AHEAD OF THE GAME
Alpha mail. The only truly useful football e-mail
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Friday, November 2, 2007. 1600 BST
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The news in 60 seconds
SUPERTASTIC SATURDAY
Sir Alex Ferguson is in bullish mood before The Biggest Game Of The Season So Far TM . He's been talking up his Manchester United team and saying that Arsenal's youngsters haven't proved anything yet. Louis Saha and Michael Carrick are back in contention but Gary Neville won't be risked.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/article2794732.ece
ADEBAYOR'S SNUB
Emmanuel Adebayor has added spice to The Biggest Game Of The Season So Far TM by claiming to have turned down an approach by Manchester United. "When I got that approach from United, I was like 'OK, it's a good team, one of the biggest teams in the world - why not?" he said, before remembering who he played for. "Don't forget I'm already at a massive club."
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/arsenal/article2794038.ece
TAYLOR DEFENSIVE
Gordon Taylor earns £1.15 million a year for his role as chief executive of the PFA and is reportedly the highest paid union representative in the world. He says it's wrong to criticise "obscene" wages. We think he's in no position to comment.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/chelsea/article2791909.ece
JOL SWIPE
Martin Jol has had a pop at Damien Comolli. The former Tottenham manager says that the sporting director ignored his advice to sign an experienced midfield player and a left winger and that the signing of Darren Bent "unbalanced" the squad.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/tottenham/article2794094.ece
DERBY ARE 'SOFT TOUCHES'
Billy Davies says that his Derby County team are being bullied like a spotty kid wearing a pair of specs and his brother's hand-me-downs. "We are the primary school kid coming into the secondary," he said. "What you find in time is that the primary kid changes and becomes one of the boys, becomes aggressive and domineering."
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/derby/article2793775.ece
CITY'S ANELKA BID
Manchester City are hoping to complete audacious bids for Nicolas Anelka, the Bolton forward, and Afonso Alves, Heerenveen's Brazil forward, as they plan to build on their impressive start. AOTG wants a new Scalectrix for Christmas.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/manchester_city/article2789087.ece
OWEN TO STAY
Michael Owen has promised Newcastle United fans he's going nowhere in the transfer window (which will no doubt be met with a collective shrug after two goals in eight games this season). The England forward says the speculation is "water off a duck's back".
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/newcastle/article2792656.ece
HENK TEN HATE
Chelsea's new coach Henk Ten Cate is losing friends quicker than Sir Ian Blair and Mucca put together. Players have expressed reservations about the former Ajax coach's hard-line approach and now Steve Clarke, the other assistant coach, is miffed because he's been sidelined.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/chelsea/article2789083.ece
CARLTON GOALS
Is Carlton Cole the biggest waste of talent since Paul Gascoigne or the most overrated performer since Pete Doherty? Alan Curbishley says it's more like the former. He says the West Ham United wastrel is finally ready to do justice to his talent after knuckling down in training.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/west_ham/article2794424.ece
FAN SLAPPED WITH ORDER
The fan who "slapped" Dida has been handed 120 hours community service but avoided jail. We recommend he appeals: after all, the Brazil goalkeeper had his ban cut in half after he was given a two-match suspension.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/scotland/article2793756.ece
LATEST TEAM NEWS
Mark Viduka is out of the Newcastle United team for tomorrow's match against Portsmouth, Mido will miss the chance to face his former Tottenham team-mates, David Bentley and Aaron Mokoena are set to return for Blackburn and Birmingham are boosted by the return of Mikael Forssell and Johan Djourou. All the team news for tomorrow's matches.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/article2788084.ece
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>>>>>FANTASY FOOTBALL WITH BRAINS<<<<<
* Register today for PlayTheGame, as popular as Martin Jol, without the bitterness
* 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
NOISE ABOUT NOTHING
Ahead of the Game has no idea why 118118 is doing research into the noise made by football crowds, but according to the country's "leading directory assistance provider" Sunderland make more noise than any other team in the Premier League with a whopping 129.2 decibels. That's nearly 30 decibels more than a classical music concert, 19.2 decibels more than in the front row of a rock concert, fewer than three decibels beneath the threshold of pain and 100 decibels more than the sound of someone chewing on a prawn sandwich. Indeed, perhaps most interestingly, the top ten didn't feature one club from the big four. We trust the noise police will be out in force at The Biggest Game Of The Season So Far .
HITTING THE BAR
Brazilian footballers are known for heading straight for the bar after victory, but something seems to have been lost in translation for Leandro, the Sao Paulo forward. After his team beat America 3-0 to claim the Brazilian league, he clambered on to the bar to salute the crowd in one of the most spectacular celebrations the game has seen. It makes Ryan Giggs's shirt-waving goal celebration seem staid, Craig Bellamy's golf swing seem contrived and Jurgen Klinsmann's dive seem unimaginative.
What happened to the good ol' days when players would shake hands, pat each other on the back and enjoy a celebratory cup of tea? Anyway, take a look for yourself.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/article2792349.ece
BLIND LEADING THE BLIND
David Rozehnal and fellow Newcastle centre back Abdoulaye Faye spent a day walking around in blindfolds at an event organised by Guide Dogs for the Blind. Based on the Newcastle defence this season, it's fair to say it's probably not the first time they've been wandering around in circles with their eyes shut. We know: it's a cheap shot, but AOTG couldn't turn down an open goal as gaping as any left by Big Sam's team.
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96
Frank Lampard needs four more goals for his Chelsea century.
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A quickie before you go, sir?
HIS NAME IS LULA
And he's Chelsea's next signing according to some of today's papers. The club had two scouts watching Lulinha, nicknamed Lula, on Wednesday. The 17-year-old Brazilian plays for Corinthians and has been dubbed - yes, you've guessed it - "the next Ronaldinho". Here's a sneak preview.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QHy9DPPLkY
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>>>>>THE TABLOID SCANDAL<<<<<
BIANCA DOES A GAZZA - Daily Star
What you need to know: 1) Paul Gascoigne's stepdaughter has unveiled a pair of strikers but the new look is more artificial than a Russian pitch. 2) The Star suggests she could have saved herself some money - by borrowing the infamous plastic chesticles that Gazza wore at the 1990 World Cup.
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In TheGame
"Yet more tax payers' money wasted on this crass opportunity to line the pockets of England´s elite." Not everyone is in favour of England's decision to bid for the 2018 World Cup. Join the debate .
http://timesonline.typepad.com/thegame/2007/10/should-england-.html
Walter Gammie reports on how Lewes are proving that their cup exploits are no flash in the pan.
http://timesonline.typepad.com/thegame/2007/11/lewes-prove-cup.html
Tony Evans on the top 50 moments that shaped the Soul of Liverpool .
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/article2778185.ece
Martin Samuel answers your comments as he rummages through the best and worst of his postbag.
http://timesonline.typepad.com/thegame/2007/10/the-debate-nfl-.html
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>>>>>THE RIVALS<<<<<
* World Cup Willie - Prince to champion England's cause - The Daily Telegraph
* Chelsea furious as minister slams Terry's wages - The Guardian
* You'll win nothing with kids - Robson tells Wenger he'll fall to United - Daily Express
* He's deranged: O'Leary rages at Ridsdale "smears" over bung agent - Daily Mail
* Obscene: Sports Minister blasts John Terry's £150k-a-week wages - Daily Mirror
* Culprit: Jol hits back at Comolli - The Sun
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Joe Bloggs' Soapbox
So Coventry didn't knock ManU out of the Carling Cup then [yesterday's AOTG ricket]? Did we pay Coventry off? Or have a quiet word with the sponsors? After all we don't really want Coventry in the cup, do we?
Nice point, well made. Mike Hoyle has us bang to rights. Our only defence is that the Manchester Senior Cup and the Carling Cup aren't so different.
Coventry City may be losing money left, right and centre but even they can't lose a tie settled over a month ago.
Peter Waters also makes a silk purse out of our sow's ear.
Why not have a 'home nations' qualifying tournament to decide who represents GB in the Olympics? Could be in 2011 when teams don't have tournaments to play in.
Amar Purohit from Leicester makes an interesting point.
Send your opinions and comments to sport@timesonline.co.uk
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Tomorrow's news today
- United manager rages at Emirates ticket prices
- Formation guide: how the two teams will line up
- Hargreaves on the six best midfielders on the market
And expect...
Pizza and soup to be served at the Emirates Stadium.
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