The International break is over and it is time to get back to Premier League action. The big game this weekend has to be the lunch time match up between Liverpool and Manchester City.

Liverpool v Man City
This is really a huge game for two teams who have Champions League ambitions.

Click to continue reading...

The International break is over and it is time to get back to Premier League action. The big game this weekend has to be the lunch time match up between Liverpool and Manchester City.

Liverpool v Man City
This is really a huge game for two teams who have Champions League ambitions.

Click to continue reading...

They must fall. And so four games in, the Champions League contenders and pretenders have been separated fallen into place for the group stage which, a few spots aside, could've been drawn up in August by a blind chimp and his serf, a man who tans. Breaking down the likelies, unlikelies, and those who are already [. Click to continue reading...

Whatever you can prove on paper about the relative strengths of the two squads, on the day, on the pitch we were out played, outfought, out thought and exposed as mere pretenders to the higher reaches of the league. We were not in the same league as Arsenal. Actually that is the problem: we are.Now let's not get carried away. Click to continue reading...

by CARL ELDRIDGE Allow me to get a few things off my chest as we reflect on the total destruction of the Haringey Pretenders with a highly convincing, highly enjoyable and ultimately an easy-peasy 3-0 win at the home of football yesterday.

First, a quick memo to Robbie Keane who claimed that Harold 'Steptoe' Redknapp's bunch of over-hyped, over-paid under-achievers were an altogether better squad than that of the glorious Gunners.

Click to continue reading...

So, here I am recovering from a pretty rotten weekend. Let's recap. I managed to pick all around the points (Cesc instead of MPet, Milner instead of Gabby, Stuck with Bily over Kightly, etc.) and ended up with 65 points or so. Arsenal couldn't capitalize on a weekend where ManYoo got outplayed and beaten; and the rest of the pretenders (Citeh, Villa, Sunderland, Everton, and Spurs) all Click to continue reading...

It pains me to have to agree with Rafa Benitez. But Mr Zonal Marking is probably right. Not about zonal marking. But on the notion that the top teams will be losing more often this season as the league becomes more open and clubs realize that it's not illegal to play two forwards against the likes of Liverpool and Chelsea.

Click to continue reading...

Morning Insiders, as we edge closer to the International match on Saturday that know one will watch we pick the best of todays news from the daily pappers.

The Sun - Ramsey talks his way to the top AARON RAMSEY is being talked all the way to the top by Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger.

Click to continue reading...

Just over half a dozen games in and the Premier League is beginning to take shape. There have already been some heavyweight clashes with the newly oil rich Man City upsetting Big 4 stalwarts Arsenal while Spurs' flying start was kept in check by Manchester United and Chelsea. With the electric Fernando Torres leading the line Liverpool have steadied the ship after a nervy start and last year's pretenders, Aston Villa, have picked up useful points despite not fully hitting top form yet.

Click to continue reading...

Two words to describe this weekend's action: low scoring. No team scored more than 2 goals during their match, and the highest combined goal total was 3 (Napoli's 2-1 win over Siena). However, a more appropriate word may be clarity, as we now can begin to see more clearly the strengths and weaknesses of many clubs, whether they be contenders (Sampdoria!

Click to continue reading...

Seven goals, seven minutes of added time, seven players from the Big Four in the team of the week. Yes, the big boys claimed back their rightful place at the top of the Premier League table last week, the pretenders of Manchester City & Tottenham slotted firmly into their place. Wins for Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool & Arsenal meant it was a good week for the star names, as well as a few lesser ones too.

Click to continue reading...

I and my fellow Unfortunate, Lanterne Rouge, have spoken several times about our hope that new club blogs will continue to pop up over the next few years. As the platforms become more foolproof and broadband access continues to become de rigeuer, the rise of fan-generated content is inevitable, and the failure of Rivals and a few of its pretenders can only give us fans more impetus to share our Click to continue reading...

I'm in a parallel drawing mood so bear with me.
The last time Spurs won their opening fixture it was 2005. There was an Ashes series on, which was heading to The Oval for its deciding fixture. Spurs had been to Asia in pre-season and had picked up some trivial silverware in the form of the Peace Cup. Click to continue reading...

A pretty light day for the world of soccer, loads of folks are gearing up for the weekend since it is the start of something across the pond from what I hear. I have a couple MLS items to go over, including an update from the trade from earlier today.

First up though is a thought about where the clubs stand as we are in the final third of the season.

Click to continue reading...

While the Columbus Crew has been the biggest surprise of the 2008 MLS season thus far, this weekend's clash with Toronto FC will be a true test of whether they are MLS Cup contenders or pretenders. That's because it is looking increasingly likely that the Crew will be without their star playmaker and leading MVP candidate Guillermo Barros Schelotto, as the Argentine missed his second straight day of training because of a left hamstring strain. Click to continue reading...

The English Premier League is back, and not a minute too soon. After months of transfers and coaches hirings and firings and rumors and speculation on how the new EPL season would eventually shake out, we are finally into the season. No more wondering, the games are on and we will find out soon enough who the real contenders and fake pretenders are.

Click to continue reading...

Three of Rafa Benitez's young pretenders have been given first-team squad numbers for 2008-09.
Damien Plessis, Krisztian Nemeth and Martin Kelly have all been allocated numbers for the first time.
Central midfielder Plessis, who borrowed the number 47 for his debut at the Emirates last term, will wear 28 on a permanent basis. Click to continue reading...

Fifteen weeks are in the books for Major League Soccer and it's clubs. All but three clubs (Toronto, Chicago and KC) have played half or more of their season slate, hell New England has played two or three more than anyone else already. Half way through and we really have a solid understanding about each club [. Click to continue reading...