Stars Failing to Shine in Africa

African teams have raised the bar at the World Cup in recent tournaments and with Ghana impressing in Germany in 2006 and Senegal having made the quarter-finals in 2002, the expectations of the continent are high. Especially with the next showcase event set to take place in South Africa.

David Bentley blames Juande Ramos for losing his England place

David Bentley believes he has lost his place in the England squad because he is being played out of position for his club. The right winger shook his head when Juande Ramos, the Tottenham Hotspur head coach, asked him to play at right back when he came on as a substitute during the 1-0 defeat by Hull City on Sunday and has been employed in several positions by the Spaniard this season.

Tartan Army Faces Drink Crackdown

Scotland's police forces said they are mounting a "major operation" to stop fans getting drunk on the way to this weekend's World Cup qualifier.

Kevin McCarra: Capello is bound to strike problems by shunning Owen's cunning

Fabio Capello should beware the omission of Michael Owen on the basis that he is 'only' a goal-poacher.

Richard Williams: West Ham may soon not be the only club where bubbles burst

The current indebtedness of England's leading football clubs ought to be filling everyone involved with profound unease.

Uli Hesse-Lichtenberger in Germany

The struggle for shirt sponsorship...












Eintracht Braunschweig's 1976 kit...

England: Premier League Team Of The Week + Table

Team of the Week

Club							Played	Points
Chelsea							7	17
Liverpool							7	17
Hull							7	14
Arsenal							7	13
Aston Villa							7	13
West Ham							7	12
Portsmouth							7	12
Man Utd							6	11
West Brom							7	10
Blackburn							7	10
Man City							7	9
Middlesbrough							7	9
Wigan							7	8
Sunderland							7	8
Everton							7	8
Bolton							7	7
Fulham							6	6
Newcastle							7	5
Stoke							7	4
Tottenham							7	2

UEFA Cup Draw: Milan Get Pompey, Spurs Meet Udinese

Goal.com examines the draw for the Group Stage of the UEFA Cup.

Sevilla, Stuttgart and Sampdoria face off in one of the 'groups of death', AC Milan meet Heerenveen and Braga, and Hamburg square off with Ajax...

Phil Ball in Spain

Managerial magic and its affects...









Valencia's 37-year-old gaffer...

Americans On The Continent: Highs And Lows For Gooch

It was an up and down week for Oguchi Onyewu and his Standard Liege teammates, as they were able to knock Everton out of the UEFA Cup, but fell 4-1 to Cercle Brugge in league play.

Americans in the UK: Dempsey Shows Grit

In his weekly round-up of how the Yanks in the UK did, Goal.com's Matthew Braine sings the praises of unfavored Fulham striker Clint Dempsey, who impressed in his first start of the season.

Paolo Bandini in Italy

The Old Lady's first home defeat to Palermo for 46 years has increased the pressure on their much-maligned coach.

Ranieri losing numbers game at Juventus

Sid Lowe in Spain

A 6-1 humiliation at the Camp Nou suggests that Atlético's supposed title challenge is a sham.

Barcelona leave Coupet standing as Atlético implode

The Fall & Rise of David Beckham

He’s a mediocre player for a failing team in a terrible league. But the Galaxy star’s American adventure is not the disaster everyone foretold. In Los Angeles, Guy Adams reports on how he’s filling stadiums and winning friends – despite losing on the pitch.

England axe leaves Michael Owen fearing worst

Michael Owen’s future as an England player looked bleaker than ever last night after Fabio Capello excluded him from the squad for the World Cup qualifying matches against Kazakhstan and Belarus.

Italy: Serie A Weekend Reports

Palermo shock Juventus in Turin, Fiorentina win on the road, nine-man Roma lose in Siena, Lecce snatch a draw at Lazio and Inter win at the San Siro over Bologna and Milan can't score...

REPORTS

Spain: La Liga Weekend Reports

Espanol hold Real Madrid to a draw, Barcelona shoot six past Atletico, Valencia go top of the table, Villarreal win and Sevilla cruise...

REPORTS

England: Premier League Wrap & Reports

Spurs are off to their worst start since 1912 after losing to Hull at home, Liverpool rally to top Manchester City (see Richard Jolley's report below), Arsenal salvage a draw at Sunderland, Chelsea and Manchester United cruise, Everton and Newcastle draw and Zola tastes defeat as West Ham are beaten by Bolton...

WRAP



Geovanni again
Tottenham 0 - 1 Hull City
David Pleat: Tottenham must return to basics

Taylor-made recovery
Everton 2 - 2 Newcastle

Berbatov's Cantona impression
Blackburn 0 - 2 Manchester United

Dazzling Chelsea
Chelsea 2 - 0 Aston Villa

Leadbitter's sweet strike
Sunderland 1 - 1 Arsenal

Adu: Bocanegra And I Must Represent Our Country Well

Despite not playing much for his new club, Monaco, American starlet Freddy Adu has admitted he has responsibilities that go beyond the soccer field.

Richard Jolly at the City of Manchester Stadium

Torres. Key to the title?


Manchester City 2 - 3 Liverpool