He wants it so badly, Assem Allam, to change Hull City to Hull Tigers, despite strong opposition from fans. However, the FA has now - for the second time - decided to decline his proposal meaning that Allam can not protest against the decision. The Egyptian has earlier this year threatened to leave the club if he failed to be granted permission for his name switch. Will the fans finally get rid of their number one target?

Wednesday April 9th - Manchester United are out

After 1-1 at Old Trafford, Manchester United fans were hoping their team could surprise once again at Allianz Arena and send Bayern Munich out in the cold. After a rather boring first half where none of the teams looked as they were there to win - Munich could settle with 0-0 result - things started taking speed in the second half. First Patrice Evra scored a goal of a lifetime giving the fans hopes and believe in a semifinal, but less than two minutes after Mandzukic killed the hope. Manchester kept trying and that opened for first Müller and then Robben to finish off Manchester United's Champions League adventure.

Wednesday April 9th - Barca are also out!

Atletico Madrid's win against Barcelona ended the Catalan's unprecedented run of reaching the semi-finals of the Champions League for six consecutive seasons. However, the Barcelona players were outplayed by an Atletico side in great form who deserved the win more than the Catalans did. A player as Lionel Messi was very disappointing and  only ran about 6km - the same as José Manuel Pinto in the goal. Koke gave Atletico the lead after just five minutes, and the Madrilenes kept the lead till the end of the match. Could Atletico win the Champions League this season?

Friday April 11th - Cardiff accuse Crystal Palace of spying

Controversial Cardiff City owner Vincent Tan have written to the Premier League accusing former Head of Recruitment Iain Moody, who is not Sporting Director at Palace of spying. According to Tan, Moody should have used contacts at the club to ascertain the starting line-up before the sides met on Saturday. After the 0-3 loss to the Eagles, Tan wrote to Premier League chief Richard Scudamore demanding an investigation, but the Premier League have told Cardiff to make a formal complaint if they wish to take things further.

Arsenal's problem? It was clear when they sent on Bendtner... Wenger lacks a world-class striker to partner Giroud. This was the title of the Daily Mail's match report from the clash between Manchester United and Arsenal on Sunday.

The Daily Mail is right. Despite, Bendtner's great comeback, the Dane is still not good enough to play for Arsenal, and especially not against opponents as Manchester United. The question is who should Arsene Wenger bring in instead?

Luis Suarez was the main target during the summer, but he is out of the picture for the January window, mainly because he has made a comeback in Liverpool. However, it is also known now that the striker removed his get-out clause in 2012.

The most likely transfer would be Real Madrid's Karim Benzema, who has been linked with Arsenal for about a year. The Frenchman could be interested in a move to the Gunners as he has appeared out of sorts this season. Furthermore, Arsenal should have the money to buy him out of his contract in Madrid.

Another possibility is from a rival club; Arsenal was interested in Demba Ba before Chelsea signed him from Newcastle, and the interest is still there. However, it is unlikely Chelsea will sell to a rival, unless they are able to recoup most of the £7.5m they paid for the Senegalese. A loan deal could be an option as Arsenal would be interested in getting a player with Premier League experience.

Last but not the least Arsenal was battling with Juventus over the Spanish forward Fernando Llorente and lost. However, Llorente has not gotten the success he hoped for in the Italian club and will be eager to go on a loan deal to Arsenal to regain his place in the Spanish squad for the World Cup. Llorente could be a great signing but is much the same type striker as Giroud. That said if Arsenal comes in trouble they will have two strong strikers up front!

No matter what, Arsene Wenger needs to cash out this winter and bring in a striker otherwise they will lose in the battle for the Premier League trophy.

Jack Butland was the big surprise in last year's England squad for the Euro. However, the goalkeeper has been linked with both Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal since then. Even so, it was Stoke who bought the talent and given his young age, 19, Stoke might have a goalkeeper for the future. Especially, if Asmir Begovic is leaving the club this summer. 

He had been rumoured away from Swansea throughout January, and on the last day of the window Laudrup lost his goal getter. Graham scored 21 goals in 62 matches for Swansea, and there is no doubt he will continue in Sunderland if he is allowed to. However, Sunderland had been on the hunt for Graham for a while, so he is probably to be found in the starting line in the near future.

The attacking midfielder with 225 matches for Ajax Amsterdam is now on a loan from AC Milan to Fulham. The Dutch might just the man Fulham is missing to create the chances they so desperately need. Furthermore, Emanuelson knows where the goal is with 28 goals so far in his career. The attacking midfielder is going to be one of the most interesting players to follow for the rest of this season.

Brendan Rodgers was criticised for buying Daniel Sturridge because of the strikers attitude. However, the former Chelsea player has had a flying start for Liverpool and most people has forgot about his attitude problems. In his first 5 games for the Merseyside club,  he has scored 3 goals and made 1 assist, leaving fans with the hope of a new era for their beloved team. Furthermore, the Suarez/Sturridge constellation is going to be impressing.

Demba Ba was a powerful name in Newcastle, and now he has to live up to that name in Chelsea. However, the career has started great for the Senegalese with 3 goals in 8 matches, but there is some way to his 29 goals for Newcastle. The signing of Demba Ba gives Chelsea the power that they have needed in the offense while a Fernando Torres must feel threatened by the new name.

St. James Park (Sport Direct Arena)

18.08.2012 at 17.30 BST

What is the status for the two teams before the match?

Newcastle United is without Shane Ferguson and Cheick Tiote while Sammy Ameobi, with some luck can be ready for the match. Their opponents from Tottenham currently has the midfielder Scott Parker and the winger Giovanni Dos Santos out of the match. As it is the first match of the season, there are no bans.

Both teams have new players to show their fans as Romain Amalfitano and Gael Bigirimana can have their debut for Newcastle, while Gylfi Sigurdsson and Jan Vertonghen are ready for the Spurs.

How is the two teams form?

NUFC has not won a match against Tottenham since 2008 and their last meeting ended in a massacre as the Spurs won 5-0. Even so, the two teams are often very equal as the last ten matches has ended with four wins each and only two goals separating them.

The Magpies has won their two last pre season matches against Hartlepool and Cardiff with an impressing overall score at 9-2 and seems to be in great shape before the match. However, their opponents have been as tough as Tottenham Hotspurs. The londoners have met teams as Valencia and New York Redbull.

What to expect from this match?

We can expect a Newcastle team determined to revenge their 5-0 loss last season. The Toons will test the Spurs defense with their fast attacker Papiss Cisse, as well as the winger Demba Ba. On paper, Newcastle is the underdogs in this match, but they will do whatever they can to prove that the are here to stay in the top of the Premier League.

André Villas-Boas is ready for his first official match for Tottenham and will look forward to show Chelsea that they did wrong to sack him. Tottenham has been strengthen with their signings of Vertonghen and Sigurdsson, and if they play they will probably give that little extra to convince the fans that they are the future.
We can expect a match with two attacking teams. However, the Magpies might hold it back a little to avoid the same situation as last meeting. Here, Tottenham was in front by four goals after 39 minutes.

Who will win?

Even though, Newcastle seems to have the most dangerous man on the pitch, I can't see them win this match. Papiss Cisse can't do it all by himself, and the team's shock effect from last season might be gone. At the same time, Tottenham does not seem to be weaken even though they have sold out some players. On paper, Tottenham has the best squad, and I believe it will be shown in this match.

What is the odds?

 The bookmakers have announced some tight odds for the match. However, Tottenham is a small favorite to win the match at all the bookmakers.

Manchester City’s almost has the budget to sign who they want, and they have done so. This has brought a championship to the blues from Manchester and congratulation to the club and their fans. Whether or not ‘buying’ a Premier League title is deserved, is another discussion. That said, Manchester City has shown some amazing football this season, and it has been worth watching.

This may be Robin van Persie’s best season ever, with 30 goals. European clubs are standing ready to sign the Dutch if Arsenal fails to negotiate a new contract. However, van Persie is almost a saint on the level with Thierry Henry, for the Gunners fans, and I am sure Wenger will give him whatever he wants for staying. If not, he will have to build up a new team around a new player.

3.    Managing West Bromwich is enough for FA

He was not the fans favorite, and looks like a panic signing by the FA. Roy Hodgson is the man, signed to bring glory to England in this summer’s EURO 2012. Indeed, he has done a great job in West Bromwich and has surprised everyone by ending the season on the 10th. However, the manager has never won any serious glory, and I doubt he will do it with England. 

Or at least that is what the FA means. John Terry may have said some racist words to Anton Ferdinand, but no one knows for sure. If he is guilty, he needs to be punished no doubt about it. However, FA’s decision to penalty the Chelsea defender, by sacking him as captain for England, before the trial is even started is terrible. Not only is it a direct sign of saying, "you did it!" to Terry, they also lost a great manager. Good job FA (read: sarcasm)

Two signings, £10m spent, 29 goals scored and two men in the top ten of the Premier League top scorer list. That is the cold, hard fact of Newcastle’s signings of Demba Ba and Papiss Cisse. Who will the Magpies sign next? I am waiting, for them to bring the next profile to the Premier League. Come one guys, I know you can!