Jul 01

Premier League countdown: Where to see your team in pre-season

Pre-season fixtures for the Premier League teams ahead of the 2010-11 season

Arsenal

17 July v Barnet (A) 3pm

21 July v Sturm Graz (A) 6pm

27 July v SC Neusiedl 1919 (A) 6pm

31 July v Milan (H, Emirates Cup) 4.20pm

1 August v Celtic (H, Emirates Cup) 4.20pm

7 August v Legia Warsaw (A) 3pm

Aston Villa

24 July v Bohemians (A) 3pm

27 July v Walsall (A) 7.45pm

31 July v Feyenoord (A) 9.15pm

1 August v Benfica (A) 9.15pm

6 August v Valencia (H) 7.45pm

Birmingham City

18 July v Hong Kong League Selection Team (A) 3pm

21 July v Beijing Guoan FC (A) 7.30pm

24 July v Liaoning Hongyun Football Club (A) 8pm

31 July v Derby County (A) 3pm

3 August v MK Dons (A) 7.30pm

7 August v Real Mallorca (H) 3pm

Blackburn Rovers

10 July v Sturm Graz (A) 5pm

17 July v Fleetwood Town (A) 3pm

20 July v Preston North End (A) 7.45pm

21 July v Huddersfield Town (A) 7.45pm

25 July v Rangers (N, Sydney Festival of Football) 3pm

28 July v AEK Aens (N, Sydney Festival of Football) 6pm

31 July v Sydney FC (A, Sydney Festival of Football) 7.15pm

7 August v Hearts (A) 3pm

Blackpool

16 July v Tiverton Town (A) 7.30pm

20 July v Accrington Stanley (A) 7.30pm

22 July v Kilmarnock (A) 8pm

27 July v Crewe Alexandra (A) 7.30pm

31 July v Bristol City (A) 3pm

Bolton Wanderers

14 July v Charlotte Eagles (A) TBC

17 July v Charleon Battery (A) TBC

17 July v Bamber Bridge (A) 3pm

21 July v Toronto FC (A) TBC

23 July v Chorley (A) 7.30pm

24 July v Rochdale (A) 3pm

27 July v Curzon Ashton (A) 7.45pm

28 July v Morecambe (A) 7.45pm

30 July v Fleetwood Town (A) 7.45pm

31 July v Falkirk (A) 3pm

2 August v Johnstone (A) 7.45pm

4 August v AFC Fylde (A) 7.45pm

6 August v Osasuna (H) TBC

7 August v Barrow (A) 3pm

Chelsea

17 July v Crystal Palace (A) 3pm

23 July v Ajax (A) 8pm

1 August v Eintracht Frankfurt (A) 3pm

4 August v Hamburg (A) 8pm

Everton

10 July v Sydney FC (A) 7.30pm

14 July v Melbourne Heart (A) 7.30pm

17 July v Brisbane Roar (A) 7.30pm

24 July v Preston North End (A) 3pm

31 July v Norwich City (A) 3pm

4 August v Everton Chile (H) 8pm

7 August v Wolfsburg (A) 4pm

Fulham

14 July v Brentford (A) 8pm

17 July v Bournemouth (A) 3pm

31 July v Portsmouth (A) 3pm

Liverpool

17 July v Al Hilal (A) 6pm

21 July v Grasshopper (A) 6.30pm

24 July v Kaiserslautern (A) TBC

1 August v Borussia Mönchengladbach (A) 1.30pm

Manchester City

23rd July v Sporting Lisbon (A, New York Football Challenge) 8pm

25 July v New York Red Bulls (A, New York Football Challenge) 3pm

28 July v Club America (A) 8pm

31 July v Internazionale (A) 8pm

4 August v Borussia Dortmund (A) 8pm

Manchester United

16 July v Celtic (N) TBC

21 July v Philadelphia Union (A) 7.30pm

25 July v Kansas City Wizards (A) 5pm

28 July v MLS All-Stars (N) 6pm

4 August v League of Ireland XI (N) TBC

Newcastle United

17 July v Carlisle United (A) TBC

24 July v Norwich City (A) 3pm

31 July v PSV Eindhoven (H) TBC

7 August v Rangers (A) TBC

Stoke City

22 July v Nantwich Town (A) 7pm

22 July v Notts County (A) 7.45pm

24 July v Newcastle Town (A) 2.30pm

27 July v Derby County (A) 7.45pm

31 July v Burnley (H) 3pm

3 August v Bristol Rovers (A) 7.45pm

6 August v Wrexham (A) 7.45pm

Sunderland

17 July v Darlington (A) 3pm

Tottenham Hotspur

10 July v Bournemouth (A) 3pm

17 July v San Jose Earquakes (A) TBC

29 July v Villarreal (H) 8pm

3 August v Benfica (A) 7.45pm

7 August v Fiorentina (H) 3pm

West Bromwich Albion

20 July v Crewe Alexandra (A) 7.30pm

24 July v Bristol Rovers (A) 3pm

West Ham United

24 July v Burton Albion (A) 3pm

Wigan Athletic

20 July v Oldham (A) 7.45pm

4 August v Real Zaragoza (H) 7.45pm

8 August v Dundee United (A) 3pm

Wolverhampton Wanderers

17 July v Bohemians (A) 3pm

20 July v Walsall (A) 7.45pm

24 July v Charleroi (A) TBC

27 July v Reading (A) 8pm

30 July v Cheltenham Town (A) 7.45pm

31 July v Leeds United (A) 3pm

3 August v Hearts (A) 7pm

7 August v Athletic Bilbao (H) 3pm

Premier LeagueArsenalAston VillaBirmingham CityBlackburn RoversBlackpoolBolton WanderersChelseaEvertonFulhamLiverpoolManchester CityManchester UnitedNewcastle UnitedStoke CitySunderlandTottenham HotspurWest BromWest Ham UnitedWigan AthleticWolverhampton Wanderersguardian.co.uk

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Jan 27

Blackburn Rovers 2-1 Wigan Athletic | Premier League match report

Blackburn’s revival is under way at last, with a second successive league win taking them into mid-table comfort at the expense of Wigan, who fought back once in this game yet have still to display the steel necessary to climb the table.

All three goals came from set pieces, and there was precious little football beyond that, which will not be a worry for Sam Allardyce but just might be beginning to bother Roberto Martinez and his employers. Blackburn have long known how to escape trouble. Wigan appear in danger of forgetting.

After hitting the post through Niko Kalinic as early as the fifth minute, Blackburn took the lead midway through the first half. Brett Emerton floated a free-kick into the danger area near the penalty spot, and though Wigan’s new goalkeeper Vladimir Stojkovic came out to punch clear, the ball went straight to Morten Gamst Pedersen, who returned it with interest from the edge of the area.

Wigan had begun promisingly enough with Hugo Rodallega fashioning a chance for himself in the opening minute, though the striker quickly became isolated as Blackburn pushed the visitors’ midfield further back. As half-time approached Wigan were only threatening from set pieces, and when Rodallega did manage to curl a free-kick into the gap between Paul Robinson and his back line Paul Scharner managed to duck under it when any sort of contact seemed likely to bring a goal.

When Wigan equalised just before the hour it was from another set piece, this time a corner, though as Ryan Nelsen had conceded it by flinging himself bravely in the way of a thunderous Rodallega shot it could be argued the visitors had pressurised the Blackburn defence. James McCarthy sent over a cross from the left that was too high for Scharner at the near post, but possibly distracted by the Austrian’s leap Robinson and his defence stood still and allowed Gary Caldwell to score his first for Wigan with a stooping header.

Blackburn hit the bar shortly afterwards, Pedersen getting on the end of Emerton’s cross but making contact with his shoulder as well as his head. Even so he came within inches of again beating Stojkovic, who had not looked convincing all night under crosses. It was another cross and another set piece that finally earned Blackburn the points, Wigan losing concentration at a Pedersen corner and letting the unmarked Kalinic scored the simplest of winners.

Blackburn RoversWigan AthleticPremier LeaguePaul Wilsonguardian.co.uk

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Dec 27

Sam Allardyce insists Blackburn must get justice against Sunderland

Sam Allardyce has long displayed a statistical bent in his managerial methods. In his analysis of the figures, however, the jaundiced Blackburn manager is increasingly convinced that the numbers do not add up. Allardyce is aggrieved that Rovers do not have the extra six points he believes they merit, annoyed at what he terms an “imbalance” in refereeing decisions and irritated by his forwards’ inability to meet the goalscoring targets he set.

As Rovers had less than half the possession and fewer shots on target than Wigan Athletic on Saturday, Allardyce can be accused of selective interpretation of the data at his disposal when he pronounced himself disappointed not to have won. Nevertheless, he said: “We’re about six points off where we should be, maybe a few more based on the performances we’ve given. From Stoke, Liverpool, Hull and today, two or three wins in those games is certainly what we should have got.”

In Allardyce’s league table, Rovers merit a comfortable top-half position. As it is, he said: “Draws aren’t good enough because we have drawn too many. We have to get three points and those three have to come against Sunderland [today].”

His mood was not lightened by the officiating Mark Clattenburg, who cautioned four Rovers and one Wigan player. “We felt it was hugely against us, both the foul count and the booking count,” said Allardyce. “It’s not the first time. I constantly write my reports [of referees] but I never hear anything back and it’s not getting any better, to be honest.”

Even Benni McCarthy’s volleyed goal had a downside: it was just his first of the league campaign and only the fifth that Rovers’ four specialist strikers have contributed. “They are way down on the goalscoring chart on what we expect them to get,” Allardyce said.

McCarthy’s meagre return has prompted talk of his exit in January, with three clubs apparently expressing an interest and Allardyce required to sell before he buys. However, 11 years at Real Madrid has equipped Míchel Salgado with an appreciation of fine footballers and he is eager to retain the South African’s services. “Benni is a top-quality player,” the Spaniard said. “He is a key player, especially when David Dunn is injured. If Benni wasn’t with us, it would be a big loss.”

Blackburn’s lead was lost when Hugo Rodallega levelled. But, well-placed as the Colombian’s header was, Roberto Martínez took greater heart from the manner of Wigan’s comeback. “It was very positive,” he said. “For me it’s a turning point in this season.”

The articulate Spaniard is scarcely the archetypal ranter and raver, but his half-time invective made an evident difference. “Whatever happens in the dressing room stays in the privacy of the dressing room,” he said. “But the first half wasn’t good enough and the reaction was the right one and that shows you the character we have.”

He is accustomed to the gruelling workload at this time of year. His compatriot is not. “Normally I would be in Hawaii on the beach,” said Salgado. “But I am here in Wigan.”

Premier LeagueBlackburn RoversWigan AthleticSam AllardyceSunderlandguardian.co.uk

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