After each match the contributors to New England Soccer Today will rate the performances of the United States National Team players who made an appearance on a 1 to 10 scale (1 horrendous, 5 average, 10 perfection). This week Sean Donahue and Brian O'Connell contributed ratings for the USA's 4-1 loss to Brazil.

Maybe Chris Penso should be disciplined as well?

MLS announced today that Mamadou "Futty" Danso will be suspended one game and fined for the vicious hit to the head he delivered to Calen Carr (who is wearing protective headgear for goodness' sakes!!) late in the 0-0 draw on Tuesday night at BBVA Compass Stadium.

Soccer America recaps Chelsea's victory over Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League semifinal yesterday.
Playing with 10 men, Chelsea came back from 2-0 down to tie Barcelona and improbably move into the final of the UEFA Champions League. Brazilian Ramires' goal in stoppage time of the first half turned the game around for the Blues.

One of the most anticipated matchups of the weekend that just went by was the San Jose-Real Salt Lake tilt. It may not have gone the way RSL wanted but the match did indeed live up to the billing - two red cards, four goals, including a stoppage-time winner, and drama throughout was what this game produced.

After every match this season, the staff here at The Bent Musket will be putting together player ratings. Ratings are on a 1-10 scale, with 5 representing a thoroughly average performance, and 6 a decent/capable showing. The final ratings will be averages of individual ratings from Steve Stoehr, Corey Major, Matty Jollie, and Abram Chamberlain.

New England's 2012 season began as we all expected. The Rev's lost their two opening road matches, including a 1-0 loss at San Jose and a whopping 3-0 spanking by Sporting. Things turned around only narrowly with the club's home opener, as the club rode past the absences of Darrius Barnes, John Lozano, Stephen McCarthy, and Benny Feilhaber to find a 1-0 win over Portland.

Liverpool declare independence, King Kenny to lead them to league title - originally posted on Soccerlens.com

Liverpool have declared their independence as a separate and sovereign nation, electing King Kenny as their first leader. Liverpool will also breakaway from the English Premier League with immediate effect to form their own Liverpool Premier League, where they, as the only members, will be guaranteed silverware each season.

Newcastle tore West Brom apart in the first half this afternoon, and scored three magical breakaway goals, two through number 9 Papiss Cisse, and one from the mercurial Ben Arfa. The goals came from Ciise after 5 minutes, Ben Arfa after 11 minutes and Cisse again after 33 minutes to make that five goals in just 6 [.

The Revolution Youth Academy teams reeled off three wins in New Jersey during the St. Patrick's Day weekend, including a sweep of Match Fit Chelsea on Sunday.

The U-18s took a 4-1 win over Match Fit Chelsea U-18s on Sunday in West Windsor, N.J., thanks to goals from Manuel Andrade (9′), Ramario Osorio (44′) Devin Devoy (48′) and Peguy Ngatcha (57′).

Image: REUTERS/Ricardo Moraes.

Fabio Caballero (above, left) of Olimpia isn't the only player with a happy trail (and bad underwear) on the pitch these days, Kickettes.

Although we're prepared to forgive the latter on the basis that by revealing his furry fortune finder, Caballero has kicked off another debate in our office about male grooming: is a little map guiding a person on their journey to a footballer's nethers helpfully hairy or scary?

Today's Chef's Special

Image via Wikipedia

Cockrell.... plucked, stuffed and served on a mound of mashed spuds

As the euphoria from Sunday's astonishing win over our noisy neighbours starts to die down we should be giving thanks to whatever deities inspired that Lazarus like resurrection.

Arsenal's best breakaway act of 2011 returned to London last night to present the BRIT awards for Best Breakthrough Act to ginger troubadour Ed Sheeran. Cesc Fabregas teamed up with Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger to present the award and managed to avoid fluffing his line. Perhaps he was scouting for new music for Pep's next [.

Photo: Earl Gardner

Given the erratic nature of the preseason, we have elected to invert our usual post-match format and lead with player ratings. Preseason games are opportunities for positional and tactical experimentation, and so individual player performances become the most important factor in the evaluation of the team as they build towards the regular season.

By J Hutcherson - WASHINGTON, DC (Feb 21, 2012) US Soccer Players -- About a decade ago, I was working on a series on the potential for a European Super League and talking to people who knew enough to have an opinion one way or the other. Most believed the big clubs of Europe would get what they wanted one way or another, either through an actual breakaway league or through pushing UEFA toward the.

The largest President's Cup in the 19-year history of Madison United's annual indoor soccer tournament wrapped up Sunday night.

And when the small, rubber pellets settled at Keva Sports Center, a few hours after the final games of the weekend at BreakAway Sports Center in Madison, there was a little bit of everything:

A first-time champion, a repeat winner, teams setting and tying President's Cup records for titles in their respective divisions and a Cinderella story, with plenty of close games, close calls and drama to boot.

Fourteen teams collected the maximum points possible Saturday as Madison United's 19th annual President's Cup indoor soccer tournament started at BreakAway Sports Center in Madison and Keva Sports Center in Middleton.

A record 88 teams hit the turf, all playing at least two group matches – four Women's Open teams and four Men's Open sides played three times, completing pool play.

It was a little like the old youth soccer days for the four Men's Over-30 teams that kicked off Madison United's annual President's Cup indoor tournament Saturday morning at BreakAway Sports Center, up and on the field bright and early.

Well, maybe.

"I don't know," Madison United's Jared Burdick (Madison La Follette/UW-Platteville) said.

A late withdrawal prompted changes to two Men's Over-30 groups and the schedule for Madison United's 19th annual President's Cup indoor soccer tournament, which is next weekend at BreakAway Sports Center in Madison and Keva Sports Center in Middleton.

The St. Charles Celtics pulled out of the event and were replaced by Madison-area team Galaxy.

The schedules are set for Madison United's 19th annual President's Cup indoor soccer tournament, which will feature a record 88 teams playing Feb. 18 and 19 at Keva Sports Center in Middleton and BreakAway Sports Center in Madison.

The tournament kicks off at 7:30 a.m. Feb. 18 at BreakAway, and the final games of the opening day will kick off 12 hours later over at Keva.

What's stopping you, Kenya? is a post from: Just Football

Sudan aside, there's a glaring geographical gap at this year's African Cup of Nations. Andrew Crawford has a few ideas why:

Watching the current African Cup Of Nations (ACON), it is somewhat tellingly awkward how there isn't a stronger presence from countries from East Africa, although the same could be said for almost every ACON and since it began.

Having already qualified for the 2012 Summer Olympics by winning Friday's game versus Costa Rica, the USWNT's win over Canada in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament was the icing on the cake. The Canadian side came into tonight's match with a lot of confidence, but when it came time to perform, fell quite short.

by Ed Bishop
By the end of the Wednesday night's contest at the Independence Events Center the scoreboard looked more like that of a blowout football game rather than a soccer match as the Missouri Comets routed the Syracuse Silver Knights 33 to 12. The Comets showed every indication that they're starting to hit their stride as they improved their record to 11-8 and continued to make their playoff push to secure the second spot in the Central Division with their second win in a row.

At half-time today, I admit that I feared the worst. We were losing 2-0 and staring in the face of exit from a competition which, realistically, offered our best opportunity of silverware this season. Fast forward 45 minutes, and Arsenal had completed one of the more memorable comebacks of recent times.

Crashing out in the FA Cup against their bitter rival, Liverpool, obviously left a bitter taste for Manchester United especially since they were not actually outplayed in the match but lose out due to a defensive error.

The club's manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, was the one who voived out his disappointment and disbeliefs with the Red Devils' failure in advancing from the competition especially since the tactician believes that his team played better than their opponent.

The story of US National Team players abroad begins and ends with Clint Dempsey this weekend. That's what happens when an American scores three goals in the Premier League. Dempsey was the difference in a game that showed little promise in the first-half, but turned into a 5-2 win for Fulham over Newcastle United.

Madison United's President's Cup indoor soccer tournament continues to grow.

A record field of 88 teams are expected for the 19th annual event Feb. 18 and 19 at Keva Sports Center in Middleton and BreakAway Sports Center in Fitchburg, Madison United founder and tournament co-director Keith Binns wrote in an e-mail this week.

By Shane Badger
For as long as man civilized man has existed the great terrible question has been asked: How do you stop a wall of water? The answer of course is deceptively simple; Build.
Build, is exactly what Coach Andracki has been doing in the two weeks since his Lancer squad was deluged by the Wave 25-9 in Milwaukee.

By JOHN BOSCHINI

From almost out of the UEFA Champions League to topping Group E, it's been a crazy first campaign for Chelsea manager Andres Villas-Boas.

Talks of crisis at Stamford Bridge seem to be dissipating after Chelsea routed Valencia 3-0 to advance to the knockout round for the ninth consecutive season.

Registration for Madison United's 19th annual President's Cup indoor soccer tournament opened on Tuesday.

By Thursday night, nearly half of the spots in the 84-team field already were filled, including all eight openings in the Men's Over-38 competition.

All four reigning division champions – the Madison Fire (Men's Open), Chichitas (Women's Open), Almost Fire (Men's Over-30) and FC Gherkin (Men's Over-38) – have secured their spots for the 2012 tournament, which is Feb.

Barca chief warns UEFA: Expand Champions League or face breakaway European league threat

"If UEFA does not accept, in the worst case scenario, we will go away from UEFA," says Sandro Rosell

View the full story here: The Mirror

A news article on 2011-11-16 13:26:47 from: The Mirror

This news item has been reproduced from today's media.

Sandro Rosell threatens European breakaway league in 2014

Barcelona president Sandro Rosell insists a breakaway European league will start in 2014 unless UEFA gives in to demands from the continent's major clubs.

View the full story here: The Mail

A news article on 2011-11-16 10:12:33 from: The Mail

This news item has been reproduced from today's media.

One team repeated at the Madison Soccer Association finals Friday night at Breese Stevens Field, while another came up just short.

Ryan Compty (Mukwonago/UW-Oshkosh) scored on a breakaway with approximately 10 minutes remaining as Team Paradigm edged the Madison Fire 2-1 to claim its second straight Division 1 championship – the teams played to the same result in last year's final, with an 85th-minute goal the difference on that night.

A team new to the league.

A team with a backbone of experienced veterans, but also a team with a commitment to young players, led by a coach who wasn't afraid to put those young players in key positions to perform in important games.

A team with a tough, hard-nosed style of play backed by a dominating defense and keeper.

The last weekend of the regular season featured playoff-bound teams looking foolish against opponents who have only the 2012 campaign to look forward to. In some cases those losses were suffered by reserve squads, as playoff teams rested starters, but in other cases the playoff teams just looked over-matched.

Remember last season? When the Indonesia Super League began, three clubs jumped to the breakaway, short lived, unloved Liga Primer Indonesia who promised to change the game but couldn't even finish the season? And FIFA talked tough saying the FA had to solve the problem of the LPI because you couldn't have two premier football leagues running simultaneously with one league not under their control?

Lauren Sesselmann (Green Bay Notre Dame) started and played 62 minutes at left back as Canada beat Costa Rica 3-1 in the opening match of the women's soccer competition at the Pan American Games on Tuesday at Omnilife Stadium in Guadalajara, Mexico.

Sesselmann, making her third international appearance, conceded a penalty kick in the 27th minute as she was called for a foul on Raquel Rodríguez Cedeño during a breakaway.

Indonesian football is now limping headlong into another season marred by delays, confusion and, umm, more delays.
The 24 teams invited by the PSSI have split down the middle with half mumbling about going their own way. And come on...what country in the world can have four different top flights leagues in two seasons?

Ian Ayre insisted that Liverpool Football Club weren't looking to sell their own overseas television rights.
Clarifying comments made earlier this week regarding the sale of Barclays Premier League overseas rights, the Liverpool Managing Director claimed the debate needs to be opened up but believes his comments were taken out of context in the media.

Liverpool managing director Ian Ayre denies TV rights breakaway threat

The Liverpool managing director originally talked up a move for the Premier League heavyweights to break away from the current television rights deal in order to increase income

View the full story here: Goal

A news article on 2011-10-14 19:40:00 from: Goal

This news item has been reproduced from today's media.

How Ian Ayre wants to make the Premier League even less competitive

Isn't it funny that this week the most popular man in certain parts of Manchester is a representative of Liverpool Football Club? On Wednesday Liverpool managing director Ian Eyre stated that when it comes to overseas broadcasting rights, each Premier League club should be free to negotiate their own television deal.