So I know this blog is about the revolution but they don't play for over a week and I have just really enjoyed bashing the galaxy lately specifically landon donovan. I will say that Im interested to see how Dusan petokovic fits in the revolution defense. They usually only play 3 back and they are solid so it'l be interesting to see what nicol does. Anyway on to the galaxy bashing...
So the superliga final was last night. I'm on the east coast and up late doing some work when I realized mlsnet.com said they were going to have whole game on air. A few clicks later I was browsing and enjoying the game. Heres a hint MLS, make more game available for free.
So I started watching around 70th and there were some chances but I was exulting in having the galaxy head to a loss. I know its bad for MLS but I just can't help enjoying seeing LA suck it up every week.
Anyway Chris Klein scores a brilliant last second goal (Im sure mlsnet.com has it so go check it out) and I realize I have to stay up another 45 minutes or so.
I don't pay attention too much during overtime but no goals are scored and not the exciting stuff happens.
Of course it goes down to the 5th kick, Donovan is up. Now I was torn here. I really wanted Donovan to screw up so I could still stay he generally is a waste of talent, but I couldn't imagine him missing such a gimme oppurtunity. Its a PK to win. Zidane can do it, Ronaldo can do it, Donovan little miss americas future should do it. While I'm holding my breath Donovan proceeds to kick the most girly crap PK ever. It is saved easily by Caliro.
I get to exult again. Donovan may have amazing skill and talent but he is literally a waste of space. He couldn't handle european soccer, he choked againast Ghana in 06 and he simply continues to disappoint. Once again it is the teams and players that come to play every day and constantly surprise with skill that get the results. Landon simply picks and chooses when he wants to play well and sabotages his team (and the US) in the process.
I have little doubt that Donovan will have a role in getting the US back to the WC but until he actually shows that he wants to play I will continue to badmouth him.
His failure last night but just another one in a long line of disappointing efforts.
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Monday, August 27, 2007
Why the Revolution are good and the Galaxy aren't.
So another weekend, another revolution win and another Galaxy loss.
The Revolution continue to quietly top the league in points while the marquee teams of LA and NY continue to underachieve. LA and NY have 3 designated players between them, and thats not including Landon Donovan supposedly the best player America has.
The revolution have no designated players and lost arguably there most exciting in dempsey at end of last season.
Revolution have 42 points
Galaxy have 14 points.
The revolution beat NY 2-1 this past weekend. Now it wasn't a great game and yes NY made a huge fluky mistake with there own goal but regardless, good teams find a way to win even when things don't go there way. the revs missed a PK and NY had some good chances but the revs ended on top. Good teams get the results. Steve Nicol and Paul Mariner have gone with consistency in lineups and have there style. No Cups yet but they have been the best team for the last 5 years making other teams look laugable in their inconsistency.
But lets look at the Galaxy. They are in dire straights with a huge gap between them and a playoff spot. They are winless on the road. The last 3 games they have let up 11 goals. They have scored 4.
Why such poor results?
A huge reason is the fact that LA backlogged its sheducle so America would see more Beckham. LA has something like 8 games next month after playing around 10 in the past 30 days. This tactic is backfiring. Badly.
Beckham is exhausted, important players are getting injured and the results aren't coming.
I am really glad Beckham is here but changing the schedule to accommodate him was stupid and we can see why. If LA doesn't not make the playoffs MLS is going to be kicking themselves.
Beckham is good, Donovan is good (when he feels like playing anyway)but no one can handle this many games straight.
I know its bad for the league and maybe Im just saying this because LA beat the revs twice in the MLS Cup, but I am loving there badness right now.
3-10-5 is pathetic.
MLS would have LA and NY be the yankees of MLS but its not happening.
The Revs will get the job done and all donovan will have to do is pout b/c he should be in europe making millions but instead is taking it easy in LA sabotaging his team and MLS with a selfish me-first playing attitude.
My solution do what the NFL does. See belichick, do what belichick does. See Nicol do what Nicol does.
Heres to the revs making a cup run this fall.
The Revolution continue to quietly top the league in points while the marquee teams of LA and NY continue to underachieve. LA and NY have 3 designated players between them, and thats not including Landon Donovan supposedly the best player America has.
The revolution have no designated players and lost arguably there most exciting in dempsey at end of last season.
Revolution have 42 points
Galaxy have 14 points.
The revolution beat NY 2-1 this past weekend. Now it wasn't a great game and yes NY made a huge fluky mistake with there own goal but regardless, good teams find a way to win even when things don't go there way. the revs missed a PK and NY had some good chances but the revs ended on top. Good teams get the results. Steve Nicol and Paul Mariner have gone with consistency in lineups and have there style. No Cups yet but they have been the best team for the last 5 years making other teams look laugable in their inconsistency.
But lets look at the Galaxy. They are in dire straights with a huge gap between them and a playoff spot. They are winless on the road. The last 3 games they have let up 11 goals. They have scored 4.
Why such poor results?
A huge reason is the fact that LA backlogged its sheducle so America would see more Beckham. LA has something like 8 games next month after playing around 10 in the past 30 days. This tactic is backfiring. Badly.
Beckham is exhausted, important players are getting injured and the results aren't coming.
I am really glad Beckham is here but changing the schedule to accommodate him was stupid and we can see why. If LA doesn't not make the playoffs MLS is going to be kicking themselves.
Beckham is good, Donovan is good (when he feels like playing anyway)but no one can handle this many games straight.
I know its bad for the league and maybe Im just saying this because LA beat the revs twice in the MLS Cup, but I am loving there badness right now.
3-10-5 is pathetic.
MLS would have LA and NY be the yankees of MLS but its not happening.
The Revs will get the job done and all donovan will have to do is pout b/c he should be in europe making millions but instead is taking it easy in LA sabotaging his team and MLS with a selfish me-first playing attitude.
My solution do what the NFL does. See belichick, do what belichick does. See Nicol do what Nicol does.
Heres to the revs making a cup run this fall.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Back from Camp
So I am back from Camp and ready to start blogging again.
Beckham has arrived and his goal against DC in Superliga was ridiculous.
I find it funny that Galaxy can't win in league play but does fine in any other game. They are so screwed. The backlogging shceducle may get more beckham, in america the next month but I'll be amazed if Galaxy make playoffs. They have barely played half there season. Last thing about them. Bring 66,000 to the red bull game and then having 9 goals scorded is phenomeonal. Lets hope the numbers keep coming in.
Last thing about other teams then brief look at revs. I hate this attitude that LA and NY have to be good just b/c they are the marquee teams. If they have crap management guess what they are going to suck. MLS has done well avoiding privlidges for any one team and thats good. Competition is good.
In any case a team that is well-managed and quietly better than everyone ios the revolution. 39 points, 11 wins, they are as solid as they come. Steve Nicol and Paul Mariner has done a great job and have done it without the likes of Blanco, angel, and beckham.
That elusive cup title is still not there but I can guarantee you this. The revs will be lurking throughout the playoffs and its as good a bet as any that they'll make the cup final again this year.
Anyway more later
Beckham has arrived and his goal against DC in Superliga was ridiculous.
I find it funny that Galaxy can't win in league play but does fine in any other game. They are so screwed. The backlogging shceducle may get more beckham, in america the next month but I'll be amazed if Galaxy make playoffs. They have barely played half there season. Last thing about them. Bring 66,000 to the red bull game and then having 9 goals scorded is phenomeonal. Lets hope the numbers keep coming in.
Last thing about other teams then brief look at revs. I hate this attitude that LA and NY have to be good just b/c they are the marquee teams. If they have crap management guess what they are going to suck. MLS has done well avoiding privlidges for any one team and thats good. Competition is good.
In any case a team that is well-managed and quietly better than everyone ios the revolution. 39 points, 11 wins, they are as solid as they come. Steve Nicol and Paul Mariner has done a great job and have done it without the likes of Blanco, angel, and beckham.
That elusive cup title is still not there but I can guarantee you this. The revs will be lurking throughout the playoffs and its as good a bet as any that they'll make the cup final again this year.
Anyway more later
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Revs-RSL recap and gold cup
So last saturdays game was pretty excruiating to watch. 0-0 and revs just could not get a ball in net. tons of chances but everytime the ball was in front of goal no one was there to put it home. very blah taste in my mouth. I hope RSL is hapoy though, still winless and looking ever more pathetic.
I kept switching back to US game and managed to catch every goal in realtime except the first but that was a PK anyway. A 4-1 win with a ton of first timers is great. dempsey scored too and even though hes gone Im glad for any success he has.
Revs don't play till 16th so now its on to gold cup. It starts tonight and of course its not on tv. USA games are on tv but only on spanish channels or FSC which as i mentioned I DON'T GET. It doesn't matter really though b/c i leave for camp on saturday and will only be able to ready paper about soccer till mid agust. I will prolly watch the us game tommorow versus guatemaula, catch up on my espanol.
In way of a prediction i don't really see how US can finish any worst than 2nd in this tournament. bradley seems to be coaching great and unless they have a let down or mexico actually shows some briallance the US should dominate.
This may be my last blog in a while but i'll do my best to get one blog out every week or at least every other week till i get back.
im pretty sure no one has read this yet but who knows?
anyway have a geat summer all peace
I kept switching back to US game and managed to catch every goal in realtime except the first but that was a PK anyway. A 4-1 win with a ton of first timers is great. dempsey scored too and even though hes gone Im glad for any success he has.
Revs don't play till 16th so now its on to gold cup. It starts tonight and of course its not on tv. USA games are on tv but only on spanish channels or FSC which as i mentioned I DON'T GET. It doesn't matter really though b/c i leave for camp on saturday and will only be able to ready paper about soccer till mid agust. I will prolly watch the us game tommorow versus guatemaula, catch up on my espanol.
In way of a prediction i don't really see how US can finish any worst than 2nd in this tournament. bradley seems to be coaching great and unless they have a let down or mexico actually shows some briallance the US should dominate.
This may be my last blog in a while but i'll do my best to get one blog out every week or at least every other week till i get back.
im pretty sure no one has read this yet but who knows?
anyway have a geat summer all peace
Friday, June 1, 2007
NE-RSL preview
So RSL-NE play tommorow, as well as US versus china in a friendly before the Gold Cup.
Both games will be on same time i think starting about 30 minutes apart. I will watch the NE game but during halftime and breaks in action I'll check score of the US. Revs don't play next week so this is last time i'll see them till at least august most likely. Camp is pretty secluded and tv watching isn't really something to do.
In any case here is my prediction.
I have to pick NE to win. They are prolly very eager to get bad taste of last weeks game out of there mouths and who better to beat up on then RSL, the only team without a win yet. I read a problem last week was Revs weren't used to natural grass field (it got switched for gold cup, i'll be damned if i know why they did it so frigging early.) RSL may be desperate but NE will put them away without much emotion. Lets go with another 4 goal game as Revs continue to lead league with most goals scored.
NE Revs 4- Real Salt Lake 1
I'll be back by sunday or monday with thoughts on both games as well as gold cup preview. peace.
Both games will be on same time i think starting about 30 minutes apart. I will watch the NE game but during halftime and breaks in action I'll check score of the US. Revs don't play next week so this is last time i'll see them till at least august most likely. Camp is pretty secluded and tv watching isn't really something to do.
In any case here is my prediction.
I have to pick NE to win. They are prolly very eager to get bad taste of last weeks game out of there mouths and who better to beat up on then RSL, the only team without a win yet. I read a problem last week was Revs weren't used to natural grass field (it got switched for gold cup, i'll be damned if i know why they did it so frigging early.) RSL may be desperate but NE will put them away without much emotion. Lets go with another 4 goal game as Revs continue to lead league with most goals scored.
NE Revs 4- Real Salt Lake 1
I'll be back by sunday or monday with thoughts on both games as well as gold cup preview. peace.
Saturday, May 26, 2007
Revolution doubleheader recap
So I went to gillette stadium today for a doubleheader and saw my first rev game livesince i think fall of 05. It was pretty fun time. Sorry if this runs long but it was two games and fun.
So I show up and get parked a full lot away from stadium and have to work my way through a maze of fences to get to stadium from my car. They doing construction there now but still why all the fences? all they doing are enclosing lots anyway.
So I go to buy my ticket and ask for 1st couple rows. I get third row a few sections down from halfway line. great but not behind revs bench. next time i'll get behind there bench.
The 1st game was bolivia and ireland. The stands had some nice international flavor with plenty of irish and bolivian fans there. I was surprised never knew that so many bolivians lived in the US let alone in new england. The game was pretty good but only produced two goals coming a few minutes apart. it ended 1-1 and there was no scoring after 15th minute. If i had to pick i will say bolivia was the more exciting and talented team but also show some freak moments where ireland just pounded them and that was the case when goal was scored. it was fun to watch though.
Now on to the revs. I got a lot more into this. I knew every rev on the field and was only a few rows away. the previous game the only guy I knew was jamie moreno. it adds some spice to the proceedings.
In any case revs have a master start. Ralston scores a great goal on rebond in 11th and twellman gets a fantastic goal on a deflection and we are 2-0 up after 23. perfect.
Then we proceed to blow the lead in about 5 minutes when arnaud and johnson score. unbelievable and sucky. Even worse johnson scores AGAIN before half to make it 3-2. I honestly didn't really pay attentions to tatics and how both teams were playing i was more focused on just having every touch revs had be a goal. 5 goals in a half was great but sucks that we suddenly don't have defense.
2nd half starts and on a hand ball we get a penalty. fantastic. shalrie buries it and we are tied. we are at home theres no way we can lose right?
johnson scores AGAIN in 82nd and we are doomed. frigging hate that guy...did nothing for us in world cup either...blah...
on that note before his third he went down looking hurt badly in front of our goal. A bunch of drunks near me as well as kids start giving crap about faking and when he walks over to sidline he drops some f-bombs toward us fans. Very unprofessional. I admit some fans were being dicks but f-bombs to opposing fans when there kids around is very immature. I no longer like eddie johnson. Unless he scores a goal while playing for US team I will always boo him. On a side note after his "injury" and goal everytime he touched ball we booed. I also managed to yell to him twice try scoring those goals in europe. not sure if he heard me but i hope he did. hes gonna turn into a brat like donovan if hes not careful.
So revs lose and that sucks but 7 goals is awesome and revs could have tied it a number of times. our rookies thompson and christman are looking good too.
Well in anycase i had a pretty sweet day and i'll have a preview for next rev game next week.
So I show up and get parked a full lot away from stadium and have to work my way through a maze of fences to get to stadium from my car. They doing construction there now but still why all the fences? all they doing are enclosing lots anyway.
So I go to buy my ticket and ask for 1st couple rows. I get third row a few sections down from halfway line. great but not behind revs bench. next time i'll get behind there bench.
The 1st game was bolivia and ireland. The stands had some nice international flavor with plenty of irish and bolivian fans there. I was surprised never knew that so many bolivians lived in the US let alone in new england. The game was pretty good but only produced two goals coming a few minutes apart. it ended 1-1 and there was no scoring after 15th minute. If i had to pick i will say bolivia was the more exciting and talented team but also show some freak moments where ireland just pounded them and that was the case when goal was scored. it was fun to watch though.
Now on to the revs. I got a lot more into this. I knew every rev on the field and was only a few rows away. the previous game the only guy I knew was jamie moreno. it adds some spice to the proceedings.
In any case revs have a master start. Ralston scores a great goal on rebond in 11th and twellman gets a fantastic goal on a deflection and we are 2-0 up after 23. perfect.
Then we proceed to blow the lead in about 5 minutes when arnaud and johnson score. unbelievable and sucky. Even worse johnson scores AGAIN before half to make it 3-2. I honestly didn't really pay attentions to tatics and how both teams were playing i was more focused on just having every touch revs had be a goal. 5 goals in a half was great but sucks that we suddenly don't have defense.
2nd half starts and on a hand ball we get a penalty. fantastic. shalrie buries it and we are tied. we are at home theres no way we can lose right?
johnson scores AGAIN in 82nd and we are doomed. frigging hate that guy...did nothing for us in world cup either...blah...
on that note before his third he went down looking hurt badly in front of our goal. A bunch of drunks near me as well as kids start giving crap about faking and when he walks over to sidline he drops some f-bombs toward us fans. Very unprofessional. I admit some fans were being dicks but f-bombs to opposing fans when there kids around is very immature. I no longer like eddie johnson. Unless he scores a goal while playing for US team I will always boo him. On a side note after his "injury" and goal everytime he touched ball we booed. I also managed to yell to him twice try scoring those goals in europe. not sure if he heard me but i hope he did. hes gonna turn into a brat like donovan if hes not careful.
So revs lose and that sucks but 7 goals is awesome and revs could have tied it a number of times. our rookies thompson and christman are looking good too.
Well in anycase i had a pretty sweet day and i'll have a preview for next rev game next week.
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Champions league final and New England preview
So the final of the champions league was yesterday. AC Milan held off liverpool 2-1 in a rematch of the 05 final. This game was played in athens in the olympic stadium from 2004. I watched some of the game but not all of it. In my view it was rather hard luck that liverpool didn't score at least 2 and have the game go to overtime. Liverpool dominated the 1st half but let up goal in last minute on a deflected free kick. Not scoring till 89th after a ton of great chances also kind of lame.
Im not sure if anyone had read this yet but I figure this a good time to explain the champions league to those who never heard of it.
Champions league is the european club competition. It does not involve international teams. Every country in europe has its own league. Every year the champions of each league qualify for the champions league. Some leagues qualify up to there top 4 teams b/c they are such good quality (ex: england, spain, italy).
The teams meet in various rounds throughout the season. Many of the good teams get byes in the first rounds while minnows from places like malta and andorra fight it out to get emlinated by the likes of manchester united.
There are some knockout rounds and at least one group round and the final is now one game played at a nuetral location in may.
The winner is the club champion of europe. This is probably the biggest soccer competition short of the World cup.
Anyway quick preview about the revs. They play KC and im betting they'll win. I will hopefully get down to gillette saturday but if not i'll still have a recap come sunday.
Till then peace all and if anyone reads this leave comments. Thanks!
Im not sure if anyone had read this yet but I figure this a good time to explain the champions league to those who never heard of it.
Champions league is the european club competition. It does not involve international teams. Every country in europe has its own league. Every year the champions of each league qualify for the champions league. Some leagues qualify up to there top 4 teams b/c they are such good quality (ex: england, spain, italy).
The teams meet in various rounds throughout the season. Many of the good teams get byes in the first rounds while minnows from places like malta and andorra fight it out to get emlinated by the likes of manchester united.
There are some knockout rounds and at least one group round and the final is now one game played at a nuetral location in may.
The winner is the club champion of europe. This is probably the biggest soccer competition short of the World cup.
Anyway quick preview about the revs. They play KC and im betting they'll win. I will hopefully get down to gillette saturday but if not i'll still have a recap come sunday.
Till then peace all and if anyone reads this leave comments. Thanks!
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