I'm an England fan, I'm wearing my England scarf as I compose this entry. Needless to say, the 2010 World Cup was a big disappointment. We're all waiting for Capello and Co. to pull it together.
So obviously, loved the Wales match. Loved seeing John Terry back as Captain. Loved seeing Lampard score the PK, and loved seeing England get up early over a young, inexperienced Wales side.
It was also nice to be able to actually see the match for once. ESPN carried the match, and a lot of the time we'll only get the friendlies on FSC. It was awesome to see an England match that meant something.
Really, what is there to say about such a dominant performance? Wales was totally hemmed in their own half for the entire first half, and England probably could have gotten more goals in. Obviously, Capello switching some tactics paid off some. Lamps had the PK, and a great goal from Darren Bent, and England had it done and dusted early.
Wales looked a lot better in the second half for sure, but just couldn't get it done against the high powered England side. Perhaps the only drawback for England was Wayne Rooney getting a yellow, which rules him out for the next qualifier.
For Wales. I was actually hoping to see a bit better display, and they came closer in the second half. Gary Speed has a lot of work ahead of him, but the good news is, there seems to be nowhere to go but up. I did think Ramsey did a good job as Wales Captain. At least Speed doesn't have the controversy that Capello has about the Captain situation.
Personally, though Capello's kind of screwed this up by his own actions, I think putting Terry back in with the armband was the right move, no disrespect for Ferdinand. The next controversy he has on his hands is the sending home of 5 Champions League players before the Ghana friendly, which is having some of the folks who bought tickets for that match feeling a little short changed.
Major props to Scott Parker though, he played an awesome match. I'd hate to see West Ham go down, just for his sake.
Can't wait to get a look at Carroll and some of the rest of the squad in the Ghana match!
Monday, March 28, 2011
Match Thoughts: Real Salt Lake vs. LA Galaxy
It was a great night to be a Real Salt Lake supporter last Saturday night at Rio Tinto Stadium. Again, in the interest of full disclosure, I am a Real Salt Lake supporter, so I'm not going to say that this entry is unbiased, because it probably is very biased.
Anyway, with that out of the way.....
We arrived at the pitch about a half hour before kick off, which was good, because it gave me a chance to go into the RSL team store and pick up the new VICTORY GOLD SCARF. Like most footy fans, I'm a scarf fanatic. The traveling LA supporters were awesome. Kudos to them. Not all MLS clubs have good traveling contingents, but the Galaxy sure do, and that's great. They were passionate and supportive of their club through the whole match, and that proved to be a tall order right from the kick off.
In just the 2nd minute of play, Andy Williams (Bomma to us RSL fans) went all Charlie Sheen on a Paulo Jr. ball and put it into the back of the net, giving RSL a 1-0 lead and sending the RioT into an early frenzy. It didn't get any better for the Galaxy either. In the 9th minute, LA Keeper Josh Saunders took Paulo Jr. down in the box resulting in a yellow card for himself and PK for RSL. Javier Morales promptly converted from the spot in the next minute.
So, now down 2-0, LA settled down a little bit, but never really looked to be in the match. The altitude is always a factor for visitors in SLC, and the weather Saturday night was about 40 degrees with a slushy rain. Not exactly California. In our section, we were speculating about whether David Beckham felt like he was back in England or not. In fact, Beckham really looked like about the only Galaxy player to show up. Every time he got on the ball, he did something dangerous with it. However, Nick Rimando gobbled up everything that came in toward the goal, and it really didn't look like LA was even interested in trying to get on the end of the Beckham services. Their lack of interest cost them further when Morales scored his second goal of the match in the 41st minute, taking RSL into the half with a 3-0 lead.
The second half really didn't work out a lot better for LA. David Beckham finally talked himself into a yellow card, and the match got a little chippy on both sides as the Galaxy started to show their frustration. Clearly they hadn't played anybody that can really score goals yet this season, because the LA defense got schooled and Paulo Jr., Morales, and Fabian Espindola were driving the bus. In the 68th minute, Paulo Jr. earned his first league goal as he got onto the end of a cross from Espindola and eased it into the back of the net, 4-0 to Real Salt Lake.
The only bright point for LA came much too late, when Juan Pablo Angel finally did something to earn his paycheck and got onto the end of a gorgeous ball from Beckham and made it 4-1, which was the score at full time.
So what do we take from this? Well LA fans will surely say "We didn't have Landon, so it's not that bad." I have news for you, I was there, in the fourth row, and unless Landycakes was going to show up, play defense, score goals, and keep goal, LA was in serious trouble. RSL was better on defense, offense, and in midfield. Not to mention, RSL was without Saborio and Will Johnson. With those guys in, it might have been 6-1. On a side note though, what idiot at MLS decided to put this, a marquis matchup, on the same weekend as a FIFA International Date? I loved seeing Beckham play, and I wish I could have seen Landycakes as well.
I don't know that anybody is doubting the quality of LA yet. They need to get Ricketts back. I don't see Saunders getting it done in goal against a quality attack.
For RSL, more of the same boys, but save some for CONCACAF Champions League!
Anyway, with that out of the way.....
We arrived at the pitch about a half hour before kick off, which was good, because it gave me a chance to go into the RSL team store and pick up the new VICTORY GOLD SCARF. Like most footy fans, I'm a scarf fanatic. The traveling LA supporters were awesome. Kudos to them. Not all MLS clubs have good traveling contingents, but the Galaxy sure do, and that's great. They were passionate and supportive of their club through the whole match, and that proved to be a tall order right from the kick off.
In just the 2nd minute of play, Andy Williams (Bomma to us RSL fans) went all Charlie Sheen on a Paulo Jr. ball and put it into the back of the net, giving RSL a 1-0 lead and sending the RioT into an early frenzy. It didn't get any better for the Galaxy either. In the 9th minute, LA Keeper Josh Saunders took Paulo Jr. down in the box resulting in a yellow card for himself and PK for RSL. Javier Morales promptly converted from the spot in the next minute.
So, now down 2-0, LA settled down a little bit, but never really looked to be in the match. The altitude is always a factor for visitors in SLC, and the weather Saturday night was about 40 degrees with a slushy rain. Not exactly California. In our section, we were speculating about whether David Beckham felt like he was back in England or not. In fact, Beckham really looked like about the only Galaxy player to show up. Every time he got on the ball, he did something dangerous with it. However, Nick Rimando gobbled up everything that came in toward the goal, and it really didn't look like LA was even interested in trying to get on the end of the Beckham services. Their lack of interest cost them further when Morales scored his second goal of the match in the 41st minute, taking RSL into the half with a 3-0 lead.
The second half really didn't work out a lot better for LA. David Beckham finally talked himself into a yellow card, and the match got a little chippy on both sides as the Galaxy started to show their frustration. Clearly they hadn't played anybody that can really score goals yet this season, because the LA defense got schooled and Paulo Jr., Morales, and Fabian Espindola were driving the bus. In the 68th minute, Paulo Jr. earned his first league goal as he got onto the end of a cross from Espindola and eased it into the back of the net, 4-0 to Real Salt Lake.
The only bright point for LA came much too late, when Juan Pablo Angel finally did something to earn his paycheck and got onto the end of a gorgeous ball from Beckham and made it 4-1, which was the score at full time.
So what do we take from this? Well LA fans will surely say "We didn't have Landon, so it's not that bad." I have news for you, I was there, in the fourth row, and unless Landycakes was going to show up, play defense, score goals, and keep goal, LA was in serious trouble. RSL was better on defense, offense, and in midfield. Not to mention, RSL was without Saborio and Will Johnson. With those guys in, it might have been 6-1. On a side note though, what idiot at MLS decided to put this, a marquis matchup, on the same weekend as a FIFA International Date? I loved seeing Beckham play, and I wish I could have seen Landycakes as well.
I don't know that anybody is doubting the quality of LA yet. They need to get Ricketts back. I don't see Saunders getting it done in goal against a quality attack.
For RSL, more of the same boys, but save some for CONCACAF Champions League!
Friday, March 25, 2011
Match Thoughts: Seattle Sounders Vs. Houston Dynamo
I spent a nice couple of hours tonight watching Seattle Sounders and Houston Dynamo on Fox Soccer Channel, and I was very entertained. It was a fun match to watch, but frustrating in ways too.
First off, I tend to prefer Fox Soccer's MLS coverage to ESPN's, but I haven't been a huge fan of Kyle Martino in the booth. Maybe that's just because I'm partial to listening to Christopher Sullivan, and let's face it, Soccer Talk Live was a huge bomb, though I don't think that was Kyle's fault. To be fair, the only part of that program that I liked was the first five minutes, where Martino actually talked about soccer. He obviously knows the game, and hopefully he'll sound a little more comfortable in the booth.
Now to the match. Houston dodged a bullet early on when Freeman grabbed Seattle's Erick Friberg as he headed for goal. Freeman was the last man, and he looked to be impeding a goal scoring chance, but he only received a yellow card. I thought Seattle had a case for a red. Anyway, it didn't slow Sounders down much, as they spent most of the first half camped in the Houston end, testing Houston keeper Tally Hall quite often, but Hall held his ground. In fact, Seattle squandered several chances, launching more than one ill-advised long bomb shot toward Hall's goal. They just looked desperate.
Things got more desperate for Sounders in the 42nd minute as Houston's Geoff Cameron bounced in a shot past Keller to put the Dynamo in front 0-1. It was totally against the run of play, and one of only a couple decent Houston chances in the first half. It really silenced that famous Sounders crowd. After the goal, Houston grasped some confidence and kept their 1 goal lead into half time.
Coming out in the second half, Houston tried to get more possession, something they had hardly any of in the first half. They didn't have a ton of success though, as Seattle got closer and closer to their first goal of the season. That finally came off of a corner in the 80th minute as an unmarked Zakuani finally put a ball past Hall into the back of the net. That followed a controversial call in the 74th minute when Seattle's Leonardo Gonzalez went down in the penalty area, and despite the plea for a PK from the Seattle faithful, he received a yellow card for diving. That will be a talking point going forward.
Seattle kept the pressure up for the rest of the match, but Houston managed to hang on and salvage a point on the road. Zakuani was awarded man of the match for the equalizer, but the way Tally Hall played in goal for Houston, he was my man of the match.
For Houston, they certainly played hard enough to earn the point, and despite the fact that they didn't play overly well, I'm sure they'll be satisfied coming out of Seattle with a point. Plus, in the Eastern Conference, their road will be a little easier. Hall was great in goal, but the defense in front of him really struggled at times, especially in the first half, where they had a couple frightening give aways. Offensively, it seems like everything had to run through Brad Davis, and Seattle did a great job limiting his touches.
For Seattle, well they finally got a goal. Their first in three matches. Sure, opening against Galaxy and Red Bulls isn't easy, but if this team is going to fulfill the praise that the MLS media often heaps on them, they need to be better. Montero blasting away at the goal from 30 yards out isn't going to get them anywhere, and one can see that they're going to have problems against teams with stronger defenses. Bottom line for them is this: They've gotten only 1 point from their first three matches, two of them at home, and the Western Conference is going to be real tough to climb up.
Tomorrow night I'll be attending the RSL vs. LA Galaxy match at the RioT. So I'll be posting some personal observations and maybe some pics afteward. I'd like to try and tweet from the match, but Rio Tinto doesn't have Wifi so it's hard to get the tweets out.
First off, I tend to prefer Fox Soccer's MLS coverage to ESPN's, but I haven't been a huge fan of Kyle Martino in the booth. Maybe that's just because I'm partial to listening to Christopher Sullivan, and let's face it, Soccer Talk Live was a huge bomb, though I don't think that was Kyle's fault. To be fair, the only part of that program that I liked was the first five minutes, where Martino actually talked about soccer. He obviously knows the game, and hopefully he'll sound a little more comfortable in the booth.
Now to the match. Houston dodged a bullet early on when Freeman grabbed Seattle's Erick Friberg as he headed for goal. Freeman was the last man, and he looked to be impeding a goal scoring chance, but he only received a yellow card. I thought Seattle had a case for a red. Anyway, it didn't slow Sounders down much, as they spent most of the first half camped in the Houston end, testing Houston keeper Tally Hall quite often, but Hall held his ground. In fact, Seattle squandered several chances, launching more than one ill-advised long bomb shot toward Hall's goal. They just looked desperate.
Things got more desperate for Sounders in the 42nd minute as Houston's Geoff Cameron bounced in a shot past Keller to put the Dynamo in front 0-1. It was totally against the run of play, and one of only a couple decent Houston chances in the first half. It really silenced that famous Sounders crowd. After the goal, Houston grasped some confidence and kept their 1 goal lead into half time.
Coming out in the second half, Houston tried to get more possession, something they had hardly any of in the first half. They didn't have a ton of success though, as Seattle got closer and closer to their first goal of the season. That finally came off of a corner in the 80th minute as an unmarked Zakuani finally put a ball past Hall into the back of the net. That followed a controversial call in the 74th minute when Seattle's Leonardo Gonzalez went down in the penalty area, and despite the plea for a PK from the Seattle faithful, he received a yellow card for diving. That will be a talking point going forward.
Seattle kept the pressure up for the rest of the match, but Houston managed to hang on and salvage a point on the road. Zakuani was awarded man of the match for the equalizer, but the way Tally Hall played in goal for Houston, he was my man of the match.
For Houston, they certainly played hard enough to earn the point, and despite the fact that they didn't play overly well, I'm sure they'll be satisfied coming out of Seattle with a point. Plus, in the Eastern Conference, their road will be a little easier. Hall was great in goal, but the defense in front of him really struggled at times, especially in the first half, where they had a couple frightening give aways. Offensively, it seems like everything had to run through Brad Davis, and Seattle did a great job limiting his touches.
For Seattle, well they finally got a goal. Their first in three matches. Sure, opening against Galaxy and Red Bulls isn't easy, but if this team is going to fulfill the praise that the MLS media often heaps on them, they need to be better. Montero blasting away at the goal from 30 yards out isn't going to get them anywhere, and one can see that they're going to have problems against teams with stronger defenses. Bottom line for them is this: They've gotten only 1 point from their first three matches, two of them at home, and the Western Conference is going to be real tough to climb up.
Tomorrow night I'll be attending the RSL vs. LA Galaxy match at the RioT. So I'll be posting some personal observations and maybe some pics afteward. I'd like to try and tweet from the match, but Rio Tinto doesn't have Wifi so it's hard to get the tweets out.
Welcome to Puddle on the Pitch: My Soccer Thoughts!
Who am I, and why should anyone care about what I think about The Beautiful Game?
I'm Brandon, from Ogden, Utah, USA, and I'm an American Soccer Convert. I'm not an expert on the game, and I don't pretend to be. I watch a lot of it, I absorb everything I can about it, and I love to talk about it. However, I also don't pretend to be unbiased. In the interest of full disclosure, I support:
Chelsea FC (England)
Real Salt Lake (USA)
Inter Milan (Italy)
Melbourne Victory (Australia)
When I get the chance to watch La Liga, I support Real Madrid, but I'm basically neutral as far as Spain is concerned. As for International teams I follow:
USA (My home Country)
England (Both sides of my family are of British descent.)
So that's what I'll be talking about on my blog: The EPL, The FA Cup, UEFA Champions League, Serie A, MLS, CONCACAF Champions League, the Hyundai A League, and International Soccer.
As I said, I love to talk about soccer, and I feel strongly that American fans need places to have good discussions. Leave comments and such, all I ask is everyone respect each other (except for the odd trash talk.)
Please feel free to follow me on Twitter (BrandonLBC), though I don't tweet exclusively about footy, I do tweet about it a lot.
So for now, on with the blog!
I'm Brandon, from Ogden, Utah, USA, and I'm an American Soccer Convert. I'm not an expert on the game, and I don't pretend to be. I watch a lot of it, I absorb everything I can about it, and I love to talk about it. However, I also don't pretend to be unbiased. In the interest of full disclosure, I support:
Chelsea FC (England)
Real Salt Lake (USA)
Inter Milan (Italy)
Melbourne Victory (Australia)
When I get the chance to watch La Liga, I support Real Madrid, but I'm basically neutral as far as Spain is concerned. As for International teams I follow:
USA (My home Country)
England (Both sides of my family are of British descent.)
So that's what I'll be talking about on my blog: The EPL, The FA Cup, UEFA Champions League, Serie A, MLS, CONCACAF Champions League, the Hyundai A League, and International Soccer.
As I said, I love to talk about soccer, and I feel strongly that American fans need places to have good discussions. Leave comments and such, all I ask is everyone respect each other (except for the odd trash talk.)
Please feel free to follow me on Twitter (BrandonLBC), though I don't tweet exclusively about footy, I do tweet about it a lot.
So for now, on with the blog!
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