Betfacts / Top Dog / 10 August 2007 / Leave a comment Free £25 Bet

Betfair's top dog - tells you what's in the papers and sniffs out the truth behind the latest tabloid tales

Cruft's champion - stories that are certain to happen backed up with quotes
Pedigree chum - stories that are less certain but carry a strong sense of truth
Dog's dinner - stories that may be true but look far more speculative

Cruft's:

Daily Mirror - Arsenal just a selling club - Up and coming reporter Ann Gripper has interviewed former Gunners star Emmanuel Petit - now a Setanta analyst - and asked all the right questions about Arsenal. Petit says Arsene Wenger's young stars won't be ready to deliver a title challenge. Good, controversial talking point from a relevant subject.

Pedigree Chum:

The Sun/Daily Express/Daily Mirror/Daily Mail/Daily Star - Lampard contract bombshell - The Sun claims an exclusive, but all five tabloidscarry quotes from Chelsea's midfield man about his future. Lampard was interviewed by the pack at a day to launch Frank TV, a new mobile phone service, and clearly knows what to say to get the maximum exposure for his sponsors! The Lampard contract saga has rumbled all summer and will now carry on all winter too.

Dog's dinner:

Daily Mail - Bernie buys QPR - The Mail's top football writer Matt Lawton claims that Forula One boss Bernie Ecclestone has reached a deal to buy Queen's Park Rangers from Gianni Paladini. No secret that QPR are deep in debt and Paladini wants to sell. Lawton's sources are good and he may well be right - except Paladini denies it saying "I wish it was true". Confusing.

Daily Mirror - Taylor rap to Carson - Quotes from Stuart Taylor warning new arrival at Aston Villa Scott Carson that he'll have to fight for the first team jersey. Looks like a topical warning except the quotes are a week or two old from when he thought Thomas Sorensen was the only competition, and have been dressed up to look new.

Summary

One of those days when all the papers share three big set piece press conference interviews with Frank Lampard, Eggerg Magnusson and Niall Quinn. So well done the Daily Mirror for leading with a different talking point, and the Daily Mail for backing Matt Lawton's sources even though his story is denied

Today's other stories:

Daily Mail - FIFA vice president Jack Warner says nobody in Europe likes England - Rafa Benitez explains why he has let Scott Carson join Villa on loan - Gareth Southgate wants to sign Mido from Spurs and pair him with Yakubu - interviews with Sunderland chairman Niall Quinn and West Ham's Eggert Magnusson

The Sun - Craig Gordon sticks up for Scottish goalkeepers - Billy Davies gets a touchline ban - Mark Viduka will quit playing international football - Frank Lampard and Eggert Magnusson big interviews - Tottenham want Portsmouth's Matt Taylor

Daily Express - Bolton's Phil Gartside warns foreign owners will ruin the game - Eggert Magnusson promises the Hammers will spend, spend, spend - Craig Gordon on why he chose Sunderland ahead of VillaLedley King on Tottenham's potential - double page spread comparing Manchester City and United - Roy Keane says new keeper Craig Gordon will be a big hit

Daily Star - Nine pages of football - Neil Lennon won't be fit for Euro 2008 qualifiers - Eggert Magnusson interviews - Niall Quinn on Roy Keane - Namanja Vidic says Manchester United must improve or risk losing the title - Fernando Torres previews Liverpool's season

Daily Mirror - Niall Quinn on Keane - Sam Allardyce tells Maark Viduka whats expected of him - Gareth Southgate says he won't sell Yakubu - Norman Hunter fears Leeds could be relegated again

Tags: football stories, Frank Lampard, Paladini