latest articles by paul bestall
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/ 5819 days agoStarting In May On EPL Talk: World Cup Legends
Last year, I was lucky enough to do a fabulous series on English football legends, which saw me delve back through history to cover 11 players that perhaps never get the credit they deserve. Football is such a fickle sport that these days, people forget just how many great players passed through the annals before […]
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/ 5819 days agoThe England Outsiders #4. The Midfielders
It was often said through out much of the last ten years that England's midfield was its strongest point. With Beckham in his pomp and Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard ably assisted by a constant rotation of players wedged in to the left midfield position, it often felt a little hollow. In the big games, […]

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/ 5834 days agoThe Battle For Control At Arsenal Reaches The Next Level
After nearly two years of shadow boxing, the camps of Stan Kroenke and Alisher Usmanov are about to start to the real battle for control of the Gunners. Arsenal's 4th largest shareholder, Lady Bracewell-Smith is looking to sell her 15.9% share and his retained the U.S. based brokers Blackstones to find a buyer. With both […]
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/ 5846 days agoThe England Outsiders #3. The Centre Halves
Well it's not been the best season for either of England's first choice centre halves so far. Enough has been written about John Terry's problems and Rio Ferdinand's chronic back injury to have caused meltdown on Google through searching for both issues. Thankfully, Terry's form seems to be picking up again and Manchester United seem […]
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/ 5846 days agoWest Ham's Owners Expect Miracles From Mud
If there's one positive about David Sullivan's outburst last week, such was the reaction to it, he'll hopefully keep quiet until the end of the season. It's a tricky situation when you're a chairman of a club struggling at the wrong end of the table, but sometimes, you've got to keep quiet. In Sullivan's case, […]
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/ 5852 days agoEverton Continue To Be Overlooked
You've got to feel for David Moyes and the never ending injury situation at Goodison Park. Since they finished fourth in 2005, it seems every season starts in December due to the injury affliction that seemingly curses the Toffees. Thankfully, we're past the days when teams blamed gypsy curses for bad luck or injuries. I […]
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/ 5859 days agoFabulous Fulham Send The Old Lady Crashing Out Of Europe
European football occasionally throws up the odd freak result, but sometimes you witness a display of football brilliance so sharp it takes your breath away. Tonight, Fulham dazzled and displayed such panache against the tottering giants of Italian football, Juventus, that you had to check that things had really happened. For a side who are […]
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/ 5860 days agoThe England Outsiders#2 Full-Backs
With less than 3 months to go until England's first group game against the U.S.A on June 12th in the World Cup and one particular pair of positions are causing more problems than anyone envisaged. At full strength, the English full-backs picked themselves with Ashley Cole easily making a case for being the best left […]
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/ 5862 days agoHull City Search For A Hero
In a strange yet understandable move, Hull City Chairman Adam Pearson has removed Phil Brown from his position as manager at the struggling side. It strikes me as strange as Brown has been moved on after an impressive, if limited, performance against Arsenal on Saturday. Removal after the dismal showing against Everton the week previously […]
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/ 5869 days agoCan The Glazers Really Be Forced To Sell Manchester United?
And so it begins in earnest. After months of pressure being to filter through from fan groups, the last few weeks have seen Manchester United fans begin to turn up the pressure on the Glazer family. Do not be fooled by people giving this anti-American slant, this is not about such trivial matters as nationality. […]
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/ 5873 days agoWhere Now For Steve Bruce And Sunderland?
14 games without a Premiership win would be worrying for several sides, but when you've spent the best part of £50 million to improve the team, 4 months without a win is disastrous. When Bruce took the reigns at the Stadium of Light in the summer, the club had survived a dreadful season which had […]
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/ 5873 days agoThe England Outsiders#1 The Goalkeepers
The halcyon days of the 60's, 70's and 80's were apparently a boom time in England's glorious history of great goalkeepers. From the benchmark that was the great Gordon Banks and his understudy, Peter Springett, to the rotation of Ray Clemence and Peter Shilton in the 70's and early 1980's, England always had a top […]
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/ 5876 days agoThe Outsiders Chasing A Place In The England World Cup Squad
Tomorrow sees that magical mark of 100 days until the 19th World Cup begins and the chase for places outside of the main names is really beginning to hot up. Fabio Capello will probably have a definite idea of around 10 names who will certainly be on the plane to South Africa injury willing. James, […]
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/ 5882 days agoChelsea Are Fast Becoming An Off Field Joke That Could Ruin England's Summer
The Marquis De Sade was never short of a quote or two, but one that currently could be applied to certain members of Chelsea's first team squad at the current time sprang to mind after today's latest off field crisis at Stamford Bridge. "Lust is to the other passions what the nervous fluid is to […]
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/ 5882 days agoCan Joe Hart Become England's Number One?
With just over 15 weeks left until the 19th World Cup begins in South Africa and one player is making a real case to force his way in to the starting line up. Joe Hart could have been put out by Manchester City signing Shay Given last January, a smack in the face for his […]