Dossena lauds Napoli fighting spirit

Napoli defender Andrea Dossena has praised his side’s ability to fight out games after they claimed a 4-3 home win over Lazio on Sunday.

The Naples-based club came from 2-0 and 3-2 down to record the win which keeps them within three points of league-leaders AC Milan.

Dossena, who scored Napoli’s opening goal, put the victory down to the team’s ability to perform in the second half as they produced a famous victory.

“The table has proved we have better endurance compared to other teams and therefore we could produce a better performance in the second half,” Dossena said.

“It’s pretty much been that way all season, in the second half we play better whereas other teams start to tire and have problems.”

Dossena’s goal breathed life into his side and kickstarted the comeback, with the former Liverpool defender declaring the Serie A title race still alive.

“With the opportunity of three points per match, it’s never over,” he said. “We are determined and the team has the willingness to fight for a result, as we proved today.”

While Dossena was pleased, Lazio sports director Igli Tare was very disappointed with the result but praised Napoli for their terrific season.

“To play as we did today and not pick up any points is very frustrating,” Tare said.

“Napoli are now second, and are having a great season. They haven’t put a foot wrong, and haven’t run into any real difficulties this season. They deserve to be where they are in the table.”

“As for us, we have seven games left until the end of the season and we’ll do all we can to pick up as many points as possible.”

Lazio now sit fifth, 11 points behind Massimiliano Allegri’s Milan.

Mon 4 April, 2011

Dossena lauds Napoli fighting spirit

Napoli defender Andrea Dossena has praised his side’s ability to fight out games after they claimed a 4-3 home win over Lazio on Sunday.

The Naples-based club came from 2-0 and 3-2 down to record the win which keeps them within three points of league-leaders AC Milan.

Dossena, who scored Napoli’s opening goal, put the victory down to the team’s ability to perform in the second half as they produced a famous victory.

“The table has proved we have better endurance compared to other teams and therefore we could produce a better performance in the second half,” Dossena said.

“It’s pretty much been that way all season, in the second half we play better whereas other teams start to tire and have problems.”

Dossena’s goal breathed life into his side and kickstarted the comeback, with the former Liverpool defender declaring the Serie A title race still alive.

“With the opportunity of three points per match, it’s never over,” he said. “We are determined and the team has the willingness to fight for a result, as we proved today.”

While Dossena was pleased, Lazio sports director Igli Tare was very disappointed with the result but praised Napoli for their terrific season.

“To play as we did today and not pick up any points is very frustrating,” Tare said.

“Napoli are now second, and are having a great season. They haven’t put a foot wrong, and haven’t run into any real difficulties this season. They deserve to be where they are in the table.”

“As for us, we have seven games left until the end of the season and we’ll do all we can to pick up as many points as possible.”

Lazio now sit fifth, 11 points behind Massimiliano Allegri’s Milan.

Mon 4 April, 2011

Coyle hails Bolton spirit

Bolton boss Owen Coyle paid tribute to his side’s fighting qualities after they scored a thrilling 3-2 FA Cup quarter-final win over Birmingham.

Substitute Lee Chung-Yong headed home a late winner at St Andrew’s on Saturday, after Birmingham had twice fought back from a goal down.

Johan Elmander slotted home a cool left-foot shot past Ben Foster after 20 minutes, but Birmingham hit back through Cameron Jerome.

Kevin Davies then put the visitors ahead until Kevin Phillips produced a superb long-range strike to level proceedings once more. But Lee’s late heroics secured Bolton’s first berth in the semi-finals of the FA Cup since 2000.

Coyle said he was delighted with the never-say-die attitude of his men.

“Both teams went all out to book their place in the semi-final and we showed great character and determination to claim the victory,” he said.

“We have to give great credit to Birmingham because they kept coming back. ”

“Having got 2-1 in front, we should have scored a third with the chances that we created, but then you get Kevin Phillips doing what he does best by magnificently converting what seemed like a half-chance.”

“However, we picked ourselves up to get the winning goal. It was a great knock-down by the skipper (Kevin Davies) and a super finish by Chung-Yong.”

“It would have been very harsh not to have won it at the first attempt. We showed a lot of quality and endeavour, and at times we had to stand up and be counted, but each and every one of our players did that.”

“It was an example of the great spirit and resolve that underlines how we play and our approach to every single game.”

“All in all it’s a great day’s work and we are delighted to be in the semi-finals.”

Birmingham boss Alex McLeish was disappointed by the loss, but said it would mean his men – who won the Carling Cup with a 2-1 win over Arsenal at Wembley in February – could now devote their full attention to staying in the English Premier League.

With nine games still to play, Birmingham are fourth from the bottom, with only goal difference separating them from the relegation zone – something McLeish is keen to amend.

“We’re now concentrating on getting further up the league,” McLeish said.

“I don’t feel as bad as I did last week after the West Brom game (a 3-1 league loss at home) but at the same time it hurts me to lose any football match.”

“You could see from that performance that the players were trying to make history a second time and get to Wembley again.”

“It wasn’t to be, it was a tough Bolton side. They had just about their best team so that was a magnificent effort by our lads.”

Sat 12 March, 2011

Comment on Chelsea show spirit to upstage Manchester United by Dylan

SoccerNews.comHomeSoccer StatsLive ScoresTransfer NewsEditorialBettingTicketsFootball ShirtsHomeArchivesAdvertiseWrite for UsAboutContactCommunityTop LeaguesEnglish Premier LeagueEnglish ChampionshipLa LigaSerie ABundesligaLigue 1EredivisieScottish Premier LeagueMLSWorld CupInternational CupsUEFA Champions LeagueUEFA Europa LeagueEuropean ChampionshipWorld Cup Select your teamArsenalAston VillaBirmingham CityBlackburn RoversBlackpoolBolton WanderersChelseaEvertonFulhamLiverpoolManchester CityManchester UnitedNewcastle UnitedStoke CitySunderlandTottenham HotspurWest Bromwich AlbionWest Ham UnitedWigan AthleticWolverhampton WanderersBarnsleyBristol CityBurnleyCardiff CityCoventry CityCrystal PalaceDerby CountyDoncaster RoversHull CityIpswich TownLeeds UnitedLeicester CityMiddlesbroughMillwallNorwich CityNottingham ForestPortsmouthPreston North EndQueens Park RangersReadingScunthorpe UnitedSheffield UnitedSwansea CityWatfordAlmeriaAthletic BilbaoAtletico MadridBarcelonaDeportivo La CorunaEspanyolGetafeHerculesLevanteMallorcaMalagaOsasunaRacing SantanderReal MadridReal SociedadReal ZaragozaSevillaSporting GijonValenciaVillarrealBariBolognaBresciaCagliariCataniaCesenaChievoFiorentinaGenoaInternazionaleJuventusLazioLecceMilanNapoliPalermoParmaRomaSampdoriaUdineseBayer LeverkusenBayern MunchenBorussia DortmundBorussia M'gladbachEintracht FrankfurtFreiburgHamburger SVHannover 96HoffenheimKaiserslauternKolnMainz 05NurnbergSchalke 04St. PauliStuttgartWerder BremenWolfsburgArlesAuxerreBordeauxBrestCaenLensLilleLorientMonacoMontpellierNancyNiceOlympique LyonOlympique MarseillePSGSaint-EtienneSochauxStade RennesToulouseValenciennesADO Den HaagAjaxAZDe GraafschapExcelsiorFeyenoordGroningenHeerenveenHeraclesNAC BredaNECPSVRoda JCTwenteUtrechtVitesseVVV VenloWillem IIAberdeenCelticDundee UnitedHamilton AcademicalsHeart of MidlothianHibernianInverness CTKilmarnockMotherwellRangersSt. JohnstoneSt. MirrenJoin usFollow usThursday 3 March, 2011

Comment on Chelsea show spirit to upstage Manchester United by Brad

SoccerNews.comHomeSoccer StatsLive ScoresTransfer NewsEditorialBettingTicketsFootball ShirtsHomeArchivesAdvertiseWrite for UsAboutContactCommunityTop LeaguesEnglish Premier LeagueEnglish ChampionshipLa LigaSerie ABundesligaLigue 1EredivisieScottish Premier LeagueMLSWorld CupInternational CupsUEFA Champions LeagueUEFA Europa LeagueEuropean ChampionshipWorld Cup Select your teamArsenalAston VillaBirmingham CityBlackburn RoversBlackpoolBolton WanderersChelseaEvertonFulhamLiverpoolManchester CityManchester UnitedNewcastle UnitedStoke CitySunderlandTottenham HotspurWest Bromwich AlbionWest Ham UnitedWigan AthleticWolverhampton WanderersBarnsleyBristol CityBurnleyCardiff CityCoventry CityCrystal PalaceDerby CountyDoncaster RoversHull CityIpswich TownLeeds UnitedLeicester CityMiddlesbroughMillwallNorwich CityNottingham ForestPortsmouthPreston North EndQueens Park RangersReadingScunthorpe UnitedSheffield UnitedSwansea CityWatfordAlmeriaAthletic BilbaoAtletico MadridBarcelonaDeportivo La CorunaEspanyolGetafeHerculesLevanteMallorcaMalagaOsasunaRacing SantanderReal MadridReal SociedadReal ZaragozaSevillaSporting GijonValenciaVillarrealBariBolognaBresciaCagliariCataniaCesenaChievoFiorentinaGenoaInternazionaleJuventusLazioLecceMilanNapoliPalermoParmaRomaSampdoriaUdineseBayer LeverkusenBayern MunchenBorussia DortmundBorussia M'gladbachEintracht FrankfurtFreiburgHamburger SVHannover 96HoffenheimKaiserslauternKolnMainz 05NurnbergSchalke 04St. PauliStuttgartWerder BremenWolfsburgArlesAuxerreBordeauxBrestCaenLensLilleLorientMonacoMontpellierNancyNiceOlympique LyonOlympique MarseillePSGSaint-EtienneSochauxStade RennesToulouseValenciennesADO Den HaagAjaxAZDe GraafschapExcelsiorFeyenoordGroningenHeerenveenHeraclesNAC BredaNECPSVRoda JCTwenteUtrechtVitesseVVV VenloWillem IIAberdeenCelticDundee UnitedHamilton AcademicalsHeart of MidlothianHibernianInverness CTKilmarnockMotherwellRangersSt. JohnstoneSt. MirrenJoin usFollow usThursday 3 March, 2011

Everton players finally show old fighting spirit

I make no apology for being a diehard Everton fan and never will.

They might not be the easiest team to support at times but every so often the team produces a performance and a result which brings grown men to tears.

Yesterday’s penalty victory at Chelsea in the FA Cup fourth round was one of those moments.

Spirit

Under boss David Moyes Everton has been all about team spirit and the dressing room togetherness has been there for all to see. Even when times are bad the players have stuck together. When Phil Neville scored the winning penalty against Chelsea yesterday you could see by the celebrations what the victory meant to everybody at the club.

It wasn’t so much the fact that we were in the next round of the FA Cup or the fact that we had knocked the holders out on their own patch. It was the sheer effort and fight the players had put in against Chelsea that made Everton fans so proud.

This season has been a very poor one by recent Everton standards but the victory at Chelsea could just be a turning point. This result could prove a vital boost to confidence of the players.

Turnaround

Everton have had a very contrary season. We have taken four points from Liverpool and Tottenham drew at Chelsea and won at Manchester City, not to mention drawing at home to Manchester United after scoring two injury-time goals.

Yet against the lesser sides in the Premier League we have been awful at times. Last weekend’s performance at Bolton’s Reebok Stadium was described by David Moyes as

Everton players finally show old fighting spirit

I make no apology for being a diehard Everton fan and never will.

They might not be the easiest team to support at times but every so often the team produces a performance and a result which brings grown men to tears.

Yesterday’s penalty victory at Chelsea in the FA Cup fourth round was one of those moments.

Spirit

Under boss David Moyes Everton has been all about team spirit and the dressing room togetherness has been there for all to see. Even when times are bad the players have stuck together. When Phil Neville scored the winning penalty against Chelsea yesterday you could see by the celebrations what the victory meant to everybody at the club.

It wasn’t so much the fact that we were in the next round of the FA Cup or the fact that we had knocked the holders out on their own patch. It was the sheer effort and fight the players had put in against Chelsea that made Everton fans so proud.

This season has been a very poor one by recent Everton standards but the victory at Chelsea could just be a turning point. This result could prove a vital boost to confidence of the players.

Turnaround

Everton have had a very contrary season. We have taken four points from Liverpool and Tottenham drew at Chelsea and won at Manchester City, not to mention drawing at home to Manchester United after scoring two injury-time goals.

Yet against the lesser sides in the Premier League we have been awful at times. Last weekend’s performance at Bolton’s Reebok Stadium was described by David Moyes as