Finishing up our "what did we miss out on?" series today:

FELIPE MELO Arsenal were probably linked with Felipe Melo this summer more than any other player. The biggest difference between Arsenal's 2007-2008 season and our 2008-2009 season, which saw the club take a large step backwards, was the absence of Mathieu Flamini.

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Here at In The Stands there is a lot of banter in our head office about how everyone is doing in the Premier League's Fantasy Football game. So we thought that we will bring in number 208 (out of 2.15 million) to give us a few tips. Please welcome Chez...

"I would bring him in, but I know as soon as I do he will start playing rubbish.

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In some corners, this was meant to be the partnership in the Arsenal defensive midfield. Our 'German of Africa', Song would thrive with the Albania midfield dictator and conquer the world. Well, that was the talk anyway.

In fact at some point last season there were even calls for Arsene to sell Song, Denilson� and Diaby� because none of them were worthy of Cana's shirt.

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The following list of elite midfield players in the world will exclude the likes of Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka since they sometimes play as forwards or as support strikers depending on the strategy deployed by their team. Kaka has previously played as a second striker during his spell with Milan while both Messi and Ronaldo have played in various attacking positions for their club (mostly on the wing though).

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Went past the Mercedes garage yesterday. Big, shiny car in the window, apparently the best model in its class that money can buy. So went inside, and offered a quarter of the asking price, because I reckoned that car wanted to come home with me. Know what happened?
Yep, I was slung out on my ear. Click to continue reading...

Barcelona up the the ante in their ongoing fight to sign Cesc.

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Barcelona will offer Yaya Toure and Bojan Krkic to Arsenal in order to clinch the signing of Cesc Fabregas it was reported today.

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After trying his best to engineer a move away from Anfield in the summer, rumours are flying again that Javier Mascherano is on the verge of leaving Liverpool. So where's the problem? Why can't Liverpool just let him leave? There seems to be this idea that Mascherano is somehow irreplaceable and integral to Liverpool's success, but in my view, Liverpool could cope perfectly well without him. Click to continue reading...

Argentine strongly linked with La Liga move.

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Liverpool's Javier Mascherano has reportedly agreed to a £100,000-a-week deal with Spanish champions Barcelona.

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Outlets across the board reported Saturday that Chelsea have launched a preliminary bid for Everton kiddie Jack Rodwell. The number I'm seeing and I'm rolling with the Independent on this is £14 million.

Wow. Of course, it was rejected by David Moyes & Co. who value Rodwell at £20m. Hmm, a hefty sum that.

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Sir Alex looking to pick up two of Ligue 1's top stars.

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Reports in France suggest that Sir Alex Ferguson is keen to bring in Bordeaux's Marouane Chamakh and Marseille's Benoit Cheyrou.

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The voting for attacking midfielders has gone pretty much as anticipated so far, with heavy support for three fan favorites in Quaranta, Pontius, and Barklage, and an obvious dissatisfaction with Fred and Allen. The only moderate surprise to me has been that Gomez and Szetela are not both closer to the 50/50 mark. Click to continue reading...

The transfer window is getting nearer.

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With all the continuous speculation about who we may buy and who we may sell I thought it a good time to hand the subject over to you my fellow fans.

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Barca man wants out!

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It seems that speculation surrounding Yaya Toure is reaching fever pitch with the player coming out and stating his displeasure at not getting regular first team football despite being reassured in the summer that he would do.

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The MLS playoffs resume on Friday with the Western Conference final, but the playoffs are already over for the four teams eliminated this past weekend. How those teams respond to their first-round exits, and how they deal with very important off-seasons, will determine if they are back in the post-season in 2010.

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The MLS playoffs resume on Friday with the Western Conference final, but the playoffs are already over for the four teams eliminated this past weekend. How those teams respond to their first-round exits, and how they deal with very important off-seasons, will determine if they are back in the post-season in 2010.

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Without even stepping into the pitch on the weekend, Sao Paulo did something that has been very common for the club lately: It reached the top of Campeonato Brasileiro. In the 34th round of the tournament, the club, who fights for its 4th Brazilian title in a row, benefited from the defeats of Palmeiras and Atletico-MG.

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A move well worth considering!

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Liverpool have been reported over the weekend about considering a bid for talented Lassana Diarra in January.

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Kagisho Dikgacoi on life in England.

Life's all about opportunities isn't it?� � Sometimes you get them, sometimes you don't.� � Kagisho had a debut at a time when the team's usual defensive midfielder, Dickson Etuhu, was out injured.� � The Scott Parker incident meant Chris Baird has been given the nod, and hardly put a foot wrong.

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Talented defensive midfielder very much in City's sights.

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MANCHESTER City have been linked with a move for Barcelona's Yaya Toure brother of Blues skipper Kolo.

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Count the years off one by one. Every single year in this decade we have played Spurs home and away in the League. And out of twenty matches we haven't lost a single one. Not a single one.
Even if we had lost one, we could still reflect on the annual difference between the teams shown by the League table. Click to continue reading...

Burnley's veteran defensive midfielder ,Graham Alexander, scored twice to help Burnley beat Hull 2-0. Click to continue reading...

Liverpool star Javier Mascherano has denied suggestions his form has been affected by transfer rumours linking him with Barcelona.
Mascherano was linked with a move to Barcelona in the summer with Pep Guardiola a big admirer of the defensive midfielder.
The Argentine international concedes he has not been at the top of his game so far this season, but he is adamant it has nothing to do with rumours over his future. Click to continue reading...

Argentine captain is focused on Anfield future.

Liverpool star Javier Mascherano has denied suggestions his form has been affected by transfer rumours linking him with Barcelona.

Mascherano was linked with a move to Barcelona in the summer with Pep Guardiola a big admirer of the defensive midfielder.

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Doh!

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Harry Redknapp has thanked Arsene Wenger for putting Wilson Palacios on the road to Barclays Premier League stardom.
Midfield anchor man Palacios has become a favourite with Tottenham fans since his £12million transfer from Wigan last January.

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With the season is moving towards the final stages, I thought it was high time I produced a follow up to last year's ‘Brazil: the talent factory' post. Once again, there has been an abundance of exciting new players that have caught the eye in their first season in Série A.

Of the players I picked out last year; Palmeiras' Keirrison was bought by Barcelona and has been loaned out to Benfica.

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In what can be conservatively called a Bad season, Kansas City came back to tie D.C. United and kill their chances of moving into the playoffs.

Kansas City started with a different look using Kamara and Zoltan at the same time but kicking Kei off to the wing and leaving Zoltan up top with Josh Wolff; yes an improvement but not by much since Wolff did look slow on a couple of breakaways.

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Right then, where do I start? I was at the game and those following my tweets could see that bent frustration I and all those around me felt.
I thought the long walk back to the car after seeing us lose was bad enough; how mistaken I was. We had to endure Harry telling us that he was a bit miffed with Aaron Lennon because he came off without telling anyone. Click to continue reading...

Barcelona will re-ignite their interest in Liverpool midfielder Javier Mascherano this summer, as speculation over the Argentine's future continues to grow.
The Blaugrana were heavily linked with Mascherano during the close season, and it is reported that preliminary talks began over a possible move to the Camp Nou. Click to continue reading...

Harry closes in on talented youngster.

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Tottenham are poised to complete a deal for £14million Brazil star Sandro in the New Year.

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All and sundry are reporting that Harry is close to agreeing a deal to bring in Sandro Ranieri Guimarães Cordeiro, or just Sandro to you and me.
This story popped up just before the summer transfer window closed and guess what, the same guys that stated we were about to sign him then, have gone all out on yet another exclusive and told us that now we're near to agreeing a deal to bring this lad in during the January sales. Click to continue reading...

The Sun reported that Harry's interested in signing Club Brugge defender Vadis Odjidja. The red-top's article wasn't too enlightening either. Apparently, we're lining up a £5 million bid for him.
The Sun got it wrong in saying that he's a defender. Odjidja is a defensive midfielder. Whenever I've seen him play, he's deployed just in front of the back four and he's fairly adequate at getting stuck into the oppositions face and break up play. Click to continue reading...

Rafa considers Brazilian raid apparently.

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Liverpool have been linked with a January move for Vasco da Gama's promising young midfielder Nilton.

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Today was a little lesson in redemption. I guess it is possible to bounce back. TFC looked a tougher team today, Cummins seemed a smarter coach and I might not have been alone in feeling that I was a more confident fan.
It was cold down by the lake this afternoon. Cold in temperature and cold creeping into the heart as so many elements of this week's game seemed to mirror chilly aspects of last week's game. Click to continue reading...

After trying his best to engineer a move away from Anfield in the summer, rumours are flying again that Javier Mascherano wants to leave Liverpool. So where's the problem? Why can't Liverpool just let him leave?! There seems to be this idea that Mascherano is somehow integral to Liverpool's success, but I disagree. Click to continue reading...

Benitez interested in young Brazilian talent apparently?

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And – what's this? – Liverpool are "eyeing" Vasco da Gama's Nílton. "The 22-year-old scored a stunning overhead volley in Vasco's 4-1 victory over Vila Nova and Liverpool manager Rafael Benítez has taken note".

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