“In the run up to the World Cup in South Africa next year, hundreds of thousands of fans will be welcomed to the country in new and improved airports for a 30 day celebration of football. To make sure that South Africa can handle the influx, the country’s airports have been receiving a facelift ahead of the 2010 FIFA World Cup and with only six months until kick-off, the last few touches are being applied.” (Goal)

“Once you click to get on to the main map page, the map of Greater London is viewable in full screen when you click near the center of the map…right on the rectangular Millwall crest. Besides showing the ceremonial counties which ring Greater London, I added surrounding towns. I did this with Google Earth, and then I checked town populations; sorry if I missed any significant towns. I added a few details in central London…Hyde Park, Regents Park, Parliament, and the boundaries of The City of London.” (billsportsmaps)

“The first decade of soccer in the new millennium was one of awakenings and departures, of arrivals and goodbyes, some moving and affecting, at least one moment stunning in its transgression. Until the 2002 World Cup, the co-host South Korea had never won a match in soccer’s world championship. Then it won its opening game, 2-0 over Poland, and eventually became the first Asian country to reach the semifinals. An insecure country became transformed and self-confident. You could see the collective chest swelling.” (NYT)

“There are winners and there are losers in football and it’s time to weed out those who suffered in 2009. But losing is not a simple concept. Some are major contributors to their own downfall and deserve the brick bats that come their way, while others are victims of circumstances and probably deserve better…..and in our 2009 review we’ll look at both, some with sympathy, others without.” (Soccer Lens)

Javier Zanetti
“In Part 1 & Part 2 of our Remember When… retrospective look at the decade we dipped into the past ten years of international football to bring you some of the game’s most memorable moments on the world stage. Now for Part 3 we turn our attentions to domestic football, with our English Premier League decade in review…” (Just Football – Part III), Remember When… (part IV): starring Chelsea, Arsenal, Leeds, West Brom, Manchester United & The Special One – Premier League Decade in Review

“In a better world, this could be described as the Host of Football Past handing over to the Host of Football Future. Finney and Edwards, together for England. But we don’t live in a better world, and this is what’s left. As you read this, I’m enjoying Wigilia in the Galloway Forest. A glass of krupnik with you, everyone, and I hope you like the clip.” (More Than Mind Games)

“It is not a done deal that Craig Levein will be confirmed as Scotland manager but it looks as though it is almost certain. Now, we can all guffaw at Gordon Smith’s claim that some of the biggest names in world football were interested and, having reviewed the applications from Ferguson, Mourinho, Hiddink et al, they picked the bookies favourite. This is more than a little harsh.” (Left Back in the Changing Room)

Riyas Komu, “Stadium I,” oil on canvas, 2007
“Iraq’s victory over Saudi Arabia in the 2007 Asia Cup final is likely to hold up as one the decade’s most significant wins. The team’s victory represented a complex distillation of resistance and anger. The torture and murder of Iraqi athletes is frequently cited in the litany of horrors suffered by the Iraqi people at the hands of Saddam Hussein (see this 2003 Sports Illustrated story). Responding to allegations of torture in the country’s soccer program, in 1997, FIFA investigated the architect of Iraq’s athletics program,” (art 21), (From A Left Wing)

“James Richardson’s joined by Barry Glendenning, Paul Doyle, and Jonathan Wilson for the latest Football Weekly – and what a weekend it was in the Premier League. We start, of course, with the big sheik-up at Eastlands, where Manchester City have dumped Mark Hughes and replaced him with Roberto Mancini. Can the Italian get the Blues into the top four? Or should they have been looking a little closer to home – Roy Hodgson perhaps, after his Fulham side embarrassed Manchester United 3-0?” (Guardian – James Richardson)

“It’s time again for Inside Left to take a wee break, so updates will be a little sporadic between now our return in January. But in keeping with tradition, we like to round off the year with our Christmas alphabet. A is for …” (Inside Left)

“What did you want for Chrismas? A new Ipod? A new laptop? Well, the mid and lower table sides in the Premiership, nay, the world, really wanted something much simpler – a coherent enforcement mechanism to punish guilty parties. If Justice without Power is impotence, then power without justice is tyranny. And this Christmas, the Chelsea ‘appeal’ that overturned their transfer ban shows once again that justice for some is not the same justice for all.” (futfanatico)

“These are dark days for Liverpool. A club so accustomed to success are out of the Champions League before Christmas, have just four wins in 17 games in all competitions and sit eight points behind fourth-placed Aston Villa. There is no doubt that this is the most crucial juncture of Rafael Benitez’s career at Anfield. Even amongst the staunchly loyal cabal that is ex-Liverpool players, cracks have appeared. Graeme Souness recently angered Benitez by voicing fears about a potential ‘meltdown’ while Ronnie Whelan delivered a very personal attack on the Spaniard, culminating in the declaration that ‘his days have got to be numbered’.” (ESPN)

“Contrary to all the glamour and the media hype that surrounds the Ballon d’Or award for the European Footballer of the Year, you will have to search carefully through the sports pages to find out who captured the Bidone d’Oro award (‘The Golden Bin’) prize. The award is given to the worst player of the season in the Italian Serie A by Italian radio station Radio 2.” (ESPN)

“As we head into the festive season, English fans are wrapping the present they give themselves before every World Cup – the gift of unbridled confidence in their national football team. And yet, as they have for the past 40+ years, those English fans are likely to stick their thumb in the Christmas pudding and pull out something far less enjoyable than the plum.” (EPL Take)

“The most exciting climax the Brazilian Championship has seen in years was marred by two incidents of crowd trouble. One was in the line to buy tickets for Flamengo’s crunch game against Grêmio earlier this month, where the police used tear gas, batons and rubber bullets to maintain order. The other came after Coritiba had been relegated to the second division, and some of its fans staged a full-scale riot on the pitch.” (SI – Tim Vickery)

“The tears of national team general manager Oliver Bierhoff; the 35,000 sorrow-stained faces at the memorial service; the numerous volumes of the book of condolence; and the sea of candles, flowers and shirts left at the gates of his home ground.” (World Soccer)

“This weekend has seen yet another example of the defensive frailties plaguing Celtic this year. Firstly, we go three nil down after a mere quarter of an hour in our Europa League game, and then the lack of communication between Gary Caldwell and Glenn Loovens saw us fall to yet another league defeat. Simply put, it isn’t good enough.” (The Great Footballing Circus)

“It will be the big noise at next year’s football World Cup. The vuvuzela, a metre-long plastic horn blown by South African football fans, is loved and hated in equal measure for emulating a herd of elephants or hive of angry bees. But while manufacturers are hoping to cash in on the once-in-a-lifetime chance to sell the instrument to hundreds of thousands of visiting supporters, the man who claims he invented the vuvuzela says he will receive nothing.” (Guardian)

“The Spanish Primera Division or La Liga has its commonly known has reached its winter break with Real Madrid and Barcelona in a tight race at the top of the table. On the opposite end, newly promoted Xerez is last with 7 points and a lot of work to do.” (The 90th Minute)

“As the Premier League reaches the half-way point in its season, Mark Siglioccolo takes a look into his crystal ball and wonders whether the days of Arsenal, Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea might be coming to an end. Sixteen games into the season and it is shaping up to be one of the most hotly contested championships in recent history. What is even more exciting and nail-biting for the fans is that it does not look as if there will be a runaway leader, or possibly even a two-horse race for the title.” (twohundredpercent)

“In WSC 251 (January 2008) Jon Spurling braced himself for a festive football hangover. Along with communal baths, a crafty drag on a cigarette in the toilets, and swigging a bottle of brown ale with the lads, Christmas parties are entwined in the fabric of English football. ‘The players have talked of little else for weeks,’ confided Ian Rush – dressed in Beefeater garb for Liverpool’s bash – to a BBC reporter in 1992. ‘All the lads have made the effort to dress up,’ added Rushie, as Bruce ‘The Joker’ Grobbelaar and John ‘Dick Turpin’ Barnes staggered past clutching empty Grolsch bottles.” (WSC)

“The end of a decade. It doesn’t really mean anything does it? Do people actually still bother to organise decades into smart, distinctive categories with catch-all phrases like the ‘swinging 60s’ anymore? If they do I’ve no idea how the noughties will be remembered; an abundance of technological advancements and some pretty major international crises, any got a witty adjective to capture the mood?” (Just Fooball – (Part I), (Just Football – (Part II)

“Whittling the best footballers of the decade down to just ten representatives was something of an arduous, if enjoyable, task here at Soccernet towers. But, following plenty of arguments, rolling of eyes and whistles of disbelief we eventually settled on the final ten…” (ESPN)

“The long and arduous Premiership journey has reached the halfway point, as a handful of teams gaze upon the summit and the rest fear a crashing fall back to Earth. But how can we quantify such a qualitative championship? With our best efforts, that’s how. And a little inspiration. David Bowie’s glower has already helped us in ranking the top of the premiership, as has Cantinflas, the flower of 1950’s Mexican cinema. And, well, we are running out of words that rhyme with power. Please email suggestions. In the meantime, enjoy a look at the great towers of legendary architect Gaudi. We present your EPL tower rankings.” (futfanatico)

“Pep Guardiola is piling up the titles with Barcelona, and doing it in style – but he must surely face some competition for any coach of the year award from the man whose team gave him a scare on Saturday – Alejandro Sabella of Argentine side Estudiantes. Like Guardiola, Sabella is a first-time coach – though the Argentine does have many years experience as assistant to Daniel Passarella before being tempted to fly solo with Estudiantes, who are one of the clubs he played for, along with Leeds and Sheffield United.” (BBC – Tim Vickery)

Diana and Actaeon. 1556-1559. Titian.
“The first thing Capello said on becoming England manager was that when an Englishman pulled on his international shirt, he lost all the confidence he felt at his club: he played in fear. The task for Capello was to create the conditions for confidence that already existed at Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool. And in that he succeeded, but could he have done it for Scotland? I argue not. The Scottish job, for the time being, is beyond the power of a single man. If the Scotland team are to experience what England experienced in 2009, change has to come from the Scottish FA, the Scottish press, the Scottish clubs, and, especially, in Scottish fan culture itself.” (More Than Mind Games)

“In August, I looked at a clutch of five once famous clubs currently biding their time in various European second divisions, in the same way that Newcastle and Nottingham Forest among others are being forced to do so in the Championship. With both Magpies and Tricky Trees primed for an exit from purgatory, I thought it would be interesting to assess the progress of these additional five exiles…” (thetwounfortunates)

“The battle of the billionaires has developed into a Cold War at Arsenal Football Club. E. Stanley Kroenke, a U.S. real-estate and sports mogul, and Russian oligarch Alisher Usmanov are the two superpowers locked in a tussle for outright control of the Premier League team. The latest flashpoint in their power struggle came Friday when Arsenal disclosed that after months of inactivity, Mr. Usmanov—through his investment vehicle Red & White Holdings—had acquired 668 shares in the North London club, increasing his stake to more than 26%.” (WSJ)

Rafik Saifi
“Saifi’s 18 goals put him sixth on Algeria’s all-time goalscoring list and he registered crucial goals in both games against Zambia during qualifying. He joined Qatari side Al-Khor Sports Club in August, but has spent most of his career in the French and Belgian leagues.” (Guardian)

“When Rangers chairman Alastair Johnston extolled the virtues of shareholder democracy over supporter-led democratic ownership at his club’s recent annual general meeting, he could never have imagined how utterly his arguments would be undermined by other events during the meeting. Not even the latest shenanigans (for that is what they are) at Watford could provide such a compelling manifestation of the flaws of such a system, although even as I type they are trying very hard.” (twohundredpercent)

“The UEFA Champions League draw in Nyon, Switzerland, today could throw up some tantalizing storylines: just don’t expect a surprise ending. The prospect of David Beckham returning to Old Trafford with AC Milan, or Carlo Ancelotti heading back to the San Siro with new employers Chelsea will lend intrigue to the knockout-round match-ups, but whatever the outcome of the draw, look for England’s dominance of the tournament to continue.” (WSJ)

“Right, time to take it upon myself to cheer up Derby County fans because the second coming of Clough was supposed to point to more promising things than being 17th in the second tier and below the likes of, well, us. It might be something of a cliché but there is genuine potential for a club like County. They appear to have happened on upon one of the more down to earth of club owners and of course continue to attract significant crowds to Pride Park regardless of league form. And then of course, there is the precendent of history.” (Viva Rovers)

“Lionel Messi struck an extra-time winner as Barcelona fought back from the brink against Estudiantes to win the Club World Cup and complete an incredible year with a sixth piece of silverware. Barca’s hopes of adding a maiden Club World Cup crown to their Primera Division, Champions League, Copa del Rey and European and Spanish Super Cup titles looked to have been crushed as Argentinians Estudiantes led heading into the final minutes thanks to Mauro Boselli’s 37th-minute header in Abu Dhabi.” (ESPN)

FC Barcelona Defeats Estudiantes 1-2 – Video
“SFS has taken this impressive photo from Spanish sports daily ‘Marca’ to celebrate with all FC BARCELONA fans around the World a historic 1-2 victory over Argentine team ESTUDIANTES DE LA PLATA to take the FIFA WORLD CLUBS CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE 2009.” (Spanish Football Sports)

“Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez suffered a disastrous trip to Portsmouth after Javier Mascherano was dismissed during a miserable defeat at Fratton Park. Pompey’s victory, with the goals coming from Nadir Belhadj and Frederic Piquionne, will ignite hope of survival in the Premier League. However, Liverpool’s chances of finishing in the top four are uncertain – they missed a chance to record back-to-back league wins for the first time since September.” (ESPN)

Portsmouth glimpse hope as win over Liverpool piles pressure on Benítez
“Just when Rafael Benítez most needed a break from scrutiny, his team hit rock-bottom away to the club bottom of the league. Benítez’s prediction last week that his side would finish in the top four come the end of this season is looking ever more out of touch with reality. The body language of the team lacked optimism as Liverpool’s big-name stars reluctantly dragged themselves about the icy pitch for much of the game, thrashing about in frustration when things did not go their way.” (Guardian)

Benitez joins opposition over ‘unfair’ scheduling
“Rafael Benitez became the latest manager to voice displeasure at fixture scheduling yesterday, complaining that Liverpool should not be facing Avram Grant’s Portsmouth away in a lunchtime kick-off in the depths of winter having played on Wednesday night.” (Independent)

“Club Atlético Banfield are champions for the first time in their 113 year history. On Sunday, Banfield failed to get a result versus Boca Juniors at the Bombonera, losing 2-0, but second-place Newell’s Old Boys also lost, to San Lorenzo 2-0. As champions, Banfield will be making their third appearance in the Copa Libertadores next year. Holders Estudiantes de La Plata will also be part of the 2010 Copa Libertadores, along with Primera División 2009 Clausura champions Vélez Sársfield, and the three clubs with the best average from the 2009 Clausura and 2009 Apertura…Lanús, Colón, and Newells’ Old Boys.” (billsportsmaps)

“Liverpool will take on Romanian side Unirea Urziceni at the round of 32 stage in the Europa League. Unirea, like Liverpool, dropped into the competition after finishing third in their Champions League group but defeated Glasgow Rangers and Sevilla. Fulham face a tricky tie against Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk. Everton take on Sporting Lisbon, who play in the same city where David Moyes’ team were defeated 5-0 by Benfica during the group stage.” (BBC)

Sophonisba Receiving the Poisoned Chalice, Simon Vouet
“Those of us brought up in the high-rise, low-expectation housing projects surrounding Paris will have our very own Norman Tebbit-style nationality test this summer. Thanks to both France and Algeria qualifying for the football World Cup finals it’s going to be a straight choice between blue and green – Les Bleus representing our parents’ adopted homeland, or Les Verts from the former colony where they were born.” (Guardian)

“Is Ronaldinho finally about to deliver? When the Brazilian ace was formally ‘presented’ to the AC Milan faithful last year, he was greeted at the San Siro like some sort of all-conquering hero, wooed by pulsating samba rhythms, a firework display and a 30,000-strong crowd.” (SI)

“Forty-two pounds is a lot of money. It’s more than someone working full-time on the minimum wage earns in a day. It was also the cost of a ticket for Wolverhampton Wanderers supporters that wanted to go to see their team at Old Trafford in the Premier League last night. They may now be wondering why they bothered. Part of the rationale that is frequently given by managers that a desperately scrapping to get there in the first place is that they want the experience of “playing the best as equals” (or variants thereupon), but that can hardly be said to have been what happened last night as Wolves played supine rather than lupine in fielding a second string team to take on a Manchester United side that was off colour but still allow to stroll to a 3-0 win.” (twohundredpercent)

“I’m sure Johan Cruyff (or Cruijjff, if you prefer) had performed his famous Cruyff Turn long before the 1974 World Cup. He was probably Cruyff Turning all over the place while playing football for Ajax in the ’60s and ’70s. But that was long before YouTube, long before footage from any league in the world could be uploaded and shared globally. So the world didn’t see the Cruyff Turn in all it’s glory until the 1974 World Cup.” (World Cup Blog)

“Liverpool’s 2-1 victory over Wigan in the week of the 50th anniversary of Bill Shankly’s first match at the club would not have impressed the legendary manager but it was a welcome relief for current boss Rafael Benitez. Young French striker David Ngog’s 10th-minute glancing header from Fabio Aurelio’s cross and Fernando Torres’ second-half scrambled effort proved enough to see off a Latics side, for whom Charles N’Zogbia scored an injury-time consolation.” (ESPN)

Liverpool 2 Wigan Athletic 1: match report
“Even at Liverpool, the club which cherishes its heroes more than most, there are times when the past can be an unwelcome guest. Fifty years on from his arrival, Anfield last night remembered Bill Shankly, the man who made the people happy. The present heir to the Scot’s legacy, Rafael Benítez, may not have appreciated the uncomfortable reminder of what Liverpool once were, and what they are now.” (Telegraph)

Fernando Torres seals victory to ease pressure on Rafael Benitez
“The 50th anniversary of the arrival of Bill Shankly at Anfield could have provided the inspiration for Liverpool to put on a performance in keeping with his legendary feats. Instead, it simply served to underline how far the club the Scot revolutionised have fallen from the standards he famously set.” (TimesOnline)

Liverpool beats Wigan Athletic 2-1 in the English Premier League – Recap and Video Highlights
“The English Premier League resumed with several midweek matches including Liverpool v Wigan Athletic on Wednesday, December 16, 2009. Liverpool continues to struggle in all competitions and needs a top four finish to be in the UEFA Champions League next season. Who won the match and happened? Were Liverpool able to get a win and get back in track for a top four finish? Here’s a recap along with video highlights of the match.” (The 90th Minute)

“It can’t be easy to focus on an extremely unusual World Cup play-off when you are worrying about security. After Algeria players were injured by stone-throwing Egypt fans in Cairo, 32 supporters from both sides were hurt in post-game clashes and Egyptian-owned businesses were attacked in Algiers in retaliation, safety was on everyone’s mind in Sudan.” (World Soccer – James Copnall)

“It’s been almost six years since Serbia passed a law aimed at preventing violence at sports venues. Yet hooliganism still remains one of the biggest problems in Serbian football. During the Belgrade derby two weeks ago Partizan ultras ripped out seats, hurled smoke bombs and flares, and started fires inside the stadium. The troublemakers don’t fear the police, public prosecutors or judges because they see how inefficient the courts are when processing cases.” (WSC)

“In the tapes he made with John Roberts for his autobiography, Bill Shankly’s voice suddenly leaps to great oratorical heights when the talk moves round to the abject state Liverpool were in when he joined in 1959. The exchange would haunt the Kop as they gather to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Shankly’s arrival during tonight’s home game against Wigan.” (Guardian)

Benni McCarthy
“The thought of the World Cup probably has David Beckham gasping for air. Not just because his recently revealed asthma impairs his ability to breathe, but because England’s second-most capped player ever and proud onetime captain might not make it there. Competition for spots on the England squad is fierce, and no position is as well-covered as Beckham’s out on the right. With at least three strong candidates (Aaron Lennon, Shaun Wright-Phillips and Theo Walcott) standing a reasonable chance to be deployed there, and several controlling players already certain to make the squad, Beckham has a lot to overcome.” (ESPN)

“Lionel Messi and Pedro Rodriguez shared the limelight as Barcelona hit back from an early deficit against Atlante to progress through to the final of the Club World Cup and stay on track for a remarkable sixth trophy in 2009. Messi had been struggling with an ankle injury prior to the game and started among the replacements but his introduction in the 53rd minute paid immediate dividends as within 60 seconds he had put Barca 2-1 in front.” (ESPN)

“Last week Manchester City came from behind to beat Chelsea by two goals to one and many a football pundit saw that as proof that, despite all the draws and flattering to deceive, the Eastlands Billionaires could be a real threat to the ‘big four’ this season. Thus, after Everton’s injury-decimated side also matched Chelsea with a 3-3 draw yesterday, the same logic could be used to suggest that my beloved Toffees too, could realistically hope to breach the big four this season.” (They Think Its All Over)

“This week’s Video Of The Week takes us back to the 1972/73 (the football season during which, fact fans, I was born) football season, with another episode of ‘Match Of The Seventies’. The 1972/73 season featured a prototype version of the Liverpool team that would go on to rule Europe later on in the decade and in the 1980s pipping Arsenal and Leeds United to the First Division championship, while Sunderland surprised Leeds in the FA Cup final, whilst Spurs won the Football League Cup at Wembley against Norwich City.” (twohundredpercent)

Most over the top pre-match
“In the rare moments when we are not picking up awards here at EFW, we like to dish them out ourselves. Following the relative success of our 2008 ceremony, we had a little think tank here at EFW Towers and decided that we should end the year with a look back on 2009. Why change a winning formula!? So, without further ado, roll up and enjoy the 2009 EFW Awards…” (European Football Weekends)

“Please don’t split on me, but I was moonlighting during the World Cup draw. I had been invited to supply running commentary (read: incoherent ramblings made bearable only by the odd hilarious typo) for another website alongside roughly a dozen other writers from all over the world, including Englishmen exiled in Bangkok and Berlin.” (ESPN)

“The above is not a portrait of a footballer, clearly, but rather the West Indian cricket player Daniel Lara. The painting is by Goan artist Yolanda Sousa Hammermeier. I love it, just for the colors & graphic sensibilities. She’s also done fantastic paintings in response to 2002 World Cup matches. Turns out she made headlines in the late 70s and (very) early 80s as a prolific striker – I came across her name as I was looking for women footballers in Goa, and was thrilled to learn she was also an artist.” (From A Left Wing)

“The Argentine Apertura went down to the final day of matches, and did not involve any of the big-name clubs, and the names of the clubs battling at the top came straight from England. Britons built much of Argentina’s infrastructure (and the trains still run on the left) and planted the seeds of the game.” (NYT – Jack Bell)

“The protagonist glares at himself in a hand-held mirror, snarling then poignantly asking: “who am I?” He then shatters the mirror against the wall and stomps off. The camera fades to black. What is Edgar Davids? A great player – I would argue so. Even if his exact position on the field defies the principles of scientific certainty, the holding/attacking midfielder provided his fair share of probing passes and pulsating tackles. And he also won a few titles.” (futfanatico)

“Last week, we wrote that the six months before the World Cup in South Africa would be filled mostly with banter and speculation, plus a few friendly matches between national teams preparing for the 2010 tournament. Add another match to that list: U.S. Soccer announced a Jan. 23 friendly against fellow Concacaf World Cup participant Honduras at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif.” (NYT)

“As we near the end of the year, it is time to take stock and review the state of the game in a rational and moderate way by searching for SCOTLAND’S PLAYER OF THE CENTURY. Yes, let’s take a look back through the first ten years of the millennium and determine who is the player who best represents our very own lost decade. I’ve picked my top ten… so in the memorable words of a kid in my brother’s year at school, “see you dae better”. In the comments, during playtime or after school.” (First Touch Online)

Astronomers Studying an Eclipse, Antoine Caron
“Liverpool suffered their second home embarrassment in five days as Arsenal grabbed a 2-1 victory in a game which was supposed to be a new beginning for the Anfield men. Manager Rafael Benitez had insisted the season started again for his side after their midweek Champions League defeat to Fiorentina. But he did not get his wish even though Liverpool led at the break through Dirk Kuyt and should have had a penalty when William Gallas felled Steven Gerrard.” (ESPN)

Lee Dixon’s analysis of Arsenal’s win at Liverpool
“In the six years I played under Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger I only once saw him lose his rag in the dressing room. Just like Sunday’s game we were 1-0 down to Liverpool at half-time. Wenger came in, threw a cup on the floor and started ranting and raving. The players were all wondering what was going on but the funny thing was he threw the cup and got a reaction, but then, being the nice bloke he is, bent down and picked it up because he had missed the bin.” (BBC)

Rafael Benítez powerless as Liverpool’s emotional energy ebbs away
“When all else failed, Rafael Benítez could cling to the belief that sheer desperation would galvanise his Liverpool team. Their backs against the wall, with the enemy’s knives at their throats and their manager gesticulating from the touchline, his players sprang to life. It was a response that fuelled their famous win against Milan in Istanbul in the spring of 2005 and it was effective against Manchester United as recently as late October. For Benítez the most worrying aspect of defeat by Arsenal was that the emotional energy ran out at half-time.” (Guardian)

Liverpool fall away as Andrey Arshavin re-ignites Arsenal’s charge
“The contest for the Premier League is more of an enigma than a spectacle. A fortnight ago Arsenal were 11 points off the top of the Premier League, with a game in hand, following a jarring 3-0 loss to Chelsea at home. Now the Stamford Bridge club are merely six points in front of Arsène Wenger’s team. It would still be a mistake to speak of resurgence or transformation just yet.” (Guardian)

Benitez calls for Liverpool passion
“An exasperated Rafael Benitez has pleaded with his players to show backbone as Liverpool’s crisis worsens. The Anfield chief witnessed another distressing display as his side lost 2-1 at home to Arsenal, having been ahead at the break on Sunday after a vibrant first-half display. Benitez was clearly shocked by the Liverpool capitulation when a Glen Johnson own goal wiped out Dirk Kuyt’s early goal before Andrey Arshavin cracked a stunning winner and the Anfield men crumbled under the pressure.” (Independent)

Henry Winter: Fernando Torres and Cesc Fabregas can give a Spanish lesson
“At a time when the Football Association commendably employs more and more skills coaches to teach children the techniques already learnt by their continental counterparts, Sunday’s meeting between Liverpool and Arsenal will highlight the gifts of two special Spaniards. English fans will admire the power of Steven Gerrard and pace of Theo Walcott but it is the subtlety of Torres and Fabregas that could light up Anfield.” (Telegraph)

Jamie Carragher praying for reversal of Liverpool’s fortunes
“Jamie Carragher has admitted he ‘prays to God’ every night to help Liverpool win some silverware this season. The 2-1 defeat by Arsenal at Anfield leaves Liverpool five points adrift of Aston Villa in the fourth Champions League qualification spot, while the FA Cup or the Europa League remain the club’s only realistic chance of winning a trophy.” (TimesOnline)

“A few weeks ago I subtly hinted at a new project that was going to revolutionize the site, bring the planets into harmony, and redeem all the time we’ve wasted on cheap North Korea jokes. It’s still a few weeks away, but I’m toiling away in the background getting all the parts in readiness. Sadly, this means the foreground is going to continue to be a bit sparse for a while, but don’t worry.” (The Run of Play)

Marc-Vivien Foe
“Over the past decade, football has thrown up its fair share of controversy, comedy and tragedy, so here are ten of the decade’s most noteworthy events.” (ESPN)

“One of football’s strongest characteristics – often a blessing, occasionally a curse – is that the best side does not always win. One example of this weekly phenomenon came 10 years ago, when Manchester United met Palmeiras of Brazil in the annual match then played in Japan between the champions of Europe and South America. A moment of Ryan Giggs magic set up the only goal for Roy Keane – one of the very few chances United had. Palmeiras created many more, but the only time they got the ball into the net the goal was disallowed.” (BBC – Tim Vickery)

“On Sunday’s BBC 606 Football Phone In, co-host Gabriele Marcotti made an interesting point that I believe Fabio Capello has already considered. Baring match fitness and current form, the starting outfield ten for England will mostly pick themselves for the group stages of next summer’s World Cup, and more importantly for now, the June 12th clash with the U.S.A.” (EPL Take)