Friday, October 03, 2014

Chelsea vs. Arsenal, Juventus vs. Roma, No Racism In Football

Oh, get a room you two!

And there goes another one, folks. The week is done and dusted and it's time to gather around the TV and gorge on some goodness. The MEGACLASH in England is Chelsea vs. Arsenal. Can the Gunners defy the trend and get a result at The Bridge? Tune in Sunday morning to find out. In Italy, high-flyers Juventus and Roma clash, also on Sunday. Let's get to it!


Liverpool vs. West Brom

Chelsea vs. Arsenal
Jonathan Wilson: Chelsea has look of winner


There was Europa League action last night. According to this article, Premier League sides were poor whilst Serie A clubs were not. Serie A? Why, yes! Juventus do host Roma on Sunday. Here's your Weekend Preview.

Oops.

Podcast! With international week just around the corner, we've rolled out the big guns for this edition of Football Weekly Extra, with Rafa Honigstein, Philippe Auclair and Iain Macintosh joining Jimbo and Barry in the pod for 57 minutes of aural gymnastics. We begin by looking back on a mixed week for England's finest in the Champions League. Arsenal showed some swagger in seeing off a poor Galatasaray and Chelsea – who host the Gunners on Sunday – did the business in Lisbon, but Manchester City and Liverpool disappointed again. Rodgers out, apparently! Next, we turn our attention to more domestic matters by looking forward to the weekend in the Premier League, including Alan Pardew's next round at the last chance saloon as Newcastle travel to Swansea, and Manchester United's bank-busting attack trying their luck against the worst defence in Europe – which is Everton, for those of you who've been paying attention.


Hey! Look at this! Great news! The Special One says that there is no racism in football. So, good. Glad that done, then.

Don Carlo has called Ronaldo "The Best." Sid Lowe says he means it. Sticking with Spain, here's your Weekend Preview.

Hey! Enjoy that weekend!

Onward!!

-SSN

Posted by The Editor at 12:14 PM 0 comments

Thursday, October 02, 2014

Real Madrid Survive Ludogorets Scare, Liverpool Lose, Atlético Madrid Edge Juve, Arsenal Cruise, Totti Goals

Galatasaray fans get fired up...
Friends! Some fine Champions League action yesterday. Everyone's favorite Bulgarian minnows Ludogorets Razgrad almost pulled off the shock of the stage but were unable to keep Real Madrid at bay long enough to secure a draw. In the end, they went down 1-2, but it was a damn fine effort. Liverpool lost over in Switzerland, Arsenal flew by Galatasaray on the back of a Welbeck hat-trick, and an Arda Turan goal was enough to push Atlético Madrid past Juventus. Let's round it up!


Jonathan Wilson: Wednesday Review

Atlético Madrid 1 - 0 Juventus
Dermot Corrigon: Three Points

Basel 1 - 0 Liverpool

Arsenal 4 - 1 Galatasaray
John Brewin: Three Points

Since Roman God Totti grabbed one yesterday we thought it fitting that we include a lovely vid of some of his best from over the years. Enjoy.





Raphael Honigstein reports on the action in Germany. Today he reports on managers Klopp and Schmidt. There is no Plan B!

Grant Wahl's got a column today, so we should probably head that way. He says Red Bull are bailing on MLS and Thierry Henry will not be in New Jersey next year. Now you know.

And finally, more on the Galatasaray London invasion.

Onward!!

-SSN

Posted by The Editor at 11:44 AM 0 comments

Wednesday, October 01, 2014

PSG Beat Barcelona, Chelsea Win in Lisbon, Man City & Roma Draw in Front of Empty Seats, Remembering Raul, Today's Previews

He's 38 years of age...

How is it Hump Day already?! Time flies when you're...oh, time always flies these days, it would seem. Anyhoo, yesterday proved most enjoyable as the Champions League offered up some solid action. The PSG/Barcelona clash featured some lovely end-to-end stuff, with the Paris side managing to hang on despite the Catalonian onslaught. And everyone's favorite Roman God Francisco Totti scored at the Etihad to ensure his side returned to the Eternal City with a precious point. Let's hit it!


Sporting Lisbon 0 - 1 Chelsea: Dominic Fifield at the Estádio José Alvalade

Paris Saint-Germain 3 - 2 Barcelona

Manchester City 1 - 1 Roma: Daniel Taylor at the Etihad Stadium
Jamie Jackson: Five Talking Points


Everyone knows that since Sir Alex's retirement, Arsene Wenger is now the longest serving manager in the Premier League (by a long shot). He's now been in charge for 18 years. A few of us at SSN Headquarters remember how different things were when he took over. John Cross's 18 Points From 18 Years of Arsene Wenger covers some of those changes. Miguel Delaney, meanwhile, is taking a look at the current (and seemingly omnipresent) looming issue for the Arsenal gaffer: Injuries.


Jayoncé and Golden Balls enjoy the action in Paris...

Messi and Ronaldo will break Raul's record for most Champions League goals this season. It'll happen. So, let's take a moment to remember Raul.

Today's Champions League action looks like this: Atlético Madrid vs. Juventus, Arsenal vs. Galatasaray, and Basel vs. Liverpool. There are others, of course, but these look best on paper. Here's what you need to know:


Atlético Madrid vs. Juventus

Arsenal vs. Galatasaray

Basel vs. Liverpool


And finally...let's conclude with Martin Tyler's Stats and Facts, shall we? Do you know that last time Liverpool fielded an all-British starting 11? Hmmm?

Onward!!

-SSN

Posted by The Editor at 10:53 AM 0 comments

Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Newcastle Lose, Champions League Previews, Scribes, Podcast, Kaká Making Bank in Orlando

No argument here...
Hello, Tuesday! Things are getting back in order here and it's a good thing, too. We've got loads to get into today, beginning with last night's match in England. More woe for Pardew as Newcastle succumbed to Stoke. The clock is ticking for the Newcastle gaffer. Stuart James was at the Britannia where Peter Crouch got the lone goal. He's got a good touch for a big man...cough.

The Champions League is back, folks! And with it, some mouthwatering ties. Manchester City vs. Roma, PSG vs. Barcelona (The Zlatan is hurt, sadly), and Sporting Lisbon vs. Chelsea catch the eye. Let's bust some previews:

Michael Cox: Key Battles

Sporting Lisbon vs. Chelsea

Manchester City vs. Roma
Adam Bate: Timeless Totti

PSG vs. Barcelona

Unfortunately, while Shakhtar Donetsk play their first home Champions League game of the season today, the match against Porto won't be in Donetsk, but more than 600 miles to the west, in Lviv. War. What is it good for?

Kaká is going to play in Orlando. We knew that already, but it's still terribly weird. For $7.17 million, though, it's not too difficult to digest. Here's more on the MLS salary insanity. Oh, and Bird's current Power Rankings.

Look at my beautiful watch. It would go nicely with a white suit...

Podcast! On today's Football Weekly, AC Jimbo has Barry Glendenning, John Ashdown and Michael Hann in the studio for a rip-roaring look back at the Premier League, where Chelsea brushed aside Aston Villa, the North London and Merseyside derbies ended all-square, and Wayne Rooney received the sixth red card of his career. Also in the podcast, we look forward to the midweek Champions League games with a bit of help from Sid Lowe, and also get up to speed with the Championship, where Kit Symons steered Fulham to their first league win of the season, but new Leeds boss Darko Milanic didn't fare so well.

Time to Scribe, yo! Let's travel the globe! Let's get it on!

Where? Spain. Who? Sid Lowe. What? Atlético's 'beast' Simeone is back

Where? South America. Who? Tim Vickery. What? Copa America Centennial an additional strain on players

Where? South America. Again? Yes. OK. Who? Tim Vickery. Again? Yes. OK. What? Time for a Brazilian football revolution

Where? Germany. Who? Uli Hesse. What? The original Bundesliga superstar

Where? Germany. Again? Yes. OK. Who? Raphael Honigstein. What? Schalke on high after Dortmund win

Where? Russia. Who? Adam Bate. What? AVB turns it around at Zenit St. Petersburg

Where? Italy. Who? Paolo Bandini. What? Lighthouse derby illuminates Serie A

The L.A. assGalaxy are having a great year, apparently. So great, that Grant Wahl says they're on course for a historic season! Take a look.

And finally... Inter Milan won the Champions League in 2010. None of the 18 players in the squad remain. Where are they now?

Onward!!

-SSN

Posted by The Editor at 11:40 AM 0 comments

Monday, September 29, 2014

Draws in the English Derbies, Samp Win Genoa Derby, Schalke Shock Dortmund in Ruhr Derby, Monday Night Football

Mario's ready for the Derby...
Hello. It's a fatigued Monday as we attempt to get SSN Headquarters up and running again. We made an extra-strong pot of coffee so hopefully that'll do the trick. Both the Merseyside Derby and the North London Derby finished 1-1. Rooney rolled back the clock and reverted to his old form and got a straight red. Barcelona scored six goals. Schalke upset Borussia Dortmund 2-1. More stuff happened. Let's start in the EPL:
Phil McNulty: Talking Points
Peter Berlin: Some Thoughts
Liverpool 1 - 1 Everton: Paul Wilson at Anfield
Liverpool 1 - 1 Everton: Chris Bevan at Anfield
Liverpool 1 - 1 Everton: Chris Bascombe at Anfield
Manchester United 2 - 1 West Ham: Daniel Taylor at Old Trafford
Arsenal 1 - 1 Tottenham: David Hytner at the Emirates Stadium
Michael Cox: Arsenal vs. Tottenham: A Tale of Two Teams
Barney Ronay: Arsenal vs. Tottenham: The battle of the lightweight No10s

No big surprises in Spain over the weekend. Barca, Real, and Atlético all won with relative ease. Here are Five Things We Learned...and a wee review. More tomorrow with the Scribes.

Some odd stuff in Italy, though. Inter were crap against bottom-side Cagliari, and Milan could only draw with Cesena. Meanwhile, Sampdoria defeated crosstown rivals Genoa, and Juventus and Roma cruised. Here's a look...and here's a wrap!


Red for Rooney...

Back in the States, the assGalaxy destroyed Red Bull to remain at the top of Jeff Carlisle's Power Rankings. And here are Five Things We Learned, among them that Michael Bradley and Jermaine Jones enjoyed their weekends.

There is Monday Night Football tonight, and all eyes are on Alan Pardew as he takes Newcastle to Stoke. If Newcastle lose, will Pardew have a job? Here's a preview. 

Done.

Onward!!

-SSN

Posted by The Editor at 11:54 AM 0 comments
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