Randinho

Can Barcelona maintain Catalan pride at home or will Real Madrid manage to make it six straight?

Who will get sent off first?

El Clásico Open ThreadPost + Comments (14)

My deepest apologies for my recent lack of posts. I have been working a difficult schedule fulfilling the last classes of my contracted guest lecture assignment and it has been grueling. Most of my keeping up with events has been through the use of mobile devices and I don’t feel comfortable posting from a tablet or smartphone. Also, I am still fighting my post-election blahs. Onwards and upwards!

As you can imagine, here in Brazil the crash of the plane that killed almost the entire Chapecoense football team earlier this week is dominating the news. The grief is palpable all over Brazil. After the grieving abates somewhat, there is another major question: the team is in the top division in Brazil. How do they mount a team for the next season in all competitions? The other question that is more pressing and should be addressed to prevent such future tragedies: how on earth is a professional pilot so unaware of his plane’s refueling needs?

So Bruce Arena is back as head of the US Men’s National Team as Jürgen Klinsmann apparently had apparently passed his sell-by date. Arena has a long and impressive pedigree and, save a horrible non-call against Germany in the 2002 World Cup Quarter-Final, came close to bringing the US to the semifinals of that tournament. I just hope he manages to turn things around as consecutive losses in qualifying make the process a challenge for him. At least no one suggested Steve Sampson!

Barcelona’s form has not been very impressive lately, although they remain in second place, ahead of Sevilla on goal differential. The good news at least is that they will have Andres Iniesta back.

Someone asked me how to say Schadenfreude in Portuguese. My answer? José Mourinho.

Everyone goes crazy for the World Cup and the European Championships, but if you can get to see the Africa Cup of Nations tournament, do not miss it. The final in 2015 had Côte d’Ivoire beating Ghana one penalty kicks, with the Ivorian goalkeeper, Boubacar Barry scoring his kick and then defending successfully against the Ghanian keeper, Brimah Razak. This, by the way, was after Côte d’Ivoire missed its first two attempts. Final total on the penalty kicks was 9-8.

Speaking of goalkeepers, if this doesn’t make the Puskas Award finalist list for next year, then there is no justice.

Finally, if you want to vote on this year’s Puskas Award, here is where you vote. All are worthy contenders, but what Mohd Faiz Subri did in Malaysia is unreal.

I Haven’t Disappeared: Some Football Notes and Football Open Thread.Post + Comments (22)

Apologies for my absence the past two weeks. I was guest lecturing for English classes out of town at some of the public schools as a native language speaker. It’s a great program and has been a rewarding experience talking about such things as the National Park System, pulled pork, boiled crawfish, Johnny Cash, Langston Hughes, William Faulkner, John Coltrane and Bob Dylan, among other things.

So, another bad week for José Mourinho. Will he make it all season?

Even though they salvaged a tie, Real Madrid’s performance against Legia Warsaw. One would think they would do better given only their fans were in attendance – in Warsaw.

Anyone think Leo Messi is being treated gently by UEFA? Thoughts?

Yawn. Bayern Munichis in first place in the Bundesliga, but RB Leipzig is only three points behind?

Nacho Monreale is scheduled to return to Arsenal for tomorrow’s North London Derby against Tottenham. He’s one of the most underrated players on the team. Nothing flashy, just very reliable and a hard work.

Mesut Ozil’s goal against Ludogorets in the Champions’ League, was stunning, but this goal by Barbara LaTorre of Barça’s Women’s Team deserves your attention. Many male players would have stayed down when she was fouled. She deserves, if not the award itself, high consideration for it,

 

Some Football (Soccer) Notes and Open Soccer ThreadPost + Comments (31)

Any thoughts on Bob Bradley becoming the first American to manage a team in the English Premier League?

Certainly no love lost between him and Jürgen Klinsmann. I think he’s got a point.

Aaron Ramsey can’t catch a break.

Is Tite finally the coach the Brazil Men’s National Team Needs? It’s beginning to look that way.

A good thing Leo Messi ended his international retirement so quickly. Oops!

Football (Soccer) Notes and Open ThreadPost + Comments (40)

Apologies for my absence last week. Here goes!

Does anyone know if Sam Allardyce holds the record for shortest tenure as a coach for a national team?

Chelsea stopped the bleeding yesterday, but is it enough?

Manchester United seemed like they may have started to turn things around, but the Stoke game wasn’t exactly convincing.

I’m guessing that it’s not so much that all is forgiven between Juan Mata and José Mourinho as it is that Mourinho doesn’t have a lot of options.

Speaking of Mata, he is all class.

Share your thoughts on last week’s Champions League results.

Football (aka Soccer) Notes and Open ThreadPost + Comments (89)

Before I start, let me first address those of you – and there were a few of you last week – who feel compelled to post comments criticizing the existence of posts about football – and I hasten to point out that it has been called football much longer than gridiron football.

I have been invited and welcomed to post here by the owner of this blog and I do so only at his pleasure. We get it: you don’t like the sport and/or are resentful of the fact that these posts exist at all. Nevertheless, you are certainly welcome to post in the comments on topic. Out of respect to those who do like the sport, I ask you not to post comments such as these:

Way too thin skinned for a little thing like calling all 22 of you out. Only 23 comments so far and the American college football game isn’t even being discussed but let me bow out of “your” discussion.

Oh boy! Saturday Game Day, everybody is donning their school colors, and an open football thread! And it’s all about … Oh. Never mind.

Is that honestly so hard for you to do?

Okay, FIFA is cracking down on homophobia. Great!

James Rodriguez to Manchester United, Cesc Fabregas to Milan and Christian Pulisic to Liverpool? The latest transfer rumors.

Champions League results from this week. Discuss.

Football Notes September 17thPost + Comments (96)

So the transfer season is over until January. Which teams do you think came out ahead?

Christian Pulisic: is he the real deal? Discuss.

I’m watching the Manchester Derby. As an Arsenal fan I don’t have a dog in this hunt, but I do like to José Mourinho get his knickers in a twist.

Grow up. Both of you.

Speaking of Arsenal, tough luck for Jack Wilshere, but it’s been nearly two years since he has had a full ninety for Arsenal. One hopes that this spell at Bournemouth will help.

Belated congratulations to Brazil for finally getting the Olympic Gold Medal in men’s football against Germany. While getting the medal on penalties doesn’t come anywhere near avenging a 7-1 pasting, it takes some of the sting out of it.

Finally, speaking of the Olympics, I watched my first five-a-side football for blind players in the Paralympics last night. Quite an impressive skill level among these players. Here’s a link to the rules.

Football Notes Open ThreadPost + Comments (41)