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No TGIF during the International break, so it gives me a chance to go back to traditional blogging. The subject for discussion this week is the vexed question of silverware at Arsenal football Club. The persistent refrain of Arsenal MUST win something this season if the youth experiment is to be hailed as a success is rather doing my head in. Click to continue reading...

Welcome to the first 'Groan in Brief', a look at recent events that may or may not have anything to do with Arsenal the focus of these pieces will be on any current football stories that I feel like commenting on. Expect the FA, FIFA, UEFA and Jamie Redknapp to be regular targets of ridicule.

The international break seems like a good time to start, given that there's no Arsenal news filtering through, at least until the matches themselves leave the whole squad crippled, so let's get on with it.

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It's been a long, strange trip for young Lucas Leiva since he first stepped foot on the Anfield pitch for the first time in the summer of 2007. The midfielder was a highly publicised signing, after he made his way from Brazilian side Gremio for around £6 million to Merseyside quickly becoming a star-in-waiting.

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In the first showdown between the two teams most likely to be challenging for major honours at the start of the season, Chelsea took one step closer to the Premiership title on Sunday after beating Manchester United 1-0 in a match many felt that United had to win. Chelsea are now 5 points clear of their rivals, and although there is a long way to go have taken the early lead in the title race.

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Arsenal defender Thomas Vermaelen claims the Gunners are in for the long haul when it comes to this season's Premiership campaign.
Arsene Wenger's men are now the closest challengers to Premier League leaders Chelsea, five points behind but with a game in hand, following their 4-1 win at Wolves and Manchester United's defeat at Stamford Bridge. Click to continue reading...

This weekend could be the most important weekend of Chelsea's season and they may be looking back fondly in May when they are lifting the Premiership trophy.

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It was confirmed on Friday that the Chelsea transfer ban was being suspended by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

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Tonight one of the biggest matches in the EPL pitting two of England's Dominant clubs� Chelsea and Manchester United at the Stamford bridge will definitely be a match to watch. Both these teams are separated by just two points in the Barclays Premiership title race.

Chelsea's fantastic start to the season will get better if they beat a Manchester United side that seem to be coping well in their post Ronaldo era.

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Robin van Persie now delivering the form that we always knew that he could provide as long as he stayed fit. With a goal in each of the last seven games� he is fast becoming a major threat to defences in the Premier league and Europe with his quick feet and eye for goal. He lacks only the perfection of his set pieces to truly become the player who alongside Fabregas can fashion a real charge at the premiership title.

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The boys applaud a dazzling barrage of Chelsea Goals this week, and review the Bolton 4 + 4, and preview the Atletico Madrid and Man Utd games. Plus more songs in "We're out to show the world the way to sing!", "Dear Mart" and "You're on CFFC".
We discuss the two 4-0 wins against Bolton this week, and praise Chelsea's flowing attacking football, as well as awarding our Man of the Match, Guinness and Celery Moments and quite possibly Chant of the match. Click to continue reading...

After Sunday's great victory over Man Utd and a very good performance in the Carling Cup defeat to Arsenal on Wednesday, Rafa Benitez must be starting to believe that Liverpool have turned a corner this season and that his side are now prepared to fight again for the Premiership title.
Lets face it, we played United of the park last week and we put in a very good display against Arsenal the other night and were very unlucky to lose that match. Click to continue reading...

Another weekend passes us by and still the big teams are falling over themselves to not take the initiative in the Premiership title race. Of the top 6 teams, only Chelsea won making the league one on the most open in recent history. Over the past few seasons, one or two teams have really stood out come the end of October.

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It's been over 20 years since Liverpool last lost four games in a row and it is time for some changes at Anfield. Rafa Benitez has enjoyed a big support from the fans even though he did little to deserve it but it is more than clear he has taken this team as far as he could. He's had his ups and downs at Liverpool but for the team that should be fighting for honours to lose four games in a row is simply inexcusable.

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It is true. 7 goals this season and� McLeish's Birmingham have scored them all AFTER 75 minutes. (courtesy of optajoe). When it comes for providing entertainment for value, I've heard that the Blues fans are now asking for refunds on free Birmingham city tickets.

So if we click and when we do, we should put Birmingham to sleep BEFORE they wake up.

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Let's now jump forward from Crystal Palace and the Kung-fu nightmare at Selhurst Park in January 1995 to Crystal Palace at Villa Park on Sunday 9th April. Old antagonisms from the league encounter had hardly had time to subside when United were to face Palace again, this time on neutral turf in the FA Cup Semi Final which United had reached by beating Sheffield United, Wrexham, Leeds (yes!

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Assigning points to games is a trait shared by all football supporters. You know the scenario: sitting down with a pen and a list of your team's forthcoming fixtures and coming up with a final points tally. If the accusation of unrealistic ambitions is a fair one, Spurs fans do this more than most.

Trying to be objective is not always easy (‘we're due a draw at Old Trafford, so I'm putting a point for that one') but a glance at Tottenham's next few Premier League games does give cause for encouragement.

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Brazilian star forward and Manchester City� footballer Robinho is often a player rumored to be available for next transfer window in January.� Manchester City was only second to Real Madrid this summer in million� dollar mega� deals for star players and the Blues likely wouldn't mind making some money back off of the star players high demand.

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Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger believes his squad is strong enough to fight for the English Premiership title.

Speaking on Saturday after his side's 2-1 defeat against Manchester United, Wenger said:

We were very strong today. I am very confident, I just hope that this unexpected defeat will not derail their confidence.

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In part two of his season preview, Kais Sabir Jesani explores a key tactical problem that has the potential to derail Liverpool in the quest for the Premiership title this year.
Note: This article was intended to have been published before the first game of the season, but unfortunately, this was not possible. Click to continue reading...

The Ferguson-Wenger relationship has changed and mellowed as the years have gone by, with our manager seeming to chill out and Wenger's team not posing the same threat to our Premiership title. They've even appeared to be friends at times.

Before we won the title, Wenger was pull of praise for us and conceded there was no shame in saying we were the best team.

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Good money after bad?

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Since his arrival at Anfield in the summer of 2004, Rafael Benitez has proven himself as one of the best tacticians around, winning the Champions League in his first season and turning Liverpool FC into a prominent European force.

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Let me start by saying I don't want anyone, Gooner or Liverpudian, to take this as a dig at Liverpool Football Club. I'm merely using them as an example.
In fact, if Arsenal don't win the Premiership title then I hope Liverpool do. I think there is an affinity between Arsenal and Liverpool supporters. Click to continue reading...

The Guardian wrote us off for winning the Premiership title last season, predicting that Luiz Felipe 'He's won the World Cup, you know?' Scolari would lead Chelsea to victory, something RoM of course disagreed with.

Next season is less predictable than most Premiership seasons, it has to be said, with Scolari coming with the potential to be a superstar or a flop.

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Chelsea have just won the Community Shield trophy� and even though it is not a very important one, it will, nevertheless, serve as a big confidence boost for the Blues. With both Manchester United and Liverpool looking weaker than last season, Chelsea seem to have a great opportunity to win back the Premiership title from United.

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Days away from a new Premier League season and reporter Oscar Chamberlain takes a closer look at the up and coming stars ready to make their mark this term.

Kiko Macheda (Man United)

The player who many feel made the difference in last years title race will be sure to feature much more as Manchester United aim for a fourth straight premiership title.

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Midfielder's departure may well have a positive effect at Anfield.

Xabi Alonso's exit from Liverpool may have been on the cards for a while, however it may not be the disaster Liverpool fans are making it out to be. There is not doubt Liverpool are losing a great player, his vision and passing are second to none, however his play in the last third of the pitch was never world class.

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Since the whistle blew on Chelsea's FA Cup triumph over Everton at the end of May, the papers have had a whole lot of business to talk about and the poor little mites who type out page after page of transfer gossip on Teletext ahve gone on long term sick with repetitive strain injury. One thing is for sure, this coming Premiership season is going to be one of the most anticipated in years! Click to continue reading...

Despite struggling to make it into the top four last season, Arsenal's Andrei Arshavin believes the Gunners together with Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United will be favourites for next season's Premiership title.

Speaking to Sport Weekend, Arshavin said:

The champions will be exactly one of those four teams.

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Javier Mascherano allegedly wants to leave Liverpool for Barcelona and the club is apparently desperate to keep the player. If he wants to go then let him go - there are two inexpensive, readily-available players out there that Rafael Benitez could sign with the money who would instantly improve the club's chances of landing a first ever Premiership title. Click to continue reading...

Adebayor moves to City. A five year deal, worth £25 million to Arsenal.

I think Adebayor and Tevez hired the same PR person. It would have been refreshingly honest, if just for once they said it was all about the money. But on cue its never about that.

"People who think that I have joined City for the money are wrong," he asserted.

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The transfer saga involving Carlos Tevez is set to end on Monday, when the Argentine forward will be officially unveiled at Manchester City. A source close to Tevez revealed that the played had wanted to join Chelsea but his family and agents made him stay in Manchester.

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It was quite a season, 2008/09, with possibly the tightest challenge for the title in many a year. Even the battle for relegation was tight for up to ten clubs until the last few weeks of the season, and few would have predicted that outcome at the beginning of August 2008.

The previous season, Manchester Utd had won the premiership title and scraped the European Champions League final.

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Last week, we brought you Sir Alex Ferguson's Greatest XI. This week, we're taking a look at the other side of the spectrum as we name Sir Alex's Worst Manchester United XI.

To err is human, and when you've been in charge as long as Sir Alex has, you're bound to make some mistakes. Maybe the highly touted youngster that you signed and developed doesn't pan out.

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Guus Hiddink's mandate was clear cut. A short term intervention that would halt Chelsea's spiraling fortunes which at one threatened to undermine their CL spot. In that he succeeded magnificently. Instilling discipline, excising self doubt, and getting the best out of players overlooked or playing below par under Scolari.

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Guus Hiddink's mandate was clear cut. A short term intervention that would halt Chelsea's spiraling fortunes which at one threatened to undermine their CL spot. In that he succeeded magnificently. Instilling discipline, excising self doubt, and getting the best out of players overlooked or playing below par under Scolari.

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Reports in the morning's papers suggest that Sunderland, Newcastle and Middlesbrough are all set to sue Manchester United if we field a weakened team against Hull at the weekend.

With the Premiership title already wrapped up and a European Cup final to play three days later, it is ridiculous to expect us to field our strongest team.

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