Atlético Vs Porto 24/02 » 11/03 »
Lyon Vs Barcelona 24/02 » 11/03 »
Arsenal Vs Roma 24/02 » 11/03 »
Inter Vs Man. United 24/02 » 11/03 »
Real Madrid Vs Liverpool 25/02 » 10/03 »
Chelsea Vs Juventus 25/02 » 10/03 »
Villarreal Vs Panathinaikos 25/02 » 10/03 »
Sporting VsBayern 25/02 » 10/03 »
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Champions League Knock out Draws
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Ronaldo very happy at United
Crisitiano Ronaldo has insisted that he is "very happy" at Manchester United despite ongoing the Real Madrid saga.
The Manchester United winger has been back in the headlines again over the past 48 hours, thanks to more speculation linking him with Real Madrid.
But comments from Real director Pedro Trapote have been greeted with disdain at Old Trafford, Sir Alex Ferguson claiming 'I wouldn't sell them a virus' following his team's 5-3 Club World Cup victory over Gamba Osaka.
Ronaldo opted not to get embroiled in the war of words between two clubs, who may get drawn together in the Champions League knockout round tomorrow.
However, he has confirmed he remains happy with life at Old Trafford - after Ferguson persuaded him to stay last summer.
"I don't care what people are saying," he said.
"I have not read it. I am here in Japan and I know nothing about what is going on around me.
"But I am very happy playing for Manchester United."
After the intense speculation that surrounded him last summer, it seems Ronaldo must once again get used to being the centre of attention.
The Ballon D'Or winner preferred to talk about his goalscoring contribution to United's latest triumph.
After heading home a Ryan Giggs corner in first-half stoppage time, Ronaldo has moved into double figures for the season.
As he prepares to be confirmed as the best player in the world at a glitzy FIFA ceremony next month, Ronaldo confirmed life at the moment is going well.
"It would mean a lot for me to be a world champion," he said.
"It would be fantastic to win this trophy - and now there is a good chance, not just from a personal perspective but for Manchester United.
"We might only have one opportunity and we have to take it."
Ronaldo knows the bare minimum about Sunday's opponents, Ecuador's South American club champions LDU Quito.
They were not that impressive in beating Pachuca in yesterday's semi-final, but Ronaldo knows any club capable of overcoming the might of Brazil and Argentina must be respected.
"We are expecting a difficult game," he said.
"The second match is always more difficult than the first, and we have to prepare well.
"Quito are a good team, with a lot of experience.
"We have a couple of days to study them and to see who the best players are, but the most important thing for us is to put the ball in the net."
Van Persie to Barca?
League leaders Barcelona are reportedly interested to bring Arsenal forward Robin van Persie to Camp Nou.
Marca reported that Barca made their intentions known and has received positive response from the player's associates.
Arsenal on the other hand has been trying to tie Van Persie down to a longer contract with his current deal running out in 2011.
Barca's technical secretary Txiki Begiristain has been scouting for a new left-sided attacking player with Thierry Henry unlikely to stay on after this season.
Some other notable players linked with Catalan giants is Valencia's explosive winger David Silva while another Arsenal player, Cesc Fabregas is a long-term target that will unlikely be available this summer.
With Sylvinho also rumoured to be on his final season at the club and French international Eric Abidal keen on a move back to Olympique Lyonnais, Barca's priority in the transfer marker will be to solve the left-sided void that could spell trouble if not plugged swiftly.
The Blaugrana are no strangers to signing Dutch players with Patrick Kluivert, Marc Overmars and the De Boer brothers just some of the Oranje players who have plied their trade under Barca colours.
Adriano to play in All-Star Game
Inter Milan striker Adriano will take part in a benefit All-Star Game organised by Brazilian legend Zico next week.
Adriano's participation is the match, which is due to be played next Tuesday at the Estadio Maracana in Rio de Janeiro, is a curious situation given Inter allowed him to return to his homeland earlier this week because of a muscle injury.
The striker had been ruled out of Inter's game at Siena on Saturday because of the injury, prompting the club's decision to allow him to return to Brazil ahead of the upcoming winter break.
However, he looks set to play some role in Tuesday's match after an organiser of the event, Junior Coimbra, confirmed his participation.
"Adriano has arrived in Rio and confirmed his presence in the All-Star Game," he said.
"We are still waiting for the confirmation from a few other players, both local and international."
Money collected from the game will be donated to charity and to help the thousands of victims of the floods in the state of Santa Catarina which killed 128 people.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Juande Ramos: Real Madrid Job Is A Dream For Me
The new Real Madrid coach has described his appointment as Bernd Schuster's successor as a dream job after he penned a deal that will keep him at the club until the end of the season at least
Juande Ramos agreed a deal to take over as Real Madrid coach over breakfast on Tuesday morning, he revealed at a press conference where he was officially presented as the new coach of the club.
The former Sevilla and Tottenham Hotspur has signed an agreement until the end of the current season and both sides will then sit down and discuss a longer contract if they are happy.
Describing the appointment as a dream come true for him, Ramos also said that Madrid could add to their squad again in January once he has analysed the squad.
"I would like to thank the club the faith that they have placed in me. I am very excited about the prospect of coaching Real Madrid," Ramos said to reporters.
"It is every coach's dream and I do not want to let anyone down in their choice and hope to bring success to the club.
"The speed of the agreement has surprised me. I was invited to have breakfast with the directors this morning and we talked about a deal then and it was all signed then.
"In most of my previous jobs I have had short contracts and I will be here until the end of the season. It was a quick agreement and if both sides are happy then we can sit down in the summer and maybe extend the agreement.
After reports that Bernd Schuster's comment that Real Madrid could not beat Barcelona on Saturday, Ramos said that he would focus on the Blaugrana game after the Zenit game.
"They are one of the biggest clubs in the world and I have not doubt that they are playing very well at the moment, but Real Madrid has the capability and the prestige to take on any team at any stadium in the world," he continued.
"Real Madrid can only look to the next game and that for us is Zenit and when that game is played we will then think about Barcelona."
Ramos takes over a squad with several players absent through injury and stated that he could well be dipping in to the transfer market in the winter window.
"In January we may have to do something, but we have to be clear about who we need and who will be right for this club," he added.
Real Madrid Sack Bernd Schuster, Juande Ramos In
Madrid have announced that they have dismissed their coach on Tuesday morning and reports state that Juande Ramos has been installed and will take training at the club this afternoon.
Bernd Schuster has been sacked by Real Madrid, the Spanish giants have confirmed after a series of meetings on Tuesday morning and is reported to have been replaced by Juande Ramos.
With Predrag Mijatovic said to have been at the forefront of the move, he had already lined up Ramos and the former Sevilla and Tottenham Hotspur coach will take training on Tuesday afternoon after a brief presentation.
The German coach has paid for the turmoil on the pitch and apparently for his comments off it after he stated that Los Merengues could not beat Barcelona this weekend.
Despite leading the club to the league title last term, his inability to produce an attractive and consistent team this season has meant that he has now paid the price.
Sporting director Mijatovic was reported to have been very unimpressed by the trainer's outburst to add to the poor performances in recent weeks and was intrumental in his sacking.
Ramón Calderón had previously wanted to retain Schuster's services for fear of a backlash against him, but he was persuaded to make the move after Sunday's defeat by Sevilla.
Madrid are now said to have appointed former Sevilla and Tottenham Hotspur coach Juande Ramos and he will be at the Bernabéu for the game against Zenit on Wednesday.
Schuster, 48, took over at the Bernabéu after Fabio Capello was dismissed because his style of play was not said to be entertaining enough despite securing Madrid's first championships for four seasons and now the club have removed another title-winning coach.
The former Madrid, Atlético and Barcelona player was warned about his conduct in the press room last term and while results were going his way there was little outcry, but now the team has faltered his latest outburst about the impossibility of winning at Camp Nou has cost him dearly.
Ramos made his name by winning five trophies in 15 months at Sevilla and he added to that by leading Tottenham to the Carling Cup last term, their first major trophy for nine years.
Despite the north London club's subsequent dip in form, the Andalucian trainer's stock held up in Spain and he was tipped to join Real Madrid as soon as it was announced that he had lost his job at White Hart Lane.
Ronaldinho: Private Issues Led To Poor Barcelona Form
The former World Player of the Year has been discussing the reasons behind his below par performances for the Blaugrana last season.
he Brazilian superstar has found a new lease of life at his new club Milan, where he is an integral part of their Serie A title challenge.
But some of his displays for Barcelona last season led to speculation that the 28-year old no longer had the drive to perform consistently at the highest level.
However, 'Ronnie' has spoken out about his final months at the Camp Nou, and insists his dip in form occurred as a result of personal problems off the pitch.
He told Italian publication Corriere della Sera, "Many thought I was in decline and that I would never come back to my best level, but the truth is that at the beginning of this year I had an accident that created many problems."
The attacking midfielder, who scored 70 goals in 145 games for Barcelona in his five years at the club, refused to go into further details regarding the nature of the problems, but made it clear that the snipers who had criticised him at the time left an indelible mark on his confidence.
He added, "They said and published many things that were hurtful to me. I wanted to prove to them that I am not finished."
With Ronaldinho as their top scorer so far this season, Milan lie in second position in the Serie A table, while Barcelona are riding high at the summit of the Primera Division.
Sergio Ramos Ready To Shackle Lionel Messi
Real Madrid coach Bernd Schuster will be forced to shuffle his back-line for Saturday’s critical El Clasico clash, but it appears that he has found a solution for the problem known as Lionel Messi.
Real Madrid will head into Saturday’s showdown with bitter rivals,Barcelona without at least half of their first team.
With injured players littered across every position and department on the pitch, Madrid’s most vital absence, however, will be in the left-back slot: the flank Lionel Messi will attack from.
Marcelo is suspended and Miguel Torres is out injured, while at this stage Gabriel Heinze appears to be doubtful. And even if he does recover from a muscle ailment in time, he will be short on match fitness: a defect that can be brutally fatal against a player like ‘Little Lionel’.
Madrid-based daily AS has speculated that coach Bernd Schuster will turn to the versatile Sergio Ramos in an attempt to put the brakes on the mercurial Messi. With Pepe also sidelined, Christoph Metzelder will most likely partner Fabio Cannavaro in the centre of defence, but this will leave the right-back position up in the air.
While Ramos may look like the perfect solution to stop Messi, the bad omen for Madridistas is that the only two occasions where he has been employed as a left-back since joining Los Blancos occurred back in 2007 under Fabio Capello, against Deportivo La Coruna and Real Valladolid. Madrid lost both matches.
The possible absences of midfielders Wesley Sneijder and Royston Drenthe will pose another selection headache for Schuster. If the pair fail to recover come kick-off, the German-born coach will have to deploy Rafael van der Vaart, Javi Garcia and Guti just infront of Fernando Gago.
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Monday, December 1, 2008
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Big head-to-head clashes ahead in La Liga
Before the Christmas break, there are five days of football in which all of the top teams will be going at it face to face, and the shape of the Spanish Liga could change completely.
The 2008/09 championship has started with five teams edging ahead of the rest of the pack: Barça, Vila-real, Valencia, Real Madrid and Sevilla, in that order. Over the next five weeks, many of those teams will be meeting each other, and we could either see teams extending their leads or dropping away from the leading group.
Barça have all four in a row 
After playing Getafe on Sunday, FC Barcelona have back to back games against their four main pursuers. Next up are Sevilla, then its home to Valencia, a week later Real Madrid at home and before Christmas they still have to tackle Vila-real.
Josep Guardiola knows they need to make sure of the three points against Getafe and have something of a safety net as they go into the toughest part of their league schedule yet. A margin for error will be comforting, yet even if Barça won all of their next games it will still be too early to celebrate anything with half the league programme still to go.
Sevilla first 
The first of the big guns to face the league leaders will be Sevilla. Manolo Jiménez’s side will first receive Valencia this Saturday at 22.00 and after that they too play the big teams in Barça, Madrid and Vila-real, in that order.
Valencia, bit by bit 
Valencia follow their game with Sevilla with a game against Betis, and after that they’ve got Barça. Valencia then get to ‘rest’ for a week against Espanyol before facing Vila-real. Valencia will end their run of games against fellow leaders on the weekend of January 10 and 11, 2009.
Real Madrid, with Christmas in between
Real Madrid also have four games in a row against their fellow leaders, but have the Christmas break in between. In two weekends time they have Sevilla, in three weeks time it’s Barça and in four its Valencia. They then have a fortnight off for Christmas, and return to their difficult string of matches by entertaining Vila-real. 
Finally, Vila-real 
Pellegrini’s side will be the last of the sides to take on a run of games against the other top teams. By Christmas, Vila-real will have only played Sevilla and Barça.
The fixture list
Week 12 (23/11/08)
FC Barcelona – Getafe
R.Madrid – Recreativo
Sevilla – València
Vila-real – Valladolid
Week 13 (30/11/08)
Sevilla – FC Barcelona
València – Betis
Getafe – R.Madrid
Recreativo – Vila-real
Week 14 (07/12/08)
FC Barcelona – València
R.Madrid – Sevilla
Vila-real – Getafe
Week 15 (14/12/08)
FC Barcelona-R.Madrid
Sevilla-Vila-real
València – Espanyol
Week 16 (21/12/08)
R.Madrid – València
Vila-real – FC Barcelona
Mallorca – Sevilla
Thrashing Victory for Manchester City against Arsenal
Arsenal's poor form continue to run extending their losing streak to 2. Stephen Ireland drew the first blood of Arsenal for Man City at the 45th Min. Ten Minutes later Robinho's Spectacular chip shot helped Man City to double their lead. As Man City continued to attack Arsenal as the Eastland fans continued to chant their team song. The final goal for Man City came from Struddige in the dying minutes from the penalty.
Portsmouth Vs Hull City
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Portsmouth 2 - Hull City 2
20' [1 - 0] P. Crouch
54' [1 - 1] M. Turner
63' [2 - 1] G. Johnson
85' P.B. Diop (YC)
86' D. Windass(YC)
89' [2 - 2] N. Pamarot (o.g.)
90' S. Davis(YC)
Johnson's spectular long range left foot volley increased the confidence of portsmouth for the victory. But the tigers bounced back and equalised by a late goal.
Newcastle's Anti - Football
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New Castle, today, played an anti football against Chelsea at stamfor bridge. New Castle didnt tried to take possession of the ball and attack chelsea's defence. New Castle's full intention was to get a point. So they adopted the coward's method of playing antifootball.
Inspite of New Castle's anti football chelsea created few chances to score a goal. During the 89 the minute Ballack's went wide off the post.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Aston Villa vs Man Utd Preview
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Aston Villa are in good form and confident of their victory against Manchester United today. Martin O'Neil has admittied that the victory will be a boost for them if they can beat Manchester united after 13 year.
Berbatov's injury and tevez madrid move talks will be a blow for Ferguson. Besides berbatov injury, united boss is confident of his top players like rooney and ronaldo.
FORM GUIDE
Manchester United:
15th November vs. Stoke City (H) won 5-0 (PREM)
11th November vs. Queens Park Rangers (H) won 1-0 (CARLING CUP)
8th November vs. Arsenal (A) lost 2-1 (PREM)
5th November vs. Celtic (A) drew 1-1 (CHAMP LG)
1st November vs. Hull City (H) won 4-3 (PREM)
Aston Villa:
15th November vs. Arsenal (A) won 2-0 (PREM)
9th November vs. Middlesbrough (H) lost 2-1 (PREM)
6th November vs. Slavia Prague (A) won 1-0 (UEFA CUP)
3rd November vs. Newcastle United (A) lost 2-0 (PREM)
29th October vs. Blackburn Rovers (H) won 3-2 (PREM)
TEAM NEWS
Aston Villa:
Spanish centre back Carlos Cuellar (thigh) misses out on the visit of Manchester United. Villa fans will be happy to hear that John Carew and Nicky Shorey will feature after recent injury absences.
Last starting XI (vs. Arsenal): Friedel, Cuellar, Laursen, Davies, Luke Young, Ashley Young, Sidwell, Petrov, Barry, Milner, Agbonlahor.
Subs Not Used: Guzan, Harewood, Carew, Knight, Salifou, Reo-Coker, Gardner.
Squad: Friedel, Guzan, L Young, Shorey, Davies, Laursen, Knight, Milner, Petrov, Reo-Coker, Barry, A Young, Osbourne, Salifou, Carew, Agbonlahor, Harewood, Delfouneso, Gardner.
Manchester United:
Sir Alex Ferguson is reeling from the news that Wes Brown (ankle) will be out until January and Dimitar Berbatov (hamstring) will miss United’s next two games. They join Paul Scholes (knee) and Owen Hargreaves (knee) on the sidelines. Rio Ferdinand (back) faces a late fitness test.
Last starting XI (vs. Stoke City): Van der Sar, O'Shea, Vidic, Evans, Evra, Ronaldo, Carrick, Fletcher (Gibson 63), Park (Welbeck 63), Tevez (Manucho 74), Berbatov.
Subs Not Used: Foster, Anderson, Nani, Rafael Da Silva.
Squad: Van der Sar, Foster, Kuszczak, Neville, Rafael, O'Shea, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evans, Evra, Ronaldo, Park, Anderson, Fletcher, Carrick, Giggs, Nani, Rooney, Tevez, Welbeck.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Aston Villa: As Gabriel Agbonlahor sped past William Gallas, he sealed Villa’s 2-0 win against Arsenal and confirmed the Midlanders' position in the race for 4th place. Agbonlahor was sensational, causing the Gunners problems throughout the game as his pace stretched their defence to breaking-point. He put in a good shift again in mid-week for England as he nearly capped off his first start with a goal. If he can continue this form, then the Villa might have enough to break their United hoodoo.
Manchester United: In the absence of many England regulars, Michael Carrick performed admirably in Berlin. Calmly retaining possession and breaking up German play, Carrick was one of the Three Lions' best performers in the 2-1 victory. The ex-Spurs man was continuing his good form since his return from injury. This has even included goals against Hull City and Stoke City. With Paul Scholes and Owen Hargreaves injured, plus Anderson suffering jet lag from his trip to Brazil, Carrick must continue to step up to the plate for his club.
PREDICTION
Going by the form book, this is one of the easiest games to predict in the Premier League.
Last weekend’s trip to the Emirates could have changed all that for Martin O’Neill’s men. They were top-class then and a repeat of that performance will test the champions' mettle.
United should still come out on top, but it won’t be an easy day out in the Midlands for the Red Devils this time.
Aston Villa 1-2 Manchester United
Reports raise doubts over Gallas Future at Arsenal
William Gallas's Arsenal future is in doubt after he was stripped off his captaincy and dropped from the squad.
The 31-year-old centre-back has revealed rifts in the Gunners dressing room, a blazing row during the interval of the 4-4 draw with rivals Tottenham and a problem with an unnamed team-mate unsettling Arsene Wenger's squad.
Wenger had to decide whether to give Gallas the armband at Eastlands, with the website of respected magazine France Football suggesting the defender has lost it and is not travelling for the City clash.
Manuel Almunia and Gael Clichy have been billed as alternatives this weekend, as Cesc Fabregas is suspended and Kolo Toure injured.
Former Arsenal full-back Nigel Winterburn believes changing the captaincy would place Gallas' future in doubt.
"If he takes the captaincy away he's almost saying he doesn't trust him as a player and then maybe he shouldn't be playing within the team," said Winterburn on Sky Sports News.
"It shows how disappointed Arsene Wenger is. He must be seriously hurt to take the captaincy away. If he does not travel it could be the end of him at Arsenal."
Gallas has been quoted in the Evening Standard as being open to an eventual return to France for the final stages of his career, which adds fuel to questions of his long-term commitment to Arsenal.
He said: "It's true that I'd like to return to France for one or perhaps two seasons to finish my career."
Tevez joining Madrid next season
Real Madrid will sign Manchester United and Argentine forward, Carlos Tevez in time for the start of next season.
Spanish sports daily, Marca, reported that the ‘Apache' as Tevez is commonly known, has said yes to Madrid after seeing his starting berth go to new United signing, Dimitar Berbatov.
Madrid themselves have had problems of late and with star striker, Ruud van Nistelrooy out for the rest of the season, Tevez's arrival will be deemed necessary.
Bernd Schuster's men are currently sitting in fourth position and are five points behind Primera Liga leaders, Barcelona.
Whether or not Marca's report is correct has yet to be confirmed by the Los Blancos.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Cudicini to join Spurs?
Chelsea goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini might make the short journey to join another London side, Tottenham Hotspur.
Spurs' Brazilian keeper, Heurelho Gomes has had a nightmarish first few months in the English game as his costly errors have proved costly to his side in their relegation fight.
New manager, Harry Redknapp is said to be eyeing a short-term replacement to give Gomes some competition and Cudicini is at the top of the list.
Cudicini has had to settle for a role on the bench since Petr Cech joined Chelsea and with the limited playing time he has gotten, a switch to Spurs might be tempting.
If a bid for Cudicini fails, Redknapp may just head back to Fratton Park to lure England keeper, David James to the Lane
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Is This The Best Barça Ever?
It is early days still to begin to judge Pep Guardiola's Barça; however, the statistics speak for themselves: after 11 league games Barça have made their best start ever to a league campaign - nine wins and a draw = 28 points which is one more than Bobby Robson's team won in the first eleven games of 1996/97 (eight wins and three draws).
The current team have now won nine league games on the trot. The team of 2005/06 hold the record for concecutive league victories having won 14 straight games between October 2005 and January 2006. Many of you may remember some of the fantastic football played at that time including the 0-3 win at the Bernabeu with Ronaldinho at his unbelievable best. That team went on to lift La Liga and the Champions League trophy so until Pep's boys do the same perhaps there can be no comparison. But just for the hell of it I will compare the figures. In the 14 wins of 2005/06 Barça scored 38 goals (an average of 2.714 goals a game) and only conceded seven. In the current run of nine games Barça have scored 35 (an average of 3.889 goals a game!) while conceding six.
There is still quite a road to climb to equal the fourteen wins, the next five league games are Getafe (home), Sevilla (away), Valencia (home), Real Madrid (home), and Villarreal (away); if we come through that lot victorious we will only have to beat Mallorca at home at the start of January to break the record.
As we all know records count for nothing at the end of the day, and the only really important thing is to win some silverware at the end of the season, Bobby Robson's team, for example, ended up in second place to Madrid at the end of the 1996/97 season. Also to really go down in history you expect a team to consistly win things over a period of three or four seasons as Johan Cruyff's famous Dream Team did between 1989 and 1994. Cruyff's team played some incredible football in that time but they also had their off-days and in the end won three of their league titles (1992, 1993, 1994) thanks to the slip-ups of their rivals on the last day of the season.
We cannot see into the future but the signs and sensations so far this season are all positive, we are bound to have some bad games: no team can win always. However, for now we should enjoy the ride, it is not often that you can see football played at such a high standard as we have seen in the last few weeks. We must hope we can continue at this level for when we face the likes of Real Madrid, Villarreal, Sevilla and Valencia, I look forward to these games with relish at the prospect of tearing these teams apart. For now they are just my dreams, but I really can't wait to see those dreams coming true.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Wenger Analyses Qualities Of ‘Dangerous Mérida’
During Arsenal’s incredible journey in this years Carling Cup, it’s been the same set of names who have taken the most credit for the team’s success and achievements, in every round. Strikers Carlos Vela, Nicklas Bendtner and Jay Simpson have hit the headlines, along with midfield duo Jack Wilshere and Aaron Ramsey.
Yet one man, or should I say boy, has been quietly but effectively keeping the Gunners midfield ticking over as well as adding vital width when needed. His name? Fran Mérida Perez. After joining Arsenal via Barcelona - like Cesc Fàbregas - and occupying a similar position to that of the iconic number 4, it’s no wonder comparisons have been made between the two.
Analysing from the touchlines in training and during games, Arsene Wenger believes it’s a mistake to say the Catalan pair are identical players.
“Merida is different to Cesc [Fàbregas], but he is still very dangerous in the final third. If you analyse a game and look who gives the ball every time in the final third, you will see Fran.”
The high praise continues for the exciting youngster, who came out of his shell against Wigan and was prepared to share the burden with Mark Randall of getting “stuck in” to the Latics. This complemented his usual expert passing range, and it’s doing the difficult things like playing those killer balls which Wenger highlights.
“That’s is the most difficult part of the game and that is where Fran is strong.”
He’s going quietly about his business in the Arsenal midfield, but there is no doubt that the 18-year-old will be a key component in any Carling Cup success.
Serie A Week 48 Fixtures
Saturday 22nd November 2008
Fiorentina vs Udinese Artemio Franchi 17:00
Inter Milan vs Juventus San Siro 19:30
Sunday 23rd November 2008
Chievo vs Siena Bentegodi 14:00
Bologna vs Palermo Renato Dall'Ara 14:00
Reggina vs Atalanta Oreste Granillo 14:00
Napoli vs Cagliari San Paolo 14:00
Lecce vs Roma Stadio Via del Mare 14:00
Lazio vs Genoa Stadio Olimpico 14:00
Sampdoria vs Catania Luigi Ferraris 14:00
Torino vs AC Milan Delle Alpi 20:30
* All times are in GMT
LFP Fixtures
* All times are in GMT
Real Madrid vs Recreativo Huelva Santiago Bernabeu 16:00
Villarreal vs Valladolid El Madrigal 16:00
Osasuna vs Almeria Reyno de Navarra 16:00
Sporting Gijon vs Real Betis El Molinon 16:00
Mallorca vs Malaga ONO Estadi 16:00
Numancia vs Atletico Madrid Nuevo Los Pajaritos 16:00
Sevilla vs Valencia Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan 16:00
Deportivo La Coruna vs Athletic Bilbao Riazor 16:00
Racing Santander vs Espanyol El Sardinero 16:00
Barcelona vs Getafe Camp Nou 16:00
Barclays Premier League Fixtures - Week 48
Saturday 22nd November 2008
* All times are in GMT
Chelsea vs Newcastle Stamford Bridge 15:00
Liverpool vs Fulham Anfield 15:00
Middlesbrough vs Bolton The Riverside Stadium 15:00
Portsmouth vs Hull Fratton Park 15:00
Stoke vs West Brom Britannia Stadium 15:00
Man City vs Arsenal City of Manchester Stadium 15:00
Aston Villa vs Man Utd Villa Park 17:30
Sunday 23rd November 2008
Tottenham vs Blackburn White Hart Lane 13:30
Sunderland vs West Ham Stadium of Light 16:00
Sunday, November 16, 2008
5 Star Bacrcelona Secured First place
Second half goals from Lionel Messi and Seydou Keita gave Barcelona victory at Recreativo
Huelva tonight as the Catalans opened up a three point lead at the top of the Primera Liga.
Barca struggled to break down the Andalusians in an evenly-matched first half, but Messi
popped up to score from an improvised free-kick six minutes after the break.
Substitute Keita added a late second to seal a ninth straight league win for Pep Guardiola's side.
Recreativo Huelva vs Barcelona - 16.11.2008
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Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola has warned his side they have not achieved anything yet this season despite winning their last eight Primera Liga matches.
Guardiola's reign as coach has begun in style and Barcelona lead the standings by a point from Villarreal following 10 rounds of the championship.
But the former Barca midfielder and captain says there is still a long way to go.
"What we have done up until now has been good, but in some games we find it harder to attack than in others, and we haven't achieved anything yet," he said.
The Catalans travel to struggling Recreativo Huelva tomorrow and Guardiola insists his team still have a lot to prove.
"We still have a lot to do and we have to show what we're about again on Sunday because we saw against Benidorm how difficult it can be," he said.
Guardiola's side laboured to a 1-0 home win over the seasiders in the second leg of the two teams' Copa del Rey last-32 match on Tuesday.
Lionel Messi scored from the spot to save the Catalans from an embarrassing draw against the Second Division B outfit and seal a 2-0 aggregate win.
Guardiola rested several key players for that match, with Messi, Samuel Eto'o, Thierry Henry, Victor Valdes, Xavi and Rafa Marquez all left out of the starting line-up.
All could return to the side for tomorrow`s game in Huelva, when Barcelona will be looking for a ninth straight Primera Liga success.
Nevertheless, Guardiola expects Recreativo to provide a tough test for his side.
"They held Valencia to a draw and lost by a single goal at Sevilla; they are well-organised with two banks of four, and in attack (Javier) Camunas, Javi Guerrero and Sisi have a lot of talent," he said.
Eto'o scored four goals as Barcelona thrashed Real Valladolid 6-0 at the Nou Camp last weekend.
The Cameroon striker is the league's top scorer with 13 goals, while Barcelona boast an impressive total of 34 strikes from just 10 games.
The team's goal average of over three per game is the best in all of Europe and their tally of eight goals conceded is also the joint lowest in the Primera Liga, along with Sevilla.
On Sunday, Guardiola will be without Gabi Milito, Eric Abidal and Andres Iniesta, who all remain sidelined.
Recreativo parted company with previous coach Manuel Zambrano last month and have tightened up under new man Lucas Alcaraz, securing three consecutive draws prior to last weekend's narrow defeat at Sevilla.
However, the Andalusian side remain in trouble at the wrong end of the table, now lying above the relegation zone on goal difference alone.
Alcaraz's side also went out of the Copa del Rey to Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday, despite beating the Basque side 2-1 in the second leg.
Ersen Martin picked up an injury in that clash and is unlikely to feature tomorrow.
Camunas is set to return from injury, though, and Iago Bouzon is back from a ban.
Despite the daunting prospect of facing the league leaders, Alcaraz says he is more concerned with his own side than Barcelona.
"We have to worry about ourselves and play the best we possibly can, in order to carry out what we have been working on; and from then on, the result will depend on a lot of circumstances," he said.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Premier League 16 Nov Results
Bolton 0-2 Liverpool
Nolan 62:45
Kuyt 27:48
Man Utd 5-0 Stoke 
Ronaldo 2:39
Carrick 45:00(0:21)
Berbatov 48:10
Welbeck 83:27
Ronaldo 88:12
West Ham 0-0 Portsmouth
Newcastle 2-2 Wigan 
Owen 79:11
Martins 86:18
Beye 48:53
Taylor 2:38
Bramble 88:21
Blackburn 1-2 Sunderland 
Samba 45:00(1:35)
Jones 48:27
Cisse 70:52
Arsenal 0-2 Aston Villa 
Young 18:38 Saved
Clichy 69:10
Agbonlahor 79:37
West Brom 0-3 Chelsea 
Bosingwa 33:24
Anelka 37:26
Anelka 45:00(0:49)
La Liga Fixtures
All the times are in GMT
Saturday 15th November 2008
Valladolid vs Real Madrid Nuevo Jose Zorilla Stadium 19:00
Valencia vs Sporting Gijon Mestalla 21:00
Sunday 16th November 2008
Espanyol vs Numancia Olimpic Lluis Companys 16:00
Real Betis vs Racing Santander Estadio Manuel Ruiz de Lopera 16:00
Getafe vs Sevilla Coliseum Alfonso Perez 16:00
Malaga vs Villarreal La Rosaleda 16:00
Almeria vs Mallorca Juegos Mediterraneos 16:00
Atletico Madrid vs Deportivo La Coruna Vicente Calderon 16:00
Athletic Bilbao vs Osasuna San Mames 18:00
Recreativo Huelva vs Barcelona El Nuevo Colombino 20:00
Barclays Premier League Fixtures
Saturday 15th November 2008
All times are in GMT
Bolton Vs Liverpool Reebok Stadium 12:45
Blackburn vs Sunderland Ewood Park 15:00
Arsenal vs Aston Villa Emirates Stadium 15:00
Man Utd vs Stoke Old Trafford 15:00
Newcastle vs Wigan St James' Park 15:00
West Ham vs Portsmouth Upton Park 15:00
Fulham vs Tottenham Craven Cottage 15:00
West Brom vs Chelsea The Hawthorns 17:30
Sunday 16th November 2008
Everton vs Middlesbrough Goodison Park 13:30
Hull vs Man City Kingston Communications Stadium 16:00
Friday, November 14, 2008
Wenger the king; Nasri the prince; Wilshere the princeling
Yeah, people talking 'nuff less smack about my boys Arsenal this week. Nasri, yet another testament to Wenger's eye for talent, showed why we won't miss Hleb this season. He's as dynamic as Hleb, but he actually shoots! Now that's proper. But what impressed me most in the Man U game was how the zig-zagging runs off the ball pulled Man U's defense to pieces. I do still think we need a bit more experience in when deal seasons opens in bit (one massive center back and one defensive mid and we're set, son), but it's fun to watch what's possible with the boundless energy of youth.
Speaking of the energy of youth, how about that Arsenal peach fuzz brigade, schooling Wigan in mid-week? Simson showed me true confidence. He'll be ready for the big leagues soon. Vela's lob was obviously a sick attempt to better his effort in the last Carling Cup game for Gunner goal of the year. But honestly, it's all about Wilshere. That boy bossed that game. Only 16? Are you kidding me? Arsenal legend Liam Brady said he's honored that Wilshere's getting compared to him so much. Umm. Wow.
And for those nincompoops wo were heaping abuse on Wenger last week, the best response comes from an unexpected source.
"How can you criticise Arsenal's Arsene Wenger?"
There are Arsenal fans out there who are not happy with Wenger, I know, and I would love to sit down with those guys and ask the reason why. As far as I am concerned, he should be a template for any young coach or manager. Any one wanting to get started in the game, should study Arsene Wenger.
Ha ha. Nah, not just because of the above piece, but I've always respected Phil Brown. When Hull shocked us to burst my bubble (we haven't been quite right since then), my first reaction was frustration, but my second was admiration for Hull City and their fantastic manager. They have always played wonderful football, and unlike the likes of Stoke, they beat us not through savage and negative tactics, but by matching our energy all over the pitch (and Man U have demonstrated how difficult that is).
Anyway, let's hold the line, Gunners. And to my fellow gunner fans. Let this week's triumphs be a lesson for you to back your club no matter what. Of course, I should be careful. The last time I waxed lyrical about The Arsenal they immediately went into an extended stumble...Hull, Stoke, Fener,...Tottenham (say it ain't so, not the ex-lolspurz!) But hey, I ain't superstitions. Bring on Aston Villa!
Monday, November 10, 2008
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Barca's Thrashing Victory over Real Vallaloid
Samuel Eto’o scored four goals before Eidur Gudjohnsen and Thierry Henry added one each to give Barça a convincing victory against Real Valladolid and return to playing at their best in front of an adoring Camp Nou crowd.
Eto'o opened the scoring after 12 minutes, adding a second on the half-hour mark and completing his hat-trick in the lead-up to half-time.
The African striker then added a fourth goal a minute before the interval to round off a superb first half for the Catalan side.
With the first goal scored Barça were able to enjoy themselves more and Valladolid chose not to change to a very defensive formation and continued to try and find a way past Gerard Piqué and Rafa Márquez. But by doing that they allowed the Blaugrana more time and space to play their own game and Eto’o took advantage.
Eto’o was given the honour of a standing ovation after being taken off before the end shortly before Messi thought that he had scored in the week when he was visited by Diego Maradona, but his effort was ruled out for offside. A sixth was not long in coming though as Aliaksandr Hleb edged into the box behind the Valladolid defence and he clipped a pass across the face of goal and Henry was able to take a touch before hitting the ball into the net.
Barca's win keeps them two points clear of bitter rivals Real Madrid, but Villarreal can draw to within a point of the Catalans if they beat Almeria on Sunday.
Arsenal won against Manchester United
Samir Nasri's double helped Arsenal to walk in the victory path. Nasri scored the first goal in 21st minute. Arsenal created many chances but failed to finish them. Bendtner right from the start struggled to score a goal for Arsenal. Ronney missed a wonderful chance from C. Ronaldo. When Clichy was looking ronaldo to shoot the ball, but ronaldo passed the ball to Rooney. But rooney failed to finish the ball. In the 90th minute, Rafael da Silva scored his first goal against Arsenal for ManU. After his stunnign goal, ManU was back on action. Besides ManU's goal, 6 min added time also haunted Arsenal. Arsenal excellently defended their lead till the game. Final final whistle blew at 96th min and Arsenal won the game against ManU.
Match Result
FullTime
89:13 Man Utd Goal 2:1 - R Da Silva
85:04 Arsenal Substitution: K Toure for V Diaby
77:33 Arsenal Substitution: L Fabianski for M Almunia
76:22 Man Utd Substitution: CA Tevez for W Rooney
76:37 Arsenal Substitution: A Song Billong for T Walcott
71:33 Man Utd Substitution: R Giggs for OLdA Anderson
65:59 Man Utd Booking: M Carrick (Unsporting behaviour)
62:37 Man Utd Substitution: R Da Silva for G Neville
51:16 Arsenal Booking: G Clichy (Unsporting behaviour)
47:09 Arsenal Goal 2:0 - S Nasri
SecondHalfStarted
HalfTime
39:48 Arsenal Booking: B Sagna (Unsporting behaviour)
37:37 Man Utd Booking: P Evra (Unsporting behaviour)
26:43 Arsenal Booking: W Gallas (Unsporting behaviour)
21:50 Arsenal Goal 1:0 - S Nasri
KickOff
Arsenal
Formation: 4411
1 M Almunia, 3 B Sagna, 10 W Gallas, 18 M Silvestre, 22 G Clichy, 14 T Walcott, 4 F Fabregas, 15 N Denilson, 8 S Nasri, 2 V Diaby, 26 N Bendtner
Substitutes: 21 L Fabianski, 5 K Toure, 12 C Vela, 16 A Ramsey, 17 A Song Billong, 19 J Wilshere, 20 J Djourou
Man Utd
Formation: 442
1 E Van der Sar, 2 G Neville, 5 R Ferdinand, 15 N Vidic, 3 P Evra, 7 C Ronaldo, 8 O Anderson, 16 M Carrick, 13 J Park, 10 W Rooney, 9 D Berbatov
Substitutes: 29 T Kuszczak, 11 R Giggs, 17 L Nani, 21 R Da Silva, 22 J O'Shea, 23 J Evans, 32 C Tevez
Friday, November 7, 2008
AC Milan 1 - Braga 0
The Brazilian Magician's stunning goal in the stoppage time led AC Milan to the victory path.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Arsenal Vs Man United
Wenger Vs Ferguson
Genesis
Before Sir Alex could even offer Arsene a private post-match glass of red, he publicly whined: "He comes over here from Japan and tries to tell us how to run English football." Welcome to England Arsene, do enjoy your bonny sojourn.
Relations continued to sour in 1998 as the new Arsenal boss and his north London side were crowned Premier League victors for the first time in its new format - Manchester United claiming the trophy for four of the previous five seasons. Marc Overmars not only netted a crucial goal against the M16 team on their march to the league, but also scored the first of two in that year's FA Cup final against Newcastle. The Gunners sealed a glorious double at the expense of United.
And so began years of title tug-of-wars between London and Manchester that would increase in scurrilousness with every passing season. Each side's venom for the other ironically boiled down to the same vented belief: a disgust at the other side's disrespectful arrogance.
Exodus: Fergie's Flying Boot (February 2003)
The sixth round of the FA Cup in 2003 pitted the two adversaries against each other at Old Trafford. Three yellow cards within the opening seven minutes were issued indicating a tumultuous tie had rightly been anticipated. Jeff Winter, officiator for the emotive afternoon even appealed to captains Roy Keane and Patrick Vieira for peace. Arsenal emerged triumphant due to an Edu free-kick that took a deflection off David Beckham, and a neatly slotted side-foot courtesy of then record-signing Sylvain Wiltord.
Despite the highly charged nature of the match, it was really the calm before the storm, as a controversial melee kicked off in the home side's dressing room that David Beckham would later pay testament to in his autobiography My Side.
Beckham was deemed to be at fault for the first of Arsenal's goals. "I was getting bullied in public, and was backed into a corner for no reason other than spite," he said. Sir Alex was issuing his infamous hairdryer treatment to the team, but Becks was bearing the brunt of it. The fiery Scot then lashed at a football boot that socked the Golden Boy's brow. Gary Neville, Ryan Giggs, and Ruud van Nistelrooy then had to hold Beckham back as he 'went for the gaffer'. The midfielder emerged the next day in front of the paparrazi with his hair tightly pulled back showing off his cut to the world and his wife.
Ferguson later apologised, but Beckham was still sold that summer.
Battle Of Old Trafford (October 2004)
Pizzagate. The nadir of their competitive rivalry unraveled in front of an estimated 500,000,000 people. Arsenal had gone the previous season unbeaten and were on a 49-game run without loss. The equivalent fixture the season before (September 2003) saw Van Nistelrooy miss a last minute penalty, who was then duly molested by an over-excited Martin Keown and a Motley Crue of furious Gunners. The whole match was marred by petty gamesmanship, with Vieira getting sent off for a kick at Ruud. Four Arsenal players were banned as a result of their altercation with van Nistelrooy and had to pay a collective fine of £275,000. Two Red Devils were also fined for improper conduct.
The Battle of the Buffet, as it had been dubbed with hindsight, was to be no different.
Claims of unsporting conduct, vicious fouls, cheating, penalty calls, and poor refereeing were made throughout the 90 minutes and beyond. Manchester United defeated the 'Invincibles' by two goals to nil. But it is the post-match antics that are of more interest as a gastronomic riot erupted in the tunnel.
In My Defence, Ashley Cole's autobiography released after the 2006 World Cup, he revealed: "This slice of pizza came flying over my head and hit Fergie straight in the mush. All mouths gawped to see pizza slip off this famous face and roll down his nice black suit."
It didn't end there. Coffee was hurled, pea and/or tomato soup was lobbed, and Paul Johnson - Arsenal's equipment manager - was seen to have claret dripping from his nose.
Arsene Wenger accused the referee, this time Mike Riley, of Manc favouritism and labelled Man U's poaching striker (RvN) a 'cheat'.
Tension was so tight that when the return leg was due at Highbury in February 2005, Metropolitan Police urged the warring managers to end their dispute for fear their personal battle would translate to opposition fans.
Revelation: Chelsea - The Rise Of The Common Enemy
The rise of London's next force - an Abramovich enriched Chelsea side - saw both Arsene Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson unite in wanting to slay a common enemy. The arrogance of a newly-installed cocky Champions League-winning manager in Jose Mourinho, together with top-class signings such as Michael Essien and Shaun Wright Phillips in 2005, and then Michael Ballack, Ashley Cole, Salomon Kalou, and John Obi Mikel in 2006, were seen as a threat that would destabalise United's and Arsenal's ability to conquer.
The signing of John Obi Mikel to Chelsea diverted Sir Alex's attention away from Arsene, and toward Jose. In 2005 Manchester United offered Norweigan club Lyn Oslo £4million in order to buy their Nigerian midfielder, Mikel. The deal was struck, it was announced on the Red Devil's website, and Mikel even appeared in a press conference with red shirt in tow, expressing his delight.
However, around the same time, Chelsea countered United's claims that Mikel was theirs, and stated the player had even trained in front of Jose Mourinho. After a long-drawn out saga Chelsea paid £4million to Lyn Oslo, and £12million to United. Ferguson lost out on a prime target.
Mikel aside though, Ferguson and Mourinho always seemed to have a mutual respect for each other. The same could not be said of Mourinho and Wenger. The Chelsea manager accused Arsene of being a 'voyeur', claiming the Frenchman to be obsessed with his ranks. Wenger on the other hand regarded Mourinho as a man 'disconnected with reality'.
The emergence of Chelsea as a Premier League contender diluted the hostility between Ferguson and Wenger.
MY PREDICTION
Arsenal 1 - ManU 1
Nasri 53'
berbatov 78'
Monday, November 3, 2008
Sunday Savings: Gears of War 2 and 007 deals
This Friday is the big day for Gears fans, because a wee lil’ game by the name of Gears of War 2 will be available at retailers worldwide. Grab the best deals from the following shops. Buy GOW2 from circuit city and 1600 Microsoft points free.
Circuit City: Free 1600 Microsoft points
Toys R Us: Free $15 gift card
Best Buy: 25% off strategy guide
Best Buy Canada: Free Lancer keychain / bottle-opener
Future Shop: Free Locust headshot figure
And for those who aren’t into Gears 2 or are just looking for other deals, Best Buy is also offering a free t-shirt with purchase of Quantum of Solace and free earbuds with HSM3. Over at Toys R Us, they’re giving out a $15 gift card with Quantum of Solace and Circuit City is selling the original Gears of War for $30 and the 360 Intercooler for $15. Enjoy!
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Things Getting Worse for Arsenal
I knew it would be tough at Stoke, but I thought we’d grind out a result. It’s not like the Gunners didn’t know about Delap (his throws providing both their goals). Van Persie decided he didn’t fancy playing the next three matches so he’d get himself sent off after only being on the pitch a matter of minutes (had he even touched the ball before shoving Sorenson into the back of the goal?). So the Gunners were going to bounce back after the draw against spurs? Looks like they didn’t order enough rubber!
Adebayor and Sagna hobbled off, Walcot was stretchered off with what looked like a dislocated shoulder and confidence couldn’t be lower. The only glimmer of hope I see at the minute for the match against Man U next week is the fact that they shipped 3 goals to Hull today, but on present form, Hull are a much tougher prospect than we are.
I’ve tried to be as positive as possible, after Fulham, after Hull, after Sunderland, and, tough as it was, after Spurs, but i’m running out of ways to see how they can pull this together and get our season going.
Finishing in the top 4 this year might just be Wengers greatest achievement.
5 Star Barcelona in top of the league
Barcelona beat Malaga 4-1 on Saturday night to extend their winning run to 11 matches.
The first goal for Barcelona came off by a free kick from the Veteran Mid Fielder Xavi Hernandez. Xavi was down the order below Ronaldinho and Deco in the free kick takers list last season. This time he proved to be a worthy free kick taker.
Malaga equalised after 5 mins from Xavi's goal. Duda was the equaliser for Malaga with his impressive shot. Lionel Messi restored Barca's advantage after 18 minutes and Xavi netted a third for the Catalans shortly after the interval.
Besides the heavy rain, the game went on. The water logged pitch made conditions very difficult for the both sides. Players found themselves falling in the ground.
In the 19th minute, messi scored a goal from his low angle shot. Thirty four minutes later, Xavi scored yet another goal and put Barcelona in the dominating position. Thierry Henry brilliantly headed the ball from Eto's cross to unmarked Xavi , who swept a low left-footed drive under Arnau to give Guardiola's side a two goal cushion.
The catalans finally added a fourth goal, in the 80 th minute when Wellington Daniel Alves Free Kick. Now Barcelona are one point ahead of Valencia.
Tottenham's yet another victory
Tottenham hotspurs won against liverpool last night. Thanks to Pavlychenko who scored the late winning goal in the 89th min. Dirk Kuyt scored a tremendous goal in the 4th min. Liverpool continued to attack throughout the game. Jimmie Carragher’s own goal gave tottenham a breakthrough. Now tottenham are in the 18th position with 9 pts. Liverpool went down to the third position.
Thrashing Win For Chelsea
Chelsea 5 - Sunderland 0
Chelsea thrashed sunderland in todays match. Anelka scored a hatrick. The second goal by Anelka was an offside. In the second goal, alex was in the onside position but anelka was in the offside position. Lampard scored a goal by a simple header from Joe Cole. Joe Cole and Malouda they both played well in the todays match.
Match Goal Stats
****************
29:26 Chelsea Goal 2:0 - N Anelka
26:13 Chelsea Goal 1:0 - Alex
29:26 Chelsea Goal 2:0 - N Anelka
26:13 Chelsea Goal 1:0 - Alex
45:00(0:44) Chelsea Goal 3:0 - N Anelka
50:11 Chelsea Goal 4:0 - F Lampard
52:29 Chelsea Goal 5:0 - N Anelka
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