World Cup and European leagues

[Mr. Ypsi]

Can you top this?

Real Madrid just signed a 7-year-old from Argentina!

In ten years will he be his idol Lionel Messi, or will he be Freddy Adu (or will he be my neighbor Alex, who was the best 7-year-old I ever coached, or coached against, and never got off JV in high school)?

[sac]

Speaking of Freddie Adu, he just signed on with Philadelphia Union, hopefully he plays some now.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Speaking of Freddie Adu, he just signed on with Philadelphia Union, hopefully he plays some now.

I may be the only one not named Adu who feels this way, but I still haven't given up on the guy.   I no longer have expectations, but I still have hopes.

[Joe Wally]

You're dead to me, Fabregas!  DEAD!   

[Hoosier Titan]

You're dead to me, Fabregas!  DEAD!   

Ah.  Exactly how I felt about Fernando Torres in January.  I feel your pain! But there is life after being dumped, it just feels terrible at the time.

[ECSUalum]

Keane completes move to LA Galaxy
Monday, 15 August 2011 18:40

Robbie Keane has completed a move to LA Galaxy from Tottenham Hotspur on a two-year contract.

Keane will officially be added to the club's roster upon receipt of his visa, ending a second spell at Tottenham.

The Republic of Ireland record goal scorer said it was a dream come true to move to Major League Soccer: "I am delighted, honored and very excited to be joining the LA Galaxy.


See full article @:

http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2011/0815/keanerobbie_tottenham_galaxy.html

[sac]

In case you haven't watched one of the 1,000 Sportscenters, Fabregas was at the center of a pretty bad tackle (the victim) that sparked a bench clearing melee between Barca and Real.

In other news........Messi!

[Hoosier Titan]

In case you haven't watched one of the 1,000 Sportscenters, Fabregas was at the center of a pretty bad tackle (the victim) that sparked a bench clearing melee between Barca and Real.

In other news........Messi!

And the (Former) Special One got involved in the action by sticking his thumb in the eye of a Barca assistant coach from the rear.  At first it looked as though he tweaked the guy's ear, but in fact the act was a lot nastier.  I think Morinho has lost it.

Can't believe that classy Real players like Xabi Alonso, Iker Casillas, and (it pains me to say it) Cristiano Ronaldo are pleased about the way their side is going.  Pitiful.

And Messi is simply amazing!

[Hoosier Titan]

EPL match to watch this weekend:  Arsenal v. Liverpool.  It's the noontime Saturday match, which will make it early Saturday a.m. in the Central time zone.  Liverpool have never won at the Emirates, but this could be their chance.  Arsenal have sold Fabregas, Nasri seems on the way out, Gervinho and Song are suspended due to red cards in the Newcastle fixture, and Wilshire, Diaby, Gibbs, and Djourou are all out due to injury.  The Gunners got by Sporting Lisbon 1-0 midweek, and so might be feeling leg-tired. 

Liverpool drew with Sunderland at the weekend 1-1.  The Reds started at a blistering pace, with Luis Suarez drawing a penalty on Kieran Richardson that should have been a red card almost immediately.  Suarez blasted the PK into the Kop, but quickly atoned by scoring a goal soon after.  In the second half the Reds faded badly.  Travel fatigue seemed to have set in due to their Asian tour, and the preseason lineups which featured the likes of Joe Cole and Christian Poulsen didn't help the players who actually started last Saturday to become match fit.  Thus, the stamina of the Reds might be in question, although with the additions of Andy Carroll, Jordan Henderson, Stuart Downing, and Jose Enrique, the side is much stronger this year. 

Should be an interesting match--Arsenal is always tough at the Emirates!

[Joe Wally]

It was never going to be easy against a quality side, especially with the youngsters Jenkinson and Frimpong in the starting eleven.  But then Koscielny goes down making us even greener along the back, and then Frimpong sees red with twenty minutes to play.

Daglish brings on Suarez and Mierles (sp) and that's it, game over.

All that said, I was more disappointed in the play along the front than the play along the back.

Where ever Nasri ends up he needs to take Arshavin with him.  His play was consistently terrible.

I do give Nasri some credit, he did not completely dog it out there, which is what I feared, and the crowd did not boo him even once from what I could tell.

Still and all there was no creativity or chemistry along the front from anyone wearing the red kit today.  Van Persie was non existent, and the first time I heard Ramsey's name mentioned was when the ball went into the Arsenal goal off his chest.

The commentators gave Walcott a hard time.  I did not think his play was that poor.  Certainly of the skilled players along the front he was the most active, IMO.

The transfer issues need to get themselves worked out.  There's hardly a position on the pitch where the team could not use a supplement. 

Looks like a long year to come for the Gunners testing the mettle of young players and supporters alike.

Go You Gooners!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[sac]

Liverpool/Arsenal was a....um, I don't even know how to describe it.

It sort of deserved a comic goal to win it for someone.  Arsenal look like Liverpool did last year in a way.  Could be a rough start that's too much for them to pull out of before the end of the year.

ManU next weekend, 1 point in 9 and 8 back before September?......yikes.

[Joe Wally]

After yesterday's domination these should be, by far, the busiest three days of Wenger's tenure with the Gunners.

[ScotsFan]

There was some good ol' fashion arse kicking put on by Manchester clubs over London clubs over the weekend.  Manchester - 13, London - 3?!   

As good as United have looked in their first 3 games, I'm tempering my enthusiasm because I remember Chelsea looked like a team that would run away with the League title in the first 2 months last year only to disappear over the winter months. 

I do think you'd be lying if you thought ManU would look this good, this fast with the young squad that Fergie has been running out there and without the defensive anchors of Rio and Vidic to help out the new young keeper.  Fergie's starting 11 for the past 2 games were the 2nd youngest squads he's ever fielded?!  Not too bad for a bunch of youngsters.

Highlights from yesterday were aplenty if you were a ManU fan.  Rooney's hat trick included two wonderfully struck free kicks.  Young had the 2 best goals of the match IMO.  And De Gea's save of the van Persie's PK more than made up for his blunder of the first goal he allowed from Walcott. 

Sad to see Welbeck go down to injury as he was more than likely going to get a chance with the national team and he's been in top form over the first 3 matches, but it's also nice to have a player like Hernandez to take his place!   

[Hoosier Titan]

No doubt that both Manchester teams were impressive yesterday.  At this point--and it's early doors, as they say--looks like the title race will be between those two. 

But it would be a mistake to put too much faith in Man U looking THAT good all season.  Arsenal are, quite simply, woeful at the moment.  I'm not a Gunners supporter, but they've always been one of my favorite "other" sides, and I've liked Wenger's style.  Problem is, having sold Fabregas and Nasri, and having lost close to a double-digit number of players to injuries and red cards, they simply didn't have the horses yesterday.  And he didn't change his strategy, playing a very high defensive line in the first half that allowed MU players to slice through at will.  Once van Persie's penalty was missed--and it was a terrible, terrible penalty--the whole team just collapsed.  Credit to van Persie; he kept playing and scored a nice goal.  But Arsene, Arsene...what were you thinking?  The sad thing is that the MU-Arsenal blowout overshadowed the City-Spurs match.  With his hat trick, Dzeko has removed himself from the top of the Bad Trades List, leaving one Fernando Torres all by himself at the top of said list.  The Manchester derbies are going to be amazing this year! 

And, in other news, Liverpool looked very sprightly indeed in beating Bolton 3-1 with first goals from new boys Jordan Henderson and Charlie Adam. Martin Skrtel moved from center back to attacking right back and looked like he'd played it all his life, scoring a powerful header.  Despite all this, Luis Suarez was deservedly voted Man of the Match, having been involved in all three goals.

If I had to bet (which I never do), I'd say the top four right now bid fair to be the top four at the end of the season.  But the season is long.

[sac]

I assume everyone has seen this, if not enjoy.  (note he even received a yellow card)

http://newslite.tv/2011/09/09/is-this-the-worst-penalty-ever.html