Cotonsport Garoua were only founded twenty-two years ago but have come on leaps and bounds in African football during that short period and go into the final of the 2008 CAF African Champions League looking to make history by winning their first ever continental trophy. However the task at hand could hardly be more daunting given their opponents. Click to continue reading...

Honka v TamU This is a rehearsal for the Cup Semi final on Wednesday. TamU have nothing to play for in the league, and a big game against the same opponents on Wednesday. On the other hand, they probably won't want to go into that game off the back of a heavy defeat. "We got to rest [...] Click to continue reading...

First off, I welcome everyone to join us in the EPL Talk Chat this weekend. Starting Saturday from 7:20 am and Sunday from 8:20 am.

Now onto the predictions. All times are Eastern and TV Schedules are subject to change without notice.

Everton v Liverpool (Saturday 7:45 am, Live on Setanta Sports from 7:30 am.

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Matchday one is now gone and we look forward to another weekend of action from the Barclays Premier League. As I mentioned last week, I'm going to be tracking my performance in the same manner IKTS does.

Even I will admit I was pretty bad by predictions standards last week. Only six out of ten correct, none on the nose.

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Just-Football's 2008/2009 English Premier League preview now concludes with a look at the remaining four clubs: Tottenham Hotspur (Last season - 11th) What to say about Tottenham Hotspur? Well, Spurs might finally realise the potential that derives from their large fanbase and years of carefree spending by actually making the top four this season. Click to continue reading...

Just-Football continues its team-by-team preview of the 2008/2009 English Premier League season with a look at: Newcastle United (Last season - 12th) There was a period of time around February last season when Newcastle United were doing so badly it looked as though they might even go down. After the sacking of Sam Allardyce, Kevin Keegan was brought back from his Soccer Circus in Glasgow to Click to continue reading...

Saturday 16th August, 2008 ARSENAL V WEST BROM, Emirates Stadium, 12.45pm Arsene Wenger will be without much of his first team for West Brom's visit to North London. It is unlikely to make the slightest bit of difference to the outcome. Last season: N/A Prediction: Scott Carson is in goal. You do the maths. Click to continue reading...

By now you've read the first part of the Premier League 2008-09 preview. If there's one thing we can all agree on it's, 'I don't agree with that in the workplace.' Okay, joking aside today we'll delve into the presumed better teams in the league. The teams that should push for a top-half finish at minimum and hopefully a place in Europe. Click to continue reading...

Liverpool (Last season - 4th) We are at that time of year again. Like Christmas it is an annual event. Towards the end of summer, when the days get shorter and the leaves begin to fall from the trees, Liverpool fans survey the goings-on at Anfield during the close season, assess the transfers, beat their chests defiantly and proclaim the words, 'this is our year! Click to continue reading...

Well I first off would like to say what a joy it's been for writing these previews. But alas they must come to an end and tonight I conclude with the final four teams. If you've read up until now, you know I see the big four ending in the top four spots. So how do I see it playing out, let's take a look.

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Chelsea (Last season - 2nd) Last season Chelsea were knocked out during the early rounds of all domestic and European cup competitions and had to battle and scrape for points all year long before eventually managing to avoid relegation on the final day. Such underachievement was deemed unacceptable by the hierarchy at the club, and subsequently manager Avram Grant was sacked. Click to continue reading...

Though it may feel like just yesterday, 93 days have now passed since the day Manchester United saw off Wigan Athletic 2-0 at the JJB Stadium to clinch their seventeeth league title, Fulham survived by the skin of their teeth with a win at Portsmouth, Birmingham City and Reading hammered Blackburn Rovers and Derby County respectively but still went down, Middlesbrough destroyed any chance of Sven Click to continue reading...

After another surprisingly busy summer, the 2008-09 Premier League season is upon us. Maybe it was me, but it seemed a little less lavish than years past. Not that it matters, the Premier League has the kind of international cachet and suction that gets nut-jobs like us waking in the wee hours Saturday mornings to watch games half a world away. Click to continue reading...

So as these previews wind down, we start taking a look at those clubs that can make a push for the European places. With the way the UEFA Cup will work starting from next season, this will guarantee seven teams will start in the UEFA Cup qualification rounds and possibly eight depending on how the Fair Play Table shapes out.

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I think the name sells itself. The teams that won't be fighting for relegation come the start of April, but won't be in the fight for those European places. I have a feeling some of the table placements may surprise you here.

Number 13: Sunderland
Biggest Ins: Steed Malbranque (capable down the left and can play the right if needed), Pascal Chimbonda (competent utility man on the back line).

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(Summary is not available.) Click to continue reading...

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR The good: Winning the Carling Cup last season went some way towards vindicating Daniel Levy's decision to replace Martin Jol with Juande Ramos. Ramos looks pretty wily too – he's dumped the guff (Robinson, etc) and somehow convinced Liverpool to pay £20 million for Robbie Keane. Click to continue reading...

So here we are again taking a look at the upcoming season. I would like to thank those who took the time to let me know how much they enjoyed the first round of previews.

It's funny when I was coming up with the names for the categories I am fitting these teams into, late season survival was one of the first ones I came up with.

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NEWCASTLE UNITED The good: Keegan won't turn Newcastle into title winners, but the Geordies will at least get value for money. How long he remains in the job though remains to be seen. His remark that Newcastle are a bunch of hopeless cloggers unable to compete with the top four didn't please Mike ‘I only [. Click to continue reading...

LIVERPOOL The good: Fernando Torres continues that grand tradition of Liverpool strikers, which has been notable only for its absence since Michael Owen's departure. And if Rafa stops resting Torres unnecessarily (unlikely), they might even be in with a shout of challenging Manchester United and Chelsea for the top spot. Click to continue reading...

I apologize up front at this being late. As you saw on the blog Monday, the internet was down until this afternoon.

So I begin my previews for the upcoming Barclay's Premier League season. Naturally I'm starting with taking a look at those teams I see being stuck in for the fight for survival, and not going down.

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CHELSEA The good: If anybody has the credentials (and the charisma) to fill the void left by Mourinho, it's Big Phil Scolari. It should also mean Abramovich finally gets his wish for Chelsea to play attractive, entertaining football. And if all else fails, you know he can throw a punch or two. Ferguson would do [. Click to continue reading...

ARSENAL The good: Arsenal are capable of playing some pretty slick football at times and they could well challenge for the title. But they'll need the likes of Fabregas and Adebayor to stay fit and in form if they are going to stand any chance of usurping Manchester United's crown. The bad: Even beating Alex Ferguson [. Click to continue reading...

Just a couple of house keeping notes for today.

Don't forget to check out this week's Third Half Podcast. Me and Michael James begin to break down this upcoming Premier League Season. Also beginning tomorrow, I will be starting my five part blog look at this upcoming season with the teams I think will be in Relegation Hell.

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This week's show is now up as a podcast. You can listen to the show from here, via the On Demand player, or you can subscribe to the show via iTunes.

Plenty to talk about on this week's show.
* Should MLS have an All-Star game? I give you my thoughts.

* With the MLS All Star game on Thursday, should MLS have played?

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This should be in today's Irish Daily Mail: Cork City manager Alan Mathews is expected to name an unchanged team for his side's UEFA Cup First Qualifying Round clash with Finnish club FC Haka tonight. Cork need at least a high scoring draw after the first leg at Turner's Cross finished 2-2, but there was an [. Click to continue reading...

(Summary is not available.) Click to continue reading...

TamU lost 2-1 to Honka yesterday, with King Henri Myntti getting the goal for TamU. I didn't go, as i got drunk in the afternoon and managed to forget about it until it was rather late. Such is the Finnish summer. Sounded like a crap game, but at least the King is still scoring and [...] Click to continue reading...

As the Spanish football season limps over the finish line after what has been a thoroughly uninspiring competition, it would seem that the final day could provide the kind of excitement that has been missing for a while in La... Click to continue reading...

The season may be over in terms of deciding first, second and third place in La Liga, but there are a large number of clubs who still have everything to play for with just two games remaining in the Spanish... Click to continue reading...

La Liga Review looks ahead to all of the midweek Spanish football action as Real Madrid get ready to celebrate their 31st league title win by throwing a party when they host rivals Barcelona at the Bernabeu on Wednesday. Elsewhere... Click to continue reading...

La Liga Review looks ahead to all of this weekend's Primera Liga Spanish football action, where Real Madrid could be crowned Primera Liga champions on Sunday at Osasuna: before they have even kicked a ball. Includes team news, squads and... Click to continue reading...

La Liga Review asseses Barcelona's chances ahead of their Champions League semi final second leg against Manchester United at Old Trafford... Click to continue reading...

Last weekend's 2-0 win at fifth-placed Racing Santander left Schuster's Real Madrid side 10 points clear at the top of the La Liga table with only five games remaining. With Barcelona going down 2-0 at Deportivo last night - and... Click to continue reading...

Real Madrid could secure the Spanish Primera Liga title this weekend: if their closest rivals Villarreal and Barcelona fail to win their matches. La Liga Review looks ahead to this weekend's Spanish Football action - with form guides, team news... Click to continue reading...