The Question: How do Fulham do it?

By adhering to modernist methods and melding disciplined shape with hard work, Fulham have exceeded expectations.

First XI: Attacking Midfielders

We've had goalkeepers, defenders and defensive midfielders, but this week the focus turns to those concerned with the business of making and scoring goals.

This First XI incorporates goal-scoring and creative central and attacking midfielders. Second strikers and inside forwards will be incorporated into a later selection of attackers. For those who blur the boundaries, a judgment call has been made.

Martin Keown on the Defensive

Whether due to controversy, injury or genuine loss of form, England's defensive options must be giving Fabio Capello some cause for concern with less than 50 days to go before the start of the World Cup finals. Former England defender Martin Keown, who travelled to the 1998 and 2002 World Cup finals with his country, gives Soccernet the lowdown on the defensive contenders for a place in Fabio Capello's 23-man squad.

Liverpool tie up Shelvey deal

The England Under-17 international, tipped as one of the hottest prospects outside of the Premier League, passed a medical and agreed personal terms on Tuesday and will complete his move to Anfield on May 10.

Quotes & Chants of the Week

"The way they are, tomorrow we will probably read I am to blame for the volcano. Maybe I have a friend in the volcano and I am responsible for that."
Jose Mourinho erupts after Barcelona express their disappointment at decisions in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final.

"That is it for the German porn star look, I'm afraid. It's gone for good because my missus just wasn't happy about it. She said she struggled to kiss me, even though she helped me dye the moustache in the first place. But I'll be keeping the mullet, even though I get loads of stick."
Coventry midfielder Aron Gunnarsson on the decision to shave off his dodgy lip caterpillar.

"It's hard to motivate yourself at this stage of the season, let alone the players. I had an extra glass of wine the night before the match, an extra fried egg. You do things you don't normally do."
Neil Warnock goes crazy ahead of QPR's game at Barnsley.

"It is a fantastic achievement. It's like swimming the Channel, doing the Tour De France and then climbing Everest."
Scunthorpe boss Nigel Adkins refuses to exaggerate his side's achievement of securing Championship safety.

"They were far the better team, we were lucky to get nil. We had our pants pulled down and our backsides slapped."
Tony Pulis on Stoke's humiliating 7-0 defeat by Chelsea.

"Oh Ledley, Ledley,
He's only got one knee,
He's faster than John Terry,
Oh Ledley, Ledley."
Tottenham fans pay tribute to Ledley King.

The Rest

Are United the Retro Devils?

These are the new Manchester United home and away strips for next season - and they have gone back to the future.








Maybe...

Martin Rogers Column

It says a lot about Jozy Altidore’s first season in the English Premier League that his final action of the campaign – an immature and ill-conceived head butt – generated more attention than anything he did in the preceding eight months at Hull City.

Gabriele Marcotti's Column

I think I may have touched upon this before, but watching Bayern recently brought it all back. Footballspeak is filled with cliches and one of the absolute dumbest goes like this: "To win you need a strong spine. Your goalkeeper, your central defenders, central midfield and a strong centre-forward... no good team will be lacking in those departments!"

I can just see some grizzled cliche-merchant spouting it off on my TV or radio or filling column inches with this idiocy.

UEFA Champions League: Tuesday's Match Reports & Fallout

Lyon 0 - 3 Bayern Munich

Report I
Report II


Robin Hackett:
Lyon fail to provide true test of Bayern credentials

Barney Ronay: Bayern deserved finalists


Ribery banned for final

The Anfield dilemma – win over Chelsea could hand title to United

Liverpool's upcoming match against Chelsea brings back memories of Blackburn's visit to Anfield in 1995.

UEFA Champions League: Previews For Today's Match

What: Champions League Semi-Final Second Leg (0-1)
Who: Lyon vs. Bayern Munich
When: 2:45pm EDT
Where: Stade Gerland, Lyon, France
U.S. TV: Fox Sports Net
Preview I
Preview II
Preview III

Van Gaal tipped for Euro Glory

Top 10 Football Sex Scandals

In tribute to John Terry and the latest sordid headlines from France, Goal.com's Patrick Reilly ranks the most outrageous stories from down the years. With so many bad boys we could have done a Top 100...

Americans In The UK: Brad Friedel Bags Two Clean Sheets, Resurrects Villa's Champion’s League Hopes

Brad Friedel played very well on Wednesday, stopping efforts from Jan Vennegoor of Heselink and Kevin Kilbane, among others, as Aston Villa triumphed on the road 0-2 over Hull. Gabriel Agbonlahor and James Milner each tallied for the visitors.

The big keeper outdid himself on Saturday, making seven saves en route to 1-0 derby victory over Birmingham. The win keeps Villa's Champions League aspirations alive as they're now tied with Spurs for the final spot. On an individual note, Friedel also notched his 13th and 14th clean sheets of the campaign last week.

The Rest

Americans On The Continent: Title Spoiler

Michael Bradley and Borussia Monchengladbach held Bayern Munich to a point on Saturday, leaving them equal on points with Schalke and opening the title race up once more.

The Rest

Tim Vickery in South America

Without Colombian defender Luis Amaranto Perea, Liverpool may well have returned from last week's Europa League clash with Atletico Madrid with a vital away goal.

Perea made his name in another red shirt, that of Medellin back in Colombia, after first working at their stadium selling ice creams and in 2003 he was one of the star attractions in a side that reached the semi-finals of the Copa Libertadores.

Seven years later in the same competition Medellin have paraded a young defender with many of the same attributes. Leiton Jimenez has a similar slight build and like Perea, he is not great on the ball, but he has an excellent anticipation, recovers quickly, times his tackles well and takes responsibility for things around him.

Raphael Honigstein in Germany

Without the banned Franck Ribéry and maybe even a defence to speak of, Bayern Munich face a tough task in France tonight.

Bayern's appetite for adversity will feed their hunger against Lyon.

Sid Lowe in Spain

Even Getafe's president thinks his team are wet, but they showed huge cojones to keep their European hopes alive.

Getafe's 'bunch of mothers' prove their manliness in seven-goal Sevilla thriller.

Paolo Bandini in Italy

Ugly victory had been the calling card of Roma's 24-game unbeaten run but Sampdoria turned the story on its head at the Stadio Olimpico.

Sampdoria dissect Roma's unbeaten streak with clinical precision.

The WAGS are back for England

England coach Fabio Capello is set to do a U-turn and allow his players to mix with their wives and girlfriends at the World Cup finals - and could even sanction family barbeques to foster team spirit.

Race for fourth place in Premier League and final Champions League qualification place

As an electrifying battle for the fourth Champions League qualifying spot comes to its climax, The Telegraph analyzes the merits of the four teams still in the mix to claim the coveted final place at Europe’s top table.