First off, I accept that this is a pretty unfair comparison.

To rank any Arsenal team from any era against the most feted group of Gunners ever to have worn the sacred cannon is clearly destined to be a mismatch.

It's a bit like comparing Dan Brown with Charles Dickens, or Boyzone with the Beatles.

There isn't much to choose between the sides. In the two games over the fortnight, Arsenal and Marseille have shown they are closely matched with the Gunners nicking the away tie late but failing to score at home. Marseille were competitive but couldn't produce enough in front of goal.

I was a bit surprised with the starting line-up.

Ask a football fan what he thinks of Ashley Cole and you would have to agree that the majority of opinion would be based on what he does outside of Chelsea away from the football pitch and wouldn't be complimentary to say the least.
However, it's what Ashley Cole does on the football pitch week in, week out that deserves real credit to him as a person and as a world class footballer.

Is It Time To Bench Jamie Carragher? - originally posted on Soccerlens.com

Carragher without a doubt has been one of the most reliable and consistent players for Liverpool over the past decade. The veteran defender even now is brilliant with his abilities, however the major concern is that with his age the errors are increasing as well.

By CALEB SONNELAND

The addition of six more top MLS players has completed the full squad of All-Stars for 2011.

The All-Stars take on EPL champions Manchester United on Wednesday, 8:30pm ET, but they will have to do it without these six top players from around the MLS.

Kill, Marry or Shag: The Liverpool Midfield - originally posted on Soccerlens.com

Have you every played the game "Kill, marry or shag"? In it, one player gives his or her opponent three names it works best with celebrities. Made famous in the TV show "30 Rock", the "player" then has to hypothetically kill one, shag one and marry one.

Ok, so I don't know a single word of Portuguese. I haven't had to speak Spanish for at least three years. And I don't know the first thing about Brazil. So....it looks like I'm going to be pretty lost when I go down to the Cup in 2014. Yep, that's right. I'm planning my trip now.

You may ask me things like, "Why plan so early?

Newcastle manager Alan Pardew has insisted there is no deal in place to sell Spanish full-back Jose Enrique to Liverpool. Speculation has been rife in recent months that the former Villarreal full-back will leave Tyneside during the summer after putting talks over a new contract on hold.
Former Liverpool player and assistant manager Phil Thompson said in a television interview over the weekend he understood a deal had been done, a claim on which Newcastle were not prepared to comment.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. It's fair to say that the 2010 MLS season could not end soon enough for Darrius Barnes.

For the third-year center back, who enjoyed a solid rookie season in 2009, any hopes he harbored of avoiding a sophomore jinx were quickly dashed after last season became a high-speed train wreck of team struggles and injury issues.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. Coming off the best season of his professional career, Revolution midfielder Pat Phelan re-signed with the club on Monday. Terms of the deal were not released, per MLS and club policies.

Phelan, who was originally acquired from Toronto FC for an international roster slot back on June 4, 2008, saw limited time in the back and the midfield in 2008 and 2009.

The Wolves reserves play Manchester United tonight and we are putting out a very interesting team. McCarey Doherty-Ihiekwe-Griffiths-Reckord Ismail Foley O'Hara Forde -Cassidy -Ebanks-Blake - Especially the midfield looks very competitive and Kevin Foley one of our most consistent players this season and the last is up and running again together with new signing Jamie O'Hara.