The Gooner wants to see all of you this month!

Euro 2012 Preview - Italy

Nickname: "Azurri" ("The Blues")

Absurd FIFA ranking: 12th

Coach: Former pro Cesare Prandelli

Match Schedule:

June 10 – Italy v. Spain (Gdansk, 12 p.m. EST)
June 14 – Italy v. Croatia (Poznan, 12  p.m.)
June 18 – Italy v. Ireland (Poznan, 2:45 p.m.)

Prospects: Italy are the real unknown quantities in this summer's tournament as it's still unclear whether Prandelli knows his best side. This is particularly the case up front, where he might go with old standbys such as 34 year old Antonia diNatale over the wild cards Mario Balotelli and Antonio Cassano. One thing we can be sure of - the Italians may be slow starters but they know there way into the latter stages of a tournament. They'll be there or thereabouts.

Key Player: Juve playmaker Andrea Pirlo may be 33 but everything good about the Azurri still goes through him.

Youngster to watch: It's hard to take your eyes off mercurial Citeh striker Mario Balotelli who has threatened to walk off the pitch if he gets any racial abuse in Poland.

Who Will Get the Goals: I don't actually see a lot of goals in this side and yet they may well find their way to the semi finals. Roma midfielder Daniele de Rossi is as likely as anyone to pick up the vital few goals.

Who Will Get the Cards: Juve's Georgio Chiellini is in the grand tradition of Italian hatchet men.

Prediction: Second in Group C after a slow start to Spain; just about enough muscle to push France out at the quarter-final stage; not enough muscle to handle the Germans in the semis.

Euro 2012 Preview - Spain

A new week and a new group. Today, we turn to Group C and the current holders - Spain.

Nickname: “La Roja" ("The Reds")

(Not So) Absurd FIFA ranking: 1st

Coach: Mustachioed maestro Vicente Del Bosque

Match Schedule:

June 10 – Spain v. Italy (Gdansk, 12 p.m. EST)
June 14 – Spain v. Ireland (Gdansk, 2:45 p.m.)
June 18 – Spain v. Croatia (Gdansk, 2:45 p.m.)

Prospects: Spain are current World and European champions and understandably have Sepp Blatter's top ranking. So, why does it seem as if the wheels might be about to come off the Spanish bus? Well, to begin with they'll be missing top scorer David Villa this summer. Add the loss of Citeh's midfield dynamo David Silva, and it begins to look like crisis in Iberia. Not so fast, though. In a relatively weak group, Spain still have a free pass to the Quarters and then all bets are off.

Key Player: With Silva missing, Barca new boy Cesc Fabregas will likely step up into the role of making late dangerous runs in on the sumptuous balls from Xavi and Iniesta.

Youngster to watch: Del Bosque has been running out Atletico Madrid striker Adrian in the absence of David Villa and the continued poor form of Fernando Torres - and he's been scoring!

Who Will Get the Goals: My pick for Golden Boot - Athletic Bilbao hero Fernando Llorente - the nearest thing Spain have in this generation to an out and out striker.

Who Will Get the Cards: With Carles Puyol out injured, my favorite to pick up a quick yellow is Barca deep lying midfielder Sergio Busquets.

Prediction: An easy passage through the group stage starting with a humiliating defeat of Italy in the opener; a tight, hard-fought win over England in the Quarter-finals; not enough left in the tank for the semi-finals - out to a vengeful Netherlands in a scrappy re-match of the SA 2010 final.

England Squad, by the numbers

Euro 2012: England give clues about first XI as squad numbers released

England's Andy Carroll Andy Carroll will wear the No9 shirt for England at Euro 2012. Photograph: Anthony Devlin/PA England have announced their players' shirt numbers for Euro 2012, after the final squad was submitted to Uefa ahead of Tuesday's deadline. Though reporters have been warned that little should be read into the list, the players selected to wear numbers one to 11 represent a possible first XI. Gary Cahill will wear the No5 shirt, suggesting that he may play in central defence alongside his Chelsea team-mate John Terry instead of Joleon Lescott, who wears No15. Elsewhere only Scott Parker – given No17 – and possibly Stewart Downing – No19 – are pushing for selection in the starting lineup ahead of the first 11 names. Phil Jagielka, called up on Monday as a replacement for the injured Gareth Barry, wears No18. The Football Association has also announced precise details of the kit the team will be wearing during their three group matches. Against France on 11 June they will wear white shirts, white shorts and white socks; against Sweden on 15 June they will wear dark blue shirts, light blue shorts and dark blue socks; against Ukraine on 19 June they will again be in the all-white kit. England squad numbers for Euro 2012 1 Joe Hart 2 Glen Johnson 3 Ashley Cole 4 Steven Gerrard 5 Gary Cahill 6 John Terry 7 Theo Walcott 8 Frank Lampard 9 Andy Carroll 10 Wayne Rooney 11 Ashley Young 12 Leighton Baines 13 Robert Green 14 Phil Jones 15 Joleon Lescott 16 James Milner 17 Scott Parker 18 Phil Jagielka 19 Stewart Downing 20 Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain 21 Jermain Defoe 22 Danny Welbeck 23 Jack Butland

Euro 2012 Preview - Portugal

Nickname: “Os Navagedores" ("The Navigators")

Absurd FIFA ranking: 5th

Coach: Youthful former pro Paolo Bento

Match Schedule:

June 9 – Portugal v. Germany (Lviv, 2:45 p.m. EST)
June 13 – Portugal v. Denmark (Lviv, 12 p.m.)
June 17 – Portugal v. Netherlands (Kharkiv, 2:45 p.m.)

Prospects: The Portuguese typically flatter to deceive at tournaments. They've clearly got the quality, particularly in the form of skillful, nippy little midfielders such as Nani and Raul Mereiles, but they rarely have the power to get beyond the quarter-final stage. They've been dealt a poor hand being placed in the Group of Death against two of the tournament favorites.

Key Player: Cristiano Ronaldo - like Lionel Messi, if "Skippy" wants to prove himself a true footballing great, he has to put a mediocre side on his back and win something big with them. No one cares how many hat-tricks you score against Real Betis, mate - now's the time!

Youngster to watch: Paolo Bento would do well to drop long-standing striker Helger Postiga in favor of 20 year old Benfica striker Nelson Oliviera who's been lighting up the Europa Cup over the past two years.

Who Will Get the Goals: Ronaldo will be well-watched by German and Dutch defenders, so that might create space for my boy Nani.

Who Will Get the Cards: Rugged Genoa defender Miguel Veloso likes to get stuck in.

Prediction: Just edged out of second place by the Dutch in that last group match on June 17th.

We now take a break for Eurovision...

Lads, thanks to Simon's technical wizardry, I watched the Eurovision song contest for the first time in simply ages yesterday. England's entry sung by 76-year-old Englebert Humperdink was too boring to even be worthy of comment. Sweden won with some quality Euro-pap, but as with all Eurovision, it was the spectacular fails that burn in the memory. Easily worst, Jedward's tragic entry on behalf of Ireland, and most camp, Can Bonomo from Turkey. I liked the Italian Nina Zilli's Amy Winehouse tribute, and Denmark's Soluna Samay. And for sheer Eurovision cheesiness, I thought Gaitana's entry for Ukraine. would do better. At least the incredibly grating Russian grannies didn't take home the win. Hopefully, BBC America will wake up to this phenomenon and televise it next year. Enjoy(?)

Euro 2012 Preview - Germany

Continuing with the Group of Death - it's the Germans.

Nickname: “Der Mannschaft"

Absurd FIFA ranking: 2nd

Coach: Duran Duran backup keyboardist Joachim Low

Match Schedule:

June 9 – Germany v. Portugal (Lviv, 2:45 p.m. EST)
June 13 – Germany v. Netherlands (Kharkiv, 2:45 p.m.)
June 17 – Germany v. Denmark (Lviv, 2:45 p.m.)

Prospects: Germany were one of the revelations of South Africa 2010. Once it was clear that old boys Ballack and Frings wouldn't be fit for the tournament, he had no other option than to unleash a brilliant new wave of German talent including Khedira, Ozil and Muller. Today's shock friendly loss to Switzerland exposed a softness in the center of defense, but once the Bayern boys are back in the fold, there are bags of quality going forward.

Key Player: Bayern forward Thomas Muller has the lot - pace, a great ball over from wide positions and phenomenal heading ability.

Youngster to watch: With Miroslav Klose an aging force, Low would be wise to start Borussia Munchengladbach striker Marco Reus, who looks like a nice complement to Gomez.

Who Will Get the Goals: SuperMario Gomez needs to turn his remarkable Bundeliga and Champions League strike rate into goals for his country - a decent outside shout for Golden Ball.

Who Will Get the Cards: Arsenal statue Per Mertesacker is a real liability in the center of defense. I could easily see him giving away dangerous free kicks and penalties in each match, if Low is silly enough to stick with him.

Prediction: Champions! I'd like to hope that Germany will be the Brazil '70 of this tournament, conceding loads of goals at one end with some hilarious defending, while springing forward with some glorious, sweeping attacking moves. 5-3 in every match, please!

A Day of Tune-Ups

For those of us suffering from a footie withdrawal, today holds a lot of promise. Ahead of us is a full day of pre Euro 2012 tune-ups, starting with Denmark up against Brazil at 9:30 and culminating with Roy Hodgson's first match in charge of England against Norway. All of these sides will be kicking off their tournaments in two weeks time - today we'll get a chance to see what they're looking like. Join me!

Euro 2012 Preview - The Netherlands

Welcome to Group B - this summer's Group of Death! Let's start with the top seed Holland.

Nickname: “Clockwork Oranje"

Absurd FIFA ranking: 4th

Coach: Veteran coach Bert van Marwijk

Match Schedule:

June 9 – Netherlands v. Denmark (Kharkiv, 12 p.m. EST)
June 13 – Netherlands v. Germany (Kharkiv, 2:45 p.m.)
June 17 – Netherlands v. Portugal (Kharkiv, 2:45 p.m.)

Prospects: The inventors of "Total Football" are typically one of the favorites among neutrals; however, they won very few fans with their disgraceful performance in the 2010 World Cup final against Spain. Which Holland will show up? If this year's friendlies are any way to judge, it will be more of the same with Nigel de Jong and John Heitinga lying in wait for the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo with waist-high tackles. The match up with Germany on June 13th could really produce some fireworks.

Key Player: If van Marwijk sets up defensively, it will take a wild card such as Arjen Robben to unlock the better defenses in the knock-out stages. Just don't let him take any penalties!

Youngster to watch: I don't expect many new faces coming through in this settled side; however, Liberian-born FC Twente winger Ola John would be a fun substitute to watch.

Who Will Get the Goals: After a 30 goal Premiership season at Arsenal, Robin van Persie has to be one of the favorites to pick up the Golden Ball this summer.

Who Will Get the Cards: Aging midfield assassin Mark van Bommel starts on a yellow card for me.

Prediction: Losing finalists - Because of the draw, it's a fairly easy path for the Dutch into the semis. I expect them to place second in the Group of Death, just edging out a lively but naive Portugal. They should then be able to see off Russia with minimum stress in the Quarter-finals before what I hope will be a thrilling semi-final against Italy and a simply epic rematch final against the Germans.

European Championship Trivia!

In an effort to whet the appetite for the upcoming tournament, here's a brain tickler on the Euros:

Since its inception as the European Nation's Cup in 1960, only three countries have won the tournament on home soil. Name them and the years that they won it."

Good luck, chaps!

Euro 2012 Preview - Czech Republic

Wrapping up our discussion of Group A (or Group Arsenal, as I'm starting to think of it), it's time to discuss the Czech Republic.

Nickname: “Narodak” (No idea what this means - sorry)

Absurd FIFA ranking: 26th

Coach: Veteran Sparta Prague midfield Michal Bilek

Match Schedule:
June 8 – Czech Republic v. Russia (Wroclaw, 2:45 p.m. EST)
June 12 – Czech Republic v. Greece (Wroclaw, 12 p.m.)
June 16 – Czech Republic v. Poland (Warsaw, 2:45 p.m.)

Prospects: The Czechs limped into this year's tournament after seeing off Montenegro in the playoffs. Some of the LOB brain trust seem to rate them, but I don't see it. The Czech's opening match with Russia will show us a lot. If they can pull off a win, then all bets are off. However, on paper they seem like an aging squad that nearly always qualifies but rarely sets tournaments alight.

Key Player: Arsenal schemer Tomas Rosicky came into rich form toward the end of the Premiership and the Czechs will lean heavily on him for invention in the middle of the park.

Youngster to watch: Slovan Liberec striker Michael Rabusic's fine form for the U-21s might tempt Bilek to take a gamble on him.

Who Will Get the Goals: 30 year journeyman Milan Baros (now inevitably playing at Galatasaray) is still the leading scorer in the squad.

Who Will Get the Cards: Gritty Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder Tomas Hubschman.

Prediction: Just about edged out of second place and the tournament by hosts Poland in the final group stage match - home advantage still matters IMHO.

Euro 2012 Preview - Russia

Absurd FIFA ranking: 11th

Coach: Dutch supremo Dick Advocaat

Match Schedule:
June 8 – Russia v. Czech Republic (Wroclaw, 2:45 p.m. EST)
June 12 – Russia v. Poland (Warsaw, 2:45 p.m.)
June 16 – Russia v. Greece (Wroclaw, 2:45 p.m.)

Prospects: Russia won a competitive but far from stellar Qualifying Group B beating Slovakia, Ireland, Macedonia, Armenia and Andorra along the way. But Vladimir Putin should keep his shirt on. Russia have enough veteran experience and quality to top this worthless group but they'll be matched up against one of the teams to emerge from the Group B.

Key Player: Former Chelski man Yuri Zhirkov still has the quality to ping balls at Pavs' head.

Youngster to watch: Moscow Spartak striker Artem Dyuba; Advocaat would be wise to ditch Arsenal reject Andrei Arshavin and go with this 6'4" chunk of goalscoring power.

Who Will Get the Goals: Former Spurs front-man Roman Pavlyuchenko is still the most potent goal threat in the Russian arsenal.
 Who Will Get the Cards: 34 year old Dynamo Moscow stopper Igor Semshov has lost a step.

Prediction: Top of Group A before going out in a blaze of glory to Advocaat's countrymen in the Quarterfinals.

Euro 2012 Preview - Greece

Continuing our discussion of the extremely weak Group A, today's focus is on Greece:

Nickname: “Galanolefki” (“Blue and whites”)

Absurd FIFA ranking: 14th

Coach: Portugeezer Fernando Santos

Match Schedule:
June 8 – Greece v. Poland (Warsaw, 12 p.m. EST)
June 12 – Greece v. Czech Republic (Wroclaw, 12 p.m.)
June 16 – Greece v. Russia (Warsaw, 2:45 p.m.)

Prospects: Surprise 2004 European champions Greece are continuing the Otto Rehhagel mold of keeping it extra tight at the back and hoping to nick a goal off a set piece under Portuguese manager Fernando Santos. Hence, five of its seven wins in qualifying were won by a George Graham-style 1-0 margin. 

Key Player: Skipper Georgios Karagounis, one of the surviving 2004 champions, is getting a bit long in the tooth but he’s still the heart and soul of a tight defensive midfield unit.

Youngster to watch: 19 year old Kaiserlautern wide man Kostas Fortounis could provide Greece with some spark if Santos decides to unleash him. 

Who Will Get the Goals: Not a lot of goals in this side, but Celtic (and former Citeh) striker Georgios Samaras was the lone forward throughout their qualifying campaign. 

Who Will Get the Cards: Olympiacos central defender Vasilis Torisidis was frequently suspended during the qualifiers. 

Prediction: Bottom of the group after two opening draws off hosts Greece and the Czech Republic before losing to Russia in the crucial third match.

Euro 2012 Preview - Poland

It's that time again, chaps - start getting excited about a major footie tournament just around the corner. I'm starting this sixteen-day preview of teams with hosts Poland. 

Nickname: “Biale Orly” ("The White Eagles")

Absurd FIFA ranking: 65th

Coach: Wily veteran Franciszek Smuda

Match Schedule:
June 8 – Poland v. Greece (Warsaw, 12 p.m. EST)
June 12 – Poland v. Russia (Warsaw, 2:45 p.m.)
June 16 – Poland v. Czech Republic (Warsaw, 2:45 p.m.)

Prospects: We start our ritual tournament preview with Group A, the crappest of crap Euro 2012 groups. Host team Poland were fortunate to qualify automatically as well as to be placed as top seed in the group. The advantages stop there. Whoever emerges from this group is destined to be demolished by whoever scrambles out of Group B - the official Group of Death. I expect the Poles to be something of a darkhorse side flattering to deceive in the group stages, though, as they possess a potent front line.

Key Player: Arsenal second-string keeper Lukas Fabianski will likely be a busy boy. (Oops, should have said Wojciech "Sussudio" Szczesny - Poland's #1)

Youngster to watch: None - the average age of the preliminary squad is close to 30.

Who Will Get the Goals: Borussia Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski was top scorer in the Bundesliga on the way to his side's title win.

Who Will Get the Cards: Rugged skipper Jakub Błaszczykowski will be taking them for the side.

Prediction: The Poles will just about escape the group stage before being rolled over Panzer division style by the Mannschaft on June 22.

Premiership Plus Predictions Game Finale!

Congratulations to me - I'm Top of the Pops for the PPP game this season with a somewhat paltry 22 points. My success was largely based on guessing numbers 3, 4, and 7 exactly right and two of the three relegated clubs and West Ham in the winning playoff spot. The predictions game will return in a couple of weeks as we get ready for Euro 2012.

Here are the final standings:

1. Blue Devil – 22 points
2. West Ham Rising – 19 pts
3. Matthew – 16 pts
4. Man Utd Rules – 15 pts
- Thomas – 15 pts
6. Simon Burke – 13 pts
7. Gooner71 – 9 pts
- Someone Said – 9 pts
9. AZ Kicker – 7 pts
- United We Stand – 7 pts
- Yellows – 7 pts

The 2012 Champions League Final

For the First time since 1984 a team will be hosting the Champions League Final as Bayern Munich take on Chelsea. The previous occasion was when Roma took on Liverpool in the Olympic Stadium in Rome, but the Reds won in a penalty shootout. Chelsea must win or else they will face the prospect of Europa League footie next season. Spurs will be cheering for Bayern because they finished in fourth and need a Bayern victory in order to play in the CL next season. Gooners will cheer for Bayern too because a Chelsea victory would force the Gunners to play in an early season qualifier despite finishing third. Finally, Arjen Robben will be keen to do well against his former employes at the Allianz Arena. Any questions.

The Richest Game in World Football

An estimated £160 million is on the line at Wemberley this afternoon as West Ham take on Blackpool in the Championship Playoff Final. The winners get a first class ticket to the riches of the Premiership; the losers get a chance to play away at Turf Moor on a rainy Tuesday night in November. Join me for all the action from 10am onward on FSC.

Champions League Trivia!

Here's a brain teaser to get you excited for tomorrow's Champions League Final clash between Chelski and Bayern Munich: "Only 20 players have made more than 100 appearances in the Champions League. Ten of them have made those appearances for one club. How many of those 10 players can you name?" Best of luck, chaps!

Down to the Wire!

Just a quick update on our PPP stakes before the weekend's matches. As you'll notice, I'm still top of the heap, but only two points up now after that last wild weekend in the Premiership. The only match left that can shift things is the Championship Playoff Final (the richest match in world football), as none of us had the foresight to predict that either Bayern or Chelski would win the Champions League. Matthew and his dad UWS both had West Ham in first place (and would earn 2 points), AZ Kicker and resident Hammers fan WHR both had West Ham in second place (and would therefore score 2 points), while Blue Devil, Gooner, Simon, Someone, and Yellows all had West Ham in third place (and would earn a full three points for a West Ham win). Thus, a Blackpool win would benefit Thomas and MUR - neither of whom plumped for the Hammers and who will therefore be temporary Tangerines fans on Saturday. Got that straight? Here are the current standings: Blue Devil – 21 pts West Ham Rising – 19 points Thomas – 17 pts Matthew – 16 pts Man Utd Rules – 15 pts Simon Burke – 12 pts AZ Kicker – 9 pts Gooner71 – 8 pts Someone Said – 8 pts United We Stand – 7 pts Yellows – 6 pts

Trap Names his Euro 2012 Squad

Giovanni Trapat

toni named his squad for the Euros back on May 7th. Woy was not the only one with questionable choices. Four Wolves players named the squad and BD will be pleased that Leeds is represented by Darren O'Dear . Your thoughts? Republic of Ireland squad for Euro 2012: Shay Given (Aston Villa), Keiren Westwood (Sunderland), David Forde (Millwall); John O'Shea (Sunderland), Stephen Kelly (Fulham), Stephen Ward (Wolves), Richard Dunne (Aston Villa), Sean St Ledger (Leicester), Darren O'Dea (Leeds), Kevin Foley (Wolves); Glenn Whelan (Stoke), Keith Andrews (West Brom), Keith Fahey (Birmingham), Darron Gibson (Everton), Damien Duff (Fulham), Aiden McGeady (Spartak Moscow), Stephen Hunt (Wolves), James McClean (Sunderland); Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy), Kevin Doyle (Wolves), Shane Long, Simon Cox (both West Brom), Jon Walters (Stoke). Stand-by: Darren Randolph (Motherwell), Paul McShane (Crystal Palace), Paul Green (Unattached), Seamus Coleman (Everton), Andy Keogh (Millwall).

Woy Makes His Choice for England

So, yesterday's rumor mill was correct - Woy has dropped the axe on some old hands (e.g., Rio, Crouchie) and is bringing along some new faces (e.g., Ruddy, Oxlade-Chamberlain). Here's the full squad: Goalkeepers: Joe Hart (Citeh), Rob Green (West Ham), John Ruddy (Norwich) Defenders: Leighton Baines (Everton), Gary Cahill (Chelski), Ashley Cole (Chelski), Glen Johnson (Liverpool), Phil Jones (United), Joleon Lescott (Citeh), John Terry (Chelski) Midfielders: Gareth Barry (Citeh), Stewart Downing (Liverpool), Scott Parker (Spurs), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Jamie Milner (Citeh), Frank Lampard (Chelski), Theo Walcott (Arsenal) Forwards: Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal), Ashley Young (United), Wayne Rooney (United), Danny Welbeck (United), Andy Carroll (Liverpool), Jermain Defoe (Spurs) Your thoughts, gentlemen?

The Rumor Mill

News out of Blighty that Rio Ferdinand has been left out of the England squad for this summer's festivities amidst concerns that he can't stand up to the pressure of three (or four) matches in quick succession. The same reports indicate that John Terry will be in the squad. Oh - and Kenny Dalglish is apparently about to walk the plank at Anfield. More news as it comes....

Best footy quotes and actions from 2011/12

I thought at least the 2 Daves could use a little cheering up and some of these quotes and actions are corkers. At the least you'll leave this post a little more knowledgeable about the Independiente player pictured here with the most excellent name since Major Bat Guano from "Dr. Strangelove" and possibly the reason his supermodel girlfriend left him. She should have just paid attention to his last name and saved some time.

Click Here!

The Long and Winding Road... has come to an end!

So, it has been 10 months and 37 games and it is all coming down to the last 90 minutes and one final game. Will Citeh hold their nerve? Will United do their part and win at the SoL? Will the English Championship be decided on GOAL DIFFERENCE for only the second time in the history of English football? Manchester United pipped Leeds United in 1965! Will Arsenal, Spurs or Newcastle make the Champions League. Will Bolton survive? Will QPR cause a shock? Join me for all the festivities UWS

Footie Trivia of the Week

Ahead of one last big weekend in English domestic football, here's a trivia morsel to get you scratching your heads: "Which four teams have won three consecutive top-flight titles?" (Hint: one of them has done that feat twice!) Good luck, chaps!

Europa League Live!

It's the battle of the Athletics (Madrid and Bilbao) today as well as a battle of two Argie managers (Bielsa v. Simeone) in the Europa League. If you're around and watching, do drop in for a cuppa and a chat.

Premiership Plus Predictions Game - Week 37

Liverpool's stonking 4-1 win rounded off the penultimate round of Premiership fixtures this season. Chelsea's FA Cup win was a boon to Simon who gained 6 points, while AZ Kicker and Yellows just missed out, having picked the losing finalists. Here are the PPP standings as we head into the last curve: 1. Blue Devil – 23 pts 2. West Ham Rising – 21 points 3. Matthew – 19 pts 4. Thomas – 13 pts4. 5. Man Utd Rules – 12 pts - Simon Burke – 12 pts 7. Gooner71 – 10 pts - Someone Said – 10 pts 9. Yellows – 9 pts - AZ Kicker – 9 pts 11.United We Stand – 6 pts

The Mother of All Relegation Dogfights

It's all on the line this afternoon. Simply put, Blackburn must win - and win big - or their down. If they do, that puts Wigan seriously at risk. Can't get any tastier than that, can it lads? Seriously, what else have you got going on on a rainy Monday afternoon? Join me from 3pm onward to see the fireworks.

Come on UNITEDS!!!!!

Another big day in the Premier League at both ends of the table. The two big games are on FSC. As I said in the title... COME ON UNITEDS!! We only have two more rounds of domestic football. I don't where it has all gone! Join me UWS

FA Cup Cinal Day!

It's Cup Final Day, chaps - always a highlight of the footie calendar. Join me for the early morning snack of Norwich v. Arsenal and then stick around for the big one from Wemberley - Chelski v. Pool!

Ipswich Town's New Kit Advertisement

The Tractor Boys have a good sense of humor. Look for a fun cameo by someone we all remember from back in the day

RIP: MCA (1964-2012)

Adam Yauch (aka "MCA") has died at the age of 47 after a lengthy battle with cancer. He convinced me that old guys could be hip and politically relevant. He'll be sadly missed. Enjoy one of the classic - "So Whatcha Want?!"

Premiership Predictions Plus Game - Week 36

With only two Premiership matches to play, it's all change at the top and all change in our PPP stakes, WHR the main beneficiary of Citeh's 1-0 win over United on Monday. Still plenty of football to play and points to gain as we head into the business end of the season. Here are the current standings: 1. Blue Devil – 23 pts 2. West Ham Rising – 21 points 3. Matthew – 19 pts 4. Thomas – 13 pts 5. Man Utd Rules – 12 pts 6. Gooner71 – 10 pts - Someone Said – 10 pts 8. AZ Kicker – 9 pts - Yellows – 9 pts 10. Simon Burke – 6 pts - United We Stand – 6 pts

All Aboard the Woy Train!

Well, bugger me backward - Woy is the new England manager! I didn't see that coming before yesterday. The new supremo now has five weeks to whip his England squad into world beaters. And spare a thought for poor old Harry Redknapp, unless you're Gooner and Simon who must be killing themselves laughing this morning. Your thoughts, gentlemen? Read more by cutting and pasting this link into your browser: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2012/may/01/england-manager-roy-hodgson-euro-2012

Happy May Day, Comrades!