This is veeeeeery interesting:

This paper evaluates the extent to which the performance of English Premier League football club managers can be attributed to skill or luck when measured separately from the characteristics of the team. We first use a specification that models managerial skill as a fixed effect and we examine the relationship between the number of points earned in league matches and the club's wage bill, transfer spending, and the extent to which they were hit by absent players through injuries, suspensions or unavailability.

Yohan Cabaye has been suspended for three matches. Yohan Cabaye three match suspension Newcastle midfielder had been given a three match suspension for violent conduct in the FA Cup game at the Amex Stadium on Saturday - as was expected. This is what the FA put up on their web-site after the hearing today: At a Regulatory Commission hearing [.

We've noticed before that on the Premier League telecasts they seem to look for bad fouls that were not given and keep showing the video again and again. Yohan Cabaye - Pardew defends his player That happened in the Manchester City vs Tottenham game, and it ended up with Balotelli getting a four match ban, [.

LeagueSpy.com A definitive and comprehensive betting guide to world football - originally posted on Soccerlens.com

Football betting can be a great investment or a waste of money, with an ever-increasing number of people deeming themselves football experts and putting their money where their mouth is on a daily or weekly basis, only to see their hard-earned cash taken from them.

The Arsenal defender Laurent Koscielny has improved incredibly this season but has had his defensive partners changed, practically weekly, as injuries and suspensions have played havoc with the Gunners back line. But the French international says that it is too easy to simply blame injuries and the defence for Arsenal recent bad results, and says [.

I appealed because I obviously completely disagreed with the interpretation of the officials on the day but that happens in football and we move on. I wonder though if we are now going to see an unprecedented wave of red cards on match days because we sanction "if's" and "maybe's"? Are we going to look back at video evidence for every single challenge that goes unnoticed by the officials, look at different scenarios and potential outcomes of what could have been considered a good tackle and then sanction it?

Well it's that time of the year again when managers sit down and access his playing squad. With injuries, suspensions and some players not living up to the reputations or price tags there should be a few transfer dealings to help push Liverpool back into the top 4.

Remember all the action of 2011 January transfer window?

Well it's that time of the year again when managers sit down and access his playing squad. With injuries, suspensions and some players not living up to the reputations or price tags there should be a few transfer dealings to help push Liverpool back into the top 4.

Remember all the action of 2011 January transfer window?

FA officials studying the video of Manchester City's 3-0 win over Liverpool have retrospectively awarded Martin krtel an imaginary three game ban following Roberto Mancini's persuasive waving of an imaginary card.

The Imaginary Appeal panel is set to meet on Thursday to imagine what punishment they imagine would be appropriate.

"I wonder what Wenger will blame this time?" Those were the words of a clearly delighted Fulham fan to his mate on the bus to Clapham Junction after the late winner denied us at Craven Cottage last night.

After all,it struck me that, despite Djourou's sending off we were, to use a Wenger word, inefficient in front of goal in the first half and then went to sleep at the death when Zamora hit the winner.

Wayne Rooney will play against Newcastle United tomorrow night, after being suspended for the game against Blackburn Rovers over the weekend, which ended in a 3-2 home defeat for the Red Devils. Wayne Rooney will play at St. James' park tomorrow night Manager Alex Ferguson has said that Wayne Rooney will be recalled against us tomorrow, after being [.

We hate to bring this up but Yohan Cabaye put in a terrible tackle last night on Jay Spearing and he could be suspended. Yohan Cabaye likely will get three match suspension Referee Lee Probert seemed to miss the incident, even though he was only a few yards away from the tackle, but he could well have been in a [.

There was a single moment of 2011 that has managed to stay in the back of my mind for months. It is a moment that few would care to remember but I believe it is one of importance. Early in the season there was an ill-fated tackle from a scrambling Brian Mullan that ended the season of Seatlle's Steve Zakuani.

Images: Jamie McDonald/Getty Images, caughtoffside.

Luis Suarez has been fined £40,000 and banned for eight matches after being found guilty of misconduct by an FA appointed commission. The charge relates to insulting words of a racist nature made by Suarez to Patrice Evra during Liverpool's game vs.

Newcastle will have captain Fab Coloccini, Mike Williamson and Cheick Tiote back for the upcoming games over the holiday period. Alan Pardew glad to have players back Only long term injury casualties Steven Taylor and Sylvain Marveaux will not be available for the festive period, although both Yohan Cabaye and Dan Gosling cannot play tonight due to suspensions.

So Luis Suarez is working himself into a nice little pattern of nabbing ginormous suspensions in the meaty part of the domestic season. Before his move to Liverpool last year, he picked up seven games for his primal attempts at a mid-game snack while playing for Ajax. This year, it's eight games to sit in the corner and think about what he did.

Kenny Dalglish believes Liverpool can cope without injured Lucas Leiva

• No decision whether midfielder will have surgery • Alberto Aquilani cannot be recalled from Milan Kenny Dalglish has ruled out a possible return to Liverpool for Alberto Aquilani and insisted there is no pressure to act in the January transfer window as a result of Lucas Leiva's injury.

Kevin Muscat wants to be coach of Melbourne Victory.
Just what he is prepared to do to ensure he gets there is unclear. It is also unclear who his powerful backers are. But they are there and as ABC Offsiders sports commentators noted last week, they or Muscat directly are influencing the Melbourne Victory Board.

Bolton sit just the wrong side of the relegation line and their fans are really not up for this game. After reading almost 20 pages of various Bolton forums, I couldn't find one fan who was seriously suggesting they could actually win this game.
The have some very thin striking options after Sturridge and Elmander left at the end of last season, compounded by some defensive injuries and suspensions forcing them into playing Zat Knight.

Chelsea In Carling Cup Quarter Final

Yer shoulda stayed at a big club, staaaayed at a biiig club!... Liverpool make their second trip to Stamford Bridge on Tuesday in as many weeks. The Reds drew Andres Villas-Boas' side in the Carling Cup quarter final away from home and will be looking to progress to the semis.

Left foot, right foot. Easy as 1, 2, 3

Qualification to the next phase of Champions League, the first of any English club to do that in this season's competition. Finishing as group winners with a game to spare. Robin Van Persie continued his more than impressive goal-scoring form. Another stand-out defensive performance from the team (the one single minute apart).

For any club to be successful you have to strike the right balance. You need the experience players combined with younger players to gel and if you do find the right mix, you will have a good chance of being successful.
It pains me to say it but look at Sir Alex Ferguson at United. He continues to do it season after season, he evolves his squad and his team to keep things fresh and has done it again this term with the likes of Wellbeck, Cleverley, Jones and Smalling.

Scarborough Athletic lined up against high flying United minus Gary Hepples and Ryan Blott, who were both serving suspensions and Paddy Miller was also absent due to food poisoning.
Dean Windass replaced Blott and new signing Luke Fletcher replaced Hepples, Denny Ingram stepped in for the unlucky Miller.

Agog today for the SPL's biggest game since the last big game.
Motherwell v Celtic.
If you'd said in July that third placed Celtic would need a November win to move ahead of second placed Motherwell on goal difference we probably wouldn't have believed you.
But such seismic events often only need the collision of one or two factors.

Premier League previews and team news

Get all the latest on injuries and suspensions ahead of the weekend's top flight games

View the full story here: The Mirror

A news article on 2011-11-04 14:08:40 from: The Mirror

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

The Supporters Shield-winning LA Galaxy will try to move a step closer to the MLS Cup Final with a win (or draw) at Home Depot Center against the New York Red Bulls tonight (11pm, ESPN2) in their Western Conference semifinal second leg.

The Red Bulls have other plans, trying to continue a surprising run from last team in the playoffs to MLS Cup Final.

Andy Carroll scored his second league goal of the season against West Brom on Saturday, and after recently admitting that he was 'disappointed' to be spending so much time on the bench, he'll probably be looking to start every game from now on. Former Liverpool defender Gary Gillespie doesn't think this is likely to happen though.

Chelsea 3 Arsenal 5 ... Yesterday's astounding win against the Blues was arguably Arsenal's most impressive attacking performance since the defeat of Barcelona in February and, regardless of their opponents' suspensions, apparent dip in form and Terry's ‘turmoil' behind the scenes, the Gunners justified Wenger's optimism.

So while everyone is fretting over the merits of the John Terry 'race-row', we still have the small matter of a match tomorrow. Against Arsenal. At the Bridge. You know, that stadium the fans fought so valiantly to keep in their control. More, after the jump:

The Business At Hand.

At the moment, Adrian Mutu stands as the very, very poor posterchild for cocaine in football. Perhaps for consideration is also Francesco Flachi, who might be floating around an unofficial pitch somewhere, serving something like eight life suspensions for his none-too-small coke problem. (He's "only" suspended until 2022, actually.

Well last night didn't exactly go the way that KC wanted it to go. The big result that went the wrong way was the Houston Dynamo pulling off only their second away win of the season, beating Portland at Jeld-Wen field 2-0. The win put Houston into second place in the Eastern Conference, ahead of Kansas City.

The disciplinary committee of the Spanish FA (RFEF) totally capitulated when it had a chance to make a statement about the increasing acrimonious feelings between Real Madrid and Barcelona.

At the start of the season Real Madrid and Barcelona met in the Supercup, which is played between the winners of the Spanish League title and the Champions of the Copa del Rey.

We've seen this before, at least somewhere. A player goes a little bat-sh*t crazy on someone. It happened again last night with Real Salt Lake's Kyle Beckerman on Chicago Fire midfielder Daniel Paladini.

Beckerman, who was enjoying a very strong MVP-like season until his head butt on Paladini last night.

We're finally back on schedule here at blog headquarters and since it is Friday morning on the East Coast of the United States that means it is time for all the news that is fit to print, err, type and link to about injuries and suspensions and how they impact your fantasy choices for the weekend. Arsenal vs.

NFL warns teams about faking injuries NFL SI.com.

I'm always intrigued when I read about incidents that occur in sports other than soccer that crossover in relevance to the Beautiful Game. Last weekend, in the NFL, we had one of those incidents. It happened in the game between the New York Giants and the St Louis Rams when Giants safety Deon Grant fell to the ground claiming he was unable to continue because of cramp.

Wolves boss Mick McCarthy jokes he is 'delighted' that Steven Gerrard is back for Liverpool

The former Republic of Ireland manager joked that he is delighted with the midfielder's return, but is disappointed that Adam and Skrtel sat their suspensions out in the cup

View the full story here: Goal

A news article on 2011-09-22 23:04:00 from: Goal

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

After the capitulation at Spurs last Sunday, Liverpool have a great chance to get results back on track when they play Brighton in the Carling Cup tonight.
Kenny Dalglish is forced into making changes with the suspensions to Charlie Adam and Martin Skrtel along with the fractured rib which also rules Daniel Agger out for around four weeks, painful injury that.

Manchester United striker Michael Owen has admitted he was concerned his contract with the Premier League champions was not going to be renewed after the club lifted the title last season.

The former England regular only played a bit-part in United's 19th league title success, with strikers Wayne Rooney and Javier Hernandez enjoying much of the game time towards the business end of the season, which saw the Red Devils also reach the final of the Champions League.

Liverpool duo Martin Skrtel and Charlie Adam will serve an automatic one match suspension after they were both sent off on the weekend against Spurs.

Luckily for the reds they will miss the fourth round Carling Cup fixture against Brighton on Wednesday and be available for selection next weekend.

Save that could have bigger implications later

It's Friday and that means only one more day to Premier League football. We are visiting Ewood Park tomorrow to play Blackburn Rovers. Although this comes directly after the Champions League tie away to Dortmund and this being an early fixture, I believe there's ample time for the players to recover from their midweek exertions.