A Footballing Feast

photo by Jasen Miller	via PhotoRee

o I watched the second leg of the Carling Cup on Wednesday night, and it was almost impossible to determine a team for which I should root: I hated them both.

o It's ironic that Vincent Kompany was sent off against Manchester United, but the team to benefit most from the defender's four-game ban was Liverpool, which faced City twice during his suspension.  City sorely missed Kompany again on Wednesday, as their defense without the Belgian looked a complete shambles.

o And speaking of players who got banned for their actions against Manchester United, Luis Suarez looked slightly like a drunk homeless person with his disheveled tie and shirt as he sat watching the League Cup semi-final from the sideline.

o How many times has Joe Hart bailed out his crappy defenders this year?  It's like having an extra line of defense back there: beat your man and you still need to get the ball by the City 'keeper, which is no easy task.   Despite conceding twice, Hart also made four or five world class saves on Wednesday to keep the scoreline from being worse.  I hate to say it, but he may just be the best in the world at his position right now: Joe must have finally given up the late night tequila parties and gotten serious about his profession....

o The Andy Carroll situation has gone from pathetic to embarrassing. The guy can't even get on the pitch for a team that has no actual striker in the absence of Luis Suarez. Actually, he was introduced into the action on Wednesday, for the four minutes of stoppage time. Again, embarrassing....

o Craig Bellamy, who scored the semi-final winning goal for Liverpool, has no neck. Zero. He's just a head sitting on top of a torso, as if it fell from the sky and just landed there.

o I tried to watch the second leg of the King's Cup quarterfinal in Spain on Wednesday night, but they were showing action from a while ago instead.  The game I saw had had this guy named Kaka playing for Real, but I think he retired about four or five years ago....

o Cristiano Ronaldo's explosive reaction to Barca's opening goal on Wednesday said a lot about the Portuguese winger's frame of mind.  I'm not sure how much fun he's having in Madrid right now....

o Nor are any of his teammates, who looked thoroughly humiliated and beaten as they walked to the locker room at the half. While Real tried to determine new and unusual ways to foul the players wearing the Blaugrana kits, Barcelona just sat back and waited for their opportunities to score.  Which they took.

o But you've got to hand it to Jose Mourinho for the way his team played in the second half. Dragging themselves back into the game through sheer grit and determination, they caused Barcelona to panic over the game's final half hour, before the game dissolved in a fit of slap and tickle at the end.

o Don't look now (not that anyone was, as the game was shown only on the internet and a Spanish speaking channel), but the USMNT has won three games in a row under Jurgen Klinsman (Who knew that the US Men's Team played this past Saturday night, too?  Not me). I have no idea who the guys were that Klinsi stuck on the pitch, as I hadn't even heard of most of them, but I guess they were good enough to beat Panama. With the Nats down to 10 men for most of the second half....  1-nil... I know: not a blowout, and not the stiffest competition, but still, a win's a win. You show 'em, Jurgen!

This is farlieonfootie for January 27.