Today's Papers / Top Dog / 14 February 2008 / Leave a comment " class="free-bet-btn" rel="external" onclick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/G4/inline-freebet');" target="_blank">Free Bet

Betfair's top dog sniffs around the truth behind the latest tabloid tales

Cruft's champion - Top stories that can dominate the news agenda
Pedigree chum - Insights that tell you something you don't know
Dog's dinner - Speculation, guesswork, or ideas that just don't come off.

Top Dog says:

Top Dog loves his chocolate treats, especially today when it gets all romantic. But there's no sweet stuff for Tottenham's players it seems because Juande Ramos says they've all got too much weight to lose. The likes of Tom Huddlestone and Jermaine Jenas have been full of how much slimmer and fitter they feel. The word from Prague where they are preparing for tonight's UEFA Cup clash is that fitness coach Marcos Alvarez still wants them to lose another eight stone between them. 'The first buffet I saw had lots of sauces, a lot of cakes, chocolate muffins and a box full of sweets,' says Alvarez. Sounds just the sort of thing to share with the pretty poodle next door! Meanwhile slimmed down Spurs are [1.81] to win in Prague tonight. Bolton are [3.2] to beat Atletico Madrid at home in the night's other UEFA tie involving an English club

Cruft's:

The Sun and others - We're happy to win ugly - With Sir Alex in South Africa it fell to Ryan Giggs to do the first round of press conference interviews before the Arsenal Cup tie - and the Welsh winger was in uncompromising mood. Let everybody talk about Arsenal's lovely football and put pressure on them, he said. United will concentrate on winning. United are [2.22] to back up their words with deeds at Old Trafford. It's [3.9] an Arsenal win, and [3.3] the draw

Daily Mirror - Kop Yanks to be run out of town - Martin Lipton reports that Liverpool's American owners are getting closer to agreeing a deal with Dubai International Capital to sell the club for £460million, more than double the £219million they paid a year ago. The Americans are still denying it, but the signs are that a deal is growing closer. Lipton's football finance sources are very often spot-on.

Pedigree Chum:

Daily Star - Eto'o tells Drog: Get over here - Yesterday it was Yaya Toure, today it's Samuel Eto'o who is telling Didier Drogba about the joys of playing for Barcelona. It's looking more and more like the £25million move will happen when the summer comes.

Daily Star - Lamps Hudd luck story - Frank Lampard confirms he expects to play in the FA Cup at home to Huddersfield suggesting Avram Grant will be putting out a first choice side rather than rotating to rest people before the Champions League. No wonder the Blues are as short as [1.13].

Daily Star - O'Neill's in the money - Villa fans have been asking questions about why the club didn't spend in January. Martin O'Neill says it was his choice because he couldn't find players he wanted, and that owner Randy Lerner will finance big new deals in the summer. A place in Europe would help attract players - Villa are now [1.96] a top six finish.

The Sun - Robbo is off hook - Bryan Robson emerged from showdown talks with Sheffield United plc chairman Kevin McCabe with his job safe, and he'll now plan to bring in his old West Brom number two Nigel Pearson to beef up the coaching team. United are [3.3] to add Middlesbrough to their list of Premier League victims in the FA Cup on Sunday.

Daily Mirror - Olly stalked by boss Billy - Now Top Dog thought about putting this in the Dog's dinner section. Surely Milan Mandaric wouldn't sack yet another manager in the same season? Then again it was the Mirror's Alan Nixon who correctly first forecast Martin Allen would get the bullet, then named Gary Megson as Bolton's new boss. Can't help fearing Ian Holloway needs to start looking over his shoulder, or winning a few games.

Dog' s dinner:

Daily Mirror - Year 2020 vision - The thing about writing a piece on how football will look in 12 years time is that by the time it comes round everybody will have long forgotten what you said. In fact most people will forget this effort in 12 minutes!

Today's other headlines:

The Sun - You haven't got a Scuby - Wizard of Os - Ramos tells flabby stars to lose a ton of fat - Anichebe leads Moyes' Euro march - I couldn't stand to lose a final again says Mascherano

Daily Express - Scudamore's U-turn - More 39th game debate - a heavyweight fight for Ramos - All Brann can do is feed Everton - Megson aims to tough it out - Giggs backs United in title race - Trapattoni vows to take on the world

Daily Star - Weight Hart Lane - Hero Osman is Brann-tastic - We'll steal your glory Gunners says Ryan Giggs - Norway of stopping Moyes boys - We'll rip Atletico to Brits says Ivan Campo - Mascherano's Cup dreams - Zamora won't rush comeback

Daily Mirror - Still too fat - Moyes joy at victory - Campo is still mad for it - I'm fed up with silver medals I want gold says Mascherano - Giggs warns Gunners it could get ugly

Daily Mail - Lift-off for Leon - Weight is not over for Spurs slimmers - Campo: Atletico face a scrap - Premier League the moneybags of the world game - Why evergreen Andy Cole is having a ball at Burnley - Chris Coleman interview

Tags: Slavia Prague, Spurs, UEFA Cup Betting