The Aston Villa manager Alex McLeish has seen his side beaten just once since losing to Arsenal (thanks to a last minute Yossi Benayoun goal) back in December, and is hoping to carry on that good form in today's FA Cup match at the Emirates. Last week Villa won away at Wolves with two goals [...]

As you no doubt have seen already, the schedule has officially dropped and now we all know where everything stands and how we should go about planning our various soccer vacations. It's quite exciting to get the schedule so early as compared to previous years!

In any case, we'll have a more in depth piece on the Timbers schedule a bit later.

• Kop That: Why Liverpool chiefs should forget about appealing the Suarez ruling http://t.co/Vv6yo8Ak 23:25:19, 2012-01-01
• Kop That: Liverpool target Bent is going nowhere, insists McLeish http://t.co/IoBMJs6u 22:54:48, 2012-01-01
• Kop That: Darren Bent wanted by Liverpool http://t.

McLeish: Aston Villa must improve squad depth before we can compete

Pool of talent available to Liverpool incomparable to situation at Villa Park bemoans boss

View the full story here: Talksport

A news article on 2011-12-18 17:23:38 from: Talksport

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

• Kop That: Des Kelly: Fernando Torres is for life, not just Christmas http://t.co/wvbKn7QZ 23:11:26, 2011-12-16
• Kop That: Why David Moyes might have already made THE deal of the January transfer window http://t.co/EslSMWsl 23:11:17, 2011-12-16
• Kop That: Liverpool in fight with Rangers for Dundee United midfielder Scott Allen http://t.

9:05am ET, live in the US on Fox Soccer Plus
Last four head-to-head:
0-1 Villa (a) 05.22.11
3-0 Liverpool (h) 12.06.10
1-0 Liverpool (a) 12.29.09
1-3 Villa (h) 08.24.09
Last three matches:
Liverpool: 1-0 QPR (h); 0-1 Fulham (a); 2-0 Chelsea (a)
Villa: 2-1 Bolton (a); 0-1 United (h); 0-0 Swansea (a)
Goalscorers (league):
Liverpool: Suarez 5; Own Goal 3; Adam, Carroll 2; Bellamy, Gerrard, Henderson, Johnson, Maxi, Skrtel 1
Villa: Agbonlahor, Bent 5; Petrov 3; Albrighton, Bannan, Dunne, Heskey, Warnock 1
Referee: Peter Walton
Guess at a line-up:
Reina
Johnson Skrtel Agger Enrique
Downing Henderson Adam Maxi
Suarez Bellamy
It'll seem as if Liverpool are playing nearly every day over the next few weeks, with eight matches in a month, but there's probably little point in wholesale changes just yet.

They obviously can't be bothered, so neither can I. It was a positive line-up, but Utd never needed to get out of 1st gear. McLeish must be giving out his instructions in Russian or something because he's managed to make some very capable players look like they haven't the first clue what they're doing.

Brum fans salute McLeish, plus Peter Pannu's pint pitfall, wicked whistle and daft quotes of the week

Not quite sure how Birmingham fans feel about their former manager... (See pic above) ** Birmingham's acting chairman Peter Pannu was sadly absent from their triumphant Europa League qualifier on Thursday night.

Despite very accomplished strikers in both teams the game ended a goalless draw. suprising? Not, really, both McLeish and McCarthy thinks safety first and strives to get all the players to defend all over the pitch and get behind the ball. The first twenty minutes or so it looked like either or both of the [.

Despite very accomplished strikers in both teams the game ended a goalless draw. suprising? Not, really, both McLeish and McCarthy thinks safety first and strives to get all the players to defend all over the pitch and get behind the ball. The first twenty minutes or so it looked like either or both of the [.

Season Predictions: LFC to Win the All Important Race for...Third

Arsenal – Hard to gauge this team given we don't know who is coming in or out before end of August. Looks like Nasri and Cesc are gone, whoever they bring in may take time to gel. They should have sold both earlier in the summer so they could get the likes of Mata, Enrique and Cahill in to add quality and give themselves a chance to challenge again.

Last season's 'prediction' wasn't a complete failure – at least in the top seven. I had Chelsea pipping United to the title (which looked possible until the Blues bought that misfiring traitorous foreigner), City and Arsenal in third and fourth, and Liverpool ahead of Tottenham – insane in retrospect, but still would have happened had Liverpool won its final two matches.

Charles N'Zogbia matched Darren Bent's achievement of scoring on his debut in tonight's final pre-season game in Braga; a 1-1 draw that would probably be given to the home side on points by the judges. If we did such a thing.

Vagner Love's stunt double, Alan, opened the scoring for the home side with a wicked effort from 25 yards that nestled the top corner and left Shay Given no chance.

Two second half goals gave Derby the win in a game missing a lot of our big names, including new boy Charles N'Zogbia, but provided a useful, if uninspiring, run out for a lot of young squad players.

This post is more a stake in the ground to record the result, I managed to pick up very little during what was very much a low key, perhaps even dull, affair.

Yes, it's just pre-season. Yes, it's still early days, there's much to be done. Nevertheless, the positive signs continue. The green shoots of recovery are quite possibly poking their heads through the soil.

Darren Bent (who else?) got the only goal of the game in typically oppressive conditions in Hong Kong, but there were encouraging performances all around the pitch.

McLeish's first game in charge ended in a comfortable 3-1 at the Bescot thanks to a brace from Darren Bent and rare goal from Emile Heskey, but it could have been much more with several players going close throughout the game, notably Nathan Delfouneso during a strong second half performance.

By Andrew McCarten

For many, the exit of Martin O'Neill as Aston Villa manager at the beginning of the previous season was the prime reason for their decline. When O'Neill took over for the 2006/07 campaign, Villa had finished a lowly 16th the year before under David O'Leary, managing only 42 points.

Aston Villa have completed the signing Ireland goalkeeper Shay Given from Manchester City.
The 35-year-old has signed a five-year contract at Villa Park after the clubs agreed an undisclosed fee.
Given told the club's website: "Aston Villa is a huge club and I'm really excited to be joining.

Transfer news, rumours and gossip from Monday's papers

Villa or Spurs to sign Parker this week, McLeish wants Bellamy, United go for Coulibaly but are told Inter want Nani as part of Sneijder deal

View the full story here: The Mirror

A news article on 2011-07-11 08:10:47 from: The Mirror

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

• Liverpool look to Lyon's Dejan Lovren but fear work permit problem for Croatia defender http://bit.ly/kSbkQb #LFC #FB 23:51:45, 2011-06-20
• Dalglish v McLeish in battle for Downing http://bit.ly/k4Og3J #LFC #FB 22:49:28, 2011-06-20
• Liverpool to face Valencia and Guangdong in pre-season friendlies http://bit.

In light of the recent McLeish-Villa-Birmingham saga, let's take a look at other managers who have crossed local lines to manage hated rivals. The king of this category has to be Ron Saunders. Not only did he manage Aston Villa and Birmingham City,...
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When Ernie Walker was in charge of the SFA everything in the world was perfect.
Obviously it wasn't.
But when I were a lad and Ernie ruled the roost Scotland qualified for World Cups. All the time. Five qualifications in a row he presided over.
Ah, to be back in the day for just one shining moment of optimism.

Another great post by Liam Blackburn. Liam has worked at The Sunday Times and The Manchester Evening News. Check out his blog at http://samenamedifferentgames.wordpress.com/. Look out for our Birmingham and Everton focused Weekend Preview column tomorrow morning. The fallout from last ... Continue reading →

Manchester United fans have traditionally been generous in giving former players a warm welcome whenever they return to Old Trafford with their new club. Saturday afternoon will be no different when...
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