Every man and his dog has been asked what they think of Thierry Henry disgraceful cheating this
week which denied Ireland a place in the World Cup.
Eric Cantona is the latest to give his opinion on Henry and seems to imply if he had been
playing, and if was Irish, he would have kicked the shit out of the smarmy twat.
Click to continue reading...
EPL Talk 20 November @ 09:20 AM EST
Since Thierry Henry's handball on Wednesday, the former Arsenal striker's reaction has gone from
arrogance, to indifference to being contrite. From where I sit, this simply proves that Henry is a
Public Relations driven phony. He's cultivated an image for over a decade in conjunction with his
handlers and now sees the possibility it can all come undone.
Click to continue reading...
SoccerLens 19 November @ 12:19 PM EST
France qualified for the World Cup in South Africa in the summer thanks to a William Gallas
header against Ireland in Paris. With French supporters everywhere celebrating, replays showed in
the build-up to the goal, Thierry Henry hand-balling the ball onto his foot to cross. Of course,
that is against the rules and it is very unfortunate that he should have done that however, would
we be complaining if Kevin Doyle had done it for Richard Dunne to score?
Click to continue reading...
EPL Talk 19 November @ 12:02 PM EST
Okay okay, I guess I have to write something about this Thierry Henry hand ball or something.
Here is the obligatory (and slightly sarcastic) background info already reported: The World Cup
playoffs are seeded, seemingly hurting the minnows like Republic of Ireland. Then, Ireland are
given an away game in Paris for the second leg, presumably giving them yet another
disadvantage.
Click to continue reading...
Congratulations FIFA, they've got the World Cup they wanted now haven't they, and I hope their
proud of how they got it. It was a ridiculous decision to seed the World Cup play-offs in the first
place, and ultimately prevent the the hard-work in qualifying of teams like Ukraine, Bosnia and of
course the Republic of Ireland.
Click to continue reading...
Soccerblog 16 November @ 11:19 PM EST
Its all pretty confusing but it seems that Raymond Domenech was complaining that they were
really playing the English B squad. Or some bowdlerized version which of course even if untrue is
used to motivate your players. Which is what got Richard Dunne all bent out of shape. He had been
using Domenech as comedy material before the match.
Click to continue reading...
EPL Talk 15 November @ 04:47 PM EST
Since Randy Lerner appointed Martin O'Neill as Aston Villa manager, the club's fortunes seem to
have changed. No, Villa haven't realistically competed for any silverware yet, but there are
certainly promising signs at the club. Villa have recently appeared to be a club who are a solid
top 6 team, with some promising talent on their books.
Click to continue reading...
Dirty Tackle 13 November @ 09:17 PM EST
The matches to watch after you realize- AHHH LOOK OUT GARETH BARRY THE FLYING GIANT IS GOING TO
NINJA KICK YOU!!!
Saturday
Russia v Slovenia at Luzhniki Stadium The beginning of the end of the long, drawn out
process that is World Cup qualifying is finally here with the first leg of the playoff
fixtures.
Click to continue reading...
WorldCupBlog 13 November @ 08:30 PM EST
(*it's the opposite of Offside Rewind)
FRANCK FIFE/AFP/Getty
Rather than looking back at the week that was, let's look forward to this weekend's World Cup
qualifying games by linking up all the WorldCupBlog previews.
Click to continue reading...
WorldCupBlog 13 November @ 07:00 AM EST
With 23 nations already qualified for World Cup 2010, there are just nine places in South Africa
still up for grabs. Three of those will be decided when African qualifying concludes next
Wednesday. But that's a separate post. The six other qualifiers will be decided by playoffs,
starting tomorrow.
Click to continue reading...
With the Premier League news slowing down, and the World Cup qualification news speeding up, I
figured I'd take the down time that so often comes with international breaks, put the Fantasy
Premier League to the side, and focus a bit on predicting the European World Cup qualifiers...
Caveat: While my predicting/gambling skills have been refined over the past ten years through
various online and offline channels, I rarely go with deep statistical analyses to back up my
predictions.
Click to continue reading...
SoccerLens 12 November @ 04:38 AM EST
February 7th 2009, and "moneybags" Manchester City play a televised match against Gareth
Southgates Middlesborough. City needed to bounce back after a 1-0 loss to stoke, and they very
nearly lost it had it not been for one of Mark Hughes' shrewdest of signings.
Irish international Shay Given was making his first appearance for the Blues.
Click to continue reading...
In the midst of a playoff run, and one win from a spot in the MLS Cup, news from Utah today hint
that Real Salt Lake minority Dave Checketts is close to selling his 49 percent stake in the
club.
According to the Deseret News, Checketts is in the later stages of negotiations with Utah real
estate developer Dell Loy Hansen for the shares Checketts' owns in the club.
Click to continue reading...
By TRAVIS CLARK
In the midst of a playoff run, and one win from a spot in MLS Cup, Real Salt Lake is reportedly
close to seeing a new minority owner buying into the club.
According to the Deseret News, RSL owner Dave Checketts is in the latter stages of negotiations
with Utah real estate developer Dell Loy Hansen to sell Hansen a 49 percent stake in the club.
Click to continue reading...
When Stuart Atwell pointed to the spot after he was adjudged to have handled in the box, Joleon
Lescott's face said plenty. Lescott wore the expression of a player both low on confidence and
struggling for form.
After small steps forward in the goalless draw at Birmingham, it was very much a case of a step
backward in yesterdays 3-3 draw against Burnley, a frustrating fifth draw in succession.
Click to continue reading...
On paper, this shouldn't even be much of a matchup. France has the players with the big names
and the big money.
You know. The ones who get all the press.
Too bad you can't play a match on paper.
Gardiens de but
Shay Given (Manchester City, Ang)
Keiren Westwood (Conventry City, Ang)
Joe Murphy (Scunthorpe United, Ang)
Défenseurs
John O'Shea (Manchester United, Ang)
Richard Dunne (Aston Villa, Ang)
Stephen Kelly (Fulham, Ang)
Kevin Kilbane (Hull City, Ang)
Eddie Nolan (Preston North End, Ang)
Sean St.
Click to continue reading...
After a very impressive start to the season, the recent three game winless run (although
undefeated) has brought one or two frustrations from fans to the fore.
None moreso than the continued form of Micah Richards.
As rapid as his ascent was, coming into the side as a teenager and marking a first team spot as his
own before catapulting himself into the international fold, his subsequent decline has been
anything but.
Click to continue reading...
"I had come from Man United with the slippers, dressing gowns and heated floors. All of a sudden I
was getting changed in a tent, chasing ducks off the training pitch and cleaning up their mess. And
they leave a mess like dogs, believe me."
Steve Bruce fondly recalls the day he left United to join Birmingham. Click to continue reading...
EPL Talk 24 October @ 09:00 PM EST
Maybe it was because it looked and felt like Autumn had truly arrived in England (i.e. blame it
on the weather), but Saturday's Premier League matches were the first boring day of the season thus
far in my opinion. Let's hope Sunday's crop of games will raise the bar a little because Saturday's
matches left an unsatisfying taste.
Click to continue reading...
SoccerLens 23 October @ 06:28 PM EST
You can watch Chelsea v Blackburn Live online here.
Chelsea v Blackburn
Stamford Bridge, London
Saturday 24 October 2009
Kick-off: 17:30 BST
Chelsea Preview
Chelsea are without injured duo Jose Bosingwa and Yuri Zhirkov while Alex and John Mikel Obi
lack match fitness.
Click to continue reading...
Get on that Kevin Doyle trainThis week's
Funny Feeling Friday selection is Wolves' Kevin Doyle (5.4M) who has scored 3
goals in his last 4 games, but is only 3% owned in the Fantasy Premier League. He is - what we may
call - an "against the grain" selection...
Doyle comes cheap, but will continue to go ignored by thousands of fantasy managers as Wolves take
on Aston Villa at home this weekend.
Click to continue reading...
Wolves will host Aston Villa this week at the Molineux this Saturday on ESPN2 (for all of you US
viewers) in what should prove to be a hard fought match between two local rivals. This big derby
match-up will aim to please a near-capacity crowd that will be flooding into the Molineux.
Wolves
Team News:
- Manager Mick McCarthy will be hoping his team shuts down Richard Dunne as he tried to sign him
over the summer.
Click to continue reading...
SoccerLens 23 October @ 05:59 AM EST
It was a weekend dominated by beach balls, by petty squabbles and by surprise results. Defeats
for Chelsea and Liverpool showed the world that the big four monopoly on the Premier League is far
from permanent, whilst in Lancashire Blackburn and Burnley re-introduced the nation to their own,
explosive rivalry.
Click to continue reading...
Lately he's been a man on a mission, and the Republic of Ireland international is hoping to
continue his current form. That's right, I'm talking about Aston Villa center back Richard Dunne.
The man is doing it all for Aston Villa right now, and it is paying major dividends for his
club.
Let's rewind back two weeks you know, before that extremely boring international weekend?
Click to continue reading...
After the rather predictable World Cup qualifiers, the more exciting English Premier League
football resumes. Week 8 features some noteworthy Premiership football news. Firstly, Liverpool
must subdue an in-form Sunderland without Torres and Gerrard. Secondly, Manchester United had a
home tie with the always tough Bolton without Wayne Rooney.
Click to continue reading...
By TRAVIS CLARK
After a lengthy respite for the final rounds of World Cup Qualifying, the Premier League fired
back up over the weekend. Once again a series of unpredictable and baffling results give the
indication that this season of Premier League action could be one of the most open seasons
ever.
Click to continue reading...
By TRAVIS CLARK
After a lengthy respite for the final rounds of World Cup Qualifying, the Premier League fired
back up over the weekend. Once again a series of unpredictable and baffling results give the
indication that this season of Premier League action could be one of the most open seasons
ever.
Click to continue reading...
The European World Cup play-offs were drawn today (October 19) and the Republic of Ireland have
drawn 1998 winners France. The Irish will have to beat the French if they are to make it to South
Africa and the game should be a cracking occassion.
Of course the French are the favourites with the World Cup 2010 betting odds.
Click to continue reading...
First Star: Brad Friedel was in goal for Aston Villa, 2-1 winners over Chelsea at Villa Park.
Chelsea went up in the 15th minute through Didier Drogba, but goals from Richard Dunne (32nd) and
James Collins (52nd) gave Villa three points. The win has Villa in sixth-place with 16 points from
eight games played.
Click to continue reading...
goalpost.tv 18 October @ 01:00 AM EST
Chelsea was shocked at the hands of Aston Villa, as Martin O'Neil's side came off as 2-1 victors at
Villa Park. Former West Ham United Defender, James Collins, scored his first goal for Aston Villa
and handed Chelsea their second successive away defeat in the Premier League Championship. It did
start well for the Blues, as star [.
Click to continue reading...
There is a lengthy article in the Mail today with Joleon Lescott in which he covers quite a wide
number of topics. Of most interest perhaps, in discussing his move to the club he says:
‘Moving to City was one of the best days of my life because it was something I wanted,' he
says.
Click to continue reading...
The great thing about following two football clubs is just as one is making you want to rip out
your own insides from all the wasted chances, awful defending and lack of attacking spirit, the
other comes from a goal down to Chelsea to win it 2-1 completely and utterly against the run of
play thus throwing the Premier league intelligentsia (if you can call it that etc.
Click to continue reading...
SoccerLens 17 October @ 10:08 AM EST
Aston Villa overturned the odds and the form book to beat Chelsea 2-1 after going a goal down
early in the game. It was Chelsea's second away defeat and the shoddy defending on display will
certainly raise questions at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea had taken the lead when Brad Friedel failed to deal with a long-range effort from Didier
Drogba, but they failed to capitalise and conceded goals from set plays either side of half
time.
Click to continue reading...
