Comment & analysis round-up

Quote of the day: “We’d rather have had three points and I think we deserved three points, but our second-half performance was phenomenal. Our tenacity was fantastic and we played like champions. The attitude and character was fantastic. I’m really proud of them.” - Sir Alex Ferguson.

Runner-up: “For me, Gerrard is a great player and a great person. For me he is the player of the year in England and maybe in Europe because of the influence he has on the team. He’s very good, I like him very much as a player and I know him, he is a nice guy, a positive guy and he is an example for many people. Unfortunately he plays against me, not with me but he is still my favourite player. I am not surprised that Gerrard has been moved up front behind Fernando Torres because I think he can play in many positions. In that position he probably feels more free He has the quality to play in any position but he is not my player… If you can bring him to me, I will be happy.” – Avram Grant.

Today’s overview: The short and long-term future of Steven Gerrard are analysed in the papers today, a neck injury may keep the Liverpool captain out of the first-leg clash with Chelsea and comments from Avram Grant (above) have the papers in a frenzy (again).

Or, it could be suggested that this “transfer rumour” has only been trotted out as the two teams meet again in the Champions League semi-final first leg this week, likewise the rumours about Thierry Henry have only surfaced days before Barca play Manchester United.

Joe Lovejoy (The Sunday Times) writes, “Chelsea will make a third attempt to sign Steven Gerrard from Liverpool if, as expected, Frank Lampard leaves at the end of the season.”

Roy Collins in the Sunday Telegraph adds fuel to the fire, suggesting Gerrard may be tempted at a title tilt with Chelsea. “Today, he appears to have arrived at the same crossroads he reached in April, 2005, on the threshold of European glory but still a million miles from a serious title bid. Add in the ownership and boardroom battle that is tearing his home-town club apart and who could blame him for reading renewed courtship from Chelsea in the extraordinary paean of praise offered by Avram Grant on Friday night?”

Daniel King and Bob Cass reveal in the Sunday Mail that “Chelsea face a player mutiny and the exit of star names if manager Avram Grant remains in charge after this season… key players such as Real Madrid target Michael Essien are likely to join Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard on the list of those heading for the exit this summer, while the discontent among those who stay will deepen.”

Whilst the News of the World claim that “Guus Hiddink is dramatically being lined up to take over as Chelsea boss in the summer.”

But Patrick Barclay in the Daily Telegraph goes against the grain and suggests that Avram Grant may prove everyone wrong in the final weeks of the season.

The NOTW also reveals that Thierry Henry is on his way back to London this summer: “Chelsea would be favourites for his signature but Manchester City and Newcastle would both be interested in signing Henry — even allowing him to commute from a London base.”

There are a number of Champions League previews, Paul Wilson (Observer) looks at the futures of Avram Grant and Rafa Benitez, Jonathan Pearce (Sunday Mirror) calls on Liverpool and Chelsea to “show some dignity” and Jonathan Northcroft also previews Chelsea’s trip to the Anfield fortress in the Sunday Times.  

The papers also preview the first-leg between Barcelona and Manchester United. Duncan Castles (Observer) analyses how the “Barca family fell apart” and Ryan Giggs speaks to Steve Tongue (Independent on Sunday) about United’s 4-0 defeat in the Nou Camp in 1994. Also, Stewart Robson (Sunday Telegraph) pinpoints Owen Hargreaves as the key player for United in the Nou Camp and in the same paper Mark Hughes writes that the time has come for Sir Alex Ferguson to win another European Cup.

And in the Sunday Times Jonathan Northcroft features Carlos Tevez as the player who could ignite the first-leg, Hugh McIlvanney slams Johan Cruyff’s recent comments and Ian Hawkey writes of “Lionel Messi on a mission.”

The inquiry into Arsenal’s failed season continues, Nick Townsend (Independent on Sunday) claims Wenger needs to “bring in some big guns.” 

Other articles of interest include David James (Observer) on the misery of relegation, Patrick Barclay interviews Roy Keane in the Sunday Telegraph, Rod Liddle (Sunday Times) on Ian Wright’s departure from the BBC and there is also news of the likely resignation in the coming days of South Africa coach Carlos Alberto Parreira.

This entry was posted on Sunday, April 20th, 2008 at 10:28 am and is filed under blog. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.