Arsenal Catches a Manchester United as Chelsea Goes Down with a Case of Malaria

Fifteen games in and looking at the Barclay's English Premier league Table, you'd have to rub your eyes just to make sure it's not a mirage.

Image: socerlens.com

Nothing peculiar with Manchester United leading the table two points clear of second placed Chelsea.  Or with Arsenal being third only on goal difference, +15 compared to Chelsea +19. Manchester City clinches the final Champions League spot three points behind Arsenal with Tottenham breathing down their necks just a point away goes quite according to script.


The astonishing part is the little mater that the league leading team has drawn half of its games played so far. The second and third placed  teams, Chelsea and Arsenal, have an identical record having lost four games and drawn two in just 15 games. Such statistics bring forth the fact that things are not that ordinary this 2010/2011 Premier League season.

 The English premier league has become somewhat an affair akin to a formula 1 race.

Depending on the track, the conditions, team decisions and luck, any of the drivers at the start of the race can win the race. Similarly, dependent on the venue, manager decisions and luck, any of teams in the top flight English division can win the match.

Looking at it,  I don't think the phrase 'upset' quite applies anymore. Consider this: Is Chelsea's defeat at home to Sunderland an upset? Or are home Arsenal's defeats to West Bromwich  Albion and Newcastle up sets? What of West Bromwich Albion's come back at Old Trafford to earn a draw?

Two of Arsenal's defeats came at home after seemingly having the respective match under control  commanding a two goal advantage at the break. Fist it was the unlikely West Bromwich Albion resurrection then a Garth Bale inspired second half comeback which gave Tottenham their first London derby away win in 13 years.

Both matches ended with a 3-2 Arsenal loss. The manner of these defeats reminds one of Manchester United early season woes when they threw away leads most notably at  Everton away and West Bromwich Albion at home.

Bizarrely, the past few seasons, Arsenal was the team among the top three that drew the most matches- part reason for their continuing seven year wait for Premier League success. Now it appears it's Manchester United's turn to suffer the draws bug.

Chelsea's woes appear to be beyond Didier Drogba's recent bout of malaria which saw a dip in his form if the observations of teammate Malouda are to be believed. If it is, then it must be of the highly virulent complicated type complete with cerebral symptoms; occasioned by the larvae of the dangerous p. falciparum species blocking  low caliber cerebral vessels of the London outfit's decision making organ.

The wisdom behind the dismissal of Carlo Ancelotti's assistant is yet to dawn on the rest of us.  Simply put, Ray Wilkins was the 'premiership guy' considering his wealth of experience. Why Roman Abrahamovich chose to relieve him off his services is lost to many.

The disgruntled voices coming from Chelsea Technical Director who has indicated his desire to quit at the end of his contract in the summer is another cause of concern especially in light of the intense competition for talent among European clubs and Leagues.

Competition is the rightful answer to this apparent seismic shift in power among the European football clubs. How else can one explain the changed topography of the English premier league log?

Unlike the US National Football League (NFL) where a non -performance based revenue system has enabled smaller teams be more competitive as they are availed with funds strictly  earmarked  for development of  team quality, the different nature of the European scene sees the top performing teams  retain most generated  revenues, while collectively bargained revenue sources like Tv broadcasting returns are shared in hierarchical fashion.

The amount received by each team depends on the teams final position in the league.

The effect of these two systems has resulted in different scenarios. In The NFL, every team stands a chance of being competitive as the shared revenues enable them attract and retain quality players who might have otherwise been hoarded by the larger teams as sparingly used squad members.

The European leagues skewed distribution of revenues sees the emergence of elite teams, who among themselves dominate the competition year in year out. In England there is the Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool foursome. In Spain,there is the Barcelona- Madrid hegemony while in Italy, the San Siro clubs and AS Roma are the roosters in that fiefdom.

In an effort to compete, clubs in Europe have increasingly injected funds to enable them attract star players who make the difference. For instance, Barcelona in spite of trouble in its books spent 25 Million to acquire Mascherano from Liverpool in the summer. The Catalan club  was ready to spend another reported 35 Million to lure Arsenal's captain Cesc Fabregas, had the London club not fought so bravely.

In another example, Manchester United's star Wayne Rooney was recently subject to speculation to a move to filthy rich neighbors Manchester City.

Moreover, smaller clubs not to be out done, are spending resources which they may not have. A look at lower tier teams shows an increasing ability of the teams to attract top talent.

For instance, one of the scorers in Sunderland's 3-0 win at the Bridge was Ghanaian star and African world cup hero Asamoah Gyan. Peter Odimwinge another experienced Nigerian international was in the squad that tormented Arsenal at the Emirates.

One of the premier league's  all time stars, Robert Pires recently joined Aston Villa on a short deal, the premier league signing of the 2010/2011 season saw Dutch star Van dar Vaart make  his move from Real Madrid to Totenham while decorated William Gallas made the switch from Arsenal to Tottenham.

All this not considering the wads of dollars splashed by the Sheikh at Manchester City.

The monies spent by the lower tier teams has certainly shaken up the competition a bit even though it is still the traditional power teams that  harbor a realistic chance of  winning the premier league.

The danger of  such spending lies in the possibility of business going bad as liabilities outweigh returns, a fact that the G14 is cognizant of in it's proposal on new financial rules.

The proposal by 18 of Europe's most powerful football teams (G14) seeks to bar teams which fail to spend within their earnings from participating in elite European competitions like the Champions League. This G14 proposal aims to somewhat level the ground as teams will be allowed to spend only what they earn.

Till this proposal comes into effect, the roller-coaster league currently on show in England may just be a clone of yet to come times. Damn exciting times indeed!

When Nations Are At War But Shed No Blood: The Stretching Of Truth, Empty Chest Thumping & Machinations In Bidding To Host A FIFA World Cup

Update 03/15/2017: Russia won the 2018 FIFA World Cup bid while Qatar's preparations for the $220Billoin 2020 FIFA world cup are on course despite accusations of human trafficking and inhumane working conditions.

Guide to Weekend Football: English Premier League Matches, Preview and Soccer Talk

The big match this weekend is the Manchester City v Arsenal game at Eastlands. Chelsea look set to extend their lead at the top when they host Wolverhampton wanderers. Manchester United should abandon the draws and the Rooney saga and get their 2010/2011 campaign on the roll. Tottenham need to avoid a loss not only to prove that they have the mantle to carry out a challenge on twin fronts- especially after their loss to Inter Milan in midweek. While West bromwich Albion at home to Fulham should seek to keep their dream season going after impressive results against Arsenal and Manchester united. For a full guide to the Barclays premier league action read more:
Guide to Weekend Football: English Premier League Matches, Preview and Soccer Talk

Liverpool Sale To Boston Red Sox Owners, New England Sports Ventures, Set After Judge Ruling

LONDON:
If football clubs were generals, Liverpool Football club would be the most decorated amongst  the ilk competing in England. With 18 league titles and triumph in 5 European cup finals, Liverpool FC ought to be the embodiment of success.

However, as the English saying warns: ' Do not Judge the book by the cover '; on the books, Liverpool football club is in debt to a tune of  some 200 million pounds owed to the Royal Bank Of Scotland. In the pitch, following its worst league start in over half a century, Liverpool lies among the top three clubs that stand to be relegated from the English top flight- in the Harry potter world scenario that the 2010-2011 season of  Premier League were to somehow prematurely end now. 

This is the situation as the two men from the land of soccer-not football- leave following an English courts ruling to back the decision of the Board of Liverpool Football club to sell the club to new owners, in an effort aimed at averting a case similar to the Leeds United debacle or the more recent Portsmouth FC  fall into financial administration+/- relegation to the lower echelons of English Soccer. 

Hicks and Gillet are the villains in this football epic. The two American billionaires took over Liverpool football club in 2007 betting on leveraged financing to help realize the Merseyside dream of a new home, more world class players to add on to the enigmatic captain Steven Gerard and a loaded trophy cabinet. 

Withered Dreams: The Proposed Liverpool Stadium. Image courtesy of architecturelist.com

A global recession later and a shift in the dynamics of English football finances that saw half of the football clubs in the premier league being foreign owned, that Merseyside dream turned into drifting log to a shipwrecked sailor. Away it went, as financial trouble sucked Liverpool further into the abyss of the open sea. The lack of success in the pitch since the dramatic 2005  Istanbul triumph over Ac Milan in the UEFA champions league final just served to confound Liverpool's troubles as the much needed performance linked television revenues suffered a blow.

Sensing that they were walking alone, Hicks and Gillet sought to sell the club. After a whirlwind of claims of various parties interested in restoring the glory days of Liverpool circulated in the press, it emerged that New England Sports Ventures that is partly owned by New York Times Co and owns the Major League Baseball side Boston Red Sox had offered 300 Million pounds for Liverpool.

Boston Red Sox, an iconic sporting brand in America, much like Liverpool in English soccer, had been in a situation much akin to that facing Liverpool not long ago. New England Sporting Ventures rescued the Major Baseball league side from demise and were planning to replicate their success with Boston Red Sox in English soccer.

The Liverpool board, English premier league and by extension the British government -courtesy of their ownership of The Royal Bank Of Scotland that occurred in the wake of the 2008 global financial crisis, approved the impending deal that would see the debt settled and set plans of a new Liverpool stadium and football revival on the way. Current Liverpool co-owners, Tom Hicks and George Gillet Jr, moved to court to bar the board from selling citing  the apparent undervaluation of the club and questioning the authority of the board to initiate the sale talks.

High court Judge Christopher Floyd in his ruling lifted the one stumbling block that looked set to bring some reprieve to the Anfeild faithful. With their street protests and you tube video campaigns, it appears that Liverpool fans will have to settle for half a loaf rather than the more desirable situation where they would have loved to control the club.

Once the deal is confirmed as expected,  the singing shall move from the streets back to the terraces of Anfeild to create that famous suffocating atmosphere for opposition teams. The Kops have done their bit in  resolving board room battles. Now its time to cheer on the reds as they battle their way up the premiership table. Hopefully, with the impending New England Sports ventures deal, it will not be a case of jumping from the frying pan into the fire nor one of the known devil being better than the unknown angel.

Chelsea Vs Arsenal Preview

Ask Arsene Wenger and he will tell you that its has been the financial muscle of the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City, Manchester United that has kept the trophy cabinet at Emirates Stadium, Ashburton Groove, squeaky clean. You can say Arsenal picked a wrong time to be in transition.

Roman Abromovich stepped in from the cold of Russia and with the tactical nous of Jose Mourinho, soon later enabled Arsenal's London rivals their first premiership trophy in 55yrs. Chelsea was hot again, not only in having a sexy name but also

This solid background has seen Chelsea claim their first double ever in 2009/2010 season with their triumph in both the league and FA cup. By then Mourinho was long gone, Avram Grant and Luois felippe Scolari had stopped by, but the seeds he had sown in the shape of Didier Drogba, John Terry, Frank lampard and six time Fa Cup winner Ashley Cole were still bearing fruit.

Former AC Milan boss was in charge for the double. You can't accuse him of feeding off the fruits of the Jose Mourinho tree, as he has managed to do something that  none of the host of mangers in charge of the Roman army has done: He has manged to produce a brand of soccer that someone can travel to go and watch.

If you were to ask Arsene wenger again of the state of his West London Rivals- Chelsea, he will tell you that Roman Abramovich's experiment had paid off at least in the short term. Looking at Chelsea's trophy cabinet, it is creaking under the weight of three English premier league titles, two FA cups and Two Carling cups.

Looking at the state of their accounts however, the picture is inverted in Arsenal's favour. Profits breaking sport financial records has been the norm at North London. In West London, the news has been about cutting losses. Maybe North London needed that- something to brag about- as the cups have deserted Arsenal since that FA cup win on penalties in over Manchester United in the 2004/2005 season. But things are changing

A look at Chelsea's bench today as they host Arsenal for the game of the season so far at Stanford Bridge will reveal a few names to you. Probably you might know of exciting Frenchman Gael Kakuta courtesy of the protracted transfer that saw the European Governing body UEFA fine Chelsea and even suspend them from taking part in transfer activity for a short spell a couple of years back.

The only new face in Arsenal's lineup maybe the 18yr old Jack Wilshere. The rest as Arsene Wenger points out are experienced internationals. Yes, they may be young at age, but the footballing hours under their belts make them some of the most experienced footballers anywhere on the globe.

How things have changed. Or really?

Berbatov 3 : 2 Gerrad, Manchester United Edge Out Liverpool In Thriller

It is strange how fast things turn. From a drab cagey match that with every passing minute seemed to be less fun than watching paint dry, the premiership blockbuster between Manchester United and Liverpool exploded quite late on into an exciting encounter. At its culmination, Dimitri Berbatov the 30 million pound plus deadline transfer signing who had withstood much criticism since his big money move from White Hart Lane to rainy Manchester, answered his critics with a a performance that only  a footballer of his genius can pull..

Sir Alex claims that there is a genius about this forgotten man of Old Trafford. It's easy to agree with the Scot man as no other footballer could have made it appear so simple as he perennially does it. From being labeled lazy, slow and sometimes wasteful;  tonight and for the week to come at the very least, Dimitri Berbatov is the most loved man in the red half of  the city of Manchester, in the swathes of Manchester United supporting masses in Shanghai, Seoul and other cities in the orient. Down to the religiously soccer mad faithful in sub- Saharan Africa who followed the match via a public product in some shack at a minimal fee of an equivalent of  a few $US cents.

Berbatov did it three times. Twice with is head and one audacious one over his head. 

Sluggish defending by Torres allowed Berbatov to wrap his head around a Ryan Giggs corner to give Manchester United a lead just before the break.. The Old Trafford faithful had to wait for slightly over 40 nins to get this piece of action  to distract them from the rain was pouring. It was a half dominated by careful marking on the part of Liverpool and a cautious approach from Man United resulting in at best at a host of corners for the home team.

Nani's fierce shot from just outside the six yard box rattled the cross bar before a long ball towards the channel found  him again (Nani) . His outstanding contribution bore fruit having lost his marker Koschensky, a Fulham import brought in by Roy Hodgson, Nani controlled the ball and floated it into the box over Wayne Rooney's head but some how onto the thigh of the huge Bulgarian. Berbatov in his characteristic deft touch allowed him to bring the ball under his control and looped a shot over his head,  past a bemused Pepe Reina with his back all this time facing goal.  This, I might add is contender for the goal of the season.

Manchester United 2-0 Liverpool

At this point Liverpool with a deep playing Steven Gerrad and a largely isolated Torres looked dead and buried.. This season Liverpool's top scorer, 21 yr old David Ngong, came off the bench and out went out a largely anonymous Maxi Rodriguez in an attempt at adding some bite upfront.

However, it was the man Ngong came to support,,  the lethal Fernando Torres,  who proved to be the tormentor when his ball through the legs of the shaky Evans saw the Man United young defender sliding tackle catch his legs in the area. World cup final referee Howard Webb rightly pointed to the spot for the penalty. Gerrard however did not do a " Asamoah Gyan " as Rosicky had on Saturday in Arsenal's game against Sutherland, he coolly dispatched the ball hitting the back net after sending Van der ser the wrong way.

With this kick by Stevie G,  the game came alive again. as Liverpool particularly, Joe Cole,  who was strumming the creative play from the center of the pack found new purpose and it was not long before Torres struck again, this time it was right back John Oshea who caught him as he chased a rather purposeful through ball. Howard Webb flashed a yellow , pointed the spot 12 yards out were the free kick was to be taken from. Steve Gerrard took over a gain the honors of taking the free kick.

Oshea was lucky to get away with a yellow but, a poor wall made by almost the entire bunch of the 11 united out field players allowed Gerrard to sneak in the second for Liverpool..

2-2 it was, a scoreline that Sir Alex Ferguson later during the post match interview described as a travesty considering how tame Liverpool's rather tame demeanor that Sunday afternoon at Old Trafford. Six minutes from time, Berbatov, again rose higher than Carrager in the box, his majestic header giving Man United the winner. Forward to the nineteenth title Manchester United Moved as the rose to tie points with second placed Arsenal one point behind Chelsea who were yet to play their fifth game of the 2010-201 Barclays premiership campaign against the newly promoted whip boys Blackpool.

For Liverpool however it was another unconvincing display, as the slid to 16 the in the table with only one win so far in the neighborhood of the Blackpool's of the a league. Quite a travesty for England's most successful club.. It appears that the Liverpool faithful will have to wait a little longer for that elusive 19th title.

Stat Attack

Berbatov became the first Manchester United player since 1947 years to score a hat trick in this fixture.

Chasing Redbull:: Vettel On Pole in Hungary As Formula One 2010 Season Reaches Halfway Mark

RB6:Image credit: Red Bull Racing, Sourced from SIDEPODCAST F1.com

" We look at the on-board footage and we just laugh, Jensen and I think it's insane how fast they go....our car is the best it has ever been at this circuit. But those guys..I don't know what they are doing because it is incredible the pace they have."

The words of current 2010 formula one driver's championship leader- Lewis Hamilton, perplexed at the dominance the Red bulls have had  in qualifying. Vettel's pole position in Hungary, the race that marks the end of the first half of the 2010 formula one grand prix season, makes it six consecutive times that Red Bull has occupied pole position. Mark Weber, the other half of the 2010 Red Bull driver team, admitted that he only had his team mate to beat for pole position.
Taking second spot on the starting grid, Weber underscored the dominance that the Red Bull team has had with the car that Sebastian Vettel describes as both a wonderful car and a pleasure to drive.Mark Weber ruing his failure to get the better of the inter-team rivalry, aptly summed it up,

|We  knew it was going to be between the both of us and there wasn't the chance for the other other guys to have a crack at us guys today. It was going to be pretty tight between us like it was in Barcelona, so whoever did the quickest lap between us two was going to get pole|

Picks On How the Hungary Race Starting Grid lined Up

POLE: Sebastian Vettel [ Red Bull ]
           Mark Weber [ Red Bull ]
           Fernando Alonso [ Ferrari ]
           Fellipe Massa [ Ferrari ]
           Lewis Hamilton [ Mclaren Mercedes ]
           Nico Rosberg [ Mercedes ]
           Vitlay Petrov [Renault ]
           Robert Kubica [ Renault ]
           Pedro de la Rosa [ BMW Sauber ]
10th:    Nico Rosberg [ Williams ]
           Jensen Button [ Mclaren Mercedes]
           Rubens Barrichello [ Williams ]
           Adrian Sutil [ Force India ]
           Micheal Schumacher [ Mercedes ]

Beyond The race

• Controversy still trails Ferrari following Fernando Alonso's controversial win in Germany where Fellipe Massa slowed down to let his team mate pass for the win. The questions this time is about possible use of banned move-able aerodynamic devices. Mclaren and Mercedes have logged complaints over F10 and RB6 which appear to have front wings that have circumvented this rule. Once again, It is all about down-force.
• Fellipe Massa is back to the track in which he almost lost his life following an accident in which he suffered a skull fracture.
• Despite failing to achieve perfect balance with the MP4-24, Jensen Button is no stranger to climbing up the bean stalk, in his own words " I suppose you can say we have just got to be brave"

        

Down Memeory lane: FIFA World Cup South Africa 2010: Netherlands vs Spain

Stand UP for the C.H.A.M.P.I.O.N.S. Image courtesy of thestar.blogs.com

The final match of the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa, the wizardry of Spain vs the Orange of the Netherlands, should go down as one of the greatest finals.

Yes: The entire 120 Mins.

For on that day at Soccer City Johannesburg, the world was treated to a festival of what soccer/football is, can be and what it ought not be.

Yet, in those short 120 Mins, the extravaganza managed to squeeze in one of the most taxing quagmires facing Sepp Blatter and all those involved in governing the world's most watched event and most followed sport... 

Should goal line technology be introduced? Does a third referee 'big brother', you might call him, have a place in the centuries old game. A game in which Sepp Blatter reckons  that  "human error is part of ?

These questions, still beg for answers.

All considered, little wonder then; that in spite of the Netherlands  making it a hat- trick of World Cup final disappointment, the second ranked footballing nation- according to the latest FIFA world rankings, felt like, and were treated as winners by the jubilant euphoric Dutch population on their return from the finals.

Thinking about it, it is an open secret in the round world of football, the immense influence that the Dutch brand of 'Total Football' has had on the game of the winners on the night- Spain.

World Cup Quote of the day

"I bought one and went to test it, " offered former Lyon man Juninho. " The ball requires a little practice, but it is delicious, It's a poor excuse"

Brazilian Juninho lambasting those vocal about the love-to-hate Jabulani ball. Among many things including Brazil's & France's failures at the World Cup.

***Keep checking for A.S.I Sportswire's soon to be published FIFA 2010 South Africa Souvenir e-book, that will be available for FREE download on this site***

More articles on FIFA 2010 World Cup

• Clash of the Titans: Netherlands vs Spain

Arsenal's All time Top scorer Henry On going MLS, " this marks an exciting new chapter in my career and life "

Imagine, being feted as the greatest while still very much doing what you are being celebrated for. I am not talking about winning FIFA World player awards, being top scorer in the World's most famous league or even on numerous occasions earning the respect of fellow professionals and being awarded the PFA award.

These are, forgive me, ordinary everyday awards that gifted players are expected to pick somewhere along their career. After all they are meant to do just that:- Award the exceptionally gifted among the bunch.
What I have in mind is the coveted honor of being recognized as one, a player, who defined the history, path , essence and ideals of a football club. Among your peers are others who are long gone- the ilk of Cliff Bastin and Liam Brady.

The above image, part of Arsenal's ' Arsenalization'  project carried out last year (sometime in October 2009)  in an effort to make the new home of Arsenal football at Ashburton Groove have the 'feel of home' of the previous home stadium at Highbury bears testimony to this.

Thierry Henry, France's top scorer and the holder of a similar record with his 226 goals in Arsenal colors finally left Spanish side Barcelona and signed a several year deal with Major League Soccer side New York Red Bulls in a move that underlines the continual rise of American soccer,  which in now boasts of stars like David Beckham and London Donovan.

For a player blessed with blistering speed, but who refused to carry the ubiquitous tag of only being  'a pacy forward',  it is not hard to see why his services and experience are still needed even at the prime age of 32.

His first task? A preseason match against Champions League finalists and Arsenal's North London rivals- Tottenham Hotspurs on 22nd July 2010.

Valencia, European Grand Prix: Ferrari's Alonso Plots to stop Mclaren's Hat trick with revamped F10

As the estimated Billions are delighting at the display of soccer at the FIFA 2010 World Cup in South Africa, Business leaders, prominent personalities in the fields of science, art & all that lies in between, gather in Cape Town -South Africa's 'mother city"- for the inaugural Fortune 500/ CNN/ Time Global Forum that seeks to discuss the changing role of Africa & other emerging economies in today's globalized economy.

In Valencia, the air is warmer at this time of the year, perfect conditions to enjoy the third European Formula 1 Grand Prix.

Ad2010 European Grand Prix - Friday
Valencia Street Circuit, Valencia, Spain
25th June 2010.
Jarno Trulli, Lotus T127 Cosworth.
World Copyright: Charles Coates/LAT Photographic
ref: Digital Image _26Y1547 d caption. Image courtesy of Flickr.

The star studded
Spanish team seeks to over come Chile if they are to stand any chance of progressing to the knock out stages of the ongoing 2010 World Cup.

As David Villa, the new recruit in Barcelona's equally impressive, less obnoxious and even  less talked about galatico project, runs through the paces in South Africa, in an attempt to find the perfect balance between athleticism, skill and intelligence- in the hope of redoing the spectacular as he did with his wonder opening goal against Honduras-; Valencia, the city he left prior to the 2010 World Cup kick- off to join Xavi Hernandez & Co. at Barcelona, prepares to welcome back one of its favorite sons Fernando Alonso.


Formula 1 vs World Cup

Parallels can be drawn between Ferrari's double champion, Fernando Alonso's, quest to claim top honors at the European leg of the 2010 F1 championship in Valencia this weekend & Spain's national team "small" matter of qualification into the second round of FIFA 2010 World Cup finals.

European Champions, second in the FIFA world team rankings, headed by the only coach to attain success with the first galaticos project at Barcelona's nemesis Real Madrid and boasting of talent that only a few national teams can attempt to match, Spain's lukewarm jab at the 2010 World Cup has sent the team back into strategy.

Conversely, the Italian team at Ferrari, equally need to up their game following Mclaren's dominance over the two past F1 2010 circuit races in Turkey and Canada.

Maintaining tradition is a tremendous task., to appreciate this, ask Ferrari.

With their dominance as the top constructor in the F1 constructor's championship, double trouble in the form of former champions Fellipe Massa and Fernando Alonso, Ferrari's management in similar fashion to the Del Bosque headed team at the helm of Spain's World Cup team, had to improve on their product.

Fernando Alonso has somehow managed to push the F10, landing a top four finish behind the Maclaren's in both races. Lewis Hamilton leads the driver's championship with 109 points, three ahead of teammate Jenson Button in an order similar to the Mclaren 1-2 finishes at the last two races. Mark Weber's third position, three points behind the reigning F1 drivers champion, belies RedBull's strides this year at least in car design and engineering.


Rear Diffuser

With its low lying exhaust pipes, RedBull has managed to set the pace this year as this layout improves on  aerodynamics as the exhaust fumes & the diffuser combine to provide maximum down force a critical factor in gaining speed.

As is with tradition, the envy of the other team's engineering departments  has metamorphosed into emulation, Ferrari, Mercedes and Renault have all announced plans to unveil their own versions of this technology.
Pundits & F1 engineers have given their estimations on the speed gains of blown diffusers to range at 0.4-0.6 secs gained per lap.


Ferrari F10 Revamp

Speaking in Valencia ahead of the start of the European F1 circuit, Alonso had this to say about the improvements on this year's Ferrari car, named The F10

"We are happy with the job done, we arrive here in Valencia with a good package in our car but we remain very calm about our expectations. We know the other teams were not watching TV in the last few weeks, everyone will bring updates here and hopefully ours is a little bit better than the others."

The Canadian leg of the 2010 circuit brushed off the claims that F1 is a rather dull sport thus explaining the more global appeal of sports like soccer. Tom Cary of The Daily Telegraph couldn't have said it better.

“That is not to say the F1 is without merit as a spectacle. From humble beginnings (Bahrain) this season has got better and better; the racing more exciting, the technical nuances more intriguing, the human drama more compelling. After the race in Canada – where there were an unprecedented 60 overtaking moves thanks to the high Tyre wear and wildly differing strategies – team principals were queuing up to say how brilliant it all was.

Fernando Alonso couldn't agree more citing his impressive performance in a race that brought out the best in strategy, team management & driver capability.

"Tomorrow [Friday] we'll have a better answer, we expect to have some steps in the car top make it a little bit quicker, but as I said before, all the other teams will also bring some new parts here. The most important thing is to confirm that we are as competitive here as we were in Canada. We need to keep improving the car; this is a job we need to keep doing until Abu Dhabi. There is a long way to go." 

In similar vein, in the world of soccer, a common saying quips " that it is not over until the fat lady sings".

Spain have to overcome Chile this Friday evening if Spanish ambitions of winning a World Cup is to be realized. Facing a final before the final, Del Bosque may be tempted to go for a more pragmatic approach with the aim of securing a victory, be it a less desirable one nil victory,  but a victory nonetheless.

The soccer on the pitch will be less of the fluid, orchestra like game we have come to be so accustomed to from the Spanish lads. It will be a match full of tactics and counter tactics, embodied by timely execution of skill and the verve to exploit your opponents weaknesses.

Conversely, though dubbed as one of F1 true racers, Fernando Alonso will seek to break his duck at home and win the European Grand Prix.

Going by his recent form, & driven by nationalistic pride, as he attempts to ascend the Valencia leg up the F1 circuit hierarchy following its mundane showing over the last two years, his win if it happens, may be short of the spectacular.

The high octane display of Canada may lack in this Valencia race but just like in the World Cup, winning is of essence.

To borrow from another saying that has heavily done the rounds in the world of soccer, " In soccer, anything can & does happen ".

I bet after Canada, the same can be said of formula one.
 

Valencia Formula 1 European Grand Prix Quick pointers 

About: A young circuit, it was integrated into the circuit two years ago when Fernando Alonso was World Champion.

Location: Valencia Harbor area.

Track : 57 lap race on a cuircuit 5.419 Kms long with 25 turns. Circuit runs in a clockwise direction.

Record Time: Timo Glock's 2009 1:38.683

Select Driver's comments ahead of race:

Motorsports / Formula 1: World Championship 2010, GP of Europe, 01 Jenson Button (GBR, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes), Image courtesy of Flickr  DJH Morecambe.

"Even though it's a street circuit, it's got quite a different feel to other street tracks like Monte-Carlo or Singapore. For a start, it's quite a bit faster - there are some low-speed corners with some fairly unforgiving walls at the apex, but there are also some high-speed changes of direction and some long straights, so it's quite an interesting place set-up-wise. It's not as if you completely rely on down-force, there's a trade-off, and that should suit our package."

 Jensen Button of Mclaren

History at stake

Lewis Hamilton attempts a hat-trick of number one finishes. Three times he has been in this position, will he be fourth time lucky?

2010 World Cup Kick's Off: African Dreams Realised, Mandela to Miss Opening Ceremony

2010 World Cup Kick's Off: African Dreams Realised, Mandela to Miss Opening Ceremony

On the eve of South Africa 2010: 24 Hrs to the Start Of the World Cup.

 1 Day, 54 mins to the the start of The 2010 FIFA World CUP in South Africa

There will be so many words said and written about this World Cup. Already it has a stellar cast of superlatives each aimed at exhaling its uniqueness. As you might as well know, History, is at stake fellow fans.

And as with every record of history, it is fair to the Victorious side. This World Cup is no different.

To Africa, a stage to show case the strides its people have taken. To play host, literary so, to the World.

To the world, the 2010 South Africa World Cup, offers a chance to show viability. The chance to flourish even in unfamiliar
territory.


To all involved, its the hypnotizing allure of standing tall and be celebrated by the whole world that is on offer. To catch a sniff of that moment if you can. You can be what ever you want to be .... be a fan, be a hater, be a journalist, be a security guard, be a referee...After all, it is a world cup. The most watched event in Humanity. South Africa 2010 will have an estimated 40, 000, 000, 000 viewers cumulatively by the time the tournament winners are known one month from tomorrow, June 11th 2010.

As the teams prepare, coaches patch up the nitty gritty,  players try to get into the right frame of mind, team psychologists make use of their science, medical staff work miracles to keep injuries away..Basically all that goes into making sure that a set of 11 capable and ready players turn up on the pitch, the twelfth player is also getting ready.

"You don't swear at them, do you?.......That's the answer to that. In this day and age I think it's important to show the referees some respect. You don't use any language because then you'll be booked and the whole team suffers. You don't want to fall into that trap.''

Steven Gerrard, advising his England teammates on matters of fair play. In particular reference to Wayne Rooney's temperament.

Kind words from the man who shoulders the responsibility of leading the England team not only out of the dug-out when they face USA in their first match at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, but also to glory replicating the success of the 1966 English World Cup side. That is, if reports emanating from South Africa are true.

Though FIFA denies its existence, it is emerging that the Brazilian referees officiating over the England- USA match, have been handed a list of swear words in English (rumored to be about 20 words), In my opinion a short list, but as referee Roberto Braatz  explained,

"We can't do this in 11 different languages, but at least we have to know the swear words in English."

Earlier his colleague linesman Altemir Hausmann had note that as referees they new they had to endure a bit of the lash- back from the tension of the matches, as Wayne Rooney demonstrated on Monday sometimes action needs to be taken when certain thresholds are broken.

As you might as well know, during the England's World Cup preparation match, against a local South African side, Platinum Stars, Rooney earned a yellow for his barrage of abuses aimed at referee Jeff Selogilwe.

Talking to reporters after the match he said,

"Rooney insulted me,"..... "He said, 'F*** you' ".........."He must learn to control his temper. He could get sent off in the World Cup, especially if he uses this kind of language."......

Meanwhile....

Africa Hopes: Nigeria and Ghana Stars Bullish about their team Prospects in  2010 World Cup.

After a series of  heartbreak after heart break for African supporters in this years World Cup with the sequential loss of  the Chelsea trio, Ghana's Micheal Essien & John Obi Mikel of Nigeria with Didier Drogba hoping for a speedy recovery from his broken arm; two eminent footballers from the continent have spoken separately offering hope with their bullish Sentiments.


Ahead of Nigeria's first tie in the 2010 World Cup against Lionel Messi's Argentina, a recall of World Cup history is necessary. The last time Nigeria and Argentina were in the same World Cup group, 1994 USA World Cup, despite being debutant, Nigeria went on to top the group. Nwankwo Kanu. Nigeria's Olympic hero drawing from his 33yrs of experience and  his 4 previous games against Argentina is expecting a tight one

"You know, it is always very close any time we play them at the top level. It is either 2-1 or 1-0. I expect that on Saturday, it would also be close, but victory will be Nigeria's."

 2010 coppa Italia, Serie A & Champions league hand treble winner with  Inter Milan, Ghanaian midfielder , Sulley Muntari is backing the Ghanaian team to go all the way in the 19th edition of the FIFA World Cup in South Africa. Despite the blow to Milovan Rajevac side by losing former African football player of the year in Micheal Essien, Muntari echoed the feelings of his fellow Ghanaian team mates when he recently spoke to his club website.

"After what we did in 2006, expectations are sky high, we want to get out of our group and get to the semi-finals or even further,"

Arsene Wenger in his assessment of the World Cup withheld the commonly held notion that Ghanaian team is the Brazil of Africa. Muntari seems to agree with this tag as he promises that the soccer from Ghana will not only enthrall & to cap it all off; is fit for a World Cup semi- final breath at the least if not good enough to replicate the fortunes of the under 20 side who are the current World Champions.

Fifa 2010 World Cup Watch: 32 Teams, 13 Stars Who Will Dominate Transfer News This Summer

Fifa 2010 World Cup Watch: 32 Teams, 13 Stars Who Will Dominate Transfer News This Summer

Formula 1

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Transfers

Transfers test page

Sports news

Hello and welcome to A.S.I sportswire the home of athleticism , skill and intelligence. Here, your thirst for sports news will be quenched, your understanding of the game will be broadened by the depth of our analysis of sports events and notwithstanding our quest to entertain our readers.
At this moment, we would like to request for your patience as our engine is still revving up.However, being who we are: lovers of the game, addicts of the adrenaline rush and believers in honor, glory and victory , we have prepared snippets of the latest in the world of sports. Indulge.... 

Soccer:

Full coverage of the FIFA 2010 South Africa World cup starting with the ongoing friendly matches. Today France struggled to a 1-1 draw with Tunisia while England needed two own goals to see off a struggling Japan 3-1.  

Formula 1  

The Turkey Aftermath: The Redbulls  appear to have the faster machine early on in the season.Probably in testament of the dominance of the Redbull car, Mark Weber claimed his sixth straight pole in Turkey. However, Mclaren seem to be the team that is getting the right balance between man, machine and management . Proof ? Starting the race behind the Redbull of Mark Weber, Lewis Hamiliton claimed his first win  leading the 1-2 finish for Mclaren in Turkey. Lewis Hamilton is top of  the driver's standing for now with his team mate, fellow compatriot & defending world champion, Jensen Button, pushing the Mclaren inter-team rivalry a notch higher. Meanwhile karma visited the Redbull team- another freak accident snatched the much coveted maiden, victory, from the hands of Mark Weber.Turkey wasn't bad for every one though, as all time great Micheal Schumi managed his highest finish since his return to the sport missing a podium finnish with a fourth place.

Rugby: 15's:

Twickenham; England power over Barbarians 35- 26 as they prepared for their tour of New Zealand and Australia.

Rubgy 7's

Season curtains close as Samoa win the Edinburgh league and the season as well. Samoa, the newly crowned circuit champions, who won the final match 41-14 were led by three try hero Mikaele Pesamino. Pesamino  took his personal tally for the season to fifty six. Wales did a "Mclaren" on Kenya when they came from behind to claim the bowl title 26-10. Kenya the second ranked seven a side team in Africa behind South Africa, had taken the battle to Wales via two quick tries by Humphrey Khayange before wales responded in kind.