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Not a lot to get to tonight. Just three links. Enjoy it.
Tomas Rosicky is never coming back [Goal.com]
Landycakes gets a prize [AP]
Jermain Defoe’s new WAG. SuperWAG? Need more pictures to tell [Daily Star]
Written by Darkvader on November 11th, 2008 with no comments.
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Arsene Wenger’s young side should be ashamed of themselves. That was a DISGRACE!!!
Those kids embarrassing those experienced players like that. I mean what were they thinking? Where was the respect?
Loved the performance tonight. Absolutely loved it. It was top notch and these boys played again with no fear what so ever once they crossed that white line.
The lads were a true joy to watch. They stroked the ball around like the first-team, if not better at times, and destroyed an established Premiership side in Wigan who are far from a mug team.
The whole team were excellent tonight and Arsene Wenger should be very proud. The quality shown tonight was unbelievable.
The score finished 3-0 and it could have been more really. It probably would have been more had the influential Jack Wilshere not been substituted. He had to be subbed though, he is so young that it was past his bedtime!
He will be some player though, and he will have to wait until his 18th to drink that MOM champagne!
I could go through the whole team and say how well each individual played. I can’t be bothered to do that because I’m tired so I’ve set up a BOM (boy of the match, they are only young!) poll on the top right of the blog.
Feel free to cast a vote or leave a comment!
Keep it Goonerish……………..
Written by Wrighty7 on November 11th, 2008 with no comments.
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This is the third time SFS has put the post title “Real Madrid, We
Have A Problem, because there is an authentic problem. REAL
MADRID has been knocked out of the SPANISH CUP by 2ºB
Division side REAL UNION after tonights 2º leg result finished
4-3 in Real Madrid´s favour. BUT, the 1º leg result was 3-2 in Real
Union favour & the away goals count double - result : Real Madrid
OUT!
Real Madrid went out tonight without Casillas, Heinze & Guti, with
the aim to get the match under control & take the tie. RAUL above
had his mind clear on the objective, he scored tonight a HAT -TRICK
(35th, 50th & 86th min) & with the goal from youngster BUENO in the
68th min it looked like it would be enough.
But Real Union had nothing to lose, & its confidence just kept
growing, in fact they scored first via ABASOLO in the 13th min,
& from then on they just kept on coming back to equal everything
Madrid threw at them
SALCEDO in the 48th equalized, & when Real Madrid was 4-2 ahead
& had the tie won, Union player ROMO scored a header in the 90th min
& his teams third goal to knock out Real Madrid.
Hugh shock , big surprise & congratulations to Real Union. The “shit”
will begin to hit the fan at Real Madrid in the coming days. Real will
complain about a goal disallowed to Saviola who was onside , but its
no real excuse. As SFS has already said; Real Madrid, We Have A
Problem!
Written by STRIKER on November 11th, 2008 with no comments.
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One of Arsenals starters tonight!
Alright. It’s Mickey Mouse Cup day and Setanta has chosen to show Wigwam V The Wenger Boys. Beggars cannot be choosers so I will be grateful to the soccer gods for Tuesday afternoon footy. Join me after the jump for a Bigus Live blog extravaganza!
There are a few games this afternoon and I’ll try and keep up with those also.
Man United are hosting Q.P.R.
Derby are playing Dirty Leeds at Pride Park.
Rory Delap will throw bombs into the Rotherham box for 90 mins.
The Swans are at home to Watford.
Interestingly, Swansea beat Watford 3-1 at home just 3 days ago. I wonder if Watford even bothered to go home? I Wonder what there is to do in Swansea? Ice skating aparently! There is also a place nearby called ‘Mumbles’. Could this be the birth place of the Welsh language?
Ok. Enough mumbling. Team news! Wenger is going to rest his first team and bring out the kids. No surprise there. Wilshire, Ramsay and wonder boy Carlos Vela are all slated to start.
Arsenal 11 from…
Arsenal squad: Fabianski, Mannone, Hoyte, Djourou, Song, Gibbs, Wilshere, Ramsey, Randall, Merida, Bendtner, Vela, Lansbury, Simpson, Coquelin, Emmanuel-Thomas, Frimpong, Ogogo, Toure, Diaby, Bischoff
Wigan. Heskey tweaked his ham-string on Saturday and as a result Henri Camara will get a rare run out.
Wigan 11 from…
Wigan squad: Kirkland, Pollitt, Melchiot, Taylor, Bramble, Scharner, Boyce, Figueroa, Kilbane, Valencia, De Ridder, Cattermole, Brown, Palacios, Koumas, Zaki, Camara
Line-ups as we near kick off…
Also appears that Fergie is letting the nippers have a run out. Rafael Da Silva, Jonny Evans, Darron Gibson and striking duo Manucho and Danny Welbeck could start.
Anyone smell an upset? Camon the hoops!
Manchester United (from): Kuszczak, Foster, Amos, Rafael, Evans, Cleverley, O’Shea, Chester, Possebon, Gibson, Hewson, Fletcher, Park, Anderson, Carrick, Nani, Giggs, Welbeck, Manucho, Rooney, Tevez.
From the look of that the bench will be stacked, just in case! Staying with You Man You? Owen Hargreaves is out for the season. Bum knee. I’m sure they will miss him with Scholes, Fletcher, O’shea, and Anderson.
20 minutes to go and Mrs Bigus has not returned to baby sit the Bigus nippers. This could get interesting. Standby for my 2 year old sons take on the opening exchanges.
Lets see if he can offer us a match preview…
hdsdff nfheiosdio jdfsdsf f fdssfpgg fsoi fsfosdfid vvoos idtyv difh didf Elmo.
Couldn’t have put it better myself.
Newsflash…
The line ups are IN..
Arsenal: Fabianski, Hoyte, Song Billong, Djourou, Gibbs, Wilshere, Randall, Ramsey, Merida, Simpson, Vela. Subs: Mannone, Bischoff, Coquelin, Fonte, Lansbury, Ogogo, Frimpong.
Wigan: Kirkland, Cattermole, Boyce, Bramble, Melchiot, Valencia, Koumas, Palacios, De Ridder, Figueroa, Zaki. Subs: Kingson, Taylor, Scharner, Kilbane, Brown, Cywka, Camara.
Who on earth is Frimpong? Anyone? Sounds like a kids game involving props. “Frimpong! Frimpong! I win!”
Keiran Gibbs is getting a run out for the Gooners tonight. He is a big lad and can play anywhere across the middle. Norwich had him on loan last year and although he didn’t play much, he looked a good prospect when he did.
Carlos Vela and Cardiff wonderboy Aaron Ramsay both start.
Wigan have selected a pretty strong line-up. Heskey is missing but Zaki, Valencia, and Palacios all start.
Right. TV is on and Setanta are showing a re-run of Arsenals big win from the weekend. Lucky omen?
Ok Wigwam are apparently lining up with a 4 3 3. De Ridder and Koumas will flank Zaki.
Zaki has 9 goals this season. Cattermole is in the middle and will have Placios and Valencia alongside him for company. Wigan have never won at Arsenal according to Jeff Stelling. Wowser. They won’t get a better chance than tonight.
The teams are in the tunnel. Arsenal look young. Real young. Not even bumfluff!
Wigan are wearing what appears to be last years Chelsea away strip. Bright yellow. No one is getting hit by a car this evening. Jay Simpson is going to start up front with Vela. Simpson was at Millwall last year and played 46 times for the Lions. Jack Wilshire is the youngest in the Gooners line-up tonight. He is just 16! His mum is waving from behind the bench. Hope she packed a snack for half-time.
0 mins. And they are off! Wigan kick off. Right to left for those who like imagine.
Bramble has been man of the match in Wigwams last 2 games. Surely we are due a Bramble moment of Titus proportions.
4 mins. Bit of a midfield battle although Wigan are having the better of the first few minutes. Vela is sitting behind Simpson and tried to set him through with a nice chip but Wigan swept that away.
8 mins. Koumas and valencia link up well on the edge of the box but the resulting cross is headed away by Djourou. Wilshire looks bright but his wayward pass sets De ridder away but his cross is sent out for a corner. Fabianski fumbles the cross but the ball is cleared.
12 mins. Phew..ACTION. Vela breaks through and tries to round Kirkland who palms the ball away before making another save from Vela. Simpson then gets the ball on the right and lets one fly, hitting the bar. The Arsenal babies have their tails up.
15 mins. Vela and Simpson are on the same page. Vela slips a tidy ball through on the left side of the box and the pacy Simpson latches on before firing a shot goal bound. Kirkland makes another fine save. At the other end De Ridder finds space and forces a save from Fabianski. End to end stuff now.
Written by Darkvader on November 11th, 2008 with no comments.
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You know, the post title would be much better if this were Switzerland, but what can you do? Since it is undoubtedly Germany Day here on UF (on Armistice Day, no less), with one, two, three stories so far, why not add another one? A quick look at the woefully-ignored-by-us Bundesliga thus far will do nicely, I think.
The story, so far, tn Germany is undoubtedly that of TSG Hoffenheim. The small-town club (and I do mean small–population 3000) is in its first season in the Bundesliga and acquitting themselves quite nicely. How nicely? Well, until a 1-0 loss at Hertha Berlin this weekend, the team was in first place. That’s pretty damn swell, I think. This is not your usual small club, though. They are backed financially by Dietmar Hopp, one of the founders of SAP. Hopp used to play for the youth side of Hoffenheim, and has used his billions to build the squad up. As it stands, this is a very international club now, with players from nine countries on the squad, including three cherished Brazilians. This season is a transition season for the club, as they are moving out of their former 5000-seat stadium into a newly-built 30,000 seater. What remains to be seen is if the club can fill those seats when the newness of the Bundesliga wears off.
Sitting atop the Bundesliga at this point is Landycake’s former club, Bayer Leverkusen. Leverkusen hold the slightest of leads at this point, being even on points with Hoffenheim, while holding a one goal better goal diffential. Since Hoffenheim are also the top scoring team in the league, this is a tight race. Leverkusen ascended to the top after a scrappy 3-3 draw with Karlsruhe on Saturday. High scoring games are not the norm for Leverkusen, as their four previous results had been 2-0 wins since an early October 1-0 loss to . . . Hertha Berlin. Head to head with Hoffenheim, however, Leverkusen hold the advantage having topped the small club 5-2 in the season’s third week. There is also a big match upcoming with perennial favorites Bayern Munich in three week’s time.
Bayern Munich sit third in the table, one point behind the top two. They must be considered the hot team right now, having run off 19 points in the last seven matches since a disappointing 2-2-2 start. Whereas Jurgen Klinsmann was probably on the early hot seat before, the team is looking much more solid now. Klinsi’s big question right now must be why the hell he would care about bringing in Donovan. He is replete with attacking options to the point of Lukas Podolski–the Pole transplant who starts and scores copiously for the German national side–cannot be considered a starter for his club team. Tough times are ahead for the American.
Through the middle of the table, there are some weird issues with team’s records and their goal differentials. Fourth-place Hamburg have a 7-2-3 record, but have an even goal differential despite the four more wins than losses. The fact that all three of their losses have been 3-0 definitely plays into that. On the other hand, there is Werder Bremen. This is an up and own team who, despite holding a 4-5-3 record, have a +5 GD, which leaved them 10th in the 18 team Bundesliga. It must be because they can pump in the goals at times, having put up 5 against Hoffenheim (5-4), Bayern (5-2, away!) and Hertha (5-1).
What of this Hertha team that keeps getting mentioned? They sit 5th currently, four points behind the leaders. Between 5th and 11th is pretty hotly contested with Schalke, Wolfsburg, Koln, Borussia Dortmund, and Stuttgart joining Werder and Hertha therein.
From Stuttgart, there is a gap to the third tier of the Bundesliga. Four points separate the 2007 champs from 12th place Eintracht Frankfurt who in turn hold a one point lead over Hannover 96. Borussia Moenchengladbach and Karlruhe sit a little further back in the last safe spots.
Sixteenth place in the Bundesliga goes into a two-leg playoff against the third-placed team from 2.Bundesliga. Currently, the 16th place team is VfL Bochum. The final two spots in the table are held by the woefully out of form sides Arminia Bielefeld and Energie Cottbus. When it comes down to it, Bielefeld has the better chance of surviving, while Cottbus have the look of EPL’s Derby County last season. They have one win against eight losses with three draws. Who did that win come against? Hertha, of course. Who else?
Written by Darkvader on November 11th, 2008 with no comments.
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Pretty amazing that Landycakes, one of the more innocuous players to ever sashay onto the pitch, is also one of the most divisive figures for American footy fans. We’ve got blue states and red states, rich and poor, and pro-Lando and against-Lando. But, in this new spirit of bipartisanship, I say we all come together and wish our receding-hairlined pygmy best of luck during his trial at Bayern Munich.
Look, credit where credit is due. Despite being a four-time MLS player of the year, the all-time USMT assist and goal leader, and having a century of caps, Landycakes has enough self awareness to know that his reputation will always be tainted by those two failed stints in Europe. The move to Bayern has been long-rumored and probably makes the most sense, with Klinsmann at the helm (for the time being at least) and a less-physical continental style that would suit Lando well compared to the EPL. You also gotta think that the Galaxy will be motivated to sell to clear up some salary for a couple players for Becks.
Assuming that Landycakes’ trial turns into a permanent deal with Bayern, the trick will be if Donovan is willing to be a role player rather than the key man. Perhaps the Galaxy’s abysmal season was a good preparation, as in how could it get any worse? On the plus side, Lando can play any midfield or forward position, has good speed, can deliver nice crosses into the box, can finish, works hard and he’s still only 26 years old. But is he willing to accept a lesser role with a top-quality team? Will he be willing to stick it out if Klinsmann gets canned or the team underperforms? What happens when Lando is forced to sit on the bench?
And, for all the Lando haters, the most important question is how long until he comes sniveling back to MLS.
Written by Darkvader on November 11th, 2008 with no comments.
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In World War 2, he’d have been the lad with the grenades. He was born too late for that, but even so, Rory Delap’s superhuman ability to throw round objects has caught the attention of the Irish Pointy Stick Throwing Association back home, and they’ve got big plans for Delap in 2012.
They’re eyeing up Olympic gold with the javelin, and who better to use than Stoke’s bearded chucker?
I can’t quite believe that it’s true, but the Daily Star (think three steps below the Daily Mail for journalistic integrity) says it is, and they’ve got the quotes to prove it:
Mary Coghlan, head of Athletics Ireland, said: We don’t have any javelin throwers competing at the World Championships next year so of course we would welcome him. To reach the acquired standard would be extremely difficult but nothing is impossible. Certainly, if he wanted to try and throw the javelin for Ireland we would be more than delighted to have him.”
So there you have it: Delap for 2012. It’d be a wonderful story, rivaling those legends like the Togolese medalist in canoeing and of course, the Jamaican bobsled team.
Athletics Ireland hopes to get Delap to sit down with Irish javelin “legend” Terry McHugh (of course I would never mock him to his face considering his prowess with a javelin) to talk strategy and see if there might be any interest.
Watch the vid of Delap’s long-throw magic in action, and ask yourself: could he really do for a pointy stick what he’s done for a leather-stitched ball?
Written by Darkvader on November 11th, 2008 with no comments.
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Conjecture or not, stories alleging plastic surgery and cosmetic enhancement for footballers are always welcome around here. I must admit I was surprised that the recipient of such treatments was not Cristiano Ronaldo. He must get those synthetic looks naturally, then.
No, this concerns a defender of the Argentine persuasion, Bayern Munich marauder Martin Demichelis, and his fondness for Botox.
According to the Daily Mail, bastion of all that is factual and un-sensationalized in the world, a leading South American cosmetic surgeon has outed Demichelis as a frequent benefactor of the lip-numbing treatment normally used by ladies to acquire the DSLs (although they don’t know it yet).
Cristian Perez Latorre, the surgeon in question, was concise: “Demichelis is a footballer I have worked on. He injects Botox into his lips before games. He wants to look good.”
Simple enough, although Demichelis was quick to scoff at the rumours: “It’s laughable. I don’t have an earring, any piercings or tattoos. And yet I am supposed to be using Botox?”
I’m sure it’s a simple mix-up. The German newspaper Bild that initially broke the story believes that it could be slanderous revenge for comments Demichelis’ girlfriend made about Latorre and his sub-standard surgery performed on a mutual friend, so there’s your conspiracy theory right there.
Either way, true or false, the notion is hilarious. A footballer with puffed-up lips? John Terry might benefit from such a service before his next attempt to kiss up to the referee.
Written by Darkvader on November 11th, 2008 with no comments.
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I know we promised some more upbeat stories today, but this one came across the desk, and, well, it bears telling. In Bundesliga play this past Saturday, Werder Bremen and Bochum drew 0-0. I know, not especially noteworthy except for the fact that some Neo Nazis unfurled political banners. The perpetrators were promptly arrested after being fingered by other fans.
I hate to ascribe intelligent, cogent thought to Neo Nazis, but Saturday was November 9, a day of historical significance for Germany. So much so, the Germans call it Schicksaltag. A day that marks two significant Nazi landmarks–the Beer Hall Putsch and Kristallnacht. It also is the same date that the Berlin Wall fell in 1989.
Bremen officials are banning the offenders thankfully. And, hopefully, we’ll have more uplifting stories for the rest of the day.
Written by Darkvader on November 11th, 2008 with no comments.
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Chelsea will not be fielding their academy players in tomorrow’s Carling Cup tie with Burnley.
The Independent says Luiz Felipe Scolari will not pick an experimental team of Chelsea academy players to face Burnley because he has been told by his senior players that they want to play in and win the competition. Unlike Arsenal and Manchester United, Scolari knows that many of his biggest names want the chance of winning the Carling Cup for a third time in five years.
Chelsea’s senior players feel that their three recent appearances in Carling Cup finals (2005, 2007 and 2008) have been among the most memorable games since Roman Abramovich’s arrival. As a result they are unwilling to stand aside.
Agent demands £170,000-a-week for Man Utd ace Ronaldo
Jorge Mendes hopes to secure a bumper pay-rise for his client, Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Mirror says Mendes wants to talk about a deal that would see Ronaldo get around £170,000 a week just a couple of months after turning down a move to Real Madrid.
However, United are reluctant to give Ronaldo a new deal so soon, with chief executive David Gill believing their star is already firmly under contract.
Ronaldo signed a five-year deal in April 2007 and is on around £120,000 a week. But an improved contract would lead to the likes of Rio Ferdinand and Wayne Rooney demanding hikes, too.
Mendes wants to know United’s thinking and planning after the two camps declared an uneasy peace after the summer.
United are aware the threat of Real Madrid remains despite the Spanish club’s statements to the contrary.
Henry To Chelsea
According to reports which may or may not be reliable, Chelsea could be about to launch a January swoop for Barcelona forward Thierry Henry.
Reports in both English and Spanish tabloids have suggested that Luiz Felipe Scolari is preparing to unleash an £8 million bid to lure iconic Frenchman Thierry Henry back to London.
The 31-year-old striker is currently in his second season at Barcelona, but has not scaled the heights that saw him crowned a bona-fide legend at Highbury and the Emirates with Arsenal.
Scolari is eager to bolster Chelsea’s attacking options, with strikers painfully thin on the ground outside of Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka.
Chelsea’s planned raid for Robinho was usurped by newly-monied Manchester City over the summer, leaving Scolari with limited options at the business end of the field.
He has been making noises about adding to his panel during the January sales, even though the economic downturn has left the once richest club in the world with unprecedented financial constraints.
According to The People newspaper, the Blues may have as little as £5 million with which to bid over the winter, while Henry is likey to command a fee at least twice that amount, with his wages set to be in the region of £120,000 a week.
The player was also linked with Manchester City, but is known to have a strong affection for London return.
He has been quoted by the press as saying: “Though I work in Barcelona my heart is in London.” However, he has also said, repeatedly, that he is happy at Barca, that Arsenal are in his heart and that he could not envisage playing for any other Premier League club after his time as a Gunner.
But then as we all know, things can change rapidly in football.
Written by Jackson Ng Ghim Pheng True Blue Chelsea Fan on November 11th, 2008 with no comments.
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