Harry plays with Young Boys.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/8888791.stm

Man U get a massive boost before the season kicks off:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/m/man_utd/8891784.stm

Very drole, yet very true.

Anderson and Carrick both injured... oh well SAF can just dust down scholes or Giggs to play in midfield with fletcher. Come on Glazers spill the cash and get a player or two in !!

Sorry mate, try again at the end of the season. He stays for 2010/11

Arsenal have a crazy 6-5 away against Legia Warsaw

Gibbs, Wallcott and Wilshire all in the England squad for the game on Wednesday

What an odd looking squad, especially among the forwards. Players hitherto deemed not good enough, such as Bent and Cole are suddenly back in the frame, while players who went and hardly kicked a ball, such as Crouch, are seemingly dropped. And why no Rodwell or Jones?

Please remind me how many appearances Gibbs made last year. Answer, not that many as he was injured. So basically, he spends much of last season out with a broken foot and yet now is parachuted into the senior squad. Ludicrous.

Oh, and Zamora? Apart from the fact he's too bloody old he simply isn't good enough.

Definite thumbs down from me.

I'm annoyed that Terry and Lampard are in the squad, though I wonder if Capello has picked Lampard just to annoy him, after his moaning about the timing of the friendly match. Having said that, they will probably pull out injured after the shield match anyway.

I've corrected the bit about Wilshire and Gibbs, although I stand by not picking Gibbs.

Noteworthy is the absence of Spurs players (Dawson excepted). Probably to do with 'Arry describing the fixture as a waste of time, given Spurs have a CL qualifying game coming up.

I hope that's the case because if Capello is considering the likes of Bent, Cole and Zamora in preference to Defoe and Crouch, then he has clearly lost the plot.

I forgot to mention Wes Brown. Shows the paucity of talent available at RB. Johnson has the position sewn up for years unless someone like Richards decides to regain his previous form.

Yes I would like to see Gibbs hold down a place and play well in the Arsenal team before being considered for the England first team. I think Capello has lost the plot picking Zamora, C. Cole and Bent. If they are the future, god help us.

For something radical, I'd have made enquiries about the availability of Arteta.

Interesting point. The RBS loan given to Liverpool expires on Oct 6 apparently. So technically the bank could call it in should a deal not be forthcoming by that date. It could then, in theory, put Kop Football (Holdings) into administration, meaning Liverpool would receive a 9 point reduction. That would make it even easier for the rest of us  It won't happen of course, unfortunately, although the prospect of the club being owned by UK taxpayers is a very real prospect.

Non-Liverpool fans and/or taxpayers certainly have no loyalty to the club.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/aug/08/liverpool-rbs-takeover

Hmmm, I'm sure Crouch had something else on his mind when Capello announced his squad last night.

http://www.cityjournalistdirectory.com/event/peter_crouch_has_tall_sex_with_small_sexy_spanish_hooker_monica_mint_8374/

Prat

Charity Shield today... Ancelotti is keen to lay down a marker and will pick his strongest team. Little commnet from SAF who i believe will treat this game differently knowing that his squad is not as strong as Chelsea's and struck with injury worries. Chelsea win today.

Good game today.. competitive and Man U were the team to lay down the marker for the season. An excellent performance all round by Man U and i was particularly happy with Vidic at the back very solid... Chelsea maybe lacking some youth...

The one player who caught my eye was Sturridge. Gave Utd quite a few problems.

As a game it was a good one, if utterly meaningless in the general scheme of things.

What really caught the eye was a certain Paul Scholes a million miles ahead of anyone on  the park with regard to craft and passing ability .. he made Lampard look like a sunday league player. Scholes was in a class of his own.. £80M wouldnt buy a younger Scholes, it was a vintage performance by the old man.

Yes the game on the grand scheme of things means little  but Chelsea didnt come into this game to make the numbers up.. make no doubt Ancelotti wanted to win this game but Man U were the hungrier and fitter.

The charity shield winners has no bearing on the title race

here is a run down of the trends since the premier league

Charity shield winners           who won the premier league the following year

1992 Leeds                                Man U

1993 Man U                             Man U

1994 Man U                               Blackburn

1995 Everton                             Man U

1996 Man U                             Man U

1997 Man U                              Arsenal

1998 Arsenal                            Man U

1999 Arsenal                            Man U

2000 Chelsea                          Man U

2001 Liverpool                        Arsenal

2002 Arsenal                          Man U

2003 Man U                           Arsenal

2004 Arsenal                         Chelsea

2005 Chelsea                     Chelsea

2006 Liverpool                     Man U

2007 Man U                        Man U

2008 Man U                        Man U

2009 Chelsea                     Chelsea

2010 Man U                           ???????????

That last few years have shown a trend - but before that only 1993 and 1996

Phew, that's a big big bullet we've all dodged.

I look forward to further announcements in the next few days. Unfortunately, the people I'm hoping to hear announcements from probably won't make them.

Rumour on another board that Carrick may do the same.

Please prove to me that there is a God.

http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2896/premier-league/2010/08/08/2061821/breaking-news-manchester-united-defender-wes-brown-retires

Sturridge had a good game, out shone some of the stars he was playing with

Martin O'Neil throws in the towel.

http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2896/premier-league/2010/08/09/2063008/breaking-news-martin-oneill-resigns-as-aston-villa-manager

Just seen this on the BBC website. Bizarre - never even saw any gossip about him quitting. He must have felt hugely undermined, almost certainly about Milner, but also possibly about Ashley Young?

Yep, the only reason I can think of is a dispute with Lerner over transfer policy i.e. either he wouldn't get much dosh to spend if Milner was sold. Or, he never wanted to sell Milner in the first place and Lerner has done a deal with Citeh. And then there's Ashley Young - apparently Villa were said to be opening talks today over a contract extension. Well you can kiss that one goodbye, albeit temporarily perhaps.

So, as I see it, Capello resigns on Wednesday night, O'Neill installed as new manager by week's end. Well it sounds like a good conspiracy at least.

Spurs boards are already claiming O'Neill's demise is due to Lerner's willingness to sell Young to Spurs. Good theory, but I think it's wishful thinking.