Cole in line to start for Arsenal

Oh, good grief...

http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news;_ylt=Ap9Rukwj.Z8ZXEU.SEmrU0Mmw7YF?slug=afp-fblengprarsenalcole&prov=afp&type=lgns

EPL Opening Weekend Previews

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/feature?id=376135&cc=5901

Gabriele Marcotti column

Marcotti discusses the latest slew of international friendlies...

http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news?slug=cnnsi-exerciseinfutil&prov=cnnsi&type=lgns

British bookies fearing Kirkland 'copy-cat' bets

http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news?slug=afp-fblengprwigankirklandbetting&prov=afp&type=lgns

Bundesliga: Diego the focus as Werder host Leverkusen

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=376101&cc=5901

Comment: Are The Good Times Back At Spurs?

http://goal.com/en-us/articolo.aspx?contenutoId=111332

Nick Webster's EPL Preview

http://msn.foxsports.com/soccer/story/5878186

EPL Team Profiles: Liverpool - Wigan

Whew! Here it is - the lowdown on the rest of the English Premier League representatives. Anyone else agree that 2,000 - 1 on Watford is pretty generous? -Sanford

Liverpool:
http://football.guardian.co.uk/season200607/story/0,,1841469,00.html

Manchester City:
http://football.guardian.co.uk/season200607/story/0,,1841474,00.html

Manchester United:
http://football.guardian.co.uk/season200607/story/0,,1841490,00.html

Middlesbrough:
http://football.guardian.co.uk/season200607/story/0,,1841499,00.html

Newcastle United:
http://football.guardian.co.uk/season200607/story/0,,1841504,00.html

Portsmouth:
http://football.guardian.co.uk/season200607/story/0,,1841515,00.html

Reading:
http://football.guardian.co.uk/season200607/story/0,,1841523,00.html

Sheffield United:
http://football.guardian.co.uk/season200607/story/0,,1841529,00.html

Tottenham Hotspur:
http://football.guardian.co.uk/season200607/story/0,,1841534,00.html

Watford:
http://football.guardian.co.uk/season200607/story/0,,1841542,00.html

West Ham United:
http://football.guardian.co.uk/season200607/story/0,,1841550,00.html

Wigan Athletic:
http://football.guardian.co.uk/season200607/story/0,,1841556,00.html

Lawro's Season Predictions

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_prem/4795963.stm

Friday's rumours

http://football.guardian.co.uk/rumourmill/index/0,,1853217,00.html

Moritz Volz: The Fun-loving German

http://football.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,,1852624,00.html

Classic report: 10 Years Since Beckham's 50-Yard Strike

http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,1840634,00.html

OK, OK...Here it is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUndGHEf6P4

Changes to how we Americans watch the English Premier League

There has been a lot of talk about this recently. Now that http://soccertv.com/ (the Bible) has announced it, I'm confident enough to post it. Basically, if you were relying on FSC for your EPL, you're losing a few matches per week to Setanta. And no more PPV...

As always, special thanks to http://soccertv.com/

2006-2007 English Premier League (EPL)
Updated August 4, 2005
http://soccertv.com/

FOX Sports International (FSI) has sublicensed US and Canadian TV rights to an average of approximately 4 2006-2007 English Premier League (EPL) matches each week to Setanta Sports North America.

In the United States, FOX Soccer Channel and Setanta Sports USA will divide the 2006-2007 EPL season as follows:

Saturdays at 7:30am ET: Setanta Sports USA

Saturdays at 10am ET: Setanta Sports USA has the 1st and 3rd picks, FOX Soccer Channel has the 2nd and 4th picks

Saturdays at 12noon ET: FOX Soccer Channel

Sundays at 8:30am ET: Setanta Sports USA

Sundays at 11am ET: FOX Soccer Channel

Mondays at 3pm ET: FOX Soccer Channel

Tuesdays-Fridays: Setanta Sports USA has the 1st pick, FOX Soccer Channel has the 2nd pick
The EPL will no longer air via pay-per-view in the US.

Setanta Sports USA Channel:
ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE UEFA Champions League, AFC Champions League, French Ligue 1, Dutch Eredivisie, Greek League, Scottish Premier League, English Football League Championship, English League Cup, MUTV, Chelsea TV, International Friendlies, and much more. Available to bars, pubs, restaurants, and residential households.

Now available on DIRECTV and GlobeCast: $11.99/month residential rate.

Visit http://soccertv.com/redirset.cfm for more information on Setanta Sports USA Channel.

Italy beaten but big wins for Germany, England and Dutch

http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news?slug=reu-europefriendlies&prov=reuters&type=lgns

World champions third team not good enough for Croats

Seems like a wonderful excuse for a racist and sectarian party. The bloody World Cup just ended - can we at least have a few months off before the onset of meaningless friendlies again? Kudos to the Croats for the human swastika -- nice work...I'm sure it took a lot of organizational skills. -Sanford

http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news?slug=afp-fblitacro&prov=afp&type=lgns

Owen Could Miss The Whole Season

The Boy Wonder is just too fragile these days. You have to wonder if he'll ever retun to providing consistent goals. I must admit, I do feel sorry for the Newcastle fans out there... -Sanford

http://goal.com/en-US/articolo.aspx?contenutoId=111836

And for those of you who never saw it or care to revisit the pain, here's the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sj8Bf3NktB8&mode=related&search=

Drei American Captains In Duetschland

Although this says there are three American captains now in the Bundesliga, it ain't true. Berhalter is captain of 1860 Munich, which is in Bundesliga 2. This is an official release from U.S. Soccer. Nice work, guys.

http://www.soccer365.com/US_NEWS/Americans_Abroad/page_93_125457.shtml

So, who are going to be this season's Wigan Athletic?

http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,1851934,00.html

Prospects for Spanish Primera Liga clubs in 2006-07

Part I:
http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news?slug=reu-spainprospects_part_one&prov=reuters&type=lgns

Part II:
http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news?slug=reu-spainprospects_part_two&prov=reuters&type=lgns

Thursday's rumours

http://football.guardian.co.uk/rumourmill/index/0,,1852112,00.html

Cesc Fabregas: The boy done well

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/feature?id=376012&cc=5901

Liverpool agree fee for Feyenoord's Kuyt

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=376113&cc=5901

Premiership to axe 'injury break'

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_prem/4796269.stm

Q & A with Ben Olsen

http://www.soccer365.com/_365_Interviews/page_123_125505.shtml

EPL Team Info: Chelsea, Everton, Fulham, Liverpool

Chelsea:
http://football.guardian.co.uk/season200607/story/0,,1841445,00.html

Everton:
http://football.guardian.co.uk/season200607/story/0,,1841457,00.html

Fulham:
http://football.guardian.co.uk/season200607/story/0,,1841463,00.html

Liverpool:
http://football.guardian.co.uk/season200607/story/0,,1841469,00.html

Nick Bidwell on Dimitar Berbatov

I always enjoyed watching Berbatov in the Bundesliga. He's got excellent poacher instincts and he can also score from outside the area. I think it was an astute purchase by Jol. Spurs now have an extremely potent strikeforce -- they will be fun to watch. -Sanford

p.s. - he's Bulgarian, not Romanian

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story?id=375936&root=england&cc=5901

Norman Hubbard on Arsenal's defensive questions

I've totally given up second-guessing Arsene. The Gunner boss has been correct on players so many times over the years that there is no point even thinking about it: he knows what he's doing. -Sanford

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story?id=375880&root=england&cc=5901

European football's new underclass

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/feature?id=375887&cc=5901

Thieves steal Van der Meyde's dog

This guy's had a rough few days!! -Sanford

http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,1845037,00.html

American dreamer: Watford's Jay DeMerit hits the big time

This is fantastic. The last time Watford graced the EPL the only decent thing about watching them was waiting for the cameras to focus on Elton John in the Director's Box (which makes for a nice drinking game, mind you). Now we've got another Yank we can root for in England's top division and that'll make matches like Watford vs. Villa that much more interesting. -Sanford

http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,1835715,00.html

Chelsea 1-2 Liverpool: Curtain raised in Cardiff

Here's what Sanford Soccer Net's Chicago Correspondent Bab Sullivan had to say about the Community Shield. A link to the match report is below. -Sanford

Chelski played basically the same general lineup they did in Chicago and you can see why they may be headed toward the cliff. Essien is wasted in the Makelele role, Ballack doesn't fit the role of wide man in the diamond midfield (Lampard is a disaster in the same role) and Robben can't play centrally at all. Drogba and Shevchenko didn't play with each other at all. They don't really have the players to use the 4-3-3 that worked so well for them last year (at least not right now) but the midfield personnel they have is ill-suited to 4-4-2 as well, at least as presently constituted. Having said that, Shevchenko's goal was fantastic and you can see Chelski bagging at least one like that every game just because of their quality, but I can't see that roster working for them in Europe at all.

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=375806&cc=5901

Dolce & Gabbana & The Azzuri

I mentioned these to a friend of mine the other day and she had not yet seen them. They were all over Germany and made my buddy Simona in Hamburg very happy. So in case you've not had a chance to gaze at the Italian Stallions, here they are... -Sanford

My worst nightmare: Losing my tickets on the A4...

Special thanks to my pal Bjorn in Hamburg for passing this along... -Sanford

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLZWMabiioI

Family car and English lessons for Shevchenko

http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news?slug=reu-shevchenko_sports_feature&prov=reuters&type=lgns

No Beckham, no Zidane, no Cannavaro as European soccer resumes

http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news;_ylt=As6KixM6sLubr06RqSEAiO4mw7YF?slug=ap-europeanpreview&prov=ap&type=lgns

Frank Dell'Apa on Team USA's next coach

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story?id=375834&root=us&cc=5901

Gerrard brands Ronaldo 'a disgrace'

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=375787&cc=5901

Richard Williams on Shevchenko

http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,1843991,00.html

Ellis on way out as Villa agree deal with Lerner

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=375835&cc=5901

The tunnel

http://football.guardian.co.uk/season200607/story/0,,1841564,00.html

Bad blood between Mourinho and Benitez

http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news;_ylt=AhPKG37B7K4FM64FsCdomHsmw7YF?slug=afp-fblengprshieldchelsealiverpool&prov=afp&type=lgns

Keller leads German team to win

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=375768&cc=5901

Monday's rumours

http://football.guardian.co.uk/rumourmill/index/0,,1844331,00.html

EPL Team Info: Arsenal, Aston Villa, Blackburn, Bolton, Charlton

Arsenal:
http://football.guardian.co.uk/season200607/story/0,,1841301,00.html

Aston Villa:
http://football.guardian.co.uk/season200607/story/0,,1841340,00.html

Blackburn:
http://football.guardian.co.uk/season200607/story/0,,1841388,00.html

Bolton:
http://football.guardian.co.uk/season200607/story/0,,1841406,00.html

Charlton:
http://football.guardian.co.uk/season200607/story/0,,1841442,00.html

Roman squanders and the game is being ruined

http://football.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,,1843665,00.html

Calderón backtracks over election pledge

http://football.guardian.co.uk/continentalfootball/story/0,,1844334,00.html

Preview: Old rivals, new faces spice up Community Shield

People are constantly stopping me on the street and saying, "Hey Sanford! What the hell is the Community Shield?" So in order to save time in my life and ease the difficulty that now exists when running simple errands, I'll give a brief explanation...

This match has been called the Community Shield since 2002. Prior to that (all the way back to 1908) it was called the Charity Shield. In recent times it has become the curtain raiser for the new season. It pits the winner of the top division (now called the English Premier League) against the winner of the F.A. Cup. F.A. stands for Football Association. Although it is a "friendly" that has no bearing on the season itself, it is a trophy nonetheless and often results in a great match. Since the teams playing are usually close in stature, there is a rivalry and intensity that exists, and tensions have been known to boil over. The match is not usually a mellow stroll in the park. Roy Keene's "tackle" on Gus Poyet in 2000 speaks to that.

One day the match might be played at the new Wembley. But until that fiasco is sorted it will remain in Cardiff, in the Millenium Stadium. And yes, it was called the Charity Shield because the money goes to charity. I think they changed the name to make it sound a little better. Anyway, the dough goes to all the 124 clubs that played in the first round of the F.A. Cup the previous year and they then give it to a local charity of their chosing.

http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news?slug=reu-englandshield_preview&prov=reuters&type=lgns

Abramovich ready to dictate terms of Cole's Chelsea move

Make it stop...please...make it stop!!

http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,1842104,00.html

Bayern struggling as Bundesliga season kicks off

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=375470&cc=5901

Beckham axed by McClaren

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/sport/football.html?in_article_id=400074&in_page_id=1779&in_a_source=&ct=5

Teammates pick Kasey Keller as captain

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=375536&cc=5901

Friday's rumours

http://football.guardian.co.uk/rumourmill/index/0,,1842560,00.html

Liverpool: El Boot Room

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/sport/story/0,,1833275,00.html

Wenger's star men are always on the go

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/sport/football.html?in_article_id=399958&in_page_id=1779

Redknapp & Le Tissier discuss the upcoming season

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/sport/football.html?in_article_id=400107&in_page_id=1779&in_a_source=

McClaren sees sense in evolution, not revolution

http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,1842097,00.html

Cole's Chelsea move stalls over £25m price

So what now? If you're Arsene Wenger you're wondering how to get team morale back on a solid footing with a super-vocal want-away player in the mix. But here's the real question: What makes Chelsea think Cole isn't worth the money? The just dropped over 50 million on a 30-year-old striker while letting The Good Johnson bail to Barca. They won't pay half that amount for a young left-back who scores goals and defends better than almost anyone else in the world? They paid just as much for Shaun Wright-Phillips and he never plays! So now they're looking at Wayne Bridge (injury-prone and linked with moves away from The Bridge) and Willam Gallas (offended The Family). Other things about Chelsea are becoming interesting. I think the sale of Duff will come back to haunt them. Cole just got hurt and Robben is about as injury-free as Britney Spears is classy. If Chelsea stumble out of the blocks things'll get really interesting. -Sanford

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/index?cc=5901

My Friends at the MLS All-Star Game

Just look at these clowns. You'd think they were posing with the EPL Championship Trophy or something. At least Sara's dressed for the occasion. That's Bob's (shades) "smoking hot" wife. Nice gown! Too bad your boy toys are all slimy with no sense of style. Why don't you ditch the three geeks and hop in with me?

And how about those seats? Almost as good as the seats I had in Germany. OK, better in fact. I just have a few questions: Were you able to get a touch of The Amazing Geremi? Does Robben really look like he's 57 years old in person? Who's a better diver - Drogba or Robben? Did you promise to watch Carlo Cudicini and SWP in all their League Cup matches this season?

Juventus sell Ibrahimovic to Inter Milan

I know Ibra has got skills and perhaps his woeful form last season can be chalked up to problems with Capello but that doesn't explain his crap performances in Germany. Perhaps his injury was still bothering him? Regardless, I can't help but think that Inter got a dud. In my book he plays like Cruz but not as well. I would have passed on him... -Sanford

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=375465&cc=5901

Liverpool 2-1 Maccabi Haifa

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report?id=204455&cc=5901

Walcott returns to Under-21s

Back where he belongs. Theo wins the award for most bizarre World Cup roster place of 2006, if not for the last 20 years. The question is, when will he play in the EPL? -Sanford


http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,1840885,00.html

AC Milan 1-0 Red Star: Milan not thru yet

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report?id=204813&cc=5901

Thursday's rumours

http://football.guardian.co.uk/rumourmill/index/0,,1841181,00.html

A dozen Americans begin season in Premier League

http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news?slug=ap-sportsshowcase&prov=ap&type=lgns

Real Madrid close in on Reyes transfer

http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,1841471,00.html

Real Madrid 1, DC United 1

http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news;_ylt=Aoau42FLvRPeKY4z8L.OwbMmw7YF?slug=ap-realmadrid-dcunited&prov=ap&type=lgns

Brazil: Dunga drafts plan B

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story?id=375413&root=global&cc=5901

Dinamo Zagreb 0-3 Arsenal

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report?id=204817&cc=5901

Uli Hesse-Lichtenberger in Germany

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story?id=375301&root=europe&cc=5901

Premier League prospects, Arsenal to Chelsea

http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news?slug=reu-englandprospects_1&prov=reuters&type=lgns

Premier League prospects, Everton to Newcastle United

http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news?slug=reu-englandprospects_2&prov=reuters&type=lgns

Premier League prospects, Portsmouth to Wigan Athletic

http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news?slug=reu-englandprospects_3&prov=reuters&type=lgns

Ronaldo rises above the taunts

http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news;_ylt=AixyoO_9A0Hhk_U5C7WO6hQmw7YF?slug=afp-fblengprmanutd&prov=afp&type=lgns

Should Steve McClaren drop David Beckham?

http://football.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,,1839974,00.html

Wednesday's rumours

http://football.guardian.co.uk/rumourmill/index/0,,1840491,00.html

Henry unhappy at possible Cole exit

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=375388&cc=5901

Milan, Liverpool and Arsenal eye European glory

Here we go. I cannot believe it's already starting again. Seems like just yesterday Barca were hoisting the trophy in Paris. Now we've got Arsenal (Barcelona's opponent that day in May), Liverpool (2005 champion) and Milan all forced to hack their way through the qualifying rounds. And next week is the Community Shield. Where did the summer go??

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=375213&cc=5901

Young Gunners go for it in Champions League

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=375283&cc=5901

Mutiny at the Bridge?

Norman Hubbard on the recent grumblings at Chelsea...

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story?id=375252&root=england&cc=5901

Richard Williams on Martin O'Neill & Villa

http://sport.guardian.co.uk/columnists/story/0,,1839355,00.html

Drink spiking puts Everton forward in hospital

http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,1839305,00.html

Cole faces long spell on sidelines

Maybe we'll actually get to see Shaun Wright-Phillips play in a real EPL game!! -Sanford

http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,1838795,00.html

Tuesday's rumours

http://football.guardian.co.uk/rumourmill/index/0,,1839669,00.html

Sol Campbell settles for Portsmouth

Wenger added: "I have no regrets about letting him go but it is a big surprise to me because he cancelled his contract to go abroad. Have you sold Portsmouth to a foreign country? No."

Ahhh, Arsene. Always quick with the wit...

http://football.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,,1839330,00.html

Arsenal ready to complete £13.5m deal for Ribéry

http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,1839406,00.html

Rolling Stones concert ruins Stuttgart's pitch

http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news;_ylt=Ak5iXL5OsU9oWuFwVjNYYh0mw7YF?slug=stuttgartstones&prov=st&type=lgns

Tim Vickery in South America

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/world_football/5251788.stm

MLS All-Stars: Postgame celebrations were overkill

This is a little sad. I mean, I know it was a big game for a lot of these guys but they have to realize that it was just a runabout for Chelski. Be pleased that you won and played well but don't get all loopy about it... Sanford



http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story?id=375249&root=mls&cc=5901

Cole sits out Zagreb trip as deal edges closer

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/sport/football.html?in_article_id=399426&in_page_id=1779&in_a_source=&ct=5

De Rosario stuns Chelsea's high-priced lineup

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=375156&cc=5901

MLS All-Stars show rugged determination

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story?id=375155&root=mls&cc=5901

Crespo set for loan deal at Inter

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/c/chelsea/5252154.stm

Monday's rumours

http://football.guardian.co.uk/rumourmill/index/0,,1839036,00.html

American project reaps rewards

http://football.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,,1838589,00.html

United rocked by Carrick injury

http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news?slug=afp-fblnedengprajax&prov=afp&type=lgns

Tottenham fans involved in brawl in Dortmund

http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news?slug=reu-germanybrawl&prov=reuters&type=lgns

Grant Wahl column

http://sports.yahoo.com/mls/news;_ylt=Ala5AsdbPOJ39ZsiN8jMemcmw7YF?slug=cnnsi-asmallstep&prov=cnnsi&type=lgns

Borgetti set to swap Bolton for Saudi Arabia

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=375211&cc=5901

Chelsea target Cole named in Arsenal Euro squad

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=375199&cc=5901

Onyewu rejects Middlesbrough move

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=375065&cc=5901