There's very little that surprises us here at Inside Left Towers these days. When we first heard SFA Chief Executive Gordon Smith blithely announce only days after he sacked his national team manager that those pariahs of the Scottish game, Alan McGregor, Barry Ferguson and Kris Boyd would be eligible for selection by any [. Click to continue reading...

On the AC Milan front during this international break, things are fairly quiet apart from the usual transfer rumours and other little stories that the media loves to blow up. But on the international front much has happened and even though much of it has little to do with AC Milan, I cannot help but [. Click to continue reading...

Now that the bunting has been torn down from between the tenements and the houses and the last of the party revellers bundled into a taxi for the long ride home, the mandarins at the SFA find themselves in a situation that gets less unique with every tournament that passes Scottish football by. But they should [. Click to continue reading...

While the injury to Robin van Persie was disturbing news this past weekend, let's try not to go overboard. Posts on message boards and the like have been raging about how our season is over, etc., etc., etc.... That is hardly the case. Yes, he has been in the form of his life with 8 goals and 7 assists in 15 matches.

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Over the weekend, Nani was keen to stress that his outburst against Sir Alex Ferguson last week did not constitute a ‘bust up' with his boss.

Speaking in a Portuguese newspaper, he was quoted as saying:-

"Ferguson is a very complicated man. He's tough. If things are all right, then they are all right.

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About a week or so ago, I wrote two articles on this site about the perilous state the Scottish game finds itself in. Back then, I bemoaned the fact that the game north of the border was being haunted by events on and off the field, from financial troubles to crowd troubles, from declining standards [. Click to continue reading...

Great changes have taken place at our beloved AC Milan in the last six months. Such changes are set to continue as the club seeks to replace the old guard with the new. Such changes are for the better, though, with the changing of the old guard who really have given us fans so much [...] Click to continue reading...

Yes, that is a serious question. Two players who 'offer more than just goals' as strikers. But how much more? Who would you rather have? Fortunately a member of the Football365 Forum (lol tb x) has done the analysis for us. Read on to see who comes out on top...

A comparison of their goals and assists since Tevez came here:

This is obviously an area where Tevez should win by a margin having played with some of the best players in the world.

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So we are just shy of being one-third of the way through the season and we're already at our third (!) interlull. When we return, it will be crunch time with 11 matches in the next 42 days, including Chelsea at home, Liverpool away, the final CL group stage fixtures, and, of course, City away in the Carling Cup quarterfinals.

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Much has changed since David Beckham first arrived at Milan midway through last season. Kaka is gone, we have a new captain, but most significantly for Beckham, we have a new coach in Leo. Significant in that with the introduction of Leo as coach, we have seen an introduction of a completely different system of [. Click to continue reading...

Despite getting off to a start that has gone beyond all expectations, the football pundits continue to dig around for any reason to stick to their idiotic pre-season predictions of Arsenal's impending doom and gloom. The club is 15-2-2 overall having scored 55 goals, 10-0 at home having scored 33 goals at the Emirates.

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I think these are our most covered topics. We've discussed it here, here, and here, and provided material for Patrick Barclay. If you read those articles (which I don't suspect for a second you will) you'll see our position is abundantly clear. There were two incidents this weekend that fulled the debate one in the United/Chelsea game, and one in the Liverpool/Birmingham game.

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Last week, Stan Kroenke increased his stake in the club 29.9% and I'd like to speculate, along with others, on what that will likely mean for the future of the club we all love. Mostly, I'd like to respond to an article by David Tully that was posted on Football FanCast this past week. Sadly, fear-mongering has been a great feature of this struggle for controlling interest in the club initiated by David Dein in the wake of his exit from the club.

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We haven't done this for a while here are our best three picks for this week and the weeks ahead... Although we make no assurances they will be successful.

1. David Dunn

He's fat, he's round, he's only five point seven million pound... David Dunn. By a margin Blackburn's outstanding performer this season, Dunn has already notched four goals, and in only seven appearances.

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Today, ArsenalStation and, regular guest contributor, Ted Harwood, discuss the merits, deficiencies, and perceptions of Abou Diaby. You are welcome to comment on your take on Abou Diaby.

ARSENALSTATION SAYS: I've had this debate about Diaby for 2 years now.

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Roughly a quarter of the way into the new season and the Big Four have experiences vastly contrasting fortunes. We have a look at them...

Chelsea

Won five from five, on a great run currently, Drogba firing, Lampard re-finding his goalscoring touch, defence shored up.

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With our Champions League match against AZ Alkmaar looming, I am just going to use today to briefly talk about a few issues facing the club this week, including the Fran Merida situation, the impending, or not, takeover bid, and a look back at the delusion that is Spurs', and Harry Redknapp's, view of their side.

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Now updated after the Ukraine and Belarus games (and some 'interesting' feedback) below is the squad we think Don Fabio should take to South Africa, with reason for inclusion - and exclusion...

Who should go... Goalkeepers

David James - Has been first choice for a while now, and we are yet to find a better alternative

Rob Green - He is the closest we have to a better alternative.

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Yup, you guessed it... Michel Platini, better known as the Antichrist, is once again in the media criticizing Arsenal and Arsene Wenger. It is truly amazing how Platini has turned into a one-man crusade against Arsenal and his fellow countryman. We here at Arsenal Station have not long forgotten his psychologically-disturbed rant last season during which he exhibited the full extent of his obsession and disgust with Arsene Wenger.

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I completely missed every single game of football across the British Isles at the weekend. I was too busy to turn on the radio for the Scottish games, and I fell asleep somewhere during the Arsenal-Spurs highlights on the Saturday evening. I was awake long enough to see van Persie scoring, but the next thing I [. Click to continue reading...

As the saga at Rangers continues towards a potentially horrid (or amusing, depending on your allegiances) conclusion, Walter Smith is not the only one concerned at the lack of progress. Over in Edinburgh things are not going according to plan for the Maroon half of the city, as Hearts gaffer Csaba Lazslo says he'll consider his [. Click to continue reading...

The most glaring difference between this and the last AGM is not the shareholders' attitude. It is Arsene. His demeanor was completely different this time around, and with good reason. Though that reason may not be down to results entirely.

Of course, we still get Arsene's standard lines about "belief," the "real spirit in the team," etc.

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Arsene will spend his 60th birthday today at the club's Annual General Meeting with the shareholders, and, unlike last season, a much more cordial atmosphere is to be expected.

I watched the AGM last year and I have to say that the reports in the press made it seem as though Arsene was attacked and strung up by his legs by the shareholders, who went on to poke and prod him but eventually let him go.

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Las tragedias siempre serán eso, tragedias, y como tal siempre existe la necesidad de buscar culpables.

Anoche decía Huerta en espn que todo era culpa de la directiva por ahorrarse unos pesos, difiero en parte, todos los que manejamos sabemos que este tipo de accidentes vienen con la licencia, y que todos estamos expuestos a ellos independientemente de nuestro estado, nosotros podemos venir en nuestros cinco sentidos pero si el que viene de frente se queda dormido poco podemos hacer, tal vez si se hubieran regresado después de su partido (que jugaron al mediodía) el chofer no se hubiera quedado dormido pero eso es entrar en el mundo de los hubieras.

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As Rangers suffer a humiliating defeat in Europe, the SPL's latest initiative to get the Scottish game back on track puts the ball well wide of the goal. Click to continue reading...

Cuando supe que Lebrija tomaba el mando del Guadalajara no hice otra cosa más que aplaudir la medida, pero no sé donde chingados estuvo metido los últimos años que pareciera que se le atrofio el cerebro.

Primero nos sorprendió con la manera tan ojete con la que le dio gas a Luis Manuel Díaz, tiempo después las declaraciones de que querían que la federación pagara el sueldo de los jugadores que quieren concentrar por sesenta días, cuando de antemano sabes que al contratar jugadores de nivel de selección te atienes a lo que la federación disponga, porque aceptémoslo, le guste o no, la selección es prioridad.

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The debate about the Old Firm and their future in Scottish football continues. Inside Left puts its 20p on the edge of the pool table. Click to continue reading...

Brett Chase is a guest contributor to Arsenal Station. He is the Vice-President of the New York City Arsenal Supporters' Club and has supported the Arsenal for a decade. Here, he talks about the position which Cesc finds himself in regarding the media and the constant speculation surrounding his future.

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Ted Harwood is a regular guest contributor to Arsenal Station. He lives in Chicago, IL, and has been an Arsenal supporter for the better part of a decade. Here, he takes a look at the new USA Arsenal site and I follow-up with my own thoughts on it below. Ted also writes about movies, music, and other cultural artifacts on his blog, Running Downhill.

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Que fue lo que hizo Martin Galván? parece que no lo sabremos, el proteccionismo y paternalismo con el que se cuidan los escándalos en México ya está a todo lo que da, se habla de proteger a los afectados pero realmente en vez de escarmentar se está encubriendo a los responsables.

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Fue en el mejor momento, con un parón de casi tres semanas la directiva canina decidió darle las gracias a Wilson, ahora tienen un pequeño margen de tiempo para buscar quien tomara las riendas del cuadro fronterizo.

No fue una decisión complicada, los resultados simplemente no llegaron y quedan pocas chances de mantenerse en la pelea en este torneo, Wilson logro el mejor futbol para la oncena tijuanense en el pasado año futbolístico, aun así fue insuficiente para alzarse con alguno de los dos campeonatos, el haber sido el equipo que más puntos logro a lo largo de los dos torneos y la larga racha invicta del equipo en el estadio caliente de poco sirvieron

Sus números con Xoloitzcuintles; 69 juegos oficiales disputados, 33 victorias, 20 empates y 16 derrotas.

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Sorry about the long title, I know it's a bit obnoxious, but I like it so it's staying. Also it's a bit cryptic, so without further ado let me explain. I have dual citizenship and make frequent trips back to the motherland (i.e. England), but I live in America and interact predominantly with Americans.

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It never fails. Every interlull brings the inevitable 'Cesc-to-Spain' stories. Cesc to Barcelona, Cesc to Madrid, Cesc to Malaga, etc... Now, apparently, following their loss to Sevilla, Madrid once again are making noise. Arsenal have reportedly received bids of up to £60m for Fabregas over the last two seasons and each time the player and the club rejected them.

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There has been much talk lately of the possible sale of Milan to a number of investors, most notably Rezart Taci the Albanian oil tycoon. I have for one have advocated that perhaps it is time for Silvio to sell and move on. Milan are really struggling this season as a result of Silvio's refusal [...] Click to continue reading...

Ante la falta de Gio y la lesión del perro es obvio que la selección va a andar algo corta de talento al frente, Quien es el jugador más indicado para semejante trabajo?

Según todos los que estamos al tanto de la selección desde aficionados hasta pseudoperiodistas y periodistas es Zinha, la consigna era clara, si había un momento en que Zinha seria convocado era este, sin embargo, Aguirre no solo no lo convoco, sino que además con el jugador que el elije deja muy claro que no tiene la mas mínima intención de llamar al jugador del Toluca

Juan Francisco Palencia es un jugador de quien su profesionalidad no está en tela de juicio, pero no cubre el perfil del jugador que falta en la selección, además de que no pasa exactamente por su mejor momento, además es un secreto a voces que Palencia tuvo un altercado con Aguirre durante la copa del mundo de Japón corea y que ambos no terminaron de las mejores maneras.

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