Sunday, 31 August 2014

Rodgers eager to tame bad boy Balotelli, but will the Italian be Liverpools Cantona?

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Rodgers eager to tame bad boy Balotelli, but will the Italian be Liverpools Cantona?


Rodgers eager to tame bad boy Balotelli, but will the Italian be Liverpools Cantona?

Posted: 30 Aug 2014 05:00 PM PDT

Google the phrase "said she can't resist bad boys" and you come up with 29.1 million results. From broadsheet dating columnists to Taylor Swift, Cheryl Cole, Rihanna and everything between, it seems that not only are women irresistibly drawn to the smouldering complexities of the bad boy persona, but there is also a pretty extensive list of females ready and willing to admit it. Among the many reasons posited by columnists and psychological bods to explain the theory that women can't say no to a wild child, central to it is the idea that the gal feels she can change the guy. It plays to the ego, you see, making the bad boy devilishly appealing. This notion that she can be the one to turn his life around where others have failed is known in psychology as the 'Messiah Complex'. "When a woman falls for a 'bad boy', she tells herself that she will be the one who can change him, so there's an element of ego involved," psychologist Jane McCartney told the Telegraph last year. Judith Woods, the journalist who wrote the piece, goes on to affirm: "It is true that we women love nothing better than rescuing damaged men." 'Someone we can improve' If Mario Balotelli is the ultimate bad boy, as is oft-portrayed, then having signed the Italian striker for £16 million - taking a chance described by some as a gamble and by others as absolutely insane – Brendan Rodgers is the 'nice girl' as Woods puts it, irresistibly drawn to big bad Balo because the Liverpool manager believes he can change him. When the deal was announced, Rodgers' comments were revealing. He praised Balotelli's ability and intelligence but also stated the 24-year-old is "someone we can improve both as a football player and as a person." This suggests that on a subsconscious level, the Liverpool boss sees Balotelli as much as a pastoral mission as a coaching one. One of the summer's most intriguing transfers therefore comes with a no less interesting side story. In a sense it's the ultimate vanity purchase by Rodgers, an attempt by the Northern Irishman to enhance his own narrative – and perhaps ego –by proving himself as the one who succeeded where many others, including his mentor Jose Mourinho, failed. Rodgers wants to be the one who finally manages to tame football's bad boy; the lifejacket to Balotelli's sinking ship. Rodgers' first words on Balotelli were tongue-in-cheek. "Trouble!" he exclaimed on Sky's Monday Night Football, grinning from ear to ear like the girl who's finally got her man and must now figure out how to keep him. But a theme Rodgers consistently returned to in that interview was one centred around himself – talking up his track record with so-called troubled players, going back to his days in youth coaching. "I've been a guy who gives players an opportunity all my life," Rodgers told Sky. "I think most players I always like to sit down and look in their eye to see the honesty and the humility they have. I think when I sat with him, you know I spent about three-and-a-half hours just talking through Liverpool. I've read one or two bits that this is a make-or-break decision for me: I've done this all my life. I've taken players that people have written off and they've performed well." Though the deal makes obvious sense from a financial perspective – Balotelli has averaged almost a goal every other game since joining Manchester City in 2010 – Rodgers is taking a wager not just on the player but on his own ability to unlock Balotelli's immense potential where others struggled. While Mourinho eventually gave up on the man with the camo-print Bentley and indoor fireworks kit, describing him as 'uncoachable', and Max Allegri questioned his ability to work as a team player, Rodgers believes he's the man who can get the best from him. He's begun by playing the 'last chance at a big club' card, exactly the same tactics he employed with Daniel Sturridge. Sturridge too arrived at Anfield with something of a bad-boy reputation (unfairly, we might add) and has been managed superbly by Rodgers, to the point where his goalscoring record after 50 games is thesecond best in Liverpool's history. All in the head The psychological side of coaching is clearly an aspect that fascinates Rodgers. He works closely with sports psychiastrist Dr Steve Peters, an important part of Great Britain's successful Olympic cycling team, to cultivate mental toughness in his players and will use every psychological trick in the book to try to tame Balotelli. History dictates, however, that bad boys are not easily tamed. "The chances of a woman succeeding in changing a man so fundamentally are very, very slim," wrote McCarthy, and at 24 Balotelli has already racked up big-money transfers with the speed Casanova accumulated lovers. Roberto Mancini promised to give Balotelli "100 chances if possible, if I think he can change," after a training ground bust-up at Manchester City in early 2013 saw player and manager almost come to blows. Mancini relied on the tough love approach to try to change his bad boy but eventually conceded defeat. Weeks later he was sold. Mancini treated Balotelli like a son. Not many transfers are signed off with words as warm as "We love Mario", Mancini's comments after an offer from AC Milan was accepted. But too often Mancini made Balotelli the scapegoat at City, giving him especially hard treatment when players like Carlos 'Golf Holiday' Tevez were handled far more leniently, at least in public. Balotelli was given too much stick, not enough carrot – an approach you can't imagine Rodgers repeating. More likely it'll be the other way round. There's a suggestion that Liverpool signing Balotelli could be Rodgers' 'Cantona moment' – the final piece in the jigsaw at Anfield through a player whose infectious swagger inspires all around him. Perhaps he too can propel his team to a first league title in over two decades? There are similarities between Balotelli and Eric Cantona. That cocksure attitude, the effortless cool, the hot temper and uncompromising bull-headedness to do things their own way. Like Balotelli, Cantona was written off and misunderstood, wandering from club to club before finding his true home. Equally, you can just imagine Balotelli scoring a last-minute winner or dispatching a decisive penalty in front of the away end at Old Trafford or Goodison Park and celebrating it à la Cantona against Leeds many moons ago. But to reduce Cantona to a mercurial yet moody hothead would be misguided. Where Cantona and Balotelli clearly differed was in their professionalism and approach to the game. Cantona's arrival at Old Trafford heralded a completely new ethos at Manchester United. His dedication to training and willingness to put in extra work to perfect his technique long after the sessions had finished brought about a new professionalism that rubbed off on a golden generation of United youngsters, players who idolised Cantona and 'followed him like the Pied Piper' as United boss Sir Alex Ferguson described it. Risky business Balotelli's arrival at Anfield may bless the club with bucketloads of self-belief and a renewed swagger, but can anybody really imagine the arrival of Liverpool's No.45 ushering in a new era of dedication to training? If anything he could be a distraction. Rodgers will be aware of all this. "With Mario the market was very limited in terms of what we could bring in," he admitted. "The business was very good for us to take him in and we'll see if it works. If not then at least we've tried. There's no doubt there's a risk with it but it's a calculated risk." There's been much talk of Balotelli's overwhelming – potentially unbalancing – personality, the cult of Mario and the supposed troubles it brings. But in signing him, Rodgers is showing us he too has deep levels of self-belief. The Liverpool manager is essentially gambling his club's fortunes on the premise that his own persona is strong enough to take on –and tame –Balotelli's. If the gamble succeeds it will be a masterstroke, and Rodgers will have proved he can succeed where others failed – a shot to the ego like no other. If it fails he'll be just another victim to have fallen for a bad boy's charms and been left wanting.

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Saturday analysis: Costa comes up trumps again to make most of City stumble

Posted: 30 Aug 2014 03:30 PM PDT

Everton 3-6 Chelsea The first real test of Chelsea's mettle, it was billed as. And pass it they did, but not without a hiccup or three that left manager Jose Mourinho ecstatic and apoplectic in equal measure. The Special One's debut defeat of the last campaign had come at Goodison Park, a venue where the Blues had lost on four of their previous five league visits. But any thoughts of a repeat were discarded when both Diego Costa and Branislav Ivanovic rifled home inside the opening three minutes. Yet the usual Mourinho method of shutting up shop didn't materialise. Everton, who had gone from conceding late goals in their opening two league encounters to collapsing early on, settled into their rhythm and were well on top by the time Kevin Mirallas reduced the arrears moments before the break; the Belgian firing in 4 first-half efforts and making more attacking third passes than anyone else. Having started the scoring in the first minute, Costa fittingly finished it in the 90th, smashing home to put an end to the mayhem that had seen five goals in the space of 10 second-half minutes. The Brazilian, with four strikes in three Premier League appearances, looks every inch the striker Chelsea were crying out for last season, and is set to be kept on his toes by Loic Remy. "I played against him in the Champions League and realised he was a top player, but when you see him every day you realise he's literally got everything," said skipper John Terry. "He's got off to a flying start and long may it continue, because that was the difference today." Martinez's men remain winless despite leading in their opening two games and twice reducing the deficit to one goal against Chelsea. The Spaniard believes Everton are suffering from a crisis of confidence. "We were too soft with ourdefending, every time theball was around our 18-yard box we had a real fear that the ball was going to end up in our net. Now we've got 10 goals conceded in threegames and that is not like us at all. We kept 15 clean sheets last campaign. Our attacking play was phenomenal, we need to bring that intensityand that feeling to our defensive play." Analyse it using Stats Zone• Match report • Martinez reaction Man City 0-1 Stoke The first significant stumble in this season's title race, and few would have predicted the champions slipping up against the Potters, who had lost all 12 previous trips to Manchester against either City or United. The Blues had scored at least once in 69 of their last 70 Premier League home matches, but hit the target with just 2 of their 16 efforts on goal as they were thwarted by a resolute defensive display and a terrific solo goal by ex-United striker Mame Biram Diouf. Key to Stoke's success was defending from the front, with Victor Moses making 7 ball recoveries and 5 interceptions, Peter Crouch a game-high 8 clearances and match-winner Diouf chipping in with 3 tackles. "We're really pleased for Mame," said Stoke boss Mark Hughes, triumphant at the club which dispensed with his services in December 2009. "He's come to the club and we've been delighted with what he's shown us in games and in training. But obviously he's a striker and when you come to a new club you want to make an impression as quickly as possible and that means scoring goals. "He's probably been a little hard on himself. In the couple of games that he's played he's had chances and not taken them but we could see that he was going to give us something that we didn't have last year, which was pace and power on the break. It was an outstanding goal. I hadn't realised until I'd seen it again how deep he picked the ball up, and he just kept on going. "You always sensed he was going to go all the way and get a shot off and thankfully there was enough power on it to beat Joe [Hart] and we won the game.It's a fantastic goal to win any game." Yaya Toure had done his best to turn the tie in the hosts' favour, attempting 6 efforts on goal and making more passes than anyone else (91/103). His manager Manuel Pellegrini felt the hosts should have been awarded a late penalty when the Ivorian went down under a challenge from Erik Pieters. "It doesn't matter, all of you know that it was a clear penalty but it doesn't matter.I don't want to analyse the game just in one play," he said. "We tried to create space, Stoke defended very well in the first half and in the second also. We couldn't create space but I think in the attitude we did all that we could do. We didn't play well in the creative way, it was too easy in the way they scored the goal in counter-attacking a corner." Analyse it using Stats Zone•Match report• Pellegrini reaction • Hughes reactionBurnley 0-0 Man United A second successive draw on the road for the Red Devils, but still plenty for Louis van Gaal to ponder after the lunchtime stalemate in Lancashire that leaves the Dutchman still waiting for his first league win. British record signing Angel di Maria was thrown straight into the starting line-up having joined for £59.7 million in midweek. His 70-minute showing proved one of few positives for the visitors who enjoyed the lion's share of possession (64.5%) but lacked pace, width and end product, as just 2 of their 7 attempts troubled former United shot-stopper Tom Heaton. "I don't think we gave a lot away, but we have to create more chances and today I think we have created chances to score," Van Gaal said afterwards. "I think we were the stronger team, certainly in the second half. The progress is there, but you have to win. A club as [big as] Manchester United have to win. When you have two points [out] of [a possible] nine...that is disappointing." Antonio Valencia's energetic display up and down the right flank would have given the Dutchman some encouragement as the players continue to adapt to his formation. The Ecuador flyer made more attacking third passes than anyone else on the pitch (20/22), while defensively he tracked back to make 9 ball recoveries and win all 5 of his tackles, 4 of them in the right-back area. By the end, Burnley were happy to take a point, their first in the league this season, but just one goal from their opening three matches is a stat boss Sean Dyche will want to improve on pronto. "We come away pleased with a point, but I'm more pleased or as pleased with the performance," he said. "I really like the group you've seen today, I like the way they operate, but we do want strength in depth and people who can challenge to move us even further forward." While Jason Shackell led the line at the back with a game-high 14 clearances, Scott Arfield was a standout performer further forward. The wide-man set up 2 chances for others on top of firing off 2 attempts himself, completed 2/3 take-ons, made an unopposed 12 ball recoveries and won 4 of his 6 tackles. Analyse it using Stats Zone • Match report • Dyche reaction • Van Gaal reactionSwansea 3-0 West Brom An unlikely three wins from three for the Swans, who briefly topped the table before Chelsea's topsy-turvy triumph at Goodison Park. Having initially won just five of 17 matches under manager Garry Monk last season, the South Wales side have carried on where they left off at the tail end of 2013/14 and made it seven wins from eight in all competitions against a woeful West Brom. Alan Irvine admitted his charges never recovered from Nathan Dyer's second-minute strike after Jonas Olsson had slipped inside the penalty area. "You spend a week trying to get ready for a game, you develop a game plan, and then somebody slips and that can't be legislated for," he said. "It makes what would have been a tough game an even tougher one and we certainly got rocked by that. We'd spent the time in the dressing room prior to the game talking about how important a good start was, and we got the worst possible start." The hosts were home and hosed inside half an hour after Wayne Routledge had spectacularly fired home a second, with Dyer netting his third goal in two home matches to wrap up the points after half-time. "I was half-shouting for him to bring it down, and then when he hit it and I saw it going in I thought:'Make sure you hit it'," said Monk of Routledge's stunner. "We've got some very good technicians at the club - very good techniques from a lot of the players. It's something that the guys work on in training and we try and promote. Obviously it was a very good finish in the end from Wayne. I'm delighted for him. He's worked very hard and he's been, in my time since I started, one of the most consistent players that I've had." Chief creator was once again returning Icelander Gylfi Sigurdsson, who has had a hand in all but one of Swansea's goals so far this season. The former Spurs midfielder set up 4 chances in total over the 90 minutes and was also his team's top tackler, winning 3/5. "It's a good start, but that's all it is,a start for us," added 'perfectionist' Monk. "There's a long way to go and a lot more work to do, but in terms of today and the start that we've had, we're pretty much where we should be. It's good to have that winning habit. But I guess when you try and be a perfectionist you see more of the things they do wrong than they do right. But today we did many things right." Analyse it using Stats Zone • Match report • Monk reaction • Irvine reactionNewcastle 3-3 Crystal Palace Neil Warnock returned to the top flight with a bang, seeing his side score in both the first minute and the last as Palace responded from last weekend's drab derby defeat to West Ham by picking up a point that looked for a long while like it would be all three. Dwight Gayle followed up his midweek League Cup hat-trick by scoring inside 60 seconds at St James' Park, while Wilfried Zaha - back on loan from Manchester United - netted in the 95th minute after strikes from Daryl Janmaat, Rolando Aarons and Mike Williamson had turned the tie on its head for the Toon. "You can't really ask much more than what the players gave me today," said Warnock. "We've had a good two days, that's all we've had together, two cracking sessions, they played today like I thought they could play. I was disappointed in the first half if I am honest, I thought Newcastle's best attacks in the first half wereour mistakes, which gave them opportunities in our half of the pitch. But in the second half we were a lot more clinical in breaking out and we created some great chances." All the pre-match talk had centred around Warnock's relationship with Jason Puncheon following a Twitter outburst last season, but the winger did all his talking on the pitch; scoring to put Palace 2-1 up, making a game-high 10 ball recoveries, a team-high 11/16 attacking third passes andcompleting 4/4 take-ons. Top man for the Magpies was undoutbedly Aarons. The Jamaica-born midfielder did not come on until the 67th minute but still managed to fire in 5 shots - scoring one and setting up another - as well as completing 3/4 take-ons, surpassed only by Puncheon. But manager Alan Pardew could only dwell on the disastrous defending which let two points slip through their fingers at the death, and the amount of time added on at the end by referee Mike Jones. "We've conceded a goal after 30 seconds and we've conceded a goal straight after half-time, which is disappointing, but we've come back each time," Pardew said. "We then take the lead and get ourselves in a position [to win]. I thought we got a little bit carried away when we took the lead and at this level you can't do that, you've got to make sure you see the victory out. "When a team comes here and wastes time from the moment the game kicks off, on goal-kicks, and time and time again they took ages on everything - and then they're 3-2 down and he gives them seven minutes, I don't know, it just didn't fit right with me." Analyse it using Stats Zone • Match report • Pardew reaction • Warnock reactionWest Ham 1-3 Southampton After the clinical finishing at Crystal Palace, the Hammers were brought back down to earth with a bump against a dominant Southampton side. The hosts took the lead against the runofplay in the 27th minute through Mark Noble's deflected strike. But Ronald Koeman's men drew level on the stroke of half-time through Morgan Schneiderlin, who added a second after the interval before Graziano Pelle scored his second goal in as many games to seal the win. "Southampton taught us a lesson:we weren't sharp enough and didn't retain the ball as well as they did, [or]close down as well as they did, and [we]gifted them two goals," lamented Sam Allardyce. "As much as they were in control and on top of the game we've lost two very stupid goals from set-pieces." Schneiderlin, who was 'not mentally ready' to take part earlier in the season amid talk of a transfer to Tottenham, was back in fine form. The Frenchman scored with 2 of his 4 shots on goal as well as topping the passing chart with 90/98 and making 8 ball recoveries - a figure equalled by Steven Davis and bettered by Dusan Tadic (9) as Saints enjoyed 64% possession and fired in 18 shots to West Ham's paltry 4. "I told the boys at half-time: 'Keep the spirit and believe in winning. Don't play for a draw.We are much better than West Ham today, and you have to believe that'," said Koeman. "I think we did." Analyse it using Stats Zone • Match report • Allardyce reaction • Koeman reactionQPR 1-0 Sunderland A welcome first win of the season for Harry Redknapp, who admitted before kick-off that striker Loic Remy would be leaving the club for Chelsea. He was therefore grateful to see Charlie Austin pick up the mantle against Sunderland; the former Swindon striker notching the winner on the stroke of half-time having seen 3 previous attempts fail to find the net. New signing from Norwich, Leroy Fer helped set up 4 chances for team-mates, including the goal, while wide-man Matt Phillips was a livewire on the right flank. The former Blackpool speedster attempted 12 take-ons down the wing and sent 3 efforts goalwards, while Joey Barton was his usual tenacious self in the middle of the park, making 7 ball recoveries, 4 tackles and 2 blocks. Sunderland were unable to translate 60% possession and 16 efforts on goal into any points, and now have just two from their opening three encounters, leaving boss Gus Poyet unsatisfied with his current squad. "This is not my squad," he said. "We don't have enough [players]. We know the numbers I wanted to work with and the numbers we've got. I will be on the phone all the time [until the trnasfer window closes]. It's supposed to be a day off tomorrow but it's not going to be. "I don't know if it was overconfidence or whether we were so happy and controlling the game that we thought it was maybe a little too easy. It's a good wake-up call because it is not easy in the Premier League. It is difficult. If you lose control and momentum and the home team reacts, you have problems." Analyse it using Stats Zone•Match report•Poyet reaction

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We must remain patient, insists Van Gaal

Posted: 30 Aug 2014 08:42 AM PDT

United's wait for a competitive victoryunder the Dutchman stretched to four games as a result of the stalemate at Turf Moor, which saw Angel di Maria make his debut following a £59.7 million move from Real Madrid. Although Van Gaal's men were perhaps unfortunate not to be awarded a late penalty when Ashley Barnes appeared to handle a shot from Ashley Young, Burnley will feel they did more than enough to merit a share of the spoils. In his post-match press conference, Van Gaal fielded a suggestion that United's team did not appear to beworld-class, despite the star names at hisdisposal. He replied: "At this moment, it is certainly not, but we have to wait and have belief in it, that it shall happen." Van Gaal acknowledged that his comments will do little to appease fans frustrated by the team's winless start to the campaign. "Every word what a manager says at this moment, when you have two of nine points, is one word too much," he added. "I think in the first half we did the same as Burnley, fighting, and I think that we have to play the ball against teams as Burnley, andwe have done that in the second half much better. "We have created in the second half much more chances, but then you have to score out of the chances and we did not do that. So it's a disappointing result, I believe." Di Maria, the most expensive player in the history of British football,offered an encouraging display on debut before being withdrawn as a precaution with 20 minutes remaining. "It was not the world-class player that we have seen in Madrid, but you cannot expect that because he has to adapt to the English culture and the English way of playing, but also to his fellow players," said Van Gaal of the Argentinian. "And his fellow players need to adapt to his way of playing and that needs time also. "When I'm saying that, and I have to repeat myself, then I think everybody is tired of me, but it's like that."

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Everything you need to know about... Daley Blind

Posted: 30 Aug 2014 08:30 AM PDT

The 60 second story Daley Blind is the son of Ajax legend Danny Blind, who won the Champions League under Louis van Gaal's management in 1995. As such, Daley was practically born in Ajax's stadium, and having played there since the age of four, the Amsterdam-based club's philosophy is virtually ingrained in his genes. At Ajax, Blind started out as a left-back, but it wasn't long until manager Frank de Boer converted him to a defensive midfielder. Playing in that position, he won the Dutch Player of the Year Award in the 2013/14 season. At the World Cup in Brazil, Blind truly rose to prominence. Making the most of Blind's versatility, Dutch boss Van Gaal used the Ajax man as a left-back, but sometimes moved him to centre-back or the base of midfield. This worked well. During the Netherlands' opening match against Spain, Blind provided the assist for Robin van Persie's wonder-goal, and against Brazil Blind even managed to find the net himself. Why you need to know him It seems only a matter of time before it's officially announced the utility man will move to Manchester United, with a fee believed to be in the region of £14 million said to have been agreed between Ajax and the Premier League club. At United, Blind will join former Netherlands boss Van Gaal, who's desperately trying to reshape his squad after a disappointing start to the season. Strengths As a defensive midfielder, Blind likes to break up play and quickly set up new attacks after winning possession. As a left-back, he seems to know exactly when to surge forward and when to stay back. Key in all of this is Blind's tactical awareness and intelligence; he's not about brute strength, but more about taking the right action at the right time. Weaknesses It could be argued that a defensive midfielder needs to be physically strong and able to launch a good tackle to be succesful in the Premier League. In that regard, Blind might seem a little bit too weak. As a full-back, his lack of pace could pose a problem, as he'll be facing some of the world's fastest and trickiest wingers with Manchester United. They said… At Ajax, Blind contributed massively to the four consecutive league titles the club has won since 2011. No wonder Ajax manager De Boer was quick to praise his pupil on Ajax TV: "What he does seems simple, but often that is the hardest of all. If you can make the right decisions and stay calm on a top level and under pressure... that's very difficult. But Daley does those things very well at the moment." Did you know? Guus Hiddink has taken over from Van Gaal as manager of the Dutch national team. After Euro 2016, Danny Blind (Daley's father), who was Van Gaal's assistant and is now still working with Hiddink, will take over and become head boss. Meanwhile, Daley Blind will work with Van Gaal at Manchester United. It's like one big family, isn't it? What happens next? At United, manager Van Gaal - who will know Blind well after working with him during the World Cup - will have to decide what exactly to do with his new signing. Will Blind be primarily used as a defender, or will he take up a position in the centre of midfield? Manchester United seem to need reinforcements in each of these positions, so in that regard the versatile Blind would seem like a wise signing.

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Dyche satisfied with Burnleys style

Posted: 30 Aug 2014 08:20 AM PDT

In the build-up to Saturday's clash at Turf Moor,United manager Louis van Gaal suggested his side would need to cope with a number of long balls from their opponents. However, Burnley were able to varytheir approach play to good effect as they secured a first Premier League point of the season. The hostswere particularly impressive in the first half, with David Jones striking the crossbar early on, and Dyche expressed satisfaction at their performance. "People have a way of looking at teams and how they play," said Dyche, when asked if Van Gaal's reference to long balls had surprised him. "In the Premier League, it's rare to find even a longer pass. They tend to play all short and sharp. "That's for others to decide how productive that can be. I know what I think is productive football, most of you have seen it last season, and I think we play some fantastic stuff. "It's productive, but I think it's good to watch, the fans enjoy it and it does get points on the board. It's a tougher challenge this season but that'swhat I believe in, that's what the players believe in and I think they delivered it very well. "We come away pleased with a point, but I'm more pleased or as pleased with the performance." Dyche remainseager to add to his squad before the transfer window shuts on Monday. After joking that he would like to sign a further15 new players, the 43-year-old acknowledged the difficulties Burnley face in bringing in fresh faces. "The market has moved forward;we've got some money for the first time in a long time and yet the market has jumped forward to a level where it's very difficult," he added. "We've been first in and first out to a number of situations, which were ones we thought we could progress. "I really like the group you've seen today, I like the way they operate, but we do want strength in depth and people who can challenge to move us even further forward."

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Van Gaal bemoans lack of cutting edge at Burnley

Posted: 30 Aug 2014 07:30 AM PDT

United have yet to win a competitive game under the former Netherlands coach and could have few complaints about Saturday's result at Turf Moor. Although Van Gaal's men were unfortunate not to be awarded a late penalty when a shot from Ashley Young appeared to be handled by Burnley substitute Ashley Barnes, the hosts were good value for a share of the spoils having created a number of opportunities of their own. Ex-United midfielderDavid Jones struck the crossbarearly on, while Burnley goalkeeperTom Heaton was rarely tested despite occasional flashes of class from visiting debutant Angel di Maria. Reflecting on a third-successive Premier League game without victory, Van Gaal told BT Sport: "I don't think we give a lot away, but we have to create more chances and today I think we have created chances to score. "I think we were the stronger team, certainly in the second half. "Of course the progress is there, but you have to win. A club as [big as] Manchester United have to win. "When you have two points [out] of [a possible] nine...that is disappointing." While declining to comment on two penalty appeals for his side, Young having also gone down under a challenge from Kieran Trippier in the first half, Van Gaal did question the performance of referee Chris Foy. "I think a manager don't have to discuss these issues [the penalty claims]," added the Dutchman. "You have to see the match and I think we have a lot of free-kicks against us, and I'm certain we have more ball possession, so how is that possible?" Van Gaal was able to express optimism over the likely availability of new signing Marcos Rojo, who was unable to join Di Maria in the United line-up at Burnley as he awaits a work permit. "I believe when we play against Queens Park Rangers [after the international break], Rojo shall have a permit," Van Gaal stated.

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Premier League: Burnley 0 Man United 0

Posted: 30 Aug 2014 06:37 AM PDT

Louis van Gaal was able to field Angel di Maria for the first time following his £59.7 million move from Real Madrid, but United failed to impress once again despite occasional flashes of brilliance from British football's most expensive signing. Having failed to beat Swansea City or Sunderland prior to a midweek League Cup humbling at the hands of MK Dons, Van Gaal's men produced another disjointed display and could have few complaints with the result despite being denied a late penalty when substitute Ashley Barnes appeared to handle a shot from Ashley Young. Indeed, Burnley had opportunities to emulate the 1-0 victory they memorably secured when the sides last met at Turf Moor in August 2009, with David Jones coming the closest to a goal when striking the crossbar early on. Sean Dyche's side will surely take heart from claiming a first Premier League point of the season, following defeats to Chelsea and Swansea. By contrast, United's performance -on a day that the club agreed a deal to bring in Netherlands international Daley Blind from Ajax -is likely to heighten concerns at Old Trafford. An unchanged Burnley came roaring out of the blocks and twice came close to punishing defensive errors in the opening five minutes. Former United midfielder Jones curled a left-footed free-kick against the woodwork after Phil Jones had needlessly fouled Lukas Jutkiewicz. David de Gea was well-beaten on that occasion, but the goalkeeper made an important stop to deny Jutkiewicz within 60 seconds following a sloppy backpass from Jonny Evans, whostruggled badly in Tuesday's shock 4-0 loss at MK Dons. The injury-hit visitors -still without Marcos Rojo as the defender awaits a work permit - gradually settled, with Di Maria offering early glimpses of his talent. A wonderful ball over the top from the Argentinian led to Robin van Persie being superbly denied by Tom Heaton, who stayed big to keep out ashot across goal. Di Maria, who replaced Tom Cleverley in United's starting XI, then played a glorious pass on the spin during anotherattack that ended with Juan Mata slipping as he looked to shoot. However, after soaking up some pressure Burnley soon threatened again, with Scott Arfield heading wide from a Jutkiewicz cross and the lively David Jones testing De Gea with a powerful half-volley. Young saw anappeal for a spot-kick waved away before the break, having gone down under a challenge from Kieran Trippier. The second half started slowly, but Dean Marney was forced to clear a Van Persie shot off the line in the 59th minute following more good work from Di Maria. Van Persie nodded a Darren Fletcher cross over the bar two minutes later, while Matt Taylor should have done better at the other end as he shot tamely at De Gea. Di Maria and Van Persie were withdrawn in quick succession thereafter and United were unable to find a breakthrough despite penning their opponents back in the closing stages, with Barnes seemingly lucky not to be penalised for blocking Young's shot with his arm.

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Scholes questions Blind move to Man United

Posted: 30 Aug 2014 03:35 AM PDT

Blind is expected to sign for United in the coming days after the Premier League club announced on Saturday that they have had an offer - which Ajax later confirmed to be €17.5 million (£13.8m) -accepted for the player. The 24-year-old starred for the Netherlands at this year's World Cup under now-United manager Louis van Gaal. But Blind's versatility may also be his downfall, according toUnited icon Scholes, who feels the player may be forced into central midfield. "I'm not too sure what position he is going to play in," Scholes told BT Sport when asked where Blind -primarily used as a left wing-back for the Netherlands -would fit in. "I don't think he is strong enough for a left-back in England. "And the only place we can seem to get him into the team in central midfield. He's a very good footballer but is he the answer? We will wait and see. "We don't really know what position he is. United are not in a position now to be taking risks. "They need proper central midfield players. They obviously haven't fancied them or haven't been able to get them. "I think he's a really good footballer but is he a central midfielder?" Blind will sit out Ajax's Eredivisie trip to Groningen on Sunday as he undergoes a medical and discusses personal terms with United. Should his switch to Old Trafford be completed, hewill become Van Gaal's thirdsigning as United manager,following the arrivals of Angel di Maria - for a British transfer record of £59.7m -and Marcos Rojo.

Blind set for Man United switch from Ajax

Posted: 30 Aug 2014 02:03 AM PDT

Ajax confirmed on Saturday that the 24-year-old Netherlands international will not feature at Euroborg on Sunday as he has been given permission to speak to another club over a prospective transfer. Although the Dutch champions have not specifically named United, it has been widely reported that they have agreed a fee of around£14 millionwith the Premier League giants for Blind's services. A statement published on Ajax's official website read: "Daley Blind will not be included in the game [against Groningen]. "The international has Ajax's permission to hold talks with [another] club." New United boss Louis van Gaal has consistently been linked with a move for Blind since taking the reins at Old Trafford after the left-sided player impressed for his Netherlands sideat the World Cup. Should the transfer be completed, Blind will become Van Gaal's third new recruit since joining United in July, following the arrivals of Angel di Maria - for a British transfer record of £59.7m -and Marcos Rojo. Long-term targets Luke Shaw and Ander Herrera were also signed prior to Van Gaal's arrival, meaning United's spending in thiswindow willstandat approximately £150m once Blind puts pen to paper.

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Vidal set to stay and start against Chievo

Posted: 29 Aug 2014 05:42 PM PDT

The Chile international has been linked with a move to Manchester United throughout the close-season. Despite that, Allegri has consistently said Vidal would stay with the Serie A champions – and that appears likely to happen with the transfer window closing Tuesday. Allegri said Vidal's knee still needed to be managed, but the midfielder is set to start against Chievo. "Vidal's knee is fine, and he's trained well this week. Obviously we'll have to manage it but tomorrow he will start," he said on Friday. "Regarding his stay in Turin, both me and the club have said it time and time again: Arturo Vidal is a Juventus player, an important player, absolutely crucial for us and he will stay in Turin."

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