Notable arrivals: James Milner (Newcastle United), Carlos Cuellar (Rangers), Luke Young, (Middlesbrough), Nickey Shorey (Reading), Brad Friedel (Blackburn), Steve Sidwell (Chelsea), Curtis Davies (West Brom), Brad Guzan (Chivas USA). Notable departures: Shaun Maloney (Celtic), Patrik Berger (Sparta Prague), Olof Mellberg. Click to continue reading...

Notable arrivals: Vince Grella (Torino), Keith Andrews (Milton Keynes Dons), Julio Santa Cruz (Cerro Porteno), Danny Simpson (Manchester United, loan), Paul Robinson (Tottenham), Carlos Villanueva (Loan). Notable departures: David Bentley (Aston Villa, Tottenham), Brad Friedel (Aston Villa). Rovers target heading. Click to continue reading...

Notable arrivals: James Milner (Newcastle United), Carlos Cuellar (Rangers), Luke Young, (Middlesbrough), Nickey Shorey (Reading), Brad Friedel (Blackburn), Steve Sidwell (Chelsea), Curtis Davies (West Brom), Brad Guzan (Chivas USA). Notable departures: Shaun Maloney (Celtic), Patrik Berger (Sparta Prague), Olof Mellberg. Click to continue reading...

Notable arrivals: Vince Grella (Torino), Keith Andrews (Milton Keynes Dons), Julio Santa Cruz (Cerro Porteno), Danny Simpson (Manchester United, loan), Paul Robinson (Tottenham), Carlos Villanueva (Loan). Notable departures: David Bentley (Aston Villa, Tottenham), Brad Friedel (Aston Villa). Uruguay star on. Click to continue reading...

Notable arrivals: James Milner (Newcastle United), Carlos Cuellar (Rangers), Luke Young, (Middlesbrough), Nickey Shorey (Reading), Brad Friedel (Blackburn), Steve Sidwell (Chelsea), Curtis Davies (West Brom), Brad Guzan (Chivas USA). Notable departures: Shaun Maloney (Celtic), Patrik Berger (Sparta Prague), Olof Mellberg. Click to continue reading...

Brad Friedel and Aston Villa held on at home against Liverpool to get a share of the points on Sunday, while Everton couldn't keep up with Portsmouth on Saturday and fell for the second time in three games. Click to continue reading...

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In the Carling Cup Third Round Draw, QPR will play Aston Villa (at Villa!)
Matches will be played the week of September 22.

Could you be tough, depending who Aston Villa actually play on the night: - Aston Villa's Current First Team Squad!
1 Brad Friedel Goalkeeper
2 Luke Young Defender
3 Wilfred Bouma Defender
4 Steve Sidwell Midfielder
5 Martin Laursen Defender
6 Gareth Barry Midfielder
7 Ashley Young Striker
9 Marlon Harewood Striker
10 John Carew Striker
11 Gabriel Agbonlahor Striker
13 Stuart Taylor Goalkeeper
14 Nathan Delfouneso Striker
15 Curtis Davies Defender
16 Zat Knight Defender
17 Moustapha Salifou Striker
18 Wayne Routledge Midfielder
19 Stiliyan Petrov Midfielder
20 Nigel Reo-Coker Midfielder
21 Nicky Shorey Defender
22 Bradley Guzan Goalkeeper
26 Craig Gardner Midfielder
27 Isaiah Osbourne Midfielder
29 Stephen O'Halloran Defender
48 Nathan Baker Defender


Complete Round Three Draw

Arsenal v Sheffield United
Brighton & Hove Albion / Manchester City v Derby County
Burnley v Fulham
Portsmouth v Chelsea
Blackburn Rovers v Everton
Rotherham United v Southampton
Swansea City v Cardiff City
Ipswich Town v Wigan Athletic
Stoke City v Reading
Leeds United v Hartlepool United
Watford v West Ham United
Manchester United v Middlesbrough
Liverpool v Crewe Alexandra
Aston Villa v Queens Park Rangers
Sunderland v Northampton Town
Newcastle United v Tottenham Hotspur
- Complete Third Round Draw Click to continue reading...

About a year ago, I talked to Brad Friedel about his plans for a youth academy in Ohio. It was actually still in the process of being built and planned and such. I believe it's in its just completed its first full year or it's been opened right around there. Things seem to be heading in the right direction for Premier Soccer Academies. Click to continue reading...

Brad Friedel, Martin Laursen and Leon Cort have a competition to see who can stretch their bodies into the most uncomfortable positions. Martin Laursen's face wins. (AFP/FIFA) Click to continue reading...

Clint Dempsey saw little action as Fulham upset Arsenal, Tim Howard got a road win, but Brad Friedel gave up a soft losing goal in injury time this weekend in England. Click to continue reading...

Picture from the BBC via the PA.

Well well well, could the first halves be any more boring than we saw this past weekend? I think this was the most boring collective first forty-five minutes in the Premier League since I've started following.

Paddy Power got their press saying they would pay off Stoke City for relegation, now they get laughed at.

Click to continue reading...

Notable arrivals: Julio Santa Cruz (Cerro Porteno), Danny Simpson (Manchester United, loan), Paul Robinson (Tottenham), Carlos Villanueva (Loan). Notable departures: David Bentley (Aston Villa, Tottenham), Brad Friedel (Aston Villa). Ince would like his old captain back Aston Villa are hoping... Click to continue reading...

Notable arrivals: Carlos Cuellar (Rangers), Luke Young, (Middlesbrough), Nickey Shorey (Reading), Brad Friedel (Blackburn), Steve Sidwell (Chelsea), Curtis Davies (West Brom), Brad Guzan (Chivas USA). Notable departures: Patrik Berger (Sparta Prague), Olof Mellberg (Juventus), Scott Carson (Liverpool), Luke Moore (West. Click to continue reading...

It's about time we started reading about players linked with a move to Ewood Park, rather than away from the Lancashire club. Brad Friedel and David Bentley have already upped sticks, while Roque Santa Cruz and Stephen Warnock are both being linked with a move, despite playing an important role ... Click to continue reading...

Photo by ISIphotos.com

It is that time of year again. Time for European leagues to kick off and time for American players to ply their trade throughout Europe (and Mexico).

This week marked the first week for the English Premier League and German Bundesliga, meaning several names joined the list of Americans playing abroad.

Click to continue reading...

Brad Friedel and Marcus Hahnemann had successful season debuts in goal, but Tim Howard was not as fortunate as the Premiership joined the rest of English soccer. Click to continue reading...

Brad Friedel will start in a new jersey as all of English soccer is in action when the Premiership returns for the 2008/09 campaign. Click to continue reading...

Part two of Groan's predictions for the season ahead sees us look at the lower midtable: 15. Blackburn (Last season: 7th) Blackburn have been enjoying a few good seasons, but the minute Paul Ince took over, it all started to go wrong. They lost the keeper that had won them countless matches in Brad Friedel, and of course [. Click to continue reading...

It's Friday, so if you're in the mood for I'd-rather-be-reading-than-working, here are several very revealing Premier League-related articles from around the world. Enjoy. "Credit Crunch Makes Premier League Clubs Feel The Squeeze" (The Telegraph). Read how the Credit Crunch, which started in the U. Click to continue reading...

Brad Friedel and David Bentley have already jumped the good ship Blackburn Rovers this summer, and there now appears to be a third exit on the horizon. It appeared that Paul Ince had retained the services of all key players bar the above pair, although an important defensive player has now stated he wants to [. Click to continue reading...

Brad Friedel and David Bentley have already jumped the good ship Blackburn Rovers this summer, and there now appears to be a third exit on the horizon. It appeared that Paul Ince had retained the services of all key players bar the above pair, although an important defensive player has now stated he wants to [. Click to continue reading...

Aston Villa have agreed a £7.8m fee with Rangers for their highly-rated Spanish defender Carlos Cuellar. Villa invoked an exit clause in the player's contract for that amount after Cuellar, 26, made it known he wanted to play in the English Premier League. "My ambition has always been to play for Spain and I believe that playing in the biggest league in the world will help me realise that," he said.

Click to continue reading...

Aston Villa

2007-08 RECORD League 6th FA Cup3rd round Carling Cup3rd round

Manager Martin O'Neill. Had a difficult summer, paying £5m for a Chelsea reserve and £2m for a 37-year-old and handling the Gareth Barry situation with less than his customary aplomb. Click to continue reading...

France's Ligue 1 got underway tonight as 19 teams try to break Olympique Lyon's 7-year grip on the championship. American defender Carlos Bocanegra anchored the central defense for Stade Rennais in a battle with traditional power Olympique Marseille. It did not help matters that going into the match, star striker Sylvain Wiltord had been suspended after criticizing coach Guy LaCombe in an interview with L'Equipe. Click to continue reading...

Aston Villa surprised many neutrals last season, and probably even some of their own supporters, with their 6th-place finish. In 2006-2007, the Villans checked in at a respectable 11th, a nice improvement from 16th the season before. Villa's emergence, led by manager Martin O'Neill, came with one of the smallest, if not THE smallest, first team rosters in the Premiership. Click to continue reading...