Football Headlines: 24 April 2007

Champions League semi finals today and tomorrow, so luckily we’ll be spared the usual riff-raff on fake transfers and what not.

News Headlines

1. As you must have heard by now, the Queen is a Gooner. I’d pass some wise-ass remark on how this shows that the country is going to hell, but really, good for Fabregas and co, it’s the best thing to have happened to Arsenal all season.
2. Martyn Herman writes in the Reuters Soccer Blog about Bolton’s over-the-top attempts to distract Reading’s Kevin Doyle from taking a free kick.
   

   When Reading’s Kevin Doyle lined up his spot kick with his side trailing 1-0, Giannakopoulos produced a white balloon from somewhere, placed it on the turf in front of him and as Doyle was about to strike the penalty, stamped on it. It didn’t work, mind. Doyle duly equalised, and Reading went on to win 3-1.

   I have a lot of respect for Doyle holding his nerve and Giannakopoulos for being so ingenious.

3. Arsene Wenger admits his mistake in playing Ljungberg too soon. It’s his first step in redemption, I hear. Next, he’ll talk about his mistake in letting Lauren and Pires go too soon, or his mistake in bringing Baptista to Arsenal.
4. Owen Hargreaves praises Berbatov, and provides a juicy little piece for tabloids who are looking to link Berbatov with Manchester United.
5. Did Jose Mourinho really hide in a laundry basket?

   If he did, props to him for not giving up, but it does say something about the man bending rules when he feels like it and railing about them when they don’t go his way (or pretending that new ones are being created when life’s handing him lemons)…

6. A very interesting piece from the Sun on why Torres might be going to Liverpool. There could be a million other reasons, this could be photoshopped, etc etc, but the Sun hacks must so happy at this one that it would be cruel to deny them their sunshine.
7. Manchester City are the subject of a 90m bid.
8. Manchester United vs AC Milan
9. Chelsea vs Liverpool

Soccerlens Headlines

1. Vote for Newcastle’s Player of the Year
2. Should Newcastle sign Sibierski for another year?
3. Goals from the weekend
4. Do you have faith in Manchester United?
5. Ranson in £90m Manchester City bid, but will he borrow like everyone else?
6. Who will finish on top in this mediocre La Liga campaign?
7. AC Milan vs Manchester United – Pre-Match Thoughts

Newcastle United FC Blog

1. Newcastle’s Best Six Players this Season
2. Newcastle need Quality Defenders in the Summer – not Forwards
3. Newcastle’s Defense will be built around Steven Taylor