There seems to be for the first time a serious debate on introducing salary cap restrictions a
la NFL into the Premiership. This comes on the heels of a strengthened TV deal that would generate
£3bn to be shared by all 20 clubs towards player transfers and wages.
The bottom line is that increasing and out of control wage demands have eaten into that pie
leaving clubs with less to spend.
As the summer frenzy comes to an end tomorrow, we're all hoping and wishing that we see some
more new blood inserted into the Arsenal DNA. I wanted to find out from each of you who you think
we will:
Likely sell
Likely purchase (if any)
And also, I'd like to know that one special player you would love to see in the beautiful, new
Arsenal kit.
I've kept quiet in the last couple of months. Not because I had my jaw broke or anything but simply
because I have been too busy to write.
I am going to try and change that. Ideally I'll try and get on here at least twice a week or at the
very least four or five times a year. Which is more than I have done recently.
Do we as Arsenal fans perhaps have the right to feel slightly aggrieved at the way the media
treats us? I see no special reason for pundits, journalists and bloggers to have some kind of
agenda against the club, but it does seem like there's something there.
Take the coverage our rivals Spurs are currently getting, for instance; you'd think it was
Arsenal who'd let a potentially great season fall apart and were set to miss out on the Champions
League next year, with all the talk being of where our star striker will be after the summer.
So, just how did Fulham finish ninth, their first ever back-to-back top 10 finish in the top
flight?
Chances were, if we were winning at half, we'd win the game. And if we were losing, we had a
better chance than most at getting something out of the match. And that's not all:
Never lost a single match when winning at half (10-1-0)
Conceded just 4 goals in the second half when winning; one behind leaders Stoke City
Finished 2nd overall in total points gained when losing at halftime with 8
Finished 18th overall in total points gained when drawing at halftime with 13
Tied with United overall for least amount of points dropped with just 6
Yet, somehow, conceded 17 goals in the final 15 minutes, more than in 2007-08
How did our home record stack up with our away record?
So, just how did Fulham finish ninth, their first ever back-to-back top 10 finish in the top
flight?
Chances were, if we were winning at half, we'd win the game. And if we were losing, we had a
better chance than most at getting something out of the match. And that's not all:
Never lost a single match when winning at half (10-1-0)
Conceded just 4 goals in the second half when winning; one behind leaders Stoke City
Finished 2nd overall in total points gained when losing at halftime with 8
Finished 18th overall in total points gained when drawing at halftime with 13
Tied with United overall for least amount of points dropped with just 6
Yet, somehow, conceded 17 goals in the final 15 minutes, more than in 2007-08
How did our home record stack up with our away record?
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.
One of the arguments trotted out to defend the high transfer fees paid for some players last
summer—right after the one about how British players with Premier League experience would take
less time to settle and because of this pay back the higher fees with a better chance of returning
to the Champions League—was that the players coming in would be on lower wages than the men they
were replacing.
One of the arguments trotted out to defend the high transfer fees paid for some players last
summer—right after the one about how British players with Premier League experience would take
less time to settle and because of this pay back the higher fees with a better chance of returning
to the Champions League—was that the players coming in would be on lower wages than the men they
were replacing.
These are words I never thought I would utter, if we qualify against all odds for the Champions
League again this year I would like to see Arsène Wenger resign as Arsenal manager.
Those who know me, will think I have gone stark raving mad. This wish has nothing to do with
whether I think he can take the team further, if he is too old, that he doesn't want to spend money
or any of the other criticisms aimed at our manager.
These are words I never thought I would utter, if we qualify against all odds for the Champions
League again this year I would like to see Arsène Wenger resign as Arsenal manager.
Those who know me, will think I have gone stark raving mad. This wish has nothing to do with
whether I think he can take the team further, if he is too old, that he doesn't want to spend money
or any of the other criticisms aimed at our manager.
Arsene Wenger called it the worst ever performance from his Arsenal side in the Champions
League. I may not agree entirely as there's a couple of games in this competition in the past which
I thought are far worse but that's not exactly the point. The manager is right in calling it a
shambolic performance and we will all be looking for a response tonight.
Back in 2009 we had a brief chat with Soccernomics author Simon Kuper. The book was first
published in October, 2009 and continues to cited in soccer circles. Â Â Soccernomics
combines economics and soccer to provide an interesting look into the use of data in sports and
takes direct aim at some of the longest held beliefs of fans and soccer managers about the
evaluation of players.
There were no goals, and few quality scoring chances, only question marks and some concern for
the U.S. national team as it heads toward World Cup qualifying following Sunday's 0-0 draw against
Canada.
Credit to the Canadians, they stayed organized and compact and never let the Americans get
comfortable in the final third.
This morning sees the final game of the Asia tour as we take on Kitchee FC in Hong Kong. It
comes less than 48 hours after the Man City game and with the squad feeling the effects of all the
traveling I don't expect this to much more than a training game, to be honest.
We might see more time given to the younger/fringe members of the squad as the senior players
played most of the game on Friday and with, I'm sure, all due care and attention being paid to
their fitness the last thing we want to do is pick up silly injuries by asking too much of players
when there's still a good three weeks until the first game of the Premier League season.
Signing his professional contract in December 2006, the world was at the young Welshman's feet.
Having lightning fast pace, great stamina and positional awareness put Ribeiro's name on the radar
for the bigger clubs such as Everton. Ribeiro opted to stay at Ashton Gate stating: ''I felt I had
a better chance of playing regular football for Bristol City at the time'' Only making 14
appearances due to an injury-hit 5 seasons at Ashton Gate saw his contract finally terminated by
City this summer.
The FA Cup final, sponsored by an American beer, kicking off at 5.15 on a Saturday afternoon
while other matches are being played on the same day. It is on such occasions that one is tempted
to think that it might not necessarily be the clubs or the supporters that are the most intent on
destroying the spectacle of this most enduring fixtures in the sporting calendar, but those charged
with the job of keeping this day alive, in the face of the all-encompassing grip of the Premier
League and the Champions League.
Against Blackburn, Liverpool's man of the match performance came from an unlikely source. The
surprise wasn't so much that it was delivered by Jordan Henderson—though even his strongest
supporters would be hard pressed to point to previous games where he would have been the clear
choice for such honours—as that it was delivered by Jordan Henderson after he was forced to play
at right back.
It is a potentially critical weekend at the bottom of the Premier League table.
The games almost have a play-off theme to them – with the bottom six facing off against one
another. Blackburn Rovers host QPR, Bolton Wanderers entertain Wigan Athletic and West Brom travel
to Wolves in the Black Country derby.
It is now emerging that Neymar will not be leaving Santos after all. Premier League club Chelsea
have confirmed that they have ended their pursuit for the teen star after he committed his future
to Santos until 2014.
Villas-Boas revealed that his side have failed in trying to sign Neymar and that he has already
chosen his next destination which will most likely be Barcelona.
Yohan Cabaye admits Anfield skipper Steven Gerrard will be the man France will be fearing the
most when they face England on Monday.
The 26 year old playmaker will be well aware of the qualities of Liverpool captain Gerrard by
playing against him during his successful campaign with Newcastle last season and admits his side
will have a better chance of triumphing if they can stop Gerrard making an impact.
Kenny Dalglish is refusing to fast-track Liverpool youngster Raheem Sterling into becoming a
regular starter for the club.
Sterling, 17, made his debut in Saturday's defeat against Wigan as a late substitute and many fans
at the club believe he should have already been introduced this term.
Dalglish has played fellow Academy graduates John Flanagan and Jack Robinson this term but he
insists he will not fully unleash Sterling until he is physically ready.
Eden Hazard has completed his £32 million transfer from French club Lille and is now a Chelsea
player. A statement on the Chelsea web site said simply:
"Chelsea Football Club is delighted to announce we have agreed terms with Lille for the transfer
of Eden Hazard.
The 21-year-old Belgian international has agreed personal terms with the club and today passed a
medical examination.
Following Manchester United's 3-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur, Sir Alex Ferguson was pleased to
share our latest injury news.
"The good thing is I'm getting players back," he said. "Anderson is back now,
Cleverley will be fit for next week [against West Brom on Sunday] and Chris Smalling will be back
for Thursday [against Athletic Bilbao].
Following Manchester United's 3-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur, Sir Alex Ferguson was pleased to
share our latest injury news.
"The good thing is I'm getting players back," he said. "Anderson is back now,
Cleverley will be fit for next week [against West Brom on Sunday] and Chris Smalling will be back
for Thursday [against Athletic Bilbao].
Well, that went about as expected. Sporting KC are one of the strongest, if not the strongest,
team in the Eastern Conference, and return almost their entire starting lineup from last year.
Little wonder that they looked more fluid on the ball and in their movement than a United side that
is still figuring itself out and integrating new pieces.
Back when I posted about my 2012 Wishes, one of the wishes was wanting to get the 2000 MLS Cup
back. For those that missed it, or don't know, the 2000 MLS Cup is not in Kansas City. The cup that
teams get to keep after winning MLS Cup is in Dallas at the Hunt Sports Group Headquarters in
Dallas.
Since that point, I've not said much about the the trophy or built off of that comment regarding
getting the trophy back.
Maybe it's not quite as desirable as some other, less glamorous jobsTake, for example, working
the grill at a fine fast food establishment of international notoriety. No one threatens your
physical well-being there if you perform poorly because the outcome is supposed to be terrible.
West Ham United are back in the Premier League, after Carlton Cole's late strike gave them
victory over a doggedBlackpoolside. In a match that inevitably gets linked with the £90million
that the club will earn from being in the Premier League for a season (and the parachute payments
should the winning team last just one season), it was a match that the Sky hype machine almost
manage to bill as the most important game of the season, but the second most important of the
day.
I don't exactly know how to feel about tonights game. On one hand I can see us smashing Gold Coast
United a new one. On the other, losing 1-0 in the final minutes of a drab game of football seems
just as likely. You'd probably have a better chance of picking the winning numbers in
What a difference a week makes. A week ago I wrote about the young heart of the Sounders and
this week, two of those players are now Impactioneers. (Hey, it sounds better than Impacters.) Much
has been said in the aftermath of The Trade. But one comment in particular struck
a chord for me.
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