Ok so I'm not really quitting. But I am severely upset. Do you know Bolton's aggregate score form the last 4 games? Unfortunately for me it is burned into my retinas, the weak hearted may need to look away now. Bolton 1-15 Everyone Else. If you read my match preview, you knew that I actually thought we could get at least a point from the game.

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Right, well football's back and we can finally put the Interlull behind us. Obviously there was plenty about Thierry, Ireland and France and what have you at Arsene's press conference yesterday but I think enough has been said on here about it.

The only thing I will comment on is his call for technology to be used to help referees.

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Liverpool face Man City at Anfield today after the break for Internationals, needing nothing less than a win. Rafa is still without Torres but after some treatment in Serbia; Riera, Benayoun, Aurelio and Johnson are fit to play but who do you think should be in the starting line up when the match kicks [. Click to continue reading...

Let me first start by thanking everyone for their comments and generous words of advice. It is your comments that make this blog worthwhile. Whether you are complimenting me on a humorous post or telling me to go fuck myself, I cherish every word.

Now, let's get to my St. Louis Soccer United post.

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So how are you all after the international break? Miss watching our team lose and play horribly? Yeah me too. Luckily however this weekend we're playing some neighbors who are in much the same habit, managed by dear old Big Sam (maybe that was too many adjectives for one guy?). Blackburn are on a run of ten straight losses in away games, however they haven't lost at the Reebok

since 2001 (though really statistics like that don't mean that much).

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Premier League Team News - Barclays Premier League - ESPN SoccernetThe news is slow to come in to SoccerNet today but I'm in off-site planning meetings for 2010 as part of my day job so I'm getting a head start of things. Arsenal - I'm not going to repeat the entire injury list because I just don't have the time. Click to continue reading...

I was reading about the rebel soccer teams and their departure from the United Soccer League's First Division. It seems that St. Louis is about to unleash their soccer prowess upon the nation. This is from the website of the newly formed St. Louis Soccer United.

St. Louis and soccer are synonymous.

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(Summary is not available.) Click to continue reading...

It is not just that Real Salt Lake's captain, Kyle Beckerman, has been working on his dreadlocks longer than the LA Galaxy's David Beckham has been coifed with an under-cut resembling a mullet with a racing-strip, that leads me to predict RSL as the 2009 MLS Cup winner. Rather, it is that RSL is peaking at the right time and relishes the underdog role.

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-According to the Dynamo, Ricardo Clark, whose contract expires next month, has no intention to re-sign with Major League Soccer as he pursues opportunities abroad.

-Brian Ching underwent surgery Tuesday to address a meniscus tear in his left knee. He suffered the injury in Game 1 of the series against Seattle Sounders FC but is expected to make a full recovery during the offseason.

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The team continues to undergo it's offseason makeover. Leo Krupnik, formerly of Maccabi Haifa, has just signed on with Maccabi Netanya for an undisclosed sum. He appeared in only three games, starting in two.

If you are keeping score at home, that is now 9 players that started 2009 with the Bulls, who now find themselves elsewhere.

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Big Apple Soccer, home of everything New York Soccer, reports speaking to "El Professor" Juan Carlos Osorio about his move to Once Caldas. His reply?

"The offer is a very good offer," he said. "The club is a very good club. I am considering the offer. However, I would like to stay in the United States.

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If you were betting on Once Caldas of the Colombian Mustang division to be the first suckers to hire the preeminent Professor of the 4-5-1, grab yourself a boobie prize kid.

Juan Carlos Osorio is a head coach once more. He takes on a squad that is currently 8th in their table, with 7 wins, 7 draws and 4 ties, accumulating 23 goals for and 14 against in that time frame.

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Sorry I haven't been around lately, it's been a bit hectic over here recently. Luckily it was an international break and nothing much happened in my absence, but I now dutifully bring you what did.

As you may have read in TheSpoiler (highly recommended by the way), Darius Vassell, ex-Man City striker, has been experience a few bumps over in Turkey.

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Greetings, Dynamo fans. As we are all well aware, our beloved Orange fell short of the 2009 championship. It was a valiant effort against David Beckham and the LA Galaxy. Watching from Houston, the Dynamo played well on Friday night, but early Saturday was a different story.

As midnight passed, LA took advantage of two costly fouls by Ricardo Clark.

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Jeter is breaking down the left flank, and he sends a beautiful cross to Johnny Damon.
Damon dribbles passed the defender and finds a wide open A-Rod!
A-Rod with a chipper to Matsui . . .
Matsui lines it up and hits a glancing head . . .
GOOOOOLLLLL MATSUI!

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And those words are: Western Conference Champions!

In another step in the worst-to-first journey that MLS Coach of the Year Bruce Arena has taken the team on, the Los Angeles Galaxy turned away a stiff challenge from the Houston Dynamo in 30 minutes of extra time with a 2-0 scoreline.

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It was an amazing night on Thursday, November 12th as John Strong started his regular radio show on Sports Radio 95.5 The Game (95.5 FM). During the spring and summer months, Strong hosts an hour-long sports program from 6 PM to 7 PM that talks about various topics. Click to continue reading...

Gameday is upon us. I don't want to talk any trash or make any predictions. We must avoid the jinx at all costs. It's not that I believe in that voodoo rhetoric, but why chance it? I will keep it simple and possibly very bland.

Here are a few game related articles. One states how Los Angeles is just 90 minutes away from the finals.

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So we are facing Real Salt Lake for the Eastern Conference Semis, even though RSL isn't from the East! I know it is kinda oxymoronic, but the system has worked for the MLS in the past when one Conference (cough cough, the East last year) is completely dominant over the other. Either way, both teams got here in dramatic fashion.

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The two times Curt Onalfo and Richie Williams were together in a playing capacity, they managed to take home the 1989 NCAA College Soccer National Championship at the University of Virginia and ten years later, the 1999 MLS Cup with DC United. They know each other, and have been proven winners stateside in the past.

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This match promises to be a dogfight. The season series between the Los Angeles Galaxy and the Houston Dynamo featured exactly one goal and a lot of physical defending. If that sounds a lot like what Chivas and the Galaxy went through for the bulk of their five games this season, its not coincidence.

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The Portland Timbers headed into the offseason earlier than expected, but there was a sense of optimism at looking towards the final season of USL soccer before making the move to MLS in 2011. Needless to say, I don't think anyone in the green and white could have imagined that significant changes were going to hit even before the big move. Click to continue reading...

It's the offseason in Columbus, and that means rumors about players and contracts and whatnot are as easy to find as a Buckeye hoodie. Robbie Rogers seems to have become the first player to fall victim of fan speculation.

First, to grease the wheels of gossip, Robbie himself tweetered that he was on his way out of Columbus.

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The MLS announced today that the start time for the Western Conference final at Los Angeles will take place at 10:25 p.m. CST Friday. That's right, 10:25 P.M.! It STARTS at 10:25 p.m. WTF is that all about? Good luck watching that one, East Coast.

I'm guessing the time slot was already reserved prior to Houston's victory over Seattle.

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A petition had been sent to the Vatican to begin the process of recognizing all Valencia CF fans as saints.

Its to be expected of course seeing how much suffering we are forced to endure week in and week out.

My blood pressure is high and my finger nails are non-existant.

Valencia will surely be the death of me.

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The Houston Dynamo announced their 2009 team awards Monday night at Dynamo Charities' Dynamo Awards 09, presented by Audi, held at the House of Blues.

Newcomer of the Year: Cam Weaver
Goal of the Year: Brad Davis, September 19 vs. Real Salt Lake
Dynamo Academy Player of the Year: Sebastien Ibeagha
Dynamo Academy Players' Player of the Year: Reagan Haisler
Game of the Year: May 30, Dynamo 3, Toronto FC 0
Defender of the Year: Geoff Cameron
Fan of the Year: Jason "Sarge" Milner
Save of the Year: Pat Onstad, April 19 vs.

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In a move that probaly shows that the Wizards Front Office might know money but doesn't really know that much about soccer, KC has removed the title of "interim" from Peter Vermes and now he is officially..., wait for it..., wait for it... the new head coach of Your Kansas City Wizards.

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Are we at all sure that Youri hasn't been hired by Red Bull already?

The French legend has been planting seeds in France, playing Red Bull ambassador in the hopes of attracting his countrymen stateside through interviews like the one he had with football-ravageur, a French footy outlet.

He has some great insights on the successes and short comings of David Beckham, the measure of MLS against other leagues and the possibility of including more French players to the league structure.

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To recap:

* David Ngog opened the scoring with a stunning volley from six yards after some good Liverpool pressure.

* Liverpool concede the equalizer from a set-piece: Brum get three headers in the box, the last by Chucho Benitez past Pepe Reina.

* Albert Riera aggravated his hamstring injury (again) and had to come off.

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It has been a long and sometimes unforgiving decade for the Bulls. They played in the highest of highs (an MLS Cup Appearance) and the lowest of the lows (2009), suffered extreme anguish over injustice (Diallo, Petke is still gunning for you), and extreme ecstasy (Mathis - those 5 goals were a thing of beauty).

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In my opinion, the two best teams in MLS already faced eachother during these playoffs. Forget the finals, the best matchup is/was Houston vs. Seattle.

What more can you say about Seattle and their fans? They are the pinnacle example of what every team strives for. Sure, there might be some exceptions, like a few over-zealous Sounders fans that chose to sing through the moment of silence for the Fort Hood tragedy.

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Early team news from the "Make Us Dream" website suggest that there is no place for Fernando Torres who, as widely-reported, has hernia trouble.
Instead, Tom suggests David Ngog will partner Dirk Kuyt upfront.
Steven Gerrard may be on the bench, that would be welcome news for the Reds.
Possible Team News:
Reina, Johnson, Agger, Skrtel, Insua, Reira, Mascherano, Lucas, Benayoun, Kuyt, Ngog. Click to continue reading...

First off, I apologize to everyone for not being able to get a post-game analysis together for last week. It was one of those times when life bitch-slapped my futbol blogging time. In the future, I will, at a minimum, create posts where you all can share your own reactions and analyses, even if I can't start your comments off with a comprehensive review from my perspective.

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Poor run of form, you say? Every team has them. Manager on the brink of extinction? Extinction doesn't exist, just ask Kirk Cameron (who may or may not be batshit crazy). Injuries spreading like chlamydia in Deadwood? Al Swearengen says injuries are for ********** **** (audio NSFW). Bring on Birmingham City.

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