Strip Club–Brazilian Wax Edition

They say rules are meant to be broken.  How true.  A couple of years ago, as a means of managing my kit habit, I made the following rules:

  • I would only buy a club or international kit every three years.
  • I would only buy international kits of the United States Men’s National Team.  Why?  Because I’m American, if only by an accident of birthplace.
  • I would not buy “hero jerseys”.  If they were personalized, then it would be with me—JUNIOR 7.
  • I would not buy kits at full price.  Instead I would buy them on sale (promotional or otherwise) or wait until the release of the following set of kits.

I was doing ok until I found the site Beautiful Gear.  If you are not following this site, you are missing out, as it is a wonderful destination for the latest in jerseys and footwear and fashion.  Early in 2011 I came upon this post, which tied my love for footy and Batman in a way I could not have imagined.   So in the spirit of the knights of old, I went on a quest.  I knew I wanted this kit even though it violated my new principles of buying on US Men’s National Kits, but for this one I was willing to make an exception.

However, this journey was a little more difficult than I had imagined, as info and accessibility was sketchy at best.  In my research I found out that Brazil had actually worn white kits in their early history but had put them in the trashbin of history after losing the 1950 World Cup Final at the Maracana, and that a fan contest had created the iconic kit going forward.

I found a couple of more sites that talked about this foreboding jersey but very little in the way of links to purchase.  My research revealed the CBF has put the kibosh on the Dark Knight version but had approved a black kit with yellow highlights.  I can’t imagine the Seleção ever wearing this in a competitive game, but the modified kit is still amazing with the hints of color popping out against the black background. (Pics courtesy of footballfashion.org)

I have a lead on a knock off version of the black kit so I might spring for it this summer.  Yes I already have too many jerseys, but this a true collector’s item, so might have to bend my “rules” slightly.

2012
04/13
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Strip Club
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Morbo Minute–Further Twists and Turns

Games are coming thick and fast.  As I wrap up this post, I am checking Tuesday results, with more games on Wednesday and Thursday.

The narrative of the league continues to provide drama and excitement as Malaga have climbed to third; the race for European places remains a toss up; and Real Madrid drew again, further giving FCB hope to win their fourth straight title.  At the bottom, Gjion’s shame spiral continues, with Racing right there with them. Zaragoza gave everything against the champions but lost.

Between Easter weekend and work, I didn’t get to as much as I would, but here is some stuff I found. . .

Graham Hunter looked at some of the obstacles—Pique’s possible injury, Messi dependence, and lack of sharpness—facing the Blaugrana as they attempt to retain the European Cup.  Plus he praised Real Madrid for thrashing Osasuna away in Round 30, with special remarks given to Benzema, who is hitting top gear.  Finally, he gave a little plug for Valverde, formerly coach of Athletic and Espanyol, as a possible Pep replacement.

Sid Lowe told the wonderful tale of Sandoval, the manager at Rayo Vallecano, who, despite taking the back to first division, despite taking a pay cut, despite working with very little resources, despite keeping them away from relegation, was asked to give his bonus back from last season because the new administration did not want to honor agreements of the previous regime.  Fascinating story, including a possible Japanese strike by the manager and squad.  Don’t know what a Japanese strike is?  Read and find out.

Phil Ball returned after an unanticipated week off to look at the stories at the top and bottom of La Liga, with FCB trying to hunt down Real Madrid, Levante fighting to keep the dream alive one more week, and Zaragoza attempting one of the greatest escapes ever.

Kxevin at Barcelona Football Blog praised both sides in Barcelona’s 4-1 over Zaragoza, focusing his comments on Valdes, Sanchez, Busquets and Messi.  Who knows if Barca will catch Real Madrid? But efforts like this one give them every chance.

Madridista Mac at Real Madrid Football Blog summed up the pulsating 0-0 draw against Valencia with four words: Disappontment, Defense, Perspective and Poise.  An energetic but unlucky performance did not result in any goals, partly due to Valencia’s tactics and partly due to their goalkeeper, but Mac sees this squad having the tools to finish the job as the big day approaches.

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Articles

Kwame Agyemang wrote a guest post for SpanishFootball.info looking at how La Liga is followed in Africa.  Kwame argues that the EPL dominates La Liga for two reasons: more competitive fixtures league wide as opposed to the success of the Big Two, and the influx of African players into England, which gives African fans a rooting interest in teams.

Javier turned his statistical eye towards the goalkeepers of La Liga, finding that many teams are using multiple keepers in an attempt to find success.  Veteran Palop has replaced first half star Varas at Sevilla and has an impressive save percentage.

2012
04/10
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Midweek Warrior–Be Sick on Wednesday

Take Wednesday off.  I can’t but you should.  Epic games in big leagues that could determine the where the championships end up.

2:00p    Bundesliga         Borussia Dortmund x Bayern Munich        GolTV

1st against 2nd.  If Bayern wins, they catch Dortmund and would have the momentum.

2:40p    Serie A              Juventus vs. Lazio                                  ESPN3

Juventus finally overtook AC Milan and this will be a tough game as the Old Lady tries to win back the scudetto.

4:00p    La Liga              Atl. Madrid x RealMadrid                        GolTV

Real Madrid stumbled at the weekend and will need all three points to keep FCB at arms length before El Clasico on 4/21.

2012
04/10
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Old Futbol Buffet–The Easter Bunny stole my football

I only saw about 15 minutes of footy last weekend, but it was the most important 15 minutes.

I didn’t get up in time on Saturday morning to watch Spurs v Sunderland, which turned out to be a blessing in disguise as the 90 minutes did not provide any goals.  Spooky lamented the lack of energy and tempo in his wrap up at Dear Mr Levy.  None of the 10am ET games interested me, so my wife and I packed up for a four drive to Columbus, Ohio to pick up my son, who was Spring Break, and visit my sister.

This trip meant that I missed the Palermo/Juventus and Real Zaragoza/FC Barcelona games.  During pit stops I would check scores and was thrilled to see the Old Lady and the Blaugrana win their respective matches.  Juventus now lead the Serie A table by one point and control the destiny of the scudetto.  Bonucci’s goal was all about wanting it more than anyone else and Quags scored a deserved second after all of his work coming back from injury. Barcelona came back from an early goal to cut the margin to three behind Real Madrid and keep the pressure on.  Los Merengues could only draw at home against Valencia and the margin is now four points with El Clasico two weeks away.

On Sunday, we attended the Easter Service at my sister’s church, which meant I missed Manchester United v QPR and Arsenal v Manchester City.  Now only that, I would miss the watch party at the local pub back in Lansing. But we walked into the restaurant, and, to my surprise, the TV was showing Arsenal v City in glorious HD.  I was put in a quandary.  Do I spend time with the family or watch a key moment in the English title race?  I tried to do both.  After craning to see the TV, I finally just got up and stood in front of the TV.  Arsenal were in a period of dominance but lacked the final ball.  Then all of the sudden a City turnover was pounced by Arteta who lashed a shot into the bottom corner to give the Gunners the lead.  At the moment I took the fork I was using and metaphorically stuck in the blue side of Manchester.

But the star of the weekend has to be Clint Dempsey, who scored two fantastic goals in Fulham’s win.  His free kick was pure magic and his intelligent movement made the second goal an easy header into the back of the net.  Can he possibly remain at Craven Cottage next season?

—-

Podcasts

The SI Soccer Roundtable panel looked ahead to the Champions League Semi Finals, with some disagreement about whether Bayern Munich are heavy underdogs or legitimate contenders.  Plus there was a quick of review of early MLS stories including KC’s unbeaten start and Galaxy’s rough opening weeks.

Jonathan Wilson was back on Off the Ball on Thursday to discuss Sunderland’s form since Martin O’Neill took over for Steve Bruce.  The stats are pretty similar but the points earned are the real difference as the Black Cats have climbed into the top half and have proved a handful for top teams.

2012
04/09
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Morbo Minute–La Liga dominates Europe

The only Champions League Quarter Final I wanted to watch was FCB and AC Milan.  Two European giants, a good test for the Spanish Champions, a real possibility of elimination.  The rest of the ties didn’t get the juices following.  Marseille could only survive by digging in and making things difficult for Bayern Munich; APOEL couldn’t possibly hope to beat mighty Real Madrid; and Chelsea and Benfica was mildly compelling but I couldn’t find time.  In the end Bayern and Real cruised while Chelsea got the away goal in the first leg and then held on at the Bridge.

The confrontation between the Blaugrana and the Rossoneri was tense and exciting, filled with talking points in both legs.  Ultimately the tie was decided by finishing or lack thereof.  AC Milan could have scored several goals in each leg but Robinho and Ibra weren’t sharp enough.  If your only goal comes from Nocerino then you’re in trouble.  Having said that, what a wonderful goal it was.  But Barca were not sparkling either.  Messi in particular has set the bar so high that you expected him to score with the numerous chances he was given.  At the Nou Camp, with the tie on a knife edge, he kept firing at Abbiati or just wide, making the pit in my stomach bigger and darker.

I was very nervous for the return leg, feeling that AC Milan could score at least one, which they did, and had nightmares about Inter in 2010 when FCB needed two goals and it took forever to just get one.  So when Messi scored the first penalty, the work was only half done, because Nocerino scored, putting the pressure back on Barca.  The second penalty was dodgy.  Very rarely called, complicated by the Puyol pick, the hosts were lucky to get that one.  Plus Ibra might have had a shout early in the second half.  Iniesta’s goal was quality and put the result beyond doubt.

AC Milan were positioned to advance.  They acknowledged that FCB were better and dug in, hitting the ball early to their forwards for a moment of magic, with KPB running around as another option.  And it almost worked because Barca were in control but not necessarily sharp.

Zonal Marking examined the match and looked at how Barca’s starting 3-3-4 affected the match. Cuenca provided the width that was missing the first leg, while equal or superior numbers in midfield kept the Blaugrana in control.  Zonal Marking felt that they did not create many chances.  I disagree.  In the first half, they had chances but Barca, Messi in particular, fluffed their lines.  Robinho’s improved tactical contribution was noted, but the conclusion says it all:

Barcelona are a far better football team than Milan on paper – but over the two legs, they only looked marginally better. Milan didn’t do anything special to frustrate Guardiola’s side, but a combination of an over-cautious approach in the first leg, and a slightly confused formation in this second game meant that Barca struggled to demonstrate their natural superiority in the final third. In the tie, the goal that was most Barcelona-like was Nocerino’s equaliser.

Kxevin at Barcelona Football Blog skipped the tactics and focused on the result—victory.   He advised cules to take the high road, that no matter what FCB do, haters are gonna hate.

On to the Semis with mouthwatering matchups that could provide an all Spanish final or Bayern home field advantage or Mourinho coaching against his former club.  Real have to be a favorite because if Bayern really go at them, whatever attacking formation Los Merengues go with will tear them apart. Chelsea have a puncher’s chance and an inspired performance at Stamford Bridge could give them a platform for an upset.  Bayern vChelsea is the least likely matchup and would be a let down in most circles, but stay tuned and see what happens.

Can’t end without mentioning La Liga success in the Europa League.  Last year it seemed to be the year of the Portuguese and this year it is dominated by the Spanish.  Athletic Bilbao, Atletico Madrid and Valencia all progressed to the semis, pretty comfortably I might add.  I didn’t watch a minute of the quarters but may have to carve out some time for the semis.

Atletico could win this competition for the second time in three years and salvage something from the season.  Valencia, who are in free fall in the league, could use a little boost that this trophy would provide heading into the summer.  (Chalk on the Boots had a nice post on the second leg at El Centrocampista.  He mentioned thatValencia are missing Banega, which could be crucial in the run-in for the league and this cup.)  As for Athletic, the Champions League push is all but over, so they are pursuing a cup double, which would be nice return from an up and down season.

2012
04/07
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Weekend Warrior

Don’t have time to craft this post. Let me just say, WATCH. Serie A, La Liga, EPL, even Portuguese Super Liga. Get in front of an electronic device and soak it in.

All Times Eastern Daylight Time

Saturday

12:30p Serie A Palermo v Juventus FS+/ESPN3
2:00p La Liga Zaragoza x Barcelona GolTV
3:30p Portugal Braga vs. FC Porto ESPN3
4:00p La Liga Betis x Villarreal GolTV

Sunday
5:55a La Liga Levante vs. Atletico de Madrid ESPN3
8:30a EPL Manchester Utd. v Queens Park Rangers FSC
10:30a EPL Arsenal v Manchester City FSC
12:00p La Liga Ath. Bilbao x Sevilla GolTV
3:25p La Liga Real Madrid vs. Valencia ESPN2/3

2012
04/06
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Morbo Minute–Lions Slain by the Vampire

Over the last couple of years La Liga has been compared to Scotland, with the crutch of two big teams and the rest of the league easy to use, but this season, the tale of the campaign seems to be mirroring England.  Both leagues have had two leaders, with one faltering, although Real have not choked completely as MCFC seem to have done, and one maintaining the pressure after a dip in form.  Another comparison is a third place team (Valencia and Tottenham), almost assured of their place, being caught from behind and possibly losing a coveted Champions League place.  Then there is the similarity of Arsenal and Malaga, with both teams getting off to poor starts but surging up the table, even matching results this weekend with shock loses to take the edge of the momentum.  At the bottom, clubs have found a doppelganger as Wigan and Zaragoza were nailed on relegation candidates, but recent points have been grabbed, giving each team a glimmer of survival hope.  (Although Zaragoza are four points behind Villarreal and six behind Granada).  Further comparisons could be made between Newcastle and Levante and Liverpool and Athletic Bilbao or maybe Atletico Madrid I suppose.  Anyway, another round has come and gone, with both of the Big Two surviving tough tests, while Valencia, Malaga and Gijon failed theirs in their respective matches.

Kaushik at Real Madrid Football Blog feels that Madrid are peaking just in time for the run in as the Trident produced more goals with Ozil pulling the strings.  In addition, Di Maria is coming back, plus Mourinho is getting everyone ready for combat, drafting in Albiol and Granero for the weeks ahead.

Blogger Chalk on the Boots did a guest post on El Centrocampista about the Real Madrid game and examined the game plans of each squad.  Focus was given to Roversio’s role right back, which failed as he was caught out time and time again putting pressure on the rest of the team.  Also Lekic could have started instead of coming in and occupying the center backs after the game was lost.  As for Los Merengues, their pressure, composure and finishing turned a tricky fixture into another rout.  Really enjoyed the insights into this match.

Tim Stannard (aka La Liga Loca) tempered the praise of fans and the Madrid media, reminding readers at Football365.com that Los Blancos still have several tough matches ahead of them: Valencia at home this weekend and Atleti away during the week, plus away to Bilbao later with probable games against Bayern looming the Champions League.  Based on the form of Los Che, Los Colchoneros and Los Leones, I’m not sure Mourinho’s men will break a sweat, but games against Die Roten might just take the wind out of the sails enough to let Barcelona back in before the weekend of 4/20.

Real Madrid seem to be over their momentarily blip.  If you take away the FCB game in December, they have been dominant in the League except for two two game stumbles: Levante (L) and Racing (D) in the fall and Malaga (D) and Villarreal (D) a couple of weeks ago.  Removing those five matches they have everything single one of the 25 on offer.  Color me impressed.  No more blips and they are campeones.

FCB v Athletic was the only game I got to see over the weekend and what a game it was.  The game at San Mames was rainy, sloppy and intense as the Blaugrana had to give everything to get a draw.  The return match was a spectacle—again intense, crisp and razor sharp.  I tweeted afterwards: if there is anything like a moral victory then #athletic earned it tonight v #FCB. what a game. copa final should be fantastic.

Los Leones, who had essentially booked themselves a Europa League semi-final spot less than 48 hours earlier, came and played their hearts out, giving some of their lesser players a chance, bringing on the stars in the second half to try to rescue something. Irazioz was outstanding in goal and gave the visitors every chance to win.  As for Barca, they gave a good showing and ran out worthy winners, even though they must have had one eye on the Milan game.

Twelve Point Courier reviewed the tactics of the game for Total Barca, emphasizing how the hosts were able to use their spare center back to start attacks, thereby disrupting Bilbao’s man to man strategy.  He also broke down the opening goal, showing how Barca’s movement and quickness created the opportunity for Iniesta.

Jack for the Athletic Bilbao Offside page summed up the match up with his post title: Respectable result given the circumstances and his concluding statement: With the lack of rest and priorities elsewhere, it was a respectable scoreline and the players deserve credit for not giving up. Gorka did little wrong in goal and Ekiza has surely staked a claim for a regular first team place.

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Articles

Javier at El Centrocampista used his statistical wizardry to reveal some very illuminating facts about some of the teams and players in La Liga.  For instance Reyes (Sevilla) and Dani Benítez (Granada) should stop shooting.  Each have over fifty shots without scoring.  He goes on to look at the impact players have in goal scoring opportunities and even how certain players affect wins and loses.  Interesting reading, especially for any Fantasy Futbol players out there.

Sid Lowe looked at the current captain of the sinking ship known as Sporting Gijon—Javier Clemente.  Doesn’t look like he is going to save the club for relegation as they are now rock bottom and Clemente is making enemies on and off the pitch.

Graham Hunter looked at unlucky #19 worn by Senna at Villarreal (I seem to remember Messi wearing the number after starting with #30) as the veteran midfielder tries to lead the Yellow Submarine away from relegation.  He also touched on Mourinho’s dealings with the players and the press and what impact that may have on Madrid’s pursuit of La Liga and the Champions League.  Finally, Hunter gave readers a heads up on Dongou, the latest and greatest young prospect at FC Barcelona, who scored his first goal for the B team.  Let’s let Tello and Cuenca develop first, shall we?

David Redshaw at A Different Liga wrote a quick piece on the cost of watching La Liga games, both live and on PPV.  Based on his information, Spanish broadcasters are reducing game fees to less than €1 per game while matchday ticket prices are some of the highest in Europe.  Yet another issue that needs to be addressed as the league seems to be heading towards some sort of breaking point.

Finally, El Centrocampista got a snippet from Scott Oliver’s Blizzard article on the rivalry between Athletic Bilbao and FCB during the 80’s.  A fantastic read and convinced me I really need to start buying the Blizzard.

2012
04/03
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Old Futbol Buffet–What I Missed

My life has been super super busy.  I have been trying to keep up on events going inEurope, which has been tough.

Two Saturdays ago I spent six hours at the local bar watching Chelsea v Spurs, Arsenal v Aston Villa (with an eye on Liverpool v Wigan) and then Real Mallorca against FC Barcelona.  Needless to say a nap was on the cards afterwards.

The London Derby wasn’t that great of a game.  Spurs seemed to be completely out of sorts with Bale drifting inside while Mata seemed awfully subdued for the Blues.  There were very few moments of quality: Adebayor’s run down the sideline and Walker’s terrible run to goal; free kicks from Bale and Mata; and double save on VdV. 2 pts from last 15 for spurs.  They will be lucky to hang to fourth.  (Did manage make the FA Cup semis against Chelsea though.)

Arsenal ran circles around Villa.  Albrighton had one nice run for the Villains but that’s about all I can remember from the visitors.  Once Given let in a soft goal from Gibbs, the writing was on the wall.  The goals from Theo and Arteta were simply spectacular.

Midweek saw the return of the Champions League, with Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, and Chelsea all but booked their places in the semis, with the gigantic clash between AC Milan and FC Barcelona still in the balance.  The game was entertaining but the surface and the lack of finishing kept the gloss of the game.  Zonal Marking examined the narrowness of FCB (until the introduction of Tello) and the organized pressing from the Rossoneri in his post.

The weekend in the Premiership saw more surprising results, with Arsenal losing to QPR and Wigan winning again in a dramatic last push to avoid relegation. Liverpool lost again but that’s not really a shock.  The biggest shock had to be Sunderland leading City 3-1 at the Eithad, before the blue team of Manchester pulled it back for a 3-3 draw.  If United beat Blackburn, then the Citizens may have kissed the title good bye.

The Men in Blazers pod this week was a mixed bag.  Roger’s phone line fromLiverpool was not stellar, but the banter on the previous week’s fixtures was great.  The guys spent a moment remembering Giorgio Chinaglia, who passed away last week.

Scott the Red is seeing his prediction for league honors come good in his post match wrap as United finally broke down a determined Blackburn team with two stunning goals from Valencia and Young.  I had the game on the background at work and, while it always looked like United were in control, there were some nervy moments.  As usual, I looked away and both goals were scored.  United have QPR on Sunday and if they win, surely City will feel the pressure against Arsenal.

One issue that has bothered me this season is Evra’s form for the Red Devils, which Doron addressed at stretford-end.com.  He examined all of the factors affecting the Frenchman—playing almost every minute this season, dealing with Suarez incident, negotiating the tendencies of the players around—and feels that United are lucky to have a player of his caliber.  Yes his form has dipped slightly but the rest of Europe would kill to have him.  Decent perspective, but next year Fabio has got to put up or shut up, so that Evra can be phased out.

In Serie A, Juventus thumped Napoli 3-0 to get within two points of AC Milan.  The title race is definitely back on and should be a fantastic finish.

Aaron and Marco of Juventiknows looked back at the Juventus game against Napoli which featured a comprehensive second half that produced 3 goals without replay.  Although Conte’s selections still cause some head scratching and face palms, you can’t argue with the results.  30 games unbeaten, two behind the leaders, and an easier run-in.  How great would it be if ADP ended his Juventus career by lifting the scudetto?

Speaking of dramatic title races, keep an eye on Portugal, Germany and Holland.  Epic finishes ahoy!!

PORTUGAL

Porto 60
Benfica 59
Braga 58

Ben Shave was on Beyond the Pitch to talk about the Portuguese League as the a dramatic run-in approaches.  Great information about the traditional powers and some of the surprising stories like Maritimo and Guimaraes.  They also discussed where AVB might land after his short time at Chelsea.

GERMANY

Borussia Dortmund 63
Bayern Munich 60

HOLLAND

Ajax Amsterdam 58
AZ Alkmaar 57
Twente Enschede 55
PSV Eindhoven 54
Feyenoord Rotterdam 54
Heerenveen 54

Finally, Jonathan Wilson looked ahead to England’s Euro 2012 campaign by reminding readers of the events of the last two years.  His verdict: And soEngland, with three months to go until Euro 2012, is without a manager, without a captain and, frankly, without much of a clue.

—–

Podcasts

Phil and Doron were back on Beyond the Pitch to look at news around Old Trafford, with the Reds picking up three vital points against Fulham.  Doron did an extensive look at Academy prospects and gave an update on the reserves.  Possible transfer window possibilities were discussed, focusing on Macheda and Berbatov.

Roberto Gotta was on Beyond the Pitch as well to discuss Serie A.  Inter took center stage as they have hired their 17th coach in 17 years.  Plus the guys looked at AC Milan down the stretch.

Grant Wahl and Alexi Lalas discussed the US’s failure to qualify for the London Olympics on the SI Soccer Roundtable and what that might mean for the coaches, players and program down the road. Interesting thoughts and well worth a listen.

Graham Hunter and Jonathan Wilson were Off the Ball Tuesday to discuss the FC Barcelona v AC Milan. Wilson pointed out that FCB’s manipulation of the refs does not cover them in glory and feels that this year’s vintage is not of the same standard as previous years.  Hunter praised the Blaugrana and thoroughly enjoyed the encounter between the European heavyweights.

2012
04/02
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MatchDay Memory–Heaven on Earth

Over the last ten years, major European sides have come to the US in search of gaining fitness, growing their brand and making a little money.  In the summer of 2003, I went to the East Coast to get as close as heaven as I could, as Manchester United, FC Barcelona and Juventus FC all came to the States at the same time to play each other, so a group of us (one die hard United supporter, one Arsenal fan, one guy along for the ride and me, who liked all the clubs, a topic I plan to tackle at another time) went to New York City and Philadelphia.

The prelude to the trip was crazy as I flew from Lansing, MI to Birmingham, Alabama, where I hopped in a car with my mom to drive to Mississippi for the Neshoba County Fair.  If you have never experienced the Fair, then I won’t get into that now but will just say it’s hot.  There was a reunion for myself and my 15 first cousins that was not to be missed.  After a weekend at the Fair, I got back on a plane to Lansing, where I repacked, slept for a couple of hours, then drove to Detroit Metro so I could catch a plane to NYC.

That night we went out to the famous Nevada Smith’s (with a slogan of Where Football is the Religion, it has to be a must visit) to have a couple of drinks with United supporters.  The next morning we took the train out to Rutgers Univeristy to watch the Reds train, which was amazing.  You don’t realize how good these guys are until you get up close and watch them play.  After an hour of watching Fergie take them through their paces, I wondered how do these guys ever lose?

The next day Manchester United took on the Old Lady of Italian football at the old Meadowlands.  I wore my Juventus jersey to the game so that another guy could wear my United jersey.  I was in a no-lose situation.  A night of fine goals, with a superb free kick from Giggs opening the scoring.  Then the Red Devils carved open the Bianconeri for Scholes to score the second, and Ruud Van Nistelrooy scored a fantastic third after a clever ball from Veron.  Juve grabbed a consolation goal from Nedved with 20 mintues to go before Solskjaer added the fourth after good vision from Forlan, who later missed an absolute sitter. So quality goals from United, an appearance by Pele, and a crunching tackle on Nedved by Keane for good measure.  Plus Tim Howard got some love as he moved from New York to United in the weeks before the tour.  I got some gas wearing the black and white stripes but it was worth it.

The hours before and after were agonizing.  I guess the way you get to games is by taking a bus, which we spent hours waiting for.  I didn’t bring a snack and when I don’t eat, I get cranky, and that’s not a good thing.  Then after the game we had to wait forever for the bus home and it was raining.  When we finally got back into town I just wanted to go to bed.

The following day we spent walking around NYC.  We visited a museum, don’t ask me which one, then I spent the rest of the day at Central Park, enjoying the sunshine and people watching.  Later that day we saw Juan Sebastian Veron on the streets and I took a picture of him and my friend, which was pretty cool.  (He was transferred to Chelsea later that summer.)

Then it was off to Philadelphia and the new Lincoln Financial Field for Manchester United against FC Barcelona.  In the off season there was a battle for Ronaldinho’s signature, with the Brazilian playmaker eventually signing with the Blaugrana instead of the Red Devils, and the pro-United crowd booed him every time he touched the ball.

Barcelona were in a period of transition.  The club had a new President in Joan Laporta, a new manager in Frank Rijkaard, and besides Ronny, several new transfers—Quaresma, Rüştü, Márquez, Van Bronckhorst, Iniesta, Víctor Valdés, Oleguer.  Look at those names.  Many of those would be in the squad that would win back to back La Liga titles and the Champions League in 2006.

For some reason I don’t have many memories from the match other than FCB’s khaki kits.  United won again with Forlan scoring twice in the first half before RVN notched another goal just before the end of a 3-1 win.

After the game, we headed to the Dark Horse, another United bar.  I honestly don’t remember much of that night so that’s that.  What I do recall is multiple levels and people playing darts.  The next morning it was back on the train to NYC to catch the plane back to Detroit.  A whirlwind trip that was fun, memorable, awe inspiring and exhausting.

As for United, after their American adventure, they returned toManchester playing Sporting Lisbon and Stoke City on the way, both 3-1 losses on their way to a third placed finish in the Premier League.  But after the Sporting match they signed a certain Cristiano Ronaldo who would be the linchpin of another Fergie dynasty.

I tell anyone who will listen, if I go to Europe, I’m never coming back.  If I had everyday access to coverage of these teams, including possible match days, I would figure out a way to make that happen.  Forget 7:30am kick offs on American TV or internet feeds or watching highlights a day or two after.  To actually be at the cathedrals of my favorite teams would bring me an indescribable joy.

2012
03/30
CATEGORY
MatchDay Memories
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Morbo Minute–Must See TV

La Liga continues to surprise, with this last round of games being no different.  Zaragoza won again giving everyone hope that they could somehow survive against the odds; Sevilla somehow found the net again against Granada after struggling for a couple of weeks; and Bilbao continued to struggle and may be content with a couple of cup runs.

Weeks ago, Real Madrid looked to be cruising towards the title with a 10 point lead over FCB, with Valencia locked into third. But just as in England, things have changed, with two draws by Madrid cutting the deficit to six points and Valencia (the Spanish Tottenham) now level on points with a resurgent Malaga.

Graham Hunter analyzed the factors that will decide the title for the Big Two in his weekly column for Soccernet.  He makes a compelling case for a dramatic finish, although I still am not too sure.  As for the race to third, I reviewed the results since Malaga and Valencia returned in January.  Valencia have only won three of their 13 league matches in 2012, drawing five and losing five for a total of 14 points. Malaga, on the other hand, got off to a slow start in the New Year, then did a win loss win loss segment, but now have won four of their last five, the other result being a 1-1 draw with Real Madrid.  They have picked up 23 from 39, not great, but still enough to catch Los Che.  Pressure is mounting on Emery and this major dip will probably see him leave in the summer despite him keeping the club in the European places and making the last eight of the Europa League.

Madridista Mac reveled in the three headed monster of Benzema, Higuain and CR7.  The combination of these players all singing from the same song sheet was a sight to behold as Real Sociedad were torn apart.  Mac feels that with games coming thick and fast between now and the end of the season, viewers may not see much of this attacking trident.  He also gave big ups to Varane’s performance at the heart of defense.  Could this be a valuable long term signing for Los Blancos?  Time will tell.

The Barcelona game capped off a triple header for me.  The match was nervy, especially as the Blaugrana could not find the second goal and then Thiago got sent off. Mallorca’s high pressure definitely made Barca uncomfortable during periods of the match, and better finishing from the hosts could have put the current champions under real pressure.  But if you don’t take your chances, then you won’t get the rewards.

Kari from Barcelona Football Blog examined some of the tactical nuances from Pep this season in anticipation of their big game with Milan.  Injuries, match ups and experimentation have led to several changes in how the Blaugrana lines up.  The key for the squad this season has been flexibility, which allows the team to change formations in game with no substitutions (see game last December against Madrid as a huge example).

Osasuna’s big result against Levante was where Sid Lowe started his column this week.  Not only did the club get three big points that got them comfortably over the 40 point mark with games to spare, but it set them up in their run for a European place.  Currently in sixth, it’s all to play for in the run-in, led by Raul Garcia, goalkeeper Fernandez and coach Mendilíbar.  Next up Real Madrid at home.

Elisa visited Rayo Vallencano for the final chapter of her Spanish trip, which saw visiting Villarreal pick up all three valuable points in their bid to maintain Primera status.  She felt the Yellow Submarine were the better team despite Sandoval’s comments post match. If you have not visited Forza Futbol or Elisa’s Facebook page, I would highly recommend you do so for the match recaps, cultural nuggets and great pictures from the trip.

Finally, Phil Ball explored the nature of the Spanish phrase Hijo de puta!’ (son of a bitch) this week as he saw Real Madrid take the legal gloves off to make sure Sergio Ramos was on the field against Real Sociedad, which saw Los Merengues stop the slide and go back six points clear.  Mention was also given to Javier Clemente who took his new team, Gijon to San Mames, where they earned a point and kept Los Leones spiraling away from the European places.

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Podcasts

Sid Lowe was on Beyond the Pitch to discuss La Liga, particularly Athletic and FC Barcelona.  The gang looked at Athletic Bilbao’s season thus far especially in light of Bielsa taking over.  They also discussed the blooding of youth players and the future of the squad.  FCB was also a topic, with their minor dip in form probably costing them the league.  But the Blaugrana are on the up as they hit the Champions League and the Copa del Rey Final at the end of May.  Finally, the guys touched onSpain’s chances in the upcoming Euros, including where Villa and Torres might stand in the final reckoning.

More Sid Lowe.  He and Andy May looked back on the weekend on the Sky Sports La Liga Weekly podcast.  A lot of time was spent on the Real Madrid media blackout after the Villarreal game and possible cracks starting to show.  They also addressed Pique’s poor season but the squad as a whole is coming good.  Finally, Valencia are in real trouble and could miss the Champions League if they are not careful.

Ravi from Forza Futbol interviewed Adam Boyle from Ooh Betis on the latest pod.  They discussed the nature of the Seville Derby and Betis’ season thus far.  Adam mentioned key youth players and examined the future of the club: greater financial stability, the running of the club by administrators, and the impact of LFP (ie Monday PM games, lack of scheduling ahead, etc.).

2012
03/28
CATEGORY
Morbo Minutes
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