Rooney – Page 2 – BRITISH SOCCER {DIVA}

Who will win..?

cannavaro Are you ready for the British Soccer Diva World Cup competition?

Last time around Fabio Cannavaro had the honour of lifting the World Cup for his beloved Italy. Fast forward four years and we excitedly find ourselves closer to another mouth-watering tournament.

The passion, the glory, the unpredictability and despair make-up some of the greatest sporting memories of our lifetime. Villains and heroes are waiting to be crowned. Are you ready? I can’t take the wait much longer.

Can England really do it? Will Brazil stand in everyone’s way again? How about the Italians and their incredible ability to do well in big tournaments? Is this Holland’s time? What about the reliable Germans? Are the U.S.A. ready to cause a huge upset? Will an Asian country rise and take it all? Can an African nation win the World Cup? Is it possible that we could see a Messi vs Ronaldo final, or will Rooney get his revenge on the winker? I can’t stand it.

This is a competition that unites the world and the world could sure use a month off this summer! We can’t wait until the economy, the politics and the daily grind of life comes to an incredible halt. We are ready for what is undoubtedly the most anticipated sporting event in the universe. How many times have we all played out scoring the winning goal for our country in the World Cup? Even girls do that boys!

When you post your comments to this story, please also include the 2 teams you think will qualify from each group to the knockout stages. Make it clear who you think will finish 1st and 2nd. You get 2 points for the top team and 1 point for the group runner-up. We’d also like for you to pick a “dark horse” team. You only get one choice so make it a good one. If your “dark horse” team makes it, you get a bonus 3 points. And finally, to make this puppy even more fun, we’d like you to pick the two teams you think will make it to the final. You will get 5 points for each team. Once we move to the knockout phase, we will then introduce another round of picks to the competition.

The world waits. Fans of football live in hope. Boyhood dreams are waiting to be fulfilled. Who is your money on..?

Player of the year…

The ultimate climax is upon us. The season is reaching its crescendo. We are all about to burst. This is one of the most exciting finishes to a season in recent years. Who will win the Premier League? Who will win the Champions League? Heck who will win the World Cup?

We are all waiting. And in the midst of our anticipation comes another question. Which player has made his team tick the most in the Premier League? Which player has been the sensation of the season? Who deserves to win Player of the Year?

Can anyone eclipse the season Wayne Rooney has had? If Manchester United don’t win the league, is Rooney’s season a failure? Do his 30 odd goals count for nothing? Can we call him the best if United don’t win it all?

With all his injuries, is it fair that Cesc Fabregas is in the frame for Player of the Year? Has he really made a difference to Arsenal’s season? Has he truly been the best player?

Carlos Tevez has scored a bundle of goals for Manchester City. Has the Argentine hit man done enough to be considered the best in 2010? If Manchester City don’t qualify for the Champions League, can we really put Tevez on the best player pedastal?

Didier Drogba has been superb for Chelsea over the years. But has he really lit it up this season? The Blues could easily walk away with the title, but has Drogba done enough to win the big player prize?

Which players do you think have been totally ignored for Player of the Year? Did Gareth Bale deserve a shot? Should Vermaelen have been considered? Why is Lampard ignored year-after-year?

Have your say…

Who will cross the finish line first..?

horses Our crystal ball spoke to us clearly and concisely when the excitement and anticipation of the 2009/10 season kicked-off. We made our predictions. We chose the chosen ones and it was off to the races.

As the best of the best galloped into the eyes of victory and defeat, we raved, we ranted, we posted and we polled about the beautiful game. And as the race to be crowned champion nears its end, we can’t help but wonder, who will cross the finish line first?

For so long Chelsea have been the favourites to scoop the Premier League title. If I remember correctly, we warned the Stamford Bridge outfit not to celebrate too soon. At Christmas, the Chelsea players and faithful believed they had it in the bag. There was an evident cockiness to them which has become synonymous with Chelsea. But a loss to Everton and a whipping by Manchester City in their own park soon made the Blues players and fans realize the fight to the finish will not be so easy. Did they under estimate their opponents? Did the John Terry scandal hurt them? What would they do without Drogba? Will the iron Chelski curtain find its strength again as they head towards the finish?

With Wayne Rooney turning on the style and making a case to be European Footballer of the Year, Manchester United are once again finding their strength and form at the right time. Determined to create history and make it four Premier League titles in a row, the Red Devils are as hungry as ever for silver ware. They’ve already bagged the Carling Cup, they have one eye on a Champions League quarter final spot and they are two points clear at the Premier League summit. Granted they haven’t been as exciting to watch as a team this term, but Rooney has given us every reason to be up for watching Manchester United play. Do you think they’d be flying if Ferdinand and Vidic were fit all season? Do you think Rooney deserves to be Player of the Year? Has Valencia been a success? Will Berbatov be the man United fans want him to be?

And what of Arsenal? After losses to Manchester United and Chelsea, everyone had written off their title chances for good. How could the Gunners win the league if they couldn’t beat the two best teams in the country? Somehow, some way, Arsenal have hung in there. Even though they lost to the big two, they picked up some good results in games we’ve easily seen them lose over the last few seasons. Beating the likes of Stoke and Hull has helped. Losing Ramsey to such a horrific injury has not. But unlike the Eduardo injury experience which saw Arsenal implode that season, it appears this time around the team are galvanized to win it for Ramsey. They seem to have a purpose we may not have seen in recent times. Can Arsenal finish strong without Fabregas? Would they be clear of United and Chelsea on points at this stage if Van Persie hadn’t been injured? Was Vermaelen the best buy of the season? How good could Arsenal actually be if they bought three more world class players?

The rest of the league are fighting for a fourth Champions League spot, a Europa League place or just plain old fashioned survival. How do your predictions match up to what you thought at the beginning of the season? Who do you see wining it all? Chelsea? Manchester United? Or Arsenal? Can Tottenham really steal a Champions League birth? Will Manchester City or Aston Villa ruin their coming out party? Will we see another famous old club like West Ham go down? Has Hull City’s luck finally run out? When Portsmouth go down, how much further will they sink over the next few years? Remember Leeds?

There is still much to play for. It’s sad that the season is almost ending but fear not fellow footie fans! The silver lining is that we are in a World Cup year so the wait for some quality football won’t feel like eternity. Could this be the year Wayne Rooney shines on the world stage? Is it his time to be crowned a world football superstar? The race to the finish line is almost over. The only question is, who will win?

What’s up with Europe’s big boys..?

Rafa_Benitez_280x39_921611a The Champions League is proving to be really weird this year people. Barcelona struggled to beat a team that sounds like a really delicious sandwich. Liverpool need to get their prayer mats out and hope for a miracle. Bayern Munich do not look like German giants. Inter Milan are not so special. Real Madrid really need Ronaldo back. And Manchester United should look into cloning Rooney 10 times, despite moving closer to the knockout stages.

Did one of you rival fans put something in their nutritional beverages? Or could it be the clocks going back? That always messes with one’s alignment. Whatever the problem is, these teams need to snap out of it and fast.

Bordeaux, Arsenal, Sevilla, Juventus, Lyon, Chelsea, Fiorentina and FC Porto are looking the best thus far in the competition. Arsenal and Chelsea have been regular cast members in the Champions League group stages. And if you are a player, manager, executive or fan of either of these clubs, you have to believe you have a great shot at winning Europe’s greatest prize, especially when you look around and see the big boys struggling.

I’m sure the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona and Inter Milan will make the knockout stages. That’s not what’s in question. What’s in question is how they are playing. Real Madrid should really be beating this particular AC Milan team. They’ve been poor in the Italian league and nobody really thought they were the AC Milan of old when the season started. Ronaldo has been sorely missed by Real Madrid, but after buying so many expensive and quality players this summer, are Real Madrid really a one man team?

Inter Milan were lucky to have walked away with a win against Dynamo Kiev. The Champions League is the piece of silverware the club wants badly. You can see the reflection of the Champions League trophy in Jose Mourinho’s eyes as he observes his team from the touch line. Schevchenko almost came back to haunt the man who didn’t really give him a chance at Chelsea. But a couple of last gasp goals from Milito and Sneijder saved the blushes of Mourinho and his men. And what’s happened to Eto’o since his move from Barcelona to Inter Milan?

Manchester United – although sitting comfortably at the top of their group – just don’t seem to be the same team this season. The loss of Ronaldo has been far greater than even the genius of Sir Alex Ferguson could have imagined. They fought back once Rooney came on as a substitute. But what if Rooney gets injured? What then? Where will their inspiration come from? It’s tricky times at Old Trafford. The amazing thing about United is they are drawing or winning and not playing their best football. They don’t warm up to their sublime best until December/January. The question is, do they have the talent to shift into their usual 5th gear this season?

Liverpool are a mess. Alonso is another player who left for Real Madrid in the summer and Liverpool have not recovered. Aquilani could be the answer, but we just haven’t seen enough of him yet to compare. Voronin and Lucas are not the answer. Benayoun, Kuyt and Torres are the only players that are trying to make an impact and difference on the pitch. Carragher has been a disaster all season and with Gerrard being injured, they don’t have that final driving force in the midfield to make things happen going forward. I don’t like to talk about people losing their jobs, but Benitez is one bad result away from losing his.

Of course this could all change next week and that’s the beauty about the game we fans love! What do you think of the European giants struggling in the Champions League? Which team is looking the most dynamic for you? Is it possible that a Lyon, Fiorentina or Sevilla could win the Champions League? Did you drink wine or beer when watching the games this week?

Who said they couldn’t play together…?

39_Frank_Lampard_ce_885472a England have qualified for the World Cup. That’s right people. After the nation wallowed in misery following Steve McClaren’s inability to get the team to Euro 2008, the Italian maestro that is Fabio Capello has whipped the opposition in group play and is ready to march the Queen’s men to South Africa with a potential perfect winning record!

It’s coming home, it’s coming home, it’s coming, the World Cup’s coming home! Or is it?

It’s quite incredible to think how Capello has instilled confidence and belief in an England team that was in tatters when he took over. And who said Lampard and Gerrard couldn’t play together? Capello has them firing on all cylinders as they both scored a brace to help England thump Croatia 5-1. Lampard in particular was exceptionally impressive in this game. Under Capello’s guidance, Lampard is even winning over the England fans again with his passionate play and willingness to step up and take penalties for the team. These two players could be a major key to England’s success next summer.

Whenever England qualify for the World Cup, the nation’s expectations raise to all kinds of ridiculous levels. However, as an England fan myself, this time it feels different. This time there is a genuine believable air about the team. This time you can actually feel real confidence. This time you know the team is in good hands with Capello. This time, it really appears as though England have a superb chance at winning the World Cup. This time, even if it comes down to penalties, the England team we’ve been watching over the last year might just do a little better than what we have experienced in the past. Is this England’s time?

England have the players that can cause problems. Aaron Lennon is having his best season yet and he definitely has the ability to wreak some serious havoc with his pace. As long as he keeps his crosses in check, he’ll be okay! I would play him miles before Shaun Wright Phillips in that role. Gareth Barry has fast become Mr.Reliable in midfield and England won’t want to be without him when they catch the plane to South Africa. Together with players like Gerrard, Lampard, Rooney and Cole, they have the potential to heap some serious damage and chaos on opposing teams. These players that under achieved with McClaren are now playing their hearts out for England as they do for their clubs. Capello always believed that if you are in form for your club team, that can transcend just as easily to the national team. The Italian has found a way to do that.

If you were manager, who would be in your starting XI for England? What do you think of England’s chances? Do they have what it takes to win the big one?

The Penalty Gods punish Arsenal…

zeus-greek-mythology-687267_1024_768 They say you reap what you sow. And the Gunners can tell you it’s true. Not even a Godly strike from Arshavin could save Arsenal. They lost to Manchester United in a game they absolutely should have won. They gave away a costly penalty and some might think it was the Gods punishing them for Eduardo’s dive against Celtic earlier in the week. Were the Penalty Gods trying to put the world right at Old Trafford on Saturday? Did Arsenal deserve at least a point for their efforts? Will they bounce back in their next game against Manchester City? Do you think Wenger could play up front after showing his water bottle kicking skills?

Manchester United were exceptionally lucky to get a win against Arsenal. I know they came back and gave it a good fight, but in the overall picture of play, Arsenal made United look really average. The penalty decision was questionable and the own goal from Diaby was incredibly unlucky. Arsenal then had a goal disallowed in the dying seconds and again, you’ve seen them given. Rooney was brilliant. He is the spark for United. His passion drives the team and you can’t deny their never say die attitude. Rooney is the engine though. He is United right now. They need him more than ever. The Gods were certainly on the Red Devil’s side in this game.

Tottenham won again. You read that right people. Tottenham won again. What did they put in the juice down at the Lane? Surely they can’t keep this up can they? ‘Arry is doing a superb job so far this season. It’s a shame Modric will be out for 6 weeks. They say it’s a broken leg. What a blow as he’s been sensational. How will this affect Spurs? Lennon has been on fire in the last couple of games and deserves his England recall. Crouch helped change the game when he came on and he too deserves his call-up from Capello. Can Tottenham really win the League? Can they keep this up? Or will they be arguing about ketchup in a couple of months?

Chelsea look dangerous. They demolished Burnley. Remember, Burnley beat Manchester United last week. Interesting that, don’t you think? Chelsea look connected as a team. They look like they are playing for each other. They’ve maintained the spirit Hiddink recreated from the Mourinho days. Ancelotti has added his flavour to the mix and the Blues are looking good. Frank Lampard continues to impress for me. And it might be painful to hear because I know it’s painful to write but…Ashley Cole is having an incredible start to the season. What do you think of Chelsea?

Liverpool were lucky. The good news for them is they had a very average performance and still won the game. It was so typical of Gerrard to hit a winning goal the way he did when he was not really a factor throughout. This will help the team’s confidence and seeing Torres and Gerrard score will help. Not sure about the new signing Kyriakos. Let’s give the guy more time though. Carragher is a liability at the back. Rafa should stop acting with his heart and start acting with his head when it comes to Carra. He’s a good player to have on the bench. If Liverpool want to win, they need to fix their problems at the back.

Manchester City kept their 100% record alive. Adebayor scored again. Gareth Barry is the most impressive of their new signings. He has to be one of the best midfielder’s in the country. Let’s see how City do in the next few weeks when they meet Arsenal and Manchester United. They are doing well, but for me, they are not interesting yet. It was good to see Everton win. I think Distin is a solid signing for them. Villa won their second in a row so that will help them continue to build their confidence. Stoke are in 4th place! Go on Stoke!

What stood out for you this week?

Fight backs. Light slaps. London Rules. Week 2…

50020379 Week 2 in the Premier League saw Manchester United fight back to their winning ways, Rodallega get a light slap from Vidic…and Tottenham, Chelsea and Arsenal prove that London really does rule.

Before we talk about some of the action, did anyone notice the lack of crowds at some of the games? When Manchester United travel, they usually put bums on seats for the home team but there were a lot of empty seats at Wigan. I was surprised. Same at Birmingham and Sunderland. Is this still an issue of the economy? Are clubs charging too much money for tickets? Are fans picking and choosing their games more carefully? Does the availability of games on TV affect attendances?

Manchester United sent a message to the football universe that they are back and ready to defend their title. Wigan gave it a good go and for a while it looked as though they could score. But once Rooney nailed the first goal, it was curtains for Wigan. Rooney is a top quality player that United and England need fit. This could be a gigantic year for him. Could it also be a big year for Michael Owen? He finally netted his first Premier League goal for the Red Devils! Perhaps now the media can stop talking and writing about it. Let’s hope he scores a ton. Would you like to see Owen do well? By the way, should Vidic have been red carded for the slap on Rodders?

Tottenham didn’t look as sharp against West ham, but they still won. It was a better game from Lennon and another good performance in midfield from Palacios and Huddlestone. The Spurs defense looked shaky at times against West Ham. If it wasn’t for Carlton Cole’s awful back pass to Defoe, the Hammers could have stolen a point from this game. Shame for Cole as he scored a beauty in front of Capello to put West Ham 1-0 up. If Cole has a good season, he could be a surprise pick for the World Cup. Do you think he stands a chance of making Capello’s squad?

Chelsea looked solid. Full of quality. Boundless confidence. Very scary. They are in it to win it. Lampard is their talisman. He deserves more respect. He is a very special player. I think most fans would want a Frank Lampard in their team. Wouldn’t you?

Arsenal look really good. Portsmouth game them a few scares here and there but nothing too threatening. Almunia was at fault for Portsmouth’s goal. Diaby looked like Viera on Saturday. If only he could play like that every week. Fabregas masterminded the midfield until he had to go off with an injury. Let’s hope he doesn’t miss the big match against Manchester United. Does anyone else just love Eduardo? His first touch is exquisite. His attitude is amazing. Arshavin needs to start warming up and Gallas and Vermaelen are forging quite the team.

Manchester City win again. Adebayor scores for the second week in a row. Do you think City can get a 3rd victory on the trot? Will Lescott make a difference when he signs from Everton?

We all complimented Burnley on their great victory against United. This week they beat Everton at home. This team is out to prove they belong with the big boys in the Premier League. Keep it up Hull. Er sorry. I mean Burnley.

How are you enjoying the season so far? Have you been to any games? What did you make of week 2?

Burnley 1 Manchester United 0. This is not a typo…

burnley-goal_666x45_870581a Welcome to the Premier League Burnley! In your first home game of the season, you beat Manchester United, the reigning champions of England. Soak it up. Congratulations. Your victory was much deserved.

Two veterans led the way for one of the oldest clubs in British football. Robbie Blake scored a stunning goal that any world class striker would be proud of. And goalkeeper and fan favourite Brian Jensen was immense in goal. Known as “The Beast”, he saved a penalty from Michael Carrick (which Rooney or Owen should have taken) and was a giant throughout the game in front of goal. The entire team played good football and they should all be proud.

Owen Coyle could have taken the job at Celtic this summer but he chose to stay at Burnley so he could finish the job after getting them into the Premier League. He’s built a good side. They appear to have a togetherness that will help them through a gruelling Premier League season and their passion, fight and belief shone through against one of the best. But let’s not get carried away. Hull City started off causing mayhem and destruction and we all know how their season ended don’t we? Will Burnley end up like Hull? Can they build on this incredible win and survive the battle at the bottom? They did beat Arsenal and Tottenham in the Carling Cup last season.

Here are some fun facts. Burnley’s population is a little over 73,000, just under the average attendance at Manchester United’s home games. This was the first top flight match at Turf Moor since 1976. It has been 41 years since Burnley have beaten Manchester United. Welcome back to the big time boys!

From what I saw from the mid-week games, Chelsea and Tottenham look hot. Arsenal also look like they are a different proposition this season. Defoe looks like he’s a man on a mission. Not only does he want to do well for Tottenham, but you can sense his determination to get into that World Cup squad for England. Could it be a battle of London this season for the title? Who knows. Liverpool bounced back well at Stoke last night and it was good to see Torres playing well. Without Ferdinand and Vidic at the back, United look vulnerable.

Are we in for a sensational season or what?

Heaven, I’m in heaven…

gods-sunshine Finally, the agonizing wait is over. The greatest show on earth is back. The passion, the agony and the ecstasy of the Premier League is already in full swing. I loved every single second of opening weekend. How was it for you?

Manchester United put in a reliable performance, Chelsea were predictable, Liverpool looked unsavoury and Arsenal were sublime. Of the other teams challenging to break into the top 4…Tottenham looked impressive, Manchester City dazzled for about 10 minutes and Aston Villa were woeful. Now seeing as this is only week one, we won’t get too carried away with what we’ve seen thus far. Remember how we all thought Deco would be another Zola after Chelsea’s first game last season? Well I’m sure we don’t want to make mistakes like that again as we kick-off the 2009/10 campaign. But as fans, we can’t help ourselves in saying what we see, even if it is just week one!

So here’s what I saw and we’ll start with last season’s top 4…if Arsenal can sustain that type of play throughout the season then they have the ability to carve-up any team in the Premier League and I’m even going to say they looked as good as Barcelona when they are at their best. Vermaelen looks like a great signing and Gallas seemed to play exceptionally comfortably with him. Fabregas and Denilson were on fire and Bendtner shined playing on the right for the Gunners. We know Everton aren’t that crap. But are Arsenal really that good?

Hull were very unlucky. Chelsea got very lucky. 6 minutes of injury time. Really referee? Despite that, you can’t deny Drogba his free-kick winner in the dying minutes. Drogba was Chelsea’s best player. It’s as though he’s playing to redeem himself from the disgusting outburst he had during last year’s Champions League semi-final. If he’s going to play like this all season, he could be the key to the Blues success. Can Drogba deliver this year? For Hull, it could be another struggle. I can see why Michael Turner is attracting the likes of Liverpool. He was a rock for Hull and by far their best player. Does anyone else ever mistake him for Michael Dawson though? Can you say twins?

Manchester United already missed Ronaldo in their first game of the season. Who wouldn’t? He’s one of the world’s best players. Sir Alex Ferguson has said it’s going to be tough without him. And it might well be for United as they defend their title. New signing Antonio Valencia had a solid home debut and Berbatov’s touch at time was exquisite. However, the main man for United this year will be Rooney. They need him to stay fit. Without him, they will struggle. Rooney could have an award winning type of season. The shackles are off. Watch him fly. Can Rooney be a sensation? Do you see United winning 4 in a row?

Not to hit the panic button just yet, but Liverpool didn’t look good at all. There was no invention in their play and it felt as though Alonso was missing from that midfield. Torres and Gerrard were rusty and Benitez should have played Benayoun from the beginning. Babel just can’t cut it and he gave another poor performance. Glen Johnson had a great debut for the reds and was the reason they won that penalty. Benitez might need to buy a couple more players before the transfer window ends. And he needs Aquilano to get fit as soon as possible. Can Liverpool mount a challenge this season?

Now to the top 4 wannabees…Tottenham rolled over Liverpool and looked more like title contenders in this first game. From defense to attack, they dominated and made Liverpool look like a very average Premier League team. Modric, Huddlestone and King controlled the game. Defoe looks ready to rumble. Ekotto is establishing himself as an elite player and Lennon could still use some refnining. Is it me or does Huddlestone remind you of Hoddle? And if it wasn’t for his bum knees, could Ledley King oust Terry or Ferdinand from the England squad?

Manchester City, the new billionaire boys club of the Premier League got off to a great start. Don’t let the score fool you though. Blackburn put up a good fight and could have taken a point from the game. There’s no question Adebayor was flying from the word go, but for me it was the likes of Gareth Barry and Shaun Wright-Phillips that were at the heart of everything good for City. Mark Hughes still has a lot of work to do. They still look suspicious in defense and once again, Robinho had another average game. You can’t help but wonder how this team will react in a moment of adversity. I can see them tearing each other apart. Can you?

Notable mention of course goes to Wigan for a superb start beating Villa. Note to all Wigan fans…just remember how good a start Hull City made last season! And this is just week one. See…I told you it was too hard to keep the ole’ gob shut. Heaven, we’re in heaven…

Future Divo…

Jack Wilshere has been dubbed the most exciting prospect in English football and he absolutely deserves the tag. There’s a fearlessness to Wilshere that is undeniable and there’s no doubt he’s a breathtaking player to watch.

Wilshere has had an incredible pre-season with Arsenal and was without question the star at the Emirates Cup. He showed a maturity and intelligence for the game that we haven’t seen in a few of Arsene Wenger’s youngsters. Wilshere reminds people of former Arsenal legend Liam Brady and if you’re a Gooner, this can only be hopeful news in an off-season where not much has happened in the transfer market. He also has a little Gazza in him when he has the ball at his feet and he’s running at players. Wilshere truly is a delicious footballer.

There isn’t one pundit or writer that isn’t raving about this lad. He has impressed so much that some are saying he deserves to start before Theo Walcott. Some have even gone as far to say Arshavin and Fabregas love to play with him because he knows how to read their runs in a world-class player kind of way. Could Wilshere challenge Walcott for a place in the starting line-up this season?

The great thing about Wilshere is he’s an Arsenal boy through and through. He is a rising star born from the Gunners exceptionally run academy and he is an example of the type of player Wenger wants to breed. His High School P.E. teacher compared him to Wayne Rooney and he believes Wilshere will burst onto the world stage just like the Boy Wonder did a few years ago. If that’s the case, Arsenal and England have much to look forward to.

Talk of him playing for England in the World Cup seems far off when he hasn’t played regularly for Arsenal in the Premier League yet. How will he match-up against the likes of Gerrard and Mascherano at Liverpool, Lampard and Ballack at Chelsea and Carrick and Fletcher at Manchester United? Something tells me he’ll do just fine. Wilshere isn’t phased by all this and he’s just waiting for his chance to show the world what he can do. Those who have seen the Wilshere trailer love what they have witnessed thus far.

Jack Wilshere…we will be watching you closely this season. Good luck son. You are without question a Future Divo…