The Times recently published “the Top 50 stats of 2007″ compiled by their resident statto brainbox Bill Edgar - and the number one footballing statistic was how similar Lee Bowyer and Scott Parker are. Edgar writes:
“Both are London-born midfield players who have gained only brief recognition by England; both began their careers at Charlton Athletic […]

Relegation-threatened Fulham have turned to Roy Hodgson as the replacement for Lawrie Sanchez. Hodgson will take over tomorrow, with interim boss Ray Lewington remaining in charge for today’s game at Birmingham City, according to the BBC.
Hodgson, 60, has a wealth of managerial experience, but very little of it in England. His only stint in the […]

The Daily Mail reports that both Tottenham and Everton, two long-time admirers of Stewart Downing, are ready to battle for the Middlesbrough winger’s signature.
Apparently, after two years of negotiations a new Boro contract still remains unsigned by Downing, much to manager Gareth Southgate’s consternation who said:
“We have been negotiating for two years. It is not […]

A host of transfer rumours for Saturday…
Tottenham’s Pascal Chimbonda is being stalked by both Manchester City and Newcastle who are eager to snap him up in the January transfer frenzy. (Daily Mirror)
If Big Sam gets booted into touch as Newcastle manager then ex-Spurs gaffer Martin Jol is ready to bring his avuncular ogre-like features to […]

It comes as no great surprise to hear through The Guardian that Chelsea have failed in their bid to have Ashley Cole’s one-match suspension overturned. The England defender was sent off against Aston Villa on Boxing Day after a last-minute ‘handball’ and it seems Blues manager Avram Grant is starting to lose faith with the […]

According to The Independent, Joey Barton clashed with Sam Allardyce before the Magpies played at Wigan on Boxing Day. The Newcastle midfielder was seemingly unhappy with being left out of the starting XI, politely enquiring (!) as to why Geremi commanded a place in the team ahead of him.
Barton is understood to have disagreed with […]

Football Manager 2008 is out now, and CaughtOffside will be giving away a free copy next week so stay tuned.
We’ve been playing Football Manager since it first started out as Championship Manager back 900 years ago or whenever it started. Every season, without fail, there came a point when it became clear the clubs we […]

Out of all the current Premier League managers, Everton boss David Moyes must have one of the safest jobs of the lot. However, he has revealed in the Daily Telegraph that just three short months ago, things weren’t looking so rosy as the Toffees stood on the brink of an early European exit.
Referring to the […]

It’s prediction time for the last set of Premier League fixtures for 2007, and I am aiming to make my predictions as transparently clear as Crystal Gravy.
Saturday, 29 December 2007
West Ham 1-3 Manchester United - Carlitos’ return to Upton Park should yield a strong away win for Man Utd, with the Red Devils firing on […]

The Liverpool Echo today unleashed their Everpool lineup, a veritable ‘dream team’ of the best performers from both Everton and Liverpool. Here is the Merseyside mash-up of a squad in full:
EVERPOOL FC 2007
GK - PEPE REINA (Liverpool)
RB - ALVARO ARBELOA (Liverpool)
LB - JOLEON LESCOTT (Everton)
CB - JAMIE CARRAGHER (Liverpool)
CB - JOSEPH YOBO (Everton)
RM - JERMAINE […]