Diary Of A Sky Sports Soccer Saturday Reporter

Over the years I've learned not to turn Sky Sports down whenever they offer me work. But there are rare occasions when I've just had to say 'Sorry, No, I can't do it'.

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Can Wolves claw themselves away from mediocrity?

Two wins from two has seen Wolves make their best start ever to a premier league season, with striker’s Doyle and Fletcher catching the eye, the wolves faithful can surely expect a season which offers more than a bottom half slog. Over the years the words indifferent, inept have all marred the clubs performances, with the weakened side sent to Old Trafford being the perfect example. But signing’s like centre half Johnson and creative thinker O’Hara have proven to be shrew business, so can Mick McCarthy’s side take their giant killing mentality to clubs in and around themselves?

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Can Juan Mata?

Sitting in the Matthew Harding stand at Stamford Bridge last weekend something was blindingly obvious – Chelsea desperately need a creative midfield player.

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Referees need to bite back

All of those decisions are excellent examples of the approach referees should take to acts of dissent: zero tolerance. But officials are still given too much space for leniency, too much leeway to decide to 'let the game flow', or, as Howard Webb would have it, 'not wanting to spoil the game'.

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Pub Quiz – English legend, 70’s Trivia and Rory Delap

What type of quizzer are you? Do you sit drunk and clueless in the corner? Or are you halfway to Nerdsville with a tank top on and a smart-arse smile? Can you admit to watching Eggheads - even if only in a moment of weakness? No matter which category you fall into – try our pub quiz and prove to yourself that the years of watching and talking about footy have not been a complete waste of time. But please try not to cheat, for as my headmaster used to say “You’re only cheating on yourself”, which ironically is not what his wife said to him, when she caught him in congress with his secretary.

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Splash the Cash Arsene - Or Give It To Us!

So the 'Fabregas Saga' has finally and boringly come to a close ( although the Nasri one may still rumble on longer ), Eboue has gone and Arsene Wenger has now amassed a pretty impressive war chest to spend on new signings. And after a dismal home defeat to Liverpool, and yet another red card, he may have to splash the cash quicker than he anticipated to bolster his suspension hit squad.

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This week on To the Lane and Back

It has been a hectic week this week for To the Lane and Back. First competitive game of the season (at last) ITK’s galore and the first of our new feature ‘The view from the oppo.

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More Sending Off's Than Points

Not surprised by the result, I thought we would loose 3-0, yet total disappointment.......

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The Italian's Job

How do you define the strength of a league? Perhaps the success in European competition or the quality of player that can both be attracted and retained can give an indication? Or the amount of money that foreign countries are prepared to pay to watch it? On all counts, Italy is struggling, a marked change from 20 years ago.

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What do Andy Carroll and David De Gea have in common?

After yesterday’s performance, this is a question I have to ask. I’m sure, for all Liverpool fans, this is tantamount to sacrilege for me to question Kenny Dalglish’s judgement in the transfer market but nonetheless I have to do it. I know we’re only two games into the season but thus far, other than the last 20 minutes of yesterday’s game, I’ve not seen Liverpool play anywhere like they did in the latter half of last season. In both cases, Carroll was not playing for the most part. Carroll huffed and puffed and pushed and bundled his way through the game with precious little to show except another disallowed goal following another questionable attempt to win the ball.

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Saturday Gossip & News Round Up @ Mata on “verge” of Chelsea switch, Jagielka happy at Everton, Aguero can handle pressure

Blackburn boss Steve Kean has denied having a row with El-Hadji Diouf, but does admit the controversial Senegalese international is likely to leave before the close of the transfer window.

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Kun Falcao prove there is life after Aguero at the Vicente Calderon?

Die hard La liga followers will acknowledge that Athletico Madrid have now been lampooned with the label of a ‘feeder club’, despite winning the Europa league, players such as Jurado,, Simao, Aguero and De Gea have all left respectively over past seasons. Thus, it is fair to say selling has well and truly become embodied within the clubs DNA. 

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How hard can football be?

The slightest mis-control or bad pass can infuriate footballing fans and can lead to a chorus of boos as the players leave the pitch at the end of a match. Whilst watching football it all looks so easy, and it's just as easy to criticise players because you believe they should be playing better; but is the game really that difficult?

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Thursday Round Up @ Torres a dormant star? Diary of a Sky Sports reporter, Lukaku turns to the Drog

On 31^st January 2011 the British transfer record was smashed by Chelsea, signing Fernando Torres for £50million on a five-and-a-half year contract. That same day Andy Carroll’s move from Newcastle to Liverpool for £35million made him the most expensive British footballer in the game.

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Fernando Torres – The Dormant Star

On 31^st January 2011 the British transfer record was smashed by Chelsea, signing Fernando Torres for £50million on a five-and-a-half year contract. That same day Andy Carroll’s move from Newcastle to Liverpool for £35million made him the most expensive British footballer in the game. At first glance Chelsea had signed one of the world’s most prolific goal scorers for only £15million more than Liverpool’s deal for a young unproven 22 year old striker. Carroll’s inexperience is illustrated by the fact that he had only one season of Premiership experience.

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