First off some congratulations are in order:
- Congratulations to Clint Dempsey. If he continues to score like this, one wonders if he’ll stay with Fulham.
- Congratulations to Rogerio Ceni, I suppose. At least it makes us forget about José Luis Chilavert.
In the final eight of the Champions League, if there’s any team that could surprise I believe it’s Shakhtar Donetsk. I’m not certain if they can get past Barcelona, but I believe that they can make Pep Guardiola uneasy.
I’m loathe to lavish praise on someone prematurely (e.g. Freddy Adu), but the recent play of Juan Agudelo both at the club level and as a sub in last night’s game against Argentina, is most impressive. He has skill, strength, maturity beyond his years and a good mind for the game. Let’s hope he keeps it up.
If his performance on Tuesday’s game against Paraguay is as good as his second half substitute performance against Argentina, Timmy Chandler may put an end to Steve Cherundolo’s international career and leave Jonathan Spector on the bench. I can leave with that. I have nothing against Cherundolo, but he’s 32. As for Spector, he’s always made me nervous.
Was it just me or did Javier Mascherano seem to flop a lot in yesterday’s game?
Note to Ian Darke and other British commentators: Mascherano is Argentinean, not French. Accordingly, his name is pronounced more less like this: Ha vee AIR, not Ha vee A.
Note to Bob Bradley: please stop using the lone striker. It’s useless with this squad.
Winning in this case is the best revenge, but it’s sad that this sort of nonsense takes place.
A little more of the red mist from Zlatan Ibrahimovic. One wonders if he is really going to lose it some day.
dan
I agree about the lone striker. They play much better with two up there.
West of the Cascades
THANK you for mentioning the abysmal mispronunciation of “Javier” by the announcers. They have a couple of countries in their part of the world where it’s pronounced the same way it is in Argentina (‘cept it’s usually spelled “Xavier” in Portugal). Absolutely no excuse for that.
Randinho
In Portuguese Xavier would be pronounced Sha Vee AIR.
Mr Stagger Lee
Will the Seattle SoundersFC show up soon? Because if they don’t the Mariners will. Especially on sports talk radio.
MikeR
I agree that Dempsey should be playing at a better club. Problem is he’s 28, and has probably missed his shot to go to a truly big club. Probably the best he can hope for in England is the Everton/Villa class of clubs. Will be interesting to see what happens.
DLew On Roids
As a rabid but relatively objective Liverpool fan, I can say that Mascherano’s flopping last night is par for the course for him. His go-to move is to go down from the slightest touch, then pop up and lecture the tackler for being so dirty. No Nani pathos for Javier.
SteveinSC
Exciting game USA v Argentina. Poor Altidore up front with nothing to do first half. What Bradley was expecting, I don’t know. Dempsey showed his usual grit and it illustrated why Donovan should have been playing with Everton or somewhere to keep in shape.
Bill Murray
Well LD probably needed some time off. He had not taken an off season since what the start of the 2008 MLS season; well unless you consider the last half of his time at Bayern
Chris
BS on the racism story, he was jeered for a questionable fall – no one likes a diver, and so far the banana incident is very tenuously presented – we only have his word for it. ‘Revenge’ – Mr. R, is this perhaps a story you’ve prejudged? Why are you so sure?
Paula
Hmmmmmm. Will Spector ever get a crack at that midfield where he actually scores for his club?
Dempsey can stay with Fulham, as you all want him to get playing time, YES?
I am sad about Holden, dammit, when will that kid get one full season under his belt w/o getting into some horrific scrape?
Chris
Scottish FA rebut Neymar racism claim
Still confused as to how winning the game was ‘revenge’? It’s a pretty vile accusation if there is no substance, perhaps the kid is not used to playing in an environment where not everyone is a Brazilian fanboy?
Tuttle
Wow. That first half was as inept an attempt at a 4-2-3-1 as I have ever seen.
Let’s see; We don’t have a quality true-striker, we don’t have a play-maker and we don’t have fast wing-backs (that Spector pot-noodle will never boil back there). Yea, sure, the 4-2-3-1 maximizes those weaknesses, but there has to be a way to make it even worse… Aha! I know, we’ll have them play it as a defensive formation with no forward marking and simply forfeit midfield to the other team. Brilliant!
I think it’s time we found a manager with some more experience of the modern top-flight game.