There Is Only One Sinnacle

While watching Manchester United and Chelsea this weekend a thought occurred to me. I hate all these top teams this year. If either Manchester United, Chelsea or Arsenal win this season there will be something which bugs me about it. I do have a lot of respect for each team but below will be the reasons why winning the EPL title will bug me.

Chelsea – I picked Chelsea at the start of the season and I would still kinda like them to win just to pat myself on the back but a Chelsea victory would bug me. The John Terry saga has left me with a bitter taste in my mouth and I’d love to see him not pick up another major title the rest of his career. The picture of lifting the EPL trophy over his head just rubs me the wrong way. I do like Carlo Ancelotti who is a class man and class manager but he still is in Mourinho shadow. It makes me smile when I hear Mourinho talking about winning big titles and Chelsea winning some things since he has left. I’m hoping this continues.

Manchester United – Sir Alex Ferguson said he’d love to knock Liverpool off their perch onto of English football way back when. Well, I’d love to see Manchester United fans quiet down a bit and get served some humble pie like Chelsea did to them this weekend. I have all the respect in the world for Sir Alex Ferguson and the way he runs a football club but Manchester United fans who take on this personal sense of superiority over cheering for a club who sees them as little more than cash registers is something I can’t stand.

Arsenal – I generally like Arsenal fans. I’ve yet to met a dumb one. Biased I can understand but I never hear an Arsenal an say something over their club which makes me roll my eyes. That being said I take a sick pleasure in watching Arsenal not win a thing over these last five years. Few coaches take losing worse than Arsene Wenger so I enjoy his finger pointing at everyone but himself routine when Arsenal come up short. It also bugs me if Arsenal would win the league because they have come up short time and time again when facing Manchester United and Chelsea. I know a season is 38 games long and it says something about Arsenal who don’t drop points often against weaker teams but a Championship club should not go 0 for 4 against the next two top teams in the league.

Feyenoord winger Georginio Wijnaldum is being lined up by Liverpool with manager Rafael Benitez pondering a £8m bid.
Full story: caughtoffside.com

Provided Liverpool keeps Wijnaldum away from Ryan Babel he should do ok in England.

Aston Villa boss Martin O’Neill says he might sell one of the club’s stars to finance further spending if faced with a reduced transfer budget in the summer. Express and Star

In other words a) the stories are true about the purse strings being closed and b) a nice little message to the players that if they don’t preform they can be shown the door.

Everton are weighing up a move for Ajax’s highly rated Belgium international defender Jan Vertonghen. Daily Mail

With all the young talent Belgium has coming through the ranks I’d be shocked if they don’t make the next European Championship and World Cup.

Arsenal have been linked with a £12m move for Schalke goalkeeper Manuel Neuer. The 24-year-old has also been considered as a long-term replacement for Edwin Van der Sar at Manchester United. caughtoffside.com

Despite his mistakes can’t see Wenger losing faith in Manuel Almunia.

Celtic caretaker Neil Lennon has not given up hope of keeping Tottenham striker Robbie Keane after his loan spell expires at the end of the season. (The Scotsman)

Considering Lennon doesn’t sign the cheques nor is the full time manager don’t see how anything he says on this matter can be take seriously.

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson could spring the surprise of the season by including striker Wayne Rooney in his plans for the Champions League quarter-final against Bayern Munich. Daily Mail

You know Manchester United are in trouble if Ferguson has to resort to this.

Fabregas out for six weeks with leg fracture

Francesc Fabregas will be out for at least six weeks with a cracked bone in his right fibula.

Article

I do find the irony in the fact many Arsenal fans were rejoicing over Wayne Rooney’s injury just 24 hours prior. Karma seems to have bitten Arsenal in the ass with news that Cesc Fabregas will likely miss the rest of this season and breaking his leg. Wish Fabregas the best of luck but hope he doesn’t rush a broken leg. His focus should be on being fit for the World Cup with his domestic season all but over.

So I wake up this morning and see a Castrol Edge Cristiano Ronaldo commercial on my TV. Not the greatest commercial I’ve ever watched but hey I’m always happy to see Ronaldo start making his break through in the North American market. Just keep thinking about a bunch of Canadians seeing this ad and going “is that my Mechanic who likes to play football on the side?” No, rest assured it’s one of the greatest football players in the world telling you to use Castrol Motor Oil.

Inter Milan have set their sights on Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard and will launch a summer bid to sign him. imscouting.com

If Steven Gerrard wasn’t a local buy nor Liverpool legend I’m sure the club would consider selling him, but he is so Liverpool and Gerrard are married together til the latter either wants out or is washed up.

Albert Riera says he wants to stay at Liverpool after the winger’s proposed move to Spartak Moscow stalled over personal terms. Spanish newspaper Marca (in Spanish)

Shocked Marca didn’t link Albert Riera with Real Madrid.

Arsenal are favourites to sign Italian under-21 international Mario Balotelli from Internazionale, after the 19-year-old’s agent ruled out a move for the £15m-valued striker to Inter’s local rivals AC Milan.
Full story: Caughtoffside.com

The Gunners are also chasing Real Zaragoza midfielder Ander Herrera and are mulling over the Spanish side’s £7m vaulation of the 20-year-old. The Sun

On or the other but not both. Have heard Balotelli as a make weight for Cesc Fabregas but just can’t see Fabregas leave for Italy. £7 million for Herrera sounds like a number Arsenal would pull the trigger on.

Chelsea want to sign Everton pair Steven Pienaar and Jack Rodwell, and will undertake a summer clear-out to raise funds for the transfers. Caughtoffside.com

I’ve been thinking why don’t I hear John Obi Mikel exit rumours. After such a massive tug of war between Manchester United and Chelsea you would of expected more from Obi Mikel by now.

Wigan will let in-form winger Charles N’Zogbia leave the club in the summer if one of the Premier League’s big guns comes calling, according to Latics manager Roberto Martinez. Daily Mail

Let’s face it, Wigan will let any player leave if a club writes a big enough cheque.

Wayne Rooney will be fit for the World Cup after suffering a suspected ‘grade one’ ligament tear in Manchester United’s Champions League first leg defeat by Bayern Munich. The striker is expected to be out for between three and four weeks. Daily Mail

If you are an England and non Manchester United supporter you are sercetly happy at this news. Provided Rooney can fully recover and all signs point to that happen it will keep Rooney fresh heading into the final month or the season and into the World Cup.