Shakira Graham has a post on the record breaking season Derby County produced. 10 hours ago
Jay! Matarese calls for an open inquiry by the FA as to the contents of the water bottles up in MIddlesbrough today.---
The results of the team drug tests will prove that 'Boro had chemical help in putting 8 past Sweden's #1.
Either that, or Alves finally decided to display the form he had in the Dutch League.
Or Man City are no better than Heracles.
Thx,
Jay!
10 hours ago
Kartik Krishnaiyer has a post on Fulham's surival and what it means for the sport in this country---
It was like the US National Team out there today. I was that wrapped up in it. Those are our boys and I am so proud of them. The Yank bashing never stops in England but we showed them a little of what makes Americans so successful in athletic competitions these last few weeks!
American Grit.
Shakira Graham thinks Man City's players and Sven showed Shinatwatra what they thought of him.---
Not taking anything away from Middlesboro's performance but I think that Man City tanked the match intentionally.
11 hours ago
Kartik Krishnaiyer says sing after me......---
YOU CAN'T BEAT KELLER!
YOU CAN'T BEAT KELLER!
HE'S THE BEST KEEPER EVER!
YOU'LL NEVER BEAT KELLER!
An old chant from the US National Team matches.
Fulham stay up. Thanks largely to the greatest American footballer ever.
Shakira Graham really likes The Boro's new home kit.---
Rather good looking design.
May 9
Kartik Krishnaiyer has a new post on the success of DC United in landing a massive sponsorship deal with VW.---
Here is the
link
I'm headed abroad tonight first to India (via London) and then to London itself for the US-England game on May 28th. I'll be back online in a few days with a new post on Hooliganism in Toronto. I interviewed Dougie Brimson author of March of the Hooligans yesterday.
Kartik Krishnaiyer thinks Joe makes a fair point but here is the reality.---
MLS is doing fine but has some work to do including the stamping out of Hooliganism which I spoke at length to Dougie Brimson about. My articles upon reflection have been a bit too critical but have been provocative and gotten some good feedback on that.
As far as the national team, Mexico is better by a long way than we are. Carlos Vela, Gio Dos Santos, Andres Guardado......do we have anyone even close to those guys? I submit if we combined the national teams, ten Mexicans would start and one American would start: Landon Donovan. The entire bench would be made up of Mexican players except for Tim Howard and maybe Gooch. (J. Magillion isn't as physical as Gooch but positions himself better)
I'm proud of what we've accomplished against Mexico, but understand they are technically far superior to us. We are more physical and are in their head. We are no way even close to being as skilled as they are. That having been said we continue to get results against them and they have far greater macro issues than we do right now so the point is fair but soccer isn't always as simple as head to head results.
May 8
Joe thinks Kartik's recent posts are way too alarmist about the US National Team and MLS.---
Dude, I know you are trying to be provocative and get people to listen to your show like the rest of the 2Gs network, but I know ten different people who were European fans who'd never watch MLS who have tuned in and been impressed by the standard. As for the National Team you constantly say Mexico is so much better than us, but if that is the case how come they never beat us? Claiming Honduras and Guatemala are better than us would have laughed out of most cocktail parties.
I will agree with you however, that MLS should be signing players exclusively from Latin America and appealing to Latin fans instead of European fans since the style of play is so much more latin than British.
May 7
Jay! Matarese spins the rumor mill with this story. May 7
Kartik Krishnaiyer likes the new VW look at United!---
From Getty Images
Looks good, even without the three stripes, but would have looked better w/ C. Gomez in that uniform!
Kartik Krishnaiyer has two new blog posts on different sites on different topics---
A Yanks Abroad update at
the Orlando Sentinel.
The MLS Power Rankings at
CSRN
A suggestion for Thaskin that he won't take. A certain former City assistant is doing wonders in MLS. If you are serious about winning give him a call. He may tell you a few things:
1- Don't sack Sven
2- Don't play "sexy" football
3- Managers use tactics even if boring to achieve success. Sven and Pearce both did what they could. Osorio's teams have been now since he came back over from England the most boring in MLS. But they get results. Other teams play "sexy" football with certain former Chelsea and Newcastle managers. Easy on the eye, but rough on the brain and table. Give me Osorio over Gullit anyday. Give me Pearce over Keagan also!
One more thing: Milan Mandaric dump L. City and come home. You were someone who gave much to soccer in this country before flying the coop and buying Pompey. Come home and invest in MLS or USL and avoid the media scrutiny/hatred!
Soccer Shout Phil is surprised that Shakira is so happy about the FC Utrect partnership---
After all, doesn't it just mean Derby will end up blooding a bunch of young Dutch players, with the best of them (and the best of Derby's players) heading to the Dutch league?
Maybe they'll slip you a bob or two in compensation.
May 6
Shakira Graham says she is very intrigued about Derby's new link with FC Utrecht May 6
Shakira Graham has the promotion/relegation picture from the EPL to the BSP covered. May 4
Shakira Graham is smiling large after Fester City is relegated to League One.---
Going down, going down, going downnnn...hehehehe
May 4
Kartik Krishnaiyer has a detailed look at soccer's challenges in the US, and why things aren't hunky dory right now.---
Less matches than ten years ago on mainstream platforms (ABC and ESPN)
EPL and La Liga rights falling to premium channels when they were on ESPN ten years ago
No break through in most local print or TV news coverage of European Football or MLS
Flat attendance for MLS in certain markets
Regression in MLS' quality at the top. An improvement in general play but not in attendance.
Lack of mainstream acceptance in mos quarters despite ten plus years of being in people's faces to an extent.
A depressing blog to write but one that had to be written.
Check it out
here.
Kartik Krishnaiyer says Time.Com has honored Kaka. Great write up by Kasey Keller.---
Funny thing I was just telling Jonathan this morning about the game referenced in the piece. I was there at Miami's Orange Bowl. The US has pretty much controlled the match for 75 minutes than this young Brazilian kid Kaka took over and scored a late goal to send the match to extra time where Brazil won after Corey Gibbs took a deliberate hand ball in the box eight minutes from what would have been a pk shootout, back in the days when the Golden Goal was still in place.
Here is the
story.
Shakira Graham says congratulations AFC Wimbeldon for getting promoted to the Conf South today as well.---
What a day for fan owned clubs.
May 3
Shakira Graham is thrilled FC United has secured it's third promotion in three years!!!---
Going up say we are going up, Going up say we are going up.
May 3
Trav wishes liverpool would stay quiet about possible future signings.---
We've made fools of ourselves enough this season, do we really need more bad press?
May 2
Kartik Krishnaiyer wonders if anyone remembers how bad Gattuso was at Rangers? Different leagues, different climates, different styles of play.---
The theme of world football. Gattuso will flop in England if he really comes.
May 2
Tyler Duffy thinks May 2
Jay! Matarese noticed that Rangers was dumped out of the Champion's League in the Group Stage and Celtic was dumped after the first knockout round.---
I guarantee that if any of the big four were dumped out of the Champions League at the group stage this year they would be playing in the UEFA Cup final. Comparing the cream of the Scottish crop to the 5th, 6th 7th and 10th place teams in England isn't exactly comparing like to like.
Then again, maybe it is. Because Rangers and Celtic wouldn't crack the top four in England if they played there.
Thx,
Jay!
May 2
Erik concur great tactics. I didn't know his history with City to be fair, but I must say that he has RB looking like a very organized team right now.---
I think that TFC at BMO is gong to prove a very difficult team & venue respectively this year, especially in the spring and fall. Pitch seemed very slippery in the rainy conditions and the crowd was loud and drunk. To get a point there is a good result. Especially going down early after shocking awareness or lack there of from Bulls defense on that quick free kick. I really like Kevin Goldthwaite and the rest of the back line for the Red Bulls. Osorio has them looking really strong.
May 2
Kartik Krishnaiyer is sad about Benny Olsen's latest injury. Steve Goff of the Washington Post says he may be done.---
My thoughts on Olsen's career and impact on both MLS and the US National Team
here.
He is one of the biggest winners in US Soccer history and if this is it he cannot be replaced that easily. Shakira probably hates him since he played for Forest, but it was there that all these injuries began which kept him out of the 2002 World Cup and had him on the mend for DC for a long time also.
Kartik Krishnaiyer yup congrats to Red Bull. Great result on the road thanks to Van Den Bergh who may be working his way back onto the Dutch National Team.---
I was so impressed by Osorio's tactical acumen to shut down Guevara completely. Stuart Pearce's former assistant seems to get MLS in a way Pearce himself never got the EPL. Of course Osorio's tactics are exactly the same as Pearce's but they work in MLS much of the time (not all of the time) and didn't work in the EPL much of the time (and again not all of the time, they worked some of the time). Interestingly one constant between City then under Pearce with Osorio on the bench with him and now Red Bull under Osorio is the consistent under performance and injuries involving Claudio Reyna. How Red Bull can continue to pay $1,000,000 plus to a guy that is always hurt and is at best average ad often worse when he actually does play is shocking.
Pearce's City in America. Last year it was Chicago and this year it is Red Bull. (in fairness Pearce never had a Blanco in the midfield at City. We had some good strikers but Blanco made Osorio's tactics look more lively and exciting than they are)
May 2
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