EPL's WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS

Ince deserves Premier League chance
Premier League Blackburn Rovers
by Phil McNulty - BBC Sport (U1816352) 22 June 2008



Blackburn Rovers have taken a gamble on a young - in managerial terms - English talent in handing Paul Ince the reins at Ewood Park.

Ince brings no guarantee of success with him, but he has the priceless virtue of having actually served a good old-fashioned apprenticeship at his job after quitting as a player.

And for someone who had a reputation for having an ego on the field, the self-styled "Guv'nor" lest we forget, he has shown a refreshing willingness to put that on one side and go in at the bottom to learn his new trade.

Ince helped Macclesfield preserve their Football League status before polishing his profile further by guiding MK Dons to the League Two title and the Johnstone's Paint Trophy last season.

Of course Ince has not got his Uefa pro licence yet, but this now appears as meaningless in reality as it is to the average football fan in the street.

Give me a manager who has actually managed but does not have Uefa's so-called seal of approval rather than someone who has the licence but has actually never done the job.

Ince has got his hands dirty at the wrong end of the league, and having been a success it is a natural progression that he now moves up the ladder to take charge in the top flight.

The licence can wait. Ince has proper managerial work to do.

It has been a regular cry that up-and-coming British managers who have served time in the lower leagues are passed over in favour of more fashionable foreign names.

Blackburn have ignored this route and for that alone deserve credit.

Ince has certainly had the opportunity to learn from some of the game's most experienced managers, from Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United to Roy Hodgson at Inter Milan as well as Gerard Houllier at Liverpool - although the less said about that relationship the better.

He has also had a vastly-experienced and astute assistant in Ray Mathias at MK Dons and it would be no surprise if that partnership is revived at Blackburn.

Ince joins Blackburn at a challenging time, with David Bentley deciding he now needs a bigger stage than Ewood Park and admirers circling the much-coveted Roque Santa Cruz.

Bentley looks to be a lost cause, but Ince will surely launch a charm offensive to keep Santa Cruz.

Ince also has the benefit of taking over at a club that appears to be superbly well-organised under the chairmanship of John Williams.

Of course, the former England star regards himself as a winner and will target silverware, but he may have to set his sights a little lower in his new job.

Blackburn will regard a cup as a bonus, and for Ince success will be taking the club back into Europe after missing out last season.

And it will be just like old times for the former Liverpool captain when he starts his reign on the opening day of the season - at Everton.

Ince will be guaranteed an interesting reception at Goodison Park, but he will relish the chance to put his fighting spirit to the test at the top.

It seems strange to call the appointment of an emerging English manager without any of Uefa's certificates to his name a bold move, but this is what it is and Blackburn will hope to be well-rewarded.

Tottenham 0 - 2 Liverpool

White Hart Lane Sun, 11 May 2008

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Match Highlights Photos


Jamie O'Hara of Tottenham Hotspur is challenged by Steven Gerrard of Liverpool during their Premier League match at White Hart Lane in London, England.


Alan Hutton of Tottenham Hotspur tackles Emiliano Insua of Liverpool.


Jamie Carragher of Liverpool is challenged by Robbie Keane of Tottenham Hotspur. The Reds ended their season with a 2-0 victory.


Dimitar Berbatov of Tottenham Hotspur is challenged by Dirk Kuyt of Liverpool.

Spurs in the market for £16m Villa as Berbatov replacement
By NEIL ASHTON - More by this author » Last updated at 21:19pm on 28th April 2008




David Villa has been lined up as a £16million replacement for Dimitar Berbatov as Tottenham attempt to start an auction for the disillusioned striker.

Spurs sporting director Damien Comolli, who was battling to save his reputation at White Hart Lane until he lined up the signing of Luka Modric last Friday, has already begun informal talks with Valencia.

Intriguingly, when negotiations with Dinamo Zagreb hit a snag, Spurs chairman Daniel Levy was brought in to conclude the deal for Modric, who did not interest Chelsea.

Manager Juande Ramos is also planning to return to previous club Sevilla to sign winger Diego Capel as Spurs begin a transformation under their highly-rated coach.

Although Villa is also on the radar of Chelsea, Liverpool and his preferred choice Real Madrid, Ramos believes he can persuade the Spain striker to join him at White Hart Lane.

Berbatov is determined to leave Spurs in the summer and the Bulgaria striker turned in another sub- standard performance against Bolton on Saturday, after which Ramos admitted Berbatov would be leaving in the summer.

Ramos told coaching staff he expected the forward to 'play for a move' after the club's Carling Cup triumph over Chelsea, but he has lacked dedication in training and games.

Spurs would prefer Berbatov to move abroad, but they will reluctantly sell to one of their Barclays Premier League rivals if they stump up £25m.

Villa has an escape clause in his Valencia contract. Comolli will conduct negotiations, although Ramos has a sway with Spanish players after his success at Sevilla.

Comolli was instrumental in the dismissal of Martin Jol and the appointment of Ramos, but the pair's relationship is strained after the arrival of Brazilian left back Gilberto from Hertha Berlin for £2m in January.

Although Gilberto made his first Premier League start against Bolton, he is seen as 'a Comolli signing' — code among White Hart Lane staff at Spurs for a dud.

Derby 2-6 Arsenal
By Jonathan Stevenson



Adebayor celebrates the first of his goals at Pride Park

Emannuel Adebayor struck a second-half hat-trick as Arsenal piled more misery on relegated Derby at Pride Park.

A ludicrous Darren Moore mistake let Nicklas Bendtner fire in the first before Jay McEveley poked in to level.

Robin van Persie chested a cross down and lashed home and then Adebayor tapped in at the back post.

Robert Earnshaw slotted in for Derby, but Theo Walcott scored a fine solo goal before Adebayor slid in a cross and then rolled home in stoppage time.

Derby's supporters have seen it all before this season, but after a promising opening it was still a remarkable collapse.

With Arsenal all-but guaranteed to finish third and Derby relegated many weeks ago, there was nothing of great significance riding on the game.


But the home side, who are still four points adrift of Sunderland's tally of 15 in the 2005/06 season - until now the worst by a Premier League team - made an impressive start which surprised the Gunners.

They nearly took the lead when Mile Sterjovski's 20-yard shot was heavily deflected by Alex Song and, with Lucasz Fabianski - making his first league start for the Gunners - wrong-footed, the ball dropped inches wide.

But Derby's season has been a catalogue of mistakes and after 24 minutes Moore stupidly gave the ball away to Van Persie, who played in Bendtner to fire under Roy Carroll.

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Let us know your thoughts on Arsenal's demolition job

Derby did not deserve to be behind and after Van Persie amazingly fired over from point-blank range, they got themselves back on level terms.

Robbie Savage swung over a free-kick from the left and after McEveley mis-timed a header, he kept his cool when the ball landed at his feet to poke in from four yards.

After a rare moment of joy for the locals at Pride Park this season, it was pretty much all Arsenal for the remainder of the game and within eight minutes they took a lead they were not to relinquish.

Kolo Toure chipped a ball into the box and as Moore embarrassingly stopped and appealed for offside, Van Persie took the ball down on his chest and lashed clinically into the roof of the net.



Theo Walcott scores a brilliant individual goal for Arsenal


An injury meant Van Persie was replaced at half-time by Adebayor and the Togo striker immediately threatened to run amok as Derby's defence completely disappeared.

Toure twice burst into the box and shot over, the second effort after a majestic backheel from Cesc Fabregas set him up.

Bendtner struck a sweet half-volley just over from the edge of the box, before Adebayor raced through and was denied a goal by a brilliant Carroll save with his left foot.

Shortly after, Adebayor got on the scoresheet when Walcott raced past Alan Stubbs and his cross was deflected on by Emmanuel Eboue for the big striker to tap-in at the back post.

It was becoming a procession, with Arsenal's fans singing 'ole' with every successful pass as Walcott went clean through only to curl wide.

Derby brought on Earnshaw and he pulled it back to 3-2 when he neatly collected Andy Todd's pass and slotted past the advancing Fabianski.

But Walcott emphatically curled into the far corner after cutting in from the left for a brilliant solo goal and then Adebayor converted Gael Clichy's cross from the left to bag a fifth for Arsenal.

He wrapped it up in injury time with his 30th goal of the season and his second treble of the campaign against the hapless Rams when he ran around Carroll and rolled the ball with consummate ease into an empty net.



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Derby boss Paul Jewell:
"We're in the same league but we were a million miles apart.

"The whole mentality here must change. When adversity hits you, you have to be able to fight. I want to see some real men in the trenches here next year.

"We need this season to finish and we need major surgery. We must start to regroup and begin next season well."


Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger:
"This team has a great future, I believe we were really unlucky not to win something this year.

"It is always a problem not to win trophies but I love this team, love the way they behave and the way they play.

"This was a typical Arsenal display, we were always dangerous and were good technically. They all impressed me."



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Derby: Carroll, Todd, Moore, Stubbs, McEveley, Mears, Savage, Ghaly (Feilhaber 60), Lewis, Villa, Sterjovski (Earnshaw 69).
Subs Not Used: Price, Edworthy, Beardsley.

Goals: McEveley 31, Earnshaw 77.

Arsenal: Fabianski, Toure (Djourou 78 ), Gallas, Song Billong, Clichy, Eboue, Fabregas, Denilson (Silva 64), Walcott, Van Persie (Adebayor 46), Bendtner.
Subs Not Used: Almunia, Senderos.

Goals: Bendtner 25, Van Persie 39, Adebayor 59, Walcott 78, Adebayor 81, 90.

Att: 33,003.

Ref: Andre Marriner (W Midlands).