English clubs keep 100 per cent record after first round
Liverpool 1/ Debreceni 0
After going through the process of finding out who the hell their opponents were, Liverpool fans were generally pleased with last night’s performance. Handsome Dutchman Dirk Kuyt made the difference, but there probably should have been a few more goals.
Standard Liege 2/ Arsenal 3
After five minutes it looked as if The Gunners were going to get hammered in Belgium, but they overcame the two-goal deficit in spectacular style thanks to Nicky Bendtner, Thomas Vermaelen and definitely-not-a-cheater Eduardo.
Spoiler bonus: Inter Milan’s clash with Barcelona promised to be a thrilling affair, but that promise was ultimately broken. Check out highlights of the deadlock after the jump…
The governing body’s U-turn could encourage more simulation
Following an appeal by Arsenal, UEFA have back-tracked on their controversial Eduardo ruling, deciding there was not enough evidence to prove simulation. The Arsenal forward - who has insisted he felt contact from extraordinarily aggressive Celtic keeper Artur Boruc on his left foot and “lost balance” - is now free to face Standard Liege in the Champions league tomorrow night.
Some have argued that UEFA caved in because of the far-reaching implications of the ban: Professor Wenger would have lovingly compiled evidence of every single other perceived dive in European competitions, and would have called for similar bans for the rest of eternity. A dangerous precedent for a crime that isn’t always clear cut.
UEFA’s attempt to contain the situation, however, may actually have had the opposite effect. Not only have they undermined their own authority by favouring Arsenal’s appeal, but they have effectively given professional players carte blanche to throw themselves around without concern for punishment. The Telegraph’sHenry Winter makes a point to this effect on Twitter:
Starting tonight, players know they can dive because refs will be too scared to punish them following UEFA’s crazy U-turn on Eduardo.
Where UEFA right to turn over the ban, or have they, as we suspect, opened a big ol’ can of worms. Let us know your thoughts below…
Who said nothing interesting ever happens in Belgium?
Sunday’s hotly anticipated Belgian First Division match between Standard Liege and Anderlecht will certainly be a game to remember for Polish defender Marcin Wasilewski, but unfortunately, it may also be his last.
Midway through the first half, Standard Liege’s Axel Witsel put in a disgraceful challenge on Wasilewski, which resulted in an open double leg fracture.
Never have we seen such a poignant non verbal expression of pain and anguish than the look on the poor Pole’s face at around the [0.25] second mark.
The latest transfer gossip, rumours and damned lies
Joleon Lescott to Manchester City The Times are reporting that the Everton defender spoke to manager David Moyes yesterday to tell him that he wants to join Manchester City and spent the evening writing a letter to chairman Bill Kenwright.
The Spoiler truth-o-meter: It’s claimed that the Toffees are holding out for £30 million but an offer of £22 million may prove too good to turn down for England’s fourth-choice centre-back.
Alberto Aquilani to Liverpool
The Spanish press were reporting yesterday that Liverpool have reached an
The latest transfer gossip, rumours and damned lies
Carlos Tevez to Chelsea
Carlo Ancelotti is “demanding” that his new side land the services of the clubless Argentinean, say the Daily Mail. Both Chelsea and Manchester City have matched the £25.5m asking price, but Abramovich may have to let a couple of his yacht staff go if he wants to compete on the wages front.
The Spoiler truth-o-meter: As exciting as a move to another big four club sounds, we’re not convinced Tevez will be willing to leave Manchester. He would be guaranteed regular first team football at City, and he has just enrolled his daughter at a posh private school near his home.
Steven Defour to Everton The Independent believe David Moyes will follow up the Toffees’ rejected £9m bid for the Standard Liege midfielder with an improved £13m offer.
As The Spoiler’s end of season festivities get into full swing, today we look at the best signings of the 2008/09 Premier League campaign. Sorry Wisey, Xisco and Coloccini didn’t make the cut…
Jose Bosingwa (Porto to Chelsea, £16.3m)
Whether Jose Bosingwa (or ‘Boswinga’ if you’re Jamie Redknapp) was officially a Big Phil Scolari signing is a point of contention, but considering the four other members of his inspirational clutch of signings have only racked up 22 starts and three goals between them, we’ll give him the benefit of the doubt. However, what can’t be argued against is how seamlessly the full back has slotted into Chelsea’s defence this season, in a role the Blues have previously struggled to fill.
James Beattie (Sheffield Utd to Stoke, £2.5m)
It was fair to assume Beattie’s Premier League days were numbered after a pretty woeful spell at Everton earned him a move down to the Championship with Sheffield United last season. Yet after answering Stoke’s SOS call in the January transfer window, Beatts has signaled his return to the top flight by averaging nearly a goal every other game and contributing to 13 of the 24 points Stoke have picked up since his arrival. Such season-saving form might just be the best £2.5m Tony Pulis has ever spent.
Marouane Fellaini (Standard Liege to Everton, £15m)
Fellaini’s Premier League success isn’t too surprising considering the fact that 32 foreign scouts were in the crowd to watch him play in Liege’s title-winning league match last season. Still, the lanky afro cultivator was pretty much unknown to fans over here until making his mark as the driving force behind a Liege team that by all rights should’ve beaten Liverpool to Champions League qualification at the start of the season. Clocking in with an impressive nine goals and firmly establishing himself as a midfield battler, that £15m price tag everyone laughed at now looks a bit less ridiculous.
Wilson Palacios (Wigan to Tottenham, £12m)
Harry Redknapp’s transfer market dial
American-Belgian defender Oguchi Onyewu hardly set the Premier League alight in his eleven appearances at Newcastle Utd in 2007, but the man they call “Gooch” has done spectacularly well in the WAG department. The Standard Liege man is currently stepping out with Salomé Khorasanchi, a Tehranian model/ entrepreneur with whom he has done some fierce underwear modelling (see evidence after the jump)…
Congolese star and Danny Cipriani look-alike get into trouble
Standard Liege stars Dieumerci Mbokani and Steven Defour were having the time of their lives at the funfair, right up until the former managed to jam his head under the safety harness. Bless.
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