Pick your favourite player who wears the revered squad number

Calendar enthusiasts will be aware that today is 09/09/09, which is easily the most significant day in the Gregorian system since 07/08/09. In celebration of this tremendous occasion, we’re asking you to pick the best current number nine in the Premier League.

It’s a fairly mixed bunch - which sees no representatives from nine-haters Fulham and Everton - and we suspect one of two names will dominate…

Someone didn’t take the FA Cup defeat very well

On Tuesday night, Blackburn Rovers were dumped out of the FA Cup by Coventry City, the side who also spanked them 4-1 at Ewood Park in the same competition last year. Striker Jason Roberts has landed himself in hot water after a 17-year-old Sky Blue fan let him know how rubbish his team is. The Sun reports:

Premier League ace Jason Roberts punched a jubilant 17-year-old fan in the face after the lad’s side dumped Blackburn out of the FA Cup, it was claimed yesterday.

Police were called when the striker, 30, allegedly flipped as he boarded his team’s coach home.

Shocked witnesses, including an off-duty cop, said the £3million star vaulted a barrier to belt the jeering Coventry City supporter.

A ‘member of Coventry City staff’ (that’ll be a steward) said the youngster had facial injuries from the shocking incident, but no arrests have been made.

If the mouthy fan wants revenge, he’ll get at least two opportunities next season when the clubs meet in the Championship.

The window opens in just ten days but everything has gone quiet

The Spoiler hasn’t even stopped to think about Christmas, such has been our tunnel vision in counting down the days until the transfer window opens. However, some of our friends in the tabloid press haven’t shown quite as much commitment which means there isn’t much gossip to share today. Here’s the best of what we found at the bottom of the barrel:

Roque Santa Cruz will meet Sam Allardyce
Blackburn’s wantaway striker Santa Cruz is going to come head-to-head with new boss Sam Allardyce today and will try to muster up the courage to tell him that he wants to leave next month.

The Spoiler Truth-o-meter: Benni McCarthy, Jason Roberts and Matt Derbyshire have all got better Premier League goals-to-start ratios this season so Allardyce may consider cashing in.

More talk of a FIRE SALE! at West Ham

There could be a lot of goalscorers up for grabs next month

Benni McCarthy and Jason Roberts combined for three goals in 27 minutes for Blackburn yesterday while Roque Santa Cruz watched on, meaning the Paraguayan striker now has a worse goal-to-start league ratio than every Rovers striker bar Robbie Fowler this season.

New boss Sam Allardyce has promised to act on Santa Cruz’s comments earlier this week about joining a bigger club so Blackburn may for the first time give serious consideration to the possibility of selling him to raise funds.

With Michael Owen, Robbie Keane, Jermain Defoe, Craig Bellamy and Dean Ashton’s futures also up in the air, there could be a lot of strikers moving next month and The Spoiler wants to know which one you would most like to see at your club. Tell us what you think with a vote and comment below:

Pedersen enjoys some ‘face time’ with Jason Roberts

Thanks to Sporno fan Owen for digging out some over-the-top Lancashire celebrations.

Click here to see the full Sporno gallery

If Wenger doesn’t need new defenders, then what does he need?

While Tottenham have got to work early and spent big on Luka Modric and Giovani dos Santos, Arsenal are still on the starting blocks, with the first sign of any transfer activity at the Emirates being quickly shot down by Arsene Wenger:

“I have been interested in Vincent Kompany ever since he was 16, but I am not interested in him this year. There is nobody I need for my team’s defensive department.”

Which of course prompts the question: what’s the point of tracking someone for six years if you have no intention to signing them? By acting much like a flirtatious girl who makes you believe she’s the one but who will quickly break your heart, perhaps Arsene is telling us he simply enjoys the thrill of the chase.

Anyway, Arsenal’s reticence to invest has spurred The Spoiler to consider where each London club needs to improve next season.

So we did a think and then gone wrote it down:

Chelsea

Top priority:
Flair players - Big Phil hasn’t just been brought to Chelsea to win trophies, he’s expected to bring some Brazilian flair to the job and make the Blues exciting to watch as well as being scarily efficient.

Fitting the bill: Ronaldinho, Kaka, Franck Ribery

Arsenal

Top priority:
Depth in midfield - Diarra then Flamini have gone, Hleb’s inconsistent, Rosicky’s injured, Gilberto’s past his best and Fabregas got tired last year so it’s clear that Arsenal need to bolster their midfield, and potentially bring in a new keeper.

Fitting the bill: Gareth Barry, Samir Nasri, Hatem Ben Arfa, Bastian Schweinsteiger

West Ham

Top priority:
New medical team/left-winger - Take away the dozen injuries West Ham had for most of last season and they’ve got perhaps the biggest squad in the league.

The left wing is a problem though: the fans turned on Boa Morte and he wants out while Etherington is always injured.

Fitting the bill: Stephen Hunt, Damien Duff, Pablo Aimar

Tottenham

Top priority:
New goalkeeper and striker