Matchday LIVE! USA

Extra Eyes: Tech-Free Problem Solvers

noreply@blogger.com (Mike D.) — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 20:07:00 +0000

It is amazing to me (though perhaps it shouldn’t be), how over-reactive and fickle the football community can be. A problem with more than one solution is casually mentioned every so often until a mistake of epic proportions sends the world into a frenzy — and that’s just a couple Round of 16 matches! One could only imagine how one-sided the discussion would be if England’s second goal happened in a World Cup FINAL. Of course we’re talking about the raging “Goal-Line Technology” debate following Lampard’s blast (and to some extent, “video technology” as a whole following the Tevez debacle). As is so often typical in the world of demanding sports fans and media, the most logical solution is being overlooked.

That solution, of course, is extra referees on the goal line. For Sepp Blatter and FIFA, it is literally God’s gift to their negligent stupidity as an administration. It eliminates every problem for which technology SHOULD be used in the game (and yes, folks, there are situations where technology has no place — the Tevez call included) at a cost of next to nothing to implement on a wide scale and with no disruption to match flow. As with seemingly all of my Glorious Football posts, a numbered list of facts on the subject to consider:

1. FIFA already employs 5 Officials per match.

Yes, I did say five, not four. There are four officials on the field, but a 5th is always present at the match. From Wikipedia, “A fifth official (FOF) assists the fourth official in a variety of tasks, and who may be called upon to replace another match official if necessary, for example in the case of injury.” Therefore, 1 of the 2 sets of extra eyes is ALREADY AT THE MATCH. If you can afford 5 officials, you can afford 6. (Let’s be honest, if you can afford 4 officials, you can afford 6.)

2. People like the human element? This retains the human element.

There’s really not much to say on this one. This preserves the human element, with the added bonus of these extra assistant referees not being required to constantly manage four or five things at once, including offside decisions and foul calls. They are purely there to assist with penalty shouts and goal/no goal plays (and of course the Hands of Henry/some sketchy-looking Argentinian who thinks he’s a deity). End of story, no chance for confusion. If their eyes are straying beyond 18 yards from their body, they’re doing something wrong.

3. Justifying error to full match video die-hards.

Effort must be made to quell the concerns of those who think every play in a match should be reviewable. While sometimes I’d agree it would be great for a referee to be forced to go back and look at a replay of a foul to think “man I was a bit harsh or foolish to give that a straight red card” (especially since basically every direct red in the 2010 tournament has been garbage), it will surely disrupt the flow of the match, and that is something the game cannot afford. This would leave the only other reviewable call in a match to be offside, and there a number of reasons why we should let the ARs do their job on this one.

Firstly, offside is called far too tightly in the modern game. Part of the importance of goal line referees/technology/whatever is to preserve the sanctity of the greatest achievement in the sport — finding the back of the net. However, calling a tight line often results in more goals/chances being disallowed under false positives than it does goals allowed that shouldn’t have been given (false negatives). Thus, the attacker has a net negative bias, in a game where the attacker is to be praised for the ultimate achievement. With a looser offside line and assistant refs not calling the advantage so tightly the game could see potential goals per match increases of significant magnitude, perhaps +0.5-1.0 goals per match as a result. This would be a huge advantage for the sport where the majority of fans want increased drama, action and scoring and requires no change in the rule; simply an upholding of the previously given directive that a “tie goes to the attacker” (equivalent to the “tie goes to the runner” rule in baseball) achieves this quite nicely.

Second, offside reviews will disrupt the flow of the match equally, if not moreso, than any other review. And let’s face it, even if an offside decision is reversed to the benefit of the attacking team, the chance is still lost anyway. You surely can’t award a free kick or even a penalty in a dangerous area just because of the decision change.

~~~~~~~

Haters of the extra officials will argue that they’ve not been worth their salt in UEFA competition, where they have been trialled in 205 Europa League matches in 2009-2010. However, it is hard to argue that two extra pair of eyes are NOT the way to go, simply because of the resulting zero negativity to the game:

– Flow is not lost. – Human element is retained. – Justice is done.

Sounds to me like exactly the outcome everyone prefers.

This Isn't Your Dad's World Cup

noreply@blogger.com (Mike D.) — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 03:04:00 +0000

Perhaps one of the biggest surprises of this World Cup thus far is not the shoddy officiating, or the high number of goalkeeper blunders, or even the widespread vuvuzela whining, but rather the rather distinct feeling of full 32-nation parity that we are seeing thus far. The Swiss over Spain. New Zealand on 2 points in two matches. France and England currently outside the top half of their groups. Certainly the pundits will not have seen all of these things coming (though avid and knowledgeable fans could easily have seen the Swiss victory from a mile away, but I digress). Have there been poor games played by squads? Absolutely. Greece’s first match was awful. Cameroon looked incredibly flat against Japan. Australia were simply outclassed by Germany. Yet these squads, which some pundits were quick to write off after their first matches, went 1-1-1 on World Cup matchday 2, with arguably one being harshly hit by their second sending off of the tournament. There are many reasons to believe that the prevailing mentality about World Cup play is set for a major shift.

1. North American and Asian Qualifiers have legitimate pro leagues, thus more footballers.

As my colleague Steven Maloney noted in the opener to his World Cup Day 9 review, “the professionalization of soccer in South Korea, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and the United States/Canada in the 1990’s to present” is a significant factor in the new-found difficulties of the group phase. Consider that in World Cup 1998, Korea Republic finshed 0-1-2 with a -7 GD in a group containing the Netherlands, Mexico, and Belgium. Definitely not a group of death by any standards. Jamaica and Japan were both easily bounced by Argentina and Croatia in Group H, the Jamaicans departing with a -7 to match that of Korea. Even the USA was easily eliminated from a group of Germany, Yugoslavia, and Iran with a 0-0-3, -4 GD effort. Going back to 1994’s tournament in the United States, 13 of 24 nations qualifying for the finals were European, and 10 of them made the Knockout Phase. 10 of the 15 (of 32 total now) qualified UEFA nations made the Round of 16 in 1998.

2. Major Changes in economy/philosophy see European sides with vastly diverse squads.

Football has added the plea of “Stamp out Racism” to its “Fair Play” cry in recent years, and for good reason. Imports from around the world are on the rise, particularly African footballers. Consider that from 1986 to 1996, clubs reaching the UEFA Champions League final had a MINIMUM of 6 (Benfica 1990, the only team under 7) players from their home nation. Additionally only four African players even participated in a CL final during that span. Since 2000, only a handful of clubs have had 6+ home nation footballers, and famously Jose Mourinho’s Inter Milan had ZERO Italian starters.

Further consider that in World Cups 1994 and 1998 combined, African nations not named Nigeria (only 3 total even were accepted for 1994, with 4 making it in 1998) were a combined 1-7-10 (W-D-L) with 16 goals for and a whopping 36 goals against, for a -20 GD. Ironically, though Africa has improved, it’s still the defense which lacks most for African sides in the modern era where African strikers such as Eto’o and Drogba are amongst the world’s elite.

3. As the game spreads, the level of football improves.

The French/Italian belief that “The World Cup begins with the knockout phase” is dying, if not proving to be dead here in 2010. With the improvement of football around the world, there is no cupcake, surefire win match for favorites in the tournament within their group play. Teams like Saudi Arabia, Morocco, or Nigeria who qualified consistently out of super-weak continents and were toppled far too easily have given way to the modern organized underdog full of belief that a result can be achieved. Algeria 0-0 England; New Zealand/Paraguay 1-1 Italy; South Africa 1-1 Mexico, Uruguay 0-0 France. These are all results that are fast becoming the norm rather than the exception. With every 2 points dropped, the expectations of favored teams take a major hit and the players face the confidence body blow that comes from a home media thrashing. It is far too easy for a club to find themselves 0-2-0 or 0-1-1 and looking at a massively uphill task (which may or may not even be entirely within their control) to rescue their tournament.

4. Referees are often ARBITRARY rather than logical ARBITERS of the game.

Whether the culture of simulation or the culture of overprotection came first is something that can be debated at length on another day. What is true and must be learned for international tournaments is that bookings aren’t what they used to be. It can well be argued that no fewer than 75% of the red cards handed out in this tournament have been nothing short of appalling, so many of them a combination of silly cautions distributed far too easily. Such, unfortunately, is modern football. What has come with it is the culture of diving and embellishment that leads to even more cards. Simply embellishing with a ground roll, covering the face and hoping (Keita w/ Kaka) would never have drawn cautions 15-20-25 years ago as it does in the modern game. Neither would the nips at heels (Klose), incidental contacts (Lukovic), and harsh interpretations of “unsporting play” (Lodiero) we’ve seen lead to damaging first or second yellow cards, nor the incredibly arbitrary “persistent fouling” cautions we have today. However, since the game has been so sadly softened players (Klose) must respect that there is much more scrutiny and much less patience on the part of oft card-happy officials, and adjust their play. That doesn’t mean the cards are deserved, it simply means that the lines between careless, reckless, and violent conduct have been skewed (hopefully not irreparably), and unfortunately officiating in the tournament will reflect such.

That being said, don’t let point #4 take away from what is an exciting time in world football. We are witnessing new friends joining the ranks of the competitive (if not the elite) and I for one welcome that change, especially as an American interested in the future of football in our own great nation going forward. With the globalization of the game comes the inevitable evolution that a World Cup begins with your opening match as opposed to the Round of 16. Winning that golden trophy now requires seven matches of glorious football as opposed to only four.

Americans Just Don't Get the Vuvuzela

noreply@blogger.com (Mike D.) — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 21:43:00 +0000

The Wave. Bleacher Beach Ball. Fan Chants. Air horn guy. Overuse of cheering. The South African Vuvuzela. What do all of these things have in common? It would seem that the majority of Americans, sports media included, don’t like any of them. Well, my fellow Americans, welcome to the World Cup — a place where magic happens and fan atmosphere is at its highest. As a Philadelphia Phillies fan, I often take grief about how “Philadelphia has the worst fans in the country… they’ll even boo Santa Claus!” Not surprising in this country that doing anything other than politely applauding or yelling “Go Team!” is looked upon with shock or disdain. Let’s take a look at some of the silly rules and political correctness that are hindering most American sports fans from having the true fan experience at the arena/stadium/etc.

1. The NCAA’s inexplicable ban on artificial noisemakers.

Ironically enough, in a move that probably typifies the American sports fan’s reaction to passionate following of one’s team, the organization that oversees sport played at arguably its most passionate level has the most draconian policies on fan enjoyment. Air horns, drums, tambourines, and artificial noisemakers of any kind are absolutely forbidden at NCAA events. Often times (especially for sports without a large-scale public venue such as Division I football and basketball) there is no alcohol allowed on presence either. Now, I won’t make this an essay about underage drinking and policies to curb such activity (understanding that many football venues are often little more than an open field with some bleachers and a scoreboard), so we’ll look at the first rule primarily. What exactly about drums or air horns is going to take away from the quality or performance of the players? In an indoor sport, I might understand due to building acoustics, especially in smaller venues. Outdoors however, an air horn won’t even cover up a referee’s whistle, and it certainly can help rally the support.

2. Ridiculous Levels of Political Correctness

Just when you thought Americans were the least politically correct bunch on the planet there comes this stunning revelation. Hate to break it to you, but chants like “Nemanja Vidic! Nemanja Vidic! He comes from Serbia, he’ll [expletive]in murder ya!” are commonplace in football stadiums. This is 2010, people swear all the time. If we could just get past this nonsense about political correctness and let people express themselves freely, Americans would understand that swears aren’t necessarily vulgar things to be looked-down upon, but useful terms for amusing stadium chants. A society where parts of your own language are even met with too high a level of disdain is never going to embrace the true football fan experience.

To add an amusing story to this, I was at Red Bull Arena a couple weeks ago for the big match between RBNY and the Columbus Crew. The South Ward chant leaders pulled out some notes pre-match and yelled into his megaphone: “OK, the club/league/someone has informed us we can’t use some common words, so let’s try to respect their wishes. This is the banned list. Sh*t,” (South Ward Response: “SH*T!!!”), A-hole (you see where this is going), and the f-word.” This “FBI Warning” style of approach did nothing to stop the “oooooooooOOOOO YOU SUCK A**H*LE” chants on every Will Hesmer goal kick. Politically correct? Absolutely not, but it’s how football is supposed to be.

3. General Disdain for Crowd Enthusiasm due to Unwarranted Smugness

A Twitter user I follow recently echoed the following blog posts on crowd enthusiasm and individuality that I link for your enjoyment (or rather shaking your head in frustration): Wave Hate and Smug Reaction to Other Fans

That’s right, so-called “true” fans hate the wave, and apparently all non-official color team gear. And what’s this I saw about hating on an adult wearing a personalized team jersey? If I want my kit to say “DiAmore 87,” I don’t think anyone in the footballing community would mock me, and if they did I’d probably give ‘em hell right back. The true fact of the matter is that American sporting venues are pretty much dead zones by the world standard. Enthusiasm is often forced by unnaturally shilling from hype-men on microphones and large “NOISE!!!” graphics. Yet, international hockey arenas often have terracing in the upper deck, and fans chant and bang drums and sing all game. Having seen a game or two of baseball from the Tokyo Dome, it’s much more lively than American baseball stadiums too. Japan is a country that lives and dies with baseball as much as the United States does. Obviously there’s the world football community, and full credit to the 500-1000 or so at MLS arenas that try to capture that atmosphere.

Back to the vuvuzelas. These African buzzing horns symbolize everything that is good about world sport, especially football. The good side of sport is that it is a meeting of world community and togetherness, the entirety of the human population joining to share in one glorious demonstration of ability and achievement for the pride of not just self (as is far too common with athletes) but of country as well. The World Cup, as demonstrated by the opening ceremony, is not just a celebration of sport but also one of cultural pride. Like it or not, the vuvuzela is as much a part of the cultural fabric of an African World Cup as anything else. Something else to consider (admittedly on a much shallower level than the rest of this piece): The vuvuzelas are great because there is NOTHING more annoying than having the crowd-focused sound dishes pick up fan chanting only well enough that you know they’re chanting and not well enough that you can’t understand a word the fans are saying unless it’s a song you already know (such as Manchester City’s “Blue Moon” chant).

I count myself fortunate in a small number of respects, primarily being able to get any seat as an away fan instead of being banished to a crappy section in the upper corner just because the home fans hate every other team for no apparent reason. A big part of me though longs for the international sporting fan style to finally be accepted in America. Passion for sport should be commonplace, not a diamond in the rough or the odd man out, which is often sadly how I feel in American sporting venues. Keep up the faith though football fans, our game is far too global to never make an impact on the United States.

Shocked by the Swiss? You Shouldn't Be

noreply@blogger.com (Mike D.) — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 01:08:00 +0000

So, Alexi Lalas is already throwing out bold, demeaning statements about this upset win for the Swiss. “You know that saying about how even a blind squirrel sometimes finds a nut? While the Swiss just found a HUGE nut.” We’ll pardon Alexi, simply because football fans with any brain in this country know he hasn’t a clue what he’s talking about. Still, what I am about to suggest might come as a moderate surprise to many:

No one should think this is a “Massive Upset” by Switzerland.

Let me first clarify before explaining. Is it a moderate surprise, given Spain’s form in the past approximately 50 matches? Surely. Keep in mind though that the Spanish also lost their last non-friendly match-up in the nation of South Africa, a much more shocking setback against the United States. Regardless, there is still no reason to think that other high-quality UEFA nations cannot beat teams like Spain, England, Portugal, or Germany. Let’s analyze this Swiss team a bit further and you’ll see why this result did not deserve the “UPSET SHOCKER” moniker it immediately received.

1. The Swiss are no defensive slouches, ESPECIALLY in World Cup Play

With this 1-0 victory over “La Furia Roja,” the Swiss preserved and extended a streak of goalless open play for their World Cup opponents dating 16 years and now 3 World Cup tournaments. A number that started ever so modestly with the final 5 minutes of a 0-3 defeat to the Spanish in the Round of 16 of World Cup 1994 has grown through the entirety of Switzerland’s participation of World Cup 2006 (3 group stage matches, Ro16 vs UKR + Extra time — totalling 390 minutes) and this victory today to a now 2nd place all-time mark of 485 consecutive minutes. For those keeping score at home, they’ll need to hold Chile goalless for 33′ to break the 517-minute record of the Italians from 1990. Additionally, in qualifying the Swiss allowed just 8 goals in their 10 group matches.

2. The Swiss midfield is one of the most underrated in international football.

First off, a number of players in the current Swiss senior side represented their country in the UEFA under-17 Euro tournament in 2002, a tournament which they won. Senderos, Barnetta, Ziegler and others all participated in that international success, and many have grown from there. Specifically focusing on the midfield however, Tranquillo Barnetta, Gokhan Inler, and Gelson Fernandes (today’s goal scorer) are all top tier footballers in their own right. One thing that never lacks from the Swiss player is a lack of work rate and effort, and these three don’t deviate from that in the slightest. Not only is their work rate near maximum, but their strength is as well, which was evident from the first minute of the match with Spain.

Inler was hassling Spaniards all over the pitch, and pressing for aerial balls or battling for space like a true warrior in the center of midfield. His partner on the interior, Gelson Fernandes, had that same dogged spirit about him. Despite having some turnover issues through the match, these players were able to keep the side gelled and also assisted in link-up play going forward. Additionally, Eren Derdiyok deserves mention in this section. While technically a forward, the big strong Bayer Leverkusen man repeatedly came back to support the midfield to prevent overrun by the midfield 3 of the Spanish squad. Both in settling from long clearances by the defense and also in his movement forward, Derdiyok’s hold-up play was top class. He put in a very gritty, Heskey-like performance on the day. Emile and Eren in fact have been the best two hold-up style players of the tournament for me.

3. Favored teams are STILL not using the width of the pitch.

Spain was as guilty of this today as Argentina, Holland, and Brazil had all been prior. Aside from Germany, none of the top quality teams are using the width of the pitch to spread defenses, and the solid backlines of many underrated nations are having a field day so far in the World Cup. Spain was arguably the best of the non-German favorites in terms of being able to pick out passes up the middle, but still could only create half-chances at best (Xabi Alonso’s thundering effort off the bar aside).

It was utterly stunning to see the lack of width play from Brazil when their entire offense essentially runs through the fullbacks when at its best, but for Spain it was not a surprise. They will need more out of Capdevila and Ramos, and also their central players in terms of overlapping the fullbacks to provide further width, if they want to make a deep run.

So there you have it… Group Stage Round 1 is entirely in the books, and it ends with a Swiss firecracker! Enjoy Round 2 and here’s hoping we see more glorious football (and less of the Italian and French snoozefests)!

Your 1st Place Red Bull New York!?!

noreply@blogger.com (Mike D.) — Thu, 06 May 2010 20:21:00 +0000

In what is one of the stories of the young MLS season, Red Bull New York has come out in fine fashion, currently holding a 7 point lead in the Eastern Conference after just 6 matches played. That's right, they've ALREADY matched their win total from a season ago, in just 20% of the matches. Coupled with the skids of New England and DC United into irrelevancy (or so it seems thus far), this could be the season of joy long-suffering Metro fans have been long anticipating. It's true that the team has likely not played its best football, but that just makes the prospect for the 2010 MLS campaign even that much more enticing.

5-0-1, +4 looks pretty good, especially when you compare it to the start last season: 1-2-3 through 6 games with 3 GF and 6 GA. Of course fans know that was just the tip of the iceberg as the team went on to post a 1-2-12, -18 GD mark between May 1st and August 15th. Also keep in mind that as I mentioned above, the team hasn't played its best football by any stretch. They've looked shaky in a number of matches -- the lone loss to Chivas, minutes 15-65 against Dallas, and the first half against the Union. But they've got the job done thus far, and there are a number of reasons why Metros fans should have every reason to believe this team can compete for and win an MLS Cup in 2010.

1. There's a reason Mike Petke is the only man returning as a starter on the back line this season.

The defense was dreadful last year, conceding 3 or more goals in 20% (6 of 30) league matches. This year, they've been beefed up with a combination of known, veteran talent and quality draft picks. Tim Ream has stepped in and played every minute in the league thus far and has been a stellar addition to the middle of the defense. 2009 selection Jeremy Hall has done the same. These two are joined by the veteran Petke and 25-year-old Costa Rican international Roy Miller, whom the club signed from notable Norwegian club Rosenborg Trondheim. The revamped defensive unit has meant a GAA of just 0.67 in league play thus far.

2. Management has finally learned to use the Designated Player/Foreign Signings efficiently.

Metros fans, gone are the days of suffering through the tepid performances of the likes of Albert Celades and a long past it Claudio Reyna. This club under GM Erik Soler has finally decided to use DP slots and the foreign market wisely. Enter Roy Miller (25), Brian Nielsen (23), and at some point Luke Rodgers (28). Each fills a definitive need for the club with a number of decided advantages over some of the players they had brought in from the past. Miller fills a hole at fullback, while Nielsen gives the team a speed winger to complement Dane Richards on the opposite flank to pose greater attacking threat. There are a lot of rumors going around that management is going to attempt to lure a Thierry Henry or Raul to Red Bull Arena in the summer transfer window as well. I wouldn't have a problem with that. What's the difference? Henry/Raul can still play. Reference JP Angel -- he's the club's all time leading goal scorer and he continues to produce for us despite being 34 years old, whereas Celades at 33-34 did not produce, and was in fact counter productive to our operation. It's all about knowing the level at which a player is still useful in his declining years at the growing MLS level of play, and a guy like Henry or Raul will still be able to meet our standard.

3. Hans Backe has instilled confidence.

Remember how I said this side's best football is still ahead of them? Despite that fact they're 5-0-1. It hasn't always been pretty by any stretch of the imagination, but that's the beauty of it. This team now believes they can go out on the pitch, represent their club, fans, and themselves well, and most importantly get a result. They looked shocking at times against both Dallas and Philadelphia, but they won both matches. They even went to DC and won (which laughably isn't saying much this season), only their 5th win at RFK Stadium since the inception of Major League Soccer. But even on that day they were arguably outplayed in the 1st half by the club from the nation's capital. Hans Backe has genuinely recognized and nurtured critical talent to the roster, notably Ream, with a piece in the New York Times soccer blog showcasing such.

4. The team has discovered how to win on the road.

This might be the most important of all the tidbits on the revamped Red Bull New York, given that half the season is played away from NJ -- 45 points on offer during travel in fact. The 1-0 win at Seattle, arguably one of the toughest places to play in the league, was RBNY's first victory away from home since May of 2008, after compiling a 0-2-13 record away in 2009. They went on to add to the total at DC, and despite their only setback of the season so far at Chivas in California, the club certainly no longer feels that away dates are 3 dropped points. This ties right in with the new found confidence of the side, where every match is now believed to be winnable.

Often rooted in mediocrity, the Metrostars/Red Bull New York franchise may be experiencing a rebirth this season. A new manager, new league-best stadium, new outlook, and most importantly new-found winning ways will surely bring the supporters out as we head deeper into the summer months and the long MLS season still ahead. But if things keep on progressing as they have, it could be a memorable season for the long suffering fans in New York/New Jersey

Idiotic Witsel Attacks Wasilewski

noreply@blogger.com (Mike D.) — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 17:10:00 +0000

It's time for another video the likes of which we hoped we'd never see again. Less than a season and a half on the heels of Eduardo's sickening injury in a Premier League match against Birmingham City comes this atrocity to RSC Anderlecht's Marcin Wasilewski at the hands of Standard Liege's Axel Witsel. There was nothing clumsy about this one however, unlike Martin Taylor's simply getting caught out by the pace and footwork of the Arsenal midfielder. Watching the video, one can only conclude some sick intent to injure, as Witsel is nowhere near the ball and comes flying in studs out and ready.

The Belgian Association is investigating with a possible long-term suspension for Witsel forthcoming, which would be only just given the severity and sick nature of this utter stupidity. The match had been physical, yes, but there is never any need for it to get to this level. In all honesty, I claimed this as "Eduardo-esque," but Witsel's maneuver here makes Taylor's challenge on Eduardo look like a cupcake tackle. This one definitely isn't for the faint of heart.

UPDATE: The Belgian Association (KBVB) has handed down an 11 match ban (10 league, 1 cup) for Witsel following review, barring him from intra-national competitions until the 23rd of November.

WARNING: GRAPHIC

Iconic Rae to SPL: US Commentary Suffers

noreply@blogger.com (Mike D.) — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 07:08:00 +0000

An overlooked but essential point of the UEFA Champions League television rights deal was that it brings the end of an era in United States television. With the loss of rights to Fox Soccer Channel, gone is the partnership of Derek Rae and Tommy Smyth for the biggest international matches (aside from, I'm assuming/hoping the World Cup, where they were always given the biggest non-US matches).

Everyone has their opinion, good or bad, about Tommy "Bulges the ol' onion bag" Smyth. Personally, I liked him, he was one of the more interesting color men to listen to (the top being Andy Gray surely). A lot of you out there disliked/hated him. However, play-by-play man Rae was a commentator that gained seemingly universal respect, if not admiration. I've never heard a single soul saying they disliked Derek's commentary style or his demeanor on the air. The closest thing I've ever heard was "Yeah, Derek is alright" and usually something so neutral only came as part of a Tommy-bashing comment.

Coming into the game of football late, perhaps I'm biased, but I first started watching soccer via the 2:45 US Eastern Kickoff Champions League match. Back in the day it always always an interesting random match. ESPN in the mid 1990s provided a great mix of showing the various top quality teams in the competition. One matchday might have been Ajax, or Manchester United, or Juventus, or AC Milan, or Barcelona. Those were the days before the "English club as a priority" setting that ESPN seemed to have fixated on in the late 2000s as soccer interest grew in the United States. (This was of course mitigated somewhat by ESPN picking up a 2nd match to show each day on ESPN Classic, effectively giving us 4 matches of the 8 instead of the old one or two.) Despite the variety of teams and leagues and nations represented, Derek always called the match admirably, interjecting with timely quotes and trivia and points about all the sides, well proving his world football knowledge. He was (and still is) the man who most shapes my approach to calling soccer games for Stevens now.

For ESPN, business-wise they've made a brilliant decision, sending Derek to their new Scottish network to call SPL matches. The home fans will be delighted to have him back and he brings a world of confidence and credibility to ESPN's fledgling coverage. However, that exact same approach in Scotland, a much smaller country, (Don't get me wrong here, nothing about this post is an affront to Scotland) could in fact prove detrimental to their building the game here.

Let's analyze FSC (Fox Soccer Channel) for a second. Why do you think they used the international feed for UEFA Cup (and now UEFA Champions League) coverage? In case you already haven't guessed it, it's because no one wants to hear Max Bretos shouting YESSSSSSSSSSssssssssssssssssssssssssss for every goal in his best Telemundo/Cantor breath-holding impersonation. Fox's own personalities are very poor at calling the match, and need to continue busting their chops in the MLS. ESPN's remaining full-time American in-house teams are in a similar boat. Beyond JP Dellacamara, Adrian Healy and Janusz Michallik, I can't honestly say anyone at ESPN is ready to step up and be the flagship broadcaster for soccer in this country. Going forward, we'll have commentary from the likes of John Harkes (ugh), Eric Wynalda (please shoot me now), with Alexi Lalas as a lead studio analyst (good grief). Gone are the days of your truly knowledgeable commentator drumming up further interest in football.

Why does it matter? I'll provide you with a quote my friend made about Starcraft. He was browsing YouTube and found some live Starcraft competition vidoes. As he put it (paraphrasing), "It's like I'm watching a legitimate sport listening to these guys talk about Starcraft." That's the power of a good announce team. If you put the right guys (Derek Rae, for example) in the broadcaster's booth, they can turn a football match from just another thing to watch on TV into something I want to be tuned into at 2:45 every Tuesday and Wednesday. It's an art that may now be lost (aside from the World Cup) in this country.

NBC's "Business Decision" a National Embarrassment

noreply@blogger.com (Mike D.) — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 06:26:00 +0000

Soccer (or Football or Futbol) is on the rise in this country. There is no denying it. The packed stadiums for European club friendlies prove it. The increasing quality of national team performances prove it. The MLS attendance (especially for newer clubs) numbers prove it. But yet today as US-Mexico: the "SHOWDOWN AT THE AZTECA" (did you notice that was all in capital letters?) is finally here, NBC has decided to make a mockery of that progress.

A quick Google search will tell you that the soccer-crazed masses are concerned. ESPN doesn't show a match listing in their schedule for US-Mexico. Neither does Fox Soccer Channel. Where the @*#$(@* *@*@ can I FIND THIS MATCH?!? is the common outcry. Fear not, says NBC, it's on mun2. That's "moon-dos." I'm sure you've all heard of it. It's that ~~hip, trendy Latino network~~ obscure bicultural channel no one has ever heard of that is so far up the digital cable dial your brain will be addled into confusing the two teams' kits when you finally get to the match. What some are passing off as a business decision, however, is clearly nothing short of one of the biggest jokes in sports media coverage of the decade, right up there with the 8PM World Series start, Roger Goodell wanting to expand the NFL to 18 games, and NBC's (do you sense a theme here) creating a new network for Olympic coverage just weeks before the event that no one received on time.

Those who follow American sports punditry already have claimed that the sports media in this country have been against soccer from the beginning. Since the World Cup we hosted in 1994 and the subsequent creation of the MLS, leagues struggled for any bit of news they could get, even with networks like ESPN showing SportsCenter 10 times a day. EPL matches for $30/game on Pay-Per-View. No one wanted to assist soccer's advance, they wanted it gone... it was a disease intruding on their NFL blooper reels and MLB web gems. But for NBC now, after all the progress the sport has made here, to revert to prehistoric times by media coverage standards of the beautiful game in the United States is nothing short of a travesty. The World Cup is what started this build, and now 15 years later, millions of fans will have to settle for watching the game in Spanish or finding a stream online in by far the biggest and most important match of the CONCACAF final round hexagonal.

To be fair, NBC has stated that Telemundo will broadcast the game with an English SAP option for commentary on the game, but that announcement comes well beyond the point at which they are allowed to try and save face. Yes, the Mexican Federation decides who gets the rights to matches at Azteca. Yes it's natural for NBC not to want to sell to ESPN because soccer is popular now. No, NBC executives cannot infer that this means it's ok to go and put the match on some obscure channel no one has ever heard of nor gives a damn about as a publicity stunt.

Ask yourselves, NBC, would you do the same for a swimming event? The same for Wimbledon coverage, the last piece of tennis importance to which you hold rights? For the hugely-popular Winter Classic? Perhaps for the first 4 weeks of the upcoming NFL season we can see Sunday Night Football on Bravo. Where are the days of "ratings mean everything?" Surely it is too big of a risk to put such a big event on a network many might not even receive. Do you think that 1 free trial for a soccer match would make others buy this useless station? Not to be offensive, but I'm going to guess that even the majority of "bicultural Latinos" (already in itself a borderline stereotype) would much rather watch some other network. And no HD coverage? Putting the match on an HD-less network really goes over the top in showing how little you care.

Please, NBC, I understand the business decision involved, but this time you've overstepped the line. I'm sure the millions of fans watching the match without HD having finally reached channel 8,794,316.2 will really be pleased to be transported back into the mid-90s. At least back then it clear what the networks thought about the game, and it continued to push on and thrive nonetheless. Here's hoping that NBC's stupidity only provides a renewed opportunity for football to do the same thing now in 2009.

UPDATE: Post-Match Follow-Up

I'd like to apologize to those of you out there who read my article. It was clear I wasn't brash enough in bashing NBC. At first I thought it was a business decision. However it is now clear to me that NBC clearly still has no interest in seeing soccer succeed in this country (Probably because they have NFL rights). I mean come on "moon-dos," your shot of American troops is 90% Mexican supporters waving Mexican flags in Tikrit? I'm all for freedom of choice and speech, and good for those soldiers for their team earning a win. But you're broadcasting to the United States. You just don't do that kind of move unless you're clearly on a negative mission. And don't even get me started on Guadaloupe and the "Best of mun2" plugs every 5 minutes. Soccer is awesome because it's commercial free, or maybe a "this portion of the match sponsored by Heineken" (note that's one sentence, not a monologue) every half hour at best. We don't want to hear about your crap network. It broadcasts in Spanish. No one is going to watch it after this match. Get real. Huge F- to NBC for their coverage of USA-Mexico this afternoon.

Double Break for United States Soccer

noreply@blogger.com (Mike D.) — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 09:51:00 +0000

Big news today is a pair of very welcome news bites for the United States Soccer Federation just hitting the web this week. Word is that Jozy Altidore is making his way to Hull City of the English Premier League on a deal from Villareal. In addition, Barca key-man Rafa Marquez is now likely to miss the US/Mexico showdown at Azteca next week.

Twitter Breaks Another Story

News of the Hull move was first detected on popular social networking site twitter, where Jozy Altidore himself posted hints as to his movement in the European soccer community.

First match is against chelsea subject to a work permit *wink* *wink* lol thanks for the support and love keep it coming. (JozyAltidore17; Jozy's twitter page )

Those browsing the web or Hull's page would be keen to be on the lookout for streaming coverage of a 2:30 PM (local British time) press conference being held by the club to announce the new signing. Football news site Vital Football points out rumours state that in fact the nature of the deal is either a year-long loan or something more permanent, to the tune of a GBP6,000,000 transfer signing from his cash-strapped Spanish La Liga club Villareal. Certainly the latter would be a huge steal for the Tigers after Villareal purchased the American striker from MLS/Red Bull New York for $10million USD.

Huge Boost for the USA

In addition to the boost for Jozy's career and Hull's strikeforce, perhaps no one on the planet is more happy to see this move come to fruition than Bob Bradley and the rest of US Soccer. Other deals rumoured to be in the works were a loan to Greek champs Olympiakos, but landing Altidore in the English Premier League, widely considered the best in club football, is a move that likely has the national team brass ecstatic. Amazingly it comes in the wake of similarly vital news for the US -- Marquez's injury.

Marquez Tears Calf Muscle

FC Barcelona and Mexico DC/DM Rafa Marquez was found to have a torn calf muscle, apparently suffered in training with his club ahead of their preseason match with Seattle Sounders FC of the US top flight Major League Soccer.
He is expected to be out only 10-15 days, which is welcome news for Barca, especially after his coming off season-ending knee surgery that had left him on the sidelines since April. However, Mexico does not have the luxury of such a waiting period, and he will all but certainly miss the August 12th qualifier at Azteca against the United States.

"El Tri," as they are affectionately known, have never lost to the United States at Azteca, failing to win only once (18-1-0). Rarely, however, have there been such major implications. A loss for Mexico could see them drop 4 points adrift of 3rd place in CONCACAF qualifying with only 4 matches to play, in addition to giving the United States a 7 point cushion over their rivals from the south, nearly assuring qualification for the Americans. Coach Javier Aguirre has quieted the critics for now after Mexico's dominant 5-0 victory in the Gold Cup final, but a poor result when it matters most will surely have the Mexican press seeking blood again quickly. The Marquez injury only adds to the difficult of protecting their home turf for the Mexicans, while a hungry United States side can only welcome any assistance it can get as it seeks its first victory in the legendary Azteca this upcoming Wednesday.

Sources
Jozy Altidore's Twitter Page
Vital Football - Hull Press Conference
Rafa Marquez Injury - Goal.com

New writer/USA vs Mexico preview

noreply@blogger.com (APerez) — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 14:05:00 +0000

For all the followers of Matchday Live, I am the newest writer and will be giving analysis of Latin American Football. This will hopefully give the blog a wider range of followers by providing in depth analysis of football from South and Central America.

On to the topic of the day, USA vs Mexico next Wednesday at Azteca Stadium.
Historically, the US National Team has been unsuccessful in Mexico City, with the only real outcome of note was the 0-0 draw back in 1997 during the '98 world cup qualifying campaign. Since then they have been unable to successfully to secure a win in Mexico City. Azteca stadium is always a daunting venue for any team as the elevation, smog, and heat of the region surround the players making for very difficult playing conditions. Nonetheless both teams go into tomorrows qualifier needing points towards qualification to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

Mexico will be relying on 12 of the players from their Gold Cup squad which blanked the U.S 5-0 at Giants Stadium. The Americans will be bringing their A squad w/ almost all of their European based returning for this must win. This will be Coach Bob Bradley's first trip to Azteca, and may be his last as head coach. Recently many fans, including this one have called for Bradley's resignation as head coach after managerial errors this summer at the Confederations Cup and Gold Cup. Most likely Mexico will be fielding veterans Gerado Torrado and Pavel Pardo in the midfield complemented by Rafael Marquez in the defense. Mexico do have momentum on their side after a successful run in the Gold Cup. What will be interesting on the Mexican side is how Coach Aguirre will incorporate the youth from the Gold Cup squad w/ the veterans he will sure rely on to contest for a much needed win. For the U.S, Bob Bradley must also make some tough decisions w/ his lineup. The U.S has learned a formula for beating Mexico, counter attacking and waiting for the usual defensive collapse by Mexico. In their first meeting back in February the midfield combination of Michael Bradley and Sacha Kljestan showed poise and precision against a veteran Mexican midfield while Landon continued to be a thorn in Mexico's side being involved in both of the goals scored. From the Confederations Cup, we have also seen that the U.S can defend well with Onyewu anchoring the back line.

Both teams will be fielding strong squads capable of playing at high levels, for the U.S the question becomes; Can they rebound after a tough loss and play at a high level? For Mexico; Can they use the momentum from the Gold Cup to beat their biggest rival? I truly do not what the final score will be tomorrow, but what I do know is that we will see a high level game played tomorrow as precious point on the line in a very tight World Cup Qualifying race.

Even Speaking Truth, Sepp Blatter Proves Out of Touch

noreply@blogger.com (Mike D.) — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 04:24:00 +0000

As most in the football community know, Sepp Blatter provided some unrequested advice to Major League Soccer last week, citing the need for an internationally-aligned season and soccer-specific stadiums for the league to truly take off in this country. After seeing the "press conference" footage and reading several direct quote articles, I can consider only that Mr. Blatter clearly retains a distance from the reality of world football, bordering on often has no clue of the environment.

One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

As is oft seen with everyone's good buddy Sepp, every public statement or appearance comes with one stroke of brilliance and another 8 of sheer idiocy, or so it would seem. In his latest comments, I can't stress enough how ABSOLUTELY I agree with him that the MLS needs to go to the international calendar (Late August - Early May season). Ignoring "better players," this is one of the 3 biggest improvements I would like to see the league make in the future. (The other two being security and decent depth at 16 teams, which we will know by 2012-2013, and relegation, which I'm not sure will ever happen.)

However, after that, Blatter tails off into an obvious demonstration of his consistent need to get a clue, chiding the MLS for its lack of soccer-specific stadia for its teams. Quick glance would seem to indicate that Sepp has once again missed the mark. Eight of the current fifteen MLS clubs currently have their own soccer-specific stadium, with Red Bull New York and expansion Philadelphia Union set to open theirs in 2010, leading to a count of 10/16 (62.5%) for the league. In addition, with the departure of the Washington Nationals, RFK is essentially now soccer-specific in everything but seating configuration and design.

Kansas City, Houston, and San Jose expect stadium project completions for 2011-2012. The only teams following 2011 who will not have soccer-specific stadia are the New England Revolution (and don't expect that to change as owner Bob Kraft also owns the NE Patriots), the Seattle Sounders (when they have one of the highest draws in the league, using a 7-year old NFL stadium isn't such a bad idea other than revenue-wise), and the expansion Vancouver Whitecaps. The Whitecaps will use a renovated BC Place until they build their own stadium a few years down the road, which isn't all that bad of an idea, especially if MLS goes to a winter schedule. To recap, following 2012 a total of 15/18 teams will have soccer-specifics, 14 if you want to nitpick and include DC United, and even they're trying to build one. Just another way it seems Sepp is out of touch with the game he runs.

Blatter further goes on to say "Your best players play in Europe," continuing with the following nonsense "You take your 23 players here and most of them play in Europe, so this is not the right solution for MLS." Clearly the US and the US Soccer Federation would love nothing more than to establish a league in which the best players worldwide are playing in the United States. However, as Blatter made it a point to show, that is not the case yet. Therefore, why would we have set this unreasonable short-term goal? We should play all of national team squad in MLS because why, we can expect more production for less tough experience and less earnings? Hardly, Mr. Blatter, hardly. Any quick glance should prove to Sepp that aside from England, France, Germany, and Italy, and Spain, no country's top players are in their home league (if the country is any decent). European nations such as the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Sweden, etc., all send their best to England or Spain to play against the world's best. Even Brazil does the same, so clearly this cannot be the top priority nor can it be considered the top flaw.

Sepp went on to discuss his firm stance against any and all video replay in football, but that's an idiocy for another article.

Toughen Up, MLS

The fact remains that there is not a single league in the world, even in Europe that has any wider success with a summer season. Only two even produce competitive clubs: the Russian Premier League and Norway's Tippeligaen, and even those have 1, 2 clubs that can compete in Europe at best. Worse still, those countries only use such a schedule because it's too cold December football. We're talking -20F cold, not pansy American winter cold. And the US could always use the Christmas holiday if they really felt the need, similar to leagues such as the Dutch Eredivisie.

Perhaps most importantly is that fact that switching to an international-timed season will actually HELP the MLS in the long run. Gone will be the need to reduce the quality of product as they must slightly for competitions like the Gold Cup and the Confederations Cup. Gone is also the need to put the season on hiatus for the World Cup (if they choose to do so, which they should). What world soccer fan in their right mind will watch a prime-time MLS match after 3 back-to-back-to-back World Cup matches played at the highest level of the sport?

Several other benefits for the league include - the chance to lure more big-name players and rising stars, or better still, becoming an actual loan option for big clubs trying to get fringe roster guys playing time... the Claudio Pizarro of Chelsea or the Philippe Degen at Liverpool (though in fairness to Phillipe he was hurt a ton). That's not such a stretch to believe...look at the relationships RSL has with Real Madrid and Colorado with Arsenal. Don't forget too the fact that teams such as "Crystal Palace Baltimore" and "Ajax Orlando Prospects" have graced US Soil. There is definitely interest in developing the game here. In addition it gives you that much more chance at starters not on their last legs when considering the influx of teams to the league with active, interested, and engaged owners and fanbases and the wise designated player rule.

Either way, MLS needs to act, if for no other reason than Sepp's Anti-Americanism clearly being on display and putting the country at risk in its 2018/2022 World Cup hosting ambitions. Maybe once we get this taken care of we can move on to promotion and relegation, or maybe that's just wishful thinking on my part.

Beckham Returns to United States, MLS, Galaxy

noreply@blogger.com (Mike D.) — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 09:00:00 +0000

Browsing articles on mainstream media sites regarding last night's MLS matchup between the LA Galaxy and Red Bull NY, it struck me that biases were very evident in almost all of my raeding. Fortunately for our readers, Matchday LIVE! was on hand at Giants Stadium as part of the crowd of 23,238 to watch the visiting Galaxy, and (apparently much more important than the football match on hand) the return of David Beckham to competitive play in America. Here's my honest, neutral, first-hand view/thought on the match.

Match Report
Was Beckham a little out of fitness? Surely... that explained why he was often found slotted in as essentially a holding midfielder. On the quick bursts up the field, David was nowhere to be found, as LA instead went with their pacier players such as Landon Donovan, who got on the end of 2 or 3 long punts from the Galaxy keeper, causing the defense a world of problems. However, to say that he was ineffective wouldn't be 100% accurate. Beckham didn't take a corner or free kick until right around the time when the score was 2-0 in favor of Los Angeles -- not exactly pressure or added incentive to bring out your best. ESPN's report is accurate in saying there were no free chances close to goal... but with Beckham of course you can expect greatness from 30-35 yards away. He had a couple opportunities from here, but nothing in a good line to really phone home about.

On the other-side of the ball you had some letdowns that negated an early motivation in the gang from New Jersey. The Red Bulls actually looked pretty fired up, but the 3' goal by Eskandarian didn't help that cause, and after a chance for Angel was stopped swiftly by Ricketts at the near post, the determination flame was extinguished essentially for the night with the Donovan goal in the 31st. I will say that it was hard luck for the Bulls because Alecko and Landon's goals were really top class. Could have had some better defending at the 3 minute mark (Honestly, who lets themselves get the equivalent of megged over their head for a goal?!?) to keep the team from getting down so early/easily, that's for sure.

To be quite honest, this game could have easily been a win for New York. While the setup to Eddie Lewis' goal was nice in the form of a Donovan ball across the top of the box, Danny Cepero should have had the resulting volley instead of letting it skip off the turf and over him. I also personally thought he should have been more alert and reactionary to the Eskandarian shot and possibly get a piece of it. Admittedly, however, it was on the far end of the field from my seat about 20 yards from the midfield stripe. Upon seeing the ESPN highlight reel, I'm on the fence as to whether or not Danny could have done anything about it.

On the attacking side, JP Angel missed his 2nd of two penalties that could have sparked an exciting finish with New York sporting Angel and a fresh Wolyniec/Ubiparipovic to try to go forward and find an equalizer. In addition, a rebound fell to Rojas from 8 yards out, which the Venezuelan international decided to blast straight at Ricketts instead of tucking it around the keeper on either side and into the goal late in the first half. It is pretty obvious that Ricketts will dive to his left every time, which is why Angel's first effort (to his left and Ricketts' right) was a goal and his second effort (to Ricketts' left and his right) would have been saved had he not instead struck the post to make it easier for the Galaxy GK. Combine these offensive errors with the Cepero mistakes and you could have been looking at a 3-2 New York win, ending the 10 match league winless slide.

FULL TIME

Los Angeles Galaxy 3 - 1 Red Bull New York
   Eskandarian 3            Angel 87(PK)
   Donovan 31               Angel 90(PK-M)
   Lewis 45

Marketing
As mentioned previously, of clearly more importance to the mainstream media is laughing at the "failed project" that is Beckhamania. Only 23,238 fans, ESPN's article decries... that's down almost 67%!!! While the 2007 goal-fest (and arguably one of the most exciting games in MLS history, won 5-4 by RBNY) was indeed attended by 66,000+, it's also important to remember that it was Beckham's first league appearance. Of course the novelty factor is going to be higher when the man has just arrived.

Given New York's dire situation in the league standings this season (10 points from 20 matches), getting 23,238 to come out to a match is probably something to be celebrated, given that the club has drawn under 10,000 twice (ironically their only two wins of the season, vs. RSL and San Jose), with a previous max home draw of 14,647 against the Dynamo. I arrived on the Meadowlands special bus service expecting to see empty parking lots galore, and instead saw a fan explosion. With the Red Bulls deciding not to open any extra sections, I was honestly lucky to get a seat, as the lower level sections in use (The Bulls cover most of the endzone seating areas) were near capacity. You can't convince me that Beckhamania has worn off.

Recap/Final Thoughts
After all was said and done, this was another disappointing result in a string of similar for the Red Bulls. You have to wonder what the team might have been able to do if it had even just kept a winger like Van den Bergh in the side. But as they've mostly traded for draft picks, perhaps at least the future could be bright. There's also an Austrian signing to look forward to in the coming matches, one Ernst Obster.
Perhaps New York can get the ship righted in time to do some positive things in the CONCACAF Champions League.

I personally believe Becks isn't getting a fair shake from the US media, who are quick to dismiss him as unprofessional, a quitter, and whatever else not to tarnish his reputation, but to take an "I told you so" approach to the MLS: the "As if soccer would ever be successful in this country" mentality that mass media has pushed from the league's get-go. Getting 23,000+ for a West Coast opponent with the season the Red Bulls are having is (as sadly as you want to point out) still quite impressive. Unfortunately, I traveled to the stadium due to the innate feeling that it was Beckham's last match in the New York area, as I expect a departure from the Galaxy at season's end due to his World Cup ambitions. Unless LA is willing to tolerate a repeat performance of the past 18 months, this time it will be for good.

How Bob Bradley cost the United States the Confederations Cup (with an assist from Jorge Larrionda)

noreply@blogger.com (Mike D.) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 00:57:00 +0000

First off, let me say full credit to the Brazilians for putting on a footballing clinic against a gassed American side in the 2nd half. There's a reason this squad is the 5-time World Cup Champions, because they are stacked full of talent on the pitch and on the bench.

However, this is not a post about Brazil's great play snatching victory from the jaws of defeat, but rather Bob Bradley's mind snatching defeat from the jaws of victory or at the very least extra time. Consider that even the WALL STREET JOURNAL was live blogging this match on their website: American soccer had hit the big time... this was a PRIME OPPORTUNITY to quite the naysayers and send off the US with the confidence of a nation united behind them into the remaining Qualifiers and (hopefully) World Cup. This is when you want to bring your A-game, and if this was Bob Bradley's mental A-game, then he is not the manager the United States needs.

The Second Half

After the Americans got off to a rousing start with a 2-0 halftime lead, the warning signs popped up immediately, with an immediate reply from the Nation of Samba to make it a 2-1 game. The US, again led by courageous players full of desire and determination, fought to regain a footing in the match and did so for a little while, but consistent Brazilian pressure came forward, led by stellar play from the fullbacks, who started dominating the match. With rapidly tiring players and more and more pressure from the Selecao, the time for action was HERE! Right around the 60' mark. Did Bob Bradley rise to the challenge? Absolutely not... instead, he waits until AFTER THE EQUALIZER.... after WATCHING HIS TEAM spend 15 agonizing minutes diving after balls to clear, facing constant pressure, and getting numerous Tim Howard bailouts... WATCHING HIS TEAM CRY OUT FOR TACTICAL ASSISTANCE, only to get?
...
...
Nothing. No adjustment until it's too late.
Amazing.

The Larrionda Assist

I am going to now make a bold claim, one which may be valid, but we'll never know unless someone gains the ability to read Bob Bradley's mind (which as I am typing that statement, sounds like a pretty boring ability given that I don't know how much is really going on in there):

Had Michael Bradley been available for this match, the US would have held on to win.

You were probably wondering at the beginning of this, "Who is Jorge Larrionda, and how did he impact the Final?" It's simple really - Larrionda sent off Bradley for a challenge in the 86th minute of the Spain match, inexplicably and inexcuseably. Review the replay for yourself, don't take my word for it; there WAS NO foul on the play. NOT EVEN A YELLOW CARD... NOTHING. But yet, for the second time, a US player earns a direct red for a yellow-at-best offense under Larrionda's watch. Remember the US-Italy World Cup match back in 2006? How soccer fans around the country were up in arms over a direct red issued to Pablo Mastroeni? Yeah, same guy ... stunning coincidence when you think about it. So Larrionda's part is now explained.

Why Does it Matter?

"The US still has to play" I agree with you 100%, and if you look at the title of this article you'll see it says "How BOB BRADLEY lost the US the Confed. Cup (with an assist to Larrionda)" instead of the other way around. Here is where reading Bradley's mind comes into play. I have to believe (simply due to player quality) that Bradley would have been much quicker to bring on Benny Feilhaber as a substutite (removing a Forward to drop into a 4-2-3-1 variant of a 4-5-1 with Bradley and Feilhaber working as Defensive Midfielders. I have to believe it, because it makes sense; because Feilhaber had shown to be a positive player in the tournament thus far; because Feilhaber is a FAR BETTER PLAYER than Sacha Kljestan will EVER BE. The logic is obvious: Of course Bradley is hesistant to bring on Kljestan, he's terrible, has been terrible all tournament, and will do nothing to help the team by coming on, even if Jozy has had an ineffective game.

Yet, despite this forcefulness in my tone, I do not believe it. I do not believe it because Bob Bradley has consistently shown that he is incapable of reading the match and reacting appropriately. Bob Bradley's mind said "step to the touchline and clap a few times to support your players" rather than the obvious "give the midfield support." With the U.S. going into a defensive shell out of necessity from the Brazilian surge, how could it ever make sense to REMAIN IN A 4-4-2 trying to stem the tide?! Surely as a paid football manager you must know this. Bob Bradley, clearly, did not, and stuck with his guns until it was too late. The deflated US side accepted but shrugged at the entrances of Kljestan and Bornstein following the tying goal, and was too gassed to stop the inevitable third and match-winning goal from Brazil.

What To Do?

One can only hope that the US Soccer brass is not blinded by the dream final appearance to attribute it to the work of Bob Bradley. Let's hope their eyes are watching the upcoming World Cup qualifiers at Azteca and down the line. If such mistakes continue, there is no choice but for a change to be made. If such mental collapses continue, Bob Bradley cannot manage the United States at the World Cup.

Clearly, this was the effort of 11 players on the pitch giving it their all, showing the grit and determination of the true American player, that brought them to the lofty heights of an international cup Final such as the Confederations Cup. An outfit of determined players that needed just a little pick me up, 30 minutes from time and a win against Brazil in a 2-1 game, who were let down by their manager far more than the collective supporters of the side could ever be in witnessing this sad defeat.

The Truimphant Return!

noreply@blogger.com (Mike D.) — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 09:48:00 +0000

Football fans, your day has come! I've returned to school full time and that means I can use my now-stable internet to bring you more great Matchday LIVE! Coverage! We're going to be getting back into live audio broadcasts by the end of the month, just in time to pick up the EPL and other European league seasons in full swing!

Be sure to stay tuned to Matchday LIVE! as we return to bringing you all of the big news and notes and live audio coverage from around the world in football! We thank you for your previous visits and patronage and hope to continue to hear from you all!

Regards and all the best,

The Matchday LIVE! Staff

Return of Matchday LIVE!

noreply@blogger.com (Mike D.) — Sat, 17 May 2008 07:23:00 +0000

Fans, we'd like to thank all of you who have bookmarked, favorited, dugg, etc., Matchday LIVE! We've been away for awhile due a number of factors including school and family/personal requirements, but we want to let you know that by no means is the site and it's mission of providing quality football content dead.

Be sure to check back in the coming weeks for new material, hopefully including live audio for some of the biggest MLS matches, as the American soccer season heats up. Of course, you can still expect the same great updates, news, notes, reports, and thoughts you've come to expect from Matchday LIVE!

We hope our opening few months have earned us your interest and respect, and we hope that you'll come back and check us out again as we work even harder over the summer -- and what a busy summer of football it shall be. Euro 2008, the MLS season, Transfer Windows open...we won't miss a beat so you don't miss a beat. Thanks for your patronage, and we hope to see you again soon!

-- Matchday LIVE USA! Staff

MLS Week 4 Preview

noreply@blogger.com (Mike D.) — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 16:10:00 +0000

MLS Action heats up this week, with everyone in action around the league. Things got kicked off last night, Thursday, when Columbus picked up a big road win at perennial contenders DC United by the final score of 2-1. An own goal by Gonzalo Peralta in the 43rd minute decided that match in favor of the Crew. Elsewhere, there are 6 matches remaining on the weekend. Four will take place Saturday, and the remaining two will be contested on Sunday, each with a special matinee game.

Saturday's matches feature the "Battle of I-95," as the depleted but confident New England Revolution head to the Meadowland to meet rivals Red Bull New York. Expect this one to be the matchup of the weekend, as tensions always rise when these two fierce adversaries meet on the pitch. First kickoff of the weekend, however, belongs to TFC, as Toronto FC gets it's home campaign underway at BMO Field against Real Salt Lake. This one is a guaranteed sellout, as the rowdy Toronto fans will be out in droves for the home opener. Check the TV listings if you want any hope of catching that match. Look to the west for the final two matches of the day. You won't have to go far to catch Colorado vs. San Jose though, that's the MLS Saturday Game of the Week on Fox Soccer Channel, and it kicks off at 9:30 Eastern time. Finally, defending MLS Champs Houston Dynamo visit David Beckham and the LA Galaxy in California for the final matchup of the night. LA is still trying to right the ship under new manager Ruud Gullit, while Houston is having problems of their own, slumping to an 0-1-2 (2 pts) start to the year.

Sunday's matinee is a 3 PM clash with two of the best in the MLS right now, as Kansas City travels to Bridgeview and Toyota Park to take on the Chicago Fire. These two teams both sit 2nd in the Eastern Conference, behind Columbus, and one would think something's got to give. The final match of the weekend forces the Home Depot Center crew to turn the colors around, as Chivas USA hosts FC Dallas Sunday night, less than 24 hours after LA's Home match. As always, be sure to check out the matches or check out Matchday LIVE! for post-weekend recaps and analysis!

Chelsea Collapses to Heskey at the Bridge

noreply@blogger.com (Mike D.) — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 21:06:00 +0000

A stunning cross to the head of Emile Heskey in the 92nd minute resulted in a goal for Wigan Athletic that shook up the Premier League title race. Latics fought valiantly at Stamford Bridge against Chelsea but it was Michael Essien 10 minutes into the 2nd half that seemingly eased tensions all around the London ground with a solid blast from 20 yards out. It was not to be for the Blues, however, as Heskey latched on to a cross deep into stoppage time sniping a crucial point for Wigan's survival hopes.

Avram Grant fielded a rare side full of the typical reserves in anticipation of the trip to Everton on Thursday, with Makelele, Drogba, Carvalho, and Wright-Phillips all on the sidelines. Frank Lampard was expected to play, but was a late scratch due to a family situation that came up in pre-game warmups. Chelsea looked on edge as a result, not gelling like the normal Blues first team and Nicolas Anelka could only generate 2 modest chances that were well kept out by Chris Kirkland and the Wigan defense.

Joe Cole's introduction in the second half sparked life into the side, and a bout of sustained pressure finally saw the home side finish off with Essien's rocket into the bottom left corner of the net past the diving Kirkland. There was never really a chance to put it away though, and the players and crowd mostly seemed comfortable in accepting a 1-0 win.

Chelsea paid for their lack of intensity late on as Wigan continued to introduce creative players, with Jason Koumas, Antoine Sibierski, and Marlon King all introduced in the 2nd half. Finally, in the 92nd minute, the lone stroke of needed creativity was found, as a long cross from the left found Emile Heskey slashing through the box, and he did the rest, slicing a diving header past Petr Cech to gain Wigan the crucial point and returning Manchester United to a 5 point title cushion.

BOX SCORE

Chelsea       1 - 1  Wigan Athletic
   Essien 55            Heskey 90+2

Confirmed: Amado Guevara signs with TFC

noreply@blogger.com (Mike D.) — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 01:13:00 +0000

Toronto FC got a huge boost today when they signed Honduran midfielder Amado Guevara. The former Red Bulls/Metrostars and Chivas USA player, as well as an ex-MLS MVP (2004), may even be available for the match tomorrow when Toronto travels to the Home Depot Center to meet David Beckham and the LA Galaxy. Toronto is looking for not only it's first point of the season (0-2-0 so far), but also it's first relevant goal of the year (their only tally on the season came in the 89th minute of a 4-0 game at DC United).

Guevara brings proven experience as a midfield general against MLS-level competition with his years with the MetroStars/Red Bull New York and Chivas USA and should prove an excellent added bit of creativity (36 career assists) in the midfield behind TFC strikers Danny Dichio and Jeff Cunningham. He is no slouch in the scoring department himself, either, having netted 32 goals in his 107 MLS appearances.

Sources: Toronto FC Roster & ESPNSoccerNet.com

Twice Near Death, Bayern Manages Miracle(s)

noreply@blogger.com (Mike D.) — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 22:55:00 +0000

A Bayern Munich side far from their best play of the season made not 1, but 2 stunning comebacks in Spain against UEFA Cup Quarterfinal opponents Getafe to advance to the Semifinals of the 2nd highest competition in European Cup football. An early red card to Getafe should have provided all the enthusiasm the Bavarians needed, but instead they came out flat, giving up a goal just before the stroke of halftime to go down 1-2 on aggregate.

Still, they needed only one goal to save them thanks to away goals, but they never looked much like scoring. Truth be told, it was Getafe who should have put the tie away with a golden, wide-open opportunity missed midway through the 2nd half. However, just when the Germans looked to suffer a shocking upset to the Spanish side, a flick of the ball from Luca Toni back to Ribéry salvaged the contest and levelled the match - in the 89th minute no less.

Down a man and having conceded a shock leveler at the death, Getafe seemed down and out. They quickly changed their luck and outlook on progression through the competition with a 3 minute flurry of activity that saw the Spaniards net 2 goals in the first 3 minutes of extra time to take a 3-1 lead on the night (4-2 overall). The raucous fans at the Alberto Perez Coliseum sensed victory within their grasp, and the German outfit continued to look ineffective.

The remainder of the 1st extra period went by without issue for Getafe, as did the first 10 minutes of the 2nd period. Five minutes from victory, however, Keeper Pato dropped a seemingly routine catch allowing Italian striker Luca Toni to tap in, bringing the match to 3-2. A chainsaw would have been needed to cut through the tension in the stadium, and the Germans proved it in the dying seconds as Luca Toni picked up a brace with a header off a Sosa cross leveling the match at 3-3 and giving Munich the away goals lead. A dagger was pierced through the hearts of the Spanish fans in attendance only a few seconds later as the final whistle was blown, and the German giants escaped to face Zenit St. Petersburg in the semifinals.

FINAL BOX

Getafe            3 - 3     Bayern Munich
  Contra 44                   Ribéry 89
  Casquero 1 Ex.              Toni 25 Ex.
  Braulio  3 Ex.              Toni 30 Ex.

Halftime Report: Liverpool 1 - 0 Arsenal

noreply@blogger.com (Mike D.) — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 12:36:00 +0000

A disgusted Arsene Wenger has just left the Emirates Stadium pitch seeing his team face a 1-0 deficit on Peter Crouch's 42nd minute goal. He has every reason to be livid thanks to poor efforts on both ends of the field, with Arsenal missing a host of opportunities to strike (Nicolas Bendtner in particular hammering a free ball straight at the goalkeeper from 12 yards out), and a defensive lapse leading to the Crouch finish.

Wenger has pulled everything out of his bag of tricks trying to get this team back in form, but it's evident that he acknowledges that the Champions League has to become the priority, being that it is the only competition in which the Gunners are performing well at the moment. A disappointing 1-4-1 run in league play has seen the London side drop to 3rd in the EPL table, and they face a tough test in Liverpool again Tuesday night at Anfield in the return leg of a semifinal which Wenger's men trail on away goals (1-1 result at the Emirates in the middle of last week). Players such as Justin Hoyte are making rare appearances in the Arsenal starting 11 today as Wenger rests the big guns for the 3rd (and more vital given Arsenal's terrible league form) meeting with the Reds in 8 days.

UPDATE: Arsenal have struck back on 54 minutes, and clearly Arsene Wenger feels there's something to be said about the Gunners' challenge for the league title as Emmanuel Adebayor is set to come on and provide a spark to the Arsenal attack!

UPDATE 2: FINAL SCORE... LIVERPOOL 1-1 ARSENAL. Arsenal strikes back on 54 minutes, but introductions of big name players (Arsenal: Adebayor, Hleb; Liverpool: Voronin, Torres) could not entice a winner out of either side. Arsenal slumps to 1-5-1 in it's last 7 league matches with a second 1-1 decision with Liverpool in the week. The two sides will meet again in 3 days at Anfield to decide who advances to the semifinals of the Champions League (Liverpool ahead on away goals 1-1).

Tides Turning on Revolution

noreply@blogger.com (Mike D.) — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 00:41:00 +0000

Any joy that Steve Nicol and his New England Revolution team experienced in dismantling the defending MLS Cup Champions Houston Dynamo 3-0 in First Kick weekend has surely been eradicated in what has become a tough week for the defending Eastern Conference champions.

Despite the dominating performance, New England's front lines took a big hit. Starting XI mainstays Taylor Twellman (knee surgery) and Steve Rolston (dislocated shoulder) have been lost to extended injuries (Twellman for 6-8 weeks, Rolston for 4-6). In addition the team now faces a game without Jeff Larentowicz after he was shown a direct red card just a few moments ago (7 minutes into their match with Chicago) with the team already down 0-1 on an early Chad Barrett goal (4'). Another story to watch will most certainly be Khano Smith's morale with the club, as he was taken off after 12 minutes by manager Nicol in favor of a more defensive formation.

Since then, things have gone from bad to worse for the Revs. Horrible defending allowing a T. Frankowski goal (22'), a questionable PK award to Justin Mapp by the official (converted by C. Blanco - 37'), and more poor play at the back line resulting in another Frankowski strike (39') sees the Revolution on the wrong side of a 0-4 scoreline and looking more and more like a team in disarray.

MLS Team Previews: Toronto, DC United

noreply@blogger.com (Mike D.) — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 22:31:00 +0000

Matchday LIVE! continues our 7-part series of MLS Team Previews to get you in the know for the American soccer season which kicked off this past weekend. Today we look at two more Eastern Conference clubs, Toronto FC and DC United. Enjoy! (Click on the pictures for full view)

Toronto FC

DC United

MLS Team Previews: Revolution, Red Bulls

noreply@blogger.com (Mike D.) — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 03:11:00 +0000

Welcome to part 1 in a 7 part series where we analyse all 14 teams taking part in the 2008 MLS Season, the 13th season of the league. Today we're looking at Eastern Conference rivals New England Revolution and Red Bull New York. We'll break down the rest of the teams this week to keep you up to speed on who to watch as we get deeper into the year!

New England

New York

MLS First Kick - Results

noreply@blogger.com (Mike D.) — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 15:26:00 +0000

That's right American soccer fans, the MLS season is finally upon us. Five matches have been played so far, and another is coming up tonight as Chivas USA opens their season. Through the week, we'll put out individual team preview posts to get you up to speed on the players and teams to watch all around Major League Soccer this season. First off, results from yesterday's "First Kick" matches (Home team displayed last):

  
Saturday, March 29th
LA Galaxy        0 - 4    Colorado Rapids
                              Cooke 10
                              Gomez (penalty) 60
                              Cummings 67
                              Clark 80

DC United        0 - 2    Kansas City Wizards
                              Trujillo 47
                              Lopez 61

Houston Dynamo   0 - 3    New England Revolution
                              Ralston 16
                              Cristman 32
                              Nyassi 90+3

Toronto FC       0 - 2    Columbus Crew
                              Moffat 26
                              Moreno 76

Chicago Fire     1 - 1    Real Salt Lake
    Blanco 90+2               Soumare (OG) 71

Sunday, March 30
Chivas USA       1 - 1    FC Dallas
    Galindo 84                Toja 21

Remember to stay tuned for previews from each team throughout the week and make sure to bookmark Matchday LIVE! for all the latest news and notes from around the MLS and the globe as the football action heats up!

EPL Week 32: Relegation meets Europe; Merseyside Derby

noreply@blogger.com (Mike D.) — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 12:25:00 +0000

Another disappointing week for Arsenal sees the Gunners start the weekend's play shockingly in 3rd place, a single point behind Chelsea and 6 behind leaders Manchester United. Arsene Wenger's men will try to shake off a disappointing final half hour at Stamford Bridge in a 1-2 loss to Chelsea, as well as the last month overall, in which they have posted an 0-4-1 record. They visit the Reebok Stadium and relegation candidate Bolton Wanderers, who will be fancying playing the Gunners at arguably their lowest point of the season.

The relegation and European battles collide again, as the week is filled with matches pitting teams from one fight against teams from the other. Birmingham welcomes Manchester City to St. Andrews Ground, West Ham visits the Stadium of Light to take on Sunderland, and Reading hosts Blackburn at the Madjeski. Wigan, having lost right back Erik Edman for the remainder of the season to injury (knee ligament ruptures), will likely start Ireland international Kevin Kilbane in his place when they visit Fratton Park to take on Portsmouth this afternoon. The Latics will also be without midfield playmaker Wilson Palacios (2 yellow cards last week vs. Blackburn).

The pick of the day for Saturday comes from Manchester, as Manchester United looks to maintain their vicegrip on the league title when they host Aston Villa. Fulham visits Pride Park needing a result against relegated Derby County to keep themselves within reach of 17th place in the final match of the day.

Sunday's highlight is the second and final Merseyside Derby of the season as Liverpool hosts Everton at Anfield. Everton will try to halt a series of missed opportunities to catch their Liverpudlian neighbors which has seen them lose to Fulham and draw with West Ham United. The other two matches on the day come from London, where Chelsea host Middlesborough at Stamford Bridge and Newcastle United (fresh off Kevin Keegan's first victory in his second stint with the club) visits Tottenham at White Hart Lane.