Henry14 - 1 Bobby what do you learn about United's attack today (Sunday), and l remember you talking about how Samuel Eto'o is probably the most valuable player in the planet because he is so difficult to replace and we saw how it affected Barca, using your same argument do you feel than Tevez and Rooney will complement that well in against deep defending teams and good solid teams with good defenders?
2 Bobby what did you make of the three promoted teams and their performance and especially Birmingham? l thought they look better than people think of them
3 Can you help me about how Wenger is 13/2 to get fired and do you think martin Jol will be at spurs next season if they do not win a trophy or break into the top four?
4 Do you think Ronaldo looks fat or there is something wrong with my TV
5 There is talk of Alves going to Chelsea and l do not think he is a good defender he is just like Evra and Eboue , not good defenders but excellent going forward, how would you describe Mr. Alves

Bobby 1. Rooney and Tevez will work fine together when the chance presents itself and they get a few games together under their belts. Even if they don't it is a gamble well worth taking.
2. If a newly promoted team stinks in the first couple of games then they generally have no chance of staying up. This is particularly true at home. Even then there are a good number of examples of promoted teams that flew out of the blocks only to be relegated.
3. My error – should have read 13/1. It was corrected in last week’s blog response and in the preview.
4. I don’t know I haven’t seen your TV. He might be big boned.
5. He’s really more of a wingback than a full back – the heir to Cafu (although Maicon looks pretty good as well).

Ohphuque – I’m surprised more folks aren’t in for the Portuguese fullback Miguel; he seems perfect for the EPL. I didn’t see much of Valencia last term so I don’t know how his club season went, maybe atleti can fill us in, but he looked a real menace at the World Cup. How do you rate this player?

Bobby – Excellent player and he had an excellent Euro 2004 when he replaced Ferreira.

Venti_vidi_vici - 1. What to you make of the incredible number of foreigners in the EPL this season? At last count there were 330 from 66 different countries; 50 more than last season, and for the first time ever they outnumber their English counterparts. In the inaugural EPL season in 1992 there were a total of 11 foreigners in the league. Arsenal has 22 foreigners and 2 locals; Liverpool's ratio is 18 and 5. This without mentioning that all the major managers and owners are also foreign.

2. What is the British Government trying to do about this? What can they do and why are they considering intervening? Is this because they fear that this is a short term phenomenon which could leave the English game in ruins, or are they just trying to help the national team?

Bobby – 1. The EPL is caught in their own marketing hype. To match what they claim about being the best league in the world the teams are “forced” to buy foreign players – mostly because they are better than the home-bred variety – and foreign clubs know that EPL teams will overpay. Having said that the league is infinitely better than it was 15 years ago. It will come at a price and the price is performances at the international level. If you go back and read about the formation of the EPL one of aims was to improve performances at the international level. The FA got sucked in on that one!
2. The government is limited to granting or not granting work permits to foreign players. You have to differentiate between players with an European Union passport (that entitles them to sign and play for any UK team) and non EU passport holders such as South Americans and Americans. Because of EU rules concerning freedom of movement for workers the “foreign player” numbers are somewhat distorted. What you really need in numbers by English players, other UK, other EU and foreign players. In addition any government that starts to stick a nose too deeply into the affairs of a national association runs the real risk of FIFA withdrawing sanction for the teams to participate in club and international competition.

Bigdavedisaster - I believe you said last year that you believed Berbatov was the transfer that made the biggest impact. Who will it be this year? Along the same lines who will be the bust?

Bobby – I will go for Malouda as the player to make the biggest impact and Roque Santa Cruz as one of the biggest busts. Santa Cruz’s goals coring in Germany has averaged around a goal every five games (in a league in which more goals are scored than the EPL) and I don’t see Bayern Munich selling a 25-year-old striker who looks to have all the tools if they didn’t have good reason to doubt his consistency.

Usa2010 - What really stuck out in the first round of the EPL was the value o####ood GK. While we all know that a good GK is invaluable, it was painfully obvious when you look at the Man Utd/Reading game and the Chelsea/Birm game. Put average keepers in goal for Reading and Birm, and Man Utd wins easily and Birm ties, or even wins. Also, with all the goal keeping woes at Man Utd, why don't you think SAF never looked at Friedel a few years back? I was always surprised his name was never mentioned. The guy is consistent in goal at a very, very high level.

Bobby – I’m assuming you mean when he signed Van der Sar. As for why SAF didn’t go after him – I have no idea.

Neophyte - I hope you read all the way down here. I have a question for you. Of the American goalkeepers in the EPL, who do you rate #1, 2 and 3? Do you think Chris Seitz (the US U-20 keeper) will get his turn to keep for a European club anytime soon?

Is there another midfielder from England as skilled as Gerrard in your opinion? (I officially don't like Liverpool but I will watch them play anytime Stevie G is playing. That free kick was incredible)

Bobby – GK Friedel, Howard, Hahnemann. Goalkeepers mature a lot later than outfield players so I don’t think there is any rush to get to Europe. He would be just as well getting experience and playing time – waiting a few years doesn’t seem to have hurt the other US keepers.
If you are meaning an English midfielder rather than a midfielder playing in England then I would have to say that nobody can match Gerrard in my opinion.

George11Best - What is your take on Cagliari and Mallorca?

Bobby – Nice places to visit? As far as their fooball teams are concerned - the upside is mid table with a relegation fight in their respective leagues a possibility.

After thirty five minutes of this match the USA could not have imagined how they could possibly not make into the last four of the FIFA under-20 World Cup. But two decisions by Austrian coach Paul Gludovatz turned the game in his team’s favour. The first move to bring on Harnik on the right side of midfield helped stem the attacks that the USA was mounting down that side. The second was to bring on striker Erwin Hoffer in extra time and he scored the winner with his first touch of the ball. 

For almost all of the first thirty five minutes the USA was very much in control of this game. The opening goal was well crafted and started with Bradley taking a quick free kick and pushing the ball out to the left. Rogers picked the ball up before springing Freddy Adu deep in the Austrian half. Adu then got behind the Austrian defense and send over a teasing out-swinging cross. Altidore held off two defenders and placed an inch perfect header down to the keeper’s right that bounced just inside the post.

The Austrian equalizer came from multiple errors. First of all Proedl was not closed down and allowed to shoot (even though he was far out the wet surface places a premium on blocking shots from any range). Then Seitz spilled the original shot to Okotie who was quick to follow up. Okotie was then able to outmaneuver one US defender before Valentin chose to stand off him and allowed the Austrian striker to get his shot off. Seitz was unable to keep the shot out as Okotie’s strike overpowered him low to the right. It was the second time in the half that Seitz spilled a shot and doubts about his fitness were confirmed as he became less and less mobile as the game progressed. 

In fact every time the Austrians lofted a ball into the USA penalty area there was confusion. Ironically it was probably the strength of Austria in the air that caused American coach Thomas Rongen to gamble on Seitz in preference to the smaller Brian Perk who had deputized in the win over Uruguay. However, with the mobility of Seitz compromised, the US lost one of his key strengths – his control of the penalty area.

Chances for the USA were limited in the second half and i####oal was to come it was more likely to come from Austria. Half way through the second half Sturgis had to clear off his line as the USA’s confidence visibly wilted. Ten minutes later and a double save from Seitz and the goal post saved the day again.

In extra time Freddy Adu missed a golden opportunity to put the USA into the lead after being played in beautifully by Dax McCarty. However, his touch around the Austrian keeper (who never looked confident but was rarely tested) produced a poor angle and the final shot went wide.

Then just three minutes later Anthony Wallace was given a second yellow card for an ill-considered challenge on Harnik. The resultant free kick was played in and never dealt with by the USA defense as it bobbled around and at one stage it clearly struck Michael Bradley on the arm. The left off was only temporary as the ball eventually broke to Hoffer as it rebounded off the goal post and he slid home the winner from six inches.

As the ten men US pushed forward Austria had numerous chances to sew the game up but failed to make the most of their opportunities. With six minutes left a free kick found Ferrari alone at the back post with the Austrian goal open and at his mercy. He failed to hit the target. The final USA chance fell to Freddy Adu who was left with the keeper to beat but Zaglmair stood his ground and deflected the shot wide.

Austria becomes the fifth team in nine knock out games to come from behind to win and they continue their quest to become the Greece of 2007. It’s amazing how far some grit, determination, good organization and a little bit of good fortune can take a team.

Chris Seitz will not being playing tonight. He is still suffereing from a leg injury he picked up in the collision that led to the Brazil goal last Friday. UCLA keeper Brian Perk will replace him.

Julian Valentin is recalled in place of Ofori Sarkodie. The rest of the side is unchanged.

The USA came away from this game with what might be a vital point against a vibrant and exciting South Korean side. Despite having to endure extended spells of intense Korean pressure the Americans deserve credit for sticking to the task and pulling themselves back into the game particularly in the last thirty minutes.

The opening goal came from a fine cross from Zizzo that eventually found Danny Szetela at the pack post. A diving header gave us the first goal from open play of the tournament. The South Koreans stormed back and Shin Young Rok wasted two fantastic chances before he eventually made it third time lucky.

This under-20 squad is a carbon copy of the senior national team of World Cup 2002. Playing a 3-4-3 formation the Koreans were constantly trying to force the USA to play at a tempo that was not to their liking. US defenders and midfielders were repeatedly caught in possession and if it was not for some wasteful finishing (another trait of the 2002 WC side) South Korea could have had the game sown up by half time. As it was the Koreans again spurned second half chances although US keeper Chris Seitz pulled off a couple of excellent saves in the second half.

Dex McCarty’s arrival into the game in the second half was instrumental in helping the USA to hold on to ball and eventually create some chances of their own. If the USA was to nip a win it looked as if it was come courtesy of a Freddy Adu free kick delivered from the right side with his left foot. As it was both teams traded late chances but had to settle for a point each.

Lee Young Sung was outstanding for South Korea as was the back three. Chris Seitz looked good in the USA goal while Nathan Sturgis recovered from an early slip to help turn back the many Korean attacks. Zizzo and McCarty also played their part.

The next round of games is on Tuesday with USA vs. Poland and South Korea playing Brazil.

You can send any information (fsr@mts.net) that you think might be of interest about the twenty-four countries and I will post a regular selection. If you have a FIFA Under-20 blog go ahead and post your link under comments.

You can also check out the National Post blog.