Following up from an earlier article I'd like to pose a question to all the non ex-pat North American readers of EPL Talk: How Did You Find Who You Support?

It's ultimately a broad question that has more potential answers to it than current injury concerns at Liverpool. But I believe the question sparks an interesting debate as Americans are still searching for their place in world football.

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This weekend, is a magical weekend in English Football, its the first round of the FA Cup. While in other countries knockout cup trophies don't seem to have the same romance, or weight, there is something genuinely special about the FA Cup. Over the last few years, as English Football has grown and grown, talk [. Click to continue reading...

Albert Camus, the philosopher, author and football fanatic, was once asked that if he had to choose between football and the theatre, which he would choose. He replied "Football, without hesitation" And its little surprise, football has everything theatre has, and more. It has a story, but is unwritten. Click to continue reading...

Last week, I asked you to vote for you favourite 20 players of the decade, here in this very post, are the Top 100 players of the last 10 years, voted for by you, the readers and bloggers of the offside. First thing I want to say is thank you, everyone for the absolutely amazing response [...] Click to continue reading...

Despite the doom and gloom of the last few weeks - and amid the continued misplaced vitriol towards the owners - there are plenty of reasons for Liverpool fans to be positive at the moment.
As many people who visit this regularly will know, I take a critical, realist approach to LFC. Within that approach, I always try and be fair, and there is plenty of evidence for that on the site. Click to continue reading...

The old state of Czechoslovakia was prominent in world football and had contested two world cup finals, in 1934 and 1962. The Czech breakup spawned two new countries – Czech Republic and Slovakia. Czech Republic maintained a degree of success but South Africa 2010 will be Slovakia's first major finals . Click to continue reading...

Another home game, another win, another game with over three goals. Nearly three months into the season and we have not scored less than three goals in a home game in any competition, it shows just how strong we have been at home this season and any team visiting the Grove will be aware of this record and aware of how strong the squad we have is.

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Seven stories from The Offside and World Cup Blog this week: Nominate your player/manager football ubermen Gigi's Buffon's incredible Champions League save Ballon d'Or or FIFA World Player of the Year: Which is shinier? Norwegian homage to Brazilian airport ad The return of Johan Cruyff. To Catalonia. Click to continue reading...

Some advance warning: This post is going to be mildly critical of Zinedine Zidane. Nothing too harsh, because as for many people he was one of my favourite players to watch. The vision, the touch, the roulettes, the shiny bald patch. Loved it. But that's also the reason I'm about to mildly criticize him.

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Now that Argentina has finally secured a spot in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, they can present the new uniform to be used next year. The new kit is very loyal to past Argentinian shirts and does a great job of keeping the pajama feel

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Movies and soccer. Two things that traditionally don't mix well. In documentary form, maybe. But in scripted Hollywood form? No. For various reasons, it usually ends in either cheesy emotions, unconvincing action, or Robert Duvall's Scottish accent in A Shot at Glory. But not always. There are a handful of good football movies out there. Click to continue reading...

I've seen the above game described as a "catfight", but that absolutely does not do it justice. Bringham Young University vs New Mexico in the Women's Mountain West Conference college tournament last night was more like the roughest game of soccer ever captured on YouTube, and it featured the roughest display of defending I've ever [. Click to continue reading...

We had reported in September that Chelsea were banned by FIFA till 2011 for their alleged involvement in inducing Gael Kakuta to break his contract with Lens. However the Court of Arbitration for Sport ( CAS) has temporarily stayed the sanctions until it takes a final decision in the matter. "Such sanctions are now stayed until [. Click to continue reading...

Via the official Web site...

Tell us your background as a player in Scotland.
My footballing background goes back many years. I was a player in my younger days and I had a number of trials around some of the local teams, but never really made it onto the big stage. I was a big fan of football as well.

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Yeah, I know, we're late to the party. Would you believe me if I said we were just waiting to see if this whole Facebook thing was going to catch on? No, me neither. But yes, The Offside and WorldCupBlog now has a Facebook fan page, which you can find here.

Here's why our Facebook page might actually be quite good: We're not going to use our Facebook page just to promote our own content.

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Sunday's top of the table clash between Chelsea and Manchester United pits the current Premiership Champions against the current FA Cup winners for the second time this season. The Blues beat the Red Devils on penalties in the annual curtain-raiser, the Community Shield.

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Today Raymond Domenech presented France's new kit to be used at the World Cup in 2010. Not my favorite one to be honest. What do you think?

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They must fall. And so four games in, the Champions League contenders and pretenders have been separated fallen into place for the group stage which, a few spots aside, could've been drawn up in August by a blind chimp and his serf, a man who tans. Breaking down the likelies, unlikelies, and those who are already [. Click to continue reading...

While all were oohing and aahing over Barcelona's sex on a pitch football and the free-spending ways of Florentino Perez returning to Madrid, the biggest difference maker in Spanish football was lurking under the Spanish limelight. In fact it was lurking so far under the Spanish limelight it was in Britain. Click to continue reading...

This clip really needs little introduction: The England female team*, a team which is miles more attractive than the male side (even more so than the strike duo of Crouchy and Rooney, contrary to popular belief), strips off their kits after a practice and hops into a soapy hot tub in bikinis with a leering camera [. Click to continue reading...

Earlier in the week we mentioned Johan Cruijff's return to the sidelines for the Catalonia national team. In the process, a certain sentence spilled across the page which could possibly ignite a spirited debate. And by spirited debate I mean chairs flying, emergency contacts being contacted and babies inadvertently being made. Click to continue reading...

As I let you know back when I posted up this year's FFT100, I'm a bit of a junkie for lists. They are utterly meaningless, and yet compelling at the same time. With it being the end of the decade, there are tonnes of lists of the best albums, films, videos, celebrities etc floating around. [...] Click to continue reading...

Another round. Games working out as predicted except for Man U 3 3 CSKA Moscow which I really thought would go to Manchester. And of course Barcelona's inability to beat Kazan but they were not playing at home (if that even serves as an excuse!). The big derby AC Milan vs. Real Madrid turned out quite well even with teh 1-1 tie (and I see a light in the dark for Ronaldinho there is hope).

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Ronaldo? Andy Reid? A bloated Ronaldinho after a night on the town? Hardly. Thailand's top footballers will receive free burgers as part of their new three-year, £545,000 sponsorship deal with the fast food giant McDonald's. According to the Football Association of Thailand (FAT), McDonald's will provide £450,000 in cash and the rest in products in exchange for [. Click to continue reading...

Champions League Matchday 5 Day 2 Live Chat Chit Click to continue reading...

Most would agree that the Ballon d'Or and the FIFA World Player of the Year awards are the two biggest individual honours a footballer can win. Bigger even than my Netherton Colts East U-14 Manager's Player of the Year Runner-Up trophy (pictured?). But which award is really the one to win? The Ballon d'Or has the [. Click to continue reading...

• An English intern at German footie magazine 11Freunde talks about German and English football. (11Freunde)
• Uli Hesse-Lichtenberger writes about footballers who suffer/ed from depression. (ESPN Soccernet)
• Bayern have an "on" switch and they have a far more popular "off" switch as well.

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The same way the U20 World Cup generated some analysis, the failure of the U17 deserves even more talk. First of all, being eliminated in group that had Mexico, Switzerland and Japan is a shame. There is simply no excuse.

This pathetic elimination was so bad that no projections for the future can be made.

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I have wanted to write a piece about Stan Kroenke for a while now, about a year ago I wrote a story about the ownership of Arsenal just after Lady Nina Bracewell-Smith left the board.

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Early on Saturday morning I was listening to the World Football Phone In on BBC Five Live and their correspondent for North America was asked about Stan Kroenke what he is like as a guy, what his intentions may be in the future and what we would want to get out of a club like Arsenal.

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YouTube videos (and blog posts, including some of mine) often come with hyperbolic titles. So when I see anything titled "Worst _____ Ever!", I immediately reach for my skeptical spectacles. However, the above YouTube video titled "Worst football miss ever!" made me put them down again. I'm not saying that it's categorically, definitely, no takesy-backsies the [. Click to continue reading...

Champions League Day 4 Liveblog Click to continue reading...

This is slightly late in the game, as it's a preview for the Norwegian 2009 Tippeligaen. The same Tippeligaen season which ended on Sunday. (Rosenborg are celebrating their 15th title in 17 years while Norway of off celebrating parity.) But this little season preview has popped up and it bears a striking resemblance to the [. Click to continue reading...

"Alright mate, we'll be fine today yeah? No repeats of last week right?" asked a friend of mine on the way to the football on Sunday morning.� "What are you talkin' about? We never have trouble at our football ground" I replied. "Oh, I suppose you didn't hear about what happened to the other Leipzig [. Click to continue reading...

"Alright mate, we'll be fine today yeah? No repeats of last week right?" asked a friend of mine on the way to the football on Sunday morning.� "What are you talkin' about? We never have trouble at our football ground" I replied. "Oh, I suppose you didn't hear about what happened to the other Leipzig [. Click to continue reading...

What's an Adidas football boot if it can't be fully customised for the biggest name in world football and Adidas' biggest asset right? Well that's what the geniuses over at the three stripes must have been thinking, so naturally they created this custom colourway and unleashed them through the PR . Click to continue reading...