Insidefootball.net - The Premierleague Blog

RSS Feed Homepage

Articles: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

top-of-the-league, with help from friend, enemy and (de)foe alike
2008-02-03 01:52:00
Groan! Sorry but I couldn't think up a better title for the posting so you, my friends, will have to suffer it. Away to a Manchester City side that have not lost at home all season, Arsenal showed their intent with an incredible 70% possession in the first 15 minutes of the game. It seemed at times that Arsenal were able to play through City's defence at will, in spite of the very brilliant defensive partnership that has existed until now between City's David Dunne and Micah Richards. Unfortunately for City, Adebayor had Dunne in his left back pocket, and Richards in his right back pocket, such was the Togolese international's dominance in Arsenal's attack. The one key attribute that I like about this current Arsenal side, is the ability to pick the right approach for every different type of team they've played so far. In previous games this season, they've had to drag results out by not playing very well, but nicking the odd long-ball goal here and there. Today, both Arsenal...
More About: Friend , League , Enemy

Oh What Fun It Is To See? [er, shurely shome mishtake - ed]
2008-02-02 18:52:00
After Wednesday’s performance against Liverpool I fully expected to be able to write a rave review about yet another away win at Wigan this evening (or this lunchtime, as it is here in Washington). But oh no, that couldn’t be, could it. Because it is after all West Ham we support. I suppose I should ...

Manchester United - Tottenham (Live)
2008-02-02 17:03:00
My prediction has already gone wrong for now and i still dont know how bad it will go.Tottenham are right now 2 of the better teams.With fair amount of chances and one goal from Berbatov(with little help of Lennon and Jenas’s Left hand). We have already recieved three yellow cards- Ronaldo,Van De Sar and Brown.Well still ...
More About: Manchester United , United , Manchester , Live

Tottenham v/s Man Utd:Preview
2008-02-02 16:04:00
While i was writing this post(sorry for the delay) Arsenal made a confortable win over Manchester City.This makes them right now at the summit of Premiership. We are heading to White Lane Park as you all of know.Its the second time that we have encounter Tottenham while playing in different competitions.With United winning the first ...
More About: Manchester United , Preview

Gianluigi Buffon Can?t Swim ?
2008-02-02 12:41:00
The other side of my personality loves great marketing. Nothing is better than watching a commercial that captivates you, gets you thinking about the product long after the commercial is finished, or has you humming to it's tune from your couch all the way to the checkout aisle. The following video from Puma does a great job of taking the piss out of Buffon and his amazing goalkeeping skills, but endears you to the brand to boot.Order your copy of Keeper Skool's The G-Code today! Maximize goalkeeper fitness & diet. Click Here .
More About: Swim

Lehmann gets his chance against City
2008-02-02 03:38:00
Arsenal goalkeeper Manuel Almunia has been ruled out of the club’s weekend Premiership clash away to Manchester City . Arsene Wenger revealed that the Spaniard twisted his thumb during training on Friday and will miss a week as a result. Almunia will be replaced by Jens Lehmann, who will be eager to impress following his declaration earlier in the week that he wants to continue fighting for his position at Arsenal. Also joining Almunia and a host of other players on the injury table is midfielder Gilberto Silva. The Brazilian injured his back at training and, like Almunia, should only be out for a short stint. Both injuries have left the Arsenal squad looking incredibly thin. Indeed, when you account for all the players out injured right now as well as those away at the African Cup of Nations thinks look pretty awful. Just sixteen first-team players are available for the game against Manchester City with nine players unavailable. Observe. Available First-Team Players: Jens Lehm...
More About: Chance

Man City preview - Almunia out
2008-02-02 00:17:00
It's a lunchtime kickoff away at Man City tomorrow, and with the hosts still unbeaten in the Premiership this season, anyone expecting a simple victory is very much mistaken. That said, last season apart, when we lost this fixture to a Joey Barton penalty, we have an excellent record against City, and with their form dipping in line with Elano's, three points can be taken. A lot will depend on Sagna, who will need to be at his best to stop Martin Petrov, who has been absolutely awesome since arriving in the summer. The good news is that they still don't have a striker, after Benjani's move from Pompey fell through, but there is bad news in the shape of injury problems. Almunia has twisted his thumb and will miss out - all of a sudden Lehmann staying through the transfer window seems that bit better for us. Rosicky is also out with yet another groin issue, although this one should be short-lived, apparently. Djourou and Van Persie are still out, so the only choices...
More About: Preview

Are We Too Tough on Boa Morte?
2008-02-01 19:05:00
Lucas Neill has written a new BLOG with many positive words about the Liverpool performance. However, he says he cannot understand the reaction to Boa Morte being substituted. He says Boa Morte is suffering a crisis of confidence and says we should look at what has happened to Cole now that the crowd is behind ...
More About: West Ham , Tough

Match Prediction: Fulham away on Sunday
2008-02-01 06:54:00
This is an interesting one this weekend because come kick off at 4pm on Sunday we could still be in 5th place with 4th to play for if results go our way - which while unlikely, considering my predictions this season, is possible. It's a possibility because Everton travel to Blackburn, Manchester City entertain Arsenal and Liverpool have Sunderland at home.
More About: Aston Villa , Fulham , Match

Window Watching - Toby the Yid
2008-02-01 05:26:00
It?s the waiting that really gets me. I gaze over at the clock. The luminous hands tell what I already know, only this time they have moved a whole five minutes: 3:45 am. I turn my head the other way and observe the enormous, dark mound next to me. It?s MrstheYid. Eight hours earlier I had ...
More About: Tottenham Hotspur , Watching , Window , Toby

Villa?s Greatest Heroes: David Platt
2008-02-01 03:37:00
In a week that saw the new national team manager name five Aston Villa players in his first squad, it seems somehow appropriate to reminisce about the last player from the club to put on an England shirt and really make the world sit up and take notice. 'England have done it...in the last minute of extra time,' isn't quite up there with 'They think it's all over...it is now,' in the world of legendary commentary, but it isn't far off - largely thanks to a certain 1996 song that included it in the introduction.
More About: Heroes , David , Greatest

Lightning about to strike twice: The transfer window
2008-02-01 03:09:00
Hey, if you want to have a pop at the manager for only bringing in one player, go for it - you have every right to say and act however you want, but it's worth remembering where we find ourselves today. We are fifth in the table and Martin O'Neill has done that with 'the smallest squad' in the league. We know it's the smallest because we've been told enough times.
More About: Aston Villa , Lightning , Transfer , Window , Strike

Bouna Coundoul Playing For Keeps Against Ghana.
2008-02-01 03:04:00
The Colorado Rapids’ (MLS) goalkeeper Bouna Coundoul found himself minding the nets for the Senegal National Team as they faced South Africa in the final game of the Group D play in the African Cup of Nations. A tournament of distraction for the Senegalese team both on and off the field might be the best way to describe how Bouna moved into the first team keeper position. Following Senegal’s 3-1 loss to Angola in group play on Monday, coach Henry Kasperczak, shocked the entire continent, resigning as the head coach. Senegal moved on in Group D play with Assistant Coach Lamine Ndiaye at the helm. With the resignation of Kasperczak and the placing of Ndiaye in the head coach position, Senegal hoped to have a chance of recovering against South Africa and making it into the next round. Buona’s move into the first team keeper position came as acting head coach Ndiaye dropped first team goalkeeper Tony Sylva from the starting roster after Sylva broke camp curfew and spen...
More About: Ghana

poll: most improved arsenal player of ?07/?08 season?
2008-02-01 01:14:00
Watching the Arsenal play in the League home game against Newcastle, gave me food for thought. I know the season isn't over yet, there's a lot more to come, and things may yet change however I feel the need to ask the question at this juncture. Virtually all of our players this season have raised their game, but if forced to choose, who would you say is our most improved player for 2007/2008? So, launching our brand new Poll Of The Month series, now is as good a time to ask that question as any. I'm sure you have your own ideas, however in my opinion, the following players would have to be at least up for consideration...
More About: Player , Season

07/08 arsenal v newcastle, 3-0 and Bendtner walks off
2008-01-30 02:35:00
Newcastle gave this game their all but were outplayed all over the park, and frankly, Arsenal didn't need to step up gears at any point during the game. I'm not going to give a ball-by-ball account, as as usual, other blogs cover this quite well. Suffice to say that Kevin Keegan's Newcastle turned up, but just couldn't match our game play. The fact that both scorelines were 3-0 to the Arsenal for both Saturday's FA cup game and today's Premier League game speaks volumes. Newcastle had a couple of chances, but these were few and far between, and with their confidence as low as it is at the moment, their misses seemed to be accepted with little passion. Flamini's cross in the 40th minute was...
More About: Newcastle , Walks , Bendtner

It?s Bouna Time!
2008-01-30 02:10:00
Senegal Goalkeeping with American Style Bouna Coundoul, a 25-year-old goalkeeper, has spent the past 11 years playing soccer in the United States. At age 14, Bouna Coundoul moved to the United States from Dakar, Senegal, West Africa. Bouna played at Martin Luther King High School in Manhattan and went on to attend and play for the University at Albany in New York. Bouna is currently the starting goalkeeper for the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer. Following an injury to Joe Cannon, Colorado’s first team keeper, Coundoul took over the starting role and has remained between the pipes. In 2007, Bouna played all 30 regular-season Major League Soccer games for the Rapids finishing third among MLS’s keepers with a 1.08 goals against average with nine shutouts. "Bouna Time !" as created by Coundoul in an interview last year, has become a catch phrase supported by not only the Rapid fans but by the Colorado Rapids team as well. Following his 2007 top level performan...

Does Vidic fall sick?
2008-01-29 13:12:00
Whats happening is that possible.I mean does superman too falls sick.Well its hard to believe but our strong man has fallen down with a virus.Reports say that his family is too suffering from a bad virus.Ferguson too spoke about this after match that “he was down with bad virus and his health his quite poor”. Vidic ...
More About: Manchester United , Sick , Fall

Is Our Season Already Over?
2008-01-29 12:42:00
No new signings, out of both cups, safe from relegation, mid-table mediocrity. The way some people are talking, our season is over and it’s only the end of January. In my role as a glass half full merchant, let me tell you they’re wrong and how we still have a lot to play for. We may ...
More About: Season , West Ham

Making of another FA Classic- ManUtd v/s Arsenal
2008-01-29 12:42:00
The draws for the FA are finally out and guess who are we meeting.The Gunners are going to visit us at Trafford for the fifth round of the FA finals in mid FEB.Well they have been for quite a time United’s worthy opponent and have made almost every encounter into a classic match. The last time ...
More About: Manchester United , Arsenal , Classic

Relief for Toure and a Lifeline for Lehmann.
2008-01-29 12:12:00
It’s Newcastle United again tonight, after a day where the whole world seemed to forget how satire worked, and I was accused of everything from racism to ‘a complete lack of intelligence. Such is life.
More About: Arsenal , Toure , Relief

Richard FitzGerald resigns as CEO of Aston Villa
2008-01-29 10:06:00
Richard FitzGerald has resigned as Chief Executive Officer of Aston Villa Football Club. Personally, I don't like this news and think that Mr FitzGerald was making strides in the right direction.
More About: Richard

Pat Murphy, at it again: Lerner needs a PR lesson
2008-01-29 09:37:00
I like listening to Pat Murphy on the radio but every time I read something from him it reminds me of that open letter written by Hyder Jawad to Richard FitzGerald (http://www.avfcblog.com/content/view/148 6/70/). That letter was Hyder Jawad throwing his toys out of his pram and I thought quite embarrassing, considering the circumstances and who it came from. This however, isn't the first time Pat Murphy has had a little moan at the expense of Randy Lerner (http://www.avfcblog.com/content/view/158 2/70/) and it was too much the first time.
More About: Aston Villa , Lesson

Manchester United v Arsenal: Brilliant
2008-01-29 09:07:00
The big news of the day is that Arsenal have drawn Manchester United at Old Trafford in the 5th round of the FA Cup. Unlike some Arsenal supporters, who seem to be less than pleased with having to play United so early in the competition, I think it’s a brilliant outcome. Arsenal were likely going to have ...
More About: Brilliant

Should the club endorse Mellberg Day at Villa Park?
2008-01-29 06:48:00
I'm a big fan of Olof Mellberg and most of you will know this, however after writing this blog for nearly three years I've figured out that not everyone agrees with my opinion. If I said that snow was cold, someone would disagree. So, I'm not saying the club should endorse Mellberg Day at the last home game of the season, I'm asking if you think it will be a good idea?
More About: Aston Villa , Park , Club , The Club , Villa

Goalkeeper Glove Promotion: Kaliaaer Aqua H2O
2008-01-29 06:05:00
Remember those games when your gloves were drenched right through and the only thing you were catching in the pounding rain was a cold? Yes, we have all been there before, and playing in the wet weather can be quite a calamity for many goalkeepers if they don't have the right gloves for the occasion. Kaliaaer have stepped up with one of the most innovative wet weather goalkeeper gloves on the market to date, the Aqua H20(c). Following are some specs for this exciting new glove:The idea behind the Kaliaaer Aqua H2O(c) is to give goalkeepers a complete and secure feeling when attacking the ball in the rain. Following are some of the innovative features of the Kaliaaer Aqua H2O(c):4mm superior aer H2O Grip Latex(c)- giving 15% better grip in wet weather compared to other leading goalkeeper glove brands.Neo Shock(c) inside for aiding punching and shock on impact with the ball.2 middle fingers are "Fingertiped Latex"(c) giving secure fit and feeling.Thumb has latex wrap ove...
More About: Promotion

a visit to old trafford, and arsenal lose out on woodgate?
2008-01-29 02:20:00
So, we've been drawn against Manchester Utd in the 5th round of the FA Cup. This is a bit of a pity, as this tie could have made for a good final - Arsenal v Manchester Utd in the FA Cup final is not usually a boring affair. There's a perverse side of me that prefers us to go up north to play the Mancunian's on their home turf. I've always felt that Arsenal as a squad, plays better when we are the underdog. We aren't always at our very best when we are widely expected to do well, to crush a struggling opposition side that could soon be fighting to stay up (1-1 draw Birmingham, anyone). On the bigger stages, we tend to perform better than expected against supposedly (on paper) stronger sides, and I'm hoping that this draw will be no different. Manchester Utd, playing at home, should...
More About: Old Trafford , Visit

Manchester United 3-1 Tottenham
2008-01-28 22:45:00
United preaching one step closer to another FA finals as Tottenham grounded at Trafford. I still cant believe that i missed the first 9.30 minutes of play and was busy in computer.Thanks to my friend that i was able to get back at my TV.So here it goes. Well to be fair Spurs were the better team ...
More About: Manchester United , United , Manchester

FA Cup draw: United away was almost predictable
2008-01-28 14:49:00
Fifteen potential opponents, only five Premiership teams amongst them. So it was almost inevitable that not only would we be away from home, it would be against one of them. While Liverpool and Chelsea both got home draws against smaller sides, we have to travel to Old Trafford in a match that the BBC, with first choice of tie, must be in dreamland about. For us, it's an absolute nightmare, especially coming only a few days before the tie with AC Milan. Admittedly, it's not that great a draw for United either, but at least they're at home. Both sides will be desperate to avoid a replay so expect an open game. I suspect Wenger would've rested a few stars in the next round, an action Ferguson probably would've been tempted to make as well, but with psychological advantages potentially so crucial for the league battles, both teams will be taking this one extremely seriously. Although it's about the worst draw possible, it should be fun. Elsewhere, various reports are suggesting t...
More About: Arsenal , Draw

It?s Manchester United at Old Trafford in the FA Cup
2008-01-28 14:33:00
One more update to make up for a missed day. The most predictable draw tonight was Chelsea’s home match against Huddersfield. Arsenal were drawn against Manchester United . At Old Trafford . The full draw as follows: Bristol Rovers v Southampton Cardiff City v Wolves Sheff Utd v Middlesbrough Liverpool v Barnsley Manchester United v Arsenal Preston v Portsmouth Coventry v ...

Newsflash: Arsenal to Steal March on Spurs by Snatching Jonathan Woodgate
2008-01-28 14:15:00
I didn’t believe it when I first heard it, but here we are. Jonathan Woodgate, ex-Newcastle, Real Madrid, and now Middlesbrough (and English!) defender, is apparently considering a contract from Arsenal .
More About: Spurs , March , Steal