SSN is a digest of the day's soccer/football/futbol articles with a focus on the top European leagues and the United States National Team. Below, you’ll find links to articles and video, as well as additional features and commentary. We locate the top news of the day so you can stay updated with ease.
Manchester United are to ask their own supporters for ways to help eradicate the "disgusting" chants that are aimed at Arsène Wenger whenever Arsenal visit Old Trafford. Wenger was subjected to a chorus of "sit down you paedophile" during Arsenal's 2-1 defeat on Saturday and United are so embarrassed that the club's chief executive, David Gill, is to raise the matter as a lead item with a panel of influential supporters.About Fucking Time...
What:
CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying
When:
Saturday, September 5; 7 p.m. EDT
Where:
Rio Tinto Stadium, Sandy, Utah
U.S. TV:
ESPN Classic, TeleFutura
Steve Davis:
Lineup decisions aplenty for Bradley
This upcoming weekend will be filled with World Qualifiers up until Tuesday so I will not comment much on Le Championnat from last weekend that saw a very disappointing 0 – 0 between Marseille and Bordeaux, a very convincing 3 - 0 win by PSG against Lille, St Etienne’s first 3 points versus a sad Grenoble and more Lyon magic thanks to Lisandro Lopez (ARG), Gomis (FRA) and Bastos (BRA)…Bordeaux, PSG and Lyon are at the top of the table with 10 pts followed by unbeaten newly promoted Montpellier “playing Hull”…
Les Bleus are playing 2 crucial games in the next 5 days and the mandate is simple: 6 points, in order to finish top of the group. Problem is
One has to wonder why and how the French coach cannot make such a stellar cast play together, considering most players simply play for the best teams in the world:
This week Jean-Pierre Escalettes (FFF President), the very man who supported Raymond Domenech after the disastrous Euro 2008 distanced himself from the coach… Rod Fanni, the young French defender from
The Serbs are talking a big game and they will want to win in front of their public but they will get nailed by Malouda on the break assisting Gignac while Gourcuff will score on a free kick. As for
Saturday:
Tuesday:
Henry and Ribery are not 100% while Benzema will come off the bench if goals are needed so the expected starting line up is:
Lloris (Lyon)
Sagna (Arsenal) – Escude (Sevilla) - Gallas (Arsenal) – Evra (Man U)
Toulalan (Lyon) – Lass Diarra (Real)
Anelka (Chelsea) – Gourcuff (
Gignac (
Not bad, but two defensive midfielders seem a bit much when you need goals…Diaby for Toulalan anyone?
-The Frenchman
Hull City have signed former Celtic striker Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink.
The Dutchman has signed a two-year deal at the KC Stadium after passing a medical and agreeing personal terms.
More competition for Jozy...
Back in late March, the USA struggled to a 2-2 draw against El Salvador at Cuscatlan, with Frankie Hejduk nicking a late point after a sloppy game. The Americans followed that up with a bludgeoning 3-0 win over the Soca Warrior islanders in Nashville.
Chelsea
Chelsea spent much of the summer promising a marquee signing, but their inability to deliver one reflected both Roman Abramovich’s reduced largesse and the manner in which Real Madrid have changed the rules of engagement in the transfer market. Yuri Zhirkov was the club’s only significant signing.
In: N Matic (MFK Kosice, £1.5m), D Sturridge (Manchester City, subject to tribunal), R Turnbull (Middlesbrough, free), Y Zhirkov (CSKA Moscow, £18m).
Out: B Sahar (Espanyol, £1m), R Bertrand (Reading, loan), J Cork (Coventry City, loan), S Cummings (West Bromwich Albion, loan), F Di Santo (Blackburn Rovers, loan), M Mancienne (Wolverhampton Wanderers, loan), J Mellis (Southampton, loan), F Nouble (West Ham United, undisclosed), M Nielsen (Alkmaar, nominal), C Pizarro (Werder Bremen, undisclosed), L Sawyer (Southend United, loan), A Shevchenko (Dynamo Kiev, free), S Sinclair (Wigan Athletic, loan), T Taiwo (Carlisle United, loan), S Tejera (Mallorca, nominal).
Where would Tottenham Hotspur's second XI finish in the Premier League? You be the judge. I've got: Cudicini - Naughton (or Hutton), Dawson, Woodgate, Bale - Bentley, Jenas, Bostock, Kranjcar - Pavlyuchenko, Crouch.
Is that better than Liverpool's second XI: Diego - Degen, Agger, Kyrgiakos, Fabio Aurelio - Lucas, Plessis - Benayoun, Voronin, Babel - N'Gog? (I'd say so).
Argentina traditionally stage their matches in Buenos Aires, in River Plate's Monumental stadium. It makes economic sense - it's the biggest ground available to them. But in their current situation - Argentina are by no means certain of making it to South Africa - Maradona has decided that it does not make footballing sense. "The stands in River's stadium are 50 metres from the pitch," he said recently. "You can shout yourself hoarse and the noise only reaches the area behind the goal. So there are players who feel that they will get more support in Rosario."
| Chelsea | 4 | 12 |
| Tottenham Hotspur | 4 | 12 |
| Manchester United | 4 | 9 |
| Manchester City | 3 | 9 |
| Stoke City | 4 | 7 |
| Arsenal | 3 | 6 |
| Liverpool | 4 | 6 |
| Aston Villa | 3 | 6 |
| Sunderland | 4 | 6 |
| Burnley | 4 | 6 |
| West Ham United | 3 | 4 |
| Birmingham | 4 | 4 |
| Wolverhampton Wanderers | 4 | 4 |
| Hull City | 4 | 4 |
| Fulham | 3 | 3 |
| Everton | 3 | 3 |
| Wigan Athletic | 4 | 3 |
| Blackburn Rovers | 3 | 1 |
| Bolton Wanderers | 3 | 0 |
| Portsmouth | 4 | 0 |
