The Portuguese Are Coming! Manchester Utd Dips into the Iberian Peninsula

Manchester United should have a very Portuguese feel to it next year. The club has just announced the signing of FC Porto's Brazilian midfielder Anderson. Only 19 years of age, he has become one of the top members of the Portuguese champions and oozes talent and flair. Here's a highlight video of the young man:



But that's not all. Rumors have it that Manchester has also agreed to a 14-million pound transfer for 18-year Sporting Lisbon midfielder/forward Nani. How good is this guy you ask? Here's proof:



Along with Cristiano Ronaldo already in the fold, Manchester's new Portuguese contingent should push the team to new heights of attractive football and creativity. I'm excited, you should be too.

New 2007-08 Inter Milan Away Kit: One of the Finest Jerseys You'll Ever See

Yes, I know this may seem like a random post, but I just had to mention the new Inter Milan kit for next year. The jersey may seem like it belongs on the backs of the English National Team but fret not, the jersey is actually based off of the Milan city flag.

Easily one of the finest jerseys I've ever seen, kudos goes to Nike and Inter for the beautiful design. A great way to mark the 100th year anniversary of the club. Here are some pics of the kit:

Week 8 MLS Power Rankings

Chicago are the biggest losers this week after two terribly unimpressive performances. Kansas City and Chivas are the biggest gainers and a clear distinction between the top teams in the league and everyone else is starting to take shape. Here's how the rankings break down this week:

1. Red Bull New York (LW: 2 / 5-1-2)

This needs no mentioning since it should be glaringly obvious to any MLS fan but Juan Pablo Angel is the real deal. I’ve watched the replay of his 2^nd goal a dozen times and it impresses me every time. A brilliantly placed ball is crossed into him in the box and JPA acts as if he’s going to shoot, only he fakes at the last minute (And sends Chris Armas flying) and puts it in the net with a world class finish. It sounds simple but the beauty lies in its subtle complexity. This is a very solid team, one only wishes more fans could show up to the stadium to see them.

2. Kansas City Wizards (LW: 4 / 5-2-1)

Eddie Johnson’s return to form couldn’t have come at a better time. As for the Wizards in general, they left a helluva of a statement upon finishing their work at Gillette Stadium. Coming back from a 2-0 deficit to take the 4-3 victory is certainly impressive, but the way the KC forwards just obliterated New England’s defenders (Which have been pretty consistent all year) has to shock some fans at the very least. Kansas City was scary earlier in the year when they were beating down on the league’s worst. Now they’re plain nasty. (In a very, very good way)

3. New England Revolution (LW: 2 / 5-2-2)

I still feel they’re one of the elite teams in the league but you simply can’t allow an opponent to come back from 2 down at home, let alone let them put up 4 goals on you. Heaps was abused and manhandled by Eddie all night, but really the entire New England backline was suspect. Luckily they get to play Salt Lake next week. I’m predicting at least 2 goals….from Twellman alone.

4. Colorado Rapids (LW: 5 / 4-2-3)

It’s hard to get a read on this team and they’re frustratingly inconsistent but at least they finally picked up a second home win. Inconsistency aside, this team still has 15 points accumulated and is sitting pretty at 5^th in the standings. Only time will tell whether this team is good enough for the long haul.

5. DC United (LW: 6 / 3-3-1)

Well that didn’t take long. Reports of their demise were greatly exaggerated, as anyone who watched their game against Houston can attest to. I forgot how good Christian Gomez is but a vintage performance from him this past Saturday erased any doubts. DCU are finally starting to gel and even, *gasp*, playing solid defense! NY, NE, and KC may have new company in the next few weeks. (Which begs the question: How incredibly stacked is the East this year?)

6. FC Dallas (LW: 3 / 5-4-1)

Can someone remind this team how much talent their roster has? I’ll admit Chivas USA are a scrappy bunch but to get shutout by the Goats? After last week I thought Dallas was ready to compete consistently in the top of the league but I can see now how terribly incorrect I was. This teams needs a shakeup immediately.

7. Chivas USA (LW: 11 / 3-3-2)

Disclaimer: I’m half-Cuban.

So I may be a bit biased about Maykel Galindo but regardless, no one can deny his importance on the field and the great season he’s had thus far. Chivas are one of the most adventurous squads in the league and its cost them a couple of points early on but if they can become more efficient and effective in their attack I can easily see Chivas contesting for a playoff spot. I can see it now, Chivas and the Galaxy duking it out for the last spot in the playoffs.

8. Houston Dynamo (LW: 7 / 2-5-1)

They still find themselves in an offensive rut and now their situation is becoming increasingly serious with each week. We’re ¼ through the season and Houston, with 5 losses already, has a lot of ground to make up against the rest of the playoff contenders. They have too much talent to continue struggling like this (I mean c’mon, they won the MLS Cup last year) but one has to wonder if a DP is needed to ensure better football?

9. Toronto FC (LW: 10 / 2-5-1)

The Canucks finally showed their grit away from home and you have to think that Toronto views this tie as a victory. The degree of confidence within this team is rising every week; they’re no longer the whipping boys of MLS folks.

10. Los Angeles Galaxy (LW: 9 / 1-3-2)

If you’re Landon Donovan right now, you should be sitting in a pool of your own nervous sweat. With the prospect of Beckham missing some league games after his debut to play with the English National team and Donovan already missing plenty of game action to attend this summer’s tournaments, you have to wonder how large of a tailspin will this franchise find itself in.

11. Columbus Crew (LW: 12 / 1-2-5)

We now know Andy Herron is fully awake. Although it was a solid performance by the Crew, they really need to find a way to convert some of these ties into wins. They lead the league with most ties and if just one of two those ties had been victories, the Crew would in a very unfamiliar position: top half of the table.

12. Chicago Fire (LW: 8 / 3-4-1)I got some flack for suggesting the firing of Dave Sarachan a couple of weeks back but the Fire have only gotten worse since then. Now riding a 4-game losing streak, something HAS to give to improve this situation. Do you think Blanco is going to care about his level of play if the Fire find themselves near the bottom of the league? Scary times for Chicago fans…..

13. Real Salt Lake (LW: 13 / 0-4-4)

Sigh….moving on.

U.S. National Team Set to Take on Switzerland and....Catalonia? You Better Believe It!

That's right, the United States is set for a nice little stroll through Europe in August, facing Catalonia at Camp Nou on October 14th and Switzerland on the 17th. For the time time in a long, long time, I am in complete agreement with the US Soccer Federation and further more, I'm as giddy as a child on Christmas. Why you ask?

Well this trip signals an opportunity (A long overdue one at that) for the United States to play quality European competition, in get this, Europe! (A novel concept) Switzerland is a mid-level European team but they've struggled a bit in their Euro 2008 campaign so look for them to field an A-level squad as they hope to build momentum for the Euro championship.

Catalonia presents an even more intriguing match-up. Not a country, but rather a region in Spain, the Catalans use these rare opportunities as a way to display Catalan nationalism so look for Camp Nou (In my opinion one of the best stadiums in Europe) to be packed to the brim with Catalans showing fervent support. In terms of hostility and a passionate fan base, it doesn't get much better than this. On top of that, Catalonia has the ability to call up players like Puyol, Xavi, Iniesta, Cesc Fabregas, etc.

Overall, a solid move by Gulati and company, one that should be applauded by the Nats fans calling for Euro action months ago.

Fan Violence at Champions League Final, Sadly Nothing New

The city of Athens did a splendid job in hosting this year's Champions League final but unfortunately the final was marred with hooligan antics and fighting during and after the game. Much of the fighting seemed to have been sparked by Liverpool supporters, undoubtedly distraught over the final result. Here are some pictures of the melee:

Week 7 MLS Power Rankings

There are a number of changes in this week's power rankings. Dallas and DC United are the big gainers, with the Galaxy and the Dynamo suffering a big drop in their position. An interesting power struggle is shaping up in the top of the East as the Revs and the Red Bulls are locked in a serious battle for first place. Too bad their first encounter isn't until July 14th. Here's how the league picture at the moment:

1. New England Revolution (LW: 1 / 5-1-2)
It's a tough call between the Revs and the Red Bulls but you can't fault New England for going about its business and taking the victory against a reeling Houston team (even if it wasn't a flashy win). They showcased their defensive muscle this week in shutting out the Dynamo. Simply put, they're a very complete team at the moment.

2. Red Bull New York (LW: 2 / 4-1-2)
Now that's what you call a good rate of return on your investment. In his first game of the season, Juan Pablo Angel emphatically declared his presence by notching one goal and two assists in a romp over Columbus (He's also the league's player of the week). However, this type of performance should be expected from a DP. The scintillating form of rookie Dane Richards and enigmatic forward Clint Mathis is the true surprise of the season. New York has the depth that many MLS teams could only dream of having.

3. FC Dallas (LW: 8 / 5-3-1)
A stretch of three straight 2-1 victories will do wonders for you confidence. Although outplayed for most of the game against Chicago they still managed to snatch all three points (And on the road no less) and are finally starting to heat up that attack. It's glaringly obvious how much Dario Sala and his veteran leadership means to that defense. With Sala back in net and the offense scoring goals without the help of Ruiz, it should come as no surprise that Dallas is on top of the western conference.

4. Kansas City Wizards (LW: 5 / 4-2-1)
After starting the MLS campaign on a blazing start, the Wiz have finally cooled off a bit. Having gone winless in the last two weeks, Kansas City needs Marinelli back to 100% in order to keep pace with New England and New York. A big game looms with the Revolution this week; it's gut check time for Kansas City, another loss may send them back to the middle of the table.

5. Colorado Rapids (LW: 6 / 3-2-3)
They'll have to do better at home and not settle for the tie as the weeks move forward but they're still in 2nd place out west. The Galaxy come to town this week and anything less than a win should be cause for concern in Colorado. They have yet to win a game since the home opener in April.

6. DC United (LW: 9 / 2-3-1)
A much needed bye week for DC allowed the team to work off any of the fatigue built up from their participating in the CONCACAF Champions Cup. They managed to take the three points in what's become a very difficult place to win. Jaime Moreno is once again leading the team in goals (Albeit from the penalty spot), but Soehn should start the transition process of making Moreno a super sub and grant more playing time to Kpene. As a team they seem back on track but Emilio has been relatively quiet on the scoreboard. Look for that to change this week against Houston.

7. Houston Dynamo (LW: 3 / 2-4-1)
Remove the 3-1 victory over the Rapids two weeks ago and Houston is staring at a 4-game losing streak (All 1-0 defeats). They've scored only 4 goals this season (And have been shut out in all their losses and ties) and have seemingly lost the ability to mount any consistent offensive attack. You can't really place all the blame on the CCC anymore; this team is simply lacking in firepower. There have been rumors this week over a possible DP coming to Houston. They may need one desperately if things continue to spiral downward.

8. Chicago Fire (LW: 7 / 3-3-1)
The Fire must be feeling the heat at the moment (No pun intended). A 3 game losing streak and a road trip to New York threaten to derail their season before Blanco even has a chance to make a mark on the team. After seeing Blanco help Club America reach the Mexican Clausura Finals, one can only wonder how different this team would be with him. I don't expect them to beat New York this week but they can turn things around against RSL, Columbus, Chivas (Their next three opponents) if Rolfe can get healthy again.

9. Los Angeles Galaxy (LW: 4 / 1-2-2)
Why does Nate Jaqua continue to get starts on this team? Easily one of the most overrated players in the league, he's played 384 minutes and has failed to score a goal or provide an assist. Findley has played nearly half the minutes of Jaqua and has just as many shots on goal. Donovan is the only thing keeping this team afloat. Similar to Chicago, this team can't wait soon enough to bring in their vaunted DP.

10. Toronto FC (LW: 12 / 2-5-0)
A tough break against DC United cost this team a chance to build a 3 game home winning streak. The Canucks' home field advantage should be nothing to scoff at. They'll be difficult to beat at home all year and that could help them push for a last playoff spot but they'll have to play markedly better football on the road to have a chance.

11. Chivas USA (LW: 11 / 2-3-2)
Two straight ties have this team stalled in the neutral position and their schedule in the next few weeks doesn't do them any favors either. I see a lot of potential on the roster (And Galindo has been a pleasant surprise) but ultimately this team just isn't ready to compete with the top of the league.

12. Columbus Crew (LW: 10 / 1-2-4)
New York is one of the top teams in this league, surely, but you still can't limp out and get slaughtered 4-0. The problem with this team is they have no one to score goals for them; opposing teams have doubled their goal output. Schelotto has been a wonder to watch but his supporting cast need to step up or Columbus could be battling with Salt Lake all season for worst team in the league.

13. Real Salt Lake (LW: 13 / 0-4-3)
On second thought scratch that - no one will be as miserable as RSL. It's the worst of times for the Royals right now and it's not going to get any better with three straight road games on the plate. Adu is arguably playing the best football out of anyone on this team but as long as Ballouchy continues to waste away in the attacking midfield role, Adu won't get an opportunity to shine. Will they be as bad as their inaugural season when they went 5-22-5? The way things are going now, they have a serious chance of replicating that dubious mark.

Chelsea Defeat Manchester United, Win FA Cup at Wembley

In a rather dull match that failed to live up to the enormous hype thrust upon it, Chelsea came through victorious against the Red Devils, 1-0, by virtue of nice give-and-go passing by Lampard and Drogba in extra time. Here's a video of the game-winning goal:



The match, with 89k in attendance, was largely unimpressive and highlighted by particularly poor performances from C. Ronaldo, Giggs, and Robben. To be fair, both sides seemed untracked for most of the game. Seven yellow cards were shown but the level of play wasn't as suspenseful as one would assume for an FA Cup final. Chelsea were the winners of the last Cup Final played at Wembley so its fitting for the Blues to end up victorious again.

Whether or not the pressure is off Mourinho now that he has two titles to showcase (Chelsea won the Carling Cup earlier this year) is yet to be seen but it has to be disappointing for Manchester fans hoping to match the successes of 1999 in their treble pursuit.

If MLS Wants to Raise the Ante - Chicago Head Coach Sarachan Must be Fired

Sound crazy, eh? Maybe even a bit over the top? Hear me out for a second. The one defining quality of top sporting leagues around the world, whether it’s the NFL, the EPL, MLB, La Liga, etc., is the pressure placed on every single game.

Every single game folks. Coaches are routinely held responsible for poor performances. A series of especially poor results is more than enough reason to get axed. Which is why I’m suggesting Sarachan be shown the pink slip immediately.

Real Salt Lake took a bold step earlier this year by firing Coach Ellinger after a dismal start to the season. Quite frankly, Chicago’s performance is even worse. After starting the season 3-0-1, they’ve dropped three straight games and have looked absolutely lifeless at times. And unfortunately, most of the blame falls on Sarachan’s shoulders. How else could you explain not starting Barrett or Thiago and sending an overly defensive lineup against Dallas….at home?!

Dallas is known across the league as having the epitome of a “bend but don’t break defense.” If there was ever an opportunity to light the scoreboard, ESPECIALLY in front of the home fans, last night was definitely the one. And you can’t blame the players. Mapp was on a completely different level last night. He single-handedly dominated the pitch, no one could even come close to matching his brilliance. Calen Carr had a breakthrough game as well.

In fact the entire Fire lineup had a breakthrough game. But when Chris Armas is one of your main attacking options, something is definitely out of whack. I guarantee you Barrett puts in AT LEAST two goals with the world-class service Mapp was dishing out all night. It should come as no surprise folks that as soon as Barrett and Thiago were introduced on the field, the Fire immediately scored a goal. It was that kind of night. The Fire should’ve won this game by at least a margin of two goals. But they didn’t. And it’s all squarely on Sarachan’s shoulders. He lost the game for the Fire.

The league is manhandling them right now. New England and Toronto dissected the entire squad and left the remains of their mauling for Dallas to chew up as well. They’re a hapless bunch and someone needs to shake things up. If MLS wants to see regular season games be taken more seriously, then Sarachan needs to pay the price for not being sub-par the past two weeks. The sports business is a tough world, but MLS needs to raise the pressure and places these coaches on the hot seat if results start to sag.

FC Sevilla: UEFA Champions Yet Again

In a scintillating finish at Glasgow, UEFA Cup holders FC Sevilla successfully defended their title against a gritty Espanyol side that came back twice in the game to send it to Penalty Kicks. (Video highlights below)

An all around magnificent performance by both teams, highlighted by goals in the 105th minute by Kanoute to give Sevilla the lead and in the 115th minute by Espanyol's Jonatas to extend the UEFA madness even further. Sevilla's goalkeeper, Andres Palop, rose above the occasion in penalty kicks, stopping three out of four attempts and giving the Sevilla faithful a reason to celebrate the night away for the second straight year.

Although Sevilla was heavily favored coming in to the match, hats have to come off for Espanyol's play throughout the tournament. Not given much of a chance in each stage of the UEFA Cup, the Spanish club successfully maneuvered against Benfica and Werder Bremen to reach the final match. Both Spanish squads put on a delightful display of football however - end to end play with non-stop attacking offense. Truly a thrill to watch. Here are the highlights of the Penalty Kicks:

What to Watch For: MLS Week 7 Preview

Here are the five burning questions that will be answered this week in MLS Action:

1. Can Toronto Maintain Home Supremacy?
After an impressive performance by TFC (Backed by a doubly impressive and energetic home crowd), the onus is on the Canucks to build on this newly gained momentum. They have the good fortune of hosting two games this week, although their opponents, Houston and D.C. United respectively, will be on the offensive and will test an admittedly weak defensive backline. With Dichio out for one game and De Rosario back in Canada, I see Houston snatching the three points. Toronto recovers later in the week to tie D.C. United.

2. Will the Real L.A. Galaxy Please Stand Up, Please Stand Up?
Landon Donovan is THE best player in MLS. Easily. And unfortunately, all the burden will be on him this week to perform in the second "superclasico" of the season against Chivas USA. The Galaxy have been plagued by inconsistency all season but if they can build on the success from the Open Cup victory against New York, this team has the potential of doing serious damage in a fairly competitive West division. I think the Gals get it done and paste three on the Goats, 3-1 for the final.

3. Can the Red Bulls Right the Ship?
If the Red Bulls defense was a ship, they'd be entering Titanic mode right about now. They've let in seven goals in their past three games, a tally that is simply unacceptable for a team hoping to contend for a championship. They face a scrappy Columbus team that won't threaten for many goals but will force the Red Bulls to attack with everything they got - which may potentially leave them open in the back. Look for Arena to make some lineup changes (Regan, you're back on the bench where you belong) and Juan Pablo Angel to open up his regular season scoring account. Red Bulls win it 2-1.

4. Will Twellman Be Stopped?
Playing like a man on a mission (And perhaps fighting desperately for a spot in CONCACAF Gold Cup this summer), Twellman leads the league in goals and has led his team to first place in all of MLS. However, they're playing a Dynamo team that's finally starting to gel, so I don't see the Revs getting much away from home. They'll lose this game 2-1, but don't be surprised if Twellman still manages to get on the scoresheet.

5. And Finally, Will Real Salt Lake Win a Game?
Unfortunately Utah fans, I don't see it happening this week either. Dallas is being led by a youth movement right now, as Toja, Ramon Nunez, and Richetti are all playing phenomenal football right (Carlos Ruiz, who?) And if Kenny Cooper has truly found his scoring touch, this may be a slaughter. 3-1 Dallas.

Other scores:

Away - Home
FC Dallas 1 - 1 Chicago Fire
Kansas City Wizards 2 - 1 Colorado Rapids

Players of the Week:
Landon Donovan, Dwayne De Rosario, Ramon Nunez

Beasley Out of the Premiership - For Now

Manchester City announced today the release of eight senior players, including U.S. international DaMarcus Beasley. On loan from PSV Eindhoven, Beasley had 18 appearances with 3 goals and 1 assist. Although Beasley didn't exactly light up the Premiership, his playtime (or lack thereof) contributed heavily to his inconsistency.

Some noteworthy moments include his goal against Arsenal in a 3-1 loss and his game-winner against West Ham in December. To be fair, Manchester City was an awful squad this year, and for a club claiming to be amongst the English elite this past season must seem like a miserable failure. Obviously Beasley is no longer fully supported at Eindhoven so one has to speculate if Beasley will be signed by another EPL team or if he'll move on to another league.

Although many would be quick to point to MLS as a possible option, I'm not sure whether that'd be the best career move for him. I'm fairly confident he would tear up the entire league and instantly become one of the best players but Beasley has a knack for performing against lower competition.

Quite frankly, the man needs to assert himself at the highest level of the game. He's getting to a point in his career now where if he doesn't start fulfilling the massive potential swamped upon him he may never get there.

It doesn't seem that long ago when Beasley was scoring goals in Champions League with Eindhoven, but boy have things changed dramatically. I hope Beaz can land on his feet but his chances are dwindling.

The Search is Over - Bob Bradley Officially Named U.S. Head Coach

The excruciatingly long wait is over folks. After a ten-month search process to find a new coach for the U.S. Men’s National Team, reports are coming in that interim coach Bob Bradley will be officially announced as the man for the job on Wednesday. Because of the duration of the search, speculation had been that U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati was waiting for the European season to finish to interview possible candidates for the job.

Indeed, the timing of this decision seems a bit curious, almost as if Gulati realized in the 11th hour that he wouldn’t be able to get on of his top choices. Now Bob Bradley has certainly not done anything to question the decision. He posted a solid 3-0-1 record during his time as interim coach, highlighted by victories against Mexico and Ecuador.

With the Gold Cup and Copa America rapidly approaching, a new coach needed to be announced quickly but one has to wonder whether Bradley will be the coach for the long term and whether or not someone else will have his position by the 2010 World Cup. My theory behind this is that Gulati simply couldn’t find a candidate worth his time and decided to go with the safe choice. If Bradley and the National team do poorly in the summer competitions, then Gulati has the easy decision of firing Bradley and moving on to another candidate. I still believe Gulati is holding out for the possibility of bringing in a coach with European experience (Perhaps Klinnsman in a year or two?).

Now I have no qualms about Bradley as the head coach. He’s seemed to develop a good rapport with his players and knows the intricacies of U.S. Soccer, having been an MLS coach for several years. However, I don’t feel he can bring the national team to the next level of prominence, as he’s not a strong enough tactician to go head-to-heat with the elite European coaches.

Regardless of who the coach is the U.S. Soccer Federation on the whole needs to do a significantly better job scouting and developing future players. Incidents like Giuseppe Rossi can’t happen. Young Hispanic players need to be tapped as well and better youth academy infrastructures need to be established. As for Bradley, I think he’ll do a serviceable job in the short-term and will guide the U.S. on a strong path over the course of the year. However, I can see a situation where Bradley “voluntarily” vacates the position to allow an elite European coach to come in and take the reins for the 2010 World Cup.

Breaking News: Abel Xavier to LA Galaxy

Since Beckham signed with the Galaxy, there's been no shortage of trade rumors the entire season. Everyone from Zidane to MLS domestics like Carlos Ruiz have been linked up with the squad but nothing has yet to transpire. Until today folks.

The Galaxy have announced the acquisition of a new defensive enforcer for the June 15 transfer window in Abel Xavier. The 34 year old former Portuguese International comes on a free transfer from Middlesbrough, having previously played for Everton, Liverpool, Roma, and even Hannover 96 with Clint Mathis for a short period of time.

It's an extremely curious pickup for the Galaxy, although after last week's performance it's probably a good call. Although Xavier primarily plays on the right wing, he has learned to play central defense this past year with Middlesbrough and the Galaxy are starving for depth in that position. Even though he won't make it to the states until mid-June at the earliest, the possibility of Albright being called in for US National duty makes this move a little more understandable.

The one mark on Xavier over his career has been his penchant for controversy. He was suspended several months by FIFA after Euro 2000 for going after a referee and failed a drug test in 2005. As you can see by the picture, the man is an interesting figure to say the least, but perhaps his charismatic (or notorious?) nature will attract some new fans to MLS.

I can see Xavier being the Dennis Rodman of the league, a player fans love to hate. Because his play has dropped off over the years and at his age, I hope the Galaxy aren't paying him more than $150-200,000, but salary figures have yet to be released.

There just never seems to be any shortage of excitement with the Galaxy.

Week 6 MLS Power Rankings

1. New England Revolution (LW: 2 / 4-2-1)
Firing on all cylinders, it’s easy to see that the Revs are not going to settle for anything less than an MLS Cup victory this year. It’s nice to see Twellman performing at such a high level, especially after his new contract signing. His contract seems very justified at the moment; perhaps management can start justifying new contracts for some of their other players as well....

2. Red Bull New York (LW: 1 / 3-2-1)
I would drop them down even further after their abysmal performances in the past couple of weeks but no one besides the Revs stepped up to the challenge. Reyna haters have to admit that the Bulls look like a completely different team without his steady presence in the midfield. Their player acquisitions have focused on revamping the offense but the defense should be the biggest concern for the New York side at the moment. And let’s not get started on the attendance woes either.

3. Houston Dynamo (LW: 6 / 2-1-2)
Although primarily moving up because everyone in front of them lost, I still believe the Dynamo deserve this high ranking. De Rosario should be getting paid DP money soon as he is easily a top-five forward in this league and I think Houston is finally ready to put behind the wear and tear of the CONCACAF Champions Cup and is ready to move up the standings.

4. Los Angeles Galaxy (LW: 5 / 1-1-2)
I know, I know, this may seem questionable since they lost this past week, but if I had to bet in a game between the Galaxy and either the Wizards, Rapids, or Fire, I’d have to go with the Hollywood boys. They played an extremely tight game against the Revs and were unlucky not to get any points from it.

5. Kansas City Wizards (LW: 3 / 4-0-2)
Poised to stay in pole position, they got tripped up this week by Dallas but are still in contention for the top spot in the east. To be fair, they doubled Dallas’ shot output and probably should’ve gotten the win. On a positive note, Harrington is looking like the early favorite for Rookie of the Year.

6. Colorado Rapids (LW: 7 / 3-2-2)
Can this team make up its mind on how good they want to be? In the same week they can only get a draw against arguably the worst team in the league and then travel cross-country on three days rest to beat one of the best teams in the league away from home….are you kidding me? I think the Rapids have the potential to be a really good team but they need to start playing well on a consistent basis to pose any real threat in the standings.

7. Chicago Fire (LW: 4 / 3-1-2)
A shock result against Toronto leaves this team reeling shortly after getting stumped by the same margin against New England just a week ago. That defense is looking absolutely porous right now and some adjustments need to be made immediately or things could get out of hand in a hurry.

8. FC Dallas (LW: 8 / 3-1-2)
Who needs Ruiz? With “El Pescadito” on the bench, the Hoops looked just fine in dismantling a solid Kansas City team. Led by Cooper and the surprising play of Juan Toja, perhaps Dallas has finally turned the corner and found the scoring touch I said was lacking earlier in the year. If I was the GM of FC Dallas, I would be seriously entertaining any trade options for Ruiz this instant. I think they’re better off without his antics.

9. D.C. United (LW: 9 / 1-1-3)
The week off earlier this season helped United get back on track so hopefully for D.C. faithful this additional bye week will continue the recent return to form. That match in Toronto though just got a lot more difficult.

10. Columbus Crew (LW: 10 / 1-4-1)
They may just break the record for most MLS ties this year. It was a pretty even match against Chivas however, and Schelotto finally got some action with his first assist of the year on Grabavoy’s second goal of the year. This Crew team may not be as talented as some other MLS sides but they’ll be a tough team to beat each and every week. I smell a potential upset against New York this week.

11. Chivas USA (LW: 11 / 2-1-3)
Can’t really complain with getting a point on the road, but they’ll need to start picking up full points soon to keep up with the suddenly competitive west. Razov is looking sharp and on form, which can only spell good things for Chivas as the season progresses. They have a great chance for Revenge in the second Superclasico against LA this week so let’s see how Chivas recovers from their first encounter.

12. Toronto FC (LW: 13 / 1-0-4)
Bravo Toronto, Bravo. BMO Field is going to have an electric atmosphere the entire year and Toronto really raised the ante (and its level of play) to respond to the enthusiasm espoused by its fans. Ronnie O’Brien and Danny Dichio made an ENORMOUS difference for the squad, as O’Brien backed up his several all-MLS selections with an absolutely sensational performance. A great start for the franchise and a big matchup against D.C. awaits the boisterous Canadian crowd.

13. Real Salt Lake (LW: 12 / 0-4-2)
At least Toronto had an excuse for being winless. Admittedly, they looked increasingly better against Colorado this past week but being the sole MLS team without a win is still depressing for a squad that doesn’t have much to look forward to. Coach Kreis needs to remove Ballouchy from the center and finally let Adu start running the show.

Real Madrid Turning Up the Heat

If you haven’t been paying attention to La Liga (Spain’s top flight of football) in the past couple of weeks, you have missed some scintillating performances. With five weeks left on the calendar, the race for the title has heated up with Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Sevilla all in contention for the title. The Galaticos of Madrid were seemingly out of it just a month ago, with heavy criticism coming from all corners.

However, in the past couple of weeks the Madristas have turned up the intensity. Inspired by the “dinosaurs” of the club (Raul, Guti, Van Nistelrooy, Beckham, Roberto Carlos), the club is arguably playing the best football in Europe right now and is making a stirring run at its first title since 2002-03. They battled Sevilla in a thriller last week, winning 3-2, and came back against Espanyol today to win at the Bernabeu 4-3. Down two goals in the 2nd half, Madrid played electric football and shook the stadium with its sparkling play from the veterans and newcomers like Higuain.

Here’s the game-winning goal by Higuain (and the entertaining celebration by the players and fans afterwards):



With two wins in the past two weeks, Madrid now sit atop La Liga, one point clear of 2nd place Barcelona.

1. Real Madrid – 34 games played, 66 points, GD +21
2. Barcelona – 33 games played, 65 points, GD +34
3. FC Sevilla – 34 games played, 64 points, GD +27
4. Valencia – 33 games played, 59 points, GD +15

This is turning into one of the most exciting races of the European season so make sure to keep following the rest of La Liga to see who ends up with the title. The onus is now on Barcelona to perform tomorrow after getting crushed 4-0 against Getafe in the Copa del Rey semi-finals.

Week 5 MLS Power Rankings

1. Red Bull New York (LW: 1 / 3-2-0)
Although the Bulls still managed to hold on to first this week, their seemingly tight grip on the position has been significantly loosened by their performances over the past week. After having the game against Real Salt Lake in the bag, the defense (and some controversial officiating) allowed two goals in the closing minutes to allow Salt Lake to snatch the draw. They also suffered a mid-week defeat and elimination from the U.S. Open Cup against the Galaxy, as backup goalkeeper Cronin had an impressive 14 saves. The defense has been lackluster lately and is something that needs to be corrected immediately for the Red Bulls to have any hope of winning a title this year. At least Juan Pablo Angel finally arrived (And opened up his scoring account in the US with a goal against the Galaxy).

2. New England Revolution (LW: 3 / 3-2-1)
The St. Louis tandem of Taylor Twellman and Steve Ralston is working wonders right now, as the Revs move up to 2nd place in the rankings for the first time all year. They managed to set aside their frustrations from a controversial tie against D.C. United by defeating the Fire 3-1 in an important statement game. They’ve somehow found a way to ignore all the potential distractions this off-season and are simply focusing on playing good football.

3. Kansas City Wizards (LW: 4 / 4-0-1)
There are still some lingering questions as to whether this team is the real deal, but they managed to defeat a good opponent in the Columbus Crew and are currently atop the MLS standings with the most points in the league. Attendance concerns aside, the Wizards are looking sharp and if Eddie Johnson can continue his impressive play, the East will have plenty of formidable squads competing to take back the trophy from the west this season.

4. Chicago Fire (LW: 2 / 3-1-1)
They lost their key match-up against the Revs earlier this week but they’re still a top contender in the East – as long as Rolfe and Barrett provide the scoring, the Fire shouldn’t be too hurt from their defensive lapses. Mapp needs to assert himself a bit more however; he should be dominating the league on a weekly basis. Injuries have hampered him but he needs to be the leader of this team and needs to be unquestionably one of the top players in the league for the Fire to have any chance at grabbing some hardware.

5. Los Angeles Galaxy (LW: 6 / 1-1-1)
Replete with two impressive goalkeepers and a player in Landon Donovan that refuses to let the Galaxy limp out to a poor early season start, the Galaxy will continue to look impressive and won’t be in bad shape by the time Beckham comes. Many were questioning whether the Galaxy could even make the playoffs this years; however, I believe the question should be whether or not anyone in the West will contend with them this year. Perhaps I’m overrating them a bit, but yes, I do think they’re that good.

6. Houston Dynamo (LW: 9 / 2-1-2)
If you’re looking for an answer to my previous question, the Dynamo may just be it. Did anyone see DeRosario last week? Someone must have lit a fire under his ass, because I haven’t seen him play like that all year. The Dynamo finally woke up and realized the 2007 MLS Season was underway because they certainly looked like the defending champions against the Rapids last week.

7. Colorado Rapids (LW: 5 / 2-1-2)
Nice way to come up short Colorado. A win at home over Houston could have moved the Rapids into the upper echelon of the league, but after squandering their one-goal lead, they’ve fallen backwards into the middle of the pack. Besides Roberto Brown, who else is going to step up on this team and provide an offensive spark? Beckerman has failed to live up to much of his preseason hype and Gomez has seemed to disappear at times in the past couple of games. Someone needs to supplement Brown in the attack or this team will have trouble staying in the middle of the league table.

8. FC Dallas (LW: 7 / 2-1-3)
They have a big game against Kansas City this week to see whether or not they can correct their scoring ailment. If they can have an impressive performance on the road against the Wizards then they can perhaps be on their way to matching the potential that their roster (on paper) shows.

9. D.C. United (LW: 11 / 1-1-3)
They finally managed to pick up some points: getting a tie against the Revolution and picking up their first win of the season against Chivas. Soehn’s curious lineup changes seemed to work during the past week but I believe he needs to find a solid starting lineup and stick to it if United want continued success. Playing four in the back was an obvious change and the United faithful have to be glad it was finally done. The offense is finally starting to click as Moreno and Gomez got on the scoreboard, let’s see if Fred can follow up that success.

10. Columbus Crew (LW: 8 / 1-3-1)
Their lack of scoring continues to haunt them. With Scheletto now on the field, perhaps it could all change in their next home game against Chivas, but the front office should still be worried about their poor goal count. McBride as a mid-summer transfer perhaps…..?

11. Chivas USA (LW: 10 / 2-0-3)
The controversy with Guevara obviously weighed them down as they came out flat against D.C. Preki needs to right the ship quickly, as Chivas needs to stay in contention not only in the west, but for a possible wild card spot as well.

12. Real Salt Lake (LW: 12 / 0-3-2)
I was ready to spew some more vitriol at Real Salt Lake after they went down 2 goals to New York but they somehow managed to mount a comeback and that deserves a little bit of praise. Good job by Adu to show some flashes of skill (And finally make it seem that he actually belongs on the field) but more effort is needed if they want to avoid being the last team in MLS to win a game.

13. Toronto FC (LW: 13 / 0-0-4)
Maybe all they needed was a little bit of downtime. You have to hope Mo Johnston did something over their break to correct all the problems this team has, but they’re hosting a D.C. United team that’s just starting to find its groove. Not a very enviable positon to be in if you’re a Toronto fan.

Manchester United: 2007 EPL Champions

With a win over rivals Manchester City and a tie by Chelsea against Arsenal last weekend, the Red Devils have finally regained the Premiership title for the first time since the 2002-03 season.

A nice thing that the EPL does that I wish would transfer over here to the states is recognize the champions by providing a "Guard of Honor" for the team. As Chelsea faced Manchester United yesterday with the Premiership already decided, Chelsea, as the hosts of the game, had to provide the Guard of Honor for the visiting champions. A bit ironic for both sides as Manchester had to do the same for Chelsea just one year ago. Here's how the proceedings went down:



It was a truly magnificent run to the title, and fortunately, it's not over yet for Manchester or Chelsea. Both are scheduled to face off in the English FA Cup Final at the newly renovated Wembley Stadium at the end of the month.

Analysis: 2007 MLS Player Salaries

Salaries for all 13 MLS teams were released, offering the public its first view of exactly how much DPs like Beckham, Juan Pablo Angel, and Claudio Reyna would be earning in their first years. Here are the teams, ranked by highest base payrolls:

01 Los Angeles Galaxy	$8,056,189	$9,179,949
02 Red Bull New York	$4,334,616	$4,896,657
03 Chicago Fire	$4,185,826	$4,464,613
04 Kansas City Wizards	$2,429,925	$2,625,550
05 Colorado Rapids	$2,322,114	$2,431,764
06 Houston Dynamo	$2,215,849	$2,292,049
07 Real Salt Lake	$2,173,437	$2,607,531
08 Toronto FC	$2,130,520	$2,453,708
09 D.C. United	$2,003,278	$2,163,103
10 New England Revolution	$1,992,948	$2,087,948
11 FC Dallas	$1,992,804	$2,285,629
12 Columbus Crew	$1,807,199	$2,044,249
13 Chivas USA	$1,750,375	$1,885,875

And based on MLS Standings as of 05/05/07, here’s how well (or how poor) teams are doing in relation to their team salaries:

1. Kansas City Wizards (+3 Spots)
2. Red Bull New York (Equal)
3. Chicago Fire (Equal)
4. New England Revolution (+6)
5. Colorado Rapids (Equal)
6. FC Dallas (+5)
7. Chivas USA (+6)
8. Columbus Crew (+4)
9. Los Angeles Galaxy (-8)
10. Houston Dynamo (-4)
11. Real Salt Lake (-4)
12. D.C. United (-3)
13. Toronto FC (-5)

It’s a bit unfair for the Galaxy as the majority of their salary is attached to a player who has yet to make an appearance on the field for them yet, but for the most part, it seems MLS teams are getting exactly what they put in. New York, Chicago, and Colorado are all performing as expected given their salaries and a number of teams are showing the positive aspects of frugality. In my opinion, the two teams most mismanaged have to be Real Salt Lake and Toronto FC. Some of their players are grossly overpaid and (Specifically in Toronto’s case), lack a solid core of star players to achieve any success this season. Naturally, I have to include my list of Overpaid players:

Top 5 Overpaid Players in MLS:

5. Nate Jaqua (Los Angeles Galaxy - $112,500)
Has yet to score a goal this season and has easily been one of the worst players for the Galaxy. Lacks any semblance of confidence in his game and although he has a strong body frame to work with, simply fails to win headers and dominate play in the box.

4. Facundo Erpen (D.C. United - $115,000)
Makes mind-boggling mistakes on defense and single-handedly costs United crucial goals. Although the entire backline has been particularly porous this year, Erpen has led the charge throughout his MLS career as a perennial liability. It’s terrible to see productive players like his teammate Bobby Boswell make nearly four times less in salary than Erpen.

3. Andy Welsh (Toronto FC -$195,000)
Brought in from England to help solidify Toronto’s midfield, he’s been completely lackluster and it’s been difficult to even spot him on the field during most games. Fortunately enough, most of his teammates are overpaid AND playing just as poorly, so his own difficulties aren’t as magnified.

2. Shaka Hislop (FC Dallas - $220,800)
So what if he played in the World Cup and has over 50 shutouts in the English Premier League. At 38 years of age, the man simply can’t get it done anymore and his poor play at net have cost Dallas some critical points to start off the year. And he’s not even their starter! To pay a backup goalie in MLS over $200,000, you seriously need to be smoking something fierce. Unfortunately, Dallas’ play has been anything but fierce.

1. Carl Robinson (Toronto FC - $315,000)
I feel like Toronto is constantly bashed in this blog, and I don’t purposely mean to, but it’s difficult not to criticize just how bad this team has become. I know they’re only an expansion squad, but they have seriously overrated the majority of their players. But it should really come as no surprise that Robinson is playing poorly. He struggled just to crack the starting lineup at the bottom of the English Championship level, so of course he’s going to struggle in MLS. And at $315,000, his performance is simply criminal.

Chivas USA Show Guevara Red Card and Pink Slip, Trade Him to Toronto FC

So with the institution of the Designated Player rule, the LA Galaxy were able to obtain David Beckham, global icon and essentially marketing gold, and their city rivals got…..Paulo Nagamura and a draft pick?

After just four games, Chivas has decided to cut the strings on talented, but temperamental all-star Amado Guevara, trading him to Toronto FC for the aforementioned Nagamura and draft pick. Guevara’s short time with Chivas certainly wasn’t awe-inspiring; his stats for the season – 0 goals, 0 assists, 1 red card. Obviously, Chivas realized after Guevara’s game against the Galaxy (Where not only did Donovan completely outshine him in the midfield, but he was pulled in the 56th minute and proceeded to knock down an assistant referee to garner the red card) that he wasn’t worth the trouble, no matter how talented Guevara could ‘potentially’ be.

It’s an unfortunate situation for the Chivas organization, as they’ve basically reduced the value of their DP slot to utterly meaningless, having initially traded the slot away for Guevara in the first place. The mind-boggling aspect of this trade is trying to comprehend why Mo Johnston would want Guevara and why Toronto’s front office would assume that Guevara would enjoy the Canadian atmosphere. The Johnston-Guevara combination obviously didn’t work well when they were both Red Bulls so its simply absurd to believe that a couple of months apart would suddenly change things. And I’m sure Guevara is an enormous admirer of Canadian weather (Not).

I believe this is simply a hasty decision made by both parties. It’s rare to find a trade that works out negatively for all parties involved, yet somehow Chivas and Toronto have managed to do just that. And just for the record, Mo Johnston may be the worst surveyor of talent this league has ever seen. Yes, you can quote me on that and yes I will stand by that comment for the rest of the season.

Week 4 Power Rankings

Week 4 Power Rankings:

1. Red Bull New York (LW: 1 / 3-1-0)
Waterreus isn’t as flashy as some other GKs in the league, but he’s just as impressive. The Red Bulls have yet to allow a goal and Bruce Arena’s penchant for 1-0 finishes is taking form. Simply put, RBNY is unquestionably the best team in the league right now and should get even better when their Angel comes to the city. The only flaw this team has is its inability to light up the scoreboard but even that should change with Juan Pablo in town.

2. Chicago Fire (LW: 2 / 3-1-0)
The Fire are looking very impressive, largely thanks to Chris Rolfe’s terrific season thus far. With two goals and three assists to his name already, Rolfe is becoming an integral part of the Fire’s midfield attack. They already look in mid-season form and they have several players (Mapp, Barrett, Pause) who should be pushing for All-Star bids later on in the year.

3. New England Revolution (LW: 5 / 2-1-1)
They stepped it up when they had to. Twellman is on a tear and they’re showing no signs of a team dealing with controversy (Shalrie Joseph’s contract issues). This is a monstrous week for them as they play the Fire and reeling DC United. They can theoretically move to first place in the league and bury DC in one fell swoop. Now that’s something to play for.

4. Kansas City Wizards (LW: 8 / 3-0-1)
I take back everything I said last week about Eddie Johnson. I am firmly convinced that EJ will be competing for the golden boot all year long. However, until he starts scoring against top teams (And at this point, I’m not sure whether Toronto even classifies themselves as an MLS-level squad), I’ll still hold my reservations. It’s an overly strict stance, I know, but Wiz fans, take solace in the fact that your team moved up four spots and is one point off from 1st place.

5. Colorado Rapids (LW: 4 / 2-1-1)
It’s only Real Salt Lake but the Rapids still pulled off an impressive performance on the road, with Beckerman opening up his goal account and Roberto Brown coming back nicely from his suspension. I’m not sure whether or not this team is legit yet, which explains the drop in ranking, as their only matches against top teams left them with a tie and a loss. Their next game against Houston should reveal far more about this team than their game against the Utah pretenders.

6. Los Angeles Galaxy (LW: 11 / 1-1-1)
Wow, welcome to the 2007 MLS season, Mr. Donovan. As much as US soccer fans love to bash Landycakes, you simply can’t deny his ability to take over a game at this level (Or against the Mexican National team). I’ve been waiting for a type of performance like this all year, and Donovan appropriately saved it for the SuperClasico. The Galaxy can compete with any team when Donovan plays like this. The only thing that should worry LA fans is the play of Nate Jaqua. The man simply cannot score goals, and quite frankly, I’m not so sure he’s good enough for MLS. This is the 2nd week I’m calling him out. Show me something soon.

7. FC Dallas (LW: 3 / 2-1-3)
What a poor showing for the Hoops this past week, coming out flat against two of the top teams from the East. This team lives and dies by the form of their forwards, but Ruiz’s penchant for yellow cards certainly doesn’t help things either. It’s always a bad statistic when your top forward has more yellow cards than goals. Dallas needs to clean up their play soon or they’ll quickly find themselves hovering near the bottom of the table.

8. Columbus Crew (LW: 10 / 1-3-0)
If someone told you before the season began that the Crew would be one of the last unbeaten teams, would you have believed it? Well lo and behold; the Crew are sitting pretty with six points and zero losses. They’ve already pitched three shutouts this season but I’ll take the wait-and-see approach with this team for now.

9. Houston Dynamo (LW: 6 / 1-1-2)
I find this statistic particularly mind-boggling: In four games, the Dynamo have scored exactly ONE goal. ONE goal. Think about that for a second. The defending champs, a team featuring two of the best forwards in the league, are having a curiously difficult time finding the back of the net. Granted, their schedule has been one of the toughest in the league, but they still need more offensive production than what they’re currently showing.

10. Chivas USA (LW: 7 / 2-0-2)
They sure could have used Kljestan this past weekend. A slight hiccup for the Goats and while their fans are surely displeased to see yet another loss in their “rivalry” with the Galaxy, I still think Preki has them on the right path. They’re just a fun team to watch and the youth on this team will make them a fan favorite across the MLS.

11. D.C. United (LW: 9 / 0-0-3)
I just don’t know anymore. I thought everything could simply be blamed on Erpen, but he didn’t even start against the Crew, and DCU still found a way to look completely inept. The lack of motivation in this team is starting to become quite disturbing. Perhaps they’re taking the complete opposite approach from last season. Instead of blazing through the beginning and then fading towards the end, they’re taking this part of the season off and prepping for a massive unbeaten streak to end the year. Yeah, that’s it….

12. Real Salt Lake (LW: 12 / 0-2-2)
I’m just going to repeat, verbatim, most of what I said last week:
I'm going to be harsh here. This team is pathetic. Their situation is pathetic. And quite frankly, I think I've listed them too high in these rankings. I'm not even sure if Real Salt Lake, in this current iteration, will be around the league in 3-4 years. They are a prime contender for relocation and I don't blame city officials for having a lack of confidence. At least Adu decided to play somewhat decently, although for someone hyped as the future of the US national team, this string of results has to be disappointing.

13. Toronto FC (LW: 13 / 0-0-4)
Their fans are passionate and the atmosphere at BMO field was electric. It’s a shame this team hasn’t found a way to score a goal, especially since they about approximately 67 forwards on the team. Maurice Edu wasn’t impressive, although the kid still has some rust to work off. Ronnie O’Brien can’t come soon enough, eh? And has Toronto placed any phone calls to Fulham yet for Radzinski?