Confederations Cup Profiles: Spain

Simply the best.

It's been 32 games and nearly that many months since the Spaniards lost a football match. In that time, they've won their first international tournament since the 1964 European Cup (which they hosted) and established "La Roja" as a model of attacking, attractive footy. So it's little wonder they enter this spring's Confederations Cup as favorites, and not just speculative or fashion favorites like in the past. Spain in 2009 are the book's pick, the conventional wisdom, currently listed at 6/4 to win a trophy in South Africa.

Fernando Torres, David Villa, Xavi, Sergio Ramos, David Silva, Iker Casillas... what could possibly go wrong??


The Spanish team at Euro 2008 earned its Champagne reputation. They were fun to watch, even as they scratched their way past the killjoy Hun in a tight final. Ask ten fans which player they remember most fondly from that team and five will say Villa (all those early goals), two will pick Xavi (voted best, the maestro), two will say Torres (the cup final winner as a lone striker)... But just one (me!) will say Marcos Senna.


I'm not there.

Yes, Marcos Senna. With a suspect center backs behind him, attack-minded full backs shooting up his flanks, and quick and brilliant but small attacking midfielders playing in his path, Senna was the rock, the guy who let Xavi and Iniesta conjure up their tricks.

How good was he? I mean, Luis Aragones loved him.

But Marcos Senna will not be in South Africa. He's injured, and for that matter, so is Iniesta. Spain have enough playmakers to push on through the Barca man's injury, but one has to wonder if they have the metal to replace Senna. Neither Busquets-- a good ball-winner, but young-- or Xabi Alonso can play "the Senna role."

That said, they don't need to be as good, or play the exact same game to repeat last summer's result. They have some options now. The first possibility is that someone steps up Senna's absence. Not an impossibility, but again, who? Convince me. Another is that they score more goals... kick it around like Barca... the Cruyff Defense. This squad is built to score and with the confidence they're likely to build against the Group A minnows, it could be enough to carry them on their way.

And speaking of.. That draw is of a particular advantage to the Spaniards. Their group includes Iraq, New Zealand, and hosts South Africa, who'll likely be eliminated from a semi-final place by the time the teams meet on June 20, in the final group match.

Managing it all is Vicente del Bosque, a quiet fella who knows how to handle supreme talent, as evidenced by his supreme results with Real Madrid galacticos teams from 1999-2003. Del Bosque has brought his "A" team to Africa, and given Spain's recent run of international success-- the Euros, then Barca-- you have to think they are serious about keeping the streak alive.

Prediction: An easy first round draw sees Spain matched up with the second seed in Group B, which I think will be a surprise Egypt or USMNT. No matter, it will be on to the final and a matchup with... Italia! And like in Vienna's Ernst Happel Stadion a year ago, the Spaniards will prevail.

More predictions from the UF squad later in the day.

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Fernando re-ups at Anfield

Fernando Torres has been busy signing things lately. First, his marriage license, and now, a new deal at Anfield that could keep him there until 2013, with an option for 2014.

On his website, he had this to say:

"I want to remain here (at Anfield). Since arriving at Liverpool I feel that there is a bond and commitment. We listened to the club's offer, which came on the back of two seasons of positive work. My objective now is to win a trophy with Liverpool next season."

I pray to God that trophy is not a Carling Cup.

After the jump, a vid or two showing his goalscoring. Why? I mean, why not?

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Whoa, Hold On. You Mean Torres Isn't Gay?

Hard to believe that a guy with his own name tattooed on his arm in Tengwar script would be into chicks but apparently Fernando Torres likes one of them enough to marry her.

Which he did. Yesterday. We think.

Como se dice "shotgun" en Español?

Seems while the rest of the footballing world was looking at a shiny object ("Look: a Champions League final") Nando got hitched to Olalla Domingez who is seven months preggers.

Her name becomes a lot less fun to say when you remember that a "ll" in Spanish is the rough equivalent of a "y" in English.

Sure Liverpool fans will sport wood when they find out that she sported a Red dress.

There's a little more detail from Kickette here. And some Spanish press here. From the latter it seems they've been together for 10 years so this might be surprising only to his domestic [strike] partner David Villa.

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UF Quick Throw: Fernando begins his own mind games

Mr. Torres has decided to weigh in amid the Rafa v. Fergie fight, calling Manchester United the favourites for the EPL title. It's January 12, and LFC have taken the "underdog" moniker. Will this even be a fight by the time the two sides meet on March 14?

[BBC Sport]

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Help Heal El Nino!

Remember when Goldenballs broke his foot in the run-up to the 2002 World Cup, putting the word 'metatarsal' on the lips of a previously ignorant public?

Remember how a certain UK tabloid (who shall remain unnamed) printed a picture of his foot and asked Ingerlund fans to use it as a prayer mat to help heal Becks?

Remember how he actually healed and was fit enough to play a role in Ingerlund's inevitable under-performance?

Well, now has come the time to use those potential healing powers for actual Good.

Regardless of your club affiliation, methinks we can all agree on the sublime pedigree of one Fernando José Torres Sanz. Unfortunately, El Nino's talents haven't been on display as much as they should this season. While suffering through a series of (the same) hamstring injuries which have dampened his second season at Anfield, word has it that the brain trust at Liverpool (this obviously rules out G & H) have figured out the problem and hope to put an end to #9's niggling injury. (I personally blame the Spanish National Team. Racists.)

With Liverpool sitting top of the table, the busy Christmas program is approaching and the Reds surely needs El Fantastico (El Nino + Captain Fantastic) operating at peak efficiency in order to keep up its title push. So, I ask you, the UF Readers, to use a picture of El Nino (complete with hamstring clutch) to pray with/on in hopes of getting the phenom back on the pitch.

Now, I understand many of you aren't Liverpool fans. You may not necessarily care about their title aspirations or about Torres' health. But, maybe you hate Chelsea or United? Maybe you don't want to see them win another title this season? Or maybe you just fancy Fernando's flowing blonde locks?

Whatever the reason, I ask you to take a few minutes to say a little prayer to the Footie Gods in hopes of getting my Man Crush back in action.

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Fernando Takes On Gerrard

Anfield Prince Fernando Torres decided to play one-on-one with Gerrard to prove who had the best skills. Gerrard was dogged in his defense of Torres. El Nino couldn't take the bite out of Gerrard. In the end, no one proved the top dog.

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Welcome to the Jungle: UF Fantasy Footy League

It's Friday and that means The Weekend is upon us. Besides a brief respite from the excruciating minutiae that clutters our weekday lives (or is that just me?) and heavy drinking that is soon to follow (no happy coincidence those two things are side-by-side), The Weekend means footy -- both of the real and fantasy variety.

That's what I'm here to talk to you about today -- UF's Fantasy Football League (and time permitting, a lucrative multi-level business opportunity I'd like to cut you in on). Held through the ever-excellent Premier League platform, our league is off and running, just like it's real-life compatriot (with 37% less whinging).

While we'll likely be recapping the jaw-dropping action of point culmination during the early part of the week, when the new standings are hot and fresh like a Krispy Kreme doughnut, today will serve as an appetizer. So, let's take a look at the teams inhabiting our league and what we might have to look forward to (that is, if you have a gapping hole in your social life like moi). And maybe I'll even drop some golden nuggets of fantasy footy advice along the way.*

(*guaranteed to lead you to mid-table mediocrity. That's right, you can be the Middlesbrough of your league!)



After the first week, Denver CF sits atop the table with an impressive 69-point haul in the initial outing (sixxxxxty-NIIIINNNNE!). Take that with a grain of salt, though, since Hull currently has as many points as Chelsea.

Sitting second in the table is one of my contenders for Worst Named Team --- 'Ronaldo's Raiders'. Unless the team owner's name is actually Ronaldo (which it isn't, it's fucking THOR! Please tell me that's your actual given name, because that would be sublime), any mention of the Douchebag himself immediately draws my ire. Plus, the Raiders fucking blow. They're like West Ham; plenty of history, including a violent faction of fans, that have completely lost the rudder and are currently adrift in a Sea of Suck.

Right behind He Whose Name Shall Not Be Spoken's Pompous Picaroons is another Worst Named Team nominee -- 'ChadBunzFC'. At least this time, the team's namesake is actually a Chad. Yet, anything that conjures up images of a stranger's heiny is lame at best. And apparently, Chad hails from the street and doesn't care about spelling. You see, the 'Z' bestows upon him street cred. Which is something every fantasy footy player should certainly be striving for.

In fourth place resides my last Worst Name nominee -- 'Justified FC'. If manager Tony E meant this to be a Justin Timberlake reference, then I'll take him off probation. Seriously, the kid (Justin, not Tony) oozes talent out his ears (flava infection, maybe?), bathes in pussy and both records are rather enjoyable. Any other interpretation of this team name is unacceptable.

As for Best Named team, I'll rule out my own ('Clash City' being a wonderful Clash reference, thank you very much). I'm partial to our own LB's 'Nunca Caminaras Solo' because I'm a homer (no shame in having to Google it). But, 'Brain Stabbing' has a certain ring to it that I find pleasing. Fan's Attic, you win. 'Cobble Villa', 'Don't Be So Ruud' and 'Where is Watford?' all were in the running as well. Where is Watford? At the bottom of the table, just like your fantasy team.

Taking a look at the make-up of the actual teams, it will come as no surprise that there are certain shared players amongst the competitors. Fernando Fucking Torres leads the front-line for no less than 11 of the 21 clubs. Fabregas, the 2nd leading points getter (behind The Cunt), is employed nine times (and we're all waiting on his fucking ankle to heal). Clichy, a defender who likes to get forward, has found his way onto 7 teams, with Meite (crap defender for a crap team) and Howard (balls! banana! microwave!) are also playing lucky sevens.

Speaking of players, let me take this opportunity to publicly call out Ian for making Stoke goalkeeper Steve Simonsen the captain of his TheoFabregas squad. Are you Glenn Roeder in disguise?

Not that I'm a Special One over here. I'm the only asshole to have made a transfer after the first week. Thanks, Michael Carrick.

So, I'm on the look-out for diamonds in the rough. But, who is going to be the Darkhorse Surprise Player of this season? Well, don't look for any answers today.

#1: I'm hungover and don't have them right now.
#2: There's no way I'm telling this lot in the first fucking post. You'll have to come back.

In the meanwhile, I wonder what happens come Fall when His Douchiness finds his way back into a United shirt. How many of you will pony up the cash to buy the guy who seems to sweat points?

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EPL Previews: Liverpool, aka "Limperpool FC"

You didn't think some non-Scouse was going to write this, did you?



The Liverpool saga this summer has been like every other tidbit of drama I've endured at Anfield since Rafa and the Yanks began their fraught courtship. A protracted mess of he-said, she-said wrangling that always ends up public, and yet it seems like they fight about something new every week. First it was the need for transfer funds, then it was the Klinsmann debacle, then it was funds again, then it was Rafa's job security, then chairman Rick Parry's job security, and now, funds for Gareth Barry.

It is the definition of "soap opera" through and through: a diverse cast of characters constantly bickering and who never retain any knowledge from week-to-week, so much so that you think you're forever watching the same bloody episode.

Sadly, the product on the pitch is just as much a part of the same soap. Flashes of brilliance and melodrama punctuated by long periods of sitting around and waiting for something to happen. My beloved club are in grave danger of becoming the ultimate paper team: one that matches up well with their opponents in theory, yet routinely underwhelms on the pitch.

It's a tough pill to swallow, and every summer, when we bring in one or two big-name players, my excitement levels rises, the teamsheets look formidable, and then, as we witnessed on Wednesday, it doesn't rise to the occasion.

Looking at this year's squad brings the same salivation. Robbie Keane, although a little pricey at 19 million pounds, brings a verve and inventiveness that Torres will surely benefit from up front. Too often, the Spanish whiz was left to his own devices up front, and while he created and scored a lot of goals, having a good wingman can only be a good thing. Right?

Should the pair find their psychic connection, they'll score a lot of goals, and on paper, they're the best strike pairing in the country. (Lest I forget the exciting intangible that is David N'Gog, a young Frenchman who managed to rebuff the charm and smile of Mr. Wenger)

WANT.

The midfield is unchanged, as the courtship of Aston Villa's prized midfielder has amounted to nothing but tension and bruised pride. Xabi Alonso was shopped everywhere from Wenger's treehouse to the exotic gates of Juventus, and nothing happened there. Mascherano's been enjoying himself at the Olympics (I hear the refs are a little off?), and Gerrard, besides building his new gymnasium, has struggled with a couple of groin strains. I am not concerned, although I might need words with his WAG should the nagging injury persist much longer.

Babel, Benayoun, Lucas and Damien Plessis serve as willing, largely-inexperienced understudies, although in this day and age, the concept of depth is so coveted that I'm glad to have the quality we do.

Contrast this with Arsenal, who essentially become a JV team beyond their best 15 players.

The biggest shifts have come at the back, with a whole slew of new, unknown faces and names: Andrea Dossena joins from Udinese, and if his first match is any evidence, I'm scared shitless to have him patrolling left-back in Aurelio's absense. Riise is gone, although Hyppia is still lingering should Carragher, Agger or Skrtel need a breather. Arbeloa, another concern at right-back, will share some time with Finnan and the free Swiss transfer Phillipp Degen, a guy I've barely seen in LFC Red yet.

Itandje has been mercifully shipped off, and Diego Cavalieri will provide Pepe with a rest every month or so.

On paper (fuck, there I go again), it's a servicable squad, one that's undergone a few major changes from last season, and one that should score goals. By pre-season standards, the results of these tinkerings and experiments were far from promising, and we're lucky to be level on aggregate with Standard Liege heading into the 2nd leg of the CL qualifying round. (The joke is that if we struggled with Standard Liege, imagine how badly we'd fare against Exceptional Liege, or Amazing Liege, or Premium Liege.)

Phew.

Although it's not good to handicap the team just one match into the competitive fixture list, I see the same tired hang-dog limp that's plagued us in previous Augusts and that's put us out of the EPL title race by Christmas.

Of course, I drink the Kool Aid willingly, and there's still a dim flicker of hope that I'll wake up tomorrow and Gareth Barry will be a Red. His cup-tied status should lower the price a bit, and given the prevailing joke that Hicks and Gillett have to root under couch cushions these days to come up with transfer fees means that we might still have a chance.

I'm not amused at our desperate haggling over a million pounds and the relative worth of Steve Finnan, but hey, if this were a soap, we're just playing the part of the idiot uncle from out-of-town for a while.

I am thirsty for the season, and ravenous at the prospect of my wonderful paper team. We look good in print, but we also have a tendency to fold like a sheet of A4 on occasions when strength is needed most.

This all adds up to more of the same, in my eyes. I will go above and beyond in saying that I think we can push for third, but it'll take a miracle (and the sudden ability to beat the Wigans and Boltons instead of dropping points) to get us much beyond that.



Third place, and a deep CL run for the lads. I think we have a cup in us, so I'll plump for the FA Cup.

Reading back on that, I'm reminded as to why I love this game so much. All the negatives in the world can't stop me from reaching for the stars, or at least the stars that I think Liverpool are vaguely capable of.

In the end, with no EPL games complete yet, my predictions look wild, absurd, and ultimately, really good on paper.

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This Is Porn For Half Of UF

There's a new Nike ad out there featuring Fernando Torres. You might have noticed that this here blog is populated by a lot of Liverpool fans, led by Lingering Bursitis who is an actual Scouser. The one time I met him, I didn't take any valuables with me.



If you don't hear from LB anytime in the near future, just knock on his door and give him a few minutes to compose himself after watching the ad.

Really, who am I kidding, I support Liverpool as well. Just give me a few minutes to clean up.

After the jump, a kickass video of the Kop singing the Siren Song of Torres, Torres.





[H/T Fantasy Premier League]

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Euro 2008 Team Profiles: Spain

Spain is going to win the 2008 European Championships.

Or is that "Spain are going to win"? Christ, I didn't think this was going to involve my having to consult the MLA stylebook.

But, yeah, Spain, the surest fire chokers in all of international football (well of the ones that made it to the Euro). Those guys. They are going to win. And they are going to look good doing it.

I say that and I haven't even been drinking all day. Nor am I gay. Although I might have a borderline unhealthy man crush on Fernando Torres, I'd totally nail that girl in the pic right above this sentence. Even if she does have a slightly asymmetrical face, she's clearly showing an affinity for having balls against her ass, so I like my chances.

Anyway, there are at least four reasons for Spain is going to vencer or ganar or something.

First, Fernando Torres. That guy is really fucking good at futbol. Sure, it takes a firm grasp of the obvious to make that observation, but without him and his 24 goals—the most ever for an EPL (suck it, Barclay's) debut season—Liverpool is probably staring at the European NIT next season. And much like in the EPL, the only person I can see outscoring him this summer is Christiano Louganis.

Second, no Raul. Sure he's got 40-something goals in 100-odd appearances for the national team, but what's the farthest he's ever been able to carry his país? The quarterfinals? Oh wait, that shouldn't be another question. "The quarterfinals" is the actual answer. In the 1998 Cup they didn't even make it out of their group (really, a 0-0 draw to Paraguay?). Please, give me Torres and David Villa up top—which, hey, that's totally what Spain can have—and I like my odds of not getting shut out by anybody. No, Spain is going score more than Cashely Cole at a Roman Shower party.

Third, here's how loaded their midfield is. Mikel Arteta, who has been a rock in Everton's midfield for the past two and a half seasons, can't even get a spot in the selección.

Finally, I am on a roll. Having predicted the last European and World Cup champions, I'm on a two-tournament winning streak. Okay, I didn't really predict Greece in '04 so much as pull a slip of paper with their name on it out of a hat then whine like a blender stuck on frapeé, but it put me in the money.

So bet against me at your own risk because Cesc Fabregas ain't the only one en fuego.



Here's the squad:

Forwards: Fernando Torres, David Villa, Sergio Garcia, Daniel Guiza

Midfielders: Cesc Fabregas, Andres Iniesta, Xabi Alonso, Xavi, David Silva, Santi Cazorla, Ruben de la Red, Marcos Senna

Defenders: Sergio Ramos, Carlos Marchena, Fernando Navarro, Alvaro Arbeloa, Juanito, Joan Capdevila, Raul Albiol, Carles Puyol

Goalkeepers: Iker Casillas, Pepe Reina, Andres Palop


Could England beat this team? I supposed anything is possi... No.

Breakout Player: Sergio Ramos. He goes box to box and, from the right back coming forward, he's a threat with the cross.

Biggest Question Mark: Well, they are still Spain. And if you go Casillas, Arbeloa, Xabi Alonso, Torres, that's pretty much Liverpool running right up the middle of this team. That either explains why Liverpool has been underachieving as of late (too much España in their DNA) or portends poorly for Spain since Liverfourth can't get out of, well, fourth. Although, Reina probably won't see the pitch in front of Casillas save maybe for the last game of the group stage when Spain is sitting on 6 points and a plus-6 GD.

Worst Player: No se.

Can this team win Euro 2008? Did you start reading two sentences in?

What is the squad's pre-made excuse for not winning Euro 2008? Well, it would have been Raul, but, as mentioned he's not on the squad. Their Spain-ness would then have to be the reason.

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Is There Such a Thing as a £25M Bargain?

See that guy?

That's Fernando Torres. You probably know that if you read this site, but he's really fucking good at soccer. You probably know that, too.

On February 23rd he scored his first League hat trick for Liverpool, then just 11 days later against West Ham, he did it again. And in a sport where a 1-0 result is pretty commonplace, that is just fucking ridiculous.

Evan Stone doesn't score that often.

So God help the Newcastle defense. I mean, sure the first hatty was against 'Boro, but the second one, well, West Ham had been playing pretty well and Robert Green had been maybe one of the 4 or 5 best keepers in the EPL for the first half of the season.

So El Niño, I tip my sombrero to you and your pie. And in honor of your recent badassness we will predict a ridiculous numero for this week's fixtures.

Just a quick note, we actually bothered to check last week's numbers against the results, and even padding with a couple of extra scores, we still couldn't break more than 5 right. Plus, with six sides scoring 3 or better, we totally low-balled it so badly we were barely even close on the rest.

We suck. But at least we're honest enough to admit it.

Here's a peek into this week's crystal soccer ball.

1-1
3-0
2-2
2-0
5-1
0-0
1-2
0-3
2-2

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TWAG (This Week at Ginger's): Episode 2 - That Explains the Six Cups of Coffee

It was -5 when I woke up on Sunday morning. The first breath I took when I stepped outside hurt my lungs.

But I have no Setanta and:

A) I wanted to see the remnants of United v. Citeh (if only for the retro kits)
2) I had a commitment from the two ladies you see in the picture above to actually make it to Ginger's to watch the late match of Liverpool v. Chelsea.

And I'm not sure which was more surprising. The Citeh win or the fact that the two girls made it, and even brought a third with them (Note: The pic is not from Ginger's on Sunday but from lunch the day before). The latter because, again, it was below zero (Fahrenheit, kids, we're not cheating with Celsius here) and neither of them know shit about soccer.

The blonde on the right, her name is LeighAnne. Here's an actual conversation we had.

Me: "That's Steven Gerrard. He's one of England's better players."
LeighAnne: "I thought that was Liverpool in red."
Me: "It is. He's English though, so he also plays for the English national team."
LeighAnne: "Isn't that where Beckham played before he came here."
Me: "Well, yes, sometiems. But he also played in Spain at Real Madrid."
LeighAnne: "But he's not Spanish."
Me: "It doesn't matter. You can play your club soccer anywhere. There are Spaniards playing in England and Brazilians playing in Italy."
LeighAnne: "So then they don't play for Brazil?"
Me: "No, they play for Brazil, they just play their club soccer in Europe."
LeighAnne: "How do they play for two teams at the same time?"

What that transcription doesn't give you is the visual of me starting to pound my head against the table.

I tried to explain that, the same way LeBron James plays for the Cleveland Cavaliers and Kobe Bryant plays for the Los Angeles Lakers, when it comes time for the Olympics, they both play for the USA. Somehow she missed the analogy.

She's not stupid. She just clearly doesn't understand soccer, or at least soccer leagues—the game it self it pretty easy: kick the ball into their net, you can't use your hands—but she got irritated that I would call them "clubs" and not "teams" not understanding that all clubs field teams, but not all teams are club teams.

Anyway, a friend of mine had a saying, a variant of Murphy's Law I guess that went: "It's always a good movie, until mom and dad come downstairs and people start fucking."

Sure enough. I drag cute girls to a bar at gawdearly on a shit cold Sunday and what do they get? Liverpool and Chelsea. Between them, the sides combined to score zero goals, created maybe π scoring chances, and put at least 9,458 people into boredom-induced comas.

If not for the girls, I wouldn't have stayed and I like soccer (Soc-cer?).

So instead, to entertain themselves, the girls degenerated into "He's cute" (Ballack) and "I kind of like him. He's rugged in a Matt Damon sort of way" (Riise). Fortunately, for her she only saw Riise from profile during a throw in. From head on, Riise looks like he got struck with an ugly free-kick one too many times. And as for Ballack, meh. The low point of the day was when LeighAnne gushed over how cute Frank Lampard was.

Great, there's zero fucking action on the pitch and my friend is going to become a Chelsea fan because the biggest douche in the EPL is dreamy. This couldn't backfire any worse. Someone alert Rafa, not only did Spain's midweek friendly cost him Torres, but the lack of a good-looking Torres cost Liverpool a potential fan.

So thanks guys, I'm trying to be an ambassador for the game, and a poon ambassador at that, and two of the Big 4 decide to engage in a 90-minute sleepwalk with a couple of stepovers. So yep, soccer is boring. That's exactly what they are going to tell all of their friends at work today when they have the "So what'd you do over the weekend" gossip chat.

And what counter do I have? "Well, you should have seen the Tottenham - Birmingham City match in Novemeber. That was cracking good excitement from mid-table teams. Well, just below mid-table to be accurate."

I should know better: Next time you hoodwink girls (or anybody for that matter) into watching soocer, bring them to an Arsenal match. That's not blatant homerism as, 9 times out of 10, at least an Arsenall match will be pretty to watch, but I'm pretty sure I'll be dragging my ass and my ass alone to the United v. Arsenal FA Cup tie this Sunday.

At least I have the prospect of saddling up to Ronaldo McBoSoxHat. Yipee.

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I Realize This Sounds Like I'm Whinging

I'm sure there is all kinds of hand wringing going on at Anfield. Yep, Rafa, bummer to lose your best player ahead of maybe the biggest match of the season. Sorry those mid-season friendlies only seem to adversely effect your squad. But in the interest of equal time, let's look at the body count at Arsenal.

Rosicky is out.
Flamini left the France A game against Congo with "stiffness."
Senderos suffered an MCL injury against Engerland
Almunia first had a finger injury. Now he's got a virus. He's out (And Jens had a massive blunder in Germany's win over Austria).
Denilson has a hammy.
Abou Diaby was injured at Citeh last week.
Toure and Eboue are both in Ghana for the 3rd place Cup of Nations game.
Van Persie is well on target to miss half a season for the 2nd straight campaign.

I count nine.

That and the Gunners host Blackburn, maybe the most physical team in the EPL, a style Arsenal has difficulty with. Injuries are part of the game, and having depth is a sign of a well managed organization, but Arsenal has been patching together a backline for the better part of a month. And they have a BRUTAL 10 days ahead of them (Rovers, a healthy United squad, and Milan who are going to have Pato and Kaka back).

So, yeah, Reds, sorry to hear about your shoes—no really, I am as I desperately want you to beat the crap out of Chelsea—it's just that my rooting interest is about to take the pitch having lost 18 feet.

Not saying. Just saying.

Here are this weekends scores.

5-2
1-1
1-1
0-1
0-0
4-1
3-3
2-2
2-0
0-3

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