By JOHN BOSCHINI

Liverpool must be getting tired of Manchester.

Kenny Dalglish and Co. face off against a Manchester side for the seventh time this season when United and Liverpool clash in a match full of significance. Manchester United are trying to survive a brutal run of fixtures and keep pace with their cross-town rivals.

NICOLAS Anelka's departure from Chelsea to Chinese Super League club Shanghai Shenhua got me thinking: how far the game has evolved in the world's most populous Country?

Ever since the formation of China's top flight division in 1994 and its subsequent re-branding 10 years later (From the Jia-A League to the Chinese Super League), the far-east nation has pumped vast sums of money into its Football Association and the results of this are now beginning to show.

The uncle and advisor of Celtic midfielder Beram Kayal has revealed that the prospect is currently being tracked by Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish, who currently has Lucas Leiva and Steven Gerrard out as long-term injury concerns.
Dalglish is likely to once again spend big money either in the January transfer window, or the following summer, and Kayal is now reported to be one of the players he and his scouting team are currently monitoring.

It was Inevitable - Kim Jong Il thought so soo - hahahah.
. In a way, even after Adrian scored the opening goal in last night's El Derbi Madrileno, Madridistas the world over (and perhaps even Rojoblanco supporters) didn't feel too rattled (or euphoric in the case for Atleti supporters).

Einige Spieler von uns sind jetzt angeschlagen, zum Glück haben die Schienbeinschoner gehalten. Die sind extra aus Karbon, schweineteuer und waren anscheinend wie für dieses Spiel gemacht.

Jose Mourinho, Trainer von Real Madrid, schimpft in der Pressekonferenz nach dem Derby-Sieg gegen Athletico Madrid über die seiner Meinung nach unnötige Härte des Gegners.

Just four games into the new season isn't really time to judge the season end trophy winners, but any season that starts with players considering strike action is bound to affect initial preparations. Who would have thought that by the beginning of October we'd see Inter Milan down in 16th position with Roma and Milan mid table?

As I write this Messi has glided past three defenders to add his name to the score-sheet against Athletico Madrid. It's the 26th minute and Athletico are already 3-0 down at the Camp Nou.

It's a little embarrassing and not in the sense that Barcelona are romping home to another victory.

The transfer rumours don't stop when the window closes – they merely slow down. This morning there have been a number of stories appearing, but the most interesting of these concerns Valencia midfielder Ever Banega.

As the Modric rumours continue, so will the suggestions of possible replacements, but Banega looks to be one of the better players to be linked with a move to Spurs.

For some time Sevilla President, Jose del Nido has been the fiercest critique of the La Liga TV deal which results in the big two, FC Barcelona and Real Madrid taking home 50% of the share. He has uped the ante by recently calling upon other Club Presidents to go for a French revolution style revolt and force the big two accept an equal sharing deal.

Irgendwie ist diese Aktion schon wieder geil. Der FC Getafe, ein Vorortklub von Madrid, hat es nicht gerade leicht, sich gegen die übermächtigen Stadtkonkurrenten Real Madrid und Athletico Madrid zu behaupten und doch gelingen ihnen immer wieder Achtungserfolge. Das aber bringt dem spanischen Klub einfach keine neuen Fans und daher haben sie jetzt eine ungewöhnliche [.

Athletico Madrid star striker Diego Forlan took a break from the transfer speculation surrounding him to take part in a round of football-golf for a TV advert promoting the new Adidas AdiPower Predator football boots

Week 2 of the Premiership has arrived, although it is no less exciting. This weekend Manchester City travel to the Reebok, in our first (of many) Northwest derbies of the season. This has been billed as a top of the table clash, which is technically true as City were the only other club to win by more than a 1 goal margin, and they also smashed 4 unanswered goals past new promoted opponents.

Liverpool's Luis Suarez won the Copa America tonight,beating Paraguay by 3 goals to nil.
It was Suarez himself who opened the scoring with a deflected goal on 11mins and our Anfield hero was a constant threat to the Paraguyan defence.
He set up Diego Forlan for the second with a nicely weighted headed pass for the Athletico Madrid striker to slam home on 41 mins.

BBC Sport Aston Villa sign Shay Given from Manchester City on five-year deal.

In probably the most cost effective transfer in the close season to date, Aston Villa today signed Republic of Ireland international goalkeeper Shay Given to a 5 year deal.

Given is widely regarded as one of the top goalies in the Premier League despite having spent most of last season on the bench as backup to Manchester City's England goalkeeper Joe Hart.

There's been little interest in David Bentley this summer other than a couple of fleeting rumours involving Fulham and Athletico Madrid. Martin Jol however was quick to reject the stories concerning his own club and the feeling amongst Fulham fans was that his off field behaviour at Birmingham was the prime reason for Jol's lack of interest.

Sergio Aguero: Striker, surely. Argentine, indubitably. Statement of intent? Quite possibly. After putting himself on the transfer market, via Twitter of all places, the Atletico Madrid striker has become one of the hottest strikers available, albeit with an immensely high price tag. If Juventus can somehow scrape the money together however, the move may pay off immensely.

Well, we're halfway through the summer, and everything is just as uncertain as it was when the season ended just over a month ago. I keep checking the transfer news and rumors every day, but nothing is official just endless speculation.

We've repeatedly been told from various sources that July 1 is the official start to the transfer season, or at least it's the start in some countries.

The now almost certain signing of 20 year old Athletico Madrid goalkeeper David de Gea leaves me with a distinctly uncomfortable feeling. For all the faith I have in Sir Alex Fergusons decisions, the...
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Why Can't the Football World Keep Up With Spain? - originally posted on Soccerlens.com

As the dust settles on Barcelona's fantastic 3-1 demolition of Manchester United in the Champions League Final, and the national side recently so effortlessly thumped the United States 4-0, one thing is for certain – Spain are the best footballing nation in the world at this moment in time.

Athletico Madrid chief executive Minguel Angel Gil Marin insists Real Madrid won't be making a deal with Sergio Aguero.
Gil Marin said that the relationship between Athletico Madrid and Real Madrid means that Aguero won't move between the clubs.
"[Florentino Perez] has told me he has no intention of signing Aguero and I do not doubt him," Gil Marin told Spanish newspaper AS.

Wantaway Atletico Madrid striker Sergio Aguero wants to sign for city rivals Real Madrid next season according to club team-mate Tomas Ujfalusi.

Aguero announced on his official website his desire to leave Atletico Madrid at the start of the week with a host of potential suitors poised to offer the young Argentinian star a lucrative contract.

Sergio Aguero has reportedly told the Athletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo that he wishes to leave the club in the summer, prompting interest from a host of clubs including Liverpool.
Aguero has been in fantastic form for Athletico Madrid this season, scoring 17 goals and providing 2 assists in 31 games for Los Colchoneros this season.

Rodgers celebrates scoring against San Jose Earthquakes with a smiling HenryWelcome to what has become a bi-weekly feature (due to very restricting time retraints) on The Viper's Nest. Cross-Atlantic Correspondence, an English perspective of our beloved New York Red Bulls.
I'd like to begin with an apology.

Diego Forlan is being linked with a shock return to Manchester United after allegedly falling out with Atletico Madrid manager Quique Sanchez Flores
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It's time to welcome another new face to Twohundredpercent. This week, Luke Edwards explains how he has fallen out of love with the Premier League and sought solace in what may well really be The Biggest Football League In The World.

You hear time and time again from pundits and media alike that, "the Premier League is the best in the world", and this is a comment that is seldom challenged in the mainstream media.

2 Critical wins in 2 matches: 1 in the Champions League, 1 in La Liga: puts us right into the thick of things and still be in contention for 3 titles this season. An amazing display of man management by the coach, avoidance of interference by management... and above all CHARACTER by the team.

Guest Contributor David Fox
Hello from Spain du Nord!
Hello du Nord!
I play soccer for William Jewell College in Kansas City. We are an NAIA school which means more than half the teams we play are 60-80% international. This past season we had our best year yet, and made it all the way to the Semifinals in the national tournament where we played and watched teams with all different types of styles comprised of players from all over the world.

Fernando Torres failed to score again for his new club Chelsea in the Champions League away to Copenhagen.
Chelsea won the game thanks to 2 goals from another former Red, Nicholas Anelka, who showed Torres how its down with two good strikes to give Chelski a valuable 2-0 away win in Denmark.
Torres looked lively enough, linking up well with his new team-ates and he even had a shot or two on goal.

With the Philadelphia Union. Interesting choice of forward by Coach Peter Nowak, not exactly renowned as the tolerant type especially given that Ruiz has played for three different clubs in three years.

How he will work with the party-loving Carlos Ruiz, seen at right playing for Greek side Aris Salonika last September against Athletico Madrid, who used to drive former Galaxy coach Sigi Schmid nuts when he played here, remains to be seen.

By JOHN BOSCHINI

After a tumultous reign as the head coach of D.C. United, Curt Onalfo is headed back to work.

The Los Angeles Galaxy announced that Onalfo, 41, will join the club as an assistant where he will be reunited with Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena, under whom he served as an assistant for the U.

John Terry has recently said that the experience of Chelsea will come to the fore in the latter stages of the title race, if one such matter does exist. The club seems to have overturned the terrible run of form that saw us in a position that would have resulted in no Champions league football for the next season.

Flair and skill the trick for the Kop ?

When asking supporters the reason behind their teams ‘misfortune' this season, most Liverpool fans will angrily mutter one man's name, Rafael Benitez. The reaction is one connoting such anger and distain, anyone overhearing the conversation unaware of who this ‘Benitez' was, would naturally assume he was either the banker responsible for the recession or the man guilty of helping to conceive Justin Bieber.

In the Mirror this morning, rumours are also rife that Chelsea are looking to bolster their defensive and attacking options by looking at Diego Godin and Diego Forlan at Athletico Madrid.
Godin is valued at £15m and would provide cover for Alex who remains out for another month. For me I haven't really seen alot of this bloke so would need your opinions for those who have seen him.

The transfer window in Europe is in full-swing and these are some of the major deals that have been completed across Europe today.

Premier League
Birmingham City have taking David Bentley on loan from Tottenham Hotspur for the rest of the season. The 26-year-old, who has seven caps for England, has made just two Premier League appearances this term.