Neymar choses Madrid

According to espn.com, Santos's prized winger Neymar has chosen Real Madrid over Chelsea, Manchester City, Barcelona and Anzhi Makhachkala, to be his next club. Santos president Luis Alvaro would like Neymar to stay for another season, but has come to term with the fact that he will most likely lose the winger. "I would love for him to stay  at least until december, when we meet barcelona for the club world cup final.," said Alvaro. Neymar reportedly said to Brazilian national team teammate Dani Alves that he "doesn't know anything about Barcelona," and that "he will play for Madrid next year."

AC Milan Home Kit 2011-2012

The new AC Milan home strips feature thinner red and black stripes, a white crew-neck collar, and white sleeve ends. The new addition of white does not stop there, as there are full sleeve white adidas stripes. The words Associazone Calcio Milan can be found on the back of the collar, with a red, white and green stripe underneath that. The shirt is made with ClimaCool technology, which prevents buildup of moisture and heat to keep the players cool. Below is Clarence Seedorf modeling the new home kit. The shorts are white, with black and red adidas stripes down the side and red and green highlights at the bottom hem of the shorts. Below is Clarence Seedorf modeling the new home kit.

No complaints here. The away kit is an better version of last years. I like the thinner stripes on this kit, and the white highlights give the shirt a very clean look that wasn't really there last year. The shorts and socks are very nice as well

Football Debate: Arguments for and against playoffs in European football leagues

For:

Everyone likes an underdog. Thats one reason why America has not embraced European soccer. In Europe, the league is generally won by a team from an elite group of around 3 teams, who rotate winning the league. Rarely does a team out of these elite few even come close to winning. For instance, when was the last time anyone except for Manchester United, Chelsea or Arsenal ever threatened for a title. Just imagine, the top 8 seeds make a playoff tournament, and scrappy Fulham upsets the mighty red devils. That would be absolutely incredible, and a great story to tell your kids. Sure, that could happen in the FA cup, but no one really cares so much about that. If Man U gets upset in cup play, they couldjust get back up and win the league, which is what actually matters the most. Imagine how that would be if a team could lose one game and automatically lose the premiership, regardless of how many points they have. Puts on a lot of pressure doesn't it? Another argument for playoffs, is that a team can only prove its the best by consistently winning under pressure. If Manchester United are really the best English team, they should breeze by all their opponents. Right? With playoffs, the best team is truly proven to be the best team by winning matches against other good teams, as opposed to beating on clubs like Wigan every other week to gain easy points. I still think that the top 4 from the regular season should qualify for the Champions league, but an additional 5th should be added if the winner of the playoffs did not finish in the top 4. Heres how the English Premier league playoff bracket would look in an 8 team playoff, with my predictions .

1) Man United      Man United

8) Fulham             -----------

                             Tottenham     Man United

4) Man City          -----------        -----------

5) Tottenham                                                 Man United

                                                                      -----------

2) Chelsea             Chelsea         Arsenal

7) Everton             -----------        -----------

                              Arsenal

3) Arsenal             ------------   

6) Liverpool

Manchester United still wins in the playoff scenario, but other teams would now have another way to catch up to them, as opposed to winning all of their games and hoping Man U lose a lot of theirs.

Against:

No! This is how it has been for years, and its working fine. Why would you fix something that is not broken? The team with the most points already proved that they are the best team by being the most consistent this season. What if they just happen to have an off day in the playoffs, and lose to a team who didn't even qualify for the Champs league. It just doesn't add up. Teams like Man U and Barcelona deserve the cup the most, and it would be outrageous for a team like Fulham or Everton to have OK seasons and still have a chance to win it all. In addition to all this, if there is a playoff format, all the Magic of the Champions League and other cup competitions will disappear. Upsets are a part of those competitions. We don't need to bring it into a league that already has a good system, just for a few thrills and good stories.

5 Potential European stars that could join the New York Cosmos (if they become a team)

The New York Cosmos are back, and it is very possible that they will be slated to be the 20th MLS franchise. As it is very unlikely that a New York team will not have a single star, look for the Cosmos to sign an aging star in Europe to be what Thierry Henry is for the Red Bulls and David Beckham is for the Galaxy. Listed is the 5 most likely European Stars that the Cosmos will buy.

5. Zlatan Ibrahimovic - Ibra has expressed his desire to go to MLS when he ages, so when he gets up there, it is very likely that only a New York team will be able to afford his mega contract.



4. Raul Gonzalez - The Spaniard was linked to the Red Bulls last year before they signed Thierry Henry. Maybe he will be linked to another New York team once his Schalke days are over.



3. Kaka - A bit of a longshot here, but maybe Pele will be able to convince his fellow Brazilian to join the Cosmos if Kaka decides to play into his thirties.



2. Cristiano Ronaldo - Also a long shot here, but Ronaldo has virtualy copied every single club David Beckham has been too, so a big market MLS club would be next for Ronaldo once he gets older. Ronaldo is also renown to love the states, so it might not be such a longshot after all.



1. Didier Drogba - Drogba's representatives have stated that an MLS move is possible, and with Drogba falling farther out from Chelsea every day now, it only makes sense that he will be the Cosmos number one target should they become a team.

Connor Whickham to Sunderland

Connor Whickham has recently passed his medical and is set to join the Black Cats from Ipswitch Town in a deal reported to be around 12 million pounds. The England under 21 international was long sought by numerous premier league teams, with Sunderland eventually winning the war for the youngsters signature.

25 Bold Predictions for world soccer in the 2011-2012 season

25. Robin Van Persie will wins the Premier League golden boot - Van Persie displayed stunning form this season, scoring 20 goals in 18 appearances. There is no reason why if he stays injury free, his form shouldn't carry on into next season.

24. Carlos Tevez will stays In Manchester City - Many times has he threatened to leave city. Has it happened yet? NO!! So why should it happen now?

23. Theo Walcott will switch to center forward to accommodate Gervinho - Walcott is not a stranger to this position and can play it if need be. Arsene Wenger will no doubt want to start both of them, and this may be his only option.

22. Malaga will qualify for the Europa League - The additions of Jeremy Toulalan and Ruud van Nistelrooy give Mallorca one of the best lineups in La Liga outside the big 4 (Barcelona, Real Madrid, Valencia and Vilareal).

21. Tottenham will fail to qualify for any kind of European competition - With Modric and Bale most likely out and no one big coming in, Tottenham will fall down to seventh, with Everton taking the final Europa league spot.

20. Nigel De Jong will break someones leg... again - De Jong is a disaster in waiting every time he steps on the pitch.

19. All three promoted clubs in the premier league will survive - It almost happened this year,  why shouldn't it eventually happen?

18. Barcelona will finally buy Fabregas for 40 Million, only for him to get injured in the first month of play - There is no real basis for this, but how funny would that be?

17. Zlatan Ibrahimovic will win the golden boot for Serie A - Zlatan is mad talented and a born goalscorer. With Samuel Eto'o likely leaving for England, who better to win it than the giant Swede.

16. Wayne Rooney will get fined for swearing on live TV.... again -  The guys got a mouth like a toilet.

15 - Kaka will find his AC Milan form - Wether its for Milan or Madrid, Kaka will be back and almost better than ever.

14. The three W teams in the Premier League, Wolves, Wigan and West Brom will get relegated - Wolves and Wigan are a relegation threat every year, and with Peter Odemwingie likely out, there isn't really anyone else on the Baggies roster roster who can score goals

13. Borussa Dortmund won't qualify for the Champions League - No one expected them to finish top 5 this year, and I don't see it happening again, especially after losing Nuri Sahin.

12. Ashley Young will take over Nani's starting spot in the middle of the season - Nani will make some stupid, game changing mistakes that forces Sir Alex to replace him with Young. Young will perform well on the big stage, and he will remain the permanent winger.

11. Gareth Bale will stay with Tottenham - Gareth thinks that maybe Tottenham will make the Champions League, and he will give them one more chance. But they wont, and he will go to Inter Milan next summer.

10. Shakhtar Donesk will make another surprising Champions League run - Provided they don't lose too many play makers, Shakhtar have the talent to go far.

9. AC Milan will win Serie A again - I dont see Inter Milan signing anyone talented enough to bring them back to the top.

8. Paris Saint Germaine will win the French league - PSG will sign one big name from a big club, and the loss of Gervinho will be too much for Lille to compete.

7. Bayern Munich will win the Bundesliga - This team is too talented to lose out in an average league. Last year was a flop, but next year won't be.

6. Cristiano Ronaldo will win the 2011 Balon D'or - In his defense, his stats are better than Messi's. Maybe FIFA will want to share out the award instead of giving it to Messi for the third year in a row.

5. Liverpool will qualify for the Champions League - The addition of Henderson boosts their midfield and a forward line of Suarez and a healthy Carrol scares me. Liverpool make it over Chelsea.

4. Barcelona will win La Liga for the fourth year in a row, but Real Madrid will come within 5 points of them - As Barcelona ages, Real Madrid stays young. Expect Real Madrid to win the league in 2 years.

3. Arsenal will wins the Premier league - Wenger actually signs some good, non French targets, and Arsenal strengthens their squad enough to catch Chelsea and Manchester United

2. Spain will win Euro 2012 - Spain has by far the most dominant European team, and they wont even be challenged until Xavi gets old

1. Real Madrid will win the Champions League - Barcelona will get upset in an earlier round, and Real will never have to face their old nemesis's. Being the Second best club in the world, no one will take them down once Barcelona gets out.

Is Fabregas leaving a blessing in disguise for Arsenal?

While all Arsenal fans sit mourning the loss of their beloved captain, I do want to point out that his seemignly certain departure is not such a bad thing. Sure, the Arsenal captain is a top 15 player in the world, and his great midfield play have been the staple for the Arsenal offence, but the fans should look on the bright side. Fabregas never really wanted to play with Arsenal. His heart was always with Barcelona, and that made sure his mind was not always on the field at the Emirates. The fact that he was made captain over Robin Van Persie astounds me. Even an Arsenal faifthful should not be given the captaincy that young.

When Cesc leaves (not if, when), Arsenal will get at minimum of 30 million pounds, which isnt a shabby amount of cash. Even though Arsene Wenger is more miserly with his teams funds than Scrooge, im sure someone will convince him to spend some of the cash on a Player like Juan Mata, who could easily be Fabregas's replacement. The extra cash should also be enough to get and extra striker and defender, 2 positions where Arsenal is lacking. If you compair Arsenals starting lineup to one with Mata, and an upgraded central defender, as well as a new striker, you can see the latter one is actually better

With Cesc

F - Van Persie
M - Nasri/Arshavin
M - Wilshere
M - Fabregas
M - Song
M - Walcott
D - Sagna
D - Koscielny
D - Vermaelen
D - Clichy
G - Whoever is not injured

Now look at the lineup if Cesc goes and Wenger spends this summer

F - Van Persie
F - Karim Benzema?
M - Nasri/Arshavin
M - Wilshere
M - Juan Mata?
M - Wilshere/Gervinho
D - Sagna
D - Koscielny/Gary Cahill or Chris Samba or both
D - Giorgio Chiellini?
D - Vermaelen
G - Probably Szczesny

From what I'm seeing, the second lineup is much better. If Fabregas goes, it would give Wenger enough funds to buy a good amount of his targets. I know Chiellini is a longshot, but Juventus are probably looking to sell this summer to afford Bale or Aguero, so its not impossible. So yes Arsenal fans, having your best player ditch you sucks. But in the grand scheme of things, its more of a blessing than a curse.

The coach of North Koreas womens national team gives a strange excuse for their loss to USA

After losing to the United States national team yesterday, most teams would come to terms with the fact that it was probably because team USA is the better side. But of course, North Korea had different ideas. When asked about the loss, North Korea coach Kwang Min Kim blamed the loss on the fact that the players were struck by lightning the week before and were weakened by the injuries. "The Physicians said it would be impossible for the players to play. But world cup football is the most signifigant event for a footballer. So they don't want to think about anything but football. The fact that they played could be called abnormal, the result of very strong will," said Coach Kim. I don't know about you, but something seems fishy to me. It could be the fact that its highly unlikely for 26 members of a team to all be hit by lightning. Or the fact that this is the same country that jailed its mens national team after not winning the world cup. Or the fact that coach Kim claims that the players most severely effected were the goalie and the defenders, the very same ones who were responsible for allowing USA's 2 goals. Whatever the truth may be, it most likely is not due to the effects of lightning. Unless of course, this is being read by the leaders of the glorious motherland Korea. Then its all 100 percent true.......

Arsenal soon to announce Gervinho transfer for 11 million pounds

Arsenal is expected to announce the acquisition of Lilles Winger Gervinho, as soon as this week. Arsenal have been heavily linked to the Ivorian for a long time, and it is no surprise to anyone that the deal will likely happen. Gervinho had a very solid season with Lille, with 14 goals and 10 assists in 34 appearances for the French champions, and he should be a welcoming addition to the Gunners ranks.

Manchester City Away Kit 2011-2012

After the FA cup final, victorious Manchester City unveiled their new umbro away strips. The kits are very classy and stylish, with black and red stripes running vertically down the shirt, a yellow Umbro logo and sponsor and a black crew-neck collar.  Below is the new away shirt.

Chelsea Kit 2011-2012

I loved last years kits. I hate Chelsea, probably more than anything else in the world, but I loved their kits. This years kits however, have been a major disapointment for me. There is nothing wrong with Chelseas new kits, but they just dont compair to last years. This years home ones feature blue and white sleaves, and dark blue ghost stripes in the middle. The shorts are also blue, with white adidas stripes down the side. Below is Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard, John Terry and Fernando Torres modeling the new home kit.

The away kits feature a blue square design taking up the top of the jersey, with the rest of the shirt being all black. There are white adidas stripes on the shoulders, and black shorts with white striping on the sides and blue striping on the hem to complement the shirt.

This away kit is really sorta strange to me. I don't consider them ugly, but I wonder what adidas was trying to achieve here. This isnt geometry class. So why are there squares on the kit? Below is Frank Lampard modeling the new away kit.

Santos confirms 5 clubs have met Neymars asking price

Yesterday, Santos has confirmed that 5 clubs have agreed to pay 40.3 million dollar for the services of Brazilian sensation Neymar. While reluctant to let go of their prized gem, Santos has realized that Neymar will eventually go to Europe, and that it is smart to cash in on him now while his value is still very high. The 5 clubs in talks with Santos are Real Madrid, Manchester City, Barcelona, Chelsea, and the Russian side Anzhi Makhachkala, although it is believed Real Madrid are in the drivers seat at the moment.

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Manchester United Kit 2011-2012

There isnt much of a difference between this kit and last year, except for the black and white collar. The new black socks with red and white striping on the top hem are pretty cool as well, although the all white shorts are virtually the same. I personally like these more than last years however, although the same can't be said for the actual club (GO ARSENAL!!!). Below is Wayne Rooney modeling the new kit.

I do not believe the away kit has been officially released, but I will be sure to update this post when it is.

Barcelona Kits 2011-2012

The home kits feature thinner stripes and now have Quatar foundation writtten on the front, as opposed to unicef. The color has been changed back to red from yellow, and the sleeves are all blue, as opposed to striped. The shorts are a major upgrade from last years, with the all blue 2012 ones looking much better than last years red disasters. The all blue socks are also an upgrade from last years red ones. One drawback to the jerseys are is the striping. The stripes are desighned to give the illusion of a seperation diagonally between the top and bottom stripes. 

The away ones however, are the nicest Barcelona away kits i've ever seen. Gone is the horrible neon atrocities that the Blaugrana would wear on away occasions. Instead, they have been replaced with an absolutely sweet all black kit. There isn't much thats needed to be said about these. They are simply perfect. Below is Carles Puyol modeling the new away kits.

Overall, I think Barcelona hasn't done to much to change their look. The home jerseys would be nice, but have that horrible striping pattern. There is nothing wrong with the away kits, with the all black complementing itself perfectly. Both kits are made with nike's Dri-fit system, which draws sweat from the bodies of players to keep them cool and comfortable

Real Madrid Kit 2011-2012

These kits retain Real Madrids classic white home jersey and black away jersey, but adds its own flair to it. They feature polo shirt collars and GOLD stripes, which i think look rather nice. The shorts are very similar to the top, with gold adidas stripes down the side and a gold stripe encircling the bottom hem. You would think socks are a pretty big non-factor in uniforms, but even the white and gold socks look cool. Real Madrid has upgraded their home kit from last year, and thats saying a lot because I loved last years home kit. Pictured below is Kaka modeling for Real Madrid's new home kit.

The Away ones are also similar to last years kits, the only differences being the gold stripes and diamond pattern as opposed to white stripes and neon green highlights of last years. Real Madrid's away kit is a success, and I look forward to watching Ronaldo and co. playing in these sweet threads. Pictured below is the new away kit.

Overall, these kits could be the nicest 2011- 2012 club kit that has been unveiled so far. I cant wait to watch Cristiano and co. roam the Bernabeu in these sweet threads.

Arsenal Kit 2011-2012

After months of anticipation, the kits have finally been revealed. We see here that Arsenals home kits greatly resemble last years, with the only differences being a red collar, all white sleeves and a slightly different crest for Arsenals 125th anniversary, which features laurels surrounding the arsenal crest with the words forward written underneath it. The shorts are virtually the same thing as last years, as well as the socks. I personally like last years home threads more, but these new kits are still are pretty nice. Pictured below is Theo Walcott modeling the new home kit.

The Away Kits however, are very different from last years yellow and maroons. The main colors are light blue and dark blue, and it is cut diagonally in the middle of the shirt, so half of it is dark blue and the other half is light blue. The shorts and socks are a matching dark blue, which i think complements the jersey well. I personally don't like this kit, but iv'e heard many positive reviews about it by others. (Doesnt the blue color scheme remind you of another north london club much "beloved" by gunners fans?) Below is Samir Nasri modeling the new Arsenal away kits.

In addition to all this, the kits are 100 percent recycled materials, which reduces energy use by 30 percent of the amount used to make traditional polyester. They are also made with Nike Dri-fit technology, which draws sweat from the body and gives airspace to ensure there is no clinging.

Well, love em, or hate em, the kits are here to stay. Lets see if Arsenal can finally perform in these new threads.

David De Gea to Manchester United

David De Gea, former goal keeper for Athletico Madrid, has agreed on a 5 year contract with Premier league champions Manchester United. The deal, which is rumored to be around 18 million pounds, was finally agreed upon after months of negotiation between Man U and Athletico. "I feel very Proud and I cant wait to start playing here. When a club the size of manchester united comes in on you, it obviously makes you feel very happy," said the 20 year old u21 Spanish international. De Gea is expected to succeed legendary red devil goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar, who retired after the end on last season.

top 10 nicest national team jerseys

10. New Zealand away - The kiwis all black jerseys resemble the all blacks classic rugby jerseys.

9. USA home - The US jerseys have a sleek, modern feel, plus the silver sash is pretty sick

8. Netherlands home - The dutch jerseys manage to be flashy and plain at the same time. Pretty sick orange jerseys!

7. Serbia home - These jerseys offer a clean, not to flashy look. I also love how they serbs included the cross design that displays their national flag. You cant go wrong with red white and blue.

6. Ivory Coast  home- Burnt orange and green is a surprisingly sick color combo, plus the elephant on the shoulder makes these bad boys THAT much cooler.

5. Argentina home - Argentinas blue and white stripes are the soccer equivalent of yankee pinstripes. The polo shirt collar gives these jerseys a timeless feel.

4. Brazil home - This is the nicest brazil jersey I have ever seen. The yellow and green are classic, plus I love the original green stripe down the middle.

3. Germany home - Adidas may be pretty biased towards their home club, because this is one of the nicest adidas jerseys out there. The black on white gives the jersey a very military like feel, and if you add a sick crest and a very nice looking line down the middle, you get a pretty cool jersey.

2. England home - I personally love umbro jerseys, and this is a clear proof of why. The all white, old school jersey look pretty sick, and the multi colored crosses on the upper back add a nice touch

1. Spain away - Who else. The world champs jerseys are absolutely perfect. The red and yellow adidas stripes blend perfectly on the white, and the jersey offers a sleek touch. Nothing fancy, but everything perfect.