5 goals in the second half for Jermain Defoe today in a 9-1 Tottenham win.
9-1.
Roberto Martinez, Wigan manager, welcome to the hot seat.
Jermain Defoe, even if you don't score another goal all season, it looks like you just punched your ticket to South Africa with the England National Team. Click to continue reading...

CaughtOffside contributor considers the ramifications of Fabio Capello considering selecting players born outside the British Isles.

So Fabio Capello's considering selecting some bloke called Aaron Hunt for the England squad. To me, he sounds like a Division One workhorse who's kicking lumps out of people at Colchester.

Click to continue reading...

Rio Ferdinand will not play for Manchester United again this year.

The England centre-back has been told he needs another six weeks of rest and physio work before his back will be strong enough for Premier League football.

Ferdinand, 31, had been playing with back problems since last season leading to a calf injury this term.

Click to continue reading...

A goal from Nilmar settled this friendly encounter in Dubai.

Join Our Facebook Fan Page for the Latest News/Rumours/Forums/Videos/WAGS/Funny Stuff/Features!

1st Half Highlights

0-1 Nilmar

Fabiano Missed Penalty

Don't forget to check out Online Football Manager!

Click to continue reading...

Lampard injury update from my earlier post/news about Frank. From Chelseafc.com,
"It has been confirmed that Frank Lampard suffered a muscle tear in his left thigh while away with the England national team. The midfielder reported back at Cobham this morning (Friday) having flown back from the Middle East. Click to continue reading...

How will Fabio cope?

Join Our Facebook Fan Page for the Latest News/Rumours/Forums/Videos/WAGS/Funny Stuff/Features!

Luke Young has announced his retirement from international football after rejecting the chance to replace Glen Johnson in the England squad for this weekend's game with Brazil.

Click to continue reading...

Chelsea had an unbelievable win over the weekend in a key match against Manchester United. In fact it was like one of those over-the-top, cheesy type of sports movie rivalries between the two best teams in the league facing off for first place. And the Blues made every right move they needed to in order to guarantee that success at the most critical of moments.

Click to continue reading...

He's twenty-three, has a German father and an English mother, and his double on the weekend against Nurnberg to steal a 2-2 draw for Werder Bremen has all of a sudden put this man on the radar of Fabio Capello. Just one small problem, Aaron Hunt...
[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! Click to continue reading...

Congratulations to EPL Talk reader Danny Godfrey for recently winning the dream chance of attending an England training session.

The chance-of-a-lifetime experience was courtesy of Umbro who gave Godfrey the opportunity to watch a behind closed doors training session featuring the England national team.

Click to continue reading...

Was it because he has an impressive facial hair growth or because he is so instantly lovable?

Even Fabio Capello was unsure as to why a cameo appearance from the second best player at LA Galaxy was enough to secure him the man of the match award last night. Perhaps the sponsors of the match, who usually get the honour of naming the recipient, realised that the post match promo photo opportunity would be far more effective with the most famous man on the planet rather than Peter "BFG" Crouch.

Click to continue reading...

Who will make that plane? (I.e who should be in the squad for the World Cup Finals as opposed to who will construct the airplane itself.)

With England firmly through to the World Cup Finals next summer we can look forward to long balmy nights in and outside pubs/bars enjoying the festivities and also having a team to support, hopefully Ireland will also make it through the play-offs as well.

Click to continue reading...

England ran out winners thanks to a brace from Pater Crouch and a Shaun Wright-Phillips goal.

1-0 Crouch

2-0 Wright-Phillips

3-0 Crouch

Click to continue reading...

Fabio will be looking for a good performance to end a great World Cup qualifying campaign.

Watch England vs Belarus Live Online!

England manager Fabio Capello will start with Gabriel Agbonlahor and Peter Crouch for Wednesday's World Cup qualifier against Belarus at Wembley.

Click to continue reading...

"My superman pose is better than yours." - Martin "No it's not" - Zavon

• Blog favorite Jimmy Bullard made it 2-in-2 as he scored for Hull's reserves yesterday in the 2-2 draw with York City. Bullard may even start against old club Fulham this weekend. I love this guy [Vital Football]

• Another one of my man crushes, West Ham's speedy Zavon Hines, has impressed recently for both club and country [EPL Talk]

• Dirk Kuyt admires big umbrella.

Click to continue reading...

Some Lovely Links Just For You!

Portsmouth Vs Liverpool Tickets Still Available!

Portsmouth Vs Manchester United Tickets Still Available!

Try the Fantastic CaughtOffside Tool Bar!

Tool Bar

Join Us on Twitter!

Click to continue reading...

Can it be done?

Maybe it's a tactical titbit or a player who should be given more of a chance but what advice would you offer to Fabio in order to help England's end 40+ years of hurt? Maybe you just want to be smart and offer everyone some witty nugget or perhaps you can use your six words to point out that England fans are dreaming if they think this side can finally win their second World Cup.

Click to continue reading...

The World Cup is just around the corner and the players whose national teams have qualified for the biggest tournament in sports are trying to find a way to book themselves a ticket on the plane to South Africa. Some ‘smaller' national teams' coaches face problems as their key players are not getting enough playing time in their clubs, but who could have though Fabio Capello would have one such problem.

Click to continue reading...

Ukraine toppled an average England side and put themselves in a great position to overhaul Croatia and take second spot in Group 6.

Robert Green Sent off

Shevchenko Missed Penalty

Flares Thrown Onto Pitch

1-0 Nazerenko

Don't forget to check out Online Football Manager!

Click to continue reading...

Fabio takes his victorious side to Ukraine.

Watch Ukraine Vs England Live Online!

Fabio Capello says he expects England to play with a positive attitude in Ukraine to try to maintain their 100% record in World Cup qualifying.
Eight wins from eight have seen England confirm their passage to South Africa.

Click to continue reading...

Stuart Pearce's side ran rampant against Macedonia in this European Under 21 Championship qualifier. Kieran Gibbs bagged a brace (one an own goal) as did Newcastle United striker Andy Carroll and West Ham man Zavon Hines.

Watch Ukraine Vs England Live Online!

1-0 Gibbs

2-0 Richards

2-1 Muarem

2-2 Ibraimi

3-2 Carroll

3-3 Gibbs (Own Goal)

4-3 Hines

5-3 Carroll

6-3 Hines

Don't forget to check out Online Football Manager!

Click to continue reading...

Michael Owen had been one of the most lethal strikers in Europe when he was at his peak but numerous injuries and some bad career choices have prevented them from reaching his full potential. He, nevertheless, amassed 89 England caps and scored 40 goals (Owen goals), just nine less than Sir Bobby Charlton, who is England's top scorer of all times.

Click to continue reading...

Where did all the heroes go?

Watch Ukraine Vs England Live Online!

David James is as old as Methuselah(officially), Ben Foster has hands made out of butter (official), Paul Robinson still bears the scars of previous England and Tottenham gaffes, Robert Green and Chris Kirkland aren't considered big enough names, so just who is England's number one?

Click to continue reading...

Professional athletes train in a different way than mere mortals do, Kickettes.

They don't just stumble in late to a spinning class and then secretly keep the bike setting on low nor do they end up just using their gym membership to buy a smoothie from the cute gym smoothie maker. Oh, no.

Click to continue reading...

Professional athletes train in a different way than mere mortals do, Kickettes.

They don't just stumble in late to a spinning class and then secretly keep the bike setting on low nor do they end up just using their gym membership to buy a smoothie from the cute gym smoothie maker. Oh, no.

Click to continue reading...

U.S. national team fans still seething over the fact that the upcoming World Cup qualifier in Honduras is only available via closed circuit, you are not alone.

England national team fans are facing the same issue with England's upcoming qualifier in Ukraine, with English fans being forced to watch the qualifier either by paying for an internet feed, or by watching in select movie theaters showing the match.

Click to continue reading...

U.S. national team fans still seething over the fact that the upcoming World Cup qualifier in Honduras is only available via closed circuit, you are not alone.

England national team fans are facing the same issue with England's upcoming qualifier in Ukraine, with English fans being forced to watch the qualifier either by paying for an internet feed, or by watching in select movie theaters showing the match.

Click to continue reading...

Who's buying this excuse?

Portsmouth Vs Manchester United Tickets Still Available!

Manchester United have claimed that Ben Foster has been ruled out of England's World Cup double-header against Ukraine and Belarus with a chest injury.

The Football Association did not specify Foster's injury when the squad was released last night, but now United have stated that the 26-year-old is being "investigated" for an injury sustained during Saturday's 2-2 draw with Sunderland, although one not serious enough to prevent him from completing the match.

Click to continue reading...

The dawn of a new technological age?

This weekend's England football international will be broadcast exclusively live over the internet for the first time, it emerged today.

The move follows the collapse of pay-TV platform Setanta earlier this year, which had been due to broadcast the World Cup qualifier.

Click to continue reading...

Fabio Capello, England National Team manager, has named the 24-man squad for the upcoming UEFA World Cup Qualifiers against Ukraine and Belarus. England has already qualified for next summer's 2010 World Cup Finals on South Africa. There's little change from the last few months. Here's the full roster.

Click to continue reading...

When Sven Goran Eriksson was in charge of the England national team there were always questions about his commitment in the minds of many English fans. A foreign manager for the national side never quite seemed to sit right but when Steve McLaren spectacularly messed things up we were all pretty pleased with the appointment of Fabio Capello.

Click to continue reading...

Premiership clubs have spent a lot of money on new players this summer and even though it is still too early to make final judgment, some of them have already started to prove their potential. Six games is definitely not enough time for players to show all they've got, but a couple of summer signings have made a big impact already and I felt obliged to create the top 5 list.

Click to continue reading...

Nice, I Like
Beginning next season, Premier League teams will be required to have 8 home-grown players out of a squad of 25, according to measures introduced today.
According to the league's chief executive, Richard Scudamore, "one of the benefits will be that it will help the England team," and it will give clubs an extra incentive to invest in youth. Click to continue reading...

Good News.

Standard Chartered Bank is to become the main sponsor of Liverpool football club after signing a four-year deal.
The agreement, which begins in July, runs to the end of the 2013-14 season and will end Liverpool's 17-year association with brewer Carlsberg.

Click to continue reading...

At last, we are close to a return of proper football!!

I will save the majority of the team news for tomorrow but it has been confirmed that Arshavin is out of the game at the weekend and possibly the next two games after that. Like I said yesterday, its more than annoying. The boss was not happy:

"We are upset because he should not have played.

Click to continue reading...

Hard to argue with this Daily Mail list was probably surprisingly easy to assemble!

10. Keith Curle (3 caps, 1992)
Never an obvious candidate for international football, Curle had spent his formative years on the boggy pitches of the lower leagues.
Graham Taylor's scatter-gun approach to selection saw the Manchester City player appearing at right-back, only to be replaced by the left-midfielder Andy Sinton.

Click to continue reading...