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English Premier League

Torres’s Missed Goal Recreated on FIFA 11

Published on Sep 21st, 2011, 1 Comment

Fernando Torres’s shocking miss at goals against Manchester United has been recreated on FIFA 11. The video uploaded onto YouTube was created by a user called R9Rai who managed to recreate all the moves leading up to the now infamous miss at Old Trafford.

Along with the video R9Rai made the following comment: “This had to be done, Sorry to any Chelsea fans! I actually do like Torres, feel so sorry for him after that miss, HE WILL REMAIN IN MY DREAM TEAM/FANTASY LEAGUE!!!’

The Spanish striker who was devastated after the incident has been mocked over the last couple of days but he’s certainly not in bad company. Top soccer stars Ryan Giggs and Christiano Ronaldo have both missed easy opportunities in the past.

Watch the video below

Arsene Wenger Stays Says Arsenal CEO

Published on Sep 20th, 2011, No Comments

Despite losing three of their first five matches of the Barclays Premier League resulting in the worst start to a season in the club’s history since 1953, Arsenal’s manager Arsene Wenger will not be fired. The statement came from Arsenal’s Chief Executive Ivan Gazidis since Wenger has come under fire by both disappointed fans and critics. Gazidis stated at the Sport Industry Breakfast Club in London in support of Wenger that he “is not a broken man. He did not suddenly become a bad manager or somebody who became out of touch with the game. It is complete nonsense. Firing him is not a road we are going to go down.”

Wenger, who has managed Arsenal since 1996 has not won a Trophy for the club since the 2005 FA Cup.

In the previous three of five opening matches of the Barclays Premier League, Arsenal lost 2-8 to Manchester United in an embarrassing performance, 0-2 to Liverpool and 3-4 to Blackburn Rovers.

Arsenal will face Bolton Wanderers at the Emirates Stadium on the 24th September in the next match of the Premier League.

EPL Transfer Window: The Good, the Risky and the Silly business

Published on Sep 8th, 2011, 1 Comment

Exciting, frustrating, nerve wrecking. An emotional rollercoaster is the Premier League Winter transfer window. It’s the twilight period at the beginning of a season whendecisions can spin the wheel for, or very much against a club. Three games in and the sun has set now. No room for excuses or bailouts. Time to get on with it.

Last week saw the closing of the window and with all the chess pieces now moved into position, I thought I’d briefly cover some of the smart and “WHAT the @#$! were they THINKING!?!” moves, starting with the bottom feeders.

20. Tottenham Hotspurs (0 points)

Harry Redknapp was a hero when he yanked Spurs from the floor by the scruff of their necks and helped them to a Champions League finish at the end of the 2009/2010 season. Ironically, he’s back where he started, not being helped much by the late market activity.

Good business: Emmanuel Adebayor and Scott Parker will both prove good business I’m sure, but when contrasted by Heurelho Gomes, picking up Brad Friedel on a free transfer was by far Harry’s tightest bit of dealing.

Risky business: Luka Modric has been instrumental in the success of Spurs thus far, but had Harry sold the want-away midfielder to Chelsea for the pretty pound he was overvalued at, he may have offered Spurs fans more than a miserable bottom of the table start.

19. Blackburn Rovers (0 points)

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United slam another nail into Wenger’s coffin

Published on Aug 30th, 2011, No Comments

Days have never been darker for Arsene Wenger. An ever growing list of banned and injured game changing players, a frustrated fan base that’s beginning to turn like werewolves at full moon and to add a kick in the ribs, it’s been 115 years since Arsenal last conceded 8 goals.

It was a day where a notable 5-1 drumming of Spurs by Manchester City was forced to take back seat. Danny Welbeck rewarded the Gaffer’s faith in him once again by drawing first blood in the 22nd minute. Welbeck broke away from Djourou as Anderson chipped a cheeky pass over the backline, taking advantage of Wojciech Szczesny’s hesitation and headed the home side’s first off the bounce. Robert van Persie had a chance to make it 1-1 from the penalty spot, but placed a predictable attempt to the left which was well saved by David De Gea, granting him some redemption after recent performances. United took advantage of the Dutchman’s failure to make any impact and immediately pushed back up the field to see Ashley Young net the host’s second with a mesmerizing  curler in the top right corner.

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Manchester City – does money buy their success?

Published on Aug 26th, 2011, No Comments

“Money doesn’t buy victory”.

Bullshit?

As football fans, it’s a belief we try and cling to, but it’s a noble sentiment that seems to be fading faster than a vegetarian on a hunting trip.

This week finally sees the end of the long tug-of-war between Manchester City and Arsenal over the services of midfielder Samir Nasri. Nasri completed his move to City on Wednesday for a fee in the region of a £23 million, adding him to an already long list of top shelf, expensive players now sporting the baby-blue strip.

If someone told you five years ago that Manchester City would be League title and Champions League contenders off the back of an FA Cup win in the near future, you’d most likely have told them to piss off (incidentally, City finished in 14th position in the 2006/2007 season with less than half their 1st placed neighbors score). You would do so, because any half assed football fan knows it takes time to build a club with a winning pedigree. Not so?

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Doos of the week

Published on Aug 12th, 2011, 1 Comment

The Premier League kicks off tomorrow. Tomorrow. Great for fans. Great for teams who’ve prepared. Not so great for those who haven’t . If Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger could pull his head out from his rear-end long enough, he might notice that while fighting a battle to hold onto uninterested players, he’s in fact missed a perfect opportunity to refresh and rebuild on a talented but struggling squad.

Far too little is happening in a club that came so close, yet so far, so often last season. Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri are great players and they’ve delivered a great service to the Gunners over recent years, but if they’re unhappy, let them go. Nasri already wants out and with a year left on his contract, no renewal thereof will dent the clubs return on him dramatically. Cesc Fabregas as been on the maybe-train back to Barcelona so often over recent seasons, trying to keep him would just do more bad to the stability of the squad than good at this point.

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Time waits for no manager

Published on Aug 4th, 2011, No Comments

With the Community Shield being battled for this Sunday and just more than two weeks to go before the League kicks off, one would expect most managers to have all their pieces in place and working them as a unit. No surprises. All potholes covered.

Why is it then that those who need to do so much in the transfer window have done so little?

It would appear that both the medal decorated Scots and the well-dressed Italian understood their homework assignment, while the Portuguese man, the Englishman and the Frog have walked into the transfer-isle waiting for discount tags.

Manchester United, Manchester City and Liverpool have welcomed a fair share of new faces. Sir Alex has continuously proved in the past that early preparation has its benefits. A little more than a week ago he claimed the club had completed their spending spree and whether or not that’s true, it’s a healthy psychological advantage. There is still much speculation around the club’s acquisition of Wesley Sneijder, which would be a fantastic bit of business considering they could do with a top shelf player in a more central role. Then again, great progress was made last season despite an average midfield, and if anyone can squeeze the juice out of a Lemon, it’s Fergie. I expect a solid campaign from the Mancs, as always.

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