English Premier League

Ronaldinho - Top 20 Best Goals & Skills

2008-11-18T06:57:00.000-08:00

Juninho Best Goals

2008-11-18T06:56:00.000-08:00

Kaka's best goals ever

2008-11-18T06:53:00.000-08:00

Paul Scholes Best goals

2008-11-18T06:51:00.000-08:00

English Premier League ((NEW SEASON))

2008-11-18T06:20:00.000-08:00

Goal by Drogba - Chelsea FC vs. Manchester United FC

2008-09-16T05:23:00.001-07:00

Uploaded by 90tsunni

For most of the game (ok, all of it), it was a even affair, both sides canceling each other out and the game itself sorely failing to live up to the pompous and wasteful ceremony that preceded it (Prince William looked f’n bored with it).

And then one Didier Drogba, with one of his best goals this season (and possibly his most important) put Chelsea ahead in the 2nd half of extra time, and after that there was no going back. Chelsea took the yellow cards and the Man Utd pressure and got their FA Cup win.

It would be harsh to say that either side was better - it was even, boringly so (I slept through the second half, and was reliably informed that that was probably the best thing to have done).

The one incident of note that will perhaps rankle Manchester United fans a bit was the ‘goal that wasn’t given’, Ryan Giggs sliding into Cech and pushing the ball over the line. The refs couldn’t see it but the camera caught it, and this one is definitely one that could have gone either way. Without video replays, you never know.

To be very honest, the result was fair considering the quality of the goal. And if anyone knows where Drogba went straight after the whistle, let me know. Methinks he went to call his mum, but he could have gone to take a leak or whatever.

Labels: fa cup

Ramos angry but refuses to panic

2008-09-16T05:04:00.000-07:00

Tottenham Hotspur are yet to win a match this season

Juande Ramos remained upbeat over Tottenham's prospects for the rest of the season after a 2-1 defeat by Aston Villa left Spurs bottom of the table.

"I'm always angry at the end of games like this with the players and myself as well," said manager Ramos after watching his side slip to a home loss.

"It's only just begun and there's still room for us there. I'm not going to carry out an assessment after one game.

"Hopefully with calmness and experience we'll get a positive result."

Spurs put in a limp display in front of their home fans, looking disjointed and dispirited throughout, but Ramos said the upheaval the club had faced in recent weeks was partly to blame.

Strikers Robbie Keane and Dimitar Berbatov left for Liverpool and Manchester United respectively, while defender Vedran Corluka and forward Roman Pavlyuchenko - who both made their debuts against Villa - were bought on transfer deadline day earlier this month.

606: DEBATE

We were awful last night, the whole team is unbalanced, he played Modric out of position on the left and left Jenas on the bench even though he had a great game for England

ModricDelight

"We had very little time to prepare - Corluka, Pavlyuchenko and Frazier Campbell are new to the club and haven't really had time," stated Ramos, who has suffered more league defeats than victories since taking over from the sacked Martin Jol in October 2007.

Ramos has overseen 19 victories from 46 matches, while Jol's squad won 67 games from a total of 148.

And Ramos conceded: "We are behind in our preparations. We need to keep the spirit going and climb as high up the table as possible.

"We've made an irregular start to the season, having lost three games, which makes it an uphill struggle for us."

And Spurs first-term coach Gus Poyet gave his support to goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes, who allowed Ashley Young's shot to sneak under his body for Villa's second goal on Monday.

"Heurelho is going to be quite sad," said Poyet. "That's football, you can do everything right in the game but unfortunately you feel responsible for one of the actions.

"But he was outstanding. He saved us in the first half so there is nothing you can blame him for."

Spurs now face Wisla Krakow in the Uefa Cup on Thursday before they take on Wigan in the Premier League on Sunday, with both games at White Hart Lane.

Man Utd aim to make Euro history

2008-09-16T05:00:00.000-07:00

Nottingham Forest claimed back-to-back European Cup wins in 78/79 and 79/80

Not since John McGovern lifted the European Cup for Nottingham Forest nearly 30 years ago has a British club succeeded in winning Europe's most coveted title in successive seasons.

And while defending the European Cup in its old format was difficult, doing so in its new incarnation as the Champions League has proved impossible for Europe's top clubs.

So history will be stacked against Sir Alex Ferguson and his Manchester United side as they attempt to defend their Champions League title.

When Europe's most prestigious competition was revamped in 1992, the change to the group format ensured any side winning the tournament had to negotiate 13 games - four more than it would have taken them to win the European Cup.

BACK-TO-BACK EURO CHAMPIONS

88/89 & 89/80 - AC Milan

78/79 & 79/80 - Nott'm Forest

76/77 & 77/78 - Liverpool

73/74, 74/75 & 75/76 - Bayern M

70/71, 71/72 & 72/73 - Ajax

63/64 & 64/65 - Inter Milan

60/61 & 61/62 - Benfica

55/56, 56/57, 57/58, 58/59 & 59/60 - Real Madrid

Juventus came close in 1998, but having beaten Borussia Dortmund in 1997, they were beaten 1-0 by Real Madrid.

Prior to 1992, as well as Forest, AC Milan, Liverpool, Bayern Munich, Ajax, Inter Milan, Benfica and Real Madrid all successfully defended their European crown.

Ajax and Bayern managed it three years running, two teams that were respectively marshalled by Johan Cruyff and Franz Beckenbauer.

Former United defender Viv Anderson believes Ferguson, in signing Dimitar Berbatov for £30m, may have found the key to writing a new chapter in Champions League history.

"Mark my words, it will be a very difficult for United to defend the trophy but the signing of Berbatov is very important for them in Europe," said Anderson, who won back-to-back European Cups with Forest in 1979 and 1980.

"Now, all of a sudden they have a different way of playing. They have a focal point, a big presence up front, which is something they maybe lacked last season.

"They were very reliant on Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez, but Berbatov brings them something different and gives them a different emphasis.

"They now have a different way of playing and can change their system if necessary and that will be important in Europe."

Berbatov made his debut in Saturday's 2-1 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield where United looked distinctly out of sorts.

But Anderson is convinced the former Tottenham man has what it takes to be a success at Old Trafford and help United conquer Europe.

He added: "I think on Saturday's performance it is too early to judge Berbatov but I think he is exactly what Manchester United need.

"It was a big game for him to come into but if he stays at United for the four years on his contract then I think he'll be a huge success."

With Berbatov's signing United seemingly have an embarrassment of striking riches to call upon, and Ferguson's attacking options will be further bolstered by the return of winger Cristiano Ronaldo, who scored 42 goals last season.

If it was up to Anderson, he would play all four forwards.

"They are all intelligent footballers, they can interchange their positions on the pitch and fill holes where need be," he said.

"I think they'll play off each other and work out how to make the team tick. It's about making the opposition worry about you, rather than you worrying about the opposition."

Anderson fondly remembers the double European triumph of nearly 30 years ago.

Forest first won the trophy in 1979, beating Swedish side Malmo in Munich thanks to Trevor Francis's 45th-minute header.

Dimitar Berbatov could hold the key to European success this season

A year later and they were back in the final, this time in Madrid where they faced German side Hamburg, with Forest again winning 1-0, with John Robertson grabbing the winner.

"Second time around is always harder and it certainly was more difficult as we were the team that everyone wanted to beat," said Anderson.

"The opposition you play against know you are the European champions and that motivates them even more than usual, they find an extra gear and play better then they would do normally. You have to be switched on from the very first game.

"The coach of the opposing team would say, 'These are the defending champions, let's go and turn them over.'

"That is only natural and you can understand it. That is why Manchester United will find it difficult this year."

Anderson remembers how manager Brian Clough used to prepare Forest for their European nights, explaining how he kept the team talks brief and concise.

"We got great pleasure and great pride out of winning that first European trophy and we weren't going to give it up lightly," he recalls of his Forest days.

"You have to be switched on from the very first game. Each match is a cup final, it is the opposition's biggest game of the season and you need to get into that mindset from the very beginning and start the campaign well.

"We made it difficult for teams to beat us the second time around because our pride in winning the trophy was so great and we didn't want to lose that.

"But when you play for one of the big clubs you are well used to facing teams that are desperate to beat you."

Anderson also believes the experienced members of United's squad will be key for their Champions League defence.

Viv Anderson was also capped 30 times by England

"When you look at the players that Manchester United have, like Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs and Gary Neville and also the manager Sir Alex Ferguson, then there you have people with experience who have seen it all in the game," said Anderson.

"They are well used to playing big games and they will be able to tell players like Nani and Anderson what it takes physically and mentally to win the trophy."

Ferguson could come up against his old rival Jose Mourinho in this year's competition and Anderson believes that the challenge of Inter Milan poses a very serious threat.

"United will find it difficult for the reasons I have suggested," said Anderson.

"I see this year's campaign being the usual suspects but with Jose Mourinho going to Inter Milan, I think they will be strong this season."

Marseille boss fears English form

2008-09-16T04:57:00.000-07:00

Gerets took over as coach of Marseille in 2007

Marseille coach Eric Gerets fears English clubs will again dominate the Champions League as he prepares his side to face Liverpool on Tuesday.

Liverpool were one of three Premier League clubs in the semi-finals last season, with Manchester United beating Chelsea in the final.

Gerets, who as a PSV Eindhoven player won the 1988 European Cup, told BBC Sport English clubs may excel again.

"I hope not but I'm afraid it will be. The English sides are strong," he said.

"If you look at the Premier League, the big clubs can put out two teams and maybe both can get into the Champions League.

"They have really fantastic players and teams at the moment."

Gerets envies the financial clout on offer to the English contingent and says he "can only dream to one day work in England and participate in this party".

And having lost Samir Nasri to Arsenal and Djibril Cisse to Sunderland during the summer, Gerets also believes the financial disparity with the Premier League is having an adverse effect on the French game.

"I'm afraid of the gap getting bigger and also every year good French players are leaving the country to go to England," explained the former Belgian international.

"If you see how many French players are playing in England at the moment and doing so well it means that our competition is poorer than it was two or three years ago."

He added: "I'm not saying it is bad for football. It is good for English football. In Spain it is the same.

"If you have the possibility then you should do it. I can tell you if I could buy five more players I would do it."

Gerets has turned round the fortunes of Marseille but knows reaching the knockout stages will be a tough task after again being drawn in the same group as Liverpool.

We have to win because afterwards we have two away games

Marseille coach Eric Gerets

Marseille shocked Liverpool with a 1-0 win at Anfield last season but were comprehensively beaten 4-0 in the reverse fixture when the Reds needed a victory in their final group game to reach the last 16.

Gerets has replaced Nasri and Cisse with Hatem Ben Arfa and Bakary Kone and hopes his side will be more of a threat this time around.

"We've bought some good offensive players and, hopefully, we can hurt them a little bit more than we did last season at home," he said.

"Normally we have good attacking players. We have already scored a lot of goals in the French championship so hopefully we can also be dangerous against Liverpool.

"With Kone and Ben Arfa we are as strong as last season. We wanted to attack last time but they were so strong here."

Liverpool go to France on the back of a 2-1 victory over Manchester United but Gerets added: "We have to win because afterwards we have two away games.

"If we go into them with a loss or draw it will not be that positive.

"If we can go with three points it will mean there will not be that much pressure."

Atletico Madrid and PSV Eindhoven, a club Gerets has also coached, complete Group D.

The Belgian's European Cup triumph as a player came in 1988 when PSV beat Benfica 6-5 on penalties.

Hyland still on Redknapp radar

2008-09-16T04:56:00.000-07:00

Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp has confirmed he still hopes to sign Trinidad and Tobago midfielder Khaleem Hyland.

The 19-year-old has not been granted a work permit yet, which could scupper the deal.

He has been a regular in his national team since making his debut in January, and he featured against England in the friendly on June 1.

However he has not made sufficient competitive international appearances to satisfy the British authorities and remains a free agent after rejecting a new contract with San Juan Jabloteh.

Redknapp told the Portsmouth News: "We are still trying to get Hyland a work permit. He's a very good young player.

"We've had him over for training and seen a lot of him to know what he's all about. I think he can be a good player here.

"It has gone on for quite a while, which is a bit frustrating. It's just about getting that work permit and then we can get him down here. We'll just have to wait and see what happens."

Rafa plays down expectations

2008-09-16T04:53:00.000-07:00

Rafael Benitez is desperately trying to calm wild expectations following Liverpool's humbling of the European champions.

But already talk on both sides of the channel is of whether Liverpool can achieve Premier League and Champions League glory in tandem following their victory over Manchester United on Saturday.

Marseille boss Erik Gerets was so impressed he described Liverpool as "Duracell bunnies" and an example to the world for their performance in reducing Sir Alex Ferguson's men to despair in a 2-1 defeat at Anfield.

Benitez needed to have the famous battery advert explained to him but once he cottoned on, the Spaniard said: "It is nice that we have made such an impact. As far as battery-powered, I suppose they are talking of Javier Mascherano.

"But as far as making an impression, I am only concerned about the impact it has on us and our confidence. Too many people want to talk too early about titles and other things.

"We did well against Manchester United but we must be focused on the next game, and that is Marseille.

"We must not allow ourselves to get carried away. We played well on Saturday but the Champions League is different.

"Clearly we must not think about what happened in the past and think only of our next game and making sure that we win it. Otherwise you waste what has gone before.

"We have talked to the players about putting Manchester United out of their minds and just concentrate on the future."

Benitez is without Brazilian full-back Fabio Aurelio, who has a calf injury, but he confirmed that Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres are both fit to start in the opening group D clash in the Stade Velodrome.

It is the scene of last season's Champions League salvation, when Liverpool won 4-0 to achieve qualification for the knockout stages when all had seemed lost after a shocking opening to their European campaign.

Benitez - who insisted last term's late heroics were "not good for my heart" - said: "We do not want be making as hard work of it as we did last season to get through the group stage."

The Anfield boss has shuddering memories of the mess Liverpool made of their first three group games last term and the massive toll on the squad both mentally and physically.

Now as the Merseysiders open their new group stage campaign against a Marseille side who played a major part in making last season's initial campaign such a nightmare, Benitez demands a winning start this time around.

Marseille inflicted a 1-0 defeat on Liverpool at Anfield, the first French side ever to win there in Europe, when a Mathieu Valbuena goal rocked the hosts to the core.

Benitez said: "People do say that our European games did have an effect on us in domestic matches last season, but I do not really think so, it was more down to silly mistakes.

"But we do not want to go through again what we went through last season. We want to win the first game, and continue it that way. That would be perfect.

"If we can do things better from the start this time around, it will be better for my heart."

But however much Benitez claims that European and league form last term were divorced, most of Liverpool's calamitous efforts domestically came at the time that they were falling apart in the Champions League.

They started with a draw in Porto, lost at home to Marseille and then in Istanbul against Besiktas. There was a spell when Benitez's own future depended on saving their Champions League campaign.

That came by putting four past Porto, scoring eight against Besiktas and then another four last December in the Velodrome to secure progress to the next phase.

And now Benitez believes that Marseille - who lost the top spot in Le Championnat on Saturday when they drew at Bordeaux but remain undefeated in domestic and European combat this term - are a much better side than last season.

With matches against Atletico Madrid and PSV Eindhoven to follow, Benitez said: "It is a hard group, all three other teams are very good. You beat everyone and you can lose to everyone.

"It will be really difficult. Marseille have made a really good start to their season and we have had several reports on them. They are playing well, are more balanced and are working more as a team.

"This time it will be difficult. They are better class and have changed the way they play, so we will have to be careful, but we do not intend to go through what we did last season."

Benitez added: "Marseille are a better team than last season when we met them. They are more organised and more aggressive.

"But clearly we would like to start the group stages in the right way. I know we made it so difficult for ourselves last season, but this time we aim to do things the right way.

"If we can win the first games, that would be perfect after what happened last season. But I can guarantee it will be very difficult this time.

"Certainly what we did to Manchester United has given us great belief at just the right time."

Ibagaza in confident mood

2008-09-16T04:51:00.000-07:00

Villarreal new boy Ariel Ibagaza insists they can beat Manchester United on their own turf in Wednesday's match.

The former Mallorca captain, who moved to Villarreal in the summer, made his debut in Sunday's 1-0 victory over Deportivo La Coruna and is confident that his side can get a similar result at Old Trafford.

"We go into this match with the intention to win it," Ibagaza told the club's website, www.villarrealcf.es.

"We know that it will be a very difficult game against an opponent who plays very well, who are going to make things very difficult for us, but we are going there with the idea that we are going to get some points, that it is possible to win, and to get to the knock-out stages."

Villarreal's bid to get something from Old Trafford has been hindered by the fact that first-choice strikers Nihat Kahveci and Guiseppe Rossi are still sidelined, however, Robert Pires has regained fitness and could feature on Wednesday.

Their chances seemingly decreased still further with the news that Cristiano Ronaldo could make his return to the United side, but Ibagaza believes his side can still take points off the European champions.

"Beyond the good players that our opponents have, which are many, what's good is that we continue on our form and take advantage of our chances, which we will have."

Villarreal faced United in the group stages in the 2005/06 tournament, the one and only time they have been in the competition.

Both games ended goaless but the Yellow Submarine enjoyed a stunning campaign, beating Rangers and Internazionale on their way to the semi-finals where they lost to Arsenal.

Mourinho continues war of words

2008-09-16T03:09:00.000-07:00

Internazionale coach Jose Mourinho has hit back at Pietro Lo Monaco after the Catania administrator advised him to keep shut.

Mourinho claimed after his team's 2-1 triumph over Catania at the weekend - his second Serie A clash at the helm - that he could have played in goal and Inter would still have won.

Lo Monaco responded by saying the Portuguese showed a "lack of respect", was a "chatterbox" and should keep his comments to himself.

Mourinho has retaliated, saying: "Monaco? I know Bayern Monaco (Munich), Monaco of Monte Carlo, the GP of Monaco...I don't know of any other.

"Lo Monaco has used my name to gain publicity. But I have sponsors who pay me to do publicity. Hence, if he wants, he should also pay me."

The argument started last week when Mourinho stated in a press conference that Inter would need to be "ordinary" to beat Catania.

In his post-match interview he said his side could have won 4-1 or 5-1 and that if he had played in goal nothing would have changed.

Man City deny Ronaldo speculation

2008-09-16T03:06:00.000-07:00

Ronaldo has not played since injuring his knee in February

Manchester City have rejected Brazil striker Ronaldo's claims that he is on the verge of joining his compatriot Robinho at Eastlands.

The 31-year-old three-time world player of the year, currently recovering from a serious knee injury, is a free agent after leaving AC Milan in the summer.

Ronaldo was quoted as saying City had made "the best offer I've received".

However, a City spokesman said the club met Ronaldo's representatives but chose not to follow up their interest.

"We had shown a past interest in bringing the player to the football club in the right circumstances and spoke to him and his representatives," revealed the spokesman.

"However, we have chosen not to pursue the matter."

The former Barcelona, Real Madrid and AC Milan forward has been plagued by injury problems in recent seasons and has not played since he ruptured a knee ligament while turning out for Milan in February.

But the French surgeons who operated on his left knee have said Ronaldo could be fit to play after two to three months of heavy work-outs to build up the strength in his leg.

Ronaldo said he could help make City "one of the best clubs in the world" and predicted a partnership with Robinho could yield 50 goals in the Premier League.

"I like the project that City presented me," said Ronaldo, who has been training with Brazilian club Flamengo.

"It's the best offer I've received and it will be interesting to play with Robinho."

City stunned the football world with the £32.5m record signing of Robinho from Real Madrid and the club's new owners Abu Dhabi United Group have spoken about bringing several world-class players to Eastlands.

Liverpool's Fernando Torres, Arsenal's Cesc Fabregas and Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo are some of the names that City's owners have revealed they want to sign.

Totti: Roma can do better

2008-09-16T03:01:00.000-07:00

Roma Captain Francesco Totti is without answer as to why his club is experiencing difficulties so early in the season.

The current Coppa Italia holders have begun their campaign poorly to say the least, having failed to win the Italian Super Cup and walking away with just a single point from their first two Serie A matches.

Totti admits that he has no explanation for the sub par performance, but is certain that the team will bounce back and that he is prepared to make his much needed return.

"What's happening? It's difficult to explain," claimed Totti. "We have done well for three years in a row and will certainly do well in this season. I think we will have a great Championship and Champions League."

Thus far, Totti’s been limited to just a brief substitute appearance in the Supercoppa against Inter, and was absent in both of Roma’s Serie A matches because of a lingering knee issues.

However, with Romanian side CFR Cluj scheduled on Tuesday for Match Day 1 of the Champions League, Totti is optimistic that he can make his return at Stadio Olimpico in time for kick off.

"Now I'm at 70 percent, although still feel some mild discomfort in the knee," revealed the former Golden Boot winner. "But I will be there tomorrow, then Spalletti will decide if he should send me onto the field or not.

Earlier, Totti's teammate Alberto Aquilani reiterated to the media that the team is still united and Totti supported this by saying that the results would soon be more positive.

"The fans should stay calm. We are confident. They players that arrived are of great worth, which has helped us make the leap in quality. The beginning is difficult for everyone, but they will soon integrate with the group."

And as much as Roma fans will breathe a sigh of relief to see their captain back on the field should he make an appearance against Cluj, it is not a guarantee, although Totti is almost sure to be closer to full strength by the time his side faces Reggina over the weekend.

Dynamo Kiev v Arsenal

2008-09-16T02:59:00.000-07:00

Nasri signed from Marseille in the summer for a reported £12m

Arsenal midfielder Samir Nasri may not be fit in time to make the Gunners' trip to the Ukraine for the Champions League clash against Dynamo Kiev.

The Frenchman, 21, will have his injured ankle checked before a decision on whether he travels.

Mikael Silvestre could return but Gael Clichy and Emmanuel Eboue have niggles.

Kiev coach Yuri Semin says there are no plans to man-mark Emmanuel Adebayor, who scored a hat-trick in Arsenal's 4-0 win at Blackburn on Saturday.

"We knew very well prior to this the capabilities of the Arsenal forward," said Semin.

"But we will not be putting a man-marker on him. Adebayor plays all over the pitch, and in every zone there will be one of our players to meet him."

Ronaldo may have to adapt to a drop in adulation

2008-09-14T03:39:00.000-07:00

Cristiano Ronaldo sat out Man United's 1-1 draw with Newcastle with a foot injury.

There was a moment before Manchester United's opening Premier League game when, briefly, it seemed as though the club might take an extraordinary gamble and bring Cristiano Ronaldo on to the pitch. After all the usual sponsorship announcements and, United being United, the far-too-enthusiastic welcoming of corporate guests from Saudi Arabia, a table was set up, photographers gathered round and the stadium announcer launched into a player-of-the-season presentation with a difference.

It should come as no surprise that Ronaldo was a notable absentee, despite winning all three of the club's first-team awards. Daniel Welbeck received a silver plate for being the outstanding young performer, Richard Eckersley picked up the reserves award and in ordinary circumstances the winner of the player of the season, as well as the goal of the season and players' player of the season, would have been lapping up the applause. Yet a decision had been made that Ronaldo should sit this one out.

It is unclear who made it, or whether Ronaldo had any say about the matter, but the better-safe-than-sorry policy was understandable judging by the observation in one of the fans' publications, that the player's summer dalliance with Real Madrid had left him "totally alienated from any sensibly minded United fan".

If the fanzines are an accurate representation then it is fair to say Ronaldo is being viewed in a much different light and that, to some, the damage might be irreversible. Red News's editorial describes the man who scored 42 goals last season as "a 23-year-old prima donna". Red Issue's columnists are more acerbic, one branding him a "conniving little shit", another describing the player's pledge to remain as "meticulously devised, all-round face-saving PR guff masquerading as an interview . . . it's easy to be honest and remorseful after you fail to get away with something. Not trying it on in the first place is the difficult, and praiseworthy, bit."

Football fans are notoriously fickle, of course, and when Ronaldo recovers from his ankle injury - his first game is pencilled in at Blackburn Rovers on October 4 - his goals will be cheered much the same as usual. Or certainly it will look that way to non supporters. Other evidence suggests Ronaldo may have to grow accustomed to the idea of not being afforded the adulation he once received. For starters Viva Ronaldo, the anthem of last season, has been adapted to Viva John Terry so that it no longer pays homage to United's No7 but mocks the Chelsea captain for his penalty miss in the European Cup final. When the Ronaldo version was aired in a pub before Sunday's 1-1 draw with Newcastle, it was drowned out with boos and other songs.

What cannot be disputed is that the team are missing Ronaldo at a time when injuries, Nani's suspension, Anderson's Olympics duty, Carlos Tevez's compassionate leave and the Dimitar Berbatov saga have left Ferguson with depleted resources. Ronaldo does not browse the messageboards or subscribe to fanzines but he might have noted there was not the usual rush of autograph hunters when he took his seat. Most simply stared.

Yesterday a member of staff in the Megastore confirmed that there had been a sharp drop in the numbers wanting Ronaldo on the back of their shirts, the most popular name now being Rooney. As Red Issue sums it up: "He [Ronaldo] may be young enough to be forgiven but he's old enough to have known better."

City dismissed as 'all talk' by Ferguson

2008-09-14T03:33:00.000-07:00

• United manager laughs off new owners' grand plans
• Neighbours' ambition to sign Ronaldo is 'absurd'

Sir Alex Ferguson delivered a withering assessment of Manchester City's new billionaire owners last night when he dismissed as "all talk" the club's aspirations to establish a new Big Five and questioned whether the top players would want to join Robinho at Eastlands, regardless of the vast sums of money on offer.

The Manchester United manager cited Dimitar Berbatov's blunt refusal to entertain the idea of moving to City on transfer deadline day, instead signing at Old Trafford for £30.75m, and he acknowledged Arsène Wenger's complaints about the manner in which the Abu Dhabi United Group have already revealed their "fantasy football" signings, a list that includes Cristiano Ronaldo, Cesc Fábregas and Fernando Torres.

"There's plenty of talk from them but I disregard it really because it is all talk," said Ferguson. "We've seen it before and it will happen again. There's been a lot of talk at City but when it comes down to getting players they may find it difficult. They have talked about getting Cristiano Ronaldo, which is absolutely absurd."

Ferguson rarely resists the temptation to remind everyone at the "Temple of Doom", as he calls the City of Manchester Stadium, about United's dominance and, perhaps being deliberately provocative, he made a comparison between the modern-day City and one of the sport's most expensive, and ultimately unsuccessful, experiments. "History tells you something," he said. "Sunderland, in the 1950s, were relegated despite having the most expensive team in the country - the Bank of England team, with every player bought for astronomical sums. You can buy 11 players and still not have a team."

Ferguson was talking on the day that it emerged that City's new owners plan to buy a huge area of land around their stadium to develop other facilities and build a training ground. Garry Cook, City's executive chairman, has spoken about becoming "bigger than Manchester United" and the club also want to branch into financial services, the fashion industry, telecommunications and even open fast-food stores and bring out a range of cars and scooters, the aim being to become "the Virgin of Asia and the world".

Ferguson, however, scoffed at Mark Hughes's claim that City's game against Chelsea today is now bigger than United's at Liverpool. "I'm going to check what he had for breakfast," he said of the former United player. "Something must have upset him. I said to [United's chief executive] David Gill today, 'Check how many games he [Hughes] played for us against Liverpool, will you?' Liverpool versus United is always the biggest game."

It was put to Ferguson that City regard themselves as potential Champions League winners within three years. "It depends how much money they are willing to throw at it to get the star players," he responded. "But we're not worried. What you see at Manchester United is not an overnight situation. Our club has been built up over many years. We're not just here for today; we're going to be here for a long time. No matter where the challenge comes from, we'll still be here.

"We play the same way, have the same ambitions, we keep our feet on the ground, everyone has a humble approach and we shouldn't concern ourselves with what other people are planning to do because it doesn't always work. Yes, we've bought big players but I don't think you can see a cash cow from Manchester United in a way that could happen elsewhere, the way some clubs are talking."

Top Ten Highest Paid Soccer (Football) Players In the World

2008-09-14T03:14:00.000-07:00

France Magazine has recently complied a list of the top ten highest paid soccer / football players in the world at large. Guess you can’t guess who’s on top? Let’s check it out:

1. David Beckham, $49.4 million

2. Ronaldinho, $38.4 million

3. Lionel Messi, $36.6 million

4. Cristiano Ronaldo, $31 million

5. Thierry Henry, $26.8 million

6. John Terry, $22.16 million

7. Michael Ballack, $22 million

8. Ronaldo, $21.2 million

9. Kaka, $20.4 million

10. Steven Gerrard, $20 million

All I can think is that I should have done soccer rather than writing….

So, here’s a question, who do you think is the most overrated of these players?

EPL Saturday Match Reports : Gameweek 4

2008-09-14T02:56:00.000-07:00

BLACKBURN ROVERS 0 ARSENAL 4

Arsenal were at the sweet-passing best and even though Emmanuel Adebayor got a hat-trick they could have had many more.

Robin van Persie put them ahead and Adebayor headed the second at the end of the first half.

The Togo forward then converted a penalty before beating the offside trap for his third at the very end.

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FULHAM 2 BOLTON WANDERERS 1

Fulham were in control but had to endure a nervous finish.

Zoltan Gera drove home from the edge of the box to put them ahead early on and Bobby Zamora, superb all day, scored an impressive second late in the first half. Kevin Davies pulled one back for Bolton in a rare late attack.

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LIVERPOOL 2 MANCHESTER UNITED 1

Liverpool came from behind to secure their first home win over United since 2001.

Liverpool had lost five and drawn one of the previous six home league games against their northwest rivals and trailed to a Carlos Tevez goal after three minutes.

A Wes Brown own goal brought Liverpool back into it after 27 minutes and, after they had much the better of the second half, substitute Ryan Babel shot in the winner 13 minutes from time.

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MANCHESTER CITY 1 - 3 CHELSEA

Even though Robinho gave Man City a great start and make an impression on the debut match against a world class team, But they could not retain the lead for long. In the 16th Minute they got a goal from the legs of Carvalho. They got two more goals in the second half of the match from the legs of Lampard and Anelka. So overall it was an easy win for Chelsea.

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NEWCASTLE UNITED 1 HULL CITY 2

The game was preceded by a demonstration by thousands of Newcastle fans against owner Mike Ashley in the wake of the resignation of manager Kevin Keegan and their mood was hardly improved by losing to the top-flight new boys.

Hull scored against the run of play with a penalty by on-loan striker Marlon King after 34 minutes. Hull were by far the better team after the break and King doubled their lead with a superb 55th-minute breakaway effort.

Spanish debutant Xisco pulled one back to set up a tense finish but it ended badly for the hosts with a straight red card for Danny Guthrie in injury time.

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PORTSMOUTH 2 MIDDLESBROUGH 1

Boro started well but Portsmouth, with Jermain Defoe in sparkling form, hit back to take the points.

Mido continued his flying start to the season with the Egypt striker's fourth goal in five games putting Boro ahead after 24 minutes.

Defoe levelled early in the second half and got a deserved winner when he sprung the offside trap in the 86th minute.

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WEST BROMWICH ALBION 3 WEST HAM UNITED 2

A frenetic first half ended at 2-2 before Albion grabbed their first win of the season.

James Morrison and Roman Bednar, with a penalty, scored for West Brom, while Mark Noble and Lucas Neil were on target for West Ham. Chris Brunt got the winner seven minutes from time.

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WIGAN ATHLETIC 1 SUNDERLAND 1

Titus Bramble headed into his own net to give Sunderland an early lead but Wigan piled on the pressure in the second half.

Amr Zaki hit a post before the Egyptian striker made it five goals in five games with 12 minutes to go.

Wigan had Lee Cattermole sent off late on.

English Premier League - History

2008-09-14T02:37:00.000-07:00

The Premier League, colloquially referred to as the Premiership, is an English professional league for football clubs. At the top of the English football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 20 clubs, operating a system of promotion and relegation with The Football League. The Premier League is a corporation in which the 20 member clubs act as shareholders. Seasons run from August to May, with teams playing 38 games each. It is sponsored by Barclays Bank, and is therefore officially known as the Barclays Premier League.

The competition formed as the FA Premier League on 20 February 1992 following the decision of clubs in the Football League First Division to break away from The Football League, which was originally founded in 1888, and take advantage of a lucrative television rights deal. The Premier League has since become the world's most watched sporting league. It is the world's most lucrative football league, with combined club revenues of around £1.4 billion in 2005–06, which are expected to rise to around £1.8 billion for 2007–08 due to media revenues. It is also ranked first in the UEFA rankings of leagues based on performances in European competitions over the last five-years, ahead of Spain's La Liga and Italy's Serie A.

A total of 42 clubs have competed in the Premier League, but only four have won the title: Manchester United, Blackburn Rovers, Arsenal, and Chelsea. The current champions are Manchester United, who won their tenth Premier League title in the 2007–08 season, the most of any Premier League team.

History

Origins

Despite significant European success during the 1970s, the 1980s had marked a low point for English football. Stadiums were crumbling, supporters endured poor facilities, hooliganism was rife, and English clubs were banned from European competition following the events at Heysel in 1985. The Football League First Division, which had been the top level of English football since 1888, was well behind leagues such as Italy's Serie A and Spain's La Liga in attendances and revenues, and several top English players had moved abroad. However, by the turn of the 1990s the downward trend was starting to reverse; England had been successful in the 1990 FIFA World Cup, reaching the semi-finals. UEFA, European football's governing body, lifted the five-year ban on English clubs playing in European competitions in 1990 and the Taylor Report on stadium safety standards, which proposed expensive upgrades to create all-seater stadiums in the aftermath of the Hillsborough disaster, was published in January of that year.

**Premier League champions**
Season	Winner
1992–93	Manchester United
1993–94	Manchester United
1994–95	Blackburn Rovers
1995–96	Manchester United
1996–97	Manchester United
1997–98	Arsenal
1998–99	Manchester United
1999–2000	Manchester United
2000–01	Manchester United
2001–02	Arsenal
2002–03	Manchester United
2003–04	Arsenal
2004–05	Chelsea
2005–06	Chelsea
2006–07	Manchester United
2007–08	Manchester United
Further information: English football champions

Television money had also become much more important; the Football League received £6.3million for a two-year agreement in 1986, but when that deal was renewed in 1988, the price rose to £44m over four years. The 1988 negotiations were the first signs of a breakaway league; ten clubs threatened to leave and form a "super league", but were eventually persuaded to stay. As stadiums improved and match attendance and revenues rose, the country's top teams again considered leaving the Football League in order to capitalise on the growing influx of money being pumped into the sport.

[edit] Foundation

At the close of the 1991 season, a proposal for the establishment of a new league was tabled that would bring more money into the game overall. The Founder Members Agreement, signed on 17 July 1991 by the game's top-flight clubs, established the basic principles for setting up the FA Premier League.^[9] The newly formed top division would have commercial independence from the Football Association and the Football League, giving the FA Premier League license to negotiate its own broadcast and sponsorship agreements. This was considered necessary so that English clubs could once again compete with and beat the best of Europe, while attracting the best talent in the world, something which in 1991 seemed practically unthinkable.

In 1992 the First Division clubs resigned from the Football League en masse and on 27 May 1992 the FA Premier League was formed as a limited company working out of an office at the Football Association's then headquarters in Lancaster Gate.^[5] This meant a break-up of the 104-year-old Football League that had operated until then with four divisions; the Premier League would operate with a single division and the Football League with three. There was no change in competition format; the same number of teams competed in the top flight, and promotion and relegation between the Premier League and the new First Division remained on the same terms as between the old First and Second Divisions.

The 22 inaugural members of the new Premier League were Arsenal, Aston Villa, Blackburn Rovers, Chelsea, Coventry City, Crystal Palace, Everton, Ipswich Town, Leeds United, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Middlesbrough, Norwich City, Nottingham Forest, Oldham Athletic, Queens Park Rangers, Sheffield United, Sheffield Wednesday, Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur, and Wimbledon.

Premier League members for 2008–09

The following 20 clubs will compete in the Premier League during the 2008–09 season.

Club	Position in 2007–08	First season in top division	Number of seasons in top division	First season of current spell in top division	Top division titles	Last title
Arsenal^a,^b,^c	3rd	1904–05	92	1919–20	13	2003–04
Aston Villa^a,^b,^c	6th	1888–89	98	1988–89	7	1980–81
Blackburn Rovers^a	7th	1888–89	69	2001–02	3	1994–95
Bolton Wanderers	16th	1888–89	70	2001–02	0	n/a
Chelsea^a,^b,^c	2nd	1907–08	74	1989–90	3	2005–06
Everton^a,^b,^c	5th	1888–89	106	1954–55	9	1986–87
Fulham^c	17th	1949–50	20	2001–02	0	n/a
Hull City^c	3rd; Championship	2008–09	1	2008–09	0	n/a
Liverpool^a,^b,^c	4th	1894–95	94	1962–63	18	1989–90
Manchester City^a	9th	1899–1900	80	2002–03	2	1967–68
Manchester United^a,^b,^c	1st	1892–93	84	1975–76	17	2007–08
Middlesbrough^a	13th	1902–03	60	1998–99	0	n/a
Newcastle United^c	12th	1898–99	79	1993–94	4	1926–27
Portsmouth^c	8th	1927–28	32	2003–04	2	1949–50
Stoke City^c	2nd; Championship	1888–89	53	2008–09	0	n/a
Sunderland	15th	1890–91	78	2007–08	6	1935–36
Tottenham Hotspur^a,^b,^c	11th	1909–10	74	1978–79	2	1960–61
West Bromwich Albion	1st; Championship	1888–89	72	2008–09	1	1919–20
West Ham United	10th	1923–24	52	2005–06	0	n/a
Wigan Athletic^c	14th	2005–06	4	2005–06	0	n/a

^a = Founding member of the Premier League
^b = Played in every Premier League season
^c = Never been relegated from Premier League