The great entertainers, and the great source of fantasy points over the years. Also, a great source of injury frustration as year after year players come in and disappear into the training room only to reappear briefly and inevitably too early, finding themselves injured all over again.The latest blow is of course Robin van Persie being ruled out for two months with ankle ligament damage. Click to continue reading...

Regular visitors may recall the frustration I have felt about Indonesian clubs lack of marketing savvy.
When Thai Port, a club with average attendances below 5,000, can have a club shop up and running selling a range of apparel seven days a week yet clubs here can't even flog badges there is something wrong somewhere. Click to continue reading...

Steven Gerrard is confident of making his first Liverpool start for a month against Manchester City on Saturday after revealing an anti-inflammatory injection has alleviated the need for groin surgery.
The Liverpool captain had the injection almost two weeks ago in an attempt to avoid an operation on the adductor problem he suffered playing for England against Ukraine on 10 October. Click to continue reading...

If there is one thing about supporting an "Other-16" club in the English Premier League that really makes life painful, it's when your club develops a truly great young player and the "Big 4" vultures start circling trying to take him away. In the case of Everton it's a familiar feeling and one in which all the financial windfalls don't ease the frustration. Click to continue reading...

Reporter Phil Collin follows up Thursday's initial news with a more detailed story in today's newspaper you can read here.

Preki, as usual playing his cards close to his chest, doesn't reveal a whole lot:

"I've been here four years and I think we have done a pretty decent job advancing Chivas to a certain level.

Click to continue reading...

Two things came up yesterday. Both through interviews with Portuguese players: one a current player, another a former red.

First, Nani:

"People expect more from me and it's not easy. 'I'. "I could be doing better, scoring more, but just think, I make a huge game today but the next one, I'm not even sure that I will play.

Click to continue reading...

In an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, Mauro Zarate's brother & agent said that if Zarate is not called up by Maradona, he will consider an offer made by the Italian football federation to play for their national team.

Zarate has an Italian passport which would clear the way for him to play for Italy.

Click to continue reading...

Many are expecting Liverpool's Champions League fate to be decided a fortnight today but I'm convinced it will boil down to the last game against Fiorentina.
I can see Lyon getting a result in Florence and the Reds seeing off Debrecen to set things up for a Match Day Six showdown at Anfield. Click to continue reading...

A lot has been said in relation to renaming the new stadium that will be built near our home, White Hart Lane, as well as handing out other naming rights to other stadia around the country such as the future New Anfield and Stamford Bridge.
Many of us just want the naming rights to be left alone. Click to continue reading...

Well Monday saw yet ANOTHER night of frustration with the players and the management together failing to see off another of the league's poorer teams. Rather than go over the same squad depth, tactics, selection, substitutions, performance, injury and fitness problems as we've all been discussing for what seems like an eternity I want to mention [. Click to continue reading...

I wrote previouslythat he had been protective of the defence in recent times, but Mark Hughes went on the offensive today with MOTD - and particularly Alan Hansen - in his sights:

"Pundits on Match of the Day or whatever just have an opportunity to nail individuals in the public domain," said the Manchester City boss.

Click to continue reading...

I was watching MNF last night and they were interviewing a coach from one of the games Sunday.
The coach said a couple things I thought were important and thus will share them.
He said that each of his players expects excellence from themselves. The individual players work their butts off so they can better themselves as players and contribute to the best of their abilities to the team. Click to continue reading...

Jose Mourinho is a little frustrated with Mario Balotelli. The young striker came on for Patrick Vieira at halftime of Sunday's 1-1 draw with Roma and after the match, Jose wasn't exactly complimentary about his performance:

"Balotelli was terrible today, close to zero. He didn't move, didn't work and did not help the team with [Dejan] Stankovic injured and [Wesley] Sneijder incredibly tired.

Click to continue reading...

We lined up unchanged from last week's heroics at Cardiff with Billy again playing McGoldrick as a lone striker in front of a packed midfield. Campo Gunter Morgan Wilson Cohen McKenna (c) Moussi Garner Majewski Anderson McGoldrick The game itself started with an impeccably observed minute's silence for Remembrance Sunday today. Click to continue reading...

Expectation, expectation, expectation.
With a sense of frustration following four games on the spin, the unanimous feeling around the blogs and forums this week is that tomorrow's game takes on an extra significance. Back at home (easy to forget three of the four draws were on the road) and against a side who have badly struggled on their travels so far suggests three points is a given. Click to continue reading...

Robin van Persie now delivering the form that we always knew that he could provide as long as he stayed fit. With a goal in each of the last seven games he is fast becoming a major threat to defences in the Premier league and Europe with his quick feet and eye for goal. He lacks only the perfection of his set pieces to truly become the player who alongside Fabregas can fashion a real charge at the premiership title.

Click to continue reading...

Hey everyone, I just got off the phone with Fire Head Coach Denis Hamlett and I got quite a bit of reaction to the 2-1 Game 1 loss to the New England Revolution.

A lot of the quotes are same old, same old from Denis (funny how that happens when the team struggles with the same problems over and over again.

Click to continue reading...

Many have taken the piss out of the atmosphere at the Emirates in the past. They did about Highbury too. But they can't deny that it wasn't a wall of noise on Saturday against the Spuds!
It was electric and a right smack in the face for those who have a dig about us Gooners being the silent type. Click to continue reading...

Stockport County went into Administration in April earlier this year with the appointment of John Titley and Paul Reeves, Directors at Leonard Curtis.

Today the Administrators at Leonard Curtis gave this statement about where the Sale of Stockport County is up to.

"The Administrators understand the frustration of supporters at the apparent lack of progress being made on completing a sale of the Club and exiting Administration, however, we would like to reassure all fans that the sales process is still continuing to progress.

Click to continue reading...

From the same game as yesterday's DTotD, we have Amauri's injury time act of frustration. He tried to be discreet about it, but in most circles kicking a goalkeeper in the face is frowned upon (as is tossing said goalkeeper's own teammate on top of him after the fact, though to a much lesser extent), so Amauri was shown a red card and may or may not have hoped that the referee would fall on the ground so he could kick him in the face, as well.

Click to continue reading...

Given the talk of how we have cooled off in recent weeks after such a torrid start to the season, I thought it worth taking a look at just how our start this season - still considered to be exceeding pre-season expectation - compared with those in previous years.
With assistance from mcfcstats. Click to continue reading...

So another decent performance sees United secure all three points at Old Trafford. Overall, I was pleased with the result, but still found a few things troubling. The inability of our three main strikers to score consistently when given the opportunity is slightly worrying, but Obertan's EPL debut coupled with Berba's world class finish left me as happy as could be.

Click to continue reading...

So another decent performance sees United secure all three points at Old Trafford. Overall, I was pleased with the result, but still found a few things troubling. The inability of our three main strikers to score consistently when given the opportunity is slightly worrying, but Obertan's EPL debut coupled with Berba's world class finish left me as happy as could be.

Click to continue reading...

Happy Monday to you. It's always good starting a new week when Arsenal won. It's even better when that happens against Tottenham. After 2 consecutive draws, Arsenal maintains their 100% winning record at Ashburton Grove with a comprehensive victory against a side who started the week mouthing off about how great their team are, but has now gone home with their heads firmly between their legs.

Click to continue reading...

Football fans are regularly accused of being 'fickle' but, as Pepe Reina proves with his latest comments, it seems that footballers also fall into that category!
September 12th - Liverpool had lost 2 of the first 4 league games. Clearly down in the dumps, Reina stated the following:
"We all want to win the league but right now it's not a realistic objective. Click to continue reading...

"Before the season started we would have taken fourth place and one defeat at the start of November but we are a little frustrated with the number of draws that we have had," declared the manager.

"But that is how the Premier League is shaping up with lots of teams dropping points.

Click to continue reading...

A few times over the past few years I've noted the obvious word play, "The Roar purred." I guess it would have been used more if it was true more often, but even when they were really getting it together, like toward the end of last season, it didn't quite work as a metaphor.
Yesterday against Perth at Ballymore the Brisbane Roar Women purred. Click to continue reading...

Just two clips for today. Some curious bit of stuff from Ferguson.

This year on the FA's proposed England friendly in Qatar:

'All the international managers have their jobs to do and we support that, particularly when it comes to the issue of competitive games like the European Championships or the World Cup.

Click to continue reading...

I've written that Garber keeps his ideological cards close to his chest, but in fining DCU Prez Kevin Payne $5000 today for calling a spade a spade—that the onfield product in MLS is not good enough and won't draw in more fans until it is—means that the guy isn't hearing what needs to be heard.
This is really not good, especially in light of the fact Payne didn't even mention bringing better players with more money, everyone's favourite MLS bugbear. Click to continue reading...

One of the things that many people that usually inhabit the world of the Premier League regularly comment upon when they visit the singular world of non-league football is how close one feels to the action. Every shout can be heard, and every gesticulation spotted. What supporters at that level often seem to forget, however, is that this works both ways and the average non-league footballer can pick out from a distance that it was you that called him a "useless sack of shite" half-way through the first half.

Click to continue reading...

The plight of Toronto FC and the frustration of its fans are popular fodder around the North American soccer community these days. The moaning angst of Reds supporters can be heard down here in the...

Click to continue reading...

I have deliberately taken 24 hours to calm down following the West Ham result, I thought that I would see reason and become more objective upon reflection. Strangely I am still seeing things as I did yesterday, my frustration at our ability to hold onto a comfortable lead is still somewhat raw.The game was a strange one. Click to continue reading...

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...

Nice soccer team ya got there.
Be a shame if something happened to it. Like, God forbid, your playoff hopes go for an evening cruise on the Stugots with a couple of fat guys in see-through socks.
Or soaking wet young Senegalese guys
Toronto FC showed up at the Meadowlands last night pretty confident. Click to continue reading...

I am touched by the hand of *boilk* this morning. Stupid delicious gin and tonics.

It's a big day at the club today. The AGM takes place this afternoon and, all things considered, it should be a much calmer event than the last official meeting. Back in April things were stormier at a special shareholders meeting, so much so that certain segments of it didn't make the official broadcast and we know that Arsene took offence at somebody labelling Sylvester geriatric when we all know that whatever else Sylvester still has the funk.

Click to continue reading...