Aug 31 2008
Chelsea - the version that raced to a dominant Premiership start - failed to show up for their home affair with Tottenham on Sunday. In their stead for their London derby they sent their understudy which, unfortunately, was a complacent side unwilling to push a outgunned Spurs team. The result was quiet day for the keepers and a 1-1 draw featuring two inglorious goals.
Aug 30 2008
Cesc Fabregas may not have directly contributed to any of Arsenal’s goals, but it is no coincidence that the Gunners played their best match of the season on the day the Spanish midfielder returned to the lineup. With Fabregas out for the first two matches of the season, Arsenal scored one goal in two games, had a 186 minute scoreless streak, and split matches against clubs expected to finish near the bottom of the table. On Saturday, Arsenal handed a quality Newcastle United team their first lost of the season, posting a 3-0 scoreline that did not do the Gunners’ form justice.
Aug 27 2008
Liverpool may be one of the eight teams in the top pool for tomorrow’s Champions League group stage draw, but they were the closest of the thirty-two teams to being out of the tournament after the final round of qualifying finished today.
Aug 24 2008
It will be suggested that Middlesbrough was done wrong on Saturday, and if you look at how and when Liverpool scored their two goals, the suggestion is persuasive. But Liverpool’s 2-1 victory is no more unjust than Middlesbrough’s 1-0 win would have been. That both of the Reds’ goals came after the 85th minute - one deflection from a Jamie Carragher shot; another, a laser beam from Steven Gerrard - is an irony of timing. It does nothing to change the rest of the match, a rather evenly played affair that had Liverpool continue their struggles in the opponent’s third. For Middlesbrough, the match showed Gareth Southgate’s team may be ready to take another step forward in spite of their loss. Continue Reading »
Aug 24 2008
The determining moment of Chelsea’s 1-0 win at the JJB may have come before kickoff. Wigan goaltender Chris Kirkland, having missed England’s Wednesday international with back trouble, was ruled out of Sunday’s match a reoccurred in warm-ups. His absence may have proved costly for a home team whose 1-0 loss fell on the end of an early, possibly savable, direct kick.
Aug 23 2008
Arsenal spent Saturday’s visit to Craven Cottage showing why so many were reluctant to pick their talented side to improve upon last year’s third place finish, because although they were playing without their best player (Cesc Fabregas), they still had by far the most talented side on the field when they took on Fulham in one of their London derbyies. Yet Arsenal were rendered impotent by what is expected to be a relegation-embattled club, rarely challenging Fulham goalie Mark Schwarzer and allowing a team that spent last week recovering from wounds inflicted by a promoted club to beat a team what is supposed to be one of the best and deepest sides in the world. If that sounds melodramatic, it is nowhere near as theatrical as these three words: Fulham beat Arsenal.
It was their second win over Arsenal in the forty-three years.
Aug 23 2008
At the onset Nigeria made themselves to be Argentina’s toughest Olympics opponent, using their superior athleticism and strength to move their quicker, more skilled opponents off the ball as they tried to dribble into the attack. But as the game wore on the Nigerians wore down, less able to use their physicality while dealing with an opponent who had adjusted to playing longer, direct balls into the attack, running onto those passes instead of trying to dribble through the defense. Ultimately, it was a Lionel Messi ball that sprung Angel Di Maria for the match’s only goal, giving the Argentines their second consecutive gold medal.
Aug 23 2008
Bolton’s three goal outburst against Stoke last week proved to be just that: an outburst. Aside from a desperation surge at the end and a failed penalty kick, the Wanderers never threatened and were outclassed by their hosts. That is not to say Newcastle had an easy time of it, as they generated few quality chances against Bolton. In the seventy-first minute, justice was done, and substitute Michael Owen’s header gave Newcastle their margin of victory in a 1-0 win.
Aug 23 2008
PSV Eindhoven unofficially began the defense of their four consecutive Eredivisie championships by downing Feyenoord for the Dutch Super Cup. The match-up between the winner of the regular season and the winner of the league cup was scoreless at halftime before PSV found their edge in the second half, eventually winning the match 2-0.
Aug 23 2008
Jürgen Klinsmann should have anticipated a tough showing on Saturday at Borussia Dortmund. Dortmund bounced on Bayer Leverkusen last week and left with a 3-2 road victory to open the season. Their energy level left Bayer looking under-prepared for the opening match. It was only towards the end of that match that Leverkusen were truly playing with Dortmund.
Against Bayern Munich, Dortmund again showed that energy. Continue Reading »