Weekend Preview

A rather uneven list of fixtures(matches) this weekend, with a number of top sides playing those at the bottom. Man U and Arsenal are playing newly promoted teams, leaders Liverpool playing bottom Tottenham, and Villa playing Newcastle. I think we could see some big scorelines, as the men will be separated from the boys.

Saturday

Fulham at Everton- Last season this would have been a no doubter, but Everton has yet to win at home this season. Fulham don't have a road win yet, and I doubt this will be when they get their first. Everton should have their shooting boots(cleat) ready, and a thrashing could jumpstart their season. Everton 4-1

Hull at Man U- Hull got a lesson from Chelsea on Wednesday, and they should get another from Man U on Saturday. If Ronaldo grabbed two goals against West Ham, he could get a half dozen against Hull. A win would also see the red devils jump Hull into the standings. Man U 5-0

West Ham at Middlesbrough- Two inconsistent teams, that look safe one week and relegation fodder the next. Boro are strong at home, and with the Hammers are missing Ashton, Cole and Noble, they may not have the offense necessary to get a result. The players to watch are Alves and Bellamy, and the topscorer of those two should lead his team to a result. Boro 3-2

Wigan at Portsmouth- Portsmouth have played two close games since Harry left, and this could be another close one. They seem to have trouble scoring goals, and the Crouch-Defoe combo seems to miss Redknapp. Brucie's team has impressed, but a lack of results sees them in the relegation zone. The fortress that is Fratton Park should hold up. Portsmouth 2-1

Arsenal at Stoke- Finesse versus strength, all of Stoke's wins this season have been at home. Arsenal usually respond after a disappointing performance, and Wednesday's draw was definitely a disappointment. If Stoke can keep a tight back line, play direct football and use their throw-ins and set pieces to good effect they might be able to get a result(doubt it). Arsenal 6-1

Sunderland at Chelsea- Chelsea currently have a one game losing streak at home, but this game should start a new streak. Cisse has been a handful, and Chelsea's back line looks a step slower with Carvalho out. Chelsea is really battling injuries and fatigue, which should be a harder opponent than Sunderland. Chelsea 3-1

Blackburn at WBA- Two teams that have slid down the table recently, the Baggies need home victories if they want to stay up. Roque Santa Cruz is out for a few weeks, and will need McCarthy, Villanueva, Derbyshire and Roberts to produce. If West Brom loses this one, questions will be asked of Mowbray and his tactics. Tie 1-1

Liverpool at Tottenham- Liverpool did not look very convincing against Portsmouth, and have to travel to a resurgent Tottenham. Liverpool don't have the deepest squad, and with a midweek match against Atletico Madrid, it will be interesting to see Rafa's squad. Tottenham have a shot, but Liverpool have the luck. Liverpool 2-1

Sunday

Man City at Bolton- Important game for both teams, Bolton needs points to get out of the drop zone and City need to bounce back from their loss to Boro. Bolton seem toothless, will try to use their size, and need the Davies/Nolan combo to find the net. If Robinho shows up this game could get ugly fast, and Gary Megson's time looks to be running out. City 3-1

One Liners

• Fergie says he waited by the phone for apology from ref Alan Wiley, doesn't understand what a mobile is
• Sherwood joins Redknapp at Tottenham, in charge of praising Redknapp after the game
• Ballack apologizes to Low, says that he doesn't dress like a German architect
• Bentley says game at Emirates best night of his life, girl he lost his virginity to fumes
• Hughes dismisses salary cap, that's a bit like Gates dismissing taxes

Fireworks in North London

The North London derby did not disappoint, as Arsenal tied Tottenham 4-4. David Bentley opened up the game with what could only be called a wunderstrike(friggin amazing), but that was the last time Tottenham would be in the lead. Silvestre, Gallas and Adebayor all answered, before Bent made an instant impact coming off the bench. Van Persie quickly restored the 2 goal lead, but Jenas and Lennon found the back of the net in the 89th and 90th minute to grab a point. Redknapp did a great job of claiming credit, while Wenger did his usual "we outplayed them, but only got a draw" speech. I think Arsenal has to start worrying about Aston Villa.

Stoke defeated Sunderland 1-0, as the Jamaican sensation Ricardo Fuller grabbed the game's only goal. It's a big win for Stoke and lifts them out of the drop zone(for now). If they can grab points at home against bottom of the table sides, and snatch a few away victories they might survive. Aston Villa defeated Blackburn 3-2, as Blackburn found a way to score with out the Roque on the field. Luke Young's first goal for Villa opened up the scoring, with Barry and Agbonlahor providing the necessary follow up goals. Villa is now tied on 20 points with Arsenal and Hull. Fulham defeated Wigan 2-0 in a huge win for the West London club. Fulham got two goals from AJ(Andy Johnson), and the loss puts Wigan in the drop zone. Wigan have lived a charmed life in the Prem, but the spelling might be wearing off.

The roustabout tries(not really) to be objective, so he won't tell you how much he enjoyed Chelsea's 3-0 defeat of Hull(a lot). Lampard started the scoring early with a chip/pass that found the top corner. Cousin hit the post, and Geovanni was a handful, but Chelsea dominated pretty well. Joe Cole came off early after feeling some pain in his ankle, and Carvalho might be back on the bench after injuring his thigh. Less impressive was Manchester United's 2-0 defeat of West Ham. Dimitar Berbatov showed a £30.9 million bit of class when he did a spin move on the touch line and fed Ronaldo an easy goal. It's scary when a team can sit their hottest player, Rooney, on the bench. Everton defeated Botlon 1-0, as Fellaini proved how valuable his head is. While he may have started as a defensive midfielder, with each game he seems to make his way further up the man and serve as an excellent target man. Everton need to improve, because Bolton seem to be on their way to the Championship. I wonder if Sam Allardyce would fancy his old job?

Middlesbrough defeated Man City 2-0, as City continued their uneven play. Alves found the back of the net from the penalty spot, with O'Neill finding the net in injury time, as the Boro keeper Ross Turnbull earned his paycheck with a number of saves. Liverpool defeated Portsmouth 1-0, with Steven Gerrard converting the penalty from Papa Bouba Diop's handball in the box. Pompey were content to sit back, and it nearly earned them the point.

One Liners

• Beckham to join AC Milan on loan on January 7th, is sick of all the warm weather in LA
• Calderon says Ferguson is getting old, cites Rudolph the red nosed reindeer nose
• Ferguson holds talks with Tevez, first has to figure out who actually owns him
• Man U confident of new shirt deal, Lehman Brothers is interested
• Tottenham plan new stadium, will have one more seat than Arsenal's

Wednesday Preview

It's a jam packed Wednesday night in the Prem, with nine games being played. The most important will be the North London Derby, as Harry Redknapp gets his first taste of an Arsenal-Tottenham clash(do you know how long it took me to find an Arsenal-Tottenham picture where none of the players had been transferred out? Too long.)

Tottenham at Arsenal- Before this weekend I don't think this would have been much of a match, but with Handsome Harry in charge and a win under their belts(although it was against Bolton), Tottenham have a bit of momentum. It will be interesting to see who Harry chooses in his starting XI, whether he puts some more bodies in the midfield or brings the game to the Gunners early. Wenger's side will need an early goal, because the longer this game remains scoreless the better chance Tottenham might pip one. Arsenal 3-1

Sunderland at Stoke- With Newcastle's victory yesterday, Stoke now sit 19th in the Prem. They need to grab points at home if they want to stay up(they won't). Sunderland have actually performed better away from home, and with Cisse and Richardson in fine form, the Jamaican beer game(battle of the red stripes) could go their way. Sunderland 1-0

Blackburn at Aston Villa- Roque Santa Cruz is fit, while Gareth Barry might not be. Steve Sidwell showed that he's ready to deputize with a goal over the weekend, and a win should put Villa in the top four. Villa 2-1

Wigan at Fulham- A classic six pointer, with both teams tied with Bolton for 18th(relegation) place. Fulham have always done better at home, and they will need that home form to stop Wigan. With Zaki and Heskey fit, and Valencia back from suspension, both sides will fight hard for the points. Tie 1-1

Chelsea at Hull- I know I keep saying it, but the Hull bubble has to burst at some point, and now is the time. Chelsea will want to makeup for their home loss to Liverpool, and the winner of this game will have an outright claim to second place. It will be Chelsea. Chelsea 4-1

West Ham at Manchester United- Zola gets his first game against his old rivals, but it shouldn't be much of a game. Ashton, Noble and Cole are all out for the game, and the Red Devils won't allow them to push the tempo like they do against other teams. With the Hammers leaky defense, this could get ugly. Man U 5-0

Everton at Bolton- After grabbing a point against Man U, Everton might finally get a push to their campaign with a win over Bolton. Bolton are sinking like they're attached to a cannon, and Everton perform better outside of Liverpool. Everton 3-1

Manchester City at Middlesbrough- Will Robinho's star shine again, or will it fade? Boro are a solid home team, and Alves' goal over the weekend might be a sign that he's recapturing his Eredivise form. I wouldn't expect a Boro win, but stranger things have happened(see Hull). Tie 2-2

Porstmouth at Liverpool- Portsmouth travel North with Tony Adams their full time coach, but this won't be the inauguration he wants. After surrendering a late goal on Sunday night, an early Liverpool should see this team deflate. Liverpool are dealing with a number of injuries and fatigue, but Rafa knows that the most important thing about having a lead is keeping it. Liverpool 3-0

Argentina takes a chance

This photo is back when the "Hand of God" spent most of its time shovelling bisteca in his boca, but today Argentina announced that the skinnier version of Diego Maradona will be their new head coach. Maradona has had two stints as a coach for Argentinian clubs, but neither lasted more than a year. His last job in football was playing for Boca Juniors, and that was more than ten years ago. Since then he has spent more time in the tabloids than in the football(soccer) world. He has been in and out of the hospital with various problems, supports left-wing political causes and has appeared on a number of game shows. Certain countries are identified with a star player. Brazil with Pele, Germany with Beckenbauer, the Netherlands with Cruyff and Argentina with Maradona. His performance in the 1986 World Cup almost singlehandedly won the title for Argentina. He will not bring the tactical expertise of a Mourinho or Capello, but he will offer a personality that none in football(soccer) can rival. Considering that Argentina is one of the favorites to win the next World Cup, and with a young squad containing Aguerro, Messi, Tevez, Mascherano and Saviola just to name a few, this is an interesting decision. One thing about the Argentinians, they're unpredictable.

There was only one game in England today, a classic six-pointer between Newcastle and West Brom. Newcastle defeated West Bromwich Albion 2-1 thanks to a Joey Barton penalty and Martins header. Ishmael Miller scored the only goal for the Baggies. The victory takes Newcastle out of the relegation zone and into 15th place with 9 points. WBA have hit a serious skid, and currently sit in 13th with 10 points. A number of people(myself included) have praised their attacking style, but it seems to leave them quite open and result in a number of goals being scored against them. It's a tough loss for the Baggies, especially when a lout(idiot) like Barton scores, and Mowbray may need to rethink his strategy to stop their slide.

One Liners

• Ramos blames transfer policy at Spurs, now everybody but the groundskeeper has had a finger pointed at them
• Mourinho drops Adriano for disciplinary reasons, won't be too long until he's back in Brazil
• Ronaldo wants to stay in Brazil, can't wait to be teammates with Adriano
• Ferguson compares Blatter to an African despot, that's about right
• Wenger says Tony Adams is ready, but this is also a man who has sixteen year olds playing for him

Not So Shabby

This was definitely one of the most exciting weekends in the history of the Premiership. Xabi Alonso(with the help of a deflection off Jose Bosingwa) scored the only goal as Liverpool defeated Chelsea 1-0. Titles are not won in October, but statements are made. Chelsea had not lost at Stamford Bridge in the league in four and a half years, so for Liverpool to grab three points in West London was huge. The absence of Drogba and Torres contributed to an ugly game, but Liverpool deserved the points. Gerrard was unlucky not to score on a dipping shot, but was lucky not to be sent off for a foul on Bosingwa. Anelka and Kalou are disappointing replacements for Drogba and Cole, and Scolari will need a healthy team if he wants some silverware. With the victory Liverpool open a three point lead at the top of the table, and have defeated Man U and Chelsea. This is definitely their most convincing domestic campaign in recent years.

Liverpool were helped by their derby rivals Everton, as Manchester United and Everton tied 1-1. Man U looked much the better side in the first half, and were unlucky to only score once in this game. Fellaini used his head to secure a point for Everton, and Rooney did not gain any supporters after kissing his United badge in reaction to a yellow card. There are days where he looks one brain cell away from Joey Barton. Sunderland defeated Newcastle 2-1 for their first home win over the Geordies in nearly three decades. Led by Cisse, Richardson and Malbranque, this game wasn't as close as the scoreline suggests. Sunderland found the woodwork a number of times, and Newcastle will test the "too big to be relegated" theory if they continue to play like this. Hull defeated West Bromwich Albion 3-0 in another game where the score line doesn't tell the true story. WBA dominated the game for long periods, but couldn't find the back of the net. Hull didn't have the same problem, and used set pieces and direct football in their goals. They are now tied with Chelsea for 20 points, and if that's not the most shocking thing you've ever heard than you've heard some things. Blackburn and Boro tied 1-1 thanks to a late Rovers goal. Alves scored what looked to be a late winner for Boro, but when everybody and the keeper came up for the injury time corner, Benedict McCarthy's head found the ball, which found the back of the net. We all know the only reason he scored was Roque Santa Cruz's presence on the pitch, having been declared fit at kickoff.

Manchester City defeated Stoke 3-0 in the Robinho show. The Brazilian scored the hat trick, which meant a whole lot of thumb sucking. Joe Hart signed a five year deal before the match, and a couple of spectacular saves shows why City wanted to keep him. At least until they sign Buffon. A Juande Ramos-less Tottenham defeated Bolton 2-0. Bolton was reduced to ten men after Gavin McCann's second yellow, with Pavlyuchenko's head doing the damage along with a penalty from Bent. Aston Villa defeated Wigan 4-0 as the Villains continue to cruise. From the looks of things Steve Bruce had a fight on his hands before the game started(he had stitches under his eye), but his team capitulated rather easily once things began. Villa are lying in wait in case any of the Big Four slip up(though they still have to catch Hull). Arsenal defeated West Ham 2-0 in a game that could not have been comfortable for Gunners fans to watch. Van Persie should have found the net a few times(my fantasy team could have used the points), but a Faubert put one in the back of his own net and Adebayor scored the second. Robert Green and Manuel Almunia look like they might be the top two (soon to be)English keepers. Portsmouth and Fulham tied 1-1 in a game that was just this side of ugly. It looked like Mr. Beanpole's(Peter Crouch) 61st minute strike would be enough for maximum points until Clint Dempsey turned in a cross for the tie.

One Liner

• Tim Sherwood considering offer to join Redknapp at Spurs, hoping for some serious shekels
• Ronaldo wins FifPro World Footballer of the Year, and what might be the world's ugliest trophy
• Freddie Ljungberg set to join Seattle in MLS, he is expected to be paid in coffee beans
• German coach Low says he wants to speak to Ballack before including him in squad, Ballack plans on giving him silent treatment
• Rooney not in trouble for kissing badge, though his wife thought someone said Madge and threatens Madonna with a beatdown

Hasta La Vista Ramos

Juande Ramos didn't make it through the weekend, in fact he didn't even get a chance to coach Sunday's game against Bolton. Chairman Daniel Levy fired Ramos, coaches Gus Poyet and Marcos Alvarez, as well as Sporting Director Damien Comolli on Saturday. He then announced that starting immediately Tottenham's new coach would be Harry Redknapp. The turnaround was quick, as Tottenham won their first game of the season 2-0. While still last in the table, it was a quick improvement.

The wheels were set in motion after Thursday's loss to Udinese. Reportedly a number of senior players made it clear to Tottenham executives that the Spanish coaching staff had lost the respect of the players. Damien Comolli had already come in for a lot of stick(crap) for his failure to replace Keane and Berbatov effectively. On Friday, the four man board of Levy, Matthew Collecott, Sir Keith Mills and Mervyn Davies met and decided that it was time for a change. Harry Redknapp was their first choice, given his past experience in London and saving teams from relegation. When they contacted Portsmouth, Chief Executive Peter Storrie reluctantly allowed them to talk to Redknapp, who was interested. On Saturday the contract was worked out, and that night the Spaniards and Comolli were fired, and Redknapp was announced.

The decision to hire Harry Redknapp seems to be the first good decision by Tottenham in a year. Redknapp is an experienced coach, and after his days in West Ham he knows how to deal with pressure. Redknapp only agreed to join Tottenham when he was told there would be serious investment in the club, and that he would be allowed to choose the players he wanted. This made Comolli expendable, as Redknapp will identify the players he wants and Levy will try to purchase them. That Portsmouth let their manager walk shows their current problems. Sacha Gaydamak has put a freeze on spending, and Muntari's sale in the summer was due to financial problems. There have been suggestions that Portsmouth transferred their manager, agreeing because the £5 million Tottenham offered them for Redknapp's services. It will be interesting to see if Redknapp raids his old team in January, and Defoe could be back at White Hart Lane soon.

The first bad decision by Tottenham was to fire Martin Jol. If it wasn't for food poisoning he would have pipped North London rivals Arsenal for a Champions League place a couple seasons ago, and was the most successful manager for the club in years. Jol has Hamburg SV in third place in the Bundesliga, playing well in the UEFA Cup and all after selling Van Der Vaart to Real Madrid. Tottenham wanted to be a big club, and so they hired a big name. Ramos had been very successful in Spain, but the Premiership and a £6 million a year contract lured him to White Hart Lane. He did provide them with silverware in the form of the Carling Cup, but his performance in the Premiership had been dismal. He was not helped by Comolli, who bought talented players, but not a team. His hand was forced by Keane, but waiting until the last day to transfer Berbatov meant they had little time to find a replacement and create team chemistry. Roman Pavlyuchenko has to adjust to life in London and was already finishing up a full season in Russia, and Frazier Campbell has no experience. That means Darren Bent, who hardly played at all last season, was their starting striker. The sale of Malbranque and Tainio, coupled with Modric's small stature and Ramos' dislike of Huddlestone made for a soft center of the pitch. There was plenty of width, but they had trouble from Gomes all the way up the spine of the team and were leaking goals. Don't worry too much about Ramos, he is set to receive some hearty compensation from the club and should find another job shortly.

Weekend Preview

It's a battle for first place this weekend, as Chelsea and Liverpool continue a rivalry that has been quite heated recently. Chelsea have done better in the Premiership, while Liverpool has had more success in Europe. There is no war of words between Rafa and Jose this year, and it will be interesting to see how Scolari handles the match.

Saturday

Middlesbrough at Blackburn- Blackburn has not scored when Roque Santa Cruz is off the pitch(field), and with Santa Cruz still out injured things don't look good. However they are playing Boro, who travel worse than ice cream. Tuncay should be in the lineup, and sooner or later Alves should get hot. Tie 1-1

Man U at Everton- Wayne Rooney is currently sitting on 99 goals for Man U, and I'm sure he would love to grab number 100 at Goodison Park. With Cahill suspended, and Yobo and Hibbert likely to be out injured, Everton's chances do not look good. I think the real question is how many Man U will put in. Man U 3-0

Newcastle at Sunderland- I could see Roy Keane and Joe Kinnear getting in a fight, and that would be a lot more interesting than the actual match. Owen is out, and Newcastle are getting the opposite of luck as evidenced by Ireland's late equalizer on Monday. Sunderland 2-1

Hull at West Brom- A battle of new promoted sides, though Hull has impressed so far. WBA got smashed by Man U, but they should fair better against Hull at home. Hull has to start losing sooner or later(just like Tottenham needs to start winning), and it will be interesting to see if Hull can slow the tempo of the game or if the Baggies can push it. WBA 2-0

Sunday

Liverpool at Chelsea- Liverpool would love to be the first team to win at Stamford Bridge in years, and grab sole possession of first place in the process. These games have often been plodding affairs, and Liverpool would be happy with a scoreless draw. This is a test of Liverpool's title ambitions, but it's also a big test for Scolari. He was brought in to play attacking football and to win, and this will be a chance to prove he can do that. Liverpool will want to keep it close, and see if they can find some magic at the end of the game. Chelsea 2-1

Stoke at Man City- A battle of two styles, the pace of City should win out over the physicality of Stoke. Stoke will be hoping to keep the ball in the air and utilize set pieces, but City should dominate possession and keep the ball in Stoke's half. This game could get ugly. City 4-1

Fulham at Portsmouth- If Boro travel like ice cream, than Fulham travel like like an ice cream cone on a bumpy road during a hot summer day. Portsmouth will want to rebound from their loss at Braga, and this game should give them the opportunity. Portsmouth 2-0

Bolton at Tottenham- This should be the game where Tottenham turns around their slide(I did say that last week). It will be interesting to see if Bentley makes it into the team after his comments earlier in the week, but Ramos will need to do something to lift team morale because they currently look like eleven strangers. Bolton looked good last week, and if they can use their physicality like Stoke did they might steal some points. Tottenham 2-1

Arsenal at West Ham- A London derby, it's just a question of which Arsenal team will show up. The style of play Zola has implemented at West Ham should make for an open game, which suits Arsenal. With both teams having problems with their back lines, this should be one to watch. Arsenal 4-2

Aston Villa at Wigan- This could be a real game, with a strong Villa side travelling to face a resilient Wigan side. Wigan has played well this season, but quite often this hasn't translated into points. Villa will be tired from their midweek win, and with Heskey and Zaki fit, Wigan will hope for some kind of result. Tie 1-1

One Liners

• Real Madrid say their pursuit of Ronaldo is over forever, anybody who believes this is officially a moron
• Ronaldo backs himself for all the awards, wonders why fans hate him
• Kenyon says there will be no Chelsea spending in January, between the credit crunch and oil prices Abramovich is now a poor billionaire
• Kinnear gets a one month extension, or as I like to call it prison sentence
• Wenger upset at photo of Gallas with cigarette in his mouth, though it's actually not lit

The Demise of Dowie

Iain Dowie’s tenure at QPR came to an abrupt end Friday when his contract was terminated by the club’s board. Dowie was in charge for 15 games in all competitions, winning eight, and leaves QPR in ninth place in the Championship on goal differential. The club has slumped recently, with their only win in their last six Championship matches against bottom of the table Nottingham Forest. The timing of the decision is questionable, with Rangers facing promotion favorites Reading and Birmingham this week and going to Old Trafford on November 11th for the Carling Cup. Player/Coach Gareth Ainsworth has been appointed Caretaker Manager by the club, but former Inter coach Roberto Mancini has been linked with the position.

In what has become a common story this season, Dowie and Chairman Flavio Briatore clashed over the club’s transfer policy. Though QPR has billionaire owners, Briatore has mainly relied on his connections to bring in players. The Spanish U-21 international Daniel Parejo came on loan from Real Madrid, and Emmanuel Ledesma is on loan from Genoa. Their biggest signing was the veteran Damiano Tommasi, who arrived on a free transfer. Tommasi has yet to make an appearance for the club, while Parejo and Ledesma have been limited to substitute appearances recently.

Briatore has also clashed with the board, specifically Vice-Chairman Amit Bhatia. Bhatia is the son-in-law of Lakshmi Mittal, who was the world’s fourth richest man before the credit crunch, and his appointment to the board was a condition of Mittal’s twenty percent stake in the club. It was Bhatia who said that the club would be eliminating the £50 and £40 category A and B tickets for Championship matches only a month after they were introduced. Bhatia was responding to widespread public disapproval, and fans that were angry at paying Premiership prices to watch a Championship side. Briatore was upset at being undermined by his Vice-Chairman, and talks between the board culminated in Dowie being fired.

The Chairman expected Dowie to win promotion this season, but given the current squad at QPR that seems unfair. Dowie has done well to tighten the back line and with the arrival of Radek Cerny they have kept six clean sheets in all competitions, including their match against Aston Villa. The big issue has been a lack of goals, and their 2-1 victory over Nottingham Forest was the only time they’ve scored more than once in their last eight games. Patrick Agyemang has struggled for fitness, and Dowie has been forced to rely on strikers that are all below 23. There are also questions about their midfield, with Parejo, Ledesma and Lee Cook signed to one year loan deals. It’s hard to inspire a team to fight for promotion when a number of players will be going back to bigger clubs at the end of the season.

With Briatore reluctant to spend, Dowie should be commended for his success rather than sacked. With teams bunched up this early in the season, QPR is only one point out of a playoff position. With three matches in the next week, now is not the time for a caretaker manager. After their big win against Aston Villa, Dowie should have at least been allowed to take the team to Old Trafford to face Manchester United. These days managers aren’t given a chance to succeed, and 15 games is how long Dowie was in charge of Charlton before being sacked in 2006. Dowie made for a good scapegoat, but questions are starting to be asked of Briatore and Sporting Director Gianni Paladini. The ticket hike spurred such negative publicity that it had to be reversed, and their summer signings have not seemed good enough to win the club promotion. With a number of owners and different personalities on the board, it’s difficult to decide the direction of the club. If Mancini joins the club it would be a big boost, but it is questionable whether he wants to go from a Scudetto winner to a club fighting for promotion. Dowie’s sacking shows just how much pressure there is on managers these days, that when the ship is struggling they are the first to be thrown overboard.

UEFA Cup(Does anybody care)

How much longer will Juande Ramos have a job? That's the million dollar question(though due to the credit crunch, it will be paid over 30 years). Udinese defeated Tottenham 2-0, thanks to a Gomes penalty and Jamie O'Hara's sending off. Gomes fluffed(screwed up) a back pass and then took down an Udinese player. Di Natale converted the penalty, after saying before the match that none of the Tottenham players would even make it into the Udinese squad. David Bentley was not even on the bench, and the £15 million winger seems to have fallen out of favor after an interview in which he said the players did not understand the current system. Woodgate was taken off with a knock(slight injury), and may not play in the match against Bolton.

Braga defeated Portsmouth 3-0, in a major setback for the side from the coast. Pompey were outclassed and with their next game in Europe against AC Milan, their chance of progressing to the next stage is looking slim. The one positive result for an English side was Aston Villa's 2-1 defeat of Ajax. Martin Lauresen(the best scoring defender I know) netted the opener, and Gareth Barry scored the winner just before halftime. Villa continue to impress, and their consistency this season should see them through the group stages and give them the best chance at lifting the Cup of any Premiership side.

One Liners

• Beckham going to AC Milan, MLS sure that he'll return to the Galaxy(yeah right)
• Beye wins red card appeal, though Owen will be out injured(surprise)
• Eduardo to return in three weeks, with Arsenal's luck they'll suffer another injury shortly
• Drogba not in trouble over comments in book, apparently free speech does exist in England
• Paul Ince warns Villa off of Roque Santa Cruz, I'm sorry Ince but just realize that he won't be playing for you much longer

Match Day 3(Part 2)

I'd like to take this opportunity to thank(and by thank, I mean lambast) ESPN2 for saying that they would be showing Chelsea v. Roma. Since I work during the day, and went out for a couple drinks after, I woke up this morning hoping to see the Blues. Instead it was Liverpool v. Atletico Madrid. I hate you ESPN2.

Chelsea defeated Roma 1-0, thanks to a John Terry header. It turns out this game was boring(but so was Liverpool's), as Roma came to London content to sit back and never even put a shot in on goal. With the Champions League Final being played in Rome, they still have a chance at home field advantage as Bordeaux defeated Cluj 1-0. Cadu scored an own goal for Cluj, and they also had a player sent off for a second yellow. This was Cluj's first defeat of the competition, and will hope that they can get a result against Bordeaux back in Transylvania. Chelsea now leads Group A with 7 points, Cluj is second with 4, and Roma and Bordeaux tied with 3.

Liverpool tied Atletico Madrid 1-1 in a game that was decided by the referees as much as the players, with a number of poor offsides calls and possible penalties. Robbie Keane scored the opener, with Simao netting the equalizer in the 83rd minute. Keane and Xabi Alonso suffered knocks during the game, while Gerrard was subbed early due to the fatigue of playing four matches in eleven days for club and country. Atletico supporters jeered the Champions League anthem, and many turned their backs to the pitch(field) while it was played. PSV Eindhoven defeated Marseille 2-0, thanks to a brace from Danny Koevermans. This means that Marseille is in last place in Group D on zero points, while PSV now has three. Atletico and Liverpool are tied with seven points, but Atletico leads on goal differential. This places great importance on Atletico's trip to Anfield, and the winner of that game should win the group.

Barcelona demolished FC Basel 5-0, and sadly this was a home game for the Swiss side. Barcelona scored three goals in the opening 22 minutes, and had 77% of the possession. The state of football(soccer) in Switzerland really has to be called into question after this performance, and the performance of the national side in Euro Cup. Sporting Lisbon defeated Shakhtar Donetsk 1-0, thanks to a late goal from Liedson. Shakhtar looked the better side for much of the game, but were unable to beat Sporting's keeper Rui Patricio. Barcelona is now the only perfect side in the competition, and top Group C. Sporting is now second with six points, Shakhtar is in third place with three, and Basel have now scored only one goal and are in last.

Jose Mourinho continued his European success, as Inter defeated Anorthosis Famagusta 1-0. Adriano, a player Mourinho brought back into the squad, scored the game's only goal. Inter's defense continues to impress, but their pragmatic approach in Europe has led to fewer goals. Werder Bremen tied Panathinaikos 2-2, thanks to a late goal by Hugo Almeida. Per Mertesacker opened the scoring for the Germans, but a Vagelis Mantzios brace put the Greek side in front. Salpingidis hit the crossbar, and that ended up costing the Greeks after Almeida's goal in the 83rd minute. Inter now top Group B on seven points, with Anorthosis a surprising second on four points. Bremen have tied all their matches and sit in third on three points, with Panathinaikos last with a single point.

Champions League Match Day Three(part 1)

They may be hitting speed bumps in England, but Arsenal is flying high in Europe. Arsenal defeated Fenerbahce 5-2 in Turkey, in which they scored four goals(one of them a Silvestre own goal) in the opening 21 minutes. The goals came from Adebayor, Walcott, Diaby, Song and uber-youngster Aaron Ramsey. If they beat Fenerbahce at home in their next game, they should have the group wrapped up. Arsenal is much more suited to playing in Europe. There are no Boltons(though the Italian sides might come close) in Europe, rather each team is trying to play the best football(soccer) possible. This suits Arsenal, since they are better at pure football(soccer) than most other teams, and if their back line holds up they should go far in Europe. Elsewhere, in the Battle of Britain, Man U defeated Celtic 3-0 thanks to a couple dodgy goals from Dimitar Berbatov and are top of Group E on goal differential. Rooney continued his scoring streak by grabbing the third, but this wasn't much of a shock. Celtic are no match for their rivals from the South, and have only won once away in Europe. They will need maximum points from their remaining home games if they want the parachute place in the UEFA Cup.



The big result of the day was Juventus defeating Real Madrid 2-1. Claudio Rainieri has been under pressure after five games without a win in all competitions. Their talisman(leader) Alessandro Del Piero grabbed the opener after four minutes, while red hot Amauri scored the winner. The win puts Juve in the lead of Group H, as Zenit St. Petersburg tied BATE Borisov 1-1. Zenit are having a very disappointing campaign after winning the UEFA Cup this year, and will need some results if they are to move out of last place. Bayern Munich defeated Fiorentina 3-0, and are now top of Group F. Klose scored in the fourth minute, with Schweinsteiger and Ze Roberto netting the other goals. Lyon defeated Steaua Bucharest 5-3 to remain in second place. Bucharest were up 2-0, and then 3-2, before braces from Fred and Benzema put the game away for Lyon. Villareal defeated AaB 6-3, as second-half substitute Joseba Llorente netted a hat trick. Villareal and Man U both have seven points, but the Devils lead Group E thanks to goal differential. This makes their game at El Madrigal(The Madrigal) in a month very interesting. Dynamo Kiev upset FC Porto 1-0 in Portugal, to grab their first Champions League victory in four years. Dynamo now sit in second place in Group G, and a result at home against Porto would all but ensure them a place in the knockout stages.

One Liners

• Mourinho calls Drogba a diver, so much for signing the Ivorian for Inter
• Thaksin convicted of corruption in Thailand, all the more reason to stay in Manchester
• Toure out for a month with shoulder injury, Wenger expects to replace him with a 12 year old
• Scolari promises beautiful football(soccer) against Roma, hopes to look as good as Cluj did

Weekend Review

Lucky Liverpool did it again this weekend. A Dirk Kuyt brace(which included a shot into the ground), helped Liverpool deafeat Wigan 3-2 in an incredible comeback. Zaki netted two first half goals to bring his Premiership leading tally to seven, but Riera's 80th minute strike equalized and Kuyt won it in the 85th. The two late goals were also a result of the sending off of Antonio Valencia for a second yellow. His first had been for charging the ball early on a Liverpool free kick, and while he got some of the ball on his second, he also got some of Xabi Alonso. Robbie Keane continues to look useless, and Benitez expressed his interest in Zaki after the game. Chelsea thrashed Middlesbrough 5-0 and could have hit double digits. Many thought that with a number of players injured, Boro might be able to grab a lucky home win. However, once Juliano Belletti struck from 25 yards fans at the Riverside knew it wasn't their day. Arsenal beat Everton 3-1, as Everton continue to self-destruct in the second half. Theo Walcott's introduction at halftime had a great impact, and the young winger scored the third himself. David Moyes' side looked great in the first half, but tired legs had them standing still in the second half. Manchester United defeated West Brom 4-0 in a game that was much closer than the scoreline suggests. WBA held kept Man U off the board until the 56th minute, but Wayne Rooney continued his hot form with a great opening strike. Ronaldo and Berbatov added on, with Nani getting the final goal in injury time. It's not easy to go into Old Trafford, and West Brom gave a good account of themselves.



Tony Pulis won the managerial battle with Juande Ramos, as Stoke defeated Tottenham 2-1. Tottenham were outmuscled and outhustled, and gave up two penalties to Pulis' side, though Stoke only converted the first. Ramos' men did look better, but they need points not praise right now. Hull defeated West Ham 1-0 in a game that probably deserved to be a draw. The Hammers dominated possession, but couldn't get anything on goal, while Michael Turner's head was enough to grab all the points for Hull. Manchester City continued their uneven performance, as City tied Newcastle 2-2. Robinho opened for the visitors on a penalty that saw Beye sent off. Newcaslte then scored two goals, the second a Richard Dunne own goal, but Stephen Ireland's equalizer in the 86th saved them the embarassment of losing to Newcastle. There were also a host of scoreless draws this weekend. Fulham and Sunderland tied 0-0 in a game that had so many posts hit some are thinking a spell was placed on both goals(I made that up). Kieran Richardson hit three posts on one free kick, and later had a goal disallowed when things got a little grabby in the wall(Chimbonda had his male parts grabbed, but the foul was still called on him). Bolton tied Blackburn 0-0, with Matthew Taylor's left foot the only entertaining part of the game. Aston Villa tied Portsmouth 0-0, in a lucky game for Harry Redknapp's team. Carew hit the post, and another ball was cleared off the line by Sol Campbell(as long as David James is England's number 1, they have no shot at winning the World Cup).

One Liners

• Mourinho says he wants to coach in England after he's done at Inter, Tottenham hoping no to be in First Division by then
• Kinnear wants to remain as Newcastle boss, but the problem is nobody else wants him to
• FA to investigate Drogba's claims that he wanted to punch Vidic, though who among us hasn't wanted to punch Vidic?
• Fergie tips Ronaldo to win all the awards, including Best Chef of 2008
• Rafa now interested in Zaki, considering just buying Wigan
  

Weekend Preview

This weekend's matches are marked by a number of high profile injuries. Chelsea have joined West Ham and Newcastle in having half their team injured, while Liverpool has Torres, Babel and Skrtel out. Arsenal is missing Sagna, Gallas and Bendtner, while Carrick and Hargreaves are not yet fit.

Saturday

Chelsea at Middlesbrough- Chelsea's injury list could probably win the World Cup, and Terry may be the only regular starter in their defense. This will be an opportunity for some players to get some minutes, and they'll want to show that they deserve a place in the team. Alves and Mido might fancy their chances against a weakened Chelsea defense, but the Chelsea midfield should outscore them. Chelsea 2-1

Everton at Arsenal- Arsenal have their own injury problems, but they usually perform at the Emirates. Fabregas will want to prove that he can play through the pain, and it will be interesting to see how their back line performs without Gallas. Apparently the flu is going through the Everton defense, and Cahill is suspended. Arsenal 2-0

Portsmouth at Aston Villa- Agbonlahor may be injured, which would be a huge loss for Villa. James Milner could get his first start, and Ashley Young will want to show Capello what he is missing. Portsmouth have always had problems on the road, and this game will show that Villa really is the best of the rest. Villa 2-1

Blackburn at Bolton- A big game for both teams, if Bolton loses this they could find themselves in the bottom three. They always do well at the Reebok, and with injuries to Reid, Dunn and Santa Cruz they should walk(or elbow and head) away with the points. I don't think this will be a pretty game. Bolton 1-0

Sunderland at Fulham- Fulham need to stop their downhill slide, and Andy Johnson will return from suspension. If Sunderland take any points at Craven Cottage they will be happy, but Roy Hodgson knows his job is hanging by a thread and will make sure his players are up for it. Fulham 2-1

Wigan at Liverpool- Wigan have not been an easy side, and this will be a test of Liverpool's title credentials. A Kuyt-Keane partnership will be interesting to see, and Gerrard showed in Belarus why he must be closed down quickly. Zaki is injured, and Heskey might not be fit as well, but with Liverpool rumored to be planning a move for him in January he will want to impress. Liverpool 2-0

WBA at Man U- West Brom have been hot, but Man U should pour some water on their fire. Man U's defense is healthy, and with Rooney firing on all cylinders the Baggies will have their hands full. Man U 3-0

Sunday

West Ham at Hull- Hull have had a great start, and will be hard to break down at home. With King injured, they will need a bit of class from Geovanni if they want any points. Zola may not have Ashton, but Bellamy will want to show that he can still lead a line, and Carlton Cole has had a prolific start. I think Zola will have a few celebrations this game. West Ham 2-1

Tottenham at Stoke- Sooner or later things must turn around for Tottenham(unless they don't), and I think the battle of the bottom could be the game. This will be a case of finesse versus strength, and if Modric can dictate the flow of the game and Tottenham use their pace, finesse should win. Tottenham 3-1

Monday

Manchester City at Newcastle- Hopefully Joe Kinnear has found time in his busy schedule of swearing at the media to work with his team. Owen will be out, but Gutierrez and Martins could play. Zabaleta will begin serving his suspension, and Petrov is out for a while, but count on City to bring the goals to Newcastle. City 4-2

One Liners

• Real Madrid interested in Tevez, also interested in every other good player on the planet
• Almunia still interested in becoming England keeper, crappy English keeper's against the idea
• Ballack has surgery on both feet, it's a good thing he doesn't have to use them in his profession
• Former head of FA says he tried to get Fergie to coach England three times, but she was busy on weight loss tour
• Scolari calm over injuries, recommends players eat mushrooms to make them grow(it's a mario joke)

The One-Fifth of the Season Review(Part 2)

The one-fifth review continues, this time with the top half of the table. Remember these are just the opinions of the author(but the author knows a ton about football(soccer), so don't question him).

10. Blackburn- Paul Ince had a fairytale start with a win over Everton, but reality often gets in the way of fairytales. Victories over Newcastle and Fulham see them in tenth, but Rovers are also tied for the worst goal differential in the league. Their back line is more impressive in the other team's half, and Paul Robinson is a lot less convincing in goal that Brad Friedel. Long term injuries to Steven Reid and David Dunn will put strain on an already weak midfield, and an injury to Roque Santa Cruz has not stopped transfer rumors. Their fortunes depend on the front line, and while Jason Roberts and Matt Derbyshire have impressed so far, if Santa Cruz leaves then Paul Ince will probably find himself managing outside the Premiership again.

9. West Bromwich Albion- With a manager who looks like he should be in British gangster films, and an attacking style that doesn't befit a team that many thought would be relegated, WBA are a handful. They have a number of players who have played at the highest levels, including some who were part of their miraculous 2005 survival. Mowbray has built a team for the future, buying youngsters like Donk, Zuiverloorn, Morrison and Scott Carson. This has created a strong defense and WBA have not lost, or won, a game by more than one goal so far. The one downside has been their failure to secure a sponsorship deal, and it will be interesting to see what impact this has in the January transfer window. A top ten finish might be too much to hope for, but this team has class enough that they should stay above the relegation battle and be in the Prem for years to come.

8. Manchester United- It's surprising to see the two-time defending champions this far down the table, but they do have a game in hand and have already played Chelsea and Liverpool. The club was unsettled by the summer transfer saga of Ronaldo, and it's clear that the best player in the world last season is still recovering from ankle surgery. Berbatov's last minute transfer has also affected team chemistry, and the international breaks have not afforded the Bulgarian the time to gel with his teammates. Their defense is still strong, with three clean sheets so far, and as soon as their offense gets going they should rocket up the table. However, I don't think they'll finish this season at the top.

7. Portsmouth- Harry Redknapp's side was unlucky to start the season against Chelsea and Man U, and the defense that propelled them last year now looks to be their Achilles heel. Redknapp called the 6-0 loss to Man City the worst of his career. Sol Campbell and David James are finally looking their age, and Lassana Diarra's second season at Pompey has not been as successful as his first. Muntari's desire for a transfer to Inter, and Kranjcar's injury have also cost the team. The good news has been front two, with Crouch and Defoe averaging more than a goal a game between them. There are questions about the club's ownership, and rumors that they are having trouble with their finances. Redknapp likes to spend money, so it will be interesting to see what happens in January. He should be able to tighten them up at the back, and hopefully get them back into the UEFA Cup, but I don't think there will be any silverware this year.

6. West Ham- They may be happy with their place in the table, but everything else is going wrong at West Ham. The collapse of Iceland's financial system is bad news for their Icelandic owner. They are trying to appeal a £30 million lawsuit from Sheffield United. They also sold off some of their best players, had their coach quit and have a number of injuries. The one positive has been their new manager Gianfranco Zola, who brought Steve Clarke from Chelsea and created a much more positive side. He realized that they will need to bang in the goals if they want to win. Ashton's injury will hurt the team, and they will need a number of players to get fit if they want to avoid another relegation battle. A lot will depend on the club's finances, but unless they have to sell their entire team they should be able to stay up.

5. Aston Villa- Martin O'Neill's side has been the one that looks closest to challenging the Big Four this season. Gabriel Agbonlahor and Ashley Young are knocking on Fabio Capello's door, and John Carew has done a great job of putting their crosses in the back of the net. The Gareth Barry transfer saga is over for now, though Barry has not looked the same player in midfield. The loss of Mellberg and Bouma's injury have hurt their back line, but Friedel's signing has filled the hole Carson left when his loan ended. O'Neill has built a strong side with depth, and both Milner and Sidwell will be hard pressed to get a start. O'Neill will be hoping to bring some silverware to Villa Park, and he has a strong shot in both the UEFA and FA Cups. If any of the Big Four slip up, Villa will be the club to slip in, but fifth place is where they should end the season.


4. Arsenal- While everyone else was splashing out big money this summer, Arsene Wenger was more reluctant to open his wallet. There is no doubt that Arsenal have plenty of talent, but even Fabregas has spoken of their lack of experience. Flamini and Hleb have been replaced with Denilson and Nasri, but are still a few years from filling their shoes. Walcott has shown flashes of brilliance, but whether he can maintain that level of play for ninety minutes has yet to be proven. They have also been unlucky with injuries, with Bischoff, Eduardo, Rosicky and Diaby yet to play a minute this season. This means Van Persie and Adebayor have not been getting the same level of service, and they've been lacking goals. They have a lot of potential, but their youth shows in their inconsistency, and losses to Fulham and Hull show why the title will again be out of their reach.


3. Hull- If Blackburn had a fairytale start, than Hull have been Cinderella. Phil Brown's side has been incredibly impressive on the road, with players like Geovanni relishing the opportunity to play against big clubs and in front of big crowds. If 40 points is considered the safe number for staying up, they are already a third of the way there. They need all the points they can get now, because as the season drags on teams will be better prepared and the injuries will start to mount. Unlike Mowbray, Brown has signed some well known veterans with plenty of Premiership experience, but it is questionable if their legs will carry them through May. They should succeed in staying up this year, but I don't think their stay in the Prem will be for long.


2. Liverpool- Liverpool is in second because of goal differential, which is a change from the battle for fourth place they've been in the last few years. Rafa seems more focused on the Prem this year, which may not be surprising when you consider that Man U only trails Liverpool by one in total titles won. While there is still tension between the American owners, between the owners and the coach, and between the owners and the fans, things are going much more smoothly on the pitch(field). Liverpool have mounted a number of comebacks, and their last minute goals have turned losses into wins. There are some concerns, like the slow progress of the Keane and Torres partnership, and Skrtel's injury. However, they seem to have brought the same fighting spirit that was so successful in Cup competitions, into the Premiership. They may not add on to their lead over Man U, but don't be surprised if they finish ahead of them for the first time in years.


1. Chelsea- After last year's disappointing second-place Double, Roman Abramovich turned to the Mario Brothers(pictured joyously on the right) to change things around. With the addition of Bosingwa and Deco, Scolari has imprinted his style of wide play, with wingers and wing backs flying up the field. The beautiful football(soccer) that Roman Abramovich requested is now being played in Stamford Bridge, and victories have been included. The depth of the team is now being tested, with Essien likely out for the season, and Ballack, Drogba, both Coles, Ballack and even Petr Cech missing a few games. Scolari knows that there is no room to slip up in the Premiership, and now is when all the players collecting fat pay checks on the bench will have to earn their money. The sale of Sean Wright-Phillips shows you the depth of their midfield, and Abramovich's wallet might open in January to address any problems. The folks of West London should be in for a treat, and expect this team to be raising the trophy at the end of the year.

Just When I Thought I Was In, They Push Me Back Out

Sorry for paraphrasing Michael Corleone, but I was pretty disappointed by team USA's 2-1 defeat at Trinidad & Tobago. Team USA has automatically qualified for the hexagonal(the clever name for the 6 team, final round of CONCACAF qualifiers). Coach Bradley kept only three players from his starting XI against Cuba, and it looked a lot more like an U-21 side then the national team. Trinidad & Tobago had everything to play for, and if America had a youth squad than T&T had a senior citizen squad. Russell Laptapy, their 40 year old midfielder, opened the scoring. Team USA responded well and Charlie Davies, who impressed as a sub, put away a Jozy Altidore cross. However Altidore will be best remembered for his foul on Makan Hislop in the box, and 37 year old Dwight Yorke converted the penalty. Laptapy and Yorke are both veterans of the 1989, 1-0 loss to America, where a tie would have qualified them for the World Cup. The win puts T&T in second place, and a tie against Cuba would put them through to the hexagonal.

I understand the desire to give the young players an opportunity, and an away match in Trinidad & Tobago is definitely a valuable way to get experience. However, the players might have been better served if they were playing along side more of the senior players. Michael Bradley, the veteran youngster, was sorely missed in the midfield. Torres and Kljestan did not do a good job of distributing the ball, and Edu was poor as a holding midfielder. Beasley and Adu were not fed good balls on the wing, and Altidore had terrible service all night. It was nice to see Beasley wear the captain's arm band, but team USA allowed T&T to dictate the pace of the game and played the first hour on their back foot. Adu was subbed in the 69th, and Charlie Davies was very positive. He linked up well with Altidore, and put more pressure on T&T's back line, pinning them back. Team USA looked the more likely to add a second goal, but Altidore grabbed Hislop's jersey and Yorke converted the penalty. It's often said that you can learn more in a loss than you can in a win, and losing a tough road game on a poor pitch will definitely teach these players something. Their next match is a home game against Guatemala, and it will be interesting to see if these youngsters can step up and show that this wasn't a total loss.

England continued their perfect record, with a 3-1 victory in Belarus. Gerrard opened the scoring with one of his long range strikes, and Rooney fired in a brace to keep up his hot form. Portgual stumbled to a 0-0 draw in Albania, and questions are being asked of Quieroz. They have suffered a number of injuries, but currently sit 2 points off Denmark, who have a game in hand. Israel are within a point of Greece after their 1-1 draw. Slovakia defeated Poland to stay the top of their group, with the Czech Republic 5 points back with a game in hand. Germany defeated Wales 1-0 to stay at the top of Group Four. Spain continued their winning streak, and have opened up a 4 point gap on second place Turkey. Serbia is now tied with Lithuania at the top of Group Seven, as France is 5 points back with a game in hand. Italy's 2-1 win over Macedonia sees them 3 points up on Ireland, who have a game in hand. And Netherland only needed a goal from Mark Von Bommel to remain perfect and on top of Group Nine.

One Liners

• UEFA halt punishments on Atletico Madrid during punishments, who said Platini's not a softy
• Torres out for two weeks, won't get to play at Vicente Calderon after all
• Brazil is booed off the pitch after a 0-0 home draw with Colombia, Dunga might consider removing the "a" from his name
• Fabregas concerned to be oldest player in Arsenal midfield, fans concerned as well
• Van Der Sar retires from Holland again, expect him to unretire in summer of 2010

Age of Unenlightenment

The French have decided to keep Raymond Domenech as their coach(I know, I can't believe it either). Nineteen of the twenty French Football Federation members voted to keep Domenech. I wouldn't be surprised if Gerard Houlier was the one person who abstained, as many thought he would replace Domenech. Domenech will now be the head coach until at least 2010, and is charged with making sure France qualify for the World Cup in South Africa.

Besides being a snazzy dresser(I really do like the lapels and rectangle tie he wore at Euro Cup), and having worn an intimidating mustache at one point, it's hard to understand why he is the coach of the French National Team. He coached Olympique Lyonnais and the French U-21 team for a decade, but didn't have much success at either. He was a surprise appointment in 2004, and was told he had to reach at least the semi-final of the World Cup. France had not qualified for a World Cup since 1986, receiving automatic spots for hosting in 1994 and as the defending champions in 1998, so it didn't seem like he would last long. Domenech was able to convince Zidane, Thuram and Makelele out of retirement and steady defense from his veteran side nearly won them the World Cup. However Domenech's reliance on older players had a catastrophic result in Euro Cup as they were crushed by the Dutch, and exited in the first round. Many have criticized him for not giving Nasri, Ben Arfa, Diarra, Toulalan and Gourcuff chances, and his reliance on a defense that was well of the pace of the game was a problem. The French have a number of good young stars on both sides of the ball, and it is strange that the former youth team coach isn't willing to give them a chance to shine. After a loss to lowly Austria, a close victory over Serbia and a comeback tie against Romania they sit in fourth in their World Cup Qualifying group.

UEFA Takes a Stand

That is a picture of Vicente Calderon Stadium, the home of Atletico Madrid, which they are now banned from using in their next two Champions League matches, and on probation for the next five years or else they will be banned for a third game. The club was also fined €150,000 and coach Javier Aguirre is banned from their next two matches. This is all due to a number of problems that occurred in their match against Marseille: inadequate police escort, fans attacking the Marseille bus, inadequate facilities for disabled supporters, Aguirre repeatedly insulting a French player, and heavy-handed treatment of visiting supporters. Many have said that this shows that UEFA is committed to fighting racism, but UEFA's official response does not mention anything about racism. While monkey chants, racist abuse from Aguirre and rough tactics by the police on an ethnically diverse visiting crowd were all reported, UEFA's silence on these issues does them no favors. It appears that they took serious action for the violence that occurred. Whether we can expect to see this if there is racism without violence, only time will tell.



A number of people are upset with this decision. One of them is Fernando Torres, who made his way through the Atletico Madrid youth system. Liverpool play Atletico Madrid in their next two Champions League matches, and it was to be Torres' first time back at Vicente Calderon Stadium since his big money transfer. Torres is very upset, and his frustration is shared by the Liverpool supporters. Liverpool expected around 3,000 visiting supporters to go to the game, and many have already made travel arrangements. With the game having to be played 300km away, their travel and accomodations will have to be changed. Liverpool have suggested that UEFA use the fine to help cover the expenses of fans who have had to change their plans, and one can almost hear Michelle Platini laughing at the suggesting(it's a very French sounding laugh, probably next to a fire place with a glass of red wine).

One Liners

• Capello says he isn't against playing at Bernabeu, he's quite used to the racism by now
• Moyes signs five year deal, why?
• Kinnear in trouble with FA again for his language, he curses more than a sailor in Gibraltor and they only know four letter words
• Santa Cruz hints at move to Man City, but many think he's probably not expensive enough
• Rosicky agent says his player is on track to return from injury, targets 2013 season
  

International Weekend

After he was done holding hands, DaMarcus Beasley fired in a brace that led America to a 6-1 victory over Cuba, and put America through to the next round(remember CONCACAF has approximately 2,000 rounds). Hensy Munoz's wonderstrike dipped over Howard, who continues to play far off his line leaving himself vulnerable to these kind of strikes, in the only positive for Cuba. Cuba's chances were hurt when two Cuban players defected when their plane landed, and Yoel Colome's second yellow in the 41st minute effectively signaled the end of their chances. Team USA's defense continues to impress: Pearce and Cherundolo pushed up on the wings all night, while Onyewu and Bocanegra held strong in the center. Onyewu scored the final goal, and continues to be a threat on set pieces, but must stay away from being overly physical and giving up cheap fouls. Bradley and Kljestan controlled the pace of the game through crisp passing, and could be working together for the next decade. Beasley tormented Cuba all night on the wing, and his darting runs unlocked the Cuban defense. Donovan scored his 37th international goal, but still has the problem of fading out in and out of games. Brian Ching looked great leading the line, knocking down a number of balls and grabbing a goal for himself, though Dempsey was disappointing. Adu, Altidore and Torres Jose Anthony all came on in the second half. Adu's pace and touch are perfect on the wing, Altidore grabbed another goal, and Torres impressed in his first game. Bradley has sent home a number of the big name players, so expect those three along with Edu, Wynne and Guzan to see some major playing time. The future looks bright.

England defeated Kazakhstan 5-1 in Wembley, in a game where the scoreline doesn't tell the whole story. After an uninspiring, scoreless first half, Capello subbed in Sean Wright-Phillips for Gareth Barry. There are a lot of questions about whether Lampard and Gerrard can play together(they can't), but it was obvious that Barry can't play alongside them either. With Wright-Phillips going up the left and Walcott on the right, England created more chances. But it took captain Rio Ferdinand, wearing the arm band with John Terry injured, to break the deadlock from a set piece. England looked most dangerous on set pieces, and they controlled the wings well, but could not find anyone in the center of the pitch to finish their chances. Heskey may use his presence to create, but he doesn't often score. Rooney continued his hot form and netted a brace, while an in form Defoe grabbed a goal during his five minutes on the pitch. Ashley Cole heard it from the crowd when a poor back pass set up Kazakhstan's only goal, but it seemed the fans were more than happy to boo their own team. With Hargreaves and Carrick injured, Capello needs to make some tough decisions about central midfield. He needs to send out his best team, and not care who it's made up of.

The bumbling professor that is Raymond Domenech continues to bumble on. France tied Romania 2-2, meaning he grabbed four points from their first three games. Any fewer and he would definitely be sacked(fired), any more and he would definitely be safe. Nobody is sure what will happen now, as the French have always been pragmatic to a fault. Spain defeated Estonia 3-0 to continue their unbeaten run. Ukraine and Croatia helped England by drawing 0-0, and suddenly the Croatians look to be in some trouble. Israel defeated Luxembourg 3-1 in the wide open Group Two. Italy were held to a listless 0-0 tie in Bulgaria, and are now just three points clear of Ireland, who have a game in hand. Holland defeated Iceland 2-0, with Van Der Saar coming out of retirment for the game. Germany defeated Russia 2-1 in a game that saw Kevin Kuranyi quit the national team. Kuranyi was upset not to be named in the first 18, but has since apologized and will hope that Coach Low forgives him. Scotland failed to take a number of easy chances, and drew 0-0 with Norway at Hampden Park. After not featuring, Kris Boyd apparently quit the team over the phone. Talk about national pride.

One Liners

• Loss to Jamaica has Mexican fans calling for Eriksson's head, he suggests going to head shop
• Gerrard says fans have right to boo, fans boo his comments
• England won't play friendly at Bernabeu, Spain says they have the right to choose whatever racist venue they want
• Ballack picks up an injury, Scolari jumps up and hits a coinbox

The One-Fifth Season Review

The title of this post just rolls off the tongue doesn't it. I thought it would be a good time to review what's happened in the EPL so far and give some predictions about what might happen, and I wanted to get this in before Barclays goes bankrupt(that's kind of a joke). I'll do the bottom half of the table this Thursday, and the top half next Thursday.

20. Tottenham- The problems at Tottenham could fill the "T" volume of Encyclopaedia Britannica. They were forced to sell last season's prolific strike partnership, and waited too long in bringing in a striker to partner with Bent. Modric hasn't yet adapted to the Prem's physical nature, while Bentley has shown why he's better being the big fish in a small pond. Their back line can't seem to stay healthy and they have yet to win a Premiership game. Ramos is a proven winner, but seems to do a better job in Cup competitions than domestic football(soccer). Tottenham still have time to find their chemistry and turn it around and while they are too good to go down, this will not be the season they challenge the Big Four. The fact that Martin Jol's Hamburg is in first place in the Bundesliga does not help.

19. Stoke- They should soon replace Tottenham as the last place team. Rory Delap's throw-ins are their best offensive weapon, and they are a Championship version of Bolton. Kitson has yet to get going, but even if he becomes the player who shone at Reading it will not be enough. Their lone victory against Aston Villa was as lucky as lucky gets.

18. Newcastle- You have a better chance of predicting the stock market than where Newcastle will end up. With Owen, Martins, Duff, N'Zogbia, Geremi and Given in the squad there is enough talent on the pitch(field), when these players are actually healthy. Off the pitch(field) things are much worse. The constant undermining of Kevin Keegan by the board room forced him to leave the club. With the current structure nobody wanted to take the job, and when they finally found someone in Joe Kinnear, it turned out he had a two match ban for calling a referee "Coco the Clown"(that's what passes for an insult in England). The fans though that Ashley would bring the club to greatness, and now he's viewed as the Cockney Clown. The club should be sold by the end of the year, and it's likely that the new owners will bring back Kevin Keegan as manager. Stability will help the players, manager and fans. They will have a battle, but should survive the relegation battle.

17. Fulham- One week they defeat Arsenal, another week they lose to West Brom. If Andy Johnson can stay healthy(a big IF), he should be able to keep them out of the drop zone. The January transfer window will be very important, because while they may not add to their team, they also don't want to lose ground to those around them. They need points on the road.

16. Bolton- Bolton have gotten back to their long ball game, but Gary Megson may not be able to save them two seasons in a row. Elmander has looked good when he's fit, but it's unlikely they have any more money for changes in January. They have already lost to Fulham and Newcastle, and drawn with WBA. They should join fellow long ballers Stoke in the Championship next season.

15. Everton- Another team that was expected to challenge the Big Four, and is now closer to the Bottom Three. Everton had a terrible transfer window, and Fellaini has yet to live up to his price tag. Their once solid defense has yet to keep a clean sheet, and they were dumped out of the UEFA Cup. Moyes has signed a new deal, and many expect the club to be sold to yet another billionaire. If Pienaar, Cahill and Arteta can stay fit, along with a couple January signings, this team should shoot up and finish in the top half of the table.

14. Sunderland- This team could also be called Manchester United Jr. with all the former Reds that Roy Keane has recruited. With Kenwyne Jones and Michael Chopra out they have had a shortage of goals, but Djibril Cisse should take advantage of his second chance in the Prem. New signing Chimbonda, Ferdinand and McCartney should see their back line stiffen, while Malbranque and Tainio will add some creativity to the midfield Strong performances against Arsenal and Liverpool shows that they are not to be taken lightly. Their manager will instill a toughness in them, and this should see them survive the relegation battle and finish somewhere in the bottom half of the table.

13. Wigan- Steve Bruce's switch from Birmingham to Wigan helped the latter stay up, while the former was relegated. As a former defender, Bruce's side have only given up more than one goal once this season and have two clean sheets. They kept Chelsea to a single goal, defeated Man City and demolished Hull. Zaki and Heskey are an impressive strike partnership, and Bruce should be able to keep his talented squad up.

12. Middlesbrough- It is incredible that Boro is still in the Premiership, but they may not be so lucky this season. Their victories over Tottenham, Stoke and Wigan have all come on goals in the last five minutes. They have not conceded more than two goals in a game, but haven't scored more than that either. Mido, Alves and Aliadiere will have to score a lot more goals, or else Boro will be going down.

11. Manchester City- With all the players they have added, and those who are rumored to join the club in January, City will finish in the top half of the table and challenge for a UEFA Cup place. Wright-Phillips has settled in quickly with his former club, while Kompany looks good on the other side of the ball. Robinho and Jo have been more sporadic, but if they both hit their best form it will mean trouble for other teams. There are some questions if the change in ownership, influx of new players and speculation about Hughes' job will destabilize the club, but they have been inconsistent. This should fade as they spend more time playing with each other, but if wholesale changes are made in January it could be a step back. City also have players flying all around the globe for World Cup Qualifiers, and have high hopes in the UEFA Cup, so they will need to rely on depth and avoid injuries.