by Patton Hunnicutt on April 2, 2010
photo credit: gordonflood.com
Stars need to be sitting more.
United and Chelsea will tangle on Saturday in a derby that will prove formidable for one team and crushing for the other. With United 1 point up on Chelsea they need all the help they can get and there is no help in sight.
Wayne Rooney is out a couple weeks and United have to find a way to beat Chelsea on Saturday. I just don’t see that happening.
Here’s the thing–this all started when I BLASTED Fabio Capello for not trusting the fact that Wayne Rooney was hurt outside of a friendly with Egypt. Now, I’m beginning to think that all English Soccer Managers are equally stupid. Let’s keep it real. Read more... (270 words, 2 images, estimated 1:05 mins reading time)
by Patton Hunnicutt on March 25, 2010
He needs to keep his talking on the field.
Andrey Arshavin knows that he contributes to Arsenal, but I guess he doesn’t think his contribution is enough. He thinks that Arsenal needs more starpower to win trophies in England. In fact, it goes something like this:
“I am still of the opinion that to win trophies Arsenal needs more players. There is the simple fact that last summer we sold two players and bought only one. So there is an obvious deficit of at least one. Then we lost Van Persie, Gibbs and Ramsey for a long time. So for me it is natural we need new players.” Read more... (314 words, 2 images, estimated 1:15 mins reading time)
by Patton Hunnicutt on March 23, 2010
Sitting is a good plan for Wayne right now.
This is what I was talking about when I was blasting Fabio Capello for relying on a scan to see if Wayne Rooney could have played England’s friendly with Egypt a few weeks back. THIS is why you ask the player how they feel, then you work them out, then you ask an outside Doctor and THEN you decide who plays and who doesn’t.
Rooney limped off the pitch on Sunday after United defeated Liverpool at Old Trafford. It appears that he has an inflamed tendon and he’ll have to sit for United’s upcoming match with Bolton on Saturday. Read more... (311 words, 2 images, estimated 1:15 mins reading time)
by Patton Hunnicutt on March 20, 2010
photo credit: kevmann16
This field could host the beginning of good days in English Soccer…
Carlo Ancelotti did exactly what I hoped he’d do and he’s told his club that they need to focus on pulling the league and FA Cup double. Now, do I think that’s realistic? No. I like Chelsea–alot–but here’s the deal.
There’s too much to deal with. Only 7 clubs in the vast history of English soccer have pulled the double and that makes the odds very slim. Plus, there’s so much talent in the world today that it’s hard for a team to get a roll of such proportions that would allow them to win two tournaments at once. We don’t ask teams to win the Super Bowl and then “The Other Super Bowl” and I think it would be pretty insane to ask Chelsea to do so. Read more... (313 words, 2 images, estimated 1:15 mins reading time)
by David on March 19, 2010
Fulham’s reward for their stunning victory over Juventus is a Europa League quarter-final with German side Wolfsburg. The first leg will be played in London on April 1 with the return game at the Volkswagen Arena on April 8.
Roy Hodgson’s side recovered from losing the first leg 3-1 and conceding an early goal in the second leg at Craven Cottage to secure a memorable 5-4 aggregate win against the Italian giants.
Wolfsburg now await in the last eight after the German champions beat Russian outfit Rubin Kazan 3-2 on aggregate in the last 16. Read more... (339 words, 1 image, estimated 1:21 mins reading time)
by David on March 19, 2010
Manchester United will evoke memories of their 1999 triumph after drawing Bayern Munich in the last eight. Should they progress the Red Devils will face the winners of the all French tie between Lyon and Bordeaux. Manchester United fans must fancy their chances of making their third consecutive Champions League final after this draw.
The 1999 final has gone down in folklore. Bayern were destined to be crowned European champions for a fourth time, Mario Basler’s free-kick seemingly enough, when in added time substitute Teddy Sheringham equalised. The crowd looked at the clock, and were bracing for the extra half-hour when Ole Gunnar Solskjær, another striker brought on late by Sir Alex, prodded in the most dramatic of winners. Read more... (322 words, 1 image, estimated 1:17 mins reading time)
by David on March 19, 2010
Liverpool have been drawn against Benfica in the quarter-finals of the Europa League. Goals from Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres (2) gave the Reds a 3-0 victory against Lille at Anfield on Thursday night, having lost the first leg in France.
Portuguese league leaders Benfica have happy memories of facing Merseyside opposition in the Europa League this season with two wins against Everton in the group phase. The first leg will be played at the Estadio da Luz on April 1 with the return game in England a week later on April 8.
Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez on the Benfica game: Read more... (304 words, 1 image, estimated 1:13 mins reading time)
by David on March 19, 2010
Arsenal will face holders Barcelona in the quarter-finals of the Champions League. The tie will be a repeat of the 2006 final in Paris, when the Gunners led until late in the game before Barca turned the game around to lift the trophy.
It will also mean a return to the Emirates Stadium for former Arsenal superstar Thierry Henry, now with the Catalan giants. And it means Gunners captain Cesc Fabregas, who has been strongly linked with a summer move to the Nou Camp, will be up against his former club.
The first leg will take place at the Emirates on March 30 or 31 with the return game in Catalonia on April 6 or 7. Read more... (400 words, 1 image, estimated 1:36 mins reading time)
by Patton Hunnicutt on March 19, 2010
photo credit: Free-ers
This could be good for the boys in Blue…
Now that we have seen the draw for the Quarterfinals of the Champion’s League I think it’s high-time we actually discussed its impact on the Premier League. You have United on top with 66 points, but Arsenal and Chelsea right behind them with 64 points. However, Chelsea is out of the Champion’s League and they have little else to do but gameplan for their English opponents.
United has to deal with Bayern–as I said, the team nobody wants to play–and Arsenal gets Barca. Yeah, they didn’t get the good end of that stick at all. Read more... (320 words, 2 images, estimated 1:17 mins reading time)
by David on March 16, 2010
It was a brilliant performance by Inter as they beat Chelsea 1-0 to reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
With Chelsea struggling to find the net in front of their home fans, Samuel Eto’o's pre-match dreams came true when he popped up with the winning goal twelve minutes from time to complete a 3-1 aggregate victory.
Mourinho named Pandev, Eto’o and Milito in front of Sneijder in an attacking starting lineup and Chelsea had a tactical battle on their hands from the outset. Read more... (443 words, 1 image, estimated 1:46 mins reading time)
