On the Future of US Football....errr, Soccer

Correspomdents Ed and Scott weigh in on the fortunes of the USMNT after last night's crucial victory over regional "powerhouse" Guatemala :-/

Ed:  I watched the game last evening.  I liked our lineup better, though I still don’t understand a few things.  First of all, Guatemala is terrible; how we lost to them last week is beyond belief.  I would think a good U.S. college team could beat them.  Second, at least last night Jurgen Klinsman had people at their appropriate positions – except for Bradley, whom he insists on playing in a number 10 though Bradley can’t help himself and often fell back into the number 6 position in spite of Beckerman being there.  I still think we are a better team with Bradley at 6, Nagbe  at 8 and Nguyen (or your boy Benny Feilhaber, Scott, but for whatever reason he’s an enemy of the state) at 10, and Beckerman on the bench unless and until we need him.  I was glad to see Zusi again, though I’m not sure of Castillo – he’s like a taller, younger imitation brand of Beasley.

 

My conclusions were:  we still aren’t very good at the simple tasks of passing and receiving.  I don’t watch much US National Team but clearly these guys aren’t at BPL level as they miss a lot of passes and have some poor first touches.  While we dominated the game and score line, there were no style points for us like there are when an overmatched team in the BPL plays a lower level team, e.g., Spurs playing Sunderland.  Sunderland will have their shots but Spurs will dominate possession and the game and there will usually be chance after chance. 

Dempsey played well but he’s definitely not going to be there next world cup as the 30 thing is upon him.

Bobby Wood is okay.  Like Castillo, I find it surprising that we don’t have any better USA players at those positions considering the talent we sometimes see just in South Florida.

 

Whatever.  They won.  They were better.  Onward.

 

I should note that US Youth Soccer has dramatically increased the number of US Soccer Academies.  I don’t know if this is a Klinsman thing, but suspect it is.  In Germany he is credited in small part to the cleaning up of their malfunctioning and fractured system.  German soccer put a ton of money into training coaches to get a high number of highly qualified coaches throughout, and JK forced money into facilities for the same purpose. I  believe to be an academy you need both a highly licensed coach and a certain quantity of facilities.  I imagine this will be good for USA youth soccer in general and the development of better players than we currently have on our USA national team.  If JK’s legacy is this, then he may have earned his money as it’s probably the most important thing for USA to get better at the international game (that said, I don’t know much about all the new academies springing up).  The current players are better than he’s made them look, but they still just aren’t that good compared to their top European counterparts. 

Scott:  I agree with pretty much everything Ed said except we dominated the game so much (granted, I only watched the first half and then skimmed the second) that I’m not sure what more could have been expected.  Maybe another 2 goals but 4 is plenty.  I think we lacked style points because we simply lack the requisite number of players with deft touch.  So maybe I am agreeing with Ed on everything.  I certainly saw a lot of errant first touches – it was like watching a “highlight” reel of Fort Lauderdale over 45s.

 

Interesting point he made about more academies here and that perhaps that was Jurgen’s influence in Germany.  Maybe he’s really more a director of football than a coach.

Voldemourinho Suffers Irony Poisoning: Arsenal 1 - Chelsea 0

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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."

 

Exposed: AC Milan 4 - Arsenal 0

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Another Champions League night, another night without Manchester United. Wednesday night's rent-a-date was a fairly bitter pill to swallow: Putting myself firmly in the Gooner camp, I chose to watch a decent but fatally flawed Arsenal side bring their potent attack and vapid defense to Italy to take on AC Milan's enigmatic attack and experienced defense at the San Siro. 2012's match pitting an English visitor against an Italian host was unlikely to offer any "Taxi for Maicon" or head butting theatrics, but would it serve up some entertaining football....?  To answer the question, farlieonfootie headed off to Italy to catch all the action:

The two sides traded blows in the early going, although truth be told, both looked more eager than threatening with their initial attacks.  It was difficult to determine whether it was the shocking state of the pockmarked San Siro pitch or Zlatan Ibrahimovic's equally woeful and scraggly attempt at a beard and mustache that proved more distracting to Arsenal's initial efforts. Having failed to create much in the way of real offense, the Gunners found themselves in a giving mood, returning the ball time and again to the Italians, although none more costly than the turnover which resulted from Arsenal 'keeper Wojciech Sczcesny's poor kick out near the fifteen minute mark.

It was none other than former Premier League man Kevin Prince Boateng who took full advantage of the visitors' generosity to open the scoring, chesting down and nailing in a volley from an angle sharper than that of his up-swooped hairdo. While Arsenal Gooner-in-Chief, Arsene Wenger, could only watch and grimace from the sideline, his men on the pitch were busy turning in a performance as bland as a plate of un-buttered spaghetti.

Arsenal played the game in slow motion, as if seeking to savor each and every second of their time in northern Italy. For their part, Milan was more than content to play the game at normal speed, a gear that was one click too many for the woeful Gunner defense to handle.

The difference in the two sides' pace was all too apparent shortly before halftime, as Ibrahimovic raced to the endline before picking out an unmarked and onrushing Robinho.  The Brazilian, no stranger to the Premier League himself, made no mistake from the top of the six yard box as he bolstered the home side's advantage with a stunningly easy headed goal.


The second half saw the introduction of Arsenal legend Thierry Henry, the Frenchman joining the game as a replacement for an ineffective Theo Walcott, as Wenger sought to cajole some offense -- indeed, any offense -- out of his troops.  The alteration did little to change the momentum of the contest, however, as Robinho was at the double less than five minutes after the half kicked off, the Brazilian showcasing the kind of form he rarely reached while at Manchester City, bulging the back of the net as well as the scoreline, which now read 3-nil in favor of the locals.

One Bridge Crossed: Manchester United 2 - Ajax 0

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Sir Alex and the boys traveled to the city of bridges, Amsterdam, for a Thursday night Europa League clash against Ajax FC. While not the Champions League by any stretch of the imagination, at least the thought of playing a world famous European opponent gave United fans some small sense of satisfaction -- and the thought of heading to a city full of hashish dens and red light sex shops probably didn't hurt the attraction for the traveling fans, either.

Regardless, the most exciting news coming out of the United camp pre-game was the midfield pairing of Michael Carrick and the returning Tom Cleverley. Injured since November, Cleverley has in his absence become a savior of sorts, the answer for whatever ails the club -- in fact, United's lack of advancement into the Champions League knockout stages would clearly have been different "if only Cleverley had been available," or something like that. Off to see if the reality would come even close to living up to the hype, farlieonfootie's crack team of reporters invaded Amsterdam to turn in this report:

It's a new anthem and unfamiliar teams in the pre-game highlights, but the packed stands full of 50,000 enthusiastic home supporters seem to care little, as they experience the joy of a mid-week European clash -- Manchester United's first such match outside of the Champions League since 1995.

The contest began cagily enough, both clubs longstanding veterans of the conservative approach required to succeed in pan-European football.  As the clock ticked toward 15 minutes, though, the game began to open up ever so slightly, with the home side seemingly the primary beneficiary of the increasing amounts of open space showing on the green grass of the Amsterdam Arena pitch.

Both teams battled for supremacy in the middle third, and the lack of substantive penetration of the final third on either end was primarily due to the teams' conservative opening gambits rather than a lack of accurate passing or strategic indecision.

Javier Hernandez gave the hosts something to think about as he was slipped behind the Dutch defense, but Ajax 'keeper Kenneth Vermeer was alert to the danger and responded well by smothering the ball before the Mexican could inflict any further damage. For their part, Ajax seemed content holding the ball, as if possession alone could guarantee them a result, while lacking the true cut and thrust shown by United, even if the end result was the same. The hosts did finally call on United 'keeper David De Gea as the clock hit the half hour mark, although the embattled Spaniard's full stretch more than covered the open net behind him.

The vaunted Cleverley effect was little noticed by the interval, which ended on a small note of controversy as Ajax pleaded for a non-existent foul just outside of the box.  That their pleas were correctly waved off by Italian referee Gianluca Rocchi was confirmed by television video evidence as the two teams trotted off the pitch.

A track meet broke out to begin the second half, as if the coaches' halftime instructions included a change to the two teams' pay structure, with new compensation measured in terms of a taxi cab, payable according to the number of miles traveled. The feeling of a goal grew near, with United laying siege to the hosts' goalmouth, but it wasn't until Ashley Young poked home a misdirected cross near the hour mark that the seal was finally broken and the visitors took a deserved 1-nil lead.

Karma's a Bitch: Week 14 in the EPL

The super-inept Mike Dean assured himself a place in the headlines once again, incorrectly -- unbelievably, incredibly, inexplicably -- handing out a yellow card when the accident-waiting-to-happen named David Luiz mauled Demba Ba as the last man on a clear goal scoring opportunity on Saturday at [insert new name here] Park. Not finished yet, only a couple minutes later Dean awarded Chelsea a kick from the spot when Danny Sturridge dove theatrically over the outstretched leg of a Newcastle defender. Tim Krul saved Dean momentarily from a post-game lynch mob when he denied Fat Frank's low and slow effort to keep he match knotted at zero. In truth, Lampard looked as if he rushed his shot, most likely in an effort to gain a slight lead in the sprint to the post-game buffet table.

So here's the question: How often does Dean need to be the storyline before the FA take action?  I can't remember a referee who more consistently makes improper game-changing decisions.

o The formerly "solid" Newcastle defense is beginning to shows signs of cracking. Toon gave up a ton of chances to United last week, and looked a complete shapeless shambles against Chelsea this weekend. If it wasn't for some good work in between the sticks by the aformentioned Krul, Sturridge would have had a hat trick before half time.

o The Magpies apparently used up their season allotment of god luck last week at Old Trafford. Giving up a disputed penalty, hitting the bar three or four times, plus being cleared off the line seems like a fair result to me -- Ain't karma a bitch, Newcastle fans?

o Roberto Martinez declared that his team had "turned the corner" after gaining four points in their last two League games against Blackburn and Sunderland. To which I ask: Turned the corner into a dead end?  Wigan's time in the Premier League is running out, my friend.


o So it turns out Manchester may, in fact, be Blue. I learned that from seeing the color of all the unoccupied seats at The Emptyhad Stadium for Norwich City's visit to the League leaders on Saturday.

How Good is the EPL?

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Asks our friend, Columnist Ed:

Our friends at Zonal Marking closed an article on the Liverpool vs. Manchester City with the following damning remark:  “Overall it was a stereotypical Premier League game – fast and frantic, but relatively little technical brilliance.” 

Ouch.

But is it true?  Do the best in the EPL lack the technical brilliance of the top teams in the other top leagues in Europe?  Let’s review:

With respect to Manchester United, one would have thought the team would be improved from last year with the additions they made.  They seemed to get smaller and quicker, losing only their goalkeeper and the aging Paul Scholes.  But now we’re starting to see just why Sir Alex was trying to move in Wesley Schneider.  They are simply lost in the middle of the pitch, with no creative talent – not Carrick or Anderson or Rooney – to call on.  Giggs, at about 38, is unbelievably the best option they have right now, but he’s just too old to be an impact player for 90 minutes.  Or even for thirty.  And how many times in the history of United could you say this?:  I’d takes Spurs midfield of Modric and Parker all day over anyone United can put out there right now.  Wow.  No midfield means a struggle in the Champions League and at times in the EPL.  And yes, a certain lack of technical ability.

How about the league leaders, the currently undefeated Manchester City?  I thought they would make a strong run in the Champions League.  But last week, they looked to be pretty much at the same level of a team that’s in seventh place in the Italian La Liga.  They lost that game 2-1, but it could have been worse.  Now their opponent, Napoli, does play a somewhat unusual formation together with a counter-attacking style, but really, how could the Italian Mancini not be ready for that?  Ultimately, City has top drawer talent with Sliva and Toure and Aguero, but to date Toure and Milner and Barry play as more or less blunt objects in the midfield, and Kompany and Prescott bring size more than they bring skill.

Forgotten, But Not Gone

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How far has Nedum Onuoha fallen in the EPL pecking order?  Last year, he was starting for Sunderland and slaloming (there's really no other way to describe it) through the Chelsea defense to score a goal he'll never forget in a famous victory at Stamford Bridge.  This year, I didn't even realize he was on the Manchester City roster until I saw him turn up for the Carling Cup matchup against Arsenal at the Emirates on Tuesday.

And let's not forget Kolo Toure's return to the City starting eleven, either. Eighteen months ago, the man who spent seven seasons playing for Arsene Wenger was captaining Manchester City.  Nowadays, Toure apparently spends more time concentrating on his role as team dietician than he does playing defense.

And what to think of the re-appearence after a(nother) lengthy injury rehabilitation period for Owen "Benedict" Hargreaves, who made just his second appearance playing for the Sky Blues on Tuesday?  Having recently returned from his hamstring "issue," I was certain Hargreaves had hurt himself again when Sergio Aguero was sent to warm up inside the 10 minute mark but, alas, the Argentine was only being called on as part of a tactical switch by Roberto Mancini, and -- somewhat miraculously -- Hargreaves was allowed to play nearly 80 minutes rather than being immediately stretchered off the pitch.

Playing so many answers for the "Where Are They Now?" gameshow all at the same time, it's an absolute outrage that Roberto Mancini neglected to insert Wayne Bridge into City's starting lineup.  The former England international and best friend of John Terry must be buried pretty deep in the doghouse not to get a runout in Tuesday's contest.

Not wanting to be left out of the Forgotten Man sweepstakes, Arsenal countered with some long-lost names and faces of their own. Marouane Chamakh -- remember when his "physical presence" was going to give the Arsenal attack a completely new dimension?  Me neither -- and Emmanuel Frimpong (I could say his name a million times and never get tired of it.  I just love how it sounds like a fancy entree: "Waiter, the little missus will have the Shrimp Frimpong, if you please.") both made their way back into the Gunners' lineup after periods of time so lengthy that they each had to be shown where the team's shower facilities were located.

Like a Fish Needs a Bicycle: Week 13 in the EPL

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Tottemham's Benoit Assou-Ekotto is doing his singular part to bring the Jackson Five back into style. Circa 1974 style. He's beginning to remind me of Correspondent Ed back in his school daze....

o I don't rate Arsenal.  Sure, I know it's the  "in"  thing to do, bowing down at the Altar of Wenger with the Gunners having won 11 of their last 14 after their draw on Saturday, but I just think they've played weak competition. End of story.

o I heard the announcers talk about Samir Nasri during the Arsenal - Fulham game, and it reminded me: Samir who?  Even the  Frenchman's critics could not have predicted his demise would come this quickly. Last season at this time he was gliding silkily through Premier league defenses, pulling the strings for the Arsenal offense.  This year, the only thing he's pulling is the water cart for David Silva, and he only sees the pitch when mopping up for Mario Balotelli or Edin Dzeko -- mostly he's been seen this season watching longingly from the bench.

Nasri is a fish out of water for City. He's best used to create offense in the middle, but with Silva already filling that role, Manchester City needs Samir Nasri like a fish needs a bicycle.   He may be part of a winning team but I wonder how satisfied he's feeling right now.

Waltzing to Victory

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Here's columnist Scott, reprising Liverpool's famous win on Sunday over Chelsea:

Tuning into the Liverpool vs. Chelsea clash at Stamford Bridge, Maxi Rodriguez in the starting eleven is a welcome sight given how he finished last season on a goal-scoring tear that earned him the "Maxi Man" moniker in these pages.  The Reds have been unable to consistently score, even against the likes of Norwich City and Swansea, so hopefully the Argentinean can inject some finishing into a team that even Andres Villas-Boas has said should be challenging for the title (even if he was reportedly referring more to their winter and summer spending spree more than their play).  Craig Bellamy is also in the lineup for Liverpool, giving the team a decidedly Dalglish feel.

Early on, Liverpool is having trouble going forward and only the incessant Luis Suarez is providing any creativity.  With the referee letting the teams play through the ticky-tack fouls, only Chelsea is looking dangerous in the first 10 minutes.  But now Liverpool has started to press with the result that a greedy (or blind) Glen Johnson has squandered an opportunity to lay it back for one of 2 players panting on the 6 yard box, perhaps wanting to defeat his former team all by himself.

On the Hot Seat: Week 12 in the EPL

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Kudos to Norwich City. The're a team that's been promoted two seasons in a row -- no mean feat, that -- and this season find themselves in the top flight of English football. They're also a side in which only one member of the starting 11 against Arsenal on Saturday had any EPL experience before joining the League this season.  And while Arsenal created the bulk of the chances and ultimately won the game 2-1, the Gunners' victory was by no means as easy as it looked.  But rather than bore you with my thoughts about the earliest kickoff of the weekend, I'll leave  you instead a couple of quick jokes inspired by Saturday's action:

Q: How many Arsenal defenders does it take to score a goal?

A: Four.  One to trip and fall, and three more to stand around and watch the opposition cut through them like a hot knife through butter.

Q: Why does Gervinho hate Christmas?

A: Because he ends up squandering all the gifts he receives.

Ba dah dum!  Thanks. I'm here all week....

And now for some more thoughts on the week(end) that was in the EPL:


o Saturday's showdown between Manchester City and Newcastle was the proverbial irresistible force meeting the unmovable object. When the dust had settled, the City juggernaut continued to roll on, as two penalties and a goal by Micah Richards left the Citizens standing alone as the last of the EPL's unbeatens.  


o Speaking of Richards, he accounted directly for one of City's goals and created a second through a penalty. Although there are several other viable candidates for this next nomination, I believe the big Englishman is City's most improved player this season: his defensive brain farts seem fewer and further between, and his attacking skills have become even sharper this year, in which he's been given greater license to roam forward by Roberto Mancini.  Right now he's big, fast, and oh so dangerous -- so of course he won't  make Fabio  Capello's starting England lineup....

Personal Recollection: The Columnist Scott Story

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Growing up in Saudi Arabia, with the NFL eight time zones away, I was destined to play and fall in love with soccer.  First, I was molded under the feisty tutelage of a Columbian named Hernando Hernandez (how cool is that name?), whose twin boys were my compatriots in elementary school soccer.  Then it was an Englishman, George Merrin. And while I remember both fondly, and surely benefited from the passion that both of them have for the game, it was George who coached and influenced me during my most formative ages of 12 to 15.  George (he was the only adult I was ever allowed to call by his first name) was not only my coach but also a family friend who, being a bachelor in a foreign country, spent Christmas at our house every year.

Shortly after I returned to the US in 1984, George moved to Australia to coach full time and eventually became the Director of Coaching for Far North Queensland.  I stayed in touch with him over the years and even visited him in Cairns in 1999.  He, in turn, would make a US tour every 5 years or so, staying with people he used to coach or other people he knew from Saudi.  Which brings us to the present time and a very enjoyable visit this past week that George swears will be his last, as he is retiring to Thailand.

Order Restored: Week 11 in the EPL

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Order was restored in the BPL over the weekend, as all the top teams -- save Liverpool (which begs the question: is Liverpool truly a top team, or merely a poseur? -- picked up three points, although some teams had an easier time of it than others.  The City juggernaut continued to roll on, and and United hung on for a home win to celebrate Fergie's 25 years in charge.  


At the other end of the table, Steve Kean's flying ouster demand was reminiscent of a certain New York Football Giants' banner, while lowly Bolton managed to hang a 5-spot on a dispirited Stoke City.  In other words, it's all systems normal and full speed ahead as we head into yet another interminable international break -- although not before we make the following observations:


o Manchester City did just enough on Saturday to keep their 5 point lead at the top of the table. This was the kind of game the Citizens will need to keep on winning if they want to come out on top this season, but that'll be easier said than done. QPR gave them quite a test on Saturday, and it's the kind of challenge that will keep on getting harder as Fall turns to Winter turns to Spring. We'll see if they're up for it....

o After what I saw of Blackburn's finishing on Saturday against Chelsea, they fully deserve to go down. Peter Cech left an open net on at least two occasions and yet Yakubu still failed to score.…. How bad was the Rovers' finishing, you ask?  It was positively Fernando Torres-like, and managed to hand a woeful Chelsea defense its first shut out in quite some time.

And Around We Go

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So I’ve been playing this FIFA 12 soccer on Playstation and it’s becoming an addiction.  I usually take Spurs, and while I’m pretty good against the middle and the bottom of the table, I have a tough time against United and Chelsea.  Talk about realism.  As for Barcelona – I’m just not ready yet, but is anyone in the world really?  With that in mind, let’s take a stroll around the Champions League this week and see how are top EPL teams fared:

1.      Damned United!  That’s the name of a great book, as well as a movie made from a great book, but I’m saying it here and now because their latest Champions League Match against Otelul Galati was Damned Unwatchable!  I don’t know if I’ve ever seen United play such uninspired football.  They passed poorly, they didn’t play hard.  They didn’t seem to really care.  Dear Sir Alex, would you please at the very least give us non-fans something exciting to watch?  I did like the Rooney experiment as a central midfielder, but for some reason Mr. New Hair thought he was Charlie Adam and kept booming passes across the field.  But unlike Charlie, most of his passes were to nobody or the other team.  Egads.  Let’s just forget this one ever happened.  Starting now.

All Tricked Out & Other Notes on Week 10 in the EPL

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o Both Chelsea's and Arsenal's defense in the London derby on Saturday were flat out embarassing.  I can't remember a game between two "top" teams in which so many chances were created in the first 15 minutes. The German national coach, Jogi Low, was watching from the stands, and must have spent some serious time squinting his eyes while trying to recognize defender Per Mertesacker, who looks a shadow of his former self.

o Arsenal's third goal of the afternoon was one of the strangest I've seen all season, if only for the utter lack of defensive composure and desire shown by the Chelsea back line.  Theo Walcott was bundled over by about five Chelsea defenders, yet still managed to pick himself up before any one of the men in Blue reacted in the slightest, dust himself off, and then proceed to beat Petr Cech on the near post; a true comedy of errors. The Special One must have been smirking while watching from Madrid.

o The fifth goal of the day for Arsenal -- let me repeat that -- the fifth goal of the day for Arsenal at Stamford Bridge was perhaps the most special of all.  I could watch John Kerry slip and fall all day long, as it always brings back special memories of Moscow 2008....  (We won't dwell on the irony of  Terry's slip occurring on Edwin Van Der Sar's 41st birthday Saturday).  Terry's fall -- to say nothing of Florent Malouda's horrendous back pass, which was so atrocious that whoever investigates betting in football might want to take a look at Malouda's bank account -- allowed Robin Van Persie to quickly take the free ball, with not a single Chelsea defender anywhere in eyesight, round Cech, and give Arsenal an unassailable 5-3 lead and all three points on the day. Who'd a thunk it?

Relegation and Amercanitis

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Rumors are running rampant of foreign EPL owners conspiring in smoke-filled rooms to scuttle the current relegation system.  John Henry, principal owner of Fenway Sports Group, which (in turn) owns Liverpool, announced recently that he had no intentions whatsoever of attempting to tinker with the current system.  As a fan, I sure hope he’s telling the truth and that most of the other owners feel the same way.  First, I love meritocracies and the relegation system epitomizes those ideals.  Plus, a relegation system provides extra incentive to excel (or at least not suck).  As an example, the Miami Dolphins might benefit from the kick in the butt that would come from not even being allowed to play the New England Patriots.

But for many fans, the biggest reason to love relegation is that games which would normally be unimportant suddenly become hard-fought, exciting clashes between two bottom-dwelling teams who are fighting for their EPL lives.  Such games provide enthralling entertainment at both ends of the table toward the end of the season, ending either in improbable victory (Fulham 2008) or heartbreaking defeat (Blackpool 2010).  We Americans are often accused of imposing our will on the rest of the world regardless of the desires of the beneficiaries of our “magnanimity” and “best intentions.”  Let’s just please not meddle with a system based on merit that works.

Split Weekend

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The staff at farlieonfootie really like these split EPL weekends: this one, for example, featured five games on Saturday and four on Sunday -- including the big one showcasing two teams from Manchester. What could be better? 

I understand the Sunday games are partly the by-product of European mid-week contests (forcing Tottenham to play way too many Sundays this season), but I also just like spacing out all the contests over two days, allowing one to soak all the football in and savor each game, rather than be forced to drink through a firehose and switch between one of five or more BPL 3pm kickoffs (10am EST), while knowing the outcome of the other matches before you have had an opportunity to see any of them unfold.  I like balance in the schedule, just like balance in our lives: it just makes everything work better.

Plus the European contests make it like having your cake (Saturday and Sunday football) and eating it, too (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday football).  A game almost every day of the week.  Again, I ask you: what could possibly be better?

o After witnessing the sad but laughable beavhiors committed by Wolves' fans this weekend after they fell behind Swansea City 2-nil before the halftime break, farlieonfootie has several suggested mottos for the team's marketing department to trot out to the various Wolves' booster clubs before their next home outing against Wigan in two weeks' time:

Wolves' Tiny Tots Club : Molineux: Where even the small children are encouraged to swear at you and call for your head. 

Desperately Seeking Barca

Photo by Kate* on Flickr

Correspondent Ed is desperate.  In so many ways:

While Manchester United were putting together one of the most forgettable displays in recent memory against a team which not even Fergie knows the name of, and while City was fighting for its life against a Villarreal team that hadn’t yet won a game in Champions League, Barcelona was absolutely toying with the leader of the Czech league and waltzing their way to yet another victory in Europe.   Iniesta to Messi to Iniesta to Messi to Iniesta to the back of the goal might be hard to say but it’s surely amazing to watch.  It looks so easy; if only it were.

Barca possessed the ball 78% of the time in a 2 to nothing victory that coulda woulda shoulda been more like 10 to nothing.  The Czechs never had any opportunities, never had the ball, and looked like a bunch of 8 year olds trying to make it in an adult league.  At the end of the game I half expected Barca coach Pep Guardiola to give the Czech coast a good old fashioned noogie.

So why do I bring this up?  Because, as Fergie and most of Europe knows, winning the EPL is great, but winning the Champions League is what it’s all about.  And right now neither City nor United – the two teams that will be battling Sunday for the top spot in England – look even close to being up to the task.   

As everyone must recall, last year Barca absolutely pummeled United in the finals, and they did this to United at Wembley.  Since that game, I believe that Fergie has made it his goal to take down the miniature titans of Spain, and I believe his offseason additions of speed were designed to do just that.  And at the beginning of the year this new United Squad looked like they might be world beaters.  They even beat a Messi-less Barca in a pre-season friendly.  But as the season has worn on, much of the sparkle has been lost, and while United has looked solid, they haven’t looked to be even close to the level of the Catalans.

Opportunity Wasted

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Using the Manchester United - Liverpool game as his drawing board, Correspondent Scott presents his most fair and balanced piece yet:

There is no Rooney, no Nani and no Chicharito in Manchester United’s starting eleven when Liverpool hosts the reigning champions at Anfield.  Is this, as Kevin Keegan is reported to have said, an insult?  No, I’d say it is an opportunity.  Unfortunately, it is an opportunity wasted.  A win would put Liverpool back in the title hunt but poor finishing dooms them to continue their fight for European play next year.

The first fifteen minutes see no real chances by either tentative side and is most notable for a few phantom fouls and Patrice Evra’s yellow card miming skills, for which he receives an official consultation.  Even through the following fifteen minutes, Liverpool look disjointed, with the reliable and crafty Jose Enrique being the only bright spot.  But right around the half hour mark Liverpool begins to pull it together and only four minutes later have a first real chance at goal when Luis Suarez inexplicably pulls the ball back to his weaker left foot before cannoning directly into David De Gea.  For the balance of the half, Liverpool is clearly playing better – winning the ball back quickly and pressing relentlessly.  Nevertheless, as the halftime whistle blows, Liverpool has still failed to capitalize on the fact that United’s three best players are on the bench.

The second half starts with both teams pressuring the ball and space is limited.  Dirk Kuyt’s header toward goal that is blocked by the arm of Jonny Evans is a good no-call by the referee, as there is clearly no intent and the arm is only slightly away from the body (the Dutchman’s protestations notwithstanding).  Jordan Henderson comes on in the 57th minute for Lucas Leiva who is riding a yellow card.  Liverpool continues to look the better team but need to score.

Stoke City Potters and the Toothy Draw

photo by lightscripture	via PhotoRee

It's only week four, but we sense some doubts have been raised in Correspondent's Scott's hopes for a Liverpool victory parade at season's end:

At the Britannia Stadium last Saturday, Liverpool showed why most commentators believe they will challenge for fourth place at best, and only their fans believe they have a chance at the title.  But even this fan’s hope has taken a beating after a loss in the type of game they need to figure out how to win.  Forget the vaunted Stoke defense and the particularly parsimonious play of Asmir Begovic in goal – when you dominate a game from start to finish and spend most of it camped out in the opponent’s half, you need to win.  And you don’t do it by blowing breakaways and missing untended goals….

With Andy Carroll and newly-signed Craig Bellamy on the bench, Kenny Dalglish’s squad faced Peter Crouch’s new team on a blustery British Saturday.  But the crisp breeze did nothing to focus play at first, as both sides were sloppy with passes and seemed to be playing a game of hot-potato rather than keep-away soccer.  Not only was the play sloppy, but so were the challenges – which occasionally bordered on comical.  To wit, Martin Skrtel literally had to unravel his hand from Ryan Shawcross’ shirt after defending a corner in the 10th minute.  But the chuckles trailed off (at least for the traveling Liverpool contingent) when Jamie Carragher was wrong-sided in the box by Jonathan Walters in the 20th minute, and tried unsuccessfully to hide his clutching from the ref.  The resulting penalty marked the only shot on goal for Stoke City during the game and one of only three shots in total by the Potters; this compares to 24 shots by Liverpool, 7 of which were on goal. (Ed. Note: Just think about this statistic for a second.)