On Tuesday, Feb. 15, Newcastle United will battle against Birmingham in EPL action. In the top five of the standings, the match features a pair of teams that find themselves out of contention for a coveted spot. This contest figures to be intense though. While Birmingham is in 16^th, Newcastle is in 10th place. Between the two teams this will be the first meeting this season.

Closer to match time Soccer Premiership odds will be available for this matchup.

The goalie for Birmingham is Ben Foster, who has allowed 33 goals in his 23 starts. Foster has hardly been the problem even as that’s not great. Birmingham has struggled offensively. With just five goals, Craig Gardner leads the team. Birmingham has scored an EPL low 24 goals as a team. In this match that could be a serious problem.

Since switching to Steve Harper in goal Newcastle has been solid.  Harper has allowed 13 goals in 11 games. Over Tim Krul that is a marked improvement. Newcastle is led by Kevin Nolan and Andrew Carroll offensively.  On the season they each have at least ten goals.  What gives Newcastle a major offensive edge is the scoring threats on them.

On paper Newcastle is the better team and they now have better goaltending and more offense. They can’t overlook Birmingham though. In some big games Birmingham has played well. Against Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, and Manchester City, they have managed draws. Against Chelsea they also have a win. They will have a shot to get the win if Birmingham can play like they did in those games against Newcastle. To their advantage, playing at home should also work.

Michel Platini has warned that if Europe’s biggest clubs do not comply with Uefa’s new financial fair play rules, then they will have to “face the music”. Financial problems affecting European clubs are getting worse, as shown by the latest figures.

Spending on player wages is increasing at a faster rate than income and it is up almost 10 per cent.

Under their new rules, from the 2014/15 season, clubs will face possible bans from European competition if they spend more than they earn in the three years previous. To all clubs that qualify for UEFA competitions across Europe’s 53 football nations, the rules which will apply. By ensuring that a club does not repeatedly spend more than it generates, the rules are designed to create a more level playing field.

For spiraling spending and saddling clubs, skyrocketing wages have been blamed with financial troubles, for years. In a study of English Premier League clubs between 2005 and 2009 it was found in a study that the amount the teams spent on salaries explained 85% of the total variation in league position.

UEFA’s complex new financial fair play rules are due to apply from the 2012 financial year, which broadly demands that clubs break even, with sanctions likely to be enforced two to three years later. According to Infantino, if the rules were applied now, from this season’s European League and Champions League 11 clubs would “potentially” have been excluded.

UEFA President Michel Platini said that there would be no blacklisting of clubs or “finger pointing”. However, he underlined that the forthcoming rules would be crucial for soccer’s future, which already appear to be reining in transfer by some debt-laden big clubs. He added that even though the problem is a complicated one, it is vital for the future of football.

Clubs in England are facing the greatest difficulty to abide by the rules, with recent €145 million losses for Manchester City, even though owners are also allowed to inject €15 million a year into their club.

Speaking at UEFA’s headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, Platini said that leading Italian clubs also face problems; even then, the European governing body would not hesitate to take action.

In a big game between highly ranked teams in the English Premier League, Manchester City will clash with Blackpool. In the league standings, Manchester City has climbed in to second place. In their first year in the top division for now, Blackpool has pulled a few surprises. In the standings they currently sit eighth.

For this matchup Soccer Betting Odds are not yet available.

Richard Kingston has been solid for Blackpool, since taking over in goal. Including two shutouts he has won three of his five starts in EPL play. Blackpool isn’t as prolific as other EPL teams offensively. Leading with five goals, three players are tied for the team. With 54 shots on goal Charlie Adam leads the team.

All season, Manchester City has been strong. Joe Hart has allowed just sixteen goals in twenty starts and has been the star of the team. This season, Hart has kept Manchester City in almost every game. On offense Carlos Tevez is the dominant force and he has twelve goals. Compare to the total of any other player on the team that number is more than twice. To go with his goal total Tevez has 66 shots on goal. Through him the Manchester City offense runs.

As the Manchester City owns a victory in opposition to Chelsea and a draw against Manchester United, all season they have been solid. Earlier in the season they also scored a 3-2 win over Blackpool. So far this season Blackpool has been surprising. Already they have won a surprising seven games. They have struggled against the top teams in the league so far in spite of their progress.

Kingston has given them new life on defense yet. The team that breaks through first should be able to hang on for the victory as this game features two of the better defensive teams in the league.

When Arsenal hosts Tottenham, they will look to move to the top of the Premier League standings. For fifth place in the EPL, Tottenham is looking for separation as they sit in a three way tie. While Tottenham is looking for their second straight win, Arsenal is looking for their third straight EPL. Arsenal is also a favorite choice of the online soccer betting fans.

While allowing seventeen, Tottenham has scored eighteen goals this season. Since taking over the starting job from Carlo Cudicini, Gomes has allowed thirteen goals. On the season he has 31 saves. Even though Gomes offers an upgrade at the position, Goaltending has been erratic at times for Tottenham. The team should get help with the return of striker Jermain Defoe even though Rafael Van der Vaart leads the team with five goals. To lead the team, Van der Vaart has 47 shots on goal.

From Lukasz Fabianski, Arsenal has gotten strong goalie play. He has been remarkably strong since taking over the starting job as he has allowed just five goals in seven starts. Arsenal has one of the most potent attacks in the league and has scored 26 goals. Even though Arsenal spreads the ball around, Marouane Chamakh leads the team with five goals. Alex Song and Samir Nasri add a lot of scoring punch. On goal for Arsenal Four different players have at least 25 shots.

Last season, the two teams split their meetings. While losing 2-1 on the road, Arsenal won their home game 3-0. Arsenal should use the home crowd to their advantage as they have a clear advantage on offense and defense. Tottenham is a team that can’t be taken lightly, however. In to this game they have played well in the Champions League and will look to carry that momentum.

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.

Saturday’s quarterfinal match between Germany and Argentina features two soccer powerhouses who have a budding rivalry.

Germany eliminated Argentina from the 2006 World Cup in the quarterfinals on penalty kicks in a game that ended with players and staff from both teams clashing. A war of words has preceded Saturday’s match, and fans will be treated to a hard-fought, contentious match between two of the world’s best.

German midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger has accused Argentina of a “lack of respect” for the game and has criticized them for their apparent ability to influence officials. “You see how they gesticulate, how they try to influence the referee. That is not part of the game. That is a lack of respect. They are like that. We should not be provoked by them,” Schweinsteiger said.

Germany played just well enough to win Group D, winning against Australia and Ghana but suffering a loss to Serbia. They started the knockout stage very well, however, defeating England 4-1. Their young stars have been tremendous in the tournament. Mesut Ozil and Thomas Mueller have been magnificent, overcoming doubts that this World Cup was too soon for them. Ozil has played so well that Werder Bremen general manager Klaus Allofs has stated that he has outshone Argentina midfielder Lionel Messi, who is widely regarded as the world’s best player.

Argentina represents a much bigger challenge for Germany than any other team they have faced. They are one of two teams to win all four of their games and they feature the always-intimidating Messi. In addition to Messi, Argentina has joint top scorer Gonzalo Higuain who has scored four goals in the tournament.

Saturday’s match should be something special. The two teams are very evenly matched and they both feature some of the world’s best young players. Schweinsteiger’s words will certainly be in the minds of both teams as the international soccer giants seek to advance to the semifinals.

United States and Algeria meet on Wednesday in the FIFA World Cup 2010.

Soccer lovers of both the nations will get to see the two teams give their best to tower over each other. United States have qualified for the world cup series displaying efficiency, style and good play. Trained under the guidance of Coach Bob Brandley, this team establishes great hope and expectation from followers of the team.

Fans will get to see some exciting and fantastic soccer kicks and passes from star players including Landon Donovan, Oguchi Onyewu, Michael Bradley, Jozy Altidore, Tim Howard and Clint Dempsey. Keen to set up their position in the second place finish of FIFA World Cup in South Africa, USA is surely in for some soaring game strokes and strategies.

On the other hand, Algeria is on a weaker side as they are back in the soccer league after a long gap of 24 years. Slowly working their way back to form, the players of team is full of confidence and belief that they will establish a significant mark in the World Cup at South Africa. The team of Algeria has a balanced combo from which audience can surely expect to see an enthralling match. Under the captaincy of Yazid Mansouri, the team also has some good players in Madjid Bougherra, Nadir Belhadj and goalkeeper Lounes Gaouaoui.

Both the teams are ready and geared up to take over each other on the field. Soccer lovers will surely have a memorable time watch two good teams fight their way to win. Keep the finger crossed and enjoy some mind blowing strokes of soccer on 23rd June with United States and Algeria.

On the 23rd of June Ghana and Germany will square off out of Group D in the 2010 World Cup. On paper it appears that this is a lopsided match, but anything goes in a soccer game with such worldwide implications.

The beauty of this game is that though Germany is ranked much higher in many of the world rankings, that takes away nothing from the ability of Ghana to stay in this game. You can expect Ghana to be pumped up to play a high level of soccer as they play one of the premier teams in the world. If Ghana can take this one match it will give them the confidence to move along and make a solid run in this World Cup just as they did 4 years ago in Germany.

The home continent crowd cannot be talked about enough as it will be a huge advantage to have millions of people in the area supporting your team against all other teams that are not from Africa.

Germany will have to be defensively sound if they hope to seal the deal in this game. They have given up more goals than a top level team normally would in their recent matches and that gives any team a chance to play with them in a game.

The Ghana team will need to show their defense is capable of stopping a formidable attack as well if they hope to compete. They may have the second best defense of Group D and will need to show it in order to compete.

On June 22, Nigeria and South Korea conclude group play, when they face each other at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban, South Africa. At 2:30 p.m. ET, the match will begin. Nigeria and South Korea are members of Group B.

In the first ever World Cup played on the continent, Nigeria is one of teams representing Africa. As a result, they will have a home-field advantage of sorts. No African team has ever made it to the World Cup final and fans will be delighted to see it happen in their own continent.

The game will obviously have important implications, as the final game of group play. They will use this as an opportunity to prove they are for real if one of the two (or both) is able to beat Argentina prior to this match.

This year, South Korea is one of three Asian teams playing for the World Cup. At least, they will look to go as far as they did in the 2002 World Cup, when they made it to the semifinals while co-hosting the tournament with Japan.

With midfielder Ji-Sung Park, South Korea’s success likely begins and ends. By playing in all of South Korea’s World Cup matches in 2002 and 2006 and by playing very well for the globally recognized Manchester United of the English Premier League, the beloved midfielder has made a name for himself.

With the speedy Nigerians, South Korea will have no problem enduring through the game. In the tournament, they are one of the best-conditioned teams. Nigeria appears to be a little stronger with their attackers. The supportive crowd may energize them to victory, if they can get a goal early.