Liverpool's Dirk Kuyt has given support to strikers Fernando Torres and Robbie Keane both of whom are looking to be amongst the goals but have been frustrated in their endeavour, as the Reds were held to a goalless draw by new-entrants Stoke City at Anfield on Saturday.

Spanish ace Torres has the record of being the most prolific foreign striker in the Premiership debut campaign following his last season's tally of 24 league goals. Click to continue reading...

For my money, Diego Milito is the single biggest steal of the 2008 summer transfer window. He's a 15-20+ goal a season striker whose ability to provide the teamwork of a target man is so underappreciated, and yet Genoa got him for the measly sum of €8m. Well today he made his second rossoblu debut [. Click to continue reading...

Robert Koren...hirsute midfielder (hotshot variant)


2007/8 Review

West Bromwich Albion really should have won last season's Championship in a hack canter. Instead, they prevailed over Stoke City by a short head. West Brom had a goal difference of +33 and a shot differential of +223 -- a distance clear of the rest of the division in both categories. Click to continue reading...

Here is an excellent article from Kartik Krishnaiyer on the MLS Talk blog that goes through the differences between the managing styles of Bruce Arena and Bob Bradley, and also provides some interesting thoughts on the recent callups that Bob Bradley has made for the U.S. National Team. For the most part, I agree with Kartik's column, but I disagree with the comments he made about Clint Dempsey. Click to continue reading...

As expected, there's going to be a mad, unruly scramble for players today. Quick take on some of the moves and potential moves:

Let's start with Newcastle, since FO were so mean to them last week. The answer to the question posed last week (who is responsible for signing the players?) -- appears to be, not Dennis Wise or Kevin Keegan. Click to continue reading...

The Roar off season focus on attack and neglect of defence has come to roost. A-League teams are usually built from the defence forward.

After two games of domination and no result, the Roar either had to show their striking talent has teeth or face the consequences of an off night. The Central Coast defence was a solid wall. Click to continue reading...

Maggio...Bafflingly preferred Campania to Birmingham


Christian Maggio - Napoli - Right Wing/Right Back

Maggio is listed in some places as a defender but if you look at last year's player positioning charts you can see that Sampdoria used him primarily as a right winger. The 26 year old had a superb year and it was a shock not to see him at Euro 2008. Click to continue reading...

Martin O'Neill...A Simple Plan

2007/8 Review

When Martin O'Neill joined Aston Villa in August 2006, he had spent most of the previous six years managing in Scotland. However the Premiership had already seen the prototype of O'Neill's Aston Villa in his final year at Leicester. With his last major signing for the Foxes, he bought athletic striker Stan Collymore. Click to continue reading...

Here is Jack Bell's article from the New York Times that reviews each player's performance in the game with a rating scale of 1-10, which is commonly done in soccer. To begin, I believe that Jack's ratings vary a bit too much. Its usually pretty rare that players on the same team get a score of 3 and also 8. Click to continue reading...

• Well, I had it wrong earlier when I said Gareth Barry would be on the left and Steven Gerrard in the middle. The two were reversed to start, though Gerrard ended up drifting inside anyway. Ashley Cole and Wes Brown, the left and right backs, respectively, both needed to get forward and provide some necessary width to the team. Click to continue reading...

Nearpost Host Russ Gibbs asks the question.....

The Olyroos: Where was the Magic?

By Russ Gibbs

So, that's that then. After building it up for several months in advance the Australian Olympic team have bowed out of the Beijing Games with barely a whimper having picked up a solitary point from their three group matches. Click to continue reading...

Barcelona met Mexican giants Chivas at Soldier Field in Chicago on Sunday and the result was a somewhat low key enjoyable 5-2 goalfest which Barca won comfortably. They got goals from new players (Alexander Hleb), old vets (Xavi), players slated for departure (Eto'o with 2), attacking players (Pedro) and defenders (Jose Caceres). Click to continue reading...

Fulham's "Great Escape" was one of the best stories of the '07-'08 Premiership season. The Cottagers looked down and out so many times, so close to the end of the year, but a shocking 3-2 come-from-behind victory at Manchester City was the first of three consecutive triumphs and the second of four in five games that vaulted Fulham from certain relegation to safety for another year. Click to continue reading...

United ended their summer tour of South Africa at the weekend when seeing off the challenge of Portsmouth in the final of the Vodacom Challenge Cup when running out 2-1 winners. The match itself was another exercise in going through the motions in preparation for the real thing, Chris Eagles missed a bag full of chances before finally slotting a well taken second half goal and before that Tevez had missed a retaken penalty, but he too made amends on 63 minutes. Click to continue reading...

After declaring that United are looking into making one solitary signing, Sir Alex Ferguson's side are hot on the heels of Tottenham target-man Dimitar Berbatov once again. After previous attempts to sign the talented Bulgarian have failed, newspapers are beginning to stir the pot again.

Just yesterday Ferguson said, "But I wouldn't think we would buy any more than one player. Click to continue reading...

I can't say that I am shocked, but I am a bit surprised that Russia pulled it off. Holland had so much momentum going to the game that I really thought it would carry them through to the semi-finals at least. Full credit to the Russians, who played a terrific game, constantly attacking the Dutch and their one true weakness - their defense. Click to continue reading...

I can't say that I am shocked, but I am a bit surprised that Russia pulled it off. Holland had so much momentum going to the game that I really thought it would carry them through to the semi-finals at least. Full credit to the Russians, who played a terrific game, constantly attacking the Dutch and their one true weakness - their defense. Click to continue reading...

Now that Jozy is gone, and a game we played in Washington clearly displayed our deficiencies, who is out there in the market that can take his place?

Time to throw random names against the wall. Maybe one will stick

JAY JAY OKOCHA

Jay Jay was released from Hull City a few weeks ago.

Click to continue reading...

Greetings from the Stade de Geneve where Portugal and the Czech Republic are about to kick off in search of a probable place in the Euro 2008 quarter finals and bragging rights to Group A.

It has been a warm and sunny day by the Alps with both sets of colourful fans bringing the French-speaking city to life. Click to continue reading...

While Brian McBride's long-term injury is a huge blow to Fulham, it may provide an unexpected benefit to the US national team. Dempsey has been drafted in to provide cover at target man, and assuming he can keep on-loan Shefki Kuqi off the field, that could provide valuable seasoning up top for the former Revolution star. Seasoning that could reap huge rewards for a US side currently looking out of sorts when it comes to striking options. Click to continue reading...