Arsenal’s Policy Means England Will Win The 2018 World Cup, Just Like Liverpool Did In 1978

Soccer – European Cup – Final – Liverpool v Club Brugge – Wembley Stadium. 1978.

ARSENAL Balls: Are English players more loyal to their English clubs than foreigners?

Arsène Wenger answers:

“When you buy a player from Barcelona at some stage he might want to go back because Barcelona is a big club as well.”

Take that, Cesc Fàbregas, you footballing mercenary.

Anorak

Posted: 18th, October 2014 | In: Arsenal, Liverpool, Sports | Comment

‘Loyal’ Ched Evans Offered £5,000 To Play For Sheffield United

SHEFFIELD United have offered “rapist footballer” Ched Evans £5,000 a week to play for them, says the Sun. Before his conviction for rape, Evans hads been earning £20,000 a week at the Yorkshire club.

A “source” tells the paper:

“He’s going to be loyal to them because the club’s stuck by him.”

Anorak

Posted: 18th, October 2014 | In: Sports | Comment (1)

Liverpool Balls: You’ll Never Believe Who Raheem Sterling Is Faster Than

HOW ‘tired’ is Liverpool and England’s Raheem Sterling? Is he more or less tired than the media chatter about how he felt not on top form before the England v Estonia game?

Today the Daily Mirror has news:

Revealed! ‘Tired’ Liverpool ace Raheem Sterling has sprinted further and faster than Prem rivals

Anorak

Posted: 17th, October 2014 | In: Liverpool, Sports | Comments (5)

Liverpool Balls: The Sun Offers Liverpool Fans A Free Shirt And 96 Reasons To Say ‘No’

THE Sun helped the police and Government spread the lie that the 96 Liverpool fans killed at Hillsbrough in 1989 were complicit in their own deaths. It would be years before the paper apologised. The Sun was not alone in its monstering of the football fans. It was just the most egregious example of how a lie oft repeated can became ‘The Truth’.

So. That was then. Now the Sun is all new and clean.

Anorak

Posted: 17th, October 2014 | In: Liverpool, Sports | Comment

Manchester City Balls: Players Move In To Rooms Above The Shop

MANCHESTER City’s stars will soon be spending the night before home matches sleeping at the club’s new training ground, the £200 million “City Football Academy” (CFA).

The City players will be the Premier League’s first team to live above the shop.

Anorak

Posted: 17th, October 2014 | In: Manchester City, Sports | Comment

Footballers Don’t Know How Much Milk Costs, And Other Shocking Facts

The Liverpool players celebrate with the FA Cup, and a bottle of milk each, in the dressing room after their 2-1 win: (l-r) Geoff Strong, Tommy Smith, Wilf Stevenson, Ron Yeats, Chris Lawler, Roger Hunt, Gerry Byrne, Peter Thompson, Tommy Lawrence, Ian Callaghan
Date: 01/05/1965

PEOPLE often wheel out the line about footballers being overpaid. Some of them are indeed, paid gigantic sums of money. Many will tell you that it is too much ‘to kick a ball around for 90 minutes’, but of course, those people are gasping simpletons.

Of course, there’s a lot more to being a footballer than turning up on a Saturday afternoon and running around for one-and-a-half hours. Either way, there’s no getting away from the fact that football has made some young men millionaires.

Mof Gimmers

Posted: 17th, October 2014 | In: Celebrities, Sports | Comment

Laura Barralies Might Be A WAG: Juventus Unveil New Journalist In Lads’ Mag Style

JUVENTUS are pleased to announce the recruitment of a new sports writer. She’s Laura Barriales. Is she any good?

Anorak

Posted: 15th, October 2014 | In: Sports | Comment (1)

Liverpool Balls: British Media Continues To Monster Luis Suarez

THE Daily Mirror leads with new that Luis Suarez has “twisted the knife” into Liverpool FC.

Is that really what Suarez did? Is he that hideous? Is he that heartless?

Luis Suarez claims Liverpool would not have made a title bid last season and booked a Champions League place without him.

Anorak

Posted: 15th, October 2014 | In: Liverpool, Sports | Comment

Serbia V Albania In Photos: The Drones, The Flares, The Fight And No Goals

SERBIA V Albania was action packed. Fans in Belgrade saw the Alabanian flag depicting a ‘Greater Albania’ flown over the pitch by a drone. The map claimed Kosovo as part of the Albanian dream. Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008. But Serbia says that doesn’t count.

Anorak

Posted: 15th, October 2014 | In: Sports | Comment

Liverpool Balls: Raheem Sterling Has Only 18 Hours Off A Week To Sleep, Eat And Call His Agent

IAN Wright adds his view to the Raheem Sterling story – the one about his being too ‘tired’ to start for England in Estonia.

IMAGINE walking into work one Monday morning ready for a 40 or 50-hour week.

Yeah, imagine how good that would be to no longer be on a zero hours contract. But Wright is not talking of living the dream. He talking of the nightmare:

Then think how you would feel if the boss suddenly decided that from now on he expected you to spend treble that time in the office.

Anorak

Posted: 14th, October 2014 | In: Sports | Comments (2)

Transfer Balls: Chelsea, Arsenal, Sami Khedira And A Bouncing Cech

TRANSFER Balls: Much talk about Sami Khedira, the Real Madrid and Germany player linked with a move to Arsenal and Chelsea.

The Mirror has news:

Chelsea have stormed ahead of Arsenal in the race for Sami Khedira – after it emerged that Real Madrid are looking to sign goalkeeper Petr Cech despite being linked with Manchester United’s David De Gea.

That entire story is based on the Daily Express. Yes, we know. The Mirror suipplies no link to the Express.

Anorak

Posted: 14th, October 2014 | In: Arsenal, Chelsea, Sports | Comment

Manchester United Balls: A Killer In The Hotel And The Newspaper Offices

THE Sun leads with news of Manchester United and the killer in the hotel.

Anorak

Posted: 14th, October 2014 | In: manchester united, Reviews | Comment

Ched Evans Turns Judy Finnigan Into A Monster

IS there anything that makes you think the Daily Mirror is not siding with Judy Finnigan in the matter of footballer and convicted rapist Ched Evans.

Judy appears to have put her face on upside down.

Anorak

Posted: 14th, October 2014 | In: Celebrities, Reviews, Sports | Comment

FIGHT! The Most Brutal Sporting Punch-Ups Ever

PROFESSIONAL sports (and amateur events) can, as we all know, get a little bit out of hand. Players pump themselves up for the occasion and, sometimes, all the wiring in the athlete goes wrong and that energy is transferred into violence.

This weekend, in Rugby League’s Grand Final, we saw super rivals Wigan taking on St Helens and, in the opening minutes of the game, Lance Hohaia found himself on the end of a beating from Ben Flower.

You can see the video below, along with some of sports most brutal punch-ups.

Naturally, this isn’t a positive endorsement of professional sportsmen punching the crap out of each other, but obviously, there’s something hair-raisingly exciting about it too.

That’s why we watch boxing.

Anyway, here we go with some of the most brutal, and in some cases, baffling fights in sports history. If you have a favourite, tweet us or tell us about it in the comments.

Flower vs Hohaia

As previously mentioned, Ben Flower did his Wigan team no favours after attacking Saints’ Hohaia in the Super League Grand Final on Saturday. One punch is deemed acceptable in rugby – the second one is the one that’ll tarnish Flower’s reputation.

Duncan McRae vs Ronan O’Gara

Rugby Union has had a fair number of dust-ups too, and one of the most notorious is the occasion when New South Wales played the British Lions, which saw McRae delivering a savage 11 punches to O’Gara’s face.

Meath vs Mayo

The GAA is essentially organised pain, so punch-ups are to be expected. However, the one that went above and beyond was the 1996 All-Ireland match between Mayo and Meath. Thing is, half of these lads will have had work the next morning.

Braves v Padres

There’s loads of baseball brawls to choose from, but the most notorious in the MLB is the Braves versus Padres. They didn’t just have one scrap – they basically fought each other for the whole game. Both Atlanta manager Joe Torre and San Diego manager Dick Williams were fined while four players and Williams got suspended. Even the fans got involved. Would you be daft enough to start a fight in a place where there are that many baseball bats lying around?

Tuilagi vs Ashton

Manu Tuilagi is a handy lad as it is, but in the Leicester-Northampton semi final in 2011, he received a yellow card for his assault on Chris Ashton. Tuilagi was later given a 5-week ban for his punch.

Aussie Rules Sleeper Hold

Brian Lake, one of the most talented Aussie Rules footballers of his generation, got into a tussle with Drew Petrie. In Hawthorn’s match with North Melbourne, Lake decided to strangle Petrie on the pitch. For ages. Lake was charged with misconduct by the AFL Match Review Panel. If it was any other sport, you can only imagine the punishment that would’ve been handed out.

Todd Bertuzzi v Steve Moore

Ice Hockey prides itself on its rucks, but there’s one punch that resonates more loudly than any other. Mention Todd Bertuzzi to anyone who watches hockey, and chances are, they’ll wince. In 2004, Bertuzzi was found guilty of criminal assault for causing actual bodily harm for the suckerpunch that fractured three of Moore’s vertebrae and ended his NHL career.

Maradona vs Bilbao

Tired of being kicked-around, Diego Maradona let out his darkness while playing for Barcelona against Bilbao. This is one of the most well-known fights in football, and for good reason.

Malice at the Palace

The Indiana Pacers took on the Detroit Pistons in a match that would become known as the ‘Malice at the Palace’. There’s a scuffle on the court, which ends up moving into the stands, with Ron Artest fighting members of the crowd. Absolutely insane.

Ivan Rovny v Gianluca Brambilla

Cycling is a ruthless and cruel sport, but there’s not many fistfights. That’s why everyone was so shocked when Rovny and Brambilla started trading blows in the 16th stage of the Vuelta a España. As if they hadn’t put their bodies through enough.

Mof Gimmers

Posted: 13th, October 2014 | In: Key Posts, Sports | Comment

Transfer Balls: Arsenal Take £12m Loss On Mesut Ozil For Not Playing Him In The Middle

TRANSFER Balls: Is Mesut Özil on hio way out of Arsenal?

The Guardian has news:

The Rumour Mill wouldn’t presume to know, but talk elsewhere suggests the German international is fed up with being played out of position by his manager Arsène Wenger and wants to move elsewhere in January. Currently sidelined for up to three months with a knee injury, reports suggest the 25-year-old from Gelsenkirchen could be the subject of a £30m bid from Bayern Munich during the next transfer window.

If he gors the rumours are that the Gunerns will use the cash to buy Real Madrid’s Sami Khedira, Borussia Dortmund’s central defender Mats Hummel,  Schalke’s No10 Julian Draxler, Paris Saint-Germain’s  Adrien Rabiot keep the cash and sign a few cheap and very talanted youth players who can be trained and then sold to rival clubs?

The Daily Mail says Oxil is off to Bayern Munich for £30million. Ozil joined the Gunners for £42.5million last summer. Will they take huge hit on the player? Seems unlikely. But the Mail says the languid German is keen to leave Arsenal.

The Football Grapevine understands the Germany star has grown increasingly unhappy at the Emirates, not least because he is not being played in his preferred forward floating role by Arsene Wenger.

Anorak

Posted: 13th, October 2014 | In: Arsenal, Sports | Comment

Liverpool Balls: ‘Tired’ Bighead Raheem Sterling Is No Diehard ‘Rested’ Leighton Baines

AN update on the Balls written about Raheem Sterling, the Liverpool tyro who admitted to England manager Roy Hodgson that he was not feeling on top form.

Anorak

Posted: 13th, October 2014 | In: Liverpool, Sports | Comments (2)

Liverpool’s Raheem Sterling Is Not Nearly As Tired As Alan Shearer, Robbie Savage And All Cloth-Eared Pundits

LIVERPOOL FC’s Raheem Sterling is a bright talent. He’s a great prospect for England. So. Time for the media pundits to get on his back and apply the pressure. He’s 19. He can handle it. Right?

The story goes that Sterling was “too tired” to start for England in Estonia. (He appeared as 64th minute substitute. Sterling it was who drew the foul that led to Wayne Rooney’s goal in a hard-fought 1-0 victory.)

Anorak

Posted: 13th, October 2014 | In: Liverpool, Sports | Comment

Transfer Balls: Manchester United’s Paul Pogba Dreams Of Arsenal, Wants Chelsea, Hunted By Liverpool But Moves To Manchester City

TRANSFER Balls: Is Paul Pogba heading to Manchester City. The Times says City are weighing up a move for the former Manchester United player, now with Juventus.

And he’s heading to the Etihad. Well, maybe:

Pogba, 21, has established himself as one of the top young players in Europe since leaving Manchester United for Turin two years ago and City are understood to have identified him as one of a number of possible midfield targets.

Such as…?

Ross Barkley is another option being considered by City, who inquired in June about the prospect of signing the Everton and England midfielder, only to be quoted a £50 million fee.

Anorak

Posted: 11th, October 2014 | In: Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, manchester united, Sports | Comment

Transfer Balls: Julian Draxler To Arsenal When The Question Marks Are Answered

TRANSFER Balls: a look at rumour and nonsense reported as fact in the mainstream media.

The Daily Mirror does at it must and presnts a non-news story as a question:

Arsenal to pay Julian Draxler’s £37m release clause?

The entire story – as picked up by Google News –  is this:

Arsenal may pay Julian Draxler’s £37million release clause in January as they look for cover for the injured Mesut Ozil. (Express)

Anorak

Posted: 11th, October 2014 | In: Arsenal, Sports | Comment

Transfer Balls: Chelsea, Liverpool And Raheem Sterling In Classic Reader Sting

TRANSFER Balls: A look at utter drivel being passed off as football news in the mainstream media. The Daily Express has a question:

Chelsea lining up sensational £48m bid for Liverpool’s Raheem Sterling?

The cunning is to make a statement and end it with a question mark. But what to drive-by Liverpool and Chelsea fans actually learn?

The 19-year-old midfielder is currently negotiating a new deal with Brendan Rodgers’ side, but it is believed that the two parties are far from close to agreeing terms.

Anorak

Posted: 10th, October 2014 | In: Chelsea, Liverpool, Sports | Comment

Manchester United Hardman Roy Keane Beats The Living Daylights Out Of Chelsea’s Jose Mourinho

BY now you’ll be wondering what former Manchester United captain Roy Keane has been up. How’s the anger? Are the dogs well?

Anorak

Posted: 10th, October 2014 | In: Chelsea, manchester united, Sports | Comment

Transfer Balls: Arsenal Pay More For Edison Cavani Than Chelsea Paid For Him

TRANSFER Balls: Can it be that the Gunners are going to buy Edison Cavani?

The Daily Express tells its readers today:

Arsenal are working on a deal to try and sign Edinson Cavani.

Anorak

Posted: 9th, October 2014 | In: Arsenal, Chelsea, Sports | Comment

Spurs Balls: Harry Redknapp Almost Signed Viera And Luis Suarez, Says Harry Redknapp

QPR manager Harry Redknapp  has his latest book serialised in the Daily Mail.

Having talked utter balls about racism and Manchester City, the media’s favourite man on the inside explains who he signed Luis Suarez for Tottenham Hotspur from Ajax in 2011. Oh, no. Sorry. How he nearly signed Luis Suarez for Spurs had Liverpool not signed the brilliant Uruguayan.

“Despite all that has happened in his career since, one of the biggest regrets of my life in management is not taking Luis Suarez to Tottenham when we had the chance.”

Anorak

Posted: 9th, October 2014 | In: Sports, Spurs | Comment

Football Is A Cipher For All Social Ills: Kevin Pietersen Is Lucky He Plays Cricket

WRITING in the Times, Rory Smith looks at Kevin Pietersen and how football isn’t allowed to be a sport but seen as cipher for social ills:

Picture the scene. On the back of a particularly disappointing World Cup, one of the most gifted English footballers of all time is told, in no uncertain terms, that he will no longer be required by his national side, no matter what sort of form he is in. For almost a year, he holds his silence, keeping the game’s omerta under considerable legal duress.

Then, when he finally speaks, he lacerates almost everyone he came into contact with over the course of his decade-long international career. He lays bare a dressing room culture poisoned by gargantuan egos, riven by cliques, where younger, less experienced players are ruthlessly intimidated by senior professionals, but at the same time reveals a host of his own mistakes, his disinterest, his sensitivity, so easily confused with self-absorbed vanity.

He does not quite use that vintage Partridgean phrase – “needless to say, I had the last laugh” – but the whole memoir comes across as a brazen act of self-apologism, designed to skewer the reputation of his enemies and bolster his own self-image. It is a sordid, distasteful business, made worse when it emerges that factions within the Football Association were keeping a dossier of his behaviour, applauding his goals at the same time as sharpening a knife to plunge into his back when the moment comes.

And then imagine the tone with which each tawdry detail would be revealed and swallowed. Imagine the think-pieces in the newspapers about football’s rotten soul and the diatribes about these unimaginably wealthy young men who seem to encapsulate everything that is wrong and classless and twisted about modern society.

Imagine the disdain. Imagine the phone-ins detailing how football has lost its common touch, how detached it has become. Imagine the clucking Surrey dinner parties in which footballers are proscribed as awful, repugnant beings, not the sort of people you would wish to be associated with at all. Imagine the subtext of us and them, of old money and new, of Persimmon estate and council estate.

…

Kevin Pietersen has a book out. You might have noticed. What you will not have noticed is the phenomenon described above. You will not have noticed the issues he has raised being used to tar the image of all cricketers. You will not have noticed the creep into using the Pietersen case as a cipher for something more. You will not have noticed the subtext that these are rich, spoiled young men, and that they would handle their money and fame an awful lot better if only they were a little better educated.

This is because cricket – and rugby, and the Olympic disciplines – are not held to the same standards as football.

He’s spot on.

Read it all – it’s worth the entrrance fee…

Anorak

Posted: 8th, October 2014 | In: Sports | Comment