Pirate Galaxy » ut and winning a lot of football games." Wilson n

A manager is often only as good as his players. A Liverpool team played to great acclaim a season ago. Luis Suarez was a top-three player in the world, alongside an in-form Daniel Sturridge (who managed to stay healthy), and an up-and-coming prodigy Raheem Sterling that made for the most daunting attack in all of Great Britain. It was enough for Champions League qualification. It was enough for Brendan Rodgers to win Manager of the Year. It wasnt quite enough for a long-waited Premier League title. But it was a start of something. What that something turns out to be remains to be seen. The expectation was Liverpool was a team on the rise. Shortcomings were ignored. Perhaps passionate Liverpool support forgot how hard it was to balance a domestic and Champions League campaign. Perhaps it was overlooked by all just how difficult it is to maintain top form and place, year after year, in the most balanced and competitive football league in the world. Perhaps it was understated how important Suarez was to the overall team success. And perhaps we all conveniently ignored the evident weakness of Steven Gerrard as an everyday player as Father Time continues to slow the inspiration captain. Liverpool does not have a win in the month of November, not even a draw. The Anfield club sits 12th in the table on 14 points through 12 matches. The form has been erratic and the play all over the place. They hardly look the impressive outfit of a season ago. The system is off and the players largely look clueless. To say these are trying times for Rodgers is to put it mildly. As Rodgers tries to sort out his squad, find a proper formation to please this unit, and find a way to rid the damning mistakes that keep plaguing this group, calls for his job have crept into the conversation. Manager-facing-the-sack is a side-storyline that all too often grabs ahold of the main narrative and becomes all encompassing in the everyday life at a club. Every match becomes a must-win for the manager. Collars are tightened. Every decision and performance is run through with a fine-toothed comb. Its hardly fair on Rodgers. From the penthouse to the doghouse in four months hardly makes sense. Exceptional performance brings heightened expectations. Sturridge and Suarez combined for 52 goals last season. SAS were the main catalysts for success. Yet soccer types like yours truly praised superior team movement on and off the ball, tactical flexibility and formational depth set by the manager, and emerging young talent as reason for belief superior results would continue. While those assessments arent entirely off base, they are trumped by flash points; the big moments that inevitably decide a match. Finishing. Defensive intervention. Big saves. Central midfield dominance. And referee decisions. These count. These matter. These defining moments have ended poorly for Liverpool this season. SAS would simply outscore Liverpools mistakes. Teams would be forced to play differently against Liverpool, fully understanding taking risk wasnt in the cards or they would be punished by the strike duo. Liverpool would take advantage of superior possession numbers as teams sat back to guard against SAS. That simply isnt the case anymore. Rickie Lamberts goal was the first by a striker not named Sturridge this season. And Sturridge only scored once before falling into his old ways as an injury-plagued, maddeningly frustrating enigma. Rodgers isnt managing any differently. But the way we look at him has changed. If anything, Rodgers can be blamed for spending big money on the wrong players to replace Suarez. Liverpool spent ￡113 million this summer in attempt to fill the hole left by Suarez and strengthen the squad. His signings have left much to be desired. Three Southampton players, young and unproven, and a wild card in Mario Balotelli should never have been deemed good enough for Liverpool to take the next step. Quality was replaced with quantity. Failing to find value in the market for a team with financial pressures without a new, modern stadium is a massive issue. And Rodgers eye for talent in the market should be questioned as the list of bad signings continues to grow. If you spend more than ￡100million, you expect to be challenging for the league. Rodgers flippant remark last season about Tottenhams struggles a season ago may come back to haunt him. Spurs had all kinds of problems replacing Gareth Bale. Spending, according to Rodgers, should have been enough. Now he finds himself in a similar predicament. Andre Villas-Boas lost his job at Spurs for failure to launch. Its incredible to think Rodgers may be facing the same. That comment may turn out to be a self-fulfilling prophecy. Rodgers shouldnt be fired. But with sky-high expectations and a lack of patience in modern day football, Rodgers has set himself up for the worst. Bad signings, controversial decision-making and poor form does nothing for job security. United in the Top Four It should have been predictable no matter who van Gaal sent out for an injury-depleted Manchester United, they would fare well against fragile Arsenal. A 2-1 win at the Emirates had more to do with Arsenals failures than anything United showed during the cagey victory. Recent years havent been kind on the Arsenal-United rivalry. Its been entirely one-sided, with United posting an impressive 11-2-3 record in all competitions since the beginning of the 2008-09 season. Arsenals inability to push back is a massive concern in North London, as is Arsenals porous record against top teams in recent seasons. The vintage performances of a decade ago between these two teams are no more. The competitive, no-love-lost engagement is seldom evident. Even worse, the quality of play has dramatically declined. Arsenal and United both have top players. Its undeniable. But the standard of play has dropped as team form has dipped. The sheer inability to finish and lack of quality in the final third continues to plague Arsenal. The Gunners should have been up at least two through the first 15 minutes if Jack Wilshere and Danny Welbeck had any kind of nose for goal. Likewise, poor defending also remains an Achilles heel. The forced reliance to play the average Nacho Monreal and centre-back speaks to the lack of reinforcements at Arsene Wengers disposal. There are clear and present holes across the park, notable in the defensive midfield position where average players are expected to perform extraordinarily. Its naive of Wenger to think his squad is anywhere near complete. Instead, decent ball movement with little cutting edge is what goes for good football at Arsenal these days. Its an absolute drop in the acceptable standard at the club. United is not free of criticism, despite victory. The current injury crisis demands players to play out of position or beyond their experience/level. Forty injuries and 31 different players contributing speaks volumes about the overall team approach. Its fair to question however how many in this United squad are of genuine United quality? A club like Manchester United is used to the best and can afford top talent others cannot dream of. Yet many who are playing significant roles fit the bill as good, not great players. It all starts in the midfield, where balance has not been achieved and remains a position that has lacked a true top player for years on end. United are left with the likes Marouane Fellaini, who as a good friend explains plays the role of disruptive midfielder - he disrupts the play of all 21 other players when on the field. The overall quality of the match between two Premier League giants was poor. It was scrappy, mistake-ridden, and hardly eye-pleasing for the casual. Top football is expected and demanded from teams like these. Its an overall poor reflection of the Premier League when the so-called best play such substandard football. Through it all, somehow, some way, United sits in fourth in the table. United incredibly ended the game with three 19-year-olds on the field, and it would have been four if Luke Shaw had not gone off injured. The team is far from a finished product and there remains imbalance across the park. Yet, the players, young and old, continue to show remarkable composure. Amidst mistakes, there is confidence in the process. Its an intangible you cannot quantify. Although these are trying times at a moment of change, the stature of the club has not changed. The approach bodes well for the future of this group. The quality of play is what need come next. Wenger Out? The Wenger Out campaign again gains in number and volume. Arsenal is not a title contender, rendered again to the battle for the top four. What else is new? Thats the crux of it all, and Wenger mindlessly continues to play into the madness of the masses. He is his own worst enemy, teasing fans with moronic comments like Arsenal could have had Lionel Messi, while the likes of Welbeck, Arteta, and Flamini are being rolled out as key players week after week. Its comical stuff from the manager and a club that refuses to spend to their capacity. Criticism from shareholder Alisher Usmanov hits home. The billionaire is not wrong; Arsenal need better players across the pitch. Yet Wenger remains defiant, loyal to his model that perennially fails to reach the summit of the Premier League. This is the worst start to the season for Arsenal since 82-83. But all is not lost. Yet. They are ahead of Everton, Liverpool and Spurs in the standings and only two points behind Manchester United. They are on pace to advance from the group stage in the Champions League and Arsenal is coming off an FA Cup victory. The argument of new vision and leadership at Arsenal is well taken. Wengers due date may have come and gone. Eighteen years at one club will do that. New ideas are welcome, and frankly needed at the Emirates. But now, in the middle of the season, is no time to make such a move. Wenger cannot and should not be sacked. The three-time Premier League winner deserves to go out on amicable terms. He has earned the trust of the club and its fans to see out this season. He is the best man for it. Any change should happen in the off-season. It would be apropos for Wenger to go out after another top four finish. @WheelerTSN gareth.wheeler@bellmedia.ca Justin Upton Jersey . After a first half in which he thought "the lid was on the basket," the Toronto Raptors coach watched his squad mount a second half surge to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers 98-91. Andrelton Simmons Angels Jersey . Stevenson scored the first three goals of the game in the first period for Regina (35-22-6), which has won eight of its last 10 games. Patrick DAmico added two for the Pats, Braden Christoffer had a single and Morgan Klimchuk chipped in a goal and four assists. http://www.baseballangelslockroom.com/customized/. -- Nick Bjugstad snapped out of his scoring slump and spoiled Drew MacIntyres first NHL start. Reggie Jackson Angels Jersey . Lowry and the Raptors officially announced a four-year US$48 million dollar deal Thursday. The deal was reported last week but couldnt be made official until Thursday, when the moratorium on signings was lifted. "They were real factors. I did my homework. Trevor Cahill Jersey . -- Tiago Splitter tipped in a rebound with 2.BUFFALO, N.Y. -- During his 95 years, Buffalo Bills owner Ralph Wilson went from fan to "Foolish Club" member to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, enjoying every step along the way. The NFL lost the person regarded as the leagues "conscience" on Tuesday, when Wilson died at his home around 1:40 p.m. Bills president Russ Brandon announced Wilsons death at the NFL owners meetings in Orlando, Fla. His death resonated among the owners -- from old to new. Wilson played an integral role in establishing the modern game, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2009. In 1959, Wilson founded the Bills in helping establish the upstart American Football League, whose owners were dubbed "The Foolish Club" for having the chutzpah to challenge the NFL. Some five years later, Wilson played an influential role in the framework for the merger of the leagues. "Ralph Wilson was a driving force in developing pro football into Americas most popular sport," NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said. "Ralph always brought a principled and common-sense approach to issues." Patriots owner Robert Kraft released a statement saying how grateful he was for how Wilson welcomed him to the NFL, adding: "I will miss him." So will Bills Hall of Fame coach Marv Levy, whom Wilson lured out of retirement to serve as the teams general manager from 2005-06. "He wasnt my boss, he was my friend," Levy said. "Deeply saddened to hear about his passing. He meant so much to the game that both of us revered, and to the community of Buffalo and beyond. Its quite a loss, and hes going to be remembered so fondly by everyone who knew him." The last surviving member of the original AFL owners, Wilson died at his home in Grosse Pointe Shores, Mich., said Mary Mazur, a spokeswoman for the Wayne County medical examiners office. He had been receiving home hospice care. Wilson had been in failing health since having hip surgery in 2011. Though he spent much of his time at his home in suburban Detroit, he attended Hall of Fame induction weekends. He was a regular at Bills home games since founding the franchise, but had not been there since going to one game in 2010. Wilson gave up daily oversight of the club on Jan. 1, 2013, when he relinquished the presidents title to Brandon. "No one loves this game more than Ralph Wilson," Brandon said. "Its very tough. What hes meant to the entire organization. Hes our leader, our mentor our friend. How he loves his players and loved our community. Special guy. They just dont make them like Ralph Wilson." Wilson earned a well-established reputation for loyalty to fans and the stands he took against franchise relocation. Though he butted heads several times with late Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis, it did not affect their friendship. As Davis said in 2009: "There were a lot of guys saying (Steelers owner Dan) Rooney was the conscience. But certainly, Mr. Wilson was more of a conscience of the league." Wilson also earned the respect of his players. Bills Hall of Fame running back Thurman Thomas struggled with his emotions when discussing Wilson. "With Mr. Wilsons passing today, it hurts," Thomas said. "So Im going to miss him, without a doubt. He used to call me his favourite son." Wilsons Bills have never won a Super Bowl. They came close in the early 1990s, when the Levy-coached and Jim Kelly-quarterbacked teams won four consecutive AFC championships, but lost each time. The Bills have not made the playoffs since 1999 and their 14-year post-season drought ranks as the NFLs longest active streak. Running back Fred Jackson said Wilsons death provides the team new focus to end that drought. "We want to continue to cement his legacy," Jackson said. "We want to honour him, and a great way to honour him is going out and winning a lot of football games." Wilson never lost his sense of humour. In 2010, with the Bills 0-5, Wilson began an interview with The Associated Press with an apology. "I want to apologize for this phone system," Wilsoon said, with a familiar chuckle.dddddddddddd "Its almost as bad as my team." The future of the team is now in the hands of Brandon and Wilsons second-in-command, Bills treasurer Jeffrey Littmann. For the meantime, the Bills are expected to be placed in a trust before eventually being sold. Wilson expressed no interest of leaving the team to his family. He is survived by wife Mary, daughters Christy Wilson-Hofmann, who serves as a Bills consultant, and Edith Wilson. Theres also niece Mary Owen, who serves on several NFL committees while working as the teams executive vice-president of strategic planning. Kelly has expressed interest in buying the franchise and has previously said hes assembled a group of investors. Kellys health, however, has become an issue this week. He is expected to have surgery for a second time in a year following the recurrence of cancer that his wife described as aggressive and "starting to spread." Buffalo Sabres owner Terry Pegula is also considered a candidate to purchase the Bills and keep them in Buffalo. That doesnt remove the possibility of outside interests making offers and relocating the team to larger markets such as Los Angeles or nearby Toronto. The Bills future in Orchard Park is secure for the short term. The team negotiated a 10-year lease in December 2012 with the state and county to continue playing at Ralph Wilson Stadium. The agreement includes a provision that essentially locks in the Bills through the first seven seasons. The franchise would have to pay US$400 million if it decides to leave before 2019. The team then has an option of buying out the remaining three years of the lease for $28 million. Under Wilson, the Bills produced 10 Hall of Famers, including himself and Smith. The others were Kelly, Levy, Thomas, O.J. Simpson, offensive linemen Billy Shaw and Joe DeLamielleure, receiver James Lofton and receiver Andre Reed, who will be inducted this year. Born in Columbus, Ohio, in 1918, Wilson moved to Detroit three years later when his father, Ralph Wilson Sr., took a sales job at an auto dealership. The father turned to insurance and in the mid-1930s landed a deal with Chrysler Corp. Among Wilsons first moves upon taking over his fathers insurance business in 1959 was selling his minor share in the Lions and joining up with Lamar Hunt and Bud Adams to help found the AFL. In 1964, Wilson travelled to the Winter Games at Innsbruck, Austria -- where he slept on the floor of a reporters room because all the hotels were booked -- to help broker the AFLs landmark TV deal with NBC. Wilson still carried influence with Goodell, who leaned on the Bills owner for advice, and among current NFL owners. Shahid Khan reached out to Wilson for advice before completing his purchase of the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2012. "Given his legacy as a builder and visionary, I imagine Ralph was able to relate to my dream to one day join him as a team owner," Khan said. "Ill never forget his kindness and will always treasure the letter he wrote welcoming my family to the NFL." Wilson wore the "Foolish Club" badge with honour. "What a damn fool I was," he told the AP in 2009. "But I didnt care. I just wanted to own a team." In 1998, Wilson received the "Order of the Leather Helmet" from the NFL Alumni Association for his contributions to professional football. Wilson always maintained a healthy perspective in regards to what mattered when it came to football, including his place in the game. When asked about the fragmented state of football in the mid-1990s, Wilson joked: "Its such a great game, itll survive us." Funeral arrangements have not yet been determined. AP Pro Football Writer Barry Wilner in Orlando, Fla., Associated Press writers Mike Householder in Detroit and Carolyn Thompson in Buffalo, AP Sports Writers Mark Long in Jacksonville, Fla., Paul Newberry in Atlanta, Larry Lage in Detroit, Dave Skretta in Kansas City, Tom Withers in Cleveland, Teresa Walker in Nashville and AP freelance writer Mark Ludwiczak contributed to this report. ' ' '