Ahead Of TheGame: FA Charge Fergie And Queiroz

News in 60 seconds

FA CHARGE FERGIE AND QUEIROZ
The Manchester United manager and his assistant have been charged with improper conduct by the FA. The case relates to comments the pair made after Manchester United's FA Cup defeat by Portsmouth.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/manchester_united/article3668304.ece

PIZARRO SLAMS ‘ARROGANT’ RONALDO
The Roma midfielder has criticised Cristiano Ronaldo for performing so many tricks during Manchester United’s victory last night. “Despite the fact that he is a great champion, he is very arrogant,” Pizarro said. “He does spiteful things on the pitch. This is the ugliest thing for a player. In the return leg, I will have something to say to him.” Not if he can’t get near the winger, he won’t.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/european_football/article3667883.ece

LIVE COMMENTARY: ARSENAL V LIVERPOOL
Follow all the action from the Emirates with our live rolling commentary from 7.45pm. We’ll also provide updates from Chelsea’s trip to Fenerbahce.
http://timesonline.typepad.com/sports_commentary/football/index.html

WENGER: WE CAN BEAT ANYONE
The Arsenal manager reckons his side can defeat any team in the world and wants them to play with that belief this evening in the Champions League quarter-final first leg. “We are really focused and believe in our quality,” he said. “I want them to play with no fear.”
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/arsenal/article3663129.ece

GRANT EXPECTS FORWARD CHARGE
The Chelsea coach is wary of the attacking prowess that Fenerbahce can call on in their first leg this evening. “Fenerbahce are a good team who score a lot of goals,” he said. “I have seen all their games and it will be difficult.” All their games? Is that really necessary?
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/chelsea/article3663241.ece

LOWE: I CAN SAVE SOUTHAMPTON
Rupert Lowe insists he is the man to rescue the struggling Championship side. Lowe has teamed up with fellow former chairman Michael Wilde in a bid to oust the club board. “We are united in our wish to plan a long-term, honest and secure future for Southampton,” Lowe said.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/football_league/article3665879.ece

CAHILL TARGETS SUMMER COMEBACK
The Everton midfielder has promised he will be fully fit for pre-season training after breaking his foot. “I am experienced in this game,” Cahill said. “And I know exactly where I am with my foot injury.”
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/everton/article3666085.ece

MILAN RULE OUT MOURINHO
Massimo Moratti, the Inter Milan owner, has denied that Jose Mourinho is due to take over as the club's coach for the start of next season. “These are other people's ideas but they're not true,” he said.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/european_football/article3668064.ece

REAL TARGET ROMA PAIR
Real Madrid want to sign Daniele De Rossi and Alberto Aquilani from Roma, according to a Spanish newspaper. Pedja Mijatovic, the Real sports director, was in Rome last night to “hear from the mouths of the directors if they are open to an offer”.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/european_football/article3666582.ece

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2
Goals Chelsea have conceded in eight Champions League fixtures this season

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If you’ve got another couple of minutes

CAN LIVERPOOL FIND LASTING SUCCESS?
Martin Samuel argues in The Times today that Liverpool lie at a critical juncture. If Tom Hicks and George Gillett Jr resolve their differences and end the uncertainty surrounding the proposed sale of the club, he writes, Rafael Benitez will have the platform with which to build a team capable of challenging for the Premier League. Conversely, if the American cowboys, as Samuel calls them, fail to mend quickly their rift, the foundations of a hugely promising side could quickly fall apart. Denied the finances needed to strengthen his squad, Benitez, for one, is almost certain to reconsider his position. That, in turn, will unsettle the Spanish-speakers Fernando Torres and Javier Mascherano, both vital to the club’s future, while Steven Gerrard may finally succumb to the lure of joining a title contender. In other words, a disaster beckons.

What do you think? Is Samuel right? If so, are Liverpool about to boom or bust? Let us know via our new debate.
http://timesonline.typepad.com/thegame/2008/04/debate-are-live.html

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>>>>>THE TABLOID TALE<<<<<
Footie Matt’s Lambo crambo – Daily Star
What you need to know: 1) Matthew Upson splashed out £100,000 on a car he was too tall to fit into. 2) The 6ft 1in England defender was forced to sell the Lamborghini Gallardo at a huge loss after driving only 400 miles. 3) Upson said: “It was killing my back. My family seemed to think it was hilarious.” 4) A baffled Lamborghini spokesman said they have “a lot of customers over 6ft”. 5) That may be true, but AOTG is sticking with its (sufficiently lengthy) Austin Allegro.

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A quickie before you go, sir?

TURKISH FRIGHT
Nicolas Anelka has warned his club-mates about the intimidatory power of the Fenerbahce crowd. Mateja Kezman claims the Chelsea players are frightened by the prospect of playing at the Sukru Saracoglu stadium. Watch this compilation of clips showing the Turkish fans at their most impassioned and you should understand why.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8GmwRnPe7Q&feature=related

COMMENTATOR COMEDY
Tired of Sky Sport’s bombastic football coverage? Then take two minutes to watch David Mitchell’s brilliant spoof of their promos. 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAnR2YEsoVc&feature=related

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In TheGame

In Fanzine Fanzone, our Tottenham expert picks the bones out of the capitulation against Newcastle and concludes that Juande Ramos faces an almighty task to turn his side into Premier League heavyweights.
http://timesonline.typepad.com/fanzine_fanzone/2008/04/thieving-magpie.html
Our smugshot file grows by the day. Latest additions to a gallery of the great, the good and their plastic grins include shots of Terry Venable sharing a side-splitting joke, Peter Crouch and his missus outside Pizza Hut (romantic, huh?) and a lobster-red Barry Fry giving a thumbs-up in a Marbella bar.
http://timesonline.typepad.com/thegame/2008/03/football-smug-s.html
In the Podcast debate, Guillem Balague has set Liverpool fans mad with curiosity by revealing that Rafael Benitez has agreed the signing of a high-profile player. Balague cannot reveal his identity but has posted an intriguing clue.
http://timesonline.typepad.com/thegame/2008/03/the-rafa-report.html
Balague interviews Benitez in the Podcast. The Liverpool manager explains exactly how this part of the season is different from the rest, how he deals with challenges in training and why his players are feeling the strain. Plus, Matt Hughes and Gabriele Marcotti review England’s poor show in Paris.
http://timesonline.typepad.com/thegame/2008/03/the-rafa-report.html
Martin Samuel’s debate on whether the FA Cup has been devalued by the loss of the big clubs has attracted the customary flood of considered responses, but this exchange most impressed AOTG: “What a ridiculous debate,” writes Bill. “In cup competitions, if you win, you go forward. If you lose, you go out. Anyone struggling with the concept? Give me a ring and I'll draw you a picture.” To which James responds: “You seem to be struggling with the concept of the telephone, Bill. If I gave you a ring, how would you draw me a picture?”
http://timesonline.typepad.com/thegame/2008/03/this-is-a-freak.html
Bill Edgar has posted his daily trivia question: “In the late 1980s and early 1990s, one club recorded top-flight finishing positions of third, fourth and fifth yet had a combined goal difference in those seasons of a mere plus one. Name the club.” Our football brainiac has also posted the answer to yesterday’s teaser.
http://timesonline.typepad.com/thegame/2008/04/bill-edgars-wed.html

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>>>>>THE RIVALS<<<<<
Rafa cool but chaos reigns – Daily Mail
Anelka takes a lead – Daily Express
Wenger urges Arsenal to lay on spectacle – The Daily Telegraph
Fenerbahce’s Brazilian connection  threatens Chelsea – The Guardian
Rooman conquerors – The Sun
Rome and dry – Daily Mirror

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Joe Bloggs’ Soapbox

“When I was at school my English teacher taught me to get in to the habit of using different words that had the same meaning and it was then that the auld thesaurus came in handy. So I was glad to see that the AOTG team, when writing 'A quickie before you go, sir?' and the stat of the day [yesterday’s AOTG], had managed to use 'Taddei' and 'tad high'.”
Nice spot, Arfan Mohammed. But, um, they haven’t got the same meaning. Or perhaps there’s another subtlety AOTG has missed.

“The charm of being a Liverpool fan is this: when they walk out on the field you don't know if you will see the killers or the wilting violets. It's like being addicted to a never-ending soap opera. The top three, they go out, they win; so boring.”
K Johnson is a fan with a healthy outlook. He might need to remember that at 10pm this evening.

“Benitez looks like Ben Affleck from certain angles.”
From exactly which angle, Nicko? Under his shoe?

“I bow to no man in my admiration for Ferguson, but he's not the sharpest knife in the drawer and on occasion has been tactically naive. A more cerebral manager with Man Utd's resources would have been more successful in Europe.”
Thanks, Robert Allen. Now go tell that to his face.

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Tomorrow’s news today

- Ronaldo inspired by Nou Camp heroics of 1999
- Kanu relishing return to big stage

And expect…

The Kop to sing You'll Never Work Alone as a tribute to their American cowboys.