22 METROSPORT Tuesday, October 6, 2009 D JAMIE CARRAGHER believes the international break has come at the right time for Liverpool following back-to-back defeats by Chelsea and Fiorentina. The Reds 2-0 reverse at Stamford Bridge on Sunday was their fourth defeat in all competitions so far this season and long-serving defender Carragher cannot wait to regroup ahead of a return to action on October 17 at Sunderland. Games against Lyon and Manchester United follow in the same week and 31-year-old Carragher said: Its never nice to lose before an international break, particularly a game as big as that, but we have to put it behind us. It would have been good to send the international lads away with a bit of a buzz but it wasnt to be and now its a case of putting it behind us. We know there are certain areas we have to improve. Drogba: Beating big guns is key to winning title Hear me now: Drogba insists Chelsea can regain the title by beating their title rivals Picture: Action Images Carragher warns sloppy Reds Unhappy: Carragher DIDIER DROGBA insists victories over the Premier Leagues elite sides will help bring the title back to Stam- ford Bridge this season. The Ivory Coast forward played a key role in the Blues 2-0 home victory over rivals Liverpool on Sunday, set- ting up goals for strike- partner Nico- las Anelka and late substitute Florent Malouda. It ensured Chelsea moved back to the top of the table with a two-point lead over Manchester United, while con- demning Liverpool to their third league defeat of the campaign. Last season, the Blues picked up just four points from a possible 18 against United, Liverpool and Arsenal, and were beaten at home by the latter two sides. But after passing their biggest test so far this term, Drogba says Chel- sea can now regain their crown. We have learned that a big part of our losing the title last year was our results against the big teams, Drogba said. We drew at home against Manches- ter United, and we lost here against Liverpool and Arsenal, so we wanted to change that trend this season. Its only the first game against a top- four team but it was important to win it to show we really want to be champi- ons. We will be there. If the other teams want to win the title this season, they will have to fight us hard. Meanwhile, England midfielder Frank Lampard insists he is uncon- cerned by his goal drought for Carlo Ancelottis side. The 31-year-old has consistently contributed 20 goals a season from midfield but his last was from the pen- alty spot in the 3-1 victory at Sunder- land on August 18. Lampard said: The only slight dif- ference for me this season is that Ive maybe found myself further forward earlier on in games. I dont think the amount of chances I have been getting has changed par- ticularly, they just havent gone in for me so far. But there are always patches like that and you just have to get through it. But I know there will be games later in the season where Ill get an opportu- nity and it will go in. By mark CUrtis SOCCER premier leagUegOlf dunhill linkS ChampiOnShip Dyson cleans up at Dunhill greatest day: Dyson played the round of my life SIMON DYSON yesterday leapt into the big time on the European Tour as he produced the round of his life at the home of golf. The 31-year-old Englishman holed six birdies in his opening seven holes and went on to finish on 20-under par to claim a stunning win at the Dunhill Links Championship at St Andrews. Having just two wins in Holland and a victory in Indonesia since turning pro a decade ago, Dyson collected the 540,000 first prize as his superb closing 66 saw him win by three strokes from Rory McIlroy and Oliver Wilson. The victory puts Dyson top of Europes Ryder Cup points table, and into the worlds top 50 for the first time after what he claimed was the best round of his career. Theres no way this cant be it, he said. This is like our fifth major, a massive tournament at the home of golf, and Ive shot a 66 to win it. Im absolutely buzzing. Darren Clarke has just said to me, Take your time and enjoy it it does not get any better than winning at St Andrews. McIlroy had dearly wanted to win while playing alongside his father on his 50th birthday in the celebrity pro-am but he managed only a 69. That was still enough to take the 20-year-old above injured pair Martin Kaymer and Paul Casey into top spot on the Race to Dubai standings. McIlroy ruined his victory chances by bogeying the 12th, 16th and 17th. But his birdie on the last was huge for the money list battle. Its great to be on top but I know I should have done better, McIlroy told reporters. Id set myself a 20-under target but I didnt play well enough on the back nine to catch Simon, who played great. Ill be trying again in Portugal next week. Padraig out of order THOMAS Bjorn, chairman of the European Tour players committee, has launched a scathing attack on Padraig Harrington for his reaction to a possible tightening up of membership rules. After hearing players may have to play more European events next season, three- time major winner Harrington (pictured) said: I dont believe in protectionism, I wonder if there may be a case for the European Union. The issue will be discussed at committee level next week, but Bjorn said: I dont know where Padraig is coming from, and he always uses the press. He never comes to people on the committee. He seems to think that he is above it. We have discussions, he gets word of it and then he uses the press to slam the Tour. Pretty much everything we do is to protect our leading players, but as chairman I have to look at every member as an equal. I find it disappointing he does not come to me and talk. I dont want to have a war of words with him, Bjorn added. But Padraig would need to play only one more event here if this proposal goes through. Thats not asking a lot, and for him to threaten going to the EU is out of order. race to dubai (GB and Ire unless stated) 1. R McIlroy 2,008,567, 2. M Kaymer (Ger) 1,982,055, 3. P Casey 1,965,150, 4. L Westwood 1,741,940, 5. G Ogilvy (Aus) 1,606,805, 6. R Fisher 1,524,347, 7. O Wilson 1,499,505, 8. S Dyson 1,387,517, 9. A Cabrera (Arg) 1,385,499, 10. S Kjeldsen (Den) 1,240,053 index.html2.html3.html4.html5.html6.html7.html8.html9.html10.html11.html12.html13.html14.html15.html16.html17.html18.html19.html20.html21.html22.html23.html