Author Archives: Michael James

Portsmouth boss ‘Arry Redknapp confirmed his interest in leading a Great Britain soccer team in the 2012 Summer Olympics, which will be held in London. Redknapp is from London and spent a combined 15 years playing for and managing West … Continue reading →

With a relatively lazy Friday as far as soccer news is concerned, I thought I’d put out a quick primer for the weekend’s most interesting matchups. This is something I’ll be doing sporadically throughout the year, though more so for … Continue reading →

• It’s clear that England is really lacking in two positions – left wing and center forward. Steven Gerrard is a very good player and performed well on the left today, but that’s not his natural position and he doesn’t … Continue reading →

• Well, I had it wrong earlier when I said Gareth Barry would be on the left and Steven Gerrard in the middle. The two were reversed to start, though Gerrard ended up drifting inside anyway. Ashley Cole and Wes … Continue reading →

Yes, you read correctly. We’ve seen this story before. Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard can’t play together in the same midfield, but yet England boss Fabio Capello is going to give it another try in today’s friendly against the Czech … Continue reading →

• I was disappointed to see how many empty seats there were at Hull City’s KC Stadium. I know this was only a friendly, but come on. These players are the future of England’s national team, and the already small … Continue reading →

I’m sure you’ve all heard it by now: England manager Fabio Capello named John Terry captain of the Three Lions today. If you believe the numerous media reports, the strong favorite to be handed the armband on a permanent basis … Continue reading →

I’m going to do something new this season. After every round of games — that is to say, after any league games that have been played between Tuesday of one week and Tuesday of the next (which takes into account … Continue reading →

The two-time defending champion of England and current champion of Europe experienced quite the drawn-out saga this summer, as there were times when it seemed certain that Cristiano Ronaldo, the most talented player in the world, would be leaving Old … Continue reading →

For Liverpool FC, it’s all about the Premiership this season. Another deep run in the Champions League would be nice, don’t misunderstand, but the primary focus for Rafa Benitez and his team is the domestic league. Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher, … Continue reading →

Chelsea has not finished outside the top two in five seasons, a span in which they’re averaging a mind-blowing 88.5 points a season. They’ve won two Premiership titles, two Carling Cups, an FA Cup, and, for what it’s worth, a … Continue reading →

2008 hasn’t been a great year for Arsenal and their fans. In February, they watched their hated North London rivals Tottenham win a major trophy (Carling Cup), something Arsenal hasn’t done since winning the Premiership four seasons ago. They’ve watched … Continue reading →

Aston Villa surprised many neutrals last season, and probably even some of their own supporters, with their 6th-place finish. In 2006-2007, the Villans checked in at a respectable 11th, a nice improvement from 16th the season before. Villa’s emergence, led … Continue reading →

The 2007-2008 season was a roller coaster for Tottenham Hotspur. Martin Jol was removed from the manager’s post in late October, but only found out through a text message sent to his nephew, who then forwarded the news to the … Continue reading →