Sacre bleu! And that's enough stereotypical French speak for now... In any case, it appears that today's pre-season friendly against the Montreal Impact was not quite as fruitful as their previous game against the LA Galaxy earlier this week when they won 4-1 against the former MLS Champs.
In any case, as with the previous game we don't have too much information to go on for this match since we weren't there to actually cover it.

FC Barcelona vs. Brazil in 1999 - The Full Match

The beginning of the week is never enjoyable, but let's lessen the dosage of suffering with a glorious find on Youtube. 1999 was FC Barcelona's centenary year and the whole season was quite the celebration of everything FC Barcelona.

In three short hours we face a stiff test. No, Bolton aren't that good. But for this is a test for Wenger and the boys.

We've lost three games in a row in the league for the first time since 2007. We should have drawn all three, and we could have won any of them. We're in 6th spot in the league, six points behind Chelsea and have a worse defensive record than West Brom.

Please note: Information from this report came from live Twitter accounts of the match from New England Revolution Staff Writer & Online Host Jeff Lemiux and PDL team FC Tucson.

The New England Revolution won its first preseason match, 2-1, against PDL expansion team FC Tucson in a modified 105 minute match on Saturday at Grande Sports World in Casa Grande, Ariz.

Arsenal vice-captain Thomas Vermaelen has returned to fitness in time for this evening's massive home fixture against Manchester United while there were also another two surprises in the Gunners' starting line-up against the reigning champions.

The 18-year old summer signing Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain makes a memorable debut while Tomas Rosicky also starts over Andrei Arshavin and Yossi Benayoun, who have previously been preferred to him this season.

Its on again, the clash of the Football Titans, this time the 1º leg of the SPANISH CUP ( Copa del Rey ). At 22.00 hrs (10.00pm) Spanish local time REAL MADRID plays FC BARCELONA at the "Santiago Bernabeu" Stadium. Although the "atmosphere" is less tense than previous ocassion it is certainly the talk of the town & of the Football World.

3pm ET, not live on TV anywhere in the world. The whole world, apparently. So there probably won't be streams and there probably won't be an OYB match review either. Yes, this sucks. I'm sorry.
Last four head-to-head:
3-0 Liverpool (a) 01.15.94
2-1 Liverpool (h) 10.16.93
2-3 Oldham (a) 05.

Football on New Years Eve!? Do the FA not give any thought to the bloggers having to write match reports?

Anyhow, QPR were the latest visitors to the Emirates during this crazy Christmas period. With Liverpool already picking up 3 points a day earlier against Newcastle, and with United, Chelsea and Spurs all expected to win against relegation fodder (see what I done!

Cardiff City are enjoying a good start to the 2011-12 season, and whilst the priority for all clubs in the Championship will always be to make it to the Holy Land of the Premiership, this season a rare opportunity has opened up for Malky Mackay's side.
Having defeated Blackburn Rovers in the quarter-finals of the Carling Cup, they now find themselves just two games away from an appearance at Wembley in what would be their second run-out at the famous stadium in the last four years – not a bad record for a side that has been stranded outside the top tier of English football since 1962.

Luckily we're no Abe Simpson.

Mick McCarthy's Wolverhampton Wolves (or Wanderers, properly) visit the Emirates for the first of our trio of games over a six-day span. Wolves sit just above the relegation zone, one point ahead of Wigan. They have a pretty dreadful record on the road, having managed just one away win and six away goals in eight games.

Spain and Barcelona striker David Villa's season has come to a premature end after fracturing his Tibia in his side's 4-0 win over Al Saad in the FIFA World Club Championships yesterday.

The striker will now be out for 5 months and fears are starting to emerge in the Spanish national side as to whether the 30 year old will recover in time for the Euro 2012 tournament.

Barcelona has reportedly placed David Villa on the transfer list, sparking a scramble for his signature between Liverpool, Chelsea and Aston Villa.
The Spanish international, 30, has dropped down the pecking order at the Nou Camp this season, and more importantly, has allegedly fallen out with star player Lionel Messi.

Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola has dismissed Spanish media reports linking David Villa with a move away from the Nou Camp in the January transfer window.

Sports newspaper Marca claimed oin Wednesday that the striker is ready to move on from Barca just 19 months into the four-year deal agreed following his 40million euro transfer from Valencia.

David Villa will not be sold to Chelsea says Barcelona's Pep Guardiola

• Coach says report linking striker with transfer is 'a lie' • Liverpool and Aston Villa also linked with January bids The Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola has dismissed Spanish media reports linking David Villa with a move away from the club in the January transfer window.

The Redmen TV preview LFC v QPR

AFTER defeat at Fulham on Monday Liverpool welcome Queens Park Rangers back to Anfield on Saturday. The Redmen TV look ahead to that clash in this week's instalment of their hugely popular and unique preview show. This week they're joined by "Neil Warnock", courtesy of Soccer AM star Darren Farley, and if you look closely you'll find out why Neil Warnock is often called Colin.

Over the past few Premier League seasons there has been much debate about the growing number of foreign players in starting line-ups. Much of this has surrounded FIFA's proposed "6 + 5 rule" in which a team would have to ...
This is a content summary. Visit http://www.epltalk.com to read the entire article

Gimme a minute, I'm just shoveling coal into the Liveblog 3000. It's a bit clunky this morning (afternoon/evening for many of you). Nothing a cuppa won't fix, mind. *pauses, thinks...* Gimme a minute, I'm just shoveling tea into the Liveblog 3000.

If you haven't read it, then you should run, don't walk, to Darren's preview of this match.

THFC1882 present a writing debut from Twitters @Brettsayid reporting on yesterday's match:

West Bromwich Albion 1 (Mulumbu 10 ) Tottenham Hotspur 3 ( Adebayor 26 , 90, Defoe 81 )

Line ups : WBA Foster , Reid , Olsson, Mcauley , Shorey , Brunt , Mulumbu , Morrison , Thomas , Gera ( sub , Cox ) Long ( sub , odemwinge )

Spurs Friedel , Walker , Kaboul , King, BAE , Lennon , Sandro (sub, Livermore), Parker , Bale , Adebayor , Defoe .

Who's in your starting XI for England's first Euro 2012 game?

After two fielding two experimental line-ups in the friendlies against Spain and Sweden, Fabio Capello is hopefully further along to knowing the identities of his first XI for England's opening game of Euro 2012 next June.

Retribution? Probably not.

Improvement? Needed.

One overwhelming positive. Captain Carlos Bocanegra with his 100th cap as the United States tangles with Slovenia today.

Starting line-ups shortly.

Funny, still looks young...

Last Friday we witnessed the US National Team in a tepid display against France. If you missed it, count yourself lucky as it was rough to watch. Tomorrow the team will have a chance at redemption against Slovenia. We're likely to see much of the same though. Jurgen Klinsmann hasn't done much to reassure fans of anything in the past months string of friendlies.

For TSG's USA vs. France preview, go here.

The USA goes up against France today for the first time in international football in more than 30 years. That's amazing. The work of Jurgen Klinsmann...or?

Media coverage begins at 11:55 with the kickoff five minutes later.

For TSG's USA vs. France preview, go here.

Starting line-ups just a few hours away.

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THFC1882 present Ciaran Griggs guest report:

"When is a win not a win?"

So yet another Sunday afternoon Spurs fixture and yet another fixture that 12 months ago would have struck fear into the heart of any Spurs fan. This particular writer has been accused of being overly optimistic towards Spurs results and performances this season.

FC Sochaux-Montbéliard vs. Olympique Lyonnais,

Ligue 1 , Matchday 13.

It is time to pick up the pieces. Real Madrid redefined the words ‘Demolition Derby' for us these past few weeks. But more significantly, they've left Lyon on the verge of being knocked out from the Champions League after the group stages.

The scenario tonight is simple. If the Union lose or draw, they are eliminated. If the Union win by 1 goal, we will have extra time. If the Union win by 2 goals, they will advance to the Eastern Conference Final this Sunday at Kansas City. Eastern Conference Semifinal. Leg 2. Kickoff at Robertson Stadium is scheduled for 8:30 PM ET.

After yesterday's convincing win by Sporting Kansas City and nail biting victory on aggragate by Real Salt Lake there can be few still willing to argue that the playoffs do not produce compelling soccer. Today's games promise to be every bit as exciting as both away teams will need a victory to advance to the conference finals.

Game time.

Which team's got the best comeback chance? The injury-depleted Rapids or the home turf Sounders? Or neither.

Line-ups are in.

If you're answering if TSG choose this picture because of the goofy look on Sapong's face OR the fuzzy pose of a beaten Marvell Wynne in the background, the answer is.

Two years ago this time, the Philadelphia Union had never stepped on a soccer field before. Today, they are in the MLS Cup Playoffs against an opponent they have never lost to in four games. Of course, the teams are different now so past results at this stage mean very little, but Union fans have every right to be excited right now.

Is it just me, or is the quality of Liverpool's performance against West Brom being wildly exaggerated? Kenny Dalglish raved about his players after the game (obviously, to be expected) but I would argue that it was one of Liverpool's most underwhelming performances of the season.
In a post-match interview, Dalglish enthused:
"If we can play like that every week then some day we're going to put them all in, and It's going to be rather painful for someone.

I can't quite recall but somewhere on the internet there was this discussion about the game that mentioned the possibility of Arsenal winning by outscoring Chelsea. Did you also read it?

What a game! Amazing. That's how football should be. Both teams started with a very positive intent and carried on in exactly the same manner for the duration of the game irrespective of the scoreline changes.

In "the other wild card" game, two offensive lineman type soccer clubs come together, again.

Reigning champs Colorado have swept the flakes off their pitch to host Abercrombie FC, the Crew(necks.)

Kimura (left), if you didn't know, is Japanese....ironically...

First, some odds:

• 25 to 1: Will Hesmer scores or gets an assist

• 30 to 1: Marvell Wynne, own goal.

Match Review: Stoke 1 Liverpool 2

Liverpool moved into the quarter finals of the Carling Cup last night with a come-from-behind victory over Stoke, which owed much to the brilliance of Luis Suárez. The Uruguayan scored two second half goals to ensure that his side got the victory that their play deserved, unlike when they visited the Britannia in Premier League action and were sent away with only a defeat to remember.

The 2011 MLS Playoffs kickoff at 9 pm tonight on Fox Soccer Channel, as the New York Red Bulls head to Texas to take on recently slumping FC Dallas in the first Wild Card round game of the playoffs.

The winner affects the Philadelphia Union's start time on Sunday afternoon, along with the playoff match ups after the Wild Card round.

Game Time!

It's come down to this for the New York Red Bulls. No cushy, concrete confines of Red Bull Arena.

On the road, in Frisco, in the rain.

Hans Backe's team is typically winners there in their last 4 (3 wins), but Dallas was missing some hands on deck.

Dallas will try to shake the slump and as we learned in today's column by Jeff Carlisle "momentum" going into the playoffs means little.

When I saw the starting line-ups, my initial reaction was that this was going to be a very tough game that will demand a special performance from the Gunners if they were to qualify. After the final whistle, I doubt anyone will argue that it wasn't an exceptional effort from an interesting collection of young and experienced footballers in red and white.

I think we all know what is on the line tonight for the Philadelphia Union (11-7-5) as they play their last game of the season, on the road at New York Red Bulls (9-8-16). In addition to what the Union are playing for, the New York Red Bulls need a victory tonight to ensure a playoff spot. A draw or loss, and nothing is guaranteed.

Arsenal travel to the Stade Velodrome tonight in a champions league clash against Group F leaders Marseille. The Gunners go into this match knowing that anything less than a win could seriously hamper their chances of moving onto the next stage.

However things do not look too good for Arsenal as number of their key players are major doubts for the fixture.

Champions League action resumes tomorrow with some very interesting fixtures. Real Madrid host Lyon at the Bernabeu while Napoli travel to Munich to face in form Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich.

However, the match that could prove decisive in Group A will be between EPL leaders Manchester City and Spanish side Villarreal.

After a very impressive win on the road at Seattle, the Philadelphia Union (11-7-14) will play their last home game of the season against the almost always struggling Toronto FC (6-13-13). With a win or a draw today, the Union would clinch a playoff spot. Should the Union lose, then a New York Red Bulls loss to Sporting Kansas City would also clinch a playoff spot for the Union.