The USMNT defeated Scotland, 5-1, in an international friendly this evening. More than 44,000 packed the stands in Jacksonville, FL, and they and the rest of us fans of the stars and strips were treated to some of the most entertaining soccer played by the US in many years. Here are my quick takes on tonight's match:
Landon Donovan makes this team a LOT better - Despite missing two of its best scoring options (Jozy Altidore and Clint Dempsey both did not suit up but should be in the lineup before World Cup Qualifying starts in June), the US offense played a very open and attacking style. Much of that was due to Donovan's presence on the right wing for the first time in eight months. Donovan scored three times and had an assist, and he was around the ball often. The US's best strategy moving forward is the 4-3-3 formation they employed tonight, with Donovan on the right wing and placing Dempsey on the left wing and Altidore up top. That lineup will be quite formidable.
The key to USMNT success is in the midfield - While many will talk about Donovan's return to the lineup, you cannot say enough good things about the play of Michael Bradley and Jermaine Jones in the midfield tonight. They controlled possession for long stretches of the first 60 minutes when the match was still up for grabs. Both Bradley and Jones also tallied goals, with Bradley's golazo in the first half ranking up there with one of the best goals we have seen from an American in quite a while, and Jones heading home a beautiful cross from Donovan. Bradley and Jones both also were credited with assists on Donovan goals. This midfield tandem will be crucial to the upcoming World Cup qualifying run.
Confidence is building with Brazil on the horizon - The US dominated all aspects of tonight's match against a decent Scotland squad. Next up for the stars and stripes is Brazil on Wednesday, which will come in with much more talent and technical skill. There is no doubt the US is riding a nice wave of positive momentum, and we could see Altidore, Dempsey, and Donovan on the field together for the first time in the Jurgen Klinsmann era. Tonight's entertaining victory only added to the energy building toward the USA-Brazil friendly.
Saturday, May 26, 2012
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
USMNT Gearing Up For World Cup Qualifying
The USMNT is currently training for a grueling stretch of five matches in two and a half weeks that includes three friendlies and the first two matches of semifinal round qualifying for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. For the first time in Jurgen Klinsmann's tenure as head coach of the squad, the roster is filled with most of the top American players. Below I look at the five upcoming matches, as well as my preferred starting lineup with this group.
Upcoming Schedule:
May 26 vs Scotland in Jacksonville, FL (8 p.m. eastern, NBC Sports Network, Galavision)
The first test for the Stars & Stripes is the 48th ranked squad in the world. Scotland has not qualified for the World Cup since 1998, but it boasts many players on the roster of top-flight teams and has a strong midfield, including captain Darren Fletcher (Manchester United) and Charlie Adam (Liverpool).
May 26 vs Brazil in Landover, MD (8 p.m. eastern, ESPN2, ESPN3, TeleFutura)
The biggest test for the Americans is likely to come from Brazil, which is ranked sixth in the world. Brazil has already qualified for the World Cup in 2014 as host and is the most successful team in the history of the World Cup with five trophies. Brazil is bringing a very talented squad to play in this match, so it should be a good barometer of where the U.S. is - and needs to be - in order to contend in 2014.
June 3 vs Canada in Toronto (7 p.m. eastern, NBC Sports Network, Univision Deportes)
The final tune-up before World Cup qualifying will be played against our friends from the north, currently ranked 74th in the world. Canada seems to be improving as a soccer nation, as evidenced by their win over the U.S. in Olympic qualifying, but this will be a big test for them on the senior national team level. The mapleleafs will be led by forward Dwayne De Rosario, a talented but enigmatic forward currently playing for D.C. United in MLS. De Rosario is tied atop the all-time scoring list in Canadian soccer history with 19 international goals.
June 8 vs Antigua & Barbuda in Tampa, FL (7 p.m. eastern, ESPN, ESPN3, Galavision)
The semifinal round of World Cup qualifying begins at home for the U.S. against Antigua & Barbuda, ranked 84th in the world. A&B has never qualified for the World Cup and does not have anyone on their roster playing in a top-flight league, so the U.S. will look to build confidence and start the round off strong here.
June 12 vs Guatemala in Guatemala City (10 p.m. eastern, pay-per-view)
The 89th ranked team in the world does not pose much of a challenge on paper, but it is always difficult to win a World Cup qualifier on the road. Guatemala has never qualified for the World Cup, but they have advanced to the final round of qualification four times. The most well known player for Guatemala is its captain and all-time leading scorer Carlos Ruiz, who was a successful forward in the MLS for years.
Roster:
Below is the full U.S. roster called up for these matches as of today, with club teams in parentheses. Though I think many on this roster should be given significant playing time during this stretch of matches, I have bolded the 11 players I think Klinsmann should put in the starting line-up for the first WCQ match on June 8:
GOALKEEPERS (3): Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Tim Howard (Everton), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)
Upcoming Schedule:
May 26 vs Scotland in Jacksonville, FL (8 p.m. eastern, NBC Sports Network, Galavision)
The first test for the Stars & Stripes is the 48th ranked squad in the world. Scotland has not qualified for the World Cup since 1998, but it boasts many players on the roster of top-flight teams and has a strong midfield, including captain Darren Fletcher (Manchester United) and Charlie Adam (Liverpool).
May 26 vs Brazil in Landover, MD (8 p.m. eastern, ESPN2, ESPN3, TeleFutura)
The biggest test for the Americans is likely to come from Brazil, which is ranked sixth in the world. Brazil has already qualified for the World Cup in 2014 as host and is the most successful team in the history of the World Cup with five trophies. Brazil is bringing a very talented squad to play in this match, so it should be a good barometer of where the U.S. is - and needs to be - in order to contend in 2014.
June 3 vs Canada in Toronto (7 p.m. eastern, NBC Sports Network, Univision Deportes)
The final tune-up before World Cup qualifying will be played against our friends from the north, currently ranked 74th in the world. Canada seems to be improving as a soccer nation, as evidenced by their win over the U.S. in Olympic qualifying, but this will be a big test for them on the senior national team level. The mapleleafs will be led by forward Dwayne De Rosario, a talented but enigmatic forward currently playing for D.C. United in MLS. De Rosario is tied atop the all-time scoring list in Canadian soccer history with 19 international goals.
June 8 vs Antigua & Barbuda in Tampa, FL (7 p.m. eastern, ESPN, ESPN3, Galavision)
The semifinal round of World Cup qualifying begins at home for the U.S. against Antigua & Barbuda, ranked 84th in the world. A&B has never qualified for the World Cup and does not have anyone on their roster playing in a top-flight league, so the U.S. will look to build confidence and start the round off strong here.
June 12 vs Guatemala in Guatemala City (10 p.m. eastern, pay-per-view)
The 89th ranked team in the world does not pose much of a challenge on paper, but it is always difficult to win a World Cup qualifier on the road. Guatemala has never qualified for the World Cup, but they have advanced to the final round of qualification four times. The most well known player for Guatemala is its captain and all-time leading scorer Carlos Ruiz, who was a successful forward in the MLS for years.
Roster:
Below is the full U.S. roster called up for these matches as of today, with club teams in parentheses. Though I think many on this roster should be given significant playing time during this stretch of matches, I have bolded the 11 players I think Klinsmann should put in the starting line-up for the first WCQ match on June 8:
GOALKEEPERS (3): Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Tim Howard (Everton), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)
DEFENDERS (8): Carlos Bocanegra (Rangers), Geoff Cameron (Houston Dynamo), Edgar Castillo (Club Tijuana), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover 96), Clarence Goodson (Brondby), Alfredo Morales (Hertha Berlin), Oguchi Onyewu (Sporting Lisbon), Michael Parkhurst (Nordsjaelland)
MIDFIELDERS (9): Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Michael Bradley (Chievo Verona), Joe Corona (Club Tijuana), Maurice Edu (Rangers), Fabian Johnson (Hoffenheim), Jermaine Jones (Schalke 04), Jose Torres (Pachuca), Danny Williams (Hoffenheim), Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City)
FORWARDS (7): Juan Agudelo (Chivas USA), Jozy Altidore (AZ Alkmaar), Terrence Boyd (Borussia Dortmund), Clint Dempsey (Fulham), Landon Donovan (LA Galaxy), Herculez Gomez (Santos), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes)
The way this line-up would shake out is basically as a 4-3-3 with Donovan and Dempsey as playmakers in front of the midfield, and Altidore sometimes alone up front as a holding forward to allow those two some room to make something happen.
GK: Howard
LB: Bocanegra
CB: Onyewu, Goodson
RB: Cherundolo
MF: Bradley, Jones, Edu
F: Altidore, Dempsey, Donovan
What are your thoughts about these upcoming matches? Who would you like to see get a shot in the starting XI?
The way this line-up would shake out is basically as a 4-3-3 with Donovan and Dempsey as playmakers in front of the midfield, and Altidore sometimes alone up front as a holding forward to allow those two some room to make something happen.
GK: Howard
LB: Bocanegra
CB: Onyewu, Goodson
RB: Cherundolo
MF: Bradley, Jones, Edu
F: Altidore, Dempsey, Donovan
What are your thoughts about these upcoming matches? Who would you like to see get a shot in the starting XI?
Saturday, May 19, 2012
Champions League Final Preview: Bayern Munich vs Chelsea
One of soccer's most important tournaments will be decided today at 2:30 pm eastern, as Bayern Munich hosts Chelsea in a match televised in the U.S. on Fox. Hundreds of millions of viewers from around the world are expected to tune in to this annual "Super Bowl of European Soccer."
Bayern Munich is Germany's most storied club, going for its fifth Champions League title. Its 70,000 seat arena was chosen to host this year's final well before Bayern qualified for the championship match, so it is an amazing story that they are hosting in the final. Bayern's path to the final was a convincing quarterfinal defeat of Marseille and a tough win over Real Madrid in penalty kicks in the semifinals. Bayern finished its Bundesliga season in second place, so they have already secured a berth in next year's Champions League.
Chelsea has had a disappointing season, changing managers in the process, but they defeated Benfica in the quarterfinals and pulled off an upset of defending champion Barcelona in the semifinals. Chelsea has never won the Champons League title, and they will not be in next year's tournament unless they win the crown today due to their sixth place finish in the English Premier League.
Both clubs lose important players due to card suspensions, but the dismissal of Chelsea captain and defensive stalwart John Terry could prove to be the real difference in this matchup. Both clubs have some outstanding offensive threats, with Mario Gomez, Franck Ribery, and Arjen Robben leading a wide Bayern attack and Didier Drogba, Juan Mata, and enigma Fernando Torres leading the Chelsea charge...so defensive chemistry will be critical today. Terry's absence will certainly be felt early and often.
I predict that Bayern will ride the wave of emotion from its home crowd and win this final by a score of 2-1. The club that scores the first goal will likely win this one, as an early Bayern tally will get the crowd roaring, while a Chelsea goal could dampen the crowd's spirits and put pressure on the German side. It should be an entertaining finale.
Bayern Munich is Germany's most storied club, going for its fifth Champions League title. Its 70,000 seat arena was chosen to host this year's final well before Bayern qualified for the championship match, so it is an amazing story that they are hosting in the final. Bayern's path to the final was a convincing quarterfinal defeat of Marseille and a tough win over Real Madrid in penalty kicks in the semifinals. Bayern finished its Bundesliga season in second place, so they have already secured a berth in next year's Champions League.
Chelsea has had a disappointing season, changing managers in the process, but they defeated Benfica in the quarterfinals and pulled off an upset of defending champion Barcelona in the semifinals. Chelsea has never won the Champons League title, and they will not be in next year's tournament unless they win the crown today due to their sixth place finish in the English Premier League.
Both clubs lose important players due to card suspensions, but the dismissal of Chelsea captain and defensive stalwart John Terry could prove to be the real difference in this matchup. Both clubs have some outstanding offensive threats, with Mario Gomez, Franck Ribery, and Arjen Robben leading a wide Bayern attack and Didier Drogba, Juan Mata, and enigma Fernando Torres leading the Chelsea charge...so defensive chemistry will be critical today. Terry's absence will certainly be felt early and often.
I predict that Bayern will ride the wave of emotion from its home crowd and win this final by a score of 2-1. The club that scores the first goal will likely win this one, as an early Bayern tally will get the crowd roaring, while a Chelsea goal could dampen the crowd's spirits and put pressure on the German side. It should be an entertaining finale.
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Miracle in Manchester Gives City the EPL Title!
For those of you who were not glued to your TV sets or computer screens this morning, it would be hard to do justice to the sheer emotion I felt watching the final Sunday in the English Premier League. As I discussed in recent posts this has been an exciting season in the EPL, and today's action would decide the championship, Champions League berths, and a relegation spot. Who would have known that all three would have been decided in a matter of just five minutes?
To set the stage...Manchester City and Manchester United came into today tied atop the table. City held the all-important goal differential tie-breaker, meaning a win would end their 44-year drought in winning the top league title. United needed to win and root for Queens Park Rangers to beat their cross-town rival; QPR was playing for something just as important - their survival in the top league. A win and they would remain in the EPL, while a loss or tie and they would risk relegation.
City took a 1-0 lead into the halftime break. Early in the second half, QPR tied things up and the stress level for the Citizens skyrocketed. Moments later, QPR went down a man when often controversial Joey Barton was shown a red card for an embarrassing elbow, and all seemed in City's favor. QPR rallied after that incident and took a 2-1 lead. As the City-QPR match went into stoppage time, United finished off its victory over Sunderland and started hearing that City was down with just a few minutes remaing. Then the comeback heard around the sports world began.
Edin Dzeko headed in a corner kick two minutes into stoppage time, giving some life to the Manchester City crowd. Less than two minutes later, Sergio Aguero capitalized off some nice work from teammate Mario Balotelli to put one past the QPR keeper and set off chaos in the stands and on Twitter, where my soccer followers were screaming (non-capital letter tweets were rare) and non-soccer followers were asking why their Twitter feeds were filled with nonsense like "Amazing Aguero" and "Miracle in Manchester."
Other important items to note from today's EPL action:
1. QPR's loss was eased slightly by Bolton's tie, meaning QPR remains in the top league. Relegated teams are Bolton, Blackburn, and Wolverhampton.
2. Arsenal's victory clinched them third place and a berth in next year's Champions League along with City and United.
3. Tottenham finished fourth, meaning they will also be in the Champions League - unless Chelsea wins the CL title over Bayern Munich this coming Saturday and claims an automatic berth into next year's tournament.
We witnessed a sports miracle today - two goals in three minutes decided a major sports championship in the world's most popular sport. The number people I know who claim soccer is a boring sport has dwindled in recent years, but there are still quite a few out there. I challenge any of them to sit through a recording of today's EPL action and say with a straight face that they still believe it. All they need to do is watch those last five minutes of the City-QPR match and they will see that soccer is not only the world's most popular sport...it is also the most exciting.
To set the stage...Manchester City and Manchester United came into today tied atop the table. City held the all-important goal differential tie-breaker, meaning a win would end their 44-year drought in winning the top league title. United needed to win and root for Queens Park Rangers to beat their cross-town rival; QPR was playing for something just as important - their survival in the top league. A win and they would remain in the EPL, while a loss or tie and they would risk relegation.
City took a 1-0 lead into the halftime break. Early in the second half, QPR tied things up and the stress level for the Citizens skyrocketed. Moments later, QPR went down a man when often controversial Joey Barton was shown a red card for an embarrassing elbow, and all seemed in City's favor. QPR rallied after that incident and took a 2-1 lead. As the City-QPR match went into stoppage time, United finished off its victory over Sunderland and started hearing that City was down with just a few minutes remaing. Then the comeback heard around the sports world began.
Edin Dzeko headed in a corner kick two minutes into stoppage time, giving some life to the Manchester City crowd. Less than two minutes later, Sergio Aguero capitalized off some nice work from teammate Mario Balotelli to put one past the QPR keeper and set off chaos in the stands and on Twitter, where my soccer followers were screaming (non-capital letter tweets were rare) and non-soccer followers were asking why their Twitter feeds were filled with nonsense like "Amazing Aguero" and "Miracle in Manchester."
Other important items to note from today's EPL action:
1. QPR's loss was eased slightly by Bolton's tie, meaning QPR remains in the top league. Relegated teams are Bolton, Blackburn, and Wolverhampton.
2. Arsenal's victory clinched them third place and a berth in next year's Champions League along with City and United.
3. Tottenham finished fourth, meaning they will also be in the Champions League - unless Chelsea wins the CL title over Bayern Munich this coming Saturday and claims an automatic berth into next year's tournament.
We witnessed a sports miracle today - two goals in three minutes decided a major sports championship in the world's most popular sport. The number people I know who claim soccer is a boring sport has dwindled in recent years, but there are still quite a few out there. I challenge any of them to sit through a recording of today's EPL action and say with a straight face that they still believe it. All they need to do is watch those last five minutes of the City-QPR match and they will see that soccer is not only the world's most popular sport...it is also the most exciting.
Monday, May 7, 2012
European Soccer Season Winds Down
Many of Europe's top soccer leagues wind down their seasons this weekend, though some have already ended. Of course, of the utmost importance in European soccer is firstly the league title...but a close second is a berth in the UEFA Champions League. Here is a breakdown of how things look at the top of each league table in arguably the best four leagues in the world of soccer:
England - Manchester City and Manchester United enter their last match of the season tied atop the table, but City owns a commanding lead in the goal differential tiebreaker. City finishes the season hosting a Queens Park Rangers squad that may need at least a draw to avoid relegation. United travels to Sunderland to take on a team in the middle of the table with little to play for. Assuming both win, City will take home its first league title in 44 years. Both City and United have secured their places in the Champions League. Champions League berths are also up for grabs with Arsenal (67 points), Tottenham Hotspur (66), and Newcastle United (65) vying for one or two spots (if Chelsea defeats Bayern Munich in the Champions League Final on May 19, the Blues are guaranteed a chance to defend their title in next year's tournament and automatically take one of those spots).
Italy - Juventus ended a nine-year drought by clinching the Serie A title last weekend by virtue of their win and Inter Milan's victory over AC Milan. Juve and AC Milan have secured two of Italy's three Champions League berths, while the third one is Udinese's to lose. Should Udinese lose this weekend, Lazio or Napoli could sneak up and steal the spot.
Spain - Real Madrid held off Barcelona for the title, though both Champions League semifinalists have secured berths in next year's tournament. Valencia has also clinched a CL berth, with the fourth spot led by Malaga. Atletico Madrid, Levante, and Mallorca have slim hopes if Malaga slips up this weekend.
Germany - The Bundesliga season has completed, with Borussia Dortmund winning the title for the second year in a row. Bayern Munich is preparing to host the Champions League Final next Saturday, but they have already clinched a spot in next year's tournament by finishing second in the Bundesliga. Schalke 04 and Borussia Monchengladbach also secured berths.
England - Manchester City and Manchester United enter their last match of the season tied atop the table, but City owns a commanding lead in the goal differential tiebreaker. City finishes the season hosting a Queens Park Rangers squad that may need at least a draw to avoid relegation. United travels to Sunderland to take on a team in the middle of the table with little to play for. Assuming both win, City will take home its first league title in 44 years. Both City and United have secured their places in the Champions League. Champions League berths are also up for grabs with Arsenal (67 points), Tottenham Hotspur (66), and Newcastle United (65) vying for one or two spots (if Chelsea defeats Bayern Munich in the Champions League Final on May 19, the Blues are guaranteed a chance to defend their title in next year's tournament and automatically take one of those spots).
Italy - Juventus ended a nine-year drought by clinching the Serie A title last weekend by virtue of their win and Inter Milan's victory over AC Milan. Juve and AC Milan have secured two of Italy's three Champions League berths, while the third one is Udinese's to lose. Should Udinese lose this weekend, Lazio or Napoli could sneak up and steal the spot.
Spain - Real Madrid held off Barcelona for the title, though both Champions League semifinalists have secured berths in next year's tournament. Valencia has also clinched a CL berth, with the fourth spot led by Malaga. Atletico Madrid, Levante, and Mallorca have slim hopes if Malaga slips up this weekend.
Germany - The Bundesliga season has completed, with Borussia Dortmund winning the title for the second year in a row. Bayern Munich is preparing to host the Champions League Final next Saturday, but they have already clinched a spot in next year's tournament by finishing second in the Bundesliga. Schalke 04 and Borussia Monchengladbach also secured berths.
Monday, April 30, 2012
Manchester City Wins Darby, Sets Up May to Remember in EPL
Manchester United and Manchester City faced off this evening in what almost amounted to a Premier League Championship match. United came into the darby up three points, but knowing City's goal differential advantage meant they needed at least a draw to remain atop the table. Vincent Kompany's header in stoppage time of the first half was the only goal, leading City to one of the most important victories in its storied, 132-year history.
The domino effect of City's triumph was felt at both the top and bottom of the EPL. At the top of the table, the roller coaster season continued. Manchester City handed United a 6-1 embarrassment in October that set the tone for the 2011 portion of the campaign; however, controversy surrounding superstar striker Carlos Tevez and uneven play at the back cost the Citizens their early advantage, and United pounced with an impressive 2012 run. Today's result evened everything out at the top and put City back in the lead based on the goal differential tiebreaker (City is +61, United +53).
City now controls its own destiny but has matches left against Newcastle and Queens Park Rangers. Newcastle is fighting to get a spot in Europe, while QPR is in danger of relegation. United faces Swansea and Sunderland, two teams in the middle of the pack with much less to play for than City's opponents. City will surely be tested in these next two matches, while United likely will have no trouble with their opponents.
The race for the third and fourth spots in the EPL is always filled with drama as those squads qualify for the Champions League, while fifth must settle for the Europa League. Arsenal (66 points) is in good shape to earn one of the CL berths, though they have played one more match than the remaining contenders in this group. Fourth place is up for grabs, as Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United both have 62 points, though Tottenham has a superior goal differential (+20 to Newcastle's +7). Chelsea is right behind at 61 points and possesses the best goal differential of the bunch (+23). Chelsea also can punch their ticket into the Europa League if they can knock off Liverpool in the FA Cup Final this Saturday. The remaining schedules of these four squads is important to note: Arsenal has Norwich and West Bromwich Albion, two decent squads both stuck in the middle of the table. Tottenham has Bolton and Aston Villa, both whom are trying to stay away from relegation, and a Fulham team that is currently 9th. Newcastle has the toughest draw of the group, with Chelsea, City, and Everton left. Chelsea has Newcastle, Liverpool and Blackburn left. As you can see, the Newcastle/Chelsea match on Wednesday will be a high stakes affair.
In terms of relegation, Wolverhampton has already been assured of a bottom three spot. Blackburn Rovers (31 points) is in deep trouble and has tough matches with Chelsea and Wigan remaining. Bolton (34 points) has matches with Tottenham, West Brom and Stoke left on its schedule, while QPR (34 points) has Stoke and Man City. Two teams at 37 points, Aston Villa and Wigan, can secure their places in the top division with a positive result this weekend.
May 13 sets up to be one of the biggest days in EPL history. All 20 teams will be in action simultaneously, as the final 10 matches will all kickoff at the same time. At stake will likely be the league championship, Champions League and Europa League berths, and a relegation spot.
My predictions for how this will all play out over the next two weeks is as follows:
Premier League Champion: Manchester City
City and United both will win their final two matches, giving City the title based on its superior goal differential.
Champions League Berths: City, United, Arsenal, Tottenham
Newcastle and Chelsea battle to a draw, allowing Arsenal and Tottenham to secure their spots in the dance.
Europa League Berths: Chelsea, Liverpool
Chelsea wins the FA Cup over Liverpool and Chelsea finishes in fifth place in the EPL, allowing FA Cup runner-up Liverpool to beat out EPL sixth-place finisher Newcastle.
Relegation: Wolves, Blackburn, QPR
Blackburn gets knocked down by Chelsea, while Decision Sunday sees Bolton and Stoke battle to a draw and QPR getting run over by soon-to-be champion City.
Get your favorite snacks and adult beverages ready for a great two weeks of soccer!
The domino effect of City's triumph was felt at both the top and bottom of the EPL. At the top of the table, the roller coaster season continued. Manchester City handed United a 6-1 embarrassment in October that set the tone for the 2011 portion of the campaign; however, controversy surrounding superstar striker Carlos Tevez and uneven play at the back cost the Citizens their early advantage, and United pounced with an impressive 2012 run. Today's result evened everything out at the top and put City back in the lead based on the goal differential tiebreaker (City is +61, United +53).
City now controls its own destiny but has matches left against Newcastle and Queens Park Rangers. Newcastle is fighting to get a spot in Europe, while QPR is in danger of relegation. United faces Swansea and Sunderland, two teams in the middle of the pack with much less to play for than City's opponents. City will surely be tested in these next two matches, while United likely will have no trouble with their opponents.
The race for the third and fourth spots in the EPL is always filled with drama as those squads qualify for the Champions League, while fifth must settle for the Europa League. Arsenal (66 points) is in good shape to earn one of the CL berths, though they have played one more match than the remaining contenders in this group. Fourth place is up for grabs, as Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United both have 62 points, though Tottenham has a superior goal differential (+20 to Newcastle's +7). Chelsea is right behind at 61 points and possesses the best goal differential of the bunch (+23). Chelsea also can punch their ticket into the Europa League if they can knock off Liverpool in the FA Cup Final this Saturday. The remaining schedules of these four squads is important to note: Arsenal has Norwich and West Bromwich Albion, two decent squads both stuck in the middle of the table. Tottenham has Bolton and Aston Villa, both whom are trying to stay away from relegation, and a Fulham team that is currently 9th. Newcastle has the toughest draw of the group, with Chelsea, City, and Everton left. Chelsea has Newcastle, Liverpool and Blackburn left. As you can see, the Newcastle/Chelsea match on Wednesday will be a high stakes affair.
In terms of relegation, Wolverhampton has already been assured of a bottom three spot. Blackburn Rovers (31 points) is in deep trouble and has tough matches with Chelsea and Wigan remaining. Bolton (34 points) has matches with Tottenham, West Brom and Stoke left on its schedule, while QPR (34 points) has Stoke and Man City. Two teams at 37 points, Aston Villa and Wigan, can secure their places in the top division with a positive result this weekend.
May 13 sets up to be one of the biggest days in EPL history. All 20 teams will be in action simultaneously, as the final 10 matches will all kickoff at the same time. At stake will likely be the league championship, Champions League and Europa League berths, and a relegation spot.
My predictions for how this will all play out over the next two weeks is as follows:
Premier League Champion: Manchester City
City and United both will win their final two matches, giving City the title based on its superior goal differential.
Champions League Berths: City, United, Arsenal, Tottenham
Newcastle and Chelsea battle to a draw, allowing Arsenal and Tottenham to secure their spots in the dance.
Europa League Berths: Chelsea, Liverpool
Chelsea wins the FA Cup over Liverpool and Chelsea finishes in fifth place in the EPL, allowing FA Cup runner-up Liverpool to beat out EPL sixth-place finisher Newcastle.
Relegation: Wolves, Blackburn, QPR
Blackburn gets knocked down by Chelsea, while Decision Sunday sees Bolton and Stoke battle to a draw and QPR getting run over by soon-to-be champion City.
Get your favorite snacks and adult beverages ready for a great two weeks of soccer!
Friday, March 30, 2012
Memo to US Soccer Fans: Don't Panic!
Ever since the US Soccer Team failed to qualify for the Olympics this past week, some of my fellow soccer fans have gone into a depression. They were looking forward to watching the red, white, and blue play in London and continue to enjoy soccer's positive momentum in this country. Now they are asking what this disappointment will do to this surge in soccer spirit. I'm here to tell you it will hurt very little.
For those of you whom do not know how the Olympic soccer tournament is structured, the most important part to understand is this is more of a youth tournament than a national tournament. Most of the players have to have been born after January 1, 1989. Countries are allowed no more than three exceptions to this rule, and even then most squads either pick players who are slightly above that age, or players who are on the back end of their career in order to have one more shot at Olympic glory.
So what does this mean to US Soccer? It means that the driving forces behind its recent success - players like Clint Dempsey, Landon Donovan and Tim Howard whom have all starred internationally in recent years - did not participate in the qualifying tournament and likely would not have participated in the Olympics this summer anyways.
The one red flag of the qualifying failure is that the next generation of US players is that it highlighted the need for more development and better players at that age level. University of Akron head coach Caleb Porter had some decent talent on this squad, evident in its 2-0 win over Mexico right before the qualifying tournament. However, the team lost focus in its match against Canada and then allowed a late tying goal to El Salvador that knocked them out.
It will be interesting to watch how the lower-level squads progress over the next two to three years and which youth stars rise up the ranks to make the 2016 U-23 team. My hope is that Porter remains in an important US Soccer role because I see him as a possible USMNT coach down the line.
So, my friends, walk away from the ledge! US Soccer defeated Italy in one of the most important international wins in our history just last month. The focus of the national team is on World Cup qualifying this summer for the 2014 World Cup, with matches beginning in June. That process will do nothing but raise the already elevated profile of soccer in our country...and the likes of Dempsey, Donovan, and Howard will be on center stage to continue the charge.
For those of you whom do not know how the Olympic soccer tournament is structured, the most important part to understand is this is more of a youth tournament than a national tournament. Most of the players have to have been born after January 1, 1989. Countries are allowed no more than three exceptions to this rule, and even then most squads either pick players who are slightly above that age, or players who are on the back end of their career in order to have one more shot at Olympic glory.
So what does this mean to US Soccer? It means that the driving forces behind its recent success - players like Clint Dempsey, Landon Donovan and Tim Howard whom have all starred internationally in recent years - did not participate in the qualifying tournament and likely would not have participated in the Olympics this summer anyways.
The one red flag of the qualifying failure is that the next generation of US players is that it highlighted the need for more development and better players at that age level. University of Akron head coach Caleb Porter had some decent talent on this squad, evident in its 2-0 win over Mexico right before the qualifying tournament. However, the team lost focus in its match against Canada and then allowed a late tying goal to El Salvador that knocked them out.
It will be interesting to watch how the lower-level squads progress over the next two to three years and which youth stars rise up the ranks to make the 2016 U-23 team. My hope is that Porter remains in an important US Soccer role because I see him as a possible USMNT coach down the line.
So, my friends, walk away from the ledge! US Soccer defeated Italy in one of the most important international wins in our history just last month. The focus of the national team is on World Cup qualifying this summer for the 2014 World Cup, with matches beginning in June. That process will do nothing but raise the already elevated profile of soccer in our country...and the likes of Dempsey, Donovan, and Howard will be on center stage to continue the charge.
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