Therealrico - Do you think maybe Rossi will leave for Italy? He has already made it apparent that he wants to play for Italy over the US, and maybe his style is more at home in Italy. What do you think?
Bobby – Given his goal scoring record since he arrived at Parma I can see him being in demand if he becomes available. But I cannot see SAF allowing him to leave without giving an extended run in the United team at the start of next season.
BlueBlades - Redondo ex RM and ACM, and Paulo Sousa ex Juventus. These were two excellent players who just seemed to vanish, where are they now, are they still playing or retired?
Bobby – Both excellent players and now retired. The fact that Passarella wouldn’t have him in the Argentina squad in 1998 because of the length of his hair robbed us of seeing him at his peak. It was around the same time that he went to Old Trafford with Real Madrid and was magnificent in the Champions League. I’m certain Sousa has also retired. I know that he had some injury problems but I can’t say for certain whether or not that resulted in his retirement or if he just thought it was time to pack it in. Sousa was part of Ottmar Hitzfeld’s Borussia Dortmund side that won the Champions League a decade ago.
Shaunmc - Scott Carson the Goalkeeper for Charlton, (on loan from Liverpool) came from a team called Cleator Moor Celtic. Do you have any info on this club?
Bobby – A quick internet search threw up Cleator Moor Celtic website. I have to admit that before you mentioned the team it is one that had flown under my radar. Before Liverpool Carson was with Leeds United and was part of the Peter Risdale “everything must go” sale.
RINGO - OK, Back by popular demand...my mate Verbal, anyway! Name the 2nd oldest knock-out cup competition.the oldest international competition, and the worlds oldest football club.The answers will be provided by Bobby on the next blog...if he knows them!
Bobby – OK - I'll bite! I would agree with verbal97’s answer to 1) Scottish FA Cup and 2) Copa America. The oldest surviving team is I believe Notts. County. It’s good being the first team but it must have made for a lot of squad pick up games until another team came along.
Henry14 - Do you feel United are favoured by referees? l think so because it is scandalous how they have escaped with penalties yet you see the ones they get. l understand that they are bound to get more because they attack more most of the time but some the penalties were as soft as it gets.
Bobby – All big teams get calls that smaller teams don’t get – it is not that they are consciously favoured by referees - it is human nature. It is easy to be critical of the referee for the decision on Saturday to wave off the O’Shea foul on Lee but we are benefiting from a perfect camera angle – something that the referee didn’t have, and not something I think he could be faulted for. When you look at the incident from the camera behind the Boro goal there is no way that you could say for sure that O’Shea played the man first.
Gunner44 - Why are they forming a U.K. team for the Olympics? Can't every country just rep. itself? RINGO - There will NEVER be a combined GB team, other than for the 2012 Olympics. And you will not find anyone from England, Scotland, Northern Ireland or Wales who wants one, right, Bobby?
Bobby – At the Olympics there is only a UK team. The Commonwealth Games is different – each of the four countries competes as separate teams – as does the likes of the Isle of Man and Guernsey!! In 2012 it may be a combined soccer team in name but I would be very surprised if Scotland, Northern Ireland or Wales players participated. I think the whole idea of a combined team is a crock and despite what FIFA might say I don’t trust them not to use it as a future precedent. I have never understood the line that is trotted out about how every young athlete wants to compete at the Olympic Games. I never did and nobody I grew up with did either. We all wanted to play against England at Hampden or play in the Scottish Cup Final. The Olympic soccer tournament is a pretty worthless tournament – some good football is played but…- and just another competition on the calendar that is not needed. The 2012 Olympics will come right after Euro 2012 and I know which one I will be watching. On a political note, the issue of a combined team might be a mute point. Scotland has an election coming up next week and the SNP (the Scottish Independence party) looks set to win which could set up a referendum on full sovereignty in a couple of years.
spons46 - As we reach the end of this season, what would your EPL starting XI be. I hope it isn't as red devil heavy as the "Team of the year". Gunner44 - I have always wondered why the hell does the team of the year have to be dominated by players of the team that is likely to win the title. I thought the team of the year is composed of players who have been the best at their positions, kind of like it is in the C.L. and W.C. team of the year?
Bobby – That is something I will get ready for an end of season blog. I promise mine will be current and not something I picked just after the New Year.
Neophyte - I enjoyed the article by Brooking. It has been a source of debate at our local club as to the best approach in coaching the youngsters---position and passing (argued by a man from Winchester, England) or individual footskills and 1v1, 2v2, by the senior trainer--a former professional footballer and futsal player from Sao Paulo, Brazil. You sacrifice winning at the early ages as they develop their footskills. However we are seeing the Brazilian's determination pay off in the U-12 group. The problem is you lose a lot of would-be players due to the losses and the amount of practice it takes to develop quality footskills. Question: As the American game continues to develop do you see it taking on a more South American look or a European-English look? It seems that the Yanks overseas lean towards the Anglo-countries rather than the Latin ones. But MLS seems to have an easier time getting the Latin players to come over. Your views?
Bobby – I can see the MLS taking the South American route. The climate is in favour of that style rather than the hard non-stop running style of Northern Europe. In terms of development I think the knowledgeable consensus is that teaching kids formations and tactics and any age before 12 is a waste of time. However, I see the development of passing skills as apart of overall skill development and not something that is an either or. Overall we seem to have our kids playing far too many games and not practicing enough – both organized practices and pick up games they organize themselves.
foxcube - If you were an Arsenal fan, would you stand against the possible takeover by Stan? He is not rich yet he is said to have powerful financial clout and can inject funds into transfers albeit a larger debt. Is this the number one positive for a takeover? Do you think ManU have benefited and Liverpool will benefit from their American owners? How strong do think these three big clubs would be against possible decline in income from economic downturns and awful performances on the pitch? Will the Americans invest in the clubs out of their pockets like Abramovich?
Bobby – Abramovich is an exception and no other takeover can be compared to his buyout of Chelsea. As for the other purchasers, they all see an opportunity to make money. In terms of Liverpool you have two individuals with deep pockets who are in a position to make a new stadium a realty which the old board could not do. That has to be chalked up as positive for Liverpool in that they will have an asset that generates additional revenue. It is essentially the same move that Arsenal made in building Ashburton Grove – except they were able to engineer a deal based on their financial situation at that time. In other words the financial institutions considered Arsenal to be a better financial risk than Liverpool. To have someone like Kroenke come in and buy the club might provide some short term transfer funds but the more likely scenario is that he will simply put up as little money on the table as possible and then have the club assume the debt he has incurred in buying the club. This is how the Glazers bought Manchester United. A commonly held view is businessmen – such as the Glazers – buy the club with their own money. They don’t - they buy the club with supporter’s money. The club carries the debt and it is paid off over a period of time as the club generates profits – profits generated by supporters.
Chinaski - Considering that Everton still have to play Man U and Chelsea do you believe that they can hold onto a UEFA Cup spot?
Bobby – I think they can. Reading and Spurs have easier schedules but Bolton and Portsmouth both tough runs coming up. The Everton - Portsmouth game looks to be a crucial one.
Foxcube - Milan looked flat today aside from Kaka and Gattuso to some extent. Most disappointing had to be Pirlo. (goalkeeper aside.) They were not on the same energy level. Age? Form? They wanted to keep possession but simply couldn't. What do you think of the second leg?
Bobby – I thought the turning point was when Gattuso went off injured. Gattuso’s “mini-me” Brocchi just isn’t at the same level. Gilardino was a passenger and not capable of holding the ball up when he got it. If Gattuso is fit then I think Milan can get a one-goal win. However, once again you have to admire Manchester United’s spirit. As far as both sides were considered it wasn’t exactly a defensive masterpiece today. Dida – or is it Geeda!! - looked awful on the first and third United goals while Carrick lost Kaka on the first goal. Then Evra and Heinze decided to recreate the Willie Miller-Hansen circa 1978 World Cup Scotland vs. Russia for Kaka’s second.
Bobby and Verbal
The scottish cup and Copa America are the correct answers.Notts County are the oldest proffesional club,although Sheffield fc(1857)are regarded as the oldest club,and they are still playing today.
Bobby: It looks like Canadian striker Paul Peschisolido is going to be released by Derby County at season's end.
He's had a terrific career playing Championship League-level football for a number of clubs and has maintained a strike rate o####oal every 4 or 5 games, good production for the plucky super-sub.
Wouldn't he be a decent short-term addition for Toronto FC? Affordable, no visa issues being Canadian. If Edson Buddle's going to play the rest of year like he's dragging an anchor each second half, Pesch could be that spark of energy to the final half hour.
You know he'd probably play out of his skin coming off the bench and quickly become a fan favorite. Be nice to see his career come full circle and end where it started.
Last edited by flashman on April 24th at 10:11 PM.
I agree somewhat with Bobby’s assessment that losing Gattuso, basically, at half time, changed the complex of the midfield battle, but losing Maldini (and replacing him with Bonera) was equally damaging. However, I don’t think there’s any excuses for Milan losing that game in the second half, given their quality and experience.
I am very surprised this morning to read the overwhelming praise for Man Utd in the British press. If I’m not much mistaken, the same press has hailed them as the best team in Europe, not to mention tournament favorites. Beating the tournament underdogs 3-2 at home in the first leg on an injury time goal is very entertaining, but far from a good result. What would’ve the headlines read if it had finished 2-2 I wonder? Is all this fuss over an injury time goal in the first leg? Real beat Bayern 3-2 in their first leg in R/16 and the Spanish press didn’t exactly heap the praise on them, and they weren’t even tournament favorites!! Having read enough Britsh tabloid headlines, I guess, I shouldn’t be too surprised. I hope Man Utd consider themselves already in the final, but I’m sure they are not quite that naïve.
Last edited by Venti_vidi_vici on April 25th at 7:38 AM.
Come on VVV!!! After the lead-up to last year's world cup are you really surprised by the hyperbolic nature of the British press. I also think there IS an excuse for why Milan lost...Dida!
Where's the trash talk from the resident Chelsea supporters? You may like Mourinho (I'm glad Liverpool have Rafa and not the constant moaner Jose), but it's pretty ironic that he made a comment that Liverpool is going to try to get Chelsea players suspended for the second leg after what happened with Gudjohnnson and Alonso two years ago!
VVV,
The British press saying positive things about a British team, I'm surprised too. Who would have thought of that?
verbal,
Mourinho is just playing mind games. His team is not as fresh as Liverpool and looking to #### them off. He's hoping they make a stupid mistake today.
VVV,
The British press isn't exactly the most well informed group of people (like you said). I agree with you about the result--not exactly what you would like to do-give up two away goals. However, you must give some credit to ManU. Their backline has been ravaged with injuries--do they even have a center back available to suit up? I am looking forward to the next match.
VVV, let me pose a question to you (or anyone else for that matter- this has nothing to do with the match) if you had your choice of right attacking midfeilders do start Messi or C. Ronaldo?
It will be interesting to see what Milan will do to fill the obvious hole in striker.
If you ask me the British press are just like the U.S press they over hype anything that has to do with them.
Back to football matters I thought Guttuso & Maldini injury really hurt Milan but I also feel Pirlo will have to play better than he did, until around the 65 min Scholes had gotten the better of him by shadowing him all game.
MasMaz the Liver defense is pretty solid nowhere days & I don't see them considing that many goals. I'm going for a 0-0 or a 1-0 win for chelsea D. Droga gets the goal. Chelsea will miss Ballack and Essien, but I still don't see liver winning at the stamford.
Neo:
I've only watched Messi and C.Ronaldo play a few matches this season. My impression of C.Ronaldo is exactly what he showed yesterday, exceptional talent but a LOT to learn. Messi is also very talented and seems to have better vision of the game, but maybe isn't such an impact player yet. I would honestly pick Messi.
footie:
You're right - the English press is definately entitled to hail their local teams - the headlines just seemed a bit excessive, that's all.
I was hoping for more than 1-0,but the important thing is no away goal,and no suspensions.
An away goal next week and Liverpool will not score three!
And before you start saying Mourinho is whining again,he does not say anything that Ferguson,Benitez or Wenger have not said before or will say again!
I guess my predictions were right low scoring game like I said. Second leg will pretty much be the same.
Who ever was playing Right back for the Liver should not even be on the bench the next game. Aggar was handled by an injured Drogba like a little child its not only Sendorous now, and Zenden needs to go back to the bench and FOR THE LAST DAMN TIME COULD SOMEONE TELL BENITEZ THAT GERRALD PRODUCES HIS BEST WHEN HE PLAYS IN THE MIDDLE. Joe Cole has been like a new buy he's played well since coming back. As of right now it's another CHELSEA MAN U final. Hope the gods of football help either Milan or Liver to change this please.
Bobby: Nice to see Shevchenko smite the critics who dubbed him Mr. 67 and not get subbed until the 76th minute. But can he recover in time for Saturday's Bolton game?
And, Bobby, If Arsenal's posh board members get innovative in raising funds, couldn't they easily stave off Stan Kroenke's takeover bid?
With that fine Emirates pitch plush and smooth from acute underuse and an idle summer ahead, I'm thinking they turn this deal around pronto with weekly croquet tournaments or - call Phillip and Liz, old boy - runabouts for the beloved pets of Islington's many monarchist corgi owners.
Sorry to have to tell you all this,but all these"The Queen`s a Gooner"rumours where started by The Sun newspaper.A "newspaper"who never let the truth get in the way o####ood story!
All you can believe in The Sun is the date at the top of the page,although I would still check it if I where you!
But they do print some rather fine photo`s on Page3!
Is the WWE really so popular in England that it's covered in the sport section of the newspapers? With Jose Mourinho on Raw and Frank Lampard thumb wrestling in that new Adidas commercial maybe Essien was out drinking Budweiser with Stone Cold Steve Austin.
Good game by Chelsea, played a very professional home leg, getting the win without conceding, now all they need is a goal at Anfield and they are on their way to Athens. If Jose can't see that the handball happened out side the box, or worse yet thinks that everyone else can't see that, then he thinks we the people give him more cretdit than we do. Merk definately has a bad habit of getting big decisions wrong, so it's not just Chelsea, it's a lot of teams including Milan and USA.
Seedorf made the point today that it is better that Milan lost rather than the 2-2. Now Milan don't have to do as much math, but rather just come out and win, and they don't miss when they need win in a big match. Sounds like a positive spin on a dissappointing result, but I'll go with his theory anyway. It looks like Gattuso will probably recover, but Maldini's right knee sadly may have finally given in for good. Both return legs are wide open affairs, and just like the rest of you, I can't wait.
ummm...what?!?! Last I checked, a penalty is ONLY given when an infraction takes place IN the penalty area. But maybe by saying this he's distracting from the fact that Drogba was allowed to do whatever the hell he wanted, push off a defender, jump over a defender, dive, etc. and the calls all went against Liverpool...meanwhile Crouch jumps straight in the air and Cech tries for the ball, foul on Crouch (the same happened with Reina and Drogba with no call), Crouch goes for a header, Drogba obstructs him, foul on Crouch.! Mourinho is right, Merk had a bad game, but in the opposite direction than Jose thinks. The last I checked, the team with most of the possession, usually has less fouls, not over twice as many.
All that said, Chelsea played to their strength perfectly, scored a good goal on the counter and kept a clean sheet. Also, I let out an audible grumble when I saw Liverpool's team sheet. Under no circumstance should Zenden be starting unless the rest of the possibilities have the stomach flu or something (although he didn't play as bad as usual), and I cease to understand why Crouch (the team's best scorer who is also in form) was left on the bench at the start.
I felt like the head Priest in Nacho Libre when he gets the slop served him for lunch by Nacho...."This is the worst game I have ever watched." TERRIBLE!!! My U-9 team links up better than what I saw last night. And after they lost I went home to sooth my nerves with the thought of watching some beautiful passing and crosses and all I saw was slop!!! Errant long balls, ridiculous clears and an absolute lack of touch--except for old Joey's goal.
Bobby: The Willie Miller-Alan Hansen mix-up occurred in 1982 and, attending my first World Cup, I well remember that lovely, warm night in Malaga, the Tartan Army uproarious with Scotland leading 1-0. Then, that clanger of a play and the Soviets levelled, then went up 2-1.
The singing never stopped. Most Scots fans didn't seem to care - they were heading home to their jobs the next day anyway. So when the late equalizer came from Graeme Souness, the place went wild.
The local fans were hoping for a Scots' win as the town's economy was soaring from an influx of over 15,000 Scots supporters. McMalaga, they called it.
It finished 2-2, Scotland eliminated on goal average. But one interesting connection remains from that night through to today.
I wonder, as he lay out on the pitch getting prolonged treatment for a second half injury, whether a certain Soviet striker understood any English and whether he still remembers the cheeky words sung to him that night.
"Oleg's a barrel, Oleg's a barrel of sh**e, Oleg's a barrel... or "Glory, glory, what a terrible way to die, to die a Russian (barsteward)!"
You see, he's already extracted a small measure of revenge, with a recent 2-0 over Scotland. His full name is Oleg Blokhin and he's now manager of Ukraine's national team.
That match was truly awful. I have never watched the last 20 minutes of a Champions semi in 3x. The blame goes squarely on Liverpool. They produced nothing, Zenden had the ball in space 30 times and couldn't penetrate or cross. Why did Bellamy start, did he touch the ball?
-Seriously what a gyp with Rafa playing 2 defensive midfielders and Gerrard on the wing, I mean really. They are alive but just barely and if there is any justice they will lose badly at Anfield.
-I wish Benitez would have left the EPL that is lame football, please go away.
I don't think Alonso's challenge deserved a red card (possibly a yellow), but certainly not a red (unlike Essien's trying to chop Didi Hamann's leg in half last season).
@Mas
I agree that the match wasn't exciting, but what did you expect? Also, can we stop with the Gerrard playing out wide bit. He scored 23 goals last season while starting out wide in most of the games. I'm not sure I liked Alonso/Mascherano combination as they're very similar in style, but Gerrard will be played by Benitez in a position that allows him to go forward more, and in tight games, that will usually be from an outside position. Chelsea also had two defensive midfielders (Mikel and Makalele, who I forgot even played). Liverpool played poorly, especially in the first half, but Chelsea wasn't much better and they were playing at home. The second leg should be much better.
Flashman
Did you ever make it to Hampden?
I went there twice for England games in the early 80`s,don`t remember the games much,probably because we lost,but it was the most intimidating atmosphere I ever experienced ANYWHERE,as a Chelsea or England supporter!
Verbal
I knew you would bring that up,that`s what I was getting at!
Do you remember how Benitez whined and cried about it for weeks,until UEFA stepped in?
Yes, I remember that...but in Rafa's defense, that was a dirty challenge that should have resulted in a red card, and that was on the back of Essien making another unpenalized dirty challenge in a league game against Bolton.
I also remember Robben's comical theatrics to get Reina sent off, Lampard's "highish" challenge that broke Alonso's ankle, Gudjonnson's dive to get Alonso booked and suspended, the goal "the Anfield crowd scored", Tiago's elbowed clearance of a free kick that wasn't called a penalty (Mourinho may have died if it were the other way around), Mourinho's shushing Liverpool supporters in Cardiff (which he undeservedly was ejected for), the great handshake debate and many others. It's been a fascinating three years of games (Tuesday will be the 15th meeting between the two in three seasons), and hopefully Jose will remain with Chelsea so that the "rivalry" may continue.
Haven't been since it became the posh Hampden Hilton, but loved the old barn. One visit let me see Rangers' late, great Davey Cooper in his ball-juggling prime, but had to keep my appreciation to a minimum.
It was hot and sunny and, with friends among both Rangers and Celtic camps, I chose the Celtic end because it was open to the sky. And they were sneaking in gallons of MacEwan's ale in cans. I'm easy.
If the crowd chants weren't fierce enough, the sight of bare-chested Celtic fans turning bright red under a cloudless sky made it look like the god of war had painted them. I couldn't utter a peep about Cooper's spectacular play.
The Rangers end had a full roof over it and the dry dust from the cinders that filled the standing area terraces would billow up every time they celebrated a goal. They hit the streets that day looking like they had just exited a coal mine.
There was very little trouble around the ground, but the atmosphere inside was relentlessly intense and unforgettable.
And nothing unites these rival camps like a game against England.
Last edited by flashman on April 26th at 10:43 AM.
Flashman
You need to start your own blog...with writing like that you would soon have a big following,I`d read it anyway!
It sounds like you are from the blue half,yes?
Verbal
That`s some memory you`ve got there,or do you take notes?
As for the rivalry,I only see it getting bigger and better,especially if Liverpool can be more consistent in the league.
Ringo: Flattered by your comments. It'd be nice to take an interest in soccer to a higher level. If writing a blog got me a season's MLS media pass with Toronto FC, I'd consider it.
Certainly would stop the fighting between my son and daughter over who gets to use our tickets for the Aug. 5 game vs. LA Galaxy.
Oh, and no rooting interest in Rangers-Celtic. My dad was from near Edinburgh and supported the club now known as Hearts of MidLithunia.
If Werder concede an away goal they will need to score 5 unanswered to progress. They've only managed 4 on one occasion this year. Werder are a very good team, and 24 hours ago were possibly tournament favorites. It will now take a miracle for them to progress, and that's if they don't concede a goal.
I am the soccer analyst for the Fox Soccer Report and appear twice a week - every Monday and Friday at 10:00 EST. I have also been a regular contributor to the Fox Soccer Channel website since the summer of 2004. Over the last twenty years I have contributed to various radio and television programs throughout North America as well writing about the game for newspapers, magazines and websites.
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