After such a great season with twists and turns, the final Sunday seemed, at least from this distance (Lyon, France), to be a bit tepid. I didn't get to see any matches live and really only have picked through match highlights so far, but it all seemed according to form and mostly without drama.
Manchester City looked in control hosting West Ham. Liverpool was able to overcome another Skertl own goal (did he set the EPL record this year?) but was apparently never in danger of scoring the 15 or whatever goals against Newcastle they would have needed if Man City only managed a tie.
On the Europa League qualification front, Tottenham handled Aston Villa with relative ease, which made Man United's draw versus Sunderland irrelevant. And even though West Brom staggered to the finish line with another loss, Norwich went down 0-2 to Arsenal so it is the Canaries that are relegated while the Baggies get to play EPL again next year.
Luis Suarez entered the weekend needing only one goal to break the single season EPL mark (for the 20 team/38 game league as opposed to the 22 team/42 game league). He had seemingly gotten that goal with his quick free kick in the 19th minute but referee Phil Dowd disallowed it. For what reason, I'm not sure. The video I found isn't much help. It's possible the ball was still moving but according to reports, Dowd wasn't looking at the ball and the assistant referee made no signal. A ceremonial restart (a proper sounding soccer phrase that simply means you can take the kick only after the referee blows the whistle) is not required unless the kicking team has asked the referee to move the defense back 10 yards or if the referee needs to show a card. There was no card and if the attacking team took the kick right away, it's not likely they asked for the 10 yards. Crummy way to lose a record. Of course, if Suarez hadn't bitten Ivanovic last year, he wouldn't have had to sit out the first six games of the season and would likely have broken the record easily.
Howay the Lads
I'll do a broader post-mortem on Newcastle in the next few weeks but a few comments now. With the loss to Liverpool and Stoke's win over West Brom, the Magpies fell to 10th in the table. A top half of the table finish was the club's stated goal before the season commenced and it seemed like a worthy target given last year's 16th place finish. But the way they achieved the goal - a Europa League quality first half paired with a relegation worthy second half - suggests a struggle next year. The heady results of November morphed into the distressingly bad football of April. As Dennis would put it, "it was a great season until it started to suck."
But we know approximately, no exactly, when and why it started to suck - the departure of Cabaye. Followed closely by an injury to Remy. Newcastle will start next season with neither and one can only wonder where the offense will come from. Needless to say, this will be a critical transfer window for the Magpies.
Hackworth on the Hot Seat
After another lackluster performance (0-1 to DC United at home), Union manager John Hackworth is reportedly under fire. Hard to say exactly what share of this season's struggles should fall on his shoulders but it feels like more than a little. The squad definitely has an improved talent base and has shown flashes of quality play but is unable to sustain them. They haven't seemed to gel as a team either. Both of these sound like issues a manager can affect. A mid week match against Kansas City likely won't help matters.
Sounds like the Red Bulls could have used BFS Keeper Expert Chris K in their 4-5 loss to previously winless Chicago. Still, four goals is a month's worth for the Union so things can't be all bad.
More La Liga Stumbles
All three top teams gave up points this weekend. Real Madrid (Ronaldoless and Baleless) fell out of the race with a loss. Atletico and Barca both came away with draws, setting up this weekend's finale between the two. Atletico only needs a draw but Miguel B points out that the match is in Barcelona. Hopefully the recently overloaded Atletico bandwagon will tip the scales in their favor.
FA Cup
Final this weekend between Arsenal and Hull City. If I have this right, win or lose, Hull will play Europa League next season because if the FA Cup winner is qualified for Champions League, the spot goes to the FA Cup runner up. Not a terrible season for Arsenal what with fending off Everton's challenge for the last Champions League spot but the Gunners did spend a lot of time at the top of the table (more than any other side?) so the fourth place finish may be discouraging. An FA Cup win would probably make them feel much better.
World Cup Rosters
Some interesting stories as the rosters are released. Eddie Johnson does not make the 30-man roster for the US. By definition, this means he will not make the 23-man roster and will not be going to Brazil. England manager Roy Hodgson has made some news leaving off Ashley Cole and Michael Carrick from his 23-man roster, though Carrick is on stand-by and could still be chosen.
The View from Lyon
Had hoped to see the home side play while we are here but they will be in Nice next weekend. Oh well, guess we'll just have to spend time doing other things. Again, not expecting any sympathy.
Tuesday, May 13, 2014
Friday, May 9, 2014
Scenarios
As late as last Friday we were looking at the possibility that every game this coming Championship Sunday would have had title/Champions League/Europa League/relegation implications. But a string of unexpected, though not totally unforeseeable, results means that only four matches this weekend have much relevance and frankly, the prospect that anything will change is pretty low. Let's see how we got there, then look at the weekend's scenarios.
Manchester City did everything required of them since we last spoke. The match at Everton was indeed tough but the Citizens proved their resiliency after falling behind 1-0 on a brilliant strike by Ross Barkley. Unanswered goals by Aguero (what happened to Howard on that play - looks like he totally overplayed the far post and was left flat-footed when Aguero went near post) , Dzeko and Dzeko again put Man City up and looking like they were cruising. Lukaku's goal at 65 minutes narrowed the deficit and kept things interesting until the final whistle, which only came after six minutes of stoppage time, mostly due to a bizarre incident with said goal scorer Dzeko. In the 80th minute he committed a foul, then went down in agony. Referee Lee Probert was having none of it and at first wouldn't even let medical personnel on the field. Eventually he walked off under his own power (while being shown the yellow card - for the original foul I think) and walked back onto the field shortly thereafter to a chorus of boos. A bit risky on the part of Probert but he had a good view of the whole thing and was very likely confident in his assessment that Dzeko was just faking the injury. You can see the incident for yourself here.
In the second part of their assignment, the Citizens had little trouble disposing of Aston Villa, 4-0, on Wednesday, with "medical miracle" Edin Dzeko adding another two tallies to his season total. They go into the final weekend in first place with a two point cushion over Liverpool.
Ah Liverpool, poor Liverpool. Hope you all got to see that match versus Crystal Palace on Monday - destined to be a classic. Somebody did suggest that the match might be a problem. Of course, that looked really silly through 78 minutes, what with the Reds cruising with a 3-0 lead. However, their problem with the goal differential vis a vis Man City meant that Liverpool needed as many goals as possible. They did not take the foot off the gas and that left them open. But really, allowing three goals in 10 minutes? Stunning to see it all fall apart like that. So instead of heading into the final weekend tied with Man City, Liverpool trails and needs help from West Ham.
And the third title contender? Chelsea's 0-0 draw at home to Norwich was in many ways more of a shocker than the Liverpool-Crystal Palace result, just not as dramatic. I'm struggling to remember anything of note from the match. That might be old age but it might be that the contest was indeed a snoozefest. The draw, combined with Man City's win on Wednesday over Aston Villa, leaves Chelsea out of the title picture, confirming what Mourinho had been saying all along about the Blues' chances to win the league.
Europa League - you take it, I'm not going to take it, you take it
Tottenham held the door wide open for Manchester United to get the last Europa spot but the Red Devils refused to walk through. The Spurs were already on the back foot when Kaboul was sent off for DOGSO. West Ham took advantage for two first half goals and while Tottenham played well, this was a match that they weren't going to win. But in Manchester, Sunderland became like the 10th team this year to get their first win at Old Trafford in something like 100 years. Not to take anything away from Sunderland, a side that has been playing extremely good football for a few months now, it's not even a surprise when this happens anymore.
Somebody else can go down, not me
Talk about taking care of business. Aston Villa got a dream goal in the first minute and basically handled Hull City in a 3-1 victory that all but guaranteed their safety (Norwich's draw with Chelsea the next day made it official). I don't know who wore the scarf or what food was consumed at what times but whatever Dennis and Mikey did, it worked. Sunderland added a mid-week win over West Brom to the aforementioned win at Manchester United to guarantee the Black Cats a place in the EPL for next year. Not so lucky were Cardiff City (0-3 to Newcastle - more on that below) and Fulham (1-4 losers to Stoke); those losses sealed their fates and they will play second division football next year. Despite two losses, West Brom looks to be safe while Norwich's draw with Chelsea was probably not enough to keep them up.
Newcastle wins but it doesn't help
In the first 15 minutes of their match against Cardiff City, the Magpies easily established that they were the superior side, scoring once and rattling the woodwork twice. But the scored stayed that way until very late in the second half. And only a great play by Colochini to clear a shot off the line kept Newcastle in front until Remy and Taylor added insurance goals at 87 and 91 minutes. Very strange atmosphere at St.James' Park. As expected the anti-Pardew, anti-Ashley signs were everywhere; Pardew was roundly jeered during each trip to the technical area ("they're not yelling Pardew, they're booing"). The news of a potential fan walkout at 69 minutes (symbolic that 1969 was the last time Newcastle won any hardware) was widespread so as the game progressed, there was more attention to the stands than the game. There was also a walkout at 60 minutes - what does this say about the team - the fans can't even coordinate a protest walkout. Not too many left at 60 minutes but maybe 20% did leave at around 69 minutes. Cardiff City might be a good warning (Bluebird in the coal mine?) for Newcastle. If you don't address your personnel needs, you won't be in the EPL for long.
The Scenarios
For the EPL title:
Man City wins with 1) a win over West Ham or 2) a Liverpool loss or draw vs Newcastle regardless of how they do vs West Ham or 3) a draw with West Ham as long as Liverpool doesn't beat Newcastle by 12 or more goals. Liverpool wins with 1) a win over Newcastle coupled with a Man City loss or 2) a win by 12 or more goals over Newcastle and a Man City draw. Realistically, as bad as Newcastle can be at times, it seems to me the only road for Liverpool is to win at Newcastle and hope for West Ham to upset Man City at the Etihad. Not likely but this season has been strange.
For the Europa spot:
Tottenham is in with a win or draw over Aston Villa. Man United can take it with a win over Southampton on the road (no small feat) combined with a Tottenham loss.
For relegation:
Technically, Norwich could avoid relegation with a win over Arsenal combined with a West Brom loss against Stoke, but only if the change in goal differential is greater than 17. So all Norwich has to do is beat Arsenal 9-0 and hope that Stoke does the same to West Brom. Right, no problem.
Like I said at the top, small potatoes drama-wise given where we could have been. But, just the same, you probably should watch just to make sure you don't miss something wild. Viewing multiple matches will be tricky since all games start at 10 am on Sunday. NBC will be drawing on all network affiliates (oxygen? esquire?) to pull this off. The FA schedules the last day this way so that teams, at least in theory, have to put in an honest effort. My viewing problems this Sunday have nothing to do with the simultaneous starts and everything to do with the fact that I'll be driving from Paris to Lyon at match time. I realize that there will be no sympathy for my dilemma.
La Liga
Sounds like all kinds of fun there. I understand the top three all stumbled to varying degrees last week and the race is a bit more muddled than before. Perhaps Miguel or Roberto can enlighten us in the comments section.
MLS
Somebody has got to explain to the Union that all MLS matches consist of two halves and those halves are 45 minutes long. Maybe Jason Sudeikis could help them. They gave up points again from a winning position in 2-1 loss to Seattle. After taking a 1-0 lead into half time - totally deserved IMHO and in part due to another MacMath PK stop - the Union allowed two second half goals, including the game winner in the 84th minute. They find themselves in 8th place and really need to get a win as the host DC United this Sunday.
The Red Bulls took advantage of an early red card to snatch all three points on the road against Dallas. They sit in 4th based on MLS tie breaking rules but are actually tied for first in points and they host winless Chicago this weekend.
Football Manager
Back refreshed from cyber vacation, my first task was to review coaching and scouting staff positions to see who would be offered contracts and where we needed help. Pleasantly surprised that we are in reasonably good shape and only some minor adjustments will be necessary. Next up will be scheduling the preseason friendlies. I am concerned that the seeds of future financial distress have been sown with the board's decision to build a new $40 million stadium. I appreciate the need to increase capacity and our old pitch was awful but I just hope the debt service on the new park doesn't become the reason I can't get a decent salary or transfer budget.
What will we do with these free Saturday and Sunday mornings for the next few months?
Manchester City did everything required of them since we last spoke. The match at Everton was indeed tough but the Citizens proved their resiliency after falling behind 1-0 on a brilliant strike by Ross Barkley. Unanswered goals by Aguero (what happened to Howard on that play - looks like he totally overplayed the far post and was left flat-footed when Aguero went near post) , Dzeko and Dzeko again put Man City up and looking like they were cruising. Lukaku's goal at 65 minutes narrowed the deficit and kept things interesting until the final whistle, which only came after six minutes of stoppage time, mostly due to a bizarre incident with said goal scorer Dzeko. In the 80th minute he committed a foul, then went down in agony. Referee Lee Probert was having none of it and at first wouldn't even let medical personnel on the field. Eventually he walked off under his own power (while being shown the yellow card - for the original foul I think) and walked back onto the field shortly thereafter to a chorus of boos. A bit risky on the part of Probert but he had a good view of the whole thing and was very likely confident in his assessment that Dzeko was just faking the injury. You can see the incident for yourself here.
In the second part of their assignment, the Citizens had little trouble disposing of Aston Villa, 4-0, on Wednesday, with "medical miracle" Edin Dzeko adding another two tallies to his season total. They go into the final weekend in first place with a two point cushion over Liverpool.
Ah Liverpool, poor Liverpool. Hope you all got to see that match versus Crystal Palace on Monday - destined to be a classic. Somebody did suggest that the match might be a problem. Of course, that looked really silly through 78 minutes, what with the Reds cruising with a 3-0 lead. However, their problem with the goal differential vis a vis Man City meant that Liverpool needed as many goals as possible. They did not take the foot off the gas and that left them open. But really, allowing three goals in 10 minutes? Stunning to see it all fall apart like that. So instead of heading into the final weekend tied with Man City, Liverpool trails and needs help from West Ham.
And the third title contender? Chelsea's 0-0 draw at home to Norwich was in many ways more of a shocker than the Liverpool-Crystal Palace result, just not as dramatic. I'm struggling to remember anything of note from the match. That might be old age but it might be that the contest was indeed a snoozefest. The draw, combined with Man City's win on Wednesday over Aston Villa, leaves Chelsea out of the title picture, confirming what Mourinho had been saying all along about the Blues' chances to win the league.
Europa League - you take it, I'm not going to take it, you take it
Tottenham held the door wide open for Manchester United to get the last Europa spot but the Red Devils refused to walk through. The Spurs were already on the back foot when Kaboul was sent off for DOGSO. West Ham took advantage for two first half goals and while Tottenham played well, this was a match that they weren't going to win. But in Manchester, Sunderland became like the 10th team this year to get their first win at Old Trafford in something like 100 years. Not to take anything away from Sunderland, a side that has been playing extremely good football for a few months now, it's not even a surprise when this happens anymore.
Somebody else can go down, not me
Talk about taking care of business. Aston Villa got a dream goal in the first minute and basically handled Hull City in a 3-1 victory that all but guaranteed their safety (Norwich's draw with Chelsea the next day made it official). I don't know who wore the scarf or what food was consumed at what times but whatever Dennis and Mikey did, it worked. Sunderland added a mid-week win over West Brom to the aforementioned win at Manchester United to guarantee the Black Cats a place in the EPL for next year. Not so lucky were Cardiff City (0-3 to Newcastle - more on that below) and Fulham (1-4 losers to Stoke); those losses sealed their fates and they will play second division football next year. Despite two losses, West Brom looks to be safe while Norwich's draw with Chelsea was probably not enough to keep them up.
Newcastle wins but it doesn't help
In the first 15 minutes of their match against Cardiff City, the Magpies easily established that they were the superior side, scoring once and rattling the woodwork twice. But the scored stayed that way until very late in the second half. And only a great play by Colochini to clear a shot off the line kept Newcastle in front until Remy and Taylor added insurance goals at 87 and 91 minutes. Very strange atmosphere at St.James' Park. As expected the anti-Pardew, anti-Ashley signs were everywhere; Pardew was roundly jeered during each trip to the technical area ("they're not yelling Pardew, they're booing"). The news of a potential fan walkout at 69 minutes (symbolic that 1969 was the last time Newcastle won any hardware) was widespread so as the game progressed, there was more attention to the stands than the game. There was also a walkout at 60 minutes - what does this say about the team - the fans can't even coordinate a protest walkout. Not too many left at 60 minutes but maybe 20% did leave at around 69 minutes. Cardiff City might be a good warning (Bluebird in the coal mine?) for Newcastle. If you don't address your personnel needs, you won't be in the EPL for long.
The Scenarios
For the EPL title:
Man City wins with 1) a win over West Ham or 2) a Liverpool loss or draw vs Newcastle regardless of how they do vs West Ham or 3) a draw with West Ham as long as Liverpool doesn't beat Newcastle by 12 or more goals. Liverpool wins with 1) a win over Newcastle coupled with a Man City loss or 2) a win by 12 or more goals over Newcastle and a Man City draw. Realistically, as bad as Newcastle can be at times, it seems to me the only road for Liverpool is to win at Newcastle and hope for West Ham to upset Man City at the Etihad. Not likely but this season has been strange.
For the Europa spot:
Tottenham is in with a win or draw over Aston Villa. Man United can take it with a win over Southampton on the road (no small feat) combined with a Tottenham loss.
For relegation:
Technically, Norwich could avoid relegation with a win over Arsenal combined with a West Brom loss against Stoke, but only if the change in goal differential is greater than 17. So all Norwich has to do is beat Arsenal 9-0 and hope that Stoke does the same to West Brom. Right, no problem.
Like I said at the top, small potatoes drama-wise given where we could have been. But, just the same, you probably should watch just to make sure you don't miss something wild. Viewing multiple matches will be tricky since all games start at 10 am on Sunday. NBC will be drawing on all network affiliates (oxygen? esquire?) to pull this off. The FA schedules the last day this way so that teams, at least in theory, have to put in an honest effort. My viewing problems this Sunday have nothing to do with the simultaneous starts and everything to do with the fact that I'll be driving from Paris to Lyon at match time. I realize that there will be no sympathy for my dilemma.
La Liga
Sounds like all kinds of fun there. I understand the top three all stumbled to varying degrees last week and the race is a bit more muddled than before. Perhaps Miguel or Roberto can enlighten us in the comments section.
MLS
Somebody has got to explain to the Union that all MLS matches consist of two halves and those halves are 45 minutes long. Maybe Jason Sudeikis could help them. They gave up points again from a winning position in 2-1 loss to Seattle. After taking a 1-0 lead into half time - totally deserved IMHO and in part due to another MacMath PK stop - the Union allowed two second half goals, including the game winner in the 84th minute. They find themselves in 8th place and really need to get a win as the host DC United this Sunday.
The Red Bulls took advantage of an early red card to snatch all three points on the road against Dallas. They sit in 4th based on MLS tie breaking rules but are actually tied for first in points and they host winless Chicago this weekend.
Football Manager
Back refreshed from cyber vacation, my first task was to review coaching and scouting staff positions to see who would be offered contracts and where we needed help. Pleasantly surprised that we are in reasonably good shape and only some minor adjustments will be necessary. Next up will be scheduling the preseason friendlies. I am concerned that the seeds of future financial distress have been sown with the board's decision to build a new $40 million stadium. I appreciate the need to increase capacity and our old pitch was awful but I just hope the debt service on the new park doesn't become the reason I can't get a decent salary or transfer budget.
What will we do with these free Saturday and Sunday mornings for the next few months?
Thursday, May 1, 2014
Who Wants to Win?
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho couldn't have shown more disdain for the EPL recently if he tried. Actually I think he did try. First there was the sarcastic news conference after the Sunderland loss. Then he essentially said he would be holding out many of his first team players for the match against Liverpool, saving them for what he was clearly saying was the more important Champions League match. He shows up for the Liverpool contest unshaven, wearing sweat pants and a down vest, looking like he threw that stuff on to get the paper on a cold winter morning. Jose may be getting his fashion tips from Bill Belichick. He did keep many regulars out, at least for the start. And they played a negative, defensive game that, had it not the drama of first playing second, would not have been worth watching. So how'd that whole "we don't give a crap" strategy work out? Well Chelsea took away a 2-0 win that once again changed control of the race, this time handing it to Manchester City.
A couple of things. First, though the starting 11 were not Chelsea's best, they were still more expensive than the Liverpool side, at least based on transfer fees. How many sides would be happy to start Demba Ba up top? I can think of at least one squad from the Northeast. Did you see Mourinho's reaction after the late second goal that clinched the win? He looked pretty stoked, like he might have even cared about the result. This week's fake Mourinho quote - "Suckers."
On the other hand, Chelsea lost that Champions League match, rather handily in fact, 1-3 to Atletico, so there will be no cup there for the Blues. Ooh, and Belgian international Eden Hazard got burned twice while ball watching instead of marking; get that crap out of your system before the World Cup please. And despite the win over Liverpool, Chelsea needs both Manchester City and Liverpool to mess up to have a shot at the EPL title. Maybe the fake quote should be "I told you we had no chance."
Manchester City held up their end of the deal with a workmanlike 2-0 win over a tough Crystal Palace side. Though the Citizens trail Liverpool by three points, they have a game in hand and a substantial lead in the goal differential. Win their final matches versus Everton, Aston Villa, and West Ham, and the title is likely theirs. Liverpool need either to see Manchester City stumble or to put up some big numbers against Crystal Palace and Newcastle to overcome the goal differential; right now Newcastle does look capable of being blown out 7-0 but that probably isn't enough.
In the race for the last Champions League spot, Arsenal easily handled the sinking ship called Newcastle United 3-0. Without Tim Krul's acrobatics, the score could have easily been worse. Right now the only positive thing I can say about the Magpies is they have a great entrance anthem, one of my favorite songs of all time - Going Home (Theme of the Local Hero) by Mark Knopfler (which I am making this week's YouTubeableMoment because it lifted my spirits). The news was not so good for Everton as they went down to Southampton 0-2. The "tricky" match I forecast turned out to include two own goals and two possible PKs in favor of Everton that Michael Oliver chose not to award. There are own goals that are truly just bad luck and others that are the result of bad choices. Both of Everton's fell into the latter category, as defenders tried to make tricky headers way too close to the net. The Toffees are now four points back with two matches left and looking at long odds for the Champions League.
Tottenham solidified their hold on a Europa League spot while Man United at least kept their hopes alive. The Spurs didn't exactly overwhelm Stoke City, especially given that their hosts spent most of the second half playing with 10 men, but it's hard to complain too much about a 1-0 win on the road against a decent squad. Man United's 4-0 drubbing dropped Norwich into the relegation zone but was more notable for being Ryan Gigg's debut as interim manager for the Red Devils. Doesn't sound like Giggs has a shot at the permanent position but it was great to see him in the blazer getting the W.
Down South
Plenty of action down at the relegation end of the table. Sunderland's 4-0 thrashing of Cardiff City moved the Black Cats out of the relegation zone for the first time in months and has put Cardiff City's hopes of staying up on life support. Maybe Mr. Tan's boastful pledge that he wasn't going to spend any money in the January transfer window wasn't such a good idea. Two early second half goals put Fulham up on Hull City but it wasn't a lead they could hold and the match ended in a 2-2 draw; a win would have lifted the Cottagers out of the relegation zone but now they need points in their final matches versus Stoke and Crystal Palace. Norwich, with matches against Chelsea and Arsenal look destined for relegation.
And what about our heroes of the Midlands? Aston Villa did not give too good an account of themselves in a 4-1 loss at Swansea, though the final score was a bit overstated. The Villans fell behind 1-0 but rallied well with a great looking tally from Agbonlahor on a great cross from Albrighton. But the joy was shortlived as a botched clearance went right to
This past Christmas, I was fortunate enough to receive an Aston Villa scarf from none other than Christian Benteke (though there is still the possibility that it was actually from some guy named Steve). Throughout the season I have done various things with said scarf in an attempt to influence the outcome of games - wear it, not wear it, wave it around, throw it to the ground in disgust, etc. Needing a new tactic and not ready to admit that the scarf might be the problem, I decided that the problem must be the wearer....
The Villans scored within minutes of the scarf transition, and I thought my struggles were over. Then that silly Jon Jo Shelvey thing happened. A slight zoom out on that photo really captures the appropriate expression for this game and the entire season....
I make that expression a lot while watching Villa fumble around, miss easy passes, make poor challenges, and somehow seem simultaneously competent yet completely outclassed. If they don't get a point (heaven forbid they get the full 3) hosting Hull this weekend, Mikey just might be the only one wearing that scarf around here for quite some time.
In other action
In La Liga action, Atletico Madrid moved one step closer to the title with a 1-0 win over Valencia. That's on top of the aforementioned Champions League win over Chelsea that moves them to the final. Sevilla may have lost their chance at qualifying for next year's CL as they went down to 4th place Athletic Club Bilbao 3-1.
The Union were close to lifeless in a 1-0 loss in Montreal. Feels like they have the talent to do better but it's not showing up on the scoreboard yet. Worse, this was the first time they really didn't look good - like everybody was on a different page. Perhaps Hackworth is still struggling to find the right line up.
Two weeks to go
Best match at the top end looks to be Everton vs Man City Saturday afternoon at 12:30. At kickoff, the Toffees will still technically be in the race for the 4th, as Arsenal's match with West Brom isn't until Sunday morning. Every reason to expect a lively match here. Everton have only lost twice at Goodison Park this season; Man City was terrible on the road earlier this year but have done better recently. They may also see the return of David Silva from an ankle injury, which can only help their cause.
Crystal Palace were not a pushover for Man City and could present a bit of a challenge to Liverpool; how will the Reds respond after last week's disappointment? Chelsea faces Norwich at Stamford Bridge; everything about this says blow out so who knows.
Tottenham begins the weekend out of contention for the Champions League but with a stranglehold on the Europa spot. A win at West Ham would just about seal it. Man United, still in the running for a Europa spot, can't afford a slip up as they host Sunderland, who will be playing to stay up in the EPL.
Last place Cardiff City travels to St. James Park to play a Newcastle side with a form guide that says "kick me." Six straight defeats, two goals in eight matches, 10 goals in 17 matches in 2014, etc., etc. Despite their recent form, the oddsmakers have the Magpies as a heavy favorite; must not be watching the same games as me. But the good news is they just revealed their new away kit [uniform] for next season so maybe everything is going to be okay. If you do ignore my advice and watch this contest, expect to see clever signs around the park calling for Alan Pardew's ouster. And maybe a fan or two entering the field to return his season ticket to the manager.
19th place Fulham travels to Stoke where the Cottagers are likely underdogs in their late charge to stay up. And as Dennis mentioned, Aston Villa is hoping for any kind of result at Villa Park as they host Hull City, who are probably safe but wouldn't mind another point or three to be sure.
Our MLS faves, the Union (vs Seattle) and Red Bulls (vs Dallas) face tough road challenges this weekend. I know I've been critical of all the draws this season but a tie in Seattle would be just fine.
Don't forget to check out the simulation bookings widget on the right side of the home sceen. We had a couple this weekend. Dennis will announce the BFS of the Year sometime in late May.
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
Congratulations
I can say everything I need to about this weekend's EPL action in four quick points so we are not going to waste time.
1) Congratulations to the top table teams that got the job done. Everton was perhaps the most efficient in a clinical shutdown of Manchester United in which the Toffees never looked in danger in the 2-0 win that finishes any chance of CL for the Red Devils; it also apparently finished any chance of David Moyes finishing the season with Man United. Arsenal allowed Hull to feel like they were in the match but eventually walked away with a 3-0 win. Liverpool was never behind but never comfortable in a 3-2 win at Norwich. Honorable mention to Tottenham for a 3-1 win over Fulham to keep Europa League hopes intact.
2) Congratulations to Aston Villa for picking up an unexpected point against Southampton. Didn't see the match but it can't have been all that riveting, except for the context. Dennis adds: Not all that riveting indeed. Southampton could (should?) have been up at least 1 and probably 2 goals within the first 5 minutes. It settled into a back and forth contest that, while mildly entertaining, never really felt like it would produce a winner. None of that matters now and Villa snagged one of those 2 crucial points I mentioned last week, leaving them one win away from really feeling safe. Beating Norwich [ed note: Swansea?] this weekend seems like our best chance, so I am preparing for the worst.
3) Congratulations to Newcastle, who's performance was less "pooh-er" than recent weeks' even though it was still a loss, 2-1 to Swansea. An early goal (the thing where the ball crosses the line between the posts) gave the Magpies a lead; a swell header by Bony evened up the match for Swansea in first half stoppage time. Slight advantage to Newcastle in the second half but they could not get a game winner. A breakaway in stoppage time led to a PK which Bony converted and the losing streak continues.
4) Congratulations to Chelsea for turning what should have been a boring romp against Sunderland into compelling theater. Of course it came at the cost of Chelsea pissing away control in the title race. Uh-oh, I feel a rant coming on. Did Chelsea not bother to watch the tapes from Sunderland's performance on Tuesday against Man City? Maybe realize that this team is not going quietly into the relegation night. And enough with the whining. Until you learn the difference between a ball that hits the hand and the infraction of handling - I'm looking especially at you Ivanovic and Salah - just stfu. And Chelsea should have spent the second half a man down after Ramires' disgraceful blow to Larsson's face. I don't blame Mike Dean for not seeing it. His attention had turned to the right to follow the play because he had to make a determination of whether advantage would apply. Plus, why would Dean need to focus on the Ramires, since no one would be stupid enough to strike a player in the face with the ref right there? The PK - tough call but not outrageous. Azpilicueta went for a slide tackle in the box at greater than a 90 degree angle from behind and made contact with Altidore. What do you expect? Assistant coach Rui Faria's performance on the sideline was impressive; maybe if the whole squad had focused that kind of passion on playing soccer, the result might have been different. Mourinho completed the ugly day with a sarcastic post game performance that will likely earn him a hefty fine. And to think I used to lust in my heart over Chelsea. I feel like I need a shower.
In MLS action...
Houston and the Union played a 0-0 draw that likely did not advance the cause of MLS. Outplayed in the first half, the Union had a much better second half but can you really say they threatened to score? This habit of getting draws at home is a formula for finishing 7th in the division.
Red Bulls were idle over the weekend but just completed a mid-week thrashing of Houston. With two consecutive wins, they jump to 3rd in the division, allbeit with a few extra games played.
In Football Manager action...
It is now late May on the cyber calendar. The players are on vacation until June 30. I'm about to take my annual one-week vacation. We just managed to sign Gaetano Hoffman, a fictional 21 year-old Swiss striker who my scouts say is ready now to play at the Premier League level. Still looking to add an experienced keeper and a stronger left back but probably won't be able to do that until July 1, when I get my new salary and transfer budget plus I can get players on loan.
This weekend
With Chelsea's loss to Sunderland, their marquee match with Liverpool has lost some of its luster. It may lose even more if Mourinho follows through on his idea to play his second team so as to save his regulars for the second leg of the CL semi-final with Atletico (0-0 after the first leg in Madrid). Man City has to play a hot Crystal Palace on the road to make sure they keep pace and/or gain on the top two teams. Everton travels to Southampton for a tricky match while their competition for the last CL spot, Arsenal, gets to host Newcastle (oh man that could get ugly).
Interesting stuff down in the relegation zone where just eight points separate 12th and 20th in the table. Aston Villa travels to Wales to play Swansea, Sunderland hosts Cardiff, West Ham is away to West Brom, and Fulham welcomes Hull City to Craven Cottage. Points are critical to all; winning is important, not losing is even more important.
Europa League spots are still up in the air as Spurs take on Stoke and Man United faces Norwich.
Still a lot of viewing to be had...
1) Congratulations to the top table teams that got the job done. Everton was perhaps the most efficient in a clinical shutdown of Manchester United in which the Toffees never looked in danger in the 2-0 win that finishes any chance of CL for the Red Devils; it also apparently finished any chance of David Moyes finishing the season with Man United. Arsenal allowed Hull to feel like they were in the match but eventually walked away with a 3-0 win. Liverpool was never behind but never comfortable in a 3-2 win at Norwich. Honorable mention to Tottenham for a 3-1 win over Fulham to keep Europa League hopes intact.
2) Congratulations to Aston Villa for picking up an unexpected point against Southampton. Didn't see the match but it can't have been all that riveting, except for the context. Dennis adds: Not all that riveting indeed. Southampton could (should?) have been up at least 1 and probably 2 goals within the first 5 minutes. It settled into a back and forth contest that, while mildly entertaining, never really felt like it would produce a winner. None of that matters now and Villa snagged one of those 2 crucial points I mentioned last week, leaving them one win away from really feeling safe. Beating Norwich [ed note: Swansea?] this weekend seems like our best chance, so I am preparing for the worst.
3) Congratulations to Newcastle, who's performance was less "pooh-er" than recent weeks' even though it was still a loss, 2-1 to Swansea. An early goal (the thing where the ball crosses the line between the posts) gave the Magpies a lead; a swell header by Bony evened up the match for Swansea in first half stoppage time. Slight advantage to Newcastle in the second half but they could not get a game winner. A breakaway in stoppage time led to a PK which Bony converted and the losing streak continues.
4) Congratulations to Chelsea for turning what should have been a boring romp against Sunderland into compelling theater. Of course it came at the cost of Chelsea pissing away control in the title race. Uh-oh, I feel a rant coming on. Did Chelsea not bother to watch the tapes from Sunderland's performance on Tuesday against Man City? Maybe realize that this team is not going quietly into the relegation night. And enough with the whining. Until you learn the difference between a ball that hits the hand and the infraction of handling - I'm looking especially at you Ivanovic and Salah - just stfu. And Chelsea should have spent the second half a man down after Ramires' disgraceful blow to Larsson's face. I don't blame Mike Dean for not seeing it. His attention had turned to the right to follow the play because he had to make a determination of whether advantage would apply. Plus, why would Dean need to focus on the Ramires, since no one would be stupid enough to strike a player in the face with the ref right there? The PK - tough call but not outrageous. Azpilicueta went for a slide tackle in the box at greater than a 90 degree angle from behind and made contact with Altidore. What do you expect? Assistant coach Rui Faria's performance on the sideline was impressive; maybe if the whole squad had focused that kind of passion on playing soccer, the result might have been different. Mourinho completed the ugly day with a sarcastic post game performance that will likely earn him a hefty fine. And to think I used to lust in my heart over Chelsea. I feel like I need a shower.
In MLS action...
Houston and the Union played a 0-0 draw that likely did not advance the cause of MLS. Outplayed in the first half, the Union had a much better second half but can you really say they threatened to score? This habit of getting draws at home is a formula for finishing 7th in the division.
Red Bulls were idle over the weekend but just completed a mid-week thrashing of Houston. With two consecutive wins, they jump to 3rd in the division, allbeit with a few extra games played.
In Football Manager action...
It is now late May on the cyber calendar. The players are on vacation until June 30. I'm about to take my annual one-week vacation. We just managed to sign Gaetano Hoffman, a fictional 21 year-old Swiss striker who my scouts say is ready now to play at the Premier League level. Still looking to add an experienced keeper and a stronger left back but probably won't be able to do that until July 1, when I get my new salary and transfer budget plus I can get players on loan.
This weekend
With Chelsea's loss to Sunderland, their marquee match with Liverpool has lost some of its luster. It may lose even more if Mourinho follows through on his idea to play his second team so as to save his regulars for the second leg of the CL semi-final with Atletico (0-0 after the first leg in Madrid). Man City has to play a hot Crystal Palace on the road to make sure they keep pace and/or gain on the top two teams. Everton travels to Southampton for a tricky match while their competition for the last CL spot, Arsenal, gets to host Newcastle (oh man that could get ugly).
Interesting stuff down in the relegation zone where just eight points separate 12th and 20th in the table. Aston Villa travels to Wales to play Swansea, Sunderland hosts Cardiff, West Ham is away to West Brom, and Fulham welcomes Hull City to Craven Cottage. Points are critical to all; winning is important, not losing is even more important.
Europa League spots are still up in the air as Spurs take on Stoke and Man United faces Norwich.
Still a lot of viewing to be had...
Friday, April 18, 2014
BFS Would Like to Recall the Previous Post
Jeebus Christmas. The ink was barely dry on Tuesday's post and a series of unexpected midweek results in seemingly innocuous fixtures have rendered it moot.
Arsenal's 3-1 win over West Ham on Tuesday was expected. The match was a bit of a return to mid-season form, as the Gunners struggled against a lesser opponent - and fell behind 0-1 - but did not panic. Better quality finishing was eventually the difference here. That and maybe a non-call in the box when West Ham's Jarvis refused to go down after a possible foul in the box; much speculation on the interwebs that had he taken the tumble, he would have been rewarded with a PK. But regardless, Arsenal got the required three points.
Wednesday was not as simple. Everton stumbled badly in a home match against Crystal Palace, losing 2-3. Did not see the match but apparently Crystal Palace was extremely effective in the counter attack. The Eagles have been in fine form (four straight wins) and their quest to stay up in the Premier League looks complete. Wonder how Rebecca Lowe kept it together during the post-match analysis; she is a life-long CP fan and must be thrilled. Maybe this is not quite the upset it seems to be but it is devastating to Everton. The Toffees drop to 5th, one point behind Arsenal. Worse, their remaining fixtures (Man Utd, Southampton, Man City and Hull) are somewhat more difficult that Arsenal's run-in to the finish (Hull, Newcastle, West Brom and Norwich). Contrary to what I said Tuesday, Arsenal, not Everton, now have the upper hand in the race for the last CL spot. For Everton, it could be a fine body of work seemingly undone in one afternoon. Unless of course, the weekend brings more surprises.
The other Wednesday match was maybe more of a stunner; it was also a great match for the neutrals. Sunderland gave Manchester City all they could handle and came away with a well-deserved 2-2 draw. Fernandinho got the hosts off to a flying start, maybe too easy a start, with a goal in the 2nd minute. Man City had the run of play early but could not add to the lead and Sunderland started to have some bright moments of their own. And then the play seemed about equal. The Black Cats got the tying goal from Connor Wickham in the 73rd minute. He enjoyed scoring so much, he did it again 10 minutes later and Man City was faced with the possibility of Sunderland, last place Sunderland, taking all three points at Etihad Stadium. Sammy Nasri "rescued" the situation with the equalizing goal in the 88th minute; watch how Sunderland keeper Vito Mannone scrambles, then crawls in a desperate attempt to keep the ball from rolling across the goal line. That YouTubeableMoment might say it all for Sunderland this year.
I put rescued in quotes because even the draw has completely changed the complexion of the title race. Liverpool already controlled their fate but can now hold off Man City with three wins and a draw (i.e. they only have to not lose to Chelsea). And Chelsea now can also win the title by winning all their remaining fixtures. All because of a little draw against the last place team.
Morals of the story
1) Even though the weekend features what look like unappealing match ups, you probably should watch anyway
2) A contender might be better off playing Newcastle than any squad still in relegation danger
And in the last match on Wednesday, the Union was 3/4 empty, 1/4 full in a 1-2 loss to the Red Bulls. Not much offensive pressure (at least until Conor Casey came in - maybe Jeff H will comment on what our preferred line-up should be) and the Red Bulls "outphysicaled" the Philadelphia side. Next up - Houston Dynamo.
Arsenal's 3-1 win over West Ham on Tuesday was expected. The match was a bit of a return to mid-season form, as the Gunners struggled against a lesser opponent - and fell behind 0-1 - but did not panic. Better quality finishing was eventually the difference here. That and maybe a non-call in the box when West Ham's Jarvis refused to go down after a possible foul in the box; much speculation on the interwebs that had he taken the tumble, he would have been rewarded with a PK. But regardless, Arsenal got the required three points.
Wednesday was not as simple. Everton stumbled badly in a home match against Crystal Palace, losing 2-3. Did not see the match but apparently Crystal Palace was extremely effective in the counter attack. The Eagles have been in fine form (four straight wins) and their quest to stay up in the Premier League looks complete. Wonder how Rebecca Lowe kept it together during the post-match analysis; she is a life-long CP fan and must be thrilled. Maybe this is not quite the upset it seems to be but it is devastating to Everton. The Toffees drop to 5th, one point behind Arsenal. Worse, their remaining fixtures (Man Utd, Southampton, Man City and Hull) are somewhat more difficult that Arsenal's run-in to the finish (Hull, Newcastle, West Brom and Norwich). Contrary to what I said Tuesday, Arsenal, not Everton, now have the upper hand in the race for the last CL spot. For Everton, it could be a fine body of work seemingly undone in one afternoon. Unless of course, the weekend brings more surprises.
The other Wednesday match was maybe more of a stunner; it was also a great match for the neutrals. Sunderland gave Manchester City all they could handle and came away with a well-deserved 2-2 draw. Fernandinho got the hosts off to a flying start, maybe too easy a start, with a goal in the 2nd minute. Man City had the run of play early but could not add to the lead and Sunderland started to have some bright moments of their own. And then the play seemed about equal. The Black Cats got the tying goal from Connor Wickham in the 73rd minute. He enjoyed scoring so much, he did it again 10 minutes later and Man City was faced with the possibility of Sunderland, last place Sunderland, taking all three points at Etihad Stadium. Sammy Nasri "rescued" the situation with the equalizing goal in the 88th minute; watch how Sunderland keeper Vito Mannone scrambles, then crawls in a desperate attempt to keep the ball from rolling across the goal line. That YouTubeableMoment might say it all for Sunderland this year.
I put rescued in quotes because even the draw has completely changed the complexion of the title race. Liverpool already controlled their fate but can now hold off Man City with three wins and a draw (i.e. they only have to not lose to Chelsea). And Chelsea now can also win the title by winning all their remaining fixtures. All because of a little draw against the last place team.
Morals of the story
1) Even though the weekend features what look like unappealing match ups, you probably should watch anyway
2) A contender might be better off playing Newcastle than any squad still in relegation danger
And in the last match on Wednesday, the Union was 3/4 empty, 1/4 full in a 1-2 loss to the Red Bulls. Not much offensive pressure (at least until Conor Casey came in - maybe Jeff H will comment on what our preferred line-up should be) and the Red Bulls "outphysicaled" the Philadelphia side. Next up - Houston Dynamo.
Wednesday, April 16, 2014
No Silver Linings Playbook
Difficult times indeed for the blog's home teams. Even those that got a result this weekend, upon further review, have little to cheer about. I hear that our fans of Spanish teams are having much more fun so maybe Michael B, Bob K and Luke P (loyal Atleti supporter since 4/8/14) will enlighten us in the comments section.
If there is a silver lining behind the dark cloud hanging over Newcastle, I can't see it. Though they played a little better in a 1-0 loss to Stoke, the Magpies extended their scoreless streak to over 360 minutes. The game's only goal came on a cross that was so bad it turned into an awesome shot, completely fooling Newcastle Tim Krul. But the long stretch of poor form is not the real concern here. Absent substantial new blood, it's hard to see Newcastle as a mid-table team next year. They've not filled the giant hole left by Cabaye's departure and Remy's likely exit at the end of the season will create a similar-sized problem up top. Defenders Debuchy and Colochino are also probably gone. With a front office in disarray or indifferent or both, effective signings to address these losses are hard to envision. Here's hoping that I'm wrong.
Not much better in the Midlands. Aston Villa lost to relegation rival Crystal Palace 1-0 and several of the other bottom table teams got three points as well, leaving the Villans very exposed at this point. Dennis reports on the game below (including how many times he got up to make a sandwich in apparently vain attempts to spur the offense) but again, it's hard to find the silver lining here. Dennis notes:
The second 1-0 loss to CP this season (need I really say more?) wasn't as soul-crushing as the first since we conceded well before the 93rd minute this time. But it came at a much more crucial point in the season and to a team that was tied with us on points before the game. Announcers keep implying that Aston Villa is essentially safe as 36 points is usually enough to avoid relegation and we have 34 points. However, and check my math on this one, that means we need 2 whole points. And after the sloppy, uninspiring show on Saturday, I am not even sure where we are going to get 1 more point. A sandwich at halftime was not enough to spark the Villans and I am seriously worried about their fate.
To Dennis's point, they finish the season on the road at Man City and Tottenham and play Southampton this weekend. The matches against Hull and Swansea loom as the critical places to get enough points to keep them in the Premier League.
Since I haven't seen any of their matches, I don't know exactly what's up with the Red Bulls. A loss to DC United wasn't likely part of the plan. Perhaps Chris can comment on whether there is a silver lining to their 0-2-4 start.
But as I said at the start, sometimes even winning isn't all that it seems either. Take Arsenal. Surely, you say the FA Cup semi-final win over Wigan, and the chance to end a nine-year trophy drought mean things are good. Shirley, you might be wrong. First, the Gunners' play of late has been uneven and they struggled mightily to defeat the second division Wigan squad. Only late game heroics by Mertesacker even got them to extra time and the penalty shoot out. And now they are heavy favorites to beat Hull City in the final. As in, it's a no-win situation, though that's a bit unfair because you don't get to choose your competition. It gets worse. While they were out gallivanting around in FA Cup land, Everton was beating Sunderland in EPL action to move passed Arsenal for the last Champions League spot. I'd say Everton has a tougher run-in so it's not over yet but you can see why Luke P has been cheating on the Gunners.
The Union got a result too - a 2-2 draw with a Real [Good] Salt Lake side, with Maurice Edu getting the equalizer in stoppage time. There are many things to like about the Union right now. Last year their goals seemed like accidents where this year they seem like the logical conclusion to a clever sequence of passes. They've lost just once so far. But it's hard to say yet whether the Union are half full or half empty. They are good for two to four astounding defensive break downs per game. The play is pretty but it is not a high powered offense that can easily overcome those gaffes. And they need to put up some W's; draws will not get you to the playoffs (playoffs? playoffs?).
Hey, look at this. Red Bulls and Union in a mid-week MLS contest on Wednesday night. That should be fun. Show of hands, who would like to see Hackworth give MacMath a day off and start number one draft pick Andre Blake in goal? Yeah, that's what I thought.
Speaking of draws, Tottenham spotted West Brom a 2-0 lead, missed a PK of their own, allowed another tally for the Baggies and then decided they'd better get moving. Managed a draw. Keeps them firmly anchored in 6th. For which they will likely besaddled rewarded with another season in the Europa League, guaranteed to sap the life out of your team for far less money than it's worth.
There was quality action this weekend as the Match of the Year (at least until the Liverpool-Chelsea contest) delivered the goods. Sterling got the festivities off to a great start with a deft move in the box to open the scoring in the 6th minute. Skrtel (Slovakian verb which means "to grab a fistful of an attackers' jersey in the box and not get called for it") added another on a what I grudgingly must concede was a great header at 26 minutes. Man City was reeling but held on to keep the deficit at two for the rest of the half. A revived Citizen side showed up for the second half (Milner's appearance at 50 minutes might have had something to do with it) and were eventually rewarded with a nifty tally by Silva. A short five minutes later they got the equalizer that went as an own goal against Liverpool defender Johnson but really was a good piece of work and totally deserved. Thoughts of a 4-2 rout must have danced in Pellegrini's head. Not so fast. A totally botched clearance by Vincent Kompany (get that out of your system now so we don't see anything like that when you represent Belgium at the World Cup), landed at Coutinho's feet and the young Brazilian made the most of it, slotting the winner past Joe Hart. Liverpool ends the weekend up two over Chelsea and seven over Man City (i.e. more points than you can make up with two games in hand); run the table and the title is theirs.
Chelsea had a good week. Got the 2-0 win over PSG they needed to advance to the Champions League semi-final. They kept pace with Liverpool - barely - by eking out a 1-0 win at Swansea. A 10 man Swansea (Chico sent off at 16 minutes for a second yellow that sure looked like was the result of Chelsea whining). Though they are just two points back and play Liverpool at Anfield on 4/27, they technically don't control their own destiny because Man City could sneak past them by winning all their remaining matches. Mourinho Fake Sound Bite of Week: "The race is over. I have already turned my attention to preseason preparations for next year. And maybe a little for the Champions League semi-final. But mostly preseason because Atletico will thrash us. We have no chance there either."
Every game is critical now but the match ups this weekend aren't really going to grab you. Man United at Everton is likely the best of the lot. Getting a little excited about Fulham's late charge to avoid relegation. Of course, that charge this week would come at the expense of Tottenham, though Michael B might prefer another loss so as to be sure the Spurs miss out on Europa League.
Please, La Liga fans, tell us of your experiences so we can see a silver lining to this supposedly beautiful game.
If there is a silver lining behind the dark cloud hanging over Newcastle, I can't see it. Though they played a little better in a 1-0 loss to Stoke, the Magpies extended their scoreless streak to over 360 minutes. The game's only goal came on a cross that was so bad it turned into an awesome shot, completely fooling Newcastle Tim Krul. But the long stretch of poor form is not the real concern here. Absent substantial new blood, it's hard to see Newcastle as a mid-table team next year. They've not filled the giant hole left by Cabaye's departure and Remy's likely exit at the end of the season will create a similar-sized problem up top. Defenders Debuchy and Colochino are also probably gone. With a front office in disarray or indifferent or both, effective signings to address these losses are hard to envision. Here's hoping that I'm wrong.
Not much better in the Midlands. Aston Villa lost to relegation rival Crystal Palace 1-0 and several of the other bottom table teams got three points as well, leaving the Villans very exposed at this point. Dennis reports on the game below (including how many times he got up to make a sandwich in apparently vain attempts to spur the offense) but again, it's hard to find the silver lining here. Dennis notes:
The second 1-0 loss to CP this season (need I really say more?) wasn't as soul-crushing as the first since we conceded well before the 93rd minute this time. But it came at a much more crucial point in the season and to a team that was tied with us on points before the game. Announcers keep implying that Aston Villa is essentially safe as 36 points is usually enough to avoid relegation and we have 34 points. However, and check my math on this one, that means we need 2 whole points. And after the sloppy, uninspiring show on Saturday, I am not even sure where we are going to get 1 more point. A sandwich at halftime was not enough to spark the Villans and I am seriously worried about their fate.
To Dennis's point, they finish the season on the road at Man City and Tottenham and play Southampton this weekend. The matches against Hull and Swansea loom as the critical places to get enough points to keep them in the Premier League.
Since I haven't seen any of their matches, I don't know exactly what's up with the Red Bulls. A loss to DC United wasn't likely part of the plan. Perhaps Chris can comment on whether there is a silver lining to their 0-2-4 start.
But as I said at the start, sometimes even winning isn't all that it seems either. Take Arsenal. Surely, you say the FA Cup semi-final win over Wigan, and the chance to end a nine-year trophy drought mean things are good. Shirley, you might be wrong. First, the Gunners' play of late has been uneven and they struggled mightily to defeat the second division Wigan squad. Only late game heroics by Mertesacker even got them to extra time and the penalty shoot out. And now they are heavy favorites to beat Hull City in the final. As in, it's a no-win situation, though that's a bit unfair because you don't get to choose your competition. It gets worse. While they were out gallivanting around in FA Cup land, Everton was beating Sunderland in EPL action to move passed Arsenal for the last Champions League spot. I'd say Everton has a tougher run-in so it's not over yet but you can see why Luke P has been cheating on the Gunners.
The Union got a result too - a 2-2 draw with a Real [Good] Salt Lake side, with Maurice Edu getting the equalizer in stoppage time. There are many things to like about the Union right now. Last year their goals seemed like accidents where this year they seem like the logical conclusion to a clever sequence of passes. They've lost just once so far. But it's hard to say yet whether the Union are half full or half empty. They are good for two to four astounding defensive break downs per game. The play is pretty but it is not a high powered offense that can easily overcome those gaffes. And they need to put up some W's; draws will not get you to the playoffs (playoffs? playoffs?).
Hey, look at this. Red Bulls and Union in a mid-week MLS contest on Wednesday night. That should be fun. Show of hands, who would like to see Hackworth give MacMath a day off and start number one draft pick Andre Blake in goal? Yeah, that's what I thought.
Speaking of draws, Tottenham spotted West Brom a 2-0 lead, missed a PK of their own, allowed another tally for the Baggies and then decided they'd better get moving. Managed a draw. Keeps them firmly anchored in 6th. For which they will likely be
There was quality action this weekend as the Match of the Year (at least until the Liverpool-Chelsea contest) delivered the goods. Sterling got the festivities off to a great start with a deft move in the box to open the scoring in the 6th minute. Skrtel (Slovakian verb which means "to grab a fistful of an attackers' jersey in the box and not get called for it") added another on a what I grudgingly must concede was a great header at 26 minutes. Man City was reeling but held on to keep the deficit at two for the rest of the half. A revived Citizen side showed up for the second half (Milner's appearance at 50 minutes might have had something to do with it) and were eventually rewarded with a nifty tally by Silva. A short five minutes later they got the equalizer that went as an own goal against Liverpool defender Johnson but really was a good piece of work and totally deserved. Thoughts of a 4-2 rout must have danced in Pellegrini's head. Not so fast. A totally botched clearance by Vincent Kompany (get that out of your system now so we don't see anything like that when you represent Belgium at the World Cup), landed at Coutinho's feet and the young Brazilian made the most of it, slotting the winner past Joe Hart. Liverpool ends the weekend up two over Chelsea and seven over Man City (i.e. more points than you can make up with two games in hand); run the table and the title is theirs.
Chelsea had a good week. Got the 2-0 win over PSG they needed to advance to the Champions League semi-final. They kept pace with Liverpool - barely - by eking out a 1-0 win at Swansea. A 10 man Swansea (Chico sent off at 16 minutes for a second yellow that sure looked like was the result of Chelsea whining). Though they are just two points back and play Liverpool at Anfield on 4/27, they technically don't control their own destiny because Man City could sneak past them by winning all their remaining matches. Mourinho Fake Sound Bite of Week: "The race is over. I have already turned my attention to preseason preparations for next year. And maybe a little for the Champions League semi-final. But mostly preseason because Atletico will thrash us. We have no chance there either."
Every game is critical now but the match ups this weekend aren't really going to grab you. Man United at Everton is likely the best of the lot. Getting a little excited about Fulham's late charge to avoid relegation. Of course, that charge this week would come at the expense of Tottenham, though Michael B might prefer another loss so as to be sure the Spurs miss out on Europa League.
Please, La Liga fans, tell us of your experiences so we can see a silver lining to this supposedly beautiful game.
Tuesday, April 8, 2014
Hit the Road Jack
Plenty of EPL stuff but first let's look in on the Union.
The weekend opened with news of the trade of Jack McInerney to Montreal for Andrew Wenger. Frankly, it was not a surprise. Sure he has been the Union's leading scorer for the last two years but he hasn't done much since he came back from his brief stint with the USMNT at last year's Gold Cup. He also can be moody when things aren't going well. Our group last Saturday wondered aloud whether Hackworth would tire of McInerney's pouty streak. The ability to sign McInerney when his contract ends was the reason cited by Hackworth. He will, by definition, now be an Impact player but whether he will make a difference, we'll have to see. I wonder how he'll fit in with Di Vaio.
As for Wenger, until yesterday all I knew of him was that he got a red card in last week's Union match. He was the top pick in the 2012 Super Draft but has struggled in Montreal. He may have suffered being in the shadow of Di Vaio so a change of venue might get him back on track.
On the field, this week's Union match at Chicago was a continuation of the season's theme - drop points from winning positions by surrendering a late goal. Except this time they were damn lucky to get the point; MacMath saved a PK, and the subsequent rebound in the 95th minute to preserve the tie. The sequence is this week's YouTubeable Moment.
Positives from the match - taking a 2-1 lead after giving up the first goal, continued strong play from Noguiera and Fernandes, and an improved performance from Edu. Negatives include a fifth straight poor second half performance and an inability to protect a lead. Still, at 94:57, the match looked lost so sometimes a point is a good thing.
Crummy Weekend for Blog Favorites and Neutrals
Newcastle was listless in 4-0 loss at home to Manchester United. Sure they were missing Remy and Sissoko but MU was without RVP and Rooney. I guess the difference is that MU has players like Januzaj and Hernandez to fill in. Next stop for the Magpies - 10th place.
The news was even worse at Villa Park, where Aston Villa first had to deal with the loss of Christian Benteke as a training injury earlier in the week turned out to be a ruptured achilles tendon. He'll miss the World Cup too. Then the Villans failed to get a result against Fulham. Did not see the match but it did sound like a good back-and-forth affair. Fulham scores at 60 minutes, Aston Villa equalizes at 70, but Fulham gets the game winner at 86 minutes. Not that a draw really would have been acceptable against the Cottagers but that was a point they could not afford to give up.
The "featured" match of the weekend was also a dud, at least for neutrals and Arsenal fans; I suspect Everton fans found it awesome. The Gunners looked unimaginative in the attack and shaky in the back going down 0-3 to Everton. Not that the Toffees didn't earn the win; Naismith got the first goal by tracking down a rebound and Lukaku (who now may have a more important role in Belgium's WC prospects with Benteke out) added a pretty goal on a basically solo effort and a great finish. By the second half, the crowd that had assembled at 6911 spent more time watching the cats play with their toys than the match. Everton is now just one point back of Arsenal for the fourth Champions League spot with a game in hand.
The top three all won their matches so there was no change in the standings. Manchester City did struggle a bit with Southampton, with the score 1-1 on a pair of PKs through 37 minutes. But two goals in first half stoppage time effectively ended the drama there. Chelsea handled Stoke with relative ease; afterwards Mourinho said that despite the win, he fears that Chelsea can finish no higher than 10th (just kidding). Liverpool had their hands full with West Ham, needing two PKs from Gerrard (second one at 71 minutes) to outlast the Hammers 2-1. For me the story there was referee Anthony Taylor, who seemed to have a million critical calls to make, including on all three goals. For my money he got most right but probably should have disallowed West Ham's goal after Andy Carroll appeared to foul Liverpool keeper Mignolet, causing him to lose possession of the ball, which Demel promptly deposited in the back of the net. The PK on West Ham keeper Adrian looked to be a close one too but I think he got it right; BFS Keeper Consultant Chris K may weigh in if he gets a chance to see that one. Oh, and Tottenham easily handled Sunderland 5-1, keeping faint (you have to listen really hard to hear the heartbeat) hopes of the Champions League alive.
More Champions League and FA Cup and the Potential "Match of the Year"
And me on the road next weekend. Who does my scheduling?
Midweek features the second leg of the Champions League quarterfinal match ups. Manchester United acquitted themselves well in the first leg with a 1-1 draw against Bayern Munich, arguably the best club in the world; the second leg is in Germany so they have their work cut out for them. Chelsea was looking at a manageable 2-1 deficit heading back to Stamford Bridge but surrendered a silly goal in stoppage; at 1-3 down they have a long way to go, though with tiebreaking rules, a 2-0 win at home would see them through. Michael B's beloved Atletico drew Barcelona 1-1 and gets to host the second leg. And Jurgen Klopp's Borussia Dortmund was hammered 3-0 by Real Madrid and look to be finished.
FA Cup semifinals feature Arsenal traveling to Wigan on Saturday and Hull City hosting League One's (3rd Division) Sheffield United on Sunday. The EPL sides will be favored but the sentimental types will be pulling for last year's champion Wigan and the lower division Sheffield United.
The aforementioned "Match of the Year" is Liverpool hosting Manchester City on Sunday morning. Chelsea, I reckon, are rooting for a draw. I'm just hoping for an interesting match. Chelsea travel to Wales to face a reeling Swansea City. Everton is at Sunderland, with every prospect of a win and taking over fourth place.
Aston Villa is on the road at Crystal Palace in yet another relegation challenge. They can't afford to have these teams get three points. Fulham-Norwich City is another match loaded with relegation implications.
And Newcastle? The 9th place Magpies travel to Stoke carrying a six-point lead over the 10th place Potters. With any luck, I'll be hiking in the Blue Ridge Mountains at kickoff and will nothave be able to watch the Magpies go for their third straight 0-4 defeat.
The weekend opened with news of the trade of Jack McInerney to Montreal for Andrew Wenger. Frankly, it was not a surprise. Sure he has been the Union's leading scorer for the last two years but he hasn't done much since he came back from his brief stint with the USMNT at last year's Gold Cup. He also can be moody when things aren't going well. Our group last Saturday wondered aloud whether Hackworth would tire of McInerney's pouty streak. The ability to sign McInerney when his contract ends was the reason cited by Hackworth. He will, by definition, now be an Impact player but whether he will make a difference, we'll have to see. I wonder how he'll fit in with Di Vaio.
As for Wenger, until yesterday all I knew of him was that he got a red card in last week's Union match. He was the top pick in the 2012 Super Draft but has struggled in Montreal. He may have suffered being in the shadow of Di Vaio so a change of venue might get him back on track.
On the field, this week's Union match at Chicago was a continuation of the season's theme - drop points from winning positions by surrendering a late goal. Except this time they were damn lucky to get the point; MacMath saved a PK, and the subsequent rebound in the 95th minute to preserve the tie. The sequence is this week's YouTubeable Moment.
Positives from the match - taking a 2-1 lead after giving up the first goal, continued strong play from Noguiera and Fernandes, and an improved performance from Edu. Negatives include a fifth straight poor second half performance and an inability to protect a lead. Still, at 94:57, the match looked lost so sometimes a point is a good thing.
Crummy Weekend for Blog Favorites and Neutrals
Newcastle was listless in 4-0 loss at home to Manchester United. Sure they were missing Remy and Sissoko but MU was without RVP and Rooney. I guess the difference is that MU has players like Januzaj and Hernandez to fill in. Next stop for the Magpies - 10th place.
The news was even worse at Villa Park, where Aston Villa first had to deal with the loss of Christian Benteke as a training injury earlier in the week turned out to be a ruptured achilles tendon. He'll miss the World Cup too. Then the Villans failed to get a result against Fulham. Did not see the match but it did sound like a good back-and-forth affair. Fulham scores at 60 minutes, Aston Villa equalizes at 70, but Fulham gets the game winner at 86 minutes. Not that a draw really would have been acceptable against the Cottagers but that was a point they could not afford to give up.
The "featured" match of the weekend was also a dud, at least for neutrals and Arsenal fans; I suspect Everton fans found it awesome. The Gunners looked unimaginative in the attack and shaky in the back going down 0-3 to Everton. Not that the Toffees didn't earn the win; Naismith got the first goal by tracking down a rebound and Lukaku (who now may have a more important role in Belgium's WC prospects with Benteke out) added a pretty goal on a basically solo effort and a great finish. By the second half, the crowd that had assembled at 6911 spent more time watching the cats play with their toys than the match. Everton is now just one point back of Arsenal for the fourth Champions League spot with a game in hand.
The top three all won their matches so there was no change in the standings. Manchester City did struggle a bit with Southampton, with the score 1-1 on a pair of PKs through 37 minutes. But two goals in first half stoppage time effectively ended the drama there. Chelsea handled Stoke with relative ease; afterwards Mourinho said that despite the win, he fears that Chelsea can finish no higher than 10th (just kidding). Liverpool had their hands full with West Ham, needing two PKs from Gerrard (second one at 71 minutes) to outlast the Hammers 2-1. For me the story there was referee Anthony Taylor, who seemed to have a million critical calls to make, including on all three goals. For my money he got most right but probably should have disallowed West Ham's goal after Andy Carroll appeared to foul Liverpool keeper Mignolet, causing him to lose possession of the ball, which Demel promptly deposited in the back of the net. The PK on West Ham keeper Adrian looked to be a close one too but I think he got it right; BFS Keeper Consultant Chris K may weigh in if he gets a chance to see that one. Oh, and Tottenham easily handled Sunderland 5-1, keeping faint (you have to listen really hard to hear the heartbeat) hopes of the Champions League alive.
More Champions League and FA Cup and the Potential "Match of the Year"
And me on the road next weekend. Who does my scheduling?
Midweek features the second leg of the Champions League quarterfinal match ups. Manchester United acquitted themselves well in the first leg with a 1-1 draw against Bayern Munich, arguably the best club in the world; the second leg is in Germany so they have their work cut out for them. Chelsea was looking at a manageable 2-1 deficit heading back to Stamford Bridge but surrendered a silly goal in stoppage; at 1-3 down they have a long way to go, though with tiebreaking rules, a 2-0 win at home would see them through. Michael B's beloved Atletico drew Barcelona 1-1 and gets to host the second leg. And Jurgen Klopp's Borussia Dortmund was hammered 3-0 by Real Madrid and look to be finished.
FA Cup semifinals feature Arsenal traveling to Wigan on Saturday and Hull City hosting League One's (3rd Division) Sheffield United on Sunday. The EPL sides will be favored but the sentimental types will be pulling for last year's champion Wigan and the lower division Sheffield United.
The aforementioned "Match of the Year" is Liverpool hosting Manchester City on Sunday morning. Chelsea, I reckon, are rooting for a draw. I'm just hoping for an interesting match. Chelsea travel to Wales to face a reeling Swansea City. Everton is at Sunderland, with every prospect of a win and taking over fourth place.
Aston Villa is on the road at Crystal Palace in yet another relegation challenge. They can't afford to have these teams get three points. Fulham-Norwich City is another match loaded with relegation implications.
And Newcastle? The 9th place Magpies travel to Stoke carrying a six-point lead over the 10th place Potters. With any luck, I'll be hiking in the Blue Ridge Mountains at kickoff and will not
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