My friends and I often indulge in extended debate on the club vs. country issue and how so far, it's ‘OK' to support England. We eschew the jingoism, the hooliganism, the sheer repugnance of many of those called on to sport the jersey, the overreaction to defeat and over-anticipation of victory, the arrogance and the aggression, but still wish for a team we can support.

szólj hozzá: Arsenal v Man United 1:2 MOTD

It was the 74th minute when Arsene Wenger went from mere arrogance to sheer incompetence. Replacing Alex Oxlade Chamberlain with Andrey Arshavin. The Ox had been Arsenal's best player on the pitch providing the side with desperately needed speed, ambition, and some quality skills.

The real issue with Mario Balotelli isn't his 'swag', abrasive nature or arrogance for that matter. The real issue with Mario these days is that he's turning into the Lady Gaga of football. Of course, the issue of kicking Scott Parker in the head yesterday (in City's 3-2 defeat of Spurs) isn't something that should surprise you at all.

By Chris Wright

Let me list the reasons I hate Arjen Robben with the burning fire of one thousand imploding suns...

1) He doesn't run, he gingerly minces.
2) He, and you may have noticed this yourselves, feigns career-ending injuries quite regularly only to get up when it suits and keep on gingerly mincing.

*hyperboilk*

Right, big game today and all that. Man City. I remember when they used to be just fields. The other team in Manchester who everyone kind of had a soft spot (sort of) for because they were United's poor relation. Not just the poor relation though. They were the keen, eager yet drooling relation with a club foot and a cleft palate who really wanted to join the kickabout and nobody had the heart to refuse.

With Rivals Barcelona out in Japan taking part in the FIFA World Club Cup, Real Madrid took the opportunity last night to extend their lead a top the La Liga standings with an emphatic 6-2 win over Sevilla.

Cristiano Ronaldo scored a hat-trick to take his tally for the season to 20 goals with Messi 3 goals behind him.

Just this week, in a podcast we never got to post Managing Madrid's Gabe Lezra asked me a question: "Imagine this: Barcelona wins, Real Madrid loses, the lead has been cut to 3. It's the morning of December 11th – how are you feeling?" I no longer remember what answer I gave, but here I am today in exactly the same question.

It wasn't so long ago that pundits and fans alike were questioning whether Mario Balotelli had what it takes to succeed in English football.

His doubters were plentiful and vociferous, with many criticising his perceived lack of maturity. However, one by one Balotelli has silenced his critics as he continues to lay waste to defences across the Premier League.

The tories have outdone themselves this time. Somehow they think they've vetoed a major treaty that's actually gone ahead anyway leaving us basically out in the cold.
Our neighbours have gone ahead and done everything without us so all Cameron has achieved is to drive a wedge between us and Europe for no other reason than to appease his own party's xenophobic Tea-Party element.

I'm going to take a small break from writing about Arsenal today to vent on a subject that has infuriated me since listening to the European Championship draw on Friday evening, and that is the supreme arrogance of English pundits with regard to the national team. We all know that England are forever overhyped before major tournaments, but it is the dismissive contempt for many of the other countries (those not called Spain, Germany or Italy) that winds me up the most.

Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas is still confident that his side can win the English Premier League. Chelsea who were 3-0 winners over Wolves yesterday, registered their first win in their last 4 outings with goals from Terry, Sturridge and Mata easing the pressure on Villas-Boas.

With Man United and Arsenal both drawing, the EPL table looks slightly different after Tottenham's 3-1 win over West Brom that saw them into position 3 on the table.

After beating Milan 3-2 at the San Siro on Wednesday, i certainly was not expecting Defending European and Spanish League champions Barcelona to lose to Getafe.

If anything, i expected them to reduce the points margin on leaders Real Madrid who were themselves facing a tough opponent in Atletico Madrid at the Bernabeu.

The back of this blogathon is broken now, right. Has to be? Surely tae goodness.
We're moving through the night with a run of guest debaters. So welcome, please, Ross McCafferty known to the Twitter world as @holyroodpatter
Given the somewhat combative nature of this very good cause, I thought that I would change the rules ever so slightly and disagree with a former post of Tom's (in the knowledge he is mandated to come back and disagree again!

If there was the slightest slither of doubt before, there probably isn't any more. As much as some would like to wish it isn't so, Manchester City glided to another comfortable win this afternoon against Newcastle United at The City of Manchester Stadium. It was a result which confirmed that Manchester United are going to have a hell of a job in keeping up with them the gap this afternoon went from five points to eight, and then back to five again with United's tepid win at Swansea City this evening while Newcastle United's run near the top of the Premier League table started to look more like a temporary position than it has been at any other point of the season so far.

Happy Birthday to one of our 'Neymarlitas' Bekie & Happy Neymar November to you! This month, we'll be giving out some limited-edition Futbolita-Neymar Tees, so stay tuned to how you can get your hands on one.

A funny story has emerged today concerning Real Madrid's failed bid for Neymar.

Andy Dunn's Big Match Verdict: Defence the new approach for Capello

That's it then, Fabio's cracked it. The genius — the coach worth £6million a year — has finally emerged, blinking into the Wembley lights. The world champions ­vanquished, Euro 2012 ­cannot come quickly enough.

Photo: Nicolae Stoian

Click here to view the embedded video.

We know, guys. Trust me. We know.

We know you played your hearts out Sunday.

We know you left everything on the field in those ridiculously exciting, maddening, painful closing minutes.

We know you had to overcome your manager's bad decisions.

FELIZ LUNES! So these guys were forced to endure a dreary factory visit last week, but at least Atletico Madrid secured a 3-1 win over Zaragoza last night which leaves them in the middle of the La Liga table with 13 points! Of course, you know their rivals Real Madrid are sitting right at the top like a boss, with only one point separating them and Barcelona, following their close 1-0 victory over Sociedad.

An anecdote from last week:
Sitting on a late, crowded, stiflingly hot train. Suddenly the peace of the carriage - that funny, miserable peace that descends when everyone is as pissed off as everyone else - is broken.
There's a handful of young football fans on the train. Drunk, loud, demanding attention.

Of all the moments in the surreal, simultaneously compelling and slightly sickening Manchester City vs. Manchester United game today, there is one that will probably stay rooted in our imaginations for at least a little while: Balotelli's cheeky question: "Why Always Me?" after his first goal. Like the most conversation-worthy and striking moments in football, this one is fascinating because it seems at once funny and irritating, appropriate and trangressive.

Alexi Lalas MLS blog: How a moment of Thierry arrogance may have wrecked Red Bulls season

Welcome to MirrorFootball's new MLS blog, brought to you in conjunction with ESPN. Every week USA legend Alexi Lalas will be on hand to bring you the latest news from the States, and you'll also be able to watch the week's best goals and highlights.

Top speech by Ed Balls (if a little troubled in the delivery possibly because of Ed's stutter). He outlined the problem and gave Labour's answer. Solutions that could get the economy moving again but are getting ignored due to Osborne and Cameron's arrogance.Ed Balls urges VAT cuts for growthJust before that I saw Rory Weal speak at the Labour Party Conference and was so proud to be part of the same party.

There was Benze-cat, and now there's Cris Charming. Yuck.
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"He's NOT handsome!" was my wife's instant reply when I read Cristiano's post-game comments to her. I can only suppose that this is what happens when you read out comments that epitomize the arrogance of an ex-Manchester United Player to a Liverpool fan.

All characters and events in this piece even those based on real people – are entirely fictional. Obviously.

In the away team dressing room, Manchester United are toasting another victory.

Peter Kenyon used to top my list of most hated football executives. Seeing him lead Chelsea up to get their medals after losing the Champions League medal in Russia, instead of a Chelsea legend, I thought was pure hubris.

I did not think that any executive could be as arrogant as Kenyon, but then came Gary Cook.

Peter Kenyon used to top my list of most hated football executives. Seeing him lead Chelsea up to get their medals after losing the Champions League medal in Russia, instead of a Chelsea legend, I thought was pure hubris.

I did not think that any executive could be as arrogant as Kenyon, but then came Gary Cook.

Chutzpah. It sounds a little like a table sauce for cold meat. ‘Make thanksgiving with Chutzpah' or, ‘Would you like Chutzpah with that?" Would I?! However, it turns out it's not a bottled condiment at all, but as Leo Rosten defines in The Joys of Yiddish,"Chutzpah-gall, brazen nerve, effrontery, incredible guts, presumption plus arrogance such as no other word and no other language can do.

Spain's got every right to feel a bit ull of itself these days, considering their trophy haul over the past few years at several levels. However, too much arrogance will send the football gods crashing down in a violent fury of humility and retribution.

Meet Inigo Martinez of the Spanish u21 armada.

1. You don't forget days like this in a hurry. United could beat any side 8-2 and I'd be buzzing but to beat Arsenal? Beautiful football playing Arsenal? Wow. I'd love a result like this over Liverpool or City, obviously, but after our proper rivals, getting to absolutely thrash Arsenal is as good as it gets.

As Martin Kelner so eloquently put it in the Guardian:

Britain's great gift to the world is undoubtedly sarcasm – that, and Marmite – so congratulations to Chelsea's new coach, André Villas-Boas on picking up the lingua franca so quickly ...

Below is Villas-Boas' post-Norwich interview.

So Samir Nasri has officially left Arsenal, much to the chagrin of his teammates (Frimpong, anyone?!) and fans. The signs were there, obviously, even if it initially pointed towards the other Manchester team. But if you were a footballer at your prime 23, 24 years old you'd want to win as many trophies as possible too.

Last week it was Nani, this week is was Young, Man United's rapid wide men have put a marker down for the rest of the season.

The Red Devils showed last season that they were capable of scrapping for wins and grinding out points and so it has proved again in the opening two matches of the season.

Patrice Evra fancies United to win a fifth title in six years this season, claiming that Chelsea will be our closet rivals.

"In my mind Manchester United are the best team in the country and then it is Chelsea," he said. "City have spent a lot of money but with that comes a pressure and how they will cope with that I do not know.

I have to admit I have been surprised with the press and media's take on Chelsea this season. Ok we do hear now and again people speaking of Chelsea being strong and have experience but the general consensus of opinion is that we will have a fight to finish third this season.
Surprising to me I have to say but it's nice to hear that Patrice Evra has revealed that despite Man City looking to strengthen their side for this season, he and his United team mates still fear Chelsea and believe WE ARE their main challengers this season for the title.

Mr. Tevez married upHere's another edition of Random Thoughts; no I don't have anything else to write about. Deal with it.

• Um Carlos Tevez, please go away. Go play in Brazil. Go play in Italy. Go play in Argentina. Go play with yourself. You've become tiresome and a punchline. Your wife and kids don't like England, then make a call for chrissakes.

By Chris Wright

The latest chapter in the continuing story of Bungaling Balo sees our compelling protagonist getting himself hauled off after just half-an-hour of Man City's pre-season friendly against LA Galaxy when he intentionally spurned a chance/screwed up a Virgo trickshot turning his back and backheeling the ball straight out for a goal-kick.

In covering football tournaments on 200%, I have found it easy to see the good in them. Too easy for some tastes, I admit. But, honestly, the 2011 Women's World Cup was a belter, wasn't it? I was glad to be wrong about the winners. BBC analyst Lucy Ward's suggestion during the final that current coach Pia Sundhage had rid the USA squad of much of its former arrogance was an eyebrow-raiser, although it was more possible to feel sorry for Abby Wambach after her largely-inspirational 2011 displays than it had been in 2007.

So many of us blogger types have been obsessing over transfers for months now. It's only natural really. Concrete news is at a minimum for the most part, and rumors are very much a welcome diversion from the regular old norm.

Some, including us here at the Chelsea Offside, have even gone as far as to ask readers who would be their dream signings this summer.

Sent this to The Times today
Sir,
Unfortunately I will no longer be buying The Times due to your parent company's association with the News of the World and its actions by standing by Rebekah Brooks. I know this scandal is nothing to do with The Times and it is with a heavy heart I end my longstanding loyalty to your fine newspaper however I have no other way of protesting and voicing my utter disgust at this vile episode and the arrogance your parent company has displayed.

In an attempt to generate some sort of regular feature on the blog (whatever happened to those Alliterative XIs anyway? More of them soon I hope...), I've decided to start a seven of the best feature. It will link to some of the best stuff I've read and seen online during the week.

So, starting out at in no particular order we have a wonderful piece from VivaRovers detailing the fan managerial speak (1) that is vital to understand should you feel brave enough to listen to the angry Alan Green or confused Spoony (both of which I believe have taken the radio show as far as they can) on a Saturday evening.