Soccer

Philly plays NY tomorrow at PPL Park, Union with Le Toux, Ruiz, Mwanga, and NY with Henry, DeRo and Agudelo. Should be a great match with hopefully a philly win! Doop Doop Doop...

Category: Soccer

Agudelo needs to be in the next world cup for the USA, no goals from strikers in the last two world cups but now we have a solution. Danny Mwanga from the Philadelphia Union would be another possibility once he is eligible (he is eligible to play for Congo also but I'm sure he would prefer playing for the US). Jozy Altidore is still an ok striker but he needs to break out of his scoring slump, hopefully he will soon.

Category: Soccer

Within the past few years, Tom Hicks and George Gillett Jr. damaged a team more than any other owner has ever damaged a team in the history of sports. Looking back, Liverpool FC was one of the best soccer teams in the world. People loved watching Liverpool play, and I personally remember watching Liverpool playing in the finals of the Champions League, a tournament where the best teams in Europe compete against each other.  When Tom Hicks and George Gillett Jr. bought Liverpool, it wasn’t just a sad day for Liverpool fans, but it was a bad day for soccer. Tom Hicks and George Gillett Jr. made it seem as if all American owners are really cheap and lack basic intelligence. In order to buy the club, the two owners made loans, using Liverpool’s name, which they were never able to pay back. Tom Hicks and George Gillett Jr. lied to fans, saying the money was going to be used to buy a new stadium, and it’s been a few years and that still hasn’t happened. The two owners also never gave Rafa Benitez, the former coach of Liverpool, any money to sign good players off the transfer waiver; when you can buy good players from other teams. What happens to a team when they are competing in arguably the best soccer league in the world, the English Premier League, and the cheap owners pretty much won’t let have a payroll? What is happening right now is the answer. Liverpool FC has been coming in almost last place for the past few years, with the good players wanting to leave the club, and Liverpool close to being relegated, demoted, from the EPL First Division. Imagine if it were possible for the Yankees to be demoted from the MLB to the minor leagues, because that is how the Liverpool fans must be feeling right now. Many ownership groups have tried to buy Liverpool from Tom Hicks and George Gillett Jr., but they refused to sell the team. As of recently, the owner of the Boston Red Sox, John Henry, and his New England Sports Ventures ownership group (NESV) have offered to buy Liverpool FC and take on the current debt that Tom Hicks and George Gillett Jr. have put on the team. John Henry is a very good owner. When he bought the Red Sox, he changed the staff; which changed how the team was managed, and what players were signed to contracts. Now look at them. The Boston Red Sox have won two World Series under John Henry, and John Henry can help revive Liverpool FC and put the historic club back on their feet, as being one of the best teams in the world, though Tom Hicks has vowed that he will try to block John Henry and his NESV ownership group from buying Liverpool. Let’s hope Tom Hicks isn’t able to block the sale, because Liverpool is much better off with John Henry as the owner.

Category: Soccer

No slight intended to the Dutch fans on the board, but I would never have placed the Netherlands in the finals at the beginning of this tournament.

We'll see if Lalas' winner pick stands up against Spain.

Category: Soccer

As today’s last matches of the 1^st round begin some of my favorites to advance onto the second round are either now on their way out, getting ready to pack their bags and head or are circling the drain. 

Group A
Mexico:  As much as I hate to admit I think they are the class of the group, lots of talent and should hit their stride.
Uruguay: A close second led by Diego Forlan and a battle tested team that weathered going through a tough CONMEBOL qualification.

Group B
Argentina:  They are the class of the group, so loaded that Zenetti and Cambiasso were left off the team, even Maradona can not deny them.
Nigeria:  I was suckered into thinking they could get things together and I was wrong again, the Red Card that Kaita had against Greece absolutely killed any chances of them proceeding to the Second Round and it is a shame.

Group C
England:  I really thought this would be the World Cup that England would show up, I am still waiting as well as everybody else.  They have a crucial game on Wednesday and I think the talent will finally shine against Slovenia.
USA: They have played well at times but are always putting themselves behind the Eight Ball going behind early in matches.  I think they will get it right against Algeria.

Group D
Germany:  Even though they have really young players in key roles they have talent and are a very disciplined side.
Serbia:  I thought this team was better than Australia and I thought Ghana would implode, well Ghana is leading the Group greatly held by an unthinkably silly handball by Zdravko Kuzmanovic

Group E
Nethherlands: They are head and shoulders above the rest of the teams in the Group and are showing it on the pitch.
Denmark: I still feel they are talented enough to get out of this group after a shaky 1^st match against the Netherlands.

Group F 
Italy: I thought they were a bit too long in the tooth but experience should help them onto the Second Round.
Paraguay:  I saw this team play live in the 2006 World Cup and it seems like the tough CONMEBOL qualification tournament has served the teams well.

Group G
Brazil:  No need to explain this one even with a defensive minded coach Dunga they are primed to good very deep in this tournament.
Portugal:  Simply too much talent on this team and I feel they have what it takes to advance but will fail miserably in the Second Round.

Group H
Spain:  My favorite to win it all, I love the players that make up this team and the talent on the bench is very deep. 
Chile:  Yet another CONMEBOL that I feel will make it to the Second Round.

Final Analysis:  I have Spain as my favorite followed by Brazil, the Netherlands and Argentina.  I am very excited about the rest of the tournament, have all the games on TIVO and will be sneaking peeks of the games at work.  Enjoy the rest of the World Cup everybody!   

 

 

Category: Soccer