All-Purpose, Never-Ending Soccer Thread

if I'm not mistaken, an "awful" Gimnastic team beat second-placed Sevilla this week 1-0, last placed Real Sociedad also recorded a win this week, when was the last time a bottom feeder beat one of the big four in the EPL, as far as excitment, El Clasico was probably the best match of the weekend with the Chelsea/Tottenham tie a close second, also, the EPL is basically a two horse race right now with ManU looking like it is going to breeze to the league championship while as many as five teams are still in the La Liga race (I am just arguing for argument's sake, I really have no horse in either race)

 

As far as the talent argument goes, it's almost impossible for either of us to prove our point - it's simply our opinions.

But as far as trophies go, check out this amazing fact:
The last year any other club in England besides the big 4 won either the Premier League or the FA Cup: 1995.
Hard to believe, but it's true.
In Spain, Real Madrid and Barcelona are known as the perennial front-runners, with Valencia right behind them. The last time any of them won the Copa del Rey was 1999. While they have had a strangle-hold on La Liga since Deportivo La Coruna won in 2000, it looks as if Sevilla has the squad capable of finishing ahead of all three this season.

 

Now that Chelski has the Roman money behind it, it seems that the top 4 in the EPL is basically set every year. It would be nice to see another team really contend.

 

Just wait until Abramovich gets bored/arrested/assassinated and some other club picks up a sugar daddy. Everton, Leeds, Blackburn and other clubs have enjoyed their time in the sun. Now it's Chelsea, ManYoo, Arsenal and the RS. Eventually they'll come back to the back, probably through debts or complacency, and someone else will take their place.

If you want more competition, watch the First Division (you know what I mean) or some of the continental leagues. Germany's wide open, Spain has a nice race at the top and it's only a matter of time before Inter makes things interesting in Serie A.

 

Well done by your boys. Looks like old Walter's righted the ship.

Now about the rest of that 16-point gap....

 

Blackburn's Robbie Savage attends dart tournament in Sheffield. Booing, chanting ensues...

http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/darts-fans-savage-robbie-savage.html

 

:'(
Nevermind yesteday's UEFA lost. Ouch that was bad. Real bad.

 

USMNT roster for friendlies with Eduador and Guatemala later this month...

Goalkeepers: Brad Guzan (Chivas USA), Tim Howard (Everton, England), Kasey Keller (Borussia Moenchengladbach, Germany)

Defenders: Carlos Bocanegra (Fulham, England), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover, Germany), Jimmy Conrad (Kansas City), Jay Demerit (Watford, England), Oguchi Onyewu (Newcastle, England), Heath Pearce (Nordsjaelland, Denmark), Frank Simek (Sheffield Wednesday, England), Jonathan Spector (West Ham, England)

Midfielders: DaMarcus Beasley (Manchester City, England), Michael Bradley (Heerenveen, Netherlands), Brian Carroll (D.C. United), Ricardo Clark (Houston), Clint Dempsey (Fulham, England), Benny Feilhaber (Hamburg, Germany), Justin Mapp (Chicago)

Forwards: Brian Ching (Houston), Kenny Cooper (Dallas), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles), Eddie Johnson (Kansas City), Chris Rolfe (Chicago), Taylor Twellman (New England)

 

Pretty tough lineup. I'm surprised that The Bob is calling in two foreign keepers, especially as Keller is in the middle of a tough relegation fight.

Nice to see 'Lil Bradley getting the callup, as well as Demerit. I don't think that Demerit rates, but he might work well with Gooch.

 

While that roster is fairly stacked, here is one glaring fact: None of the forwards brought in play in Europe.

Now, I don't believe that playing in Europe automatically means you are better than everyone else. But I do wonder about the current state of the American offense if there isn't a suitable benchwarmer, at the bare minimum, sitting on the sideline.

Sadly, this comes from someone who rates MLS.

 

Exactly right Pastor. We really only have one world class type of attacking player -- Landon, and he's afraid to play with the big boys. We better hope that someone emerges in the next few years.

 

I recognize McBride as that player as well, but he's retired.

I like the guys, for the most part, that they brought in for offense, but damn. We are stacked in the back but have no offense to account for.