farlieonfootie

17 Quadrillion Flies are Wrong (or, The Yedlin “Handball”)

2016-06-21T07:32:00.001-04:00

Scott returns with his scatalogical sense of humor. Literally. But this time he may actually have a point:

The first part of the title is, of course, a reference to the popular joke as to why you should eat feces – because clearly the world’s population of flies can’t be wrong about its nutritional and gustatory value. An ironic aphorism if there ever was one, the joke, nevertheless, perfectly describes the general population’s (homo sapiens, not diptera) understanding and attitude toward the handball rule in soccer. The second part of the title offers an excellent opportunity to illustrate my point and vent years of frustration with refs, players, coaches, fans and soccer parents — collectively “Nitwits” — who not only misunderstand the rule but also perpetuate and exacerbate myths that gain increasing credibility in some nightmarish version of the telephone game. Where to start?

Perhaps with the official IFAB/FIFA Laws of the Game - Law 12 addresses handling the ball by stating, in relevant part:

Handling the ball involves a deliberate act of a player making contact with the

ball with the hand or arm.

The following must be considered:

• the movement of the hand towards the ball (not the ball towards the hand)

• the distance between the opponent and the ball (unexpected ball)

• the position of the hand does not necessarily mean that there is an infringement

The key word is “DELIBERATE!" In all the Laws of the Game, it is the only infraction that must be deliberate. By way of interpretation, for the aforementioned Nitwits, that means that just because the ball hits a hand or arm, it is not necessarily a handball foul. The contact must be intentional in order to be a foul. To emphasize, it doesn’t matter how advantageous it was for me that it hit my arm or hand, if I didn’t do it deliberately then it is not a foul. “But it prevented a shot on goal!” Doesn’t matter if it wasn’t deliberate. “But it prevented a cross into the box!” Doesn’t matter if it wasn’t deliberate.

So, how do we know if the handling was deliberate? Unfortunately, only the player him/herself knows for certain, but the Laws offer some helpful tips for consideration. The first two considerations are obvious and logical. The direction my hand is moving and the distance it is from the ball when it is struck are good clues as to my intent. Where I start to froth at the mouth a bit is that last little nugget of help which has been bastardized repeatedly and beyond recognition. Here we go…

The Law says that the position of the hand does NOT necessarily mean that there is an infringement. Somehow that got flipped around into the handball phrase that won’t stop giving: the so-called “unnatural position.” If I had a nickel for every time I've heard “unnatural position” when discussing handballs, I still wouldn’t have enough money to bribe a FIFA official, but I could probably stop working and spend all my time on soccer rants. Now, while I think taking into consideration whether an arm is in a natural position is good to do when trying to infer intent, as the Law requires, this “unnatural position” thing has somehow morphed into the Law itself. Nobody talks about whether the player intended to handle the ball anymore. They just talk about whether the arm was in an “unnatural position” and then everybody tries to define that as if that is the answer. It’s not the answer! It is only a consideration as to intent!

Further, it seems that, even with all the running and jumping that goes on in soccer, there is only one acceptable natural position for one’s arms and that is next to one’s sides or, even better, especially when defending in the penalty area, hidden behind one’s body. Really?! Is that what you do when running? You tuck your arms behind you? Or when you are jumping, you never raise your arms to get momentum? It’s gotten to the point where any appendage not glued to a torso is deemed to be in an “unnatural position” and God forbid that a ball should accidentally strike said appendage because, clearly, that demonstrates a deliberateness beyond any doubt. The only reason defenders have to put their arms behind their bodies is because of the epidemic of ignorance that compels the masses to scream “handball!” should the two ever meet, no matter how unexpectedly or unavoidably.

Deep breath.

Don’t get me wrong – there are legitimate, deliberate handballs in soccer. Some of the famous ones are Maradona’s Hand of God; Thierry Henry’s handball that was, effectively, a middle finger to the Irish; and Luis Suarez’ “I’m Ghana stop this no matter what.” But do you know what wasn’t a handball, despite every single person I know —including the entire farlieonfootie staff — in addition to loads more people I don’t know, disagreeing dismissively with me? Deandre Yedlin’s “handball” against Colombia in the Copa America Centenario. How do I know this? Let’s see…

Here is what Deandre said about the call – “Obviously it's unfortunate. It's not like it's deliberate, like I tried to stop it with my hand or anything." OK, so maybe he was lying. But the shocking thing is that, even though he said it was not deliberate, he went on to say "I think it's a 50-50 call.” Aaargghhh! If it wasn’t deliberate then it was 100% the wrong call. Just one of the 17 quadrillion flies…

But, again, he could have been lying. So let’s look at the video. He’s pretty close to the attacker but not overly close. He leaps into the air to block the cross. In doing, so his right hand extends away from his body slightly. He turns his back to protect himself (whether you approve of that or not) and, in doing so, his arm starts to move away from the ball and rotate toward the protection of his body. Another split second and the culprit would have been concealed by his body. But, alas, the ball clearly strikes his hand before that. Did he prevent a cross? Yes. Does that matter? No. Was it deliberate? No. First, the hand was clearly moving away from the ball as Yedlin turned his body to protect himself. Second, while not exactly right next to the attacker, Yedlin was reasonably close as the ball was struck – close enough that it is more than reasonable that he would be unable to move his hand out of the way. Finally, while “the position of the hand does not necessarily mean that there is an infringement,” it is not unusual or, yes, unnatural for an arm to be swung up when leaping. Conclusion: not a handball.

I’ve seen the Yedlin handball called hundreds of times. And, admittedly, as a player or coach (or fan) caught up in the moment, I know I’ve even lobbied for that call, effectively joining the Nitwits. But that doesn’t make the next Yedlin handball the right call. Nor does it make 17 quadrillion soccer flies right.

This is farlieonfootie for June 21.

Liverpool End of Season Review

2016-05-27T15:26:00.000-04:00


photo by mcclave	via PhotoRee

Correspondent Scott is back from a short break:

Well, I suppose after a lengthy pause, and given that the season has ended, a review of sorts is in order. But first, as you faithful readers have no doubt ascertained, Farlieonfootie experienced a down-sizing in the writing and editorial department. Said downsizing was not done via fiat on a per capita basis, but rather voluntarily on a personal production volume basis. In other words, the Boss Man and Correspondent Ed are resting on their literary laurels.

Yet this sporadic contributor remains hopeful they will both emerge from their hibernation given recent developments at their respective teams. First, despite the last gasp/collapse, Spurs won a Champions League spot and Correspondent Ed must be optimistic of a more sustained title challenge next year. Plus he can watch nearly all the Tottenham players play for England this summer in Euro 2016. As for the Boss Man (I have firmly adopted Ed's monicker), Champs League may have just eluded his Red Devils but he can take heart that Beelzebub incarnate (AKA Jose Mourinho) will be arriving at Old Trafford to unleash his slash and burn form of team building.

Come on back, comrades. Leicester may be champions and Villa may have gone down, but Liverpool are still mid-table.

Which brings me to my topic - how can it be, I was recently asked, that Liverpool are so happy and optimistic when they finished about the same spot as they did last year under the new Celtic coach, and lost two cup finals? Well, I suppose getting to 2 cup finals was sort of an achievement. But, more importantly, the discerning aficionado can see the style of play that Klopp is instilling and can see that the players move with more purpose and intensity. It isn't just the gangenpress; it is the work rate all over the field, both with and without the ball.

What I have enjoyed most this year is the resurgence of players who were deemed to have been failures. Notably, both Dejan Lovren and Adam Lallana have found a new gear under the German coach. In fact, most every player except the poor Christian Benteke has excelled under Klopp. The Belgian is too much of a talent to be hidden under a bushel and only brought out for Cup matches so one hopes Jurgen will find a place for him or let him go to shine in the right system.

Other players like Joe Allen, Lucas Leiva and Kolo Toure might not have played as much as they would have liked but made important contributions when called upon. Youngsters like Ibe and Ojo were able to impress. Sturridge was mostly healthy. Coutinho was mostly sublime. Sakho was sturdy and Clyne was reliable. Moreno was erratic but exciting. Henderson was marginalized due to injury, as was Skrtl. Mignolet was generally brilliant with the occasional wobble. While Firmino's season, perhaps more than others, showed the same trajectory as the team overall - starting slowly with a few bumps but gathering momentum, even if unable to separate from the pack yet.

As for the future, I'm always optimistic but this time there are more reasons to be. Some summer shopping to spruce things up, along with the aforementioned momentum, could very easily see Liverpool legitimately challenge for Top 4 next year, and maybe even more. Of course, TV money is very quickly bringing increased parity to the BPL - it wasn't all down to Chelsea and the Manchester clubs underperforming this year.

In summary, another mediocre year for Liverpool, tinged with a bit of quality here and there, more so toward the end. Things are looking up, as we have to do from 8th place, and a higher finish next year is a lock. The only question is how much higher. Oh, and when will the rest of the Farlieonfootie writers break out a keyboard again?

This is farlieonfootie for May 27 -- Happy Memorial Day weekend, everyone.

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

2016-03-30T18:08:00.001-04:00

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

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

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

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

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

Whatever. They won. They were better. Onward.

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

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

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

Ed (always needing the last word): I read a book on German soccer called Das Boot! (really, on both counts). They didn’t detail what JK did but he had some involvement (though he wasn’t necessarily the primary mover). It spoke of how he pushed to get guys in who were citizens elsewhere – Ozil for example. And how he wanted a focus on youth and better facilities. He did all the same things with the German team—playing players out of position and antagonizing a lot of people in German soccer at the time. German soccer was much more of a mess than people realize – it was overrun with local rivalries, players from different areas not wanting to play with each other, and a lack of good and developed coaches. They wanted to reach out and make sure more kids had good training as well so as not to lose the ones who weren’t in the Bayern or Dortmund academy or wherever. I think Tony Kroos is considered a success story on that front. Today, people think favorably of his upsetting the apple cart and the status quo because they ended up winning the World Cup shortly after he left with “his” team. I suspect he has taken that model here, though there is less of an apple cart to upset and I have found many of his moves to be antagonizing without much purpose. Regardless, if he is pushing to refocus US youth soccer in America – and I’m sure he’s not the only person – then I think that’s the right idea. You can’t read Das Boot without thinking of USA soccer and applying the lessons learned there to the USA. In short, for them it was mostly about training coaches to ultimately have players better at playing a less direct style. This is what JK says he wants here. I’d say the players cannot really do this yet.

This is a relieved farlieonfootie for March 30.

Whose Perch is it?

2016-03-21T15:37:00.002-04:00


photo by Alan Vernon.	via PhotoRee

This article is genuinely funnier to read after the events of this past weekend, although I'm guessing that's not the case for Liverpool-loving Correspondent Scott, who wrote it:

When title hopes are long gone and domestic cups are snatched away early, there is always a special satisfaction in humbling an historic, acrimonious rival. Prior to Thursday night, it had been Liverpool regularly capitulating to Manchester United. But after a dominating display at Anfield last week, the good Reds weathered an early flurry by Martial & Co. to again show more verve going forward and more resolute defending. It was a deserved aggregate win for Liverpool as they will now progress in Europa and Manchester United are left with slim chances to save this lost season. If I were ever to take the low road to schadenfreude, there was no better time than when the camera panned to Darth Ferguson in the stands (he of “knock them off their f-ing perch” infamy), smile wiped resoundingly from his ever-red face. But I digress…

The Klopp effect is taking time to take root, especially without an influx of players chosen by him, but through the erratic play and results one can see a growing confidence and cohesion. No doubt the return of Sturridge and a healthy Coutinho is a big factor, each of them consistently befuddling defenders. Coutinho’s deftly chipped finish past an amazingly in-form De Gea is Exhibit A as to why the Brazilian is our most important player and why he is making inroads on the Brazil national team.

Progress has been made in other areas as well. A previously porous defense has turned particularly parsimonious, even when regulars are out injured. Sakho has begun to impose and his partnership with Lovren, especially, has been solid. Clyne has had an off day here and there but has been remarkably consistent and even the rampaging Spaniard, Moreno, has begun to show his defensive chips instead of only his ability to gallop forward. Even Milner, when conscripted to left back out of necessity, holds the line when not wearing a path down the outside channel.

Other players, too, are starting to acclimate and hit their stride. Firmino comes in and out of games but when he comes in, boy does he ever, combining with the surging Lallana as well as the aforementioned Coutinho and Sturridge. Emre Can continues his development into a top-notch player by breaking up plays and showing the work rate of a Milner acolyte.

All that is to say, Liverpool have won 3 in a row in the league and are progressing in Europa. The fans are Klopping in the stands and this supporter has allowed hopes to become cautiously optimistic. It would be nice to get on that perch again.

This is farlieonfootie for March 21.

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

2016-01-08T10:23:00.000-05:00


photo by Carla216	via PhotoRee

Scott's Liverpool side start of the New Year with a resvolution:

My how things have changed. It doesn’t seem that long ago that Jurgen Klopp was gangenpressing his way to a Bundisliga championship, Stoke City were hacking down Premier League opponents under the direction of Tony Pulis, who now coaches such thuggery at West Bromwich Albion, and West Ham United were happy just not to be in the relegation zone. But now, the Kloppmeister is reining over a stuttering (and limping) Liverpool side struggling to escape mid-table irrelevance, Mark Hughes’ Stoke City were favorites to beat the Reds, and West Ham comprehensively dismantled those Top 4 pretenders.

Of course, much as some things change, others remain, irritatingly, the same: Liverpool’s incessant underperforming, Daniel Sturridge’s perpetual sabbatical, and the literary aesthetic requirement that all lists be in groups of three. Oh, and there’s also that bit about Liverpool not having the requisite world-class players to mount a serious title challenge.

That said, a 1-0 victory away to Stoke in the first leg of the League Cup semi-final was at least a stutter-step in the positive direction. The first half was characterized by absolute dominance by the Reds, with a touch of poor finishing and a dash of hamstring pull. The second half yielded less dominance, more poor finishing and another dash (and a half, if you count the hobbling Kolo Toure) of hamstring pull.

I never thought an FA Cup game against lowly Exeter City could bring on such nervy anticipation. But lately we seem to play much better against Premier League title challengers than we do against League 2 opposition. Because no matter whom you play, you can only win if you score and goals have eluded Liverpool even as we dictate proceedings and create chances. Even the normally reliable Benteke has squandered brilliant opportunities in front of goal.

Changes are needed at Anfield and, while we can see some of them being made already under the enthusiastic German’s direction, more can’t come soon enough.

This is farlieonfootie for January 8th.

Two Steps Forward for Liverpool....

2015-11-30T08:37:00.001-05:00

...but two steps backward for your editor, who was delayed in adding this post from pre-Thanksgiving. Without further ado, Correspondent Scott on the 4-1 thrashing of City:

While Mangala might have gotten the scoring started when he couldn't sort out his own feet quickly enough to prevent his own-goal, the writing was already on the wall from the first whistle that Liverpool had come to the Etihad with their tails up and ready to play. Swarming pressing, intricate and creative passing, tireless running and resolute defending made the Reds' opponents seem like a League One team at times. Sure, City's talismanic Kompany was out injured, but I doubt even the towering Belgian could have stemmed the sea of red shirts that poured forward swiftly and relentlessly.

Liverpool could have (should have?) easily scored a few more (kudos to Joe Hart for multiple 1v1 saves) and, were it not for some individual brilliance from Aguero, could have also kept a clean sheet away at the home of the then league leaders. Whenever you hear someone say that a coach only has a minor impact on a team's performance, look no further than a quick comparison between the last couple Liverpool games under Rodgers and this game against Manchester City.

Of course Klopp is managing expectations (as he should after the Crystal Palace debacle) and saying a top 4 finish will be difficult. And, indeed it will. But the flurry of games over the next few weeks should be a pretty good barometer as to whether a return to the Champions League is actually attainable or merely a momentary glimmer of hope, much like Leiscester City’s 1^st place standing in the table. The keys to ongoing success will be to maintain the defensive stoutness spearheaded by the very-in-form Skrtl and the resurgent Mignolet, while continuing the replenishment of confidence that has imbued Firmino, Moreno and others.

This is farlieonfootie for November 30.

Clapping Klopp at the Kop

2015-11-11T15:14:00.001-05:00


photo by kevinzim	via PhotoRee

With Scott's prodigious output, we may have to re-fashion this as a Liverpool blog:

Despite the recent stumble to Crystal Palace, the Kop is still wildly clapping for Klopp. It does look like there has been an injection of enthusiasm and belief into the squad, but will it last? Ever the optimist, I like to think so and, with a couple quality transfers in January, I think Liverpool will be challenging for the Top 4, notwithstanding their current mid-table position.

Winning the ball back in dangerous positions can always turn a game and Jurgen has the Reds swarming frenetically in the offensive half. Of course, such effort is not sustainable over 90 minutes so the key will be for Liverpool to learn to toggle on and off in unison - if one goes they all go - no lone hunters who will invariably be picked apart by even mediocre passing.

We may need to re-fashion this as a Liverpool blog with Scott's continual writing:

Naturally, there is more to Klopp's system than the Gangenpress. The formation has changed from the Rodgers days, alternating between the Christmas tree 4-3-2-1 and the 4-2-3-1, which allows more width farther up the pitch. Either setup allows for a chance to control the midfield, which integrates into Klopp's passing system.

The pundits were driving me nuts about the lack of crossing service for Christian Benteke's aerial prowess (when he's actually healthy), but pundits are not always wrong and the latter of the above 2 formations addresses that issue. The Belgian has been more than impactful during his precious minutes on the pitch, showing a chasm of quality between him and the overwhelmed Divok Origi who deputized in his absence.

Again agreeing with the pundits, more quality striking power needs to be on the Boxing Day wish list as Daniel Sturridge's eternal injury issues may very well completely sabotage that promising career. Also problematic are Mamadou Sakho's hamstrings which appear to rule out the towering lefty every couple games. Although, it does appear that the formerly hapless Dejan Lovren has found, at least for now, some semblance of his confidence and ability.

Change can be good for a club (hear that, Chelsea?) and, while I believe Brendan Rodgers will land on his feet given his abilities, it seems Liverpool was too much for him. The change from an up-and-comer to a high stakes proven commodity was the right move at the right time and.

May the Normal One be anything but.

This is farlieonfootie for November 11.

A Curious Visit from George

2015-10-01T10:30:00.000-04:00


photo by A National Acrobat	via PhotoRee

We're back, with our once a month post -- from Correspondent Scott:

With Liverpool’s recent results having slapped me into some type of disbelieving stupor, the confluence of (1) coaching my daughter in a tournament this past weekend and (2) a delightful visit from my boyhood soccer coach, George Merrin, brought me to my senses, such as they are. Of course, Liverpool’s 3-2 squeaker over Aston Villa helped too. Long-time readers of farlieonfootie will remember I paid homage to George when he last visited in 2011, thankfully not his last visit as thought at the time. George hails from England but now lives in Australia and was my soccer coach when I lived in Saudi Arabia – the most influential coach I ever had, as you can probably tell by the fact that we have stayed in touch for the last 30 years. It was so meaningful to me for him to visit and see just how far his influence extends – An English coach training an American in Saudi Arabia fostered a passion for the game that led to my humble coaching efforts with 9 year old girls (and often shambolic literary efforts hereon). The very definition of a legacy.

As some may recall, George is a life-long Canaries fan and fate would have that Liverpool played Norwich City on his first weekend in town. He was very pleased with the 1-1 result and I suppose watching with him and seeing his enjoyment took some of the sting out of a draw we were supposed to win. Or I should say temporarily took the sting out since Liverpool’s poor play has swelled to such proportions that Brendan Rodgers has every reason to fear for his job. In fact, it could be that only Daniel Sturridge’s return has saved the Liverpool gaffer….for now.

At least Philippe Coutinho is back from suspension to bamboozle opponents and James Milner seems to be hitting his stride. Injuries to Christian Benteke and Jordan Henderson certainly don’t help but Mamadou Sakho back in the lineup seems to give some assurances over the schizophrenic Dejan Lovren. However, no injuries or lineup changes can excuse needing penalties to send off Carlisle United in the League Cup. Liverpool is like a misfiring engine that may or may not get into gear. We’ll see if a Merseyside derby this weekend can spark it to life.

I’m just about to drive George to the airport now for his flight to visit family in the UK and I’ll be sure to tune into Norwich’s game this weekend and look for him in the stands. It should be easy to spot him with his yellow and green scarf.

This is farlieonfootie for October 1st saying "Rabbit rabbit."

Liverpool Self-destructs

2015-09-01T11:52:00.001-04:00


photo by Steve Punter	via PhotoRee

It could be a long season for Scott:

It all started so well with narrow wins over Stoke City and Bournemouth, followed by a tough nil-nil away draw to Arsenal. Win the points at home against the "lesser" competition, and pick some up on the road against the Heavies, and Liverpool would survive the early season Schedule of Death. Alas, the script got torn up at Anfield this weekend after a gruesome 3-0 capitulation to West Ham, made possible by some truly asinine defensive blunders. Sure, there was a strong scent of misfortune wafting about each of the three concessions, but that was barely noticeable due to the spectacle of self-immolation put on by Liverpool's defense. I had not yet jumped on the Joe Gomez bandwagon, nor the Dejan Lovren comeback car, and certainly won't now.

On the first goal, Martin Skrtl was blamed by the announcers for a headed clearance that did not exit the danger area. Ok, maybe, but where were the midfielders to help gather it or at least pressure the turnover? But most concerning to me was the sight of Gomez, practically with a consoling arm around Manuel Lanzini, ushering him toward the goal and politely standing aside while the Argentine turned in the pass from the aforementioned turnover. Merely putting his foot a few inches forward would have blocked the shot. And, yes, poor Gomez is not left-footed and does not have much experience on the left but, come on, does he have to cut in to use his right every time? He attempted only one left foot cross that I noted and that one floated into the stands behind the goal. Gomez might work better in another position, and will surely improve, but his performance is just not good enough when you have one of the best headers of the ball in the game (Christian Benteke) starving for service in the penalty area.

While Gomez' shortcomings were technical and positional, Lovren's may be medical as he appeared to have suffered some sort of aneurysm on the second goal. Sliding over to cover on the left (Gomez' side, coincidentally), the Croat was completely in control of the situation and could have simply booted up the field or knocked out of bounds, or at least successfully escorted the ball out of touch like he tried. Instead, he failed with his intention and then, inexplicably, contrived to literally pass the ball to Lanzini in the penalty area. The ensuing cross, block, fortuitous rebound and inevitable goal could only be met by the beleaguered defender's woeful grimace, only partially hidden by hands to face.

The third goal was not quite as shockingly fraught with ineptitude as the first two but had the glaring similarity of a fortuitous rebound for West Ham, which was followed by indecision concerning the who and when of a challenge. In any case, the game was done and dusted by then, evidenced by the shameful mass exodus of shell-shocked Liverpudlians.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t merely defensive frailties that colluded against the Reds’ best intentions. The game was also frustratingly full of errant passes and bricked controls when it mattered in the forward third. The 59% possession statistic was more than flattering given that most of that was defenders passing it back and forth. We’ve seen this before and will see it again – Liverpool needs to figure out a way to break down teams that pack it in with a goal advantage.

It's only one game and these things happen in sports. And at least a couple other Champions League contenders, notably Manchester United and Chelsea, similarly stumbled this weekend. But it won’t be easy to bounce back as we next travel to Old Trafford, sans the red-carded creator Philippe Coutinho. Time to tweak again, Mr. Rodgers.

This is farlieonfootie making the deadline on September 1.

Voldemourinho Suffers Irony Poisoning: Arsenal 1 - Chelsea 0

2015-08-03T09:21:00.004-04:00


photo by jonathan mcintosh	via PhotoRee

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

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

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

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

Faithful reader(s) of this blog will remember that I am not fond of the Portuguese peacock and, in fact, found it almost beyond doing to cheer for Real Madrid when His Darkness was tearing apart that team's morale when not gouging out the eyes of opposing coaches. So it is with a profound elation that I witnessed Arsenal attacking with alacrity before defending their lead with a resoluteness and urgency born of their opposition's gaffer's cocky comments and ugly smugness. To beat the team coached by the Center of Self, whose self-promotion and skin-crawling egocentricity led to a self proclamation of "The Special One," well, it couldn't get any better could it? But wait! Like an extra set of Ginsu knives, today's clash between the League Champions and the FA Cup Champions really did offer more via a slim Voldemourinho-like 1-0 victory capped by mass transit parking and counterattacks. And like a huge stack of buttery pancakes, dripping with syrupy irony, the Community Shield has sated, temporarily at least, the angry hunger that the maleficent Mourinho provokes.

OK, yes, I realize I used four separate irony metaphors above. But, come on, if there were ever a time to do so...

Great going Gunners!

This is a linguistically challenged farlieonfootie for August 3.

For Everyone, Everywhere: Scott on the USWNT's World Cup Triumph

2015-07-10T14:34:00.001-04:00


photo by Nabeel H	via PhotoRee

Scott reflects on a remarkable run:

With the Women's World Cup trophy safely ensconced in team USA's display case, a reflection on the tournament feels in order. I must admit, I was captivated by Team USA's unwavering march to the Final and found myself swept up in the excitement that made that Final the most watched US soccer event in history, men's or women's, drawing more viewers than Game 7 of the World Series or the final games of the NBA Final and Stanley Cup Final. If there was any doubt before that soccer is in America to stay, such thoughts were smashed by the Women’s World Cup Champions.

For me, once I mentally accepted that I was not watching the men's World Cup, and just accepted the differences, I found the whole tournament very enjoyable. It is clear that the women have more time on the ball which often means a more thoughtful progression of play. I subsequently watched the US Men v Honduras and the increased speed of play was very apparent. What I've come to appreciate is that the differences in the women's game make it just that - different - certainly not worse. Exhibit A was the breathtaking Final which was exhilarating to watch as an American soccer fan, regardless of the gender of the players.

Let's hope the US Men learn from the US Women and improve as the Gold Cup tournament progresses because they were also below their best in their opener. The women, of course, did just that - slowly finding their feet in the group stage before changing tactically for the knockout games and seeing it all come together in a dominating performance over reigning World Cup champions Japan. There was a bit of fortune to USA's early goals in the Final but there was no denying their inevitability - from the perfectly executed turf-burning corner delivery to the audacity that saw the game's hero, Carly Lloyd, shoot and score by lobbing the Japanese goalie from midfield. The confidence, awareness and skill needed to score from there is hard to describe to non-soccer watchers. But if I explain that I've only ever seen Wayne Rooney, David Beckham, Luis Suarez and Charlie Adam match such a feat, perhaps that helps with perspective. Truly stunning.

A transformation that began June 8th culminated July 5th in front of a large TV at a 9-year-old girl's birthday party, with adults and children of all ages celebrating the joy and beauty of a game that is for everyone, everywhere. And if the happenings broadcast before me weren't enough for the final shove over the women's international soccer edge, my 9-year-old soccer-loving daughter's rapt attention and celebrations were. I'm all in for Team USA and women's international soccer.

This is farlieonfootie for July 10.

Appreciating the Women's World Cup

2015-06-15T00:16:00.001-04:00

Scott certainly does:

It may not be on a par with Caitlyn Jenner, but I'm going through a womanly transition of my own. Up until last Monday, I had only ever watched 2 or 3 women's soccer games in their entirety, compared to the hundreds of men's games I've watched, discussed and written about. But we are all evolving and transforming (some more than others), so with the confluence of the Women's World Cup and my daughter being almost 9 and very excited about soccer (she has played since she was 4 and just finished her first competitive season of Club soccer with Fort Lauderdale Select), I have now watched 2 women’s games in the last week and parts of several others. And, I must say, I thoroughly enjoyed getting in touch with my feminine side of soccer.

Right away, I was surprised at how fast the speed of play was. It’s not as fast as a men’s game, nor would I expect it to be, but it was, indeed, faster than I remember. I was also a little surprised with the high level of skill, perhaps showing a bit of chauvinism there since there’s no reason a woman can’t be as skilled as a man if she were to practice the same amount. But before I’m pilloried for sexism, or worse, let me go on to say that I found myself so drawn into the games that I forgot it was “women’s” soccer and enjoyed it as just “soccer.” Quite frankly, in my mind, that’s the highest compliment I can give.

There were also some observations I was very pleased to make. For example, I didn’t see nearly as much diving as the men do. Nor did I see injury faking. When they were fouled they just got on with it. Of course, I do know that women are, indeed, capable of such chicanery – remember the Brazilian Erika in 2011? So, perhaps my sample size is still too small to draw any conclusions about diving or faking, but I was pleased with what I witnessed. Although, it must be said, Americans generally don’t engage in the dark arts nearly as much as other countries (I say proudly) so it stands to reason that the games I’ve watched, each involving Team USA, would contain fewer examples of such antics.

Also with respect to on-pitch behavior, it was almost surreal to me how placid the women players were after being fouled. There was none of the “how dare you?” or “I’m going to kick your ass for that.” Rather, as I said, they pretty much just got up and got on with it. As a former player who played a bit physically and wasn’t afraid to let someone know if I was unhappy with their reciprocal efforts, I’m not exactly sure how to feel about that. But, as a current, aged player who only fouls completely by accident and, even then, is overcome by remorse and spouts apologies, I do see the benefits.

The biggest difference I noticed with respect to the actual flow of the games was how much space there seemed to be for players out wide and how much time the player with the ball seemed to have before being closed down. Logically, perhaps both are due to the speed of the players themselves as they aren’t able to close down an attacker as quickly or cover as much ground as quickly. What that does, though, is make it all seem (to me) a little more thoughtful rather than nearly instinctive. I usually see in advance how the play is going to develop and rarely find myself surprised by a choice made by the player with the ball. It’s certainly not worse, it’s just different. It’s kind of like watching a good movie you’ve already seen before. And what I am coming to appreciate is that it’s just a different flavor of soccer. A little more vanilla but very tasty.

I can see myself growing into women’s international soccer as my daughter grows up. I stress international because I’m not sure I’ll every watch women’s club soccer. And before the stocks are measured for me please note that I don’t even watch MLS because there are only so many hours I can devote to my fandom and Liverpool plays a lot of games. But as much as I enjoyed the last couple of games, there was something else missing: the history and the familiarity. There have only been 6 women’s World Cups, dating back to 1991. By way of comparison, there have been 20 men’s World Cups (and would have been two more were it not for World War II), dating back to 1930. I grew up hearing about the magic of Pele and witnessing the marvels of Maradona. In contrast, I was graduating college during the first Women’s World Cup. I know every player on the men’s national team but only knew a handful of players on the women’s team. I could name several players on the majority of teams in the men’s World Cup but could only name Marta when it comes to the women’s. I turned on the England vs. Slovenia Euro qualifier today and knew every single English player and even a couple of Slovenians, but wouldn’t be able to name a single player on their women’s teams.

Maybe I’m a bad USA fan or, worse, maybe I really am chauvinistic when it comes to soccer. But, no, I don’t think so. I think I, like so many other soccer fans in every country around the world, am only now beginning to acquire a taste for the flavor of women’s soccer. I will, no doubt, learn more of their names and follow more of their careers and, inevitably, be more interested and vested in their future exploits. I will more consistently see it as “just soccer.” And for that, as much as anything else, I can thank my precious daughter.

This is farlieonfootie for June 16.

Goodbye Stevie G

2015-06-01T17:36:00.002-04:00


photo by StewieD	via PhotoRee

Correspondent Scott's final love song to Steven Gerrard:

In the end, it all unraveled so tragically. Ousted from the FA Cup by Aston Villa before collapsing at the end of the season in the league, Steven Gerrard certainly deserved a better swan song. So anemic were Liverpool's performances at the end of number 8's time at Anfield that, instead of the celebratory send off the Liverpudlian Lifer deserved, his legacy stumbled to the finish in cringe-worthy fashion, his late goals notwithstanding.

Fortunately, the broom of time will sweep away the refuse that was May 2015 and, left behind near the Shankly Gates, will be the shining moments of a truly brilliant career, spent entirely at the club of his boyhood, the club of his birth.

While the league title evaded Gerrard during his illustrious career, that fact must balanced against the respect and esteem he has garnered for his loyalty to one club during an era of ever-increasing short-cut transfers for riches and glory. Saying no to the likes of Chelsea and Real Madrid, Liverpool's long-time captain chose to remain a Red and fight for the title with them. That he fell short of that goal takes none of the shine from his sterling career. And, that his powers began to fail toward the end of his stay at Anfield, similarly, subtracts nothing from his achievements or legacy.

Stevie G! Oh Captain, my Captain!

Off to a far-away Galaxy. We thank you and wish you well.

This is farlieonfootie trying to figure out how to wash our mouth out with soap on June 1.

Ins and Outs

2015-05-06T10:58:00.001-04:00

In which Scott is judgmental:

With only half a handful of games left in the current season, most Liverpool eyes are cast forward with anticipation to the summer transfer window, now that Top 4 is but a shiny toy yanked from reach just as the Reds leaped to claim it. Rather than futilely jumping again and again, now is the time to build the ladder, with fresh players, that will climb to the summit of the Premier League once more.

Who will stay and who will go? Much has been written on the topic, but a few things stand out:

Balotelli just didn't work out and needs to be moved on. His style doesn't fit the current system and, despite flashes of brilliance, his frustration gets the better of him too often and his work rate barely registers at times. I still believe he is too often unfairly maligned, but his skill set is better suited for a different style of play.

Given that I was ready to write him off two years ago, along with most others, I can't believe I'm saying this but Henderson should be Gerrard's heir apparent to the Captaincy. The example of his work rate alone would be a fine contribution to that position, but his increasing ability to score and make the incisive pass puts him over the top. And with Gerrard gone next year, he won't have to captain sheepishly from the shadows.

Gerrard going to MLS is one of the blessings of this season. He was going to have to be more and more marginalized, so difficult for all parties when such a legend is involved. And the team can certainly use his wages for in in incoming talent.
I don't know what Lambert's wages are, but as a solid squad player and "change of pace option" I think he should be retained. He was not given much of a chance this year and the few opportunities that he did have were generally in the midst of desperation or dismal team play.

Borini has not done enough to stay. Too bad we couldn't get the 14M for him last year. When on the field, which is not often, he plays so desperately that he throws the hole team off.

Rodgers (yes, even the Manager is fodder here) should be retained, unquestionably. Has he been perfect or faultless? Of course not. But he did take this team to 2nd last year and within a whisper of Top 4 this year after losing 50 goals. He deserves another season. Then we'll see.

Sterling just needs to take what is given him, gratefully, and learn how to tap in a sitter. Then he can moan about earning Ronaldo/Messi wages. Yes, he is a bright star with a very promising future. But we've all seen our fair share of stars fizzle right after being crowned.

Glen Johnson just isn't good enough. And given his high wages, he is a near certainty to move on. In fact, he often doesn't even look interested in playing very hard.

We'll see what the summer holds, but those are some initial thoughts. In the meantime, who would have thought Man U would have stunk it up even more than us over the past 3 games. If Pardew's crew can edge the Red Devils and if Chelsea complacense manifests, who knows?

This is farlieonfootie for May 6.

Ode on (a Melancholic) Liverpool

2015-04-23T10:37:00.004-04:00


photo by Zest-pk	via PhotoRee

In which Scott waxes lyrically about the reds:

Historians may disagree, but I think Keats may have been a Liverpool fan. Still, despite his admonitions, I'm tempted to go to Lethe, hand in hand with the downy owl, sucking the ruby grape of Proserpine all the while. Such is the weeping cloud of melancholy that has fallen as quickly as Liverpool's Top 4 chances and FA Cup Dreams.

My very last post, granted some time ago, waxed on about the Rising Reds and all that was right in their footballing world. Yet Joy's hand was, indeed, at his lips bidding adieu to the Beauty that died by the feet of Manchester United and Arsenal in the league.

Then, in the very temple of FA Cup delight, Melancholy unveiled her sovereign shrine, and Aston Villa hid the green hill in an April shroud. There aren't enough globed peonies in all the world on which to glut the collective Liverpool sorrow.

So, with a half-dozen games left to play, while the English poet may have aptly described our sorrow, he also explains that Melancholy and Joy are inextricably intertwined, each needing the other. Joy's grape of previous success was burst on palate fine and we now taste the sadness of Melancholy's might. Until she's veiled again in Delight's temple...

Whether she be shrouded by a Top 4 finish or a successful 2015-2016 season remains to be seen.

This is farlieonfootie for April 23.

Upward and Onward: Scott on Liverpool's Run of Form

2015-03-12T11:40:00.001-04:00


photo by extranoise	via PhotoRee

Absence is said to make the heart grow fonder and my brief absence from posting to this prestigious blog has found me smitten with how Liverpool are playing, that Blackburn black eye notwithstanding. Brendan Rodgers tinkered with formations and lineups to help the Reds emerge from their late 2014 downward spiral and now sees his charges conceding fewer goals, scoring more and, most importantly, winning. No losses so far in 2015 and, aside from the aforementioned FA Cup debacle at Anfield, they have played some of the best soccer in the EPL of late. Exhibit A was their comprehensive victory over a Manchester City side that was beginning to hit full stride with a healthy Sergio Aguero. One can only hope that Blackburn was a hiccup and this improving run of form can carry them to a Top Four finish.

Still, there are issues to resolve. For one, how does Rodgers rotate and rest players like Philippe Coutinho and Raheem Sterling, especially with the injury bug ravaging several key players like Steven Gerrard and Lucas Leiva? Getting bounced from the Europa League, after the sting passes, should actually be helpful to the long-term financial fitness of the club as fewer games and less travel bodes well for a strong finish and a coveted UCL place, with its monetary benefits.

In the meantime, the return of Daniel Sturridge, while undeniably giving the team a boost, has presented Rodgers with a new puzzle to solve - how to fit last year's 20 goal scorer back into the squad without upsetting the equilibrium so recently restored. Statistics have been put forth illustrating that Sturridge does best with a strike partner up top but the formation that righted the ship plays with only one. Decisions, decisions...

And what of Mario Balotelli? He is much maligned but is also recently much improved. The issue is that he does not exactly fit the current system plus, let's face it, he seems to lack the requisite intensity at times. Although I would love to see Balotelli in the Chelsea game to harass Voldemourimho's minions and, in particular, Count Dooku Costa! (Mixing movie metaphors means more mirth).

With Swansea up next, Liverpool have a far from easy but definitely winnable game to catapult them back to their recently scintillating form.

This is farlieonfootie for March 12.

Shaping Up

2015-02-21T08:25:00.001-05:00

More to the point, it's been a while since Ed has written anything:

It’s been a while since I’ve written on Spurs, and a lot has happened. First and foremost, Harry Kane put us past Arsenal with two magnificent goals. Kane continues to play at a high level and pundits are wondering if this run is real or if he’s doomed to return to the norm or something below that. We shall see. Regardless, he seems to look like he knows how to play even if he’s not scoring, and Kane and Eriksen have become a terrific punch for Spurs.

The following week despite some good play int he first half, Spurs lost on a Mario Balotelli goal in the final minutes. What are the odds of that happening? Well, prior to his snatching the penalty kick ball out of the hands of his captain this week, Balotelli had about one goal for Liverpool, so I’d say the odds were pretty low. But to be fair, this shot was really just a tap in for Super Mario, so it would have been hard to mess it up. But what I liked most about this game was that Spurs seemed extremely annoyed and frustrated at the end of the game — as if they felt they should’ve won the game. I can’t recall seeing a Spurs team react like that to a loss against a big Club. Interesting, and I think a good sign. (On an unrelated note, I’m still not sure why Brendan Rodgers thought bringing this guy in was a good idea; clearly a desperate move by a desperate manager. But while Rodgers has Liverpool playing well with the return of Daniel Sturridge, it seems that the number of players he brought in that didn’t work out seems a luxury that only could be afforded the bigger clubs.
But returning to Spurs — has Poch’s style finally revealed itself? Clearly he likes to press high in the pitch, and his forwards and midfielders are required to run hard the entire game. The pressing style has paid dividends for Spurs, though, with several of their goals in the transition. But more notably, in addition to preferring younger players like Mason and Benteleb, Poch also put all the players through intensive conditioning after his arrival. Again, all of this suggests he likes his teams to play a little like the “Heavy Metal” style of the Jurgen Klopp, a coach that one clown of a FoF columnist suggested may be one of the best coaches in Europe. A difference, though is that Klopp hunts in huge packs when he presses, and the attacks that follow are at full pace, whereas Spurs pressing is definitely more expansive.

Poch is also using the entire Spurs roster, one that may not have been his but is pretty deep care of Gareth Bale. Will this depth allow them to make the top four? Hmmmm, with Liverpool rebounding and Arsenal playing well, it’s going to be tough for anyone to make the top four, including teams that are already there.

This is farlieonfootie for February 21.

Stoking a Blazing Hearth: Scott on Liverpool

2015-02-12T22:25:00.001-05:00

Scott is admiring Liverpool's form of late:

With that nail-biter of a victory over Spurs on Tuesday, I'm ready to say that Liverpool are firmly back on track and the team is starting to gel and acclimate to this season's formation and personnel changes. Yes, it all started happening far too late for a shot at the title (which was probably never a real possibility anyway) but a top 4 finish and another go in the Champions League is well within reach, present form continuing.

That Tuesday's victory was achieved without the services of Raheem Sterling is another plus. And that super-sub Mario Balotelli provided the tap-in winner is the icing on the cake, post-goal scowl notwithstanding.
It was far from easy with Tottenham looking the more dangerous at times, scoring 2 levelers to dampen the Kop mood before Adam Lallana to Balotelli helped them find their full voice. Harry Kane, in particular, continued his blistering form with a deft turn and power finish.

But, in the end, it was a bit of luck on Lazar Markovic's first goal that made the difference as Hugo Lloris should have done better with the under-hit shot. Still, 3 points were needed and gained so the Liverpool Express continues to gain momentum and, importantly, belief.

Questions surrounding Brendan Rodgers have surely evaporated as his back three formation seems to play to the team's strengths. Plus, he has shown leadership with his judicious use of Steven Gerrard and the brief sabbatical given to Sterling a few weeks ago. Most recently, his substitutions on Tuesday proved pivotal as it was sub to sub that resulted in the game winner. All the while, Jordan Ibe has been seamlessly, and advantageously, slotted into the side, even as the effective Daniel Sturridge has returned. Rodgers' naysayers are a shrinking cadre, shivering outside the warming hearth that is Anfield.

With more challenging fixtures coming fast and furious, while this is the time to acknowledge the tectonic shifts that are piecing together an effective Liverpool team, it is not the time for complacency or idle introspection. Rather, now is the time to fire the afterburners and blaze that hearth unrelentingly through mid-May.

YNWA.

This is farlieonfootie for February 12.

Stevie G is Tired: Ruminations on the FA and League Cups

2015-01-30T11:09:00.000-05:00


photo by twob	via PhotoRee

...from Correspondent Ed:

The League Cup and the FA Cup have taught us some lessons. First, the difference between the top tier of English football and the middle tiers isn't that much. Part of this is the higher level of play in the lower leagues than in the past. Part is also that the premier league teams just aren't that good. And of course there's that difference between teams that want it more and teams that don't. It's amazing how far hustling will get you.

But again, let's not diminish the abilities of some of these lower level teams. Bradford City at times looked phenomenal against Chelsea-- consider their last goal, patience in a tight spot, a terrific run, and clean finish. And so did Middlesbrough. Dare we also say Cambridge? Well maybe not, but they did seem to reveal the overall weakness of the fourth place team in the league.

And what if that pesky Liverpool team? Well, they looked pretty good at times against Chelsea in the league cup, even for a team without a striker. Had that team included Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge, would it have even been close?

And what of MLS bound Stevie G.? Did he look old? Did he look slow? Well, in my opinion he looked the smartest man on the pitch, making great passes and runs out of an unfamiliar right forward position. On defense, he effectively closed down Nemanja Matic on several occasions. Consider also Steven Gerrard's replacement at the holding position, Lucas Leiva. Lucas was certainly all over the field but his reckless tackles gave him one yellow and could easily have had him tossed out with a second yellow at least three times thereafter.

If I had to guess anything about Stevie G, I'd guess he's tired. Not physically fatigued but rather mentally tired of playing hard only to fail to reach the summit year after year. There will be no BPL championship, and there will not be another Champions League title either. Will an MLS Cup will make him happy? Maybe, but I suspect that with his luck he'll end up losing out to Frank Lampard's team.

And, oh, how about those Spurs? They don't seem to look that much better than last year's team, and they certainly aren't that great in possession, but Poch seems to be one of those managers that sneaks his way to victories. They had all but blown it against League 1 Sheffield when Christian Eriksen's last second perfect goal (just pass it into the corner, kids) put them in the League Cup final. Nice!

This is farlieonfootie for January 30.

And Now for Something Even More Boring-er

2015-01-22T07:00:00.000-05:00


photo by Petteri Sulonen	via PhotoRee

In which Correspondent Ed questions whether Red Devils' bossman Louis Van Gaal knows what he is doing:

What happened to Manchester United? My son can still watch them but I sure can’t. How did a team with Wayne Rooney, Robin Van Persie, Radamel Falcao, and Juan Mata become so ugly? The best part of any United game these days is watching David De Gea save them from losing to teams like, say, QPR, by launching himself all over the pitch. No really, that IS fun.

So is Louis Van Gaal the problem? Is his system so inflexible that it’s taking the joy out of United even though it’s resulting in wins?

According to the press, LVG has commented (or at least tried to comment — someone needs to send him a Rosetta Stone asap) that the team scores more from a 4-4-2 than his chosen 3-5-2, but that the team also doesn’t set up well in the former. I think he means that the defense isn’t too good, and that they don’t have a good enough midfield. I could have told him that before they dropped a ton of jingle on that loan deal for Falcao. But I also think that the 3-5-2 doesn’t help on either side of the ball. Is that okay to say? I mean, this isn’t David Moyes we are talking about. LVG may just be beyond criticism.

But to continue, I’m just not sure the 3-5-2 is suited to league play. I think the international game is a bit less coached as there is less preparation by the players. The 3-5-2 may therefore surprise opponents more, whereas teams may be able to prepare better for it at the club level.

Of course, that’s just a theory and there’s not much evidence. Regardless, Manchester United needs to start doing something differently or I’m going to have to start watching Real Sociedad.

This is farlieonfootie for January 22.

Stamford Bridge is Falling Down?

2015-01-21T14:32:00.003-05:00


photo by Free-ers	via PhotoRee

Correspondent Scott may not be so happy by this time next week:

Liverpool thoroughly outplayed Chelsea in the first leg of the Capital One Cup semi-final leg at Anfield. Unfortunately, of their 19 shots (6 on target), they only converted one, largely due to the heroic efforts of Thibault Courtois. Meanwhile, a lackluster Chelsea squad managed only two shots with only one of those on target. Yet, theirs being a penalty, the final score ended even and sets the stage for a must-score situation for the Reds in the return fixture. Scotland Yard needs to investigate this most outrageous of stolen victories.

I can happily write that reports of Liverpool’s demise this season were premature. They may not consistently keep this form through the end of the season but they are winning games and dominating top competition. With a more settled back three of Can, Skrtl and Sakho, a re-found Lucas, the surging Moreno and Markovic, the sparingly used Gerrard, the workhorse Henderson, the shifty Coutinho and the speedy Sterling, Liverpool gave the visiting Blues much more than they could handle. They attacked, they pressed and they eventually starting picking the locks on Chelsea’s defense. Were it not for an unfortunate error by Emre Can who then overcommitted and bundled Eden Hazard, it would be the Reds now in pole position.

For large stretches of the game, Chelsea couldn’t complete more than one or two passes before Liverpool won the ball back and pressed forward again. This was even more true in the second half when Liverpool actually began to make use of their possession and get their shots on target. The substitute Adam Lallana was especially unfortunate to see his well-vollied shot parried away by the diving Courtois. And Gerrard hit the post. And there were other close calls all while Simon Mignolet at the other end was rarely called on to do more than field a ball passed to his feet and pass it back.

Yes, Jose Voldemourinho is likely treating this game like the first half of the two ties, but if Liverpool are able to muster the same energy and creativity, while eliminating any defensive mistakes, Stamford Bridge just might go falling down next Tuesday.

This is farlieonfootie for January 21.

Kandy Kaned, Glovers and Stevie G.

2015-01-07T12:38:00.001-05:00

Ed is still in the holiday mood:

Spurs are usually a team on decline in the festive season. Too many games for too thin a squad. But not this year. After a scoreless draw against Manchester United (we’ll take it against that payroll), Harry Kane went big and busted up Chelsea for Spurs best win in the BPL perhaps . . . ever?

The emergence of Kane has dramatically changed Spurs. With 17 goals in about as many games in all competitions, Spurs seem finally to have found their striker. His emergence from the Spurs own academy makes it even sweeter. One might be tempted to say that the team is finally catching on to Mauricio Pochettino’s direction — and I’d say there is something to that — but correlation is not equal to causation and it still remains difficult to tell. Recall that the same was said of Brendan Rodgers brilliance when he had Suarez and Sturridge, but now that they’re gone the press would say he can’t get anything right.

Kane is not merely scoring, but he’s playing the target man especially welll, and he’s also taking the space aggressively with the dribble like few strikers I’ve seen in the league. Kane isn’t that fast, but he’s fast enough and clever enough to use leverage and positioning to keep him in front of defenders. He’s a pleasure to watch operate and will most certainly be called up for England in the future.

* * *

I should note my sorrow at the loss of the Yeovil Town Glovers at the hands of a somewhat fortunate Manchester United. The Glovers gave 110%, and for most if not all of the match made me wonder why players like Rooney and Falcao were paid so much more than some of the players on the mid-third division team.

The FA Cup is a great competition, but at no time is it greater than the third round when premier league clubs have to play at tiny grounds throughout the country. It’s simply a pleasure to see top tier players go against what appear to be true club teams on un-pampered (and sometimes awful) grounds. There’s simply nothing more fun than watching Eden Hazard kick a ball into a tree behind the goal, or Steven Gerrard put one into a busy road next to the pitch.

* * *

Wait, did I mention Stevie G? His departure from Liverpool will, I suspect, mark the end of the Brendan Rodgers era. Gerrard has taken his lumps of late — and in my opinion his critics are largely wrong. As far as I can tell, he’s looked pretty similar to the player he was last year and the year before. I suspect he’d look a lot better if there was anyone on the team who knew how to score a goal. I think even Minulet would look better then. The problem is that when you lose as frequently as Liverpool are this season it makes for lots of blame to go around. The biter, for all his problems, seemed worth even more than his crazy sales price (I wonder also if he’s enjoying Barcelona or finding it, as I suspect, unsatisfying in the same way Alexis Sanchez may have — ultimately there’s Messi and Neymar and Iniesta and . . . . one ball.)

According to the news, Gerrard is headed for the LA Galaxy. Eh. Could have gone somewhere more exciting, but I’m guessing the weather and the money have made it the place to be.

This is farlieonfootie for January 7.

Liverpool's Luck, Stevie G's Decision, And a Truly Tragic Departure

2015-01-03T13:15:00.001-05:00


photo by Ben Sutherland	via PhotoRee

Scott with his weekly musings:

Where to begin? Well, I suppose I could start with the shocking news that Liverpool's luck lasted all of another 45 minutes after the Swansea game. An unearned penalty and then an earned one, both converted by Stevie G., dictated the 2-0 scoreline at halftime. But then the Reds conspired against themselves as they continued to play half-assed at best, allowing the last place team in the league look like the better side. After conceding in rapid succession, they did manage a foray or two forward, but even then they managed to thwart themselves, literally shooting into each other on two separate occasions. With several other teams dropping points, being two goals up at halftime seemed like a great way to start the new year. But instead of being only 5 points out of 4th place, Liverpool now sit 7 points out and Champions League football next year, while still possible, seems to be fading away. Can this all change so quickly with the return of Daniel Sturridge? We'll know the answer to that as well as find out how the Englishman can handle pressure, hopefully within weeks. I still have my rose colored glasses on but one lens is definitely cracked.

Just a few hours ago I had to deliver the news of Stevie G's season-end departure to my children. Never knowing a Liverpool side without the Legend, they are still unable to comprehend a future without him. But after I allayed their fears of a transfer to another EPL team, I was able to offer hope in the form of the conventional wisdom that says Gerrard will end up in MLS. Not having a South Florida team, nor any tremendous pull to the league until now, they are now excited about being able to cheer an American club at some point.

As I have written before, Gerrard's influence in games has been waning and the consistent quality has not been there. Some will point to his flashes of brilliance or his willingness to play out of position. But, for me, with where this team is headed, it was always going to be a struggle to fit Gerrard in. Maybe it was a coincidence that we played so well against Swansea without him and so poorly against Leicester with him. But at the very least it is a talking point about how accommodations must be made to insert him in the lineup now. He is still a tremendously talented player with physical attributes to spare and, of course, Brendan could make it work by limiting his games and his role so that those flashes of brilliance are the norm instead of infrequent sightings during a 90 minute shift. But aging gracefully has never been the forte of the best of competitors. And given that Gerrard is one of the best there has ever been, I salute his decision to move on rather than cling on. You'll Never Walk Alone, Stevie G!

In closing, perhaps this is not an appropriate venue, but as soccer is such a big part of my life, it is important to remember how precious a life is. I bid a monumentally sad farewell to Karen Scott. Despite Liz's efforts, Karen drifted away over the years to struggle with her demons. When someone takes their own life, so many questions go unanswered and so many judgments are made. But there is no denying that a tortured soul who has lost all hope deserves our pity and our compassion. I choose to remember Karen as the vibrant, smiley girl I knew in college. Rest in Peace, dear Karen.

This is farlieonfootie for January 3.

You Make Your Own Luck

2015-01-01T17:33:00.001-05:00

Scott's rose-tinged spectacles are fully polished up for this entry:

With 2014 behind Liverpool, a brighter 2015 awaits. Glimpses of the quality football to come have been seen over the past 4 games against Manchester United (I'm still scratching my head over that loss), Bournemouth (a deserved Capital One Cup victory), Burnley (a scrappy win over an under-valued club) and Swansea (with more than just a bit of luck).

Yes, there is still quite a way to go and the champagne I crack tonight will be solely to ring in the new year and not to toast Liverpool's completed turnaround. But with several players beginning to click and Brendan Rodgers finally finding a formation that seems to best utilize the talent available, it may not be long before another bottle is uncorked.

As ridiculous as it seems, in addition to the 2 quality goals against Swansea, the two lucky ones also boost my hopes. We all know that the best teams get "lucky" more than others and, in my estimation, shared by many, that luck is the product of a self-belief and confidence that manifests itself in the fortuitous block of a goalie's clearance or a generous own-goal. The best teams just KNOW they are going to win and play hard expecting that result, completing that self-fulfilling prophesy when that same expectant effort shakes a goal loose from the opposition. For too long this season, Liverpool have been playing scared, waiting for the other shoe to drop in the form of another crossbar rattled on one side before a mistake on the other leads to a depressingly familiar billowing of net. But at Anfield recently the roles were reversed and may it be a sign of things to come.

Helping, the “luck” along are several players who seem to be getting traction in the side as they gel with their teammates. Adam Lallana was a revelation against Swansea and is beginning to look like the confident, dangerous player that pillaged so many defenses for the Saints. His vision, control, work-rate and finishing (OK, maybe not the left footer he skied over the crossbar) were excellent. Add to that the on-again off-again Philippe Coutinho, who flipped the on switch again, and you have a dangerously offensive midfield. The Brazilian’s mazy runs repeatedly put defenders on their heels as he breaks forward to shoot or distribute.

Unfortunately for the Croat, leaving Dejan Lovren on the bench has seemed to help shore things up defensively. With Kolo Toure experiencing a renaissance, Martin Skrtl making fewer errors and even contributing offensively with his head, and Alberto Moreno flying forward to join the attack, things are far from perfect at the back, but looking up.

Raheem Sterling didn’t score against Swansea but his movement and efforts up top in the middle gave the opposition headaches all game. After all, It was his unselfish run that created the space for Lallana to penetrate to the left and score his goal. I am continually amazed at how strong the youngster is on the ball now compared to 2 years ago.

So, if we take all the above, throw it in a bag (along with a healthy dash of Daniel Sturridge) and shake it up, it seems we have the makings of a good team marinating, and ready to get cooking in 2015.

Of course, since this won’t get posted until after the New Year’s Day Leicester game, watch my optimism boomerang back and slap the half-full glass right out of my hand…

This is farlieonfootie saying "Rabbit Rabbit" for January 1st. Happy New Year!

I Know What You're Thinking (about United, Spurs and Liverpool)

2014-12-18T15:07:00.002-05:00

Ed weighs in on some football and a fantasy trip to the Hawaiian Islands:

I've decided to take a brief time out from my recent Magnum PI immersion and give you, my many fans, a few tired thoughts from the weekend's action.

First, United under Van Gaal is starting to look more like United did under Alex Ferguson -- more the red ferrari than the blue Vauxhall wagon of Moyes's tenure. They're winning when they really shouldn't be, and scoring when the other team seems to have more chances. Part of that always seemed to be luck when Ferguson did it, but interestingly it looks the same for Van Gaal. In addition, Van Gaal seems hell bent to prove that you can be totally weird and yet still beloved by fans and players alike so long as you are winning. As I write this, I remain unclear as to why he likes to do his homework during games, and why sometimes it appears that he needs to be nudged and awoken to the fact that his team has just scored. His post game interviews? Not really English. Kind of. Maybe a little. But not really. And finally, the flat face, the kooky hair style -- really?

Second, Spurs fans love affair with Harry Kane is getting as strong as Higgy-baby's love affair with the Lads. Alongside a forgettable Roberto Soldado, Kane scored yet again and did a terrific job as target man as well. As for another Spurs' Academy product, Ryan Mason, I'm still unclear why he's starting. He's certainly feisty and decent with the ball, but Dembele showed he is dramatically better both offensively and defensively. I suspect Moussa will be included in the starting lineup more frequently in the weeks to come.

Third, the heat on Brendan Rogers is rising faster than TC on a mission in his Island Hopper chopper. I find it hard to say whether Rogers is really that bad a manager. Clearly his players aren't that good. Clearly he also changes tactics with astounding frequency. But they almost won it a year ago, and they're top Striker is a guy that didn't start on his mid-table team last year (see again, You're Only as Good as Your Front Two). Plus, the formation he put on the field did account for a large number of chances many of which should have been goals. Defensively it was all about player mistakes. Does it surprise anyone that Coutinho isn't good at getting back to play defense? I don't know. Right now I blame him somewhat for some of the players he's brought in, but I'm not sure I can say anything else until I see them play with Sturridge back. By the way, is that every happening?

Well, enough soccer talk. A little voice inside me is telling me it's time to get back to the couch and finish off my trip to Hawaii . . . .

This is farlieonfootie for December 18.