Every fan of the US team has been hoping that the stars could align, the flipped coin could land on its edge and that somehow the US could be seeded in the World Cup draw. Being among those top eight seeds would make a huge difference and the path to the final 16 would be much easier.

Click to continue reading...

Matt Dickinson, football writer for the Times joins Christopher Harris on this edition of the EPL Talk podcast.

Be sure not to miss a single episode of the EPL Talk Podcast, the only Premier League interview show on the Internet. We have a long list of high-profile guests scheduled over the next weeks each with their own fascinating stories to tell.

Click to continue reading...

With only 3 weeks left in the Mexican Apertura regular season, we can be certain of one thing: we still have no idea who is going to make the liguilla. Some call it parity, others call it mediocrity. I call it chaos.
Only one team is assured of a post season birth: Toluca. Mexican futbol's cooky, crazy group system, though, offers no guarantees to the other teams that are in the top 8 slots of the table. Click to continue reading...

Cristiano Ronaldo signed for Real Madrid in the summer and had been a star performer in his Real Madrid shirt before being sidelined by injury and the former Manchester United star has said he would love to see former team mate Wayne Rooney move to the Bernabeu to play alongside him again.

Click to continue reading...

Everton lost badly today, but their injury situation is what will worry fantasy managers.To add to Moyes' injury woes, Russian winger Diniyar Bilyaletdinov ended the match with a strapping to his thigh and is doubtful for the Barclays Premier League match at Bolton on Sunday.Moyes added: "We will need to assess him when we get back as well. Click to continue reading...

The post match nachos went straight to Crouchie's head.
Please notice:a) Conspicuous pant stainsb) Bad robot dancec) Stupified look on Jonathan Woodgate's face
The robot dancing Peter Crouch will likely start in place of Spurs' suspended Jermain Defoe this weekend and could be a good option for fantasy managers who are looking to fill a temporary hole in their squad. Click to continue reading...

Replace Seedorf with Van Persie's face and Adebayor definitely connects
Alright, this is somewhat of a weak Funny Feeling Friday - because this player is a proven fantasy commodity - but just hear me out on this one.
Adebayor is only owned by 6% of fantasy managers. Six percent. Click to continue reading...

Let's press fast-forward and imagine ourselves in June of 2010. By this time Prince Faisal has taken over the Club, work has begun on a new stadium with 75,000 seat capacity, our debt has been paid, and the Prince has pledge Stg 100 million to Rafa to make the Reds unbeatable!

We are now asking you to step into Rafa's shoes and build your dream team!

Click to continue reading...

Let's press fast-forward and imagine ourselves in June of 2010. By this time Prince Faisal has taken over the Club, work has begun on a new stadium with 75,000 seat capacity, our debt has been paid, and the Prince has pledge Stg 100 million to Rafa to make the Reds unbeatable!

We are now asking you to step into Rafa's shoes and build your dream team!

Click to continue reading...

What he'd be if he weren't a footballer......a librarian?
Both Arsenal midfielders are fit and set to start against Blackburn on Sunday, but a choice between the two may depend on your management philosophy.
Fabregas (10.7) continues to pull the strings in the attack. Click to continue reading...

Premier League Team News - Barclays Premier League - ESPN SoccernetAt the time of this writing, Soccernet still doesn't have all of the content entered into the link above (and they seem to be having a few issues with the graphics as well) but it is the best one-page consolidated review so I'm linking to it. Click to continue reading...

Another Little Nail In The Coffin Of The Free Market Fantasy
##################################################################################
################################################################################
################################################################################
##################################################################################
#################################################################################
#################################################################################
################################################################################
#########################################################################
##############################################################################
################################################################################
################################################################################
##############################################################################
################################################################################
###############################################################################
#################################################################################
#################################################################################
###############################################################################
#################################################################################
###############################################################################
###############################################################################
################################################################################
#######################################################################
And these fake scientists still have the audacity to talk about the efficiency of markets! Click to continue reading...

Fantastic display on the weekend at home to Tottenham sans the Drogba scare, of course.

Now that we know the terrifying Ivorian is going to be just fine, we can get on with the business at hand. Namely this Carling Cup third-round tie at Stamford Bridge against Championship side Queens Park Rangers.

Click to continue reading...

Tottenham defender Sebastien Bassong has been given the all-clear by a head and neck specialist after suffering concussion during yesterday's 3-0 defeat at Chelsea.Which is great news for Spurs as he's their only fit specialist at center back (with Corluka as the jack of all defensive trades). It's also gold for fantasy managers as Spurs have a nice run of games and Bassong is cheap again after Click to continue reading...

Premier League Team News - Barclays Premier League - ESPN SoccernetBurnley/Sunderland - Hard to imagine that the early match is going to be worthy of being on TV just about everywhere the Prem can be seen. Not much news that will make fantasy managers scramble to switch up their sides either.Arsenal/Wigan - RvP should be a go but Arshavin and Almunia are still out; Go with Mannone at your own Click to continue reading...

A few sources have stated that the TOA (Team Owners Association) is meeting with MLS this week and both groups are trying to make some deal that might create every promotion/relegation lovers wet dream... MLS2. I must point out that no one has come forward and confirmed this news yet. I bring it to you only for the sake of argument and will leave the breaking story (if in fact this meeting took place) to the actual journalists. Click to continue reading...

After Barcelona won the Champions League it seemed highly possible that they could do it again in no time, but after the transfer market many teams have strengthened and are looking to take another crack at the famed trophy.

Here is a breakdown of all teams that have a good chance of winning the Champions League, starting with the current holders, Barcelona.

Click to continue reading...

Manchester City 4 - 2 Arsenal The match everyone is talking about. The fantasy implications of a K2 suspension could be huge with Citeh really down to Bellamy in attack. Maybe a chance for Petrov, though we'll have to wait and see how Robinho and Ireland are rated for the Manchester derby. K2 scored for the fourth consecutive match but only returned seven points due to a silly yellow and SWP's Click to continue reading...

Getting the band back together. For fantasy at least.Okay, so "Last Rites" is a terrible title for this post. It's just some quick thoughts on a Friday night/Saturday morning. I wanted something that played off "Early Doors" and well, it's getting late so I'm not as creative as I'd like to be. Best to get on with the post then, but please feel free to help me name this post properly. Click to continue reading...

All of a sudden, after the week that's just passed, 'Diego Maradona's Argentina' sounds less like a porteño schoolboy's fantasy and more like a sneering insult from Brazilians and Paraguayans towards their neighbours. If you've not had quite enough of reading (and, through The Enganche Argentine football podcast) about it yet, though, you can click here [. Click to continue reading...

Inter defender and litigious hot-head Marco Materazzi is suing Rai TV detective series L'Ispettore Coliandro over a throwaway line that referenced him, where a fantasy footballer owner said, "He was sent off again and I lost."

According to the sensitive Materazzi and his overeager legal team, that line constitutes slander and in return for the supposed damage caused by a comment based on his real-life affinity for getting sent off, Materazzi is asking for €1 for everyone viewer who watched the episode.

Click to continue reading...

Serie A Talk is looking to add remarkable writers to its editorial staff. If you believe you have the talent, stamina and you're able to take the criticism as well as the praise, please contact thegaffer[at]epltalk[dot]com today and include a writing sample or two.

Some of the benefits of writing for Serie A Talk include:

• Having your articles read by an audience of die-hard Serie A fans like yourself,
• Invites to movie screenings and special VIP soccer events (when available),
• Receive a free weekly newsletter for Serie A Talk bloggers which features tips on writing, search engine optimization and how to generate more traffic,
• As well as opportunities to receive press passes to attend games and to interview players and celebrities within the industry.

Click to continue reading...

La Liga Talk is looking to add remarkable writers to its editorial staff. If you believe you have the talent, stamina and you're able to take the criticism as well as the praise, please contact thegaffer[at]epltalk[dot]com today and include a writing sample or two.

Some of the benefits of writing for La Liga Talk include:

• Having your articles read by an audience of die-hard La Liga fans like yourself,
• Invites to movie screenings and special VIP soccer events (when available),
• Receive a free weekly newsletter for La Liga Talk bloggers which features tips on writing, search engine optimization and how to generate more traffic,
• As well as opportunities to receive press passes to attend games and to interview players and celebrities within the industry.

Click to continue reading...

Issue 25 of The Broadhall Way is released this Saturday when Rushden & Diamonds are the visitors to Stevenage.

It promises to be another packed issue with all your usual favourites including; The Worrier, Kenfish, Away Amazed, Two Hats, The Last Goalscorer Society and the Thinker...

Plus also in this issue.

Click to continue reading...

He looked terrible against Wigan but brilliant against Liverpool.
Go figure.
Is he back to his best?
In a World Cup year you could do much worse than taking a punt on Aston Villa's Ashley Young.
With a price of just 8.3M (down from 8.5M at the start of the season) and favorable fixtures coming up over the next month, this surely would not be a case of "chasing last week's points. Click to continue reading...

from SkySports:

Tottenham are sweating on the fitness of goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes after he picked up an injury in the win at Hull City.

Gomes was forced to limp off in the first half of Spurs' 5-1 victory at the KC Stadium after sustaining a thigh injury.

The Brazilian is due to undergo scans on the problem and it is feared Gomes could face a lengthy spell on the sidelines.

Click to continue reading...

 Â

Admit it, you had serious concerns when Fox Sports scored the rights to the UEFA Champions League. Unproven American announcers, no HD and uncertainty about Fox's experience covering club soccer's most prestigious event had many American soccer fans wondering if they were necessarily getting an upgrade from ESPN coverage.

Click to continue reading...

 Â

Admit it, you had serious concerns when Fox Sports scored the rights to the UEFA Champions League. Unproven American announcers, no HD and uncertainty about Fox's experience covering club soccer's most prestigious event had many American soccer fans wondering if they were necessarily getting an upgrade from ESPN coverage.

Click to continue reading...

The We Win Trophies Tour continues tonight at The Pug, located at 1234 H. St. NE. I'll be there with some other D.C. United staffers from 7-9 p.m. with the 2008 U.S. Open Cup trophy - and we'll even let you take your photo with it! We'll also be giving away some United gear and you can enter our sweet giveaway (the winner gets four sideline fantasy seats to the Sept.

Click to continue reading...

After game week 1 in the Fantasy league many people got of to positive starts with the average score in the top ten places of the  Arsenal-highlights league being 75.4! That is good teams!

Well done to Dan Chadwick of Mes Que Un Club who top scored with 87, his line up consisting of:

Green 8

Hughes 5   Shawcross 15 Ferdinand  - 6

Mikel 1 Jiminez 4 Arshavin (C) 12 Gerrard 7 Fabregas 22

Eduardo 5 Torres 2

Although the table is tight, heres the top ten:

Click to continue reading...

The We Win Trophies Tour started off with a bang yesterday, as five United trophies - last year's Open Cup trophy and all four MLS Cup trophies - made their way to local bars for the U.S.-Mexico game (sadly, a 2-1 loss). Fans at Summer's, Pour House, Molly Malone's, Union Jacks and Lucky Bar had their chance to take photos with a trophy and also entered to win the super-sweet We Win Trophies giveaway, which includes four fantasy sideline seats to the Open Cup final and four 12-second all-you-can-grab shopping sprees for each person in attendance.

Click to continue reading...

If you're like me, you are entirely too productive at work, and often find yourself wishing that you could find new ways to waste time with football on the Internet.

Well, worry no more. I fully acknowledge that I shamefully ripped this idea off from Toby at the Wolves Offside, but I saw it and thought it might be fun to have a little fantasy league for us and our readers.

Click to continue reading...

Brucey is putting together a nice little squad of players, isn't he? Of course, his signing as manager was a boost to the club. He knows his business, can recruit players and can get a team punching above their weight... if he/they are also prone to lose the plot from time to time. It also helps that he has the continued financial backing of the Sunderland board. Click to continue reading...

As with every fantasy leaguer out there, one of the hardest but most important things to do at the start of the season is to pick out players who give you more bang for your buck. You need to get as many points from this fella and yet not pay Real Madrid prices for them. [...] Click to continue reading...

The F365 Transfer Blog: Tuesday August 11

11.28: Reading expect Stephen Hunt to join Hull City later today - assuming he passes a medical
No, I don't expect that this is going to rocket them up the table to challenge the likes of Everton, Spurs, Citeh, and Villa for a European place but let's face it, with 3 promoted clubs and Pompey all in a lot of danger of relegation anything Hull can do to put themselves closer to the Rovers and Hammers of the world in the low teens as opposed to the relegation zone has to be considered a pretty important move.

Click to continue reading...