After this past weeks midweek league games, the race for the league title, Champion’s League spots, and Europa League have blown wide open. U.S.A’s Landon Donovan was a huge part in the shock 1-0 victory over Manchester City, as he provided the assist to newly transferred Darron Gibson. The other surprise’s this week was The Gunners tie to bottom of the table Bolton Wanderers, and Chelsea’s tie to giant killers Swansea. The rest of the clubs currently fighting within all came out victorious in their recent fixtures including a 2-0 victory for Manchester United over Stoke City, Tottenham 3-1 over Wigan, Newcastle 2-0 against a struggling Blackburn side, and surging Liverpool 3-1 over Wolverhampton.

With both Manchester clubs at 54 points and 5 points ahead of third place Tottenham, one can only assume that the race for the premiership has almost dwindled down to the rival teams. There is no doubt that Tottenham can make a run, but with the United and City are playing I cannot see both teams dropping 5 points while Hotspurs make a flawless run to jump both clubs. With that being said I believe that those three clubs have definitely locked their place for a Champions League spot. Chelsea are clinging on to the fourth spot currently, but despite not dropping full points as of late, their performances have struggled. Their defense is aging and often are not consistent, Juan Mata started off hot but has recently cooled off, there is the Fernando Torres situation (which I feel differently about), and where have the likes of Malouda, Drogba (yes, I am aware of the ANC), Meireles, and Kalou, who were all vital to the club last season (not Meireles) have been relatively useless. I don’t see them being in the top 4 at the end of the season, 5th is probable, but I see them getting beat out.

Arsenal and Newcastle are also two clubs that I see not being a part of the top 4. Newcastle started off hot, but plagued by injury and the loss of a few players to the African Nations Cup, they have dropped off. With that being said, I think Newcastle are just a few players short of being part of the elite group of clubs. Give them a season or two, and if they can make the right moves, hang on to Demba Ba and Tim Krul, I can see the Toon’s being fierce in the EPL. Arsenal are in a similar situation. They have been hot in the mid-season with RVP being arguably the best player in the league. But a few injuries here and there and another big blow to future hopeful Jack Wilshere, the Gunners are currently sitting in 7th and I don’t see them moving out of that spot. Which would bet their first time since the 95-96 campaign that Arsenal did not find their name in the Champion’s league qualification.

Finally this brings me to the current sixth place team, Liverpool. Liverpool have ridden an emotional roller coaster so far. Showing signs of brilliance and horrid 90 minute displays. However, I believe this is going to be the season that Liverpool get themselves back into the Champions League since the 08-09′ season. Why? well for one Steven Gerrard has certainly boosted the squad and trouble maker Luiz Suarez is also finally set to return this upcoming week. Andy Carroll is starting to find his feet, and players such as Charlie Adam, Craig Bellamy, and Dirk Kuyt have all been playing exceptionally well this season. On paper the Reds have all the right players to be extremely successful, and I believe they are starting to put themselves in the right form to reclaim their fame.

Final season prediction’s:

1. Manchester United

2. Manchester City

3. Tottenham

4. Liverpool

5 Chelsea

6. Newcastle

7. Arsenal

And so it continues.

The FA have yet again failed to provide any sensible moral leadership after the announcement by the CPS on Wednesday that they will be pressing charges against John Terry for racial abuse. This blog has made it’s position clear on John Terry and his inadequacies as England captain so we’ll turn our attention instead to this latest abdication of responsibility by the FA.

Let’s assume for the purposes of the argument that the FA are the board of a corporate entity and that John Terry is their CEO. Let’s imagine that this entity is a public company employing thousands of people and that their shareholders are the biggest public pension funds in the country and thus represent ordinary men & women from all walks of life.

Now lets imagine that one of the employees makes a complaint that the CEO has called him a “black c**t” and that a number of fellow employees have witnessed the incident. Based on the above scenario my question is this, would the corporate board:

 a) Put out a statement saying innocent until proven guilty and that the CEO will remain in position pending the outcome of a criminal process.

or

b) Immediately suspend the CEO pending the criminal process on the basis that as the CPS believe there is a case to answer their CEO’s position is at least temporarily untenable.    

The answer is so obvious that even my 9 year old can work it out and it is baffling that the FA seem to think that their “innocent until proven guilty” stance is anything but a cop out. The England captain should be a shining example of moral & behavioural standards in English football and even though the current incumbent has breached these requirements on numerous occasions surely a criminal charge is the alarm bell that will jolt the FA into some sensible action by at least suspending him from England duty pending the outcome of the criminal case. There is clear evidence that the huge amounts of money in English football are creating a moral vacuum and it is in this environment that we need strong, considered and brave leadership – instead we get the FA with their indecisive, weak and morally empty response.

I don’t dream of England success in Euro 2012, I’d much rather see strong leadership emerge at the FA and with it a team that I can be proud of, win or lose.

Leader?

Sepp Blatter has been a pompous , self serving, ethically shallow administrator of the world’s only global sport for many years, but his latest comments regarding racism in football travel beyond incompetent buffoonery  into the murkier waters of moral bankruptcy.

Under Blatter’s stewardship FIFA has sailed a fine line between right & wrong on numerous occasions,  but his comments this week demand that strong leaders across the footballing world rise up & show him the door to a long & lonely retirement.

Forget the corruption that rots at the core of FIFA’s world cup host selection process because that is but a sub-plot. Turn a blind eye to the ethically illogical tax demands that FIFA places on the governments that queue up to host it’s tournament because why should they pay tax when the grassroots supporter of the game can do that for them. Care not at the folly that allows them to say, straight faced, that wearing a poppy is a religious, political or commercial act.

But to stay quiet while he, the leader of world football, says that calling someone a black c**t can be resolved by a handshake and a post match prawn sandwich? No. I’m sorry Sepp but that’s unacceptable at anytime, anywhere and any place.

What baffles me most about the arrogance of the man is that, having been faced with a barrage of disbelief that he voiced this opinion, he didn’t rush to retract it and gloss over the details with some polished PR work, no he chose to re-iterate his views and get into a public twitter spat with one of the most famous black footballers of the last decade. If it wasn’t so sad and frustrating it would be funny.    

Stephen Lawrence was an earnest young black man stabbed to death 18 years ago by a group of white youths for no other reason than they saw him as a worthless nigger (their words, not mine). How ironic it is then that his face adorns the front pages as 2 men are finally brought to trial for his murder whilst the back pages are dominated by a man whose own understanding  of racism in football would seem to be stuck, with Stephen Lawrence’s last breath, in 1993.

Captain Disaster

The phrase “John Terry, England captain” sticks in my throat.

Now let me be clear,  I’m no Johnny  come lately to the” how can this man be England captain” bandwagon – I’ve been a fully paid up member for years but it does seem to me that the allegations against his suitability for the role are so over-whelming that it beggars belief that he’s clung onto the armband for the best part of 5 years.

Allegedly sell the England Captains box to corporate punters? Not a problem. Allegedly take backhanders for people to go round the Chelsea training ground? Play on. Shag one of your team mates’ girlfriends? Par for the course. Allegedly call someone a black c**t? All in a day’s work.

I’m sure that so called friends and teammates will rally round and offer support, sycophantic journalists will defend him as “a man’s man” leading by example in the tough, tough world of premier league football and they’ll all call his spat with Ferdinand nothing more than a case of Gucci handbags at five paces.  But this highlights a deeper problem which is that so idolised are these players that normally lucid people lose their ability to rationalise this appalling behaviour in a sober & measured fashion.

Anyone with a small semblance of reason can see that John Terry is a bad example to young kids, his behaviour demeans the men of character who have preceded him as England captain and who have borne that great honour with dignity, respect  & humility.

Nothing would please me more than to hear that Rio Ferdinand has decided to withdraw from the next England squad on principle, to be followed by other men of character in the England team who are prepared to sacrifice a game of football for a deeper & more meaningful stand against all that is wrong with certain elements of the footballing elite in this country. Sadly this is about as likely as a player coming out and saying that referees are undervalued, under-paid and deserve more respect (all of which are true by the way).  

John Terry has no place being the England captain, he’s an embarrassment and the sooner he’s replaced with someone who is willing to use the position to make a positive contribution to football in particular and society in general the better.

Manchester City beware. The European signs are that complacency on the pitch has already drifted into the stands and Wednesday night’s Champions league fixture against Villarreal was a case in point.

Take other teams enjoying their first foray into the CL & and their fans are at bursting point with excitement, Blackburn

A lacklustre night at Etihad stadium

in the nineties, Tottenham last season and especially Newcastle and the 2 seasons they had amongst Europe’s elite.

But Wednesday night at the poorly named Etihad stadium was not even a sell out  – a sure sign of fan complacency in only their second ever champions league home game, and a must win game at that.

I went to the game excited to sample what I presumed was going to be an electric atmosphere generated by passionate City fans watching their expensively assembled fantasy team. What I got was a dreary experience from a stadium only 80% full and, with a couple of notable exceptions, a City performance more akin to a pre season kick around than a critical CL game.

My point is this. I think the City players & fans are more interested in the Premier League than the Champions league and perhaps that’s no bad thing. The chances of winning the CL are negligible at the first attempt but their played 8, won 7 drawn 1 start to the PL gives them a real platform to challenge for the title, especially in a season where Arsenal are anaemic, Chelsea are ageing and Liverpool are re-building thus leaving United as their only serious rivals which makes the derby game on Sunday a big one.

But despite all this surely they’ve still got to give it a good go in the CL?

Are City more interested in the PL than the CL? I think so. Is that acceptable from such a highly paid squad? Not really. Do the fans seem to care? Apparently not. Would Fergie allow that to happen at Old Trafford? Not as long as the blood was still running through his veins.

And therein lies the difference, United are steeped in more than 50 years of European tradition whereas City are virgins at the European top table – and unless they show a bit more leg they’re going to remain European virgins for a while.

Normally the anxiety of supporting England in a major  soccer tournament starts a few weeks before the action kicks off.

Rooney sees Red in Montenegro

In 1996 we had the distraction of some pre season high jinks in the infamous dentist’s chair in Hong Kong whereas  2 years later it was Teddy Sheringham sharing a smoke with a mystery blonde in a Portuguese nightclub.

Ahead of the World Cup in Japan in 2002 we stepped  things up a gear via the “will he, won’t he” saga of Beckham’s broken metatarsal in a Spring Champions league game and that particular injury again got our worry levels going prior to 2006, with Rooney the victim this time around.   In 2010 we moved away from injuries & booze related faux pas to a new genre of pre tournament distraction when the England captain decided it was a good idea to have an affair with the Mother of one of his team mate’s children and was subsequently stripped of the captaincy, but in a quick return to normal service his successor was then injured & left the squad shortly before the first group game.

My point is this, 3-4 weeks ahead of a tournament I’m not only ready for but expecting a series of catastrophe’s to befall the England soccer squad – it is the natural way of things.

However ahead of Euro 2012 (which starts June 2012) we have now broken all pre tournament anxiety records with the news, a full 8 months prior to the tournament and with 8 teams still involved in play offs, that we’ll be without our best player for the 3 group games.

I have no quibble with the stance taken by UEFA against Rooney, he’s had plenty of chances to amend his behaviour and should know better, but my God it’s hard work being an England fan.     

Jurgen Klinsmann’s recent arrival here in the states has revamped viewers and fans to believe that the U.S national team is just on the brink of glory. Despite his record, I myself have been generally pleased with the style he has tried to establish on the team. The idea of trying to generate a lot shots and becoming a more attacking team by bringing more creative players to the pitch. Though this may take time, I am afraid that with the players that are currently playing on the team that the U.S could potentially reach a plateau in their playing. There are a few players that need to go, and a few players that the gaffer needs to consider giving another shot.

We’ll start from the back. Of course Tim Howard is hands down our best keeper, that’s the obvious. However, the idea that coaches are trying to bring back Onyewu is a very poor decision. That man should be playing middle linebacker in the NFL, he is no center back. He often gets beat, and despite his enormous size he still manages to get beat in the air. Instead, the guy Coach Klinsmann should be looking at is L.A Galaxy’s Omar Gonzalez. He is a regular starter for them and has proven to not only be a rock in the back, but also a threat in the air on set pieces. Put him next to our captain Carlos Bocanegra. Steve Cherundolo is a fantastic outside back full of experience and ability. On the left side, I hope to never see Jonathan Bornstein, or Timothy Chandler ever again. Bornstein blew his opportunity in the Mexico game, and showed the world that he cannot keep up with the pace of the game once again. I would put Eric Lichaj on the left. Lichaj has blazing speed, and does a great job of getting up the flanks. Guys like Tim Ream, Edgar Castillo, and Jonathan Spector are decent back-ups.

In the midfield, the biggest problem is finding that playmaker who wants the ball at his feet. Edu, Jones, and even Bradley are good holding midfielders, but all are severely inconsistent and sometimes make poor decisions on the ball. If you play a 4-2-3-1, put Bradley, and Jose Fransisco Torres next to each other. Torres is one of the better distributors and works very hard getting back. If Stuart Holden can get healthy he needs to take Bradley’s spot. Holden proved himself all last season in the EPL as a ball winner and another great distributor out of the middle.

In front of him is the diamond in the rough. A guy who is rarely talking about, but is truly a playmaker and very confident on the ball. Benny Feilhaber. He is a true playmaker for any team he plays for, and he has proven that. I don’t understand why he keeps getting looked over when players continue to get called up. Donovan and Dempsey have to be in the starting lineup, but the question is where. Donovan is strong on the outsides and does well to put balls in. Dempsey on the other hand is a little tricky because sometimes on the outside he becomes invisible because he doesn’t see the ball enough. I personally like him up top. Fast, good skill, and solid in the air. If you play with one forward he is the guy that has the ability to hold the ball and allow the rest of the players to get up the field. That sets things up perfectly for Brek Shea on the left. His deceiving speed and willingness to run with the ball is something that many US players lack. When I watched the MLS all-stars play Manchester United, besides Beckerman and Feilhaber, it seems that everyone else is generally scared to have the ball at their feet for more than two touches before they kick the ball 40 yards down the field to nobody. A few other players that seem to impress with out any recognition are Kyle Beckerman, (even though as of late Klinsmann has taken a liking to him) Houston Dynamo Brad Davis, (leading MLS in assist) Bobby Boswell, Freddy Adu, Alejandro Bedoya and Sacha Kljestan.

Before this ends, a few guys that should never be seen in a U.S.A jersey again…Hercules Gomez, DeMarcus Beasley, Robbie Rogers, Clarence Goodson, Robbie Findley, Edson Buddle, Ricardo Clark, and Jermaine Jones can go back to Germany for all I care.

Cheers.

This weekend appeared to be a weekend for classic rivalries and a hoard of goals from young players. In the EPL, there were 31 goals scored this week and out of those 31, 12 of those goals were scored by someone 23 or under. Players such as Tottenham defender Kyle Walker, 22, scored a goal for the ages as he handed Wenger and company a crushing rivalry loss. Daniel Sturridge, 22, struck twice but was held out of the spotlight thanks to a brilliant weekend by veteran Frank Lampard. Mario Balotelli, 21, and Stefan Savic, 20, helped City and crew cruise past Blackburn Rovers in their 4-0 win. Also, Danny Welbeck and Brazilian Anderson scooped up a goal each in the two nil win over Norwich. Other goal scorers included Denmark International Nicklas Bendtner, 23, tallied his for goal in a Sunderland jersey, Andy Carroll, 22, Aaron Ramsey, 20, and Scott Sinclair, 22.

For some of these young players is this is not the first time they have made impacts for their respective clubs. Daniel Sturridge was fantastic for Bolton on his loan last season, and though slightly quiet at the start of this season, a Fernando Torres suspension has proved crucial for Sturridge as he proved his worth for Chelsea. Danny Welbeck has been brilliant all season so far with Manchester United. He struck twice in the midweekd Champions League game, and added another this weekend. Despite having Rooney, Hernandez, Berbatov, and even Owen, Danny Welbeck has emerged as a potentially new star in the premier league. Brazilian youngster Anderson, though not known for his goal scoring has really cemented a spot in the Red Devils midfield for his ability to distribute and expose defenses. Lastly, Mario Balotelli showed that despite his unpopular antics, and glowing confidence Balotelli played quite well and showed that he can maintain a level head even when other superstars (Carlos Tevez) seem to be causing quite a bit of commotion throughout the club.

I enjoy seeing young players make a name for themselves so early on in the season. It gives people a great opportunity to potentially see the new wave of players that will always be make a name for themselves for the rest of the year, and hopefully years to come. Do not be surprised to see several of these players continue showing up on the stat sheet at the end of each weekend.

You’d have thought we were part of the British Commonwealth or lived on the Continent, eating paella, drinking Mahou (beer) while we watched our futbol contests.

But in the States we eat burgers, fries & burritos and wash it all down with Miller High Life, while we watch weekend baseball on FOX.

Not since hosting the World Cup (‘94) had the US market been so saturated with Euro soccer images as it had the past two weeks.  The fact that Americans know about as much of Manchester United and Barcelona FC as they do the price of eggs in Bangkok did nothing to blunt the media blitz in preparation for the UEFA Champions League final at  Wembley Stadium (London) and which aired live on FOX affiliates last Saturday.

That doesn’t mean this wasn’t excellent sporting fare.  The few converts that happened to tune in were treated to one heckuva match.  And why not?  This rivalry goes back to the Spanish Armada, Edward de Vere (the real Shakespeare), and makes the Bears / Packers conflict look almost ‘fresh from the oven.’

As if there was much doubt before, now it’s crystal clear: the best soccer and the greatest player (Lionel Messi) currently reside in Spain (2010 World Cup) as Barcelona FC cruised to their fourth League title by besting Manchester, 3-1.

With globalization and worldwide monopolies it’s no surprise that sport cartels would jump on board the inter-continental bandwagon to cultivate new markets.

When the homegrown versions of soccer go bust (NASL) or fail to catch fire (MLS), bring in a ready-made, proven product: hello Euro ball.  My big question: Don’t our neighbors to the south have soccer championships FOX could’ve televised?

But no matter, for whatever the hemisphere of origin, soccer will never go mainstream in America Norte.

Even with a growing, futbol-friendly Hispanic population, large foreign student presence and youth leagues nationwide, soccer has always been a stepchild in the American family of favorites: football, baseball, basketball and hockey (though baseball’s looking more and more like daddy’s little girl every time bunny-hop hysteria breaks-out after a GW hit (Marlon Byrd & Buster Posey notwithstanding)).

We Yanks are an impatient bunch.  Whether it’s laying railroad track cross continent, digging a canal in a jungle, finding a cure for polio, putting a man on the Moon or tracking down a terrorist, we don’t like to wait.

Am I a sport protectionist?  Hardly.  I grew-up on a steady diet of Wide World of Sports, never missed an Olympics (until the greedmeisters ripped its heart out by way of professionalism), had an active childhood (including soccer) and have embraced the World Cup, due in part to a USA national team that’s come of age.

Since scoring in soccer is about as rare as a solar eclipse, players and fans need stores of endurance and patience to wait on that thrilling strike.  But that’s just what most US fans won’t do: sit-tite for a net-finder.  We like rock ’em, sock ’em action and lots o’ points.

It’s not easy getting today’s sport fan hooked on a new product (See; NFL Europe).  They’ve got a lot on their plate already.  So if you wanna’ get made into the family of American sports, that scoreboard better light-up fast & furious.

Message to the Suits & Skirts pushing Euro ball in the States: “The books are closed.  We’re not accepting new members (A. Soprano)”

Keys to Sport

Note: Remembrance and gratitude on this Memorial Day to all those who’ve ever given life, limb or spirit in furtherance of freedom and hope.

80,000 people packed the Bernabeau on Saturday, April 16, to watch the first of 4 epic battles between the best two clubs in Europe.  The expectations were high and the leaders of each team didn’t disappoint.  Both goals were scored through penalty kicks, one by Leo Messi (his record breaking 49th goal of the season and 30th in La Liga) and the other by Cristiano Ronaldo (82’ minute, his 29th of La Liga).  Mourinho’s strategy worked for most of the match as Real Madrid held Barca’s notorious counter attacks in check.  From the first 10 minutes, it was clear that this would not be another 5-0 thrashing.  However, a momentum swing occurred when Raul Albiol was sent off with a red card in the 50th minute after putting a choke hold on David Villa leading to the first PK.   Madrid were forced to play the rest of the match only 10 men.  Mou was tired of seeing this scenario but proud of the way his squad played.  All in all, Barca dominated the possession, but RM took advantage of countering opportunities and Casillas got the best of the goalkeeper matchup.  Mou moved Pepe to the midfield (where he sometimes plays with Portugal) and Ozil was benched until a later substitution.  I expect both Ozil and Lass to start for Wednesday’s Copa del Rey match in Valencia (El Mestalla).
Mou did make two predictable and strategic substitutions in the 2nd half (Adebayor and Ozil).  Both players provided energy and made fantastic runs but unfortunately neither could find the back of the ol’ onion bag.  Adebayor had two clear chances but took suspect touches which proved rather disappointing.

Barca players, coaches, and managers argued for a penalty in the 27th minute after David Villa beat Casillas to a Messi through-ball yet Iker still managed to get some type of tackle on Villa before a shot was released.  Both sides thought that the refereeing was inconsistent throughout the game with Cesar Muniz Fernandez issuing 8 cards, most of which went to Barca.  Personally, I thought Mr. Fernandez did an excellent job for the difficult circumstances and never let the game get out of his control, which can happen rather easily in a clásico.

Some other notes from the match included–In the 49th minute, CR7 hit his traditional knuckleball free kick that beat the keeper, Valdes, but couldn’t beat the goal post.  His accuracy with these types of free kicks is truly deadly.  Higuain and Kaka didn’t play but I expect to see both of them in the next 3 matches.  Xavi (the brain of Barca) played magnificently and always manages to slip through the most creative through balls.  Even as a Madridista, I can that Mr. Hernandez puts on a show every match and is a living legend.  Benzema and Pedro (usually a Madrid killer) were very, very quiet and didn’t get many touches. Puyol surprised most by being fit for this match; however, he had to exit early due to leg pain (substituted by Keita).  Di Maria provided some great touches up the wing but may have tried to beat one too many players.

The stakes rise this Wednesday for the King’s Cup Final.  Look for Mou to switch up the lineup.  Pep will probably start both Keita and Maserchano.  Prediction: 2-1 for Madrid in another epic thriller.

CR7 scored in the 82nd minute to tie the match up at the Bernabeu on Saturday night in the first of 4 classics