football !!

Cheers for taking out Liverpool!!

 

Young and old for Arsenal.....

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Campbell secures Gunners return

Sol Campbell has officially completed his return to Arsenal by signing a short-term contract with the Gunners until the end of the season.

Wenger opened the door to Arsenal's training ground to Campbell following his exit from County, and his efforts sufficiently impressed the Frenchman to sign him up again.

"We are delighted to have signed Sol Campbell until the end of the season,'' Wenger said.

"For both club and country, Sol's career just speaks for itself. He is a hugely experienced and intelligent footballer, who will bring a great amount of quality and knowledge to our squad. Sol as a player and a person will be an enormous asset to us.

"Sol has been training with us since September and during this time he has shown he still has the required fitness, hunger and passion to compete at the top level.''

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Arsenal snap up young gun Galindo

Arsenal have signed 17-year-old Bolivian midfielder Samuel Galindo from Real America but manager Arsene Wenger intends to send him out on loan.

The Frenchman, who has carved out a reputation for snapping up the world's best young talent before moulding them into genuine first-class players, said of his latest addition: "I'm looking to send him out on loan. We have a few clubs in mind.

"Galindo is a player who has good technique. He's intelligent, 6ft 2in tall, left-footed with good stamina. He is a central midfielder who can give good balls. He has good vision too which we like here."

 

Yeah, having Campbell back will give the Gunners that mix of young and old that they usally integrate into their game so well Is there any news on Fran Merida? There was talk of selling him to Spain or something, hope that's not the case.

You're Finnish, right, so what's Alexey Eremenko doing in a Finland shirt?? lol

 

"The Gunners take on Bolton again on Wednesday at the Emirates Stadium, before they face Aston Villa, Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool in successive games."

Hows that for a very, very tough run? Well, that last game (Liverpool) should be relatively easy, but we're missing 9 players due to injury right now.

 

Henry escapes FIFA punishment

France ace Thierry Henry will not be punished for his handball in November's World Cup qualification play-off against the Republic of Ireland.

FIFA concluded there was "no legal foundation" for them to deal with the case.

The decision means Henry will not face a ban for any matches of this summer's World Cup finals.

FIFA said in a statement: "The disciplinary committee reached the conclusion that there was no legal foundation for the committee to consider the case because handling the ball cannot be regarded as a serious infringement as stipulated in article 77a) of the FIFA disciplinary code.

"There is no other legal text that would allow the committee to impose sanctions for any incidents missed by match officials."

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Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger admits he cannot afford to lose Cesc Fabregas to injury if his side are to maintain their title challenge.

Having missed the last three matches with a hamstring injury, the Spain international showed just how valuable he is to Arsenal, who moved to within three points of Premier League leaders Chelsea - with Bolton again to come at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday.

"It is important for us not to lose any more players, especially him. He is just coming back now," said Wenger.

"We survived okay when he was not there but, in the period coming up, when we have so many big games, it is important to have him.

"If you watched the game, it is difficult to say how much we have missed him but you don't need to explain to anyone that it is important."

Asked if Fabregas was the best midfielder currently playing in the Premier League, Wenger added: "I do not see all the games but what is very interesting for us is Cesc gets stronger and stronger and has more personality on the pitch, like the whole team.

"He grows. He will be 23 this year - he is just starting."

 

is gerrard ready to go this time? you gotta kinda think he will!

Steven Gerrard ready to quit Anfield: Skipper fed up as Liverpool struggle again under Rafa Benitez | Mail Online

 

If Pool does not make top 4 in the Premier then they are not getting any Champion´s League money and that´s when Pool will most probably have to sell Torres and Gerrard. That´s what happened to Leeds some years ago but I´m hoping it won´t happen to Pool.

 

I don't see 'Pool finishing in the top 4 this year. Bye bye Torres and Gerrard.

 

The really sad thing is that Torres might end up in Chelsea or Manchester City for big bucks....Or perhaps back to Spain and Real, where even Raul don´t play in the first XI anymore, and he scored over 20 goals last season... EEEK!

 

Gerrard's got all the reason to be frustrated. Then again, he's a Liverpool icon, so if I was him I'd give it a second thought...again Yeah, Arsenal have pretty much got their hands full in the next couple of games...Chelsea..Man Utd.. I don't think Villa or Liverpool will be too much of a problem though. But all of them are pretty tough games, and I don't remember the last time Asnl beat Man Utd, apart from that Penalty shootout in the 2005 FA Cup final And Chelsea beat the Gooners 3-0 at home the alst time they played... Revenge will be sweet I guess.

 

Tevez gave SAF something to think about but there´s always the second leg left...

Carlos Tevez scored twice against his former club on Tuesday night as the Blues came from behind to claim a precious 2-1 first-leg victory ahead of the decider next Wednesday.

"I am very happy for Carlos," said Mancini.

"He is an ex-Manchester United player so this game was very important for him. To score two goals was excellent."

Alex Ferguson stared impassively ahead as Tevez was making his point. But he insisted there was no problem with his former player.

"It is just the way these things happen," he said.

"Football can be like that. It can bite you.

"We have had a few players leave the club and score against us. There is no issue. I am happy with the players we have got."

Predictably, Ferguson believes it is his own side that emerged with a narrow advantage, believing the home support at Old Trafford can prove decisive.

"We played well and dominated the match. We were reasonably in control but we had a mad five minutes before half-time that brought them back into the game," he said.

"Everyone can see the penalty for themselves. It is the kind of decision that has gone against us tonight but could go for us on another day.

"But with the crowd at Old Trafford and the occasion and what is at stake we will be okay."

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Leeds United manager Simon Grayson has suggested Jermaine Beckford has agreed a deal to join Everton at the end of the season.
Grayson intimated that a deal is in place between Beckford and the Toffees, but believes the 26-year-old could yet move to a bigger club.

"Pre-contract agreements aren't binding, so both parties could pull out at any time," said Grayson in The Sun.

"If he bangs in another 20 goals, there might be bigger teams than Everton coming in for him."

( Quite a step from League One to Premier anyway...)

 

Whoa, Beckford to Everton. Everton are looking really solid lately, they beat Man City last Saturday @ Goodison Park, 2-2 with Arsenal the game before, they're really picking up the pace this season. Too bad Bilyaletdinov's such a let-down. He just keeps missing every chance he's got. Switching him for Beckford would be a pretty good move.

I'm praying Man Utd get knocked out of the League Cup Man City deserve it way more.

 

People saying weird things in the Premier....

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Alberto Aquilani believes it would have been easier for him to adjust to Premier League life at Liverpool if the Reds had been in better form.

The 25-year-old admits it has been a difficult time but he does not think it was fair that he was expected to be Liverpool's saviour after some disappointing results at the beginning of the season.

"Ideally, I would have been able to start playing in a team that was winning matches," he aid in the Daily Mirror.

"But instead, by the time I was fit, the team was going through a difficult period.

"That made the transition to English football a lot harder. As a foreign player, moving to a new country with different team-mates, it would have been easier for me if I was starting my Liverpool career in a winning team.

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Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez has reignited his feud with Gary Neville, calling him a "boot-licker" and an "idiot" on Argentinian radio.

The Argentina forward told ESPN Radio: "In all the press here, Gary Neville came out and stood by Ferguson's comments, saying that I wasn't worth 25million.

"I thought he was in the wrong because we were team-mates and I never disrespected him, I always respected him.

"I feel he was a boot-licker when he stood by Ferguson's comments that I wasn't worth that money.

"From a former team-mate it hurts, from a coach it doesn't surprise me."

After Tevez converted his penalty, he ran to celebrate with the City fans, in front of whom Neville was warming up.

Tevez gestured to Neville to keep his mouth shut. Neville immediately retorted with a one-fingered gesture in Tevez's direction.

Tevez explained: "I would never do that gesture towards the fans, I would never show a lack of respect towards people. It was directed at Gary Neville.

"Just as I was running off to celebrate the penalty I had scored, I came across Gary and I said to myself, 'shut your trap, keep quiet'.

"I didn't go overboard in my celebration and it was directed at Gary, not at Ferguson and not at the fans. I didn't even look at Ferguson.

"You have to do your talking on the pitch. I know that Ferguson loves me, that's why he always talks about me."

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Manchester City executive chairman Garry Cook claims the big-spending club are going to be the "biggest and best" in the world.

Cook was addressing a fans forum in New York, and he told a buoyant crowd that he had little doubts the club would become the world's best.

"This football club is, without doubt, going to be the biggest and best football club in the world," Cook said.

"I will make no excuses for saying it, as I truly believe it - with the resources and capabilities we have."

 

Lol! Go Tevez! He's pretty cocky for a Man City striker, don't you think

 

Great 2-2 game yesterday between Tottenham and Leeds. Beckford levelling the score after 4 minutes of overtime with a penalty goal....

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Ruud van Nistelrooy is hoping to earn a place at the World Cup after agreeing an 18-month contract to join Hamburg from Real Madrid.

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Looks like the best season ever for Wayne Rooney:

Wayne Rooney scored a sensational four-goal salvo as Manchester United beat Hull 4-0 at Old Trafford to grab top spot in the Premier League.

 

Just like Torres hat-trick against Hull, any sort of showing against a Team like Hull should be disregarded. For those Americans reading this, beating Hull is comparable to the NFL Team Colts playing (and beating badly) a college team like Bowling Green.

 

STOKE 3 GOONERS 1 YOU WONT BE TAKING THE CUP HOME! :lol:

 

Well, they got lucky, what can I say

 

Liverpool aren't doing too well themselves, may I add 2-1 v. Reading a round earlier And 6th spot in the Prem ain't too good for a team like 'Pool. Well, at least Leeds drew with Spurs, that's the only thing I'm happy about in th FA Cup 4th round.

 

Arsene has humour,too, on commenting the Stoke game:

"Were they better than us? Let's say they were more dangerous than us. That is a very important factor in winning games.

"They do not give me nightmares, you get no surprises when you play at Stoke. You know what to expect, but as the game went on they looked stronger and stronger in one-on-one battles."

Wenger joked: "I wanted to avoid a replay, that is why I sent on three experienced substitutes all together. And yes, it worked, didn't it. We have not got a replay! "