By Gareth McKnight
As Blackburn Rovers languish towards the bottom of the Premier League, manager Steve Kean
continues to be backed by the club's Indian owners: The Venkys Group. Despite the current trend in
the game of sacking underperforming managers prematurely, fan protests outside Ewood Park and the
total inexperience of Scottish coach Steve Kean at this level, Kean still remains on the Lancashire
side's bench.
Photo: Nicolae Stoian
Editor's note: At the end of the 2010 season, we posted a series of season reviews of every
Philadelphia Union player. Over the next several weeks PSP continues with a review of the 2011
season.
Gabriel Farfan was the "get one (almost) free" part that came after "buy one," and he turned out
to be quite a steal for Philadelphia Union.
Anyone taking a bet at the start of the season would not have been able to predict how this
would all end up. Manchester City and Manchester United kissed goodbye to the Champions League this
season, and there were few mitigating factors that they could cite as a defence. Manchester United
can point to their injury list and Manchester City can invoke their inexperience, but ultimately
both clubs have resources that dwarf almost all others in Europe.
Manchester City secured a place in the semi-finals of the Carling Cup as Sergio Aguero
punished Arsenal on the break to give Roberto Mancini's side a 1-0 win at Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal, protecting an unbeaten home record against City that stretched for 36 years and
encompassed 28 games, were the superior side in a contest between two much-changed teams, but after
being denied by some superb goalkeeping from Costel Pantilimon were undone by a ruthless finish
from Aguero after 83 minutes.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger admitted that experienced players brought something that was missing,
in the Arsenal dressing room. Heavily criticised for signing inexperience over the last few years,
the Frenchman opted to finally change his mentally ...
Being one of Arsenal's late arrivals this summer, Korean, Park Chu-Young is pretty much the only
player who haven't feature in the premier league as just yet, the ex- Monaco player seems close in
getting that experience after impressing Arsene Wenger on Tuesday.
Playing in the Carling Cup against Bolton Wanderers, Chu Young not only managed to score the
Gunners' winning goal but also looked very lively and linking up well with his teammates.
Would anyone be shocked to find that Carlos Tevez is being paid £500,000 a week, twice his
normal take-home, to create this he did-he didn't substitution controversy just for fun?
Manchester City is quickly becoming has become? the most engrossing team in the Premier League.
They have everything.
English teams found similar joy this midweek in the Champions League, something that
surprisingly didn't happened yet since the start of the competition as all of them haven't really
get perfect results in their group.
However on match day three of the competition, the likes of Man United, Man City, Chelsea and
Arsenal, picked up three points, despite most of them were having difficulties in achieving it.
By KEITH HICKEY
With their franchise's MLS playoff debut approaching, members of the Philadelphia Union are
getting ready what will be, for most of them, their first taste of the MLS postseason.
Of the 27 players on the Union's roster, 15 are 23 years old or younger.
For the six months, the NASL marveled at FC Edmonton's discipline, maturity and ability to grind
out results.
Well so much for that.
The expansion side showed their youth and inexperience in a 5-0 loss to the Fort Lauderdale
Strikers during the quarterfinals of the NASL playoffs.
Every Barca fan will be approaching this game in most probability with a very much confused
head. The confusion comes from the kind of oscillating results we had since the start of the
season. Already there have been two away matches and same number of home matches. FC Barcelona has
amazed a mind blowing 13 goals in the home matches.
Big welcome sight for all Liverpool fans last night against Brighton in the Carling Cup was the
appearance of Steven Gerrard for the last 15 minutes. The Liverpool skipper has endured the
longest lay-off of his career, stretching six months and covering 17 matches, after surgery on a
niggling groin problem that had previously restricted him to just 482 minutes under Dalglish.
Big welcome sight for all Liverpool fans last night against Brighton in the Carling Cup was the
appearance of Steven Gerrard for the last 15 minutes. The Liverpool skipper has endured the
longest lay-off of his career, stretching six months and covering 17 matches, after surgery on a
niggling groin problem that had previously restricted him to just 482 minutes under Dalglish.
Liverpool will need to warn off the interest of Inter Milan if they wish to complete the signing of
Jan Vertonghan, according to talkSPORT.
The 24-year-old was heavily linked with a move to Arsenal earlier this summer in their search for a
centre back.
However, Liverpool are now seemingly the front runners, but they are under pressure from Italian
giants Inter Milan.
When it was first announced, not many would have thought an Arsenal V Shrewsbury tie in the
third round of the Carling Cup will take on such significance. I shudder at the thought of
elimination but given the recent form, and with the team finding new ways of gifting goals, it's
not too hard to imagine.
A trip to a usually hostile Reebok Stadium probably isn't the ideal way to return from and
international break, one which United headed into with great momentum, having put 8 past an abysmal
Arsenal side and 3 past Spurs.
From the side that did so well last season, Bolton missed Elmander, Sturridge, Steinsson,
Holden, Muamba and Lee, bringing in City loanee Boyata as an uncomfortable right back,
Klasnic/Tuncay/N'Gog as poor replacements for Elmander and Sturridge, both of whom left Bolton
without a penny coming in, and Eagles, Reo Coker and Mark Davies filling in for injured or unfit
players in the midfield.
After everything, the transfer deadline day, the ups and downs of that, the Interlull and more,
it seems like ages since that game at Old Trafford.
I get the feeling that even though we qualified for the Champions League August 2011 is not a
month that many Arsenal fans will care to look back on, and if they do, it won't be with a great
deal of fondness.
Editor's Note: We continue a great new feature on the Free Beer Movement site. In
collaboration with the quality soccer site, "The Other 87 Minutes" we present the "Tuesday XI" (and
sometimes the "Tuesday Ten") a thoughtful list on a variety of topics in the world of soccer.
"We won the League ..... In Manchester"
We won the League at Old Trafford etc....... "
Seems like a long time ago since Mr Wiltord ensured another title for the men in the white hats.
It would be reasonable to say that whilst United have consolidated and strengthened, we have taken
a step back.
As the transfer windows edges closer to the end so does a conclusion to the Gary Cahill transfer
saga. Arsenal have been linked with a move for Bolton's strong solid leader Gary Cahill all summer,
and with only one season remaining before leaving on a free it looks like wenger is about to pay up
and get his man for a reported £16.
Photo: Marc Piscotty,
Getty Images
By JOSE M. ROMERO
Chance after chance, run after run, the Colorado Rapids thwarted Real España of Honduras
Tuesday night in San Pedro Sula, Honduras.
New season, same old story. Good possession and passing wasted because there's nothing going on
up front. Unprotected defenders stretched out of shape, eventually reaching breaking point.
Free-kick routines that would be laughed off the pitch at an under 10s tournament. After coming
back into the match before and just after half-time, by the end it's relief that it wasn't
more.
United 3-0 Tottenham: Analysis and Observations
It is still early days but the manner in which Manchester United conducted themselves in their
first home game was most encouraging. And such a result against a team thought to be the ‘dark
horses' of the Premier League this season gives all the more reasons to be optimistic.
Professional performance from Nasri
One point from the first two games of the season can probably be labelled as something that is
not good enough. But it is because of it being the 2 games of the season, it is hardly justified to
go all mental over the results. Of course I want us to win all games and to have 6 points now but 1
point does not mean that we will not win the league title or finish outside of the champions league
positions or be relegated.
Video highlights and reaction
I know the mood is not great this morning and there's much to discuss but I'm going to start
this morning with the positives from yesterday. As I saw them at least.
Thomas Vermaelen magnificent. As fine a centre-half performance as you'll see
all season.
Raul Meirelles was one of Liverpool's most consistent and effective players last season, and
despite the miniscule playing time he's been granted so far this season, the Portuguese has
continued to perform well. With that in mind, why exactly does he need to be sold?!
Against Arsenal today, Meirelles had more impact in 19 minutes than Jordan Henderson did in the
entire game.
Doom and gloom is pretty much apparent on this early part of Arsenal's season as the trouble
outside of the pitch looking to follow them also in the field as the Gunners slipped into a 2-0
defeat against Liverpool this Saturday, August 20.
Own goal from Aaron Ramsey and Luis Suarez in the second half simply closed off Arsene Wenger's
side awful day as they also lost several players as well, Laurent Koscielny went off due to injury
while Emannuel Frimpong saw red midway in the second half.
It was inevitable.
A lot of heart shown by all the players, the crowd – fair play to most of them – rose to the
occasion, young guns despite their obvious inexperience performed admirably, those in a limbo
showed their professionalism, but in the end it all came to nought.
Another once-in-a-lifetime freak goal conceded by Arsenal gave Liverpool the edge in the final
quarter-hour of the game when it looked like the ten men might just hold on.
Video and such
Right, let us start with the positives. A win! And a clean sheet!
The goal came in the 4th minute, Aaron Ramsey got free down the right, his cross had quality and
precision and Theo's finish at the near post was excellent. Just the start we needed to settle
everyone down.
Here we are; first home game of the new season and the second of the five massive fixtures this
month.
The start wasn't as good as one would have liked but it wasn't as bad as many had feared either.
Things could be a lot worse than a hard fought draw in the opening game away from home which
included a strong defensive performance.
It wasn't a secret last season that we had issues with our defence. We were crying out for
Wenger to buy this summer to strengthen the back four, but when Clichy left for Manchester City,
the need seemed to be more important than ever.
Kieran Gibbs made just 20 appearances last season as Clichy was always preferred.
It wasn't a secret last season that we had issues with our defence. We were crying out for
Wenger to buy this summer to strengthen the back four, but when Clichy left for Manchester City,
the need seemed to be more important than ever.
Kieran Gibbs made just 20 appearances last season as Clichy was always preferred.
It wasn't a secret last season that we had issues with our defence. We were crying out for
Wenger to buy this summer to strengthen the back four, but when Clichy left for Manchester City,
the need seemed to be more important than ever.
Kieran Gibbs made just 20 appearances last season as Clichy was always preferred.
Denilson's finally moved on. I believe all concerned will be happy with that. Those fans who
supported the Brazilian will appreciate a fresh lease of life for him. Others who couldn't stand
him must be delighted he's gone. For Arsenal this opens up a slot in midfield and saves on some
wages. For Denilson it is a chance to get his confidence back and an opportunity to work his way
into the Brazilian national side.
We exchange three questions with Alicia Ratterree of The Goat Parade in order to get some
insider perspective on Chivas USA as the Chicago Fire head to the Home Depot Center to take on the
goats at 9:00 PM CST. Alicia's answer to my first question is below and the other five questions in
the exchange are after the break.
"Pressure? This is just a football match," says the great Paraguayan goalkeeper José Luis
Chilavert. "When you do not know how to feed your children, that is pressure." And so when David
De Gea, Manchester United's latest addition, puts on his new shirt for the very first time in a
competitive game, he can use this rather-odd advice from a player many young keepers, maybe even
himself, aspire to be like.
Editors's Note: The US Women are on the ground in Germany, but how will their back
four fare on the pitch?
TSG guest columnist Maura Gladys takes a look. Offer her some feedback.
Christie Rampone, has nearly all the "Been there, done that" of the back four.
Not the way Bob Bradley and company planned it arriving at the third group stage game in Gold
Cup 2011.
The setting for what is a more important game than what was hoped...
With now three games in eight days, this was to be a chance for the key US regulars to get a
respite before the knockout rounds of the tournament.
A slow start once again came back to haunt the US as they lost to Panama 2-1 in the Gold Cup
last night. Just as in the World Cup last summer, the U.S. fell behind in the first half, made a
big recovery in the second half, but were not quite able to get back on levels terms. Bob Bradley
has to fix this problem now.
