Premiership Weekend

Way hay - another Premiership weekend has wheeled around. I'm down in the nation's capital today, looking forward to sharing the Rally to Restore Sanity with the Family Gooner. Something else I'd like to restore - Leeds United's from. Come on the lads - it's only Scunny, after all!

Carling Cup Fourth Round Live!

Undergraduate advisement finished for the day, I'm closing the office door and preparing to enjoy the afternoon's Carling Cup fixtures. It's fourth round day today. There's no LUFC involvement, but perhaps after yesterday's shellacking, that's a good thing. Join me from 2:45 pm onward for the usual banter and perhaps an informal tribute to Paul the Octopus.

R.I.P. Paul the Octopus

A moment's silence please. Paul the Octopus died yesterday. Yes, the sagacious cephalopod has passed on. Paul is no more. He's expired and gone to meet his maker. He is a late octopus. A stiff, bereft of life, he rests in peace. He's scarfed down his final WC-nation coded sea urchin and is pushing up the daisies. He's rung down the curtain and joined the choir invisible. He is an ex-octopus.

You can read more here

and even more here

Cheerio Paul.

PSV vs. Feyenoord

Cheer up BDB. You could be a Feyenoord fan.

Leeds v. Evil Incarnate

Heeeeee's baaaaack! Yes, five years after he tried to destroy Leeds United F.C., Peter Ridsdale returns to Elland Road with his latest set of victims - Cardiff City. It should get rather tasty out there this evening. Join me for a good therapeutic venting this afternoon.

Sunday Special

Come join us for a trio of Sunday EPL matches. We begin with an early match as Manchester United take on Stoke City in a potentially tricky fixture at The Britannia Stadium. If United want to end their run of four consecutive away draws then they must be more solid in defense. This is followed by Liverpool vs Blackburn at Anfield and we conclude with a fascinating title challnge match as Man Citeh host Arsenal.

The Love Affair is Back On!

Blimey - what was all that about? Roon and Ferg have kissed and made up leading to a new five-year contract for the ManYoo striker. Now does that mean that Roon will be able to play footer again? We'll soon see. Join me from 7 am onward for the usual LOB Saturday morning chatter.

Premiership Plus Predictions Game - Week 8

Thank you Carlos Tevez! The little Citeh wizard's brace on Sunday against Blackpool has shot me up to the top of the PPP stakes. MUR and Someone Said also benefited from Tev's new status as Golden Boot favorite. Here are the current standings:

1. Blue Devil – 25 points
2. Gooner71 – 23 points
3. Simon Burke – 21 points
4. AZ Kicker – 17 points
5. Man Utd Rules – 15 points
6. Thomas – 12 points
7. Someone Said – 11 points
8. West Ham Rising – 11 points
9. United We Stand – 9 points
10.Matthew – 5 points
11.Blubber Boy – 2 points

Champions League - Matchday 3

The matches are coming thick and fast these days, while the crisis-ridden clubs (Liverpool, Middlesboro and the like) would probably like to have a week out of the limelight. No chance. We've got the top side of the draw of Champions League groups up tonight including Shakhtar Donetsk and Eduardo returning to the Emirates and well as a full slate of Championship matches highlighted (for me, at least) by Leicester's trip to Elland Road. Join me for some banter as an alternate to on-line Solitaire.

What the Hell is Going on with Roon?

We all had a good giggle at Liverpool's expense last week; it appears that ManYoo are in that role this week. The tabs are aflutter today with rumors about Wayne Rooney wanting away. The Football Weekly pod lads posted not one but two editions today, the latest dealing exclusively with the Rooney story. They speculate that Rooney and Fergie's relationship is damaged beyond repair and that he might even countenance a move to (gulp!) Manchester City! What say you, Red Devilers?

Football's Back!

After a seemingly interminable international break, football is back with a vengeance this weekend. Week 8 in the Premiership has some fascinating match-ups, all capped by the Merseyside Derby on Sunday. Join me for all the action this weekend.

US Soccer Backs out of WC 2018

England took a massive step forward in capturing the hosting role for World Cup 2018 today as US Soccer dropped out of the running to focus their attention on WC 2022. England's rivals are now all European countries: Belgium/Netherlands, Russia and Spain/Portugal.

Read more by cutting and pasting this link:

http://goal.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/10/15/while-england-moves-toward-2018-u-s-focused-on-2022/

US vs. Colombia

Hey lads. Cheer up, there's more footy. Join me?

England v. Montenegro

Alright, lads. It's England's third qualifier in Group G qualifying for Euro 2012 in Poland/Ukraine. Montenegro cannot be taken lightly - they're definitely the darkhorse side in the group, having claimed the full nine points from their first three qualifiers. Terry and Ferdinand are back in the center of defense and they'll have to be razor sharp tonight to keep out the excellent Roma striker Mirko Vucinic. Join me from 3pm as England look for those three points at Wembley tonight. Come on, England!

Football Finances

After the explosive 606 podcast yesterday, MUR and I thought it might be a good idea to start a thread about football and finances. It's a huge day tomorrow for Liverpool F.C. but all clubs (with the exceptions of Chelski, Citeh and QPR) are facing the same pressures. So how do you feel about the state of your club in this current state of affairs? What can those who run football do to ensure the continued health of our clubs? Do you support salary caps? Limits on foreign investment? Caps on foreign players? I'll look forward to your comments.

US 2 Poland 2

I attended another spanking of DC United this time administered by the Quacks, so I didn't get a chance to watch the US Poland friendly until this morning.

I guess the big story before the match was that at long last Jermaine Jones of Schalke was capped as a US player. And he made a big splash with about 7 minutes gone receiving a ball from Stuart Holden and immediately hitting a long no-look ball over the top to a on-running Jozy Altidore for an early US lead.

But true to form, defensive mistakes by the US were the larger story of the night. Poland replied before the end of the half when under pressure, Holden sliced a ball straight up into the air in an attempted clearance in our box. The ball came straight down and Onyewu was under it, but still mananged to let it slide down his face and to a Polish striker who emphatically hit it home and past Tim Howard. This after two other occasions when Howard bailed out a very leaky left side of Edu, Boca, and Feilhaber who were either over-or-run-ragged.

Then after the break, Holden served up a lovely free kick into the area which Gooch barrelled through to get on the end of. A bit of redemption for arseing up his header and gifting the Poles their first of the night.

Still, quickly afterwards, the Poles caught Jones in possession, played two quick passes again before hammering another strike past Howard.


USA: 1-Tim Howard; 6-Steve Cherundolo, 5-Oguchi Onyewu, 19-Maurice Edu, 3-Carlos Bocanegra (capt.); 15-Jermaine Jones, 4-Michael Bradley; 11-Stuart Holden, 8-Clint Dempsey, 22-Benny Feilhaber (7-Alejandro Bedoya,63 ); 17-Jozy Altidore

Jones had a decent debut. Holden was busy, at times very good, but at other times, chaotic and disjointed. Again, the US was punished by not having a solid goal-scorer up top. Jozy simply isn't that guy. Twice he only had Boruc to beat and failed. Often, he was so out of position to score that balls coming into the box simply sailed through and out of danger.

Drawing against ordinary sides like Poland? Coach B needs to find a goalscorer for the US National team quickly. We cannot make progress without one.

RIP Solomon Burke (1940-2010)

Sad news out of Europe today that "The King of Rock and Soul" Solomon Burke has died of a suspected heart attack on a flight to Amsterdam at age 70. He was a key figure on the R&B scene in the 1960s and had recently made an unlikely come-back. Join me in having a spin of "Cry to Me" or his other hits to honor the man today.

Timberlake and Fallon - History of Hip Hop

In case you missed Justin Timberlake's recent appearance on Jimmy Fallon's show, during which he and the host backed by The Roots did a pitch perfect capsule history of hip hop, here ya go, boyeeees. Enjoy!

EURO 2012 Qualifier Watch

As a footie traditionalist, I don't cotton to all of this Friday-Tuesday evening malarkey, but there it is. Platini has spoken. No England match today, so I'm over at work monitoring the action in the different qualifying groups this afternoon. If you're doing the same, join in on the chatter.

Dear Mr. Hicks

Displaying the kind of timing that Fernando Torres has shown in front of goal this season, a group of celebrity Liverpool F.C. fans have this week released a video telling Hicks and Gillett to bugger off. Ah well, if nothing else it's a kick up the jacksie on the way out the door. Enjoy! P.S. Can I be the first in with the term "Scousox" for Liverpool F.C. Blue Devil TM!

Premiership Plus Predictions Game - Week 7

Before we head into the ten-day international break, let's take a moment to take stock of the Premiership Plus Predictions Game stakes. There was a wee bit of movement at the top, largely due to Citeh's rise to second spot; however, most of us are still hurting from the upside-down world in which Blackpool are in the Europa League spots and Liverpool is in the drop-zone. Here are the current standings:

1. Simon Burke – 22 points
2. Gooner71 – 19 points
3. AZ Kicker – 16 points
4. Blue Devil – 16 points
5. United We Stand – 14 points
6. Thomas – 12 points
7. West Ham Rising – 11 points
8. Man Utd Rules – 9 points
9. Matthew – 6 points
10. Someone Said – 6 points
11, Blubber Boy – 5 points

Low-blow Evo

I've been chuckling over this since I first saw it. Apparently the red mist descended for Bolivian President Evo Morales while playing football. Evo took a late tackle, and then settled matters by kneeing the offender in the goolies, in what I can only hope is the first in series of Presidential sports-rage. I for one am looking forward to Obama's brush back pitch that knocks down Mitch McConnell or leading a charge on John Boener's nose with an elbow.

Read about it and see the YouTube link here

Crikey! Don Fabio Gives Kevin Davies the Nod!

The Montenegrans will have to put in an extra order for protective headgear as the news out of Lancaster Gate today that Don Fabio has included Bolton's 33 year old bash-about striker Kevin Davies in his squad for next Tuesday's qualifier at Wembley. Are English strikers really that thin on the ground?


Here's the squad in full:

Keepers: Ben Foster (Birmingham City), Robert Green (West Ham United), Joe Hart (Manchester City

Defenders: Ashley Cole (Chelsea), Phil Jagielka (Everton), Glen Johnson (Liverpool), Rio Ferdinand (Manchester United), Joleon Lescott (Manchester City), John Terry (Chelsea), Stephen Warnock (Aston Villa)

Midfielders: Gareth Barry (Manchester City), Joe Cole (Liverpool), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Tom Huddlestone (Tottenham Hotspur), Adam Johnson (Manchester City), Aaron Lennon (Tottenham Hotspur), Jack Wilshere (Arsenal), Shaun Wright-Phillips (Manchester City), Ashley Young (Aston Villa)

Forwards: Darren Bent (Sunderland), Peter Crouch (Tottenham Hotspur), Kevin Davies (Bolton), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United)

Name your starting XI from that lot, eh gents?

Chelsea vs. Arsenal Live!

It's the big match of the weekend - 1st vs. 3rd - a fixture that has boiled over on more than one occasion recently. These matches don't always determine the outcome of the championship but they're always full of drama. Don't miss it - join me for all the action on FSC and of course on the LOB.

The Saturday Early Show!

You can tell that I'm hungry for the Beautiful Game if I'm up early for Wigan v. Wolves. No late match today, so we'll have to get most of our banter in during the regular 3pm GMT kick-offs, including ManYoo at Sunderland live on ESPN2. Join me for the Saturday fix.

Nick Hornby Alert!

In a year of great albums, another has arrived at our doors. LOB favorite Nick Hornby recently teamed up with pop songwriter/pianist Ben Folds to produce a song cycle for Nonesuch Records called "Lonely Avenue." You can preview the tracks and read more about the making of the album on the Nonesuch website by cutting and pasting the following link:

http://www.nonesuch.com/albums/lonely-avenue