SPORTS: 2014

Friday, March 7, 2014

Moyes: Season will make us stronger

(PA) Friday 7 March 2014

David Moyes has written to Manchester United fans, thanking them for their support during a season which he admits has gone much worse than he expected. With 11 matches of Moyes' debut season remaining United are seventh in the English Premier League, 12 points adrift of the UEFA Champions League qualification places.
Under Sir Alex Ferguson, United won the title last year with four games to spare, but this term they are 18 points behind leaders Chelsea after suffering eight losses. In his quarterly address to United fans in the club's season ticket holders magazine, Moyes confessed his team have not been up to scratch.
The letter, entitled 'A word from the boss' read: "While I knew that this job would be a challenge when I took it on, the difficult season we have experienced was not something that I envisaged, which I am sure is the case as well for you supporters - and my players, staff and I are desperate to compensate for that.
"You are accustomed to seeing a successful Manchester United and the backing you have given the players and I throughout the season has been incredible ... the loyalty you have shown us has been magnificent."

Everything we have been through will make us a better, stronger team and club in the future

David Moyes, Manchester United manager

Ferguson won the Premier League 13 times during his 26-year stewardship at Old Trafford, as well as a host of other European and domestic honours including two Champions Leagues. Ferguson chose Moyes to succeed him despite the 50-year-old's lack of experience in managing an elite European club. The former Everton manager is convinced he can turn things round at Old Trafford though.
"Over the years you have seen great winning sides here and, in time, I have absolutely no doubt that we will see great winning sides here again," Moyes added. "We will do everything in our power to get the positive performances and results to do that, so that we can give you season ticket holders and all our supporters something to shout about..."
Moyes concluded: "In the long run, we will all come out at the other end, stronger for the experiences. Everything we have been through will make us a better, stronger team and club in the future."

Thursday, March 6, 2014

Scolari: "Mein Team ist bereit"

(FIFA.com) Dienstag 4. März 2014

Luiz Felipe Scolari hat eine schwere Aufgabe. Er soll Brasilien bei der FIFA Fussball-Weltmeisterschaft™ im eigenen Land den Titel bringen. Eine Erfahrung, die er bereits 2002 bei der Europameisterschaft in Portugal machte. Felipão blickt dem Turnier jedoch mit Vorfreude entgegen und ist zuversichtlich. FIFA.com sprach exklusiv mit ihm über den Druck, Tradition und den Stand seiner Vorbereitungen.

In 100 Tagen beginnt die WM. Ist Brasilien bereit, den Titel zu holen?
Was unsere Planungen für die Weltmeisterschaft angeht, ist Brasilien bereit. Alles ist organisiert, definiert und gut in die Wege geleitet. Wenn wir uns jetzt an diesen Fahrplan halten, wird wahrscheinlich alles gut gehen.

Jedes andere Ergebnis als ein Sieg im Endspiel würde von der brasilianischen Öffentlichkeit als Scheitern gewertet werden. Denken Sie persönlich auch so?
Ich denke da vollkommen anders. Ich habe bereits einige Erfahrungen gemacht und ein paar Situationen erlebt, in denen Mannschaften selbst dann von den Fans Beifall bekamen, wenn sie nicht Meister oder Vizemeister geworden sind oder den dritten Platz belegt haben. Viel mehr hängt vom Auftritt des Teams ab. Wenn man an einer Weltmeisterschaft teilnimmt und den Status Brasiliens hat, erwartet natürlich niemand etwas anderes als den Weltmeistertitel. Darauf arbeiten wir auch hin – aber mit dem gebührenden Respekt für die anderen Mannschaften, die ebenfalls mit diesem Ziel in den Wettbewerb gehen. Zu Hause in Brasilien werden wir unsere Qualität einsetzen, um unser Ziel zu erreichen. Wenn uns das nicht gelingt, dann wird es daran gelegen haben, dass es andere gab, die besser waren als wir.

Steigt der Druck auf die Mannschaft, weil das Turnier im eigenen Land stattfindet?
Die Erwartungen sind höher, weil es die zweite WM ist, die in Brasilien stattfindet, und weil wir die Chance haben, das zu erreichen, was wir beim ersten Mal nicht erreicht haben. Aber wir haben starke Gegner, die dasselbe Ziele verfolgen.

Sie haben bereits einen anderen großen Wettbewerb vor heimischem Publikum bestritten, und zwar die Europameisterschaft 2004 mit Portugal. Damals mussten Sie sich im Finale gegen Griechenland geschlagen geben. Welche Lehren haben Sie aus dieser Niederlage gezogen?
Diese Erfahrung war hilfreich, ich habe jetzt einen besseren Blick dafür, wie wir ein Finale angehen müssen und wie ein Team, das zu Hause in ein Finale einzieht, sich organisieren und arbeiten muss, um das große Ziel zu erreichen. Ich weiss, dass wir es genießen können, zu Hause zu spielen. Gleichzeitig müssen wir uns bewusst sein, dass wir stärker leiden, wenn wir unser Ziel nicht erreichen. Diese Erfahrungen werden wir bei der Arbeit mit unseren Spielern nutzen können.

Wie schätzen Sie die Nationalteams von Mexiko, Kamerun und Kroatien ein, Ihre Gegner in der ersten Runde?
Kroatien spielt einen guten, technisch ausgefeilten Fussball. Die Spielweise ähnelt dem südamerikanischen Fussball, der sich durch gute Arbeit am Ball auszeichnet. Diese Mannschaft praktiziert nicht mehr die Spielweise früherer Tage, die an den englischen Stil erinnerte, sondern ist technisch sehr versiert und spielt auf dem entsprechenden Niveau. Kamerun ist eine afrikanische Mannschaft mit viel technischer Qualität. Oftmals haben wir etwas Bestimmtes von ihnen erwartet und alles kam anders. Oder wir erwarteten nichts – und dann überraschte das Team alle. Mexiko hingegen ist einer unserer traditionellen Gegner. Die Mexikaner spielen hochklassigen, guten Fussball. Die Begegnungen zwischen Brasilien und Mexiko haben Tradition und sind immer kniffelig.

Kommt die Tatsache, dass diese Teams einen technisch ausgefeilten Fussball spielen, Brasilien entgegen?
Ja, weil das auch unsere bevorzugte Spielweise ist. Wenn wir gegen andere Teams antreten, die ebenfalls guten Fussball spielen, ist das immer interessant für uns. Brasilien hat oftmals schlecht gegen Mannschaften ausgesehen, die eine andere Herangehensweise haben, die eher Anti-Fussball spielen und auf die Zerstörung des gegnerischen Spieles ausgerichtet sind. Da ist es besser, gegen Teams zu spielen, die gut oder sogar besser als Brasilien sind, denn bei solchen Spielen sind wir in der Lage, den Gegner zu schlagen. An Spiele wie beispielsweise gegen Spanien können wir mit dem gewohnten Elan, ohne Aufregung und psychologische Hindernisse herangehen.

Wurde der Rest der Welt durch den Erfolg Spaniens und des FC Barcelona in den letzten Jahren gezwungen, sich mit diesem Kurzpassspiel auseinanderzusetzen?
Ich glaube, die Eigenschaften der Spieler, die beim FC Barcelona aktiv waren, haben sich nach und nach ergänzt. Nun analysieren natürlich alle das Wieso und das Warum. Aber diese Art des Fussballs ist auf die Zeit beschränkt, in der sie erfolgversprechend ist. Wir hatten vor Jahrzehnten bereits den italienischen Fussball, den wir sehr gut analysieren mussten, oder auch die deutsche Spielweise. Es gab bereits früher unterschiedliche Eigenschaften, die jeder Trainer genau beobachten und erlernen musste, um einen Nutzen daraus zu ziehen.

Sie haben auch in arabischen Ländern gearbeitet und kennen den Weltfussball sehr gut. Glauben Sie, dass eine asiatische oder afrikanische Mannschaft bei dieser WM für eine Überraschung sorgen kann?
Für eine Überraschung schon. Aber den Weltmeistertitel zu holen, wird sehr schwer werden, weil die Fussballmächte noch immer bessere Möglichkeiten haben. Sie können auf eine Tradition zurückblicken und spielen kompakter. Das sind Mannschaften, die mehr Erfahrungen vorweisen können und mehr gute Spieler zur Verfügung haben. Das erhöht die Erfolgschancen. Es mag die eine oder andere europäische oder südamerikanische Mannschaft in der Aussenseiterrolle geben, die eine Chance hat. Ich glaube allerdings nicht, dass ein Team aus Afrika oder Asien im Augenblick in der Lage ist, eine Weltmeisterschaft zu gewinnen.

Sie trainieren eine solche Traditionsmannschaft. Wie setzen Sie diese Tatsache ein, um Ihre Spieler zu motivieren?
Wir halten den Spielern vor Augen, was erreicht wurde. Wir zeigen ihnen, was sie in ihrer eigenen Karriere und mit der Nationalmannschaft erreichen können. Wir machen ihnen deutlich, auf welche Weise Brasilien seine Titel errungen hat: mit Engagement, mit Temperament und mit Klasse. Und wir geben ihnen das Selbstvertrauen, das sie brauchen, um ihre hervorragenden spielerischen Fähigkeiten in die Praxis umzusetzen.

2002, als Sie mit Brasilien Weltmeister wurden, standen Ihnen Ausnahmespieler wie Cafu, Roberto Carlos, Rivaldo, Ronaldinho und Ronaldo zur Verfügung. Ist diese neue Generation genauso stark wie die vorherige?
Man kann nicht nur das Talent vergleichen. Die Auswahl von 2002 hatte mehr Erfahrung. Das aktuelle Team hingegen verfügt über viel Spielfreude und Dynamik. Damals war vielleicht die Erfahrung entscheidend, aber wer weiß, ob heute nicht Dynamik und Spielfreude wichtiger sind.

Die WM rückt näher, es ist viel von organisatorischen Problemen, Verspätungen beim Stadionbau und politischen Scharmützeln die Rede. Lassen Sie sich davon auf irgendeine Weise beeinflussen?
Nein. Ich sorge dafür, dass uns solche Umstände nicht beeinflussen, denn sie betreffen uns nicht. Wir sind natürlich als Menschen, als Bürger und als Brasilianer betroffen, müssen hier aber klar unterscheiden können und dies auch unseren Spielern vermitteln, damit auch sie eine Grenze ziehen und sich auf ihre Aufgabe auf dem Spielfeld konzentrieren können. Jeder hat seine eigene Meinung, aber jeder Spieler muss die gesamte Konzentration, die Aufmerksamkeit und den Fokus allein auf die Aufgabe richten, für die er berufen wurde. Es gab emotionale Reaktionen der Spieler. Wir sprechen offen darüber und sie können ihre Meinung über die sozialen Netzwerke kundtun. Aber in der Mannschaft haben wir unsere Regeln und an die halten wir uns.

Sie waren zwei Jahre alt, als die Weltmeisterschaft zum ersten Mal in Brasilien stattfand ...
An den Einzug von Brasilien ins Finale 1950 kann ich mich natürlich nicht erinnern. Die meisten Leute haben eine bittere Erinnerung an unsere Niederlage gegen Uruguay. Da bin ich ganz anderer Meinung. Die damaligen Spieler haben eine Tür aufgestossen und uns auf einen Weg gebracht, der uns fünf Weltmeistertitel eingebracht hat. Das ist die Sichtweise, die ich weitergebe, die ich den aktuellen Spielern über ihre Vorgänger bei der WM von 1950 vermittle.

Was werden Sie am 13. Juli um 16 Uhr tun?
Naja, ich weiß, dass am 13. Juli das Finale stattfindet. Wenn es also um 16 Uhr beginnt, werde ich am Spielfeldrand stehen und mich vorbereiten. Ich habe dann schon voller Freude, Inbrunst und Dynamik die Nationalhymne gesungen und hoffe, dasselbe von meinen Spielern und dem Publikum sagen zu können.

Überraschungen und erfüllte Erwartungen

(FIFA.com) Mittwoch 5. März 2014

Der erste große Aufgalopp 100 Tage vor der FIFA Fussball-Weltmeisterschaft 2014™ hat gehalten, was man sich von ihm versprochen hatte. Es gab große Überraschungen wie das Unentschieden von Argentinien in Rumänien (0:0) und souveräne Favoritensiege wie den von Brasilien in Südafrika (5:0).

Gegen Italien bestätigte Spanien beim 1:0 einmal mehr, dass es alle Möglichkeiten hat, seinen Titel zu verteidigen. Portugal nahm Kamerun im zweiten Durchgang regelrecht auseinander (5:1). In den anderen Begegnungen der Endrundenteilnehmer bestätigte Frankreich gegen die Niederlande seinen Aufwärtstrend (2:0), während sich Deutschland beim 1:0 gegen Chile ebenso schwer tat wie England gegen Dänemark.

Das Spitzenspiel
Spanien - Italien 1:0
Tor: Pedro (63.)
Das Ergebnis sagt wenig über die Intensität dieses echten Spitzenspiels und die Qualität des Duells der beiden letzten Weltmeister aus. Titelverteidiger Spanien siegte durch einen erneuten Geistesblitz von Andres Iniesta, der den Ball selbst im italienischen Strafraum noch ruhig und abgeklärt mit der Hacke weiterleitete und so die komplette gegnerische Hintermannschaft buchstäblich auf dem falschen Fuß erwischte. Pedro reagierte am schnellsten, Gianluigi Buffon hatte das Nachsehen.

Spanien beherrschte das Mittelfeld und damit das Spiel. Thiago Alcantara war der unumstrittene Chef auf dem Platz. Auch die Torschussbilanz von 23:4 spricht eine deutliche Sprache. Ohne den verletzten Mario Balotelli ist der Sturm von Italien nur ein laues Lüftchen.

Die anderen Begegnungen
Dass man zum Klang von Vuvuzelas durchaus auch Samba tanzen kann, bewies Brasilien in der einseitigen Partie gegen Südafrika (5:0). Der dreifache Torschütze Neymar sprühte dabei nur so vor unbeschwerter Spielfreude. Der Mann vom FC Barcelona schwingt sich unverkennbar immer mehr zum großen Fixpunkt in der Offensive des fünfmaligen Weltmeisters auf. Zudem glänzten Oscar mit großartiger Ballbehandlung, Fernandinho mit knallharten Schüssen und Hulk und Fred mit Mannschaftsdienlichkeit. Kurz: Brasilien präsentierte sich in beeindruckender Frühform.

Ganz anders hingegen Argentinien, das in Bukarest eine völlig konfuse Vorstellung bot und beim 0:0 restlos enttäuschte. Bestes Beispiel war Lionel Messi, der vollkommen abgemeldet war. Bester Argentinier war noch Sergio Romero, der Ersatztorhüter von AS Monaco.

Frankreich hat sein Selbstbewusstsein zurück. Das bewiesen vor allem die beiden Torschützen, Mittelstürmer Karim Benzema und der defensive Mittelfeldspieler Blaise Matuidi. Vize-Weltmeister Niederlande kam überhaupt nicht zum Zug und war insbesondere in der Defensive ungewohnt anfällig. Didier Deschamps scheint die Feinabstimmung im Kader endlich gelungen zu sein.

Portugals Nationalmannschaft wurde kräftig verjüngt, doch Doppeltorschütze Cristiano Ronaldo bleibt unantastbar. Beim 5:1 gegen Kamerun, das nur eine Halbzeit lang mithalten konnte, zeigte der Madrilene seinen Gegenspielern deutlich ihre Grenzen auf.

Die DFB-Auswahl - mit sechs Spielern von Triple-Gewinner Bayern München in der Startformation - ging früh durch ein Tor von Mario Götze in Führung. Danach aber taten sich die Gastgeber gegen die lauf- und zweikampfstarken Südamerikaner schwer, die ihr gutes Abschneiden in der CONMEBOL-Qualifikation bestätigten.

Nicht viel anders erging es England, das bis zur 82. Minute auf den erlösenden Treffer zum 1:0 gegen Dänemark durch Daniel Sturridge warten musste.

Die Schweiz und Kroatien lieferten sich ein torreiches Spiel (2:2) mit zahlreichen Erkenntnissen. Ivica Olic traf dabei ebenso doppelt wie auf der anderen Seite Josip Drmic. Auch in Brüssel gab es eine hochklassige Partie. Eine Stunde lang war Belgien Herr im eigenen Haus. Marouane Fellaini und Radja Nainggolan schossen eine 2:0-Führung heraus, ehe die Elfenbeinküste in der Schlussphase doch noch mit dem unverwüstlichen Didier Drogba und Max-Alain Gradel zurückschlug und zum Ausgleich kam.

Griechenland wiederum enttäuschte im Heimspiel gegen die Republik Korea (0:2, Gegentore durch Park Chu-Young und Son Heung-Min), Algerien siegte souverän gegen Slowenien (2:0, Tore durch Hillel Soudani und Saphir Taider) und Ägypten gelang ein prestigeträchtiger Sieg in Bosnien-Herzegowina (2:0, Tore durch Gedo und Mohamed Salah).

Kolumbien kam trotz eines Tores von James Rodriguez nicht über ein Unentschieden gegen Tunesien hinaus (1:1), während Ghana in Montenegro bereits nach elf Sekunden einen Elfmeter verursachte und danach den Rest des Spiels vergeblich dem Rückstand hinterher lief (1:0).

Bemerkenswert auch die spektakuläre Leistung von Ecuador, das gegen Australien nach einer halben Stunde schon mit 0:3 zurück lag und das Spiel dann in letzter Minute doch noch drehte (4:3). Abseits aller WM-Vorbereitungen schließlich feierte Kosovo das erste Länderspiel seiner Geschichte gegen Haiti. Es endete torlos.

Der Spieler des Tages
Josip Drmic (21) meldete mit seinen beiden Toren gegen Kroatien (das Herkunftsland seines Vaters) Ansprüche auf einen Stammplatz an. Für seinen Verein, den 1. FC Nürnberg, hat Drmic in dieser Saison bereits elf Tore geschossen und drei weitere vorbereitet. Sein Plus ist die Vielseitigkeit: Drmic kann auf der Außenposition ebenso spielen wie in der Sturmspitze oder als hängende Spitze. "Im Moment ist bei mir noch niemand im Sturm gesetzt", hatte der eidgenössische Nationaltrainer Ottmar Hitzfeld unmittelbar vor dem Spiel noch verlauten lassen. Drmic, der aus der Jugend des FC Zürich stammt, hat da wohl ganz genau hingehört.

Das Tor des Tages
Südafrika – Brasilien 0:5 (Oscar, 10.)
Hulk setzte sich auf der rechten Seite ab und flankte dann hoch und weit und doch präzise über 45 Meter genau auf Oscar, der sich zentral in den Rücken der Abwehr geschlichen hatte. Die träge Hintermannschaft konnte nicht mehr reagieren, das anschließende Duell gegen den Torhüter gewann Oscar dank wunderbarer Ballbehandlung dann spielerisch.

Die Zahl des Tages
17 - Nach zuletzt 17 ungeschlagenen Spielen (elf Siege, sechs Unentschieden) infolge mussten die Niederländer beim 0:2 in Frankkreich erstmals wieder als Verlierer vom Platz.

Die Ergebnisse
Zwischen Mannschaften, die für Brasilien 2014 qualifiziert sind
Spanien – Italien 1:0
Frankreich – Niederlande 2:0
Schweiz – Kroatien 2:2
Griechenland – Republik Korea 0:2
Mexiko – Nigeria (in der Nacht)
Portugal – Kamerun 5:1
Belgien – Elfenbeinküste 2:2
Deutschland – Chile 1:0
Australien – Ecuador 3:4

Weitere Spiele mit Beteiligung von Mannschaften, die für Brasilien 2014 qualifiziert sind
Rumänien – Argentinien 0:0
Südafrika – Brasilien 0:5
Russland – Armenien 2:0
Costa Rica – Paraguay (in der Nacht)
Bosnien-Herzegowina – Ägypten 0:2
Iran – Guinea 1:2
Algerien – Slowenien 2:0
Kolumbien – Tunesien 1:1
Japan – Neuseeland 4:2
Honduras – Venezuela (in der Nacht)
Montenegro – Ghana 1:0
England – Dänemark 1:0
Österreich – Uruguay 1:1
Ukraine – USA 2:0

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Kempes: Messi can’t win it alone

(FIFA.com) Wednesday 5 February 2014

There can be no doubting Mario Alberto Kempes’ place in the history of Argentinian football. Known for his bravery and eye-catching flowing locks, the free-scoring front man played a prominent role in La Albiceleste’s triumph on home soil at the 1978 FIFA World Cup Argentina™, showcasing his finishing skills with six goals to end the tournament as leading marksman.
“I wasn’t your average striker because I didn’t play as an out-and-out centre-forward,” said the 59-year-old former Rosario Central, River Plate and Valencia striker, who scored all his goals at Argentina 1978 after the first phase. Two of them came in the Final against the Netherlands, a decisive brace that elevated him to the pantheon of his country’s all-time greats.
FIFA.com caught up with El Matador at last December’s Brazil 2014 Final Draw and asked him to share his views on the big event this June, the chances of success for Alejandro Sabella’s team and the pressure that A Seleção will face as tournament hosts.
FIFA.com: What did you think of Argentina’s performance in the qualifiers for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil?
Mario Kempes: They did very well indeed, although getting started can always be tricky. In the end Sabella got them on course, and having (Lionel) Messi in a good frame of mind really helped the team get going. But obviously it’s not all about Messi. It’s important to keep the whole team happy.
How difficult is it to keep everyone smiling in a team with so many high-profile players?
It’s very hard and you need to be very good at what you do. All the players play for big teams and nobody wants to travel 13 or 14,000 miles just to sit on the bench, and not just for one game but for two. But I think that Sabella, like any other coach, will try to get everyone involved in some way or other in the friendlies and make them all feel like they’re playing a part in the team.
What does it mean to a player to win the FIFA World Cup? It must feel different now to what it did back in 1978?
No, not at all. I think there’s more of a spotlight these days on everything you’ve achieved. When you’re a player and you win the World Cup and other titles you don’t get the chance to enjoy the moment because of the media scrum. You end up getting tired of it. But when the years go by and you look back on it all, then you understand just what it is that you achieved, that we achieved. Looking beyond the personal side of things, if you don’t have the support of the whole team, then you can’t win anything.
What kind of player was Mario Kempes?
I was a different kind of player compared to [Gabriel] Batistuta or Gerd Muller, in the way they moved into the penalty area. I wasn’t skilful in there – I needed space to play. I wasn’t skilful at all…but I’m not saying I was that bad either! I used to take my chances. I was more of a midfielder and therefore a weird striker. I wasn’t a No9, as everyone believes today. Every time I played as a No9, I failed. Coming from deep I had more space, a better vision of the game, and more time on the ball, which I enjoyed the most.

When the years go by and you look back on it all, then you understand just what it is that you achieved.

FIFA World Cup-winner Mario Kempes on looking back on your triumphs in football

A lot of people are wondering how Brazil will cope with the pressure of playing at home. How important is it to have the fans behind you in a competition as big as this?
It’s different because even though some people will tell you that there is no pressure and that the fans get behind you, it’s not actually like that. I mean, you’ll get that support as long as things go well. But if they don’t … I think that it’s up to the people down there, the team, to excite the people up there, the ones in the stands, and to get them going. It shouldn't be the other way round, unless it’s a final, and there’s a 50-50 split. In the group games, that wave of enthusiasm starts on the pitch and works its way up. There are going to be times when the home team will feel that the other side is giving them the runaround and that they need support. But unless you get your fans going, that support is not going to come.
What kind of tournament are you expecting in June?
I hope we don’t see the same old thing. I hope we don’t see defence-minded teams that just hit on the break. There’ll be one or two, especially among the new boys and the teams who don’t have much pedigree. But I’m expecting plenty of entertainment and end-to-end football. And I hope we see the world’s best players perform in every game. Not for the whole 90 minutes, but from time to time at least.
What’s the first thing that comes into your mind when you hear the word “Brazil”?
Samba, happiness, carnival beaches and football!
Do Argentina have a realistic chance of winning?
They have a chance although there’s a big difference between the front line and the back line. But Sabella has put his faith in these players, in the goalkeeper who’s not playing for his club (Sergio Romero, who is AS Monaco’s second-choice keeper) and in the defenders, and we should trust him.
Do you think the team relies too much on Messi?
You can put the players on the pitch but they always move and systems change. I think, though, that Messi has to be a special case and that the other nine outfield players should support him. One player on his own is not going to win you the World Cup. That’s impossible. He can have an important part to play, no question, but there’s no way he can win every game for you by himself.

Sunday, February 2, 2014

Five-star Bayern fly, Nurnberg beat Berlin

(PA) Sunday 2 February 2014

Bayern Munich restored their 13-point lead at the head of the Bundesliga as they cruised to a 5-0 win over Eintracht Frankfurt on Sunday.

Mario Mandzukic was involved in Bayern's two first-half goals, heading on for Mario Gotze to drive into the left corner for the opener after 11 minutes and then making a nuisance of himself in the box before Franck Ribery fired in the second just before half-time.

Arjen Robben and Dante scored in quick succession midway through the second half, and Mandzukic snagged the fifth goal in the 88th minute as Bayern stretched an unbeaten record that now stands at 44 Bundesliga games.

Bayer Leverkusen, who sit in second place despite already losing five games this season, had briefly made up ground on Bayern with victory over Stuttgart on Saturday.

Earlier on Sunday, Nurnberg made it two wins out of two in 2014 with a 3-1 victory at Hertha Berlin.

Josip Drmic scored twice for the Bavarians, taking him on to ten goals for the season and four in two games, but the hosts were left fuming by a decision which denied them an equaliser late on.

Adrian Ramos gave Hertha the lead before Markus Feulner levelled and Drmic put the visitors in front, but the real drama was reserved for the final few minutes when Hertha were first awarded a penalty only to see the referee change his mind.

The official then gave the Bavarians a penalty, from which Drmic wrapped up the win.

Six Nations 2014: Wales' Gatland satisfied with tough Italy win

Wales coach Warren Gatland said he was content to start their Six Nations defence with a 23-15 win, despite failing to dominate Italy in Cardiff.

Tries from Alex Cuthbert and Scott Williams gave Wales a handy 17-3 lead at half-time at the Millennium Stadium.
But Italy responded in the second period as Michele Campagnaro crossed for a brace of tries.
"It was tough. You've got to give Italy a lot of credit - they made it tough for us," Gatland said.

Continue reading the main story

“We wanted to get this game under our belt and focus on next week. It's going to be tough for Ireland”

Warren Gatland Wales coach

"We're pretty satisfied. There were some positives in our game and things to work on in terms of finishing and being clinical.

"It's a reasonable start for us and, the way Italy performed, I wouldn't be surprised if they won a few games in this competition. They won a couple last year and I think they'll do so again."
While Wales failed to shake off the Azzurri, Gatland said he was pleased his side were pushed hard before their trip to face Ireland in Dublin next weekend.
"It wasn't an easy run-out. It was tough, and that's the way we wanted it," he added.
"We know there's a few things for us to fix up on, in terms of making sure we're a little bit more accurate and clinical in time for next week.
"We know it's a massive challenge for us. As defending champions for the last two years, every team will be targeting us and will be up for it.
"We wanted to get this game under our belt and focus on next week. It's going to be tough for Ireland next week. They've only got a six-day turnaround, so we've spoken about making sure we recover right.
"It's going to be a huge game for both teams, particularly if Ireland do manage to beat Scotland."

Six Nations 2014: France 26-24 England

By Tom Fordyce Chief sports writer at the Stade de France

Comments (621)

France 26 (16)

Tries: Huget (2), Fickou
Cons: Machenaud
Pens: Doussain (2), Machenaud

England 24 (8)

Tries: Brown, Burrell
Cons: Farrell
Pens: Farrell (2), Goode
Drop-goal: Care

A last-gasp try from France replacement Gael Fickou denied England what would have been their biggest ever comeback win in a sensational start to the 2014 Six Nations.

Having conceded a try in the first minute and been 16-3 behind with barely a quarter of the contest gone, England had fought back superbly to lead 24-19 with just four minutes left.
Mike Brown's first Test try and another for debutant Luther Burrell came amid 18 unanswered points as early French dominance gave way to English ascendancy deep into the second half.

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France score a try in the first minute of their Six Nations clash with England

France score try after 32 seconds

But with the home crowd reduced to near silence France conjured up one final attack to send the Stade de France into glorious uproar and hand England only their third Six Nations defeat of Stuart Lancaster's tenure.
That the match was a gripping, see-saw thriller will come as little comfort to England's inexperienced team, who came so close to a record-breaking turnaround.
Never before have England come back to win from more than 12 points down in an international, and seldom have they come so close.
The game was only 32 seconds old when England conceded their first try of this season's tournament, Jules Plisson's deflected cross-kick falling perfectly for Yoann Huget on the right wing to gather and step inside the wrong-footed Brown to score in the corner.
Jean-Marc Doussain missed the conversion, and England hit back quickly with an Owen Farrell penalty after repeated drives took them deep into French territory.

Official match stats

France		England
41%	Possession	59%
37%	Territory	63%
7 (0)	Scrums won (lost)	3 (2)
10 (1)	Line-outs won (lost)	13 (2)
4	Pens conceded	8
70 (5)	Rucks won (lost)	112 (6)
42	Possession kicked	33
142 (27)	Tackles made (missed)	100 (23)
13	Offloads	14
9	Line breaks	9

(provided by Opta)

France came close to a second try after replacement Alex Goode just managed to snuff out Maxime Medard down the left, but Doussain made it 8-3 after England were penalised at a line-out.

Errors cost the visitors again five minutes later. Tom Wood was turned over midway inside the French half, and when the ball was spread wide Huget side-stepped Goode - who was temporarily playing out of position on the wing.
Huget fed Brice Dulin, whose chip ahead saw both Goode and debutant Jack Nowell beaten by the bounce, allowing Huget to dive over gleefully for his second.
Doussain again missed the conversion from out wide but his second successful penalty made it 16-3 as the home support celebrated and England struggled to exert any sustained control.
Lancaster's men were being out-muscled up front, ceding two fine attacking positions to a scrum penalty and then a turnover five metres from the French line.
But five minutes before half-time they fought their way back into the battle, Danny Care's quick tap-penalty and slaloming run towards the post creating space out wide for Brown to finish brilliantly through a tangle of French arms and bodies.
Farrell missed both the conversion and a subsequent drop-goal just before the interval that would have brought England closer still than 16-8.

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Six Nations 2014: France 26-24 England - reaction

But his right boot reduced the deficit to five points soon after, with only desperate French defence denying the stretching Care a try after a battering run from Courtney Lawes.
There was a clear sense of momentum shifting, and confirmation came moments later.
Farrell's sweetly timed pass put Billy Vunipola away at a rumbling pace, and the huge number eight handed off one defender before drawing two others to send Burrell away under the posts.
With Farrell's conversion making it 18-16, this developing England outfit were suddenly on course to make history.
Care extended the lead to 21-16 with the most audacious of drop-goals to make it 18 unanswered points on the bounce, and both coaches threw replacements onto the pitch - including Lee Dickson for the outstanding Care - as the frantic pace began to tell.
England's loose forwards were in the ascendant, Vunipola in particular a constant menace in both attack and defence, and when France did have possession at pace, handling errors hauled them back.

Match analysis

Ben Kay Former England lock on BBC Radio 5 live

"Heartbreaking defeat for England. The first two tries for the French were fortuitous and England did really well to come back into it. When they played to their strengths it looked like France couldn't live with them. But then England let the game open up and it returned to the traditional French strengths.
"Of course they will be disappointed, but they should take heart about the way this young side came back after being 13 points down. But it will take them a long time to recover from this disappointment."

Lancaster sent on the comparatively experienced Brad Barritt for debutant Jack Nowell and Dave Attwood for the excellent Lawes as the game entered the final quarter and chill fingers and nervous hearts increased the error count.

With 12 minutes to go, France won a scrum penalty in front of the posts to allow replacement half-back Maxime Machenaud to bring it back to 21-19, but Goode replied with seven left to give England precious breathing-space.
Mako Vunipola almost bashed his way clear as the minutes ticked away before an untimely knock-on, and with time running out France produced their best rugby of the match to make England pay in the most painful fashion.
After the otherwise faultless Brown had missed a tackle on the rampaging Yannick Nyanga down the left, the ball was spread right to stretch a tired defence, and when Dimitri Szarzewski found fellow replacement Fickou wide right a dummy and the 19-year-old's acceleration took him inside Goode and around behind the posts.
Over went the conversion to make it 26-24, and with it England's hopes.
France, so desperate in last season's competition and scarcely better last autumn, had rescued perhaps the most important victory of coach Phillippe Saint-Andre's troubled tenure.
And while England will take great pride from their stirring fightback, they will rue the tired legs and cruel twist that denied them the perfect start to their own Six Nations campaign.

LINE-UPS

France: Dulin, Huget, Bastareaud, Fofana, Medard, Plisson, Doussain; Domingo, Kayser, Mas, Flanquart, Pape, Nyanga, Le Roux, Picamoles.
Replacements: Fickou for Bastareaud (74), Machenaud for Doussain (57), Forestier for Domingo (48), Szarzewski for Kayser (43), Slimani for Mas (48), Maestri for Flanquart (43), Burban for Le Roux (41), Chouly for Picamoles (65).
England: Brown, Nowell, Burrell, Twelvetrees, May, Farrell, Care; Marler, Hartley, Cole, Launchbury, Lawes, Wood, Robshaw, B. Vunipola.
Replacements: Barritt for Nowell (65), Dickson for Care (61), M. Vunipola for Marler (51), T. Youngs for Hartley (58), Attwood for Lawes (67), Morgan for B. Vunipola (65).

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee : Nigel Owens (WRU)
Touch judges : Alain Rolland (IRFU) Stuart Berry (SARU)
TV : Jim Yuille (SRU)
Att: 80,000

Moyes: Luck was against us

(AFP) Sunday 2 February 2014

Manchester United manager David Moyes had no concerns about his side's performance despite the champions suffering their eighth Premier League defeat of the season at Stoke City's windswept Britannia Stadium.

Charlie Adam scored twice, either side of a Robin van Persie equaliser, to secure the Potters' first league win over United since 1984 and seriously hinder the defending champions' hopes of qualifying for next season's UEFA Champions League.

Moyes's men could end the weekend nine points off the top four if rivals Liverpool beat West Bromwich Albion on Sunday, and closing that gap would appear a difficult task with only 14 games of the season remaining. But the United manager was unperturbed by his side's 2-1 loss, which was their fourth defeat of 2014 in all competitions.

He pinpointed the deflection off Michael Carrick for Adam's first-half opener and the quality of the Stoke midfielder's second goal as reasons why United should not be too downbeat about their display. "I thought the performance was really good," he said. "I thought we played well, so I don't think the question about a poor performance is right.

"We made numerous opportunities, played well, lost a goal from a free-kick 30 yards from goal that took a deflection, and (conceded) a worldy. I thought we were the better team. They got a goal, we got back in it, I thought we were the team more likely and I thought on the day we did enough to certainly get something from the game."

Luck is all you need
With Jonny Evans hobbling off in the 11th minute, Adam's deflected opener and then a head injury to Phil Jones, Moyes could count himself unlucky, but his side also squandered several chances. "I thought we had bad luck, I really did," he said. "It was our own downfall that we really didn't take our chances. We must have got to the byline eight, nine, ten times and never picked someone out in the box, so it is our own doing, but I thought we played well.

"The conditions didn't make for a great game. There were a lot of stoppages, which made it quite difficult, but I was pleased with how we did. There wasn't an awful lot that I could say we didn't do well. I just thought we didn't finish it off."

Adam opened the scoring in the 38th minute when his speculative free-kick from distance hit Carrick's knee and left United goalkeeper David de Gea helplessly wrong-footed. United responded after the break when Juan Mata, making his second start since his £37.1m arrival from Chelsea, played in Van Persie, who curled home the equaliser.

But in the 52nd minute Adam fired in a glorious goal from 22 yards to secure Stoke's first league win since December 21 and catapult them up to 11th place in the table.

Manager Mark Hughes said that his side now had their sights on the teams above them after proving that they have the class to avoid a relegation fight. "It is a huge result for us," said the former United striker. "I thought it was a magnificent performance. It was an important win for us.

"I think at the start of proceedings we were in 18th and ended up 11th, which shows how crazy the league is at the moment. It's going to continue in that vein, but we would like to think we are looking upwards. "Maybe people would doubt that positive attitude, but after the events of this game, people can see we are a determined group that stick together and will fight all the way. You just have to take care of your own business."

Saturday, February 1, 2014

Transfer window: The winners, the losers - and the rest

By Phil McNulty Chief football writer

After another transfer window of wheeler-dealing, BBC Sport's chief football writer Phil McNulty analyses the winners and losers as the Premier League clubs brace themselves for the season run-in:

Winners

Manchester United

Key moves in: Juan Mata [from Chelsea] £37.1m.
Key moves out: Fabio [to Cardiff] undisclosed, Larnell Cole and Ryan Tunnicliffe [to Fulham] undisclosed, Anderson [to Fiorentina] loan, Jack Barmby [to Hartlepool] loan, Wilfried Zaha [to Cardiff] loan, Sam Byrne & Charni Ekangamene [to Carlisle] loan, Tyler Blackett, Tom Thorpe & Federico Macheda [to Birmingham] loan, Tom Lawrence [to Yeovil] loan, Sam Johnstone [to Doncaster] loan, Will Keane [to QPR] loan.
Manchester United manager David Moyes went for quality not quantity in January. One signing. One high-class player in Juan Mata at a club-record fee of £37m from Chelsea.
Mata may not solve United's major problems - a creaking defence and a midfield short of a world-class player - but his arrival has changed the mood at Old Trafford and proved Moyes and chief executive Ed Woodward can get the big deals over the line.
He could be a game-changer, not in the context of retaining their title but by lifting United's hopes of making the top four and securing a place in next season's Champions League - unless they win this season's competition, of course.

Fulham

Key moves in: Konstantinos Mitroglou [from Olympiakos] £11m, Larnell Cole and Ryan Tunnicliffe [from Manchester United] undisclosed, John Heitinga [from Everton] free, Clint Dempsey [from Seattle Sounders] loan, William Kvist [from Stuttgart] loan, Lewis Holtby [from Tottenham] loan.
Key moves out: Philippe Senderos [to Valencia] undisclosed, Bryan Ruiz [to PSV Eindhoven] loan, Stephen Arthurworrey [to Tranmere] loan, Marcus Bettinelli [to Accrington] loan, Jack Grimmer [to Port Vale] loan, Aaron Hughes [to QPR] free, Dimitar Berbatov [to Monaco] loan, Adel Taarabt loan terminated.
This was a big window for Fulham and new boss Rene Meulensteen - and early impressions look good after a very busy month in the market.
The departure of Dimitar Berbatov has been offset by the £11m signing of Olympiakos striker Konstantinos Mitroglou, while the loan deal for Tottenham's Lewis Holtby means they have secured a player who was coveted during his career in the Bundesliga with Schalke before moving to White Hart Lane.
Clint Dempsey's return and the signing of Netherlands defender John Heitinga from Everton add valuable experience.
Fulham needed to take action after sliding down to 19th in the Premier League - and Meulensteen will believe this hectic spell of business will bolster their hopes of staying in the top flight.

Crystal Palace

Key moves in: Wayne Hennessey [from Wolves] £3m, Jason Puncheon [from Southampton] undisclosed, Scott Dann [from Blackburn] undisclosed, Joe Ledley [from Celtic] undisclosed, Thomas Ince [from Blackpool] loan.
Key moves out: Jason Banton [to Plymouth] undisclosed, Matt Parsons [to Plymouth] undisclosed, Kevin Phillips [to Leicester] free, Jimmy Kebe [to Leeds] loan, Kwesi Appiah [to Notts County] loan, Stephen Dobbie [to Blackpool] loan.
Tony Pulis has revived the Selhurst Park club since his appointment as manager and he has built on that good work in the January transfer window, especially in those hectic final hours.
Pulis wanted to strengthen his squad this month, and chairman Steve Parish delivered on the final day.
He will feel he has acquired a player of real promise in Tom Ince from Blackpool while Scott Dann is an experienced, battle-hardened defender. Joe Ledley will add quality and experience in midfield and there was even time to sign goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey from Wolves for £3m and Jason Puncheon, so prominent recently, on a permanent deal.
Pulis has made Palace tough to beat, secured vital wins and has now fleshed out his squad shrewdly for the crucial months ahead.

Losers

Arsenal

Key moves in: Kim Kallstrom [from Spartak Moscow) loan.
Key moves out: Nico Yennaris [to Brentford] undisclosed, Emmanuel Frimpong [to Barnsley] undisclosed, Chuba Akpom [to Brentford] loan, Anthony Jeffrey [to Wycombe] free, Benik Afobe [to Sheffield Wednesday] loan, Park Chu-young [to Watford] loan.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger decided against making a big January signing - and the wisdom of his decision to keep his powder dry will be judged at the end of the season.
Wenger's only deal was to bring in Spartak Moscow's experienced Swedish midfield man Kim Kallstrom on loan after deciding not to press on with a deal for Schalke's Julian Draxler.
Perhaps Wenger's biggest gamble has been his decision not to bring in a striker, even on loan, to add to attacking resources that look vulnerable to injuries.
Wenger has cast-iron faith in his Arsenal squad but they have a fierce programme ahead in the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup. Has he left himself short?

Newcastle United

Key moves in: Luuk de Jong [from Borussia Monchengladbach] loan.
Key moves out: Yohan Cabaye [to Paris St Germain] £19m, Jonas Gutierrez [to Norwich] loan, Curtis Good [to Dundee United] loan.
The biggest losers of all in the transfer window - with a lack of activity that is bound to raise further questions about the role of director of football Joe Kinnear.
On the surface, Kinnear's job appears to be to do the deals and bring players in to Tyneside. If this is the case, he has hardly been a success.
Yohan Cabaye left for Paris St-Germain in a £19m deal but there was no midfield replacement for such an influential player, with Borussia Monchengladbach striker Luuk de Jong the only incoming.
This leaves Newcastle manager Alan Pardew in a weakened position despite his hopes of bringing a player in to fill the vacancy left behind by Cabaye.
If Newcastle's season fades, there are likely to be repercussions from fans who will be very unhappy at a failure to significantly strengthen the squad while in a decent Premier League position.

Liverpool

Key moves in: None.
Key moves out: Adam Morgan [to Yeovil] free, Tiago Ilori [to Granada] loan, Craig Roddan [to Accrington] loan, Ryan McLaughlin [to Barnsley] loan, Michael Ngoo [to Walsall] loan.
Liverpool's month of frustration was encapsulated in the final moments of the window when the £15m deal to sign FC Dnipro forward Yevhen Konoplyanka could not be completed.
Managing director Ian Ayre flew to Ukraine to try and secure the "major signing" manager Brendan Rodgers wanted as the Reds continue their push for a place in the Premier League top four.
The fact he will return empty-handed will be a source of real disappointment for Liverpool and their fans, especially after seeing Mohamed Salah move to Chelsea in an £11m deal after he emerged as a top target for Rodgers.
It seems the Konoplyanka deal fell through when Dnipro did not sign off the relevant paperwork, and Rodgers must now press ahead with the squad that has served him well and hope an unsuccessful January transfer window does not impact on the rest of their season.

And the rest...

Cardiff City's new manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer needed to act urgently as they are bottom of the Premier League - and he is relying heavily on former club Manchester United for help.
He will hope the loan deal for Wilfried Zaha provides some firepower, along with the recruitment of Kenwyne Jones from Stoke City, while Fabio's arrival from Old Trafford will add to his defensive strength.
And it remains to be seen how successful his return to another former club, Molde, where he was manager, for Mats Moller Daehli and Jo Inge Berget will be. There is a huge element of a gamble - and the price of failure will be expensive.
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho was a big dealer in and out. Nemanja Matic, returning to Stamford Bridge in a £21m deal from Benfica, will add power and stability in central midfield but there are still plenty of Chelsea fans who will worry they may yet miss the creativity of the popular Juan Mata after his move to Manchester United.
Another manager working the markets heavily was West Ham's Sam Allardyce as he attempted to recover from the initial disappointment of losing out on Monaco striker Lacina Traore to Everton in a loan deal.
Allardyce will hope Roma striker Marco Boriello and AC Milan midfield man Antonio Nocerino - both Italy internationals - add goals and creativity, commodities sorely missed this season.
And so to the Premier League leaders Manchester City.
They pondered a double deal for Porto pair Eliaquim Mangala and Fernando but in the end pulled back, although both remain transfer targets and may be revisited this summer.
City worked strategically in the close season to build a squad for the whole campaign for manager Manuel Pellegrini. He has decided to leave well alone. And who can blame him after their magnificent recent form?

Myung-Bo: FIFA World Cup is a unique event

(FIFA.com) Friday 31 January 2014

Many fine players from Korea Republic have succeeded in building global reputations for themselves over the years, leaving an unforgettable imprint on their clubs. Among that elite group, Cha Bumkun and Hong Myung-Bo are generally considered to be the greatest footballers ever produced by the Asian nation.

Unlike his legendary compatriot, the latter-named defender never represented a major European side, plying his trade exclusively in Japan and South Korea, except for a short spell with Los Angeles Galaxy in season 2003/04.

Myung-Bo’s leadership qualities played a crucial role in his country obtaining the most impressive result in their history, as they finished fourth at the 2002 FIFA World CupKorea/Japan^TM.

After four exciting experiences at FIFA’s flagship tournament as a player, it is in the role of coach that the former sweeper will lead the Taegeuk Warriors to Brazil 2014.

Appointed last June after the qualifying campaign had drawn to a close, he is hopeful of passing on some of his experience and know-how to his young charges, to inspire them to excel in South America this summer.

FIFA.com recently caught up with Myung-Bo, now 44, at the World Cup Draw in Costa do Sauipe. In a wide-ranging interview, the Korea Republic icon discussed his long career, his memories of playing on football’s greatest stage, and the Dutch influence on his coaching philosophy.

FIFA.com: You appeared at four FIFA World Cups. How important is it to pass on your experience to the new generation of players under your command?
Hong Myung-Bo: The FIFA World Cup is a unique event for which you must prepare meticulously. Describing my past experiences to young players is not an easy task, as the majority of them will be making their tournament debut. The most important thing is to be well prepared. I’m expecting my boys to go into the competition bursting with confidence.

What do you remember of your first World Cup adventure in 1990, or your first match against Belgium?
I was very young, but it was still a huge honour to represent my country. We lost that game 2-0, if I remember correctly. The overall experience was very disappointing for our team, but from a personal point of view, I was satisfied with the performances I put in.

You subsequently starred at USA 1994, where you and your team-mates suffered a narrow 3-2 defeat at the hands of Germany.
The pressure of taking on the holders was tough to handle. We started badly, letting in three goals in the first half. I remember that it was really hot and that we struggled physically, especially after the break. But despite all that, the players performed wonderfully well, fighting back and scoring twice. It’s a shame that we ran out of time, as otherwise we might well have drawn level with the Germans.

What is your fondest memory from the 2002 World Cup, where you were captain of one of the host nations?
It was a big responsibility for me; it was crucial that we achieved good results. That must have been why I was able to block out my age and my physical problems. My greatest memory remains our opening win over Poland. It was my country’s first-ever victory at the World Cup, and my first taste of success after three win-less tournaments.

During the competition, you scored the winning penalty against Spain which qualified the Koreans for the semi-finals.
The result went our way, but the seconds prior to that were unbearable. It’s not something I’d like to relive any time soon.

Do you think that your players could enjoy a similar level of success in Brazil?
It’s going to be very difficult. To create a surprise, a massive effort and huge sacrifices will be required.

What sort of influence have the Dutch coaches (Guus Hiddink, Pim Verbeek and Dick Advocaat) with whom you have worked had on you?
I worked closely in the Korean set-up with all three men – I learned a lot from them and I use what they taught me to improve the way I organise and prepare my own team.

Korea Republic endured a demanding qualifying campaign for Brazil 2014. Has the Asian qualifying process become more difficult over the years?
In Asia, several countries have invested heavily in the development of their national sides. This has created some strong teams and levelled the playing field somewhat. We went through a difficult time in qualifying, and that’s likely to remain the case, unless we bring ourselves in line with other countries, in terms of resources and the attention paid to football.

You also enjoyed success at the helm of the Korean U-23 team that earned a bronze medal at the Men’s Olympic Football Tournament at London 2012. Was your strategy to make use of some of those young players in Brazil?
Our performances during that event were commendable, but we now need to put those great memories to one side and move forward. The World Cup and Olympic Football Tournament are two different competitions, but the groundwork we’ve done with the players is certainly pretty similar. Our team still has room for improvement, and we’re going to do all that we can to make progress ahead of the next World Cup in four years’ time.

Rodgers: We've grown so much

(AFP) Saturday 1 February 2014

Brendan Rodgers believes Liverpool's trip to West Bromwich Albion on Sunday is a significant landmark in the club's development since he took over at Anfield. Rodgers' side were beaten 3-0 at the Hawthorns on the opening day of last season in the Liverpool manager's first league match in charge.

Seven of the 18-man squad that day are no longer at the club. While Liverpool took until 29 September to register their first league win last season, they are much improved now and sit firmly in the thick of the race for a UEFA Champions League place.

Rodgers accepts that there is still plenty more progress to make but has been pleased with the changes he has implemented since August 2012.

"We've grown," Rodgers said. "If I look back at my time here over the last 18 months, I look back at the first game we played against West Brom. It's ironic that we play them this weekend. Where we were at then, we had some talented players but we were very much an individual group. Over the course of 18 months, we've implemented a method to our play. We have become a team.

"We're understanding the game much better in terms of how we want to work and how we want to play. The important trait in any successful team is character, and we have got that in bucketloads. It's something that makes me very happy, but we've still got a way to go."

Liverpool are firm favourites to take the three points at the Hawthorns following their 4-0 Merseyside derby win over Everton in midweek. But Rodgers maintains there is no prospect of taking Pepe Mel's side lightly.

"People probably expected Chelsea to win at home against West Ham, but they went there and put on a great defensive performance and got a draw," he continued. "I think it will be like that throughout the remaining games. My focus is only on us and respecting every opponent that we play.

"West Brom, with a new manager, will be very keen to get a win, so we know it will be a very difficult match for us. We'll be ready and prepared. We're coming off the back of an outstanding performance and we'll look to carry that on into the weekend."

Mel hoping for sterner defence
Mel has held a summit with his side to resolve their defensive woes as they prepare to face a Liverpool attack whose return of 57 top-flight goals has only been bettered by leaders Manchester City. The Baggies threw away a two-goal lead to lose 4-3 at Aston Villa in Mel's second game in charge - leaving them with one win from their last 13 Premier League matches.

"I had a very good meeting with all of the players and they were able to speak their opinion," he said. "In my opinion, West Bromwich Albion have to play together, in attack and defence. My players will work hard to win the next game. It's impossible to score three goals away and not win. It was down to mistakes.

"In the first 20-25 minutes we played well and looked on our way to winning the match. Villa's first goal was an individual mistake, which is normal in football, so there are no problems. But the team was nervous and I don't know why."