Matt Reis was easily the Revs top performer on Saturday. (Photo: Chris Aduama/aduama.com)
After each match the contributors to New England Soccer Today will rate the performances of
the New England Revolution players who made an appearance on a 1 to 10 scale (1 horrendous, 5
average, 10 perfection).
Toronto FC secured their solitary place in the MLS record books on Saturday, but for a
distinction nobody would ever want.
TFC lost their eight straight match, an MLS record, as D.C. United went to BMO Field and posted
a 2-0 victory. Chris Pontius and Hamdi Salihi delivered the goals for a D.
A preface: I am a lover of capitalism. However, I detest those who conflate "management" with
"capitalism." For the last three decades, this confusion has hollowed out America's middle class,
imposed glass ceilings on a meritocratic system, and, even worse, has led to the creation of
fantasy sports leagues.
With increasing confusion in the Premier League over which tackles should or should not be
punished, an attempt to teach players what is acceptable is being made in home video form. "How to
tackle" DVDs will be sent to clubs next week because if there's one thing professional footballers
will pay attention to, it's instructional videos.
The UK Home Office, responsible for immigration and passports, drugs policy, crime,
counter-terrorism and police, has been tooting its horn for all to hear today.
The reason?
Arrests for football-related disorders among English and Welsh fans has hit a new, all time
record low.
An early pelanty goal from Robin van Persie, taking his tally to 34 goals in the calendar year,
and a late goal from Yossi Benayoun (from a header, no less) secured a nervous, underperforming,
but ultimately crucial midweek win at Villa Park today.
Arsène Wenger's latest grand plan of converting his winger into a striker failed to get off to
the best starts on Saturday. Lukas Podolski, wearing number 9 for Arsenal, has played much of his
early career and for FC Koln last season as the second-striker (in between an unsuccessful stint at
Bayern Munich), but it's his reinvention as a goalscoring wide man for Germany (44 goals in 100
appearances) which has gained him the most distinction.
Probably a Better 10 than Mehdi BallouchyFirst off, let me say I'm as honored to
be a contributor to The Viper's Nest as you all must be to read the marginally-informed,
semi-passionate, often tongue-in-cheek and mostly snarky commentary I will endeavor to provide.
For my first post I decided to tackle the popular issue of the need for a "true #10" aka "CAM" aka
"savior.
Josue Martinez has officially joined the Philadelphia Union on a transfer, according to a press
release on the team's website. As per Union official policy, the club will not release the terms of
either Martinez's contract or the transfer itself.
Martinez had been linked multiple times to the Union over the course of the last six months,
particularly throughout late Novemember and into December.
Tito Vilanova debuts as Barca Manager at Camp Nou.
Messi, Xavi, Iniesta all are expected to start FC Barcelona's First Liga Match.
Lionel Messi against Real Sociedad
The time has arrived to start the pursuit for another La Liga title and also to kick start a new
era, which hopefully will be called as the "Tito Era".
Tito Vilanova debuts as Barca Manager at Camp Nou.
Messi, Xavi, Iniesta all are expected to start FC Barcelona's First Liga Match.
Lionel Messi against Real Sociedad
The time has arrived to start the pursuit for another La Liga title and also to kick start a new
era, which hopefully will be called as the "Tito Era".
Fanposting this because I was unable to get my answers to Steve in
time for him to post them on site. Hope you enjoy them.
The Bent Musket: This has been quite a rollercoaster season, especially in the beginning
of the year when Peter Nowak appeared driven to coach himself out of ever getting another job in
soccer again.
There were several teams that put together good weeks in MLS. From the two-win Seattle Sounders,
to the Vancouver Whitecaps, but only one team went on the road and posted a victory in a venue
where no team had come close to winning this season.
Euro 2012 kicks off on Friday, with Poland playing Greece and Russia facing the Czech Republic
in the opening matches of the highly anticipated tournament.
None of the four are favored to be crowned European champions, though, as that distinction
largely belongs to defending European and World Cup champion Spain and prime contenders Germany and
Netherlands, while France is also a popular selection to complete a return to glory.
If one were to view the rosters for each of Italy's four World Cup triumphs, one would notice a
pattern; the core of the team was comprised of Juventus players. Not only that, but Juventus
players made key contributions in each of these championship winning sides, names such as Orsi,
Monti, Rossi, Gentile, Buffon, and Del Piero spring to mind.
If one were to view the rosters for each of Italy's four World Cup triumphs, one would notice a
pattern; the core of the team was comprised of Juventus players. Not only that, but Juventus
players made key contributions in each of these championship winning sides, names such as Orsi,
Monti, Rossi, Gentile, Buffon, and Del Piero spring to mind.
With co-hosts Poland and Ukraine placed in the first pot of the Euro 2012 draw, there was bound
to be at least one brutally-tough group in next summer's tournament.
Group B gets the distinction as being the Group of Death, as the Netherlands, Germany, Portugal
and Denmark will vie for two spots in the knockout round.
With the 2012 EUROS around the corner, Alistair Magowan of BBC Sport writes a great piece analyzing
Roy Hodgson's tactical preferences, as well as potential lineups for England at the European
Championships next month.
"Roy is a pure coach," Gallacher said. "You only get a week to train with the national team, so
it is all about organisation, getting players thinking about the system you want to play.
Roy Hodgson today announced that Steven Gerrard will be the England captain for the European
Championships in Poland and Ukraine. Gerrard was England's skipper in South Africa for the 2010
World Cup and has captained the national side on 15 occasions since 2004.
Hodgson said Gerrard was the man to help him forge "team unity", adding
that the player he knew well from his time as Liverpool manager merited the "distinction" of
captaining England.
The premature post-mortem into the league campaign begins, and if criticizing a popular manager is
too hard to stomach, there is usually an array of boardroom executives, owners or Liverpool players
who are more convenient targets.
Nowadays, there is an even more vulnerable object of the fans' ire: the director of football.
Lee Nguyen became the first Revolution player in over two years to win Player of the Week honors
on Monday. (Photo: Kari Heistad)
Lee Nguyen's stellar performance against Vancouver on Saturday certainly didn't go
unnoticed.
On Monday, the 25-year-old Revolution midfielder, who scored two goals and added an assist
against his former team, earned MLS Player of the Week honors for Week 10.
This? Oh, it's nothing really. Just a photo of Sergio Aguero and his father-in-law Diego
Maradona (who, I'm led to believe, was a footballer of some distinction at one point) having just
booked in for a game of squash at the David Lloyd Fitness Centre in Cheadle, Greater
Manchester.
One of the best sports books I've ever read, a hymn by Gary Imlach to his father Stewart Imlach who
played with distinction in an era when the rewards were scant and the game tough
By Clemente Lisi – NEW YORK, NY (Mar 20, 2012) US Soccer Players -- There aren't too many
Americans who have competed in the UEFA Champions League, and the first player on that list might
surprise you. Former US defender Steve Trittschuh holds that distinction when in 1990 he signed
with Czechoslovakian club Sparta Prague that participated in the European Cup, the precursor to the
current Champions League.
3D glasses are nothing new. You will be getting them any time you are child. The distinction is
that at that time you did not even know about it. Now these 3D glasses have acquired considerably
recognition amongst the persons. 3D imaging is nothing just than your creativeness. This is a
strategy for developing the illusion of depth in an picture by presenting two offset images
individually for the left and perfect eyes with the viewer.
Another pre-season game, and another result that we really don't want to see. There was a slight
difference between last night's game and Monday's game, however, in that last night the Timbers
were forced to come back from down a goal. That's not to say they were worse than Monday (when they
actually scored twice.
Warning: NSFJW (Not Safe For Jealous Women)
Sometimes, we get so caught up in what divides us, we forget about that which unites us: gli
Azzurri. But it's already 2012, and in a few short months, our beloved boys in blue will be
competing for the distinction of being the best national team in all of Europe.
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.
DeRosario may have won the Golden Boot, but he was not the leading scorer across all
competitions involving MLS players. Montero won that distinction. According to MLS this is only the
fourth time this has happened.
The Brazilian national championship has made a habit of last day climaxes in recent years and
this season's competition is no exception. Corinthians (Played 38, Points 71) won their fifth
Brasileiro tonight, their first league title since 2005, following a goalless draw against
arch rivals Palmeiras.
