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.
Another bumper week for blog participation - thanks again to everyone who participates by reading or posting.
Mr. Red Devil - Now that Man Utd have won the EPL (with 2 matches to go) and will play in the FA Cup Final, do you see Carrick's transfer fee as being justified?
His play throughout the season was consistently very good and he was a valuable part of the 1st team, so I believe he was well worth the 14m-18m pounds. I know you were wary of that amount at the time of the transfer, so I just wanted to get your current views.
Bobby – He had some good games but he rarely looked like a £18 million footballer. Spurs paid £10.9 million Berbatov, different positions but who go better value? I noted that SAF was complaining that Chelsea had inflated the market by paying £27 million Michael Essien. From what I’ve seen Chelsea got a better deal paying what they did for Essien than United did for Carrick. And now we have Owen “£20 million” to look forward to.
Bmax14 - I went to my first USL game yesterday and I was actually kind of impressed with the atmosphere and reasonable quality of play. In your opinion, where would USL 1st division compare in quality to England's leagues? Would it be League 2? And MLS, my impression is that a good MLS team would be comparable to a mid-table Championship team. What would you say? I'm trying to get more into US football this year to accommodate my summer fix since there is no WC or Euro to watch. I know I can't expect the EPL but I don't think MLS (or even USL) is the absolute worst football in the world either.
Bobby – I gave up comparing leagues and came to the conclusion that it was a pointless exercise. We know that some MLS players can make it the Premiership while others would struggle to hold a starting spot in League 2 or even the conference. I think what that tells us is that the MLS has some very good players but it is lacking in depth. Because Europe has more leagues and teams playing at the professional level, players are more liable to find their natural level with teams that match their skills and abilities. This is how I look at it numerically with 10 being fantastic and 1 being poor it might line up something like this over a starting eleven. MLS – 3 nines, 2 sevens, 3 fives, 2 threes and 1 one. Championship – 1 nine, 1 seven, 3 sixes, 2 fives, 3 fours and 1 two. MLS has a wider range of skills on the team while the Championship would be much more tightly grouped.
RINGO - This week’s trivia. Which team used to play home games at Annfield? And which team plays home games at St.James Park?
Bobby – Trick question you ####. Stirling Albion and Exeter City. Did you ever post the answers to last week’s questions?
Neophyte - Why is Mark Hughes always associated with being the heir apparent to the ManU. throne? With Keane showing promise why is everyone so hot on Hughes? If SAF were to retire today I can think of a couple of others I would rather see as Gaffer than Hughes. I like Steve Coppell if I had to choose right now. How about you?
Bobby – It is standard practice to link former players with managerial and coaching jobs at their old clubs. History has proven that there is a better chance that someone will be hired who has a connection with a club than otherwise. So it makes some sense. What Mark Hughes has over the other names that pop up is European and International experience as a manager.
Rwonfootball - What is the point of the EPL suing YouTube? YouTube gives the league free publicity, so they really shouldn't be complaining.
Bobby – Simple, why would you allow someone to give away for free, something that someone else would pay for. The EPL doesn’t need free publicity nor does it want it. It wants money.
Henry14 - Q1 What is the problem with Tyneside club, do you think it’s the board, or the club in my opinion is not as big as it claims to be? Q2 If $60m we put for Berbatov do you see Tottenham selling him Q3 What do you think of Lori Cana, I am of the information that he is definitely be one of Wenger's signings. Again Bobby, Amy Lawrence on a talk show said that Wenger has been given $100m pounds as part of 80m pound transfer budget they agreed on with the creditors up to 2009 and she sees certain that Eto’o is on the cards. Personally l feel Eto’o and Henry are mutually exclusive in the same team, even if Wenger has this amount of money do you see him coming to Arsenal
Bobby – 1. In business terms Newcastle United is an underperforming asset and has been for decades. When you see that sort of situation there is only one person to blame – the Chairman and in-turn the directors. 2. If Spurs sell Berbatov the fans will be livid and rightfully so. With the new TV deal kicking and as long as the player is happy there would not appear to be any reason why Spurs would have to sell. 3. To be perfectly honest I don’t think I have ever watched him play – I certainly wasn’t aware of him. Apparently he is a defensive midfield player and so I can’t see why Arsenal would go after him. 4. I just can’t understand why Barcelona would choose to sell Eto’o. So until someone comes up with a good reason I am expecting him to stay at the Nou Camp.
BigWave - I know this is a minor thing but now that Man United has won the Premiership title can the new guy on the Fox Soccer Report stop referring to the Reds as "Man U?" All football fans know that is not a proper term.
Bobby – We have that in common. Referring to Man. Utd. as Man U has driven me crazy for years. In fact if my wife wants to bug me she will ask “is that Man U on television?” However, the reference has become so commonly used that I have accepted that nothing is going to change.
Henry14 - How you rate Torres among forwards, do you think he is the Darren Bent group of players. Is Hunterlaar for real, is he not like Kezman?
Bobby – He is far better player than Darren Bent. The problem with comparing Hunterlaar with Kezman is that for every Kezman there is a Van Nistelrooy and Roy Makaay. Who knows how differently it might have turned out for Kezman if he had joined a team that gave him a regular spot in the starting eleven.
Rob's Rabble - I wonder did you see Jorge Valdano's comments on the Liverpool Chelsea Champions League game. If not, check out The Guardian's website. Basically he compared it to watching #### on a stick. As an Arsenal fan, I have to agree somewhat that Benitez and Mourinho are strangling a lot of the skill level out of the game. The sad thing is that you could say that Arsenal actually made it to the CL final last year playing the same way. Hard to see what the solution is, but I have to say I would rather watch ties like Milan Man U over the Liverpool Chelsea ones every time.
Bobby – It was a terrible game of football but it had me on the edge of my seat.
Foxcube - Q1, given his failure to defend the title, how likely do you think now is JM to be asked to quit in the summer, if Abramovich would risk losing a couple of key players? What's your reckoning on what the owner wants the club to be like? Playing beautifully? Or a team to win at all cost, the more trophies the merrier? Q2, Can you name the three transfer targets Sir Alex alluded to? Or to rephrase it, if you were ManU manager, who'd be your top three recruits? Q3, Could you also name the three most needed positions/candidates for Liverpool and Arsenal? Q4, Is Tottenham faring better than you expected at the beginning of the season? If they can keep Berbatov, will they be among the top 4 challengers next season, including, imo, Arsenal, Everton, and Aston Villa?
Bobby – 1. I think Mourinho will be gone before the new season starts. As for what Abramovich wants – my guess is wonderful flowing football. 2. There are a number of targets that have been mentioned already – Hargreaves, Berbatov, Bales, Nani (Sporting Lisbon). I think he will be on the look out for a couple of midfielders – it would be a dangerous game to bank on Giggs and Scholes producing a repeat of this season’s form next year. United also need a striker. 3. Liverpool – a reliable and mobile 20 a season goal scorer, a first class left sided midfielder and cover at centre back although Benitez might have a couple of youngsters who can step up. Arsenal – another option on the right side of midfield, a dominating centre – both Toure and Gallas lack the couple of inches that Sol Campbell gave Arsenal – and a new goalkeeper. Lehmann’s antics wore thin a long time ago. 4. Tottenham exceeded my expectations as far as entertainment value was concerned but I think they will finish close to where I picked back in August. The FSR and the blog will be pulling out the predictions in the next week or so. Even with Berbatov I can’t see any team cracking the top four.
LosAngelesChelseaFan - Bobby, are league teams still contractually obligated to enter it (the Carling Cup)?
Bobby – I believe so.
RINGO - Having seen the way Chelsea’s season has ground to a halt, I do not think it is possible to win all four trophies.....Which makes the achievements of the "Lisbon Lions" all the more remarkable! And with the 40th anniversary of their great triumph approaching.....good topic for a blog?!
Bobby – They say records are made to be broken but Celtic’s haul in ’67 will take some beating. A couple of days ago I was thinking of the spring of 1967. Scotland beat World Champions England at Wembley, Celtic became the first northern European side to win the European Cup, Rangers were beaten by Bayern Munich in the final of the Cup Winners Cup in extra time and Kilmarnock reached the semi final of the Fairs Cities Cup before going out to Leeds United. We will never see the likes again!
Venti_vidi_vici -Now that the fourth season of the Abramovich era at Chelsea is coming to a close, is it safe to say that one still cannot buy happiness or success?
If Mourinho’s last two seasons at Porto are to be defined as successful because of the trophies he collected, how successful, would you say, were his first (and maybe only) three seasons at Chelsea?
It looks like Gary Neville, Michael Carrick and Steven Gerrard are all getting married on June 16 next month, and John Terry’s big day is the day before. That must have something to do with fixture congestion, right!? Did you receive an invitation to any of them?
In your personal opinion, why did Tim Howard not feature in the match versus his former employer, Man Utd, last week?
Congratulations are in order for Man Utd for accomplishing what, a year ago, appeared to be mission impossible and dethroning Chelsea. At the beginning of the season did anyone predict the EPL trophy going back to Old Trafford?
Bobby – The reality is that is next to impossible to have success in football without money. The thing that Abramovich brought to Chelsea was an almost unlimited supply of money – something we have never seen before. I don’t believe that two Premiership titles and assorted other hardware can be looked upon as failure. June 16 – I think there is a Gold Cup game that day. Tim Howard – I have no idea but was there not an arrangement made with one of Scott Parker’s moves? As for predicting Manchester United as the premiership champions at the start of the season – out of over 70 predictions that were received on the blog I believe only four selected United as the winners. I will have the full details next week.
Before we move on to the Milan – Manchester United second leg, I am surprised that I have not heard or read anything so far about Pepe Reina’s great penalty saving ability. This is a keeper who in 2004/05 saved seven of the nine penalties he faced while with Villarreal. Then last season he saved three out four spot kicks in the FA Cup Final.
S&M just cannot keep up with Argentina. They are chasing - and from time to time trying to kick - shadows.
Kezman gets sent off for a lunge at Mascherano - that came after he had a wee kick just a minute before at Riquelme after the ball had gone. He got away with the first one - but not the second.
Is Kezman really a superstar?
A flick from Riquelme puts Crespo through - a clear penalty there - but the referee waves it off.
And for S&M it just gets worse with Messi on and Maxi off.
EVDS is hurting and everytime the ball goes to him it is a potential problem. However he does well to grab a cross and sets up a quick attack which ends with Robben firing wide.
Robben flys down the left side and is body checked just outside the penalty area. Gavrancic yellow card and free kick to the Dutch but nothing comes of it. We are now into injury time.
Whistle goes and Holland starts with a win. The Dutch were clearly the better team while S&M looked like a team better equipped to grind out a scoreless tie than to chase a game after going a goal down.
S&M has now taken off their two first choice strikers - Kezman and Milosevic - but to date it has not made a difference. At some point soon S&M must push other players forward to support the front two.
Netherlands take off RVN who has been playing a slightly different role than we normally see and Kuijt is on.
Koroman strikes a wicked shot from the edge of the penalty box that Edwin van der Sar (EVDS?) gets down well and gathers at the seconmd attempt.
S&M looks like a team that has no idea how to come from a goal down. They are devoid of ideas - and short of numbers up front. If they are going to get one back it might have to be a set piece.
RVP goes ever so close with a left footed that just bends around the far post after a free kick on the right side.
1. Adidas - two Spanish speaking kids picking a team of stars to play in their kick about. The digital addition of the Kaiser is a great retro touch for us old guys.
2. Guinness cartoon - what can say except brilliant! brilliant! brilliant! The only question is were they inspired by an ESPN soccer analyst?
3. Maria Sharapova - I think there might be something about a camera involved.
Half time Holland 1-0 Serbia & Montenegro. S&M has been thoroughly outplayed and at the moment they look like carthorses trying to keep up with thoroughbreds.
Vidic of Manchester United has to sit this one out due to suspension. Robin Van Persie (RVP) is part of a Premiership trio starting up front for the Dutch with Ruud Van Nistelrooy (RVN) and Robben.
S&M has opted to start with the 6' 7" Nikola Zigic (Peter Crouch with muscles and without the dance) on the bench, hopefully a reinforced one.
Nearly 15 minutes gone and the game has yet to settle into a pattern although Djordjevic looks like he might be the danger man for S&M. (Just as well we have an & between the S and the M!).
Arjen Robben scores! He times his run perfectly as S&M get caught square trying to hold a line and runs through on to a clip over the top from RVP. A maasive goal for the Dutch given S&M's great defensive record.
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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