Sports Category
Sports news, commentary and scores with wit and added value. We compare and contrast the best and worst sports reporting in the mainstream press, blogs, TV and online. We love the English Premier League (Arsenal, Liverpool, Spurs, Manchester United and Manchester City) and all things football but we cover cricket, rugby, the Olympics, tennis, golf, F1 and highlights of the sporting year.
Transfer Balls: Arsenal Want Fabregas For £35m But Cheslea Get Him For Much Less
TRANSFER Balls: It’s the Daily Fabregas, a round-up of expert views in the media.
The Daily Express says that Cesc is not yet a Blues player because – get his – billionaire sugar daddy Roman Abromaovich is worried about a £1million:
Chelsea’s move for Barcelona midfielder Cesc Fabregas is being held up because Roman Abramovich doesn’t want to see any of the fee go to Premier League rivals Arsenal.
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Posted: 11th, June 2014 | In: Arsenal, Chelsea, Sports | Comment
Transfer Balls: Not-For-Sale Marco Reus Rejects Manchester United For Barcelona And Arsenal, Maybe
TRANSFER Balls: How’s the summer been treating Marco Reus? Well. He’s out of the World Cup with an injury. But what about afterwards? Is he leaving Borussia Dortmund?
June 10, Daily Mirror: “Manchester United transfer rumours: Barcelona in for Marco Reus but Dortmund holding firm”
According to reports in Spanish daily Sport, United’s hopes of signing Borussia Dortmund star Marco Reus could be scuppered by Barcelona.
Could.
It’s reckoned that the attacker – who will miss the World Cup through injury – has agreed personal terms over a move to Camp Nou.
Reckoned.
Stella reporting from, the Mirror, there.
Can the Daily Star do better? Also today, is report:
He’s staying! Borussia Dortmund KO Manchester United’s hopes of signing Marco Reus
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Posted: 10th, June 2014 | In: Arsenal, manchester united, Sports | Comment
Transfer Balls: Sevilla Want £16.2m For Albero Moreno But Liverpool Want To Pay More
TRANSFER Balls: A look at Sevilla’s Alberto Moreno in the trusty mainstream Press.
On June 10, 2014, the Mirror announces that Liverpool have not signed Moreno:
Alberto Moreno – Liverpool transfer stalls as Brendan Rodgers refuses to meet Sevilla’s £18m asking price
At the same time, the Mail reports:
Liverpool close to sealing Alberto Moreno deal as Sevilla left-back jets to England after clubs agree £16.2m fee
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Soccerball Lover J-Lo Sings World Cup Song And Follows The Action On An App.
THE World Cup is days away and fully grown adults are trying not to vomit with excitement about it all. Women and men everywhere are only half listening to conversations and forgetting to chew their food before swallowing, thanks to the impending cavalcade of football in Brazil.
Of course, the World Cup is big business. Non-football fans will be bitching and whining on social media, talking about how desperately unfair it all is even though they could go to a pub which isn’t showing the football, or go for a walk which isn’t football related or, indeed, look at everything that isn’t football related on the internet, listen to music, watch the numerous TV channels that are showing Not Football and do something else in this gigantic universe that we have, along with all those other people who don’t like football.
However, you can have it both ways – just ask Jennifer Lopez.
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Posted: 10th, June 2014 | In: Celebrities, Music, Sports | Comment
Transfer Balls: Hazard Quits Chelsea In Private But Commits To Them In Public
TRANSFER Balls: Today the Press is full of news that Eden Hazard is not leaving Chelsea. It’s a no-news omniscoop.
The Manchester Evening News says Manchester United and Manchester City’s “hopes” of signing Hazard have been “dashed”. Indeed, as the Express notes:
Eden Hazard will snub PSG’s advances to sign a new deal at Chelsea.
The Mirror says there is not a chance Hazard will “100%” be staying at Chelsea.
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Transfer Balls: Messi Heads To Chelsea As Arsenal Man Fabregas Spins In Manchester United’s Revolting Door
TRANSFER Balls – with the Daily Fabregas.
The summer’s story so far: Fabregas has joined Chelsea (Daily Star) for £30m (Express) in a “done deal” (TalkSport); Chelsea don’t really want him (Irish Indy); he wants to play for Arsenal who do want him (The Sun); has agreed to join Manchester United (Express), who don’t want him (Mail) ; is wanted by Manchester City, who are “clear favourites” to sign him (Telegraph); but might join Liverpool (Mail). Oh, and in July 2013, Farbegas joined Manchester United (Daily Express) in a “secret meeting” – so secret no-one told Fabregas who carried on playing for Barcelona.
Now to today’s news:
Daily Star: “Arsenal legend Martin Keown not surprised by Arsene Wenger’s Cesc Fabregas snub”
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Posted: 10th, June 2014 | In: Arsenal, Chelsea, manchester united, Sports | Comment
Transfer Balls: Alvaro Morata Is Free To Arsenal, Spurs And Manchester United After Signing For Juventus
TRANSFER Balls: A look at Real Madrid’s Alvaro Morata in the British Press.
Today the Sun tells readers:
ARSENAL have been handed a massive transfer boost with the news that Alvaro Morata is free to leave Real Madrid.
Free?
Arsene Wenger has been hot on the heels of the Spanish Under-21 youngster for six months. And now the Gunners have been given the green light to make a move after Real boss Carlo Ancelotti revealed the club are happy to sanction the whizkid’s exit.
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Posted: 9th, June 2014 | In: Arsenal, Sports | Comment (1)
World Cup Balls: John Oliver Nails FIFA (Video)
SO. FIFA is not the hot bed of love and equality we thought it was. It turns out that football is run by greed. John Oliver told of his shock and dismay on Last Week Tonight:
The negative publicity has been so overwhelming that even some of the World Cup’s biggest and longest-serving sponsors, including Adidas and Sony, have expressed concern. “The negative tenor of the public debate around FIFA at the moment is neither good for football nor for FIFA and its partners,” a spokesman for Adidas told The Guardian. Perhaps corporate pressure will accomplish what mockery and muckraking have failed to do: convince FIFA to reform.
Revealed: The Dirtiest Teams In The History Of The World Cup Are Not South American
Argentina’s soccer star Diego Maradona, left, and West German goalkeeper Harald Schumacher with some wonderfully not-bitter France fans
ANDROS Townsend, the Spurs sub with five England caps tells readers of his Sun column:
“I don’t want to generalise but it’s usually the South American teams that resort to dirty tactics. And – at a World Cup – you have to be prepared for that.”
He doesn’t want to generalise. But he will. Those dirty Latins, eh.
But is he right?
No.
And, as this chart shows, the dirty teams don’t do well.
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Posted: 9th, June 2014 | In: Sports | Comment (1)
Transfer Balls: Arsenal And Barcelona Deal Means Chelsea Miss Out On Fabregas
TRANSFER Balls – in association with the Daily Fabregas, a look at reporting on the Barcelona player.
The Daily Telegraph says Chelsea aren’t all that keen on giving Arsenal money:
Arsenal could miss out on Cesc Fabregas payment in Chelsea transfer deal with Barcelona
They could?
Jose Mourinho’s team would prefer not to pay their Premier League rivals a percentage of any fee should they agree to sign the Spanish midfielder
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Posted: 9th, June 2014 | In: Arsenal, Chelsea, Sports | Comments (2)
Manchester United Balls: Mourinho Puts In A Better tackle at Old Trafford Than Smalling And Jones Ever Have
AT the Soccer Aid pro-am charity match, Chelsea manger Jose Mourinho makes his move:
@PL_Jokes quips: “Jose Mourinho putting in a better tackle at Old Trafford than Smalling and Jones ever have!! ”
Posted: 8th, June 2014 | In: Chelsea, manchester united, Sports | Comments (3)
Transfer Balls: Manchester United Sign Pogba To Partner Kroos As Chelsea Miss Out
TRANSFER Balls: Is Paul Pogba making a move from Juventus? Let’s se what the papers have been saying:
June 5, Manchester Evening News: “Pogba agent rules out Premier League return”
The Frenchman has been the subject of reports linking both United and City with a swoop, but is happy to remain with Juventus this summer.
Adding:
…the player’s representative Mino Raiola has now moved to end speculation over his client’s future. He wrote on Twitter: “My player Paul Pogba happy at the club.. He is not going anywhere.”
June 7, Daily Telegraph: “Manchester United unlikely to pursue former midfielder Paul Pogba”
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Posted: 8th, June 2014 | In: manchester united, Sports | Comments (2)
Transfer Balls: Lorenzo Insigne Will Join Arsenal If… Can You Guess?
TRANSFER Balls: The Press is talking about Lorenzo Insigne heading to Arsenal from Napoli. TalkSport calls him “Italy’s Messi” He must be good.
The Mirror reports:
[Agent] Antonio Ottaiano has declared: “We take into account the praising reports that Wenger has given about the player. We are honoured that a club like Arsenal could have Lorenzo on their wish list. I don’t see that there can be any further developments unless Arsenal speak to Napoli directly and Napoli change their view on Lorenzo’s role here.”
Well, quite. This just sound like an agent talking loudly in public.
But the Metro says:
Arsenal to make £17million Lorenzo Insigne bid – if he impresses at World Cup
The Mirror does as it always does and leads with a question:
Arsenal to buy Napoli’s Lorenzo Insigne after the World Cup?
This can be summed up: No. Betteridge’s law of headlines is an adage that states: “Any headline which ends in a question mark can be answered by the word no.”
And then the Star chip in with news that the story is balls:
Arsenal will have to move mountains to if they want sign Napoli ace Lorenzo Insigne
Does moving a mountain cost just £17m?
More Transfer Balls every day.
Transfer Balls: Eliaquim Mangala Heads To Manchester United Because He Likes London
TRANSFER Balls. A look at Eliaquim Mangala, the £35m-rated Porto central defender. As ever, the media’s aim is to link every top player with every top English club.
Last summer, the Mirror told us that Mangala was off to Barcelona. And the Star told us that this summer:
BARCELONA want to hijack Porto star Eliaquim Mangala’s proposed move to the Premier League.
The Metro added that Bayern Munich wanted the player.
Today the Guardian tells us that
Eliaquim Mangala would prefer Manchester United to Manchester City.
Oh, and:
Chelsea, Paris Saint-German and Real Madrid also on radar
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Posted: 7th, June 2014 | In: Chelsea, Manchester City, manchester united, Sports | Comment
Transfer Balls: Barcelona Pick Up Arsenal Genius Nicklas Bendtner On eBay
TRANSFER Balls: With cocky Nicklas Bendtner, newly “released” by Arsenal:
June 6, The Sun:
NICKLAS BENDTNER is being chased by FOUR Premier League clubs — with Hull the new favourites to land the Dane. Premier League new-boys Leicester and Burnley are keen, along with Crystal Palace.
June 6, The Indy:
Nicklas Bendtner transfer latest: Frankfurt and Stuttgart reportedly interested in Arsenal flop Nicklas Bendtner but wage demands could scupper any move to Germany
Can we trust the Indy, which cites Danish newspaper Ekstra Bladet as its source?
How much?!
The Mirror clarifies:
Arsenal misfit Nicklas Bendtner looking for £104,000-a-week deal at his next club
How much?!
In any case, the Dane is too to Newcastle United, as the Chronicle reported.
But they are all wide of the mark. As Yahoo recalls, the Dane is not shot of confidence:
“How do you envisage continuing your career?” he was asked by Danish publication Politiken.
“[At] Real Madrid or Barcelona,” came the instant answer.
Let’s hope they have an eBay account (see above).
More Transfer Balls every day…
World Cup Balls: Spurs Makeweight Andros Townsend Gives Arsenal And England Fans A Good Laugh
WORLD Cup Balls presents the wisdom of Spurs’ player Andros Townsend, now ‘writing’ for the Sun:
MISSING out on a World Cup is the most devastating thing in football. And it is good news that Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain should only sit out the opener against Italy.
As there is nothing more painful in the game than getting sidelined for the world’s biggest tournament.
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Posted: 6th, June 2014 | In: Arsenal, Sports, Spurs | Comments (6)
Transfer Balls: Fabregas Wants Arsenal Who Want Him To Play For Chelsea
TRANSFER Balls – more news from the Daily Fabreags. Following the Daily Star and TalkSports‘ “exclusive” news that Barcelona’s Cesc Fabregas has passed a medical and signed for Chelsea, the Mirror today tells its readers that, er, he hasn’t:
So. Jose Mourinho is “interested” in Fabregas. Well, so too as ManCity, Manchester United, Liverpool and Zenit St Petersburg , according to the Press.
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Posted: 6th, June 2014 | In: Arsenal, Chelsea, Sports | Comment
How To Get Americans To Watch Football During 2014 FIFA World Cup
HOW can football be sold to the Americans in time for the FIFA 2014 World Cup?
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Transfer Balls: Agent Fabregas Joins Chelsea To Help Arsenal
TRASNFER Balls: The Daily Fabregas.
Th story do far: the Barcelona player has been linked with moves for Liverpool, Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal. It’s a Transfer Balls Royal Flush: all the big clubs covered with not a single fact to support the links.
Now read on…
June 5, 2013, BBC: “Cesc Fabregas: Arsenal not pursuing Barcelona midfielder”
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Posted: 5th, June 2014 | In: Arsenal, Chelsea, Sports | Comment
The 2014 Ardbeg Peat Football Championship in St Andrew Square, Edinburgh
FACES of the day: Archie McDiarmid takes part in the Ardbeg Peat Football Championship in St Andrew Square, Edinburgh.
Posted: 5th, June 2014 | In: Sports | Comment (1)
Transfer Balls: Remy Joins Hulk At Arsenal As Chelsea And Spurs Twiddle Their Thumbs
TRANSFER Balls: Is Loic Remy still a QPR player?
On May 31, the Daily Star said he’s moved on:
Arsenal agree personal terms with QPR striker Loic Remy
On June 3, the IBTimes, said Remy was still at QPR. He was just part of a list of maybes on their way to the Gunners:
Loic Remy, Antoine Griezmann, Carlos Vela, Mari Mandzukic and Karim Benzema all heavily linked.
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Posted: 5th, June 2014 | In: Arsenal, Chelsea, Sports, Spurs | Comment
Transfer Balls: Arsenal Hijack Fabregas’ Chelsea Medical With £5m Add On
TRANSFER Balls brings you today’s update from the Daily Fabregas. Today the Sun leads with the news that the Barcelona players is wanted by…Arsenal.
But was waaaay back on June 1, that the Daily Telegraph stated:
Cesc Fabregas will not return to Arsenal from Barcelona as Arsene Wenger rules out £30m move
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Posted: 5th, June 2014 | In: Arsenal, Chelsea, Sports | Comment
Transfer Balls: Manchester United Will Buy Kevin Strootman When Old Trafford Freezes Over
TRANSFER Balls: A quick look at Manchester United and Kevin Strootman:
June 4, The Guardian: “Manchester United make Kevin Strootman a £30m January target”
Louis van Gaal has made Kevin Strootman a £30m January target for Manchester United – and the midfielder would be open to the move should Roma consider it, although there is yet to be any official contact between the clubs.
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Posted: 4th, June 2014 | In: manchester united, Sports | Comment
World Cup Balls: Liverpool’s Steven Gerrard Troubled By Hodgson’s Dad Dance
WORLD CUP Balls spots England training in Miami. Liverpool’s Steven Gerrard is being treated to a dose of Roy Hodgson’s tactical nous…
Spotter: Pies
