This isn't knee jerk reaction to last night before you think it is. This is something I said back in the summer and in recent weeks and last nights performance has only added fuel to the fire in what I believe Carlo Ancelotti lacks as a Manager of Chelsea.
Back when he was appointed the Manager I wrote this post and said that I didn't see how the club were taking a step forward and would he turn out to be another Scolari. Click to continue reading...

Rafael Benitez has called for his Liverpool side to focus on the challenge facing them against Lille on Thursday, rather than be distracted by the forthcoming league clash against Manchester United.
After seeing his side defeat Portsmouth 4-1 on Monday, Benitez wants his players to maintain that same level of performance against the French side as they look to overcome a 1-0 first leg deficit, before they think about the trip to Old Trafford on Sunday. Click to continue reading...

Indonesia Super League
Persija v Persipura 0-2 (Alberto Goncalves, Boaz Solossa)
With this defeat, only their fifth of the season, Persija distant dreams of title glory ended. Two down at half time it needed something special from the Kemayoran Tigers but it never came. Click to continue reading...

Title rivals Arsenal and Chelsea both picked up three points yesterday, with the blues thrashing West Ham 4-1 at home whilst the Gunners needed an injury time winner to beat Hull who went down to ten men in the first half.

Michael Carrick has today claimed that whilst it is nice to see rivals drop points before United play, it doesn't put any pressure on us when they don't.

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Arsenals title hopes were once again on a knife edge until Nicklas Bendtner grabbed a 93rd minute winner to secure a 2-1 win against a plucky Hull side, who played the whole of the 2nd half with 10 men.

The victory takes the Gunners joint top, level on points with Chelsea having played a game more.

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I feel so sorry for Liverpool fans at the moment and what's happening is really tough to take.
There is something deeply wrong and the worry is it doesn't look like it's going to improve.
It was refreshing to hear Wigan chairman Dave Whelan speak out this week. He said Reds supporters deserve better and he's spot on. Click to continue reading...

An interesting article over at the Guardian today, which suggests that taking David Beckham to South Africa doesn't really make any sense. The thrust of the argument is this we have other more/similarly talented players waiting in the wings that we just can't afford to leave at home.

The focus is particularly on Theo Wallcott who I am also a huge fan of who due to not really having any form to speak of at all, is facing not going to the World Cup in South Africa, despite being a big part of us getting there, and of going to the last World Cup even though he'd not yet played for Arsenal.

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By James Sullivan
Brian McDermott thinks that Reading's magical FA Cup run has put the club back on the map and insists that the team should have no fear going into Sunday's game after wins over Liverpool, Burnley and West Bromwich Albion have taken Reading to their first FA Cup quarter-final in 83 years. Click to continue reading...

Turns out Nigel De Jong's studs-up challenge was as bad as it looked on TV.� They are estimating the fracture in Holden's right fibula will take six weeks to heal.� Fortunately if this time table holds true, of course this would allow Holden to finish the season with Bolton and regain fitness before the World Cup.

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photo credit: bhhardinge

The lights aren't off...yet.

Pompey has been put on administration following their inability to find new ownership and new capital.� It's a sad day for Portsmouth, but the day is not lost.� However, there are a couple things to consider:

1.

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I've seen and heard rumours that Gael Clichy could be on his last legs at Arsenal.
Now whether you believe that Arsene Wenger is ready to cash in on our number one left-back or not, I think that many Gooners are spilt on what Wenger should do.
The fee that I've seen bandied about is £16m. Click to continue reading...

Arsenal 2-0� Sunderland

I suppose this match was always going to be an anti climax compared to the run of games that we have just had, but how important it could turn out to be.
Everton had already given us a helping hand and a win for us would put us just 2 points behind the Salford's.

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After seeing our players lose some of their fighting spirit in the final half hour in Portugal, there is only one question in my mind right now. Are we in for another implosion like the one we saw after that horrific game at Birmingham?

I don't go around spreading doom and gloom stories and this is not an attempt at that either.

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Porto 2 (Fabianski og 11, Falcao 52) Arsenal 1 (Campbell 18)
(Champions League Round of 16, First Leg)

You will be hard pushed to find a game in which a team gives away a pair of goals as soft as those we handed Porto tonight. At Champions League level, they are the sort of gifts that condemn you to a swift exit, but thanks to an otherwise controlled display and a Porto side lacking in star quality, the tie remains firmly in the balance.

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What a day yesterday was, still full of doom and gloom from Sunday, not feeling very confident about facing the dippers – but something inside niggled away, just something gave me hope that we would win.

My day didn't start too well because the car wouldn't start and I had to go out, but after a few phone calls and a set of jumps leads from a fellow Gooner, I was helped on my way.

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� � "An Emil Hallfredsson� strike fired Barnsley to a second straight win as the Tykes closed in on a play-off spot." So reads the opening line of the BBC's usually conservative match report from Saturday. Sounds good, doesn't it? The belief around Oakwell� that Mark Robins is not just content with survival is rapidly becoming tangible. Click to continue reading...

Since being beat by Manchester United I have seen criticism leveled at Arsene Wenger like never before. It's almost another level.
It got even worse when he didn't add to the squad on transfer dead-line day. A move that has led many Gooners to despair.
So much so I've even seen an Arsenal blog begin a petition to sack him. Click to continue reading...

Liverpool goalkeeper Jose Pepe Reina admits the players have been hurt by the club's poor performances this season.
But the Spain international said a sense of pride had forced the squad to face up to their problems and he believed their recent good run showed what could be done when they worked hard together. Click to continue reading...

Liverpool legend Ian Rush is confident manager Rafael Benitez will stay at the club, despite continued speculation linking the Spaniard with a move to Juventus.
The Italian giants sacked manager Ciro Ferrara last week after a terrible run of results and installed Alberto Zaccheroni as boss until the end of the season. Click to continue reading...

Arsenal 4 (Rosicky 43, Fabregas 52, Vermaelen 65, Arshavin 85) Bolton 2 (Cahill 7, Taylor pen 28)
(Premiership)

Say what you like about this Arsenal team, you can't deny the mental strength. Fighting back from two goals down on a night where all eyes are on you because of a) the lack of games elsewhere and b) the chance to go top of the league, is no mean feat, especially against a side out for revenge after the weekend.

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By Ollie Irish

Beneath that frankly disgraceful hairstyle I've named it 'The Poodle Roadkill' there lies one of the hardest midfielders ever to play in a World Cup finals. Leonel Alvarez played for Colombia at the 1990 and 1994 World Cups and remains a cult figure in his nation's football history, with 101 international caps to his name only former team-mate Carlos Valderrama (a Horror Hair legend) has more.

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In my preview of this game I mentioned our Carling Cup defeat against a weakened Manchester United side. That was a match that was there for the taking, but for our lack of belief and any sort of gumption.

Last night against Liverpool we saw another insipid performance from Spurs. Let's face it, our side are flat-track bullies.

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After promising us a top four finish is there really any reason to call for an Anfield sacking?

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Like all Liverpool fans, I have been bitterly disappointed by this season.

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Europe Rafael Benítez given a temporary reprieve at Liverpool but loses star trio -- from The Guardian's Andy Hunter: Despite the mounting pressure and the constraints on transfer budgets, the Liverpool manager has no intention of quitting. Bad deals and risky tactics: how Rafa's Reds fell so fast -- from The Independent's Ian Herbert: Not much has changed in terms of personnel since then. Click to continue reading...

Whilst three consecutive victories in the league (plus the Middlesbrough FA Cup victory) since Roberto Mancini took the helm has seen us rise up the Premier League table, the impact the Italian has had has also seen an equally important rise in the expectation and belief around the club.
The victory over Blackburn has seen Nigel de Jong come out and state that the Premier League title is a possibility:

"Of course the title is a possibility.

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"For those who know their Fire history they remember a guy like [former head coach] Bob Bradley based on his integrity and the type of ethical guy that he is. When I sat down with Carlos the first thing i thought about was Bob Bradley. Carlos is someone who is very honorable, who is going to come here and work very hard and get results.

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It's not often that Arsene Wenger comes out and says we were closer to losing than winning. It's even rarer when he says that we had technical problems. To be fair, Le Boss got is spot on and deserves some credit for saying a lot in few words. It's a different matter that these problems should have been foreseen and it's more down to him than anyone else that we played the way we did.

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Just in on a mid-season transfer, I am here to keep you entertained, informed and enforce your belief in the wonderment that is Arsenal. Failing this it could be a long haul of moaning about the weather and injuries sustained to key players. Most of which have happened while not even playing for the club but away on a pointless and mundane friendlies.

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If you would have asked me whether Carlton Cole was good enough for Arsenal 18 months ago I probably would have pissed my Superman pants with laughter.
A player who began his career at Chelsea, spent loan spells at Wolves, Charlton Athletic and Aston Villa before finally signing for West Ham (confused yet? Click to continue reading...

Steven Gerrard has delivered a hard-hitting assessment of Liverpool's disappointing season, insisting he and his team-mates must take responsibility.
The Reds' campaign can already be described as a failure following their exit from the UEFA Champions League at the group stages.
Rafa Benitez's team are also in a fierce battle to qualify for next season's European Cup as ahead of Sunday's crucial meeting with fourth-placed Tottenham they trail Spurs by four points. Click to continue reading...

As far as injury lists go, he has been at the top longer than Frankie Laine was in the pop charts in 1953!

Yesterday Arsenal announced the news that Tomas Rosicky had signed a new two year contract!

Tomas said he is thrilled and he needs to repay the faith our club has shown him during the last ten years whilst he has been sat in company of a Lewin!

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Prior to the draw England were already among the favourites, on the back of a solid qualifying campaign. A seemingly favourable draw has served to strengthen that belief and most bookies have them as third favourites at around 11/2. Under Fabio Capello England have become an efficient unit and he appears . Click to continue reading...

Great win! The biggest 3rd round upset of 2009/10 in the FA Cup. The start of the decade� and� a Man Utd home defeat. The commentator on ITV said with about 10 mins to go that injury time would be added in multiples of 5 minute intervals, how well informed was he (?)� with 5 mins being added of "fergie time" (God knows where that came from).

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A season can change on one pivotal moment and hopefully Fernando Torres' winner at Villa Park will be it for Liverpool.
We rode our luck a bit and Pepe Reina produced a couple of great saves but it was a fighting performance.
We still have to play better but it was a massive win and the spirit we showed was very pleasing. Click to continue reading...

Imagine, if you will, the following scenario: in the heat of the battle one army is taking an almighty hammering and appears to be encircled, taking losses from all sides. The beleaguered soldiers are in the main young and inexperienced but have a firm belief in their young, charismatic commander who is leading from the front. Click to continue reading...

Manchester United
Kusczak (6.5 ) Didn't have to do anything spectacular. Distribution was a little wayward, as usual. Good shot-stopper.
Rafael (7 ) He's definitely not shy. Added impetus to a United attack requiring it. Reckless at times, as usual, but quick and resilient. Had United's best chance in the first half which he attempted well. Click to continue reading...

Arsene Wenger said that these 4 lean years have been his best years at the club. What it translates to, is his belief in the style of play and system that currently runs throughout the whole club from the first teamers all the way to the Under'18s. More significantly, it also means that he believes [. Click to continue reading...

Having been a Rafa fan for a long time, even I must admit that enough is enough! What will make or break Rafa is not the next few results, but rather the next few team sheets.

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Confidence and belief is in the gutter as Liverpool enter the Christmas period, but if previous years are anything to go by, the next few weeks could actually turn out to be rather fruitful for the club.
If there is one positive thing that has been a constant for Liverpool under Rafa Benitez, it is performing well in the league over the Christmas period:
2004-5
P4
W3
L1
2005-6
P4
W3
D1
2006-7
P4
W3
L1
2007-08
P4
W2
D2
2008/9
P3
W2
D1
5 YEAR TOTALS
P - 19
W - 13
D - 4
L – 2
Goals for - 40
Goals against - 13
As you can see, Liverpool has never had a bad Christmas period under Benitez. Click to continue reading...

This will be a quick one. You can point at the early missed chances, you can point at Mascherano's red card and you can point at the slices of fortune in Portsmouth's goals: the truth is that Liverpool were extremely poor.
What's more, there was absolutely no belief in them when Liverpool went behind. Click to continue reading...