Arsenal must look for help at home

In 1930, Herbert Chapman, one of the most successful, innovative and forward thinking football managers in the history of the beautiful game, signed a young Austrian goalkeeper called Rudi Hiden for Arsenal. The transfer was about as unlikely as today’s Arsenal manager, Arsene Wenger, signing an English player, for international transfers, in the 1930’s, were almost unheard of.

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Is Joey Barton a hero or a villain?

Whilst there have been many players who have gained the marmite status with football fans over the years (Robbie Savage), the most compelling of those has got to be Joey. The regrettable actions over the weekend have further enhanced this debate once more. Whilst Barton’s poignant tweets about George Washington have displayed intelligence, his theatrical tumble has again shrouded him in controversy. 

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Not the glorious return we wanted, but the return we needed...

Manchester United earn all three points after going down to a dodgy goal. Joey Barton and Alex Song find themselves reigniting an old flame. Arsenal still look wasteful in the final third. And Fernando Torres still looks way off that £50 mark despite his best efforts this weekend.

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Diary Of A Sky Sports Reporter

One of the bonuses of not covering a Premier League match for Sky is that there aren't too many foreign players on view. I've got nothing against overseas footballers, it's just that some of them have outrageous long names, which can make even the most competent broadcasters sound like tong-tied idiots.

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Premiership Review N - S

On the face of it, Newcastle’s pre-season looks like an unmitigated disaster.  Their captain has been sold, other star performers have vented their frustrations at the way the club in run on Twitter as well as three players being refused entry to the USA for the pre-season tour.  Not exactly what you call plain sailing.

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'Premier League Preview: Maynard Chew-ses City for the Title

After three long months the Premier League returns this weekend with Manchester United vying for their 20^th domestic title.

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Welcome to 2011-12

It always feels like the longest 10 weeks in history when the football season’s finished. Just what is there to do over the summer? The only thing to read about is transfer rumours dreamt up by the club’s tea lady, or how your favourite stars sandcastle skills seem to be dwindling to say the least.

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Passionate Premier League Fans

Watching an English premier league match, involving one of these big teams in a public viewing centre in Nigeria is always very interesting and challenging. There are always large turnouts of people at these venues occupying every available space, sweating profusely for lack of sufficient ventilation.

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(Another) 2011/2012 Championship Preview (with predictions and odds)

Clichés become clichés for a very good reason; the fact that they have a solid grounding in reality and truth. Usually anyway. Thus, the cliché that the Championship (no marketing here) is the most hotly contested and difficult league to predict has an element of truth to it. However, certain patterns can be deduced.

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Self Destruction or Re-Construction: A Newcastle United Story 

2 years ago today, the proud Toon Army were preparing themselves for the inaugural match of the Coca-Cola Championship after falling victim to relegation from the Premiership, nobody believed it until it would happen, but fans and pundits alike were awestruck when the Tynesiders faced the drop. Not even the prodigal son Alan Shearer could save them from dropping out of the top tier of English football.

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Bargains So Far

You never know if a transfer will come off. There have been so many flops and so many bargains every single season. So, here is my attempt at picking out some of the best buys so far.

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Half the World Away

The pre-season tour is a summer ritual that every club takes part in to improve match fitness and to ensure that new additions to the team have a chance to gel with the existing members.

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Hugh's the Man

Having recently been instated as Birmingham City boss, Chris Hughton has been handed the task of guiding the Blues back to the big time – a feat he succeeded with Newcastle United just two seasons ago.

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Life is still the same for long-life Gradi as he marks 70

Back in the summer of 1983, Dario Gradi was offered a route back into club football management after being cast into the wilderness as a result of failure at Crystal Palace. That June, he embarked on an unbelievable journey that begins its 28^th year at Gresty Road in charge of Crewe Alexandra.

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It’s not so grim up North!

There are always winners and losers in the transfer market and although the window has not been open for long, so far those up North are doing well. Newcastle and Sunderland have started this new window positively, especially the Black Cats, with a flurry of recent signings. 

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