God bless those chaps at the Sun...

They know what the people want. With Arsenal set to face AC Milan tonight in the second leg of their Champions League last 16 tie, who better to turn to for an in-depth analysis of their Italian opponents? That's right, the co-host of Five's Football Italiano programme. Worry not, it's not Radio One berk Chappers, but Laura Esposto, who just so happens to be drop-dead gorgeous.

He's what she had to say: "I was at the Emirates for the first Arsenal-Milan game and Arsenal were very good technically. That's not so normal for an English team. Arsenal will miss Eduardo. Maybe they will play Manu Adebayor as a striker on his own with Cesc Fabregas and Co filling midfield. We have Alexandre Pato, a young player. He played from the start of the first leg but was just back from a bad ankle injury. He didn't play as well as he could, not like he can play. He scored against Catana recently, so probably Pato will be our big danger."



Something tells me they may seek her expert views next week when Liverpool go to Inter Milan too. And why not...

Posted by: Lex

Posted by: Lex

One man to save his job, another to lose it...

If Les Dennis was to ask a random football fan in the street to give him one indesputable fact, 99 out of 100 people would respond with "Newcastle are rubbish". That one other person would simply ask why Les is bothering him in the street, since he no longer presents Family Fortunes anyway.

But before we descend into the merits of having Les back on primetime television ahead of that buffoon that goes by the name of Vernon Kay, let us advise you on a good bet for this weekend involving the aforementioned 'Toon Army'. Their home tie against Blackburn is not the type of game a team needs when it is low on confidence and struggling to get a first win under a new manager. And we reckon the outcome of the game will all come down to the first goal. They're great if they have an early lead to shout about, but go a goal behind, and St James' is not a fun place to be a home player.

So we've got two bets to lump on this weekend,

If Newcastle are to have a good day, Michael Owen will score first @ 5-1 and they'll go on to get their first win under the Geordie Messiah.

But if Newcastle fall behind early on, Benni McCarthy is likely to be the man to inflict the initial pain @ 11-2, before St. James' Park empties quicker than an old man's bladder.

Of course there are 20 other players who could score at the weekend, but we love a bit of melodramatic man v man action here at Catflap. Er, not like that...

Which one do you fancy? Take your pick here

Posted by: Lex

Posted by: Catflap Magazine

The chaps at Umbro certainly know how to grab attention...

By shoving a reallife billboard on the A4...


Umbro this week utilised a 3D billboard space in West London to launch its new Have Your Say survey. Have Your Say is a year long, global exploration of fan’s opinions on the beautiful game, giving them the chance to share their views on the issues most important to them. At the end of the year, the results - representing the most comprehensive global study into fans’ opinions ever - will be presented to football’s governing bodies.

Among the topics addressed were “Are foreign players the most exciting in the Premiership”?, “Is being a WAG a career option in 2008?” and "Do referees get enough respect?". Alan Shearer even turned up to answer the question “Football. Still the beautiful game?”. You'll be pleased to know he said yes.

We're not quite sure how the drivers along the A4 reacted, but we'll be surprised if there weren't a few near-collisions when the WAGS were on view...

Posted by: Lex

It's not about cats, it's about leg-mauling canines...

No, we don't know what this is all about either...

Posted by: Lex

Carling Cup Final tickets winner Daren Chamberlain says thanks to Catflap and King of Shaves...

It was a huge surprise when I got the call to say I had won tickets to Sunday’s Carling Cup Final at Wembley – as a rule I never win anything so this was fantastic! The tube journey up to Wembley was loud, with fans of both teams in good humour and fine voice. Exiting the station, the sea of supporters making their way along Olympic Way was really something to see. We had a great view of the match from the fantastic view that our seats on the halfway line gave us. A few seats along in the row in behind were of a number of former Chelsea players including Nigel Spackman, Dave Beasant, Colin Lee, Colin Pates, and John Hollins amongst others. A lot of the match was spent on the edge of the aforementioned seats. All that was missing was the right result for us, but we’re still on for the treble! Thanks Catflap and King of Shaves.

PS:  If you need to fill any FA Cup Final or Champions League Final seats I’d be only too happy to help out…

Daren.

Posted by: Lex

Awaydays: Oakwell, Barnsley

Just in time for their home FA Cup quarter-final tie against Chelsea...

Getting there:
By road, leave the M1 at Junction 37 and take the A628 towards Barnsley. Stay on this road (the ground is well signposted) and you will eventually see the ground on your right. There is a fair sized car park located at the ground. Alternatively, Barnsley railway station is about a ten minute walk away. This station is served by trains running between Sheffield & Leeds. From the train station turn left away from the town centre and head towards the bridge that the dual-carriageway runs over. Go under the bridge and turn left up the slip road and then take the first road on the right and head towards the Metro Dome leisure complex at the top of the hill.

Around the ground:
Pub: Be warned, unless your favourite film is Football Factory, wearing colours in town is not advisable. But there are plenty of decent pubs in town such as a Weatherspoons and O’Dwyers which is a popular haunt for home fans, with away fans allowed in small numbers. Also, if you fancy a stint on the treadmill before the match the Metrodome is an all-in-one leisure centre based just a short two minutes from the away turnstiles. If exercise before a match is not your thing, a) we thought not, and b) worry not, it has a bar.

Grub: The aforementioned Metrodome serves food as well as a tipple, or again visit town where there are your usual top class pre-match eateries such as KFC and Burger King, while various burger vans surround the ground.

Inside the ground:    
Fans/Atmosphere: For big games at Oakwell, theres nowt better. The home fans are passionate and get behind the team with vigour. Some of the fans do have a reputation, but if you aren’t looking for trouble you wont find any, and the club pride's itself on being a 'family club'.
        
Bogs and Pies: As there are three new-ish stands, the toilets are of a decent standard and do a job, if you excuse the expression. Food is football ground standard, not the best but not the worse.
            
Stewards/Police Friendliness: The stewards aren’t the most friendly and some of them seem to have a chip on their shoulder, but you just have to put up with it. Like you were told at school, backchat gets you nowhere. Police are only around for the bigger games, tend to be very low profile and the South Yorkshire force aren’t too bad.

Fact!
Dickie Bird, Michael Parkinson and Darren Gough are all avid Barnsley fans.

Read CATFLAP our FREE Football Magazine http://ezine.catflapmag.com

Posted by: Lex

Maybe now their 'long-suffering' fans will stop moaning for a couple of years...

(And, congrats...)

Posted by: Lex