Following confidence-building wins against Italy and Scotland, the U.S. lost their first match of 2012 on Wednesday. Though the final score was 4-1, it was a friendly and against Brazil, so if U.S. fans repeat those two facts over and over for several minutes it should be easy to resume feeling optimistic.

Bacary Sagna broke his leg on Saturday and will miss out on France's Euro 2012 campaign this summer. He's also accused Norwich City's Bradley Johnson of deliberately injuring him by stepping on his leg, which caused him to go to the ground unchallenged near the 33rd minute mark.

What we want to be reporting on is how his abs are coping with this news.

Wenger Urges Gunners to Match RVP's Production against WBA

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has urged his players to step up and match captain Robin van Persie's level of play in the final game of their 2011/12 Barclays Premier League campaign.

Wenger Urges Gunners to Match RVP's Production against WBA

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has urged his players to step up and match captain Robin van Persie's level of play in the final game of their 2011/12 Barclays Premier League campaign.

Arsenal full-bak Bacary Sagna will miss France's Euro 2012 campaign this Summer after he broke his fibula in the Gunners 3-3 draw with Norwich.

Sagna who was tackled by Bradley Johnson in the lead up to an Arsenal attack and held his leg before getting up as the ball broke Sagna put his foot up to control it before dropping to the ground in agony.

Player Rivalries: Best of Enemies - originally posted on Soccerlens.com

Club rivalries are passed down through the generations; every Spurs fans knows that Arsenal are the enemy, Barcelona look at Real Madrid with contempt, whilst River Plate and Boca Juniors fans were born to fight each other.

A rash of injuries and illness have left U.S. men's national team manager Jurgen Klinsmann with a weakened roster ahead of Wednesday's match against Italy, making his decisions on a starting lineup that much tougher.

The loss of Landon Donovan, Timmy Chandler and Jose Torres, coming on the heels of losing Oguchi Onyewu has left Klinsmann with a group that won't quite look like the nearly full-strength side he looked like he would have available in Genoa on Wednesday.

Championship side Leeds United have accepted a bid from Norwich City for their club captain Jonny Howson.
The midfielder, who is out of contract in the summer, is a product of the Leeds academy and has made 225 for the club. The Leeds skipper is currently on the sidelines through injury, but it is thought he will open contract talks with the Canaries this week.

by Amy Eustace

"You have your way. I have my way. As for the right way, the correct way, and the only way, it does not exist." - Friedrich Nietzsche

Joey Barton, be it criminal or sporting, always seems to have his horns locked with authority over some issue or another.

Mirror: Why Barton can't moan too much over red card

Fergie must buy big to keep Rooney happy Festive thrills mean we should never have a winter break How daft that Joey Barton's red card hasn't been rescinded. The fact that Nenad Milijas of Wolves didn't get let off after his unfair dismissal at Arsenal either just makes me more and more concerned about the poor standard of refereeing this season.

No ifs or butts Barton's red card shows cheats DO prosper in the Premier League

Let us be happy for Bradley Johnson. He is enjoying his moment in the sun. A few hours after the Norwich midfielder got Joey Barton sent off at Loftus Road on Monday, he was hamming it up for the cameras at the darts final.

Norwich midfielder Bradley Johnson has taunted Joey Barton after the QPR star was sent off during Norwich's 2-1 win at Loftus Road on Saturday. Barton had given Queens Park Rangers an early lead before being involved in a confrontation with Norwich midfielder Bradley Johnson. The spiky Mancunian then appeared to headbutt Johnson and was swiftly [.

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-- Photo compilation from yesterday's Game
- Throughout the day, the QPR Report Messageboard has news updates, comments and perspectives - even links to other board comments of interest re QPR matters (on and off the field) along with football (and ONLY football) topics in general.

Bradley Johnson pictured with 'Barton your breath stinks' sign on Twitter

Norwich midfielder was involved in a bust-up with Joey Barton at Loftus Road

View the full story here: The Mirror

A news article on 2012-01-02 23:22:28 from: The Mirror

This news item has been reproduced from today's media.

Joey Barton receives a straight red card for an attempted head-butt on Bradley Johnson, minutes after giving his team the lead, when I say attempted from the video pictures its inconclusive whether he connected with his opponent or not, nevertheless it deserved a straight red card.

You have to go all the way back to 2004/05 to find the last time this fixture was played; a 3-0 win under David O'Leary. Alex McLeish could really do with something similar today.

Darren Bent has said that one goal could open the floodgates, and McLeish has "rubbished" silly rumours of a January sale.

By Alan Duffy

Norwich City 3-3 Blackburn Rovers Premier League 29th October 2011

Under-pressure Rovers' boss Steve Kean saw his side come within a whisker of securing a hard-fought victory at Carrow Road on Saturday.

Goals from the ever-impressive Junior Hoilett, Yakubu and Chris Samba looked to have given the visitors their first away win of the season.

Kenny Dalglish bemoans Liverpool profligacy as Norwich City hold firm

• Kenny Dalglish says Liverpool must learn to finish teams off • Grant Holt comes on to secure point for Norwich Screams from the front row of the directors' box told of a torturous finale for Delia Smith and the Norwich City board.

By Alan Duffy

Owen Coyle's Bolton lost again, this time at home to new-boys Norwich City, and suddenly the pressure is starting to mount on the former Republic of Ireland international.

The Canaries were already two up, courtesy of goals from Anthony Pilkington and Bradley Johnson, when striker Ivan Klasnic was sent off for a rather weak attempt at a head-butt.

Goals from Kevin Pilkington and Bradley Johnson ensured Norwich's first top-flight victory in 17 years as they beat Bolton 2-1 at the Reebok Stadium today.

Norwich earn first win at The Reebok

• Saturday, September 17, 2011
• Venue: The Reebok
• Attendance: 21,223
• Referee: Howard Webb

• Jussi Jaaskelainen [9]
• Anthony Pilkington [37]
• Bradley Johnson [42]
• Ivan Klasnic [45+2]
• Nigel Reo-Coker [53]
• Martin Petrov (Pen) [64]
• Paul Robinson [80]
• Grant Holt [90+3]

Home to Premier League newcomers Norwich may have been thought as an easy three-pointer for Bolton, but such results should not be taken for granted.

It goes without saying that any team that gets promotion to the Premier League needs to look to strengthen their squads from minute one to survive in the top flight. When Norwich's Paul Lambert acquired the services of England Under 21 International Kyle Naughton on loan recently, he had amassed nine signings this close season.

I'm not sure how exactly this happened, but it looks painful. The fine ladies over at Kickette seem to think this is Denilson giving a little somethin-somethin to the family jewels of Bradley Johson. It certainly looks like it is Denilson.

Whatever sort of approach Johnson was taking to this incoming aerial ball was entirely the wrong choice.

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Arsenal produced a clinical performance at Championship side Leeds winning 3-1 to book their place in the FA Cup fourth round. The Gunners were impressive throughout and took an early lead when Samir Nasri slotted in from Andrey Arshavin's pass.

We think that's known as 'taking one for the team'. (Getty Images/Daylife)

So much Cup excitement across the European continent, so little willingness from the Kickette staff to write up a proper 'Results Post'. Hmm.

But fear not Kickettes, we're actually doing this for your own good.

In case you missed it, watch the highlights of Arsenal's 3-1 victory over Leeds yesterday, in a FA Cup replay (following the 1-1 draw a couple weeks ago). All four goals are worth watching: the first goes from Chamakh to Arshavin to Nasri in 5′; then crackers by Sagna & Bradley Johnson which made the score 2-0 and then 2-1; and then finally late in the 2nd half, after Wenger was forced to bring on Fabregas and Robin van Persie, the latter scored with a header off a great cross by Bendtner (didn't think we'd ever have occasion to write those last few words).

Arsenal travelled to Yorkshire yesterday, for the battle with Leeds Utd, It was always going to be a intense atmosphere but Arsenal eased through the game playing the quick passing that sliced through Leeds Utd's defence. Samir Nasri opened the scoring with a cool finish from around 12 yards, Arsenal then went 0-2 up Bacary Sagna hitting a powerful strike that rippled into the top of the net, Nicklas Bendtner played a part in the goal playing a neat one-two with Nasri and driving through the Leeds defence, Bacary Sagna then put Arsenal two goals to the good.

This was Arsene Wenger's description of our performance.

We had both a good result and a good performance. We had quality in our attitude, spirit and focus.

Yes, in the end of the day it is the result that matters but on this day, we got all the concoction right.

By Ollie Irish

Robin LOVED to skydive but was terrified of heights

No Cup glory for Leeds then. Arsenal were deserved winners in this easy-on-the-eye FA Cup replay at Elland Road. Samir Nasri opened the scoring with a composed finish past Kasper Schmeichel, then goals by Sagna (a fierce striker) and Van Persie put the game beyond Leeds.

This Bradley Johnson goal vs Arsenal was a stunning effort from the Leeds player in his club's FA Cup game on January 19, 2011. Unfortunately for Johnson, it came in a losing cause as Leeds lost 3-1 to the Gunners. Johnson's left footed, long range goal went into the top left corner of Wojciech Szczesny's [.

LEEDS, England — Samir Nasri helped Arsenal overcome a potentially tricky FA Cup third round replay as Arsene Wenger's side defeated Leeds 3-1 on Wednesday to book a fourth round date with Huddersfield. After being held 1-1 by Simon Grayson's Championship team at the Emirates 11 days earlier and losing to Ipswich in the League [.