Upset of a Lifetime

Tell me you watched. Tell you me were able to get off work or had the game recorded and you experienced the same wondrous, awe-inspiring, history-defining moment that occurred on Tuesday in Barcelona. If you don’t know, you’re about to: Chelsea, a club that has been disappointing in Premier League play this season, pulled off the upset of the century in the Champions League semifinals against the mighty Barcelona.

The week before at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea played phenomenally and held off Barcelona 1-0 to take a lead going into the leg in Spain. Even though they were down, no one expected that Barca would have any trouble regaining their form and moving on at home. Then, Saturday happened. What happened, you ask? The all-important match with Real Madrid that pretty much decided the La Liga title ended with a loss for Barcelona. In that match, and in the first leg with Chelsea, something looked off with the Spanish giants. They didn’t have the consistent and precise touch and finishing that has been so frustrating for opposing sides the last few years.

After that loss, I thought that Chelsea might have a chance to move on, even though on paper they were the far inferior team. This thought was weakened when the game began. Camp Nou was rocking and Barcelona came to play, dominating from the get-go. Sergio Busquets gave them a lead in the 35^th minute and then John Terry committed a dirty knee-in-the-back foul and earned himself a red card just a couple minutes later. Chelsea found themselves a man and then another goal down after Iniesta scored Barca’s second. However, just before halftime, Ramires took a wonderful through-ball from Frank Lampard and scored a beauty of a goal, chipping the ball over Victor Valdes from the edge of the box. This goal evened the aggregate score and gave Chelsea some hope.

For me, the deciding blow came shortly after halftime. Barcelona were again pressing heavily in the Chelsea box and Didier Drogba, who has played so well in Champions League, committed a penalty in the box. Lionel Messi, arguably the greatest player of this generation, stepped to the spot to finish the Blues off. Right as he went to kick it, there seemed to be a moment of hesitation and he banged it off the crossbar.

After the Messi miss, there were still an innumerable amount of chances for Barcelona to score the winning goal. They had possession almost non-stop and were in Chelsea’s half constantly. In this manner, they looked the Barca of old. However, they lacked just the right amount of finesse to finish off their chances. Chelsea even tried to help. They brought on Fernando Torres, who up until that time was the biggest bust of recent transfer memory, for Drogba. Torres struggled a bit in defense and it seemed that he could be the goat once again. But in the 90^th minute, Torres broke free on a clear and coolly slotted home the goal that assured Chelsea of advancement. To have Torres finish off this monumental upset was symbolic of the greatness of this accomplishment.

Taken as a whole, this round was as unlikely as anyone could have imagined. Even the most loyal of Chelsea fans had to admit that their chances were minimal. But Chelsea showed that heart and willpower could trump a less-than-perfect Barca squad. Over a span of eight days, Barcelona fell hard from glory. They were bounced out of both Champions League and La Liga title contention and on Friday, coach Pep Guardiola stepped down as Barca’s top man. Barcelona will have to use this offseason to re-group and evaluate how to get back to the pinnacle.

Chelsea, on the other hand, will have a tough time in the final against Bayern Munich, who won in astonishing fashion against Real Madrid, as they lost several players on yellow cards and Terry’s red. Though their chances will be slim yet again, I will not doubt Chelsea’s chances, even if they have to travel to Bayern’s home stadium to play. No matter the result, I have to like interim coach Roberto Di Matteo’s chances of becoming the permanent coach, as he has done an amazing job of keeping this squad on task. We can only wait and wonder until May 19^th to see how this crazy and exciting Champions League season comes to a finish.

The Hunt for Silver Lining

Leagues around the world are winding to a close as we enter the end of spring (already?) and the beginning of a summer that will include Euro 2012, the Summer Olympics, and World Cup Qualifying. The last few weeks of the English Premier League have seen Manchester City squander away their stranglehold on first place. City fell apart to the extent that Manchester United climbed to an eight point lead last week and it seemed that the race was all but over. Even though this has been a down year for the EPL, this race has ensured that the title run will have some excitement.

City has regained some semblance of their early season form over the last two matches, winning by a combined score of 10-1. Meanwhile, United lost to lowly Wigan and now, after Saturday’s matches, sit only two points of City with a game in hand. If United struggle with Aston Villa on Sunday, Sir Alex Ferguson and crew will feel less than comfortable. The Manchester derby now looms larger than ever on the last day of April.

As I mentioned before, this has been a disappointing year for the EPL. The level of competition has been lower as it seems that injuries and lack of top form have ravaged many clubs. The title race has long been a two-team race and the battle for the last two Champions League spots has seen each team try to give it away. Tottenham started strong but has faltered. Arsenal started, well, like Arsenal, but they have come back with a vengeance to snatch third place. Liverpool continues to oscillate between competent and unmotivated. Chelsea fired their millionth manager in five years but have found a way to stay competitive. And Newcastle United continue to stick around with impressive victories and striker play from Demba Ba.

Last season, I stated that the EPL was the strongest club league in the world, closely followed by Spain’s La Liga. Barcelona and Real Madrid have been so strong this year that I can no longer state this as fact. However, there is plenty left to cheer for in England. Chelsea remain alive in the Champions League and if they can play as a unit, they may have a chance to surprise Barcelona in the semifinals. Arsenal have shown that it is possible to overcome the critics and ridicule they suffered in October. The staying power of Newcastle and Tottenham give credit to the unmatched top-to-bottom depth of the Premier League.

While this season has left many sour tastes in the collective mouth of the fanbase, there is hope that all will be better. The competition at the top of the table has been running hot for several years in a row, so we had to be aware of a letdown sooner or later. Given the apparent lack of fire by some clubs, we are still being treated to battles for the title, Champions League spots, and avoiding relegation. When players return from injury or clubs like Chelsea regain stability, the battle for glory will once again be intense and fun to watch. Until then, we can enjoy what is available and savor the last few matchdays of the season.

As the EPL Turns

It was an interesting week for the top teams in the English Premier League. Sunday brought us an upset of Manchester City by recently promoted Swansea while Wayne Rooney led Manchester United to a victory over West Brom. This turn of events allowed United to leapfrog its rivals for the top spot in England. With only 10 matches remaining, City finds itself in a precarious situation.

Both teams also played in the Europa League during the week. If you remember, both were embarrassingly knocked out of the Champions League in group play and relegated to playing in the second-tier Europa competition. Of course, both were knocked out that this week. This was just the final punctuation in what has been a miserable year for English teams in European competition (except you Chelsea, congratulations on advancing, or whatever).

So now the teams from Manchester only have the EPL title to fight over. City had been coasting along most of the season, but United has been able to fight through injuries to get results and stay within striking distance. With the shocking loss to Swansea, City finally cracked and let United into the driver’s seat.

While examining the remaining schedules, I always thought that City had the tougher road to glory. They still have to play the likes of Chelsea, Newcastle United, and Arsenal. Even more importantly, a second match against United (who they manhandled earlier this season) looms. This match may very well decide the championship.

I still believe that both teams have some kinks to work out and whichever squad is able to regain composure will take the title. Overall, the league has seen some new teams sustain success (Newcastle United and Tottenham) and a familiar face regain some pride (Arsenal). The contest for a top four spot in the EPL and thus a spot in the Champions League next season also remains in the balance.

The end of this season, however disappointing it was in Europe, still guarantees excitement as we wind down. While many may say that the EPL had a down season, I think (and hope) that they saved everything for the last two months. Whoever takes home the title will have earned it and will show the world that there are still competent soccer clubs outside of Barcelona and Madrid.

The RVP Conundrum

Robin Van Persie is one of the best strikers in the English Premier League. No, let me correct myself—in the world. But he plays for Arsenal. A couple of seasons ago, that was great for him. But Arsenal has been on an unbelievable drought, failing to win silverware since the 2004-05 season. This has become a perennial story in England and the struggles of manager Arsene Wenger to keep supporters have been well-documented. This season has been much of the same, but RVP has been phenomenal, scoring 22 goals in league play.

What to do for the left-footed striker who could be collecting trophies elsewhere? He plays for the Netherlands national team, one that is considered one of the best in the world. However, they also have not won a premier competition in quite a while.

In professional sports, we tend to highlight either the athletes who are starring for winning teams or brooding over athletes who are making the spotlight for the wrong reasons. But for every Kevin Garnett (Boston era) there is a Kevin Garnett (Minnesota era). These phenomenal talents seemingly waste away on teams that cannot truly compete for a title. But here in lies the question: is it better to have these talents move to teams that have larger budgets and better chances at the title, or should they stay with their current teams in hopes that they lift these underdog squads to glory?

A better example may be Demba Ba, Newcastle United’s breakout star. He is chasing RVP for the goal title and has 16 goals and counting. This Senegalese striker is lesser known around the world, and though Newcastle United is in contention for a top four spot, they are not a club (like Arsenal) that can compete financially with the Chelsea’s and Manchester City’s of the league.

While I can see the pros of having players like RVP and Ba transferred to teams that compete year in and year out, the part of me that loves underdogs has to prevail. It was painful to see the nightly efforts of Kevin Garnett only in the regular season, but seeing the small teams make a splash makes sports fun to watch. If my beloved Manchester United continued to sign all the rising stars, the same teams would compete and the same teams would fight for relegation.

Right now, that is the state of professional soccer. In England, both Manchester teams, Liverpool, and Chelsea can spend the most money to acquire the best talent. In Spain it is Barcelona and Real Madrid. The list goes on. Major League Baseball has the same issues because it too does not have a salary cap. At some point, the governing bodies for these leagues will have to decide if it is better to continue to alienate the small market teams or to make significant, unprecedented leaps and introduce parity into their leagues.

Even though I am a fan of the one of the top-spending teams, I vote for the latter. It is time for a change in professional sports. We have lost touch of why kids around the world play soccer or baseball or football growing up. For some reason, love for the game is trumped by money at the top levels. RVP and Ba may very well end up at other squads because they will be tempted by chances to play in the limelight, but we should root for them to stay put.

Let’s hope that rising players for smaller squads stay true to their roots and make this league more fun to watch for a wider base of fans. It will only do us all good.

Uh Oh, Mario!

Mario Balotelli. Those two words have the ability to haunt even the fans of the teams he plays for. Balotelli is the much-maligned, but very skilled, striker for Manchester City. If not for his abilities with a soccer ball, he would have been looking for other work a long time ago. On multiple occasions, he has made a fool of himself but has failed to realize that he comes off as a disgrace to the game.

Balotelli’s on- and off-field antics have become well known; from telling a police officer that he was carrying excess cash because he is rich to having trouble putting a practice bib on to upsetting his teammates and coach when he decides to be fancy on the pitch. Balotelli brought his antics to America last summer when, during the World Football Challenge, City was playing the Los Angeles Galaxy. Balotelli was played through and had a teammate accompany him into the box, but instead he did a fancy spin backheel that went wide. The crowd booed and manager Roberto Manicini immediately took Balotelli out of the game. To make matters worse, Balotelli came to the bench, talked back to his manager, and walked away unapologetically.

Most recently, Balotelli entered City’s match against Tottenham as a substitute and almost immediately created controversy. He received a yellow card for an early tussle with Scott Parker, and then in the last 10 minutes of the match, he took a shot with Parker sliding in. The first foot landed and hit Parker, but that could be dismissed as an accident. The second foot came down and the video shows that Balotelli stomped on Parker’s face, as seen here. Referee Howard Webb seemed to have been right there, but made no call. Even in the instance that Balotelli did not have a prior yellow, this could have been a straight red. But no call was made and Balotelli remained in the game. Then in the waning moments, Balotelli drew a penalty kick and converted for the winner in a 3-2 thriller.

The Football Association reviewed the video and has suspended the Italian for four matches. There is no question that something needed to be done, but given that he stayed in the game and had such an impact on the final outcome, a four game suspension seems inconsequential.  

The real problem here is that the Balotelli’s of the world keep getting playing time and attention. At some point, Mancini is going to be forced to decide if he wants to keep playing with fire and risk the antics for the small return of Balotelli’s talent, or save his team and cut ties with the troublesome player. It already happened when the striker played for Inter Milan, and I am sure an ultimatum is going to arise for City.

Soccer is known as the beautiful game, but this notion has been muddied by players embellishing and diving, accusations of racism, fan riots, and awful officiating. Some of these are an easy fix, and some are not. Mario Balotelli is someone who cannot be controlled behaviorally but if no one gives him a chance to play, only then can he learn to respect the game. Until then, any time he steps on the pitch, we will continue to say to ourselves, “Uh oh, Mario.”

A Possible Turning Point

This weekend marks one of the biggest in the English Premier League as there are matches with the potential to throw the race wide open. Bolton and Liverpool square off to lead a set of intriguing matches on Saturday, but Sunday brings two of the biggest matches of the season. Tottenham visit Manchester City while Manchester United travel to Arsenal. Both are the second matches between each set of teams and all four have come a long way since the first go-round. City embarrassed the Spurs 5-1 in their first meeting in August while United shellacked Arsenal 8-2 on that same fateful day.

Arsenal and Tottenham have actually rebounded quite nicely since. Arsenal were on a roll with only three losses in 15 matches until two road losses in their last two matches. Tottenham may very well be the hottest team in the league with only one loss in 19 matches since. Currently, Tottenham sits only five points out of first place with a chance to become a true title contender come Sunday.

City has slowed down on the goal-scoring tear they were on in the early parts of the season (as predicted by yours truly) and have incurred a couple losses that have created a little doubt in their title aspirations. United have had significant injuries that have caused Paul Scholes to come out of retirement to give some aid to an ailing midfield. Both are still forces to be reckoned with because they still have the payroll, immense fan support, and the ability to make a game-changing move before the end of the January transfer window.

Now, I would love to make predictions for all the matches this weekend, but if you read last week’s article—of course you did—you know that I was only mediocre in my picks (4-5). So, instead of trying to predict all the matches, I am going to focus all of my crystal balling on these pivotal match-ups.

Tottenham at Manchester City—I am very excited for this game. Hotspur are on a roll, to put it lightly, and City have only been showing up every other match, so we will see who shines. If this season has told us anything, it is that home field advantage does not mean as much. As a United fan, I would love to see a hard fought battle that ends as a disappointment for both teams, and I think that is what will occur. 2-2 tie.

Manchester United at Arsenal—After Arsenal’s miserable season in 2010-11, I was a proponent of Arsene Wenger hitting the road. It was not that I thought he is not a good manager, but I thought he had lost his touch to be able to motivate a team that seemed dazed and confused. However, he has, if Arsenal maintain a level of success, earned Manager of the Year honors for bringing this team back into contention. United have dealt with the disappointment of losing in the Champions League, losing captain Nemanja Vidic to injury, and having goalkeeper David de Gea fall out of first team favor. Still, they have done a good job at keeping pace with City and look to take advantage of Arsenal once again. Even with Arsenal’s impressive stretch, I still do not think they have enough to keep pace. 3-2 United.

This Sunday looks to be an intriguing day of football in England and America. These two matchups, no matter the results, will tell us who is ready to make a stretch run toward the title. Though these are by no means the equivalent of the NFL Conference Championship games we will see later in the day, they may eliminate two teams from competition or show that a changing of the guard is occurring.

An Attempt At Expert-dom

The English Premier League season has reached its halfway point and we are still a ways away from crowning a champion. The top four entering this weekend are Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham, and Chelsea. The teams currently facing relegation include Bolton, Wigan, and Blackburn. The last couple weeks have seen City and United fall to lesser competition (Sunderland and Blackburn, respectively). We are also beginning to see transfers as we approach the meat of the January transfer window. Last week, United and City faced off in a thrilling FA Cup match that ended in a victory for United, showing that City do not have total control of the league just yet.

Now, I have made predictions in the past, and if you look at our predictions page you will see that I have performed quite admirably (but only in the NFL). I am going to now try my hand at a weekend of matches in the EPL. This weekend seems to have some pretty routine pairings, but we will see what happens. If I have any sort of success in these matches (don’t count on it) I may continue this into the future. Here we go!

Everton at Aston Villa—Landon Donovan and Tim Howard are paired up once again with the Blues needing to show some consistency to be taken seriously. 2-1 Everton.

Fulham at Blackburn—Clint Dempsey is coming off his first Fulham hat trick and Blackburn are riding high after recently beating United. 2-2 tie.

Sunderland at Chelsea—As disappointing as United has played in its losses, Chelsea has been even worse in its debacles. Yet they remain near the top of the table and here is where they can get back in it. 3-1 Chelsea.

Stoke City at Liverpool—This is probably the match of the weekend between the 8^th and 6^th place teams. It should be a thrilling match at Anfield, with Liverpool taking this one. 2-1 Liverpool.

Bolton at Manchester United—Bolton are struggling to stay out of the relegation zone and United have regained confidence after taking down their crosstown nemesis. 3-0 United.

Wolverhampton at Tottenham—This may be the easiest pick of the weekend, as Hotspur are riding a hot-streak and the Wolves again find themselves at the bottom of the table. Apologies for the jinx, Spurs fans. 4-1 Tottenham.

Norwich City at West Brom—Norwich have been a surprise for me as they have been very competitive in their first season back in the EPL. 3-2 Norwich.

Queens Park at Newcastle—Impressive striker Demba Ba has the Magpies on a hot streak as they come off a dominant win against Manchester United to see a somewhat reeling QPR come in. 2-0 Newcastle.

Arsenal at Swansea City—Thierry Henry’s return to his former club was as glorious as could be, as he scored the only goal of the match to give Arsenal an FA Cup win over Leeds. This one will not be as easy, but Arsenal should take it against a hard-working Swansea squad. 1-0 Arsenal.

Manchester City at Wigan—City have been an enigma the last month, losing games (against United and Sunderland) that they would have won handily in October. Do not be fooled, they are still the favorite and should take this one. 4-2 City.

So there you have it. My first attempt at predicting a weekend of matchups in the EPL. If I am successful, you can consider me at the ranks of all the “experts”. But if not, it was all in jest. Happy footballing!

The Race Against Racism

Recently, Luis Suarez was banned from the English Premier League for eight games for making racist remarks toward Patrice Evra in Liverpool’s match against Manchester United. John Terry, beloved captain of Chelsea and English national team, is facing criminal charges for racially abusing an opponent. And to add more fuel to this fire, FIFA President Sepp Blatter made headlines when he said that racism was no longer an issue in soccer.

These events have dominated the scene this season as these cases have included a war of words between players and managers. Furthermore, as we all know, when controversy strikes star players, these issues get blown out of proportion. But in this case, this issue cannot be blown out of proportion enough. It is inexcusable for any athlete to act in this way, let alone the captain of England and one of the star players for Liverpool. And for Blatter to publicly deny these issues is the opposite of what needs to occur in this case.

Blatter needs to embrace that racial issues still exist and tackle them head on. For a long time, advertisement boards on the sides of soccer pitches have occasionally held messages of anti-racism, but issues continue to arise. One thing that American sports fans will have trouble understanding is the true passion that soccer brings out in others around the world. Soccer is truly a part of the culture of many countries to the level of religion. Thus, much more is involved in the wins and losses of clubs or international teams (see: Andrés Escobar).

Ignorance is the fundamental reason that racism still exists in our world. Failing to understand another person because of his differences arises feelings of superiority over that person. Combined with continual conditioning by the long-standing beliefs of ignorant family members or friends, these superiority complexes become ingrained in personalities. Combine these traits with extreme passion brought about by sport, and the issues become clear.

There is no harm in embracing that our society is imperfect. Innately, human beings are meant to be blemished, and if we do not recognize this, then we do not truly understand life itself. Though I have gone on a little tangent, without thinking about the bigger picture, sports we love so much will never flourish if we continue to deny the problems.

I am sure that many professional athletes do charity work or donate money to non-profit organizations, but the true punishments that fit the crimes of Terry and Suarez and the other athletes who have done wrong should involve actually addressing their personal issues. Ignorance is not incurable. But if the athletes we idolize are simply allowed to get away with wrongdoings against another human being, then how can we teach our children to change the ways of the past generations?

In no way am I suggesting that athletes should be perfect role models or human beings. They should, however, be held to moral standards that we can all agree upon. A simple look at the economics of professional sports shows who demands the most publicity. We pay hundreds of dollars/pounds/Euros to go watch our favorite sports teams, but if we continue to do this without holding them accountable, then sports will always be marred with stories such as what has occurred in the EPL this season. Next time it may not be racism, but where does it stop? Blatter and the other powers that be need to take a good hard look at how they are doling out punishments for offenses that have little to do with playing soccer. It is also time that we as fans decide if sports take a priority over our morals or if we will finally recognize the right thing to do.

Top Soccer Moments of 2011

As we close out another year and chapter in our lives, I am taking a few moments to reflect back on the most significant memories of 2011 in the world of soccer—both at the club and international levels. It has been quite an interesting year on and off the field and though this year is ending, we have much to look forward to in 2012.

7. Fernando Torres to Chelsea There were many significant transfers this year, including Samir Nasri to Manchester City and Cesc Fabregas to Barcelona, but the one that got the most press was the star Spanish striker moving to Stamford Bridge for a fee of £50 million (yes, that is pounds), only to disappoint by not scoring his first goal for over 900 minutes of action.

6. Barcelona Dominance This seems to be a common trend the last few years, but again, we cannot ignore the greatness of Lionel Messi and his crew of Spanish stars. They once again dominated the Champions League when they dismantled a very good Manchester United squad in the final. They also won La Liga and even though Real Madrid won the coveted Copa del Rey, Barca still managed to win that battle.

5. FIFA Scandals 2011 started off with a scandal for FIFA in both the presidential election process and the picking of the 2018 and 2022 World Cup sights. There were accusations that choosing Qatar for 2022 was not clean. In the past few months, FIFA President Sepp Blatter attracted criticism when he denied the presence of racism in soccer. This was followed up by serious allegations against prominent EPL players Luis Suarez and John Terry that they used racial abuse during matches. Hopefully, 2012 will be a better year for FIFA with World Cup qualifying and the Euro Cup.

4. Manchester City’s Rise to Prominence City flirted with the top of the table during last season’s campaign, only falling when United smacked them down with the goal of a lifetime (see below) and recaptured the title. City was not deterred and acquired Samir Nasri over the summer and came out on fire this season, culminating in a 6-2 shellacking of hated cross-town rivals Manchester United. Both teams are currently tied atop the table, so 2012 should bring much drama in the EPL. City’s talent, however, is not to be doubted any longer.

3. Hiring of Jürgen Klinsmann At the end of July, after much speculation, the US Soccer Federation fired embattled coach Bob Bradley and hired fan-favorite Klinsmann. This was a move that many thought was going to happen a few years ago, but finally came to fruition in 2011. Klinsmann’s start to the US era has been slightly disappointing, but with a few months to go until World Cup qualifying, he still has time to measure the talent available and create a side that will be somewhat respected on the international scene.

2. Wayne Rooney Bicycle Kick If you have not seen this play yet, please do so now. This was one of the best goals I have ever seen and came near the end of the crucial aforementioned match against a surging Manchester City squad. It is also synonymous with the growth in Rooney’s career as a professional soccer player and will be replayed on top ten lists for centuries to come.

1. Women’s World Cup In any other year, Rooney’s goal would have taken the top spot. However, for anyone who watched the WWC this summer, you will agree that this was the soccer event of the year. Women’s soccer has never been considered on the same level as the men’s game, but the women proved they are no joke. The feel-good story was the US Women’s team, which was the favorite going in, but did not win their group, then had some amazing matches against Brazil and Japan in the knockout round. In the end, even though the US, Brazilian, and German teams got all the coverage, an underdog Japanese team took the title by showing that heart can win out over talent. The sportsmanship displayed during the tournament left a good taste in everyone’s mouths, a refreshing turn from the embarrassing antics by some of the men’s national teams in the recent World Cup.

As you can see, this has been a fantastic year of soccer at all levels. This year was also big for me personally, as I joined the ranks of soccer journalism with MyBriefs.com, and it has been a wonderful ride. I hope you stick with us into the New Year, as we get ready for the great goals, moments, and competitions of 2012!

Disaster in Manchester

Are you a tool-wielding person? If so, go ahead and throw your wrench into both the Champions League and Premier League races. After both Manchester clubs failed to qualify for the knockout round of the Champions League, the whole European soccer scene has shifted. England and Spain have been recent perennial powerhouses in the Champions League scene but only Barcelona and Real Madrid have advanced out of the arguably best four teams in Europe.

On Wednesday, Manchester United needed a draw at FC Basel to advance to the round of 16 while Manchester City needed a win or a Napoli loss to stay afloat. Neither happened and now both will sit back while other European club teams strive for one of the most prestigious titles in the world. This will not only alter the course of Champions League soccer come February, but will change how the English Premier League race will play out.

As a United fan, this loss to Basel was admittedly devastating. Competing for the Champions League title has been a given for United for 14 of the last 16 seasons, and now they find themselves on the outside looking in. United started the season on a tear that was normal of a Sir Alex squad, but have stumbled mightily since their embarrassing loss at the hands of City. With news that captain Nemanja Vidic is out for the season with a knee injury, the United faithful will certainly be in a state of pain that they have not experienced for quite some time.

For City, this loss is tough but not as crushing. They needed a win and a loss by Napoli, and by beating Bayern Munich 2-0 they did their part but Napoli did not lose and thus advanced ahead of City. However, critics of the newly successful Manchester City squad will say their path to the Premier League title will be easier now that they do not have to deal with the pressures of the Champions League. This is true to some extent. Playing against Europe’s best while also being targeted by every other team in the EPL can be tough and may be the reason that few teams have been able to win both. Chelsea and Arsenal, who both advanced to the knockout stage of the Champions League, will certainly feel that they have more obstacles along the road to catching City in the EPL.

The city of Manchester had certainly been flying high this season and the events of the past week have brought both squads down to earth. It should still be an interesting race for the EPL title, with the perils of winter and the January transfer window yet to come. But it will be in the back of the minds of fans, players, and managers alike that both Manchester clubs were not able to stave off the pressure and stay in the Champions League. Winning the EPL without participating in this top-level competition will not be quite as sweet if either City or United take home the championship and while we can hope that the race stays exciting, it certainly has lost some its luster.

A Season To Remember

Welcome to December! The malls are crazed, school and work have become places to daydream about Christmas, and every snowflake is magical. This is also the beginning of a treacherous trek through the winter months of the Premier League. We are finally through the part of the season where managers blame mistakes on rust and into the segment where Carling Cup, Champions League, and other competitions intertwine with EPL pressures to ensure that only the fittest survive.

Right now, Manchester City have built a comfortable lead with a monster goal differential, so it seems that if they can make it through the coming months with few blemishes, then springtime will be all flowers and no showers. But the teams behind them are in a scrum that may not be sorted out until the final matchday. I am going to do my best to get to the bottom of this to see who will survive and take the four Champions League spots and EPL title.

1.     Manchester City—This may seem like the easy pick, but here’s why they will stay at the top. With Chelsea experiencing a surprising freefall, and Liverpool having to settle for draws when it deserved to beat both Manchester squads, Manchester United remain the top challenger to the title. Tottenham and Newcastle have had great starts to the season, but sadly, they do not have the budget or depth to keep up with City. I think City finally keep their heads on straight (if they can avoid Balotellitis) and take home their first Premier League crown.

2.     Manchester United—In the past, I may have predicted Sir Alex Ferguson’s squad to come out and snatch back the title from City, but they seem a little off this year. The second spot comes down to United and Liverpool, as they are the two teams who have looked most impressive behind City. Their first match resulted in a draw at Anfield, but United was lucky to escape with the point. The second match, in February, could very well decide who challenges City for the title.

3.     Liverpool—Kenny Dalglish has done a wonderful job of reinvigorating the Reds after two disappointing seasons. They are playing aggressive, team soccer and if not for a somewhat groggy start, they may have been right next to City at the top of the table. If they can get over the unlucky breaks that have weighed on them early this season, they will be lying in wait should City or United slip up.

4.     Tottenham—I have a feeling Spurs fans will take this as a sign of disrespect. Currently, Tottenham sit in third place, only two points out of second with a game in hand. However, it is hard to overlook the shellackings they took from both Manchester teams at the start of the season. They have rebounded nicely and are on a 10-game unbeaten streak, including a beat down of Liverpool. They have more staying power than Newcastle and even Arsenal, and could very well take a top three spot. I gave the edge to United and Liverpool because, unfortunately, money still means something in this league and they have more of it. While Hotspur is my favorite nickname for any club, they may have to settle for a Champions League spot when May rolls around.

Now, don’t discount Arsenal, Chelsea, or Newcastle, who are all within seven points of second place. But they haven’t shown just yet that they can compete at the top level of the table this season. With so many teams in contention, this season is turning out to be one for the ages. City would be wise not to take their foot off the pedal, as many teams will be eager to trip them up.

What I’m Thankful for in Soccer

 It’s a few days before my favorite holiday of the year, Thanksgiving! Many of us have memories of going around the dinner table and saying what we are thankful for. While I am thankful for a lot of people and things in my life, I would like to take a few moments to talk about what I loved about the last year in soccer.

I am thankful for… Sunil Gulati, president of US Soccer, coming to his senses and hiring Jügen Klinsmann as head coach of the US Men’s National Team. This was a hiring that had been looming for years. While it was unfair to put former coach Bob Bradley in a tough spot, this is the change the US needed. Though they won’t be a top 10 or 15 team right away, this move will pay off in the long run. This hiring (hopefully) will be looked as the starting point in a paradigm shift to a new American approach to the beautiful game.

I am thankful for… the MLS Cup on Sunday evening, which promises to be an exciting game. David Beckham is in his last year of a ballyhooed contract with the LA Galaxy. The Houston Dynamo have some awesome orange jerseys and a team that is on fire. The Galaxy’s Landon Donovan missed the last two US international friendlies so he could rest up for the game, showing how important the MLS has become in the eyes of both national and international players. Another interesting note is that Beckham has won a championship in his final season with his last two clubs. Let’s see what happens!

I am thankful for… what is shaping up to be an interesting winter in the English Premier League. While both Manchester squads have jumped out to a big lead, a couple new teams are fighting for top spots in Newcastle and Tottenham. Even Arsenal has rebounded after a dismal start and Liverpool look a threat again. Another surprising note is that all three teams new to the top level are in the middle of the table. The January transfer window will prove to be a key factor in the title run.

I am thankful for… the high amount of goals that have been scored so far in the EPL. As we head for winter, where goals go down and games are won on brute defense and strong team play, we should appreciate that the fall has given us 43 matches with 4+ goals scored! If teams shore up weaknesses in the transfer windows, then the spring will again show a plethora of goals and great soccer action.

I am thankful for… an upcoming year in which we should see a fierce battle for the Champions League crown, the European Championship, and World Cup Qualifying. World Cup Qualifying won’t really get underway until the summer, but the Champions League will get hot and heavy in early 2012. It may end up being a clash between Spanish and English clubs, but German and Italian clubs will definitely have something to say before all is decided. We have to wait until August for Euro 2012 in Poland/Ukraine, but the build-up will be great as we experts (just run with it) debate over whether a favorite or upstart will take the crown.

I hope you are as thankful for this beautiful sport and for all the family and friends in your life. We have a great year ahead of us and the excitement is just beginning! I wish you safe travels and Happy Thanksgiving!

What if City Won? (November 2011)

As we near the winter third of the season, we are provided an opportunity to review the English Premier League standings thus far. Right now, Manchester City leads the table with Manchester United and a host of others, in chase. However, it looks like a two team race with City the clear favorites.

So you ask, why should I care if City wins? If you’re not a strong fan a particular team, you should take note that since the induction of the Premier League in the early 90s, only one team (Blackburn) outside of Manchester United, Arsenal, or Chelsea has won. One of the beauties of this sport is keeping every team competitive through relegation; one of the blemishes is that parity is still tough to come by because money is such a factor.

Over the summer, Manchester City continued its buying ways by acquiring talents like Samir Nasri and Sergio Agüero to add to its already mounting artillery of talent. These moves have helped them overcome past obstacles that stopped them from truly challenging the title. They have not only gelled into a top team but one that has embarrassed respectable teams. This was capped off by a 6-2 humiliation of a befuddled Manchester United squad at Old Trafford a couple weeks ago.

Now, after this break is over, winter comes and teams must adjust for this crucial run. Teams tend to stumble during this period for various reasons. Last winter saw defending champions Chelsea stumble from a strong start to an unsuccessful chase of a stronger Manchester United side. Both City and United started this season by obliterating teams, but United has faltered because of a mysterious decline in team cohesion.

Nevertheless, Sir Alex Ferguson will find a way to re-energize his players in his 25^th season as manager. Whether Roberto Mancini is able to keep his team motivated at a high level all season remains to be seen. What we do know is that if they do take the title, City will break a longstanding run of championships from the almighty three.

Will it really mean all that much though? Yes, it will break a streak of Yankees-like squads from winning, but when you break it down, City has simply joined the ranks of these high-spending clubs. If they win, it will be refreshing for some fans to see a different face on the podium of champions, but it will only strengthen the notion that money is the key to success in professional sports.

This idea transcends almost all professional sports leagues around the world, and has proven to be the reason that so many leagues have lockouts, greedy owners, and disgruntled players. If anything, the ever-growing financial gap in sports is a representation of the financial gap in society. We have come to a crossroads in both, and future actions will decide if money or sport will prevail.

While it would be great for the EPL to have City as champions for a change, I am hoping for a different result. If it can’t be my beloved Red Devils, then I hope and root for a team on the lower rungs to surprise. This is currently too rare an occurrence, and owners and executives of all professional leagues must realize that money is not as important as true competition. For the sake of all athletes and fans, let’s hope they make changes to preserve the love of the game.

A World Without Relegation (October 2011)

Recently, a story came out about American owners in the English Premier League and how they may want to get rid of relegation. One anonymous source thought that one or two more American owners would cause a vote to create solid leagues that do not relegate or promote teams between themselves.

This got me thinking. First, are the Americans who own teams in this league that selfish that they would change a tradition that has been occurring since well before the formation of the EPL? Second, how would this change the competitiveness of the league? These are two scary questions that I am going to answer in honor of Halloween.

The idea that a few American owners would propose such a change is pretty huge. Relegation is the idea that the bottom three teams are demoted to the league below while the top three teams from that league are brought up to the EPL. The FA, which is in charge of the English soccer leagues, would have to decide who stays in which league. Furthermore, other incentives would be necessary to keep teams at the bottom of the table competitive at the end of the season. Usually, teams in the top half are still fighting for spots in European competitions, but with nothing available for the bottom half, competition may go stale.

Just because this is a foreign concept to US sports fans does not mean it is wrong or ineffective. In fact, relegation should be considered by leagues like MLB and the NBA to make every season even more exciting. Bottom feeders are encouraged to compete through the end of the season and lower league teams are encouraged to finish in the top three so they can face better competition the following season. There is no such thing as an easy game for any team. In fact, facing a team fighting relegation at the end of a season is just as dangerous as facing a team at the top.

Without the concept of relegation in the EPL and its associated leagues, English soccer would suffer immensely. Fewer players would be able to enjoy the spotlight of the Premier League because their teams would remain in lower leagues. Financially, teams could not afford to stay afloat if they did not receive the fiscal benefits of playing at a higher level. Teams in the bottom half would have nothing to really fight for and would suffer lower game energy and confidence. Pillow fight matches would mean lower fan attendance and those games would not be televised. League play would become stale and players would fight to transfer to top-flight teams. There would be no “middle class” of teams. Finally, the EPL would struggle financially from lack of table-wide competition and be forced to either shut down or have fewer teams.

Basically, getting rid of relegation would be the biggest buzzkill to English club soccer history. It would benefit us to consider relegation for American sports; the lack of an open mind to new ideas has become evident in professional sports leagues in this country with lockouts and rifts between owners and players. Instead of trying to imperialize other leagues around the world, we should be receptive to other ideas for keeping competition at its highest level. Viva la relegation!

A Tale of Two Manchesters (September 2011)

It has been a good start for several teams to this 2011-2012 Premier League season: Stoke, Chelsea, Liverpool, and Newcastle United all have multiple wins under their respective belts. But no two teams have come out flying at a faster pace than the two squads from Manchester. Both City and United have enjoyed lots of goals and wins to make this an early two-horse race for the title.

Because the home stadiums of these two teams lie a mere four miles apart, the Manchester derby has always been heavily contested. There is a long and storied history of the meetings between the two, and recent years have done nothing to take away from this. As much as United have been at the top of the league, the overall series is only just in the Red Devils’ favor.

More than just wins and losses, the crossover between the teams has added kindling to the fire of this rivalry. Recently, transfers between the teams have been almost non-existent. One move of note is the signing of Carlos Tevez by City after he had two very successful and prolific seasons at United. After Tevez helped United win the Champions and Premier Leagues, he traveled the short distance from Old Trafford to City of Manchester Stadium in what was considered utter betrayal by some United fans. However, no one from the Red Army will admit that they weren’t somewhat happy when Tevez gave City troubles about wanting to transfer home to Argentina.

Another case of loyalty-switching occurred earlier in the 1900s with Sir Matt Busby. Busby played for two United rivals: City and Liverpool, but may be most well-known for how he revived United and brought them to the forefront of English soccer. Even more, after the tragedy of the Munich Air Disaster, he reassembled the team and united the Manchester faithful. The work done by Sir Busby on behalf of United must have sent daggers into the hearts of City fans, as most of them have passed on.

Since the creation of the Premier League, Manchester United have been at the top of the table almost every season. Thanks to the purchase of City by the Abu Dhabi United Group in 2008, City have seen a flurry of spending in the last three years to bring in high profile players. Though the derby is always intense, it has not carried the implications that it does this season.

While City come out blazing every week, United seem to not only match but also surpass the efforts of those in the light blue jerseys. After City beat Tottenham 5-1 to take the top spot, United came back to beat Arsenal 8-2 later in the day. After City drew against Fulham this past weekend, United held on to beat Chelsea in their toughest, but most controversial, match to date. As you can see, this season’s race promises to bring us a new battle between two teams who have been long-time rivals because of geography; now they’ll be duking it out with more than just pride on the line.

Rivalry Not New, But Fierce As Ever (September 2011)

While each team has historic rivalries with other teams that are considered more bitter than this one, fans and players of both teams will tell you that no other rival has come close to bringing the intensity that Manchester United and Chelsea have brought against each other over the past several years. In sports, history weighs heavily on every team; it brings undue pressures, lofty expectations, and lots of media attention.

Over the last decade in the Premier League, Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool, and Arsenal have been at or near the top consistently. Recently, the likes of Tottenham and Manchester City have peeked their heads while Liverpool and Arsenal have dealt with bumps in the road. Chelsea and United, however, have stayed strong by way of big acquisitions and youth development to stay neck-and-neck. Since Arsenal won the league in 2004 by going undefeated, the trophy has traveled back and forth between Stamford Bridge and Old Trafford, where it currently resides.

While some have argued that the lack of variation in champions has shown a plateau in the EPL, there is no lack of excellent soccer. Chelsea and United were so dominant that in 2008, after a hard fought battle in the Premier League race, they both reached the Champions League Final as the two best teams in Europe, with United giving Chelsea the blues in penalty kicks to take the title. Furthermore, during Chelsea’s title defense last season, United were able to start the season with a prolonged stretch without a loss to see saw the momentum of this rivalry back to northern England.

This Sunday’s matchup, to take place at Old Trafford, is the first of two games that will prove pivotal in deciding this season’s champion. Both teams reloaded for this year’s title race. Chelsea added forward Juan Mata, young phenom Romelu Lukaku, midfielder Raul Meireles, and new manager André Villas-Boas. Meanwhile, Manchester United somehow strengthened a squad that went to the Champions League Final with winger Ashley Young, defender Phil Jones, and an infusion of promising young talent.

Not only will both teams be fighting it out until the end (with the likes of Manchester City by their sides), but they could be on a collision course in the Champions League as well. There is no doubt that fantastic soccer will be played any time these two meet up, but a healthy display of yellow cards and a busy referee are sure to be at Sunday’s match as well. Yours truly will be taking in the match with a pint at his local soccer pub, and he recommends you do the same. This is not one to miss!

Transfer Windows Provide Endless Drama (September 2011)

Earlier this summer, I wrote about how transfers affect different teams. Mainly, the rich tend to get richer and the teams at the bottom of the table struggle to find talent to compete with the Big Dogs—Manchester United, Chelsea, Manchester City, Liverpool, etc. Now that the transfer window has closed, we can look forward to the season without constant rumors about who will wind up where. This also provides some relief to managers who can start to focus on making the best lineup possible with the players available.

If you are an American sports fan, and you think that ESPN is overly dramatic about every rumor or tweet, then you have no idea how much like high school the European soccer scene is during the transfer window. If you multiplied TMZ by ESPN and take that to the Real Housewives degree (or whatever passes for “reality” TV these days), you may begin to understand the gossip world of soccer. Because soccer is so popular everywhere else in the world, and since it really doesn’t have other sports to compete against, all tabloids, TV news programs and newspapers focus on the lives of players and where they may end up if sold or traded to another club.

What makes this more interesting is that players can be sold to teams outside of their current professional sports league. Teams do not have to deal with commissioners approving trades or fees, and temporary loans allow for players to transfer without permanently leaving their home club. Thus, there is a constant web of player transfers between the Spanish, English, Italian, French, Dutch and other leagues; it becomes nearly impossible to keep track of where everyone is going. Throw in the tabloids that come up with mysterious “sources” on latest news, and you may see a player rumored to go to five different teams in three different countries in the same day!

Just this past offseason (if you can even call it that), some of the biggest names were being tossed around as possible transfer candidates; Wesley Sneijder, Luka Modric, Cesc Fabregas, and Samir Nasri were just a few of the players involved in rumors. Some ended up staying put, and others moved on to improve their new teams. I must admit, the two months (June and July) that the Premier League is in its offseason, the transfer rumors keep me constantly excited about the next season. Sure, American professional leagues have their share of trade rumors, but because of all the red tape involved in actually making a trade (see: the annual NBA Trade Machine that ESPN provides), most trades never pan out or end up being anti-climactic.

Now, if you missed out on this summer’s transfer window drama, have no worries! The transfer window will open up again for the month of January. This allows for teams to assess the talent they have, fill in for injured players, and create a second wind to provide for exciting finishes every season! Comparable to the secondary Waiver Wire trades in Major League Baseball, this additional transfer month will allow for some relief to your annual Seasonal Affective Disorder and will give soccer fans an additional fix of drama so that they do not have to watch Jersey Shore. I can’t wait!

The Going, Going Gooners (August 2011)

In a recent conversation with a friend, we happened upon the debacle that is known as Arsenal. As he is a Chelsea fan and I a Manchester United fan, this was an easy and enjoyable topic to discuss. However, I felt that Arsenal’s misery is something that must be addressed, because it affects those fans who follow the English Premier League year in and year out.

Now, if you are not familiar with the recent history of the Arsenal Gunners, let me refresh you. In short, they have a history of having big-name players and building a lot of hype, then falling short of any silverware.  If this story sounds familiar to you, it is. As a fan of baseball, Arsenal reminds me of the one and only Chicago Cubs. The Cubs, as you may or may not know, have not won a World Series since 1908 and continually disappoint their disillusioned fans. They sign big-name free agents thinking they will reverse the Billy Goat Curse, but every season they fall further and further into the depths of the NL Central standings.

While Arsenal have remained near the top of the EPL table, they still fail to produce based on their budget and expectations. While their trophy-less streak doesn’t go back as far as 1908, it has been since 2005 since Arsenal won anything of significance. This six-going-on-seven year drought is unacceptable in a “What have you won for me lately” league. As a fan of this league, I always wonder how such a talented team on paper seems to fall so far short of winning; whether it be the Premier League, FA Cup, Champions League or even the Carling Cup. Even though I root for a rival team, I wish that such talent would somehow mold itself into a championship contender out of pity for those who root for the Gooners.

Furthermore, recent events continue to put a damper on the hopes of Arsenal fans. Arsene Wenger (whose name, you would think, fits perfectly for this club) has fallen into a lose-lose situation. As a well-respected manager, he brought Arsenal to the position they are in now through his “trust in the youth” policy; however, he has not quite taken them to the promised land over the last few seasons. No matter what lineup he assembles or what he says in the media to motivate his squad, nothing seems to work. I was one of many who said that Arsenal needed to rid themselves from Wenger after last season’s latest fiasco. My reasons were unique; I thought that he had fallen into a place where nothing he said would change the losing mindset, but he was not (entirely) to blame for the follies of his team. From a psychological standpoint, bringing in a fresh face may help to ease tensions and to put the team back on pace to seriously compete in this league again.

The Cubs have similarly fallen into a cycle where no manager or front office personnel are safe from scrutiny and criticism. The “curse” of losing has taken the forefront of everyone associated with this club, all the way from the ever-annoying fans all the way to ownership. Both the Cubs and Gunners will have to find a tabula rasa; erasing recent and long-standing history may be the only way back to glory for both franchises. And unless this clean slate is found, fans of these storied squads are in for a long and bumpy ride.

English Premier League Preview 2011-2012 (August 2011)

The NFL Lockout is over. The NBA Lockout is at least a few months from being over. However, the best professional league in the world, the Barclay’s Premier League, is about to get underway! While visions of Wesley Sneijder to Manchester United dance merrily in the heads of Red Devil fans (mine included), we look forward to the season that lies ahead.

Chelsea won the EPL in 2010 and started strong last season before collapsing to let Manchester United and others back into the race late last year. United stayed strong and were able to capture the title, giving Sir Alex Ferguson his fourth championship in the last five seasons. There have been several interesting changes this offseason and this season proves to be as exciting as any!

While a carousel of Samir Nasri, Cesc Fabregas, and Luka Modric rumors abound, we are less than a week away from the start of the season. The Community Shield (between the FA Cup Winner and the EPL Champion) was played between Mancester United and Manchester City. If that game shows us anything about this season, then we are in store one awesome ride! United came back from two goals down to win it in stoppage time, showing that they are still the team to beat.

There will be several teams vying for the title this season, and in addition to Manchester United, teams that will compete include Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, and Arsenal (but probably not). While these teams seem to be at the top every year, there are two teams who could surprise: Tottenham and Everton. The Spurs competed for a top spot all season and narrowly missed out on qualifying for the Champions League, while Tim Howard will keep Everton in games and if the offense can score goals, they will compete in the top half of the table.

As far as teams who are new to the top level of English soccer, you should expect some good underdog competition from all three newly promoted clubs. Queens Park, Swansea City, and Norwich will all have a tough time avoiding relegation but will look to take the EPL by storm. However, some teams who were lucky to survive last year have lost key players and may be at the bottom of the league looking up. A couple teams who may not be so fortunate include Wolverhampton and Wigan.

No matter who wins the league, who qualifies for Champions League, and who is relegated, this season will prove to be very exciting to watch for fans all over the world. It should be interesting to see players on new teams and how they fare under the pressure of expectation. Stay tuned to MyBriefs.com and follow us on twitter @Ankursbriefs to stay up-to-date on everything going on in the most exciting soccer league in the world!

MLS not quite there yet but future is bright (July 2011)

In lieu of the recent dismantling of MLS’s Seattle Sounders by Manchester United, I decided to analyze the ever-narrowing (or widening?) gap between European club soccer and America’s Major League Soccer.

One of the biggest hindrances to soccer’s popularity in the United States is the lack of a high quality professional league to rival the NFL, MLB or even the NBA. Because it is truly the world’s game, this is the one sport where America’s professional league doesn’t dominate in competition, revenue, or popularity.

In addition, the fact that the MLS does not compete in the UEFA Champions League hurts American soccer as well. The only time European clubs interact with MLS teams is in events like the currently on-going World Football Challenge. This competition has brought teams over from England and Spain (Manchester United, Manchester City, and Real Madrid to name a few) to compete against MLS teams that are in mid-season form.

However, fans that are rooting for the MLS to close the competition gap with European teams continue to be disappointed. In recent matches, the European teams have shown superior technical skills, organization, finishing ability and depth. Even in games such as Manchester City-Vancouver, where the game was close throughout, City showed that they could finish when it mattered most and won a tight game even though they are in pre-season mode.

The most disappointing game thus far was the match between my beloved Manchester United squad and one of the best MLS teams this season, the Seattle Sounders. Now, I’m not trying to throw salt on an open wound, but that was a total embarrassment. The first half was fun to watch; Seattle actually dominated possession and United only took a 1-0 lead on a great counterstrike and finish. The second half was a different story. With a handful of substitutions for both teams, Manchester United opened up and scored six (yes, 6) second half goals to make it seem like more of a clinic than a match between two professional squads.

Sure, one can argue that United added Wayne Rooney, but for a team who is still in pre-season mode to play one of the best MLS teams at their home stadium and to win 7-0 is unfortunate. United showed superior depth, and even though they are going through some changes at several positions, showed better teamwork than Seattle.

I do believe, contrary to what these games have suggested, that Major League Soccer is closing the gap. It is unfortunate for them that they don’t have the revenue to bring in and keep world-class players, but there are a couple teams who could fend for themselves at the world stage, even if they aren’t at the levels of a Manchester United or Barcelona. Maybe the embarrassing status of professional sports in America will turn kids to playing soccer and the game will develop here in the United States.

While I am a huge fan of the English Premier League and European soccer in general, I wish only the best for Major League Soccer. It has the ability to bring a clean, fresh perspective to professional sports in a country that has to deal with money-centered lockouts in the NBA and NFL, steroid-use in Major League Baseball, and whatever that mess is called in the NCAA. This is the time for the MLS to step up and finally take a step in the right direction. One only knows we need it.