farlieonfootie

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.

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.

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.

Great Dane!: Thoughts on Spurs and More

2014-11-26T12:28:00.001-05:00


photo by Laertes	via PhotoRee

Ed has thoughts on Spurs and more:

Spurs finally won. More than that, they played at a pace that made them look like they wanted to win. Granted, they picked up that pace after a somewhat fortunate red card sent Hull to ten men, but hey, they got it done.

For the first time in some time, Danish star Christian Eriksen finally had a good game. His goal was terrific as was his creativity in the middle of the field. Eriksen is a number 10 and dies not play wide to the same effect. The modern game requires speed wide, and he doesn't have much of it.

Which of course brings up the question -- where does Lamela play when Eriksen is central? Well it turns out he played in pretty much the same position as Erikson. Weird but on this day effective.

Another note is Harry Kane. Kane is certainly not a top Striker -- he's big but not that big, average on the ball, and a good but not great shooter. But...he's playing better now than any other striker Spurs have, meaning, of course he's scoring goals. A brilliant commentator brought this point up not long ago in a blog piece titled "Your Only as Good as Your Front Two." Spurs finally have someone who is putting the ball in the back of the net. If that continues it will make all the difference.

Some additional thoughts from around the league:

-- Manchester United won this week against a better Arsenal side in typical Arsenal fashion. Now United are in the top four. Wow they don't seem to have played even remotely good enough this year to deserve that placement.

-- Chelsea continues to kick everyone's butt. Mourinho may have been forced to resort to stealth face pinching at Real Madrid, but he certainly knows the formula for winning the premier league. And how much of a beast is that Costa guy? Wow, I get it now.

-- Liverpool just ain't good. Correspondent Scott laments the team and speaks of Rodgers being on the hot seat. But the real problem was summed up in that same article I referenced above -- 50 goals are gone this year. What's more, many of rest of the players are kind of "eh." Joe Allen? Borini? Balotelli? Would Chelsea ever start any of those guys? Regardless, I liked seeing Lambert up top -- and he earned his starting spot with a great first touch and goal very early in the game.

-- Yannick Bolasie may be a name that haunts Scott Roberts because he simply dominated his side of the field for Chrystal Palace against Liverpool. His speed and terrific runs -- note how he shoved the Liverpool defender off course on a great through ball to pick up an under hit pass -- where fun to watch. In fact, I'll give him my player of the week award. He was definitely the most influential player in that match against the Reds. Come to think of it, why not player of the week honors? Great job, Yannick!

This is farlieonfootie for November 26.

You're As Good As Your Front Two (or One)

2014-11-03T14:51:00.002-05:00


photo by emdot	via PhotoRee

Ed sums up the current state of the Barclay's Premier League:

You're As Good As Your Front Two (or One) -- Is it true? Well, in this year's Premier League it seems to be.

Take Manchester City. They are a completely different team with Sergio Aguero in the lineup. He put four up on Spurs and another on United though he could have had another in the first game and two more from PK's in the second. Dzeko is an excellent player but Aguero may be the best in the BPL.

Take Liverpool. Without Sturridge and Suarez they've looked completely ordinary. Or maybe worse than that. Everyone's picking on Stevie G, but the bottom line is they've had 50 premier league goals on the bench or playing for another team. Good luck making the top four without them.

Take Chelsea. Diego Costa has put them on top; Fernando Torres and Samuel Eto were never going to get it done.

And of course take Spurs. Since the move of Bale they've struggled. Adebayor is back in mid-contract form, and Soldado just doesn't seem very good. The top scorer on the team has been, shockingly, Nacer Chadli. But I'm hoping that may change with academy boy Harry Kane.

Midweek in the Europa League Kane put three in the back of the net and played goal. Okay, he gave up a goal on the only shot at him, but still, it's the effort that counts. And Sunday against Aston VIlla, when Coach Pochitino finally removed the listless and ineffective Adebayor and replaced him with Kane, Spurs attack came alove. He also finished the game with a terrific winner off a free kick.

One often wonders what makes teams pay so much for finishers. But this year's BPL is a great reminder. It recalls that wonderful adage of Ray Hudson: "God must love mediocre strikers because he sure makes lots of them."

This is farlieonfootie for November 3.

# # #

Shambolic United / Spurs on Top / Bruisers at City and Chelsea: Week 2 in the Barclay's Premier League

2014-08-28T13:35:00.001-04:00


photo by Anamorphic Mike	via PhotoRee

Ed's not getting too worked up just yet:

Let's just all take a deep breath. Exhale slowly. Now let's take a cool, measured, unbiased look at it.

Manchester United pretty much stinks right now.

They're awful. Losing to the MK Dons? I mean, the Don's may be promoted next year . . . . to the Championship Division. I realize United had a second team lineup out there, featuring such no names as Chicharito, Cleverly, Kagawa and Welbeck. And the BPL keeper of the year De Gea. And yet they still got absolutely poinded by the seventh place team in League One. Ouch.

It's fascinating that Louis Van Gaal has brought this team to a low even David Moyes never reached. Let's be fair to LvG -- had Moyes done what he's just done there may have been riots in Manchester. Three games against poor competition and no wins to show for it. Plus they look very much like they don't know what they're doing. Some questions may be asked:

1. Was changing the system really what was needed at United? Or was it merely the players. Is both achievable?

2. International Soccer is completely different from the Club game as it is tactically so much simpler. Just because the 3/5/3 worked in the World Cup doesn't mean it will work in the BPL. And did it really work? The Dutch were an immensely talented team but they really only scored when Arjen Robben scored. And he pretty much scores in any system.

3. Should tactical changes be made before personnel to match it arrives? The BPL is to good to spot the first three months of the season to the competition. Last I checked fourth place was three places away from last years team. This year it could be worse.

4. Does the pre-season mean anything? United won the Guinness Cup and looked good doing so. These guys are outplayed for long stretches by teams with inferior talent.

I know, it's early. And they could turn it around. And what's three months if the next five years are terrific. But hey, every time is becoming squeaky bum time for United.

Plus they're just tough to watch.

# # #

On the other end of the table -- and I mean the completely other end -- is a plucky Spurs team that dominated its weekend match against Uncle Harry's new squad, QPR. The game was never close. Uncle Harry just decided to put together the old 3/5/3 as well, and again it is showed a complete train wreck against a Spurs team that is looked simply dangerous. Harry's always gotten the snub for not being a tactics guy -- a truly unfair criticism if there ever was one considering his near unparalleled success at Spurs. That said, QPR had no idea what they were doing until they changed back to the 4/4/2.

The most positive points about Spurs are:

1. Depth in the middle, maybe too much depth: Benteleb has started and played well in both matches. Capoue looks good. Dembele, Sandro (not yet played), Paulinho (where's he been?) -- that's a truckload and someone will be leaving I'm sure. I suspect Paulinho which is the worst of those choices I would think, but probably the most valuable.

2. Depth outside: a brace by Nacer Chadli showed he knows how to play. Lennon remains, and is looking more and more like a backup. Townsend (will he be traded? Hope not). And Lamela, who put in a dominant performance.

3. Depth at Number 10. Eriksen looked like Mata. Holtby always brings a big spark.

4. Depth in the back: Dier looks good and has two goals. Now they're bringing in another center back named Fazio.

5. Depth at Striker: Well not really. Though Adebayor and Kane have played well, neither is a world beater. Soldado has got to be on his way out, right?

But more than all this, they're fun to watch.

A good new coach can go a long way it seems.

# # #

Manchester City looked just bigger, tougher, stronger and faster than Liverpool on Monday. Not a fair fight watching Coutinho try to take on Yaya and Fernando (not to mention Kompany) in the middle. It was a matter of time before the team with better athletes hammered it out. And wow can they bring the hammer. They look about as scary as . . . . .

Chelsea. The only other team that looks their match.

But wow it's way too early.

Go BPL!

This is farlieonfootie for August 28.

Fired Up

2014-08-16T14:23:00.001-04:00

Ed's ready for the season:

How fired up am I about the 2014/2015 season? Well, right now my anticipation has me on the same hair trigger as the Bossman when he panics his way out of the bathroom midstream after hearing Ian Dark scream “Rooneeeeey” in the other room. As the young people say, I’m completely off the chain right now.

Completely.

Why is it going to be that good this year? Well, how could it not? This year seven teams – seven! – are going to be in a mini-tournament for the top 4 spots of the premier league. There’s clearly disparities among them, and it’s very likely the top four will be teams we are so regrettably familiar with, but even so, at least one of these giants of the BPL is going to be left out of the party. Who will it be? Liverpool, United, Chelsea, City, Arsenal? The story lines abound. Here are those from the top 7 clubs:

1. Will the Special One continue his second season magic? Will Matic be the ultimate BPL Cleaner? Is Diego Costa that good or will he become the BPL’s next Roberto Soldado?

2. Will Liverpool survive the departure of the biter? Will Gerard finally get his title? Will Coutinho and Sterling become dominant BPL players? Is Sturridge going to be as effective now that he draws all the coverage? Is Brendan Rodgers actually that good a manager?

3. Will Arsenal contend for a top spot? Will a team made better over the summer finally compete with the top four? Will Ramsey get through the season without injury and take over Ya Ya Toure’s spot for the best midfielder in the BPL? Is Mikel Arteta even close to fast enough to be captain and holding midfielder?

4. Is Louis Van Gaal really that good? Will he steer a United team that looked really good this pre-season back into the contenders that they once were? Will Van Persie stay healthy? Will Rooney continue his pre-season form? Will the lack of European play propel them to the title? Will anyone be able to play defense?

5. Will Toure Ya Ya still have the drive to win despite the Birthday Cake debacle? Will the rest of the City team want it as bad as they did last year? Will Sergio Aguero play more than 10 games?

6. Will Everton’s starters stay healthy? Will Ross Barkley dominate? Will the team be as competitive now that they also have the Europa League to play in? Lukaku, Barry, Barkley, Stones, Mirelles, Baines, Coleman – are these guys really good enough to make it into the top four?

7. Will Mauricio Pochettino finally be the manager Spurs have been looking for? Will Roberto Soldado score? Will Eric Lamella play as well as he did in the pre-season? Will the Holtby press allow Spurs to compete with the top teams? Will Danny Rose become a big star? Will Erikson? Will Adebayor play like he cares? Will Benteleb grow into a top tier BPL midfielder?

Of course, it’s impossible to know what will happen. What we do know is all of these teams look to be as good or better than they were last year. And what I expect is that this year will confirm that the BPL is the best pro league in sport, as no other top league has this much competition for the top spots. Germany and Spain are at best a top 3 and really just a top two. It’s actually a shame that the BPL only have 4 Champions League spots, as I think the world’s most popular league is looking like it deserves more.

Finally, the coverage at NBC continues to shine. By using the ESPN formula and bringing in English broadcasters and commentators, NBC didn’t forget that part of the appeal of the BPL is it’s very Englishy foreign-ness. To that end Men in Blazers, coming off their success at the World Cup, are also joining the crew and will continue to bring up provocative issues like this:

“My biggest concern for Arsenal is that they will be battling runner’s nipple all season long.”

“Yes, very tight new kits.”

Gorgeous. I just can’t wait. Now let me finish peeing . . . . .

This is farlieonfootie for August 16.

Faster!: The Need for Speed in the Barclay's Premier League

2014-03-19T08:11:00.003-04:00


photo by Kevin Krejci	via PhotoRee

Ed wrote this column pretty quickly, as well:

Is it all about speed? The new trend of the BPL's winningest teams makes you thinks so.

Let's start with Liverpool -- Daniel Sturridge and Luis Suarez, both very fast and quick with or without the ball. United's defenders looked absolutely plodding against them. On the other end RVP and Wayne Rooney looked, well, okay. But on the break the two Liverpudlians seemed untouchable. It makes what happens behind them somewhat irrelevent. Just hold a good line and eventually you'll get one through.

How about Chelsea? For all the talk about Samuel Et'o's age, he still looks pretty darn fast to me. Their game plan against Spurs was to wait until he or their other speedster, Andre Schurrle, stole the ball or got a break. Pretty football? No. Effective? Yes.

Arsenal? Well against Spurs this weekend, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain played the number 10 spot. Was he there to act as a creative playmaker? No. Clearly, Arsene Wenger took page out of Mourinho's book and just waited for the break. It came, of course, but Oxlade-Chamberlain messed it up. The rest of the game was all Spurs, but did it matter really? And what has hurt Arsenal more than Theo Walcott's injury?

Spurs? Emmanuel Adebayor is pretty fast, but not that quick. Andros Townsend comes into the game and it's a different story. Everything seems to click as he rockets around the pitch. Chances are made, shots are had. Townsend is great on the ball, but more than that he's the fastest guy out there.

City? Well, they're a different team without Sergio Aguero. Not so easy to find the back of the net. James Milner is so skilled AND so slow. Ya Ya Toure? Fastest guy on the team and it shows every week.

I could go on, but there's no need. Speed up top seems the trend; the big target man is falling into history. I would even say that England has a better chance in the World Cup than they have in years due to the new speed of Danny Welbeck, Raheem Sterling, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Townsend (he'll be there), and others. Used to be a lot of square passing holding midfielders (see, e.g., Gareth Barry), but now there's a ton of threat.

Is this what it's all about in the BPL? I don't know, but it's starting to look that way.

This is farlieonfootie for March 19.

Dispatched: Ruminations on Manchester City vs. Barcelona and Spurs vs. Benfica

2014-03-14T11:46:00.000-04:00


photo by geezaweezer	via PhotoRee

Ed offers a dispatch on how Spurs and Man City were dispatched:

o Was I the only one watching Manchester City play Barcelona at the Nou Camp? It seemed the English media -- all the English media -- got it wrong (and not for the first time). While City did have a spirited first 20 minutes or so, and while they did play better than in the first leg, they were once again completely outclassed by Barcelona. The slick and counterintuitive interior passing of Barca left City's expensive lineup swinging madly at the ball as it bounced between them, and it could have easily been 2 -0 pretty early in the game if not for a poor offside call and a missed penalty call on a clear foul against Messi. The idea that City is "still a year or two away from European football success" is stupidity. Or that they're still missing a few players to get them over the top. That's wishful thinking apologists talking. City isn't too NEW to compete in Europe, nor are they just missing a few players: the reality is Barca is simply far better than what may be the top English club, and they're far better than most other Clubs in Europe.

o Part of the reason is Messi, who is finally returning to full form. Messi looked so much faster and quicker than all of the City players it was bizarre. He darts past their entire lineup when he wants to. Neymar ain't bad either. Or Iniesta. Or Fabregas. Wow. are these guys good....

o I understand that the Spanish media have been all over Barcelona's manager due to poor league play. Having never watched them I can only speculate. But perhaps the teams in La Liga are finally learning how to play against their system. Clearly the zone doesn't work; I'm still not sure why teams don't man mark Iniesta and Xavi in the middle. Regardless, I expect to see this team in the finals. Wouldn't Bayern v. Barca be a dream to watch?

o Speaking of dispatched, today Spurs were all but booted from the Europa League by last year's champions Benfica. Tim Sheridan also had a meltdown, both before and after the game. The before the game meltdown was actually after the Chelsea game, when he called out his players to the press and in the locker room. Hard to have much of a problem with that, though I'm not sure effort would've gotten it done regardless. As for his meltdown in the Europa League, I'm not sure I mind it either as by all appearances the Benfica manager was trying to show him up with some gloating from the sidelines. The English press have made a big deal of it. To be sure, Tim has clearly never coached U-9 travel soccer because it can get far worse than that. But all of that said, the reality with this team is it has little creativity, a suspect defense, and one mediocre finisher. That just doesn't get it done at the highest levels whatever your tactics are. Thank AVB and Chairman Levy for bringing in a half dozen holding midfielders, a striker that can't finish, and an Italian that can't make his way off the bench. Way to spend 100MM guys!

This is farlieonfootie for March 14.

Spanked: Thoughts on Spurs, Chelsea and Arsenal

2014-03-11T18:54:00.001-04:00


photo by Franco Folini	via PhotoRee

A refreshingly realistic Ed, on Spurs' traditional end of season tailspin and other thoughts:

Spurs decidedly played the part they historically play against Chelsea this weekend -- that of a fifth place team with pretty much no business making the top four. They lost, of course, four to nil, and let's not kid ourselves into thinking that the game was actually closer than that. It should have been 1 - 0 with Spurs down to ten men after about a minute if the refs had not made a charitable offside call. And this was just a preview of what was to come, as it turns out, over and over and over and over....

Chelsea let Spurs possess the ball, which Spurs did, but it was no surprise that Spurs did so harmlessly. Kyle Walker was playing in an advanced role on the right and his lack of skill was exposed by Cesar Azpilicueta. The Chelsea left back made it clear yet again why Ashley Cole now occupies a spot on the bench. On the other side, Gylfi Sigurdsson is simply not enough of an athlete to make a difference out wide. And Aaron Lennon, who buzzed around in the number 10 position more often that not, did his typical "I'm crazy fast and dart all over" routine but never threatened the goal. Poor Spurs, outclassed and outmuscled.

Was it the manager's fault? Well, some blame could be allowed for Benteleb and Sandro being outmatched by Chelsea's pressing midfield of Ramires and Lampard. Perhaps Dembele and Paulinho -- however tired they were -- should have been pressed into action, as Benteleb is a liability defensively and did make a poor pass right to Samuel Eto'o. But ultimately the middle triangle of Chelsea just bossed the game because they were better. Nemanja Matic is a tough holder, covering ground and making the middle a no fly zone. Matic cost $21MM from Benfica. Wait, how much did Spurs pay for Erik Lamela to warm the bench?

A word on Jan Vertonghen is due. The defender made noise about defecting from Spurs because he wanted to play in the Champions League. To this I sometimes think -- if you were as good as you think you are , shouldn't you be able to carry Spurs to the Champions League? Don't you bear some responsibility for them not making it? Well, it seems the football gods agreed with me in part, as the first goal was the direct result of a Vertongen mental mistake. Look, he's a great player and a terrific addition to Spurs, but dude, be a leader!

Chelsea's strategy is clearly working but I can't say it's fun to watch. Clog the middle and wait for one of your back for to make a mistake. Then pounce on it with the speed of Schurrle and Eto'o, neither of which are dominant but both of which can run and finish reasonably well. Utility can be beautiful but that isn't the case with this team. They are looking the favorite to win the League but I suspect winning in Europe against teams with similar talent will be past them.

Spurs, however, lost the guy that could run at defenses when they sold Gareth Bale for $100MM. And despite spending it all, they didn't pick up a single guy who was even half the threat that he was. Perhaps AVB's most tragic legacy was the number of holding midfielders he picked up at the expense of someone who could attack a defense.

Now, of course, Spurs have to take on Arsenal -- the most vulnerable team in the top four but one which I suspect will yet again humiliate their rivals when they nudge them out and take fourth position. Last time Spurs made it to the top four I think some guy named Harry Redknapp was in charge. Hey wait, didn't he get us to fourth place twice in four years? Oh, that's right, we fired him because he didn't know any tactics.

This is farlieonfootie for March 11.

Gunning for the Gunners

2014-03-06T07:23:00.001-05:00

Ed is remarkably consistent in his Spurs' coverage this season:

o Spurs rebounded nicely from their loss against Norwich and were able to secure the three points from Cardiff City, but did it have to be that hard? Granted, the team had a difficult Europa League game earlier in the week, and as their manager has said, the team usually plays terribly after such matches when they return to the BPL. However, it seems that Spurs are too content to sit on a one goal lead, even against poor sides such as Cardiff. This makes the end a flurry of crosses and near misses and makes the odds of slipping to a draw all too high. I recall the master class show that Barca put on City in the last five minutes. No flurry for City; simply no ball to get ahold of.

o I'd like to think Roberto Soldado also heard at least echoes of my past writings in this space. Or perhaps he was just due. His finish was terrific; his other play was, at it has been of late, quite good. But let's not think one goal will spur (sorry) him into action. Adebayor and the coverage he draws clearly helped. That said, it would be nice for him to be something of a threat in this last quarter of the season. Is it too much to ask for him to gain some confidence and start to put some more shots in the back of the net? Clearly he could do it in La Liga, why not here and now?

o Michael Dawson continues to perform like the John Terry-light of the team. He doesn't have the athletic ability or speed required to be a top defensemen, yet he sometimes always gets that leg out or his head on the ball. He is underappreciated by people like me, and will probably continue to be despite this small praise.

o So where do Spurs stand on the race to fourth? Well, only 4 points behind City, and 6 behind Arsenal. It shouldn't surprise anyone that the Gunners are the team that looks most vulnerable now. The loss of Theo Walcott has hurt them tremendously. But do Spurs have enough left to catch them in these last ten games? With games against Chelsea, Arsenal, Southampton, Liverpool -- that's Spurs's next four -- it's likely that catching the Gunners will be impossible a month from now. So here it is, Spurs: time to step up and get it done. Do you have it in you? Dare we to dream?!?!

Nah.

This is farlieonfootie for March 6.

Creepy: Thoughts on the BPL and Champions League

2014-02-18T11:12:00.003-05:00


photo by mdpai75	via PhotoRee

Ed has some creepy thoughts:

Spurs keep playing well and winning the games they're supposed to win. This means they're creeping up the bracket. The tough part is Liverpool seems to be doing the same with a big win over Fulham in the last minute. Spurs Manager Tim Sherwood is doing something smart that ABV never did -- bench Roberto Soldado. The Spaniard is probably a very good player but he's simply not mentally fit to play or make an impact at this point and needs to sit until he regains some confidence.

I also like the middle three that Sherwood is playing lately: Dembele, Paulinho, and the Algerian (now) youngster Nabil Bentaleb. While Bentaleb struggles a bit defensively in the holding role, his creativity and footwork have freed things up in the center of the pitch. His speed is also better than Erikson's, making him a welcome addition to the squad and yet another player that AVB had no confidence in. At this point I'd take him over Llamela and Chadli any day.

It was nice to see Younes Kaboul out there at center back; even nicer to see him perform very well. It's rumored that Kaboul is the fastest guy on the roster in the 100. True? Who knows. All I know is that every time I see him I can't help but think he may be a genie.

But getting back to my original question -- which team do Spurs have a realistic chance of passing to get to the precious number four position in the league? Not sure anyone is a good candidate. Arsenal are the weakest team but they' also are the farthest away. The closest team, Liverpool, is the hottest right now. Chelsea wins the big ones but continues to bungle things against weaker sides. Yet the Blues seem most likely to win the league. And City, well, even without Aguero they're pretty darn good. Nothing to do but keep your head down and keep, well, creeping.

# # #

This weeks Champions League games should be interesting. The biggest is Manchester City against Barcelona. Many thought City could come in and crush the Catalonians, but without Sergio Aguero and Fernandinho this seems doubtful. Plus, Manager Manuel Pellegrini seems to have a knack of being outcoached when he's not familiar with an opponent. Look for Barca to get at least a goal in this one, putting a lot of pressure on City to win at Camp Nou.

Arsenal have the daunting task of facing Bayern Munich. I expect a blowout. Everyone expects a blowout. Which means it will be closer than you think, but still Bayern should have no problem getting past the shaky Gunners' defense. Sorry BPL, but it's looking like a bad day for you tomorrow.

# # #

As a final thought, there's talk talk talk of Becks bringing a team to Miami. Problem is there needs to be a new soccer stadium. The other problem is that Miami is the place pro sports teams go to die. Unless, of course, you have the best player in the world on the roster and you win championships (see e.g. the Miami Heat). It would be fun if this got done, even funner if it's done nearer to Fort Lauderdale, but there's not much hope in that.

# # #

This is farlieonfootie for February 18.

Quick Hits from the Barclay's Premier League

2014-02-05T14:42:00.001-05:00


photo by Claudio Gennari ..."Cogli l'attimo ferma il tempo"	via PhotoRee

From Correspondent Ed:

Bam! Pow! Smack! I think Chelsea just hit the crossbar three more times. Impressive display from the Blues, whether you like them or hate them. They took on Manchester City and at times made City's back four look like a tired recreational team.

Jose Mourinho is the worst thing that could ever happen to David Moyes. Each took over an ageing team, but the Special One has Chelsea revived and looking like contenders while Moyes has United looking the equivalent of Stoke. Is it tactics? Is it motivation? Is it personnel? I recall Moyes opting for Felaini over players like Willian, and recently paying top dollar for Chelsea castaways. United believes that patience is required for new managers; however, this run will certainly put the Board and Sir Alex to the test. Especially if Moyes starts losing the players, which may already be the case.

Roberto Martinez may be the second worst thing that could happen to David Moyes. He also took an ageing team, arguably lost his best player to Moyes (another castaway?) in Fellaini and had his other top player on the bench most of the year (Baines), but Everton seems firmly in 5th place and looks a much better squad than United. So who exactly won when United took Moyes from Everton and Everton had to move onto Martinez?

Spurs looked positively okay against that annoying pre-2013 Spurs team known as Hull City. The beef in the middle of Hull makes them tough to score against with Huddleston and Livermore. New signing Long at the top gives them some speed that burned Spurs. Still, Spurs dominated possession but just couldn't get that second goal. Unlucky? Maybe, but Roberto Soldado also seems to blame as he seems to get worse from week to week rather than better. Clearly the pressure he is putting on himself is doing damage. But do the Spurs have the time or the patience to wait for him to come good.

Still surprised that the Spurs are so willing to dump Holtby. I get Capoue -- the position is overstocked. I would also get Chadli, as I'm not sure what he adds. But Holtby seemed to be coming on as the season went on even if Erikson was his equal. $100MM pounds and what do Spurs have to show for it? Paulinho is pretty much the only player that seemed worth the price at this point.
Not long ago Michael Laudrup was considered a top contender for the Spurs' vacancy. Now he's out at Swansea, and for good reason. The Swans have been terrible this year, barely an echo of what they were not long ago. Laudrup got them some silverware, but was his ability to do that just a hangover from the Brendan Rodgers days? With Rodgers' success at Liverpool, that argument is gaining merit.

The BPL table is a mess. Half the teams could be relegated, and Aston Villa may be one of the worst 10th place teams in BPL history. Only when you get to Southampton do the teams start having class.

Fulham in last place? What a sad state. I cannot imagine the Cottagers going down, but their current form is so bad it's looking very likely. Their hope: even 12th place Swansea is only 4 points ahead of them in the table.

This is farlieonfootie for February 5.

Coming of Age: Some Thoughts on Luis Suarez

2013-12-20T07:30:00.000-05:00

"Coming of Age"
Photo by National Library of Ireland on Flickr

Thoughts from our Liverpool-loving Correspondent Scott, so naturally just a bit biased:

Has Luis Suarez’ behavior turned a corner? Maybe. He has certainly dialed down the antics and I have not seen him dive for quite some time (while others in the league continue to flop). Sure, he’s not afraid to sully his uniform if slightly tripped in a favorable position. But that will always be a part of the game – and one could argue that the slight trip was the result of the skill and dexterity that caused the defender to slightly blunder. In the end, maybe Mrs. Suarez’ reported strong input with her husband has come to good effect. As a Liverpool fan and a more-than-occasional defender of our beloved sport, I certainly hope so.

Still, the skeptic in me looks at the success the Uruguayan has been having in terms of goals and wins. It’s always easier to be a good sport when things are going your way. After all, he didn’t chomp on Branislov Ivanovic after netting a hat-trick. The true test of Suarez’ “new” character will be when he is, eventually and inevitably, stifled and frustrated by successive defenses.

On the one hand, I hope that never happens because, especially now with Steve Gerrard out, along with the previously injured Daniel Sturridge, now more than ever we Kopites are relying on our talented number 7. On the other hand, it would be a true coming-of-age moment if/when the feisty forward learns to self-soothe in the midst of a frustrating rough patch. Could he possibly have truly changed? I think so. Remember, he is only 26 and recently welcomed his second child into the world. Nothing makes you grow up faster than having to abdicate your immaturity in favor of your children. Except maybe a displeased wife.

This is farlieonfootie for December 20.

Where's the Plan? Some Brief Thoughts on the Premier League Season

2013-12-11T10:06:00.001-05:00

Photo by Martin on Flickr

Ed has been reading up on all the action:

The BPL seems tumultuous this year, but is it? The top four are Arsenal, Chelsea, City, Liverpool – not exactly an impoverished bunch. Behind them is Everton, a dark horse but certainly one that’s inhabited this position before, and then Spurs. Thus the only real surprise is United way down in 9^th behind Newcastle, who just beat them, and Southampton, who have been playing very will this year but are still only a point up on the Red Devils.

Which makes me wonder what is worse for Moyes: All the losses at United, or is it Martinez making his Everton team look as good as or better than the league leading Gunners? Everton definitely has more talent than Moyes had – Barkley is a year wiser and seems one of the best midfielders in the BPL at times – and Lukaku is a fairly recent addition. But still, the style of Everton even without Leighton Baines makes United look lost in the early 1990s. Plus Martinez’s additions such as McCarthy and Deulofeu, seem far better than the $28MM Felaini that can barely get time in a weak United midfield. So query, did Sir Alex fail his club in his last act? Was he blinded by a Scottish bias? Only time will tell, but right now it would be hard to believe the United board might not be thinking they just made a terrible mistake.

Meanwhile, over in Spurs-land, AVB has guided the Spurs to two somewhat rocky wins over Fulham and then Sunderland, two basement dwellers. At least these were wins, as there should be no shame in beating the teams you are supposed to beat. However, the service to the center remains poor, and AVB seems to still be trying to figure out his best center and wing combinations. Personally, I would try Paulinho and Sandro behind Dembele, but it turns out AVB doesn’t care what I think. Regardless, Spurs seem miles apart from the Everton and Arsenal teams that battled it out last weekend. They have difficulty connecting passes and have no rhythm to their attack. Not sure what the plans is yet, and less sure it will work.

Another player that continues to impress each week is Mesut Özil. While he wanders wide around the pitch, he always seems to be in the right place. His footwork is elegant, and vision top notch. It’s simply amazing how much he’s added to a team that prior was in complete disarray.

As a final note, Suarez might have become the best striker in the BPL this year. I recall his first year at Liverpool – many mis-timed runs that ran out of time or space and ended with him diving and losing the ball. This year he built on last year and seems to score multiple goals a game, notching 14 in only 10 games. Amazing talent. Annoying man.

This is farlieonfootie for December 11.

Show Some Respect – I Have a License (Part 2 of 2)

2013-11-24T08:00:00.000-05:00

Photo by Northwest Missouri State on Flickr

Following on from Part 1 of this topic, in which Correspondent Scott amazed readers not only with the fact that he and Correspondent Ed had improbably managed to obtain the coveted “E” Coaching License, but also displayed an anomalous ability to regurgitate certain factiods, herewith the finale:

“Are you teaching children or are you teaching soccer?” asked one of the finely uniformed instructors. We all agreed that it is both. That youth coaches are teaching children is so obvious, yet also so overlooked. Giving lectures or drawing complicated diagrams may work for adults but you’ll have a cluster of kids tackling each other if you try that approach. Instead, recognizing that kids want to be active and 80% learn visually (another regurgitated factoid), show quickly then let them do. In awe of its simplicity and truth, I eagerly added the following Yoda-like sagacity to my notes: “If they hear it, they will forget it. If they see it, they will remember it. If they do it, they will understand it.”

Yes, we are teaching children. And teaching children tactics (after teaching technique and skills, of course) is teaching them to make decisions on the field. Just as a parent’s job is to teach their children to make good choices in life (so they get it right when the parent is no longer there all the time), a coach’s job is to teach players technique under pressure (skill) and to make good choices of the field (tactics) when the coach can’t be there. And how do we do that? With directed questions that lead to the right answer. With positive reinforcement liberally doled out when you “catch” them doing it correctly (instead of simply pointing out all the errors). And by subtle redirection when they are off course.

Positive reinforcement was nothing new to me. Nor was redirection when dealing with misbehaving children. But directed questions? Sure I might throw back the “How do you spell this?” question to my son or daughter with “How do you think it is spelled?” But asking questions while coaching? Wasn’t I there to instruct, often at many decibels higher than a normal conversation? Why would I ask players a question when clearly I was the one with the crisp “E” Coaching License certificate and the surfeit of knowledge that I must generously ladle into the impressionable brains buzzing around me?

Well, as it turns out, Yoda reappeared with this gem of an answer: “If you tell them, you’ll just have to tell them again. If you ask them, and if they have to figure it out and answer, next time they will remember and do.” Thank you Jedi Master Finely Uniformed Instructor.

Of course, teaching soccer to ages 9-12, or any age kids for that matter, isn’t all fun and Star Wars games. Because they have parents. Parents are like the really big kid in middle school – get them on your side and all will be fine. But if they start to rumble against you (because their kid clearly deserves to play more or why didn’t you leave in the best kids to win the game or here are a few corner kick plays you should do next time, etc.), then watch out. The only fault I suppose I could find with the course was the dearth of information and guidance on this subject for new coaches. A youth coach of any sport WILL have parent problems. But they can be mitigated and dealt with effectively. Perhaps my own thoughts on that matter, gleaned from years of mistakes, will be the subject of another post. Spoiler alert - Parents are best dealt with proactively.

I suppose I, like Correspondent/Coach Ed, also wax optimistic about the state of soccer in the US. I sat for 2 days in a room full of coaches who paid to learn, from excellent instructors, how to better teach kids soccer. And our room was only one of hundreds like it all over the country. The quality of our youth play benefits from this dedication and trickles up to the older ages and, ultimately, to the professional leagues. One of the Instructor/Coaches told about the US National team traveling to Italy and Poland in the 1980s to play friendlies. They lost 11-1 to Italy and 9-0 to Poland. Those days are gone, shoved aside by Paul Caliguiri’s goal that ensured qualification for the 1990 World Cup.

When we hosted in 1994, shocked Colombia and then earned respect from a 1-0 loss to Brazil, the sky was the limit. Alas, nothing truly great was ever achieved in linear fashion, and the debacle at France 1998 not only proved that, but also showed the heightened level of our collective expectations. 2002 in Japan and South Korea showed that we had truly arrived on the international soccer scene. Advancing out of our group, then beating Mexico in the Round of 16 before undeservedly losing to a German team that we thoroughly outplayed, even the soccer-haters begrudgingly applauded (OK, maybe not the soccer-idiot Jim Rome). Germany 2006 proved to be another downer as Ghana put the final nail in our group play. But South Africa 2010 showed the American fighting spirit (and conditioning according to one of our finely uniformed instructors) when Landon Donovan’s gut-busting 70 yard run in the 90^th minute put him into position to score and lift the USA out of the group. And here we are in 2013, with the USA having qualified for Brazil 2014 with 2 qualification games to spare.

How impressive to go from miraculously qualifying in 1990 to qualifying with games to spare (yawn) for 2014! From not even being able to find soccer scores in a USA paper in 1990 to having a stable domestic professional league and the English Premier League broadcast on NBC in 2014. Twenty Four years. Just imagine where we’ll be in another twenty four years….

This is farlieonfootie for November 24.

Show Some Respect: I have a License (Part 1 of 2)

2013-11-22T08:19:00.004-05:00

Scott prefers orange pants when he stalks the sideline

Scott has a whistle and he's not afraid to use it:

So you probably know by now that Correspondent Ed and I have joined that elite group of soccer dads and wannabes who have officially acquired a coaching license. The "E" license to be precise. Which my wife is quick to point out is situated between "D" and "F." But, as I maintained throughout high school and college, letter rankings are overrated.

I found the course nothing short of a revelation. From the enthusiasm and knowledge of the instructors to the number of attendees, I was impressed and humbled.

Right away we tackled the age-old question of why so many of America's best athletes abandon our beloved game of soccer. In these pages it has been posited, and supported by many, including myself, that as children get older the "money" sports of football, basketball and baseball suction away the very best athletic talent by dangling the dreams of riches and fame before impressionable eyes. However, it seems our uniformed instructors came armed with statistics. Specifically, the United States loses 30-35% of youth soccer players between the ages of 12 and 15 primarily because they lose interest because the game is no longer fun because they can no longer complete due to a lack of fundamental technical skills. Sorry for the repetitive "because," but when cause so clearly leads to effect, it must be highlighted.

We’ve all seen the big fast kid to whom all the other players are forced to boot the ball [Ed. Note: Tony Pulis' side, anyone?]. Well, it seems, that big fast kid moves on to football or basketball when he can no longer beat everyone of the field because they have all caught up to his athleticism, or at least closed the gap. Aside from the physical and psychological aspect of the game, technique and tactics are critical. Unfortunately, far too often, the former is emphasized over the latter, much as short-term rewards are emphasized over long-term growth. The inevitable, and unenviable, result is a declining ability to dominate play and win. As others gain skill, the big fast player withers into lesser sports.

And what is skill? Why, skill can be defined as “technique under pressure,” chorus our finely uniformed instructors. That being the case, skill is what affords players a degree of comfort on the ball that is more and more necessary as the children get older. And, not surprisingly, skill is what we should teach because as the game gets faster and more complex, players must think and execute more quickly. For 9 to 12 year olds, comfort on the ball should be the aim of almost every drill.

Unfortunately, as I have witnessed time and time again in recreational leagues coached by nice, well-intentioned dads, comfort on the ball takes a back seat to this cool corner kick play we should all work on.

This is farlieonfootie for November 22. RIP, former US President John F. Kennedy.

Not Much to Say, and Oh So Much Time In Which to To Do It

2013-10-17T08:56:00.001-04:00

Photo by Dylan Hardesty

Some none-too-important ramblings from your daily correspondent:

o Boy, it sure is lonely in here at the head office with the entire staff out on international break. There've been no quick missives and a general overall lack of sonnets in iambic pentameter praising Luis Suarez from Correspondent Scott, no creepy sexual innuendos or tasteless, off-color jokes to deal with in Correspondent Ed's absence, and just a general lack of anything even resembling a presence from Correpsondent James -- who faithfully turned in expense reports as if he was on the Spurs' beat at White Hart Lane, but left it for the forensic accountants to discover he was instead covering high school crew regattas in Sarasota, Florida.

o We'll all be back together tonight, though, one big happy family at the 10th Annual farlieonfootie Football Correspondents Dinner in Fort Lauderdale, Florida -- a ceremony draped in pomp and circumstance, but one generally reserved for some of the lesser lights of American football coverage. The best way to describe the event is to say it's like the White House Correspondents Dinner minus the President. And Conan O'Brien as the emcee. And the B-list celebrities and other assorted famous people. Also, no jokes are told. None. As in, not one. All in all, actually, it's a fairly somber, staid affair, at which the merits of the minor league Moldivan football are heatedly debated, and the food consists mainly of assorted types of canned beans and tomato aspic.

What the farlieonfootie Football Correspondents's Dinner is NOT Like

o We did have some excitement over the international break, though -- at least you can't claim that CONCACAF was boring. Uninspired? Yes. Not so skillful? Okay, twist our arm. Uneventful? No way. The twist and turns that occurred Tuesday night between 10:30 and 11:30pm EST were enough to confuse even a pretzel maker. Suffice it to say that Mexico was out of the World Cup until their arch-rival the USA put them back in. Confused? Yeah, so were we. And we'll leave it at that.

This is farlieonfootie for October 17.

Toppled: Week 7 in the BPL

2013-10-07T07:38:00.001-04:00

Photo by Tup Wanders

We spent a great deal of this weekend on the road, and managed to catch only bits and pieces of mutliple Barclay's Premier League matches. Still, that won't come near stopping us from having opinions about what we saw and heard -- otherwise what would be the point...?

o Norwich City threw virtually everything they had at Chelsea on Sunday afternoon, and the Blues still emerged with three points intact. The comfortable final scoreline belied how tight the match actually was, with Norwich threatening to burst into a 2-1 lead late before being pegged back in the dying minutes of the contest by late Eden Hazard and Willian goals. These are the kind of gritty, grind-'em-out results we were writing about when we referred to Mourinho's presence in our pre-season prediction column, and his team will derive a very certain sense of confidence from pulling a victory out as the clock ticked down with the game on the line.

o And that's exactly the kind of confidence that Manchester United seem to be lacking under David Moyes right now. Barely scraping by against the League's worst team has temporarily silenced the critics, but won't have done much for the team's morale. Although the adulation was rightly heaped on young Adnan Januzaj, lurking uncomfortably close to the surface was the fact that United -- with the sole exception of the young Belgian -- created almost no offensive opportunities, and looked limp and lifeless for much of the match. An immediate crisis may have been averted, but the many questions about the team's near-term prospects remain.

o Manchester City was the fortunate recipient of several benificent decisions by referee Jon Moss at the Etihad on Saturday, the result of which spelled out a 3-1 win over previously undefeated Everton. While Moss turned a blind eye toward a rash City challenge in the first half, his eyesight improved enough to spot a foul in the box against Alexander Kolarov, who appearas if he also would have been toppled over by a two mile per hour cross wind.

o Oft-troubled former Manchester United Academy product Ravel Morrison scored a peach of a goal to add insult to injury to West Ham's 3-0 victory over Spurs at White Hart Lane on Sunday. Taking the ball in his own half and beating two defenders before chipping the ball over Hugo Lloris showed the rest of the League the world-class potential that many United fans knew was there all along.

o But if Morrison is finally displaying the talent that so many predicted, so is our Player of the Week: Adnan Januzaj. Now if only his last name were more pronounceable....

This is farlieonfootie for October 7.

Hope

2013-10-04T07:30:00.000-04:00

Photo by Pol Sifter

As a long-time Spurs fan, one thing Ed has in abundance is hope:

At the end of the day, neither Spurs nor Chelsea should be happy about their 1 - 1 draw this past weekend. Spurs shouldn't be pleased because they missed several other good opportunities to win, including Gylfi Sigurdsson's close call near the end of the game. But more importantly, Spurs looked very second-tier in the second half and were happy just to hang on. As I said prior, this game was big for Spurs because they needed to show they could beat teams like Chelsea, not merely pull out a draw at home. They must somehow aim and reach higher or I fear even fourth place all be tougher to land than might seem the case right now.

As for Chelsea, they allowed themselves to be dominated for a half of the game by a side that should be substantially below them. Sure, they pulled out a draw and looked the better team in the second half, but if they were that much better why should they be satisfied with a draw? If Chelsea are intent on winning the league -- which they are -- a draw at Spurs just shouldn't be enough.

By the way, it was me (and AVB) who questioned Gylfi's spot in the lineup. The last few weeks he has showed me to be completely wrong and has been a creative and goalscoring force from the left. Moussa Dembele also looked the part against Chelsea beating no less than 8 players off the dribble. Paulinho, however, looked less than impressive. Similarly Roberto Soldado, who just hasn't shown much of anything since joining Spurs. We can only hope he improves as Spurs need a finisher who, well, finishes!

# # #

Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge were fun to watch this weekend with their quick but purposeful play. Sturridge has always had the athletic ability, but now he seems very sure of himself. This confident keeps him from rush decisions, and as of now he always looks to have time on the ball. Suarez has picked up his jail break frantic style. He's an impossible player to like, but he is definitely dangerous.

Perhaps most interesting about Liverpool is that they don't even try to play the tiki-taka style that Rodgers used at Swansea. With Steven Gerrard as a holder that's frankly impossible. Stevie G is the kind of the long cross field one touch pass. He's not going to keep swiveling and moving it backwards and sideways. But Kudo's to Rodgers in not forcing something that isn't there. The tiki-taka style is more than half personnel; Liverpool don't have those kind of players, but the kind they do have are pretty good.

# # #

Last year as Manchester United ran the table we used to joke that they were a mid-table team without Van Persie. Well, Van Persie has cooled and, predictably, gotten injured, and United looks very much the mid-table team. David Moyes was criticized on this site for stating that they don't have enough top-tier players to win the Champions League. I suspect the Special One wouldn't be criticized for saying the same thing. Plus, Moyes is right. The mystery at United isn't so much why they fell to 12th place as it is why so many formerly elite players look so mediocre these days. What exactly happened to Nani and Antonio Valencia? Even Ashley Young looks bad these days. In fact, only Wayne Rooney and RVP appear to be top tier talent. That should be enough to win a lot of games in the BPL -- presuming RVP isn't hurt -- but won't be enough to win in Europe.

# # #

Arsenal continue to win and to look good. Sure they're playing the bottom of the table, but right now as much as it pains me to say it no team looks better and few in the world play as attractive a game. It's amazing the difference one big signing can make on a team. Where there was once none, now there is hope. Take note United.

# # #

This is farlieonfootie for October 4.

Grabbing Our Attention: Week 4 in the BPL

2013-09-16T07:30:00.000-04:00


photo by 20after4	via PhotoRee

We drank some beer, watched some football, saw some highlights and even managed to sneak in some NFL this weekend. In other words, it was just another weekend at the corporate office. Without further ado, our thoughts on a relatively hum drum week in the BPL:

o Watching Chelsea play Everton made us realize Jose Mourinho thinks it's still 2006 in the Premier League. Frank Lampard and John Terry are not everyday starters anymore. David Moyes was under a similar impression at United, but someone finally mentioned to the new skipper that Ryan Giggs is nearly 40 years old these days....

o Laurent Koscielny is one of the most rash defenders in the BPL. Always one hare-brained decision away from either a red card or a penalty, the only other defender who rivals the Frenchman is Chelsea's own Sideshow Bob.

o Referee Martin Atkinson's poor decision making was illustrated brilliantly when he denied an advantage to Sunderland's Jozy Altidore on a play on which the American scored -- to helpfully pull the ball back for a free kick, which was promptly wasted by the home side. If ever there was a referee who needed to be relegated, it's Atkinson. The guy is a walking disaster.

o Alvaro Negredo is quickly learning the ins and outs of Premier League football. In his first start, the Spaniard was straightened right out by Referee Mark Clattenburg, who helpfully explained that while artfully pretending to be on the receiving end of head and facial injuries may be greeted with a wink wink, nod nod in Spain, playacting is generally frowned upon England. With the notable exception of Ashley Young, of course....

o Is it just us, or does Manuel Pellegrini always look as if he's just walked out of a horror movie? Truth be told, that's likely how'd we feel, as well, after watching Manchester City play these past couple of weeks. The kindest thing we can think to say of the new City head honcho is that his starting XI choices strike us as slightly naive.

o Four games in, and who'd a thunk that the most reliable strikers in the Premier League would be Christian Benteke and Olivier Giroud...?!

o Player of the Week? For us, it's none other than £42 million Arsenal signing, Mesut Özil -- despite the fact his fellow Gunner Aaron Ramsey scored a brace in a weekend featuring relatively few goals. Wasting no time in getting acquainted with his new surroundings and teammates, the German international showed a very deft touch in leading to Arsenal'a first goal, and seemingly completed more passes in the final third of the pitch than the rest of the League combined. Assist leaders, take note: you've been duly warned. This guy is good.

o And looking at the other team in North London, once again the man scoring the brace was not the one who caught our attention. Gylfi Sigurdsson may have grabbed the glory, but Christian Eriksen looks the real deal for Spurs in midfield.

This is farlieonfootie for September 16.

Obsequious Fawning: Week 1 in the Barclay's Premier League

2013-08-21T07:30:00.000-04:00


photo by slopjop	via PhotoRee

Week one is in the bag, and farlieonfootie's regularly insightful and often irrelevant insights on the Premier League are back for your reading pleasure:

o Don't know about you, but we were left scratching our collective heads over the style of football that Sparky is attempting to play at Stoke City.... If "no possession and relatively few chances" are what the Potters' owners had in mind when they sacked Tony Pulis in search of a new footballing identity, then we guess they're well on track.

o After watching Sunderland lose at home to Fulham this Saturday, we're wondering if Jozy Altidore will live to regret his move from the Eredivisie to the Prem. Racking up 30 goals a season will give a striker some confidence, and Jozy's recent play for the US National Team has shown that he was positively coursing with self assurance after his year in Holland. But playing for a Sunderland side that looks as if they could be relegation fodder could have a belief-sapping effect on the young American. Only time will tell, but we're already watching.

o And speaking of Jozy Altidore, his former employer -- the Hull City Tigers, for those paying attention -- were playing the role of sacrificial lambs for the love-in that was Jose Mourinho's to Stamford Bridge on Sunday. Looking more toothless than tiger-ish, Hull City showed the drastic gap in talent that often exists between the top teams in the League and those coming up from below. And Steve Bruce, with his embarassingly obsequious fawning over the 'Happy One,' has just demonstrated once again that all great players do not turn out to make great managers. It's gonna be a long year at Hull.

o Who's mowing the pitch at the Emptyhad? Give that man a raise. We've always enjoyed seeing some personality in grass trimming, and City's home had it in spades on Monday evening. Would the rest of the League groundsmen please take note?

o City quickly showed what they're made of under new coach Manuel Pellegrini: all smooth moves and scintillatingly fast and free-flowing football. But while the blues' attack looked revved and ready, Jesus Navas' and Sergio Aguero's injury play acting showed that the Citizens' new Spanish coach has managed to bring La Liga theatrics to England, in addition to its foootballing style. Welcome to the new Barcelona, Man City fans -- one without Lio Messi.

o Congratulations to Robin Van Persie, our farlieonfootie Player of the Week for the round. While several players had braces, none were nearly so stylish as the Dutchmans.

This is farlieonfootie for August 21.

My Bottom (tee hee!!) and the Top Four

2013-08-16T07:30:00.000-04:00

Another Day, Another Cable Car for Correspondent Ed

photo by deeleea

via PhotoRee

Ed took some time off from mapping San Francisco's cable car system to file this report:

It's so painfully annoying when FoF picks the favorites to win each season, and then congratulates himself when they go on to do so. Well, here's to going out on a limb, beginning with the Relegation Zone.

20. Hull City Tigers. These guys never stay up. Plus I think Steve Bruce has a proven track record of mediocrity.

19. Norwich. I think the efforts of the last coach will wear off and leave them with the less than inspiring methods of the new.

18. Cardiff City. They will make it happen for most of the year but their luck will run out in the end despite the hard work of Frazer Campbell.

17. Crystal Palace. Will they really survive? Well, here's hoping Ian Holloway can pull it off. Marouanne Chamahk? Well, Ian even made Charlie Adam into an all BPL player, so why not?

And now the Top Four:

1. Chelsea. I hate to agree with FoF, but the Special One knows how to win leagues. I expect less in Europe, though, unless they get a real striker.

2. Damned United! Too much talent and a tough new coach gets them here. Unless RVP gets hurt (odds are he's out 1/3 of the season this year) and Rooney is gone, in which case no amount of HGH is going to get Ryan Giggs to pull them into the top four.

3. Manchester City. These guys are good -- and deep -- and have a coach who's not a nut. Watch out United, you may end up as Manchester's B-side.

4. Spurs. If they keep Gareth Bale, then they can pull off third. If not, drop them into 6th.

Can't wait for the games to begin!!!

This is farlieonfootie for August 16.

Deep (but Mediocre)

2013-07-23T10:23:00.002-04:00


photo by JennyHuang	via PhotoRee

It's not like Ed to make snap judgments and all, but check out the last paragraph -- a highly uninformed opinion!:

o Watching the USA B-team paste the El Salvador B-team was enjoyable. Well, the US team did have 'A' players such as Landon Donovan and a few others, but still it's nice to see. I think unlike years gone by, the US actually has some depth. Granted, the teams they are playing in the Gold Cup are poor, but what better way to handle that then to absolutely crush them?

Players that impressed me from the roster included Mix Diskerud and Joe Corona. Both were good on the ball, though Corona was the better of the two. Obviously Donovan and Eddie Johnson appeared to be athletes of a completely different level, but it was still nice to see Klinsmann get time for the next team and have them perform. While this is just a small part of what he will ultimately be judged on, it's hard not to be happy with the direction of the US program right now. I must admit I had my concerns (and still do) when I heard (and continue to hear) that tactics aren't something he has worked on. But to a large extent personnel is policy as can be seen by the adjustment against El Salvador to spread them out with Eddie Johnson, a player that I had yet to see much from on the international stage.

o How much did PSG pay for Cavani? $84MM?? The amount seems outlandish until you consider how much we've been paying these families in the Middle East over the years. Well, it still seems outlandish. If it does anything it may actually slow down the exchange of top tier players as everyone thinks they should get that amount now. Was he worth it? Not unless he gets them a Champions League victory.

o What happened to Liverpool? They seem so second-tier these days. They haven't signed a new top talent player since Luis Suarez, and it seems now they are moving him without any plans to sign another top ten player. Liverpool just aren't in the game right now. The money seems too much for Mr. Henry to handle. Whenever teams talk about bringing in top young players, it always seems to me the way of being cheep. Let me put it more starkly: Would Messi be to old for Liverpool, or just too expensive?

o Tired of hearing about where Wayne Rooney is going? I am. Though for some reason I still hold out the possibility for Spurs. My prediction: he'll be really good his first year out at United, but then he'll fall into his old habits and get a little lazy.

o Watching Bayern Munich absolutely blister its opponents from the Bundesliga in a pre-season tournament was educational. Ribery and Robben are top talents, and the rest of the team is built to win. Pep already is leaving an imprint on their style. If the preseason is any indication, the rest of the world should be on notice that they might be playing for second place.

o Did Manchester United bring in anyone of note yet? That's right, they're still working on Fabregas. My prediction: No Fabregas. This will make for a rocky start for Moyes, especially with the Rooney situation. Got to think he's a goner at United.

This is farlieonfootie for July 23.

A Road Map

2013-07-05T16:34:00.001-04:00


photo by thejourney1972 (South America "addicted")	via PhotoRee

Scott sounds off:

Beating Spain 3-0 is one thing. But doing it by completely off-balancing them for large portions of the game (including most of the opening 20 min), by harassing and pressuring high up the pitch and throughout midfield, is really something. Sure, Brazil had some luck - David Luiz' goal-saving slide (how did the ball manage to go over the bar?) and Segio Ramos' missed penalty. Not to mention a first goal that was the antithesis of Joga Bonito. But it takes a little luck to go all the way. After all, Spain was only in the final due to one missed penalty by Italy in the semi-final.

While Spain was beaten convincingly, that is not to say that they were dominated, despite the cacophonous Selecao fans. La Roja was able to take the reins from time to time and create opportunities. They were just less able to do so than normal, due to Brazil's gameplan, and it made all the difference. I'm not sure many teams can pull off what Brazil did but they certainly laid out a roadmap for victory over the defending world champions. And with all due respect to the Bossman, with similar effort and fan support, I think they can do it again in 2014, Confederations Cup Curse notwithstanding.

While I think it is still too early to be sure of Neymar's immediate impact at Barca (fitting into the system, Messi, etc.) there is no denying he has the chops to be the real deal. His goal in the Final was textbook field-awareness, skill and power - shuffling back onside, deft first touch and powerful left-footed strike to the only place that would have beaten Iker Casillas from that angle. I just might have to watch more La Liga next year.

One thing I do have to agree with farlieonfootie on is that Neymar needs to stop the diving and play acting. At a July 4th party in the otherwise void of European football known as Alpharetta, Georgia, I had the pleasure of a short chat with Anders, a 16 year old visiting from Denmark. When mention of the former Santos phenom was inevitably made, my new young friend's first words, after granting the player's talents, were "he's a diver." Out of the mouths of near babes...

This is farlieonfootie for July 5.