Book reviews

Jon Spurling examines what's afoot at Arsenal in the light of some new books

In recent months, there has been a growing feeling among Arsenal fans that the club has slipped into a “house of cards” existence. The Glorious Game, Alex Fynn’s latest tome – co-written with The Gooner’s Kevin Whitcher – does little to assuage those fears. One is left feeling that if a single ace in the pack, namely Arsène Wenger, Patrick Vieira, or Thierry Henry, were to depart – or if the proposed move from Highbury is mishandled – then the whole fragile edifice could come crashing down. As an analysis of Arsenal’s current status in English football – and a portend of things to come – The Glorious Game is as good as it gets. Granted unprecedented access to David Dein, youth development officer Liam Brady and most intriguingly Wenger himself, the interviews with the club’s prime movers and shakers reveal a great deal.

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Liverpool seem bedevilled by uncertainty. Reds fan Robert Fordham wonders why

Too often, a book about one season at a club suffers from being out of date the moment it is published. It no doubt upsets John Williams no end that Liverpool are the same gutless and passionate, half-decent and diabolical, outdated and forward-thinking collection of skilled players and hopeless ones that they were in 2002-03. It certainly upsets me.

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Well, United, anyway. Oh, and it’s a city. Darren Fletcher reports on how Mr Fry has extended his control of Peterborough but has also responded to his many critics

For years Posh fans have winced at media references to “Barry Fry’s Peterborough United”. But finally the term has some credence as he now owns 99.6 per cent of the club, becoming the first Eng­lish football man­ager to double up as owner. In April this year, former owner Peter Boizot finally sold his stake to a consortium funded by Colin Hill, a prop­erty developer, and led by former chairman Alf Hand. The deal went through in 24 hours and was pas­sed off to sup­porters as Posh being sav­ed from those who sought to make a fast buck from redeveloping the London Road site.

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It's been ten years since Manchester United conceded a Premiership penalty. Only three teams have been awarded an Old Trafford penalty during that time, all failing to score. Paul Benjamin talks to Ruel Fox – the last visiting player to score from the spot there – and referee Peter Jones, to find out why this is so

It came as a surprise to learn recently that December 4, 1993 was a more momentous occasion than being my first trip to Old Trafford with Norwich. I had no idea that when Ruel Fox stepped up to thump the ball past Peter Schmeichel, it would be the last Premiership penalty scored there by the visitors for ten years. I realise now that this is quite a phenomenal record – or at least would be for any other team. But somehow, because it’s Manchester United, I’m not all that surprised.

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American soccer prodigy Freddy Adu has garnered much media coverage at a tender age, attracting interest from a host of European giants. His potential greatness as a player is commercially appealing for major brands, but will he fulfil his enormous potential? Neil Forsyth writes

When 14-year-old American sports prodigy Freddy Adu signed his first professional deal in November, he was presented to the media in New York’s Madison Square Garden. That evening, he guested on The David Letterman Show as the US dailies went to press with his name emboldened in the sports pages. Six months earlier, Nike had tied him to a $1 million endorsement. America, the land of hype and hyperbole where sport and business entwine like lovers, is shaping its latest sporting icon. The surprise is Adu’s chosen sport, soccer.

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