According to reports, Everton have agreed a deal tobring South African midfielder Steven Pienaar
back to Goodison Park. Manager David Moyes has admitted his desire to bring Pienaar back to
Merseyside, and a deal appears close.
"I think we are much closer to Pienaar and hopefully in time I will have something, but I don't
quite have it yet," Moyes was quoted as saying by ESPN Soccernet earlier this week.
Manchester United transfer target Leighton Baines has finally broken the silence following a
string of rumors linking the left back with a move to Old Trafford. The sought-after defender
insists that he won't let transfer rumors distract him from his England duties as Roy Hodgson's men
prepare for Euro 2012.
After Real Salt Lake's run to the CONCACAF Champions League final last season, and the first-ever
wins by MLS teams in Mexico this season, there was a lot of misplaced optimism about the chances of
Major League Soccer teams to contend for the CCL. That optimism was swiftly dispatched by Mexican
clubs in the knockout stages.
The Union confirmed on Monday that they have signed Kai Herdling on loan from 1899 Hoffenheim
ahead of the close of the transfer window on Monday night.
Herdling is listed most places—from Wikipedia, to fussballdaten.de, soccerway.
The Union issued a press release on Tuesday in which they said team and league officials will be
holding a press conference today at 11:30 to discuss "the competitive aspects of the 2012 AT&T MLS
All-Star Game," which seems like a fancy way of saying the All-Star Game opponent will be
announced.
Chelsea will play a game in Philadelphia as part of its American summer tour, ESPN Soccernet
reported.
The Philadelphia Union have been linked to a friendly with Newcastle United for a summer
friendly, and reports out of Costa Rica have said that the team will also host Deportivo Saprissa
in the coming months, making Chelsea a possible third friendly this year.
Tottenham's victory over Everton last week left them level on points with Manchester United and
three points off league leaders Man City, confirming their position as genuine title rivals to the
Manchester clubs. Much has been made of the additions of Scott Parker and Emmanuel Adebayor as a
reason for the club's success, but the biggest change since last season has been the use of their
wingers, Gareth Bale and Aaron Lennon.
World Cup season has officially started with teams throwing in their hats to get a chance at a
series of qualifying rounds for the mundial in Brazil. However, as footballers fight for a
chance to compete and fans slowly build their savings accounts for the trip in 2014, many of
Brazil's host cities have yet to prepare for the incredible horde preparing to descend on them.
Niklas Wildhagen recalled his traumatic experience, when Otto Rehagel left Bremen for Bayern.
(Regista)
Jonny Eyres looked at how Bundesliga promotion hopefuls Fortuna Düsseldorf slowly worked their
way back up the divisions.
(http://inbedwithmaradona.com/journal/2011/10/13/soldiers-ofthis-is-fortuna-dusseldorf.
Sir Alex Ferguson: Wayne Rooney could miss 'weeks' - ESPN Soccernet Sir Alex Ferguson has revealed
that Wayne Rooney could miss "a few weeks" of Manchester United's season. United served up a
surprise at Stoke on Saturday, as they arrived at the Britannia Stadium without their star man.
Ferguson told ESPN after the 1-1 draw that the club had endured a "nightmare" training session on
Friday.
We're as suprised as anyone. Hatem Ben Arfa set to return to action for Newcastle - ESPN Soccernet
Hatem Ben Arfa will finally return to the Newcastle side almost a year after suffering a double leg
break against Manchester City. ...Now he will pull on the black and white shirt on Wednesday night
as Newcastle travel to struggling Championship side Nottingham Forest in the Carling Cup.
Premier League team news - ESPN Soccernet: Here is the important news from behind the link along
with the fantasy implications that the news implies: Arsenal Song and Gervinho are back from
suspension which means a few things: 1) Frimpong and Arshavin will almost definitely head to the
bench; 2) The defense will be better with Song in front of Mertesacker and Koscielny (and Rovers
doing
Premier League team news - ESPN Soccernet: There are a fair number of interesting line-up
machinations related to injuries, suspensions, and transfers. Â For all of the fantasy implications
for this weekend, here is everything you need to know: Aston Villa: Looks like Gabby and Heskey are
very likely to be healthy for the match against Wolves.
ESPN Soccernet - On The Move: "20.40: Anderlecht striker Romelu Lukaku has confirmed he will be
having his Chelsea medical tomorrow. Just to recap: the clubs have agreed a fee, but he's still to
pass his medical or agree personal terms (although reports in Belgium on Friday suggested he may
have already agreed terms).
ESPN Soccernet is reporting that Turkish National team manager and former Chelsea manager Guus
Hiddink has told Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich what everyone else has been saying all along:
Stability is the key to winning. Abramovich, who has hired...
Man City complete deal for Savic from Partizan - ESPN Soccernet Savic, a center back with the speed
and athleticism to play right back, is only 20 and would seem to be one for the future. That being
said, the only players between him and first team spot are Kompany, Lescott, Toure (when not
banned), Boyata, Richards, Boateng and Zabaleta.
Quick Post-Match Reax: Same Old Song, As United Loses Another Lead (this time against Philly) -
Black And Red United
The general reaction tonight is simple: Meet the new D.C. United, same as the old D.C. United.
Chemistry has Ruiz proving his worth to Union | CSN Philly
When Carlos Ruiz was inked in late February, Peter Nowak and the Union wanted a finisher.
ESPN Soccernet - On the Move - Love for Leighton15.11 South Korea international Ji Dong-won has
become Sunderland's second signing in as many days after completing his move from Chunnam Dragons.
I don't know much, if anything, about him but I do know that Sunderland need forwards and I'm going
to love the nickname (which I should since I just gave it to him - hopefully no one beat me to the
punch
So over the past couple of months, things have maybe gotten a bit hostile on the football blog
scene.
I apparently played a part.
A while ago, a certain writer well known to most of you from the entertaining blog Surreal
Football, wrote a piece on ESPN Soccernet about the new tactics snobbery.
It's been too long. Not since the last World Cup have my always accurate and enlightening Player
Grades graced these pages. Allow me to briefly explain: I take the NYTimes Goal blog and ESPN
Soccernet grades as a baseline, and then use a highly complex algorithm to merge them to arrive at
perfectly accurate ratings.
ESPN Soccernet - On The Move15.31 We're hearing that Gervinho's move to Arsenal in a £10.5 million
deal from Lille is all but a done deal. Confirmation imminent.With the news that Gervinho is
extremely likely to arrive at The Emirates, here are some quick thoughts. The PlayerMy expectations
range from "good" to "very good" as a player.
According to ESPN Soccernet, Tottenham have not made any contract with
Napoli about striker Ezequiel Lavezzi. Napoli president
Aurelio De Laurentii told Radio Marte,
Berbatov battles Tevez, again. Premier League team news - ESPN Soccernet Of course it may all be
irrelevant due to the inconvenient timing of "the Rapture" but if we manage to avoid the end of
days on Saturday, we will indeed have a final day of the season on Sunday. Honestly, as I looked at
the content behind the link above, I don't think I saw anything that moved me to make a change.
This fantastic article was on the front of ESPN Soccernet today. The title, "Liverpool hoping for
Asian tonic", is supremely underwhelming, as it attempts to tie in Liverpool's current form,
Manchester United and the Big Four, Asian academies, sponsorship, Barcelona's visit, and selling
shirts.
To be honest, the opportunities and current situation of Asian football do encompass all those
things, and many more.
"This is definitely a battle that is being fought in the mind. Without a shadow of a doubt." Dan
Mason, ESPN Soccernet Podcast, April 25, 2011
"Tomorrow at 8:45 we will play a match on the field. Outside of the field, he has won the entire
year, the entire season and in the future (it will be the same).
Another season has come and gone, and LA, who underachieved famously throughout 2012, has taken the cake. So, with MLS entering the offseason, the Beckham Experiment at its close, and the future wide open before us, it seems appropriate to discuss our league's direction.
To begin, I'd direct everyone to this fascinating article from ESPN Soccernet.
After carrying Arsenal for much of this season, Robin Van Persie now gets to lift the PFA Player
of the Year trophy.
The Dutch striker was given the honor Sunday after scoring an English Premier League-leading 27
goals for the Gunners, who sit in third place with three fixtures remaining.
