By Graig Carbino - ALBANY, NY (Nov 19, 2009) USSoccerPlayers -- As someone watching a soccer game from the perspective of "analyst," it would be nice to always come up with spellbinding ideas of what worked and what didn't. We'd all like to have our own unique take on what just happened, why and why not, and all that. Click to continue reading...

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger revealed it's no longer about money when taking important decisions in his life, adding how at Arsenal he has freedom when taking decisions and that he's determined to win important titles ... Click to continue reading...

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger revealed it's no longer about money when taking important decisions in his life, adding how at Arsenal he has freedom when taking decisions and that he's determined to win important titles ...

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A big thank you to all who took part in the poll. I really needed your help as I couldn't decide who our best player was. At best I could have narrowed it down to 3 but no further.

The Poll is now closed and I have the results. (I sound like an X factor presenter!). The player you voted as our man of the match is.

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Dear Frank Farina,
You were the best coach the Roar has had and if we find a better one in the current circumstances we'll be lucky.
The board were stupid to sack you, and you are clearly correct to point out that you are being scapegoated - to the extent that you didn't need to say it. Click to continue reading...

So what is the reason behind the Golden One's new look?
Style statement?
Not sure. I would have expected sharper edges and clearer lines. And less bushiness.
Finished a contract for some advertising company which banned him from having any facial hair and now exercising his freedom? Click to continue reading...

By that I mean POINTS!!

Another away game for us then, but thankfully not too far for the team to travel tomorrow so no excuse for fatigue or stiff muscles after getting off a ten minute coach ride

Three points tomorrow and we are right back up with the big boys, and that is exactly what we need to be tomorrow evening – Big Boys, with a big performance.

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El Club América informa el inicio de la venta de boletos para el partido de este domingo 27 de septiembre, ante los Potros del Atlante.

Los Socios Águila podrán adquirir sus boletos:

• En el sistema Ticketmaster el 21 y 22 de septiembre de 11:00 a 20:00hrs.
• En el Estadio Azteca, en la taquilla ubicada en Tlalpan, de 9:00 a 17:00 hrs.

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- Looks like there wasn't much truth in past reports that the world's favorite manager, Pep Guardiola, had closed a contract renewal with Barca; now word is that the club are desperately trying to secure his services for another year. Reportedly, Pep has been told to name his price and all his terms, basically the club have placed a blank contract in his hands. Click to continue reading...

After two months, the transfer window has today slammed shut. What a transfer window, eh?
Obviously the big spenders in the Premier League were Manchester City, spending over £115 million. Mark Hughes was certainly given to freedom to spend money left, right and centre, building almost a fantasy football team in the process. Click to continue reading...

Liverpool midfielder Lucas Leiva has admitted the club found it tough at the top of the league last season.
Lucas revealed that the pressure of the chasing pack has helped the Reds learn how to cope at the top of the league and believes the club have the ability to get back there.
The Brazilian international told Liverpool's official website, "It's difficult when you are at the top to stay there. Click to continue reading...

What a game on Saturday night! Probably the most exciting A-league match I have attended in terms of goals and attacking play. Of course both managers will need to ask some serious questions of their defences that allowed so much freedom and space to the opposition midfields.
Gary Cole will be madly scouring overseas leagues this week after Victory's defence failed miserably on Saturday night. Click to continue reading...

Lovely, Chuck ... how much has the insurance industry poured into your campaign coffers?� This is cold, cold stuff -- unless you are unimaginably dumb, Senator, which I somehow doubt.

Meanwhile, Cheney is working on his memoirs and waxing slightly more talkative than usual.� Watch out, Dubya .

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Wow, we're back!! The season is really set to get underway. No more making due with an MLS fix here or a big-time international friendly there (DC United vs. Real Madrid in 100 degree heat none-the-less). Obviously we're firmly entrenched in our new/old home and excited for the freedom that it brings us as we continue to bring you what we hope is the best coverage around of Premier League Fantasy Football (especially pertaining to the Yahoo game but hopefully useful for those of you playing other games as well). Click to continue reading...

Damn it's chilly (again) this morning.� Bracing.� We've got a nice big stack of big old birch logs to start sawing up and splitting, compliments of ChristopherCornblog (and yours truly who stripped and trucked the last load up the hill).� And man am I sore now!� It felt good but the lesson is that you can't sit at a computer for 6 years and then chop and saw and lift and carry .

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Okay, I think I have the WPS playoff picture sorted:

• Los Angeles clinched a while back and they'll host the final two weeks from Saturday.
• St. Saint Louis has clinched second place and will host the "Super Semifinal" two weeks from yesterday.
• Two of the three games this weekend have bearing on the playoff picture (with three teams - Sky Blue FC, Washington and Boston battling for the two available spots).

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The Emirates Cup has signaled a change in formation for the coming campaign as manager Arsene Wenger looks to maximise Arsenal's creative potential.
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Arsene Wenger has lost his religion. Or make that, devoting more time to what had made his previous sides a joy to watch.

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I know this isn't how D does it. He races home from the match and types 5 thick paragraphs of analysis about how United performed and why the outcome was the way it was. He probably begins his compositions on his Blackberry while walking along E. Capital on his way to the Metro. It is very impressive. Click to continue reading...

I'm ashamed of myself for not even mentioning this at all in my two prior posts, but the event at RFK today is a doubleheader. As I'm writing this now, I'm wearing an old school, WUSA-era Abby Wambach tee, back from when she was Mia Hamm's understudy.
Freedom takes on St. Louis Athletica at 5pm, in just over an hour. Click to continue reading...

The Breakers won last night scoring in the first half and hanging on for the 1-0 victory over the Red Stars (and sole possession of third place).� The goal was a beautiful one-touch effort by Angela Hucles after a perfect feed from Lil.� The win is significant for any number of reasons not the least of which is that it was accomplished without the services of Kelly Smith and Alex Scott.

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One man glad to see the back of Kaka at Milan is Ronaldinho.
The gapped-toothed one' found appearances for Milan hard to come by last year due to his Brazilian colleague. But with Kaka's departure, Ronaldinho has that attacking midfield position all to himself and looks like he wants to keep it with this performance in the friendly on Sunday against Italian minnows Varese. Click to continue reading...

So my prediction here was correct... and in case you're wondering what I'm on about, yes Cristiano Ronaldo was revealed wearing the Black / Voltage Yellow Nike Mercurial Vapor Superfly's. Ha!
In more good news, apparently, a Nike executive recently confirmed that the company's wish is to have all of their sponsored professionals playing in black based boots for the new season (claims made here). Click to continue reading...

So my prediction here was correct... and in case you're wondering what I'm on about, yes Cristiano Ronaldo was revealed wearing the Black / Voltage Yellow Nike Mercurial Vapor Superfly's. Ha!
In more good news, apparently, a Nike executive recently confirmed that the company's wish is to have all of their sponsored professionals playing in black based boots for the new season (claims made here). Click to continue reading...

Today would have been my mother's 84th birthday a milestone that would be unimaginable to you, had you known her.� It certainly is to me.� Ann Evans Murphy born July 2, 1925 ... Ann Murphy Cornog died January 19, 1975.� For anyone Googling that name ... she was not what she appeared. I learned to hate hypocrisy from her both because she hated it and because she was one of its more adept and crazy-making practitioners.

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Who'd a thunk?� I woke up at about 4:30 this morning to the sound of teeming rain -- and wondered how our young plants are keeping themselves from sliding down the hill.� Really.� As the light returns, I see that everything looks pretty much intact out there -- albeit waterlogged.

Not so intact are the egos of the Red Sox this morning, I'm thinking, as they blew a 10-1 lead and lost to the Orioles.

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June 27, 1992 - The US Olympic Team lost 2-1 at Tampa Stadium to the APSL Rowdies in front of a crowd of 4,723. The match was a tune up for the Summer Games in Barcelona and featured goals from Mike Lapper for the USA, Mark Abboud and Rob Ryerson for Tampa Bay. This was the last match the Olympic squad played before heading to Spain for the Games. Click to continue reading...

Nico Pitney's Huffpost liveblog contains the following petition:

To the U.S. soccer team players:

Please consider wearing green wristbands in your upcoming match in the Confederations Cup finale. It would be a sign of solidarity and compassion for your fellow soccer brethren who were banned from the game they love and face unthinkable repercussions for simply adorning a green wristband symbolizing peace and freedom.

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Project 2010's love affair with Grant Wahl continues:

"Here's what I want to see [at the Gold Cup]: Freddy Adu being handed the keys to the U.S. midfield, told that he'll play in every game and given the freedom to show what he can do. I can understand why Adu hasn't been starting for the U.

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Eniola Aluko scored the only goal in three games, giving Saint Louis Athletica three points. On Saturday, Chicago, Washington, Los Angeles, and Sky Blue FC all ended up with a point. Chicago 0 - Washington 0 On a hot and humid afternoon at RFK Stadium, Red Stars held up their undefeated road record with eight saves from goalkeeper Caroline Jönsson. Click to continue reading...

Cannavaro has been given the "Freedom of the Tshwane", an honour he received from the mayor of the city in South Africa. Yeah, there's actually a key in that blue box above that he's proudly holding. We don't know whether it opens the door to the mayor's bedroom or to every club in the Tshwane.

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So, firstly, apologies for the delayed response. I was out all morning, but was able to conclude that something was up when I checked my phone and saw nine missed calls and eleven text messages. So, I checked the interwebs and confirmed my suspicions: Slave was (most likely) gone.

This took a moment to set in.

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Early start to the week, yes MLS won't play on FIFA dates this year. Yes, I heard that somewhere. 2-4-2 last week, no PK's to help Vasco out, (insert chuckle here).
Eight games this week, Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday.
Tonight on ESPN2, Chivas at Houston, Houston Vasco believes will survive this one. Click to continue reading...

[No photos for this round. Sorry!] Trinidad & Tobago 2-3 Costa Rica Costa Rica continue to impress, and they can add an away win in Trinidad & Tobago to their strange and fantastic trip through the qualifiers. Now they sit atop the Hexagonal, on 12 points halfway through the final round. Alvaro Saborío has been the best striker in the final round, consistent threat to backline. Click to continue reading...

Southend's Fringe Festival kicks off on Saturday with a craft fair at Chalkwell Park. � It gets going from 10am. � The Fringe is "uncurated", which gives artists/groups the freedom to showcase their talents without being restricted. � Check out their full month's schedule right here.
And one of the borough's biggest exports, Get Cape, Wear Cape, Fly, is hosting a free outdoor concert in Southend High Street on Saturday. Click to continue reading...

After beating Liverpool 3-0 at Old Trafford, Steven Gerrard told the press that Wayne Rooney "destroyed" Liverpool, something that did not go down well with their fans.

Today Gerrard has been full of praise for our striker again, hoping that he will perform better for England this summer than he did against Barcelona a week ago.

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