Apologies for the long delay in posting, but holidays and work have kept me busy. In any event, now that the Champions League group stage is over and the Euro 2012 draw has taken place, not to mention this event taking place today (available on Gol TV and ESPN Deportes in the US), now’s as good a time as any to post.
First, if you haven’t yet read George Vecsey’s or Brian Glanville’s tributes to Sócrates, the captain of what may be the best Brazilian team to not win the World Cup, I urge you to read them; Vecsey’s for a convert who came to love the sport later in life and Glanville’s as one of the best writers in the history of the game.
I’m an Arsenal fan and naturally don’t like Manchester United, but I have a lot of respect for Nemenja Vidic: his leadership, his skills and his work rate. I truly hope he’s able to come back. It was painful to see his injury occur. The injuries continue to mount for Manchester United. It will be interesting to see how they respond.
Who would have thought that at the beginning of group play, Arsenal would have already qualified for the knockout stage before the last day, while Manchester City and Manchester United would be knocked out of the Champions League? Not that I’m complaining . . . Go Apoel Nicosia!
UEFA caved on Wayne Rooney and reduced his ban. His act was deliberate, violent conduct and his ban should not have been reduced. In any case, if I were Fabio Capello, based on their recent form, I would be paying far more attention to Daniel Sturridge and Theo Walcott for at least the first two games in the group stage of Euro 2012.
The next time some wiseass says there’s no audience for this sport in the USA, demand that they watch a Portland Timbers game in the next MLS season.
If there ever was a group of death in a competition Group B (Netherlands, Portugal, Germany and Denmark) is it. The Danes must feel cursed.
As much as I love Barcelona, today’s El Clásico will be one of the toughest in recent years. Real Madrid is playing very well and they may end their drought. I hope I’m wrong.
I’m beginning to think that Luis Suarez is channeling Paulo di Canio.
Anyone want to make a guess as to how many times Cristiano Ronaldo tumbles to the ground today?
Visca el Barça!
randomafrican
About El Classico,
Real sure is on a good stretch. And that’s the fun of it. If Barca looses, it’s normal. But if Real looses, they’ll get into a depression/crisis like no other.
And there would be jokes.
Amir Khalid
I remember Paolo di Canio from his playing days as being more than one kind of offensive right-winger: not only did he attack down the right side of the field, he also played for SS Lazio and often gave the Fascist salute when he scored.
I’m worried about Liverpool. Tight defense, but an oiffense prone to missing the goal a lot, often by inches. They’ve dropped points, even lost matches, just because they couldn’t put the ball away. It’s frustrating, I tells ya.
handsmile
Ole, ole, ole, ole! As you’ve been MIA recently around these parts, I was preparing to post a comment on today’s El Classico on the “Early Morning Open Thread.” Great to have you here to get the proceedings underway.
Dolefully, I don’t fancy Barcelona’s chances today at the Bernabeu. Madrid has yet to lose at home this La Liga season (Champions League too I think), and they’ve been in scorching form of late. But let us hope that truth, justice and beauty will prevail. At the very least, perhaps Mourinho will refrain from poking his finger into the eyes of Barcelona’s coaches and players.
Arsenal’s fragility was conclusively demonstrated in their loss to Olympiakos, even given the match’s irrelevance. Any success they enjoy rests upon the rickety limbs of van Persie and Vermaelen. Their defense remains a shambles: what’s happened to Djorou this season?; and there are twenty-four other squad players who should be selected before calling upon Sebastien Squillaci. Offensively, Arteta’s quality comes as no surprise (but he too is injury-prone) and Gervinho has been improving nicely. My prediction of Wenger’s dismissal by year’s end proved incorrect, but I do insist, adamantly not proudly, that Arsenal will struggle for a Europa League position in the Premier League.
Luis Suarez has been, is, and will be a swine and a disgrace to professional football.
That’s all for the first cup of coffee. There’s simply too much football to debate when you don’t come around for a while. Cheers!
BGinCHI
Liverpool is at least back to playing with character this season, if not always offensive punch. At least we’ve played well against the top teams, beating Arsenal handily and Chelsea as well.
Suarez bashing aside, especially as it comes from an Arsenal supporter, he’s a great player.
I’d say with Barcelona as the underdog today, they’re going to surprise people. Watch for them to pile up some goals today on an RM side that presses without covering.
Also, F Man City. I hope they stumble.
Welcome back, Randinho.
burnspbesq
More evidence of the evolution of American football: two college players are invited to an Olympic team camp, and people are surprised that any were invited. Those of us who wear the correct shade of blue are very proud of Seb and Andrew.
burnspbesq
Farcical defending by QPR.
wilfred
Suarez just headed in an Adam cross, first decent one of the match for Liverpool.
Suarez gets a lot of stick for the WC but Neville handed a ball of the line for Everton a few years ago against LFC – Scholes did the same against Fulham. When the player’s English then he’s a canny pro. When he’s not…
Suarez with Torres running the channels was the plan. Instead we’re stuck with the oaf. YNWA
J
As an Arseak fan, I hope Cesc scores 2, but Madrid win 5-2, with Messi, Busquets, & Xavi all receiving deserved red cards for their persistent, anti-football diving & cheating. I hate Barcelona, the cheating & overspending loudmouths.
Randinho
@BGinCHI: I’m bashing Suarez for his behavior, not his footballing skills, which I readily acknowledge are prodigious.
Randinho
@J: I’m sorry, but if you’re going to call Messi a diver you need to offer some proof. If anything for someone his size he stays on his feet most of the time. I’ll concede on Busquests, but you’re dead wrong on Messi.
Carolina Dave
I still pissed about Lyon beating Zagreb 7-1 to advance. Utterly unpofessional lay down by a side.
Amir Khalid
For God’s sake, Pool, hang on to that lead!
BGinCHI
@Randinho: I don’t like it either, but if we make a list of guys who act dickish it gets long pretty fast.
I’m honestly not sure how any Arsenal fan can stand Arsen Wenger. He’s almost so unlikeable I like him. Almost.
brad
Portland Timbers!? Come to Seattle for the best atmosphere in the MLS. 36,000 plus with 30,000 season ticket holders. Portland Timbers. Baah.
J
@Randinho: watch any Barca match. Messi dives constantly when it is to his advantage. Sure, he often rides out some challenges, but still dives as much as his anti-football teammates. For a specific example, check his his dive to earn a card against Chelsea a few years back, Mourinho era.
Bill Murray
@Amir Khalid: Di Canio also once caught the ball rather than play it in the box when the opposition GK was injured
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/59279/di_canio_plays_it_fair/
burnspbesq
I doubt they can get a result, but I hope Shamrock Rovers make Spurs and their fans suffer for 90 minutes.
Gordon, The Big Express Engine
I have colleague from the UK who supports West Bromwich Albion. WBA did a west coast tune up trip this summer and we road tripped to see them play at Portland. Total blast. The place was rocking. WBA won 3-2. Great fans and great town.
handsmile
The Gooners just ground out a 1-0 home victory against Everton. Another sublime goal from van Persie. Next week’s away match against Sheikh Mansour’s mercenaries should prove a sterner and more unforgiving test.
Among his misdeeds, in November 2010 while playing for Ajax, Luis Suarez bit and bloodied the neck/collarbone of a PSV opponent. (A seven game ban was levied for such sportsmanship.) Handling the ball is a mere bagatelle.
burnspbesq
@brad:
That atmosphere didn’t seem to help very much against RSL in the playoffs.
Youve still got a way to go if you want to compete with the G.
sb
Crap! I’m late to this thread.
1. My team? Man City. I’m fine with them not making it to the Champions League elimination stage, what with three of the ten best teams in the world in their group. City didn’t make it? No failure there. We’ll lift the EPL trophy.
As for the popularity of the sport in the USA, it’s gotta hurt a little the MLS championship game–which was heavily promoted and a sellout–got lower ratings than an EPL rerun. Still, go Galaxy! (LA boy here).
Final soccer note–won’t be surprised at all if Real hands it to Barca today. Real has been playing the better soccer all season.
As a City fan, this game scares the bejeezus out of me. RVP is currently having an out of body experience, the Gooners are counter-attacking demons and what’s our weakness? Defending the counter-attack. (sigh)
Final note: welcome back, Randinho. Show up every Saturday morning, ‘kay? I say that for purely selfish reasons. And seriously, again, welcome back.
Brian S
Villa wins! I almost never get to type those words. They don’t lose a ton either, but it’s hard to get excited about a draw, you know?
kd bart
RVP’s goal for Arsenal today was special. Howard had no chance.
Temporarily Max McGee (soon enough to be Andy K again)
I don’t see it. Germany is head and shoulders above everyone in that group.
I still favor Spain to eke out the championship in Euro ’12- just barely- but Germany is rounding out well for the WC in ’14.
Hayy
Goal for Real :)
J
Randinho – Messi just dove & whined for a foul in the 18th min, before Ronaldo’s blast at Valdes. Messi is also, like his teammate Sanchez, adept at waving an imaginary card. A despicable cheat.
Randinho
@J: I disagree. I see Barça nearly every week and I see Messi getting hammered all the time and managing to stay on his feet. I’ll give you Busquets, but we have to agree to disagree about Messi. I didn’t see a dive in the 18th minute; I saw a cross body block. I also just saw Messi beat Xabi Alonso and Alonso then stuck out a leg AND shoved Messi to the ground.
Not a dive
Bill Murray: I remember that as well. He also shoved a referee to the ground. A strange guy, to be fair.
J
25th minute, even Ray Hudson, who slobbers all over Messi, acknowledges Messi’s typically ridiculous rolling routine involved embellishment of contact. That is simulation, and cheating. Messi regularly hits the ground and rolls 5 or 6 times as tho he has been expelled from a moving car.
Randinho
J, as a matter of fact, Messi just got fouled by Diara, stayed on his feet and feed the ball to Alexis Sanchez who just scored. You’re wrong about Messi.
Randinho
@J: I have avoided saying this, but I believe your anti-Barça bias is showing.
J
@Randinho: I saw it, and that is my point. When it suits him, he rides it out & stays on his feet. When he’s runnning into a dead end or won’t reach it, he dives/embellishes/simulates and winds up on the ground rolling & rolling & rolling.
But hey, you like Messi. Fine. We disagree. And I used to love Barca – visited the Camp Nou, read the Jimmy Burns book on Barca in 2001. Have always hated the simulating Messi, long before Xavi & co started bleating about Cesc and his Barcelona DNA.
erik g
[email protected]: “Anyone want to make a guess as to how many times Cristiano Ronaldo tumbles to the ground today?”
One more than Messi; I’m with J. But, I think it’s not so much dives as just giving up when not getting a great service.
I guess I must be a bitter defender and have little patience for all the flopping around of the ‘star’ forwards (though there is an argument for being a defense mechanism. Messi seems to go to ground a lot when ever I’ve been watching him, but, I don’t really have any more like of Ronaldo either. I guess I’m used to the Arsenal players getting pounded and never seeming to get any calls. The ManU Basel game was fun to watch since it appeared the Ref didn’t seem to take any guff form the ManU wining – and being a defender I also feel bad for Vidic even if he plays for ManU.
Randinho
@J: Well, IMHO the world’s most egregious diver is in this game, wearing white with the number seven.
burnspbesq
Arsenal supporters’ objectivity about anything having to do with Barcelona can fairly be questioned.
sb
No player gets hammered more than Lionel Messi. Yes, he has dove (dived?) in the past but he’s hardly the worst abuser. He’s not like, oh, I don’t know, Luis Fucking Suarez.
Put it this way–if every player was made a free agent tomorrow and every club in the world held a draft, we all know who the number one pick would be, right? Messi.
sb
48 minutes in, though, and I’ll say this: Barca is not used to whistles going against them. :)
Randinho
@burnspbesq: I’m a fan of both teams: Arsenal when I read Nick Hornsby’s Fever Pitch; Barça when I visited the Nou Camp and La Masia in 2000.
sb
I never thought I would type these words but after that play, I kind of feel sorry for Real Madrid.
Randinho
Okay, in fairness to Real Madrid (and I choke on those words as I type them), that goal in the 53rd minute was a tough one to give up.
sb
If Real loses this, it’s a huge blow. They came in playing the better soccer, playing together more, they have arguably worked harder… and they still lose on their home field? Crushing, no?
sb
Okay, show of hands–who knew Ozil was even on the field?
Randinho
@J: For the record, Ray Hudson gives plenty of verbal puñetas to CRonaldo.
@sb: There’s a lot of time left. A lot.
J
@Randinho: odd, even when Ronaldo played for Man Utd, I never thought diving was his greatest vice.
Anyhow, enjoy your posts & hope no hard feelings.
God, Messi just did it again. Wildly embellishing the contact, if any, and rolling like Pepe kicked him out of a race car doing 125mph.
sb
@Randinho: I’m with you there, R. I just think Real has to be thinking right now, “What the hell do we have to do to beat this team?”
UPDATE: You don’t miss that header if you’re not feeling pressure. That’s two all-but-open nets Ronaldo has flat missed.
UPDATE/UPDATE: Not over, but the fat lady is warming up the chords, no?
Randinho
Embarrassing miss by CRonaldo – followed by a killer goal by Fabregas.
J
Again Messi stains the game of football. That was a correct yellow – punish intent & dangerous play but no actual contact yet Messi rolls roughly 5 times & then waves an inaginary card. Despicable, simulating cheater.
Randinho
Rottweiler into a poodle – Puyol dispossessing Kaká. You gotta love Ray Hudson sometimes.
@J: Not at all. Thanks for the kind words. For CRonaldo’s diving skills, click here.
sb
My favorite team is Man City. They’ve got great players through aggressive investment and all praise to Mancini for picking the right guys, making the right mix.
And there are three players on Barca who clearly better than every player on Man City–that’s how good Barca is.
FTR: Messi, Iniesta, Xavi. I’d probably add Dani Alves.
sharl
Not a real football fan here (nor sports fan in general), but for any hardcore Swansea fans out there, Radio Nederland’s show The State We’re In just aired a human interest backstory on how John Van Zweden came to be a co-owner (2002 or 2003 IIRC), primarily centered on how that involved spending £50,000 behind his wife’s back (she found out almost immediately). The theme of this TSWI episode was Betrayal, and the lesson (apparently), was that sometimes, like Powerball, betrayal pays off.
Anyhoo, I didn’t see a link to an audio clip for just that ~9.5 minute interview by itself, but the full show can be heard at the TWSI website, where it starts at about the 22:55 mark. And here’s a You-Tube imbedded there (10:27), with John Van Zweden showing viewers around his Swansea City Museum.
By the way, that first story included a cameo by the Oslo police, which was disturbingly familiar, in light of recent OWS-related encounters with various local law enforcement. Very surprising, coming from those nice northern European folks. On the other hand, when faced with premeditated rumbles between skinheads and the worst kind of anarchists, perhaps it is not fair to compare the cops in that case with The Finest of U.S. cities who go all medieval on people who clearly have peaceful intent. Whatev…
Randinho
@sharl: Sharl, thanks. Not a Swansea fan, but it sounds interesting, thanks!
sb
No one can look at this game and see Barcelona as anything other than the best team in the world by a clear margin.
sb
@sharl: Sounds intriguing; thanks for the rec.
pseudonymous in nc
That was partly weird (the early opener, the first two Barça goals) but mainly an exercise in turning the screw. Kudos to Mourinho — and I don’t say that often — for choosing to play an open, attacking game at home, but that’s clearly not going to work. Still, La Liga is not a two-club league.
pseudonymous in nc
That was partly weird (the early opener, the first two Barça goals) but mainly an exercise in turning the screw. Kudos to Mourinho — and I don’t say that often — for choosing to play an open, attacking game at home, but that’s clearly not going to work. Still, La Liga is not a two-club league.
sb
@pseudonymous in nc:
Fixed it for ya. You’re welcome.
handsmile
Back home with barely a croak of a voice. I watched the match in a Catalan bar/restaurant so you can imagine the frenzy.
A true champion’s response to the adversity of conceding a freakish goal within the opening 30 seconds. Andres Iniesta, man of the match! Alexi Sanchez tormented Madrid throughout. His ruthless goal strike, made possible by yet another display of Messi’s peerless ball control, was sheer brilliance.
Madrid came undone in the second half, their nerves exposed by two howling misses by Ronaldo and Higuain, and of course the customary thuggery of Pepe and Marcelo. Absolutely savoring the anguish of the Eye-Poker: just who or what does he blame for this loss, at home as pre-match favorites.
Must say, I didn’t expect this result (a 2-2 draw was my bet). But then again as an Arsenal supporter, my “objectivity about anything having to do with Barcelona” has already been questioned by some.
pseudonymous in nc
@sb:
Perhaps I should have said “La Liga is not a two-legged cup tie”, because what I meant is that both sides need to show up every week, and not throw away points to the Getafes and Gijóns.
Paul in KY
@Temporarily Max McGee (soon enough to be Andy K again): Yeah, Portugal & Netherlands. They suck…