Written by fatgingergooner

With 3 defeats in the last 4 games and an unconvincing win against Leeds in the last round of the FA Cup, Arsenal fans were feeling far from optimistic ahead of this 4th round clash against Aston Villa.

Rumour had it that the Gunners injury list was starting to ease, and so it proved with Sagna, Henry and Arteta all named on the bench and also the young Frenchman Coquelin was deputising at right back.

Written by fatgingergooner

With 3 defeats in the last 4 games and an unconvincing win against Leeds in the last round of the FA Cup, Arsenal fans were feeling far from optimistic ahead of this 4th round clash against Aston Villa.

Rumour had it that the Gunners injury list was starting to ease, and so it proved with Sagna, Henry and Arteta all named on the bench and also the young Frenchman Coquelin was deputising at right back.

Sandwiched in between the utter naivety of the first seven or eight years of your life and the predictable yawn of teenage anxiety, there's a golden age in childhood. It's that age when climbing trees, skimming stones and dressing as a one-eyed buccaneer is not only immensely enjoyable, but also immensely important.

Sandwiched in between the utter naivety of the first seven or eight years of your life and the predictable yawn of teenage anxiety, there's a golden age in childhood. It's that age when climbing trees, skimming stones and dressing as a one-eyed buccaneer is not only immensely enjoyable, but also immensely important.

In case you're not a regular visitor to the SBNation Soccer hub, today we held our annual mock MLS SuperDraft wherein each one of us blog managers takes on the role of our respective club's General Manager/Head Coach and picks in the same order as they would. It's quite fun, even though I'm usually wrong (2011 mock SuperDraft).

Philadelphia Union

The Union's Central American pipeline continued to flow with the announcement this morning of the signing of 26-year-old Costa Rican left back Porfirio Lopez, one day after the announcement of the signing of Panamanian midfielder Gabriel Gomez and two weeks after the signing of Costa Rican forward Josue Martinez.

Sao Paulo midfielder Lucas, who is wanted by a host of top European clubs, has ruled himself out of a possible move to Manchester United in the near future, insisting that his desire is to remain in Brazil for the foreseeable future.
The midfielder is being closely monitored by bitter rivals Liverpool, who will be relieved by the news that Lucas is unwilling to negotiate for the moment, as Dalglish's side would almost certainly represent a second choice for the in demand star.

With Szczesny already securing a firm hold on the number one spot of Arsenal, and Fabianski not happy as the second choice keeper, will the young Italian Mannone now get his chance to shine at Arsenal? Signed from Atlanta in 2005, Vito Mannone has a lot of potential to be a great shot stopper in [...

Another abject performance from Marouane Chamakh in the League Cup match against Manchester City, overshadowed by Park Chu-Young despite the South Korean's average performance, will have cast even more doubt on his "second-choice" position in the pecking order of strikers. Recently he had this to say about having the bit-part role at the club: "It [.

Tottenham's Brazilian goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes could be on his way out of the club after he had a ugly altercation with coach Harry Redknapp. Apparently, this latest burst up comes as a result of built up tensions between the player and the coach dating back to Tottenham's opening league fixture against United in August.

Kolo Touré's move to Manchester City in 2009 led to him being labelled as a money-grabber and as a player who failed to repay Wenger's trust in him since his arrival at the club in 2002, and it now seems that the risk he took didn't pay off. As well as finding himself second choice [...]

I visit my neighborhood Whole Foods almost every day. And when I stand at the store's overly complex recycling labyrinth, straining to make the most Earth friendly decisions on its flummoxing array of choices, it really is one of the hardest things I do every day.

Then again, I don't have to vote on Major League Soccer's MVP and other awards every day.

About the domestic league...

...sort of.

Let me explain.

First, the schedule of events over the next four or five days. Today, "voting" on MLS Awards "Part I," Saturday, more, Sunday more, Monday "voting" on MLS Awards Part Final (Best XI). Note, on that Best XI, TSG won't chicken out and go with three defenders LAME!

Influential Everton center back Phil Jagielka has praised teammate Leighton Baines, telling the club's official website that the left back has been the club's "best player" in recent years.

Despite a convincing defeat at the hands of Chelsea on Saturday, Baines will welcome the comments as Fabio Capello begins to contemplate his squad for next summer's European Championships.

Could Spain's second XI beat England? - originally posted on Soccerlens.com

While watching David Silva and Spain dismantle a dogged and compact Scotland on Wednesday, it struck me: this was hardly Spain's best outfit and they were dominating.

Silva cemented his bona fides as one of the top half-dozen players in world football and Spain, with a team featuring second-choice players like Thiago Alcantara, Jordi Alba and Santi Cazorla, passed Scotland into an uneasy submission.

For some it was the sort of day where one points to the end result—a victory at Goodison—as being enough, as being the only thing that really matters after a far from convincing performance. There was Luis Suarez, who scored a goal in the end though his touch often seemed heavy and his play a step off the pace.

After the disappointment of missing out on the Champions League places last season, followed by losing badly to the two (albeit strong) Manchester clubs in our opening fixtures this campaign, for most Spurs fans it is great to see that manager Harry Redknapp finally has selection problems in a good way.

Frings: Suspended due to impaling with footTORONTO FC (3rd) VS. PUMAS UNAM (1st)
CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE - GROUP C
　
BMO FIELD - TUESDAY 8PM ET
TV: SETANTA CANADA
　
THE KICKABOUT:
Many are saying Aron Winter gambled and lost in playing, and tiring, his 1st Team against Chivas USA on Saturday.

Nicolas Anelka to MLS? It nearly happened last month. And it could still happen yet. A team "on the West Coast." Hm... wonder who that could be? As Andre Villas-Boas settles into Chelsea and maps out those players that are his players and those that are not, Anelka was a second choice striker last weekend even as Didier Drogba gets his head screwed back on.

Transfer deadline day deals: The view from the Championship is a post from: Just Football

WHILE the lavish spending of the Premier League's big boys captured most of the limelight on transfer deadline day, there was also plenty of business done in the second tier. James McMath looks at some eye-catching signings made by Championship clubs.

Seattle Sounders celebrate their goal against Monterrey. (Photo via MLSSoccer.com)

FC Dallas will always get the credit for the first one, but the Seattle Sounders may get credit for winning the first big one.

The Sounders did the unthinkable last night by fielding a team of half reserves and half starters against the defending CONCACAF Champions League champions, Monterrey and came up with a huge 1-0 win in Mexico.

Its seems that Town's Barmy Army is once again divided.
One half are angry that Paul Jewell played a second choice team last night, effectively dumping us out of the one ray of joy we had last year - the Carling Cup.
The other are relieved, if bothered at all, that we don't have to worry about losing players to injury and exhaustion in 'The Mickey Mouse Cup'.

Back when I was a general assignment sports writer I covered countless introductory press conferences, where new coaches were paraded out and then queried about directions, philosophies and what not. Mostly these were college football and basketball coaches, but I helped cover a few professional coaching introductions, too, when it was "all hands on deck.

AC Milan boss Massimiliano Allegri sees Liverpool's Alberto Aquilani as 'second choice' to Riccardo Montolivio

Italian champions have identified the Fiorentina man as their priority, with the Merseyside midfield misfit pushed to the bottom of a list of targets by CEO Adriano Galliani

View the full story here: Goal

A news article on 2011-08-02 17:36:00 from: Goal

This news item has been reproduced from today's media.

Since arriving in Washington, Dwayne De Rosario has transformed D.C. United into a side to reckon with in the Eastern Conference.

De Rosario, cast off by the floundering New York Red Bulls, provided further evidence over the weekend as his two goals gave United a 2-0 win away to San Jose Earthquakes.

While it's impossible to know how much to read into team selection for pre-season friendlies, it would have been interesting for some supporters to see Carlo Cudicini take over the gloves for our first game against Kaiser Chiefs before handing them over to Brad Friedel for the follow up against Orlando Pirates.

Losing two important players already in the summer transfer market, Aston Villa, finally started to rebuild their team and the goal keeper position is the first area which they decided to start by signing Shay Given from Manchester City.

The Republic of Ireland international goalie is always being considered as one of the best keepers in the premiership and acquiring him is believed to be a great piece of business for Villa.

Alexander Doni will complete Liverpool move before the weekend agent

Roma's second-choice goalkeeper will put pen to paper on a switch to Anfield on Friday, his representative confirms, having been deemed surplus to requirements by Luis Enrique

View the full story here: Goal

A news article on 2011-07-14 16:55:00 from: Goal

This news item has been reproduced from today's media.

Karina Maruyama, #18 in blue, from AICFoto.com(Note: This is crossposted from our sister-site, MLSTalk.com).

July 9, 2011: One of the most memorable days in Women's World Cup history.

If there was anything that could upstage the brilliant cat-and-mouse match won by France over England, it was a determined Japanese squad that deposed the host nation Germany with a stunning extra time goal.

Karina Maruyama, #18 in blue, from AICFoto.com

July 9, 2011: One of the most memorable days in Women's World Cup history.

If there was anything that could upstage the brilliant cat-and-mouse match won by France over England, it was a determined Japanese squad that deposed the host nation Germany with a stunning extra time goal.

-
- Today's QPR Unveiling Comments
-
- Throughout the day, the QPR Report Messageboard has news updates, comments and perspectives - even links to other board comments of interest re QPR matters (on and off the field) along with football (and ONLY football) topics in general.

So Toronto FC made quite the splash yesterday with their Designated Player signings of German defensive midfielder Torsten Frings and Dutch striker Danny Koevermans. Both are impressive in their own right, if not a little old at 34 and 32, respectively. Certainly doesn't help MLS's reputation as being a "retirement" league, but I suppose that won't change for a while.

cover photo by Michael Long

The Independence downed Florida for the second consecutive week at Quick Stadium on the campus of Widener University. Philadelphia dominated the game much like they did last week, but unlike last week, their finishing could be described as sub par as they only found the net three times compared to six last week.

There's nobody knows what it's like being a second choice goalkeeper than Steve Harper. Steve Harper - big challenge this pre-season And Steve will hold that experience in good stead when he fight sit out with Time Krul and Fraser Forster this summer, when Alan Pardew has to decide who will be Newcastle's number one [.

SOURCE: REPUBLICA
KATHMANDU, June 20: Mega Three Star Club registered a 3-1 win over Saraswoti Youth Club on Monday to climb to third position in the Martyrs Memorial Red Bull A Division League Football Tournament at the APF Ground, Halchowk, while New Road Team (NRT) was held to a goalless draw by top flight debutant Swayambhu Club.

SOURCE: REPUBLICA
New Road Team (NRT) beat 10-man Yeti Airlines Himalayan Sherpa 2-0 at the Halchowk ground to hand the latter its second defeat of the league in a row.
Michael Muyawa and Aaron Blackie Cole scored the goals within three minutes to Sherpa hard hit by absence of its key players -- Jagjeet Shrestha, Castory D Mumbara and Oryek Allan.

Pressed into duty as a forward, Real Salt Lake's Jean Alexandre delivered a goal and an assist in his team's 2-0 victory over the Vancouver Whitecaps.

On Monday, Alexandre was voted MLS Player of the Week by the North American Soccer Reporters. The goal was the first in the Haitian international's MLS career.

Liverpool goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi is set to leave Anfield on a season long loan according to manager Kenny Dalglish according to reports on Sky Sports.
Gulacsi has been with Liverpool since 2007 but is yet to feature for the Reds and is currently the second choice keeper at the Merseyside club.

There hasn't been many peeps out from the Camp Nou regarding Cesc Fabregas lately but I'm sure there will be over the summer.
I have heard and seen little snippets. Apparently after the Champions League final Carles Puyol said: "I'm convinced Cesc will play with us soon."
It does make me wonder though.

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. In a disaster of epic proportions, the Revolution were pounded for five goals as a spirited Sporting Kansas City side staked a 5-0 victory to earn a U.S. Open Cup tournament berth Wednesday night at the Blue Valley District Activities Complex.

The goals came early and often for the home side, as Chance Myers (9′, 19′) and C.