Another Robin Van Persie Injury Scare Leaves Arsene Wenger with Anxious Wait

Filed under: Arsenal, Euro 2012, Champions League, Premier League, Football

How Arsene Wenger must be looking forward to the day Robin van Persie announces his retirement from international football ...

Once again the forward returned from duty with the Netherlands with an injury, having been hurt helping his nation to a 5-3 win over Hungary in the Amsterdam ArenA.

Having opened the scoring, the 27-year-old had to be substituted at half-time after being kicked on the knee in a late challenge by Vilmos Vanczak.

The Dutch camp was quick to make it clear they thought it was not serious and that he was still expected to turn out for the Gunners at home to Blackburn on Saturday evening.

"It didn't look very serious but it was too painful for him to carry on as he was hit by a knee just above his own knee," coach Bert Van Marwijk said. "But with luck he can play with Arsenal again this weekend."

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However, Gunners fans have heard similar statements before only to realise soon afterwards that the player would not be wearing red and white for a while. Indeed, he missed the bulk of both the 2007-08 and 2009-10 seasons after being injured on international duty.

Arsenal's Premier League challenge enters a critical phase in the next few weeks with games with Liverpool, Tottenham and Manchester United on the horizon and they will be desperate to have the Dutchman available for all of them.

At least he has been able to make a quicker than anticipated return from a knee injury once before this term, appearing at the Nou Camp in the Champions League just hours after Wenger had confirmed his absence. Although of course that game with Barcelona hardly had a happy ending as van Persie was sent off for kicking the ball after the whistle had gone and a 2-1 aggregate lead quickly turned into a defeat.

Van Persie appears to be the only casualty from Arsenal's lengthy list of regular internationals, although plenty of tired legs are now doubt reporting back to the training ground at London Colney.

Jack Wilshere played twice for England, as did Samir Nasri for France and Gael Clichy, Bacary Sagna, Andrei Arshavin, Tomas Rosicky, Nicklas Bendtner and Aaron Ramsey all turned out for their respective nations.

Meanwhile, Arsenal have also solved the mystery of the banana that suddenly arrived on the Emirates Stadium pitch during Brazil's 2-0 friendly win over Scotland.

Brazil striker Neymar claimed it was a racist attack - which the Tartan Army strongly denied, especially as it had come from a section of the stadium packed with samba supporters.

An Arsenal spokesman confirmed the Scots did indeed deserve to get off scot free. "After consultation with the Metropolitan Police, Arsenal Football Club can confirm that a German teenage tourist has admitted throwing a banana onto the pitch," he said.

 

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Source: http://www.fanhouse.co.uk/2011/03/30/another-robin-van-persie-injury-scare-leaves-arsene-wenger-with/

Alessandro Nesta Alex Alexandre Pato Andrea Pirlo Andres Iniesta

Brandon Vera Says UFC Return 'Has Changed My Whole Outlook on Life'

Filed under: UFC, FanHouse Exclusive, Videos

After his visit with the students at The Eagle Academy for Young Men in the Bronx, N.Y., MMA Fighting spoke to Brandon Vera about his return to the UFC.

Vera, who was released by the organization after his January loss to Thiago Silva but then re-hired after Silva was temporarily suspended by the Nevada State Athletic Commission, talked about what it was like to get a second chance fighting for the biggest MMA organization in the world.

Source: http://www.mmafighting.com/2011/03/30/brandon-vera-says-ufc-return-has-changed-my-whole-outlook-on-li/

David Villa Deco Dejan Stankovic Didier Drogba Diego

A Few Changes That Could Help the FA Cup Regain Its Prominence

Filed under: FA Cup, Football

It was bad enough that year, 11 seasons ago, when Manchester United were allowed to pull out to play in the World Club Championship but this may well be the worst year ever for the poor old FA Cup.

Not even a semi-final at Wembley between Manchester United and Manchester City is enough to get the juices flowing. An argument has developed about playing the game in London, along with the other tie between two other Northern teams in Stoke City and Bolton Wanderers.

This on top of the lack of status that the final will have this year on May 14, with Premier League games being played before it that Saturday.

Now we learn that the current sponsors E.ON are withdrawing, leaving the FA desperately trying to find new backers for next season. The early indications are that nobody wants to be associated with a lame duck, certainly not at £10 million a season in the current climate.

It seems the Cup is expiring before our eyes. The competition that used to give impetus to the second half of the season with the third round on the first weekend of January is now so diluted and overshadowed that it is in danger of having less appeal even than the Carling Cup. Even mid-table Championship clubs with half a chance of the play-offs send out weakened teams.

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All sorts of remedies are being mooted, mostly desperate. They include the scrapping of replays, changing kick-off times (as if there isn't enough of that already) and even seeding, the worst idea of the lot. It would remove the very ethos of fate's fickle finger, one of the chief ingredients of what was once one of the greatest knock-out tournaments in the world.

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What can be done, then? There might actually be a lesson to learn from the Carling Cup. Once resembling a dodo, it actually made a virtue of what looked to be its weakness - that the big clubs starting using it as vehicle for younger players.

Now the enjoyment can be in seeing the stars of the future. Allied to cheaper ticket prices, it makes an attractive spectacle for families who might not otherwise be able to afford to go to a big stadium or game.

Then there is the final date. The Carling Cup has its niche at the end of February and becomes the first trophy of the season. That has made it attractive to more clubs who have worked out that it eases pressure to deliver other silverware. Jose Mourinho cannily showed that when at Chelsea as he sought to instill a winning mentality at the club.

This year's FA Cup third round was a gloomy experience of low attendances, due to an expensive surfeit this season of Christmas and New Year football.

The best remedy all round would be for the two-week winter break that so many big clubs, and the national team managers, clamour for at the start of January. That way, when the second half of the season then kicks off with the third round, there is new impetus for clubs and fans who have had time to recover financially from forking out for so much Christmas football.

We should then forget about all the gimmicky ideas and simply encourage clubs to agree on cheaper ticket prices - at the moment the away clubs can veto discounts - and compress the competition.

Currently we have a month between quarter and semi-finals, then another month until the final. If we played the final in April, it would remove it from the crowded end-of-season schedule.

And with that, quite apart from it being more attractive to sponsors who would see the Cup given more prominence again, it would return event status to the game both for clubs and fans beyond those of just the two teams involved.

 

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Source: http://www.fanhouse.co.uk/2011/03/31/fa-cup-changes-wembley-football/

Shunsuke Nakamura Simao Sabrosa Stanislas Wawrinka Steve Stricker Steven Gerrard

The Truth About Fighting Your Friends

Filed under: UFC

If UFC president Dana White has said it once, he's said it a thousand times: MMA is not a team sport.

It's a sport that's all about individual success and failure. It's about two men locked in a violent struggle for money and status, and there's not enough of either to go around.

This, of course, is the inexorable logic of the fight promoter, who stands to profit handsomely if he can convince friends, teammates, and training partners to forego all other loyalties and duke it out in the cage. But then, the promoter doesn't have to actually get in there and knock his best friend unconscious.

As UFC heavyweight Brendan Schaub put it, "This isn't basketball. It's not like Magic [Johnson] and [Larry] Bird playing each other and being all buddy-buddy. Somebody's getting fu**ed up."

Source: http://www.mmafighting.com/2011/03/31/the-truth-about-fighting-your-friends/

Pavel Nedved Petr Cech Phil Mickelson Philipp Lahm Rafael Nadal

Eddie Bravo 'Blown Away' by Chan Sung Jung's Twister Submission

With the possible exception of Chan Sung Jung himself, perhaps no one was more excited to see "The Korean Zombie" use the twister to submit Leonard Garcia at UFC Fight Night 24 than Eddie Bravo - the grappler who's credited with bringing the move to prominence in MMA and jiu-jitsu competitions.

"I was blown away," Bravo told MMA Fighting. "It was surreal."

Bravo has been teaching the twister - along with other mainstays of his style, such as the rubber guard - out of his 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu school in southern California for years. But Jung's use of the move marked the first time a UFC fight was ever finished with the twister. Considering where Bravo first learned it, he said, the fact that it took this long to be used in MMA's largest organization might be the most surprising part of the story.

Source: http://www.mmafighting.com/2011/03/29/eddie-bravo-blown-away-by-chan-sung-jungs-twister-submission/

Juan Carlos Ferrero Juan Monaco Juan Roman Riquelme Juninho Pernambucano Jurgen Melzer

A Few Changes That Could Help the FA Cup Regain Its Prominence

Filed under: FA Cup, Football

It was bad enough that year, 11 seasons ago, when Manchester United were allowed to pull out to play in the World Club Championship but this may well be the worst year ever for the poor old FA Cup.

Not even a semi-final at Wembley between Manchester United and Manchester City is enough to get the juices flowing. An argument has developed about playing the game in London, along with the other tie between two other Northern teams in Stoke City and Bolton Wanderers.

This on top of the lack of status that the final will have this year on May 14, with Premier League games being played before it that Saturday.

Now we learn that the current sponsors E.ON are withdrawing, leaving the FA desperately trying to find new backers for next season. The early indications are that nobody wants to be associated with a lame duck, certainly not at £10 million a season in the current climate.

It seems the Cup is expiring before our eyes. The competition that used to give impetus to the second half of the season with the third round on the first weekend of January is now so diluted and overshadowed that it is in danger of having less appeal even than the Carling Cup. Even mid-table Championship clubs with half a chance of the play-offs send out weakened teams.

---

FanHouse UK Picture Galleries: WAGS: Do They Still Matter? | CHEEKY: Things Sport Fans Write
AGELESS: When They Were Young | WTA: Players To Watch | KITS: Best Of The Lot | KITS: And The Worst

---

All sorts of remedies are being mooted, mostly desperate. They include the scrapping of replays, changing kick-off times (as if there isn't enough of that already) and even seeding, the worst idea of the lot. It would remove the very ethos of fate's fickle finger, one of the chief ingredients of what was once one of the greatest knock-out tournaments in the world.

Tweeter Facebook FourSquare iPhone

What can be done, then? There might actually be a lesson to learn from the Carling Cup. Once resembling a dodo, it actually made a virtue of what looked to be its weakness - that the big clubs starting using it as vehicle for younger players.

Now the enjoyment can be in seeing the stars of the future. Allied to cheaper ticket prices, it makes an attractive spectacle for families who might not otherwise be able to afford to go to a big stadium or game.

Then there is the final date. The Carling Cup has its niche at the end of February and becomes the first trophy of the season. That has made it attractive to more clubs who have worked out that it eases pressure to deliver other silverware. Jose Mourinho cannily showed that when at Chelsea as he sought to instill a winning mentality at the club.

This year's FA Cup third round was a gloomy experience of low attendances, due to an expensive surfeit this season of Christmas and New Year football.

The best remedy all round would be for the two-week winter break that so many big clubs, and the national team managers, clamour for at the start of January. That way, when the second half of the season then kicks off with the third round, there is new impetus for clubs and fans who have had time to recover financially from forking out for so much Christmas football.

We should then forget about all the gimmicky ideas and simply encourage clubs to agree on cheaper ticket prices - at the moment the away clubs can veto discounts - and compress the competition.

Currently we have a month between quarter and semi-finals, then another month until the final. If we played the final in April, it would remove it from the crowded end-of-season schedule.

And with that, quite apart from it being more attractive to sponsors who would see the Cup given more prominence again, it would return event status to the game both for clubs and fans beyond those of just the two teams involved.

 

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Source: http://www.fanhouse.co.uk/2011/03/31/fa-cup-changes-wembley-football/

Florent Malouda Francesco Totti Frank Lampard Frank Ribery Frederic Kanoute

Ricardo Almeida Retires From MMA Competition

Filed under: UFC, News

Ricardo Almeida has announced his retirement from MMA competition, citing the difficulties of finding a balance between his UFC career, his role as a father and his jiu-jitsu academy.

Almeida, who first retired in 2004, returned to active competition in 2008 after inking a six-fight deal with the UFC. Soon after the signing, Almeida's son was diagnosed with autism, one of the specific reasons why Almeida has struggled to devote a sufficient amount of time towards fighting.

"MMA is a great sport but also physically and mentally unforgiving. It is a dangerous task to step in the octagon, especially if your focus is not at 100 percent," Almeida said. "After much deliberation since my fight at UFC 128 I have decided to step away from the sport as a fighter."

Source: http://www.mmafighting.com/2011/03/31/ricardo-almeida-retires-from-mma-competition/

Philipp Lahm Rafael Nadal Rafael van der Vaart Retief Goosen Ricardo Carvalho

UFC Veterans Phil Baroni & Frank Trigg Added to BAMMA 6 Card

Filed under: Fighting, FanHouse Exclusive

The quickly growing UK-based BAMMA fight organization has already announced its next card will take place on May 21, and with a growing emphasis on recruiting international talent, a pair of American UFC veterans are expected to fight in the next event, MMA Fighting has learned.

Phil Baroni and Frank Trigg have both verbally agreed to separate matches at the upcoming BAMMA 6 card in London, sources with knowledge of the situation have confirmed to MMA Fighting.

Source: http://www.mmafighting.com/2011/03/30/ufc-veterans-phil-baroni-and-frank-trigg-added-to-bamma-6-card/

Gary Neville Gennaro Gattuso Geoff Ogilvy Gianluca Zambrotta Gianluigi Buffon

Miami Round-Up: Kim Clijsters Blown Away as Mardy Fish Becomes US No. 1

Filed under: Tennis

Second seed and defending champion Kim Clijsters crashed out of the Sony Ericsson Open at the quarter-final stage - as Novak Djokovic's whirlwind start to 2011 continued in Miami.

The exertions of her previous game against Ana Ivanovic, against whom she saved five match points, appeared to take its toll on Clijsters, as she slumped to a 6-3 6-3 defeat to eighth seed Victoria Azarenka.

Azarenka will now meet Vera Zvonareva in the last four following the Russian's 7-5 6-3 triumph over Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland.

In the men's draw, Djokovic improved his record this year to 22-0 courtesy of a 6-4 6-2 win over Kevin Anderson - gaining revenge for his defeat to the South African in the same tournament three years ago.

The Serb, who will face Mardy Fish of America in the semi-finals, had to save five break points in a match which was closer than the scoreline suggested.

Fish ended sixth seed David Ferrer's involvement in Miami with a 7-5 6-2 win over the Spaniard which will ensure he leapfrogs Andy Roddick to become the highest-ranked American.

Rafael Nadal will face Tomas Berdych and Roger Federer meets Gilles Simon in the other two quarter-finals on Thursday.

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Source: http://www.fanhouse.co.uk/2011/03/31/miami-round-up-kim-clijsters-blown-away-as-mardy-fish-becomes-u/

Heath Slocum Hernan Crespo Hunter Mahan Iker Casillas Ivan Ljubicic

Jens Lehmann Proves He Is Well Short of Stepping into Arsenal's First Team

Filed under: Arsenal, Premier League, Football

It looked like Jens Lehmann. It even sounded like him as the German barked orders at the young defenders in front of him.

But the Lehmann who made his first Arsenal appearance for almost three years on Tuesday was clearly not the same Lehmann who had played a key role in the club's title success of 2003-04.

Lehmann was also on duty when the Gunners won the FA Cup in 2005.

Arsene Wenger has failed to secure any silverware since the German starred in that penalty shootout victory over Manchester United at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium.

But if Wenger was counting on the sentimental return of Lehmann to solve his well-documented goalkeeping crisis, which threatens to derail his team's title ambitions, then the Arsenal manager is sadly mistaken.

Back in May 2008 more than 60,000 turned up at the Emirates to witness a 1-0 victory over Everton, a match which marked the end of Lehmann's five-year career in north London.

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Now 41, Lehmann cut a sorry sight as Arsenal reserves lost 2-1 in front of around 200 fans at Wigan.

Lehmann has been coaxed out of retirement to act as emergency cover for Manuel Almunia as Lukasz Fabianski and Wojciech Szczesny are injured.

But the skills which allowed Lehmann to build a highly successful career spanning more than 60 caps for Germany, as well as stints with Schalke, AC Milan, Borussia Dortmund and, after Arsenal, Stuttgart, appear to have deserted him, if his error-strewn performance against Wigan is anything to go by.

Lehmann might have retained his lean looks.

But his 90 minute performance against a Wigan side largely made up of teenagers did little to inspire confidence that, should Almunia get injured, Arsenal are in safe hands.

Almunia's comical error in the recent 2-2 draw with West Brom had led to suggestions that Lehmann might even start against Blackburn when Arsenal resume their title charge this weekend.

But that now seems highly unlikely after the veteran showed he is still prone to a gaffe.

Lehmann's first error was to allow a harmless back-pass to bobble over his foot before teenage striker Callum McManaman rounded him to fire the hosts into a 53rd minute lead.

 

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Source: http://www.fanhouse.co.uk/2011/03/30/jens-lehmann-proves-he-is-well-short-of-stepping-into-arsenals/

Arjen Robben Ashley Cole Ben Crane Bill Haas Bo Van Pelt

Another Robin Van Persie Injury Scare Leaves Arsene Wenger with Anxious Wait

Filed under: Arsenal, Euro 2012, Champions League, Premier League, Football

How Arsene Wenger must be looking forward to the day Robin van Persie announces his retirement from international football ...

Once again the forward returned from duty with the Netherlands with an injury, having been hurt helping his nation to a 5-3 win over Hungary in the Amsterdam ArenA.

Having opened the scoring, the 27-year-old had to be substituted at half-time after being kicked on the knee in a late challenge by Vilmos Vanczak.

The Dutch camp was quick to make it clear they thought it was not serious and that he was still expected to turn out for the Gunners at home to Blackburn on Saturday evening.

"It didn't look very serious but it was too painful for him to carry on as he was hit by a knee just above his own knee," coach Bert Van Marwijk said. "But with luck he can play with Arsenal again this weekend."

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However, Gunners fans have heard similar statements before only to realise soon afterwards that the player would not be wearing red and white for a while. Indeed, he missed the bulk of both the 2007-08 and 2009-10 seasons after being injured on international duty.

Arsenal's Premier League challenge enters a critical phase in the next few weeks with games with Liverpool, Tottenham and Manchester United on the horizon and they will be desperate to have the Dutchman available for all of them.

At least he has been able to make a quicker than anticipated return from a knee injury once before this term, appearing at the Nou Camp in the Champions League just hours after Wenger had confirmed his absence. Although of course that game with Barcelona hardly had a happy ending as van Persie was sent off for kicking the ball after the whistle had gone and a 2-1 aggregate lead quickly turned into a defeat.

Van Persie appears to be the only casualty from Arsenal's lengthy list of regular internationals, although plenty of tired legs are now doubt reporting back to the training ground at London Colney.

Jack Wilshere played twice for England, as did Samir Nasri for France and Gael Clichy, Bacary Sagna, Andrei Arshavin, Tomas Rosicky, Nicklas Bendtner and Aaron Ramsey all turned out for their respective nations.

Meanwhile, Arsenal have also solved the mystery of the banana that suddenly arrived on the Emirates Stadium pitch during Brazil's 2-0 friendly win over Scotland.

Brazil striker Neymar claimed it was a racist attack - which the Tartan Army strongly denied, especially as it had come from a section of the stadium packed with samba supporters.

An Arsenal spokesman confirmed the Scots did indeed deserve to get off scot free. "After consultation with the Metropolitan Police, Arsenal Football Club can confirm that a German teenage tourist has admitted throwing a banana onto the pitch," he said.

 

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Source: http://www.fanhouse.co.uk/2011/03/30/another-robin-van-persie-injury-scare-leaves-arsene-wenger-with/

Kolo Touré Lionel Messi Luca Toni Lucio Luke Donald

England's Move to Dunedin Provides Headache for Fans and Organisers

Filed under: Rugby Union, Rugby World Cup, England Rugby, Scotland Rugby

England may be forgiven for thinking they have moved to a Southern Hemisphere corner of Scotland when they set up camp for the 2011 World Cup.

Martin Johnson's men have had their first two pool games, against Argentina and Georgia, moved from the earthquake-ravaged city of Christchurch to Dunedin, almost 200 miles and five hours' drive south.

They were originally due to make a brief stop to play Romania in the city, but now they will spend up to four weeks in the Otago provincial centre.

Dunedin is famous in New Zealand for two things: students and indie music. But it is also well-known for its strong ties to Scotland - the name itself is derived from the Gaelic version of Edinburgh and half of the suburbs are named after Scottish place names or people.

The move south was inevitable, given the damage in Christchurch. But it will provide some logistical challenges for organisers - and it has nothing to do with the fact that the stadium is yet to be finished.

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England's travelling fanbase is set to be one of the largest. Before the earthquake struck Christchurch on February 22 there had already been talk of the city being "full".

Many fans had already opted to stay on cruise liners moored at nearby Lyttleton harbour for the duration of England's stay in the South Island, such was the scarcity of accommodation pre-quake.

But the population of Dunedin is just over a third of that of Christchurch. And it is not as much of a tourist hub and therefore has nowhere near the amount of hotel space as the Canterbury town.

England's arrival has meant Scotland have also been moved, out of the city. The Scots were originally due to play Georgia on September 14, four days before England were to play the same opponents.

That game has been moved even further south to Invercargill - a town which can feel every bit like the last step-off point from civilisation before Antarctica - for "operational reasons", according to organisers. Meanwhile Scotland's game against Argentina will take place in Wellington.

Rugby World Cup Limited chairman Bernard Lapasset said: "We appreciate the patience shown by the teams and fans during this difficult period and are enormously grateful for the support and co-operation of all our partners during what has been a complex process."

Lapasset and 2011 chief executive Martin Sneddon had little choice but to move the games, especially after pledging to Kiwi fans that the World Cup would be held entirely in New Zealand. Australia was briefly mooted as an alternative venue, after the Christchurch quake but that notion was swiftly rebuffed by Sneddon.

And now rugby fans from both New Zealand and England will be hoping the process does not become even more complicated once the thousands begin descending on the Edinburgh of the south.

As for the Forsyth Barr stadium in Dunedin - apparently that is on track and due for its first game in late July.

 

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Source: http://www.fanhouse.co.uk/2011/03/30/englands-move-to-dunedin-provides-headache-for-fans-and-organis/

Rickie Fowler Rio Ferdinand Robert Allenby Roberto Ayala Robin Soderling

The Anatomy of the Zuffa-Strikeforce Deal

Filed under: UFC, Strikeforce, FanHouse Exclusive, Sports Business and Media

In the end, the impetus to the surprising Zuffa-Strikeforce deal was not the UFC's goal of world domination, or the expensive contract of Fedor Emelianenko. Instead, it was a ball and a hoop.

In May 2008, San Jose, California-based Silicon Valley Sports & Entertainment (SVSE) acquired a 50 percent stake in Strikeforce and became its major financial engine. The relationship helped spur the expansion of the upstart MMA promotion, but it ultimately came with an unforeseen cost. SVSE had long desired to bring an NBA franchise to San Jose, and as that goal started to become more attainable, SVSE found itself faced with a decision: Look over the continued growth of Strikeforce, or focus on its core arena sports businesses with an eye on professional basketball.

With that, Strikeforce was the odd man out.

Source: http://www.mmafighting.com/2011/03/30/the-anatomy-of-the-zuffa-strikeforce-deal/

Hunter Mahan Iker Casillas Ivan Ljubicic Jamie Carragher Jason Day

Ontario's First Sanctioned MMA Event Set for Saturday

Filed under: UFC, News

UFC 129 might be the most talked about event in the yet to be written history of MMA in Ontario, but it won't be the first.

On Saturday, April 2, at Casino Rama in Orillia, Ontario, Knockout Entertainment Canada's MMA: The Reckoning will mark the first-ever MMA show sanctioned by the Ontario Athletics Commission.

The eight-fight card will feature some familiar names to MMA fans: Chris Horodecki, Josh Burkman and Dean Amasinger will all be competing in separate bouts.

Source: http://www.mmafighting.com/2011/03/30/ontarios-first-sanctioned-mma-event-set-for-saturday/

Andrea Pirlo Andres Iniesta Andriy Shevchenko Andy Murray Andy Roddick

Paul Daley Talks About Working With Zuffa, Dana White After UFC Ban

Filed under: Strikeforce, FanHouse Exclusive

The recent blockbuster Zuffa-Strikeforce deal immediately brought with it some strange bedfellows. Not surprisingly, most of the pairings included UFC president Dana White, who had ripped fighters, TV executives and others in the press, cut others, and sworn off a few completely.

Among those who found themselves in strange situations was welterweight star Paul Daley, who had less than one year earlier been fired and banned for life from the UFC by White for a UFC 113 after-the-bell punch against Josh Koscheck. With the Zuffa-Strikeforce ownership change, Daley and White were suddenly in the fight business together again. Or were they?

When he heard the news of Strikeforce's purchase, Daley publicly debated the possibility of backing out of his scheduled welterweight title fight with Nick Diaz. But the British bomber eventually decided to follow through on his promise to fight, and the two stars will meet on April 9 in San Diego in Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Daley. But despite the eyes of his old boss on him, Daley told MMA Fighting that he harbors no desire to redeem himself before the Zuffa brass.

Source: http://www.mmafighting.com/2011/03/29/paul-daley-talks-about-returning-to-fight-under-zuffa-working-w/

Jamie Carragher Jason Day Javier Mascherano Javier Zanetti Jeff Overton

Brock Lesnar Discusses Undertaker Confrontation, Coaching TUF 13

Filed under: MMA Videos, UFC, FanHouse Exclusive, Videos

NEW YORK -- MMA Fighting spoke to Brock Lesnar on Monday about his infamous post-UFC 121 confrontation with The Undertaker, whether it was real, what went wrong against Cain Velasquez, why he decided to be a coach on The Ultimate Fighter opposite Junior dos Santos, fighting JDS at UFC 131 and whether he will make an appearance at WrestleMania this Sunday.

Source: http://www.mmafighting.com/2011/03/28/brock-lesnar-discusses-undertaker-confrontation-coaching-tuf-13/

Andriy Shevchenko Andy Murray Andy Roddick Anthony Kim Arjen Robben

Jens Lehmann Proves He Is Well Short of Stepping into Arsenal's First Team

Filed under: Arsenal, Premier League, Football

It looked like Jens Lehmann. It even sounded like him as the German barked orders at the young defenders in front of him.

But the Lehmann who made his first Arsenal appearance for almost three years on Tuesday was clearly not the same Lehmann who had played a key role in the club's title success of 2003-04.

Lehmann was also on duty when the Gunners won the FA Cup in 2005.

Arsene Wenger has failed to secure any silverware since the German starred in that penalty shootout victory over Manchester United at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium.

But if Wenger was counting on the sentimental return of Lehmann to solve his well-documented goalkeeping crisis, which threatens to derail his team's title ambitions, then the Arsenal manager is sadly mistaken.

Back in May 2008 more than 60,000 turned up at the Emirates to witness a 1-0 victory over Everton, a match which marked the end of Lehmann's five-year career in north London.

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Now 41, Lehmann cut a sorry sight as Arsenal reserves lost 2-1 in front of around 200 fans at Wigan.

Lehmann has been coaxed out of retirement to act as emergency cover for Manuel Almunia as Lukasz Fabianski and Wojciech Szczesny are injured.

But the skills which allowed Lehmann to build a highly successful career spanning more than 60 caps for Germany, as well as stints with Schalke, AC Milan, Borussia Dortmund and, after Arsenal, Stuttgart, appear to have deserted him, if his error-strewn performance against Wigan is anything to go by.

Lehmann might have retained his lean looks.

But his 90 minute performance against a Wigan side largely made up of teenagers did little to inspire confidence that, should Almunia get injured, Arsenal are in safe hands.

Almunia's comical error in the recent 2-2 draw with West Brom had led to suggestions that Lehmann might even start against Blackburn when Arsenal resume their title charge this weekend.

But that now seems highly unlikely after the veteran showed he is still prone to a gaffe.

Lehmann's first error was to allow a harmless back-pass to bobble over his foot before teenage striker Callum McManaman rounded him to fire the hosts into a 53rd minute lead.

 

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Source: http://www.fanhouse.co.uk/2011/03/30/jens-lehmann-proves-he-is-well-short-of-stepping-into-arsenals/

Ashley Cole Ben Crane Bill Haas Bo Van Pelt Bubba Watson

Craig Gardner is Fired Up for Matches That Will Decide Birmingham's Fate

Filed under: Birmingham, Premier League, Football

In the immediate aftermath of Birmingham's FA Cup quarter-final defeat to Bolton, manager Alex McLeish remarked that, if he had to choose between winning that tie or the sides' forthcoming Premier League game, it would be the latter.

Three weeks on, following a last-gasp defeat to Wigan, the one team below them in the Premier League table, the need for that victory for McLeish's relegation-threatened team has intensified.

The bottom line is that 19th-placed Blues, a point adrift of the safety mark with a game in hand, have not won a match since lifting the Carling Cup at the expense of Arsenal a month ago.

Incredibly, Saturday's visit of Bolton will be their 19th game in 2011 - level with Manchester United - and although talismanic midfielder Barry Ferguson has this week claimed it cannot be used as an excuse for relegation, it would most certainly be a reason.

While their starting XI is relatively strong, the lack of strength in depth at McLeish's disposal has been apparent in recent weeks as injury niggles have began to stack up among his jaded players.

Having looked dead on their feet since winning at Wembley, no team will have greeted the arrival of the international break more than the St Andrew's club.

Key first-team players like Stephen Carr, Roger Johnson, Barry Ferguson, Martin Jiranek, David Bentley, Liam Ridgewell and Craig Gardner have all benefited from the opportunity to put their feet up for a fortnight having been nagged by injury problems of late.

 

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Source: http://www.fanhouse.co.uk/2011/03/30/craig-gardner-is-fired-up-for-matches-that-will-decide-birmingha/

Phil Mickelson Philipp Lahm Rafael Nadal Rafael van der Vaart Retief Goosen

HDNet Offers an Honest Assessment of Bobby Lashley

Filed under: MMA Media Watch, HDNet

The worst thing a TV announcer can do is lie to the audience. That's true in any sport, but mixed martial arts has a particularly egregious history of announcers hyping up fighters at the expense of the truth: When a promoter wants to make one fighter or another into its next star, there are far too many announcers willing to overstate the fighter's abilities and mislead the viewers into thinking they're watching a better fighter than they are.

So it was refreshing on Friday night to hear the HDNet announcing team of Michael Schiavello and Frank Trigg tell the audience the truth about Bobby Lashley, who was fighting in the main event of a Titan Fighting card: Although the easy thing to do would have been to hype up Lashley as Titan Fighting's biggest star, Schiavello and Trigg instead offered a frank assessment of Lashley and told the audience the truth about who he is: A big, muscular former wrestler whose physique looks impressive but whose MMA skills are limited and whose cardiovascular conditioning is atrocious.

Source: http://www.mmafighting.com/2011/03/28/hdnet-offers-an-honest-assessment-of-bobby-lashley/

Phil Mickelson Philipp Lahm Rafael Nadal Rafael van der Vaart Retief Goosen

Chael Sonnen's Court Sentencing Postponed, Further Delaying UFC Return

Filed under: UFC, FanHouse Exclusive, News

Chael Sonnen's MMA comeback will have to wait a little while longer.

Sonnen's sentencing hearing stemming from a federal money laundering guilty plea has been postponed, a U.S. Attorney's Office spokesperson confirmed to MMA Fighting.

The hearing, originally scheduled for Monday, has been pushed to April 8 at 11:30 am Pacific time.

Source: http://www.mmafighting.com/2011/03/28/chael-sonnens-sentencing-pushed-back-further-delaying-ufc-retu/

Stanislas Wawrinka Steve Stricker Steven Gerrard Thierry Henry Thomaz Bellucci

Eddie Bravo 'Blown Away' by Chan Sung Jung's Twister Submission

With the possible exception of Chan Sung Jung himself, perhaps no one was more excited to see "The Korean Zombie" use the twister to submit Leonard Garcia at UFC Fight Night 24 than Eddie Bravo - the grappler who's credited with bringing the move to prominence in MMA and jiu-jitsu competitions.

"I was blown away," Bravo told MMA Fighting. "It was surreal."

Bravo has been teaching the twister - along with other mainstays of his style, such as the rubber guard - out of his 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu school in southern California for years. But Jung's use of the move marked the first time a UFC fight was ever finished with the twister. Considering where Bravo first learned it, he said, the fact that it took this long to be used in MMA's largest organization might be the most surprising part of the story.

Source: http://www.mmafighting.com/2011/03/29/eddie-bravo-blown-away-by-chan-sung-jungs-twister-submission/

Sam Querrey Samir Nasri Samuel Eto’o Sergio Agüero Sergio Ramos

Northern Ireland 0 Slovenia 0: Dull Stalemate Damages Euro Prospects

Filed under: Euro 2012, Football, Match Reports

Nigel Worthington's Northern Ireland paid the price for lacking adventure as their Euro 2012 ambitions suffered a further setback in a drab stalemate in Belfast.

Needing to defeat Slovenia to give themselves a realistic chance of clinching runners-up spot in Group C, Ireland rarely looked up to the task.

Sammy Clingan went close from a free kick while Gareth McAuley, who was a rare positive on another disappointing night, had a second half effort cleared off the line.

Yet that is as good as it got for Northern Ireland, who have now won just two of their last 18 games.

Having lost away to Serbia four days earlier, Worthington's team needed to win. But a scrappy and largely uneventful first half set the the tone on what was a bitterly frustrating night at Windsor Park.

Their best chance came from a 42nd minute set piece by Clingan, the Coventry midfielder, who delivered a curling 20-yard free kick which whistled narrowly wide of the target.

By then Lee Camp, who produced a stunning late stop to deny substitute Zlatko Dedic, had twice prevented the visitors from breaking the deadlock.

The Nottingham Forest keeper had already kept out Marko Suler's sixth minute volley when he produced an excellent save to deny Palermo's Josip Ilicic.

It was easy to see why Slovenia had lost only one Euro qualifier away from home in four years as the visitors continued to carve out the better chances after the break.

Yet McAuley almost snatched a 66th minute winner with a powerful header which Matej Mavric did well to clear off the line before Chris Brunt narrowly failed to divert Corry Evans' 81st minute low cross over the line.

 

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Source: http://www.fanhouse.co.uk/2011/03/29/northern-ireland-0-slovenia-0-dull-stalemate-damages-euro-prosp/

Matt Kuchar Maxi Rodríguez Michael Ballack Michael Essien Michael Owen

Miami Round-Up: Caroline Wozniacki Heads for Beach After Shock Exit

Filed under: Tennis

World No.1 Caroline Wozniacki crashed out of the Sony Ericsson Open - as Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal secured their places in the last 16 of the men's draw in Miami.

Top seed Wozniacki slumped to a 7-5 3-6 6-3 fourth-round defeat to world No.23 Andrea Petkovic as the Russian chalked up her first ever win over the Dane.

She will now meet Jelena Jankovic in the last eight following her straightforward 6-1 6-3 win over Anabel Medina Garrigues of Spain.

Maria Sharapova also continued her recent resurgence with a 6-4 6-1 victory over Samantha Stosur. Her next opponent will be Romania's Alexandra Dulgheru.

Meanwhile, Nadal was a 6-3 6-3 winner over Spanish compatriot Feliciano Lopez and will now play either Alexandr Dolgopolov or Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

Third seed Federer edged past Juan Monaco of Argentina 7-6 (4) 6-4 to book a date with Belgium's Olivier Rochus, who was a surprise winner over 13th seed Mikhail Youzhny.

 

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Source: http://www.fanhouse.co.uk/2011/03/29/miami-round-up-caroline-wozniacki-heads-for-beach-after-shock-e/

Tim Clark Tomas Berdych Torsten Frings Vicente Wayne Rooney

Eddie Alvarez: 'I Want to Make Myself Indispensable'

Filed under: UFC

At this point of his career, Bellator lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez says he's more concerned with building his name than competing for the UFC.

Already well-paid with Bellator and the company's main attraction, he could easily become another face in the crowd If he were to join the UFC. That's why he's out to turn himself into a valuable commodity in case it ever comes to that.

"I want to be someone so I have some sort of leverage," Alvarez said Monday on The MMA Hour. "I don't want to be the next disposable 155-pounder who can be thrown out the window if he has a loss or two. I want to make myself indispensable and make a name for myself before I ever negotiate with a company like [the UFC]."

Source: http://www.mmafighting.com/2011/03/29/eddie-alvarez-i-want-to-make-myself-indispensable/

Michael Essien Michael Owen Mikhail Youzhny Miroslav Klose Nemanja Vidic

Danny Welbeck Could Still Become a Quiz Question Despite His England Call

Filed under: Manchester United, Sunderland, Football

Fabio Capello needs to brush up on the rules surrounding dual nationality. If he wanted to prevent Danny Welbeck from succumbing to Ghanaian overtures, he's picked him for the wrong game.

It might seem the perfect way to quash interest from the Black Stars in the Manchester United forward who has showed flashed of quality on loan at Sunderland this season, in calling him up for his first full cap to play against the World Cup quarter-finalists.

Yes, it might appear to be a very public way of issuing a 'hands-off' warning, but for one minor, though pivotal, detail. It's a friendly. As it's not a full international, the Manchester-born 20-year-old could still jump ship to Ghana, for whom he qualifies through his parents, should he so wish. Nice try, though, Fabio.

Sir Alex Ferguson has branded friendlies a waste of time, and in fulfilling Capello's aim as far as securing Welbeck is concerned on this occasion, the Manchester United manager is right.

His Ghanaian team-mates at Sunderland - Asamoah Gyan, Sulley Muntari and John Mensah have all had a quiet word in Welbeck's ear in the past couple of months to try and persuade him to forsake England to help the cause of one of African football's emerging powers.

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A spokesman for Ghana's FA admitted: "We've spoken to Welbeck, he's a player we're interested in and we're doing all we can to try to woo him."

 

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Source: http://www.fanhouse.co.uk/2011/03/29/danny-welbeck-could-still-become-a-quiz-question-despite-his-eng/

Steve Stricker Steven Gerrard Thierry Henry Thomaz Bellucci Tim Clark

For the Last Time, Phil Davis Is Not Jon Jones -- and That's Okay

Filed under: UFC

SEATTLE - To put things in perspective, here's what Phil Davis did at UFC Fight Night 24 on Saturday night: he stepped up and took a much tougher fight than the one he was originally slated for, much sooner than he was originally training for. Then he won a clear-cut, if not spectacular unanimous decision over an MMA vet with nearly three times as much experience as him in the cage.

To understand the boos from the crowd and the mild disappointment from fans, we should also probably mention what he didn't do: walk on water.

Maybe Davis was a victim of the UFC's hype machine, or maybe the specter of new light heavyweight champ Jon Jones still loomed too largely in too many minds on Saturday night. Whatever the cause, in victory Davis found out that it's not quite enough to be merely very, very good when people, rather rightly or wrongly, expect you to be incredible.

Source: http://www.mmafighting.com/2011/03/27/for-the-last-time-phil-davis-is-not-jon-jones-and-thats-oka/

Patrick Vieira Paul Casey Paul Scholes Pavel Nedved Petr Cech

William Gallas, the Biggest Mistake of Arsene Wenger's Arsenal Reign

Filed under: Arsenal, Tottenham, Premier League, Football

Put together the men Arsene Wenger has allowed to leave Arsenal in the last three years and there would be quite a team, one of experienced winners still playing.

Until around a month ago it would have been difficult to find a goalkeeper for this "Wenger Rejects XI" but Jens Lehmann coming out of retirement solves that problems.

It also begs the question of why Lehmann did not stay if Wenger feels he is still capable of contributing.

Other players who would walk back into Wenger's current team include midfielders Lassana Diarra, Mathieu Flamini and arguably Gilberto Silva still.

In attack, Eduardo could not get into Wenger's first-team plans regularly but he has scored four in six games during Shakhtar Donetsk's run to the Champions League quarter-finals, while Emmanuel Adebayor and Jose Antonio Reyes have moved to Spain.

Closer to home is Wenger's biggest recent mistake, as he could not agree terms with William Gallas last summer and the French centre-back moved to rivals Tottenham Hotspur.

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Arsenal have not won a trophy since 2005 and here was Wenger allowing one of his proven winners - with two Premier League titles under his belt - to leave.

Wenger also suffered his problems in the area Gallas vacated. Thomas Vermaelen has missed most of the season with an Achilles injury, while Laurent Koscielny has been acclimatising to English football and Sebastien Squillaci has yet to impose himself since his move at the start of the season.

It seemed Wenger was being punished for failing to retain his former captain. In contrast, Gallas has been a key player for Harry Redknapp at Spurs.

At 33, Gallas was brought in as a squad player but fitness concerns over Ledley King, Jonathan Woodgate and Michael Dawson at different stages during the campaign meant Gallas was a mainstay in Spurs' defence. He has even captained the team at times.

It was no surprise he was handed a new contract to stay at White Hart Lane, a two-year deal reflecting the progress he has made and how highly regarded he is despite his age.

He has played in victories over Inter Milan and AC Milan in the Champions League and is set to face Real Madrid in his next tie in the competition.

After defeating Milan, he gave a rare post-match interview, and said: "If I left Arsenal it was for some reason. I will say at the end of the season.

"More important for me was to stay in London for my family and to play in the Champions League. Tottenham gave me the opportunity to play in the Champions League so I signed for them. Maybe, I don't know, people are very happy with what I do."

Redknapp is one person who has been happy with what Gallas has done, although it comes with a sense of regret for Wenger.

Arsenal Released XI (post 2008): Jens Lehmann; Kolo Toure, Sol Campbell, William Gallas, Mikael Silvestre; Mathieu Flamini, Gilberto Silva, Lassana Diarra; Jose Antonio Reyes, Emmanuel Adebayor, Eduardo.

 

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Source: http://www.fanhouse.co.uk/2011/03/29/william-gallas-the-biggest-mistake-of-arsene-wengers-arsenal-r/

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga Juan Carlos Ferrero Juan Monaco Juan Roman Riquelme Juninho Pernambucano