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 Buy Benzema On A Wenger Whisper
THE Daily Star’s Colin Harvey says “Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger drops MASSIVE hint about imminent Karim Benzema bid”.
Because if there is one thing we know about Wenger it is that always hints about players he is going to buy. This is the man who told us:
“I read some transfer rumours in the newspapers and they are all wrong. All of them. So you do not even need to ask me one name – they are all wrong.”
Read the rest of this entry »
Transfer Balls: Schweinsteiger Becomes Manchester United’s Fourth Bayern Munich Capture
HOT on the heels of Mike McGrath’s scoop that Bayern Munich were keen to sell Arjen Robben to Manchester United (no, they’re not), comes today’s Sun sensation:
LOUIS VAN GAAL will turn to Bastian Schweinsteiger to kick-start his Manchester United revolution.
That’s the Bayern Munich star, who will leave the best side in his native Germany to play for an English team that failed to reach the Champions’ League. Wow! Go on:
Van Gaal has given his new club a list of targets including the German as he looks to raid Bayern Munich.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted: 25th, May 2014 | In: manchester united, Sports | Comment
Transfer Balls: Robben Follows Kroos To Manchester United On A Golden Turd
IT’S too early award the Golden Turd Cup for the most bullshit transfer story of the season. But the Daily Mail’s Chris Wheeler is going to be a hard scribe to beat. On May 21, Wheeler announced that Manchester United had signed Toni Kroos and were in for his Bayern Munich teammate Arjen Robben:
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted: 24th, May 2014 | In: manchester united, Sports | Comment (1)
QPR Fans Outside Loftus Road With Their Tickets For The Match Against Chelsea In 1970
QPR V Chelsea on February 15 1970:
A group of youths outside Loftus Road, the Queens Park Rangers football ground in London, with their tickets for the match against Chelsea.
Transfer Balls: Toni Kroos Snubs Manchester United After Signing For Them
WHAT really happened with the Toni Kroos to Manchester United story?
Today the Sun says that the Bayern Munich star has “snubbed” Manchester United:
So. Kroos turned down United.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted: 23rd, May 2014 | In: manchester united, Sports | Comments (2)
Transfer Balls: Diego Costa Joins Chelsea For £80m And Lukaku Scratches His Head
TRANSFER Balls: Anorak’s seasonal look at the bilge and to-deadline guesswork passing for news in the mainstream media. Today the Telegraph reports:
Chelsea are already hopeful of signing the Atlético striker Diego Costa
Indeed, as the Tele reported on April 15th:
Chelsea closing in on £80 million Atlético Madrid striker Diego Costa
Read the rest of this entry »
Transfer Balls: Chelsea Sell Luiz To Barcelona And Also To PSG
TRANSFER Balls looks in on Chelsea’s David Luiz.
The Telegraph reports:
“Chelsea have agreed to sell David Luiz to Paris St. Germain for a fee which could approach £40million, and may make the shaggy-haired Brazilian the most expensive defender in the world. The two clubs are currently in negotiations over the precise fee but the London club are satisfied the offer from PSG will be too valuable to turn down, and have agreed in principle to the sale, which both sides would like to conclude this weekend.”
Read the rest of this entry »
Transfer Balls: Toni Kroos Agrees To Join Manchester United And Then Doesn’t
SO. Is Toni Kroos going to Manchester United? Just two days ago the Daily Express stated that the deal to take the German star from Bayern Munich to United had been done.
It was a fact. We had read it in the Express:
MANCHESTER UNITED have agreed a deal with Bayern Munich for attacker Toni Kroos
Should cynics think the Express‘ scoop utter balls, we pointed you to Express editor Hugh Whittow’s message to the Leveson Inquiry:
“we don’t twist anything. We just present the news of the day.”
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted: 23rd, May 2014 | In: manchester united, Sports | Comment (1)
Arsenal Balls: Sagna Takes The Silver And Runs To The Manchester City Cashpoint
HAS Arsenal’s Bacary Sagna left the club?
All these headlines are from today:
Daily Mail: “Bacary Sagna on brink of signing for Man City after agreeing £150,000-a-week deal at the champions from rivals Arsenal
Read the rest of this entry »
Manchester United Balls: Release The Van Gaal Journobots
Ajax Manager Louis Van Gaal talks to the press. Date: 01/11/1995
DUTCH newspaper NRC have called on their many years’ experience of treading on eggshells around the notoriously volatile Louis van Gaal in press conferences to provide their British colleagues with ten golden rules to follow when interviewing the new Manchester United manager to avoid having their danglies torn off…
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted: 22nd, May 2014 | In: manchester united, Sports | Comment
Manchester United Balls: Toni Kroos Signed For David Moyes But Stayed At Bayern
YESTERDAY, the Daily Express told its readers that Toni Kroos had signed for Manchester United. That story was picked up all over the mainstream media. All the story lacked to make it ring true was: a quote from the player or his agent; a fee; a statement from either club, one of which trades on the New York Stock Exchange, where investors might be interested in what would be a multi-million dollar investment; and any named person willing to go on the record to corroborate the Express‘ scoop.
Amongst the paper of record repeating the Express’ ball was the Daily Mirror, which reported “United have agreed deal in principle with Bayern for midfielder Toni Kroos”.
One day on, and the Mirror reports:
Man United target Toni Kroos will NOT be offered improved contract at Bayern, hints club president
Well, no. He’s already agreed a deal with United. Right? The Mirror then adds:
The German international is a long-term target for the Red Devils, and is unlikely to get the deal he wants from the Bundesliga champions
Unlikely? What happened to “won’t”?
Want to hear what Bayern president Karl Hopfner told German magazine Kicker? Here goes:
“Kroos is under contract until 2015. There will certainly be more talks. But eventually the player has to say what he wants. We will not overstep certain financial limits.”
So. Kroos remains a Bayern Munich player. Or as the Mail says today:
A £20million deal for Kroos was agreed when David Moyes was still in charge at Old Trafford and his successor, former Bayern coach Louis van Gaal, has said the move can go ahead.
Such are the facts in the season of transfer balls…
Posted: 22nd, May 2014 | In: manchester united, Sports | Comment
Liverpool Balls: Hands Up Who Wants Luis Suarez To Miss The World Cup
THE Daily Suarez: A look at the Liverpool star in the news:
The Liverpool Echo picks up the news that Suarez is injured:
Liverpool FC star Luis Suarez looks set to be a major doubt for the World Cup after the Uruguayan hitman suffered a knee injury whilst training with his national team according to reports in his homeland. Uruguayan journalists tweeted the news early this morning and it looks the 27-year-old is set for surgery on his meniscus, which will make him a major doubt for the tournament in Brazil.
The Mail calls this “a direct boost to England’s chances of progressing out of Group D”.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted: 22nd, May 2014 | In: Liverpool, Sports | Comment (1)
Manchester United Balls: Toni Kroos Agrees A Deal Then Discusses It Later
Bayern’s Toni Kroos lifts the trophy on the town hall balcony after winning the German Soccer Championship after the season’s last home game between FC Bayern Munich and VfB Stuttgart, in Munich, southern Germany, Saturday, May 10, 2014. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
IN today’s instalment of Transfer Balls, the Express says Manchester United have bought Bayern Munich’s Tony Kroos. The headline states:
MANCHESTER UNITED have agreed a deal with Bayern Munich for attacker Toni Kroos
And it’s all true because in January 2012, Express editor Hugh Whittow told the Leveson Inquiry:
“we don’t twist anything. We just present the news of the day.”
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted: 21st, May 2014 | In: manchester united, Sports | Comments (2)
Transfer Balls: Arsenal Force Liverpool To Sell Suarez To Madrid
TRANSFER Balls, in association with the Daily Suarez: today the Express reports that Real Madrid have told to pay £40m if they want Karim Benzema. Real need the money to fund a bid for Suarez.
The reason behind the Spanish side’s reluctance to let Benzema depart on the cheap stems from their desire to sign either Liverpool’s Luis Suarez or Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted: 21st, May 2014 | In: Liverpool, Sports | Comments (4)
Madeleine McCann Spotted In Turin
DID you see Madeleine McCann at the Europa League Final in Turin between Benfica (Portugal) and Sevilla (Spain)?
They did.
This is mad at the Porto match nd she has that same thing in her right eye as maddie McCann! pic.twitter.com/5ukxvjl3ZB
— Aiden Hoffman (@aiden_hoffman) May 14, 2014
People actually think this is Maddy McCann? I recon she might’ve grown over the years she’s been missing pic.twitter.com/Wzu3NkoEjT
— Fray Charles (@FraserMarshall1) May 15, 2014
Woah did anyone else just see Madeleine McCann in the stands then? pic.twitter.com/KTdjPLd41D
— Alex Head (@AlexJHead) May 14, 2014
Madeleine’s parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, dignified this utter balls with a statement:
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted: 20th, May 2014 | In: Madeleine McCann, Reviews, Sports | Comment
Manchester City Balls: Yaya Toure To Get Two Birthdays A Year And A Going Home Present
IS Yaya Toure considering leaving Manchester City? Yes, says the Telegraph. And it’s “because the club failed to wish him happy birthday”.
Let’s repeat that. The man paid a fortune to play for Manchester City is going to leave the club because they did not wish him Happy Birthday. As jubilant City players gave manager Manuel Pelligrini the bumps, did Toure reel with envy?
When the fans sang..
Yaya wherever you may be,
you are the saviour of Man City,
you can have a Beer on my Settee,
cause we won the Cup at Wem-b-ley
…all Toure wanted to hear was “Happy Birthday”.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted: 20th, May 2014 | In: Manchester City, Sports | Comment
Transfer Balls: Luis Suarez Leaves His Kids In Liverpool As He Heads To Real Madrid
WILL this summer be another season of Luis Suarez transfer rumours? No say these Liverpool FC experts:
Daily Telegraph, March 4, 2014:
Liverpool striker Luis Suárez vows to stay at Anfield no matter whether club qualifies for Champions League
Although Ayre admitted that Liverpool’s remarkable success in the Premier League this season could see the vultures circle around Suarez in the summer transfer window, with Manchester City and Real Madrid understood to be monitoring the Uruguayan, the managing director insisted that the club is not in the business of selling its star assets.
Speaking to Uruguayan TV channel Canal 10, the new PFA Player of the Year said: “Don’t worry, nothing is going to happen to me. I’m very happy here and my family is happy here.
Liverpool FC boss Brendan Rodgers is confident there will be no repeat of last summer’s Luis Suarez transfer saga as he insisted: “I know he’s very happy here.”
Daily Telegraph, May 16:
Luis Suarez: Liverpool are one of the best clubs in the world – I love it here. Premier League’s leading scorer says he has no thoughts of leaving Anfield for Real Madrid or Barcelona despite persistent rumours of a move away
LUIS SUAREZ has committed himself to a renewed title challenge with Liverpool by enrolling his four-year-old daughter in a Merseyside school.
LUIS STAYS!!!!!!!
In other news…
May 20, 2014:
Such are the facts…
Posted: 20th, May 2014 | In: Liverpool, Sports | Comment (1)
Arsenal Balls: Wenger Sings For 1 Year, Two Years And 3 Years, Say The Experts
SO. Arsene Wenger is signing up for more Arsenal. What do we know about the contract? Well, noting. The club and their trusty manager are in private negotiations. Still, the papers do like to get a march on the facts. Some even make them up:
Years: 3
Money: £22.5m
Read the rest of this entry »
10 Ways The Football Association Turned The FA Cup From Magic To Tragic
THE Football Association had a rude awakening earlier this year, when chairman Greg Dyke’s blueprint for English football was unceremoniously snubbed by the powerbrokers of the Premier League.
The FA may be sidelined and neutered, but they can’t take away its heritage. For the simple reason that the FA itself has been doing the job itself.
Nowhere is this more obvious than at the FA Cup Final – the jewel in the association’s crown.
Of course, the days are long gone when it was one of the few live televised games, shown simultaneously on BBC and ITV, and most of the population sat down to watch.
Nevertheless, the FA have done their best to destroy as many of its USPs as possible, and in the process they have turned this stately landmark of the sporting calendar into an event that resembles a less classy and prestigious version of the Championship play-off final.
Read the rest of this entry »
Manchester United Balls: Ryan Giggs Plays For Salford Boys
MAY 2 1985: Manchester United great Ryan Giggs turns out for the Salford Boys team:
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted: 19th, May 2014 | In: Flashback, manchester united, Sports | Comment
Manchester United Balls: Ryan Giggs Plays For Manchester City Boys In 1989
MAY 2 1989: Ryan Giggs stars for Manchester City Boys at the English schools trophy final:
Posted: 19th, May 2014 | In: Flashback, manchester united, Sports | Comment
Everton Balls: Ross Barkley Is Better Than Rooney And Any Player Who Has Ever Played For Liverpool
ROSS Barkley is in the England World Cup squad. What can we expect to see from the Everton midfielder? That question to you Chris Bascombe in the Daily Telegraph, who replies:
‘The 20-year-old is routinely described as potentially the finest footballer to emerge through Merseyside’s junior ranks, a freakishly talented hybrid of those who came before. At his best, he possesses the dynamism of Wayne Rooney, the burst of pace of a young Michael Owen, a left foot like Robbie Fowler, right of Steven Gerrard and close control of Steve McManaman.”
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted: 19th, May 2014 | In: Sports | Comment (1)
Transfer Balls: Arsenal, Spurs And Everton Are All Favourites To Sign James Milner
SO. How are Arsenal going to kick on from FA Cup glory? The Telegraph and Mail says the Gunners have £100m to invest in new players. And the Times identifies the first name though the door. It’s… Manchester City’s James Milner.
The Times says the Gunners are to offer around £10m for the blond Ray Parlour.
The Guardian says this is true:
Arsenal lead race as James Milner tells Manchester City he wants to leave
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted: 19th, May 2014 | In: Arsenal, Manchester City, Sports, Spurs | Comment
FA Cup Balls: Arsenal Win And Get Slagged Off By BT Sport’s Danny Baker
DANNY Baker’s FA Cup final tweets should make for an interesting topic for his meeting with his bosses at BT Sport.
BT paid to broadcast the Cup Final. On its website, Chris Charles whipped up the punters:
If Saturday’s FA Cup final is anything like as exciting as the final few weeks of the Premier League season, you might need a lie-down after you’ve watched the action unfold live on BT Sport. Back in its rightful end-of-season slot, English football’s showpiece event between Arsenal and Hull City (BT Sport 1, 4.15pm) promises to be a classic contest between two sides desperate for silverware.
Read the rest of this entry »
