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| Author: | khm1997 [ Thu Dec 06, 2018 9:33 am ] |
| Post subject: | Keisuke Honda |
LONDON - When European footballs January transfer window opens for business on Wednesday, the market is expected to have a slow start. In Europe, top teams seem to be largely happy with their squads after spending nearly $1 billion in the off-season. And although English league clubs are unlikely to splash cash in January, Arsenal and Chelsea could be tempted to strengthen their squads with new strikers. Chasing their first league title in 10 years, the Gunners are reportedly looking for a forward to add to France international Olivier Giroud, who ended a seven-match scoring drought with the winner at Newcastle on Sunday, ensuring that his club starts 2014 at the top. Although Giroud said Arsenal has sufficient attacking options for the remainder of the season with himself, Lukas Podolski and Theo Walcott, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger hinted he could be tempted to sign a couple of new players. After failing to lure Luis Suarez, Wenger wont bid again for the Uruguay striker, who signed a new deal with Liverpool this month. "We are, as many clubs, certainly on alert. If something special turns up, we will not turn it down," Wenger said. "But we are not as well desperate because we have a big depth in our squad." Lagging two points behind Arsenal in the standings, Chelsea could also be looking for extra firepower after Samuel Etoo, Demba Ba and Fernando Torres scored only six goals between them in the league so far this season. With Ba, Juan Mata and Kevin De Bruyne possibly leaving, British media reported that Chelsea and Liverpool have held discussions about the possible arrival of Suarez at Stamford Bridge that could make up for Jose Mourinhos failure to sign Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney in the off-season. While a Suarez move to Chelsea looks highly unlikely, Monaco forward Radamel Falcao is a more realistic target for Mourinho, with the Colombian reportedly unhappy in the French league. Xabi Alonso has also been linked with a move to the Blues. After a shaky start to the season, defending champion Manchester United has managed to limit the damages with four consecutive wins and trails Arsenal by eight points going into the new year. David Moyes has not been able to replace Paul Scholes and is in need of a creative midfielder. The Red Devils manager could make a 50 million pound ($82 million) offer for Everton marvel Ross Barkley. Avoiding the drop to the second-tier League Championship is crucial, with topflight teams boosted by increased revenues. And last-place Sunderland will beef up its defence with Marcos Alonso, who will join from Fiorentina until the end of the season. "Marcos is a player that I have known well for a very long time," Sunderland manager Gus Poyet said. "He was desperate to come and play for Sunderland and he is a player I am excited to work with." Staying among the elite is also vital for West Ham. The London club is languishing in 19th place after scoring only 18 goals in 19 matches and signed 18-year-old striker Jaanai Gordon from Peterborough. Everything looks relatively quiet in Spain, too. Barcelona seems more concerned with getting Lionel Messi healthy again for the second half of the season, and will probably be more than content to have its star forward playing at full speed again. The only possible big move would be Barcelona signing a replacement for goalkeeper Victor Valdes, who has said he will leave the club when his contract expires at the end of the season. Atletico Madrid is reportedly reinforcing its title challenge by bringing in midfielder Jose Sosa from Metalist. In Germany, Borussia Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski is expected to confirm in the coming days that he will be leaving for Bayern Munich at the end of the season, while AC Milan has already announced the arrivals of Adil Rami and Keisuke Honda. In France, winger Jeremy Menez is lacking playing time at Paris Saint-Germain and has been linked with a move to Juventus to boost his chances of making the trip to the World Cup in Brazil, and Bastia signed former Liverpool striker Djibril Cisse on an 18-month deal. . Blatter also told reporters Saturday after meeting with Qatars emir that the decision to award the tournament to the desert nation is "not reversible." There have been calls to move the tournament because of Qatars intense heat. .Y. -- AJ Allmendingers journey is almost complete. http://www.officialredsoxfanstore.com/a ... ox-jersey/. Though the 26-year-old said he was able to participate, coach Dwane Casey kept Johnson out as a precaution. . -- The Oakland Raiders expect to have starting right tackle Tony Pashos back for Sundays game against the Houston Texans. . The Spanish champions decision not to sign a defender during the January transfer window may have backfired after Valencia took advantage of a lethargic, uninspired effort by its hosts at the Camp Nou, where former Spain coach Luis Aragones -- who previously coached the Catalan side -- was honoured after his death on Saturday.HOUSTON -- James Shields kept the Houston Astros off-balance all night. Then late in Thursdays 5-1 win, the Kansas City ace really heated up. He struck out the side in the sixth and did the same in the seventh before striking out the first batter in the eighth to make it seven in a row. Astro after Astro simply watched the pitches zip past them -- five players in that span struck out looking. Shields finished with 12 strikeouts in eight innings as the Royals completed a three-game sweep of the Astros. "He moved it around very effectively," manager Ned Yost said. "He was locking guys in, was locking up guys down and away, just had it all going." Shields (1-2) gave up one run and four hits, all singles. "We were pounding the strike zone and getting strike one and getting ahead of the hitters and thats an aggressive team over there and when you get ahead in the count and make your pitches youre successful," he said. His 12 strikeouts were his most as a Royal and the most by a Kansas City pitcher since Zack Greinke also struck out 12 on June 13, 2010, against Cincinnati. The seven straight Ks by Shields were one shy of the franchise record of eight in a row set by Blake Stein in 2001. The right-hander got back to his winning ways after seeing his nine-game road victory streak snapped in his last start at Minnesota when sloppy defence led to six unearned runs in a 7-1 loss. Scott Feldman (2-1) yielded four earned runs and nine hits in six innings. It was the first tough outing for the Astros newcomer after he had allowed just one run and seven hits combined in his first three starts. "It seems like they found a lot of holes," Feldman said. "Theyre a tough lineup, for sure." The Royals were up by two when Alcides Escobar hit a two-run double in the fourth to make it 4-0. Salvador Perez added an RBI double in the fifth. Kansas City scored 15 runs in this series after managing just five runs combined last weekend while getting swept by the Twins. The Royals got to Feldman early, with Nori Aoki hitting a leadoff double and later scoring on a groundout by Eric Hosmer. Alex Gordon, Billy Butler and Mike Moustakas hit consecutive singles to start the second to push the lead too 2-0.dddddddddddd There were runners at second and third with one out in the fourth when Escobar sent them both home with a double to centre field. Aoki singled to begin the fifth before a one-out single by Hosmer. Perez hit a ball that diving centre fielder Dexter Fowler missed for a double that scored Aoki and pushed the lead to 5-0. Hosmer was out at home on the play. Shields allowed a pair of singles in the first inning before retiring the next 10 Astros. Houston didnt have another baserunner until Chris Carter drew a leadoff walk in the fifth. Carter advanced to third on a single by Matt Dominguez, but Dominguez was out trying to stretch it into a double. Manager Bo Porter was clearly frustrated when asked if he wishes Dominguez would have been more cautious on the play, pausing 18 seconds before answering the question. "Its just not smart, obviously," Porter said. "And sorry for taking so long to answer the question. I went and asked Matt Dominguez: Do you think youre invisible? You are down 5-0 and the ball is right in front of you. So, to answer your question, no, I dont like it. There was nothing smart about it, and next question." Carter scored on a sacrifice fly by Alex Presley to cut the lead to 5-1 later in that inning. Presleys out was the first of nine straight Astros retired by Shields, including the seven strikeouts in a row. A single by Presley came with one out in the eighth and Jonathan Villar drew a walk, but Shields ended the threat by striking out Fowler before a fly out by George Springer. NOTES: The Royals challenged a call after Presley was called safe on a grounder in the second inning. The play was overturned for the third out of the inning. ... Royals LHP Bruce Chen, who was scratched from Thursdays start a day before with a sore back, said he was feeling better on Thursday and expects to be ready to start on Saturday. ... Kansas City OF Lorenzo Cain was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a left groin strain and LHP Justin Marks was recalled from Triple-A Omaha to take his place on the roster. ... Houston selected the contract of LHP Raul Valdes from Triple-A Oklahoma City and optioned LHP Kevin Chapman there before Thursdays game. ' ' ' |
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