Earlier in the week, both the Guardian and Independent reputable members of the British media in
my view claimed Chelsea were ready to throw around £40 million at Atletico Madrid for striker
Sergio Aguero in the January transfer window.
Move forward a couple of days.
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The Offside 20 November @ 07:00 PM EST
Something to read while you watch the madness at the Maracana... Israel halts construction of
Palestinian stadium (BBC.co.uk) This FIFA conspiracy goes deeper than we though (Studs Up) Five
football injustices (Shortlist) What happens when you fart in a referee's face? (Sports Rubbish) A
lot of Top 10s for 2010 (Pies) Goal-line referees for World Cup 2010?
Click to continue reading...
Redknapp sets sights on high profile wing wizard.
Spurs and Portsmouth both want to sign Marseille's Hatem Ben Arfa who has fallen out
with Didier Deschamps and his shiny black leather jacket. Ben Arfa has accused Deschamps of
"breaking his balls". Deschamps says he didn't break his balls, they were already broken and
actually he was only trying to fix them and he may have slightly chipped one while he was doing it
but it's not his fault if his balls are actually quite badly made and frankly quite cheap in the
first place.
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The Guardian had a great collection of photos from Wednesday's action. I wanted to share a few of
my favorites...
1. Setting the scene
2. Shevchenko's last stand?
3. Flash!
4. Setting fire to the competition
5. Fun day for the French
6.
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"Those that doubted football's cruelty ought to have been on hand here in Paris."
-David Hytner of the Guardian, following Ireland's 1-1 draw (2-1 aggregate loss) to France on
Wednesday.
Applaud these men.
This is obviously a non Chelsea-related post, but I don't care.
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Soccerblog 15 November @ 09:50 PM EST
The Guardian picked Liverpool to win the Premiership. We can see how well that is turning
out.
Now, they are picking Chelsea to win the Treble. This comes from Paul Wilson who predicted that
Chelsea would fall out of the top four.
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I don't normally post about France on this site, although I do follow them closely and contribute
to the France World Cup Blog, but I enjoyed the first paragraph of this story so well that I'm
posting a link to it: The Guardian's David Hytner on France-Ireland.
Now, to read the rest of the article.
Click to continue reading...
I've written before about how good an interview Stephen Ireland is, always providing a great
insight into situations with an honesty rarely offered by footballers.
There are a couple of features today in The Telegraph and The Guardian in which Ireland discusses -
on the eve of Ireland's World Cup play-off with France - his continued absence from the
international scene, and despite reports that have hinted at a return he firmly closes the door on
a potential return:
But while admitting he will watch Giovanni Trapattoni's team tackle the French when he
returns to Manchester, Ireland has emphatically ruled out the possibility of an about-turn on his
international retirement and insisted that the hate mail does not concern him.
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East Lower 15 November @ 04:49 AM EST
As ever, we cross our fingers in the hope that our players and especially our key players emerge
from the pointlessness of international friendly week unscathed.
If I'd asked you before the break which players are absolutely crucial to Arsenal's resurgence
and form, you'd have given me a shortlist with 3 or 4 names on it.
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WTF!
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West Ham have told Liverpool they want £20m for scuttling goal-machine Carlton Cole.
(Guardian)
Now I know that the transfer market is a little inflated at present but surely this is a joke,
no?
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Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard has flown back to England after sustaining a thigh injury on
international duty in Qatar. Lampard was preparing for England's friendly against Brazil this
weekend.
Sexy.
An FA spokesman: "We can confirm that Frank Lampard picked up an injury to his left thigh
whilst training today and will be returning home this evening.
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Rafa considering White Hart Lane swoop.
Portsmouth Vs Liverpool Tickets Still Available!
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Rafa BenÃtez has decided strolling, sulking Spurs chest of drawers Roman Pavlyuchenko
is the man to kick-start his team's season.
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SoccerLens 12 November @ 02:55 AM EST
Brazilian journalist Fernando Duarte (a future guest on the Soccerlens Podcast, once we can
track him down) interviewed Brazil and Real Madrid star Kaka in Doha this week, ahead of Brazil's
friendly against England.
The full interview can be read on the Guardian here are a few excerpts:
Kaka on.
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It has been one of the quieter football revolutions of the last decade Peterborough United have,
over the last couple of years, gone from being also-rans in League Two to being back in the
Championship for the first time (if we gloss over the various name changes) for the first time
since 1994.
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There are plenty of stories being knocked out this week from Abu Dhabi - no doubt in attempt by
journos to justify the expense of jetting them out for the best part of the week, and The Guardian
carries one that, whilst not a new subject, is always interesting in how it lifts the lid on the
disharmony during the 2008/09 season.
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Mark Hughes has eye on Angel Di Maria.
Fulham Vs Manchester City Tickets Still Available!
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Robinho heading for the exit as Manchester City dream sours
Manchester City's attempts to placate Robinho and keep the most expensive footballer in England
happy have failed, with the Brazilian desperate to leave in the January transfer window.
Click to continue reading...
The Evening News defends Fergie's latest referee complaint.
Mark Ogden compares Owen to Tevez in The Telegraph.
Red Rants looks at the ref conspiracy after the penalty Liverpool won for a dive last night.
The Guardian looks at Ngog's "embarrassing case of cheating"
F365 reports on Fletcher's comments about Wenger
"RoM Reads" was originally published at The Republik of
Mancunia. Click to continue reading...
CSKA coach Luboslav Penev suspended a bunch of players on the team recently for late-night
partying.
Then the team went over his head and reinstated the guys.
Penev subsequently resigned and the team is not honoring it.
Craziness.
Now some links:
- New Anfield naming rights?
Click to continue reading...
His name is David. He always brushes his teeth before he goes anywhere. Yesterday, he didn't
have time. He called the radio to share his side of the story.
Via the Guardian:
He explained to the host DJ Spoony: "I was wanting to get to the game and I put it [the
toothbrush] in my pocket and forgot to brush my teeth.
Click to continue reading...
Patrick Barclay writes a nice piece for The Times about our manager.
Red Rants takes a look at the poppy fuss.
The Guardian looks at Darren Fletcher as the new Roy Keane.
The Times reckons Michael Owen needs a good game today to get in the England squad.
United Rant looks to the Chelsea game.
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Chelsea has turned the swag on of late (no souljaboytellem), wouldn't you say? Since the defeat
to Aston Villa (five matches): 19 goals scored, 2 conceded. The real test, however, comes today
when the reigning champions three times running visit Stamford Bridge. Manchester United travel to
the Bridge for a 1 v.
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Dirty Tackle 06 November @ 06:26 PM EST
In a routine chat with MUTV this week, Manchester United backup goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak said
the following:
"To be honest, I must say this and Edwin doesn't like this too much for sure, but he doesn't
help me too much.
"I have told him a few times already to give me some more advice because he's got more
experience and got many more games under his belt.
Click to continue reading...
1. 'Katy Perry & West Ham' -- via Daily Mail
2. 'Wolves freezes its own' -- via Dirty Tackle
3. 'A bloody mess' -- via Kickette
4. 'Vermaelen the Green' -- via Guardian's gallery
5. 'Montana's frozen tundra' -- via The Original Winger
6. 'Getting graspy' -- via ONTD
7.
Click to continue reading...
Bolton Chairman Phil Gartside has popped his head above the parapet again. An article in today's
Guardian has once again floated the idea of a two tier Premier League. This would involve the
co-opting of the current Cocaleague into the EPL structure, with those Bhoys and Gers from Glasgow
added to taste.
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"If only I could play for Thailand"
Guardian has brought it to my attention that the Football Association of Thailand (FAT)
have signed a 3 year sponsorship deal with McDonald's, worth an estimated £545,000.
But thats not the best bit, as part of the deal the Thailand football team gets free big mac's,
McFlurrys, and Mc Chicken-ish stuff.
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Rafa interested in talented young winger.
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Angel di Maria sounds a little like a sultry Spanish songstress who you'd find warblling
huskily in red dress in a smoky cellar bar somewhere in Madrid.
Click to continue reading...
And now, a moment of self-regarding nonsense on our part, if you don't mind.
What you are reading now may seem fairly ordinary by our standards (and indeed it is), but this is
in fact a very special post. Put simply, this is Some People Are On The Pitch's 1,000th post.
We appreciate the sentiment and sense of achievement might be lost on most of you but when this
humble little football blogsite started out in 2006, it was difficult to believe that one day we
might end up with 1,000 articles to our name.
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It looks like the Women's Super League in England, a new semi-professional venture (not fully
professional, as some are saying), will finally launch in 2011 and the application process is now
open for clubs who wish to participate.
The plan is for eight teams to compete in a summer season from March to October, thus minimising
schedule conflicts with the men's game but also going up directly against Women's Professional
Soccer in the United States.
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Former England manager Graham Taylor has blasted Rio Ferdinand, claiming he will never recover from
his dip in form this season.
Ferdinand has had a difficult term so far this season due to injury and a loss of form.
Speaking to
BBC Radio Five Live, Taylor said: "What I am going to say will probably
surprise a lot of people, but I think Rio Ferdinand has lost his legs.
Click to continue reading...
The Times looks at what's going on with Rio Ferdinand
The Telegraph shows how Strachan looks to Sir Alex Ferguson for inspiration
The Guardian previews today's game against Blackburn
When The Seagulls Follow The Trawler looks at the idea of glory fans
"RoM Reads" was originally published at The Republik of
Mancunia. Click to continue reading...
I pulled a Jupp Heynckes this week and thus the following links will have to make do for the
moment.
- Louis van Gaal is not a god. He's a jazz singer. (YouTube)
- Football's winning formula revealed: give the ball to the other team and lose all your
challenges. (Ballspiel)
- Mainz 05 are starting to build a global fanbase.
Click to continue reading...
