Thursday, 13 February 2014

Moyes feels draw against Arsenal was fair

Moyes feels draw against Arsenal was fair

Moyes feels draw against Arsenal was fair

Posted: 12 Feb 2014 02:45 PM PST

United had been frustrated by a late Fulham equaliser at the weekend but they lacked the firepower to trouble Arsenal on Wednesday, with Robin van Persie thwarted by Wojciech Szczesny as they pressed. Moyes, though, believed that a point apiece was about right following an encounter in which both sides struggled to find their rhythm. "It was a fair result in a tight game. We had one or two opportunities to win it, but we won 1-0 at Old Trafford (against Arsenal) earlier in the season, and if you said at the beginning of the season we would take four points off Arsenal, I would have taken that," he told BT Sport. Given the goals conceded against Fulham - including a late Darren Bent leveller - Moyes was happy with the way his team competed. "We looked quite compact, defended well and had a good opportunity in the first minute (when Van Persie robbed Mikel Arteta but shot straight at Szczesny). We would like to have played better overall, but defensively we were sound and, I thought, in control." Moyes will now take his side off to Dubai for some warm-weather training before their next game on February 22, away at Crystal Palace - although he appeared reluctant to discuss the details of the trip. "We don't usually talk about that. It will be a mixture of hard work and relaxation," he added.

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Wenger: Arsenal could have pinched the points

Posted: 12 Feb 2014 02:25 PM PST

Arsenal missed the chance to return to the top of the Premier League as David Moyes' beleaguered visitors held on for a goalless draw. Wenger's charges went into the match on the back of a 5-1 defeat to Liverpool and the Frenchman was content not to lose for a second top-flight match running, despite seeing Olivier Giroud and Santi Cazorlago close late on. "I think overall we could have won it but it was a game of very few chances," he told BT Sport. "Our defensive focus was extreme because we conceded so many goals on Saturday and they were focused on defending also. "It could have gone 1-0 for either side. "We had two or three chances in the second half from crosses where Giroud was just a bit short. "When you go forward they can always catch you with the quality of strikers they have. "It was important not to lose tonight." Arsenal welcome Liverpool in the FA Cup on Saturday before hosting European champions Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League three days later.

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Premier League: Arsenal 0 Man United 0

Posted: 12 Feb 2014 01:38 PM PST

With Manchester City's clash with Sunderland postponed due to the weather and Chelsea failing to beat West Brom a day earlier, victory would have taken Arsenal to the summit. However, in a game where neither side offered enough offensively to win, Arsene Wenger's men were only able to move within a point of leaders Chelsea and two ahead of City. David Moyes' side, who were frustrated by a late Fulham equaliser on Sunday, have now won just one of their last five Premier League outings and remain seventh. Former Arsenal striker Robin van Persie almost put the visitors ahead after just two minutes, dispossessing Mikel Arteta before firing straight at Wojciech Szczesny. In a lively opening, Jack Wilshere was then well tackled by Patrice Evra, having looked to have fashioned a chance on goal, before Olivier Giroud shrugged off his marker and headed wide from a corner. Van Persie should have tested Szczesny again after 18 minutes but he sliced an effort way wide of goal after Juan Mata's throughball - much to the delight of the home fans. Both sides were let down by poor touches in the final third, with Giroud again getting on the end of a corner to head wide after 24 minutes. With neither side creating many further chances, the only other incident of note before the break was an aerial collision between Rafael da Silva and Giroud. The Manchester United man landed awkwardly after challenging with the Frenchman for a header, and was replaced by Rio Ferdinand at the break. While the first half ended at fast pace, the second began slowly - with both defences easily able to cope with what was thrown at them. The first chance of the half went to Arsenal, with Laurent Koscielny's header cleared off the line by Antonio Valencia from a Santi Cazorla corner a minute after the hour. Arsenal piled on the pressure from there, with Giroud nudging Bacary Sagna's cross marginally past David de Gea's right-hand post 14 minutes from time before Van Persie's header was tipped onto the crossbar by Szczesny three minutes later. De Gea was called into action again once more before full-time, getting a strong right hand to Cazorla's effort before tipping it around the post.

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Man United cannot afford sustained slump

Posted: 12 Feb 2014 11:05 AM PST

Rob Wilson, football finance expert at Sheffield Hallam University, says the club will have an "acute problem" if they fail to qualify for Europe's premier club competition for a prolonged period of time. United look in grave danger of missing out on a top-four finish this season following an inconsistent campaign under new manager David Moyes and, despite the club announcing record quarter figures on Wednesday, Wilson warns that their fortunes on the pitch need to pick up. "Any dip in form will have an impact on financial position and financial performance," he told Perform. "We would expect to see a net loss of around £30-40 million if they fail to win UEFA Champions League qualification this year, but over the next two to three years if we continue to see this downward trend we would see a big impact. "If we don't see a sustained two or three years (of failure) then we'll probably see Manchester United come back to where they've been." Despite revenue from the Champions League making up a small percentage of United's income, Wilson warned that not qualifying would have more serious knock-on effects than to just the finances. "(The Champions League) is not necessarily a cash cow for Manchester United," he said. "Based on commercial revenue it's a very, very small proportion of that. It will be very important for them to offer Champions League football to potential players to come in. "I think if they were to fail to qualify this year it wouldn't have that big an impact this year on what's going on at the football club. "They can get away with it for the first year but if it was to be sustained where they weren't involved they would have an acute problem."

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Scholes backs Man United to overcome crisis

Posted: 12 Feb 2014 08:08 AM PST

Scholes retired at the end of the previous campaign having helped the club to a 13th Premier League title in Alex Ferguson's last year in charge. David Moyes took over the reins from his fellow Scot, and United have struggled in the league this season, with a defence of their title looking highly improbable. Having been knocked out of both domestic cup competitions, the UEFA Champions League appears to be United's only possible chance of silverware this season, but Scholes insists that Moyes has been unlucky to lose a host of first-team players through injury. "I don't think the manager can legislate for the amount of injuries he has had to deal with," he told the club's official website. "We've missed (Wayne) Rooney and (Robin) Van Persie for big chunks of the season. They are two of the best centre-forwards in the world and any team would miss them. "When we finally got them both back for the game against Stoke, suddenly we had four centre-halves not fit to play. "It's been a crazy season for injuries. Hopefully we'll get a bit of luck with injuries and I'm sure if we get all our players fit we'll get moving up the league."

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Parlour: Midfield key to Arsenal-United clash

Posted: 12 Feb 2014 06:00 AM PST

The two teams go head-to-head in north London after disappointing results at the weekend; reigning champions United drew 2-2 with relegation-threatened Fulham while Arsenal were on the wrong end of a 5-1 drubbing at Liverpool. Both sides need to get their seasons back on track quickly and Parlour believes command of the engine room will prove decisive. "Central midfield is such an important position because you can control games from there," the three-time Premier League title winner told FourFourTwo. "Midfield is the most crucial area of the pitch – that's why most teams have put an extra man in there and play 4-2-3-1 or they go 4-1-4-1. Managers knows they can dictate the pace of the game and the movement if they dominate the midfield." Parlour was part of an Arsenal midfield that had some titanic clashes against United – locking horns with the likes of Roy Keane, Nicky Butt, David Beckham and Paul Scholes alongside Patrick Vieira, Emmanuel Petit, Freddie Ljungberg and Edu. After Saturday's heavy defeat at Anfield, Parlour thinks Arsene Wenger will deploy spoiler Mathieu Flamini, returning from suspension, in front of the defence to offer the back four some added protection. "Wenger will look at the opposition and say 'OK maybe they're going to have a lot of the ball and they have dangerous players in [Juan] Mata and [Wayne] Rooney behind [Robin] Van Persie so we may need to have two holding midfielders in there and Flamini can fulfil one of those roles'," he said. "That said, he's got to take the game to Manchester United because if you sit back and let them come on to you they have the players to punish you. "It's a big game for both teams after their recent results. Arsenal are at home and the fans will expect three points. If they really want to challenge for the title they have got to win this game." Parlour, who played under Wenger from1996-2004, feels 'Le Professor' will halt panic spreading throughout the team by sticking to the usual pre-match routines. "The preparations will be the same as they would for any game. The manager will do a bit of team shape the day before and most of the players will know if they're playing," the former England international explained. "Then it's all about preparing yourself and getting your mind mentally right for the game. "Players do it all different ways – some players will be noisy, some will be quiet thinking about what they have got to do before the game." A win for Arsenal will take them back to the top of the Premier League after Chelsea could only draw 1-1 at West Bromwich Albion on Tuesday. Ray Parlour was talking to FourFourTwo at theBudweiserOpen Trials, in association with BT Sport, helping decide which London based amateur footballers will have a dream opportunity to play in front of professional scouts at Wembley. Watch the first part of theBudweiserOpen Trials on BT Sport on Saturday March 8, as part of its FA Cup coverage. Subscribe toYouTube.com/BudweiserUKto keep up with all the action.

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Man United announce record quarter figures

Posted: 12 Feb 2014 05:19 AM PST

David Moyes has endured a difficult start to his Old Trafford tenure as United sit seventh in the Premier League and face a battle to qualify for the UEFA Champions League. Howver, United have revealed revenue for the second half of 2013 totalled £122.9 million, compared to £110.1m the year before, while half-year turnover increased from 186.6m to £221.4m. The champions amassed commercial income of £42.3 million, up 18.8 per cent for the second quarter - which ended on December 31 last year - and 30 per cent for the financial year to date. Broadcasting revenues increased by 18.7 per cent for the quarter following new domestic and international television rights agreements. United also benefitted from six new sponsorship deals in the quarter, including agreements with Banif Bank and consumer goods giant Unilever. The club's executive vice chairman Ed Woodward said the results were an indication of the club's continuing financial strength, despite the below-par performances on the field. "We once againachieved a record revenue quarter," he said. "With strong contributions from our commercial and broadcasting businesses despite the current league position, which everyone from the team manager down has acknowledged is disappointing. "We continue to see meaningful opportunities to grow our commercial business and the popularity of football on TV is leading to continued broadcasting revenue growth – all of which bodes well for the long-term stability and financial strength of our business." United's gross debt fell from £366.6m to £356.6m in 2012.and they stated that revuenue for the financial year is still on course to be between £420m-£430m

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Ince: Man United in need of on-field leadership

Posted: 12 Feb 2014 04:58 AM PST

The Premier League champions face a battle to qualify for the UEFA Champions League as they are seventh in the table, nine points behind fourth-placed Liverpool. David Moyes has endured a disappointing first campaign after he was charged with the task of replacing Alex Ferguson and former United captain Ince believes the Scotsman is suffering due to the lack of players in the mould of Roy Keane. "When you look at the team, they have never replaced Roy Keane," Ince told talkSPORT. "Ryan Giggs is coming to the end, Paul Scholes has retired. There are lots of players who have been there a long time. They are senior players who are Man United through and through. "Tthere are no leaders. It's a major problem. Chelsea have people like John Terry and Gary Cahill, proper leaders, Man United don't." And the man who won two Premier League titles and two FA Cups under Ferguson has called for Moyes to be given time to replace the Old Trafford legend and build his own side. "I don't think you'll see the best of Man United and Moyes for another year or year and a half," Ince said. "He's got a lot of changes to make, not just one, two or three people, which Sir Alex Ferguson would do. "He's got seven or eight players to change in that team. They have to give Moyes time to build that team. He has to change the whole team." "They've got to give him time. Moyes has got a huge renovation job to do. He's going to lose probably a lot of players in the summer. Who knows what's going to happen with Wayne Rooney? Robin van Persie is going to be a year older. "It's essential that they do finish in the top four but it's going to be tough."

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Moyes insists hes the right man for Man United

Posted: 12 Feb 2014 03:55 AM PST

The Premier League champions sit seventh in the table, nine points behind fourth-placed Liverpool and 16 adrift of Chelsea. But ahead of a difficult trip to title contenders Arsenal on Wednesday, Moyes insisted criticism of his management has not affected his approach. "I was given a six-year contract because it was a long-term deal," Moyes said. "It was always going to take time. There is rebuilding going on year after year here, and we will continue to try to do that. "I just keep doing the job because I know that we're doing the right job. We'll do the same things, we'll make sure things are right - prepare the players well and things will change I have no doubt." Moyes' side are 21 points worse off than they were after 25 games last season, and the Scot suggested that demonstrates how far United's rivals have come. "The improvement in the teams in the Premier League has been big," Moyes said. "There have been a lot of improvements from sides in the Premier League and obviously we've not done as well as we did last year. "I think there are certain different reasons for it, I don't think there's any particular one. I think there's a combination of different things - the change of manager being one of them. But lots of other things as well. "We're trying to see how our results have not been as good as they have been. They should be, and we will continue to look at that. There's no one person or one thing (to blame)." Former Everton boss Moyes also defended his players and thanked United fans for the backing he has received since taking over at the club. "I think the players are doing great. I think I've got a great group of players. I'm very fortunate I took over the champions and I think the players have been terrific," he added. "The supporters have been fantastic. That's why the right clubs, pick the right managers and the right managers pick the right clubs. You pick clubs where you know is the right place for you. "That's why I always hoped and dreamed that Manchester United would come for me - and they did in the end."

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