Football: BARCLAYCARD PREMIERSHIP PREVIEWS.CHELSEA v A VILLA TODAY 3PM CHELSEA coach Claudio Ranieri Claudio Ranieri was born on October 20, 1951 in Rome and is a former Italian football player and manager, current manager of Juventus. Playing career Ranieri first signed as a professional football player with AS Roma, though in his two seasons with the club he only made last night sparked a scramble for places by vowing price tags and reputations count for nothing. The Blues boss must tell 19 players they will miss out on his first XI against Aston Villa. Striker Adrian Mutu Adrian Mutu (born January 8 1979 in Călineşti, Argeş County) is a Romanian striker and vice-captain of the Romanian national team, he is currently at Fiorentina. Mutu is considered by many to be the most talented Romanian player of his generation. ,a pounds 15.8m signing,midfielder Juan Sebastian Veron (pounds 15m)and captain Marcel Desailly Marcel Desailly (born September 7, 1968 in Accra, Ghana as Odenke Abbey) is a former French football player and a former star of the French national football team, with whom he won the 1998 FIFA World Cup and Euro 2000. are all back from ankle niggles -but Ranieri insists the only qualities which will win them starting roles against David O'Leary's men are passion and commitment to the cause. The Villa chief will be without Olof Mellberg and Ronny Johnsen but Alpay has recovered from flu and is expected to replace Dion Dublin in the team and partner Mark Delaney. BIRM'HAM v PORTSM'TH TODAY 3PM BIRMINGHAM manager Steve Bruce is hoping his players have recovered from their Carling car·ling n. One of the short timbers running fore and aft that connect the transverse beams supporting the deck of a ship. [Middle English, from Old French calingue and from Old Norse Cup ``embarrassment.'' The Blues suffered the biggest upset of the second round when they crashed 1-0 to Second Division Blackpool. The Birmingham chief said: ``We've got to live with the embarrassment of it. The next game couldn't come quickly enough to put things right. Stan Lazaridis is expected to be fit for Birmingham, while England under-21 star Matthew Taylor, is set to make his Premiership bow for Pompey after six months out injured. SOUTH'TON v M'BORO TODAY 3PM SOUTHAMPTON manager Gordon Strachan has warned Middlesbrough striker Kevin Phillips is back to the best form of his career. Strachan said: ``Kevin has taken our ability up a level. We now have two good strikers who are ready to play against any defence.'' |
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