Well, the home stretch of the 2012 season is upon us. With Seattle's victory on Saturday over
Chivas, San Jose is officially the first team to clinch a spot in the playoffs. The rest of the
teams have roughly seven matches to make their case.
The top five of the Western Conference has been very stable in its composition all year, with
four out of the five teams having solidified their place as early as April.
As anyone involved in the construction business will tell you, foundation-building can be a
frustrating thing. It's unglamorous, sometimes only distantly resembling the glittering structure
you're ultimately trying to construct, and even if you follow all the plans, you frequently don't
know exactly how good you did until it's far too late.
Pimping the players? Its money to Stan the Man and the Arsenal septuagenarians
Is Arsenal breeding a particular type of player mercenary? Those without any loyalty to the
club, constantly on the lookout for the big payoff from the next big club? It's so easy to trash
them when it appears so black and white.
This season has been a complete failure and if you think otherwise then you're just unambitious! by
Adam Kemp I can hear the accolades now as the once almighty Arsenal scrape third place by victory
over West Brom. To even dare to consider this an achievement reflects on how far this clubs
reputation has diminished [.
By J Hutcherson - WASHINGTON, DC (Aug 27, 2012) US Soccer Players – Call it the pull towards
mediocrity. Major League Soccer's odd version of parity is once again calling good teams into
question while making sure there's no gap at the top of the table. With the top three even on games
played, there's five points between first and third.
Toronto FC have announced that yet another coach will be departing from the head coach position.
Aron Winter joins five predecessors in leaving the position under less than successful
circumstances. TFC has only one win in 10 league matches in 2012.
In the US, people point to "culture" as our fundamental impediment to excellence.
And the arguments come in many flavors. But what they say essentially boils down to one
theme:
Numbers
We don't have the numbers, they say.
Numbers in terms of audience
Numbers in terms of consumers
Numbers in terms of money
Numbers in terms of "best athletes" (whatever that means)
Numbers in terms of how many years MLS (or any infrastructure) has been around
They argue that if we did have the numbers (always sold out stadiums, NFL level TV
audiences, MLB level player salaries, a 70 year old league instead of 19, etc .
When the New England Revolution traded away long-time fan-favorite Shalrie Joseph, they lost
something far more important than any stat could ever indicate: a captain. With the club mired in
mediocrity, and a fan base calling for blood on multiple levels, the time is now for a man to step
up and lead this club into the future.
After every match this season, the staff here at The Bent Musket will be putting together player
ratings. Ratings are on a 1-10 scale, with 5 representing a thoroughly average performance, and 6 a
decent/capable showing. The final ratings will be averages of individual ratings from Steve Stoehr,
Matty Jollie, and Abram Chamberlain.
I haven't written much over the past 2-3 weeks or so as being an English ex-pat living in the
USA, my emotions have been completely caught up in that wonderful spectacle back home called the
London Olympics. Day after day of supreme effort from British athletes has energized a nation and
apparently cauterized the acid memories of ignominious performances from the England football team
in successive international tournaments.
I haven't written much over the past 2-3 weeks or so as being an English ex-pat living in the
USA, my emotions have been completely caught up in that wonderful spectacle back home called the
London Olympics. Day after day of supreme effort from British athletes has energized a nation and
apparently cauterized the acid memories of ignominious performances from the England football team
in successive international tournaments.
Anything the Team GB women's team can do, the men can do too, if with a good deal less style.
After his side's 1-0 win over Uruguay yesterday, the Hope Powell of men's football, Stuart Pearce,
declared that they had played some "outstanding football" to clinch a quarter-final place. Pearce's
eyesight must be a good deal better than mine, but however hard it was to watch as a football
match, Britain's win – of both match and group – was worthy and deserved.
England last night received yet another crushing blow to their hopes of winning the European
Championships. At a hastily arranged Wembley press conference, the Three Lions issued a
joint-statement revealing that their position on the England badge was becoming 'increasingly
untenable'. The three mournful looking mammals – who are kept behind titanium reinforced cages in
the [.
Over the past couple of seasons, I doubt that there has been a harsher critic of the England
football team than myself. I have gone from a flag-waving, forget the scoreline, fanatical
supporter to one who has grown tired of the mediocrity and feeble apologies and explanations from
players and coaches.
Once the announcement had been made, they acted with admirable speed. It took just two days from
an announcement appearing on the Football Association's website on Sunday afternoon for an
interview to be held and, this afternoon, a press conference to follow confirming that Roy Hodgson
is the new manager of the England national football team.
Blackburn Rovers boss Steve Kean is facing a big dilemma, with rumours that Junior Hoilett may
be heading to the Bundesliga this summer rather than staying in England.
Hoilett, who scored seven goals in 37 appearances last season, is a product of the Blackburn
academy, but failed to help the club survive relegation during last term's torrid Premier League
campaign.
Fitting that, on the final day of a frustrating season, the best thing to happen to Liverpool
didn't actually have anything to do with Liverpool. Manchester City stole the title from Manchester
United with two goals in injury time, and that's about all that Liverpool supporters are left to
celebrate.
If we retain the precious third spot after next weekend, will we, as fans, really be
celebrating?
I don't mean celebrating as if we won a cup, or the league. But will we really feel satisfaction
or accomplishment? I know, that with about eight weeks left, looking at the run in for ourselves,
Spurs, Newcastle and Chelsea, it was exciting.
If we retain the precious third spot after next weekend, will we, as fans, really be
celebrating?
I don't mean celebrating as if we won a cup, or the league. But will we really feel satisfaction
or accomplishment? I know, that with about eight weeks left, looking at the run in for ourselves,
Spurs, Newcastle and Chelsea, it was exciting.
And so it goes, as per the schedule, that we are to do battle once more with Liverpool. In
fairness, I could do without this routine of exercises, particularly after our weekend triumph. But
the schedule is what it is, and we have a trip to Anfield on the books. So lets make the most of
this then, and at rub some additional salt in those wounds.
Here's a fun fact about being 0-0-9 AND national champions at the same time : you start to expect
things.
The mighty Robins looked really good against Vancouver mid-week and their persistence / luck paid
off (finally). So as an opportunity to build momentum, the scheduling gods predicted both TFC's
pending mediocrity and corner-turning momentum to hand us a date with one of the second-worst teams
in the league in Philadelphia.
By signing Eden Hazard, Roman Abramovich has shown his club's desire not to be left trailing
rivals Manchester United and Manchester City next season.
It shows intent and a money-backed desire to regenerate their ageing squad over the summer, a
squad which was creaking at the knees despite FA Cup and Champions League success.
Dietmar Hamann has warned Liverpool's owners to get things right this summer, or face a decade away
from the Champions League.
Liverpool endured a dreadful league campaign under Kenny Dalglish, finishing eighth behind
neighbours Everton. The Reds' 2011-12 performance represents their worst finish for nearly 20
years.
Just open this link in a new tab and let it run in the background.
Here we are on the cusp of greatness. Generations will ask, where were you when JFK was shot? Where
were you when the twin towers fell? Where were you when TFC set the benchmark for mediocrity? And
my answers are (a) wasn't born yet, (b) waking up about to head to work, (c) in the same seat I
always experience my mediocrity, halfway up 113.
Two teams dealing with the disappointment of having failed seasons in the Premiership will have
the opportunity to salvage their underwhelming campaigns, as Chelsea and Liverpool battle for the
FA Cup on Saturday.
The FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium (12pm, Fox Soccer Channel) will pit two sides looking to
put their rabid fans at ease by winning some silverware after, by their standards, below-average
seasons.
The final game. After this there's nothing left for the Portland Timbers, at least in terms of on-the-field glory. So it's with that in mind that I really hope the Timbers are able to eek out a win. Sure, it wouldn't amount to anything, but it's always best to go out on a high note rather than a low.
The last day of the 2nd round of group stage games, with Group D in action today. Yesterday's
Group C matches were a contrast a tight match between Italy and Croatia that ended in a 1-1 draw,
followed by a blowout 4-0 win for Spain, eliminating Ireland.
On to today: France travels to far eastern Ukraine to take on the co-hosts (can Ukraine build on
King Sheva's fairytale first game, and continue his quixotic quest to the Kyiv final?
Liverpool's increasingly frantic search for a new Manager have them focussed on André
Viias-Boas.
According to many reports in the media this weekend, FSG have zoned in on AVB as their choice to
succeed King Kenny at Anfield.
On his arrival yesterday at the Portuguese Cup Final between Academica and Sporting, the
34-year-old said: "I'm still choosing the right project and that decision will take the necessary
time.
