The day after U.S. soccer fans celebrated the women's CONCACAF win and their Olympic qualification comes word that the WPS is on ice for the 2012 season.

Word began to filter out via players and bloggers on social networks like Twitter Monday morning, and the league officially made the announcement midday.

On the weekend just past the Spanish daily newspaper, Marca, released what they claimed to be an exclusive. The newspapers football journalists had found out that Jose Mourinho, the Real Madrid coach, was dissatisfied with the level of hostility targeted in his direction and believing that his work was not recieving the plaudits he felt it welcomed he was going to leave his position at the end of the current season.

Liverpool lead 1-0 on aggregate.
2:45pm ET, live in the US on FSC
Last four head-to-head:
1-0 Liverpool (a) 01.11.12
0-3 City (a) 01.03.12
1-1 (h) 11.27.11
3-0 Liverpool (h) 04.11.11
Previous rounds:
Liverpool: 2-1 Chelsea (a); 2-1 Stoke (a); 2-1 Brighton (a); 3-1 Exeter (a)
City: 1-0 Arsenal (a); 5-2 Wolves (a); 2-0 Brum (h)
Last three matches:
Liverpool: 1-3 Bolton (a); 0-0 Stoke (h); 1-0 City (a)
City: 3-2 Tottenham (h); 1-0 Wigan (a); 0-1 Liverpool (h)
Goalscorers (Carling Cup):
Liverpool: Suarez 3; Maxi 2; Bellamy, Carroll, Gerrard, Kelly, Kuyt 1
City: Dzeko 2; Agüero, Balotelli, Johnson, Hargreaves, Nasri 1
Referee: Phil Dowd
Guess at a line-up:
Reina
Johnson Skrtel Agger Enrique
Gerrard Spearing
Downing Henderson Bellamy
Kuyt
What exactly did Dalglish mean by "If that's the level they [the players] expect this football club to play at, they won't be here long"?

Ricardo FTW!

The US's January Cupcake Campers took on Venezuela's B-minus side Saturday night in Glendale, Arizona.

And while the run of play favored the States, it was unlikely former scapegoat in Rico Clark who provided the only nail in the coffin as the US opened their pair of camp-closing games with a 1-0 victory.

12:30pm ET, live in the US on FSC
Last four head-to-head:
3-1 Liverpool (h) 08.27.11
2-1 Liverpool (h) 01.01.11
1-0 Liverpool (a) 10.31.10
2-0 Liverpool (h) 01.30.10
Last three matches:
Liverpool: 0-0 Stoke (h); 1-0 City (a); 5-1 Oldham (h)
Bolton: 2-0 Macclesfield (h); 0-3 United (a); 2-2 Macclesfield (a)
Goalscorers (league):
Liverpool: Suarez 5; Bellamy 4; Adam, Carroll, Gerrard, Maxi, Skrtel 2; Henderson, Johnson 1
Bolton: Klasnic 7; Eagles 3; K Davies, Ngog, Reo-Coker 2; Boyata, M Davies, Muamba, Petrov, Ricketts 1
Referee: Kevin Friend
Guess at a line-up:
Reina
Johnson Skrtel Agger Enrique
Henderson Gerrard
Downing Shelvey Maxi
Carroll
The same questions and concerns continue to be the focus.

The abuse I've seen thrown at Aaron Ramsey lately has been a sick joke.
Some of it has even bordered on things I wouldn't even wish on my worst enemy.
I couldn't believe my eyes at some of the stuff I've seen. I mean death threats?! Over a game of football?! Come on behave yourself.

Luis Suarez, fresh from a disciplinary hearing at the FA where he was found guilty of racism and given an eight match suspension, has now been disciplined with another suspension. This time it is for only one match and supposing that there is no immediate appeal it will be served in Liverpool's next match, at Anfield against Newcastle United.

By Amy Eustace

"People just don't know how good Lucas is," prophesised Rafael Benitez, three years ago to the month. It was December 2008, and Liverpool had found themselves in a somewhat unfamiliar position by recent standards. Top of the table, ahead of the pack and with just one defeat for the first half of the season away to Spurs, the only problem was a smattering of frustrating draws.

By Chris Wright

I know I'm probably in the overwhelming minority but, for what it's worth, I quite like Steve Kean. There, I said it.

It's not that I believe he's a perfectly competent coach being made a scapegoat and it's not that I really have any faith in his managerial fortitude what-so-ever.

Something rather remarkable happened on Tuesday night. Did you spot it?

No, I don't mean the FFB (Fat French Benchwarmer) peeing his sky blue pants (size XL) at the very sight of Emmanuel Frimpong.

Nor do I mean two rookie Arsenal midfielders with the amusing acronym of "CoqPong" completely dominating the expensively acquired internationals in the Abu Dhabi City line-up.

Something rather remarkable happened on Tuesday night. Did you spot it?

No, I don't mean the FFB (Fat French Benchwarmer) peeing his sky blue pants (size XL) at the very sight of Emmanuel Frimpong.

Nor do I mean two rookie Arsenal midfielders with the amusing acronym of "CoqPong" completely dominating the expensively acquired internationals in the Abu Dhabi City line-up.

So we lost. 6-1. To City. In a week that brought us the catastrophic news of Westlife splitting up, it had me wondering what about now? Could this really be City's season in the sun?

It's always a mini-trauma to lose heavily to a bitter rival, and we all have our own personal coping mechanisms.

I am surprised that AVB has said that he believes the arrival of Juan Mata has had nothing to do with the return to form of Fernando Torres. When he was asked about it he said the following:

"[It has] Nothing to do with it, in my opinion. We don't add in terms of nationalities for every player, for people to get involved socially outside of the pitch.

Carra looking to the future with both feet in the present

With a large chunk of the Liverpool squad away with their national sides it's been a less intense week of training for those who stayed behind. One of those is Jamie Carragher and the break from the Premier League calendar gave him time to talk to national radio and also to a football conference in London.

Javier Castrilli a.k.a. "El Sheriff"

There has been plenty of talk as to referees essentially dictating style of play. Not just of one game, but on entire leagues and at all levels. The implication is that this has direct influence on a coach's player selections and the style of play he implements.

10am ET, live in the US on Fox Deportes and FoxSoccer.tv. Guess I'll be watching this with Spanish commentary, then. No me gusta.
Last four head-to-head:
3-0 Liverpool (a) 01.22.11
0-1 Wolves (h) 12.29.10
0-0 (a) 01.26.10
2-0 Liverpool (h) 12.26.09
Last three matches:
Liverpool: 2-1 Brighton (a); 0-4 Spurs (a); 0-1 Stoke (a)
Wolves: 5-0 Millwall (h); 0-3 QPR (h); 0-2 Spurs (h)
Goalscorers (league):
Liverpool: Suarez 2; Adam, Henderson, Skrtel 1
Wolves: Doyle, Fletcher, Jarvis, Ward 1
Referee: Kevin Friend
Guess at a line-up:
Reina
Kelly Skrtel Carragher Enrique
Kuyt Lucas Adam Downing
Suarez Bellamy
So, if it ain't broke.

When Brad Friedel arrived at White Hart Lane this summer we knew that he wasn't just being brought in as cover for Heurelho Gomes but after taking the number one jersey at the start of the season, just where does this leave our Brazilian, error-prone keeper?

Despite publicly backing Gomes after high profile mistakes against Real Madrid and Chelsea last season, you could sense the frustration in Harry Redknapp and after picking up an injury towards the end of the campaign, it was left to Carlo Cudicini to turn in some solid performances that helped the club to fifth place.

Both figuratively and literally.

The noise surrounding Hoffenheim's sonic intervention on Saturday keeps getting louder. Hoffenheim's groundkeepr, lone perpetrator or scapegoat, apparently had a helping hand and nearby stewards being in the know. He also has been operating his "self made" boom box in previous home games against Mainz, Cologne, Frankfurt and again Dortmund as well though it was never as loud as on Saturday.

First Half
Reina
Johnson Carragher Agger Robinson
Henderson Spearing Adam
Downing Carroll Kuyt
Second Half
Reina
Johnson Carragher Agger Robinson
Spearing Adam
Kuyt Henderson Downing
Carroll
Subs:
• 69' – Ngog for Carroll
• 69' – Kelly for Johnson
• 69' – Flanagan for Robinson
• 80' – Sterling for Downing
• 80' – Shelvey for Adam
• 80' – Aquilani for Henderson
• 90+1' – Sama for Agger
Goals:
Strand 14'
Ogude 19' (pen)
Carroll 44'
Agger 82' 88'
Fellah 90+4'
Hey, at least Liverpool didn't lose!

Culture?

The following is perhaps the most accepted as insurmountable.

Soccer in the Home

The scapegoat is usually of the "soccer isn't popular" variety. Which of course implies that daddy wants to play catch with the kids; not kick the ball. And even if all those daddy's chose to help their kids with soccer, they never played the game themselves, so what can they possibly teach them?

By Chris Wright

Artist's representation

Most interested parties suggested that, after putting in a disciplined shift for the majority of the game, North Korea Women eventually lost out to the USA yesterday due to their telling lack of experience - they have the youngest squad at the World Cup, with an average age of just 20 though not NK's coach, who chose to pillory an altogether more 'atmospheric' scapegoat.

By Chris Wright

Artist's representation

Most interested parties suggested that, after putting in a disciplined shift for the majority of the game, North Korea Women eventually lost out to the USA yesterday due to their telling lack of experience - they have the youngest squad at the World Cup, with an average age of just 20 though not NK's coach, who chose to pillory an altogether more 'atmospheric' scapegoat.

Jack Warner "hung out to dry", resigns from FIFA - originally posted on Soccerlens.com

The President of the CONCACAF and Vice President of FIFA Jack Warner has stepped down from his role at FIFA three weeks after threatening to "unleash a tsunami" on football's governing body. Trinidadian Warner was implicated in allegations of facilitating bribery within the ranks of the World's most powerful sporting organisation.

• England's official scapegoat. (Guardian)
• Quiz. (Avoiding The Drop)
• The problem with Italy. (WSC)
• Eight players at the u21's. (Back Page Football)
• Gary Neville, not a two sport athlete. (KCKRS)
• Starting a riot. (The DA)
• Filming America.

Briana Scurry & Tony Meola: Two of the best goalkeepers in U.S. history interview each other.

-

As a kid I wanted to do anything but play in goal. But I was the tallest kid on the team, and the kid's dad who coached the team thought that made the most sense. I don't remember ever encountering a goalkeeping coach, just being forced into the big clown gloves.

TURIN, Italy — Luigi Delneri confirmed on Saturday that as expected he would not be Juventus coach next season after he failed to guide them to either a trophy or barring a miracle a place in European competition next season. The 60-year-old who arrived this season after a successful spell with Sampdoria where he [.

Adding to the seemingly neverending collection of sitter misses from the season 10-11, we head to Ireland where this man had neither skill nor fortune enough to stave off YouTube infamy.

But it brings up an interesting point: most of these misses occur in lower leagues, where obviously the football quality is lacking, but also the pitch quality.

Reina
Flanagan Carragher Skrtel Johnson
Kuyt Lucas Spearing Maxi
Suarez Carroll
Goals:
van der Vaart 9'
Modric 56' (pen)
Well that wasn't supposed to happen.
Pick your scapegoat. Most conspicuously, goals win games, and Liverpool rarely looked like scoring one.

Liverpool flop Christian Poulsen is on the verge of ending his Merseyside misery with a return to former club FC Copenhagen.
The midfielder, signed by Roy Hodgson during his disastrous six month reign at the start of the season, has made just nine league starts for the club after costing £4.5m from Juventus in the summer.

1. The bad days make the good days feel so much better. As far as bad days go, this, as an isolated event, is almost as bad as it gets. It obviously would be a lot worse if it was the final and City had actually won something but it feels pretty fucking awful. It's not just losing, it's losing so stupidly, without putting up enough of a fight.

Liverpool will make an audacious bid to sign Tottenham Hotspur winger Aaron Lennon this summer for £15million.
Reds' manager Kenny Dalglish is desperate to sign players to give his side more natural width and supply the new strikeforce of Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez.
He sees the 23-year-old as the ideal signing as his pace would be a great quality in the Scot's view of playing a counter-attacking style.

Harry Redknapp has attempted to defuse the row over Aaron Lennon and suggestions that the player was made to feel like a ‘scapegoat' for Spurs defeat on Tuesday night. Lennon was withdrawn shortly before kick off and reacted angrily to claims that he had ‘bottled it'.

Speaking on Twitter the player said: "Believe me this is one game I did not want to miss and still devastated now.

Tottenham winger Aaron Lennon has taken to Twitter to defend himself against manager Harry Redknapp's charges of dereliction of duty, claiming that he'd been sick for days and that he was unwilling to be Harry's scapegoat. Aaron, didn't you get the memo? Crouchie has taken goat duties by the horns!

Written by dandan

So three days of gloomy inquests have come and gone. It's amazing how quickly hope turns to depression in the blogging world.

Leaving aside those sites that are used primarily by the doomers and verbal bovver boys to vent their spleen and whose anger is in many cases directed at clubs like the Arsenal.

ARTICLE THREE.
Written by Paolo.
IN PRANDELLI WE TRUST!

Following the disastrous showing at the 2010 World Cup, Italian fans young and old were looking for redemption. Their cries for youth on the squad had gone virtually unheralded by Coach Marcello Lippi. And although he had brought them supreme glory in 2006, he was now the scapegoat for all that was wrong with the National Team.

A five-game touchline ban and a £30,000 fine is what the FA handed Ferguson following his criticism of Martin Atkinson in the wake of Manchester United's 2-1 defeat to Chelsea at the beginning of March. Some would say it's about time the FA took a stand against Ferguson but, in my opinion, this is the wrong way to go about it.

After our loss at Manchester United, I found myself harbouring murderous thoughts towards Abou Diaby.

He was our worst player by quite a stretch (despite stiff competition from Gibbs and, later, Rosicky).

Every time the ball went to him he either killed the momentum of an Arsenal attack or lost the ball.

There are plenty of Arsenal fans that are still screaming until they're red in the face about referee's Massimo Busacca to send off Robin Van Persie...but you're missing the point.
Arsenal's stubborn determination to sit back and defend their lead, rather than even attempting to attack a Barcelona defense that was weakened by injuries was the difference in the match, plain and simple.

The 2011 Veikkausliiga season kicks-off in two months so let's not waste any time trying to make up witty introductions to the ever so fascinating world of Veikkausliiga transfer tittle-tattle and instead, mimicking the transfer market behaviour of most Finnish top tier teams, the Merry-go-round is just going to plunge in among the transfers news and take any piece it can get its hands on.

The shocking collapse at St James' Park has left many Gooners bewildered and looking for a scapegoat, and one player above all others is being singled out: the abject Sebastien Squillaci.

The Frenchman came to England with a good reputation after years of impressive service at Monaco, Lyon and Sevilla, but six months into his career in England he is not winning comparisons with Tony Adams or Martin Keown, but Pascal Cygan and Mikael Silvestre.