[craguuscool]

UEFA Cup Group Stage Draw

Today in Nyon, Switzerland the draw was made for the Group Stage of the 2008-2009 UEFA Cup, the last ever UEFA Cup. The draw seen forty teams divided into different pots to then determine which group they would be part of for this season's UEFA Cup. The following is the results of the draw:

Group A

Valencia
FC Basel
MANCHESTER CITY
A.S. St. Etienne
Standard

Group B

Stuttgart
Ajax
Rosenborg
Udinese
PORTSMOUTH

Group C

CSKA Moscow
Besiktas
Braga
Sampdoria
Dortmund

Group D

Sevilla
EVERTON
Levksi
Stade Rennais
Napoli

Group E

HSV
Deportivo
Club Brugge
Dinamo Kiev
ASTON VILLA

Group F

AC Milan
Sparta Prague
sc Heerenveen
Partizan
Racing

Group G

TOTTENHAM
Dinamo Bucharest
A.S. Nancy-Lorraine
Red Star
Wolfsburg

Group H

Benfica
Paris St. Germain
Hertha BSC
Hapoel Tel Aviv
Salzburg

Can Sevilla triumph again like they did in Glasgow in 2007?

This post has been edited by craguuscool: 26 May 2009 - 03:29 PM

[craguuscool]

18th October 2008
English Premier Division
Tottenham 1-0 Fulham

The English Premiership returned today after an almost two-week absence as competitive international fixtures took place, on it's return Tottenham Hotspur recorded a somewhat fortunate win over Fulham by just one goal to nil. The game should have been Fulham's but they were left to rue their missed chances while Tottenham fans sang loudly as they ran away with three points. This result moves Tottenham up ahead of Chelsea on goal difference by two goals and leaves Fulham just outside of the relegation zone having six more goals than Middlesbrough.

The only goal of the game came in the twenty-third minute when Nigerian international Obafemi Martins struck after a barrage of Fulham chances, on the break Gomes kicked the ball high upfield which Pavlyuchenko chested down and passed through to Martins who dribbled by John Pantsil of Fulham before sending the goalkeeper to the ground after a fake shot and then calmly putting it in the net for a great but somewhat extravagant goal.

Fulham's Clint Dempsey (pictured) had the chance to level things not long after when a cross came into the box, Dempsey got his foot to it but it just nicked around the post to the relief of the Spurs players and fans inside White Hart Lane. Dempsey was involved in another flashpoint when he got into a heated argument with goalkeeper Gomes after the keeper punched him accidentally while coming out to punch the ball at a corner. Gomes was surprisingly not reprimanded.

Roman Pavlyuchenko surprised everyone from kick-off when he shot from the half-way line and in a moment which you can almost only see in popular footballing video games like FIFA 09 the ball cracked the bar and went over, Pavlyuchenko would have wished the Soccer AM cameras were present for this one.

Next up for Tottenham is Bolton Wanderers and for Fulham they face a clash with Everton.

Final Thoughts

Sven-Goran Eriksson: "I realize that we didn't play particularly well and were somewhat lucky to get anything from today's game, however, we've got the three points we were looking to obtain here and that is all I can really ask at this point in time."

Andranik: "It's obviously disappointing to have controlled so much of the game and to have had so many chances and still lose and the fact all our fans travelled down made it all that more disappointing but we've got to ensure we stay out of the relegation zone so a win against Everton is vital."

[Euan]

Some of those UEFA cup groups look deadly. You seem to have got a good draw though only Wolfsburg and Red Star (if you need to play them away) could cause you problems, you should beat the rest.

Also lol @ Pavlyuchenko's fifa effort.

This post has been edited by Euan: 26 May 2009 - 04:31 PM

[The Rhys Johnson]

Good stuff so far, and your UEFA Cup group looks really tough. I'm sure you'll string some good results together :thup:

[kmac]

Looking at the other UEFA cup groups, it looks like you got pretty lucky :thup:

[craguuscool]

Euan: Yeah, very tricky group, I wanted the very last group but oh well. Nancy shouldn't cause too many problems, Dinamo may be tricky as will Wolfsburg and Red Star. I play Red Star away which is a tough one, I play probably the easiest tie against Nancy at home, I've got Dinamo away and then finally Wolfsburg at home. Thanks for reading and commenting mate. Yeah, I always try and do it in FIFA, decided I'd incorporate it, haha.
TheRhysJohnson: Hopefully, it does look tough indeed but I think I can get through it, there are three places up for grabs, myself, Red Star and Wolfsburg will probably go through but I don't want to be too confident. Thanks for commenting mate.
kmac: Thanks for the comment, I'm not so sure, I would've liked the last group but I think I should qualify, we'll have to wait and see and I hope you continue reading and commenting to find out.

25th October 2008
English Premier Division
Tottenham 1-1 Bolton

The frustration that Fulham felt last week when they struggled to finish off any of their chances was felt by Tottenham as they should have easily defeated Bolton and taken three points from this fixture but in the end got only a draw. Tottenham had the lions share of possession and even when they did go one nil down they maintained the pressure but Finnish goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen prevented the Spurs at every turn except just one.

The first goal came from Bolton who seemed surprised that they actually managed to score after being dominated for the majority of the time before the match, they managed to break away and get a cheeky goal which almost won them the game. In the thirty-fourth minute Johan Elmander had a shot saved by Gomes but Kevin Nolan was there to knock in the rebound.

The second goal came from a penalty in the sixty-fourth minute, the penalty came about after Grater Steinsson tripped Gilberto, he was furious with the decision believing that it wasn't a penalty but referee Steve Bennet wasn't entertaining the protests, Kevin Nolan was almost booked for his protesting. Roman Pavlyuchenko (pictured) looked calm and collected when he stepped up and he scored a vital penalty.

Tottenham's Didier Zokora had a chance late on in the game when the ball fell to him after a scramble at a corner, the ball floated in and Zokora latched onto it but swiped it against the bar to his dismay and it was eventually cleared by the Bolton defense.

Johan Elmander had one last attempt on goal when he broke free on the counter, it seemed almost a certainty that he would beat Gomes but the big keeper was up to the task and smothered the ball at the feet of Elmander.

The result means that Tottenham drop to fifth place while Bolton stay one point behind in sixth position. Next for the Spurs is Wigan and then Bolton entertain Sunderland.

Final Thoughts

Sven-Goran Eriksson: "A much better performance than last week but my players couldn't reward not only themselves but the fans with a victory maybe because of the Bolton players being stubborn. I reserve special praise for their goalkeeper, fantastic performance and I guess he is the reason we only have one point."

Gareth Bale: "At least it isn't a defeat, we've managed something from today's game and we can only look to win our next one."

[craguuscool]

29th October 2008
English Premier Division
Wigan 0-2 Tottenham

After the disappointed of last week where they dominated but failed to win the game it was a nice turnaround this week as Tottenham eased past a Wigan Athletic side who didn't seem to be in the game much and didn't seem to have the desire to get anything from it. They could have scored more but the legions of Tottenham fans who travelled from London to the JJB Stadium would have been pleased on the trip home.

The first Tottenham goal came in the eighteenth minute when Roman Pavlyuchenko got on the scoresheet much like he had in the game against Bolton Wanderers, this time however Pavlyuchenko managed to pick up a goal in open play. The ball fell to him just outside of the area and the Russian international was able to charge into the box and slide it past Wigan's goalkeeper Chris Kirkland who found himself all at sea.

The second came in the fifty-fifth minute when former Newcastle United player Obafemi Martins popped up to help Tottenham onto the victory, the speedy star charged through the defense and then dribbled around Chris Kirkland who, it's safe to say didn't have the best game of his career, the former Liverpool goalkeeper was left to watch on as Martins strolled it into the back of the net, cheekily walking it in.

Wigan Athletic did have a chance just after half-time to, at the time, level the game through Amr Zaki. Zaki was given the ball by Valencia and the Egyptian attempted a shot at goal but it was blocked, he then followed up with another shot that stung the hands of Gomes who tipped it over his bar, the resulting corner didn't cause much problem.

Tottenham could have made it three through youngster Jamie O'Hara through a free-kick but the player struck it over the wall and over the bar.

After this game, Tottenham end the month of October in fourth position ahead of Chelsea by one point, behind Manchester United by eight goals, two points from Liverpool in second and five behind Arsenal in first position. Wigan are in seventeenth position one point from managing to escape the relegation zone.

Up next for Tottenham is West Ham United, Wigan will next play for Arsenal.

Final Thoughts

Sven-Goran Eriksson: "A good performance for us today and we outplayed Wigan Athletic, we now look to continue this good form."

Didier Zokora: "I'm pleased with my performance but more so with the victory today."

This post has been edited by craguuscool: 26 May 2009 - 06:00 PM

[craguuscool]

1st November 2008
English Premier Division
West Ham 1-0 Tottenham


Noble celebrates his goal sporting the new sponsor of West Ham reverting back to a former sponsor.

The month of November did not get off to a great start for Tottenham Hotspur and their fans as they fell to West Ham by a scoreline of one goal to nil away from home at Upton Park. The game was even for the first-half but then West Ham United came out in the second half and treated the fans to a fantastic performance.

Mark Noble put the game beyond Tottenham in the fifty-first minute when he struck just outside the box, the ball was laid off by Craig Bellamy, Noble then took a touch and hit it high into the top corner beating Gomes and silencing the Tottenham fans and making the Hammers fans go crazy. Noble was booked for removing his shirt in the celebration and a search was on after he throw it into the crowd, surprisingly.

Tottenham had chances to level the game in the last ten minutes, Roman Pavlyuchenko will be watching his miss over and over and will be kicking himself about it, he rose above everyone else to nod the ball towards goal but it clipped the post and went out, Pavlyuchenko spent a full one minute standing staring at the goalmouth.

The start of the month of November will see Tottenham remain in fourth for the time being but now have played one game more than Chelsea. West Ham now sit seventh in the league following the victory.

Next up for Tottenham is Red Star Belgrade in the UEFA Cup and next for West Ham is Wigan Athletic in the Premiership.

Final Thoughts

Sven-Goran Eriksson: "This was really disappointing for me, the fans and the players because we have the ability to win these games and we didn't today which as I said is disappointing. Fair play to West Ham they managed to get three points but for me it is disappointing and it ends our four game unbeaten streak."

Gomes: "I think this award shows just how one-sided the second half was because I stopped them getting anymore than one."

[craguuscool]

6th November 2008
UEFA Cup Football Live on Five
UEFA Cup Group G
Red Star 1-5 Tottenham


Roman Pavlyuchenko scored two great goals to kick off Tottenham's European campaign with a bang.

After the disappointment of losing out to West Ham in their last fixture, Tottenham bounced back in the UEFA Cup when they steamrolled Group H opponents Red Star Belgrade by five goals to one. Tottenham dominated the game from start to finish with only one or two chances going the way of the Serbian side, a side last in the group following a defeat to Wolfsburg in the opening game of the group for they sides, this being the first for Tottenham.

It didn't take long for the first goal as just three minutes in Tottenham took the lead, the ball was played up high by goalkeeper Gomes and was then nodded down to Obafemi Martins by Roman Pavlyuchenko. The Nigerian then calmly sent it under Giljen to send Spurs into the lead.

Tottenham added to the tally in the twenty-eighth minute through striker Roman Pavlyuchenko, the ball came from a set piece, a corner. The ball was crossed in by Jamie O'Hara and Pavlyuchenko managed to get his head to it.

Another corner in the fortieth minute gave Tottenham their third of the night, the ball was once again whipped in by Jamie O'Hara and this time is was big defender Martin Caceres getting his head to the ball putting it past Giljen.

Just two minutes after this Roman Pavlyuchenko got on the scoresheet again when Zokora was fouled outside the area, O'Hara originally wanted to step up but the Russian international got his way and was rewarded with a goal.

In the seventy-fourth minute Red Star got one back through a curling effort from Slavko Perovic. Perovic slammed a shot into the top of the net from the outside of the area.

Luka Modric made sure the night ended with a Tottenham goal, on his return from a pretty serious inujury the Croatian dribbled through the defence and put it in the net.

Final Thoughts

Sven-Goran Eriksson: "A much improved performance, we thought this game would be tricky but it wasn't and we played to our strengths and exploited the weaknesses shown by Red Star."

Roman Pavlyuchenko: "My first award as a Tottenham player and I'm pleased, we all worked really hard out there tonight."

[DaGunnerz]

hopefully this is better than your celtic story and as long

[KD.]

This is fb.

Tottenham are one of those sides I like to support on the side :delighted:

[.Jay]

Fantastic story so far and a strong start to the season. Keep up the good work.

[craguuscool]

DaGunnerz: Thanks for the comment, I hope it is too, I'm enjoying this one a lot more than my Celtic one surprisingly and I appreciate you took the time to comment since you followed my last story and kind of missed out because I stopped abrutly.
KrisDwyer: I really appreciate that comment and I am glad you think that, thanks for reading and commenting.
Jaygull: Thanks man, yeah it has been a strong start and I hope I can maintain it, I'm in the same boat I guess as you guys, I don't know, I've just played the UEFA Cup game. Thanks for taking the time to read and comment.

7th November 2008
Arshavin fined for attending tennis match

Just one day after the high of winning by five goals to nil against Red Star Belgrade in the UEFA Cup, Tottenham suffered another low. Andrey Arshavin, the popular Russian international midfielder at Tottenham has been fined two weeks wages by Sven-Goran Eriksson after attending a tennis match in his home country of Russia. We believe Arshavin jetted out early this morning to see his girlfriend Maria Sharapova (pictured) defeat Serena Williams in the new Russian Open.

The home-court girl easily defeated the sister of Venus Williams in two straight sets and the delight was clear to see on her face as well as the face of her boyfriend Andrey Arshavin who had surprised her before the match by turning up with a bunch of flowers outside her hotel room.

The move has said to infuriate Sven-Goran Eriksson, the manager of Tottenham, the club that Andrey Arshavin plays for. Sven was said to be 'ranting and raving' about it to anyone willing to listen and was calling it 'unprofessional, disrespectful and ridiculous.'

We are hearing that Sven-Goran Eriksson immediately docked the player of two weeks wages when he failed to turn up for the training session in London today but the news he was away to tennis put Sven into a terrible mood and there is a possibility that Andrey Arshavin could miss the next league game for Tottenham.

Upon hearing the news that he was to be fined, Andrey Arshavin still seemed in a good mood but seemed a little less excited about the prospect of being anywhere but England.

"I understand that today I have let the club down and I will accept my fine as I should, I should have been at Tottenham, instead I came here to see Maria and well I got fined but it was worth it. I just need to take it on the chin and get on with it."

Maria Sharapova seemed ready to whip him into shape.

"To be totally honest, I didn't even know that he had a football match today, I didn't know he was coming but when he appeared, I guess I figured he didn't have one but I'll be telling him in no uncertain terms not to attend unless his schedule is absolutely clear."

We at Sky Sports, judging by the above picture, can understand why Arshavin went to Russia instead of the training session.

[craguuscool]

9th November 2008
English Premier Division
Tottenham 4-1 Newcastle


Modric jumps on Pavlyuchenko after his wonderful goal.

The surprising good form of Tottenham Hotspur continued today at White Hart Lane as they trounced Newcastle United beating them by four goals to one. Tottenham dominated the game for the majority and only let Newcastle slip through the cracks once or twice, one time which resulted in a goal. Tottenham could have scored more but this impressive scoreline was enough to send the Spurs fans home from the stadium with large smiles on their faces and singing the praises of the players, the manager and the club itself.

It took thirty-three minutes for the first of four to find the back of the net and it was former Newcastle striker Obafemi Martins who put his former side to the sword. The Nigerian was played through by Luka Modric and he didn't need to be asked twice to send it under Shay Given. Martins was booed by the Newcastle end but didn't seem to mind even kissing his badge.

In the thirty-ninth minute the lead was doubled when the assist to the first goal, Luka Modric got on the scoresheet. The Croatian was laid off by Roman Pavlyuchenko outside the area and he slammed it past a few defenders right into the top right hand corner of Shay Given's goal for a fantastic strike, Newcastle were sinking deeper into the abyss.

Right on half-time, the forty-fifth minute to be exact, Tottenham's Russian bad boy Andrey Arshavin who many claimed played Russian Roulette with his career last week redeemed himself and put himself back in the good books with a strike to put Tottenham further into the lead. Arshavin managed to get his head to the ball from an incoming corner.

Newcastle United managed to claw one back in the sixtieth minute through Sebastie Bassong, the French twenty-two year old defender who signed for Newcastle for two million from FC Metz got his first goal at the club when much like Tottenham's earlier goal, he got his head onto a corner and the towering defender wheeled away hoping to salvage something from the game for his club but the enthusiasm didn't seem to be shared by many of the Toon Army.

The game was wrapped up ten minutes from time in the eightieth minute through another Russian, this time Roman Pavlyuchenko. When Jamie O'Hara was fouled outside the box. Pavlyuchenko stepped up to take the free-kick and cooly slotted it past Given.

This result would have seen Tottenham move up to third but Manchester United won and Chelsea scored a late winner against Middlesbrough. Tottenham will now move up from seventh to fifth ahead of their Carling Cup clash with Sheffield United.

Final Thoughts

Sven-Goran Eriksson: "What more can I ask? I think it was a great performance you know, we played very well just like we did in Belgrade, in Serbia in midweek and we returned to England and defeated a very tricky Newcastle side under a fantastic manager. Just brilliant from the players and the team."

Roman Pavlyuchenko: "Like we did against Red Star, we went all out, anything but a win was unacceptable and we managed all three points."

[safcrhys]

Great result against the Mags mate, send them down. lol

[craguuscool]

safcrhys: They are close to the relegation zone, thanks mate for the comment.

12th November 2008
Carling Cup Fourth Round
Sheffield United 2-3 Tottenham

Tottenham Hotspur didn't have it easy today by any means as they struggled to reach the Quarter Final stage of the Carling Cup. After defeating tricky Newcastle United in the last round, the London club was expected to walk it through to the next round but the Championship promotion challengers came out looking like a whole new side in the second half and took Tottenham all the way to extra time where it was finally settled in the last minute.

It seemed like the prediction of Tottenham easily winning this game would come true when just twenty-two minutes in, Obafemi Martins got on the scoresheet. Like he has so many times this season he used a burst of pace to charge down the pitch dribbling past Sheffield United's defenders before putting it in the back of the net.

After having the majority of the possession in the second half, it paid off for Sheffield United when ten minutes from time in the eightieth minute, James Beattie scored. The Englishman was played through by Robertson and his shot trickled into the back of the net sending the Blades fans crazy at the prospect of an upset.

It didn't take long into extra time for Tottenham to re-afirm their grip on the tie when just one minute into the extra time period, Roman Pavlyuchenko got a goal. He lined himself up on the edge of the area and planted a scorcher into the top corner making everyone think that, that goal was the final twist in the tale.

It wasn't, six minutes later Jordan Robertson got himself into the box and he was passed to, he turned and put the ball into the net but he was judged offside. James Beattie made his feelings particularly known during and after the game but manager Kevin Blackwell had nothing to say on the matter and reports have ruled that he was offside.

It wouldn't have mattered for Sheffield fans a short time later as in the one hundred and thirteenth minute they got on the scoresheet again this time through Stephen Quinn. The ball was crossed in from a free-kick and Quinn got his foot to it sending it past Gomes and ensuring that the game went to penalties, or so it seemed.

Just as it looked like it would go to penalties, Luka Modric in the one hundred and twentieth minute scored a massively important goal. Modric was played through, he turned and put it into the net, the Sheffield United players were furious protesting that Modric's goal was offside but Steve Bennett, the referee ruled it was onside. Replays show that Modric was just onside for the goal.

Sheffield United fans will be leaving the stadium unhappy whereas Tottenham fans will be anticipating their opponents in the Quarter Final as they continue their defense of the trophy.

Final Thoughts

Sven-Goran Eriksson: "I thought, first half we played very well, second half they came at us and that was expected, they are at home, the crowd are behind them and I am sure their manager got them pumped up for the occasion, they threatened and got a goal but they were clinical in front of goal, they didn't have as many chances as us, they had twelve to our seventeen and we couldn've wrapped the game up well before the second half."

Roman Pavlyuchenko: "Third game in a row, you know I worked my socks off because people expected it to be easy for us but it wasn't. We played well first half, second half they came attacking and we had to reassess the situation as it where but we finally got the victory."

[shanghai_nobody]

It's good to see you back writing mate, again we are both writing about two rivals clubs at the same time haha. KUTGW.

[craguuscool]

shanghai_nobody: Thanks for the comment mate, yeah, didn't notice that, that's pretty weird but it means people get two totally different stories. Hope you keep reading and commenting.

15th November 2008
English Premier Division
Sunderland 1-0 Tottenham


Ledley King missed a huge chance today in front of goal like so many other Tottenham players.

The Black Cats today picked up a priceless victory over Tottenham at the Stadium of Light today after a great performance from the side. Sunderland took high-flying Tottenham down a peg or two by beating them by one goal to nil and they fully deserved the three points that was bestowed upon them as a result of the victory. The result stunned many Spurs fans who had seen their side rack up three straight victories in all competitions.

The one and only goal of the game came from Senegalese striker El-Hadji Diouf, the man who impressed in the World Cup in 2002 showed signs of the flare and skill that had attracted Liverpool to him all those years ago when he burst through the defense and calmly put it past Gomes showing composure that has been lacking in big-time moments such as the one-on-one he faced in today's game.

In-form striker Julio Cruz of Sunderland should have wrapped up the game two minutes earlier with a strike but his effort smacked the crossbar and the follow up was not much better as he slammed it over the bar to his dismay but to the relief of the travelling Tottenham support.

Tottenham did have their chances and they may not get a chance again like the one Luka Modric missed all season, the ball came in at the far post, Modric was unmarked and he got his head to the ball but it cracked the post and was cleared. Modric fell to his knees knowing what a fantastic chance that was to equalize.

The result means that Tottenham, despite the defeat will maintain their fifth spot in the English Premier Division because of the result between Chelsea and Hull City who played out a scoreless draw. Sunderland on the other hand move up to mid-table and tenth place.

Tottenham next face relegation strugglers West Brom and Sunderland take on Newcastle in the derby live and televised on Sky Sports in what is undoubtedly a huge game for both sides.

Final Thoughts

Sven-Goran Eriksson: "I should have seen this coming, although we played well last week we didn't play very well and I should have realized that there was a real possibility of us losing out because we didn't take any strides to improving this week."

El-Hadji Diouf: "A good victory for everyone involved with Sunderland, at times today's game was physically demanding but we did well and I think all the boys can take pride from today's performance."

[craguuscool]

15th November 2008
Carling Cup Quarter Final Draw

Today at Wembley Stadium in London, England the draw was made for the Quarter Final stage of the Carling Cup. This stage sees eight teams all vying for a spot in the last four of the competition. This stage also means that the competition will hot up with several big teams left including Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal and the current holders Tottenham Hotspur. The draw is as follows:

Arsenal vs. Middlesbrough
Tottenham vs. Blackburn
Sunderland vs. Liverpool
Manchester United vs. Chelsea

The Liverpool man could end up facing his former club Tottenham if both teams advance.

[safcrhys]