What Next For The Gunners...???

((HT: Foxsports.com))

Those of you that follow the Premier League, and the HQ is a new convert, know that Arsenal is in trouble... in a lot of ways, and we're only at week 4 of the season...

Manager Arsene Wenger has had to deal with- the exoduses of Fabregas and Nasry are the two new examples- without suitable financial, athletic replacements on the roster sheet currently...

So, their last opponent was Manchester United at Old Trafford... and it was the worst beating The Gunners took since 1896. It was also the first time ManU scored 8 since 1999...

It was fugly... not just ugly...

Here's the highlights... and there are a lot of them...
<a href="http://msn.foxsports.com/foxsoccer/video?vid=835b6cc5-279d-45f4-83d8-032ddd88f924" target="_new" title="">The Red Devils bring the fire!</a>

So Rooney scores three, Young scores two, and three others tallied. And the chant from the Red fans was "You're getting sacked tomorrow" toward Wenger.

But the larger question is: Will Arsenal make a move to be competitive or will they stay in the middle of the pack...???

Your First Premier League Fight Of The Year

((HT: SkySports/EPL/youtube))

It's something of a national holiday over in the old country...
Opening day of the Barclay's Premier League will do that for you...

And in a day of few surprises, we had our first disagreement...

Newcastle and Arsenal... and the rep for Newcastle's Joey Barton proceeds him- a bit of an actor and a bit of a cheap-shot artist when the need arises... Newcastle fans would maintain that Barton is just the sandpaper of the roster and nothing more...

Barton and Gervinho got into it
Evidence below...


The game ended a scoreless draw... but the HQ gathers it's not the last we'll hear of Barton this season...

Blackpool, Birmingham City, and West Ham Relegated

((HT: EPL/TSN))

And now we know...

West Ham United was well on their way to being relegated in Barclay's Premier League play, but there were about four-bazillion different combinations of who could join them in the npower league next season...

And cost themselves, at least, US$65-million in television revenues alone. Each team would end up with a so-called "parachute payment" over the next four years, but it's small consolation for getitng knocked out...

Blackpool and Birmingham were relegated on a dramatic final day of the Premier League season Sunday. It could have been also a combination of Wigan, the Wolves, and Rovers as well.

Blackpool led 2-1 at Manchester United early in the second half, but the Reds poured it on- and an own goal didn't hurt, either as the tangerine dream died after one year, 5-2.

Birmingham gave up a last-minute goal at Tottenham to lose to the Spurs.

The Wolverhampton Wanderers stayed up despite losing 3-2 to Blackburn after Canadian forward David (Junior) Hoilett scored the winner. Wigan climbed three places and finished three points above the edge after Hugo Rodallega's 78th-minute goal secured a 1-0 win at Stoke.

Here's the recap of the season with the folks from the four-letter...
((HT: ESPN/EPL))

Man U One Point From Premier League Title

((HT: Premier League/youtube))

It took Manchester United all of 36 seconds to jump on Chelsea and hang on for a 2-1 win to put them within one point of clinching the Premier League title...

JS Park's pass deflected off Blues defender David Luiz and Chicharito capitalized with a shot in the low, left corner for the early advantage. Nemanja Vidic gave the Reds a 2-0 lead in the 23rd minute, and a Frankie Lampard goal got Chelsea close- but no closer.

Here's the highlights...


With two games left, ManU is at 76 points with Chelsea at 70. Arsenal is third at 67 points. The more interesting match-ups are at the bottom of the table where Blackburn, the Wolves, Wigan, Blackpool, Birmingham, West Ham, and the Rovers are all trying to save themselves from relegation... Six points separate all of them from heading to the NPower League where QPR is already heading north to the Premier next season.

Enjoy the finish...

Liverpool Up For Sale

It's well known that George Gillett and Tom Hicks are hemorrhaging cash through their other ventures- Gillett with his disaster at RPM Motorsports and Tom Hicks with Liverpool, the Dallas Stars, and the Texas Rangers.

These two titans of industry have finally decided to put Liverpool up for sale and have named Martin Broughton, the head of British Airways, as their new Chairman. Gillett and Hicks have consulted with Barclays Financial to get this sale done quickly.

Broughton remains optimistic...
((HT: CantosTV/LFC-TV))

Portsmouth Headed Back To Court

((HT: Bloomberg))

Portsmouth faces another court hearing tomorrow since the British government is contesting the Premier League club's right to legal protection from creditors.

The government's revenue and customs authority tried to shut down Portsmouth over unpaid taxes and is challenging the High Court's ruling last week that allowed the club to enter bankruptcy protection.

Just so you know, the revenue and customs authority is the last creditor in line to get any part of Pompey's debt.

Portsmouth is the first English Premier League team to enter administration, as the protection is known... think of it on this side of the pond as a team going bankrupt and being on the verge of getting liquidated, dissolved, or otherwise dropped off the planet in whatever league they're playing in...

Court-appointed administrator Andrew Andronikou has said he will cut costs in an effort to keep the club in business.

There's talk of players even being sold to other squads and being loaned back to Portsmouth to finish the season.

Ryan Chilcote is at stadium, live, and apparently getting rained on...