theguardianuk--2019-09-04--Euro 2020 qualifiers and international football 10 things to look out for

Euro 2020 qualifiers and international football: 10 things to look out for

## 1) Pressure on Dutch as entertaining foes meet again  Before October 2018, the Netherlands had not kicked a ball in anger against Germany for six years. When the teams walk out for the Group C qualifier in Hamburg, it will be the fourth time the fierce rivals have faced each other in 11 months. Not that neutrals should be complaining. There have been 12 goals in the two Nations League matches and one Euro 2020 qualifier that have been played since – and some scintillating football. Nico Schulz’s 90th-minute strike for Germany sealed a 3-2 victory in [a pulsating qualifier](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2019/mar/24/netherlands- germany-euro2020-qualifying-match-report) at the Johan Cruyff Arena in March that left the Dutch on three points from two matches and facing a tricky game of catch-up to ensure automatic qualification. Northern Ireland’s flawless start has powered them to the top of Group C on 12 points and piled pressure on Ronald Koeman’s side, who will have to go on the attack at the Volksparkstadion. Expect another entertaining open game from two vibrant young sides. **Gregg Bakowski**  **• Germany v [Netherlands](https://www.theguardian.com/football/holland), 7.45pm (all times BST), Friday**  ## 2) Finland close in on their finest hour  Football has rarely been able to dent ice hockey’s primacy in Finland but Markku Kanerva’s team are on the verge of changing that. Over the next week they face two of the most important games in their history and, if at least one of Greece and Italy can be seen off in Tampere, a place at Euro 2020 should be within touching distance. They sit second in Group J, three points clear of Armenia and five in front of Greece and Bosnia-Herzegovina. It is a golden opportunity for a country that has only once come close to reaching a major tournament, when they fell just short of Euro 2008. Finland are formidable at home, they have not conceded in their last eight games, and in Norwich City’s Teemu Pukki they have one of Europe’s hottest centre-forwards. They may fancy their chances of toppling the injury-hit Italians, who will miss Lorenzo Insigne and Giorgio Chiellini and could be caught at the top when they meet on Sunday if all goes to plan. And if it unravels spectacularly? [Finland](https://www.theguardian.com/football/finland) would have the fallback of entering the play-offs, in that case, having been one of the winners in Nations League C. The opportunity that lies ahead could hardly be greater. **Nick Ames**  The Fiver: sign up and get our daily football email.  ## 3) Romanian fledglings have chance to show they can fly  Romania had their most exciting footballing summer since 1994 thanks to the entertaining under-21 side that reached the semi-finals at the European Championships. Ianis Hagi, son of the legendary Gheorghe, was the star , earning a move to Genk, although Ajax were also linked to the playmaker. He is joined in Cosmin Contra’s squad to face Spain and Malta by six teammates from that under-21 squad, who became known for their attacking football as they [defeated England](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2019/jun/21/england- romania-european-under-21-championship-match-report) and Croatia, and they will be given the chance to prove themselves at full international level against Spain in Bucharest. Whether Hagi can follow in his famous father’s footsteps is unknown but he can be as influential for this generation and their first test could be telling, not that they will be afraid. **Will Unwin**  • **Romania v Spain, 7.45pm, Thursday**  Romania training in Bucharest on Wednesday. Photograph: Robert Ghement/EPA  ## 4) Republic can take huge step towards qualifying against Swiss  Three wins and a draw from their first four matches have taken the [Republic of Ireland](https://www.theguardian.com/football/republicofireland) top of Group D on 10 points and given them a big psychological advantage over third- placed Switzerland as they prepare to meet in Dublin. Vladimir Petkovic’s side are similarly unbeaten but have played only two games, a win over Georgia and a hugely deflating 3-3 draw with Denmark in which they let a three-goal lead slip in the final six minutes. This means Mick McCarthy’s side can open up a nine-point advantage over the only other realistic contenders for automatic qualification. McCarthy’s preparations have not been entirely smooth, however, with James McCarthy, Kieren Westwood, Matt Doherty and Sean Maguire withdrawing through injury. **GB**  **• Rep of Ireland v [Switzerland](https://www.theguardian.com/football/switzerland), 7.45pm, Thursday**  ## 5) Brighton’s Mac Allister looking to make his mark for Argentina  With Lionel Messi suspended from international football for his [corruption comments](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2019/jul/06/lionel-messi- controversial-red-card-argentina-chile-match-report) during the Copa América, the Argentina manager, Lionel Scaloni, has drafted in seven upcapped players for the friendlies against Chile and Mexico, one of who is Alexis Mac Allister. The son of the former international Carlos Mac Allister – whose unusual name originates from his family roots in Fife, Scotland – signed for Brighton last year, but work permit issues led to him being loaned to Boca Juniors this season. The 20-year-old plays alongside his older brother, [Kevin Mac Allister](https://twitter.com/Sheila9Bruno/status/1090018908084625408?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1090018908084625408&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishexaminer.com%2Fbreakingnews%2Fsport%2Fsoccer %2Fboca-juniors-buy-a-player-called-kevin-mac-allister-with-inevitable- consequences-900980.html), and scored [this worldie winner](https://twitter.com/fotmob/status/1154385718447353856) in the Copa Libertadores on his first start for the club. Alexis’ international call-up is good news for Brighton – the diminutive central midfielder could secure a British work permit next season if he continues to be involved with Argentina. It will be interesting to see if he makes his debut on Friday against Chile, who are missing their own Alexis, with Sánchez still in Italy after [completing his loan move to Inter](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2019/sep/03/alexis-sanchez- manchester-united-dont-know-why-dropped-no-regrets). **Michael Butler**  **• Chile v [Argentina](https://www.theguardian.com/football/argentina), 3am, Friday**  Brighton’s Alexis Mac Allister, on loan at Boca Juniors, has been called up to the Argentina squad for the first time. Photograph: Juan Mabromata/AFP/Getty Images  ## 6) McBurnie must show he cares by letting his feet do the talking  Scotland are in a curious position under Steve Clarke; the scars from that [embarrassing defeat in Astana](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2019/mar/21/kazakhstan-scotland- euro-2020-qualifier-match-report) are yet to heal, but two paths remain open to qualify for Euro 2020, where they would be among the host nations. Clarke needs his squad to gel quickly, and said at his unveiling that his players [need to be “100% committed”](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2019/may/20 /steve-clarke-appointed-scotland-football-manager-three-year-deal). In that context, Oli McBurnie’s gaffe this week was particularly unfortunate, with the Sheffield United striker caught on camera sounding less than thrilled at the prospect of an international break. It was a snippet taken from a light- hearted exchange and McBurnie has dealt with it maturely, addressing his teammates in private. Outside of his Twitter mentions, all is forgiven. Now would be a good time for the Yorkshireman to do his talking on the pitch and find a first international goal. Scotland welcome Russia and Belgium to Hampden in this round of fixtures – matches that will surely shape the group. **Niall McVeigh**  **• [Scotland](https://www.theguardian.com/football/scotland) v Russia, 7.45pm, Friday.**  ## 7) Japan drop experience for youth as Olympics near  This is an important time for Japan, who start their qualification campaign for the World Cup this month in Myanmar, but whose priority is to prepare for the Olympic Games at home next summer. With just three players aged over 23 permitted at Tokyo 2020, the head coach, Hajime Moriyasu, has opted for a young squad for the friendly against Paraguay, dropping Shinji Kagawa and Shinji Okazaki, both of whom this summer signed for clubs in the Spanish second tier. While Kagawa has impressed for Real Zaragoza, [scoring against Ponferradina](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zV9FiOniSM), Okazaki left Málaga on Tuesday after 34 days, [without making an appearance](https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2019/sep/04/malaga- shinji-okazaki-la-liga-release). Japan’s investment in youth means much is expected of **** Takefusa Kubo, who impressed in pre-season [at Real Madrid](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2019/jun/16/takefusa-kubo-real- madrid-signing) and has joined Mallorca on loan. Without Kagawa, the 18-year- old is, perhaps unfairly, the headline name in this burgeoning team. **MB**  **• [Japan](https://www.theguardian.com/football/japan) v Paraguay, 11.20pm, Thursday**  Shinji Kagawa has been dropped from Japan’s squad for the World Cup qualifiers. Photograph: Jack Guez/AFP/Getty Images  ## 8) Turkey mix experience and youth to propel team forward  Since the return of Senol Gunes for his second spell as Turkey head coach there has been an increasing focus on youth. Twenty of the players called up to face Andorra and Moldova are under the age of 25, including hot prospects Abdulkadir Omur of Trabzonspor and Besiktas striker Guven Yalcin. Despite this new focus, Gunes knows the importance of experience and the most capped player in the squad, captain Emre Belozoglu, will earn his 100th a few days shy of his 39th birthday. He is required to influence those flair players alongside him to give [Turkey](https://www.theguardian.com/football/turkey) momentum from two supposedly simple qualifiers. Even if they fail to qualify this time around, there is greater hope for the Turkish national team than there has been for a while. **WU**  **• Turkey v Andorra, 7.45pm, Saturday**  ## 9) Kosovo shorn of their star turns before England clash  Kosovo’s success story is well told by now and they will bounce into St Mary’s next Tuesday on the back of a 14-game unbeaten run, which included an eyecatching win in Bulgaria last time out. They are Europe’s youngest international team and, these days, a deadly serious one; anyone expecting an [England](https://www.theguardian.com/football/england) walkover should think again but it is a shame they travel without their two biggest threats. Milot Rashica and Arber Zeneli are two of the most exciting wingers around but both are injured. Their absence dilutes a realistic chance of reaching Euro 2020 and Benjamin Kololli and Hekuran Kryeziu will miss out too. But Kosovo have other threats, such as the in-form Fenerbahce striker Vedat Muriqi and Swansea’s Bersant Celina, so if they can emerge from Saturday’s home tie with the Czech Republic unscathed then perhaps a shock in Southampton will be on. **NA**  ## 10) Chad seek success after four-year sabbatical  How many matches do you think Chad’s senior team have contested since their last tilt at World Cup qualifying, which ended with a 4-0 defeat to Egypt in November 2015? One, is the answer, and that fixture has since been expunged from the records. They have not taken to the field since losing to Tanzania the following March, after which they withdrew from the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying competition on financial grounds, and were banned from the 2019 edition as a result. A squad of players based in France, Belgium, Niger, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Equatorial Guinea, Portugal, Indonesia and the local league will have had some catching up to do before facing Sudan in Thursday’s first-round, first leg qualifier for Qatar 2022 in N’Djamena. The Frenchman Emmanuel Trégoat has returned as coach in the hope of leading them into a new era. Chad is far from the only country that has had sustained issues putting a football team out but it goes to show that international football is not something anyone should take for granted. **NA**  • **Chad v Sudan, 3.30pm, Thursday**


theguardianuk--2019-10-31--Is Carabao Cup the world's best tournament? – Football Weekly Extra

Max Rushden , Barry Glendenning , John Brewin and Marcus Bean discuss an extraordinary Anfield contest, Ole regaining control of the Manchester United wheel, Richard Keogh’s sacking, Colchester history and beans  Join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter and email.  We start by discussing Liverpool’s penalty shootout win over Arsenal after a 5-5 draw in the Carabao Cup – a competition devoid of VAR checks and high on entertainment.  Manchester United continued their mini-revival as they beat Chelsea for the second time this season and Manchester City beat Southampton for the first, and possibly not the last, time this week.  We also discuss Richard Keogh’s contract termination at Derby and the punishment handed down by Uefa to the Bulgarian FA following the racist abuse of England players a fortnight ago.  PS: our Christmas special is the last opportunity to see Football Weekly Live in London this year, at Indigo at the O2. Max, Barry, Jonathan Wilson, Elis James - more info and tickets here.  PPS: we are also returning to Leeds in December – Max, Lars Sivertsen, Jonathan Wilson plus one TBA, click here.  PPPS: if you’re on the other side of the Irish Sea, come and see us in Dublin! Max and Barry plus two more in January – first date sold out, but get your tickets for the second date, while stocks last, here.

Produced by Jonathan Fisher and presented by Max Rushden; with Barry Glendenning, John Brewin and Marcus Bean in the studio and Nicky Bandini down the phone


theindependent--2019-03-14--Champions League Liverpool win vs Bayern sees Rio Ferdinand claim English football set for new era

Champions League: Liverpool win vs Bayern sees Rio Ferdinand claim English football set for new era of dominance

Rio Ferdinand believes English football is on the cusp of a new era of dominance after four Premier League sides qualified for the quarter-finals of the Champions League.  Manchester City, Liverpool, Tottenham and Manchester United are all in the last eight, the first time England’s full contingent have made it to that stage in a decade.  And the former United star believes there is a new cycle in European football with English sides set to feature prominently in the latter stages of the competition.  “We mentioned the cycle before the game and it seems like it’s turning in England’s favour,” Ferdinand told BT Sport.  “Four teams have come through. No, it wasn’t a great performance from Liverpool. We’ve seen them play better but at this stage, knockout football is not about performing sometimes.  “It’s about coming here and getting a win. Listen, I wouldn’t put this Bayern team up there with the teams I’ve seen over the last five to eight years but it doesn’t matter.  “They’ve still got the history. They’ve got pedigree and the talent in their team and this Liverpool team came here and won and it’s a great sign and [Sadio] Mane was the difference.”  The English quartet will now wait to learn their quarter-final fate with the draw set to take place on Friday.  Keep up to date with all the latest news with expert comment and analysis from our award-winning writers


theindependent--2019-04-15--Juventus vs Ajax Can Dutch underdogs maintain their fearless brand of football

Juventus vs Ajax: Can Dutch underdogs maintain their fearless brand of football?

Ajax are in the unknown now and they want to keep going. Win this and they will be in their first Champions League semi-final since 1997, when they were beaten Juventus, back then the reigning European champions. They won that title on penalties against Ajax the previous year but that was a different football generation.  This was before Bosman, before the rise of the Premier League, before international benefactor owners. Ajax were the dukes of the old order, an order that has been washed away by foreign money, largely channelled through England.  And they have had to build a new team from a position of weakness, made of players who only know about the glory days second-hand. Matthijs De Ligt and Frenkie De Jong were not even born for the 1997 semis.  Even the players brought in last year to provide some experience are miles outside of their comfort zone. Dusan Tadic had never played in the Champions League before arriving at Ajax, the furthest Daley Blind got at Manchester United was the the group stage, twice.  So all Ajax have to fall back on on Tuesday night in Turin is themselves and their ability. But the one thing they have shown this season is that they can beat any other team in the world on their day. What other lesson can you draw from their 4-1 win at the Bernabeu last month, against the team who had just won this unrepeatable competition three years in a row?  Even in other games that they did not win - the 2-1 home defeat to Real Madrid, the two group stage draws with Bayern Munich, last week’s 1-1 draw in Amsterdam - Ajax showed how at home they are at this level. They were better than Juventus in the first leg, dominating possession and creating enough chances to win. Frenkie De Jong was the best player on the pitch, and it was not even close.  So the question ahead of Tuesday night’s game is whether Ajax can do this all over again. Can they play the same fearless Ajax football even in this, their biggest game for a generation? Can they push eight outfield players up the pitch, leaving only the centre-backs behind, without exposing themselves on the counter? In short, can they make up in quality and bravery what they lack in experience?  Because on Tuesday night Ajax are up against the team who has been here before more than almost anyone else. Juventus, of course, lost the 2015 and 2017 finals, and are desperate to go one better this year. So desperate, in fact, that they added Cristiano Ronaldo - five time Champions League winner - to a team that already knew how to handle itself in these occasions.  Ronaldo has already made exactly the difference Juventus wanted. The greatest match-winner in the history of this competition scored a second-leg hat-trick against Atletico Madrid - the best defence out there - to get Juventus into the quarters. And he started and finished a counter-attack in Amsterdam to give Juventus an away goal they may well need on Tuesday.  The last 10 years of the Champions League have been dominated by Ronaldo at the quarter-final stage: the header against Roma 2008, the long-ranger against Porto 2009, home and away against Atletico 2011, the hat-trick against Wolfsburg 2016, the clinical leadership against Bayern 2017, best of all the overhead kick against Juventus 2018.  So he will be relishing Tuesday night and the chance to give himself yet another shot at the greatest trophy of them all. He does this every year, and he will be up against a side for whom all of this is new. And yet as much as we lean on experience as a decider and predictor of games we know that it is not. If it was then Ajax would not even be here. There is always a gap in football for surprises. Ajax just have to find their way through it on Tuesday.


theindependent--2019-05-08--Liverpool vs Barcelona Yet another reminder of the changing psychology of Champions League football

Liverpool vs Barcelona: Yet another reminder of the changing psychology of Champions League football

In the Barcelona dressing room “the scene was like a funeral”. The silence was only disrupted by the sound of sobbing, most notably from Lionel Messi. One coach’s attempt to look for explanations was met with blank looks  In the Liverpool dressing room the scene was like a carnival. The dancing was only disrupted by players like Trent Alexander-Arnold suddenly bowing their head to their hands, as if overcome by what they’d just done.  Extremely different reactions from the most extreme of dramas – the sort of which have become the new norm for the Champions League. If recent trends are to go by, previously staggering comebacks are now to be expected in the later stages of the competition.  This was the sixth second-leg comeback from two goals down or more since the start of 2017. That is as many as in the 22 years of Champions League football before that.  There have similarly been three comebacks from three goals or more in the last two-and-a-half years. That is again as many as in 31 years of the competition before that.  The frequency of such drastic transformations in these ties thereby represents a drastic change in history, but not just in terms of results. They have transformed the entire feel of the Champions League.  It isn’t too long ago that a 2-0 lead felt almost insurmountable, precisely because one of the elements that elevated European football was the ability of the top teams to lock games down, to see them out to victory. The abiding image is of Serie A sides, or a strutting Steffen Effenberg, keeping the opposition at bay.  Even the concession of a goal in such circumstances felt little more than a consolation, a glimmer of hope.  No longer. Such second-leg goals instead provoke a visible change in matches and the mindsets of both teams. One is invigorated, the other seemingly incapacitated.  Such psychology alone is fascinating, and could start to explain how the fantastical has become so frequent.  Barcelona themselves are someway responsible for instigating this.  Their 6-1 win from 4-0 down against Paris Saint-Germain remains the biggest comeback in European Cup history, and was also thereby the big bang in terms of such recoveries. It gave other teams a tangible example of what was possible, but also distilled a spirit of abandon and chaos in the competition; that the previously improbable was now probable.  After all, none of this is to even include how Juventus took Real Madrid to within a penalty of such a recovery last season, or how Roma took Liverpool to within a goal.  There’s an element of psychological contagion here, in the same way that certain types of goals – like Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s scorpion kick two years ago – suddenly become replicated because they’re front and present in players’ minds.  This partly explains how even a side as accomplished as this Barcelona one can get so panicked at conceding a second-leg goal to make it 3-1. Anxiety afflicts them in a way it never would if a second-half goal made it 3-1 in a single 90-minute game, which is in itself remarkable and speaks to the psychology of it all.  Players like Gerard Pique have spoken about how you can sense the change. Everyone else can see it.  This is a mental process only further exacerbated by the modern tactical evolution of the game. There isn’t just a spirit of abandon, but an approach of abandon. Attacking football reigns. Goal averages have shot up since 2008, to around three a match. Games cannot be locked down in the same way, even if teams try.  The very pattern of matches thereby favours the side that needs the attack. Meetings are open, just as the chasing team needs them to be.  In this sense, it is little wonder that chaos now rules supreme.  The momentum is all going one way – as are a number of other secondary factors. Changes in the laws of the game, like with offside and set-piece defending, further favour attackers. Changes to the economic distribution of the game mean the wealthiest sides are less used to stronger challenges, or having big leads properly tested.  That was so evident at Anfield. Barcelona couldn’t cope.  It all means that such comebacks should probably no longer be described as “miracles”, since they’ve genuinely become too mundane.  They doesn’t mean they aren’t still the extremes of entertainment and drama. Extremity, however, is now what the Champions League is all about. It feels like it’s going to be a long time since we come back from that.


thesun--2019-10-16--Chelsea to dominate Newcastle, a Man City backlash at Palace and Man Utd vs Liverpool stalemate – fo

Chelsea to dominate Newcastle, a Man City backlash at Palace and Man Utd vs Liverpool stalemate – football betting tips

INTERNATIONAL week is behind us and it's time to return to the nitty gritty of the Premier League.  There's a feast of action on offer this weekend and our selections cover Chelsea's game against Newcastle, City's visit to Selhurst Park and the Sunday showdown between Man Utd and Liverpool.  BIG FRANK is starting to hit his stride in West London.  Transfer ban or no transfer ban, Lampard can do no wrong in the eyes of many Chelsea fans.  Four wins on the spin in all competitions is nothing to be sniffed at - and the Blues were at their ruthless best last time out at Southampton.  In Tammy Abraham they have a natural goalscorer, a player who from his time out on loan knows how to regularly hit the net.  Newcastle arrive on the back of a 1-0 win over Man Utd - their second narrow victory over one of the Big Six this term.  Steve Bruce has eased the pressure with that crucial three points and will be cut some slack here - it's a free hit.  The Toon are likely to set up as they did at Spurs, looking to nullify Chelsea's flair players and look for Joelinton and Almiron to do damage on the break.  We don't see lightning striking for a third time.  It took Chelsea four home matches to record their first Premier League win infront of their own fans this term.  That 2-0 win over Brighton was as routine as you like, with the Seagulls failing to land a glove on what was a fragile Blues side at the time.  We like Chelsea to win to nil here at 11/10, which is a juicy price.  Newcastle's record here is dismal and they've lost seven on the bounce at Stamford Bridge, scoring in just three of those games.  Abraham netted a brace against Sheff Utd before his defence imploded back in September - back him to score first again here at 23/10.  The last time Chelsea failed to score less than two against the Toon on home soil was 2012.  There's nothing wrong with having a play on them to score three or more.  Tammy Abraham to score first against Newcastle: 23/10  Blues to score three or more: 11/10  When City lose, they invariably lash out on the next team they face.  Earlier this term they were stunned 3-2 at Carrow Road - and promptly stuck EIGHT past Watford.  Palace must beware then as Man City arrive after their 2-0 defeat at home to Wolves before the international break.  The Eagles have won just one of their last nine meetings with City at Selhurst Park, going all the way back to the visitors' pre-takeover days in 2001.  After that loss to Wolves, anything but three points here and the title race already looks over in October.  Pep will have told his side so and we expect them to respond in style.  City are a tiny 1/4 to win the game, but there's value to be found in the goals markets.  The visitors to win and over 2.5 goals is a more tempting 8/13, whilst we are all over the City victory and both teams to score at a whopping 23/20.  Guardiola's side have real issues at the back and with Selhurst Park rocking under the lights will concede.  Palace are riding high this season and sit just outside the top-six going into this one - and Roy Hodgson should be given every credit.  They could be on the cusp of a third-straight league win, but we reckon this one will just be a stretch too far.  Sergio Aguero netted in six straight games to start the new season, but hasn't found the net in his last three.  That's a drought by his high standards - back him to open the scoring on what should be a good day for the visitors.  Man City to win and over 2.5 goals: 8/13  Both teams to score at Selhurst Park: 5/6  HOW the mighty have fallen.  Manchester United - the mighty Manchester United - are 16/5 to win a HOME game in the Premier League.  For a tenner, you're getting back £46 on Ole's men to win in the 90 minutes. Yikes.  If you needed further proof that United really are in a hole, the bookies are giving you clear indication right here.  Liverpool have won all eight of their Premier League games so far and the title race could be over before it's really begun.  Jurgen Klopp's side know how to win pretty - but they're pretty good at winning ugly, too.  United have seemingly forgotten how to win full stop.  They sit 12th in the league, still with single-figure points after eight matches - with just two league wins to their name.  Liverpool haven't won a Premier League game here since 2014, when Steven Gerrard netted twice from the spot and Luis Suarez capped off a thumping 3-0 win.  The international break came at just the right time for Solskjaer, with his side demoralised and in pieces following the 1-0 surrender up at Newcastle.  Are we really backing them to end Liverpool's unbeaten start to the season here? Nope.  But we do have a feeling that Klopp's men won't be heading back along the M62 with all three points.  This fixture always promises plenty but doesn't always produce slick, attacking football - with just five goals in the last three Premier League meetings here.  Chances are often at a premium - and we reckon a play on United double chance is the best way forward.  That covers a shock United win and the draw, with a tempting price of 11/10.  We just don't see many goals in this one and a bore draw might be the best way to play - with under 2.5 goals a steal at evens.  Man Utd to either draw or win: 11/10  1-1 draw at the Theatre of Dreams: 6/1  *All odds correct at time of publication


eveningstandard--2019-01-06--Tottenham vs Chelsea Score prediction team news live stream TV betting tickets EFL Cup 2018-

Tottenham vs Chelsea: Score prediction, team news, live stream, TV, betting, tickets – EFL Cup 2018-19 preview

Tottenham host Chelsea in the first leg of the EFL Cup semi-finals tonight.  Spurs were behind Chelsea’s first Premier League defeat this season back in November with Mauricio Pochettino’s side largely playing their rivals off the pitch at this same venue.  The Argentine is desperate to bring silverware to north London with Maurizio Sarri and his side eager to avenge November’s defeat.  Paulo Gazzaniga is expected to start in goal for Spurs this evening as Pochettino continues to field the Argentine in the cup competitions.  Jan Vertonghen and Mousa Dembele are targeting a return to action in time for Tuesday's match.  Centre-half Vertonghen has not played since Tottenham’s 1-1 draw at Barcelona on December 11 due to a thigh injury, while midfielder Dembele has been on the sidelines for two months with ankle trouble.  Yet both returned to training last Thursday, raising hopes they could be involved in the clash with the Blues at Wembley - though it is unlikely that either will start.  Meanwhile, Chelsea coach Carlo Cudicini has revealed Ruben Loftus-Cheek may have to take some time out to resolve a back injury, labelling the set-back as a "pity" for the midfielder.  Loftus-Cheek started Chelsea's FA Cup third-round game against Nottingham Forest on Saturday, but was forced off only in the 42nd minute with a knock.  The 22-year-old looked emotional as he headed straight down the players' tunnel to receive treatment on the injury, before he told Standard Sport after the game that his injury was "not good".  How we think the sides will line up...  With this being a two-legged affair, expect a cagey first leg at Wembley as both sides seek to remain in the tie.  It would be no surprise to see either side edge a win considering recent shock defeats for both teams, while Spurs may feel a little short of cover in attack with Heung-min Son off at the Asian Cup.  Click here to find the latest match odds and place a bet.  The match will be shown live on Sky Sports' Football and Main Event channels, and is available via Now TV with a day pass on offer for £7.99.  Sky Sports subscribers can stream the match online via SkyGo and the SkyGo app.  You can also follow the match LIVE with Standard Sport.  This will be the 162nd edition of this famous old fixture with Chelsea claiming 68 wins over the years. Spurs are catching up with 53 of their own however and have won the last two by the scoreline of 3-1.


eveningstandard--2019-01-24--Carabao Cup final 2019 date and tickets How to watch Chelsea vs Man City TV channel and live strea

Carabao Cup final 2019 date and tickets: How to watch Chelsea vs Man City, TV channel and live stream

Manchester City will take on Chelsea with the first piece of silverware of the season up for grabs in the EFL Cup final.  A 10-0 aggregate victory over Burton Albion saw City saunter into February’s final. They are back at Wembley in this competition for the third time in four years, having swatted Arsenal away to lift the trophy last year.  Chelsea meanwhile trailed to Tottenham after the first-leg of their all-London affair. But goals from N'Golo Kante and Eden Hazard hauled them back into the contest with David Luiz scoring the decisive spot kick in a thrilling penalty shoot-out.  Maurizio Sarri is in a final in his first season in English football and is out to win his first piece of silverware as a manager.  Here’s all you need to know about February’s final…  The EFL Cup final takes place at Wembley on Sunday February 24 at Wembley.  Kick-off time for this year’s final is still to be determined.  Last year’s game was given a 4:30pm GMT slot.  The match will be shown live on Sky Sports' Football and Main Event channels, and is available via Now TV with a day pass on offer for £7.99.  Sky Sports subscribers can stream the match online via SkyGo and the SkyGo app.  For ticket availability click here to head to Club Wembley's official website.


eveningstandard--2019-04-25--Man Utd vs Chelsea Prediction team news odds live stream TV channel Premier League 2018-19 pr

Man Utd vs Chelsea: Prediction, team news, odds, live stream, TV channel – Premier League 2018-19 preview

Manchester United’s top four hopes suffered a potentially fatal blow as another David De Gea howler gifted Chelsea a share of the points in their Premier League clash at Old Trafford.  The Spanish goalkeeper’s fumble allowed Marcos Alonso to equalise late in the first half after Juan Mata had given the hosts a deserved lead, and Maurizio Sarri’s men know victories against Watford and Leicester will guarantee them Champions League football next season.  Up until De Gea’s mistake, it had been a much improved showing from Solskjaer’s men, but they have now won just two of their last ten games in all competitions, and stay sixth, three points behind fourth-placed Chelsea, with an inferior goal difference and just two games to play.  United made five changes to the side that had lost in the Manchester derby in midweek, with Ander Herrera fit to return in midfield and Romelu Lukaku coming in to lead the line.  Chelsea were boosted by the availability of N’Golo Kante and Antonio Rudiger after injury scares, while Willian came in to replace Callum Hudson-Odoi, whose season was ended in the 2-2 draw with Burnley on Monday.  Solskjaer had admitted this was a must-win game for United’s hopes of qualifying for the Champions League next season, and they began like a side with a point to prove, taking the lead with a wonderfully worked goal inside a quarter of an hour.  Lukaku was the architect, scooping over the top to find Luke Shaw, and the England full back squared for Juan Mata to squeeze home his first goal against his former side since quitting Stamford Bridge for Old Trafford in January 2014.  Lukaku in particular was energised, surging away from two Chelsea men to tee-up Marcus Rashford on one powerful run, before delighting the home crowd by sending Blues skipper Cesar Azpilicueta flying into an unsuspecting cameraman with a bullish but fair shoulder-to-shoulder challenge.  Eric Bailly, making his first league start since the beginning of March, almost made it two with a cracking header from Ashley Young’s whipped corner, and when Nemanja Matic got away with a stray arm into the face of Azpilicueta it seemed that everything was going swimmingly for Solskjaer’s men.  On the stroke of half-time though, disaster struck as De Gea’s recent woeful run of form continued with another high-profile clanger, spilling Rudiger’s long range effort to allow Alonso to level from a tight angle.  The combination of that error and the interval disrupted United’s rhythm, and the second half began as a much more even affair, albeit a stop-start one, as both sides were forced into changes.  Rudiger’s return had been a welcome surprise for Chelsea, but he hobbled down the tunnel just after the hour mark, with Andreas Christensen sent on in his place. United, meanwhile, had Rashford limp off, replaced by Alexis Sanchez, before Bailly went down with what appeared to be a serious knee injury.  His replacement, Marcos Rojo, was lucky not to compound United’s misery with a red card within minutes of his introduction, after a typically rash challenge on Willian, but he also came mighty close to winning it in stoppage time as his header was cleared on the line by Pedro.  Can't see the blog? Click here for the desktop version.


eveningstandard--2019-05-14--How to get to Baku for Europa League final Azerbaijan flights and Chelsea vs Arsenal travel info

How to get to Baku for Europa League final: Azerbaijan flights and Chelsea vs Arsenal travel info

Chelsea and Arsenal will meet in an all-English Europa League final later this month, but fans face a nightmare journey to see it.  Despite the teams being separated by only a few miles, the London rivals will fight it out for the trophy 2,469 miles away in Baku, Azerbaijan.  Both teams booked their spots in the final of Europe's secondary club competition earlier this month, but the journey to the eastern edge of Europe is a daunting prospect at best.  Direct flights to a capital which is further east than Baghdad have already sold out and the only safe driving route would take 59 hours non-stop.  So, how can you get to Baku for the final on May 29 and how long will it take? We take a look...  Baku is served by just three direct overnight flights form Heathrow - 10.05pm on Tuesdays, Thursday and Saturdays on Azerbaijan Airlines.  But the flight out on May 28 - the day before the final - and the return flights on the following days are full.  You can still get tickets for the flight on Saturday, May 25 but this is three days before the match takes place.  It's also just as hard coming back as return flights are just as limited. There are flights to Heathrow on Tuesday, June 4 but this is nearly a week after the game finishes.  It means that flying direct to the final could cost you nearly £600 and an 11-day trip for just one football game.  There are other options of course, but only if you're prepared to spend a lot of money or face a mammoth journey.  Thomas Cook Sport is offering return economy flights for a day trip, but with prices starting at £979 per person it isn't particularly cheap.  Skyscanner has a number flights out the day before and returning the day after but these will set you back at least £1,100.  Not only will you have to contend with eye-watering costs, but none of these fly direct and all have lengthy stop-overs in Turkey or France, meaning that some journeys will take you nearly 23 hours.  Some could opt to fly out a bit earlier and head home a bit later for less money, but these require multiple stop-overs in European countries.  To make things even harder, most flights leave late at night - around 10pm from London and the early hours of the morning from Baku.  You could, however, choose to fly to Tiblisi in Georgia and catch a bus or the night train over to Azerbaijan. Flights seem fairly reasonable at around £300 but the journey from Georgia will take a minimum of 12 hours.  Of course, there is always the option of driving. However, because Baku sits on the coast of the Caspian sea, this is no easy feat.  The direct route would take you at least 57 hours of non-stop driving and with absolutely no traffic, according to Google Maps.  This route would take you through the Netherlands, Germany, Poland, Ukraine and Russia. However, there is a closed border between the Ukraine and Russia over ongoing political tensions, requiring you to take an alternative route which will take longer, most likely heading through Istanbul in Turkey. When you factor in time taken to eat and sleep, setting off over the weekend would be best.  While this is a viable option, it's probably the least likely one. The whole journey takes over four days and will take you through seven different countries.  There are number of different routes you can opt for but all are incredibly convoluted and difficult, with some of the more direct routes including 13 different changes.  One of the options could see you taking a two-day train from Kharkiv in Ukraine to Baku while another, arguably more scenic route, will see you head to Istanbul across continental Europe the former route of the Orient Express.  From Istanbul, you can catch the night train to Erzurum or Kars where a bus will take you to Tiblisi. From there, you can catch the night train or bus to Baku.


eveningstandard--2019-05-21--Europa League Final Chelsea vs Arsenal live stream to be shown free by BT on TV online and on YouT

Europa League Final: Chelsea vs Arsenal live stream to be shown free by BT on TV, online and on YouTube

London rivals Chelsea and Arsenal meet in an all-English Europa League Final at the end of May, with plenty at stake for both clubs.  Maurizio Sarri is yet to win a trophy during his managerial career, but is now just one match away from ending a chaotic season with tangible success.  Sarri appeared to be in danger of being ousted at numerous points of his debut year in England, but a Europa League triumph - coupled with the club's improbable third-placed Premier League finish - would represent a fine campaign for the Italian.  As for Arsenal, finishing fifth in the table means victory in Baku is a must for Champions League football next season - but thankfully for Gunners fans, Unai Emery is a Europa League specialist having won the trophy with Sevilla in 2014, 2015 and 2016.  The Blues are hoping that N'Golo Kante will be ready for the Final, with Sarri rating the French midfielder's chances as '50-50'.  Antonio Rudiger is definitely ruled out after undergoing knee surgery, while Callum Hudson-Odoi and Ruben Loftus-Cheek will miss out following Achilles surgeries.  Sarri faces a big call on whether to start Olivier Giroud or Gonzalo Higuain up front, though the former should get the nod given that he is the Europa League's joint-top scorer with 10 goals.  Henrikh Mkhitaryan will miss the Europa League Final after Arsenal failed to receive sufficient assurances from Uefa over his safety in Azerbaijan.  The Gunners confirmed they have made the decision the 30-year-old should not travel to Baku next week amid political tensions between Azerbaijan and Mkhitaryan’s birthplace, Armenia, over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region.  Arsenal were unsatisfied that Mkhitaryan would be protected and after lengthy discussions with his family, there were also fears expressed about the reaction in Armenia if he opted to make the 6,000-mile round trip.  Aaron Ramsey meanwhile will not have the chance to sign off in style, with the Juventus-bound midfielder ruled out with a thigh injury.  Hector Bellerin (knee), Rob Holding (knee), Danny Welbeck (ankle) and Denis Suarez (groin) are all out as well.  There is better news for Gunners fans with Petr Cech fit for the last game of his professional career - a fitting end for the goalkeeper, considering it comes against his former club.  It is difficult to separate the sides heading into the final, though Chelsea's strong run-in, coupled with Arsenal's collapse in League form, should make the Blues slight favourites.  While Arsenal's front line is a match for anyone, their defence has struggled time and again this season - and that will give Sarri's side the edge if Hazard is anywhere near his best form.  Emery is a strong European tactician, but the Gunners' end-of-season slump means he needs a number of players to regain form against a Chelsea side who found their stride at the perfect time.  Click here to find the latest match odds and place a bet.  The match will be televised live on BT Sport 2, with coverage starting from 7pm. BT Sport subscribers will be able to stream the match online via the video player and the BT Sport app.  BT will also make the game free-to-air for those without subscriptions, meaning fans can watch via the BT Sport website and the mobile app.  You can follow all the build-up and action with Standard Sport's match blog .  Arsenal and Chelsea must be getting sick of the sight of each other, with the clubs meeting in an FA Cup Final, Community Shield and a two-legged EFL Cup semi-final along with the League commitments over the past three seasons.  Arsenal beat Chelsea 2-1 in the 2017 FA Cup Final, and got the better of Chelsea on penalties in the 2017 Community Shield as well as in their EFL Cup semi last year.  The sides have only met once in an official Uefa competition, with Chelsea beating Arsenal 3-2 on aggregate in the Champions League quarter-finals back in 2004.  As for their overall record, Arsenal edge results with 77 wins to Chelsea's 63, and 57 draws thrown in for good measure.


eveningstandard--2019-06-01--Uefa Super Cup 2019 Liverpool vs Chelsea When and where will European winners meet

Uefa Super Cup 2019, Liverpool vs Chelsea: When and where will European winners meet?

With English football dominating this season’s European finals, two Premier League sides will go head-to-head on the continent once more later this year when they contest the Uefa Super Cup.  Liverpool triumphed over Tottenham in Madrid in the first all-English Champions League Final in over a decade, and will take on Europa League champions Chelsea - who swept aside Arsenal in Wednesday's final in Baku.  The Uefa Super Cup, last won by an English team in 2005 when then European champions Liverpool beat CSKA Moscow in Monaco, has been running since 1972 and is contested by the winners of Uefa’s top two club competitions each year.  In last year's final, Europa League winners Atletico Madrid beat rivals Real Madrid 4-2 after extra time.  Here is everything you need to know about the 2019 Uefa Super Cup…  The Uefa Super Cup will take place on Wednesday, August 14 and will kick off at 8pm BST.  With the Premier League season starting on August 10 it will perhaps serve as a distraction to early progress as the finalists look to get their domestic campaigns off to a best possible start.  The Super Cup is set to be held at Vodafone Park in Istanbul, Turkey.  The stadium is home to Besiktas and holds just over 41,000 fans.


theindependent--2019-01-19--Arsenal vs Chelsea LIVE - Latest score and goal updates how to watch on TV and online

Arsenal vs Chelsea LIVE - Latest score and goal updates, how to watch on TV and online

Follow the latest score and updates from the Premier League clash between Arsenal and Chelsea as the London derby wraps up the day's action in the evening kick-off.  With both teams chasing a place in the top four, Arsenal host Chelsea on Saturday evening in what is a pivotal encounter in the hunt for European football. The Gunners have stumbled in recent weeks following their 22-match unbeaten run, and slumped to a disappointing 1-0 defeat at West Ham last week; now on the same points as Manchester United, they need a win to keep in touch with the Blues.  Maurizio Sarri’s side narrowly beat Newcastle last Saturday, and are six points clear of Arsenal on 47 points; crucially, they are now also just a point off Spurs in third. Follow the live action below.  What time does it start?  Arsenal vs Chelsea kicks off at 5:30pm (GMT) on Saturday 19 January.  Where can I watch it?  Arsenal vs Chelsea will be shown live on BT Sport 1 from 5:00pm (GMT).  BT Sport subscribers can watch the action on the BT Sport app.  Highlights will be shown at 10:20pm on BBC One.  Willian: The Brazilian has been a firm fixture in Maurizio Sarri’s starting XI all season and scored a beauty to clinch three points against Newcastle. The 30-year-old has played in all but one of Chelsea’s Premier League fixtures, and has scored five goals in all competitions. With Eden Hazard playing up front in recent weeks, Willian and Pedro are Sarri’s preferred options out wide, keeping Callum Hudson-Odoi out of the team.  Keep up to date with all the latest transfer news, rumours and done deals throughout the January window


theindependent--2019-02-14--Malmo vs Chelsea predicted line-ups What time what channel how can I watch online team news h2h

Malmo vs Chelsea predicted line-ups: What time, what channel, how can I watch online, team news, h2h, odds and more

Maurizio Sarri’s Chelsea side require a resounding response to their weekend showing in their first leg round-of-32 match against Malmo at the Swedbank Stadion.  Although the Chelsea boss is under pressure from all sides, including rumours that Zinedine Zidane may have already been lined up to replace him, a weakened team can be expected in the first of four consecutive cup fixtures over 10 days.  Sarri will opt to reserve his main firepower for two fixtures that could have more of a bearing on the decision regarding his tenure. Manchester United in the FA Cup fifth round on Monday night and the Carabao Cup Final against Man City the following Sunday.  Unbeaten in the Europa League this campaign, Chelsea have been strong and will hope to get back on track. Only once before have Chelsea reached this round of the Europa League. They won the competition on that occasion and will be encouraged by that statistic.  Dropping out the Europa League could scupper Chelsea’s only chance to secure Champions League football next season if Sarri’s side were to miss out on fourth.  What time does it start?  Malmo vs Chelsea kicks off at 8pm on Thursday 14 February.  Where can I watch it?  The match will be shown live on BT Sport 2 from 8pm. BT Sport subscribers can also watch via the website or app.  This fixture will be the first meeting between the clubs.  Keep up to date with all the latest news with expert comment and analysis from our award-winning writers


theindependent--2019-03-30--Cardiff vs Chelsea aposFighterapos Ross Barkley making all the right noise for Maurizio Sarri

Cardiff vs Chelsea: 'Fighter' Ross Barkley making all the right noise for Maurizio Sarri

Chelsea travel to Cardiff today certain to face a stern test from a home side sent out to battle for their Premier League survival by Neil Warnock. With Maurizio Sarri’s men recently looking a soft touch on their travels, Cardiff will be favourites in many eyes to inflict a fifth defeat on the London club in six league away games.  However, one ray of hope for Sarri is the improvement shown by Ross Barkley, who looked authoritative in the England midfield during the international break and may be the club’s most improved player this season.  “He improved a lot tactically,” Sarri said. “Also physically, I think. As you know very well, in the last season, he played only 200 minutes [after recovering from a hamstring injury]. And so he needed to stay on the pitch. Fortunately, now, he is going very well with the leg, and has improved a lot during the season. A very, very good player.”  Barkley’s tactical improvement has been most pronounced when Chelsea are without the ball. “I think that he improved a lot in the defensive phase,” Sarri said. “Because, technically, he was and is a very good player. In the offensive phase he's able to score seven or eight goals every season. Now I think he's a good player also in the defensive phase. He's not a defensive midfielder, of course, but he's good enough now.”  Sarri resisted attempts to paint Barkley as either a new N’Golo Kante or a fist-shaking leader in the mould of a John Terry. “He has different characteristics, I think. He is more offensive [than Kante]. He is important in our midfield, and he played a lot of matches.  “Probably he is not a leader in that [John Terry] way. He is not able to lead the other players, but he's a fighter. So he is able to fight in every match. I think it's a question of personality. Sometimes you have a very young player with a very high level of personality. Sometimes not. It's not easy to change. It's an individual characteristic, I think.”  However, Barkley’s run in the side this season, with a total of 40 appearances in all competitions, has boosted his self-belief. “Of course, at the beginning of the season, he had less confidence because last season was really very hard for him,” Sarris said. “Then, after three, four or five matches in the starting eleven, he changed. Now he's a very important player for us.”  Gonzalo Higuain might have more to prove as he continues to adjust to the physicality and the refereeing standards of British football after moving to Stamford Bridge on loan from Juventus in January. The Argentinian has decided to retire from international football but Sarri refused to take that as a sign that the striker wants to concentrate on a Chelsea career beyond the end of this season.  “I don't know. I'd like to see him at the top in the last two months [of the season]. At the moment, only this is really very important. We need Gonzalo at the top. It's not easy, I think, to get used to this championship. The level is different. The way of playing is different. I think, especially for a striker, it's really very difficult to get used to the Premier League in only one or two months.  “He said to me that it's difficult because the physical impact of the defenders here is really very strong. The referees here are really very different to in Italy. And so, it's another football for him. Especially for strikers and goalkeepers, it's really very different. So I think that he needs time, but we have no time. We need him at his top level in the last two months.”  Keep up to date with all the latest news with expert comment and analysis from our award-winning writers


theindependent--2019-05-01--Eintracht Frankfurt vs Chelsea prediction Europa League semi-final team news predicted line-ups s

Eintracht Frankfurt vs Chelsea prediction: Europa League semi-final team news, predicted line-ups, squad, odds, TV channel, live stream and more

Chelsea travel to Eintracht Frankfurt in the first leg of the Europa League semi-finals on Thursday night.  In the quarter-finals, Chelsea overcame Slavia Prague 5-3 on aggregate, while Frankfurt eliminated Portugese side Benfica on away goals in a stunning 4-4 tie.  Both Chelsea and Frankfurt sit fourth in their respective leagues, but neither team is in electrifying form - the London club have three victories in their last six matches, and the German side have won just two of their last six games.  The Europa League may therefore represent as good an opportunity for Champions League football next season as the clubs’ domestic ventures.  Eintracht Frankfurt vs. Chelsea kicks off at 8pm (GMT).  The match will be shown live on BT Sport 3, with coverage beginning at 7:15pm.  Subscribers can also watch the game on BTSport.com and the broadcaster’s app.  Thursday evening’s clash will mark the first time the two clubs have played each other in official competition.  Frankfurt showed a lot of heart and determination in the quarter-finals, progressing on away goals after overturning a 4-2 first leg defeat, which included a sending off for the German side.  The team’s celebration at full-time in the second leg showed what the Europa League means to them, so expect Frankfurt to be fired up for Thursday’s fixture.  Adi Hutter’s side will be without Ante Rebic in their front line, however, as the Croatian sees out the final days of a suspension, while Chelsea have their own absentees in Callum Hudson-Odoi - whose Achilles injury has ruled him out for the rest of the season - and Willian.  With Gonzalo Higuain failing to impress at the weekend, Olivier Giroud is likely to start as striker for the Blues, and the tournament’s top scorer will be eager to add to his tally of 10 goals in the Europa League this season.  Chelsea must also beware Frankfurt striker Luka Jovic, though, who has eight goals in the competition this term - the second highest return after Giroud.


theindependent--2019-05-01--Frankfurt vs Chelsea predicted line-up Olivier Giroud likely to partner Eden Hazard in attack

Frankfurt vs Chelsea predicted line-up: Olivier Giroud likely to partner Eden Hazard in attack

Eintracht Frankfurt host Chelsea in a Europa League semi-final first leg on Thursday night.  In the last round, Chelsea defeated Slavia Prague 5-3 over two legs, while Frankfurt knocked out Portugal’s Benfica on away goals in a scintillating 4-4 quarter-final tie.  Both Frankfurt and Chelsea are fourth-placed in their respective leagues, but neither team is in remarkable form - the Londoners have three wins in their last six matches, and the German side have only won two of their last six games.  The Europa League may therefore prove to be as good an opportunity for Champions League football next season as the clubs’ domestic ventures.  Adi Hutter’s side will be without Ante Rebic in their front line, as the Croatia international sees out the final days of a suspension. Chelsea have their own absentees in Callum Hudson-Odoi - whose Achilles injury will keep him out of the last few games of the season - and Willian.  Eintracht Frankfurt vs. Chelsea kicks off at 8pm (GMT).  The match will be shown live on BT Sport 3, with coverage beginning at 7:15pm.  Subscribers can also watch the game on BTSport.com and the broadcaster’s app.  Thursday evening’s clash will mark the first time the two clubs have played each other in official competition.  Frankfurt’s jubilation after overturning a 4-2 first leg defeat in the quarter-finals showed what the Europa League means to them, so expect the German team to be fired up for Thursday’s fixture.  Meanwhile, Chelsea are stuttering in the Premier League, but Maurizio Sarri’s side have saved some of their best performances this season for the Europa League, and they should possess enough quality to beat Frankfurt, even on foreign soil.  In any case, it will be a battle of the strikers, with Chelsea likely to field Olivier Giroud up front - the competition’s top scorer with 10 goals so far - and Frankfurt expected to utilise Serbia’s Luka Jovic, whose eight goals in the tournament mark the second highest return after Giroud.


theindependent--2019-05-01--Frankfurt vs Chelsea preview Europa League semi-final team news predicted line-ups squad odds T

Frankfurt vs Chelsea preview: Europa League semi-final team news, predicted line-ups, squad, odds, TV channel, live stream and more


theindependent--2019-05-02--Frankfurt vs Chelsea predicted line-up Olivier Giroud likely to partner Eden Hazard in attack


theindependent--2019-08-11--Manchester United vs Chelsea Frank Lampard hopes to follow in Jose Mourinhoaposs footsteps

Manchester United vs Chelsea: Frank Lampard hopes to follow in Jose Mourinho's footsteps

Frank Lampard hopes to emulate Jose Mourinho’s successful start as Chelsea manager by securing a positive result against Manchester United.  Lampard takes charge of the Blues in a competitive match for the first time at Old Trafford.  Mourinho lifted the Premier League trophy three times across two spells at Stamford Bridge after beginning his initial tenure with a 1-0 home success against United 15 years ago following a goal from Eidur Gudjohnsen.  Former midfielder Lampard, the west London club’s record scorer with 211 goals, played in that fixture in August 2004 and is keen for his squad to gain similar early-season momentum.  “I remember the game, we didn’t play particularly well, it wasn’t a great game. We won 1-0 and it was a nice start for us because we’d had a good pre-season and all of our standards were lifted by Jose Mourinho,” said Lampard.  “It would be great to have that momentum after a first game – it’s the same because it’s both the same teams we are talking about but it’s not the end of the story.  “We’re going to a tough place in Old Trafford. The thing with football, and especially the top of the Premier League, is you can lose at those places. But we have to have a bigger picture than that.  “But, yes, of course, if we can get the early momentum by going there and getting a result, it certainly helped in the Jose Mourinho days and it will help us.”  Lampard received supportive messages from Mourinho after leaving Derby to take the Chelsea job last month but has not spoken with his former boss.  The 56-year-old Portuguese has been out of management since being sacked by United in December.  Lampard played under numerous other successful coaches, including Guus Hiddink, Carlo Ancelotti and Rafael Benitez, but would not reveal which one was the most influential while stressing his desire to be his own man.  “I have too many experiences with managers that to name one would feel almost be disrespectful to the others,” he said.  “What I would say is I can take tips or ideas from all of my managers. I try and be myself through that, I don’t try and be a Jose Mourinho or a Carlo Ancelotti, Guus Hiddink.  “I try and be myself but with influences from them because some managers are more people managers, some managers are more tactical managers. I think if you strive to try and find that, it’s not natural.  “I was fortunate enough to play under a lot and get tips but I’m not going to give you one name.”  Lampard will come up against Ole Gunnar Solskjaer this weekend. The Norwegian initially succeeded Mourinho on a caretaker basis before being appointed permanently on a three-year contract in late March.  After winning 14 of his opening 17 fixtures in all competitions, former United striker Solskjaer lost eight of the next 12 as his side limped over the line to finish sixth.  Lampard believes criticism of his fellow manager has been slightly unfair but acknowledges working for a high-profile club brings constant scrutiny.  “When you manage a club like Manchester United or Chelsea it comes with the territory,” said Lampard.  “It can be excessive, not just for Ole, but for everyone in football. You have to have a thick skin.  “It is possibly harsh as it is something that he came in to and he had a great lift.  “I think it’s his real chance to make a stamp on that team with a window and a pre-season behind him.  “And I’m trying to make a stamp here, so it makes for a competitive match. It is up to him and it is up to me.”


themanchestereveningnews--2019-02-24--How Man City should line up vs Chelsea in the Carabao Cup final

Manchester City can make a huge statement by beating Chelsea in the Carabao Cup final, retaining the title they won 12 months ago.  Lifting the season's first major silverware on offer would keep City's hopes of a historic quadruple alive, and show their Premier League and European rivals that they mean business in every competition they are in.  City will be the first to admit their run to the final has been generous, as they have survived potential upsets at Oxford United and Burton Albion, as well as beating Fulham and Leicester.  But those fixtures have given Pep Guardiola the chance to rotate his squad and hand younger members of his squad some valuable experience. Now City are in the final, that has created problems of their own for Guardiola.  Does the manager reward players like Aro Muric and Phil Foden who have produced matchwinning displays in City's Carabao Cup campaign, or does he field a full-strength side similar to the one that beat Chelsea 6-0 two weeks ago?  Guardiola also has to contend with the fitness of John Stones, Gabriel Jesus and Benjamin Mendy - who are all doubts.  Read how our writers think Guardiola should line up his team at Wembley, and pick your own side at the bottom of the page:  Guardiola made Aro Muric his cup goalkeeper knowing there was a good chance of reaching the final. The youngster has shown his worth so far, and should get the nod between the sticks once more.  At the back, Vincent Kompany's experience can be invaluable, especially after his starring role in last season's final win.  Like Muric, Phil Foden deserves the chance to feature after playing most of his football this season in the cups. He excelled against Chelsea in the Community Shield, and there's no reason he can't do the same again at Wembley - especially if supported by Kevin De Bruyne and Fernandinho.  Riyad Mahrez is another one who has been used in the Carabao Cup, and there's no bigger stage to show what he's got than the final. It would be a big chance for him, and his exclusion would say a lot about his place in Pep Guardiola's plans.  Guardiola once again lined-up with Fernandinho in the heart of defence against Schalke and while City did win the game, they did get away with another flat performance.  It's obvious that Fernandinho is far more comfortable in midfield than in defence, so if Stones is back fit he should start at centre-back alongside Laporte, with the impressive Zinchenko coming in at left-back and the Brazilian returning to the middle of the park. If Stones isn't fit maybe Kompany will come back in for the final?  Muric could count himself unlucky for not getting the nod after some good performances in the tournament, but in a final against Chelsea no chances can be taken and Ederson has to get the nod.  Elsewhere the City side picks itself with star players Aguero, Sterling and De Bruyne certain to start and the ever improving Gundogan and Bernardo more than worthy of their places in big games.


themanchestereveningnews--2019-02-24--Pep Guardiola explains Man City team selection for Carabao Cup Final vs Chelsea

Pep Guardiola says Manchester City youngsters Phil Foden and Aro Muric were unlucky not to be named in his starting XI for the Carabao Cup Final against Chelsea at Wembley.  Foden, 18, and the 20-year-old goalkeeper Muric had played every minute of the Blues' Carabao Cup defence but were both named on the bench for the final against Maurizio Sarri's side.  Muric was the hero at the quarter-final stage with two saves in the penalty shoot-out securing the Blues' semi-final date with Burton Albion, while Foden scored in the third-round defeat of Oxford and the semi-final first leg against the Brewers.  Ederson was named in goal for the final against Chelsea, while Guardiola's midfield trio comprised of Fernandinho, Kevin De Bruyne and David Silva.  "A lot," Guardiola replied when asked whether Muric was unlucky not to get the nod. "Like Phil Foden, who played all the minutes in the competition, so it’s tough.  "But the way they play and with what we have to do, Ederson is so important to us."  Brazil international Ederson had little to do when City faced Chelsea in the Premier League on February 10, with the Blues running out 6-0 winners.  But Guardiola believes the Stamford Bridge outfit will present City with a fresh set of challenges at Wembley.  "All the players have pride and want to avoid defeat. But it’s a different competition," he explained. "It was a great game for us, but this is a final. It's a different competition.  "Hopefully we can play a game like a final deserves to be played."  The Carabao Cup success last season, when City beat Arsenal 3-0, was Guardiola's first trophy in English football and the City boss is focused on replicating the feat.  "I am here on behalf of Manchester City, the club, the players," he added. "To be here is a huge success, now we need to win."


birminghammail--2019-12-16--Huw Edwards speaks out over BBC General Election 'bias' accusations

Huw Edwards has hit back at suggestions of BBC bias during coverage of the General Election campaign.  The broadcaster was criticised by both the Left and the Right in the weeks before the poll.  Edwards, 58, who led the BBC's coverage on the night after taking over from David Dimbleby, criticised "toxic cynicism and accusations of bias (from all sides)".  He wrote on LinkedIn: "You realise yet again that the real purpose of many of the attacks is to undermine trust in institutions which have been sources of stability over many decades.  "The apparent purpose, in short, is to cause chaos and confusion."  He said colleagues had to resist "relentlessly vitriolic attacks" and "the sometimes appalling levels of pressure from political parties and their puppets in parts of the press and elsewhere".  Edwards, who has covered every general election since 1987, said: "We sometimes make mistakes which we deeply regret."  But the News At Ten presenter denied "the most curious notion of all (promoted with great energy by the BBC's critics on both left and right) ... that these mistakes are often 'deliberate', carefully planned to undermine one party and boost another."  His comments came as former BBC chairman Lord Grade criticised broadcasters for their response to politicians who turn down appearances or interviews.  Andrew Neil was wrong to broadcast a monologue after Boris Johnson snubbed his programme and Channel 4 should not have replaced the Prime Minister with an ice sculpture when he refused to take part in a debate, the Conservative peer said.  "The issue here is impartiality, and broadcasters have a statutory duty to respect that.  "It is not their job to use the airwaves to cajole and try to coerce politicians into interviews or to shame them publicly if they exercise their right to refuse," he wrote in the Daily Mail.  The Prime Minister is reported to be looking into consulting on whether people who do not pay the £154.50 licence fee for watching television or BBC's iPlayer catch-up service should be prosecuted.


channel4uk--2019-05-28--Thousands of EU citizens in UK unable to vote in elections

Thousands of EU citizens in UK ‘unable to vote’ in elections

Thousands of EU citizens who live in the UK say they were unable to vote in last week’s European elections, claiming when they arrived at polling stations they found their names had been crossed off the ballot.  Thousands of EU citizens who live in the UK say they were unable to vote in last week’s European elections, claiming when they arrived at polling stations they found their names had been crossed off the ballot. Some Britons living overseas have also complained that their ballot papers arrived too late or went astray in the post.  We have been speaking to some of those who say they were denied their vote.


cnbc--2019-02-21--North Carolina board orders a new election in US House race tainted by fraud accusations

A North Carolina board ordered a new election Thursday in last year's final undecided U.S. House race after an investigation into election fraud accusations.  The North Carolina State Board of Elections voted unanimously for a new race in the state's 9th District after four days of hearings on whether to certify the result. Allegations of absentee ballot tampering roiled November's election, in which Republican Mark Harris led Democrat Dan McCready by about 900 votes.  Harris, who previously pushed for the elections board to certify the result, unexpectedly called for a new election during testimony Thursday. This week, North Carolina's elections director said operative McCrae Dowless carried out an illegal and well-funded ballot harvesting operation as he worked for Harris' campaign during the election last year.  "I believe a new election should be called," Harris said. "It's become clear to me that the public's confidence in the 9th District seat general election has been undermined to an extent that a new election is warranted."  The House did not seat Harris amid the fraud allegations. In a tweet, the elections board said it will "set the dates of the election at a subsequent meeting." It will hold new primary and general elections.  Dowless is accused of leading an effort to illegally collect and send in absentee ballots. His workers testified that they were told to forge signatures or gather blank or partially completed ballots from voters.  In a tweeted statement Thursday, Dallas Woodhouse, executive director of the North Carolina Republican Party, said, "We support" Harris' decision and "will do everything we can to help the process and system improve in the future."  In testimony Wednesday, Harris' son, John, said he advised his father not to hire Dowless. The younger Harris does not think his father joined in the absentee ballot operation.  However, McCready's lawyers argued the testimony showed inconsistencies from statements Republican candidate Mark Harris made suggesting he was caught off guard by the concerns about Dowless. On Thursday, Harris said he believed at the time that Dowless' methods were legal.  Harris, a 52-year-old pastor, surprised incumbent GOP Rep. Robert Pittenger in a May 2018 primary. Inconsistencies in several counties — in which Harris won an unlikely proportion of absentee votes in both the primary and general elections — did not surface until after November's general election.  Democrats currently hold a 235-197 majority in the House. North Carolina's 9th District is one of three seats currently vacant.  Nonpartisan elections handicapper Cook Political Report will rate the 9th District race a toss-up, the outlet's House editor, Dave Wasserman, said.  — The Associated Press contributed to this report


eveningstandard--2019-12-16--Huw Edwards defends BBC against accusations of bias in General Election campaign coverage

Huw Edwards has hit back at suggestions of BBC bias during coverage of the General Election campaign.  The broadcaster was criticised by both the Left and the Right in the weeks before the poll.  Edwards, 58, who led the BBC's coverage on the night after taking over from David Dimbleby, criticised "toxic cynicism and accusations of bias (from all sides)".  He wrote on LinkedIn: "You realise yet again that the real purpose of many of the attacks is to undermine trust in institutions which have been sources of stability over many decades.  "The apparent purpose, in short, is to cause chaos and confusion."  He said colleagues had to resist "relentlessly vitriolic attacks" and "the sometimes appalling levels of pressure from political parties and their puppets in parts of the press and elsewhere".  Edwards, who has covered every general election since 1987, said: "We sometimes make mistakes which we deeply regret."  But the News At Ten presenter denied "the most curious notion of all (promoted with great energy by the BBC's critics on both left and right) ... that these mistakes are often 'deliberate', carefully planned to undermine one party and boost another."  His comments came as former BBC chairman Lord Grade criticised broadcasters for their response to politicians who turn down appearances or interviews.  Andrew Neil was wrong to broadcast a monologue after Boris Johnson snubbed his programme and Channel 4 should not have replaced the Prime Minister with an ice sculpture when he refused to take part in a debate , the Conservative peer said.  "The issue here is impartiality, and broadcasters have a statutory duty to respect that.  "It is not their job to use the airwaves to cajole and try to coerce politicians into interviews or to shame them publicly if they exercise their right to refuse," he wrote in the Daily Mail.  Elsewhere, senior Labour MP Andy McDonald accused the BBC of "consciously" playing a role in the party's defeat at the General Election .  During an interview on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, presenter Justin Webb asked Mr McDonald about Labour's heavy losses and whether the party's leader played a part in that.  Mr McDonald said: "Don't get me started on the media, Justin. I'm very worried about our public service broadcaster."  "Are you saying that the BBC was in part responsible for Mr Corbyn's loss?" Webb asked.  Mr McDonald replied: "I am saying that they played a part. I'm really worried about the drift. You've seen the catalogue of criticisms that we're making.  "We've accepted that the print media are rained against us, but my goodness me. I'm going to look at us.  "We're the important part here. We got this wrong, but if the BBC are going to hold themselves out as somehow having conducted themselves in an impartial manner, I think they've really got to have a look in the mirror. We've got a lot to say about this."  Asked if the BBC "consciously" played a part, Mr McDonald replied: "Consciously, yes."  The Prime Minister is reported to be looking into consulting on whether people who do not pay the £154.50 licence fee for watching television or BBC's iPlayer catch-up service should be prosecuted .


france24--2019-07-20--Thousands rally in Moscow for free and fair local elections

Maxim Zmeyev, AFP | Demonstrators take part in a rally to support opposition and independent candidates after authorities refused to register them for September elections to the Moscow City Duma, Moscow, July 20, 2019.  More than 20,000 people packed a Moscow square Saturday to protest the authorities' refusal to allow opposition candidates to register for local polls.  Joined by opposition leaders such as Alexei Navalny, protesters gathered in the capital after authorities refused to register independent politicians seeking to contest the September vote for the capital's parliament.  The crowd chanted: "This is my city!"  White Counter, an NGO that tracks participation in protest rallies, said about 21,500 people took part in Saturday's rally.  "We will show them this is a dangerous game," Navalny bellowed from a stage set up on the protest square.  "We should fight for our candidates," he said as the huge crowed cheered and waved Russian flags.  The 43-year-old threatened an even bigger rally next week, near the mayor's office, unless Moscow's electoral authorities register a new crop of popular politicians including Ilya Yashin, Lyubov Sobol and Dmitry Gudkov for the vote within seven days.  "We will not give up!" added Navalny ally Sobol, who has been on a hunger strike for a week to protest the authorities' refusal to allow her to run.  "I am sure that we will win," said the 31-year-old lawyer, propped up by an ally on stage.  Fellow opposition contender Gudkov accused the authorities of stealing not only people's money and votes but their very future.  "We've been living in an occupied country for the past 20 years," the former lawmaker said.  Opposition candidates fought tooth and nail to get on the ballot paper as they seek to capitalise on popular discontent with the Russian authorities, falling approval ratings for President Vladimir Putin, and anger over declining living standards and unchecked corruption.  We are not 'dead souls'  They were made to jump through countless hoops, with each having to collect 5,000 signatures from supporters to be eligible.  Electoral authorities this week still refused to register a number of the would-be candidates, accusing them of faking some of the signatures.  Critics said some of the officials' reasoning bordered on the absurd.  The Kremlin dismissed the opposition's complaints, but many Russians are furious at what they perceive as electoral interference.  Greg Yudin, a lecturer at the Higher School of Economics, who supported an independent candidate but whose signature was not recognised, said he was surprised to discover -- along with thousands of other Muscovites -- that he apparently did not exist.  "All of us are ghosts. We are the nobodies," he said on Facebook.  Political observer Kirill Rogov said the independent candidates' exclusion was "one of the largest frauds in Russia's electoral history".  "We are witnessing a major large-scale crime," he wrote on his blog.  Some 7.2 million Muscovites are eligible to elect 45 lawmakers to the local parliament, currently dominated by the United Russia ruling party.


newsweek--2019-01-09--Russia Has Never Interfered In Elections Kremlin Claims Over Accusations of Meddling In Israel

'Russia Has Never Interfered In Elections' Kremlin Claims Over Accusations of Meddling In Israel

Russia has claimed it has never interfered in elections in any country following an implication that Moscow was preparing to meddle in Israel’s upcoming elections.  The Kremlin felt it needed to explicitly rebuff insinuations that Russia was intent on influencing Israel’s April parliamentary elections after the nation’s internal security chief said a “foreign country” was intending to interfere in the poll.  Read more: Israeli Former Cabinet Minister Convicted of Spying for Iran  Moscow “did not intervene, does not intervene and does not intend to intervene in the elections in any country in the world,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, Israel’s Haaretz newspaper reported.  In response, a message was posted by the Twitter account for the Russian diplomatic mission to Israel. “It is out of the question. Russia has never interfered in elections in any country and has no plans to do it in the future,” the tweet read, attributing the quote to Peskov.  A sarcastic meme accompanied the tweet and read: “Keep calm and blame Russia or Russian hackers.”  Shin Bet chief Nadav Argaman made further veiled comments about Russia at the closed conference of the Friends of Tel Aviv University organization. A restriction on the comments was eventually lifted and broadcast in a report aired by the Israel Television Company. He said it was unclear what the unidentified country’s political interests were but, he explained, “it will meddle—and I know what I am talking about.”  “Shin Bet would like to make clear that the State of Israel and the intelligence community have the tools and capabilities to identify, monitor and thwart foreign influence efforts, should there be any," a later statement released by the Shin Bet said. "The Israeli defense apparatus is able to enable democratic and free elections to be held in Israel," it added.  In comments passed on to Newsweek by email, Dr. Tehilla Shwartz Altshuler, senior fellow and head of the Democracy in the Information Age Project at the Israel Democracy Institute, said she believed Russia was unlikely to support one political group through its interference in the upcoming election.  “I don’t think that the Russians would try to support one political side in Israel. Frankly, I don’t think Netanyahu needs Putin’s support in order to win the elections,” she said.  I think what the Russians are trying to do, and we’ve seen it both in America and in Europe, is to destabilize the political system and reduce public trust in liberal democracy as a system,” Shwartz Altshuler added.  In 2017 the Office of the Director of National Intelligence in the United States declassified a report into Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.  The report stated that the Kremlin had orchestrated a campaign to spread propaganda supporting President Donald Trump’s bid. It also blamed Russia for hacking the DNC. A total of eight U.S. intelligence agencies have concluded that Russia interfered in the last presidential election.


newyorkpost--2019-08-31--Thousands attend banned protest to demand free elections in Moscow

Thousands of Russians filled the streets of central Moscow Saturday, calling for free elections to the city’s legislature.  The protest was the latest in a series that stem from the exclusion of some opposition and independent candidates from the Moscow City Council, Reuters reported.  The unauthorized march following recent demonstrations in which thousands were detained and many beaten by police, The Associated Press reported. Charges filed against 14 people arrested in earlier protests could send them to prison for up to eight years.  The protests, including a sanctioned one this month that attracted some 60,000 people, are the largest outburst of dissent in Russia since 2011-12.


rferl--2019-10-06--Thousands In Kyiv Protest President's Plan For Local Elections In Eastern Ukraine

Thousands of demonstrators have rallied in Kyiv against President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s plan to hold local elections in eastern Ukrainian territory that is under the control of Russia-backed separatists.      Protesters at the rally denounced the plan as capitulation to Russia.  On October 1, Ukraine, Russia, and mediators Germany and France signed a tentative agreement with the separatists on guidelines for holding local elections in eastern Ukraine.      Zelenskiy has described the deal as a necessary intermediate step ahead of organizing a summit with the leaders of Russia, France, and Germany to push for a peace deal.  In the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, which is under Kyiv's control, about 300 people gathered outside of the regional state administration headquarters on October 6 to protest the election plan.      Participants of public organizations, activists, and representatives of political parties joined the all-Ukrainian protest rally in Kharkiv.      Their main demand is for an extraordinary session of the Kharkiv Regional Council in order to draw up a formal complaint against the plan -- in particular, the introduction of a special status for the Donbas region and the removal of Ukrainian government troops from the current front lines.        Participants of the rally also announced the creation of what they call "Capitulation Headquarters," which includes representatives of various political and public associations.      The five-year conflict between the separatists and Ukrainian government forces has killed more than 13,000 people.       Zelenskiy has vowed that elections would not be held in separatist-held areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions until all armed formations have left the area and Ukraine regains control over about 400 kilometers of borderland with Russia.      "There cannot be and will not be elections held at gunpoint," Zelenskiy said on October 2. "There will be no capitulation."  The regions would receive self-governing status once they hold elections that are deemed to be free and fair by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), according to what is known as the Steinmeier Formula, a component of an overall road map for attaining peace.      The Kremlin has said that it approves of the deal. On October 6, Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov said the signing of the Steinmeier Formula has increased the chances of organizing a summit that includes Russia, Ukraine, France, and Germany.      Moscow had demanded that Kyiv agree to the Steinmeier Formula before it would consent to four-way peace talks with Ukraine.  The four countries have not met for peace talks since October 2016.  With reporting by AP, Reuters, and Interfax


rightwingwatch--2019-11-01--Virginia Elections Take a Spooky Turn With Accusations of ‘Impeachment Witch Hunt’

The Virginia elections took a spooky national turn on Halloween thanks to the Republican Party of Virginia. In mailers, first reported on by BlueVirginia’s lowkell, the state party accused national Democratic leaders of carrying out a witch hunt in their impeachment inquiry of President Donald Trump, evoking a religious right call to protect Trump from witchcraft.  The mailers show Rep. Adam Schiff and the right’s favorite two women to demonize, Hillary Clinton and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, in witch hats next to the text “STOP THE IMPEACHMENT WITCH HUNT” in spooky orange lettering.  The backside of the mailer features Clinton’s image, despite the fact that she is no longer in or running for public office. Next to it is a quote presumably designed to make recipients believe was said by Clinton, which reads, “DONALD TRUMP’S GOING TO BE ‘VERY, VERY HARD’ TO BEAT IF HE’S NOT IMPEACHED.” The quote is, in fact, a misleading Breitbart headline. The mailer asks readers to “VOTE REPUBLICAN NOVEMBER 5TH.”  Virginia Republicans aren’t the only ones worried about witches in the lead up to Halloween. As Right Wing Watch’s Peter Montgomery reported last week, Intercessors for America has been very concerned about "occultic activity" against Trump. “Witches, warlocks, occultists, and resisters of President Trump are focusing their negative energy and spiritual power toward President Trump right now,” Intercessors for America said in a new prayer guide.  Right Wing Watch also reported on “Prophetic” author Lance Wallanu’s plans to broadcast on how to break witches’ curses this week, while anti-LGBTQ activist Mike Brown warned of Jezebel, which has led to the rise of “witchcraft and sorcery” in America.  It may come of no surprise that religious right figures like Brown and end-times writer Jonathan Cahn have compared Clinton to Jezebel, while ardent Trump supporter and right-wing activist Theodore Shoebat has argued that Clinton should be put to death for witchcraft.  With just days to go until statewide elections, Virginia Republicans are facing the possibility that they will lose their majorities in the Virginia House and Senate, and have turned to more incendiary messaging to rile up the base. Perhaps Republicans willingness to portray Clinton and Pelosi as witches, as the religious right has, shouldn’t come as much of a surprise.


shareblue--2019-07-31--Susan Collins claims to support bill protecting elections she trashed just a month ago

Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) completely reversed her position on keeping American elections secure in just a little over a month.  The radical change in her position comes after Collins bolstered efforts by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to keep elections vulnerable against interference from international actors like Russia.  "Russia's efforts to interfere in our elections remain relentless," Collins wrote on Monday. "I'm proud to join Sen. @MarkWarner in cosponsoring the bipartisan FIRE Act to require presidential candidates to immediately call the FBI if they are contacted by a foreign power attempting to target our elections."  But just a few weeks before, in mid-June, Collins was against Warner's proposed legislation.  "Susan Collins also told me Mark Warner's legislation requiring reporting to FBI of offers of campaign assistance from foreign government agents is overly broad," Bloomberg reported. "She said Canada shouldn't be in the same category as Russia."  Senate Republicans have been under fire for opposing legislation offered up by Democrats to protect American elections. Prominent figures like special counsel Robert Mueller have made it clear that Russia attacked the election before and are currently engaged in doing so now.  "We can't let modern-day McCarthyism win," McConnell complained in a speech on the floor of the Senate, responding to criticism of his disinterest in election protections.  Collins has been someone McConnell can rely on.  In August of last year, she voted against an amendment to a bill that would have provided election security grants to states to shore up election protection. That June, she also opposed an amendment in her role on the Senate Appropriations Committee that would have given $250 million in appropriations for election security.  Collins has seen her fortunes plummet to the point now where surveys within Maine rank her as the second most unpopular senator in America — second only to McConnell.  She has marched in lockstep with Trump and her fellow Republicans, voting with Trump 93.3% of the time.  Her approval rating is 45%, down from the 78% that she had four years ago.  Collins told a reporter that "dark money" was to blame for her woes.  Her actions, however, show an interest in positioning herself with senators like Warner, who are working to secure the election. But her fingerprints are all over McConnell's work and it may be too late to fool Maine residents into thinking otherwise.  Published with permission of The American Independent.


shareblue--2019-11-15--Susan Collins loses key endorsement ahead of 2020 election

The League of Conservation Voters (LCV) snubbed Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) on Thursday, choosing to endorse her likely Democratic opponent, Maine House Speaker Sara Gideon.  "From her time as a town councilor to her tenure as Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives, Speaker Gideon has been a leader fighting the climate crisis, promoting clean energy, & banning offshore drilling in Maine," the League of Conservation Voters Action Fund said in a statement.  The LCV has more than 2 million members, making it one of the largest environmental groups in the nation. According to its website, the group "advocates for sound environmental laws and policies, holds elected officials accountable for their votes and actions, and elects pro-environment candidates who will champion our priority issues."  The same group endorsed Collins in both 2008 and 2014, and as recently as 2017 praised her as "an extremely important ally in the fight to protect the environment."  In 2002, Collins said that the LCV was "the leading environmental group in the country," saying she "must be doing something right" to have received its endorsement.  In receiving LCV's endorsement this year, Gideon highlighted her environmental work in the state.  "Here in Maine, we took bold action to create an example for what can be done across the nation to fight climate change, move towards a clean and renewable energy system, protect our essential industries and boost our economy," Gideon said in a statement. "That's exactly the kind of action we need at the federal level," she added.  While Collins previously had a relatively good environmental record, she received a score of just 21% on the latest LCV scorecard, which evaluates votes that members take on environmental issues.  The loss of the LCV endorsement is the latest blow to Collins' reelection campaign. In the most recent fundraising quarter, Gideon raised $3.2 million, over $1 million more than Collins. And recent polling shows Mainers disapprove of Collins' job performance more than they disapprove of Donald Trump.  Republicans currently hold a 53-47 seat majority in the Senate, and Democrats are eyeing Maine as a possible state to flip on their way to a possible majority after the 2020 election.  Published with permission of The American Independent.


slate--2019-03-22--Ukraines Election Has Bribery Accusations and a Politically Inexperienced Actor Topping the Polls

Ukraine’s Election Has Bribery Accusations and a Politically Inexperienced Actor Topping the Polls

When Ukrainians cast their votes in the upcoming presidential elections on March 31, they’ll be faced with a peculiar choice: Tymoshenko or Tymoshenko or Shevchenko or Shevchenko.  Of the 39 candidates officially vying for the Ukrainian presidency, two pairs of candidates have identical last names. While Ihor and Olexandr Shevchenko only share a surname, Yulia and Yuriy Tymoshenko have a lot more in common and are players in what one party leader told Bloomberg is the “dirtiest and most shameful” election in Ukrainian history.  The Tymoshenkos also share first and middle initials (Y.V.) and the same job title (People’s Deputy of Ukraine, the official title of all members of the Ukrainian Parliament). Yulia is by far the more high-profile of the two, having served as prime minister twice, run for president twice, and been imprisoned twice. Yuriy, on the other hand, is a political unknown, an independent MP previously unheard of in national politics. Yulia and Yuriy are not related, and their shared surnames appear to be a coincidence.  These commonalities could lead to confusion at the ballot box and cost Yulia valuable votes, according to a lawsuit filed by one of her supporters before the Ukrainian Supreme Court. (The court ruled that the lawsuit was not grounded in existing evidence.) Yulia herself has openly accused the incumbent president, Petro Poroshenko, of using Yuriy to strip her of votes. “This is what they expect, in such a fraudulently humiliating way—to take some percents from me in the elections and transfer them to a person who has nothing to do with the presidency,” she said during a TV talk show in February. The latest poll by a Kiev-based agency shows Poroshenko at 13.25 percent and Yulia Tymoshenko at 9.5 percent.  Yuriy Tymoshenko maintains that he is a genuine candidate and says Yulia was the one sent to upend his chances of victory. “I hope that our voters are wise enough and it will be so easy for them to understand where is Yulia and where is Yuriy,” he told Reuters.  The election became even more absurd when two men were arrested on March 6 for attempting to bribe Yuriy with about $185,000 to drop out of the race. One of the men worked for pro-Russia presidential candidate Yuriy Boyko in 2014—and, you guessed it, Boyko’s running this year, too. The man claims the whole arrest was planned by the current presidential administration and the prosecutor general—the man who indicted him for bribery.  He says Yuriy Tymoshenko had asked him to help pay off a loan he took out to cover his presidential registration fee, and when the accused brought Tymoshenko the money, he was arrested. Why the president would orchestrate a fake bribing of a low-polling candidate—the same one that Yulia Tymoshenko claims he hired to upset her election—is unclear.  To top it off, neither of the Tymoshenkos nor the sitting president is leading in the polls. The man who’s projected to earn more than 20 percent of the vote, far outpacing the runners-up, is Volodymyr Zelenskiy. Zelenskiy’s only experience in politics comes from playing a high school teacher turned president in Servant of the People, a popular Ukrainian TV show. That’s also the name of his newly formed political party.  Ukraine is no stranger to dirty elections. Back in 2004, then-candidate Viktor Yushchenko was poisoned by dioxin, and the majority of the West believes that Russian security forces were behind it. (Yushchenko recovered and went on to win a highly contested election.) But no matter who wins next week’s vote, the drama will likely continue well into the second round, scheduled for April 21.