Chelsea isn't known as a team that parks the bus. The prevailing images of the London side all involve swagger and aggression, with high energy in midfield and Didier Drogba bullying defenders. Many of the players in this year's side set the Premiership scoring record in their last championship-winning season.

By AVI CREDITOR

D.C. United is on the cusp of earning what has turned into a rare distinction for the club this deep into the season in recent years. With a win over the New England Revolution Saturday night, D.C. will enter its three-week international break in first place in the Eastern Conference.

OK, everyone, Brad Davis showed up for us and now it's time for us to show up for him. Vote for his goal to be MLS' Goal of the Week. The video at this link here showcases the five contenders this week, and I think the true winner is clearly an Orange one. As I'm writing this, Lee Nguyen's is winning?

After three years of wait, Real Madrid eventually bring the La Liga title back to the capital city after confirming their season effort at San Mames stadium this midweek by trashing Athletic Bilbao 3-0.

Although there's still two more games left to play, Madrid's victory kept their seven points gap with Barcelona intact, so considering there's only six more possible points that Barca could earn, Jose Mourinho's side are mathematically un-catchable by the Blaurgrana.

Spanish duo Athletic Bilbao and Atletico Madrid will face off in the Europa League final slated for May 9th after defeating Sporting Lisbon and Valencia respectively in last night's semi finals.

Bilbao were 4-3 winners over Sporting while Atletico had a 5-2 aggregate win over Valencia.

Sammy Ochoa was the most popular player interview after Seattle Sounders practice. The traditional target forward recorded a brace in the Reserve game against Chivas USA. He knows that the expectations from Sigi Schmid on the First Team or Ezra Hendrickson on the Reserves is to score goals. Sigi reminded the gathered media that players can and do work their way up from success in secondary competitions to meaningful minutes in MLS matches.

By the skin of our teeth, we're walking away victorious. More, after the jump:

You already know

Just like that, we're heading to Spain with a 1-0 lead. Yeah, that actually happened. If you witnessed the match, you might have lost your mind. Barcelona did precisely what they came to accomplish- they knocked it about, made our defense chase the triangles, and altogether dominated the ball for extended stretches.

ARSENE Wenger should unleash Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to thrust Arsenal towards a Champions League spot in tomorrow night's clash with Wigan at the Emirates.

And Wenger must instil the same mental toughness in the Gunners that helped them to Premier League victories against Manchester City and Wolves to avoid an upset against Roberto Martinez's side.

Chelski 0 – 0 Spurs

Awfully puzzling game this one, as you no doubt recall. The first half of dedicated non-aggression was followed by Chelski probably edging things, only for our lot to carve out enough clear-cut chances to hand out a right thrashing. Alas, the conclusion to draw was that our lot to a man need to spend a full week engaged in nothing but shooting practice (or they could just stick Defoe on the pitch, and watch as some of those chances miraculously cause the net to bulge).

It's looking more and more like something special is going on with the U-23 US Men's National Team. Led by a prodigy-turned-elder-statesman, a team of prodigious talent is turning in to the most exciting group of players to come through the American system in a long time.

Fast start

It took eleven minutes of poking and prodding for the US to take the lead over Cuba on Nashville's LP Field.

I've been calling for a Singapore team to play in Malaysia for several years. Singapore is safe, dull and nice. Aggression in Singapore is whining on internet forums or pushing past people to get on the MRT or to the head of a queue at a sale. Not the best environment for building a football team that can develop beyond their own borders.

Gerrard has hailed Jay Spearing as one of Liverpool's best players this season and backed the midfielder to enjoy a long and successful future at the club.

The Reds captain backed the midfielder to follow his footsteps and become an essential part of the Anfield setup. Spearing received praise for his performance in the 3-0 Merseyside derby win this week and Gerrard believes the 23-year-old has improved hugely this season.

(P.S: If you access this site via "come.to/matchpix", please click the "Facebook" icon after you click "HERE" when you want to view the album as that will redirect you to the album, thank you)

• S.League Charity Shield 2012

Kenji Arai (L) and Alek Duric (R) tussling for possesssionA much cohesive Tampines Rovers benefit from some shrewd recruiting had shown plenty of depth in squad when they left Aleksandar Duri, Ismadi Mukhtar, etc.

Sunderland 2-0 Arsenal

In a straw text poll before the match last night, I asked 7 people whether it was going to be W, D or L at the Stadium of Light. Four went for a win, two for a draw (one of which was me) and two for a defeat. It just goes to show that optimism often triumphs over despair, despite most of the evidence stacking up against it.

My friends and I often indulge in extended debate on the club vs. country issue and how so far, it's ‘OK' to support England. We eschew the jingoism, the hooliganism, the sheer repugnance of many of those called on to sport the jersey, the overreaction to defeat and over-anticipation of victory, the arrogance and the aggression, but still wish for a team we can support.

One of the least edifying spectacles in modern football is that of managers attempting to deflect criticism for a defeat by making spurious attacks on the opponents who beat them.

I like to think of myself as a connoisseur of this phenomenon, having watched our own otherwise distinguished coach, a certain Mr Arsène Wenger, pull the very same trick on numerous occasions.

One of the least edifying spectacles in modern football is that of managers attempting to deflect criticism for a defeat by making spurious attacks on the opponents who beat them.

I like to think of myself as a connoisseur of this phenomenon, having watched our own otherwise distinguished coach, a certain Mr Arsène Wenger, pull the very same trick on numerous occasions.

Mexico's World Cup qualifying victory clearly shook the US Women's National Team to their core. On Tuesday night, the US settled the score, reminding Mexico, and the world, that there is still an enormous gap in class between the two sides. Were at not for some shoddy finishing and a whole lot of five-alarm defending, the score line could easily have been doubled as the US controlled the match from the opening whistle and were rarely troubled throughout the 90 minutes.

It's hot! Bloody hot.
Australian summer can be a bit like that, can't it, even this year. My friends are gathered, some want to sit close, others are over dressed, most in green.
Chocolate cake! On a summers day? I went for hot chips!
Move over, it's getting hotter, but there's no space, not in the Canberra stands.

Something has always flummoxed me in sports. It's the propensity of lesser informed fans and a few media blowhards to stand on high, reeking of tough-minded and righteous superiority, and label some professional athletes as "soft."

This is especially bothersome in American football.

Mirror: The Adeyemi incident is what you get when you summon the full forces of tribalism

There is no pleasure in saying this, but Liverpool have begun to reap a little of what they have sown. New Liverpool racism row: Fan's abuse has Oldham player in tears When you defend racist language, when you enter into angry denial and summon the full forces of tribalism, this is what you get.

Diego Simeone says he is unfazed by the prospect of turning around Atletico Madrid's faltering season after being formally unveiled as their new coach.

The former Argentina captain was named as the replacement for the sacked Gregorio Manzano on Friday, signing a contract until the end of the 2012/13 campaign.

I don't think Suarez is inherently racist... but what he said is unacceptable

Let's get one thing clear. Luis Suarez used "insulting words that included a reference to colour". We know this, because he admitted as much himself. In all the anger, outrage and aggression that has poured forth since the FA's startling verdict in their case against the forward, that fact seems to have been somehow forgotten.

Jack Wilshere. A name you should, by now, have heard. Arsenal's youngest ever league debutante and future England great is currently on the sidelines nursing an ankle injury, but here's why I think he will one day be huge.

Movement, aggression, dribbling, vision and passing. Attributes which I think sum Wilshere up brilliantly, on the break and attacking he is a serious threat with his snappy short passes and his ability to put in the defence splitting long ball.

Instead of focusing on his players excellent performance against Valencia last night, Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas ensured the focus was on his war of words with the media.

The Blues managed to defeat their Spanish opponents 3-0 at Stamford Bridge, meaning that not only did they qualify for the next round of the Champions League, but they also topped their group.

(Photo: Paul Rudderow)

Editor's note: At the end of the 2010 season, we posted a series of "Raves" about our favorite Philadelphia players. They need not be the team's best players, but they're guys and gals we like. Over the next two weeks, we continue the series again with some of the PSP writers' and contributors' favorite players of 2011.

By Chris Wright

Back in 1988, when football was a man's game, Real Madrid's Juanito was (perhaps unsurprisingly) banned for five whole years for this brazen double-whammy, back-stamping, cheek-mashing assault on Bayern Munich's Lothar Matthaus as the German midfielder lay pole-axed between the legs of the referee.

By Chris Wright

I don't mind admitting it absolutely galled me that the sycophantic tools on the Match of the Day sofa just flat-out refused to acknowledge and/or call-out Wayne Rooney's petulant slash at a prone Fabricio Coloccini last night, despite watching replay after replay of the United meathead poorly masking his errant boot as an attempt to prise the ball out from underneath the Newcastle centre-half.

By JONATHAN VERA

CARSON, Calif. – The Western Conference final second leg between the Los Angeles Galaxy and New York Red Bulls certainly lived up to its much-anticipated hype. Aggression was high, tempers flared and drama unfolded after a quick start by the Red Bulls, but in the end, New York took the long plane ride home broken and defeated.

As for a Genk recap, friends, I'm not doing it. Jack's not doing. Jamie's not doing it. Your loyal scribes simply refuse to put words on that performance. Dire, would be as far as I'd go in terms of a description. Beyond that, I've got nothing else to say about the match itself. But, I do have some thoughts on what we've witnessed since the QPR debacle that may well shed a light on some of our misfortunes of late.

Despite their footballing talents, Kaboul quickly realised he wasn't exactly in the company of great beautyWhere this blog is from, three wins on the spin, including two away from home and one against a team being billed as top four elect, is pretty good going. Especially when you consider the depths from where this winning streak has been born from.

When CS Herediano beat the Seattle Sounders on Tuesday night it was not because they dominated play. It was because the team in Electricity acted more like a car battery that was low on charge and couldn't push the starter over. There were only a handful of opportunities for either side and the Costa Rican team's keeper had a brilliant save or two that took a game from a possible draw to a 1-nil win.

Gazzetta dello Sport Cavani, Napoli's Matador Aquilani gives Milan hope, but the Uruguayan unleashes a hat-trick De Laurentiis: 'I'm thinking about the Champions League' Juve celebrate going +5 over the Milanese clubs Conte: "We were good: I saw the right aggression". Matri goal: "Last year we didn't win matches like this" and "I saw the right grit" Matri: 'Last.

QPR boss Neil Warnock has warned Newcastle United that a loud home support awaits their trip to Loftus Road ahead of tonight's clash between the two sides.

Warnock, who signed several experienced top flight stars such Luke Young and Shaun Wright-Phillips before the closing of the summer transfer window, has singled out former Magpies midfielder Joey Barton as the club's most significant acquisition and tipped the presence of the controversial player to light up the atmosphere.

What is the role of the American sports fan supposed to be for U.S. Soccer Men's National Team friendlies? In the perfect scenario, sports fans would come in droves to see the team play, nationalism would see an increase and TV ratings would prove to be invaluable.

The Study of English Football [Part I]: How social and cultural aspects impact the English game is a post from: Just Football

Introducing Part I of a special report on Just Football. Over the coming days our newest contributor Andreas Vou presents a comprehensive four-part study into the state of English football and the national team, encompassing society and culture, the media, youth football and the English approach to playing abroad.

Portland's Setup: Portland set up in a traditional 4-4-2, as compared to their unusual formation that they used Sunday against Houston. Chara and Jewsbury were the two holding midfielders. Both were lacking aggression and energy, and it showed as Zusi and Espinoza especially controlled the flow of the game.

Thats it, once more and you are done sir!
Shaun Botterill/Getty Images (Bleacher Report)The sending off of players is always a hot topic the English Premier League as it is the most physical league in the world according to many different sources.
Pace, aggression and passion are the fuel to the fire of the English game and it is no secret that the physicality of the English leagues as a whole make them the most watched of any league in the world as a whole collective.

The Argentine 5th division, so jealous of the week's happening yonder London, decided to take out their own aggression on The Man and descend into a frenzy. It resulted in lots of good YouTube footage and likely, several lifetime banishments, both on merit, or lack thereof, and also because no one really cares about the fifth division anyway.

FC Dallas' Setup: Dallas set up in a 4-5-1 with newly acquired Maicon Santos up top. Santos was up against Gonzalez most of the night and just could not get by him in 1 on 1 situations. Vilar and Guarda patrolled the middle behind Santos and in front of Hernandez, who played the holding midfield spot.