Aram Gumusyan

Numerous reports have one-time wunderkind Robinho fleeing Manchester City for Santos, the legendary Sao Paolo club where his career began. The loan deal could see Santos youngsters Paulo Henrique Ganso or Neymar don sky blue. Manager Roberto Mancini has stated that, while concerned about a lack of depth at forward, he would not stand in Robinho's way. While […]

President Barack Obama's favorite footie club, West Ham United, could undergo a radical identity change if the club's new vice-chairman has her way. Karren Brady, who was appointed vice-chairman of the Hammers by the new joint chairmen, David Sullivan and David Gold, just this month, fancies the idea of changing the club's venerable, and 110-year-old, name from […]

The Guardian posted a poll asking its readers whether Manchester United should have kept Carlos Tevez. A surprising majority said 'yes.' Can this be chalked up to the fickle feelings of fandom? Or is it sincere affection for the man who scored 37 goals in all competitions while wearing red? For all of the Glazer […]

Tuesday's Manchester Derby, doubling as the first leg of the League Cup Semi-Final, was sleepy for certain stretches but produced plenty of encouraging highlights for supporters of both sides, including: Antonio Valencia. After receiving a gorgeous pass from Patrice Evra, thoroughly embarrassed Craig Bellamy, first with a neat nutmeg, then with a sensational step-around to […]

Sir Alex Ferguson's face flushing red on a frosty winter's day. Emile Heskey returning from an injury. Xavi and Iniesta gently stroking the ball back and forth to one another to the rising applause of the Catalan faithful. Steven Gerrard's wife. The sweet smell of bacon, beans and eggs permeating the pub on a matchday […]

Ireland's loss may be football's gain. Fifa may fast-track the approval of an additional assistant referee on each goal line in time for next summer's World Cup in South Africa. This system is currently being tested in the Europa League. As we well know, on-the-spot human judgment is not perfect, but an additional referee positioned by […]

Nike is a relative newcomer to the boot game. What Nike has lacked in substance they've usually made up in style. Their autumn ad campaign channels Irvine Welsh's finest prose by asking us to choose; choose control, choose speed, choose accuracy, choose touch or choose 5-a-side. I chose control, specifically Nike's CTR360 Trequartista AG. Trequartista; can a pair […]

England may have gone down to Brazil this past Saturday but they sure looked sharp in defeat. Call me old-fashioned, call me Wilford Brimley if you must, but England currently rock the finest football shirts on this here planet Earth. Flying in the face of modern trends, their simple collared white shirt features nothing more […]

Another day, another dive. With a stilted Liverpool trailing a frisky Birmingham City at Anfield late, David N'Gog (pronounced like "own goal") sensationally split two defenders while charging in from the left. N'Gog then almost blew past Lee Carsley, but Carsley slid towards him, grazing the ball while managing to avoid any contact. N'Gog leapt, […]

Traditional terrace tipplers still mouthing up their marmite at the news that Newcastle's St. James' Park will henceforth be known as sportsdirect.com@St. James' Park Stadium will be further aghast to learn that Chelsea would consider cashing in on Stamford Bridge. We are not too far off from Ethan Armstrong's vision here at EPL Talk of sponsored songs and […]

Saturday's snoozy session between Manchester United and Blackburn Rovers turned Old Trafford into a literal Theatre of Dreams. Even the linesman sailed off to the Land of Nod, for what other excuse could there be for deeming Rovers sub Nikola Kalinic offside when he banged in Edwin Van der Sar's deflection off a Benni McCarthy […]

Did Mike Jones blow the call? Yeah, sure. I suppose it could be also be argued that Darren Bent struck the ball flush, that it's path was not diverted by the beach ball and that Pepe Reina should have kept his eyes on the more important ball. But the question of far more importance is […]

The missus and I were in Boston this past Saturday afternoon with some time to kill, so I thought we'd try and find a place to catch the West Ham v Liverpool match. Our journey began in Cambridge, around Harvard Square. Perhaps it's because the kids at that institution are too busy planning winter break […]

After what sounds like an absolutely epic appeal by Arsenal worthy of a Hague courtroom, UEFA has overturned Eduardo's two-match ban for diving. How you feel about the decision likely has a lot to do with your thoughts on whether such punishments are truly effective deterrents to such nefarious acts. UEFA's decision may also be […]