::: FistedAway welcomes a guest post from Mark Patterson :::

Ireland striker Robbie Keane intends to fulfil the last major ambition of his career by making a January switch to a club for which he feels absolutely nothing.

Keane, 31, has played for nine different clubs since he left Crumlin United as a bright-eyed youngster for the bright lights and orange shirts of Wolves, but told Fisted Away that he had set his heart on a new challenge.

Eddie Johnson's a thing... right?FLORIDULL
There's a strange feeling amongst TFC supporters that training camp is quiet... too quiet. So unaccustomed are we to a drama-free lead up to the season that some are getting worried. Why no more trialists? Why not enough friendlies?

John Nyen...let's call it "Working on New Material..."

Laaaaaaaaadies and Gentlemen! Welcome to the inaugural edition of The Shin Guardian MLS preview. A column in which I will frequently go off the rails on tangents that have absolutely nothing to do with the game, and I may or may not encourage you to check out certain beers, music, website's that will corrupt your very soul and make your mother/father very upset with me.

FSOU has taught you how to select a class of readers and craft a sports writing blurb. Now comes the most important part: the headline.

Many newbies make a major mistake: they treat the headline as a concise summary of their article's content. Ha! Sure, you can brainstorm some creative and powerful words to draw the readers' attention, but in the time you spend to think of something snazzy, a million other sites have jumped in front of you in the the Google traffic wave line.

Below are some of the responses that I received on Twitter and in the comments of my post on the opening arguments on the question of whether Sporting KC fans are becoming cocky and over confident in the team. Seems a lot of people believe I am overreacting in ways, but there were quite a few that have agreed with me that there are fans that are starting to get over confident in the team.

Not to take away from Rich's most recent post, but lost among Chelsea's guerrilla tactics on Tuesday was the fact Aston Villa choked a lead away and lost, at home, to relegation candidates Bolton.

So, with three games left, Aston Villa are just three points above the drop. And if Mark Schwarzer's parry hadn't fallen to the feet of Andreas Weimann at the death last month, they would be one point above the drop, with three matches left.

Not to take away from Rich's most recent post, but lost among Chelsea's guerrilla tactics on Tuesday was the fact Aston Villa choked a lead away and lost, at home, to relegation candidates Bolton.

So, with three games left, Aston Villa are just three points above the drop. And if Mark Schwarzer's parry hadn't fallen to the feet of Andreas Weimann at the death last month, they would be one point above the drop, with three matches left.

Just what Spurs needed three points. No alarms, a decent effort that lacked a cutting edge to convert our massive superiority into more goals but none was needed in response to opponents who reeked of the sickly unpleasant odour of apathy. And people have said our players don't care. I'm surprised the Blackburn squad could summon up the effort to climb the stairs of the team coach.

Former Premier League champions Blackburn Rovers have been relegated after losing 1-0 at home to Wigan tonight. Antolin Alcaraz's goal in the 87th minute was enough to keep Wigan in the Premier League for another season.

There were ugly scenes at the final whistle when some Blackburn fans ran onto the field at Ewood Park in further opposition to the club's management and owners on a night of protest at Ewood Park.

Former Premier League champions Blackburn Rovers have been relegated after losing 1-0 at home to Wigan tonight. Antolin Alcaraz's goal in the 87th minute was enough to keep Wigan in the Premier League for another season.

There were ugly scenes at the final whistle when some Blackburn fans ran onto the field at Ewood Park in further opposition to the club's management and owners on a night of protest at Ewood Park.

Venky play foul in Blackburn takeover

After two years one still doesn't quite know why Venky's decided to takeover Blackburn. The one thing that has been established unequivocally is that they did not do it because they loved football. The other imperative of raising the company's profile internationally by investing in a brand is also not being borne out by their step sisterly treatment of Rovers.

Dare I utter the blasphemous words? Has it come to this? Very well, here goes: It's time to allow Robin van Persie to leave the Arsenal for pastures new. And we, the Arsenal masses, should wish him a fond farewell with our blessing.

Before you denounce me with venomous bile, let me clarify my position: I want RVP, our goal-scoring talisman who has spearheaded our ascent to third in the Premier League with his haul of goals, to stay at the Emirates.

You know what sucks? That moment when you realize that after two matches at your wonderful new stadium, you still have to go back out on the road. That feeling of malaise is only increased by the fact said road trip is to the cavernous Gillette Stadium to play on that wonderful turf. At least the Revolution are an improving team now.

Indonesian football stands on a precipice as the game in the world's largest archipelago lurches from one disaster to another as effortlessly as David Cameron switches position based upon an unfavourable poll.
Heartily pissed off with the perma mess that surrounds football, the interminably late salaries and the contempt shown by many clubs, the players, under the guise of the footballer's union, APPI, are edging closer to a strike that could further paralyse a game that is already on a life support machine with the nurses on lunch break.