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Transfer Balls: Barcelona’s Fabian Schar Joins Arsenal From Basel After Rejecting Borussia Dortmund

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TRANSFER Balls – a look at bad media reporting on footballers. The Daily Star has an “EXCLUSIVE. News is that “Arsenal and Spurs set for January battle for Swiss defender Fabian Schar”.

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Posted: 21st, September 2014 | In: Arsenal, Sports | Comment


Transfer Balls: Arsenal Buy Rabiot Twice From PSG And Once From Roma

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TRANSFER Balls:  Are Arsenal buying PSG’s Adrien Rabiot? The Mirror says they are.

The Mirror also says Arsenal face competition from Roma, Milan and Juventus.

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Posted: 19th, September 2014 | In: Arsenal, Sports | Comment


Savage Balls: Manchester City Should Breaks The Rules, Chelsea Buy Success And Liverpool Didn’t Win

TALKING Balls: The BBC’s football expert Robbie Savage is talking about Manchester City in the Daily Mirror.

Robbie Savage column: Arsenal, Liverpool and Man City can forget Champions League Final win already

One game into the Champions’ League and Savage delivers a rousing speech that only Chelsea should bother turning up for the tournament’s remaining games.

Best league in the world or not, the opening statements from England’s clubs in the Champions League this week were an embarrassment.

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Posted: 19th, September 2014 | In: Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Sports | Comment


Transfer Balls: Edinson Cavani To Arsenal Unless Manchester United Or Liverpool Place A Big Bet

TRANSFER Balls: Arsenal are the “shock” favourites to sign PSG’s Edinson Cavani. Well, according to the Daily Star they are.

How does the Star know this? Because it’s called Paddy Power to get the odds on a betting market that must be in the single digits and calculated that the Gunners are now the “bookies favourite to land the Uruguayan” next year.

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Posted: 19th, September 2014 | In: Arsenal, Sports | Comment


Chelsea Balls: Is Badge-Kissing Cesc Fabregas The Most Fickle Man In Football?

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GOOD old Cesc Fabregas. He’s the Spanish footballer with Barcelona “DNA”, Arsenal in his heart and Barcelona in his blood. He’s Cesc Fabregas, the the self-declared Arsenal fan (“I will always be an Arsenal fan”), who agitated for a move to Barcelona – who said “my whole family are Barcelona supporters”; who said in 2011, “If some day I leave Arsenal it will never be to sign for another English team. I’m very sure”.

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Posted: 18th, September 2014 | In: Arsenal, Chelsea, Sports | Comment


Transfer Balls: Arsenal Sign Swansea’s Wilfried Bony For Less Than Spurs And Liverpool Bought Him For

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TRANSFER Balls: The Daily Express reveals that Liverpool, Arsenal and Tottenham are in for “£19m target Wilfried Bony”. The headline ends a little esoterically: “CONFIRMS interest.”

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Posted: 17th, September 2014 | In: Arsenal, Liverpool, Sports, Spurs | Comment (1)


Arsenal Balls: ‘Danny Welbeck’s Feet Are In The Wrong Place’

Arsenal's goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny lifts the ball after Dortmund's Ciro Immobile, scored his side's opening goal during the Champions League group D soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and Arsenal in Dortmund, Germany, Tuesday, Sept.16, 2014. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Arsenal’s goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny lifts the ball after Dortmund’s Ciro Immobile, scored his side’s opening goal during the Champions League group D soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and Arsenal in Dortmund, Germany, Tuesday, Sept.16, 2014. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

 

ARSENAL were out-thought, outfought and outplayed in Borussia Dortmund. They were also out-scored, losing 2-0.

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Posted: 16th, September 2014 | In: Arsenal, Sports | Comment


Talking Balls: Manchester United Falcao Is ISIS Nutjob Shakir Wahiyib: Arsenal’s Ozil To Munich

TALKING Balls: A look at media reporting on Arsenal’s Germnan midfielder Mesut Ozil and Manchester United’s Radamel Falcao.

The often straw-clutching CaughtOffside says Ozil is heading to Bayern Munich for £32m. The Guardian picks that up and reports it.

Number of direct quotes cited: none.

Number of sources cited: none.

Facts to support headline: none.

 

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The site Fanatiz calls Ozil a “flop”. Is he? Well, no. He isn’t. It’s just that for £41m, you expect more.

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Posted: 15th, September 2014 | In: Arsenal, manchester united, Sports | Comment


Arsenal Balls: Mathieu Debuchy Injury Leaves Arsenal With Just 11 Defenders

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ARSENAL Balls: Mathieu Debuchy has an injured ankle. How long will he be injured for?

Daily Mail: We don’t know.

The Telegraph: Two months

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


Proof That Match of The Day Favours Boring Arsenal And Hates Exciting Aston Villa

MATCH of the Day is most football fans’ first chance to see what their team got up earlier in the day. The BBC’s flagship football programmes starts late on a Saturday Night. And most often than not it starts with Arsenal:

 

 

Most popular clubs on Match of the Day (Aug 2013-)

Most popular clubs on Match of the Day (Aug 2013-)

 

 

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Posted: 14th, September 2014 | In: Arsenal, Sports | Comment (1)


Arsenal Balls: ‘Blame’ Arsenal And The Pope For Signing Danny Welbeck

ARSENAL Balls: So. Why did Arsenal spend £16m to sign Danny Welbek from Manchester United?

The Daily Star knows.

David Woods says Arsenal players convinced Wenger sign Welbeck:

 

 

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Posted: 12th, September 2014 | In: Arsenal, Sports | Comment


Arsenal Balls: Wenger Bought Danny Welbeck From Manchester United By Accident

ARSENAL Balls: Media reporting on Arsene Wenger’s attitude to Danny Welbeck is utter drivel.

The Metro leads with the news that Arsenal didn’t want to sign Welbeck. Incredible as it seems, you can spend £16m on human flesh without meaning to:

 

 

Scan

 

Clearly, Manchester United’s Louis Van Gaal was not crash hot on Welbeck given that he had more expensive and experienced alterntives. You don’t leave players who cost a weekly wage far in excess of Welbeck’s on the bench.

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Posted: 12th, September 2014 | In: Arsenal, Sports | Comment


Arsenal Balls: Gunners Moved To Sign ‘Fabregas’ 6 Times

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ARSENAL Balls: The Gunners are looking to sign the NEW Cesc Fabregas. As the Metro thunders:

Arsenal line up £9.6m transfer deal for ‘new Cesc Fabregas’ Sergi Samper’

Huzzah! Arsenal fans can now watch as the team bring on a budding young talent who then tells them his heart lies in Spain before leaving and returning to play for Chelsea.

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


Transfer Balls: Marco Reus Joins Arsenal For £20m, Manchester City For £25m And Manchester United In January

TRANSFER Balls: Is Marco Reus heading to Arsenal, Manchester City, Manchester United or Real Madrid? Is she staying at Borussia Dortmund? Let’s see what the Daily Star is saying:

The Star has an “exclusive”.  It says Manchester City and Arsenal will fight for Reus.

 

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Paul Hethertington says “exclusively” – that Reus is Manchester City’s “top target”.

He’s fit again now though and has a buy-out clause in his contract which can be activated by any offer above £25 million from next summer.

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Posted: 9th, September 2014 | In: Arsenal, Manchester City, manchester united, Sports | Comment


Transfer Balls: Arsenal Sign Adrien Rabiot Then Sell Him To Roma To Smash Manchester United’s Kevin Strootman Bid

TRANSFER Balls: A look at the utter rot passed off as fact in the mainstream media. Today, the Daily Express has news for Arsenal fans: Paris St-Germain are looking to offload midfielder Adrien Rabiot to Roma. PSG are after Roma’s Kevin Strootman, 24, who is also a target for Manchester United.

Regular readers of Tabloid Balls readers will recall that The Metro said Rabiot was already an Arsenal player.

 

metro rabiot

 

 

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Posted: 8th, September 2014 | In: Arsenal, Chelsea, manchester united, Sports | Comment


Transfer Balls: Manchester United Sign Arsenal Target Juan Cuadrado Who Agreed Barcalona Deal

TRANSFER Balls: A look at talkSport’s reporting on “Manchester United and Arsenal target” Juan Cuadrado.

Today talkSport has a boast:

Manchester United and Arsenal target Juan Cuadrado is on the verge of signing a new contract with Fiorentina… talkSPORT told you last week that Cuadrado had been offered a new deal by the Serie A side and it now appears that those talks have been progressing well.

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Posted: 8th, September 2014 | In: Arsenal, manchester united, Sports | Comment


Arsenal Balls: Giroud And Arteta Sign New Contracts And Leave Arsenal

ARSENAL Balls: A look at media reporting on Arsenal FC.

Today the Daily Mail reports that Arsenal are offering new contracts to Olivier Giroud and Mikel Arteta. The Mail also reported that same fact back in July.

In July the Times told readers that Arteta was for sale:

Arsenal are holding out for £6 million for Mikel Arteta after Fiorentina made an approach to sign the midfielder who has entered the final year of his contract….The 32-year-old Spaniard is unlikely to be offered a contract extension by Arsenal, who are trying to do their business early in the transfer window.

The Independent says Arteta is definitely leaving in the summer of 2015 because no new deal is in the offing.

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Posted: 7th, September 2014 | In: Arsenal, Sports | Comments (2)


Transfer Balls: Arsenal And Manchester United Woo Virgil van Dijk’s Girlfriend From Celtic

TRANSFER Balls: Arsenal are going to fight Manchester United and Manchester City for Celtic’s Virgil van Dijk. No, really. We read it in The Metro. Today that paper reports:

Arsenal still keen on January move for Celtic’s Virgil van Dijk

Come again? Arsenal are still keen on buying Virgil van Dijk in January, which is still a few months away? Which begs the question: if they are that keen on him, why didn’t Arsenal buy him in the two-month long transfer window that just shut?

Arsenal are hopeful of sealing a January move for Celtic’s Virgil van Dijk after the Gunners missed out on a transfer deadline day deal.

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Posted: 6th, September 2014 | In: Arsenal, Sports | Comment


Arsenal Balls: Jack Wilshere In War Of Words With Jamie Redknapp And Robbie Savage

ARSENAL and England midfielder Jack Wilshere has been talking about Jamie Redknapp, the Sky TV (owner R. Murdoch) and Daily Mail pundit whose dad Harry Redknapp manages QPR.

The Times (oer R. Murdoch) says Wilshere is “furious with Jamie Redknapp”.

Jamie Redknapp made the to-deadline opinion that Wilhere would soon lose his place in the Arsenal team.

The Times says Wilshere replied:

“I listen to the people who I work closely with. With all due respect, I think Redknapp should have a little bit of respect and understanding — he was injured more than I was. It’s easy for someone to go on television and say: ‘He should be doing this, he should be doing that.’ But, if you look back, he was injured just as much as I was. Maybe more than I was. And he was never injured at my age as well. It takes a lot of mental strength to come back. I don’t need that. I listen to people like the boss here and Gary Neville, people who talk a lot of sense and can help me with my game. I’ll take criticism, it’s part and parcel of football. But when it’s just reckless and aggressive, I don’t listen.”

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Posted: 6th, September 2014 | In: Arsenal, Sports | Comment


Transfer Balls: Arsenal And Manchester United Make Top Secret Moves For Barcelona’s Marco Reus

TRANSFER Balls: Is Borussia Dortmund’s Marco Reus heading to Arsenal to Manchester United? Or what about Barcelona, Real Madrid or Atletico Madrid?

The IB Times’Eduardo Fernandez-Abascal  reports:

Real Madrid have secured first refusal on Arsenal and Manchester United target Marco Reus next summer, according to reports in Spain. The German international’s future at Borussia Dortmund has been questioned in recent weeks after it was revealed he had a special release clause in his contract which allows him to leave the team in summer 2015 for as little as £25m ($15m, €18.9m) [sic].

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Posted: 5th, September 2014 | In: Arsenal, manchester united, Sports | Comments (2)


Transfer Balls: You’ll Never Believe Who Arsenal, Spurs, Liverpool, Chelsea, Yeovil And Manchester United Didn’t Bid For

TRANSFER Balls: Did Arsenal, Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool, Spurs or Yeovil (did we leave any out?) bid for Dutch striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar? The Daily Express has a scoop:

 No Arsenal, Liverpool or Tottenham bid for Klaas-Jan Huntelaar.

Yes. The Express saays that no club bid for Huntelaar. Yeah, not even Bounemouth made a cheeky bid.

Ben Jefferson spells out the facts:

 

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This is the same Ben Jefferson who told Express readers that Liverpool and Araenal were going to war for the Dutchman:

 

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Posted: 5th, September 2014 | In: Arsenal, Sports, Spurs | Comment


Manchester United Balls: Radamel Falcao Was Inspired By Thierry Henry To Join Manchester United

MANCHESTER United Balls: The Red Devils have gone galactico and hired Radamel Falcao for a the season. Falcao says playing for Manchester United is a “dream” come true.

It just so happens that his dream comes with massive pay packet.

Falcao was earning a fortune at Monaco. That’s the team he joined for £52m and opined:

“My heart has been with Monaco since my idol Thierry Henry played there.”

Would his heart have been with Arsenal, where Thierry Henry also played? Or The New York Red Bulls?

Maybe Falcao saw Henry play at Old Trafford and thought he’d try to do as well as his idol?

So much utter balls, of course. Falcao is a boot for hire.

What we need are facts. So. What are dreamy Manchester United paying Falcao?

The Telegraph: £265,000 a week

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Posted: 2nd, September 2014 | In: Arsenal, Sports | Comment


Transfer Balls Awards: Arsenal Sign Cavani And Khedira, Manchester United Get Vidal, Kroos And Hummels – Falcao To Liverpool

TRANSFER Balls: Over the summer Anorak has been highliting the utter balls newspapers and football websites have presnted as fact. Time to review some of the choices cuts. As ever the biggest balls features Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester United and Cheslea.

 

The Daily Mail told Manchester United fans that Miranda was on his way to the club from Atlético Madrid. He was looking at local schools for his children. He never left home.

 

 

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The straw-clutching CaughtOffisde wesbite told its readers that Arsenal had signed Sami Khedira. The player remains at Real Madrid.

 

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And:

 

arsenal-

 

 

 

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Posted: 2nd, September 2014 | In: Arsenal, Chelsea, Key Posts, Liverpool, Manchester City, manchester united, Sports | Comment


Football Clubs Use Craft And Graft To Announce New Players On Twitter

FOOTBALL’S summer transfer season is over. The Transfer Balls have been digested. And football fans get to see what their team got on DEADLINE DAY. We’ll round-up with the little sticker-style photos clubs use to release new player news on twitter.

The tweets can be broadly placed in two camps: craft or graft.

But we’ll start with Jonathan Biabiany’s move from Parma to AC Milan. It fell through. Anyone like to tell him?

 

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Posted: 2nd, September 2014 | In: Arsenal, manchester united, Sports | Comment


Transfer Balls: Manchester United Sell Danny Welbeck To Arsenal But He Wanted Spurs

TRANSFER Balls: Is Manchester United and England’s Danny Welbeck on his way to Arsenal? Or is he on his way to Spurs? Let’s see what the media experts have been saying:

 

The Guardian says it’s Spurs!

 

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The Guardian says it’s Everton!

 

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Ian Herbert says it’s Arsenal for Welbeck!

 

 

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The Mirror says it’s Spurs!

 

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The Independent says it’s Arsenal!

 

 

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The Mail says it’s Spurs!

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Metro says it’s Arsenal!

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The Evening Standard says it’s Spurs!

 

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The Mail says it’s Arsenal!

 

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Such are the facts…

Posted: 1st, September 2014 | In: Arsenal, Sports, Spurs | Comment