Aston Villa players told: You have what it takes to beat Liverpool and Arsenal

ALEX McLeish sends his players into a demanding Villa Park double-header against Liverpool and Arsenal with a “believe we can beat the big boys” message.

Villa welcome Kenny Dalglish’s Reds tomorrow afternoon before pitting their wits against Arsene Wenger’s Gunners at home on Wednesday evening.

McLeish had an impressive record against the Premier League’s leading lights as boss of Blues, while the claret and blues recorded back-to-back victories over Arsenal and Liverpool at the end of last season.

But the manager has warned his team they cannot afford to show the timidity which characterised their poor performances in defeats to Manchester City, Tottenham and Manchester United.

Before their late season collapse at St Andrew’s last term, McLeish’s Blues side went on a run of just one defeat from 15 matches against the big six of United, City, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham.

“I will try to get the Villa boys believing they can win these games,” said McLeish.

“It’s all about prestige. These games put players on the map.

“We’ve got to try and make sure the teams are leaving Villa Park knowing they’ve been in a big game.

“Games like this can bring the best out of players and this is where they earn their corn and get recognised as great players when they start to take points off the big guns.”

Villa’s four league victories so far this season have come against lesser lights Blackburn, Wigan, Norwich and Bolton, but McLeish wants the claret and blues to target points against the likes of Liverpool, despite their greater financial clout.

“The players have got to believe they can take points from the clubs above us as well,” he said.

“After winning at Bolton it’s about as much momentum as possible.

“We’ve a home game, we lost the last one and have got to do something in this game.

“We need a better and more aggressive approach than we had in the first half against Man Utd.

“There is a bit of a difference in what Liverpool have spent and who they’ve brought to the club, guys who can make a huge difference, not only in club but world football.

“We are going in against teams like that as underdogs in almost every game but we are at home and the players have got to have no fear at this great stadium of ours.”

McLeish refused to be drawn on reports in the Scottish press linking Villa with a January swoop for Rangers midfielder Steven Davis, although the Villa old boy is believed to be on the list of targets.

“I’m not at liberty to talk about other players at other teams,” he said. “We have a lot of players I admire in mind but it remains to be seen if we can do business.”

One player who won’t be coming to Villa next month is Yannick Djalo with McLeish revealing the club have pulled the plug on a proposed trial for the Nice and Portugal international forward.

“I don’t think he is coming on trial now,” confirmed McLeish.

“His contract case has not been reviewed by UEFA yet. It might be easier for him to get another club if his contract is void, which seems to be the case.”

Asked if Villa pulled out after Djalo allegedly revealed the trial on his Facebook page, McLeish replied: “No.

“I wasn’t sure it was an absolute priority for us but we said we would take a look. It was the agents that offered him.”

AW not ruling out Henry return

Henry became Arsenal’s record goalscorer during an eight-year spell with the club before leaving in 2007 to join Barcelona and later New York Red Bulls.

He is currently back training with the Gunners during the MLS close season, leading to reports that Wenger could look to tie up a short-term loan deal when the transfer window reopens.

The Arsenal manager has previously insisted that he will not be signing Henry, but that stance now appears to have softened.

While Wenger has not spoken to Henry or New York Red Bulls about a move, he is not ruling out the idea and is still an admirer of the 34-year-old’s abilities.

Asked whether Henry could join on loan, Wenger said: “At the moment, Thierry Henry just practices with us. I haven’t even investigated that.

“I cannot tell you even if there is a chance because I haven’t even made any approach, not to him nor his club.”

But asked whether Henry is good enough to play again in the Premier League, Wenger replied: “Yes.”

Arsenal will be left short of attacking options in the New Year when Gervinho and Marouane Chamakh link up with Ivory Coast and Morocco respectively for the African Cup of Nations.

Robin van Persie has been in sparkling form all year and it is reported that Wenger will only attempt to bring in Henry as emergency cover if the Dutchman suffers an injury over the busy festive period.

Wenger laments ‘painful’ losses

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger admits it was “painful” to see big-spending Manchester City raid his squad again last summer.

Wenger ultimately let Samir Nasri, 24, and full-back Gael Clichy, 26, go to Eastlands, following in the footsteps of striker Emmanuel Adebayor and centre-half Kolo Toure, who previously left the Emirates for City. After taking a chance on developing these youngsters with the Gunners, Wenger admits there will always be a sense of frustration at potential lost.

“At the end of the day when you sell a player, you cannot complain after because at some stage you say ‘yes we let him go’ and you have to do the right thing for the club, but it is always painful to lose players at 23 or 24 years old,” he said.

“The financial difference between us and teams like Manchester City has become too big to hope to keep the players for eight, nine or 10 years. Okay, we lost Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira, other players before, but they had played for eight or nine years at the club.

“It is the first time now that we lose players at an age where they start to produce, like [Cesc] Fabregas and Nasri, who were both 24 years old. That’s where you start to become a football player.

“You need to be brave as well to put a player in at 18 years of age, and you need to make room for them, which means you not only need to stand up for the players you put in, but as well you have to kick somebody out.”

Meanwhile, ahead of Arsenal’s clash with league-leading City, Wenger refused to rule out a move for former captain Henry, who has been training at the club following the end of the Major League Soccer campaign with the New York Red Bulls.

“I do not always master all my thoughts, so [I guess] it has to come through my brain at some stage – but I haven’t been concrete on the case,” said Wenger.

“I haven’t even investigated that. I cannot tell you even if there is a chance because I haven’t even made any approach, nor to him nor his club.”

Chelsea manager believes Torres will justify transfer fee

Fernando Torres who earlier this week was reported to be made available by Chelsea for a cut price £20 million in January has been told by manager Andre Villas-Boas to up his game and prove he has the right to wear the coveted number 9 jersey at Stamford Bridge.

Villas-Boas came out on Thursday and stated that Torres was not for sale at any price, after mounting media speculation suggested that Chelsea were prepared to cut their losses on their record signing and let him leave next month during the transfer window.

However, speaking to the media before Chelsea’s trip away to Wigan on Saturday in the Premier League, Villas-Boas told the gathered media:

“It’s not true, he is not available at any price. We are pretty sure when Fernando is called up he will respond with the quality and talent he has. We have to make the best decisions for the team.”

Villas-Boas is obviously of the view that Torres is still of the quality that earnt him a £50 million move to Stamford Bridge and is now imploring the Spanish international to live up to his huge price tag and also earn the right to wear the number 9 on his shirt.

This view is also shared by former Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez who brought Torres to England from Atletico Madrid whilst Liverpool manager, with Benitez speaking to the BBC saying:

“He has to work hard in the training sessions and be ready. Drogba is playing well now but he will leave. Fernando has to show he is as good as we know he is.”

← Van Persie Set to Break Premier League Goal Scoring Record

Wenger Gives Hint on £16m January Pursuit

Posted on December 16, 2011 by www.soccer - facebook.com

Arsene Wenger has denied that Arsenal are chasing £16 million-rated winger Lukas Podolski, while theGermany international currently considers a move abroad.

Podolski has starred for Cologne since joining the club in 2009, but he has admitted he is not completely satisfied with the side, and would like to leave the Bundesliga completely.

“I find it very difficult to imagine a change to another club in the Bundesliga,’ he said this week.

“If I leave Cologne, joining a foreign club appeals to me. When I look at the inquiries already received, I am looking to see if the club plays international or Champions League football.”

Arsenal were flagged as the club most likely to sign Podolski in January, but today Wenger insisted that he won’t be pursuing the 26 year old in the next window.

When asked in his press conference if the manager would be taking on the star, he replied with an emphatic ‘no’.

Van Persie Set to Break Premier League Goal Scoring Record

The Dutchman needs four goals in the Gunners four remaining matches of 2011 to break Alan Shearer’s record.

Van Persie has said of his form: “I feel I’m a real no. 9 now, I think like a striker. Sometimes I amaze even myself on that.”

Van Persie scored his 33rd goal of the year last weekend and has been averaging 1.03 goals per game, compared to Shearer’s 0.86 in 1995 and Thierry Henry’s 0.87 in 2004. Trips to Manchester City and Aston Villa, followed by home games with Wolves and QPR, provide the captain with a very realistic opportunity to crown his magnificent year by breaking the record.

Shearer, the all time Premier League top goal scorer, firmly believes that the 28-year-old can surpass his tally from 1995: “He will beat my total of 36 Premier League goals in a calendar year. Records are there to be broken and I can think of no better striker than the Dutchman to write his name in the history books.”

Arsene Wenger has praised the maturity of his top scorer. “When he first joined Arsenal [in 2004] Robin was nervous, he was impatient, like every young player. Now he is completely different. I give the most credit in my job to those who can change,” explained the manager.

Wenger signed Van Persie from Feyenoord for £3m – just a fraction of his value today. And with Arsenal failing to win a trophy in any of the past six seasons, many fear the star striker could look to move elsewhere.

However, Arsenal chairman Peter Hill-Wood is confident that there are no concerns over the striker’s desire to be at the club. “I think Robin wants to stay,” he said. “Nothing has been discussed, though it is obvious we want him stay. He doesn’t want to talk about a contract now and that’s fine with us.”

Despite his obvious goal scoring ability, things haven’t always been easy for the Dutch international. Serious ankle and foot injuries had caused him to miss large chunks of previous campaigns. He was limited to 19 league starts last season and just 14 before that in the 2009/2010 season.

“There have been nagging doubts in the past about his fitness and his ability to play a long spell of games without interruption,” said Shearer. “He has put that right over the last year and proved beyond doubt he is up there with the world’s best.”

Wenger said: “He’s had an outstanding season so let’s hope we can keep him fit.”

Van Persie has scored some spectacular goals in his time, including Saturday’s audacious volley against Everton. “Normally I would have taken a touch to get it right. It was a bit of a gamble but in the end a very nice goal just inside the post. I can’t wish for more,” he explained.

Shearer, the scorer of some exceptional goals himself, said: “Van Persie can score goals any way you like. He puts away headers, tap-ins and rockets.”

With Arsenal in the knockout phases of the Champions League and the Netherlands looking good for Euro 2012 success, while their talisman is in such scintillating form in front of goal, it looks set to be a very happy new year for Robin van Persie.

By Robert Bosworth

Rooney wants Europa triumph

Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney has set his sights on winning the Europa League.

United will play in Europe’s second-tier competition in the new year after being sent crashing out of the Champions League by Basel last week.

While that came as a shock to a club that has played in three of the past four Champions League finals, Rooney does not want to dwell on that disappointment any longer.

The 26-year-old wants to make the most of the challenges that remain this season and, as well as defending the Premier League title, that includes Europa League success.

When asked if he was looking forward to playing in the Europa League, Rooney said: “Definitely.

“It’s a shame we’re out of the Champions League. That’s what we all want to play in.

“Unfortunately we went out and now we turn our attention to the Premier League and Europa League.

“I don’t think the manager’s won the Europa League, so I’m sure he’ll want to win it.

“Every competition we enter we want to win.

“There are some good teams but we have to believe, keep working and hopefully we can go on and win it.”

Rooney was speaking to the club’s website, www.manutd.com, in a live webchat with supporters.

The United talisman is also not fazed by the prospect of facing arch-rival Manchester City in the FA Cup third round next month.

City won 6-1 last time the sides met and with the teams first and second in the Premier League, the tie was the undoubted highlight of the cup draw.

Rooney said: “I was in my car at the time. I was driving from my house to Liverpool to see my mum and dad.

“When I got in I put the TV on and saw the draw.

“Both teams would probably rather have met each other later on but it’s a great team to play in and if you win it then you know you’ve knocked one of your main competitors out.”

United bounced back from its defeat in Switzerland by beating Wolves 4-1 last weekend but a serious injury toNemanja Vidic and a further enforced absence for Darren Fletcher have dampened spirits.

Defender and captain Vidic will miss the rest of the season with knee ligament damage while midfielder Fletcher is taking an indefinite break to recover from the bowel condition ulcerative colitis.

Rooney said: “The two of them are both important players for us.

“With Nemanja being our captain it’s a shame we’ve lost him for the season as he’s a great defender. But the younger lads have been great.

“It’s a shame for Darren, too – he’s a great player and a great person.

“Hopefully he gets well soon and comes back strongly for us.”

Rooney discussed a number of issues ranging from career highlights and role models to his choice of menu if appearing on a TV cookery programme as he spoke to the website for half an hour.

Rooney infamously threatened to leave United when he submitted a transfer request last year but he backtracked and later admitted he had made a big mistake.

He is now firm in his love of the club and made that clear when asked what he liked most about life at Old Trafford.

“Winning,” said Rooney, who joined United from Everton in 2004. “It’s a successful club and it’s an honour to play here.

“I’m proud to have played here for such a long time. For the players, the fans, the manager… we all play to win and when you do that it’s an amazing feeling.”