2007/8 Review

Everton enjoyed another very good season under the stewardship of David Moyes, flirting with Champions League qualification for much of the campaign before finishing fifth. This was despite Everton allowing opponents more attempts on goal than they themselves created. The Toffees were able to overcome this imbalance thanks to some very sharp finishing from their strikers, dead ball prowess, and excellent goalkeeping from American Tim Howard. Click to continue reading...

When McClaren's England won 3-0 against Andorra many fans and pundits attacked the manager and team for not winning against a poorer opposition, tonight Cappello's England only managed a 2-0 victory.

So does this mean that once again that England will struggle and even fail to qualify for a major tournament? Click to continue reading...

Another game, another easy win at the Emirates. It was at times a pleasure to watch, and at other times, agonizing (ok, to an extent) to see the opportunities missed. The final score should have been 6-0. At least. Undue pessimism aside, it was a very good result for Wenger's kids. Important to note that it was Cesc's 200th Arsenal appearance - rather amazing for a 21 year old.

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Now that we've skated past the deals that didn't happen, let's take a look at the ones that did.

The big four

Chelsea signed three Portuguese internationals, Deco, Jose Boswinga and, of course, Big Phil Scolari. Boswinga was terrific in Euro 2008 and looks like adding the pace and attacking verve to the right back slot that Chelsea already have at left back. Click to continue reading...

The English Premier League's official website has a free fantasy football game for those interesting in testing their managerial prowess through the 2008-9 EPL season.
I've set up a league for RailHawks supporters to compete against one another so please feel free to join us in the TriSoccerFan league. Click to continue reading...

I think they're in the same weight class, no? This has such a Rocky IV feel to it...

In fact it's really all for a Men's Health piece (they took the pics by the way) and our favorite Englishman is the cover boy.

Becks, 33, graces the cover, a rare accolade for a British athlete.

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By 1970's Gooner Carlos Vela's fine performances for Arsenal in the pre season friendly games has not gone unnoticed by Sven Goran Eriksson, the new head coach of the Mexican national team. His spies in Europe have been impressed with Vela's prowess in front of goal especially that fine effort against Stuttgart when he rounded Lehmann before slotting the ball into the net off the bar. Click to continue reading...

Liverpool youngster Lucas Leiva has set his sights on the opposition goal as he looks to improve his goal tally during the coming season.

The 21-year old Brazilian, who made his senior international debut last summer, found the net just once last campaign, against Havant and Waterlooville in the FA Cup. Click to continue reading...

Brad Guzan impressed me during his first year with Chivas USA, but it wasn't really for his skill as a goalkeeper. After all, though he showed signs of promise, he was getting lit up regularly from every team in the league back in 2005. But the young goalkeeper was committed to his club's cause, sacrificing himself time and again to make saves. Click to continue reading...

The only positive thing on a otherwise awful FC Dallas team is Kenny Cooper's goal scoring prowess.  His eight goals in sixteen matches has held the team afloat in the western conference (it also helps that the western conference can't win anything against the east).  Any way, his success has interested a couple of teams [. Click to continue reading...

Taken from The Star

Brazilian Pereira wants to end his career in Malaysia
By ERIC SAMUEL
PETALING JAYA: UPB-MyTeam's towering Brazilian striker Edvaldo Goncalves Pereira is seeking a last hurrah.
The 34-year-old football nomad said that he had reached the tail end of his playing career and was contemplating to call it a day after having plied his trade in Portugal, Mexico, Switzerland and China. Click to continue reading...

Fulham midfielder Danny Murphy has tipped his former Liverpool team-mate Jamie Carragher to make the transition into management at the end of his career.

Carragher has long been regarded among the Reds faithful as top-notch coaching material, with many suggesting his leadership and organisational skills far surpass that of club captain Steven Gerrard. Click to continue reading...

From the Emporia (KS) Gazette: Soccer star kicks his way into Shrine Bowl

The three-time all-city, all-region, and all-state soccer star has not only earned a soccer scholarship at Missouri State University, his kicking prowess on the football field has earned him a spot on the 2008 Kansas Shrine Bowl West Squad.

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Every Friday Premiership Talk releases a list of five important things/topics/people to look for in the coming season. This week's special sees Premiership Talk focus on the five goalscorers to look for.

1. Fernando Torres. The pacy Spaniard finished last season with 24 Premier League goals, and he will be looking to better that this season.

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I said it before and I'll say it again. A win is a win. That's three points, and if I'm not mistaken, at least remaining within a shouting distance of sixth place. Not an ideal position on the table when you are nearing the midway point of the season, but with only 11 goals to their name, it could be worse.

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Brazil has produced some of the most potent footballers on the planet. Names like Ronaldinho and Ronaldo (not the Manchester United maestro) spring to mind. But, Brazil has also produced some of the sexiest goalkeeping you'll ever see...goalkeeping, and some may argue goalkeepers as well, or not. Dida and Rogerio Ceni with his goal scoring prowess are two that spring to mind instantly.

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Tottenham boss Juande Ramos has asked Real Madrid to name their price for the Euro 2008 standout Ruud van Nistelrooy. Ruud has been a big part of the Dutch success the past couple weeks, and the Spurs are hoping to capitalize on his scoring prowess. In a sure sign of Ramos' ambitions for the [...] Click to continue reading...

David Villa has been one of the best strikers in Europe during the last few seasons, and after Valencia's disastrous season in La Liga he is very much on the market. In the shop-window or not, his performances so far at the Euros have caught the attention of a fair few prospective buyers.

Crucially, he seems to quite like us. Click to continue reading...

Can the Spanish onions beat the clockwork Oranje?

Spain, football's eternal bridesmaid, seem to have the luck of the Irish on their side after David Villa's last-gasp winner felled the Swedes yesterday, although there is an argument that says you make your own luck in life, as in football. Click to continue reading...

It's entirely possible that Sam Allardyce is in pole position to become the next manager of Blackburn Rovers. After all, he has been interviewed at Ewood Park about the position and has demonstrated his prowess in the Premier League with Bolton. Some might argue he might have done well at St James' Park if he'd [. Click to continue reading...

It's about time the Magpies signed another Peruvian. Little Nolberto Solano was something of a hit at St James' Park, especially with his prowess from free-kicks. Now, Sky Sports report that Kevin Keegan is in the hunt for Juan Carlos Marion, who currently plays for the impressive-sounding Hercules in Spain's second division. Click to continue reading...

Talk about talent, this kid's got bags of it. The aerial prowess of Tim Cahill and the temperament of Zinedine Zidane. Click to continue reading...