The proposal is a simple one. Roberto Mancini can swap one big striker for another. However, some logistics complicate matters quite a bit. Still, it is certainly worthwhile for Manchester City to explore whether or not they can swap promising Bosnian striker Edin Dzeko for Swedish superstar Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Things are heating up nicely!! Bert angry at Marco, Wes angry at Marco and Willem, Klaas Jan angry at Robin, etc etc...

And in the meantime, Ibi Afellay gets his starting berth and creates a goal. While Robin van Persie gets his fave center role up front with Klaas Jan having [read more]

37 year old Paul Scholes has signed on for another year at Old Trafford having come out of retirement in January to reclaim his central midfield berth, playing 17 Premier League games and extending his United goal tally from 150 to 154.

Andy Carroll is determined to make the most of his England opportunity, with there every chance that he will lead Roy Hodgson's line at Euro 2012.
The Liverpool striker was handed a starting berth on Saturday as Hodgson's reign as Three Lions boss began with a 1-0 win over Norway.
Carroll's fine form towards the end of the Premier League season has earned him international recognition, and the burly frontman is ready to prove that he can cut it at the very highest level.

Chelsea's capture of Hazard a serious statement of intent - originally posted on Soccerlens.com

Highly-rated Lille attacking midfielder Eden Hazard has revealed that he is ready to join Chelsea next season, despite interest from both Manchester United and Manchester City. The Belgium international has been a leading light for the Ligue 1 outfit over the last 24 months, and will move to Stamford Bridge in a £32 million deal once the transfer window reopens.

By Chris Wright

The half-time reenactment of the fireplace scene from 'Women In Love' went down a treat

Bathed in withering sun, Crewe beat Cheltenham in the League Two Play-Off Final at Wembley yesterday afternoon to snag themselves a berth in League One next season, with the latest wunderkind to roll off the Railwaymen's production line, 18-year old Nick Powell, opening proceedings with an absolute belter of a goal darting away from two defenders with his first touch and then lashing a shot across the Cheltenham goal.

For the Vancouver Whitecaps and Toronto FC, the Voyageurs Cup is there for the taking at BMO Field Wednesday night.

The two clubs square off in the second leg of the Canadian championship final (8 p.m., Rogers Sportsnet), with one earning domestic bragging rights and a place in this summer's CONCACAF Champions League.

Ducky's Note: Swaraj Bhat, a Chelsea fan (yes, that species we never see out here on BFZ) sends in a Champions League final preview from a Chelsea FC fan's perspective. In the nick of time.

In the end, it all comes down to this. This is it, the Champions League final.

By Alan Duffy

Everton 3-1 Newcastle United Premier League 20th May 2012

Alan du Pardew's French/African squad failed to finish on a high after what has been a superb season. Coming into the last day of the season, the Magpies were still in with a shout of a top four berth.

We know. Cute bags. And Jo Boyles got a jersey.
It's been a long tournament for the U.S. U-17s with a lot of games mashed into a short period of time, so today the team got the rest. No training, no meetings, no film. They did of course do their standard regeneration routine in preparation for the championship game tomorrow against Canada (6:30 p.

Atletico Madrid need to secure Champions League football next season if they are to hang on to striker Radamel Falcao, club president Miguel Angel Gil

The Colombia forward scored two stunning goals to help Atletico beat Athletic Bilbao 3-0 in the Europa League final on Wednesday, finishing the tournament as top scorer for the second season in a row, with 12 goals.

Over the past seven years Arsenal has unfortunately been labeled as chokers by supporters of many other teams and it's becomingly increasingly hard to argue the point with them. However, the club will have an excellent opportunity to shake the monkey off their back on Sunday when they head to West Brom for the season finale.

The U.S. Under-17 Women's National Team stormed through the group stage at the 2012 CONCACAF U-17 Women's Championship to take the top spot in Group B. Now the U.S. players focus on perhaps the most important game of their young careers so far, a match-up with Group A runner-up Panama on Thursday, May 10 at 2:30 p.

Either way, a Spanish side will be lifting a trophy in Romania today, as Atletico Madrid and Athletic Bilbao tangle for the UEFA Europa League championship (2:45 p.m., DirecTV/7 p.m. replay, GOLTV).

For Atletico Madrid, led by red-hot Colombian striker Radamel Falcao, the match marks a chance to win the Europa League for the second time in three years.

Summer Green bursts through two Mexican defenders

After a convincing win over Mexico in the USA's last Group B match, the young Americans now set their sights on the semifinal match-up with Panama. The winner of that game will earn a berth to the 2012 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup.

On the heels of a campaign in which Sacha Kljestan was a focal point in helping lead Anderlecht to a Belgian league championship, the club is hoping to lock up the U.S. midfielder for the long term.

Kljestan's current deal with Anderlecht runs through 2014, but according to Belgian outlet Het Niuewsblad, Anderlecht is looking to extend Kljestan's stay in Belgium for two or three more years beyond then.

Virginia players Brittany Basinger (FC Virginia; Purcellville, Va.) and Andi Sullivan (Bethesda SC; Lorton, Va.) helped the U.S. U-17 Women's National team defeat Mexico in a 3-0 shutout during Group B action of the 2012 CONCACAF Women's Championship in Guatemala.  U.S. UNDER-17 WNT DEFEATS MEXICO 3-0 TO WIN GROUP B AT 2012 CONCACAF WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP

• USA Will Face Panama in Semifinal on May 10 for Berth to 2012 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup
• Summer Green Nets All Three Goals to Notch Her Second Hat Trick of the Tournament
• With a Tournament-Leading Nine Goals, Green Matches Lindsey Horan's Nine-Goal Performance from the 2010 CONCACAF U-17 Women's Championship After Just Three Matches

GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala (May 7, 2012) - The U.

Arsene Wenger may want to go out and buy a lottery ticket as soon as possible as luck's clearly on his side right now. Arsenal's fate is once again back in their own hands after Newcastle dropped a 2-0 decision at home to Manchester City on Sunday while Spurs were held to a 1-1 draw at Aston Villa.

- 50+ Additional Photos from QPR vs Stoke
- Follow QPR REPORT on TWITTER!
- QPR REPORT MESSAGEBOARD - Visit the cutting-edge, football-only, QPR Report messageboard (and see items you won't usually read elsewhere
- For QPR History in Photos: Visit the truly-fascinating Bushman QPR Photo Archives_______________________________________________________________________________
- NEXT: Manchester City - "Shared" Players, Past Results, Photos & Video & Past Match Reports

- One Year Ago: Today - QPR PROMOTED - FA Issues Its Verdict on QPR and Faurlingate - Fine but No Points





- The Managerial Rich List and the 100 Wealthiest in Sports List



QPR VS STOKE


Aston Villa 37 38
QPR 37 37
Wigan 36 37
Bolton 37 35
Blackburn 36 31
Wolves 37 25

- VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS QPR vs STOKE

- 55 Photos from QPR vs Stoke
QPR Official Site - HUGHES: FAN-TASTIC, BUT WORK TO BE DONE

Mark Hughes heaped praise on his QPR side for beating Stoke City 1-0 at Loftus Road, but the R's gaffer insists there is still work to be done.

The U.S. Under-17 Women's National Team will face Mexico on Monday, May 7 (6:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. local) for the Group B title. The USA, like Mexico, has already clinched a berth in the semifinal round, but with a win or a draw against the Mexicans, the U.S. wins Group B and would then face the Group A runner-up (Panama) on Thursday, May 10.

With Belize lacking an appropriate venue, El Salvador will have an extra berth to the 2012-13 CONCACAF Champions League, CONCACAF announced on Thursday. El Salvador gets the slot because they were the only Caribbean country that had a team advance to the knockout stage in the 2011-12 tournament. El Salvador will now send three teams to the 2012-13 tournament: Isidro Metapan, Aguila, and FAS.

The U.S. Under-17 Women's National Team kicks off the 2012 CONCACAF U-17 Women's Championship on Thursday, May 3, when it faces the Bahamas (3 pm CT) in what will be the first-ever match for a U.S. WNT against the island nation. The USA will continue Group B play against Trinidad & Tobago on Saturday, May 5 (3 pm CT), and finish the first round against Mexico on Monday, May 7 (5:30 pm CT).

After three consecutive years of finishing as runner-up to Toronto FC in the Canadian championship, 2012 could finally be the Vancouver Whitecaps' year to claim the Voyageurs Cup.

Considering Toronto FC's struggles and Vancouver's rise to respectability after a trying MLS expansion season, the Whitecaps are the favorites entering this year's Canadian championship, which commences Wednesday night.

Before we get going today, wanted to give a little update on our buddies Stanislaus United Turlock Express from California. SUTE downed the Bay Area Ambassadors 3-0 on Saturday night to claim an historic berth in the USOC. With the win, SUTE becomes the first US Club Soccer team to qualify for the USOC in the 99-year history of the event.

By Alan Duffy

Sunderland 2-2 Bolton Wanderers Premier League 28th Premier League 2012

Once the king of the Reebok, Super Kev Davies has often struggled to secure a starting berth for Bolton this season. However, his brace at the Stadium of Light on Saturday could prove utterly vital to Bolton's fight for survival.

By Alan Duffy

Wigan Athletic 4-0 Newcastle United Premier League 28th April 2012

Roberto Martinez orchestrated yet another massive win for Wigan against one of the league's big boys on Saturday, as the Latics thrashed Champions League hopefuls Newcastle at the DW Stadium.

Gareth Bale says he'll have to "see what's best for myself" if Spurs don't reach the Champions League.

A run of one win in nine league games has seen Spurs slip from title challengers to fifth place, outside the Champions League berths and facing the prospect of a second season of Europa League football next term.

Gareth Bale says he'll have to "see what's best for myself" if Spurs don't reach the Champions League.

A run of one win in nine league games has seen Spurs slip from title challengers to fifth place, outside the Champions League berths and facing the prospect of a second season of Europa League football next term.

The WNT Blog will be taking a hiatus from daily postings as it is traveling south to Guatemala to cover the quest for the U.S. U-17 Women's National Team for a berth to the 2012 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup in Azerbaijain. You can follow all the news and happenings of the U-17s on the WNT Blog.

With a summer of wild speculation about Robin Van Persie's future at Arsenal ahead, it's refreshing to learn that we do have players who love the club unequivocally and are committed to the cause. Of course, there is every chance RVP will sign a new deal and secure a long future at the Emirates and who can fault our main man?

Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard has hailed his side's performance last night as one of the finest he has ever seen and believes that the Blues' unbreakable spirit triumphed over Barcelona's beautiful football.

The Blues dramatically surrendered their 1-0 first-leg advantage within eight first-half minutes as Sergio Busquets and Andres Iniesta struck either side of John Terry's infamous sending off.

The round of 16 of the Finnish Cup commences on Wednesday, with four Americans looking to see playing time in their push for a quarterfinal berth.

Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish admits that he has very few words to add in his continuing defense of an inconsistent Reds side but argues that the club's Premier League position could have been a lot better had luck gone their way.

Yesterday's 1-0 defeat at home to West Bromwich Albion was one of the many setbacks that the team has suffered at Anfield this season.

Arsenal were held to a goalless draw at home by Chelsea, while Newcastle United staked their claim for a Champions League berth with a routine 3-0 win against Stoke City as Tottenham Hotspur lost at Queens Park Rangers 1-0.

Chelsea coach Roberto Di Matteo made eight changes from the side that beat Barcelona in midweek, but third-placed Arsenal failed to take advantage.

Arsenal were held to a goalless draw at home by Chelsea, while Newcastle United staked their claim for a Champions League berth with a routine 3-0 win against Stoke City as Tottenham Hotspur lost at Queens Park Rangers 1-0.

Chelsea coach Roberto Di Matteo made eight changes from the side that beat Barcelona in midweek, but third-placed Arsenal failed to take advantage.

In recent weeks there's been much talk about Spurs looking for a long term replacement for Brad Friedel when the time comes for the American to finally hang up his gloves. The majority of these links hint at keepers who will stay at the Lane for a year or two and will then be ready to take over when Brad retires.

Aaron Lauber (Franklin/UW) split his lip open in the first half of Sunday's match at the USASA Region II Open Cup.

The Croatian Eagles were able to patch up the gash and kept the striker on the pitch at the top of their 4-5-1 formation.

"We wanted to keep him in ... because we knew he might get a chance to get his head on something," Croatians coach Alex Toth said.

Ramon "Choko" Alvarado (Franklin) scored early, Scott Raymonds (Brookfield East/UW-Green Bay) scored late and veteran goalkeeper Ante Cop and his backline handled the rest Saturday as the Croatian Eagles moved within one win of a berth in the 99th Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.

The Eagles got past Croatian rival RWB Adria 2-0 in a first-round match of the U.

The section of the world that the U.S. is competing in allows for three countries to automatically qualify for World Cup 2014 in Brazil. The U.S. competes with other countries from North America, Central America and the Caribbean.

Chelsea manager Roberto DiMatteo has admitted that his side must stop in-form Fulham winger Clint Dempsey when the Blues visit Craven Cottage for tonight's West London derby.

DiMatteo's men currently trail both the fourth-place Tottenham and the fifth-place Newcastle by three points, which means a win would create a three-way tie for the last available Champions League qualification spot.