Jonathan Wilson, the inimitable scholar of tactical mechanics with his recent Inverting the Pyramid: A History of Football Tactics (a book I included in a piece on tactical reductionism for this website) has made a very convincing argument why English Premier League clubs have come to dominate the Champions League in the last four seasons. […]

And then there were five. With one FA Cup Quarterfinal yet to be played (Arsenal v Hull City, to be played on either the 17th or 18th of March per the BBC), Sunday afternoon the FA Cup Semi-Final draw was held. Both matches will be played at Wembley Stadium April 18th or 19th for a […]

Thanks to early first half goals from Didier Drogba and Carlos Tevez, Chelsea and Manchester United weakened the will of their opposition and saw out relatively elementary victories to advance to the FA Cup Semi-Finals. Yea, Coventry City then Fulham folded up cheaper than any cheap tent or umbrella. If you woke up early Saturday […]

Tuesday and Wednesday bring a full slate of Premier League action to us as the reverse fixtures of the opening weekend are played. Tonight I'll preview Tuesday's action, tomorrow night I'll preview Wednesday's action. Remember all times are Eastern. Portsmouth v Chelsea (2:45 pm live on Fox Soccer Channel). Portsmouth have had plenty of time […]

It's the first of March and although there is everything to be decided, you can smell it in the air. This could be the year United do what hasn't been accomplished by a British club since Celtic in 1967: winning the League, FA, and European Cups, in addition to the Premier League trophy. Yet as […]

On Friday, during my game previews, Sam wondered how Wigan could score? Today, Chelsea gave us an answer, complacency. For much of Wigan's trip to Stamford Bridge, it was Chelsea on the back foot. Completely against the run of play, John Terry put Chelsea ahead twenty-five minutes in. Before that, Chelsea saw Wigan have five […]

I'm happy Guus is not as thrilled about Chelsea's 1-0 win as I am. A bit of a side bar before I get into the news tonight. Chelsea are extremely lucky they are a goal to the good heading into their Champions League second leg. For starters, I don't believe Didier Drogba's goal should have […]

The delicious mind-game between former Premier League rivals Jose Mourinho and Alex Ferguson didn’t disappoint yesterday afternoon. Whether making sure each player wore the correct shirt to the organizing their players in a way to enhance the scoring of goals, these two towering geniuses of the modern game proved beyond a doubt they are football […]

Chelsea's first leg clash with Juventus is all about one man, Claudio Ranieri. The manager who was first fired by Roman at Chelsea, after getting one season, knew he was a lame duck and insists the fact he didn't give up shows the character he has. For a man who thinks he did ok, he […]

For over half a century, the UEFA Champions League is the championship that European teams aspire to win. Although the modern competition has been competed for since 1992, the competition in its previous format has been played for each year since 1955. It has become known worldwide as one of the most prestigious trophy competitions […]

Tomorrow night sees a meeting between two of Europe's best coaches in the Champions League when Alex Ferguson's Manchester United travel to Milan to face Jose Mourinho's Inter side. Mourinho's magic touch is still continuing in his current spell in Italy, with one trophy already safely stashed away with the SuperCoppa and 3 more on the horizon […]

So Kevin Nolan will now face a three match ban for violent conduct, after his dreadful tackle on Victor Anichebe in today's match, but I don't think it's sufficient punishment for such a bad challenge. It's about time that the Premier League and the F.A. clamped down on such challenges more often. His team mate […]

In many ways, the opening rounds of the Champions League tournament this season has simply been a dress rehearsal before the most competitive stages which begin on Tuesday when Arsenal battles Roma, and Manchester United plays Inter Milan, just among two of the matches. Out of all of the matches involving teams from the Premier […]

Sorry Drogba, but I have to call BS on this one. After spending this season doing more sulking than any professional football player should be allowed to do by law, and in a week where Marseille's president has said he wants Drogba back, Didier Drogba has attempted to shut people up by saying he wants […]

I wonder why Sir Alex Ferguson waited until tonight to say what he said, when he had every opportunity to do so last week. Then again, he always has had a knack for waiting until the points were in the bag before opening his mouth (see Kevin Keegan and Rafa Benitez). Fergie waited to damn […]