Wednesday, January 18
On the move? - BBC - BBC Sport profiles the top 50 most likely January transfer targets
Championship players on the up - The Guardian - Rob Bagchi picks half a dozen players who could soon be making the step-up to the Premier League
China looks for new era of respect - The Guardian - Nicolas Anelka's arrival coincides with football in China getting a long overdue revamp
Stars lined up for Indian soccer league - Times of India - Former international football stars including England's Robbie Fowler and France's Robert Pires are set to take part in a tournament in India playing alongside local talent, according to organisers.
Top 10 Football League Targets - Sky Sports - This month's transfer window has been a relatively quiet affair so far, with many Premier League managers making it clear they will not pay over the odds for a January swoop.
Tottenham's life of new expectations - Fox Soccer - Suddenly everything has changed for Tottenham. For the first half of what has been their most impressive start to a season for decades, they were in the wonderful position of zooming along under the radar. Week after week they have been winning, impressing, entertaining. But because the heavyweights from Manchester have dominated the news, with Champions League perennials Chelsea and Arsenal never too far from the limelight, Tottenham have pressed on without pressure.
Dimitar Berbatov: Manchester United's Georgi Kinkladze or a misunderstood enigma? - The Telegraph - Simple question. Is Dimitar Berbatov Manchester United’s brilliant enigma or a luxury player who will not be missed when he finally leaves Old Trafford?
Top Ten: Men Who Have Been Missed - Football365 - Through either injury or sale, there have been plenty of gaping holes in some sides this season. Nick Miller picks ten players who have been badly missed by their sides...
So close, and yet... - ESPN - Tottenham, Liverpool and Arsenal missed golden opportunities this weekend.
Get Real! Ronaldo's worth every penny - The Daily Mail - Cristiano Ronaldo came to London just before Christmas. He was a guest at a tennis tournament, the ATP World Tour final between Roger Federer and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga at the O2 Arena. It was a major event and football was well represented.
The Olympics are no place for a football freak show - London Evening Standard - According to Ladbrokes, David Beckham and Ryan Giggs are odds-on to be reunited in the Great Britain team to take part in the Olympic Games. How nice. What next? Seb Coe and Steve Ovett in the 1500 metres?
Liverpool look to end legacy of false promises over new stadium but finance remains the stumbling block - The Telegraph - In the shadow of one of the most iconic stadiums in football lies a depressing picture of dereliction. Houses are abandoned, streets which are vibrant with passion on a match day possess an eerie emptiness for the rest of the year. This is Anfield
Is Mancini Calm Enough For Challenge? - Football365 - There's little that's morally wrong about waving an imaginary card but it wasn't very clever of Roberto Mancini to succumb to his instincts in the late stages of a victory...
How to stop the card-waving craze - The Guardian - Referees, constantly given new directives, must be given back their independence
Back to the future - BBC - Colombia's new direction and why Europeans rarely manage in S America
Goal-shy Emmanuel Adebayor is wasting Tottenham's chance of glory - London Evening Standard - It may be a curious supposition given his importance to Tottenham's modus operandi but Emmanuel Adebayor's goalscoring inconsistency is the most frustrating part of an otherwise impressive Premier League campaign.
Splash the Cash and O'Neill will Fly - Daily Star - The most telling moment at Stamford Bridge on Saturday came at the final whistle with the two managers just inches apart on a frantic touchline.
Cissé: Newcastle's next great No9? - The Guardian - Papiss Demba Cissé can form a deadly partnership with compatriot Demba Ba
‘General Bradley’ gets respect in Italy’s Serie A - AP - He’s become known in Italy as “General Bradley,” “the midfield sergeant” and “the American Marine.” Whatever the name, Michael Bradley has adapted to both the highly technical Italian game and his new country. Having joined Chievo Verona in August to become the only American in Serie A, the 24-year-old midfielder has become a regular starter and already speaks Italian.
The curious case of Joey Barton - New Zealand Herald - The Premier League is a quiet place without that divisive Scouser Joey Barton. Queens Park Rangers limped to a 1-0 defeat at Newcastle on Sunday without their suspended captain and, for a week, even his colourful twitter feed ground to a halt.
Rooney in Blue Two Piece - The Sun - Coleen Rooney looks a little blue as she stares into space under a palm tree. But Wayne's missus put on the coy look — and a cute two-piece — for the shoot of her latest Littlewoods range.
