Football Update: Premier league news- Arsenal, Aston Villa, Birmingham City, Blackburn Rovers
Arsenal
Arsenal manager, Arsene Wenger has stated that English League Cup, or commonly known as the Carling Cup, is a serious competition and anything less than a win would be unacceptable at the club. The manager employed a tough side against Tottenham Hotspurs
on Tuesday, which included the likes of Andrea Arshavin and Marouane Chamakh on the bench. Both of these player were instrumental in Arsenal’s 4-1 victory at White Hart Lane, with Arshavin finding the net once in the match.
"We have got a few reproaches that we did not take the competition seriously, it was a derby and to go out straight away for us would be difficult. We have a momentum going, and it was important not to interrupt it, also some players needed competition.
If everybody is fit, I can go as well for this competition,” claimed the Arsenal manager.
Wenger added that he has always considered true competitions to be the UEFA Champions league and Premier league. However, he would still be extremely delighted if the lads are able to bring the trophy to the Emirates and want the side to win every competition
they enter.
Aston Villa
Newly named Aston Villa manager, Gerard Houllier has to still put pen to paper for official signing with the Midlands club. Houllier has been offered a 3 year contract at Aston Villa and the manager urged that there was nothing to worry out. He added that
it would only be a matter of days when he finally seals the deal. The former Liverpool manager got off to a flying start with his new club, where he managed to guide his side to a 3-1 victory with Blackburn Rovers. Houllier is the official successor of Martin
O’ Neill, as Villa were without a manager for the past two months and reserves manager Kevin MacDonald was appointed as the caretaker of the club.
On the question of contract, signing the manager stated that he still hasn’t completed the paper work but believed that his word was more binding than his signature. Houllier stated that there was nothing to worry about with his former club Liverpool; it
was not until November that he officially signed the contract.
Birmingham City
Birmingham City manager, Alex McLeish has agreed that he has expects a lot from Alexander Hleb, who recently joined the club from Spanish Champions Barcelona. Hleb was a deadline day transfer from Barcelona and has already started impressing his new employers
when he found the net on his home debut in Birmingham’s 3-1 victory over MK Dons in the Carling Cup. It was Hleb’s goal which opened the flood gates for Birmingham, as his strike was followed by two quick goals from Nikola Zigic and Craig Gardner, which wrapped
up the match for the Midlands club. On the question on whether McLeish has to manage his expectation when it comes to the former Arsenal and Barcelona player, the manager responded that Hleb has always played in a possession holding club and would be accustomed
to that. The manager added that Birmingham has started retaining possession, as the side has a lot of players who can hold the ball and that was the major reason behind the side’s 3-1 victory in the Carling Cup.
Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Boss, Sam Allardyce has admitted that he is delighted to see former Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier back in the premier league. Sam stated that it was good for Villa to have such a manager and Houllier was involved in many ventures since his
departure from Anfield and has been close to football, whether he was in FFF (French Football Federation) or his managing tenure at Lyon. Allardyce noted that the major reason behind Houllier returning to England was the obvious superiority of Premier league
over other leagues in Europe.
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