There Is Only One Sinnacle

I try to think about things from many different angles and after I went 2-0 yesterday I was thinking, “What If something starts to believe I edit my picks after the game is over?” Well for one I’m sure someone would catch that. There is enough of you reading this out there. Two if you click on the title or the comments link it will give you a date/time stamp (In Eastern Time) of when I last edited the post.

One game today in Sinnacle Says Europa League edition.

Napoli pk and -0.5 +105 vs Villarreal

Good luck to Benfica, Porto, Sporting and Braga today.

Record 2-0 +2.04

Tottenham are set to beat Italian teams AC Milan, Roma and Juventus for the signature of Seville’s Brazil international striker Luis Fabiano, who is valued at £14m. the Sun

I can’t see Fabiano wanting to play in England. The style of player surely don’t suit him.

Tottenham’s unsettled striker Roman Pavlyuchenko is a big-money target for Sunderland this summer. Full story: Metro

If this is the case then I’m sure Sunderland hope Tottenham can land Fabiano as it makes it easier for them to land Pavlyuchenko. Sunderland did well the last time they bought a Tottenham striker.

England winger Shaun Wright-Phillips is resigned to leaving Manchester City this summer after almost departing on loan during the January transfer window. Daily Mirror

If it wasn’t for Adam Johnson getting hurt Shuan Wright-Phillps would of been gone.

Blackburn are planning an audacious £20m summer move for Roma striker Mirko Vucinic.
Full story: Daily Mirror

Vucinic is the type of player where if you threw enough money at him he’d play for your club. In other words Blackburn has a chance.

Manchester United will demand left-back Marcelo from Real Madrid as part of any deal to take Patrice Evra to the Bernabeu. Caughtoffside

Which is why I can’t see Real Madrid really wanting Evra. When you take age isn’t account I’d rather have Marcelo than Evra at this point.

Former Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor has risked the wrath of Gunners fans by urging skipper Cesc Fabregas to quit the club for Real Madrid. talkSPORT

Like Adebayor was ever in their good books since he has left.

Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard says the Champions League is a bigger priority for the Blues than the Premier League. Daily Mirror

That is because they still have a chance at the Champions League.

I was on the way home yesterday when it hit me. This ironic scene of Clubber Lang hitting on Rockey’s wife is exactly like the Barcelona-Cesc drama. I wish I had the time (or more important the knowledge) to put Xavi face in front of Mr T, Wenger in front of Rocky and Cesc Fabregas in front of Adrian. Instead of going back to his apartment I can just picture Xavi going hey pretty Cesc how about you come to Camp Nou and play with a real team then Wenger starts snapping.

As for Barcelona they are no doubt the best team in the world. My dislike towards them is how they are fawned upon by the press. Any club the press tries to poke holes at them through every possible angle. With Barcelona they just bow to their greatness all the time. In this great Xavi Interview from the weekend Xavi whines about Inter Milan saying no one will remember thre Champions League victory. In the Interview he was right about a lot of things (Footballers being selfish, the way other teams played Spain in the World Cup as example.) but this comes off as sour grapes. When you don’t win something for 40 years it’s going to be remembered.

I’ll give Arsenal credit for the fact they believed they could win. I see it all the time in La Liga where teams roll over after the first goal against Barcelona. Now for the second time in the Champions League Barcelona have lost a match after scoring first. They also scored first against Inter Milan before losing 3-1 in a game where Xavi whined to Mourinho that Inter only won because the referee was Portuguese….child please.

The 5-0 victory over Real Madrid also gets on my nerves. Not so much the result itself but the way people go on about it as if it’s the best performace in the history of football.

Above is the greatest performace in football history as the best team in the football just chewed apart the defending European Champions in the biggest game in the world. After all is said and done it was only 3 points for Barcelona. It wasn’t a Champions League title nor did it decide La Liga and if I’m Pep Guardiola (on a side note I just found out that when googling his name a picture from my site pops up on the first page, kinda cool.) I’m blasting all my players telling them haven’t won anything yet and to forget about the press crowning them the best team in the world when they haven’t done anything close to their 2009 season yet.

All I gotta say is that I’ve been sick and tired of everyone bowing down to this Barcelona greatness. For all the pretty football Barcelona play under all that they are soft and if it takes Arsenal to expose them for that (albeit for one match) then so be it.

Just like the great Rocky 3 no one gave Rocky a chance in the re-match against the big bad Clubber Lang and while the tie is far from over Arsenal have Barcelona on the ropes.

And yes I see the irony of Arsenal being the team to expose Barcelona. All that pretty football means nothing at the end of the day when you can’t finish off your chances.

Running this site is a labour of love….it also annoys me. I do wish I had more time to do more things with the site to freshen it up. I also made a big mistake during the World Cup turning into a gambling post(s) I should of kept it separate or like I did for Euro 2008 where my previews were pretty decent. I do like the idea of having a running thread of my football predicitions. No clue how often I’ll update this but figured I’d try this out.

Lines are courtesy of pinnaclesports.com

Arsenal +.5 +104 vs Barcelona

I have often said bad results come in two’s and with Barcelona dropping points to Sporting Gijon I’ll be hoping Arsenal learn from there mistakes last year when they take on Barcelona today.

Shakhtar Donetsk +0.5 -121 vs Roma

My bad result comes in two theory comes into play again as Roma looked flat against Napoli on the weekend. (Maybe looking ahead to this match mind you) Shakhtar is 17-1-1 in their league right now and while I know the Champions League is a big step up if you believe you can win every match that is half the battle right there.

Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson’s interest in bringing £20m-rated Borussia Dortmund playmaker Mario Goetze to Old Trafford has intensified. Daily Mirror

It will be interesting to see if Dortmund can keep their young care group of players together. One thing Dortmund can do is play their players as the German league is strong. Plus if I was a player I’d be loving the 6 week winter break.

Lyon goalkeeper Hugo Lloris has suggested he could be keen on a £16m move to Manchester United next summer when current number one Edwin van der Sar retires. the Sun

I really like Lloris but I don’t think this move happens for the simple reason that the last French goalie Manchester United signed in Fabien Barthez didn’t set the world on fire.

Chelsea striker Didier Drogba could move to Turkish side Galatasaray in the summer after growing increasingly unsettled in west London. Metro

Provided Drogba could live with not being assusred of a place week to week I’m sure Real Madrid would come calling if Chelsea does decide to let him go.

French side Lille have admitted they may be open to approaches for playmaker Eden Hazard with Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United all thought to be interested. A bid of £21m could be enough to secure the 19-year-old. talkSPORT

If I was Liverpool I would of seriously considered spending that Torres money on Eden Hazard.

Chelsea could tempt playmaker Adel Taarabt from Championship leaders QPR with a £9m move.
Full story: Caughtoffside

Chelsea have enough moody headcases to deal with.

Sevilla striker Luis Fabiano has decided he will leave the Spanish club. The Brazil international could now be back on Tottenham’s radar. talkSPORT

Sevilla should of sold Fabiano after the World Cup. His value will be cut in half this summer compared what they could of got for him last summer.

Chelsea are at the centre of a Dutch FA investigation into their controversial move for 15-year-old Feyenoord prospect Nathan Ake. The inquiry centres on the Blues’ £670,000 signing of the highly rated youngster and the role played by agent Dan Kramp of Forza Fides agency. The transfer has sparked anger in the Netherlands where strict FA rules outlaw children under 16 from having agents. Kramp is accused of taking Ake to Chelsea over Christmas to seal the deal. the Sun

I take more issue with this than Chelsea paying 50 million for Torres. I don’t even know why young players go to Chelsea anyway. None of them every make it to the first team, instead they get loaned out year after year.

Liverpool’s Raheem Sterling will become the club’s youngest player if he takes the field in the club’s Europa League match against Sparta Prague. The winger, who turns 16 years and 79 days old on the day of the game, scored five goals in a 9-0 win for the Merseysiders’ youth team over Southend earlier this week.
Full story: Daily Mirror

Shocked Liverpool didn’t remove John Lennon’s name off the airport and rename it after Raheem Sterling. Nothing gives fans hope more then seeing a young player come up through the ranks which makes it even more amazing why so few clubs do it.

Talk about a rough day for A.C Milan yesterday. First you have Silvio Berlusconi now facing charges of paying a 17 year girl to have sex with him. While I rarely enter in the world of politics I am 100% convinced that he did in fact pay this girl. I am also convinced that he sees nothing wrong with what he did. This is a man who has been living by his own set of rules for the last 50 years. In his mind he can do whatever he wants. Berlusconi is the type of person when playing Scopa (Italian card game ) who will try to use the 7 of suns by picking up the 5 and 3 of Bastoni. (I realize most of you don’t get that but sometimes I write stuff to make me or at the very least my friend Tony laugh.)

Now onto Gattuso. If I’m Massimiliano Allegri I’m happy that Gattuso has taken the heat away by head butting Tottenham Assistant coach Joe Jordan. What a flat performance at home in the Champions League match. Now he can let Gattuso out to dry over his actions, besides he already picked up a yellow card and wasn’t going to feature in the return leg. While I do think Gattuso should face some sort of stiffer punishment I also think Joe Jordan should as well. What is he doing yapping at Gattuso anyway? Sit down old man and coach your players. He isn’t on the pitch so he has no business trying to stir up a player on it.

Liverpool striker Andy Carroll has been pencilled in to make his debut against Manchester United at Anfield on 6 March after returning to training following a thigh injury. Daily Mirror

Don’t like this idea. Not the brightest move throwing Andy Carroll out there against Manchester United considering the fact that if he has a bad game it’s an uphill battle to regain his previous Newcastle form. Yes I do realize there is a flip side to this story as well but I’d side with Andy Carroll needing a game or two to get fully fit.

Tottenham and Liverpool could be set for a bidding war for Simon Kjaer in the summer after Wolfsburg revealed they are willing to sell the highly rated Danish centre-back. Full story: talkSPORT

Despite his sub par year Kjaer is still worth taking a chance on.

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson wants to bring Roma midfielder Daniele de Rossi to Old Trafford in the summer. caughtoffside.com

I can’t see Daniele de Rossi in any other jersey other than a Roma one.

Tottenham will not stand in manager Harry Redknapp’s way if he is asked to take over from Fabio Capello as England boss following Euro 2012. Daily Mail

A lot can happen between now and Euro 2012. No use talking about this now.

Former England boss Steve McClaren says he is open to offers from anywhere after being sacked as Wolfsburg manager. Metro

Sad but in other words down to the Championship you go.

Manchester City centre-back Joleon Lescott has revealed how he tried to get immediate revenge on Wayne Rooney after the Manchester United striker’s stunning overhead kick won Saturday’s derby – and failed. Just hours after the Old Trafford match, the England team-mates went head-to-head again – at computer game Fifa 2011 on the Xbox console. While there was no repeat of Rooney’s spectacular strike, the forward did come out on top once again. the Sun

Cool little story to end this post off with.

It’s a sad day when a legend decides to call it a day. I loved the Ronaldo comment about the body no longer being able to do what the mind wants him to do.

I wrote this back in March 2009 and figured it still holds true today.

On the heels of Ronaldo’s two goal performance this week against Brazilian minnows Ponte Preta I wanted to take some time and briefly reflect on the many ups and downs of Ronaldo’s career.

The summer of 2002 was pretty much the zenith of Ronaldo’s career. Despite playing for storied clubs like Real Madrid and A.C Milan afterwards, his greatest statement was made at the World Cup of 2002. No one could deny his talent or place in the football history capped off with scoring two goals against Germany in finals. People may knock his passion and dedication to the game and continually ask what if but if they stopped asking what if and looked at what he did accompish surely one would marvel at everything Ronaldo has done in his playing career.

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti is giving serious consideration to dropping striker Didier Drogba for Monday’s Premier League trip to Fulham. Daily Mail

The second Torres came in the countdown clock started on Drogba leaving.

Ancelotti has warned Blues captain John Terry that he should no longer expect to play in every match. Full story: Daily Mail

Watch John Terry goes crying to the big boss about it now.

Liverpool are plotting a move for Newcastle left-back Jose Enrique, who was watched by Reds director of football strategy Damien Comolli in Saturday’s draw with Blackburn. Full story: Daily Mirror

If Newcastle got 35 million out of Liverpool for Andy Carroll wonder how much they can over pay for Jose Enrique.

New West Brom manager Roy Hodgson is set to recall striker Ishmael Miller from his loan spell at Queens Park Rangers. Daily Mirror

Roy Hodgson should keep West Brom up but the quality of football is sure going to take a drop. Panic hire on West Brom’s part.

Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas has urged his team-mates to play “with no fear” when they host “the best team in the world”, Barcelona, in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on Tuesday. Full story: Daily Telegraph

One of the few times I’ll be cheering for Arsenal I must admit. Best thing to happen to Arsenal was facing Barcelona last year. Let’s hope they are not in awe of Barcelona this time around.

Fabregas’s midfield club-mate Jack Wilshere has suggested the Gunners must “get in the faces” of Barca and “be a bit nasty” if they are to gain an advantage at the Emirates Stadium.
Full story: the Guardian

I like Jack Wilshere as a player and even him as a person on twitter (notwithstanding his moaning about the ref after the Newcastle choke job but I know he gets that from Wenger) but can Wilshere learn to shoot more. Great player but always looks for the pass.

Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola, meanwhile, cancelled his side’s scheduled Sunday training session because his players were too tired. Daily Mail

I also like Guardiola. You don’t see him whine like Wenger about anti football after drawing Sporting Gijón on the weekend. Refreshly he priased the tactic of Sporting Gijón manager Manuel Preciado. It is iconic that Manuel Preciado was the one to split the points against Barcelona considering drama between Preciada and Jose Mourinho this year. Don’t think the special one will suggest Preciado fielded a weaker side against Barcelona this time around.

West Ham are expected to receive final approval as preferred bidders for the Olympic Stadium this week after sports minister Hugh Robertson confirmed he is satisfied with the bidding process that resulted in Tottenham being defeated. Daily Telegraph

West Ham is smart to say they are going to keep the track. This is how it will play down. West Ham gets the stadium and plays in it for a year or two. After that they will bitch and moan about the track and how it removed.