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      I signed for Chelsea in dream transfer – but disaster struck and I thought my career was over before I’d kicked a ball

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      MARIO MELCHIOT thought his Chelsea career was over before he had even kicked a ball for the club.The former Dutch right-back secured a dream move to Stamford Bridge from Ajax in 1999.
      Mario Melchiot feared his career was over after securing a dream move to ChelseaCredit: Times Newspapers Ltd
      However, he broke his foot TWICE in his first season with the Blues before finally making his debut.
      Recalling his arrival in England, Melchiot exclusively told Ladbrokes Fanzone: “When I signed for Chelsea, of course I was very happy, and it was a very proud and special moment for me.
      “But I broke my foot twice in one season. Before I’d even kicked a ball for the team, I thought my football career was finished.
      “As a young boy, you know, when you come over to England, you’re so excited; moving to a new country, signing for a big club and preparing for the new challenge.
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      “But then you’re ruled out by an injury and that feeling is just completely taken over by sadness.
      “I broke it once, and then a couple of months later I broke it again. So I’m sat there just thinking ‘I haven’t even played football for this club, and I’ve broken my foot twice.’

      “So, you can imagine, when I finally recovered, and I stepped onto that pitch at Stamford Bridge for the first time, against Middlesbrough… Oh my God. It was the best moment of my life.
      “I don’t want to say it was a life-saving moment, but it was something like that, because I was so desperate to play football again, and I had moments where I thought my career had been taken away from me.
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      “Finally, I was able to live my dream again. That was the proudest moment for me, in a Chelsea shirt.”
      Melchiot went on to win the FA Cup during his first season with Chelsea and scored five goals in 164 appearances for the club.
      How Chelsea lined up against Liverpool in 2022 Carabao Cup final with just TWO of starting XI still at club
      He departed for Birmingham in 2004 after five years in West London.
      During his time in England, the former Netherlands international played 283 times in the Premier League for Chelsea, Birmingham and Wigan.
      He also had spells with Rennes and Qatari side Umm Salal before retiring in 2011 aged 34.
      Melchiot made 164 appearances and scored five goals during five years with ChelseaCredit: Times Newspapers Ltd More

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      Fans stunned after former Premier League star scores worldie on Betis debut as they say ‘shame what Moyes did to him’

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      PABLO FORNALS split both the net and social media – with an outrageous solo goal on his Real Betis debut.Some West Ham fans were shocked by his brilliance – while others blamed their boss David Moyes for not getting the best out of the midfielder.
      Pablo Fornals conjured a wonder goal first time out for Betis in LaLiga

      Fornals left Cadiz keeper Jeremias Ledesmas with little chance
      The six-cap Spaniard weaved in from the right to curve a laser left-footer inside the far corner.
      It rounded off a 2-0 win at struggling Cadiz that put Betis sixth – into one of the two Europa League places.
      The ex-Villarreal star, 27, had ended his five years at West Ham on transfer deadline in a £7million return to his home country.
      Fornals exited the London Stadium after 23 goal and 19 assists in 203 games – but also with question marks over his ability in the Premier League.
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      However, after seeing his confident footwork and curling goal, one fan posted: “Shame what Moyes did to him.”
      Another said: “Good luck to him. Was fantastic for us. It’s our loss tbf.”
      A third wrote: “Who would have thought he could play CM?!”
      And a fourth moaned: “The amount of players that have left West Ham and then scored on their debut at their new club is wild.”
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      Fornals returned to Spain after five years at West HamCredit: Getty
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      But other viewers reckon Fornals’ stylish technique and attacking style is more suited to LaLiga than the English top flight.
      One observer claimed: “Lovely goal, would never get the space to do that in the Prem though, but obviously people will have a meltdown about this.”
      Every Premier League stadium ranked by the number of pubs nearby with one boasting over 130 local boozers
      Another suggested: “Lovely fella but couldn’t hit a cow’s a*** with a banjo for us.”
      And a fellow doubter was seemingly shaking with disbelief as he shared a clip of the goal and added: Yes, Pablo Fornals actually just did that.”
      The ex-Malaga ace struck Betis’ clincher on 46 minutes following a surging run from Brazilian striker Willian Jose, who had fired a brilliant opener. More

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      Ange Postecoglou insists Tottenham CAN win Premier League after supercomputer gave his side just a 0.1% chance

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      THE computer says no when it comes to Tottenham’s title chances – but Ange Postecoglou vowed: AI still believe we are in the hunt.Number-crunchers Opta used a supercomputer this week to calculate the prospects of the current top five teams being named Premier League champions by the end of the campaign.
      Ange Postecoglou believes Tottenham can still win the Premier LeagueCredit: Alamy
      Manchester City came out on top by some way, but Spurs were given “less than a 0.1 per cent chance” of finishing top of the pile.
      When that outcome was put to Spurs chief Postecoglou, he joked: “A supercomputer! Does it go to a phone booth and change into something else from just a normal computer?
      “What did it say, 0.1 per cent? So we got a chance then. Let’s go for it. No problems, no issues with that, we’ve got a chance!”
      Opta’s AI brainbox may not fancy Spurs, but they are only seven points behind leaders Liverpool and have a winnable run of fixtures.
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      Saturday’s hosting of Brighton is the second of a run of four Saturday home games at 3pm, followed by Wolves and Crystal Palace.
      Come the end of that run it is plausible the gap to the top could be even smaller.
      Particularly now Postecolgou can pick his strongest XI for the first time this season after captain Son Heung-min and midfielder Yves Bissouma returned from international duty.
      In fact, the only first-team players currently out injured are Ryan Sessegnon and Manor Solomon, who had a further procedure on his knee on Monday and is out for another two-three weeks.
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      Asked how he feels about attacking the upcoming fixtures with his best team, Postecoglou replied: “I’m definitely excited.
      “It gives us a chance to put some things into place with our training, with the way we want to play our football to see if we can go up another level or two or three between now and the end of the year.
      Every Premier League stadium ranked by the number of pubs nearby with one boasting over 130 local boozers
      “We’ve got 15 games to go and we’ve got probably the healthiest list since the start of the season and that gives us that platform but you’ve still got to go out and perform.”
      Everton and Manchester City have successfully targeted goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario from corners of late – and Brighton can be expected to do the same.
      Postecoglou is frustrated by a shift in the previously unwritten rule that pressure on goalkeepers by opposing players would be given as a foul.
      He revealed Spurs have written to refereeing body the PGMOL for clarity.
      Postecoglou has laughed off a supercomputer’s verdict on Spurs’ title hopesCredit: Getty
      Former Celtic boss Postecoglou added: “We have sent some stuff to get some clarification.
      “There’s definitely been a shift as I see it where we’ve had two goals, maybe three, (against us) that maybe in the past would have been fouls on the goalkeeper.
      “And it’s not just in our games, I’ve seen it in other games too.” More

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      Social media is under fire again after Thiago Silva’s wife blasted Pochettino but we don’t want stars to become robots

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      SOCIAL media has been at the forefront of football chat yet again this week.Brentford have come out in support of Ivan Toney, who continues to face racist abuse online, while Thiago Silva’s wife appeared to call for the head of Mauricio Pochettino in a post.
      Brentford’s Ivan Toney has faced racist online abuseCredit: PA
      Thiago Silva’s wife, Belle, called out Mauricio Pochettino in a tweetCredit: Instagram / @bellesilva
      Credit: X @Bellasilva
      Some will think footballers and social media just do not mix, and that they would be better off without it. I am 50-50 on the matter.
      As much as the racism and the nonsense get a lot of the headlines, as it rightly should, there are still the stories of young kids who can interact with their favourite player and you see players giving out boots and other gifts, all based off social media.
      If these players received hand-written letters and had to reply to all of them, there would be about ten thousand a day. You wouldn’t be able to do it.
      Social media gives idiots a voice, that’s the negative.
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      But at the same time — and I am going to sound like a whiny footballer here — social media, and the ability to interact with people on it, is a normal thing to want to have.
      Everybody else has it, so why can’t footballers?
      That doesn’t mean you have to be on it all the time and post every single thing that you do, but you are allowed to be normal, a human being who enjoys social media.
      It is a strange one. You see players having the odd drink now and again.
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      They don’t do it because they’re alcoholics or they’re unprofessional, but because they just want to be normal people and socialise.
      I have been around it. Lads who don’t even drink just want to be around friends and music. They just want a nice life and be liked. And yet they get punished and judged for it.
      Mauricio Pochettino demands greater consistency from his Chelsea team ahead of Crystal Palace clash
      It’s similar to those players on social media. The majority of them don’t post loads, they just want to see what’s going on.
      It is where most young people get their news from nowadays, or to catch up on what’s going on with different family members.Occasionally, players want to control a story.
      They read so much s*** about themselves on socials that they sometimes want to set the record straight, and that’s fine.
      We are getting into a really strange space where we are going to end up shunning players from the outside world.
      We wanted them to be more open and to be part of normal conversations with fans more.
      Growing up, I could only have dreamed of keeping up with what Ian Wright or Alan Shearer or David Beckham were up to away from football.
      They rarely spoke, we never knew what they liked and disliked and never understood their thoughts and feelings.
      It feels like we are going back to that. There is the separate issue of family members getting in trouble on social media, like Silva’s wife at Chelsea before she later apologised.
      I feel we need to educate and support those around us more.There needs to be more explained and taught with the meetings from the PFA, but Thiago probably had no clue what his wife had done until he got home and people had begun asking questions.
      She should not have done it, but it’s an overreaction to an out-of-the-blue post.
      Poch says he spoke with Thiago. I can imagine that conversation didn’t last long, sorted out within seconds, because ultimately it is not that big a deal.
      You take away that ability to have impulse emotions on socials and players go back to being robots. Emotionless figures we cannot relate to.
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      Toney does this brilliantly on socials. He calls out racists, as he should do, in the right way by expressing himself, not fearing a backlash by doing so.
      What we want footballers to be is open, honest, and responsible — so let’s stop trying to control them too much, especially on socials. More

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      Crystal Palace vs Chelsea: Blues look to get back to winning ways in Premier League as pressure mounts on Roy Hodgson

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      CHELSEA travel to London rivals Crystal Palace for a huge Premier League clash on Monday night.The Blues were in action in midweek as they beat Aston Villa 3-1 in an FA Cup replay to secure their spot in the fifth round.
      Chelsea beat Aston Villa 3-1 in the FA Cup on Wednesday nightCredit: GETTY
      Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson is under pressureCredit: GETTY
      Mauricio Pochettino saw a much-improved performance from his side on Wednesday night and will be hoping they can now take it into the league.
      Chelsea have been on the receiving end of back-to-back heavy defeats in the Premier League and find themselves 11th in the table.
      Meanwhile, Roy Hodgson’s position as Crystal Palace boss has reportedly been under threat after the Eagles were thrashed 4-1 by bitter rivals Brighton last time out.
      When is Crystal Palace vs Chelsea?

      Crystal Palace vs Chelsea will take place on Monday, February 12th.
      Kick off will be at 8pm GMT.
      Selhurst Park will host.

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      What TV channel is Crystal Palace vs Chelsea on and can it be live streamed?

      Crystal Palace vs Chelsea will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Main Event/Premier League.
      Sky Sports customers can live stream the match via the NOW app.
      Alternatively, you can follow SunSport’s live blog to keep up to date with all the action from Selhurst Park.

      Team news
      The hosts have been dealt a major blow after Roy Hodgson confirmed that starman Michael Olise suffered a “serious” hamstring injury during the 4-1 defeat to Brighton.
      Defender Marc Guehi suffered a knee problem last weekend and will miss Monday’s clash with Chelsea.
      Eberechi Eze will also be unavailable alongside long-term absentees Rob Holding, Cheick Doucoure and Jesurun Rak-Sakyi.
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      For Chelsea, Benoit Badiashile was forced off during the closing stages against Villa in midweek, and it is a doubt for Monday night.
      Fellow defender Levi Colwill could return to the squad after missing the last four matches with a tendon injury.
      Goalkeeper Robert Sanchez has made a partial return to training and could make the bench for Chelsea’s trip to Selhurst Park.
      Long-term absentees Reece James, Romeo Lavia, Marc Cucurella and Wesley Fofana remain out.
      What are the odds?
      Match result

      Crystal Palace – 18/5
      Draw – 27/10
      Chelsea – 3/4

      *Odds courtesy of Ladbrokes and are correct at the time of publication. More

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      Blue card will ‘DESTROY football’ fumes Postecoglou as Premier League bosses react to controversial plans

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      ANGE POSTECOGLOU led the Prem backlash against plans for controversial blue cards which will “destroy football”.The Tottenham boss slammed the International FA Board’s idea to send players to a ten-minute sin bin.
      Ange Postecoglou led the blast against blue cards
      Jurgen Klopp fears a blue card equals ‘more opportunities to fail’Credit: Alamy
      Mauricio Pochettino appeared to find the idea of blue cards funnyCredit: Getty
      And Liverpool chief Jurgen Klopp reckons the shake-up will only give referees “more opportunities to fail”.
      SunSport understands Ifab will give the green light for global trials of two different sin-bin proposals at a March 2 meeting at Loch Lomond.
      One will see sin bins for dissent to officials, the other for cynical fouls.
      Yet Postecoglou insists football has already been complicated by VAR and fears this rule change will slow games down and be a turn-off for fans.
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      The Spurs chief rapped: “One team being down to ten men for ten minutes, you know what it’s going to do to our game? It’s going to destroy it.
      “You’re going to have one team just sitting there trying to waste time for ten minutes — waiting for a guy to come back on.
      “I don’t know why a different colour card is going to make any difference.
      “The remedy is there. Show a yellow card or send someone off — it’s there in the rules.
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      “Most other sports are trying to introduce rules to speed up and de-clutter their game.
      “We’re just going the other way and I really don’t know why.
      Paul Merson fears ‘the game will be killed’ as football prepares for huge rule change
      “This game is more popular than any other sport in the world because you can get a ball, put two bags down as goals and away you go.”
      Chelsea chief Mauricio Pochettino agrees with Postecoglou and says bringing in blue cards to tackle dissent is just another nail in the coffin for the ‘beautiful game’.
      Poch said: “I love football and I am very romantic.
      “Technology is helping the decisions for the referees and the game.
      “But there are just too many things. The interpretation is going to be very difficult all at the same time.
      “We’re already talking a lot about VAR and with the blue cards, or whether it is a yellow or red, is still too much.
      “When I heard the news I wondered how we will apply it.
      “It will be difficult to be consistent with the decisions. These people are working to try to change football or to add some rules that I don’t know if it will benefit the game.
      “It’s just going to be more complicated.
      “The interpretation of the referee when to apply the red, yellow or blue. What happens with the goalkeeper?
      “Do you play without the goalkeeper for ten minutes or can you change? We will see.”
      Liverpool gaffer Klopp said: “We should keep it as simple as possible for the referees as well. It’s a difficult job.
      HOW SIN BINS MAY LAST LONGER THAN 10 MINSSIN BINS might go beyond 10 minutes – because of stoppage time.
      It’s understood any players given a blue card in the final 10 minutes of a half will not be allowed to return until the conclusion of that period, even if there is an extensive amount of time added on.
      If implemented at the top level, blue cards will be the first major disciplinary change since the introduction of yellow and red cards back in 1970.
      There has been backlash to the proposed changes from fans and pundits, but lawmakers on the International FA Board will confirm the green light for global trials of two different sin bin schemes next month.
      But whether referees will carry blue cards and the precise details of how the idea will work is still to be agreed.

      Newcastle chief Eddie Howe believes the current system works well enoughCredit: PA
      “Any introduction of a new card would just give more opportunities to fail.
      “The discussion would then be, ‘Should it have been a blue card or a yellow or a red or whatever?’
      “It just makes it all more complicated.
      “I just can’t remember the last time that these guys had a fantastic idea. If they ever had one. I’m 56 . . . ah, never.”
      Trials will not take place at elite levels of the game, with the FA considering its introduction at semi-pro level.
      And it is believed players sent to the sin bin in the final ten minutes of a half will not be allowed to return to the field of play until the conclusion of that period.
      That is even if there is an extensive amount of added time.
      Newcastle boss Eddie Howe added: “I’m not a big fan, that’s what yellow cards are for.
      “The current system works well. A blue card will just add more confusion. I’m against it.”
      West Ham’s David Moyes is worried football’s rule-makers are “playing around with too much at the moment” – and believes the focus should instead be on giving VAR more time to settle in.
      Mikel Arteta was a rare voice in favour of the proposals – albeit with one big reservation.
      The Arsenal chief said: “I don’t know if we are ready for that yet.
      “Hopefully it’s going to be tested very well before they introduce it at this level. 
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      “I think everything has been done with the intention to simplify football, to try to improve decisions that are hard to make in a split-second. 
      “Hopefully everything is done to improve the game and if that’s the case, then let’s try it.”
      Mikel Arteta says the scheme might eventually be worth a try More

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      My uncle is a World Cup finalist and ex-EFL manager, now I leave him in TEARS as I make my own way in the Premier League

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      JAN PAUL VAN HECKE is dreaming of following in the footsteps of his World Cup finalist uncle.The Brighton defender’s own flesh and blood Jan Poortvliet played in the 1978 final when Holland lost 3-1 to hosts Argentina in extra-time.
      Jan Paul van Hecke is dreaming of making the Holland squad for the EurosCredit: Getty
      His uncle Jan Poortvliet (left) played for Holland in the 1978 World Cup finalCredit: Rex
      Poortvliet later managed Southampton between 2008 and 2009Credit: Rex
      Poortvliet, Southampton boss between 2008-09, was left in tears when he saw Van Hecke feature in the Brighton side that beat Ajax 2-0 in November’s Europa League clash in Amsterdam.
      Van Hecke, 23, said: “My uncle is enjoying my journey, he played at the highest level. He said he is proud and he watches me every game.
      “When I played against Ajax, winning away made him emotional, he was in tears.”
      Holland boss Ronald Koeman was in the Ajax crowd watching uncapped Van Hecke ahead of this summer’s Euros.
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      Van Hecke has been on a meteoric rise from being loaned to Blackburn in 2020 to his key role in Brighton sealing Europa League football last term.
      Now he is licking his lips at the prospect of a spot at the Euros in Germany to make his uncle proud.
      Competition for places at the Euros will be fierce though, with Van Hecke looking to prove he can hold his own with the likes of Virgil van Dijk, Matthijs de Ligt, Nathan Ake, Micky van de Ven and Sven Botman.
      Van Hecke, capped eight times at Under-21 level, added: “My uncle tells me featuring at a major tournament is one of the best things.
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      “I hope I can prove to Koeman that I should be there.
      “My uncle told me all the stories from the World Cup, he said they were robbed against Argentina!”
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      Newcastle owners ‘targeting £800m takeover of European giants… and immediately set aside £250m for new stadium’

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      NEWCASTLE’S Saudia Arabian owners are targeting an £800million takeover of Roma, according to reports.The Saudi Public Investment Fund [PIF] purchased Newcastle from Mike Ashley in October 2021.
      The Saudis are looking to buy another club after taking over NewcastleCredit: AFP
      And the PIF are now planning to add Serie A giants Roma to their portfolio, according to La Repubblica.
      Talks are underway with Roma’s American owners Dan and Ryan Friedkin, with the PIF understood to be planning a £768m offer.
      The Saudis are also planning to invest a further £258m into the club to build a new stadium in Pietralata.
      Private investor Turki Alalshikh, who is a royal adviser and president of the General Entertainment Authority of Saudi Arabia, could front the takeover bid.
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      However, the Friedkins could prove tough negotiators as they value the club at £1billion and want to remain majority shareholders.
      Roma’s legal chief Eric Williamson, who works closely with the Friedkins, has been spotted in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia.
      He is believed to have discussed a potential takeover with the Saudis, as well as the club’s sponsorship deal with Riyadh Season, a Saudi sports and leisure festival that now features on the front of the Roma kit.
      The PIF is part of the Saudi state and reportedly has resources of up to £1.1trillion.
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      The sovereign wealth fund that holds a majority stake in Newcastle was valued at around £315bn when the takeover was confirmed.
      The PIF purchased the Magpies for around £300m.
      Bruno Guimaraes part of ‘best deal of transfer window’ as fans notice what Newcastle star swapped his shirt for More