T E K A T E - D A T A: 06/05/10

Saturday, June 5, 2010

BRYANT'S FOURTH STRAIGHT 30-POINT GAME IN NBA FINALS

BRYANT'S FOURTH STRAIGHT 30-POINT GAME IN NBA FINALS
Kobe Bryant scored 30 points in the Lakers' Game One victory over the Celtics. It was Bryant's 11th game with 30 or more points in the NBA Finals. The only active player with more 30-point games in the Finals than Kobe is Shaquille O'Neal (16). Bryant is still 20 games behind the all-time leader, Jerry West, who had 31 games of 30-plus points in the Finals. Bryant has scored at least 30 points in four consecutive Finals games dating back to last year. It's the longest such streak in Finals play since Dwyane Wade tallied four straight 30-point games in 2006.

Comment: Why Yoann Gourcuff caved under AC Milan expectations, but could still shine at youthful Arsenal

Bordeaux star could thrive in Premier League...

By Carlo Garganese

2 Jun 2010 12:30:00

When Yoann Gourcuff arrived at Milan, he was considered as one of Europe's most promising young talents. Arsenal were one of a number of top European teams that the Rossoneri beat to his signature. He scored on his Champions League group game debut against AEK Athens and it was clear that this was a very technically gifted player.

However, during his two seasons at Milan it just didn't happen for Gourcuff. He was never a first choice player at any time, never received a starting run in the team, and as time wore on lost more and more confidence and playing time.

Also, Kaka was an important reason why Gourcuff didn't prosper but not the only human factor. The Brazilian played in the same position as Gourcuff - in fact the two possess a quite similar style - and Kaka has never co-existed well with similar players to him. Another example being Ronaldinho. But there were also numerous other creative players ahead of Gourcuff in the pecking order such as Clarence Seedorf and Andrea Pirlo.

There is no doubt that Gourcuff had the talent, but in Italy the mental and tactical side of the game is very important too. Gourcuff came to be regarded as psychologically weak and tactically he would take up the wrong positions on the pitch. Due to a lack of playing time, his rhythm and confidence decreased and it became one big cycle where it was clear Gourcuff needed to leave in order to rediscover himself.

Amongst the stars | But Gourcuff struggled at Milan

Part of the blame falls on Gourcuff as he seemed unwilling to sacrifice himself tactically at times, and when he was given the chance in Coppa Italia matches and lesser games he hardly shone enough to warrant a first team place. The presence of so many established and experienced stars made it very difficult, coupled with the fact that Gourcuff was very young and perhaps wasn't ready for such a big club. It was also clear that coach Carlo Ancelotti never fancied Gourcuff as a player, and Carletto hinted at this numerous times.

At Milan, Gourcuff failed to handle expectations. There is a school of thought in Italy that believes Gourcuff is a bit of a Ricardo Quaresma: that he is brilliant at clubs in smaller leagues - Quaresma was magnificent in Portugal but flopped in Italy and England - but doesn't have the personality to stamp his mark in a top club or league.

At Arsenal, he may find things easier because he will be surrounded by many youngsters and will feel like more of a leader whereas at Milan he was probably a bit starstruck and knew there was a hierarchy he could never break into. I think he will do very well at Arsenal.

Gourcuff's return to Franceby Robin Bairner Goal.com's French expert

When Gourcuff left Rennes, he had already made a name for himself locally, established as one of the Breton club’s favourites because of his individual talents. Clearly he spent much of his time in Milan frustrated, but this may actually have helped his development as he has returned to France a stronger player mentally. Despite a relative lack of first team football, he came back a more complete technical player.

At Bordeaux there has been a great deal of expectancy placed on his shoulders, and for the most part he has coped admirably with it. Les Girondins’ strong run in Europe last season was largely because of Gourcuff’s offensive excellence, and though he tailed off badly towards the end of the campaign - probably more due to injury than anything else - he has returned strongly for France and is poised to be a key man in South Africa.

Playing in the Premier League on a weekly basis is a significant step up, but Gourcuff would seem to possess all the necessary requirements to crack one of the toughest leagues in the world. There does remain a question mark over how quickly he could settle in a foreign country, and also how he would cope given another run on the bench, but technically there should be no worries about the 23-year-old, who has borne incredible expectation in France over the last two seasons.

Ivory Coast striker' Didier Drogba could miss first game of World Cup 2010 after fracturing arm

Superstar's World Cup dream stays alive...

By Matt Monaghan

4 Jun 2010 16:06:00

Ivory Coast star Didier Drogba is set to miss just the opening fixture of the World Cup in South Africa after suffering a fractured elbow of his right arm on Friday, according to L'Equipe.

The Chelsea striker had been expected to be ruled out of the entire tournament. Fresh reports have instead stated after receiving a scan this afternoon he will go under the surgeon's knife and miss just 10 days action

This puts Drogba back in contention to feature against Brazil on June 20 after sitting out the nation's opening Group G clash against Portugal in 11 day's time.

Playing in his side's warm-up game against Japan in Sion, Switzerland, he went down in agony after just 15 minutes of the game had passed, following an awkward challenge from Japan's Brazilian-born defender Tulio Tanaka.

He was swiftly replaced by CSKA Moscow centre forward Seydou Doumbia, and left the pitch in visible pain clutching his arm.

According to earlier reports, even before arriving at the hospital the striker was adamant the injury would cause him to miss the World Cup.

The standard recovery period for such an injury is around six weeks.

As his country's talisman, Drogba return is a massive boost — especially as the Ivory Coast face a difficult World Cup group with Brazil, Portugal and North Korea. He has scored 44 goals in his 69 caps to date for his country.

Speaking to reporters after the match, manager Sven Goran Eriksson expressed his concerns about the situation.

"It is an elbow injury but we don't know how bad it is," Eriksson admitted.

"We are going straight to the hospital and we should get an answer before we leave.

"If it is serious, it is very worrying. He's our captain, one of the best strikers in the world.

"Yes I am worried, of course I am."

Drogba enjoyed a stellar domestic season with Chelsea, leading his side to the double as he also won the Premier League's golden boot. But he struggled with a hernia injury towards the end of the season.

Footage of Didier Drogba's injury can be seen here and highlights of Ivory Coast-Japan can be seen here.

Official: England captain Rio Ferdinand out of World Cup 2010, Tottenham's Michael Dawson flying in as replacement

Skipper injured in training...

By Matt Monaghan

4 Jun 2010 18:02:00

The Football Association have confirmed England captain Rio Ferdinand is out of the World Cup with a knee injury and Tottenham Hotspur's Michael Dawson has been called up as a replacement.

BBC Radio 5 Live reported Ferdinand, 31, broke down after a tackle from Aston Villa's Emile Heskey. Manager Fabio Capello confirmed earlier today that Dawson had been drafted in on stand-by after he was initially cut from the provisional 30-man squad.

Rio grounded | England captain set to miss World Cup finals with knee injury

In an official statement issued, the FA confirmed that Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard will take over from Ferdinand.

It said: "England Captain Rio Ferdinand today suffered a left-knee ligament injury in training.

"Further to a scan arranged by the England medical staff immediately after training on Friday afternoon, Rio has been ruled out for 4-6 weeks and will therefore unfortunately miss the World Cup.

"Tottenham Hotspur's Michael Dawson has been contacted today and will fly to South Africa on Friday evening.

"Steven Gerrard will lead the England team as captain in the tournament."

Capello added on the FA's official website: "It is obviously bad news and everyone with the squad is very disappointed and sorry for Rio.

"It was an accidental injury in training, but had nothing to do with the pitch."

The skipper's Manchester United campaign was blighted by a recurring back problem, though today's blow is not related. He only started 11 Premier League matches last term as the club finished one point behind champions Chelsea.

Ferdinand was handed the armband in February after John Terry was stripped of the role after newspaper revelations. The duo were expected to start in the heart of the defence.

Ledley King or Jamie Carragher are now the favourites to line-up alongside Terry when England kick off their campaign against the United States of America on June 12.