Voldemourinho Suffers Irony Poisoning: Arsenal 1 - Chelsea 0

photo by jonathan mcintosh	via PhotoRee

Scott kicks off the season with excessive use of ironic metaphors:

 

"Arsenal defended with 10 players, they put everybody in front of their own line and they had good organization - congratulations to them."  Cough, cough. 

"They had a couple of chances in counterattacks, but we had ours in organized football." 


Jose Mourinho, nay Voldemourinho, that provocateur of the Dark Arts, went on to slightly dig himself out of the ironic hole that threatened to implausibly smother his preternatural ego.  But scoff as he may at the meaninglessness of the Community Shield, even as he flicked his loser's medal to a surprised fan, have no doubt that the Dark Lord will now redouble his manufacture of belittling comments as he is haunted by his hypocrisy and scalded by hot irony.  Or perhaps he will simply seethe in egomaniacal solitude along the River Thames stirring a cauldron of eyes such as: "I don't want the medal.  I don't keep the ones when I win, imagine the ones when I lose."

 

Goodbye Ya Ya

Parting thoughts on the BPL season from Correspondent Ed:

o I can't help but be sad for Liverpool....  I was very sad for Gerrard and their draw  at Palace actually makes it easier. What a shocking and colossal mess they made of the last few games: the title was in their hands only to slip through.....  And who really wants to see City win the league?  Yuck.  Their's a team that it's just tough to like -- they still have that mercenary feel to them.  Maybe in a  few years....

That said, Ya Ya Toure, in addition to being a perennial member of the all-name team, is truly a great player and arguably the best in the League.  He looks most of the time like he's jogging awkwardly or painfully, but rarely loses the ball in possession or on a pass, has incredible speed (as demonstrated against Aston Villa) and terrific vision.  He is very much deserving of a championship and probably more attention in a soccer world that seems to focus only on strikers.

o I remain shocked at the sad sack finish of Manchester United.  I would never have bet them to finish behind Spurs -- and Spurs came in 6th!  Even Ryan Giggs couldn't inspire them to win out.  Is it possible that this was just a team that has hit the tipping point?  Whose players just aren't what they used to be?  How did Valencia, Nani, Evra, Vidic, Ferdinand, etc. etc., go from top tier world beaters to utter mediocrity?  It's difficult to say, and it will be interesting to see what happens to them next year.  At least they don't have that useless Europa League to deal with.

As for Spurs, well, this season was a tremendous disappointment.  In times such as these I like to recall Harry Redknapp, the Manager that was merely a "wheeler dealer" and was tactically insufficient.  So insufficient that he was able to get Spurs into 4th place in three of his four years.  Yep, he was no AVB....

At this point Spurs best hope would be for someone to come in to square away the squad.  Duplications and busts abound; it's time to clean house and put a squad together that makes sense.  And maybe dump Soldado.

o Chelsea was not a disappointment, and the Special One proved his specialness with the best run of all the BPL teams in the Champions League, as well as a terrific finish in the BPL.  This was a team that never had a striker, and whose best players -- Cole and Lampard -- are past their prime.  Mourinho didn't do anything extra special, he just didn't make mistakes and had a team of disciplined players.  Perhaps that simple formula says it all.

So goodbye for a summer BPL.  We will miss you.  At least when the World Cup isn't on......

This is farlieonfootie for May 10. 

Quick Hits from the Barclay's Premier League

photo by Claudio Gennari ..."Cogli l'attimo ferma il tempo"	via PhotoRee

From Correspondent Ed:

• Bam!  Pow!  Smack!  I think Chelsea just hit the crossbar three more times.  Impressive display from the Blues, whether you like them or hate them.  They took on Manchester City and at times made City's back four look like a tired recreational team.

 

• Jose Mourinho is the worst thing that could ever happen to David Moyes.  Each took over an ageing team, but the Special One has Chelsea revived and looking like contenders while Moyes has United looking the equivalent of Stoke.  Is it tactics?  Is it motivation?  Is it personnel?  I recall Moyes opting for Felaini over players like Willian, and recently paying top dollar for Chelsea castaways.  United believes that patience is required for new managers; however, this run will certainly put the Board and Sir Alex to the test.  Especially if Moyes starts losing the players, which may already be the case.

 

• Roberto Martinez may be the second worst thing that could happen to David Moyes.  He also took an ageing team, arguably lost his best player to Moyes (another castaway?) in Fellaini and had his other top player on the bench most of the year (Baines), but Everton seems firmly in 5th place and looks a much better squad than United.  So who exactly won when United took Moyes from Everton and Everton had to move onto Martinez?

 

• Spurs looked positively okay against that annoying pre-2013 Spurs team known as Hull City.  The beef in the middle of Hull makes them tough to score against with Huddleston and Livermore.  New signing Long at the top gives them some speed that burned Spurs.  Still, Spurs dominated possession but just couldn't get that second goal.  Unlucky?  Maybe, but Roberto Soldado also seems to blame as he seems to get worse from week to week rather than better.  Clearly the pressure he is putting on himself is doing damage.  But do the Spurs have the time or the patience to wait for him to come good.

 

• Still surprised that the Spurs are so willing to dump Holtby.  I get Capoue -- the position is overstocked.  I would also get Chadli, as I'm not sure what he adds.  But Holtby seemed to be coming on as the season went on even if Erikson was his equal.  $100MM pounds and what do Spurs have to show for it?  Paulinho is pretty much the only player that seemed worth the price at this point.

Grabbing Our Attention: Week 4 in the BPL

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We drank some beer, watched some football, saw some highlights and even managed to sneak in some NFL this weekend.  In other words, it was just another weekend at the corporate office.  Without further ado, our thoughts on a relatively hum drum week in the BPL:

o Watching Chelsea play Everton made us realize Jose Mourinho thinks it's still 2006 in the Premier League. Frank Lampard and John Terry are not everyday starters anymore. David Moyes was under a similar impression at United, but someone finally mentioned to the new skipper that Ryan Giggs is nearly 40 years old these days....

o Laurent Koscielny is one of the most rash defenders in the BPL. Always one hare-brained decision away from either a red card or a penalty, the only other defender who rivals the Frenchman is Chelsea's own Sideshow Bob.

o Referee Martin Atkinson's poor decision making was illustrated brilliantly when he denied an advantage to Sunderland's Jozy Altidore on a play on which the American scored -- to helpfully pull the ball back for a free kick, which was promptly wasted by the home side. If ever there was a referee who needed to be relegated, it's Atkinson. The guy is a walking disaster.

o Alvaro Negredo is quickly learning the ins and outs of Premier League football. In his first start, the Spaniard was straightened right out by Referee Mark Clattenburg, who helpfully explained that while artfully pretending to be on the receiving end of head and facial injuries may be greeted with a wink wink, nod nod in Spain, playacting is generally frowned upon England.  With the notable exception of Ashley Young, of course....

o Is it just us, or does Manuel Pellegrini always look as if he's just walked out of a horror movie? Truth be told, that's likely how'd we feel, as well, after watching Manchester City play  these past couple of weeks. The kindest thing we can think to say of the new City head honcho is that his starting XI choices strike us as slightly naive.

Wake Us When it's Over: Player Ratings -- Manchester United 0 - Chelsea 0

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Chelsea left Old Trafford likely the happier of the two sides yesterday, after parking the bus for 90 minutes and showing little ambition going forward.  Still, a point is  a point, and these kind of results are the ones Mourinho-led teams grind out during the season.  Herewith, our player ratings for a match that failed to live up to its considerable hype:

 

De Gea: Handled his work comfortably, never under pressure 8.0

Jones: Opened up space offensively but passing accuracy was poor 7.0

Ferdinand: Quiet day, didn't have to sweat 8.0

Vidic: Comfortable day at the office 8.0

Evra: Surged forward often, but without end product 7.0

Valencia: Looked more like the Tony V of old, but still needs to take on opponents in the box 7.5

Carrick: Moved ball around efficiently 8.0

Cleverley: Combined well with Carrick, showed good hustle and drive 7.5

farlieonfootie's 3rd Annual Barclay's Premier League Season Preview

Ed is Taking farlieonfootie's Picks Right to the Nearest Bookie
photo by wetwebwork	via PhotoRee

It's just about that time again, and since neither Correspondent Ed nor Correspondent Scott have been willing to stick out their respective necks, it once again falls upon your Editor-in-Chief to take one for the team.  Never afraid to make a prediction, and sometimes even making uncannily accurate ones, it's time for the third annual farlieonfootie pre-season picks for the 2013 - 2014 edition of the Barclay's Premier League.

We'll note, of course, that these prognostications are subject to revision if any of the much-ballyhooed late transfer moves come through -- moves involving Bale, Ronaldo, Rooney or the like certainly have the ability to shake things up, including even our vaunted predictions.  Unlike last season, when the transfer of the year was made relatively early (hint: Remember that one, Arsenal and City fans?), this year's top move could still be yet to happen:

 

2013/2014 Premier League Winners: This is a tough one for us to admit, but we believe Chelsea may have the talent on board to win the Premiership this season.  And by talent, we're not talking about the players on the pitch -- sure, they're important -- but more so the talent in the manager's office.  Combining Mourinho -- surely with something to prove, not only to the Chelsea fans who love him so dearly, but also to the Manchester United Board of Directors that gave him not even the merest hint of affection -- with names like Mata, Hazard and Oscar means that Chelsea's offensive creativity will now be married to the Portuguese bossman's steely pragmatism.  And where defense has been a relative weakness these past few seasons, we don't believe Mou will put up with mediocrity for long.  The major question at Les Bleus revolves around who will lead the line -- and if Rooney is out, then we fear that Jose will figure out how to unleash the beast that is Romelu Lukaku. 

 

2013/2014 Runner's Up: Manchester United.   We note that most of the so-called football pundits have picked United to finish third, behind both Chelsea and City, but we're not buying it.  If we were truly bold, instead of slightly nervous and only kinda-sorta bold, we'd be picking the Red Devils to win the league once again. Let's rememeber: this is a team that cantered to the League title last season -- a season in which they still lacked the much-discussed truly world-class midfield.  Unfortunately, though, the transition at the top has made us a bit less confident, and while we respect David Moyes, he's no Sir Alex Ferguson -- and that's not a slight.  Super Robin returns to lead the attack, and with Vidic, Rio and De Gea spending some considerable time together we think there will be more than enough goals to routinely outscore the competition.  The major questions at United would seem to be two-fold: What in the world will happen to Wayne Rooney, and will United actually bring in any summer transfer targets, or only flirt with them?  The lack of a clear answer to either of these questions heading into the season's opening weekend points only to one place: second.

 

2013/2014 Best of the Rest: Manchester City sure spent alot of money this off-season, didnt they? 

On Why We're Angry and Confused

photo by Arturo J. Paniagua	via PhotoRee

You think Wayne Rooney is angry and confused?  Here's a couple of things we've been dying to clear up, as well:

o David Luiz plus any amount of cash as a makeweight for Roo?  Please.  We'd rather see Luis Suarez walk through the tunnel at Old Trafford every week than be forced to cheer for Sideshow Bob.  If we're going to take a horse's ass, at least let's take one who knows how to play football.

o Did the Special One become so unhinged in Spain that he thought he could get one over on his rivals by publicly unsettling a player curently under contract?  Credit to David Moyes and the new press-friendly Manchester United PR department for leaking the inclusion of Juan Mata or Luiz in the proposed deal.  True or not, Moysie returned Chelsea's aggressive serve with a bullet aimed directly at Mou's ankles.

o Hmmm, let's see: Cristiano or Fellaini?  Thiago....or Fellaini....?  Fabregas.....OR Fellaini....?  ANYONE or Fellaini??!!  Why can't Moyes just admit he wants his former fro-laden hitman to follow him to Old Trafford?  Perhaps it's because he knows this now highly-likely move will be greeted with a massive sigh of resignation from the club's worldwide fanbase.

Transfer Talk

photo by Señor Codo	via PhotoRee

Somewhat surprisingly, Scott manages to work an allusion to Clay Aiken into an article on, among other things, Jose Mourinho:

I am humbled by Correspondent Ed's recent rash of prolificacy.  And since his blanketing coverage of the US international team renders my planned comments superfluous, I'll shift to European transfer news.

You have to admit - the offseason player transfer and coaching carousel drama is fun. The annual shuffling of the BPL deck of cards has us reading the headlines and rumor lines scouring for how the hands will ultimately be dealt. Sure, most of the cards stick together, but enough of them are flipped to another team to make the summer just about bearable. Yes, we have World Cup Qualifying to tide us over too (not to mention Ed's pertinent, persistent posts), but a few games over the whole summer doesn't sate this addiction.

Neymar to Barcelona - many have opined on this move with the majority having yearned for a BPL test instead of another Barca chess piece. I agree. I want to see everybody ply their trade in the BPL at some point. Even Messi.

Martinez to Everton - I'm happy that the Spaniard will get to continue to have his name bastardized by BPL commentators, even as his beloved Wigan will have to claw their way back again from the Championship (is that a stupid name for the second league or what?).   My affinity for all things Spanish (outside of a certain Catalan team, of course) is well documented but I also believe that Martinez will bring an attractive form of attacking soccer to the other Liverpool team.

You're So Special

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Ed is back -- twice in one week! -- to wax lyrically about the Special One, new (or is it old?) Chelsea bossman Jose Mourinho:

 

Ever since the pinching incident, I've been a little weary of the Special One and have mixed emotions regarding his return to the BPL.  Chelsea may very well benefit from him, and his certain reorganization of the team will be interesting to see.  Rumors are that Juan Mata and Fernando Torres will be sold to make room and money for new talents.  I get Torres, but Mata?  Well, hard to blame him for something he hasn't done yet.
 

Mourinho's return coincides with Sir Alex Ferguson's departure.  We can be certain that Mourinho was hopeful he would have a chance at the United job, and we can be equally certain that he's going to be very motivated to beat United in his return to Old Trafford with Chelsea.  David Moyes is no weakling, and he certainly knows how to put a team together.  That said, I expect the matchup to be a fun one, but I'd warn Jose not to try anything so ginger as a pinch with Moyes -- if I recall he was ready to deck Roberto Mancini for throwing a ball his way not that long ago.

 

 

And now we will also have the opportunity to see what Roberto Martinez can do at Everton.  The Toffees have a long proven track record of success; fighting for relegation is not something they were familiar with under Moyes.  It's been said that Martinez's defenses at Wigan have been poor -- the opposite of Moyes rigid defenses at Everton.  Will Martinez have success due to that defensive coaching residue?  Will he struggle trying to adapt the players to a new system?  Fans will not have much patience with him; it will be as tough a job as any he's had.

 

 

Manchester City also looks to be adding a new Italian coach.  I've always been a bit suspect of the Italian coaches, believing that they are caught in the defensive counter attack system that took shape years ago and is largely unentertaining to watch.  Something may have changed my mind, though, and that is Dortmund's uber-coach Jurgen Klopp stating how he learned from the Italian coaches just how talent can be outdone by good tactics.  Seeing his teams play is believing; perhaps the Italians have more to offer the modern game than I thought.

La Liga's Embarrassment of Riches

These Boots Will Soon Be Mandatory in Spanish Football
photo by Mzelle Biscotte	via PhotoRee

We don't know if you had the opportunity to watch yesterday's King's Cup Final, but we did.  And after witnessing that "spectacle," we have two thoughts: 1) it's fitting that the final was moved to Friday night due to a conflict with tonight's Eurovision Final: last night was a great warmup for anyone who enjoys seeing lots of gel, makeup and handbags on display; and 2) what a complete embarrassment that game was for Spanish football.

In some ways, the whole fiasco was a fitting farewell to Jose Mourinho's time at Real Madrid.  While holding seemingly endless promise at times, the end to Jose's reign was predictably chaotic -- fist fights, red cards, fake injuries and more.  The chickens are coming home to roost, and Jose is leaving Stage Left.  You reap what you sow, some might say.

But the game was also a stinging indictment of the modern Spanish game.  Full of artistry and world class players, Spanish football is slowly being killed by drama queens and sheer fakery.  The amount of facial "injuries" sustained by players who were not touched is at an all-time high.  The amount of rolls an "injured" player attempts to complete on the ground after being fouled -- all in an effort to con the referee -- is at its peak.   And the amount of time wasting -- stretchers being brought on to the pitch, only to see an "injured" player experience the type of miracle usually reserved for those at Lourdes -- is greater than in any other league in the world.  In short, modern Spanish football is an embarassment, and is now at the risk of turning itself into a parody of the true sport, a la the World Wresting Federation.

But farlieonfootie, you say: Spanish football is the best in the world: home of Xavi, Iniesta, Ronaldo, Falcao and more.  It contains Barcelona, until this year the paragon of the modern game.  It includes Real Madrid, Europe's most decorated team.  And its national team has won both the last World Cup and the most recent European Championship.  Yeah, we know all that.

This Will Only Take a Moment...

photo by Steve Punter	via PhotoRee

...'cause that's all we have time for, as well:

o There's a great article in this month's Vanity Fair Magazine on Shaun Hill of Hill Farmstead Brewery, the best little brewery you've likely never heard of.  Definitely worth a read, especially on how Shaun feels about his brewery's recent successes.

o Correspondent Ed is still in shock, wondering exactly how Manchester United's David De Gea was named PFA Goalkeeper of the year.  Prior to the announcement, Ed was fairly certain that Hugo Lloris had become the best young goaltender in England....

o Jose Mourinho calling his Real Madrid team "pure and naive?"  Which is exactly what he must believe the readers of this article in yesterday's Telegraph are....

o And for my friends in the Big Smoke, here's a little insight into London's craft beer scene.

This is farlieonfootie for April 30.

Fixed: Referee Madrid 2 - Manchester United 1

Manchester United were forced out of the Champions League by a shocking referee's decision on Tuesday night, as Nani's undeserved sending off changed the entire tenor and shape of what had been a tense and fiercely contested match.  Seeing a game-ending foul on a play that would likely not  have drawn even a yellow card in the Premier League, Turkish referee Cuneyt Cakir took the game into his own hands and almost singlehandedly gave the two legged tie to Madrid 3-2 on aggregate.  The sending off took much of the drama out of what to that point had been a white hot contest, with Real Madrid possessing more of the ball but United looking the far more dangerous attacking side.  Even Wayne Rooney's late game introduction, necessitated by the Englishman's surprising pre-game omission, was not enough to save the Reds on a night from which they deserved more based on the quality of their play. 

Although the two teams entered the locker rooms scoreless at the half, it was United's early second half goal that saw the home side rewarded for their valiant and disciplined defensive effort.  Although the pre-game talking points had been all about Madrid's counter-attacking abilities and questions surrounding United's midfield, it was the Red Devils who looked the more dangerous team on the break and Los Blancos who appeared the more labored of the sides in their midfield play.

The game changer was the referee.  Used to overseeing games in the Turkish League, referee Cakir was overwhelmed by the occasion and willfully altered the outcome in Madrid's favor. Although Nani's foot was raised, it was clearly in an attempt to bring down a wayward clearance effort -- and the winger showed no intent of harming unseen Madrid defender Alvaro Arbeloa, who -- to his credit -- did not roll around the pitch in the exaggerated manner favored by many of the visitors. 

Coming less than ten minutes after United had assumed control of the tie meant the home side were forced to play with ten men for over 30 minutes.  WIth Jose Mourinho at the helm, veteran Real watchers knew the Special One would make changes, and the first substitution he made altered the game within ten minutes.  The newly introduced Luka Modric curled an outstanding ball past the fingertips of an outstretched David De Gea to equalize the match in the 66th minute, before Cristiano Ronaldo tapped in a Gonzalo Higuain cross three minutes later to seal the contest and see Madrid through to the next round.

Even the visitors' bossman agreed his side had benefitted from the referee's shocker, claiming after the game that "the best team lost tonight." While the comment may have been aimed at currying favor with United's Board of Directors, it was a typical spot on assessment by Mou, who likely also sympathized with the cruel fate bestowed upon his friend and counterpart Ferguson.  Although United fought back valiantly, and threatened numerous times even when down to ten men, in the end the second road goal handed the home side an impossible task.

The match which ended so prematurely began rather slowly.  Several giveaways opened the match as both sides displayed nerves shredded by three weeks of anticipation. The first threat of the game came from the visitors, as Ryan Giggs conceded a free kick, but Cristiano Ronaldo's effort was snuffed out by a brave Tom Cleverley standing firm in the wall.

Fight Another Day: Manchester United 1 - Real Madrid 1

photo by Claudio Gennari ..."Cogli l'attimo ferma il tempo"	via PhotoRee

Without much exaggeration it was called the tie of the season, as Manchester United entered the lion's den Wednesday to face Real Madrid at the Santiago Beenabeu in an epic first leg clash of the Champions League knockout round. The pre game storylines were enough to make one's head whip around on a swivel: Cristiano Ronaldo's return, Jose Mourinho vs Sir Alex, Madrid vs Manchester and many more in the days and weeks leading up to the contest. But at 8:45pm on a Wednesday night in Madrid all the old stories were laid to rest and a new one waited to be written as the game kicked off.

It was all Madrid in the early going: the home side with the first threats of the night, but both Sammy Khedira and Angel Di Maria fired significantly wide of the mark. Fabio Coentrao was much closer to target as he banged it off the post and was unlucky not to open his account near the five minute mark -- surely creating early cause for concern on the visitors' bench. Also creating concern were the acres of space United left open on the pitch for the Madrillenos to run into -- all the better from which to menace David De Gea's goal.

Cristiano Ronaldo absolutely terrorized his ex-teammates in the early going, all fancy stop and go, move and shake, hit and run, reminding them who currently holds the title of the world's second best player. United were unable to keep the ball for more than a couple of passes, and were hard pressed to get the ball out of their own end, so dominant was the home side in the game's early going.

But against all odds it was United who struck first on the evening: Danny Welbeck with a shock glancing header, entirely against the run of play, and on only the Reds' second shot of the evening. Flicking free of Sergio Ramos as Wayne Rooney swung the ball in from the corner, Welbeck rose higher than anyone else and handed the visitors a much hoped for road goal near the game's 20 minute mark. If the goal was expected to shift the course of the contest, it didn't: although rattled, Los Blancos picked right back up where they left off and set out again on the attack.

And again it was Ronaldo at his menacing best, who looked the most real (and Real) threat. When his free kick slammed into none other than Robin Van Persie near the half hour make, it told all those fortunate enough to be at the Bernabeu all they needed to know about the visitors' defensive commitment for the evening. Committed or not, though, by the half hour mark the game was back on level terms: Ronaldo switching sides, and nodding his team back into the contest as he hung high over Patrice Evra for the equalizer.

Welbeck almost doubled his side's joy on 35 minutes, with only a timely intervention from Madrid 'keeper Diego Lopez stopping the Englishman's attempted toe poke from putting the visitors back into the lead. A free kick given away by Rafael on the edge of the box created yet another concern for the visitors' defense, and only a good non-call on a Phil Jones shoulder barge on Di Maria sustained the scoreline as Madrid swaggered forward near the interval.

No Walk in the Park: Manchester City 2 - Real Madrid 3

photo by bere	via PhotoRee

Tie askew, Jose Mourinho looked slightly disheveled as Real Madrid's first round Champions League matchup with Manchester City got underway last night at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. Sitting slumped in the shadows of his black leather sideline chair, his face partially obscured, the Only One looked as if his team's poor early season performance was weighing significantly on him. The Madrid Bossman's agitated state contrasted sharply with the suave visage of his opposite City number, Roberto Mancini. But while Mou may have appeared unsettled, it was the neatly coiffed Italian coach's defense which began the game looking completely unhinged, as the home side took the attack straight at the visitors from the opening whistle.

Cristiano Ronaldo made Vincent Kompany -- no less than the all-consensus best defender in the BPL last year -- look average at best in a one-on-one situation in the game's opening ten minutes, and only a fine save by City 'keeper Joe Hart kept the Spaniards from taking the early lead. When Ronaldo beat Maicon again a few short minutes later, flashbacks of Gareth Bale must have been running through the City fullback's mind even as Joe Hart bailed him out -- this time managing to deny Ronaldo's effort despite the misdirection afforded by Gonzalo Higuain's headed touch immediately in front of the City goal.

If the Spaniards were unable to take advantage of their early dominance, City found it difficult to maintain even the slightest scrap of possession in the game's first half. It was only through one of Ya Ya Toure's trademarked rampages through the middle of the pitch that City sent a brief reminder that there was more than one team intent on scoring for the evening.

Even the normally industrious Carlos Tevez was reduced to a mere spectator by City's conservative gameplan, a development Mancini sought to alleviate by switching to three at the back as the second half began. As the game clock hit an hour, though, the result was more of the same: City struggling to leave their own end, and Marcelo's missile just the latest development to tease the Madrilleno fans: almost, but not quite good enough.

It was when bodies began bouncing off Toure like cartoon bullets off Superman that the crowd finally sensed something special in the offing -- an event confirmed by recent sub Eden Dzeko's fine finish that handed City a stunning 1-nil smash and grab lead.

Shameful

photo by JD Hancock	via PhotoRee

Columnist Scott is up in arms, and this time rightfully so:

Shameful. That's the only way to describe Real Madrid’s performance against Barcelona in the first leg of a quarter-final pairing of these two Spanish giants in the Copa del Rey.  Such was my disgust with everything Madrid did after the first 15 minutes of play that after the game I literally changed out of the Real Madrid jersey that I had so proudly donned only two hours previously.

And it all started so well....  Although Barcelona had most of the initial possession, I was snug in my home office watching on ESPN3 with my Leffe Blond beer at my side (6.6% alcohol, “smooth and fruity, with a spicy aftertaste and a hint of bitter orange”), relishing the rat-a-tat-tat Spanish commentary and ready to watch what was clearly going to be another Copa del Rey victory over the vile Catalonian separatists. But it was not to be…

Losing at the Camp Nou is one thing, given that site’s boisterous energy, still tinged with the history of being the only place anti-Franco Catalans could voice their opposition to that oppressive regime. But it has been over 35 years since Juan Carlos stepped aside in the wake of El Generalisimo’s death and oversaw a transition to a parliamentary monarchy, so you would think that Los Blancos could at least defend La Casa Blanca known as Estadio Santiago Bernabeu!  No.  Instead they hung up their cleats after going up 1-0 and only donned them again to stamp on poor Lionel Messi’s hand.  Shameful.

A Shakesperian Drama in Five Parts, as Played on a Catalonian Stage

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farlie on footie special European correspondent Todd returns to our pages by popular demand, reporting tonight from Barcelona’s London Bar, where he's still actively looking for Hemingway’s ghost:

When farlieonfootie asked me to cover this year's Superclásico, it was with some trepidation that I approached the subject, for it was no simple task.  The 161st league meeting of Real Madrid and Barcelona would weave storylines complex enough to make even a spider dizzy, and had all the makings of a Shakespearean drama, including:

·         Catalonian rebels vs. the Crown

·         Pep the local hero vs. the Special One imported from abroad

·         Messi vs. Ronaldo – the last two winners of the Ballon d’Or

·         Barça vs. the coach that swiped their Champions League Cup

·         Played on the 111^1th anniversary of the founding of L’equip blaugrana

The rain falling on Camp Nou served as an omen that tears would be shed after this Superclásico match-up.  The stage was set and the players included most of the World Cup champion side, though predominantly wearing the blaugrana kit.   These are casts that coaches dream of.

Rather than recant the plays that comprised the game, as many other bloggers will, I instead offer some insights to ponder.  Before proceeding, though, a few caveats.  First, I confess that I am an avid Barça supporter so please, dear reader, consider the perspective from which I savored the match.  Second, I am a modestly informed spectator of European football despite my inescapable American roots.  And third, I am a midfielder by blood, heart, and mind.  OK?  Then, let’s begin.

Going, Going.... Gone?

photo by rafaelmarquez	via PhotoRee

I Wonder if  They'll Broadcast it in HD.  The raging battle for control of Liverpool FC moves to Britain's High Court today, as the Royal Bank of Scotland tries to stop current [Ed. Note: now apparently former] owners Hicks and Gillette from removing several of the club's directors who voted for the sale to New England Sports Ventures and replace them with directors more favorable to their point of view.  All chips are in, and it's up to the Court to decide the venerable EPL club's fate.  Prospective NESV head honcho, John Henry, has taken the battle to social media, tweeting today for the first time in over a year, and telling Liverpool supporters that they're "all rooting for the same thing."

Late Word (or is it early word, since we're in the US) out of England has it that Hicks doesn't even own his shares anymore.  Who owns them?  Mill Financial, of course.  Talk about dirty laundry being aired in public.  I knew a "loan-to-own" hedge fund would get involved in this fiasco before too long....  And Mill Financial seems to be offering a bid of its own for Liverpool.  Stay tuned.

Buddy Movie.  Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho is in the news again, this time for saying he prefers his time managing in England to all the other countries in which he has been in charge.  In brief but insightful comments, Mourinho also stated that his best friend among all the world's football coaches is none other than Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson.  I smell a sequel: "Return to Old Trafford: This Time He's in Charge!"

Some Refreshing Honesty For a Change.  Admitting that his focus hasn't been there for the season's first seven league games, United winger Park Ji Sung has pledged to improve going forward.  It's a good thing Park is from South Korea, and not its neighbor to the North, as an admission of this kind up there would have led to seven years hard labor under the Dear Leader's football program.  Unfortunately, Park's rebound in form will have to wait a few more days, as late word out of the Korean camp has Park being scratched for today's friendly against Japan [Ed. Note: can Korea and Japan actually play a "friendly"?  I thought those guys hated each other.]

Great Goal.  Don't miss this video of Scotland Under-21 star Chris Maguire scoring directly from a kick off.  Goalies, you have been warned!

So French.  New Le Bleus bossman Laurent Blanc has concluded that a psychological profiler was best equipped to help him decide who his next captain should be  Armed with a 50 question test that was administered to all players, the profiler is tasked with helping Blanc assess his best leader.  I wonder who Clarice Starling will pick....

I'm outta here.  And that's farlieonfootie for October 12.