EPL Preview - Chelsea Vs Stoke City

Stamford Bridge is set to play host to Stoke City, on Saturday, even as Chelsea look ahead to their third win in as many matches in the Premier League.

The champions are on a roll, with a half dozen goals scored, while conceding none, in each of the two matches they have played against West Brom Albion and Wigan Athletic, respectively.

While Chelsea are the only team to have registered victories in both their matches, Stoke City have lost both theirs, by an identical score-line of 2-1, to Wolverhampton Wanderers and Tottenham Hotspur.

But against Spurs, Stoke were unlucky not to have drawn the match, after being denied a goal by referee Chris Foy.

A win in the Carling Cup against Shrewsbury should ensure that Stoke enter Saturday's match in a positive mood.

Carlo Ancelotti would be wary of complacency setting in, after huge wins against weak rivals, and Chelsea would do well not to lose focus, as consecutive matches against Manchester City, Aston Villa and Arsenal loom in September.

Chelsea's defence has been boosted with the return to match fitness of Alex and Cech, somewhat offsetting the team's loss of Ricardo Carvalho.

Didier Drogba, Florent Malouda and Michael Essien will be key to Chelsea's fortunes, this season.

Drogba's four assists in the last game compensated for his not scoring any goals, himself.

While Kalou, Malouda and Anelka play a great supporting role, Drogba's ball skills and goal scoring ability remain the icing on Chelsea's Premiership cake in the baking.

Lampard has been effective, as ever, in midfield, without quite setting the stands on fire.

While Chelsea are unlikely to be tested unduly by their rivals in the next three games, they will be looking to maintain their slender lead, given that Manchester United have dropped a point.

Though, it is early days, yet.

Stoke City must be justifiably disappointed with the dismal start to their Premier League campaign.

Last week's loss to Spurs will rankle, particularly. A goal denied, after it had crossed the line, brought back memories of Lampard's denied goal against Germany in the World Cup, in South Africa.

While defence is Stoke's strong suit, with plenty of choices, in Abdoulaye Faye, Ryan Shawcross, Robert Huth, Danny Collins and Danny Higginbotham, attack isn't quite their forte.

And that was the reason, all of Stoke's industry in the Spurs game did not quite convert into scoring opportunities.

Getting back to defence, thanks to their strength in this area, Stoke have managed to salvage draws in many away matches.

Matthew Etherington is a talented midfielder whose passing is crucial to Stoke's effectiveness, upfield.

Rory Delap, Dean Whitehead and Glen Whelan are all midfielders who can be relied on to tackle hard.

In some bad news for Stoke, Mamaday Sidibie picked up an Achilles tendon injury, in the Spurs game, and that will keep him from turning up against Chelsea.

There's consolation in the form of Kenwyne Jones and Jon Walters coming in to bolster the attack, alongside Ricardo Fueller.

The burly Jones is just what the doctor ordered for Stoke who were low in the away-goals department, last season, and the striker's form could determine whether Stoke move up the table, this season.

As for Saturday's match against Chelsea, Stoke are likely to have their plates too full, in defence, to worry a great deal about any other aspect of their game.

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Kenny Dalglish - Liverpool FC Legend

Never mind Elvis, as far as Liverpool fans are concerned Kenny Dalglish will be remembered as the true King, and for many Liverpool fans, 'King Kenny' will be remembered as Liverpool's greatest ever player.

Kenny Dalglish began his professional football career at Celtic in 1971, and quickly established himself in the first team and becoming a great goal scorer for the club, and securing several major honours for Celtic.

In 1977 Bob Paisley bought Dalglish to Liverpool for a fee of £440,000 which was a British record at the time. Dalglish was remain at Anfield for the next thirteen years, and was part of the most successful team ever at Liverpool, as the went on to win seven league titles, five domestic cups and three European cups.

Dalglish was brought to Liverpool to replace hero Kevin Keegan, who'd moved to Hamburg, and fears that he wouldn't be able to live up to the huge gap left by his predecessor were quickly laid to rest, Dalglish immediately fitted into Liverpool's playing style and finished his first season as Liverpool's top goal scorer with thirty-one goals.

Kenny Dalglish was obviously a prolific goal scorer, skilful and had a great 'first touch' but was described as having a great 'footballing brain' his ability to read the game, spot openings and his great passing ability bamboozled teams across England and Europe alike.

Liverpool signed Ian Rush in 1980 and after he established himself in the first team the following year, Rush assumed the role of main goal scorer, many of these being the results of 'assists' from Dalglish, between them they became the most potent strike force in English football.

Dalglish was crowned as 'Footballer of the Year' in 1983 which had followed a similar accolade that he achieved in 1979. During his first three seasons at Liverpool Kenny Dalglish didn't miss a single league game Liverpool, needless to say that he was 'hero worshiped' by the fans.

Kenny Dalglish became player-manager at Liverpool after the retirement of Joe Fagan in 1985, many worried that this would signal the end of his playing career but he played twenty-one games that season as Liverpool won the League and the FA Cup, and he scored the goal against Chelsea that secured the title.

As player manager Dalglish went on to win the League title in 1988 and 1990, with another FA Cup win in 1989.

Inevitably Dalglish was to make fewer appearances as a player and he made his final appearance in May 1990 at the age of forty. In total Kenny Dalglish made 515 appearances and scored 172 goals for Liverpool and many fans were stunned by his shock resignation in 1991.

To this day many Liverpool fans consider Kenny Dalglish to be Liverpool's greatest ever player.

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Premier League Super Match Preview - Manchester United Vs Liverpool

Liverpool travel to Old Trafford this Sunday for a lunch-time kick off against traditional rivals Manchester United.

Liverpool's Record at Old Trafford:

This hasn't been the friendliest venue for Liverpool, in terms of match results. In 18 visits, the Merseysiders have won just four, while the Reds have won 10, with the remaining four games ending without result.

The Red Devils trump the Anfield squad in the number of goals scored, too. Against 27 goals scored by Sir Alex's squad, Liverpool have only managed to find the back of United's net on 15 occasions.

Manchester United's Record at Old Trafford:

United have had a brilliant home record, against all comers; in 77 matches played at Old Trafford, they have won 37, and only lost 15, while scoring 127 goals against just 70 conceded.

Liverpool's Current Premier League Season:

Liverpool haven't conceded a goal in their last two Premier League games, against West Brom and Birmingham. But they have only the solitary win in four matches this season.

United's Premiership Record:

United have not lost a match in their last nine Premiership games; they have won six and drawn the rest.

But if the Old Trafford side are feeling the strain of being four points behind Chelsea on the Premier League points table, the frustration was only compounded in their goalless draw against Rangers in the Champions League, on Tuesday. The Red Devils could yet rue the leads they threw away in the Fulham and Everton games; Evra and Evans in defence were to blame for lapses in concentration.

With Rio Ferdinand's return, Sir Alex will breathe a sigh of relief. Ferdinand has already gone through the paces staying the entire duration of the Rangers game, but the true test of his match fitness will be in the way he stands up to Torres, against Liverpool, on Sunday. I expect Evans to start, with Ferdinand coming in as a second half substitute, late in the game.

United's Team Selection Factors:

Sir Alex chose to rest many of his players in the Champions League game against Rangers, giving players like Smalling, Da Silva and Gibson a start. As a result, players like Scholes, Evra, O'Shea, Berbatov and Vidic who missed that match should find themselves well rested.

So the squad for Sunday's match should be more or less the same as that in the Everton game, last weekend. Wayne Rooney who missed the match at Goodison Park should be back in Premier League action.

A piece of good news for United is that Rio Ferdinand is set to play his first game of the Premiership season. Owen and Hargreaves are not fully recovered from their injuries, and Anderson is also a doubtful starter owing to a knee injury.

United will miss Carrick's ability in pacing and finishing a game. In another jolt to United, they have also lost Valencia to a broken ankle that he sustained in the Rangers game. The Ecuadorian has had the knee operated on, but is likely to be out of football action at least until February.

This would mean greater pressure on Nani, during this season. The Portuguese player should relish the challenge, as he has begun to gel with the squad.

Liverpool's Team Selection Factors:

The Merseysiders will be without Kuyt, Aurelio and Fabio. Gerrard and Torres, who were absent from the Liverpool side that beat Steaua Bucharest in the Europa League game on Thursday, are certain to start.

Joe Cole has served out his three match suspension after his first ever red card in Liverpool's opening match of the Premiership against Arsenal, and will also return to action against Fergie's men.

Red Devils Vs Merseysiders, Last Season:

Last season, the sides shared a game each, both home games going to the hosts. In the Old Trafford match, United prevailed 2-1, on the back of Park Ji-Sung's winning strike. In the Anfield match, Liverpool were more decisive, winning 2-0.

Game Plan for Manchester United:

Vidic and Evans will play a crucial role in the back-line. Berbatov is sure to start, according to Sir Alex, and should partner Rooney at the spearhead.

Alternatively, United could choose to go with Berbatov the lone striker, allowing Rooney to play a deeper role, in which he proved so effective in the recent Euro qualifiers. In such case, Park could be shunted to midfield, with Giggs manning the left flank.

Game Plan for Liverpool:

Gerrard should start with Poulsen in midfield with the flanks manned by Maxi and Jovanovic. Lucas Levia is an alternative available to Hodgson, if he is so inclined. The key for Liverpool is Torres. If he fails to impress, Hodgson could opt for Ngog, on the hour. Ngog who added a second goal to Torres' first in last year's home game against the Red Devils, at Anfield, is in great form this season.

Starting Elevens:

Possible starting eleven for Manchester United: Van der Sar, Evra, Evans, Vidic, Neville, Park, Fletcher, Scholes, Nani, Rooney, Berbatov

Possible starting eleven for Liverpool: Reina, Konchesky, Carragher, Skrtel, Johnson, Meireles, Poulsen, Jovanovic, Gerrard, Maxi, Torres

Sir Alex Ferguson Vs Roy Hodgson:

Interestingly, Sir Alex and Roy Hodgson have a personal rivalry going, in which Hodgson has had scant success, with the team under his stewardship winning in just two of nine Premier League meetings with Manchester United.

Prediction:

With the Anfield side recording just one win in their last 11 games, and finding the rival net just eight times during their last 14 matches, it is hard not to go with the Old Trafford side, in this one. United have rarely gone three games without a win. Liverpool would do well if they got away with a draw.

The Last Word:

Rivalries don't get any fiercer in sports than that between Manchester United and Liverpool. Don't miss this potentially explosive match between two teams that will never bury the proverbial hatchet.

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EPL Team Profile - Everton

The formal name of the club is Everton Football Club, and they are popular referred to by the nickname, the Toffees.

Alternatively, they are also called the Blues, the People's Club, and the School of Science.

Founded in 1878, Everton were then known as St Domingos' FC.

Their home venue is Goodison Park, in Liverpool, England. the stadium has a capacity of about 40,000.

The Chairman of the club is Bill Kenwright and the manager, David Moyes.

Last season, the squd finished eighth on the Premier League table.

Everton have spent 108 years in top flight football, in England, more than any other team. They have nine football league titles, the fourth highest.

They were founder members of the Premier League in 1992.

The current season hasn't started very well for Everton, with a loss to Blackburn, and a 1-1 draw against Wolves. However, these are early days yet, and with the talent at Moyes' disposal, Everton should do much better as the season progresses.

Pre-season Preview:

A top six finish is what Everton would aim for, not having accomplished it in the last season.

But last year's failure could be attributed to a high incidence of injury; virtually every player was hit by injury at some point of the season.

Everton are fortunate to have a more than competent manager, in David Moyes, and with a match fit squad, the toffees can be outstanding on their day.

The following players comprise the squad:

Howard, Distin, Baines, Jagielka, Neville, Cahill, Arteta, Osman, Pienaar, Saha, Fellaini, Hibbert, Mucha, Bilyaletdinov, Heitinga, Gueye, Beckford, and Rodwell.

When there was speculation about Cesc Fabregas' leaving Arsenal, Everton's Mikel Arteta was spoken of as the most likely to replace the Arsenal midfielder.

Fortunately, for Everton, Fabregas did not leave Arsenal, and Arteta, in his turn, stayed on with Everton, and, in fact, signed a new deal.

Mikel fitness is key to Everton's showing on the Premiership, this season, and if they have the Spanish midfielder in peak condition and playing to his potential, the toffees could even aspire for a top 4 spot, on the League table.

Irish right back, Seamus Coleman, could be a trump card, too. Coleman, 21, has only played a few matches for Everton but has already made his mark. Last season, he was on loan to Blackpool, where his performance was impressive.

During his time at Blackpool, he signed a new long term contract with Everton and its looks as though he is very much part of Moyes` plans.

Moyes has managed to get Coleman to commit himself to the squad for a longer term, and the young Irishman is definitely on top of the team manager's agenda.

Another summer signing that holds promise is Jermaine Beckford, from Leeds, who has come in on a free transfer.

Keeper Jan Mucha from Slovakia, Joao Silva, and Magaye Gueye are other entrants, while Dan Gosling has departed, all on free transfer.

While Everton are not cash rich, a talented team and a great manager should hold them in stead.

Rather than a top four spot, they should try and finish among the first six, as an immediate priority.

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Premier League Preview - Birmingham Vs Wigan

Birmingham City are set to host Wigan Athletic at St Andrews, on Saturday afternoon.

On Alex McLeish's watch, Birmingham have had successive good seasons. And barring an unexpected loss to West Brom, they have had a reasonable start to the current season under Roberto Di Matteo's helm.

Both teams are coming off mid-week wins in the Carling Cup. Birmingham had a 3-1 scoreline in their favour against MK Dons, while Wigan prevailed 2-1 over Preston.

But the mid-week matches could leave both teams jaded with Birmingham getting an additional day of rest.

Birmingham should view their Carling Cup win as some consolation for the West Brom loss, and should have bossted their morale ahead of their home match against the Latics.

Birmingham have had a 17-match unbeaten streak at St Andrews, including matches against the likes of Manchester united, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool. They will be hoping to make it 18, on Saturday.

In their two home matches in the ongoing season, Birmingham came from behind to beat Blackburn, while Pepe Reina between the sticks ensured that the Blues had to remain content with a draw in the game against Liverpool.

In their away loss to West Brom, Birmingham were actually 1-0 up, before conceding the three goals that led to the final 3-1 score. In another Premier League away game, Birmingham visited the Reebok Stadium, and took a 2-0 lead over Bolton before frittering away the advantage; that game eneded in a draw.

Wigan's premiership campaign has been relatvely inconsistent. After losses in their first two games, Wigan steadied their ship with a 1-0 win against Tottenham followed by a 1-1 draw aaisnt Sunderland.

Last week, they were back to losing, this time against Man City. Curiously, Wigan have done well in their away match at White Hart Lane, and that should put Birmingham on their guard.

However, last season's match at St Andrews went the Birmingham way with the hosts prevailing 1-0. In fact, Wigan's away record was bad, and the Tottenham match was preceded by a six away-match losing streak.

Wigan beat Bolton and Everton in back to back matches in the 2006-07 season, and they have never had back to back wins since. That is another stat that should cheer Birmingham up ahead of the Latics game.

Wigan's real weakness is in defence, and they have conceded goals owing to poor defending and marking rather than any credit accruing to rivals' attacking skills.

Given these facts, I am inclined to giving the edge in this match, however slight, to Birmingham.

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Top 5 Highest Paid Football Players Europe

European football commands a huge fan following. These leagues are also some of the most lucrative football associations in the world. Naturally, football leagues in Europe have also some of the richest athletes in the history of sports. Here are some of those footballers that made it to the recent Forbes' list of the wealthiest active stars in the European leagues:

1.) Ronaldino of Serie A Milan. This great Brazilian footballer is currently making at least £6 million a year with Milan. Upon coming over to Europe, he was initially offered by Barcelona a €32,250,000 transfer contract which he eventually accepted. He stayed with the Catalan club for 5 years before joining the Italian Serie A Milan.

2.) David Beckham of Los Angeles Galaxy. Known throughout the world as the husband of the former member of the famous Spice Girls Victoria Adam, David Beckam has also solidly built his own reputation as one of the top grossing football stars in Europe and America. Although he is currently playing for Los Angeles Galaxy in the US, Beckam was a key player of Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Milan before coming over of the US. As such, he is considered to be one of the richest football stars to date due to team contracts, endorsements, and other revenue sources. His value is worth over US $300,000 million.

3.) Ronaldo of the Corinthians. Like Ronaldino, Ronaldo also hails from Brazil and is considered to be one of the richest athletes in the world. He played for Milan and Real Madrid in his lengthy career, excluding his time spent on his country teams. His offer for Read Madrid was recorded to have reached €39 million. Due to injuries, he grew out of favor with Real Madrid's manager and decided to transfer to Milan. He was acquired by Milan after an agreement of €7.5 million transfer contract.

4.) Wayne Rooney of Manchester United. Many fans and media analysts like him for his demeanor in the field, and most especially for his strong performance as a role player in the team. He formerly played for the youth team Everton but was offered by Manchester a £25.6 million transfer contract in 2004. he played well together with his other famous co-stars Cristiano Ronaldo and Paul Scholes which endeared him greatly to the fans of the club, and hence, adding to his value as a great footballer in the league. He is said to command just well below £100 million mark on his next contract.

5.) Michael Ballack of Bundesliga. This outstanding German footballer is also one of the top grossing players in Bayer Leverkusen league in Germany. He was offered a €4.1 million contract in 1999 for a transfer to his current team. Bayern Munich offered another €12.9 million. He then moves to the Premier League by joining the Chelsea in mid-2006 where he won his first English honors. He again moved back to his former team, Bayer by signing a two-year contract for an undisclosed amount.

These players are undisputed league leaders in their own right as they have the stats to prove it. Each of them has played, at one time in their career, in the Premier League. Together, they are the epitome of the best of the European football has to offer.

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Promotion and Relegation in Football

In domestic football leagues all over the world promotion and relegation happens at the end of the season. Teams move between the respective divisions based on how well or badly they have performed over the course of the season. The better teams get promoted while the poorest sides suffer the heartache of being relegated.

You will not find two more contrasting experiences in football than promotion and relegation. Promotion allows a football club to play at a higher level against bigger clubs. From a players, point of view they have the opportunity to test themselves against a better standard of player.

Promotion is great for the supporters and is the perfect way to end a long football season. Fans always want to see their team do well and promotion represents the ultimate success in league football. The euphoria of winning promotion lasts for several months until the new season gets underway.

When a club wins promotion revenue increases as a result. There are higher season ticket sales, lucrative sponsorship deals and a bigger share of any television rights deal. Crowds will increase because the club will be playing at a higher level against better opposition. This means new fans are picked up and existing ones who may have become disillusioned return.

Relegation is a terrible experience for everyone connected with a football club. It usually takes time to come to terms with the reality of knowing that the team was not good enough to survive. After the dust settles there, can be doubts over whether players will remain and play at a lower level. In some cases, players will ask for a transfer to another club.

When a football club is relegated there is usually a big drop in revenue. This is down to several factors but the main ones are lower crowd attendances and a significant fall in sponsorship revenue. There is also less money available to the club from any television deals.

Promotion and relegation in football usually involve the top and bottom three teams. The top three are promoted while the bottom three is relegated. There is also a play off competition where the top two teams win automatic promotion and the third, fourth, fifth and sixth placed teams play each other until a winner is found. The winner of the play offs takes the third promotion spot.

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The English Premier League Promotion and Relegation System

The concept of promotion and relegation in English soccer is a difficult one for most American sports fans to grasp immediately. In major American sport leagues, if for instance the Washington Nationals have an awful year where they only win 40 games, they'll be right back next year playing the likes of the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies. That is not the case in the English soccer 'pyramid', where the different levels of soccer are directly connected through a series of promotions and relegations.

To talk specifically about the English Premier League, at the end of each season the bottom three teams are relegated down to the next tier of English soccer, which is called the Championship. The EPL is a 20-team league, so each team plays the other 19 teams twice. At the end of that 38 game schedule, the teams in places 18, 19 and 20 are automatically sent down to the Championship for the next season. That means a team like Portsmouth, who is likely to be relegated this 2009-2010 season, could go from playing Arsenal, Manchester United, and Chelsea one season to playing Watford, Bristol City and Blackpool the next. That's quite a huge difference and it's one of the main reasons why the relegation battle is often more compelling than the battle for the Premier League Champion. These teams are in some cases fighting for the survival of their club as well, as the Premier League television compensation is vastly superior to that of the Championship.

Promotion from the Championship is quite similar in concept. In the 24-team Championship, each team plays the others twice, and at the end of those 46 games, the top two teams are automatically promoted to the Premier League. Teams in places 3-6 then contest a playoff where the winner is awarded the third promotion place to the Premier League. So it's simply three teams relegated and three teams promoted each season. With some slight variation, this type of promotion and relegation exists throughout the entire English soccer pyramid, many levels below the Premier League. It really adds to the allure of the sport that a team can literally rise from a local club to one day play against Manchester United at Old Trafford in the Premier League.

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The Innovation Of Nike Soccer Balls

Nike soccer balls have evolved through the years. Here are some of the latest evolution and innovation of Nike:

Nike Geo Merlin Vapor - This ball according to Nike is rounder, faster and FIFA approved. It is the latest in Nike designs and innovation. It has been used as the official ball in several leagues, namely: Spanish League, Brazilian League and the English Premier League. Several teams also use this ball like the US National Team, Inter Milan, the Portuguese National Team, Korean National Team and the Brazilian National Team. The ball has been developed around the DART (Dynamic Acceleration Response and Touch) system of casing. It is considered as the top of the line among all other soccer balls.
Nike Total 90 Aerow - This ball is designed for increased velocity, better accuracy and for the reduction of drag. Its cover is hand stitched with linear grooves for a sustained and consistent flight. It also has exclusive E foam for greater durability, stability and performance even in cold weather. Nike Total 90 Aerow is also FIFA approved. The standard version of this ball has red and black stripes.

Other new and high performance Nike soccer balls are available in the market such as:

Nike First2 Accel - This is a full-on, fast-paced soccer ball. It distributes the pressure of the hit evenly across panels and around the ball. The Accel is powerful, accurate and consistent no matter where it is hit.
Nike Mercurial Veloci - The cover of Veloci is also hand stitched, with six double-hex panels with micro grooves which promises the improvement of the aerodynamics of the ball itself and the players get to shape their passes and shots.
Nike Total 90 Omni Premier League - This ball is designed to showcase the perfect distribution of pressure across the entire ball. Like all other Nike balls, it doesn't really matter where you hit it; you are assured of a consistent, accurate and powerful strike. This ball has been used as the official ball of the English Premier League.

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10 Things You Need to Know About the GAA Football Championship

· Did you know that the first ever All Ireland Football Final was played in 1887, and it was actually played by clubs representing their counties in an open draw, knockout format? A Limerick Club called Commercials defeated Young Irelanders of County Louth by 1-04 to 0-3. Only eight teams featured in the inaugural All Ireland Football Championship, hard to believe today.

· The winning trophy for the present day All Ireland Champions is called the Sam Maguire Cup, named after the famous Corkman, and the cup has been presented to winning captains since 1928, and was replicated in design in 1987. It is similar in design to the Ardagh Chalice.

· Nowadays, all 32 counties from the island of Ireland usually enter a team into their respective Provincial Tournament (with the exception in recent years of Kilkenny footballers). Two further teams that represent the Irish diaspora in London and New York also ompete in the All Ireland Championships.

· The GAA Senior Football Championship was originally a knock out tournament - and the four Provincial Tournaments were played between counties to decide the winning county. The four winners from each province then compete against each other in All Ireland Semi Finals for a place in the All Ireland Final.

· The Year 2001 saw changes made to the GAA Football Championships for the first time - beaten teams in the Provincial Championships were allowed back into "qualifier rounds" - in a back door method of qualification. This effectively means that a team defeated in their Province can re-enter the All Ireland Championship through the qualifier stage - and end up still getting to the final providing they win their games! In fact, the very first year of its inception saw Galway coming from the qualifier route to win the All Ireland Championship. In recent years (2005 and 2006) both Tyrone and Kerry have re-entered from the Qualifier stage and won the GAA Football Championship.

· 19 different counties have won the Football Championship - with Kerry leading the roll of honour with 35 titles won, Dublin with 22, Galway with 9 and then Meath with 7. The current holders of the Sam Maguire are Tyrone, who secured their third ever title in September 2008, scuppering Kerry's bid for three titles in a row in the process.

· This Sunday, the 17th of May sees the ball thrown in for the start of the 2009 GAA Football Championship. In Ulster, Fermanagh (who have never actually won the Ulster Title but who came ever so close in 2008) play Down (aristocrats of the game who however have gone into decline in the past 15 years), in the first round of the Ulster Championship. In Leinster, Carlow take on Louth. The first big games to look out for are both in the Ulster Championship, with Derry taking on Monaghan on May 24th, and All Ireland Champions Tyrone taking on Ulster Title holders Armagh on May 31st.

· The big games in the 2009 Football Championship are all going to be covered by Irish television (either RTE2 or TV3) so if you don't have a ticket, don't despair, either watch at home or head to a hostelry of your choice and watch the action unfold.

· The All Ireland Final takes place at Croke Park, the wonderful home of the GAA. The Football Championship decider takes place usually on the third Sunday every September.

· Ulster Bank, Toyota and Vodafone will sponsor the 2009 GAA Football Championships. This lucrative sponsorship is proof of the huge appeal of the GAA even in these recessionary times, and come the big games at Croke Park, Clones, Fitzgerald Stadium Killarney and Pearse Stadium Galway, the crowds will throng to see players give their all in a game that is professional in all but name.

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Basic Facts About the English Premier League

Considered as the most popular football league in the world, the English Premier League is a corporation of 20 football clubs sponsored mainly by Barclays Bank. For this reason, the EPL is also known as the Barclays Premier League. There were actually 22 teams that initially made up the association but were eventually cut back to the present number. Founded in 1992, the EPL will finish its 18th season at the end of the 2009-2010 season. Games for each season starts around August to May, with each team playing 38 games throughout the season.

The most lucrative football clubs

Being the most watched football event in Europe and in the UK, the Premier League is considered the most lucrative football league throughout the world. This professional football league is composed of some of the richest football clubs in the world. The best players in the league as well as the most famous football players made up the roster of its players. Great players are offered fortunes just to be in the league. During the early years of the Premier League, the average annual salary of players was around.

£75,000 but eventually rose by an average of 20% per year onwards. The highest average salary of a regular player in the league reached its peak in 2003-2004 season when it exceeded more than £676,000. One of the most famous player in the league that was offered the first record breaking transfer fee was Alan Shearer when he got more than £3 million. A few years after, he broke this record by getting £15 million for a transfer to Newcastle United. The most expensive acquisition was made by Manchester United when it offered Cristiano Ronaldo a whopping £80 million in 2009.

Many football associations in many countries consider EPL as the model of their own leagues. In terms of clubs, the EPL has also some of the oldest in the world.

Dominant teams

One of the setbacks about the league is the emergence of the "Big Four" teams composed of Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea, and Arsenal. These teams have been the league leaders in terms of standing as well as stature for several years now. They have been on the top 3 spots ever since 1996-1997 season onwards. The run for the top spot for these teams was only broken in 2005 when Liverpool was beaten by Everton to fourth place. On the other hand, Manchester United has the best record so far by not finishing outside the top 3 since Premier League was founded. The Arsenal finished all but 2 seasons inside the top five since the foundation of the Premier League. The same is true for Liverpool, which finished 12 seasons inside the top 4 spot.

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Champs Bar Is Situated At The Charterhouse Hotel

Every Western flavour imaginable is represented in Hong Kong, the gourmet paradise. The question is not merely what you are going to eat, but where. The city prides itself on its gourmet restaurants, pizzerias and American-style fast-food outlets. Chic cafes, intimate bistros, gourmet sandwich bars and delicatessens are the perfect place to relax and enjoy some stunning cuisine.

In early July 2007, The Charterhouse Hotel opens a new American style sports bar. The bar is the new home for sports event viewing in Hong Kong. Champs Bar at The Charterhouse Hotel is the hippest sports restaurant and bar in town conveniently located between Wanchai and Causeway on the Hong Kong Island, where one can enjoy a selection of beverages and snacks with live Sports and Cable News entertainment. The hotel restaurants and bars ensure customers a memorable dining experience.

Champs Bar and Grill is a Sports Bar featuring regular Pool League and Tournament Play with Live Entertainment. It also features Televisions, computerized Dart Boards and Table Soccer for your entertainment. The bar provides spacious and comfortable environment for customers and there is also VIP areas and private booking sections. Sport lovers can enjoy a thriving selection of beers and drinks with fans of leading Premier League football clubs such as Chelsea. Different sports from rugby, formula one racing, tennis, golf and ice hockey are broadcast live from plasma TVs. Customers can enjoy some chef's favorites such as Spare Ribs, Buffalo wings, Beef Burger, Chicken tender, Fish and Chips, etc, while watching those exciting sports games. Different promotions and events such as parties and band shows are held by the bar in different periods.

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Can Manchester United Win the Champions League?

I have just watched Manchester United beat Barcelona in the semi-final of the champion's league. It was a superb, intriguing match with United showing all of the battling qualities of a typical English team. The question on many people's mind is can Man United win the Champions league final in Russia in three weeks time?

I personally believe that Manchester United will become the champion's league winners this year as they have best players including:

Christiano Ronaldo

Christiano Ronaldo is probably the best player in the world right now. Some would argue that Messi is right up there, he certainly is a top player as well. Ronaldo would grace any team and could prove to be a match winner in May. Not only has he got immense skills on the deck; he is also outstanding in the air.

Paul Scholes

Paul Scholes may be quiet off the pitch however he is a little dynamo on it. His goal in the semi-final just showed what a quality player he is. In recent years he has become more of a defensive midfielder as other younger players take on the mantel up front. Scholes is always able to score the odd goal and is often overlooked by the opposing players whom prefer to concentrate on Rooney and Ronaldo.

Wayne Rooney

Wayne Rooney tends to save his best performances for the big games and he would be my choice for the first goal scorer in the final. Rooney is a real English battler with a massive amount of skill.

Rio Ferdinand

Rio Ferdinand is a real lion at the back and is a true leader. I have no doubt that he will be more than capable of marking any forward out of the game and will be a superb future captain of the English national team.

Manchester United may well rule Europe for the next few years to come as Alex Ferguson plans to dominate the champion's league competition.

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Premier League Preview - Fulham Vs Wolves

Fulham host Wolves this Saturday in an afternoon kick-off. Expect this to be hard-fought contest between two teams, both yet to taste defeat this season.

Relegation favourites not so long ago, Wolves have recouped well in the last month, climbing to 14th n the table. McCarthy's men have recorded two home draws against Everton and Stoke City, apart from an away win against West Ham. Also, Fulham have not beaten Wolves in their last 4 Premier league encounters.

Mick McCarthy will be particularly happy with Ebanks-Blake's form, this season. Hahnemann has been impressive, in goal.

Fulham had a tremendous seventh place finish last season, and their exploits in Europe have propped up manager Roy Hodgson as a contender for 'manager of the year'. Fulham have built up steam in the Europa Cup where they have reached the Semis.

In particular, Fulham's defence has stood the test this season, with just 37 goals conceded in 33 league matches. Also, their home performances have been exceptional, compensating for their poor away record. In fact, in ten games at Craven Cottage, the Cottagers have lost just one.

For Fulham, Bobby Zamora is back from injury, and is likely to start, in the Wolves game, and will be the key for the Cottagers in this home game. John Pantsil could make a come-back too. Fulham have luckily hung on to want-away 'keeper Schwarzer, at least till the January transfer window.

Clint Dempsey is likely to sit out, while a late fitness test could be in order, for Simon Davies. The Cottagers could also hand a debut to left-back Carlos Salcida. Moussa Dembele has also been impressive.

In their last match against Liverpool, Fulham fielded the following players: Schwarzer, Baird, Hughes, Hangeland, Konchesky, Duff, Murphy, Etuhu, Greening, Zamora, and Nevland.

Skipper Karl Henry will be missing from Wolves' starting eleven. After being red-carded in the Arsenal match, Henry will have one more match to serve out, after this one, in a three-match ban. as in the game against stoke, Edwards is likely to fill in for Henry. McCarthy will expect a star turn from Kevin Doyle, after shelling out £6.5 mn, a record for the Wanderers.

Wolves' squad is likely to be the same one they named against Stoke: Hahnemann; Zubar, Berra, Craddock, Elokobi, Mancienne, Foley, Edwards, Jones, Jarvis and Doyle.

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English Football - Clubs Entering Administration

When a football club finds itself in financial difficulty there is a way it can avoid liquidation and continue to trade as a business. It is called entering administration and is sometimes referred to as going into admin. A team of administrators is appointed to run the club. This is embarrassing for the chairman and directors as it gives the impression they have run the club in a bad way. In most cases, that is exactly what has happened.

Some argue the penalties for an English football club entering administration are not harsh enough. They point to recent examples of teams pleading poverty then quickly rising from the ashes. These clubs were struggling with mounting debts then in a short space of time were a force to be reckoned with on and off the pitch. One club ran up massive debt courtesy of their new stadium while another went out and spent over £1 million on a player shortly after coming out of administration. Fellow teams have every right to question these ethics.

The aforementioned examples do not go down well with the supporters of other football clubs. They see it as a way some clubs manipulate the football rules and avoid meeting their financial responsibilities. In short, the accusation levelled is one of cheating. When a Premiership club is struggling, it is highly embarrassing for the suits at the Premier League. After all, the English Premiership is supposed to be the land of milk and honey. However, if you spend money you do not have on transfer fees and wages, it will always end in tears.

There is an argument for replacing the 10 point deduction with an automatic relegation. Some chairmen have entered administration at the halfway point in the season. For example, when it became clear their side would not be relegated even with a point deduction. An automatic demotion would eliminate this tactical approach to administration. It would also give the club a harsher penalty and make the owner think twice about following such a path.

When it comes to English football clubs entering administration, not everyone is full of sympathy. Granted, there are many examples of clubs who have fallen on hard times through no fault of their own. However, these are usually lower league clubs a long way from the top flight. The vast majority of financially challenged clubs have gone into admin during the years following relegation from the Premiership. There is no shortage of instances where admin has wiped away debt. Ironically, this was induced by poor leadership and questionable business decisions at these clubs.

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Breaking in New Football Boots

New football boots can be particularly unforgiving when they are used for the first few weeks. Breaking in your new footwear is very important for all football players. It is not really a good idea to wear brand new football boots in any sort of competitive game. This is because the shoes will be very tough on your feet and could give you some painful blisters.

There are plenty of steps you can take to speed up the process of breaking in new football boots. A very popular method with many players is to soak the boots in warm water. The water only needs to be warm to the touch. If the water is very hot, it can melt the adhesives and other materials used on the football boot. A simple way to achieve this is to put on some football socks and your new boots with the laces tied up. Then sit in the bath for 15-20 minutes and this will help the boots to mould to your unique foot shape.

You can introduce your new boots gradually over a period of time. This reduces the risk of soreness and blisters on your feet. At the same time this approach ensures the footwear is being used to some extent. Next time you are going to football practice or training take your new football boots along with an older pair. You can wear your new boots for the first twenty minutes then change into the older ones. You can increase the period you wear the new pair for longer spells over a period of time.

Another tip for use while training is to dampen the leather all over with a cloth saturated with water. This method can be particularly effective round the tongue area. You can also apply a good coating of Vaseline to your feet and toes underneath your socks. This will reduce the friction of the boot material against your skin and makes blisters less likely.

When they are not in use always remember to stuff your football boots with some old socks to help keep the shape. Some people use rolled up balls of old newspaper which is an equally effective method. This is a popular low cost alternative to buying products such as a custom boot stretcher from a shoe shop.

By following these tips, you will significantly speed up the process of breaking in new football boots. This advice will help you prevent soreness and blisters when you first start wearing the new footwear. In no time at all your boots will quickly become very comfortable to wear almost like trainers. They will also become moulded to the shape of your feet so that they fit you like a glove.

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New Signings For FC Barcelona

The 2008-2009 season is barely finished but Barca is already on the move for some new signings. Calalan giants are looking to add 3 to 5 new names to their list.

Left back position

First name on the list is Bruno Saltor from Almeria. Saltor is a Spanish player and knows the league and those are the best 2 reason working in his favor. Second in line is Inter Milan fullback, Maxwell. Brazilian is highly rated by FC Barcelona coach, Pep Guardiola. He is also an attacking full back, exactly what Barca needs to cover the absence of Sylvinho.

Left winger spot

With Henry turning 32 next season, Barca have set their sights on a new left winger. Illustrious names such as: Frank Ribery, David Silva, Robin Van Persie and Mauro Zarate are being mentioned as front runners for the vacant spot. First option for Pep Guardiola is Frank Ribery who currently plays for Bayern Munich and is reportedly unhappy with conditions in Bavarian capital. The Frenchman already expressed his desire to wear the Barcelona shirt but Barca now faces another problem in Real Madrid president, Florentino Perez, who is also looking to sign Ribery after just completing the Kaka transfer.

New striker

Future of Samuel Eto looks uncertain. Latest reports suggest that he is likely to leave the club despite finishing an outstanding season with scoring 30 goals in the Spanish league and the winning goal in Champions league final. His most likely successors are Zlatan Ibrahimovic, David Villa or Karim Benzema. All strikers have already expressed their desire to join Barcelona.

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The Popularity of English Premier League Soccer

The premiership was formed in 1992 out of the ashes of the old football league division one. Many top flight managers had long argued that too much football was played which led to the restructuring of the top tier of English football. This meant a reduction in the number of premier league clubs involved.

The popularity of English premier league soccer is not just confined to England and the United Kingdom. In recent years, the premiership has become something of a global phenomenon with football fans in countries all over the world eagerly tuning in to watch their favourite team every week.

When the premiership was created a huge amount of money came into the game courtesy of television deals. This newly found wealth enabled the clubs to attract the best players in the World lured by attractive salaries and the excitement of premiership football itself. Premiership football has now become the most watched sporting event on the planet. It is also the Worlds most lucrative football league with combined club revenues that stretch into billions of pounds per year.

One of the reasons why premier league soccer is so popular on a global scale is the high tempo which the football is played at. Fans from all over the World love to see end to end action with both teams attempting to win the game. Premiership football delivers plenty of entertainment throughout the 90 minutes in the form of goals, drama and incident.

Before the arrival of the premiership, many experts considered Italian football to be the best in the World and the preferred destination for players. Although the football in Italy is played at a much slower tempo compared to that of the premier league which makes it less attractive for the neutral fan.

Because it has become so popular, there are controversial plans to stage some premier league games abroad. This would involve the clubs playing an extra round of matches in countries as far away as China and Japan. These plans have brought much debate and widespread opposition within the game with many feeling this could be taking things a step too far.

For more articles focusing on English premier league soccer please visit English Football Blog for the latest news and comment on the premiership soccer scene.

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Soccer Systems of Play, Team Formation and Positional Set up, 4-4-2

4-4-2

Defense;

4, defenders are usually arranged as outside left, inside left, inside right and outside right.

The most recent idea is to have them lined up in a banana shape with the middle of the curve closest to the goalkeeper and the outside defenders, the points, slightly ahead but behind the midfielders.
As this is the shape of a banana the defenders can see one another usualy all the time.

Some considered the flat back option but this means much more communication from the capitain of the defense usually one of the insiders.

The general idea is to have the two defenders attend to the attack coming in from their side.

This means that the opposite outside tucks in a little to cover the center of the field covering the goal and any incoming additional attacking opponents.

When the team has possession the defenders would then play wide to stretch out the other teams attackers.
This is also known as playing it around the back.

Sometimes the defenders can be lined up in a diamond shape. This is to utilize the last player back as a "sweeper" who clears the ball up the field and out to the other defenders and mid fielders.

This player is in constant communication with the goalkeeper and relays the message to the other defenders. This is because the goalkeepers can see the complete field from their vantage point.

At times and in some cases too often this central defender will by-pass the midfield and play it up to the forwards. I say too often because this usually has the forwards out numbered by the opposing defenders.. However there are a few "power forwards" who could handle this situation, but most are unable too.

The defender at the top of the diamond is considered the "stopper" whose duty is to challenge any attack or attacking play. They usually play from side to side rather than up and down the field.
These defenders are involved in shutting down any play and play making.
These players really read the game well. They need to, or they would be doing all the running.

Midfield

4, mid-fielders are usually arranged as outside left, inside left, inside right and outside right.
The outside players are called, wingers or flank players and are also involved in striking at the goal.

This would make this line up have a possibility of 4 strikers at any given time.
These wingers usually have the bulk of the running to do as they could carry the ball from the defending third and into the attacking third.

This also depends on the team strategy as outlined by the coaching staff.

The two inside midfielders are supposed to be the "play makers". These are the individuals who are responsible for carrying out the plans the coach and players have designed and used as the methods of attack and goal scoring.
These positions have traditionally played these roles. However nowadays the play making comes from anyone and sometimes all the players at any given time.
These inside players have also been more defensive in their general on field play.
This defensive idea is to stop the opposition from creating attacking options.

Forwards;

These are the main ggoooooooooooalll scoring machines. The ones who react to the ball quickly and are able to shoot from any place on the field.
To be effective they should work closely together as a team and pair. To this extent they are sometimes called "twin strikers".
They are also responsible for creating space by making the defenders mark them.

They make the defense leave their zonal resposibilities whereby taking them "out of the game".

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Real Madrid - The Best Football Club in the World

They are not only the most successful club in the world but also the richest in the world according to the latest survey done by the money league which publish their research results annually. Yes, its true that Real Madrid are the richest club by income for the season 2006-2007 probably for the season 2007-2008 too but the results are not completed yet.

So what makes Real Madrid not only the richest club in the world but more significantly, the most successful as well.Well the statistics don't lie and more often then not speak for themselves. For any club to be successful, only two titles could and should be given credit, The league and the Champions League,the rest are mere formalities as you all know (it does not take much to beat Sao Paulo in a cup final) so I am going to ignore the minor trophies here, lets have a look at most of the major football clubs track records against the Madrid Galacticos.

Manchester United have won only two Champions league trophy, one was way back when it was known as the European cup and the other in 1999,they have 16 league titles.

* Barcelona have also won two champions league trophies and 18 league titles

* Liverpool have won the competition FIVE times and they have 18 league titles

* Inter Milan have 2 champions league titles and 15 league titles

* Ac milan have 7 champions league titles and 17 league titles

There are some other major clubs as well but they have just started to grow so lets just ignore them for a moment.

Finally, Real Madrid has won 9 champions league titles and 30 league titles. Now I have listed all the great clubs of Europe above, not even a single club can match or come close to the records set by the Spanish powerhouse. Thus proving what I stated earlier that real Madrid is the undisputed champion of champions.

Real Madrid is the only team that holds the Cup in property, having won the title five consecutive times.

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Footballer Profile - Carlos Tevez

By looking at the bare statistics, you'd be forgiven for wondering what all the fuss was about with Carlos Tévez. Seven goals in 26 league games for West Ham United; 19 in 63 for Manchester United. Hardly the sort of figures that should have West Ham fans singing his name out when he returned to play against them or, for that matter, the Old Trafford faithful to keep on urging Fergie to 'Sign him up, sign him up sign him up' at every home game. Certainly not the kind of player you might expect to have a 'Welcome to Manchester' poster displayed in the city centre for.

Even for his national team the Argentine striker has been no more prolific - 8 goals in 51 appearances making him quite Heskey-like in his goals per game ratio. And yet, wherever he has played, Carlos Tévez has been adored by the followers of his team. And he has three times been South American Player of the Season, and Hammer of the Year at West Ham after scoring the goal that ensured their Premier League survival - ironically at Old Trafford in May, 2007. It might be because of his tremendous work ethic and willingness to chase all day long; it might be because of his sometimes sublime link-up play; it might even be because, with one or two notable exceptions, not many South Americans have adapted so readily to life at the top of English football. Whatever the secret, it resulted in Manchester City followers being delighted when he was one of Mark Hughes' recruits during the summer of 2009.

Even now, after just 5 goals in his first 14 matches for the club, there are few supporters who wouldn't have Tévez as one of the first names on the team sheet. Carlos Alberto Tévez was originally from Ciudadela in Buenos Aires - from a district known as 'Fuerte Apache'. The nickname that has followed the player since, Apache, was given him at his earliest youth football club, All Boys. After signing for the famous Boca Juniors club and then subsequently transferring to Corinthians, his all-action style attracted the foreign scouts but after that it all began to get complicated.

All the ramifications of the deal which Media Sports Investments made with West Ham will probably never come to light - and the legal minefield frightened off some of the clubs interested in the player and his compatriot Javier Mascherano. The situation became even more complicated when Tévez moved to Manchester United on a two year loan deal which then had the possibility of the Old Trafford team buying the player outright.

Despite being one of the crowd's favourites, Tévez clearly felt unappreciated by some quarters at United. Left out for too many of the big matches and seemingly facing a reluctance to negotiate a full transfer, he made it clear that he would move on in the summer of 2009. Nevertheless, he must have left Old Trafford with many good memories - notably scoring the opening penalty in the Champions League Final shoot-out victory over Chelsea.

Since arriving at Eastlands to wear the Manchester City shirt - for what was claimed in the press to be a British record fee of £47 million - Tévez's all-action style has earned him his usual praise from the supporters - still revelling, of course, in snatching him from their local rivals. Already helping guide Mark Hughes' side to their first major cup semi-final since 1981 - and scoring a fabulous goal against Arsenal in the 3 - 0 quarter final victory - Tévez's attitude on the pitch belies his claim in the Argentine press that he was so tired he would consider retiring from football after the South Africa World Cup were his team to take the trophy. Perhaps he was considering making more cumbia villera tracks with his band - apparently that's his favourite pastime outside of football.

Certainly City fans will be hoping that this was a quote taken out of context somehow and that - World Cup winner or not - Carlos Tévez is back playing for the club in the Champions' League next season. After all, they already know that, as far as he is concerned, bare statistics don't go anywhere near explaining his value to the team.

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Transfer Rumours Abound

The July 1 opening of football transfer season is rapidly approaching and with its impending arrival come swarms upon swarms of transfer rumours. But which ones are done deals and which ones are just mere smoke and ashes? Does it really matter? Half the fun is in the speculation. Here's a break-down of some of the top transfer stories..

Cristiano Ronaldo

Ronaldo, Ronaldo, Ronaldo. It seems like Cristiano Ronaldo is all anyone is talking about lately. Real Madrid wants him, and it now appears they are willing to pay out the nose for him. Recent rumours have them offering him a record breaking five year deal worth £300,000 a week. To make things more interesting, Ronaldo has said on more than one occasion that he wants to make the move to Spain. On the other hand, Manchester United says they won't sell him "at any price". However, it has been said that everyone has their price. Only time will tell if Read Madrid is willing to pay United's.

Aaron Ramsey

The seventeen-year-old midfielder is being courted by three premier league teams. Cardiff City appears to be willing to let him go for £5 million, but the young star is still trying to decide which move would be in his best interests. While many people would see Manchester United as the obvious choice, his value at the club is a bit of a question. They plan to sign him but then loan him directly back to Cardiff for a year. The message this sends is that they want to sign him while he is relatively cheap, but that they don't necessarily have any intention of utilizing his skills any time soon. On the end of the spectrum, Everton and Arsenal appear to be offering him a spot on their first teams. It looks like the young Ramsey needs to choose between possibly benching for United or playing for someone else.

David Villa

Valencia is having money issues and needs to unload their star striker at the cost of about £17 million. The key players in the battle over David Villa seem to be Arsenal and Tottenham. But just to complicate matters, Chelsea and Real Madrid have also expressed an interest in signing Villa. To make things more interesting, especially for the other teams, Villa has said that he would like to play for Arsenal, but he won't make a decision until after Euro 2008. It's a risky move on his part; a good showing at the tournament could increase his value, but less than stellar playing or an injury could hurt him in more ways than one.

Ronaldinho

If United was serious about not selling Ronaldo, Ronaldinho's asking price of £200,000 a week would make him by far the highest paid player in the world. While his potential transfer to Manchester City doesn't seem to have the drama of the other trades, it could still change the face of football by pushing prices to never before seen heights. And since no decision is agreeable to everyone, people are questioning whether or not Ronaldinho is really worth it. His performance this season was rife with injuries and time on the bench. Is acquiring Ronaldinho the best move for Manchester City's new manager? It seems a risk he is either willing to take or one that he was given no choice about. Either way, for all appearances, Ronaldinho is probably making the move. Will any or all of them actually change clubs? Probably, but at this point, nothing is certain. While Villa and Ramsey will most likely be signed, the high end demands of Ronaldo and Ronaldinho make their transfers more important, but less likely. It will be an interesting year -football may well change forever.

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English Premier League - Liverpool Maintains Its Lead by Beating Blackburn

The 18-time champion of the Premier League, Liverpool, vindicated its leading position on the table this past Saturday by beating Blackburn Rovers 3-1 on the road in an amazing way. The game was well-played by the two teams but the consistency and determination of the Reds were higher than the Rovers in the second half, when they had trouble on their defense in various occasions.

The Reds for their part, played with conviction and its tactical plan was one that gave positive results to Benitez and his players at the end of the game. The Reds did not score any goals in the past two Premier League matches that finished in draws against Fulham and West Ham, but their effort in this game to find their winning strategies, gave them what they deserved, the victory.

This lost was the 5th consecutive for Blackburn in the Premier League, which remains in the relegation zone with only 13 points. Its coach Paul Ince is trying to find the way to win but some injuries on his key players and the clueless tactical plans in the matches have not helped to get a triumph, even when his players are playing hard.

On the other hand, Liverpool is working hard to maintain their pole position at the table and add more points to achieve their big ambition; winning their 19th title of the Premier League. However, we have to mention that Liverpool has also had struggles and difficulties, but even so they have managed to remain at the top.

In Saturday's game, Blackburn started with more chances than Liverpool during the first 10 minutes of the match, but they couldn't convert due to the fact that "Pepe" Reina was amazingly saving all of the Blackburn's attempts. Even so, the Reds didn't have any clear-cut opportunities during the first 45 minutes and the team's frustration started to show.

Nevertheless, in the second half things turned around for the Reds, who entered more aggressive and with more conviction than ever. Gerrard and Xavi were doing a great job in the midfield to create spaces and convert opportunities of goals. So at minute 68, Xavi Alonso opened the score with a great goal by an assist from Gerrard. Only 11 minutes later, Benayoun scored again for Liverpool placing a 2-0 in the scoreboard. Then at minute 86, Roque Santa Cruz scored the only goal of the match for Blackburn. Finally, to close the game at minute 90, Gerrard wrapped up the victory by scoring the final goal for Liverpool, finishing 3-1. This victory gives Liverpool a total of 37 points in the table, just one point ahead of Chelsea.

Moreover, Benitez was delighted with his team performance, as even when things were not completely on their side; his team took every chance to win. "We know we can play a lot better than we have been but what gives me confidence is that we can come to places like this and get results, even when we are not at our best," expressed the Spaniard Coach. "Clearly it was an important three points for us. We are in a very good position and we want to stay there."

Benitez also stated that players like Mascherano and Gerrard will improve with the time and that key players like Torres and Skrtel will be back to the field soon. That could help to balance the team and given them more support in the attack. The next match of Liverpool will be against Hull City on December 13th at home.

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Fantasy Football (Soccer) 09-10 - A Simple Strategy

It's that time of year again. The British summer is drawing to a close and the majority of Premier League teams have spent their budget for the season and most transfer business is over (well, with the exception of Man City!). Now is the time to put together the fantasy football team, and with the following strategy in, thoroughly thrash your mates and work colleagues.

1. Learnings from last season
2. Goalkeeper and defenders
3. The 'must haves'
4. The bargains
5. Taking risks
6. Transfers

Learnings from last season

In terms of top scoring players, last season threw up few surprises. Ronaldo, Gerrard, Lampard and Vidic all scored well. The big surprise last season though was the emergence of Dirk Kuyt. The Liverpool striker was always admired for his work rate but all too often posed no real goal threat. However, last season he found a new lease of life, reinvented by Rafa Benitez on the right side of Liverpool's three pronged attack that saw Steven Gerrard operating as a 2nd striker. In this role, Kuyt became a consistent provider of assists as well as scoring some important goal, accumulating 177 points along the way. This is a fantastic return for a striker who only cost £5.9m.

The other surprise star of last season came in the form of Man City's free scoring midfielder Steven Ireland. There is a certain irony that the richest club in the world's player of the season was a player who came up through the youth system and had mostly been playing second fiddle to Michael Johnson the year before. Steven Ireland contributed 131 points for a mere £3.4m.

From this it would seem that the big learning from last season is to look to the midfield for the most points for your pound. Strikers converted to wingers playing in a 4-3-3 formation are a must.

Goalkeepers and defenders

The performance of goalkeepers and defenders more than any other position in Fantasy Football is dictated by the team they play for rather than their own ability. Players such as Matthew Upson and Jonathan Woodgate are good defenders in their own right but if the team they play for leaks goals, they will get you many points.

You shouldn't over spend in these areas as goalkeepers and defenders' main source of points is from clean sheets and therefore can only get you so many points. Where possible, go for attack minded full back who can get you a few assists through the season.

Fantasy Football Info recommends: Johnson (Liverpool. £4.0m)

The 'must haves'

Until this summer, there was only one name in this section. But with Ronaldo's departure to La Liga, the title of 'must have' player is up for grabs. For me, it boils down to one of two players - the consistent goal threat of Chelsea's Frank Lampard or the pure inspiration of Liverpool's Steven Gerrard. Both players play every game when they are fit, bother score bags of goals, take free kicks and corners, are the teams' preferred penalty taker.

Last season, Lampard shaved it with 243 points to Gerrard's 202 although Gerrard was injured for parts of the season.

Fantasy Football Info recommends: Gerrard (Liverpool. £6.5m)

The Bargains

The true key to a winning Fantasy Football team is picking up the bargain players. The ability to predict who from the newly promoted clubs will do well and which squad players from the rest of the Premier League will hold down a first team place. Choose your bargains wisely. Had you predicted the injury plagued season of Ricardo Carvalho and selected Alex, this foresight would have gained you 127 points for a player worth just £3.8m.

Fantasy Football Info recommends: Valencia (Man Utd. £3.5m)

Taking Risks

As with picking out the bargain players for the season, it is also worth looking at taking a calculated risk on some of the lesser teams and the newly promoted teams. In most Premier League seasons there is always on surprise team who over achieve - Fulham last Season, Reading in their first season. If you can predict which of these teams will be the surprise, you can pick yourself up some try bargain players.

Fantasy Football Info recommends: Ebanks-Blake (Wolves. £4.9m)

Transfers

The 30 transfer the Daily Telegraph give to each manager can decide how you fair. Use too many, too soon and you risk being left with half a team when the injuries and suspensions start to mount up at the end of the season. Soldier stubbornly on with your original team despite some unexpected poor performers and you'll be a hundred points off the pace before you know it. The best advice I can give for making transfers is don't panic! Give the season some time to unfold, don't jump in and change your strikers just because they haven't score in the first week. Give it three or four games and see how the land lies.

Make sure you also keep an eye on upcoming fixtures. If one of your defenders next four games is Man Utd, Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal then it may be worth taking in him out until after that particular run of games is over.

Injuries also play a key role in the transfer strategy of most Fantasy Football Managers. The important thing with injuries is to monitor the anticipated return date of your injured player. If one of your star players is out for more than 2 weeks, make the change. If it's one of your cheaper bargain players out for a couple of weeks it's not worth wasting a transfer. In general, any player out of action for 3 weeks or more needs to be replaced.

Making transfers at the right time is an art form. Good luck - see you at the top of the league!

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Cancun - Home of Mexico's Newest Champion

In 2007, the Atlante soccer club moved from Mexico City to Cancun. Though many soccer fans thought the team to be an under-funded, under-appreciated group of second-rate players, Atlante endeared itself to locals by winning the Mexican First Division League championship in its first Cancun season. Though the excitement of professional soccer was slow to catch on during the first season in Cancun, the 22,000-seat stadium now regularly hosts sellout crowds and Atlante merchandise can be found throughout the city. As Atlante fans are already known throughout Mexico to be both passionate and welcoming, Cancun's championship soccer club offers a unique travel experience for tourists of all ages.

At the time of Atlante's move from Mexico City, Cancun was hardly known as a soccer Mecca. In fact, despite the overwhelming popularity of the sport in Mexico, Cancun residents were more fascinated with their local baseball team - Tigres de Quintana Roo - than the happenings in soccer throughout the country. Even when the Cancun's first professional soccer club arrived, the reception was initially lukewarm. Though Atlante steadily built a fan base in Cancun and surprised many long-time soccer fans, the team had to overcome an underwhelming history. In Mexico City, Atlante was fourth in line for fans behind far more popular teams such as Club America, Cruz Azul and Pumas. Furthermore, Atlante had not won a league championship in 15 years, having found a perennial home at the bottom of the rankings.

Despite the odds being stacked against Atlante succeeding in Cancun, the team got off to a great start in their new home. Prior to the season, the team worked with the city of Cancun to secure the use of a refurbished 22,000-seat stadium - Estadio Andrés Quintana Roo. After Atlante won a few home games, word spread throughout Cancun that the games provided affordable entertainment, great atmosphere and bountiful refreshments. As the 2007-2008 season progressed, Atlante would lose only three games and come to be known throughout Mexico as one of the country's best defensive teams.

Today, with a championship trophy to their name, Atlante are more popular than ever in Mexico. Jerseys, flags and other Atlante merchandise can be spotted at many of the shops and open-air markets in Cancun, allowing tourists to easily secure this year's most popular souvenirs. Regardless of where you visit in Cancun, pride and excitement in the premier league champions will be on clear display. Atlante has become an indelible part of Cancun culture, meaning visitors will want to experience the excitement of first-rate professional soccer for themselves.

While some soccer teams are known more for their rowdy fans than play on the field, Atlante home games are known for their family-friendly atmosphere. In fact, many visiting soccer fans have noted that the hospitality they experience at Estadio Andrés Quintana Roo seems to match the reputation of Cancun's finest resorts. Despite the friendly nature on display at Atlante home games, the stadium never seems to lack the trademark excitement of Mexican soccer. Atlante fans are known to chant, sing and play drums throughout the games, while visiting families are encouraged to celebrate the action, regardless of their allegiances.

Unlike other resort cities in Mexico such as Acapulco and Mazatlan, Cancun now boasts a taste of big city sporting entertainment. For visitors, Atlante - and the excitement they have generated throughout the city - is yet another example of why Cancun is the most exciting city in Mexico. Whether you visit the stadium for a home game, buy a jersey to remember your Cancun vacation or simply revel in the city's excitement, the champion Atlante soccer club will undoubtedly make an impact on your Cancun experience.

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EPL Team Profile - Liverpool

The formal name of the club is Liverpool Football Club, or Liverpool FC.

Known popularly by their nickname of the Reds, Liverpool's home venue is Anfield, with a capacity of just over 45,000. Founded in 1892, Liverpool have won the most league titles, 18 in all, a record that's jointly held with Manchester United, although none of those titles have come in the Premier League.

Liverpool have American owners in George Gilett and Tom Hicks; their chairman is Martin Broughton, and the manager, Roy Hodgson. Last season, the Reds finished at 7th place in the Premier League rankings.

In three matches played this year, the Anfield outfit have a win and a draw, apart from a 3-0 loss to Manchester City, one of Liverpool's rivals for a top four spot.

Pre-season Review:

The pre-season began for Liverpool in an atmosphere of intrigue. It all started with the departure of manager Rafa Benitez, from the squad. Thereafter, several stories played out as the headlines and rumours were kept alive.

Roy Hodgson took over as the Merseysider's new manager. One of Hodgson's early signings was Joe Cole on a free transfer. Steven Gerrard chose to stick on with the club. Fernando Torres belied rumours of his imminent departure. And the American owners put up the club for sale.

The Merseysiders comprise the following players: Reina, G Johnson, Agger, Carragher, Skrtel, Gerrard, Lucas, C Poulsen, Torres, Jovanovic, Kuyt, Jones, Kyrgiakos, Kelly, Maxi, Spearing, Pacheco, and Babel.

Rafa Benitez did not favour wingers. But having arrived from Chelsea, Joe Cole can give the Merseysiders the additional zing of flank attacks. Liverpool's atatcks have recently been uni-dimensional, in that they have through the middle of the park.

In an early summer signing, Charlton Athletic's Jojo Shelvey was welcomed to the squad. If he could make it to the starting eleven, 18 year old Shelvey would want to emulate his form in League One.

Standard Liege's Milan Jovanovic, an early signing who was spotted by Benitez, has arrived, and his inclusion in the Anfield squad means additional attack options. Glasgow Rangers' Danny Wilson is another promising sign up. Among departures, Albert Riera and Yossi Benayoun are most significant.

There is no pressure of expectation on Roy Hodgson, after the poor showing by the Reds in the 2009-10 season, and the change at the helm can only do good for the team. And if Hodgson has been lucky in retaining Torres and Gerrard, he cannot hope to hang on to Javier Mascherano, and must work on getting a replacement, ASAP.

If they play to potential, Liverpool are capable of doing better than they did last season, but I cannot envisage the Merseysiders finishing any better than 5th.

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Soccer Skills - Practice Makes Perfect

Call it soccer, football, footie or any other name it is known by. It's a popular team sport that's practiced around the world by toddlers to grown men, men and women alike. In fact, it's the most popular team sport in the world. It's a game played informally by the neighborhood kids, an extracurricular sport in schools and professional soccer players rake in just as much income as American football players. Soccer skills can be learned by anyone.

There are a few basic skills needed to play the game, many of which are started at an early age. The most important soccer skill is communication with your teammates. Listening and talking to team mates while on the field keeps you informed as to what is going on around you and where you should be going. Just as important as communication, knowing the rules of the game is key as well. Teams are usually made up of eleven members, but may only have seven people. The only person that is allowed to touch the ball with their hands is the goal keeper.

A great soccer skill to know is passing. When to give up the ball and allow other team mates opportunity to drive and maneuver the ball. Learning how to receive a passed ball is an important skill too. Key to the game is shooting the ball, or kicking the ball to make a goal. There are a few different ways to shoot the ball. You can do an instep drive, a swerve, and a full volley or if you are really good a flying volley. Dribbling is a diversionary soccer tactic meant to confuse your opponent. It's a misdirection move, making them think you are aiming for one direction when you intend to kick in the other. This requires practice, patience and balance. Heading is using your head to move the ball instead of your feet. Like the other skills, it may take some time to learn how to do this properly, but the end result is a great way of gaining control of the ball with it is in the air. If your position is that of the goalie, you will need throwing skills as well as the others already listed. There are many ways you can throw the ball back into play for your teammate depending on the situation.

Developing your soccer skills will take time and plenty of practice. You can expect to practice your basics every day in order to master them. You should practice alone and with your teammates, under the direction of your coach or just with simple messing around. Search the internet to find drills you can use and videos to learn new techniques and tricks to improve your game. In time, you will be shooting goals, passing like a pro and dribbling with ease and confidence. Should be ever have a question about your skills, talk to your coach and he or she can help you with the answer.

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Indian Premier League Teams - Deccan Chargers

The Deccan Chargers are an Indian Premier League team based in Hyderabad-the capital of Andhra Pradesh. Appropriately, the logo of the chargers is a raging bull. Indeed, the chargers hope to raze all opposition on their way to a consecutive IPL title in 2010. Composed of a star-studded line-up and a reputed coaching staff, Deccan are almost guaranteed to reach the semi-finals of the third IPL edition.

Owned by Deccan Chronicle and established in 2008, Deccan's team colours (from 2009) are midnight blue and silver, with blue being the dominant colour. Previously, the team used beige and black. The Chargers have two home stadia in Hyderabad-the Rajiv Ghandi International Cricket Stadium (Home of the Hyderabad Cricket Association/ capacity 55,000) and the ACA-VDCA Stadium (46,000). However, because of a controversial decision to move matches out of Hyderabad for security reasons, the Deccan Chargers will play their home games at the VCA Stadium in Nagpur (Capacity, 45,000) the DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai (Capacity, 55,000).

== Brief IPL history ==

Deccan made their IPL debut in 2008 as favourites to win the title. They had Shahid Afridi, Andrew Symonds, Herschelle Gibbs, Adam Gilchrist and Chaminda Vaas in their 2008 squad. However, in the first season, Deccan failed spectacularly, earning the wooden spoon at the bottom of the IPL standings. 2009 was a year of change for the Chargers-change which started from the top with Australians Darren Lehmann and Adam Gilchrist taking over the role of coach and captain respectively. West Indians Dwayne Smith and Fidel Edwards joined Deccan's ranks, propelling them to the title in IPL 2009.

== Star attractions of the Chargers Brigade for 2010 ==

Adam Gilchrist (captain, AUS), Andrew Symonds (AUS), Ryan Harris (AUS), Chaminda Vaas (SL), Herschelle Gibbs (SA), Scott Styris (NZ), Kemar Roach (WI), Dwayne Smith (WI), VVS Laxman (IND), RP Singh (IND), Fidel Edwards (WI), Venugopal Rao (IND) and Rohit Sharma (IND).

== Deccan Coaching staff==

Head Coach: Darren Lehmann

Assistant Coach: Kanwaljit SIngh

Fielding coach: Mike Young

Physiotherapist: Dr. Sean Slattery

Conditioning coach: Steve Smith

== Players ==

Batsmen: Adam Gilchrist (captain and wicketkeeper), VVS Laxman, Herschelle Gibbs, Rohit Sharma, Rahul Sharma, Azhar Bilakhia, Monish Mishra, N Yadav, DB Teja, T Suman, Anirudh Singh

All rounders: Andrew Symonds, Mitchell Marsh, Dwayne Smith, Venogopal Rao, A Reddy and B Sumanth

Bowlers: Kemar Roach, RP Singh, Chaminda Vaas, P Ojha, Ryan Harris, Harmeet Singh

* Fidel Edwards is currently injured, after aggravating an injury in the 2009 Airtel Champions League

With the biggest hitters in world cricket and a bevy of handy all rounders and strike bowlers, opposing teams might find it difficult to halt the charge of the bulls from Hyderabad in IPL 2010.

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