EPL: Manchester City vs. Fulham

Coming off of their previous loss on the road to Everton, Manchester City needed a pick-me-up. Turns out a visit from Fulham to Etihad stadium was just what the doctor ordered. City was wounded and bleeding, Fulham had just cut Bobby Zamora loose. It was a recipe for disaster.

City didn't wait long to fire their opening salvos at the Fulham net. Edin Dzeko tried his luck in the second minute, and Gareth Barry took his turn in the fourth. Both shots came up lacking however. Dzeko tried again in the fifth minute, but his header floated over the bar. He really should have done better.

City got on the board through dubious circumstances in the 10th minute. Adam Johnson flopped over in the box, and the referee gave a penalty. Turns out both Manchester clubs benefited from dubious penalties last weekend. At any rate, Sergio Aguero calmly hit the PK to make it 1-0 to City after 11 minutes.

Fulham tried to respond, but nothing was going their way in the Manchester snow. Clint Dempsey hit a shot wide in the 14th, and Simon Davies had a shot saved in the 24th. That was about it for Fulham in the first half.

However City would again benefit from tough circumstances before the half. In the 30th minute Johnson again went at Chris Baird, who had "conceded" the PK. Johnson put in a shot from a tough angle and it deflected in off of Baird for an own goal. A nightmare for Baird and Fulham, and City led 2-0 going into the half.

The weather turned even more sour in the 2nd half, and further hindered Fulham from getting back into the match. It even led to the ref calling for the lines to be shoveled off on a couple of different occasions. This was actually quite entertaining.

In the 72nd minute, City finished the task. Aguero dished to Edin Dzeko, who finally found his way into the back of the net again to make it 3-0 to City. Fulham would get a chance at a consolation goal in the 89th minute but John Arne Riise had his shot saved by Joe Hart, and City held on for the 3-0 win on a cold Saturday.

JOE HART GETS HELP FROM THE SHOVEL BRIGADE (EPL Official)

EPL: QPR vs. Wolves

Coming into this weekend's match with fellow relegation threatened Wolves, spirits were generally high at Loftus Road. The club had made their ambition plain after hiring Mark Hughes as manager and making a big splash in the January transfer window, including the big signings of Bobby Zamora from Fulham and Djibril Cisse from Lazio. Both of those players would create highlights in this match, one good, and one bad.

QPR took charge of the match right from the first kick. They were keeping about 60% of the possession, and when Wolves did manage to get a hold of the ball, they couldn't do a thing with it. Cisse announced his presence in the 4th minute with a shot right at Wayne Hennessey in goal for Wolves. Zamora had the better chance just seconds later but saw the 'keeper knock it wide.

That was not all we'd hear from Bobby Zamora though. Earlier in the week, Cisse had scored on his debut for the club, and Zamora equaled the achievement against Wolves. In the 16th minute he took a back pass from Shaun Wright-Phillips at the top of the area and smacked the ball past Hennessey to make it 1-0 to QPR.

Wolves continued to struggle, to look like they couldn't do anything going forward, but then QPR gave them a get out of jail free card. In the 33rd minute Roger Johnson of Wolves went in on Cisse from behind on a nasty tackle. He was to receive a yellow for the play. However, as the referee rushed to the scene, Cisse inexplicably channeled Joey Barton and grabbed Johnson around the neck. He received the red card for the play. The QPR folks weren't happy, but it was the correct call. Still, despite being a man down QPR held their lead into the half time interval.

Wolves stormed out of the gate in the second half. They added Kevin Doyle as a 4th attacker, and the sub paid immediate dividends. In the 46th minute Doyle sent a cross to Matthew Jarvis, who slid the ball at an angle into the net at the far post to make it 1-1.

Doyle continued to be a dominant force for Wolves even after that. He got on the board himself in 71st minute to give Wolves the lead. He also took a short shot to the back post to make it 1-2 to the visitors.

QPR did formulate a response, but it came from one man. Adel Taarabt took Rangers on his shoulders in the closing minutes of the contest, putting several shots on target. The greatest chance came from distance in the 82nd minute. He sent in a blast that looked to certain to be headed for the roof of the net, but Hennessey got up and just barely put it over the bar. In the end it was too little, too late, and Wolves held on for the much needed three points.

CISSE SEES RED (EPL OFFICIAL)

Puddle's Goal of the Weekend: Juan Mata from Fernando Torres

Unfortunately the result in London didn't go the way I wanted it to this morning, but it did provide me with my Goal of the Weekend. Check out Mata's wonderstrike after a gorgeous cross from Torres.

Puddle's Goal of the Midweek: Djibril Cisse's Debut Goal for QPR

Check out this great Fox Sports video: Djibril Cisse's debut goal

Couldn't get a good Youtube grab of this one, but check it out. Djibril Cisse's debut goal for QPR after arriving from Italy. His celebration is pretty sweet too!

Gear: LA Galaxy Home Jersey

I'm not just an RSL homer either. Here's the new home jersey for the defending MLS Cup Champion LA Galaxy. This year they've added the sash. I personally like the sash, and it gives some more color to it. Good kit in my opinion.

GET YOURS AND CHECK OUT PRODUCTS FOR YOUR TEAM AT WORLD SOCCER SHOP

Gear: RSL 2012 Home Jersey

Last week Real Salt Lake unveiled their new kits for 2012. Biggest difference is the asymmetry with the blue on one side and red on the other. I like it because it gave the jersey a newer look, but really didn't change the tradition of it.


GET YOURS AND CHECK OUT PRODUCTS FOR YOUR CLUB AT WORLD SOCCER SHOP!

Edson Buddle Returns to the LA Galaxy.

The LA Galaxy added what will perhaps be another key piece in their MLS Cup defense today by signing Edson Buddle. The former Galaxy man reupped with the club after spending the last year at FC Ingolstadt in the German 2nd division. He scored nine goals while in Europe.

Buddle also has ten caps for the USA squad. However he made his name scoring 17 goals for the Galaxy in the 2010 season. Buddle had trials with Everton and West Ham, but neither club opted to sign him.

Ingolstadt has been going through financial trouble, and they canceled Buddle's contract with his consent. Rumor is that he was just too expensive to keep.

Of course, the Galaxy still need to address their defense I think.