You’ll find the latest Premier League Transfers (January 2012) listed here. Archives for older transfer seasons are at the end of this page. For the latest transfer rumours and confirmed transfers for other leagues, see our football transfer lists page.

If you find a transfer not listed here let us know and we’ll add it.

Last Updated: 1 February 2012

Arsenal

In: Thierry Henry (loan, New York Red Bulls); Thomas Eisfeld (£600,000, Borussia Dortmund)

Out: Luke Freeman (undisclosed, Stevenage); Vito Mannone (loan, Hull City); Daniel Boateng (loan, Swindon Town); Gavin Hoyte (loan, AFC Wimbledon); Paulo Botelho (loan, Levante); Emmanuel Frimpong (loan, Wolverhampton Wanderers); Sanchez Watt (loan, Crawley Town); Wellington (loan, CD Alcoyano); Sead Hajrovic (loan, Barnet); Rhys Murphy (loan, Preston North End); Ryo Miyachi (loan, Bolton Wanderers)

Aston Villa

In: Enda Stevens (undisclosed, Shamrock Rovers); Robbie Keane (loan, Los Angeles Galaxy)

Out: Nathan Delfouneso (loan, Leicester City); Shane Lowry (undisclosed, Millwall); Fabian Delph (loan, Leeds United); Elliot Parish (undisclosed, Cardiff City)

Blackburn Rovers

In: Anthony Modeste (Bordeaux, loan), Bruno Ribeiro (Grêmio Barueri, free); Marcus Olsson (free, Halmstads BK); Bradley Orr (undisclosed, Queens Park Rangers)

Out: Jason Roberts (undisclosed, Reading); Keith Andrews (free, West Bromwich Albion); Ryan Nelsen (free, Tottenham)

Bolton Wanderers

In: Tim Ream (£2.5m, New York Red Bulls); Ryo Miyachi (Arsenal, loan); Marvin Sordell (£3m, Watford)

Out: Gary Cahill (£7m, Chelsea); Jack Sampson (loan, Southend United)

Chelsea

In: Gary Cahill (£7m, Bolton Wanderers); Kevin de Bruyne (£6.7m, Genk), Patrick Bamford (£1.5m, Nottingham Forest)

Out: Nicolas Anelka (undisclosed, Shanghai Shenhua); Alex (£4.5m, Paris Saint-Germain); Rhys Taylor (loan, Rotherham); Sam Walker (loan, Yeovil); Ben Gordon (loan, Kilmarnock); Patrick van Aanholt (loan, Vitesse Arnhem); Josh McEachran (loan, Swansea City); Gaël Kakuta (loan, Dijon)

Everton

In: Darron Gibson (£500,000, Manchester United); Landon Donovan (loan, Los Angeles Galaxy); Nikica Jelavic (£6m, Rangers); Steven Pienaar (loan, Tottenham)

Out: Diniyar Bilyaletdinov (£5m, Spartak Moscow); Aristote Nsiala (loan, Accrington Stanley); James Wallace (loan, Tranmere Rovers); Louis Saha (free, Tottenham)

Fulham

In: Jack Grimmer (£200,000, Aberdeen); Pavel Pogrebnyak (£3m, VfB Stuttgart); Ryan Williams (undisclosed, Portsmouth)

Out: Alex Kacaniklic (loan, Watford); Bobby Zamora (£6m, Queens Park Rangers)

Liverpool

In: Jordan Ibe (£500,000, Wycombe Wanderers); Danny Ward (undisclosed, Wrexham)

Out: Danny Wilson (loan, Blackpool); Martin Hansen (undisclosed, Viborg FF)

Manchester City

In: David Pizarro (loan, AS Roma)

Out: Nedum Onuoha (£3m, Queens Park Rangers); Ben Mee (undisclosed, Burnley); Kieran Trippier (undisclosed, Burnley); Harry Bunn (loan, Preston North End); Alex Nimely (loan, Coventry City); Chris Chantler (loan, Carlisle United); Wayne Bridge (loan, Sunderland), Frederic Veseli (undisclosed, Manchester United)

Manchester United

In: Frederic Veseli (undisclosed, Manchester City)

Out: Darron Gibson (£500,000, Everton); Daniel Drinkwater (undisclosed, Leicester City); Mame Biram Diouf (£1.5m, Hannover 96); Joshua King (loan, Hull City); Féderico Macheda (loan, Queens Park Rangers); Ravel Morrison (£650,000, West Ham United); Oliver Norwood (loan, Coventry City); Scott Wootton (loan, Nottingham Forest)

Newcastle United

In: Papiss Demba Cissé (£10m, SC Freiburg)

Out: Alan Smith (loan, MK Dons); Philip Airey (loan, Gateshead); James Tavernier (loan, MK Dons)

Norwich City

In: Jonny Howson (£2m, Leeds United); Ryan Bennett (undisclosed, Peterborough United)

Out: George Francomb (loan, Hibernian); Oli Johnson (loan, Oxford); Korey Smith (loan, Barnsley); Chris Martin (loan, Crystal Palace)

Queens Park Rangers

In: Nedum Onuoha (£3m, Manchester City); Taye Taiwo (loan, AC Milan); Féderico Macheda (loan, Manchester United); Samba Diakité (loan, AS Nancy Lorraine); Djibril Cisse (£4m, Lazio); Bobby Zamora (£6m, Fulham)

Out: Matt Connolly (loan, Reading), Bradley Orr (undisclosed, Blackburn Rovers)

Stoke City

In:

Out: Danny Pugh (undisclosed, Leeds United); Florent Cuvelier (loan, Walsall); Ben Marshall (loan, Sheffield Wednesday); Tom Soares (loan, Hibernian); Ryan Brunt (loan, Tranmere Rovers); Matthew Lund (loan, Bristol Rovers); Michael Tonge (loan, Barnsley); Danny Higginbotham (loan, Nottingham Forest); Ben Marshall (undisclosed, Leicester City)

Sunderland

In: Wayne Bridge (loan, Manchester City); Sotiris Kyrgiakos (loan, VfL Wolfsburg)

Out: Trevor Carson (loan, Hull City); Louis Laing (loan, Wycombe Wanderers); Blair Adams (loan, Northampton Town); John Egan (loan, Crystal Palace); Billy Knott (loan, AFC Wimbledon); Jordan Cook (loan, Carlisle United); Ryan Noble (loan, Derby County); Nyron Nosworthy (loan, Watford)

Swansea City

In: Darnel Situ (£250,000, Lens); Josh McEachran (loan, Chelsea); Gylfi Sigurdsson (loan, Hoffenheim); Curtis Obeng (undisclosed, Wrexham)

Out: Vangelis Moras (loan, Cesena); Lee Lucas (loan, Burton Albion)

Tottenham

In: Iago Falqué (undisclosed, Juventus); Ryan Nelsen (free, Blackburn Rovers); Louis Saha (free, Everton)

Out: David Button (loan, Doncaster Rovers); Dean Parrett (loan, Yeovil Town); Andros Townsend (loan, Leeds United); Iago Falqué (loan, Southampton); Harry Kane (loan, Millwall); John Bostock (loan, Sheffield Wednesday); Tom Carroll (loan, Derby County): Sebastien Bassong (loan, Wolverhampton Wanderers); Vedran Corluka (loan, Bayer Leverkusen); Roman Pavlyuchenko (£8m, Lokomotiv Moscow); Steven Pienaar (loan, Everton); Adam Smith (loan, Leeds United)

West Bromwich Albion

In: Scott Allan (£300,000, Dundee United); Keith Andrews (free, Blackburn Rovers); Liam Ridgewell (undisclosed, Birmingham City)

Out: Roman Bednar (free, Blackpool); James Hurst (loan, Chesterfield); Romaine Sawyers (loan, Shrewsbury Town); Lateef Elford-Alliyu (loan, Tranmere Rovers); Chris Wood (loan, Bristol City); Gonzalo Jara (loan, Brighton & Hove Albion); Joe Mattock (loan, Brighton & Hove Albion)

Wigan Athletic

In: Jean Beausejour (undisclosed, Birmingham City)

Out: Daniel Redmond (loan, Hamilton Academical); Nouha Dicko (loan, Blackpool); Jordan Mustoe (loan, Barnet)

Wolverhampton Wanderers

In: Eggert Jonsson (£250,000, Hearts); Emmanuel Frimpong (loan, Arsenal); Sebastien Bassong (loan, Tottenham)

Out: David Davis (loan, Chesterfield); Sam Winnall (loan, Inverness Caledonian Thistle); Jamie Reckord (loan, Scunthorpe United); Sam Vokes (loan, Brighton & Hove Albion); Adlène Guedioura (loan, Nottingham Forest); Matt Doherty (loan, Hibernian); Andy Keogh (undisclosed, Millwall)

Premier League Transfer Archives:

Summer 2006
January 2007
Summer 2007
January 2008
Summer 2008
January 2009
Summer 2009
January 2010
Summer 2010
January 2011
Summer 2011

For the latest transfer rumours and transfer lists for other leagues, see our transfer news section.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

There’s only one more month left in 2011, and it looks like the year will go out with a real bang from a football standpoint.

December features several must-see matches, with a few that will have title implications on top of deciding bragging rights between fierce rivals.

Watch the best of Premier League action this Christmas with Sky HD. Already have Sky? Upgrade to Sky Sports online and save £5. Get Sky HD or upgrade to Sky Sports now.

La Liga: Real Madrid v Barcelona

Few matches on the calendar from here to May will match the anticipation and importance of the two Clasicos.

The importance of the first showdown, which kicks off at 9:00 pm BST on the 10th, may have been amped up even further with Barcelona’s weekend defeat at Getafe, which, combined with Real’s 4-1 win over city rivals Atletico Madrid, sees Real Madrid with a six-point lead at the top through 13 rounds.

Due to their participation in the Club World Cup, Barcelona have two league matches before their visit to the Bernabeu, while Real have one, with their game in hand being on the 17th, a home tie against Espanyol. Provided results go as expected in those matches, a win over Barca could position Real to have a nine-point lead when La Liga play resumes in January.

And though there will be more than 20 rounds left in the season, it’s very difficult to see Barca being able to overcome such a deficit.

On the other hand, if Barca are able to continue their recent dominance of Real, they will at worst be three points back if the other results go as expected, and that’s a far less daunting deficit.

At this point, however, you’d have to favor Real to triumph if there’s a winner in next month’s clash. Not only are the Galacticos in blistering form at the moment, Barcelona have struggled away from home this season, with two wins in six away league matches to date.

Saturday, 10th December 8:30pm on Sky Sports 4 and Sky Sports HD4.

English Premier League: Chelsea v Manchester City

All eyes will be on Stamford Bridge for a massive Monday night match-up, and a lot will be at stake when these two sides face off on 12/12, with the action getting underway at 8:00 pm BST.

Chelsea are currently 10 points behind Manchester City in the English Premier League table, but a win could kick-start a push to get back in the thick of the title mix. A draw, while it would not help their own cause, could help Manchester United, who are currently five back, and in-form Tottenham, who are seven back with a game in hand.

Meanwhile, a win for City would beef up their title credentials, even if the three points doesn’t see them put more distance between themselves and their closest challengers.

Monday, 12th December 7:00pm on Sky Sports 1, Sky Sports HD1 and Sky 3D.

English Premier League: Manchester City v Arsenal

This match will be one to watch no matter what happens in the above match, but if Chelsea down the league leaders at home, City’s visit from Arsenal the following Sunday will be made all the more important.

Arsenal missed a chance to make up some ground on City and United this past weekend, as they surprisingly drew at home against Fulham. However, the Gunners had won five Premier League matches in a row prior to that stumble, including a 5-3 win at Chelsea in October, so their chances of getting a result at City can’t dismissed.

If City lose at Chelsea, or even draw, more dropped points against Arsenal could see things tighten quite a bit at the top. However, if City win at Chelsea, following it up with a home win over the Gunners could cement their status as title favorites, especially since they will have United, Spurs, Chelsea, and Liverpool all at home in the second half of the season.

Sunday, 18th December 4:00pm on Sky Sports 1, Sky Sports HD1 and Sky 3D.

English Premier League: Tottenham v Chelsea

In a rare Thursday night tie, the Premier League’s pre-Christmas slate will wrap up on the 22nd when London rivals Tottenham and Chelsea square off at White Hart Lane.

This is a vital match for both sides, as they are both trying to stay in the title conversation heading into the new year. Many still may not be taking Spurs too seriously, but continuing their current hot streak to and through this match could start convincing some of the skeptics that they are more contender than pretender.

For Chelsea, wins over City and Spurs could not only help them as far as the title race is concerned, but it will also take some pressure off of manager Andre Villas-Boas, who’s been under some heat in the first few months of his tenure at the club. At the same time, defeats in both of those matches will only turn up the pressure on AVB and leave Chelsea needing to make a big run in the second half of the season to come close to reaching Roman Abramovich’s minimum expectations.

Thursday, 22nd December 7:30pm on Sky Sports 1 and Sky Sports HD1.

Scottish Premier League: Celtic v Rangers

As is the case every season, Rangers and Celtic are battling it out for the Scottish Premier League title, and the latest Old Firm derby could see momentum move definitively towards either side heading into the new year.

Only a little over a week ago, Rangers, the three-time defending champions, had a 12-point lead over Celtic. But with Rangers drawing at home against St. Johnstone and losing at Kilmarnock and Celtic scoring wins three wins in that span, at Inverness Caley Thistle and at home against Dunfermline and St. Mirren, the lead has been cut to four in a flash.

Both sides have four matches, two home and two away, before they meet on the 28th, and if the deficit remains the same going into the derby, Celtic could close the gap to one with a win, which could be quite a blow to Rangers’ confidence after having a sizable lead only a short time ago. But if Rangers can win at Hampden, it’d help restore some of the lead that they gave up, and it’d also be huge for their confidence going forward.

Wednesday, 28th December 7:00pm on Sky Sports 1 and Sky Sports HD1.

Watch Live Football On Sky HD

Don’t miss out on any live Premier League games over the holidays – with Sky Go, you can watch live football wherever you are over the holiday season, on your iPad, iPhone or laptop. Get Sky Go.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

If you’re a football fan, there’s a lot to look forward to in the remainder of November, as we will see some of the game’s biggest names go head-to-head on multiple fronts over the next week-plus.

Watch the best of Premier League action this Christmas with Sky HD. Already have Sky? Upgrade to Sky Sports online and save £5. Get Sky HD or upgrade to Sky Sports now.

English Premier League: Liverpool v Manchester City

The big match-up of the weekend takes place at Anfield, as Liverpool host Manchester City on Sunday at 4:00 pm BST in a clash that shouldn’t be short on action.

City currently sit top of the English Premier League, whereas Liverpool are sixth, a whopping 12 points behind City. However, Liverpool are coming off of a vital 2-1 win at Chelsea, so their confidence should be very high. That’s not Liverpool first’s noteworthy win of the season, as they won at Arsenal in August, so they’re certainly capable of not only hanging with City but defeating them as well.

Sunday, 27th November 3:30pm on Sky Sports 1, Sky Sports HD 1 and Sky 3D.

Spanish La Liga: Real Madrid v Atletico Madrid

Real Madrid will host local rivals Atletico MAdrid on Saturday at the Santiago Benabeu. Real will hope to maintain the three point lead and Atletico will hope to take a step towards getting out of the middle of the table.

Despite featuring talented players like Fernando Torres, Sergio Aguero and Diego Forlan in the past, they have failed to beat their rivals as a vast gap of funds has come between them. If things are ever going to change in this rivalry, this is certainly not the time.

Real Madrid will be and should be able to maintain their three point lead ahead of the mighty Barcelona as the Catalans will lock horns with Getafe later in the same day.

Angel Di Maria is expected to return after he has been out since early November when he suffered an injury in the 7-1 stomping of Osasuna. Brazilian midfielder Diego will have to play a key role if Atletico wants to unsettle the Galacticos.

Saturday, 26th November 7:00pm on Sky Sports 1 and Sky Sports HD 1.

Carling Cup: Arsenal v Manchester City

Next week marks the return of the Carling Cup, with the four quarterfinal matches set to take place on 29th and 30th November.

After their tough test at Liverpool, it doesn’t get any easier for Manchester City, as they must visit Arsenal in a Carling Cup quarterfinal, with the match kicking off at 8:00 pm BST. City haven’t won at Arsenal since a 3-2 win in October 1975, but if there’s ever a time and situation to do it, this is it.

But after a slow start, Arsenal have been one of the hottest teams in the Premier League, and they’ve been a strong team at home this season. And after falling agonizingly short of the trophy last season, you can be sure Arsenal won’t let the chance slip by this season, so the Gunners will certainly be gunning for the win at home.

Being that it’s the Carling Cup, we may not see either team put out the strongest starting XI possible, but we should still see quite a few notable names out there, so this should prove to be an exciting encounter.

Tuesday, 29th November 7:30pm on Sky Sports 2, Sky Sports HD 2 and Sky 3D.

Watch Live Football On Sky HD

Don’t miss out on any live Premier League games over the holidays – with Sky Go, you can watch live football wherever you are over the holiday season, on your iPad, iPhone or laptop. Get Sky Go.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

If Los Angeles Galaxy supporters needed an extra confidence boost ahead of Sunday’s MLS Cup final against the Houston Dynamo, here’s an interesting tidbit, which ESPN analysts happened to mention before I could:

At both of David Beckham’s previous permanent homes, Manchester United and Real Madrid, he won a league title in his last season.

Given that Sunday will more than likely mark the end of Becks’ stay with the Galaxy and in MLS, and that the Galaxy are favored to claim the crown, it’s a piece of information that merits a mention. It would be quite fitting for him to mark his final MLS campaign, and his best one at that, by continuing that trend and help lead the Galaxy to their first title since 2005, wouldn’t it?

Of course, even if the Galaxy are tangling for the title in the very, very friendly confines of their very own Home Depot Center, it’s premature to put their name on the trophy already, as the Dynamo, even without their biggest threat, will be raring and ready to upset the odds and end their own title drought.

PAST AND PRESENT

The Galaxy are making a record seventh MLS Cup final appearance, with their most recent appearance coming in 2009, when they lost to Real Salt Lake on penalties. A win would give them their third title, following their triumphs in 2002 and 2005. On both of those occasions, they outlasted the New England Revolution 1-0 in extra time.

Last season, the Galaxy claimed the Supporters’ Shield (given to the team with the league’s best regular season record) only to get trounced 3-0 by Dallas at the Home Depot Center in the Western Conference final. But this season, they finished ahead of Real Salt Lake in the competitive Western Conference and won a record-tying fourth Supporters’ Shield, and they’ve carried that fine form into their playoff run, which saw them dispatch the New York Red Bulls 3-1 on aggregate in the Western Conference semifinals and top Real Salt Lake 3-1 in the Western Conference final.

As for the Dynamo, this is their third MLS Cup final appearance, and they’re looking to make it three wins in three trips, following up on their wins over New England (always a bridesmaid…) in 2006 and 2007.

After a disappointing 2010 season in which they missed the post-season for the first time in their history, the Dynamo made the move from the Western Conference to the Eastern Conference to accommodate the expansion Vancouver Whitecaps, and it’s a move that paid immediate dividends for the Dynamo.

By virtue of getting hot down the stretch, the Dynamo finished second in the East, two points behind Sporting Kansas City, which booked them an automatic place in the conference semifinals. In the Eastern Conference semis, they defeated the Philadelphia Union 3-1 on aggregate, and they followed that by stunning Sporting 2-0 on the road in the Eastern Conference final.

TEAM BREAKDOWN

Los Angeles Galaxy

When you look at LA’s squad, it’s hard for three names not to stick out, given that they’re three of the most well-known and gifted talents currently playing in MLS.

Beckham, Landon Donovan, and August acquisition Robbie Keane are certainly key to the Galaxy’s run to this point and will be once again on Sunday.

Becks notched 15 assists in 26 appearances in the regular season, and he’s picked up an assist in each of the Galaxy’s three playoff matches. Donovan has been ever-present this season as well, scoring from the spot in the last two matches after finding the target a dozen times in the regular season. And Keane, who was sidelined by an adductor injury for a few weeks in October, was the best player on the pitch in the Western Conference final, as he scored once and should have had a few more with it.

But you can only accomplish so much without the right supporting cast, and the most notable member of the Galaxy’s supporting cast is forward Mike Magee. It might be easy to lose track of Magee with other threats to tend to, but he’s shown in the playoffs that he should be far from an afterthought, as he’s been on the receiving end of each of Beckham’s three playoff assists.

And as formidable as they might be expected to be in attack, the Galaxy posted the league’s best defensive record in the regular season. They allowed only 28 goals in 34 matches, which made them the only team in the league to allow an average of less than one goal per game. Their tightness is at the back is thanks in no small part to having continuity at the back, with the quartet of Todd Dunivant, Sean Franklin, Omar Gonzalez, and A.J. DeLaGarza all with more than 30 appearances this season.

Even the best back line is prone to the occasional error, so the keeper has to be counted on to step up in crunch time as well, and Josh Saunders is coming off of a fantastic performance against Real Salt Lake. Josh Saunders stepped in when Donovan Ricketts was injured against San Jose in June, and he kept his place in the starting XI even after the Jamaican, who had been L.A.’s #1 keeper for two-plus seasons and was named the top keeper in MLS just last season, returned to fitness.

There is some bad news on the injury front, however. Striker Chad Barrett, who has seven goals and five assists this season, will miss the final after dislocating his right ankle in training last Thursday. With Barrett out, Bruce Arena will likely partner Keane with Adam Cristman, who scored one goal in 11 appearances in the regular season.

Houston Dynamo

While LA are dealing with the loss of a key starter, Houston head into the final with a much more significant injury blow.

Brad Davis was Houston’s top creative force this season, notching four goals and a league-leading 16 assists in the regular season and picking up an assist in each leg of the East semi against Philadelphia. However, he suffered a torn quadriceps in the first half of the East final and won’t be on the pitch against the Galaxy.

That’s big, big blow for Houston’s chances, but to write them off would be a mistake.

While there aren’t the same marquee names on the Dynamo’s roster as there are on L.A.’s, this bunch is hot at the right time, and that counts for a lot. Houston lost only twice in their last 13 regular season games, and they finished the regular season an unbeaten 4-2-0 in their last six, including a 3-1 home win over the Galaxy in their regular season finale. They’ve stayed hot in the playoffs, and after winning in Kansas City, they’ll feel confident about their chances of winning in the Galaxy’s home stadium, even without Davis.

Without their star playmaker, Houston will need to stand tall at the back. That’s been a big part of their unbeaten run, as they’ve allowed only six goals in those nine matches and haven’t surrendered more than one in any of the last eight. With the firepower that they have, the Galaxy will have no shortage of chances, but the Dynamo defense must ensure that few of those chances are clear-cut ones, and keeper Tally Hall, who’s wrapping up his first season as a starter, will have to be at his best.

It won’t be easy to keep the Galaxy off of the scoreboard, but they are prone to defensive lapses, and Houston will have to take advantage of those opportunities. Their chances in attack might not be as plentiful without Davis in there, so they’ll have to make the most of the chances they do get.

The Dynamo don’t have the kind of threats that the Galaxy do, but they’ve gotten production from many sources this season. Their leading scorer is Brian Ching, who had five goals in the regular season and has one in the playoffs, but midfielder Geoff Cameron, defender Bobby Boswell, and forward Will Bruin each hit five in the regular season. And in the playoffs, their five goals have been scored by four players, and their top scorer is defender Andrew Hainault, who struck in the away leg against Philadelphia and notched the opener in the East final.

So, this team knows how to get it done, and with an experienced coach in Dominic Kinnear, who led the Dynamo to their back-to-back titles in 2006 and 2007, they’ll undoubtedly be prepared for the challenge that awaits on Sunday.

MATCH PREDICTION

Why Los Angeles will win: They’re the better team, plain and simple, and they’d be favorites even if Houston had Davis’ services.

And though the Dynamo will certainly have their share of supporters in the stands, this does amount to a glorified home game for the Galaxy. That’s something that can’t be discounted, especially considering that they’re unbeaten at the Home Depot Center this season.

And after the disappointments of the last two seasons, they’re not only due, but it looks like it’s all come together this season, both in terms of talent and in terms of intangibles.

Why Houston will win: Often enough, getting hot at the right time can lead to glory, and the Dynamo are certainly hot at the right time.

Confidence and resiliency can often trump talent, especially when a title is on the line, and even without their best player, Houston will believe they can win. They successfully navigated 50-plus minutes without Davis in a hostile environment in Kansas City, and already knowing that they won’t have him on Sunday means that they’ll have time to prepare mentally and tactically. His loss is a huge blow for the Dynamo, but they’ll be ready.

For what it’s worth, winning the Supporters’ Shield has rarely translated into playoff success. Of the previous 15 MLS champions, only five had won the Supporters’ Shield that season, and the only team who’s done the Supporters’ Shield/MLS Cup double since 2002 is Columbus, who accomplished the feat in 2008.

However, of the six times that the Supporters’ Shield winner has been in the MLS Cup final, they’ve won it five times, with the only loss being Chicago’s 4-2 defeat to San Jose – led by Landon Donovan, with Dominic Kinnear as an assistant coach – in 2003.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

The likes of Spain, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, and England have all booked their places in Euro 2012 already, but four tickets to the festivities in Poland and Ukraine still have yet to be punched.

That will be taken care of in the next week, with eight teams who finished second-best in their respective groups look to play their way in through the two-legged qualifying playoffs. There will no doubt be a great deal of online betting on all of the action, but there’s plenty to look forward to whether you’re a supporter of one of the teams involved or a neutral.

Bosnia-Herzegovina v. Portugal

Considering how close both of these teams came to qualifying for the tournament automatically and how tight this tie could be, one can only imagine the level of disappointment there will be for the team who comes out on the short end.

If it’s Bosnia, they’ll be left to ponder another playoff defeat against Portugal after having fallen to them 2-0 on aggregate in the 2010 World Cup playoffs. They also might rue a slow-ish start to qualifying, as they picked up only seven points from their first five matches before they went on a run of four wins in a row to keep their automatic qualification hopes alive going into their finale against France at the Stade de France. The biggest sting, however, might be from being unable to hold a late lead in that match, as they allowed France to equalize on a late Samir Nasri penalty and earn a 1-1 draw, which saw Les Bleus claim Group D by a single point.

If it’s Portugal, they’ll be kicking themselves for two early stumbles, a 4-4 home draw against Cyprus, in which they allowed an 89th-minute equalizer to a side who went on to pick up only one more point in qualifying, and a 1-0 defeat to Norway in Oslo. And they, like Bosnia, didn’t get the required result in their Group H finale, as they went down 2-1 in Copenhagen in Denmark, who claimed a surprising group win.

Cristiano Ronaldo

Portugal have the edge in talent, with world-class stars in Cristiano Ronaldo and Nani leading the way. And Paulo Bento’s side also gets a significant boost with the return of Real Madrid defensive duo Fabio Coentrao and Pepe, who both missed the final two qualifiers, including that defeat to Denmark.

However, the fact that they lost both of their toughest away matches in qualifying is a real concern, as Bosnia won’t be easy to break down in the first leg on home soil. And while Portugal have superior quality and quality depth, Bosnia aren’t lacking. Manchester City man Edin Dzeko is in fantastic form, Miralem Pjanic has assists in each of his last four matches for Roma, and Hoffenheim duo Vedad Ibisevic and Sejad Salihovic are both fit again after missing extensive time this season through injury.

Czech Republic v. Montenegro

Neither the Czech Republic nor Montenegro were particularly impressive in qualifying, but mediocre as their qualifying runs might have been, one of them will be celebrating a place in Euro 2012 next week.

Montenegro, who finished second behind England in Group G, benefited from a fast start. They won each of their first three qualifiers, and after recording an impressive away draw against England, were already on 10 points halfway through qualifying. They would only pick up two more points in their final four qualifiers, but a come-from-behind 2-2 draw against England in their penultimate qualifier proved to be enough, as they edged out disappointing Switzerland by a point.

Group I was never in doubt, with European and world champions Spain rolling to a perfect 8-0-0 record, but the battle for second between the Czech Republic and Scotland went down to the final round of matches. The Czechs were up and down during qualifying, but they would finish two points ahead of Scotland, thanks to a 4-1 away romp in Lithuania in their finale.

Ultimately though, the real difference might have been a highly controversial 2-2 draw in Glasgow in September. In that match, the Czechs scored two late equalizers, the latter from the spot late in stoppage time after being awarded a penalty for what appeared to be (read: definitely was) a dive by Jan Rezek. That controversial penalty call in their favor was followed by a controversial penalty no-call that also went in their favor, when Scotland’s Christophe Berra went down in the box after a challenge by Roman Hubnik only to be booked for a dive.

But undeserved as some might consider it, it looks likely that the Czech Republic will be spending June in Poland and Ukraine. While this current side lacks the quality of some of its more highly-rated predecessors, they have the advantage over Montenegro in talent and experience.

Milan Baros & Tomas Rosicky

There is, however, a big question mark about keeper Petr Cech, who might miss Friday’s first leg in Prague after suffering a broken nose in Chelsea’s weekend win at Blackburn. Montenegro aren’t a particularly frightening team in attack, having scored only seven goals in qualifying, but Cech is undoubtedly one of the best keepers in the world, and his presence is a definite plus for the Czech Republic’s hopes.

He’s having a special mask created that could allow him to take part, but if he isn’t able to go, Hamburg keeper Jaroslav Drobny will get the starting nod.

Cech’s fitness could be a decisive factor in this matchup, as we likely won’t see too many goals over the two matches. Montenegro allowed only one goal in their first five qualifiers and seven total in eight matches, while the Czech Republic allowed only eight goals in eight matches, with six of those coming in three matches (the two against Scotland in Glasgow and four in their two matches against Spain).

Estonia v. Ireland

Ireland haven’t been to the European Championship since 1988, when they were eliminated in the group stage in their only appearance in the competition proper to date. They’ll be heavily favored to end that drought against Estonia, who are completely unfamiliar with being in this position, but you can be sure Ireland won‘t overlook the former minnows.

We’re accustomed to seeing Estonia near the bottom of the standings in any qualifying tournament, and it looked like their Euro 2012 qualifying campaign would end the same way after a 2-0 away defeat against super-minnows Faroe Islands in June left them on seven points with three matches remaining. Going into the September round of qualifiers, Estonia were fifth in Group C behind Italy, Slovenia, Northern Ireland, and Serbia.

Robbie Keane

A late 2-1 win in Slovenia ignited hope, and they then finished with two October wins against Northern Ireland, the latter a 2-1 win in Belfast that saw Estonia score two late goals to overturn a 1-0 deficit. Those three straight wins, combined with all the right results elsewhere, saw Estonia edge out Serbia by a point after Serbia lost in Slovenia in their finale.

But can they go one step further? Anything can happen, especially since Ireland, who finished two points behind Russia in Group B, are dealing with several selection issues. Shane Long and Liam Lawrence are missing from the squad due to injury, while John O’Shea (injury), Kevin Doyle (suspended), and Leon Best (child’s birth) will miss the first leg in Tallinn, and Shay Given, Richard Dunne, and Keith Fahey are both dealing with minor injuries.

Estonia also won three of their five away matches in qualifying, including an impressive 3-1 win over Serbia. And though they don’t have any stars (though midfielder Konstantin Vassiljev, who scored five goals in qualifying, is a real threat), they are a resilient bunch, with four of their qualifying wins (and their lone draw) coming by virtue of goals inside the final 20 minutes.

Still, you have to favor Ireland, who won’t be easy to break down defensively. They notched five clean sheets and allowed only seven goals in qualifying, with a 3-2 defeat to Russia in Dublin being the only match in which they allowed multiple goals. And in attack, Robbie Keane is fit again after an adductor injury suffered last month against Andorra sidelined him for a few weeks, and Doyle will be back for the second leg in Dublin.

Turkey v. Croatia

After a solid qualifying campaign, Croatia should feel confident going into their showdown with Turkey, who had a far bumpier path to the playoffs.

Croatia missed out on top spot in Group E, finishing two points behind Greece, with head-to-head results against Greece being their undoing. But they won seven of their ten qualifiers, and they were relatively tight at the back, allowing only seven goals.

Turkey edged out Belgium to finish a distant second behind Germany in Group A, and they only secured their place in the playoffs in their last qualifier, with a harder-than-expected 1-0 win over Azerbaijan in Istanbul, combined with Belgium‘s 3-1 defeat in Germany, sending Turkey through.

They notched only one away win in qualifying, that being a 3-0 win against eventual last-place finisher Kazakhstan in their group opener. There were also their struggles against Azerbaijan, as they scraped through on home soil and lost 1-0 in Baku, and they needed a late, late, late – and fortuitous – Arda Turan goal to beat Kazakhstan in Istanbul in September.

Guus Hiddink

Turkey will be without Real Madrid midfielder Nuri Sahin, who only made his return from a long-term injury layoff on Sunday, and he’ll certainly be missed. So, they’ll need Turan to be at his best to optimize their chances of success.

Croatia would fancy their own chances even if Sahin was available for Turkey, as Luka Modric is refocused and back at his best, and strikers Mario Mandzukic and Nikica Jelavic are both in excellent form at the moment. There also might be some added motivation for Croatia, who will be keen to replace the bitter memory of their heartbreaking Euro 2008 quarterfinal defeat to Turkey with a much, much happier one.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Manchester United have been a dominant force in the English Premier League era, winning an amazing 12 titles in 19 seasons. Four of those titles have come in the last five seasons, including last season, when they beat out Manchester City and Chelsea by nine points.

So, it was no surprise that coming into this season, Premier League odds had United installed as favorites for the title, and a hot start only served to strengthen that position. However, for at least the time being, they’ve relinquished top spot and favorite status to archrivals City, who are currently five points clear at the top of the table.

But while City look almost unstoppable at the moment, there’s still a long, long way to go yet, and as the past has shown, an early deficit doesn’t mean all is lost.

Manchester City (Odds to Win Title: 10/11)

City have forced any and all to stand up and take notice in the first few months of the season, as they’ve mercilessly dominated many a foe early on.

For a while, City and United all but matched one another blow for blow, but Roberto Mancini’s side pulled ahead in mid-October and then consolidated their place at the top with a stunning 6-1 win at Old Trafford a few weeks ago.

Saturday’s 3-2 win at QPR was the ninth time that City have scored at least three goals in a game this season, and it was only their second league victory that wasn’t by multiple goals. With how they’ve tossed so many opponents aside and the talent that they have all over the pitch, City are certainly looking the part. If there’s any season for them to end their title drought, it’s this season.

However, for all that they’ve proven thus far, City haven’t faced too many tests yet, and they must prove that they can handle this added pressure and grind out results in tense situations – as they did at QPR – over the course of a long season. Also, there’s a fair chance they could have the added commitment (or distraction?) of European football for quite a while.

Questions about their mental makeup will be answered in time, but their quality depth in a number of areas, with or without Carlos Tevez in the picture, is certainly a positive for their title chances.

We’ll get a good chance to see what City are made of over the next month-plus, as they face tough ties at Liverpool and Chelsea and at home against Arsenal, who appear to gaining more and more confidence by the game.

Manchester United (Odds to Win Title: 7/4)

So, United are five points back through only 11 matches and already have a head-to-head defeat at home against the league leaders.

Yes, those are strikes against them, but if anyone is counting United out at this point, they are only asking for history to repeat itself. United have a fairly favorable fixture list for the next couple of months, which could give them a chance to close the gap on City before they go up against Arsenal (away), Chelsea (away), and Liverpool (home) over the course of a few weeks in late January and early February.

They have the mentality to be counted on to grind out results in key situations, but do they have the horses? They’ve been bitten by the injury bug quite a bit early on, they’ve once again made a habit of living dangerously, and there’s still a big question mark in the center of midfield. Of course, those things were all an issue last season, but they still went on to win the title and reached a third UEFA Champions League final in four seasons.

But the defeat to City could and should serve as a real wake-up call, and don’t be surprised if they elect to add a reinforcement or two in January. Without reinforcements, you should still expect them to be there at the end, especially if they can put their spate of injuries behind them, but the right addition(s) could make all the difference.

Newcastle (Odds to Win Title: 500/1)

If you made a bet before the season with a friend that Newcastle would be unbeaten in November, they’d have had a good laugh then. But you’d be the one laughing now, with a little extra money in your pocket.

As crazy as it sounds, Newcastle are alone with City in the lofty ranks of the unbeaten, and their surprising start sees them currently sit third, only one point behind United. Alan Pardew deserves a lot of praise for getting as much as he has out of a team that wasn’t expected to do much this season. There aren’t any stars in the side, but Demba Ba has scored as many goals himself as the Magpies have allowed all season (8), a total that’s fewer than City, United, and anyone else in the Premier League.

But can they keep this up? Newcastle’s next three matches are United away, Chelsea away, and City at home, so the odds are in favor of their unbeaten run ending very soon. However, you can guarantee that those three sides will be taking them far more seriously than they might have before.

It’s hard to fathom Newcastle making a serious title run, and the top four might well be beyond their reach in the end, but why not take a punt at those odds? At the very least, this start could convince Mike Ashley to open the coffers a little in January to ensure that European football returns to St. James’ Park for the first time since the 2006/07 season.

Chelsea (Odds to Win Title: 7/1)

You know Roman Abramovich doesn’t stand for being second-best, so it was no surprise to see him shell out big money on a hotshot new manager and some new additions this past summer after Chelsea fell short last season.

Juan Mata has had a fine start to his Chelsea career, but it looks like the honeymoon period is over for boss Andre Villas-Boas. After coming out on the short end against two city rivals, as they were blanked 1-0 at QPR and shipped five at home in a 5-3 defeat to surging Arsenal, Chelsea squeaked by woeful Blackburn 1-0 at Ewood Park on Saturday.

Chelsea currently sit fourth, nine points back of City, which is far from the ideal position to be in this early. Along with the obvious bumps that can occur when a new manager comes in (or when there’s seemingly a managerial revolving door), an aging core and inconsistent performances individually and collectively could be to blame for Chelsea‘s early stumbles.

But remember, they were 15 points back of United last season before mounting a furious late charge, and with the talent they have, they’re quite capable of making a run at any time, especially if Fernando Torres can start to deliver on a consistent basis. And there is the opportunity to trim some of that deficit soon, as three of their next four matches are at Stamford Bridge, including their tie against City next month.

Given what they’ve achieved in the last several seasons, you certainly can’t dismiss the Blues as title contenders, but they need to work out their kinks at both ends before their hole gets any deeper.

Tottenham (Odds to Win Title: 40/1)

Bad start? What bad start? Since losing to United and City by a combined 8-1, Spurs have been on fire, and were it not for allowing a late equalizer at Newcastle United, they’d have eight wins in a row.

As it is, with a 7-1-0 mark in their last eight matches, Spurs are level on points with Chelsea with a game in hand, thanks to the riot-related postponement of their scheduled opener against Everton. Rafael van der Vaart and Gareth Bale have played big roles in their run, Luka Modric has put his summer of discontent fully behind him, and Scott Parker has already proven to be a fantastic addition.

But are Tottenham capable of thrusting themselves into the title conservation? You look like at their slate for the next few months leading up to a visit to Manchester City in late January, and it’s completely possible that they could if they continue to play at the level they have been.

And after a run of several tough games from late January to late March, Spurs’ toughest game in the last few months could be… a trip to Aston Villa, as they don‘t face any of the Premier League‘s big boys after a visit to Stamford Bridge on 24 March. With such a favorable run in, don’t count them out if they happen to survive that January-March stretch still within striking distance.

They could do to add another striker and bolster the defense a tad (Gary Cahill, perhaps?) in January, but with top, top talents in Van der Vaart, Bale, Modric, and Parker, they have a solid core that could lead them far.

Liverpool (Odds to Win Title: 33/1)

Liverpool might have been a popular outsider pick at the start of the season after making two big additions in January (three, if you count Kenny Dalglish) and spending big in the summer, but their odds might now be going in the wrong direction, even though they’re unbeaten in their last six after consecutive defeats to Stoke City and Spurs.

A home draw against United isn’t an unrespectable result, but if you want to be a contender, or even finish in the top four, you need to win the ones you’re supposed to. Liverpool have failed to do that in their last two home matches, drawing against promoted sides Norwich and Swansea.

Had they picked up maximum points in those two matches, they’d be in fourth, a point ahead of Chelsea, but alas, they’re in sixth, three behind Chelsea and a dozen adrift of City. That margin could only increase, with their next two matches being at Chelsea and at home against City. Getting a result from both of those matches would not only boost their position in the table but would also serve as a massive confidence boost.

The owner’s expectation wasn’t to contend for the title, and that looks to be well beyond their reach, but his expectation for a top-four finish is far from unreasonable. The talent is certainly there to still achieve that, especially if Steven Gerrard can avoid another long spell on the sidelines. But it seems that talent hasn’t fully gelled yet, and there’s also a glaring issue with making the most of the mass of chances they’ve been creating and turning dominance into valuable points.

Arsenal (Odds to Win Title: 33/1)

Had their current excellent form not been preceded by a disastrous start, we could be talking about Arsenal as title contenders. But that disastrous start, in which they picked up only seven points in their first seven matches, might well have been what was required to bring the best out of the Gunners, as they’ve recorded four league wins on the trot, including their stunning win at Chelsea.

With their confidence now high and the schedule in their favor – they’ve already faced United, Chelsea, and Tottenham away, and they’ll visit Manchester City next month – is there still a chance for Arsenal to jump back into the thick of the title race?

Their terrible start put a severe dent in those chances, but anything is possible. If they’re to keep this up, it would help to get a little more scoring assistance, because as hot in the zone as Robin van Persie is right now, he can’t be expected to do it all alone. Also, their back line is still a question mark, and that can’t be ignored.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

It’s something that’s perhaps said almost as much in jest as it is in seriousness, but for some, the mark of a true manly man is all in the facial hair.

If you subscribe to that notion, then you may also be among the population that feels that football isn’t what it used to be, with finesse, flair, and frailty pushing physicality in the past, or at best compressed into several three-to-five minute Youtube compilations.

Is it a stretch to say that there’s a correlation between a change in style of play and a change in the style of the players? Maybe so, but it can be said that for the most part, today’s players are less creatively coifed about the face as they are up top, like the latest ‘next big thing’ of Brazilian football, the teenage, mohawked, goal-scoring sensation that is Neymar.

Then again, you could chalk it up to the natural changes that occur with the passage of time, from era to era and generation to generation. What was in a couple of decades ago isn’t now, and what’s in now won’t be in a couple of decades. While one generation had Pele, another Cruyff, another Maradona, another ‘old’ Ronaldo, and this one has Messi and ‘new’ Ronaldo, the next one will a legend or two to call their own, who some will almost certainly proclaim to be better than the ones of the previous eras combined. And some of those who sported legendary looks and locks during those days gone by will adopt a much different style, as is the case now.

Here are a few of the finest examples, some of whom are more well-known than others.

Sam Allardyce

In a playing career that lasted nearly 20 years, Big Sam played for nine different clubs, including two stints each at Bolton and Preston North End. But he’s more well-known by the masses for his managerial career, and he’s now on his seventh stop as a manager, trying to lead West Ham back to the Premier League, where he’s already been with Bolton, Newcastle, and Blackburn.

You could say he’s gotten around a bit, no?

And with this, shall we say, pimp-tastic look from his playing days, he does indeed look like a man who may have seen some places and done some things back in the day.

If you look at him now, you may not have expected that he’d have sported this look in his younger days, but he pulled it off well. He’s fully ditched the ‘stache now, but he did don one for charitable purposes several years ago, which shows that Big Sam has a big heart.

Sergio Batista

Batista earned 39 caps for Argentina and started all seven of their matches at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, the last of which saw them edge out West Germany in a 3-2 thriller.

For some, their run will forever be tainted by Diego Maradona’s “Hand of God” goal in a quarterfinal win over England. Perhaps he didn’t have to look far for a little divine inspiration?

These days, he doesn’t have the exquisite beard, but he still has a head of hair that Wayne Rooney could only dream of having. Some people are just naturally blessed like that.

Leonardo Cuellar

Cuellar, who started all three games for winless Mexico in the 1978 World Cup, is perhaps the least-known name on this list, but he might have the most impressive ‘do. He spent most of his career with Mexican side Pumas, but he also had stints in the North American Soccer League with the San Diego and San Jose teams. However, he might have been made for Los Angeles.

This past summer, he coached Mexico in only their second appearance at the Women‘s World Cup, doing so with a decidedly more conservative ‘do than the one he sported in Argentina those 33 long years ago.

Raymond Domenech

The eccentric and controversial former France coach had a fairly accomplished playing career, earning eight senior caps for his country and playing in the top flight with Lyon, Strasbourg, PSG, and Bordeaux. He also had a fairly accomplished ‘stache, as you can see here.

These days, he might well be fondly remembered for having led France to within touching distance of unlikely World Cup glory in 2006…if things hadn’t gone so pear-shaped at Euro 2008 and the 2010 World Cup. Maintaining the moustache might not have prevented those two disasters, but if the rally ‘stache worked magic for coach Marc Lievremont in France’s recent run to the Rugby World Cup final, it might have worked for Domenech.

Most recently, he was linked with Cameroon, but it appears that he’s quite content with being just a spectator for the time being.

Alexi Lalas

Lalas, who earned more than 90 caps with the U.S. in the 90s and was the first modern-era American to play in Serie A, was no doubt an imposing presence as a defender at 6’3’’. But with the mass of hair he sported during his career, he looked more of a fit for a stage than a football pitch. In fact, he did have a ‘side gig’ as a musician while playing, and he still does.

Since retiring, he’s spent time as an executive for three MLS teams, but he’s now an analyst for ESPN/ABC, and he also has a regular MLS blog on Mirror Football. Fair to say that he’s toned it down a bit, if only because it’s hard to take someone too seriously when you see more hair than face.

Honorable mentions to Thierry Henry (he’s back with the ‘stache now that he’s no longer a Gillette spokesman), Mark Lawrenson (his ‘stache, while impressive, wasn’t impressive enough to make the cut), Graeme Souness (impressive enough past look to make the cut, but alas, I couldn’t find a recent and decent enough picture of him as he is now).

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

FIFA 2012, PES 2012, and Football Manager 2012 are all sure to keep football fanatics occupied for the next several months, much to the chagrin of wives, girlfriends, parents, employers, and teachers around the world.

However, if you’re looking for something much simpler but equally as fun and addicting, check out Stick Football, brought to you by Stick Sports (the company behind the cult classic Stick Cricket). The graphics won’t wow you like FIFA or PES will, and there’s not the overwhelming depth that you can find with FM, but it’s highly unlikely you’ll stop at one game.

What Is Stick Football?

Stick Football is a 2D, flash football game that brings back the nostalgia of simpler days, when the PS3 and Xbox 360 were only concepts and dreams.

Controls and gameplay appear to be simple enough on the surface, but if your fingers are faster than your brain, it could take quite some time to master Stick Football.

It also brings an element of realism, with tackles, fouls, cards, and set pieces. I’m still not certain whether or not there’s an offside rule, given how easy it can be to find holes in the defense, but as easy as it may be to find holes, it’s not nearly as easy to convert all of those potential chances into goals.

Playing Stick Football

Stick Football allows you to play the current round of fixtures for the Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, the Bundesliga, and Australia’s A-League. You’re able to take control of each side in any matchup, with an up-to-date, 16-team squad list, and six different formations to choose from: 4-4-2, 5-4-1, 4-5-1, 5-3-2, 3-5-2, and 4-3-3.

In the league modes, the object is not only to win, but to win as comprehensively as possible. The higher the margin of victory, the more points you can score for the team you’ve selected. At the end of each round of matches, the team with the most points in each match is the winner, and each match’s results is reflected in an updated table. And just like in the real Premier League, La Liga, and so on, at the end of the season, to the victor goes the spoils.

Along with the league options that are offered, there’s also the option to play friendlies with and against a number of international and club teams.

However, the most fun modes are the All-Star Strike and World Domination modes. In the All-Star Strike mode, you pick your desired club or international team to take on an All-Star team featuring the likes of Lev Yashin, Franz Beckenbauer, Bobby Charlton, George Best, Pele, and Diego Maradona. Meanwhile, in the World Domination mode, which is the deepest mode available, you take that same All-Star team and try to knock off 16 of the world’s top international teams. You start with Uruguay, and with each win, you unlock the next opponent, culminating in a final match against Brazil.

Why Try Stick Football?

Simply put, it’s a lot of fun. As easy as it might look, it’s a great challenge, and it’s well worth your time to try out each league and each mode that Stick Football offers.

With a mix of arcade-style fun, realism, the past, and the present, there’s a lot to like about Stick Football, and there‘s a lot to keep your attention and to keep you coming back at least every week, if not every day. Just don’t try it at work, unless you’re the boss, that is.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

After more than a year of matches, the group stage of UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying is down to its final two matchdays. Co-hosts Poland and Ukraine, reigning European and world champions Spain, Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands are all set for next summer’s tournament, but by Tuesday evening, we’ll know who the other six automatic qualifiers are, along with the eight sides who’ll duke it out in two-legged playoffs in November for the final four spots.

There’s certainly a lot to look forward to at Euro 2012, but before we look ahead too far, there are several key matches on Friday and Tuesday that stand to play a role in how everything shakes out.

Here, we take a look at the three most important matches of that bunch.

Group B: Ireland v. Armenia

Irish fans might not be surprised that their Euro 2012 hopes could come down to Tuesday’s match in Dublin, but what’s surprising is that Armenia could go into the match still mathematically in the equation to finish second, or even first.

Group B is the most wide-open group there is, as Russia, Ireland, Armenia, and Slovakia all still have a chance to win the group. Russia top the group with 17 points, with Ireland in second on 15. Those two are the favorites for first and second, but Armenia are in with a shout after last month’s shock 4-0 win in Slovakia. That win has them third on 14 points, ahead of Slovakia due to two head-to-head wins.

The picture should become a lot clearer on Friday, as Ireland are away to super-minnows Andorra, Slovakia host Russia, and Armenia host fifth-placed Macedonia. At the same time, it could remain every bit as muddled, especially if Slovakia beat Russia. Slovakia need that result, but Ireland and Armenia need it also. Ireland need it to put themselves in the driver’s seat for top spot because they’d lose out on the all-important head-to-head against Russia. Meanwhile, Armenia need it because with two wins and two wins by Slovakia, Armenia would, quite stunningly, win Group B and reach their first-ever European Championship.

It’s a long shot, but it’s still a fantastic story nonetheless, given Armenia’s previous minnow status. While Armenia need help plus the performance of their lives, Ireland have some control over their destiny, as two wins will ensure them of no worse than a playoff spot. You’d have to back them to do it, but if Armenia come to Dublin still in the race, they’ll hit the pitch with belief, and crazy things can happen when you believe. At the very least, Ireland wouldn’t be able to underestimate Armenia and could have to really fight for three pivotal points. Who’d have expected that when the draw was revealed?

Group B: Slovakia v. Russia

As mentioned above, Friday’s meeting in Zilina is not only important for Slovakia and Russia, but it‘s also every bit as important for Ireland and Armenia.

For Russia, it’s fairly straightforward. A win or a draw plus a win over Andorra on Tuesday, and they win Group B. But if Slovakia win, they will be in position to at least finish second if they win away to Macedonia on Tuesday, and with the right results, they could still automatically qualify for Euro 2012.

If Slovakia hadn’t capitulated in the second half against Armenia, their path to first or second would be at least somewhat clearer, but Friday’s match is now a must-win for their Euro 2012 hopes.

Group F: Greece v. Croatia

Greece are unbeaten, but Croatia head into their crunch clash in Piraeus on top of Group F. Croatia sit on 19 points, with six wins, one draw, and a lone defeat to Georgia, and they’re one point ahead of Greece, who have won five and drawn three.

Greece are already assured of a playoff spot, but anything less than a win on Friday dampens their hopes for automatic qualification. An away win for Slaven Bilic’s side will render Tuesday’s matches completely meaningless, but even a draw for Croatia will all but book their place in Euro 2012, as their final group match is on home soil against Latvia, who are fifth in the six-team group.

However, Croatia will still fancy their chances to win the group even if Greece nab all three points. Greece finish up with a tricky away tie against Georgia, and considering that Croatia should dispose of Latvia in Rijeka, Greece will need to beat Georgia to finish first. That might not be easy, seeing as how Georgia drew 1-1 in Greece and notched a 1-0 home win over Croatia.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

17 years ago, Adidas released the first model of its Predator range of boots. This year, the German manufacturer has released its 11th model, the adiPower Predator TRX FG, and if you’re in the market for a new pair of football boots, look no further.

From an aesthetic standpoint, these boots will grab your attention, and they’ll grab everyone else’s as well. Firstly, you won’t feel like you have lead feet, as they weigh in at only 8.2 ounces (230 grams).

For color options, you can either go with sharp blue/electricity/black or white/black/blue. No matter what color option you choose, the boots will instantly draw plenty of attention, but the performance will be the real attention-grabber.

But as nice as the boots are to look at, they’re even better to play in, due to several new features. One of the new, exciting features Adidas has introduced with this line of boots is the Predator element. The Predator element, which is installed on the medial side of the boot, is an injected silicone-rubber component that has been welded onto the base material, and it’s designed for you to be able to control and swerve the ball perfectly, rain or shine.

That’s not the only change in this model, as the new adiPower Predator boot also includes the lightweight Sprint Frame soleplate, which helps to make the boot weigh 25% less than the previous Predator boot. The Sprint Frame soleplate includes the reintroduced PowerSpine, which, as the name would indicate, allows you to put even more power into your shots.

Also, the new Predator includes an Alcantara leather-like soft heel lining, which is not only comfortable but also helps to keep your foot in place.

Also, Taurus leather, a Traxion outsole that allows for optimum grip and stud pressure distribution, plus their new hybrid stud configuration, which is a mix of exchangeable round aluminum studs and molded TPU firm ground studs, make these boots a can’t miss.

Some of the world’s top footballers, like Manchester United star Nani, Arsenal’s Robin van Persie, and Real Madrid star and former World Player of the Year Kaka, show off their skills in these boots, and at a price of £115, so can you.

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From Soccerlens.com - Football News