Ahead of the Game: Barmy Barton

AHEAD OF THE GAME

Alpha mail. The only truly useful football e-mail

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Wednesday, October 3, 2007. 1600 BST
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The news in 60 seconds

BARMY BARTON
Cheeky Joey Barton has claimed that Manchester City's revival is all down to him - and he doesn't mean because he left the club. After his comeback for Newcastle United reserves last night, he said that Manchester wouldn't have had Thaksin, Sven or the Happy Mondays without him.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/newcastle/article2581253.ece

TERRY MASKS PAIN
The Man in the Mask will come to Chelsea's rescue against Valencia tonight. Captain Courageous will pop on that protective face-gear as Avram Grant looks for his first meaningful victory. The rumours are that Sheva Doesn't Chase may be dropped to the bench.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/chelsea/article2577865.ece

CROUCH GETS CHANCE
Peter Crouch has been told to do his talking on the pitch. Rafael Benitez is fed up with the forward whingeing about squad rotation and will give him a chance to stretch those long legs against Marseilles tonight. He'd better deliver, though, or he could be on his way...
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/liverpool/article2577864.ece

NAKAMURA TO START
Gordon Strachan will gamble on the fitness of Shunsuke Nakamura when Celtic take on AC Milan, Yossi Benayoun and Ryan Babel are battling it out for a place in the Liverpool starting line-up and Michael Essien could feature for Chelsea after a calf injury.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/article2568217.ece

UNWISE WORDS
The FA has launched an investigation after the saintly Dennis Wise accused a referee of having a potty-mouth - but it turns out the official was not the only one. The Leeds United manager is also being investigated for bad language. Surely not?
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/football_league/article2582612.ece

FA INVESTIGATES BRAWL
No sooner has the FA launched a crackdown on intimidating referees (that's players threatening referees, as opposed to Uriah Rennie) than a manager is having a pop at an official. The FA is investigating a brawl between Hull and Charlton players - and Phil Brown, the Hull boss, says it's the referee's fault. Alan "The Touchline Pugilist" Pardew even got involved ...
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/football_league/article2581247.ece

SICKLY UNITED
Sir Alex Ferguson likened his team's run of dour 1-0 victories to a disease, but aren't they meant to be infectious? Anyway, Manchester United ground out another Chelsea-style victory thanks to a goal from Wayne Rooney, his first of the season.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/european_football/article2578424.ece

RANGERS THIRSTY FOR MORE
Rangers blanked out Lyons like they did the Carling logo on their shirt (for those who didn't see, they were forced to cover up the sponsor's name because of French advertising rules). Anyway, prohibition was never going to go down well with a team from Glasgow and they showed a thirst for revenge...
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/european_football/article2578415.ece

LIVE MATCH TRACKER
Keep up to date with all tonight's European and Football League action with our live match tracker, including teams and goal updates.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/live_match_tracker/

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>>>>>FANTASY FOOTBALL WITH BRAINS<<<<<
* Register today for PlayTheGame, with more to boast about than Joey Barton
* It's free and you can still enter
* Win monthly prizes and tickets to the Euro 2008 final
* http://www.timesonline.co.uk/playthegame
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If you've got another couple of minutes

SAMUEL'S POSTBAG
Even when he doesn't mean to, Martin Samuel can't help starting a debate. Our Chief Football Correspondent switched tack this week after an article about Michael Owen drew an angry response from Newcastle fans (he had originally started a debate about whether Abramovich is a man at sea in the transfer market).
But it's fair to say that he doesn't make a habit of changing his mind. Not everyone agreed with his opinions, but if Richard (a reader) thinks that Martin is going to reconsider his verdict after all the disparaging posts, he could be in for a mighty shock. It's very funny ... the written equivalent of a dressing-room rollicking, complete with flying tea cups, boots and pizza.
http://timesonline.typepad.com/thegame/2007/10/the-debate-mart.html

DEIN SOLD OUT
Selling all your shares always seemed like an odd way to take control of a club, as David Dein is discovering. Alisher Usmanov, the Uzbek oligarch, has warned the ousted Arsenal vice-chairman that he won't allow his board-room bitterness to effect his investment. Considering that Dein has no shares and apparently few allies at the club, his position at the top of Red and White Holdings Limited is looking rather tenuous. Has Dein, a supposedly shrewd operator, finally sold himself out?
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/arsenal/article2577635.ece

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0.44
Robin van Persie's average of goals per game for Arsenal since the start of last season. He has scored five in ten matches this season, which must make him Robin Reliant.
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A quickie before you go, sir?

ANOTHER FINE MESSI
Thierry Henry combines with Lionel Messi for Barcelona's second goal against Stuttgart. Let's just say it's a good job that Rangers have won their first two matches ...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Udmd0zB98Xs

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>>>>>THE TABLOID HEARTWARMER <<<<<
Gee! It's Stevie - Daily Mirror
What you need to know: 1) Steven Gerrard put a smile back on the face of the lad he ran over - by giving him a pair of Wayne Rooney's boots. 2) The Liverpool star brought the Manchester United fan a signed England shirt and his idol's used boots to make up for his broken leg. 3) We're not sure if the little fella cut the toes off his boots to squeeze them over his plaster cast, but it surely will have mended his heart. Ahhhhhhhh.
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In TheGame

In Fanzine Fanzone, our Chelsea man says Roman Abramovich may have taken a seat in the crowd (surrounded by former KGB agents), but he's still a man of mystery - and until that changes, the fans won't love him. And that goes for the bloke with the beer belly and tattoos, too. Elsewhere, Tony Evans, our resident Liverpool fan, says that Here We Go Gathering Cups in May should be compulsive reading for any true fan - and in particular the Uefa suits responsible for organising the Champions League final. The Scouse celebrities have got his pulse racing.
http://timesonline.typepad.com/fanzine_fanzone/
On TheGame Podcast , Gabriele Marcotti and the gang discuss whether Chelsea's loss of form is the beginning of the end, if 11-goal thrillers are really good for the sport and whether there's too much footie on the telly. Nigel Winterburn joins the team to reveal the secret behind Arsene Wenger's success, while Kevin Day, Tony Cascarino and Bill Edgar complete the line-up.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/audio_video/
Oh, and make sure you check out Martin Samuel's postbag.
http://timesonline.typepad.com/thegame/2007/10/the-debate-mart.html

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>>>>>THE RIVALS<<<<<
* Usmanov set to freeze out Dein - Daily Telegraph
* You have crossed the line: Wenger demands telly technology - Daily Mirror
* InVancible Gunners! Persie 'n Co eye repeat - The Sun
* Roma wrecker: Wayne's off the mark - Daily Express
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Tomorrow's news today

- Can Arsenal's Incomparables become the new Invincibles?
- All the reports and reaction from the Champions League action

And expect...

Djibril Cisse to leave Sami Hyypia trailing in his wake as he smashes a hat-trick against his old club. Or to spend the night chasing his first touch.

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Joe Bloggs' Soapbox

What a pity that Terry's barnet and boat are still visible under his mask. A considerable improvement nonetheless.
JC from London on the valiant Chelsea captain

"It's like pyramid selling, but without the hassle and it won't make you a penny." Surely this suggests that Pyramid Selling will make me money??
Dan Davies forces us into a slight change of wording at the bottom of this e-mail...

Sometimes you just say it better than we do, which is why we've dedicated a small corner of this e-mail to your views and boos. Feel free to send us your opinions to sport@timesonline.co.uk
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Spread the word. It's like pyramid selling, but without the hassle and we don't pretend it will make you a penny. Click on the following link if you (or your friends) want to subscribe to this newsletter:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/article2187217.ece

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