As I regularly make fun of Fleet Street types for lazy stereotyping, it would seem hypocritical to question whether Arsene Wenger’s nationality makes him every agent’s favourite pigeon manager at the bargaining table. Because given some of the dribs and drabs coming out of  Theo Walcott’s contract capitulation negotiation, it’s easy to understand why Holloway Road Properties doesn’t have [...]

With pretty tepid fare on the midweek schedule — save for perhaps the lesser lights electric start against Brendan Rodgers’ tika-taka merchants — I thought I’ve give my readers some insights into the glamourous world of public relations and the beautiful people whose only agenda is the truth and serving the public’s interest. No, I [...]

So it’s my final day for in Fort McMurray before beginning the pilgrimage to Islington, with stops in Edmonton (to see family) and B.C. (to see friends) along the way. I confess I’ve haven’t completely worked out logistics of blogging in Old Blighty just yet but I will endeavour to have a full report up at some point, likely when I’m in the departures [...]

Today is a milestone as I’m officially closer to 50 than 40. And I think it’s fair to say that short of Arsene Wenger squaring up to Bombardier Allardyce and kicking him square in the swingers during the pre-match handshake at Upton Park on Saturday and saying “Blow on those bubbles, fat man”, I couldn’t [...]

European dreaming
Chelsea
Ins: Marko Marin (Werder Bremen, 7m) Eden Hazard (Lille, 35.2m) Thorgan Hazard (Lens, 880k) Oscar (Internacional, 28.1m)
Outs: Jose Bosingwa Salomon Kalou Didier Drogba (all released) Kevin de Bruyne (Werder Bremen, loan) Romelu Lukaku (West Brom, loan)
Why they’ll make Champions League
Roman Abramovich spent 70m pounds this summer – more than Manchester City, Manchester United and [...]

It’s Thursday and, frankly, it’s tough to concentrate. The Fort McMurray Fury u-12 boys leave tonight for the provincial championships in Grande Prairie and we’ve decided to break up the trip into two legs so the kids won’t travel on the bus all day and then be forced to play a game on Friday night. [...]

THURSDAY AFTERNOON BONUS LINKS
Because I’m going to be at an all-day meeting on Friday, I’ll post a couple of quick links of interest before I leave work this evening at a very ungodly hour.
Michael Cox looks at Tom Cleverley’s importance to Manchester United while Gareth Bale says he “tends” not to dive. Hahahahaha.
Thursday morning
OK, here’s [...]

It’s derby weekend and there’s really not been much change in the Fleet Street narrative as they’ve derided Arsene Wenger (three league titles and four FA Cups) as arrogant, out of touch and stubborn for his failure to keep ahold of Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri and then replace them because, Lord knows, they were [...]

Paul Hayward is usually a target for his saccharine tooth-sucking foppery but he makes an astute point about the changed culture on the pitch reflected in the FA’s Suarez verdict and the criminal charge against John Terry.
Speaking of the West End Rent Boys captain, his performance in the 1-1 draw drew all sorts of predictable [...]

Oh glorious day. With the big thinkers on Fleet Street channeling their inner Piglets and proclaiming a slaughter by the reigning world and European champions, the Three Lions turned in a composed, disciplined performance on the Wembley potato patch, all without their loyal, brave and non-racist captain and best player, whose lack of self control [...]