We all love a spectacular goal, and since the start of the Premier League back in the 90s, we have seen a fair few stunners. But what would you regard as the greatest Premier League goal of all-time? Would you go for a goal that required a great technique? Is a long-range strike what you’re looking for? Or does it all depend on how important the goal is?
Choosing the best Premier League goal of all-time is too great a task for one man, so we’ve gone all democratic and decided to give you the fans the final say! There will be no coalition here, just one great goal that has received the most votes. There’s no way you can remember all of the great goals that the Premier League has seen, so we’ve even got some videos to jog your memory. Simply watch a bundle of great strikes and then vote for the greatest Premier League goal ever!
Click on the image to see the contenders – ENJOY
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Up until recently, I didn’t know what a snood was. And now I do, I can’t helping thinking there are too many pansies in the game these days. Just imagine me walking out at Burnden Park in the 1960s wearing a snood and gloves. The Bolton fans would have loved that. And Bill Nick, too. He’d have banned them, no question. His idea of a football strip was one that had holes in it and had been worn 100 times. It wasn’t a proper outfit otherwise. In fact, we only got a new kit if we reached the FA Cup Final.
There was none of this fancy stuff – snoods, gloves, under garments, willy-warmers, or anything like that. We should ban it all on behalf of us old footballers who got grazed hands and knees, and froze to death while we were running around. I read the other day that boots worn by some of today’s top players can help keep your feet warm. What? I’m thinking about getting a pair to wear around the house. I could have worn them last weekend as I watched the Ipswich v Leicester game. It should have been abandoned when the referee took the players off, although I can’t imagine I’d like to tell Roy Keane I was cancelling a match that his side were winning 3-0.
Back in my day, fixtures were rarely cancelled because of snow. They normally laid a tarpaulin over the pitch, which solved the snow problem, but when you pulled it back it was hard as rock and as slippery as an ice rink. If they’d left the snow on it would have been easier to play. I remember up at Manchester City one year we could hardly stand and lost about 5-1. But that was all part of the game. Sometimes we’d have grounds like that, other times it would be a mud heap. Nowadays they’re all like billiard tables. We had to adapt dramatically. There were times you could not pass a ball 20 yards because it got stuck in the mud. You had to lift it or chip it, and all these various skills came in to play over the course of the season.
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I had to laugh at Wayne Rooney complaining last week that Christmas was a difficult time for footballers. You don’t know you’re born, sunshine! We played Christmas Day and Boxing Day. One year at Chelsea, we were home to Portsmouth on Christmas Day and away to them on Boxing Day. We won 7-4 and then lost 3-0. How do you work that out? Christmas morning at Stamford Bridge would be a full house. Men would watch the game, have a pint and go home for dinner. It was a good tradition.
The one perk we had at Tottenham was that they’d give us a turkey each and a bottle of perfume for the girls. The perfume was worth about sixpence and the turkey was all right, although it always looked like it had given itself up rather than been caught. At Chelsea we didn’t even have a Christmas party and if we did in Milan, I wasn’t invited. We used to have them at Spurs until it all got a bit out of hand.
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The first team had finished training, so we went to the White Hart and started having a decent drink. One of the reserve team players was ordered to get us, so we sent him packing. Eventually Cecil Pointon, our trainer, came in and said: “Come on, lads.” But we insisted he had a drink first. By the time we got back for the festivities, Bill Nicholson had a face like thunder. The board of directors were sitting there with all the rest of the players – the reserves, third team, youth team – and there were the star pupils staggering in. We all sat down and started throwing rolls – it was mayhem.
As the chairman got up, Dave Mackay shouted: “Sit down – you’re p****d!” It was pandemonium. And then dear old John White capped it all. You shouldn’t laugh, but it wasn’t an absolute sin to drink and drive in those days. On his way out, he took one of the main gates with him, collected it around the bumper of his car. That was the last party we ever had. Festive best wishes to you all!
The Dons may have won 2-1 on the night but ultimately the damage was done in the first leg.
It was a night in which everyone associated with MK Dons could be proud even if disappointed that our promotion hopes had gone for another year. What Dons lacked in the first leg they had more of in the second. They were more creative, the full backs got forward more and crosses were more accurate.
Falling behind early on in the second leg was not great, many would’ve thought it was done and dusted but being an MK Dons fan I know it’s never over until that whistle goes. I also know that every man that pulls on that shirt will not go down without a fight! And I was right, every single one of them showed hunger, commitment and desire. We had a few chances before we finally got our goal and it epitomised the Dons, we don’t score scrappy goals. Daniel Powell did well to get his strike away and find the bottom corner. You could see it instantly lifted us as we knew we had something to build on now. We had a stonewall penalty appeal turned down before the half was over. We don’t seem to get the rub of the green with decisions like that but we don’t let it affect us.
We started brightly in the second half, we had worked the ball down well with a lovely passing move before the ball was fed to MacDonald who couldn’t get the ball on target, as he poked it wide. Huddersfield hadn’t created a lot on the night, they were more prepared to soak up pressure from the Dons. However, just after the hour mark David Martin found himself making two vital saves to keep the Dons’ faint hopes alive. This was Huddersfield’s best moment of the match but our defence stood firm to keep the deficit to two.
Legs were starting to tire and you could see that everyone was putting in everything they had, none more so than Deano who looked like he had nothing left to give. We are blessed to have Shaun Williams as a centre half as his pace is one reason we didn’t concede again, he made very timely interceptions. Robinson had decided enough was enough and there was no better time to go for it. After another good game from Chicksen he was replaced by Chadwick and Bowditch replaced by Ibehre. We had changed to have 3 at the back in the hope of pushing forward to get another goal to get the nerves jangling.
The Dons kept pushing forward as much as possible not fearing the threat Huddersfield could pose. It was do or die time, we had to score, we couldn’t sit back and if we conceded as a result at least we tried. Thankfully we didn’t but it was close. Robbo brought Smithy on for MacDonald with about ten minutes to go. The boos didn’t bother him one bit, in fact I think he almost enjoyed them. In injury time Jabo was denied by two top class saves but from the resulting corner Smithy stooped low to give the Dons a second goal. Ultimately it was too little too late but the Dons could be proud that they didn’t go down without a fight. They gave everything to the cause tonight and were by far the better team.
Another season of being just the bridesmaid but another season which was full of drama, goals, passion and pure football. I’m proud to be an MK Dons fan and cannot wait to see what next year has in store!
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In recent years, Arsenal have developed a reputation for crumbling. At the business end of the season, everything falls apart. Last season was perhaps the finest example so far. After suffering defeat to Birmingham City in the Carling Cup final, they swiftly exited the Champions League at the hands of Barcelona and the FA Cup at Manchester United before dropping out of the title race completely. Their dramatic losses of form always raise questions about Arsenal’s mental strength. Where is the self-belief of United’s squad? Where are the leaders? Why can’t they shake off defeats and close out the season or just close out a game? These are all valid questions, but it would be wrong to suggest that all their problems are mental.
Since the invincibles side, Arsene Wenger has steadily siphoned the leadership and experience out of the squad. He continues to do so with the recent sale of Gael Clichy to Manchester City. Clichy may be only 25 but he has 48 Champions League appearances and nearly 200 in the premiership. The duty of left-back now falls to the vastly less experienced 21 year-old Kieran Gibbs.
Whilst Wenger’s young side may be full of talent, willingness and speed, it lacks the power of players in their physical prime and the mentality of those who have tasted success and want more. There is an over-riding sense that even at their best this Arsenal side are an incredibly talented group of boys. Van Persie is the old hand and Fabregas has inherited the responsibility of captain because of his essential role on the pitch, not because he has the mental qualities required. When things are not going well he often looks pained, struggling under the weight of his title.
Whilst the squad lacks leaders, it also lacks fighters. Perhaps as a consequence of Wenger’s football philosophy and his abhorrence of the physical side of the game, hard talking players are a rarity at Arsenal. Jack Wilshere may be the first midfielder to demonstrate a willingness to get stuck in since the departure of Flamini in 2008. Wenger’s nurturing, molly-coddling attitude towards his youngsters and his bitter complaints of ‘rugby teams’ create a sense of victimisation rather than a desire to fight back.
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The biggest problem Arsenal face is not a mental one. It is the quality of their squad. Even their best starting 11 has flaws, primarily in defence, and there is an unhealthy dependence on the fitness of Van Persie and Vermaelen. Walcott has shown flashes of brilliance but has struggled to find consistency due to injury and Arshavin has gone from a star to a sub in a disappointing season. There is a lack of depth up front and the need for a solid, consistent, central defensive partnership to bring some stability. It is these problems that really took Arsenal’s season off the rails.
Everton boss David Moyes is looking to solve his striking crisis by bringing in Monaco forward Dieumerci Mbokani.
Mbokani made his name playing club football in the Democratic Republic of Congo for Mazembe where he scored 67 goals in 72 games. A successful loan move to Anderlecht was then followed by a permanent transfer to Standard Liege in 2007. During his time in Liege he netted 35 times in 81 games ans his growing reputation resulted in a move to French club Monaco for a fee believed to be in the range of €6 million in 2010.
However, Mbokani has been out of form this season and has failed to make much of an impression for his new club and only found the net on one occasion. It is believed that David Moyes sent a scout to watch the Congolese striker play in Monaco’s 2-0 defeat to St. Etienne at the weekend.
Everton have been horribly short of goals this season. Their tally of ten goals in nine home games is he second worst in the Premiership and is a big contributor to their lowly league position. With Jermaine Beckford, Louis Saha and Yakubu all either struggling for from or fitness a new striker would help take the weight of goals off of Tim Cahill.
Watch below for a taste of what Mbokani can do…
[youtube 5RxRudD-2GQ]
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Aston Villa are believed to be ready to meet with former Manchester United striker Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as a possible candidate for their vacant managerial position, according to The Telegraph.
The Midlands club parted company with Alex McLeish after a difficult season saw them only win seven Premier League matches and finish just two points above the relegation places.
With the search for a new boss under way, Randy Lerner is believed to prefer Roberto Martinez of Wigan, who turned the job down last summer.
However with the Spaniard in talks with Liverpool over their head coach role, the Villa Park side are exploring other options, such as Norwich’s Paul Lambert and Swansea’s Brendan Rodgers.
However, Lerner’s private jet was believed to be in Norway on Thursday, with Solskjaer set to be flown to Birmingham for talks with the Premier League side.
The former Old Trafford hitman is the manager of Molde, and has led the minnows to their first ever top-flight title in his homeland.
However, Solskjaer is believed to have a buy-out clause in his contract, and will be considered for the role.
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Udinese defender Christian Zapata has been linked with a move to Liverpool, according to Mirror Football.
The 24-year old has been at Udinese since 2005 and played for the club 127 times but is attracting interest from several of Europe’s top clubs.
Arsenal, Manchester City and Bayern Munich are all rumoured to be tracking the £14 million-rated Colombian but Liverpool appear to be leading the race for the versatile defender.
Zapata is currently with Colombia, for whom he has won 17 caps, where he is preparing for the Copa America and any deal will have to wait until after the tournament.
The 6ft 2in defender would be the second big-money signing at Anfield after the arrival of Jordan Henderson from Sunderland with plenty more signings expected during the transfer window.
Manager Kenny Dalglish and Director of Football Damien Comolli have been given the financial backing of new owners Fenway Sports Group. The owners are keen on younger players with potential resale value and Zapata certainly fits the bill.
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The club are also in need of cover at left-back with the futures of Fabio Aurelio and Emiliano Insua yet to be decided. Paul Konchesky’s days at Anfield appear to be numbered having failed to lived up to expectations and spent the second half of last season on loan at Championship club Nottingham Forest.
Manchester United have completed a deal to sign Denmark goalkeeper Anders Lindegaard from Norwegian club Aalesunds.
The 26-year-old has agreed terms on a deal running until the summer of 2014, moving for an undisclosed fee, although he is unable to feature until the transfer window re-opens in January.
United boss Sir Alex Ferguson told his club's official website:"Anders is one of the brightest young keepers in the game.
"The challenge at Manchester United is always to look to the future and in Anders, we have signed a goalkeeper of great presence and even more promise.
"Having the time to train with him before he is registered will be an important period for him – almost like a pre season to get him integrated with the other players.
Lindegaard himself added:"Joining Manchester United is a dream come true for me. The club is such an institution in Denmark, it's an honour to come here.
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So, it’s here again for another year. It’s going to happen and there’s nothing we can do about it and there’s no way we can get away from it. It’s like when your mother-in-law arrives just in time for kick off and proceeds to talk all the way through the first half, shut up for half time, before continuing her discussions through the second half, blissfully unaware that you’re trying to watch the match. Though, to be honest, if she wanted to distract me for 96 minutes tomorrow, she would be welcome to (bear in mind I’m single and haven’t got a mother-in-law here, so it’s going to have to be a very quick courtship and wedding at this late stage).
I hate derby day. As simple as that. I hate it. It’s a truly horrible day. In fact, I’d go as far as to say it’s the worst day of the football season. And some fool at the FA decided that it should happen twice a season. Clearly somebody is off their rocker.
It never fails to leave your stomach feeling the way it does after you’ve had a bug for three days and haven’t eaten. It never fails to make your fingernails shorter by however far you can physically get your teeth in behind them. It never fails to put your body under more stress than taking an exam that your life depended on you passing.
I’m not aware of such a test existing, but it’d definitely spice up GCSE exam halls.
One reason why it makes me (and I assume other Manchester City fans) feel like this is simple. The result is amplified: wins feel better, defeats feel worse, while draws feel like even damper squibs than they were. But the biggest reason of all, however, is actually that we’re Manchester City fans. Doing things the easy way isn’t in the club’s nature, so getting through derby day isn’t a simple achievement.
United fans have it easy. It’s win-win in their camp. They win, they get to taunt some City fans. They lose, they get to pretend that Liverpool is their big fixture and they don’t really care about City anyway. Though, of course, we all know they do thanks to the outrage felt at the Welcome to Manchester billboard, the (now cancelled) party to celebrate City’s lack of success and the (club endorsed) banner that shows the years where we have won nothing… thank you for showing such concern in little ol’ City.
That’s what makes the game so difficult to endure. It’s a horrible day, invented so neutrals can watch as people like me suffer nervous breakdowns and a whole manner of heart problems decades before we should. I love winning derbies, I just hate the actual playing of the game.
And then there are the neutrals! The pundits, ex-players, commentators, and fans of other clubs that don’t really care about the result, but take it upon themselves to tell us how much of a great game it’s going to be. The media build-up is incredible: you would think that no football match is ever going to be like it until the end of recorded time ever (which, at Old Trafford, will probably have about seven or eight added minutes).
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The strange and ever-so paradoxical thing is that I’m now a part of that crazy build-up to the game. By writing this column, by doing this City podcast, or by being on the other City radio show that I am, I’m adding pre-match build up to the already unnecessary pre-match build up to a game that I hate watching every time it comes around.
Joe Cole’s disappointing Liverpool career could be about to come to an end, according to the Daily Mail.
Cole moved to Anfield on a free transfer from Chelsea last summer and signed a lucrative four year, £90,000 a week deal. Despite impressing manager Kenny Dalglish more recently, he has struggled for form and fitness since being sent off on his debut and has only made 9 starts for the club.
The England international looks set to be reunited with former West Ham manager Harry Redknapp at Tottenham for a fee in the region of £3 million. Liverpool’s new owners Fenway Sports Group are thought to be increasingly keen on removing Cole’s substantial salary from the wage bill as they look to invest in younger talent.
Cole hasn’t featured for England since the defeat against Germany at last summer’s World Cup but still has 56 caps to his name.
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His arrival at Spurs could pave the way for Luka Modric to move to Manchester United. The Croatian playmaker is seen as an ideal replacement for Paul Scholes who retired this summer. But, Modric is likely to command a transfer fee well in excess of £20 million.