Manager Martin Turney will have to look closely at how his team can bounce back from a stunning 2-1 home loss to newly promoted Coventry. Many have accepted Coventry will finish bottom of the league this season without the loans brought in by ex-manager Mark Rollings, yet on a slippery pitch it was Coventry that shone. A late Newcastle goal cut the score in half but will have done little to save the teams blushes, and no doubt will heap pressure back on Turney's shoulders after a week of relative rest bite.



Since the dizzying potential shown under Steve Jenkins, the Welsh capital team have fallen from grace. After relegation back to League One last season they appointed title winning manager Stuart Price from Sevilla but the team have failed to produce. Two points from three games leaves them 9th in the league and at risk of slipping off the pace of the promotion race. After saying he would offer his resignation if the club struggled this season, Price is treading on thin ice with some fans already.



Chairman of newly promoted Italian Serie A club Riccardo Garrone has issued a warning in the press that his club must beat Ascoli this week. Sampdoria face Atletico Madrid in Europe this Monday after an epic Cup win last season, but face reality on Friday against fellow promoted team Ascoli. Sampdoria and Ascoli have failed to make any impact on the top flight but unlike Ascoli's apparent acceptance of relegation throughout the club, Sampdoria have greater ambitions. "We shouldn't have gone down to Serie B and rightly bounced back. We're big enough to comfortably survive in this league and against minnow clubs we have to show our ability."



In a deal that saw Odonkor move to Blackburn in exchange for two players, Vladimir Koman has only just met up with his new team mates at Real Betis but persisting transfer speculation refuses to die. Koman had been linked with various teams including Valladolid and Zaragoza and reports from Spain suggest a bid could be tabled within a week of him joining Betis. "I can't comment on the paper talk. They are both big teams and it would be a dream to play in La Liga but it's out of my hands."



Thierry Henry has ended his spell in England after less than two seasons at Everton. Off the back of his success under the old Juventus manager, Henry failed to help Everton survive in the Premiership but joins up with a Genoa side described as having massive potential. "Everyone knows about the chairman at Genoa, everyone reads the papers. I think as a player it excited me to come and be part of that." Henry will link up with fellow signing Riquelme this week and could well be the last signing for some time at Genoa after the chairman admitted no further funds would be put in right now until the club settled.



England centre back Jonathan Woodgate has publicly hit out at the Middlesbrough manager for selling him to Sampdoria this week. Woodgate is thought to be unhappy at being forced out of the club, and has been sold abroad despite wanting to remain in England. "I don't know what the gaffer is doing there. We had a strong core of players but he's ripped that out and bought people who just aren't cut out for English football. I'm sad at leaving the club but not at leaving the situation."

Middlesbrough have faced strugglers Norwich and Blackburn, and newly promoted Derby, yet have only picked up 5 points so far as well as beating Aston Villa in a dire performance in the cup. Some fans will be wondering if the team that has struggled to win against weaker opponents in the league, will fall down the table when the tougher fixtures arrive.



Barcelona went into this weeks match on the back of two clean sheets but Real Valladolid academy graduate David Cortez put pay to that record grabbing himself a brace. Cortez couldn't stop the inevitable as his side fell 6-2 to the league leaders but he hailed his boss in the post-match interview. "Simon Jenkins has showed faith in some of the lads who have found it difficult to break into the first team at their old clubs. You have young talent from all over coming here, as well as what the academy produces here. He gave me my chance last season and my first professional season in football was a dream one. I want to top that this season." Cortez already has 3 from 3 this season.