Matt Scott says that a report suggests that “New riches may lift Premiership also-rans to the fore.” It seems to me that if this is true the one thing that the mid-table clubs then need is proven managerial talent.
And now to the matches. The European qualifiers dominate although if the truth be told there are very few games that capture your attention.
Here are the best of them and you catch-up on the group standings by following the link.
In Group A Belgium must beat Portugal to maintain any realistic chance of finishing second. Goal scoring is a problem for the Belgians and they are also missing Bayern Munich defender Daniel Van Buyten through injury. Portugal will be missing Simão while Cristiano Ronaldo is suspended. Portugal currently leads Belgium by four points.
Finland against Serbia in Helsinki is a real six pointer with both countries tied on 11 points after six games and with only a single loss each. What is more they have both slipped on banana skins in the not too distant past. Serbia lost to Kazakhstan 2-1 in March while Finland’ lost away to Azerbaijan 1-0. Giant Serb striker Nikola Žigic is suspended for this one.
Ukraine and France are tied at the top of Group B (Scotland has the same number of points but a game more played) and are two ahead of fourth place Italy. Both countries will be missing important players for the match in Paris. Olexandr Kucher, Andriy Shevchenko, Artem Milevskiy and Sergi Rebrov are all absent for Ukraine while Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira, Willy Sagnol and Louis Saha are all crocked and unavailable to France. Scotland does not play until Wednesday while Italy travels to Lithuania looking to improve on the draw between the teams the first go round.
Bosnia-Herzegovina needs to find a way to stop a Turkey side that has only dropped two points in the first five games and leads Group C. Bosnia-Herzegovina is six points behind the Turks and five behind second place Greece and started poorly in the early qualification games. A 2-1 win in Oslo against Norway provided fresh hope but a loss will leave them hoping for a minor miracle in order to finish second. Two Premiership players are in Turkey’s squad – Emre (Newcastle) and Colin Kazim-Richards (Sheffield United).
UEFA.com wins the prize for the headline of the week - “San Marino short in attack.” Here is a quick synopsis of San Marino’s campaign so far. They have an outstanding chance to break their own record for the worst European Championship qualifying campaign. All five matches to date have been lost with an average margin of defeat of a little under 6 goals. This is even worse than their 2000 qualification campaign that saw no points and an average loss by 5.4 goals. Attack would seem to be a secondary problem. Oh yes I forgot. They play Germany this weekend on FSC – the last time Germany won 13-0. If only the San Marino forwards had done better!!
Ryan Giggs plays his final game (#64 and this one against the Czech Republic) for Wales in an international career that has been largely about fighting lost causes. During his time a play-off loss to Russia in the Euro 2004 was about as near as Wales has come to qualifying for either the Euros or the World Cup. Freddy Eastwood (Southend) has been called up to the Welsh squad. He qualifies through the Grandpa rule.
In Group E both Croatia and Israel should pick up full points against Estonia and Macedonia respectively. The big match in this section will be on Wednesday and will be in Zagreb when Russia plays Croatia. While Beckham’s return hogs the headlines the Croatia - Russia game might have a bigger impact on England’s chances.
Denmark versus Sweden looks to be one of the few standout matches. Northern Ireland sits atop Group F but are idle this weekend and on Wednesday of next week. Denmark has a game in hand on Sweden and Spain and has played two games less than NI. A Danish win – and a Spain win against Latvia – could create a logjam at the top of this group. Denmark have called up Morten 'Duncan' Rasmussen who gets his nickname from a similar style to the former Everton striker. Something to look forward to!!
Group leaders the Netherlands sit out this Saturday and Wednesday. Hristo Stoitchkov’s interim replacement Stanimir Stoilov has omitted Juventus striker Valeri Bozhinov from the Bulgarian squad for the away and home games against Belarus. Bulgaria dropped what could become tow crucial points when they drew at home to Albania in March 0-0. Belarus took only a single point from their first three games but have since beaten Slovenia and Luxembourg in the last two. Another win could add Belarus to what originally looked to be a three-way race.
In MLS Toronto faces Colorado Rapids without three Canadian players who have already reported to the national team for the Gold Cup. They are still without Carl Robinson (Wales vs. Czech Republic) although young centre-back Andrew Boyens is available after missing last weekend’s draw with the Columbus Crew. Boyen was on international duty with New Zealand against Robinson and Wales.
Goalkeeper Greg Sutton appears to be the largest hole to fill with replacement Srdjan Djekanovic having only very limited experience. The Rapids are on a hot streak with two wins and two draws in the last four matches although they have only averaged a goal a game.
LA Galaxy plays DC United and is another team that will be missing Canadian players - Kevin Harmse and Ante Jazic. However they can still call on American Landon Donovan who doesn’t have to report to the USA camp until Monday. The Beckham headlines seem to be blurring the fact that this is a LA team that just isn’t getting results.
Six games have brought only one win, five points and four have come from two games against Chivas. Coach Frank Yallop will also be without defender Chris Albright may miss most of the rest of the season after suffering a severe hamstring injury. Midfielder Kyle Martino is suspended after a red card last week and LA may have trouble putting together a full bench! DC has won their last three games and has taken ten points from their last four games.
The game of the weekend in MLS is Kansas City Wizards hosting New York Red Bulls. Defensively the RED Bulls have been a solid unit – or a series of solid units. They have only conceded four goals in 8 games (5 shut outs), even though the back four has been a bit of a revolving door with multiple changes common. It is a marked improvement on last season that saw 15 goals against over the first eight games. Kansas City is a point behind the Revolution and Red Bulls in the Eastern Standings and has played the same number of games as Red Bulls, and one less than New England.
Bobby it sounds as though SAF won't get his man huntelaar from Ajax this year. The guardian has claimed that he has inquired into the services of one Nicolas Anelka.
Do you see anelka and rooney making a good partnership? What qualities would you see in a potential striker that would complement those of rooney? IMO i think berbatov would be the best partner for him.
GO BULGARIA!
Bobby where can we get the stats for your old timers league?
I agree- Anelka is not the man United need. If SAF believed that VanNistlrooy disturbed the lockeroom (which I don't want to believe), then He's really in for it with Anelka. Bad choice IMHO, but perhaps there was not enough money left to go for whom United really need up front. Thoughts Bobby?
djnima - good question about who would fit with Rooney. Rooney's mobility and tactical awareness seems to be two of his strengths and so a target type striker wouldn't fit the bill but someone who is good in the air would be an advantage. Maybe a Hernan Crespo type player? Crespo doesn't have blazing speed but his anticipation and timing is outstanding.Klose might be another.Players from days past - how about Mark Hughes and Rooney or even Alan Smith (ex Arsenal) and Rooney?
quest5227 - an excellent point about dressing room dynamics and Anelka. Ferguson went out on limb by selling RVN so it would be a huge risk moving for Anelka.
djnima - there is talk of a website but nothing at the moment. You will have to rely on me not telling any porkies. So far the record is won 2 and lost 1. The last two games we have played with 10 men so it has been a bit of chore. I going to miss a number of games because of conflict schedules with FSR on Monday and Fridays but that has been a normal occurence for a while now.
Does anyone else just not care about all these qualifying games?
What I would do is two rounds of home and away ties to eliminate the lesser countries and then have a final round of groups with no more than three or four teams.With no friendlies allowed during qualifying.
I would also scrap World cup qualifying ,with places decided by where you finish in the regional championships.
And no more than two friendlies per year.
I would also scrap FA cup replays and make the league cup optional to EPL teams ,if they take part only u-20 or u-21 players allowed.
And as today`s England /Brazil match will be the first under lights at new Wembley ,don`t be surprised if anything happens!
RINGO - If you back to WC qualifying in Europe pre 80's it was common to have groups of 4, even just three sometimes. I know someone will point out that there are now more countries in Europe but on the other side there is also more qualifying places. Award a qualifying spot to the group winner only and half the number of groups and in turn reduce the number of matches by 60%. It would also increase the chance that surprise teams would qualify.
I remember the `74 WCQ ,England ,Wales and Poland in a group of three.
England played Poland in the last game and Brian Clough famously called the polish keeper ,Jan Tomaszewski ,a clown. He then went on to almost single handedly eliminate England.
djnima - a couple of after thoughts. If Louis Saha ever got to the stage where he stayed healthy then another striker would not be an issue. Another injury hampered striker - Dean Ashton - would make a good England partner for Rooney. Doesn't have great mobility but he is good in the air, hold the ball up weel and brings others into the game.
Is anyone else disgusted with the salaries of Premiership players?
Take the Sidwell's situation: He had a choice between 25k a week at Reading to play every week OR 50k a week at Chelsea to spend half of the time on the bench.
There are too many mediocre players receiving ridiculously high salaries.
In Sidwell's case, I don't think he's mediocre, but I think it's sad that he's content in playing less. So much for love of the game.
Last edited by atleti_female on June 1st at 9:09 AM.
Best case/worst case scenario for England.
Best - Brazil completely outplay them and win 3-0 (which will probably happen anyway) ,and then they lose to Estonia 1-0 ,Mclaren gets fired ,the FA poaches Martin O`Neil from Villa (who should have been appointed in the first place),and England still have enough games left to qualify.
Worst - England escape with a last minute equaliser to draw 1-1 with Brazil ,and then manage a scrappy 1-0 win in Estonia ,doing just enough for Mclaren to keep his job ,he then gets it completely wrong in the remaining games ,and England fail to qualify.
just watching the england brazil game , lampard and gerrard do not work because gerrard does much of the defending for my liking and owen and smith are not good enough anymore against top bracket opponets
MANCHESTER UNITED'S £17million signing of Brazilian superstar Anderson will be probed by the Premier League - for fears of a new Carlos Tevez affair.
United are buying the teenager from Porto, but there will be an investigation into possible third party ownership by the mysterious Global Soccer Investment group.
Anderson was plucked from Brazilian club Gremio three years ago and sold to Porto, with GSI taking a 75 per cent stake in him when he signed for the Portuguese club.
Now the Premier League - under huge pressure to check the money trail in all deals - will consult Porto, Gremio and both the Portuguese and Brazilian Football Associations over these key questions.
It is the latest test case for the League whose rule on third-party ownership caused the row with West Ham over Tevez and Javier Mascherano for which the Londoners were fined £5.5million but, contentiously, not docked any points.
The ownership and identity of who put the money into GSI is a major puzzle. Porto are aware of who is behind the company, but are unwilling to reveal the truth. President Fernando Gomes revealed recently: "We know who is the head of GSI, but we are not allowed to say."
Several agents, including top wheeler-dealer Pini Zahavi and Portuguese agent Jorge Mendes, are close to the Anderson deal.
United have done nothing wrong in the way they have paid the money to Porto. But the Premier League will now seek assurances about where the cash goes from there.
Last edited by Venti_vidi_vici on June 1st at 2:37 PM.
Bobby i think Arsenal is a very quality team and i luv them, and i'm sure they can win the prem. next season, what do you think they really need to do to achieve this??
Bobby was so rude on FSR tonight
Lip-reading McClown rhyming with "slight!"
With Lampard and Cole bereft of ideas
The 1-1 draw matched Ringo's worst fears
I hardly approve of fixing a game
But I sent a fiver to JT just the same
"Keep next week's game barren
to get rid of McClaren"
'Caus we can't take much more of the same.
Last edited by LosAngelesChelseaFan on June 1st at 11:41 PM.
I don't know anything about this new signing Pi-ss-aro, other than his father Camille was a pretty good painter.
Bobby. Is he any good?
Sgt, Pepper - 40 years on?
I actually had tickets no 1 & 2 for the, later cancelled, Beattles Magical Mystery Tour.
Like an #### I got my $200 back from the Beattles Apple store in Baker Street and never asked to keep the unusable tickets. - That's probably $50k in memorabelia money down the toilet.
Last edited by LosAngelesChelseaFan on June 1st at 9:30 PM.
I just looked at the Fink Tank list. What a complete load of rubbish. Khalid Boularouz rates above Andy Johnson, John Arne Riise, Nicolas Anelka, Wayne Bridge (by 60) and 167 places above today's England left back Nick Shorey.
LACF:
Pizarro is actually not a bad striker, even though it looks like he was dropping from third (behind Makaay and Podolski) to fourth in Bayern's depth chart with the signing of Luca Toni, and since they also have Santa Cruz, he was expendable.
He reminds me a bit of Inzaghi, albeit not as accomplished, but he plays with passion and has a knack for scoring opportunistic goals, especially in big matches. He appeared in all of Bayern's UCL matches this season and scored 4 goals. He will add much needed depth to Chelsea's front line, and at 28 has a few good years left in him.
How many of you Chelsea fans remember your old pal Ken Bates: “The Gyppo”?
Do you remember his last Chelsea match day program article?
Here is a link to one of my favorite football web sites: The Onion Bag, and the withdrawn article.
http://www.the-onion-bag.com/index. php?story=96
Ken is really taking the p**s on this one! It would appear Roman got the last laugh.
For the past weeks Bates has been up to his old tricks at relegated Leeds Utd and I have been following the preceedings with more than mild interest.
Call it creative financing and proposed penny on the pound debt payoff.
Thankfully there looks like a recount on the administration vote yesterday and perhaps the multiple small creditors will find a revised count will produce the more favorable less than 75% approval needed and thus render Bates take-over null. Here is one of many links on this saga:
Bates has some how positioned himself as a representative of several off-shore holdings companies whose principal ownerships are a mystery to one and all.
I think he represents all this is wrong with the backroom financial wizard machinations at many clubs and he brings the game into disrepute.
Bobby: I know you did a recent well done blog piece on the start of this debacle (player asset valuations, club finances etc..). Can you please offer some clarification and reaction to the current goings on, mystery backers and a guess at what Bates hidden agenda is?
Mags
If it was not for Batesy ,there would not be a Chelsea football club today.
I remember when he came down from Wigan in `82 with a pound note in his hand ,and I bet most of the band-wagon-jumper-on-ers at the Bridge today have no idea what he did for our club.
Although we had a love/hate relationship with him ,and there was a lot of hate at times ,he always had the club`s best interest`s at heart.
I ,and those of us who where there at the time, will always remember `ol grey beard with the highest admiration and respect.
And you don`t really believe those programme notes are for real ,do you?
And on a lighter note......if MasMaz will not say it.....I will say it for him.
Beckham was England`s best player in yesterday`s game.
Now ,if only he could also play Rugby!
Wasn't Gerrard Man of the Match as a holding mf, thus proving how much better he is than Lampard (versatility is not Fat Frank's strong suit)? Didn't watch the game myself because I'm at my "summer home" (aka, my parents' house in central NY) and they have crappy cable.
VVV thanks. Bayern's 4th string plus "sideline Sidwell" (as he will become known), what more could a boy want? Can't any of the Chelsea recruiters speak Italian?
LACF:
With Inter wanting to keep Crespo (and the player wanting to stay), and Ibrahimovic and Adriano both somewhat unsettled, and among the best strikers in the world, I am surprised Chelsea didn't try to get a deal done there.
Apparently there is a swap in the works between Inter and Milan involving Gilardino and Adriano, which has been met by much objection from Milan fans.
Last edited by Venti_vidi_vici on June 2nd at 10:37 AM.
VVV: To be serious for a moment (not sure why), Chelsea do seem preety good at keeping deals quiet and I wouldn't be surprised if a big name from Serie A appeared following Ambramovich on Moskow Radio.
The off-the-bench players had big impact in the two Championship years (Hernan and Eider) as they can bring in something fresh in deadlocked games. It also gives them the opportunity of hitting a hot streak and becoming starters. JM is btilliant at those switches. I assume Pizarro will be one of those. The missing piece for me is the star qulity player (I'd say Tevez but I think Essien will step up to that position next season).
Ringo;
Acknowledged the “beard” purchased Chelsea in the ‘80’s but not without a follow on decade + of controversy, revolving doors for managers and disparaging name calling to any and all including the fans as “parasites” and Abramovich as a “shyster from Siberia”, tapping up investigations, alleged financial irregularities…..
Yes, this guy sounds like a true Knight Templar. A paragon of ethics….
Those of us with less emotional attachment to Stamford Bridge see these things in a completely different light than the earlier desperate Blues followers.
As to the program notes and stacks of newspaper articles regarding his shenanigans I was always under the impression that most web based data ( this blog included ;-) ) and the English Press are pinnacles of accuracy and truth. LOL !
My main point is his current mystery role as negotiator for the Leeds Utd. buy-out.
Penny for a pound, unknown off-shore backers and his relationship with them is not exactly straight forward football. There is dirty work at the cross-roads here.
If not another shining knight heroic rescue by Bates, who will save Leeds? Is the answer better Bates than nothing? God help them.
If Ken the 8th. is successful then the future will tell the story. I’m betting it is a repeat of the Chelsea rescue including the controversies and his substantial personal gain at the expense of a disadvantaged team and longstanding faithful local creditors.
But hey; that’s modern day football and creative finance at work.
England looked pretty much as they did last summer: a team playing for set-pieces and relying on Beckham's ability. McClaren has the look of a man who has no ideas and knows he's only one game away from the sack.
-I didn't see the match,(business trip) I am happy for Becks but worried about him having a dip in form form, too many matches all of a sudden. I am sure he'll play another full match against Estonia. Right now all I care about is La liga.
-I will say with Beckham, England should qualify even with McCLown.
-It's ironic that Beckham will likely save this ####'s job.
-I kind of agree with Atleti, with Beckham are a very tough side looking to punish on the set piece. England doesn't have the skill players unlike Madrid for Becks to spray the ball around as he does for them.
I almost think Becks shouldn't start but should come off the bench anywhere from the 50th to 70th minute depending on how the team look and the score.
-If McClown thinks Beckham is the best right sided midfielder in the world, how could he kick him off the team? what a jerk off.
I don't think anyone can save McClaren's job. Everyone in the group has beaten Estonia, who are yet to even score a goal. England will win, but that won't help. England cannot falter against Estonia or Israel this summer.
Russia travel to Croatia this week, and the picture will be a bit clearer after Wednesday's matches. However England's qualification is probably going to come down to their two matches against Russia later this year which will effectively decide second place. If it comes down to England needing a result against Croatia at Wembley in November, I doubt McClaren will be at the helm and Becks won't be around either.
Last edited by Venti_vidi_vici on June 2nd at 1:16 PM.
Has anyone seen what happened in the Denmark-Sweden match?
Apparently Sweden took a 0-3 lead before the home side clawed their way back to 3-3. Then in the 89th minute Sweden were awarded a penalty, Poulsen was sent off, but the penalty was never taken and the match abandoned. The referee was Fandel who just took charge of the UCL final. I can't wait for the highlights from this one!!!
Italy barely managed a win against the Faroe Islands, in a match played well inside the Arctic Circle. The team only comprises 4 professionals. Fortunately, Inzaghi managed to score two against a keeper who is a school teacher by day. Italy even conceded a late goal by a full-time carpenter, and even had a chance to tie in injury time, but fortunately it fell to one of their pros, who hit straight at Buffon.
I guess 3 points is 3 points!!!!
Mags
I have no idea what Batesy is up to at Leeds ,and to be honest ,I don`t care either ,I never did like the yorkies ,and I am quite enjoying their current predicament!
Whatever anyone says about his days as a Bluebeard ,if not for him ,RA would not have had a club to buy.
Or perhaps ,he would have bought New-castle ,Man city or Tottenham?
"Besame ,besame mucho........"
That`s the only one we sang in spanish ,wish I could remember the rest ,but the alcohol seems to have addled my brain ,sor-ree :)
Milan have tendered a 13 milion euro offer to Gremio for Brazilian striker Carlos Eduardo; Barca intend to match the offer, but Gremio have so far refused to negotiate. Again, I have never heard of this kid.
Anyone watch, or for that matter care about the USA China match? I know China isn't exactly top notch opponents, but I thought it was a very promising game, for one sole fact, NO LANDON!!!
I like Landon, but I feel like we expect him to win every game for us, and after his performace at the 06 WC, I am less inclined to lean on him nearly as much. I am really enjoying Bradley experiementing with lots of youth, and different formations. Maybe Steve McClown should takes some notes from Bradley about what friendlies are for, experiementation, and I don't mean Owen and Smith up front!!! And by the way Steve finally gave in to playing Beckham again, how long till he caves in and drops Lampard or Gerrard?
One other note about the USA game, without Landon taking free kicks and corners, the US actually scored two goals off of set pieces because the ball ended up in the PK area. For the love of god Bob never let Landon take another free kick again!!!
Acidaly - Formula for a better Arsenal season? Lehmann playing well without the tandrums; a dominant and taller centre back partnership; more goals from the wide midfield positions and the strikers having an injury free season.
LACF - My sense is that he is more effective coming off the bench which might be what Chelsea is looking for. Here is some basic stats from his Bumndesliga stint with Bayern.
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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