Abramovich has nothing better to do with his fortune...

Chelski owner Roman Abramovich is denying that he has offered Russian footballers a bonus for beating England -- color me skeptical since he spends money like its burning and is known to fund his homeland's national team:

The two nations meet in a crucial Euro 2008 qualifier on Wednesday.

And reports claimed the Russian players would receive £40,000 if they were to defeat Steve McClaren's men.

But a Chelsea statement said: "Roman Abramovich has never offered, proposed or promised any bonuses to the Russian team to beat England."

The billionaire Chelsea owner has close links with football back in his homeland and is reported to bankroll the salary of coach Guus Hiddink.

But the Chelsea statement added: "The financial backing Mr Abramovich gives to Russian football, via his National Academy of Football foundation, is for the development of the game as a whole and is not focused on specific matches.

"Mr Abramovich supports grass-roots football initiatives through such efforts as building football pitches, helping to organise youth sports academies and providing training for coaches."

Chelsea are likely to have four of their players lining up against the Russians, with Ashley Cole, John Terry, Joe Cole and Shaun Wright-Phillips probable starters.

Quick hits:
Everton skipper Tim Cahill is getting ready to return to the pitch.

Everton boss David Moye is already preparing to lose players to the African Cup.

Fernando Torres is enjoying his time with Liverpool thus far.

Arsenal doesn't need dirty Russian money.

The Argentine Bulldog can't wait to pair with Wayne Rooney.

Arsenal to be owned by Russian gangster?

Another excellent piece from David Warner at AOL:

While the English press seems focused on Cristiano Ronaldo's partying habits -- and really, who wouldn't want to know more about a poolside orgy with hookers from Leeds -- a former ambassador is focusing on a very different matter: Alisher Usmanov, the Russian steel magnate who's attempting to purchase Arsenal.

Craig Murray, who served as the British Ambassador to Uzbekistan from 2002 to 2004, says that Usmanov's lawyers have written a letter to British newspapers that might be misleading. The letter reads:

"Mr Usmanov was imprisoned for various offences under the old Soviet regime. We wish to make it clear our client did not commit any of the offences with which he was charged. He was fully pardoned after President Mikhail Gorbachev took office. All references to these matters have now been expunged from police records . . . Mr Usmanov does not have any criminal record."

Murray, however, plainly disputes this.

Let me make it quite clear that Alisher Usmanov is a criminal. He was in no sense a political prisoner, but a gangster and racketeer who rightly did six years in jail. The lawyers cunningly evoke "Gorbachev", a name respected in the West, to make us think that justice prevailed. That is completely untrue.

After detailing some of Usmanov's alleged atrocities, he suggests that if Arsenal supporters allow Usmanov's purchase to happen, they're making a deal with the devil.

Football now is about nothing but money, and even Arsenal supporters - as tight-knit and homespun a football community as any - can be heard saying they don't care where the money comes from as long as they can compete with Chelsea.

I fear that is very wrong. Letting as diseased a figure as Alisher Usmanov into your club can only do harm in the long term.

Foreign ownership in the Premier League has been a controversial issue during this decade. UEFA president Michel Platini brought it back to the forefront by blasting the Premier League for allowing so many foreign owners to buy English clubs. The controversy swelled after former Thailand Prime Minister and current Manchester City owner Thaksin Shinawatra became a wanted man in his own country. Should the Usmanov takeover of Arsenal happen, voices speaking out against foreign owners will only get louder.

(H/T: Pitch Invasion)

The two goals the Premier League doesn't want you to see

An outstanding take from David Warner at AOL Sports Blog, not much else needs to be said:

I was a little hesitant to post this clip here, because I have a feeling that the Premier League will find out about these guys and file lawsuits against them, just like they did against YouTube, but really, this Steven Gerrard free kick has to be seen to be believed.


Clips like this would be a fantastic promotional tool for the Premier League, something that could show people just how exciting this league can be. If the Premier League actually worked with an online video site -- or created its own, like Comedy Central did -- to produce highlight clips like this that bloggers could share with their audience, then perhaps the league could attract even more sports fans. MLS has a YouTube account. U.S. Soccer has one, too. Why doesn't the Premier League?

Because they let lawyers determine their marketing policy. It's one thing to protect your copyright, but stop punishing your biggest fans for this. That's just stupidity.

After the jump: Obafemi Martins of Newcastle makes a bicycle kick goal that rips the heart out of Bolton Wanderers fans everywhere.

Warner's point is outstanding -- the more casual sports fans see of fabulous goals such as these, the more the league will grow. Personally, the more I see the Martins goal, the more amazing it is.

UPDATE: Here's a goal the Premier League would definitely rather you not see:

Perhaps efforts like Lehmann's are what the Premier League is trying to prevent it's fans from seeing.

Robin van Persie in for a big year...

What a class goal! The angle doesn't get much more acute than that and the footwork was outstanding. Gunners supporters' hope he can show more of this class in league and cup play...