Written by SlimGingerGooner

Well, can you believe it!?

Arsenal have reached the landmark 40 points needed to stay in the Premier League!

Back in August another season of struggle was being predicted by the knowledgable Arsenal faithful. A lack of quality signings in the transfer window and an air of disappointment from pre season results even had some sections calling for a new manager:-

"Wenger will win nothing.

Personally I'm quite pleased to hear both Redknapp and Mandaric have been cleared of tax evasion, it can't have been a great few months for either of the guys. Anyway, I think Redknapp would do a good job as future manager of England, and I don't think the FA would have touched him had he been prosecuted or given a criminal record.

It was a tough day for Yanks in England as Tim Howard, Landon Donovan, and Everton were held to a draw against Wigan, while Clint Dempsey and Fulham lost to Manchester City.

A lot less thrilling than it sounded. A scoreless first half, an own goal by Phil Neville then a late last gasp goal by Anichebe preserves a tie, and both teams walk away with 1pt.Video: Fox Sports
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Poka, Pav
It has been one hell of a busy fortnight in the world of Tottenham Hotspur – and not a whisper of any of it from The Boys From White Hart Lane. For shame.
So, in a desperate attempt to catch up - and stay relevant – TBFWHL is taking a look back at 14 days in which Spurs stumbled into the fifth round of the FA Cup, re-entered the title race after a brief remission and brought in a couple of battle-hardened veterans at the expense of a cult hero.

Manchester City moved three points clear at the top of the Premier League thanks to a convincing 3-0 win at home over Fulham.

Heading into the Fulham match a lot of questions were being asked about a City side that had lost four of their eight matches in 2012, exiting the FA and League Cups and seeing Manchester United draw level with them on points at the top of the Premier League.

Saturday EPL on ESPN2: Arsenal - Blackburn at 8am. Wigan - Everton 9:30am - Fox Soccer Everton goes on the road after picking up three points at the expense of Premier League leaders Manchester City. A win against Wigan could push Everton up the table from 10th. This is a different Everton, with the club active in the transfer window adding Nikica Jelavic and Steven Pienaar.

'You can't always get what you want.But if you try sometimes.. you get what you need.' Harry has sought advice from Mick Jagger to soothe the ruffled feathers of Spurs fans pining for 'Marquee' signings. The words above proved prophetic when Gallas came in and more recently with the arrival of Friedel and Parker which made even this Spurs diehard eat his words.

After a full week of news both on and off the pitch, Tottenham centre half Younes Kaboul identified the 3-1 win over Wigan as a return to form after some indifferent results of late.

Younes played a full part in the win and was unlucky not to open the scoring on two occasions before Gareth Bale and Luka Modric sealed the win.

Perhaps the Premier League might like to take a swift glance at the televised match between Wigan and Spurs on January 11th 2009.
With the score at 0-0 shortly after half-time, Heurelho Gomes strained his hamstring taking a goalkick and made it quite clear that his movement was severely restricted and that he wished to be substituted.

All January 2012 English Premier League Transfers - originally posted on Soccerlens.com

You'll find the latest Premier League Transfers (January 2012) listed here. Archives for older transfer seasons are at the end of this page. For the latest transfer rumours and confirmed transfers for other leagues, see our football transfer lists page.

Wigan manager Roberto Martinez was left furious when Tottenham left-back Benoit Assou-Ekotto was allowed to remain on the pitch despite a high tackle that forced forward Franco Di Santo out of the Latics' 3-1 defeat at White Hart Lane.

With his side firmly rooted to the bottom of the Premier League table, the only positive Martinez could reflect on was the mild nature of Di Santo's injury.

THFC1882 presents guest writer Kenny Palmer's report of Tottenham Hotspur versus Wigan:

A man of the match performance by Gareth Bale against obliging opponents Wigan helped reignite Spurs title challenge, as they now sit just five points behind the Manchester clubs following the leaders City's defeat to Everton.

A bizarre fan handcuffed himself to the goal post during Everton's 1-0 win over Manchester City on Tuesday night thus stopping play for several minutes. Related posts:Video: Maynor Figueroa Handball Wigan 0-1 Manchester City VIDEO: "Fuck Them!" Carlos Tevez Caught Cursing & Mocking Manchester City! VIDEO: Tim Howard Goal Everton vs Bolton Related posts:

1. Video: Maynor Figueroa Handball Wigan 0-1 Manchester City
2. VIDEO: "Fuck Them!

While the emerging transfer stories dominate the headlines there was the small matter of a 3-1 win over a poor Wigan side last night. No prizes for guessing the man of the match although Luka Modric would have run two goal Gareth Bale close with some intricate passing and a stunning goal of his own.

By Alan Duffy

Finally getting himself out of the courtroom and into familiar environs of a football stadium, Harry "I'm not a wheeler-dealer" Redknapp no doubt enjoyed seeing his charges stroll to a 3-1 victory against Wigan.

But just what was the Tottenham boss saying under his breath after noticing that 'the filth' were in his manor, keeping an eye on him?

Scorers:
Bale (Tot) 29′
Modric (Tot) 34′
Bale (Tot) 64′
McArthur (Wig) 80′

Reports from Craven Cottage are suggesting that Fulham have sold QPR a player who "never existed in the first place."

The extraordinary claims come on the back of Bobby Zamora's mooted £5 million move from Fulham to QPR.

A source from the West Ham grounds staff revealed today that "Bobby Zamora gave up football a long time ago.

Here at AANP Towers we are inclined to pay short shrift to those who shuffle our way with puppy-dog eyes and quivering lower lip, complaining of bad luck. "You makes yer own luck," we have been known to roar, with such ferocity that the aforementioned puppy-eyed, lip-quivering urchins have literally exploded into a ball of flames before our eyes; or else we invoke the barely perceptible murmur of a true testosterone-fuelled hero like that chap Stallone, and instruct "Take it like a man"; or indeed we sagely impart the sporting wisdom of some aged American golfing chap, and intone with zen-like calm "The more I practise the luckier I get".

This could be an eventful day. And then again, no- as Elton John would say. I'm not sure what the implications will be of having a whole round of Premier League fixtures on the same evening as the transfer deadline, but to me it sounds a spot iffy. For managers looking to get shot of a bit of dead wood, I suppose, it's probably ideal.

In amongst all the transfer rumour chaos there's a Premier League game to be played tonight and according to Spurs' assistant Joe Jordan, there are a few injury worries ahead of the game with Wigan.

Jordan revealed new doubts over Jermain Defoe and Aaron Lennon, both of whom have picked up fresh hamstring injuries in the last few days.

Back down to Earth for Liverpool, as they travel to the West Midlands to face 19th-place Wolverhampton. It's a stark contrast from the action of the past week, facing opposition at the bottom of the table, away from Anfield, and with nothing immediately at stake. And if you've paid attention to Liverpool at all this season, it's cause for concern, with form against the mid- and lower-table sides worlds apart from the displays we've seen the last two times out.

They say that play acting and feining injury has become rife in football and when videos like this emerge it is no wonder why. We at In The Stands can only shake our heads and laugh. For the record his name is Narcisse Ekanga Amia, a 24-year-old Cameroonian-Equatoguinean midfielder who currently plays for TP Mazembe [.

THFC1882 welcomes back guest writer Kenny Palmer with a preview of Tottenham Hotspur versus Wigan.

A week is a long time in football, as Spurs two contrasting performances highlighted. Heroic in defeat against Manchester City earning plaudits for the character they showed in coming back from 2-0 down to level the scores before losing to an injury time penalty.

Sunderland v Middlesbrough 2012 FA Cup Highlights 1-1 Video Goals Barry Robson Frazier Campbell is a post from Soccer Blogger. Follow Soccer Blogger on Twitter

Sunderland v Middlesbrough 2012 FA Cup Highlights 1-1 Video Goals Barry Robson Frazier Campbell is a post from Soccer Blogger. Follow Soccer Blogger on Twitter Sunderland v Middlesbrough 2012 ( Sunderland Boro video below) Final score and result: Sunderland vs Middlesbrough 1-1 ( Campbell/ Robson) Stadium of Light, Sunderland- 29 January, 2012- Sunday North Eastern [.

Rugby Wigan and Hull play football, In a cities were they generally chase eggs. Filling their football stadiums at weekends, With a small number of footballing dregs. Dirk Kuyt Like a forest Dirk ebs and flows. Like a gump Dirk barely knows.. ..how to play football. "Run, Dirk, Run" fans shout. It's all he can [.

A few poems from the weekend, kinda. Starting with rugby and that and ending with that Dutch guy who runs a lot... Rugby Wigan and Hull play football, In a cities were they generally chase eggs. Filling their football stadiums at weekends, With a small number of footballing dregs. Dirk Kuyt Like a forest Dirk [.

A few poems from the weekend, kinda. Starting with rugby and that and ending with that Dutch guy who runs a lot... Rugby Wigan and Hull play football, In a cities were they generally chase eggs. Filling their football stadiums at weekends, With a small number of footballing dregs. Dirk Kuyt Like a forest Dirk [.

Rugby Wigan and Hull play football, In a cities were they generally chase eggs. Filling their football stadiums at weekends, With a small number of footballing dregs. Dirk Kuyt Like a forest Dirk ebs and flows. Like a gump Dirk barely knows.. ..how to play football. "Run, Dirk, Run" fans shout. It's all he can [.

Jesus H Christ Almighty that was a dire performance. Granted, we're through to the fifth round, a win is a win and all that but for the majority of the match, not only did we look like the championship side, but a championship side with only 10 men still on the bloody pitch! Never mind, they were obviously saving their energy for the thrashing of Wigan on Tuesday.

I don't know if you've noticed, but January has been pretty awful so far. We've lost all three of our league games, and we've gone back to our old habit of throwing away leads. United swept us aside with an ease that was almost saddening, given how massive the games between the two clubs used to be.

It's been a long week for Harry Redknapp and the manager will no doubt be delighted to get back to football affairs as Spurs take on Watford at Vicarage Road tomorrow night. Reports today are confirming that Harry will be in the dugout and he will pick the team but who is available to choose from?

szólj hozzá: QPR vs Wigan 3:1 MOTD

Scorers:
Helguson (QPR) 33′ pen
Buzsaky (QPR) 45′
Rodellega (Wig) 66′
Helguson (QPR) missed Pen 73′
Smith (QPR) 81′.

Goals:
M Davies 4'
Reo-Coker 29'
Bellamy 36'
Steinsson 50'
So is this what FSG feared when appointing Dalglish? A manager that should be, hopefully, exempt from criticism, but there has been so much to criticize in tactics, personnel, and transfer dealings lately.

Newcastle's hopes of taking advantage of Chelsea's draw at Norwich were stopped by a five-goal second-half blitz from Fulham as they lost 5-2 at Fulham.

Fulham were poor in the first-hald and it was no surprise that Newcastle scored first thanks to a Danny Guthrie thunderbolt from outside the area.

Last time out George got 6 results right including 1 perfect score. Not bad at all.
Saturday 21 January 2012
Norwich 1 v Chelsea 1
Everton 2 v Blackburn 1
Fulham 1 v Newcastle 1
QPR 2 v Wigan 1
Stoke 2 v West Brom 0
Sunderland 3 v Swansea 1
Wolves 0 v Aston Villa 0
Bolton 0 v Liverpool 2
Sunday 22 January 2012
Manchester City 2 v Tottenham 1
Arsenal 1 v Manchester United 1
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Liverpool goalkeeper Jose Reina has urged his team-mates to put thoughts of cup showdowns with the two Manchester clubs to the back of their minds ahead of Saturday's trip to Bolton.
The Reds are just 90 minutes away from their first final in six years - and a first visit to Wembley since 1996 - as they hold a 1-0 lead going into Wednesday's Carling Cup semi-final second leg at home to Manchester City.

Liverpool get back in the swing of things to see out a busy January, heading to the Reebok in hopes of getting three points for only the second time in six matches. As has mostly been the case in league over the past month and a half, they won't face an entirely overwhelming opposition, with Bolton only a point above Wigan in 19th.

Let's start with something positive our youngsters are 7-1 against Wigan in the FA Youth Cup fourth round. Bamford has scored four and there's still twenty odd minutes to go. Perhaps the future isn't so bleak after all? And now, let's drop back down to earth by contemplating the weekend's fortunes of our senior so-called professionals [.

Mark Hughes has demanded an improvement from his Queens Park Rangers side after the 1-0 victory over MK Dons in the FA Cup third round replay last night.

Most soccer betting pundits will agree that the League One side were more than a match for Hughes' men for the majority and even though the home side eventually progressed to the fourth round, Hughes knows his team have to be better in all departments.