Pirate Galaxy » ly lesser competition. Of the teams last nine m

Gareth Bale is set to make his first La Liga start since January when Real Madrid visit Las Palmas on Sunday, live on Sky Sports 1 HD from 7.15pm. The Welshman continued his comeback with 60 minutes against Roma in the Champions League in midweek but will make his first league start since coming off at half-time of his sides 5-1 win over Sporting Gijon on January 17.Real, who have no injury concerns, travel to Las Palmas in search of a fourth straight win. When a draw at Malaga was followed by a home defeat to Atletico Madrid in late February, the issues were mounting up for manager Zinedine Zidane as Cristiano Ronaldo publicly criticised his team-mates, while fans and the media questioned the commitment of several players.But Madrid have responded with wins over Levante, Celta Vigo and Roma, scoring 12 goals in three outings, to change the atmosphere completely and Zidane insists his sides trouble are over. Real Madrids Zinedine Zidane and Sergio Ramos speak following their Champions League victory over Roma After three wins, everything is better, in practice, in the dressing room, Zidane said.But we have to keep working because the games are coming and are increasingly difficult.With a 12-point deficit to Barcelona, Madrids title hopes appear to be over, but Zidane has insisted his team will not let up. Bale played 60 minutes in midweek against Roma in the Champions League We are in a good period, but that does not mean anything, he said. We have to go well in all our games, prepare well and be ready to compete.Madrid will head to Gran Canaria to face a Las Palmas side four points above the drop zone and still very much in a scrap to survive despite three wins on the bounce. Zinedine Zidane insists his sides trouble are behind them after three straight wins Although every point is precious, coach Quique Setien admitted this is not the sort of match he is counting on to help them.It is very possible we will see something similar to the Barcelona match, he said, referring to Las Palmas 2-1 home loss last month.When Real Madrid have the ball you must submit, but this game is not just about keeping going, but also making good decisions.The team is in good shape with a lot of stability. The mood is good, the sensations are good, and I dont think this will change with a loss. Las Palmas coach Quique Setien (l) thinks his side will continue to perform well whatever the result against Real Madrid The match will have special significance for Las Palmas on-loan Brazilian forward Willian Jose, who spent six months with Real Madrids B club Castilla, making one La Liga appearance when called up to the first team in 2014, before moving on to Real Zaragoza.Its a special game for me, he said. The experience I had at Real Madrid was very good, although I could not stay much longer because Castilla were relegated.We know that winning at Madrid is not easy, but now we are a team with great confidence. Roger Craig Womens Jersey . With their coach gone, they finally played offence the way he would have wanted. Amare Stoudemire made all seven shots in the first half, Anthony passed and shot well, and the Knicks shook off the surprising departure of their coach to rout the Portland Trail Blazers 121-79 on Wednesday night, snapping a six-game losing streak. Dante Pettis Jersey . Poti played in 824 regular NHL games with four teams in his career; the Edmonton Oilers, New York Rangers, New York Islanders and the Washington Capitals. http://www.thesf49ersshoponline.com/Yout...l-49ers-jersey/. Both moves were announced Tuesday. The Titans had waived Matthews on Saturday when they promoted wide receiver Michael Preston from the practice squad. Custom San Francisco 49ers Jerseys . -- The Chicago Bears agreed Tuesday to a one-year contract with defensive lineman Israel Idonije and are bringing him back for a second stint. Steve Young 49ers Jersey . Nikolaos Kounenakis has been hired as an assistant coach, the team announced on Monday.The new Barclays Premier League season gets underway on Saturday and prior to the first kick, TSN.ca presents a week long look at some of the teams and stories that will shape the up coming campaign. Our first stop is Stamford Bridge where after a third place finish in 2013/14, Jose Mourinho and Chelsea are locked and reloaded for another shot at the title. Manager: Jose Mourinho Last Season: 25-7-6 (third in Premier League) Notable Additions: Diego Costa (Atletico Madrid), Didier Drogba (Galatasaray), Cesc Fabregas (Barcelona), Filipe Luis (Atletico Madrid), Mario Pasalic (Hajduk Split). Notable Subtractions: Demba Ba (Besitkas), Ashley Cole (Roma), Samuel Etoo (released), Frank Lampard (New York FC), David Luiz (Paris St-Germain) That was Then: The story of 2013-14 for Chelsea was told not in what they did, but rather what they were unable to do. The Blues were strong against the best teams in the Premiership, losing just once to the top seven opposing clubs all season long and even earning impressive road victories against the two teams that would finish ahead of them in the standings: Liverpool and Manchester City. They even went into the final two weeks of fixtures with a mathematical shot at the title. What went wrong was the teams inability to earn wins over decidedly lesser competition. Of the teams last nine matches, four were against teams that spent considerable time in the relegation zone. Of those matches, they were only able to earn a victory over last-place Cardiff City, and that in the final week of the season. Losses to Sunderland and Crystal Palace and a draw to Norwich City left them with just four points from four matches and – along with a loss to Aston Villa – sunk their chances of making up ground, despite Liverpool letting them back in the race with an embarrassing draw of their own. The positives for the Blues included staying atop the table for nearly two months, a 6-0 thrashing of Arsenal at Stamford Bridge, where they would lose just once all year. As far as Europe goes, Chelsea looked good to advance to a second Champions League Final in three years, taking a 0-0 scoreline back to the Bridge against Atletico Madrid in the semifinal. Disaster would strike there, as well, with the Blues watching three goals bulge their net in the return leg, despite Fernando Torres giving them an early advantage. But a close strike from Adrian equalized and the match was put away when Samuel Etoo fouled Diego Costa, setting up the penalty that would truly put the match away. The team was further hampered by a shoulder injury to keeper Petr Cech in the first leg of the semi, forcing them to rely on Australian back-up Mark Schwarzer. This is Now: So much has changed at the Bridge. One of the greatest players in the clubs history - some might argue the greeatest – has moved on.dddddddddddd Frank Lampard has taken his club record 211 goals and packed up for a move to the MLS in 2015 with the brand-spanking-new New York FC. Following the paths of David Beckham, Thierry Henry and Jermain Defoe before him, Lampard is looking for a fresh start in North America and to lend his celebrity to building the credibility of the league. However, as one all-time great exits another is set to return. (Photo: The Canadian Press) After two years in relative exile with Shenhua Shanghai and Galatasaray, Didier Drogba will once again be donning the Chelsea blue. This move will doubtlessly appeal to the sentiment of the fan base, but the man they are welcoming back is not the same that triumphantly left the club after leading them to a first-ever Champions League title in 2012. Now 36, Drogba put up 15 goals with his Turkish club last season and was a talisman for the Ivorians at the World Cup, seemingly altering the outcomes of games by stepping on the pitch. However, he is no longer a realistic option to be relied upon for 90 minutes. He may provide the leadership that will be left vacant, but expectations should be tempered. The other huge off-season addition is the man that played such a huge role in their Champions League tragedy: Diego Costa. The 25-year-old had a disappointing end to his last campaign, leaving just eight minutes into the Champions Final with a hamstring injury. His year would get worse with Spains early exit from the World Cup, after winning just once in the group stage. (Photo: The Canadian Press) Still, the former Atletico man scored 27 goals last season. That was good enough for third in La Ligas scoring table and just one behind Lionel Messi. When you add that to the man who finished third in La Liga assists – his countryman Cesc Fabregas – the Chelsea attack could be outright fearsome this season. The two should add a proven punch to the young and exciting offence that already boasts the likes of Oscar (22), Eden Hazard (23) and Andre Schuerrle (23) in midfield. How Oscar – along with the likes of Willian and Ramires – bounce back from this summers disappointment in Brazil will be another sideline story to watch. Gone, though, from that group is imposing defender David Luiz. He bolted for Paris Saint-Germain for an incredible 50 million quid. Theres been a lot of change in the group, so it will be interesting to see what Mourinho does with them and whether hes able to avoid the harmful, preventable losses that derailed 2013-14 season. Can "The Special One" be "The Creative One" and get this group firing early and often? Burning Question: With Lampard and Ashley Cole gone and John Terry aging, who steps in to be the future of English football at Stamford Bridge? ' ' '