Bleacher Report - Articles by Tim Yu

Harry Kewell Would Give MLS A Further Boost of Credibility

Tim Yu — Sun, 25 May 2008 07:21:53 -0400

The English media will always have their favorites and scapegoats. One minute they fall in love with your ability, and the next they're waiting to attack you in any way possible.

And unfortunately for Harry Kewell, his name just happens to be amongst a long standing list of casualties.

"There are always scapegoats, there are always people they want to blame," said the former Liverpool man to reporters ahead of Australia's friendly with Ghana.

Critics landed a parting punch when they calculated that Kewell earned nearly £160,000 a match since signing on with Liverpool nearly five years ago. This prompted the media to call him as nothing more than an "expensive flop."

But then again, Kewell can understand the harsh criticism. After all, as the Australia skipper puts it: "When are [the English media] ever polite?"

After suffering from constant setbacks through injuries, there's a sense of having a point to prove in order to silence the critics.

Because in Kewell's mind, he still feels that, despite the injuries, he is still more than capable of contributing at the Premier League level. There's a belief that the player that first signed on from Leeds in 2003, the one with scintillating skill and pace, can re-emerge from the ashes to have an impact in the Premier League.

However, if Kewell were to take a look at his situation carefully, the avenue to redemption doesn't necessarily have to be through England's top flight. Because, in more ways than one, he finds himself in a situation that former Aston Villa star Juan Pablo Angel was in a little over two years ago.

After signing on from River Plate, the Columbian international bagged 23 goals in 38 matches during his career year back in 2003. However, shortly after the 2006/2007 season, Angel fell out of favor at Aston Villa, and like Kewell, was relegated to the reserve team at one point during his time at Villa Park.

Rejected, outcasted to the reserves, and branded as a "flop" or "bust:" there's a sense of frustration that can almost be unbearable to live with at times when looking back at football careers.

In spite of Angel's recent troubles, he could have very easily signed on to make a few extra pounds at another English club in the Premier League. Some argue that he still had the ability to regain his scoring prowess.

Instead, the former Aston Villa hitman resorted to another route—one that established footballers are only now realizing as a fantastic avenue of continuing their quality careers.

Ever since he put pen to paper on a three-year, $4.5 million US deal with the New York Red Bulls in 2007, the star striker hasn't looked back, as he has played an instrumental role in reviving interest in soccer at the Big Apple.

In his first season with the Red Bulls, Angel stuffed 19 goals in only 24 matches, a feat that blows past his seven goals in 54 matches in his last two seasons with Aston Villa.

However, while some are quick to point out the "lower standard" that Major League Soccer brings, the Colombian is quick to defend the league against any skeptics questioning the quality of the league.

"I think it's very good. I think people have a misconception of this league. It's very tough, very physical... I wasn't expecting to just drop in and perform like this, but I'm really enjoying it here," said Angel in an interview with CBC Sports in 2007.

And for Harry Kewell, he could be enjoying the scene as well.

In the past, Kewell has always indicated that he's had a fascination with America. After all, his wedding was in America and he has recently put forth the idea of finishing his career off in New York.

If his recent sporadic performances in the Liverpool shirt are anything to go by, Kewell could still be a force to be reckoned with either as a winger or an attacking midfielder in Major League Soccer.

The Australian will undoubtedly have to work hard for success, but at some point, Kewell's natural gifts as a footballer should eventually take the league by storm, especially with a renewed sense of confidence.

This has proven to be true for a number of the Designated Players and established players in MLS. Claudio Reyna, Cuahtemoc Blanco, David Beckham, Landon Donavan and Marcello Gallardo are just a few players that have found comfort in participating in a league on the rise.

If Kewell can stay healthy, he would bring much more than just a vast array of talent to North America, along with something Angel couldn't offer the league. Like David Beckham in Los Angeles, Kewell has charisma and a swagger that could make him a very marketable player in America.

There are those stating that Kewell would be more open with a possibility of returning home to the A-League in Australia, but with a comfortable Designated Player salary for a team in MLS, there's a lot to like about the prospects of the former Leeds and Liverpool man setting foot on a new continent.

Chelsea Are Better Off Without Didier Drogba

Tim Yu — Sat, 24 May 2008 12:16:22 -0400

A red card in the UEFA Champions League final.

It's a verdict that not many footballers will ever live down in their careers, but for Didier Drogba, there couldn't have been a more just punishment to end his season with.

After taking a conniving slap at Manchester United's Nemanja Vidic, the Ivorian walked off the field, perhaps for the last time in Chelsea colors, knowing that his actions of selfishness epitomized everything that had gone wrong in the past year.

From the internal squabbling to the constant grumblings of disapproval from fans, everybody knew that Chelsea were no longer the dominant force that took the Premier League by storm under Jose Mourinho. Outsider influences, from the upper management to the media, had finally gotten to Chelsea Football Club under their newly appointed manager Avram Grant.

But these some of these developments had always been at the club, even while Mourinho was still in charge of the club. The same thoughts of egocentricity had always reigned supreme in the eyes of Didier Drogba, for he has always resorted to questionable tactics in order to gain an advantage over his opponent.

His constant diving, rolling around, and playacting in order to get opponents booked speaks volumes about Drogba, not only as a footballer but also as a person.

Always regarded as something of a temperamental from the moment he first put on a Chelsea shirt, his consistent deceitful tactics are something that the English game—and Chelsea—could simply do without.

After all, it's always been something of a mystery as to how a man of Drogba's strength and size could go down as easily as he does. Always complaining about a tiny knock or attempting to embellish a missed tackle for a penalty or a free kick, Drogba's tactics are symbolic of how honesty and fair play have continued to gradually vanish every time a football season comes around again in August.

Despite his theatrics, nobody can ever doubt the 2006/2007 African Player of the Year's undeniable ability as a footballer. Almost perfecting the role as a target man in his four year tenure at Stamford Bridge, there are few strikers in the world that have the pace and skill that Drogba possesses.

There are also few that have complete footballing systems built around them like Drogba has had at Chelsea. Utilizing the 4-3-2-1 formation, previously perfected by Jose Mourinho, Drogba has been the focal point of spearheading Chelsea's attack as his ability to control high balls for link-up play is second to none.

But beyond the initial fee of £23.8 million paid to Marseille in 2004 and shirt incomes that comes through the phenomenon, that is, Didier Drogba, Chelsea Football Club is better off without their Ivorian striker.

The striker has long been noted for wanting a move beyond the confines of London and onto another country for a new challenge; thus, leading Drogba to show a huge lack of professionalism throughout his potential final season as a Chelsea player.

Perhaps, the constant headlines had its role to play in the player's disillusionment of life at Stamford Bridge. Loyalty had always been in question since the moment he put pen to paper back in 2004, but with Jose Mourinho sacked by Roman Abramovich, there were times when Drogba just simply lacked spirit and pride for his club.

Of course, there were also times when his natural ability took over and the quality of his goals were second to none. And there were other times when Drogba looked to take out his frustrations at the others around him. His constant grumblings in the dressing room and about his manager's tactical decisions spurned even more trouble than Chelsea could afford to handle.

Whenever conflict of some sort came his way, he would always look to divert it towards someone else. Because in his mind, there was no player on the pitch more important than Didier Drogba. This was almost certainly the case during Chelsea's crucial Premier League match against Manchester United, which at the time dictated Chelsea's slim hopes of claiming the domestic title.

It was then, in that match where Didier Drogba and Michael Ballack got into a heated argument about who would be the man taking the critical free kick.

Elbows flied, words were exchanged, and even as Chelsea were trying to make their collective bid towards taking the title, Drogba just couldn't drop his pride for the sake of the club.

And even though Chelsea did go onto win the match, ironically through Drogba's heroics, it was indicative of what was about to happen in the later weeks. The spirit that was once there appeared to be broken, and perhaps, one could make the argument that Drogba was at fault for playing a key role in that.

But realistically, all of Drogba's theatrics on-and-off the pitch don't have to matter. After all, Roman Abramovich has the final say on matters and with a hefty sum of cash from Drogba's transfer fee, Chelsea Football Club could be well on their way to coming out on top out of their respective campaigns in England and Europe.

And Chelsea wouldn't be the only ones to benefit.

The English game could use a break from Drogba's melodramatics.

MLS: Toronto FC Show Interest in Shola Ameobi and Darren Huckerby

Tim Yu — Sat, 24 May 2008 11:02:09 -0400

After being on the butt end of countless jokes on Setanta's I'm On Setanta Sports, Newcastle striker Shola Ameobi seems to have found himself some keen admirers heading into the transfer season, with interest coming out of Canada of all places.

Former Geordie caretaker manager John Carver, who now finds himself in charge of Major League Soccer side Toronto FC, has always been a keen admirer of Ameobi, having watched him emerge as a footballer in the Newcastle youth academy.

The start of the 2008/2009 Major League Soccer season has brought about a drastic movement of change as Toronto appear to be finally settling properly in the league after a wayward rookie campaign.

With the additions of former PSG and Newcastle winger Laurent Robert, Amado Guevara, Rohan Ricketts, and Oliver Tebily, the established veterans have brought a new swagger of confidence to the Red Patch Boys in Canada.

However, in spite of these additions, Carver insists that he is in need of a striker with the abilities that Ameobi brings to the table.

"Shola is a kid I brought through the system at Newcastle United, and a kid I know an awful lot about. If I can get Shola into this football club, he would be a huge, huge asset for us," said the Toronto FC first-team coach.

Despite going undefeated in their last five games, Toronto is still struggling with their offensive production. With only one striker being deployed in their 4-5-1 formation, TFC striker Danny Dichio has found scoring hard to come by, with only two goals in his last eight matches.

While Carver's interest seems to be sincere, economics could prove to be a huge stumbling block for the Canadian soccer club. Ameobi, 26, who has just come out of a loan with Stoke City, is reportedly being slapped with a £4 million price tag. That could prove to be too costly for the MLS side.

Another name that has topped Carver's shortlist is Canaries' legend Darren Huckerby, after he had been released by Norwich manager Glenn Roeder. Mo Johnston, the Director of Soccer Operations, has reportedly filed a discovery claim on the talented veteran.

The winger had found himself struggling for his usual place in the starting eleven at Carrow Road and is now reportedly looking to America as a possible avenue to finish off his footballing career.

The 32-year-old has been tight-lipped about joining Major League Soccer, but stated that his options were limited following his vow to never play against Norwich in a professional match.

“Everyone thinks I am going to [North America], but we'll see. It's not as easy as me wanting to go somewhere. It's a difficult process. I don't know what's happening yet, but I'm going to try to stick to my promise that I'll never play against Norwich, so it cuts out a lot of potential moves.”

The addition of Huckerby would add to the further the squad's ambitions of achieving postseason play through the Eastern Conference. With Rohan Ricketts and Laurent Robert already establishing themselves on both flanks, Huckerby would be another enviable addition to a team that has already proved doubters wrong with their resurgent play of late.

2007-08 Premier League Team Of The Year: The Strikers

Tim Yu — Sun, 18 May 2008 17:36:00 -0400

Fernando Torres (Liverpool)

When Fernando Torres was initially acquired for a club transfer record £26 million from Atletico Madrid, Liverpool supporters were expecting big things. And although there were no trophies to show for their efforts this past season, nobody could complain about El Nino's contribution to the Reds of Merseyside.

After netting 33 goals in all competitions, Torres broke Ruud Van Nistelrooy's record for most goals scored by a foreign player in their debut season.

There's few in the world that can slide away goals the way Fernando Torres can, and with his goalscoring ability, a lot of pressure is taken off the shoulders from the likes of Steven Gerrard, Ryan Babel, and Dirk Kuyt to produce goals.

As long as Torres can keep up his goalscoring pace, there's no reason why Liverpool can't at least challenge for the Premier League title next season.

Emmanuel Adebayor (Arsenal)

At the beginning of the year, a lot of pundits questioned Arsene Wenger's decision to offload Thierry Henry to Barcelona. Robin Van Persie, Emmanuel Adebayor, and Nicklas Bendtner were all young, promising strikers with potential.

But all three of them lacked one crucial thing—experience.

Nobody on the Arsenal squad had the pedigree of Henry, but after another season under his belt, Emmanuel Adebayor stepped up with a world-class season and racked up 30 goals for the Gunners.

With an almost-unstoppable aerial presence, and a predatory instinct that is second to none, Adebayor's potent play up front is a big reason why Arsene Wenger was justified in letting go his former skipper.

Honorable Mentions:

Roque Santa Cruz's (Blackburn) season at Ewood Park has been nothing short of phenomenal. Cruz cracked 23 goals across all competitions. Brought in for a modest £3.5 million from Bayern Munich, the Paraguyan's style of play is a perfect fit for the system that Mark Hughes is trying to implement at Blackburn.

Considering the fact that Ayegbeni Yakubu (Everton) is the first Blues' striker to score more than 20 goals since Peter Beardsley, the record transfer of £11.5 million splashed by David Moyes is more than justified. Producing crucial goals when called upon, in both the Premier League and the UEFA Cup, Yakubu's strong form throughout the season is a big reason why Everton finished in a respectable fifth place in the Premier League.

While Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez (Manchester United) haven't received all the glamour and attention that Cristiano Ronaldo has this season, United's duo up front enjoyed a fine season under Sir Alex Ferguson.

Both players have demonstrated an excellent work ethic and determination throughout this season—and more importantly, they've proven to be absolute terrors when given an opportunity in a dangerous position.

Another striking partnership in Dimitar Berbatov and Robbie Keane (Tottenham Hotspur) demonstrated a high level of consistency, and put forth another strong season in the Spurs' kit. Both ended up netting 23 goals across all competitions.

2007/2008 Premier League Team Of The Year: The Midfield

Tim Yu — Sat, 17 May 2008 12:07:18 -0400

Right Midfielder: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)

In what could possibly go down as the only 'undisputed' pick for the Team of the Season, Cristiano Ronaldo's goal-crazy season has generated all sorts of media attention, as journalists are dubbing him as the best player in the world.

With 41 goals (and counting) to his name, there's no denying that Ronaldo's season puts him up there with the likes of Manchester United legend George Best.

Simply put, the stats speak for themselves.

Forty-one goals is already an astounding achievement for any striker to be putting in the back of the next, but for a winger? That's almost unheard of these days. For a player of Ronaldo's caliber, there really is no limit as to whether he has even reached his full potential.

Perhaps, Ronaldo can be a little selfish when closing in on goal, but it takes a player that knows how to finish in order to put the ball in the back of the net. A master from any dead-ball situation, whether it be from the spot or beyond, Ronaldo has defied all logic on his way to claiming the PFA Player of the Year and Golden Boot awards.

Unrivaled free-kick ability, pace, heading ability, stamina, vision, pure skill, trickery with moves, and almost a cocky demeanor are part of the aura that is Cristiano Ronaldo.

He's certainly proven the doubters wrong; particularly, the ones that criticized him for overdoing his overzealous step-overs and teasing runs all over the pitch, and those who claimed Ronaldo wasn't delivering enough when it mattered most.

There are still claims that Ronaldo may still go down too easily, but Manchester United supporters will be quick to remind skeptics that opponents, on a weekly basis, almost always target CR7 heavily through rough challenges.

Honorable Mentions:

Thanks to a season for the ages delivered by Cristiano Ronaldo, Alexander Hleb (Arsenal), David Bentley (Blackburn) and Mikel Arteta (Everton) most likely found their names omitted from any consideration when football fans were compiling their squad for the Team of the Season.

With rumors of Hleb leaving for Inter Milan, Arsene Wenger could ill-afford to lose another talented youngster to the Italian clubs, with Mathieu Flamini already leaving for AC Milan. Often described as one of the most skillful player in the Premier League, Hleb's play down the right and left flanks was a big reason why Arsenal was capable of playing such captivating football—despite the long-term injury suffered by Tomas Rosicky.

Blackburn's David Bentley has had countless comparisons of himself with David Beckham as he looks to set his sights in unseating the LA Galaxy midfielder as England's starting right midfielder.

After he openly admitted that he was tired of wallowing away on the sidelines at Arsenal, Bentley switched over to Blackburn where he has shone as Mark Hughes' star man down the right. A big money move could be imminent, considering the interest being shown by Liverpool and Spurs.

Mikel Arteta from Everton also garners praise for his efforts as the Toffees' maestro and playmaker. Although fighting stomach pains since December, Arteta has put in another consistent season where he's proven to be the focal point of Everton's midfield along with Tim Cahill

Central Midfielders: Cesc Fabregas (Arsenal) and Gareth Barry (Aston Villa)

It’s hard to believe, but it was only seven months ago when Gareth Barry finally shot to the scene as an England player with a role to play at the international level. With over 350 appearances under his belt, the Aston Villa captain’s performances this season at Villa Park have earned him the nod—ahead of Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard, Michael Essien, and Javier Mascherano, just to name a few.

Although it’s almost become something of a rarity for a player to possess a strong left foot in the central midfield, Barry is amongst one of the few players that is capable of doing so. His ability to spray the ball left and right across the pitch has all sorts of pundits falling head over heels with his quality as a footballer.

With nine goals and 10 assists to his name in league play this season, his quality in the holding midfield role has won the admiration from Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez, as he looks to close in on a deal for Barry, much to Martin O’Neill’s chagrin.

Despite his young age of 21, Cesc Fabregas heads into the upcoming Euro 2008 Championships as one of the greatest players that the footballing world has to offer. Along with his partnership with Mathieu Flamini in the heart of the Arsenal midfield, Fabregas has officially developed into the product that Arsene Wenger had always envisioned him to be.

As well as scoring 13 goals in all competitions, he was also on the end of delivering 20 assists, a stat that reflects his quality as a playmaker.

Pace, vision, youth, leadership, and uncanny tackling ability: Cesc Fabregas is the entire package when it comes to being the ideal central midfielder.

Honorable Mentions:

Teammates Javier Mascherano and Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) have also put in an excellent season while in Liverpool colors with their darting runs and solid tackling abilities.

Frank Lampard, Michael Ballack and Michael Essien (Chelsea) had their moments of magic while bringing the Blues’ back to surprising glory in both the Premier League and the Champions League. Ballack, in particular, has bounced back from a previously disappointing season in the Premier League, and figures to be a key player in Chelsea’s long-term future.

Despite Mathieu Flamini’s (Arsenal) decision to bolt to Milan, the Frenchman officially emerged as a player capable of playing a world-class level with his strong challenges and calming presence in front of the Arsenal backline. His departure will mean that Wenger could be looking at another potential target to fill the void left by Flamini.

England duo Michael Carrick and Owen Hargreaves (Manchester United) have proven themselves as more than capable of filling in the central midfield, and are often highly regarded by pundits for their distribution qualities, both through the long ball and shorter passes.

Tim Cahill’s (Everton) absence from the Everton lineup didn’t go unnoticed as the Toffees struggled without their energetic Australian in the starting eleven. His darting runs and timely goals are a big reason why David Moyes’ men are in the position that they are in today.

Left Midfielder: Ashley Young (Aston Villa)

With the talent that Ashley Young brings to the table in Aston Villa colors, it's not wonder why Martin O'Neill coughed up an estimated record £9.0 million to land his star winger from Watford.

Blessed with great pace and ability to get the ball into the box with his deep crosses, Young is proving to be one of the most exciting domestic talents that the Premier League has to offer.

With such solid performances at the age of 22, O'Neill might have to face stiff competition to keep his record signing happy at Villa Park after putting up eight goals and 17 assists in the 2007/2008 campaign.

If Young can continue to produce at such a consistent rate, he should have a role to play by the time the 2010 World Cup takes place in South Africa.

Honorable Mentions:

While Elano's form dipped drastically after Sven Goran Eriksson's men were hit by the injury bug, Martin Petrov (Manchester City) continued to provide consistent service down the flanks in his first season in England's top flight. Following in the footsteps of Dmitar Berbatov, Petrov has made his mark in the Premier League and will look to play a key role in City's domestic and European campaigns.

In Defense Of Arsene: Why Mathieu Flamini Is To Blame

Tim Yu — Mon, 12 May 2008 17:49:06 -0400

Arsene Wenger refers to this time of year as the "fishing season."

The English Premier League season has officially come to an end after another year of exciting football. Some teams are left to moan about their respective performances—whereas some are rejoicing in the fact that their club has exceeded expectations or have surprised them with several strong showings throughout the season.

And while these stages of thought and reflection occur amongst the clubs themselves, football agents roll up their sleeves and wind up their fishing rods to sling out their best bait into the pond—with hopes that they'll get the deal that they crave for the player that their representing.

And perhaps at times, agents are referred to as nothing more than pests.

They're often viewed as the ones poisoning our beloved football heroes with greed—asking for more money than what is really necessary, when most of the people in the general public, would gladly strap on their boots to play in the Premier League under a minimum wage.

They'll ask for the entire bank if they have to, and in the end, they've even proven to be too strong of a counter balance, and ultimately, a manager's worst enemy.

Managers pride themselves on emulating the Arsene Wenger way. Bringing in players at a relatively low cost, then selling them off at vastly inflated prices. It's a formula that has made some managers look like geniuses, while leaving the buying clubs seriously questioning their respective managers' transfer policy.

And when agents get in the way of the implemented system or wage salary cap, you can bet that managers are not the least bit pleased with their influence on the players within the game.

Take, for instance, the situation surrounding Mathieu Flamini.

Flamini, 23, who was due to be a free agent at the end of the year, has recently bid farewell to Arsenal supporters after announcing that he would be signing a more lucrative deal with AC Milan (an estimated £70,000 per week)—in spite of the fact that Arsene Wenger had offered him a new contract to extend his stay at the Emirates, albeit for less than £70,000 per week.

And while many are quick to blame Arsene Wenger for the sudden loss of his world-class midfielder, few are quick to direct blame towards Mathieu Flamini and his representative for showing a lack of loyalty towards his club.

However, of course, Flamini insists that his decision to make the move to Milan had nothing to do with the money.

He claims that he was growing weary of the constant failures in the Premier League and Champions League in Arsenal colors. After three years without a domestic title, the Gunners fell out of contention in the later months of the season, possibly a side effect of the inexperience amongst the young players within the squad.

Whilst many can understand Flamini's frustrations, his actions indicate that his real concern had more to do with the money being offered on the table.

Despite his major concerns at Arsenal, Flamini left behind a club with momentum, and in doing so, moves to a club that appears to be going through one of their toughest transitions to date.

The Rossoneri are in the midst of what they would refer to as a "crisis," considering the fact that the Italian giants could very well be competing the UEFA Cup next season—if Fiorentina manages to hold onto the final Champions League birth through league play.

Older players have been asked to leave following their abrupt Champions League exit—ironically, at the expense of Arsenal—and Flamini appears to be a part of a puzzle that will take some time to solve. Alexandre Pato leads the way as AC Milan's future stalwart, but outside of him, there aren't very many wunderkids donning the black and red.

Thus, one has to think that Flamini's true intentions are hidden behind the vast amount of money that he will be receiving per week—all thanks to an agent who stirred the bidding war for his client.

Arsenal had offered him a fair deal. He obviously had a role in Arsene Wenger's long-term plans, and would have been guaranteed of a key role in what looks to be an exciting future for the London football club—had he stayed on.

But Wenger wanted to stay within the realms of his salary cap, and when Flamini turned away from his offer, he turned his back on his team mates and Arsenal—showing a lack of loyalty.

In a world that is still suffering the ill effects of recession, one has to wonder how much longer deals such as the Flamini contract can last in a footballing business that seems to be undergoing an excessive amount of inflation.

One has to wonder when athletes will begin to twist their minds back to reality, and realize that £60,000 per week is still plenty of money to survive on.

And if Mathieu Flamini was really concerned about the overall success of his team, he'll have a tough time finding trophies with a club that might not even qualify for the Champions League next season.

But then again, he'll still have his £70,000 per week to count on if all else fails.

EPL Roundup: Drama, Thrills as Manchester United Claim 17th Title

Tim Yu — Sun, 11 May 2008 06:31:09 -0400

Nervous nail biting, constant checking of the cell phone for the latest updates around the league, and hundreds of questions waiting to be answered: it's all a part of the process when entering the final day of what many refer to as the best league in the world.

And for Ryan Giggs, the scene couldn't have been more perfect when he came on as a substitute for his 758th appearance in the United shirt, a record that ties him with Sir Bobby Charlton, to record the game clinching goal that sent a travelling mob of United supporters into delirious celebration as they watched their side clinch their 17th domestic league title.

Cristiano Ronaldo added to his tremendous goal total of 31 on the season with another successfully converted spot-kick in the 33rd minute when he sent Latics goalkeeper Chris Kirkland diving the wrong way.

Sprinkled in with the Wigan fans across the JJB Stadium, the day wasn't filled with the type of comfort that you would have expected from a team destined to lock up another title. Andriy Shevchenko stuffed the ball into the back of the net in the 62nd minute to give the London club some hope of clinching a Premier League title of their own.

However, it was not to be for Chelsea, as Manchester United already held the tie-breaker based on goal difference heading into the final day of the season. Needing a United slip-up and a Chelsea win, the Blues' supporters at Stamford Bridge fell to complete silence, almost in complete resignation that Chelsea would still be without a trophy in the 2007/2008 season.

With a Chelsea side already dejected, Bolton's Matt Taylor equalized through a weak shot between the legs of goalkeeper Petr Cech in injury time to leave Avram Grant's men two point behind United.

Chelsea's problems could stem even further after John Terry had to be withdrawn from the match after he was involved in a collision earlier in the game with Petr Cech. The Blues' skipper is rumored to have a partial dislocation of the shoulder, but could still be making an appearance in Moscow for Chelsea's Champions League final clash with their English rivals Manchester United.

In the battle for fifth place and the final UEFA Cup spot, Everton clinched a 3-1 win over Newcastle at Goodison Park to finish five points ahead of Aston Villa, who drew 2-2 against West Ham.

Yakubu rediscovered his mid-season form as he ensured that David Moyes' men would be in Europe for next season. Moyes' record signing of £11.5 million from Middlesbrough has paid dividends as his 21 goals on the year have made him the first Everton player since Peter Beardsley to top 20 goals on the season—a feat that hasn't been achieved for 26 years.

Aston Villa skipper Gareth Barry appeared to have fired in what should have been a sure game-winning goal until Dean Ashton destroyed Martin O'Neill's hopes of participating in European football for next season.

The season ends with a disappointing 2-2 result away from home, considering that Villa had a realistic chance of leapfrogging Everton to 5th place. Regardless of the match itself, Villa's efforts would have proven to be meaningless as Everton had already secured victory against Newcastle.

In what should prove to be Sven Goran Eriksson's last match in charge of Manchester City, the Blues of Manchester were spanked in humiliating fashion as their 10-man side fell to Middlesbrough 8-1.

Although City are most likely to be awarded a UEFA Cup spot via the Fair Play League, Eriksson's future as manager looks even gloomier after such a result.

Led by a hat-trick from record signing Afonso Alves and two goals tallied in by Stuart Downing, Boro finished out their season on a high-note as they look to build towards gaining mid-table status for next season.

At the bottom half of the table, Fulham's Danny Murphy converted the goal of the season for his side when he headed in a Jimmy Bullard free-kick in the 76th minute to lift his side towards retaining their Premier League status.

Despite next week's crucial FA Cup final match against Cardiff, Portsmouth boss Harry Redknapp still elected to field a full strength squad—only to no avail as the travelling Fulham supporters at Fratton Park were signing in jubilation.

Danny Murphy's critical goal spelled the end for Reading and Birmingham as they get set to join Derby County back down to the second tier of English football.

In spite of the fact that Steve Coppell's men hit four past Derby goalkeeper Roy Carroll, Reading was left to rue the questionable goals given up earlier in the season as they were eliminated based on goal difference with Fulham. Defensive lapses and questionable performances at the back have proven costly to Reading as they look to regroup for another run back with the Premier League big-boys.

Over at St. Andrews, fans were turning on co-owners David Gold and David Sullivan after their side failed to stay up despite a convincing 4-1 victory over Blackburn.

Cameron Jerome's double proved to be pointless as Alex McLeish was forced to suffer another injustice as he joins Steve Coppell and Paul Jewell in their quest to bounce back to the Premier League.

Uncertainty with Hong Kong businessman Carson Yeung's proposed takeover with Birmingham City could ultimately be looked as a key reason behind Birmingham's overall failure.

With Steve Bruce leaving due to constant instability regarding his status as Birmingham's manager, the points lost during that time have Birmingham fans ruing their status as England's "yo-yo" club.

Should He Stay or Should He Go? Gareth Barry's Big Decision

Tim Yu — Sat, 10 May 2008 05:26:05 -0400

Rash, impetuous, and repulsive.

Three words that you might have used to describe Roman Abramovich's decision to sack Jose Mourinho back in the turbulent month of September.

And with the recent Gareth Barry sweepstakes reaching an all-time high, you could add Martin O'Neill to the list of important football figures that might be acting in such a way.

Perhaps it's the pressures of achieving European football. It is something O'Neill hasn't done in the Premier League that has gotten to him as Aston Villa heads into the final weekend against West Ham.

After an uncharacteristic defeat to Wigan last week, one that severely damaged any hopes for direct entry into the UEFA Cup, O'Neill may be hoping for more than a just slip-up from Everton.

His biggest test may have nothing to do with his ability to bark out tactics from the technical area.

With his most influential and important player rumored to be on his way out to Liverpool, O'Neill could be on the losing end of a tight battle with Rafa Benitez in the Gareth Barry sweepstakes.

The constant mind games have become the center of attention this past week after Liverpool leaked what O'Neill referred to as a 'mish-mash deal' for his skipper to the media. Thus causing the expected frenzy from the English media.

And the results are what you might have expected.

O'Neill has been fending off rumors and reports, one by one, even going as far as calling Rafa Benitez as 'mad'. Aston Villa teammate Patrik Berger was sacked earlier in the week after he told his skipper to pack his bags and leave.

Steven Gerrard has voiced his approval over the potential move and Xabi Alonso is rumored to be on his way out to Juventus if the proposed move goes through.

Yet, in the eye of the storm, the man himself has had little to say.

It's hard to believe how a player of Gareth Barry's quality has only recently shone to the spotlight in the past seven months or so.

He's recorded over 350 caps for his club. Yet, it was only recently that he was finally included in the national team—and a key player at that.

He's proven to be as loyal as they come in the English game, completing over 10 years at the Midlands club and the driving force behind Villa's resurgence into European competition.

He's the unquestioned leader, both on and off the pitch. There's no doubt that the midfielder has a role to play as long as Martin O'Neill is still in charge at Villa Park.

While Ashley Young and Gabriel Agbonlahor get credit for their darting runs down the touchline and at goal, it's Gareth Barry that collects the ball and settles the play down for Villa.

And with a squad that is lacking in numbers with only 23 players, Barry adds some much needed stability—both as a player and a leader to the club.

But more importantly, perhaps the greater underlying reason for the sudden interest in the Villa captain is his tremendous quality as a footballer.

Being able to play at either fullback, outside midfielder, holding midfielder, and central midfielder where the options are endless in terms of versatility.

Add to the fact that the Premier League lacks quality midfielders with a strong left foot, and there's no surprise as to why Gareth Barry has garnered so much attention of late.

This is a big reason why Rafa Benitez is so keen to add to his star-studded squad that has aims of reclaiming the UEFA Champions League title and the Premier League—a league that has eluded Liverpool since 1989-1990.

There's no denying that the lure of playing for a club like Liverpool is breathtaking. It's history as one of—if not, as the most successful club in English football, speaks for itself.

Steven Gerrard, Michael Owen, Robbie Fowler, Steve McManaman, Peter Beardsley, and Ian Rush are just a few obvious names of Liverpool greats that have reputations as footballers are as world renown as they come.

Their quality, as players in the famous Liverpool red, go far and beyond in the minds of the most knowledgeable football fans.

And now, Gareth Barry has a chance to add his name to a roster of one of the most illustrious football clubs in history. Such an offer can be scintillating—and one that not many players have ever turned down.

But, if Barry is to go though with the move, it will be a challenge that will be completely foreign to him.

Draws and close defeats are no longer allowed and merely winning a match is no longer enough for fans at the Kop—something that might not have been the case at Villa Park.

Of course, a chance to compete in European competition on a yearly basis is always intriguing. Any slip-ups in performance could land you a spot next to Peter Crouch on the sideline.

That's not mentioning the fact that he faces stiff competition for playing time in the middle of the park. Javier Mascherano, Steven Gerrard, Xabi Alonso have all proven to be staple players in the midfield.

It could bring Rafa Benitez even more problems in terms of getting all his key players on the pitch.

Xabi Alonso has hinted at possibly leaving if Gareth Barry arrives at Anfield. Steven Gerrard has always suggested that he feels more comfortable in more of a central role— as opposed to being deployed down the right flank.

Javier Mascherano has proven worthy to the Liverpool faithful and is often regarded as one of the top players as a holding midfielder in football.

Of course, like fellow England new-boy David Bentley, the lure of European football should prove to be a driving reason towards moving to a bigger club.

With the 2010 World Cup Qualifying Rounds getting ready to take off, you can bet that Barry is hoping that he has the opportunity to sink his teeth into a major international competition.

But in the end, it's a decision that the Villa captain has to make. And as much as Villa or Liverpool fans like to have their say on the matter, it all comes down to what is best for Gareth Barry.

We just know that it won't be rash, impetuous, and repulsive, whichever way he chooses to go.

EPL: Is Chelsea FC Really Behind Avram Grant?

Tim Yu — Fri, 02 May 2008 19:43:01 -0400

When Avram Grant crawled out of his dugout on that glorious Saturday afternoon that put Chelsea level on points with Manchester United, you could have sworn from a distance, he looked more like a bear than an actual human being.

Perhaps for once, the adrenaline had gotten the best of the Israeli manager who finally managed to answer the questions fired by critics on a week-to-week basis about whether he was capable of doing the job as the Chelsea manager.

Whatever the case was, Grant was letting out his emotions in front of the sea of blue at Stamford Bridge—and it showed.

His eyes were bulging out; his arms were outstretched as ever; and his roar of approval after Michael Ballack's penalty was frightening, to say the least.

And ever since that moment, the ball has been rolling in Chelsea's court, after taking a backseat to Manchester United's run at the top of the Premier League table.

Chelsea is now currently level with United with 81 points and two matches remaining in the schedule. Chelsea faces Newcastle United and Bolton; Manchester United takes on West Ham and Wigan Athletic.

Of course, this sudden change of scenery for Chelsea Football Club has come along with their recent successes in the top flight and, as well, as the Champions League.

After a sound 4-3 aggregate victory over Liverpool in the semi final legs of the Champions League, the limelight of uncertainty amongst Premier League managers has shifted towards the likes of Sven Goran Eriksson at Manchester City.

It was a result that would have shocked even the most biased Chelsea supporters at the beginning of the year. Avram Grant had done what Chelsea's beloved Portuguese predecessor had never done before: get to the Champions League final.

Grant was claiming that he did it his way. He even went as far to joke that he was now the new "Special One."

Needless to say, it was a far cry from the monosyllabic press conference given at Goodison Park a little over two weeks ago.

Because, after all, his club had answered the call and at the most opportune time.

The players, themselves, deserve all lot of credit for the resiliency demonstrated on the pitch, in particular, Essien and Carvalho.

Michael Essien has done a fantastic job filling in wherever Grant has asked him to play; whether it be at right-back or in central midfield.

Ricardo Carvalho, the former Porto man, has been the club's unsung hero with his consistent performances while Chelsea was still recovering from the absences of John Terry and Petr Cech.

The Chelsea players even went as far as carrying out a shirt to honor Frank Lampard's mother, who tragically passed away, following Ballack's first goal that initially put his club out in front of the visitors. Led by club captain John Terry, Chelsea players huddled together to show the public of the unity that existed at the club.

Prior to Ballack's season-changing penalty, Chelsea's bid for the league title was hanging by a thread on that Sunday afternoon in London. Players were getting into heated scrums and the intensity was everything you would have expected in such a massive game.

One of the most notable scrums, in the match itself, was the incident between Michael Ballack and Didier Drogba, perhaps a scene that symbolized the internal damage that may still exist within Chelsea, even as they prepare to challenge for the domestic and continental titles.

From an outsider prospective, it was a type of conflict that you would have expected out of ten-year-old boys arguing over a favorite toy or a piece of candy. Nobody wants to back down—and in the end, nobody really ends up winning.

It was a situation between two players who put their own personal glory ahead of a club desperately trying to get a result. Ballack and Drogba were both standing over a free kick with neither of them willing to budge. Both of them wanted to be the man that sent Chelsea supporters into celebration.

The clash of egos was the last thing Chelsea could have afforded at a time like that, but with so much at stake, Ballack was finally forced away by fellow teammates as he allowed Drogba to proceed with his free kick.

Even after Drogba had already taken the kick, he continued to lash out at Ballack and Steve Clarke, in what looked to be a disgraceful situation. Teammates continued to plead in their efforts to calm their cultured hitman down as their manager watched continued to watch the fallout in silence.

After a situation like the one in the Chelsea-Manchester United match, it begs the question: if Chelsea were to stumble or falter in their quests for the double, would the unity still be intact at Stamford Bridge?

At times, it seems as if some of the players don't respect Grant's decisions: whether they be tactical or even with the words being exchanged throughout the matches.

And if Grant is to restore order during this crucial two-week stretch to the end of the season, he'll have to address these issues that could be plaguing the unity.

Personal clashes and egos, like the Ballack-Drogba controversy, will need to be avoided if Chelsea are to pull together and win the trophies they desire. There should be nothing more important than the club's overall success and anything less than that just simply can't be tolerated.

Because after all, with so many rumors of personality clashes behind closed doors and potential moves to other clubs across Europe, nothing can be really certain at a club that has been in turmoil and controversy for parts of the season.

Didier Drogba hasn't made it much of a secret that he intends to move on at season's end to either AC or Inter Milan.

Frank Lampard has been at the center of discussion towards a move to Italy after failing to sign a new contract with the club. Michael Essien, Ricardo Carvalho, and Shaun Wright-Phillips have all had media speculation surrounding their futures with Chelsea.

With recent success at Chelsea, Avram Grant might just be experiencing his honeymoon period with the club after driving his club back into strong recent run of form.

But that could all go away within a blink of an eye.

It only takes a slip-up or two, in times like these.

EPL Preview: Everton-Aston Villa

Tim Yu — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 14:10:54 -0400

With speculation adrift about the future of Aston Villa skipper Gareth Barry reaching an all-time high, Martin O'Neill might just be looking forward to concentrating solely on football when he takes his Aston Villa squad into Goodison Park to take on Everton.

Sunday afternoon's game will have a greater meaning for Aston Villa as they sit only three points back of the Merseysiders for the fifth and potentially final UEFA Cup spot. A win could see Martin O'Neill's side gain level pegging with Everton as they begin their final push towards Europe.

Built around a strong base of English talent, the likes of Ashley Young, Gabriel Agbonlahor, and Gareth Barry have proven to be pivotal focal points in Villa's recent resurgence following their deflating defeat at the hands of Manchester United over a month ago. Norwegian hitman John Carew has also picked up his game and contributed to a Villa side rising in confidence.

Their strong play has resulted in increased interest from the clubs in the Big Four -- with Gareth Barry being strongly linked to Liverpool.

Most noticeably in their recent run of form, where they have amassed fifteen goals in the last three matches, was Villa's 5-1 derby win last week over rivals Birmingham City. Ashley Young was at the center of attention as he caught Fabio Capello's eye with two goals to send Birmingham into the relegation zone.

If Aston Villa is able to secure victory against Everton, they would go ahead of the Blues based on a greater goal difference.

As for the Blues of Merseyside, David Moyes has come across tougher times after such a promising start to the season. With only a win over Derby in their last five matches, Everton have been bitten by the injury bug as they have gone without Tim Cahill, Mikel Arteta, and Leon Osman for the past few weeks.

The slough of injuries have limited Moyes' choices out in the midfield as he has been forced to place Lee Carsley alongside Phil Neville, a combination that has failed in the past.

Carsley, who has been in top form this season in the holding position, will need to be placed alongside a player with an extra bit of creativity in the middle of the park. The return of Leon Osman to the midfield should provide a much needed boost to an Everton side eager to cling onto fifth place.

Everton will also be hoping that Mikel Arteta will be avaliable as he is due back from Spain after receiving treatment in his native country. Stomach pains and abdominal troubles had been previously keeping the Spanish maestro on the sidelines. Manuel Fernandes could be placed down the right flank if Arteta isn't avaliable on match day.

Regardless of Arteta's availability, Everton will need their big men up front to deliver in one of their most crucial games to date. Yakubu and Andy Johnson have failed to discover their goalscoring form prior to Everton's UEFA Cup defeat to Fiorentina. Yakubu, in particular, seems to be suffering from a huge drain in confidence after missing out on a few scoring opportunities that he would have surely buried earlier in the season.

On the defensive end, Everton's back four have proven to be a major strength all season long and will need to continue their strong run of play led by Phil Jagielka and Joseph Yobo in central defense. Joleon Lescott's play this season has received the utmost of praise from the media as he has been a fixture in both of Fabio Capello's England squads against Switzerland and France.

Key Man Watch: Steven Pienaar

The newly-signed South African international will be counted on even more heavily than before if Mikel Arteta isn't able to play in Sunday's encounter. His pace and crossing ability has proven to be a huge bargain, considering his cheap £2.05 million price tag from Borussia Dortmund, and wil need to be a key contributor if Everton is to walk away with a comfortable lead for 5th place and a spot in Europe.

Predicted Starting XI:

Everton

Howard; Neville, Lescott, Jagielka, Yobo; Carsley, Arteta, Pienaar, Osman; Yakubu, Johnson

Aston Villa

Carson; Mellberg, Laursen, Knight, Bouma; Young, Reo-Coker, Petrov, Barry; Carew, Agbonlahor

Tottenham Completes £15.8 Million Record Transfer For Luka Modric

Tim Yu — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 12:47:47 -0400

One of Europe's hottest commodities in the upcoming transfer window is officially off the window, following Luka Modric's shocking £15.8 million move to White Hart Lane, a transfer record for the London club.

Tottenham have beaten out Premier League rivals Newcastle United, Chelsea and Manchester City for Modric's signature in a bid to bolster a squad with European ambitions next season.

Tottenham and Modric's agent appear to have come to an agreement on a five-year contract, but the former Dinamo Zagreb superstar will need to undergo a medical and obtain a work permit.

The 22-year-old Croatian international is one of the most highly-rated players coming out of Europe. He was in attendance as he watched his new club take on Bolton in Saturday afternoon's English Premier League fixture.

'I'm happy to be joining such a big club,' said Juande Ramos' latest signing.

'It will be a real pleasure to play in the [Premier League], which is the best in Europe, with three English clubs in the semi-finals of the Champions League.

Modric was instrumental in his country's 3-2 win over England at the new Wembley, a victory that sent Steve McClaren's side out of the 2008 European Championships.

Bringing along with him his superb passing ability and vision, Modric should provide Ramos with flexibility as he can play in the central midfield or down the left hand side.

The recent addition could potential spell the end or cut into the playing time of Steed Malbranque, Didier Zokora, Aaron Lennon, and Jermaine Jenas.

Paul Robinson and Radek Cerny's futures at Tottenham could be up in the air considering the reported interest Ramos has in Espanyol's Carlos Kameni. The Cameroon international has had his run-ins with racial scrutiny in Spain and could welcome a change of scenery in England.

Underdogs Reign Supreme: Greatest NHL First Round Upsets in Recent History

Tim Yu — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 17:27:54 -0400

The 2008 edition of the NHL Playoffs are back but what is the post season without drama?

Or without Stephane Yelle or Keith Carney?

Unsung heroes coming to life on hockey's biggest stage. It doesn't get any bigger than that for the sixteen teams vying for a shot at Lord Stanley's Cup.

Over the years, we've seen some crazy yet inspirational hockey from the most unlikely teams. Who could forget the 2005 Edmonton Oilers or the 2003 Mighty Ducks of Anaheim when they made their improbable runs (only to fall short by one game, but nonetheless still phenomenal achievements)?

They both started their playoff campaign against extraordinary odds in the opening rounds but still managed to shock even the brightest of hockey experts.

But they aren't the only ones that have won the hearts of hockey fans across the globe. If you can still remember back to the days when Curtis Joseph was still an elite goalie, he provided great memories for both the Edmonton Oilers and Toronto Maple Leafs back in the hay-days.

The same could be said for Adam Deadmarsh or even Saku Koivu when he came back from his battle with cancer to lead the Habs over the Bruins in an unforgettable six-game series.

Here's a look at the greatest NHL first-round shockers in recent memory:

10) Toronto Maple Leafs (7) over Ottawa Senators (2)—2001—4-0

Back in happier days, the Toronto Maple Leafs still had the ability to beat formidable opponents when it mattered most. In this case, Toronto handed their hated rivals with an embarrassing playoff sweep despite finishing with 19 less regular season points than Ottawa in the Battle of Ontario.

Thanks in part to some sensational goaltending from former Edmonton Oiler Curtis Joseph; Cujo stymied the Sens for 176 minutes as Ottawa failed to put anything past him until the dying minutes of Game 3. With a red-hot goaltender on the top of his game, the Leafs provided enough offence under the guidance of Mats Sundin to send Patrick Lalime and the Ottawa Senators out with a third consecutive first-round defeat.

Yeah, for once, it was good to be a Leafs fan.

9) Edmonton Oilers (8) over Detroit Red Wings (1)—2006—4-2

At the 2006 NHL Trade Deadline, some were questioning whether Kevin Lowe was making the right decision to give up so many quality draft picks to obtain the players that he wanted.

By the end of this series against the Detroit Red Wings, the questioning turned into cheers.

Dwayne Roloson stood on his head when it mattered most and Sergei Samsonov provided the Edmonton Oilers with the typical speed that we've grown accustomed to since the ole' run-and-gun days when the Oilers were sporting their orange and blue.

Chris Pronger was the driving heartbeat of a resilient hockey team as he logged an insane amount of ice-time and the Oilers started what would prove to be an improbable run towards the Stanley Cup finals—only to come up one game short against the Carolina Hurricanes in game seven.

Game six of the Detroit-Edmonton series would prove to be Steve Yzerman's final game as a Detroit Red Wing after he skated off the ice in front of the 20,000 ecstatic Oil fans at Rexall Place with his final bid for another Stanley Cup ring denied.

8) San Jose Sharks (8) over Detroit Red Wings (1)—1994—4-3

The Detroit Red Wings were the unanimous pick from hockey experts for the Wings to come away with the Stanley Cup

The San Jose Sharks, meanwhile, had a record of under .500.

It seems like a bit of a mismatch on paper, but luckily for the Sharks the game was played on ice instead.

Stunning the high-powered Red Wing attack, a young Arturs Irbe emerged as one of the game's brightest goaltenders as he backstopped San Jose to an improbable seven-game series win as hockey fans in the Bay Area could finally get excited about their third year expansion team.

7) Minnesota Wild (6) over Colorado Avalanche (3)—2003—4-3

The Avalanche had the big payroll and star players going for them but the Wild still ended up prevailing against their divisional rivals in their very first playoff series. Riding on a career year from Milan Hejduk and Joe Sakic to lead the scoring attack for Colorado, the Avalanche stumbled out of the gates and failed to make quick work of their so-called ‘inferior’ opponents.

Richard Park and Andrew Brunette provided the unlikely heroics in game six and seven, respectively, as they would prove to be Patrick Roy’s final games as a goaltender as an NHL goaltender. It would also be the Minnesota's first playoff series win since the days of the Minnesota North Stars.

6) Montreal Canadiens (8) over Boston Bruins (1)—2002—4-2

Saku Koivu missed almost the entire season but stormed back just in time to lift his Montreal Canadiens past the first-seeded Boston Bruins in the 2002 season. Jose Theodore's goaltending made all the difference in the series as the Habs cruised past their Original Six rivals with relative ease.

5) Los Angeles Kings (7) over Detroit Red Wings (2)—2001—4-2

The Kings were well on their way out of the NHL Playoffs before a spark came at the absolute right time. Coming back from a 3-0 deficit in game four and already down 2-1 in the series, Los Angeles defied the odds with a rally for the ages. Locking up the game at 3-3, the Kings sent it into overtime where Eric Belanger took a pass from Adam Deadmarsh and slotted in a miraculous game-winning goal to hand Los Angeles the momentum for the rest of the series.

Deadmarsh quickly made Kings' fans forget about former Norris Trophy winner Rob Blake after he buried the series-clincher in overtime of Game 6.

4) Montreal Canadiens (7) over Boston Bruins (2)—2004—4-3

If history is any indicator, this year’s edition of the Canadiens/Bruins rivalry doesn’t bode well for Boston’s storied franchise. After falling to Montreal behind a resurgent Saku Koivu, the Bruins fell once again after holding a 3-1 advantage over the Habs.

Jose Theodore turned aside 32 shots on his way to collecting a well-deserved shutout and Richard Zednik buried the game-winning goal in game seven to join an elite group of teams that have won after being burdened with a 3-1 deficit.

Ever since the Canadiens scored 12 goals in their final three games, it seems as if Andrew Raycroft’s career has never really recovered from this series. Once heralded with the Calder Trophy as the league’s top rookie, Raycroft has failed to reproduce the form that once had hockey experts raving about his goaltending ability.

3) Edmonton Oilers (7) over Colorado Avalanche (2)—1998—4-3

Curtis Joseph provided the Edmonton Oilers with yet another stellar goaltending performance after he stood tall against Colorado’s potent attack. Fending off the threats of Joe Sakic and Peter Forsberg in their prime, the Oilers did themselves one better after their heroic performance the year before against the Dallas Stars.

Peter Forsberg was the league’s second highest scorer in the regular season but even that wasn’t enough to convince head coach Marc Crawford to come back behind the bench for another season as Colorado’s head coach. After leading the series 3-1, Curtis Joseph’s shutout in game seven proved to the hockey world that it would take a lot more than a hefty payroll with star players to knock off a determined underdog like the 1997/1998 Edmonton Oilers.

2) Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (7) over Detroit Red Wings (2)—2003—4-0

Making his NHL Playoff debut in between the pipes for the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, Jean Sebastien Giguere shocked the Detroit Red Wings with some sensational goaltending while on their way to sweeping their opponents in four games. Giguere's 1.24 GAA in the postseason made all the difference as his goaltending proved to be one of the main reasons why the Mighty Ducks made it all the way to the Stanley Cup finals before being defeated by the New Jersey Devils.

Despite being on the losing side, Giguere was still rewarded with the Conn Smythe Trophy that year; although, he'll be the first to tell you that it wasn't much of a consolation after missing out on his first chance to win a Stanley Cup.

1) Edmonton Oilers (7) over Dallas Stars (2)—1997—4-3

Todd Marchant did what many hockey players can only dream of doing.

It's game seven. You’re playing against one of the best teams in the NHL in the Dallas Stars and the entire series hangs in the balance.

So what do you do?

With Curtis Joseph standing on his head after robbing Joe Nieuwendyk from point blank range, the seventh seeded Edmonton Oilers proved the doubters wrong when Marchant took matters into his own hands.

Bursting with speed down the right flank on a breakaway, Marchant fired a flawless wrist shot past Stars netminder Andy Moog to come away with the series-clinching goal in Game 7 of a gruelling seven-game series against their playoff arch-nemesis.

After a four-year absence from the playoffs, Oil Country had their prayers answered in what many consider to be one of the greatest upsets in NHL playoff history in recent memory.

EPL: Was Jens Lehmann Right to Call out Arsene Wenger and Manuel Almunia?

Tim Yu — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 14:44:38 -0400

If you didn't think Arsene Wenger's life couldn't get any more dramatic at Arsenal Football Club—think again.

After Emmanuel Adebayor's run-in with Nicklas Bendnter and Martin Taylor's horrific tackle on Eduardo da Silva, Arsene Wenger has another headache to deal with after Jens Lehmann came out and publicly attacked the French manager and current first-choice goalkeeper Manuel Almunia.

The German international has insisted that if it were up to him, the Champions League quarter final against Liverpool would have ended much differently.

He believed that he could have been the difference between an early exit from Europe and being crowned with a Champions League medal.

The 38-year-old goalkeeper has been out of action for nearly the entire season after he was benched in favor of an in-form Manuel Almunia. He has cited his manager and his fellow team mate for what he refers to as a "tragedy."

"For me personally, it is a tragedy, particularly since I did not have a chance to prevent [the outcome of the match]. I have had such thoughts [about being able to prevent defeats] ever since [Arsene Wenger] took me out of the team following the 0-0 against Milan," Lehmann vented.

The result may be even harder to swallow for Lehmann as he turned down an opportunity to play first-team football with Bundesliga outfit Borussia Dortmund, in order to fight for his place as Arsenal's number one keeper.

The lack of playing time has some critics wondering whether Lehmann is still worthy of keeping his post as Germany's main goalkeeper under Joachim Low heading into the 2008 European Championships.

In particular, Lehmann has hit out at his manager for failing to provide him with the opportunities to prove his worth to the club.

'I stayed here to win the Champions League and I saw good chances to play, but I have not had these [chances] and that makes me very angry,' he told a German football magazine.

The German almost looks certain to be packing his bags once the season is over as it doesn't look as if Lehmann has a role to play at the Emirates for much longer. Along with Gilberto, Wenger will most likely allow Lehmann to move on in his pursuit for first team football.

The outburst has some questioning Lehmann's professionalism in such a crucial part of the Premier League season. With the season winding down and his side trailing league leaders Manchester United by six points, one has to wonder why Lehmann had to call out his manager in such a dramatic fashion.

Critics and fans alike could understand his frustrations but perhaps Lehmann would have been better off discussing such a matter one-on-one with his manager instead of starting another media circus.

Despite his ongoing rant, Lehmann can hardly complain about Almunia's performance this season, or even in the latest Champions League match against Liverpool. The uncapped Spainiard has been at the top of his game this season and has done more than enough to convince the Arsenal faithful in his ability to command the area.

Many of the shots Almunia faced were either unfortunate or unstoppable as the match raced to emotional highs and lows.

Fernando Torres' goal and Gerrard's penalty at Anfield were hardly stoppable and it's highly unlikely anything else would have changed if Lehmann came on, especially considering how Lehmann has not played a whole lot in Arsenal's starting eleven for much of this season.

So, for Lehmann to comment on the situation like he did, seems a little naive and even childish in retrospect.

Whether you can sympathize or even agree with Lehmann's viewpoint, there's no question that you would expect better, in terms of behavior from a 38-year-old veteran who's also had experience at international level.

Generally, football experts and fans alike can understand that it's disappointing to not be starting, but to be calling out your own team mates and boss at this stage of the season is absolute ludicrous.

And for Arsene Wenger, it's just another worry for an Arsenal squad that could be in danger of coming away with no silverware after such a promising start to the season.

CL Reaction: Do We Enjoy a Rival's Loss As Much As a Win for Our Favorite Team?

Tim Yu — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 17:03:37 -0400

Listening to the voices of Tommy Smyth and Derek Rae commentating around the world, football fans were gifted with one of the most compelling and controversial ties in European football for quite some time when Arsene Wenger's men were eliminated after several dubious decisions during their second leg of the Champions League quarterfinals against Liverpool away at Anfield.

Sitting in a room full of so-called "soccer fanatics" in my soccer option class (don't ask) at school, you would think the room would have been electric when Arsenal took on Liverpool in the quarterfinals of Champions League.

And for the most part it was.

The majority of my classmates were watching intently and keeping a close eye on things; with the occasional kid sitting aside looking totally disinterested of what was going on in that tiny 24 inch TV screen.

They probably couldn't tell you the starting eleven of Liverpool or Arsenal, but they sure knew a good match when they saw one!

Following two quick fire goals from unlikely sources in Abou Diaby and Sami Hyppia, the match was already off a cracking start. Contrary to the first leg at the Emirates, things were about to pick up well after the 1-1 score line.

The Kop was rising and singing their hearts out for their Reds as the second half got well underway. It wasn't the most pleasant thing to hear for 90 goddamn minutes being an Everton supporter, but I managed, up until the very end.

I had no problem with the Fernando Torres strike as it was a wonderful shot and Almunia really had no chance of saving something like that. It was pure inspiration from El Nino and even while I was sinking with bitterness at the time (yes, I admit it), I knew the goal was well deserved.

Liverpool was putting on decent pressure and the Arsenal defense seemed to have lost a bit of shape without Mathieu Flamini, although I'm not blaming Gilberto for anything, as he is still a world-class player.

But for a moment at Anfield, Liverpool fans must have thought that their side was about to crash out of the Champions League after Theo Walcott's amazing dash down the right flank.

Beating a couple of defenders on his way to the by line, the English wonder kid slotted a perfect cross for Emmanuel Adebayor as he pushed the ball past Reina. Gunners fans were screaming at unprecedented levels and there might have been already a tear or two streaming down a Liverpool fan's cheek.

I, of course, being someone that admittedly resents Liverpool, was standing up and pumping my fist as if I had been the one that scored the goal.

I'm sure a lot of fans were either gutted or ecstatic at this point and nobody could really blame you, it was some exciting football!

It was the same type of emotion that I felt when my Blues came back in their second leg tie against Fiorentina about a month or two ago when Mikel Arteta equalized from 25 yards out to tie the aggregate score at 2-2.

Regardless of the result later that night, as a fan, that was my highlight of a highly successful year at Everton Football Club.

Let me tell you something, from that point on, I really thought that nothing was going to stop us. We were about to knock off the Italian giants and be headed for another exciting round of European football in the UEFA Cup.

Because after all, what did the Italians do that we didn't do? We made up for our lack of performance in Italy and we did far more damage at Goodison than they ever did during the first leg.

And for Arsenal's case, I don't think anyone could have forecasted what happened afterwards. The game was there for the taking after yet another dramatic conclusion at Anfield in the Champions League.

After barely touching the Liverpool player, I think we can all come to a general assumption that it wasn't a penalty and Kolo Toure can feel hard done by. It didn't help when Ryan Babel went down the way that he did but that's not necessarily why I was left incensed—unlike most Arsenal supporters or people pulling for the Gunners.

Being in the room with my friends and classmates, nobody around me could really understand why I was so upset after Steven Gerrard converted his penalty but it really didn't matter to me whether they did or not.

It was the same type of gut wrenching feeling that I had when I saw Everton get eliminated on penalties against Fiorentina.

As you can probably tell, I was disappointed for Arsenal, but I couldn't understand why I was acting in such a way. I mean, after all, it wasn't as if Everton had lost in the Champions League quarter final, it was Arsenal.

Whilst I respect the work done by Arsene Wenger, I don't exactly classify myself as a Gunners fan or anything close to it.

I was angrier about the fact that Liverpool had won the match.

Believe me when I say that I really do respect Liverpool's illustrious history and quality over the years, but let's not kid ourselves: a rival is a rival. I'm sure a lot of football fans could relate to that and understand where I'm coming from.

Because let's face it, if it were a Manchester United fan watching that exact same game, they might have been feeling the same way I was.

Which brings me to my point: Has it really gotten to the point where I would enjoy a rival's loss as much as I would if the team that I supported won a match?

Or how about when the rival team wins and my team loses?

I know it sounds Machiavellian, and it is, but I'm sure a Liverpool supporter would feel the same way if a big match like that featured Everton. I know it doesn't sound right but really in my head that's how I honestly felt when Gerrard ripped millions of hearts out (including mine) with his penalty.

That's the great thing about rivalries and how they can add to the atmosphere of a match.

How dull would the Merseyside derby or even the Old Firm derby be if nobody came out singing for his or her own club? It's the passion and intensity that adds to the experience, which makes football the most beautiful game in the world.

On the Mark: The Toronto Maple Leafs Need Mats Sundin More Than Ever

Tim Yu — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 14:51:24 -0400

A lot of people were laughing at Paul Maurice when he came out of his usual Maple Leaf press conference, at the beginning of the year.

No, they weren't laughing at his lazy right eye, or the fact that he got drafted last overall by the Philadelphia Flyers back in the 1985 NHL Entry Draft (five spots after John Ferguson Jr., in case you were wondering).

Nor were they teasing him about how his team failed to make the playoffs for the second year in a row, after Richard Park's unlikely heroic performance to put the New York Islanders into the eighth and final playoff spot. Of course, it hurt to know that the New Jersey Devils elected to bench Martin Brodeur for their final regular season game but the Toronto media (and Leaf Fans alike) had already gotten over their latest shortcoming.

It had more to do with his lousy prediction. One that could probably put more pressure on his squad than they already needed too, heading into Maurice's second year as head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

In his own words, he claimed that the Toronto Maple Leafs would "make the playoffs and compete for the Stanley Cup." He even said that this year's addition was the "most talented hockey club I've coached," in spite of the fact that he had been a Stanley Cup contender with the Carolina Hurricanes, making the Stanley Cup Finals back in 2001-2002.

Well, low and behold, the 'talent' that Maurice saw in the 2007-2008 Toronto Maple Leafs wasn't enough to lead him to the playoffs—let alone competing for the Stanley Cup. They were back where they started: at home watching the playoffs on TV and without a playoff spot for the third consecutive year in a row.

A season plagued by injuries, defensive breakdowns, lack of offensive production out of Mats Sundin, and a crowd that seemed lifeless at times was enough to spell doom for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Bryan McCabe couldn't keep the puck out of his net and Jason Blake's goalscoring prowess that saw him score 40 goals with the New York Islanders the year before had all but vanished. Andrew Raycroft was banished between the pipes for Toronto but it wasn't enough to save the blue and white from the embarassment despite Vesa Toskala's valient efforts.

The turbulent season had Leaf Nation crying out for a total overhaul. Of course, it never helps when your biggest traditional rival (Montreal Canadiens) is flourishing with their own draft picks in the Kostisyn brothers (Sergei and Andrei), Chris Higgins, Carey Price and Tomas Plekanec.

As for Toronto's draft picks? Well outside of Jiri Tlusty and Anton Stralman, there isn't all that much to brag about. Alex Steen and Matt Stajan look as if they will never turn out to be the first line centers that everyone anticipated that they would be. Nik Antropov is still in Toronto but there's still a great majority of fans that don't really appreciate his contributionciti—ng that he's too slow to make a difference in a new league that requires speed and quickness.

With all this to consider, Mats Sundin just had to be the one taking the heat during Toronto's fall to the basement of the NHL. Tough times called for desperate measures and some fans were calling for Mats Sundin to be traded in order to start this rebuilding process.

They said he was too old to be considered an elite forward and that they needed to take a different direction. They said that the only way forward was to take a few steps and trade for picks to build the foundation for the future. With a new in-term GM in Cliff Fletcher, something had to be done about their aging superstar.

Which is why some fans were left incensed when the Leaf captain chose not to waive his no-trade clause.

He stated that he didn't want to be traded to a possible contender and that he was perfectly happy to be playing hockey with his struggling Maple Leafs. He cited that he simply loved the city and hoped that fans would respect his decision. Some came out and called him selfish. Others were left disgusted by their fellow Leaf brethren for their lack of respect towards their captain's wishes.

Whatever side you were on, it was a type of conversation that occured in living rooms scattered across Canada. It didn't really matter whether you were a Leaf fan or not, someone would always have a say on the issure and for the most part, both sides could be right.

Which is something that Paul Maurice hasn't been for much of the gruelling year. But for all the outrageous things that the second year head coach has come out and said, nobody can really argue what he told the media during his Monday press conference.

The Toronto Maple Leafs need Mats Sundin more than the ever.

That's right. No extra draft picks, no freeing up cap space, the Maple Leafs just need their good ole' 38-year-old captain back for another season of NHL hockey.

Because after all, who can really replace a superstar that can still show resilence, leadership and humility even during these times of crisis? Plus, we're talking about a player that can still produce at a point per game pace while staying healthy for the entire season. He's a man that can play in almost any situation and someone who is still miles ahead of his fellow teammates in terms of conditioning.

It's not as if the new 'hot-shot' draft pick can come in and earn the respect that Mats Sundin has for the last decade or so. Honesty and determination are invaluable towards guiding the young NHLer and who better to teach them than your franchise's all-time leading scorer?

Sure, you clear up cap space for that new up and coming prodigy that the Toronto media will dub as the 'new Mario Lemieux or Gretzky' after a two-goal performance but is it really worth giving up a top 30 player like Mats Sundin for the sake of additional cap space and a younger player or two?

We've seen what Toronto is capable of without their captain and it hasn't exactly been the greatest of rides. Matt Stajan and Alex Steen get extra playing time, which is great for their progression, but it really doesn't do much for their confidence if their team is getting pummelled 8-1.

Now, with Sundin's contract set to expire, Cliff Fletcher has to make the right offer to Toronto's classiest and loyal player on the roster. Any offer ranging around 5-6 million should do the trick but if the Toronto Maple Leafs believe their pulling off a clever trick by lowballing Sundin, they've landed themselves in a death trap.

Only this time, it's even more steps back from where they were initially before. Then again, something tells me that's not the sort of thing Toronto can afford right at the moment.

That and Bryan McCabe's upcoming $7 million salary for next season.

MLS: Toronto FC Handed Second Consecutive Road Loss by DC United

Tim Yu — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 10:33:05 -0400

Talk about two different cities, moving in two different directions.

With the Toronto Maple Leafs drowning in self-pity and the Washington Capitals roaring back into the play off picture for the first time in four years, D.C. United followed in the footsteps of their hockey brethren with a solid 4-1 blowout victory over Toronto FC in front of 20,000 United supporters.

Luciano Emilio and Santino Quaranta led a sure fire D.C. attack that soared ahead with two quick goals with only five minutes gone in the match.

Toronto goalkeeper Greg Sutton was left to fend for himself as the TFC defence came out flat-footed for most of the match against the CONCACAF Champions Cup contenders.

Things didn't get much easier for John Carver's men as Kevin Harmse was given a straight red for a questionable challenge against United's Gonzalo Peralta. Harmse, a Canadian born player recently acquired from the LA Galaxy, has always had a reputation for going recklessly into challenges and he demonstrated that once again as he was sent off for an early bath in the 22nd minute.

Without the extra man, Toronto FC found themselves second best for much of the night as they couldn't close down efficiently as a unit against an exuberant D.C. United side.

United's patient build-up play often frustrated TFC and it led to several occasions where Greg Sutton had to be called into action with some world-class saves.

United skipper Marcelo Gallardo and Luciano Emilio were two particular players that took control of the match with their commanding creativity and pace against a wayward Toronto squad.

The constant through balls from Gallardo and Fred only added to the uncertainty in the TFC defense as the central partnership of Marco Velez and Tyrone Marshall looked shaky at best.

The scoreline could have ended up much worse had it not been for some stellar goalkeeping from the Canadian veteran.

United's designated player, Marcelo Gallardo, finished off Toronto's hopes in the second half after tapping in a brilliant pass from Quaranta at the six-yard box.

Major League Soccer's all-time leading scorer added even more salt to Toronto's wounds after banging in a fourth goal past the MLS minnows.

As if it were any consolation, Maurice Edu headed in TFC's first goal of the season at the 88th minute after club captain Jimmy Brennan delivered a quality ball into the United's penalty area.

Needless to say, it wasn't the type of performance that Toronto FC supporters were expecting out of their side after their exciting new signing in former PSG and Newcastle man Laurent Robert.

However, even the presence of the 32-year-old couldn't change TFC's fortunes, as they never had comfortable possession of the ball—even in their build up play.

D.C.'s unified sense of closing down caused headaches for a team that had trouble distributing the ball. The loss of Harmse in the midfield didn't do Toronto any favors and their fitness was tested heavily as they played nearly 70 minutes, with only 10 men.

One particular bright spot for TFC was Robert's ability from set pieces and crossing down the left flank.

The former Derby man doesn't seem to have lost his Premier League touch despite rarely featuring in Paul Jewell's squad during their battle against relegation. Even while playing without full match fitness, Robert looked sharp with his delivery and created some of the few chances that TFC managed to muster on the other half of the pitch.

Even with the addition of Robert, Mo Johnston knows that he'll need to do a little more as far as acquisitions are concerned. The addition of SuperDraft pickup Julius James will bolster a fragile defense that lacks cohesiveness with Velez and Marshall manning the middle.

The likes of Gallardo, Fred, Emilio, Moreno, Quaranta and Niell all had Toronto's defense mesmerized as they demonstrated their quality with their off-the-ball movements and creativity—two qualities that Carver and Johnston are craving for their hard-working squad, that at times lacks that extra bit of flair or technical ability.

Perhaps taking a chance in the South American market for talent might be Johnston's best option in terms of improving the quality of the overall team.

Sunderland's Ross Wallace and former Portuguese international Joao Pinto are still available but it looks as if Carver and Johnston have ruled them out despite recent speculation over their futures.

Who Are the Most Hated Players in the Premier League?

Tim Yu — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 18:12:07 -0400

For all the talk of the need for professional behavior in the Premier League, some individuals just don’t really care. It really doesn’t matter whether your Javier Mascherano or the local boy that always heads out to the pitch on that Friday afternoon, sometimes boys will always be boys.

Perhaps it's the ‘villains’ within themselves but some of them just can't seem to resist the temptation of moving into the spotlight. Ashley Cole can't seem to have a decent two-minute conversation with Mike Riley and Lee Bowyer just had to punch Kieron Dyer (his teammate at the time) across the face in front of thousands of Newcastle supporters, in what would prove to be one of the most bizarre football brawls in history.

I mean, after all, is it really too much to ask our football heroes to be decent, caring individuals on the pitch? Can our Premier League stars not realize how fortunate they are to be playing football for millions of dollars a year -- when many of us would gladly do it for free?

Maybe there's reasoning behind why, we, the general public, just can't stand some of these footballers. Sure, their ability is first-class but do they really have to walk around with that swagger of arrogance?

The countless acts of child-like behavior often lead us to ask ourselves: Who are the most hated players in the Premier League?

It's a simple question really but one that certainly requires some thought. For all the talk of how great some of the players in the EPL are and how they are model citizens, we certainly have some troublemakers in the world's top league.

The obvious name that comes to mind is none other than Newcastle’s Joey Barton.

We hate him for pulling his pants down and mooning the crowd while managing to pull off an intentional assault at Sunderland's Dickson Ehutu. Oh, and did I forget to mention that he hit out at Manchester City fans, stating that they would not be where the were without him, despite committing an impressive series of crimes while at the club -- some of which should have surely landed to English midfielder in jail.

He's also attacked one of his own teammates in Ousmane Dabo in what his teammate referred to as a 'savage, unprovoked, and worst of all, cowardly assault' during a training session prior to a Manchester derby match. Barton simply referred to incident as an 'act of self-defence' but if you consider that Dabo almost had his retina taken out along with the threat of lost eyesight, you can hardly take Barton's words seriously.

But maybe I’m wrong. Maybe Joey does have a point.

Maybe the consistent assaults, selfish attitude, suspensions, attacks on teammates and opponents alike was all just a coincidence. After all, who really knows in the world of Joey Barton?

Anything is possible. He sure proved it by getting out of jail on more than one occasion.

Not to be outdone though, West Ham's Craig Bellamy certainly joins Barton in the category of most hated with his share of controversy over the course of his career. He’s hit out at Alan Shearer through supposed ‘drunken texts’ and demanded that he was loaned to Celtic after the Newcastle board was about to sell him to Birmingham City for 6 million pounds, stating that he wasn’t about to play for some ‘shit football team’. That’s not mentioning the reported attack with a golf club on John Arne Riise during his turbulent one-year stint with Liverpool.

El Hadji Diouf certainly hasn’t endeared himself to fans across England as some view him as your typical cheater – a player willing to do anything to get that step ahead through diving or any kind of simulation. For a player of his frame and physical stature, he sure goes down easily if a defender lays a hand or two on him.

He’s also put his country ahead of Bolton and Liverpool as he admitted to deliberately getting himself sent off in order to play for Senegal. It’s funny how he decided to put his country ahead of his club as he announced his official retirement from international football at just 26 years of age. Maybe he just likes that early bath in England while earning millions to watch his teammates play football.

More recently, his teammates, including club skipper Kevin Nolan, have hit out at Diouf and have consequently led the Senegalese to announce that he would be looking for a new club at season’s end – regardless of whether Bolton make it out of relegation or not.

Another man notorious for his transfer claims is Chelsea’s Ashley Cole. A sensational talent that came through the ranks at the old Highbury Stadium, Cole was involved in a ‘tapping-up’ scandal with then Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho. The two clubs finally came to a conclusion on the transfer deadline day with William Gallas and 5 million pounds being swapped for the England international.

Citing in his autobiography that the Gunners ‘betrayed him’ with a £55,000 per-week contract, Arsenal fans gladly refer to him as “Cashley Cole” and often taunt him with fake dollar bills.

There’s no question that the main motive behind Cole’s departure from Ashburton Grove is none other than one thing: money. How footballers nowadays can refer to £55,000 per-week as betrayal I will never really know.

He has also been the center for much animosity after his recent spat at match referee Steve Bennett when he turned his back to the referee after a harsh challenge on Tottenham’s Alan Hutton. It could easily turned out to be an early bath for Cole but the incident shed light on the issue of dissent towards match officials throughout the country.

And to round out my list, West Ham's Lee Bowyer makes an appearance after his series of assaults while at Leeds and Newcastle. Of course, we all know about the Kieron Dyer fallout at St. James Park but Bowyer was also involved in a similar case earlier in his career while still at Leeds. Assaulting a foreign boy at the Leeds City Center along with Tottenham's Jonathan Woodgate, Bowyer was eventually forced out to West Ham in the 2003 EPL season.

So, to put in short, who are your most hated English Premier League footballers?

Can the Ottawa Senators Cope Without Alfredsson and Fisher?

Tim Yu — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 21:49:57 -0400

The Toronto Maple Leafs started off their season with a loss to the Ottawa Senators and ended the rest of their home schedule with another. The only difference was, this time, the Ottawa Senators gave their hated provincial rivals a classic 8-2 ass-whooping and are closer to securing a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference standings.

However, as always the case with games involving the Battle of Ontario, the Senators' crucial victory came at a steep price as they will be without two of their key players in Daniel Alfredsson and Mike Fisher.

Flying in with a blindside elbow to the head, Leafs forward Mark Bell caught Alfredsson in the face and he was flattened emphatically onto the ice. The captain did return for one shift early on in the second period, however, as expected, he was unable to finish off the rest of the game. The Senators are calling it an upper body injury with no certain timetable as to whether Alfredsson will be back on time for the first round of the playoffs.

As for Mike Fisher, the Sens center suffered an awkward knee injury after colliding with a Maple Leaf player at mid-ice. Some are saying that it could have been a groin strain as well but head coach Bryan Murray is expecting Fisher to be back within a week.

When asked about the extent of the casualties suffered during the battle against their provincial rivals, Bryan Murray maintained that he wasn't sure when they would be back.

"We just don't know the extent of the injuries at this point," said Murray.

"If we go a couple of rounds, yeah [Alfredsson and Fisher could come back]. Maybe if we go one round, but I don't think it will be right away. [Alfredsson and Fisher] are both out for some time."

The setbacks come at a time when Ottawa have witnessed a landslide in results after starting off their season 14 games undefeated. For a team that made it all the way to the Stanley Cup final last year against the Anaheim Ducks, Bryan Murray has a long way to go to restore stability to a club that seems to have lost their swagger and confidence.

The situation of Ray Emery certainly didn't do them any favors as well earlier on in the year. It led to first-year head coach John Paddock's dismissal and has fueled goaltending controversy between him and Martin Gerber for the number one job between the pipes for the Ottawa Senators.

After being told to "beat it" by Paddock, Emery was sent home for his care-free attitude towards practice workouts. The speculation only began to increase about Emery's future with the club and the Senators began their spiral downwards in the Eastern Conference standings.

Battling a wrist injury for a part of the year, the immature Emery now finds himself riding the bench despite leading the same club to the Stanley Cup finals this time last year. Whether Gerber can realistically handle the pressures of being a day-in, day-out goaltender remains to be seen. Until Emery can sort out his arrogance, the goaltending situation will remain seemingly unchanged.

With all things considered, the Sens find themselves in sixth spot as of tonight's result after entering the All-Star break with one of the best records in the East. The off-ice distractions and lack of confidence has the hockey world wondering: Do the Ottawa Senators of 2008 have what it takes to legitimately win the Stanley Cup?

After all, the Ottawa Senators didn't enter the regular season thinking that they would still be needing to capture a playoff berth with two games remaining. Dany Heatley didn't plan watching his point total drop from 105 to 82 in a span of a year. Ray Emery certainly didn't think he could have lost his starting job to Martin Gerber at the beginning of the year, but in all fairness, deserves to be sitting on the bench.

Unlike the team that Bryan Murray rode to the Stanley Cup finals, this year's version is carrying in a lackluster 4-5-1 record in their last 10 games. That's not mentioning the possible threat of playing against a red-hot team in the Washington Capitals or a high-flying Carolina Hurricanes team with home-ice advantage.

As much as the media or Ottawa Senators fans like to dwell on their situation, one thing is for certain: it is what it is. And now they have one hell of a mountain to climb if Daniel Alfredsson or Mike Fisher were both to miss significant portions of Ottawa's playoff run.

The Sens Army might just end up jogging by the end of it all if their team can't get it done this time around. Then again, they might even have enough time to catch up with the Toronto Maple Leafs on the golf course this time around.

*Clean hit or dirty? You can be the judge of that with a few slow motion replays of Bell's blindside hit on Daniel Alfredsson. Special thanks to the poster who found the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b59LxkvpW8Y

NHL: Should Teams Be Rewarded for Playing in Weaker Divisions?

Tim Yu — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 18:07:13 -0400

The Alexander Ovechkin bandwagon might be running at full force the moment he tied Luc Robitaille's NHL record for most goals by a left winger, but that doesn't mean Eric Staal's Carolina Hurricanes have been sidetracked in their quest for the Southeast Division title.

Perhaps playing for the most overlooked team out of the three Staal brothers currently in the NHL, Eric's Hurricanes have taken it upon themselves to secure their destiny with a strong rebounding 6-2 performance against the Tampa Bay Lightning. The victory came shortly after a disheartening defeat at the hands of the Washington Capitals, a team hot on Carolina's trail for the Southeast Division title.

However, maybe even more intriguing than the 'Canes heroics is the fact that there is still a very distinct possibility that they could drop all the way from third to ninth with only one loss, simply because of playing in a weakened Southeast Division.

With the Cup pursuits of Tampa Bay and Atlanta coming to a grinding halt after the departures of both Brad Richards and Marian Hossa, the division was always considered to be a two-way tossup between Washington and Carolina.

Of course, there was always a chance that Florida was going to make a run, but then again, the Panthers are well...the Panthers.

Which begs the question: Why should a team be rewarded for playing in a weaker division?

I mean, after all, the Hurricanes are sitting at third place with guaranteed home-ice advantage throughout the first round at only 92 points. If Washington, who have been virtual outsiders for almost the entire season, were to skyrocket all the way to third place, how would that be fair to the other seven teams that have higher point and win totals, but find themselves with lower seeds?

That's not mentioning the extra revenue that the Southeast Division Champions generate from that extra playoff game or two—provided they can make a prolonged run in the playoffs.

If Carolina were to play in a division like the Northeast, they would find themselves in the eighth and final playoff spot, sitting right behind the likes of Boston and Ottawa, tied with 92 points heading into Thursday night's action.

More importantly, the home-ice advantage, which we all know is crucial during the playoffs, would be vanquished throughout their entire run.

It may perhaps be the most confusing thing since Swiss cheese or TSN's decision to appoint Mike Milbury as an analyst, but it is what it is. Sure, for hockey fanatics the playoff seeding system (three division leaders followed by the rest of the conference) may seem logical, but for any outsider you could definitely see why it makes as much sense as Chris Pronger's stomp on Ryan Kesler.

Why not employ a system that rewards based on just the total points allowed? New Jersey already has five more points than Carolina, yet still have a game in hand to play.

Why should New Jersey be punished for playing in the same division as the Pittsburgh Penguins? The same goes for the Boston Bruins and the Ottawa Senators—two teams still deadlocked at 92 points.

I'm sure the New Jersey Devils, New York Rangers, Ottawa Senators, and Boston Bruins would like explanations as to why they aren't entitled to fair playoff seeding regulations. Last time I checked, those teams were all either tied or ahead of the projected Southeast Division Champions.

Maybe Gary Bettman could wrap his head around that instead of messing around with bigger nets or modifying how big Roberto Luongo's pads are allowed to be.

Paolo Maldini "Contemplating" Move To Join Kevin Keegan's Newcastle Revolution

Tim Yu — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 07:23:42 -0400

The following article was written prior to realizing that the Maldini rumor to Newcastle was merely an April Fools joke from the staff at Goal.com. Anyways, enjoy reading one naive Bleacher Report writer's thoughts on the fantasy move.

Paolo Maldini has always been referred to as one of the world's greatest defenders. Up there with the ranks of Michel Platini and Franz Beckenbauer, Maldini has reportedly been told that his Rossoneri career could be in jeopardy as it seems he may have to retire as a player in order to stay with his boyhood club.

Following AC Milan's shock departure from the UEFA Champions League at the hands of young high-flying Arsenal, wholesale changes are to be expected from an ageing Rossoneri side. Brazilian superstar Kaka insatiably hit out at his older teammates (including himself) after the match, deeming that they were just couldn't keep up with the youthful exuberance that Arsene Wenger's men displayed.

“The day comes when the end of careers arrive—for everyone, even me" said Kaka in a post-match interview.

"We must sign young players who can absorb the winning mentality—over a long period of time—of those who are already here and develop them in the same manner."

With Alexandre Pato being deemed as the turning point in the Milan attack, Milan manager Carlo Ancelotti is rumored to have at least 100 million Euros at his disposal in order to find new attractive young players by the end of next summer's transfer window.

Currently placed in sixth in Serie A, Milan's recent 2-1 loss to Atalanta could mean that Ancelotti's men could potentially miss out on the Champions League, a competition which Milan won last season.

Furthermore that could spell the end for not only Maldini but the rest of the cast that brought the Rossoneri countless amount of success and trophies during their golden era.

Gattuso, Inzaghi, Seedorf, Nesta, Serginho, Pirlo, Dida and Cafu are all targets for the rumored "revolution" and could potentially be looking for different destinations to play their club football.

Therefore, the 39-year-old veteran is contemplating a move to join the Kevin Keegan revolution at Newcastle United after he was made an offer to join them in the summer.

Despite coming out saying that he would retire at the end of the 07-08 season, Maldini appears to have had a change of heart and wants to continue playing first-team football.

Maldini has always been interested in playing abroad as he has spent his entire career in Italy and would like a taste of foreign action that the Premier League would bring.

"It's true that Newcastle have been in touch. It's certainly an interesting offer and one I won't rule out just yet. My only regret in my career is that I've never had the chance to play abroad and this would be a terrific opportunity to play in the Premier League for a massive club," said Maldini when asked about Newcastle's interest.

Maldini certainly still has a lot to offer the Newcastle faithful if he were to finish his career in England. In spite of what some might refer to as an "ancient artifact," Maldini still has the pace necessary to keep up with even the best of attacking players.

He certainly showed that when he was beating 19-year-old wonderkids to loose balls at the San Siro and doing particularly well may I add.

In my books, he's certainly near or very close to the top as far as greatest footballers are concerned.

During his haydays at AC Milan, opponents would moan and groan about how they wouldn't be able to get away with their usual tricks and found little room to break away and find space. He's also one of the most versatile of defenders, being able to play both as a center-back and a full-back whenever needed.

If Keegan is lucky enough to break away with the five-time Champions League winner, he's certainly found himself a gem.

England U-21 Steven Taylor could only improve under the influence of Maldini and eventually develop into the centre-back that Geordie fans have expected Taylor to have turned out as.

The same can be said for up and coming Canadian defender David Edgar and Jose Enrique, who has been a major disappointment under both Sam Allardyce and Kevin Keegan this season.

After all, the Magpies can only improve a wayward defense that has already conceded 58 goals in 32 matches played in the Premier League this season.

David Bentley Linked With £12 Million Move To Liverpool

Tim Yu — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 20:15:06 -0400

Blackburn Rovers David Bentley has been linked with a £12 million move away from Ewood Park to join up with Rafa Benitez's squad at Anfield. As a part of the exchange, squad player Jermaine Pennant would be moved to Blackburn.

For Liverpool, the addition of Bentley would add some much needed quality in terms of crossing and delivery along the right flank. Strikers Fernando Torres and Dirk Kuyt could see their goal totals rise playing alongside the dynamic midfielder.

However, if Bentley were to leave Blackburn, he would not be guaranteed a spot in the starting eleven. A loss of form or a lack of playing time could severely hurt Bentley's chances for a spot in Fabio Capello's England squad.

The 23-year-old England international has flourished under current manager Mark Hughes after failing to establish a starting position in his five years at Arsenal. The winger has scored 21 times for Blackburn since joining from Arsenal back in 2006.

The ambitious Bentley has stated that he desperately wants European football and could be leaving Blackburn his ambitions cannot be matched. Fabio Capello has also reportedly suggested to Bentley that his prospects with the England squad would be significantly boosted with the addition of European football at club level.

Following an impressive performance at the new Wembley last month against Switzerland, Bentley will be hoping to establish his place as England's top right midfiedler. Dubbed by the media as the 'new David Beckham', Bentley has once again been picked in Capello's 30 man provisional squad as England gets set to take on France in the Stade de Paris this week.

In the meantime, Blackburn chairman John Williams remains optimistic about the prospects of potentially signing Bentley to a long term deal.

"I have no reason to believe at this moment in time that we won't secure the services of the players we want," he added.

"Most of our players I'm pleased to say are under contract for a good amount of time but sometimes it's appropriate to try and renew those."

Surprise, Surprise! Fabio Capello Names England's 30-Man Provisional Squad

Tim Yu — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 18:03:17 -0400

David Beckham is on course to winning his 100th cap after England head coach Fabio Capello announced his 30 man provisional squad for England's friendly against France in Paris on March 26th.

Despite being dropped from the initial England squad against Switzerland, Beckham did enough to warrant a selection after Capello's assistant Franco Baldini scouted the former England captain in Dallas for a Los Angeles Galaxy friendly match.

"I always said that when David Beckham was fit he could be in the squad," said Capello when asked about the Beckham selection in the England squad.

"I have had good reports on him from [assistant Franco Baldini], who watched him on Saturday night, and also from his club. I know a lot about David Beckham and what he can offer the team."

While Beckham has fought his way back into the squad, he faces stiff competition from Shaun Wright Phillips (Chelsea) and David Bentley (Blackburn). Following Bentley's solid all-round performance against Switzerland, it seems unlikely that the Blackburn winger will be replaced in the starting eleven for the Three Lions. Wright Phillips' renewed confidence at Chelsea this season also proves to be stumbling block in Beckham's quest for 100 caps.

Perhaps even more suprisingly, two promising uncapped England U-21's made their way into the senior squad for the Three Lions in Theo Walcott (Arsenal) and David Wheater (Middlesbrough).

Walcott, 19, who was initially included in Sven-Goran Eriksson's 2006 World Cup roster, now finds himself with an opportunity to win over his critics after putting forth decent performances--particularly against AC Milan in the Champions League for Arsenal.

As for David Wheater, the inclusion of the suprising Middlesbrough centre-back comes as the biggest shock in Capello's provisional squad. Uncapped and untested, one would have to question whether Wheater would be ready to face up to the likes of Karim Benzema and Thierry Henry away from England.

Nevertheless, Wheater has become yet another wonderful success story after growing through the ranks in Darlington, a League Two side, on his way to the English national team.

"It has capped off a really good year for me," Wheater told BBC.

"I didn't think I'd be in the first team at [Middlesbrough]. I was at Darlington last year but I've done well."

On the other side of the pitch, Newcastle skipper Michael Owen could potentially see some playing time after impressing Capello during Newcastle's match against Birmingham City on Monday. Portsmouth loanee Jermaine Defoe has caught fire under Harry Redknapp and has registered six goals in six appearances. Liverpool's Peter Crouch also earns a spot despite playing second-fiddle to Spanish sensation Fernando Torres for much of the season.

Gabriel Agbonlahor (Aston Villa) and Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) round out the list of remaining strikers left at Capello's disposal.

Under heavy competiton to win a spot in the provisional 30 man team, many England hopefuls were denied the opportunity to represent their home country in Joe Hart (Manchester City), Robert Green (West Ham), Paul Robinson (Tottenham), Phil Jagielka (Everton), Ledley King (Tottenham), Nicky Shorey (Reading), Phil Neville (Everton), Michael Carrick (Manchester United), Dean Ashton (West Ham), and Aaron Lennon (Tottenham).

Manchester United midfielder Michael Carrick will undoubtedly be missed as he is considered by many critics in England to be the best avaliable passer of the ball across the length of the pitch. For an England squad that has had a history of struggling with their passing ability, the omission of Carrick is one that will raise a few eyebrows amongst the English fans.

Another interesting sidenote will be how Capello manages to co-ordinate the possible partnership of Frank Lampard (Chelsea) and Steven Gerrard (Liverpool). The two superstars have been revelations for their respective club teams but have failed to emulate their success at the international level together as a tandem. There is always a distinct possibility of Capello dropping Lampard in favor of a more suitable partner such as Owen Hargreaves or Gareth Barry.

England Provisional Squad

Goalkeepers:

David James (Portsmouth)

Scott Carson (Aston Villa)

Chris Kirkland (Wigan)

Defenders:

Wayne Bridge (Chelsea)

Ashley Cole (Chelsea)

Glen Johnson (Portsmouth)

John Terry (Chelsea)

Wes Brown (Man Utd)

Joleon Lescott (Everton)

Rio Ferdinand (Man Utd)

David Wheater (Middlesbrough)

Jonathan Woodgate (Tottenham)

Matthew Upson (West Ham)

Midfielders:

Gareth Barry (Aston Villa)

Ashley Young (Aston Villa)

David Bentley (Blackburn)

Joe Cole (Chelsea)

Frank Lampard (Chelsea)

Shaun Wright-Phillips (Chelsea)

David Beckham (Los Angeles Galaxy)

Steven Gerrard (Liverpool)

Owen Hargreaves (Man Utd)

Stewart Downing (Middlesbrough)

Jermaine Jenas (Tottenham)

Forwards:

Theo Walcott (Arsenal)

Gabriel Agbonlahor (Aston Villa)

Peter Crouch (Liverpool)

Wayne Rooney (Man Utd)

Michael Owen (Newcastle)

Jermain Defoe (Portsmouth)

West Ham United To Take on MLS All-Stars July 24th

Tim Yu — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 17:36:44 -0400

Welcome to Canada, Alan Curbishley.

According to the Toronto Star, Major League Soccer has chosen Premiership outfit West Ham United as the opponent for their annual All-Star game in Toronto this summer.

The game itself, which takes place on July 24th at BMO Field, will mark the fourth year in a row in which a British opponent has taken on the All-Stars of MLS. Fulham, Celtic, and Chelsea all previously took part in the previous matches.

Last summer, New York Red Bulls' striker Juan Pablo Angel came away with the game MVP award as the MLS All-Stars came away with a 2-0 victory over Celtic in Colorado.

After rumored to have been linked with Bayern Munich (Germany), Real Madrid (Spain), Barcelona (Spain), Newcastle (England) and Liverpool (England), the MLS finally settled on the East London football club as the opponent.

Normally considered by outsiders as the center of the hockey universe, Toronto has seen its interest in soccer skyrocket since the success of the 2007 U-20 World Cup and the introduction of Toronto FC to the MLS lineup.

The World Cup marked the highest attendance in the tournament's history after Canada surpassed Mexico's 1983 edition of the FIFA U-20 World Cup. The final of the highly successful tournament was held in front of a sellout crowd at BMO Field where Argentina emerged victorious for the 6th time.

That same year, the creation of Toronto FC spurred the vastly growing interest in soccer across the country of Canada. Surpassing expectations, TFC consistently played in front of boisterous and energetic home crowds averaging 20,000.

The 2008 edition of the All-Star game adds to a growing list of achievements in a city where the demand for soccer is continually rising. Former Aston Villa hitman Juan Pablo Angel will join the squad again, along with Dwayne De Rosario (Houston Dynamo), Jozy Altidore (New York Red Bulls), Landon Donavan (LA Galaxy) and Cuauhtemoc Blanco (Chicago Fire).

Of course, that's not mentioning the worldwide celebrity in LA Galaxy's David Beckham.

As for Curbishley's football club, the match will serve as a tough test as the Hammers look to prepare for a possible run at European contention, through either league qualification or success in the Carling and FA Cup.

Currently, West Ham finds themselves in 10th place in the English Premiership with 43 points.

UEFA Boss Michel Platini Backs Cardiff City's Bid For Europe

Tim Yu — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 17:18:45 -0400

Cardiff City will be allowed to participate in the UEFA Cup next season if they emerge victorious at the New Wembley in May.

After cruising past an ordinary Middlesbrough side at the Riverside, Dave Jones' men are now getting set to face Barnsley in a crucial semifinal encounter to determine which club books their rightful place at Wembley. West Brom and Portsmouth get set to lock horns in the other semifinal of the FA Cup.

According to the rules, Welsh sides would be prevented from representing England in European competition. Despite hailing from Wales, Cardiff still find themselves playing their way through the English leagues.

With some helpful interventionism by UEFA head man Michel Platini, the Bluebirds have been promised a spot in Europe if they were to succeed at Wembley come May.

"If England don't do anything [UEFA] will," said Platini.

"I think it is not normal that if [Cardiff] win then they're out. That's not natural and not so good."

FAW boss David Collins backed Platini's bid to bring Cardiff into Europe if they were to win the FA Cup.

“As far as we are concerned, this is the best way forward."

“I honestly think that if Cardiff were to win the FA Cup, Mr. Platini would follow up his words and genuinely put pressure on the FA to let them play in the UEFA Cup."

Arsenal's Wenger Set To Sign 15-Year-Old Spanish Prodigy

Tim Yu — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 16:33:34 -0400

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is set to lock up another teenage Spanish prodigy by the name of Ignasi Miquel. After being tracked by the likes of Barcelona, Manchester United and Valencia, the towering 6'2" center back will join the Gunners when he turns sixteen in September.

Once part of the Barcelona youth academy, Miquel follows in the footsteps of Cesc Fabregas after signing with English powerhouses Arsenal. The management at the Emirates will be hoping that the young Spainard could eventually fill the void that will be left by skipper William Gallas.

Could Wenger have found yet another Spanish gem in Ignasi Miquel?

Short Of Form: Worries For Newcastle's Michael Owen

Tim Yu — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 16:10:13 -0400

Although one may find it hard to believe nowadays, there was a time when Michael Owen was on top of the footballing world.

Shooting onto the international scene as in Glenn Hoddle's 1998 World Cup squad for England, Owen reached unprecedented levels of fame and fortune at the young age of eighteen.

After bursting past veteran defender Roberto Ayala, Owen scored historic goal for England against arch rivals Argentina in France. In spite of the fact that England did go on to lose the match in a penalty shootout, the wondergoal itself made the footballing world stand up and take notice of the emerging English superstar.

After all, it was the wondergoal itself that propelled Owen towards his illustrious career with Liverpool. With Owen's predatory instincts up front, the team won three trophies in 2001—winning the League Cup, FA Cup and UEFA Cup.

Along with his club success, Owen received numerous individual awards including two Premier League Top Scorer titles (1998, 1999) and a Ballon d'Or (2001). Suffice to say, the boy from Chester had officially emerged as one of the world's top footballers.

Following in the footsteps of the departed Gerard Houllier, Owen joined up with his international teammate David Beckham at Real Madrid with hopes of establishing himself in a foreign league.

Despite only playing in La Liga for one season, Owen still managed to score sixteen goals in fourty three appearances—quite impressive considering that most of his appearances were off the bench.

Ten years later, the glory years in Michael Owen's career seem to be nothing more than a distant memory. Since signing for Newcastle back in 2005, Owen has yet to prove himself worthy of his lucrative contract and hefty club record fee.

After suffering through countless matches with heavy defensive pressure, one could make the case that the constant knocks have taken a toll on the twenty-eight-year old striker. Struggling with a run of unfortunate injuries, critics are now claiming that Owen no longer possesses the blistering pace that once terrified opposition defenders.

While this assessment may be true, Owen is not entirely to blame for the failures at St. James Park this season. The defensive play of the back four has been atrocious under both managers Sam Allardyce and Kevin Keegan.

New £6 million signing Jose Enrique has proven to be a major disappointment after putting in some abysmal performances whenever given an opportunity in the first team. Fellow Englishman Joey Barton has only created more problems off the pitch after yet another run in with the law.

Despite being handed the skipper's armband under new boss Kevin Keegan, it seems as if Owen's confidence has reached an all time low after blowing several chances to win the game against Blackburn. The recent poor performances have the Toon Army crying out for Obafemi Martins to be put in to replace the England striker.

While being put up alone in a 4-5-1 formation under newly appointed Magpie boss Kevin Keegan, Owen often looks isolated and playing as a link-up man instead of running in behind defenders—one of Owen's greatest strengths.

Simply put, Owen is in need of another striker in order to deal with persistent pressure from defenders—with Obafemi Martins and Alan Smith being viable options.

The shattered confidence and poor run of form comes at a time when Owen could see himself axed from the England squad.

"When you are down it is hard to be listened to," he told BBC Radio Five Live.

"Results are not going well and, when you are not playing well as a team and individually, then individuals will not get picked for the national team."

That's not mentioning the possibly contract conflicts that he could be dealing with at season's end. With Owen's £100,000 a week contract set to expire, there have been rumors circulating around within the media that Owen will be asking for a pay raise.

However, when taking into consideration of Newcastle's recent battle against relegation and a possible England squad cut—signing a new contract could be the least of Owen's worries right at the moment.

Middlesbrough-Cardiff City: Bluebirds on Target in FA Cup

Tim Yu — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 14:58:16 -0400

Joining the likes of Blackburn, Everton, Liverpool and more recently Chelsea, Middlesbrough fell victim to a determined Championship outfit in Cardiff City by a scoreline of 2-0 after putting forth yet another sub-par performance at the Riverside on Sunday.

With tremendous poise and confidence, the Bluebirds came in undaunted by their fellow Premier League giants—as witnessed by the two quick strikes in less than twenty five minutes.

The Teessiders were immediately put on the back foot early on in the match after former Villa man Peter Whittingham put the Championship side in front with a fantastic curling shot into the top corner past Boro keeper Mark Schwarzer after just nine minutes of play.

With a Boro side already somewhat shocked by the quick strike, Cardiff's Roger Johnson added to Gareth Southgate's frustration after a diving header from a free kick quickly put the Riverside crowd into an absolute shock.

Hoping to keep their slim FA Cup hopes alive, Southgate resorted to bringing on Egyptian forward Mido to partner record signing Afonso Alves at the half-time interval. However, the substitution was to no effect as the stubborn Bluebird defense silenced any comeback attempts by the boys in red.

Even when Boro were attempting to push forward in the second half, Cardiff continued to look the more imposing of the two sides. Despite this, England international Stewart Downing managed to deliver a decent free-kick that could have possibly given the faithful at the Riverside Stadium something to cheer about.

However, it just wasn't Boro's day. Walking off the pitch shocked and dejected, boos rained down on Gareth Southgate's men as the defeat ended Middlesbrough's best chance of winning the FA Cup Trophy in recent memory. The club came runners up on one occasion back in 1997 where they ended up losing out to Chelsea back at the Old Wembley.

"It is a huge disappointment for us. We know what an opportunity it was to win something," said a disgruntled Southgate when approached after the match.

"Today, we got what we deserved. It's what happens on the day and we didn't deliver."

Former Boro boy Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink put in a memorable performance up front against his old club as Dave Jones' men enjoyed a triumphant return to the FA Cup semi-finals—the club's first since 1927.

The Cardiff manager proclaimed that his side had made history with their heroic 2-0 victory.

"This ranks up there as it's so important for the football club. I always get 1927 rammed down my throat and there will be buzz around the place after this. " said the former Southampton boss.

The 2008 edition of the FA Cup is proving to be one of the most exciting tournaments in recent times considering the massive upsets to England's Premier League giants. Cardiff's improbable victory now puts them up with the likes of Portsmouth, West Bromich Albion and Barnsley.

With England legend Bryan Robson preparing to draw the matchups for the semi-final encounters on Monday, who would have thought that three Championship sides would be vying for the FA Cup?

Bearing in mind the recent successes of the unlikely candidates, Reading striker Dave Kitson might just be hiding under a rock and a hard place right about now after his derogatory comments regarding the FA Cup tournament.

FC Barcelona's Lionel Messi Out For At Least Six Weeks

Tim Yu — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 13:15:27 -0500

FC Barcelona forward Lionel Messi will be ruled out for at least six weeks after reportedly tearing a left thigh muscle in Tuesday night's UEFA Champions League match against Scottish champions Celtic.

After pulling up in pain after making a run, the Argentine wonder kid left the field in tears in the 35th minute during the second leg of the Round Of 16.

This major setback comes at the worst possible time for the Catalan giants—who are hoping to make a run in both the Champions League and La Liga.

Team doctors believe that there is a possibility that Messi may have re-aggravated the same injury that he suffered back on December 15th against Valencia. The thigh tear put him out for at least two months before returning to action recently.

Prior to the Round Of 16 Champions League match-up, Barcelona boss Frank Rijkaard was forced to defend his decision to rest his young prodigy during their 4-2 defeat last Saturday at the hands of Atletico Madrid in La Liga after the Spanish media questioned the credibility of the Barcelona medical staff's advice.

"To doubt that they are doing their best is an insult. The medical staff and the club, in general, are working to prevent these sorts of problems. They are working hard but there is always a player that can be injured," said Rijkaard.

Team skipper Carlos Puyol also had some harsh words to say in regards to the media following the Celtic-Barcelona clash. He claimed that the Spanish media was solely responsible for Messi's latest injury crisis.

"The doctors spoke and said there was a risk of injury and you [the media] put pressure on him to play, saying that he always has to play," Puyol said. "Now we're all left to regret the decision.

"On Saturday there was more risk than today, but if he hadn't played and we had got a bad result I'm sure you would have said it was because he wasn't on the pitch.

"Leo's injury is bad news, so now let's see what you have to say about that. You've got to leave the doctors and physios to do their job because they know more about these things than you do."

Messi's injury re-opens the window of opportunity for French talisman Thierry Henry to fight for his place back into the starting eleven at the Camp Nou. Scoring 13 goals so far this season, Henry will be looking to add on to the total in spite of Messi's absence.

Frank Rijkaard also has options in Portuguese playmaker Deco and Mexican wonder boy Giovanni Dos Santos.

Furthermore, the former Arsenal legend and current teammate, Thierry Henry admitted that it was a blow to lose such an influential player in the crucial parts of the footballing calendar.

"[Lionel]'s a very important because he always makes the difference and it is very difficult to play without a footballer like him, even if we don't have any choice," Henry said in an interview with the club's website.

"Leo is Leo. He has done incredible things this season and it will be very hard for us to make up for his absence."

Bouncing Back: Surprising Players in the NHL

Tim Yu — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 16:58:40 -0500

Tim Thomas

*Goaltender

*Boston Bruins

Despite giving up seven goals on 24 shots in Boston's embarrasing 10-2 loss against the Washington Capitals, Tim Thomas still deserves recognition for the Bruins' turn around into legitimate playoff contenders. Stepping in for the injured Manny Fernandez, Thomas has given more than what any Bruins fan could have possibly hoped for with his solid, yet unorthodox, style of goaltending.

Patrick Kane

*Right Winger

*Chicago Blackhawks

In the Windy City, the Chicago Blackhawks looked to have picked up a golden gem in American winger Patrick Kane. Alongside fellow youngster Jonathan Toews, the 'Hawks have two future-generation stars who will be the envy of every hockey GM in the NHL for years to come. After putting in some strong performances throughout the year, particularly earlier on, the 19-year old phenom was named the NHL Rookie of the Month in October.

Mike Ribeiro

*Center

*Dallas Stars

After putting pen to paper on a brand new five-year contract worth $25 million, Mike Ribeiro has proven to be a tremendous bargain for the Dallas Stars organization. Once deemed expendable by his hometown Montreal Canadiens, the 45th overall pick in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft has risen from the ashes to lead the Stars in scoring with 75 points in 66 games.

Pascal Leclaire

*Goalie

*Columbus Blue Jackets

If you managed to pick up Pascal Leclaire in your hockey pool, you're probably reaping the benefits of a truly stellar year from the Quebec native. With nine shutouts and a 2.15 GAA to his name, Leclaire has restored respectability and pride within a Columbus Blue Jackets franchise desperate to make the post-season for the first time in the franchise's history.

Tomas Plekanec

*Center

*Montreal Canadiens

Coming in at a meager $1.6 million a year, Tomas Plekanec has proven to be a much cheaper commodity than the once sought after Daniel Briere. Combined with turn around of his teammate, Alex Kovalev, Plekanec has taken over as the team's No. 1 center by posting up 61 points in 67 games. Thanks to the emergence of the young forward, Les Habitants are now preparing their run for home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs.

Alex Kovalev

*Right Wing

*Montreal Candiens

As mentioned above, Alex Kovalev's strong comeback from a dismal '06-'07 season has many NHL experts around the league touting him as the Comeback Player Of The Year. Boasting an impressive 69 points in 67 games, the Canadiens will be looking to their assistant captain for guidance and leadership as they head into the stretch run of the NHL season.

Perhaps Kovalev said it best when he was quoted by NHL.com staff writer Adam Kimelman about his new change in attitude.

“It’s like, you hate everything about your apartment, you want to redo it because every time you go back home, you’re sick of it,” the Russian sniper said.

“So you throw everything outside and buy new furniture. That’s kind of what I did. I threw out the old Alex Kovalev and kind of brought in a different person and play a different game.”

Ed Jovanovski

*Defenseman

*Phoenix Coyotes

When Ed Jovanoski signed a lucrative five-year, $32.5 million contract with the Wayne Gretzky's Phoenix Coyotes in the summer of 2006, Jovocop was counted on to turn the fortunes around for the struggling Arizona hockey team. However, Jovanovski failed to reach expectations in '06-'07 when he scored only 29 points in 54 games.

Fast forward to the '07-'08 season, Jovo seems to have rekindled the confidence that was once previously lost in his first season under the Great One. Firing in 11 goals along with 35 assists, the Canadian defenseman is a big reason for the turnaround in the desert.

Shane Doan

*Right Winger

*Phoenix Coyotes

Like Jovanovski, Shane Doan was signed to a hefty five-year $22.75 million contract with the hopes of raising his game in order to lead his beloved Coyotes into post-season play. This, of course, did not happen as the Coyotes found themselves in a position that they have become all too familar with—out of the playoff picture come April. Considered as the unquestioned leader within the dressing room, Doan has silenced critics with an impressive 63 points in 64 games.

Ilya Bryzgalov

*Goaltender

*Phoenix Coyotes

At one point in the NHL season, Ilya Bryzgalov was being offered to nearly every club in the NHL by Ducks GM Bryan Burke. After no one was willing to take the bait, the Phoenix Coyotes decided to take a chance on the Russian goalkeeper with the hopes of providing some solid goaltending. Like Tim Thomas, Bryzgalov has rediscovered his strong sense of confidence while putting up an impressive 2.38 GAA.

Mathieu Garon

*Goaltender

*Edmonton Oilers

At the beginning of the season, Oil Country was expecting a 60-40 split in playing time between team favorite Dwayne Roloson and free agent acquistion Mathieu Garon. After an intense goaltending battle for the No. 1 job in Edmonton, Garon was chosen by Craig McTavish as the man to carry the workload.

So far, Garon has not looked back by providing solid play between the pipes for the blue and copper while posting six shutouts, 2.60 GAA and a 23-17-1 record. That's not to mention a mighty impressive 10-0 record in the shootout for his team this season.

"When you start the year and think about shootouts, you want to get the extra points and you want to win more than you lose," Garon said. "Being 10-0 is getting crazy."

Everton-Fiorentina: UEFA Cup Preview

Tim Yu — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 15:20:47 -0500

As Cesare Prandelli and David Moyes continue to make last minute preparations for their UEFA Cup Round of 16 First Leg clash, one could predict that both sets of managers will be warning their respective sides against any thoughts of complacency when they square off Thursday night at Artemio Franchi Stadium.

After all, these are two clubs with very ambitious attitudes as the footballing calendar continues to wind down toward its conclusion.

Despite reigning from distinctly different football leagues, Moyes is right on the mark when he made the comparison between Everton and Fiorentina.

"I would see it (tomorrow's tie) more of two sides who in the future are going to be in the Champions League," said the Goodison chief. "Fiorentina are a very good team and I think there are a lot of similarities to Everton."

With Everton's strong run in the English Premier League and Fiorentina's surging run of form in the Serie A, both sides are coming off positive results leading up to the encounter. Fiorentina climbed within one point of fellow Italian rivals Juventus after a surprising 3-2 win. Everton, on the other hand, have set the pace for the fourth and final Champions League spot after winning against Portsmouth and Manchester City.

Perhaps even more bizarrely, the clubs will most likely have to do without their respective star players. Former Chelsea hitman Adrian Mutu has been ruled out of the match with a knee injury for approximately another two weeks, while Everton starlet Mikel Arteta is struggling to gain fitness in time for the date after receiving treatment in Spain on his groin.

When asked to comment, Arteta indicated that he is desperate to join his teammates and leave his injury troubles in the past.

"We have had a great season and we want that to keep going right until May. We are all confident we can do something special this season and it is a privilege to be a part of that. I want to play as big a role as possible in helping the lads continue to get good results, both in the league and in Europe."

Evidently, with the fantastic run of results, the players themselves are anything but short on confidence.

"I know I have a phenomenal player like Mutu ahead of me," young Fiorentina striker Pablo Daniel Osvaldo said of his injured Romanian teammate. "I just hope to take my chances in the best possible way. Some days everything seems easy, I hope it will be like that against Everton."

Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard echoed the same type of pre-match talk on the other end while acknowledging the danger that Fiorentina poses to his club side.

"Fiorentina beat Juventus on the weekend so that says all you need to know. It’s the last 16, there’s no easy team, we know that, but as you’ve seen recently we’re up for it. We’re ready to fight and ready to challenge and our football has been great.

"I think they’re very defensive minded. They’re tremendously organised and tactically they’re set up is going to be nearly perfect, so they’re going to take some breaking down but as you’ve seen over our European journey we’ve broken teams down and we’ve had the patience to do that and hopefully it will be the same on Thursday.

"Obviously we want the win but if we can get our away goal I think that that is very important as well. We have been unbeaten, but at the beginning of the year we had to qualify and no one would have foreseen a perfect 100 percent record in Europe since then, but we’ve done that."