Columns

Currently Soccerlens runs the following columns: football headlines, football videos, help football, off the record and football transfer news & rumours. In addition, we regularly post match reports, feature articles (must read) and site news in this section.

Liverpool Angle – What now for Alberto Aquilani

By Farjad Iftekhar on July 10th, 2011.

Alberto Aquilani, the man they call “The Little Prince”, someone who was perhaps thought to be the golden boy of Italian football now finds himself in a complex situation. He wanted to stay in his homeland but no Italian club including Juventus where he played last season on loan were willing to sign him, so…

Tottenham Need Players to Match their Aspirations

By arlombardi on July 9th, 2011.

Another week draws to a close at White Hart Lane with Luka Modric still very much a Spurs player. The Daily Mail may claim that there was a tantrum and showdown talks, but the message from Daniel Levy is very clear, there will be no sale. Tottenham have however been busy trying to remove what…

Revolutions, radical change and a sense of foreboding: why French imports come with a warning label for Newcastle United fans

By Craig Dobson on July 9th, 2011.

In the Age of Enlightenment, a European nation overcame financial crises and numerous regime changes to briefly flourish on the big stage for a few years. Shift the focus away from 18th century history and towards modern day politics of a footballing nature, and we can tentatively see a similar pattern emerging in the north-east…

Football Links: Barcelona’s anti-football, Manchester United’s first title-winning manager and more

By Soccerlens on July 9th, 2011.

Essential weekend reading while you mull over the insanity of a 400m naming rights deal: The science of pre-season training – courtesy of Premier League club Wolves. Six forgotten title winning managers – another brilliant Joy of Six article by Scott Murray. The 50 greatest football managers of all time. Methodically calculated and carefully researched,…

Modric v Nasri v Sneijder – who should Man Utd, Man City and Chelsea buy?

By Ahmed Bilal on July 7th, 2011.

The hunt is on for creative midfielders this summer as managers across England look for the perfect solution to unlocking packed defences. With Paul Scholes retiring, Frank Lampard ageing and Carlos Tevez agitating for a move, Manchester United, Chelsea and Manchester City are all looking for a player to shoulder attacking responsibility on the pitch…

Gervinho – another bit-part failure in waiting for Arsenal?

By Soccerlens on July 6th, 2011.

Gervinho was instrumental for Lille in their Ligue 1 title campaign last season, but does he fit the bill for Arsenal? The Arsenal-bound, Ivory Coast striker has the all-round game and technical ability that Arsène Wenger fancies but how do his recent performances show up in a lower-level league compared to the Premier League, and…

Manchester City And The Dubious Pleasures Of Gael Clichy

By crashbang on July 5th, 2011.

So to be a top team you need attacking fullbacks. This is not just general opinion but to a degree in the modern game it is quite literally a must have. In a time of wingers who cut inside and trequartistas who have far greater mobility,fullbacks provide the width for these players to operate. Of…

A Darkness Closes In On Arsenal

By crashbang on July 5th, 2011.

Being a Liverpool Forum Obsessive I’ve read plenty of transfer gossip this season, most of which I won’t bore you with since it consists largely of hysteria about only having signed one player, albeit, a fairly big one. What I will tell you about is the general atmosphere, and it’s the same as many other…

Match fixing investigation threatens to rock Turkish football

By bryanwaters on July 4th, 2011.

60 people have been detained as part of a major investigation into alleged fixing within Turkish football. The chairman of current champions Fenerbahce is part of those under arrest by the authorities in the Eastern European country. Police launched a mass operation across 15 provinces of Turkey, searching club premises and detaining club players and…

Roberto Mancini looking to his homeland for transfer targets.

By bryanwaters on July 3rd, 2011.

Manchester City coach Roberto Mancini has identified a host of Serie A targets that he will be interested in buying this summer. The Italian is concocting a transfer wishlist to City owner Sheikh Mansour, which contains players from the length and breadth of Italy’s top flight. City finished third in the Premier League last season…