The Soccer Thread (IV)

Solid. Another neutral site match, or even one in Europe or Africa, would be good, but it's shaping up nicely.

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I can't help but laugh at Wenger's insistence Arsenal should've been given time to set up a wall. Those who have actually read the Laws of the Game should know the attacking team is within its rights to take the IFK quickly -- the only way the defending team is entitled to time to form a wall is if the attacking team requests a ceremonial free kick. The LotG don't change something happens in your penalty area during the Champions League.

 

I don't know if this was linked before but there is another documentary about US soccer fans. My boy, Sean has it here on his wonderful blog.

 

The rebranding of MLS' Web site begins in earnest as Greg lalas and Jonah Freedman are hired to run the show:

http://web.mlsnet.com/news/mls_news.jsp?ymd=20100217&content_id=8084024&vkey=news_mls&fext=.jsp

As I'm sure most of you know, MLS is the latest league to really turn its site (and the individual teams' sites) into a repository of editorial content. They had a lot of stories before, but there's really a push right now to hire new people and create destinations. I hope a few friends/good soccer journalists find their way out of newspapers using this route. I expect it will survive longer than MLS magazine.

 

Liverpool 1-0 Unirea.

Fulham 2-1 Shakhtar, with Fulham's first coming after just two minutes and their second a brilliant goal by Bobby Zamora. They still have a tough task in the second leg, but that's a nice win for them.

Portsmouth, meanwhile, have apparently asked the FA and the Premier League for permission to sell players outside the transfer window ahead of their March 1 High Court appointment. There's a lot of talk they actually could be wound up, but I still can't fathom the Premier League allowing that to happen. Administration certainly seems a highly likely possibility at this stage though.

 

Recent posts about the new Red Bull Arena have me posting a new article out with some more recent photos. The building is less than 1.5 miles from my front door. My plan is to walk as there are several bars and friends' houses along my route. Going a quarter mile without a drink would be asking too much.

Anyway, Fanhouse.com has a bunch of new photos up that has me itching for March 20th to come around.

March 20th is the official opening of the stadium. RBNY will take on Santos a week before the regular season starts.

 

I hear you Pastor. March 27th is circled on my calendar. No better way to start the season than a bus trip up to Dallas to watch the Dynamo destroy them once again.

 

Who's working the defense for Houston this year with Clark and Holden gone?

 

Can't wait for March 27th either. Won't be as fun as last year I reckon as Toronto FC supporters are now scared to come to Columbus after Columbus finest put them in their place last season for being the douchebags they are.

 

The Neville brothers are the captains in the United-Everton match. I have written it before, but I love the fact that Gary Neville's jersey still says "G. Neville" as if his brother is part of the squad.

 

Well Clark and Holden held down the center of midfield last year so that's where my concerns lie. They've been trying new people in those spots but we won't know until Dallas what we have. I guess not being in CONCACAF is for the best this season.

 

Please, please, please send Johnny Evans' ass somewhere far far away. That's four goals in the last two matches he has been directly responsible for letting in.

 

Whining fanboi alert...

My God, the referee in the Inter-Sampdoria match is appalling. Inter was down to 9 men 38 minutes in, and the cards were absurd. Meanwhile a Sampdoria player lunges to trip a player from behind away from the play and gets a yellow. The ref will need a heavy security detail to get out of San Siro in one piece.