Joe Hart believes that Manchester United will once again be the toughest contenders for his
Manchester City side's Premier League crown.
Hart and City won the 2011-12 title dramatically on goal difference but the England goalkeeper
admits that the famous triumph was too nerve-wrecking.
While the 25-year old is ready to fight for a successful title defense, he is aware that City
will be once again be challenged seriously by their bitter cross-town rivals.
On Sunday, MLS announced the first 11 players that will compile the MLS All-Stars roster for the
midsummer showcase against Chelsea.
The most notable selection of the 11 being LA Galaxy ace Landon Donovan, who will be making a
record-breaking 12th consecutive All-Star Game appearance.
Galaxy teammate David Beckham will join Donovan, along with Thierry Henry, Dwayne De Rosario,
and Chris Wondolowski, to name a few.
"Shay will go back between the sticks and we explained to Brad that our No. 1 goalkeeper is
Shay. Brad didn't necessarily agree but Shay is my first-choice goalkeeper. Football is cruel at
times, although Brad's been magnificent. It's the first time I've had a chance to see him in
high-profile games and I've been really delighted.
Ranked joint-bottom of FIFA's world rankings (204th), with a score of zero points to their name,
American Samoa went in to a World Cup Qualifying clash against Tonga (ranked 202nd) as underdogs.
However, defensive player Johnny 'Jayieh' Saelua, making his debut, would help make history forÂ
the most minnowy of all minnows for two reasons.
Ranked joint-bottom of FIFA's world rankings (204th), with a score of zero points to their name,
American Samoa went in to a World Cup Qualifying clash against Tonga (ranked 202nd) as underdogs.
However, defensive player Johnny 'Jayieh' Saelua, making his debut, would help make history forÂ
the most minnowy of all minnows for two reasons.
Over the last few years, since the takeover of the club, Manchester City fans have had to endure
taunts of 'lacking class and history.' The second taunt is beyond laughable, especially as it
generally came from Spurs fans, who support a club that has won precisely the same number of league
titles as City two.
Sergio Aguero has quashed talk of a mega move to the Premier League by committing his future
with Atletico Madrid by signing a new two year contract extension. However, is this just a ploy by
President Enrique Cerezo to keep the club's supporters content?
When a player signs a new contract you instantly assume that they are committing their future to
the football club and therefore will resist any temptation to move on if an opportunity occurs.
After Mark Hughes' Manchester City side produced a 3-0 victory Arsene Wenger's Arsenal in the
Carling Cup quarter-finals last night, Hughes was found looking unsuccessfully for his counterpart
Wenger before the traditional post-match shake of hands. Wenger of course is no stranger to
controversy and rarely retreats in his opinions or criticisms, and he can be described slightly
ungracious loser at times.
One thing that has never been in question about Jermaine Defoe is his undoubted ability. Since
West Ham United nicked him off of Charlton Athletic as a 15 year old, Defoe has scored goals. Be it
for AFC Bournemouth on loan, West Ham United, Portsmouth, both spells at Tottenham and England,
Defoe scored.
Bayern Munich skipper Philipp Lahm has admitted that Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo
cannot be stopped for the duration of an entire 90-minute match and hopes that his teammates can at
least limit the damage that the Portuguese winger can cause.
Unlike Barcelona defender Dani Alves' disrespectful remarks towards Chelsea, there has been a
lot of mutual respect exchanged between Real and Bayern players in the last 48 hours.
BERLIN- Munich — Bayern Munich winger Arjen Robben explained on Sunday the reason why he grabbed
team-mate Thomas Mueller by the throat during a Bundesliga game as the pressure mounts on the
defending champions. Bayern are up to third in the German league after Saturday's 3-1 away win at
Werder Bremen, but are still 14 [.
CARSON, Calif. -- Standing atop the winner's podium following MLS Cup is nothing new for Los
Angeles Galaxy coach Bruce Arena and Houston Dynamo coach Dom Kinnear. Whichever one gets the
opportunity to do that again following Sunday's final, though, will make history in the process
while further etching his name in U.
Tonight our defense is once again put to the test as they face one of the quickest producing
newcomers to MLS, Charlie Davies. The boys also put up their undefeated streak of five games,
looking to extend it to six. There will be a gamethread going up about an hour before the match is
slated to begin, and I will do my best to make sure it's updated with the score and action as it
happens (thank you MDL).
Recently, Playtherapy (in between his rounds of Football Manager 2010) and I have been having a
conversation on the state of the league and the future. Here is that conversation, which hopefully
can bring some more comments and additions from everyone else. The conversation began with
Playtherapy talking about the fantasy financial restrictions in Football Manager and bringing up
the larger topic.
CARSON, Calif. -- His career already full of accomplishments, Dwayne De Rosario was nevertheless
humble in accepting his 2011 MLS Most Valuable Player trophy Friday afternoon at the Home Depot
Center.
Playing for three different teams in one season clearly had an effect on his perspective.
The Wizards finish their 3 games in 8 days East Coast road trip tomorrow in New York where they
take on the Red Bulls. Over the course of this season, the Red Bulls have been the worst team in
the league, for a long time flirting with being the worst ever. Since Juan Carlos Osorio resigned
though, the Red Bulls are 2-0 under Richie Williams (aka ABMOD).
The obvious mutual respect between Glasgow Rangers manager Walter Smith and Sir Alex Ferguson has
existed for many years and will remain strong irrespective of what happens at Ibrox on
Wednesday...
Welcome to TGIF, and this week there are some milestones to celebrate, the odd champagne cork to
pop, and also a growing realisation that eventually this team will deliver no matter how ugly the
play may look. In this special week of all weeks at Arsenal Football Club, let us take the time to
acknowledge Arsene Wenger's achievements and enjoy a degree of unity without bad mouthing the
Frenchman.
World Cups always throw up images that get ingrained into the history of football. Whether it be
Pele and Bobby Moore swapping shirts, Marco Tardelli's manic celebration, or Paul Gascogine
blubbering, each edition of the tournament provides iconic moments that will be forever remembered
and for the most part cherished.
With J Hutcherson -- If only for a couple of afternoons the Champions League could take it's queues
from pro wrestling. Then the Beckham - Manchester United grudge match could receive the proper
booking. Trade a few 'mutual respect' comments, then get down to the tough business of putting over
this Round of 16 series as the best thing going in World soccer.
After spending the past few days with "green and gold", "Red Knights" and "Glazers out" making
the headlines, then seeing MUST's campaign to get the supporters' backing for the RKs, I got in
touch with Duncan Drasdo to ask him what was going on.
I showed him the Are You United? article on RoM and pointed out some of the more
pressing questions and criticisms.
Xabi Alonso bade Liverpool a fond farewell after completing his move to Real Madrid last night –
admitting it will be "really difficult" for the Bernabeu fans to match his reception at
Anfield.
Alonso was presented as a Real player last night after signing a five-year contract after Madrid
finally met Liverpool's valuation of around £30million.
It doesn't take much to realize the importance of this weekend's ECNL matches between Michigan
Hawks and Eclipse Select.
At the U18 level, it's a battle between the first-place Hawks and the second-place Eclipse. For the
U17s, it's last year's US Youth Soccer Region II Champion against last year's best ECNL record.
The international break provides a welcome opportunity to reflect on club football without the
inevitable distractions of results and the transfer market. Â These two factors would be of
paramount importance to most clubs but Liverpool have one more pressing concern to add, one that
Fenway Sports Group have been carefully considering for some time.
Both are builders and both are dreamers, although Ken Lolla might lean more toward the former
and Caleb Porter more toward the latter.
Marla Ridenour of the Beacon Journal writes of the two giants in the college soccer game, and their
ties through Akron University.
The goal that consumes them feels especially tangible today as the two coaches begin pursuit of
their schools' first NCAA Division I men's soccer championship.
Reporter Phil Collin chatted with Chivas USA players ahead of Sunday's game (5 p.m. ESPN2) that
for them is the biggest of their forgettable season.
Incidentally, there's more than one derby taking place this weekend at Home Depot Center.
From the Chivas USA press release:
As fans of both Chivas and the Galaxy prepare to cheer on their teams on Sunday, a pair
of supporters groups will take the rivalry to the next level as the Union Ultras (Chivas USA fans)
take on the Angel City Brigade (Galaxy fans) in a friendly match on Saturday night.
Yet while the latest England squad was announced with breath of stale air (Shaun. Wright.
Phillips.) the French are doing a rather better job of starting over. They have their first home
game since the World Cup in Paris tomorrow night, against Belarus, and it is being approached with
a sense of optimism.
It's a friendship unique in world football which has blossomed over four decades.
When Liverpool and Borussia Moenchengladbach met five times during the 1970s the stakes were high
and it was the Reds who took the spoils.
In 1973 they edged out the Germans 3-2 on aggregate in the final of the UEFA Cup and then four
years later the European Cup was secured for the first time as Gladbach were beaten 3-1 on a
memorable night in Rome.
Brazil won 1-0 with a great goal from Jairzinho, but the game also featured the Gordon Banks
save and the Bobby Moore tackle (click that link for video of those moments from a very England
biased perspective).
