Champions League Round of 16 Draw Reaction

Bright and early here today in the US they drew the pairings for the final 16 of the 09/10 Champions League.  Here are the pairings with a brief bit of my feelings on each one….

AC Milan v Man Utd: Feb 16/March 10

One of the two marquee draws in this round takes David Beckham back to Old Trafford for what should be a fascinating second leg.  Last year MU totally outclassed Inter in this same round and surely Alex Ferguson will have some similar tricks up his sleeve.  AC Milan has turned it around after a rough patch to start the season and will surely hope that Beckham adds to their depth as they seek a return to European glory; I think they have the better chance of the two Italian sides although its so hard to bet against anyone with the title of Sir.

Olympique Lyon v Real Madrid: Feb 16/March 10

The pressure is on Real Madrid to show that they have the class to make a European run along with an actual La Liga title challenge.  OL lost at this same stage to eventual champions Barcelona last year but put together a strong run this year despite losing Karim Benzema/Juninho/Fabio Grosso.  Always a talented and well managed side, they will be looking for the upset but face an uphill challenge as the second leg is at the Bernabeu.

Bayern Munich v Fiorentina: Feb 17/March 9

BM has begun to get rolling in both Europe and at home as was clear in their 4-1 smoking of Juve in Torino needed to push them through to the knockout stage.  Fiorentina was one of the more impressive sides in group play, 2nd among all teams with 15 points from 6 games.  They also enjoy the home field advantage and have to like their chances of advancing to the final 8.  Should be one of the more enjoyable fixtures.

Porto v Arsenal:  Feb 17/March 9

Despite Porto’s impressive 12 pts from 6 matches, they came in 2nd and therefore drew one of the always tough EPL sides in the round of 16.  All is not lost though as Arsenal has been nothing if not inconsistent this year and w/o Robin Van Persie have had some trouble finding the net recently.  A January signing could be on the books for Arsene Wenger but either way, this could be a upset in the making.

Olympiakos v Bordeaux: Feb 23/March 17

After impressively leading all teams with 16 points from the 6 group stage matches Bordeaux looks to continue their form against the Greek side.  If Bordeaux can hold onto Marouane Chamakh in the January window, I like the French side to make a run into the final four this year.  Greece is quite a trip to make but GdB has shown nothing but class throughout the tournament thus far, beating Bayern 2x and Juve once.

Stuttgart v Barcelona: Feb 23/March 17

The defending champions have to like the fact that they avoided Milan in this round and should advance with out too much trouble.  I see Stuttgart trying to defend w/the house in the first leg but over 180 minutes Barcelona’s class should see them through w/o much of a problem.

Inter Milan v Chelsea: Feb 24/March 16

The other marquee fixture from the group stage is another Italian/English matchup.  As mentioned Mourinho had trouble with Man Utd last year in this stage but I am sure he will find inspiration in his return to Stamford Bridge.  Inter is also blessed with a little more depth up front this year as Mario Balotelli has shown an extremely keen eye for the net.  Chelsea however are playing as well as any team in Europe right now and after two years of heartbreak in a row, definitely have the final in Madrid as a goal of theirs.  I think maybe Milan can go through but Chelsea are too good and if they escape the African Cup of Nations with no major injuries, I think they will move on.

CSKA Moscow v Sevilla: Feb 24/March 16

Sevilla started out the group stage in fine form but have faded on both the domestic and European front as of late.  They do have the quality up front to keep up with a talented Moscow side and the 2nd leg advantage though and will definitely be favorites to advance.  One of these Eastern European sides will make a run eventually but the battle of free flowing football should play to Spainards advantage.

Americans

In other news…Landon Donovan followed up his MLS contract extension with a brief loan spell at Everton.  He will only be there until March and this could be a great experience for him.  Everton could use some depth and David Moyes has said he will make a few more signings in January.  Hopefully he is able to find the field though and put this time to use rather than spending a dreary British winter on the bench.  Everton will still be in the FA Cup, Europa League, and the EPL so the minutes are there for the taking, it is now up to Landon to seize them.

Probably no more updates for the next 10 days or so….so Happy Holidays to everyone!

Read Full Post »

2010 World Cup Draw – Preview-esque

The Draw

With less than 24 hours until the biggest day in world football up until June 11th 2010, I thought it would be a good idea to provide a quick preview/digest.  December 4th at 12PM EST is the official draw time.  See it on ESPN2 in the US.

Earlier this week, FIFA established a procedure and pools for tomorrow’s draw.  FIFA used their rankings from October 2009 rather than November 2009 with the official ruling that it provided a more level reading of countries based on matches played.  It also conveniently placed the Netherlands in Pot 1 or the seeded Pot and placed France in Pot 2; conspiracy theorists around the world believe that this was some sort of underhanded punishment on French soccer for the Henry handball.  I am not sure FIFA would so this but also believe that if they were to do so….it would be in a shady way like this.

This means there will be at least 1 pool with one of the top 7 teams in the world + France or Portugal.  There is the chance one of them gets drawn into the group with South Africa which would make their lives easier but at least one of those teams will end up in a very powerful group and is the early favorite for the always popular Group of Death.

The NYTimes Goal Blog gives a nice brief breakdown of each of the 32 teams.

The draw also sets up ominously for the Americans as they are guaranteed a European team from Pot 4; however this could range from the aforementioned France down to Slovenia.  These lower level European teams, Slovakia, Denmark, Greece, Serbia and Switzerland should not be overlooked but as continental teams always have trouble away from the continent…it is clear that the US is hoping first and foremost not to be drawn with France or Portugal.  Pot 1 is a no win situation for them unless they get lucky and draw South Africa (12.5% chance) obviously the weakest team but also by no means an easy match as they will be playing at home.  Pot 3 is also a tough draw with Algeria being the weakest, a team which will still garner plenty of support from their home continent.  The remaining African teams all sport a talent level which probably exceeds the US plus a “home-field” advantage. The final 3 unseeded South American teams cannot be underestimated as well, although Uruguay would probably have to be the preferred team.

A dream draw setup would have placed the US in a Pot with the African teams therefore increasing the chances of being drawn with an Asian squad but that is now a moot point and….they must play the game.

US Soccer’s official view on the Draw can be found here and I will be live blogging it tomorrow although can it be considered live blogging if no one looks? haha, we’ll see.  Once again, 12PM EST on 12/4/09.

ESPN and some of their talking heads take a look at how the draw could set up for the US.  I tend to agree with Janish’s (sp?) point of view more than Tommy Smyths.

What Could The Draw Hold For The US?

More Referees? What good would they do!

In other news from the FIFA meetings, apparently they have scraped plans for the five-official system at the World Cup.  Really? WTF FIFA?  I guess it’s a good thing they have left the door open slightly but this is such an easy fix, it’s not going to cause any technological  issues and might result in a slightly longer decision making process but its for the good of the game, an appropriate use of the cliche.

Players in every sport will do what they can to get an advantage, even if it is against the rules; cheap shots, performance enhancing drugs, hand-balls, whatever, FIFA cannot count on self governing professionals.  Athletes reach this level of greatness partially because they are uber-competitive and are always looking for a competitive advantage.  It’s ignorant to act surprised when one of them is caught attempting to break the rules.

One of  FIFA’s roles (or any governing body) is to ensure the game is played fairly and Soccer (as other sports have realized) has been too fast for that job to be done by a limited number of referees for a while now.  They are going to look a lot more stupid if there is a Wolrd Cup elimination game decided by a missed call than if important on field decisions take slightly longer.  There are still 189 days left until kick off, let’s hope they come to their senses before June 11th.

Charlie Davies Update

On a more somber but uplifting note…Charlie Davies was on Sports Center over the weekend and below is a clip someone was able to pull using a webcam.  It might get pulled down by ESPN soon so watch while you can.  He looks and sounds great…he’s also optimistic that he will be travelling to South Africa next summer.  God speed CD9.

Read Full Post »

WTWF: USA v Costa Rica – 10/13/09

UPDATE: This blog is providing excellent status updates.

It is with a suddenly emotional match tomorrow night in Washington DC that the US finishes their qualifying campaign for the 2010 WC.

Taking into account the fact that they have secured qualification and today’s frightening development, let’s keep tomorrow’s game in perspective. While finishing the CONCACAF qualifying hexagon in first would be a great finish to what has to be considered a successful summer of preparation and would probably carry some weight in Dec 4th’s draw, this team will have larger questions weighing on their mind.

This is not to say that they will roll over. It is a chance for a player, or a few, to take a leadership role and decide how the team will respond.

I am not going to get into specifics now but watch how they respond as a team.

Keep Charlie Davies in your positive thoughts for the next few days.

He’s getting crazy love in the twitter-verse.

This AP link from the top will probably give the most reliable status updates as fast as anything.

Read Full Post »

WTWF: US v El Salvador (9/5/09)

The USMNT resumes their qualifying bid Saturday (read: tonight) at 8PM on ESPN Classic vs El Salvador.

The men find themselves tied for 3rd place with Honduras on 10 pts with 4 games left to play. Not a terrible situation but they lead Mexico by only 1 spot. Being that the top 3 qualify automatically, while the 4th has to play a home and home playoff against the number 5 team from South America, the US can not afford any slip ups the next two qualifiers.

At home outside of Salt Lake City, the US has no reason not to win this game and do so handily. El Salvador sits in 5th out of 6, on only 5 pts from 6 games. Click here for a complete table and results/schedule.

BB knows they today is a must win and an inexcusable game to lose and I think you’ll see him put forth what he considers his top squad.

Personally, I hope and think this “top squad” should contain Charlie Davies and Jozy Altidore at the striker pairing. They both have been getting time immediately with their new teams and have impressed at Sochaux and Hull. It’s up to them to transfer that form to their national side and put away a goal or 2.

In the midfield, I think you will see Dempsey, Clark, Bradley, and Donovan. Clint Dempsey needs to step up and perform, too often do you not know what kind of performance he will bring and he has to solidify himself as a performer regardless of the opposition or stage. I think Benny Feilhaber could spell him and you would see virtually no drop off.

Defensively: Spector, Onyewu, Demerit, Bocanegra. I expect a clean sheet and tidy performances from all of them. They will probably not be tested often so it is up to them to maintain their focus and composure even when not called into action for large stretches.

Overall, hopefully the US does a good job of maintaining possession, attacking effectively throughout the game, and establishing themselves as the superior team w/o question. If they are as good as we all thought before the Mexico game, they must win this and make sure it is no contest. Then they must do it all over again on Wednesday night at Trinidad and Tobago.

Do work.

Read Full Post »

WTWF: US v Mexico 8/12/09

Overall it’s important to remember that this isn’t the most important match of the year for the US National team. They are in excellent shape in the final stage of qualifying, needing only 2 wins from the final 5 games. Mexico on the other hand, is holding onto the only playoff spot by a single point over El Salvador; a W here is integral to solidifying their spot.

That being said, it will provide an excellent measure, in a summer full of them, of where US Soccer stands in the region and the world right now.

Win and they cap off a summer full of positive results in historical fashion. More importantly it would put them on the verge of qualification and in position to win the hexagonal stage.

A tie would be respectable and proof that Mexico isn’t really 5-0 better than the US.

A loss…esp another one of even multiple goals and, well, I shouldn’t even “publish” that option…..but I try not to be superstitious about these things.

Into the good stuff…

Starting XI:

This is very close to the best 20 the US can put on a plane right now. Of those, I believe the best 11 includes Dempsey as the 2nd striker and Feilhaber as the wide attacking midfielder, however I doubt Bradley goes that route, especially to start. He will probably stick with what worked late in the Confed Cup, although I would like to see him put Davies up front from the get go.

Davies and Altidore from the start would put a lot more pressure on Mexico and forcing the issue would be smart of BB. Mexico absolutely needs to win this game and therefore will be pushing forward from the outset. This should open things up for the US’s dangerous counterattack; an attack that is much more dangerous in that capacity with Davies and Altidore instead of Ching.

This could be more of a 4222 (and is probably more effective that way) but I think BB will start pretty conservatively and ask Dempsey to not get lost up front, letting Donovan be the primary MF->FW connector. This starting option also gives him the ability to bring Feilhaber in early in the 2nd half and push Dempsey forward, especially if they are trailing. Despite my hope that Davies starts, I think Ching will get the nod because of experience and probably gives way between 45′ and 60′ to Davies and his pace that everyone slurps.

——Howard——

Spector-Demerit-Onyewu-Bocanegra

Dempsey-Clark-Bradley-Donovan

Altidore-Ching

In getting down to 17 players, I think BB will leave Holden, Casey, and Bornstein to watch from sidelines.

Who to Watch:

Landon Donovan asserted himself as the leader of this team in the Confederations Cup and needs to use his experience to help the kids stay within themselves tomorrow. Dumb fouls, giveaways, kick and chase, etc will all be detrimental to the team. They must play the game they prepared to play and it will be on Donovan to ensure this happens, at least from the midfield forward.

Donovan should have a chance to shine with his play as well. The counterattack should be in full effect for the US and he is integral to their ability to break in the other direction.

Tim Howard has had a fabulous summer thus far and can cap it off tomorrow. The Mexican attack is very dangerous and Howard will undoubtedly be tested early and often. It will be up to him to ensure that the back line maintains their shape/discipline throughout, and come up with some big saves.

Jay Demerit seems to have helped the US find a LB solution in Carlos Bocanegra by proving himself in the Confed Cup. The time is now for him to make that CB position his for the next year.

Michael Bradley, a CM in the mold of Claudio Reyna, has a ton of talent and potential but the only thing holding him back is his temper. His quality this summer has so far been marred by letting it get the better of him too often. Tomorrow’s atmosphere will be the most hostile he has ever seen, staying on the field is key to both the US’s chances and his personal development.

Jozy Altidore/Charlie Davies…the chances for the US will probably by outnumbered by Mexico, so it will be that much more important to finish those that come up. These two, if healthy, should form the strike pair for the US next summer and this will be a good test for them.

In closing, the US has the quality and form to pull out a win tomorrow. Once the whistle blows though, everything goes out the window and its up to those 11 on the field to play as a unit. Azteca Stadium is one of the most difficult places in the world and this Mexican team is coming together, but the US has the quality and ability to play with anyone in the world for 90 minutes. Do it.

A few others….

• The NYTimes has a good digest of pre-game feelings
• The Times again, this time with a good/quick conversation with Tim Howard
• Official thoughts of the WWL
• Goal.com editors from around the world share their views on the game, very interesting to see what international sentiment and the players they call out
• A BB press conference from the other day
• One Goal.com US editor’s list of keys to the game
• Grant Wahl’s list of key’s to the game…always provides excellent insight

US v Mexico TV Station Update:

A brief note on the TV situation for this game. CONCACAF WCQ TV rights are held by domestic broadcasters of the home team, Telemundo in this case. They couldn’t come to an agreement to sell the rights to ESPN in the US, so it will be broadcast in Spanish on Telemundo and in english on Mun2. NBCUniversal announced that Mun2, which is regularly available in only 31 Million Homes nationwide, will be available free to twice that many homes tomorrow, including the following providers; ATT U-Verse TV, Charter, Comcast, DirecTV, Dish Network, and Time Warner Cable. Channels are in parenthesis…

Time Warner (Southern Manhattan) – Telemundo (47), Telemundo HD (747), Mun2 (126)

Cablevision (Southern Westchester) – Telemundo (16), Mun2 (197/227), Telemundo HD (714)

Anywhere else, I am apologize for leaving you out but TVGuide.com is real easy to use. www.TVGuide.com

Also, the WWL (affectionately known as ESPN) is broadcasting their own pre-game show from outside Azteca at 3:30 PM with Bob Ley and Alexi Lalas. A move that is utilized for most major American sporting events they don’t broadcast but this will be the first time they have ever done it with a soccer game which isn’t on their network.

Read Full Post »