Early Doors - Your morning briefing blog

Like Bonnie Tyler, Mariah Carey and (gulp) Nickelback, Early Doors has a thing for heroes.So imagine its delight five minutes from time in last night's game at Anfield, when Arsenal's mandatory late goal came courtesy of a man who was so overhyped, so early in his career, that at the age...More

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Quite often, football managers let their side's football do the talking. Not so today, ahead of part three of the not-so-epic Liverpool-Arsenal trilogy.Both Rafael Benitez and Arsene Wenger have been out in force to extol the virtues of their respective teams in the build-up to Terrific Tuesday, and with the...More

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If you believe any of the baloney Early Doors comes out with, Nicklas Bendtner's calamitous cock-up in last week's showing of 'Arsenal-Liverpool - The Original' was the worst 'miss' of all time. But pit two Championship sides against each other in a pressure-laden FA Cup semi-final at Wembley and a...More

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If the Godfather Part II was the greatest sequel of all-time, then tomorrow's second part of the Arsenal-Liverpool trilogy should be a cracker. However be aware that would mean next Tuesday's concluding part is likely to be a stinker especially if Rafa Ford Benitez Coppola opts to give his untalented...More

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Arsenal's penalty that never was against Liverpool drew a predictably furious reaction from Arsene Wenger last night. Referee Pieter Vink somehow missed an obvious foul on Alexander Hleb by Dirk Kuyt, thereby denying the Gunners a possibly match-winning spot-kick."There was a blatant penalty right under the eyes of the referee....More

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Nicolas Anelka has weighed in with perhaps Early Doors's favourite quote of the season so far.Le Sulk has toned down his outbursts in recent times - particularly after getting a move away from Bolton - but his latest comments show his massive self-regard is still very much alive and kicking."I'd...More

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ED had a moment or two on its hands yesterday, so on a whim, it decided to do an internet search for 'goal machine'. The computer fired back an interesting range of answers.First up was something called a 'goal machine calculator', a clever bit of kit from New Zealand that...More

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Newcastle gaffer, and well renowned tactical genius, Kevin Keegan has kick started reinvention week.Michael Owen scored his third goal in as many club games at Tottenham yesterday - playing as a midfielder behind the front two."This is the position you have to play in this football club because that is...More

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Early Doors is not the gambling type. But if it were, you would be well advised never to take any advice from it.On those very few occasions ED has enjoyed a little flutter - like on the Grand National or the number of points Andorra gives to Spain at the...More

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Nobody was expecting miracles straight away - that kind of optimism is left to Newcastle fans - but at one point last night, England fans could have been forgiven for thinking Steve McClaren was still in charge. First up was the insipid display, which lacked inspiration going forward and boasted...More

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