Soccer Blogs Posts Tagged midfielders

Is It Ronaldo Time?

2008-10-07T08:40:00+00:00

Ronaldo is back, and priced higher than ever. There is no doubt that he is a phenomenon in FF terms. But is he worth the £14.2 (and climbing!) pricetag?

Lets see what else £14.0 could buy you:

Liverpool defender Arbeloa (£6.0m) AND
Everton midfielder Arteta (£8.0m)

Liverpool look like they are mounting a serious Premiership challenge this season, and are keeping several clean sheets along the way.

We're stroking the ball around ...

2008-09-30T01:38:00+00:00

By JAMES CLARKManager Gianfranco Zola is 2 for 2 in Premier League matches (the Carling Cup loss to Watford notwithstanding!), but even more so than the results, it's the type of football we are playing that's winning new converts and reinforcing the convictions of the old guard of supporters.

Monday Galaxy Bailout, College Scores & More

2008-09-29T22:13:56+00:00

Storm clouds were (literally) gathering as the Galaxy practice ended Monday at Home Depot Center, the suffocating miasma of the sticky air seemingly reflecting the deepening gloom engulfing the team.

Veteran Pete Vagenas, usually one of the friendliest and most accommodating Galaxy players, walked off the field, his gaze locked at the ground straight ahead in a clear sign he was in no mood to talk.

The Return of Akos Buzsaky

2008-09-28T20:03:00+00:00

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Sky Sports/Juha Pal - Buzsaky pleased to be back
Hungarian ace hoping to lead promotion charge

Queens Park Rangers playmaker Akos Buzsaky is relishing the prospect of helping the club into the Premier League.
The Hungarian midfielder has only recently returned from a long-term injury, but is hoping to play his part over the course of the current campaign.

Everything Is Going According to Plan

2008-09-25T03:34:00+00:00

American soccer fans keep constant vigil, waiting for signs that their beloved USA is creeping toward the moment when it casts off history's shackles and becomes a Great Footballing Nation. Generally, this watchful stance is expressed in excitement over new club youth-development schemes, national team performances ("we beat Guatemala again!

FC BARCELONA: WITH INIESTA & XAVI THE FUTURE IS GUARANTEED

2008-09-23T09:24:00+00:00

FC BARCELONA may have started their 2008/2009 Spanish League campaign with a "goal drought"& with harsh criticisms from media & fans on new coach Guardiola´s strategy & line-ups, but it... Read all the news, results, details & comments in English on Spanish Football & Sports

9/22 Southwest Missouri High School Soccer Report

2008-09-23T03:09:52+00:00

Camdenton Lakers - 7 (at the half)
Sedalia Smith-Cotton - 1
In a game that indicates how strong the competitive juices flow between these teams, despite the move out of District 9 by Camdenton, these Central Missouri squads went at each other hard from the opening kick off.

9/22 Southwest Missouri High School Soccer Report

2008-09-23T03:09:52+00:00

Camdenton Lakers - 7
Sedalia Smith-Cotton - 1
In a game that indicates how strong the competitive juices flow between these teams, despite the move out of District 9 by Camdenton, these Central Missouri squads went at each other hard from the opening kick off.

Promoting the Domestic Game

2008-09-18T08:55:00+00:00

I missed this story in yesterday's Bangkok Post which has attracted a bit of comment on Thai Football forums but in my defence one of my rabbits is feeling a bit under the weather at the moment so I decided to spend quality time with him.

Debate rages around whether or not local media should be producing positive stories about the local game.

Referee forgets glasses as Kiev bully

2008-09-17T21:15:00+00:00

I know we didn't play at our best, and I also know that Arene might have got his tactics slightly wrong, but I still need to vent my spleen regarding the pitiful standard of refereeing on show. Playing three central midfielders didn't give us the greatest width, and it also resulted in RVP being deployed wide left at times, somewhere I feel he is far less effective than when in more advanced

Uzbekistan v Australia - Match Report Part 2

2008-09-17T13:36:51+00:00

The Shield I thought the team really missed Grella and Culina, Culina in particular. The operation of the two defensive midfielders somewhat reminded me of the game against China. Valeri was doing his best to be the first option out of defence but there was a lot of pressure on him because Burns wasn't really [.

Premier League Team of the Week

2008-09-16T19:03:37+00:00

Soccerword's Premiership Team of the Week - 04

We're going with a 3-4-3 formation for this week's team:

Goalkeeper: Manuel Almunia (Arsenal)

Defenders: Ricardo Carvalho (Chelsea), Ashley Cole (Chelsea), Kolo Toure (Arsenal)

Midfielders: Frank Lampard (Chelsea), Mikel Arteta (Everton), Tim Cahill (Everton), Chris Brunt (West Brom)

Forwards: Emmanuel Adebayor (Arsenal), Marlon King (Hull City), Jermain Defoe (Portsmouth)

Van Den Bergh to undergo sports hernia surgery, will miss 2-3 weeks

2008-09-16T14:48:42+00:00

Red Bulls midfielder Dave Van Den Bergh is set to undergo sports hernia surgery that will force him to miss two to three weeks.

Van Den Bergh will travel to Germany on Wednesday to undergo the procedure.

Van Den Bergh has enjoyed a strong season for the Red Bulls, registering six goals and three assists in 22 games.

Dowie on QPR's Solid Defense...Norwich Hoping for 25,000 for QPR

2008-09-16T12:58:00+00:00

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Norwich attendances, have over the years been very impressive.

Dowie: QPR's success will be down to "solid" defence
Author: Zehaad Hassan/http://www.sport.co.uk
Iain Dowie, the QPR manager, is delighted with the way his team have responded since they were downed 3-0 against Sheffield United five games ago and believes that a watertight rearguard is the key to promotion to the Premier League.

USA 3 TnT 0: Finally GOALS!

2008-09-12T21:57:56+00:00

What a relief to see a USMNT game with multiple goals. A good showing at home, and now that we have 9 points in 3 games, I hope that Bob calls in some younger players. But before we get into that, let's talk about T&T. MIDFIELDERS Huzzah for Michael Bradley! Finally an all around strong game from [.

USA Reaction - When Bob-ball Pays Dividends

2008-09-11T15:41:00+00:00

So, are we satisfied with a 3-0 thumping of T&T and a stranglehold on our qualification group? Let's not muck about--to the talking points! * Tactically, the approach didn't seem to be too much different--not a particularly surprising turn of events. Kljestan is a more creative player than Edu, but he and Bradley were still playing deeper than the wide midfielders, and he failed to make the

US Looks Shaky in Havana

2008-09-10T04:20:00+00:00

Reuters Photo

Three points is three points I suppose. But tonight's game unlike last months qualifier in Guatemala City has me very concerned about the state of play regarding the US Team. Against a side that in its own stadium last month gave up three relatively quick goals to Trinidad and Tobago, the US had to grind out a result again dependent on some clutch goalkeeping and quite frankly some mistakes by the Cuban team.

Grey Is Not A Colour For Eating News

2008-09-09T21:26:00+00:00

I look forward to seeing all of you in Chicago on Wednesday night!!

~and~

Michael Essien has blown out his ACL while playing for Ghana, and will be out for at least the rest of 2008. Details from the BBC.

~and~

World Cup Champion Italian flopper Fabio Grosso on the dive he took in the Penalty Box against Australia in the last World Cup: "Instinctively, despite the fatigue, I forced myself to drive into the opposing box and, I swear this is true even though many people don't believe it, the Australian player caught me totally deliberately with his shoulder and I went down.

Down, but Not Out… Well, Not for Long at Least.

2008-09-08T16:42:11+00:00

As everyone's probably already heard, Fabio Grosso went down in the 18th min of Italy's 2-1 win over Cyprus. Fabio left the game with an injury to his flank. The diagnosis is two fractured ribs. It's believed he will be out of the Lyon line-up for at least one month. That amounts to Grosso missing at least (6) matches.

Dallas 0-1 Colorado Rapids

2008-09-07T23:24:56+00:00

WE NEEDED THAT. Big time.

Props to Terry Cooke on his service on that corner; he did a good job spotting the coverage lapses. It was probably more of a Dallas error than a Rapids play that scored, but a big part of soccer is capitalizing on errors. And Mike did just that.

Tight road games might be the best example of why the Rapids need Pablo so badly, so I'm glad he didn't go down to Cuba as a Rapids fan (although it's always a bit of a let down as an American.

Roundup: midfielders

2008-09-04T11:29:00+00:00

Bullard Height: 1.78m. Weight: 74.00kg Murphy Height: 1.75m. Weight: 67.00kg Gera Height: 1.80m. Weight: 71.00kg Davies Height: 1.77m. Weight: 72.00kg I win no prizes for originality here, but as we know, all of our midfielders are similarly constructed. That Bullard was at one point the heaviest is surprising - perhaps he'd had a big fish supper that day - but they're all close [.

Appiah Linked + No Ramsey Bid From Cardiff

2008-09-03T13:09:18+00:00

According to reports, Arsenal are keeping tabs on Ghana midfielder Stephen Appiah. It was reported that West Ham had also made an offer for the former Fenerbahce midfielder, but Arsene Wenger could also be on the look out for the experienced stalwart. Appiah is one of the most highly regarded midfielders in Africa and has been [.

Blackstock on Playing for QPR and Looking Forward to Aston Villa...Buzsaky on Returning to Play

2008-09-03T11:03:00+00:00

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Kilburn Times/Noam Friedlander - Dexter relishing Villa challenge

Having secured a rare passage through to the third round of the Carling Cup last week, QPR have been given the chance to test their mettle against Premier League outfit Aston Villa later this month.

The Hoops were drawn against Martin O'Neill's side in Saturday's draw and, according to striker Dexter Blackstock, they might even surprise their top flight opponents at Villa Park on Wednesday September 24.

Wenger sticks to his Gunners

2008-09-03T07:09:08+00:00

At some point yesterday morning, just as hopes of a last-minute midfield reinforcement were fading, an article with the title 'Wenger - Eboue is becoming a pass master' appeared on the official site. In it, Wenger explained how "Since the start of the season, Eboue has played well".

Slick timing: our last-minute bid for Alonso fails so it's time to big up one of our new central midfielders - Emmanuel Eboue.

Introducing the new NJCAA Soccer blog on SGFsoccer.com

2008-09-03T05:05:43+00:00

This fall Austin Dowling will be providing weekly updates from Great Bend, KS as he follows the Barton County CC men's soccer team in their pursuit of a NJCAA soccer title.

Why Barton County? The Cougars feature five players who played for the the Springfield Demize this past summer: GK Donovan Dowling, defender Ous Senghore, midfielders James Neighbour and Oscar Narvaez, and forward Kyle Dubay.

Introducing the new NJCAA Soccer blog on SGFsoccer.com

2008-09-03T05:05:43+00:00

This fall Austin Dowling will be providing weekly updates from Great Bend, KS as he follows the Barton County CC men???s soccer team in their pursuit of a NJCAA soccer title.

Premier League Team of the Week

2008-09-01T19:03:15+00:00

Soccerword's Premiership Team of the Week - 03

We're going with a 4-3-3 formation for this week's team:

Goalkeeper: David James (Portsmouth)

Defenders: Callum Davenport (West Ham), Glen Johnson (Portsmouth), Kolo Toure (Arsenal), Vedran Corluka (Man City)

Midfielders: Shaun Wright-Phillips (Man City), Antonio Valencia (Wigan), Stephen Ireland (Man City)

Forwards: Robin van Persie (Arsenal), Jermain Defoe (Portsmouth), Amr Zaki (Wigan)

ROBINHOless Madrid Struggle as Ugly 'Futbol' returns in 2-1 loss to Deportivo La Coruna

2008-09-01T00:06:00+00:00

The repercussions of Robinho's absence on the pitch are just now beginning to be felt by MADRIDISTAS everywhere. Last year, whenever Madrid played this bad, Robinho bailed them out, which is what great players do, they create something out of nothing. No one else on this team has that ability to be the 'rompe esquemas'(spanish for gamebreaker).

Liverpool to offload midfielder before window closes

2008-08-31T21:38:00+00:00

Liverpool are keen to offload midfielder Jermaine Pennant before the transfer window closes tomorrow night. The former England under-21 international has been linked with a possible £4 million move to Premier League new boys Stoke City in recent days. (News of the World)

The former Arsenal youngster has found it hard to nail down a first team place at Anfield in ever since signing for the club back in 2006.

Bruins Lose Heartbreaker in Carson in Overtime & More

2008-08-30T08:41:00+00:00

UCLA conceded an equalizing goal in the 90th minute and went on to lose 2-1 in overtime to Maryland at Home Depot Center Friday before 3,214 fans, the third biggest crowd ever to see a Bruins home game.

This was the first game of the season for both teams and it showed.

UCLA dominated the opening 45 minutes, scoring a 27th minute goal created by Palos Verdes Estates' Kyle Nakazawa, who used his inside knowledge of his former roommate at the U.