TOP 100 SOCCER SITES
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| In Craig Levein the SFA has the man to go with its plans Scotland's failed World Cup campaign came off the rails after only three games, according to Gordon Smith. telegraph.co.uk |
Bolton keen on Owen Coyle or Darren Ferguson to take over from Gary Megson Bolton chairman Phil Gartside must overcome Burnley's determination to keep Owen Coyle if he is to appoint his No 1 target. telegraph.co.uk |
Security questions unfair: Jordaan The man in charge of organizing the World Cup is bristling at security questions sparked by violence in Angola, saying South Africa should be judged on its own record. cbc.ca |
Non-vintage seasons can still fascinate This season has been far from a classic, but that could mean a fascinating race for the top spotA non-vintage football season, as the present one is fast becoming, can sometimes acquire a fascination of its own. A loss of consistent quality among the leading teams is apt to produce a welcome variation of the familiar plot, with interlopers breaking up the usual procession towards the major prizes.The early elimination of Manchester United and now Liverpool from the FA Cup by opposition from the lower divisions again offers the prospect of the trophy finding a long-forgotten home, another Portsmouth, even if the Cup is not quite the sought-after grail it once was. More interestingly the uncertainties facing the four clubs who are accustomed to dominating the Premier league have reached a point where speculation about who might replace one of these in next season's Champions League may soon be giving way to serious discussion about the possibility of some Johnny-come-lately overtaking everybody to win this season's title.The thought may be premature. Chelsea could still leave the rest standing once the tin hats have returned from the Africa Cup of Nations and, crucially, Michael Essien is fully fit again. But at least the idea is not an idle one and a similar notion will have occurred to those wrestling with problems of form and fitness at Old Trafford, Anfield and the Emirates.Sir Alex Ferguson continues to blow a lot of smoke about referees and their watches but this cannot obscure the growing deficiencies of a Manchester United team still struggling to come to terms with the fact that while Cristiano Ronaldo could be a pain in the neck he also represented a ball in the net. Meanwhile, Carlos Tevez, on rich scoring form for Manchester City, seems to be going out of his way to show Ferguson that he was worth more than walk-on parts at Old Trafford.Much, perhaps too much, is being asked of Wayne Rooney. The United bench, along with Fabio Capello, must have winced at St Andrew's last Saturday when the England striker came out of a tackle displaying the body language that previously has meant a broken metatarsal. This time, fortunately, something was lost in translation.Significant activity by Ferguson during the transfer window and a return to the old consistency on the field would at least allay any suspicion among United's supporters that the club is sinking under the weight of the debt it has acquired since the Glazer family took over. Revelations about the amounts the owners have borrowed or paid themselves in fees may suggest to some fans that if United had to be run by a transatlantic dynasty they would have been better off under the Simpsons.At least an American has done the decent thing at Anfield where Tom Hicks Jr resigned from the Liverpool board after sending an offensive email to a complaining supporter. Following Wednesday's abject FA Cup defeat by Reading some Liverpool fans may feel that one bum fewer in the boardroom is less important than the high proportion of the same still occupying places in the team.That a top-four finish for Liverpool would now be a major surprise is a measure of how steep their decline has been.Arsenal's results, on the other hand, have remained remarkably good considering the number of casualties Arsène Wenger has had to cope with. The 2-2 draw scraped against Everton last Saturday rather took the gloss off the impressive run that had preceded it but the return of Cesc Fábregas would help Wenger's side continue to nag away at the top two.All of which could be thrown into the melting pot if the teams at present lying fourth and fifth, Manchester City and Tottenham, embark on the sort of runs in the new year which in the past have seen Liverpool and, more recently, Manchester United leave the rest of the field struggling for breath. City have the wealth, Spurs the depth, and both have important players in form.Gone are the days when teams such as Norwich, Crystal Palace, West Ham, Southampton, Watford, West Brom, Ipswich and Queens Park Rangers could chase the champions home. In the present set-up even Manchester City, the world's richest club, and Tottenham are seen as underdogs, yet what Blackburn achieved when they won the title in 1995 should not be beyond either team. Especially if the top three continue to feel the strain, which, with the Champions League resuming in a month's time, is unlikely to ease.Premier LeagueFA CupDavid Laceyguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
De Rossi puts Roma in Italian Cup semifinals Daniele De Rossi scored in the 74th minute as AS Roma beat Catania 1-0 to reach the Italian Cup semifinals on Tuesday. cbc.ca |