jose - soccer

Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech reckons Arsenal will be out of the title race if they lose to the Premier League leaders at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

Arsenal have lost five league matches already this season, have slipped 10 points behind pacesetters Chelsea and Liverpool and are currently not even in the top four. Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger believes the London derby offers a chance for his side to kickstart their title challenge. "Ideally, I do not want to be 13 points behind Chelsea so let's make it seven on Sunday night," he said. "We know that direct confrontations with top teams become vital when you are in our position."


Champions Manchester United are also in action, knowing they can ill afford any slips at local rivals Manchester City. United, eight points behind Chelsea and Liverpool with a game in hand, were beaten home and away by City last season.

Tottenham Hotspur's resurgence under new manager Harry Redknapp will be tested when they host mid-table Everton at White Hart Lane looking to move clear of the relegation zone.

United have only won one of their lat three Premier League matches and Ferguson says they must start grinding out results even if they are not playing at their best. He added: "Results are important and we need to start grinding out results. Last season we had a period where we kept winning 1-0. "If that's the way we need to do it this season, then we need to start doing it very soon. Chelsea and Liverpool are out there at the moment, and it's about us getting back into the race."

United are currently eight points behind Chelsea and Liverpool with a game in hand. The Blues and Reds both dropped points last week only for United to do the same against Aston Villa. Ferguson will therefore hop United can improve on the 1-0 defeat they suffered to City in the corresponding fixture last season.

Inter Milan moved four points clear at the Serie A summit with a 1-0 win over arch rivals Juventus in the Derby d'Italia tonight. After a ferocious first half, it took a 72nd-minute goal from Sulley Muntari to decide the game in the home side's favour.

Jose Mourinho prevailed in the much-anticipated battle of two former Chelsea coaches against Claudio Ranieri and saw his side cement their place on top of the table. Mourinho recalled Adriano to his starting line-up after overlooking the Brazil frontman for five matches due to a disciplinary matter.

Inter appeared to get lucky in the 24th minutes when referee Nicola Rizzoli waved away Juve's claims for a penalty after Muntari looked to have impeded Marco Marchionni inside the area. He earlier denied the hosts a spot-kick in the first minute when Zlatan Ibrahimovic's cross struck the arm of Giorgio Chiellini at point-blank range.


Juve lost midfielder Tiago to a suspected serious knee injury after only four minutes. Claudio Marchisio replaced him and he had Juve's only other effort of the first half two minutes before the break when Julio Cesar tipped his shot over the crossbar.

The rest of the first 45 minutes belonged to the Nerazzurri, who had three excellent opportunities to go ahead.

Dejan Stankovic had the first after 12 minutes when he broke the offside trap, but he was never able to get the ball fully under control as Cristian Molinaro and Chiellini both stopped him in his tracks. Ibrahimovic was the next to break, capitalising on an error by Nicola Legrottaglie on the halfway line. With his head down, the Swedish striker made like a train for the Juventus goal, leaving Legrottaglie in his wake before shooting just wide of the far post. And Muntari had a header from Adriano's cross touched past the post by the leg of Juve goalkeeper Alex Manninger, who also touched a cross-shot from Adriano wide of the post and parried another Muntari effort in stoppage time.

The Bianconeri took the sting out of Inter in the second period. When the home side did break through, Ibrahimovic fired another free shot wide of the post.

A touch of fortune enabled the Swede's next mis-hit shot to reach Muntari, who put the home side ahead in the 72nd minute. The Ghana midfielder was on hand to pass the ball into the unguarded net. Juve's response was a header from Alessandro Del Piero which Julio Cesar clawed off the goal line, but the visitors could not muster anything else as their seven-game winning run was ended at the San Siro.

They saw Inter pull six points away, but could have few arguments after doing too little over the 90 minutes to deserve anything else.

(source: soccernet.espn.go.com)

Back attendance Francesco Totti bring positive impact to the AS Roma appearance. Assists on the 'Prince of Roma' Giallorossi successfully won this prestigious party, Derby della Capitale, defeat Lazio 1-0 advanced in the league Serie A in Italy this week to the 12 that took place at the Olimpico Stadium, Roma. The only goal victory over Roma produced Julio Baptista five minutes after the second round began.

Although not able to take the position that the team still fall under the board in the forum, at least, victory in the Derby party candidate to become spiritually supplies for Totti and reduce the burden of pressure that perch on the shoulders the coach Luciano Spalletti.


Prove a Derby party, the second team since the beginning of each race to create opportunities through wicket opponent. Rome, which appear super-offensive, in addition to Totti, Spalletti also lower Mirko Vučinić and Baptista, the road appears to control the game in the first 10 minutes. In the 18 minutes, Roma's first opportunity to get through Vucinic utilize the bait bounce Christian Panucci.

Lazio heading reply through their top scorer, Mauro Zarate is still on the rebound rule wicket Doni. In 30 minutes, backlash distance Zarate fall right in the embrace Doni. Three minutes later, turn Rome. I kick the ball Vucinic utilize vomiting in the penalty box bounce away. Similarly, speculation Baptista backlash in the four minutes before the first round ended.

At the beginning of the second phase, Roma appear more ferocious. Less than five minutes, Totti's moving through the right side of defense Biancocelesti. Bait side with a perfect successfully used by Baptista. The ball led to the far goalpost pole Carrizo. 1-0 to Roma. Not until one minute later, Lazio narrowly equate success Zarate position when the extraordinary can still blocked out by Doni.

In 60 minutes, Lazio coach, Delio Rossi to make changes with the formation Mourad Meghni and attract exit Stefano Mauri. Lazio seek more viable goal replies. Five minutes later, Goran Pandev speculative kick from outside the penalty box only thin sideways in the right goalpost Doni.

One minute later, Lazio beaten after referee Gianluca Rocchi dropping the second yellow card alias red card to Cristian Ledesma. Although the deficit players, Lazio still able to compensate Roma game. In the minutes to-69, kicking team captain, Tomasso Rocchi still thin on the rebound rule wicket Doni.

Five minutes later, Lazio again get the chance. Working with Rocchi, Pandev throw hard shot that can still be blocked Doni. In the minutes to-77, Roma nearly get the second goal when backlash Jeremy Menez incoming replace Totti can still be blocked Carrizo.

Four minutes before the normal time ended, Rome must appear with 10 players when Simone Perrotta got second yellow card. Lazio since we had more touchdown find a reply. Opportunities occur in gold to-89 minutes when heading back the origin of Switzerland, Stephan Lichtsteiner still bounce in the wicket of the ruler. Until the final whistle sounds, a score of 1-0 for Roma remain unchanged.

Line-up:
Roma:
Doni, Tonetto, Juan, Mexes, Panucci (Cassetti), De Rossi, Brighi, Perrotta (KK, KM), Vucinic (Taddei), Baptista, Totti (Menez).
Lazio:
Carrizo, Radu (KK), Rozehnal, Siviglia, Lichtsteiner, Ledesma (KK. KM), Mauri (Meghni), Brocchi (roma), Zarate, Rocchi (Inzaghi), Pandev.
Referee: Gianluca Rocchi.

(source:liputanbola.com)

Stadio Olimpico will be boiling this Sunday as Lazio and Roma go head-to-head in the Eternal City for the season’s first Derby della Capitale.

Things look a little different this season. High flying Lazio are 14 points ahead of their struggling city rivals, who are frighteningly close to the relegation zone. Is the balance of power shifting in Rome? The fierce rivalry between the teams makes this fixture one of the most anticipated games in Italy as more than the bragging rights are at stake. Never mind the Scudetto, beating the rivals is the foremost priority for all Romanisti and Laziali.

The formbook goes out the window on nights like these and all three points are up for grabs. The winners will be the team that shows the most character on Sunday. Emotions steer the path and honor is at stake—in other words, it’s personal.


Disastrous is the way to describe Roma this season. Ten goals produced and eighteen conceded. Totti was back in the scoresheet on Roma’s last outing against Bologna, but unfortunately—so was Cicinho.

After the impressive win over Chelsea in the midweek Champions League clash, three points looked likely on their following trip to Bologna as their long-awaited turnaround seemed to be in the cards. Cicinho’s unfortunate own goal in the stoppages saved Mihajlovic's debut but the Giallorossi remained in 17th place in the league—only one point shy of the relegation spots.

De Rossi is ready for the derby despite having picked up a wrist injury in training on Thursday. The defensive midfielder has been one of the few bright spots in Roma thus far and his participation against Lazio is one of most importance for Spalletti. Cicinho, Taddei, Baptista, and Okaka all failed to take part of Thurday’s training and remain uncertain for Sunday night’s derby. Goalkeeper Doni sustained a head injury against Bologna, but the Brazilian is out of danger and is expected to start against Lazio. Playmaker David Pizarro is sitting out his suspension and Aquilani is ruled out due to a thigh injury.

Roma can make amends with a win against Lazio and get the mentality boost they so desperately need whereas a defeat at the hands of their bitter rivals would not only be a devastating blow to the club but also make life extremely difficult for the players.

(source: http://bleacherreport.com)