Danny Welbeck Desperate For 2014 World Cup Trip

Manchester United forward Danny Welbeck has his sights set on making the trip to Brazil with England for the FIFA World Cup next year, and he is keen on consistent performances under new Red Devils manager David Moyes in the 2013/14 season.

However, the Three Lions have not yet qualified for the tournament, as they are currently in second place in Group H of qualifying, with four games still to go in September and October, against, Moldova, Ukraine, Montenegro, and Poland, respectively.

“It is vital that we qualify for Brazil”, the 22-year-old told his club’s official site.

“It is a stage everyone wants to be at and every footballer wants to be in a World Cup. No one wants to miss out.”

The England international is aiming to take the position of the striker for England in next summer’s World Cup, and he is keen on taking his performance to the next level in the upcoming season for the Red Devils.

“I want to make sure I stake a strong claim to be vying for a striker’s role at the World Cup and to do that I know I need to have a good Premier League season first.

“I need to be playing regularly for United, scoring goals and playing consistently.”

Welbeck made 40 appearances under Sir Alex Ferguson in the 2012/13 campaign, but scored just twice. He played as a winger for much of the campaign.

However, he is looking forward to increasing his goal tally under Moyes, and is also keen on playing in other positions, if that helps the team.

“It is an area I want to improve. If I need to help the team out by playing in other positions, I will do it. But I am aiming to get a better goal return from out on the wings anyway.

“That would benefit the team. All the strikers know that once they get their chance they really have to take it”, he added.

http://www.ukbettips.co.uk/images/danny-welbeck-2.jpg via ukbettips.co.uk http://www.ukbettips.co.uk/football-betting-news/4821-danny-welbeck-desperate-for-2014-world-cup-trip.html

Arsenal must spend big this summer

Arsenal ended 2012/13 securing fourth spot in the Premier League and as a result Champions League qualification.

The relief on the faces of the manager and his players after the game reflected the tough season that Arsenal had been embroiled in - being typified by ecstasy and disappointment.

If one thing is clear Arsenal have to dig deep in the transfer window this summer and make sure the season does not become characterised by failures and struggles.

They only just made it past Tottenham into fourth spot and will be well aware that if they don’t strengthen they will be caught up. The biggest problem for Arsene Wenger is where to start?

It can be argued that each position is vulnerable to injury and players who either do not possess great ability or at times lack consistency.

The three positions that Arsenal need to address in the summer transfer window; a striker, a defensive midfielder and a goalkeeper.

Arsenal are in dire need of a striker who scores a consistent amount of goals by converting the opportunities that the likes of Santi Carzola will supply.

By selling a world-class striker in Robin Van Persie they did not replace the ingenuity of his creativity and ability to convert goalscoring chances. Olivier Giroud has at times had some good moments this season but he is hardly a world-class finisher and certainly not a striker which will fire Arsenal to the top of the league or to be able to challenge in Europe. Likewise Lukas Podolski has had some fine moments but he hasn’t shown great consistency in addition to him being better at playing as a wing forward than in the centre of the striking area.

Theo Walcott, as well is at times great and at times very poor. It seems Arsenal need a striker who is actually a striker. Not a converted winger or support striker but an actual centre forward who relishes the opportunities that the likes of Walcott, Carzola and Podolski can supply him with.

Looking at the Arsenal squad they are lucky in that they have midfielders in abundance. Abou Diaby, Mikel Arteta, Jack Wilshere, Aaron Ramsey and Santi Carzola all like to play through the middle.

However, none of these players are purely defensive minded, apart from Diaby. Diaby was injured until Christmas and cannot be relied upon to be a permanent fixture in the season due to his injury prone nature.

For much of last season Arteta excelled in the anchor role at Arsenal but it would suit him and the Arsenal team if Arteta, Wilshere and Ramsey have a license to go forward and execute their expertise as box-to-box players.

If Arsenal can sign a defensive midfielder this summer then Arsenal will be a team that will be more solid and the other players will benefit greatly from this.

Arsenal have three Goalkeepers Wojciech Szczęsny, Lukasz Fabianski and Vito Mannonne.

Szczesny is seen as the first-team goalkeeper but Fabianski also gets his fair share of opportunities. Even Mannonne made appearances this season for Arsenal.

It is quite rare for a big team in the Premier League to use three goalkeepers. Top teams need a consistent goalkeeper, one who has great ability but equally has a commanding presence and a fully developed relationship between himself and his defence.

Swapping and changing the goalkeeper prevents this process from happening. David De Gea at Manchester United has been criticised but now he is looking strong and he has been given a first-team berth in the squad.

Look at Chelsea, Petr Cech is a number one pick, likewise Pepe Reina at Liverpool and now Hugo Lloris at Tottenham.

Arsenal need to buy an experienced goalkeeper to provide competition so that Wenger knows exactly who his best goalkeeper is and when he does find out he needs to keep that goalkeeper in the team. The best teams work from the back, start with the goalkeeper Wenger.

If Arsenal can address these areas then they could possibly go from strength to strength and finally challenge for the Premier League trophy again.

http://www.ukbettips.co.uk/images/arsene-wenger-3.jpg via ukbettips.co.uk http://www.ukbettips.co.uk/football-betting-news/4820-arsenal-must-spend-big-this-summer.html

Liverpool Insist Suarez Is Not For Sale

Liverpool have released a statement insisting that they will not be selling Luis Suarez, despite the forward revealing his intention to leave Anfield.

The Uruguayan confirmed in a statement earlier this afternoon that he wishes to leave the club after another controversial campaign in the Premier League which has left the 26-year-old feeling "persecuted" by the British press.

Talk of a £40m move to Real Madrid has been rife in the past two days after Real Madrid president Florentino Perez admitted the club would like to sign the forward. But Liverpool have hit back with a statement of their own dismissing an exit which also refutes Suarez's claim that he has consulted manager Brendan Rodgers about the situation.

"Luis Suarez is not for sale - neither Luis or his representatives have communicated these feelings directly to LFC," the statement read.

"The club remains supportive of Luis and expect him to honour his contract. We will not be making any further comment at this stage."

Liverpool's swift response comes after Suarez vented his discontent towards the manner in which he is perceived in English football on Friday afternoon.

"My reasons for leaving is my family and my image, I don't feel comfortable here anymore," Suarez said.

"It is a difficult moment for me, my coach and my colleagues know that they (the British media) didn't treat me well.

"Firstly, being persecuted by the paparazzi all the time. I couldn't go to my garden or the supermarket. I couldn't do anything.

"I know it is normal to be followed by the press but it was too much. All the silly things they said, all the pictures, all the taunts. That happened every day and nobody [in the press] supported me.

"They talk about me being named the best player in England but I knew that wasn't going to happen because of the way they treated me.

"And the straw that broke the camel's back was my mistake [biting Branislav Ivanovic]. I accept it was my fault, but they went too far."

The 26-year-old has attracted widespread condemnation for large portions of his Liverpool career, initially after being handed an eight game ban for racially abusing Manchester United's Patrice Evra in the 2011/12 season.

Accusations of diving and foul play have further disheartened Suarez during his spell on Merseyside, with the fallout of last season's infamous incident where he bit Chelsea's Ivanovic seemingly too much for the south American to bear.

http://www.ukbettips.co.uk/images/luis-suarez.jpg via ukbettips.co.uk http://www.ukbettips.co.uk/football-betting-news/4819-liverpool-insist-suarez-is-not-for-sale.html

Elmohamady wants Hull City return

Ahmed Elmohamady has stated he wants to stay with newly-promoted Hull City.

The Egyptian spent last season on loan at the KC Stadium from Sunderland, helping Steve Bruce's side to the Premier League, and now says he wants to move to the club permanently.

It was Bruce who purchased Elmohamady while Sunderland manager but, with Paolo Di Canio now in charge on Wearside, the 25-year-old would rather continue his career with Hull.

Elmohamady: "It's difficult as Paolo has come in and he has different rules, he's a different character, everything is different.

"You are the player of the season, you get promoted with a club and you are happy. It's now important to start happy. I want to stay in Hull as the fans, manager and players have all been so fantastic."

While the winger made no secret of his desire to remain with Bruce at the KC Stadium, he said there is still plenty of work to be done before it becomes reality.

"Brucey is a fantastic manager, with a great personality," he continued.

"He sat with me and told me if you want to stay in England, and stay a long time, you have to listen to the manager and concentrate on your football.

"It's now all down to my agent, but I would love to keep playing with Brucey as the people of Hull are fantastic."

http://www.ukbettips.co.uk/images/Ahmed-Elmohamady.jpg via ukbettips.co.uk http://www.ukbettips.co.uk/football-betting-news/4816-elmohamady-wants-hull-city-return.html

Hughes named as Stoke boss

Stoke have confirmed Mark Hughes as their new manager and will formally unveil him today.

Once Tony Pulis' seven-year stay with the club ended last week, Hughes quickly emerged as the clear favourite to be his successor and after days of talks has now been given the job.

The 49-year-old has been out of work since being sacked by QPR last November, with his appointment announced in a brief statement this morning.

The former Manchester United striker will hold a media conference at 11am.

In choosing Hughes, Stoke have again gone for a Welsh manager, with Hughes having also coached the national side - his first post at the end of a successful playing career.

As an uncompromising striker Hughes played for the likes of Manchester United, Barcelona and Bayern Munich, scoring over 200 goals.

In the dugout, having guided Wales to a World Cup qualifying play-off, he headed back to former club Blackburn where he impressed by earning a European spot.

Manchester City came calling in June 2008 as a result but he was unable to deliver tangible success despite a heavy period of investment and was sacked in December 2009.

Fulham offered him a route back into football in the summer of 2010 and he guided them to eighth in his first season before resigning, citing a desire to better himself.

His next job was at QPR, though, and he took over a side looking to stay in the Premier League at the first attempt. He managed to achieve that after replacing Neil Warnock in January 2012, but was sacked 11 months later after failing to move the side away from the bottom of the table despite healthy backing in the transfer market.

Stoke will be hoping Hughes can carry on the work done by fellow countryman Pulis, who left the Britannia Stadium last week with the best wishes of the club after a successful spell.

He guided them into the Premier League and stabilised them as a top-flight side for four successive seasons. But despite an FA Cup Final appearance some fans had grown tired of what they considered a dated style of football and a parting of ways occurred once the season had ended.

http://www.ukbettips.co.uk/images/Mark-Hughes.jpg via ukbettips.co.uk http://www.ukbettips.co.uk/football-betting-news/4813-hughes-named-as-stoke-boss.html

Everton to approach Martinez

Everton chairman Bill Kenwright on Wednesday confirmed that he intends to speak to outgoing Wigan Athletic coach Roberto Martinez about the managerial vacancy at Goodison Park.

Wigan revealed on Tuesday they had accepted Martinez's request to leave the club and he was quickly installed as the favourite to succeed David Moyes, who is leaving Everton after 11 years to take over from Alex Ferguson as Manchester United manager.

However, although Kenwright confirmed that he intends to meet Martinez, he said the 39-year-old was one of several candidates that Everton were considering for their managerial position.

"I will meet Roberto in the next 48 hours. He is on the list, as I have always said," Kenwright told Sky Sports News.

British media reports claim internal candidates David Weir, Phil Neville, Duncan Ferguson and Alan Stubbs have already been interviewed for the position, while Cardiff City manager Malky Mackay and Porto coach Vitor Pereira are also thought to be on Everton's shortlist.

A former Wigan player, Martinez took charge at the DW Stadium in 2009 and after steering the club away from relegation in his first three seasons, he led them to a shock success over Manchester City in this season's FA Cup final.

However, they were subsequently relegated from the Premier League, prompting the Spaniard to call time on his association with the club.

Moyes was given a rousing send-off by Everton's fans after announcing his decision to leave, but Kenwright believes he has the backing of the supporters in his search for a successor to the 50-year-old Scot.

"The most gratifying thing is 90 per cent have said, 'You didn't let us down last time, go with your gut instinct and hopefully you'll get it right again,'" he said.

"All I can say is there is no way that I or anyone can say, 'We'll get it right, we'll get the right man,' but I certainly will put everything into getting it right and getting the right DNA for Everton Football Club."

http://www.ukbettips.co.uk/images/roberto-martinez.jpg via ukbettips.co.uk http://www.ukbettips.co.uk/football-betting-news/4812-everton-to-approach-martinez.html

Clarke hopes for Morrison deal

Ravel Morrison is at the top of Birmingham manager Lee Clarke's list of players he wants in next season's squad.

The West Ham midfielder impressed during his season-long loan to St Andrews, and Clarke is keen on striking another deal for the 2013-14 campaign.

Newcastle United's Shane Ferguson had a shorter spell with Birmingham towards the end of the season, but is another that Clarke is looking to have at his disposal again.

"I have made it common knowledge that I would like to re-sign Ravel Morrison and Shane Ferguson," Clarke declared.

"We have registered our interest in bringing those lads back so that's a possibility.

"Ravel and Shane have both indicated to me that they would like to come back.

"The thing with Ravel is that, for a manager, he has been a challenge, without a shadow of a doubt.

"But it's a challenge I have relished and I have enjoyed trying to help him learn, not just about the football side, but off-the-field stuff, how you behave as a professional."

Loan deals

With Birmingham looking to enhance their squad following a disappointing campaign, where they finished 12th in the Championship, Clarke has an idea of the number of players he needs.

"I am hoping that maybe I can get two more in, possibly three," Clarke added.

"And then what I need to do is reassess. Do I wait later on in the window on the loan deals from the Premier League?

"What most of the big clubs do is take their young players away on pre-season tours with them and decide whether they are going to be part of the squad or whether they need another bit of loan time to help their development."

http://www.ukbettips.co.uk/images/Ravel-Morrison.jpg via ukbettips.co.uk http://www.ukbettips.co.uk/football-betting-news/4810-clarke-hopes-for-morrison-deal.html