The best annual club tournament in the world begins in earnest today, as the Champions League Group Stage kicks off. The Champions League features many of the finest clubs in Europe in a tournament that will run up until the final on May 25, 2013, in London's Wembley Stadium. Last year, Chelsea of the English Premier League upset Bayern Munich of the German Bundesliga in Bayern's home stadium in a thrilling final decided by penalty kicks.
The top two teams in each of the eight groups advance to the Round of 16. Teams will play home and away against each of the squads in their group. Here is how I see the group stage playing out, with teams I predict will advance in BOLD:
Group A: Dynamo Kyiv, Dinamo Zagreb, Porto, Paris Saint Germain
PSG significantly bolstered its roster by adding Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Thiago Silva, and Ezequiel Lavezzi for one main reason: to compete for the Champions League title. PSG should win this group as long as their club chemistry is at a decent level. Porto, champions of Portugal last season will fend off the others for second.
Group B: Schalke, Montpelier, Arsenal, Olympiacos
Arsenal is fortunate to be placed in a relatively weak group, but the Gunners also seem to be improving in the early stages of the EPL season sparked by new signing Santi Cazorla. Tough to figure out a second-place squad here since the others are fairly even on paper, but I will go with Schalke and super striker Klaas Jan Huntelaar.
Group C: Anderlecht, Malaga, Zenit St. Petersburg, AC Milan
Milan is fortunate their group is one of the weakest, as they have been weakened by a budget-forced roster turnover. Gone are many of their stars from last year's quarterfinal run, such as Ibrahimovic and Thiago Silva, but enough talent is on the roster to advance out of this group. Zenit St. Petersburg, last year's Russian champions, put up a tough battle against Benfica in the Round of 16 last year and should get to at least that stage this time around.
Group D: Manchester City, Borussia Dortmund, Ajax, Real Madrid
The Group of Death could swallow up a Real Madrid team dealing with internal turmoil from manager to star player, but look for them to advance. Man City is too talented from goalkeeper to forwards and everything in between to not move on, though there will be some tense moments.
Group E: Juventus, Shakhtar Donetsk, Nordsjaeland, Chelsea
Last year's CL winners, Chelsea, made some significant changes to their lineup, losing cup-winning goal scorer Didier Drogba but countering with additions of Eden Hazard and Oscar. Juventus, the champions of Italy's Serie A last year, bring back much of the same roster and should be able to hold off the competition for second in the group.
Group F: Valencia, Lille, BATE Borisov, Bayern Munich
Bayern should have no trouble winning this group, given their level of talent and their desire to want another shot at the Champions League title after falling just short last year. Valencia has a solid club and should be able to advance.
Group G: Benfica, Barcelona, Spartak Moskva, Celtic
A very interesting group headlined by Barcelona, which is still the most talented team in the world on paper. Group runner-up will be hotly contested, but I will go with Benfica coming off last year's upset of Manchester United in the group stage.
Group H: CFR Cluj, Manchester United, Galatasaray, Braga
As just mentioned, the Red Devils of ManU were upset in this stage last year by Benfica, so don't look for them to allow another let down with their high level of talent. United is defnitely the class of this group. I will side with Braga as the second team, given their recent league success in Portugal amid tougher competition.
Ok, let's hear it...who you got advancing? Any sleeper picks?
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Thursday, September 13, 2012
A Night to Remember as USMNT Beats Jamaica in World Cup Qualifier
It has been 36 hours since the end of the USMNT's victory over Jamaica in the September 11 World Cup Qualifier in Columbus...and I'm just starting to regain my voice! I have never attended a sporting event where the fan base was as loud and passionate, and I've been to some great ones like Ohio State hosting Texas in front of 100,000+ screaming fans at the Horseshoe and the Browns beating the Steelers in front of 70,000+ fans in primetime to knock their arch-rivals out of the playoff race. The enthusiasm I experienced sitting with my fellow American Outlaws was at a different level, especially on the 11th anniversary of 9/11. The patriotic, sold out crowd of nearly 24,000 fans was amazing. Many members of the national media and players shared how pleased they were with the crowd, including US goalkeeper Tim Howard who said:
"It was awesome. This is probably one of the best home-field advantages we have in America. I don’t know what it is about Columbus. Everyone was standing, there were thousands of people with flags. It was really an electric, pro-American atmosphere and that’s such an awesome thing. Hats off to the fans and people in Columbus and that’s not the first time; it’s happened over-and-over. We really feel that pride and home-field advantage and we don’t get that everywhere.” (Quote courtesy of US Soccer)
Most importantly, of course, the USMNT defeated Jamaica in what was a crucial semi-final round qualifying match. Herculez Gomez scored the only goal of the game on a free-kick in the 55th minute that was struck perfectly, curling into the net past the Jamaican goalkeeper. The US outplayed Jamaica throughout the match, except for a few moments near the end when the boys may have been exhausted by the sheer emotion of the night and the visitors played with more desperation to score a tying goal. The US could have been up by a couple goals at halftime, as near misses off the crossbar and post were just a fraction off.
The result of the victory is that the USMNT now lead the semifinal qualifying group on goal differential over Jamaica and Guatemala. The final two matches of this qualifying round are Oct. 12 at Antigua & Barbuda and Oct. 16 Guatemala in Kansas City. Two wins automatically qualify the US for the final qualifying round, called the Hexagonal because there are six teams in that round that each play against each other once on the road and once at home. A win and a tie, and the US will likely be in as well.
Finally, here are some photos I took from the day and night at Crew Stadium that I will never forget:
"It was awesome. This is probably one of the best home-field advantages we have in America. I don’t know what it is about Columbus. Everyone was standing, there were thousands of people with flags. It was really an electric, pro-American atmosphere and that’s such an awesome thing. Hats off to the fans and people in Columbus and that’s not the first time; it’s happened over-and-over. We really feel that pride and home-field advantage and we don’t get that everywhere.” (Quote courtesy of US Soccer)
Most importantly, of course, the USMNT defeated Jamaica in what was a crucial semi-final round qualifying match. Herculez Gomez scored the only goal of the game on a free-kick in the 55th minute that was struck perfectly, curling into the net past the Jamaican goalkeeper. The US outplayed Jamaica throughout the match, except for a few moments near the end when the boys may have been exhausted by the sheer emotion of the night and the visitors played with more desperation to score a tying goal. The US could have been up by a couple goals at halftime, as near misses off the crossbar and post were just a fraction off.
The result of the victory is that the USMNT now lead the semifinal qualifying group on goal differential over Jamaica and Guatemala. The final two matches of this qualifying round are Oct. 12 at Antigua & Barbuda and Oct. 16 Guatemala in Kansas City. Two wins automatically qualify the US for the final qualifying round, called the Hexagonal because there are six teams in that round that each play against each other once on the road and once at home. A win and a tie, and the US will likely be in as well.
Finally, here are some photos I took from the day and night at Crew Stadium that I will never forget:
 |
| Tailgating with my boys, Anthony and Dave |
 |
| Pre-game flag waving |
 |
| Crowd revving up just before kickoff |
 |
| Post-game on the field! |
Friday, September 7, 2012
USMNT World Cup Qualifier Preview - Jamaica
The USMNT will take on Jamaica twice over the next five days, with the first match in Kingston this evening and the return match in Columbus, Ohio, on Tuesday. These two matches will go a long way in deciding the semifinal round of qualifying for the USA. Here's my take on the three keys for these matches, from the back of the field to the front:
1. Back line needs to start coming together
Fabian Johnson seems to have solidified his spot as one of the outside backers on the national team with his ability to get forward and knack for doing the dirty work necessary in the back. The two veterans of the squad, Captain America Carlos Bocanegra and Steve Cherundolo, will likely keep their outside backer spots as they add stability and presence in front of superstar goalkeeper Tim Howard. That leaves the other centerback position up for grabs, but that should go to Geoff Cameron based on his stellar play against Mexico and his recent big move to Stoke City in the EPL. Cameron could also play in the defensive midfield where he is deployed with Stoke, which would open up a spot for Clarence Goodson (who played extremely well in the win over Italy earlier this year). I would only do this if another one of the defensive midfielders like Beckerman or Jones goes down with an injury. It would be good to see Jurgen Klinsmann having a more stable lineup in the back; a back line of Johnson-Bocanegra-Cameron-Cherundolo should be one to stay with for the foreseeable future.
2. Midfield depth will be tested
I have long claimed that the midfield is where the USMNT is strongest, with the likes of Landon Donovan, Michael Bradley, Jermaine Jones, Maurice Edu, Kyle Beckerman, and Clint Dempsey all playing key roles in recent years in the middle of the pitch. Some of the young players we have raved about before like Brek Shea, who was a key in the win at Mexico, and oft-injured Stuart Holden are looked on as future stars. This depth will be put to the test over the next five days, as Donovan and Bradley will sit out these matches due to injuries, and Dempsey is still getting into form after his transfer to Tottenham in the EPL. Look for Jones, Edu, and Beckerman to play a lot of minutes in these matches. Dempsey will likely be deployed more as a substitute forward in these matches to save the wear and tear on his body while he gets back into top shape.
3. Who will score goals?
When it's all said and done, the US needs at least a win and a tie in these matches to take a commanding lead in their qualifying group, so scoreless draws just won't cut it. Jamaica has some speed and quality on the ball, but their defense is suspect. The US must take advantage of this, and to do so they need Jozy Altidore to display the scoring touch he has shown in recent months in Europe. Other than Dempsey, there has been no American field player in better form than Altidore over the past year. Herculez Gomez has put in some solid efforts recently and will likely start next to Altidore, with Terrence Boyd and Dempsey likely to play substitute roles.
Here is the lineup I hope to see in these matches:
GK - Howard
RB - Johnson
CB - Bocanegra and Cameron
LB - Cherundolo
MF - Beckerman, Edu, Jones, Shea
F - Altidore, Gomez
SUBS - Dempsey on for Gomez; Boyd on for Altidore; Goodson on for Cameron so he can relieve Jones in the midfield when he inevitably gets a yellow card for a hard challenge
Disagree on my lineup suggestions? Who would you start? Who do you want to see step up his game in these two matches?
1. Back line needs to start coming together
Fabian Johnson seems to have solidified his spot as one of the outside backers on the national team with his ability to get forward and knack for doing the dirty work necessary in the back. The two veterans of the squad, Captain America Carlos Bocanegra and Steve Cherundolo, will likely keep their outside backer spots as they add stability and presence in front of superstar goalkeeper Tim Howard. That leaves the other centerback position up for grabs, but that should go to Geoff Cameron based on his stellar play against Mexico and his recent big move to Stoke City in the EPL. Cameron could also play in the defensive midfield where he is deployed with Stoke, which would open up a spot for Clarence Goodson (who played extremely well in the win over Italy earlier this year). I would only do this if another one of the defensive midfielders like Beckerman or Jones goes down with an injury. It would be good to see Jurgen Klinsmann having a more stable lineup in the back; a back line of Johnson-Bocanegra-Cameron-Cherundolo should be one to stay with for the foreseeable future.
2. Midfield depth will be tested
I have long claimed that the midfield is where the USMNT is strongest, with the likes of Landon Donovan, Michael Bradley, Jermaine Jones, Maurice Edu, Kyle Beckerman, and Clint Dempsey all playing key roles in recent years in the middle of the pitch. Some of the young players we have raved about before like Brek Shea, who was a key in the win at Mexico, and oft-injured Stuart Holden are looked on as future stars. This depth will be put to the test over the next five days, as Donovan and Bradley will sit out these matches due to injuries, and Dempsey is still getting into form after his transfer to Tottenham in the EPL. Look for Jones, Edu, and Beckerman to play a lot of minutes in these matches. Dempsey will likely be deployed more as a substitute forward in these matches to save the wear and tear on his body while he gets back into top shape.
3. Who will score goals?
When it's all said and done, the US needs at least a win and a tie in these matches to take a commanding lead in their qualifying group, so scoreless draws just won't cut it. Jamaica has some speed and quality on the ball, but their defense is suspect. The US must take advantage of this, and to do so they need Jozy Altidore to display the scoring touch he has shown in recent months in Europe. Other than Dempsey, there has been no American field player in better form than Altidore over the past year. Herculez Gomez has put in some solid efforts recently and will likely start next to Altidore, with Terrence Boyd and Dempsey likely to play substitute roles.
Here is the lineup I hope to see in these matches:
GK - Howard
RB - Johnson
CB - Bocanegra and Cameron
LB - Cherundolo
MF - Beckerman, Edu, Jones, Shea
F - Altidore, Gomez
SUBS - Dempsey on for Gomez; Boyd on for Altidore; Goodson on for Cameron so he can relieve Jones in the midfield when he inevitably gets a yellow card for a hard challenge
Disagree on my lineup suggestions? Who would you start? Who do you want to see step up his game in these two matches?
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Historic win for USMNT over Mexico
The USMNT defied the odds and critics tonight with a 1-0 victory over Mexico in Estadio Azteca. It was a night many fans of the Stars and Stripes won't soon forget. Here are my three positives from tonight's match:
1. Confidence should be sky high going into important World Cup Qualifiers.
The USMNT surprised many tonight. Fielding what many called a "B team" due to the absences of Clint Dempsey, Michael Bradley and captain Carlos Bocanegra, the US came in as the underdog. Add in factors like an 0-23-1 all-time record in Mexico and that Mexico was celebrating its recent Gold Medal in the Olympics while fielding most of its normal starting line-up, and things did not look good on paper. But the boys battled with a strong defensive mindset and capitalized on a great sequence sparked by Brek Shea's between-the-defender's-legs move and cross to Terrence Boyd who heel passed to Michael Orozco Fiscal for the tap-in goal. Watch the goal here on YouTube
With two qualifying matches against a decent Jamaica squad coming up next month, this was a great confidence boost for some youngsters who played significant roles in tonight's memorable victory. Jamaica will be the biggest test for the US in the semifinal round of qualifying, so the timing could not have been better.
2. Geoff Cameron continued his meteoric rise.
Cameron has had an amazing summer. After his recently signed agreement to join Stoke City in the English Premier League, many were looking forward to seeing how Cameron fared in containing Chicharito and the Mexican offensive attack. Cameron did not disappoint, clearing many balls and playing a physical style that seemed to frustrate the home squad. Cameron and Clarence Goodson have been solid in recent matches, giving the US some great options in the back moving forward in qualifiers.
3. Stay classy, Tim Howard.
The net minder of our USMNT has never played a more impressive road match in my eyes, especially in the second half when he flat out robbed Mexico of two goals. With a completely new lineup of defenders in front of him - again - Howard was called on to bark out positioning and coverage orders and did so as flawlessly as always. As Howard prepares for another season as one of the EPL's best goalkeepers, we were reminded once again how fortunate we are to have him leading the American squad.
1. Confidence should be sky high going into important World Cup Qualifiers.
The USMNT surprised many tonight. Fielding what many called a "B team" due to the absences of Clint Dempsey, Michael Bradley and captain Carlos Bocanegra, the US came in as the underdog. Add in factors like an 0-23-1 all-time record in Mexico and that Mexico was celebrating its recent Gold Medal in the Olympics while fielding most of its normal starting line-up, and things did not look good on paper. But the boys battled with a strong defensive mindset and capitalized on a great sequence sparked by Brek Shea's between-the-defender's-legs move and cross to Terrence Boyd who heel passed to Michael Orozco Fiscal for the tap-in goal. Watch the goal here on YouTube
With two qualifying matches against a decent Jamaica squad coming up next month, this was a great confidence boost for some youngsters who played significant roles in tonight's memorable victory. Jamaica will be the biggest test for the US in the semifinal round of qualifying, so the timing could not have been better.
2. Geoff Cameron continued his meteoric rise.
Cameron has had an amazing summer. After his recently signed agreement to join Stoke City in the English Premier League, many were looking forward to seeing how Cameron fared in containing Chicharito and the Mexican offensive attack. Cameron did not disappoint, clearing many balls and playing a physical style that seemed to frustrate the home squad. Cameron and Clarence Goodson have been solid in recent matches, giving the US some great options in the back moving forward in qualifiers.
3. Stay classy, Tim Howard.
The net minder of our USMNT has never played a more impressive road match in my eyes, especially in the second half when he flat out robbed Mexico of two goals. With a completely new lineup of defenders in front of him - again - Howard was called on to bark out positioning and coverage orders and did so as flawlessly as always. As Howard prepares for another season as one of the EPL's best goalkeepers, we were reminded once again how fortunate we are to have him leading the American squad.
Sunday, August 12, 2012
EPL 2012-13 Season Preview
The 2012-13 English Premier League season kicks off next weekend, so it's time to make some predictions on the upcoming campaign. Here is how I think the season will play out:
1. Manchester City - the defending champions have the best goalkeeper in the league and some tough stalwarts in the back, but where they are most dangerous are up front. Carlos Tevez was stellar at the end of last season and will lead the attack, but Mario Balotelli is coming off an amazing Euro 2012 tournament for Italy and might be ready to become one of the finest forwards in the world. Sergio Aguero and Edin Dzeko would be leading goal scorers on most other clubs but will be complementary for City unless Tevez is sold or Balotelli continues his trend of behavioral problems.
2. Manchester United - last year's runners up are hungry after just missing back-to-back EPL championships, but they did not make many changes to their roster for the upcoming season. Shinji Kagawa will be an entertaining player to watch in the midfield, creating for the likes of Wayne Rooney and Chicharito, though continued rumors surrounding Robin Van Persie may cost the Mexican star playing time. RVP may make the difference for Red Devils.
3. Chelsea - many forget that the surprise winners of last year's Champions League only finished sixth in the EPL standings and would not have qualified for this year's CL if not for their win over Bayern Munich in the final. This year's club is without star forward Didier Drogba, but the additions of Brazilian star Oscar and Eden Hazard from Belgium add star power to a strong club.
4. Arsenal - all Arsenal fan eyes are pointed toward star forward Robin Van Persie, who is in the final season of his contract and said in the off-season that he would not resign. Many of the top clubs in the EPL and some outside the league are rumored to be inquiring about RVP, but no move has been made yet. If RVP stays with Arsenal, they should compete for another Champions League berth. Spain's Santi Casorla and Germany's Lukas Podolski will add creativity and firepower to the attack.
5. Tottenham - another team seemingly in limbo, as Emmanuel Adebayor is scheduled to return to Manchester City after being loaned to Tottenham last year and Luka Modric is being courted by Real Madrid. If Tottenham loses these two stars and does not reinvest that money quickly, they could be looking at a mid-table finish. That said, new manager Andre Villas-Boas will likely see some new faces coming in with that lost talent and rally the troops to a Europa League berth.
6. Liverpool - Brendan Rogers takes over the helm of one of last season's most enigmatic clubs. Liverpool finished eighth - its worst league finish in nearly two decades - but made it to the final of the FA Cup and won the Carling Cup. The offensive attack is in good shape led by Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll, with Italian signing Fabio Borini added to the group and American star Clint Dempsey a likely signing in the coming days from Fulham.
7. Everton - the Blues may finally have some serious talent on David Moyes' perennially overachieving squad. Steven Naismith and Steven Pienaar join last year's signing of striker Nikica Jelavic to give Everton a decent attack, while Leighton Baines and John Heitinga stabilize a decent set of fullbacks. Tim Howard remains one of the finest netminders in the league.
8. Newcastle United - Alan Pardew led the biggest surprise on the positive side in last year's season, but the bar has certainly been raised. Demba Ba unleashed an amazing scoring campaign and will be called on again to lead the attack for a squad that did not make many changes in the offseason. A mid-season transfer window pick up or two could do wonders for their upcoming season.
9. Fulham - like Arsenal, Fulham is in a bit of limbo with the uncertainty surrounding one of its biggest stars...in this case, Clint Dempsey who scored an amazing 23 goals last season. Dempsey looks to be all but gone to Liverpool, so Fulham must get more consistent contributions from the likes of Bryan Ruiz and Moussa Dembele.
10. Norwich City - the Canaries had a solid, mid-table return to the EPL last year. Led by Grant Holt and Steve Morison, they never were really in danger of relegation and that's about all you can hope for in the first year of an EPL tenure.
11. West Bromwich Albion - WBA finished last season about as strongly as any squad, and recent loan signing of Chelsea forward Romelu Lukaku should help significantly if he comes in hungry and pairs up well with Peter Odemwingie.
12. Sunderland - coming off a solid campaign, Martin O'Neill looks to get Sunderland into the top half of the table led by youngsters in forward Nicklas Bendtner and winger James McClean. Transfer target Steven Fletcher from Wolves would be a great addition to its offensive attack.
13. Swansea City - the loss of manager Brendan Rogers to Liverpool is significant, but Swansea still has some serious talent up front with Scott Sinclair and Danny Graham.
14. Southampton - promoted side finished second in the Championship last year, but had the highest goal differential and possesses a potent attack led by Richard Lambert, who scored 29 goals in all competitions last season. Adam Lallana is a young midfielder to watch.
15. Reading - last year's Championship winner is a more conservative side than Southampton, relying more on its defense, solid goalkeeper Adam Federici, and balanced scoring to lead the way. Young forward Adam Le Fondre is someone to keep an eye on, as he scored 12 goals in 16 games for Reading after being picked up from Rotherham United in League Two.
16. Stoke City - Peter Crouch and the Potters sounds like a bluegrass band, but that's what Stoke City (nicknamed the Potters) often looks to offensively, with the 6' 7" forward posing a great threat on set pieces. Stoke needs an influx of young talent and its aging squad could be in trouble late in the season in what should be another closely packed group at the bottom of the table fighting to stave off relegation.
17. Wigan Athletic - it seems every year that Roberto Martinez puts in a yeoman effort to keep Wigan in the Premier League. Wigan entered the EPL in 2005 for the first time in club history and has remained there ever since, but this looks like another year where it will be a challenge to stay in the top tier.
18. Aston Villa - The Villains are a squad in peril, having reported to lose £53.9 million last season and barely avoiding relegation. Villa is one of the founding members of the Premier League, but this might spell the end of their time in the league for a while unless owner Randy Lerner can finalize his sale of the NFL's Cleveland Browns quickly and pour his profit from that transaction into the squad. Darren Bent and Gabriel Agbonlahor lead a decent offensive attack that could make some noise if Lerner can spend some money and bring in good talent behind the forwards.
19. West Ham United - the third of the promoted sides, West Ham has some scorers up front in Carlton Cole and Kevin Nolan and could make a run at staying up in the EPL, but its back is suspect with Robert Green in goal and some suspects in front of him.
20. Queens Park Rangers - QPR's season ended in high drama, as they blew a late lead to Manchester City that gave City the EPL regular season crown. Enigmatic Joey Barton was red carded in that match, likely his final one for QPR due to a series of issues both on and off the field. QPR showed some pride late last season by winning five straight home wins and solidifying its return to the EPL, but this year I can't see them staying up.
1. Manchester City - the defending champions have the best goalkeeper in the league and some tough stalwarts in the back, but where they are most dangerous are up front. Carlos Tevez was stellar at the end of last season and will lead the attack, but Mario Balotelli is coming off an amazing Euro 2012 tournament for Italy and might be ready to become one of the finest forwards in the world. Sergio Aguero and Edin Dzeko would be leading goal scorers on most other clubs but will be complementary for City unless Tevez is sold or Balotelli continues his trend of behavioral problems.
2. Manchester United - last year's runners up are hungry after just missing back-to-back EPL championships, but they did not make many changes to their roster for the upcoming season. Shinji Kagawa will be an entertaining player to watch in the midfield, creating for the likes of Wayne Rooney and Chicharito, though continued rumors surrounding Robin Van Persie may cost the Mexican star playing time. RVP may make the difference for Red Devils.
3. Chelsea - many forget that the surprise winners of last year's Champions League only finished sixth in the EPL standings and would not have qualified for this year's CL if not for their win over Bayern Munich in the final. This year's club is without star forward Didier Drogba, but the additions of Brazilian star Oscar and Eden Hazard from Belgium add star power to a strong club.
4. Arsenal - all Arsenal fan eyes are pointed toward star forward Robin Van Persie, who is in the final season of his contract and said in the off-season that he would not resign. Many of the top clubs in the EPL and some outside the league are rumored to be inquiring about RVP, but no move has been made yet. If RVP stays with Arsenal, they should compete for another Champions League berth. Spain's Santi Casorla and Germany's Lukas Podolski will add creativity and firepower to the attack.
5. Tottenham - another team seemingly in limbo, as Emmanuel Adebayor is scheduled to return to Manchester City after being loaned to Tottenham last year and Luka Modric is being courted by Real Madrid. If Tottenham loses these two stars and does not reinvest that money quickly, they could be looking at a mid-table finish. That said, new manager Andre Villas-Boas will likely see some new faces coming in with that lost talent and rally the troops to a Europa League berth.
6. Liverpool - Brendan Rogers takes over the helm of one of last season's most enigmatic clubs. Liverpool finished eighth - its worst league finish in nearly two decades - but made it to the final of the FA Cup and won the Carling Cup. The offensive attack is in good shape led by Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll, with Italian signing Fabio Borini added to the group and American star Clint Dempsey a likely signing in the coming days from Fulham.
7. Everton - the Blues may finally have some serious talent on David Moyes' perennially overachieving squad. Steven Naismith and Steven Pienaar join last year's signing of striker Nikica Jelavic to give Everton a decent attack, while Leighton Baines and John Heitinga stabilize a decent set of fullbacks. Tim Howard remains one of the finest netminders in the league.
8. Newcastle United - Alan Pardew led the biggest surprise on the positive side in last year's season, but the bar has certainly been raised. Demba Ba unleashed an amazing scoring campaign and will be called on again to lead the attack for a squad that did not make many changes in the offseason. A mid-season transfer window pick up or two could do wonders for their upcoming season.
9. Fulham - like Arsenal, Fulham is in a bit of limbo with the uncertainty surrounding one of its biggest stars...in this case, Clint Dempsey who scored an amazing 23 goals last season. Dempsey looks to be all but gone to Liverpool, so Fulham must get more consistent contributions from the likes of Bryan Ruiz and Moussa Dembele.
10. Norwich City - the Canaries had a solid, mid-table return to the EPL last year. Led by Grant Holt and Steve Morison, they never were really in danger of relegation and that's about all you can hope for in the first year of an EPL tenure.
11. West Bromwich Albion - WBA finished last season about as strongly as any squad, and recent loan signing of Chelsea forward Romelu Lukaku should help significantly if he comes in hungry and pairs up well with Peter Odemwingie.
12. Sunderland - coming off a solid campaign, Martin O'Neill looks to get Sunderland into the top half of the table led by youngsters in forward Nicklas Bendtner and winger James McClean. Transfer target Steven Fletcher from Wolves would be a great addition to its offensive attack.
13. Swansea City - the loss of manager Brendan Rogers to Liverpool is significant, but Swansea still has some serious talent up front with Scott Sinclair and Danny Graham.
14. Southampton - promoted side finished second in the Championship last year, but had the highest goal differential and possesses a potent attack led by Richard Lambert, who scored 29 goals in all competitions last season. Adam Lallana is a young midfielder to watch.
15. Reading - last year's Championship winner is a more conservative side than Southampton, relying more on its defense, solid goalkeeper Adam Federici, and balanced scoring to lead the way. Young forward Adam Le Fondre is someone to keep an eye on, as he scored 12 goals in 16 games for Reading after being picked up from Rotherham United in League Two.
16. Stoke City - Peter Crouch and the Potters sounds like a bluegrass band, but that's what Stoke City (nicknamed the Potters) often looks to offensively, with the 6' 7" forward posing a great threat on set pieces. Stoke needs an influx of young talent and its aging squad could be in trouble late in the season in what should be another closely packed group at the bottom of the table fighting to stave off relegation.
17. Wigan Athletic - it seems every year that Roberto Martinez puts in a yeoman effort to keep Wigan in the Premier League. Wigan entered the EPL in 2005 for the first time in club history and has remained there ever since, but this looks like another year where it will be a challenge to stay in the top tier.
18. Aston Villa - The Villains are a squad in peril, having reported to lose £53.9 million last season and barely avoiding relegation. Villa is one of the founding members of the Premier League, but this might spell the end of their time in the league for a while unless owner Randy Lerner can finalize his sale of the NFL's Cleveland Browns quickly and pour his profit from that transaction into the squad. Darren Bent and Gabriel Agbonlahor lead a decent offensive attack that could make some noise if Lerner can spend some money and bring in good talent behind the forwards.
19. West Ham United - the third of the promoted sides, West Ham has some scorers up front in Carlton Cole and Kevin Nolan and could make a run at staying up in the EPL, but its back is suspect with Robert Green in goal and some suspects in front of him.
20. Queens Park Rangers - QPR's season ended in high drama, as they blew a late lead to Manchester City that gave City the EPL regular season crown. Enigmatic Joey Barton was red carded in that match, likely his final one for QPR due to a series of issues both on and off the field. QPR showed some pride late last season by winning five straight home wins and solidifying its return to the EPL, but this year I can't see them staying up.
Sunday, July 15, 2012
World Football Challenge Kicks Off on Wednesday
Recent weeks have been slow in international soccer ever since Spain closed out Euro 2012 with a thorough dismantling of Italy in the final. As the major European leagues begin training for the coming season, a number of outstanding exhibition matches are coming up on North American soil as part of the Herbalife World Football Challenge. This exhibition tournament features some of the best clubs in Europe and a few MLS squads. All nine matches in the tournament will be televised in English in the US, and all but one will be shown live. Here is the schedule:
July 21 - Toronto FC v Liverpool FC (4 pm ET on Fox Soccer) in Toronto, Canada
One of the newer teams in the MLS will host Liverpool, which is coming off a disappointing season but remains a popular team throughout the world.
July 22 - Chelsea FC v Paris Saint-Germain (7 pm ET on Fox Soccer) in New York City, New York
The first of two matches in Yankee Stadium, Chelsea will take on PSG, which is a perennial contender in France's top league and is making significant roster upgrades to contend in the upcoming season's Champions League.
July 28 - Chelsea FC v AC Milan (6 pm ET on ESPN2) in Miami, Florida
Chelsea continues its trek across the US by taking on one of Italy's best clubs.
July 28 - D.C. United v Paris Saint-Germain (7:30 pm ET - tape delay on Fox Soccer at 10 pm) in Washington, DC
Aug. 2 - LA Galaxy v Real Madrid (10:30 pm ET on ESPN2) in Carson, California near Los Angeles
Last year's MLS champions have struggled a bit this season, but they had better be in top form as they host Cristiano Ronaldo's Real squad, semifinalists in last season's Champions League.
Aug. 5 - Real Madrid v Santos Laguna (11 pm ET on Fox Soccer) in Las Vegas, Nevada
Real will take on the defending champions of Mexico in what should be a spirited Sin City environment.
Aug. 8 - Real Madrid v AC Milan (8 pm ET on ESPN2) in New York City, New York
July 18 - Seattle Sounders FC v Chelsea FC (9:30 pm ET on ESPN2) in Seattle, Washington
One of the most popular teams in the US, the Sounders and their passionate fan base will host Chelsea, winners of this past year's Champions League.
One of the most popular teams in the US, the Sounders and their passionate fan base will host Chelsea, winners of this past year's Champions League.
July 21 - Toronto FC v Liverpool FC (4 pm ET on Fox Soccer) in Toronto, Canada
One of the newer teams in the MLS will host Liverpool, which is coming off a disappointing season but remains a popular team throughout the world.
July 22 - Chelsea FC v Paris Saint-Germain (7 pm ET on Fox Soccer) in New York City, New York
The first of two matches in Yankee Stadium, Chelsea will take on PSG, which is a perennial contender in France's top league and is making significant roster upgrades to contend in the upcoming season's Champions League.
July 28 - Chelsea FC v AC Milan (6 pm ET on ESPN2) in Miami, Florida
Chelsea continues its trek across the US by taking on one of Italy's best clubs.
July 28 - D.C. United v Paris Saint-Germain (7:30 pm ET - tape delay on Fox Soccer at 10 pm) in Washington, DC
DC United has been one of the top teams in the MLS this season, so they will likely not be an easy draw for PSG in its second and final WFC match.
Aug. 2 - LA Galaxy v Real Madrid (10:30 pm ET on ESPN2) in Carson, California near Los Angeles
Last year's MLS champions have struggled a bit this season, but they had better be in top form as they host Cristiano Ronaldo's Real squad, semifinalists in last season's Champions League.
Aug. 5 - Real Madrid v Santos Laguna (11 pm ET on Fox Soccer) in Las Vegas, Nevada
Real will take on the defending champions of Mexico in what should be a spirited Sin City environment.
Aug. 8 - Real Madrid v AC Milan (8 pm ET on ESPN2) in New York City, New York
Real and Milan have been two of Europe's best clubs in recent years, so this is a classic waiting to happen in Yankee Stadium.
Aug. 11 - Real Madrid v Celtic FC (1:30 pm ET on ESPN2) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Aug. 11 - Real Madrid v Celtic FC (1:30 pm ET on ESPN2) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
The final match in this tournament pits Real against the defending champions of the Scottish Premier League.
*Also of note, the MLS All-Star Team will once again take on a top-flight European club in its All-Star Game, facing Chelsea on July 25 at 8:30 pm in Chester, Pennsylvania near Philadelphia (televised on ESPN2).
Sunday, July 1, 2012
Euro 2012 Final Preview: Spain vs. Italy
Three weeks ago, Spain and Italy battled to a 1-1 draw to begin the 2012 European Championships. Spain entered the tournament as defending champion and favorite, while Italy came in under a cloud of controversy and uncertainty. The match was as entertaining as it was close, and gave many fans hope for a spirited tournament...which has certainly been the case. Later this afternoon the two storied soccer clubs will meet in a rematch, this time for the title (2:30 et, ESPN).
Spain has seemed a bit flat in this tournament, relying more on possesssion and stingy defense in its run to repeat as champions. In fact, the only goal Spain has conceded in this tournament was to Italy in the aforementioned tournament opener. Spain has played most of this tournament without a true striker, choosing to deploy Cesc Fabregas up front while keeping Fernando Torres out of the starting 11. This strategy nearly backfired in the semifinals against Portugal, as the rivals battled to a scoreless draw that Spain won in penalty kicks.
Italy comes off what has to be considered the most impressive victory for any club in this year's tournament, a 2-1 defeat of Germany in the semifinals that featured two world-class goals from ultra-talented, but often enigmatic, forward Mario Balotelli. The Azzurri feature two of the world's best players over the past decade in goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon and midfielder Andrea Pirlo. Some critics were saying Buffon and Pirlo were well past their prime, going so far as suggesting this tournament could be the final major international tournament for both. Instead, Buffon has been stellar and Pirlo has been the key to Italy's superior possession game all tournament long.
I look for this matchup to start slowly, with both teams trying to dictate possession with their strong midfields. Italy will likely try to get the ball to Balotelli early to see if they can get a quick strike and force Spain to play a more aggressive style to open up for the counterattack. Look for Spain to once again bring Torres in as a substitute in the second half for a change of pace, especially if they are down.
Prediction: Balotelli scores an early goal, Spain ties it up in the second half, and this one goes to penalty kicks with Spain successfully defending its title.
Spain has seemed a bit flat in this tournament, relying more on possesssion and stingy defense in its run to repeat as champions. In fact, the only goal Spain has conceded in this tournament was to Italy in the aforementioned tournament opener. Spain has played most of this tournament without a true striker, choosing to deploy Cesc Fabregas up front while keeping Fernando Torres out of the starting 11. This strategy nearly backfired in the semifinals against Portugal, as the rivals battled to a scoreless draw that Spain won in penalty kicks.
Italy comes off what has to be considered the most impressive victory for any club in this year's tournament, a 2-1 defeat of Germany in the semifinals that featured two world-class goals from ultra-talented, but often enigmatic, forward Mario Balotelli. The Azzurri feature two of the world's best players over the past decade in goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon and midfielder Andrea Pirlo. Some critics were saying Buffon and Pirlo were well past their prime, going so far as suggesting this tournament could be the final major international tournament for both. Instead, Buffon has been stellar and Pirlo has been the key to Italy's superior possession game all tournament long.
I look for this matchup to start slowly, with both teams trying to dictate possession with their strong midfields. Italy will likely try to get the ball to Balotelli early to see if they can get a quick strike and force Spain to play a more aggressive style to open up for the counterattack. Look for Spain to once again bring Torres in as a substitute in the second half for a change of pace, especially if they are down.
Prediction: Balotelli scores an early goal, Spain ties it up in the second half, and this one goes to penalty kicks with Spain successfully defending its title.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)