Jay Simpson scored his first Arsenal goals in a 3-0 victory over Wigan as the club's teenage stars swept their north London club into the League Cup quarterfinals on Tuesday.
English football clubs have always attracted wealthy owners. Traditionally, club chairmen were bluff local businessmen with a few spare millions in the bank, perhaps looking to put something back into their local community, somewhere to schmooze clients and colleagues, and seduced by the idea of being a player -- albeit at boardroom level -- in a sport that is an obsession for millions.
No sooner have we waved goodbye to the Euro 2008 finals, then World Cup qualifiers are on our doorstep once again.
So here we go again. The European football season is upon us and every single club has a dream. Some will attain it, most will fall short, but all of them are aiming to exceed expectations and win some kind of silverware.
Striker Emmanuel Adebayor has committed himself to Arsenal by signing a new contract with the English Premier League club.
Denying corruption charges he faces at home, the former Thai leader flies to the U.K. while courts in Bangkok issue warrants for his and his wife's arrest
Thailand's Supreme Court issued arrest warrants Monday for deposed Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his wife after they skipped a court appearance and fled to the United Kingdom, court officials said.
The wife of deposed Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was found guilty Thursday of evading millions of dollars in taxes and sentenced to three years in prison, state media reported.
Chelsea manager Luiz Felipe Scolari is targeting success on all fronts in his first season in charge of the English Premier League club.
Egypt international Amr Zaki is hoping to prove himself in the English Premier League after clinching a season-long loan deal with Wigan Athletic on Tuesday.
Jay Simpson scored his first Arsenal goals in a 3-0 victory over Wigan as the club's teenage stars swept their north London club into the League Cup quarterfinals on Tuesday.
English football clubs have always attracted wealthy owners. Traditionally, club chairmen were bluff local businessmen with a few spare millions in the bank, perhaps looking to put something back into their local community, somewhere to schmooze clients and colleagues, and seduced by the idea of being a player -- albeit at boardroom level -- in a sport that is an obsession for millions.
No sooner have we waved goodbye to the Euro 2008 finals, then World Cup qualifiers are on our doorstep once again.
So here we go again. The European football season is upon us and every single club has a dream. Some will attain it, most will fall short, but all of them are aiming to exceed expectations and win some kind of silverware.
Striker Emmanuel Adebayor has committed himself to Arsenal by signing a new contract with the English Premier League club.
Denying corruption charges he faces at home, the former Thai leader flies to the U.K. while courts in Bangkok issue warrants for his and his wife's arrest
Thailand's Supreme Court issued arrest warrants Monday for deposed Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his wife after they skipped a court appearance and fled to the United Kingdom, court officials said.
The wife of deposed Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was found guilty Thursday of evading millions of dollars in taxes and sentenced to three years in prison, state media reported.
Chelsea manager Luiz Felipe Scolari is targeting success on all fronts in his first season in charge of the English Premier League club.
Egypt international Amr Zaki is hoping to prove himself in the English Premier League after clinching a season-long loan deal with Wigan Athletic on Tuesday.
Brazilian midfielder Geovanni has signed a two-year contract with English Premier League newcomers Hull City.
English Premier League club Blackburn Rovers have agreed to release captain Ryan Nelsen to play in part of New Zealand's Olympic Games campaign.
Former Argentina defender Mauricio Pellegrino has been appointed first team coach at Liverpool.
There is fresh doubt over Klaas Jan Huntelaar's long-term future at Ajax after the Dutch international striker failed to agree a new contract with the club.
Former England captain Paul Ince has been appointed as the new Blackburn manager in succession to Mark Hughes.
Brazil's Zico has parted company with leading Turkish side Fenerbahce -- freeing him up for a possible move to the English Premier League,
Ruud van Nistelrooy's controversial opening goal for the Netherlands in their 3-0 win over Italy at Euro 2008 last night was correctly given as onside, according to leading referees.
Manchester City have sent representatives to Brazil in the hope of persuading Ronaldinho to sign for them.
FIFA, the governing body of world soccer, wants to limit the number of foreign players fielded by top teams. But in today's globalized game, the proposal is unlikely to fly
A year ago in this space, we dropped the hammer on Liverpool, which had inexplicably defied the odds and advanced to its second Champions League final in three years. But seeing as the Reds lost out to AC Milan, managed only another fourth-place finish in the English Premier League and finished the season without a single trophy, it was a tough call to leave them on the Rankings. Not even another Rafa Benítez miracle could save them.
Manchester City are set to land a place in next season's UEFA Cup after the award of an extra place to English Premier League sides.
Arsene Wenger is sad Mathieu Flamini did not share his vision for Arsenal's future, but is convinced there are enough "winners" left in the squad to prove him right next season.
After five days in which they have both beaten Manchester United to keep the English title race alive and overcome their Liverpool jinx in the Champions League, this may have been the week when Chelsea -- and manager Avram Grant in particular -- exorcized the ghost of Jose Mourinho.
Until recently, David Dein was one of the most powerful men in soccer. The former vice chairman of Arsenal was behind building one of the strongest brands in the game, ran the G-14 coalition of Europe's biggest clubs and, in 1996, hired a little-known Frenchman by the name of Arsène Wenger.
Muslim leaders have urged Malaysians to boycott a planned visit from English Premier League club Chelsea after their government decided to allow the London side's Israeli manager Avram Grant and defender Tal Ben Haim to enter the country.
Cristiano Ronaldo vowed to bounce back with a goal in the second leg of the Champions League semifinal following his penalty miss in Manchester United's 0-0 draw away to Barcelona on Wednesday night.
UEFA Cup hopefuls Everton tied up the permanent signing of South Africa midfielder Steven Pienaar on Tuesday.
And we're back. We take breaks from this space once in awhile to accommodate the odd MLS or international piece, but sometimes it's amazing how much changes when you don't touch the Rankings for four weeks. Specifically, we're talking about Arsenal.
Chelsea manager Avram Grant still believes that his side can win the English Premier League title, despite dropping two points in Monday night's home match against Wigan.
Arsenal were held 1-1 by Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday to deal a heavy blow to their English Premier League title hopes.
England center Mike Tindall could end his two-month absence from rugby by playing in Gloucester's European Cup quarterfinal against Munster at Kingsholm on Saturday.
Arsenal are geared up for the final sprint for the English Premier League title as they prepare for Sunday's clash away to third-placed London rivals Chelsea.
"Difficulties mastered are opportunities won." -- Winston Churchill
Frank Lampard has told Chelsea he wants his future sorted out as the Premier League club continue to stall over a new contract.
Inter Milan coach Roberto Mancini is to quit the two-time defending Serie A champions at the end of the season.
UEFA president Michel Platini believes that the English Premier League plan for a 39th fixture to be played overseas is principally designed to help English club's to cope with growing debts.
Liverpool co-owner Tom Hicks is adamant that he has no plans to sell his stake in the English Premier League club.
Football legend Franz Beckenbauer says the English Premier League's plan to play matches overseas is a "good idea" but is warning that to do so against the wishes of FIFA would be foolhardy.
Real Madrid remain the world's biggest revenue generating club but experts say the Spanish giants could be overhauled by Manchester United within two seasons.
England's Premier League seeks to boost its global brand by staging regular-season fixtures in cities around the world
Djibril Cisse scored a hat-trick as Marseille demolished Caen 6-1 and their inconsistent season took a turn for the better.
Struggling Derby County have become the fourth English Premier League club to be taken over by American owners.
Two goals in three minutes just before half-time enabled Everton to win 2-1 at Wigan and move into the top four in the English Premier League on Sunday.
English football club Manchester United have posted buoyant results for its U.S. owners, enjoying a hefty 93% rise in profits.
Liverpool midfielder Mohamed Sissoko has revealed he is "very close" to joining Serie A giants Juventus.
David Beckham trained with English Premier League leaders Arsenal on Friday in an effort to maintain his fitness for international duty during his American club's off-season break.
New Fulham manager Roy Hodgson is not over anxious to spend money in the January transfer window as he starts the tough task of trying to keep the struggling London side in the English Premier League.
It's been a wild year. But as we close it out in Rankingsville, two things remain the same: The No. 1 team is the one that ruled the roost last December, and Manchester United is at the summit of the English Premier League.
Four months into the season, Arsenal is the story of the English Premier League. The Gunners were written off in August mostly due to their youth and the departure of ex-captain and scoring machine Thierry Henry. But Arsenal has shocked everyone and is now in first place with just one loss through 17 matches and playing some of the most attractive soccer in the world.
English Premier League club Birmingham City will not be taken over before the end of the current season at the earliest said chairman David Gold on Tuesday.
UEFA have decided the Champions League final will be staged on a Saturday from the 2009-10 season.
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has confirmed he will not challenge his dismissal in the English Premier League defeat at Bolton last weekend.
Ashley Young inspired Aston Villa to their fourth consecutive victory and left them within touching distance of the Barclays Premier League's top four with a sparkling 4-0 win at Blackburn.
Derby County, the English Premier League's bottom club, have parted company with manager Billy Davies.
English Premier League club Newcastle United are to be paid £100,000 ($206,444) per week in compensation for as long as Michael Owen is out of action after being injured playing for England last Friday.
Wigan Athletic chairman Dave Whelan has confirmed that Steve Bruce is the new manager of the struggling English Premier League club.
Wigan Athletic chairman Dave Whelan is optimistic that Steve Bruce will become the club's new manager this week.
UEFA president Michel Platini has conceded defeat on his controversial plan which would have seen winners of national cup competitions qualify for the Champions League.
The accidental death of a supporter on Sunday yet again brings the ugly side of the beautiful game into focus
Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech will miss Sunday's Barclays Premier League clash with Everton after a scan revealed he has a small tear in his calf.
A big thanks to Cobi Jones for pitching in with the last Rankings, but as U2 once said, we're stealing them back. Somewhere through our post-Halloween haze, we've got our eye on this weekend's calendar for some mega-showdowns around the world.
Two goals last weekend, one midweek in the Champions League and another -- plus a starring role -- in Manchester United's 4-1 win over Middlesbrough on Saturday suggest that Wayne Rooney may finally be getting back to the sort of form that persuaded Alex Ferguson to part with $54 million in 2004.
Thierry Henry has pleaded for patience as he continues to adapt to life in Spain with Barcelona.
Sevilla's youth team coach Manuel Jimenez will coach the senior side for the rest of the season after the departure of Juande Ramos.
Football dignitaries gathered in Sheffield, northern England, on Wednesday to kick off the 150th birthday celebrations of Sheffield FC -- the sport's oldest club.
Chelsea's hopes of regaining ground in the English Premier League title chase have been dealt a double blow with captain John Terry ruled out of action for up to three weeks and fellow England defender Ashley Cole sidelined for a month.
French Euro 2008 qualification hopes were dealt a blow on Monday when Bolton striker Nicolas Anelka was ruled out of the critical midweek qualifier against Lithuania in Nantes.
The chairman of Chelsea has accused elements among the club's supporters of subjecting new coach Avram Grant to anti-Semitic abuse.
Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson has paid tribute to Jose Mourinho following his great rival's departure from Chelsea.
Chelsea players Ricardo Carvalho and Claude Makelele have expressed their shock at the surprise departure of manager Jose Mourinho.
West Ham United's Icelandic owner Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson is to become more involved in the day-to-day running of the club, with Eggert Magnusson stepping down as executive chairman.
The manager of English Premier League club Chelsea has reportedly quit, according to news services.
Former Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein has revealed his aim to again become a major figure at the English Premier League club after setting up a company to buy more shares in the Gunners.
Manchester United striker Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has announced his retirement from football after a glittering career with the Premier League champions.
Polish club Legia Warsaw have been granted a provisional reprieve from the European ban they received following crowd trouble at an Intertoto Cup match in July.
OK, no more messing around. With this weekend's Spanish and Italian kickoffs, all the big boys will be in action. So this is the final Power Rankings in which we're allowed to have some early-season fun.
Jens Lehmann has injured his Achilles tendon and will miss Saturday's home clash with English Premier League leaders Manchester City, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said on Thursday.
Daniel Alves's agent said Wednesday he was "80 to 90 percent confident" that Sevilla will strike a deal to sell the Brazil right-back to Chelsea.
It began with Roman Abramovich and his purchase of Chelsea in 2003. It continued with the controversial acquisition of Manchester United by the Glazer family in '05.
Italy and Roma striker Francesco Totti has threatened to quit the Italian Players Association, in a row over the starting date of the next Serie A season.
Australian goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer could follow compatriot Mark Viduka out of Middlesbrough after failing to agree an extended contract with the English Premier League club.
A special supplement of the famous Argentine football magazine El Grafico released to celebrate Boca Juniors' Copa Libertadores success last week simply showed a picture of playmaker and man of the match Juan Roman Riquelme clutching the trophy under the headline, "Another Copa for the King."
Only a few matches into a comeback after 11 months on the sidelines, Harry Kewell claims he is 100 percent fit and ready to fire for Australia in the Asian Cup.
Whether or not West Ham United are successful in their current $30m pursuit of England international striker Darren Bent, it is fair to say that the profile and status of the East London club has risen inexorably over the last 10 months -- so much so that many experts believe the Hammers are set become a real force in the English game.
Arjen Robben is set to snub the attentions of Real Madrid and sign a new five-year deal with Chelsea.
Manchester United served notice to their rivals that they would not be giving up their English Premier League title without a fight by clinching the first big signing of the summer in the form of England midfielder Owen Hargreaves from German giants Bayern Munich.
Tottenham Hotspur's Bulgarian international striker Dimitar Berbatov insists he wants to stay at White Hart Lane next season despite reports linking him with a move to one of the "Big Four" in England.
Sam Allardyce is hot favorite to take charge at Newcastle after holding talks with chairman Freddy Shepherd about succeeding Glenn Roeder.
I don't know what kind of bookies SI.com's Greg Lalas consorts with, but he called it: It's Liverpool vs. AC Milan, the Sequel, for the Champions League final.
Manchester United stayed on course for a treble triumph as two goals from Wayne Rooney saw them dispatch Premier League bottom club Watford 4-1 to reach FA Cup final.
Jamaica came from behind to hold Panama to a 1-1 draw in their friendly football international at the National Stadium late on Monday.
How do you explain Villarreal's inconsistency? Less than 12 months ago, the modest Spanish club tore up Europe, advancing all the way to the UEFA Champions League semifinals before a last-minute loss to Arsenal.
Who's looking out for No. 1? A better question is who wants to be No. 1. After this week's Champions League action, the Rankings have been thrown into disarray.
The English Premier League have charged West Ham with breaching ownership rules in buying Argentine players Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano last August.
It's "blood on the dance floor" this week in the English Premier League. Well not quite, but "bruising in the karaoke bar" doesn't have the same ring to it.
English Premier League champions Chelsea recorded a pre-tax loss of 80.2 million pounds ($156.3 million) in the 2005/06 financial year, the club announced on Monday.
Manchester United trebled their profits to £30.8 million ($60.4 million) in the year to June 2006 despite failing to qualify for the lucrative Champions League group stages.
We're back, footie fans. It's been nearly a month since our last World Rankings (we took a break for an all-South American edition last time around), and we've just about got all the world's power leagues back on the pitch.
Tottenham Hotspur have been given a bye into the last 16 of the UEFA Cup after the expulsion of their scheduled opponents, Dutch club Feyenoord, following crowd misbehavior.
The English Premier League has negotiated a new overseas television deal which will now guarantee next season's champions being paid at least £50 million ($98 million).
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