Some young players are just naturally gifted and will progress quickly. A coach needs to pinpoint the strong and weak links in his team structure early but at the same time, needs to be careful not to give a youngster the feeling their not wanted. Every player has to feel they are contributing to a team’s success.

One of the best ways for a new coach or a coach early in the season to get an idea of where his team strengths are is simply to pit them against one another. Organizing games will identify which players are advanced and which need plenty of nurturing.

Unique Youth Soccer Drill Tips

1. Rather than use elimination games, a good youth soccer drill should ensure that the game promotes active participation of the players because a participative game will ensure that the players have a better chance of learning twice what other drills are able to achieve.

2. The importance of making the players keep score during the drill is that it makes their game more realistic and this motivates the players to play harder as well as learn when action is thick and fast. This also ensures that players take greater interest in the drill and will be attracted to it and so will learn a lot more in a shorter span of time.

3. Some useful tips to ensure that your youth soccer drill works out right is learning to avoid lines and making sure those players remain active. In addition, each player should be given their own ball and the players must make at least two hundred touches in each practice session.

4. During the youth soccer drill, the coach needs to also ensure praising and hustling as well as improving the skills of his players and must also inculcate in their minds the need to play the game with a good and positive attitude.

5. The good youth soccer drills will ensure that players are taught the right techniques and the drill must also simulate actual playing conditions. In fact, by ensuring that the players have to keep score the level of competitiveness will rise, pressure will mount and this will help teach players to perform well even under extreme pressure situations.

There are also a number of free soccer drills that can give life to the adage that practice makes a person perfect. Therefore it is necessary to pick only those soccer drills that will help in transforming an ordinary person into becoming a star player.

We have the Barcelona – Atletico game in Spain.

In Germany we have the two most attacking teams facing off – Stuttgart vs Werder Bremen.

What about the game in England,where City take on Liverpool in a game I do expect some nice football.

Of course, we should not forget the Athens derby between Olympiakos and AEK played in the Karaskaki stadium.

This is the weekend’s football betting tips.

Who ever you bet on this weekend have in mind that many teams have played a lot of games by now.
The Champions League teams and Uefa Cup teams must be tired by now.
Too many games in a small period of time can never come good.
We might see some tired legs out there.

Let’s take a look at football betting tips for the match that will be played in Catalonia between Barcelona and Atletiko.

My thoughts regarding the team from Madrid is that i think they are over performing so far.

They are good but they are not that good.
They have good players but they are not great players.
Like I said in my Atletico – Sevilla analysis.

For my previous football betting tips, take a look at football betting tips.

Atletico’s drop of form is just a matter of time.

Atletico come into this game after a nice win in the Champions League against Marseille.
But are they good enought to take on Barcelona away?
The coach Aguerre will most likely play his 4-4-2 system at Camp Nue with Aguerro and Sinamo playing rather deep.
Quick counter attacks and solid defending will be his plan.
Its simple,if you want something from Barcelona on their home ground then you need to score.
Barcelona wont leave a game played at home without scoring a goal.

I believe Atletico can suprise Barcelona in the play that they master very good.
Counter attacking football.
You see Barcleonas defensive back four line is not a the fastest one around.
While Atletiko have some very speedy attacking players.
Alreday mentioned Aguerro and Sinamo are not the only ones.
Maxi on the wing is also a player that like to run into space.

Guardiola the Barca coach will have to be careful.
If he dont want them famous white handkerchiefs coming out he better step up.
So far i must say he have done an ok job.
But he must build on this momentum.
Barcas cutting edge passing is not their yet,they need to bring that out.
Their defending is not on a level that it should be.

They came away with a scrappy win in Shaktar some days ago after once again being saved by the little magician called Messi.
They are so depended on him that it would be fair to call Barcelona Messilona many times.

We will see a fresh Messi in this game as he only played 30 minutes away to Shaktar.
Of course that did not stop him from scoring twice.
Messi who will face Pernia come Saturday night should reallytare him apart.
Pernia is a slow player that is not good in one on one situations.
Yellow card or red card must be a side bet in this came as it will be party time on that left flank of Madrid.

Barca will controll possession as they are they strongest team in the world when it comes to that.
Atletiko will keep their positioning and count the minutes.
They more that go by the better and then maybe snatch a counter attacking goal.

One thing for certian,Atletiko have left the #we are hopefull of a result# long time ago.
They come into this game confident of a result.

Goran Trpevski
football betting tips

Only the penalty kick that occurs when the team, which scores are in front of ”Offside” is a Corner kick adjacent to the goal in which the layer crosses or kicks the ball into play from the side line.

To prevent an offensive term such as offside, the player attacking cannot be infront of the last defender when the ball is kicked by someone else in there team, in order to depict this I have included a video on offsides,ayso soccer, basic soccer rules, dimensions of a socccer goal, slime soccer, soccer babes, soccer feild diagram, soccer feild dimensions, soccer rules, soccer rules regulations, soccer rules simplified, soccer tornaments, soocer drills, who invented soccer
PS
Even people who nothing about the game of soccer still know this one but it has to be included as it is an important rule in the game of soccer.

- The rule for a hand ball includes using any part of the body from the tips of the fingers to the shoulder.
Indirect kick- you cannot score.

(An indirect kick must be touched by another player before scoring.)

A direct kick is much more serious and is a result of a more serious offense close to goal.
A note on offsides
Try this. An offensive or attacking player can’t be ahead of the ball and involved in the play unless there is a defender between him and the goalkeeper. Or, you can’t hang out at the other team’s goal waiting for the ball.

2010 FIFA World Cup Host selection
Africa was chosen as the host for the 2010 World Cup as part of a new policy to rotate the event between football confederations (This policy was later abandoned in October 2007). Five African nations placed bids to host the 2010 World Cup:

* Egypt
* Libya / Tunisia (co-hosting)
* Morocco
* South Africa

Following the decision of the FIFA Executive Committee not to allow co-hosted tournaments, Tunisia withdrew from the bidding process. The committee also decided not to consider Libya’s solo bid as it no longer met all the stipulations laid down in the official List of Requirements.

As the host nation, South Africa qualifies automatically for the tournament. However, South Africa is the first host since 1934 to participate in World Cup qualifiers. This is because the CAF qualifiers will also serve as the qualifying tournament for the 2010 African Cup of Nations, for which South Africa must qualify separately. Like the previous tournament, the defending champions Italy do not qualify automatically.

The preliminary draw for the 2010 World Cup was held in Durban, South Africa, on 25 November 2007.

The Final draw for the 2010 FIFA World Cup will be staged in Cape Town, South Africa, in December 2009 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.

After one round of voting, the winning bid was announced by FIFA president Sepp Blatter at a media conference on 15 May 2004 in Zurich. South Africa was awarded the rights to host the tournament, defeating Morocco and Egypt. More on FIFA World Cup

There are different methods that will effectively teach the players how to dribble in traffic for example. As per this method, first, make the square 5 or 6 adult steps wide. Now tell the players just to dribble across and stop. Don’t let them turn and dribble back.

Look at this as an example on how to develop specific skills while running and under pressure or how to pass quickly after having made a turn. One important thing is that the method teaches the passer that she/he should quickly move after making a pass and not stand still.

Soccer Coaching Drills
If there is something you need to correct while coaching an exercise, you should stop the drill and demonstrate the step to correct the mistake. Psychology plays an vitalrole in coaching soccer.

Also consider that you can start the practice sessions with running drills. When doing so, you can have the players step once or twice between each stick for example. The players must change direction at each turn, shuffling sideways between the sticks. You can also have the players run between the sticks lengthwise.

A good soccer coach understands that the Power comes from quickness of the execution. Have the players use the elastic quality of the leg muscles. If the players think that way, they will be able to jump much higher. They need to squat and leap rather than leaping up starting from a squatting position.

The coach should also ensure that the defenders are tough and are not afraid of physical contact. If you have a player in the team who is afraid of contact, this can be a disadvantage for you. If you play him or her at Fullback or Sweeper, get ready to give up many goals.

If you want to move the ball around the defenders for example, the attackers must try to get the ball past all of the defenders and into unobstructed space within finishing range of the goal.

Soccer Coaching Tips Blog
An expert coach can use a variety of techniques and methods to coach his team the necessary skills and field vision. Some of these are tried and tested techniques that you should use on a daily basis.

I say.
If they knew football would they deliver pizza?
If they knew football would they look for the bad guys on the street?

I have just gone on a 9!! games winning streak with good prices involved.
Bragging? Naaa just facts..
Lets just say that my predictions on any givien soccer/football game count alot more then the novice punter or street guy.

So let’s start analysing the game between Milan and Inter this Sunday.

Milan come from two straight wins and they seem to have put all that early trouble behind them.

But is all great now?
Or was everything all bad when they lost two games in a row?
Fact is its not great and its not disaster.

Milan have once again chosen to come inte a new season with a squad that CANT win the league.
Of course Ancelloti dosent think this way nor does Mr Berlosconi.
But i dont care what they think or not think.

I say #You dont win the league with a squad like that#

Milans biggest problem is the defensive line.
Players like Maldini,Kaladze,Jankolovski,Zambrotta,Bonera are just average players (spare me the he have won this or he have won that, it dosent matter)
Football today is not what it was 10 or 20 years ago.

The bar is raised and its raised big time.
A modern defender today in a top team must be great at

1) Defending

And good to

2) Help the team in their offensive play.

What defender in todays Milan have these characteristics?

Compare Milan’s defence with teams like Real Marid,Inter,Chelsea,Man United etc etc. (not just defensively but offensively as well)

I don’t know what tactics Ancelotti will use against Inter this Sunday.

But knowing he have the likes of Ibrahimovic,Mancini,Quaresma against him.
He might choose a safer approach (4-5-1?)

Kaka will once again be the #go-to guy# but unfortunately for him,
he doesn’t get the support he needs many time from his team mates.
You think Kaka is playing good right?
Well he is doing alright considering he have no team mates with his ability.
When you have great players around you, it’s easier to be great and play great.

Ronaldinho for example is just a salsa dancer nowadays.
If he played football as good as he smiles he might bring Milan titles.

Pirlo although injureed lack the passion you need in modern top football.

Pato although i rate him very very high is still not a week in and week out player for Milan.
Who else?

Shevcenko? lost his speed and you just dont go to the supermarket to get new speed.

He is a 6-8 goals a season player now so forget him.
Flamini is ok but calling him a great player is only gonna confuse alot of football fans who by the way are already confused.

So you see i dont see a bright future for this Milan team with these players. (important with these players)

Inter on the other hand is doing everything great.

The sacking of Mancini maybe was harsh but Moratti is not out to make friends.

He want titles and more titles.
I was not a fan of Mancinis Inter,but i cant say i was against it either.

One thing certian though,it was too much of a defensive minded Inter under Mancini.

It was an Inter that defended 15-20 meters too deep in my book.
And i had problems with only seeing 2-3 creative players on the field when Inter played.

Mourinho has changed this.

1) The defence play much higher now.
2) Muntari,Quaresma,Mancini have arrived and they are all pretty much starters. (all creative players)

With this Inter, adds 2 other dimensions that they were missing from the era of Mancini which pretty much make them a stronger side under Mourinho.

Can Milan beat Inter this Sunday?
That’s for sure as anything can happen in one game.
Can Milan have a great Seria A season this time around?
My answer will be the same like the one i gave two years ago,and the one i gave last year.

#This Milan team cant compete with this Inter team over 38 games like the Serie A is#

Enjoy the game on Sunday.
And what ever i think about this or any other game will be shared to my members.
As i said the past have shown that my advices and thoughts count.

Goran Trpevski

www.goranswinners.com

Probably, every soccer drill will take into account learning how to dribble which can be learnt with the help of a square area in which each player is given a ball and told to dribble the ball across the area without touching the balls of other players, and on reaching the other end, the player has to dribble back to the starting point. One thing that is common to most soccer drills is that they need to be repeated that will eventually lead to perfecting the skills. Thus dribbling across a square area helps the player concentrate and also is able to negotiate traffic.

Another one of the many soccer drills that players must master is the driving school or an exercise to gain better ball control, and for which a lot of space is required. In this soccer drill too, the player has a ball and with it he or she must do as he/she is instructed which includes making the players drive the ball and stop. If a player fails to respond to the instructions properly, it would lead to that player getting eliminated from the drill, and this drill should be performed for a couple of minutes before restarting once more. The end result of this drill is to teach ball control including dribbling, stopping, pullbacks and also how to use the outside of either foot.

You may also be interested in learning another of the many soccer drills called the ‘tick-tock’ that is also involved with teaching ball control. In this drill, the player begins by placing the ball between his legs with the knees being bent at an angle. On hearing the command “go”, the player must let go of the ball and tap the ball between the feet from side to side much like a pendulum moves from one side to another. If a player succeeds in making a tap he or she will get one point, and the first one to score twenty points will win the drill.

Using these simple soccer drills, premier soccer players can become more skilled and be able to master basic skills, and will be well prepared to learn more advanced skills later on in their soccer playing years.

Arsenal football club gifts are such a collection of rare items of the Arsenal club players that is sure to make the owners feel proud. The Arsenal football club gifts exhibit numerous items that are genuine and hard to find easily in any sports stores. Shirts, photos, logos that are signed by players themselves are some among the many. Newspaper memorabilia book is another worthy gift that is stored in archive. This book narrates the wins and other his events giving a clear insight to the past events including the recent held matches that has historical significance. The reports are written by persons who have witnessed the glorious moments. arsenal news

Own a share gift is another unusual football gifts. This Arsenal football club gift empowers you to own shares of Arsenal. It also bestows you to attend meetings and receive reports annually about the happenings of the club. To enrich you with information and the rights, a glossy gift box is presented that includes: a welcome letter, company information, illustrated shareholder information, free post registration card and presentation certificate (options to personalize it). Arsenal football club gifts are undeniably excellent and unique gift for Arsenal fans. The gifts are sure to amaze them and make them feel that they secure a place in your heart. To look the gift more appealing and special just personalize the recipients name, as options are also available. Arsenal football club gifts are a way to commemorate the players and the clubs colorful history as well.

As they are exceptional they cannot be available easily. The right place to grab these unique items is on internet. Online shopping enables you can obtain the gifts at competitive rates by browsing shopping sites. You can purchase your favorite players collections and make your friends wonder the secret of having it.

The English Premiership has become one of the best properly organized leagues in the world, due to the fact that clubs from the premiership have been able to prove to the entire world that they are clubs to be respected in the world. This is due to their performances in Europe, I mean in the champions league and the winners cup respectively.

In the last two editions of the champions’ league English teams have been able to at least reach the finals. Liverpool FC was able to overcome the AC Milan team the 2006 final, while in the semi-final of the 2007, three English teams namely: Manchester United FC, Liverpool FC and Chelsea FC got to the final, and Liverpool could be said to have lost out narrowly to AC Milan in the final. arsenal news

The performances of these teams have not only endeared them to the hearts of fans world wide, but Africans, have developed a fanatical system of support for the premiership teams. This is not to say that other leagues such; Laliga with Barcelona FC and Real Madrid FC being the most popular because of football stars such as Ronaldinho, Robinho, Deco, Samuel Eto, Raul Gonzalez just to mention a few.

But the English Premiership is so popular in Africa due to the presence of Africa football stars in the league, when you talk about football stars you will mention the African footballer of the year 2006, Didier Drogba of Cote de voire and Chelsea and also Solomon Kalou, which guarantees a total fanatical commitment from Ivorians, also the presence of Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Eboe guarantees that Arsenal also have the required followers, same thing goes for other premiership teams that have African Stars in their folds such as Michael Essien of Ghana, Emmanuel Adebayor of Togo and others. arsenal news

This game would be remembered for the wrong reasons as a very horrific injury to Croatian striker Eduardo Da Silva.

Martin Taylor was the defender that made a poor tackle on Eduardo in 2 minutes of play and deservedly got a red card. The lunging and 2-footed tackle has been met with red cards this season because of incidents like this that can end a player’s career and Eduardo’s lies in the balance.

Birmingham playing with 10 men surprisingly took the lead with a good free kick by James McFadden when Mathieu Flamini was adjudged to have brought him down. The decision seemed harsh but Flamini did not have to make the challenge in the first place.

Manuel Almunia would feel that he should have done better with the free kick. Arsenal huffed and puffed in the 1st half with no real penetration. Their best chance of the half fell to Emmanuel Adebayor from a great 50-yard pass from Cesc Fabregas.

Fabregas’ game has become a little too predictable as most of his passes seem to always be looking for Adebayor and they are easy to read.

In the 2nd half though Arsenal showed more purpose and Theo Walcott that in the 1st half was having a nightmare game came to life and scored 2 quick goals to put his side in front.

It was looking like a routine victory for the visitors until Gael Clichy and Mathieu Flamini gave Birmingham a lifeline in the 4th minute of injury time by playing like amateurs.

An innocuous looking ball came to Flamini and instead of just clearing his lines, he decided to play a casual pass to Clichy, who in turn left the ball and then realized that a Birmingham player would get to the ball and he stuck out a leg. He may have got the ball but it was still a foolish thing to do and the referee pointed to the penalty spot much to the absolute disgust of captain William Gallas. arsenal news

James McFadden smashed the resulting penalty for an unlikely draw and Gallas refused to leave the pitch in absolute disgust.

It was 2 points dropped for Arsenal with a lot of people including manager Arsene Wenger’s decision to take off both Walcott and Hleb contributing to the draw.

But Eduardo’s injury was the talking point.

Newcastle United 1 Manchester United 5

Manchester United were given a boost with the events at St. Andrews before they even kicked off and they just romped this game without much fuss.

Newcastle provided little or no resistance and Wayne Rooney along with Cristiano Ronaldo helping themselves to a brace each and Louis Saha completing the rout.

Newcastle United’ s consolation was scored by Abdoulaye Faye and they are looking at a relegation battle as they are very poor side in very poor form.

Liverpool 3 Middleboro 2

Following their dramatic midweek win over Inter Milan in the champions’ league, Liverpool were looking for only their 2nd win in the league this year.

They quite predictably went behind through Tuncay Sanli and almost inevitably Fernando Torres made it a double in a minute before completing his hat-trick in the 2nd half.

Jeremie Aliadiere got a red card before Stewart Downing scored a late consolation.

Portsmouth 1 Sunderland 0

Jermaine Defoe settled this game with a penalty in the 2nd half when David Bardsley was adjudged to have fouled Nico Kranjcar.

Wigan Athletic 2 Derby County 0

Playing against Derby County at home is a banker and this was no different as Wigan ruined former manager Paul Jewell’s return to the JJB stadium having left them at the end of last season.

Goals from Paul Scharner and Antonio Valencia in the 2nd half gave Wigan all three points. arsenal news

Fulham 0 West Ham 1

A controversial goal from Norberto Solano settled this all London affair as he seemed to foul Fulham goalkeeper, Anton Niemi and there is no doubt that in Italy or Spain this goal would not have stood.

Another defeat spells grave danger for Fulham as they have to start winning games and soon otherwise they would be playing championship football next season.

Reading 1 Aston Villa 2

Reading’s season just seems to be getting worse as they just seem to be suffering defeat after defeat and are another side that have a big relegation battle on their hands.

Aston Villa would feel that they stand a very good chance of Champions league football even though I don’t think they have a good enough squad for that but they should at least qualify for UEFA football.

Goals from Ashley Young and Marlon Harewood with Gareth Barry hitting a penalty well wide ensured that Villa won comfortably at Reading whose only consolation was a goal from Nicky Shorey.

Blackburn Rovers 4 Bolton Wanderers 1

This Lancashire derby was settled by goals from 2 Benni McCarthy penalties, David Bentley with 1 goal and Morten Gamst Pedersen’s 1st league goal of the season.

Bolton that had a very good midweek result in Madrid where they held Ahletico Madrid to a 0-0 thereby knocking them out of the UEFA cup had Kevin Davies to thank for their consolation goal.

arsenal news

Imagine that a player is approaching the goal and the goal-keeper leaves this very goal. The player passes the keeper but recognizing his defeat, the keeper grabs the foot of the same player. But then; Arsenal News

The player, Eto’o from Barcelona, manages to kick the ball to Giuly who marks a goal. 0 – 1?

The referee, however cancels this goal, draws a red card from his pocket and presents it to the keeper of Arsenal. Red, ten players left, but still the goal is canceled. A wrong decision? Rule number one: in case of advantage the game continues.

After this, the ball possession of Barcelona continues to increase, but they fail to mark the equalizer. Before ending the first half, Campbell from Arsenal does head the ball in a fabulous way into the goal Barcelona. 1 – 0. The first half ends.

The Second half.

This time it is Henry from Arsenal who mistakenly receives yellow. Arsenal on ease, Barcelona in anxiety. Arsenal News

And it is raining.

And then, a we all think that Barcelona loses pace and Arsenal continues to dominate the game. Then, just when the same Arsenal if lowering pace, imagining that the victory is within reach – the goalkeeper receives yellow for holding up the game – it is Eto’o from Barcelona who equalizes the game. 1 – 1.

And shortly after Belletti marks a second goal and with only ten minutes to go, Barcelona moves in direction of the cup. 1 – 2.

Three minutes are added to the game, but it will not help Arsenal.

This one is for Barcelona. Well done guys! FIESTA…

Arsenal News

BUT!!!

Since 1992 when the present money spinning Barclays premier league started as F.A premier league Arsenal has won the competition for 3 seasons (1997-98, 2001-02, 2003-04).Which placed them second to Man United who has won the competition on 10 occasion with Chelsea 2 times and Blackburn Rovers once. The club has been runners -up for a record 5 times (1998-99, 1999-2000, 2000-01, 2002-03, 2004-05}

Arsenal success story also extends to the prestigious F.A CUP where it has won the title on 10 occasions (1929-30, 1935-36, 1949-50, 1970-71, 1978-79, 1992-93, 1997-98, 2001-02, 2002-03, 2004-05). Runners-up 7times (1926-27, 1931-32, 1951-52, 1971-72, 1977-78, 1979-80, 2000-01).

LEAGUE CUP.

The league is now called the Carling cup based on sponsorship is not left out on the silver ware stable of Arsenal were there 2 of the trophy.(1986-87, 1992-93). Runners-up 4 times (1967-68, 1968-69, 1987-88, 2006-07).

Grand Canyon Hikes

There are many ways to use a Grand Canyon hike for team or individual sport conditioning. I’ve taken my entire soccer team into the Canyon on rim-to-rim hikes that strengthened the boys’ teamwork as much as their bodies. The rim-to-rim, which entails 4000 feet of downhill hiking and 4000 feet of uphill hiking, can be done in a single day for the super-fit or as a multi-day hike, which works better for teambuilding. The rim-to-rim-to-rim, which includes 8000 feet of downhill hiking and 8000 feet of uphill hiking can also be done in a single day or as a multi-day hike, but should only be tried in one day if you’re willing to trail run much of the way. Either way, hiking between the rims is a challenge both physically and emotionally. The hiking is steep and sustained and is absolutely perfect for upper leg strengthening. For the rim-to-rim, most people choose the South Kaibab Trail down and the North Kaibab Trail back up, and then back the same way for the rim-to-rim-to-rim. Another alternative though is to take the Bright Angel Trail as a alternative route back to the South Rim.

Grand Canyon Hiking Tours

Another option especially for pre-season trainings is a rafting trip into the canyon and then a hike out. The conditioning isn’t as good with the rafting, but the hike out more than makes up for it. The rafting is one-of-a-kind when it comes to bonding athletes around something outside of their sport.

Guided Grand Canyon Hikes

There are other options that are more and less taxing. The New Hance Trail is a great option for a more difficult hike, and a mule-assisted trip down to Phantom Ranch is a great way to make it more moderate. Whichever option you choose, just remember it’s critical to stretch and hydrate frequently, and in the Grand Canyon September is the best month because it’s not too hot, and the Fall sports season is just beginning.

Here are some tips for those parents whose children are involved in youth soccer:

Ensure that you child is well rested and adequately fit before bringing him/her to soccer practice or competition game. Because rest and fitness plays an important role in children involved in strenuous activities, as fatigue will increase the chance of injury on the field.

It is best that your child does not eat before a game to avoid cramps.

Ensure that your child takes in adequate fluids, as in any sports your child will loss fluids due to sweating, especially on a hot day.

Make sure your he/she gets adequate warms ups before a game.

Ensure that you as a parent observe good game conduct during a match. I sure you have seen parents screaming and shouting at their kids or the referee, screaming instructions to their kids from the benches. First off I don’t think junior can hear you and secondly its down right distracting for the children on the field.

If by any chance you child happens to be the losing team, show that you care with encouragement and a listening ear. Don’t leave it as it is, children have feelings too. Never lecture or nag at your child at how he should have won the game or compare.

If you do not know any thing about soccer, its best to do some research or reading up on the matter. It helps when he/she talk or discusses soccer with you. Its good for bonding and maybe you’ll stop argue with the referee

Show genuine interest and be your child’s best supporter.

American owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett are said to be mulling this offer over. Hicks and Gillett bought the club in February 2007 and their reign at Anfield started off well with the record purchase of Fernando Torres from Atletico Madrid and the promise of a new stadium.

However, it wasn’t long before the two wealthy businessmen began arguing over certain aspects of running the soccer club and the cracks in their relationship really began to show. Hicks and Gillett bought the soccer club on finance so any potential buyout would clear any lingering debts and leave manager Rafa Benitez with stacks of cash to spend in the January transfer window.

Sheikh Mohammed, real name Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, seems to be the man behind the takeover bid. Skeikh Mohammed is the Prime Minister and Vice President of the United Arab Emirates and the ruler of Dubai. He is said to be the seventh richest person in the world and is thought to be worth approximately £7 billion.

Manager Rafa Benitez seems to be pleased with the news of the potential takeover saying “I have talked to the chairman and chief executive about this and I was pleased with what I heard. It is always good for a club to have more money and more possibilities.”

Liverpool Soccer Club, five times champions of Europe but yet to win the English Premier League, have given DIC permission to study their books ahead of the potential takeover. If the £500 million bid is successful, we will see the construction of a 60,000 capacity stadium at a cost of £200 million.

Rick Parry, Liverpool Chief Executive, also seems to be excited by the news of the takeover bid saying “This is the latest step on the road of finding the long-term investment that the club needs. This is very important in terms of the proposed new stadium, which is key to plans for the regeneration of the local community. On the pitch, Liverpool remains focused on winning and, here again, this is all about doing a deal that gives us the long-term resources to do that.” Liverpool have their soccer positions filled with some of Europes finest players and their fans demand they are challenging for major honors every year.

The news of the potential takeover is likely to be music to the ears of Liverpool Soccer Club fans, however, there will be those that won’t be tremendously happy about the news that yet another Premiership soccer club is facing a high-profile foreign takeover bid. Several Premiership soccer clubs have undergone foreign takeovers in the last few years including Manchester United, Chelsea, Aston Villa, Portsmouth and very recently Manchester City.

The first half of the year speaks of the forgettable EPL 06/07 that the Gunners endured. We finally finished 4th in the table and made it through to the Champion League. It was a sign that a revolution is needed and changes have to be effected. First team players like Ljungberg, Muamba, Reyes, Aliadiere, Baptista and Henry left while players on loan like Bentley, Larsson, Stokes and Lupoli also confirmed their departures.

The departure of the talismanic Henry signaled the end of an era and brought on the critics in full force. Every ‘manager’ from the salesman to the CEO to the data entry clerk in the world gave the gunners zero chance. Nobody thought that Arsenal will rise from the ashes this time round. Adding fuel to the fire was the ultra thin squad (we only brought in Sagna, Fabianski, Nordtveit, Eduardo and Bendtner back from loan) and no big name signing after Henry departure. The team was amazingly young with an average age of less than 25 years old.

BUT how we confounded all the critics! As we approached the start of the season, the team was brimming with confidence with two pre-season cup wins in the Emirates Cup and Ajax Cup. Arsenal News

It was a joy to watch the young Gunners string passes together and attack with such speed and venom. The swagger was back and the confidence was overflowing with each passing movement and goal. What a turnaround since the post season when we lost the leader of the team!

On the field, the changing of the old guards continued with The Crazy Mouth been overtaken in between the posts by the boring and reliable Almunia. With the young and promising Fabianski, more changes may still be coming.

With Henry gone, Robin Van Persie (RVP) was widely regarded as the natural replacement for him. Although fulfilling the early promise with his amazing runs and equally amazing goals, RVP was soon back at the treatment table. With him down, the new ‘Kanu’, Adebayor was able to step up and pump in the much needed goals for our success. Arsenal News

All in all, it is in midfield that the meteoric rise of influence by Fabregas and Hleb helped shaped our season so far. Fabregas even contributed 11 goals until he was injured last month. With the dynamic duo and the destroyer (Flamini) guarding the heart of the team, the Gunners went on an amazing run at the start of the season, leading the table almost from the start till now. The trio was so in sync that the experience World Cup winner and current Brazilian national team captain, Gilberto Silva, was kept on the bench for almost all matches.

As we reached the end of 2007, the team currently sits pretty at the top of the BPL. Although we have lost our way in the past few weeks due to injuries and fatigue, we have shown there is enough mettle in the team to lead the league and stay there until the end of the season!

Go Gunners to a memorable season!!!

Arsenal News

Was it invented in China?

There are many accounts from Ancient China of early forms of soccer. It is impossible to know who invented the sport in China, but there are accounts of something very similar being played in China in as early as 2 BC. This early form of the game involved kicking a leather ball into a net. A similar game is known to have been played in ancient Japan, as well as being played by Native Americans. Many argue that these early forms of soccer, though, are not what influenced the game we play today as they did not spread from their point of origin.

What about Europe?

Much like China and Japan, early forms of soccer were played in Europe also. Again, it is impossible to pinpoint any individuals. Soccer was played during the Middle Ages, with neighboring villages playing games against each other. These soccer games resembled the type of games we see now in playgrounds, with unlimited players on each team, and an ‘anything goes approach’ to the rules and what to use as a ball. The players worked together to move the ball towards a landmark, rather than a goal, but was starting to show signs of the game we play today.

The Individuals Who Played a Role

An Eton student during the 16th century called Richard Mulcaster did a lot of writing on the sport. Many believe that it is these writings that set up the organized rules of the game. A schoolmaster called J.C. Thring also had a hand in the evolution of the game, and helped to set up rules at the school where he worked. These rules, called the Uppingham Rules, standardized the game (each school had been playing with its own rules), and Thring is considered one of the individuals who invented modern the beautiful game.

The team was initially based in Woolwich, but in 1913 moved to Arsenal Stadium, Highbury, and then to their current location, the Emirates stadium, which contains sixty thousand, four hundred and thirty two people. Their club colors are red and white, their symbol depicting a canon, as a symbol of Armament factory. Arsenal’s home colors have been the inspiration for at least three other clubs.

Arsenal keeps an on-going rivalry with Tottenham Hotspur and with several other football teams, with whom they compete. Arsenal often appears in the media, in sports news and on the Television. Their games on-line attracts millions of viewers the enjoy watching Arsenal clips presenting the moments of victory. The club includes top players from different countries, such as Spain, Netherlands, France and Switzerland. Fans collect pictures of the group and watch their videos on-line; this leading football club enjoys public’s attention all over the world.Arsenal News

Every Arsenal fan will find something to cheer about in “The Official Arsenal FC Annual 2008″. For Arsenal, 2007 promises to be yet another monumental year, with the move to Emirates Stadium completed, the Gunners going well in the Champions League, chasing down Manchester United and Chelsea in the Premiership and reaching the last four of the Carling Cup.

In addition to events off the field with new signings and old friends departing, the 2007-08 season is certain be full of excitement and interest. In addition to a review of 2006-07, there are player profiles and interviews, reviews, reports, fun, games, puzzles, in fact all a Junior Gunner could ever want in 64 pages!

In May 2006 Arsenal played its last game at Highbury before moving to the new state-of-the-art Emirates Stadium. It was an emotional farewell to a ground that had witnessed some incredible games and which Arsenal fans had come to love as their second home. Arsenal News

Relive those Highbury memories in this lavishly illustrated book that charts the stadium’s story from the move to North London, the building of the stands and Chapman’s many innovations. It brings to life the stories from the Second World War and the fifties when the team returned to winning ways. Reacquaint yourself with the characters that bought the first double to Highbury in 1971; the celebrations in’ 89; the success of the Wenger revolution and the final season at this unique ground.

It features rare and previously unpublished photography; exclusive interviews with ex- and current players; key members of staff and fans; and full statistics of every match in Highbury’s history.

Mike Yardwood designs tutorial websites, guides, reviews and help guides centered on sporting subjects, for a large selection of Arsenal Football Club resources, books, DVDs, memorabilia, accessories and more visit Arsenal News

The first move is called dribbling. Dribbling is one of the most important moves you can learn in soccer. Whether you know it or not, dribbling is a foundational move that you can build on. All dribbling is, is the ability of a player to move the ball back and forth in a controlled manner from the left foot to the right foot while progressing forward. The skill of dribbling encompasses tapping, shoving or pushing a soccer ball with the inside, outside or sole of either foot. Before you commence practicing your dribbling skills, you first need to get acquainted with the ball. The best way to do this is to simply juggle a soccer ball with both feet. By juggling the ball, you will build up coordination and begin to get a good feel and sense of the ball which will help in all moves you attempt to learn in the future.

Our next move that we will be going over is passing. In essence, there are 2 types of passing, the long pass and the short or push pass. What encompasses passing is having the ability to move the ball from one player to the next without the other team taking it away. When it comes to accuracy, the push pass is better because it takes less field to perform. The push pass uses the inside and middle portions of either foot. In essence, you will be striking the ball with the middle inside portion of the foot that you want to pass with. Your other foot will be used to help aim the pass by being pointed in the direction you want the ball to go and planted next to the ball itself. The same foes for the long pass. The one thing to always remember is to keep your eye on the ball at all times. This aids in the accuracy of the pass.

The last move we are going to discuss is the actual shot. Arguably, accuracy is the most important aspect when taking a shot on goal. Most of us can kick a ball hard, but the select few who can do it accurately stand out amongst us. Using the instruction on passing the ball from above, you need to plant your foot that is not striking the ball next to the ball and pointing in the direction you want it to end up. The foot that actually kicks the ball needs to be done so with the inside and on an angle to the foot. Take a moment and picture your foot as being a right angle. The top of your foot will be at ninety degrees and the bottom will be at zero degrees. You want to kick the ball at the forty five degree mark of your foot. This will yield the most power. Again, remember to always keep your eye on the ball.

Well that about wraps it up. All you have to do is learn the three preceding moves. Upon mastering these moves, you can then move on to learn those really awesome soccer moves that you desire. As long as you keep practicing, you’ll continue to grow as a player. You know how the old saying goes, “Practice makes perfect”, well in soccer this couldn’t be more accurate.

One of the main concerns of soccer players is how to kick the soccer ball skillfully since ball control is a big part of skill development in soccer. Every player must know how to kick the ball long distance so that he is able to reach the exact point he aimed for. For the best distance and height, you should be not quite directly over the ball, but still standing straight. Your kicking foot should hit the ball fairly straight on, but make sure to bring your foot up slightly to give the ball its height. If you want the ball to go higher, lean back, vice-versa if you want the ball to go lower.

One of the most important points of working with young players is to start them off in slow motion. A child only wants to do one thing, kick a ball hard. Forcing them to kick slowly and gently is extremely hard. It is recommended that you start this exercise against a wall. If you put them 6 feet away from a wall, they will have a fear of the ball bouncing back and hitting them. This will force them to kick softer. Also, if they kick too hard they have to go chase the ball. Do not start this process 18 yards out from a soccer goal. Their overpowering instinct to kick it hard into the net will force them to focus on power.

Whether you’re a soccer player, soccer coach or soccer parent, you need to learn not only the correct form, but also how to teach it. Remember, often the hardest student is yourself.

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Soccer Positions
For starters we have what is called the Sweeper:

Sweepers must have an excellent understanding of how the game is played. The sweeper is a defensive position that also requires excellent conditioning. This position is played behind the defensive line and is responsible for controlling the defense. As the name alludes to, a sweeper roams from one sideline to the next when needed to help defend the goal.

Next we have the Fullbacks:

In a basic soccer position set up, there are 3 fullbacks, a center, right and left. The center fullbacks main job is to stop the forwards of the opposing team from scoring. They also help in starting offensive attacks by giving the ball to midfielders . The left and right fullbacks play on either side of the center and need to have great speed. Usually right and left fullbacks will possess good technique and have the ability to react quickly to a situation.

The Midfielders are next in line:

In a standard set up there are 4 midfielder positions, the central, defensive, left and right. The left and right midfielders must possess good passing abilities. They help to play the ball onto the forwards and also as a buffer for the defenders. Defensive midfielders reside in front of the Fullbacks. Defensive midfielders must possess good passing abilities and support the defenders most of the time. The central midfielder needs to possess good ball handling skills as well as passing abilities. They play the ball to the forwards and also backup the defensive midfielder when the opponent attacks.

Next we have the Forwards or Strikers:

Strikers and forwards usually get all the glory as they are the ones mainly responsible for scoring. They must possess good ball handling abilities and be able to accept the pass from the midfielders in stride.

Last but not least we have the Goalkeeper:

As the name alludes to, the sole purpose of the goalkeeper is to keep opponents from scoring. They are also responsible for support to their fellow teamates in the form of encouragement, almost like a raving fan.

As you can see there are many Soccer Positions. Everyone has a role to play on the field and every role is important. A break down in position can lead to an advantage for the other team and possibly a score.

Sports advertisements have even become popular Web Videos. There is a Brazilian commercial featuring some killer Ronaldinho Freestyle moves that has spread far and wide through Web Videos. The popular Soccer player uses a mini ball that is being given away to washing powder customers to do some awesome freestyle tricks.

The Ronaldinho Gaucho Freestyle video is just one of many great sports advertisement clips available online. Whether you are a fan of Soccer, basketball, baseball, or tennis, you can find Web Videos of your sport of choice on sites such as YouTube and Daily Motion. Even if you don’t particularly enjoy sports, you’ve got to admit that some awesome things happen on the fields and courts that are well worth watching.

Among his many achievements and accolades, Ronaldinho has been awarded the FIFA World Player of the Year award twice (2004, 2005), as well as the European Footballer of the Year award and the FIFPro World Player of the Year award twice (2005, 2006). He has downplayed suggestions that he is the best footballer in the world, telling FourFourTwo magazine, “I don’t even feel I’m the best at Barça.”