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.
QPR Balls: Harry Redknapp Out, Tony Pulis In And Glenn Hoddle For Now
FOOTBALL Balls: In his Daily Mail Football Grapevine. Rob Shepherd has facts for QPR fans:
Tony Pulis is being lined as Harry Redknapp’s successor at QPR.
QPR fans might have mixed feelings about Pulis, Redknapp’s colleague from his Bournemouth days. But he did well for Crystal Palace last year.
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Transfer Balls: Arsenal’s Ozil To Manchester City And Other Beliefs
TRANSFER Balls: The Daily Express says “Mesut Ozil wants to quit Arsenal for Manchester City”.
Rally? He wants to leave Londron to plays for Manchester City?
City are set to launch a £32m bid for Ozil in January.
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Posted: 25th, October 2014 | In: Arsenal, Manchester City, Sports | Comment
Transfer Balls: Sami Khedria Joins Arsenal For £20,000 A Week Less Than Gunners Offered Him
TRANSFER Balls: The Daily Express says Real Madrid’s suplus German, Sami Khedira, “has lowered his wage expectations in order to engineer a move to Arsenal”.
A talented, injury prone talent could be on his way to the Gunners. Well, so says the Express’ Charles Perrin.
The Real Madrid ace has been continually linked with a move to the Premier League, with Chelsea also vying for his signature.
So. Chelsea want Khedira. But Khedira wants to play for Arsenal so badly he’ll accept a slighly less massive pay packet.
But fresh reports surfacing on the continent indicate that Khedira is prepared to accept a pay cut and has dropped his wage demands to £80,000-a-week to force through a move to north London.
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Posted: 24th, October 2014 | In: Arsenal, Sports | Comment (1)
Spurs Balls: Erik Lamela Wonder Strike Makes Pochettino Think Of Bed
SPURS Balls: Last night on the Europa League, Erik Lamela gave us all reason to regret not tuning in when he scored a sublime goal. What would have been Tottenham’s routine 5-1 win over Greek side Asteras (it Tripolis (it says her) was burnished with Lamela’s stupendous ‘rabona’-style strike from 20 yards.
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Liverpool Balls: Mario Balotelli Has 9 Weeks To Prove Himself
LIVERPOOL Balls: Will it help Mario Balotelli to better settle into life at Anfield if he is continually singled out for treatment? Balotelli could go on a PR drive following his stupid decison to swap shirts at half time with Real Madrid’s Pepe, perhaps reminding kids about the Fireworld Code (never return to a lit bathroom towel etc.).
Or he could just be allowed time and space to repay some of £16m Liverpool invested in him?
In the Times, Liveprool fan Tony Evans writes benath the headline “Mario Balotelli faces fight to rescue Liverpool career”.
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Posted: 24th, October 2014 | In: Liverpool, Sports | Comment (1)
Transfer Balls: Manchester United To Buy Vidal After Buying Vidal
TRANSFER Balls: The Daily Express has news for Manchester United fans longing for the Red Devils to finally spunk a shedload of cash on a player (it’s been weeks since the last splurge).
The Express reports:
The VIDAL DEAL IS ON
Because the media are a herd, the Mirror reads that and chimes:
Manchester United are set to finally complete the signing of Arturo Vidal…
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Posted: 23rd, October 2014 | In: manchester united, Sports | Comment
Liverpool Balls: Gary Neville Might Laugh
THIS instalment of He’s No Gary Neville Is He stars former Liverpool player and manager Phil Thompson, now offering expert insight and nouse on Sky Sports. In readiness for Liverpool’s Champions’ League match against the mighty Real Madrid, Thompson told viewers:
“It’s going to be a sensational night at Anfield for the first Real Madrid game. They will up the ante, the players. Everybody will be up for it and they’ll make it difficult for Real. Liverpool will win that game. Absolutely, it happens, it’s at Anfield. It will be an incredible night, they’ll turn it on, crank up the pressure and it will be totally different.”
He’s no Gary Neville, is he.
(Liverpool lost 0-3).
Posted: 23rd, October 2014 | In: Liverpool, Sports | Comment
Liverpool Balls: An Epic Vine Of Brendan Rodgers Meeting Real Madrid’s Carlo Ancelotti
WHEN Brendan Rodgers met Carlo Ancelotti before Liverpool’s home Champions’ League match against Real Madrid, a game soul caught the moment on a Vine.
Shades of Rigsby and Miss Jones:
Posted: 23rd, October 2014 | In: Liverpool, Sports | Comment
Ched Evans: A Sheffield United Pariah, Child Killers And Guns
CHED Evans: a look at the footballer who happens to be a convicted rapist (surely rapist who happens to be a convicted footballer – ed) in the media.
For those readers who don’t dislike Ched Evans for being a sex criminal, the Sun has news:
It’s Ched and the Shed:
A PAL of soccer rapist Ched Evans told last night how the star shot him with an air rifle — then offered him £11,000 to hush it up. Andrew Barnes, 25, was left in agony after Evans — behind a garage shed — blasted his thigh in an idiotic prank.
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Manchester United Balls: Alex Ferguson And Glazers At Odds Over Who Chose David Moyes
DAVID Moyes and Manchester United. Compare and contrast the role played by Sir Alex Ferguson in Moyes getting the top job at Old Trafford:
“It’s a great honour to be asked to be the next manager of Manchester United. I am delighted that Sir Alex saw fit to recommend me for the job”
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Posted: 22nd, October 2014 | In: manchester united | Comment
Atlanta Falcons Think London Is In Spain And Scotland Is Bigger Than Italy
THE ATLANTIC Falcons are heading to London. No. Hang on…
The Atlanta Falcons are heading to Tossa de Mar on the Spanish Costas, for fun, high-fiving, whooping, snacks as big as your face and all manner of American Football nonsense.
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Liverpool Balls: Raheem Sterling Hand Jives With Lions And Mates With A Chair
LIVERPOOL Balls: the Sun continues to hound Raheem Sterling and, by inference, England manager Roy Hodgson, who told the Press that Sterling had not been feeling 100% to start the match in Estonia.
The Sun leads with:
Tired’ Raheem At 3am 3 Lions Party
No. Not leads the sports section. Leads the world news. This is the Sun’s biggest story:
The story is told in bullet points:
– Sunday: Roy says star’s ‘too tired’ to start for England in qualifier
– Monday: Player parties with dwarves, bearded lady, snake and Ox
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Posted: 22nd, October 2014 | In: Liverpool, Sports | Comment
Newcastle United Balls: Kieron Dyer Reveals Why He And Lee Bowyer Fought On The Pitch
Newcastle United’s Kieron Dyer and Lee Bowyer shake hands after being sent off for fighting each other in a brawl during Newcastle’s match against Aston Villa on Saturday. Date: 04/04/2005
IN 2005, football fans lapped up the sight of Newcastle Untied teammates Lee Bowyer and Kieron Dyer scrapping on the pitch. It was very entertaining. Most of us thought the fight was triggered by the players’ stupidity and unappealing natures. But Dyer explaind all to The Chronicle:
He was like ‘Give me the ball’ and I was like ‘I haven’t given the ball away, what you talking about’. Five minutes later he came again and I gave it to somebody else. And he said, ‘You never pass to me!’ I said, ‘The reason I don’t pass to you is because you’re sh*t basically’.
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Transfer Balls: Arsenal Mascot Podolski Signs For Spurs Again
TRANSFER Balls: Is Arsenal’s Lukas Podolski leaving the Gunners to play for…Spurs? Well, ITV had news.
Podolski set to join Arsenal’s fierce rivals Spurs in £10m deal
Is he?
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Posted: 21st, October 2014 | In: Arsenal, Sports, Spurs | Comment
Ched Evans And Sheffield United: Leave Your Morals At The Door
MORE chatter on the Ched Evans story. The Sun features the words of Charlie Webster, a Sheffield United Patron.
Other patrons of the Yorkshire club are: Sean Bean, Chris Heaton, Dave Berry, Lindsay Graham, Glyn Rhodes MBE, Nick Matthew, Ding Junhui, Brendan Ingle MBE and Alan Hodgkinson MBE. We do not know what their views are on a range of mortal and ethical matters. Sean Bean has been divorced. Many think divorce is morally wrong. Should we care about such things?
Charlie Webster is a “TV presenter for Sky networks this includes Sky Sports News, Sky News and Sky Sports”.
She works for Rupert Murdoch, who also owns the Sun. And she tells its readers:
I WILL quit as Sheffield United patron if Ched is reinstated. I feel it is my duty to stand up to this… The sport provides role models who become our heroes. A convicted rapist is not a hero.
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Posted: 21st, October 2014 | In: Sports | Comment (1)
Stoke City’s Victor Moses v Sheffield United’s Rory McArdle: Only Referees Are Banned From Crying Foul
Swansea City’s Angel Rangel fouls Stoke City’s Victor Moses for a penalty, during the Barclays Premier League match at the Britannia Stadium, Stoke.
ARE football referees getting worse? Is’ts not an easy job. For instance, look at this incident from Bradford City v Sheffield United. Is it a foul on Stefan Scougall by Rory McArdle?
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West Brom Fans Mock Manchester United With Tom Daley And Hello Kitty
West Bromwich Albion’s Stephane Sessegnon celebrates scoring his sides first goal of the game during the Barclays Premier League match at The Hawthorns, West Bromwich.
MANCHESTER Untted drew 2-2 with West Bromwich Albion in the Premier League tonight. United are a shadow of their former selves. But an away draw at The Baggies is not too shabby.
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Posted: 20th, October 2014 | In: manchester united, Sports | Comment
Indian Footballer Dies During On-Field Celebration
CELEBRATING a goal in a professional football match should be one of the happiest times in an athlete’s career, but tragically, this wasn’t the case for Peter Biaksangzuala.
At just 23 years old, Biaksangzuala scored for Bethlehem Vengthlang FC in the Mizoram Premier League (MPL) in the North East of India. As he turned away to celebrate, he landed awkwardly after somersaulting.
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Transfer Balls: Arsenal Bid For Morgan Schneiderlin Who Wants To Stay At Southampton Or Play For Spurs
TRANSFER Balls: a look at the utter bilge presented as rumour and fact by the mainstream media. Today the Daily Express tells readers that Arsenal are “ready to revive their interest in Southampton’s Morgan Schneiderlin in January”.
Arsenal never did bid for the Frenchman.
The Express adds:
Arsene Wenger has money to spend and could bid £25m for the French midfielder after missing out over the summer.
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Posted: 20th, October 2014 | In: Arsenal, Sports | Comment (1)
How Football Reporting Works: Liverpool’s Dire ‘Martin Skrtel Is Better than Chelsea’s John Terry And Anyone At Southampton
HOW football comment works, with Liverpool FC’s Martin Skrtel – and not Chelsea’s John Terry and anyone at Southampton.
Liverpool beat QPR 2-3 in the Premier League, thanks to own goals and a barmy last few minutes of exciting, error-rich football. You might suppose that Liverpool’s defence, as with that of QPR’s, was not all that good.
The Mirror’s Oliver Holt was there. He appraised Liverpool’s Martin Skrtel:
Skrtel: 5 Weak first half tackle on Austin proof of uncertainty gripping him
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Posted: 20th, October 2014 | In: Liverpool, Sports | Comment
Liverpool’s Raheem Sterling Rubs Salt Into QPR’s Wounds With Instagram Message
SO. How did Liverpool’s Raheem Sterling mark his return to QPR in today’s Premier League match? He didn’t score in a pretty lucky 3-2 2 win for the Reds. But had he done, chances are slim that young Sterling would have bowed his head out of resprct for his former club and curbed his enthusiasm.
Sterling marked the game by posting an Instagram picture of him in full QPR kit. He added the message:
“Back to where it all started great win from the boys 3 points yerrrr boiiii.”
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Posted: 19th, October 2014 | In: Liverpool, Sports | Comments (2)
Don’t Sully Football With Ched Evans’ Depravity
IS a convition for rape enough for the right-minded to dislike former Sheffield United and Wales footballer Ched Evans? Or do we need more? Do we need to know what kind of a life he is now living to really despise him?
The Mail:
Earlier in the day, under the cover of darkness, at 4.58am, a silver Mercedes ML 4×4 was seen pulling up outside Wymott Prison near Leyland, Lancashire.
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Transfer Balls: Liverpool Keep Raheem Sterling From Real Madrid, Who Don’t Want Him
TRANSFER Balls: Is Raheem Sterling leaving Liverpool for Real Madrid?
On June 28, the Mirror reported:
Real Madrid are preparing a raid on Liverpool for Raheem Sterling.
On September 23, the Mirror said that Sterling’s move to Real Madrid was a dead certainty:
Be afraid, Liverpool fans. Real Madrid are after Raheem Sterling and they ALWAYS get their man
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Posted: 19th, October 2014 | In: Liverpool, Sports | Comment
‘Role Model’ Ched Evans Is A Rapist But At Least He’s Not Racist
DAVID Walsh writes about Ched Evens in the Sunday Times. Ched Evans is the footballer who is also a convicted rapist whose become a talking point. Newly released from prison, the Sun reported that Evans has been offered £5,000 a week to return to Sheffield United’s team.
Despite newspaper reports to the contrary, no decision has yet been made about whether or not he will be returning to Bramall Lane…
There are many who believe that if Sheffield United and all other football clubs were united in not offering Evans a route back to professional football, then the game would have made a powerful statement demonstrating its abhorrence of all forms of violence against women…
It is claimed, and not unreasonably, that Evans’ situation is exacerbated by his refusal to express remorse for a crime which ended in a five-year prison sentence… Evans continues to proclaim his innocence and if he genuinely believes that he was wrongly convicted, then how could be possibly be expected to express remorse?
Anyone who cares to read the details of the case will discover that, at the very least, Evans and his friends behaved appallingly that evening in Wales…
Yet it is hard to see how a life ban from professional football can be justified. A young woman has been through an horrific experience, Evans has spent two and a half years in prison and lost perhaps a third of his career. And his reputation. But the punishment should not go any further. A message does need to go out there but that should not mean a different kind of sentence for Evans.
He has served his time and, like everyone who comes out of prison, the hope is that he has learnt from the experience.
A statement on Ched Evans’ website says:
“Chedwyn Evans maintains his absolute innocence and his family, friends and many who know the true facts of the case believe that his conviction was a gross miscarriage of justice.”
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Crystal Palace To New Chelsea Fans: ‘Romans dirty money is a disease that has plagued our game’
WHOEVER could Crystal Palace fans be talking about as their side hosted Chelsea in the Premier League?
The Palace fans’ banner declared:
‘Romans dirty money is a disease that has plagued our game’
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Posted: 18th, October 2014 | In: Chelsea, Sports | Comments (2)
