What a game in store for us this afternoon. As was said earlier this week a barometer game. A resurgent Sunderland looking to continue their very surprising run against an Arsenal team confident as a result of last week's big win.

And yet, in my opinion both appear to be skating on thin ice.

Photo: Daniel Gajdamowicz

Philadelphia Union

Several Union players talk about preseason training at YSC SPorts last week. The team landed in Orlando on Sunday.

Danny Califf, acknowledging that only he and Brian Carroll are the only players remaining on the Union who are older than 27, tells MLSsoccer.

Will Jones sport the armband again? Will he have a better first touch?

When we last met out protagonist the USMNT it was doing battle north of the border, putting out a tiny skirmish, so to speak, that was attempting to be kindled by Venezuela.

The States controlled "the battle" and at the death put the South American foe to the proverbial sword, 1-0 after a dominating display especially in midfield against an overmatched opponent.

I find these words from our esteemed manager very interesting in the context of the Youth V Experience argument that has raged like a wildfire throughout goonerland over the past 5 years.

Wenger gave us this quote today, speaking to Arsenal Player, when asked about the difference the 5 new players signed in the dying days of the last transfer window had made to the team.

If there was a criticism of the Roy Hodgson era it was that away from home we never really seemed interested in attacking. Hodgson denied that we played differently on our travels, but anyone who watched the team scuffle to horribly attritional narrow defeats in those seasons knows better: we kept everyone behind the ball and hoped that inspiration might strike.

It is a truth universally acknowledged that football matches and in particular local derbies can bring out the worst in people. Where, however, is the line in the sand? What is the definition of what acceptable behaviour inside a football ground? This week, we have seen an example of a national newspaper attempting to draw that line, and they ended up looking a little "odd" as a result themselves.

If the Wisconsin Soccer Coaches Association polls are a good barometer of the state's top boys soccer teams, then the WIAA Division 2 Pewaukee sectional figures to be an incredibly difficult bracket.

The 17-team sectional includes the top four teams in the latest WSCA Division 2 poll – Milwaukee Thomas More, Shorewood, Pewaukee and Waukesha Catholic Memorial – along with East Troy, which is now honorable mention after being ranked earlier this year.

What a difference a couple of weeks can make. Fifteen days ago, there was a tangible feeling of gloom around Carrow Road as Norwich City lost by a single goal to a West Bromwich Albion team which had hitherto hardly been setting the Premier League itself. This, we might have rationalise, was exactly the sort of match that Paul Lambert's team needed to be winning if it is to have much of a chance of keeping itself above the dotted line come the end of the season, and it was an opportunity lost.

Oliver Holt's big match verdict: Lamps is going out but England's future looks bright

Frank Lampard has been a fine player for England, a stalwart of the midfield for more than a decade who has won 86 caps. He deserves better than for his omission from the side to be hailed as a barometer of change but that was his fate here in Sofia.

It's only a friendly but Wednesday's match between Italy and Spain is a huge match for both clubs as he head towards the 2012 Euro's next summer.

Italy suffered a nightmare defence of their crown at the last World Cup, finishing below New Zealand at the bottom of Group F.

They have shown signs of improvement under Cesare Prandelli, and lead their Euro 2012 qualifying group by five points.

If you want to be the world champs again, you've got to beat the reigning world champs. In a tantalizing matchup that will be a good barometer for how prepared Italy are for Euros next year, on Wednesday, we've invited Spain to a friendly in Bari. [read more]

The finale of Manchester United's tour of the U.S. kicks off in a few short minutes, and while it goes down as only a preseason friendly, it's not a stretch to say that tonight's clash against Barcelona will serve as a good barometer for where United are heading into the new season. Here's where you [.

Right from ancient times, when the balls were made from pig intestines and the goal had no crossbar, to a-changin' times where crystallized tears of Arsenal supporters sell like hot cakes after each game, football has always been considered a man's game. Rugged, craggy, rumble-tumble in the mud, and certainly no place for a dignified member of the fairer sex to mingle.

Right from ancient times, when the balls were made from pig intestines and the goal had no crossbar, to a-changin' times where crystallized tears of Arsenal supporters sell like hot cakes after each game, football has always been considered a man's game. Rugged, craggy, rumble-tumble in the mud, and certainly no place for a dignified member of the fairer sex to mingle.

A few tweets from Robert Peston, the BBC's business editor, summed up my misgivings about the events which have occurred in the past 48 hours:
I am in shock over Kroenke taking 62% of Arsenal. Heart not head. Doesn't feel in keeping with Gooner traditions, tho am not sure why.
What may be lost at Arsenal with Kroenke takeover is our distinctiveness & proud sense of independence.

Click here to watch Arsenal v Barcelona Live!

Arsenal v Barcelona
Second Round, UEFA Champions League
Emirates Stadium, London
Wednesday, 16 February 2011
Kickoff: 19:45 GMT / 20:45 CET

How do you beat Barcelona? That's the question Arsene Wenger's Arsenal must answer over 180 minutes as Barcelona-lite Arsenal take on Spanish champions Barcelona in this week's biggest Champions League second round matchup.

LONDON, England One of British soccer's leading television commentators was fired Tuesday, a day after being taken off the air and temporarily suspended for making sexist remarks about a female match official. Andy Gray, the face of Sky Sports' soccer coverage for the past two decades, was dismissed by the broadcaster after "new evidence [.

Arsenal vs. Ipswich
(agg 0 - 1)
Preview I
Preview II
David Hytner: Arshavin registers hazy on Carling Cup barometer

Depending on who you support and how passionate you are about your club, I'm sure there would be plenty of disagreement regarding which is the biggest Premier League match of the today. With Sunderland and Newcastle United as well as Birmingham City versus Aston Villa already in the bag, our attention today now turns to Liverpool against Everton followed by Tottenham Hotspur versus Manchester United.

Since the World Cup there has been one major debate amongst England fans. Youth. Every one of our 60 million football experts has the idea of how we should bring through swarms of talented players to annihilate competition. Who should the FA be looking at to find the blueprint to dispel a 50 year enigma.