by Ed Bishop
By the end of the Wednesday night's contest at the Independence Events Center the scoreboard looked more like that of a blowout football game rather than a soccer match as the Missouri Comets routed the Syracuse Silver Knights 33 to 12. The Comets showed every indication that they're starting to hit their stride as they improved their record to 11-8 and continued to make their playoff push to secure the second spot in the Central Division with their second win in a row.

photo by Michael Janosz/ISIphotos.com

Robbie Rogers' move to Leeds United has not yet been completed, but the move seems all but done after Rogers was approved for a work permit.

Not having played the required amount of games for the U.S. men's national team, Rogers qualified for a work permit on special dispensation.

Chicago Fire Rumor Mill: Pavel Pardo Re-Signs

Iván Cañada is reporting that the Chicago Fire have re-signed Pavel Pardo and he will be playing with the team next year.

"Pável Pardo permanecerá en el Chicago Fire al menos para la siguiente campaña. El mexicano apenas renovó su contrato con el club de la MLS.

Goals:
Simpson 28'
Bellamy 30'
Gerrard 45' (pen)
Shelvey 68'
Carroll 89'
Downing 90+4'
It should be illegal to complain when Liverpool score five, including firsts for Shelvey and Downing and a cameo from Carroll off the bench, no matter the opposition or merits of overall performance.

Real Madrid sealed their place in the next round of the Copa Del Rey after an easy 5-1 win over Segunda B outfit Ponferradina with Nuri Sahin bagging his first goal for the club. After winning the first-leg 2-0 earlier in the month, the return leg at the Santiago Bernabeu proved a formality and goals [.

Perhaps it was only a formality that Barcelona should officially proclaim itself the best team in the world in 2012 after their resounding victory against Real Madrid recently. But surely, their victory in the FIFA Club World Championship against Brazilian Santos was no less resounding. The final had been looked forward to, since Santos is also a club that plays entertaining attacking football

Frank Klopas -- Getty ImagesBy Charlie Corr
ESPNChicago.com
In the coming weeks, the Chicago Fire should be announcing an abundance of player options that they are picking up heading into 2012. The Fire have yet to officially state the return of midfielder Pavel Pardo or comment on other players' contract status, but in all likelihood a large portion of the 2011 squad should be on board next season.

Liverpool are being linked with a January move for German international starlet Lars Bender.
The Bayer Leverkusen midfielder is earning rave reviews in the Bundesliga, and once again impressed on the Champions League stage in his side's 2-1 win over Chelsea recently.
His performances have alerted a number of club's across Europe, and reports in Germany now claim Liverpool have taken a keen interest in the 22-year-old, whose twin brother Sven plays for Borussia Dortmund.

Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish looks certain to draw a close to the protracted transfer saga involving Italian international Alberto Aquilani, who is currently on a temporary loan deal with AC Milan after failing to settle at Anfield.
Aquilani joined the Reds back in 2009 for a fee believed to be in the region of £17 million, after establishing himself as one of the most competent midfielders in Europe with his form at previous club Roma.

By CALEB SONNELAND

FC Anzhi Makhachkala are plotting yet another transfer to shock the soccer world, and this time, Dimitar Berbatov is the man set in its sights.

Enjoying its glut of cash from its new owner, Suleyman Kerimov, the Russian club is looking to prise Berbatov, now 30, away from Premier League champions Manchester United.

Aquilani set for Milan stay

The agent of Alberto Aquilani thinks it is a 'formality' that the Liverpool midfielder's loan move to AC Milan will become permanent.

View the full story here: Sky Sports

A news article on 2011-11-16 22:23:49 from: Sky Sports

This news item has been reproduced from today's media.

Alberto Aquilani will stay at AC Milan beyond 2012 as the loan deal from Liverpool will be made permanent, his agent Franco Zavaglia has said.
The 27-year-old Italy international joined the San Siro-based outfit in the summer from the Premier League side.
Aquilani's deal consists of a loan, but Milan will have an option to buy his full rights from Liverpool if he features in 25 or more games for them this season.

Deal to take Alberto Aquilani from Liverpool to AC Milan permanently is just a formality, says agent

The Italy midfielder's representative has revealed the Serie A giants will be signing his client on a long-term contract after Anfield hell next summer

View the full story here: Goal

A news article on 2011-11-15 23:49:00 from: Goal

This news item has been reproduced from today's media.

There was never any doubt, was there. Group B was a formality for Vietnam and Myanmar, just a kick around ahead of the semis.
Myanmar technically looked good but a lack of pace up front held them back most of the game. They may argue they won 4-0 but it was the Philippines they were playing, not Brazil.

By Chris Wright

"You come to me, my youngest son, and ask me to attend the wedding of my youngest son? Get....OUT!!!"

Word has it, or rather, the Independent has it that Fabio Capello is ducking out of his youngest son's wedding to watch England get mauled to bits by Spain at Wembley on Saturday a game, it's perhaps worth pointing out, that is nowt more than a friendly.

Is this week's man of the match a formality or does someone other than Rafael van der Vaart deserve the champagne after his double strike in yesterday's 2-1 win at Blackburn?

The Dutchman is in a rich vein of striking form with five golas in his last four games and was singled out for praise by manager Harry Redknapp after the match.

This is the internationals wrap up thread. Try to contain your excitement.

We'll get back to Liverpool soon enough, as we're now more than halfway there, and for the most part it was a successful Friday for Liverpool's internationals. It was a complete success for us, though, as we didn't see anyone pick up an injury on the day.

The one thing I have noticed about teams that have won titles, is that they take their chances – I mean even the one chance you would consider slightest, to win a football match. Pundits have termed it ‘champion's luck' but in actual sense, every team has this champions luck. What makes the difference is that some teams take these chances and win titles; others do not and end up in the championship!

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It's Champions League group stage time from now until the beginning of December Europe's elite clubs will be going up against each other trying to reach the knockout stages and of course the money that playing in the later stages brings.

Man City outcast Craig Bellamy is close to signing for Liverpool on a free tranfer.
The talented Welshman is currently undergoing a medical at the club, which should be a formality.
It was clear from last week that a Liverpool move for bad-boy Bellamy would happen. The player himself had said that a return to Liverpool would be "a dream come true.

Several things, really, but let's not blow the whole party all at once. Let's go one at a time and then nobody has a stroke on me. I can now confirm, via 'Gladbach, that Michael Bradley has physically left campus to travel for the purpose of completing a transfer. Adding that to what I reported yesterday, and it's only a matter of formality and time before we can officially close that case.

Have you ever been on an emotional roller coaster like this week ever in your life? I have had feelings of anger, fear and joy sometimes all at the same time. This week saw our famous cluib ravaged by the media. We were given no hope and then suddenly the day after, they are singing our praises.

Have you ever been on an emotional roller coaster like this week ever in your life? I have had feelings of anger, fear and joy sometimes all at the same time. This week saw our famous cluib ravaged by the media. We were given no hope and then suddenly the day after, they are singing our praises. Football is a funny game as they say.

Five nil up already, both teams playing the kids. Nothing really to play for except personal pride. Turns out that my match preview may have been a little optimistic...
"We could be in for a feisty affair as it will be anything but a formality for those players given an opportunity to shine." should have read, "Both teams will be playing less than reserve sides, who will do nothing more than have a kick about for 90 minutes.

Champions League draw reaction: Fergie's over the moon but all four Prem sides should progress

Sir Alex Ferguson was texting in delight as Manchester United were handed the closest thing to a walkover into the knock-out stages with a Group C draw that looks a formality.

Five nil up in the first leg, and an all but formality for the second. We're resting players, the Hearts manager has all but given up and is going to give a run out to some of his lesser used players as well. Which does mean we could be in for a feisty affair as it will be anything but a formality for those players given an oppourtunity to shine.

Five nil up in the first leg, and an all but formality for the second. We're resting players, the Hearts manager has all but given up and is going to give a run out to some of his lesser used players as well. Which does mean we could be in for a feisty affair as it will be anything but a formality for those players given an oppourtunity to shine.

By Chris Wright

The relief was almost tangible as Arsenal began life after Cesc with a win last night, beating Udinese 1-0 in the first leg of their Champions League play-off at the Emirates thanks to a fourth-minute Theo Walcott goal.

However, the narrow victory wasn't overly convincing, with the Italians going close on several occasions particularly Antonio Di Natale, who clipped the woodwork twice and forced a decent save out of Wojciech Szczczczczczcney in the first-half.

Bolton Bid for David Ngog

Bolton have tabled a bid of £4m for Liverpool's David Ngog, according to Sky Sports. This news follows reports on Kopsource that Owen Coyle has been readying a move for the player over the past month . The Reds have deemed Ngog surplus to requirements and will use any funds that come in from his transfer to fund further summer signings.

*Editor's note: With this piece, TSG welcomes Neil Blackmon into the fold. Neil will be covering the EPL and the USMNT for TSG going forward.
Welcome Neil.*

"Carlton's" got his groove back early season....two deposits for Nani on Community Shield Day.

Chelsea have finally agreed a deal with Anderlecht to sign 18-year-old Belgium striker Romelu Lukaku. Lulalu has been called a mini version of Chelsea star Didier Drogba and if Lulalu can approach the performances of Drogba for Chelsea then this is a great signing for the Blues.

Lukaku needs to agree personal terms with Chelsea, but that should be a formality as this deal has been in the works for weeks.

Chelsea have finally agreed a deal with Anderlecht to sign 18-year-old Belgium striker Romelu Lukaku

Lukaku needs to agree personal terms with Chelsea, but that should be a formality as this deal has been in the works for weeks.

"An agreement has been reached with Anderlecht for the transfer to Chelsea of striker Romelu Lukaku," a statement on Chelsea's official website said.

Udinese are the easiest hurdle for Arsenal in an incredibly tough August - originally posted on Soccerlens.com

The season hasn't started yet, but Arsenal are already contemplating a tough month ahead with matches against Liverpool, Manchester United, Newcastle and Udinese to start their season with, plus trouble in the transfer market with Fabregas and Nasri pushing for moves away and a lack of incoming talent.

Milan sealed their eighteenth title in Rome way back in May, though the final few games were a case of dotting the Is and crossing the Ts. The final point was a formality. Whilst it is true to say that last season's Milan were a superb side from top to bottom. There was quality throughout their ranks and enough depth to carry them comfortably over every obstacle they encountered.

It's official then, Charles N'Zogbia is a Villan. I'd assumed that it wouldn't be completed, or at least officially announced, until after the weekend since just about everyone is in Hong Kong at the moment, but I guess it really was just a formality in the end.

It looks like N'Zogbia is going to have the number 10 shirt, the same number he had at Wigan, left behind by John Carew.

The silly season is still going on and more news is coming out with regards to Sporting KC players. While Shavar Thomas was on trial with Portsmouth, and Stephane Auvray looks to be on his way out of KC, other news is coming out. First is news that Sporting KC's lone Generation Adidas player, Teal Bunbury, has been attracting interest abroad still.

It's a pretty rare event that we'll receive official confirmation of an agreement being reached to purchase a player before the actual transfer itself is announced, but that's apparently the situation with Charles N'Zogbia. It's all over bar the shouting.

I'm sure such steps wouldn't have been taken if it wasn't a formality, it's just a shame that the player won't have the chance to hook up with his new team mates in Hong Kong due to a lack of work visa.

The NFL lockout is finally over. Once the technicalities are settled and the appropriate signatures are put on paper, training camps will open. Soon after that, the NFL preseason will begin and there will be football in America once again!

When the owners voted on the new collecting bargaining agreement, the vote was 31-0.

Liverpool Up Aly Cissokho Pursuit

Liverpool have upped their interest in Aly Cissokho after missing out on Gael Clichy to Manchester City. The Reds are reportedly ready to make a £10m move for the Lyon left-back and would like him on board before the club depart for their tour of Asia next week.

Liverpool's month's of pursuing Blackpool midfielder Charlie Adam has finally payed-off, as Blackpool have agreed an £8m deal for the Scottish International, who is at the Merseyside club having a Medical which should be just a formality after all Aquillani passed a Medical at the club despite been injured for almost an entire season.