Over the past couple of years, Arsenal have been severely criticised for their transfer policy and their reluctance to splash the cash on big name players. The Gunners have been accused of everything from a lack of ambition to manipulating the share price, as their time without a trophy grows longer and longer and Arsene Wenger's men slip further and further down the Premier League pecking order.

Video: PL Highlights: Blackburn/Liverpool

Watching Steven Gerrard walk up to the spot to take the penalty late in the game against Blackburn Rovers, I was confident he would score for Liverpool. When faced with adversity, Gerrard often rises to the occasion. Earlier in the season, Gerrard cooly slotted home a penalty against fiercest rivals Manchester United even though the vast majority at Old Trafford was begging him to miss.

This is a guest review by one of TSG's favorite footie writers......

......Neil W. Blackmon of The Yanks Are Coming.

Digging a hole against Panama...

Every now again, you get punched in the mouth.

Forget the referee.

Brian Straus of the Sporting News writes that there is potentially plenty at stake for the US National team and coach Bob Bradley in today's CONCACAF Gold Cup quarterfinal match versus Jamaica.
Members of the U.S. national team may be on the defensive when they remind us that trophies aren't awarded midway through a tournament or for playing pretty soccer, but they're also 100 percent correct.

Arsenal slip again as Wenger obsesses over wantaway players - originally posted on Soccerlens.com

As Arsenal players struggled to convince Scousers that losing is part of being a trendy North Londoner this weekend, you'd be forgiven for asking exactly where all the adversity came from. A team carrying Robin Van Persie, Andrei Arshavin and Thomas Vermaelen shouldn't struggle very often, yet it couldn't pull away from a team containing Charlie Adam.

I give up. Honestly.
How can you love a team, desperate for points in the playoff race, that takes a 2-0 lead at home to one of the worst teams in the league and conspires through a combination of catastrophic defending, a complete inability to retain possession, and, most damningly, sheer gutlessness in the face of adversity, to throw away two points?

Anyone who saw Arsenal beat Barcelona in their recent Champions League game at the Emirates cannot help but have been impressed; it was a definite case of triumph over adversity. But as good as the result undoubtedly was, some of the facts have been overlooked in the aftermath.The Barcelona players completed over 600 passes, to Arsenal's 300.

I'm going to grow up and fulfil my dream of becoming a freestyle footballer at railway stations; I don't care what anyone says. I will wow the daily commuters with my eye-of-the-needle two feet passes and unrivalled not-falling-on-my-arse skills. But when I arrive home (two storeys, no library and a guest room with trampoline) after a hard, sweaty day's work completely happy and content, a small part of my mind will always be blackened by the thought of the February-March fortnight of 2011.

Back when Kenny Dalglish took over the managerial role of Liverpool during early January, many including myself had doubts about his footballing knowledge with 'The King' being out of touch with the game for over a decade. But then it hardly took me 30 minutes of football under him to be convinced to write my first post in over six months.

I am here to save your life, and I'm not kidding. This isn't about the state of discourse on the internet, or nostalgia for some imaginary pastoral of 1950s civility, or making sure I don't get yelled at in blog comments. This is about you, and how you are going to live in the world. I mean how you're going to live as a sports fan, but let there be no limit to the revelation: I mean how you're going to live in every other way, too.

In a season plagued by adversity Roma have for once a modicum of clarity; they simply need to win their last two league games while hoping Udinese and Lazio falter. Sadly however, that's as clear as Roma's outlook becomes as a myriad of complexities refuse to go away. On paper, Saturday night's stalemate against the now champions AC Milan was highly respectable, but the point and clean sheet.

Just a few days left before we say goodbye to the 2010/2011 Premier League season. Wenger held his final press conference of the season today ahead our last match of the season away to Fulham on Sunday.

Wenger said the usual things about us being very close this season and not being effective at the decisive moments.

Thoughts on the USA win over Brazil;

Never say never. This game will go down in Woman's World Cup history as one of the all time greats. The U.S. women won their quarterfinal match in unbelievable fashion Sunday, overcoming bad referee decisions, being down a woman, and being down a goal with literally seconds remaining before beating Brazil on penalty kicks (5-3) to advance to the semifinals.

Arsenal slip again as Wenger obsesses over wantaway players - originally posted on Soccerlens.com

As Arsenal players struggled to convince Scousers that losing is part of being a trendy North Londoner this weekend, you'd be forgiven for asking exactly where all the adversity came from. A team carrying Robin Van Persie, Andrei Arshavin and Thomas Vermaelen shouldn't struggle very often, yet it couldn't pull away from a team containing Charlie Adam.

"I think this is a team game and unfortunately there isn't an equal level between my teammates and I." -Rafa Marquez

I'm not an athlete, I've never been one so my understanding on the locker room dynamic is limited. However, as a human who has engaged in a variety of relationships in the last 31 years (I'm dating myself) I think I understand the importance of not selling out people you work with.

Carl Jenkinson: the more I ponder his position as a player for the Arsenal, the more I grow to admire him. Not position as in right-back, you understand. No, his position as a 19-year-old footballer who only last season was propping up a part-time, non-league outfit on freezing nights in front of a handful of fans.

The new Arsenal: focus, enthusiasm, togetherness, and a mixture of raw talent and calm experience

The interlull is almost over. Although it has been a boring period from a footballing point of view at least we did not have to endure again the spectacle of recent interlulls: in-fighting of fellow Arsenal fans.

When Brad Guzan first joined Major League Soccer in 2005 as a part of Chivas USA, he was in his early twenties, basically just a kid, especially for a goalkeeper. But an injury to starter Martin Vasquez forced Guzan into the starters role and the adversity pushed him to excel, eventually earning a transfer abroad to England.

Jonathan Liew of the Telegraph summed this one up before I even had a chance to revisit the scene.

"Grinding out wins in adversity may be the hallmark of champions, but still, this was about as unsatisfying a 2-0 victory as it is possible to imagine. For a team low on morale and down on their luck, it is a start, but Ancelotti will be aware it is no more than that.

"The most difficult challenge of my life". That was how Dougie Freedman described the task facing him after Crystal Palace's latest heavy away defeat at Swansea which kept his beloved Eagles deep in the relegation mire. The 36-year-old is a legend in these parts of South London but there is no denying the uphill battle ahead for the Scotsman in what is sure to be a challenging introduction into football management.

Chelsea finally got back to something approaching their best as they smashed four past a Bolton side that can certainly feel aggrieved to have lost by such a wide margin, a situation that only happens when the opposing team was near its best and took chances in front of goal clinically.

However, although Chelsea, and in particular Didier Drogba, will be delighted that they seem to have got back to top form, the players will know in their hearts that this late resurgence of form has probably come just a little too late to see the Blues mount a serious challenge for this season's Premier League title and the football betting reflects this.

Speaking of young footballers, this from Joe Posnanski is a must read.

In this, Joe looks at top quarterback selections in the NFL draft and points out that these players almost never make it to the levels expected of them. In case you're not aware, the system in the NFL is that each season the worst team gets to choose first from a pool of all the nation's young talent, and so on and so forth.

Efficient, unspectacular, but effective.

Get in.

My apologies, folks, for the delay in getting this sucker online. It's been a bear of a few days in my world. Between my internet intermittently working and the prospect of hosting my future in laws for the past ten days, time has been a commodity that has rarely worked in my favor.

The Union overcome familiar adversity in ten man win over San Jose | American Soccer News
Early afternoon Flyers and Phillies games didn't dampen the support for the Union as PPL Park was rattling in anticipation of a showdown with a San Jose squad that was deep in the Western Conference doldrums.

For what seems like an eternity, the future of Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas has been the subject of much debate with the Spaniard hotly tipped to return to his homeland with former club Barcelona. The Gunners have angrily resisted the overtures of the Catalans, insisting that Fabregas is not for sale and that he remains an integral part of their team.

I know that it is too much to ask for a team to win every game, but is it too much to ask for the team to play smart and with heart? As a dedicated fan I want my team, including the coach, to come into each game and play to the best of their ability. And this is where the Wizards have let me down.

Hope Solo was battered and bruised, but that doesn't matter when you can't hit your penalties and you're going up against the power of flower anyway. Or perhaps radioactively-enhanced athletes. (Good short-term, bad long?)

Japan, as everyone has heard, has won the Women's World Cup, and it's a bit of a big deal for them, proving that heart and good juju in the face of national crisis and adversity can bring home titles and fans, as the world especially America applauds.

Why I strongly feel that in spite of hardships and adversity facing them, Toronto FC will qualify for the group stages of the CONCACAF Champions League and will emerge as a stronger club from the experience in Nicaragua.
Rating: 5.0/5 (1 vote cast)

I feel I have a responsibility to be completely truthful here. Last season was tough, really tough but as with everything in life, it is now consigned to history, done and dusted and yes whilst it is still fresh in the mind, our boys have this remarkable opportunity once again to embrace the uphill challenge of competing for the title, competing in Europe's most prestigious competition and defying the critics with dazzling displays of quite awesome football.

*boilk*

Morning to you, last night I was out celebrating the Mugsmasher's birthday even though his birthday was last Sunday and we already went out and had some pints for it. What can I tell you? He loves a good celebration and lord knows the football has barely provided him with anything in the last few years.

Why Everton must share a stadium with Liverpool if they want to keep David Moyes

Liverpool's great strength as a city is its ability to unite in adversity. Great causes such as the social injustice of ­Thatcherism and the human tragedy of Hillsborough evoke great ­responses.

Photo courtesy of UCLA media relations

By ADAM SERRANO

UCLA midfielder Kelyn Rowe knows a thing or two about trying to live up to high expections.

Rowe, who will have no shortage of professional options after his sophomore season with the Bruins, starred for the United States Under-20 national team during its failed attempt to qualify for the Under-20 World Cup, scoring three goals and one assist in leading the U.

Blackburn skipper Chris Samba has vowed to make things horrible for the visiting Arsenal this afternoon despite being linked with a move to the Emirates Stadium all summer long.

Samba, 27, was tipped to bolster the Gunners defense along with several other names such as Gary Cahill and Scott Dann but in the end, German international Per Mertesacker was brought in to mitigate Arsenal's defensive shortcomings.

Venue : Stade Michel d'Ornan
Sep 21, 2011, 1900 CET.

Of highs and spectacular lows highs!

Stade de Gerland turned into a graveyard for Olympique Marseille this Sunday. The memorable 2-0 loss to OL has brought upon OM a 10 point deficit from 2012-13 Champions League spots in just 6 games!

Holden is back and ready to get in the mix
U.S. midfielder Stuart Holden is back in business after playing for the first team at Bolton in their 1-0 victory on Sept. 20 against Aston Villa, ending a rehab stint of precisely six months and two days.
We spoke with Stuart in this exclusive Q&A about his feelings about the return, his performance, and his conversation with U.

An odd thing happened to the prediction that Celtic would break the GI Joe kung-fu grip Rangers have had on the Scottish Premier League trophy the past three years. Quite simply, it appears to have been rather hastily determined based on deceptive appearances alone, or perhaps a notable disappearance from Ibrox.

Photo: Daniel Gajdamowicz

Union

In this week's power rankings roundup, the Union fall two spots to fifth at MLS Soccer.com. At ESPN, they move up one spot to fifth. They drop one spot to fourth at the Seattle Times. At Goal.com, the Union fall two spots to eighth.

Sheanon Williams, profiled on the Union website, was named to Goal.

Arsene Wenger understands that it has been difficult for all the new Arsenal players coming in to handle the great expectations immediately placed on them while they were still settling in, but he now feels that the squad have the "mental strength" to deal with the criticism. "Football is difficult if you are not united," [.

Morning all.

North London prepares itself for the invasion of a traveling horde of drooling orcs, Stoke City come to town. It was interesting to read Tony Pubis talk about how there's no problem between him and Arsenal, what happened in the past is in the past. Good for you, Pubis.

Can't say the same though.

On Arsenal's official website, there is a Robin van Persie fest. Accolades are pouring in to acknowledge his great run of form and as usual Arsene Wenger is taking the credit for this performance. here are his comments to the media

"Robin has scored 28 in 27 games and still people tell me he is not a centre forward," Wenger said.