Samir Nasri take a bow. Whaddaplaya!

I normally don't go hyper over one player after a game but this match belongs to Nasri. More on this in the course of the write-up.

Top of the League. And a goal that deserves to be first. I almost had three heart attacks in this game but I'm loving it!

The long walk.

I don't want to write this. For several reasons.

One, it's a loss to Arsenal. Fucking Arsenal. Nothing stings quite like a loss to that wretched lot. Much of that stems from the fact that we just don't lose to sides helmed by Arsene Wenger it was two losses in 18 matches prior to Monday's dissection at the Emirates.

I was hoping, based on his excellent first attempt, that Stuart Robson will provide interesting insights into the Fulham game in his tactical analysis on ATVO. This time it seems to me that the former Arsenal man got his observations right but his analysis wasn't at the expected level. Still I'd say the show is a fantastic addition to the ATVO subscription service and adds a bit more value for the money.

A "YouTube" user from Argentina with the nik "youtuveXD3" has set up his channel & has posted so far only 3 videos. Two of those are part 1 & 2 of LIONEL MESSI scoring all his 150 goals for FC BARECLONA so far with the exception of last week. Here are both those videos for you. If you have 30 minutes (difficult) you can see all the goals.

This started out having some of the greatest potential for an absurd whiteout in recent Europa League times, simply because it didn't start out. The game was delayed 30 minutes so they could plow the field in Bern, which then happened several times Young Boys hired an artist, because there was no rhyme nor reason to the plowing patterns (frankly, it looked like an ode to Swiss artists Lang & Baumann) thereafter.

A lot of Aussie media snobs have been cringeing at the World Cup Bid presentation.
The same media who love Rugby League talk, AFL cliches etc etc, but seem to think Australia without it's natural wonders and diversity has something else to sell.
They should leave our shores a little more and talk to people who want to come to this place.

Yes, we couldn't resist tuning in this morning to fifa.com for their live stream of the honorable Sepp Blatter hosting Double Decision Day. But we also tuned into our twitter stream. Here's a curation of what we read in those 30 minutes: 10:28amET: "Whisper in the auditorium is England "punished" for nasty media.

ROME, Italy — AC Milan went three points clear at the top of Serie A after cruising to a 3-0 win over lowly Brescia at the San Siro on Saturday with all of their goals coming in the first half. Kevin Prince Boateng scored his first Milan goal on four minutes, and, in a two-minute [...]

Though the caveat see Manchester United with a game in hand, Arsenal is now on top of the Premier League, and there's only one person to thank for it. It was another breakthrough performance for Samir Nasri, who led the Gunners to a 2-1 win over Fulham and the top spot in the English Premier League.

GELSENKIRCHEN, Germany — Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer was the hero for Champions League last 16 qualifiers Schalke on Sunday as his second-half penalty save sealed his side's 1-0 win at Mainz. After striker Jefferson Farfan put Schalke ahead with a goal after 30 minutes, there was drama when Neuer had a penalty awarded against him [.

Heart. Spirit.

The Rundown
11 strong.
• Oh Chelsea, where have you been all my life? It seems like an eternity since we've seen such commitment, such passion, such pride in wearing that blue shirt. It's comforting to know these boys aren't ready to pack it in quite yet.

MUNICH, Germany — Bayern Munich coach Louis van Gaal said earlier he was counting on Arjen Robben returning to action for the first Bundesliga game after the winter break against Wolfsburg on January 15. The Dutchman has not played since returning from the World Cup in South Africa with a torn hamstring.

MUNICH, Germany — Bayern Munich coach Louis van Gaal said earlier he was counting on Arjen Robben returning to action for the first Bundesliga game after the winter break against Wolfsburg on January 15. The Dutchman has not played since returning from the World Cup in South Africa with a torn hamstring.

20 MLS players have been called up by Bradley for the January USMNT Training Camp at the Home Depot Center in Los Angeles. These players will train from January 4th through the 22nd, with hopes to be capped, most for the first time ever, against the Chilean team on the night of the 22nd.

"The timing is right to assess many of the younger players and to broaden the player pool as we look forward to the next three years," Bradley said in a statement.

20 MLS players have been called up by Bradley for the January USMNT Training Camp at the Home Depot Center in Los Angeles. These players will train from January 4th through the 22nd, with hopes to be capped, most for the first time ever, against the Chilean team on the night of the 22nd.

"The timing is right to assess many of the younger players and to broaden the player pool as we look forward to the next three years," Bradley said in a statement.

The papers today are full of some absolutely astonishing remarks from Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger about his best player Cesc Fabregas and his ongoing hamstring problems. It is rare to hear a manager call out one of his stars in public, but that is what Wenger has done.

Fabregas, who will start against Chelsea today has suffered 5 injuries to his hamstring in the last 12 months and Wenger says that all those setbacks have left Cesc worrying constantly of breaking down.

The papers today are full of some absolutely astonishing remarks from Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger about his best player Cesc Fabregas and his ongoing hamstring problems. It is rare to hear a manager call out one of his stars in public, but that is what Wenger has done.

Fabregas, who will start against Chelsea today has suffered 5 injuries to his hamstring in the last 12 months and Wenger says that all those setbacks have left Cesc worrying constantly of breaking down.

Later on today we'll welcome back Sulzeer Jeremiah Campbell to White Hart Lane once again. This time with Newcastle and likely on the bench at best. Things have changed for him since leaving us. He went on to win pretty much everything with them, then he went mental for a bit, left them, got more money from some other clubs and eventually ended up with the magpies.

Yesterday saw Aston Villa slump to another defeat to the hands of mega rich Manchester City. This leaves Villa one point above the relegation zone and with another four goals conceded it leaves Houllier's boys with a minus 14 goal difference, joint worst in the league.

What has gone wrong at Villa Park?