It should come as no surprise that when I finally received my December issue of 'FourFourTwo' rating the mag's top 100 players in the world, there was nary an American to be seen.
I'd wager a safe bet that aside from Aston Villa keeper Brad Freidel there wasn't a Yank within sniffing distance.
Maybe that will change when Landon Donovan sets the Bundesliga on fire with his receding hairline, err, smile for the next three months.
Well for now the list of Yanks in the Premier League holds at -- Freidel, Brad Guzan, Clint Dempsey, Jon 'M.I.A.' Spector, Tim Howard and that might be it. Will Kenny Cooper be the next to try it, or will he end up in the Championship or a lesser league on the continent?
For the moment there aren't any other candidates, unless Chris Coleman gets Coventy City promoted.
Saturday
* Chelsea v. Newcastle United -- (Live, FSC, 10 a.m.) Winning solves everything. Look at Chelsea. Didier Drogba is teetering pretty close to the Mike Tyson zone of craziness. What do the Blues do? Plop Nic Anelka into the center forward spot and reap the rewards. Meanwhile for the Magpies, Joey Barton goes to jail then gets hurt. What happens? The club continues to make headlines for all the wrong reasons -- though not only for Barton's off-field dalliances. In other words, another weekend Chelsea can pick the score. ... Chelsea 4, Newcastle United 1
* Liverpool v. Fulham -- (Live, Setanta, 10 a.m.) Unless a savvy Fulham fan can sneak into the Liverpool dressing room and spray cooking spray all over Pepe Reina's jersey, it's doubtful the Cottagers have much of a chance. That's not just a crummy joke. In five away matches Fulham, drumroll, has taken a grand total of one point. ... Liverpool 2, Fulham 0
* Manchester City v. Arsenal -- Is there a weekend these two clubs aren't in 'crisis' talks? The Mark Hughes scenario at City doesn't seem to be clicking. It's like he has an idea what he wants the club to be, but can't figure out how to do it. On the other side Arsenal first loses Theo Walcott for up to four months to an injured shoulder during England training. Then captain William Gallas lashes out at the young Gunners for lacking guts, revealing opposing teams no longer fear Arsene Wenger's outfit. The truth hurts. ... City 1, Arsenal 2
* Middlesbrough v. Bolton -- Your Bolton Wanderers, No. 13 with a bullet! ... 'Boro 1, Bolton 0
* Portsmouth v. Hull City -- Slip, sliding away. Slip, sliding, awaaaaaaay. ... Pompey 2, Hull City 1
* Stoke City v. West Brom -- Two teams enter, one team leaves. ... Stoke 1, West Brom 2
* Aston Villa v. Manchester United -- (Live, FSC, 12:30 p.m.) Okay, you'll get a little more on this massive matchup at Villa Park. As a neutral observer, you have to love everything Villa has done since Martin O'Neill has come aboard. The crummy thing is, despite building a quality, fun to watch, side they'll probably be undone by the one-of-a-kind Cristiano Ronaldo, who's simmering at the moment. Life sometimes isn't fair. Either way, this is a must-watch affair. ... Villa 2, Manchester United 3
Sunday
* Tottenham v. Blackburn -- (Live, Setanta, 8:30 a.m.) Who would have thought that these two would be in the drop zone? Put your hand down smart ass. Our pal Gomes is about a hair away from becoming the Spin Doctors circa 1993 -- headlines areas one day, begging for change the next. Also, if Rovers sell off Roque Santa Cruz their collective goose might be cooked. ... Spurs 2, Blackburn 1
* Sunderland v. West Ham -- (Live, FSC, 11 a.m.) Congrats to West Ham -- team Fox Soccer Channell 2008. ... Sunderland 1, West Ham 0
Monday
* Wigan Athletic v. Everton -- Did you see in the midweek Everton leaders were pleading with the public to approve a new stadium or face an uncertain future. Good times all around in England. Oh right, they also said the club has no idea what it will do if and when David Moyes leaves. Perhaps it's time to find some new board members, you think? ... Wigan 1, Everton 1
Last week: 5-5
Season: 54-73
Bonus match:
* MLS Cup Championship -- Columbus Crew v. New York Red Bulls. Here it is, America's hardest working team vs. Austria's No. 1 energy drink. In other words, a veritable match for the ages.
Sarcasm aside, somebody is walking away from the Home Depot with its first league championship. Scoff at MLS all you like, but at least respect what Sigi Schmid has done with the Crew, overhauling its roster and stacking it with young American talent -- Eddie Gaven, Brian Carroll, Chad Marshall, Robbie Rogers, etc. -- and amassing a solid veteran core led by league MVP Guillermo Barros Schelotto, Alejandro Moreno and the evergreen Frankie Hedjuk. (How MLS brought in Schelotto and kept him in Columbus for two seasons is a minor marvel.)
As for the former New York/New Jersey MetroStars? Honestly, not sure how Juan Carlos Osorio pulled it off. Juan Pablo Angel is class up top, while Dave van den Burgh and Dane Richards are dynamite on the outside. The rest of the Bulls? Buy a program.
It's also unsure what's better for the league, for it's best team in the regular season to win the postseason trophy or the cinderella No. 8 seed. The Crew had seven more wins and 18 more points over the 30 games, yet the Red Bulls got hot at the right time.
Either way, the MLS playoffs remain a serious work in progress.
I'll stick with the Crew here because I think Schmid and think that in the hot California Sun the Red Bulls turn into a pumpkin. ... Crew 2, Bulls 1
I'd wager a safe bet that aside from Aston Villa keeper Brad Freidel there wasn't a Yank within sniffing distance.
Maybe that will change when Landon Donovan sets the Bundesliga on fire with his receding hairline, err, smile for the next three months.
Well for now the list of Yanks in the Premier League holds at -- Freidel, Brad Guzan, Clint Dempsey, Jon 'M.I.A.' Spector, Tim Howard and that might be it. Will Kenny Cooper be the next to try it, or will he end up in the Championship or a lesser league on the continent?
For the moment there aren't any other candidates, unless Chris Coleman gets Coventy City promoted.
Saturday
* Chelsea v. Newcastle United -- (Live, FSC, 10 a.m.) Winning solves everything. Look at Chelsea. Didier Drogba is teetering pretty close to the Mike Tyson zone of craziness. What do the Blues do? Plop Nic Anelka into the center forward spot and reap the rewards. Meanwhile for the Magpies, Joey Barton goes to jail then gets hurt. What happens? The club continues to make headlines for all the wrong reasons -- though not only for Barton's off-field dalliances. In other words, another weekend Chelsea can pick the score. ... Chelsea 4, Newcastle United 1
* Liverpool v. Fulham -- (Live, Setanta, 10 a.m.) Unless a savvy Fulham fan can sneak into the Liverpool dressing room and spray cooking spray all over Pepe Reina's jersey, it's doubtful the Cottagers have much of a chance. That's not just a crummy joke. In five away matches Fulham, drumroll, has taken a grand total of one point. ... Liverpool 2, Fulham 0
* Manchester City v. Arsenal -- Is there a weekend these two clubs aren't in 'crisis' talks? The Mark Hughes scenario at City doesn't seem to be clicking. It's like he has an idea what he wants the club to be, but can't figure out how to do it. On the other side Arsenal first loses Theo Walcott for up to four months to an injured shoulder during England training. Then captain William Gallas lashes out at the young Gunners for lacking guts, revealing opposing teams no longer fear Arsene Wenger's outfit. The truth hurts. ... City 1, Arsenal 2
* Middlesbrough v. Bolton -- Your Bolton Wanderers, No. 13 with a bullet! ... 'Boro 1, Bolton 0
* Portsmouth v. Hull City -- Slip, sliding away. Slip, sliding, awaaaaaaay. ... Pompey 2, Hull City 1
* Stoke City v. West Brom -- Two teams enter, one team leaves. ... Stoke 1, West Brom 2
* Aston Villa v. Manchester United -- (Live, FSC, 12:30 p.m.) Okay, you'll get a little more on this massive matchup at Villa Park. As a neutral observer, you have to love everything Villa has done since Martin O'Neill has come aboard. The crummy thing is, despite building a quality, fun to watch, side they'll probably be undone by the one-of-a-kind Cristiano Ronaldo, who's simmering at the moment. Life sometimes isn't fair. Either way, this is a must-watch affair. ... Villa 2, Manchester United 3
Sunday
* Tottenham v. Blackburn -- (Live, Setanta, 8:30 a.m.) Who would have thought that these two would be in the drop zone? Put your hand down smart ass. Our pal Gomes is about a hair away from becoming the Spin Doctors circa 1993 -- headlines areas one day, begging for change the next. Also, if Rovers sell off Roque Santa Cruz their collective goose might be cooked. ... Spurs 2, Blackburn 1
* Sunderland v. West Ham -- (Live, FSC, 11 a.m.) Congrats to West Ham -- team Fox Soccer Channell 2008. ... Sunderland 1, West Ham 0
Monday
* Wigan Athletic v. Everton -- Did you see in the midweek Everton leaders were pleading with the public to approve a new stadium or face an uncertain future. Good times all around in England. Oh right, they also said the club has no idea what it will do if and when David Moyes leaves. Perhaps it's time to find some new board members, you think? ... Wigan 1, Everton 1
Last week: 5-5
Season: 54-73
Bonus match:
* MLS Cup Championship -- Columbus Crew v. New York Red Bulls. Here it is, America's hardest working team vs. Austria's No. 1 energy drink. In other words, a veritable match for the ages.
Sarcasm aside, somebody is walking away from the Home Depot with its first league championship. Scoff at MLS all you like, but at least respect what Sigi Schmid has done with the Crew, overhauling its roster and stacking it with young American talent -- Eddie Gaven, Brian Carroll, Chad Marshall, Robbie Rogers, etc. -- and amassing a solid veteran core led by league MVP Guillermo Barros Schelotto, Alejandro Moreno and the evergreen Frankie Hedjuk. (How MLS brought in Schelotto and kept him in Columbus for two seasons is a minor marvel.)
As for the former New York/New Jersey MetroStars? Honestly, not sure how Juan Carlos Osorio pulled it off. Juan Pablo Angel is class up top, while Dave van den Burgh and Dane Richards are dynamite on the outside. The rest of the Bulls? Buy a program.
It's also unsure what's better for the league, for it's best team in the regular season to win the postseason trophy or the cinderella No. 8 seed. The Crew had seven more wins and 18 more points over the 30 games, yet the Red Bulls got hot at the right time.
Either way, the MLS playoffs remain a serious work in progress.
I'll stick with the Crew here because I think Schmid and think that in the hot California Sun the Red Bulls turn into a pumpkin. ... Crew 2, Bulls 1
Labels: MLS, Prem League, Prem Picks, Soccer
Schelotto is 35 and has a poor goal scoring record as a striker. MLS is perfect for him. He'd struggle to get in the team at a Championship side.
Eddie Johnson is still under contract to Fulham, I think. There's a better-than-zero chance that he starts sitting on the bench for them next year instead of sitting on the bench for Coventry (or wherever).