Martin O’Neill is gunning for the Champions League
Following their narrow win over Hull last night, occasionally inconsistent Aston Villa will start 2009 defending fourth place, and a hallowed spot in the Champions League. Arsene Wenger believes his side can still “dominate the league“, but they’ll have to get past Martin O’Neill’s men first.
So, will Arsenal prevail in the second half of the season, or do the Villains have the resolve to force a repeat of the 1995/96 season, when they pushed the north Londoners into fifth position? Votes and comments below, please…
Supermodel, marathoner and hemorrhoid cream spokesperson
The 1980s were a simpler time: no one was troubled by spam emails, Simon Cowell had yet to infect popular music with his cynical money making machine and supermodels with big hair were all photographed in soft focus. One such supermodel was Kim Alexis, who married former Canadian ice hockey star Ron Duguay back in the day.
There’s just one more day until the transfer window is flung open, and a stroppy Ivorian is dominating the headlines amidst talk of a name-and-shame session at Chelsea HQ…
Didier Drogba to leave Chelsea
According to sources at The Daily Mail, Big Phil held a 45-minute clear-the-air session at Chelsea’s Cobham training ground yesterday, where many “key players” cited Le Drog as the principle reason for dressing room disharmony. After votes were counted, Didier Drogba was nominated to be evicted from the Big Chelsea House in January.
Spoiler truth-o-meter: With each passing day, Drogba’s future at Chelsea gets shorter, and it will probably be best for everyone if he runs off into the sunset with his lover Jose.
Mikel Arteta to Arsenal
Ever since Professor Wenger suggested he may defy his usual practise of spending absolutely nothing in the January window, the Gunners have been linked to every midfielder under the sun. Despite the strong Andrei Arshavin links, The Guardian believes Mikel Arteta will plug the Fabregas-shaped hole in exchange for £12m.
Spoiler truth-o-meter: It’s clear that Arsenal wish to bring in a midfielder, and Arteta would be a cheaper alternative to Arshavin, who has no Premier League experience and a mercenary attitude
FC Groningen boss directs schoolboy insult at official
If Joe Kinnear is looking for a more subtle way to attack referees than calling them “mickey mouse” in front of the entire world, then he can learn a lot from FC Groningen gaffer Ron Jans. The “give the middle finger and then pretend to stretch” routine never fails to get results.
Chilean internationals fight it out over attractive lady
It seems that Steven Gerrard isn’t the only one arguing with his fists over this festive period.
Inter Milan midfielder Luis Jimenez has held a grudge over fellow Chilean international Mauricio Pinilla after the South American press claimed the latter had slept with the former’s wife, extremely good looking model Maria Jose Lopez (pictured above).
A few days ago, the footballers happened to be enjoying the same Santiago nightclub during their respective Christmas breaks, when angry Jimenez reportedly attacked his love rival with a blunt instrument. After receiving three blows to the head, Pinilla was admitted to hospital with a head trauma and neck injuries.
Spoiler bonus: Awaiting paparazzi found the lady at the centre of the argument speeding away in her hideously unsubtle Hummer, and proved that they are even more intrusive than the British press when a reporter opened the door of her moving vehicle, forcing her to slow down and have her picture taken. Check out a video of the kerfuffle after the jump…
The Professor isn’t ruling out domestic silverware in 08/09
Despite the fact that Aston Villa can push Arsenal out of the top four with a draw at Hull tonight, Arsene Wenger believes Arsenal’s season is not yet over, and indeed that there is still time for an epic catch-up. He told The Evening Standard:
“I’m convinced that we are on the right track. We are not missing 10 per cent, we are missing one or two per cent.
“We can get that one or two per cent easily and then we can dominate the league.
“I’m disappointed that the team is not getting the praise or the respect it deserves at the moment, but we have to keep going. We will keep going with this spirit and we will turn people around.
With five league losses at the half-way stage, most would argue that the Gunners should adopt the Real Madrid philosophy of placing all their hopes in a Champions League-shaped basket. Then again, a spot of Positive Mental Attitude may be just what the doctor ordered for a side low on confidence.
So, is Professor Wenger being a little heavy-handed with his optimism, or can Arsenal be “rewarded in 2009 because they deserve it”, as the manager himself puts it? Votes and comments below, please…
Test your late nineties Premier League knowledge now!
Get a fix of Premier League nostalgia by playing our fantastic Bobbleheads game, avialable in three versions: English players, foreign players and those who have since become pundits.
Click here to start playing and don’t forget to send it to your friends!
Loading ...