This gameweek is a double for a few teams including Fulham, which makes Brede Hangeland a fine pick for the next couple of weeks given Fulham's forthcoming fixtures (Bolton, Sunderland and Burnley after this week's double GW). Hangeland does well every season as a bargain priced defender, and is a key choice for those looking to hone in on Fulham's potential clean sheets. Click to continue reading...

Arsenal are watching Newcastle United goalkeeper Tim Krul.
The People says Arsenal scouts will be keen spectators when Krul skippers the Dutch Under-21 side against Spain, in Rotterdam, on Tuesday.
Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Barcelona are also keeping tabs on the 21-year-old, who is understudy to Steve Harper at St James' Park. Click to continue reading...

NCAA selection Monday is upon us, and it will be a nervy wait for some of the nation's collegiate soccer programs. The 48-team field will be announced tonight at 5:30pm (ESPNews), with the field already full of conference champion winners across the country.

University of Virginia claimed the ACC bid, with a 1-0 win against NC State on Sunday.

Click to continue reading...

NCAA selection Monday is upon us, and it will be a nervy wait for some of the nation's collegiate soccer programs. The 48-team field will be announced tonight at 5:30pm (ESPNews), with the field already full of conference champion winners across the country.

University of Virginia claimed the ACC bid, with a 1-0 win against NC State on Sunday.

Click to continue reading...

Carlo Cudicini, the Tottenham goalkeeper, fractured his wrists and injured his pelvis after being involved in a road accident this morning. A spokesman for London's Metropolitan police said the ambulance service and an emergency helicopter had attended the scene and found the 36-year-old motorcyclist suffering from injuries described by medics as "possibly life-changing". Click to continue reading...

It seems hard to believe that LA Galaxy lie just two games away from another Major League Soccer Championship after the season they've endured.

Rewind four months and a return to the increasingly bitter feud between Landon Donovan and David Beckham, a talented axis by which much of LA's attacking play is based, which was threatening to derail the Galaxy's season.

Click to continue reading...

Jose Bosingwa is injured and out for up to 3 months, making Branislav Ivanovic a great choice. Previously Ivanovic was a rotation risk, but since Bosingwa has been out Ivanovic has played a truckload of minutes. In the last 5 games, he has picked up 4 clean sheets. Further, with Ashley Cole also injured, Ivanovic's spot in the squad is even more likely to be cemented. Click to continue reading...

Despite getting off to a start that has gone beyond all expectations, the football pundits continue to dig around for any reason to stick to their idiotic pre-season predictions of Arsenal's impending doom and gloom. The club is 15-2-2 overall having scored 55 goals, 10-0 at home having scored 33 goals at the Emirates.

Click to continue reading...

Wolves 1 (Craddock 89) Arsenal 4 (Zubar og 28, Craddock og 36, Fabregas 45, Arshavin 66)
(Premiership)

Moving house and blogging is a tricky combination. Phone companies tend to ensure that you haven't got a hope of getting online during the first few weeks in the new place, and trying to write anything meaningful from a mobile is nigh on impossible.

Click to continue reading...

What did UE Engordany of Andorra, FK Milano Kumanovo of Macedonia, Ankaraspor of Turkey and Grenoble of France had in common before last Sunday? They were all teams from European top divisions, who hadn't picked up a single point so far this season. And yes, there actually is a football league in Andorra.

Click to continue reading...

When Stuart Atwell pointed to the spot after he was adjudged to have handled in the box, Joleon Lescott's face said plenty. Lescott wore the expression of a player both low on confidence and struggling for form.
After small steps forward in the goalless draw at Birmingham, it was very much a case of a step backward in yesterdays 3-3 draw against Burnley, a frustrating fifth draw in succession. Click to continue reading...

It's the top of the table clash already, Chelsea vs. Manchester United at Stamford Bridge. The new boy, Carlo Ancelotti taking on the wily old fox, Sir Alex Ferguson. So far Chelsea's first "Big Four" encounter has ended in victory, thumping Liverpool 2-0 also at The Bridge whereas Manchester United has met two "Big Four" teams and while they beat Arsenal, the Red Devils hardly got going against a fired-up Liverpool. Click to continue reading...

It was a busy Saturday for Americans Abroad with several players in matches. In England, Brad Friedel was goalkeeper for Aston Villa who won convincingly while Mike Grella scored for Leeds United in their FA Cup win. Up north in Scotland, DaMarcus Beasley come on a sub for Rangers while Jeremiah White and Benny Feilhaber continue to play significant minutes for AGF Aarhus in the Danish League.

Click to continue reading...

Real Madrid faced rivals Atletico Madrid on Saturday, November 7, 2009 in the Spanish Primera Division or La Liga. Who won the match and was Real Madrid able to win to keep pace with Barcelona? Here's a recap of the match along with video highlights

Real Madrid beats Atletico Madrid 3-2 Video Highlights

Real Madrid started off strong in the match but Atletico Madrid would make a late charge in the second half.

Click to continue reading...

Like many, I had Swansea down as relegation fodder this year, and until very recently I still expected them to drop down the league. Yet, on a quietly impressive nine-game unbeaten run which has included no less than 7 clean sheets, the Jacks must go into tomorrow's Welsh derby against their Big City cousins as slight favourites. Click to continue reading...

Stats Top Goalscorers in All Competitions: Torres- 10 Kuyt- 4 Benayoun- 4 Gerrard- 3 Ngog- 3 Babel- 3 Johnson- 2 Insua- 1 Biggest Win: (away) 3-2 over Bolton and West Ham (home) 6-1 over Hull City Biggest Loss: (away) 1-3 @ Fulham (home) 1-3 v. Aston Villa Games Played/Won/Clean Sheets/etc.: Played: 17 Won: 8 Drawn: 1 Lost: 8 Clean Sheets: 5 Goals Scored: 30 Goals Conceded: 22 Current "5 match" Form: 1 win, 1 draw,� 3 losses. Click to continue reading...

With such blistering pace at just 4.5M, I'd have a silly grin on my face too
Our Funny Feeling Friday this week is Arsenal's left back Kieran Gibbs. With starting left back Gael Clichy out for a month or more with a stress fracture in his lower back, Gibbs should take over the starting spot and comes with the price tag (4. Click to continue reading...

Clean sheets are very important to Newcastle's promotion ambitions this season. Chris Hughton very pleased with clean sheet Former manager Sam Allardyce often talked about clean sheets and said the team that had the most in the Premier League generally ended up being the Champions. It's a pity we couldn't have kept more clean sheets during the [. Click to continue reading...

We finished the regular conference games this weekend extending our unbeaten run to 11 games. We have only conceded 6 goals in the last 10 games, so our defense deserves a lot of credit.

When I say our defense, I should really say our defensive play. We have to defend from all positions all over the pitch and the hardwork our forwards put in pressurising the opponents in our attacking third deserves as much credit as the defenders working hard in and around our penalty box.

Click to continue reading...

Emiliano Insua today predicted Liverpool's defenders are ready to rediscover their miserly ways – as Steven Gerrard geared up for a return to action.
Having been restricted to just 25 minutes of action in the past three weeks due to a groin problem, Gerrard is poised to slot back into the Reds' midfield at Fulham on Saturday. Click to continue reading...

Joleon Lescott has called on himself and his Manchester City teammates to improve on their woeful defending. City have conceded eleven goals in their opening nine Premier League fixtures, and Lescott believes that they can improve on that record. With so many new players in City's back four, the club aims to complement its profitable attack with a solid defense.

Click to continue reading...

Liverpool intend to reflect José Reina's status as one of the finest goalkeepers in the game with a lucrative new contract that will secure his long-term future at Anfield.
The 27-year-old still has three years remaining on a five-year contract extension he was awarded in 2007. However, in keeping with club policy not to allow key players to enter the final two years of their contracts, and having tied such players as Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres and Yossi Benayoun to new long-term deals over the summer, Reina is next in line for a contract offer. Click to continue reading...

Stats Top Goalscorers in All Competitions: Torres- 9 Kuyt- 4 Benayoun- 4 Gerrard- 3 Ngog- 3 Johnson- 2 Babel- 2 Biggest Win: (away) 3-2 over Bolton and West Ham (home) 6-1 over Hull City Biggest Loss: (away) 0-2 @ Fiorentina and Chelsea (home) 1-3 v. Aston Villa Games Played/Won/Clean Sheets/etc.: Played: 14 Won: 8 Drawn: 0 Lost: 6 Clean Sheets: 5 Goals Scored: 27 Goals Conceded: 16 Current Form: 1 win, 4 losses in the last five. Click to continue reading...

Here's another monthly look at what at what the stats tell us about Chelsea's progress: this time with revelations about Lampard's scoring rate, Chelsea's deceptively good defence and a continuing reliance on Drogba. My obsession with football stats continues...
At this rate Lampard won't score 20
Such is the quality of Frank Lampard that scoring just one goal in 12 games was a crisis.

Click to continue reading...

Here's another monthly look at what at what the stats tell us about Chelsea's progress: this time with revelations about Lampard's scoring rate, Chelsea's deceptively good defence and a continuing reliance on Drogba. My obsession with football stats continues...
At this rate Lampard won't score 20
Such is the quality of Frank Lampard that scoring just one goal in 12 games was a crisis.

Click to continue reading...

Ever since returning for Man United from injuries, defender Rio Ferdinand hasn't been in the best of form. Ferdinand's mistakes have led to goals being conceded, according the The Sun- Sir Alex Ferguson has had enough.
The tabloid believes that Sir Alex has told Ferdinand to improve his form or risk being axed by both club and country. Click to continue reading...

A theme running through some of the message boards post game - and something I alluded to in my post game thoughts - has been the concern at our defensive performance of late, specifically the manner in which we are conceding and this was something Mark Hughes focused in his post-match interview, and something that wasn't expected given the investment made in that area:

"At set pieces we need to do better in terms of positioning and personnel.

Click to continue reading...

Indonesia Super League
PSPS v Persijap 0-0
Three consecutive clean sheets for former Sriwijaya keeper Dede Sulaiman as PSPS blanked out early leaders Persijap at the Rumbai Stadium in Pekanbaru. Noor Hadi, who hit a hat trick last time out for Persijap, hit the foot of the post with a free header, as opposed to a header you must book in advance on line and pay for using a credit card. Click to continue reading...

France doesn't have a lot of local rivalries like England for example, since Lyon-Saint Etienne and Lille-Lens do not really portray all the elements of the derby. However, this country has a derby between Olympique Marseille and Paris Saint Germain, a fierce rivalry that doesn't go such a long way.

Click to continue reading...

Get on that Kevin Doyle train
This week's Funny Feeling Friday selection is Wolves' Kevin Doyle (5.4M) who has scored 3 goals in his last 4 games, but is only 3% owned in the Fantasy Premier League. He is - what we may call - an "against the grain" selection...
Doyle comes cheap, but will continue to go ignored by thousands of fantasy managers as Wolves take on Aston Villa at home this weekend. Click to continue reading...

Something strange is happening at the City Ground. Five wins in a row, a chest-puffing knockout on live television, a last gasp winner on a damp Tuesday evening. Clean sheets. Clean sheets? I'm fairly sure I wasn't the only person pinching myself when Guy Moussi dementedly volleyed in his winner on Tuesday evening. Click to continue reading...

Sole possession of first place in the Western Conference is on the line for Chivas USA this evening (they're tied with Houston and the Galaxy, who face each other at noon Sunday, with 44 points at the top of the table).

Chivas has returned to their early season form of late, with shutouts in four of their last five games just as they had six clean sheets in their first nine outings.

Click to continue reading...

Stats Top Goalscorers in All Competitions: Torres- 8 Kuyt- 4 Benayoun- 3 Gerrard- 3 Johnson- 2 Ngog- 2 Babel- 2 Biggest Win: (away) 3-2 over Bolton and West Ham (home) 6-1 over Hull City Biggest Loss: (away) 0-2 @ Fiorentina and Chelsea (home) 1-3 v. Aston Villa Games Played/Won/Clean Sheets/etc.: Played: 11 Won: 7 Drawn: 0 Lost: 4 Clean Sheets: 4 Goals Scored: 24 Goals Conceded: 14 League Standing: 6th on 15 points after 8 matches Champions League Standing: [. Click to continue reading...

Tranmere Rovers have signed Liverpool goalkeeper David Martin on a one-month loan deal.
The 23-year-old former England Under-20 international spent a successful loan period with League One Champions Leicester City last season.
"Saturday's game is very important and, with Luke Daniels being suspended, we needed an experienced goalkeeper," said Rovers caretaker manager Les Parry. Click to continue reading...

Friday 16th October
19:00 Ghana v Brazil, FIFA U-20 World Cup Final, British Eurosport
Brazil's 'goals scored' column from their last three games reads like a NASA countdown - 3, 2, and finally the one goal which knocked Costa Rica out in the semis. Ghana, meanwhile have scored eight in their last three and look more than capable of an upset. Click to continue reading...