Exclusive Interview : Daniel Sturridge's Comeback

Daniel, it's great to see you back at Melwood. Firstly, how are you feeling at the moment, both physically and mentally?
I'm feeling great, looking forward to getting back into action and helping my teammates.

We know you've recently returned from a period in the United States. How useful was that for your rehabilitation?
It was hugely important and I am thankful to the guys over there who helped me out, specifically Dan Dyrek, who works for Fenway and was very good. There was also a guy called Scott [Schrimscher] and there was Katz - there were a few people there who helped me out and I am grateful to all of them for the work they did for me.

What kind of work were you doing out there in America?
It was similar to stuff I would do here with the team at Liverpool and it was no detriment to them, it was just a change of environment and it was important for me, mentally, to get away. The staff at Liverpool are top-class, but over there it was a case of being in a different environment with weather and a different team of people which enabled me to improve in every way, shape and form. I am happy with how it went.

You say it's been a good time for you mentally - do you think you're a stronger person having been through something like this?
Yes, for sure. It just allows you to enjoy the moments that you don't enjoy when you're playing. You have successful moments, but you don't realise that you have to enjoy it. I am very hard on myself a lot of the time, so even if I have played well I am still looking at the bad points. It gives you time to assess things and time to assess what you need to do to get to where you want to be in life.

How important have your teammates and the manager been over the last few months? What kind of messages have they been sending you while you've been out?
It's been positive things, really. I've been away and I've kept my head down, but I've kept in contact with everyone. It was important for me to get away and just do what I needed to do, watch from afar and see my teammates and how well they were playing. It's been an important period for myself, but I am looking forward to the future and everything from now going forward is hopefully going to be positive.

You're coming back into the team at a good time. They've played very well over the last couple of months. It's certainly a positive, exciting period...
Yes, it is - very exciting. The lads have shown great character and it's been a defining few weeks for us in terms of performances. We were very unlucky in the Capital One Cup, but obviously it wasn't meant to be. We will learn from that and it will be big for everyone's future. We've got a very young squad - people don't realise how young our squad is. I am looking forward to maturing with everyone as a group and hopefully we can all stay together. Obviously the leader and the figurehead, Stevie, will be moving on but everyone is going to be like a sponge trying to take all the experience and the leadership that we can learn from him because he is a very hard person to replace. I am sure people will step up and will look to bring some success to the future of the club, just like he has done in the past.

liverpoolfc.com

Gary Cahill : Diego Costa is somebody you want in your team

"It's his character. It's the way he plays. He's a handful for a defender."
"One of his attributes, as well as his skills and scoring fantastic goals, is that he puts his foot in."
"He makes it difficult and uncomfortable for defenders."
"Would you change him? Probably not, and I don't think you should. Certainly as a team-mate, he's somebody you want in your team."
"It's a strength he has. You have seen how good he is with his feet and how skilful he is for a big guy but the way he has adapted to the Premier League - he is a physical guy."

bbc.com/

Shola Ameobi : I Enjoyed Working with Alan Pardew

“I'm very excited to be here, I wanted to get back in the Premier League and having worked with the manager before it's been great to come back and hopefully help us avoid the relegation battle,” he said.

“I had a couple of other clubs interested but I think my relationship with Alan [Pardew] and how much I enjoyed working with him was one of the big factor in my decision.

“He instils confidence in players and he always seems to get the best out of them, certainly he did that at Newcastle and hopefully he can do that for me and the rest of the lads here.”

cpfc.co.uk

Branislav Ivanovic : About Habit Scoring Important Goals

‘When you go one by one, first with two goals against Liverpool, I think it changed my career here at Chelsea. It gave me confidence, and proved that I could play at the top level in the Champions League,’
‘Napoli was very important on our way to winning the Champions League, and was a crucial game for the team,’ Ivanovic recalls, looking back on a tie in which we were trailing 3-1 from the first leg in southern Italy.

‘It was so difficult for us after the result away but at home we did it and there was a great atmosphere. I was lucky as well, as a right-back I am not normally in that part of the pitch during that period of the game.’
‘I don’t really have a favourite of those goals. All of them were important for the team, important goals in big matches,’ he says.

‘With the Europa League final, scoring a goal that gives a trophy for the team is of course important and, maybe, the most important goal because it gave us a European trophy. It is something special in the last minute, and of course I am still happy about it.
‘All these goals helped the team, but because it is not my main job there is not the pressure on me to do it, and so I am more relaxed.
‘When the game is equal, you know set-pieces or certain situations can help a lot, and when you are attacking in the late minutes there can be panic in the defence.’

And how does he now reflect on Tuesday night?

‘Finally, Liverpool on Tuesday was very important, maybe it didn’t make the difference because we did well and didn’t concede so we would have gone through on away goals, but for me personally it is important and a nice moment.
‘Of course there are many other important games we have played and other guys decided them for us, but maybe one in 10 games it is me, and it’s a great feeling. To make these memories is fantastic and very important to look back on.’

chelseafc.com

Arsene Wenger : About Gabriel Paulista

“He has good pace, he’s good in the challenge and he’s tall - so he can adapt to English football,”
“Maybe it will take some time to adapt completely, but overall it’s very good to have him.“

“He’s very ambitious, focused and serious. That’s important at a club like ours - you need to have a complete focus on your job. He has that.“
“I like the players who come from nowhere and show they can adapt. From Brazil, he has [then] adapted to Spain. That means he has already made it and adapted in another country. That’s another important quality.“

“We needed another centre back because we have lost Debuchy. Monreal can play centre back and we are a bit short there if something happens, especially with the Achilles [problem] of Koscielny since the start of the season.“
“We needed some cover, or we would not be responsible. [Gabriel] can play right back and left back, and that is of course a good quality as well.”

arsenal.com

Siem de Jong : It's always nice to have a little pressure

"It's a big difference to me just being able to train with the group."
"It feels good. I still have to get more training sessions and some minutes with the under-21s in the coming weeks to get up to full strength - especially if I want to play long parts of a game."
"I need some conditioning work but also games, so it's probably going to be a couple of games with the under-21s - but also just training sessions, 11 against 11 and those kinds of things."

"It's been a long recovery. After the operation I was out for six weeks but after that I started back pretty quick and trained for two-and-a-half months by myself, so it's been a long time."
"It's difficult sometimes because you're not really in the group and you're not really with the team, but most of the time I was at the Training Centre so I'd see the guys a lot and still felt part of the team. But it difficult when you've just come here and you're out for such a long time, so I'm glad to be back training."

"I can understand that people expect quite a lot from you when you arrive as a new player and then you get injured for four months, so of course I want to be back in the team as soon as possible - but I have to be a little bit sensible about it"
"It's always nice to have a little pressure. In games where you have pressure, I think you can do a little extra."
"I've been important in the past in important games so I hope to be here too - but first I just want to get back into the game and start playing again."

nufc.co.uk

Wilfried Zaha : I am happy now

“This is the club where I grew up and when I am here I feel more confident. I have lived in South London all my life and my family is here. After the games I go back to home and discuss the game with my dad which is great for me to be able to do.  I have a smile on my face because I am back on the pitch. I enjoy playing football, so when I am doing that I am happy. It is about people having trust in me. This gaffer has done that and I am trying to give it back and performing for the team.“

“Obviously there was a period where I thought 'What's going on here?'As a footballer it is important not to think that way and remain professional. I knew that if I got the chance I needed to take it and not dwell on the past and I am not one to do that and it was up to me to take it.”
“I am just glad we managed to get back into the game really, and every time we broke forward we looked like we were going to score.“

“I managed to get into space and run at them too. We gave sloppy goals away at the beginning but we can’t keep doing this every game.“
“The opposition will just get better in the Premier League and they will punish us more. We’re obviously scoring goals but we went through a period where we couldn’t score at all.“
“Right now, if we’re going to carry on scoring goals, we need to tighten up the little things because there are going to be teams out there who will out-score us.“

cpfc.co.uk

Ronald Koeman : Now total focus is to the Premier League

About the 3-2 defeat to Palace
For the fans maybe [it was entertaining] because after 22 minutes it was 2-2, but too much mistakes. If I talk about defensive organisation, normally one of the strengths of the team, but not today.
They were not working together, there was too much space in the positions defending. They punished us to score three times and maybe to miss another two goals and that was the problem the first 45 minutes.

We controlled it a little bit but defensively very poor. You can’t defend like that with the qualities what they have in front, the confidence they have.
Second half was much better but not good enough to score more and score the draw at least. A bad first half defensively was why we lost.

About Shane Long’s injury
I spoke to the doctor and he thought he will have fractured one or two ribs and that’s very painful. It’s a pity because we don’t have that number of players to go with all the injuries that we have. Normally it will be three, four or five weeks.

About Transfer Window
We have one week and we will think about it. We know our situation, we know about the players who are injured and when they come back, but when you look to the bench, there is Shane and the rest under-21s, so that’s difficult.

I like to have a squad to go with what we are doing until now. We know maybe for one game we can change and bring in young players but not until the end of the season. Normally, the players will come back in for two or three weeks.

About the defensive change at half-time
Florin [Gardos] was not playing good and in the first minute of the game he did a mistake and I think that is all about concentration. It was not only Florin, but the whole team working in defending.

I think in the second half I put Ryan [Bertrand] in that position at least in our ball possession we have a left-back in that position and that was much better.

About injuries
That’s part of football. We knew before the season if we got this kind of number of injured players then we will get problems, that’s normal.

Still, we are third in the league and I am not worried about that, I am worried about what we showed in defence in the first 45 minutes.

About another big teams that losing too
Everybody will say the same. It’s a pity because the big ones are out of the FA Cup and you know it’s difficult to beat every team, not about the level because everybody is fighting to win games in the FA Cup.

It was a difficult one, we knew it before. Crystal Palace are doing well with a new manager and they punished the mistakes we did in the first 45 minutes. Now total focus is to the Premier League.

saintsfc.co.uk

Petr Cech : We need to clean the mess up

‘It’s one of the biggest ever surprises in the FA Cup,’
‘It’s one of those where it can always happen. Obviously we are not proud of the result but I wouldn’t want to take anything away from the Bradford team because they came here, they fought hard for their luck, they got chances and they scored four goals. Credit to them.‘

‘I’ve been here for more than 10 years and every year you can see these kinds of results in the FA Cup. That’s why I have always said it’s special. This can always happen and unfortunately for the first time I was on the wrong side of that. That’s the way it goes.‘

‘Sometimes it’s hard to explain why things happen. We came out for the second half perfectly aware the game was far from over and it was going to be difficult. They came out, had a number of set-plays and corners and gained some confidence. We let them feel they might have some chances. When we conceded the second goal we lost control of our game. We forced everything and it was not working for us.’

‘We need to take it on the chin and pick ourselves up. It’s up to us. We have put ourselves in this position and we only have ourselves to blame for what happened.

‘We play at home on Tuesday and we would like to use that as an advantage. We need to clean the mess up.’

chelseafc.com

Jose Mourinho : Let's move

‘The next game is the most important one,’
‘At the end of May, beginning of June, we don't go to Wembley to play the FA Cup final, that’s for sure. The FA Cup is finished for us. We don't go there even to play the FA Cup semi-final. It's over for us. To go there - and I think that should mean a lot to everyone - the last chance we have is this one, to play there in the Capital One Cup final.‘

‘We need to forget this one [Bradford] and start the next game in a different competition, and I know we are one victory away from playing a final.‘

‘It's the good thing about playing consecutive matches without many days in between. It's the good thing that, when you lose, you have to focus immediately on the next game. You don’t have a lot of time to be moaning or analysing what happened in the bad one. Let's move and let's think about the next one.’

About the Squad
‘I'm happy to go (until the end of the season with the same squad),’
‘This is Chelsea, always thinking and being proud of thinking about numbers and Financial Fair Play.‘

‘We cannot now go to the market and spend money. So I'm completely with the club. I share this idea, I share this profile. I don't think we are going to the market, unless somebody comes and makes a market which meets with us.’

chelseafc.com

Manuel Pellegrini : It’s a strange game to analyse

“We had six or seven clear chances to score – we played well in the first-half,”
“After they scored, we were disordered, they had a counter attack and they scored again late on.“
“Before they scored, we did well – after that, I think Middlesbrough deserve to continue in the cup as they played very well.“
“It’s a strange game to analyse – there were two games in one.“

“I am concerned, not because of the Chelsea but because we didn’t score in our last two home games.“
“We conceded two goals in four of our last five home games – we need to recover our performances, both attacking and defending.”

“The problem is we’ve had to change our style of play – we had no strikers for a month,”
“After that, they’re coming back and maybe they needed time to reach their best performances but we have to retain the way we normally play.“
“We will start working towards the Chelsea game now… we have no problem with motivation.”

mcfc.co.uk/

Louis van Gaal : It is not as easy as everyone is thinking

“I was very disappointed at half-time because we made the same error against Yeovil Town and Queens Park Rangers,”
“We played in the same style of play [as the opposition] and you don't have to do that.

“In the second half we played much better, we built up the game from behind and played no more long balls. Then we could have scored but we didn't so now we have to play again.“

“I know in these matches every aspect of a game is against you. The crowd is against you - that is nice I think - but also the pitch and also the defensive organisation of the opponent. Everything you can imagine is against you.“

About Cambridge
"Cambridge are the weaker team - everybody knows that - and you have to solve that problem [of how to beat them]. You cannot always solve that problem and I have seen that a lot of times. But fortunately we are still in the FA Cup. We have to play at home and we have to beat them.”

“It's fantastic for them,”
“I think a lot of players have dreamt of this and they fought until the end. Also, in the first half they have created one or two possibilities. You can lose these games, in spite of the possession in the second half. So it is not as easy as everyone is thinking.“

“I’m very happy we're still in the FA Cup. Okay, we have to play another match but I don't think that's a bad thing because this season we don't play in European competitions so it's good we have an extra game in February.”

manutd.com

Arsene Wenger : We Can Beat Anyone

About the performance
I think in patches it was very good. The goals put us under pressure and [Rosicky] got the third one which eased it a bit. But you have to give credit to Brighton, they came at us. But with the results About Saturday not going for the Premier League teams, we knew it was going to be a tough game. That is what the FA Cup is about.

About Rosicky disguising his pass
That is what Tomas does all the time in training, he looks the other way and passes the ball. It gets me all the time! He has that quality going forward, I love the way that he turn and breaks. It is nice to get three goals, but we are disappointed with the goals we have conceded. We will look back About that and what we could have done better. But in the FA Cup it doesn’t matter how you perform, as long as you get through.

About the perfect start
Yeah, it’s been a long time coming. I had a lot of chances since I have been back, but I have been out for a year so it is still going to take time. It is just nice to get some match fitness back. I was very pleased with the finish and there will definitely be many more. People will be expecting me to score every game now but it’s all about getting the match fitness, sharpness and the goals back. The goal was a bonus.

About a nervy finish
That’s what the FA Cup’s about. BrightAbout did very well and we did very well in places. It was a typical FA Cup tie. It was always going to be tough given the results that happened yesterday so the most important thing is to go through - we did that and we’re into the next round.

About building About the Manchester City win
It was breathtaking at times against Brighton. It’s nice to get back in amongst it as well. We’re getting players back to fitness and when you do that there’s a competitiAbout for places - the manager’s going to have a bit of a headache picking his best 11. It was nice to go through.

About whether BrightAbout surprised Arsenal
They didn’t surprise us at all - it was the same as a couple of years back. It was always a tough challenge which is what makes the FA Cup so special. We’re just very grateful that we got through in the end and Tomas’ goal was a fantastic finish.

About BrightAbout making Arsenal work very hard
The results yesterday told us that this was always going to be tough, always going to be a challenge. You’ve got to give credit to Brighton, they came at us but thankfully Tomas’ fantastic finish gave us the win.

About starting well
It’s always important to try and silence the crowd at the start of every game and we managed to do that by playing some fantastic football in the first half. We started to start playing slightly off in the second half but that’s what happens in the FA Cup. It’s just important to get through. It’s an opportunity that we need to grab.

About the goal being another step in his rehabilitation
The goals will come but I’m just enjoying being back with the guys and working About my fitness, getting the sharpness right. I was blowing quite heavily towards the end but I was very pleased with the finish. The most important thing is that the team got through.

About retaining the FA Cup
We’ve got to believe that this is a great opportunity and we want to hold About to the cup. It’s our cup and it’s a massive opportunity looking at all of those teams that haven’t gone through. It depends About the draw but we believe that with the team that we’ve got and the players coming back to fitness, we can beat anyone.

About the returning players
It is like new signings that have come into the dressing room, the likes of Mesut coming back, getting a goal and doing very well. The sharpness will come with games and the competitiAbout is going to give a headache to the manager to pick his best XI. the players who have come in have done very well so it shows that we have a great squad when everyone is fit. I think we can compete for anything.

arsenal.com

Fernando Reges : FA Cup gives more emotion for Player & the Fans

“I enjoy it a lot because I like that kind of competition - the knockout element of the games,”
“I think it gives more emotion. Not just for our players but also for the fans.“

“When I played in Portugal, the Portuguese have a culture of following a lot of English competitions.“
“What I know is that the FA Cup is a competition that the English people give a lot value to.“

“It is really traditional - and it is special because it gives teams from all divisions a chance to be on the same stage as the biggest clubs.”
“Middlesbrough are a team that are really well organised,”
“They have really good players - it’s no accident that they are second in the table in the Championship.

“We will have to play at a high level to ensure that we reach the next round.”
“I have played just one game in the FA Cup and it was against Sheffield Wednesday,”

“It was a struggle for us to win that game but I could help the team to progress in this competition.“
“So I think I have been doing some good work in the FA Cup so far – hopefully that can continue on Saturday!”

mcfc.co.uk

Jose Fonte : The FA Cup is one of our targets

“It’s not like we’re involved in the Champions League or the Europa League,”
”We’re not involved in four or five competitions – there are two competitions to fight for.”
“The manager has already proved that he always plays his strongest team, so we will be at full power on Saturday and in every competition we play in.”

“We just want to keep winning. I can tell you that we will fight until the last drop of sweat to keep this position and to keep improving.”
“With the momentum we have after three hard-fought wins at Newcastle, Ipswich and Manchester United, it was nice to get on the plane back and think about what we’d just done.”

“We had a bad spell but we always knew we had it in ourselves to bounce back. We’ve turned that bad momentum into a good momentum.”
“[The FA Cup] is one of our targets,” Fonte explained. “As a team and as a club, we’re ambitious, so we want to win something in our lives and make history.“
“We’re going to try and win the next game, which is against Crystal Palace, and then we’ll see where we go.”

saintsfc.co.uk

Calum Chambers : I’ve matured a lot

“I think I’ve matured a lot,”
“I’ve worked on my game, I’ve watched a lot of my performances back and I’ve gained a lot of experience both in playing in the Premier League and in Europe.“
“I think I’ve added a lot to my game, which is good. I just want to keep working hard and keep learning from each match I play.

“I’ve played a lot and I’ve been happy with the first half of the season. I’m confident in my own ability and I hope the coaches and the fans are happy with my performances.“
“Now I have to keep that going in the second half of the season - carry on enjoying my football and building on what I’ve done in my first six months here.”

arsenal.com

Louis van Gaal : About Angel Di Maria Role

"He played in the 4-4-2 in the left midfield position, but in the 3-5-2 he does not play so much because he has been injured," 

"Then he came back and I tried him as a striker because we also need pace in that position. We have to stretch the pitch – that is an important aspect of a striker, that he can stretch the pitch. Then you make the pitch bigger and your midfielders can play in a bigger space and play a better positional game than ever.

"So I tried that – I had to try it because I didn't have the preparation at the beginning of the season [Di Maria joined in late August]."

"It is very important that the players are comfortable. I would like them to feel more comfortable, but we have to do our preparation in the season so we are doing a lot of things during the matches," he explained."

"Of course it is very important to win all your games but that is not possible in the Premier League. We have had a fantastic run of results, though, except Southampton at home, and up to now I am pleased. We are going the right way."

manutd.com

John Terry : It means the world to me & the supporters

‘I’m English, I’ve grown up watching it on TV, it means the world to me and I know it means the world to the supporters,’

‘If you don’t get there, people kind of rule it out and say it’s not as big anymore. But, believe me, when you get there, there’s no bigger game to play in.’

‘You’re at Wembley, one of the best stadiums in the world, in front of your supporters and on a great pitch,’ he said. ‘It would be great to go back there.’

chelseafc.com

Jose Mourinho : We are happy with the players

‘Our desire is to keep the same squad which reflects we are happy with the players and the work we did in the summer to prepare the season, and the trust we have in the group,’

‘I like Schurrle and Salah and I need and I trust them. I can’t select the same 18 players every game and I can only start 11. Salah is not playing a lot, Schurrle is more than him, but they have played in every competition including the Champions League. I count on them and tomorrow both are selected to play.‘

‘The way Hazard and Willian are performing, with the stability of their performances in attack and defence and transition, unless I find a tactical system with three wingers it is difficult to be in front of them [for selection] because they are playing so well.’

‘We have a way of dealing with these little health problems,’
‘When somebody shows the first signs of something we say go home. We prefer to lose a player who is a little doubt than risk keeping him with the other players and then losing two, three or four as a consequence. Every little problem the player goes home and the doctors take care of him at home.’

chelseafc.com

Arsene Wenger : If we think it’s the right price we will pay

About Transfer Rumour of Gabriel Paulista (Villareal Defender)
“We are talking at the moment. Can we find an agreement or not? I don’t know. We are slowly progressing but there’s a chance,” the manager said.
“We are ready to pay the price we think is right for a good player, no matter what the price is. If we think it’s the right price we will pay.
“[The deal is] 50-50 at this moment. We respect the rules in England - when you buy a player who does not fulfil the criteria and needs a work permit, you go in front of a commission and they tell you yes or no. We will accept that.”
“First of all I don’t really understand the logic of this rule,” he said. “[I don’t understand] the logic that the availability of the work permit is linked exactly with the amount of money you spend. It should be linked with the quality of the players only.
“Secondly we want the player. If a player we want needs a work permit then we’ll [do] it now because we will not necessarily want to do it in the summer. We are short at the moment so no matter what the rules are, we have to do it now.”

About English Premier League nowadays
“I think the quality and the audience of the Premier League all over the world is big,”
“Maybe Europe is getting poor but the rest of the world is getting richer.
“The rest of the world invests in football in Europe, and at the moment, only in England. Will that last? I’m not completely sure.“
“The second reason is that it’s down to you - to television - and down to the fact that the television [companies] in England pay the money that makes us richer.
“I’m always a bit cautious to use the word ‘best’, but it’s certainly the most spectacular and certainly the most attractive to watch for sure.“

arsenal.com

Thibaut Courtois : We want to win everything

About the 1st Leg Semifinal Capital Cup
‘I think a draw, in the end, was a good result,’
‘It could have been worse and now the next game will be like a final, in front of our fans and we have to be able to win.‘
‘We know we are strong at home but every game is a difficult game. Liverpool are playing really well so we know they are dangerous.

About the Ambition
‘We want to win everything; it will be difficult but I think we have the team to do it and hopefully we can achieve it. To play in a final at Wembley would be a really nice experience.‘
‘When you can play a final, and hopefully win it, you get the feeling of winning trophies and you want to go on and win more. Last season the group didn’t win anything and they were very close, so you want to everything possible, starting with the League Cup.‘

‘Myself, Diego, Filipe and Cesc Fabregas [the new players], along with the rest of the team, want to win trophies with Chelsea and that starts with the League Cup.‘
‘At the moment we are playing well in all of the competitions,’
‘We’re in the semi-final (of the Capital One Cup), we’re top of the league, on Saturday we have an important game in the FA Cup, which we have to win, and in the Champions League we will soon be playing Paris Saint-Germain, which will be hard.‘
‘I think we have the team to win everything but obviously there are other teams which can do the same.’

About His Injuries & Competition with Petr Cech
‘I was not 100 per cent fit, I still had some pain in my thumb so obviously then it’s not good to play if you know you cannot help the team to your full level,’ he explained.‘
‘There was another top goalkeeper ready to play and I trained two or three times at 100 per cent so that I was ready to play at Liverpool. With the finger protection I don’t feel anything anymore.‘

‘I’ve known from the start of the season he [Petr Cech] is behind me and pushing me. In training we are working hard, at a really high level.‘
‘He’s a top goalkeeper so obviously I know I have to play well in order to continue playing. Me and Pete just want to help the team, that’s’ the most important thing.’

chelseafc.com

Mauricio Pochettino : We deserve to go to the final

“It was a very tough game, important to win and to go to Sheffield next week 1-0 up in the tie,”

“I’m happy with the performance. It was difficult to create chances, Sheffield played deep, were very aggressive and well organised."

“It was a good test in the first game and now we realise the level Sheffield United are at and that they deserve to be in the semi-final."

“They have won games against Premier League sides Southampton and QPR and we have respect for them, but we need to go to Sheffield and try to get the victory to deserve to go to the final."

tottenhamhotspur.com

Eric Dier : It was a really tough game

“It was a really tough game and fair play to Sheffield United, because they came here and made it really difficult,”.
“They sat back and so there was little space for us. We had to move the ball a bit quicker in the second half and I think we created a couple more chances, but it was still tough.“
“Going to their place with a win and a clean sheet is important, though. Perhaps 1-0 is a dangerous scoreline but you could say 2-0 would have been a dangerous scoreline too, so that will keep us on our toes for the second leg.”

tottenhamhotspur.com

Willy Caballero : Every trophy is important to us

“Every trophy is important to us and we know that if we can beat Middlesbrough on Saturday, we will already be in the last 16 of the FA Cup,”

“This is a trophy we have done very well in over the past three or four years, winning the cup, reaching the final and making the quarter-finals in the past four years.“

“We know we made hard work of the 2-1 win over Sheffield Wednesday in the previous round and that Middlesbrough are playing very well at the moment.“

“Sheffield Wednesday played very well and worked hard to make it a difficult match for us. We expect nothing less from Middlesbrough and with thousands travelling fans behind one goal, it makes for a great atmosphere and it also a break from the pressure of the Premier League for us.“

“We know the rewards for progressing far in this competition.“

mcfc.co.uk

Vincent Kompany : I want to be back stronger

About City respond after Loss against Arsenal
“You want to win, always, so any result that's not a victory you are disappointed,”
“But we've been in situations like this before and it won't affect the way we look at the Premier League, it won't affect the way we look at the Champions League or the FA Cup. We will just make sure we are better the next game.“

“I want to be back stronger for that match and to be fair, except for the result against Arsenal, it was a good game back. So going two, three, four games in, it's good for me and I've come back at the right time as well.“
“We the same desire as what I have seen year in, year out and that will never change. We have been without Kun, myself, Yaya and David Silva for a long period of time and yet we are still only five points behind Chelsea.“

“If you had said that to us a month ago we would have said, yes we will take it. It's good and there are highs and lows - that's what it's all about.“
“The Abu Dhabi trip has come at the right time for us. The Premier League is relentless. We have seen all the images of foreign teams in Qatar and wherever and although I think it's the most special league in the world because we play over that Christmas period and that should never change, if you do get a chance to get out of it then it's not a bad thing.“
“We have a game on Wednesday against my old club Hamburg, so I want us to do well and return later in the week refreshed and ready to kick on again."

mcfc.co.uk

Juan Mata : About Set Piece Taker in Man Utd

"The manager decides [who takes them] before each match,"
"We have very good takers. We have Wazza [Wayne Rooney]. Ander [Herrera] can take them, then there is Angel [Di Maria] and Marcos Rojo says he can take them too, although I don't know about that yet!"

"Robin [van Persie] as well, so we have some good options. We work on set-pieces two or three times a week. We practise free-kicks [direct shots] and the ones like we scored [against Stoke]. It’s important to have good headers of the ball and also important to have players who can take free-kicks, and that’s what I try to do."

manutd.com

Michael Carrick : I was Nice to be Captain

“I had a chat to the manager about it [being named vice-captain] and it’s great for me for him to think like that,”
“It’s probably a natural thing with me being one of the older players and more experienced, that’s the natural step – it’s great. I managed to be captain when Wayne missed a game [Stoke in December], which was nice, but it’s not the be all and end all of everything. It’s achieving things with the team that means more to me, but it’s nice to be recognised.”

About Wayne Rooney
“Wayne has just got quality about him, he’s just a good footballer with his passing, knowledge of the game, his creation of chances and scoring goals," Carrick declared. "He’s an all-round good player, better than good obviously, he’s got a lot of skills that most players don’t have.
“You can compare them in a way but it’s such an easy thing to say. Both players are their own players in their own right and have their own qualities. Scholesy was such a fantastic goalscoring midfielder. With Wayne being the natural goalscorer he is and playing in midfield there is a similarity, but I don’t think you can compare them as they’re so different.”

manutd.com

Theo Walcott : This is the Best Attacking Line Up We’ve Ever Had

About the Amazing Alexis Sanchez
“You see somebody working so hard and it makes you want to try to back him up,”
“When you see what he does off the pitch, behind the scenes at the training ground, and how much work he puts in, all the players just stand up and think ‘Yeah, I need to a bit more as well then’.“

“It’s about getting that balance right. We told him during the Christmas period to relax a little bit, but he still cracked on with his gym work! He’s that sort of person - nothing will make him tired. It’s healthy to see, because the Premier League is very fast, but he’s coped with it fine.“

“He is amazing because he spots things that a lot of players won’t. I tend to make my runs off the ball and he is always looking for that. He drags more players on to him, which creates more space for other people and I do the same thing.“
“It is a great balance and once I am fully fit, I think it is going to be some force for the Premier League to handle.”

About Attacking Option in Arsenal
“Danny is a workaholic as well - he runs around and really works for the team,”
“There are so many options and Alex [Oxlade-Chamberlain] is also doing very well.“
“Obviously there is me as well coming back, and then you have the likes of Aaron and Jack in midfield. The list goes on, that’s how good we are going forward. It is a headache for the manager when you have that many great attacking options.“

“When I came, it was Pires and Ljungberg, Bergkamp, Thierry and Reyes - that’s some attacking force as well. I think this squad probably does beat it, but we need to prove it first.“
“[When] we go and achieve a little bit more than winning the FA Cup, then I think we can stand up and say this is the best attacking line up we’ve ever had.”

Olivier Giroud : You Need Cold Blood in Front of Goal

“You can always improve yourself but you need to have talent,”
“Talent is not sufficient on its own, though. I always repeat that because it’s important for young players to know it.“
“You need to have something that all strikers have in them. You need to keep lucidity in front of goal and have cold blood, like we say in France, in your veins. You need to be a born striker with a killer instinct.“

“I looked up to Andrey Shevchenko and Jean Pierre Papin [when I was younger]. Eric Cantona as well, but the one who scored so many goals was Titi Henry.“
“He played for my team, Arsenal, so I was impressed by his performances. He has done really well in his career, especially at Arsenal. If I can do half of what he has done I will be happy.”

arsenal.com

Simon Mignolet : We Deserved to Win

"In big games you always want to put in big performances and we did that against Chelsea,"

"We made it very difficult for Chelsea, who have been in top form. There was only one team who deserved to win, and that was us.

"We played some great football, created a lot of chances and the only thing that was missing was a few more goals.

"That performance will give everyone a boost. We showed how much we have improved but the message is we can't afford to get carried away. Everyone needs to stay calm.

"Hopefully we can get the right result at Stamford Bridge and get ourselves into the final. We believe we can go there and get the result we want.

"It's not important who are the favourites now. We have to look at ourselves. We just need to put in a similar performance to this one. Tuesday will be a different game and we have to keep doing the same things."

liverpoolfc.com

Jose Mourinho : Tonight It Was Fantastic Defensive Work

About the Game
‘It was a two-legged semi-final and now becomes a one-legged semi-final,’
‘The goals away are not important, so 0-0 is no good to us and 2-2 is no good to Liverpool. We have to win, they have to win. It’s a one-legged semi-final but obviously this time it will be played at Stamford Bridge.

‘Obviously Liverpool didn’t deserve to lose but I’m frustrated because we had lots of situations when we recovered the ball in a low block, facing a three-defender tactical system, with lots of space to counter attack. Eden, Willian and Diego were in great condition to attack spaces but we missed so many passes. We recovered the ball and then lost the ball, the exact opposite of what happened against Swansea. Then, we recovered the ball and made the right pass, the right choice.

‘Tonight it was fantastic defensive work, everybody was committed and organised, recovering the ball against good players, fast players, but when we recovered the ball we were not efficient with the transitions, so to score only one goal frustrates me.’

About Thibaut Courtois
‘The Premier League is full of top goalkeepers but we have the two best, so for me it was easy. To have both playing well and giving so much confidence to the team is good. I decide according to the profile of the game we are expecting. It’s fantastic for us to have these two goalkeepers. I think the three best keepers in the world are Petr, Courtois and Neuer.’

About the Cup
‘It’s fantastic the way big clubs like Chelsea and Liverpool treat this competition. In my clubs, I don’t accept the philosophy of one competition being more important than another. This is the most important, tomorrow the FA Cup becomes the most important. It was a proper semi-final, big prestige for the competition. We made a couple of changes but we tried to reach the final and in the next game we will do the same.’

About Wembley Final
‘Every Chelsea fan enjoys Wembley and we are one victory away from being there. I hope and I know they would like that. The last two League Cups Chelsea played were at Cardiff, Wembley is different.’

chelseafc.com

Eden Hazard & Thibaut Courtois : Heroes of The Match

Eden Hazard : 
About the Game
‘We like to play these games,’
‘It was difficult to get a better result but the draw is not bad.
‘With the chances they had in the second half and they hit the post, we have to be happy with the result. Now we have to finish it at home, where we are strong, in front of our own fans.
‘The game will be like a final. We can win there and go to Wembley.’
‘It was not our best performance and after they scored their goal it was difficult because they tried to score another one but they didn’t and that is good for the second game. A draw here is not bad.’
About his Penalty
‘Sometimes in training with Belgium Simon [Mignolet] saves my penalties so I was a little bit scared but it was a goal and that was good,’

Thibaut Courtois : About the Saving
‘Sterling put the ball back to him and I couldn’t see when the ball left [his boot],’ Courtois explained.
‘I had a good reaction and made a good save and that is why I’m in the team: to help them when they need me. I was able to do that.’


chelseafc.com

Raheem Sterling : We Can Win next week in Stamford Bridge

About the Game
"Obviously we were disappointed to be 1-0 down going into the break,"
"But the lads stuck in there really well and played some great football at times. We kept the ball really well and exploited the space. We could have gone on and won the game.

"But it's not the worst result - we'll go into next week's game fully focused, knowing we can win there. Hopefully we'll play our best and try to get the result.
"[We have to] play our normal game, try to keep the ball, be patient and don't try to rush things. We know we'll get chances there.
"It is down to us to keep focused over the next few days and go into the Bolton game, that's the most important one now.
"Hopefully we can get the result there and then think about Tuesday when it comes. We just need to play our normal game and everything else will follow."

About the Goal
"Jordan [Henderson] passed me the ball, I got to the edge of the box and thought I would shoot.
"It scuffed into the back of the net so it was a lucky finish, but it was good to get on the scoresheet and help the team get the draw in the end.

About Age Composition in Team
"There are quite a few young lads in the group; I thought everyone stepped up to the plate and played some good football at times, really comfortable on the ball.
"We didn't show the senior players in the Chelsea team too much respect and that's great to see. Hopefully we can carry that on into the next game."

About his first Comeback after New Years break
"The manager planned it from the beginning for me to get a little break, because I have played quite a lot of minutes,"
"I come back now fully focused and ready to go again. Hopefully I can help the team as much as possible, if it's scoring or assisting or doing something to try to get the best result for the team."

liverpoolfc.com

Adam Lallana : I can't believe the 'keeper saved it

About Courtois Saving
"I can't believe the 'keeper saved it, I was halfway on my celebration,"
"It was a fantastic save and probably one of the reasons why he got Man of the Match. He is world-class and Chelsea are a world-class team."

About the Game
"We come off the pitch disappointed but still in the game. We'll go to Stamford Bridge and we're fully confident we can go through to the final."
"I thought we played well in the first half but gave away a pretty soft penalty. The lads showed great character to get back into it. We said at half-time to be patient and that we were going to get chances."
"Being on the bench for the first hour and especially for the first 15 minutes of the second half, we knew we were going to come back and get chances - eventually we got the goal."

About Raheem Sterling
"He has shown maturity for the last three or four weeks - he has had to play in a position where he has not played so much.
"I thought he took his goal superbly; he let the ball run across the body, had a couple of touches and on his weaker foot put it into the bottom corner."

About Confidence Level
"We had a difficult start to the season, but the manager has found a shape and got people on the pitch in the right areas; we're causing teams problems."
"There is great confidence flowing among the team - Philippe is at the top of his game, Raheem, and it was great to have Stevie back fit. He hit the post as well and came through it unscathed."
"Defensively, we're looking good as a shape and we just keep improving."

liverpoolfc.com

John Terry : The Football and The Goals were Some of the Best I’ve Seen

About Wonderfull Winning against Swansea
‘In the first half at Swansea, the football and the goals were some of the best I’ve seen,’ said the skipper. ‘Myself and Gaz [Gary Cahill] felt like we weren’t doing much apart from applauding what we were seeing in front of us, it was a delight to watch and I really hope we continue that.

‘We’ve got top, top players but, as I’ve said before, until we go and win things, it’s not there yet, and that will be the test. We’ve shown during the first half of the season that we’re capable of pushing the top sides and that’s what we aim to do.

About Match against Liverpool at Capital One Cup semi-final
‘There’s a motivation in the dressing room to win the league and push on in the Capital One Cup, Champions League and FA Cup.
‘At this stage, to still be involved in all competitions is where you want to be, and it’s down to big players to step up.’

‘It’s going to be a tough place to go,’ Terry said. ‘I think Studge [Daniel Sturridge] might be back, Sterling is back as well and they proved when we went up there in the league that it’s always a tough game.
‘You kind of forget form and where they are, it goes out of the window, it’s Chelsea v Liverpool. It’s going to be tough and over the two legs I just hope we’re strong enough.’

About His 649th Game for the Club
‘I’m delighted to go above Lamps and go third, but I think Chopper and Peter Bonetti will take some catching,’ he stated.
‘They [milestones] seem to be coming thick and fast this season. I always set myself targets and the next one is catching The Cat. We always joke about it when I see him and Ron Harris. I remember when I was 18 or 19, sitting alongside Jon Harley and looking at the likes of Wisey, who had played 200 or 300 games, thinking wow. I’m there now, looking to push on and hopefully I can remain there.’

chelseafc.com

Brendan Rodgers : About Fabio Borini & Ricky Lambert

About Opportunity to Play
"I've said to all the players, be ready for when you're asked to play because it's very much about the squad,"
"It's important for me as a manager to recognise and acknowledge how hard the players are working, not just the ones who are starting but also the players outside of that."

"They know they have got to keep working well because that opportunity will come at some stage."
"Every player gets the chance to train every day and give their best. Then, when they get onto the field, they have the chance to prove their worth."

About Fabio Borini
"I was very pleased for Fabio,"
"He's a young player that has never given up in his time here, which needs to be said. He's shown great personality to persevere and keep going."

"I'm the type of coach that is on the training ground every day and if players are working hard and well in training, they will get a chance because training well will get them into the team. We've shown that a number of times here with the players."

"He's a boy that understands the game tactically very well and understands what we're trying to do."
"I thought the impact from him and Rickie Lambert at the weekend was exceptional - they both delivered, both played very well and got us the points."

About Ricky Lambert's Goal Celebration
"I thought it was brilliant, I've got to be honest," Rodgers said of the celebration. "I know he got booked for it, but I thought it was a yellow card worth taking!
"You score a goal like that, as a local boy to get the chance to go and celebrate with your own supporters and people - and you've probably got family in the crowd as well - [was brilliant].
"It captured the spirit of our squad, how tight they are and how well they're working. It was a great moment."

About Ricky Lambert's Performance so far
"It's very important for any squad to have that type of player,"
"For Rickie, that was his role coming into here - someone who wasn't going to play in every single game and he understood where he was at. But because of the injuries, he's been shoved right to the front and at times it has been difficult, not just for him but also for the team."

"What you know about Rickie is he can score a goal. He's a fantastic professional to work with."
"When we brought him here, there was certainly no sentiment in it. It's important if you've got players who have the club at heart, but he was brought in because he's a quality player and could really help us throughout the season.

"He's done that and is a joy to work with, prepares himself every day, wants to train every single day, works hard at his game, works hard at his finishing and when he's called upon, he'll give everything."
"I was delighted for him when he got his goal and was able to celebrate with the supporters, it was a great moment for him."

liverpoolfc.com

Hugo Lloris : About Victory against Sunderland

About the Game
“We know that in these kind of games the opponents sit back, try to defend and when they get a chance they try to score,”
“We knew before the game that Sunderland could get some chances and they did, but we were strong, resilient and came away with the result we were looking for.“
“At the end we were a bit surprised because we shouldn’t have conceded any more chances. They put a good move together and created the chance for Graham, but it’s my job to make saves and fortunately for me I made it and helped the team get three points.“
“It’s about character, belief and fitness. We showed a lot of character today and a lot of desire because we kept going right until the end. It’s a great win and an important three points.”

About Seb Larsson's Free Kick
“We know Larsson is a free-kick specialist – he scores three or four per season,” our goalkeeper added.
“It was a great goal but we should have concentrated more before the free-kick was awarded. At 1-1 just before half-time it’s a different game, but the second half was much better from us and we are delighted to win and get a run going.”

tottenhamhotspur.com

Thierry Henry : Santi Cazorla was Outstanding

"What I'm happy about is that they played well as a unit,"
"It wasn't so much about the ball, it wasn't so much about skills. But you can also play well in the way they played. They were playing as a team. There wasn't anything for Man City today, and you sensed that right from the start."

"People want to see commitment, desire and togetherness, and today all three was there. As long as you show that to the fans, they are happy. Before, they were allowing teams to run all over them. That wasn't the case today."
"He controlled that midfield. To come and play the way he did here at the Etihad Stadium was outstanding,"

"What a player. I said before the game that people were focusing on Sanchez but at the moment, Cazorla is the guy that makes the team tick. Sanchez didn't have a great game today, but they won 2-0."
"When was the last time you saw a Man City team not have a single chance to score? I know they had a couple of shots but they weren't great opportunities."

"He's always smiling. I also like the fact he was trying to calm people down when Arsenal were under pressure."
"It's very important for him to be in the middle. It's a different story when you have to play out wide. I don't think he has the body or the leg work to be out there."
"Once you're in the middle and you're not far from everybody in terms of pressure, he can do that all day."

football365.com

Gary Neville : United Defence is Lacks of Control

About ManUtd Defender
"With the likes of Smalling, Jones and Evans we still have great hopes for that penny to drop,"
"They're still developing and picking up injuries but when they stop and the penny drops you think: 'We've lived with his faults, development and now we're getting the benefit of it.'

"There is no doubt that Jones, Smalling and (Luke) Shaw have talent but they need experience, maturity and injuries to stay clear and they will fly."
"When I look at the United defence what it lacks is control,"
"I see players that have talent but they're all individually working, not having controlled movements together of in-sync. That comes through understanding and from playing together."

"The reason that Chelsea have the best back four in the league is because they have good players, they play every week without many injuries."
"United have been absolutely blitzed with injuries in those positions for the last three years."
"At times they look all out at sea but you have to say in Louis van Gaal's defence, he has had Darren Fletcher in defence, Michael Carrick in defence with Antonio Valencia and Ashley Young as wing-backs that have done well."

About Michael Carrick
"At the start of the season we were struggling, ask yourself who wasn't playing? Michael Carrick wasn't playing," "Now he's playing and the club went on a great unbeaten run."
"When you play with Michael Carrick you think there is authority, control, peace."

"When you are on a football pitch playing against Liverpool or Manchester City, you need peace around you as well. You sometimes don't want people running around.
"Scholes and Carrick together was peaceful. It was like going into a bar and hearing a piano playing.
"It's relaxing. Listening to some good rock is good and you like that too but sometimes it's nice to listen to a piano. Carrick's a piano."

football365.com

Jose Mourinho : I Was Dreaming of (Claude) Makelele, Gerrard and (Frank) Lampard in Midfield

"He (Gerrard) is a historical player for Liverpool, a historical player for the Premier League and an opponent I have always admired and respected," Mourinho said.

"We did everything to try (to sign him) and it was almost there. I was dreaming of (Claude) Makelele, Gerrard and (Frank) Lampard in midfield.
"We were playing in a proper triangle without a number 10 and playing Maka in front of the defenders. Me, Mr Abramovich and (former Chelsea chief executive) Peter Kenyon at that time, we dreamed of that.
"His people were open to him joining a top side like Chelsea. But to me personally he never said he would come. Never.
"He (Gerrard) was always a red and I think the decision was right."

football365.com

Diego Costa : The Interview

About the Performance
"As a striker, obviously you live and get judged by the goals you score,"

"It is good to get off the mark straight away but more than that it is about the team performance and the hard work. The first goal could have been scored in the second or the third game, or I could have scored in the first and gone through a dry period with no goals, but what is important is the dedication and the hard work and the belief that we can always do better."

"If my first goal didn"t come in the first few games I would have still been confident. That is because the team we have is such a great one and the ability of the players that play in midfield and feed the striker is very high, so I always knew goals would come. It is just about hard work and togetherness.

"Fifteen goals is a good mark and I hope to improve it, but more important than my goals is the team is winning."

"Of course it is nice to be the topscorer but when I came here my aim was to win the league. The most important thing is the club going well, like we did in the other leagues I played in, and it would be nice at the end of the season to see the team doing well as well as the individual."

"I have not been a player who plays a lot in the box,"

"I always played from outside the area, bringing the team forward, sometimes with individual moves, but I think that being in the box at the right time in the right place, that comes as a consequence of the hard work during the game and sometimes even from the stage in your career."

"It is probably happening more now but the main thing is sometimes I bring the play forward with the team, sometimes individually and sometimes it happens to be a rebound or the ball comes off the post."

About Goals
"The last one against Newcastle was a nice goal too, there are a few that were nice,"

"Especially when the team wins and you score it becomes a special goal. When the team loses and I score it is not so special and you can look at it in the sense that okay, a player has been at a club five years and may have been topscorer three or four times, but how many titles has the team won? If no titles then being topscorer does not matter much individually."

"The most important is to win the titles first. We haven"t played any finals yet or any game that really marks the season. If we play a final and I have scored then that becomes the special goal."

About the Club
"As the structure of the club is one of the best in the world, it has been easy to settle,"
"Everyone has welcomed me here very well, there are a lot of Brazilians as well as Spanish people and all the staff are really friendly."

"It is always nice to have a good sense of humour. It is always nice to have a good, positive changing room where you can leave any problems behind when you get here, but it is not just me - there are also other characters in the changing room who are really funny like Didier and Eden."

"With a united changing room and a positivity, the great character from all the individuals, it makes it easier. Especially because the season is going well, that helps a lot to have good moods among ourselves and we see the individual qualities. A changing room that is really happy and positive is halfway to a title, it is always good to have that."

chelseafc.com

Emmanuel Adebayor : About His Comeback against Sunderland

"I went through a lot, obviously, but, for me, being back on the pitch and playing football again, that's what matters to me,"
"I am very happy and I am very pleased and, yes, now hopefully I can get my form back and enjoy myself on the football pitch. That's the most important thing."

"I obviously had an issue with my family - things aren't going along right and I decided to go back home and find a solution for it."
"In between coming back I got a few injuries as well, but, at the end of the day, the most important thing is to get my head right, get my life [right] and, for me, that's all that matters.”

"I am a footballer, you know? Obviously a lot of people always say I always play for contracts - at the end of the day, we are all footballers,"
"This is what I choose to do. This is my life, this is my work, and this is what I do to feed my family.

"At the moment I have a contract with Tottenham, I am committed to the club and I will always give my best to my club, which is Tottenham."

football365.com

Jose Mourinho : About Team Performance against Swansea

“The team played very well, solid defensively and in attack we were aggressive and took our chances,”
“It was a good performance. The team is playing with high quality, and we have a clear identity of playing.”

“It was difficult game for them to prepare without three players in one position - Shelvey, Ki and Britton. It’s an important position for them. When you don’t have these players, it’s a problem. They will react because they are a very good team.”

swanseacity.net

Oscar : About Match-Winning 5-0 against Swansea City

‘They made a mistake because we press,’
‘We know Swansea like to stay with the ball and we pressed them in the first half. They made mistakes and we scored the goals.’

About the Most Perfect Game so far
‘I think yes,’
‘Especially in the first half we played very well and it was an important win for us. We played so well and when we had the chances we scored.’

About Competition with City
‘Manchester City have a difficult match against Arsenal and we put pressure, and now we have important games and we have to prepare for these.’

chelseafc.com

Marouane Fellaini : About Match-Winning against QPR

“It was important to win because we have to keep going,”
“We have to win every game to stay in the top four. Every team wants to play in the Champions League, so we have to keep going in a lot of games.”

About the Goal
“It was a good pass, there was good control and a good finish. It was important to score early in the second half because we knew in the end it’d be difficult, which it was. It was a physical game, with a lot of challenges. We had to win the second balls. It was difficult, but we stayed patient. We knew we would score, and we did.”

manutd.com