Last Season: Finished 2nd in the Premier League – 85ptsManager – Luiz Felipe ScolariOdds of Winning Title – 15-to-8 INS:AMF Deco – 16m USRB Jose Bosingwa – 33m US OUTS:CDF Tal Ben HaimDF Khalid BoulahrouzCMF Steve SidwellCB Harry WorleyST Hernan CrespoDMF Claude MakaleleCDF Slobodan RajkovicST Ben Sahar (loan)AMF Jimmy Smith (loan) Possibles:MF Robinho – Real MadridST Obafemi Martins – NewcastleMF Bastian Schweinsteiger – Bayern MunichMF Diego – Werder BremenMF Kaka – AC MilanST Mario Balotelli – Inter Milan What’s Left in the Kitty – 151m US What Lies Ahead:Aug 16 Portsmouth (H)Aug 23 Wigan (A)Aug 30 Tottenham (H)Sep 13 Manchester City (A)Sep 20 Manchester United (H)Sep 27 Stoke City (A)Oct 4 Aston Villa (H) Possible Starting XI:GK Petr CechRB Jose BosingwaCB Ricardo CarvalhoCB John TerryLB Ashley ColeRMF Joe Cole/John-Obi MikelCMF Michael EssienCMF Deco/Michael BallackLMF Frank Lampard/Michael BallackFW Didier Drogba/Andriy SchevchenkoFW Nicolas Anelka/Florent Malouda How They’ll Stack Up:Chelsea missed out on the title last season by two points – in large part because of that home draw versus Wigan on April 14th.  Now, many Blues fans hope Scolari is the difference maker this term.  Our own Bobby McMa... Read More

Two of the summer's most drawn out Transfer sagas appear to be nearing completion - God willing.Liverpool have been told to show their cards with Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill telling Reds th... Read More

Quarter FinalPortugal v GermanyPreview – Germany was my pre-tournament pick to win it all. Apart from a solid and sometimes impressive performance against Poland in their opening game this G... Read More

Group C Romania 1-1 Italy This was an amazing and enthralling match that hung in the balance right through to the final whistle. And in the end Italy and Romania remain in contention for a place in the last eight come the fina... Read More

Group ACzech RepublicThe Czech Republic has qualified for four European Championships in four attempts and has only lost two qualifying games along the way. How they qualifiedThey topped Group D beating out Germany by two points and finished a mammoth twel... Read More

Over the next ten days the blog will be dedicated to the 2008 European Championships. Part 1 covers some of the history of the tournament and an outline of the groups, game-days, offici... Read More

LosAngelesChelseaFan - I can see why seeding wouldn't work. For logistics reasons alone the draw has to be made before the replays are resolved. I can remember... Read More

The Portuguese Sports Daily Newspaper "Record" reporter this morning Luiz Felipe Scolari will be stepping down as Portugal boss after tomorrow's Third/Fourth place match against hosts Germany, while I sort of expected him to leave after what I've heard, read and seen from press conferences this week, I'm kinda gutted in the sense that if this is infact the truth that it broke before the match tomorrow, what does surprise is that "Record" is reporting that Felipao as the Brazilians know him and Scolari to the rest of us plan to take a break from his coaching career and not sign with any nat'l team or club during this calender year. I've been under the impression that as soon as Portugal return home from Germany, Brazil would o... Read More

Matthew Engel on Big Phil Scolari.    Kevin Buckley on Marcello Lippi.  David Owen on Charles Dempsey - the reas... Read More

An article produced by Der Speigel earlier in the tournament on changes to the German squad’s attitude under  Jurgen Klinsmann. Der Speigel issued a World Cup special magazine that I picked up a few weeks ago. This article ... Read More

Tony Cascarino tells us what England will have to do to beat Portugal. Sid Lowe on Spain’s exit.   Another article from the always enjoyable Sid Lowe. This on... Read More