The official storyline behind Chelsea buying Shevchenko has been that Mourinho wanted a player with Champions League experience - a striker who was proven on the European stage and would help Chelsea win the Champions League.
On current evidence, however, Chelsea seem to have missed a trick by not buying Tevez this year.
Written by Ahmed Bilal. 6 comments
To think that at the end of 90 minutes Argentina had 59% of possession, and that even after 120 minutes at the end of extra time they had 58% possession, you start to wonder where Argentina actually lost the match and where Germany won.
Written by Ahmed Bilal. One comment
As Manchester United prepares to get started with its pre-season training, speculation is rife on our supposed transfer targets. The latest of these, some further speculation into Manchester United’s pursuit of Michael Carrick, has gone totally off-base.
Written by Ahmed Bilal. One comment
Manchester United announced their itinerary for the pre-season tour of South Africa way back in April - and with most of the Manchester United squad due to report back to Old Trafford for pre-season training on Monday (July 3rd) (finally, Gill and Ferguson will return from holidays as well), let’s look at the first step in Manchester United’s preparations for the 2006/2007 season.
Written by Ahmed Bilal. One comment
Two men go into the Brazil vs France quarter-final at Frankfurt looking to raise the World Cup trophy for one last time in their careers. For those who think that this is about football, think again. This is about winning, this is about being champions, again.
Written by Ahmed Bilal. 2 comments
My first reaction after the Holland-Portugal game was one of relief and joy - “England are going to the semi final!”.
In the aftermath, however, that glowing optimism has turned into a realistic appraisal of England’s chances of progressing to the semi-final of the 2006 World Cup - and let me tell you, they’re still looking damn good.
Written by Ahmed Bilal. Leave a response
It must be a strange feeling for the Azzuri - they scraped through to the top of their group playing efficient football without really looking like winning the tournament, they have been constantly troubled by the corruption scandals at home (13 of the 23 player-squad are from the 4 implicated clubs), they got through the second round courtesy of a dive, and now they have the easiest of the quarter-final ties.
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Prior to the World Cup we discussed Chelsea’s massive transfer activity (when is it not massive?) and counted 6 signings (with a left-back slated to arrive soon).
Written by Ahmed Bilal. 4 comments
The Arsenal-Beveren issue raised so spectacularly by BBC Newsnight is finally laid to rest as FIFA clears Arsenal of any breach of club ownership rules over their dealings with Belgian side Beveren.
Written by Ahmed Bilal. Leave a response
Rafa Benitez has been tracking Aurelio for quite some time, and with the left-back’s contract expiring on Friday, he is expected to travel to Anfield over the weekend to sign a four-year deal for Liverpool.
Written by Ahmed Bilal. Leave a response
Wayne Rooney’s career was marked for stardom the moment he stepped on the football field. His goal against Arsenal, his performances for England in Euro 2004 (where he single-handedly lead a tired England to the quarterfinals) and his signing for Manchester United in the following season all seemed to point to one thing:
For England - Rooney was going to be the star for the next 10 years.
Written by Ahmed Bilal. Leave a response
The hosts vs the most ‘complete’ team in the tournament. At this stage it’s hard to chose between sides, but a lot of the hype surrounding both teams is just that - hype.
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Finally, the boss has spoken.
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We’ve had a terrible season - Keano was booted, Nistelrooy was sidelined, we crashed out of the Champions League bottom of our group, we lost to Liverpool in the FA Cup, Rooney got injured, stuttered in the last sprint to the title race and ended up second, and now, after more than a month of all talk and no transfer activity, we are on the verge of losing two of our best attacking players of the last three seasons - Ruud van Nistelrooy and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Written by Ahmed Bilal. Leave a response
It’s really cute how Arsenal fans are saying that we should ‘move on’ and ’stop living in the past’.
These be the same fans who took their frustrations out on Barca players for several days after the Champions League Final? These be the same fans who scowl, spit and swear the moment they hear the name of a Barca player? The fans who kept complaining and complaining about Ruud’s knee-high tackle and Rooney’s ‘dive’?
In that case folks, I think these same Arsenal fans are due for some more truth.
Written by Ahmed Bilal. 49 comments
Manchester United players have not had the best of World Cups - Rivals Chelsea and Arsenal lead the club goal-scoring charts with 8 and 7 goals respectively while Manchester United players are at a paltry 3 - with two of those goalscorers already knocked out of the competition.
Written by Ahmed Bilal. Leave a response
While everyone and their brother have been bashing Fifa for their unrealistic ‘world rankings’ (as if a team ranked 2nd MUST beat every other team below it or else the rankings are absolutely bullshit), their Man-of-the-Match awards for the 2006 World Cup matches have gone uncriticised.
Written by Ahmed Bilal. One comment
The World Cup is shaping up nicely, with most of my pre-tournament and second round predictions holding true.
Written by Ahmed Bilal. One comment
Seeing the Arsenal captain, legend and top goalscorer Thierry Henry dive last night after he ‘ran into Puyol’ was a scene right out of Hollywood mystery movies - where the whiter-than-white hero suddenly turns evil and the audience is left shocked, ashamed, outraged and more cynical for the experience.
Written by Ahmed Bilal. 4 comments
Continuing with our “babe of the world cup” competition (you can catch the previous entry here), we have chosen Brazil today.
The idea that Brazil will win this year’s World Cup has had an air of inevitability around it, with their arrogance and ability to win despite looking shaky and strained at the back.
In fact, it’s their fighting spirit and quality of football that we have chosen to…well, ignore…today, and we have decided to look at the very reason Brazil is the most supported team in the whole world (hint - it’s really not because they are 5-time champs):
Yes, you’re right. Brazil has the best fans, period.
Written by Ahmed Bilal. Leave a response
I was having a conversation about possible winners of the World Cup about a month ago with a friend. We spoke about how it’s not often about the teams that come steaming out of the blocks, but more about the teams that peak at the right time and find a rhythm that wins them the trophy.
Written by Rocky Dixon. 3 comments
In the spirit of fair play, we present our submission to footballing lexicon:
Pulling a Rivaldo - as used in this sentence: “And who would have thunk it? Henry has pulled a rivaldo and won his team a free kick in a dangerous position…”
Written by Ahmed Bilal. One comment
It was a fascinating match - Spain playing some fantastic possession football but they were met with the class and strength of the French, and it was never going to be an easy ride. But, towars the end, it was France who showed their class and went through 3-1 while the form team, Spain, crashed out against the first quality side they’d met in four matches.
Written by Ahmed Bilal. 3 comments
A shoutout to SoccerBlog, who have added a very useful term to our football lexicon:
Lampard - As used in this sentence: “Have you gone Lampard on us?”
Written by Ahmed Bilal. 4 comments
This is a question people dare not ask in the wake of recent rumours linking Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid:
“What if Ronaldo REALLY wants to leave Manchester United?”
Written by Ahmed Bilal. 3 comments
Rumours have surfaced that Cristiano Ronaldo - winger, Portuguese sensation, trickester and one of the reasons Ruud was shown the door on 7th May - has agreed to go to Real Madrid.
Written by Ahmed Bilal. 23 comments
In the build up to the World Cup, and in the first group match against Croatia, it seemed as if Ronaldo had been man-marked as all that was wrong with Brazil - arrogant, supremely talented, overbearing and not fit to win (or in Ronaldo’s case, not fit to play either).
Written by Ahmed Bilal. Leave a response
Khalid Boulahrouz’s high challenge on Cristiano Ronaldo in the 7th minute may have ended Ronaldo’s World Cup dreams as the Manchester United winger went under treatment several times before finally coming off in tears in the 34th minute.
Written by Ahmed Bilal. Leave a response
Gooners will remember that a few summers ago, we were after highly rated Ajax fullback Hatem Trabelsi. He has just ended a World Cup campaign with Tunisia, and was largely impressive, their best player along with Jaziri. And a link with Arsenal has emerged again.
Written by Rocky Dixon. One comment
Sky Sports have reported that Italy and Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon is open to a move to Arsenal. They have quoted his agent, who has stated that contact has been made with the club, and Arsenal are a “welcome solution.”
Written by Rocky Dixon. One comment
