Is it too early to call the third game in a 10-game qualifying scenario a, "must win"?
However you feel about that, the USMNT simply has to get its qualifying campaign back on course Wednesday night in Nashville against Trinidad & Tobago. (7:30 p.m., ESPN2)
If the U.S. bungles points here, it could lead to a trickier qualification route than planned. The next three matches are at Costa Rica, home to Honduras in Chicago and at the Azteca for Mexico Round 2. Those road venues are places the Americans rarely, if ever get results. Dropping two points to El Salvador on Saturday likely means the U.S. has to pick something up on the turf of the Saprissa in early June.
Still, if the U.S. -- even with its loss of points in El Salvador -- can't finish among the top three of this group (worst case scenario fourth) why do we even bother to follow the team?
Looking at the rest of the Hex, the other two Wednesday matches probably own bigger meaning that what happens at LP Field.
First, El Salvador is at Costa Rica. If El Salvador can get something there, it's at least alive. If Costa Rica takes the three points, it's basically well on its way to another World Cup berth.
Meanwhile, Honduras -- a team I thought would contend for the top three -- has one point from two matches hosts Mexico. Honduras needs something -- even a point -- to kick start its campaign.
So assuming the U.S., Costa Rica and Mexico all win on Wednesday, they'll be a four-point gap between third and fourth. Therefore, the potential crisis in the table for the U.S. isn't that much.
As for the game itself Wednesday?
Yes, the U.S. did lose to TnT in the last stage after they'd already qualified for the final round of qualification. The Soca Warriors do have some steady old heads in the lineup -- Dennis Lawrence, Russell Lapaty, Carlos Edwards and Dwight Yorke (suspended) -- but even with the Saturday stinkbomb in San Salvador, the U.S. has to be able to handle a team like this at home, right?
For me, the big question is if Bob Bradley will loosen the reigns a little bit.
Is a 4-5-1, with two holding type midfielders necessary against a team like Trinidad, which will likely play some variant of the same formation? Can't Michael Bradley handle the holding/disrupting role himself?
Doesn't this game just scream out for the addition of Freddy Adu, who's young legs ought to be fresh? He's probably the only American you can say has vision. Until the final, frantic 20 minutes the U.S. seemed to have no idea how to crack the El Salvadoran defense.
Wouldn't Wednesday seem like a day to experiment for 90 minutes with Brian Ching and Jozy Altidore together?
The U.S. doesn't have any more friendlies for the foreseeable future, so this is as good a chance as any to try something out. It's safe to say most CONCACAF teams have figured out how to play the U.S., hunker down and don't let the wing players get involved and then pounce on the counter attack.
Miscellany
* If he scores, with Kenwyne Jones celebrate with the snake dance? If anything, that's the biggest concern about Trinidad, since it does have quality forwards and the U.S. backline looked crocked on Saturday.
* Does Bradley have the guts to either sit Landon Donovan, Clint Dempsey or DaMarcus Beasley in favor of Adu?
* Will we ever see Carlos Bocanegra get a shot at left back? Maybe that's too logical, considering the drop off from Bocanegra to Jay DeMerit or Danny Califf isn't that huge at center back.
* Is it possible, after their collective long times in the wilderness, that Jon Spector or Eddie Johnson might play a role?
* Was Onyewu that much of a force in the defense? Or did missing Tim Howard contribute to the disorganization.
* Will Trinidad, needing points, actually come out and play?
Lineup Guess
This is how I'd opt:
GK -- Howard
DEF -- Bocanegra -- Onyewu -- DeMerit -- Hedjuk
MID -- Dempsey -- Bradley -- Donovan -- Adu -- Beasley
FOR -- Ching
This is how Bob will probably go:
GK -- Howard
DEF -- ???? (Pearce by default) -- Bocanegra -- Onyewu -- Hedjuk
MID -- Dempsey -- Bradley -- Mastroeni -- Beasley
FOR -- Ching -- Donovan
Final thoughts:
Though if you're a fan of the Premier League, Trinidad has some bigger 'name' players than other CONCACAF nations, this might be the perfect opponent for the U.S. to get after the sour draw Saturday.
The big question is if Trinidad sits back and clogs up the middle, does the U.S. have the ideas and or gumption to crack through and get a result? My guess, U.S. 2, Trinidad 0
However you feel about that, the USMNT simply has to get its qualifying campaign back on course Wednesday night in Nashville against Trinidad & Tobago. (7:30 p.m., ESPN2)
If the U.S. bungles points here, it could lead to a trickier qualification route than planned. The next three matches are at Costa Rica, home to Honduras in Chicago and at the Azteca for Mexico Round 2. Those road venues are places the Americans rarely, if ever get results. Dropping two points to El Salvador on Saturday likely means the U.S. has to pick something up on the turf of the Saprissa in early June.
Still, if the U.S. -- even with its loss of points in El Salvador -- can't finish among the top three of this group (worst case scenario fourth) why do we even bother to follow the team?
Looking at the rest of the Hex, the other two Wednesday matches probably own bigger meaning that what happens at LP Field.
First, El Salvador is at Costa Rica. If El Salvador can get something there, it's at least alive. If Costa Rica takes the three points, it's basically well on its way to another World Cup berth.
Meanwhile, Honduras -- a team I thought would contend for the top three -- has one point from two matches hosts Mexico. Honduras needs something -- even a point -- to kick start its campaign.
So assuming the U.S., Costa Rica and Mexico all win on Wednesday, they'll be a four-point gap between third and fourth. Therefore, the potential crisis in the table for the U.S. isn't that much.
As for the game itself Wednesday?
Yes, the U.S. did lose to TnT in the last stage after they'd already qualified for the final round of qualification. The Soca Warriors do have some steady old heads in the lineup -- Dennis Lawrence, Russell Lapaty, Carlos Edwards and Dwight Yorke (suspended) -- but even with the Saturday stinkbomb in San Salvador, the U.S. has to be able to handle a team like this at home, right?
For me, the big question is if Bob Bradley will loosen the reigns a little bit.
Is a 4-5-1, with two holding type midfielders necessary against a team like Trinidad, which will likely play some variant of the same formation? Can't Michael Bradley handle the holding/disrupting role himself?
Doesn't this game just scream out for the addition of Freddy Adu, who's young legs ought to be fresh? He's probably the only American you can say has vision. Until the final, frantic 20 minutes the U.S. seemed to have no idea how to crack the El Salvadoran defense.
Wouldn't Wednesday seem like a day to experiment for 90 minutes with Brian Ching and Jozy Altidore together?
The U.S. doesn't have any more friendlies for the foreseeable future, so this is as good a chance as any to try something out. It's safe to say most CONCACAF teams have figured out how to play the U.S., hunker down and don't let the wing players get involved and then pounce on the counter attack.
Miscellany
* If he scores, with Kenwyne Jones celebrate with the snake dance? If anything, that's the biggest concern about Trinidad, since it does have quality forwards and the U.S. backline looked crocked on Saturday.
* Does Bradley have the guts to either sit Landon Donovan, Clint Dempsey or DaMarcus Beasley in favor of Adu?
* Will we ever see Carlos Bocanegra get a shot at left back? Maybe that's too logical, considering the drop off from Bocanegra to Jay DeMerit or Danny Califf isn't that huge at center back.
* Is it possible, after their collective long times in the wilderness, that Jon Spector or Eddie Johnson might play a role?
* Was Onyewu that much of a force in the defense? Or did missing Tim Howard contribute to the disorganization.
* Will Trinidad, needing points, actually come out and play?
Lineup Guess
This is how I'd opt:
GK -- Howard
DEF -- Bocanegra -- Onyewu -- DeMerit -- Hedjuk
MID -- Dempsey -- Bradley -- Donovan -- Adu -- Beasley
FOR -- Ching
This is how Bob will probably go:
GK -- Howard
DEF -- ???? (Pearce by default) -- Bocanegra -- Onyewu -- Hedjuk
MID -- Dempsey -- Bradley -- Mastroeni -- Beasley
FOR -- Ching -- Donovan
Final thoughts:
Though if you're a fan of the Premier League, Trinidad has some bigger 'name' players than other CONCACAF nations, this might be the perfect opponent for the U.S. to get after the sour draw Saturday.
The big question is if Trinidad sits back and clogs up the middle, does the U.S. have the ideas and or gumption to crack through and get a result? My guess, U.S. 2, Trinidad 0
Labels: bob bradley, concacaf, Soccer, USMNT, world cup qualifying
If you watched the U.S./El Salvador game Saturday night, the Worldwide Leader teased throughout the first half that it had an interview with the Special One (non-puppet form) and how he'd consider coaching in America one day.
Here's the whole interview, give it a gander.
So...yeah...I'm not going to be holding my breath.
It does, however, bring the idea that the U.S. could use an outside soccer mind to coach its national team, especially in light of the 2-2 draw with El Salvador. As Mourinho said himself, he's too young for international coaching, but another mind, a mind that knows how to win international tournaments would be a good thing. (Until MLS relaxes/changes its roster manipulation no high profile coaches are coming within a country mile of the league, especially after the Ruud Gullit disaster in Los Angeles.)
Not to truly knock Bob Bradley, but he's probably reached his peak. It's probably premature to call for his head, at least until what happens in the Confederations Cup/Gold Cup back-to-back scenario.
Yet it's pretty clear that the U.S. could use an injection of other thoughts and voices to bring the best out of the team. Or he could just unleash Freddy Adu to kick the sagging, uncreative U.S. attack into gear.
Another voice or an outside voice can't hurt. There are pieces in the U.S. camp and a bright mind could turn them into something special. It's been a couple years, but its a downright shame Jurgen Klinsmann backed off. He truly would have been perfect. Who knows, unless Bayern wins the Champions League, the German might be on the market again.
As I've said time and time again, Bradley can live in a bubble, since the general population of the U.S. either a) doesn't care or b) doesn't even know the team exists. (Yes, the euphoria after rallying for the 2-2 tie on Saturday has clearly worn off of me.)
Deep down I just hope the powers that be at the Fed don't let complacency takeover and think everything will be okay heading into 2010.
Anyway, that's my thought on that until a full-fledged U.S./Trinidad & Tobago preview.
ESPN probably has bigger fish to fry and or more pressing matters since it seems the Worldwide has lost the Champions League rights to Fox Soccer Channel.
To say I'm absolutely delighted about this is an understatement. Other than the fact FSC is in about one-third less homes, there are no downsides here. No more Jay Harris' of the world butchering players names and the name of the competition itself.
After thinking about it a little more, this is great news for the hardcore soccer fans in America who already has FSC. There's a likely chance it will stunt the growth of the sport among casual fans since 90 percent of the American sporting agenda is set by ESPN. Out of sight, out of mind.
Of course, outside of showing the matches the Worldwide didn't do that much to promote the Champions League, though running scores on the bottom line seems a thing of the past. Will this become a trend of ESPN divesting itself of soccer? It would seem odd, since it could be an area of growth for the network. It also missed out on the Premier League rights, too.
Then again, by acquiring the Champions League rights it'll be Fox Soccer's big push to up its subscriber base. Will they push the Champions League matches across other Fox Sports ventures?
This is a move with major ramifications, so stay tuned.
Here's the whole interview, give it a gander.
So...yeah...I'm not going to be holding my breath.
It does, however, bring the idea that the U.S. could use an outside soccer mind to coach its national team, especially in light of the 2-2 draw with El Salvador. As Mourinho said himself, he's too young for international coaching, but another mind, a mind that knows how to win international tournaments would be a good thing. (Until MLS relaxes/changes its roster manipulation no high profile coaches are coming within a country mile of the league, especially after the Ruud Gullit disaster in Los Angeles.)
Not to truly knock Bob Bradley, but he's probably reached his peak. It's probably premature to call for his head, at least until what happens in the Confederations Cup/Gold Cup back-to-back scenario.
Yet it's pretty clear that the U.S. could use an injection of other thoughts and voices to bring the best out of the team. Or he could just unleash Freddy Adu to kick the sagging, uncreative U.S. attack into gear.
Another voice or an outside voice can't hurt. There are pieces in the U.S. camp and a bright mind could turn them into something special. It's been a couple years, but its a downright shame Jurgen Klinsmann backed off. He truly would have been perfect. Who knows, unless Bayern wins the Champions League, the German might be on the market again.
As I've said time and time again, Bradley can live in a bubble, since the general population of the U.S. either a) doesn't care or b) doesn't even know the team exists. (Yes, the euphoria after rallying for the 2-2 tie on Saturday has clearly worn off of me.)
Deep down I just hope the powers that be at the Fed don't let complacency takeover and think everything will be okay heading into 2010.
Anyway, that's my thought on that until a full-fledged U.S./Trinidad & Tobago preview.
ESPN probably has bigger fish to fry and or more pressing matters since it seems the Worldwide has lost the Champions League rights to Fox Soccer Channel.
To say I'm absolutely delighted about this is an understatement. Other than the fact FSC is in about one-third less homes, there are no downsides here. No more Jay Harris' of the world butchering players names and the name of the competition itself.
After thinking about it a little more, this is great news for the hardcore soccer fans in America who already has FSC. There's a likely chance it will stunt the growth of the sport among casual fans since 90 percent of the American sporting agenda is set by ESPN. Out of sight, out of mind.
Of course, outside of showing the matches the Worldwide didn't do that much to promote the Champions League, though running scores on the bottom line seems a thing of the past. Will this become a trend of ESPN divesting itself of soccer? It would seem odd, since it could be an area of growth for the network. It also missed out on the Premier League rights, too.
Then again, by acquiring the Champions League rights it'll be Fox Soccer's big push to up its subscriber base. Will they push the Champions League matches across other Fox Sports ventures?
This is a move with major ramifications, so stay tuned.
Labels: champions league, ESPN sucks, Jose Mourinho, MLS, Soccer
El Salvador 2, US. 2...suffice to say didn't see that one coming.
The old hoary cliche, via Vince Lombardi (who as Hank Hill pointed out won five championships without sarcasm), is that a tie is like kissing your sister.
In this case, let's modify the saying to something more along the lines that it's like planting one on your hot half-sister -- a premise of a thousand sitcom tropes and prtafalls.
In other words, mixed feeling.
It's weird, had the U.S. gone down to San Salvador and ground out a 1-0 win (as I predicted Friday) or rolled three or four to nil, it would have been filed in the "Meh" folder...another boring, yet necessary CONCACAF affair on the road to South Africa.
Yet, even though the Nats were down 2-0 and looked about as good as Lindsay Lohan after a five-day coke binge, I found myself bizarrely jazzed up by the two-goal comeback in the final 20-odd minutes.
As Chris 'Mad Dog' Russo might have said when he was still on WFAN (and still heard and semi-relevant) the U.S., "showed some guts."
Is walking away from El Salvador -- the consensus weak sister in the CONCACAF final hexagonal a great result long term? Not exactly, but the U.S. still is atop the group after two rounds and a win Wednesday against Trinidad & Tobago in Nashville, Tenn., and the Nats are well on their way to Jo-burg.
If anything, it was nice to chumpatize, or at least take the wind out of the sails from the rowdy -- air siren firing -- El Salvadoran crowd. (Jesus, was the Luftwaffe approaching the Estadio Cuscatlán? Nice riot/crush fence by the way.)
It was also some nice karmatic justice from the soccer gods, as the El Salvadorans faked and or milked injury after injury in the final half of the game. I think Miguel Montes is down, writhing in pain again! Credit Mexican official Benito Archundia for actually adding seven minutes of stoppage time, because I'd have bet $1 million that the fourth official's board would only have read "3".
Random Items
It's late on a Saturday night, so here are the scatter shot observations from the match, sans my usual notes, so feel free to add what you see fit:
* Saturday encapsulated Brian Ching in a nutshell. His tireless work helped wear down the El Salvadoran defense and set up the first U.S. goal. Yet in stoppage time he was clear on Juan José Gomez and ripped a shot right at the backup keeper, instead of picking a corner and maybe winning the game. Then later, he did have an audacious bicycle attempt after the El Salvadoran keeper came off the line. (That might have been called a foul, though, since the U.S. didn't get a corner even though a defender flicked it off the line.)
* Usually I'm pretty hard on Bob Bradley, but bringing on Jozy Altidore for Heath Pearce midway through the second half was a great move, even if the DaMarcus Beasley experiment at left back worked about as well as in it's execution as the live-action version of 'Popeye.'
* As for Pearce, this was the first time I specifically wanted to pull a Walter Sobchek and tell him he was out of his element.
* Speaking of Altidore, he had about four awful touches that led to giveaways in the attacking third, yet his softly-touched header got the U.S. back in the game. Once he was in the game the U.S. wisely realized the way to win the game was to channel 1950s England and hoof it forward to the big target players and let the chips fall were they may. All-in-all for Altidore, not too shabby for a guy who hadn't played a league game since December.
* Frankie Hedjuk...crossed in the ball for Alidore's header and scored the equalizer in the 88th minute on a header from the corner. Then again, he was run over by Christian Castillo for El Salvador's second goal. Probably not too shabby an overall game from a dude who's 34. Hedjuk might be old, or not everyone's cup of tea, but he needs to be on the roster for 2010 simply for the positive karma.
* Did Brad Guzan do anything tonight to cement No. 2 keeper status? He did have a nice diving parry in the first half to keep it at 1-0. Could he have stopped the second goal? Maybe, but it did take a tough Baltimore chop off the turf. Guzan did look confident in the box and collected any high balls with ease.
* Maybe we should send a bouquet of flowers or a bottle of scotch (with or without Splenda) to Roy Hodgson, since Clint Dempsey was great all around the field all game. Tireless.
* On the flip side, Landon Donovan was shockingly invisible, aside from a 2006-World Cup level brutal free kick.
* The Michael Bradley/Sacha Kljestan midfield tandem was okay. Bradley is a beast, plain and simple -- but a yellow card liability. Kljestan was kind of all over the place, but I like his rocket-shot potential from deep.
* Should we just lump the first El Salvador goal into the category of a defensive breakdown and forget it? The back line was shaky all night, which is odd because you can't say Carlos Bocanegra and Danny Califf -- pressed into action for Oguchi Onyewu -- don't have the experience.
* The more I see of Jose Franciso Torres, the more I like. Great touch on the ball.
* All things considered, I was hoping El Salvador would try that offside trap scenario on a U.S. freekick again, talk about walking a tightrope.
* Was it just me, or did the broadcast booth ESPN erected for JP and Harkes reminiscent of those old scout/lookout towers from the 'Age of Empires' series? And did they have some hot oil to drop out the windows to defend themselves if things got ugly?
* The USL and Miami FC are big in El Salvador? Who knew? What's next, Spinal Tap?
* Again, I'm just getting word from TOP headquarters that Montes hamstring is getting iced, again.
Final thoughts:
Let's be honest. As fans, how long are we going to remember that the U.S. drew El Salvador on the road? A loss would have been one thing, but a draw pretty's up the pig.
Yes, it was concerning that until the final 20 minutes the U.S. couldn't really put anything on target. And if that carries over onto Wednesday, it might be an alarming trend.
Yet the team still got a point on the road when it didn't played maybe a 'C' game, at best. Credit some to El Salvador, which played pretty stoutly -- aside from the late-game flopping. They got a couple chances and converted them, which is how underdogs get results.
It'd be nice long term if the team can draw on this result and use it as some fight-back material down the road.
In the end, on a Saturday night at 9 p.m. I honestly barely wanted to watch this match and it turned out to be a riveting final 45 minutes, which isn't so bad considering how CONCACAF qualification has turned rather monotonous at times for the U.S.
Let's just unleash Freddy against the Soca Warriors.
The old hoary cliche, via Vince Lombardi (who as Hank Hill pointed out won five championships without sarcasm), is that a tie is like kissing your sister.
In this case, let's modify the saying to something more along the lines that it's like planting one on your hot half-sister -- a premise of a thousand sitcom tropes and prtafalls.
In other words, mixed feeling.
It's weird, had the U.S. gone down to San Salvador and ground out a 1-0 win (as I predicted Friday) or rolled three or four to nil, it would have been filed in the "Meh" folder...another boring, yet necessary CONCACAF affair on the road to South Africa.
Yet, even though the Nats were down 2-0 and looked about as good as Lindsay Lohan after a five-day coke binge, I found myself bizarrely jazzed up by the two-goal comeback in the final 20-odd minutes.
As Chris 'Mad Dog' Russo might have said when he was still on WFAN (and still heard and semi-relevant) the U.S., "showed some guts."
Is walking away from El Salvador -- the consensus weak sister in the CONCACAF final hexagonal a great result long term? Not exactly, but the U.S. still is atop the group after two rounds and a win Wednesday against Trinidad & Tobago in Nashville, Tenn., and the Nats are well on their way to Jo-burg.
If anything, it was nice to chumpatize, or at least take the wind out of the sails from the rowdy -- air siren firing -- El Salvadoran crowd. (Jesus, was the Luftwaffe approaching the Estadio Cuscatlán? Nice riot/crush fence by the way.)
It was also some nice karmatic justice from the soccer gods, as the El Salvadorans faked and or milked injury after injury in the final half of the game. I think Miguel Montes is down, writhing in pain again! Credit Mexican official Benito Archundia for actually adding seven minutes of stoppage time, because I'd have bet $1 million that the fourth official's board would only have read "3".
Random Items
It's late on a Saturday night, so here are the scatter shot observations from the match, sans my usual notes, so feel free to add what you see fit:
* Saturday encapsulated Brian Ching in a nutshell. His tireless work helped wear down the El Salvadoran defense and set up the first U.S. goal. Yet in stoppage time he was clear on Juan José Gomez and ripped a shot right at the backup keeper, instead of picking a corner and maybe winning the game. Then later, he did have an audacious bicycle attempt after the El Salvadoran keeper came off the line. (That might have been called a foul, though, since the U.S. didn't get a corner even though a defender flicked it off the line.)
* Usually I'm pretty hard on Bob Bradley, but bringing on Jozy Altidore for Heath Pearce midway through the second half was a great move, even if the DaMarcus Beasley experiment at left back worked about as well as in it's execution as the live-action version of 'Popeye.'
* As for Pearce, this was the first time I specifically wanted to pull a Walter Sobchek and tell him he was out of his element.
* Speaking of Altidore, he had about four awful touches that led to giveaways in the attacking third, yet his softly-touched header got the U.S. back in the game. Once he was in the game the U.S. wisely realized the way to win the game was to channel 1950s England and hoof it forward to the big target players and let the chips fall were they may. All-in-all for Altidore, not too shabby for a guy who hadn't played a league game since December.
* Frankie Hedjuk...crossed in the ball for Alidore's header and scored the equalizer in the 88th minute on a header from the corner. Then again, he was run over by Christian Castillo for El Salvador's second goal. Probably not too shabby an overall game from a dude who's 34. Hedjuk might be old, or not everyone's cup of tea, but he needs to be on the roster for 2010 simply for the positive karma.
* Did Brad Guzan do anything tonight to cement No. 2 keeper status? He did have a nice diving parry in the first half to keep it at 1-0. Could he have stopped the second goal? Maybe, but it did take a tough Baltimore chop off the turf. Guzan did look confident in the box and collected any high balls with ease.
* Maybe we should send a bouquet of flowers or a bottle of scotch (with or without Splenda) to Roy Hodgson, since Clint Dempsey was great all around the field all game. Tireless.
* On the flip side, Landon Donovan was shockingly invisible, aside from a 2006-World Cup level brutal free kick.
* The Michael Bradley/Sacha Kljestan midfield tandem was okay. Bradley is a beast, plain and simple -- but a yellow card liability. Kljestan was kind of all over the place, but I like his rocket-shot potential from deep.
* Should we just lump the first El Salvador goal into the category of a defensive breakdown and forget it? The back line was shaky all night, which is odd because you can't say Carlos Bocanegra and Danny Califf -- pressed into action for Oguchi Onyewu -- don't have the experience.
* The more I see of Jose Franciso Torres, the more I like. Great touch on the ball.
* All things considered, I was hoping El Salvador would try that offside trap scenario on a U.S. freekick again, talk about walking a tightrope.
* Was it just me, or did the broadcast booth ESPN erected for JP and Harkes reminiscent of those old scout/lookout towers from the 'Age of Empires' series? And did they have some hot oil to drop out the windows to defend themselves if things got ugly?
* The USL and Miami FC are big in El Salvador? Who knew? What's next, Spinal Tap?
* Again, I'm just getting word from TOP headquarters that Montes hamstring is getting iced, again.
Final thoughts:
Let's be honest. As fans, how long are we going to remember that the U.S. drew El Salvador on the road? A loss would have been one thing, but a draw pretty's up the pig.
Yes, it was concerning that until the final 20 minutes the U.S. couldn't really put anything on target. And if that carries over onto Wednesday, it might be an alarming trend.
Yet the team still got a point on the road when it didn't played maybe a 'C' game, at best. Credit some to El Salvador, which played pretty stoutly -- aside from the late-game flopping. They got a couple chances and converted them, which is how underdogs get results.
It'd be nice long term if the team can draw on this result and use it as some fight-back material down the road.
In the end, on a Saturday night at 9 p.m. I honestly barely wanted to watch this match and it turned out to be a riveting final 45 minutes, which isn't so bad considering how CONCACAF qualification has turned rather monotonous at times for the U.S.
Let's just unleash Freddy against the Soca Warriors.
Labels: bob bradley, brian ching, concacaf, El Salvador, Frankie Hedjuk, Jozy Altidore, Landon Donovan, Soccer, USMNT, world cup qualifying
United States vs. El Salvador...
I got nothing.
By this point in time, I think we have a pretty good grasp about what to expect about the USMNT during CONCACAF qualifying.
In fact, I'll give you the prediction right up front. The U.S. wins a 1-0 game with a sloppy/scrappy goal midway through the second half. El Salvador doesn't have the juice to crack the American defense.
Not to sound overtly pessimistic, but these are the type of games you have to simply tolerate as a fan of the U.S. It's like eating your vegetables with a spoon-full of cod liver oil thrown in on the side.
Is there anything that useful to learn against playing El Salvador?
We've seen that the best lineup Bob Bradley can trot out is in a 4-5-1. We've already seen the team is becoming quite deadly on set pieces, too.
Perhaps the only revelation to be revealed is if Brad Guzan is an effective deputy for Tim Howard, who'll miss the game due to yellow card accumulation.
Not to lump them in with all CONCACAF's Central American teams but here what's I'm guessing we can expect.
* A suspect, poorly lit field.
* A suspect, questionable set of officials.
* Possibly cynical tactics from El Salvador.
Is there any scenario -- aside from a penalty kick -- where Los Cuscatlecos can even score on the U.S.?
And if they decide to come out and play is there anyway the U.S. won't pick apart their defense?
Really above all, this is about surviving in a hostile environment and walking away with three points.
A Ching of opinion:
Like most of us Internets trolls, I haven't been drinking the Brian Ching Kool Aid. Mainly it's hard to get behind a forward, however burly he might be, that has trouble putting the ball in the back of the net.
I think I've changed my tune. Yes, Altidore or Cooper might be flashier in terms of a pure goal scoring standpoint. Yet the way this team is constituted, (for better or worse) Ching is needed to do the dirty work. In a way this is good, because the U.S. can get goals from pretty much anyone on the field -- not many teams can say that. There's not overly reliant on one player -- except maybe Donovan -- to be successful.
Ching might not impress on television, but you can tell the rest of the teams enjoy playing alongside the big Hawaiian. Is he another Brian McBride? Not really, simply because his goal scoring touch isn't as refined. Yet against teams like El Salvador his big body -- which he'll throw around with reckless abandon -- comes quite in handy.
Expect Ching play most of the way Saturday, considering its a road game. We might see Altidore or even Johnson get a sniff against Trinidad & Tobago, as their games seem more suited to play against the Soca Warriors.
Will you win a World Cup with Ching at forward? Probably not, but you will qualify and there is some merit to that.
Running items/Questions:
* Can Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey effectively thrive in the same lineup?
* And can those two carry over their strong from from Bayern/Los Angeles Galaxy and Fulham respectively?
* The whole Eddie Johnson scenario? Does it even matter at this point?
* Will the A-Team of Jozy Altidore and Freddy Adu bring anything to the table while riding the pine with their European clubs?
* Is the Michael Bradley/Sacha Kljestan midfield pairing the answer the U.S. has been seeking? I like it's potential, assuming Kljestan can make the leap.
* Does Jonathon Spector have a future in the team? I doubt he'll play Saturday and was likely recalled to see where his fitness stands.
* Is Jay DeMerit just getting cockteased by Bradley by being recalled when it seems he has zero chance of ever playing when it counts?
* Will the El Salvadoran fans do anything to warrant another $25,000 fine?
* Let's keep our fingers crossed a certain El Salvadoran gang doesn't kidnap any players or fans brave enough to make the trek. If you're going down there, big ups to you.
Lineup guess
Barring any surprises, this will be the starting XI, a 4-5-1.
GK -- Guzan
DEF -- Pearce -- Onyewu -- Bocanegra -- Hedjuk
MID -- Beasley -- Bradley -- Kljestan -- Dempsey
FOR -- Donovan (behind) Ching
Closing thoughts:
Ten years ago this would be a tricky affair considering the Yanks lack of success on the road in Central America. Now, the talent gap seems so extreme with the improvement of the U.S. players, that anything less than three points would be a disappointment.
Maybe if El Salvador takes a page of the Guatemala playbook and reverts to dirty tackles -- like throwing sand in Donovan's eyes -- maybe the U.S. would stumble. Otherwise we've come to expect a solid, workmanlike effort that walks away with a positive result. We should see some of the newish/fringe players on Wednesday, especially if three points are banked Saturday. ... El Salvador 0, U.S. 2
I got nothing.
By this point in time, I think we have a pretty good grasp about what to expect about the USMNT during CONCACAF qualifying.
In fact, I'll give you the prediction right up front. The U.S. wins a 1-0 game with a sloppy/scrappy goal midway through the second half. El Salvador doesn't have the juice to crack the American defense.
Not to sound overtly pessimistic, but these are the type of games you have to simply tolerate as a fan of the U.S. It's like eating your vegetables with a spoon-full of cod liver oil thrown in on the side.
Is there anything that useful to learn against playing El Salvador?
We've seen that the best lineup Bob Bradley can trot out is in a 4-5-1. We've already seen the team is becoming quite deadly on set pieces, too.
Perhaps the only revelation to be revealed is if Brad Guzan is an effective deputy for Tim Howard, who'll miss the game due to yellow card accumulation.
Not to lump them in with all CONCACAF's Central American teams but here what's I'm guessing we can expect.
* A suspect, poorly lit field.
* A suspect, questionable set of officials.
* Possibly cynical tactics from El Salvador.
Is there any scenario -- aside from a penalty kick -- where Los Cuscatlecos can even score on the U.S.?
And if they decide to come out and play is there anyway the U.S. won't pick apart their defense?
Really above all, this is about surviving in a hostile environment and walking away with three points.
A Ching of opinion:
Like most of us Internets trolls, I haven't been drinking the Brian Ching Kool Aid. Mainly it's hard to get behind a forward, however burly he might be, that has trouble putting the ball in the back of the net.
I think I've changed my tune. Yes, Altidore or Cooper might be flashier in terms of a pure goal scoring standpoint. Yet the way this team is constituted, (for better or worse) Ching is needed to do the dirty work. In a way this is good, because the U.S. can get goals from pretty much anyone on the field -- not many teams can say that. There's not overly reliant on one player -- except maybe Donovan -- to be successful.
Ching might not impress on television, but you can tell the rest of the teams enjoy playing alongside the big Hawaiian. Is he another Brian McBride? Not really, simply because his goal scoring touch isn't as refined. Yet against teams like El Salvador his big body -- which he'll throw around with reckless abandon -- comes quite in handy.
Expect Ching play most of the way Saturday, considering its a road game. We might see Altidore or even Johnson get a sniff against Trinidad & Tobago, as their games seem more suited to play against the Soca Warriors.
Will you win a World Cup with Ching at forward? Probably not, but you will qualify and there is some merit to that.
Running items/Questions:
* Can Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey effectively thrive in the same lineup?
* And can those two carry over their strong from from Bayern/Los Angeles Galaxy and Fulham respectively?
* The whole Eddie Johnson scenario? Does it even matter at this point?
* Will the A-Team of Jozy Altidore and Freddy Adu bring anything to the table while riding the pine with their European clubs?
* Is the Michael Bradley/Sacha Kljestan midfield pairing the answer the U.S. has been seeking? I like it's potential, assuming Kljestan can make the leap.
* Does Jonathon Spector have a future in the team? I doubt he'll play Saturday and was likely recalled to see where his fitness stands.
* Is Jay DeMerit just getting cockteased by Bradley by being recalled when it seems he has zero chance of ever playing when it counts?
* Will the El Salvadoran fans do anything to warrant another $25,000 fine?
* Let's keep our fingers crossed a certain El Salvadoran gang doesn't kidnap any players or fans brave enough to make the trek. If you're going down there, big ups to you.
Lineup guess
Barring any surprises, this will be the starting XI, a 4-5-1.
GK -- Guzan
DEF -- Pearce -- Onyewu -- Bocanegra -- Hedjuk
MID -- Beasley -- Bradley -- Kljestan -- Dempsey
FOR -- Donovan (behind) Ching
Closing thoughts:
Ten years ago this would be a tricky affair considering the Yanks lack of success on the road in Central America. Now, the talent gap seems so extreme with the improvement of the U.S. players, that anything less than three points would be a disappointment.
Maybe if El Salvador takes a page of the Guatemala playbook and reverts to dirty tackles -- like throwing sand in Donovan's eyes -- maybe the U.S. would stumble. Otherwise we've come to expect a solid, workmanlike effort that walks away with a positive result. We should see some of the newish/fringe players on Wednesday, especially if three points are banked Saturday. ... El Salvador 0, U.S. 2
Labels: bob bradley, concacaf, Soccer, USMNT, world cup qualifying
Well....time for yours truly to eat his words.
Most Mondays, if you stop by, you probably leave with the impression I hate Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea since I savage them at the slightest indiscretion. While cooing like a doe-eyed school girl at whatever Sir Alex Ferguson coaxes out of Manchester United.
For what it's worth, I don't have an agenda. I'm on record as anti-Chelsea, which is about it.
All that said, Manchester United during it's dreadful 2-0 loss at Fulham Saturday might have been the biggest stinkbomb performance I've seen from a supposedly good team in quite some time. All that was really missing from the Red Devils showing was Wayne Rooney finally losing it completely by dropping trow at center field and leaving an English stinker on the Craven Cottage pitch.
Well, Rooney Tunes did fling the ball like a Jai Alai player after a whistle, thus earning his second yellow card of the day. That's a lot more sanity form of losing it, I suppose.
Watching that game I can't think of a single thing United did right, aside from putting on their uniforms.
A listless attack, which allowed Fulham to dominate possession? Check.
A clueless defense with Nemanja Vidic suspended? Check.
Missed chances on the goal mouth? Check.
Cristiano Ronaldo flipping and flopping and acting like the total ass-bag we thought he'd grown away from? Check.
Two mindless red cards, including Paul Scholes channeling his inner volleyball player on the goal line? Check.
In short, Peeeeeeee-yuuuuuuuuuuuuuu.
It's amazing that in the span of seven days United allowed six goals and completely lost the plot. All I can compare it to is the actual Titanic ship, which was cruising along until that iceberg apparently materialized out of nowhere.
Were we blind to avoid the United cracks? Are there even cracks or is this a blip?
Either way, United has to wait two weeks to play again due to the Internationl break, and will likely play its next matches without Rooney, Vidic, Scholes and maybe Dmitar Berbatov.
Psychologically, will United handle a one-point lead for 14 or so days, (even with a game in hand) thanks to Liverpool, which is charging like John Henry the steel-driving man. Or better yet, this team is coming on like 1986 Mike Tyson.
Again, I slayed Liverpool early and often this year, but the last two weeks what the hell has gotten into this team? Check them for B12 shots!
The latest team to get derailed by Liverpool was Aston Villa Sunday at Anfield. Aston Villa (flatling for the Champions League) didn't play all that bad, but couldn't withstand the Red wave.
For all his easy to nitpick faults, Rafa Benitez seems to finally have found a lineup to win with -- Torres, Gerrard, Riera and Kuyt in the attack. Riera, wow, where did this come from all of a sudden? Luis Garcia who?
Mark down these days, April 21 and 22. First, on a weird Tuesday night affair, Arsenal goes to Anfield and then 24 hours later, Manchester United plays it's game-in-hand against Portsmouth at Old Trafford. By the end of those days, we'll know if May will matter.
But for now, we have a race.
Giddy up.
Mea culpa, part dos -- Well...maybe Arsenal is better than I thought. Then again, the Gunners did destruct Newcastle this weekend, which isn't the hardest thing to do. It's safe to say that Arsenal is a bully team, when they're rolling, they're rolling. But when you force them to work, they can get flustered and frustrated.
Arsenal will make the Champions League...again. But does it has the juice to leap past the rest of the 'Big Four'?
Bubble burst -- Maybe it was because Tottenham was flat-out awesome, but Chelsea picked the wrong time to stop sniffing glue, so to speak, on Saturday with its 1-0 loss at White Hart Lane.
Chelsea slept walked through the first half -- which is hard to believe since the match was delayed and the Blues must have known Man United was behind. As usual, the Blues didn't turn it on until the final 10 minutes of the match. If Chelsea could condense those last minutes for the full 90, they'd be unbeatable.
The Blues got the break they needed to get back in the race, but couldn't seal the deal.
One other thing in terms of redemption. Gomes has turned out to be a fairly competent goalkeeper. Talk about upsets.
Relegation Checkup
With eight matches remaining, we still can target nine teams for a possibility of dropping down to the championship. Fascinating stuff, it's a pity MLS can't even grasp this concept. Yes, I know it's a logistic impossibility at the moment -- especially as the league continues to swell like a early 2000s Bay Area ballplayer. But wouldn't the promotion/relegation drama be something that might actually generate mainstream interest in America due to the novelty of it? Let's tuck that away and reexamine in 10 years.
As for the 2008-09 Premier League, amazingly nine teams still have to sweat it out. With their wins this weekend, Tottenham and Man City (sadly) are safe, well, safe in the sense that they're like the passengers of the Titanic in the lifeboats. Alive, but not in the best shape. Meanwhile the rest of the table is clinging onto floating detritus, hoping an icy grip saves them to the swirling black abyss below.
Yes, I realize just referenced 'Titanic'...again.
* Bolton (34 points, -12 goal difference -- The preseason money-favorites to take the fall, will likely hang around like a Jim Belusi sitcom for another season. The Trotters only have Chelsea among the big clubs and host Middlesbrough, Hull City and Sunderland at the Reebok, which ought to determine their fate. Diagnosis: Healthy, but perhaps time to switch to a heart smart diet.
* Hull City (33 points, -13) -- The early season darlings are in a complete tailspin, so manager Phil Brown has to channel his inner Frank Lapidus and pull the club out. The biggest problem for the Tigers is two of the their final four home matches are against Liverpool and Manchester United. Also, where exactly does the on-field leadership come from? Hull has been used to winning promotions as of late, not saving off the drop. Diagnosis: Time to stop smoking cigarettes, pronto.
* Sunderland (32 points, -10) -- In a lot of ways you have to feel bad for Sunerland. The club had that terrible season a few years back, but battled back under Roy Keane and returned to the top flight. Unfortunately, Sunderland isn't exactly an international hot spot for players, so it's sort of stuck in an identity crisis. More depressing, is that a season like this is about as good as the Black Cats can expect. Diagnosis: A B12 shot to shake off its malaise and get the brain synapses firing.
* Portsmouth (32 points, -14, one game in hand vs. Man Utd.) -- Pompey is another example of how important a manager still is. With Harry Redknapp Portsmouth went from relegation escape artists, to European neophytes and finally FA Cup champs. Throw in a cash crunch and it's back to square one. Pompey got a huge result this weekend beating Everton, yet lingering doubts remain. David James even called out his teammates, who are already eyeing the exit door. Portsmouth will determine its own fate with matches against: Hull, West Brom, Bolton, Newcastle, Blackburn and Sunderland. Diagnosis: Take two of these and see me in a month.
* Stoke City (32 points, -18) -- Is there a player in the league more valuable to his team than Rory Delap? And how are teams unable to to prepare for his long throw-ins? Maybe the most underrated story of the season. The Potters, unlike everyone else down here, have some life. Where did this Shawcross dude come from? Amazingly, Stoke has allowed 34 goals on the road, so it has to get something from its four away games to stick around. Diagnosis: Back from the dead, but not out of the woods just yet.
* Blackburn (31 points, -16) -- Another team with some life, thanks to Sam Allardyce. Rovers were 2-2-1 in March, which was good. What's bad is the schedule is brutal. Games with Tottenham, Liverpool, Chelsea, Man City and even Wigan won't be easy. Of all the clubs, Blackburn probably has the most to lose if its relegated. Diagnosis: Eat your Wheaties.
* Newcastle United (29 points, -13) -- What to even say? It would be bad for the Premier League for the Magpies to go down, but maybe not the worst thing for the club itself. Perhaps a year or two in the Championship would equate to a massive enema, where Newcastle can figure out what it wants to be and what direction it should take. Other big clubs have gone down, and as long as 60,000+ show up at St. James, attracting players might not be a problem. Still, staring at the abyss is a scary proposition. The schedule is tough (Chelsea, Liverpool, Aston Villa) and I don't know where the leadership will come from. Diagnosis: Keep a set of defibrillators handy.
* Middlesbrough (27 points, -21) -- Of all the clubs down here, 'Boro don't seem to care. They didn't fire Gareth Southgate or bring in some reinforcements in January. Part of me even thinks the club would be happy to go down, since it vested its future to the club Academy. It's not like fans are knocking down the turnstiles at the Riverside stadium anyway. Of all the teams, the drop probably wouldn't hurt Middlesbrough, which could be poised to make a quick return anyway. At the very leat, the club can finally sell Stewart Downing. Diagnosis: We'll up the morphine drip to make it quick and painless.
* West Brom (24 points, -29) -- The Baggies banked on a Reading-like move to the Premiership, keeping the bulk of it's high flying attacking Championship side intact. It didn't work. The club didn't even bother for a shirt sponsor. Diagnosis: Dead on arrival.
Bad for Brad -- My main man Brad Friedel got a bogus red card against Liverpool when it was already 4-0 to the Reds. At least Anfield crowd saluted him. It gave Brad Guzan his first crack at the Premier League, which is good since he may have to play in the USMNT game against El Salvador next week.
One weird observation, Friedel, Tim Howard and Marcus Hahnemann all have shaved heads. Kasey Keller was balding, and apparently so is Guzan.
What does that say about the sate of US keeping? Maybe that's why Joe Cannon or Kevin Hartman never made it, and why Matt Reis remains of the ultra-fringe of Bob Bradley's squad.
Enjoy the international break.
Most Mondays, if you stop by, you probably leave with the impression I hate Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea since I savage them at the slightest indiscretion. While cooing like a doe-eyed school girl at whatever Sir Alex Ferguson coaxes out of Manchester United.
For what it's worth, I don't have an agenda. I'm on record as anti-Chelsea, which is about it.
All that said, Manchester United during it's dreadful 2-0 loss at Fulham Saturday might have been the biggest stinkbomb performance I've seen from a supposedly good team in quite some time. All that was really missing from the Red Devils showing was Wayne Rooney finally losing it completely by dropping trow at center field and leaving an English stinker on the Craven Cottage pitch.
Well, Rooney Tunes did fling the ball like a Jai Alai player after a whistle, thus earning his second yellow card of the day. That's a lot more sanity form of losing it, I suppose.
Watching that game I can't think of a single thing United did right, aside from putting on their uniforms.
A listless attack, which allowed Fulham to dominate possession? Check.
A clueless defense with Nemanja Vidic suspended? Check.
Missed chances on the goal mouth? Check.
Cristiano Ronaldo flipping and flopping and acting like the total ass-bag we thought he'd grown away from? Check.
Two mindless red cards, including Paul Scholes channeling his inner volleyball player on the goal line? Check.
In short, Peeeeeeee-yuuuuuuuuuuuuuu.
It's amazing that in the span of seven days United allowed six goals and completely lost the plot. All I can compare it to is the actual Titanic ship, which was cruising along until that iceberg apparently materialized out of nowhere.
Were we blind to avoid the United cracks? Are there even cracks or is this a blip?
Either way, United has to wait two weeks to play again due to the Internationl break, and will likely play its next matches without Rooney, Vidic, Scholes and maybe Dmitar Berbatov.
Psychologically, will United handle a one-point lead for 14 or so days, (even with a game in hand) thanks to Liverpool, which is charging like John Henry the steel-driving man. Or better yet, this team is coming on like 1986 Mike Tyson.
Again, I slayed Liverpool early and often this year, but the last two weeks what the hell has gotten into this team? Check them for B12 shots!
The latest team to get derailed by Liverpool was Aston Villa Sunday at Anfield. Aston Villa (flatling for the Champions League) didn't play all that bad, but couldn't withstand the Red wave.
For all his easy to nitpick faults, Rafa Benitez seems to finally have found a lineup to win with -- Torres, Gerrard, Riera and Kuyt in the attack. Riera, wow, where did this come from all of a sudden? Luis Garcia who?
Mark down these days, April 21 and 22. First, on a weird Tuesday night affair, Arsenal goes to Anfield and then 24 hours later, Manchester United plays it's game-in-hand against Portsmouth at Old Trafford. By the end of those days, we'll know if May will matter.
But for now, we have a race.
Giddy up.
Mea culpa, part dos -- Well...maybe Arsenal is better than I thought. Then again, the Gunners did destruct Newcastle this weekend, which isn't the hardest thing to do. It's safe to say that Arsenal is a bully team, when they're rolling, they're rolling. But when you force them to work, they can get flustered and frustrated.
Arsenal will make the Champions League...again. But does it has the juice to leap past the rest of the 'Big Four'?
Bubble burst -- Maybe it was because Tottenham was flat-out awesome, but Chelsea picked the wrong time to stop sniffing glue, so to speak, on Saturday with its 1-0 loss at White Hart Lane.
Chelsea slept walked through the first half -- which is hard to believe since the match was delayed and the Blues must have known Man United was behind. As usual, the Blues didn't turn it on until the final 10 minutes of the match. If Chelsea could condense those last minutes for the full 90, they'd be unbeatable.
The Blues got the break they needed to get back in the race, but couldn't seal the deal.
One other thing in terms of redemption. Gomes has turned out to be a fairly competent goalkeeper. Talk about upsets.
Relegation Checkup
With eight matches remaining, we still can target nine teams for a possibility of dropping down to the championship. Fascinating stuff, it's a pity MLS can't even grasp this concept. Yes, I know it's a logistic impossibility at the moment -- especially as the league continues to swell like a early 2000s Bay Area ballplayer. But wouldn't the promotion/relegation drama be something that might actually generate mainstream interest in America due to the novelty of it? Let's tuck that away and reexamine in 10 years.
As for the 2008-09 Premier League, amazingly nine teams still have to sweat it out. With their wins this weekend, Tottenham and Man City (sadly) are safe, well, safe in the sense that they're like the passengers of the Titanic in the lifeboats. Alive, but not in the best shape. Meanwhile the rest of the table is clinging onto floating detritus, hoping an icy grip saves them to the swirling black abyss below.
Yes, I realize just referenced 'Titanic'...again.
* Bolton (34 points, -12 goal difference -- The preseason money-favorites to take the fall, will likely hang around like a Jim Belusi sitcom for another season. The Trotters only have Chelsea among the big clubs and host Middlesbrough, Hull City and Sunderland at the Reebok, which ought to determine their fate. Diagnosis: Healthy, but perhaps time to switch to a heart smart diet.
* Hull City (33 points, -13) -- The early season darlings are in a complete tailspin, so manager Phil Brown has to channel his inner Frank Lapidus and pull the club out. The biggest problem for the Tigers is two of the their final four home matches are against Liverpool and Manchester United. Also, where exactly does the on-field leadership come from? Hull has been used to winning promotions as of late, not saving off the drop. Diagnosis: Time to stop smoking cigarettes, pronto.
* Sunderland (32 points, -10) -- In a lot of ways you have to feel bad for Sunerland. The club had that terrible season a few years back, but battled back under Roy Keane and returned to the top flight. Unfortunately, Sunderland isn't exactly an international hot spot for players, so it's sort of stuck in an identity crisis. More depressing, is that a season like this is about as good as the Black Cats can expect. Diagnosis: A B12 shot to shake off its malaise and get the brain synapses firing.
* Portsmouth (32 points, -14, one game in hand vs. Man Utd.) -- Pompey is another example of how important a manager still is. With Harry Redknapp Portsmouth went from relegation escape artists, to European neophytes and finally FA Cup champs. Throw in a cash crunch and it's back to square one. Pompey got a huge result this weekend beating Everton, yet lingering doubts remain. David James even called out his teammates, who are already eyeing the exit door. Portsmouth will determine its own fate with matches against: Hull, West Brom, Bolton, Newcastle, Blackburn and Sunderland. Diagnosis: Take two of these and see me in a month.
* Stoke City (32 points, -18) -- Is there a player in the league more valuable to his team than Rory Delap? And how are teams unable to to prepare for his long throw-ins? Maybe the most underrated story of the season. The Potters, unlike everyone else down here, have some life. Where did this Shawcross dude come from? Amazingly, Stoke has allowed 34 goals on the road, so it has to get something from its four away games to stick around. Diagnosis: Back from the dead, but not out of the woods just yet.
* Blackburn (31 points, -16) -- Another team with some life, thanks to Sam Allardyce. Rovers were 2-2-1 in March, which was good. What's bad is the schedule is brutal. Games with Tottenham, Liverpool, Chelsea, Man City and even Wigan won't be easy. Of all the clubs, Blackburn probably has the most to lose if its relegated. Diagnosis: Eat your Wheaties.
* Newcastle United (29 points, -13) -- What to even say? It would be bad for the Premier League for the Magpies to go down, but maybe not the worst thing for the club itself. Perhaps a year or two in the Championship would equate to a massive enema, where Newcastle can figure out what it wants to be and what direction it should take. Other big clubs have gone down, and as long as 60,000+ show up at St. James, attracting players might not be a problem. Still, staring at the abyss is a scary proposition. The schedule is tough (Chelsea, Liverpool, Aston Villa) and I don't know where the leadership will come from. Diagnosis: Keep a set of defibrillators handy.
* Middlesbrough (27 points, -21) -- Of all the clubs down here, 'Boro don't seem to care. They didn't fire Gareth Southgate or bring in some reinforcements in January. Part of me even thinks the club would be happy to go down, since it vested its future to the club Academy. It's not like fans are knocking down the turnstiles at the Riverside stadium anyway. Of all the teams, the drop probably wouldn't hurt Middlesbrough, which could be poised to make a quick return anyway. At the very leat, the club can finally sell Stewart Downing. Diagnosis: We'll up the morphine drip to make it quick and painless.
* West Brom (24 points, -29) -- The Baggies banked on a Reading-like move to the Premiership, keeping the bulk of it's high flying attacking Championship side intact. It didn't work. The club didn't even bother for a shirt sponsor. Diagnosis: Dead on arrival.
Bad for Brad -- My main man Brad Friedel got a bogus red card against Liverpool when it was already 4-0 to the Reds. At least Anfield crowd saluted him. It gave Brad Guzan his first crack at the Premier League, which is good since he may have to play in the USMNT game against El Salvador next week.
One weird observation, Friedel, Tim Howard and Marcus Hahnemann all have shaved heads. Kasey Keller was balding, and apparently so is Guzan.
What does that say about the sate of US keeping? Maybe that's why Joe Cannon or Kevin Hartman never made it, and why Matt Reis remains of the ultra-fringe of Bob Bradley's squad.
Enjoy the international break.
Labels: Liverpool, manchester United, Monday recaps, Premier League, Soccer
Like any addict or glutton for punishment, Bob Bradley simply can't help himself.
Friday the USSF announced the 22-man roster for the 2010 World Cup qualifiers at El Salvador March 28 and home to Trinidad & Tobago April 1 in Nashville.
Ladies and gentlemen, let's have a warm round of applause for everyone's favorite, Eddie Johnson.
Ok, if this was 2005, that last sentence wouldn't ooze with sarcasm.
I've frankly given up trying to figure out the thought process for Bradley when he decides on a roster. And honestly, I don't mean to pick on Johnson.
Yet, let the numbers speak for themselves. At Cardiff City this season Johnson -- on loan from Fulham -- has made 17 appearances, only five as a starter. His goal return, a whooping one.
Probably Bradley wants to see if Johnson has anything left in the tank, or he's even worth considering on the periphery of the 2010 plans. I'd even venture a guess that Johnson, should he play, scores something like an easy tap-in goal. The problem for Johnson has never been dominating the minnows of CONCACAF, it's the better teams.
That's why his lack of action at Cardiff makes his inclusion on the roster all the more baffling. Yes, he flashed potential and has scored 12 goals in 37 internationals -- only four since 2005. A resurrection from Johnson isn't out of the realm of possibility, look at Emile Hesky who was basically laughed off the England team and now played his way back into being an option in the Three Lions attack.
Again, singling out Johnson is a tad unfair since both Freddy Adu and Jozy Altidore are on the roster despite a lack of playing time at Monaco and Xerez, respectively. Rangers bench warmer Maurice Edu, though, was left in Scotland.
Why Bradley didn't take guys like Kenny Cooper or Charlie Davies, might be due to club commitments, or something of that ilk. But if Johnson still gets considered, what does a guy like Edson Buddle -- who at least is scoring, albeit it in MLS -- deserve a place.
Moreover, Bradley seemingly never runs out of chances for "his guys" while other talents, for example, Kyle Beckerman and Frank Simek spring to mind, are left in the wilderness.
The fear, going to South Africa, is that Bradley could fall victim to some of the same problems that befell Bruce Arena in Germany -- an over reliance on the guys that got him to the dance. It's been proven the U.S. has no trouble running roughshod through CONCACAF, but are the guys on the roster enough to do anything against the best in the world even with the help of a slick NIKE marketing campaign?
Guess we'll find out at the Confederations Cup.
Goalkeepers: Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Tim Howard (Everton), Marcus Hahnemann (Reading)
Defenders: Carlos Bocanegra (Rennes), Danny Califf (Midtjylland), Jay DeMerit (Watford), Frankie Hejduk (Columbus), Oguchi Onyewu (Standard Liege), Heath Pearce (Hansa Rostock), Jonathan Spector (West Ham)
Midfielders: Freddy Adu (AS Monaco), DaMarcus Beasley (Glasgow Rangers), Michael Bradley (Borussia Moenchengladbach), Maurice Edu (Glasgow Rangers), Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA), Pablo Mastroeni (Colorado), Jose Francisco Torres (Pachuca)
Forwards: Jozy Altidore (Xerez), Brian Ching (Houston), Clint Dempsey (Fulham), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles), Eddie Johnson (Cardiff City)
Friday the USSF announced the 22-man roster for the 2010 World Cup qualifiers at El Salvador March 28 and home to Trinidad & Tobago April 1 in Nashville.
Ladies and gentlemen, let's have a warm round of applause for everyone's favorite, Eddie Johnson.
Ok, if this was 2005, that last sentence wouldn't ooze with sarcasm.
I've frankly given up trying to figure out the thought process for Bradley when he decides on a roster. And honestly, I don't mean to pick on Johnson.
Yet, let the numbers speak for themselves. At Cardiff City this season Johnson -- on loan from Fulham -- has made 17 appearances, only five as a starter. His goal return, a whooping one.
Probably Bradley wants to see if Johnson has anything left in the tank, or he's even worth considering on the periphery of the 2010 plans. I'd even venture a guess that Johnson, should he play, scores something like an easy tap-in goal. The problem for Johnson has never been dominating the minnows of CONCACAF, it's the better teams.
That's why his lack of action at Cardiff makes his inclusion on the roster all the more baffling. Yes, he flashed potential and has scored 12 goals in 37 internationals -- only four since 2005. A resurrection from Johnson isn't out of the realm of possibility, look at Emile Hesky who was basically laughed off the England team and now played his way back into being an option in the Three Lions attack.
Again, singling out Johnson is a tad unfair since both Freddy Adu and Jozy Altidore are on the roster despite a lack of playing time at Monaco and Xerez, respectively. Rangers bench warmer Maurice Edu, though, was left in Scotland.
Why Bradley didn't take guys like Kenny Cooper or Charlie Davies, might be due to club commitments, or something of that ilk. But if Johnson still gets considered, what does a guy like Edson Buddle -- who at least is scoring, albeit it in MLS -- deserve a place.
Moreover, Bradley seemingly never runs out of chances for "his guys" while other talents, for example, Kyle Beckerman and Frank Simek spring to mind, are left in the wilderness.
The fear, going to South Africa, is that Bradley could fall victim to some of the same problems that befell Bruce Arena in Germany -- an over reliance on the guys that got him to the dance. It's been proven the U.S. has no trouble running roughshod through CONCACAF, but are the guys on the roster enough to do anything against the best in the world even with the help of a slick NIKE marketing campaign?
Guess we'll find out at the Confederations Cup.
Goalkeepers: Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Tim Howard (Everton), Marcus Hahnemann (Reading)
Defenders: Carlos Bocanegra (Rennes), Danny Califf (Midtjylland), Jay DeMerit (Watford), Frankie Hejduk (Columbus), Oguchi Onyewu (Standard Liege), Heath Pearce (Hansa Rostock), Jonathan Spector (West Ham)
Midfielders: Freddy Adu (AS Monaco), DaMarcus Beasley (Glasgow Rangers), Michael Bradley (Borussia Moenchengladbach), Maurice Edu (Glasgow Rangers), Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA), Pablo Mastroeni (Colorado), Jose Francisco Torres (Pachuca)
Forwards: Jozy Altidore (Xerez), Brian Ching (Houston), Clint Dempsey (Fulham), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles), Eddie Johnson (Cardiff City)
Labels: bob bradley, Soccer, USMNT, world cup qualifying
You can't make this stuff up and it's getting to be like a bad horror sequel -- Liverpool v. Chelsea in the Champions League...again.
If there's a mild silver lining, at least four English team's won't comprise the semifinals, otherwise it's 180+ minutes of the same play we've seen in four of the last five years.
On second thought, there might be another positive since Liverpool actually has the juice to oust Chelsea, and derail the Blues express to Rome. It's not like John Arne Riise is around to screw the pooch in the 90th minute for Liverpool this time around, right?
Other than Liverpool v. Chelsea Round XLII, the rest of the draw is pretty decent.
Villareal and Arsenal has potential assuming the Yellow Submarine decides to come out and play. For Arsenal, this is a dream draw of the six other possibilities and potentially has the ability to salvage the Gunners season.
Manchester United and Porto has the history of 2004 on its side, though the Red Devils already vanquished Jose Mourinho in the previous round. United should get through this round, but people are saying good things about Porto, so it won't be easy.
Finally, Barcelona and Bayern Munich has the most continental appeal, though it's doubtful the German giants have the ability to slow down the Barca attack. If anything, this one ought to feature a ton of goals. First team to an aggregate of 10, wins.
A good draw this morning, but not a great one.
Saturday
* Portsmouth v. Everton -- (Live, Setanta, 8:30 a.m.) Troubling stats for Pompey, first they've won only one of their last six at Fratton Park. Second, they've allowed 17 goals in the final 15 minutes of a match. If that isn't a recipe for disaster, I don't know what is. Let's assume Portsmouth does get relegated, there are some nice pieces for the vultures to pick from like Glenn Johnson and Niko Kranjcar. Everton keeps chugging along and seems safe for a UEFA Cup/Europa League scenario, but is that even worth it for the club? It's not in David Moyes DNA to tank games, but I'm just saying... ... Portsmouth 1, Everton 1
* Blackburn v. West Ham -- If, and it's a huge if, Blackburn can snatch the full three points here then Sam Allardyce's crew can take a big sigh of relief. Of all the relegation candidates, Blackburn seems to have the most to lose because if they drop they could be facing a Charlton-like League One scenario. If a club ever needed a rich benefactor, it's Blackburn which had one in Jack Walker when it won the league in 1995. How West Ham is in seventh place is a mindbender, as is the future of U.S. player Jon Spector, who's working back from an injury. Will he be another flameout running back to MLS with his tail betwixt his legs, or stick it out? ... Blackburn 2, West Ham 1
* Fulham v. Manchester United -- (Live, Setanta, 10:30 a.m.) It's getting to the point where they ought to play 'Sweet Georgia Brown' during these matches. United have won 9-straight against Fulham, with the Cottagers last win -- if memory serves correct -- coming via a late goal from distance from the immortal Papa Baba Dioup. Put it this way, after that 4-1 shellacking from Liverpool, Manchester United needs a slumpbuster and it gets it in the form of the dudes in white. ... Fulham 0, Manchester United 2
* Stoke City v. Middlesbrough -- At the very least, Stoke is going down with a fight, while Middlesbrough appears content to let the lethal injection slowly waft through its veins. ... Stoke City 2, Middlesbrough 0
* Tottenham v. Chelsea -- (Live, FSC, noon) Game of the weekend, bar none. Amazingly, I read that despite all the wheeling and dealing, Spurs announced a record profit this year. Nothing makes sense at the Lane. Need further proof? Tottenham has only lost one of its seven matches against the top five teams in the table. Chelsea is on a roll, but this could be a matchup it doesn't like, witness last year's unreal 4-4 draw. This one seems to play out as Spurs get an early goal, only for Chelsea to equalize somewhere in the 80th-plus minute. It's simply how the script is written. Chelsea is due a hiccup. Yes, the Blues are 4-for-4 under Hiddink, but it's all by a one-goal margin. ... Tottenham 1, Chelsea 1
* West Brom v. Bolton -- Ok, so all the talk about how wonderful the Premier League is, I present Exhibit A to counter that argument. ... West Brom 2, Bolton 1
* Newcastle v. Arsenal -- (Live, Setanta, 1:15 p.m.) Is Arsenal officially over it's away-game hoodoo? Obviously the players and make-up of the Gunners far trumps what the Magpies have to offer. My one worry about Arsenal is that after a couple nice results, are the young players' egos out of control? I maintain this team still isn't that incredible. ... Newcastle 1, Arsenal 2
Sunday
* Wigan v. Hull City -- Will Wigan fans be upset that Hull wrested it's title of 'Least Fancied Team in the PL'? That's about all the juice this one has. ... Wigan 2, Hull 0
* Manchester City v. Sunderland -- The more I think about the Manchester City plan, the less I like it. In theory it's nice idea to pluck the best players money can buy and throw them out together. In practice, it doesn't always work. There has to be some sense of team-building and chemistry, most importantly a system. City, as presently constituted, seem stuck between Mark Hughes' practical approach vs. the rich Arab ownership's champagne dreams. Unless you're Team Evil from 'Kung-Fu Soccer' throwing out XI disparate players won't work. Sunderland, well, Sunderland is Sunderland. ... City 3, Sunderland 1
* Liverpool v. Aston Villa -- (Live, FSC, noon) Cue up the Gang Star because it's 'Moment of Truth' time for both teams. If you read this site, you know the parameters. I don't need to re-hash them yet again. In short, whichever team wins keeps hope alive, the loser goes back to its consolation prize. From watching Villa lately, Martin O'Neill can't put Humpty Dumpty back together again. ... Liverpool 1, Aston Villa 0
Last week: 4-6
Season: 130-153 aka 46 percent
One final thought, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that Portland gets its MLS team today. The Timbers fans deserve it. Plus, that would be a nice Northweast corridor rivalry with Portland, Seattle and Vancouver. One of those teams ought to have flannel inspired jerseys.
Speaking of Seattle, by all accounts it was a smashing 3-0 debut over the Red Bulls. I've never seen so many people wearing a jersey of an MLS team before. That's a good sign. Let's just see if the Emerald City fans sustain that passion into August.
If there's a mild silver lining, at least four English team's won't comprise the semifinals, otherwise it's 180+ minutes of the same play we've seen in four of the last five years.
On second thought, there might be another positive since Liverpool actually has the juice to oust Chelsea, and derail the Blues express to Rome. It's not like John Arne Riise is around to screw the pooch in the 90th minute for Liverpool this time around, right?
Other than Liverpool v. Chelsea Round XLII, the rest of the draw is pretty decent.
Villareal and Arsenal has potential assuming the Yellow Submarine decides to come out and play. For Arsenal, this is a dream draw of the six other possibilities and potentially has the ability to salvage the Gunners season.
Manchester United and Porto has the history of 2004 on its side, though the Red Devils already vanquished Jose Mourinho in the previous round. United should get through this round, but people are saying good things about Porto, so it won't be easy.
Finally, Barcelona and Bayern Munich has the most continental appeal, though it's doubtful the German giants have the ability to slow down the Barca attack. If anything, this one ought to feature a ton of goals. First team to an aggregate of 10, wins.
A good draw this morning, but not a great one.
Saturday
* Portsmouth v. Everton -- (Live, Setanta, 8:30 a.m.) Troubling stats for Pompey, first they've won only one of their last six at Fratton Park. Second, they've allowed 17 goals in the final 15 minutes of a match. If that isn't a recipe for disaster, I don't know what is. Let's assume Portsmouth does get relegated, there are some nice pieces for the vultures to pick from like Glenn Johnson and Niko Kranjcar. Everton keeps chugging along and seems safe for a UEFA Cup/Europa League scenario, but is that even worth it for the club? It's not in David Moyes DNA to tank games, but I'm just saying... ... Portsmouth 1, Everton 1
* Blackburn v. West Ham -- If, and it's a huge if, Blackburn can snatch the full three points here then Sam Allardyce's crew can take a big sigh of relief. Of all the relegation candidates, Blackburn seems to have the most to lose because if they drop they could be facing a Charlton-like League One scenario. If a club ever needed a rich benefactor, it's Blackburn which had one in Jack Walker when it won the league in 1995. How West Ham is in seventh place is a mindbender, as is the future of U.S. player Jon Spector, who's working back from an injury. Will he be another flameout running back to MLS with his tail betwixt his legs, or stick it out? ... Blackburn 2, West Ham 1
* Fulham v. Manchester United -- (Live, Setanta, 10:30 a.m.) It's getting to the point where they ought to play 'Sweet Georgia Brown' during these matches. United have won 9-straight against Fulham, with the Cottagers last win -- if memory serves correct -- coming via a late goal from distance from the immortal Papa Baba Dioup. Put it this way, after that 4-1 shellacking from Liverpool, Manchester United needs a slumpbuster and it gets it in the form of the dudes in white. ... Fulham 0, Manchester United 2
* Stoke City v. Middlesbrough -- At the very least, Stoke is going down with a fight, while Middlesbrough appears content to let the lethal injection slowly waft through its veins. ... Stoke City 2, Middlesbrough 0
* Tottenham v. Chelsea -- (Live, FSC, noon) Game of the weekend, bar none. Amazingly, I read that despite all the wheeling and dealing, Spurs announced a record profit this year. Nothing makes sense at the Lane. Need further proof? Tottenham has only lost one of its seven matches against the top five teams in the table. Chelsea is on a roll, but this could be a matchup it doesn't like, witness last year's unreal 4-4 draw. This one seems to play out as Spurs get an early goal, only for Chelsea to equalize somewhere in the 80th-plus minute. It's simply how the script is written. Chelsea is due a hiccup. Yes, the Blues are 4-for-4 under Hiddink, but it's all by a one-goal margin. ... Tottenham 1, Chelsea 1
* West Brom v. Bolton -- Ok, so all the talk about how wonderful the Premier League is, I present Exhibit A to counter that argument. ... West Brom 2, Bolton 1
* Newcastle v. Arsenal -- (Live, Setanta, 1:15 p.m.) Is Arsenal officially over it's away-game hoodoo? Obviously the players and make-up of the Gunners far trumps what the Magpies have to offer. My one worry about Arsenal is that after a couple nice results, are the young players' egos out of control? I maintain this team still isn't that incredible. ... Newcastle 1, Arsenal 2
Sunday
* Wigan v. Hull City -- Will Wigan fans be upset that Hull wrested it's title of 'Least Fancied Team in the PL'? That's about all the juice this one has. ... Wigan 2, Hull 0
* Manchester City v. Sunderland -- The more I think about the Manchester City plan, the less I like it. In theory it's nice idea to pluck the best players money can buy and throw them out together. In practice, it doesn't always work. There has to be some sense of team-building and chemistry, most importantly a system. City, as presently constituted, seem stuck between Mark Hughes' practical approach vs. the rich Arab ownership's champagne dreams. Unless you're Team Evil from 'Kung-Fu Soccer' throwing out XI disparate players won't work. Sunderland, well, Sunderland is Sunderland. ... City 3, Sunderland 1
* Liverpool v. Aston Villa -- (Live, FSC, noon) Cue up the Gang Star because it's 'Moment of Truth' time for both teams. If you read this site, you know the parameters. I don't need to re-hash them yet again. In short, whichever team wins keeps hope alive, the loser goes back to its consolation prize. From watching Villa lately, Martin O'Neill can't put Humpty Dumpty back together again. ... Liverpool 1, Aston Villa 0
Last week: 4-6
Season: 130-153 aka 46 percent
One final thought, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that Portland gets its MLS team today. The Timbers fans deserve it. Plus, that would be a nice Northweast corridor rivalry with Portland, Seattle and Vancouver. One of those teams ought to have flannel inspired jerseys.
Speaking of Seattle, by all accounts it was a smashing 3-0 debut over the Red Bulls. I've never seen so many people wearing a jersey of an MLS team before. That's a good sign. Let's just see if the Emerald City fans sustain that passion into August.
Labels: champions league, English Premier League, Prem Picks, Soccer
Due to work commitments and on-set dementia spurred on by watching too much basketball in a 48-hour period, my brain is about melted thus today's usual recap won't be it's usual meaty self. Think of it as a Subway sandwich, instead of a five, five dollar, five dollar fooooot long, (sorry if that's stuck in your head all day) instead you're getting the rare four-inch round sandwich. You pick the meat, since I'm a fair guy.
Obviously the only place to start is Manchester United/Liverpool. And for that, thankfully I might have one of America's best Liverpool fans as a reader/email buddy in Ace Cowboy, here are his thoughts:
My thought, Manchester United looked vaguely sluggish and a tad uncreative. Plus, when Carlos Tevez misses two goal mouth chances, it's probably not your day.
The gap with Chelsea and Liverpool is down to four points, but United's final fixtures are pretty cushy. The trickiest dates are against (in order) Aston Villa, Everton and Arsenal and two of those are played at Old Trafford.
Also, I answered my own question, the nickname for Torres/Steven Gerrard should be Super GT or, if you're a fan of Larry David and 'Curb', GTS for guaranteed terrific safety.
It's not a revelatory statement, but at least Liverpool showed signs of life. It was my preseason pick, so as much as I slag them off, it would be nice to see them keep pressing and win it.
Other things -- The PL really ought to consider adopting some kind of wrestling inspired gimmick for the 'how-low-can-you-go?' relegation derby. Call it the Relegation Rumble. By Friday I'll come up with the scenario. Right now it's exciting, yes to a degree, but with some stinker performances. The only teams that showed iniative and are probably safe are Fulham and Tottenham, which both won over the weekend. ... Fittingly, Andrei Arshavin's first goal (or at least non-possible own goal, goal) for Arsenal was a spectacular run and movement on the touchline to beat Paul Robinson from a short angle. Brilliant. ... Is it just me or is there a dearth of 1-v-1 goals like Torres scored Saturday? Maybe it's a Spanish thing. ... Tottenham's Benoit Assou-Ekotto and Everton's Maroune Fellani must have swapped hairdressers, one had a fro and the other had corn rows. I still need to make that chart of Fellani with 'Fro and sans. ... Aston Villa is officially out of gas, and a challenge for Arsenal for fourth place will be nominal at best. ... Until losing to first-place AZ, FC Twente was on some long unbeaten run, amazingly it's coach is the immortal Steve McClaren. ... Another England cast-off, Andriy Voronin is on a goal scoring binge for first place Hertha Berlin in the Bundesliga. Who would have thought Liverpool could have used him?
Fantasy team's o' the week -- Both Slade Sohmer's Gangly Handful FC and Nicolas Mulch's Prussians and Pistols, each scored 54 in a low-scoring weekend. Congrats.
Sorry for the short stuff, but my brain and eyes are both about to emulsify.
Obviously the only place to start is Manchester United/Liverpool. And for that, thankfully I might have one of America's best Liverpool fans as a reader/email buddy in Ace Cowboy, here are his thoughts:
My Scousenugget of the Week:
It's amazing to me that Liverpool is at least four, likely seven, points off the pace. The double over United. The double over Chelsea. Thirteen of a possible 15 points against the other Big Four clubs (with one against the Arse to go) -- that's CHAMPIONSHIP FORM! What the fuck happened? Three straight draws in January, including Stoke and Wigan. In February, a draw at home to reeling Man City. A LOSS to Boro. That's your season right there. The early draws at Anfield (Stoke, Hull, West Ham, Fulham) were awful, but Liverpool went into the new year atop the table. It was those five matches in January and February that ultimately derailed what has been championship form against the big boys. And, man, that's just inexcusable.
(Torres is a monster again. He is just wreaking havoc on some of the better defenses in the world. The way he turned Cannavarro earlier in the week, the way he made Vidic look silly. Awesome stuff. Gerrard's been immense again. The passing has been crisp. From almost everybody. If this club can stay healthy, good lord, they can make it interesting in the CL and the league. Three points against Villa and steamroll it from there.)
My thought, Manchester United looked vaguely sluggish and a tad uncreative. Plus, when Carlos Tevez misses two goal mouth chances, it's probably not your day.
The gap with Chelsea and Liverpool is down to four points, but United's final fixtures are pretty cushy. The trickiest dates are against (in order) Aston Villa, Everton and Arsenal and two of those are played at Old Trafford.
Also, I answered my own question, the nickname for Torres/Steven Gerrard should be Super GT or, if you're a fan of Larry David and 'Curb', GTS for guaranteed terrific safety.
It's not a revelatory statement, but at least Liverpool showed signs of life. It was my preseason pick, so as much as I slag them off, it would be nice to see them keep pressing and win it.
Other things -- The PL really ought to consider adopting some kind of wrestling inspired gimmick for the 'how-low-can-you-go?' relegation derby. Call it the Relegation Rumble. By Friday I'll come up with the scenario. Right now it's exciting, yes to a degree, but with some stinker performances. The only teams that showed iniative and are probably safe are Fulham and Tottenham, which both won over the weekend. ... Fittingly, Andrei Arshavin's first goal (or at least non-possible own goal, goal) for Arsenal was a spectacular run and movement on the touchline to beat Paul Robinson from a short angle. Brilliant. ... Is it just me or is there a dearth of 1-v-1 goals like Torres scored Saturday? Maybe it's a Spanish thing. ... Tottenham's Benoit Assou-Ekotto and Everton's Maroune Fellani must have swapped hairdressers, one had a fro and the other had corn rows. I still need to make that chart of Fellani with 'Fro and sans. ... Aston Villa is officially out of gas, and a challenge for Arsenal for fourth place will be nominal at best. ... Until losing to first-place AZ, FC Twente was on some long unbeaten run, amazingly it's coach is the immortal Steve McClaren. ... Another England cast-off, Andriy Voronin is on a goal scoring binge for first place Hertha Berlin in the Bundesliga. Who would have thought Liverpool could have used him?
Fantasy team's o' the week -- Both Slade Sohmer's Gangly Handful FC and Nicolas Mulch's Prussians and Pistols, each scored 54 in a low-scoring weekend. Congrats.
Sorry for the short stuff, but my brain and eyes are both about to emulsify.
Labels: Monday recaps, Premier League, Soccer
Sorry Emmy voters, the best comedic performance this year wasn't from Tina Fey or anyone else on '30 Rock.' (Okay, no lightning bolts struck me, phew.)
No the best televised comedy of 2008-09 comes from three minutes and 10 seconds of subtle genius from pitchman Vince Offer and the Slap Chop. Sorry, there are no arguments here.
Note the way Offer mocks the infomercial/'As Seen on TV' products, but makes you want a crappy Slap Chop (and the Graty) at the same time.
Is there a better line than, "This tuna is boring...quit having a boring tuna, quit haing a boring life."?
The point here is that with two and half months left in the Premier League and especially the UEFA Champions League -- it's like a boring plate of tuna. Both could use a nice visit from the Slap Chop to spice things up.
Four English teams in the Champions League quarterfinals might be great for the Enlgish press to wax poetic about, but let's face it -- does anyone want to see Chelsea v. Liverpool XLII -- 'The Guus is Loose'?
The one Champions League match we deserve this season is Manchester United v. Barcelona, let's just hope it doesn't come in the quarterfinals, but since it's destined that Chelsea gets either Porto or Villareal it very well could happen.
I'll save the Chelsea-bashing for another day. At least the Blues earned the move to the quarterfinals with a cagey win over Juventus in Turin.
By all accounts Arsenal were nothing short of putrid against Roma and only advanced via a missed penalty kick. Reading some of the comments on the Guardian's live blog you'd think Gooners fans were wishing Nicholas Bendtner to contract gonorrhea in a Roman brothel after the game.
But Arsenal will likely have the last laugh again. The Gunners are likely going to surprass Aston Villa for fourth place and once again reap the Champions League money...which Arsene Wenger will likely hoarde anyway or use to buy three French youngsters with good ball skills, or better yet he can sign that Brasilian dude who dribbled the ball off his head and nearly incited a riot a couple years ago.
That might be the problem and predicitibility of the Premier League. The 'Big Four' continue to get richer, allowing Rafa Benitez's yearly transfer dailiances, while Aston Villa remains as threadbare a squad as you can find -- which is a big reason its currently sputtering. Even if the big clubs moves don't pay off, at least they have live bodies in reserves, while Aston Villa, Everton, etc. have to scrape by with duct tape and bumblegum.
Look at the last five years top finishers in the Premier League
2004: Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool
2005: Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester United, Everton (note, Everton were knocked out before the group stages by Villareal and Liverpool finished fifth but was allowed into the Champions League for winning the Miracle in Istanbul. Hopefully Jerzy Dudek got a nice cut of the check.)
2006: Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal (note: blame dodgy lasagna for Tottenham not pipping Arsenal for fourth.)
2007: Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal
2008: Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool
A side-effect of this dominance is that England is in no danger of losing its Champions League spots, while other countries -- namely Germany and Italy have or might.
At least in other leagues you might see some variance, but not in the Premier League. The Champions Lague, coupled with the Premier League television rights make the gap larger each season.
So I guess if you like the same old plate of boring tuna, this is a good thing. Yet who doesn't like a little variety?
Saturday
* Manchester United v. Liverpool -- (Live, Setanta, 8:45 a.m.) One good thing about the stupid clock change is that I'll be half-awake watching this as opposed to a quarter-awake if it began at 7:45 a.m. This might be the only game left that can make the Premier League interesting again. Will Liverpool pull it's classic cocktease act yet again Saturday at Old Trafford? After that mouth-watering performance against Real Madrid Tuesday, can the team possibly play with the same level Saturday?
Maybe it's a day/night thing. This will be the earliest game on the slate Saturday, midafternoon in England. Liverpool seem considerably better on European nights.
The script for Liverpool is the usual, barring great showing from Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard they won't manage a result. (This duo needs a nickname.) The Reds have a nice bevvy of roleplayers, but unless it's a United miscue do you see a guy like Yossi Benayoun scoring in a game like this?
United on the other half didn't play great on Wednesday against Inter Milan, but didn't really have to break a sweat to get the win. More importantly nobody for United came off with injuries.
One nice luxury Sir Alex Ferguson has at his disposal is his choice at right back. Assuming Gary Neville is in cold storage, he can go with either the huff-and-puff of John O'Shea or the South American flair of Rafael. Both are good options.
Perhaps the driving push for United this season has been the joint Indian summers from Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes, who both set up the second United goal against Inter. A thing of beauty, I thought.
Oh right, then you still have Ronaldo, Rooney, Berbatov, Nani and Tevez -- who has a knack for finding winners in a game like this.
However you see it, this is the game of the year in the Premier League. It boils down for me is I don't like the Liverpool outside options matching up with Ronaldo, who's due a 9.0-rating game. Also, if Nemanja Vidic can own Torres, than the PFA award might be his to lose down the stretch. ... Manchester United 2, Liverpool 0
* Arsenal v. Blackburn -- (Live, Setanta, 11 a.m.) Another litmus test for the Gunners, who probably partied hard after squeking by against Roma by the short-and-curlies. Can the Gunners get a result against one of the unfancied teams they struggle against? We should, if anything, get a nice does of Andrei Arshavin. In case you missed it, Blackburn won at Craven Cottage Wednesday and moved out of the relegation zone. Sam Allardyce obviously knows the way to play Arsenal, but I doubt Rovers have the defensive grit to grind out a 0-0 draw. Roque Santa Cruz is still a danger on the counter. ... Arsenal 1, Blackburn 0
* Bolton v. Fulham -- Stat fun -- Fulham have only scored one goal in their last 10 Premier League away matches. Maybe that's why the Cottagers are now thinking about their six-point cushion above the drop, not the UEFACUPEUROPALEAGUE. ... Bolton 1, Fulham 0
* Everton v. Stoke City -- (Live, FSC, 11 a.m.) Everton at least has the FA Cup as a fall back. Stoke on the other hand hasn't quite rolled over and played dead, which is a surprise to me. ... Everton 1, Stoke 1
* Hull City v. Newcaslte United -- A pretty big six pointer ... Hull 1, Newcastle 1
* Middlesbrough v. Portsmouth -- ... but not as big as this one. You might be able to detect the fumes wafting out of the Riverside Stadium from space. Both these teams seem to be of the mentality of hoping other teams stink more than them. Not really the best idea in the world. One of these teams goes down. ... Middlesbrough 1, Portsmouth 0
* Sunderland v. Wigan -- Fun subplot here, a battle to decided which is the most non-descript team in the league. I say Sunderland. ... Sunderland 0, Wigan 1
Sunday
* Chelsea v. Man City -- (Live, Setanta, 9 a.m.) The noveau riche, vs. the noveau uber-riche. Who doesn't love a good match between billionaires. Chelsea should roll through this one, as Didier Drogba is pulling a page out of the American sports book, in that he's only turned it on down the stretch of a contract year. Maybe he's a Manny Ramirez fan. City might have a chance if Robinho decides he wants to show the Stamford Bridge crowd what they missed out on. ... Chelsea 2, Man City 1
* Aston Villa v. Tottenham -- (Live, FSC, noon) Villa has to, repeat, has to, stop the bleeding right here. Villa likely will enter this game likely behind Arsenal due to goal difference, so it'll be interesting to see how they play with that stigma hanging over their heads. Good thing the opponent at Villa Park is Tottenham, which is about as fragile as team as they come. ... Villa 2, Spurs 1
Monday
* West Ham v. West Brom -- (Live, Setanta, 3:45 p.m.) This is the PL equivelent of that Browns/Bills Monday Night Football game during the last NFL season. ... West Ham 1, West Brom 0.
Last time: 5-5
Season: 126-147
No the best televised comedy of 2008-09 comes from three minutes and 10 seconds of subtle genius from pitchman Vince Offer and the Slap Chop. Sorry, there are no arguments here.
Note the way Offer mocks the infomercial/'As Seen on TV' products, but makes you want a crappy Slap Chop (and the Graty) at the same time.
Is there a better line than, "This tuna is boring...quit having a boring tuna, quit haing a boring life."?
The point here is that with two and half months left in the Premier League and especially the UEFA Champions League -- it's like a boring plate of tuna. Both could use a nice visit from the Slap Chop to spice things up.
Four English teams in the Champions League quarterfinals might be great for the Enlgish press to wax poetic about, but let's face it -- does anyone want to see Chelsea v. Liverpool XLII -- 'The Guus is Loose'?
The one Champions League match we deserve this season is Manchester United v. Barcelona, let's just hope it doesn't come in the quarterfinals, but since it's destined that Chelsea gets either Porto or Villareal it very well could happen.
I'll save the Chelsea-bashing for another day. At least the Blues earned the move to the quarterfinals with a cagey win over Juventus in Turin.
By all accounts Arsenal were nothing short of putrid against Roma and only advanced via a missed penalty kick. Reading some of the comments on the Guardian's live blog you'd think Gooners fans were wishing Nicholas Bendtner to contract gonorrhea in a Roman brothel after the game.
But Arsenal will likely have the last laugh again. The Gunners are likely going to surprass Aston Villa for fourth place and once again reap the Champions League money...which Arsene Wenger will likely hoarde anyway or use to buy three French youngsters with good ball skills, or better yet he can sign that Brasilian dude who dribbled the ball off his head and nearly incited a riot a couple years ago.
That might be the problem and predicitibility of the Premier League. The 'Big Four' continue to get richer, allowing Rafa Benitez's yearly transfer dailiances, while Aston Villa remains as threadbare a squad as you can find -- which is a big reason its currently sputtering. Even if the big clubs moves don't pay off, at least they have live bodies in reserves, while Aston Villa, Everton, etc. have to scrape by with duct tape and bumblegum.
Look at the last five years top finishers in the Premier League
2004: Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool
2005: Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester United, Everton (note, Everton were knocked out before the group stages by Villareal and Liverpool finished fifth but was allowed into the Champions League for winning the Miracle in Istanbul. Hopefully Jerzy Dudek got a nice cut of the check.)
2006: Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal (note: blame dodgy lasagna for Tottenham not pipping Arsenal for fourth.)
2007: Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal
2008: Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool
A side-effect of this dominance is that England is in no danger of losing its Champions League spots, while other countries -- namely Germany and Italy have or might.
At least in other leagues you might see some variance, but not in the Premier League. The Champions Lague, coupled with the Premier League television rights make the gap larger each season.
So I guess if you like the same old plate of boring tuna, this is a good thing. Yet who doesn't like a little variety?
Saturday
* Manchester United v. Liverpool -- (Live, Setanta, 8:45 a.m.) One good thing about the stupid clock change is that I'll be half-awake watching this as opposed to a quarter-awake if it began at 7:45 a.m. This might be the only game left that can make the Premier League interesting again. Will Liverpool pull it's classic cocktease act yet again Saturday at Old Trafford? After that mouth-watering performance against Real Madrid Tuesday, can the team possibly play with the same level Saturday?
Maybe it's a day/night thing. This will be the earliest game on the slate Saturday, midafternoon in England. Liverpool seem considerably better on European nights.
The script for Liverpool is the usual, barring great showing from Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard they won't manage a result. (This duo needs a nickname.) The Reds have a nice bevvy of roleplayers, but unless it's a United miscue do you see a guy like Yossi Benayoun scoring in a game like this?
United on the other half didn't play great on Wednesday against Inter Milan, but didn't really have to break a sweat to get the win. More importantly nobody for United came off with injuries.
One nice luxury Sir Alex Ferguson has at his disposal is his choice at right back. Assuming Gary Neville is in cold storage, he can go with either the huff-and-puff of John O'Shea or the South American flair of Rafael. Both are good options.
Perhaps the driving push for United this season has been the joint Indian summers from Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes, who both set up the second United goal against Inter. A thing of beauty, I thought.
Oh right, then you still have Ronaldo, Rooney, Berbatov, Nani and Tevez -- who has a knack for finding winners in a game like this.
However you see it, this is the game of the year in the Premier League. It boils down for me is I don't like the Liverpool outside options matching up with Ronaldo, who's due a 9.0-rating game. Also, if Nemanja Vidic can own Torres, than the PFA award might be his to lose down the stretch. ... Manchester United 2, Liverpool 0
* Arsenal v. Blackburn -- (Live, Setanta, 11 a.m.) Another litmus test for the Gunners, who probably partied hard after squeking by against Roma by the short-and-curlies. Can the Gunners get a result against one of the unfancied teams they struggle against? We should, if anything, get a nice does of Andrei Arshavin. In case you missed it, Blackburn won at Craven Cottage Wednesday and moved out of the relegation zone. Sam Allardyce obviously knows the way to play Arsenal, but I doubt Rovers have the defensive grit to grind out a 0-0 draw. Roque Santa Cruz is still a danger on the counter. ... Arsenal 1, Blackburn 0
* Bolton v. Fulham -- Stat fun -- Fulham have only scored one goal in their last 10 Premier League away matches. Maybe that's why the Cottagers are now thinking about their six-point cushion above the drop, not the UEFACUPEUROPALEAGUE. ... Bolton 1, Fulham 0
* Everton v. Stoke City -- (Live, FSC, 11 a.m.) Everton at least has the FA Cup as a fall back. Stoke on the other hand hasn't quite rolled over and played dead, which is a surprise to me. ... Everton 1, Stoke 1
* Hull City v. Newcaslte United -- A pretty big six pointer ... Hull 1, Newcastle 1
* Middlesbrough v. Portsmouth -- ... but not as big as this one. You might be able to detect the fumes wafting out of the Riverside Stadium from space. Both these teams seem to be of the mentality of hoping other teams stink more than them. Not really the best idea in the world. One of these teams goes down. ... Middlesbrough 1, Portsmouth 0
* Sunderland v. Wigan -- Fun subplot here, a battle to decided which is the most non-descript team in the league. I say Sunderland. ... Sunderland 0, Wigan 1
Sunday
* Chelsea v. Man City -- (Live, Setanta, 9 a.m.) The noveau riche, vs. the noveau uber-riche. Who doesn't love a good match between billionaires. Chelsea should roll through this one, as Didier Drogba is pulling a page out of the American sports book, in that he's only turned it on down the stretch of a contract year. Maybe he's a Manny Ramirez fan. City might have a chance if Robinho decides he wants to show the Stamford Bridge crowd what they missed out on. ... Chelsea 2, Man City 1
* Aston Villa v. Tottenham -- (Live, FSC, noon) Villa has to, repeat, has to, stop the bleeding right here. Villa likely will enter this game likely behind Arsenal due to goal difference, so it'll be interesting to see how they play with that stigma hanging over their heads. Good thing the opponent at Villa Park is Tottenham, which is about as fragile as team as they come. ... Villa 2, Spurs 1
Monday
* West Ham v. West Brom -- (Live, Setanta, 3:45 p.m.) This is the PL equivelent of that Browns/Bills Monday Night Football game during the last NFL season. ... West Ham 1, West Brom 0.
Last time: 5-5
Season: 126-147
Labels: Prem Picks, Premier League, Soccer
In school I was always pretty good at math...until geometry which began my first-ever 'C' grade...and then the nightmare called pre-calc. I'm still trying deduce what the heck a cosign a is and why I should care.
Anwyays, a modified geometry proof. (Well an attempt.)
Liverpool > Real Madrid.
Liverpool = Middlesbrough, Stoke City, etc.
Proove Middlesbrough > Real Madrid.
That was an absolute shit-stomping by the boys in red at Anfield. The 4-0 scoreline probably flattered Real Madrid, which could have been a lot worse if not for Iker Casillas.
Usually I'll take the cynical approach with Rafa's men, but there's no denying they were awesome Tuesday. Or as Spicolli might say, "Awesome, totally awesome."
Why the Reds can't replicate this performances in the week-in, week-out grind of the Premier League is a mystery on par with the four-toed statue on 'Lost.' Must be that night time air, right?
The midfield completely choked anything Real tried to attempt. The attacking passing was precise and perfect. And of course, Gerrard and Torres did their thing.
What more could you ask for?
Well, on the flip side...God, please prevent us from Liverpool/Chelsea Round 47.
Actually, maybe give us that match. After Chelsea won a thrilling two-leg affair with Juventus, perhaps the only team that can derail the Blue Machine is Liverpool. I wasn't buying the Chelsea/Hiddink hype, but I may finally -- sadly -- have to submit to it.
Chelsea is coming.
Damn it.
Due to the entanglement of international rights, this is impossible, but after Liverpool went ahead 3-0 Tuesday, it would have been nice for ESPN to have been able to switch like CBS during the NCAA tournament to a different game. While Villareal and Panathinaikos aren't the marquee names, that was certainly the more lively affair Tuesday...unless you want to hear the Kop sing Jay Spearing's name.
Oh well, a pipe dream. At least we got Adrian Healy instead of the beyond stogdy Derek Rae and clueless Tommy Smyth. Claudio Reyna in the postgame studio...pass.
Wait...rant coming...again ESPN and it's staff in Bristol has no clue. NO CLUE! They tease 'Sportscenter' during the postgame to feature "UEFA Cup highlights" not just that, the anchor (Jay Harris) says the same thing. How can you not even write on the teleprompter properly?
I know it's too much to ask for the Worldwide to superimpose the aggregate score during Champions League game -- yeah, that would be too hard for the American brain to comprehend. It's not too much to ask to get the name of the god damned competition correct.
Please Lord, keep the Premier League rights out of the hands of the Worldwide Leader. Why even own the rights? Why not bring back Dave O'Brien and Marcelo Balboa.
Clueless. Clueless. Cluess.
As my friend Mike Suppe texted me, "Would anyone notice if they confused the NIT championship with the NCAA title game?"
Amen.
Rant over. (Ok, an unrelated ESPN note, is Dwayne Wade hitting a buzzer beater in a midseason NBA game really that big of a deal? Christ, you would have thought that shot ended WWII or cured cancer judging by the amount of times the network aired it in the last 12 hours. Egads.)
As I write this I haven't seen the Chelsea highlights. Apparently there was another goal-line controversy, that was rectified since Chelsea scored quickly afterward.
Watching the replay, in real time it was impossible to tell if Drogba's freekick was in since Buffon acted so quickly. It was weird place for a shot to go in, nestling on the inside of the post. It probably did go over, but it was nearly impossible to tell in real time, so it's hard to fault the refs.
Michael Essien scored two minutes later, out-running two Juventus defenders to Frank Lampard's rebound off the cross bar, so Chelsea didn't have to complain too much.
FIFA or UEFA need to figure something out. Sooner or later a high-profile game will be decided by a bad goal line call. In this day and age how hard would a chip and sensor system be for the most important games? Or a quick video review. There is already a fourth-official on the sideline. A quick call to him from somewhere inside the stadium would save some possible embarrassment.
Again like ESPN getting the name of the Champions League correct, it's not that hard, but FIFA/UEFA have never been the most progressive or forward thinking.
Moving on.
I was wrong about Panathinaikos (hardest name to spell in the world) beating Villareal and playing Chelsea in the next round, so I guess that's a good thing. Chelsea will probably get Villareal now, and just roll them in the quarterfinals.
Amazingly, Bayern somehow improved on it's 5-0 first leg win against Sporting, winning 7-1 in Munich.
Somewhere Landon Donovan shed a single tear.
Wednesday's games
Arsenal/Roma -- Aresnal is up 1-0 after the first leg, and most think this will be a stroll in the Stadio Olimpico...except for the would-be travelling Gunners fans. Arsenal might get Theo Walcott back, too.
For some reason this might be a tough game for Arsenal, even with Danielle De Rossi suspended.
Do I have the guts to pick Roma, no? But it Arsenal will have to work.
This Arsenal team still isn't that good, so watch your back Gunners.
Barcelona/Lyon -- Barca was in a spot of trouble until Thierry Henry snatched the vital away goal in the 67th minute in France. Barca was struggling, going over a month without a win in any competition until getting back on track in La Liga this weekend.
Again, Barca should win, but it won't be easy.
It's funny that Barca were the easy favorites during the competition break, but now seem to have lost at little of their luster. Still, with all the talent on its roster can you count the Blaugrana out?
Porto/Atletico -- I erroneously mentioned this one on Monday. It should be a fun game and for some reason after watching Villareal today I like Atletico's chances.
Manchester United/Inter Milan -- Jose Mourninho is playing mind games, which means he's probably worried about the Serie A leaders chances. Inter have defensive injuries and if not for Julio Cesar in the first leg would be going to Old Trafford in a major hole.
The Red Devils are on a goal-scoring binge as of late and Fergie should have a full compliment of options at his disposal. Even with that said, I think United gets through 1-0 and like everyone else is going to have to work hard for it.
The big x-factor is Zlatan Ibrahimovic. If the big Swede can show up and Inter can play him the ball, Inter will have a chance, and the sky is blue too. I know.
For some reason I think this could end 1-1, with United going out on away goals. Inter knows what's going on and Mourinho isn't going to let them lie down. This is going to be so tight and since United couldn't score in the first half at the San Siro two weeks ago, they'll have to come out and play which could leave space for Inter on the counter.
In short, an awesome, must-watch game.
Anwyays, a modified geometry proof. (Well an attempt.)
Liverpool > Real Madrid.
Liverpool = Middlesbrough, Stoke City, etc.
Proove Middlesbrough > Real Madrid.
That was an absolute shit-stomping by the boys in red at Anfield. The 4-0 scoreline probably flattered Real Madrid, which could have been a lot worse if not for Iker Casillas.
Usually I'll take the cynical approach with Rafa's men, but there's no denying they were awesome Tuesday. Or as Spicolli might say, "Awesome, totally awesome."
Why the Reds can't replicate this performances in the week-in, week-out grind of the Premier League is a mystery on par with the four-toed statue on 'Lost.' Must be that night time air, right?
The midfield completely choked anything Real tried to attempt. The attacking passing was precise and perfect. And of course, Gerrard and Torres did their thing.
What more could you ask for?
Well, on the flip side...God, please prevent us from Liverpool/Chelsea Round 47.
Actually, maybe give us that match. After Chelsea won a thrilling two-leg affair with Juventus, perhaps the only team that can derail the Blue Machine is Liverpool. I wasn't buying the Chelsea/Hiddink hype, but I may finally -- sadly -- have to submit to it.
Chelsea is coming.
Damn it.
Due to the entanglement of international rights, this is impossible, but after Liverpool went ahead 3-0 Tuesday, it would have been nice for ESPN to have been able to switch like CBS during the NCAA tournament to a different game. While Villareal and Panathinaikos aren't the marquee names, that was certainly the more lively affair Tuesday...unless you want to hear the Kop sing Jay Spearing's name.
Oh well, a pipe dream. At least we got Adrian Healy instead of the beyond stogdy Derek Rae and clueless Tommy Smyth. Claudio Reyna in the postgame studio...pass.
Wait...rant coming...again ESPN and it's staff in Bristol has no clue. NO CLUE! They tease 'Sportscenter' during the postgame to feature "UEFA Cup highlights" not just that, the anchor (Jay Harris) says the same thing. How can you not even write on the teleprompter properly?
I know it's too much to ask for the Worldwide to superimpose the aggregate score during Champions League game -- yeah, that would be too hard for the American brain to comprehend. It's not too much to ask to get the name of the god damned competition correct.
Please Lord, keep the Premier League rights out of the hands of the Worldwide Leader. Why even own the rights? Why not bring back Dave O'Brien and Marcelo Balboa.
Clueless. Clueless. Cluess.
As my friend Mike Suppe texted me, "Would anyone notice if they confused the NIT championship with the NCAA title game?"
Amen.
Rant over. (Ok, an unrelated ESPN note, is Dwayne Wade hitting a buzzer beater in a midseason NBA game really that big of a deal? Christ, you would have thought that shot ended WWII or cured cancer judging by the amount of times the network aired it in the last 12 hours. Egads.)
As I write this I haven't seen the Chelsea highlights. Apparently there was another goal-line controversy, that was rectified since Chelsea scored quickly afterward.
Watching the replay, in real time it was impossible to tell if Drogba's freekick was in since Buffon acted so quickly. It was weird place for a shot to go in, nestling on the inside of the post. It probably did go over, but it was nearly impossible to tell in real time, so it's hard to fault the refs.
Michael Essien scored two minutes later, out-running two Juventus defenders to Frank Lampard's rebound off the cross bar, so Chelsea didn't have to complain too much.
FIFA or UEFA need to figure something out. Sooner or later a high-profile game will be decided by a bad goal line call. In this day and age how hard would a chip and sensor system be for the most important games? Or a quick video review. There is already a fourth-official on the sideline. A quick call to him from somewhere inside the stadium would save some possible embarrassment.
Again like ESPN getting the name of the Champions League correct, it's not that hard, but FIFA/UEFA have never been the most progressive or forward thinking.
Moving on.
I was wrong about Panathinaikos (hardest name to spell in the world) beating Villareal and playing Chelsea in the next round, so I guess that's a good thing. Chelsea will probably get Villareal now, and just roll them in the quarterfinals.
Amazingly, Bayern somehow improved on it's 5-0 first leg win against Sporting, winning 7-1 in Munich.
Somewhere Landon Donovan shed a single tear.
Wednesday's games
Arsenal/Roma -- Aresnal is up 1-0 after the first leg, and most think this will be a stroll in the Stadio Olimpico...except for the would-be travelling Gunners fans. Arsenal might get Theo Walcott back, too.
For some reason this might be a tough game for Arsenal, even with Danielle De Rossi suspended.
Do I have the guts to pick Roma, no? But it Arsenal will have to work.
This Arsenal team still isn't that good, so watch your back Gunners.
Barcelona/Lyon -- Barca was in a spot of trouble until Thierry Henry snatched the vital away goal in the 67th minute in France. Barca was struggling, going over a month without a win in any competition until getting back on track in La Liga this weekend.
Again, Barca should win, but it won't be easy.
It's funny that Barca were the easy favorites during the competition break, but now seem to have lost at little of their luster. Still, with all the talent on its roster can you count the Blaugrana out?
Porto/Atletico -- I erroneously mentioned this one on Monday. It should be a fun game and for some reason after watching Villareal today I like Atletico's chances.
Manchester United/Inter Milan -- Jose Mourninho is playing mind games, which means he's probably worried about the Serie A leaders chances. Inter have defensive injuries and if not for Julio Cesar in the first leg would be going to Old Trafford in a major hole.
The Red Devils are on a goal-scoring binge as of late and Fergie should have a full compliment of options at his disposal. Even with that said, I think United gets through 1-0 and like everyone else is going to have to work hard for it.
The big x-factor is Zlatan Ibrahimovic. If the big Swede can show up and Inter can play him the ball, Inter will have a chance, and the sky is blue too. I know.
For some reason I think this could end 1-1, with United going out on away goals. Inter knows what's going on and Mourinho isn't going to let them lie down. This is going to be so tight and since United couldn't score in the first half at the San Siro two weeks ago, they'll have to come out and play which could leave space for Inter on the counter.
In short, an awesome, must-watch game.
Labels: champions league, Chelsea, ESPN sucks, Liverpool, Soccer
Apologies, yet again faithful readers.
I wasn't planning on a usual Monday morning post, considering the PL was essentially dark over the weekend. Still, something nominal may have been warranted. Then, Sunday night, I got swamped by my actual job and didn't even have 10 minutes to post.
Anyways...
We're back in the Champions League this week. Tuesday it's headlines by Liverpool/Real Madrid (ESPN2) and Chelsea/Juventus (Live Setanta, replay ESPN Classic).
Wednesday it's the epic Manchester/Inter Milan return match at Old Trafford (ESPN2).
Remember to due to stupid daylight saving's time, these matches are an hour later on your clock (3:45 p.m.) because those Euro snobs didn't feel like monkeying around with its clocks.
Before a couple thoughts on the games themselves, something to get off my chest.
The away goals rule.
I understand why and what it is, more importantly the rationing behind it even it it leads to some less than thrilling two-leg affairs.
Here's what absolutely kills me -- the rule still exists should a tie go into extra time. The odds of after 180 minutes of soccer these matches going into 30 extra minutes is slim, and even slimmer to go to penalties -- even four of the eight finals this decade have gone to kicks.
This is my humble thought, should a game go to extra time, away goals is out the window.
First off, the home teams in the second legs in the 2008-09 event all won their groups. Second, yes, there is something to say for scoring on the road, but when it comes after 180 minutes of even soccer it should count double. Though at a mild disadvantage since they're not home, the away teams get 30 more minutes for the chance of 'double-goals' than the home team.
If the road team manages to score in extra time, it's essentially worth two goals, which is completely and utterly lopsided. More important, it's not fair.
Why not wipe the slate clean when and if a match heads to extra time. From my perspective there is no downside. Will the road teams then decide to shell up for the final 30 minutes sine they're away from home? Again by that point in the game you can almost throw everything out due to fatigue.
What's a worse scenario, deciding a game with penalty kicks or knocking out the home team if both teams score in extra time.
It's like 'Animal Farm' some goals are more equal than others.
Rant over.
As for the games themselves. Liverpool will coax a way to get home against Real Madrid. Juande Ramos ought to throw caution into the wind and throw everything at Liverpool in the first 20 minutes, otherwise it's going to be a long night at Anfield. Even still, Liverpool at home is due a goal and will find one by hook or by crook.
This win will give Raffer another stay of execution.
Juventus has potential but it'll be so worried that Chelsea might score that the Old Lady will wait until it's too late to try to make something happen. My gameplan if I were Juventus is test Petr Cech early and often, he's bound to fumble one sooner or later and guys like Trézéguet and Del Piero have make careers pouncing on those fluffs.
Panathinaikos heads back to Greece with a tidy away-goal in its pocket against Villareal and might have the best homefield advantage left in the tournament, assuming there isn't a riot in the next 20 hours and the match is played behind closed doors. Write this down, the winner here inevitably ends up playing Chelsea. No doubt about it. Also, the nice run by the Yellow Submarine over the last couple seasons might be over.
I'll go out on a limp and say Bayern beats Sporting with a 5-0 lead in Munich. Hell, they ought to just let Luca Toni chug giant mugs of beer on the center line -- it'll be more entertaining.
As for pure entertainment, Atletico Madrid/Porto could go either way. Porto might feel great with its two away goals in the bank, but Atletico has the firepower to erase it quickly. Sitting back and bunkering down isn't the way to play this one.
I'll recap the Tuesday games and preview the Wednesday games tomorrow. Also, I'll be live-blogging the Liverpool game at Fanhouse.
I wasn't planning on a usual Monday morning post, considering the PL was essentially dark over the weekend. Still, something nominal may have been warranted. Then, Sunday night, I got swamped by my actual job and didn't even have 10 minutes to post.
Anyways...
We're back in the Champions League this week. Tuesday it's headlines by Liverpool/Real Madrid (ESPN2) and Chelsea/Juventus (Live Setanta, replay ESPN Classic).
Wednesday it's the epic Manchester/Inter Milan return match at Old Trafford (ESPN2).
Remember to due to stupid daylight saving's time, these matches are an hour later on your clock (3:45 p.m.) because those Euro snobs didn't feel like monkeying around with its clocks.
Before a couple thoughts on the games themselves, something to get off my chest.
The away goals rule.
I understand why and what it is, more importantly the rationing behind it even it it leads to some less than thrilling two-leg affairs.
Here's what absolutely kills me -- the rule still exists should a tie go into extra time. The odds of after 180 minutes of soccer these matches going into 30 extra minutes is slim, and even slimmer to go to penalties -- even four of the eight finals this decade have gone to kicks.
This is my humble thought, should a game go to extra time, away goals is out the window.
First off, the home teams in the second legs in the 2008-09 event all won their groups. Second, yes, there is something to say for scoring on the road, but when it comes after 180 minutes of even soccer it should count double. Though at a mild disadvantage since they're not home, the away teams get 30 more minutes for the chance of 'double-goals' than the home team.
If the road team manages to score in extra time, it's essentially worth two goals, which is completely and utterly lopsided. More important, it's not fair.
Why not wipe the slate clean when and if a match heads to extra time. From my perspective there is no downside. Will the road teams then decide to shell up for the final 30 minutes sine they're away from home? Again by that point in the game you can almost throw everything out due to fatigue.
What's a worse scenario, deciding a game with penalty kicks or knocking out the home team if both teams score in extra time.
It's like 'Animal Farm' some goals are more equal than others.
Rant over.
As for the games themselves. Liverpool will coax a way to get home against Real Madrid. Juande Ramos ought to throw caution into the wind and throw everything at Liverpool in the first 20 minutes, otherwise it's going to be a long night at Anfield. Even still, Liverpool at home is due a goal and will find one by hook or by crook.
This win will give Raffer another stay of execution.
Juventus has potential but it'll be so worried that Chelsea might score that the Old Lady will wait until it's too late to try to make something happen. My gameplan if I were Juventus is test Petr Cech early and often, he's bound to fumble one sooner or later and guys like Trézéguet and Del Piero have make careers pouncing on those fluffs.
Panathinaikos heads back to Greece with a tidy away-goal in its pocket against Villareal and might have the best homefield advantage left in the tournament, assuming there isn't a riot in the next 20 hours and the match is played behind closed doors. Write this down, the winner here inevitably ends up playing Chelsea. No doubt about it. Also, the nice run by the Yellow Submarine over the last couple seasons might be over.
I'll go out on a limp and say Bayern beats Sporting with a 5-0 lead in Munich. Hell, they ought to just let Luca Toni chug giant mugs of beer on the center line -- it'll be more entertaining.
As for pure entertainment, Atletico Madrid/Porto could go either way. Porto might feel great with its two away goals in the bank, but Atletico has the firepower to erase it quickly. Sitting back and bunkering down isn't the way to play this one.
I'll recap the Tuesday games and preview the Wednesday games tomorrow. Also, I'll be live-blogging the Liverpool game at Fanhouse.
Labels: champions league, Soccer
Well...there's not going to be much form to this post, just some scattered musings as the title suggests because the Premier League decided to scatter games over two days in the middle of the week.
Maybe it's just me but the televised games seemed lively. This could be because I'm a lot more awake at 2:45 p.m. as opposed to 7:45 a.m. Of course, this all changes since we revert to daylight savings time in the States this weekend, throwing the schedule around yet again.
Today, I'm here to mourn the Champions League hopes of Martin O'Neill's game Aston Villa squad. (Note: Claret-on-claret, a fashion faux pas.)
I hate to write this, but it's over. Done. Finished. Caput.
Minutes from taking an eight-point lead over Arsenal for fourth, Villa gagged it up against Stoke City and now three days later are a mere three points above the underachieving Gunners following a 1-0 loss at Manchester City -- an Elano penalty kick, no less, which Brad Freidel nearly saved. Humbug.
Why do I say it's over?
The next four games for Villa -- Tottenham, Liverpool, Manchester United and Everton.
In other words, please step through door number two and thanks for playing. We have some lovely parting gifts, the standard Casio keyboard and BK Knights high tops which I'm sure Ashley Young will love.
Actually, the consolation prize is a UEFAEUROPA Cup scenario, which if I were Villa I'd turn down. The club has been down the second-tier road before and we've seen how that's gone -- dying on the Russian front to CSKA.
In fact, most Villa fans are going to look back and see that Feb. 18 1-1 draw with CSKA at Villa park as the reason for the season's downfall.
So Aston Villa likely will have to play catch-up and hope Arsenal stumbles down the stretch with back-to-back matches with Chelsea and Manchester United in May. If not, the club will be stuck like Sawyer, Juliet and Daniel Faraday on a time-skipping island, repeating the same second-tier scenarios over-and-over.
It's weird. I have no vested interest in Aston Villa, nor do I really hate Arsenal, just the hype around a mediocore team. It simply would have been nice to see some change at the top of the table and watch another team in Europe's top competition on those midweek days in October and November. (Is 'change' still in these days?)
Instead, Arsenal will amble through with a limp performance, which might just show that the Premier League might not the proverbial 'bee's knee's' like we all like to think it is. The Gunners have been tepid, at best, yet will be rewarded with the Champions League dough as the machine churns on.
(Yeah, that draw to Stoke by Villa was completely gutless and probably cost the team millions, and possibly earned the Potters even more if they survive.)
Elsewhere, for about 10 minutes Chelsea and Liverpool may have put a scare into Manchester United for the title race.
Newcastle United came out gangbusters Wednesday at St. James, probably to the delight of Brad in the Pacific Northwest, courtesy of a rare blunder by Edwin Van Der Sar, cashed in by Peter Løvenkrands. (God bless Scandanavian characters.)
Didn't matter much, Wayne Rooney continued his ownage of the Magpies with a cool response a few minutes later and Dmitar Berbatov tapped in a Steven Harper fumble after the break and it's still as you were at the top of the table. Manchester United has a joint seven-point lead over Chelsea and Liverpool with a game in hand.
Does any current athlete or anyone in the world own another person/team/thing like Rooney Tunes does to Newcastle at the moment? And no, the Harlem Globetrotters over the Washington Generals doesn't count.
My quick answer -- Jack Bauer vs. redshirt terrorists on '24' -- "Dont' fight it!"
Nothing, obviously, will ever top this goal which is pure dynamite and never gets old in my book.
My other shock during this week, after Didier Drogba curled his winning-goal for Chelsea in the muck-and-mire of Fratton Park, the announcers nearly jizzed over each other that it was only his second Premier League goal of the season.
Gwah?!
Not possible. If you told me in March the Ivorian Assasin would only have two tallies to his name, I'd have said you were crazy. What's next, you're going to tell me Brett Michaels has had not one, not two, but three shitty reality shows to his name.
However, to quote both Yogi Berra and Mike Francesa, "You can look it up."
A couple other thoughts...
* Weird quirk, after 28/27 games Tottenham, West Ham and Wigan are all at zero goal difference.
* Tottenham, which plays Sunderland in the lone PL game this weekend, probably, finally has it's act together, though I've said that before.
* Holy snikies, Hull City got a win -- it's first since the Bush Adminstration -- and did it at Craven Cottage no less on a 90th miunte goal from Manucho. That's only the second league loss for Fulham at home, the other coming Sept. 27 to West Ham. I still think Hull is in some trouble, but could catch a huge break with its final game at home to Manchester United which by then should have the title wrapped up and might line up Sir Alex Ferguson's grand kids at center back.
* Sunderland, Stoke City, Newcastle United, Portsmouth, Middlesbrough, Blackburn Rovers -- take your pick. Two are dead to us.
* Maybe they ought to create another league in England -- the 'Semi-Premier League' or better yet, the 'Purgatory League' where teams of the above ilk and other tweeners can play and actually have a shot of winning a title. (Speaking of purgatory, 'In Bruges' is in the HBO rotation now and if you haven't seen it, give it a look. Yeah, it does have Colin Ferrell in it, but it's actually a good flick.)
* I'm using a temporary laptop and I can't install programs. I forgot how much I hate Internet Explorer and love Firefox...assuming one can love a computer program not named Cameron from 'Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles.'
* Last but not least, I hope a savvy street merchant around Merseyside is hawking shirts reading, "I saw David Ngog score." A sure-fire collector's item.
Maybe it's just me but the televised games seemed lively. This could be because I'm a lot more awake at 2:45 p.m. as opposed to 7:45 a.m. Of course, this all changes since we revert to daylight savings time in the States this weekend, throwing the schedule around yet again.
Today, I'm here to mourn the Champions League hopes of Martin O'Neill's game Aston Villa squad. (Note: Claret-on-claret, a fashion faux pas.)
I hate to write this, but it's over. Done. Finished. Caput.
Minutes from taking an eight-point lead over Arsenal for fourth, Villa gagged it up against Stoke City and now three days later are a mere three points above the underachieving Gunners following a 1-0 loss at Manchester City -- an Elano penalty kick, no less, which Brad Freidel nearly saved. Humbug.
Why do I say it's over?
The next four games for Villa -- Tottenham, Liverpool, Manchester United and Everton.
In other words, please step through door number two and thanks for playing. We have some lovely parting gifts, the standard Casio keyboard and BK Knights high tops which I'm sure Ashley Young will love.
Actually, the consolation prize is a UEFAEUROPA Cup scenario, which if I were Villa I'd turn down. The club has been down the second-tier road before and we've seen how that's gone -- dying on the Russian front to CSKA.
In fact, most Villa fans are going to look back and see that Feb. 18 1-1 draw with CSKA at Villa park as the reason for the season's downfall.
So Aston Villa likely will have to play catch-up and hope Arsenal stumbles down the stretch with back-to-back matches with Chelsea and Manchester United in May. If not, the club will be stuck like Sawyer, Juliet and Daniel Faraday on a time-skipping island, repeating the same second-tier scenarios over-and-over.
It's weird. I have no vested interest in Aston Villa, nor do I really hate Arsenal, just the hype around a mediocore team. It simply would have been nice to see some change at the top of the table and watch another team in Europe's top competition on those midweek days in October and November. (Is 'change' still in these days?)
Instead, Arsenal will amble through with a limp performance, which might just show that the Premier League might not the proverbial 'bee's knee's' like we all like to think it is. The Gunners have been tepid, at best, yet will be rewarded with the Champions League dough as the machine churns on.
(Yeah, that draw to Stoke by Villa was completely gutless and probably cost the team millions, and possibly earned the Potters even more if they survive.)
Elsewhere, for about 10 minutes Chelsea and Liverpool may have put a scare into Manchester United for the title race.
Newcastle United came out gangbusters Wednesday at St. James, probably to the delight of Brad in the Pacific Northwest, courtesy of a rare blunder by Edwin Van Der Sar, cashed in by Peter Løvenkrands. (God bless Scandanavian characters.)
Didn't matter much, Wayne Rooney continued his ownage of the Magpies with a cool response a few minutes later and Dmitar Berbatov tapped in a Steven Harper fumble after the break and it's still as you were at the top of the table. Manchester United has a joint seven-point lead over Chelsea and Liverpool with a game in hand.
Does any current athlete or anyone in the world own another person/team/thing like Rooney Tunes does to Newcastle at the moment? And no, the Harlem Globetrotters over the Washington Generals doesn't count.
My quick answer -- Jack Bauer vs. redshirt terrorists on '24' -- "Dont' fight it!"
Nothing, obviously, will ever top this goal which is pure dynamite and never gets old in my book.
My other shock during this week, after Didier Drogba curled his winning-goal for Chelsea in the muck-and-mire of Fratton Park, the announcers nearly jizzed over each other that it was only his second Premier League goal of the season.
Gwah?!
Not possible. If you told me in March the Ivorian Assasin would only have two tallies to his name, I'd have said you were crazy. What's next, you're going to tell me Brett Michaels has had not one, not two, but three shitty reality shows to his name.
However, to quote both Yogi Berra and Mike Francesa, "You can look it up."
A couple other thoughts...
* Weird quirk, after 28/27 games Tottenham, West Ham and Wigan are all at zero goal difference.
* Tottenham, which plays Sunderland in the lone PL game this weekend, probably, finally has it's act together, though I've said that before.
* Holy snikies, Hull City got a win -- it's first since the Bush Adminstration -- and did it at Craven Cottage no less on a 90th miunte goal from Manucho. That's only the second league loss for Fulham at home, the other coming Sept. 27 to West Ham. I still think Hull is in some trouble, but could catch a huge break with its final game at home to Manchester United which by then should have the title wrapped up and might line up Sir Alex Ferguson's grand kids at center back.
* Sunderland, Stoke City, Newcastle United, Portsmouth, Middlesbrough, Blackburn Rovers -- take your pick. Two are dead to us.
* Maybe they ought to create another league in England -- the 'Semi-Premier League' or better yet, the 'Purgatory League' where teams of the above ilk and other tweeners can play and actually have a shot of winning a title. (Speaking of purgatory, 'In Bruges' is in the HBO rotation now and if you haven't seen it, give it a look. Yeah, it does have Colin Ferrell in it, but it's actually a good flick.)
* I'm using a temporary laptop and I can't install programs. I forgot how much I hate Internet Explorer and love Firefox...assuming one can love a computer program not named Cameron from 'Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles.'
* Last but not least, I hope a savvy street merchant around Merseyside is hawking shirts reading, "I saw David Ngog score." A sure-fire collector's item.
Labels: musings, Premier League, Soccer
Today we come here to write the obituary and offically declare Liverpool's title chances dead.
We'd have added Arsenal's Champions League aspirations, too, save for a surreal Stoke City 92nd minute comeback at Villa Park.
What's more to say about Liverpool, which days after getting a 1-0 result at the Bernabeau against Real Madrid, hand Middlesbrough it's first league win since November. Only Liverpool, right?
Naturally, the European results will mask the stench emitting from the last few months in the league which will likely keep Rafa Benitez employed at Anfield, assuming he decides to sign a new contract. How such an smart guy (that's what the glasses tell me, at least) could leave a team behilden by the health of two players -- Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard -- is beyond me ... or anyone else.
Liverpool laid an abosolute stinkbomb at the Riverside Saturday -- think along the lines of last summer's anti-classic, "Meet Dave."
I'll keep this short, because looking into the crystal ball it's too easy to predict what ends up happening with Liverpool.
The Reds will have a decent run in the Champions League, which buys Benetiz another lifeline. We'll hear all summer about players he'll target and eventually bring in 4-5 guys, which won't make a difference and the league title drought will continue into its third decade.
Rise, lather repeat.
Temporary, reprieve -- Arsenal gets to wriggle on the hook a little longer. It would be a shame if somehow Aston Villa chokes it up down the stretch and allows the Gunners a lifeline into the Champions League, because it would be a sad indictment about the Premier League if the toothless side from North London is its fouth best team.
Yet again Arsenal, which is now just six points behind Villa for fourth instead of eight thanks to Glenn Whelan, tallied a listless 0-0 draw, this time against Fulham.
Instead of crucifying Arsenal's ineptitude, I'll instead praise Fulham, which damned if I'll say it, is a very competent team. The Gunners were booed off the Emirates as Fulham calmly passed the ball around with ease in the dying minutes of the game. The scariest thought for Arsenal, this was Danny Murphy pulling the strings, who'd hardly be considered by Wenger in the same breath as his beloved Whiz Kids.
Hell, even Clint Dempsey looked downright frisky tracking back-and-fourth for Fulham. (Hey, I'm looking for a silver lining, Trinidad & Tobago has more PL players than America these days.)
Above all, Fulham might prove that a strict 4-4-2 set up isn't completely dead.
As for Arsenal, I say this each week, what's the point? Will the light bulb finally go off at the same time above all the young players? Will all of sudden the Arsenal youth be good enough to leapfrog Mancehster United and Chelsea for the title?
Again, as I've said before, swallow your pride Arsene, and crack open your change purse this summer and bring in someone like Sammy Eto'o. I'm sure you can teach him French if he doesn't already speak it.
Around the league -- Ssshhhh, Everton is now only two points behind Arsenal for fifth. ... I hate writing this, but after Saturday Frank Lampard's 2-1 winner against Wigan, he's wrestled the 'King of Extra Time Winners' title away from England rival Gerrard. ... Was Sunday's set of games the most unappealing we've seen in a long time?
Relegation-o-rama -- We're gettig a bit clearer at the bottom, too. West Brom is all but done -- let's say 90 percent dead. Middlesbrough and Blackburn each picked up three massive points. Stoke pulled off a miracle in the final 10 minutes against Villa, and may have kicked started its survival.
At this point, it's looking more and more like we might get the three promoted clubs dropping down after one season -- West Brom, Stoke City and Hull City, which after losing to Blackburn still hasn't won a league game since Dec. 6. At the moment the Tigers are hanging on above the drop by three points, sort of like a band with a great debut album, which slowly slides back down fame mountain.
Again, the greatest piece of karmatic justice would be for Manchester City to get cut lose.
A word on the Carling Cup -- Welcome back Ben Foster, where have you been? Eh, a 0-0 draw over 120 minutes decied by penalty kicks. I watched most of the game and a couple hours later as I write this find myself having a difficult time remembering what happened.
It was a decent enough game, a couple hit posts were the top action.
In the end, perhaps Harry Redknapp should have realized the game was in penalty kicks so selecting Englishmen Jamie O'Hara and David Bentley wasn't exactly the best strategy.
It would be easy to pin on White Hart whipping boy Gomes, but not stopping a penalty is nothing to be ashamed of, really.
Spurs don't defend their Cup, whislt Manchester United are on track for five trophies, if you want to count the FIFA Club World Cup in December 2008.
Fantasy team o' the week -- Kent Darcy's La Academia takes a good lead in first thanks to a 10 point week inspired by Tim Cahill, Frank Lampard and Leighton Baines.
Midweek Prem pick/guesses
It's the return of the crazy calendar, with games strung across all over the place.
Tuesday
* Portsmouth v. Chelsea -- (Live, FSC, 2:45 p.m.)Well, Chelsea can cut the gap on Manchester United to four points for less than 24 hours, which is something. ... Portsmouth 0, Chelsea 1
* West Brom v. Arsenal -- Arsene Wenger may finally get his wish. The Baggies can't afford to play for a one-point draw, so maybe they'll come out and play, allowing the Arsenal underachievers a chance to play. That also mights the mis-firing Gunners have to figure out a way to slip one past the goalie. ... West Brom 1, Arsenal 2
* Liverpool v. Sunderland -- (Live, Setanta, 3 p.m.) If I were a Liverpool supporter, I'd consider boycotting this match, or least rushing onto the pitch and ripping up my tickets in Rafa Benitez's face. Sunderland, meh, looks like it'll live to fight another day. ... Liverpool 1, Sunderland 0
Wednesday
* Stoke City v. Bolton -- Bluntly, Stoke needs to take three points here for any hope of sticking around, though their current squad, especially with James Beattie, will probably look right at home in the Championship. ... Stoke 1, Bolton 1
* Wigan Athletic v. West Ham -- Winner here takes a huge inside track on the UEFA/Europa Cup spot...assuming English team even wants to play in that competition anymore. ... Wigan 2, West Ham 1
* Manchester City v. Aston Villa -- (Live, FSC, 2:45 p.m.) A contrast in foreign ownership here. City's Arab consortium want splashy headlines, champagne football and a superstar at every spot on the pitch. Meanwhile, Villa have grown from also-rans to Champions League-elect status gradually with smart, savvy purchases. ... City 1, Villa 1
* Newcastle United v. Manchester United -- (Live, Setanta, 3 p.m.) Take heed Newcastle, this match can prove whether the Magpies or Fulham is Manchester United ultimate bitch. ... Newcaslte 0, Manchester United 2
* Fulham v. Hull City -- Fulham repays Hull for it's opening day win (and to a lesser extent for buying a damaged Jimmy Bullard.) ... Fulham 1, Hull 0
* Tottenham v. Middlesbrough -- If I were actually betting money, this would be a total no-fly zone. ... Tottenham 1, Middlesbrough 0
* Blackburn v. Everton -- Everton is on fire, but Sam Allardyce better have three points circled on the board for this one. ... Blackburn 2, Everton 1
Last round: 4-4
Season: 121-142
We'd have added Arsenal's Champions League aspirations, too, save for a surreal Stoke City 92nd minute comeback at Villa Park.
What's more to say about Liverpool, which days after getting a 1-0 result at the Bernabeau against Real Madrid, hand Middlesbrough it's first league win since November. Only Liverpool, right?
Naturally, the European results will mask the stench emitting from the last few months in the league which will likely keep Rafa Benitez employed at Anfield, assuming he decides to sign a new contract. How such an smart guy (that's what the glasses tell me, at least) could leave a team behilden by the health of two players -- Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard -- is beyond me ... or anyone else.
Liverpool laid an abosolute stinkbomb at the Riverside Saturday -- think along the lines of last summer's anti-classic, "Meet Dave."
I'll keep this short, because looking into the crystal ball it's too easy to predict what ends up happening with Liverpool.
The Reds will have a decent run in the Champions League, which buys Benetiz another lifeline. We'll hear all summer about players he'll target and eventually bring in 4-5 guys, which won't make a difference and the league title drought will continue into its third decade.
Rise, lather repeat.
Temporary, reprieve -- Arsenal gets to wriggle on the hook a little longer. It would be a shame if somehow Aston Villa chokes it up down the stretch and allows the Gunners a lifeline into the Champions League, because it would be a sad indictment about the Premier League if the toothless side from North London is its fouth best team.
Yet again Arsenal, which is now just six points behind Villa for fourth instead of eight thanks to Glenn Whelan, tallied a listless 0-0 draw, this time against Fulham.
Instead of crucifying Arsenal's ineptitude, I'll instead praise Fulham, which damned if I'll say it, is a very competent team. The Gunners were booed off the Emirates as Fulham calmly passed the ball around with ease in the dying minutes of the game. The scariest thought for Arsenal, this was Danny Murphy pulling the strings, who'd hardly be considered by Wenger in the same breath as his beloved Whiz Kids.
Hell, even Clint Dempsey looked downright frisky tracking back-and-fourth for Fulham. (Hey, I'm looking for a silver lining, Trinidad & Tobago has more PL players than America these days.)
Above all, Fulham might prove that a strict 4-4-2 set up isn't completely dead.
As for Arsenal, I say this each week, what's the point? Will the light bulb finally go off at the same time above all the young players? Will all of sudden the Arsenal youth be good enough to leapfrog Mancehster United and Chelsea for the title?
Again, as I've said before, swallow your pride Arsene, and crack open your change purse this summer and bring in someone like Sammy Eto'o. I'm sure you can teach him French if he doesn't already speak it.
Around the league -- Ssshhhh, Everton is now only two points behind Arsenal for fifth. ... I hate writing this, but after Saturday Frank Lampard's 2-1 winner against Wigan, he's wrestled the 'King of Extra Time Winners' title away from England rival Gerrard. ... Was Sunday's set of games the most unappealing we've seen in a long time?
Relegation-o-rama -- We're gettig a bit clearer at the bottom, too. West Brom is all but done -- let's say 90 percent dead. Middlesbrough and Blackburn each picked up three massive points. Stoke pulled off a miracle in the final 10 minutes against Villa, and may have kicked started its survival.
At this point, it's looking more and more like we might get the three promoted clubs dropping down after one season -- West Brom, Stoke City and Hull City, which after losing to Blackburn still hasn't won a league game since Dec. 6. At the moment the Tigers are hanging on above the drop by three points, sort of like a band with a great debut album, which slowly slides back down fame mountain.
Again, the greatest piece of karmatic justice would be for Manchester City to get cut lose.
A word on the Carling Cup -- Welcome back Ben Foster, where have you been? Eh, a 0-0 draw over 120 minutes decied by penalty kicks. I watched most of the game and a couple hours later as I write this find myself having a difficult time remembering what happened.
It was a decent enough game, a couple hit posts were the top action.
In the end, perhaps Harry Redknapp should have realized the game was in penalty kicks so selecting Englishmen Jamie O'Hara and David Bentley wasn't exactly the best strategy.
It would be easy to pin on White Hart whipping boy Gomes, but not stopping a penalty is nothing to be ashamed of, really.
Spurs don't defend their Cup, whislt Manchester United are on track for five trophies, if you want to count the FIFA Club World Cup in December 2008.
Fantasy team o' the week -- Kent Darcy's La Academia takes a good lead in first thanks to a 10 point week inspired by Tim Cahill, Frank Lampard and Leighton Baines.
Midweek Prem pick/guesses
It's the return of the crazy calendar, with games strung across all over the place.
Tuesday
* Portsmouth v. Chelsea -- (Live, FSC, 2:45 p.m.)Well, Chelsea can cut the gap on Manchester United to four points for less than 24 hours, which is something. ... Portsmouth 0, Chelsea 1
* West Brom v. Arsenal -- Arsene Wenger may finally get his wish. The Baggies can't afford to play for a one-point draw, so maybe they'll come out and play, allowing the Arsenal underachievers a chance to play. That also mights the mis-firing Gunners have to figure out a way to slip one past the goalie. ... West Brom 1, Arsenal 2
* Liverpool v. Sunderland -- (Live, Setanta, 3 p.m.) If I were a Liverpool supporter, I'd consider boycotting this match, or least rushing onto the pitch and ripping up my tickets in Rafa Benitez's face. Sunderland, meh, looks like it'll live to fight another day. ... Liverpool 1, Sunderland 0
Wednesday
* Stoke City v. Bolton -- Bluntly, Stoke needs to take three points here for any hope of sticking around, though their current squad, especially with James Beattie, will probably look right at home in the Championship. ... Stoke 1, Bolton 1
* Wigan Athletic v. West Ham -- Winner here takes a huge inside track on the UEFA/Europa Cup spot...assuming English team even wants to play in that competition anymore. ... Wigan 2, West Ham 1
* Manchester City v. Aston Villa -- (Live, FSC, 2:45 p.m.) A contrast in foreign ownership here. City's Arab consortium want splashy headlines, champagne football and a superstar at every spot on the pitch. Meanwhile, Villa have grown from also-rans to Champions League-elect status gradually with smart, savvy purchases. ... City 1, Villa 1
* Newcastle United v. Manchester United -- (Live, Setanta, 3 p.m.) Take heed Newcastle, this match can prove whether the Magpies or Fulham is Manchester United ultimate bitch. ... Newcaslte 0, Manchester United 2
* Fulham v. Hull City -- Fulham repays Hull for it's opening day win (and to a lesser extent for buying a damaged Jimmy Bullard.) ... Fulham 1, Hull 0
* Tottenham v. Middlesbrough -- If I were actually betting money, this would be a total no-fly zone. ... Tottenham 1, Middlesbrough 0
* Blackburn v. Everton -- Everton is on fire, but Sam Allardyce better have three points circled on the board for this one. ... Blackburn 2, Everton 1
Last round: 4-4
Season: 121-142
Labels: Monday recaps, Premier League, Soccer
