligent. He adapts his style to the quality of his players.'
Booming: Ivanovic's header settled the game from a Frank Lampard free-kick
One apiece: Christian Benteke had levelled matters with a well taken finish
Pressed on Villa’s tactics, Mourinho added: 'They don’t play a lot. Every ball the goalkeeper kicks, so they don’t play but they created great difficulties.'In Benteke they have a special player with special qualities. They play from him. They use this and they play on the counter-attack.'Asked about the incident involving his defender and Villa’s goalscorer, the Portuguese brushed it aside, saying: “This is English football. For some reason, the world loves it more than any other league.'One thing is the real aggression. Duals land in a certain way. It was a football fight between Benteke and Ivanovic. 'Mourinho has called a temporary suspension in his pursuit of Wayne Rooney until after Chelsea visit OId Trafford next Monday. He said: 'I don’t want Chelsea to do it before we go there and everyone on the board agrees with me. There is time to do things.
Replica: Mourinho said that Lambert was similar to he was ten years earlier
Careful eye: The fourth official was making sure things didn't get out of hand
Trying to keep his mind on the game: Lambert attempts to keep his players focused
'We did it before and we will do it later but I think with this period we are going to be quiet.' Lambert confronted the match official on the pitch at the final whistle.'He was clearly furious. He said: 'We have been done by two big decisions that were wrong.'I thought Ivanovic threw an elbow. I know it’s a physical game. But that’s what I thought.'As for the penalty, there’s no ‘apparently’ about it. It’s handball. He’s won the header.' Lambert, who is six years Mourinho’s junior refused to become embroiled in a slanging match but added: 'If Jose said that about me, I’ll take it as a nice compliment because he’s a fantastic football manager.'But he’s no shrinking violet.'Having said that, we are a football team. We play football. Both of my full-backs are about five feet four inches tall. We play football.'
On target: Chelsea winger Eden Hazard had the shot which led to their first goal
All together: Chelsea celebrate after Ivanovic's winner
Full transcripts
Jose Mourinho
Were you fortunate to win?
It was a free-kick against Aston Villa. If somebody pushes an opponent especially in the box in a dangerous area it is a free-kick against them.
Was it a struggle for you tonight?
If in this moment we are here with a draw it wouldn’t be an unfair result. I think they fought a lot for a result. I don’t think they played a lot because they don’t play a lot.
Every ball the goalkeeper had every ball the goalkeeper kicks so they don’t play a lot but they fought a lot and they created great difficulties and if Petr doesn’t save the one on the far post from Weimann we probably don’t even get a point out of this game. This is what they do. They have a special player with special qualities. They use him. Goalkeeper kicks it and Benteke is fantastic with the first ball and they play from Benteke.
They do this and the counter attack. The counter attack we controlled fantastically. In 90 minutes they had the one situation and we controlled it very well and killed their counter attacks because we played with great balance between the lines and positionally we were very good.
The situation with Benteke is very difficult to control because the goalkeeper has the ball, you can’t press the goalkeeper. The ball is there and he kicks the ball and after that everything goes from Benteke. It’s difficult. They gave us a very difficult match.
Was Benteke in your thoughts as a striker to buy?
He is a great player but he is a great player for a certain style of football. We tried to play a different style of football.
We tried to play the way we played against Hull. We tried to play the way we train every day but the good thing from my team today was Villa gave us a different match and we coped with that. Defensively we were strong. I think we could do better with the ball. Better decisions. Maybe my decision of not making many changes, only two, maybe was not the best.
Maybe it would be better to put more fresh players from the beginning because I felt my players found the midfield in the attacking areas were not very, very sharp which was understandable but the team fought very hard and sometimes you have to win because you play fantastic football.
Sometimes when you don’t do that you have to play based on other things and today other things gave us the game.
Did you fear Ivanovic would be sent off for an elbow?
No, first of all this is the Premier League. This is English football. For some reason the world loves it more than any other league. One thing is a real aggression. Another thing is duals that land in a certrain way and I think the referee did very well and from minute one to minute 95 there was a real fight.
A football fight between Benteke and Ivanovic and fouls, foul on one side, fouls on the other side and I think that is football.
Two games, two wins but no goals from your strikers. Is it time to buy someone who can actually score?
In this moment we are scoring enough goals to win our matches and I try to I tried to put all my three strikers more or less the same time on the pitch.
Today I started Ba. Lukaku didn’t start but was the one who played both matches and I tried to give them the confidence to play and to get into the team. They did their work for the team in different matches.
They work hard, they open spaces for the team, they have a defensive job for the team they were humble on the service they gave to the team so I cannot say that I’m not happy with them.
What happened on the touchline?
When it is 1-0 nothing happened. When the game is over after 20 minutes nothing happens. From the minute until the 95th minute with the result unpredictable when nobody knows what is going to happen, Paul has a certain type of personality and behaviour on the bench that pushes for that.
He reminds me of myself 10 years ago when I was complaining about every decision, when I want to coach my team and at the same time I want to have a whistle on my lip. He is the same. He will change.
With time and experience he will change because he complains about every, every, every decision.
But he is a young manager, very intelligent. He plays very well adapted to the quality of his players. I wish him good. I like him and no problem. Just little discussions.
Have your side recovered?
Yeah, yeah. Today was today. We played Sunday and Wed after national team matches. Now we have four days with no football, absolutely nothing, and we have Friday, Saturday and Sunday and they are fine.
Are you more likely to go for Rooney after Monday's game?
I don’t want Chelsea to do it before we go there and everybody in the club in the board they agree with me. There is time to do things. We did it before and we will do later but what I think with this period where we are going to be quiet and just be thinking just about that game. Paul Lambert
Do you feel hard done by?
It’s easy to sit here and think, ‘Sour grapes’ and all that sort of thing, but my team were outstanding. I don’t think we deserved to lose the game.
We were up against one of the favourites to win it. We have nothing to be ashamed about the way we played. I was proud of them on Saturday and I was proud of them tonight. We looked a threat. We have been done by two big decisions that were wrong.
Did you think Ivanovic's challenge was with an elbow?
In my opinion and people will differ but yeah, I do. It’s an elbow. I know it’s a physical game, but it’s an elbow.
Apparently there may have been a penalty in the second-half?
Apparent penalty? It’s a penalty. It’s handball. Agbonlahor has won the header. John Terry’s a good player but you raise your hand in the penalty box and it’s a penalty. I think he has missed two big decisions.
How does it happen that referees make different decisions, looking at Steven Taylor on Monday?
I’m not so sure. I know the game is hard. But I don’t think you can miss those ones. Not ones like that. They are big game-changers at certain times. My team never deserved that.
What did Kevin Friend say to you? He couldn’t have missed it because he booked him?
It’s between me and Kevin. He’s got his his opinion, he’s got mine.
Jose was saying that you remind him of himself ten years ago.
He’s a brilliant football manager. He’s done it in every country he’s been in. It’s probably a massive compliment. Is he ten years older than me is he? Is he six? Bloody hell. Jose doesn’t stand there like a shrinking violet. If in six years time I’d be like him, I’d be happy.
He also said you don’t play a lot.
Everyone has an opinion on the game. I’m proud of the team. We don’t play long-ball. The midfield are small. The full-backs aren’t the tallest. Fabian Delph was fantastic. I’m proud of them.
Mourinho puts Rooney bid on hold until after Old Trafford clash
By Alex Young9
Aug 21, 2013 11:41:00 PM
The Chelsea manager has reiterated his intention to lodge a fresh offer for the unsettled striker, but is keen for further talks to wait until next week due to "ethical" reasons
Jose Mourinho has revealed Chelsea will temporarily halt their pursuit of Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney until after the two clubs meet at Old Trafford on Monday.
The Blues have seen two bids for the unsettled forward rejected by the Premier League champions, with manager David Moyes insisting the England international is not for sale.
Goal exclusively revealed on Wednesday that United are planning on re-opening discussions with Chelsea as they look to include Juan Mata as part of any deal - but Mourinho insists no talks will take place ahead of Monday.
"We did [bid for Rooney] before and we will do [again] later," the Portuguese told reporters after Chelsea's 2-1 win over Aston Villa.
"[But] I don't want Chelsea to do it before we go there ... from the ethical point of view."
On the night, Chelsea were pushed all the way by a revitalised Villans, with Antonio Luna's own goal and a late Branislav Ivanovic header maintaining their 100 per cent start to the Premier League season.
There were question marks over whether Ivanovic should have been given his marching order minutes before netting the winner after appearing to elbow Christian Benteke, but Mourinho deemed the incident as "50/50".
"That was very hard. I missed that about the Premier League! Normally matches in the Bernabeu we win every match very comfortable, this was very hard, it's what I like. I told Paul Lambert that they deserve a point, it wouldn't be unfair.
"Benteke makes a lot of fouls and the opponent who plays against him has to make a lot of fouls.
"Paul Lambert reminds me of me at his age. Now I complain with some decisions, at his age I complained at every decision. Paul complains at every decision, I was the same. Benteke and Ivanovic, they are two giants, it was 50/50."
Peter Schmeichel has stressed that Manchester United should not make signings for the sake of it
22 AUGUST 2013
Peter Schmeichel has urged Manchester United not to target a 'statement signing' unless they are sure it will improve David Moyes' squad.
Earlier in the summer, it was suggested executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward felt United needed to bring in a marquee player to prove the transition at both managerial and chief executive level following the exits of Sir Alex Ferguson and David Gill would be smooth.
As it has turned out, neither Cristiano Ronaldo nor Gareth Bale, both linked with Old Trafford moves, have been lured to Manchester.
Indeed, following the failure to land Cesc Fabregas and Thiago Alcantara and the brutal rebuttal earlier this week of a "derisory" £28million bid for Everton duo Leighton Baines and Marouane Fellaini, there are still no new arrivals less than a fortnight before the window closes.
Yet Schmeichel does not feel that in itself is a reason to panic.
For the Dane believes United should stick by their long-standing mantra of only signing players they feel are capable of being an improvement of what they already have.
"I would never bring in a player to make a statement," said the man who captained United to their 1999 Champions League final triumph.
"Maybe with a new manager and a new chief executive they feel a need to tell the fans Manchester United still have the power and money and can still sign the players.
"That is important because there are a lot of fans out there who are unsure about how financially strong Manchester United are and how committed the owners are to spend the money that is being created by the club.
"But the players have to be an improvement.
"If they are not of the right calibre you stay away from it. You don't sign a player for the sake of it."
It is anticipated Moyes will have a second go at landing Baines and Fellaini and with Adnan Januzaj set for a lucrative long-term contract, United are not inactive.
Yet nervousness amongst supporters is exacerbated by the on-going uncertainty over Wayne Rooney's future, with Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho hinting after his side's 2-1 win over Aston Villa on Wednesday night that he would return with a third offer for the 27-year-old after his side's eagerly-anticipated encounter with United at Old Trafford on Monday.
But Schmeichel is not convinced Rooney's body language during Saturday's win at Swansea, when he failed to celebrate United's second-half goals with his team-mates, was the sign of a man wanting out.
"I know a lot of people thought Wayne was not celebrating with the team when he scored but he had just made two long sprint runs and was knackered," said Schmeichel.
"He only played 67 minutes for England in pre-season and had not trained that much either.
"Under those circumstances, for him to give us half an hour of top class football and set up the last two goals was fantastic.
"He didn't look like someone who wanted to get away.
"He looked like someone who really enjoyed playing that game. But he was tired. That was obvious."
It all adds up to an uncertain picture, which leaves Schmeichel hoping Moyes' present squad remains intact when the transfer window closes on September 2.
"The squad we have is very strong and broad," he said.
"It has loads of different options in many positions.
"It is fair enough to be looking for strong midfield players who can replace someone like Paul Scholes.
"Tom Cleverley is fantastic but he won't last the whole season because of the way he plays and whilst Anderson is a great player but for some reason he doesn't always look that fit.
"You need someone in there who can run the midfield with Michael Carrick but if September 2 comes and it is the same squad I am quite happy."
