In the summer of 2006, Wayne Rooney was sent off during the pre-season Amsterdam Tournament for an innocuous challenge on Pepe, as both players jumped for the ball. It was only a couple of months earlier that Rooney had been sent off against Portugal in the World Cup and Pepe was prepared to use this to his advantage.

Alex Oxlade Chamberlain telling the ball to heel

Alex Oxlade- Chamberlain, another "wide eyed wide player" who Arsene Wenger has chased for 17 of his 18 years of existence is on the verge of joining Arsenal after undergoing a medical. He is from Theo Walcott's former club Southampton and has similar attributes to Theo which sort of makes him redundant.

Queens Park Rangers has already had dealings with Paris Saint-Germain in this transfer window and refusing to sell Adel Taraabt may come back to haunt them.
PSG has entered the race for Joe Cole and with the Liverpool's midfielder's £90,000-a-week wages proving a stumbling block in QPR's loan bid, the French outfit are in pole position to sign Cole.

With football financial fair play rules on he horizon a warning once again has been sent out to football clubs about the potential financial disaster awaiting those who don't curb their wild spending.
A new report by José María Gay de Liébana - football finance specialist at the University of Barcelona - this month warns a "football bubble crash" across Europe if clubs don't start acting responsibly.

The latest of Newcastle United's pre season friendlies sees the Magpies facing Championship side, Leeds United, at Elland Road. Of course, like Newcastle, Leeds are a large one club city, and like Newcastle United, Leeds United are a cautionary tale that even the mighty can fall through mismanagement in the Boardroom.

Untold Arsenal on Twitter @UntoldArsenal By Tony Attwood Updating the squad list for the coming season is in some ways easy after all we have seen the team put out by Mr Wenger in the pre-season friendlies and from this we can start to put together our 25 player list. But to get a [...]

The new season continues to loom large on the horizon, and pre-season friendlies are a chance for clubs to try out their new signings ahead of the season proper starting. Non-League Day's Mike Bayly went to see two clubs from the bottom of football's food chain in their preparations for the new season.

Arsenal.com had an interesting article today with some quotes from Thomas Vermaelen. In essence, the Belgian said that the Gunners have to leave the past behind and make a fresh start from scratch.

Everybody starts from zero and everybody has to start again.

You get a new chance and that's always a good feeling when people give you another chance to win something.

Emmanuel had been advised to 'cover up' during games to stay warm but this was just ridiculousYou won't find transfer rumours discussed in too much depth round these parts. But the proposed loan signing of Emmanuel Adebayor has the potential to polarise opinion amongst Spurs fans in a way not seen since, erm, William Gallas.

Welcome news today is that it looks like Liverpool playmaker, Alberto Aquilani will be staying at Anfield.
The attacking midfielder returned from his loan-spell at Juventus this Summer and he has been very impressive in the pre-season friendlies in the Far East, setting up several goals for his team-mates.

In the seven days since last we spoke there have been some comings, some goings, some to-ings and some fro-ings. The gentle waft of the arriving football season is just beginning to tantalise the nostrils like the scent of a neighbour's barbecue on a balmy summer's evening. The first pre season friendlies are taking place; Harry Redknapp is getting RSI from winding down his windows for reporters and by now Xavi has doubtless done himself a similar mischief from acts of self abuse over his Cesc Fabregas photo album.

The fixtures are out and the pre-season friendlies have started. This is a time of year for unbridled optimism and Swansea City supporter David James can look forward to his team's first appearance in the top division of the game since 1983. They've had quite a journey to get back there, though.

Some of us might be able to spend the day watching Raheem Sterling's wonder strike over and over again, but that doesn't mean there aren't other things out there to worry about from a Liverpool point of view. Besides, a quick break to catch up on the Monday news and notes could do you good...

* First off, God wants a job.

I think I'm gonna drop the Thai Premier League from my list of games to see this season. It's so obvious Buriram PEA will win the title and don't be surprised if Buriram get promoted either. They sit 6th after their opening four games but crucially remain unbeaten.
Back in 2009 it looked like the TPL was on course to become the major league in the region but the nefarious influence of certain individuals, plus your run of the mill incompetence, means that 2010 was, at least in my feeble opinion, a bit of a let down, though I may have had a different view had Bangkok Glass managed to show consistency.

The club has announced that David Beckham will remain with Spurs until the 22nd of February.

The statement reads: "David Beckham has extended his training spell at the club until February 22. The England midfielder will now return to Los Angeles to report for pre-season training with LA Galaxy on February 24.

United States Geared For Influx Of Star Names This Summer As Europe's Elite Prepare For Pre-Season.

Football, or should we say soccer in respect to our transatlantic friends over in the United States, who can look forward to a summer of household names jetting in from Europe for their pre-season tours in preparation for the 2011/12 season.

When you go for a Sunday stroll around the Finnish transfer circus at this time of the year, in this bleak financial and meteorological climate, you would expect to see a sad merry-go-round sitting stranded in the cold, transfer ponies buried under five feet of snow, emptiness echoing in the absence of laughter, shrieks of joy and the sound of little feet of transfer rumours scampering merrily around the ride.

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Last June, the Tribune ran a story that mentioned the Chicago Fire and the Chicago Cubs were at least discussing the idea of bringing soccer to Wrigley Field for the first time since the Chicago Sting played there in 1984.