My day to day life has been consuming my time a good bit, but did want to stick my head in for a few moments and address some recent events in the world’s most popular sport.
I’ve been putting this post together in my head for weeks and one of the points I was about to make was that being an Arsenal fan was going to be tough this year. Now I’m not so sure. Clearly, RobinVan Persie is going to have to be healthy; he’s scored half of their goals in league play this year.
I was also wondering if Arsene Wenger’s skill at picking players and nurturing their talent was waning. Thierry Henry’s career took off under Wenger. Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri were inspired signings, Aaron Ramsey is progressing wonderfully and Jack Wilshire will be a terrific asset when he returns from injury. Yet Marouane Chamakh has been a major disappointment, Nicklas Bendtner is out on loan to Sunderland and I doubt if he will be on the team next year, I last saw Sébastien Squalacci on a milk carton and Andrei Arshavin, is to be charitable, very inconsistent.
The English game is a lot different, isn’t it Andre Villas-Boas? You might want to bolster that midfield a bit and get some help on the back line.
This has got to be one of the strangest Champions League Group stages I can remember: Manchester City may not move on, while a Cypriot team is leading a group with FC Porto and Shakhtar Donetsk, both of which may be eliminated.
I have a good friend originally from Turin who pulls for Inter Milan. He’s had a tough year. How tough? He’s more optimistic about the Italian National Team in Euro 2012 than he is about Inter. Hang in there, Massimo.
Wayne Rooney’s temper got the best of him in a Euro 2012 qualifier against Montenegro and he received a red card and three game suspension. This has given Fabio Capello, the England coach a tough decision to make: put Rooney on the squad even if he won’t be available for the group stage or find someone else.
Manchester United may have beaten Everton on Saturday, but what I saw failed to impress me, at least defensively. I do not see what Alex Ferguson sees in Jonny Evans. I really don’t.
A bit of fixture congestion is building up for FC Barcelona. The current schedule has them facing Real Madrid on December 10 and appearing in the semifinals of the FIFA Club World Cup on December 15 (the CONMEBOL and UEFA Champions enter the competition at that stage) in Japan. I’m not sure if that schedule will hold, but there’s not a lot of room to maneuver: their next team is currently scheduled for December 17, the day before the Club World Cup championship and third place games and then the Christmas break starts.
PeakVT
WB Randinho.
Elliott
Gervinho has added something to the Arsenal attack, and one hopes that Theo can find the net more consistently. Van Persie’s brittleness is a concern but he is clearly top flight when healthy. I like the midfield 3 of Song, Arteta, and Ramsey.
Is Newcastle for real?!
sb
Good Lord, man, where have thou been? Since you left, I have fallen deeply, madly, obsessively in love with the game. I fell for Man City before I realized they were owned by a Sheik and their ambition in life seems to be the soccer equivalent of the Red Sox with Man U being the Yankees.
Still in love, though. That’s my team. You could’ve pointed out they stomped Man U at Old Trafford which is like… well, there is no other “like” because that just doesn’t happen. Yet it did. I’m not sure if I should make a t-shirt say 1-6 or 6-1.
I’m sure you also noticed La Liga–for now, it’s not just Barca and Real though by the end of the season it will be… just Barca and Real. Seriously, outside of those two, is there any reason to watch that league? Though I suppose those two are enough.
Italian League–ditto on Inter. How long, Wesley Sneijder? How long?
Champions League: Bayern Munich. They be berry, berry good, no?
Good to have you back, friend. Been dying to talk football on this site–the actual football, that is.
sb
@Elliott:
Sadly, I don’t think they are. They haven’t played anybody yet. I know–Tottenham but Spurs are getting better by the week. Newcastle will be the very best of the middle of the pack teams but there’s a longer reach to middle of the pack than in previous years.
EPL top team: Man City, for now.
After my boys in blue? Man U, Arsenal, Liverpool, Tottenham, Chelsea. That’s six teams that could conceivably win the EPL, IMHO. I’ll be very, very interested to see what happens when Man U plays Arsenal again, provided Van Persie can stay healthy (no sure thing, that).
Randinho
SB,
Not to bore everyone with the details, but to say that this has been a challenging and difficult year would not do it justice. Thanks to all for the kind words. Everything is all right now.
sb
One more thing before I have to say goodnight (kills me–I could fill fifty posts here alone).
How come American football is attractive to BJers? Is it tradition? Break away, people. Here’s what I can guarantee in soccer:
1) Very, very few commercials. NFL has commercials before and after each kickoff and punt and during each injury, timeout or other stoppage of play. My favorite NFL commercial overload: touchdown, xtra point, commercials, kickoff (lasts ten seconds, unless it goes out of end zone in four seconds) commercials and then after a three and out, punt/commercials… honestly, I don’t know how you people do it.
2) Most of the soccer games are extremely close.
3) Enough drama on and off the field to keep internet boards flowing 24/7.
It’s a beautiful game, people.
sb
@Randinho: I am very sorry for the tough year and very, very glad to have you back on board. I don’t think I’m the only one who missed the soccer talk. All the best…
JBP
Welcome back Randinho. Thoroughly missed having you around. I have loved this season so far (with the exception of the first two games my Spurs played.) Tottenham have been outstanding, and I think when the back line gets healthy they’ll be a force.
Also, how good is Ledley King? The man is a monster! He doesn’t practice with the team, he just rests and runs in the pool. Then on Saturday or Sunday goes out and plays brilliantly. Imagine what England’s defense would be like if prior Tottenham managers hadn’t run him into the ground.
Andrew
It could be worse, you could be a Fulham fan like me.
Mark S.
Who’s a bigger disappointment on the international stage: Rooney or Messi?
dollared
easy. Messi. Rooney sucks in all competitions except EPL, and might be the 50th best player in the world. Messi is Messi, and has only failed with Argentina.
Messi actually should seize the opportunity and become Argentina’s Xavi. He is that good at providing service, Argentina has plenty of world class forwards, and it would expand his game.
Yutsano
@Randinho: IT LIVES!!
I only know the vague details of the rough year, and you’re under no obligation to share. But obviously you’re welcome back at any time. :)
Slightly on-topic: the Sounders are starting to win me over. I think it’s teh winning. Who knew sociallist football would be big here?
handsmile
Well, for the love of Andres Iniesta! Here I was intertubes-surfing before turning in, and lo and behold…
What a great pleasure to find your name on the front page of the Balloon Juice machine! It’s been far too long and I had begun to despair of your absence. I hope this signals that you and Mrs. R. have safely navigated through the storms that plagued your lives earlier in the year. Let me simply add my voice to the chorus welcoming you back.
it’s far too late to do justice to the far too much footie that needs must be discussed. I’ll say this though: what a madhouse of a season thus far in the EPL, La Liga, Serie A, and Champions League! My one-cent explanation: too many fixtures, too much exhaustion for the top clubs in each professional league.
And as for Arsenal, this devoted Gooner is SO SURE “that being an Arsenal fan [is] going to be tough this year.” Even though they’re still in the running for all four trophies.
sven
@handsmile: I think you are right about the exhaustion. At the top they just don’t look like the same teams from week to week. I don’t honestly believe Newcastle are the 4th best team in the EPL (let alone Levante in Spain!) but given the strain on the bigger clubs I can’t help but think some smaller clubs might stay in the mix.
Also, as an American it pisses me off that our countrymen are pushing to end promotion/relegation in the EPL. The turnover each year is one of my favorite parts of the sport. Curse you for living up to the stereotype of the arrogant American trying to set the locals straight. When you invest in a football club, relegation is part of the risk you take!
Speaking of which,
Go Swansea!
wengler
No love for Levante?
Seriously though, the Gooners exposed a seriously poor defensive effort by John Terry and company. Arsenal will be back to self-destructing in no time.
Also Spurs are humming along well. I look forward to them finishing third this year.
burnspbesq
@Yutsano:
“the Sounders are starting to win me over.”
Just in time for their annual crash-and-burn in the playoffs. Seriously, three-nil against RSL? As it turns out, Sounders were the only higher-seeded team not to win the first leg. Going to take a miracle for them to advance.
In other MLS topics, when did Thierry Henry become a whiny, petulant ass?
Marquez’ suspension for the second leg is addition by subtraction.
And yo, Klinsi, why no love for Omar Gonzalez?
burnspbesq
@sven:
Henry and Kroenke are on record denying any interest in doing away with promotion and relegation. My take has always been that it’s the Asian owners that are behind this, in particular Chicken-Man.
Yutsano
@burnspbesq:
This would also be known as life as a Seattle sports fan. Why should the Sounders be excepted from this rule?
sven
@burnspbesq: So they say. There have been media reports for months that the American owners are interested in changing relegation. The League Managers Association has also claimed that this is the case. It is impossible to know what is said behind closed doors but I am not comforted by their assurances. FWIW, I agree that other foreign and British owners are also interested in ending relegation. No one wants to risk a public backlash but everyone can see the financial incentives involved.
J
This has given Fabio Capello, the England coach a tough decision to make: put Rooney on the squad even if he won’t be available for the group stage or find someone else.
Um, what? That is insane. Obviously Capello includes Rooney. He is easily England’s best and most dangerous player. Who is he going to include instead? No-talent nobodies like Crouch, Defoe, or god forbid Kevin Davies?
Meanwhile, it has been interesting times to be an Arsenal supporter. I shudder to think about what might have been had we failed to secure Arteta’s signature at the deadline. He has been hugely important and steadying for us. I am also very excited about Ramsey’s development. I bought a brand new Jack Wilshere jersey the day before his injury in the Emirates Cup, and I cannot wait for his return and the ability to provide a bit more rotation and rest to our excellent midfield trio of Song-Arteta-Ramsey. It will be interesting to see who is dropped however.
Joseph Nobles
American football is just an OCD form of rugby.
LP
Good to see you back Randinho. I didn’t know you were away, I thought my timing for your posts had recently gone bad. Hope things get and stay better for you.
I don’t get the Jonny Evans thing either. Real blind spot for Ferguson. I started paying attention when someone said Mourinho was interested in picking him up. I thought he was blah at best and I wanted to see why anyone would think he deserved a spot on another world class team. Since then I never found anything in his game that was gifted or special. Quite the opposite, I often found him having a hard time keeping up with the rest of the League, as in this link. Why Ferguson has a soft (blind) spot for him I cannot figure out.
SRW1
Rooney might be better of forgetting about Euro 2012 and going for the Olympics. Probably also a better chance to achieve something as well.
I’d love for Bayern and Napoli to knock City out of the CL. Can’t stand their nouveau rich status any more than that of Chelski, PSG, Malaga, or whoever they are.
curiousleo
Soccer talk! Yay.
After years of ‘putting up with’ my watching soccer at his house (I don’t have cable & he’s got the all bells&whistles cable), my dad decided to pick a team a couple of years ago. He said with a team he’d ‘care’ — he said “Newcastle has a team right? I like that beer so I’ll pick them.” He picked them the year they were in the Championship w/o knowing anything other than “the beer” It amused me. And he’s loving it right now.
I don’t understand how Hope Powell still has her job–she’s lucky so few people paid attention to England’s national team. And if Pia Sundhage doesn’t put someone other than Lloyd in central midfield and find actual factual outside backs, I just don’t know…
Heez
SB: How come American football is attractive to BJers? Is it tradition? Break away, people.
I like both. Well, I like American college football. Not the NFL so much. Only game in America with a culture akin to European football.
Andrew:It could be worse, you could be a Fulham fan like me.
Europa League? Please. I’m a Wednesday fan.
J: Um, what? That is insane. Obviously Capello includes Rooney.
Three games with an empty spot on the 22-man roster? I think Cabbage-man will take the boy, but it’s not as much of a no-brainer as you think.
The Bundesliga has been a blast this year as well. Schalke’s one good defender away from giving Bayern a run for their money. They need to snag Westerman back from those asses (not) in Hamburg.
curiousleo
@Heez: I like the Bundesliga better than the EPL but, of course, as an American who does not know German, the EPL is easier to follow here.
Of course, part of the reason that I like the BL (aside from the game atmospheres & on field stuff) is that it seems the BL has a more reasonable approach to overall club finances (1860 aside ;) ) and there appears to be not as many teams on the knife edge of massive debts. I like Hannover — mostly b/c I’ve been a big Cherundolo fan for ages and ages and ages.
Randinho
Thanks to all for the kind words.
Curiousleo: I’ve been a Kaiserslautern fan ever since I lived there. I could see the top of the Betzenberg (now Fritz Walter) stadium from my bedroom window.
I agree with you: the Bundesliga is arguably the most fan-friendly in Europe.
A couple of additional notes I neglected to mention: one more goal and Clint Dempsey becomes the all time American leading scorer in the history of EPL (and I assume its predecessors as well).
WTF is wrong with Rafa Marquez, aside from the obvious? What is the basis for his animus towards Landon Donovan?
Origuy
In Iran, the government is cracking down on “immoral” goal celebrations. From the BBC:
Randinho
Origuy,
Still not as bad as this.
sb
@Randinho: I keep reading references to his problems on and off the field. What has he been doing in NY on and off the field? Anybody know?
And no, I don’t get the bizarre ball throw at Donovan unless:
a) it’s an extension of the USA-Mexico rivalry or
b) Donovan is a player people love to hate. I hated him when he played for San Jose but that hate turned to love when he started playing for the Galaxy.
Being a Galaxy fan, I was ticked that Juninho got the red card after the game but not as mad as I was at Marquez for starting it all in the first place. If Rafa snapped both his ankles tomorrow, I’d probably stand up and cheer.
curiousleo
@Randinho: re: Marquez…I don’t think he had a “hot-head” rep for Barca but he wasn’t looked at to be a team leader. But man, when he’s supposed to be beating a team in North America and isn’t (ie for Mexico & as a RedBull) he loses his sh!t. Remember his red card flying karate kick on Cobi Jones in 2002? Can it really be all ardido — that just seems a lazy almost stereotyping ‘excuse’.
And I think Donovan is one of those players that Mexican national team fans love to hate b/c they respect his talent but hate that part of what he represents is USA beating Mexico. Or maybe that’s just simplistic rivalry talk?
xyzxyzxyz
Not to make excuses for Arsenal since Wenger didn’t do the club any favors in his handling of Nasri and Fabregas, and was very late in securing players in the transfer window knowing damn well that the early EPL schedule was far from kind. But with Ramsey and Vermaelen coming off of injury and back into form (and Wilshere in a bit) combined with what looks to be an easier schedule (though nothing is easy in the EPL) perhaps we’re already past the yearly implosion? They can finish top four, but they’ll have to work for it (and learn to defend a set piece or two).
And nice to see you back Randinho! Some people on Balloon Juice like dog pictures….I like football posts.
curiousleo
That Juninho red card is ridiculous and should be rescinded. and I’m not at all an LA fan.
Can we do gifs here? b/c there’s a great one of the LA/NY post game silliness & Marquez belatedly grabbing his face after pretty much no contact. Not to mention Keel.
Amir Khalid
Stevie G’s out again for Liverpool and England, maybe for a month, after a cut on his ankle got all infected and stuff. Damn. I wonder how hard it will be for Kenny to fit him back in afterwards, if the Pool are still doing well without him.
I don’t see a closed EPL happening; the idea seems very unpopular, and no one who favors it is daring to ‘fess up, maybe for fear of being called a foreign carpetbagger. (I do hope QPR’s part-owner Tony Fernandes isn’t among them. I would not be proud of a fellow Malaysian advocating such nonsense.)
@Origuy:
I saw the video. It doesn’t look all that sexy to me. The thing Randinho links to is more more suggestive.
Special One
@sven: Shut up Sven!
Sorry, had to.
Be champions!