Wenger looks to Viera to get over Vieira
Reports last week suggested that the Arsenal camp is suffering from depression following the departure of Patrick Vieira to Juventus.
True, he's been an important player for the Highbury club and the Gunners may struggle to replace him, but surely manager Arsene Wenger's suggestion of hiring professional help to counsel those players hit hardest by Pat's departure is a little over the top.
Wenger now seems to have taken the matter of replacing Vieira a little too literally. The French boss is currently pursuing Patrick's Uruguay international almost-namesake, goalkeeper Sebastien Viera.
Is this the only way to get over the 'real' Vieira leaving? Will the players notice the difference? Surely Wenger can't pull the wool over his staff's eyes as easily as this....
Fight Club
Ageing Lazio captain Paulo di Canio showed he's lost none of his fire with the onset of old age, by sparking an impressive 22-man scrap in Wednesday's Intertoto Cup semi final against Marseille.
The Roman managed to kick off the brawl after twice tangling with Marseille players in the first half. The second incident involved French defender Abdoulaye Meité; head butts were exchanged and four players were booked, before Di Canio saw enough sense to actually do what he's paid for and score a goal.
Similar scenes were witnessed at a pre-season not-so-friendly match at Tamworth, where it was Aston Villa's, erm, 'combative,' Lee Hendrie who sparked a mass brawl. 21 players were involved as Hendrie grappled on the ground with Tamworth teenager Kyle Storer.
The pair were both dismissed by referee Rob Hyde, but not before punches were thrown. It must be the hot weather to blame.....
Strachan in nightmare start
It looks like new Celtic boss Gordon Strachan is in for a rough ride this season, judging by how stressed the wee man looks only two games into his new job.
The fiery Scotsman is already feeling the pressure of being in one of the biggest jobs in Scotland, having lost calamitously 5-0 against Artmedia Bratislava on Tuesday, and having thrown away a 3-1 lead against Motherwell to draw 4-4 on the opening day of the Scottish season.
And more bad news for wee Gord - his chief executive has spoken out and given him a vote of confidence following the poor start! And that normally means the chop isn't too far away.....
Thug of the week
Stiff competition this week (see above) for the inaugural title which 'celebrates' some of the worst indiscretions in the world of football thuggery.
But this week's award has to go to serial offender and all round hooligan, Joey Barton. The Manchester City midfielder hit the headlines again following a bust up in his team's hotel on their pre-season tour of the Far East.
Barton's candidature for the gong is undisputed, not only for fighting with a 16-year-old football supporter in the bar of his hotel, but also for managing to feast on peacemaking team-mate Richard Dunne's finger in a moment of cannibalistic madness.
This is a player who knows no limits to his methods of attack. Last year, in a 'dispute' with a youth team player, the Liverpudlian imaginatively poked a burning cigar into the youngster's eye
This time round, the 22-year-old was sent home by manager Stuart Pearce and has been fined eight week's wages. And all this even before the season has started.....
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