Football journalism

Amazed they haven't tried charging the press an admission fee to actual games yet tbh

all voices to be overdubbed by Brian Sewell

press shd retaliate by refusing to name them - use references to "a medium-sized northeastern club" - or any of the players in any match reports

A self-respecting media would've done this the first time Ferguson or whoever banned reporters. Ideally they'd just pretend they didn't exist - 3-0 walk overs for whoever the opponents are that week, a GSTQ-style blank in the league table, girl-with-monkey on screen for three minutes during motd.

who is more obsequious, sports journos or royal correspondents?

It was possible to script the narrative of Arsenal exhibiting time-honoured failings, chiefly the one about coming up short when the prize is in sight. They were passive in the second-half. They looked tired. After the 1-1 home draw against Everton on Sunday, this was another bad result and, next up for them, is Manchester City away on Saturday lunchtime. It is all going wrong … David Hytner

Aw c'mon, I mean I know you need to find an angle and I know a touch of hyperbole gets readers going - but maybe give it a week before unleashing this sort of challops?

David Hytner had AVB sacked last week didn't he?

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/12/sports/soccer/ray-hudson-mixes-soccer-calls-with-awe.html

love the dour sad sacks in the comments, people are jealous of ray

Okay, this is awesome

“Cristiano awakens his sleeping sword of destruction — and it is Excalibur!”

"Messi, merciless, like Kathy Bates with that sledgehammer."

Lol yeah, that @liverayhudson account is fantastic value

"1-0, Pandev. "Pandev emerges from the shadows and Dracula, on a plate of liver, feasts!"

they might be funny written down but he is genuinely impossible to listen to

The past year or so has seen the resurgence of the out-and-out centre-forward – Robert Lewandowski, Falcao, Gonzalo Higuaín, Asamoah Gyan, Olivier Giroud

Admittedly I haven't seen much any UAE football but that seems like typical Wilson throwing in Gyan's name amongst that company.

Ha! Just looked up his stats. 53 goals in 48 appearances!

Guardian doing their best 100 footballers of 2013 thing. Nice to see that Kagawa had a better year than Javi Martinez.

got Nesta on the voting panel though, even the ILF Awards can't compete with that

Wonder where Emmanuel Mayuka will be this year.

Shinji Kagawa is no longer a footballer. He's an idea. And it's only gotten more powerful

A one year away from MLS Frank Lampard better than Isco as well. Madrid have missed a trick there.

Nice to see Conca on there. I've still seen no evidence that he actually exists.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1893299-ranking-the-10-coolest-teams-to-support-in-world-football

Conca probably isn't the best player at Guangzhou Evergrande atm. Elkeson has had an amazing season. xp

FC St. Pauli are perhaps the closest thing to a cult in world football, with their fans up there with the most diehard in world football. The punk-rock-esque club also proudly boast one of the biggest female fanbases in world football due to their anti-racist, anti-homophobic and anti-sexist nature.

Dan Talintyre's had a worldy there

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25488518

kompany in garth crooks' team of the week

Juventus have joined the queue of Serie A clubs ready to take Tottenham misfit Erik Lamela back to Italy.

The club record £30million summer signing has yet to score in the Premier League.

But the Argentina winger has a good reputation in Italy, where he made his name with Roma.

Rafa Benitez’s Napoli want to take him on loan, while Inter Milan could do a swap deal for striker Fredy Guarin.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/tottenham-transfer-news-juventus-join-2957008

HIGHEST TROUSERS

Cardiff's popular alpha male Vincent Tan turned out for his first match since seeing off Malky Mackay in defiant garb: beltline higher than ever, with shades, replica top and leather gloves completing this season's must-have look.

>>>>>> the observer's football staff

Top 10 Epically Expensive Transfers of 2013
From: HuffingtonPost.com

FA Cup third round: 10 talking points from this weekend's action

7) Is Everton's eagerness to get rid of Jelavic wise?

It is clear why Everton want Nikica Jelavic off their wage bill after a patchy season and a-half in front of goal, but until Roberto Martínez finds a replacement, the Croatian's departure would leave Apostolos Vellios as the only back-up to Romelu Lukaku in attack at a key stage of the season. Graham Chase

• Match report: Everton 4-0 QPR

Despite Rafael’s development into a highly-rated attacking full-back, there remain concerns over his defensive capabilities, particularly when dealing with high balls into the far post.

Right-back is not a ‘must-do’ in January, but long-term targets would be Borussia Dortmund’s Lukasz Piszczek and England right-back Kyle Walker.

Also goes on to suggest they buy either Lescott or Vermaelen this month.

terrifyingly plausible tbh

Marco Reus, Ilkay Gundogan, Fabio Coentrao, Paul Pogba and Arturo Vidal are among the names in circulation at Manchester United.

They are the kind of reinforcements David Moyes will need if United are to challenge once again for the Barclays Premier League title.

Aside from their wage demands, here are the two questions they will be asking of United’s chief executive Ed Woodward:

When is Wayne Rooney signing a new contract?
And when is Robin van Persie going to play again injury-free?

As someone who used to be on first page google search results for both robin and rapey van injury, i personally would like to lol at some of the utd supporters, the ones who think 2 decent seasons meant he was cured.*

*oh wait, lj is on the first page for robin van injury

'aliardiere'

aliardiere was surprisingly good last season. Has regressed to mean this season tho.

well that league title van Persie won Utd is some consolation. Obviously that memory will have to serve us for a quite a while though

Of the many refinements Manuel Pellegrini has added to this team a level of composure that nearly topples off the scale is awesome to observe.

Que?

Eh had similar thoughts last night tbh, the patience/confidence to play/hold/keep the ball in and around the box is a rarity in epl terms and possibly historically so? Like if arsenal played on a pitch without goals, say, but with callous end product

I agree with the sentiment, was just a bit wtf at how it scanned.

From the same article, I found this quite interesting / ominous (I missed the pre-match build-up)

A distaste for holding midfielders was a topic of conversation in the Tottenham camp before the game. Tim Sherwood and Les Ferdinand had argued against the impact of such a strategic player. Sherwood's suggestion that a midfield shield is "overrated", and Ferdinand's opinion that Claude Makélélé began some kind of negative chain reaction in English football

A belief is a belief but as she points out, going into a game against this City team with this ^ kind of attitude just looks like straight incompetence.

Oh good grief penfold

Is Capoue any good as that? Was hard to tell last night, with the red card immediately after he came on. I ask because he's supposed to be for sale, Lucas is crocked, but we're only being linked with more forwards.

Yeah hes good

Sandro is great tho

And livermore was fine as backup

Dembele no, bentaleb no, like them but its never a good role for them nor for them to be in for the team

lol penfold reference way over my head old feller, if you're gonna zing then please stick to references from '90s or later just so I know what's what.

How long's Paulinho out for? Don't really know how Bentaleb has got a starting spot in this team given the other midfield options available.

It was the look in Joe Hart’s eyes as he ran down the tunnel at the end, the look of a dedicated professional who has total belief in his team-mates’ ability to sweep opponents aside. It was the look of a man who knew Manchester City have become an irresistible force and was going to do everything to keep that momentum rolling, rolling towards the title. City are on a mission, burning with a hunger to reclaim the Premier League trophy.

P sure henry Winter can turn out this guff in his sleep.

Its not zing its despair

But i mean things arent going ..... that badly

Tactics is a nonsense, bill?

Balls.ie names achill rovers site funniest irish sports writing

Balls.ie otm obv

too much time on .ie