Expectation, expectation, expectation.
With a sense of frustration following four games on the spin, the unanimous feeling around the blogs and forums this week is that tomorrow's game takes on an extra significance. Back at home (easy to forget three of the four draws were on the road) and against a side who have badly struggled on their travels so far suggests three points is a given. Click to continue reading...

The news that Gael Clichy is out for up to two months is unfortunate and may harm Arsenal's trophy ambitions. When he first started his career at Arsenal, he was very injury prone, with continuous operations on his broken metatarsals. He always seems to get injured at an awkward time for The Gunners, and will return in the New Year.

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FC Barcelona has essentially put their Champions League qualification at risk by drawing against the Russian champions. With this draw we stand at second in standing and have a chance to end the night at third in overall standing if there is anything other than a draw in the match against Inter and Kiev. Click to continue reading...

After a run of draws, we see the first rallying call from our new skipper, Kolo Toure:

"We need to impose ourselves as we have some gifted players in this dressing room," he told the club's website. "We can enjoy our football by passing it and controlling games. That's what we need to achieve now.

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The freezing cold is what worries us most about this match, as Barca face Rubin Kazan in the snowy, below-zero temeperatures that are the norm in Ruissia this time fo year. Rubin are used to it, but some of our boys have never played in such extreme cold. The oppositon themselvs are no piece of cake either, on top of that; they're the only team that has beaten us so far this season. Click to continue reading...

In these still early stages of the season a few new additions to the Premier League have looked like excellent additions to the league and indeed their respective clubs. The English game may have lost the massive talent of Cristiano Ronaldo but the following players have already made an impression on the Premier League.

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FC Barcelona would be looking to continue their two match winning streak at Osasuna tonight. After the set-backs suffered at Valencia and against Rubin Kazan at Camp Nou, Barca looked to have got their campaign back to the right track, but still this will be a huge test. The defeat against Rubin Kazan had made the return leg on wednesday a must win affair . Click to continue reading...

Perhaps trying to dampen some of the criticism aimed at him - particularly in the wake of Sunday's drawagainst Fulham, Mark Hughes has offered support for big money signing Joleon Lescott:

"You have to understand, though, that this is a new back four and the more games Joleon and Kolo [Touré] play together the better they will gel as a pair.

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vs

This morning manager Pep Guardiola released the 16 man roster that will travel on Wednesday to take on third division side Cultural Leonesa.

The roster features mostly youth players with Lionel Messi, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Gerard Pique, Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Carles Puyol all being rested for this weekends match up at Osasuna.

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Yesterday's 2-2 draw against Fulham felt more like a capitulation than a draw. Walking away from Eastlands on a cold, wet Sunday evening, the first questions that came to mind were as follows. Was this an aberration? Or have we just taken a massive step back into last season?
I try not to be a pessimist, nor the fan who has a short memory. Click to continue reading...

British football magazine FourFourTwo, just published (in the November issue) the list of the "100 Best Players in the World." The choices are based on the input of the magazine's journalists. Of course it will lead to all kinds of debate as "lists" are always subjective and don't mean anything beyond getting fans talking.

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The most glaring difference between this and the last AGM is not the shareholders' attitude. It is Arsene. His demeanor was completely different this time around, and with good reason. Though that reason may not be down to results entirely.

Of course, we still get Arsene's standard lines about "belief," the "real spirit in the team," etc.

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FC Barcelona would be looking to put behind them the recent set-backs suffered in their campaign tonight at Camp Nou. A failure to defeat Zaragoza at home will see alarm bells ringing around Barca faithfuls. With Gijon holding Real Madrid to a goal less draw last night, it is upto Barca to capitalise on Real's slip up. Click to continue reading...

You can watch Manchester City v Fulham Live online here.

Manchester City v Fulham
English Premier League
Sunday 25 October 2009
Kickoff: 15:00 BST

For all their attacking talents, City have actually scored fewer goals (16) in their first eight games than at this stage of last season (20).

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With the Ballon d'Or nominations finally releasing this weekend, the headlines have mostly been devoted to the fact that world champions Italy have no representation whatsoever. But why blame the press for paying excessive attention to an irrelevant detail? After all, the award itself is destined to be heading Lionel Messi's way, which means very little is there to be talked about in terms of debating the winner, right?

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We have seen Tottenham challenge the top 4 place few years back, then Villa doing the same last season, nut never have we seen so many sides capable of upsetting the title contenders as this season. Manchester City, Tottenham and Aston Villa all look capable of upsetting the odds, especially since Liverpool look to be all over the place at the moment.

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FC Barcelona's winning streak came to a hold at the Mestella, when they were held to a goal less draw by Valencia. Actually Barca was lucky not to have lost the match, a combination of great goal keeping by Valdes and some poor finishing by Valencia players prevented a Valencia win. Valencia were the better team in both the halfs, especially in the first half. 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.

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Valencia v Barcelona
Mestalla - Valencia, Spain
La Liga
Saturday 17 October 2009
Kickoff: 22:00 BST, 21:00 GMT - 16:00 EST

FC Barcelona looks to maintain their perfect record this season in La Liga while Valencia are looking to move up in the table.

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Valencia v Barcelona
Stadium: Mestalla - Valencia, Spain
Competition: La Liga
Date: 17 October 2009
Kickoff: 22:00 BST, 21:00 GMT - 16:00 EST

Valencia hosts Barcelona on Saturday as La Liga resumes from the international break. Live coverage of the match will begin approximately 15 minutes before kickoff or 20:45 GMT (21:45 BST, 15:45 EST).

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Valencia v Barcelona Stadium: Mestalla Valencia, Spain Competition: La Liga Date: 17 October 2009 Kickoff: 22:00 BST, 21:00 GMT 16:00 EST Valencia hosts Barcelona on Saturday as La Liga resumes from the international break. Live coverage of the match will begin approximately 15 minutes before kickoff or 20:45 GMT (21:45 BST, 15:45 EST). Click to continue reading...

One of the things I hate about people, life if you may, is when promises are broken. If you can't keep 'em, don't make 'em! I once told my friend I'd visit him when he was living in a different city. But due to one thing or another, I never got around to it.

If we are to believe what Ramsey has said recently, Wenger is looking to start him in 15-20 games this year.

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Am I in a minority, I think not!

Fulham Vs Manchester City Tickets Still Available!

Yes, that's right I said it. I honestly don't believe that Joleon Lescott is actually very good at all. The fact that Manchester City fought so long and hard for the Everton man must have had any sane Blues fan wondering what the hell was going on.

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Arsenal defender William Gallas is enjoying a very solid season with the Gunners despite having to quickly adapt to a new partner at the back, after the departure of Kolo Toure. Speaking of the Frenchman, manager ... Click to continue reading...

Arsenal defender William Gallas is enjoying a very solid season with the Gunners despite having to quickly adapt to a new partner at the back, after the departure of Kolo Toure. Speaking of the Frenchman, manager ...

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Goal.com reported a story which featured in Daily Mirror about a possible exchange deal involving Kompany and Robinho for Yaya Toure and Puyol. This definitely has to be a joke or an imagination of some disturbed mind. Howelse you can explain the exchange of one of the best defensive midfielder and defender for two players who are struggling to find a regular place in the Manchester City side. Click to continue reading...

Citeh want to collect all the Toure brothers? The Sunday Mirror reckons Barcelona are willing to let Yaya and his arguably more talented brother Carlos move to Manchester City to link up with big bro Kolo. Spotted on 101GG

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Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is hot on the heels of Barcelona captain Carles Puyol. The Frenchman believes that Puyol would be an excellent defensive partner for Thomas Vermaelen, but Premier League rivals Manchester City are also jumping in to the chase.

City manager Mark Hughes looks to continue to bolster his defense, even after signing Kolo Toure and Joleon Lescott over the summer.

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Arsene Wenger interested in crazy haired centre back.

Watch Ukraine Vs England Live Online!

According to a report in Catalan newspaper, Sport, Arsene Wenger has indentified Puyol as an experienced figurehead to aid his young squad.
The 32 year-old is stalling over a new deal at the Nou Camp and has been given until December to decide on his future.

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by STUART WATSON Another six star performance from Arsenal yesterday continued our excellent start to the season. I'm sure many Arsenal supporters would have settled for third place (with a game in hand) in the league this season at this stage.

Considering we have already played two of the league's big hitters away from home so far, we have made excellent progress with a limited squad, and not only are we scoring lots of goals (top of the league in that respect) they are coming from all over the pitch, none more than our goal-scoring centre-back Thomas Verlmaelen.

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by STUART WATSON Another six star performance from Arsenal yesterday continued our excellent start to the season. I'm sure many Arsenal supporters would have settled for third place (with a game in hand) in the league this season at this stage.

Considering we have already played two of the league's big hitters away from home so far, we have made excellent progress with a limited squad, and not only are we scoring lots of goals (top of the league in that respect) they are coming from all over the pitch, none more than our goal-scoring centre-back Thomas Verlmaelen.

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Perusing the press and blogs this morning, last nights victory over West Ham has in the main been described as a solid and functional victory - precisely the type of win that we should be putting together from our hour games, where three points should be the norm.
This view though both glosses over some of the inadequacies that were shown, but equally fails to offer praise where deserved. Click to continue reading...

Arsenal Holdinga have announced pre-tax profits of £45.5m, with matchday revenue exceeding £100m for the first time and 445 of the 655 private apartments already sold to the tune of £172.4m.

When all is said and done, there is no indication that Arsenal lack in transfer funds or the ability to match wages offered by Chelsea or Manchester City.

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Arsenal striker Robin van Persie explained what it was like at the age of 20 to join the Gunners, the help from Kolo Toure in order to settle down and what now means to find himself as the one to provide help and advise to the young ones at the Club.

Speaking to the club's official website, the Dutchman said:

When I first came to Arsenal, I was 20.

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Arsenal striker Robin van Persie explained what it was like at the age of 20 to join the Gunners, the help from Kolo Toure in order to settle down and what now means to find himself as the one to provide help and advise to the young ones at the Club.

Speaking to the club's official website, the Dutchman said:

When I first came to Arsenal, I was 20.

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