May 23, 2012
With not much happening on the pitch, it looks like this week is as good a week as any to show off the kits teams are wearing this upcoming season. This here is of course the 2012/2013 Manchester United home shirt. Not willing to rest on their laurels after failing to win the title on the last day of the season, United are pushing forward and looking to the future by wearing a sleek and stylish….plaid? Manchester United and Nike have apparently completely forgotten that the 1990’s were full of unmitigated disasters worse than Mikaël Silvestre’s defending.   Or maybe we’re wrong and this is about to become bigger than Fellaini’s hair. What do you think, friends?

With not much happening on the pitch, it looks like this week is as good a week as any to show off the kits teams are wearing this upcoming season.

This here is of course the 2012/2013 Manchester United home shirt. Not willing to rest on their laurels after failing to win the title on the last day of the season, United are pushing forward and looking to the future by wearing a sleek and stylish….plaid?

Manchester United and Nike have apparently completely forgotten that the 1990’s were full of unmitigated disasters worse than Mikaël Silvestre’s defending.  

Or maybe we’re wrong and this is about to become bigger than Fellaini’s hair. What do you think, friends?

2:08pm  |   URL: http://tmblr.co/ZoH2IyL-iacl
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(Notes: 25)
  
Filed under: Manchester United football shirts Premier League Mikael Silvestre references 
May 19, 2012
Congratulations to West Ham on securing their promotion to the Premier League. West Ham overcame Blackpool 2-1, thanks to Ricardo Vaz Tê’s late strike that looked destined for the second tier of the stands, but miraculously ended up in the top net.

Congratulations to West Ham on securing their promotion to the Premier League.

West Ham overcame Blackpool 2-1, thanks to Ricardo Vaz Tê’s late strike that looked destined for the second tier of the stands, but miraculously ended up in the top net.

12:11pm  |   URL: http://tmblr.co/ZoH2IyLm36R2
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(Notes: 47)
  
Filed under: Ricardo Vaz Te Championship Premier League West Ham United 
May 16, 2012
The incomparable Michael Cox at @Zonal_Marking goes over Wigan’s 3-4-3 approach put in place by manager Roberto Martinez, and how play and rotation in this formation saved their Premier League status.

The incomparable Michael Cox at @Zonal_Marking goes over Wigan’s 3-4-3 approach put in place by manager Roberto Martinez, and how play and rotation in this formation saved their Premier League status.

2:00pm  |   URL: http://tmblr.co/ZoH2IyLbEg5k
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(Notes: 20)
  
Filed under: tactics formations Wigan Athletic Premier League Roberto Martinez sports football soccer 
May 16, 2012
The King is out at Anfield. After a season in which Liverpool finished eighth with horrific league form, it’s clear that domestic cups in England ain’t what they used to be and spending that much money in the transfer market only to see Andy Carroll stumble (yet he’s getting better), Jordan Henderson look confused, Charlie Adam be the weakest link in mid-field, and Stewart Downing not have a league goal or assist to his name is too much for Fenway Sports Group. 

The King is out at Anfield.

After a season in which Liverpool finished eighth with horrific league form, it’s clear that domestic cups in England ain’t what they used to be and spending that much money in the transfer market only to see Andy Carroll stumble (yet he’s getting better), Jordan Henderson look confused, Charlie Adam be the weakest link in mid-field, and Stewart Downing not have a league goal or assist to his name is too much for Fenway Sports Group. 

11:54am  |   URL: http://tmblr.co/ZoH2IyLaxp9B
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(Notes: 14)
  
Filed under: Liverpool FC Kenny Dalglish sackings managers Premier League 
May 14, 2012

Guess Joey Barton’s not as changed as we thought. He first scuffled with Tevez and got a red for an elbow (deserved, looks like, despite the jostling) followed by an absolutely unforgivable leg stamp on Sergio Aguero and an attempt to headbutt Vincent Kompany.

Three ironies for Barton here, though:

  1. QPR played better after he’d been sent off
  2. the stoppage from his red card led to the five minutes of stoppage time at the end after QPR had established a 2-1 lead
  3. in those five minutes, Edin Dzeko tied it and fittingly, Aguero was the one who sealed the Premier League title for Manchester City.
Barton’s probably facing a ban of at least nine games by most media reports. The only thing that could make his outburst more complete would have been Bolton holding on to a lead and the Hoops going down.
However, such was not to be. At the very least, QPR have to consider whether to strip Barton of the captaincy, if not make him persona non grata at the club for placing his teammates in danger in that crucial a situation.  If Mario Balotelli is trying to be your voice of reason, you got problems.

What do you do if you’re Mark Hughes?

(Source: youtube.com)

2:48am  |   URL: http://tmblr.co/ZoH2IyLSZuob
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(Notes: 26)
  
Filed under: Joey Barton Sergio Aguero Carlos Tevez Queens Park Rangers Manchester City FC Premier League red cards bookings sending off 
May 13, 2012
If you’re trying to get somewhere on the East Side of Manchester, chances are the roads are pretty empty, nobody is leaving that stadium anytime soon.

If you’re trying to get somewhere on the East Side of Manchester, chances are the roads are pretty empty, nobody is leaving that stadium anytime soon.

12:39pm  |   URL: http://tmblr.co/ZoH2IyLPYtFf
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(Notes: 55)
  
Filed under: Manchester City Premier League 
May 13, 2012
In the final minutes Manchester City stole away what is arguably the most exciting title race ever from Manchester United, giving City fans something to finally cheer about after 44 years without a title.

In the final minutes Manchester City stole away what is arguably the most exciting title race ever from Manchester United, giving City fans something to finally cheer about after 44 years without a title.

12:14pm  |   URL: http://tmblr.co/ZoH2IyLPTKfb
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(Notes: 5,309)
  
Filed under: Manchester City Premier League football 
May 13, 2012
Via @lukezim

Via @lukezim

11:30am  |   URL: http://tmblr.co/ZoH2IyLPKE2a
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(Notes: 54)
  
Filed under: manchester city qpr premier league 
May 10, 2012
Since we’re all in new kit mode at TWG these days, here’s Liverpool FC’s home kit for next season — the first under the sponsorship deal with Warrior, which has been pretty much a hockey and lacrosse outfitter up to this point. (Please insert your preferred joke about Kenny Dalglish, Champions League, and kit deals here.) As an LFC fan, here’s my two cents: Collar looks nice, but it’s not quite as nice as Everton’s (Le Coq Sportif gave them the coolest collared kit around) Not crazy about the yellow/gold lettering and I’d like the full club crest back, although I guess the yellow’s kind of a throwback. The 96 on the back of the collar’s a nice touch, though. It looks a little more sweater-like rather than form-fitting athletic that we’re used to these days. Is that gonna pan out on the pitch? Maybe it’s just the samples and the photoshopped players, but it looks a little cheap, like Warrior’s not quite sure how it’s supposed to go. It does look a whole lot better in the video here. You can see the full kit at the club’s web site. Your thoughts?

Since we’re all in new kit mode at TWG these days, here’s Liverpool FC’s home kit for next season — the first under the sponsorship deal with Warrior, which has been pretty much a hockey and lacrosse outfitter up to this point. (Please insert your preferred joke about Kenny Dalglish, Champions League, and kit deals here.)

As an LFC fan, here’s my two cents:

  • Collar looks nice, but it’s not quite as nice as Everton’s (Le Coq Sportif gave them the coolest collared kit around)
  • Not crazy about the yellow/gold lettering and I’d like the full club crest back, although I guess the yellow’s kind of a throwback.
  • The 96 on the back of the collar’s a nice touch, though.
  • It looks a little more sweater-like rather than form-fitting athletic that we’re used to these days. Is that gonna pan out on the pitch?
  • Maybe it’s just the samples and the photoshopped players, but it looks a little cheap, like Warrior’s not quite sure how it’s supposed to go. It does look a whole lot better in the video here.

You can see the full kit at the club’s web site. Your thoughts?

11:40pm  |   URL: http://tmblr.co/ZoH2IyLGRQY9
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(Notes: 30)
  
Filed under: kits Liverpool FC Premier League 
May 7, 2012
Blackburn have oficially been relegated to the NPower Championship and Blackburn fans were none too pleased. This season ticket pass, along with various Blackburn shirts, littered the pitch after the final whistle was blown on Wigan’s 1-0 defeat of a meek and defeated Blackburn side. Venky’s purchased the squad with great aspirations, and looked like they could be another owner willing to spend quite a lot of money, but it was soon found out they would not be spending much, if any cash. Turns out the chicken business is a lot different than the business of football. image via 30FPS

Blackburn have oficially been relegated to the NPower Championship and Blackburn fans were none too pleased. This season ticket pass, along with various Blackburn shirts, littered the pitch after the final whistle was blown on Wigan’s 1-0 defeat of a meek and defeated Blackburn side.

Venky’s purchased the squad with great aspirations, and looked like they could be another owner willing to spend quite a lot of money, but it was soon found out they would not be spending much, if any cash.

Turns out the chicken business is a lot different than the business of football.

image via 30FPS

5:02pm  |   URL: http://tmblr.co/ZoH2IyL3PUtL
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(Notes: 15)
  
Filed under: Blackburn Wigan Premier League football 
April 28, 2012

Luis Suarez has had a hell of a topsy-turvy season. The racial taunting of Patrice Evra, a Liverpool side that’s well below expectations, and a personal goal drought as I’ve lost count of how many times he’s hit the woodwork this season.

But today he scored his first hat trick for the Reds against Norwich City (0-3 win at Carrow Road). The first was a pinpoint pass from Steven Gerrard. The second was a laser strike. The third was an incredible 45-yard bomb that can only be described in the parlance of the Guardian’s James Richardson: WOOF!

Enjoy them in their glory before the clip gets yanked off YouTube.

Luis Suarez [Hat Trick] vs. Norwich City (28.04.2012) (by SuarezGoals)

10:21pm  |   URL: http://tmblr.co/ZoH2IyKWZrc0
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(Notes: 59)
  
Filed under: Luis Suarez great goals Liverpool FC Norwich City FC Premier League 
April 24, 2012
Obviously this is a CL day, but we’d be remiss if we did not note that Aston Villa have been absolutely shambolic in the past couple of months —  more so than their usual dire under Alex McLeish — and lost to relegation-threatened Bolton at Villa Park today. This leaves Villa in 15th, a mere two points above both Queens Park Rangers and Wigan Athletic and only three above Bolton, who are in the relegation zone but now a point of pulling out of it in a season that’s seen Owen Coyle’s crew cobbling together a squad after all manner of injury and the sale of Gary Cahill to Chelsea. Alex McLeish, you’ll recall, led Villa’s rivals Birmingham to the Carling Cup and then relegation, jumping ship for Villa after Wigan’s Roberto Martinez turned AVFC down. So it could be quite the feat to send both city teams out of the top echelon of English football in consecutive years. (Photo via the Guardian.)

Obviously this is a CL day, but we’d be remiss if we did not note that Aston Villa have been absolutely shambolic in the past couple of months —  more so than their usual dire under Alex McLeish — and lost to relegation-threatened Bolton at Villa Park today.

This leaves Villa in 15th, a mere two points above both Queens Park Rangers and Wigan Athletic and only three above Bolton, who are in the relegation zone but now a point of pulling out of it in a season that’s seen Owen Coyle’s crew cobbling together a squad after all manner of injury and the sale of Gary Cahill to Chelsea.

Alex McLeish, you’ll recall, led Villa’s rivals Birmingham to the Carling Cup and then relegation, jumping ship for Villa after Wigan’s Roberto Martinez turned AVFC down. So it could be quite the feat to send both city teams out of the top echelon of English football in consecutive years.

(Photo via the Guardian.)

6:35pm  |   URL: http://tmblr.co/ZoH2IyKFsDc2
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(Notes: 9)
  
Filed under: Bolton Wanderers FC Aston Villa FC Premier League relegation fights 
April 22, 2012
Gentlemen: Do not, I repeat, DO NOT take your newlywed spouse to the Newcastle-Stoke City match on your wedding day. Even if NUFC beats the pants off Stoke like they did. In fact, if you’re scheduling your wedding on a Saturday during the season, YOU’RE DOING IT WRONG. (pic via the wonderful Mocksession)

Gentlemen: Do not, I repeat, DO NOT take your newlywed spouse to the Newcastle-Stoke City match on your wedding day. Even if NUFC beats the pants off Stoke like they did.

In fact, if you’re scheduling your wedding on a Saturday during the season, YOU’RE DOING IT WRONG.

(pic via the wonderful Mocksession)

3:40am  |   URL: http://tmblr.co/ZoH2IyK4-_WZ
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(Notes: 24)
  
Filed under: Newcastle United FC Stoke City FC Premier League 
April 10, 2012
Blackburn v Liverpool! | Scott Murray | Football | guardian.co.uk

I wanted to write the absurdity of this match up, but I think linking to the Guardian’s live-blog will encapsulate it nicely.

One LFC keeper sent off, a second probably should have been (and Reina unavailable from last weekend’s red card), two of the worst-taken penalty kicks I’ve ever seen thanks to Yakubu, an ungodly number of yellow cards to go with Doni’s red, two gorgeous goals by Maxi Rodriguez (the best coming from an incredible Skrtel pass to Bellamy), Bellamy’s horrific attempt at diving (without Suarez LFC can’t even dive right!), and the most improbable, stupid game-winning header from Andy Carroll not too long after he nearly put it in his own net.

5:05pm  |   URL: http://tmblr.co/ZoH2IyJRMwRM
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(Notes: 10)
  
Filed under: Liverpool FC Blackburn Rovers Premier League