by Adam Bate

To put Mick McCarthy's Wolverhampton Wanderers reign into perspective you need to go much further back than its beginning in 2006. You need to go back to 1989 – the year that Wolves won the old Division Three title.

Until McCarthy's arrival at the club that was not only the last team to win a league title but it was also the last team that had a meaningful connection with the club's supporters.

The SPL works off the turkey and mince pies with a full Wednesday evening fixture. The eyes of the world upon us once more. Or at least the eyes of those Sky viewers not tempted by the tungsten superheroes at the Ally Pally.
Celtic v Rangers
Apparently recent form has left some Celtic supporters confident about this one.

Updated my list of MLS Supporters Club....true I left some off, so if you know any that I'm not reppin' please let me know.
Thankful list:
1. The FIRE will have one more fan next year (my newborn son or daughter).
2. The league finally got it's Beckham Cup. After all, they had to deal with quite a bit of hubris to get to that point.

Booo, chilly this morning. This better not be the start of it now. Mother Nature needs a good talking to.

Anyway, today is West Brom at home and last season this was a game which was one which generated much frustration. I've looked back over the blog post and I was surprisingly magnanimous about West Brom, giving them lots of credit for their performance, but there was obvious grumpiness at Arsenal's.

Booo, chilly this morning. This better not be the start of it now. Mother Nature needs a good talking to.

Anyway, today is West Brom at home and last season this was a game which was one which generated much frustration. I've looked back over the blog post and I was surprisingly magnanimous about West Brom, giving them lots of credit for their performance, but there was obvious grumpiness at Arsenal's.

Winning, as successful managers are wont to say at moments of extreme hubris, is a habit. If there is anything to this theory and whether we should be taking what managers say during times of success at face value is, of course, a matter for conjecture in itself then we can probably assume that losing can become a habit, and there are few clubs that have developed as much of a habit over the course of 2011 as Lincoln City.

Nearly three months since the Bulls beat down Toronto at the Cathedral, but it seems like three years ago. Despite winning two from their last three league matches, few supporters can be accused of hubris as we begin the month that will determine whether or not the year's a success or a humiliating failure.

Graham MacAree writes an outstanding tactical match analysis of the recent Chelsea vs. Manchester United match. Click here for the more detailed analysis, and below is his recap of the alignments and systems used by both teams in United's 3-1 victory.
From the tactical standpoint, there wasn't much unusual going on, so far as Manchester United are concerned.

A few weeks ago, the Manchester United FB Page asked the question 'Still thinking about the 8-2?'. I said hell yeah. What else was there to think about? The international break had most inconveniently followed, and I've never translated my United fandom to following England (for Roon one could argue, but now practically the entire right wing) or hating them (for Lumplard, Cashley and the likes).

We've all been there: the hubris and cockiness borne of conviction and enthusiasm coming back to bite us firmly in the backside. And so it was on Saturday for the Bury fans - rejoicing at being back in League 1 and fortified by pre-match pints in the metal box of a social club adjacent to Gigg Lane (£1 in for non-members; distinct odour of hot dogs, cooking lager and sweat) - who lustily

Peter Kenyon used to top my list of most hated football executives. Seeing him lead Chelsea up to get their medals after losing the Champions League medal in Russia, instead of a Chelsea legend, I thought was pure hubris.

I did not think that any executive could be as arrogant as Kenyon, but then came Gary Cook.

Peter Kenyon used to top my list of most hated football executives. Seeing him lead Chelsea up to get their medals after losing the Champions League medal in Russia, instead of a Chelsea legend, I thought was pure hubris.

I did not think that any executive could be as arrogant as Kenyon, but then came Gary Cook.

Showing off is generally considered a distasteful trait in life. Right from when we are toddlers, we are schooled not to show of our bright new shoes, because Timmy doesn't have one see? If you have nice shoes, you wear them to school and act as if nothing happened. It's slightly different in sports though, because a lot of the point of a game itself is the other person NOT winning.

Showing off is generally considered a distasteful trait in life. Right from when we are toddlers, we are schooled not to show of our bright new shoes, because Timmy doesn't have one see? If you have nice shoes, you wear them to school and act as if nothing happened. It's slightly different in sports though, because a lot of the point of a game itself is the other person NOT winning.

Showing off is generally considered a distasteful trait in life. Right from when we are toddlers, we are schooled not to show of our bright new shoes, because Timmy doesn't have one see? If you have nice shoes, you wear them to school and act as if nothing happened. It's slightly different in sports though, because a lot of the point of a game itself is the other person NOT winning.

Showing off is generally considered a distasteful trait in life. Right from when we are toddlers, we are schooled not to show of our bright new shoes, because Timmy doesn't have one see? If you have nice shoes, you wear them to school and act as if nothing happened. It's slightly different in sports though, because a lot of the point of a game itself is the other person NOT winning.

Now that the recent hubris of the USMNT is over and the dust has cleared, fans can't wait to see new USMNT head coach Jurgen Klinsmann and the US team in action vs. Mexico on August 10th. While many US fans no doubt have heard the name of Jurgen Klinsmann, I don't know if many people know the scope of career he has had both as a player for Germany and a manager at the club and international level.

Could This Be Us, Finally?Derby Day has finally arrived for New York soccer fans. For years, we've been hearing how a second pro soccer team would miraculously lift the profile of the sport in the Big Apple. Tonight, the third round of the US Open Cup will put that logic to the test, as the Red Bulls host FC New York of the USL PRO League.

::: FistedAway today welcomes a guest post from Elliott, editor of the rather lovely Futfanatico :::

Save your St. Crispin's Day speech for another tournament. Rather than roll into the semifinals of the U21 Championships, Stuart Pearce's side won the hearts, admiration, and plaudits of its home nation for a scintillating run all the way to the end of the group stage.

Morning to you,

another week begins with much on the horizon but little concrete info to kick us off. There's the much vaunted signing of Gervinho, a possible defensive arrival, or two, the manager's transfer budget apparently boosted by some property dealing, and the inevitable departures/stayings of one or two.

Wenger summing up the season after the Fulham match.

" But we are not to go overboard. Maybe one year you will realise that it is not easy to finish in the top four every time. Even if people say we have to spend money, we have to be realistic. We cannot buy players for £50 million and, even if we try to strengthen our team and spend money if needed, that is fact.