By Chris Wright

'Scandal' has broken out in this morning's Il Corriere dello Sport, who claim that Lionel Messi, both Gab and Diego Milito and cape-wearing crime fighter Martin Palermo attended a 'sex and alcohol' party in their native Argentina which was being hosted by local reality TV strumpet Xoana Gonzalez.

Wonderful article from the Defensive Minded Blog about Barcelona defending system at corner kicks. What is interesting that it stated that according to a study, that Barcelona is on average, the team with shortest heights in Europe. Despite that shortfall, Barcelona was always a solid defense team that is very difficult to score goal against, especially from corner kicks.

Image via Michael Loccisano/Getty Images North America.

Since we're still on a high from the phenomenal Women's World Cup final, we've got two more tidbits on the USWNT to share with our lovely readership:

- Alex Morgan and Hope Solo attended the premiere of season eight of Entourage in NYC last night and looked gorgeous while doing so.

Peter Crouch is always an instantly recognisable figure on the pitch, but he was conspicuous by his absence in last night's win up at Tynecastle.

Last season, Harry often went for Crouch and VDV as his preferred partnership, but the Dutchman linked up well with Defoe last night, as the two shared the opening goals in the 5-0 win.

Newcastle (A) – Udinese (H) – Liverpool (H) – Udinese (A) – Manchester United (A)

Five games in 16 days, each with its unique degree of significance. I don't like dramatizing the consequences of each match, especially at the start, but one gets the feeling, before the end of August Doodh ka doodh, paani ka paani ho jayega.

A new US based magazine has been published on stadiums and is based around the website Stadium Journey which gives fans reviews of stadiums and game day experiences. The website was set up a couple of years ago by Paul Swaney who is based is Ann Arbor, Michigan and the following paragraph is taken from the site itself:
"Stadium Journey is a web venture with the goal to become a world-class community resource for sports fans, built around optimizing the experience of attending live sporting events.

What a result! Tough game, battling performance, well-earned points. Not vintage but victorious nonetheless.

I was surprised to see Coquelin in the starting line-up at Right Back as Arsene has said in the past the youngster doesn't isn't suited to the role. Perhaps it was due to Miquel's errors at City.

Well, that's the message from Roman Abramovich to whoever the new Chelsea manager will be this summer and next season according to the Mirror. The article states that with no manager or director of football in place at the club, Roman has fielding interest in Didier Drogba but his preference is to keep Didier at Chelsea for next season.

When Alvaro Fernandez scored the game winning goal in the 40th minute it wasn't just a display of solid passing and movement by Mauro Rosales, Roger Levesque and El Flaco. The build-up started well before Rosales got the ball, and was a prime example of the reset versus the retreat. When Patrick Ianni won the ball and Hurtado recovered it, Arlo indicated that the Sounders should look up the field quickly to take advantage of the down Kevin Alston.

Designed by Ralph Lauren, via Alexander Julian's colour palette? Exhibit A, tweeted by Mark Lomas: <!-- http://twitter.com/#!/marklomasESPN/status/85727268818792448 --> .bbpBox85727268818792448 {background:url(http://a3.twimg.com/profile_background_images/255771391/Vinnie-Jones-balls.jpg) #C0DEED;padding:20px;} p.

I have had this thought in my mind for a long while – to create a comprehensive list of weaknesses of Arsenal as identified by fans, pundits, and others.

This list is not a judgement on the club, manager, or the players. All the criticisms in this list aren't necessarily valid. I believe most of these arguments don't hold water upon closer inspection but want to avoid a debate on the merits of each, at least for the time being.

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.

Soccer America interviewed U.S. national team coach Jurgen Klinsmann following their 1-0 defeat away to Belgium in an international friendly.
On the match:
"I think it was an interesting game for both sides. You saw in the first 25 minutes we had good passing movement and we were really involved in the game.

By Chris Wright

Ajax whooped Group D stragglers Dinamo Zagreb 4-0 in Amsterdam last night, with Danish tyro Christian Eriksen providing the lion's share of the craft and invention including this borderline pornographic backheel assist for Gregory van der Wiel's opener.

Arsene went with a 4-4-2 in a system that was designed to give games to players rather than a clear tactical move. Mancini retained his 4-3-3 but was surprisingly defensive in his approach with Kolarov playing as a left winger, at least for half an hour!

The first half was largely uneventful with neither side really creating many chances.

Lazy, sloppy, Messi penalty It is typical of Lionel Messi that even when he makes a balls up of something, he cannot help but do it in spectacular fashion. Take his penalty against Real Betis last night, for instance, which made Chris Waddle's Italia 90 spot-kick look relatively accurate. The Argentine skied the ball over [.

The Premier League is said to be the best league in the world. I'm not convinced about that but I'd say the EPL is certainly the fastest league in the world. There is more end to end action in England than in any other country.

After watching games from various leagues over the last few years I've come to believe that in the Premiership the teams play as if they've to follow a basketball law – get a shot on goal within 30 seconds of getting possession.

What a cracker! Probably was the most open and entertaining game I have seen in the Premiership this season. Begrudgingly, I have to say congratulations to the Tiny Totts for putting up a performance like that. I lost count of the long balls and hopeful crosses but in between all that there was some good football from the hosts.

1. We would have taken any three points today. To get them on the back of a good performance and well worked goal is very nice. Everton were resilient and it was becoming a worry whether we'd be able to break them down, but we kept our nerve, passed the ball around well and were patient.
2. Chicharito, I love you.

Hubcaps are more indestructible as trophies, we learn.

• Barca have spicy balls. (Dirty Tackle)
• No idea how to feel about any of this. (Football Fashion)
• Click on this and ignore AVB's hair. Just try. (SB Nation)
• A Spanish civil disagreement. (Phil Ball)
• This list is alarming.

Don't know about you but I am glad that this season is ending. It's hard to see a turnaround in the way this current side is playing without a proper break. The summer will be an agonizing period for all of us addicted to the beautiful game and the Arsenal, even more so for those who hate waking up to nonsensical transfer rumours, but it is a necessary evil at this stage.

It wasn't the fairytale ending we were all hoping for. But for any fan in red to argue that we deserved something out of this game would have been a serious disservice to the way the Spanish champions dominated us.

We fared better than our showing from 2 years ago. But that wasn't exactly very difficult to do.

Fernando Torres was on the score sheet yesterday coming off the bench for Spain against the USA. Torres scored the last of their four goals and when I saw the goal I thought to myself "good for him" and then afterwards "why couldn't we give him through balls like that". Have a look for yourselves:
Look I stand by what I have said about Torres and him fitting into the Chelsea side.

Article republished on businessofsoccer.com

Taking time away from the game and going back to what is most important is a key aspect in growing the game in the United States. As role models and professionals, every player is subject to this responsibility, which should be expected while being in the public eye.

I think that title can probably be slotted under "most obvious statement of the month." Still, it's something that needs to be discussed, but, for whatever reason, has not been. As two of the Portland Timbers' more expensive players at this point, I'm more than a little worried that they're not putting out what the FO has invested.

From now on, we will be trying to give a little room to charities, volunteer organisations and others that need your help in some way or another that are related to football and are worthy of your attention. If you have anything that you feel we would be interested in, drop us a line via the Contact page and we will do our best to help to publicise your cause or project.

Ah, youth. It has its pleasures and it has its pain.

Oh boy does it ever have its pain.

The young defense has had its teething troubles this season, and I was shocked that they managed to shut out LA last week on the road. Looks like they just deferred the inevitable. Three rooks and a USL guy arrayed ahead of a second-year keeper isn't anybody's recipe for consistency.

By Chris Wright

As you may or possibly may not be aware, the draw for the Spanish Tercera Division play-offs (for the right to play in the Spanish third tier, Segunda Division B) were made earlier this week.

Strangely, the president of one of the clubs involved, Pablo Cordoba of Alcobendas Sport, was entrusted to draw the balls for his side's half of the draw arriving at the plinth with a huge, sh*t-eating grin on his face only to be *apparently* told which ball to pull out of the goldfish bowl by the honcho in charge.

By FRANCO PANIZO

It may have been a draw, but it probably felt like a loss for Argentina.

Argentina kicked off the 43rd edition of the Copa America in unconvincing fashion at home on Friday night, needing a spectacular finish from substitute Sergio Aguero to tie Bolivia, 1-1.

I haven't had the chance to gauge the general sentiment of the fans about the transfer of Clichy to Man City so I will just share my views. I think this transfer is good for all concerned.

From the player's point of view, this move will give him a fresh start in a completely different environment where he will get much better defensive support than he did at Arsenal in the last three years.

By Chris Wright

Chelsea pipped Malaysia's U21 Olympic side 1-0 in a friendly in Kuala Lumpur last night, a game notable for two reasons: firstly, a delightful little 'RVP vs Inter' style nutmeg from Fernando Torres and secondly, that the Blues were able to win the game without actually forcing the ball over their opponent's goalline.

Just over a week ago I made an attempt to document all the complaints against Arsenal in a comprehensive list of weaknesses. As I'd mentioned at that time, I did not agree with many items on the list but was compiling it for the sake of having a reference point.

Today I want to compare the English national team against that collection of gripes.

All-round stupidity will be the only memorable part of this predictable, drab encounter.

Arsene went with the expected line-up and the Gunners played higher up the pitch than would have been advisable. Whenever the Gunners got the ball out wide, and there were at least four or five defenders against an attacker or two.

Playing for the Brazilian U-20 squad means you'll need to be adept at handling balls of all shapes and sizes... did that sound right? / Photo by R.Ribeiro

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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.

I give up. Honestly.
How can you love a team, desperate for points in the playoff race, that takes a 2-0 lead at home to one of the worst teams in the league and conspires through a combination of catastrophic defending, a complete inability to retain possession, and, most damningly, sheer gutlessness in the face of adversity, to throw away two points?

Earlier we covered Arsenal's 5-3 win at Stamford Bridge from an Arsenal perspective.

Here is the Chelsea viewpoint of the match from our Chelsea site:

I cannot remember a worse defensive performance by Chelsea than what we saw today. Almost from the opening whistle, it seemed like both teams said lets forget about defence and see who can score more goals than the other.

Photo: Nicolae Stoian

So, what the hell was that line up?

I can't believe I have to phrase it that way. I mean, it is really hard to be that surprised by the starting XI in a season where the starting XI has been a surprise almost every match. But not only did Peter Nowak start Stefani Miglioranzi, who has played a total of 19 minutes since September 17, he started him as a center back in a system we've yet to see the Union use all season.

Aston Villa 1 – 2 Arsenal Match Report

1st half observations from a bad stream

The first 45 minutes were pretty different from what I expected. Aston Villa did not close us down frantically and allowed Arsenal plenty of space. Especially Gervinho and Theo saw plenty of the ball, as Villa sat deep in the beginning, allowing our wingers to attack them from the sides.

A club that exists to win trophies. Remember when that used to said about Liverpool? And remember when people actually believed it because that is what happened every year?
The way things have unfolded this season, saying such a thing about the club at this present time isn't even funny.