The newest Arsenal starlet Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has burst onto the scene since the New Year and is already being tipped as a certainty to go to the Euro 2012 tournament with England this summer. But the youngster himself is keeping his feet on the ground and is more than happy to just listen and learn [.

It may not have been a coincidence that the Spanish midfielder Mikel Arteta was out injured while Arsenal had their run of three defeats since the New Year, but he was back for this weeks 0-0 draw with Bolton, and he is not very happy with the team's performances. "We had a lot of chances [...]

The first two months of the season were awful, the atmosphere was angry, unsettled and going to watch the team wasn't at all pleasant. The atmosphere eased after a good run of results, putting us well back into contention for the Champions League places.

A new year run that has yet to see us win in the league has heralded the return of that atmosphere, a portion of the fanbase have been very forward with their views on the manager and a few of the players an injury crisis has not helped matters either all in all, being an Arsenal fan in the past few weeks has not been the most pleasant of experiences.

Just like in my life itself, after a promising start that indicated I would push on and improve my standing, after four weeks of the New Year I am back exactly where I started. West Ham failed to beat Forest as comfortably as suspected and PSV should be chastised for their inability to beat inferior [.

Just like in my life itself, after a promising start that indicated I would push on and improve my standing, after four weeks of the New Year I am back exactly where I started. West Ham failed to beat Forest as comfortably as suspected and PSV should be chastised for their inability to beat inferior [.

By Dario Camacho - MIAMI, FL (Jan 20, 2011) US Soccer Players -- As with any new year, all teams in Major League Soccer are in a period of transition. Whether it is a minor tweak here or there, or a full system reboot, most teams will see a few new faces in training camp. In recent years, that's been due to the predictable disruption caused by expansion teams coming into the fold.

The transformation from Bruce Banner to the Incredible Hulk still isn't an easy process to watchHello? Is this thing still on? Oh good, you're still here.
Apologies for the delay in regular programming but, fret not, The Boys From White Hart Lane is back from it's Christmas hiatus and is ready to rock your socks off all over again in this new year.

Photo by David Bernal/ISIPhotos.com

BY ADAM SERRANO

LOS ANGELES --It is official, David Beckham will be returning to MLS and it appears that he may be staying for quite some time.

The Los Angeles Galaxy presented Beckham before a group of reporters on Thursday to announce his new two-year-deal with the club.

It's that time again. With the new year upon us, and plenty to discuss in the soccer world, it's time for the latest SBI Live Q&A.

Join me at Noon today as I answer questions on all things soccer (and pop culture). Want to talk about the MLS Draft? The U.S. national team camp?

Arsene Wenger said he doesn't expect to sign any new players during the rest of the January transfer window and feels it should be scrapped anyway. Which is a little odd considering we just saw Thierry Henry climb into Emirates Stadium through the window. If he sticks to his word, then Gunner fans shouldn't expect to see the cavalry arrive in the nick of time to save the season from sinking any further.

When I am sitting there at the Bridge this afternoon watching the side we all adore, it never occurs to me just how lucky we are in having the chance to do it week in, week out, it's almost like we take it for granted.
This video I am about to show you below from UselessZ007 on YouTube tells the story of someone in their mid-twenties living in Florida and the couple of days he spent in London over the New Year period.

The Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger told the fans that they could expect to see more of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in the New Year, and he fulfilled that promise by giving him an hour against Leeds this week. But although Wenger is very happy with Chamberlain's progress, he thinks that he still needs to work on his [.

First column of the new year last week, and we managed to purloin £136 from our £50 stake, leaving us with a profit of £86. With a degree of trepidation I decided to state my profit and loss and the bottom of the column each week, something that will come back to haunt me more [...]

Juventus will be at home for the first time in 2012 on Sunday when they welcome Cagliari to the Juventus Stadium. Starting the New Year off with more of a whimper than a bang, Juve did manage to take home the three points from Lecce even if it was a struggle. As Antonio Conte stated afterwards, they will look to build from that match and improve their performance.

At White Hart Lane last night, Tottenham Hotspur beat Everton by two goals to nil. There was nothing particularly unusual about this result apart from the fact that Spurs have occasionally struggled to break Everton down in recent years but this was a result that may just prove to be one of the most important of manager Harry Redknapp's season.

Football has well and truly restarted in earnest after the new year festivities now, and with action in Spain, Portugal, Italy, England and Mexico to report on Argentines Abroad is back as is HEGS for that matter! Happy new year, everyone. ... Continue reading →

Mirror: New Year, new transfer rumours Milan clubs in tug-of-war for Carlos Tevez

MirrorFootball has teamed up with some of the blogosphere's best new writers to bring you even more great football reads every single day. Today it's our Serie A blogger, footballitaliano.

Photo by ISIphotos.com

The long-rumored friendly between the United States and Italy appears to have come to fruition.

The Italian soccer federation announced that the Azzurri will host the United States at Stadio Luigi Ferraris in Genoa on Feb. 29, the first FIFA international fixture date of the new year.

Happy New Year! Dave and Mark are back to try and piece together the RBNY roster puzzle. Who's coming? Who's going? Who's staying? We're then joining by Red Bulls beat writer Brian Lewis who has a very shrewd premonition of a roster prediction. Then the SR boys answer a great bunch of tweets and emails.

Mirror: Cheap pints, changing tyres and the magic of the Cup

Matt Lawrence has played for seven league clubs including Fulham, Crystal Palace and Millwall, for whom he appeared in the 2004 FA Cup final during his 16-year career. Now with League Two Gillingham, his diary will appear on MirrorFootball every Monday.

Mirror: Cheap pints, changing tyres and the magic of the Cup

Matt Lawrence has played for seven league clubs including Fulham, Crystal Palace and Millwall, for whom he appeared in the 2004 FA Cup final during his 16-year career. Now with League Two Gillingham, his diary will appear on MirrorFootball every Monday.

The new year got off to a rough start for Michael Bradley and Chievo Verona as they started the 2012 in the Italian capital with a narrow defeat in Sunday Serie A action against AS Roma.

First game in the new year and we commenced it with where we left off in 2011, with a defeat but the defeat this time, our third in the league already this season was a resounding one. The defeat was...
Continue to the full story

The U-20 Men are pretty busy in Ft. Lauderdale right now while in the middle of their first camp of the new year, but they had time after yesterday's afternoon training session to hear a special message from U.S. Men's National Team head coach Jurgen Klinsmann. Klinsmann spoke to the players via skype, encouraging them to work hard to achieve their professional goals and offering the full support of the coaching staff.

Mirror: Why magical FA Cup 3rd Round weekend is still the perfect antidote to New Year blues

I don't know about you, but each January I find myself poleaxed by the New Year Blues. This black dog, though, doesn't arrive as soon as the Bank Holiday has ended and work once again grinds into motion.

New year, new resolutions! 2011 brought United their long awaited 19th League title, an 8-2 win against Arsenal, a dramatic Charity Shield win versus Manchester City in August, and much, much more. No doubt Sir Alex Ferguson will want to make 2012 an even better year for the club, as the now 70-year old manager [.

The festive period keeps on giving. Or should that be gif-ing. During the Manchester United v Blackburn Rovers match on New Year's Eve, a strange woman wearing binocular glasses appeared on TV screens. A creative poster on Manchester United forum RedCafe has used her rather fetching eyewear to take a pot-shot at current public enemy [.

It's January, as you might've noticed; and if you hadn't I would suggest those New Year's resolutions about not drinking anything that really ought to be kept on a shelf in the shed aren't going all that well. For the rest of you, you know the score. It's the beginning of the year and that can mean only one thing: the always-good-for-a-laugh-don't-believe-everything-you hear-better-off-not-opening-any-tabloid-newspapers-or-football-websites-for-a-month-pick-any-name-out-of-a-hat.

January, the start of a new year, is often seen as a month of hope. Resolutions made as the previous year came to an end are still fresh in the mind as is the belief that they will be maintained. That similar resolutions were made (but not kept) before doesn't matter. This time round will be different, this time round I will make it.

We are still a few days away from the Leeds game and I don't want to step on what will surely be another (auto paste here) splendid pre match from the master himself. But without wishing to step on toes I want to get some thoughts off my chest.

Having spent most of Christmas and New Year struggling to find the back of net I have started to change my mind about the importance of this game and who should be playing.

2011 – A Thank You

It's been a drunken busy Christmas and New Year period and I haven't got round to summarising 2011 on the site. I wanted to take the chance to belatedly amend that now.

2011 was the first full year GhostGoal has been in operation and it's been great that it's developed as it has.

Omar Salgado contributed a goal and an assist during the Blue team's 3-3 tie against the Reds.

As part of its first training camp of the new year, the Under-20 Men's National Team played an intrasquad scrimmage yesterday. The game ended in a 3-3 tie between the Red and Blue teams, three goals coming on each side of the half.

Malaga player Martín Demichelis met with the press today to talk about the midweek Copa Del Rey loss to Real Madrid and this weekend's La Liga match with Atletico Madrid (In Spanish). English Translations below:

COMMENT 1: Copa Del Rey 1st leg last 16 defeat to Real Madrid
Question: Defeat against Real?

Here is Malaga player Martín Demichelis talking about the Copa Del Rey loss to Real Madrid and this weekend's La Liga match with Atletico Madrid (In Spanish). English Translations below:

COMMENT 1: Copa Del Rey 1st leg last 16 defeat to Real Madrid
Question: Defeat against Real?

Excuse me while I cough up an organ, momentarily- I've just made the dreadful mistake of going on a post-New Year jog in weather I can only describe as ‘a bit blustery'. If I don't crumple onto the keyboard before the day's out it'll be a minor miracleeeeeeeeertttttttttttttyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyhjjj.

Whipping Stephen Warnock Ep.20 The O'Neill Appeal by Off The Post on Mixcloud Happy New Year one and all! The Off The Post Podcast is the audio equivalent of a hangover on New Year's Day: uncomfortable at times, occasionally vomit-inducing, but if you get your head down you can just about push through it.

Untold Injury Index – The Festive Round-up Part 1 Gameweeks 17 & 18

By Dale Higginbottom

Happy New Year everyone, I wish you all the best for 2012. After a good Christmas break it's time to catch up a bit on all the injury news over the festive period. We had four [...]

If it had not been for such a difficult start to the season, Arsenal would now be fighting for the title.

And, that includes the loss of points against Wolves at home (unfortunate) and Fulham away (well deserved). The last few games have been disappointing, but Arsenal have gathered 29 points in their last 13 games and during the process it was able to pre-qualify for the CL against a very good Udinese, and win their CL-group against strong opposition with style and dominance.

Newcastle United captain Fabricio Coloccini has admitted that he is palpably aware of Liverpool's interest in him.
However, rather than entertaining thoughts of a move to Anfield in the New Year, the 29 year-old Argentina international, was keen to reiterate his desire to remain at St James' Park.

After a week of unexplainable boat parties, posing awkwardly next to bird statues and unbearable training sessions over New Year's in Dubai, AC Milan finally had enough, screamed 'BASTA!' and took home the Emirates Cup last night.

It's always nice to win something even if it was only 1-0 thanks to Pato's goal.