Yank The Boro: An American Up Teesside

[Chief Rum]

SUNDAY, July 6, 2003

Boro Stun Fans, Football World

An Unknown American Is Handed The Interim Head Job at Middlesborough

MIDDLESBOROUGH-- One mystery, that of "who", is now over. Now begins the next question of "why"?

Middlesborough shocked local supporters and football observers alike when they announced that former American college coach Matthew Kieta would be hired as the interim manager of the Premiership side FC Middlesborough Football Club.

Kieta, 30, will handle the job once held by Steve McLaren, the well-regarded manager of the Boro the past two seasons, who recently announced his intention to go on holiday to recuperate from a serious illness. It is not known how soon McLaren would need before returning to the club.

Club board chairman Steve Gibson said he expected surprise, even anger, from fans at the move, but said they would "quickly warm to Mr. Kieta's sharp and fresh take on the game."

Kieta himself said very little at the press conference announcing his appointment.

"I am happy to get this opportunity to bring my skills to this level of this great game," Kieta, dressed in a blue suit with a Boro red tie, said to gathered reporters. "Everyone knows the best players play here, in the League, the top league in the world."

Even reporters whom had long covered the team could barely contain their urge to fire heated inquiries at the new coach. Gibson, however, fielded most of the questions and kept the new head man from having to respond too often.

The identity of the new head man had been kept secret for the past week, and was the subject of numerous reports, which, as it turns out, were all erroneous.

Kieta is the former football, or soccer, as the game is known in the United States, coach at California Polytechnic State University in Pomona, or Cal Poly Pomona for short. He coached three conference-winning, or table-topping, teams there, after being hired from an assistant's position at the more well known Univeristy of California at Los Angeles.

Kieta developed a rapport with Boro management when he brought his collegiate team to England for a friendly tour last summer. Gibson said Kieta's sharp handling of a young group of players against a serious set of men's sides in that tour played a large role in the club's determination to give him this opportunity.

It was suggested that Kieta's small contract, £350,000 per annum, was also a factor, although Gibson denied it.

Observers were surprised that assistant manager and reputed McLaren toadie Steve Harrison wasn't just promoted to the job, but it has been suggested since before McLaren's surprise decision that Harrison isn't entirely comfortable running an organization as large as that of the Boro.

The Boro, who are expected to begin training under the new manager immediately, are thought to be a likely mid-table side this year in the English Premiership League, but no threat to contend for a title or any of the cups. The side did not perform well enough last season to gain entry to any of the prestigious international competitions.

The hiring of a heretofore unknown manager might bode poorly in the future for a side that needs to be on its game to avoid relegation in the always tough EPL this upcoming season.

Captain Gareth Southgate refused to comment on the announcement, other than to say he was "anxious to meet Kieta and begin work on a new season."

Southgate will receive some help in fellow national team defender Danny Mills from Chelsea, Spanish international midfielder Gaizka Medienta by way of Italian club Lazio, and "Bolo" Zenden, a Dutch forward with 50 caps under his belt from Leeds, all on loan. Keeper Carlo Nash was also brought in from Manchester City to compete with incumbent netminder and Aussie Mark Schwarzer.

Their contributions will be needed to help overcome the loss of several key players, including the previously approved loan of halfback Robbie Stockdale to Sheffield United, the injuries of strong centerback Igu Ehiogu and winger Allan Johnston, and the departure of Croation striker Alen Bostic and Brazilian midfielder Geremi.

The Boro travel to Scotland next Sunday to play Scottish First Division squad Brechin City to open their friendly preseason fixture. Later on this month, the side will take a four-match tour of Portugal.

[ice4277]

Good luck on Teeside Chief!

[Katon]

Just a minor point - Boro have gotten Mills from Leeds and Zenden from Chelsea, not the other way round. Quibbles aside, I'm looking forward to this.

[Chief Rum]

ice: Thanks. :)

Katon: Damn, I even switched them around from the correct way to the incorrect way. I thought I had that one down. Oh well...even as a growing English footy fan, I am still picking things up slowly. :) But at the rate things are going, soon all EPL goalkeepers will be American, so I'll have a further reason to get into it. :)

CR

[GoldenEagle]

Woohooo!! Another CR dynasty to look forward to.

Just some specs questions. Is this using CM 03/04? Why the EPL? I figured you as the small club manager type. :)

[Chief Rum]

So everyone knows what is going on, I am running this dyansty using CM03/04 (just received), and the Calcio update (also just released). I am running Middlesborough in the EPL, one of the sides you DON'T usually hear about. I even joined the Middlesborough online supporter club or whatever, so I can follow the real club some. I actually started following them a little last year when I played a season of CM4 with the Boro.

This dynasty will be similar to the Kettering dynasty I started that ended when I became upset with the flaws I saw in CM4. From what I understand, most to all of these concerns have been eliminated from CM0304, with the only subtraction I abhor being the loss of the MLS (although the Calcio update has done somewhat of a good job of working players back in).

Just like the Kettering dynasty, this will by and large be done through the media. You will be viewing it not as I view it, but as a fan or reporter or observer from afar might. I won't talk about ratings, I'll talk about personalities. Not every little thing will be exposed, some you will merely have to guess from the articles and reports that show up.

I will also report general footy news in this dynasty, that the average resident of Middlesborough would likely know and care about. So even, though, Middlesborough is not involved (this year at least), you will hear about the top clubs in the European competitions, you will hear about the World Cup and Olympics and Euro Championshiops, you will hear major transfer news from both England and all over Europe.

Do You Want To Participate?

I have found that the best dynasties find a way to include the readers in the dynasty. X-Com, of course, is unmatched in this manner, and I have yet to find a way to truly include everyone in that manner. But I would like to view you all as potential reporters and what not.

Each game week I will hold a "press conference" where pertinent questions will be asked. If no one asks a question, I will simply write up an article about what was asked and said (in my imagination of such a conference).

If questions are posed by you all, the readers, I will endeavour to answer them within the press confereence context, as Matthew Kieta, manager of Middlesborough, whenever the next press conference is. So if you would like to participate in this or simply discover something I haven't said yet, just post in this thread "Question: ", followed by the question. The "Question: " beginning will allow me to know the difference between just a poster asking me, Chief Rum, a question, and one being asked of my in-game alter ego, Mr. Kieta.

These questions are meant for insights or plans or rumors or attitudes or other things like that. If you want to know who the leading goal scorer is or where a player is from or other information that would normally be available to anyone who simply looked at a club Web Site or read the sport papers, i.e. basic facts and the like, just post regularly here and I will get that information to you as soon as possible.

For instance, in a real press conference, you wouldn't have to ask Mr. Kieta where Arsenal was standing in the current table. That would be a time to post "Chief Rum, you dolt, post the damn table so we know who's in first place", etc.

I encourage you guys to take on reporting personalities as well, if you like, or even ask as if you're fans. Or you can pass up all that nonsense and just ask me questions. Whatever you like.

The first press conference will be after next Sunday's (in-game) preseason friendly match with Brechin City. The press conference will always happen on Tuesday of a given week (the first being on the Tuesday immediately following the Brechin City match).

And, of course, you are welcome to not say a word and just read the articles.

Thanks in advance for those who read or even choose to participate.

Chief Rum

[Chief Rum]

Woohooo!! Another CR dynasty to look forward to.

Just some specs questions. Is this using CM 03/04? Why the EPL? I figured you as the small club manager type. :)

Some of those I just answered. Good timing, GoldenEagle. :)

I am a small club manager type, and I might return to that someday. But when I ran a solo game in the EPL last year on CM4, I had a blast, even with the game flaws. There's just something really exciting about playing sides like Man U and Arsenel and Liverpool, not to mention all the heightened media attention, and the glorified player personalities you don't get so much at the lower levels. I thought this would be fun for a change.


One of my favorite moments in CM ever was when I managed to hold a table-topping Liverpool squad to one goal and beat them 2-1 at Riverside. Very exciting game to watch, too.

Maybe I will find a way to work in screen captures, although I'm not too good at that nor do I have any hosting I can use (that I am aware of, maybe some comes with my broadband account...).

CR

[Chief Rum]

MONDAY, July 7, 2003

Has Gibson Lost It?

Commentary by Evening Gazette columnist Anthony Vickers

The football world is wondering why. The supporters are up in arms. The players are wondering what's going on, even as the go to their first meeting with the mystery kman who is now their new manager.

Could the answer be that our Chairman Steve Gibson has simply gone bonkers? How else can you justify the appointment of an absolute nobody to one of the 22 top jobs in the sport?

I am certain that Matthew Kieta, named Sunday to head the Middlesborough Football Club in an interim status, is a swell guy. He seems likely to know a thing or two about the game of football. His credentiasls show that enough.

But managing isn't just about kicking the ball around ont he pitch. It's about man management. Kieta has never handled a group of professionals making millions, several of whom are, indeed, older than him (on top of being wealthier). He knows how to whip some kids in shape, but he's never handled hardened thirty-something vets or willful primadoonas, and this is certainly not the Boro's U-19 team he will be watching over.

Managing isn't just running the engine room either. It's also playing the transfer market and knowing when to call in the right loan. In America, players are given scholarships to play for the universities where Kieta coached. Moving about was relatively rare and included harsh penalites, among which was the loss of a year of eligibility. American collegiate players only get four of those.

Here, transfers are the lifeblood of change in English and European football. Bringing in the right player for the right price, especailly for a small-budget club like the Boro, can be the key to a whole season. Kieta does not have the experience to know what that right price is, and until he attunes himself to the talent level of the EPL, he won't know who the right player is either.

But managing isn't just player movement either. It's also about the media--yes, me--and the fans--yeah, you. Can Kieta handle pressure on this level? This isn't the local paper and an occasional video clip on a cable television station. This is full on day-to-day media coverage from national and international reporters. This is highlights on every sports broadcast, full telecast games with thousands, even millions of viewers, and this is Riverside Stadium, seating 65,000 rabid Boro fans, not the half-filled seats of 700-seat Bronco Stadium in Pomona, California.

But it's not just the media and the fans either. It's the season length. The team is in preseason training now--just two months and change since the end of last season. And this will run from here until May, 2004, with a span of likely 50-60 games, depending on how successful the Boro are in the cups (hint, aim low end). In America, the collegiate "soccer" season lasts three months, four if the team gets into the playoffs.

Finally, Kieta won't be matching wits with some other American bloke who thinks he knows the game. Here in England, he will be looking across at Sir Alex. Or Arsene Wenger. Some of the true greats will march to the sidelines at Riverside to face off with us, and this is the guy we will counter with?

So, yes, I think it's fair to say Gibson is truly bonkers for making this hire. Or Kieta has some illicit photos of the man. Okay, maybe not...

[GoldenEagle]

Moving about was relatively rare and included harsh penalites, among which was the loss of a year of eligibility.

The English journalist who wrote this article needs to do better research. :D

[Chief Rum]

I think the journalist did a fair job considering he was writing from across the pond. ;)

CR

[Chief Rum]

TUESDAY, July 8, 2003

Kieta To Take Things Slow

Boro Manager Will Wait Before Spending Transfer Funds

MIDDLESBOROUGH-- Interim Boro manager Matthew Kieta is new on the job, so he's playing it cautious.

"I really feel I need to get a better feel for the talent on this team and in this league before I start looking outside the club for answers," Kieta said. "At this point, I can't say I don't have everything I need right now."

Most observers believe Kieta will eventually change his tune when he sees what they see--a team that is at best a mid-table side, and could be fighting against relegation this season if things don't click right away.

Prior to the holiday resignation of Steve McLaren, chairman Steve Gibson said the team would make around £5 M available for transfers, and set a wage bill ceiling of some £22.5 M. None of those funds have been spent yet, and the current payroll sits at £20.8 M, leaving £1.7 M worth of salary room for loans and transfers.

On Monday, Gibson said those amounts had not changed significantly and would remain available when Kieta needed them.

Gibson also said Kieta could expect to have available to him any funds he received from selling off players. As a part of his cautious approach, though, Kieta took the opposite road, removing several players that had been listed by McLaren in the offseason.

"I don't know who needs to be shipped at this point, or even if anyone does, so for now, everyone is off the market, at least via transfer," Kieta said.

Although several reserves were on the list, the most significant name was Slovakian striker Szilard Németh, who has not made quite the splash that was expected when he was signed away from Inter Bratislava, one of the top clubs in Slovakia. Németh scored 39 goals in two seasons with Inter Bratislava but has only tallied 10 in the same time with Middlesborough.

Kieta said Németh would have the same chance to prove himself this preseason that everyone else does.

Kieta did say he would honor the continuing loan agreements the club had transacted in the past few months, including the current loan-ins of forward Bolo Zenden from Chelsea, midfielder Gaizka Mendieta from Lazio, and defender Danny Mills from Leeds United. The Boro have already sent out defender Robbie Stockdale on loan to First Division West Ham.

A number of reserves and Under-19 Boro players remain available for loan, including backup midfielder Mark Wilson.

Kieta was noncommittal on what timeframe he was looking at to get familiar with the team.

"We'll just have to see how long it take," Kieta said. "It could be soon, or it could take some time."

Until then, the roster appears to be set.

[Chief Rum]

WEDNESDAY, July 9, 2003

Players Feeling Out New Boss

Reaction To First Team Workout Positive

MIDDLESBOROUGH-- For all the upheaval at the head of the organization, you couldn't tell from the practice facilities outside Riverside Stadium Tuesday.

The familiar sounds of players grunting through their first exercises rang through the air as the squad officially began to prepare for the upcoming season.

The exercises were preceded by a team-only meeting in which the side was introduced to new interim manager Matthew Kieta. The players came out cautiously optimistic.

"He seems to know he's stuff," defender and captain Gareth Southgate said. "He acknowledged he would be coming from behind on things, and could use the help the veteran players to help him ge6t aclcimated."

The team's emotional leader and most popular player, Brazillian midfielder Juninho, agreed.

"He knows enough not to rush into this," Juninho said. "That's always a good sign. It's better to be careful when you're in unfamiliar territory."

Kieta displayed that cautious approach Monday, when he removed several players from the transfer list, including striker Szilard Németh and injured winger Allan Johnston.

"I'm his biggest fan," Németh said with a grin.

Németh said he felt the tension that had been around the club since the surprise holiday by former manager Steve McLaren eased somewhat with the announcement about the transfer list removals.

"People are a little more sure of where they will be in the next month or so," the Slovakian striker said. "Two months? Who knows? But for now, it feels okay."

Longtime vets defender Colin Cooper and incumbent goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer were guardedly positive, but admitted they missed the popular McLaren.

"I'm sure [Kieta] is going to do a fine job here," Cooper said, "but Steve really had a handle on things. I hope he will return to us at some point."

McLaren has not been available for comment.

[Chief Rum]

THURSDAY, July 10, 2003

Arsenal Looking To Maldini

Web Report Says Club Interested In Italian Defender

LONDON-- Arsenal is looking to bring aboard longtime Italian international and AC Milan defender Paolo Maldini, according to soccer.net.

The site devoted to football news said officials in Highbury were inquiring about Maldini's availability. The report says Maldini, 35, would be used to help with quality depth on Arsenal's backline.

Maldini is a household name for any Italian and worldwide football fan. He has racked up 126 caps and 7 international goals in 19 seasons of professional soccer. The stout defender is considered to be an ideal veteran leader and steadfastly loyal. Maldini has played every single one of his professional seasons with AC Milan.

The report said that the transfer fee, were it to come to pass, would be around £1.7 M.

Neither manager Arsene Wenger nor any other officials with Arsenal

Leicester City Looking To American Striker

LEICESTER-- Premiership side Leicester City has reportedly offered £220,000 to the Cleveland River Fire for the rights to striker Kevin King.

The 26-year-old American striker has already racked up 21 goals in international competition, to go along with his 56 caps. Given his international history, he would not face problems getting a work permit for the move.

Leicester is reportedly not the only club interested, as a laundry list of other clubs, including fellow EPL sides Blackburn and Southampton, have also expressed interest.

King himself said he currently has no interest in leaving the Fire right now, though.

"I am really enjoying my time here in Cleveland," King said. "I am American and I love playing my game in the States. I'm not sure the prestige of Europe will be enough for me to pick up and leave."

[Chief Rum]

FRIDAY, July 11, 2003

Ancelotti: Maldini Stays

AC Milan Manager Denies Rumors Of Arsenal Transfer

MILAN, Italy-- Manager Carlo Ancelotti strongly denied that veteran star defender Paolo Maldini would be going anywhere, much less to Arsenal, as was reported by soccer.net Wednesday.

"Under no circumstances would I choose to move Paolo from the only side he has ever known," Ancelotti said. "He remains an integral part of my plans for the club."

Maldini, a 35-year-old star of Italy's internastional team, and a 19-year-veteran whom has never played for anyone but AC Milan, has 126 caps and has scored 7 international goals.

Ancelotti refused to speculate on the level of interest he thinks Maldini would receive were he to make himself available.

Officials at soccer.net did not back down, releasing a new report in which Deportivo of La Ligua might also be interested in Maldini's services.

Neither Arsenal nor Deportivo officials would comment for the report.

[SirFozzie]

Calcio update? Ehwha? Linky Linky? :)

[Chief Rum]

Calcio update? Ehwha? Linky Linky? :)

Do you have access to the SIGames forums?

Just go to the Training & Tactics forum. You should find a thread or two there dedicated to the Calcio update, including a large 11-page (or maybe larger now) thread.

The updater is a poster by the name of Arsenal71 (gee, I wonder who he roots for...). If you look at the small type under his name by his posts, you will see the URL.

He seems pretty dedicated to a realistic update, although he admitted some of his updates outside of Europe, particularly in South America and in the U.S. aren't fully up to speed yet (for instance, Adu hasn't been added yet, and not all of the MLS teams have been converted from their CM0304 names or even added at all).

But overall it's a very solid update and the guy who did it seems intent to keep it up. Apparently he did updates in the past for other CMs, too.

CR

[Chief Rum]

SUNDAY, July 13, 2003

Wilson Headed Back To Stoke?

Stoke Area Media Reporting Loan Deal For Midfielder Done

MIDDLESBOROUGH-- Rumors swirled around Riverside Stadium Saturday when reports surfaced linking once promising midfielder Mark Wilson with a move back to Stoke City.

Media in Stoke City are reporting that Wilson will be loaned back to the First Division club, where Wilson spent a couple months of the 2002-03 season. Wilson played in four matches for Stoke City, going scoreless. No other specific details of the proposed deal have been made public.

Neither Stoke City nor Middlesborough officials chose to comment on the rumors, although neither side denied them either.

Interim Boro manager Matthew Kieta refused to comment Saturday before taking his team up to Brechin, Scotland. The club will be opening its preseason friendly fixture today with a match against Scottish First Division Brechin City. Wilson went with the club and no indication has been given as to what playing time, if any, he might see today.

Wilson was acquired in a much publicized deal from Manchester United, along with forward Jonathon Greening, just prior to the 2001-02 season. Both players played internationally for England's U-21 squad and were thought to have huge upside.

While Greening has solidified a role in the first team rotation, Wilson has not progressed as well. He has been mostly relegated to a role on the reserve squad, and has only appeared in 16 games the past two seasons for the Boro. He has yet to score a goal for Middlesborough.

A loan back to Stoke City would likely give Wilson first team experience he isn't likely to see this year in Middlesborough.

[Chief Rum]

SUNDAY, July 13, 2003

MIDDLESBROUGH PRESEASON PREVIEW

New Faces Key To Boro Season

MIDDLESBROUGH-- The usual cast of characters got the Boro a middle of the table finish last season, good for 49 points and an 11th-place finish.

The question this year was going to be about that group taking the next step into the upper end of the Premiership table, with some help from some key new additions.

As it turns out, that improvement might be needed just to overcome the surprise addition of a heretofore unknown interim manager in Matthew Kieta.

While Boro management remains upbeat and positive about the upcoming season, observers outside of the club maintain that it could be very difficult for the club to even meet last year's mid-level placing if Kieta--whom has never coached in English football--needs anything but a very short adjustment period to play in England's top league.

If Kieta makes the transition quickly, this team might have just as much potential as any of the lower end Premiership sides to make the jump to a top ten finish and a future in the European competitions. If he doesn't, they might find themselves fighting relegation.

Forwards

Kieta said last week that he is going into this season with no preconceived notions about his players. Anyone can play their way into a major role for this squad.

Given that, Kieta has the nice dilemma of having a wealth of forwards to consider for the front line spots.

While the Boro don't have a true striker star in the mold of a Thierry Henry or Ruud van Nistelrooy, they do have an up and coming star in the young Italian Massimo Maccarone. In his first season with the Boro, Maccarone quickly became the club's leading offensive power in front of the net, leading the Boro with nine goals. He should be a lock for the top striker spot.

The sheer depth at the position likely ensures that Kieta will employ more than one striker, although he has given no indication of what tactics he would consider.

Last season, former manager Steve McLaren employed a 4-4-2, but the second striker spot was in a constant state of flux. Croation striker Alen Boksic was a huge disappointment, tallying just two goals before being replaced on the first team. While Boksic's replacement, Slovakian forward Szilard Némethm finished with a second-best seven goals, he was very inconsistent and eventually earned his way into McLaren's doghouse and a trip to the transfer list that wasn't removed until Kieta arrived ont he scene last week.

Németh is just one of several potential candidates for the second spot. Young Malcolm Christie scored four goals in 12 appearances and has the potential to produce far more, assuming his excellent sideline skills don't instead earn him a trip to the Boro's depleted wing position. Cameroonian international Joseph-Désiré Job (four goals) also contributed in spot time and is a smart player in front of the net.

Should any of those candidates falter or get hurt, Kieta might turn to a wealth of attacking midfielders, the club's deepest position, to provide more answers.

Midfielders

The two key names to remember here are newcomers Bolo Zenden, on loan from Chelsea, and Gaizka Mendieta, from Lazio in Italy.

Both effective innovators in and around the box, they could provide a boost to the club's sagging midfield, which boasts several excellent forwards, but very little true ball-movers or effective wingers.

Mendieta and Zenden both have something to prove.

The Dutch Zenden has always been more flash than results. He has logged a lot of time as an effective passer, but he won't ascend to the next level until he manages to push a few more past the netminders. He scored just one goal in 21 matches with Chelsea last season. He is very good crossing the ball, though, which may earn him time on the right wing.

Mendieta is the closest thing the Boro have to a traditional midfielder. When he played with Valencia in Spain in the late 90s, he was among the better offensive eprformers in the league. His time at Lazio has been nightmarish, however, where he has yet to score a goal in two seasons, and didn't even appear in a first team match with the Italian power last season. He has the inside track on the midle of the Riverside pitch.

The attention Mendieta and Zenden will liekly command will only help free up the always dangerous Juninho. The flamboyant Brazillian attack midfielder returns to lend his superior touch to the Boro's offensive engine. He remains the first name coaches consider when they are seeking to stop the Boro, which makes the blossoming of help from elsewhere all the more important.

Wing could be a problem, where key left winger Allan Johnston is recuperating from a serious knee injury. He won't be ready to return until early 2004 at the soonest. Christie and Zenden will certainly be looked at here, as will Jonathon Greening and maybe Németh, should he be beat out up front. French wingback Franck Queudreu will likely get serious time at the left wing, where he is one of the few effective sideline operators who can work the left side.

Defenders

What was a strength is now somewhat in flux.

Ugo Ehiogu, the punishing centre back, hurt his knee near the end of the season last year, and like Johnston, will liekly be out of action until well past the half point of the season.

Captain Gareth Southgate will have to man the box without the security blanket of Ehiogu, who's presence allowed Southgate to roam further out of zone and make use of his excellent man-marking skills.

Now the Boro will likely have to turn to the young Chris Riggott. One of the more exciting defensive youngsters on the rise, Riggott saw serious time at right wingback and as Ehiogu's replacement at teh end of last season, but it will take another full season to know if he is ready to handle this much responsibility.

With Riggott back in centre and Queudreu likely resuming his role ont he wing, the Boro aren't very deep at wingback. They do get a big boost from the acquisition of Leeds' halfback Danny Mills, an exciting and versatile defender with midfielder skills. He is strong in his own end, but the urge to use Mills more forward, perhaps at defensive midfielder, might be too strong for Kieta to ignore.

Irish halfback Brian Close and Andrew Davies will also have to step into larger roles to fill in the gaps. While both have serious talent, they aren't as far along as Riggott, and the Boro will need strong efforts on their parts to disrupt some of the powerful crossing games of many Premiership teams.

Mills will see time somewhere. If he doesn't land in the defensive midfield, the position will likely come down to a battle between steady George Boateng and the more exciting, but inconsistent Doriva.

Goalkeepers

The one significant transfer the Boro took on was the acquisition of Manchester City's Carlo Nash. While Nash was unable to establish himself as the top netminder at City, he showed enought o be regarded as a player just waiting for a chance. This could be it.

With Welsh backup keeper Mark Crossley departed from the club, Nash will see serious time behind longtime starter Australian Mark Schwarzer. Indeed, many observers think Nash might be better than Schwarzer and the two could have a bitter battle for the net in the preseason. Schwarzer is a team leader and has some of the most seniority on the squad, but his play was inconsistent last year.

The quest to see how the pieces fit begins today at Glebe Park in Brechin, Scotland. With so many questions unanswered and starting spots up for grabs, this could be one of the most critical preseasons in Boro history.

[The Afoci]

Good lord. I thought I was over my CM addiction. I haven't purchased CM 03/04 yet, but I am going to have to now. Herion has nothing on this.

[Chief Rum]

Good lord. I thought I was over my CM addiction. I haven't purchased CM 03/04 yet, but I am going to have to now. Herion has nothing on this.

Marc Vaughan, send my game promotion check to 917 Sutter Creek Road...

;)

CR

[Chief Rum]

SUNDAY, July 13, 2003

Maldini Denies Arsenal Rumors

MILAN, Italy-- Longtime international veteran defender Paolo Maldini denied the rumors that he was on his way to Arsenal in a transfer, in an interview with soccer.net.

Maldini said he "appreciated [Arsenal's] interest", but that he had no interest in leaving AC Milan, the Italian power for whom he had played all of his 19 years of professional soccer.

Last week, soccer.net reported that Arsenal was looking at Maldini, a 35-year-old veteran of 126 international matches for Italy, to help out along the English power's back line. The rumored move was reportedly going to cost Arsenal £1.7 M.

Arsenal never officially commented ont he deal, although they did not deny interest either.

Last Thursday, Milan manager Carlo Ancelotti adamantly denied that Maldini was going anywhere, and indicated the defender was still an integral part of the squad.

English Football Notes

Two lower division sides have made or are about to make managerial moves.

Third Division Cheltenham Town named former international player Chris Waddle as the new player-manager of the club.

Waddle, a 42-year-old midfielder whom has appeared in 62 international matches for England, hasn't played in the higher leagues since he did a short stint with another Third Division club in Torquay in the 1998-99 season. He played with lower division club Worksop after Torquay for the past couple seasons, but has since been out of football.

Waddle is best known as a top offensive performer for Newcastle United and Tottenham in the early 80s. His best year was 1983-84, when he scored 18 goals for Newcastle.

Today, Peterborough of the Second Division is expected to name Paul Ashworth their new manager. Ashworth, at the tender age of 29, is a surprising hire, given his age, but he is considered to be a bright up-and-comer by some observers.

[SirFozzie]

Chief.. you are one of the few people here I would LOVE to play a full multiplayer game against ;)

[Chief Rum]

Chief.. you are one of the few people here I would LOVE to play a full multiplayer game against ;)


I hope that's because you think it would be fun to do so, and not because you would wipe the pitch with me. ;)

Too bad I have never really gotten into multiplayer CM. I guess I'm more of a single shooter.

CR

[SirFozzie]

Er... yeah. the first. Whatever you say.
'
No seriously, it's fun to read this and the other CM dynasties here ;)

[Chief Rum]

MONDAY, July 14, 2003

Boro Drop Preseason Opener

Brechin Striker Gibson Scores Hat Trick

BRECHIN, Scotland-- Sure, it's just a preseason friendly. But no one from Middlesbrough is going to be saving the tape of this one for highlights.

Scottish First Division squad Brechin City embarrassed the Premiership squad, 3-1, at Glebe Park Sunday afternoon. Reserve striker Graham Gibson notched three quick goals early in the second half to score the hattrcik and doom the Boro to a miserable opening to the 2003-04 season.

Interim manager Matthew Kieta, who took over the Boro just last week, had a rough start to his coaching career in England. It was clear--even in the scoreless first half--that Middlesbrough was being strongly outplayed by host Brechin City.

The hosts outshot the Boro 15-5, with 12 of those shots on target. By and large, Brechin City controlled the flow of play, keeping the ball in Middlebrough's defensive zone for much of the game, and allowing few good runs by the visiting squad. The Boro would have been shut out entirely except for a penalty scored by striker Joseph-Désiré Job in extra time.

Kieta took the blame for the loss, saying he should have pressed the team farther early on.

"I instructed the team to lay back and play this one easy," Kieta said. "I didn't want to turn a preseason friendly into a hard-hitting match, when we're both just trying to round our sides into form. Apparently, that took the edge out of the guys. They just didn't put out the effort we need to see to play this game, much less win against a determined opponent like Brechin today."

Kieta said he turned the pressure on after Gibson scored his third goal just 16 minutes into the second half. The Boro, by then playing all reserves, were more consistent in the later going, making some runs on offense and keeping Brechin City scoreless from that point on. But it was too little, too late.

In the first half, shots were few for either side. Despite playing stand off ball, the Boro backline played very well. Chris Riggott and Gareth Southgate were very solid in front of the box, with Riggott playing a very effective defensive air game. When Brechin did get shots to the net--they got five--Mark Schwarzer was up to the task, stopping all shots.

It was on offense that the Boro first team did the most poorly. Neither striker, Massimo Maccarone or Malcolm Christie, played well. Both were dominated by Brechin City defenders in the air, and the side as a whole failed to connect even a single crossing pass, despite that being a staple of Kieta's intricate five-tiered tactic.

Midfielder Gaizka Mendieta got the Boro's only shot on goal in the first half, a shot that barely tested Brechin keeper Derek Soutar.

"I thought the first team defense played very well, even playing light," Kieta said. "I was especially encouraged by how strong we are in the air and how well we moved the ball away from danger. That will be key when the real matches start up."

He had less positive comments for the wingers and strikers.

"Other than Juninho, who had some great runs to try and get something going, no one in our first team front half showed anything resembling what we're going to need to get it done," Kieta said. "This is a new tactic and these guys are learning. But we should have a better grasp of things by now."

The second team defense had more than they could handle in Gibson and his cohorts. The pressure was on reserve keeper Carlo Nash from the get-go. Gibson's first goal came in the 48th minute after very strong pressure by Brechin. Nash turned away three shots, and the Boro defense cleared out a couple more opportunities before Gibson managed to pounce on a Nash rebound and blast it over the keeper's shoulder, into the upper right corner of the net.

It took just five minutes for Gibson to get on the board again. Gibson received a pass into the box from winger Chris Templeman and hit it high and hard. Nash was able to block that off, but once again his rebound fell to Gibson's feet and the striker quickly applied the finish to a wide open net.

Gibson finsihed off the hat in the 61st minute when Gibson got to an errant long pass that bounced off of Boro defender David Murphy. The ball had taken a surprise bounce and Nash was unable to react in time before Gibson was able to finish it off.

The Boro's only score came in extra time when Brechin City midfielder Kevin McLeish pushed Job down as they fought for a Michael Ricketts pass in the box from the byline. Given the penalty, Job shot the ball past reserve keeper Steven van der Deyl with ease. Van der Deyl guessed wrong as Job put a sharp low shot into the lower left corner.

Kieta said Job and winger Stuart Downing played very well, and he also said that Nash was very solid considering the poor defense that was played in front of him.

"Carlo needs to work on those rebounds a bit," Kieta said, "but I thought he did rather well with all the pressure. He faced a 10-shot attack in the second half, and almost all of them were on-goal."

Nash and Shwarzer are expected be battling out for the top keeper position this preseason.

The Boro will now be off until they begin a four-match tour of Portugal on July 23 against Nacional da Madeira of the Portueguese Superleague.

[Chief Rum]

Er... yeah. the first. Whatever you say.
'
No seriously, it's fun to read this and the other CM dynasties here ;)

I'm glad you enjoy it. I hope others follow suit. It's always fun to write for a captive audience. :)

Now go get the new coaches situated in FOFC FBCB so we can move on to scheduling! ;)

CR

[Chief Rum]

MONDAY, July 14, 2003

[English Football blurb...]

* Totenham Hotspur have arranged for a free transfer of young Danish striker Martin Andersen. The Premiership side will receive the striker from Dabish First Division Vejle Boldklub on January 1, 2004. Andersen, an 18-year-old Veije reserve, has never played in an official first team match in Denmark.

[other sports news...]

[Chief Rum]

TUESDAY, July 15, 2003

Wilson Agrees To Stoke Loan

Boro Midfielder Hopes To Get First Team Experience

MIDDLESBROUGH-- Midfielder Mark Wilson will be sent on a three-month loan with First Division Stoke City, club officials announced Monday.

The release confirms reports circulated Saturday about the move. Neither Middlesbroguh nor Stoke City would confirm the reports, and Wilson actually played for the Boro in their preseason opening loss to Scottish First Division side Brechin City on Sunday.

"{Middlesbrough officials] feel that Mark Wilson will gain invaluable experience from returning to Stoke City for another stint this season," read a press release announcing the move. Other than the release, the club refused to comment.

As Monday was the day after the Brechin City match, Wilson had the day off with the rest of the club, and was unable to be reached. The club release said Wilson has agreed to the move.

The deal, which is expected to be completed today, would last for three months, with Stoke City picking up £220,000 of Wilson's £725,000 contract for the duration of the lone.

Wilson was not expected to earn a first team spot with the Boro, and was likely going to be playing for the club reserves this season.

Wilson has been the subject of some disappointment for Boro followers. The once promising midfielder was acquired in a much ballyhooed transfer with attacking midfielder Jonathon Greening from Premiership power Manchester United. While Greening has established himself as a first team regular, Wilson has yet to find his niche. Both are former members of England's Under-21 national side.

Wilson is expected to see regular time with Stoke City, with the loan running out in October.

English Football Notes

*...French Ligue One side FC Nantes Atlantique manager Loïc Amisse may have ignited a firestorm on his own club by inquiring about the availability of veteran French-Armenian midfielder Youri Djorkaeff, currently playing with the Premiership's Bolton Wanderers.

Asked about rumors of his interest, Amisse confirmed that he was looking at the veteran French international to provide needed experience for his club.

The report triggered a furious response from current Nantes' first team midfielder Stéphane Ziani, who believes the inquiry on Djorkaeff is an attempt to replace him.

"I find this to be very underhanded of [Amisse]", Ziani said. "I have given three seasons of my career to this club and believe I deserve better."

Neither officials from Bolton nor Djorkaeff himself could be reached for comment. Djorkaeff is thought by football observers to be likely to draw around £400,000 in transfer fees, were a move to come to pass.

The 35-year-old attacking midfielder has been playing with the Wanderers for just a season and a half after being transferred from German Bundesliga side Kaiserslautern late in the 2001-02 season. He has scored 11 goals in 48 matches with Bolton.

Djorkaeff has collected 82 caps for France, scoring 26 goals in international appearances. Djorkaeff was once considered one of the best midfielders in the French leagues when he played with Monaco and Paris-SG from 1990-1995. He hasn't reached double digits in goals in a season since his first year with Kaiserslautern in 1999-00.

The 30-year-old Ziani, also French, has never been capped at the international level. He scored two goals in 30 appearances last season.

*...Aston Villa has worked out a future free transfer for Norwegian centreback Pål Steffen Andresen. Andresen, 21, is currently playing with Norway's Premier Division side Lillestrom. The transfer to the Premiership side is expected to go through on December 2, after the completion of the Norwegian Premier Dviision season. Andresen has two goals and two assists in 18 matches with Lillestrom so far this year.

[Neuqua]

Oh no, Rum started a dynasty. There goes any free time I had.

[Chief Rum]

WEDNESDAY, July 16, 2003

Kieta Meets With Press

New Boro Manager Faces Onslaught Of Questions

MIDDLESBROUGH-- New Boro interim manager Matthew Kieta said he would meet with the press every Tuesday in season.

He got more than he bargained for at his first such press conference Tuesday.

Kieta tiptoed through a minefield of questions on issues ranging from his lack of experience in English football to Middlesbrough FC's bad showing against Brechin City Sunday.

Kieta lost his debut to the Scottish First Division club, 3-1, after being a surprise hire for the Premiership club last week.

"Maybe this wasn't such a good idea," Kieta quipped at one point.

For the most part, Kieta seemed to manage the questions well, but none of his answers are likely to put at ease the concerns of both supporters and football observers over the American's shocking appointment to one of the premier jobs in English football.

Kieta also spoke about the loan of midfielder Mark Wilson, noting that the key reserve was already on his way to Stoke City for a three-month loan Tuesday.

"[Sunday's game] was just a bad set of circumstances for these guys," Kieta said. "I don't want to make excuses, but the fact of the matter is we're not in seasoned condition yet and the side was learning a new tactic and how to play for a new manager."

Kieta said Sunday that he was to blame for the loss, after he instructed the team to lay off Brechin City's players.

"I'm still learning, too, you know," Kieta said. "I thought it was the right thing to do at the time. We want to see hard play out there, but I didn't see any sense in getting any of our players--or theirs--hurt in a preseason friendly like this. By the time I realized that might have taken some spirit out of the boys, we were down big."

Kieta said he freed up the reins quite a bit in the second half, after Brechin striker Graham Gibson put across a quick second half hat trick.

"The match was revealing about this squad as well," Kieta said. "I have a much better feel now for what kind of talent I have on this team."

The manager said he was happy with the play of the defense and with both goalkeepers, but that the offense had a long way to go. He refused to speculate on the actual composition of the first team when the Boro open the Premiership season against Tottenham at Riverside Stadium on August 16.

Kieta said he doesn't expect his inexperience to be an issue when the Premiership season begins in August.

"Football is football, whether it is played here or in the States or in Khazakhstan," Kieta said. "I need to get to know this team, and I need to get to know the league. Neither should take me long."

Kieta said the Wilson deal might not be the only move the club moves before the season starts.

"We have our scouts out looking at potential players, especially on the right wing and in backline depth," Kieta said. "We're looking at more loans and Bosmans, too. I have the go ahead to get anyone whom I think will help this team, within reason."

Club chairman Steve Gibson has made about £5 M in transfer funds available to Kieta, and the club is currently £1.7 M under its wage budget for the season.

The club returns to preseason training in anticipation of the remainder of its friendly schedule. The club wiull embark on a four-match tour of Portugal on July 23.

[Chief Rum]

Oh no, Rum started a dynasty. There goes any free time I had.

lol...your free time?!? You're just reading it. Think what I am going through (albeit willfully)! ;)

CR

[Chief Rum]

WEDNESDAY, July 16, 2003

Arsenal, Man U Battling For Cruzeiro's Alex

MINEIRAO, Brazil-- Reports in Brazil are circulating that England powers Arsenal and Manchester United might be duking it out for the rights to Brazilian left winger Alex of Cruzeiro FC.

Neither of the two wealthy clubs are expected to balk at Alex's likely transfer fee, which is estimated to end up at around some £15 M.

Alex, born Alexsandro de Souza, has dominated play in Brazil's first division, with 10 goals and 12 assists in 30 matches so far this season.

The winger, just 25 years old, has already appeared in 30 matches for the powerful Brazil national team, the current holder of the World Cup. He has scored 10 goals in international competition.

Neither Alex nor officials at Cruzeiro would comment on the rumors Tuesday. Moving Alex might be very difficult for Cruzeiro to do, as they are currently second in the First Division, just a point behind Santos.

Platt Signed On By Crystal Palace

Officials at Selhurst Park in London announced the hiring of former international star David Platt to become the new manager of First Divison Crystal Palace.

Platt, 37, appeared in 62 international matches for England, scoring 27 goals in those appearances. He starred in the Premiership with Arsenal and Aston Villa.

[Chief Rum]

THURSDAY, July 17, 2003

Mallberg Drawing Interest From Spain

Two La Liga Teams Are Looking At The Villa Defender

BIRMINGHAM-- Spanish clubs Mallorca and Sevilla are reportedly looking at adding Aston Villa's Swedish centreback Olaf Mellberg, according to Planetfootball.com.

Both Spanish clubs confirmed the interest, although neither Aston Villa officials nor Mellberg were available for comment.

Mellberg's agent, David Vichny, however, indicated to the football Web site that Mellberg would be tempted by a move back to Spain.

Mellberg, a star of Sweden's international team, played in La Liga One with Racing Santander from 1998-2000, and speaks fluent Spanish.

The defender, 25, has been with Aston Villa for two seasons now. He appeared in 38 matches with the Premiership side last season, scoring one goal.

Mellberg has been capped 35 times for Sweden. Any transfer fee is likely to number at least at £3 M.

Allardyce Says Djorkaeff Stays

BOLTON-- Responding to a French La Ligue One manager's interest in one of his players, Bolton Wanderers manager Sam Allardyce warned clubs to stay away from French midfielder Youri Djorkaeff.

Allardyce said he had no interest in moving the star French midfielder, recently revealed as a target of FC Nantes Atlantique and their manager Loïc Amisse.

Amisse told French media Monday that he was considering a run at Djorkaeff to add experience to his club's midfield.

Allardyce said he had no interest at all in moving the 35-year-old veteran international midfielder.

Djorkaeff has scored 11 goals in 48 matches in just over a season with the Wanderes. He is a veteran of 82 international matches with France, including 26 goals in those matches.

Were Djorkeaff to return to La Ligue One, it would be his first time back playing in the division in which he first became a star since he left Paris-SG in 1996.

Amisse's announcement has backfired on his own team, where he has inspired the ire of current Nantes midfielder Stéphane Ziani, who thinks that Amisse wants to bring Djorkaeff in to replace him.

[Chief Rum]

FRIDAY, July 18, 2003

Boro To Loan Murphy

MIDDLESBROUGH-- Well-regarded up-and-coming defender and defensive midfielder David Murphy looks likely to be on his way off Teesside for a little while.

First Division Watford and Second Division Barnsley are both interested in loaning the 19-year-old halfback's services for anywhere from three months to a year.

"I have been available on loan since last season," Murphy said. "I know I will only get sporadic play here, so I am looking forward to a loan and a chance to prove myself."

Interim manager Matthew Kieta refused to comment for the story. Murphy said something could be doen by the end of the weekend.

No details of the loan offers have gotten out, although both lower division sides confirmed their interest.

The Boro loaned out midfielder Mark Wilson earlier this week to First Division Stoke City.

[Chief Rum]

SATURDAY, July 19, 2003

Transfer Moves Rebuffed

BIRMINGHAM-- Aston Villa manager David O'Leary denied that his star Swedish defender Olaf Mellberg would not be going anywhere, and in Brazil, Cruzeiro manager Vanderley Luxemburgo echoed those thoughts in regard to his star midfielder Alex.

Mellberg, 25, has been the target of interest by Spanish La Liga One clubs Mallorca and Sevilla. Mallorca was reportedly leading the way for the services of the veteran of 35 Swedish international matches.

O'Leary said he wasn't go to sell Mellberg to anyone, so "you might as well leave us alone."

Arsenal was reportedly leading a hot race for the services of Alex, whom has dominated play in Brazil's National First Division with 10 goals and 12 assist in 30 matches.

Luxemburgo put the kibosh on that, though, saying he could think of no circumstances under which he would be compelled to move the exciting Brazilian winger.

A move for Alex, already a veteran of 30 Brazil international matches despite being just 25, was thought to be int he range of £15 M, and Manchester United was interested as well.

[Chief Rum]

SUNDAY, July 20, 2003

Djorkaeff Staying, Alex Still Coming?

BOLTON-- Veteran French star midfielder Youri Djarkaeff says he is happy at Bolton and wants to stay.

Djorkaeff told Planetfootball.com that he wants to stay with the Premiership's Wanderers for the foreseeable future, and has no interest right now in returning to the French La Ligue One.

That league's FC Nantes Atlantique manager Loïc Amisse triggered responses in both Nantes and Bolton when told reporters Monday that he was looking to bring Djorkaeff on to add experience to his midfield.

The move caused negative reactions from both starting Nantes midfielder Stéphane Ziani and Bolton boss Sam Allardyce.

Ziani said he felt the inquiry into Djorkaeff was an attempt to replace him. Allardyce said on Thursday he has no intentions of moving the attacking midfielder to any clubs, much less Nantes.

Djorkaeff, 35, is a veteran of 82 French international matches, with 26 goals. He has scored 11 goals in 48 matches with Bolton over the past season and change.

In other news, Alex told local media in Brazil that he wasn't as locked into staying at Cruzeiro as his manager was. Alex said he would be "very tempted" by a move that have him choosing between staying in Cruzeiro or taking the opportunity to play with a world power like Arsenal in the English Premiership League.

Rumors have swirled for days around the star winger, whom has dominated play in Brazil's National First Division with 10 goals and 12 assists in 30 matches this season.

Reports had interest from heavyweights like Arsenal and Macnhester United, and transfer fees approaching a mammoth £15 M.

Friday, Cruzeiro manager Vanderley Luxemburgo said he has no interest in moving Alex, whom at 25 has already appeared in 30 matches for the powerful Brazil international squad.

Other English Football Notes

The Nationwide Conference's Hereford Bulls went around the world for their new manager.

Mal Donaghy, 40, the former Irish international has been hired away from his current employ, Geylang United of the Second Division Singaporean league, to be the new boss of the Bulls.

Donaghy appeared in 91 matches for Northern Ireland in his playing days.

[GoldenEagle]

(Press Conference Question from the Daily Times)

Mr. Kieta...everyone is wondering about your future plans for the team. Other than loans, you have been very quiet in the transfer market. Usually when a new owner is hired he has players that he is worked with in the past that he brings to the club. I know you are inexperinced but certianly you have some players in mind?

[ice4277]

Good start so far.

I signed Danny Murphy for Benfica from Boro in CM4 and he did a pretty solid job for me, but this was a few years down the line, 2007 maybe.

[Chief Rum]

GE: Cool, my first question. :) Next press conference is Tuesday (in game).

ice: Yeah, Murphy seems to have some good upside. I just don't think he's ready to be guarding EPL-level strikers, though, right now, even on a backup basis. I am hoping he gets some good experience there.

The only downer to my loans of players he won't play first team for me is that they won't benefit from my training schedule, which I think is a good one (I stole it from the Tactics & Training forum ;) ).

CR

[Chief Rum]

MONDAY, July 21, 2003

Murphy Heads To Watford

MIDDLESBROUGH-- Two lower division sides vied for the services of Boro reserve defender David Murphy, and Watford won out.

Murphy has agreed to the loan move to the First Division Hornets, where he will play for the next three months.

Interim manager Matthew Kieta said the fact Watford was willing to pick up more than half of Murphy's salary was a primary factor in them being selected over the other bidding side, Second Division Barnsley. The manager also said he wanted Murphy to get experience at the first division level of play, which Barnsley can't provide.

Murphy, 19, will head to Watford immediately, where he will stay until October.

Murphy, a well-regarded defender and defensive midfielder, was not expected to see significant first team playing time, and might not have even made the team. Murphy appeared in eight matches last season for Middlesbrough.

[Chief Rum]

MONDAY, July 21, 2003

Arsenal Brings In Perrotta

Starting Midfielder Edu Concerned About Transfer

LONDON-- After trying to bring in top AC Milan Italian defender Paolo Maldini and then Brazilian star winger Alex from Cruzeiro, Arsenal finally struck gold when they negotiated the transfer of midfielder SImone Perrotta from Chievos Verona of Serie A.

The Italian 25-year-old midfielder is capped at the international level and was starting for a side in one of the world's top leagues in Italy's Serie A.

Arsenal paid Chievos £8 M for a transfer fee. Perotta signed a 3-year, £4.5 M deal with the English superpower.

The midfielder scored one goal in 32 appearances last season with Chievos.

Perrotta, whom has appeared in nine matches for Italy's national squad, is not unknown in England. The midfielder was born in Ashton-under-Lyne and enjoys dual citzenship with both the United Kingdom and Italy.

Not everyone was happy with the move, though.

Part timer Edu, the well-regarded 25-year-old Brazilian midfielder, said he is concerned that Perrotta's arrival might mean there's too much competition at his position.

"There are just too many players competing for first team spots here," Edu said. "I'm not afraid to fight for my time on this club, but this move was not needed."

Edu, never a quiet person, has been known to make irreverant and heated off-the-cuff remarks. Manager Arsen Wenger refused to comment on his or Perrotta's status with the club, other than to say they would both see plenty of time on the pitch.

In addition to Edu and Perrotta, Arsenal also has star French midfielder Patrick Vieira and Brazilian midfielder Gilberto, with whom Edu is close.

Edu scored two goals in 18 appearances with Arsenal last season.

English Football Notes

*...Planetfootball.com is reporting that Primera Liga squad Deportivo is very interested in Fulham's star French attack midfielder Steed Malbranque.

Malbranque, 23, is one of the Premiership club's best offensive options. He scored six goals last season and eight goals the year before that. Malbranque has been with Fulham since 2001, after he was transferred from French La Ligue One side Lyon.

Malbranque, who is also part Belgian, is thought to draw at least a £4 M price tag in trasnfer fees.

Fulham officials were not available for comment.

*...The transfer of Brazilian halfback star Lùcio to Newcastle United is one more step to happening.

Lùcio, 25, only requires a work permit to complete the move from German Bundesliga power Leverkusen, where he has played for the past three seasons.

The well-regarded defender has been capped with Brazil's powerful national side in 29 matches, and he scores an unusual amount of goals for a backline player, with 12 goals in 65 matches in the Bundesliga since 2000.

The English Football Asscoiation has scheduled the work permit hearing for Lùcio, nee Lucimar de Silva Ferreira, on August 3.

A world class talent, Lùcio would likely be a huge addition for Newcastle.

*...Manchester City's loan out of attacking midfielder Lee Croft to First Division Coventry City fell through because of an odd mix up in loan limits.

"I take the blame myself," Coventry manager Eric Black said. "I thought we could have more loaned-in players than we can."

Coventry is limited to four loan players in their squad, and they already have Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock, Newcastle midfielder Jamie McClen, Le Havre defensive midfielder Yazid Mansouri, and Tottenham attacking midfielder Johnnie Jackson on their roster.

[Chief Rum]

TUESDAY, July 22, 2003

Coleman: Malbranque Stays

LONDON-- Reacting to a weekend report that Primera Liga side Deportivo was interested in his star attacking midfielder Steed Malbranque, Fulham boss Chris Coleman said he wouldn't sell the French player at any price.

"[Malbranque] is far too important to this squad to move him out," Coleman said. "He is a key to our season, and is unavailable at any cost."

Malbranque could not be reached for comment.

Planetfootball.com reported Deportivo's interest Sunday. Deportivo officials could not be reached for comment.

Malbranque, 23, scored six goals with Fulham last season, and eight in 2001-02.

Mellberg Intrigued By Mallorca's Interest

...Aston Villa's Swedish star centreback Olaf Mellberg admitted that he was "intrigued" by the interest being shown him by Primera Liga power Mallorca.

He said it would be very difficult to turn that opportunity down, were it to come his way, despite the fact he feels very attached to Villa Park and the fans in Birmingham.

Mellberg, 25, has appeared in 35 matches for Team Sweden, and has played ont he club level with Aston Villa for the past two seasons. Prior to that, he played with Racing Santander, which happens to also be a Primera Liga club.

Aston Villa manager David O'Leary said over the weekend that he had no desire to move Mellberg and that he was an integral part of the Premiership squad. In addition to Mallorca, fellow Spanish club Sevilla was also reportedly interested in the defender.

[3ric]

(cut to a crowded press conference sometime in the future)

"Mr. Kieta, what can be expected from you in terms of tactics. Are you seeking to build a team to fit your preferred style or would you take your current squad as-is and let their qualities decide how you're going to play?"

[Chief Rum]

WEDNESDAY, July 23, 2003

Position Battles To Mark Portugal Trip

Key First Team Spots Still Open

MIDDLESBROUGH-- The four-game tour of Portugal which begins today will play a key role in determining the composition of the first team, interim Boro manager Matthew Kieta said at his weekly press conference.

"We have quite a few interesting decisions to make," Kieta said.

The club embarks on a four match tour of Portugal today, starting with a match against Portuguese Superleague club Nacional de Madeira in Funchal, Portugal, today. They will follow that up with matches against lower division Esposende (Saturday), Superleague squad Braga (Monday) and another SUperleague club in Alverca (July 31).

All together, the Boro will play four matches in nine days.

The goalkeeper spot has been a known battle from the beginning of preseason. Incumbent and fan favorite Mark Schwarzer is trying to fend off transfer Carlo Nash for the number one jersey.

Kieta also said few others are locked into spots at this point. The manager said he could say with some certainty that attacking midfielder Juninho and defender Gareth Southgate would be on the pitch with the first team. That was about all he would guarantee.

"Some positions that seemed settled now don't," Kieta admitted. "The forward spots, for instance. Both wings. And we came into preseason knowing we weren't sure who Gareth [Southgate] would be playign next to in the backfield."

Anticipated starting forwards Massimo Maccarone and Malcolm Christie both played very poorly against Brechin City last week, while reserve forward Joseph Désiré Job played well and scored the side's only goal, on a penalty in injury time. That and Job's noted consistency and veteran status might have opened the door for the Cameroonian to get first team status.

Neither Franck Queudreu nor Szilard Németh played very well on the wing at Brechin. Anticipated reserve Stuart Downing, though, played a very strong game, with four tackles, two headers and three good runs and may have thrust himself into the wing picture. Loan Bolo Zenden also played well.

Kieta said Németh may not have the physical ability to handle the demanding wing position, and that he may switch Christie and Németh at their positions, so Christie can use his physical skills and good crossing ability, while Németh can return to his more natural striker position. At striker, Németh's speed becomes less important than his savvy and nose for the net.

Backup midfielders Doriva and Mark Wilson both stood out in the Brechin game, but Wilson has been loaned to Stoke City until October. Doriva would face a stiff challenge in well-regarded Spaniard loan Gaizka Mendieta and the very steady George Boateng.

Kieta said Chris Riggott's strong performance against Brechin--six headers, four tackles and two interceptions--likely solidifies him as one of Southgate's partners on the backline. No one else stood out, though, so the competition for the one or two other first team spots is still wide open.

The manager was noncommital on what tactics he would end up employing. He used an intricate 3-1-3-1-2 against Brechin City.

"That's a tactic I used sometimes in the States," Kieta said. "It emphasizes crosses and strong positional defense. It can be hard to learn, though, and I am not sure my players are suited for it."

Kieta said he was very open about what tactics he would use and trained the side regualrly and several different basic formations, so that switching as needed would be possible.

"I like midfielders that can run with the ball, particularly on the wing," the manager said. "My forwards need to be versatile, able to reach the crosses and make something happen themselves. And everyone needs to be well-conditiioned, because I encourage my teams to tackle hard and take chances and play in the face of the opponent."

Kieta said he wasn't sure yet if this Boro team could play that way, but he was going to give it a good long shot before he abandoned his favored tactics for simpler formations.

When the issue of team additions came up, Kieta was very tight-lipped.

"We're still settling on first team memebrs and even what sort of tactics we'll need to use," Kieta said. "With those issues still to be determined, it makes it harder for us to pinpoint what we need ont he transfer market and go after it."

Kieta did admit he had scouts looking at backline help.

"We just don't have the quality depth there right now, especially with Ugo [Ehiogu] out until January at least," he said.

He refused to name candidates, saying the staff had yet to even begin to narrow candidates nor complete their scouting sessions.

Kieta saiid that, due to the club's tour in Portugal, he would not hold a press conference next Tuesday, but would pick up the practice again on August 5.

[Chief Rum]

Thanks for the questions, guys. You'll notice, of course, that they were answered at the press conference, but the article phrased the responses as such an article covering a press conference would. I hope the answers they gave you helped a bit.

CR

[Chief Rum]

THURSDAY, July 24, 2003

Christie Goal Propels Boro Win

Club Wins It On Forward's Goal, 1-0

FUNCHAL, Portugal-- Just over a week ago, striker Malcolm Christie played a poor match against Brechin City, so bad that interim manager Matthew Kieta moved him to right wing for this one.

So all he did was get the key--and only--score in tight defensive match with Portuguese Superleague squad Nacional da Madeira on Wednesday.

The forward rose up above Nacional defender Rossato for a Gaizka Mendieta free kick and headed it high past Brazilian keeper Hilário. Christie was only a few feet from the net as Mendieta laced a perfect floater from near the right sideline right into the six-yard box.

The scoring free kick was set up when Nacional defensive midfielder Ivo dragged down Szilard Németh on a run near the byline.

Despite the low-scoring 1-0 affair, the match was filled with close calls by both sides. The two clubs combined for 17 shots, 10 on goal.

The Boro's chances mostly came early in the match, when the first team was on the pitch. Mendieta curled two close post shots in separate free kicks. Striker Massimo Maccarone split two defenders on a run into the box in the 9th minute but blasted the ball over the bar. A nice near post cross by Christie was instead put into the side netting by fellow winger Stuart Downing.

The only scoring chance of note for the Boro with the second team came when forward Joseph-Désiré Job got on a goal kick header and ran the ball back through three defenders, falling short when his scoring kick attempt flew over the right post.

Goalkeeper Carlo Nash tipped a couple long but direct Nacional shots over the bar, and Mark Schwarzer had to survive a couple of second half flurries directly in front of him before a defender could get the ball to safety.

"I think we had our offense flowing much better today," Kieta said. "We didn't score much, but the opportunities were there. These guys seem to be picking it up some."

Kieta said Tuesday he might have to switch to simpler tactics if the side couldn't grasp the five-tiered tactic he brought over from the United States.

Boro defender Chris Riggott got the Man of the Match nod for an impressive display in the box in the first half. He dominated the defensive air with 14 headers, and also had four interceptions. Mendieta also stood out, with three shots on goal and an assist on Christie's score.

The Nacional da Madeira match was the first in a four-contest tour of Portugal. The next match is Saturday at lower division Esposende.

[Chief Rum]

THURSDAY, July 24, 2003

Nantes Looking For Help From England Again

Now French Side Is After Birmingham's Cissé

NANTES, France-- One week after failing to land Bolton midfielder Youri Djorkaeff, La Ligue One side FC Nantes Atlantique is at it again with reported interest in midfielder Aliou Cissé of Birmingham.

Last week, Nantes manager Loïc Amisse told local reporters he was interested in acquiring the veteran forward Dkorkaeff, but was rebuffed by the Premiership's Bolton manager Sam Allardyce. Now he is looking to bring in Cissé, according to a Football365.com report.

The tenacious 27-year-old Senegalese defender and midfielder played in La Ligue One for four seasons before moving to Birmingham last season. Last year, he appeared in 21 Birmingham matches.

Cissé is capped with Senegal 23 times, and has scored one goal in international competition.

The report said Cissé might be allowed to leave the club for £3 M.

Nantes is looking to bolster their midfield for a run in the Inter-Toto Cup, in which they are currently matched up in a third round leg with Croatian First Division side Cibalia. Nantes defeated Cibalia, 2-0, at home, and will go to Vinkovci on Saturday to finish the two-leg round. The winner advances to the semifinals of the Cup, which has three coveted tie-ins to the Champions Cup.

When Amisse mentioned pursuing Djorkaeff last week, he got blistered by a media attack by current Nantes midfield starter Stéphane Ziani. Ziani could not be reached for comment on the Cissé rumors.

Malbranque Flattered by Deportivo Interest

Two days after his manager said he wasn't going anywhere, Fulham's attacking midfielder Steed Malbranque said he was flattered at the interest shown him by Primera Liga side Deportivo.

"I would be foolish to not consider such a move," Malbranque told Football365.com in an exclusive interview. "I would have to consider just about any offer from them."

The French forward has played in 74 matches with Fulham the past two seasons, scoring 14 goals, including six last season. At 23, he is considered an up-and-coming player with great upside.

Fulham manager Chris Coleman refused to comment for the story. On Monday, Coleman warned clubs away from Malbranque, saying he was not available under any circumstances.

It is thought that Malbranque would draw at least a £4 M transfer fee from any successful bidder.

[Chief Rum]

THURSDAY, July 24, 2003

Other Football Notes

KANSAS CITY, United States-- The United States and Brazil will meet Saturday in the final for the Gold Cup after winning in the semifinals Wednesday.

The United States defeated Canada, 2-0, while Brazil beat South Korea, 2-1.

Canada and South Korea will meet in the third place match.

The Gold Cup competition includes 11 national teams from North and South America, and one Asian region national team.

[Chief Rum]

FRIDAY, July 25, 2003

Manager: Cissé Is Available

BIRMINGHAM-- The club is willing to listen to offers for defnesive midfielder Aliou Cissé, Birmingham manager Steve Bruce said Thursday.

Bruce's announcement comes on the heels of a Football365.com report that FC Nantes Atlantique of La Ligue One was looking at Cissé as a possibility to lend depth to their midfield for a run in the Inter-Toto Cup.

Cissé, a 27-year-old Senegalese veteran of 23 international matches, appeared in just 21 matches for Birmingham City last season, his first in the Premiership. Prior to moving to Birmingham, Cissé played four seasons in France's top league.

Cissé is currently considered to be heading for the Birmingham reserves, so his move is unlikely to have an effect on Birmingham's first team.

The midfielder is likely to draw a £3 M transfer fee.

Leicester City Nabs American Forward

Premiership side Leicester City completed the transfer of American forward Stanley Spencer Thursday.

The lower division Detroit Bullets sold the veteran international forward for £190,000.

Spencer, 27, has been capped for the U.S. 92 times, and scored 13 goals in international competition.

With his extensive international experience, Spencer did not have any trouble qualifying for a work permit.

[Chief Rum]

SATURDAY, July 26, 2003

Two Clubs Name Managers

NOTTINGHAM, England-- The First Division Reds named former English international Stuart Pearce as their new manager Friday.

Pearce, 41, was a veteran of 78 international matches in his career with England, scoring 5 goals.

In Carlisle, the Third Division Cumbrians selected Scotsman Lou Macari to lead them.

Macari, 54, appeared in 24 international matches with Scotland in his playing days.

Aston Villa Loans Addo

Bundesliga power Dortmund sent attacking midfielder Otto Addo on loan to the Premiership's Aston Villa on Friday.

The Ghanaian forward played on Dortmund's reserves last season, appearing in only one match for the first team.

The 28-year-old has appeared in 12 international matches for Ghana, with two goals. Addo has played for Dortmund since 1999, and in German leagues his entire career.

[Chief Rum]

SUNDAY, July 27, 2003

The Heat Is On

Boro Embarrass Themselves With Loss At Esposende

ESPOSENDE, Portugal-- The temperature on the pitch at kickoff was a sweltering 33 degrees Celsius. The seat of interim Boro manager Matthew Kieta's pants might get hotter, though, if his squad keeps playing this way.

The Boro lost 2-1 to a team with much less talent than them Saturday before a thriving 5000-fan-filled Campo Padre Sá Pereira stadium, wacthing as a second half score propelled the home team to a stunning come from behind victory.

Esposende, a lower division Portuguese club, got the key score from defensive midfielder Mário in the 65th minute. Mário pounced on a rebound from Boro keeper Carlo Nash and blasted it into the lower right corner.

The rebound came off of a corner kick in which winger Carlos Viana beat out defensive midfielder Franck Queudreu in the air and headed a close shot at the goal. Nash interposed himself in front of it, but was unable to recover after giving up the rebound.

"It was a tough break for Carlo," Kieta said. "That was just a tough shot to stop. He made a great step on the header. Our defense needs to work on keeping our guys in the net out of those situations. Beat out that header, clear out that rebound. They have a long way to go."

The two sides traded a goal apiece in the first half.

The Boro got on the board first in the 31st minute. Forward Malcolm Christie and defender Gareth Southgate played keep away along the left sideline before Southgate sent in a centering pass near the outside of the box. Defensive midfielder Danny Mills beat out Esposende forward Rossi in the air and headed it on to left winger Stewart Downing standing at the corner fo the box. Virtually unchecked, Downing charged into the penalty area and blasted the ball past young goalkeeper Nuno.

It didn't take long for Esposende to respond. In the 36th minute, defender Filipe Edgar got a header off of a corner kick. The ball bounced off of Mark Schwarzer's hands and over his head into the net for the equaliser.

Neither offense set records today, with 11 total shots recorded. The Boro had just five, although all five were on goal.

Downing got the Man of the Match award, despite being on the losing end.

"Stuart has really thrust himself into the picture right now at wing," Kieta said. "I would be foolish not to play him more often. At this point, I would say it would be very difficult to send him back to the reserves."

Esposende lost their starting goalkeeper early in the match. In the 8th minute, Filipe, 19, landed awkwardly on his leg and hurt his knee. After the match, it was revealed Filipe had torn knee ligaments and would miss three months. Nuno came in to replace Filipe.

Middlesbrough gets just a short break. They play Portuguese Superleague club Braga on Monday.

Other Boro Notes

The English Football Association deadline for submitting squad numbers was Saturday.

Kieta said there were no conflicts of note, and the numbers were sent off on time.

The manager said Schwarzer received the Number One jersey, but that that should not be taken as an indication of which goalkeeper will be the starter when the regular season begins.

"I still haven't come anywhere close to making up my mind," Kieta said of the preseason battle between inclumbent Schwarzer and Machester City transfer Carlo Nash.

[Chief Rum]

SUNDAY, July 27, 2003

Gold Cup Shakes Up U.S. Team

Team Manager Arena Gets Canned After Loss To Brazil

KANSAS CITY, United States-- United States national team manager Bruce Arena was removed from his position Saturday after his team lost in the Gold Cup final to world power Brazil.

"Coach Arena has not moved the team forward as much as we feel they should be at this point," read one portion of a United States Soccer Federation press release announcing the move.

The move is particularly shocking given Arena's success in the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea, and in a solid run in the Gold Cup.

Last year under Arena's leadership, the United States reached the quarterfinals of the World Cup, the most prestigious international competition in football. They were considered one of the four best sides in the Gold Cup competition and did not finish lower than expected in reaching the final.

The United States, ranked 10th in the world by FIFA, hasn't been so well-regarded as it is now since prior to World War Two.

Last year's World Cup run ended with a tough loss to Germany, while Saturday, the United States fell to the current World Cup holder in Brazil, 2-1.

"I am shocked," Arena said. "I had no idea my job was on the line here. You would like to think our great play in the Cup last season would have given me some leeway."

Arena said he had no hard feelings, and that he wished his players and his country well in future football endeavors.

The USSF said it will begin searching for a replacement immediately.

Moving the entire situation into the sublime, the United States lost the Gold Cup final on a bizarre scoring play from Brazil's defender Roberto Carlos--who scored from the other side of the pitch!

With the score knotted up at 1-1, Brazilian keeper Rogério Ceni of Brazil's National First Division Sâo Paolo moved the ball short on a goal kick to defender Alex of Santos. Alex moved it on to Carlos, who plays for Primera Liga power Real Madrid. Carlos was near the right sideline and a good 25 feet from the half line when he unleashed a sharp pass toward Sâo Paolo striker Luìs Fabiano, who was charging toward the box. He and Chicago Fire defender C.J. Brown both fought for the high pass, but missed it. The ball bounded on untouched toward the American net, catching American goalkeeper Kasey Keller offguard near the front endge of the box. The Tottenham keeper rushed back to try to reach the pass, but fell just short before the ball bounced in for one of the odder scores in recent international memory.

The score proved to be critical, as Brazil held on for a tough 2-1 victory.

Both Brazil and the United States got off to fast starts in the final Saturday.

In the 4th minute, midfielder John O'Brien, who is contracted to Dutch power Ajax, took a strong run down the right sideline before making a nice pass toward the box and forward Eddie Lewis. Lewis, who plays for the First Division's Preston North End, sent a nice corner over to the left of the box, where midfielder Robbie Russel of Norway's Sagndal blasted the shot in before Ceni could cover the length of the net.

Brazil got it right back, though. In the 6th minute, winger Mancini of Serie A power Roma dispossessed O'Brien near the right sideline and had a nearly clear bead in on the American goal. Mancini rode in hard toward the right of the box, drawing out Keller. Mancini struck a precise high angle shot that caught the far side of the net, just past the hard charging Keller.

Keller was still almost speechless after the match about the bizarre deciding goal.

"I can't believe it," he said. "You have to be kidding me."

He refused to comment further.

Arena, who had yet to be terminated, defended Keller by saying it was one of the "quirkiest" plays he has ever seen in the sport.

"[Keller] was right where he needed to be to defend a possible run by Fabiano," Arena said. "That play was just ridiculous. They say when you're good, luck tends to help you. Well, Brazil is the best in the world, and they certainly got lucky today."

[GoldenEagle]

(Out of character)

CM has never got the algorithms right on the firing of national team managers. The Gold Cup is not an important cup and no US manager would ever be fired right after losing 2-1 to Brazil.

Arena has been the best manager in U.S. history and probably could never get himself. It does not seem like a complicated formula to write. Maybe I am wrong though.

[Chief Rum]

SUNDAY, July 27, 2003

Stanic To Retire After Season

ALDERSHOT, England-- Croatian forward Mario Stanic announced Saturday that this season will be his last in football.

The 31-year-old Chelsea winger's announcement comes as a mild surprise given his relatively young age. He is already retired from international football, though, and many believe he will be playing for the Chelsea reserves this season, an ignomious end for a formerly well-regarded player.

"I have had a good, long career," Stanic said. "It is time. I don't feel I can accomplish much more than I have, and there are good, young players waiting to start their careers in my place."

Stanic appeared in 18 matches with Chelsea last year, scoring four goals. In three seasons, Stanic's play with the first team has been sproadic. He has scored seven total goals in 57 matches since he came over to the Premiership squad from Serie A club Parma.

Stanic has scored 87 goals in 321 matches in his 15-year career. His best season came in 1995-96 with Belgian bpower Club Brugge. He scored a career-high 20 goals in 30 matches that season.

Stanic also appeared in 49 matches for his native Croatia, scoring seven goals in international play.

Stanic, born in Zagreb, Yugoslavia in 1972, played his first professional football with then Yugoslavian club Zeljeznicar Sarajevo, now located in Bosnia & Herzegovina, in 1988-89, when he was just 15 years old.

He stayed with Zeljeznicar for four seasons, finishing off with his best season there in 1991-92, scoring 11 goals in 21 matches.

Following the 91-92 season, Stanic began to bounce around Europe, playing with Croatian First Division Dinamo, Spain's La Liga Two side Sporting Gijón, and Portuguese power Benfica in successive seasons.

Stanic came into his own in 1995 with Club Brugge, and had seven goals in seven matches in his second season with the Belgian club before he was bought by Serie A side Parma.

In four seasons with Parma, the forward scored 19 goals in 76 matches of rotation duty. He joined Chelsea in 2000.

English Football Notes

Southampton has succeeded where Leicester City had failed.

The Premiership side has come to a transfer agreement with American striker Kenny King of the Cleveland River Fire, two weeks after the striker spurned Leicester's interest.

Southampton has applied for a work permit for King, 26. The English Football Association said it would consider the matter on August 9.

Two weeks ago, Leicester City approached the River Fire about King but were rebuffed by the striker. At the time, King said he was too content to leave the lower division American club, even for a shot in one of the world's top leagues.

King could not be reached for comment Sunday.

King was not on Sunday's Gold Cup finalist squad for the United States, but has appeared in 56 games already for the national side. He has scored 21 goals in those matches, making him one of the top American goal scorers in the world.

His absence from the Gold Cup team might not bode well for his permit application.

Terms of the transfer were not announced. It is anticipated King would draw at most a £500,000 transfer fee.

[Chief Rum]

(Out of character)

CM has never got the algorithms right on the firing of national team managers. The Gold Cup is not an important cup and no US manager would ever be fired right after losing 2-1 to Brazil.

Arena has been the best manager in U.S. history and probably could never get himself. It does not seem like a complicated formula to write. Maybe I am wrong though.

I know. It struct me as weird, too. Oh well, go with the flow. Even the weird decisions still happen in this game and are real in this dynasty. :)

How about that goal, eh? Man, I wish I could show you guys that one. Just weird. Despite what I put down for Arena's quote on the play, Keller should have been much closer to the net. They should have started Howard or Friedel. :)

CR

[Chief Rum]

MONDAY, July 28, 2003

European Competition Heats Up

Inter-Toto Cup Reaches Critical Round

One of the top prestigious cup competitions in the world reached a point where fans will begin to pay attention on Sunday.

The Inter-Toto Cup, which is a feeder competition for the Champions Cup, has reached the semifinal stage.

The competition has 12 remaining clubs vying for the three tie-in spots into the Champions Cup. The semifinal round has two legs, with the first matches being held on Wednesday, and the second leg the following week on August 6.

Although no teams from the United Kingdom will be playing in the final legs of the Inter-Toto Cup, some top clubs from Germany's Bundesliga, France's La Ligue One, Italy's Serie A, and Spain's Primera Liga will be fighting for those three seeds.

Bundesliga club Schalke 04 will play Greek National A Division side Algaleo; Belgian squad Sint-Truiden will go up against the Primera Liga's Villareal; Serie A's Perugia will meet the Netherland's Willem II of the Dutch Premier Division; Germany's Werder Bremin will meet Italian club Brescia, in probably the highest profile clash; La Ligue One clubs Nantes and Guingamp will ensure at least one French club makes it to the finals; and the Czech Republic also features two sides facing off, with Brno challenging traditional First Division power Slovan Liberec.

Nantes has made headlines in England recently with announced pursuits of Premiership midfielders Youri Djorkaeff of Bolton and Alliou Cissé of Birmingham City. The stated purpose of that interest was for this cup competition.

[Chief Rum]

MONDAY, July 28, 2003

Wimbledon In Receivers

First Division Side Goes Bankrupt

MILTON KEYNES, England-- Financiers for First Division side Wimbledon were called in Sunday when the club failed to meet an English Football Association deadline for meeting certain debt reduction requirements.

"We have made all of our books available for persual and given over direct control of our finances to our many creditors," Wimbledon chairman Charles Koppel said. Koppel will continue to advise on any efforts to reduce the club debt.

Under directives from the association, the club has retracted its entire transfer budget and announced that it will consider reasonable transfer offers.

"This is a sad day for Wimbledon fans," manager Stuart Murdoch said.

It is often the case that when a club goes in receivers, it is a virtual certainty to be relegated the following season. Wimbledon is now threatened by that possibility, although with the end of the season still almost a year away, it is possible relegation can be avoided.

Of course, that is relegation off the pitch. Even if Wimbledon survives that, the club may get relegated just as a natural course of the season, as it will certainly have to sell off several of its best players to regain financial control of club operations. Selling off players is not, of course, historically beneficial to a club's season.

No clubs, national or local have yet announced any interest in Wimbledon players, but it is thought it won't be long before that comes to pass.

The players most likely to draw interest are Jamaican midfielder Jobi McAnuff, striker Patrick Agyemang, midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker and forward Lionel Morgan.

Cissé: Not Leaving

Birmingham City midfielder Aliou Cissé said he does not want to leave St. Andrews.

The Senegalese midfielder was reacting to continuing rumors that French La Ligue One side FC Nantes Atlantique was hot on his tail.

"I don't want to leave Birmingham," Cissé said. "I like playing here. I like the fans. I want them to know that I enjoy playing them and want the opportunity to continue to do so."

Cissé, 27, was linked to Nantes by a Football365.com report last week. The rumors were furthered along when Cissé's manager Steve Bruce said he would consider offers for the midfielder late last week.

Nantes has been trying to bring in midfield help for two weeks, in an effort to bolster itself for a run in the Inter-Toto Cup. The French side has reached the semifinals and begins a two-leg round with Greek side Algaleo on Wednesday.

Cissé has seen just limited time in his one season with Birmingham. He appeared in 21 matches last year with the Premiership squad, and didn't score any goals. At the moment, it seems likely Cissé will struggle to make the first team.

The Senegalese international has appeared in 23 matches for his native country, with one international goal.

It has been speculated that a transfer fee around £4 M would be needed to entice Birmingham to transfer the player.

[Chief Rum]

TUESDAY, July 29, 2003

Nightmare In Portugal

Boro Suffer Another Lackluster Defeat

BRAGA, Portugal-- The Boro are taking this friendly thing way too far, because they are being way too friendly to their opponents.

The club lost its second straight match, and its third friendly in four preseason contests when it fell, 2-1, to Portuguese Superleague side Braga on Monday.

And the club looked as bad--or even worse-- than they did against Brechin City in the preseason opener.

"I really need to light a fire under these guys," interim manager Matthew Kieta said. "They need to find something here and go with it. Sure, this is just the preseason, but I really feel that how you approach the exhibitions and practice is an indicator of your real attitude toward team football and improving your game."

The Boro managed just three shots in the match against Braga, and they got their only goal off of a penalty, much like their first match against Brechin City.

Braga controlled the ball for most of the match, and kept the pressure on both Mark Schwarzer and Carlo Nash, the Boro's two goalkeepers. The Portuguese club finished with nine shots, five on goal.

Still, the Boro kept the match close until halfway through the second half, when young striker Angelo finally broke a scoreless tie.

Angelo tallied twice in six minutes to finally give Braga some benefits from a long match controlling the pitch. Boro supporters aren't likely to be calmed down by the fact Angelo is just a U-19 player for the Portuguese side.

In the 68th minute, forward Paolo Sérgio went on a run toward the byline and then sent a quick pass down toward the six yard box. Angelo beat out Doriva in an aerial challenge and headed the ball past Schwarzer for the first score.

Just a few minutes later, in the 74th minute, after Boro winger Stuart Downing had cleared a Braga corner kick, striker Dominic Foley got to the ball near the right sideline and rushed back toward the box. He launched a crossing pass into the box from far out on the right. Sérgio this time went up for it, beating out veteran wingback Colin Cooper for the header. Schwarzer was ready for it and deflected it back out, but that left him out of position when Angelo jumped on the rebound and blasted it over Schwarzer's shoulder for his second tally of the match.

The Boro got their only goal in the 80th minute when Downing drew a penalty by Braga defender Pedro Costa. Downing had been about to receive a centering pass from forward Michael Ricketts when Costa took out his legs in the box.

Ricketts took the penalty and converted it by blasting a low shot to the left corner, past Braga's keeper Marco. It was the Boro's only goal of the match.

"I think it's time to try some other tactics," Kieta said after the match. "We need to get these comfortable again. The season is just around the corner, and we have to be ready for it."

He gave no hints about what tactics he might consider.

The Boro wrap up their four-match tour of Portugal with a contest against another Portuguese Superleague squad, Alverca, on Thursday.

[Chief Rum]

TUESDAY, July 29, 2003

Real Madrid Buys Malbranque

MADRID-- Last week, Steed Malbranque said he was flattered by interest from Primera Liga side Deportivio. Imagine how he must have felt when powerful superclub Real Madrid came calling?

That is exactly what happened Monday, as Real Madrid negotiated a £5.25 M transfer fee for the Fulham forward star-in-the-making.

"This is like a dream come true," said the 23-year-old Frenchman. "I can hardly believe a club like Real Madrid wants to have me play for them."

Malbranque said he is particularly looking forward to playing with superstar French forward Zinedine Zidane.

"He is so skilled," Malbranque said. "I really want to see what I can learn from him, to make myself a better player."

Just last week, it appeared that Malbranque wasn't going anywhere. Despite Deportivo's interest and Malbranque's own stated desire to consider such a move, Fulham boss Chris Coleman said he would not sell the attacking midfielder "for any price."

The forward has played with Fulham for two seasons, scoring 14 goals in 74 career matches with the Premiership squad. With star midfielders like Zidane, Figo and David Beckham on the squad, Malbranque will likely see much less playing time with the superpower.

"He's a guy we want for depth and for the future," Real Madrid manager Carlos Queiroz said. "He has a great future ahead of him."

Officials from Deprotivo, who were apaprently outbid for the forward's services, refused to comment.

[Chief Rum]

WEDNESDAY, July 30, 2003

Danny Mills Hurt

ALVERCA, Portugal-- Boro defensive midfielder Danny Mills tweaked his ankle in practice Tuesday, and had to be helped off the pitch.

Interim manager Matthew Kieta said the sprain was "light", but that Mills would be kept out of the match against Portuguese Superleague squad Alverce tomorrow.

Kieta said he did not expect the injury to keep Mills out beyond that. The Boro wrap up their friendly schedule Sunday with a match against Third Division Carlisle United.

The defender, 26, is on loan with Middlesbrough from fellow Premiership side Leeds United. He has been a regular in the Boro's four friendlies so far, with an assist and 6.75 rating in those matches while splitting time between the backline and defensive midfielder.

Kieta said the injury would delay Mill's try out on the right wing, where he had been slotted to start against Alverca. The position has given the club problems this offseason, with neither Szilard Németh nor Malcolm Chrisitie really nailing the position down.

[Chief Rum]

WEDNESDAY, July 30, 2003

United States Gets New Manager

NEW YORK CITY-- The United States Soccer Federation announced the hiring of Don Francis as the new national team coach Tuesday.

Francis replaces Bruce Arena, who was unexpectedly let go after Saturday's 2-1 loss to Brazil in the Gold Cup competition.

What made the move so unexpected was because Arena had led the U.S. team to heights in international football that it had not enjoyed in decades.

Arena led the team to a quarterfinal appearance in the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea, and also took the team to the final in the Gold Cup. FIFA currently has the American team ranked 10th in the world.

Francis, the coach of the California Clippers, is a veteran of past American national teams. He appeared in 60 matches for the U.S. team in his playing days, scoring three international goals.

Francis, 43, is well-regarded in football circles, although it could take some time for him to overcome the odd removal of Arena, a very popular manager.

[Chief Rum]

THURSDAY, July 31, 2003

Chelsea Brings In Mellberg

LONDON-- It must be in vogue for managers to say one thing and do quite another a week or two later.

Aston Villa defender Olaf Mellberg was shipped to Chelsea on Wednesday for £4.4 M, just two weeks after Villa manager David O'Leary told two Primera Liga clubs to "leave him alone" about the Swedish centreback.

The about-face on Mellberg is particularly interesting given that another Premiership boss, Fulham's Chris Coleman, made similar statements about his star forward Steed Malbranque before shipping him to Real Madrid Monday.

Mellberg drew interest from Mallorca and Sevilla of Primera Liga ealier this month. After O'Leary denied that he had any interest in selling the 25-year-old defender, the rumors went away. Chelsea was never mentioned as a potential destination for Mellberg.

The Swedish player has been capped internationally 35 times. He appeared in 38 matches with Aston Villa last season, scoring one goal. Mellberg played with Villa for two seasons, after coming over from Primera Liga side Racing Santander.

English Football Notes

Nationwide Conference side Leigh RMI appointed Phil Chapple to be their new manager.

Chapple, 36, is not well-regarded in football circles. The opportunity with the Railwaymen will likely be a new opportunity for him to re-establish his managing career.

[Chief Rum]

FRIDAY, August 1, 2003

Return To Form

The Boro Play Like Premiership Side In Win Over Alverca

ALVERCA, Portugal-- It's about time they looked this good. It only took a month and five friendlies.

The Boro defeated Portuguese Superleague club Alverca Thursday, 2-1, in a match that wasn't nearly as close as it seemed to be.

From the midway point of the first half, Middlesbrough dominated the play on the pitch, and ALverca was fortunate to only fall by one goal.

"That was a little closer to the kind of talent we have on this squad," interim manager Matthew Kieta said after the match.

Kieta credited a mid-match tactics switch for the sudden burst of quality play from the Boro players. He said he made the switch around the 30th minute, because it appeared that the side was still struggling with one of his more complicated schemes.

"It was time to go simple," Kieta said. "I went with a base 4-4-2, with some attacking runs. The players have been handling it well in practice, but it was always a backup plan. I remain confident my multi-faceted tactics can work if the players get used to them, but it was time to try something else."

Kieta said he would "go with what works" in future matches, which, for now, appears to be the second tactic his side employed Thursday.

The Boro seemed to be struggling to keep control of the ball in the early going Thursday, similar to other recent matches on this four-contest tour of Portugal. They were down 1-0 after Alverca forward Manú put in a header in the 5th minute. On the whole, several of the goals allowed by the Boro on this trip have come through passes in the air and either headers or rebounds off of head shots.

Around the 30th minute, Kieta made the tactics change and things seemed to look up for the squad right away. They immediately began to put good pressure on Alverca goalkeeper Yannick. Midfielder Gaizka Mendieta in particular played fantastic, with play reminescent of his top turn against Nacional da Madeira a week earlier.

Mendieta kicked a curving shot on Yannick that the keeper barely knocked away. It was cleared before another Boro player could pounce on it. Then Mendieta sent another sharp freekick at the bnetminder late in the first half.

For allt he renewed enthusiasm, though, the Boro went into half time still down 1-0.

They finally broke through in the 58th minute. Forward Michael Ricketts drew a push from Alverca centreback Marco Almeida, setting up a freekick from 25 yards out. Mendieta's shot was pure beauty, a sharp curving line drive that just skipped on the edge of the right post. Yannick had no chance with such a well-placed shot.

The Boro continued to press, breaking Joseph-Désiré Job and Ricketss wide open on two separate breakways that Yannick and his backup, Ernesto, barely got their hands in on. With plenty of runs and crosses into the box, the Boro's match-clinching score was a typical effort.

In the 82nd minute, midfielder Jonathon Greening collected an errant clear out pass and went on a run down toward the left side of Alverca's penalty area. He reached the byline and lofted a soft pass over into the six yard box and Szilard Németh. Forward Zeferino moved to block, but Németh collected the ball ont he bounce and blasted it at Ernesto from up close. Ernesto barely fended off the shot, and the ball bounced to the right nearly parallel to the goal line. Németh bounded on the ball and made a beauty of a tight shot past a closing Ernesto for the go ahead goal.

In the last minutes of the game, Boro keeper Carlo Nash got in the way of some tough shots to preserve a victory that was needed as much for the morale of the coach, as for the players and supporters.

"Yeah, it's a relief to finally break through with a nice game like this," Kieta said. "Not that I am worried. Everyone with the club knows that it isn't going to happen overnight."

The Boro actually got outshot by Alverca, 12-10, but that was including a flurry of shots by the Portuguese side early in the match, prior to the tactics change. Plus, Alverca only put five of those shots on goal, next to nine for Middlesbrough.

In fact, Alverca was forced into 14 fouls and two yellow cards in their attempt to keep the hard charging Boro from scoring more. The visiting side had six orners to ALverca's three, and 14 free kicks to 10 for the hosts.

Not all the news was good, thoigh. After playing so brilliantly that he garnered a Man of the Match award, Mednieta had to leave the pitch in the 69th minute after he took a false step and tweaked his knee.

Kieta said Mendieta had sprained some knee ligaments and would be held out of practice for a week. He will also miss Sunday's preseason finale against Third Division Carlisle United.

The Boro will get the services of defender Danny Mills against Carlisle. The Leeds loanee missed Thursday's game with a sprained ankle.

The Boro finished their four-match tour of Portugal at 2-2-0, and sit at 2-3-0 for the preseason.

[SirFozzie]

Just one OOC Thing:

The Inter-Toto Cup (fondly known as the InterTwoBob in the UK), feeds into the UEFA Cup, not the Champions League.

[Chief Rum]

Just one OOC Thing:

The Inter-Toto Cup (fondly known as the InterTwoBob in the UK), feeds into the UEFA Cup, not the Champions League.

Oh pish! Bugger off! :D

I actually knew that. I painstakingly figured all that out in my Kettering dynasty. I guess my memory got a little fuzzy over the past half year or so.

CR

[Chief Rum]

SATURDAY, August 2, 2003

Wenger: Edu Not For Sale

LONDON-- Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger told reporters Friday that Brazilian midfielder Edu was not available.

"Hands off, everyone," Wenger said in warning. "He's not available. He remains an important part of the Gunner squad."

Edu has been at the center of a behind-the-scenes storm of transfer rumors since he spoke out against his club's decision to bring in Italian-English midfielder Simon Perrotta from Serie A club Chievos Verona last week.

The well-regarded 25-year-old winger might be looking at part time play with Perrotta's arrival. Also, in early July, Arsenal was linked to brilliant Brazilian winger Alex, although they were not able to pull off the deal. Some observers saw this as dissatisfaction with the temepramental Edu, and clubs came calling for a shot at his services.

The leading contender of those clubs was Primera Liga power Valencia.

Edu, were Wenger to change his mind about a move, would draw around a £4 M transfer fee. The midfielder scored two goals in 18 matches with Arsenal last season.

Edu is entering his fourth season with Arsenal and has yet to achieve regular first team status, with just 37 first team matches in two and a half seasons.

Other Football Notes

Striker Bashar Abdullah of the United Arab Emirates received the Asian Player of the Month award for July. The 25-year-old Kuwaiti forward, who plays for Al Ahli in the U.A.E.'s Emirian First Class League, scored two goals in two matches, to go along with an 8.00 rating.

Abdullah has appeared in 60 matches for Kuwait and has notched up an impressive 44 goals in international competition.

Serbian manager Milorad Kosanovic won the Asian Manager of the Month award for July for his work with China's Dalian Shide squad, currently leading the Chinese Superleague.

Kosanovic, 52, led his club to four Superleague victories in July, none of which were closer than two goal victories.

Asian football tends to run from the beginning of the year until the fall, similar to the Scandinavian leagues.

[GoldenEagle]

OOC question -

Chief, how many leagues are you running?

[Chief Rum]

Every single darn one of them. Slowly, of course. But then I play CM slow, so I don't mind the speed. I will run the game int he background while I do other stuff.

I only have the English leagues on full detail, but every league is selected and pushed out to its maximum levels. Also large database. I'ma glutton. :)

CR

[Chief Rum]

MONDAY, August 4, 2003

Boro Wrap Up Preseason On A High

Middlesbrough Finish Preseason With 2-0 Win Over Carlisle

CARLISLE, England-- This preseason has been filled with ups and downs for Middlesbrough, but interim manager Matthew Kieta seems to have the team playing well at the right time.

Sunday, the Boro completed their preseason friendly schedule with a solid 2-0 shellacking of Third Division Carlisle United. The Boro limited Carlisle to just three shots, with two on goal.

Kieta cautioned against optimism at the win, though.

"Carlisle is game to try and put up a great effort," Kieta said, "but let's face it. They are a Third Division squad. They shouldn't be testing us, even in a friendly."

The manager said he was glad to see the side work together so well, though, and that the new tactic that keyed a win over Portuguese Superleague club Alverca on Thursday continued to pay dividends Sunday.

The Boro received a scare early on, though. Forward Malcolm Chrisite had to leave the pitch after Carlisle midfielder Mark Summerbell stepped on his foot while they fought for the ball. Christie, who was replaced by Michael Ricketts, was later determined to have justa s tubbed toe whichwill only keep him out for a couple days.

The Boro were also missing the services of midfielder Gaizka Mendieta, who missed the match with strained knee ligaments suffered in the Alverca victory.

Ricketts paid off right away. In the 16th minute, defensive midfielder Danny Mills, who was being tried out on the right wing, stole the ball from forward Adam Rundle and made a nice long pass to Ricketts, who foudn a break in the defense. Ricketts got to Mills' pass with a step on the defenders as he charged toward the middle of the penalty area. Carlisle keeper Robbie Byrne moved forward to intercept, but Ricketss hit a hard, high shot that just blew past the keeper and into the net for the Boro's first score.

Mills also played a key role in the Boro's second goal. In the 28th minute, the defender-turned-winger executed a superb sliding tackle on wingback Tom Cowan, and pushed the ball forward on a run along the right sideline. Halfway to the byline, Mills shot a low pass to Ricketss charging toward the penalty area. Ricketts barely adjusted the pass, moving it forward to striker Massimo Maccarone, who had split two defenders. Byrne came up to get Maccarone, but the striker put the ball just inside the left post for the two-goal lead.

Carlisle would dodge some other bullets the rest of the match, preventing the score from getting out of hand. Midfielder Doriva had a free kick that bounced off the right post. Forward Joseph-Désiré Job took two long, but direct shots at Byrne as well.

Altogether, the Boro had seven shots, with five on goal.

With the win, the Boro finished the preseason 3-3-0, which seemed unthinkable after falling to 1-3 with a loss to Portuguese Superleague squad Braga last week.

The club will now go into two-a-day practices as they prepare for the Premier League season opener against Tottenham on August 16 at Riverside Stadium.

[Chief Rum]

MONDAY, August 4, 2003

Lúcio Permit Denied

Newcastle Will Re-Apply

NEWCASTLE, England-- Brazilian centreback Lúcio failed to get a work permit from the English Football Association Sunday, dashing Newcastle United's hopes of having the well-regarded defender in the lienup for their Premier League opener next week.

The Premiership side has re-applied for a permit for the 25-year-old defender, who is currently playing with Bundesliga power Leverkusen. The Football Association will reconsider the application on August 17.

The English Football Association requires non-European Union players to apply for a work permit to play in the English professional leagues. The player must have appeared in 70% of his nation's last 16 international matches, or be a particularly skilled or well-known player.

Lúcio has appeared in 29 matches for his native Brazil, but as a citizen of such a powerful national side, he has not been on the team in recent international matches.

Lúcio has been with Leverkusen for three seasons. He has been unusually successful as a goal-scoring defender in his time in the Bundesliga, with 12 goals in 65 matches.

[GoldenEagle]

What kind of specs are you working with?

[Chief Rum]

XP Home
AMD AthlonXP 1600 (about 1.3 GHz)
768 mb RAM
40 GB hard drive

I am guessing that is what you need to know as it relates to CM speed anyway. :)

CR

[Chief Rum]

MONDAY, August 4, 2003

One More Superstar

Superpower Manchester United Shakes English Football Up By Buying Anelka

MANCHESTER-- What, Scholes, Forlán and van Nistlerooy weren't enough?

Super club Manchester United put a little more distance between it and the rest of the world Sunday when it pulled off the shocker of the offseason by signing away Manchester City;s explosive striker Nicolas Anelka.

"I can't say enough about this young man," Man U manager Sir Alex Ferguson said. "He's just brilliant, and everyone knows it. We had the opportunity and I couldn't pass it up."

Premiership clubs will have to go into matches with the most powerful club in England now with the goal of stopping not just super Dutch scorer Nistlerooy but Anelka as well, after they bought the French striker for £13.0 M.

The addition of the 24-year-old superstar striker gives Man U one of the top pairs of strikers in the world. Anelka scored 14 goals in 38 matches for Man City last season. He could increase that total next to the Premiership's returning goal score leader in Nistlerooy (25 goals last year).

Manchester City manager Kevin Keegan said he couldn't pass the deal up.

"We can really use that cash to improve this team," the manager said. "Sure, we don't have another Anelka waiting in the engine room, but I think we'll be fine with [Robbie] Fowler and [Antoine] Sibierski up front."

Keegan passed on comments regarding what effect the transfer would have on competitiveness in the Premiership.

"What do I care?" asked the manager. "I am charged with improving this squad. It doesn't matter who else benefits from me doing so."

Anelka, 24, is already capped at the international level with France in 28 matches. He has scored six goals in international play.

Last season was Anelka's best since he exploded on the scene with Arsenal in 1998-99. That season, the striker--just 18 years old--scored a career high 17 goals in 35 matches.

Anelka, who is known to have somewhat of a volatile personality, has already played for some of the top clubs in the world, including Arsenal, Paris-SG, Liverpool, and Real Madrid.

The striker could not be reached for comment. His contract is reportedly in the area of £2.1 M per season through the 2006-07 season.

Other Football Notes

Two of Italy's top powers met Sunday in the Italian Super Cup. AC Milan defeated Juventus, 3-0, to win one of Italy's most coveted trophies.

[Chief Rum]

TUESDAY, August 5, 2003

Premiership Transfers Heating Up

Cissé, Davis Move To New Clubs, Edu Next?

LONDON-- Perhaps responding to Manchester United's acquisition of Manchester City striker Nicolas Anelka, Chelsea made its own big move for a striker Monday, acquiring one of the top French goal scorers in La Ligue One in Djibril Cssé.

Cissé, 21, is one of the most exciting young strikers in football right now. Despite his tender age, the striker has already played in 15 matches for his homeland France and Chelsea put out a heavy £8.75 M to bring him over from French Ligue One power Auxerre.

That fee could rise to £9.5 M if Cissé meets certain apperance requirements, which few doubt he will reach if healthy.

"I think Djibril is better than Anelka," Chelsea boss Claudio Ranieri said. "He has proven himself better in these past couple years, and he's younger and cheaper, too."

Cissé will draw a £1.0 M wage from his new club, which keeps him under contract until the 2006-07 season.

Cissé is just the cherry on top of a smorgasborg of forward shopping by Chelsea this past offseason. In addition to Cissé and popular incumbent striker Eidur Gudjohnsen, Chelsea have also brought aboard Inter's Hernán Crespo, Parma's Adrian Mutu, West Ham's Joe Cole, Manchester United's Juan Sebastián Verón and Blackburn's Damien Duffy.

Ranieri's challenge will be to make them all happy.

Gudjohnsen shrugged off the competition.

"If it helps the squad, it is fine by me," said the Icelandic striker, who led Chelsea with 10 goals last season. "Depth like this is just incredible. I'm willing to take part tiem if it gets us to the top of the table."

Cissé scored 14 goals for Auxerre last season after exploding on the Ligue One scene with 22 goals in 29 appearances in 2001-02. In the past three seasons, the striker has 44 goals in 87 matches.

Newcastle United made a celebrated move as well, bringing in Fulham's well-regarded young midfielder Sean Davis for £2.6 M on Monday.

The 23-year-old defensive midfielder made a name for himself with Fulham as a tireless and determined player on the pitch. He is thought to have tremendous upside.

Davis scored three goals last season in 28 appearances. Until now, Davis had never played for any club except Fulham. His best season came in 2000-01, when he scored six goals in 40 appearances.

Davis signed a £475,000 contract through 2005-06 with Newcastle. The move is anticpated as a buffer move in case Newcastle fails to get star Brazilian defender Lúcio a work permit. The English Football Association turned down the goal-scoring centreback's application on Sunday, and Newcastle has re-applied in an attempt to get him active.

At Highbury, disgruntled midfielder Edu told soccer.net he hoped that the rumored move to Valencia will come "to a speedy resolution, whichever way it turns out."

The Primera Liga power has reportedly been pursuing the well-regarded Brazilian midfielder since he lashed out at Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger in July over the club's decision to buy Chievo's well-rounded midfielder Simon Perrotta.

Edu said at the time that there were too many players at his position with the club, and that there could be playing time issues.

Last week, Wenger said Edu would not be made available under any circumstances. Despite that, rumors of a move to valencia have not ceased.

Edu told soocer.net that he would "consider his options", in light of the media speculation surrounding his rumored transfer.

Edu, 25, scored two goals last season in 18 matches with Arsenal.

Boro Notes

Reserve centreback Phil Gulliver injured his knee in training Monday, and will mis two weeks with a sprain. The 20-year-old Gulliver is currently available for loan, but any moves involving him will liekoly have to wait until late August now. Gulliver is not in the running for a first team spot or even a rotation hole.

[GoldenEagle]

By the way Chief - your doing a great job with dynasty. I am really enjoying reading it. I am kind of jelaous that you are running all the leagues and well, I am not. I am hoping to upgrade my RAM when I get some extra spending money and upgrade to the new version as well.

I think running all the leagues provides a much more fun experience. It also seems media involvement has picked up in this version. Can you confirm?

[Chief Rum]

WEDNESDAY, August 6, 2003

He Came Bearing Gifts

Kieta Announces Moves In Making For Squad

MIDDLESBROUGH-- When interim manager Matthew Kieta resumed his weekly press conference schedule Tuesday, he opened with some news.

The manager said he had reached transfer agreements with Juventus for central defender Salvatore Fresi, and with troubled First Division side Wilmbledon for a couple key young talents.

"Fresi is just the guy we're looking for," Kieta said. "He's strong, aggressive and tackles well. He plays very tall, and can handle both positional and man-on defense. He is the perfect guy to fill that key third spot on the back line."

Fresi's arrival and Chris Riggott's development in a strong preseason should combine with versatile Leeds loanee Danny Mills and captain and top defender Gareth Southgate for a very solid last line of defense in front of the goal. Fresi will also help hold the defence over until pwoerful centreback Ugo Ehiogu can return from his knee injury, sometime in January of next year.

Kieta said he and his staff were working on a contract with Fresi. The 30-year-old Italian player doesn't speak English, so Kieta said he will be relying on the help of striker Massimo Maccarone to help Fresi adapt to English culture.

Fresi has bounced around some the past few seasons. He appeared in nine matches with Juventus last season, scoring one goal. He had a very strong 2001-02, when he scored eight goals in 25 matches for Bologna, an unusually high number for a sweeper. He has scored 16 goals in 233 career appearances across 13 seasons, all of which were played in the Italian leagues. He started for Inter from 1995-1997.

As one would think from his goal numbers, Fresi is also versatile enough to move forward into defensive midfielder if needed.

Kieta also said he had worked out transfer agreements for two of Wibledon's young players, and a third might be on the way. The most notable player is Lionel Morgan, a 20-year-old winger with tremendous upside and the skills to see first team action this season.

"Morgan is one of the best crossing passers in England, no matter what level he's on," Kieta said. "He is also very pacey and is excellent controlling the ball, both of which are key attributes int he system I like to play."

Morgan suffered a knee injury in early July and still will be healing up for another four weeks. Kieta said head physio Grant Downie had checked Morgan out and wasn't concerned about lingering effects from the injury.

Once healthy, Morgan should help out depth on the wing, which Kieta has noted as a glaring weakness of the Boro at the moment. The Boropaid £230,000 for the rights to Morgan.

In addition to Morgan, Kieta said the club had also acquired the rights to talkented young defender Dean Lewington, and had made an offer on a third, as yet unnamed, Wilbledon player.

Wimbledon, wich fell into receivers last week, is motivated to sell quickly at the moment.

Kieta said Lewington would play with the reserves this season, and that if the club reaches agreement on the third player, that one will also liekly be on the reserve squad.

"They are all tremendous talents, and will give our youth a healthy kick in the butt," Kieta said.

The Boro squad might need that kick. Skybet set the side at long 150-to-1 odds Tuesday to win the Premiership this year. Most observers seem to believe Middlesbrough can at best finish high in the mid-table area this season, and could do even worse, should Kieta not adapt quickly enough to play in the EPL.

"I don't concern myself with gamblers or odds," Kieta said of the Skybet betting lines. He refused to comment further on that.

Kieta said the team is getting healthier, with forward Malcolm Christie returning to practice Tuesday after suffering a stubbed toe, and midfielder Gaizka Mendieta set to return today from a sprained knee. Reserve central defender Phil Gulliver went down with a knee injury Monday that will likely keep him out of competition for a couple weeks, but he wasn't expected to make the first team in any case.

Coming off of a strong finish to an uneven preseason, the side's "spirits are high", the manager said.

"We didn't start off too hot, but the guys got it together in the end," Kieta said. "I think we have the talent to surprise, but these guys are going to have to keep working for it, just like they did in Alverca and in Carlisle."

Middlesbrough finished off its preseason with victories over Portuguese Superleague squad Alverca and Third Division Carlisle United. In those matches, the side used a simpler base 4-4-2 tactic that seemed to be more effective than the complicated tactic Kieta tried to install early on in camp.

The club finished the preseason 3-3-0 overall, with eight goals each for and against, and two clean sheets.

Kieta was noncommital on what the actual composition of the first team would be, saying he still wanted to take another week of hard practice before making any announcements.

The Boro open their season at home against Tottenham on August 16.

[Chief Rum]

By the way Chief - your doing a great job with dynasty. I am really enjoying reading it. I am kind of jelaous that you are running all the leagues and well, I am not. I am hoping to upgrade my RAM when I get some extra spending money and upgrade to the new version as well.

I think running all the leagues provides a much more fun experience. It also seems media involvement has picked up in this version. Can you confirm?


Thanks, GE. I just hope I am not overwhelming anyone. I tend to do that in my dynasties (not that anyone has yet complained :) ).

Heh heh, sorry about making you jealous. :) RAM makes so much difference. I can't begin to tell you. First of all, though, I wanted to say that, as it is now, this runs extremely slow. We're talking a day every 15-20 minutes--if I am lucky. This is what I mean by just letting it run int he background. I have even saved the game, continued, and gone to sleep, only to wake up and check how far it has come along before starting the new day. That's how slow it runs.

But, yeah, RAM makes a huge difference. I switched from 256 MB to 768 MB while playing CM4. In fact, it was the awful speed of that version that really convinved me to do it. Not only did it make CM4 run really fast, it just improved the overall operation of my computerten fold. I highly recommend getting more RAM if you can afford it, even without writing a dynsaty.

I don't know if the increased media is a cause and effect of having all the leagues running or if it's just the way they have designed CM03/04, but, yeah, it's terrific. It really helps you get into the world of football. I am getting a ton of media messages, on average two a day (although it goes in spurts, sometimes just one or, more rarely, zero, and sometimes a bunch, four or five or more). That is, of course, above and beyon dhte little messages I get myself about ym team (with scouting and transfers and injruies and what not).

It's been a lot of fun. I can't wait to start the EPL season. :)

CR

[Chief Rum]

WEDNESDAY, August 6, 2003

Skybet Tabs Man Utd To Win Table

Oddsmakers Put Arsenal A Close Second In Premiership

LONDON-- Football betting firm Skybet announced their English Premier League odds Tuedsay, installing superpwer Manchester United as the favorite to win it all.

The oddsmakers put Manchester United at 6-4 odds to win the EPL this season. The superpower club, led by such stars as defender Rio Ferdinand, striker Ruud Van Nistlerooy, and midfielders Roy Keane and Paul Scholes, recently added star striker Nicolas Anelka from Manchester City.

Arsenal is right on Man U's tail, though. Skybet puts the London power at 7-4 odds. Arsenal brought in winger Simon Perrotta to go along with such stars as superstar striker Thierry Henry, midfielder Patrick Vieira and forwards Robert Pires and Dennis Bergkamp.

Skybet picks the rich Chelsea squad to vie with Newcastle United for the third spot, putting both at 8-1 odds for the title. Chelsea made news recently by purchasing French star striker Djibril Cissé, just one in several high profile moves the club has made since new ownership flooded the team with cash. Forwards Hernán Crespo and Juan Sebastián Verón are two others in a star studded frontline and midfield.

Newcastle hasn't managed to bring in well-regarded Brazilian defender Lúcio yet--he is still awaiting a work permit--, but they have plenty left to make a run. Forwards Craig Bellamy, Kieran Dyer and Alan Shearer will help key the attack for the club.

Liverpool has fallen a little from its exalted status of two years ago, when it won the EPL, but it remains a very dangerous side. Skybet puts Liverpool at 10-1 odds for a title, just behind Chelsea and Newcastle. Liverpool once again brings its array of talent that only Arsenal and Manchester United can really boast right now, including striker Michael Owen, forward Harry Kewell, midfielder John Arne Riise and wingback Steven Gerrard.

There appears to be a sharp drop after the top five. Skybet sets Everton as side leading the pack, setting them up at 40-1 odds to win a title. Young forwards Wayne Rooney, James McFadden and Arsenal import Francis Jeffers will lead the way.

[Chief Rum]

WEDNESDAY, August 6, 2003

Barthez Feuds With Ferguson

MANCHESTER-- Not all was rosey ont he day Manchester United was installed as the favroites to win this year's English premier League table.

Longtime star goalkeeper Fabien Barthez said he is unhappy with the club and with its celebrated manager, Sir Alex Ferguson.

"I'm not happy here," Barthez said. "I don't know. Maybe I have just been here too long and worn out my welcome. I don't feel like Alex and I are gettinbg along anymore."

Freguson said he was surprised byt he French goalkeeper's comments.

"I feel that Fabien and I get along fine," said the 61-year-old manager. "Quite frankly, though, it's none of your business, and I am a little disappointed he decided to talk to you guys about it."

Ferguson is considered one of the greatest managers in football history, but he is also famous for a red hot temper, including flare ups in the engine room with midfielder Rio Ferdinand and former winger David Beckham, now with Real Madrid of the Primera Liga.

Barthez might be looking over his shoulder, though, as much as angry at his manager.

Manchester United brought in highly-regarded American goalkeeper Tim Howard in the offseason, and Barthez has been thought to be under pressure to preserve his first team spot, some football observers say.

Barthez, 32, has played with Man U for three seasons, starting 30, 32, and 30 matches in those years. Priot to that, he starred in France's La Ligue One with Monaco and Marseille. Barthez has also racked up 59 appearances for France and was on the pitch when his country won the World Cup in 1998.

Howard, 24, has played the last five seasons with the New York-New Jersey Metro Stars of the United States' Major League Soccer league. He has appeared in nine matches for the American national squad.

Villa Applies For Permit For Nam-Il

Aston Villa has worked out a transfer agreement for star South Korean midfielder Kim Nam-Il of the Chunnam Dragons in the Korean K-League.

They have applied to the English Football Association for a permit for the 26-year-old veteran of 42 international matches for Korea, including the team's run int he 2002 World Cup.

Nam-Il has scored one goal in international duty. Nam-Il scored two goals and collected 3 assists and a 7.39 rating in 23 appearances with Chunnam earlier this year, and then went on lean with Dutch First Division side Excelsior, with whom he has played seven macthes.

The association will decide the matter on August 19.

[klayman]

Liverpool has fallen a little from its exalted status of two years ago, when it won the EPL, but it remains a very dangerous side.Liverpool won the FA Cup, Carling Cup, and UEFA Cup 2 years ago, but not the EPL.


Edit: Crap, that was 3 years ago :(
/suffering Reds supporter

[Chief Rum]

Sheesh, you guys are always ready to kick the man when he's down, eh? :)

Thought I had that down. Oh well.

Question for anyone, BTW: I have seen the Carling Cup talked about, but they don't list it int he game. Is it simply listed without the Carling moniker, or is this a cup that's not represented in the game?

One reason I ask is that, thanks to my earlier game with Middlesbrough (the one you guys don't know about that I played with CM4), I have become somewhat of a closet Boro fan myself, and the club is currently in the running for that very Cup.

Thanks for the help (asked for or not ;) ).

CR

[klayman]

No problem ;)

The Carling Cup is the English League Cup. It changes its sponsers every couple of years, and hence the name change. It used to be the Worthington Cup and I think Coca-Cola Cup at one point.

[Chief Rum]

THURSDAY, August 7, 2003

Euro Cups Move To Next Round

The Inter-Toto Finals And Final Champions League Qualifying Rounds Are Set

Six clubs reached the Inter-Toto Cup finals Wednesday and a shot at the three UEFA Cup spots available to the top finalists, while 14 second round qualifiers in the Champions League earned a shot in the final qualifying round, usually the first round int he prestigious competition to feature some of the best clubs in the world.

Scottish power Celtic was one of the 14 sides to win their way into the third round of qualifying of the Champions League. There they join, among others, United Kingdom clubs Newcastle, Chelsea and Scotland's Rangers. In the final qualifying round, 32 teams will compete in two-leg matches for one of the coveted final 16 spots to the Champions League group stage.

Celtic overpowered Cypriot squad Omonia Nicosia 8-0 to get to this round. Other notable teams to win through were Ireland's Bohemians, defeating Macedonian side FC Vardar Skopje 7-4; Norwegian power Rosenborg, beating Croatia's Dinamo 4-0; and Belgian First Division squad Club Brugge, which just held on 1-0 against MTK Hungária.

In addition to the three United Kingdom squads waiting to join the fray, some of the top clubs in the world, including the Bundesliga's Dortmund, Belgium's Anderlecht, Greek power AEK Athens, Dutch supersquad Ajax, La Ligue One side Olympique Marsellie, Serie A's Lazio, Portugal superpower Benfica, and Deportivo and Celta of the Primera Liga.

As in the second round, the third round will be played in two home-and-home legs. The best aggregate score will determine the winner. The opening matches will be held on August 13, and the second legs will take place on August 27.

The Rangers drew Club Brugge, in one of the more intriguing matchups. Celtic will go up against Turkish power Galatasaray. Chelsea might have gotten away easier with a matchup against lighter-regarded Icelandic side Knattspyrnufélag Reykjavíkur (KR for short). Newcastle drew one of Denmark's top clubs in FC Copenhagen of the Eredivisie.

The only two matches that don't involve a side from the second round of qualifying are Ajax versus Swiss club Grasshopper-Club Zurich, and Czech side Sparta Prague against Lazio.

The other ten matchups are: Ukrainian High League side Shakhtar and Dinamo Kiev; Sweden's Djurgàrden against Russian Premier Division power Lokomotiv Moscow; Dortmund against another Moscovite RPD side in CSKA Moscow; the Bohemians versus Anderlecht; Bulgaria's CSKA Sofia against AEK Athens; Marseille and Rosenborg; Deportivo and Slovenian side NK Maribor; Lithuanian club Kaunas versus Austria Vienna; Benfica against Partizan Belgrade of Serbia & Montenegro; and Celta versus Grazer AK of the Austrian Premier Division.

The Inter-Toto Cup also took another step forward when it reached the finals stage, in which six clubs will compete for three spots in the UEFA Cup later this year.

Primera Liga side Villareal will face off with Bundesliga squad Werder Bremen. The Spanish club defeated Belgian First Division club Sint-Truiden, 3-1, while the German side edged out Serie A squad Brescia 1-0.

Another Serie A team, Perugia, will meet Czech Republic squad Slovan Liberic. Perugia beat Dutch Premier Division club Willem II Tilburg 6-3, while Slovan Liberec beat fellow Czech First Division side Brno, 7-3.

In the final matchup, France's Guingamp will face off with the Bundesliga's Schalke 04. Guingamp defeated fellow La Ligue One side FC Nantes Atlantique to a tough 2-2 draw, winning out on away goals, 1-0. Schalke 04 defeated Greek team AO Aigeaeo, 5-1.

The winners of the three two-leg matchups will be inserted into the UEFA Cup first round. Similar to the Champions League qualifying, the two final legs will take place in home-and-homes on August 13 and August 27.

[Chief Rum]

No problem ;)

The Carling Cup is the English League Cup. It changes its sponsers every couple of years, and hence the name change. It used to be the Worthington Cup and I think Coca-Cola Cup at one point.

Ah, yes, I do know the English League Cup. I think I will adopt the Carling Cup name for now, but maybe I will have some fun with that and "change sponsors" every few years. :)

CR

[Chief Rum]

THURSDAY, August 7, 2003

Boro To Get Third Wimbledon Player

MIDDLESBROUGH-- As interim manager Matthew Kieta suggested Tuesday, the Boro weren't done picking at the carcass of bankrupt First Division club Wimbledon.

The financially troubled club accepted Middlesbrough's offer for centreback Mikele Leigertwood, another well-regarded youthful prospect for the reserve team. Wimbledon accepted a £110,000 offer for the 20-year-old defender.

As Kieta suggested Tuesday, Liegertwood does not appear ready to make the first team, but could be a fine prospect for the future. The Boro have been given permission to approach Leigertwood with a contract offer.

Middlesbrough, which had been silent on the transfer market since Kieta took over last month, has now pulled off the transfers of three Wimbledon players, including winger Lionel Morgan and defender Dean Lewington in addition to Leigertwood, and Italian sweeper Salvatore Fresi of Juventus. The other three players are also considering contract offers from Middlesbrough.

[Chief Rum]

SATURDAY, August 9, 2003

Morgan, Lewington Sign With Boro

Former Wimbledon Players Agree To Terms For Transfer

MIDDLESBROUGH-- Interim Boro manager Matthew Kieta officially completed his first transfers with the club Friday when he inked Wimbledon winger Lionel Morgan and defensive midfielder Dean Lewington to contracts.

Morgan and Lewington are two of three players for the financially struggling First Division squad that Middlesbrough targeted in transfers this week. Wimbledon and the Boro have also come to agreement on a transfer of centreback Mikele Leigertwood, and the club is working on a deal with the defender.

The most important of the three was Morgan, 20, who has the skills to play on the first team now. The popular winger is regarded as a great crosser with far above average physical skills.

Morgan scored one goal in 11 matches with Wimbledon last season. The Boro bought his rights from Wiblemdon for £230,000, and on Friday, came to terms with the winger on a £70,000 per year contract through 2006.

Morgan is also currently rehabilitating from a injury to his knee cartilage suffered in early July. He's expected to be at full strength by the end of the month.

"We're going to ease Morgan into the squad's schemes," Kieta said. "It's a big leap to Premiership football, especially given his youth and injury."

Morgan is expected to be a priamry backup for the Boro on the wing, a notable weakness of the side.

Lewington, 19, isn't as advanced as Morgan, and is expected to join the Boro reserve squad this season.

Lewington agreed to a £24,000 per annum deal through 2006, completing a transfer which saw Middlesbrough send £35,000 to Wimbledon, currently trying to dig itself out from receivership.

Like Morgan, Lewington is regarded as a player with a bright future. The defensive midfielder is strong and agressive, and plays tall. He is also already very advanced in zonal marking.

"Lewington still has some growing to do, but I think he will come along fine with our reserves," Kieta said.

The club might have a deal done with Leigertwood as soon as today. The Boro also have come to an agreement with Italian power Juventus for the rights to defender Salvatore Fresi, but the player and club are still working out details of a contract.

[Chief Rum]

SUNDAY, August 10, 2003

Fresi Deal Hits Snag

TORINO, Italy-- Boro transfer target Salvatore Fresi has turned down the club's first contract offer, according to reports in Italy.

Fresi's agent Marco Devorini said his cleint was looking for a stronger definition of his role from interim manager Matthew Kieta.

"[Kieta] would only guarantee my client part time status," Devorini said. "Salvatori and I believe he can do better than that."

Devorini said money is not an issue, and that the Boro contract offer was in the area his client needs to come to terms.

Kieta wasn't concerned about the rejection.

"We're still in negotiations," Kieta said. "This is a process, and it's early. I know we'll get something done."

Kieta said he would look into offering Fresi a more defined role with the club.

Fresi is expected to end up with a two or three year contract around £800,000 per year. Kieta said Tuesday that Fresi would play a key part in the Boro's backline.

The 30-year-old sweeper-defender-midfielder has never played outside of the Italian leagues. He has been with Juventus for one season, scoring one goal in nine appearances last season. His best season came the year before, when he scored a surprising eight goals in 25 appearances for fellow Serie A side Bologna.

Fresi has played 14 seasons of professional ball, including a two-season stint in which he started for Italian super power Internazionale.

Fresi could not be reached for comment.

Other English Football Notes

...Southampton transfer target striker Kenny King was denied a work permit by the English Football Association Saturday.

The American striker will get another shot at it on August 23, after Southampton reapplied following Saturday's decision.

The Premiership side reportedly made a £300,000 transfer offer to King's American side, the Cleveland River Fire, and all sides have come to agreement on the trasnfer and contract.

Before King can join Southampton, though, he must be granted a work permit, as is needed by any non-European Union player.

Permits are only given to players which have appeared in 70% of their national team's last 16 matches, or whom are particularly well-known or skilled.

King, 26, already has an extensive history with the United States team, with 56 international matches under his belt, but he has not been playing with the team recently, which has hurt his ability to get a permit. The striker has scored 21 international goals.

...Third Division Bristol Rovers appointed Steve Pollack as their new manager Saturday. Pollack, 42, is a veteran of both English and Finnish football.

[Chief Rum]

MONDAY, August 11, 2003

Boro Sign Leigertwood

MIDDLESBROUGH-- The Boro came to agreement on a contract with transfer target Mikele Leigertwood Sunday, the club announced.

Leigertwood, a 20-year-old centreback with Wimbledon, becomes the third player from the financially troubled First Division squad to move over to the Boro.

The defender signed a £45,000 per year contract through 2007. The signing completes a transfer deal that has Middlesbrough sending £110,000 to Wimbledon for the young player.

As with recent Wimbledon transfers winger Lionel Morgan and defensive midfielder Dean Lewington, Leigertwood is more a move toward the future. All three are considered good talents and young prospects.

Leigertwood is expected to join Lewington on the Boro reserve team, while Morgan is likely to have a backup role with the first team this season.

Leigertwood is a physical specimen, with excellent speed. He is also already very advanced defensively and, like Lewington, plays a particularly tall game.

"I am really excited about Leigertwood's future," interim Boro manager Matthew Kieta said. "I think he's an exciting young player who the supporters are really going to like."

The three transfers aren't all the Boro are doing in the trasnfer market. They are also still working ona deal to bring in Juventus sweeper Salvatore Fresi. Fresi rejected a Boro contract offer Saturday, but the two sides are still working toward an agreement.

[Chief Rum]

MONDAY, August 11, 2003

Liverpool Signs Away Grisales

LIVERPOOL-- The one major English power that has been quiet the past couple months finally woke up.

Liverpool signed star Colombian attacking midfielder Freddy Indurley Grisales on Sunday, buying him from Colombian First Division club Atlético Nacional for £4.2 M.

The speedy and heady winger brings a well-rounded set of skills to the pitch at Anfield.

"Grisales is a tremendous talent," Liverpool manager Gérard Houllier said. "He is really going to allow us to put the pressure on in front of the net."

The 27-year-old Colombian playmaker has been capped for Colombia 29 times, scoring four goals in international play.

In 26 appearances with Atlético Nacional this season, Grisales has scored eight goals and received four assists. He was named a Man of the Match five times, and has a 7.73 rating.

Grisales signed a £725,000 per annum contract through 2007.

English Football Notes

...Nationwide Conference side Farnborough Town hired Ian Scott to be their new manager on Sunday.

The 58-year-old Scotsman will need to do well wioth the Boro to build up a lackluster reputation.

[Chief Rum]

MONDAY, August 11, 2003

Arsenal Stuns Man U With Late Score

Bergkamp's 90th Minute Score Caps Comeback

CARDIFF, Wales-- Archrivals Arsenal and Manchester United showed once again that it doesn't get much better than this rivalry.

In English football's annual season opener, Arsenal star forward Dennis Bergkamp scored on a breakaway in the 90th minute to pull off an amazing comeback and 2-1 victory in the English Community Shield match Sunday.

Arsenal overcame a 1-0 deficit with less than 25 minutes to go to shock Manchester United in front of 72,473 at Millenium Stadium.

The comeback began in the 68th minute when Gunners midfielder Mikel Arteta collected an errant Red Devils forward David Bellion pass and shot a long pass forward to Robert Pires, charging ahead of the pack on the right sideline. Pires got to the right of the penalty area and dropped a high pass to striker Jérémie Alliadière right near the six yard box. United defender John O'Shea took Alliadière's legs out from under him, and the referee signalled for the penalty.

Defensive midfielder Lauren shot penalty kick the into the far left corner of the net, with Red Devil keeper Fabien Barthez never coming near it, to tie it up at 1-1.

The winning score was set up by a left sideline run by Gunner forward Silvain Wiltord. Wiltord charged along the sideline parallel to the penalty area when Bergkamp suddenly appeared free near the box. Wiltord passed it down to Bergkamp, who lofted a high shot over a charging Barthez that fell softly into the right corner of the net.

"It was my fault," admitted centreback Rio Ferdinand. "I left Bergkamp alone. I never should have done that. I was hanging back, playing the pass. I didn't realize how far Bergkamp had drifted away from me."

United may have deserved better. They outshot the Gunners 12-5, and kept the ball away from their defensive zone far more effectively than Arsenal did.

The Red Devils got their score in the 35th minute. Arsenal keeper Jens Lehmann hit a goalkick to the kickoff circle that Ferdinand headed back into the Gunner zone. Striker Nicolas Anelka got to the ball first and danced his away among three different Arsenal defenders before giving a short pass up to star striker Ruud Van Nistlerooy near the left corner of the penalty area. Nistlerooy stepped around a charging Arteta and blasted a sharp-angled line drive shot past a frozen Lehmann that just caught the inside of the right post for the first score of the match.

As one might expect in a match between these two teams, the tackling was hard and yellows were plentiful. Five were handed out, four to the Gunners.

One of the Gunners to get a card was Pires, but his worst hit didn't draw an infraction at all. The winger upended United wingback Gary Neville in the 5th minute. Neville sprained his groin on the play and had to leave the pitch, where he was replaced by his brother Phil Neville. The injured Neville is expected to be out for a week and might miss United's Premiership opener this weekend.

The Community Shield matches the defending English Premier Division champion against the winner of the FA Cup from the previous season.

Other European Super Cups

PSV defeated Ajax on penalty kicks, 2-2, in the Dutch Super Cup Sunday, and Leiria defeated Potuguese Superleague power Porto, 1-0, in the Portuguese Super Cup.

[Chief Rum]

TUESDAY, August 12, 2003

Fresi Signs, Hasselbaink On Way

Kieta Wraps Up Big Day Of Transfers For Boro

MIDDLESBROUGH-- Interim manager Matthew Kieta was saving the best for last for his new club the Boro.

Hours after Kieta secured the signature of Juventus defender Salvatore Fresi to a multi-year contract, fellow Premiership side Chelsea accepted his offer for listed star striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink.

The Dutch striker is easily the highest profile player the new Boro manager has targeted in his young career as a Premiership manager. Hasselbaink has been one of the more celebrated scorers in the EPL in recent seasons.

Hasselbaink, 31, has been playing with Chelsea for three seasons, scoring 57 goals in 107 matches. Before he played with Chelsea, he also turned in starring turns with Leeds United, Primera Liga side Atlético Madrid, and Portuguese Superleague squad Boavista.

Regardless of the league he was in, Hasselbaink has scored in double digits in eight straight seasons, including four with 20 or more goals.

Last season, though, the veteran of 23 matches for the Netherlands looked a step slower, and his goals dropped to 11, his lowest total since 1994. In the offseason, Hasselbaink found himself being forced out of Stamford Bridge by Chelsea's forward-buying frenzy, in which they brought in such stars as Manchester United's Juan Sebastián Verón, Inter's Hernán Crespo, and Auxerre's Djibril Cissé.

Hasselbaink, who has said he was hoping to stay with Chelsea, was not available for comment.

"This is another chance for Hasselbaink," Kieta said. "It's clear Chelsea has decided to go in another direction. Here in Middlesbrough, Hasselbaink will see regular time with the first team."

Chelsea accepted a £1 M transfer bid from the Boro, reportedly beating out a slightly lesser offer from Dutch power Ajax.

Kieta will now begin to work on a contract with Hasselbaink. The manager said he is hopeful he can have the forward under contract by this weekend's Premiership opener against Tottenham.

Middlesbrough forwards have been inconsistent this preseason, with few standout performances by the frontline.

Meanwhile, the Boro finally reached agreement with Fresi on Monday. The Italian sweeper had turned down a contract offer over the weekend over playing time issues, but Kieta apparently reassured him enought o accept a new offer.

Fresi, who was also bought from Juventus for £1 M, agreed to a £850,000 per year deal through 2006. The 30-year-old defender and midfielder scored one goal in nine appearances with Juventus last season.

Fresi is expected to see first team time on the backline with Chris Riggott and Gareth Southgate.

[Chief Rum]

WEDNESDAY, August 13, 2003

Schwarzer To Start Opener

MIDDLESBROUGH-- Incumbent goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer will start for the Boro when they take the pitch in their Premiership opener against Tottenham on Saturday, interim manager Matthew Kieta said Tuesday.

"I honestly still don't know if either Mark or Carlo [Nash] is the best keeper on this team," Kieta said. "They are very even. So I decided to go with the guy who has proven it for our fans before, and that's Mark."

Kieta said Schwarzer's first team start was for this match only, and that Nash may start the next match or the next five. The manager said he would adopt a practice from one of his favorite other sports.

"We're going to go with the hot goaltender," Kieta said. "In hockey, when you have two good netminders, it's common for both to see a lot of playing time, and who plays is based on who's practicing and playign well. I see no reason why that can't apply here."

Kieta said he spoke with both Schwarzer and Nash about the goalkeeper-by-committee approach and that they fully supported his decision.

The first team goalkeeper wasn't the only issue Kieta addressed at his weekly press conference Tuesday. There was still a lot of buzz about the Boro's transfer signings in the past week.

Middlesbrough brought in veteran Italian defender Salvatore Fresi from Juventus, and three young prospects from bankrupt First Division Wimbledon, including winger Lionel Morgan. Both Morgan and Fresi are expected to see time on the pitch with the Boro this season.

Additionally, the Boro are the leading candidates for Chelsea striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink. Chelsea has accepted the club's transfer offer, and Middlesbrough is trying to work out a deal with the Dutch striker.

Kieta said he wasn't counting on having Hasselbaink for this weekend.

"We're just in the contract stage," Kieta said. "Really, we're not alone in this. It's still possible for someone else to come in and sign him."

The Boro's offer was reportedly just a little higher than an offer by Dutch power Ajax. Some observers think Ajax may come back with a matching offer and seek to steal Hasselbaink away from Middlesbrough.

Kieta said Fresi was picking up the club tactics quickly and would likely be on the pitch for Saturday's opener. Morgan, though, was still recovering from a knee cartilage injury and wouldn't be available until the end of the month.

The manager stopped short of naming the first team for the Tottenham match, saying that while he had a good idea of who would play, he wasn't ready to name them publically.

"Practice over the next couple days, injuries, plenty of things could come into play," Kieta said. "So I am going to let that one [question] go for a bit."

[Chief Rum]

THURSDAY, August 14, 2003

Ajax Get In On Hasselbaink

LONDON-- It's not going to be so easy for Boro manager Matthew Kieta after all.

As Kieta suggested Tuesday, Dutch power Ajax stepped up its offer to Chelsea for trasnfer-listed striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, matching Middlesbrough's £1 M transfer offer.

Chelsea has agreed to the transfer offer and allowed Ajax to begin contact negotiations with the Dutch striker, pitting Ajax and Middlesbrough at odds to sign the same player.

Hasselbaink said he still wants to remain with Chelsea, but is resigned to the fact the club has listed him and intends to move him.

"At this point, I have no idea who I am going to go with," Hasselbaink said. "We're comparing contract terms and seeing how things come out."

Observers aren't sure what direction Hasselbaink will go either. Middlesbrough would give him the chance to stay in the Premiership and get a good deal of first team time, while Ajax would allow him to return to his homeland and play for one of the top clubs in the Netherlands and Europe.

If it comes down to money, Ajax is likely in a better position to make a competitive offer for Hasselbaink's services, as the club is well-supported.

Hasselbaink, 31, scored 11 goals in 36 appearances last season. He has scored 57 goals in three seasons at Stamford Bridge. He scored a goal in his debut for Chelsea Wednesday night in the first leg of the club's Champions League qualifying matchup with Icelandic club Knattspyrnufélag Reykjavíkur, which Chelsea won 4-2.

Kieta said he thinks the Boro can make a good offer for Hasselbaink.

"This is a good place for a guy like Hasselbaink," Kieta said. "He can be the main guy here. I don't think he's going to get that shot with Ajax."

English Football Notes

FC Nantes Atlantique finally wrapped up its interest in Birmingham midfielder Aliou Cissé, although it's too late to help them in the Inter-Toto Cup, from which the French La Ligue One club was eliminated last week by fellow French side Guingamp.

Nantes reportedly paid £2.7 M in transfer fees for the 27-year-old Senegalese defensive midfielder, and signing him to a £425,000 per year contract through 2006.

Nantes first announced its interest in Cissé last month, but was unable to complete the transfer until Wednesday.

Cissé is a veteran of 23 international matches with Senegal, and he has one goal in international play. He appeared in 21 matches for Birmingham last season.

The return to Nantes is also a return to La Ligue One, where he played from 1998-2002.

[Chief Rum]

THURSDAY, August 13, 2003

Newcastle, Chelsea Win In Champions Qualifying

Both Newcastle and Chelsea handled the home legs of their third round qualifying for the Champions League with ease Wednesday.

Newcastle thrashed Denmark club FC Copenhagen 5-1, while Chelsea beat Icelandic squad Knattspyrnufélag Reykjavíkur, or KR for short, by 4-2.

Both scores will be difficult for Copenhagen or KR to overcome, even with the next matches at their homes.

Scottish Premier Division sides faired just as well. Celtic handled tough Turkish power Galatsaray, 3-0, while the Rangers defeated Belgian side Club Brugge, 3-0. Both were at home for this leg.

There were few surprises in the other 12 matches, but Swiss Super League club Grasshopper did manage to stun Dutch power Ajax 2-1 in Switzerland.

Italian power Lazio and Austrian side Austria Vienna took strong control of their matches with Sparta Prague of the Czech First Division and Lithuanian side Kaunus, respectively, by winning convincingly on the road, 4-0 and 3-0.

There were three draws. Norwegian power Rosenborg tied Marseille 1-1 in France. CSKA Moscow also tied Bundesliga squad Dortmund 1-1, and, in a mild surprise, Bulgarian club CSKA Sofia tied AEK Athens.

Ireland's Bohemians beat Belgium's Anderlecht 1-0 at home, giving the United Kingdom's five entrants at this point a clean sweep.

The other legs played out as follows: Portugal's Benfica beat Serbia & Montenegro side Partizan, 2-0; Primera Liga side Celta defeated Austrian Premier Division club Grazxer AK 2-0; another Primera Liga club in Deportivo crushed Slovenian squad NK Maribor; Russian Premier Division power Lokomotiv Moscow beat Swedish side Djurgården, 2-0; and Shakhtar edged out Dinamo Kiev, 1-0, in a matchup of Ukrainian High League powers.

The second leg of the qualifying round will be held on August 27, at the home venues of the squads which were on the road Wednesday.

Inter-Toto Cup Finalists Play First Leg

As with the Champions League final qualifying round, the Inter-Toto Cup also played the first leg of its latest, and last, round.

Bundesliga squad Wereder Bremen surprised Primera Liga club Villarreal, 2-0 in Spain. Serie A side Perugia had little problem with Czech First Division club Slovan Liberec, 3-1, at home. And La Ligue One club Guingamp drew Schalke 04 of Germany, 2-2, in France.

The second leg of the home-and-home round will be played on August 27.

The three winners will earn spots in the UEFA Cup competition.

[SirFozzie]

KUTGW.. fun reading :)

[Chief Rum]

THURSDAY, August 14, 2003

Carling Cup Launches In Lower Leagues

Even as some Premiership squads played in European competition or honed their skills for the regular season in practice, the lower leagues were kicking off the season as they usually do--with the first round of the Carling Cup.

The first round features the 72 First, Second and Third Division sides in a single-match elimination. The winners move on to the second round, at which point the worst 12 Premiership sides from last season are added to the mix.

As is often the case, there were a number of surprising upsets in the first round yesterday.

The most notable was the disappointing effort on the part of recently relegated West Ham. The former Premier side fell 1-0 at home to Third Division Cheltenham, in extra time.

Financially troubled Wimbledon not surprisingly fell at home, 3-0, to Second Division Rushden.

There were four high profile matchups of First Division squads. Nottingham Forest beat Rotterham, 3-0, on the road. Burnley shut out Preston, 3-0, at home. Gillingham edged out Millwall, 1-0, on the road. Former Premier side Sunderland beat Derby 4-0 at home.

Several other First Division sides had the ignomious result of having lost to lower division teams in the first round--even at home. These include Bradford City (0-2 at D3 Swansea), Coventry (0-3 vs D3 Oxford), Ipswich (0-5 at D2 Sheffield Wednesday), Norwich (1-2 at D2 Brighton), Reading (1-2 in extra time vs D3 Northampton), Walsall (1-2 in extra time at D2 Wycombe), and Wigan (0-1 at D2 Bristol City).

Altogether, the First Division has already been pared won from 24 clubs to just 11 left in the field.

The draw for the second round will be held Saturday.

Here are all the scores in the Carling Cup first round held Wednesday:

D3 Leyton Orient won 4-1 versus D3 Kidderminster
D1 West Bromich Albion won 2-0 at D2 Plymouth
D3 Swansea won 2-0 versus D1 Bradford City
D3 York won 2-1 versus D3 Bury (extra time)

D1 Watford won 4-0 versus D3 Macclesfield
D2 Chesterfield won 2-1 versus D2 Colchester
D3 Bristol Rovers won 3-0 versus D3 Cambridge
D1 Crystal Palace won 3-0 versus D2 Swindon

D3 Lincoln won 3-0 versus D3 Carlisle
D3 Oxford won 3-0 at D1 Coventry
D1 Sunderland won 4-0 versus D1 Derby
D1 Sheffield United won 5-0 versus D2 Oldham

D3 Cheltenham won 1-0 at D1 West Ham (extra time)
D3 Southend won 2-0 versus D2 Blackpool
D1 Cardiff won 3-1 at D2 Brentford
D2 Sheffield Wednesday won 5-0 versus D1 Ipswich

D2 Notts County won 3-0 versus D2 Hartlepool
D2 Bournemouth won 3-1 at D3 Boston United
D2 Stockport won 2-0 at D3 Darlington
D2 Tranmere won 2-0 at D3 Torquay

D1 Crewe won 1-0 versus D3 Mansfield
D1 Stoke won 3-0 versus D3 Yeovil
D3 Scunthorpe won 4-1 at D2 Wrexham
D1 Gillingham won 1-0 at D1 Millwall

D1 Burnley won 3-1 versus D1 Preston
D2 Brighton won 2-1 versus D1 Norwich
D2 Rushden won 3-0 at D1 Wimbledon
D3 Northampton won 2-1 at D1 Reading (extra time)

D2 Queens Park Rangers won 2-1 at D2 Port Vale
D2 Wycombe won 2-1 versus Walsall (extra time)
D1 Nottingham Forest won 3-0 at D1 Rotherham
D3 Hull won 2-0 at D2 Luton

D2 Barnsley won 2-0 versus D3 Huddersfield (extra time)
D3 Doncaster won 1-0 at D2 Peterborough
D3 Rochdale won 3-1 at D2 Grimsby
D2 Bristol City won 1-0 versus D1 Wigan

[Chief Rum]

KUTGW.. fun reading :)

I actually had to think of that one for a sec before I got it. :)

And thanks. I'll try.

CR

[Chief Rum]

FRIDAY, August 15, 2003

UEFA Cup Qualifying Opens

The two-leg qualifying round for the UEFA Cup played its first leg in cities across Europe Thursday night.

Eighty-two clubs are vying for 41 of the spots in the first round of Europe's second most prestigious club competition. The winners in this round will join the losers from the Champions League qualifying third round and the three Inter-Toto Cup champions and, finally, the 36 clubs that have already clinched spots in the competition's first round, based on last season's performances.

The British Isles were well-represented in the qualifying round that began Wednesday, including Premiership squad Manchester City and Scottish side Dundee United.

In addition to those two, Wales' Cwmbran Town and Total Network Solutions; Northern Ireland's Colerain and Portadown; and Ireland's Derry City and Shelbourne were also a part of the round.

Manchester City didn't start off so well. The Premiership side took away just a draw from a home visit from Denmark's Brondby of the Eredivisie.

Dundee United defeated Armenian squad Banants Yerevan 3-2 at home.

Cwmbran fell 3-1 on the road to Slovenian squad Olimpija, while TNS played to a 1-1 road draw against Czech First Division side Telpice.

Bosnia & Herzegovina side Zeljeznicar beat Northern Ireland's Colerain 2-1 in Sarajevo, while Portadown forced a 2-2 draw with Ireland's Derry City in Derry.

Shelbourne also got a draw, finishing 1-1 on the road against Maltese team Valletta.

The second leg will be played on August 28.

English Football Notes

Hours after stunning First Division Bradford City 3-1 at home in the first round of the Carling Cup, Swansea finally named a manager.

Irishman Pat Byrne, 47, takes over the squad. Byrne played eight times for Ireland in his playing days with Irish Premier Division club Shelbourne.

[Chief Rum]

Bump.

Nothing new to add at the moment. Just didn't want you guys to forget me.

The reason nothing new has gone up is because we have reached the beginning of the EPL season and I have been preparing a EPL season preview of each team, just like they would do in the papers.

Of course, I am personally working from a lot of ignorance about the general roster composition in the Barclaycard Premiership, so it's taken me some time. Still, I'm down to just studying Tottenham and Wolverhampton, and I will be ready to begin writing the article. I hope to have ti up by Thursday. Wish me luck. :)

CR

[SirFozzie]

Luck!

[Chief Rum]

FRIDAY, August 15, 2003

English Premiership League Season Preview

The Contenders

ARSENAL

Name: Gunners
Location: London
Stadium: Highbury Park
Manager: Arsène Wenger
02-03 EPL Finish: 2nd (23-9-6, 78 pts)
GF: 85 (2.24 gpm)
GA: 42 (1.11 gpm)

Key Losses: GK David Seaman (retired)

Key Additions: MF Simon Perrotta (Chievo), GK Jens Lehmann (Dortmund)

Top Players: SC Thierry Henry (24 g), SC Dennis Bergkamp (4 g), WG Silvain Wiltord (10 g), MF Patrick Vieira (3 g), WG Robert Pires (14 g), CB Sol Campbell, FB Lauren, GK Jens Lehmann

The Good: French star Thierry Henry is one of the top scorers in the world, and his front line partner Dennis Bergkamp is one of the best sidekicks in the business. Sylvain Wiltord gives the Gunners a great trio up front, and also a fine playmaker on the wing. On the other wing, Robert Pires is a scary player to have to stop, and Patrick Vieira, Simon Perrotta and Gilberto form a very steady midfield corp. Sol Campbell centers a strong backline, which returns veteran Martin Keown, and fullbacks Lauren and Ashley Cole.

The Bad: Longtime star in net David Seaman has finally decided to call it quits. Not that anyone is crying for the Gunners. All they did was grab one of the best goaltenders in the Bundesliga in Dortmund’s Jens Lehmann. Another issue to consider is whether the great depth Arsenal has will hurt the club chemistry, as players who would star elsewhere deal with part time play at Highbury.

CHELSEA

Name: Blues
Location: London
Stadium: Stamford Bridge
Manager: Claudio Ranieri
02-03 EPL Finish: 4th (19-10-9, 67 pts)
GF: 68 (1.79 gpm)
GA: 38 (1.00 gpm)

Key Losses: MF Boudewin Zenden (Middlesbrough loan), MF Jody Harris (Leeds), FB Graeme La Saux (Southampton), SC Giancarlo Zola (Cagliari), MF Enrique de Lucas (Aláves)

Key Additions: SC Hernan Crespo (Inter), SC Djibril Cissé (Auxerre), SC Adrian Mutu (Parma), MF Joe Cole (West Ham), MF Juan Sebastián Verón (Man U), WG Damien Duff (Blackburn), CB Olaf Mellberg (Aston Villa), FB Wayne Bridge (Southampton)

Top Players: SC Eidur Gudjohnsen (10 g), SC Hernán Crespo (7 g), SC Djibril Cissé (14 g), SC Adrian Mutu (18 g), MF Juan Sebastián Verón (2 g), MF Joe Cole (4 g), WG Damien Duff (9 g), CB Olof Mellberg, FB WB Wayne Bridge, FB William Gallas (4 g)

The Good: Chelsea went on a spending spree the past three months that seems almost unparalleled in football history, thanks to new, wealthy management. And this wasn’t a bad team to begin with. The forward foursome of Eidur Gudjohnsen, Hernán Crespo, Adrian Mutu and Djibril Cissé might be the best forward group in the league, although Manchester United might have something to say about that. The midfield has terrific depth, including playmaking midfielders Juan Sebastián Verún and Joe Cole, and explosive striker Damien Duff. William Gallas is one of the few returning starters guaranteed a first team spot, and that’s because he’s one of the best wingbacks in the league. He gets able help from Olaf Mellberg in the middle and Wayne Bridge opposite of him to give Chelsea star power at all three levels. Carlo Cudicini is a lid, if unspectacular goalie.

The Bad: The obvious issue is whether so much star talent can co-exist with each other. At least with Arsenal’s depth, much of the talent has been playing with each other for a while. This is a hodgepodge of talent that may or may not work together, and that’s above and beyond the very simple truth that there is only so much playing time to go around. If they can get past that, though, this squad has as much talent as any team in the league, including Arsenal and Manchester United.

LIVERPOOL

Name: Reds
Location: Liverpool
Stadium: Anfield
Manager: Gerard Houllier
02-03 EPL Finish: 5th (18-10-10, 64 pts)
GF: 61 (1.61 gpm)
GA: 41 (1.08 gpm)

Key Losses: None

Key Additions: WG Harry Kewell (Leeds), MF Freddy Indurley Grisales (Atlético Nacional), Steve Finnan (Fulham)

Top Players: SC Michael Owen (19 g), WG Harry Kewell (14 g), MF Freddy Inurley Grisales (8 g), WG Steven Gerrard (5 g), MF John Arne Riise (6 g), MF Danny Murphy (7 g), DC Sami Hyypiä (3 g), FB Steve Finnan, GK Jerzy Dudek

The Good: .The Reds don’t have the amazing depth of some of the more wealthy teams, but they have the star power to match anyone. Michael Owen is one of the top strikers in the league, and he is ably aided by Emile Heskey and a deep forward crew. The additions that could key a run back to the top of the table, though, were the acquisitions of Harry Kewell and Freddy Indurley Grisales. Both represent an impressive array of dynamic skills, with Kewell possibly the best scoring winger in the league, with all due respect to Arsenal’s Robert Pires. With standouts like winger Steven Gerrard and midfielder Danny Murphy still around, this is one of the best frontline midfield groups in football. In fact, they are so good, they may have forced explosive playmaking midfielder John Arne Riise into a backline attacking fullback position, where he can only make them stronger. He joins holdover Sami Hyypiä, one of the strongest centrebacks in the league, and solid Fulham addition Steve Finnan on the right to give Liverpool perhaps the league’s best backline. All of this only helps Polish keeper Jerzy Dudek, one of the best in the biz.

The Bad: It’s not so much that they don’t have depth—they actually have an impressive array of first team talent, top to bottom. It’s just that this squad as it is now can match up with any team in the world. But one injury, and it falls a little further than Man U or Chelsea would. And while the Reds are certainly not poor, they don’t have the resources of those clubs to go out and fix problems with a transfer either. If they stay healthy, though, this side could surprise those assuming another Man U/Arsenal battle for the league prize. It’s a smaller issue, but there will obviously be an adjustment period for Kewell and Grisales, and Riise will have to adjust as well into a more defensive role—which doesn’t fit his skills and may not appeal to him.

MANCHESTER UNITED

Name: Red Devils
Location: Manchester
Stadium: Old Trafford
Manager: Alex Ferguson
02-03 EPL Finish: 1st (25-8-5, 83 pts)
GF: 74 (1.95 gpm)
GA: 34 (0.90 gpm)

Key Losses: WG David Beckham (Real Madrid), MF Juan Verón (Chelsea)

Key Additions: SC Nicolas Anelka (Man City), WG Cristiano Ronaldo (Sporting), GK Tim Howard (NY-NJ MetroStars)

Top Players: SC Ruud van Nistlerooy (25 g), Anelka (14 g), MF Paul Scholes (14 g), MF Roy Keane, WG Ryan Giggs (8 g), CB Rio Ferdinand, FB Gary Neville, GK Fabien Barthez

The Good: The Red Devils remain one of the world’s premier football superpowers. The recent acquisition of star French striker Nicolas Anelka gives them one of the top pairs of strikers in the world, with Dutchman Ruud van Nistlerooy leading the way. Paul Scholes is one of the best playmaking midfielders in the world, and left winger Ryan Giggs is a dynamite scorer. Roy Keane returns to do the dirty work in the middle. In the backfield, Rio Ferdinand once again returns to center the backline. He gets help from the Neville brothers, Phil and Gary, at wingback. The squad remains well-supported and has shown a willingness to go out and get the players it needs. There is also tremendous depth and one of the most respected managers in football history in Sir Alex Ferguson.

The Bad: Man U’s main issue in the offseason was how to replace superstar winger David Beckham, now with Real Madrid. They brought in Brazilian Kléberson and Sporting’s Cristiano Ronaldo to compete for the spot. A new issue arose recently when longstanding star goalkeeper Fabien Barthez said he was unhappy with Ferguson and wanted to leave the club. That issue is hanging over the club’s head at the moment, but they did bring in American goalkeeper Tim Howard just in case.

(cont.)

[Chief Rum]

FRIDAY, August 15, 2003

Second Tier

BLACKBURN

Name: Rovers
Location: Blackburn
Stadium: Ewood Park
Manager: Graeme Souness
02-03 EPL Finish: 6th (16-12-10, 60 pts)
GF: 52 (1.37 gpm)
GA: 43 (1.13 gpm)

Key Losses: WG Damien Duff (Chelsea), WG Keith Gillespie (Leicester), MF David Dunn (Birmingham)

Key Additions: MF Barry Ferguson (Rangers), MF Dino Baggio (Lazio), MF Brett Emerton (Feyenoord), FB Vratislav Gresko (Parma), DC Lorenzo Amoruso (Rangers), Markus Babbel (Liverpool loan), GK Peter Encklemann (Aston Villa loan)

Top Players: SC Dwight Yorke (8 g), SC Andrew Cole (7 g), MF Barry Ferguson (16 g), MF Tugay, MF Brett Emerton (3 g), CB Lorenzo Amoruso, CB Markus Babbel, GK Brad Friedel

The Good: The team seems better suited to the 4-3-3 they run now. The addition of the explosive Barry Ferguson could completely reshape the Rovers’ midfield. With Tugay and Brett Emerton around to handle defensive duties, this team becomes tougher in the middle, too. Lorenzo Amoruso and Markus Babbel form a very solid center for the backline. This only figures to help Brad Friedel, whom has turned himself into a solid and dependable keeper. Even if Friedel were to falter or get hurt, the Rovers really helped their depth by adding Villa’s starting netminder from last season in Peter Encklemann.

The Bad: The one thing lacking from the Rovers that is glaring is the need for a true standout scorer. They were a fine defensive squad last year, but they seem to have made more moves to make them even more defensive, rather than looking for offense. Ferguson’s addition counteracts that, of course, but he will have to take on the scoring duties of both Damien Duff and David Dunn, both of whom are now on other Premiership squads. With three strikers up front, the lack of a dominant frontliner is even more apparent. Dwight Yorke and Ashley Cole are both solid, but they have nothing on the premier scorers in the league. A player to watch is Manchester United transfer Danny Nardiello, who could do very well with increased time.

EVERTON

Name: Blues
Location: Liverpool
Stadium: Goodison Park
Manager: David Moyes
02-03 EPL Finish: 7th (17-8-13, 59 pts)
GF: 48 (1.26 gpm)
GA: 49 (1.29 gpm)

Key Losses: None

Key Additions: WG James McFadden (Motherwell), GK Nigel Martyn (Leeds)

Top Players: SC Tomasz Radzinski (11 g), SC Wayne Rooney (6 g), SC Kevin Campbell (10 g), MF Thomas Gravesen, WG James McFadden (16 g), FB David Unsworth (5 g), CB Joseph Yobo, DC Alan Stubbs

The Good: Everton remains a very young team with a bright future. They begin to put it together last year and put themselves in Europe this year. Now it is time for them to take the next step into table-topping competition, assuming their kids are ready to take another step forward. Observers continue to gaga over the immense talent Wayne Rooney is said to have, but this team ticks with the steady contributions of Tomasz Radzinski and Kevin Campbell. The threesome is a powerful group to have. Gravesen returns as the steady hand in the middle of the offense, but the reason to look forward to an exciting new attack is solely on transfer addition James McFadden, an exciting Scottish winger who could soon be putting his name up there with the Giggs, Pires and Kewell’s of the English winger star-ocracy. The backline star-in-the-making is Joseph Yobo, who only needs a little more playing time to turn himself into a premier backliner. He is partnered with the efficient Alan Stubbs. FB David Unsworth can put a few intot he net if he isn’t watched for forward runs.

The Bad: Richard Wright is an impressionable young goalkeeper with good talent and a bright future. Former Leeds keeper Nigel Martyn is a crafty veteran who knows his way around the net in the Premiership. They are at about equal talent right now, but Martyn’s vet savvy might be more important to this young team. If Wright is forced to sit after starting for this squad, will that cause chemistry issues? Yobo is a tremendous talent, but he, too, is still learning. Mistakes in front of the net can bring awful results. While there is talent there, the defense isn’t really as strong as it needs to be. Up front, the forward crew is very effective, but until Rooney develops into a superstar, they lack that one true explosive playmaker they need scoring goals.

NEWCASTLE UNITED

Name: Magpies
Location: Newcastle
Stadium: St. James Park
Manager: Bobby Robson
02-03 EPL Finish: 3rd (21-6-11, 69 pts)
GF: 63 (1.66 gpm)
GA: 48 (1.26 gpm)

Key Losses: None

Key Additions: MF Sean Davis (Fulham), MF Lee Bowyer (West Ham)

Top Players: SC Alan Shearer (17 g), SC Craig Bellamy (7 g), WG Laurent Roberts (5 g), MF Sean Davis (3 g), WG Nolberto Solano (7 g), FB Olivier Bernard, CB Alan Hughes, GK Shay Given

The Good: Newcastle got far last season behind a trio of top forwards in SC Alan Shearer, Craig Bellamy and Shola Ameobi. Those three return to lead the offensive attack. Nolberto Solano amd Laurent Roberts form one of the better wing combos in the league, and Sean Davis solidifies the middle. Keeper Shay Given returns as the team’s effective netminder.

The Bad: For a squad that ended up third in the league, the Magpies could have been stronger defensively. Depth in the midfield will ehlp this, but the main problem is the lack of any true backfield star. Olivier Bernard and Alan Hughes lead the squad’s defenders, as they return all their starters from last season. Newcastle has made an agreement with Leverkusen playmaking fullback Lúcio, and he would solve their backline problems, but he has yet to receive a work permit.

(cont.)

[Chief Rum]

FRIDAY, August 15, 2003

Pushing For Europe

LEEDS UNITED

Name: United
Location: Leeds
Stadium: Elland Road
Manager: Eddie Gray
02-03 EPL Finish: 15th (14-5-19, 47 pts)
GF: 58 (1.53 gpm)
GA: 57 (1.50 gpm)

Key Losses: WG Harry Kewell (Liverpool), FB Danny Mills (Middlesbrough—loan), GK Nigel Martyn (Everton)

Key Additions: MF Olembe (Marseille loan), MF Jody Morris (Chelsea), WG Jermaine Pennant (Arsenal loan)

Top Players: SC Mark Viduka (20 g), SC Alan Smith (3 g), MF Eirik Bakke, MF Olembe, MF Jody Morris, WG Nick Barmby (4 g), WG Jermaine Pennant (3 g), CB Lucas Radebe, CB Michael Duberry, GK Paul Robinson

The Good: For a team that has seen guys named Kewell, Keane, Fowler, Bowyer and Woodgate leave Leeds in financially-motivated transfers, United is surprisingly strong still. In fact, after underachieving to a spot just above relegation and then bringing in some new possibilities for the first team, maybe Leeds has finally begun to turn it around. Mark Viduka and Alan Smith form one of the better striker suos in the league. Viduka is a star, and Smith has the talent to become one. The midfield is deep, so deep it can swallow up the loss of Harry Kewell to transfer and Eirik Bakke to injury, and still put up a solid foursome. Nick Barmby gets the chance to come out from Kewell’s shadow by taking over his wing spot, and Arsenal loan Jermaine Pennant is an exciting option on the other side, along with star winger in the making James Milner. Olembe and Jody Harris were brought in as a defensive midfield, roles they are well suited for. Paul Robinson is a solid goalkeeper.

The Bad: For all that offense, the defense needs a bit of work. Leeds was one of the better offensive teams in the league, and also one of the worst defensively. For all the moves they made to shore up the holes transfers have created in their offense, they didn’t do much to repair that defense. Centrebacks Lucas Radebe and Michael Duberry are okay, but they need more help back there. On top of that, both Duberry and Viduka are unhappy at the club and looking to move. The club can’t afford to lose either on the pitch, but offseason finances may force the moves anyway. If this team holds together, they can contend for a spot in Europe. But that’s a huge if.

MIDDLESBROUGH

Name: Boro
Location: Middlesbrough
Stadium: Riverside Stadium
Manager: Matthew Kieta
02-03 EPL Finish: 11th (13-10-15, 49 pts)
GF: 48 (1.26 gpm)
GA: 44 (1.16 gpm)

Key Losses: WG Geremi (Chelsea)

Key Additions: MF Boudewin Zenden (Chelsea loan), FB Danny Mills (Leeds loan), MF Gaizka Mendieta (Lazio loan), CB Salvatore Fresi (Juventus), GK Carlo Nash (Man City)

Top Players: SC Massimo Maccarone (9 g), SC Michael Ricketts (7 g), MF Juninho (3 g), MF Gaizka Mendieta, CB Gareth Southgate, CB Ugo Ehiogu, FB Danny Mills

The Good: The Boro had one of the top defensive units in the league last season, and they return most of the backline and starting goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer, and they have added versatile fullback Danny Mills and forward centreback Salvatore Fresi. Even with the injury to top centreback Ugo Ehiogu which will put him out until January, the squad should be solid in front of their own net. Gaizka Mendieta and Juninho are both active playmakers, and young strikers Massimo Maccarone and Michael Ricketts could be poised for breakthrough seasons.

The Bad: For all the potential of Maccarone and Ricketss, they haven’t really broken through yet. And that shows in the Boro’s offensive numbers. While they were one of the better defensive squads, they weren’t very effective on the offensive end. They are going to need Mendieta and Boudewin Zelden to be instrumental in the middle of the field to turn this squad into one that is more effective in scoring goals. It would help if the wings were stronger, but the Boro’s collection of sideliners is either unproven or proven to be poor. The defense should still be solid, but the loss of Ehiogu is huge. The final factor, and perhaps most important, is the new manager. Matthew Kieta has no experience in English football, and that fact could tear down even the best group of players.

SOUTHAMPTON

Name: Saints
Location: Southampton
Stadium: St. Mary’s Stadium
Manager: Gordon Strachan
02-03 EPL Finish: 8th (13-13-12, 52 pts)
GF: 43 (1.13 gpm)
GA: 46 (1.21 gpm)

Key Losses: FB Wayne Bridge, MF Chris Marsden

Key Additions: SC Kevin Phillips (Sunderland), CB Fitz Hall (Oldham), FB Darren Kenton (Norwich), FB Graeme Le Saux (Chelsea)

Top Players: SC James Beattie (23 g), SC Kevin Phillips (6 g), MF Matthew Oakley, WG Fabrice Fernandes (3 g), CB Fitz Hall, FB Graeme Le Saux

The Good: Southampton is a team in youthful transition, so finishing up eighth last seasonw as quite a feat. That young talent seems about ready to flourish. James Beattie is already one of the best scorers in the league, the type of player that gives the Saints a chance in any close match. The addition of Sunderland’s Kevin Phillips moves past starter Brett Ormerod to a backup role, strengthening the team’s scoring depth. Popular midfielder Matthew Oakley has enough quality young depth behind him that he is even at risk of losing his first team spot to players like Anders Svensson and David Prutton. On the wing, Fabrice Fernandes is the best returning starter. He isn’t flashy, but he’s solid. Two lower division transfers in Fitz Hall and Darren Kenton gifure to have a big impact on the back line, which returns all of last season’s starters as well. Kenton and Chelsea transfer Graeme Le Saux should make Southampton very solid at the wingback spots.

The Bad: It appears that there could be a goalkeeper controversy in Southampton, as incumbent Antti Niemi may have to fight off Paul Jones for his first team role. The wingers, while solid physically and defensively, lend very little to the offense, which could cause pressure problems for Beattie and company up front. Overall, Southampton was a very poor offensive side last season, and Beattie scored more than half of their goals. Considering Phillips is the only significant addition expected to see first team pitch time, this may not change so fast.

(cont.)

[Chief Rum]

FRIDAY, August 15, 2003

Safe In The Middle

BIRMINGHAM CITY

Name: Blues
Location: Birmingham
Stadium: St. Andrews
Manager: Steve Bruce
02-03 EPL Finish: 13th (13-9-16, 48 pts)
GF: 41 (1.08 gpm)
GA: 49 (1.29 gpm)

Key Losses: SC Geoff Horsfield (West Bromich Albion), MF Aliou Cissé

Key Additions: SC Mikaell Forsell (Chelsea loan), MF David Dunn (Blackburn), CB Mike Duff (Cheltenham), GK Maik Taylor (Fulham loan)

Top Players: SC Mikaell Forsell (7 g), ML Christophe Dugarry (5 g), MF David Dunn (8 g), WG Stan Lazaridis, CB Mike Duff, CB Kenny Cunningham, GK Maik Taylor

The Good: The Blues were one of the worst offensive teams in the Premeirship, so the acquisition of well-regarded young striker Mikaell Forsell, even on loan, is a step in the right direction. It says a lot that Forsell immediately becomes Birmingham’s top striker. Forsell and last year’s top striker, Clinton Morrison, should improve on last year’s results. The forwards will likely perform better with a strong midfield behind them. The addition of David Dunn solidifies a midfield that already had good playmakers in Christophe Duggary and Stan Lazaridis. Maik Taylor should be an improvement in the net.

The Bad: Until Forsell capitalizes on his talent, Birmingham remains a very weak offensive squad. Good scoring from the midfield aside, this club needs stronger contributions up front to get better. The defense has a pair of decent centrebacks in Mike Duff and Kenny Cunningham, but they are weak at wingback. Even in the middle, neither Duff nor Cunningham scare anyone. The defense should be decent, but it’s not good enough to win the club’s matches if the offense doesn’t step it up.

BOLTON WANDERERS

Name: Wanderers
Location: Bolton
Stadium: Reebok Stadium
Manager: Sam Allardyce
02-03 EPL Finish: 17th (10-14-14, 44 pts)
GF: 41 (1.08)
GA: 51 (1.34)

Key Losses: None

Key Additions: SC Kevin Davies (Southampton), SC Jardel (Sporting), WG Stelios Giannakopoulos (Olympiakos)

Top Players: SC Henrik Pedersen (7 g), SC Jardel (11 g), WG Giannakopoulos (11 g), MF Jay Jay Okocha (7 g), MF Youri Djorkaef (7 g), GK Juusi Jaaskelainen

The Good: After a season in which they finished among the worst in the league offensively, the Wanderers remade themselves with some key acquisitions. Jardel and Stelios Giannakopoulos are exciting scorers who can make a difference in the offensive end. They have also managed to hold onto Youri Djorkaef, the linchpin in their five-midfielder tactic, and Henrik Pedersen, their leading returning scorer. Tossing in another dynamic midfielder in Jay Jay Okocha, and you have to think Bolton won’t have nearly the problem scoring this season that they did last year. Back in the netm Juusi Jaaskelainen is one of the better goalkeepers in the league.

The Bad: Even with a solid netminder, Bolton didn’t exactly light the world on fire on defense. They also made no moves to improve that defense. They are also not very deep on the backline, even going with a three-man line in their tactic. Still, if the defense can maintain last year’s pace, and their offense take the step forward that it seems ti might, the Wanderers likely won’t be on the edge of relegation this time around.

MANCHESTER CITY

Name: City
Location: Manchester
Stadium: City of Manchester Stadium
Manager: Kevin Keegan
02-03 EPL Finish: 9th (15-6-17, 51 pts)
GF: 47 (1.24 gpm)
GA: 54 (1.42 gpm)

Key Losses: SC Nicolas Anelka (Manchester United), MF Marc Vivien-Foe (passed away in June), CB Steve Howie (Leicester), WG Niclas Jensen (Dortmund), WG Ali Bernarbia (Al Rayyan), MF Kevin Horlock (West Ham), SC Shawn Goater (Reading)

Key Additions: SC Antoine Sibierski (Lens), SC Trevor Sinclair (West Ham), MF Claudio Reyna (Sunderland), WG Steve McManaman, MF Paul Bosvelt

Top Players: SC Antoine Sibierski (12 g), SC Robbie Fowler (4 g), MF Claudio Reyna, MF Paul Bosvelt, WG Shaun-Wright Phillips, FB Sun Jihai

The Good: With the trasnfer of Nicolas Anelka, Man City returns to a more team-oriented approach. They have good deep groups among both the forwards and the midfielders. Antoine Sibierski could be a top scorer, and Robbie Fowler has been a scorer in the past. Claudio Reyna and Paul Bosvelt are both effective ball-moving midfielders. Wingback Sun Jihai is one of the better backline wings in the league.

The Bad: You have to start with the obvious. The passing of the well-liked Marc Vivien-Foe in a Cameroon African Nations Cup match in June has dealt a heavy blow to the squad. Reyna and Bosvelt are significant additions to the midfield, but Foe’s loss is going to be felt deeply all season. In a sad way, Anelka’s loss is nearly as critical, if on a less cosmic and emotional scale. The explosive striker was City’s identity and a dominating scorer. The forward group still has the talent to produce, but they will all need to produce, especially with a group of midfielders not known to chip in with supporting goals. The defense could also use a lot of tightening up, and the loss of top centreback Steve Howie isn’t going to help matters.

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR

Name: Cockerels
Location: London
Stadium: White Hart Lane
Manager: David Pleat
02-03 EPL Finish: 10th (14-8-16, 50 pts)
GF: 51 (1.34 gpm)
GA: 62 (1.63 gpm)

Key Losses: SC Teddy Sheringham (Portsmouth), WG Matthew Etherington (West Ham)

Key Additions: SC Frederic Kanoute (West Ham), SC Helder Postiga (Porto), WG Simon Davies (5 g), WG Stéphane Dalmat (Inter loan), CB Mbulelo Mabizela (Orlando Pirates), FB Paul Konchesky (Charlton loan)

Top Players: SC Robbie Keane (14 g), SC Frederic Kanoute (5 g), MF Darren Anderton, WG Stéphane Dalmat, CB Mbulelo Mabizelo (3 g), FB Paul Konchesky (3 g), GK Kasey Keller

The Good: Robbie Keane is a premier scorer, and the Cockerels got him some help in Frederic Kanoute and Helder Postiga. They should make up for the departure of Teddy Sheringame. Simon Davies is the Cockerels’ best winger, and eh should be ably paired on the other side by Inter loan Stéphane Dalmat. The defense got an upsurge in talent with the additions of Mbulelo Mabizelo and Paul Konchesky.

The Bad: The main problem with Tottenham last season was they weren’t a very good defensive team, and they still have two of those backline starters playing first team, in addition to goalkeeper Kasey Keller, who was not been particularly solid last year. Mabizelo and Konchesky help, but Mabizelo will be adjusting from South Africa’s Premier Division, and Konchesky is just a fullback. Darren Anderton and Jamie Redknapp are developing talents in the midfield, but they have yet to handle the full duties of being first team playmakers.

(cont.)

[Chief Rum]

FRIDAY, August 15, 2003

Fighting Off Relegation

ASTON VILLA

Name: Villans
Location: Birmingham
Stadium: Villa Park
Manager: David O’Leary
02-03 EPL Finish: 16th (12-9-17, 45 pts)
GF: 42 (1.11 gpm)
GA: 47 (1.24 gpm)

Key Losses: CB Olof Mellberg (Chelsea), WG Hassan Kachloul (Wolverhampton loan), FB Steve Staunton (Coventry), GK Peter Encklemann (Blackburn loan)

Key Additions: MC Gavin McCann (Sunderland), GK Thomas Sorenson (Sunderland)

Top Players: SC Darius Vassell (8 g), MF Lee Hendrie (4 g), MF Gavin McCann, WG Peter Whittingham, MF Thomas Hitzlsperger, FB Gareth Barry (3 g), CB Ronny Johnsen, FB J’Lloyd Samuel

The Good: There aren’t any out and out stars here, but Darius Vassell and fellow striker starter Juan Pablo Angel are capable of better. If they can return to form, that would go a long way to improving Villa’s 42 goals scored, among the worst totals in the league. Lee Hendrie returns to headline the midfield, although there have been some changes around him. Gavin McCann was brought in to start beside Hendrie, and his arrival may push former starter Thomas Hitzlsperger to the wing. All eyes, though, will be on winger Peter Whittingham, who has the talent to become a star winger. He also has the pressure of replacing Hassan Kachloul, who, for all his attitude, was a player that could make something happen on the pitch. But it will likely be an addition by subtraction situation.

The Bad: The backline absorbed a big hit when strong centreback Olof Mellberg was sent to Chelsea. His loss and the fact that former Sunderland keeper Thomas Sorenson will be adjusting to a new team is likely going to hurt a defense that fared pretty well last year. There is also a significant reliance on Vassell and Angel to provide scoring for a team that is otherwise not too strong in the department. That might be a little too much to ask. Also, youth runs throughout the roster, especially at wing, and as will happen with youth, there will be mistakes as they learn on the pitch through tial-and-error.

CHARLTON ATHLETIC

Name:[/b] Addicks
Location: London
Stadium: The Valley
Manager: Alan Curbishley
02-03 EPL Finish: 12th (14-7-17, 49 pts)
GF: 45 (1.18 gpm)
GA: 56 (1.47 gpm)

Key Losses: FB Paul Konchesky (Tottenham loan)

Key Additions: SC Carlton Cole (Chelsea loan), SC Paolo di Canio (West Ham), WG Matt Holland (Ipswich), CB Herman Hreidarsson (Ipswich)

Top Players: SC Paolo di Canio (9 g), WG Claus Jensen (6 g), WG Jason Euell (10 g), CB Herman Hreidarsson, CB Richard Rufus, GK Dean Kiely

The Good: For a team as low in the table as Charlton was, this side had a lot of effective midfielders, particularly on the wing. That kind of scoring ability from the midfield eases pressure up front.. Paolo di Canio could be a key addition. If he can do what he did last season with West Ham, but for a full season, he would rank among the top scorers in the league. Goalkeeper Dean Kiely is a steady netminder.

The Bad: The Addicks don’t just hope di Canio is a top scorer, they need him to be. They have very few other options for putting up serious numbers. It’s saying something when you return both of your starting strikers from the season before, but you may have two completely new guys up front in di Canio and Carlton Cole. Hreidarsson is a solid addition in the center of the backline, but the defense wasn’t particularly solid either. Hurting things even more, the other centreback Richard Rufus will miss the first two months of the season with a knee injury. This isn’t a team that can afford to take a step back in defense, especially with the problems they have had scoring.

FULHAM

Name: Cottagers
Location: London
Stadium: Loftus Road
Manager: Chris Coleman
02-03 EPL Finish: 14th (13-9-16, 48 pts)
GF: 41 (1.08 gpm)
GA: 50 (1.32 gpm)

Key Losses: SC Steve Marlet (Marseille), WG Steed Malbranque (Real Madrid), MF Sean Davis (Newcastle), FB Steve Finnan (Liverpool), GK Maik Taylor (Birmingham)

Key Additions: FB Jerome Bonnissel

Top Players: SC Louis Saha (5 g), MF Sylvain Legwinski (4 g), MF Luis Boa Marte, WG Malik Buari, MF Zatyiah Knight, CB Alain Goma, FB Jerome Bonnissel

The Good: Fulham is a young team with a lot of youthful talent in development. This is particularly evident in the midfield, where strong looking young players like Zatyiah Knight and Malik Buari will be getting their first real shots at first team spots. Saha has the ability to develop into a top scorer, and Elvis Hammond is another young striker who could turn out to be a big time performer. Fullback Jerome Bonnissel is a very solid wingback.

The Bad: Saha and Hammond remain unproven up front, and for a side that was one of the worst offensive clubs in the Premiership, that is bad news. The midfield is heavy on playmakers, but doesn’t produce much in goals itself, which doesn’t figure to help the offense at all. Remember, this team scored just 41 goals when it had Newcastle midfielder Sean Davis and Real Madrid winger Steed Malbranque on the squad. Despite playing nine players in the midfield and defense, Fulham still gave up 50 goals. Bonnissel is a quality get, but the loss of Steve Finnan on the other side hurts. Goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar is in the spotlight after splitting time with Maik Taylor last year. With Taylor in Birmingham, it’s van der Sar’s unquestioned job for the first time.

(cont.)

[Chief Rum]

FRIDAY, August 15, 2003

New Kids On The Block

LEICESTER CITY

Name: Foxes
Location: Leicester
Stadium: Walker Stadium
Manager: Micky Adams
02-03 EPL Finish: First Division Promotion

Key Losses: SC Brian Deane (West Ham), FB Alan Rogers (Wigan), SC Trevor Benjamin (Rushden loan), FB Gerry Taggart (Stoke City loan), WG Nicky Summerbee (Bradford City)

Key Additions: SC Les Ferdinand (West Ham), SC Stanley Spencer (Detroit Bullets), MF Ricardo Scimeca (Nottingham Forest), WG Keith Gillespie (Blackburn), CB Ben Thatcher (Tottenham)

Top Players: SC James Scowcraft (10 g), SC Stanley Spencer, MF Muzzy Izzet (4 g), MF Ricardo Scimeca (3 g), WG Keith Gillespie, FB Callum Davidson, CB Ben Thatcher, WG Jordan Stewart (4 g)

The Good: The Foxes have taken some solid steps to move their roster forward to a Premiership level. James Scowcraft is a solid striker, and bringing in the talented Stanley Spencer could turn out to be a great move. Les Ferdinand lends Premiership experience to back them up. Muzzy Izzet and Ricardo Scimeca will have growing pains in the middle, but the side should be solid on the wing, where young Jordan Stewart could be a future star, and Blackburn transfer Keith Gillespie lends more experience. The acquisition of Ben Thatcher will help a lot on the backline.

The Bad: Thatcher is going to need help back there, and the best guy to do it, fullback Callum Davidson, will be out for the first four months of the season. Until Scowcraft and Spencer start to score, they are unproven at this level, and Ferdinand hasn’t shown himself to be more than a mediocre talent. Three of the four midfielders have no Premiership experience, and Stewart is very young. Ian Walker in net is similarly untested. As usual, it’s going to be difficult to really assess this team until the season gets going.

PORTSMOUTH

Name: Pompey
Location: Portsmouth
Stadium: Fratton Park
Manager: Harry Redknapp
02-03 EPL Finish: First Division Promotion

Key Losses: SC Paul Merson (Walsall), FB Gianluca Festa (Cagliari)

Key Additions: SC Teddy Sheringham (Tottenham), MC Alexei Smerten (Chelsea loan), DC Sebastian Schimmel (West Ham), FB Boris Zivkovic (Leverkusen), GK Pavel Srnicek (Consenza), WG Amdy Moustapha Faye

Top Players: SC Svetoslav Todorov (26 g), SC Yakuba (22 g), SC Teddy Sheringham (12 g), WG Amdy Moustapha Faye, MF Alexei Smerten, WG Nigel Quashie (5 g), CB Linvoy Primus, FB Sebastian Schimmel, FB Matthew Taylor )7 g)

The Good: The Pompey have done a good job of setting themselves up offensively. Even considering they racked up their goals against First Division squads, no one doubts that Svetoslav Todorov or Yakuba can score in the Premiership. Landing Tottenham’s top scorer in Teddy Sheringham lends additional quality depth. They also added Premiership level talent in Amdy Moustapha Faye on the wing, and Alexei Smerten in the middle. The popular Nigel Quashie will have to adjust to the top level, but he’s one of the few guys in the Pompey offense that would seem likely to have to adjust to the new league. On the backline, Linvoy Primus is a solid centreback, and fullback Matthew taylor is a good scorer from the backline. Once again, Boris Zivkovic and Sebastian Schimmel will help a lot with the transition.

The Bad: To call the goaltending situation unsettled is a huge understatement. The leader for the number one jersey is Pavel Srnicek, whom Portsmouth plucked away from a non-league Italian club. He’s just ahead of Utrecht keeper Harold Wapenaar, and neither keeper came to Portsmouth to sit. Defense is always the hardest thing to get when you get promoted, and Portsmouth figures to lag a bit on the backline, especially with Taylor missing the first couple months of the season with a damaged achilles tendon. Right wing appears to be a big weakness as well.

WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS

Name: Wolves
Location: Wolverhampton
Stadium: Molineux
Manager: Dave Jones
02-03 EPL Finish: First Division Promotion

Key Losses: SC Dean Sturridge (Sheffield United loan), FB Mark Edworthy (Norwich)

Key Additions: MC Silas (Leiria), SC Henri Camara (Sedan), WG Hassam Kachloul (Aston Villa loan), FB Oleg Luzhny (Arsenal)

Top Players: SC Kenny Miller (19 g), SC Henri Camara (14 g), MC Silas (8 g), SC George NDah (7 g), WG Colin Cameron (7 g), CB Joleon Scott, FB Oleg Luzhny, GK Matt Murray

The Good: When healthy, Kenny Miller and Henri Camara should give the Wolves a solid duo up front. They are also back with solid depth, including former starter George Ndah. Colin Cameron remains the team leader on the wing, and he and volatile Hassan Kachloul should both provide sparks on the sidelines. Midfielder Silas is the most offensively-minded midfielder and should see time all over the place. The backline is bolstered by the acquisition of well-regarded Oleg Luzhny on one wing, and the continued development of Joleon Scott in the middle. Keeper Matt Murray is the best of the goalkeepers on the promoted teams this season.

The Bad: First off, the team is going through a ton of injuries. Among the down and out are top scorer Miller for two months, Ndah for four months amd Scott for three months. Those are three very critical players. Kachloul brings with him a notorious habit of upsetting his teammates. There are still players in Aston Villa that are talking bad about him. You can imagine what kind of reaction he is getting here. He’s a chemistry ticking time bomb. Luzhny is a nice addition, but with Scott hurt for three months, the defense is certain to suffer.

[Chief Rum]

FRIDAY, August 15, 2003

EPL Predictions, 2003-04 Season

1. Arsenal
2. Liverpool
3. Manchester United
4. Chelsea
5. Blackburn
6. Newcastle United
7. Everton
8. Southampton
9. Middlesbrough
10. Leeds United
11. Bolton Wanderers
12. Tottenham Hotspur
13. Birmingham City
14. Manchester City
15. Portsmouth
16. Fulham
17. Aston Villa
<-------------relegation line------------->
18. Wolverhampton Wanderers
19. Charlton Athletic
20. Leicester City

[SirFozzie]

Nice Preview, now the games really start to count ;)

[SirFozzie]

Dola-Fozzie Post:

Well, you got a lot to live up to, as the real life Boro just won the Carling Cup (League Cup), so they'll be in Europe next year.

[Chief Rum]

Yeah, I saw. Way to go, Boro! :)

I hope I can live up to that.

CR

[Chief Rum]

SATURDAY, August 16, 2003

Middlesbrough Preview

The grass is clipped. The lines are drawn. The hooligans are drunk. Football in merry old England returns for another season.

Today, the Boro of Middlesbrough begin yet another quest for their first ever FA Barclaycard Premiership League title, a quest that has gone on now for over a century. The Boro will take on the Cockerels of Tottenham Hotspur at the Riverside Stadium this afternoon.

Last season, the Boro did fairly well and were just in sight of playing in Europe. Can they take the next step this season?

It will be up to new manager Matthew Kieta to see that that task is completed. The interim manager took over for Steve McLaren after the latter had to go on holiday to rehabilitate from an as yet undisclosed serious illness.

Kieta, a heretofore unknown from the American collegiate leagues, has been lambasted by media and observers as unsuited for the position. The squad did little in the preseason to dispel those notions, going 3-3 against relatively sunstandard competition. But then, those are just friendlies.

Kieta also didn't make any significant moves before just this past week. Fortunately, McLaren made some moves before departing, loaning Leeds' defender Danny Mills, Chelsea attacking midfielder Boudewijn "Bolo" Zenden, and Lazio's exciting Spanish midfielder Gaizka Mendieta. All three are expected to see major pitch time this season. McLaren also brought in Manchester City netminder Carlo Nash, who gave Mark Schwarzer strong competition for the number one jersey over the past month.

Kieta did finally get going recently. He has brought in Juventus defender Salvatore Fresi and Wimbledon winger Lionel Morgan to shore up weak depth spots on the squad, and he is currently battling with Ajax for the rights to Chelsea striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink.

Kieta did some learning of his own over the preseason. After trying to install a complicated five-tier tactic for much of the preseason, Kieta admitted failure for now when he switched to a simpler 4-4-2 with attacking elements. Bitter as that change might have been, the Boro won both of their last two preseason matches handily behind the tactic.

Here's a position by position look at the team.

FORWARDS

Coming into the preseason, this area looked like a strength. Now there are a lot of questions.

Young strikers Massimo Maccarone and Malcolm Christie looked like they would be the guys to take the Boro into new offensive heights--before an offseason in which they largely were undistinguished and even played poorly. Another young striker, Michael Ricketts, instead pushed himself into the mix, as did veteran Joseph-Désiré Job. Christie found himself trying out at right wing, and Maccarone spent the whole preseason looking over his shoulder.

And now Kieta is pursuing Hasselbaink.

"It has been a problem area," Kieta said. "These guys are capable of better than that. But I can't afford to sit around and wait. If there is one thing to take away from me, it's that I play the guys who play better, regardless of talent level."

Kieta wouldn't say who would start today or for the early course of the season, and the preseason friendlies give little guess who might be up front. Maccarone seems likely, since he has started most of the matches with the first team, but Christie has seemingly disappeared from the forward rotation.

It seems likely that Maccarone's partner will be either Job or Ricketts, with Szilard Németh around as well to take in a match or two. Christie, who will likely see more time on the right wing, could work his way back if the forwards don't play well.

Another possible option is emotional leader and exciting playmaker Juninho. The Brazilian veteran has established himself as a top player with the Boro, but the midfield position seems fairly deep, and Juninho is far more suited for a forward position than in the midfield.

Juninho missed much of last year to injury, acoring three goals while appearing in only ten matches. His absence was thought to have played a big role in the Boro's offensive problems last season, when they scored just 48 goals in 38 Premiership matches.

WINGERS

The wing has long been a troubled area of the squad, and that doesn't look to change much this season, with few players really stepping forward and taking a couple positions that were wide open to begin with.

"I still have a lot of hope for the players we have on the wing," Kieta said. "We have some good players there. We just need to find the right combination."

Kieta's wingers are responsibile for a little more than other wings, as he expects his wingers to play a primary role in moving the ball forward, as opposed to simply playing for the cross pass or heading into the penalty area to be on the receiving end of midfield and wingback passes.

The whole preseason seemed to be a tryout on the wing. The first friendly starters were Zenden and Németh and neither had a good match.

Since then, the right side has seen Christie and Mills and Greening, while the left side saw standout play from reserve Stuart Downing.

And that might eb the story of the left wing this preseason, as the 19-year-old made a bid for first team play. Kieta confirmed Friday that Downing had indeed made the team and would play a lot on the left.

Downing may get a lot of playing time early, but he has competition ont he way. The primary purpose for bring ing in Morgan from Wimbledon was to help on the wing, and Morgan's best position is on the left. The fast winger with good dribbling and crossing abilities is recuperating from a July injury in which he damaged knee cartilage, and should return to the pitch in early September.

Zenden is also expected to see time on the left wing, as Kieta continues to try and find a role for the talented player.

"Bolo has been kinda caught in the middle of our tactics switches," Kieta said. "He's a versatile player who can play the midfield, wingback, winger or up front. I still haven't even really decided where he should play for this squad, but he's too good to leave off the pitch for long."

Zenden and Downing will liekly handle the position until Morgan returns, and then Zenden could see more time in the middle or even up front.

On the right side, Christie was hit-and-miss. He played well in his first couple matches on the right, but his play tailed off later on in the preseason friendly fixture. Kieta said the position remains wide open.

"Malcolm still has a long way to go over there," Kieta said. "It's not easy to just pick yourself up from one position you have always played and move over to another one, and that's what he is having to do right now."

Christie is splitting time with Jonathon Greening, who might be better suited for the position, and Mills. Kieta said Friday, though, that Mills will be playing an attacking wingback position.

Kieta also said Job might see time on the right on occasion.

MIDFIELDERS

This is an area that has many supporters excited.

Mendieta has been an eye-opener in the midfield, and he did his best work in both Kieta's first tactic and the new 4-4-2.

"He's just a premier playmaker," Kieta said. "I think it won't be long before all of England knows who Gaizka Mendieta is."

Mendieta scored a goal and an assist and got a Man of the Match award in five preseason matches, none of which he played in for more than half of full time. He hurt his knee in the fifith match, but is healthy now and has been on the practice field for more than a week now.

If Juninho isn't starting up front, it's obvious where he will be: right beside Mendieta in one very strong playmaking midfield. The two working together should drive the Boro offense.

There is quality depth, too, with Doriva and Zenden around. Doriva has played well in the preseason and deserves to start himself. For Zenden, this is just another position at which he is capable of getting on the pitch.

When the side needs more defensive play, expect to see a lot of George Boateng. The underrated steady defensive midfielder returns to the dirty work in the middle. If he isn't in the middle, Boateng will likely be playing a lot on the backline.

WINGBACKS

Kieta's announcement that Mills would be starting back here likely clears up another area that has been in adjustment the past couple weeks. Kieta's first tactic didn't even include the tactic, but the one they are running now has two positions.

"I think Danny is excellent for this spot," Kieta said. "Our fullbacks will be expected to be a part of the offense as well, moving the ball forward and setting up deep crosses, as well as defending some of the great wings in this league. Mills is perfect for the position"

Mills should be starting on the right side. Boateng and Fresi will probably serve as his primary backups. Fresi is also expected to see time at the left wingback spot.

The left is a little more confused. Fresi is a possiblity, although he is more suited to the right and center. The natural left wingback on the roster is Franck Queudreu. Queudreu is a decent playmaker, but not as good defensively as a fullback is usually expected to be.

Alan Wright and veteran Chris Cooper will also help at the position. They are both solid defensively, but won't provide much on offense.

CENTREBACKS

This is the area that really made the Boro tough defensively last year, allowing just 44 goals, one of the best figures in the Premiership. But the primary reason for that success is the main reason for conern this season.

Ugo Ehiogu, the commanding center of Boro's defense, tore knee ligaments in his knee in May and won't return to the Boro's backline until January at the soonest. It will be critical for the squad to overcome his loss.

Matters have been helped, though, by the emergence of Chris Riggott. Outside of perhaps Mendieta, there wasn't a player on the side who played better than the young centreback when presented with his shot at a starting role.

"Chris was amazing," Kieta said. "He has played tall, really making a difference in the air. He has been great in positional defense and really reeb a presence back there. When Ugo comes back, it's going to be tough with all these great backs on the squad."

Riggott's partner isn't a problem. That's where captain and veteran defender Gareth Southgate returns to his leading role in the team's defense. Southagte has started off slow in the preseason, but Kieta said he isn't concerned.

"Gareth is a true pro," Kieta said. "He knows what it takes to get through a tough and long season. I don't doubt he will be there when the points are up."

Fresi and Close seem likely to be the primary backups at the position, along with Boateng and Mills on occasion.

GOALKEEPERS

This position was the scene of an intriguing preseason battle for the first team spot between the popular incumbent starter Schwarzer and the Man City transfer Nash.

Kieta announced aerlier in the week that Schwarzer won--the first match anyway.

He said Schwarzer would start against Tottenham, but that there were no guarantees beyond that.

"We're going to go with the hot goaltender," Kieta said Tuesday. "In hockey, when you have two good netminders, it's common for both to see a lot of playing time, and who plays is based on who's practicing and playing well. I see no reason why that can't apply here."

He said Friday he planned to continue making that decision ona match-by-match basis.

Neither Schwarzer nor Nash distinguished themselves above the other. Schwarzer was the man in net for the Boro's strong defensive performance last season, but many observers think Nash, who was a backup for City last season, is actually better.

OUTLOOK

The big question remains. Will this side score enough goals? Even with the loss of Ugo Ehiogu, most observers think the Boro will be fine defensively. But the issues up front have to cause concern for a team that didn't do so hot in that role last season.

If the offense starts producing, though, the sky is the limit. This is a squad with the talent to get into Europe next season.

And then there is Kieta himself. Will he ably lead this squad through the trials of a lengthy English football fixture, or will his own need to learn ont he job hinder the squad?

At this point, the Boro remain one of the EPL's mysteries. And it's likely going to be a while before the supporters really know what this club, and its new manager, are made of.

Boro Notes

The Boro will be a part of the Carling Cup second round drawing today.

Forty-eight English clubs from the Third Division and up to the bottom twelve Premier League sides in last season's standings will be involved in the draw.

This is the first time the 12 EPL sides are included in the Carling Cup draw. They are joining the 36 winners from the first round.

The second round will be played on September 23.

[Chief Rum]

SATURDAY, August 16, 2003

Tottenham at Middlesbrough

When: 3:00 p.m.
Where: Riverside Stadium
Forecast: Dry 25º C
Middlesbrough Out: DC Ugo Ehiogu, ML Allan Johnston, ML Lionel Morgan
Tottenahm Out: SC Fred Kanoute, DC Gregg Berhalter

Outlook: The Premiership opener for both clubs should be an eye-opener for both as well. The two sides have been roughly comparable in the predictions of most of the pundits. The Cockerels are led by striker Robbie Keane and winger Simon Davies.

FA Barclaycard Premiership Game of the Round

Manchester United at Arsenal

The two English superpowers get together with a chance to make a statement about the early leader in the Premiership. The match, which will be played Sunday at Highbury Park, is also a rematch of the two clubs in the English Community Shield. Last week, Arsenal defeated Man U 2-1 at Millenium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales in English football's annual kickoff meeting between the winner of the Premier League and the FA Cup from the previous season.

The Rest Of The Games

Bolton at Aston Villa
Birmingham at Blackburn
Leicester at Chelsea
Tottenham at Middlesbrough
Charlton at Newcastle
Fulham at Portsmouth
Everton at Wolverhampton
Leeds at Liverpool (Sunday)
Southampton at Manchester City (Sunday)

[GoldenEagle]

I must say I love the depth.

[Chief Rum]

Thanks, GE. Lots more coming from that way.

CR

[Calis]

Awesome stuff Chief.

Particularly loved reading the preview, great work.

Chelsea looks very frightening this year.

[Chief Rum]

Thanks, Calis. I like to go in-depth, but it's more rewarding to do that work when you know someone's actually reading it. :)

Chelsea is very frightening. It's just wrong to not only have that much money about, but to also use it.

Funniest thing about it? Chel;sea probably has five or six guys out on loan, including Zenden, and they are all major players for the sides they went to. I'm talking Premiership sides here. Zenden and Birmingham's Forsell come to mind imemdiately, but there were others, too. Just scary.

CR

[Chief Rum]

SUNDAY, August 16, 2003

Gaizka!

Lazio Midfielder Dominates Tottenham With Two Goals In Debut

MIDDLESBROUGH-- Saturday, the rest of the Premiership got a message: Gaizka Mendieta has arrived.

In one of the more memorable and dimnating debuts in recent memory, Mendieta scored two of Middlesbrough's three scores in a 3-0 victory on a hot day in front of 32,719 fans at Riverside Stadium.

The loanee from Italian power Lazio also got the assist on the third goal, an own goal by Cockerel's fullback Paul Konchesky, missed a penalty, and just missed a fifth shot that skirted over the crossbar.

"I am just happy for the fans," Mendieta said via translation. "The Boro supporters deserve a winner. I am hoping to help make that dream come true."

The 29-year-old Spaniard midfielder was off to a fast start. In the fourth minute, he blasted an in-swerve free kick into the right corner of the net from 25 yards out. A beauty of a shot, the ball curled high above Tottenham's wall from just outside the penalty area and just inside the rtight post, a moment before the Cockerels' keeper Kasey Keller could get there.

The Boro received the freekick when defender Ledley King knocked down Middlesbrough forward Michael Ricketts as he was trying to receive a long pass from centreback Gareth Southgate.

Mendieta went back to that same corner in the 22nd minute. Right fullback Danny Mills throw in a ball from the left touchline to striker Massimo Maccarone, just inside the outer left corner of the penalty area. Tottenham defender Mbulelo Mabizela beat Maccarone in the air and headed the ball back out toward the touch. Mills retrieved it and sent it on a short pass to angling winger Malcolm Christie. Under pressure, Christie flick-passed the ball on to Mendieta, who was about 30 yards out from the goal in the center of the pitch. The star of the day one-timed the shot, sending the ball flying past two Cockerels defenders and a frozen Keller for his second score of the day.

"That was just a beauty of a kick," interim Boro manager Mattew Kieta said. "It was just perfectly placed. [Keller] never had a chance. It was too fast."

The two early goals set up an exciting scene in the 31st minute when Tottenham fullback Stephen Carr slipped under a bounding Stuart Downing on an in-coming freekick from Southgate. The referee signalled for a penalty, w duty which fell to Mendieta Saturday, and giving the midfielder a chance at the hat trick on one of football's more exciting plays.

Mendieta blasted a low hard shot, but it was just to Keller's left, and he fended it off up the goal line. Maccarone leaped on the loose ball and sent a centering pass back to left wingback Franck Queudreu, who immediately ditched it off to Downing, charging into the goal box from the right. Instead of looking for his shot, though, Downing sent the abll toward Juninho in the center of the penalty area. The pass bumped on through, and Konchesky cleared it to midfield and ending the scoring chance.

Konchesky, as it turns out, would play a major part in the Boro's next scoring chance in the 36th minute. Middlesbrough received a corner kick after Carr dispossessed Downing on a nice run into the penalty area and sending the ball over the goal line. Christie's outward-swerving cross was headed by Mendieta toward the right post. Konchesky, amongst the mass of humanity placed near the goal for protection, tried to head the ball out, but misjudged it and watched in horror as his errant clear-out attempt shot back into the net past a stunned Keller.

"It was just an unfortunate play," Konchesky said. "And the way things were going for Mendieta, you kinda had to expect it, too."

Armed with a 3-0 lead, the Boro had all they needed to roll to an easy opening win in their FA Barclaycard Premiership fixture.

Mendieta ended up taking six of the Boro's seven shots. Tottenham managed just one shot on goal, and four overall, as Mark Scwarzer picked up the clean sheet. Although Mendieta was the catalyst, the entire squad was involved in what was a dominating performance over the Cockerels.

Christie and Ricketts each received an assist on one of Mendieta's goals.

For Kieta, it was his first ever professional win in English football.

"These guys have been practicing well," Kieta said of his side. "They deserved this today. Hopefully, we can carry it forward to Birmingham."

The Boro play Birmingham City in Birmingham on Wednesday night.

[Chief Rum]

SUNDAY, August 17, 2003

Not All Is Rosey In Boro Land

Despite Win, Kieta And Maccarone Spar In Media

MIDDLESBROUGH-- Kieta was all smiles Saturday after his side defeated Tottenham handily, 3-0, at Riverside Stadium--except when the issue of striker Massimo Maccarone came up.

"Massimo had a very poor match," Kieta said. "He is capable of better. I just don't think he's putting up the effort he needs to out there. He was horrible in the air. He didn't take a single shot, and he's our lead striker."

Maccarone's performance was rated a four by ratings experts, and was pulled in the 60th minute for Joseph Désiré Job.

Maccarone won just one aerial challenge in 18, was called for offsides, and was also called for a foul. As the manager noted, he didn't take a shot on goal, while midfielder Gaizka Mendieta took six.

Kieta said the subpar performance was the Italian striker's third in his past seven appearances, including friendlies against Alverca and Brechin City last month. In the six friendlies, the soon-to-be-24-year-old forward put up a 6.33 rating.

Kieta said he was going to have to warn Maccarone to start playing better.

"I'm going to have to have a sit down with Massimo, and see if we can work something out," Kieta said. "If he can't step it up and play better, I'm going to have to consider other options at the position."

Some would say Kieta is already heavy into those other considerations. The club has been linked in reports to a move on Chelsea striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbanik.

Last week, Chelsea agreed to transfer deals with both Middlesbrough and Dutch power Ajax. The veteran striker is currently considering contract offers from both clubs. Hasselbaink started for Chelsea last season, scoring 11 goals in 36 matches, but he has been demoted to the reserves by a series of high-profile transfers by the club this past offseason.

Maccarone was understandably less than pleased about the manager's words.

"This is bull," Maccarone angrily told reporters. "I had a bad day. These things happen. I don't think it's fair I have been singled out this way."

Maccarone said he didn't think this would happen under past manager Steve McLaren, whom Kieta replaced after the former had to go on holiday with an undisclosed serious illness in July.

"Steve showed us respect," Maccarone said. "What Kieta is doing, this isn't respectful. I don't deserve to be treated this way."

Maccarone said he may have to consider his situation with Middlesbrough.

"Right now, I don't know if I can continue playing here if this is how things are going to be done," the striker said. "I'm going to have to consider my options."

Maccarone led the Boro with nine goals last season, his first with the club. He scored 26 goals in two seasons with Italian club Empoli before that. He is thought to be a young player with high-end potential.

Boro Draw Sheffield United In Carling Cup

While the Boro were manhandling Tottenham, the drawing for the second round of the Carling Cup was held Saturday.

Middlesbrough will play First Division side Sheffield United at Bramall Lane in Sheffield on September 23.

The Carling Cup is an England-only competition involving all league teams. The Boro were just one of 12 Premiership sides that were included in the draw, along with the 36 winners from the first round. The remaining Premiership sides, the top eight from last season's standings, get byes into the third round of the competition.

Downing Hurt

Middlesbrough left winger Stuart Downing may be out for a couple weeks, the club's top physio Grant Downie said after the match Saturday.

Downing sprained his ankle in the Boro's 3-0 win. He stayed in the game, but the ankle swelled up in the locker room afterward.

Downing went down in the 35th minute, courtesy of a Simon Davies trip that got the Tottenham winger carded a yellow.

With Lionel Morgan also out for the rest of the month, the left wing spot will be a little light in the mean time. The likely starter will be Chelsea loan Boudewijn Zenden.

[Chief Rum]

SUNDAY, August 17, 2003

FA Barclaycard Action Recap

Aston Villa 3, Bolton 1 Two late goals by Marcus Allback clinched this one for the Villans after it looked like it would end up a scoreless draw. The first goal of the match, played at Villa Park in Birmingham, wasn't scored until Darius Vassell got a goal in the 77th minute. Allback put the Villans up 2-0, and scored again to put it away after Bolton got an own goal from Villa's goalkeeper Thomas Sorenson. Villa dominated the match, with 14 shots on goal to just four by Bolton.

Birmingham 3, Blackburn 2 Birmingham City pulled off a big road upset over Blackburn when Stern John got a big score in the final seconds of the match. The Rovers had overcome an early 2-0 deficit to tie it up 2-2 before along John's winning goal in the 90th minute. Both early Blues goals were scored by striker Clinton Morrison. Blackburn got goals from defender Lucas Neill and striker Andrew Cole.

Chelsea 3, Leicester 1 The Blues of Chelsea greeted new Premiership side Leicester roughly Saturday, stomping them at Stamford Bridge in London. Chelsea got goals from midfielder Claude Makélélé, defender John Terry and striker Eidur Gudjohnsen to take a 3-0 lead. Striker James Scowcraft scored for the Foxes in the 79th minute to break up Carlos Cudicini's clean sheet.

Middlesbrough 3, Tottenham 0 Boro midfielder Gaizka Mendieta dominated the Cockerels at Riverside Stadium in Middlesbrough Saturday. He scored two goals in his debut with the Boro, and got an assist on an own goal by Tottenham fullback Paul Konchesky. Mark Schwarzer picked up the clean sheet.

Newcastle 3, Charlton 2 The Magpies used a string of three goals in the middle of the match to overcome an early deficit and late comeback by the Addicks at St. James Park in Newcastle. Forwards Darren Ambrose and Craig Bellamy both scored just before halftime to put the Magpies up 2-1, and then forward Lomana LuaLua scored in the second minute of the second half to put it away. Charlton got scores from defender Gary Rowett and striker Carlton Cole, the latter of which brought the Foxes to within one.

Portsmouth 2, Fulham 0 The Pompey played tight defense and goalkeeper Pavel Srnicek got the clean sheet after facing just six shots from the visiting Cottagers. Fulham was lucky to have the match stay close after the Pompey bombarded Fulham keeper Edwin van der Ser with 14 shots, 12 on goal, in Portsmouth's Premiership debut. Both Pompey goals were scored by striker Svetoslav Todorov in the second half.

Wolverhampton 1, Everton 1 The Blues of Everton were left to wonder what might have been after midfielder Thomas Gravesen missed a penalty in the 4th minute. The match in Wolverhampton would stay scoreless well into the second half before Wolves' striker Jimmi-Lee Jones scored to give the hosts a 1-0 lead. It was short-lived, though, as the Blues' star young striker Wayne Rooney blasted int he equalizer in the 71st minute.

Injuries & Suspensions

Boro winger Stuart Downing suffered a sprained ankle against Tottenham and will miss two weeks. The rest of the injuries in Saturday's action were day-to-day.

No one was booted Saturday.

Today's Matches

Manchester United at Arsenal
Leeds United at Liverpool
Southampton at Manchester City

[Chief Rum]

MONDAY, August 18, 2003

Hasselbaink Goes Dutch

Striker Turned Down Offer From Boro To Go To Ajax

LONDON-- Chelsea striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink ended days of speculation Sunday when he agreed to a new contract with Dutch power Ajax.

The Dutch striker rejected a similar offer from Middlesbrough.

Hasselbaink, 31, signed a £1.2 M per season contract through the 2004-05 season, completing a £1 M conditional transfer to Chelsea.

"Ajax is one of the top clubs in the world," Hasselbaink. "It was an opportunity I just couldn't pass up."

Hasselbaink said he had nothing but good things to say about interim Boro manager Matthew Kieta and the club's entreaties to the 31-year-old veteran scorer.

"They are a good club going in the right direction," Hasselbaink said. "If I didn't feel Ajax was so right for me, I would have enjoyed playing in Riverside Stadium."

Hasselbaink scored 11 goals in 36 matches for Chelsea last season. Because of a string of high-profile transfers by the rich club, though, Hasselbaink was looking at a reserve spot before Chelsea decided to place him on the transfer list.

Prior to last season, Hasselbaink was one of the top forwards in the Premiership, scoring 20 or more goals in both 2000-01 and 2001-02 for the Blues. He also scored 34 goals in two seasons for Leeds United from 1997-99.

Kieta said he was disappointed in the striker's decision but that he understood why he made the choice he did.

"He's back among people of the same heritage as him, and he gots to play for one of the best clubs in the world," Kieta said. "It's a good move for him."

Kieta said the Boro offer to Hasselbaink was comparable to the one he accepted from Ajax, but would not get into specifics.

Losing out on Hasselbaink introduces a new wrinkle into Kieta's plans to upgrade the talent at Riverside Stadium. Kieta may not be able to get another striker in before the European transfer window closes on August 31.

That could be particularly painful considering Kieta and lead Boro striker Massimo Maccarone had a falling out Saturday after the manager criticized Maccarone's effort in the Boro's 3-0 win over Tottenham.

Maccarone said Saturday he is considering his options on whether to request to leave the club because of Saturday's incident, although it will likely be just as difficult to move Maccarone out before the transfer window closes as it will be to bring someone new in.

Kieta refused to comment Sunday on what he would do if Maccarone demanded to leave the club, or what targets he might have in mind to go after in the wake of losing Hasselbaink.

Boro Under-19's Fall To Morecambe

The Middlesbrough Under-19ss lost their season opener Sunday to the Morecambe Under-19's 3-1.

Forward Niklas Nordgren, 18, got the Boro off to a good start with a goal in the 16th minute, but it wasn't enough to stave off the hometown squad at Christie Park.

Morecambe striker Garry Hunter scored in the 45th minute and 60th minute to give them the lead, and then James Appleyard shut it down for a good with a clincher in the 81st minute.

Nordgren was by far the most impressive player on the pitch for the young Boro.

[Chief Rum]

MONDAY, August 18, 2003

FA Barclaycard Action Recap

Arsenal 2, Manchester United 0 The Gunners won a tight defensive duel at Highbury Sunday, defeating the Red Devils for the second time in eight days in a match which yielded just nine total shots. Forward Kanu broke through United's defenses late in the first half to score two quick goals in the 35th and 41st minutes. The tone-setting win by Arsenal comes just over a week after these same two clubs met for the English Community Shield. The Gunners won that match, 2-1.

Leeds United 2, Liverpool 1 Who's selling all their top players? United pulled off perhaps the upset of the weekend when they went into Anfield and came away with a tough victory over the Reds and former Leeds star winger Harry Kewell. Liverpool broke a tight scoreless match in the 63rd minute when star striker Michael Owen got his first goal. Leeds was quick to respond, though, as striker Alan Smith tied it up again at the 69th minute. It looked like the match would go to a draw until star Leeds striker Mark Viduka stunned the Anfield crowd by scoring with just seconds left in the match to give the road squad a shocking upset victory.

Southampton 2, Manchester City 1 City found it could only score goals on Sunday on penalties and on own goals--and the latter go to the Saints. Manchester City striker Antoine Sibierski scored a penalty to give the home side an early lead in the fifth minute, but they promptly gave it back int he 15th minute when City keeper Nicky Weaver inadvertently knocked the ball back into his own net for the equaliser. Still, it seemed headed to a draw before Saints' star striker James Beattie finally managed to get past Weaver in the 83rd minute to clinch a big road win for Southampton.

Injuries & Suspensions

There were no major injuries or suspensions in Sunday's action.

[Chief Rum]

MONDAY, August 18, 2003

It's Done: Lúcio To Newcastle

NEWCASTLE-- Star defender Lúcio is finally on his way to the Magpies after his second application for a work permit was approved by the English Football Association on Sunday.

The addition of the versatile scoring backliner essentially solves Newcastle's lack of star power among its defensive crew and turns the Magpies into a much more dangerous club.

Newcastle negotiated the transfer of the 25-year-old Brazilian centreback from Leverkusen of the Bundesliga last month, but Lúcio's first application for a work permit, as is required of all non-European Union players moving to the English leagues, was denied on August 3.

Lúcio, a veteran of 29 matches with his homeland Brazil's powerful national side, scored three goals in 21 matches last season with Leverkusen. He scored an unorthodox 12 goals as a defender for the German power in three seasons.

"I am so happy to finally be here," the defender said told gathered fans through an interpreter at a rally at St. James Park. "I want to get to work, to repay you all for your enthusiasm and to bring the Premiership trophy to Newcastle."

The Magpies paid Leverkusen a handsome £10.5 M transfer fee for the world-class defender, above and beyond the £1.6 M, three-year deal they inked Lúcio to on Sunday.

"I think we can really match up well with the top sides in this league," Newcastle's ancient manager Bobby Robson said. "I thought we were good enough before, but this really puts us up even higher."

Lúcio appeared in two early matches for Leverkusen before his transfer, averaging seven tackles and a 7.50 rating, but going scoreless.

Other English Football Notes

The Pompey of Portsmouth have loaned out Welsh veteran midfielder Carl Robinson to former Premiership side West Bromich Albion on Sunday.

The 26-year-old will remain with the First Division side for three months.

This is Robinson's third loan out in two seasons. Last season, he had stints with both First Division Walsall and Second Division Sheffield Wednesday. He appeared in 11 matches, with one goal, for Walsall, and in four matches and one goal with Sheffield Wednesday.

He also appeared in 15 matches for Portsmouth--also First Division at the time--and going scoreless.

[Calis]

Got to say, I'm glad you lost out on the race for Hasselbaink. I'm not a fan. ;)

[SirFozzie]

Go you Boro!!!

Chelsea scare the hell out of me too.

[Chief Rum]

Calis: To be honest, by the time I lost out on him, I was kinda hoping I would, too. He was the best I found early on, but I wasn't always looking in the right places. I have little enough transfer funds as it is.

Keep reading guys. :)

CR

[Chief Rum]

TUESDAY, August 19, 2003

Maccarone, Juninho Unsettled Over Future Of Club

MIDDLESBROUGH-- Monday morning, striker Massimo Maccarone said he would welcome a chance to move clubs, but he would not demand it.

The Boro forward is still upset over comments interim manager Matthew Kieta made to reporters about Maccarone's performance Saturday and in preseason friendlies.

"I am uncomfortable with the environment [Kieta] has put in place with this club," Maccarone said. "I will continue to play and play hard for the fans as long as I am here, but I am not making it a secret I would like to leave the club."

The 23-year-old said Kieta had yet to apologize for his remarks Saturday. Kieta was critical of Maccarone's effort after the striker won just one header in 18 aerial challenges, and didn't take a single shot on goal in the Boro's 3-0 win over Tottenham at Riverside Stadium. The manager also said Maccarone had had two other such performances int he preseason, and suggested he would need to play better to stay with the first eleven.

Kieta refused to comment on Maccarone's announcement Monday. That was not the case with emotional leader Juninho though.

The midfielder that he was concerned the public fight could hurt club chemistry, and that he also feared that the club itself would not be able to continue to compete for the Premiership crown with finances as they are.

"We have a good side here," Juninho said. "We need to keep these guys together. Look at what Gaizka did. Do we have the funds to keep a guy like that here when his loan is up? I doubt it."

Juninho said he didn't think the club could compete if it had to start selling off its top players.

Chairman Steve Gibson acknowledged the club does not have the resources of Manchester United or Arsenal or Chelsea, some of the richest clubs in the world, but he said the Brazilian midfielder was just being an alarmist.

"We'll keep the guys we need to keep," Gibson said Monday. "If we get a good group of guys here, I am prepared to keep them here and see what they can do."

Gibson made roughly £5 M available to Kieta in the transfer market, and promised that three-fourths of transfer fees gained by selling off players would likewise be moved over to transfer funds. After bringing in three younger prospects from First Division Wimbledon and veteran fullback Salvatore Fresi from Juventus, the manager has about £3.5 M left to play with this season.

[Chief Rum]

WEDNESDAY, August 20, 2003

Boro Still Exploring Striker Options

MIDDLESBROUGH-- Interim Boro manager Matthew Kieta said he was continuing to look at bringing in a lead striker before the transfer deadline passes on August 31.

The manager addressed the striker issue and his recent sparring with striker Massimo Maccarone at his weekly preess conference Tuesday, among other issues.

Middlesbrough lost out in an attempt to bring in Chelsea striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink on Sunday. Hasselbaink decided to sign with Dutch power Ajax instead of moving to the Boro.

"We're keeping our eyes out," Kieta said. "Expect more offers. Will we get something done in time? Hard to say. But we're looking."

Kieta has been searching for a frontline scorer since the end of the club's preseason fixture. None of the Boro's forward options clearly established their positions in the first eleven with consistent play up front.

That search becam e a motivated one Monday when a public spat between the manager and Maccarone led to the striker to say he would "welcome leaving the club."

"I feel the same way now that I did Saturday," Kieta said. "We need Massimo to stay in top form. He's quite capable when he's on his game, but lately he hasn't been."

Kieta said he has no intention to allow Maccarone to leave the club at the moment.

"He's angry at me right now, and I understand that," Kieta said. "But I know he can help this club. I'm not going to make any rash decisions with a player with talent like Maccarone has."

Kieta said the mood in the engine room remained high after Saturday's strong win over Tottenham.

"It was a good start to the season," Kieta said. "I am hoping we can build on it with good play tomorrow in Birmingham."

The Boro will play their first road match tonight at St. Andrews.

Boro Reserves Handle Everton Easily

Middlesbrough's reserves had pretty much as easy a time with Everton's second team as the first team did with Tottenham Saturday.

The Boro reserves beat Evrton 3-0 at Haig Avenue in Southport on Tuesday, jumping out to an early lead and never letting up.

Striker Danny Graham and forward Craig Dove both scored in the first 30 minutes of the match, and the Boro went into halftime with a 2-0 lead. Fullback Peter Masters got the third goal with a penalty in the 48th minute.

Former Wimbledon defensive midfielder Dean Lewington made his debut in the match, his first since he was transferred to Middlesbrough earlier this month. Lewington played well, assistant manager Steve Harrison said.

Lewington did have to leave the pitch with a shin bruise in the 85th minute, but it's not expected to keep him out of any practice or future matches.

English Football Notes

Aston Villa came to a future transfer agreement for Korean defensive midfielder Kim Nam-Il on Tuesday.

The Villans have signed away the midfielder on a free from Chunnam, currently leading the Korean K-League, but the transfer won't officially go through until January 1, 2004.

The 26-year-old is a veteran of 42 international matches for South Korea. He had four goals and five assists in 26 appearances for Chunnam this past season. He also played in seven matches on loan with Dutch First Division side Excelsior, going scoreless.

[daedalus]

1. ArsenalI like the way you think! :D

I'm sad that you left out Freddie in favour of Wiltord and Lauren in your preview, though. :)

Maybe you can loan in Jeremie Aliadiere from the Gunners so I can have someone to follow and cheer on!

Woodgate-Lúcio should make for a strong central defense for NUFC.

[Chief Rum]

WEDNESDAY, August 20, 2003

Middlesbrough at Birmingham

When: 7:30 p.m.
Where: St. Andrews, Birmingham
Forecast: 10º C
Middlesbrough Out: DC Ugo Ehiogu, ML Allan Johnston, ML Lionel Morgan, ML Stuart Downing
Birmingham Out: None

Outlook: The Blues pulled off an impressive road victory over Blackburn, a club that has been picked by many to finish in the top six of the Premiership this season, beating them 302 in the season oepner for both clubs. Striker Stern John scored a 90th minute goal to stun the Rovers. John's frontline partner Clint Morrison scored both of the Blues' other goals. The Boro are coming off of a strong home win over Tottenham. Midfielder Gaizka Mendieta dominated the match, with two goals and an assist in the 3-0 win.

FA Barclaycard Premiership Game of the Round

Arsenal at Southampton

Arsenal set the tone with two straight victories over fellow superpower Manchester United, including a 2-0 win in their home opener Sunday. Now the Gunners will play another team expected to be in the top ten mix in the Premiership this season in Southampton. The Saints beat Manchester City, 2-1, in Manchester Sunday. Kanu led the way for Arsenal, scoring both goals against United. Southampton won on an 83rd minute score by star striker James Beattie.

The Rest of the Matches

Middlesbrough at Birmingham
Chelsea at Bolton
Wolverhampton at Charlton
Portsmouth at Everton
Blackburn at Fulham
Newcastle at Leeds
Liverpool at Leicester
Aston Villa at Manchester United
Manchester City at Tottenham

[Chief Rum]

I like the way you think! :D

I'm sad that you left out Freddie in favour of Wiltord and Lauren in your preview, though. :)

Maybe you can loan in Jeremie Aliadiere from the Gunners so I can have someone to follow and cheer on!

Woodgate-Lúcio should make for a strong central defense for NUFC.

Gunner fan, eh? Yeah, there are so many good players on Arsenal, it's easy to leave out a few. Ljungberg is going to have a fine season as well, I'm sure. It was tough to tell whether he or Wiltord started a lot on the right, and I don't know enough about English football in real life to automatically figure it out myself (although I am learning...).

Funny you should mention Aliadere...;)

I think Lucio could be the missing link for Newcastle. They could be very good with him back there. I agree, Woodgate-Lucio is a great pairing in front of the net.

Arsenal looks like the team to beat, though, just like in real life. They just have ridiculous talent.

CR

[Chief Rum]

THURSDAY, August 21, 2003

Boro Drop First Road Match

Birmingham Scores Two Second Half Goals to Win, 3-1

BIRMINGHAM-- For the second straight game, Birmingham won with two goals by striker Clinton Morrison and a late clinching goal by forward Stern John.

The Blues performed the scoring chart repetition Wednesday when they defeated Middlesbroough, 3-1, in front of 28,162 at St. Andrews in Birmingham.

The Blues won in similar fashion against Blackburn Saturday.

Birmingham jumped to the early lead in the 22nd minute. Goalkeeper Maik Taylor initiated the play with a sharp long kick up to winger Christophe Duggary near the right touchline at the centerline. Duggary turned and lofted a pass toward striker Mikaell Forsell, whom had slipped behind Boro defender Chris Riggott and was headed for the goal line. With all attention on Forsell, Clinton Morrison was able to get a step into the prime target area in front of the goal. Forsell sent a low centering pass to Morrison.

Morrison intercepted the pass and half-volleyed a blast right past Boro keeper Mark Schwarzer, who appeared to misjudge the shot direction.

Despite the rough start, it was the Boro that had the best chances in the first half, ending the half with nine shots to the Blues' seven.

Their work was finally rewarded in the 40th minute when striker Massimo Maccarone got some redemption with his first score of the season. Interim manager Matthew Kieta criticized Maccarone for his lackluster effort and performance in the Boro's match against Tottenham Saturday.

After a breakaway in which fellow forward Joseph-Désiré Job missed an easy opportunity at a goal, the Boro received a corner. Winger Boudewijn Zenden, starting in place of injured winger Stuart Downing, sent an in-swerving cross toward the near post. Forsell attempted to clear the ball out with a header, but misjudged the play. Maccarone just outside the box in the penalty area, got up in the air for the ball and headed it sharply into the left corner, just passed Birmingham defender Kenny Cunningham and a frozen Taylor.

The equaliser and the impressive effort on the part of the team gave the Boro the momentum as they entered the lockerrom at halftime.

Kieta would take the blame for what happened next.

"I switched tactics," Kieta said. "I went to a more defensive one-four-five, in the hopes of protecting our goal for the draw, which I understand is very desirable on the road in this tough league. It turned out to be a mistake."

And that's an understatement. The Blues came forward hard in the second half after they weren;t forced to deal with the Boro's strong attack from the first half.

Morrison got his second goal in the 60th minute to put the Blues ahead for good.

Cunningham received a half-pitch-length goal kick from Schwarzer near the right touchline. He sent a short centering pass to midfielder David Dunn. Dunn went on a strong run toward the penalty area, angling out toward the edge and drawing pressure from Job. Unfortunately for Boro fans, it also drew the attention of Salvatore Fresi, who was helping Gareth Southgate mark Morrison int he penalty area. Fresi stepped forward to intercept Dunn, allowing Morrison to get a small step to the goal line on Southgate. Dunn slipped a through pass to Morrison who struck a sharp-angle shot at the far post. Schwarzer intercepted the shot, but the blast caromed off of him and into the net for Morrison's second goal of the match, and a 2-1 Birmingham lead.

Kieta switched back to the Boro's standard 4-4-2 attack soon after, but the damage was done. John would add his goal in the 81st minute to clinch it, an impressive bit of work in which John received a centering cross from Morrison and then proceeded to test Schwarzer on two straight shots before finally putting in the second rebound for the score.

Kieta said that last goal frustrated him the most.

"It was a one-goal match," Kieta said. "We were still in that one. There is absolutely no reason for their striker to be in that box unmolested by our defense. To get even one rebound off of your own shot is bad enough, but two? I feel sorry for Schwarzer. He deserved better on that play after making two great saves."

Boro defenders George Boateng and Chris Mills were closest to the striker when the goal-box exchange took place.

The second half numbers bore out the change in tactics. The Blues outshot the Boro 10-1 in the half, finsihing with a 17-10 edge. They spent much of the day in Middlesbrough's defensive third, particularly int he second half.

Kieta said the only thing he really liked about the match was Maccarone's goal.

"It was nice to see Massimo really play hard today," Kieta said. "He earned that goal the hard way. He took two shots today. He played with energy. That's the Maccarone I heard about before I came here [to Middlesbrough]."

Birmingham played a particularly brutal physical match with the Boro, inflicting 13 fouls and drawing three yellow cards. No one was hurt for either side, though.

The Boro are off until Monday, when they get a marquee primetime matchup with Fulham at Riverside Stadium.

Gulliver Breaks Ankle, Out Four Months

Boro reserve defender Phil Gulliver broke his ankle in training Wednesday.

The centreback was particpating in a Shadow exercise when he took a misstep and his ankle collapsed under his weight.

The 20-year-old will be out of action until January. He started in the reserves' win over Everton Tuesday, collecting 3 tackles and a 6 rating. As with the rest of the reserve squad, it was his only appearance so far this season.

Football Notes

French La Ligue One power Auxerre has signed on some scoring help to partly replace the talents of departed striker Djibril Cissé, whom they sold to Chelsea last month.

The French club signed American forward Damarcus Beasley away from Major League Soccer's Chicago Fire for £3.6 M.

The 21-year-old American star forward and winger has already established himself as one of the best players for the United States national team, for whom he already has 21 appearances.

Beasley has scored three goals in international competition. He signed a three-year, £375,000 per annum contract with the French side.

Auxerre will have to wait for another month to try out their new acquisition, however. Beasley broke his jaw in the United States' 2-0 victory over Mexico in the Gold Cup on July 20, and is expected to be out well into September.

[3ric]

Too bad about Hasselbaink! Take a look at Celtic's Henrik Larsson instead, his contract will be up in 2004.

[Calis]

Too bad about Hasselbaink! Take a look at Celtic's Henrik Larsson instead, his contract will be up in 2004.

If you signed Larsson, that would catapult this to my favorite dynasty of all time. :)

Usually he gets transferred before the contract ends from everything I've seen though.

[Chief Rum]

Larrson?!? Dare I dream? That guy's a great scorer.

I didn't know his contract would be up, so I will definitely shortlist him and keep an eye out. He probably won't be transferred before his contract is up, unless a future transfer is done (which is also quite possible). The window for this transfer round is almost over.

But I can't imagine the little ole Boro could sneak in there to get that guy with sides like Man U and Arsenal and Chelsea throwing their weight around.

But we'll see. I already know I can't afford him in transfer right now. I would almsot certainly have to wait for the Bosman window.

CR

[Chief Rum]

THURSDAY, August 21, 2003

FA Barclaycard Action Recap

Birmingham 3, Middlesbrough 1 The Blues got another two goals from striker Clinton Morrison, giving him four goals on the early season, and pulled away from what had been a tight match at halftime with two second-hald goals at St. Andrews in Birmingham. Morrison scored his second goal and fellow forward Stern John scored the clincher late in the match. Striker Massimo Maccarone scored for the Boro. The match would have been a fun one to watch, with 27 shots, 19 fouls and four yellow cards between the two sides. Morrison's two goals garnered him the Man of the Match.

Bolton 2, Chelsea 1 The Wanderers let one of the league powers know they weren't going to let themselves get pushed around at home. Defensive midfielder Kevin Nolan scored in the 86th minute to break a tight 1-1 match and give Bolton the victory at their home Reebok Stadium. The Blues fell down early when the Wanderers' striker Jardel got his first ever Premiership goal int he 23rd mintue, but they notched it up when striker Hernan Crespo scored his first ever Premiership goal as well at the 40th minute. Bolton, won by the skin of their teeth, though--Chelsea had no less than 19 shots to Bolton's four. If the Blues were more on target--just eight of the shots were on goal--this match might have been completely different. Crespo got the Man of the Match in a losing effort.

Charlton 3, Wolverhampton 1 Penalties tend to be rare, so when the same striker gets to shoot two in one match, it's a notable occurrence. The Addicks' striker Paolo di Canio hit one in the 48th mintue, but failed in his second attempt in the 76th minute. The miss could have been critical, with Charlton just up 2-1 at the time, but two minutes later forward Kevin Lisbie put it away for good. The Addicks also got an early goal from defender Luke Young in the 17th minute. The Wolves' lone score came from striker Henri Camara in the 55th minute. The match was a particularly painful one for the visiting Wolves. Striker Steffen Iversen (thigh bruise) and defensive midfielder Paul Ince (stubbed toe) had to leave the pitch for medical reasons. Charlton fullback David Powell received the Man of the Match with 18 headers and five interceptions.

Everton 2, Portsmouth 0 Pompey keeper Shaka Hislop and Everton netminder Nigel Martyn wre engaged in a taut , scoreless defensive match when Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp pulled Hislop in the 60th minute. It was bad move, as a cold Pavel Srnicek shortly gave up the decxiding goal to midfielder Thomas Gravesen in the 68th minute. Striker Francis Jeffers clinched it with a 90th minute score, and Martyn held up for the clean sheet ina very competitive match at Goodison Park. Everton defender got the Man of the Match, with 12 headers and nine interceptions.

Blackburn 3, Fulham 1 Just a few days after losing on their own home turf, the Rovers went to Fulham's Loftus Road and took away a road win with strong form. Striker Dwight Yorke put Blackburn up early with two first half scores. Veteran striker Andrew Cole put the Rovers up three goals with a score in the 52nd minute. A 66th minute goal by midfielder Sylvain Legwinski ruined Blackburn keeper Brad Freidel's attempt at a clean sheet. Cole took seven shots and drew five fouls to steal away the Man of the Match from Yorke.

Newcastle 2, Leeds 0 Striker Alan Shearer got the Magpies off to the right start when he scored in just the fourth minute. A strong defense led by debuting centreback Lucio limited the home side Unied to just six shots. Meanwhile, the Magpies peppered Leeds' keeper Paul Robinson with 22 shots, 13 on target. It's a credit to Robisnon that he kept it close. Defender Titus Bramble got the only other score in the 74th minute. The Magpies didn't escape Elland Road unscathed, though. Forward Lomana LuaLua went down in the 34th minute with a torn groin muscle. The Man of the Match went to LuaLua's replacement, Shola Ameobi, who didn't score, but put six shots on goal and drew three fouls.

Liverpool 2, Leicester 0 The Reds recovered from their stunning home loss to Leeds to beat new Premiership side Leicester on the road. It might not have been too difficult, however, after defender Riccardo Scimeca went in two-footed on midfielder Danny Murphy while on a run. Scimeca was sent off in the 7th minute, putting the hometown Foxes at a one-man disadvantage for most of the match. The Reds outshot Leicester 14-4, and had the lead for most of the match after striker Michael Owen scored in the 15th minute. Still, they didn't put it away until midfielder Anthony Le Tallec scored in the 90th minute. Liverpool centreback Sami Hyypla was dominating on defense, with 26 headers, 4 interceptions and a tackle, to get the Man of the Match.

Manchester United 3, Aston Villa 0 The Red Devils got things going back in the right direction when they shut out the Villans at Old Trafford. The win was Man U's first this season and followed two straight losses to fellow superpower Arsenal, in the Community Shield and in the Gunners' home opener Saturday. Villa managed just three shots--and none of them on goal--against the Red Devils' tight defense. Star strikers Ruud Van Nistlerooy and Nicolas Anelka combined for three goals to lead the way. Nistlerooy picked up scores int he 30th and 74th minutes, while Anelka, who was also named the Man of the Match, got his in the 57th minute.

Arsenal 3, Southampton 1 The Gunners continued their strong start to the year by handily beating a well-regarded league opponent on the road Wednesday. The Saints were outshot 11-4 at home, as Arsenal pulled away in the second half. Forward Kanu scored the go-ahead with his third goal of the season in the 52nd minute, while winger Silvain Wiltord moved out of reach with his goal in the 56th minute. In the first half, the two sides traded goals, with winger Robert Pires of Arsenal, being matched by Saints' striker James Beattie. Kanu got the Man of the Match, and Saints keeper Antti Niemi had a particularly bad match.

Tottenham 1, Manchester City 1 The Cockerels had to fight through injuries and an early deficit to earn the home draw Wednesday. City got up early with a 26th minute score by forward Trevor Sinclair, and kept the pressure on with eight shots on goal out of nine taken for the match. Tottenham, which put only four shots on goal, didn't manage to equalise it until the 60th minute, on a goal by striker Milenko Acimovic. The Cockerels lost defender Dean Richards to a serious knee injury in the 16th minute, and then had forward Robbie Keane go off with a knock in the 88th minute. Sinclair played a strong two-way match, with two shots and three drawn fouls in addition to his score, and eight headers and three interceptions elsewhere, earning him the Man of the Match.

Injuries & Suspensions

The Wolves, as noted above, were hit very hard. Striker Steffen Iversen will miss five days with a thigh bruise, while defender Paul Ince could miss up to two weeks with a stubbed toe. Striker Henri Camara, who got a goal in the match, was diagnosed with strained knee ligaments afterwards that will shelf him for two weeks, and winger Colin Cameron also picked up a light knock.

The injury of the day, though, goes to Newcastle forward Lomana LuaLua, who tore a groin muscle in the Magpies' win over Leeds. He will miss two months of action. He has scored three goals in four league and cup match appearances.

Tottenham defender Dean Richards will also miss two weeks with a damaged knee cap. The rest of the day's injuries were day to day.

Leicester defensive midfielder Riccardo Scimeca picked up the season's first league send off with a harsh two-leg tackle on Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy. Scimeca will miss Leicester's next match, at Newcastle on Saturday, automatically, and may receive further sanctioning from the English Football Association.

[Chief Rum]

SATURDAY, August 23, 2003

Villa Signs Aberdeen's McNaughton

BIRMINGHAM-- Aston Villa signed Scottish Premier Division defender Kevin McNaughton away from Aberdeen on Friday for a fee of £1.7 M.

The 20-year-old defender is considered a young talent with a bright future. He is already physically skilled and intelligent on the pitch, although he still has a lot of work to do on technique, according to football scouts.

McNaughton has never been with anyone but Aberdeen. He has played with the first team the past three seasons, scoring a goal in 22 matches last year, and appearing in 96 matches in the three seasons.

McNaughton should help a backline that is still trying to recover from losing strong centreback Olof Mellberg to Chelsea on transfer last month.

McNaughton signed a three-year, £300,000 contract with the Villans.

Scimeca Gets Off Easy

The English Football Association decided one match was enough for Leicester City defender Riccardo Scimeca.

Scimeca was sent off in the 7th minute of Leicester's 2-0 loss to Liverpool Wednesday when he went in two-footed on a tackle on midfielder Danny Murphy.

Scimeca will miss today's match at Newcastle with the automatic one-match ban that coems with every red card, but he will be eligible to return for the Foxes' next match, at home against the Wolves next Saturday.

[Chief Rum]

SATURDAY, August 23, 2003

FA Barclaycard Premiership Game of the Round

Manchester United at Chelsea The richest club in the world goes up against the richest owner in the world in this heavyweight clash at Stamford Bridge. Both sides will be looking for redemption as well. Man U got its first win against Aston Villa with a 3-0 stomping Wednesday, but it is still smarting from having lost the Community Shield and the league opener to rival Arsenal. Chelsea is trying to recover from doing everything it could to beat Bolton ont he road Wednesday except actually win. Despite a 19-4 shots advantage, the Blues lost a shocker, 2-1, to the Wanderers. With Arsenal off to such a strong start, this is already a key match for both sides as they try to keep up.

The Rest of the Matches

Arsenal at Aston Villa
Everton at Blackburn
Bolton at Liverpool
Birmingham at Manchester City
Leicester at Newcastle
Southampton at Tottenham
Charlton at Portsmouth (Sunday)
Leeds at Wolverhampton (Sunday)
Fulham at Middlesbrough (Monday)

[daedalus]

Gunner fan, eh? Yeah, there are so many good players on Arsenal, it's easy to leave out a few. Ljungberg is going to have a fine season as well, I'm sure. It was tough to tell whether he or Wiltord started a lot on the right, and I don't know enough about English football in real life to automatically figure it out myself (although I am learning...)."Standard" starting lineup has Pires on the left, Ljungberg on the right and Bergkamp partnering Henry up front. Wiltord usually bounces back and forth between wing and forward, much to his chagrin as he considers himself a striker. Between Freddie's brittleness and Dennis' non-flying status, he usually gets a good number of games in. Unfortunately for him, Wiltord has been hurt much of this year. Hopefully that won't hamper his chance for a decent contract this summer, though the team he'd like to join (PSG) can't afford his asking price. [And, no, I have no desire to see the Boss make any attempt to keep Mssr Wiltord.]

Nice to see Kanu getting a chance in the game, just as he is in real life. I think he makes an excellent strike partner for Titi.

[Calis]

Larrson?!? Dare I dream? That guy's a great scorer.

I didn't know his contract would be up, so I will definitely shortlist him and keep an eye out. He probably won't be transferred before his contract is up, unless a future transfer is done (which is also quite possible). The window for this transfer round is almost over.

But I can't imagine the little ole Boro could sneak in there to get that guy with sides like Man U and Arsenal and Chelsea throwing their weight around.

But we'll see. I already know I can't afford him in transfer right now. I would almsot certainly have to wait for the Bosman window.

CR

Yep, he's gone the end of this year. Which irl is quite depressing to me because he's stated numerous times he's done at Celtic. Think he wants to move back to Sweden.

I'm surprised no one has bought him in your game yet, as he always gets bought early in my CM games. You might have a shot then!

Tough loss against Birmingham also. I thought that was one you guys had a good shot of pulling some points out of.

[daedalus]

He got bought early in my game (01/02) as well, by . . . me. Paid 15 for him at the time.

My rotation of Henry, Bergkamp and Larsson rocked. :D

[Chief Rum]

daedalus: That doesn't surprise me about their lineup. I'm sure Freddie's getting time. And, yeah, Kanu is definitely getting time and doing damage when he's in there. I'm not too anxious to play that squad. :)

Henry, Bergkamp and Larsson?!? That's just so, so wrong. :)

BTW, Titi? Is that a nickname for Henry? What's the story behind that? Sounds weird (maybe it's French ;) ).

Calis: Although it never registered with me that his contract must be up, I do remember reading about Larsson and his future plans int he paper one of these past weeks. The report said he was seriously contemplating retirement from football altogether. Ouch. I know some people like guys going out at their peak. I hate it. Stay until you're old and gray, I say (yes, I know that all rhymes...eh...)

It does appear that Lqarsson is staying put through the early period. I won't pin my hopes on him, but I will have to consider going after him aggressively if he becomes available.

Birmingham was a disappointing match. As I hinted at in the article, I switched tactics in the second half, andf I think that screwed things up. Or maybe Birmingham woke up. I don't know. All I know is that after starting slow, the last 30 minutes of the first half was all Boro runs. I should have stuck with what was working, but I felt like I should go with something defensive to protect the draw on the road. Kinda like the zone defense. :)

Next time, I think I will stay aggressive, figuring the best defense is a good offense, or however it goes.

As for Birmingham itself, I suppose that might be a possible win in real life, but they have started off with good form in this league. Beating Blackburn on the road to open the season was pretty significant, I think. I was happy we were playing with them, even if my stupid tactics switching may have cost us the match.

More to come.

CR

[Chief Rum]

SUNDAY, August 24, 2003

Boro Linked To Hot Colombian Striker

Jairo Fernando Castillo Might Be Club's Next Target

CALI, Colombia-- Middlesbrough have made an offer to Colombian First Division side América de Cali for their star striker Jairo Fernando Castillo, according to reports out of Colombia on Saturday.

Castillo, 25, is a versatile forward whom has already established himself as a rising star for Colombia's national side, scoring six goals in 22 international appearances.

América de Cali, however, has reportedly not been too anxious to move the striker, and are rumored to have turned down an offer from the Boro for over £3 M. Observers believe Castillo would draw a fee in the area of £3 M to 4 M at the minimum.

Interim Boro manager Matthew Kieta refused to comment Saturday, saying he had not committed to any one target for the frontline.

Last week, former Chelsea star striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink chose to go to Dutch power Ajax instead of the Boro. Kieta has been looking for help up front, where some of the regulars from last season have not performed to the manager's expectations.

Observers say Castillo is an explosive forward with excellent physical skills and great technique that would work well in the Premiership. Castillo has 17 goals, three assists, and a 7.50 rating in 34 matches for América de Cali this season. The Colombian First Division plays from January to December.

Castillo has 50 goals in 109 appearances in five season, all in South America, including four with América de Cali.

Even if the Boro succeed in prying Castillo away from the Colombian club, it will be difficult to get the transfer completed before the transfer deadline next Sunday. Castillo, as a player from outside of the European Union would need a work permit. If the permit were not granted immediately, as it sometimes is for more popular or skilled players, his application would be required to be reviewed by the English Football Association.

The association traditionally sets work permit reviews two weeks after the transfer agreement is announced, which would be well after the deadline had passed.

For that reason, it is thought that any transfer involving Castillo would bring him over to the Boro at the end of the Colombian season, which coincidentally runs close to the opening of the next transfer window in January.

Under-19s Beat Birmingham

The Boro's Under-19 squad one-upped the first team by actually beating their Birmingham counterparts on the road Saturday, ina tight 1-0 contest.

The top Boro squad fell to the Blues' top team Wednesday in their first road match of the young season.

Captain and goalkeeper David Knight was unbeatable, earning the clean sheet while facing off seven shots, four of which were on goal.

The Boro took eight shots, with six on the mark. Striker Danny Reed's 55th minute strike slipped through the Birmingham defense for the only score of the match at Damson Park in Solihul.

[Chief Rum]

SUNDAY, August 24, 2003

FA Barclaycard Action Recap

Arsenal 5, Aston Villa 3 Is there a worse way to lose a game than to be up two goals on one of the best sides in the world at home, but you are unable to hold it? That's what happened to Villa Saturday. Striker Juan Pablo Angel and midfielder Gavin McCann put the home team up 2-0 over Arseanl at the 34th minute. But then it came apart. The key to the collapse was forward Sylvain Wiltord, who singlehandedly brought the Gunners back with goals in the 36th and 51st minutes. Then wingers Mikel Arteta and Robert Pires scored two minutes apart, in the 67th and 69th minutes, to give Arsenal four straight scores for the 4-2 lead. The Villans showed heart in coming back then, getting back in one with a 73rd minute strike by strike Darius Vassell. But then they watched as their own defender, Jonathon Bewers, accidentally clinched it for the Gunners with an own goal in the 80th minute. As if that hurt enough, Aston Villa also lost young winger Peter Whittingham in the 88th minute with a groin injury. Wiltord received the Man of the Match.

Blackburn 3, Everton 0 Three days after just losing a clean sheet at Fulham in a 3-1 win, the Rover defense and goalkeeper Brad Friedel got their clean sheet in impressive form against the Blues of Everton. The visitors barely made a squeak against that defense, with just two shots, and only one of them actually requiring Friedel to make a stop. Blackburn got off to the early lead ona 12th minute score by forward Matt Jensen. New star midfielder Barry Ferguson finished it off, with his first ever goals for the Rovers, in the 38th and 66th minutes. Jensen received the Man of the Match, with a solid all around match at both ends of the pitch.

Manchester United 2, Chelsea 1 The Blues fought the powerful Red Devils o a scoreless draw for much of the match, but they couldn't keep it up. Star strikers Nicolas Anelka and Ruud van Nistlerooy sent Chelsea reeling with goals in the 51st and 56th minute. The Blues got back within one courtesy of star midfielder Juan Sebastián Verón--getting his first of the season against his old mates--in the 78th minute, but it was too little, too late. Despite playing in the comforts of Stamford Bridge, Chelsea managed just three total shots in the match. Centreback Mikael Silvestre took the Man of the Match, with 16 headers, three interceptions and an assist.

Liverpool 3, Bolton 1 The Reds obliterated the Wanderers on the pitch, at least with shots taken. Liverpool piled up 23 shots--with 13 on goal-- against Bolton's four at Anfield Saturday. Even so, the home squad was knotted up in a tight 1-1 tie until winger John Arne Riise scored the go-ahead goal in the waning minutes of the forst half to put them up. Striker Milan Baros put it away with a score in the 51st minute. Early on, Liverpool got a penalty goal from striker Michael Owen, but midfielder Kevin Nolan got it back for Bolton with a strike in the 25th minute. Riise got the Man of the Match with seven headers, nine interceptions, and four runs in addition to his difference-making goal.

Manchester City 1, Birmingham 0 Despite playing in the unfriendly confines of the City of Manchester Stadium and having defender Matthew Upson sent off in the 62nd minute, the Blues still outshot City, 10-9. In the end, it did them little good, though, as Manchester City midfielder Paul Bosvelt got the only goal in a tense, close match. Bosvelt got his first ever goal for City in the 43rd minute--before Upson was sent off for tripping striker Antoine Sibierski. Wingback Michael Tarnat got the Man of the Match with six tackles, 16 headers and four interceptions.

Newcastle 2, Leicester 2 The Foxes got their first taste of success in the Premiership, and they did it on the road against one of the top clubs in the league--and the Magpies needed an 87th minute strike by forward Craig Bellamy to even get that much. James Scowcraft was the star for Leicester, as the striker scored the tie goal in the 32nd minute and the go-ahead shot in the 57th minute. Midfielder Darren Ambrose got the other Newcastle score in the 31st minute. The Magpies outshot Leicester, 13-6, but the visitors made their shots count. Scowcraft received the Man of the Match.

Tottenham 2, Southampton 0 The Cockerels and Saints combined for just seven total shots as Tottenham striker provided all the scoring in the match. His penalty in the 62nd minute broke the scoreless tie, and his goal in the 82nd minute clinched it for the home side. Kasey Keller earned the clean sheet for Tottenham, with help from fullback Stephen Carr, who collected 11 tackles, 12 headers and four interceptions in earning the Man of the Match.

Injuries & Suspensions

The most notable injury was to Aston Villa left winger Peter Whittngham. The 18-year-old tore his groin muscle and will miss two months.

Liverpool forward Emile Heskey picked up a harsh knock and a post-match examination discovered a broken rib. The injury is expected to put him out for a week.

Chelsea's Jan Sebastián Verón strained his wrist, but is only expected to be out a handful of days. The rest of the injuries were day to day.

Birmingham defender Matthew Upson was the only player sent off Saturday, when he tripped Manchester City striker Antoine Sibierski while the latter was on a run. He will automatically have to miss Birmingham's next match, at home against Tottenham on Saturday.

Today's Matches

Charlton at Portsmouth
Leeds at Wolverhampton

[Chief Rum]

MONDAY, August 25, 2003

FA Barclaycard Action Recap

Portsmouth 3, Charlton 1 The Pompey haven't looked like a recent First Division club in the early going. They dominated the Addicks Sunday in getting their second win in the Premiership, limiting the visiting squad to five shots, against 16 of their own. Two first half scores, one each by midfielders Amdy Moustapha Faye and Alexei Smerten, tookt he pressure off, and Portsmouth just rolled from there. Striker Svetoslav Todorov continued his strong play with a goal in the 60th minute, showing he can score at any level. Starting keeper Pavel Srnicek had his clean sheet ruined by an 89th minute score by Charlton forward Jonaton Johansson. Todorov got the Man of the Match.

Wolverhampton 0, Leeds 0 The Wolves deserved better than a home draw after outshooting vsiting United 15-5. Paul Robinson showed why he is one of the best goalkeepers in the business when he turned away the Wolves' active offense, including six on-goal shots, to keep his side in it. Striker Alan Smith in particular was indicative of Leeds' offensive problems, as he won just one header in 27 aerial challenges and was also whistled for offsides. Robinson got the Man of the Match, while Matt Murray and Michael Oakes split time during an effortless clean sheet on their own end.

Injuries & Suspensions

Portsmouth midfielder Steve Stone strained his groin and will miss two weeks of action. There were no other injuries beyond light knocks.

No one was sent off Sunday.

Tonight's Match

Fulham at Middlesbrough

[Chief Rum]

MONDAY, August 25, 2003

Fulham at Middlesbrough

When: 7:45 p.m.
Where: Riverside Stadium, Middlesbrough
Forecast: 9º C (rainy)
Middlesbrough Out: DC Ugo Ehiogu, ML Allan Johnston, ML Lionel Morgan, ML Stuart Downing
Fulham Out: None

Outlook: The Cottagers have not looked good in losing both of their first two matches by two-goal deficits. They only scored one goal total in the losses, a 2-0 road loss to Portsmouth and a 3-1 home loss to Blackburn. The Boro have been more solid, with a strong win over Tottenham at home and a competitive loss against Birmingham on the road. They are somewhat in disarray, though, because of internal strife between manager Matthew Kieta and striker Massimo Maccarone. The match is expected to be a soggy one.

[Chief Rum]

TUESDAY, August 26, 2003

Job, Juninho Lead Boro To Victory

The Two Forwards Handle Scoring On A Damp Night At Riverside

MIDDLESBROUGH-- The Boro got back on the winning track Monday, thanks to the contribtions of Joseph-Désiré Job and Juninho.

The two veterans started on the Boro's frontline Monday night and led the way to a 3-1 victory on a drizzly cold night in front of 23,630 at Riverside Stadium.

"They got the job done," interim Boro manager Matthew Kieta said after the match. "That's what we need up there. Guys who can make a difference."

Inconsistency up front has been a primary theme for Middlesbrough in this early season.

The Cottagers and Boro were locked in a tight match for much of the running time. Job got the scoring started in the 12th minute, but midfielder Sylvain Legwinski would get the quick equaliser in the 18thminute.

Job's early score was set up by a clear out and soem nice passing.

Centreback Chris Riggott won an aerial challenge in the Boro goal box with Fulham fullback Jerome Bonnissel, heading a centered crossing pass back out into the middle of the pitch. Juninho got to it first and proceeded to take a run to the centreline, right down the middle of the pitch. Under pressure from a foursome of enclosing Cottagers, Juninho shot a pass down to winger Boudewijn Zenden by the right touchline. Zenden had barely received it before he sent a superb pass forward to Job, hard-charging into the penalty area from the right and with centreback Martin Djetou closing on him. Job had just a slight step on Djetou and blasted a beautiful low shot between Djetou and the near-post-guarding goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar. The ball sailed unhindered into the far left scorner of the net for the first score of the match.

Fullham's tying score was initiated by a long pass from van der Sar. The keeper took a backpass and cleared the ball to the centerline, just to the right the kickoff circle. Midfielder Zatyiah Knight beat out Riggott for the ball and headed it on to striker Louis Saha in the center of the pitch in front of the Boro goal. Under pressure from a trio of Boros, Saha dropped a short pass to forwrad Lee Clark. Clark sent a long pass to the right touchline and winger Mark Pembridge. Pembridge put a nice pass forward to Saha, whom had broken for the right corner after passing off. Saha charged into the right area of the penalty box, drawing the attentions of both Riggott and defender Gareth SOuthgate. This would be a crucial error, as there were no Boro defenders back in the goal box. Saha sent a floating pass from near the goal line into the box, where Knight and Legwinski were both charging toweard the net. Legwinski got the pass under control and then fired a blast for the score past goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer, just before the netminder reached him.

That would be all the scoring in a tight first half. The Boro finally broke things open with more consistent play in the second half.

It started with Juninho, whom had yet to score on the young season. The attacking midfielder was starting at striker Monday night, thanks to depth at midfield and Kieta's continuing attempts to tinker with the lineups up front.

Doriva--who started where Juninho usually starts--intercepted an errant pass int he middle of the pitch and sent a backpass to Riggott. The centreback sent a long pass out to winger Malcolm Christie, 15 yards from the left touchline. Christie was under pressure from Bonnissel, but he still had enough room to find Juninho, whom had broken toward him from his own marker, defender Andy Melville. Juninho took Christie's pass along the outer edge of the penalty area and charged in toward the left post. With a step on Melville, Juninho blasted a high shot for the right side of the net. Van der Sar got his hands on it, but it came too strong, as the shot sailed off his hands and intot he net for the go ahead.

Job put in the clincher just a few minutes later, in the 57th minute, when Legwinski was flagged for a penalty on Zenden. Southgate sent a half-pitch length pass into the right corner and wingback Franck Queudreu. Queudreu attracted the attentions of both Legwinski and fullback Alain Goma, leaving Zenden alone on the outer corner of the penalty box. When Queudreu won the header, he moved it on to Zenden, who immediately charged toward the right end of the goalbox. Legwinski, coming inf rom behind Zenden, had to take Zenden legs out to stop him, forcing the call.

Job got the call for the penalty. He hit a low shot toward the left post, just catching it ont he inside and into the net. Van der Sar never really had a chance, as the forward got his second goal of the match.

After that, the Boro turned on the defense and wrapped things up. They limited the Cottagers to just six shots, with four on goal. They, in turn, had 10 shots, nine on goal.

Job did pick up a knock in the 74th minute and had to leave the pitch, but Kieta said it wasn't serious and he would be available when team practices resumed Wednesday. Job got the Man of the Match for his efforts Monday night.

The Boro don't play again until Saturday's visit to Everton. The Premiership takes off the mid-week match for European competion, as the Champions League and UEFA cups resume.

[Chief Rum]

TUESDAY, August 26, 2003

Kieta After Castillo, Arsenal's Aliadière

The Search For A Star Striker Continues

MIDDLESBROUGH-- Interim Boro manager Matthew Kieta is beginning to make headlines in his search for a striker.

The manager on Monday confirmed the weekend rumors that he was pursuing Jairo Fernando Castillo of Colombian First Division side América de Cali, and also Arsenal's young French striker Jérémie Aliadière.

"Either player would make a huge differennce for us up front," Kieta said just hours before his squad was set to kickoff with Fulham at Riverside Stadium. The Boro won the match, 3-1.

Kieta said he was "shocked" Castillo wasn't on this side of the Atlantic already.

"That guy can flat out play," Kieta said. "He could step on the pitch right now and be one of the top ten strikers in the Premiership, I believe."

Castillo, 25, is a well-regarded versatile forward whom has played his entire career in South America. He has scoered 17 goals in 35 appearances with América de Cali this season, to go along with 3 assists and a 7.46 rating. The Colombian First Division season runs from January to December, as opposed to the August to May fixtures favored by most of the major European leagues.

Castillo has also appeared in 22 matches for Colombia, scoring six goals in international play.

Kieta also confirmed that América de Cali turned down a Middlesbrough offer of £3.3 M for Castillo over the weekend. Kieta described the Colombian side's part in moving Castillo as "very reluctant."

Castillo is expected to draw, at minimum, a transfer fee from £3 M to £4 M.

Kieta said the intiial offer was for an immediate transfer, in the hopes that Castillo might receive an immediate work permit on the basis of his international status.

The Boro have made another offer to the Colombian club, but Kieta was mum on the details. With roughly £3.5 M left in transfer funds available, it is not clear what more the club could offer América de Cali to entice them into a move.

Neither Castillo nor América de Cali officials were available for comment Monday.

Kieta said his interest in Aliadière is purely as a backup solution.

"Let's face it, Castillo is a longshot at this point," Kieta said. "The window closes on Sunday. So if we're going to make a move, we need to make it a fast one."

Kieta called Aliadière an "exciting, young talent" who would get the playing time with the Boro he will struggle to see with the Gunners.

"He just has so much physical talent, and he's a natural with finding the net," Kieta said of the French striker, who is just 20. "He has a lot of growing to do, but is he going to be able to do that trapped behind that phenomenal group of forwards? I don't think so."

Kieta may have a point about playing time, as Aliadière is listed on Arsenal's depth chart behind star countryman Thierry Henry, another veteran star in Dennis Bergkamp, and the versatile Sylvain Wiltord.

Aliadière was also trapped behind Nigerian star Kanu, who is off to a great start with three goals in four matches with the London superpower, but on Monday, Arsenal sold the player to Juventus. The Kanu deal will likely make any Aliadière deal far less liekly to be consummated.

Aliadière has yet to see the pitch for the Gunners this season. He scored one goal in three appearances with Arsenal last season.

Football365.com reported early Monday that Kieta had already made an offer to Arsenal for the young forward that had been rejected.

Kieta was noncommittal on the report, refusing to say how far talks had progressed with Arsenal over the striker's availability.

Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger confirmed Monday evening that he had spoken with Kieta about Aliadière, although he refused to comment on any offers that might have been made.

"Now that we have moved Kanu out, I think it would be hard for us to also move Jérémie as well," the manager said. "We're deep, but we're not that deep, especially with Thierry [Henry] still nursing his knee injury."

Henry, one of the top strikers in football, has missed Arsenal's first three Premiership matches with a minor knee sprain, but is expected to return to action within a week.

Football365.com reported that the superpower would not consider an offer for Aliadière under £11 M, an assertion Wenger did not dispute Monday. Such a transfer fee is well beyond what Middlesbrough is known to be able to afford.

The exploits of Kieta and his search for a star forward have become fodder for daily headlines in northeast England. Poor performances by young strikers like Massimo Maccarone and Malcolm Christie have led to the manager's desire to bring in new blood. This has also led to bad blood between Maccarone and Kieta, which has spilled over into the lockerroom.

Kieta's job got even trickier Monday night when veteran forwards Joseph-Désiré Job and Juninho led the squad to its victory over Fulham. Many observers believe that the Boro should abandon using the less consistent younger strikers it has in Maccarone, Christie and Michael Ricketts in favor of reliance on known talents like Job, who scored two goals Monday night, and Juninho, a scoring midfielder who might be able to move forward because of the good midfield depth on the squad.

Juventus Signs Kanu

With Thierry Henry close to returning from a knee injury, Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger allowed Kanu to leave the club for Italian Serie A power Juventus Monday.

Kanu, 27, has started in Henry's place and scored three goals in four matches for the Gunners so far this year. He also garnered Man of the Match notice twice already and compiled a 7.75 rating.

Juventus paid £6.25 M for the Nigerian forward's rights Monday.

Kanu scored five goals in 16 appearances with Arsenal last season. Kanu has been a part time player with the Gunners since 1999. He scored 32 goals in 113 career appearances with Arsenal.

Kanu's transfer to Juventus is a return to Serie A for him. He was a little-used reserve with Internazionale from 1996 to 1999, which followed first team play with Dutch power Ajax.

Kanu has also appeared in 39 matches for his homeland Nigeria, scoring six goals in international play.

Kanu's departure should mean more playing time for Sylvain Wiltord up front and for reserve striker Jérémie Aliadière, whom has been at the center of transfer rumors recently, including from fellow Premiership side Middlesbrough.

[Chief Rum]

WEDNESDAY, August 27, 2003

América de Cali Rejects Another Boro Offer For Castillo

Castillo Upset At Club's Stubborness

CALI, Colombia-- Colombian First Division side América has rejected another offer from Middlesbrough for striker Jairo Fernando Castillo, according to reports out of Comolbia and Middlesbrough.

And Castillo isn't happy about it.

"This is a brilliant opportunity for me," the striker told Colombian media. "Can't [América de Cali management] see that?"

The striker said he was excited for the chance to play in a top league like the Premiership and flattered by interim Bor manager Matthew Kieta's pursuit of his service.

"He's new to the Premiership, too," Castillo said. "He's making an impression over there. I would like to go over there and help him make that impression even stronger."

The offer, which is the second the Premiership club has made for Castillo in the past week, was reportedly up to £3.4 M and included incentives such as a percentage of future sales and appearance bonuses for América de Cali.

Castillo, 25, has scored 17 goals in 35 matches for the Colombian First Divison side this season, and six goals in 22 career caps for Colombia.

Kieta has also been linked to attempts to bring in former Chelsea striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Arsenal's Jérémie Aliadière. Middlesbrough lost out to Dutch power Ajax for Hasselbaink last week, and Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger has said a deal for Aliadière would be unlikely to happen.

Kieta said Tuesday he would continue to pursue the forward.

[Chief Rum]

WEDNESDAY, August 27, 2003

Fulham Win Buoys Spirits, Kieta Says

MIDDLESBROUGH-- Interim manager Matthew Kieta said moods were high in the engine room following the squad's 3-1 demolition of Fulham Monday evening during his weekly press conference Tuesday.

The manager said the win and the club's recent solid play in opening their Premiership fixture have considerably lightened morale for a squad that saw plenty of backbiting and sparring in its first week, courtesy of a psat between Kieta and the club's top striker Massimo Maccarone.

Kieta criticized Maccarone last week for his poor performances in the preseason and in the club's league opener against Tottenham, leading to the Italian striker's announcement that he would "welcome" a move out of Middlesbrough.

"The guys seem to be in good spirits," Kieta said. "Winning has its benefits. As for how Massimo and I are getting along, you guys have made a much bigger deal of that than it really is."

Maccarone agreed that things had thawed a bit, and that the whole affair has been overplayed in the media.

"Mister Kieta and I have never been off of speaking terms," Maccaroen said. "Outside of our comments to the media, we have been civil toward each other and entirely professional. It's just a difference of opinion that isn't really all much of one."

Maccarone also backed away from his desire to leave the club Tuesday, although he said he was "undecided" on that issue.

"I love playing here for the fans of Middlesbrough," the 23-year-old striker said. "I'm still playing with the first team and top eleven. I have friends here, like Juninho and Salvatore [Fresi], and I love the area and am playing for a good club ina top league. I would be losing a lot to leave here."

Maccarone said he wanted the opportunity to prove Kieta wrong as well, something that would be more difficult at a different club.

Kieta has been pursuing help for his front line for some weeks now. After losing out on former Chelsea striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink last week to Dutch superpower Ajax, the manager has been linked to star striker Jairo Fernando Castillo of Colombia's América de Cali and Arsenal's young talent Jérémie Aliadière the past few days.

Kieta said Tuesday his pursuit of a forward has been possibly for this transfer period by his failure to get Castillo or talk Arsenal into moving Aliadière.

"I think América de Cali will continue to rebuff my offers for Castillo, at least at the moment," Kieta said.

The manager was correct about that, as the Colombian First Division side turned down his latest offer for Castillo just hours after the conclusion of Kieta's press conference.

Kieta said he might make another last ditch effort for Castillo if this last one was turned dwon.

Kieta didn't sound hopeful on the Aliadière front.

"I don't think we can afford what Arsenal is looking for," Kieta said. "I will continue to keep tabs on the situation, though."

Kieta said he was looking forward to the return of wingers Lionel Morgan and Stuart Downing from injury. There remains the possiblity that either player might be available for the club's match at Everton Saturday.

"We are still very weak in depth along the wing," Kieta said. "We could really use those guys."

Kieta said Morgan would likely start off with the reserves to get some match practice. Morgan, who was bought from First Division side Wimbledon in August, has been shelved with knee cartilage damage since early July and has yet to appear in a match, preseason or otherwise, this season.

Boro Reserves Fall To Birmingham City

Birmingham took the three-squad series Tuesday, after the Middlesbrough reserves fell to the Blues' reserves 4-2 at The Stadium in Billingham, the Boro reserves' home pitch.

The Blues scored four goals in 14 minutes int he second half to come back from a 1-0 deficiit. Defender John Higgins tied it up in the 47th minute with a penalty, and then striker Luciano Figueroa scored twice in two minutes in the 51st and 53rd minute to put it away. Forward Andrew Barrowman put it away with a score in the 61st minute.

Boro forward Niklas Nordgren scored the first goal in the 43rd minute, but they couldn't make it hold up. Fellow forward Chris Emms got the other goal on a penalty in the 83rd minute, long after the outcome of the match was out of question.

The loss to Birmingham is the second loss by a Boro squad to the Blues in a week, after the first team lost to Birmingham last Wednesday. The Boro Under-19's beat the Blues Friday, netting Middlesbrough its only win against Birmingham int he past week.

[Chief Rum]

THURSDAY, August 28, 2003

Newcastle, Chelsea Win Into Champions League With Ease

The Champions League will have a very heavy British Isles feel this year after Newcastle and Chelsea played their way into the group stage of Europe's top competition.

The two Premiership sides join Scotland's Celtic and Rangers, and England superpowers Arsenal and Manchester United in the 32-club stage after winning their qualifying round legs Wednesday night.

Chelsea defeated Iceland's Knattspyrnufélag Reykjavíkur 3-0 in Reykjavik, Iceland, on Wednesday to complete a 7-2 aggregate win in the two-leg third round of qualifying.

Newcastle edged out FC Copenhagen in Denmark Wednesday with a 1-0 road victory. That win finished a 6-1 overall leg win for the Magpies.

The Rangers didn't have it so easy. They lost to Belgian power Club Brugge 1-0 in Bruges Wednesday and just eeked out a 2-1 aggregate win. Celtic also fell Wednesday night in Istanbul, Turkey, where they lost 3-2 to Turkish power Galatasaray. Overall, they also cut it close with a 5-3 aggregate win in the round.

Ireland side Bohemians fell to another Belgian club in Anderlecht by a 3-1 aggregate score.

Dutch side Ajax overcame their first leg upset at the hands of Swiss side Grasshoppers by defeating them at home 5-1, giving Ajax a 6-3 overall score.

The other new entries to the Champions League group stage are Greek National A Division side AEK Athens (4-1 over CSKA Sofia of Bulgaria); Austrian side Austria Vienna (6-1 over Kaunus of Lithuania); Ukrainian High League Shakhtar (1-0 over fellow Ukrainian side Dinamo Kiev); Russian Premier Division club Lokomotiv Moscow (3-2 over Sweden's Djurgården); the Bundesliga's Dortmund (3-1 over Russia's CSKA Moscow); Serie A power Lazio (5-0 over Sparta Prague of the Czech Republic); Portuguese Superleague squad Benfica (4-4 on away scores over Serbia & Montenegro's Partizan); Norwegian Premier Division squad Rosenborg (3-2 over France's Marseille); and the Primera Liga sides Celta (4-1 over Austria's GAK) and Deportivo (4-0 over Maribor of Slovenia).

The group stage will be announced Saturday, including the four-club groupings and fixtures.

All sixteen losers of the third round will be entered into the drawing for the UEFA Cup First Round.

Inter-Toto Cup Wraps Up

The Bundesliga gained two new additions to the UEFA Cup when Schalke 04 and Werder Bremen both won their legs of the Inter-Toto Cup finals Wednesday night.

The two German clubs join Serie A squad Perugia as the three automatic entries into Europe's second most prestigious competition. The Inter-Toto Cup receives three annual bids to give out to the UEFA Cup, which it determeines with a two-month tourney involving some of the top clubs from lesser leagues throughout Europe, as well as mid-table sides from top leagues like the Bundesliga and Serie A.

Werder Bremen defeated Primera Liga side Villareal by a 2-1 aggregate score. Schalke 04 defeated La Ligue One side Guingamp 3-2. Perugia beat Czech First Division squad Slovan Liberec 4-2 overall.

[Chief Rum]

THURSDAY, August 28, 2003

Cottagers Interested In Greening?

LONDON-- Reports out of the capital city are saying that Fulham has made a loan offer for the services of Middlesbrough forward Jonathon Greening.

Interim manager Matthew Kieta said he had not made Greening available for loan, and that he had no interest in moving him.

"Jonathon is very critical to this team right now, especially considering he can play on the right wing," Kieta said, referring to perhaps the Boro's shallowest position.

Ironically, Greening was on the sheet for Middlesbrough's match against Fulham, but was never subbed in during the Boro's 3-1 win. Greening has made just one appearance on the season so far, starting at right wing against Birmingham City last week.

Kieta said Greening performed well in that road loss and has done nothing to lessen his role with the squad.

Greening, 24, is a versatile player who can play either wing, the midfield spots and the forward spots. He saw regular first eleven time last year, appearing in 38 matches and scoring two goals, but the arrival of Gaizka Mendieta on loan from lazio has pushed him to a primary reserve role.

Fulham also reportedly wanted a transfer bid option worked into the deal, which might have nixed any possibility the young forward was going anywhere.

Celta Sign Away Edu

Arsenal sold off its second big ticket reserve in three days when they agreed to allow the volatile midfielder-winger Edu to leave for Primera Liga side Celta for £5.75 M.

Edu goes to Spain just two days after Arsenal sent Nigerian striker Kanu to Serie A power Juventus in Italy.

The Brazlian Edu was at the center of controversy last month when he complained to the media that the acquisition of Simon Perrotta from Chievo would bring in too many players at his position at Highbury.

At the time, Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger said Edu would not be going anywhere, and rumors of the midfielder's transfer out had died away.

Edu, 25, could see first eleven action for Celta, something he wasn't seeing with the Gunners. Edu had only made one substitute appearance so far for Arsenal this season, without distinguishing himself.

Edu scored two goals in 18 appearances with the English superpower last season. He signed a three-year £675,000 contract with the Spanish club.

Radebe Announces Retirement

Leeds' commanding centreback Lucas Radebe announced that he would retire from football at the conclusion of the 2003-04 season.

Radebe, 34, was once a first eleven regular for United, appearing in at least 27 matches each season from 1996 to 2000. Since then, he has seen much more sporadic reserve time, with 20 appearances in 2000-01, 19 appearances in 2002-03, and a spot with the reserves the entire 2001-02 season.

"I just feel it is time," Radebe told reporters Wednesday. "I have played a game I love for a long time, but it is now in the hands of a younger generation. Leeds is a great place to play footy, and I hope to make my last season here a memorable one. I still feel like I am in my prime. I want to go out on a high."

Thanks to Leeds' demolition of its own roster for financial reasons, Radebe is back on the first eleven at Elland Road.

In an eleven year career, Radebe has never scored a goal in stints with Leeds and his former South African squad the Kaizer Chiefs. He has appeared in 185 matches since his professional career began in 1992, most of them with Leeds, where he remains very popular with the supporters.

"It's a sad day for United and its supporters," Leeds manager Eddie Gray said. "Lucas has been terrific for this club. He is a great leader and well-liked in the engine room."

Gray said he hadn't considered yet whether the defender would be offered a post-career position with the club, although it was certainly a possibility.

Gray said they would dedicate the rest of the season to Radebe, who told his manager and squad mates the news shortly before announcing the press conference Wednesday morning.

Radebe has been playing with United since the 1994-95 season.

The South African is already retired from international football. He appeared in 70 matches for his native South Africa, and did what he has not done in his club career--scored a goal. Two international goals, to be exact.

[Chief Rum]

FRIDAY, August 29, 2003

Wenger: Aliadière Available After All

LONDON-- Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger did an about face Thursday and said he would be willing to move striker Jérémie Aliadière for the right price.

"Jérémie deserves a shot at major playing time," Wenger said. "He has huge upside, but he is trapped behind some pretty good players here."

Wenger emphasized he would only move the 20-year-old prospect striker for an offer that equals his value to the Gunners.

Alaidière has been linked to a move to Middlesbrough this week as Boro interim manager Matthew Kieta continues to search for help up front.

Whatever price Wenger is seeking, Kieta said "it's not two and a half million pounds."

That was what Kieta said he offered the boss for the striker, with additional incentives.

"I think Aliadière is a great talent," Kieta said Thursday. "But I can't see giving much more than that for him right now. It's not like he's a proven performer just yet."

A report by Football365.com Monday suggested the Gunners wouldn't accept less than £11 M for the striker.

Kieta said "not a chance" when asked if he thought the Boro could come up with that kind of cash.

Aliadière is a product of Arsenal's youth system and has never played professioanlly outside of the superpower club. In three appearances with the Gunners last season, he scored one goal.

With Kanu off to Juventus and the departure of Edu leaving more time for Sylvain Wiltord in the midfield, Aliadière is expected to receive much more playing time as a primary reserve behind star strikers Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp.

[Chief Rum]

FRIDAY, August 29, 2003

UEFA Wraps Up Qualifying

Man City Among Handful of British Isle Teams To Make The First Round

Manchester City defeated Eridivisie side Brondby 4-1 in Denmark Thursday to secure a berth in UEFA's first round draw. The two-leg qualifying round saw the Citizens win by a 6-3 aggregate score.

City joins Premiership first seeds Liverpool, Blackburn and Southampton in the draw for the second most prestigious club tournament in Europe.

The draw will be held Saturday.

In addition to Man City, Scottish Premier Division side Dundee United got in, defeating Armenian squad Bavants 6-2 overall. United joins Hearts in the UEFA competition.

The qualifying round also saw the only entries possible from other areas of the British Isles, including Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

Welsh side Total Network Solutions edged out Czech First Division side Teplice 3-2 aggregate, but league mate Cwmbran Town fell 4-1 to Olimpija of Slovenia.

Northern Irish League Premier Division squad Portadown won out in a meeting of Irish clubs by defeating Irish Premier Division club Derry City on away scores, 3-3.

The Republic of Ireland won't be without some representation, though, as Shelbourne defeated Valletta of Malta, 6-1, to easily get into the competition.

Northern Ireland squad Coleraine lost to Bosnian club Zeljesnicar 5-2 on aggregate.

The 41 winners of the qualifying round leg wrapped up Thursday will be entered in the draw with 36 first seeds, which include some of the top sides in the top leagues, as well as the 16 third qualifying round losers from the Champions League and three sides which won the Inter Toto Cup competition.

[daedalus]

Celta Sign Away Edu

Arsenal sold off its second big ticket reserve in three days when they agreed to allow the volatile midfielder-winger Edu to leave for Primera Liga side Celta for £5.75 M.

Edu goes to Spain just two days after Arsenal sent Nigerian striker Kanu to Serie A power Juventus in Italy.

The Brazlian Edu was at the center of controversy last month when he complained to the media that the acquisition of Simon Perrotta from Chievo would bring in too many players at his position at Highbury.

At the time, Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger said Edu would not be going anywhere, and rumors of the midfielder's transfer out had died away.

Edu, 25, could see first eleven action for Celta, something he wasn't seeing with the Gunners. Edu had only made one substitute appearance so far for Arsenal this season, without distinguishing himself.

Edu scored two goals in 18 appearances with the English superpower last season. He signed a three-year £675,000 contract with the Spanish club.It's really odd that the game would have him complain, of all people. Edu had been amazingly good about his lack of playing time.

The coolest part of this signing, of course, is that Celta already has a 25 year old Brazillian winger name . . . Edu. Yup, this makes two. [Arsenal recently played against Celta where Edu scored the first three goals of the game, 2 from Arsenal's Edu and one from the other.]

[Chief Rum]

SATURDAY, August 30, 2003

América de Cali Rejects Final Boro Offer For Castillo

MIDDLESBROUGH-- Colombian First Division side América de Cali has rejected the Boro's latest offer for striker Jairo Fernando Castillo, the Premiership club announced Friday.

"It was worth a last shot," interim Boro manager Matthew Kieta said. "I really thought they might consider it this time."

Kieta said the club offered the Colombian side £3.4 M, plus incentives and a percentage of future sale fees, with the major change from previous offers being that the Boro would have Castillo tranfserred at the end of the Colombian First Division fixture, near the end of December. The next transfer window opens on January 1, 2004.

América de Cali refused to be swayed by their striker's own announced preference to be allowed to leave for a major club like Middlesbrough. Castillo could not be reached for comment Friday.

The 25-year-old striker has 17 goals in 35 appearances for the COlombian squad, and has also racked up 22 caps for Colombia, scoring six international goals.

With Castillo out of the picture for now and Arsenal's Jérémie Aliadière reportedly too pricey for the Boro to pursue, it looks like Kieta will be standing pat with his front line, at least for the rest of 2003.

Inconsistency up front led to a fervent search by Kieta for striker help. In the Boro's first three matches, five strikers split up the six starts, with four goals scored by the group. Only Joseph Désiré Job has more than one goal-- he scored two against Fulham on Monday.

The transfer window for the early period closes Sunday night.

Under-19er Van Geele Hurt

Defender Michael Van Geele of the Middlesbrough Under-19 squad suffered fractured ribs in an accidental collision with another player in training Friday.

The 17-year-old Belgian prospect was taken to the hospital with pain in his side after the accident, where the injury was later diagnosed.

Van Geele will miss about two weeks with the injury.

Parnaby Called Up To England Under-21s

Reserve defensive midfielder Stuart Parnaby was notified Friday that he would be on the roster for the England Under-21 squad's matches with FYR of Macedonia on September 5 and Liechtenstein on September 9.

Parnaby, 21 and barely qualified by age, said it was an "honor" to represent his county with the youthful squad.

Parnaby has been playing with the Boro reserves this season, although interim manager Matthew Kieta says he considers Parnaby depth on the backline and would have him on the first team "if sitting ont he bench would help him grow as a player".

Parnaby appeared in 21 matches with the Boro first team last season.

Kieta, asked if he gave the defender any instructions, said, "I told him to not get hurt."

[Chief Rum]

It's really odd that the game would have him complain, of all people. Edu had been amazingly good about his lack of playing time.

The coolest part of this signing, of course, is that Celta already has a 25 year old Brazillian winger name . . . Edu. Yup, this makes two. [Arsenal recently played against Celta where Edu scored the first three goals of the game, 2 from Arsenal's Edu and one from the other.]

Yeah, I'm just going on what the game gives me there. In game, he is listed as being temperamental, so his outburst in-game makes sense.

Checked out Celta. Sure enough, there's a striker there named Edu. Funny stuff. :)

What did you think of the Kanu move and the Aliadière rumors? I honestly pursued Aliadière in game before anyone her ementioned him (I can't remember if that was you or someone else). I thought that was a funny coincidence.

CR

[Chief Rum]

SATURDAY, August 30, 2003

Porto Stuns Milan In Super Cup

MONACO-- Maybe the UEFA is actually the most prestigious club competition in Europe.

UEFA trophy holder Porto shocked Champions League holder AC Milan, 2-1, in the Super Cup Friday in front of 18,505 at the Stade Louis II in Monaco.

The UEFA champ victory was the first in the series matching up the winners of Europe's top two competitions from the previous season since 2000, when Turkish power Galatsaray beat Primera Liga superpower Real Madrid.

The match was a tightly-fought defensive battle for much of the running time. The first half ended in a scoreless draw.

It wasn't far into the second half, though, when Porto put an end to that.

Forward Marco Ferreira jumped on a rebound of his own crossing pass in the 50th minute. The pass, an attempt to reach striker Benni McCarthy, was headed off by defender Kakhaber Kaladze. When the ball bounced back to the left of the goal box, Ferreira got to the ball before fullback Paolo Maldini could reach him. Ferreira blasted a high and hard shot just inside the right post. It sailed past Milan goalkeeper Dida for the first score of the match.

Porto moved it up a notch further in the 64th minute.

Fullback Nuno Valente took a clearing pass along the right touch line and sent a long pass forward to César Peixoto, angling into the penalty area. Piexoto, under pressure, sent a soft centering floater into the box, where striker Ricardo was battling Milan midfielder Rui Costa. The Portuguese forward beat Costa in the air and sent a header shot just inside the left post, before Dida could make his way over.

Milan's Dutch forward Jon Dahl Tomasson would get the Italian powerhouse a little closer with a 78th minute score, but it was too late, as Porto held on for the huge upset.

"This is a huge win for Porto," said manager José Mourinho, "and an even bigger win for the nation of Portugal."

Valente received the Super Cup Man of the Match award for his strong play at both ends of the pitch, and his role in what ended up being the game-winning goal.

[Chief Rum]

SATURDAY, August 30, 2003

Middlesbrough (2-0-1) at Everton (1-1-1)

When: 12:30 p.m.
Where: Goodison Park, Liverpool
Forecast: 11º C
Middlesbrough Out: DC Ugo Ehiogu, ML Allan Johnston, ML Lionel Morgan, ML Stuart Downing
Everton Out: None

Outlook: Everton is looking for redemption after a 3-0 shellacking at the hands of the Rovers in Blackburn last Saturday. The Blues were picked by many to contend for Europe and even a Top Five spot in the league this season, but the offense is off to a rough start, with only three goals in three matches. Offense was not expected to be a problem for a side with a high-quality three-headed monster at forward in the persons of young star Wayne Rooney, veteran Tomasz Radzinski and the steady Kevin Campbell. The Boro are riddled with injuries right now, especially on the wing, but they have been playing well. They were very strong in wins over Fulham and Tottenham and played well ina road loss to Birmingham. Interim Boro manager Matthew Kieta on Friday ruled wingers Downing and Morgan out of the match, saying he would prefer to err on the side of caution with respect to their injuries.

FA Barclaycard Premiership Game of the Round

Chelsea at Arsenal (Monday)

Chelsea hasn't started off as well as its fans would like after all that money was spent to upgrade the roster in the offseason. While the club did qualify for the Champions League on Wednesday, they are 1-2-0 in league play, including a 2-1 loss to the Bolton Wanderers. This could be a gut check match for the Blues. It doesn't get much harder than going to Highbury and playing the Gunners, whom have started off strong. Arsenal beat Manchester United in the Community Shield and in the league opener, and then handily beat Southampton on the road, before finally sweating a little last Saturday against Aston Villa. Of course, they still won. The Gunners will be playing their first match without departed players Kanu and Edu, whom were transferred out to Juventus and Celta respectively this past week.

The Rest of the Matches

Tottenham at Birmingham
Blackburn at Charlton
Middlesbrough at Everton
Portsmouth at Leeds
Wolverhampton at Leicester City
Aston Villa at Southampton
Newcastle at Bolton (Sunday)
Manchester City at Fulham (Sunday)
Liverpool at Manchester United (Sunday)

[daedalus]

Yeah, I'm just going on what the game gives me there. In game, he is listed as being temperamental, so his outburst in-game makes sense.Oh, definitely. That's what I figured anyway. It's just interesting to see that. :)What did you think of the Kanu move and the Aliadière rumors? I honestly pursued Aliadière in game before anyone her ementioned him (I can't remember if that was you or someone else). I thought that was a funny coincidence.Yeah, it was me who mentioned Aliadière. He's a big prospect with with the Gunners. He was JUST finally getting his chance because of Bergkamp's and Wiltord's injuries and Kanu's international duty when he got hurt. That sucked.

I figured I'd mentioned him just after you'd approach the Boss about him when you mentioned that it was funny that I would have mentioned his name. Hee hee.

I ended up selling Kanu both times I started CM 01/02 (first in the demo, then after I got the game). Some team always comes in with a 10M offer - which I generally convert into Larsson. In real life, Kanu's contract comes up at the end of this season (you can make a move for him on Bosman in January, I believe). I'm hoping he'll stay to give us another veteran striker to rely on since I think he can fill Bergkamp's role well. Unfortunately, the possibility of that is low right now with Reyes on board, both Aliadière and Bentley making strong showing in the Carling Cup and Arsenal needing to save money where they can.

[Chief Rum]

Bosman. Now there's my time to shine. I'm going to be looking for deals all over the place. :)

It bugs to see these great transfer deals going around, and I get a shade under £5 M from my owner--and he is considered "Secure" for club finances. I can't imagine what the "Okay" level that some Premiership teams have (Leeds comes to mind) means.

Oh well, I just make do. In case you couldn't tell, I really liked Castillo. That guy's a great looking player. I'm going to be keeping my eye on him, just like Aliadière and Llarsson and Kanu.

Keep on reading. Arsenal's Champions League grouping is going to be announced soon. :)

CR

[Chief Rum]

SUNDAY, August 31, 2003

Boro Escape Goodison With A Draw

The Two Sides Combine For Nineteen Shots, But Fail To Score A Goal

LIVERPOOL-- The Blues have been having some problems scoring goals of late. Middlesbrough's visit to Goodison Park didn't improve that any.

Fortunately for the home side, the defense was up to snuff, and the Blues and Boro marched out of the stadium with a 0-0 draw.

Despite the lack of scoring, there were 19 shots in the match, with both sides leaving plenty of golden opportunities wasted on the pitch.

Everton goalkeeper Richard Wright and Middlesbrough keepers Mark Schwarzer and Carlos Nash--a late-match replacement--all distinguished themselves with outstanding saves, while at other times, they were just plain lucky as normally reliable players missed easy chances.

Middlesbrough took 10 shots, six of them on goal, to Everton's six and four. Despite being on the road, the Boro made a good show of ball control for much of the match.

"Really, if things just break a little this way or that, we could have won this one big," Kieta said. "And, really, we could have lost it big, too. Sometimes that's just the way it goes. I'm pretty happy to get a draw out of this one."

The Boro had some of their best chances in the last 15 minutes of the first half.

In the 31st minute, midfielder Gaizka Mendieta sent a precise floating pass from near the right touchline to fellow midfielder Juninho, whom had found a slot in the defense and had an open look at the net from just inside the center of the penalty area. Juninho's header curled toward the right post before curling softly away and out of bounds.

In the 41st minute, Joseph-Désiré Job tooka long pass along the left touchline from fullback Salvatore Fresi when he got a step on Blues winger James McFadden. Job angled into the left of the penalty area and the goal line before striking a low centering pass in the general direction of strikers Massimo Maccarone and Michael Ricketts. Everton centreback David Weir deflected the pass, though, while charging hard at Job, and the ball deflected to fullback Danny Mills, standing alone near the edge of the penalty area. Mills struck a left-footed strike toward the net, but the ball sailed wide right of the goal.

Just a minute later, winger Boudewijn Zenden sent an in-swerving corner directly into the middle of a crowded goal box. Defender Chris Riggott won the aerial challenge but was unable to put it on goal, so he headed it back up the left goalline to Zenden. Zenden hit a low centering pass into the edge of the goalbox, to Maccarone. Maccarone, whose bvack was to the goal, tried to maneuver around for what would hvae been almost a point blank shot but centreback Joseph Yobo excuted a perfect sliding tackle and dislodged the ball into the outer penalyt area. Boro defender Gareth Southgate came up on the pass and sent a hard shot right at the net, but Wright was in perfect place to clutch it.

In the 45th minute, Mendieta set up Job with a similar pass to the one which freed him for a goalline centering pass in the 40th minute. This time, Job got the pass off before Weir could come close enough to disrupt the pass. The ball went a little high, though, and fullback Alessandro Pistone headed the ball out into the center of the pitch, beating Zenden in the air. Mills stepped up and hit a hard shot right at the net, but Wright made a brilliant dive to his right to knock it sideways. Before a Boro attacker could jump on the rebound, Pistone again came through and cleared the ball to the centerline.

The Boro had another great chance early in the second half. In the 46th minute, Mendieta collected the ball off of an errant pass near the far side of the kickoff circle and went on a run right down the heart of the Blues' defense. Conscious of Mendieta's passing abilities, the Everton defenders didn't immediately close on him, keeping tabs on the wingers and other attackers. This allowed Mendieta an almost unchallenged run into the penalty area. Mendieta unleashed what looked to be a powerful shot, but he caught the ball wrong and the shot petered out softly toward the goal, easily stopped by Wright.

"The goal was wide open," Mendieta said. "Nine times out of ten, that one goes in. But this time, I took a misstep."

It was just a couple minutes later when the Blues got their first great chance. Midfielder Thomas Gravesen picked up a backpass header off of a Boro freekick and sent an on the mark floater to striker Wayne Rooney 15 yards in from the right touchline and charging toward the penalty area. Rooney lofted a sot centering pass to fellow striker Tomasz Radzinski. The veteran striker had just an edge of a step on Riggott, who was marking him, and an open shot at Schwarzer and the net. Radzinski let go of a hard and high strike for the right corner, but the ball kept sailing and missed wide and up by inches.

In the 57th minute, fullback David Unsworth intercepted an errant dribble by Job near the centerline and worked a straight centering pass to Gravesen. The midfielder immediately turned it back out to the right toucvhline, where McFadden had a step on his marker in Mills. McFadden charged right into the penalty area toward the box, and Southgate wasn't going to be able to get over in time to help Schwarzer out. Fortunately for the Boro, McFadden misfired sending his shot harmlessly into the sidenetting.

The close calls continued. Juninho had a shot sail over the crossbar after splitting the defense on a run similar to Mendieta's previous run. Mendieta kicked a hard shot at the net during one exchange that ended up going directly at Wright.

The Boro had a gut check time, though, in the 74th minute. Mark Schwarzer had picked up a knock and had to come off the pitch, bringing in reserve keeper Nash in cold for his first ever regular season action with Middlesbrough.

Nash was up to the task, though. In the 86th minute, McFadden took a run deep into the right corner before sending a well-placed pass into the six-yard pass. Rooney had a clear shot at the goal, but Nash made an amazing leap to his left and sent the ball skipping back out into the goalbox. Fresi came back and cleared the ball out of danger. Gravesen also tested Nash, requiring the keeper to make a save on a free kick by the midfielder.

"I couldn't be prouder of our keepers," Kieta said. "They both really came to play today. Mark continues to be solid, and to have a great backup like Carlo ready to go in a second, as he proved today, that's just a luxury."

Kieta refused to comment about the play of the forwards, an area which has troubled the Boro skipper this season. Ratings officials gave both Maccarone and Ricketts lackluster 5's for their performances Saturday. Both forwards were dominated in the air by Everton's defenders, and neither ended up with a shot on goal.

Speaking of domination, the scorekekeeper awarded Riggott for his similarly powerful performance in front of the Boro net, naming him the Man of the Match. Riggott was simply phenomenal, winning an amazing 35 out of 37 headers, collecting five tackles and stealing seven interceptions. The numbers alone don't even begin to flesh out just how critical the young defender's play was, as he received a 9 from the raters.

The Boro will take off a couple weeks now along with most of Europe as a couple rounds of international play begins, including the continuing European Championships Qualifying. Middlesbrough's next match won't be until September 13, when they meet up at Riverside Stadium with Charlton.

Four Boros Off To Internationals

Four first team players discovered they had been asked to join their national sides for the critical round of international matches that will be played over the next few weeks.

Defender Gareth Southgate has been called up to England's national side, centreback reserve Brian Close has been valled to action for Northern Ireland, and the Netherlands has placed winger Boudewijn Zenden on its national roster as well. All three will see action in the upcoming European Championships Qualifying.

The fourth player called up was star midfielder Juninho to Brazil's powerful national side. The CONMEBOL World Cup 2006 Qualifying Round has begun for South American teams, which is earlier than any of the other continetal federation groups. CONMEBOL plays an entire fixture schedule where every national side in South America plays the others in round robin matches over the course of two seasons. Brazil's match up with Peru on September 6 and Ecuador on September 10 are the first of those matches for the 2006 World Cup.

In the Euros, Southgate and England will meet FYR of Macedonia on September 6, and Liechtenshtein on September 10, the same schedule as Boro teammate Stuart Parnaby will be playing with Enbgland's Under-21 squad.

Close and Northern Ireland are playing the Ukraine and Armenia on September 6 and September 10, while Zenden and the Netherlands will meet Austria and the Czech Republic on those respective dates.

There is still time for more call ups before the international play resumes in a week, so other Boro players may soon find themselves on planes to support their homelands on the pitch.

Interim Boro manager Matthew Kieta said he once again gave no instructions to his players, merely wishing them "the best of luck."

Wheater Hurts Himself In Training

Under-19 youth defender David Wheater picked up a neck injury in training Saturday. The 15-year-old centreback is expected to miss a week recuperating from the injury.

[Blade6119]

"Coach Kieta, would you give us some insight into your youth system. We all know you speak very highly of new Boro winger Morgan, but what other young players playing on the reserves and U-19 squad excite you. Forward Niklas Nordgren has been a consistent threat for the reserves, does he have a future with the first squad?"

I just read everything in the dynasty and it took me like 4 hours(i actually went out and researched all these guys as they popped up in the dynasty). I couldnt be happier to have done it. Great dynasty Chief, once again you have enveloped me into your web of interest!

[Chief Rum]

Thanks, Blade. Glad you're liking it. Good question, too. I will be glad to toss it into the next press conference (which happens in a couple days by game time).

I may have to do some research. It's been a month (real time) since I did my last coaches' assessment of all my players (including youths).

CR

[Chief Rum]

SUNDAY, August 31, 2003

FA Barclaycard Action Recap

Birmingham 2, Tottenham 0 It's already apparent Birmingham could be pretty good this season--and that the Cockerels likely won't be. So Saturday was no suprise. The Blues' defense was suffoicating, limiting Tottenham to only two total shots in the match at St. Andrews. Striker Clinton Morrison scored again, getting his fifth goal in four Premiership matches. Defensive midfielder Damien Johnson also scored. Centreback Darren Purse got credit for his excellent play, garnering the Man of the Match award with 12 tackles, 18 headers and nine interceptions.

Charlton 1, Blackburn 1 This match was fairly devoid of offense, putting up only nine shots to produce the two goals. The odd thing was both goals that did go through didn't happen until late. The two sides angeaged in a tough, defesnive battle until the Rovers' striker Andrew Cole scored in thew 81st minute. The fans at The Valley probably thought their Addicks would be done in by that, but three minutes later, the Addicks' own striker Cole, Carlton, scored to tie it up. As is fitting in a defensive match, fullback Luke Young of Charlton got the Man of the Match, with 18 headers, five tackles and two interceptions.

Everton 0, Middlesbrough 0 For all the lack of scoring, this was a great match for shots. The Boro had 10, while the Blues put up nine in a match in which the goalkeepers for both sides played outstanding to preserve the clean sheets. Richard Wright went the whole way in net for Everton, but the Boro had to switch their goalkeepers late when Mark Schwarzer picked up a knock. His replacement, former Manchester City reserve Carlo Nash, held up just fine in his place. The Man of the Match award went to Boro defender Chris Riggott, who was dominating. He won an amazing 35 headers, to go along with five tackles and seven interceptions.

Leeds 4, Portsmouth 1 Welcome to the Premiership, Pompey. Portsmouth had a good run to start its promotion to the top league of England, but the folks at Elland Road reminded them of what kind of talent they might be facing this season. Still, this match might have been different. It was just 1-1 in the 48th minute when Portsmouth midfielder Alexei Smerten would be sent off with his second yellow card. After picking up his first with a first half trip of Leeds midfielder Jody Morris, Smerten likely didn't endear himself to Pompey manager Harry Redknapp when he argued with the ref after wingback Boris Zivkovic was called for a foul on James Milner. The second card to Smerten left the Pompey a man short the rest of the way--and United took immediate advantage. Striker Cyril Chapuis scored the go ahead just two minutes later, his second goal of the game. The Pompey were forced to go at a player in the box in the 56th minute, allowing Gary Kelley to take and make a penalty. And then the event happened that the fans at Elland Road almost tore down the facilities with pure sound for: longtime defender and fan favorite Lucas Radebe--who just announced he would be retiring from football at the end of the season--scored his first ever goal in eleven years of club competition in the 62nd minute. United never looked back on a giddy evening for the home supporters. Fittingly, Radebe received the Man of the Match award, with 16 headers, three tackles, four interceptions and three fouls drawn.

Leicester 2, Wolverhampton 1 The Foxes had a 1-0 lead in the 51st minute of this matchup between recent First dDivision sides, but they had a problem. Wolves winger Nathan Blake had acquired far too much attention from centreback Steve Howie, and the the defender was sent off with his second harsh foul on the Welshman. The Wolves took immediate advantage, with forward Silas tying it up just a minute later. The Foxes showed a lot of moxie, though, to press the issue even a man down. In the 57th minute, it paid off when they got a score by winger Jordan Stewart. It would turn out to be the difference maker, as Leicester held on down the stretch. The Foxes' first goal was netted by striker James Scowcraft. Howie's partner John Curtis got the Man of the Match award, with 26 headers, seven tackles and eight interceptions.

Southampton 2, Aston Villa 0 A week after scoring three goals at home against powerful Arsenal, the Villans could barely amke a squeak against Southampton at St. Mary's Stadium. The visitors had just five shots to the Saints' 15, and only three of Aston Villa's shots were on goal. Southampton got first half scores from striker Kevin Phillips and midfielder Rory Delap to put this one away early, coasting to the easy victory. Fellow striker James Beattie picked up the scoreless Man of the Match, as he put up a hot on goal, an assist, a run, two tackles and 16 headers in the course of the match.

Injuries & Suspensions

Aston Villa goalkeeper Thomas Sorenson strained his calf early in the Southampton match. He stayed in the match, but his injury didn't hurt him much--he had nothing to do with Villa's lackluster offense. After the match, though, it woul dbe announced Sorenson would miss a week of training with the injury.

Portsmouth winger Patrick Berger also strained his calf, such that he had to leave the pitch in the 59th minute of the Pompey's loss to Leeds. He will miss about ten days.

The hands down winner for worst day, though, goes to Berger's teammate Alexeï Smerten. Smerten was sent off with his second yellow card after arguing a call with a referee--the kind of infraction that infuriates managers and supporters alike. His departure was key to the match, as Portsmotuh would soon fall far behind. Then after the match, Smerten discovered that his wrist was sore because he had broken it. He will miss three weeks of action with the injury. Of course, as it turns out, he may not miss any matches he wouldn't have anyway. The red card means he would automatically miss the Pompey's next match, and they don't play again for two weeks, thanks to a break for international play. He might even be back in full health for his next available match.

Leicester centreback Steve Howie likely isn't on Wolves winger Nathan Blake's Christmas list. The defender obstructed Blake early int he match, earning him a yellow, and then he went in too hard on a tackle attempt on Blake in the 51st minute. This got him a second yellow card and an automatic red-card send off.

Today's Matches

Newcastle at Bolton
Manchester City at Fulham
Liverpool at Manchester United

[Chief Rum]

SUNDAY, August 31, 2003

Champions League Groupings, Fixtures Announced

Arsenal, Man U Are Among Clubs Going For Europe's Top Prize

Four Premiership clubs and Two Scottish Premier Division sides have a clearer view at their roads to the Champions League trophy nowq, after the eight four-team groupings were announced Saturday night.

Arsenal and Celtic will get to play each other, as they have both been placed in Group A. Also in the mix there is Serie A superpower Lazio and Greek club Plympiakos, in one of the tougher groupings in this season's Champion's League.

Newcastle might have an easier road, although at this point, there is really no such thing. After winning their qualifying road to get here Wednesday, Neewcastle was lumped into Group B with La Ligue One Monaco, Primera Liga club Real Sociedad and Ukrainian High League squad Shakhtar. Overall, it might be the weakest grouping in the Champions League.

Chelsea, another qualifying round survivor, didn't get any favors from the Champions League. They were placed in Group F, with Serie A superpower Juventus and UEFA trophy and Super Cup champ Porto of the Portuguese Super League. Greek squad AEK Athens round out the group.

Manchester United looks like the premier team in Group G. They are joined by Primera Liga side Celta, Russian Premier Division club Lokomotiv Moscow and the Bundesliga's VfB Stuttgart.

Scotland's Rangers might have gotten the toughest draw of all, in arguably the toughest grouping in the Champions League this season. They will have to go up against 2001-02 Champions League holder and Primera Liga superpower Real Madrid and Dutch superpwer Ajax, in addition to Greek side PAO.

Group C looks to be a solid, all-around grouping. Bundesliga top club FC Bayern headlines this one, but it won't get an easy trip from Dutch power PSV, Portuguese club Benfica or Belgian side Anderlecht.

Group D is the home of current Champions League holder AC Milan of Serie A. Their toughest competition here appears to be Primera Liga squad Deportivo. Norway's Rosenborg and Turkey's Besiktas round out the group.

Bundesliga power Dortmund and Serie A power Inter are the top apparent teams in Group H, a solid all around grouping. La Ligue One side Lyon and Austrian Premier Division squad Austria Vienne are also in the group.

The round robins will begin on September 16-17, and not be completed until early December.

[daedalus]

Ugh. Celtics and Lazio are both dangerous. At least it should be doable.

Chelsea has an ugly, ugly draw.

Rangers-Ajax fight off for the second spot should be interesting.

[daedalus]

It bugs to see these great transfer deals going around, and I get a shade under £5 M from my owner--and he is considered "Secure" for club finances. I can't imagine what the "Okay" level that some Premiership teams have (Leeds comes to mind) means.It's weird. In my 01/02 career, my Arsenal team is rated roughly the same as Manchester United for finances and yet I KNOW they have some crazy budgets I'm not even near the neighborhood for (based on some of their yearly spendings and what I'm given to work with). Mind you, I did managed to parlay Kanu and some spare change into Henrik Larsson one year and saved up to get Edgar Davids to partner with Paddy Vieira two years after so I wasn't exactly in the poor house. It was just odd to see both teams have the same ratings and different amount to spend. Seems realistic, though.

[Blade6119]

From what i understand, club finances and spending money are quite seperate...spending money comes from a stat all owners have, something like "WEALTH"...that from what i hav read dictates transfer money and wage money, so compare your owner to others and see...thats why everyone used to love Rushden and Diamonds, since they were a conference team rated with a perfect 20 for owner wealth...meaning you could easily outspend anyone your first few seasons in the lower divisions and build up a really solid squad.

[Chief Rum]

SUNDAY, August 31, 2003

UEFA Announces First Round Pairings

Several United Kingdom Clubs Will Play In First Round

Four Premiership clubs found out who will be their first challenges on the road to Europe's second most prestigious club competition.

The UEFA announced pairings for 96 European clubs Saturday, setting up a 48-pairings two-leg first round that will kick off on September 24.

Liverpool, Manchester City, Southampton and Blackburn were the four teams from the English leagues that made the cut. The Reds, Saints and Rovers were automatic entries into the first round, based on last year's final Premier League table and national cup results, while Manchester City had to win its way into the round via the qualifying round earlier this month.

Liverpool and Blackburn both drew Polish First Division clubs. Liverpool will play Groclin while the Rovers drew GKS Katowice.

Southampton will meet up with Swedish Premier Division club Malmö FF, while Manchester City will play Hapoel Tel Aviv from the Israeli Premier League.

The Scottish Premier League also has two representatives in the competition. Hearts got a particularly tough draw in the Primera Liga's Valencia, while Dundee United will play the Swiss Premier League side Young Boys.

TNS Networks of the Welsh Premier League isn't likely to get much of a break from Bundesliga squad Werder Bremen, while Northern Irish League Premier Division Portadown will meet up with Eridivisie club FC Nordsjælland.

The Irish Premier Division also had two entries in Bohemians and Shelbourne. The Bohemians will play Russian Premier Division squad Torpedo Moscow, while Shelbourne has a matchup with Serie A squad Udinese.

The 96 clubs come from a number of different sources. Sixteen clubs come from the losing end of the third qualifying round of the Champions League. Thirty-six squads were given automatic entries from some of the top leagues in Europe. Three additional squads won the three bids available to the victorious finalists of the Inter-Toto Cup. And the final 41 teams won trhough to the first round from the UEFA qualifying round, completed last week.

[Chief Rum]

Yeah, you and Chelsea didn't get easy draws at all. By comparison, I think Man U is practically getting a bye into the single elimination rounds.

That Rangers group is just really tough. I think Ajax-Rangers will be an interesting one to watch, too.

That makes sense about owner wealth and club finances. For instance, I don't think anyone doubts that Man U makes a ton more money than Chelsea every year, thanks to the higher competitions they are generally in and the fact that they are, simply, the richest club in the world (in any sport). But Chelsea has that crazy Russian guy as their owner. He's probably more individually wealthy than anyone connected with manchester Untied, and it's apparent he's willing to spend that money.

That's why the Yankees are so scary. They combine a wealthy owner who doesn't give a crap about how much money he spends with the most lucrative baseball team in the MLB (and, I assume, the baseball world).

Interesting note for anyone who doesn't have the game yet. I have now reached the post-trnasfer window time, and things run significantly faster. This doesn't surprise me much, though, since it makes sense. But I think the game is running at least two times faster now than it did before.

CR

[Chief Rum]

MONDAY, September 1, 2003

FA Barclaycard Action Recap

Bolton 0, Newcastle 0 Bolton continues to pull off improbable success, despite the numbers saying otherwise. Ten days after the Wanderers surprised Chelsea at home, 2-1, they held Newcastle goalless, despite allowing 12 shots, eight on goal. In return, Bolton itself had just six total shots, with only one of them coming anywhere near the Magpies' net. Bolton keeper Jussi Jääskeläinen was unbeatable today, gaining the Man of the Match award for his efforts. By comparison, Magpie goalkeeper Steve Harper was almost bored in earning his clean sheet.

Manchester City 2, Fulham 0 Where's Maik Taylor when you need him? While Taylor is playing well as Birmingham's starter while on loan from Fulham, remaining keeper Edwin van der Sar hasn't played all that well, and he had to leave Sunday's match with City in the 14th minute with a calf strain. Former Middlesbrough keeper Mark Crossley came in cold and gave up the difference-maker just a couple minutes later, to City striker Antoine Sibierski. The visitors didn't score again until forward Jon Macken put one in in the 87th minute, but the Cottagers never seemed to be in this one. Man City outshot Fulham 16-8, and only one Cottager shot even came on goal. Centreback David Sommeill played a big role in Manchester City's tough defense, netting the Man of the Match award with seven tackles, 10 headers and 14 interceptions.

Manchester United 2, Liverpool 0 Forward Paul Scholes couldn't beat Jerzy Dudek one on one, so he decided to beat him when everyone had a shot at the ball. Scholes took a penalty kick in the 37th minute that the Reds' Dudek sent back out into the box. The golkeeper then sent back Scholes' next shot. But third time was the charm, as Scholes bounced on his second straight rebound and finally put in the score. It turned out to be the game-winner in a tight defensive match between two of the top powers in the world. For all their talent, the Reds couldn't get anything going against the Red Devils' defense in front of a hostile crowd at Old Trafford. They managed just four shots, with only one coming near Man U keeper Tim Howard. The home squad, though, took 12 shots, nine on goal. Winger Ryan Giggs put it away with his goal in the 66th minute. Giggs' goal and the five runs he went on to key the offense earned him the Man of the Match award.

Injuries & Suspensions

Fulham goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar suffered a calf sprain, and will be out for a week.

In the same match, Manchester City striker Antoine Sibierski broke his wrist, and will miss ten days.

In Bolton, Newcastle lost midfielder Jermaine Jenas to a sprained ankle. He is expected to be off from training for ten days.

No one was sent off Sunday.

Tonight's Match

Chelsea at Arsenal

Transfer Deadline Passes

The first UEFA transfer window of the season passed Sunday night with no action from English Premier Division squads.

The next window opens on January 1, 2004.

[Chief Rum]

TUESDAY, September 2, 2003

FA Barclaycard Action Recap

Arsenal 2, Chelsea 0 The Gunners remain the only unbeaten, undrawn club in the Premiership after defeating Chelsea at Anfield Monday evening. In fact, only one other side, Newcastle, has yet to lose after four matches, and they have been drawn twice. Arsenal outplayed the Blues to the tune of a 12 to five shots advantage, but it didn't turn out to be an easy one. The score remained knotted up at zero until the last ten minutes of the match. Winger Mikel Arteta finally solved Chelsea keeper Carlo Cudicini in the 80th minute. Striker Jérémie Aliadière put it away eight minutes later with his first score of the season, and his first appearance since he was linked to a possible transfer to Middlesbrough. Cudicini got the Man of the Match award for his stalwart work in front of the net.

FA Barclaycard Premiership Table


<font=courier>(as of September 2, 2003)

Pos Team Pld Won Drn Lst For Ag G.D. Pts

1st Arsenal 4 4 0 0 12 4 +8 12
2nd Birmingham 4 3 0 1 8 4 +4 9
3rd Man Utd 4 3 0 1 7 3 +4 9
4th Newcastle 4 2 2 0 7 4 +3 8
5th Blackburn 4 2 1 1 9 5 +4 7
6th Middlesbrough 4 2 1 1 7 4 +3 7
7th Leeds 4 2 1 1 6 4 +2 7
8th Man City 4 2 1 1 5 3 +2 7
9th Liverpool 4 2 0 2 6 5 +1 6
10th Portsmouth 4 2 0 2 6 7 -1 6
11th Southampton 4 2 0 2 5 6 -1 6
12th Everton 4 1 2 1 3 4 -1 5
13th Charlton 4 1 1 2 7 8 -1 4
14th Leicester 4 1 1 2 5 8 -3 4
15th Bolton 4 1 1 2 4 7 -3 4
16th Tottenham 4 1 1 2 3 6 -3 4
17th Chelsea 4 1 0 3 5 7 -2 3
18th Aston Villa 4 1 0 3 6 11 -5 3
19th Wolves 4 0 2 2 3 6 -3 2
20th Fulham 4 0 0 4 2 10 -8 0</font>

[Chief Rum]

TUESDAY, September 2, 2003

Poyet Announces Retirement

The Tottenham Forward Will Hang Them Up At The End Of The Season

LONDON-- Tottenham Hotspur forward Gustavo Poyet announced Monday that this would be his last season in football.

"It's time to move on and begin the rest of my life," the 35-year-old Uruguayan attacking midfielder said. "I have had a good run, but it's clear I have reache dthe end of the line."

Poyet wouldn't confirm it, but it is believed by many observers that his relegation to Tottenham's reserve squad has dispirited Poyet's desire to continue.

Poyet scored five goals in 28 matches with the Cockerels last season, breaking a four-season streak of double-digit goal seasons. The veteran earned a reputation for toughness and savvy in six seasons in the Premiership.

Poyet has appeared in two matches for the Cockerel reserves so far this season.

The forward has been with Tottenham for two seasons, following four seasons with Chelsea. He came to Stamford Bridge from Zaragoza in the Primera Liga, where he played for seven seasons.

Poyet has scored 114 goals in 406 career appearances. He has also appeared in 35 matches for his native Uruguay, scoring three goals.

"He's doing what he thinks needs to be done," Tottenham manager David Pleat said. "He's been in this league for a while, and has been a fine player for the Cockerels."

Pleat said he couldn't guarantee that Poyet would see first team action, but he would consider it should the opportunity arise.

[Chief Rum]

WEDNESDAY, September 3, 2003

Quashie Wants First Team Football

PORTSMOUTH-- A year ago, Nigel Quashie was an important part of a Portsmouth squad on its way to First Division success and promotion to the Premiership.

Now he feels the cluib owes him a first team spot.

"I bled with these guys," Quashie said Tuesday. "All I want is to get on the pitch and show what I can do. Playing at this level is a dream of mine."

Quashie said he doesn't expect to be on the pitch for every match, but he is concerned that he isn't even made a single appearance yet for the squad in four matches so far.

Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp said he wasn't about to change the first eleven composition at Quashie's request.

"I understand Nigel's frustration," the manager said. "But there are better ways to go about this. Talking to you guys was the last thing he should have done."

Redknapp said the timing of Quashie's statement is odd given that fellow midfielder Alexeï Smerten will have to miss the Pompey's next match after being thrown out out of the squad's match with Leeds Saturday. The absence of Smerten will likely mean Quashie will see the pitch against Leicester on September 13.

Quashie said he wanted to stay with the club, and that he just wanted to get a chance to play with the first team.

The midfielder appeared in 42 matches with Portsmouth last season, scoring five goals. The 25-year-old has started for the Pompey for three seasons prior to this year, scoring 12 goals in 108 appearances.

Morgan and Downing Return To Practice

Boro wingers Lionel Morgan and Stuart Downing returned to practice Wednesday from injury.

Morgan's arrival in training will be his first such appearance since he was transferred in from First Division side Wimbledon early last month. Morgan has been sidelined for two months with a knee injury.

Interim Boro manager Matthew Kieta said last week that while Morgan would eventually see time with the first team, he would start with the reserves to get into form and receive some match experience.

Downing also returned Tuesday from a foot injury that shelved him for two weeks. He suffered the injury in Middlesbrough's season opening 3-1 victory over Tottenham.

Downing's injury was a blow to the 19-year-old winger, who had won at least part time first eleven duty ont he wing after a strong preseason. Kieta said Downing would practice with the first team and that he expected him to be available for the Boro's next match, against Charlton on September 13.

[Calis]

Glad to see The Huns get put in the toughest group. I will enjoy watching them get pummeled. ;)

Little worried that Celtic has to fight off Arsenal and Lazio. That won't be an easy grouping at all.

Great start to the season though! Boro looking like they could do some damage this year.

[Chief Rum]

WEDNESDAY, September 3, 2003

Kieta: Scoring Strikers Will Play

MIDDLESBROUGH-- Frustrated at continuing inconsistent play up front and his failure to bring in a top line striker for the squad, interim Boro manager Matthew Kieta said the guys who play the best and score will be on the pitch the most.

"Potential isn't worth much if you don't turn it into something tangible with hard work and experience," Kieta said at his weekly press conference Tuesday.

In an apparent effort to lessen the impact, Kieta refused to use names, but it seems clear he was referring to the iffy contributions of younger strikers like Massimo Maccarone and Michael Ricketts against a more savvy veteran like Jospeh-Désiré Job.

Maccarone has been rated a 5 or lower by ratings experts twice in the Boro's first two matches, and Ricketts was equally bad Saturday in Everton, a match in which the Boro failed to score a goal in a 0-0 draw.

In a match against Fulham last week, Job and attacking midfielder Juninho started up front and produced three goals between them.

"At some point, I have to stop waiting for the talent to surface and start playing the guys who can get it done now," Kieta said.

Despite that, the manager said all of the strikers on the squad would continue to see major playing time.

The manager said he was "very frustrated" he couldn't bring in another scorer to help out.

"I really thought we had [Jimmy Floyd] Hasselbaink wrapped up," Kieta said, referring to a failed attempt to bring the Dutch striker over from Chelsea last week. Hasselbaink ended up moving to Dutch power Ajax.

Kieta also made runs at Colombian striker Jauro Fernando Castillo and Arsenal's Jérémie Aliadière, but wasn't successful. The first transfer window officially passed Sunday evening.

"We have the players here," Kieta said. "I'm sure we'll be fine scoring goals once we settle on a definite first-eleven."

Kieta also addressed the youth areas of the club Tuesday, an area he has been reticent to speak about at past press conferences.

"I think we have a handful of good players on the way up," Kieta said. "But I don't feel we had an especially strong reserve squad or youth program, at least in ure youthful talent. It's an area that needed and still needs to be upgraded.

The manager said the purchases of young Wimbledon players winger Lionel Morgan, defender Mikele Leigertwood, and defensive midfielder Dean Lewington were a big step in the right direction. He also said that a number of key young players, such as centreback Chris Riggott and winger Stuart Downing, are already making big contributions with the first team.

"These are the kinds of players this club could be built on in the future," Kieta said. "But we need to bring in more help."

Among key reserves, Kieta also noted that defensive midfielder Stuart Parnaby and centreback Andrew Davies both looked like they had brigh futures witht he club.

Among the Under-19s, the manager said he was "excited by the abilities" of young strikers Niklas Nordgren and Danny Graham.

"Nordgren is already showing he is far advanced from other kids his age," Kieta said.

He also said the coaching staff has been thinking of moving Nordgren up to the reserve squad.

"Graham isn't at Nordgren's level, technically," Kieta said of the younger striker. "But he has great physical skills and some other abilities that you don't see in strikers too often. In fact, we might switch him to winger at some point in the future. He might have much more upside there."

Kieta refused to single out any of the other youth players, saying he was still himself learning what kind of abilities they have. None of the Under-19s and very few of the reserves saw first team action in the preseason, and the two reserve clubs have yet to play more than a small handful of matches.

The manager said he wasn't going to relax the gas pedal on team training just because several team members will be away at international matches this weekend and next week.

"This is a great time to reform the squad and get some good, hard training in," Kieta said. "With some of our top players gone, it's also an opportunity for some of the reserves and backups to make more noise about seeing time ont he pitch."

Boro regulars Juninho, centreback Gareth Southgate, and winger Boudewijn Zenden are all with their national teams, as are backups defender Brian Close and Parnaby.

The Boro are off until September 13, when they meet Charlton at Riverside Stadium.

[Chief Rum]

Glad to see The Huns get put in the toughest group. I will enjoy watching them get pummeled. ;)

Little worried that Celtic has to fight off Arsenal and Lazio. That won't be an easy grouping at all.

Great start to the season though! Boro looking like they could do some damage this year.

I'm still learning club names. Which one is the Huns? Bayern? Dortmund? The only thing I really know about the Bundesliga is I like the league name (it sounds cool). :)

It should be fun seeing you and daedalus muck it up here when those two sides (Arsenal and Celtic, that is) are scheduled to meet up. I'll be sure to let you guys know. ;)

I certainly hope you're right about the outlook for the Boro. Really, we haven't played anyone very strong. The best was Birmingham, and what do you know, they beat us. I'm not one of the ones who thinks Everton is going to be anything (at least not in-game).

What's really funny is I don't think Charlton is very strong either, and they are our next opponent. It's like someone is loading our early schedule. Kinda makes me worried what will follow it. I can see it now (no, I haven't looked): @Arsenal, Man U, Chelsea, @Newcastle, Arsenal, @Liverpool, Blackburn, @Man U, etc. :)

CR

[Chief Rum]

THURSDAY, September 4, 2003

Downing Is Target Of Lower Leagues

MIDDLESBROUGH-- Reports are surfacing that as many as four clubs have made loan offers for young left winger Stewart Downing, who recently returned from injury.

"Downing is not available," interim Boro manager Matthew Kieta said Wednesday. "I don't know why anyone even thinks he is."

Kieta said he turned down loan offers from First Division Reading and Second Division Bournemouth Wednesday, and that he thought he might see more offers.

"Stewart has earned a role with our first team here," Kieta said. "I have no desire to move a key part of our first eleven."

With Boudewijn Zenden on loan from Chelsea, and other options at left wing, like Wimbledon transfer Lionel Morgan and wingback Franck Queudreu, it might have been thought by some clubs that the talented 19-year-old Downing could be had, at least on loan.

Kieta said he remains open to all offers for players at Middlesbrough.

"I don't want to shut anything out, because you never know when something is going to come along that just can't be turned down," Kieta said. "But if I am not actively looking to move a guy, I probably won't be interested."

Mendieta, Németh Called Up To National Teams

Two more Boro players were called up to their national teams Wednesday.

Midfielder Gaizka Mendieta will play with Spain, while Szilard Németh was placed on Slovakia's national roster.

Both national teams will be playing in European Championships Qualifying Round matches over the next week. Spain will meet the Ukraine on September 10, while Slovakia will play FYR of Macedonia.

The two players join previous Boro call-ups defender Gareth Southgate (England), Zenden (Netherlands), centreback Brian Close (Northern Ireland), midfielder Juninho (Brazil), and defensive midfielder Stuart Parnaby (England Under-21s).

All but Juninho will be playing in the Euros Qualifying. The midfielder will instead be playing in the opening matches of the CONMEBOL's qualifying fixture for the 2006 World Cup. The South American national federation holds a two-year-plus fixture schedule where all national sides will play each other home-and-home to determine its entrants to the World Cup.

All are expected to be back with Middlesbrough when the club resumes Premiership action, against Charlton on September 13.

[Chief Rum]

THURSDAY, September 4, 2003

Bolton's Johnson Wants First Team Action

BOLTON-- Bolton winger Jermaine Johnson told the Guardian Wednesday that he feels he should be playing witht he first team.

"I think it's time to see what I can do," Johnson was reported to have told the paper.

Johnson has yet to see regular time with the Wanderers, but is considered a bright talent for the future. The 23-year-old pacey Jamaican appeared in two matches with Bolton last season, and 10 in 2001-02, going scoreless.

Most of Johnson's playing time the past two seasons has come on the Wanderers' reserve squad.

Johnson's public bid for first team time comes just two days after Portsmouth midfielder Nigel Quashie made a similar request. Unlike Johnson, Quashie is an established former starter of the Pompey.

In Bolton, Johnson appears to be stuck behind the club's big wing acquisition in talented Greek midfielder Stelios Giannakopoulos. the 29-year-old capped veteran has started at right wing for the Wanderers in all four of their matches so far, with no goals.

Manager Sam aAllardyce said he has placed Johnson on loan availability to get the young player some first team time elsewhere.

"The squad is better with Stelios right now," Allardyce said. "Jermaine is the future, but we're going a different direction this season. We need him to go somewhere where he can get some experience, and then come back to us ready to contribute next year."

Johnson has appeared in six matches with Jamaica, and is with the reserves in Bolton again this season.

[Chief Rum]

FRIDAY, September 5, 2003

Boro Sign Murphy To Extension

WATFORD-- Defensive midfield prospect David Murphy, currently on loan with First Division Watford, agreed to a contract extension Thursday to stay with Middlesbrough through 2006.

The 19-year-old will be paid £110,000 this season, with 10% annual increases to 2006.

Murphy is considered a future fullback for the Boro, but is "still at least a year or two away", interim Boro manager Matthew Kieta said Thursday.

Murphy's original contract was set to expire six months from Monday earlier this week, which made Murphy available via Bosman transfer. Middlesbrough wrapped the prospect up, though, before any other clubs had approached him.

Murphy has been playing both midfielder and wingback with Watford so far this season. He is scoreless in five league match appearances, but has a solid 6.80 rating and has drawn five fouls.

Murphy is serving out a three-month loan with Watford which ends on October 10.

Kieta said Murphy will liekly not be the only Boro inked to extensions in the next couple months.

Reserve striker Chris Garbutt and midfielder Gary Smith are both currently within six monthds of their contract release point, but have yet to be approached for transfer, and are not expected to receive extension offers from Middlesbrough either.

Several key first teamers, though, including versatile forward Joseph-DésiréJob and injured centreback Ugo Ehiogu are up for contract renewals at the end of the season.

[Chief Rum]

SATURDAY, September 6, 2003

Euro Champ Quals Begin Anew Today

England Will Meet FYR of Macedonia In Skopje

SKOPJE, Macedonia-- The European Championships Qualifying Ruund will take the first of a critical two steps today when national teams from all around Europe meet again to continue their quests to Europe's top international prize.

England will play FYR of Macedonia in Skopje today, in its fifth match of its Group Seven fixture. England can clinch at least a spot in the playoff in November if it beats Macedonia today.

England is currently second in the group with 13 points. Group leader Turkey sits at 15 points, but have played one more match than England. Slovakia has six points in six matches. Macedonia has five points in six matches. Leichtein stein, England's opponent on Wednesday, is dead last with just one point in five matches.

The top club in each group will receive an automatic bid to the European Championships next season, being held in Portugal. The second place club in each of the ten groups will compete ina playoff in November for the few remaining spots in the tourney.

The European Championship is played every four years, two years opposite of the World Cup.

In Group Five, Scotland is in the fight of its life. Powerful Germany leads the wayy--just varely--at 11 points. Surprising Iceland sits at 10 points and inm second place, with Scotland third at eight points. Scotland can't easily look back easily either, since Lithuania is sitting at seven points. The Faroe Islands are the dog of the group, at two points.

Scotland could get a boost today from playing the Faroe Islands in Glasgow, while Iceland hosts Germany. It doesn't get easier for the Scots, though--they meet Germany on Wednesday.

Wales is tied with Italy atop Group Nine with 10 points, but they are far from out of the woods. Surprising Serbia & Montengro sits in third with eight points, while Finland lurks in fourth with six points. Even Azerbaijan isn't out of it, at four points. Wales has the unenviable task of meeting up with Italy in Rende.

One United Kingdom nation that does certainly seem out of it is Northern Ireland. They had the poor luck of ending up in Group Six with Greece and Spain, and have just two points. They are even behind Armenia, with four points. Greece leads the group with 12 points, while Spain is just behind them with 11. The Ukraine is putting up a good show with nine points. Northern Ireland is in Kiev today to play Ukraine.

Ireland is currently in second place in Group Ten with 10 points. They are behind the Swiss, with 12 points. Russia has seven points, with Albania at five and Georgia at four following up the rear. The Irish host the Russians in Dublin today, in a key match between the second and third place sides in the group.

The other groups are all in various stages of completion as well.

In Group One, European Championship holders and FIFA's top-ranked European squad France is dominating, with five wins in five matches. They easily lead the group with 15 points. Slovenia is a surprising second at 10 points, with Israel at eight and Cyprus at seven hot on their tail. Malta remains pointless at the bottom.

In Group Two, there is shaping up to be an intriguing three-team battle. Denmark leads with 13 points, but they are just ahead of Norway with 11 and Romania with 10. Even Bosnia isn't out of it with six points. Little Luxembourg has no points yet in this group.

Group Three looked like it would be a run away for Holland, but the Dutch are getting a big fight from the Czech Republic. Both teams have 13 points. Austria isn't far behind, at nine points. Moldova and Belarus are fighting for last place with three points apiece.

Group Four is completely up in the air. Sweden and Hungary are tied on top with 11 points, but surprising Latvia is right behind them with 10 points. Disappointing Poland is also still very much in it with seven points. Last place San Marino just wants to score a goal, any goal.

Bulgaria leads Group Eight with 11 points. They are just ahead of Belgium and Croatia with 10 points. The Belgians have not played well in a group in which they were favorites. Estonia is also still looking very solid with eight points, while Andorra is the sacrificial lamb, with zero points.

All ten groups have fixtures today and Wednesday. The group fixtures wrap up in October.

[Calis]

I'm still learning club names. Which one is the Huns? Bayern? Dortmund? The only thing I really know about the Bundesliga is I like the league name (it sounds cool). :)

It should be fun seeing you and daedalus muck it up here when those two sides (Arsenal and Celtic, that is) are scheduled to meet up. I'll be sure to let you guys know. ;)

I certainly hope you're right about the outlook for the Boro. Really, we haven't played anyone very strong. The best was Birmingham, and what do you know, they beat us. I'm not one of the ones who thinks Everton is going to be anything (at least not in-game).

What's really funny is I don't think Charlton is very strong either, and they are our next opponent. It's like someone is loading our early schedule. Kinda makes me worried what will follow it. I can see it now (no, I haven't looked): @Arsenal, Man U, Chelsea, @Newcastle, Arsenal, @Liverpool, Blackburn, @Man U, etc. :)

CR

The Huns is a term of endearment for Rangers and their supporters. The only thing that rivals seeing Celtic win is seeing Rangers lose. ;)

I'm going to have a hard time talking much smack to daedalus about our teams playing, because I can't imagine Celtic giving Arsenal a game. They're just way out of our league. I'm putting my hopes on us beating Lazio and getting that 2nd spot.

I ran into the same thing with my Wolves career I'm running. I got frontloaded with easy games so I had abnormally high expectations, and they came crashing down very quickly.

I recently got addicted to watching the whole game play out in 2D. Adds a whole new level to the game. Slows things up just a tiny bit though.

[Chief Rum]

The Huns is a term of endearment for Rangers and their supporters. The only thing that rivals seeing Celtic win is seeing Rangers lose. ;)

I'm going to have a hard time talking much smack to daedalus about our teams playing, because I can't imagine Celtic giving Arsenal a game. They're just way out of our league. I'm putting my hopes on us beating Lazio and getting that 2nd spot.

I ran into the same thing with my Wolves career I'm running. I got frontloaded with easy games so I had abnormally high expectations, and they came crashing down very quickly.

I recently got addicted to watching the whole game play out in 2D. Adds a whole new level to the game. Slows things up just a tiny bit though.

I should have guessed it would be the Rangers. I knew you guys were rivals, of course, but I was thrown by the Germanic reference of the name you call 'em. :)

You're probably right about Arsenal. They just seem to be incredible so far this season. Pinning your hopes on Lazio, though, ouch. That's not easy either. I mean, I have Mendieta on loan from Lazio because they don't need him anymore! Sure, they ain't Milan or Juventus, but that's a tough cookie to crack there. I'm rooting for all British Isles teams, though, so I will be rooting for you. :)

I'm trying to keep my expectations low key. At least with Wolves, you are just recently promoted. The Boro are actually expected to be halfway decent. I have a reasonable expectation that if I keep morale high and the right players in the mix, I can stay in the top ten. Still, it's not going to be as easy as this early fixture would like to make me think.

I have watched some key matches in the past all the way through, but none yet in this dynasty. In fact, I think the times I have done it were in my other Boro dynasty (the one that didn't get written about, using CM4). It was a very informative and fun experience, but, yeah, time constraints mean I can't (or shouldn't) do it so often.

CR

[Chief Rum]

SUNDAY, September 7, 2003

England Drawn By Macedonia

Frustration Sets In For National Squad As Qualifier Hopes Dim

SKOPJE, Macedonia-- England didn't lose, but it might as well have.

Saturday's 0-0 draw with the surprising FYR of Macedonia has put England a difficult four points behind group leader Turkey in the European Championships Qualifying Group Seven table with two matches to go.

The Brits did everything they could do against Macedonia except score on Saturday. They outshot and generally dominated the Macedonians 12-2, and allowed just one shot on goal in front of 24,622 at Gradski Stadion.

The road team didn't really get rolling until the second half, but by then, Macedonia keeper Oka Nikolov, who plays with Frankfurt of the Bundesliga, had already ensconched himself in front of a tough defense led by centreback Igor Mitreski of the Primera Liga's Osasuna.

In the 50th minute, English winger Owen Hargreaves of Valencia sent a high crossing pass into the penalty area from the right corner. Liverpool star Michael Owen ended up with the ball just a mere couple yards from the goal, but his shot bounced right off of Nikolov and away from the goal, where it was promptly cleared.

In the 75th minute, Newcastle winger Kieran Dyer took a pass from fullback Gary Neville of Manchester United and charged toward the right end of the penalty area. Having put some space between himself and the Macedonian defenders, Dyer unleashed a harsh in-swerving strike at the near post. Nikolov was well-placed, though, reaching up and batting the shot away to the left with his fingertips. Neville came hard up on the rebound, but his shot went right at Nikolov, who was closing the space between them. The Frankfurt goalkeeper clutched the shot to end the scoring chance.

Aston Villa striker Darius Vassell had a terrific chance in the 89th minute. Midfielder Paul Scholes of Manchester United sent a high pass into an area in front of the right end of the penalty area. Vassell got above fullback Robert Popov, from Bulgarian side Litex, and headed the ball forward toward the outer penalty line. Vassell displayed his amazing physical ability by then beating a crowding group of Macedonia defenders to the ball and sent a high, unobstructed shot at the net. Unfortunately for Vassell, he put it too high, and the ball went sailing over the crossbar.

"It was just a very frustrating match," Owen said after the match. "I didn't play well at all. How could I miss that one early in the second half?"

England's manager Sven-Göran Eriksson wasn't as harsh on the striker as Owen himself was, even though football raters put his performance at a 4 for the match.

"It was a tough, physical match, and the Macedonians came to play," Eriksson said. "We all have bad matches. Owen's was today. With a match in hand and a match against the Turks, we are still in prime position to catch them. The qualifier is still ours for the taking."

To do so, though, England will have to put up a better effort against Leichtenstein on Wednesday. While no one thinks the little country can compete with England, FIFA's seventh-ranked national team in the world, no one thought Macedonia could either.

If England defeats Leichtenstein on Wednesday, that would set up a winner-take-all between England and Turkey in Istanbul in October. Turkey, which edged out Liechtenstein 1-0 on the road Saturday, has 18 points with only the England match left to play.

England, at 14 points, can move to 17 points with a win over Liechtenstein Wednesday.

The true importance of the Macedonia draw might be in England's room for error, which shrunk significantly Saturday. Had the Brits won, and then defeated Liechtenstein, they would be a point up on Turkey going into the final match, allowing a draw to give them the qualifier spot. Now that draw goes to Turkey, meaning that England will be required to defeat Turkey in Istanbul to get the automatic spot to next season's European Championships.

Both Turkey and England had already at least clinched spots in the playoff for the remaining bids to the tourney in November, as the top two sides in the group.

With the draw, Macedonia moves up to six points and a tie with idle Slovakia. Liechtenstein has one point.

[Chief Rum]

SUNDAY, September 7, 2003

British Isles Disappoints At Euro Quals

Only The Scots Could Be Said To have Had A Good Day

On a day when the English got a draw with Macedonia, and the Irish stumbled by drawing at home with Russia, Scotland was the only bright side in the British Isles after another round of action in the European Championship Qualifying on Saturday.

Scotland defeated the Faroe Islands handily, 4-0, in Glasgow, which isn't a surprise. What will have the Scots smiling today, though, was Germany's road win over Iceland, allowing Scotland to climb over the surprising island nation for second place in Group Five.

Scotland entered the day at eight points, two back of Iceland for that critical second place spot. Powerful Germany led the group with 11 points.

By winning, Scotland moves up to 11 points, one ahead of Iceland, and into second place, and they can still catch Germany when the two sides meet in Berlin on Wednesday.

Idle Lithuania has seven points and the Faroe Islands just two after Saturday's action.

As expected, Wales had a tough match to play against host Italy, and they did fall, 2-1, in Group Nine action. Wales came into the day leading the group with 12 points, but Italy's win vaults them over the Welsh and into first place with 13 points. Italy came into group play as the heavy favorite.

Finland beat Azerbaijan, 5-0, to move up to nine points and within a win's range of Wales for the key second place spot. Wales will host Finland in Cardiff on Wednesday, in what could be the key match of the group for both sides.

Serbia & Montengro was idle, but remains in it as well, with eight points. Azerbaijan has four points.

The Northern Irish continued to play a patsy in Group Six. They remained in last place when the Ukraine beat them, 3-0, in Kiev Saturday. They have just two points.

The Ukraine's win sets up an interesting match on Wednesday with Spain. Idle Spain fell to third place with 11 points, as the Ukrainians used the win over Northern Ireland to move into second place with 12 points. The two teams play each other in Spain on Wednesday. Group leader Greece defeated Armenia, 3-2, to move up to 15 points, but they haven't clinched a spot yet.

Armenia joins Northern Ireland in the Group Six doldrums with four points.

The Irish missed a terrific opportunity to jump into first place in Group Ten when they allowed themselves to be drawn, 1-1, at home by Russia. Ireland entered the day at 10 points, two behind group leader Switzerland, which was idle. A win would have moved Ireland past the Swiss.

Instead, the draw merely moves the Irish one point closer to Switzerland, and gives the Swiss a match in hand, as Ireland will be idle on Wednesday while the rest of the group plays.

The draw also gives an opportunity to Russia, which remained three points back of Ireland after Saturday's action. Should the Russians defeat Switzerland at home Wednesday, they would place themselves in prime position to steal a playoff spot from either of the two others, who are scheduled to meet in the final fixture round in October. Georgia could also still play its way into things, after beating Albania 1-0 to move up to seven points. Albania has five points.

Other Group Results

France's easy 5-0 defeat of Cyprus, coupled with Slovenia's 3-1 home loss to Israel has clinched Group One's automatic qualifier for the defending European Champion.

The dominating squad, which has yet to lose a match in group action, has 18 points. Israel's win moves them into the key second place spot with 11 points, one ahead of Slovenia, which put its own hopes at grave risk by losing at home to the Israelis. The Cypriots' loss essentially puts them out of the running, while idle Malta did about as good Saturday as it could have done by simply not losing--they have zero points.

Norway's 3-1 win over Bosnia moved them up to first in Group Two with 14 points, while Romania's 4-0 shutout of Luxembourg placed them in a tie with idle former group leader Denmark at 13 points. The two sides will meet in a critical tête-à-tête on Wednesday, while Norway will be idle. Bosnia has six points and Luxembourg no points at all.

Holland got the advantage in the upcoming key matchup with the Czech Republic Wednesday when the Dutch defeated Austria 3-0 in Saturday's action, while the fellow Group Three leader Czechs were drawn by Belarus, 2-2. The win moves Holland into first place with 16 points, while the Czechs drop to second with 14. The only spot left up for grabs, though, is the automatic qualifier to the first place side; Austria's loss clinched playoff spots for both Holland and the Czech Republic. Belarus has four points, while Moldava brings up the rear with three.

Saturday's action did little clear up the glut in Group Four, where four teams still look quite capable of ending up with a berth in the Euros. Sweden took a big step in beating San Marino, 5-0, and moving into a three-point lead for first place over idle Hungary. Latvia missed a chance to stick itself right in the midst of things by falling at home to Poland, 3-1. Not only did the loss keep Latvia in third behind Sweden, it allowed the Poles to move into a tie with it. Four teams are within four points of each other, with two more rounds to go.

Former Group Eight favorite Belgium didn't play Saturday, as they were idle. But the day couldn't have gone much worse for them. Group leader Bulgaria beat Estonia, 4-1, to move up to 14 points, a four-point lead over the Belgians. And Croatia handily defeated Andorra, 4-0, moving them out of a tie with Belgium and into sole possession of second place with 13 points. Estonia's loss puts them out of the running with eight points, while Andorra has no points.

France is the only country to have locked up an automatic berth, besides 2004 European Championships host Portugal, which receives an automatic bid into the tourney.

Holland, Germany, the Czech Republic, Turkey, England and Bulgaria have all locked up playoff berths.

[Calis]

Ohh, Sven could be getting himself into trouble here! Macedonia?

Ireland let me down also, but that's become pretty common.

Dang it Chief, you're going to make me start up a CM Dynasty of my own soon. Got all these ideas floating through my head now, great stuff. I really like the style. I can do my daily checks of Soccer365.com, SkySports, and Chief's dynasty. Can't beat that.

[GoldenEagle]

Ohh, Sven could be getting himself into trouble here! Macedonia?

Ireland let me down also, but that's become pretty common.

Dang it Chief, you're going to make me start up a CM Dynasty of my own soon. Got all these ideas floating through my head now, great stuff. I really like the style. I can do my daily checks of Soccer365.com, SkySports, and Chief's dynasty. Can't beat that. Chief's dynasty has me feeling lonely in my thread. I am jealous of him running all of the leagues. I am considering restarting my dynasty to rull all the different leagues, just because of CR :)

[Chief Rum]

SUNDAY, September 7, 2003

Orchard Nabs A Hat For Under-19s

The Young Boro Forward Helps Youths Dominate Macclesfield, 4-0

BILLINGHAM-- With the first team on something of a two-week break for international play, and seemingly half the side either deep in training or playing for their national teams, there was little action going on a soggy Saturday in Boro-land.

But don't tell that to forward Tom Orchard.

The 17-year-old prospect lit up Third Division Macclesfield's Under-19s at The Stadium in Billngham on Satiurday, scoring three straight first half goals for the natural hat trick.

Orchard scored in the eighth, 21st and 29th minutes, getting a few hats tossed out at him from the small crowd of 675 that came to watch.

Fellow forward Jason Kennedy moved the score up to its final tally with a goal in the 41st minute.

Orchard's heroics masked an exquisite defensive performance by the Boro, which did not allow a single shot, on goal or otherwise, to Macclesfield.

Orchard said it was a happy day for him and for the Under-19s.

"I just hope we showed Mister [Matthew] Kieta that there's more talent here than he thinks," Orchard said, in a barb at the Boro manager's reference to the club's youth system as being weak on talent last week.

The Boro Under-19s have won two straight after opening their fixture with a 3-1 loss to Morecambe.

[Calis]

Chief's dynasty has me feeling lonely in my thread. I am jealous of him running all of the leagues. I am considering restarting my dynasty to rull all the different leagues, just because of CR :)

I'm way too impatient for that. I think I might try out a few leagues and tossing in some ddt files though.

Either way, Chief is an evil, evil man.

[GoldenEagle]

ddt files?

[Chief Rum]

I AM THE DEVIL! :D

Glad you guys can be so tempted. ;)

Seriously, though, thanks for the compliments. GE, I can't tell ya how to run your dynasty, but I must admit having all the leagues running is a lot of fun. The only thing I am complaining about with my set up right now is that maybe I should have put a few more leagues on full detail, so I could click on some key matchups in the Champions League and in the national matches.

And, of course, I don't like having half-ass MLS rosters and no Adu. But I digress...

Dundee is still looking good. It's interesting to follow your dynasty in light of the comments being made about finances in football in the UK in the GD forum. Plus, imitation is the highest form of flattery, is it not? :)

Speaking of which, I believe Kilmarnock is leading the Scottish Premier League currently in my dynasty, five matches in. Go figure. In case you guys are wondering, I will be giving updates on how things are going in other major European leagues, all of the top British Isle leagues, and all of England's leagues down to the Nationwide Conference. My plan is to do this at the end of each month (I'll find a newspaper "excuse" to do it ;) ), witht he first round of it coming at the end of September.

Calis, that was a stunning draw to Macedonia. I agree with owen--no way he should have missed that shot. In real life, everyone but Reds fans would be on his case right now (and the game did say the English fans weren't happy). But I am guessing if England beats Turkey, or even if they lose but get in via the playoff, everyone will be fine.

Now, if the Brits miss out on the Euros...ouch... :eek:

CR

[Chief Rum]

I'll let Calis explain ddt files. Since I went with all the leagues running on large database, I didn't have to worry about that, but it's basically a work around for using smaller databases, but having a lot of players available.

That would allow you to run more leagues, I am guessing, IIRC. I just remember being confused by how to do it. It involves the ARSE file, I believe.

CR

[GoldenEagle]

I just started a game with all the leagues running. We will see how that goes....

[Chief Rum]

Good luck! :)

CR

[Calis]

Good luck! :)

CR


I'm getting ready to start up my dynasty as well. I just don't think I have the guts for running all of them on my PC. I'll run more than usual though me thinks.

Going to try switching up things a little and mess with some .edt files. Time to make my wish come true. ;)

As for Owen screwing up the game, that's pretty much on par with how he's been performing irl. Guy appears to have just lost it. I've watched him play a couple times the last few weeks and he looks like he doesn't want to be there. Playing very poorly.

Chief pretty much explained DDT files as far as I get them. It just adds all the players of a country without running the league. It's actually real easy to do, as I just dl'ed a zip with each country's .ddt in there, so I just unzip them and from the Game Preferences screen I check which ones I want to use. It doesn't appear you need that now though.

[Chief Rum]

I see now what you mean by having your wish come true. Good louck with the dynasty. To you, too, GE. Meanwhile, I am moving on here...

CR

[Chief Rum]

SUNDAY, September 7, 2003

CONMEBOL World Cup Qualifying Opens

Ten South American nations began the world's longest run to football's premier national prize, the 2006 World Cup, on Saturday.

CONMEBOL, which governs South American football, hosts a round robin fixture across two years to determine what teams get the continent's automatic bids.

FIFA's top-ranked Brazil looked like it was headed for a surprising opening draw with Peru, the 67th-ranked team, when young star winger Alex scored on a penalty in the 89th minute. He added to that just a minute later, and Brazil escaped with a key 2-0 win.

Argentina wasn't so lucky. The 4th-ranked team in the world went to 21st-ranked Paraguay, where the two sides ended up drawing 1-1.

In other matches, 71st-ranked Chile upset 38th-ranked Ecuador 3-2; 24th-ranked Colombia opened its fixture with a disappointing 1-1 home draw of 57th-ranked Venzuela; and 27th-ranked Uruguay crushed 109th-ranked Bolivia 4-0.

Another round of matches will be played on Wednesday before the competition takes a two-month break.

[Chief Rum]

MONDAY, September 8, 2003

Parnaby: 'I Want First Team'

MIDDLESBROUGH-- Boro defender Stuart Parnaby told The Sunday Times that he is concerned about being left off of the Middlesbrough first team.

"I played a significant role on last season's team," Parnaby said from the practice pitch for the England Under-21 squad Monday. "I don't feel I have done anything to deserve being placed on the reserve squad this season."

Parnaby, who can play both defender and defensive midfielder, appeared in 21 matches with Middlesbrough last season, going scoreless. The 21-year-old is thought to be an up-and-coming young player by some football observers.

Parnaby saw time in four of the Boro's preseason friendlies, but has been on the reserve squad since the season opener. He has also appeared in three matches with the reserves.

Parnaby has yet to be rated under a 7 by football raters in any of his seven appearances.

Interim Boro manager Matthew Kieta was unavailable for comment Sunday.

Parnaby is a little used reserve with the England Under-21 squad. The national youth team beat FYR of MAcedonia, 3-2, on Friday, and host Leichtenstein Tuesday at Wembley Stadium in London.

[Chief Rum]

TUESDAY, September 9, 2003

Kieta Says Parnaby Important Part Of Squad

The Boro Manager Speaks With Defender About Role

MIDDLESBROUGH-- Part of the tricks managers have to pull every season is roughing over the edges when a player gets out of line or upset.

Interim Boro manager Matthew Kieta has already dealt with a few of those in this early season. Monday, he had a talk with defender Stuart Parnaby about comments Parnaby made to the media concerning his role with the Boro this season.

"I told Stuart he is an important part of this club, now and in the future," Kieta said. "He told me he understands and trusts that I will call him up when I feel he is ready."

On Sunday, Parnaby told The Times that he wanted first team football at Middlesbrough. The defender has been on the reserve squad since the beginning of the season.

Kieta said he was straight-forward with Parnaby.

"He has a lot of talent, but right now, we're set on our backline," Kieta said. "The guys ahead of him are veterans, used to first team play. He is still young and I want him to see regular match experience, which he wouldn't get with the first team."

Parnaby said he apologized to the manager for speaking about his concerns to the media.

"That was irresponsible of me," Parnaby said Monday. "I got caught at a bad moment and wasn't as careful as I should have been. I know Mister Kieta has a plan, and now I know my role in it. I'll be ready when they need me."

Parnaby is currently with the England Under-21 squad in London, where they are preparing to play Liechtenstein at Wembley Stadium today.

Parnaby is expected to return to Middlesbrough after the Liechtenstein match and likely continue his play with the reserve squad.

Parnaby appeared in 21 matches with the Boro last season, but didn't score a goal.

In addition to this latest affair, Kieta has had to deal with comments he made about a string of bad play by striker Massimo Maccarone and the concerns of midfielder Juninho that the club doesn't make enough money to keep the first team together.

[Chief Rum]

Just in case anyone saw anything funny, I forgot to do a write up of the opening of the South Amercian Quals for the 2006 World Cup. So I wrote it up, and then reworked it into correct chronological order with good ole cut and paste. :)

Of course, if you didn't read any of this over the past two hours or so, it is likely it doesn't matter to you. ;)

CR

[Chief Rum]

WEDNESDAY, September 10, 2003

Morgan Flashes In Debut

MORECAMBE-- Sure, it's just reserves, but new Boro winger Lionel Morgan showed Tuesday it may not be too long before he's seeing regular time with the big club.

Morgan scored the only goal for the Boro in a 1-1 draw with the Blackburn reserves at Christie Park in Morecambe on Tuesday.

The 20-year-old left winger took two shots, both on goal, intercepted three balls, went on four runs, won six headers and collected two tackles.

Morgan has been out with a knee injury for two months, and Tuesday was his first action on the pitch since last season. Interim Boro manager Matthew Kieta, who has said he intends to Morgan to play with the first team, sent the winger down to the reserves to get match-ready.

The Boro were fortunate to get the draw after Blackburn by-and-large controlled the ball and kept it near the Middlesbrough goal.

The Rover reserves outshot the Boro, 7-4, but all four of the Boro's shots were on goal, while just three of Blackburn's shots had to be fended off by goalkeeper Sam Russell.

The match was also the first reunion between the three players Kieta transferred away from First Division Wimbledon last month.

Morgan was bought from the financially-troubled club with defender Mikele Leigertwood and defensive midfielder Dean Lewington. The latter two have been playing with the reserves since their arrival.

All three are considered good prospects with bright futures, and none are older than 20 years old.

[Chief Rum]

THURSDAY, September 11, 2003

England Is Back On Track

Four Days After Drawing With Lowly Macedonia, National Team Stomps Liechtenstein, 5-1

LONDON-- England gave its citizens something to cheer about again, as they took the needed step to set up a showdown in the European Championships Qualifying with Turkey next month.

The Brits pounded Liechtenstein, 5-1, at Abbey Road Wednesday, moving them up to 17 points in Group Seven, just one behind idle Turkey.

England will play Turkey in Istanbul in October in a match which will send one team to an automatic berth in the 2004 Euros, Europe's most prestigious national team competition, while the other side will be forced to play through the playoff legs in November to gain one of the additional spots available.

There was a stretch early in the match where it appeared little Liechtenstein might actually stay with England. The home squad took a 1-0 lead on a goal by winger Kieran Dyer of Newcastle, but the Liechtensteiners got it back in the 21st minute with a goal by fullback Roland Beskid.

Dyer's goal came after England had missed out on a couple cross opportunities, including a corner. After one long clear out to the right, Dyer ended up with the ball near the right touchline. He sent a hard cross toward the goalbox that was deflected by Liechtenstein winger Thomas Beck of Swiss Challenge League side Chiasso. The ball bounced toward the penalty edge, where winger Joe Cole of Chelsea picked it up. After dodging a few charging Liechtensteiner defenders, Cole made a nice flick pass to Dyer on the left side of the goal box. Dyer turned around and blasted the ball into the left side of the net, before Liechtenstein goalkeeper Peter Jehle of Swiss Superleague Grasshopper could get over.

Beskid's tying goal in the 21st minute was a poor one for England keeper Chris Kirkland of Liverpool. Fullback Frédéric Gigon of Swiss side Baulmes sent a far cross over the penalty area into the right edge of the goalbox. Beskid was being marked by both winger Steven Gerrard of Liverpool and fullback Ashley Cole from Arsenal, and yet managed to beat them in the air and put a header on goal. The ball was high but right at Kirkland, who watched in horror as the ball glanced off his hands, bounced over him and into the net.

Perhaps taking that as a sign of a lack of effort, England played much stronger after that. They would put the match behind them within twelve minutes, on a 30th minute goal by Everton striker Wayne Rooney and a 33rd minute score by Southampton forward James Beattie.

Rooney's goal was painfully easy, thanks to a sharp shot by Dyer and an overactive defensive reaction on the part of Jehle.

Beattie took a run down the left touchline toward the penalty area, freeing the middle of the pitch for Dyer. Beattie sent a nice pass in just ahead of the penalty area, and Dyer one-timed a hard shot swerve toward the goal. Jehle fended off the pass, and the ball bounded down the left byline. Jahle gave chase to it, in an attempt to beat Beattie to the ball. It turned out to be a grave error, as Beattie beat the keeper to the ball and sent a centering pass to Rooney running into the box. Rooney easily put the ball in the middle of the opening net, even as Jehle scrambled to try and get back.

Beattie's goal came off of some nice passing work. Dyer sent in a wide swerving cross toward the near end of the goalbox off of a corner. Paul Scholes of Manchester United went up for the cross, but Beskid again won out an aerial challenge and cleared the ball to the outer edge of the penalty box. Rooney collected the ball, but had to retreat under pressure. He sent a quick pass toward the right edge of the penalty and Dyer. Dyer charged in toward the box and then sent a very short high pass to Beattie amidst the group near the near post. Beattie headed the ball into a wide open net, as Jehle was apparently caught by surprise by the speed of the move.

Beattie would add another goal in the 61st minute, and Gerrard would cap it off in the 71st minute for a domianting day for England.

Beskid's scoring header turned out to be Liechtenstein's lone shot of the match, while England put no less than 25 shots into the air, with 14 of them needing to be defended by Jehle. Nearly half the match in Leichtenstein's defensive third of the pitch.

"It was a very pleasing win," England manager Sven-Gôran Eriksson said. "We started off a little slow, but once we got going, wow, we really played well."

The win is expected to ease the pressure on the manager a little, who took some heat from the media when his club failed to defeat Macedonia on Saturday. Although England had already clinched a playoff spot, the draw will make it more difficult for the national team to earn the automatic berth from Group Seven.

They will have to defeat Turkey in Istanbul to win the berth. Turkey is the sixth-ranked team in the world by FIFA, just ahead of England at seventh.

The rest of Group Seven is playing out the string. Slovakia defeated FYR of Macedonia at home, 3-1, to move up to third place alone with nine points. Macedonia has six, and Leichtenstein one.

The match with Turkey will take place in Inonu Stadium on October 11.

[Chief Rum]

THURSDAY, September 11, 2003

Scotland, Ireland Leading Way For Playoff Spots

Wales Is Still In It As Well At The Euro Champ Quals

REISKIRCHEN, Germany-- Scotland remains in second place in Group Five and in line for a berth to the playoffs for extra qualifying spots in the 2004 European Championships in Portugal next season. But that's only because Iceland had the day off.

Scotland failed to protect an early lead against powerful Germany at the Sportstadion Reiskirchen, and the ninth-ranked national team by FIFA came storming back in the second half, led by two penalties by FC Bayern midfielder Michael Ballack.

Ballack was given the opportunity to tie the match up in the 68th minute after West Ham defender Christian Dailly was ruled to have pushed Kaiserslautern striker Miroslov Klose in the penalty area. Ballack shot the ball past Scotland keeper Paul Gallacher of Dundee United for the equaliser.

The match remained tied, though, well into the late going. Klose finally moved the Germans ahead with a score in the 83rd mintue, and Ballack's second penalty finished the Scots off in the 90th minute.

Germany's win clinches Group Five's automatic qualifier, but the race is still on for second. Scotland came into the match in second with 11 points, and remained there because third place Iceland was diel on Wednesday.

Lithuania missed out on a huge chance to get back into things when it lost 1-0 on the road to weak side Faroe Islands. A win would have moved them into a tie with Iceland for third, but the loss eliminated them from contention for second place and the playoff berth that comes with it. Lithuania has seven points, and the Faroe Islands five.

Scotland does catch a break, though. In order for Iceland to catch them, the Icelanders will have to do what Scotland couldn't Wednesday--beat Germany in Germany. Scotland will host Lithuania, and a win or draw combined with anything less than a Iceland win will clinch second place for them.

Ireland was off Wednesday, but it ended up a good day for them anyway in a crowded Group Ten. Russia was just three points behind Ireland and hosting group leader Switzerland today. A win would have put them in a tie for second, with a better matchup in the final match in October.

Fortunately for the Irish, the Swiss defeated Russia on the road, 4-3, clinching Group Ten's automatic qualifier with 15 points.

It's not in the bag yet for Ireland, though, in second with 11 points. Russia remains three points--just a win--back of Ireland, and will be hosting last place Georgia while the Irish will take on the Swiss in Switzerland.

Albania beat Georgia to keep the latter side from becoming a factor in the playoff. Albania has eight points, but no more matches, while Georgia has seven points.

Wales has not had a good run in the last two matches and have played themselves out from first place in Group Nine to just outside of the playoff. Wales allowed Finland to come back into it when they lost to the Fins, 3-1, in Cardiff Wednesday night. The win moved the Scandinavian country into a tie for second place with Wales at 12 points, and they have a one-goal-difference advantage over the Welsh to win the tiebreaker.

The loss to Finland gave the Finns two straight victories, while Wales has now lost two in a row. Wales does catch a break in that Finland has played all of its matches, so Wales still controls its own destiny.

The stunner in Group Nine, though, was Serbia & Montenegro drawing Italy. Not only did it keep Italy from clinching the automatic qualifier, it moved Serbia & Montenegro close enough to possibly squeak in to second place with a win in the last match.

Wales will host Serbia & Montenegro in perhaps the key match of the grouping, while Italy gets to toy with lowly side Azerbaijan before finishing them off for the easy qualifier.

In Group Six, Northern Ireland has been out of it for some time, but they got a little measure of dignity back Wednesday when they defeated Armenia 2-1. the win moved them past Armenia into fourth place with five points. Armenia has four points.

On a more important note, Spain continues to underachieve, allowing the Ukraine to draw them, 2-2, in Spain, and stay ahead of them in the Group Six table. The Ukraine has 13 points to Spain's 12. The Ukraine has played all of its matches, but Spain will have to draw or beat Armenia on the road to nab the second place spot.

The draw also clinched a playoff spot for group leader Greece, but the Greeks could still lose the qualifier if Northern Ireland somehow beats them ont he road, while Spain beats Armenia.

Other Group Results

Israel's 3-0 win over Malta, and France's 2-0 defeat of third-place Slovenia has wrapped up all the particulars in Group One. Israel entered the day in second palce with 11 points, but Slovenia was just behind them with 10. France had already clinched the automatic qualifier for the group. By winning while Slovenia lost, Israel clinched second place and the playoff berth that goes with it. Cyprus is fourth with seven points, while Malta finished its matches without earning a single point.

Group Two didn't get any clearer Wednesday and will have to go to the final day to figure out where anyone will end up. Norway came into the day in first place with 14 points, but they were idle Wednesday. Denmark and Romania were tied for second at 13 points. Both sides missed a diamond opportunity to pass up Norway completely by drawing 3-3. The tie moved them into a three-way battle for two spots, including the automatic qualifier.

Romania is likely done, as they are currently out on goal differential and they have exhausted their fixture. Norway gets Luxembourg at home, which should be an easy win, and Denmark would have to lose by more than six goals to Bosnia ont he road for Romania to beat them on a tiebreaker.

Bosnia is fourth with seven points, but they embarassed themselves Wednesday by drawing with painfully bad Luxembourg, 2-2. It is the only point Luxembourg has earned in the group action.

In Group Three, Holland clinched the automatic qualifier when they beat the Czech Republic,3-2, on the road Wednesday. The two sides had already clinched first and second, but first was yet to be decided until the victory by the Dutch sealed it. They have 19 points, while the Czechs have 14 points. Idle Austria is third with nine points, while Moldova beat Belarus, 3-1, to pass over the former Soviet satellite into fourth place with six points. Belarus has four points.

Sweden and Hungary cleared up a tight situation in Group Four with road wins over Poland and Latvia, respectively, on Wednesday.

The Swedes came into the day in first place in the group with 14 points, and their 3-1 win over Latvia moved them to a playoff-clinching 17 points. Hungary was in second place and stayed there after a 3-0 win over Poland. The win also clinched them a playoff spot.

Poland and Latvia, both with 10 points, came into the day with home matches and a chance to end up in second, but they blew it with the losses. Last place San Marino had the day off, and have no points at all.

Sweden can clinch the automatic qualifier with a win over Latvia at home in the last match in October.

In Group Eight, Bulgaria clinched a playoff spot at least with a 5-0 win over low-end Andorra, which has no points. At 17 points, Bulgaria only needs to win or draw at Croatia to clinch the automatic qualifier, and even if they lose, Croatia will have to beat them by five goals to get the tiebreaker.

Croatia itself earned its stay in second place with a tough 0-0 draw at Belgium. Belgium was expected to be very competitive in the group, but has been lackluster. Even if Belgium beats Estonia in October and Croatia loses to Bulgaria, the Belgians are ten points back of Croatia in goal differential.

Estonia, which was idle, has eight points in fourth place.

Germany, Holland and Switzerland join previous qualifier France and host Portugal as national teams that have already clinched automatic spots in the 2004 European Championships.

In addition to the Czech Republic, Turkey, England and Bulgaria, which all clinched at least playoff berths on Saturday, Israel, Swden, Hungary and Italy all clinched playoff berths with Wednesday's matches.

All of the remaining group stage matches will be played on October 11.

[Chief Rum]

THURSDAY, September 11, 2003

Brazil, Uruguay Lead Early World Cup Quals

Brazil, the top-ranked team in the world by FIFA, defeated Ecuador, 2-1, at home in the second match of CONMEBOL's World Cup berth determining round robin fixture.

In the earliest such competition, South America's international football federation is holding a two-year fixture in which all ten of the major South American nations will play each other in home-and-homes. The top sides will likely end up with one of the continent's World Cup berths.

Uruguay, ranked 27th in the world, beat 71st-ranked Chile on the road, 2-1, to be the only side besides Brazil to remain unbeatan and undrawn through two matches.

Colombia bounced back from a surprising home draw to Venezuela Saturday to beat Argentina, 1-0, at home. Argentina is the fourth-ranked team int he world, but has a draw and a loss through two matches.

Paraguay, ranked 21st in the world, crushed Bolivia, 4-0 at home. Bolivia, at 109th, is the weakest rated South American side in the competition.

Venezuela continued a surprisingly good early run by beating Peru, 4-1 on the road. Venezuela is ranked 57th in the world, while Peru is 67th.

The competition will take a break until November.

[Calis]

Can't wait to see England vs. Turkey in Istanbul! That's going to be a goodie.

Just out of curiousity, it appears Owen didn't play, did Sven wise up and bench him after last game's debacle or was he injured?

[daedalus]

I'm going to have a hard time talking much smack to daedalus about our teams playing, because I can't imagine Celtic giving Arsenal a game. They're just way out of our league. I'm putting my hopes on us beating Lazio and getting that 2nd spot.Bah! It's STILL good to talk smack! At least until the game gets played!

Besides, I think Celtic are going to make a good showing. In my career, they were always dangerous. Don't know how well they'll match up with Lazio, though. They're almost always funky.I recently got addicted to watching the whole game play out in 2D. Adds a whole new level to the game. Slows things up just a tiny bit though.Can't wait until I get a real computer so I can play this too. Whine and whine! :D

[Chief Rum]

I did such a good job writing up that one, I'm curious about that England-Turkey matchup, too. :D

Should be a good one. As for Owen, he didn't start, but he played. He came in at 62 for Rooney. Got a 7 rating, but didn't score (obviously).

Now let's here it for Celtic-Arsenal smack talk! Good as Celtic is, though, I still think they will have problems with Lazio.

CR

[Chief Rum]

SATURDAY, September 13, 2003

Charlton (1-1-2) at Middlesbrough (2-1-1)

When: 3:00 p.m.
Where: The Riverside Stadium, Middlesbrough
Forecast: 12º C (rainy)
Middlesbrough Out: DC Ugo Ehiogu, ML Allan Johnston
Charlton Out: DC Richard Rufus

Outlook: After two weeks off for international play, the Boro return to action, along with the rest of the Premiership. The Boro will host the Addicks of Charlton. Charlton has a close loss to Newcastle and a big win over the Wolves on their recent fixture list, but they haven't won, or even drawn, on the road yet. The Boro have been very solid at home, with two big victories over Tottenham and Fulham in Middlesbrough. The conditions on the Riverside Stadium pitch are expected to be very poor today, thanks to the steady rain from the past couple days. Left winger Stewart Downing returns today after missing three matches with a knee injury. Interim Boro manager Matthew Kieta said Carlo Nash would make his first start of the regular season in the net as well.

FA Barclaycard Premiership Game of the Round

Arsenal (4-0-0) at Liverpool (2-0-2) Although Manchester United and Chelsea at home are nothing to sneeze out, this is the first true test for the Gunners, the only unbeaten, undrawn squad in the Premiership. They have yet to play a top five league club on the road this season, but today's match in Anfield will take care of that. The Reds have had mixed early results. They blew out Bolton at home and beat newly promoted Leicester at home, and even their away loss to Manchester United went as expected. But a season-opening loss at home to Leeds has them looking less strong than it seemed. Arsenal will be seeking to advance a fine start to the season, while Liverpool wants a big win to move them in the right direction.

The Rest of the Matches

Southampton at Birmingham
Aston Villa at Chelsea
Charlton at Middlesbrough
Manchester United at Newcastle
Leicester at Portsmouth
Bolton at Wolverhampton
Everton at Manchester City (Sunday)
Fulham at Tottenham (Sunday)
Leeds at Blackburn (Monday)

[daedalus]

Although Manchester United and Chelsea at home are nothing to sneeze outSneeze . . . out?

[Chief Rum]

SUNDAY, September 14, 2003

When It Rains, It Snores

Boro Fail To Capitalize On Opportunities, Fall In 1-0 Snoozer To Charlton

MIDDLESBROUGH-- Boro supporters must have felt deja vu. Watching Saturday's match was likely very similar to last season, when the Boro would play well, but still mystifyingly lose a match they shouldn't have been close to even drawing.

The Boro outshot the Addicks, 14-5, Saturday, but it was the Addicks that made it work, riding a Jonaton Johansson score to a 1-0 victory on a rainy afternoon in front of 33,569 at the Riverside Stadium on Saturday.

"this was a very frustrating match," interim Boro manager Matthew Kieta said. "By all rights, we should have won that match. But we couldn't get the ball in close enough, and when we did, we didn't put it in the net."

Of the Boro's 14 shots, only four ended up on goal, with several long shots forming the bulk of the home squad's offense. Too often Saturday, Boro shots skimmed over the bar, failing to hit the mark.

Much of that fell on midfielder Gaizka Mendieta, who seemed to fall in love with his long shot for much of the match. The midfielder who dominated action with similar play against Tottenham last month was off the mark Saturday, taking eight shots, but putting just one on goal. Several of his shots missed by mere inches, and few came from inside the penalty area.

"I may need to ask Gaizka to work the ball inside a little more," Kieta said after the match. "Still, the Addicks played a very strong, interior game. I know Gaizka was doing what he thought he needed to do to get us some offense."

On top of the shot advantage, the Boro were consistently in control of the ball, beating the slower Addicks to rebounds and clear outs. More than a third of the match was played in the Addicks' defensive third, while the ball entered the Boro's defensive third just 14% of the time.

Conditions were poor and muddy all around, as the match was played in a consistent if light rain. Several players on both sides slipped during play, hindering ball movement.

The lone goal was scored on a header by forward Johansson in the 33rd minute. The Addicks showed some toughness in scoring the goal, which came on a corner shortly after the Boro were given two straight yellow cards for separate incidents.

Fullback Franck Queudreu was given a yellow for a two-footed tackle on midfielder Graham Stuart along the right touchline. On the resulting freekick, winger Malcolm Christie was given a yellow card as well, when he pushed over winger Matt Holland during an air fight for the ball. Starting Boro goalkeeper Carlos Nash was barely able to get to the resulting direct freekick by midfielder Claus Jensen, which sailed in to the left post from just outside of the penalty area. Nash was forced to put the ball just over the net with a diving block.

On the resulting corner, Jensen sent a high corner pass dropping right into the goalbox. Johansson went up with the crowd, including Mendieta marking him. He got to the ball and headed it high and hard at the net. Midfielder Boudewijn Zenden just missed getting in front of the shot, which went past him and Nash, who wasn't quick enough to react to it.

The referees were very quick to penalize the harder play Saturday, flagging the Boro with four yellows, and the Addicks with one as well.

Christie, whose foul resulted in the freekick which became the scoring corner, had a poor match at right wing, and was replaced at halftime by fullback Danny Mills. Football raters put his performance at a 4.

"We had several players not really play up to high standards today," Kieta said when asked if Christie would see any consequences for his poor play. "I don't know yet that we should single Malcolm out."

Saturday also represented a step backward for a noted trouble area, the forwards. Inconsistent play by younger forwards like Massimo Maccarone and Michael Ricketts has led Kieta to play forward Joseph-Désiré Job and attacking midfielder Juninho, somewhat out of position. The two vets scored all three goals in a strong performance against Fulham in August, and Saturday was the club's first return to that pairing.

The two forwards this time got only two shots off, one each and neither on goal. Juninho played very poorly, rating a 5, and was replaced by Maccarone in the 69th minute.

"It remains a work in progress," Kieta said about his forward crew. "Maybe that's the right pair, and they had a bad match. Or maybe we need to try something else."

Kieta said there would be some things done in Saturday's match lineup that he may not go back to when the Boro play again next Saturday. He wasn't more specific about his plans.

The Boro return to action on the road at Leeds on Saturday.

Boro Under-19s Crush Scarborough, 4-1

Well, at least one Boro side won Saturday.

The Under-19s shined in their second straight big win, beating Scarborough's Under-19 squad 4-1.

Last week, striker Tom Orchard scored a hat trick against Macclesfield, and yet, he didn't even see the pitch Saturday, as an unused substitute--not that the Boro youths needed him.

Four different players put in goals for the squad at The Stadium in Billingham, with striker Jason Kennedy playing a particularly strong match. He scored one of the goals while taking six shots, five of which went on goal.

The other goals were scored by winger Chris Emms, midfielder Adam Johnson and striker Danny Reed.

[Chief Rum]

Sneeze . . . out?

Sneeze at. ;)

I'm good, but with as much as I type, even I'm gonn ahave the occasional screw up. :)

CR

[Blade6119]

Morgan has been playing well for me in my new game as well(i love the demo :) ) . He and ronaldo(christiano, for manU) are one hell of a tandem, then i got nistelrooy, Ljunburg upfront with suprising Landon Donovan playing his way into the AM spot quite suprisingly, when he subbed in the second half of 3 games and scored 8 goals...But the boro are currently #2 in the premiership in my game, led by transfer Sanli Tuncay(Scoring Machine for them, and hes only 21), and youth player of the month Andrew Davies. Keep it up chief!

[Chief Rum]

Morgan has been playing well for me in my new game as well(i love the demo :) ) . He and ronaldo(christiano, for manU) are one hell of a tandem, then i got nistelrooy, Ljunburg upfront with suprising Landon Donovan playing his way into the AM spot quite suprisingly, when he subbed in the second half of 3 games and scored 8 goals...But the boro are currently #2 in the premiership in my game, led by transfer Sanli Tuncay(Scoring Machine for them, and hes only 21), and youth player of the month Andrew Davies. Keep it up chief!

Yeah, Morgan should be up with the big squad soon. I'm excited to see what he can do. My biggest problem right now is I have three starter quality left wings in Zenden, Downign and Morgan. More on that in the articles, though. I need a right wing Interestingly enough, I had been trying forever to remember Babangida's name, and as it turns out, Calis bought him in his dynasty. So now I know where he is. I have to wait ofr the next transfer window, of course, but at least now I have him shortlisted.

As for Tuncay, he was bought by Real Madrid in July and is worth over £14 M now. Ouch. He wasbought for £9.25, too--that's a lot more than I can afford. makes me wonder how in the hell the Boro in your game got him.

BTW (and this is to anyone reading), anyone have an idea why my loan options are grayed out? When I try and loan a player, it doesn't give me the option (just grays it out). I thought I could have four loans at once, and eight for the season. Right now, I only have three. Anyway to check that in the game that guys know of?

Anyway, more updates coming.

CR

[Chief Rum]

SUNDAY, September 14, 2003

FA Barclaycard Action Recap

Birmingham 0, Southampton 0 By all rights, the Blues should have rolled in this one. The Saints got just three shots off, and only one of them was on goal. Southampton had to play in their own third for 30% of the match, and of the 12 shots the Blues took, nine were on goal. The difference turned out to be Saints' goalkeeper Antti Niemi, who scored his second clean sheet of the year to keep Southampton in the match. Niemi, of course, received the Man of the Match award for his flawless net work.

Chelsea 4, Aston Villa 1 After tough losses to Premiership powers Arsenal and Manchester United, and a surprising road loss to Bolton, the luster had come off of all that talent Chelsea brought in this past offseason. They finally really put it together Saturday and rolled past vsiting Aston Villa. The Villans satyed with the Blues early on, after striker Darius Vassell tied the match up at 1-1 in the 25th minute. But that just got Chelsea mad. Striker Hernán Crespo put them back up with a penalty in the 28th minute, and then midfielder Claude Makélélé added another inb the 31st minute. Chelsea was pretty much able to sit back after that. Centreback William Gallas finished off the scoring in the 71st minute. Chelsea outshot Aston Villa, 14-7. Fullback Wayne Bridge, who scored Chelsea's first goal in the fifth minute, got the Man of the Match with a wonderful all-around match that fatured five tackles, 12 headers, six interceptions, four runs, one foul drawn and two shots taken, in addition to the goal and an assist. Not all went well for Chelsea-- the versatile Geremi, at winger Saturday, had to leave the match in the 13th minute with a shoulder injury.

Liverpool 0, Arsenal 0 The Gunners still haven't lost, but they no longer have their winning streak. The Reds, despite allowing eight shots to Arsenal, kept them to just three shots on goal to keep them out of the net. Liverpool was more accurate on the other end, putting five of seven shots on net, but Arsenal keeper Jens Lehmann made sure this wasn't the day Arsenal finally lost, earning his third clean sheet of the young season already. Lehmann received the Man of the Match award.

Charlton 1, Middlesbrough 0 In many ways, this match was a carbon copy of the Birmingham-Southampton match, in which the home team dominated play but didn't get the win. The Boro took it one step further, though, and actually lost their match. Charlton striker Jonaton Johansson scored the only goal of the match in the 33rd minute, just one of three the Addicks put on net. Despite outshooting Charlton 14-5, the Boro couldn't figure out goalkeeper Dean Kiely, who received the Man of the Match award. Kiely didn't have to work that hard, though--the Boro only put five of that 14 on goal.

Newcastle 2, Manchester United 0 Were it not for the match at Anfield, this matchup would have been heads and tails over every other match as a top notch contest. Manchester United continues to be tested on the road by some of th ebest sides in the Premiership. After beating Chelsea on the road, but losing to Arsenal, the Red Devils fell to a talented Magpies squad Saturday. Striker Alan Shearer set the tone early, netting the first Newcastke goal in the sixth minute. Then Newcastle settled into a tight defensive posture that kept Man U from peppering the net with shots. The visitors only got five shots off, three on goal. Midfielder Jermaine Jenas put it away with a score in the 76th minute. Shearer was a problem all day for the Red Devil defense. Not only did he score, he took three shots, won 10 headers and drew four fouls in earning the Man of the Match award.

Portsmouth 2, Leicester 0 The Pompey continue to show why they were the top team in Division One last season. They come through when it counts against fellow promotee Leciester Saturday, scoring their goals off of a penalty shot and one of just three shots on goal. The Foxes actually outshot Portsmouth 9-6, but they couldn't solve Pompey keeper tandem Harold Wapenaar and Pavel Srnicek. Fullback Jamie Vincent put the home squad up a goal with a penalty in the 16th minute, and striker Yakubu got his first goal of the season to put it away in the 58th minute. Yakubu also garnered the Man of the Match, with a tackle, eight headers, one foul drawn, and two shots on goal. Portsmouth lost Amdy Moustapha Faye to a knee injury in the 20th minute.

Bolton 3, Wolverhampton 2 The Wanderers continue to surprise, even if beating First Division promotee Wolverhampton on the road isn't that great of an achievement. And the team that surprised Chelsea at home and then drew Newcastle did it the hard way Saturday, scoring the tying and go ahead goals in the last ten minutes of the match to complete a comeback from a two-goal deficit. Midfielder Kevin Nolan scored the match-winner in the 88th minute, just six minutes after fellow midfielder Ricardo Gardner completed a come back fifty minutes in the making. Jardel got Botlon's other goal in the 55th minute. The comeback overcame two Henri Camara goals in six first half minutes. Adding to the Wolves' misery, Camara had to leave the pitch in the 75th minute with a shin injury. Nolan, with an assist, two shots on goal, four interceptions and three tackles, in addition to his goal, won the Man of the Match award.

Injuries & Suspensions

There were no major injuries Saturday, nor suspensions.

Of three minor injuries, the Wolves' striker Henri Camara got it the worst, with a shin injury that will put him out for a week. Midfielder Geremi of Chelsea will miss four days with a shoulder injury, and Portsmouth midfielder Amdy Moustapha Faye will be out an equal time with a knee injury.

Today's Matches

Everton at Manchester City
Fulham at Tottenham

[Chief Rum]

MONDAY, September 15, 2003

FA Barclaycard Action Recap

Manchester City 2, Everton 1 Everton came out of the City of Manchester Stadium about as beat up as a team can get on Sunday. After a brutal match in which City dealt out 20 fouls, and four yellow cards were tossed at the two sides, Everton not only lost the match, but also three of their best players to injury. Winger James McFadden broke his arm just four minutes into the match, and midfielder Steve Watson had to be escorted off the pitch in the 11th minute with an arm injury. The Blues' hospital wagon came one last time in the 40th minute for star striker Wayne Rooney, who suffered a groin injury. Meanwhile, the Blues left ont he pitch had to deal with a City squad that outshot them 12-6, including 9-6 on goal. Midfielder Danny Tiatto opened Man City's scoring in the 42nd minute and forward Trevor Sinclair put it away in the 71st minute. Everton midfielder Li Tie made the Blues look closer with an 87th minute strike. City keeper Nicky Weaver got the Man of the Match after stopping five of Everton's six on goal shots.

Tottenham 3, Fulham 1 The Cottagers continue to show they may be the worst side in the Premiership, at least in the early going. The winless Cottagers lost their fifth straight match Sunday. In an oddity that shows how far they seem to be from winning, they lost the match by two goals, the same deficit they have lost all of their other matches. Still, the match was far more competitive than it would seem. Fulkham actually had a 1-0 lead at halftime, thanks to a midfielder Sylvain Legwinski goal in the 44th minute, and for the match, they just lost the shot tally, 16-12, and matching the Cockerels' nine shots on goal. Tottenham finally turned it on in the second half, though. Midfielder Christian Ziege tied it up in the 48th minute, and then forward Robbie Keane put the home squad ahead just two minutes later. Winger Simon Davies finished Fulham off with a 70th minute goal. Tottenham goalkeeper Kasey Keller got the Man of the Match, although both he and Cottagers' keeper Edwin van der Sar deserved notice in a match with 18 total shots on goal.

Injuries & Suspensions

It was a bad day to be a Blues player.

Winger James McFadden's broken arm will cost him at least a month, but his is by far the worst injury. Striker Wayne Rooney will miss five days with a groin injury. Everton midfielder Steve Watson, who also had to leave the match with an injury, was fortunately just knocked around a bit and will be on the practice pitch on Monday.

There were no suspensions, although Everton fans might argue there should have been after their team was brutalized by City.

Tonight's Match

Leeds at Blackburn

[Chief Rum]

TUESDAY, September 16, 2003

FA Barclaycard Action Recap

Blackburn 3, Leeds 1 The Rovers used two late second half goals to break out of a tight 1-1 match with United Monday night at Ewood Park. Goals by midfielder Brett Emerton in the 74th minute and striker Paul Gallagher in the 84th minute proved to be the difference. The Rovers outshot Leeds 12-7, but had just a 7-6 shot-on-goal advantage. Blackburn jumped to the early lead on a ninth minute strike by fullback Vratislav Gresko, but Leeds tied it up on a goal by striker Cyril Chapuis in the 38th minute. Gresko received the Man of the Match, thanks to seven tackles, five headers, a run, a drawn foul and two shots on goal, besides the match's first score.

[Chief Rum]

WEDNESDAY, September 17, 2003

Report: Boro Make Lazio Offer For Mendieta

ROME-- Middlesbrough has made an offer to Italian superpower Lazio for the permanent services of international Spanish star midfielder Gaizka Mendieta, according to reports out of Rome on Monday.

The offer is reportedly for about £5 M,although neither officials for Lazio nor for Middlesbrough would even confirm the offer had been made, much less the numbers involved.

One report Monday said the Italian club had already accepted the offer for the flashy midfielder, whom had been placed on teh transfer list in the offseason.

Mendieta, currently on loan with the Boro, has quickly won over fans in both Middlesbrough and throughout England with his exciting midfield play. He has also become very popular with the Boro players.

In five matches this season, Mendieta has two goals, an assist and a Man of the Match to go along with a 7.60 rating. He also is vaeraging a very solid 3.60 tackles per match, and has drawn six fouls with his tireless form on the pitch.

The 29-year-old Spaniard has appeared in 40 career matches for his native Spain, scoring eight goals. Last season, he went scoreless in 20 matches with Lazio. He has 46 goals in 320 career appearances during a 12-year career with the Boro, Lazio and Primera Liga power Valencia.

The transfer is likely to go through at the end of the season, since Mendieta is already on loan with the Boro through June, 2004.

The numbers for the transfer also don't match up with the Boro budget. Middlesbrough only has £3.4 M left in transfer funds this season, whcih would be another reason to delay the move untilt eh end of the season.

Interim Boro manager Matthew Kieta refused to comment on the reports, saying it "wouldn't be appropriate to address that at the moment."

Reserves Pound Ipswich 5-0

The reserve Boros ran Ipswich Town's reserves out of the Stadium in Billingham on Tuesday, winning 5-0.

Two of interim Boro manager Matthew Kieta's Wimbledon transfers played key roles in the scoring, but the day belonged to striker Chris Garbutt. Garbutt scored the hat trick with three first-half goals, including two penalty kicks. HE also got the match strarted off in style, scoring his loan in-action goal in the very first minute.

Former Wimbledon players winger Lionel Morgan and midfielder Dean Lewington scored the Boro's other two goals. Morgan scored his in the sixth minute, playing in his second match since healing up from a knee injury that shelved him for two months.

Lewington's goal capped the action, with a 78th minute strike.

The Boro reserves outshot Ipswich 10-2, and didn't allow a single shot on goal.

Garbutt received the Man of the Match, but Morgan was particularly domiannt. Morgan is expected to be elevated to the first team soon, as his stint witht he reserves was only to get him match ready.

English Football Notes

...For the second time in the past two weeks, a Portsmouth player has become vocal about being placed on the first team.

Striker Lee Bradbury told local media in Portsmouth Tuesday that he was concerned about being left off the first team of the Pompey in recent action.

Bradbury has been on the reserve squad since the beginning of the season.

The 28-year-old forward appeared in just three matches with the Pompey last season, scoring one goal, before going on an 11-match loan stint with Sheffield Wednesday of the Second Division.

Earlier this month, Portsmouth midfielder Nigel Quashie, a 2002-03 starter with the Pompey, made similar comments about being left off of the club's first team.

...The Hereford Bulls hired Noel White, 51, to be their new manager.

White, a former player with Irish side Shelbourne who has moved on to managing, replaces Mal Donaghy. He comes to the Nationwide Conference Bulls from the assistant manager position with Dublin City of the Irish First Division.

Donaghy was hired away from Hereford in late July to be the assistant manager with Singaporean League side Geylang United.

Donaghy was only with the Bulls for a week before changing his mind and heading to Singapore.

[Chief Rum]

WEDNESDAY, September 17, 2003

Arsenal, Newcastle Open Champions League With Wins

Tuesday Marks Beginning Of Group Stage, Which Also Saw Celtic In Action

The English Premier League got off to a strong start in the Champions League Group Stage Tesuday eveing, when Premiership powers Arsenal and Newcastle each opened up their group fixtures with wins Tuesday.

Arsenal defeated Greek National A Division club Olympiakos, 2-0, in Athens, behind goals by forward Silvain Wiltord and star striker Thierry Henry.

The Gunners outshot the Greek power 12-5 and spent as mucha s a third of the match in Olympiakos' defensive third of the pitch.

Newcastle got away with a huge last second win when striker Alan Shearer connected in extra time to give the Magpies a stunning 1-0 victory over La Ligue One side Monaco.

The draw seemed as much as in the bag when Shearer headed in a short centering pass from winger Kieran Dyer at St. James Park in Newcastle.

Newcastle got what it deserved, as the score doesn't show how it dominated play ont he pitch. The Magpies outshot the French club 12-3 and allowed just one shot on goal.

Celtic, which is in the same Group A as Arsenal and Olympiakos, didn't open up their bid for Europe's top club prize so well.

In a critical match against Italian power Lazio, the Scottish Premier League side fell 3-0 in Rome Tuesday night.

Lazio got most of its scoring on two halftime-wrapping goals by Bernardo Corradi. The Italian striker scored at the end of the first half and again just two minutes into the second half.

Lazio's Brazilian midfielder César finished off the scoring in the 78th minute. The Italian power outshot Celtic, 11-6. Goalkeeper Magnus Hedman had a particular bad game for the Scots, allowing three of seven shots on goal to get past him.

In Newcastle's Group B, Ukrainian High League side Shakhtar continued to surprise, beating Primera Liga side Real Sociedad, 1-0, in Donetsk, Ukraine, on Tuesday. The difference-maker was scored by Shakhtar fullback Olexiy Gai in the 57th minute.

Two others of the eight four-club groupings were in action Tuesday night.

In Group C, Bundesliga power FC Bayern survived an early deficit and an Anderlecht comeback, on top of playing a man down after centreback Thomas Linke was sent off in the 21st minute, to come away with an improbable 3-2 victory over the Belgian side in Mûnchen, Germany.

Dutch club PSV didn't need any heroics in its home match against Portuguese Superleague squad Benfica Tuesday night. The Dutch side beat Benfica, 3-0, with striker Mateja Kezman leading the way with two goals.

In Group D, defending Champions League holder AC Milan needed two second-half goals at home to beat surprising Norwegian Premier Division side Rosenborg, 2-1.

Ukrainian striker Andriy Shevchenko scored both of Milan's goals to overcome a 1-0 first half deficit in Milan.

Turkish Premier Division Besiktas got a 69th minute from Romanian striker Daniel Pancu to draw even with Primera Liga power Deportivo. The goal forced an eventual 1-1 draw with the Spanish club in Istanbul Tuesday night.

Groups A, B, C and D will resume action on OCtober 1.

Tonight, the other groups, E, F, G, and H, will all be in action, including Chelsea, Manchester United and the Rangers.

[Chief Rum]

THURSDAY, September 18, 2003

Man U, Chelsea Make It A Clean, English Sweep

Rangers Add To Fun, Drawing Superpower Real Madrid

English Premier League powers Manchester United and Chelsea both opened their Champions League group fixtures with wins Wednesday night, giving the Premiership four Champions League opening victories in two nights.

The biggest "victory" for the United Kingdom, though, might have belonged to the Scottish Premier League squad Rangers. The Scottish power surprised perhaps the top superpower in the world when they scored a 1-1 draw against the Primera Liga's Real Madrid in Glasgow on Wednesday.

Adding even more shock value to the accomplishment, the Rangers suffered three injuries in the match, all of whom had to be replaced, including starting goalkeeper Stefan Klos near the end of the running time. Midfielder Stephen Hughes finally broke a scoreless stalemate with a notch in the 62nd minute, although Real Madrid superstar striker Ronaldo was quick to tie it back up in the 66th minute.

Rangers might have even deserved better. They outshot Real Madrid, 13-8, including a 9-3 on-goal advantage. None of the injuries are expected to sideline the players for more than a week.

The match was also the first time former Premiership star wingers David Beckham from Manchester United and Steed Malbranque from Fulham returned to the United Kingdom since they were sold to Real Madrid.

In Stuttgart, Germany, Manchester United had little problem with Bundesliga club VfB Stuttgart, winning 2-0. Despite being on the road, the world's other premier superpower outshot Stuttgart, 11-2, and won on goals by star striker Ruud van Nistlerooy and winger Cristiano Ronaldo.

At Stamford Bridge in London, Chelsea had to deal with a full on shower, in addition to Greek National A Division club AEK Athens Wednesday night. Neither turned out to be a problem, as the Blues went on to win 2-0 on two mid-match goals.

Former Manchester United midfielder Juan Sebastián Verón scored near the end of the first half, while striker Djibril Cissé added another in the 48th minute. Chelsea dominated play on the pitch, with 18 shots to the Greeks' four.

The wins by Chelsea and Manchester United, coupled with Tuesday night victories by Arsenal and Newcastle, gives the Premiership a flawless, four-win opening to the group stage of Europe's premier club competition.

The Rangers' draw with Real Madrid in Group E wasn't the only surprise int he group Wednesday night. Dutch power Ajax was stunned, 3-1, in Amsterdam by another Greek National A Division squad in PAO Panathinaikos.

The Dutch squad tied the match in the 66th minute on a goal by forward Rafael van der Vaart, but it was shortlived, as Emmanuel Olisadebe got his second goal of the night in the 69th minute to put the Greek club ahead for good.

In Chelsea's Group F, Juventus got a big win when they beat UEFA Cup holder Porto of the Portuguese Superleague, 2-0. Porto showed it was no pushover when it beat AC Milan in the Super Cup in late August, so a win in Porto for the Italian power Juventus is a big one.

Juventus got goals from forward Pavel Nedved and super star forward David Trezeguet.

In Group G, which includes Manchester United, Russian Premier Division squad Lokomotiv Moscow used an 88th minute goal to pull out a big 1-0 victory over Primera Liga power Celta. Striker Mikhail Ashvetia was the hero for the Russian side, which outshot Celta 13-8.

Group H was the only group in action Wednesday night that did not include a club from the United Kingdom. In a clash of Italian and German superpowers, Inter sweeped past Dortmund, 3-1, behind two goals by super star striker Christian Vieri in the first ten minutes of the match. Forward Mohammed Kallon added the clincher in the 60th minute of the match, which was played in Milan.

On the other side of Group H, La Ligue One squad Lyon got a goal from forward Sidney Govou in the 48th minute and then made the goal stand for a nice 1-0 road victory over Austria Vienna.

Groups E, F, G, and H will resume play on September 30.

[SirFozzie]

More good stuff Chief. Up the Boro!

[Chief Rum]

Thanks, Foz. More to come.

CR

[Chief Rum]

SATURDAY, September 20, 2003

Middlesbrough (2-1-2) at Leeds (2-1-2)

When: 3:00 p.m.
Where: Elland Road, Leeds
Forecast: 14º C (rainy)
Middlesbrough Out: DC Ugo Ehiogu, ML Allan Johnston, DR Danny Mills (ineligible; loan from Leeds)
Leeds: MC Eirk Bakke

Outlook: The Boro are coming off of a frustraing home loss to Charlton, a match they played well enough to win, but in which they ran into what is becoming a nemesis: scoring problems. The Boro haven't scored a goal since they got three against Fulham in August. Their scoring drought runs back through two League matches, the 1-0 loss against Chalrton and a 0-0 draw with Everton. Fullback Danny mills can't play int oday's match, due to the conditions of his loan contract from Leeds. After an impressive season opening win on the road against Liverpool, Leeds has been very inconsistent, including a 4-1 blowout of Portsmotuh and a 3-1 loss to Blackburn. For all its noted moves to cut costs in the past year, Leeds still has some significant talent on its roster, including star striker Mark Viduka and England's national goalkeeper Paul Robinson.

FA Barclaycard Premiership Game of the Round

Newcastle (3-2-0) at Arsenal (4-1-0) Newcastle and Arsenal represent the only two sides in English Premier League football that have not yet been defeated this season. Until last week's draw with Liverpool, Arsenal had yet to lose at all. The Magpies should represent another big opponent for the Gunners, although matters will be eased somewhat by playing at Highbury. Until the Liverpool match, Arsenal had yet to finish a game closer than two goals ahead of its opponents. Newcastle is coming off of a huge home win over Manchester United last week. The win was somewhat of a surprise, given that Newcastle had in the two previous matches drawn with lower-end sides Bolton and Leicester.

The Rest of the Matches

Liverpool at Aston Villa
Portsmouth at Bolton
Manchester City at Charlton
Tottenham at Everton
Birmingham at Fulham
Middlesbrough at Leeds
Blackburn at Leicester
Wolverhampton at Manchester United
Chelsea at Southampton

[3ric]

*supporters holding signs "Please sign, Gaizka" in the stands*

[Chief Rum]

SUNDAY, September 21, 2003

Leeds Pours It On

The Boro Are Dominated In Worst Match Of Early Season

LEEDS-- If Saturday is a sign of things to come against the better top-elevens in this league, then the Boro are going to have very long days against the Arsenals and Manchester Uniteds of the world playing like they did Saturday.

Middlesbrough was dominated at Elland Road by Leeds on Saturday, falling 4-0 in a macth interime Boro manager Matthew Kieta would like to quickly forget.

"Disgust doesn't even begin to describe my feelings right now," Kieta said. "This was so far beyond a simply poor effort, words fail me in describing it. From me on down to the last player on this side, we shouyld all be ashamed of ourselves."

The Boro were outshot 16-4 by United, with an equally bad 10-2 shots-on-goal disadvantage. Leeds kept the ball in the Boro's defensive third for 28% of the match.

It got so bad, the club even had to go the last 30 minutes a man down, after forward Juninho broke his nose in an aerial challenge mishap in the 59th minute. The squad was playing so badly that Kieta had exhausted his substitutes removing poor performers and was unable to replace Juninho when the veteran playmaker had to leave the pitch.

In addition to the poor play and substitution error, Kieta also abandoned the 4-4-2 tactic he had been employing since the middle of the preseason for the 3-5-2 a few minutes into the second half.

"It was a desperation move," Kieta said. "We needed to get something going. Of course, losing Juninho pretty much scrapped any ability to test the tactic out anyway."

Despite being a man down, the Boro actually kept Leeds out of the net for the last third of the match. Leeds did its damage against the full eleven, moving to 4-0 on powerful striker Mark Viduka's 56th minute score.

The Boro were outplayed in the first half as well, but they were fortunate to escape to the engine room with just a 1-0 deficit. Even the one goal they allowed was an odd play no Leeds player will expect to reproduce soon.

In the 13th minute, Leeds received a corner after centreback Chris Riggott put out a centering pass from Viduka. Leeds winger Jermaine Pennant sent a high pass tight down the goal line to the near post, where centreback Roque Júnior was stationed. Fullback Salvatore Fresi and midfielder Gaizka Mendieta both challenegd Júnior, but he still got his head on the ball. His shot from a couple yards beyond the near post went virtually parallel to the goal mouth, past a frozen Mark Schwarzer in net, and then somehow got by both fullback Colin Cooper and hit the edge of the left post and squirted in for the fluke score.

"I have seen some strange goals, but that one takes the cake," Kieta said. "What makes it hurt even more was it was so preventable. Our fullbacks really let us down there."

Down just an odd goal after a struggle of a first half, the Boro had to be thinking of doing to Leeds what Charlton did to them last week at Riverside Stadium-- beat them despite playing much poorer than the home team.

Alas, Leeds quickly put those hopes away.

In the 47th minute, winger Nick Barmby run toward the left goal line and then into the penalty area. Drawing two defenders, he found an opening toward striker Alan Smith. The ball skipped past Smith and out of the penalty area into the center of the pitch, where Pennant got to it first. Pennant scooted by winger Lionel Morgan--making his Premiership debut--and back into the penalty area, where Fresi awaited him. When Pennant sought to avoid the Italian defender by swerving to the right, Fresi tripped him, earning Leeds a penalty.

Barmby made it count, kicking a high and hard shot just to Schwarzer's right. The keeper appeared frozen by the expectation of a straighter shot.

Schwarzer did little better two minutes later, not that his defense helped him much. Smith slipped behind his marker, Doriva, for what seemed to be the defense's umpteenth time and ran hard toward the goal line through the left of the penalty area. He sent a low centering pass to Viduka in the center of the penalty area. Viduka kicked a half-volley off of the pass, blasting the shot toward the left corner. The hard shot beat a diving Schwarzer, but in one brief bit of luck for the Boro, the ball rebounded off of the post to the left. The luck ended there, though--Smith got to the ball first and put a high shot into the far corner of the net, over a charging Scwarzer.

Viduka's goal in the 56th minute finished off a three-goal, nine-minute blitz that officially put the match away.

When asked why he used his three subs, Kieta's terse response was, "Because they don't allow me more."

Kieta said to expect changes if the team continued playing this way.

"We have to get a fire lit under these guys here," Kieta said. "It's too easy to fall behind in this league. We can't let up."

Winger Stewart Downing was the only Boro player to receive a 7 or higher rating from the football raters, and he had to be subsituted in the 56th minute because he was fatigued.

Schwarzer got a 5 for allowing four goals in 10 on the net to get in, and he was joined by the veteran Cooper with 5. The other fullback Fresi ended up with a 6, but at one point was even lower. Continuing problems up front, Michael Ricketts scored a squad-low 4 at striker.

Ricketts also hurt his elbow, but neither that, nor Juninho's broken nose is epxected to sideline either player longer than a day.

The Boro are now working on both a three-match winless streak and a three-match scoreless streak.

Middlesbrough will play Sheffield United on Tuesday in the second round of the Carling Cup before resuming league play on Saturday with a match at home against Leicester.

[Chief Rum]

*supporters holding signs "Please sign, Gaizka" in the stands*

lol...funny you should say that, since I would imagine there would have been such signs in te stands...had there not been an announcement prior to the match. ;)

Article on its way...

CR

[Chief Rum]

SUNDAY, September 21, 2003

Lazio, Boro Work Out Transfer Deal For Mendieta

The Spanish Midfield Star Will Join The Boro Permanently In 2004

MIDDLESBROUGH-- It may have been raining in central England, where midfielder Gaizka Mendieta and the rest of the Middlesbrough squad were busy taking a beating from Leeds United, but the mood was consierably brighter at Riverside Stadium on Saturday.

The club announced it has successfully worked out a £4.7 M transfer deal for Mendieta, currently on loan with the squad from Italian power Lazio.

Club chairman Steve Gibson confirmed reports from early last week that Lazio had accepted the Boro's offer, and that the midfielder had agreed to terms on a contract with the Premiership side.

Mendieta has quickly become a very popular player with both Boro supporters and his teammates. He has worked his way onto the first-eleven and established himself as one of the club's premier players in just a short stint with the club.

"This is a wonderful day for the Boro," Gibson said, fortunately hours before the club's 4-0 loss at soggy Elland Road. "Gaizka is already an indispensable part of this side."

Terms of Mendieta's contract with the club were not released, but Gibson did confirm details of the transfer arrangement.

Mendieta will officially move over to Middlesbrough on June 8, 2004, after the completion of the current English football season. Since his current loan contract with the Boro runs through July, he will never actually leave the club roster.

Mendieta, 29, is regarded as a world-class level midfielder with terrific technical skills and a high mental aptitude for the game. The Spaniard has been capped 40 times, scoring eight goals in international play.

In six matches this season, Mendieta has two goals and an assist to go along with a 7.33 rating. The 6 rating he received Saturday against Leeds was the lowest he has yet received with the Boro during the league season.

In a twelve-year career, the midfielder has scored 46 goals in 321 matches, most of which were played with Primera Liga power Valencia. Prior to joining the Boro this season, Mendieta played two seasons with Lazio.

Interim Boro manager Matthew Kieta's comments on the signing of Mendieta were the only light comments he was able to make after the bad loss to Leeds.

"He's a difference-maker," Kieta said. "He's focused, tenacious. He creates, and can score from far away. He gives us a weapon that very few clubs in the Premiership can match, and that's saying a lot for little ole Boro."

Mendieta chose not to comment on the deal personally Saturday, in deference to his teammates and the club's defeat. but did release a statement through his agent which stated he was "overjoyed to have completed the move" and that he wss "looking forward toa long career in Middlesbrough."

One potential glitch remains, though. Club officials have long publically noted that the Boro have roughly £3.5 M left in transfer funds for this season, which would not be enough to secure the deal they have agreed to with Lazio. Gibson refused to comment on the financial particulars of the deal.

"It's something we will deal with by the end of the season," Kieta said, saying nothing further about the matter.

The club is not on the hook for the £4.7 M until the actual day of transfer, giving them the rest of the season to secure the needed funds.

[Blade6119]

BTW (and this is to anyone reading), anyone have an idea why my loan options are grayed out? When I try and loan a player, it doesn't give me the option (just grays it out). I thought I could have four loans at once, and eight for the season. Right now, I only have three. Anyway to check that in the game that guys know of?

I had way more then four loaned out in my game, but i had some of my guys signed to youth contracts grayed out for loan options...I believe you can only loan them out when they are fully on your squad, but dont take my word for it. :(

[Chief Rum]

Thanks for the info, Blade.

I'm more looking at loan-ins right now, though. Sorry if that wasn't clear.

At the moment I have three loan-ins in Mills, Zenden and Mendieta (who still qualifies as a loan at the moment).

CR

[klayman]

Thanks for the info, Blade.

I'm more looking at loan-ins right now, though. Sorry if that wasn't clear.

At the moment I have three loan-ins in Mills, Zenden and Mendieta (who still qualifies as a loan at the moment).

CRIs it for everybody? Or just a particular player?

Edit: Actually I just had a look, and it seems that you can't make any loan signings when the transfer window is closed (at least I can't with my Liverpool team). So that is likely the cause.

[Chief Rum]

Maybe. Or maybe Liverpool is is the same situation as the Boro, whatever that situation is. The thing that's odd about that is that I can still make transfer offers. But then maybe the fact they can be delayed to the next open window is why that is so. Another thing that is weird about it is I have actually had teams come up to me to offer to loan players after the transfer deadline. I would think if it weren't possible, they wouldn't be doing that. Also, I had a news item where a loan-out from an EPL squad to a Second Division team was voided (post transfer window) not because of the inability to loan, but because the D2 club already had four loan-ins.

So while I don't have conclusive prroof that you can or can't loan-in players during the closed periods between transfer windows, I seem to have a lot of circumstantial evidence that isn't the case. If it's not, then there is some other reason I can't do it, and I still haven't figured out which.

Too bad, too--there are some players out there I could use.

CR

[Chief Rum]

dola,

I don't absolutely know it's for everybody, but I haven't been able to get it activated for some six or seven players I have looked at closely since the transfer window closed.

CR

[klayman]

Another thing that is weird about it is I have actually had teams come up to me to offer to loan players after the transfer deadline. I would think if it weren't possible, they wouldn't be doing that. Also, I had a news item where a loan-out from an EPL squad to a Second Division team was voided (post transfer window) not because of the inability to loan, but because the D2 club already had four loan-ins.

So while I don't have conclusive prroof that you can or can't loan-in players during the closed periods between transfer windows, I seem to have a lot of circumstantial evidence that isn't the case. If it's not, then there is some other reason I can't do it, and I still haven't figured out which.

The early transfer window only applies to the top division in each league in Europe. Therefore a 2nd Division club can make loan offers and transfers outside of the August to January window that EPL teams cannot, and any transfer or loan out from an EPL is perfectly acceptable. You just can't bring the players in.

[Chief Rum]

SUNDAY, September 21, 2003

FA Barclaycard Action Recap

Arsenal 2, Newcastle 1 Yes, the Gunners got another win and against a big opponent, but it's nice to see them perhaps gain a little humilty after jumping off to a four-win streak to begin the season. Despite playing at Highbury, the Magpies were right there with Arsenal the whole way. The shot numbers were nearly identical, at 11-9 in total shots, and an even six apiece in shots on goal. The ball was played into each team's defensive third an exactly even amount of time. And Newcastle didn't fold after star Gunners striker Thierry Henry broke the scoreless tie with his first goal of the season in the 53rd minute (don't fret about that late scoring by Henry, Arsenal fans--he missed four of the first five league matches with a knee injury). The Mgpies tied it up just eight minutes later, on a score by striker Alan Shearer. Henry's frontline partner Dennis Bergkamp finbally put in the definitive score, shooting in the game-winner in the 74th minute. The match was a costly one for both teams, with Arsenal winger Robert Pires, Newcastle winger Keiran Dyer, and Shearer all suffering injuries. Arsenal midfielder Patrick Vieira got the Man of the Match with five tackles, five interceptions a drawn foul and a shot on goal.

Liverpool 2, Aston Villa 1 The Reds were inspired by a none-too-surprising source Saturday, as premier striker Michael Owen scored both of their goals in a match at Villa Park. Aston Villa didn't go quietly, though, despite, losing the war on shots, 12-5. Althopugh Owen got his first goal, and the Reds a lead, early in the match in the ninth minute, all five Villa shots were on the mark, and they kept the match within one by matching Owen's second score, in the 71st minute, with a strike by midfielder Gary Mason in the 72nd minute. Still, Liverpool got a hard-earned road win Saturday. Owen got the Man of the Match, with a tackle, two interceptions, two runs, three drawn fouls and three shots, all on goal, to go along with his two goals, his fourth and fifth of the season.

Bolton 0, Portsmouth 0 Two of the more surprising squads in the Premieriship this season met in Reebok Stadium Saturday, and in no surprise, neither one did anything to blunt the other's run at respectability, as neither side managed to lose. Bolton had beaten Chelsea and drawn Newcastle at home so far this season. First Division promotee Portsmouth had three wins in its first five matches. In terms of pitch play on Saturday, the Wanderers deserved better. They outshot the Pompey 12-6, and had nine shots on goal to just three by the road side. That, of course, led to a Man of the Match performance for beleaguered Portsmouth keeper Harold Wapenaar. In two league starts, in factm Wapenaar has yet to allow a goal--and he is the backup.

Charlton 1, Manchester City 1 The Addicks and City played a tough, back-and-forth defensive match at The Valley in London on Saturday. Both sides scored first half goals and then spent the rest of regulation trying to figure out the other's defense. Charlton outshot the road side 11-9, but City led the way in shots on goal, 6-5. Star midfielder Claus Jensen, better known for his playmaking, scored his first goal of the season for Charlton in the 6th minute. That would stand up until defender Sun Jihai scored his first goal of the season in the 34th minute. Jensen received the Man of the Match with dominating play for the Addicks, adding two tackles, five headers, four intercpetions, four runs, two drawn fouls and five shots to his goal.

Everton 1, Tottenham 0 The Blues got an early 16th minute score from midfielder Thomas Gravesen, and then rode out the Cockerel offense for a close win at Goodison Park. Tottenham, which has not been overly strong this season, played well against a squad picked by many to secure a spot in Europe's club competitions this season, matching Everton in shots taken at seven each, and outshooting them on net, 6-4. It did little good, though, since Tottenham could not seem to figure out goalkeeper Richard Wright. Centreback Joseph Yobo led an aggressive Everton defense, with five tackles, 21 of 26 headers won, and seven interceptions, to give him the Man of the Match.

Birmingham 2, Fulham 0 The idea is that the road side is supposed to feel uncomfortable in another club's venue and in front of hostile road crowds. Not so at Loftus Road Saturday, where the Blues dominated weak Fulham, the last place side in the Premiership. Birmingham outshot the Cottagers, 9-1, and accepted the benefit of an own goal by Fulham fullback Martin Djetou in the 36th minute. Perhaps deflated by the own goal, Fulham immediately gave up a second, to striker Mikael Forsell in the 37th minute. Fullback Kenny Cunningham landed the Man of the Match award, with a tackle, 19 for 20 in headers and six interceptions at one end while he had three runs and two drawn fouls at the other.

Leeds 4, Middlesbrough 0 United gave the Boro an old-fashioned thrashing at Elland Road Saturday. Four different players scored for Leeds, including three in a nine-minute span of the second half. United played very strong defensively, holding Middlesbrough to just four total shots, two on goal. By comparison, Leeds had 16 shots, with 10 on the mark. The match was a much closer 1-0 at halftime, with centreback Roque Júnior getting the only goal of the first half in the 13th minute. In the second half, though, Leeds opened things up with a three goal strike via a penalty by winger Nick Barmby and scores by strikers Alan Smith and Mark Viduka. The three goals put the match away by the 56th minute. The Boro had to go the last 30 minutes a man down, when midfielder Juninho had to leave the pitch with a broken nose, and the road side's substitutions all used up. Júnior received the Man of the Match award for his goal, a tackle, 19 for 21 on headers, and six interceptions.

Leicester 4, Blackburn 2 The Foxes got their first win over a Premiership clubt hat didn't play in the First Division last season when they surprised the Rovers with a strong offensive attack at Walkers Stadium on Saturday. The Rovers played well wnough to earn a 2-2 tie going into the last ten minutes of the match, but Leicester finally started capitalizing on its 18-8 shot advantage when centreback John Curtis and fullback Ben Thatcher scored the go ahead and clinching goals in the 80th and 86th minutes respectively. Up until then, the match represented a comeback for Blackburn, which tied it up on forward Matt Jansen's 72nd minute score, after falling behind 2-0 early on on an 8th minute goal by Stanley Spencer and 19th minute score by Jordan Stewart, both Leicester forwards. Midfielder Tugay got Blackburn's other goal in the 49th minute. Curtis got the Man of the Match with three tackles, 18 fo r19 headers, six interceptions, a drawn foul and his goal, which moved the Foxes ahead for good.

Manchester United 5, Wolverhampton 0 The only surprise from this match would have been if it had ended differently. Historically, freshly promoted squads don't play well at Old Trafford. All five Red Devil goals were scored by different players. Star striker Ruud van Nistlerooy scored early, in the sicth minute, and fullback Paul Tierney moved the advantage to two with a 16th minute score. Nistlerooy's fellow striker Nicolas Anelka put Man U up 3-0 in the 36th minute. In the second half, United got goals from midfielder Roy Keane and fullback Gary Neville to finish off a dominating day. The Wolves got just one shot off, to the Red Devils' 14, with 12 on goal, and the road squad had to defend its own third 32% of match time. Keane got the Man of the Match with a tackle, three interceptions, two runs, two drawn fouls and three shots on goal, along with his goal.

Chelsea 3, Southampton 0 It was Hernán Crespo day at St. Mary's Stadium on Saturday. The Argentinian striker scored a natural first half hat trick to provide all the offense the Blues would need to beat the Saints. Crespo got a penalty in the 14th minute, and then added goals in the 28th and 43rd minutes. Southampton didn't fare so badly in shots, losing the offensive chance battle 10-8, and matching the Blues' five shots on goal, but Chelsea keeper Carlo Cudicini was the difference in the net in this one. Crespo was even more dominating than his hat trick would suggest. He had three runs and no less than seven drawn fouls, to go along with essentially being Chelsea's entire offense, taking seven of the road squad's 10 shots, and taking the Man of the Match.

Injuries & Suspensions

Although there were no serious injuries in Saturday's action, there were plenty of week-long injuries and in that area. The Arsenal-Newcastle match was particularly brutal with injuries. The Gunners' lone injury was to winger Robert Pires, who will miss ten days with a groin strain. Newcastlem though, had three injuries of varying severity. Defender Jonathon Woodgate pulled his hamstring and will miss ten days. Striker Alan Shearer is out for a week with a foot injury. And winger Keiran Dyer, who had to leave the match in the 16th minute, will miss five days with a knee injury.

Among injuries that didn't happen at Highbury Saturday, Aston Villa winger Mustapha Hadji picked up a thigh injury that will shelve him about a week; Bolton forward Kevin Davies will also miss a week with a foot injury; and Blackburn forward Daniel Nardiello will also miss a week with another foot injury.

The rest of the injuries were day to day at worst.

No one was suspended Saturday.

[Chief Rum]

The early transfer window only applies to the top division in each league in Europe. Therefore a 2nd Division club can make loan offers and transfers outside of the August to January window that EPL teams cannot, and any transfer or loan out from an EPL is perfectly acceptable. You just can't bring the players in.

That would seem to explain it then. :)

I don't think I have seen any offers that don't in some way fall under this set of circumstances, and it would explain mine and Liverpool's inability to loan-in anyone.

CR

[Chief Rum]

TUESDAY, September 23, 2003

Carling Cup Second Round Resumes Today

One of England's three most prestigious competitions takes its next step today when the Carling Cup resumes play with its second round.

Forty-eight English league clubs, including 12 Premiership sides, will meet today for the right to move on to the third round, the first of the rounds to include all clubs from Division Three on up.

The Premiership squads represent those clubs which finished outside of European competition last season.

None of the Premierships sides will be playing each other, instead playing First, Second and Third division squads.

The top matches of the day will feature First Division clubs hosting a big club from the English Premier League. Three matches fit that bill, with the most intriguing matchup, perhaps, taking place in Sunderland. The former Premiership squad will host a club that passed it on its way up in Leicester.

Another First Division promotee Portsmouth will meet up with Cardiff, and Middlesbrough will play Sheffield United to round out the top matches.

Burnley and Nottingham Forest play each other int he only matchup of First Division squads. The match will take place in Nottingham.

Four Premiership clubs will meet Second Division sides. Tottenham hosts Barnsley, one of just two EPL clubs that will be hosting matches today. The other Second Division-Premiership contests are Wolverhampton against Tranmere, Birmingham at Sheffield Wednesday, and Fulham at Bournemouth.

In what many higher clubs will likely think of as close to a bye, five Premiership squads will meet Third Division squads, and Chalrton even gets to host its opponent, Leyton Orient. In the other matchups, Bolton plays Scunthorpe, Aston Villa meets Doncaster, Everton goes to Northampton, and Leeds plays Southend.

The winner of today's 24 matchups will be entered into the draw for the third round, along with the remaining top Premiership squads. The third round will be played in October.

[Chief Rum]

TUESDAY, September 23, 2003

PRM Middlesbrough at D1 Sheffield United

When: 7:45 p.m.
Where: Bramall Lane, Sheffield
Forecast: 9º C
Middlesbrough Out: DC Ugo Ehiogu, ML Allan Johnston
Sheffield United Out: None

Outlook: This may not be as easy a match as Boro supporters would like to think. For one thing, the club has not been playing well of late. Middlesbrough hasn't scored a goal in three matches, and were blown out by Leeds on Saturday. Second, this one is on the road. Third, of the three First Division squads playing Premiership sides, Sheffield United is the highest in the division table, at seventh. Sheffield United has two players on loan from Premiership sides, including Wolves' striker Dean Sturridge.

[Chief Rum]

WEDNESDAY, September 24, 2003

Boro Make It Work In The End

Middlesbrough Advances To Third Round With 2-1 Win Over Sheffield United

SHEFFIELD-- It wasn't all that pretty a win. The Boro didn't ever really put it, so much as time just ran out on Sheffield United. But Middlesbrough gutted through it, and now they are in the third round of the Carling Cup.

The Boro beat First Division Sheffield United, 2-1, on Tuesday night, with centreback Gareth Southgate putting the key score in the 71st minute.

The Boro outshot United, 11-5, to go along with a 7-3 shot on goal advantage. They also showed the kind of ball control you expect to see out of superior level squads, keeping the home squad in its own defensive third for 32% of the match in front of 18,721 at Bramall Lane.

"I don't think if I would call it a text book well-played match," Kieta said after the match. "It certainly wasn't our best ball. But we got the win and that's what matters."

The match-winning goal came after a bit of hard work on the part of the Boro. The club had already taken a shot on goal and forced a couple corners prior to the winning play. On the second corner, winger Boudewijn Zenden sent in a high-arcing out-swerving kick from the lest corner. The pass was right ont he mark, falling ionto the goal box and amidst several players. Southgate jumped up and won the aerial challenge with a strong header toward the goal. Centreback Chris Morgan tried to get int he way of the ball, but he only served to deflect it slightly toward the right half of the goal. Goalkeeper Paddy Kenny was frozen by the delfection and came nowhere near the shot as it went into the back end of the net.

It was Southgate's first goal of the season in league or cup play.

"I can barely believe I got to it," Southgate said. "It looked like it was headed toward me, but I knew plenty of others had a chance at it. I felt like I was standing in the middle of everyone in front of that net."

The Boro may not have clinched the match until late, but they put pressure on Sheffield United from the very beginning.

In the 4th minute, the Boro set up a beautifully executed diversion play to get their first score.

After receving a pass along the left touchline from Zenden, fullback Franck Queudreu put a high soft pass forward toward the penalty area. Forward Szilard Németh beat fullback Chris Armstrong to the ball and headed a short pass to midfielder Juninho, who was running close to the goal box with a step on Morgan. Kenny appeared ready for the shot at the near post, though, so Juninho sent a pass up the right goal line to winger Michael Ricketts near the edge of the penalty area. The cross-goal pass drew Kenny to the post on Rickett's side and left him completely out of position when the winger half-volleyed the pass back to Juninho. Kenny had barely the time to react, much less cross more than half the goal, before the midfielder put in an easy shot from just a couple yards away.

Having jumped to the early lead and controlling the ball well, it appeared the Boro were about to break it open ina big way. That did not come to pass, hoever, as Sheffield United got in some key clear outs and continued its tenacious play.

It finally paid off in the 31st minute. Forward Jack Lester received a long pass from Armstrong as he angled toward the left corner from the penalty area. Lester had a step on his markers as he approached the goal line, but fullback Danny Mills and Southgate were quickly closing. Lester decided to try and seek out striker Dean Sturridge, being marked by centreback Chris Riggott in the six yard box. His pass got up in the air, but not before deflecting off of Southgate. The ball proceeded to take a weird bounce into the goal box, skipping by RIggott to Sturridge. The striker then blasted the ball into the left end of the net before Boro keeper Carlo Nash could get over to catch it.

"That was just a fluke play," Riggott said. "It took a funny bounce and just went by me. I think Sturrudge was almost as surprised as me and Carlo. We got the win, though, and that's what counts."

The draw for the third round will be held Thursday. All third round matches will be held on October 29.

Middlesbrough returns to league action Saturday when they host recent First Division promotee Leicester.

[Chief Rum]

WEDNESDAY, September 24, 2003

Birmingham Falls In Carling Cup

Blues Are Only Premiership Side To Fall--But It Was Close

The town of Sheffield was hopping Tuesday night. Local hostelries and hotels were packed with sizable fan contingents from Middlesbrough and Birmingham as the two Premiership sides ventured into Sheffield to play the town's two clubs, United and Wednesday, in the Carling Cup's second round.

One of those Premiership sides didn't get away.

Birmingham was stunned by Sheffield Wednesday when the Premiership side played lackluster against a solid defensive performance by the Second Divisiong home club.

Sheffield Wednesday kept the lues scoreless, including through extar time, and then proceeded to beat them on penalty kicks--and even that went to extras. The Blues forced extended penalty kicks after last chance striker Stern John beat Sheffield Wednesday Scott P{Pressman for the tying score. It only lasted a couple more rounds, though, as Birmingham's Carling Cup hopes died on a failed penalty shot by fullback Damien Johnson, giving the Second Division side a 6-5 advantage in penalty kicks.

Birmingham didn't play much like a club in one of the world's top leagues. They were outshot 11-8 and were forced to defend their own third of the pitch 29% of the match.

Middlesbrough didn't have an easy match either Tuesday night, but they did pull out the 2-1 win over First Division Sheffield United. Centreback Gareth Southgate's 71st minute header off of a corner kick broke a 1-1 tie to set up the win.

Birmingham was the only Premeirship squad to lose, but there were some other close calls.

Fulham needed extra time to beat Second Division Bournemouth, 2-1. In fact, they were mere seconds away from going to penalty kicks themselves when striker Elvis Hammond finally put it away with the match-winning score in the 120th minute.

Aston Villa almost went down with more embarrassment, as they struggled to beat Third Division and recent Nationwide Conference promotee Doncaster. The Villans also needed extra time to beat Doncaster, winning 2-1 on a penalty by striker Peter Crouch in the 17th minute.

Leeds struggled against Third Division Southend before pulling it out late. Fullback Gary Kelly scored a penalty in the 85th minute to provide the lone score ina 1-0 win for United.

Middlesbrough wasn't the only Premiership club to play a First Division side Tuesday. Portsmouth edged out former fellow First Division club Cardiff 1-0 on an 87th minute score by striker Svetoslav Todorov. Leicester scored two goals in the last 20 minutes of the match to defeat relegated former Premiership squad Sunderland.

In matchups of Premiership sides playing Second Division squads, Tottenham beat Banrsley at home, 2-0, and Wolves beat Tranmere on the road, 2-0.

The rest of the day's Premiership matches pitted them against low-end Third Division squads. Charlton crushed Leyton Orient 4-0 at home. Everton did a similar number on Northampton, winning 3-0. Bolton beat Scunthorpe, 3-0.

The top match not involving a Premiership club was between First Division sides Nottingham Forest and Burnley. Forest won this one on penalty kicks after a 2-2 match. They took the post match competition 4-2.

The 24 winners of Tuesday's matches will be joined by the eight remaining Premiership sides that have been held out of the cup competition so far in a draw for the third round Thursday.

Third round matches will be played on October 29.

Here are the rest of the night's scores in Carling Cup action:

Brighton (D2) over Swansea (D3), 3-0
Bristol City (D2) over York (D3), 5-1
Cheltenham (D3) over Stockport (D2), 4-0
Hull (D3) over Crewe (D1), 3-0
Crystal Palace (d1) over Wycombe (D2), 2-1
Rushden (D2) ober Notts County (D2), 4-1
Oxford (D3) over Chesterfield (D2), 1-1 (on penalties)
Queens Park Rangers (D2) over Gillingham (D1), 1-0
West Bromich Albion (D1) at Rochdale (D3), 2-1
Stoke (D1) over Bristol Rovers (D3), 1-0
Watford (D1) over Lincoln (D1), 5-2

[Chief Rum]

WEDNESDAY, September 24, 2003

UEFA First Round Begins Tonight

Ten British Isle Squads, Including Four Premiership Clubs, Will Be In Action

Europe's biggest club competition begins tonight, with ninety-six clubs meeting in forty-eight matches in the UEFA Cup first round.

The second most prestigious competition in Europe includes several teams from the British Isles, including Liverpool, Blackburn, Manchester City and Southampton of the English Premier League.

The first round is a two-leg event, with the second leg of the home-and-home series set to be played on October 15.

The Reds and Rovers begin their quests for the UEFA Cup against Polish First Division squads. Liverpool will play Groclin in Grodzisk Wielkopolski tonight, while Blackburn will host GKS Katowice.

Man City is in Israel tonight to play Hapoel Tel Aviv of the Israeli Premier League. Southampton will host Swedish Premier Division squad Malmö FF at St. Mary's Stadium.

England isn't the only country in the British Isles to be represented tonight.

Scotland's Hearts gets an unenviable matchup when they play Primera Liga power Valencia in Spain tonight, while Dundee is in Bern, Swirzelrand to play Swiss Super League side Young Boys.

Welsh side TNS Networks, the only remaining squad from the Welsh Premier Division, have a tough matchup themselves in Bundesliga club Werder Bremen. TRhey will meet the German squad in Bremen tonight.

Northern Irish League Premier Division club Portadown is also playing. They will host Denmark'd Eridivisie squad FC Nordsjælland.

Ireland has two squads from the Irish Premier Division in the competition. The Bohemians go to Russia to play Torpedo Moscow, while Shelbourne hosts Serie A squad Udinese.

Among the other notable clubs in the competition are Serie A's Roma, Parma and Perugia; the Primera Liga's Barcelona and Mallorca; the Bundesliga's Kaiserslautern, Schalke 04, and Hertha BSC; and La Ligue One's Auxerre, Marseille, Bordeaux, and Sochaux.

Major clubs from smaller European leagues include 2001-02 UEFA champ Feyenoord from the Dutch Premier Division, Belgium's Club Brugge, Galatsaray of Turkey, and Portuguse Super League power Sporting.

[Chief Rum]

THURSDAY, September 25, 2003

A Clean Sweep

All Four English Premier League Squads Win Their UEFA Openers

England is off to a good start int he UEFA Cup this season, thanks to four wins by English Premier League sides in the opening half of the first round leg Wednesday night.

Liverpool defeated Polish First Division club Groclin, 2-0, in Grodzisk Wielkopolski, Poland. The Reds didn't make it easy, though. The score was still 0-0 when centreback Sami Hyyplä finally managed to beat Groclin keeper Mariusz Liberda in the 88th minute. Midfielder Danny Murphy added another shortly after to finish off the Polish squad.

Liverpool keeper, Polish national team star Jerzy Dudek, was both booed and cheered on by the home crowd. He wasn;t tested very often by Groclin, as Liverpool outshot them 15-2.

Blackburn was also playing a Poolish First Division squad in GKS Katowice, and they, too, won 2-0, but everything else was the opposite. The Rovers scored quick and early, getting their scores with a fifth minute score by midfielder Barry Ferguson and strike by defender Brett Emerton in the 16th minute. Also, the match was played at Ewood Park in Blackburn. The Rovers were similarly dominating on the pitch, outshooting the Polish side 12-2.

Manchester City had more of a test from Israeli Premier League squad Hapoel Tel Aviv in Jaffa. After a 50th minute score by Tel Aviv striker Ibezito Ogabuna, the two clubs were tied at one apiece. Forward Trevor Sinclair, though, ended up being the difference for City, scoring his second goal and the match-clincher in the 70th minute. Fellow Man City forward Darren Huckaby added an insurance goal in the 90th minute. While City did win the shot advantage, it wasn't nearly as decisive, at 12-7, as the other matches.

Southampton dominated a home match against Swedish Premier Division squad Malmö FF, beating them 3-0, and outshooting them 13-3. One of the scorers was former SPD winger Anders Svensson. Forward Brett Ormerod and striker James Beattie also scored for the Saints.

Although three of the other six British Isles' squads lost, it turned out to be a pretty big day all around for the island group.

The huge win was in Spain, where Scottish Premier Division side Hearts stunned Primera Liga power Valencia, 2-1. Fellow Scotland club Dundee also won, beating Switzerland's Young Boys, 2-1.

Welsh side Total Network Solutions ended up falling to Bundesliga club Werder Bremen in Germany Wedesday night, but not before really testing the big club, 4-3. With a home match coming up against them, TNS may have a shot at a major upset.

Irish club Bohemians beat Torpedo Moscow, 2-1, in Russia, but fellow Irish Premier Division side Shelbourne lost badly at home to Serie A club Udinese, 5-1.

Northern Irish squad Portadown was also beaten badly at home, losing to Eridivisie club FC Nordsjælland, 4-0.

There were several high profile matchups Wednesday night, and more than few upsets as well.

It was bad night for the Primera Liga. Barcelona lost to Auxerre in France, 3-0, and Mallorca failed to beat Hungary's Ferencváras at home, drawing them 1-1.

Belgian power Club Brugge, which lost its way out of the Champions League, proceeded to freefall, losing 4-0 at home to Russian Premier Division club CSKA Moscow.

Outside of Auxerre's big win, La Ligue One didn't have a terrific day either. Marseille was upset 3-0 by Macedonian squad Belsica GC in the Balkans, Bordeaux lost to Portuguese Superleague squad Leiria, 3-1, in Portugal, and Sochaux drew 2-2 with Bosnia & Hercegovina club Zeljeznicar.

The Bundesliga also had mixed results Wednesday. While Schalke 04 pounded Cypriot squad APOEL, 6-0, and Kaiserslautern beat Danish side Esbjerg fB, 3-1, Hertha BSC lost on the road to Belarusian squad Dinamo Minks, 3-0, and HSV fell, 2-1, to Czech power Sparta Prague, in addition to Wereder Bremen's close win.

The Serie A, like the EPL, swept its matches Wednesday. In addition to the Udinese win over Shelbourne, Parma beat Belgian squad La Louvière, 1-0; Perugia beat Greek National A Division squad Panianos, 3-0; and Italian power Roma beat Romanian side Steaua, 3-1.

In other major club matchups, Eridivisie power FC Copenhagen beat fellow Norse club Swedish Premier Division Djurgàrden, 4-2; 2001-02 UEFA Cup champ Feyenoord of the Dutch Premier Division was drawn at home by Ukrainian High League power Dinamo Kiev; Turkish power Galatsaray was also drawn at home, 0-0, by Serbia & Montenegro's Partizan; and Portuguese Superleague power Sporting fell to Greek National A Division side PAOK, 1-0.

The second half of the first round leg will take place on October 15 for most matches. The lone exception is Sprak Moscow against Turkish club Malatyaspar, which will be played on October 14.

[Chief Rum]

SATURDAY, September 27, 2003

Carling Cup Third Round Is Set

The Boro Will Play Fellow Premiership Club Southampton

Middlesbrough got another big road match in the Carling Cup Friday when they drew Southampton for its third round opponent.

The Boro will play the Saints at St. Mary's Stadium on October 29.

Thirty-two English clubs found out who and where they would play in the Friday drawing, including the last additions to the competition, the eight Premiership clubs entered in European club competition this season.

With these last additions, the field is now set for the run to one of England's three top competitions. The Carling Cup will be awarded in February after five, single-elimination rounds.

For as early as it is in the competition, the third round is not without its premier matches.

Liverpool hosts Arsenal in the top matchup, with Manchester United drawing a tough opponent at home in Blackburn. In addition to those two matches and the Boro-Saints contest, there are five Premiership squad matchups.

Aston Villa hosts Wolverhampton, Fulham will go to Chelsea, Leeds takes on Leicester on the road, Charlton will meet Newcastle at St. James Park, and Everton will play Bolton at home.

The more fortunate Premiership sides drew lower division squads, although none of the three got home matches. Manchester City plays Third Division Hull and Tottenham also gets its opponent from the Third Division in Oxford. Portsmouth gets a somewhat stronger opponent in Second Division Queens Park Rangers.

The remaining five matchups all involve lower league squads on both sides. The top of those matchups is between two First Division clubs. Watford will visit Nottingham Forest.

First Division Crystal Palace will be playing Second Division Brighton on the road, and Stoke City of the First Division will host Second Division Bristol City.

Former Premiership side West Bromich Albion travels to play Third Division Cheltenham, while Second Division Sheffield Wednesday--which beat Premiership club Birmingham on penalty kicks in the second round Tuesday--will go to fellow Second Division side Rushden & Diamonds.

Liverpool is the current holder of the Carling Cup.

[Chief Rum]

SATURDAY, September 27, 2003

Leicester (2-1-3) at Middlesbrough (2-1-3)

When: 3:00 p.m.
Where: The Riverside Stadium, Middlesbrough
Forecast: 9º C (downpour)
Middlesbrough Out: DC Ugo Ehiogu, ML Allan Johnston
Leicester Out: GK Danny Coyne, DR Callum Davidson

Outlook: The Boro are coming off of a 2-1 win over Sheffield United, which should raise squad spirits, but that won't make the monkeys on their backs any lighter. The club is still scoreless in three straight league matches, and they didn't win any of them. Their last match prior to the Sheffield United contest was a 4-0 blowout at Leeds. Fortunately, Leicester seems to be a very beatable opponent, as a reent promotee to the Premiership. The Foxes have lost as expected in matches with Chelsea and Liverpool, but they surprised Newcastle, drawing them at home in August, and last Saturday they beat Blackburn at home, 4-2. Forward James Scowcraft leads Leicester with four goals, while winger Jordan Stewart has three. Centreback Steve Howey leads the defense, posting a squad-high 7.43 rating.

FA Barclaycard Premiership Game of the Round

Chelsea (3-0-3) at Liverpool (3-1-2) It is more or less acknowledged that Arsenal and Manchester United are the top two clubs in the league. The next team is up for grabs, though. Liverpool, the traditional holder of that spot, is epxected to be challenged for it by the financially well-supported Blues of Chelsea. Neither side has played nearly as well as expected so far. Although Chelsea has more recently hammered Southampton and Aston Villa, they also have a surprising loss to Bolton on their fixture, in addition to losses to Manchester United and Arsenal. While Liverpool has generally beaten who they were expected to, and even gave Arsenal it's first non-victory with a draw two weeks ago, they are still trying to recover from a surprise season-opening home loss to Leeds. The winner of this match will no doubt have the upper hand to run to the spot behind the top clubs in the Premiership.

The Rest of the Matches

Bolton at Blackburn
Southampton at Fulham
Leicester at Middlesbrough
Aston Villa at Newcastle
Manchester United at Portsmouth
Arsenal at Wolverhampton
Everton at Birmingham (Sunday)
Leeds at Manchester City (Sunday)
Charlton at Tottenham (Monday)

[Chief Rum]

SUNDAY, September 28, 2003

Boro Brings Bad Play Home

Squad Reaches New Low By Losing To Leicester At Riverside, 2-1

MIDDLESBROUGH-- They finally scored at least.

The Boro ended their three-match league scoreless streak Saturday, but they failed to stop their winless streak, extending that dubious honor to four matches with a 2-1 loss to Leicester in front of 27,504 disappointed Boro supporters at Riverside Stadium.

The Foxes, promoted from the First Division this past offseason, outplayed the Boro on their own turf, even as both sides were drenched by a shower for most of the matrch. Leicester outshot Middlesbrough, 11-6, with eight shots on goal to five by the home squad.

"We're in a funk right now," interim Boro manager Matthew Kieta said. "We need to come to play each day, and right now, we're not doing it."

The Foxes scored two goals in the first half to put the Boro back on their heels early.

The first score came courtesy of forward James Scowcraft, who put in his squad-leading fifth goal of the season in the 15th minute.

The Foxes won a corner after Boro keeper Carlo Nash put a Scowcraft shot over the net. Midfielder Muzzy Izzet sent a high pass directly into the six yard box. Scowcraft jumped in a crowd of Boro markers, including fullbacks Salvatore Fresi and Danny Mills, and midfielder Gaizka Mendieta. Scowcraft got to the pass and headed the ball to the right of Nash, who was just a couple yards away from the group. Nash made a jump and got his fingertips to it, deflecting the ball back out toward the goalbox. Scowcraft jumped to the ball before a Boro defender could get to it and put it into the open right end of the net before Nash could react.

"I can't pin that one on Carlo," Kieta said. "That one was all defense. We had three guys right there, and a bunch of others close by. There is absolutely no reason for Scowcraft to get to his own rebound before they should have gotten to it."

The second Leicester score came just seconds before the end of the half, when forward Stanley Spencer scored his second goal of the year.

Once again, it came off of a corner kick. The corner was set up after centreback Chris Riggott made a superb tackle on Scowcraft as the Leicester forward was making a run to the left post in the penalty area. On the ensuing corner, Izzet sent an in-swerving pass at a wider angle than the pass that set up the Foxes' first score. The ball fall into another group near the right end of the goal box edge. Spencer jumped up with centreback Gareth Southgate and headed the ball to the goal. The ball deflected slightly off of winger Lionel Morgan, though, and bounced past Nash for the second goal of the match.

"You can say the first goal wouldn't have happened with a better response from our guys in the box," Kieta said. "That second one could have been nailed down to a fluke deflection. The fact is, you can't give a team this many chances at this level and expect to come away with the win. There might two or three goals in the avergae match, and it can be just a little thing that makes the difference between a win and a loss."

The one highlight for the home squad came in the 80th minute, when forward Juninho scored his second goal of the season, and the first league goal by the Boro in a month.

The goal was set up by a nice defensive play near the right touchline. Winger Michael Ricketts made a fine tackle on Fox winger Jordan Stewart. Southgate charged into the play and launched a long pass across the pitch toward the right corner of the penalty area. Juninho, reading the play, broke from his marker, centreback John Curtis, and opened a wide lead to get under the pass. Juninho charged into the box from the right and kicked a sharp angled pass at the far post to elude hard-charging Leicester keeper Ian Walker. The shot just caught the edge of the post and went into the net.

"It just shows what teamwork can do," Kieta said. "That was a great tackle, a heads-up play by Gareth to get to it, a fine read by Juninho to break open, and a terrific shot."

Kieta said he was reaching the point where he would have to only play the guys he could count on to be consistent at their positions.

"I am hoping to avoid that, because that means the guys who can't be consistent aren't going to get onto the pitch, and that will unsettle some people," the manager said. "But we can't afford to lose any more matches this way. It can't be about potential anymore or tactical switches. We need definable performances right now. Next week, I think that's the sort of lineup you're going to see."

Kieta refused to say which players he had in mind--or which ones weren't making the cut.

The Boro will travel to Bolton on Saturday, beginning a rough two-month stretch that includes matches with several of the league's heavyweights, including Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Newcastle and Liverpool.

"With an upcoming fixture like that, we're not in an especially comfortable position in the table," Kieta said, noting the Boro had fallen to 17th in the league, just outside of the relegation spots. "Right now, I would call the Bolton match our most significant of the season. We need a win there."

Scowcraft received the Man of the Match.

Boro Under-19s Edge Out York, 1-0

Forward Tom Orchard is at it again.

The 17-year-old forward who scored a hat trick to lead the young Boros to a 4-0 win earlier this month scored the youth squad's only goal in their win over the York Under-19 squad at Bootham Crescent in York on Saturday.

Orchard got his goal in the 37th minute, giving him four goals in two matches, and a two-match goal streak. Orchard was selected, but never substituted into a match with Scarborough in between yesterday and his strong performance against Macclesfield.

The Boro dominated the match, outshooting York 14-1, and keeping the ball in the home squad's defensive third of the pitch for 31% of the match.

York keeper Aaran Reid received the Man of the Match for facing off six shots on goal and only allowing one score.

[Chief Rum]

SUNDAY, September 28, 2003

FA Barclaycard Action Recap

Blackburn 2, Bolton 0 The Rovers came into this season as one of the league favorites to end up in Eurpean competition next year, but some solid matches this season have been tarnished by surprise losses to Birmingham and Leicester, the former at home. Saturday they played the way they are expected, dominating the Wanderers at Ewood Park. They outshot Bolton 12-6, and kept the ball in Bolton's defensive third of the pitch for 35% of the match. The Rovers got to work early, when striker Andrew Cole scored his fourth goal of the season in the fourth minute. Forward Matt Jansen got the other score, his third, in the 28th minute. Bolton did put five shots on goal, but couldn't figure out Blackburn keeper Brad Freidel, who got his second clean sheet of the league season. Jansen got the Man of the Match as the Rovers' primary source of offense. Not only did he get a goal, he took six shots, four on goal, went on four runs and drew a foul.

Southampton 4, Fulham 1 Fulham is the only league squad to have yet to win or draw a match, losing its first six matches. So it isn't a shock to see Southampton come in and add to the Cottagers' woes. Star striker James Beattie scored his third and fourth goals of the season in the first half to get the Saints rolling. Fulham would get one back when striker Barry Hayles scored in the 59th minute. But it turned out to be a tease, as forward Brett Ormerod scored a twosome of his own in the 66th and 73rd minutes. They were Ormerod's first league scores of the year. The Saints outshot the Cottagers 17-8, and put 11 shots on goal. Beattie received the Man of the Match, with three runs, two drawn fouls and seven shots to add to his two goals.

Liverpool 2, Chelsea 2 Both squads had an opportunity to one-up the other to make a move on the top of the table, so it figures that they would instead draw each other and continue to tread water. The Reds will be kicking themselves over this one for a bit. They squandered a two-goal lead when striker Hernán Crespo scored in the 79th minute, and fellow striker Djibril Cissé put up the equaliser in the 87th minute. For Crespo, it was his league-leading sixth goal, while Cissé's score was his first in the Premiership. The squads were as evenly-matched shooting the ball as they were in scoring goals, each side getting off seven shots. Liverpool opened the scoring on a penalty by midfielder Danny Murphy in the 42nd minute, his first of the season. Striker sub Emile Heskey added what was thought to be the clincher in the 65th minute, also his first. Despite playing less than 30 minutes, Heskey got the Man of the Match nod. In his short time, he won 7 of 11 headers, drew three fouls, and took three shots, all on goal (and one in it).

Leicester 2, Middlesbrough 1 Following a 4-2 home shellacking of solid Blackburn, the Leicester Foxes are looking much more solid now after Saturday's road win over the Boro. The Foxes outplayed Middlesbrough on its own turf, outshooting them 11-6. Leicester got early goals from striker james Scowcraft, his fifth, in the 15th minute, and another by forward Stanley Spencer, who scored his second of the year with the first half coming to an end in the 45th minute. The nly good news was the Boro broke their three-match league scoreless streak when forward Juninho got his second goal of the season in the 80th minute. It was too little, too late, though. Scowcraft got the Man of the Match award, with the goal, five shots on goal, two runs and two drawn fouls.

Aston Villa 2, Newcastle 0 If the Magpies are trying to confuse the observers, consider that mission a success. Just a week after playing Arsenal tough at Highbury and beating Manchester United at home, Newcastle dropped its second odd home match of the season Saturday. The first came in the form of a season-opening loss at St. James Park to Leeds. The Magpies were further hampered in the 55th minute when star centreback Lúcio was sent off for a slide tackle on Villa striker Juan Pablo Angel. Not only did the tackle send the Brazilian defender to the engine roomearly, but it gave the Villans a penalty, which fullback Gareth Barry "buried" for the clinching score. Lúcio may have had a point in taking out Angel. who was on a run to the net when the defender cut him down. Angel was responsible for the Villans first score in the 33rd minute and his second of the season, and the striker also got the Man of the Match award. Angel picked up the goal and an assist on the penalty, in addition to three interceptions and two drawn fouls.

Portsmouth 0, Manchester United 0 The Pompey continue to show they are for real. Saturday's non-loss might have been their biggest match of the season yet, holding mighty Manchester United down to a draw. Even more amazing was how they kept the road squad to just three shots, only one on goal. Portsmouth fared little better, with four shots and also just a single shot at the net, in a very defensive match. Despite playing in such a defensive matchup, Pompey striker Yakubu got the Man of the Match, with one tackle, one run, five drawn fouls and a shot on goal.

Arsenal 4, Wolverhampton 2 It was a big day for recent promotees from the First Division. No, the Wolves were beaten by the powerful Gunners, but Arsenal needed a second half comeback to pull of the win, on a day when the other two new Premiership sides scored a road victory over Middlesbrough and a tough draw at home against Manchester United. Wolves' striker Henri Camara scored his fourth and fifth goals of the season by the 23rd minute to give the home squad the 2-1 lead. They would make it stick for a good way before star striker Thierry Henry scored his second of the season in the 60th minute to tie it up. Winger Freddie Ljungberg put int he go-ahead a fe wminutes later, and Henry scored again in the 75th minute tp cap the comeback with a clincher. Not surprisingly, the stats showed more dominance than the scoring ont he pitch did, with Arsenal outshooting the Wolves 18-6, although the goal shots was a smaller difference in eight to five. Henry got the Man of the Match, adding to his two goals an assist, a run and three interceptions.

Injuries & Suspensions

It was a fortunate day for the Premiership, as there were no injuries that go beyond a day-to-day level in Saturday's matches.

But then there are the suspensions.

The obvious one is to Newcastle's star centreback Lúcio. The brazilian defender was sent off after a rough tackle on Juan Pablo Angel, a striker for Aston Villa, in the 55ht minute. Not only did his removal put the Magpies down a man, but his ill-placed tackle gave the Villans a penalty they converted, essentially putting the match away. Lúcio will automatically miss Newcastle's nest league match.

In less obvious suspension news, Wolverhampton fullback Lee Naylor collected his fifth yellow card in the Wolves' match with Arsenal Saturday. The fifth yellow card, of course, carries with it an automatic one-match ban. Naylor has picked up four yellow cards in leeague play, and a fifth during English cup action.

Today's Matches

Everton at Birmingham
Leeds at Manchester City

[Chief Rum]

MONDAY, September 29, 2003

FA Barclaycard Action Recap

Everton 2, Birmingham 2 Birmingham got the lead, let it slip away and fell behind, and then they got back even again, just in time to escape their home St. Andrews with a draw with Everton Saturday. The two Blues squads went back-and-forth all match and ended up even in shots, with 11 each, as well as goals. Birmingham midfielder Darren Carter opened the scoring with his first goal of the season in the 10th minute. For a long while it looked like that might stand up, but Everton finally got its act together in the second half. Striker Francis Jeffers scored in the 47th minute to tie it up, and then fullback Alessandro Pistone put the road Blues ahead just two minutes later. They couldn't finish it off, though, as Birmingham striker Stern John scored his match-tying and third goal of the season in the 71st minute. Centreback Mike Duff for Birmingham was sent off with his second yellow card in the 89th minute, but ti was too late for Everton to take advantage. Everton keeper Richard Wright got the Man of the Match for facing off eight Birmingham shots on goal.

Manchester City 2, Leeds 0 Leeds played a fairly decent defensive match in keeping City to eight shots, three on goal, at its own place, but it's tough to win if your keeper isn't on. United netminder Paul Robinson wasn't on his game, and he allowed two of three shots to get by him for the difference in this one. City striker Antoine Sibierski scored his third league goal of the season in the 54th minute, breaking a lengthy scoreless draw. Manchester City's defense limited Leeds to just four shots overall to make the goal stand up. City midfielder Claudio Reyna added a goal in the 90th minute to seal the deal. Centreback David Sommell eight tackles, 14 for 16 headers, and five interceptions to lead the defense and earn himself the Man of the Match.

Injuries & Suspensions

Manchester City striker Robbie Fowler sprained his ankle, but it is a light sprain that is expected to keep him out for just three days.

There were no other injuries that aren't ay-to-day.

Birmingham centreback Mike Duff was sent off with two yellow cards in the Everton match. He will automatically miss the Blues' next match. There were no other suspensions or send offs from Sunday's matches.

Tonight's Match

Charlton at Tottenham

[Chief Rum]

TUESDAY, September 30, 2003

FA Barclaycard Action Recap

Tottenham 0, Charlton 0 Tottenham may have played its best match of the season so far, and in a pouring rain to boot, but it did them little good. Despite outshooting the Addicks 14-2, and leading the shots-on-goal tally 7-2, the Cockerels couldn't figure out Charlton keeper Dean Kiely. Kiely made sure his own side's lack of offesne wouldn't hurt the squad, taking the Man of the Match award. It was his second clean sheet of the season. It was also Keller's second clean sheet in league play, but he didn't have to work for it nearly as hard.

Injuries & Suspensions

Charlton midfielder Scott Parker recived his fifth yellow card in league play Monday night, and will have to miss the Addicks' next match.

There were no injuries in Monday night's match.

FA Barclaycard Premiership Table


<font=courier>(as of September 2, 2003)

Pos Team Pld Won Drn Lst For Ag G.D. Pts

1st Arsenal 7 6 1 0 18 7 +11 19
2nd Birmingham 7 4 2 1 12 6 +6 14
3rd Man City 7 4 2 1 10 5 +5 14
4th Man Utd 7 4 1 2 12 5 +7 13
5th Blackburn 7 4 1 2 16 10 +6 13
6th Liverpool 7 3 2 2 10 8 +2 11
7th Newcastle 7 3 2 2 10 8 +2 11
8th Portsmouth 7 3 2 2 8 7 +1 11
9th Chelsea 7 3 1 3 14 10 +4 10
10th Leeds 7 3 1 3 11 9 +2 10
11th Southampton 7 3 1 3 9 10 -1 10
12th Leicester 7 3 1 3 11 13 -2 10
13th Charlton 7 2 3 2 9 9 0 9
14th Everton 7 2 3 2 7 8 -1 9
15th Tottenham 7 2 2 3 6 8 -2 8
16th Bolton 7 2 2 3 7 11 -4 8
17th Middlesbrough 7 2 1 4 8 11 -3 7
18th Aston Villa 7 2 0 5 10 17 -7 6
19th Wolves 7 0 2 5 7 18 -11 2
20th Fulham 7 0 0 7 4 19 -5 0</font>

[Chief Rum]

TUESDAY, September 30, 2003

Grimsby To Loan Dove

MIDDLESBROUGH-- The Boro announced Monday that reserve forward Craig Dove will be spending the next three months on loan with Second Division Grimsby Town.

"Craig han't really been getting a lot of time with the reserves, so we thought this might be a good move for him," interim Boro manager Matthew Kieta said.

Dove has appeared in just one match for the Boro reserves, going scoreless and getting a 6 rating. The 21-year-old forward has never played for a first team in the English leagues.

Kieta wouldn't go into details on the loan contract except to note its length and that Grimsby would be taking on "most" of Dove's £75,000 annual salary during that period.

Dove, who has above average physical skills, but has a long way to go in both the technical and mental aspects of the game, is seen as a prospect with decent talent but very far from reaching the Boro first team.

Danny Graham and Chris Garbutt have been starting most of the Boro reserves' matches this season.

Dove is expected to join Grimsby today, and he will remain there through the end of the calendar year.

[Chief Rum]

WEDNESDAY, October 1, 2003

Kieta: "Play or Go"

Boro Manager Says Players Are Playing For Their Jobs Now

MIDDLESBROUGH-- Interim Boro manager Matthew Kieta put his foot down Tuesday, and threatened to send players away from the club who don't meet expectations.

"These guys are playing for their very livelihood now," Kieta said at his weekly press conference--but first in nearly a month. "Jobs are on the line. I'm going to play the best eleven I have, and everyone else should probably reconsider buying any homes in the area."

The tough words from the manager comes three days after the Boro fell at home to recent First Division promotee Leicester, 2-1. The Foxes outplayed the Boro at Riverside Stadium, a week after the Boro were embarassed, 4-0, in a road match at Leeds.

Middlesbrough has a four-match winless streak and has scored just one goal in league play since August.

The Boro now stand at 17th in the English Premier League, seven matches into the season. They are just outside of one of the three relegation spots in the league table, although it is very early in the season.

"Three months," Kieta warned. "The players on this club have three months to show me they deserve to stay. In July, when the last transfer window was open, I was reluctant to make big moves. I wanted to see what I had first. Well, now I am beginning to see what I have, and if it doesn't improve, I am going to go out there and get what I need. And I can't afford to do that unless I move some of the guys here with the club."

Kieta refused to say whom he was targeting, saying that all players would be considered on equal footing.

That won't stop football observers and media from making some guesses, though. It is thought that strikers Massimo Maccarone and Malcolm Christie might be deemed expendable if their play up front doesn't improve. The play of the forwards has been a key trouble area this season.

Others thought to be in some trouble are the formerly transfer-listed Szilard Németh, who may be listed again not for poor performance but simply because he has no defined role with the team; and fullback Franck Queudreu, whom it has been rumored has been the source of some discontent because of his attitude. Even star midfielder and forward Juninho is a possibility, given the likely high transfer fee he would bring to the club.

The only player observers seem to agree is safe is midfielder Gaizka Mendieta, the target of a future transfer with his current employer Lazio. Mendieta has been on loan with the Boro since the beginning of the season and has been one of the club's best players this season.

The manager said his main concerns remain with the forwards and on the right wing, which has been a swinging door most of the season for starter tryouts, but that he is beginning to be very concerned about the fullback position as well.

"I may switch up on tactics again somewhat slightly," Kieta said. "It might be time to bring ina true defensive midfielder, and shrink the backline to three men."

That would likely mean more time for midfielder George Boateng, who specializes in defnesive play in the midfield, but might put too much stress on right wing, which would be responsible for running with opposing wingers along the touchlines.

Kieta called the upcoming stretch, and particularly Saturday's road match with Bolton "absolutely critical" to the club's success.

"I said it Saturday and I will say it again," Kieta said. "We have matches coming up against Man U, Arsenal, Chelsea, the Reds and 'Castle. We have other matches, too, but that's a lot of them right there. We need to get this win, so we can approacht hat stretch with some kind of hope we can get through it and pull this club back into the position its talent should be placing it."

Kieta said Mark Schwarzer would start in net for the Boro. The goalkeeper position has also been in flux. Schwarzer was in net for the embarassing Leeds' loss, but Carlo Nash faired little better against Leicester.

Boro Reserves Beat Bolton, 3-2

The Boro reserve squad won for the second time ina row and extended to three a loss-less match streak Tuesday, as they beat the Bolton Wanderers' reserve squad, 3-2, at Reebok Stadium in Bolton.

Chris Garbutt starred again, scoring two penalty kicks in the eighth and 55th minutes. Garbutt scored a hat trick in the reserve's last match, against Ipswich on September 16.

Striker Danny Graham scored the Boros' other goal in the 14th minute, as they took an early 2-0 lead.

Bolton would get one back on a score by midfielder Kribib Reda in the 15th minute, but Garbutt's second goal would put the match away.

The Boro made theirs count, as Bolton outshot the road side 13-5, including 7-3 in goal shots. Bolton didn't help themselves with 16 fouls, two of which Garbutt converted into goals on penalty.

Reda got the Man of the match in a losing cause. In addition to his goal, the midfielder had two tackles, three interceptions, one run, an assist pn Bolton's other goal, and took three shots, two on goal.

Forward Jamie Cade suffered a pulled hamstring in the match and will likely be out ten days.

Parnaby Headed To Riverside

Defensive midfielder Stuart Parnaby was called up from the reserve squad Tuesday, following the conclusion of the reserve side's match with Bolton.

"He has played well down there, and I think he might be able to help us," interim Boro manager Matthew Kieta said Tuesday.

Parnaby, 21, has a 7.40 rating in five matches with the reserve squad this season, and served as its captain. He averaged 2.4 tackles and 3.1 interceptions, and has been very strong in the air, losing just five of 63 aerial challenges.

Parnaby might be most useful for the Boro as a fullback, an area that has been troubled for the club recently. He can also play centreback, which might come into play if the club switches to a three-man backline.

Parnaby isn't very quick, but he is a tough, strong defender who plays smart and has reasonable technical skills. He appaered in 21 matches for the Boro first team last year, going scoreless.

Last month, the defender complained about his exclusion from the top club, but backed off of his comments when Kieta told him he would "call him when he's ready."

[Chief Rum]

WEDNESDAY, October 1, 2003

Chelsea, Man U Have Bad Night At Champions

Chelsea Loses On The Road, While The Red Devils Draw At Old Trafford

This isn't likely to be a day most English football fans will like to remember.

Premiership sides Chelsea and Manchester United failed to get wins Tuesday night when their Champions League group fixtures began again.

Chelsea dropped a 3-1 tally to Serie A power Juventus, while United was surprised by Locomotiv Moscow at home, drawing with them, 0-0.

In Torino, Italy, Chelsea got an early score from striker Adrian Mutu in the fifth minute, but they were unable to add anything to it the rest of the match. In fact, Juventus allowed Chelsea to take just six total shots, with only two on goal.

Even Mutu's score only tied the match after Juventus defensive midfielder Stephen Appiah opened things with a goal in the second minute. Fullback Alessandro Birindelli scored the go ahead in the 31st minute, and forward Alessandro del Piero finished the Blues off with a 71st minute score.

Altogether, Juventus took 15 shots, and put nine on goal.

At Old Trafford, Manchester United was expecting to get an easy win against Lokomotiv Moscow, which is not considered to be anywhere near United's talent level.

Instead, the Red Devils were treated to a hot goalkeeper. Sergey Ovchinnikov faced off seven shots on goal, and 12 overall, to preserve a scoreless draw for his side.

Lokomotiv Moscow took just three shots all match, and had just one shot on goal. United controlled the ball in the Russian Premier Division club's defensive third of the pitch for an amazing 40% of the match.

Ovchninnikov, of course, receied the Man of the Match award for his work in net.

Making it an all around bad day for the British Isles, Scottish Premier Division power Rangers fell, 3-0, to Panathanaikos, or PAO, of the Greek National A Division in Athens. The Greek squad dominated the Scottish side, outshooting them 18-5, and allowing just one shot on goal.

Juventus' win over Chelsea gives the Italian power early control of Group F, after beating Portuguese Superleague squad Porto in the Champions League group fixture opener. Porto moves into a tie with Chelsea after beating Greek National A Division squad AEK.

In Group G, Lokomotiv Moscow's draw of the Red Devils is actually its second surprise so far, after beating Primera Liga at home in September. That puts it in a first place tie with United in the group. Celta is just a step behind with a win and a loss after beating Bundesliga squad VfB Stuttgart Tuesday.

The Rangers' loss spoils a diamond opportunity for them in Group E. The Scottish power drew 2001-02 Champions League holder and superpower Real Madrid at home. The loss to PAO, though, puts them third in the group.

Real Madrid beat Dutch power Ajax to move up to second, while PAO is the surprise group leader with two wins.

Group H was the only group in action that didn't include a club from the British Isles.

Serie A power Inter took early control of the group when they secured their second win with a 3-1 victory over La Ligue One squad Lyon. Lyon is now tied with Austria Vienna after the Austrian Premier Division squad beat BBundesliga power Dortmund, 3-0. Dortmund is a surprising 0-2 to start off the group fixture.

Play resumes in Groups E, F, G and H on October 21.

The first four groups of the Champions League, Groups A, B, C and D, will be in action tonight, including Arsenal and Newcastle.

The Champions League is Europe's most prestigious club competition. The current group stage features eight groups of four clubs each, with the top two clubs moving on to the competition playoffs.

[daedalus]

Way to put 'em players in their place! :D