With a chance to climb in to the top four in the Premier League standings, New Castle United visits Arsenal. Last week, in Carling Cup action, Arsenal scored a 4-0 win against New Castle. In the EPL, this is their first meeting this season. In seventh place, sits New Castle but isn’t far behind a few teams in front of them. With Manchester United, Arsenal is tied for second place but has the edge in wins.

Since losing to Chelsea, Arsenal has been on a roll, winning three straight EPL matches. Over Manchester City, that includes a 3-0 win, who had been one of the toughest teams to score on in league action. Since taking over, goalie Lukasz Fabianski has been stellar. He has given up just one goal during the three game EPL winning streak and he has won his won his last five starts overall. Arsenal is attacking better than ever on offense. scoring four goals on the season and leading the attack, Samir Nasri has been a star.

Things haven’t been as easy for New Castle. Since taking over, Goalie Tim Krul has been okay but not great. The rest of the team has not been as strong at attacking the net, although Kevin Nolan and Andrew Carroll lead the United attack. Against Sunderland, the offense came alive in their last match by scoring five goals. Overall, they have won two straight in the EPL. on the season so far, they have scored 19 goals in 10 games.

Last year, New Castle United was in the Championship League, so they did not mean Arsenal in league competition. Of last week’s 4-0 loss in Carling Cup action, they would like to get rid of the taste. Especially at home, Arsenal is a tough team. If New Castle continues to show life on offense they could pull an upset, although winning won’t be easy.

With the regular 2010 MLS season over, the focus is now on the MLS Cup Playoffs. Online betting experts will keep a close eye on the playoffs.

The New York Red Bulls and San Jose Earthquakes are one of the eight teams that will compete for this year’s cup. The two teams will face each other in the Eastern Conference Semifinal, which is actually the first round of the playoffs. This round will consist of two matches, or legs. The first leg match will be held at Buck Shaw Stadium in California, on Saturday October 30.

It seems awkward that San Jose is playing in the Eastern Conference playoffs section. This is because of the seeding format of the 2010 MLS playoffs that is based on total league table points earned, and this allows for “crossing” of conferences during the playoffs. The New York Red Bulls finished first in the Eastern Conference, while the Earthquakes finished sixth in the Western Conference. In fact, Columbus Crew is the only other Eastern Conference team that made it to the playoffs.

In the regular season, the Red Bulls defeated the Earthquakes twice. In fact, the Red Bulls did not concede a single goal in both victories. It’s hard to ignore these facts, which indicate that New York is the heavy favorite in this first round playoff series. Additionally, the Earthquakes do not have as much experience in the MLS playoffs while the Red Bulls reached the Cup final back in 2008.

For Saturday’s match, the Red Bull lineup will be without star striker Thierry Henry. Additionally, Lindpere and Ibrahim have been bothered by injuries and their role in Saturday’s match may be decided at the last minute. Coach Backe will have to adjust the New York lineup, and carefully plan tactics around Angel’s game. On the San Jose side, coach Yallop will have to hope that his team can feed off the home crowd and exploit the absence of New York’s Henry.

When Manchester United hosts West Bromwich Albion, it will be a key English Premier League showdown. For Manchester United, that is no surprise. Of two draws, Manchester is coming off. On the season, they have three wins and four draws. Meanwhile, on a roll is West Bromwich. They have not lost, after early season losses to Chelsea and Liverpool. On the season, they have three wins, two draws, and two losses. A road win against Arsenal was one of the victories.

The offense has not been that potent, although West Bromwich has a winning record. They have been shut out twice on the season and they have allowed more goals than they scored. However, a bit more, the offence has been clicking. In the victory over Arsenal, they posted three goals. This season, with three goals in six starts, Peter Odemwingie leads the way. The only player who has scored more than one goal is Odemwingie. The offensive attack is lead by Odemwingie and Chris Brunt. Scott Carson has been decent in goal, on the other side. He has 24 saves on the season, although he also has yielded 12 goals. Against offensive attacks, he holds up well.

Offensively, Manchester United has been much more potent. On goal apiece, Nani and Dimitar Berbatov have 29 shots. With six goals, Berbatov leads the club. Some offensive spark is added by Wayne Rooney and Darren Fletcher as well. As a team, on the season, Manchester has scored sixteen goals, which is tied for second most in the English Premier League. Allowing nine total goals to go along with 19 saves, Edwin van der Sar has been decent in goal.

Manchester United needs to capitalize on their shots more, if they have to win and build momentum during the season. Goaltending needs to be improved by them. They should have an edge against West Bromwich, playing at home. West Bromwich is capable of pulling an upset in this one, as they are improving.

When Chelsea welcomes Arsenal to Stamford Bridge, it will be a showdown of English Premier League powerhouses. With Chelsea sitting in first place and Arsenal in third, both teams are high in the standings. However, of losses, both teams are coming off. Against Manchester City, Chelsea suffered their first EPL defeat while Arsenal fell to West Bromwich. This will be a key match for both, as both of these squads have regular championship aspirations. Outscoring Arsenal 5-0, Chelsea swept both meeting last season.

Arsenal has got off to a great start. Prior to the loss to West Bromwich, they had won three and tied two matches. Overall, on the EPL season, they have scored sixteen goals. With four goals in two starts, Theo Walcott leads the way. While starting each of the first six games, Andrei Arshavin has notched two goals on seventeen shots. From Manuel Almunia, who has allowed seven goals while saving twelve shots, Arsenal has also gotten decent goaltending.

Meanwhile, Chelsea, prior to their fall against Manchester City looked unbeatable. In their first five games, they scored 21 goals before being shut out. With six goals on the season, Florent Malouda leads Chelsea. Salomon Kalou has four and Didier Drogba has added five. The offense managed little against Manchester City, although, it has been potent all season. Goalie Peter Cech, who has allowed just two goals this season, is equally impressive.

This match should be great. On offense, both teams feature a lot of scoring threats. Though Chelsea has a slight edge in that department, they also have solid goaltending. Chelsea will need to neutralize the Arsenal attack, playing at home. After suffering defeats in their previous matches, both teams will be hungry.

As the LA Galaxy will take on New York Red Bulls, Friday September 24 will feature one of the most notable matches of the 2010 MLS Season. It is a clash between the most exciting teams of the western conference and the eastern conference. Kickoff is scheduled at a sold out Home Depot Center, at 8:00 PM (11:00 PM Eastern Time). For the online sportsbook betting odds, this clash has a lot to offer.

Both teams are playing for prestige and momentum heading into the playoff season, with only five league matches remaining. NY Red Bulls hope to claim the Eastern Conference position, while LA Galaxy is looking to keep its position at the top of the MLS league table.

With MLS and international all-stars, Friday’s game will be packed. Finally, David Beckham made a return to the pitch and Landon Donovan in the midfield will support him. Rafael Marquez and Juan Pablo Angel represent the team’s all star status, on the New York squad. Unfortunately, striker Thierry Henry, who is suffering from a minor knee injury, will not be available for New York Red Bulls. to miss out on debut in Los Angeles, the French international superstar said he is disappointed.

In Friday’s highly anticipated battle, it is tough to predict the winner. But of course, to look at back at history, it is important. LA Galaxy defeated NY Red Bulls 1-0, with an early goal by Eddie Buddle, in the previous meeting in August. It’s also worth mentioning that Henry was on the pitch, while Beckham sat on the bench in that game. For now, in the MLS, this is developing into one of the most interesting rivalries.

Trinidad and Tobago coach Even Pellerud is “proud” of the Soca Princesses’ progression from zeroes to heroines, although they may be out of the FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup 2010.

On Sunday at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva, Pellerud admitted after the crucial Group A match against North Korea, he was not optimistic about their chances at the competition.

He was filled with pride at seeing his team play competitive football against defending champions North Korea and African giants, the “Flamingoes” of Nigeria. The strength came to the team with hard work of his technical staff and the players themselves for almost two years.
After the 1-0 defeat for the home team, Pellerud revealed, “We’re disappointed with the result, because we really believed we could beat Korea DPR“.

However, Pellerud was not happy with his team’s attacking effort.
He said, “We were very good in defense and very well organized but I was a little disappointed with the way things went up front. We didn’t play well in and around the Korean area and we can be more creative than we were today.”

To lose and exit the tournament, T&T captain Lauren Schmidt was also “disappointed”. However, she was pleased with the hard work and unity of the Soca Princesses

Trinidad and Tobago’s effort impressed Korean coach Ri Song Gun.
He said, “It was a much tougher game than we expected. We thought it would be a lot easier, but obviously we underestimated Trinidad and Tobago in our preparations, because they are a very strong team and have a lot of quality.”

On Sunday, when Birmingham hosts Liverpool, two teams will look to gain some momentum.

Against West Bromwich, Liverpool in a 1-0 effort is coming off as their first EPL win. Meanwhile, against the Bolton Wanderers, Birmingham is coming off a draw, their second draw this season to go along with one victory. Liverpool tapered off last season, after years of being an elite power in the English Premier League. Getting back on the right track is what they are looking for and so too are the soccer betting odds fans.

Birmingham seems to have the offensive edge. While Liverpool has only managed two, Birmingham scored two goals in each of their EPL games this year. Scoring three goals on the season so far, Craig Gardner has led the way for Birmingham. Fernando Torres and David N’gog are the goal scorers for Liverpool. Liverpool has a major advantage as for the goaltending edge.

Pepe Reina has been solid, notching six saves, aside from a tough showing against Manchester City in which he let in three goals. Strong Liverpool defense gets a lot of credit. For Birmingham, Ben Foster has faced more shots. He has also allowed five goals, while picking up ten saves. Foster and the Birmingham defense need to step up if they want to break through to the upper echelon, although the offense has been able to bail him out so far this year.

So far this season, Liverpool has had little attack, and that will need to change if they want to return to elite status. Liverpool has the talent to expose Birmingham’s holes in the defense. But, at home, Birmingham is solid, and that will be to their advantage. This game figures to end in a draw, although both teams have a lot to play for in the game.

On Saturday, September 11, Manchester City is set to host the Blackburn Rovers. In the new season, Manchester City hasn’t gotten off to the fast start they hoped for, posing a win, a draw, and a loss. Against Sunderland, the loss came in their last EPL game. Meanwhile, the Blackburn Rovers have two losses and one win. With Arsenal, their most recent loss came in a hard fought match. For an early rise up the standings is what these two teams are looking for.

In the EPL last year, Manchester City had a successful season, and it is hoping for another effort. With a scoreless draw against Tottenham and a 3-0 win against Liverpool, Manchester City got off to a promising start. Goalie Joe Hart is still solid in goal, although he let in his first goal of the season against Sunderland. In the win against Liverpool, Carlos Tevez notched two goals and he is one of the main keys to the offense.

The Blackburn Rovers, in each of their three matches so far this season have scored one goal, each coming from a different player. Their offense is versatile, although it is not as potent as that of Manchester City. Goalie Paul Robinson has allowed two goals in the two subsequent games, after a season opening shutout. With eight shots, Nikola Kalinic leads the offensive attack, but only two have been on goal and one scored.

Manchester City has the superior goalie and the home field edge. They have the potential to be aggressive, although their offense stalled against Sunderland. Against Arsenal, Blackburn must try to capitalize on a better than expected performance. Against a team as strong as Manchester City, that might be a tall order.

On Saturday August 28, 2010, the Los Angeles Galaxy will host the Kansas City Wizards at the Home Depot Center. Kick off will be at 7:30 P.M Pacific Time, as a large crowd is expected to fill the stadium for this weekend game.

The previous meeting between the two teams in April ended with a scoreless draw. But the next game is going to be a different story.

The clash between Los Angeles and Kansas City may not be full of surprises but the soccer betting odds will definitely be an interesting one. The preview for this game is based on nothing more than pure statistics. The Galaxy are currently the best team in the MLS, compiling 43 points in 21 games. As of the last week of August, Los Angeles leads the league in most goals scored (32) and wins (13.) The stats say that LA Galaxy should easily beat Kansas City Wizards on Saturday. Manager Bruce Arena has done an excellent job in keeping his team at top of the league table.

However, LA Galaxy have lost 3 games in August, which somewhat disrupted the team’s momentum as the undisputed kings of the MLS. A Loss to Chicago Fire and San Jose Earthquakes shook up Galaxy’s confidence. Even a friendly 3-2 loss to European powerhouse Real Madrid was demoralizing.

On the other side, Kansas City Wizards had some mixed results in August including a draw with Real Salt Lake and a convincing 4-1 victory over New England Revolution. The Wizards only have 23 points in 20 games, and are ranked fifth in the Eastern Conference. What the Wizards and Galaxy share in common is a loss to the Earthquakes in August. Based on the most recent results, Kansas City may take advantage of Los Angeles’ inconsistent performance in August.

When the game day arrives, there are high expectations on the attacking forces of Landon Donovan and Edson Buddle to lead the Galaxy to an easy victory. The Wizards are just a mediocre team, and will be nothing more than underdogs trying to stop a powerhouse. There is simply not enough star part on the Kansas City squad to stop the best team in the league.

Chelsea, by tabling a £25 million take-it or-leave-it offer with Santos in the next 24 hours, the club plan to step up their pursuit of highly rated Brazilian striker Neymar.

Attempting to resolve an escalating row over the 18-year-old who recently made his debut for the Selecao, representatives of Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich are currently in Brazil.

For Neymar, Chelsea had a £17 million bid which was rejected last month and are set to follow it up with a £25 million final offer. As Santos is holding out for the £29.6 million buyout clause in his contract, that £25 million still might not be good enough.

Despite Neymar had publicly expressed doubts about leaving – privately informing his club that he wishes to join Chelsea, the Brazilian giants won’t budge from their stance

Because Neymar value has already soared to beyond his buyout price, therefore the economic rights of the player are owned by investors, who believe that they need to persuade him to sign a new contract.

One of the reliable sources said, “There is a big fight still on to convince Santos to part with the player. There is strong pressure on the boy to stay. In the next few days we shall know one way or the other whether a deal with Chelsea can be achieved.”

For Neymar, Chelsea has been caught up in an amazing tug-of-war with Santos threatening to report them to FIFA for tapping up the striker.

He added, “The President of Santos had dinner with agent Pini Zahavi and the people from Chelsea. How can that be tapping up? The boy was forced to go onto Brazilian TV to say he wants to stay with Santos, when the truth is that he wants to go to Chelsea.”