Roberto Mancini says Manchester City are still in with a chance of retaining their Premier League title if Sergio Aguero plays like he did against Leeds United in yesterday's FA Cup clash. The Italian gave a downbeat interview following last weekend's defeat to Southampton in which he all but conceded the title to rivals [.
Sahin, welcome to Anfield...
Image: telegraph.co.ukLiverpool welcome Mancini's side to Anfield on Sunday as they look to
improve on their performance against West Brom last weekend. Most fans looking at this fixture
would agree that anything is a bonus and so the pressure is somewhat off, this is the kind of game
last season that we'd come out in and we always seemed to fair better against bigger opposition,
but will it be the same again for Brendan this year?
(UPDATE: Despite reports that Rangers set a world record for a fourth-tier match, they're still
a ways behind Brazilian club Santa Cruz, who had as many as 59,966 fans for a Serie D match last
season.)
Rangers fans showed their optimism and support for the post-liquidation club at the first
match of the season -- a Scottish Communities League Cup first-round win against East Fife at Ibrox
-- but they turned it into a new record on Saturday.
Arsenal Fans Of course they have every right to be worried. They have lost the Player of the Year
and their captain. Without Van Persie last season they would have finished 12th. But there are
reasons for optimism. Olivier Giroud was the top scorer in Ligue Un last season and Lukas Podolski
has only four [.
Southampton boss Nigel Adkins says his players will not be intimidated by the Premier League and is
confident they can avoid relegation. But is this wild pre-season optimism or foolish naivety?
A couple of years ago, the three teams who were promoted to the Barclays Premier League were
virtual certainties to go straight back down as smaller clubs struggled to keep up with the big
boys when the going got tough.
To be honest with you, even though AVB wasn't my first choice (Laurent Blanc was), the optimism in
me has started swelling up. Something's telling me that we'll be pushing on further with Andre
Villas-Boas as head coach.
Look, I loved Harry Redknapp. I really did. He did a fantastic job for us when he came in so let's
give the guy credit.
Arsenal vs Chelsea preview, line-up and score prediction. by KJ
It's strange going into a game against Chelsea with optimism abundant amongst the Arsenal fans. Whether this optimism comes from knowing that Drogba won't be playing tomorrow, I don't know. All I know is that the Ivorian has been a thorn in our side for many years.
Van Persie and Song may be gone but Arsenal have cause for optimism - originally posted on
Soccerlens.com
The inevitable questions over who will now score the goals for Arsenal were particularly
pertinent in the aftermath of a 0-0 draw with Sunderland which suggested they were already missing
their Dutch talisman.
I have to say, the general pre-match feeling among the Arsenal fan-base was one of unprecedented
optimism; which was surprisingly heartening to see, after another summer which, on the face of it,
has been punctuated by the club selling important players to direct rivals and taking sideways
steps rather than forward ones.
I think it's probably fair to say that most Gooners are approaching Saturday's season opener
with a mix of anticipation and expectation.
Or, to put it another way, excitement tempered by a nagging concern (like the way you might feel
if your most reckless friend invited you for a spin on the back of his new motorbike).
I think it's probably fair to say that most Gooners are approaching Saturday's season opener
with a mix of anticipation and expectation.
Or, to put it another way, excitement tempered by a nagging concern (like the way you might feel
if your most reckless friend invited you for a spin on the back of his new motorbike).
United Still Chasing RVP: by SV There has recently been a short burst of optimism surrounding RVP's
future, amid reports of a U-turn on the part of Robin van Persie, but we have been soundly brought
back down to Earth again with a statement made by Alex Ferguson. Following United's penalty defeat
to Barcelona, the [.
After Arsene Wenger's close season signings of Lukas Podolski and Olivier Giroud, things were
beginning to look up at the Emirates. But then came Robin Van Persie and his earth-shattering
'message' for the fans on his personal website revealing his desire to leave north London. Suddenly
optimism turned to gloom, frowns remaining upside down for [.
After Arsene Wenger's close season signings of Lukas Podolski and Olivier Giroud, things were
beginning to look up at the Emirates. But then came Robin Van Persie and his earth-shattering
'message' for the fans on his personal website revealing his desire to leave north London. Suddenly
optimism turned to gloom, frowns remaining upside down for [.
You have to admire Olivier Giroud's optimism in turning down a club that has just won the FA Cup
and the Holy Grail of the Champions League, for a club that hasn't won a trophy for seven years!
Even though I am an Arsenal fan I am extremely impressed that he believes in Arsene Wenger [...]
I went into Wednesday's game with a slight ray of optimism and hope that f the Portland Timbers
were able to focus and win on the road -- for the first time this season -- that they would then be
in a decent position and shape to make a daring late-season play off run. As slight a chance that
might be, it was there prior to the game against the Colorado Rapids.
There was plenty of optimism going into the Portland Timbers road match against the Colorado Rapids
after the Timbers finally beat the Rapids on August 31 after defeats in their previous three
meetings. The luster fell off after the Rapids scored a goal in the 6th minute from Andre Akpan,
and things didn't get much better later on as Colorado put in two more to earn a 3 to 0 victory
over Portland.
After a long break in the schedule, the Portland Timbers returned to action in Los Angeles to play
the Galaxy. While there was plenty of optimism after a player trade and improved practices, the
road woes continue to plague the boys in green as they lost 1 to 0 behind a Todd Dunivant goal from
a corner kick.
Antonio Cassano scored his debut goal for Inter but it was not enough to keep Zdenek Zeman's
Roma team plundering three in return. Check out Marquinho's goal from the tightest of angles. A
sliver of daylight and that is all that was needed.
Michael Bradley is out with a quadriceps injury and will not feature in the US national side's
upcoming World Cup qualifier against Jamaica.
West Brom got off to a good start to the season, beating a lacklustre Liverpool 3-0, whilst Spurs
got off to a somewhat promising start but lost 2-1 to a luck-riding resilient Newcastle.
In a nutshell, the West Brom fan forums are of the view that they have got slightly stronger since
last season, whilst Spurs with the loss of Modric (he's dead to me), have got slightly weaker.
Xabi Alonso today expressed his delight at the appointment of Brendan Rodgers as Liverpool
manager.
The midfielder was speaking from Spain's base at the European Championships in Poland and
Ukraine, where he and his teammates were busy preparing for their opening fixture against Italy on
Sunday.
Tony Tchani (left) and Benny Feilhaber battle for position during the Crew's visit to Gillette
Stadium on Jun. 16. (Photo: Kari Heistad/CapturedImages.biz)
Talk about a tale of two halves.
In the first 17 games of the season, the Revolution were a team with realistic playoff hopes.
No, really.
Yoi just have to admire the optimism that pervades in Indonesian football. No one has a real idea
when any new season may start or what it will look like yet both leagues carry on regardless.
This year's rebel league is now hosting the Divisi Utama play offs for the right to play in next
season's Indonesia Super League.
What a mess. TFC played for a new coach tonight , Paul Mariner's debut, but the same old team wore
the shirt. A different formation as TFC returned to the traditional 4-4-2, but the players seemed
keen on demonstrating that they can be beaten in any formation. The first half was hard to watch.
While last year there was hope and optimism ahead of the new season, this year there is nothing but
fear and anxiety. Amid yet more scandals and Italy's impressive run to the final of Euro 2012, it
has been a typically dramatic summer on the peninsula. But, as far as drama goes, Milan have taken
[...
Along with Spain and Germany, the Dutch were pre-tournament favourites, but they went home with
three losses out of three games and exit Euro 2012 along with the Irish as the only teams to have
gained zero points for their efforts in Poland & Ukraine.
Greece caused an almighty upset in 2004 when they went all the way and won the European
Championships and they are again playing the role of over-achievers, having defied derision to make
it into the knockout stages at Euro 2012.
Fernando Santos' side was written off before a ball was kicked and they did nothing to promote
any real optimism with their opening draw against Poland and subsequent loss to the Czech
Republic.
In the final days before Euro 2012 kicks off, questions abound over how far England can
realistically go this summer. As the injuries continue to mount, optimism steadily decreases over
England's chances. Yet, could lowered expectations work in...
Pre-season previews used to be easy. Analyse the players, add the manager's likely tactics,
stir in a liberal dose of unsubstantiated optimism masquerading as hitherto unfilled potential and
there you have it. Swift appraisal of a few rivals, think of a possible final finishing position
then go two places higher and pretend you know what you are talking about.
I thought that Roberto Di Matteo's press conference yesterday was impressive. It comes as no
surprise really because of the way he handled himself here with the media ever since he took over
the club, but yesterday bearing in mind it was his first "official" press conference as an
installed, permanent manager, he spoke with plenty of optimism.
[T]he optimism with which the season began didn't take long to evaporate. Perhaps they were just another dispiriting example of modern football's culture of instant gratification, but the boos that greeted the half-time whistle in our opening match at home to Blackpool were loud and clear. In what some might refer to as a quirk of the fixture list, this opening match was a repeat of that which ended the previous campaign.
Thinking about what to write this week, I wrestled with two potential introductory statements.
One would be to take you through the moments leading up to, and after, Chicago's opening goal from
my perspective. The other option is similar to the first, except its just a string of unforgivable
obscenities punctuated by a tear-soaked laptop.
The season is here, ready or not! After a most traumatic summer, there is more a sense of anxiety
and hope rather than confidence and optimism ahead of the new campaign. Max Allegri will have his
work cut out for him getting this motley crew to finish in the top three, let alone challenge for
[...]
The SPL is back. Games have been played, points have been won. Hibs fans have been depressed all
over again.
Robbie Devine takes a look at the weekend:
Saturday August 4 2012 saw the start of a new experiment in world football, the kick off for a top
tier championship in which the race for the runner-up spot is the main aim for the majority of
sides rather than the mounting of a championship challenge.
There has been much talk of change in Indonesian football over the last 18 months but, to be
brutal, there has been no action. The sins of the previous set up are being continued by the new
regieme willingingly or not. For all their fine words nothing is being translated on to the pitch
and that, ultimately, is how they will be judged.
Huzzah! Two home matches against two of the best teams in the Eastern Conference and the Dynamo
take the full six points. You could not have asked for a better set of results from the team and in
return, optimism is high among Dynamo fans. Thanks to a brace from Calen Carr and a late first half
red card shown to Sporting Kansas City's Peterson Joseph, the Dynamo downed the conference leaders
2-1 last night at BBVA Compass Stadium.
As expected, D.C. United officially announced they would introduce new members of the club's
ownership on Tuesday afternoon. Current owner Will Chang and club president and CEO Kevin Payne
will be on hand with the new members of the expanded group and they will all discuss the future of
the club, with the topic of a soccer-specific stadium surely to be addressed.
Using the Opta Chalkboard to analyze the FC Dallas playmaker
Article by Anders Aarhus
To say it's been a tough season for FC Dallas would be an understatement. Plagued by injuries to
key players throughout the season the team has won just three games and is dead last in the Western
Conference on 15 points.
Patrick Vieira is writing about les Bleus for the English-speaking world in a column in the
Telegraph.
In his article this morning, he leads with the highly optimistic premise that France's front
three of Nasri, Benzema, and Ribery will be the key to the France-England match because they're so
awesome.
