Arsenal Need Scott Dann as New Counterpart to Thomas Vermaelen

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(Bleacher Report)Scott Dann is another key target that Arsene Wenger will be watching closely over the next few weeks in anticipation of possibly making a move before the end of the window.

The young Birmingham City player has enjoyed more domestic trophy success than anyone on the Gunners side in the last season. The only current member of Arsene Wenger’s side is new boy Gervinho who enjoyed winning the French Ligue 1 Orange Championship last year.

Dann is believed to be valued around £10 million and if the offer is right he could more than certainly head to the Emirates as the Blues will be looking to continue shedding wages after suffering relegation.

The combination of a healthy Tomas Vermaelen and Scott Dann could produce a great offensive as well as defensive partnership for the Gunners as both players are excellent defenders with an eye for the goal.

Vermaelen’s injury also is one more reason why the arrival of Dann could be more of a necessity than a want as there are few options left for Wenger. His current remaining crop is not much to be spoken for. If Wenger is forced to endure another season with his star center back injured, his team will have a hard time overcoming their poor back line no matter how good their offense is.

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Liverpool and Arsenal Go Head to Head over Scott Dann and Gary Cahill

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(Bleacher Report)Scott Dann has been on the Liverpool radar since early in the transfer window, and Arsenal threw their lot in around the same time. With two of the biggest names in English football chasing the player it is no surprise that there still has been no official word that he is going anywhere.

Arsenal will be in desperate need of completing a defensive signing in the last few weeks of the Transfer window as Thomas Vermaelen is down once again.

Dann is believed to be valued at no less than £10 million by Birmingham City, and the Championship club are still possibly looking to cash in on their young defender with a need to spread some money around and fill the holes left by many departed starters following their relegation.

Bolton Wanderers center half Gary Cahill also is in the middle of the two clubs power struggle to add depth at the back.

Cahill is valued slightly higher than Dann at around £12 million, and with Wenger having already been denied a move for Everton's Phil Jagielka, the Frenchman may have no other option than the Bolton man.

Liverpool are split between which of the two to chase, but either way they turn the Gunners are likely to head the opposite direction and I look to see at least one of the two players to be wear either Liverpool or Arsenal Red by the end of August.

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Scott Dann Now the Primary Young Center Back Targeted by Reds

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(Bleacher Report) 24-Year old Birmingham City defender Scott Dann is now a main defensive target for the Reds as Phil Jones is now on his way to Manchester United. Dann is Liverpool born and bred and is a professed life long Reds fan. That makes the situation almost ideal for the young man to make a move to Anfield after his club was relegated on the last day of the Premier League season.

His value is believed to be in the £10million range and his attacking mentality that has seen him bag 13 goals during his career between several teams also plays into Kenny Dalglish's new system.

The Daily Mirror reported this morning that Dann was indeed under pursuit from the Reds as the next in line centerback option.

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Scott Dann Also in the Cross Hairs as Reds Press Youth Policy for Growth

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(Bleacher Report) Sky Sports also report that Birmingham's Scott Dann is also on the Reds shopping list for the summer. The Blues young defender is valued at £10m which would be a great value for the Merseysiders. However, it is apparent that just as with Phil Jones, the Reds may be having to out wit Arsenal for the youngsters signature.

Dann looks a player of the Liverpool mentality as he is tough at the back but likes to press the attack. Also as a life long Liverpool fan, he would most likely help push the deal through to get back to the Premier League after the Blues relegation. He experienced the high of winning the Carling Cup and it is likely the Reds will be major contenders for trophies in the next several years in many more ways than Birmingham.

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England's May 21st Doomsday: Preview the Final EPL Match Day of 2010-11

(Bleacher Report) In what has been a fabulous season of English football, it all comes down to the final weekend for a host of teams. Two teams battle for a guaranteed Champions League spot. Two teams battle for the only English UEFA Europa League spot from the standings. The action then gets more heated as five teams are mixed up in a final day desperate bid for survival as points and goal differentials are neck and neck.

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With all that said, lets start with the battles at the top of the table and work down. Manchester City took the fight to Stoke City yet again on Tuesday in a rematch of this past weekends FA Cup Final, in which Manchester City lifted the cup thanks to a second half goal from Yaya Toure.

A three to nil bashing of the Britannia side saw the Blues push past Arsenal into third place, giving them a guaranteed Champions League spot until at least Saturday. The Gunners take on eighth placed Fulham at Craven Cottage. If the cottagers have anything to do with it, they want to end their season on a high note. Despite their 5-2 bashing from Liverpool last Monday, the Cottage has been a stalwart for them with a record of eight wins, six draws and only four losses throughout the campaign.

Manchester City also are away as they travel to the Reebok to face off against a hard fighting Bolton Wanderers, who have had a great season despite dropping to tenth in the last few weeks due to a dip in form. If the Blues win they force the Gunners to fight through qualifying to make the Champions League, while Roberto Mancini's men have a red carpet to the group stages.

The next big battle in the top half of the table is for the one and only UEFA Europa League spot in this years English Premier League table, rewarded to fifth place. Liverpool had the chance to solidify their claim to it at the weekend, but a 0-2 loss to Tottenham at home saw them be forced into a must win game against Aston Villa at Villa park. If Spurs loose this weekend, and the Reds at the least draw Anfield they will indeed enjoy European nights. If both teams loose or Tottenham win the Reds will face an all domestic campaign for the first time in a long time.

Tottenham, however will have their hands full as their fight for survival to achieve a place in Europe will collide head on with Birmingham City as they fight to keep their spot in the top flight. Spurs need a win, but honestly Birmingham City need one just as badly or worse. The Blues may have won the Carling Cup but their League campaign has been in shambles as they sit in 17th place only above Blackpool and Wigan by one and two goals difference.

Birmingham face a must win or must score at least a few goals in the face of Blackpool and Wigan both loosing. Wigan Athletic face off against a battered Stoke City club that will either be an easy win or will be out for blood in their last match of the season. If the Latics pull off a victory they have to score at least three goals and hope that Blackpool and Birmingham both go down quietly.

Blackpool must travel to Old Trafford on the final day to face this season EPL Champions on their home turf. Manchester United took the all time English lead by the tail as their 19th League Championship takes them one above Liverpool. The Seasiders pushed the Champions to the brink earlier in the year, and it will take that much and more from Charlie Adam and DJ Campbell is the Tangerines wish to stay up.

The last two teams fighting for their guaranteed place in next season's top flight are Wolverhampton Wanderers and Blackburn Rovers. It would not have been any more perfect if it had been planned out this way as these two face each other in what will truly be an exciting match at Molineux Stadium.

Mick McCarthy has orchestrated his masterful brilliance once again to help bring Wolves nearly out of harms way, but Rovers have a chance to rue the day if they upset the home team. However, a home victory and loss for Blackburn could equally be as brutal as the two teams sit equal on 40 points just inches from dropping to the Championship next season.

The only two matches not covered are Everton vs Chelsea and West Ham United vs Sunderland. Both Blues will be playing for pride as neither can really move up and would both like to finish strong. On the other hand West Ham are done in the Premier League for next season, and one last home game in the top flight this year at Upton Park could be another showing of player pride as they will hope to send Steve Bruce and the Black Cats back up north with their tails between their legs as a reminder of what they could be seeing again in 2012-13 if the Hammers go up or the Cats fall down next season.

Whomever is your team it is sure to be a weekend of great action as the final weekend draws nearer. I look forward to the summer and many more transfer sagas to follow before we kick off the 2011-12 season in August.

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FA Cup Quarter Final Match Preview - Birmingham vs. Bolton Wanderers

Article first published as FA Cup Quarter Final Match Preview: Birmingham vs. Bolton Wanderers on Technorati.
Birmingham Looks to Gain Further Glory after their Carling Cup Success while Bolton Wants a Piece of Silverware for their own.

by Rhydon Atzenhoffer
March 11, 2011

Birmingham vs. Bolton Wanderers

Martins Winner Earns Carling Cup

St. Andrews will play host to the first fixture of the FA Cup weekend. Birmingham are fresh off of their stunning and unforeseen victory over Arsenal to win the League Cup and book themselves a place in the Champions League next season. However, their exceptional Cup victory and FA Cup run has been at the expense of their Premiership showing this year. The Blues are just above the drop zone on goal differential and no club has ever won two domestic cups and then been relegated, but this has been a bizarre season for sure.

Bolton Wanderers are in seventh place and above many critics expectations so far this season. Owen Coyle has led his team to a much under acknowledged top seven season so far. With this being their best season in several years and with a possible place in Europe secured with their current standings position, if they can hold it for the final 9 game run in, the match could hold significant value as this is the only chance they have left to take some hardware back to the Reebok. The last time Bolton won the FA Cup was 1958 and American Midfielder Stuart Holden is out to achieve victory with his newest squad.

Coyle and Holden have made their presence Felt

I look for some key midfield match-ups between Barry Ferguson of Birmingham against both Stuart Holden and Fabrice Muamba, and Gary Cahill and Steven Carr will be hoping to hold each teams respected attackers at bay. The experience of Obafemi Martins will give Birmingham a stronger attack against Coyle's Charges than the last time the two met in August seeing them play to a 2-2 draw, but Chelsea's on loan attacker Daniel Sturridge has already put four goals in for his on loan side Bolton.

Look to see the Trotters take it to the Blues and take a 1-2 victory back to the Reebok as they continue their run of success this season, and they will play a rematch with the Blues on April 2nd.