Sports Blog-News,reviews and lots more

Chelsea v Blackpool / Norwich
Watford v Ipswich
Preston v Man City
Plymouth v Derby County
Man Utd v Reading
Arsenal / Bolton v Blackburn
Bristol City /Middlesbrough v West Bromwich Albion
Fulham v Tottenham

There are two teams mentioned against a single, because a replay has to be played to decide the winner among the two.

Looking at the draw, Chelsea should progress safely. So should Watford and Manchester City on basis of reputation. I’d back Derby to beat Plymouth and I think Bolton can dump both Arsenal and Blackburn out of this. The Bolton Arsenal game is at the Reebok and Arsenal do not like playing there. Recent statistics certainly say so.

Tottenham might just edge out Fulham and Boro should beat Bristol and WBA. That leaves you with United Reading, and I think Steve Coppell’s men can beat United. They will need to play out of their skins, but I think they can do it.

For close to an hour, I thought Fernando Gonzalez had a chance…the first set was crucial to his chances…If he won the first set, it would be the first time that Federer would have dropped a set in the entire tournament.

The first set was an absolute treat to watch. Both Gonzalez and Federer struggled with their first serves, and there were many errors. You could blame the wind for that :D, but for a while, Fedex did look ”human”. His shots wen’t out instead of coming in, and Gonzalez made him work extremely hard. When he broke Federer on the 9th game and served for the set, the Chilean faithful thought that he had done enough to win the set. But King Roger fought back, and Gonzalez was again fighting to take it into the tie break. 7 deuces, a racket change , a 209 km ace later, the set was at 6-6. Federer’s first shot in the tiebreaker went out according to the authorities. He challenged for it, and the judgement went in his favour and the point was replayed. Thereafter King Fed sped through 7-2 and won an important psychological battle against the 1998 French Open junior champion.

The next two sets weren’t as competitive, but Gonzalez ’s exhaustion started to show, and Federer simply waited for his opponent to break down. The last two sets showed exactly the same scoreline 6-4, 6-4. Roger became the first man since Bjorn Borg in 1980 to win a major without dropping a set.

Andy Roddick vs Roger Federer.

The person who wins this one is the favourite for the title. And the stakes are against A-Rod, IMO.

Fernando Gonzalez vs Tommy Haas 

Nadal and Davydenko were dumped by them. Both have surprised themselves by reaching this stage and have nothing to lose. They will play their heart out.

After my post on Maria Sharapova attracted some attention :D, here are the 4 semifinalists

Maria Sharapova beat Anna Chakvedatze 7-6, 7-5 

Sharapova beats her fellow compatriot in straight sets at the Margaret Court arena to book her spot in the last four. Not an easy game by any standards, even though it was a straight sets win.

Kim Clijsters beat Martina Hingis 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 

This was easily the most awaited round of 8 encounter. The two ladies met at the same stage last year too, and like last time it was the fourth seeded Belgian who booked her spot in the last four.

 Semifinal : Maria Sharapova vs Kim Clijsters

Serena Williams beat Shahar Peer 3-6, 6-2, 8-6. 

It is the first time that no American woman has been seeded at Melbourne since the beginning of the Open era. Unseeded Williams used all her power and experience to battle past her 16th seeded opponent. Williams lost the first set with the scoreline being the same as in the first set of the Clijsters Hingis game. But like that one, the winner was not the person who won the first set.

Nicole Vadisova beat Lucie Safarova 6-1, 6-4 

This was a battle between two lovely women from the Czech Republic- both having surnames with similar endings. 19 year old Safarova had beaten Mauresmo in the earlier rounds, but she couldn’t do the same against her younger, 10th seeded opponent.

Semifinal : Serena Williams vs Nicole Vadisova 

Did you ever find men’s tennis boring to watch?? Did you ever get bored watching the same few blokes doing battle in an outfit which never seemed to change, in different tournaments. Did you sometimes ever feel that you could do a better job if you were styling them???

Maria Sharapova feels the same about men’s tennis player. The boring white and white hasn’t gone down too well with the Russian star, and she has asked the men to improvise.

Pretty sure that some of our macho dudes wouldn’t mind changing their outfits

Big Sam has conceded defeat in the race for Birmingham medio David Dunn.  Bolton had arranged a medical for the Birmingham medio and all roads seemed to point to the Reebok, but Blackburn Rovers hijacked with a late bid for their former trainee.

Dunn was discussing personal terms with Bolton and his decision to move to Blackburn will not go down well with Allarydce. The lure of going back home was too much for Dunn, who has had an injury prone career with Birmingham.Blackburn need cover after Steven Reid was injured earlier in the season.  They sold him for 5 and a half million in 2003 and he is now expected to sign for a fee which is reported to be 2 million upto appearances.

Boro 4-3 Hull ( Hines, Viduka*2, Yakubu/ Andy Dawson*2, Jon Parkin)
A remarkable second half which saw 6 goals being scored, and Boro edge their way through

Manchester City 2-1 Sheffield Wednesday ( Stephen Ireland, Darius Vassell/ Lee Bullen)
City huff and puff their way past Championship opponents Sheffield and will now play Southampton in round 4.

While there is still some confusion over whether the WI players will tour India after having money problems with their board, India have announced their squad for the tour.

Dravid (captain), Sachin Tendulkar (vice-captain), Robin Uthappa, Sourav Ganguly, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (keeper), Dinesh Karthik, Suresh Raina, Gautam Gambhir, Zaheer Khan, Sreesanth, Ajit Agarkar, Joginder Sharma, Ramesh Powar, Harbhajan Singh, Rudra Pratap Singh.

The big thing obviously is dropping Sehwag. His hundred in the Ranji Trophy didn’t save him and the mandarins within the BCCI finally decided that it was time to cut the rope they had given him. Another thing to be noticed is that Sachin Tendulkar has been made Vice Captain. He normally does give lots of useful advice as a senior member, but the board has chosen to give him a title .

Kumble has been rested and Pathan’s been told to get back his ” form”. No Kaif and Mongia. Joginder Sharma and Robin Utthapa have been given a chance. Miraculously, Suresh Raina has retained his spot in the squad.

England have announced their world cup probables too. I’ll post on that a little later.

I have started playing CM 07 too ( No no..I haven’ t given up on my 03-04 obsession yet :P) I started off with Liverpool as expected and discovered that this game does place a lot of emphasis on tactics, as many other games too.

And the squad I have at Liverpool is on paper, probably the best side in the Premiership. I am a bit thin at the back, with Paletta and Hyppia not performing. But my reserves are full of great youngsters-

Craig Lindfield

Miki Roque

Lee Peltier

Jack Hobbs

Godwin Antwi seems to have decent stats too.

I haven’t played with all these guys for years or looked up at some best players guide, but these guys look genuinely good from their stats. Bellamy has wonderful stats, but somehow struggles to find the back of the net. God is in sparkling form, he scores half of my goals. It is a bit absurd that Fowlers’ stats here will ensure that he walks into any team’s starting 11, whereas he has 13-13-14-14 in CM0 03-04, which makes him a rather average player there.

Gonzalez and Pennant have been doing beautifully and I have landed Diego and Gorcuff too. Ionescu and Richards do their job well too, all though I haven’t signed them as of yet

Alrite, I thought Liverpool really didn’t deserve to lose to Arsenal on Saturday. But two losses against the same team in a matter of days hurts…and hurts a lot.

Arsenal played a young side. Liverpool played a squad which only had Gerrard and Dudek from the game on Saturday. Lee Peltier and Gabriel Palletta were cruelly exposed in the heart of defence.

And 6 goals conceded at home…that is what pisses me off. I know I have to be neutral, but I am just venting out my frustration .

Julio Baptista of all people comes and scores 4. Well, probably he’s managed to tell his boss that he is a STRIKER and not a medio or a winger or anything like that.

With this, Pool are out of the FA , out the Carling Cup, in no position to challenge for the league and Barcelona meet us in the Champions League. A trophyless season awaits.

Meanwhile, Arsenal face Spurs in the semifinals. That should be an interesting game to watch.

Ed- And to add insult to injury, Luis Garcia is now going to be out for 6 months for rupturing anterior ligament.

The Ricky Ponting lead Australian squad has become the first team in 86 years to whitewash English opposition. While the whole of Australia will undoubtedly be overjoyed at this feat, they will also feel sad for three players who have served the country with unmatched commitment- Justin Langer, Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne.

McGrath had a wicket with his last ball in test cricket  while wily Warnie’ last ball was hit for a four by Steve Harmison. Even Ponting, who generally refrains from showing his emotions, was seen shedding a tear for the three people who have formed the core of the Aussie side which has dominated test cricket for the last five years.

Adieu to Warnie, Pigeon and Justin.

Arsenal

In :

Out: Joe O’ Cearuill ( Loan- Brighton and Hove Albion), Anthony Stokes ( Sunderland-2m) Lauren ( Portsmouth), Alexandre Song ( Charlton- loan), Sebastian Larsson ( Birmingham City-1M)

Aston Villa

In : Philip Bardsley ( Manchester United- loan) John Carew ( Lyon), Ashley Young ( Watford-9.65), Shaun Maloney ( Celtic - 1M)

Out : Peter Whittingham ( Coventry), Eric Djemba Djemba (Loan Burnley), Milan Baros ( Lyon), Robert Green ( Lincoln- free), Lee Hendrie ( Stoke- loan)

Blackburn Rovers

In: David Dunn ( Birmingham-undisclosed, Stephen Warnock ( Liverpool), Bruno Berner ( Basel)

Out : Dominic Matteo ( Stoke -free) Lucas Neill ( West Ham), James Mceveley ( Derby -600k), Andy Taylor ( Huddersfield- loan)

Bolton Wanderers

In : Zoltan Harsanyi ( FC Senec loan), David Thompson ( Portsmouth)

Out : Przemyslaw Kazimierczak ( Accrington- loan), Johan Smith ( Carlisle- loan)
Charlton Athletic :

In: Ben Thatcher ( Man City- 500K), Madjid Boughera ( Sheffield Wednesday -2.5 M). Alexandre Song ( Arsenal- loan)

Zheng Zhi ( Loan- Shandong Luneng)

Out : Stephan Andersen ( Brondby), Djimi Traore ( Portsmouth), Jonathan Fortune ( loan-Stoke), Simon Walton ( loan- Cardiff) Kelly Youga ( Bradford- loan)

Chelsea

In :

Out : Ryan Bertrand ( Bournemouth- loan)

Everton

In : Manuel Fernandes ( Benfica -loan)

Out: David Weir ( Rangers- free), Simon Davies ( Fulham)

Fulham

In : Vincenzo Montella ( Loan- Roma), Simon Davies ( Everton), Alexei Smertin ( Dynamo Moscow)

Out : Luis Boa Morte ( West Ham 5 M), Bjorn Lunstrom ( Loan- Luton), Gabriel Zakuani ( Stoke- loan)

Liverpool

In: Danielle Padielli ( Loan- Sampdoria), Emiliano Insua ( Boca Juniors- loan), Jordy Brouwer ( Ajax), Alvaro Arbeloa ( Deportivo- 2.6), Francesco Duran ( Real Malaga)
Out : Stephen Warnock ( Blackburn) , Salif Diao ( Loan-Stoke)

Manchester City

In: Kevin Ball ( PSV Eindoven), Djamel Abdoun ( Ajaccio- loan)

Out: Kelvin Etuhu ( Rochdale- Loan), Ben Thatcher( Charlton- 500K), Kasper schemichel ( Falkirk- loan), Claudio Reyna ( New York Red Bulls-free release from contract) Marc Laird ( Northampton -loan) M.Mills ( Colchester-loan)

Manchester United

In : Henrik Larrsson ( Loan- Helsingborg)

Out: David Jones ( Derby 1 M approx), Jonny Evans ( Loan- Sunderland), Philip Bardsley ( Aston Villa- loan), Adam Eckersley ( Barnley-Loan), Giuseppe Rossi ( Parma -loan), Danny Simpson ( Sunderland- loan)

Middlesbrough

In :

Out: Kevin Burgess ( Darlington- free) Ugo Ehiogu ( Rangers-free), Massimo Maccarone ( Siena)

Newcastle

In : Oguchi Onweyu ( Standard Liege- loan)

Portsmouth

In : Djimi Traore ( Charlton), Lauren ( Arsenal)

Out: R. Duffy ( Swansea- loan), Dean Kiely ( WBA- free), David Thompson ( Bolton)

Reading

In : Mikkel Andersen ( AB Copenhagen), Oliver Bozanic, Alan Benett ( Cork), Greg Halford ( Colchester) Michael Duberry ( Stoke)

Out: Scott Colbourne ( Wycombe -loan)

Sheffield United

In : Matthew Kilgallon ( Leeds- 1.75M ), Jonathan Stead ( Sunderland- 750K), Mamadou Seck (Le Havre - free), Luton Shelton ( Helsingborg -2M). Ahmed Fathi ( Ismaily -700K)

Out: Ade Akinbiyi ( Burnley- 750 K). David Unsworth ( Wigan- free), Steve Kabba ( Watfor-500 K) , Jordan Robertson ( Northampton -loan), G.Horsfield ( Leicester- loan), Kevan Hurst- ( Scunthorpe- loan)

Tottenham

In: Adel Taarabt ( Loan-Lens), Ben Alnwick ( Sundeland- 900K), Ricardo Rocha ( Benfica)

Out: Martin Fulop ( Sunderland- 500K), Calum Davenport ( West Ham- undisclosed), Robert Burch ( Barnet- loan), Edgar Davids ( Ajax ), STuart lewis ( Barnet-loan), Mark Yeates ( Leicester-loan), Reto Ziegler ( Sampdoria-loan)

Watford

In : Moses Ashikodi ( Rangers), Lee Williamson, Will Hoskins ( Rotherham - 1 M), Steve Kabba ( Sheffield- 500K), Cedric Avinel ( Creteil- free) Johan Cavalli ( Istres-free), Douglas Rinaldi (Veranopolis- loan), Gareth Williams ( Leicester)

Out : Matthew Spring ( Luton -200K ) Ashley Young ( Aston Villa -9.65)

West Ham

In : Luis Boa Morte ( Fulham -5M), Nigel Quashie ( West Brom -1.5M), Calum Davenport ( Tottenham -undisclosed.) Kepa Blanco ( Loan from Sevilla) Lucas Neill ( Blackburn), Matthew Upson ( Birmingham -6M )

Out : Tyrone Mears ( Derby-loan)

Wigan

In : Kristofer Haestad ( Ik Start- Loan), Andreas Gronqvist ( Loan- Helsingborg), David Unsworth ( Sheff United- free ), Caleb Folan ( Chesterfield -500K), Julius Agahowa ( Shakhtar)

Out: Andy Websters ( Loan- Rangers, Mike Pollitt ( Burnley-loan), Gary Teale ( Derby -600k) David Wright ( Ipswich)

( This list is indicative and does not claim to be perfect in all respects. It will be updated from time to time) All figures in pounds. Loan returns not counted.

AS Roma striker Vincenzo Montella has agreed to join Fulham on a 6 month loan deal. Montella, who is currently with the Gialarossi for the 8th consecutive year, did not play much in 2006 due to injury. He figured in the 2002 World cup, but was not part of the Azzuri’s winning campaign at Germany 2006.

Montella joined Roma after Sampdoria got relegated for a reported fee of 25 million euros.

Chris Coleman’s boys are currently 12th in the table and Montella will add teeth to their attack.

Australian opener Justin Langer has ,as many of you might have expected announced that he won’t wear the baggy green after the last test against England. Langer joins fellow journeymen Glenn Mcgrath and Shane Warne on the retirement road.

Langer has formed a solid opening pair with Matthew Hayden at the top of the order and the duo have been responsible for giving Australia some solid starts in recent times. He has been an unsung hero for Australia, but has been a vital part of their test team.

Many of you might remember the test at Hobart when Gilchrist and he took Australia from a position of no return to a test victory against Pakistan.

Langer captains Somerset in English county cricket and will stay with them for the 2007 season. He also holds the record for highest score made by a Somerset batsman ( 342).

Australia are currently aiming to whitewash England 5-0 and that will be the perfect farewell for Langer, Pigeon and Warne.

Rafael Nadal, the current world no.2 has reportedly said that he wouldn’t mind partnering Roger Federer in doubles. Nadal is currently at the Chennai open in India, also featuring players like Moya, Karlovic, Malisse and Schuettler.

Fedex and Rafa in doubles…interesting proposition

Would be interesting to see if it does work out. The chances are low, given that both the players play at the same tournaments and focus more on their singles ranking..

Anyway, keep ya guys updated on this..

After all the hype after the Joburg win, Durban ensured that India and Greg Chappell end the New Year on a not so pleasant note

I was in Durban for the game btw and bad weather ensured that play never lasted the whole day. Smith made a positive move by declaring early, but it seemed that the weather Gods would see India safely into Capetown. Makhaya Ntini is one dude with a great sense of humour I tell you, but on day 5 he had no sympathy for the Indians. The Indians had themselves to blame- they wanted to play for bad light and batted in a defensive frame of mind. Clouds lurking, bowler attacking, fielders on the prowl and batsmen wanting to fend –all this translates into wickets and that is what happened. The sun came out in the afternoon and Dhoni and the tail showed some fight…but it wasn’t enough..

Sreesanth took every opportunity to dely the game and invited the wrath of the Proteas supporters. One of em behind me asked him to be sent to hospital. Anyway the lad was a trifle unlucky to be given out, but his dismissal didn’t really have any bearing on the final result.

The Proteas were stung by the Jo burg defeat and came back strongly. Kudos to em…and now we head to Cape Town, capital of the Western Cape