Categories
football Slides Sports News

Arsenal win record-extending 14th FA Cup

Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang once again lit up Wembley as his brace ensured FA Cup final victory over 10-man Chelsea.

The striker equalised with a penalty he had won himself to cancel out Christian Pulisic’s early opener.

Chelsea then lost Cesar Azpilicueta and Pulisic to injury before Aubameyang brilliantly added his second to secure a 2-1 victory and then lifted a record 14th FA Cup for the Gunners.

Chelsea then had Mateo Kovacic sent off as they chased the game, the Croatia international picking up two bookings, both for fouls on Granit Xhaka with the second a controversial call from referee Anthony Taylor.

Aubameyang’s future at Arsenal remains in doubt as he has less than a year to run on his contract, but after downing Manchester City with two goals in the semi-final, he again showed his importance to Mikel Arteta’s side.

For Arteta, this was a first piece of silverware in a managerial career that only began in December and sees Arsenal qualify for the Europa League next season.

Aubameyang wasted the first chance of the final, heading wide when picked out in the box by Ainsley Maitland-Niles.

Chelsea had their own opening moments later, Xhaka robbed of the ball and Mason Mount’s curling effort forcing Emiliano Martinez into an early save.

But there was nothing the Arsenal goalkeeper could do from the next Chelsea attack as Pulisic struck.

Mount broke into the penalty area and squared to Olivier Giroud, the former Arsenal man flicking the ball into the path of Pulisic, who skipped past the challenge of Kieran Tierney to become the first United States international to score in an FA Cup final.

Nicolas Pepe thought he had curled in a marvellous equaliser but his celebrations were cut short as Aubameyang had strayed offside in the build-up.

However, just seconds later and Aubameyang was played in over the top, racing clear of Azpilicueta before being hauled back by the Chelsea skipper.

Taylor opted to only caution Azpilicueta but the penalty stood following a short VAR check and Aubameyang made no mistake from the spot.

Azpilicueta would last less than five minutes longer, forced off with an injury as he made way for Andreas Christensen.

Arsenal dominated the remainder of the first half without managing to test Willy Caballero in the Chelsea goal.

After the break, Pulisic broke forward looking to add his second of the afternoon but instead was soon going the same way as his captain, limping off with a hamstring injury after shooting wide.

Pedro entered the fray in his place as Chelsea started to wrestle back control of the contest.

That was until Aubameyang struck once again.

Hector Bellerin burst forward down the right and Christensen’s heavy challenge saw the ball break to Pepe, his pass picked up by Aubameyang who turned on to his preferred left foot to lift the ball over Caballero.

Chelsea’s task was made all the more difficult as Mateo Kovacic was sent off, shown his second yellow card for a foul on Granit Xhaka just six minutes after they had lost their lead.

While Arteta could toast his first trophy, Chelsea boss Frank Lampard ultimately saw his side come up short.

He threw on Ross Barkley, Tammy Abraham and Callum Hudson-Odoi despite being a man light but there was to be no comeback.

Chelsea had beaten Arsenal 4-1 in the Europa League final last season but this would go the other way, due in no small part to the clinical Aubameyang, whose future Arteta will want sorted as soon as possible.

Categories
football Sports News

Werner: Chelsea move was inspired by Lampard

Chelsea’s newest recruit Timo Werner says playing under manager Frank Lampard was the “main” attraction upon deciding to join the club.

The Germany striker, 24, started training with the Blues this week after completing a £54m switch from RB Leipzig earlier this summer.

“We talked a lot about the system, how he [Lampard] wants to play and sees me playing,” said Werner.

“He knows me now a little bit better and it fits very good between us.”

Werner was heavily linked with a move to Liverpool before signing for Chelsea, and the forward says it is “like a little dream” moving to the west London club.

“When you have a decision to go from your old club and you come to a big club like this, it was for me a dream which came true because Chelsea is a very big club,” he added.

“I know of the players before when they won the Champions League with (Didier) Drogba, with my new manager Frank Lampard, Petr Cech as the technical advisor, it is like a little dream for me.

“But I want to become, not a same player like them, I want to be part of a new era here so I will play to try to give my best.”

While Werner understands the demands of the English top flight, he also believes his attributes are suited to the Premier League.

“The style of the Premier League is very fast and my speciality is that I am really fast so I think it is perfect for me to play here,” Werner told Chelsea’s official club website.

“It is another league in another country so I can improve myself to bring it to another level, so those are the reasons I come to the Premier League and to Chelsea.”

Categories
football Sports News

Pedro set to Leave chelsea

Spanish striker Pedro has played his last league game for Chelsea, manager Frank Lampard has confirmed.

The forward, who will be 33 on Tuesday, came on for the final few minutes of Sunday’s 2-0 Premier League win over Wolves.

Pedro, signed from Barcelona for £21m in 2014, helped Chelsea secure the Premier League title in 2016-17 and also won the FA Cup and Europa League.

Reports suggest that he is set to join Serie A club Roma on a free transfer.

Categories
football Slides Sports News

Chelsea drop to fourth as they lose to liverpool

Liverpool celebrated receiving the league trophy for the first time in 30 years in style as the new champions overcame Chelsea in a thriller at Anfield.

Jordan Henderson – currently out injured – was presented with the trophy by Reds legend Sir Kenny Dalglish on a special podium built on the Kop after Jurgen Klopp’s side made it three full unbeaten Premier League seasons at Anfield.

Chelsea, who now need a point from their final game at home to Wolves on Sunday to confirm a place in the top four – and next season’s Champions League – started well.

But Liverpool moved through the gears after Naby Keita broke the deadlock with a rising 25-yard drive that thundered in off the bar, and they added further first-half goals – a fine Trent Alexander-Arnold’s free-kick and Georginio Wijnaldum’s powerful strike.

Olivier Giroud scrambled in for Chelsea on the stroke of half-time but their hopes of a comeback appeared to be snuffed out 10 minutes after the break, when Roberto Firmino headed in his first league goal of the season at Anfield from Alexander-Arnold’s cross.

Substitute Christian Pulisic then had a dramatic impact as he sparked a Chelsea fightback, creating a goal for Tammy Abraham then scoring another himself on the turn as this entertaining game took an unexpected turn.

To the thunderous sound of fireworks being let off outside Anfield by celebrating fans, the champions pressed forward again and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain slammed home the fifth from Andy Robertson’s cross with six minutes left.

And then it was time for the ceremony Liverpool have waited three decades to enjoy – albeit conducted in the somewhat surreal surroundings of a virtually empty stadium.

Categories
Sports News Transfer News

Chelsea want Oblak

After a couple of years of stagnation, Chelsea are in the mood to compete for the Premier League title once again next season.

The Blues, who tightened their grip on a top-four spot with a 1-0 home victory over Norwich City on Tuesday evening, have already completed deals for Ajax star Hakim Ziyech and RB Leipzig striker Timo Werner, as head coach Frank Lampard looks to add flashes of quality to his attacking ranks.

Despite having concluded deals for both Ziyech and Werner, Lampard is not yet satisfied with the attacking options he already has, with the Blues continuing to be heavily linked with a move for Bayer Leverkusen star Kai Havertz, as well as Brentford winger Said Benrahma.

Doubts have been cast about the quality of club-record signing Kepa Arrizabalaga, with Lampard looking into the prospect of landing a new goalkeeper.

And one name that is being closely linked with a move to the Premier League is Atletico Madrid shot-stopper Jan Oblak. The Slovenian international is considered by many as one of the very best goalkeepers in world football and would most certainly not look out of place in Chelsea colours.

The Blues have identified Oblak as their top transfer target ahead of the summer window officially opening for business later this month, the Mirror reports.

After signing a new deal at the Wanda Metropolitano last year, a £120million buy-out clause was inserted in the goalkeeper’s contract. However, Chelsea are prepared to go in with an offer of less than £100million and offer Arrizabalaga to sweeten the deal.

Atletico do not want to sell the Slovenian No.1, but they may be forced to because of the financial impact the coronavirus pandemic has brought.

Categories
football Sports News

Lampard wants more as chelsea Defeat Norwich

Chelsea manager Frank Lampard says he “wants more” from his team but it “can wait” as their pursuit to secure a Champions League spot was given a boost by a narrow victory over relegated Norwich.

Striker Olivier Giroud guided a header past Tim Krul on the stroke of half-time after Christian Pulisic created space for the cross on the right.

The Chelsea pair almost combined again in the second half but Pulisic could not guide Giroud’s chipped ball past Krul.

Victory strengthens Chelsea’s hold on third place in the Premier League, where they sit four points above Leicester and Manchester United, who both play on Thursday.

“At this stage of the season results are critical and we didn’t concede any chances of note to let them score,” Lampard told Sky Sports.

“Where we are at as a team and where we are in the table, it is all about the result.”

Norwich, who were relegated following a 4-0 thrashing by West Ham on Saturday, failed to record a shot on target during the match.

But Lampard said his team “can improve” despite showing “a bit more personality in our game”.

“We need to move the ball quicker and be more mobile with our rotations,” he added. “We have done it in parts this season but if we want to move on, it needs to be better. But I don’t want to be too critical after a win.

“We didn’t give them anything to worry us. We had 10-15 minutes in the second half where we were slow and I didn’t like it but after that we got it back.”

Categories
football Sports News Uncategorized

Chelsea go Third

Chelsea further strengthened their position in the Premier League’s top four with victory over Crystal Palace in an entertaining encounter at Selhurst Park, that included a stunning long-range strike from Wilfried Zaha and a rare goal from Christian Benteke.

There was an element of fortune about the game’s opening goal, with Palace defender Gary Cahill pulling up with a match-ending injury to allow Willian to charge into the box unimpeded and set up Olivier Giroud to finish.

But the rest of the match was a testament to the kind of competitive, high-octane, see-saw football that draws so many viewers to the English top flight, even when the grounds are empty of fans.

Twice Chelsea looked to have put the game beyond the home side, first through Christian Pulisic’s rising shot to make it 2-0 in the first half and then via Tammy Abraham’s neat finish with 19 minutes to go to put the Blues 3-1 up.

But this reckoned without the input of Zaha and Benteke.

Zaha’s goal was a superb strike, fiercely fired into the net via the crossbar from an unlikely distance. Benteke’s was more routine, tapped in from point-blank range following a neat move, but almost as surprising, it being his first goal at Selhurst Park since April 2018.

And Palace came within a whisker of snatching a point when Scott Dann’s back-post header struck the inside of the post before Chelsea hacked the ball clear.

Chelsea’s win means they move above Leicester into third place in the table, five points ahead of fifth-placed Manchester United.

With 42 to their name, Palace have too many points to worry about being dragged into a relegation fight, but manager Roy Hodgson and his side will be eager to end a losing streak that has now stretched to four games.

Categories
football Sports News

LAMPARD NOT WORRIED OVER TAMMY ABRAHAM’S CONTRACT SITUATION

Chelsea boss Frank Lampard believes Tammy Abraham’s prolonged contract negotiations are not affecting his performances.

The 22-year-old reportedly came close to agreeing new terms earlier in the season following a fine start under Lampard.

Abraham has hit 13 Premier League goals but has failed to find the back of the net since a 3-0 win over Burnley on January 11.

His only start since the campaign resumed was in the defeat at West Ham last week – otherwise he has played second fiddle to the more experienced Olivier Giroud.

Lampard has put a lot of faith in his talented batch of youngsters and they have been largely successful, with Chelsea sitting fourth in the table.

The likes of Callum Hudson-Odoi, Reece James, Mason Mount and Fikayo Tomori have all signed new contracts over the past year.

Abraham has yet to follow suit and he has just under two years remaining on his deal at Stamford Bridge.

“I think Tammy’s contract, we are not at a critical level with it,” Lampard said on the eve of the Premier League trip to Crystal Palace.

“I will leave it with him and the club to discuss that side of it. I don’t think it is something that is clearly in his mind now, at least it shouldn’t be.

“What needs to be in his mind now is these games we have coming up and how much he can give us on the pitch, whether coming on as a sub or starting the game.”

Lampard has also told Abraham to keep working hard in training to force his way back into the Blues side.

“He has had a really good season, he hasn’t scored as much in the second half of the season,” added Lampard.

“But as a young player it is always clear when you have these periods there is only one way out of it and that is work and repetition in training.

“I think that is where Tammy is at. I think the contract will hopefully look after itself between him and the club and he just needs to focus on giving us that Tammy that we had earlier in the season.

”He was giving defenders so much of a problem in games and scoring regularly and it all came from how he was training and working in the week.

“That is just what he has to sustain all the time.”

Categories
football Slides Sports News

Chelsea waiting on N’Golo Kante injury after Watford win

N’Golo Kante has picked up a hamstring problem and could miss Chelsea‘s Premier League trip to Crystal Palace.

The France midfielder trudged out of Chelsea’s 3-0 win over Watford, and could now sit out Tuesday’s trip to Selhurst Park.

Olivier Giroud, Willian and Ross Barkley all found the net as the Blues eased past the Hornets, to jump back into the league’s top four and shake off Wednesday’s frustrating 3-2 loss at West Ham.

Kante’s injury proved perhaps the sole blow in Chelsea’s comfortable Saturday night victory at Stamford Bridge, leaving Lampard sweating on the 29-year-old’s fitness.

“N’Golo Kante he has a small hamstring injury, we hope it is small, that’s what I’ve been told so far,” said Lampard.

“But I’m guessing it will be a problem for Palace on Tuesday.”

Italy midfielder Jorginho has yet to feature for Chelsea since the league’s restart, but Lampard insisted the former Napoli man remains in his thoughts.

Jorginho could step in should Kante miss the trip to Palace, though Billy Gilmour would be another option with the Scot having stepped off the bench against Watford.

When asked for the latest on Jorginho, Lampard said only “Jorginho is in my plans”, before offering his assessment of Kante’s injury.

Chelsea temporarily – for a little less than five hours – dropped out of the league’s top four for the first time since October on Saturday.

Manchester United’s 5-2 thrashing of Bournemouth saw the Blues slip to fifth.

Lampard’s men hit back in style to leapfrog back above United however, with the race for Champions League qualification continuing to offer regular drama.

The Chelsea boss admitted the run to the end of the season will only be increasingly littered with pressure, admitting his players must steel themselves for the fight.

“I think every game is going to be pressure now,” said Lampard.

“West Ham was pressure because we knew we could go third. It’s a different kind of pressure but it’s still the same in how you focus on the game and job at hand.

“You cannot get too caught up in what everyone does at the moment. We did that tonight, there was no nonsense, the mentality was right.

“We started brightly and we carried on and got the small details of the game right at both ends of the pitch, which I was happy with.”

Watford remain just above the relegation zone, leaving manager Nigel Pearson well aware of the Vicarage Road men’s precarious position.

“Of course, we are concerned with the situation we are in, we’re not naive,” said Pearson.

“But the most important thing is to recognise what we are and make sure our performances reflect that type of collective spirit. If we do that, we will find ways of winning games.

“It’s a situation we’ve got now to stay in control of our destiny, and to do that we’ve got to work as hard as tonight, if not harder.”

Categories
football Slides Sports News

Chelsea move back into top four with comfortable win over Watford

Olivier Giroud, Willian and Ross Barkley struck to sink Watford 3-0 at Stamford Bridge and limit Chelsea’s fall from the Premier League’s top four to less than five hours.

France’s World Cup-winning striker Giroud angled a fine effort for his third goal in five Premier League games, with the 33-year-old showing renewed sharpness.

Brazil forward Willian tucked away another nerveless penalty: his third in as many league matches, after his spot-kicks in the 2-1 win over Manchester City and Wednesday’s 3-2 loss at West Ham.

Former Everton midfielder Barkley then capped another industrious performance with a smart strike in stoppage time.

Chelsea’s demoralising midweek defeat by the Hammers, coupled with Manchester United thrashing Bournemouth 5-2 on Saturday afternoon had seen the Blues drop out of the league’s top four for the first time since October.

But Frank Lampard’s men jumped straight back above United to reclaim fourth spot, with a commanding Saturday night victory in west London.

Lampard had demanded atonement for Wednesday’s shock loss at West Ham, and his focused Chelsea charges delivered against an admittedly-limited Watford outfit.

Stamford Bridge has been awash for weeks with talk of a summer signings revolution, but here it was the old guard who came good for Lampard.

Giroud recently signed a one-year contract extension, but he will face extra competition next term in the shape of £53million RB Leipzig recruit and prolific Germany hitman Timo Werner.

The 31-year-old Willian continues to hold out for three years on a new deal, whereas Chelsea only want to offer him two.

But the 70-cap Brazil star now boasts 11 goals in all competitions this term, and three in two matches after his brace amid that galling loss at West Ham.