In the second preseason game of the season, KC once again took care of business, this time against their First Kick opponent DC United. What would be assumed to be the first team started the game again for Kansas City. It was the same lineup as KC put out against San Jose last weekend, with one exception.

While the FM database let me down a bit with United's new Brazilian trialist, Alfredo, it appears to have a more fully-realized take on another forward trialist: youth US Nat Stefan Jerome. Though not all of his stats are defined in the database, most are, and that's enough to provide us a reasonable picture of where he's at now.

Colorado faced Chivas USA in a scrimmage at the HDC today. A late Qunicy Amarikwa goal from a Steven Emory assist gave the burgundy boys a 1-0 win. Of course its preseason so its meaningless but wins are always better than losses. The starting XI (trialists makred with a *):
Angulo* - Cummings - MullanLarentowicz - Castrillon - MastroeniZapata* - Marshall - Wynne - KimuraPickens
After subs the team finished with the the following lineup:
Cascio - Amarikwa - AkpanThompson - LaBauex - EmoryFreeman - Palguta - Guido* - AbabioJoyce
Guido is a local player playing with the team while they're in California.

Still no left back, but the slight defensive midfield depth issue has been addressed with the signing of Brazilian journeyman Marcelo Saragosa. Given that Kitchen will surely miss time for Olympic qualifiers (and the big show in London if we qualify) and isn't exactly a sure thing as he steps into his first year in the role for which he's being groomed, depth was a concern.

The Rapids played their first friendly of the preseason today against the Ventura County Fusion at Oxnard College in California. The game was a scoreless draw and with no coverage its hard to draw much of anything from the result, but here are the starting lineups for each half (* denotes trialist):
1st Half:
Cascio - Amarikwa - AkpanThompson - Nane - LaBauexFreeman - Marshall - Palguta - Zapata*Ceus
2nd Half:
Angulo* - Archer* - ArmstrongThompson - Nane - Guido*Huazo* - Marshall - Palguta - AbabioJoyce
Obviously this was a game for some of the reserves to try to make their mark in competing for a starting spot.

Sporting KC got their first preseason game under their belts today when they took on the San Jose Earthquakes today down in Arizona. The two teams started the game with what would likely be considered their first team lineup. Both teams got things started quickly in the game. The Quakes grabbed the lead inside the first 5 minutes, as Chris Wondolowski finished off a cross from Marvin Chavez.

Could this Kiwi have clipped United's Canuck quotient?

Between trips to sunnier climes, United did a little trialist-pruning, releasing journeyman veterans Zayner and Svard along with the Suppie pickup Charles Rodriguez (conveniently just after the last Roster Reset...sigh). Kasper promises more trialists for the Arizona jaunt, but what I really want to see are (a) game time for Salihi against the MLS opposition on offer there and (b) a left back, any left back.

Does this man have your goals?

So are they done?

United ticked one of the two big "need" boxes by acquiring Albanian international striker Hamdi Salihi as a designated player (wait, I thought Uncle Will wasn't going to splash the cash?). Given his impressive rate of return wherever he's played, he certainly seems to fit the poacher's bill, though he also has decent size.

Today was Sporting KC's last training session in Kansas City before heading off to Arizona for a few weeks. A fairly light session for the most part, that involved two teams scrimmaging, and a third team working off to the side.
First game:
Orange team - Nielsen, Collin, Olum, Harrington, Warzycha, Thomas, Aiyegbusi, Dwyer, Kamara
Blue team - Kronberg, Myers, Cesar, Besler, Sinovic, Sassano, Joseph, Convey, Saad
Neutral - Zavagnin
Only one goal in this one, a Joseph Peterson and Luke Sassano worked a very nice 1-2 together finishing with Joseph flicking the ball past Nielsen and into the net.

Not a striker.

The fight is on for roster spots as half of last Reset's trialists are gone and new faces arrive for the Florida camp. I'm still not seeing the potential for significant improvement in the weakest areas (finisher, left back), but at least we're no longer stuck in stasis-land and the depth issues look like being addressed.

Missile Swap: Out with the Clydewinder, in with the Cruz?

Don't look now, but the glacial pace of United's roster assembly is starting to pick up. Hot on the heels of the Maicon Santos acquisition comes the signing of former Dynamo right mid Danny Cruz1, leaving the current roster + trialists looking like this.

First the good.
In acquiring Danny Cruz, United looks to have settled the flank depth question, initially addressed by the drafting of Nick DeLeon as Pontius' backup. A regular starter for the MLS Cup finalists from Houston, Cruz provides excellent cover for Najar, who will likely be away for Olympic and possibly World Cup duty with Honduras and may even attract interest from abroad this summer.

Praying for goals.

Movement at last! Maicon Santos makes it 15 for Salary Budget players, and United drops a 14-trialist bomb as pre-season camp gets underway. Of course, the majority of the trialists are guys with limited to no MLS experience, but such was always going to be the major source to roster depth1.

Finally another addition hits the roster with United's acquisition of Maicon Santos. In another time, with a different club, I might be pleased with this pickup. As it stands, I'm just left feeling suspicious.
Why?
While Santos has a reasonable history with the league (and so will not have to suffer through a period of adapting to the style of play), his mediocre goal tally (14 goals in 2.

The Houston Dynamo have always seemed to have a love-hate relationship with the MLS SuperDraft. In the franchise's early years in Houston, Dynamo Coach Dominic Kinnear seemed to have no qualms about trading away a top draft pick in order to obtain a player who filled a need or role right away for his squad.

It's going to be a busy week for KC in the last week of the offseason. There's plenty of information that looks like it will be coming out this week. Let's take a look real quick chronologically.
Tomorrow, as I posted earlier today is the Supplemental Draft. KC will possibly add 5 more players that would be coming into preseason this year.

The Rapids released their preseason plans today. They'll be making two trips, first to Oxnard and San Luis Obispo in California and second to Hawai'i for the Hawaiian Islands Invitational Tournament. In between the trips they'll be training out at the Dick. The first day of training is a week from today, though players report on Thursday for physicals and fitness assessments.

The Quakes had 3 picks in the 2012 SuperDraft. In their first pick they selected a Generation Adidas forward from UC Santa Barbara, Sam Garza (seen above), with the No. 6 overall pick. The team picked up Jacob Hustedt, midfielder, from the University of Washington with the 25th pick (6th in round 2) and Chris Blais, goalkeeper, from the University of South Florida with the 33rd pick (14th in round 2).

Nick DeLeon, courtesy dcunited.com

Hey, look, finally an addition to the roster! United picked up versatile attacker (is he a winger, a forward, an attacking midfielder?...Hmm, I'm sensing a pattern here) Nick DeLeon1 in the SuperDraft. I don't watch much collegiate ball, so I'm not going to pass any judgement on the pick.

Today Sporting Kansas City announced a portion of their preseason schedule. As expected, the team will be making a return Arizona, but as announced previously will not be competing in the Desert Cup, instead they'll also spend part of preseason in Orlando for the Disney Pro Soccer Classic.
Preseason kicks off on January 19th, a week after the MLS SuperDraft, and 2 days after the Supplemental draft, where the team has a combined seven draft picks, with physicals.

Disney today announced the other teams and the format for the Disney Pro Soccer Classic this coming preseason. Sporting KC and Orlando City SC had already been announced as competing, but the other 6 teams were announced today. Joining those two in Orlando in January are the Houston Dynamo, Vancouver Whitecaps, Montreal Impact, Toronto FC, FC Dallas, and BK Hacken out of Sweden.

Never in my wildest nightmares, never ever did I expect this. And yet it happened. Last night I played a match between Manchester United and Manchester City with FIFA 12 on my XBOX 360 as a precursor to the real deal which would be happening just 12 hours later UK time. I like to play [...]

Inter players are overwhelmed with emotion as they collect their latest piece of silverware. Ahem. Image: Giuseppe Bellini/Getty Images Europe/Zimbio.

We're pretty sure we are the only website currently offering cup winners, English language lessons, transfer news and hair advice in the same post.

FC Barcelona's Ibrahim Afellay has returned from his summer holiday toned, tanned and with some good thigh. Point taken Ibi. Image source: Josep Lago/AFP/Getty Images.

Thank the football gods, for preseason is over and the Premier League season is finally upon us.

Seven wins out of seven in preseason, one goal conceded, Sturridge our top scorer. New manager, new assistant. What did we learn? Here are a few of my thoughts and observations feel free to add your own.

Saturday

- Francesco Totti was spotted soaking wet, in a bulge cupper on an Italian beach. Just how God intended it (PS his wife and kids were there too).

- We gave a warm chorizo welcome to Chelsea's latest transfer signing, Oriol Romeu. Don't be shy in your hellos, Kickettes, he doesn't bite*.

Glad to see that Athletic Bilbao's resident underwear model, Javi Martinez, recognises the fabulousness that is traveling via private jet to London. If there's champagne and Jaffas onboard, consider us officially moved in. Image via Athletic Bilbao's Facebook.

The impending season would be tough but the mere mention of Anthony Gardner was comic relief for RedknappHere we sit, dear friends, on the verge on another Premier League season. The players have had their break, we've had ours, pre-season has come and gone and now it's time to deliver. It may seem like we say this before every campaign these days but this really is a big year for the Hotspur.

Alan Pardew is almost at the end of his first pre-season at Newcastle, and we think he will be very happy when he leads the lads out for the first Premier League game of the season against Arsenal on Saturday evening. Alan Pardew terrible pre-season for the Newcastle manager That game will be televised [.

For those of you who only stumbled upon this blog in the last couple of months, you probably don't really know who Martin is. But for everyone else, you probably started reading this blog due to his outstanding work for the last couple of years. This summer, he decided to start his own blog. You know, because there aren't enough Arsenal blogs out there.

In a match that seemed more suited to swimming trunks and armbands rather than a football kit, Newcastle and Fiorentina braved the atrocious weather in order to win the final friendly of pre-season. Plumes of water shot up from every foot fall, a wake of rain tracked the ball through it's journey around the hallowed [.

In his post-match presser, Kenny Dalglish spoke about the time the squad spent preparing for a more organized, composed display the struggles defensively throughout the preseason hadn't quite reached a crisis point, but were deserving of increased attention and played a large part in Liverpool's midweek preparations.

Manchester United had to come from 2-0 down to beat Manchester City in the Community Shield and win the first
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No, but seriously folks:

It's late, so I can't write much, but here are a few thoughts after watching us relinquish yet another lead in a pre-season friendly, as we went up 1-0 on a nicely worked goal by RvP then conceded two after the break and couldn't get one back.

1) It was a pre-season friendly.

FC BARCELONA has wrapped up its pre-season US Tour with a 2 - 0 victory over Mexican club AMERICA. The Barça starting line-up was the following: Valdés; Adriano, Busquets, Piqué, Abidal; Keita, Xavi, Iniesta, Thiago, Pedro & Villa; a team that looked more like a Champions League clash line-up than a pre-season friendly.

The choice cuts from today's win at Ibrox. Peep the flick by The Mighty One for our third crafty.

Reina
Johnson Carragher Agger Aurelio
Spearing Adam
Henderson Aquilani Downing
Carroll
Subs:
• 46' – Lucas for Spearing
• 46' – Robinson for Aurelio
• 59' – Kuyt for Henderson
• 59' – Cole for Aquilani
• 59' – Ngog for Carroll
• 59' – Maxi for Downing
• 74' – Flanagan for Adam
• 77' – Kyrgiakos for Agger
Goals:
Carroll 6'
Kuyt 90'
Impressive and improving.

Our pre-season campaign was rounded off by a 2-1 win over an impressive Athletic Club Bilbao side, who gave us an ideal test before our opening Premier League game against Everton next week. There was an extremely impressive and vocal crowd at the Lane for our only home game of the pre-season.

Liverpool 2: Carroll 7′, Kuyt 89′
Valencia 0

Just like that, Liverpool's preseason matches are done, and we can put to rest the conversation about whether or not the results matter. From here on out, it's all for real, and there's little time left to get themselves sorted before Sunderland visit in a week's time.

Sunday afternoon Premier League champions Manchester United will take on FA Cup winners Manchester City at Wembley in the Community
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