3D TV becomes a reality. Sky set to telecast United v Arsenal in 3D this weekend

3D TV appears to have finally arrived with Sky sports deciding to broadcast the Premier League clash between Arsenal and Manchester United in 3D this weekend. This telecast would only be aired at select pubs in UK which have been fitted with 3D ready screens. Sky expects to make 3D TV experience publicly available very soon however there are concerns over both the cost of viewer equipment as well as the gear required to record and telecast images in 3D.

Some more exciting news along with this EPL initiative by Sky is that Sony has also agreed with FIFA to record some of the football world cup matches in 3D later this year in South Africa.

I am not sure about the cost and availability of 3D TV’s as well as the preparedness of broadcasters at this time but whenever it comes, it would be a game changer forever.

ESPN will unveil it's 3D network in 2010 as well. It will showcase a minimum of 85 live sporting events during its first year, beginning June 11 with the first 2010 FIFA World Cup match, featuring South Africa versus Mexico.

http://sportsbizfreak.blogspot.com/2010/01/arsenal-vs-manchester-united-in-3d.html
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/news/story?id=4796555

EPL January transfer update: Rodriguez, Chamakh for Liverpool. Flamini for Spurs.

Liverpool: Reds sign Argentina international Maxi Rodriguez on a free transfer from Atletico Madrid on a three-and-a-half-year deal.

Liverpool:  Marouane Chamakh has agreed to join in a £25million deal and the club expect the player to sign a big money pre-contract agreement before the end of the month. The highly rated striker was wanted by Arsenal, Juventus, Inter Milan and West Ham.

ARSENAL: Old and new. As well as Sol's return, Arsene Wenger is poised to sign Bolivian wonder boy Samuel Galindo. Wenger snatched the attacking midfielder, who is his country's under-21 skipper at just 17, who had been training at Everton.

TOTTENHAM: Tottenham are set to make a shock move to bring former Arsenal midfielder Mathieu Flamini back to north London and want West Ham's Matthew Upson while Zenit St Petersburg have tabled a bid of £10.2million for striker Roman Pavlyuchenko (Daily Mirror). Harry Redknapp is monitoring Joe Cole's contract situation at Chelsea (Daily Star) and has agreed personal terms with Internacional's 20-year-old Brazilian midfielder Sandro.

Source: http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/football/multiplex/30940.html

Sol Campbell set for Arsenal

While a striker is what they needed the most, it's a central defender Sol Campbell who is set to make a comeback for Gunners. 35 year old is quite an atypical Wenger signing but he has been drafted to fill in for Gallas who has fitness concerns.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/jan/12/sol-campbell-arsenal-return

EPL January Transfer Window

Some interesting transfer news:

Arsenal: Long-time Gunners target Marouane Chamakh will soon reveal his intended destination. The Moroccan striker, whose contract with Bordeaux expires at the end of the season, says he will give an answer at the end of January (The Sun).

United: Manchester United may seek a new striker following the news that striker Dimitar Berbatov may need exploratory knee surgery.

Stoke City: They have made an official approach to Real Madrid for veteran striker Ruud van Nistelrooy

Liverpool: Rafa Benitez wants to take former England U21 defender Nedum Onuoha on loan from Man City

PORTSMOUTH: Pompey have told Manchester City and Sunderland that they won't sell Younes Kaboul for less than £14m (Daily Mail).

Found a nice place for all the latest football transfer news:

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/football/multiplex/30940.html

United feel the heat at Fulham. Gunners biggest benificiary.

United were wounded even before the game and the crushing 3-0 loss to Fulham could spell doom for their premiership chances this season. The way this year’s championship is poised this loss could be hugely damaging for United.

With loads of lower ranked teams springing surprises, the season is far from over however the gap at the top is widening and Chelsea have a great chance to make it 6 by the time this weekend is over.

Gunners are the biggest beneficiary of United’s loss and they have responded well with a fine 3-0 win over Hull. They are looking to find back their feet and could soon be moving above United in the standings.

The game itself was dominated by Fulham with United appearing a pale shadow. Zamora and Duff were exhilarating while United missed some key players in defense. As the season progresses, loss of Ronaldo is starting to hurt even more.

"We were playing against a wounded Manchester United," said Hodgson, "Alex has my sympathy. But it was up to us to take advantage and we did it from first minute to last."

Sir Alex was quite candid when he said "The way the league is at the moment I hope it is not too damaging," he said. "I hope it doesn't cost us the league. It was a dreadful day for us, but given the fragility at the back, I have some sympathy for the players in that respect."

The other results on Saturday mean both Spurs and Villa continue to take right steps forward and Liverpool continue to slide into oblivion.

Find all match day results at:
http://www.premierleague.com/page/FixturesResults/0,,12306,00.html

Who will win Barclays Premier League ?

Few weeks back I had mentioned Chelsea as the front runners with ManU and Arsenal close behind. Over the last two weeks things have not changed too much apart from the fact that Chelsea has left the door open for those chasing them. It would be difficult for most teams barring United to catch them but the way top teams are tumbling nothing can be taken for granted.

Look at the traditional top 4 and none of them look as strong as previous years. They all look fragile and prone to a shock. As the table stands right now, Chelsea are still upfront but they do not look as invincible as few weeks back when they had threatened to run away with the title. United had the opportunity but they failed to punish the Blues after City had shocked them. While Gunners have also failed to close in with a mid week draw with Burnley, Liverpool’s season is still waiting for a fillip which I guess will have to wait until next year and by that time it would be all too little too late for them. If the reds finish in the top 4 it would be a huge surprise for me looking at the way things stand right now.

Let's look at some of the outsiders who could upset the applecart. Villa and Spurs look threatening while City and Liverpool cannot be taken for granted at any stage. Then there are Birmingham and Fulham both capable of untimely surprises for any of the top runners. The closeness of teams this season has meant a wonderfully entertaining and competitive league- especially for an outsider.

Wenger has summed it up quite nicely by stating this years’ as the most open title race -
"Yes [this is the most competitive I have known the Premier League since joining Arsenal]. It is, why? Because nobody looks to run away early in the season and there are six, seven, eight teams that can create a surprise any weekend and it is certainly the most open race," Wenger said in his pre-match press conference. "I think yes, that many [eight] can mount a title challenge."

While Wenger is upbeat about his teams title chances, Harry Redknapp has proclaimed the end of the Premier League's big four by declaring that only Chelsea and Manchester United are certainties to finish in the Champions League places this season and that the other pair of prized berths for Europe's elite tournament could be filled by any two of several teams – including Tottenham Hotspur.

Redknapp said "I've said since the start of the season that the champions will come from Chelsea or Manchester United but after that it's up for grabs," he said. "Anything is possible this season. Look at Arsenal, you would have expected them to go up and win at Burnley after beating Liverpool, but they didn't so that shows you how hard it's going to be."

Read more at:

http://goal.com/en/news/9/england/2009/12/15/1689097/arsene-wenger-highlights-most-open-premier-league-title-race

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/dec/17/harry-redknapp-tottenham-manchester-city

Arsenal to go shopping for a striker

Arsene Wenger is out shopping for a striker. January transfer window would be an ideal opportunity in wake of Van Persie's injury.

Wenger's interest in the Bordeaux striker Marouane Chamakh is well documented, although a January deal appears unlikely. His other targets include André-Pierre Gignac of Toulouse, Milan's Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Mario Balotelli of Internazionale. Sampdoria's Giampaolo Pazzini is another Serie A striker on Wenger's radar. Arsenal have bid €30million for Inter striker Mario Balotelli, but Jose Mourinho wants Cesc Fabregas as part of the deal.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/dec/01/arsene-wenger-buy-striker-january