Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez is spending the international break considering his options for reinforcements in the January transfer window.
And while it is unlikely he will have funds available to make a permanent signing, the Anfield boss will look for a loan striker to act as cover. Click to continue reading...

England winger James Milner is praying that Fabio Capello will give his understudies a chance to take the spotlight before deciding on his squad for next year's World Cup. While the likes of John Terry, Frank Lampard and Wayne Rooney are certain to be on the plane to South Africa, Milner ... Click to continue reading...

After another thumping win, in which we scored four times and went second, it's been interesting to read some of the reaction in the press.

There's no doubt that some of the sceptics have started to take note. We're now thirteen matches unbeaten, and in those 13 games have scored 37 goals. There's even talk that we might break the 100-goal barrier, though surely that's a) absurdly premature and b) asking for a tumble.

Click to continue reading...

After Saturday's dull match against Bristol City (which, I reckon is down to Bristol playing for a draw) the spotlight falls on David Pleat. Apparently, Billy has his eyes on five new players in January (including long-term target Gareth Bale) and wants the transfer acquisition committee to get out of his way. Click to continue reading...

The official Ligue 1 website is proclaiming Sunday's 10 goal thriller between Lyon and Marseille to be "The Game of the Century!" and while that statement is weighed by a tremendous amount of hyperbole, they may not be completely off base. Though the game ended without a true winner at 5-5, insanity prevailed in a number of ways that can hardly be conveyed in a short clip of just the goals, so revel in the extended highlights included above (for now, at least).

Click to continue reading...

Join celebrated football pundit, author, radio show host and DJ Andy Brassell every Monday on the Soccerlens Show.

This week's episode focuses on the Premier League relegation battle (it's already started), and the spotlight is on Portsmouth (who lost their first seven games, just beat Wigan 4-0 and are still bottom of the table) and Hull (who have been lurching from weakness to weakness, but still have faith in their unfortunately named manager).

Click to continue reading...

-
QPR Official Site - RAHIM CALLED UP
Sun 01 Nov 2009
- QPR starlet Rahim Sterling has been named in England's Under-16 squad for this week's international fixture with Northern Ireland.
- Despite being just 14, Sterling has already featured - and scored - for QPR's Under-18s this season, and is widely tipped to achieve great success within the game. Click to continue reading...

This was the face that told the story, as Liverpool was stunned at Craven Cottage yesterday, taking a 3-1 loss with them into their Champions League clash against Lyon this Wednesday. (So much for that Manchester United revival, huh guys?) The loss thrusts the spotlight back on Rafa Benitez. But is such scrutiny deserved? Click to continue reading...

On this week's show we put the spotlight on Honduran football as we continue to take a look at the countries that will be competing in next year's World Cup.

• Read our football news review in the good, the bad and the ugly
• Check out a new football expression in English for Football
• Follow the weekly predictions battle between Damon and Damian in the Predictions competition
• For learners of English check out our Football Language Resources page with:
• Football glossary (a huge collection of football vocabulary, football cliches and football phrases)
• Worksheets and transcripts from previous podcasts
  

Automatically receive the podcast each week by clicking on the icon

Click to continue reading...

Sure we were playing against a third division side last night, but did anyone really think that we'd tear it up like we did against Zaragoza? The way we see it, 2-0 is a great achievement for a lineup of mostly substitutes and B-teamers. Because without those six starters who were rested, there goes most of the defensive strength, the midfield dominance and the attacking creativity. Click to continue reading...

Is the region ready to watch football from another country in the region?
That was a question I posed at the weekend and I sensed a slight sea change.
Since then I see one Singapore cable TV provider is asking customers whether or not viewers would like to see ISL games.
And the ISL itself is also engaged in some kind of research as to whether or not a market exists out there for their product. Click to continue reading...

Don't forget to refresh the page!

Barnsley 0-1 Manchester United

29′ Home crowd starting to make some noise. Not much, but it's still noise. Bogdanovic and Macken have been superb so far. Another chance as I write. Anderson da Silva heads over.

Click to continue reading...

Sam Allardyce was quick to get his excuses in for his side's 5-0 capitulation at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, revealing that two of his players contracted swine flu. Now, ahead of tomorrow's Carling Cup fixture against the league leaders, Bolton manager Gary Megson has revealed that four of his players are now suffering from pig flu.

Click to continue reading...

Sam Allardyce was quick to get his excuses in for his side's 5-0 capitulation at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, revealing that two of his players contracted swine flu. Now, ahead of tomorrow's Carling Cup fixture against the league leaders, Bolton manager Gary Megson has revealed that four of his players are now suffering from pig flu.

Click to continue reading...

As Wenger ponders on the upcoming Carling Cup fourth round game against Liverpool, he now has a decision to be made regarding the goalkeeping situation. Vito Mannone has done well since he had to step in for then injured Manuel Almunia and the boss had no reason to drop him although the Spaniard custodian has returned, fully recovered from his chest infection.

Click to continue reading...

Cardiff City's old Ninian Park grandstand is demolished.

For more on the demolition of Ninian Park, see our stadium spotlight photo series from last week.

Photo credit: joncandy on Flickr, via the Pitch Invasion Photo Pool.

Related posts:

1. Stadium Spotlight: RIP Ninian Park
2. Photo Daily | September 2 | Celtic Park Tifo
3. Photo Daily | November 12 | Chicago Fire Megabandera

Click to continue reading...

Both Clint Dempsey and Tim Howard will be in the spotlight as their teams square off against a pair of Europe's classic heavyweights as Europa League group play resumes. Click to continue reading...

World Cup qualification in South America came to a close with only one change from the previous two campaigns. Brazil, Paraguay and, in the end, Argentina made it through once again, while Uruguay claimed fifth spot, the play-off position, for the third time running. The sole modification is that Chile have qualified instead of Ecuador. Click to continue reading...

Ninian Park, built in 1910, was the home of Cardiff City FC until earlier this year.� The last ever game at Ninian Park was on April 25th, 2009, with Cardiff losing 3-0 to Ipswich Town.

Cardiff now play at Cardiff City Stadium, a 27,000 all-seater venue, and Ninian Park is now being torn to pieces to be replaced by a housing development, as this week's stadium spotlight shows.

Click to continue reading...

�

This weekend geared up the Spanish Premier League again and it showed me how volatile the league is (and how pathetic some of my predictions have been.) I thought the league would turn out to be a little more "cut and dry" this season than most sports leagues...boy was I wrong!

Real Madrid won again (big surprise!

Click to continue reading...

Krisztian Nemeth, Hungary Under-20s' number 9Hungary's progress to the Under-20s World Cup semi-finals in Egypt has brought to the spotlight the country's close links with Liverpool Football... Click to continue reading...

Does anyone know who Adailton is? Or Pablo Counago? And what have they got in common?
Give up? Ok, no need to rush to google: the answer is that they both finished the FIFA U20 World Cup as top scorers (1997 and 1999 respectively) and were considered among the best talents of their generation. Click to continue reading...

Jamie Carragher is a living Liverpool legend. This season more than ever, he has been in the spotlight for what is currently a very volatile Liverpool defense of which he is undoubtedly in charge.

read more

Click to continue reading...

Jamie Carragher is a living Liverpool legend. This season more than ever, he has been in the spotlight for what is currently a very volatile Liverpool defense of which he is undoubtedly in charge.

read more

Click to continue reading...

She only played three games for Sydney FC last season, but Michelle Heyman made them remember her all too well thanks to her two goals in Round 1 against the Sky Blues. She's been thrust into the spotlight, but the 21-year-old kindly took some time out for girlswithgame to let us know a bit more about the Mariners and her own soccer career. Click to continue reading...

Mourinho takes questions from a bunch of really small italian reporters ...and looks really happy for a change.
One of the kids took a particular interest in Mourinho's status as one of the highest earning trainers in football, asking if he gets paid even when Inter don't win.
Mourinho replied: "Usually the Coaches earn more when they have been sacked than when they are working, but I prefer to work than earn more.

Click to continue reading...

During the build up to the World Cup in South Africa, languagecaster will take a look at some of the countries taking part as well as taking a look back at some of the great players in World Cup history. This week we turn the spotlight on one of the less famous South American countries, Paraguay.

Click to continue reading...

Following Sunderland's hard fought 5-2 win over Wolves, Darren Bent was in the spotlight once again. Not only did the English frontman grab a brace (although the second goal has since been declared an own goal by Wolves defender Michael Mancienne), but Bent stole the headlines with his generous act of handing teammate Kenwyne Jones a penalty.

Click to continue reading...

I went and ran my mouth the other day about how Chelsea was tough and they had leadership and that I didn't think they would go undefeated, but that they were stalwarts that were NOT to be messed with.� So what do they do right after I say that?� They lose!� To a club with a losing record!

Click to continue reading...

The "Scottish Football Under The Spotlight" public debate is held at Stirling University this evening. Inside Left hoofs a desperate ball up the park with 10 questions we feel need answering. Click to continue reading...

And so it is Fulham who come under the spotlight of� "All Tomorrow's Parties" the historic (not to say hysterical) analysis of future events named after a Velvet Underground hit.� (Exciting isn't it?) Fulham: who last season caused all the posts of, "This is exactly what I feared would happen" from the people who [. Click to continue reading...

The Real Madrid CF soccer club has revealed their financial records showing record breaking debts. The Spanish club showed that they are at least €327 million in debt ($443 million US) after going on a spending spree with new star players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka, Karim Benzema and Raul Albiol.

Click to continue reading...

Benfica have handed Argentina star Angel di Maria a gold-plated contract in a bid to see off interest from Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal.
The winger is about to sign a one-year extension on his contract that will see his buy-out clause raised from £27million to a prohibitive £45m. Click to continue reading...

After winning his first Champions League game with his new home team of AC Milan last night, he felt like he was on top of the world. And after winning the game 5-2 against FC Zurich he is now certain that his trade to Milan was the best move he's ever made in his life. The team fans have embraced their new star as well as all of the other dream players.

Click to continue reading...

The always lovely always classy Toni Terry is currently in training to appear in an equestrian event at the end of the year. She plans on making her dressage debut at the Olympia Horse Show in London in December.

She's been training with national champ Vicki Thompson to get her in shape for the event.

Click to continue reading...