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Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Champions League semi- final on Wednesday at Stamford Bridge .

Wednesday April 30, 2008 Kick off: 19:45


Chelsea
Manager:
Avram Grant
Captain: John Terry
On the Field: Cech , Ferreira , Terry , Carvalho , Cole , Essien , Lampard , Ballack , Kalou ,
Cole , Drogba

Player to watch : Lampard
All eyes will be on the England man following a difficult week for him, but he's proved plenty of times in the past that he is the man for the big occasion.
Subs : -
Injured: Cudicini ,
Suspended : -
None : -

Chelsea’s last 5 results
Premier League Saturday April 26, 2008 => Chelsea 2 - 1 Manchester United
Champions League Tuesday April 22, 2008 => Liverpool 1 - 1 Chelsea
Premier League Thursday April 17, 2008 => Everton 0 - 1 Chelsea
Premier League Monday April 14, 2008 => Chelsea 1 - 1 Wigan Athletic
Champions League Tuesday April 8, 2008 => Chelsea 2 - 0 Fenerbahce

Liverpool
Manager:
Rafa Benitez
Captain: Steven Gerrard
On the Field : Reina, Arbeloa, Carragher, Skrtel, Aurelio, Mascherano, Alonso, Gerrard,
Kuijt, Babel , Torres

Player to watch : Torres
With a goal Liverpool's number one objective, the Spaniard will be expected to deliver on the biggest night of his career to date.
Subs: -
Injured: Kewell , Agger
Suspended: -
None: -

Liverpool’s last 5 results
Premier League Saturday April 26, 2008 =>Birmingham City 2 - 2 Liverpool
Champions League Tuesday April 22, 2008 =>Liverpool 1 - 1 Chelsea
Premier League Saturday April 19, 2008 =>Fulham 0 - 2 Liverpool
Premier League Sunday April 13, 2008 =>Liverpool 3 - 1 Blackburn Rovers
Champions League Tuesday April 8, 2008 =>Liverpool 4 - 2 Arsenal

Head to head - Last 10 Games
Liverpool 4 victories
Chelsea 3 victories
Draws 3

Monday, April 28, 2008

GERRARD: WE CAN OUTPLAY CHELSEA

Jimmy Rice 27 April 2008



Steven Gerrard believes Liverpool's class of 2008 have enough quality to outplay Chelsea in their own backyard.

Stamford Bridge has not been the happiest of hunting grounds for Gerrard and co over the last few years, but with summer additions such as Ryan Babel and Fernando Torres, the skipper believes the Reds now have nothing to fear at the Bridge. The 2005 Champions League winner said: "We really feel that we are as good as Chelsea, if not better than them. We have certainly been the better team when we've played them this season. "We were the better team when we played them in the League at Anfield and again in the Champions League, only for both games to end in draws." A last-minute away goal to level the tie at 1-1 means Chelsea hold a slight advantage going into the second leg of this season's Champions League semi-final. But Gerrard went on: "We were gutted at the end of the first game because we were on top for most of the time and Chelsea scored their equaliser without really producing anything. "It was a real killer us, but these things happen in football and it's now all about how we react and how we recover. "Now we have got to back up a good performance with the right result." Gerrard has tasted victory at places like the Nou Camp, the San Siro and the Stadio Delle Alpi during Rafa Benitez's reign, memories which, despite
Chelsea's lucky escape last week, serve as inspiration going into Wednesday night's clash. He added: "I'll be realistic and say the advantage lies with Chelsea now. They are a very good team and they have been very strong at home for a long time. "But we have shown over the last few years that we are a very good team away from home in Europe - and we want to go to Stamford Bridge and prove ourselves again. We've got to pull a big performance and result out of the bag - and if we do qualify for the final it will be as big an achievement as anything this club has ever done in Europe. "The way Chelsea celebrated at the end showed how happy they were with the 1-1 draw. They weren't being cocky, it was just that they were relieved to get that away goal. "Chelsea have got a great home record and we haven't done too well down there, but history will go out of the window that night. "We will give everything we've got and know that every player will have to put in a big performance if we are to do it. "If they didn't have Petr Cech in goal we might already be through. He pulled off some world-class saves against us - one of them from me - and he is right up there with the very best. "But you will always have a chance to win any game with a player like Fernando Torres in your team. "He has been superb for us all season and with him and all the other attacking players we have got we feel we will definitely score down there."
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เจิดเชื่อสนิทหงส์เหนือกว่าสิงห์บลูส์






สตีเว่น เจอร์ราร์ด กัปตันทีม ลิเวอร์พูล ไม่หนักใจหรือหวาดกลัว ในเกมเยือนรัง เชลซี ถ้วยยุโรป นัดชี้ชะตา วันพุธนี้ คุยฟุ้งทีมตนเองเล่นเหนือกว่าคู่แข่งบานในการเจอกันมาแล้ว 3 ครั้งในฤดูกาลนี้ มั่นใจสามารถบุกไปกำราบและตีตั๋วลิ่วเข้ารอบชิงดำ ที่กรุงมอสโก ในเดือนหน้าได้สำเร็จ





สตีเว่น เจอร์ราร์ด เพลย์เมกเกอร์คนสำคัญทีม "หงส์แดง" ลิเวอร์พูล ในพรีเมียร์ลีก อังกฤษ ออกมากล่าวแสดงความมั่นใจ ว่าทีมตนเองจะได้ผลลัพธ์ตามที่ต้องการ ในเกมที่จะบุกไปเยือน "สิงห์บลูส์" เชลซี ทีมร่วมลีก ในศึกแชมเปี้ยนส์ ลีก รอบรองชนะเลิศ นัดที่สอง ในวันพุธที่ 30 เมษายน แม้เป็นฝ่ายเสียเปรียบอยู่เล็กน้อยจากเกมนัดแรกก็ตาม อ้างฟอร์มที่เจอกันมาใน 3 เกมของฤดูกาลนี้ ลิเวอร์พูล เป็นฝ่ายข่มคู่แข่งจากกรุงลอนดอน และจะสามารถทำได้อีกครั้งแน่นอน
ลิเวอร์พูล เสมอกับ เชลซี ทั้ง 3 ครั้งที่พบกันในฤดูกาลนี้ แต่น่าเป็นฝ่ายชนะในบ้านได้ทั้ง 2 เกม โดยในเกมลีกเมื่อต้นฤดูกาล พวกเขาเป็นฝ่ายขึ้นนำก่อน แต่เจอลูกจุดโทษเจ้าปัญหา ส่วนในบอลถ้วยยุโรป นัดแรก สัปดาห์ที่แล้ว เชลซี มีโชคไล่ตีเสมอในช่วงทดเจ็บ จากการทำเข้าประตูตัวเองของ ยอห์น อาร์เน รีเซ่ ทำให้สถานการณ์ของ ลิเวอร์พูล คือต้องบุกไปชนะ เชลซี หรือเสมอแบบมีสกอร์เป็นอย่างน้อย ถึงจะมีลุ้นตีตั๋วเข้ารอบชิง ที่กรุงมอสโก ประเทศรัสเซีย
กัปตันถิ่นแอนฟิลด์ กล่าวว่า "เรารู้สึกจริงๆว่าทีมของเรานั้นดีพอๆกับ เชลซี หากไม่ได้เหนือกว่าพวกเขา หลายเกมที่เจอกันในฤดูกาลนี้ เราเป็นฝ่ายเล่นได้ดีกว่า อย่างในเกมลีก และแชมเปี้ยนส์ ลีก ที่แอนฟิลด์ เราดีกว่าชัดเจน แต่โชคร้ายที่ต้องลงเอยด้วยผลเสมอทั้งสองนัด ถึงตอนนี้ เราต้องกลับมายืนหยัดและสู้ให้ดีเหมือนเดิมอีกครั้ง และหวังว่าผลครั้งนี้จะเป็นใจกับฝั่งเรา"
นอกจากนี้ เจิด ยังหวังว่าความผิดพลาดในเกมที่แล้วจะเป็นแรงกระตุ้นให้ทุกคนมุ่งมั่นเพื่อแก้ตัวในเกมนัดนี้ โดยกล่าวว่า "เราผิดหวังและงุนงงกับช่วงท้ายของเกม เพราะว่าเราเป็นฝ่ายครองเกมได้เหนือกว่า เชลซี เกือบตลอด แต่พวกเขากลับได้ประตูตีเสมอทั้งที่ไม่ได้ทำอะไรเลย มันเหมือนหอกที่ทิ่มแทงเราอย่างเฉียบพลัน แต่สิ่งเหล่านี้เกิดขึ้นได้ในเกมฟุตบอล เราไม่คิดโทษใคร แต่ต้องพยายามกลับมาแก้ตัวสำหรับเกมหน้าให้ได้"


Champions League - Rafa's diving dossier

Champions League - Rafa's diving dossier
Eurosport - Sun, 27 Apr 19:48:00 2008

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez wants the officials in Wednesday's Champions League semi-final second leg at Chelsea to clamp down on what he sees as Didier Drogba's theatrics.


Benitez believes Blues striker Drogba goes down far too easily.
"With Drogba, it's important to have a good referee," the Spaniard said.
"You can't do anything, but I will say it because it was so clear. He is amazing because he is massive.
"It's very impressive. I have a lot of clips of him from over the years and he surprises me. After four years, I expected it."
Benitez revealed he had compiled clips of Drogba during Liverpool's numerous matches against Chelsea since he became manager.
The Spaniard was unhappy at what he perceives as preferential treatment for the striker at Anfield in Tuesday night's first leg.
"We've played against Chelsea 19 games and every time I have collected some clips of Drogba," Benitez explained.
"I have shown them to some of the players. I think that (Martin) Skrtel and Carra (Jamie Carragher) were really good against him the other day, the only problem was the referee was giving fouls. And it was not the same with (Fernando) Torres."Sporting Life /Eurosport

NEW UNIFORM OF The REDs

Liverpoolfc.tv 28 April 2008
http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N159737080428-0733.htm





The designs are already a big hit at Melwood, where the attention to detail and new V-neck are proving popular. Club captain Steven Gerrard commented: "I'm really pleased with the adjustments they've made. The neck is a lot better and there's some lovely bits of detail."




Midfield partner Xabi Alonso is also happy, adding: "I am really pleased. Wherever you go in the world you see people wearing Liverpool shirts, whether it's Asia, Africa, Europe or Australia. This is one of the reasons why it is an honour for me to wear the Liverpool jersey." The designs, which include a sleek black outfit for goalkeeper Pepe Reina, have taken months to perfect.


The results will be available in shops from May 22, though if UK customers order online before 9pm on May 18 we guarantee you'll have it on launch day. Unfortunately, while we will endeavour to deliver all other Europe and R.O.W orders on that date, no guarantee can be made. As an added incentive to pre-order online, you'll get a free £10 LFC Retail voucher with every adult and junior shirt (whilst stocks last, terms and conditions apply).

ORDER OUR NEW HOME KIT ONLINE NOW
Pre-order our new home kit now>>




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Sunday, April 27, 2008

Birmingham City 2-2 Liverpool On Sat 26 Apr 2008

Sat 26 Apr 2008: Barclays Premier League >Birmingham City v Liverpool, St Andrew's Stadium
Birmingham City (Forssell 34’ Larsson 55’) 2-2 Liverpool(Crouch 63’ Benayoun 76’)


VDO Clip =>Birmingham City 2-2 Liverpool On Sat 26 Apr 2008

BIRMINGHAM C. 2 - 2 LIVERPOOL http://www.flixya.com/video/1173372/MOTD:_BIRMINGHAM_C._2_-_2_LIVERPOOL

Friday, April 25, 2008

Saturday April 26, 2008 »Birmingham City vs Liverpool

Birmingham City vs Liverpool
Saturday April 26, 2008 Kick off: 15:00 St Andrews Birmingham City v Liverpool

Expected Line-Up

Birmingham City
Manager: Alex McLeish
Captain: Liam Ridgewell

On the FieldTaylor Kelly Jaidi Ridgewell Murphy Muamba Larsson McSheffrey McFadden Jerome Kapo Player to watch

Larsson
Birmingham will be pleased to have the Swede back in their line-up after he missed last weekend's 5-1 humiliation against Aston Villa.
Subs :
Injured : None
Suspended: Johnson

Liverpool
Manager: Rafa Benitez
Captain: Jamie Carragher

On the FieldItandje Finnan Carragher Hyypia Riise Pennant Lucas Plessis Benayoun Crouch Voronin Player to watch

Crouch
In what is likely to be a second XI, Crouch will lead the line and pose a real threat to Birmingham's nervy defence.
Subs :
Injured :
Kewell Aurelio Agger
Suspended : None

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Birmingham City’s last 5 results
Premier League=>
Sunday April 20, 2008 : Aston Villa 5 - 1 Birmingham City
Premier League =>Saturday April 12, 2008 : Birmingham City 1 - 1 Everton
Premier League =>Saturday April 5, 2008 : Wigan Athletic 2 - 0 Birmingham City
Premier League =>Saturday March 29, 2008 : Birmingham City 3 - 1 Manchester City
Premier League =>Saturday March 22, 2008 : Reading 2 - 1 Birmingham City

View all Birmingham City results »
Head to head - Last 10 GamesLiverpool 4 victories
Birmingham City 3 victories
Draws 3

Liverpool’s last 5 results

Champions League =>Tuesday April 22, 2008 : Liverpool 1 - 1 Chelsea
Premier League =>Saturday April 19, 2008 : Fulham 0 - 2 Liverpool
Premier League =>Sunday April 13, 2008 : Liverpool 3 - 1 Blackburn Rovers
Champions League =>Tuesday April 8, 2008 : Liverpool 4 - 2 Arsenal
Premier League =>Saturday April 5, 2008 : Arsenal 1 - 1 Liverpool

Champions League - Riise gives Blues edge

Champions League - Riise gives Blues edge
Eurosport - Wed, 23 Apr 10:17:00 2008

John Arne Riise's dramatic injury-time own goal secured Chelsea a 1-1 draw against Liverpool in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final at Anfield.


More Stories

Liverpool had been on course for a well-earned victory after Dirk Kuyt 's first-half opener, but Riise's inadvertent last-gasp intervention now tips the tie firmly in Chelsea's favour.

Kuyt put Liverpool ahead towards the end of a first half in which Fernando Torres had spurned a good chance to put his side in front and Didier Drogba had seen a penalty appeal turned down after an unconvincing last-ditch challenge by Jamie Carragher .

Chelsea rallied briefly in the second half but were unable to really extend Liverpool goalkeeper Jose Reina until Riise - on as a second-half substitute for Fabio Aurelio - stunned the home fans by heading Salomon Kalou 's cross into his own net right in front of the Kop in the dying seconds of the game.

Both sides were boosted by the returns of key players ahead of kick-off, with Steven Gerrard restored to the Liverpool line-up following a neck problem and Drogba declared fit to start for Chelsea after shrugging off a knee injury.

Chelsea won the toss and forced Liverpool to attack the Kop in the first half, and it was the visitors who began on the front foot.

Drogba wasted a decent early opportunity by putting a free-kick into the wall from just outside the Liverpool penalty area before Joe Cole misjudged a back post volley after being picked out by Frank Lampard .

Kuyt spurned a great chance to put Liverpool ahead when he ran onto Xabi Alonso 's lofted pass on 13 minutes, but his first touch was slightly heavy and it allowed Petr Cech to scramble the ball away.

Liverpool gradually established a foothold in the game with Alonso's incisive passing setting their rhythm, but their hearts were in their mouths after half an hour when Drogba tumbled under Carragher's desperate challenge.

Referee Konrad Plautz waved Chelsea's penalty appeals away, and moments later Torres should have given Liverpool the lead when he was released by Gerrard and put his shot straight at Cech.

Chances were predictably scarce in a cagey first half, but minutes before half-time Liverpool took the lead in circumstances reminiscent of the scrappy Luis Garcia goal that took them through against Chelsea at the same stage of the 2004-2005 tournament.

After a quick free-kick in midfield Kuyt's cross from the right was only partially cleared, and when Javier Mascherano 's mishit shot looped into the air, Claude Makelele 's weak attempt at a clearing header enabled Kuyt to fire the ball past Cech from the edge of the six yard box.

Roared on by the home fans, Liverpool sought to kill off their opponents in the early stages of the second period, with Ryan Babel giving Paulo Ferreira a torrid time down the left flank.

Chelsea looked clueless by comparison, with Drogba cutting an increasingly isolated figure up front, and shortly before the hour mark Babel nearly increased his side's lead with a volley from the edge of the box that flashed narrowly wide of the right-hand upright.

Liverpool then had a penalty shout of their own turned down when Carragher's cross struck Michael Ballack on the arm, but having survived the onslaught Chelsea finally began to make some inroads into Liverpool territory.

With 25 minutes to play Ballack tested Reina's concentration with a header from Lampard's free-kick, and shortly afterwards Florent Malouda looked certain to score after neatly side-stepping Alvaro Arbeloa's sliding challenge, only to be denied by an athletic block from Mascherano.

Gerrard almost put the tie beyond the visitors with a dipping effort from the edge of the box that Cech touched over the bar and Torres could have added a second in injury time when his back post effort was blocked by the Chelsea keeper.

Cech's saves seemed important but not crucial at that stage, but they were given a whole new meaning by Riise's disastrous blunder less than a minute later.











Wednesday, April 23, 2008

EOS 450D first look



Canon EOS 40D




Overview

The Spirit of Photography. Welcome to the next generation of digital SLR photography-the Canon EOS 40D. The EOS 40D combines Canon's tremendous know-how in both the digital and photographic worlds, creating a camera that not only does everything one would expect of a traditional digital SLR, but one that incorporates staggering leaps forward in technological innovation. With new features like Canon's EOS Integrated Cleaning System, Live View Function, a more powerful DIGIC III Image Processor, plus a 10.1-megapixel CMOS sensor, a 3.0-inch LCD monitor and more, the EOS 40D elevates digital photography to new heights, enhancing the shooting experience, and delivering images one could only expect from a Canon.
Features


Superb image quality: 10.1 Megapixel CMOS Sensor, extensive noise reduction technology, and 14-bit conversion for outstanding color tones and gradations.


Outstanding performance: 6.5 fps, burst rate up to 75 consecutive JPEGs or 17 RAW images and DIGIC III Image Processor.


Strong, rugged build quality: magnesium-alloy exterior, shutter durability-tested to 100,000 cycles, top speed 1/8000, top x-sync speed 1/250.


New AF system with 9 cross-type sensors, and world's first diagonal high-precision cross-type AF at center point with f/2.8 and faster lenses.


EOS Integrated Cleaning System, Picture Style settings, Spot metering, and Highlight Tone Priority for advanced in-camera image control.


Large 3.0-inch LCD monitor and advanced Live View Function with new options for reduced shutter time lag and quiet operation.


Wide range of accessories, including interchangeable focusing screens, extensive remote control options, new battery grip BG-E2N, and new dedicated wireless file transmitter WFT-E3A.

Huge Sensor for Tremendous Photographs Superb image quality: 10.1 Megapixel CMOS Sensor, extensive noise reduction technology, and 14-bit conversion for outstanding color tones and gradations.
Canon's large-area CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor) sensor captures images with exceptional clarity and tonal range, and offers the most pixels in its class. This APS-C size sensor (22.5 x 15.0mm) has the same 3:2 ratio as film cameras, enabling an effective angle of view that is 1.6x the normal EF Lens focal length. 14-bit A/D conversion means fine transitions from light to dark tones, and a significant drop in digital and shadow noise. The EOS 40D has an extensive ISO range (from 100 to 1600, plus ISO 3200* in extended mode) which is selectable in 1/3 stop increments. The EOS 40D's CMOS sensor uses much of the new technology first seen in the EOS-1D Mark III camera. New manufacturing techniques mean each pixel is more sensitive to light, and less area between pixels is wasted on the sensor. The on-chip noise reduction electronics are also entirely new, and combine with the sensor's general design for less digital noise and better high-ISO performance than ever before. This results in larger, clearer, sharper and more detailed photographs right from the start.

Monday, April 21, 2008

Liverpool v Chelsea


Liverpool v Chelsea
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE SEMI-FINAL FIRST LEG
Date: Tue 22 April Kick-off: 1945 BST Venue: Anfield
Coverage: Full commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live and on BBC Sport website (UK only), full text coverage on BBC Sport website and mobiles, live on ITV1




Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard could be available despite sitting out Saturday's 2-0 Premier League win over Fulham with a neck injury.

Reds boss Rafa Benitez said he will consult with the club doctor before making a decision on the player.

Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard will be available.

Lampard has missed two games while on compassionate leave because his mother is in hospital with pneumonia, but the player's agent says Lampard can play.



BIG MATCH STATS
Overall head-to-heads

Liverpool and Chelsea have had 150 major competitive meetings; Liverpool lead by 58 wins to 44, with 28 draws.

They have met 18 times since the start of the 2004-05 season, when Rafael Benitez took over as Liverpool manager. The Reds have won five, drawn five and lost eight.

This season, they drew 1-1 in the Premier League at Anfield; Fernando Torres gave the Merseysiders a half-time lead, but Frank Lampard equalised from the penalty spot.

Then, under Avram Grant, the Blues won the Carling Cup quarter-final 2-0 at Stamford Bridge with goals from Lampard and Andriy Shevchenko. The league fixture on 19 February in West London was a goalless draw.

European head-to-heads

This is the fourth successive season in which Liverpool and Chelsea have met in the Champions League. There have been only three goals in the six previous fixtures, with Liverpool winning 1-0 on two occasions and Chelsea by the same score once.

This is also the third Champions League semi-final between the two teams. Liverpool have progressed to the final from each of the previous two.

Liverpool have played an English club at Anfield on seven previous occasions, losing just once (to Leeds in the 1970-71 Fairs Cup semi-final); Chelsea have won two of their five European away matches against English opposition - both defeats came at Anfield. Liverpool is the only English club to have knocked Chelsea out of Europe, and they have done it twice.

European history

Liverpool have won the Champions Cup/Champions League five times (1977, 1978, 1981, 1984 and 2005) and the Uefa Cup three times (1973, 1976 and 2001). The Reds were Champions League runners-up last season, after losing the final 2-1 against AC Milan. They also lost 1-0 to Juventus in the 1985 European Cup final, in tragic circumstances at the Heysel Stadium in Brussels.

This match is Liverpool's 15th European semi-final and they have progressed to the final on 11 of the previous 14 occasions. It is the ninth time they've made the last four of the Champions Cup/Champions League. They have progressed from seven of the previous eight, losing only the first one, to Inter Milan, in 1964-65.

Chelsea's biggest successes in European competition are their two Cup Winners' Cup victories. They won the trophy in 1971 and 1998. They also won the European Super Cup in 1998.

In the Champions League, the Londoners have now reached the semi-finals four times, in 2004, 2005, 2007 and 2008. They've been eliminated at that stage on all three previous occasions, and from six of their eight European semis.

Current European form

Liverpool are undefeated in seven matches in the Champions League, since a 2-1 reverse to Besiktas in Turkey on 24 October 2007. The Reds have won their last four Champions League home matches, and have not been defeated at Anfield in this competition since 3 October 2007, when Olympique Marseille won 0-1.

Chelsea's only defeat in 10 Champions League outings since their loss to Liverpool in last season's semi-finals, was 2-1 in the opening leg of the quarter-final, away to Fenerbahce on 2 April.

Player and disciplinary info

Chelsea's Michael Essien is suspended for this match; Liverpool's Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher and Fabio Aurelio will be suspended for the second leg if shown a yellow card.

Fernando Torres has scored in each of Liverpool's last seven home matches in all competitions.

Jose Reina and Carragher have started and completed all of Liverpool's CL matches this season. Gerrard and Sami Hyypia have also played in all 10 of Liverpool's CL matches this season.

Claude Makelele has reached a Champions League semi-final for the eighth time in his career. He was already in possession of the record for the competition and is the only player to reach more than six Champions League semis.

Joe Cole, Makelele and Essien have played in all 10 of Chelsea's CL matches this season.

If selected, John Obi Mikel will be playing on his 21st birthday, and Nicolas Anelka will be facing one of his former clubs.

Other miscellaneous facts

These clubs are separated by two places and nine points in the Premier League table after victories in their last matches.

Liverpool won 0-2 at Fulham on Saturday, and are now eight points ahead of Everton with three to play, and virtually assured of a fourth placed finish and a guaranteed place in the qualifiers for next season's Champions League.

Chelsea won 0-1 at Everton on Thursday night, and are on 78 points, three points behind leaders Manchester United.

Definitions of terms used:-

Champions League (CL) - only group phase matches and beyond of this competition which began in 1992-93.
Champions Cup/Champions League - all matches played since it began in 1955-56 including qualification matches.
European matches - all matches played in the major European tournaments (Fairs Cup, Uefa Cup, Cup Winners' Cup, Champions Cup, Champions League).
Uefa Super Cups, Intertoto Cups and the old Intercontinental Cup competition are excluded.

Big Match Stats source: Infostrada Sports and Peter Robinson

Canon EOS 450D / Digital Rebel XSi






Canon EOS 450D / Digital Rebel XSi

Pre-PMA 2008: Canon has today announced a new compact digital SLR, the twelve megapixel EOS 450D (Digital Rebel XSi). On the surface a very similar camera to the EOS 400D, however there are a range of significant improvements; twelve megapixel CMOS sensor, 3.0" LCD monitor, Live View with both AF modes (contrast-detect and passive), 14-bit processing and RAW, spot metering, improved AF, 3.5 fps continuous shooting, a larger viewfinder, SD/SDHC storage and a new higher capacity battery. All in all a fairly impressive range of usage oriented improvements and refinements.
Jump to:

Press Release
Specifications
Additional images
Technologies Explained
Software
Press Release:
EOS 450D: get ready to play

Amstelveen, The Netherlands, 24 January 2008: Canon today launches its latest D-SLR, the EOS 450D. Featuring a 12.2 Megapixel CMOS sensor, EOS Integrated Cleaning System, 3.0” LCD with Live View mode and a new 9-point AF system, the model presents consumers with an unprecedented level of image quality and versatility at this end of the market.
The EOS 450D employs features already proven in Canon’s professional EOS-1 series cameras, including the DIGIC III image processor and a redesigned menu system that enables features such as direct control of Speedlite flash units from the camera LCD. A choice of 13 custom functions allows the photographer to customise the camera to their shooting style.
“The EOS 450D bears the fruits of more than 20 years of ongoing investment into EOS,” said Mogens Jensen, Head of Canon Consumer Imaging, Europe. “This camera continues Canon’s policy of taking technologies proven in the professional arena and putting them within reach of a wider market of amateur photographers.”


The EOS 450D features:
12.2 Megapixel CMOS sensor
Canon’s EOS Integrated Cleaning System
3.5 frames per second
3.0” LCD with Live View shooting
9-point wide-area AF system with f/2.8 cross-type centre point
Picture Style image processing parameters
DIGIC III image processor
Digital Photo Professional RAW processing software1
Compact and Lightweight body
Fully compatible with all Canon EF and EF-S lenses and EX-series Speedlites
The EOS quality advantage
With all key components developed and manufactured in-house, EOS offers photographers a unique quality advantage. The EOS 450D’s specially designed 12.2 Megapixel sensor employs Canon’s high-sensitivity, low-noise CMOS technology to produce richly detailed images with minimal grain. The DIGIC III processor ensures superior image rendering and rapid response times, with an almost instant 0.1 start up. Image data is processed at 14 bits for Delivering a burst rate of 3.5 frames per second, the DIGIC III processor works with the image buffer to handle up to 53 JPEGs (6 in RAW) without interruption.
Built for better photos
The EOS 450D is designed to make photography a fluid experience for photographers of all levels and experience. Housed in a compact body that weighs less than 475 grams, the camera features an improved grip design that provides a natural, ergonomic fit with the user’s hands. A large, bright viewfinder makes image composition clearer and more comfortable. The menu system inherited from professional EOS cameras uses a simplified tab structure that does away with scrolling. It includes a user-defined My Menu tab for instant access to frequently used settings.
Several custom functions are available to optimise the quality of photos captured in a range of situations. Highlight Tone Priority boosts the dynamic range at the highlight end, providing better tonal detail from wedding dresses, cloudy skies and other bright objects. The new Auto Lighting Optimiser corrects brightness and contrast during image processing, while improving skin tones in portraits by ensuring correct exposure for faces. Photographers can also enable additional noise reduction for shots captured at high ISO speeds.
Live View
Available for the first time on a Canon consumer D-SLR, Live View mode makes it easier to shoot from awkward angles, such as ground-level macro shots or when shooting from a tripod. The image from the Live View mode is displayed as a smooth, 30fps video feed on the 3.0” LCD, which is 50% brighter than the screen of the EOS 400D. A grid line display and live histogram can be selected to help with shot composition and exposure. While focusing, the photographer can zoom in on specific details with up to 10x magnification of the image displayed on the LCD screen. Two types of auto focus are available: Quick AF flips the camera mirror momentarily to engage the AF sensor; Live AF uses the image contrast data to focus - a method familiar to anyone upgrading from a compact digital camera.
For studio environments, remote Live View lets the photographer compose, adjust settings and capture the shot from a PC using the supplied EOS utility software.
Other improvements
The EOS 450D complements its headline features with a host of smaller improvements that enhance the photographic experience. The viewfinder now displays all key exposure information including ISO speed. The addition of spot metering (4% of viewfinder) allows for greater control over exposure in tricky lighting conditions. PictBridge functionality has been expanded so that photographers can correct horizons and add picture effects before printing. A new high capacity battery extends shooting time on a single charge to a maximum of 500 shots.
Software
The EOS 450D is supplied with a comprehensive software suite that provides everything the photograph needs to manage and process images. This includes Digital Photo Professional (DPP), a powerful RAW converter that provides complete RAW image processing control. DPP also integrates with camera features such as Dust Delete Data and Picture Styles. The supplied Picture Style Editor software can be used to create custom Picture Styles for fine control over colour display. The camera also comes with EOS Utility, Image/Zoom Browser and Photostitch.
Canon EOS 450D / Digital Rebel XTS Specifications

List price (US)
• Body only: $799• Kit: $899 (with 18-55 mm IS lens)
List price (EU)
• Body only: €749• Kit: €849 (with 18-55 mm IS lens)
International naming
• US: Canon Rebel Digital XSi• Japan: Canon EOS Kiss Digital x2• Elsewhere: Canon EOS 450D
Body material
Plastic (Stainless Steel chassis)
Sensor *
• 12.2 million effective pixels• 12.4 million total pixels• 22.2 x 14.8 mm CMOS sensor• RGB Color Filter Array• Built-in low-pass filter with self cleaning unit• 3:2 aspect ratio
Dust reduction
• Low-pass filter vibration at power-on (can be interrupted)• Anti-static coating on sensor surfaces• Software based dust-removal (camera maps dust, removed later)
Image sizes *
• 4272 x 2848 (L)• 3088 x 2056 (M) • 2256 x 1504 (S)
Output formats
• RAW (.CR2 14-bit *)• RAW (.CR2 14-bit *) + JPEG Large/Fine• JPEG (EXIF 2.21) - Fine, Normal
Image processor *
DIGIC III
Lenses
• Canon EF / EF-S lens mount• 1.6x field of view crop
Focus modes
• Auto Focus• Manual Focus (switch on lens)
Auto Focus
• 9-point CMOS sensor • Cross-type F2.8 at center *• AF working range: -0.5 to 18 EV (at 23°C, ISO 100)
AF modes
• AI Focus• One shot• AI Servo
AF point selection
• Auto• Manual
AF assist
Flash strobe
Shooting modes
• Auto• Program AE (P)• Shutter priority AE (Tv)• Aperture priority AE (Av)• Manual (M)• Auto depth-of-field• Portrait• Landscape• Close-up• Sports• Night portrait• Flash off
Metering
• TTL 35-zone SPC• Metering range: EV 1.0 - 20 EV (at 23°C, ISO 100, 50 mm F1.4)
Metering modes
• Evaluative 35-zone• Partial 9% at center• Spot 4% at center *• Center-weighted average
AE Lock
AE lock button
AE Bracketing
• +/- 3.0 EV *• 0.5 or 0.3 EV increments
Exposure compen.
• +/- 3.0 EV *• 0.5 or 0.3 EV increments
Sensitivity
• Auto (100 - 400)• ISO 100• ISO 200• ISO 400• ISO 800• ISO 1600• Highlight tone priority * (ISO 200 - 1600)
Shutter
• Focal-plane shutter• 30 - 1/4000 sec (0.5 or 0.3 EV steps)• Flash X-Sync: 1/200 sec• Bulb
Aperture values
• F1.0 - F91 (0.3 EV steps)• Actual aperture range depends on lens used
White balance
• Auto • Daylight • Shade • Cloudy • Tungsten • Fluorescent • Flash • Custom
WB Bracketing
• +/-3 levels• 3 images• Selectable Blue/Amber or Magenta/Green bias
WB fine-tuning
• Blue (-9) To Amber (+9)• Magenta (-9) to Green (+9)
Color space
• sRGB• Adobe RGB
Picture style
• Standard• Portrait• Landscape• Neutral• Faithful• Monochrome• User 1 • User 2• User 3
Custom image parameters
• Sharpness: 0 to 7• Contrast: -4 to +4• Saturation: -4 to +4• Color tone: -4 to +4• B&W filter: N, Ye, Or, R, G• B&W tone: N, S, B, P, G
Drive modes
• Single• Continuous: 3.5 fps up to 53 JPEG / 6 RAW frames • Self-timer 10 secs (2 sec with mirror lock-up) • Self-timer continuous *
Mirror lockup
Yes (custom function)
Viewfinder
• Pentamirror• 95% frame coverage• Magnification: 0.87x * (-1 diopter with 50 mm lens at infinity)• Eyepoint: 19 mm *• Dioptric adjustment: -3.0 to +1.0 diopter• Fixed precision matte • Proximity sensor disables LCD shooting mode information
Viewfinder info *
• AF information (AF points focus confirmation light)• Shutter speed• Aperture value• ISO speed (always displayed)• AE lock• Exposure level/compensation• Spot metering circle• Exposure warning• AEB• Flash ready• High-speed sync• FE lock• Flash exposure compensation• Red-eye reduction light• White balance correction• SD card information• Monochrome shooting• Maximum burst
DOF preview
Yes, button
LCD monitor *
• 3.0" TFT LCD• 230,000 pixels• Wide viewing angle (160° horizontal and vertical) • 7 brightness levels• Up to 10x zoom playback
LCD Live view *
• Live TTL display of scene from CMOS image sensor• 100% frame coverage• Real-time evaluative metering using CMOS image sensor• Best view or exposure simulation • Grid optional (thirds)• Magnify optional (5x or 10x at AF point)• Optional Auto-focus with mirror-down / mirror-up sequence• Two modes; normal and quieter • Remote live view using EOS Utility 2.0 (via USB or WiFi/Ethernet using WFT)• Manual focus only
Camera settings display
• Shutter speed• Aperture• Sensitivity (ISO)• Exposure mode• Meter / Exposure compenation• Bracketing• Flash compensation • White balance & fine tuning • Metering mode• Custom function set• Auto focus mode • Drive mode• Auto focus areas• Black & white mode • Beep• Red-eye reduction • Image size / quality• Battery status• Frames remaining
Record review
• Uses last play mode • Magnification possible • 2 / 4 / 8 sec / Hold
Flash
• Auto pop-up E-TTL II auto flash• Guide number approx 13• Modes: Auto, Manual Flash On/ Off, Red-Eye Reduction• X-Sync: 1/200 sec • Flash exposure compensation: +/-2.0 EV (0.3 or 0.5 EV steps)• Coverage up to 17 mm focal length (27 mm FOV equiv.)
External flash
• E-TTL II auto flash with EX-series Speedlites• Hot-shoe
Other features
• Orientation sensor• Automatically writes FAT16/FAT32 depending on capacity
Auto rotation
• On (playback uses orientation data in file header)• Off
Playback mode
• Single image• Single image with info (histogram brightness / RGB )• Magnified view (1.5 - 10x in 15 steps, browsable)• 4 and 9 image index *• Auto play• Image rotation• Jump (by 10, 100 or date)
Custom functions *
13 custom functions with 34 settings
Menu languages *
• English• German• French• Dutch• Danish• Portuguese• Finnish• Italian• Norwegian• Swedish• Spanish• Greek• Simplified Chinese• Japanese• Traditional Chinese• Korean• Russian• Polish• Hungarian• Czech
Firmware
User upgradable
Connectivity
• USB 2.0 (Hi-Speed) mini-B• Video out (PAL / NTSC)• E3 type wired remote control
Storage *
• SD / SDHC card
Power *
• Lithium-Ion LP-E5 rechargeable battery (7.4 V, 1050 mAh)• CR2016 Lithium battery (date/time backup)• Optional ACK-E5 AC adapter kit
Battery Grip *
Yes, BG-E5
Direct printing
• Canon Selphy Printers • Canon Bubble Jet Printers with direct print function• Canon PIXMA Printers supporting PictBridge • PictBridge
Dimensions *
129 x 98 x 62 mm (5.1 x 3.9 x 2.4 in)
Weight (no battery) *
475 g (1.0 lb)
Software
• Zoom Browser EX / ImageBrowser • PhotoStitch• EOS Utility (inc. Remote Capture; Windows & Mac except Mac Intel) • Digital Photo Professional (Windows / Mac)
* New or changed compared to the EOS 400D / Digital Rebel XTi
Technologies Explained
CMOS
Canon’s CMOS technology is one of the company’s key competitive advantages, with noise reduction circuitry at each pixel site delivering virtually noise-free images. In comparison with CCD technology, the lower power consumption characteristics of Canon’s CMOS sensors also contribute to longer battery life.Signal conversion in Canon’s CMOS sensors is handled by individual amplifiers at each pixel site. Unnecessary charge transfer operations are avoided, vastly speeding up the process of getting signal to the image processor. Noise generation is reduced, power consumption is limited and faster frame rate potential is increased.
EOS Integrated Cleaning System
The EOS Integrated Cleaning System combats sensor dust in three important ways: Reduce, Repel and Remove.
Reduce - Internal camera mechanisms are designed to minimise dust generation. The redesigned body cap prevents dust generation through wear on the cap itself.
Repel - Anti-static technologies are applied to the low-pass filter covering the front of the sensor so as not to attract dust.
Remove - A Self-Cleaning Sensor Unit uses hi-frequency vibrations to shake dust from the infrared filter for a period of approximately one second after each start up. For instant shooting after power up, this feature is disabled immediately the shutter release is depressed.
Canon has also developed an internal Dust Delete Data system, which can map the position of visible dust on the sensor. This can then be deleted automatically after the shoot with the latest Digital Photo Professional software.
Picture Style
Picture Style pre-sets simplify in-camera control over image qualities. Picture Style pre-sets can be likened to different film types – each one offering a different colour response. Within each selectable pre-set, photographers have control over sharpness, contrast, colour tone and saturation. The camera’s factory default configuration is set to deliver immediately-usable JPEG images without need for additional menu settings. Picture Style presets applied to a RAW image can be revised with Canon’s Digital Photo Professional software.
The six pre-sets include:
Standard – for crisp, vivid images that don’t require post-processing
Portrait – optimises colour tone and saturation and weakens sharpening to achieve attractive skin tones
Landscape – for punchier greens and blues with stronger sharpening to give a crisp edge to mountain, tree and building outlines
Neutral – ideal for post-processing
Faithful – adjusts colour to match the subject colour when shot under a colour temperature of 5200K
Monochrome – for black and white shooting with a range of filter effects (yellow, orange, red and green) and toning effects (sepia, blue, purple and green).
The User Defined Picture Style can be used to store up to three customised pre-sets, or any of the pre-sets available for download from Canon’s web site at www.canon.co.jp/Imaging/picturestyle/file/index.html.
Software
Digital Photo Professional Software
Digital Photo Professional software provides high speed, high quality processing of lossless RAW images. Processing with Digital Photo Professional allows real-time display and immediate application of image adjustments, giving control over RAW image variables such as white balance, dynamic range, exposure compensation and colour tone. Images can be recorded in camera with sRGB or Adobe RGB colour space. Digital Photo Professional supports sRGB, Adobe RGB, ColorMatch RGB, Apple RGB and Wide Gamut RGB colour spaces.
ICC (International Colour Consortium) profiles can be attached to TIFF or JPEG images when converted from RAW. This allows faithful reproduction of colours in software applications that support ICC profiles, such as Adobe Photoshop. For improved efficiency, a set of image adjustments can be saved as a recipe and applied.
EOS Utility
The latest version of EOS Utility provides essential support for Live View remote shooting, camera configuration and image transfers. Tightly integrated with Digital Photo Professional, EOS Utility can be configured to monitor ‘hot’ folders, automatically renaming and moving incoming images to a structured file system.