Last Season – Finished 8th in the Premier League – 57ptsManager: Harry RedknappINS:ST Ben Sahar – LoanST Peter Crouch – 22m USST Omar Alieu Koroma – LoanOUTS:MF Sulley MuntariDF Joel WardGK Asmir Begovic – LoanPossibles:DF Younes Kaboul – TottenhamFW Jeremy Menez – MonacoDMF Marcelo Mattos – PanathinainkosST Eidur Gudjohnsen – BarcelonaST Steven Fletcher – HibernianLB Celestine Babayaro – FAST Djibril Cisse – MarseilleMF Nolberto Solano – FACB Steven Taylor – NewcastleRW Shaun Wright-PhillipsWhat’s Left in the Kitty – 10m USWhat Lies Ahead:Aug 16 Chelsea (A)Aug 23 Manchester Unted (H)Aug 30 Everton (A)Sep 13 Middlesbrough (H)Sep 20 Manchester City (A)Sep 27 Tottenham (H)Oct 4 Stoke City (H)Possible Starting XI:GK David JamesRB Glen JohnsonCB Sylvain DistinCB Sol CampbellLB Hermann HreidarssonRMF John UtakaCMF Papa Bouba Diop/Lassana DiarraCMF Sean DavisLMF Niko KranjcarFW Peter Crouch/David NugentFW Jermaine Defoe/KanuHow They’ll Stack Up:After winning the FA Cup last term (for the first time in 69-years), Portsmouth now get to show what they can do on the European stage in the UEFA Cup. Since Harry Redknapp returned, the side have continued to build and the little/large strike partner... Read More

GK Iker Casillas RB  Sergio Ramos CB Puyol CB Rio Ferdinand LB Philip Lahm RW Ronaldo CM Gerrard CM Fabregas LM Robben ST Torres ST Huntelaar Subs: David James, Zambrotta, Sneijder, Adebayor, Quaresma, Kaka, Del Piero Read More

Best goalRussia’s second goal against Sweden scored by Arshavin created by Zhirkov. Best free kick goal (possibly the only free kick goal)Michael Ballack’s rocket against Austria. Pla... Read More

Andrei Arshavin was supposed to make the difference.  Spain had shellacked Russia in each team's first match 4-1.  But that game was without... Read More

A very strange thing happened this week.For those of you who don't know me, I'm The Gaffer of EPL Talk - a Premier League blog and, for the ... Read More

Dear Big Clubs: Before you break the bank to sign Andrei Arshavin you might wish to take a moment to remember Karel Poborsky.Back in 1996, when England hosted the European Championship to that tuneful theme about "footba... Read More

Van Basten made some horrible decisions today against Russia. It is beyond me why he removed Dirk Kuyt from the game so early for Robin van Persie. It is beyond ... Read More

     The balance of European power is swaying in a sea of change. The lucky Turks and the awakening of the Russian bear loom upon the traditional European power... Read More

The soccer world has a new superstar, and his name is Andrei Arshavin. For the second time in two days, a scrappy underdog has beaten a favorite, making Euro 2008 one ... Read More

Group D Russia 2-0 Sweden Sweden could not keep up with a slick passing and speedy Russian side. Russia was fully committed to attack right from the opening whistle and they peppered the Swedish ... 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

I have always wonderd why football is not an Olympic event I mean if you think about it every country has athletes that could compete. Could you imagine some of the teams. Japan would always have a great offensive line  ... Read More

Several times over the course of this season talk has been raised over the possibility of a new Russian league challenging the NHL, or at the very least reducing the gap in talent between Russia and the NHL, by being able to bid competitively to retain their best young players. For years now Russian hockey has experienced a drain of their best young players to the NHL, who re... Read More

Reports of Mourinho's departure from Stamford Bridge are now extensive with the debate now centering on whether he resigned or was fired. Here are the latest articles from a couple British newspapers with their take on the shock developm... Read More

It looks as if the Heskey and Owen partnership has reached the iconic stage. The statistic of 14 goals in 14 starts or 12 starts together (and that was before Russia and Israel... Read More

 James Lawton who collaborated with Sir Bobby Charlton on his just-published autobiography. Paul Doyle on France boss Raymond Domenech. Steven Powell on EPL start times on Oct... Read More

Gunner44 - Since Owen seems to be set to leave Newcastle where do you see him going since the top 4 all seem to not be interested? And how much is he worth? Bobby – I’m not convinced that Owen will leave mainly because I can’t come up with a reason why the big four would be interested in him now when they weren’t before he moved from Real Madrid to Newcastle and before his injury. I think big Sam will fight tooth and nail to hold on to him if there is a chance of him leaving. If... Read More

The latest Euro 2008 betting odds. Recently retired FIFA Vice President David Will gives his view on the world governing body. I r... Read More

henry14 - When l was looking in the group that England is in l have come to terms that Israel can spoil the party and England might be seen scrambling for dear life and now that they are allowed to play in Tel-Aviv, l see them going all the way. They have not lost in 13 internationals and last year they pushed France to the nail. If Croatia ca... Read More

Opposite Hemispheres.  Opposite Atmospheres. There’s a full weekend of Davis Cup already in play, most importantl... Read More