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Bundesliga 2010 2011 Kaiserlautern Köln MiamiGunners Match Of The Week

bundesliga 2010/11
matchday 18
16th january 2011:

kaiserslautern v. köln

 It’s well known already FC Koln were struck by the H1N1 virus and 5 important players were stuck by it and will be out for at least a week. They are defenders Miso Brecko, Youssef Mohamad, Brecko and Giannoulis, along with midfielder Jajalo, the latest on that list, all of them important and the first 3 even regulars.  They will have to play an improvised defense under these circumstances, with midfielder Pezzoni converted to a defender, Eichner making his debut and Schorch making his second appearance this season. Until Sunday, it wouldn’t be a surprise to have more players added on the unavailable list.

Lautern also will have to deal without two important players: defender Bugera and midfielder Tiffert, but their problems aren’t even close to Koln’s. They were strong at home in autumn while Koln barely managed to win 4 points on the road. I believe The hosts will take full profit of Koln’s situation and their attack is strong enough to penetrate that improvised defense.

Championnat de France 2010 2011 Marseille Bordeaux on MiamiGunners Match Of The Week

week 20

16th january 2011: 

Olympique de Marseille reçoit dimanche à 21h au Stade Vélodrome les Girondins de Bordeaux  en conclusion de la 20e journée de Ligue 1. En difficultés avant la trêve, l’OM et le FCGB espèrent renouer avec le succès ce soir.

Les Marseillais ont connu une fin d’année 2010 laborieuse. En championnat, les hommes de Didier Deschamps n’ont plus gagné depuis 5 matches  (une défaite et 4 nuls). Pour leur premier match officiel en 2011, les Phocéens ne se sont pas rassurés puisqu’ils ont été sortis, dimanche dernier, en 32es de finale de la Coupe de France par Evian-Thonon-Gaillard (3-1), pensionnaire de Ligue 2. Après les neuf rencontres de la 20e journée hier, Marseille se retrouve 7e au classement avec 29 points, à six longueurs de Lille, le leader.

  De toute son histoire, Bordeaux n’a donc pas ramené souvent trois points de la cité phocéenne. D’ailleurs, et à l’image de Marseille, le FCGB n’a pas connu beaucoup le succès ces derniers temps. Les cinq dernières rencontres des Girondins en Ligue 1 se sont soldées par des scores de parité. Si Bordeaux ne gagne pas souvent, Bordeaux ne perd pas non plus. Les protégés de Jean Tigana sont invaincus depuis 9 matches.

Campionato 2010 20111 Lecce Ac Milan on MiamiGunners Match Of The Week

week 20 
16th january 2011: lecce v. ac milan

 With Leonardo seemingly already making an impact as Inter coach, AC Milan manager Massimiliano Allegri will no doubt remind his charges that, despite having a nice cushion at the summit of the Serie A table, they need to keep their eye on the ball. And that starts with their trip to the Stadio Comunale Via del Mare to face Lecce on Sunday evening.
In all truth, though, the Giallorossi shouldn’t be able to contain AC. Despite their shock victory in Rome against Lazio in their latest fixture, Lecce have struggled this season, commensurate with which they are currently languishing in eighteenth place in the league table. And they were giving a thumping by the Rossoneri when they locked horns in both sides’ opening match of the current campaign at the San Siro, losing 4-0.

Milan are far from impregnable, as Udinese demonstrated when leaving the Giuseppe Meazza with a point last weekend, a thrilling game which ended 4-4. However, Allegri’s men have generally looked strong this season – the strongest they have looked for a while – and Alexandre Pato, Antonio Cassano and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, not to mention Robinho, offer the Diavolo so much strength in depth up front. AC simply have too much firepower for the likes of Lecce.

Pato, who is on the radar of many of Europe’s top clubs, particularly that of Chelsea, will surely form part of the likely three-pronged attack that Allegri will deploy, having scored twice in the Udinese spectacle, while the 21-year-old put three past Antonio Rosati when Lecce visited the San Siro in August, and the young striker is worth backing at a standout 9-2 with bet365 in the first goalscorer market.  

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P.L. 2010 2011 Sunderland Newcastle on MiamiGunners Match Of The Week

week 23
16th january 2011: 
sunderland v. newcastle united

There’s a sense of expectation around this particular Wear-Tyne derby, what with Newcastle battering their local rivals 5-1 in the reverse fixture (as if anyone needed reminding) and the fact that there hasn’t been a goalless draw between the sides in Premier League history. In addition, Newcastle have only failed to score in one of their last nine games. Oh, and their last outing in the Premier League was a 5-0 thrashing of West Ham United.

Although there are usually goals in this fixture, more often than not it’s Newcastle getting more of them in recent history. Sunderland triumphed over their rivals back in the 2008-09 season, but that was their sole victory at home against Newcastle since 1980. If Sunderland want to avenge their heavy defeat at St. James’ Park, they will have to rewrite recent history.
The Black Cats also have some catching up to do in terms of all-time results as well. Sunday’s meeting will be the 143rd between the sides with Newcastle coming out on top 56 times, Sunderland winning 44 times, and 46 draws. That said, there could hardly be a better time to do it as Newcastle are without their top scorer and arguably their best player of the season in Tiote.

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Primera Division 2010 2011 Villareal Osasuna MiamiGunners Match Of The Week

week 19
15th january 2011: 

Wednesday evening’s Copa del Rey match against Sevilla proved to be a frustrating affair for Villarreal, who were held to a rare home draw by the Andalucian side. Had Juan Carlos Garrido’s side not been going so well in the league, that result would have been a particular disappointment, but presently the Yellow Submarine are moving at full steam ahead to try and claim third spot.

Survival for Osasuna in the top flight this season is by no means a foregone conclusion, and the Pamplona side have endured an alarming slump over the winter that has brought their participation in the Primera Division into question. Over the course of the last six games, they’ve failed to win a single match, maintaining any forward momentum only by three draws.

Bundesliga 2010 2011 Wolfsburg Bayern on MiamiGunners Match Of The Week

bundesliga 2010/11
matchday 18 

15th january 2011: 

wolfsburg v. bayern münchen

After months and months of speculation, Edin Dzeko finally left Wolfsburg last week. While much media focus has been over how the brilliant striker will fit in at Manchester City, in Germany, the questions have been raised as to how Wolfsburg will manage without their departed captain and historical top scorer.

Many among the Bayern faithful will recall Arjen Robben’s first match for die Roten. Just days after signing from Real Madrid, the Dutchman came on as a second half substitute and scored a fine brace to cap off a 3-0 victory away to Wolfsburg.

Now, after missing spending six months on the sidelines with a hamstring tear, Robben returns to Bayern as a “new signing” of sorts. And now, he plays his first game of the season against none other than Wolfsburg at the Volkswagen Arena.