American Soccer/European Football

[abbey]

Originally Posted by K.Snyder

You're right the only way the cap would work for England is if other countries followed suit...Otherwise they'd all play for the Real Madrids and AC Milans to whom doesn't have a salary cap...

What's left is to congratulate Man city on the Premier League title in 2009/10...

Buggeroff

[K.Snyder]

Originally Posted by abbey

Buggeroff

Fulham's going to win the title......

Don't know how any other "fan" could come up with anything less...

[abbey]

Newcastle FC for sale.
http://www.nufc.com/

[K.Snyder]

Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley is seeking a staggering $860 million to sell his club to Dubai investors, Arabian Business has learned.

http://www.nufc.com/

$860,000,000/£472,891,235.02) Million is alot of money...

I have been hearing about this on Sky Sports news as well as other resources but I haven't found the time to read into it...I'll do that as soon as I get a spare 15 minutes...

I've just been raking my yard free of small limbs and debris...We've just had a bit of a wind storm from the remanence of Hurricane Ike from which wind speeds reached in upwards of 75 MPH/120 km/h...There were 5 people killed from the wind storm throughout Ohio so I'm afraid the cost was much too high...

None the less I'll be looking into the sports world again here within th enext few days...

[K.Snyder]

You know after thinking about it I realize that the game of European Football was created far sooner than it were ever called soccer...

Seeing how it's completely habitual and instinctively inescapable that my first reaction is to call the original game of football "soccer" hence why you see "American Soccer" written first I hope no one's taken offense...

I should have thought about it more...Just wanted to say I've meant no disrespect...I know the game as we know it today was originated in England and after having thought about it I think it would have been more fitting to really name the thread "World Football/Soccer"...

None the less I give respect where respect is due...

[abbey]

Soccer/Football, no difference, it's a beautiful game whatever we call it.
No offence taken as far as I can see.

[K.Snyder]

Originally Posted by abbey

Soccer/Football, no difference, it's a beautiful game whatever we call it.
No offence taken as far as I can see.

Absolutely...

I just know that some may think that by others merely calling the game soccer may be a show of disrespect and I assure anyone such isn't the case...

To be perfectly honest, technically American Football is World Football it just appears very, very different...

Some people do not realize that...

American football is World football as Americans sort of gotten a bit pi**ed off because they couldn't score by kicking the ball so many took the initiative in picking the ball up and running with it, at the same time pi**ing the other players off leading to the player running with the ball being tackled...Hence American football......(I do believe this is the story)...

[K.Snyder]

After Hull City's 2-2 draw against Everton I'd have to say that Hull City has completely stunned the football/soccer world in England...With the exception of a 5-0 slagging Wigan felt obliged to extend to a Hull City side written off by the Premier League's more respected football/soccer analysts, Hull city sits firmly in 7th place within the English Premier League and looks as if the coaches and players themselves haven't had a clue as to why it is they were never given a chance to remain in the Premier League let alone being in the top half of the league after five games...

Hull City looks as if they're ready to claim their right to be labeled a legitimate Premier League side, meanwhile Tottenham Hotspur's season thus far can equally be considered just as surprising...After losing to Liverpool, Middlesbrough, Sunderland, and Aston Villa, the 11th place Premier League finishers of yesteryear look as if they're starting in the same fashion as they did in the 2007/2008 Premier League season but after a very busy offseason the question is if Tottenham can regain their composure and keep their expectation in not being among those fighting for survival come May...

Newcastle United has become ever the more so desperate following the resignation of Kevin Keegan and the unending protests by disgruntled fans made prominent throughout St. James' Park...After placing Newcastle United up for sale at a much "impractical" £300million Mike Ashley says he is "not stupid and have listened to the fans."...No one at the moment seems ready to meet the expectations of Ashley's price tag of £300million...

On the other end of the spectrum Manchester City owner Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed is flashing around his pocket book acquiring Brazilian star Robinho from Real Madrid, Pablo Zabaleta from Espanyol, Shaun Wright-Phillips and Tal Ben Haim from Chelsea and Vincent Kompany from Hamburg...With the exception of losing to Chelsea 3-1 at home and Aston Villa 4-2 in Villa park Man City looks as if they could legitimately contend for the league title...Many Citizens are already chanting "UEFA Cup" for 2009/2010...Man City's recent interests have many English Premier League fans concerned about capitalistic entity dictating the passion of what many feel is an honorable game among commoners...

After losing to Fulham on the 23rd of August, Arsenal leads the Premier League standings after 5 games but the Gunners' lead can be misleading at best...Arsenals only wins have been against West Bromwich Albion, Newcastle, Blackburn, and Bolton...Once leaders Liverpool look to be making a statement after beating the champions of the past two years Manchester United in Anfield and remain tied in points with second place Chelsea who is always expected to make a challenge for the honor of being crowned the best Premier League team every season...

1. Arsenal 2. Chelsea 3. Liverpool 4. Aston Villa 5. Manchester City round out the top five and the only lack of surprise is Manchester United not being among the names mentioned...The match between Fulham and Manchester United that was scheduled for August 30th 2008 had previously been postponed but even a hypothetical win would see Manchester United no higher than 7th place one spot above aforementioned Hull city...

So, another year of the Premier League is under way with the usual surprises but is it safe to say that there are far more shocking surprises than years prior at the same time a number of events that carry a much unpredictable future not only for individual clubs but for the entire Premier League?...

What say ye?...

[K.Snyder]

The Columbus Crew have won the 2008 MLS Cup!

Yippeeeee!!!!!!!!!............<------For the ladies......s...... .....


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CARSON, Calif. -- The best team during the regular season claimed Major League Soccer's ultimate prize on Sunday, and the league's best player, Guillermo Barros Schelotto, turned in a performance for the ages, as the Columbus Crew earned their first-ever MLS Cup with a 3-1 win against a game New York Red Bulls side in MLS Cup 2008 at The Home Depot Center.

Crew forward Alejandro Moreno opened the scoring in the 31st minute, slotting a tight-angled shot past Red Bulls goalkeeper Danny Cepero. New York equalized early in the second half through John Wolyniec, but Chad Marshall's header from a Schelotto corner kick restored the Crew's lead 87 seconds later. Schelotto then earned his MLS Cup record third assist in the 82nd minute, with his pass allowing Frankie Hejduk to cap the scoring.

Schelotto was named the MLS Cup Most Valuable Player for his record-setting performance, becoming the third player in league history to win league MVP honors as well as in the MLS Cup Final, joining Tony Meola (2000) and Carlos Ruiz (2002).

The match started with New York inviting Columbus to camp out in their half, and the Crew were only too happy to oblige. An attempt to isolate attacker Robbie Rogers on the left wing saw him taken down by Chris Leitch after just four minutes, earning the Red Bulls defender a yellow card.

Shortly thereafter, Rogers had the Crew supporters on their feet when he slotted home a Schelotto free kick. But Rogers was correctly adjudged to have been offside, nullifying the tally.

The Red Bulls then showed their ability to strike quickly on the counter two minutes later when a flowing move involving Wolyniec and Dave van den Bergh resulted in the Dutchman's cross being headed out for a corner by Crew defender Gino Padula.

Van den Bergh's involvement increased from there. Twice in a three-minute span his crosses found Wolyniec in the box, but on neither occasion was the Red Bulls forward able to get a clean shot off. Wolyniec did manage to get his feet set after being set up by Dane Richards, but his shot was well over the bar.

More of New York's play then started to go through Richards. The Jamaican shook loose down the right wing in the 23rd minute, only to see his cross miss everyone. Richards then duplicated his effort the right flank six minutes later, leaving three Crew defenders in his wake. His centering feed found Angel wide open in the box, but the Colombian volleyed just over the bar.

With New York seemingly gaining the upper hand, the Crew gave the Red Bulls a taste of their own counterattacking medicine to break on top in the 31st minute. Schelotto picked van den Bergh's pocket on the right touchline, and his quick pass forward found Moreno isolated against Diego Jimenez.

With seemingly little angle after running at the New York defender, Moreno unleashed a shot from the right side of the area that appeared to catch Cepero a bit out of position, and it just snuck inside the far post, giving the Crew a 1-0 lead.

It marked the first time during this postseason that the Red Bulls had trailed as they allowed their first goal in 206 playoff minutes, and while the half ended with the same score, it wasn't much longer before they pulled level.

A mazy run from Richards in the 51st minute, cutting inside from the right after receiving a ball in space, saw him evade four Columbus defenders, and his clever through ball to Wolyniec allowed the Red Bulls forward to nudge the ball past Hesmer for the equalizer.

But the Red Bulls were barely done celebrating when they found themselves trailing again. Schelotto's inch-perfect corner kick was headed with authority by Marshall, leaving Cepero with no chance. It was the second goal in as many games for the MLS Defender of the Year, both coming off Schelotto services on set pieces, and the 87-second gap between goals was the third shortest in MLS Cup history.

Richards continued to be a menace on the right wing, playing almost as a third forward. In the 63rd minute, his point-blank shot from Kevin Goldthwaite's long throw was well-saved by Hesmer. Six minutes later the New York midfielder drew a foul from Padula that earned the Crew defender a yellow card.

Schelotto then came within inches of making the game safe in the 77th minute. A centering pass from Moreno found the Argentinean playmaker in acres of space at the top of the box, but his curling shot struck the crossbar, and the Red Bulls were still alive.

With 12 minutes remaining, New York head coach Juan Carlos Osorio tried to turn the match around, bringing in Jorge Rojas for Luke Sassano. But it was Columbus who stepped up their game, and once again it was Schelotto at the heart of the action.

With the reigning MVP apparently bottled up at the top of the box, his deft chip over the top of the New York defense found Hejduk in stride, and his looping header over the onrushing Cepero made the score 3-1, clinching matters for the Crew.

All that was left was to give Schelotto his due, and that came in stoppage time when his substitution was met with rapturous applause by the Crew faithful. That roar was exceeded only at the final whistle, when the yellow-clad Columbus fans massed at the north end of the stadium could officially celebrate their first league championship.

Jeff Carlisle is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.

http://web.mlsnet.com/news/mls_news...._mls&fext=.jsp

[K.Snyder]

Friedel honoured with Barclays Merit award

Brad Friedel has been honoured by Barclays after breaking the record for consecutive Premier League matches.



Aston Villa's American goalkeeper was presented with a Merit Award by the Premier League's sponsor after surpassing David James' milestone to reach 167 consecutive Barclays Premier League appearances in last Saturday's match against Fulham.

The run started on the opening day of the 2004/05 season when his Blackburn Rovers side entertained West Bromwich Albion at Ewood Park.

record appearances

Friedel did not miss a Barclays Premier League encounter between the beginning of the 2004/05 season to the end of the 2007/08 season for Blackburn Rovers, before transferring to Aston Villa in July 2008 where the 37-year-old has added to his tally by making a further 13 straight appearances.

Brad Friedel will look to add to his record appearance haul when Aston Villa travel to Everton on Sunday in their Barclays Premier League encounter.

Record for consecutive Barclays Premier League appearances:

Brad Friedel - 167* ( 14 August 2004 - 30 November 2008)

David James - 166 (17 January 2004 - 20 April 2008)

Frank Lampard - 164 (13 October 2001 - 28 December 2005)

Premier League football news from the Barclays Premier League Friedel honoured with Barclays Merit award

And you think the sport isn't growing in America!...Shame on you!!!!...TST TST TST!!!!!!......


...<----for the ladies.........

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