Argentina needs a big win today to have a chance at world cup qualificaiotn and for Maradona to remain as the coach.
As for Maradona's coaching, it is pretty obvoius that the Messi, Aguero & Tevez combinations have not been very productinve in terms of goals. The only good change he has done so far is let Jesus Datolo play as his wingman.

A full write-up of last night's 1-0 win over Toronto coming in the next day or so, but I wanted to post this ASAP. Deron White from the Colorado Rapids Examiner told me that he saw National Team winger DaMarcus Beasley walking around the stadium with Cory Gibbs at tonight's game. Beasley is currently riding the bench with Rangers in Scotland.

It's the first clean sheet of our Premiership season and it's a very comfortable win the one registered this afternoon at the Emirates, but unfortunately, there's still a question or two which will be asked in the coming days.

Many will ask how come Fabregas didn't celebrate the fourth goal, is it an injury or something else?

The US did not play particularly well, but three points is three points. After the loss at Azteca, the most important thing the US needed to do was put a W up on the board, and they did that. There passing was poor, their link-up play was stilted, and their defense of the wings was a constant worry, but they got that vital win.

DC United hosts Marathon on Sept 24 at RFK Stadium for CONCACAF Champions League. Last night Marathon took on Toluca. Toluca just helped United have a chance to go further in the Champions League by beating Marathon, by 7 goals! This could be the best opportunity DC has had since competing in the Champions League in the last 2 seasons.

I was on holiday in a rather remote region when the transfer window closed, so was kept waiting for excited news of frenetic late dealings. And waiting, and waiting, because of course, no one got excited as no remarkable late deals got done.
It leaves me with a real sense of regret, especially where Liverpool are concerned.

In April 2009, Holland coach Marco Van Basten criticised Rafael Benitez's handling of Ryan Babel, noting that the player had taken a step backward since his arrival at Anfield. This week, Babel himself has publicly stated he wants to leave. Has Babel failed or is Rafa Benitez to blame for not giving the player a consistent chance?

Yossi Benayoun's creative contribution over the last year proves that it is in Liverpool's best interests to start him as often as possible, but despite this, he is STILL in and out of the first team. What more does Benayoun have to do to join the list of automatic starters?
I know I've made this point before, but I feel it needs to be made again.

As the transfer deadline drew to a close it seems French Side Monaco may have stolen the show with the move of the summer. While the big money moved the likes of Robben, CR7 and Kaka, it was the shock signing of Icelander Eidur Gudjohnsen for a measly amount of 2M Euros that may turn out to be the biggest return on investment

Yes 2M Euros, it's not a lot of money for a player of this pedigree.

The transfer window may be shut but these guys don't care, because they have no contract! From Everton rejects to former Liverpool heroes to Arsenal stalwarts to West Ham and Newcastle United mercenaries. These players should, with some exceptions, be avoided like the plague!

The Daily Mail came up with a list of players that were out of contract and therefore allowed to move to your club even with the transfer window firmly shut, we give our thoughts on the players you really shouldn't hope to see in your clubs colours!

New arrival Freddy Adu hopes to see some time coming off the bench against his former team as Belenenses host Benfica on Sunday afternoon at Estadio do Restelo in Lisbon.

The warm september sun bore down in Islington this afternoon, and the 59 odd thousand Gooners in the Emirates were treated to something of an exhibition of football from an Arsenal team that looked to have recovered well from the trials of a mid-week game away in Belgium.Vito Mannone retained his place in goal as Almunia remained in the sick bay, Rosicky dropped to the bench, Eboue game in to the

It's a quick update for the Tuesday games, with no Americans seeing the field in three games. Oguchi Onyewu wasn't in the squad for Milan's Champions League opener, a 2-1 win at Olympique Marseilles's Stade Velodrome. Filippo Inzaghi had both goals for Milan. In the Championship, Frank Simek was on the bench for Sheffield Wednesday's 3-1 home loss to Middlesbrough.

Burnley v. Sunderland 12:45 GMT Team news: Burnley captain Steven Caldwell is still troubled by the groin injury which has kept him off the pitch this season. Michael Duff is back from his ankle injury, but is expected to start on the bench. Sunderland summer signing Lee Cattermole is a doubt for the trip to Burnley, still suffering [.

I've been frustrated many times down the years at players not getting what I deem to be a fair crack in the first team. The last one was Yossi last season as shortly after a hat trick he was dumped back down to the bench. I can't say I have the same desire to see [...]
Visit us at www.makeusdream.

So thinks former Arsenal player (and City fan) Lee Dixon in his BBC column (with a nod to Jack for the link):

I'll say it again, balance will be the key to City's success this season.

But they are still a tour de force going forward as well.

At Fratton Park, they employed Emmanuel Adebayor as the key frontman, with Carlos Tevez, Bellamy, Wright-Phillips and Ireland supporting and inter-changing behind.

"Candidly, if we can't beat El Salvador at home, we don't deserve to go to the World Cup." - Landon, more or less, I'm working from memory
YAY! We deserve to go to the World Cup! Hip hip hooray! Hip hip hooray!
I had the perfect title in case of a loss - "SLC Punked." Or did I use that last year for the Red Bulls playoff game?

This realization has taken a few weeks longer this season, but it's still just as painful. After watching TFC shit the bed this past weekend in Colorado, my faith in our ability to bounce back and hit a good run of form is effectively dead. I'm not too urked by a 1-0 loss away to the Rapids - they've been a good team this year.

It has emerged that Albert Riera had a bust-up with Rafa Benitez over being left on the bench for the first three games of the season. Was Riera right to feel aggrieved?
Talking to Spanish publication AS, Riera revealed:
"I didn't play the first game because I started training late after the Confederations Cup, like [Pepe] Reina and [Fernando] Torres.

As I predicted yesterday, Xavier Masherano is out injured and does not make the squad.Steven Gerrard goes back into central midfield alongside Lucas.Benayoun plays behind Torres upfront with Riera wide on the left.Aurelio doesn't even make the bench.Team in full;Reina,Johnson,Insua,Carragher,Skertel,Lucas,Gerrard,Riera,Benayoun,Kuyt,Torres

Debrecen VSC, the first Hungarian team in 14 years to qualify for the group stages of the Champions League, visit Anfield tonight. Rafa made no changes from the side that beat Burnley at the weekend 4-0, while Debrecen presumably put forth their strongest side (?). No surprise that Masch starts on the bench after missing Saturday's match with a pelvic injury he suffered while away on international duty.

Jonny Evans believes he has settled well in to the first team squad and is hoping we have the upper hand against City at the weekend.

"I feel very settled among the first team squad now," said Evans. "I also felt very much part of it last season, but it was kind of a new thing for me.

There is no denying that Liverpool F.C. is the form team in the Barclays Premier League at the moment. Rafa's Reds have defied all odds to overcome a frustrating start to the campaign and surprisingly, the Steven Gerrard - Fernando Torres pairing isn't exclusively responsible for leading the revival.

Rafa Benitez's rather dubious explanation for Yossi Benayoun's perennial bench status over the last two seasons is (arguably) as ludicrous as it is inaccurate.
In a recent interview, Rafa made the following observations:
'I was talking to Yossi about how he has always been fantastic coming off the bench and he told me he could do even more if I gave him a chance from the start'.

Barcelona rejoined Real Madrid at the top of Spain's La Liga with a maximum of 15 points from 5 games courtesy of goals from Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Gerard Pique at Malaga on Saturday. Ibrahimovic had as a substitutes bench with an ankle injury but came on for the injured Thierry Henry in the 28th minute.

After some speculation yesterday it has been confirmed that Croatian international, Ivan Klasnic, has joined Bolton Wanderers Football Club.

Ivan is on loan to The Wanderers for a year and, according to the FC Nantes website, Bolton will have the option to buy the 29 year old striker.

Goal.com's Greg Lalas has an exclusive with the Chicago Fire's Chris Rolfe. Rolfe will be joining Aalborg Boldspilklub of the Danish Superliga in January.
So far in 2009, Rolfe has played in all 24 Fire matches, but early on he was coming off the bench for Denis Hamlett's squad. He also has been used in the midfield more so than his customary role up front.

One day after turning 99, Corinthians played the derby against Santos at Pacaembu. The match was anticipated from the 23rd round in order to satisfy the TV hunger. Santos scored first with an own goal by Chicao, but Corinthians came back in the final minutes with a goal by Chicao. Bill left the bench and scored the other goal.

Yossi Benayoun believes Pepe Reina's form so far this season has reaffirmed his status as the Premier League's top goalkeeper.
The Spanish shot-stopper has been one of the Reds' standout performers in their opening four matches.
Reina, who has won the Golden Gloves award three times in the past four years, has pulled off a string of excellent saves.

Could this man be sitting out his last season in MLS?
According to Kristian Jack at The Score (click here for the original article and all the details), Danny Dichio looks to be on the way out of Toronto FC at end of this season and may be an assistant coach or player in USL.

The Son of the Wind is in town, and despite having one of the greatest nicknames of all time, he likley won't see the starting lineup this weekend. Look for him off the bench against DC.

Ryan Babel feels let down by his manager at Anfield over a series of "broken promises."
So let me just remind you of the words Babel himself uttered on the day he was unveiled at Liverpool two summers ago.
"It's a great feeling to be compared to Thierry Henry and a goal for me to work hard every day to get to that level or to be even better.

I don't see why they should occur so soon in the season, the players had one round of stupid internationals just before the season started and now there are more.

The only things that ever comes out of them are injuries. Proof: Djourou was sent home from his Swiss training camp in the last international break and now has to undergo surgery on his knee.

Jay Needham and Alta got back on the winning track in the 1. Division promotion race while Connor Tobin spent most of Nybergsund's match watching from the bench.

Striker has had enough of sitting on the Bayern bench!

Italian international Luca Toni has confirmed that he will leave Bayern Munich if head coach Louis van Gaal does not utilise him sufficiently.

With striker Mario Gomez signed from Stuttgart this summer, the prolific Italian could end up warming the bench at Bayern this campaign.

Now that the summer transfer window is closed, word has leaked out that Tottenham were hot on the heels on one of football's most legendary strikers. Brazilian striker Ronaldo, now at Corinthians, apparently had to turn Spurs down as manager Harry Redknapp tried to add the slightly overweight player to his squad.

Fabio Capello has a decision to make. Stick with his preferred strike partnership of Wayne Rooney and Emile Heskey, or bench the latter and start Jermain Defoe, who scored once again after replacing Heskey in the second half of the Slovenia match. Although even Heskey himself thinks Defoe should probably start, Capello seems to be struggling with the dilemma.

Two of the World Cup semi-finalists from 2006 are in danger of missing out in 2010 after disappointing 1-1 draws on Saturday. France, with Franck Ribéry controversially starting on the bench, were held at home by Romania while Portugal needed an 86th-minute equaliser to avoid defeat in Denmark.

REUTERS/Albert Gea

For FC Barcelona's second match of the La Liga season Pep Guardiola will have two of his stars back on the roster. Both Andres Iniesta and Rafa Marquez will receive medical clearance on Wednesday meaning that they will be on the roster against Getafe. Guardiola has already confirmed that both players will start on the bench this weekend after receiving medical clearance.

As much as I wasn't particularly looking forward to last night's England game, the one hope I had was that Aaron Lennon would step forward and stake a serious claim for a World Cup spot. That's exactly what he did and in some style!

Lennon's first half performance was superb. He created two of the goals, secured himself the man of the match accolade and very likely a place in Capello's squad for the 2010 World Cup.