Thursday, May 31, 2012
FIFA 13 ? New Screens
Brek Shea gets three-match suspension for kicking ball at linesman
Not only has FC Dallas' visit to Columbus Crew provided us with a textbook throat-kick DTotD, but also a fine example of assistant referee abuse. FC Dallas' Brek Shea was unhappy with the linesman for calling a foul on him, and expressed his disappointment via the medium of volleying the ball directly at the official's stomach.
He escaped without a yellow card for the incident ? as did the Crew's Tony Tchani for what looked like an obvious flop ? but the U.S. national team midfielder wasreprimanded by MLS on Thursday with a three-match suspension and an undisclosed fine.
It seems like a reasonably strong punishment, but at least half of the fine has to be for that haircut.
International Rules Football Is A Dog?s Game
Source: http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2011/10/27/international-rules-football-is-a-dogs-game/
Re-Entry Draft To Make MLS Offseason Even More Fun | WVHooligan - Soccer Blog [Digg]
This Is What Being a Football Fan Looks Like?
Source: http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2011/01/25/this-is-what-being-a-football-fan-looks-like/
Coffee in Miami, Histrionics Everywhere Else
Photo credit to @nihar247
On Thursday, the only pieces of news that were confirmed were things we already knew—Jen Chang, formerly a senior editor for world football at Sports Illustrated, had been appointed Corporate Relations and Communications Director, and Billy Hogan, who’s been with Fenway Sports Group since 2004, was named the club’s Chief Commercial [...]
Source: http://liverpool.theoffside.com/team-news/coffee-in-miami-histrionics-everywhere-else.html
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Union Aim to Split Season Series with Galaxy | WVHooligan - Soccer Blog [Digg]
Spanish 23-man squad for 2012 UEFA Euro tournament
Source: http://www.the90thminute.com/soccer/2012/05/spanish-23-man-squad-for-2012-uefa-euro-tournament/
DT Exclusive: Liverpool interview candidates to replace Kenny Dalglish
Despite his regal status and winning the Carling Cup, Liverpool have sacked Kenny Dalglish, whose second stint as manager of the club lasted less than two years. Now faced with the daunting task of finding a manager to return the club to past glory, Liverpool owner John W. Henry must sift through the candidates to find the best one. The following is a transcript of his first group interview.
Henry: Thank you all for coming in today. You've all been asked here because we feel you are the best prospects to succeed a club legend and bring Liverpool the success we demand. Before we continue, Mr. Berbatov, I realize you're leaving Manchester United, but you should know that we're not looking to hire a player-manager here.
Berbatov: Oh, I'm not here for the job.
Henry: Then why are you here?
Berbatov: (To Linda) Well hello there. I see you've caught me crashing a job interview. Like me, you look good in red, but probably look even better out of it. Ha-HA!
Henry: Please don't talk to my wife like that. You can leave now.
Berbatov: Oh-OHHH! That's your wife?! I thought she was the sultry ghost of Anfield that only I could see, but anyone could seduce. Oh, this is terrible.
[Berbatov leaves through a window]
Henry: Anyway, I thank all of you who were actually invited for coming in. Now let's get to the first question. What would you bring to Liverpool that the other candidates wouldn't?
Roberto Martinez: I can guarantee that I will get Liverpool playing like a side doomed to relegation for the vast majority of the season and then save them from that terrible fate at the last possible moment. I will be hailed as a hero.
Henry: We'd like to think our team is far better than that, Roberto.
Martinez: And I would like to think I'm interviewing for the Man City job. But I'm not.
Henry: Fine. Brendan Rodgers?
Rodgers: I can bring a very attractive style of attacking football that will get the most out of the players available. I can turn Liverpool into Barcelona. The Barcelona that won titles, I mean.
Andre Villas-Boas: I have more money than I can count. Seriously. I started counting my payout the day I was sacked by Chelsea and I still haven't finished. Bank tellers start crying when I crouch down in front of them. And then they get really confused when I keep doing it.
Rafa Benitez: (coughs) Istanbul...
Henry: I'm sorry, what was that, Rafa?
Benitez: Istanbul.
[Rafa crosses his arms and leans back in his chair, falling over.]
Henry: Oh my -- Rafa, are you alright?
Benitez: (still on the floor) I am fine. I did that on purpose. Like when I quit Liverpool just so everyone would see how much the club needs me. Fact!
Henry: That's not a fact at all.
Bearded Man: I know this club better than anyone. Especially better than a four-eyed Yank.
Henry: Kenny, I can tell that's you wearing a fake beard. The left side is falling off.
Bearded Man: The name's Denny Kalglish...Pope Denny Kalglish.
Benitez: I knew you were real.
Henry: Kenny, as I said before -- I'm very sorry things didn't turn out better, but we simply must move on. And you should too.
Kalglish: Though Kenny Dalglish is a very handsome and intelligent man who collects Carling Cups like the valuable, impressive trophies that they are, I am not him. I am Pope Denny Dalglish- Kalglish! I meant Kalglish. And this job is mine.
Benitez: Wrong again, Kalglish.
Henry: Gentlemen, please! I'd like to get on with this interview if you don't mind. Now. We've had trouble with overpaying in the transfer market for players who underperform. How would you describe your style of business in that area?
Martinez: Shrewd.
Villas-Boas: Alienating.
Rodgers: I consider spotting undervalued talent to be one of my best attributes.
Benitez: I sold Xabi Alonso. And I broke this chair.
[Benitez falls forward, slamming his head on the table.]
Kalglish: Just let me sign Grant Holt for �85 million and everything will be fine!
Benitez: (From under the table) I will sign Alberto Aquilani for �90 million and that is my final offer!
Henry: We still own him! Look, it's become clear that this was a mistake. I'm sorry gentlemen, but we're going to go about this process a very different way.
Kalglish: So do I get the job?
Henry: No.
Benitez: Because I get it?
Henry: (Sighs) We should've bought Blackburn.
Hollywood to make movie about Barcelona
Great news for fans of Green Street, Bend It Like Beckham and Soccer Dog: European Cup ? the rich and illustrious canon of soccer in the�cinema�is set to be expanded with a Hollywood movie about FC Barcelona.
Paul Greengrass? the �Oscar-winning British director of United 93, The Bourne Ultimatum and Green Zone ? is currently at the Cannes Film Festival looking for international backers for "an epic�cinematic�portait of FC Barcelona", which will focus primarily on the four years in which Pep Guardiola guided the Catalan giants to 13 trophies. The LA Times reports:
Titled "Barca," the movie will examine the process and legacy of one of the world's most famous sports franchises, looking at a team as it prepares for the 2012-2013 campaign, in which it will seek to reclaim its title in Spain's La Liga, with a particular emphasis on its successful run over the last several years. Greengrass aims to begin shooting the movie later this year, after he wraps his newest feature.
Much like Soccer Dog: European Tour, the movie has a strong potential for excellence, with Greengrass being joined by executive producer John Carlin (script writer who has also won awards in Spain for journalism) and editor Chris King (who worked on the stupendously good documentary Senna).
Greengrass is actually a fan of South London's very own Blaugrana, Crystal Palace. While promoting The Bourne Ultimatum on BBC radio in 2007, �he attempted to tease Spurs-supporting host Simon Mayo by claiming he would only make another Bourne film when Tottenham finished in the top four. Seeing as the Lilywhites have achieved that feat twice since then, we are owed another two (non-Jeremy Renner) Bourne outings when the Barca project is complete.
Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/soccer-dirty-tackle/hollywood-movie-barcelona-154919593.html
NFL Owners? Con Game Hits a Snag
Source: http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2011/03/02/nfl-owners-con-game-hits-a-snag/
How To Make Expedition Mode Great
Source: http://fifasoccerblog.com/blog/how-to-make-expedition-mode-great/
DTotD: Slovakian hooligan lights a flare in his own face
Clearly this Slovan Bratislava fan hasn't flicked through his copy of Hooliganism For Dummies lately. The chapter about not staring down the barrel of a flare while you light it would have been particularly relevant during his visit to Slovak Super Liga rivals FK DAC.
This has been the Dirty Tackle of the Day: a chronicling of unfortunate events. Doth of the cap to @VikingATS for the video tip.
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
How To Make Expedition Mode Great
Source: http://fifasoccerblog.com/blog/how-to-make-expedition-mode-great/
The End of Just the Beginning: Barcelona ? Athletic Bilbao
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/BarcelonaFootballBlog/~3/mAHPcsjoDNc/
Jose Callejon rode on Jose Mourinho?s back during Real Madrid?s title celebration
Real Madrid beat Mallorca 4-1 in their final match of the season to become the first club in Europe's four biggest domestic leagues to reach 100 points for a season. After reaching such an impressive milestone, the club held a lavish title celebration on the pitch at the Bernabeu that was a cross between the final scene in Star Wars and the closing ceremony for the space olympics.
Near the end of the celebration, Jose Callejon took the microphone and announced that he needed to do "one last thing before the season ends." He then got off the podium, took Jose Mourinho by the hand and jumped on his manager's back for a piggyback ride just as Mourinho had spontaneously done to him during a match against Valencia back in November.
When Mourinho was first introduced for the celebration, he bowed before his players. Video of that moment, plus some photos right this way...
Serbian footballer dropped from national team for not singing anthem
Serbia lost 2-0 in a friendly against Spain on Saturday, but 20-year-old Serbian midfielder Adem Ljajic committed an offense before the match even began that would get him kicked off the team. According to the Football Association of Serbia, Ljajic breached their code of conduct by not singing the national anthem with his teammates prior to kick off due to "personal reasons." Said the FAS in an official statement�(via the Independent):
"Coach Mihajlovic yesterday held a meeting with Ljajic. After hearing Ljajic did not sing the anthem due to personal reasons and that that stance would not change, Sinisa Mihajlovic told the player to return home.
"The door has not been closed forever on the national team but he needs to change his attitude and officially notify Mihajlovic that he has done so.
"Then when his form merits it, he can return."
As the statement implies, this move probably has more to do with his general attitude than just his willingness to sing the anthem. Four weeks ago, Ljajic goaded then Fiorentina manager Delio Rossi after being subbed out of a Serie A match in the first half. Rossi responded by physically attacking him in the dugout -- which simply isn't the type of thing a seasoned manager does just because one of his players gave him a bit of sarcastic applause.
I'm curious how one goes about "officially" notifying their manager that they've changed their attitude, though. A doctor's note? A notarized letter where all the lowercase i's are dotted with smiley faces? A YouTube video that shows him hugging a kitten while singing the anthem? Maybe all three.
FIFA 13: 1UP Interview
Source: http://fifasoccerblog.com/blog/fifa-13-1up-interview/
How To Make Expedition Mode Great
Source: http://fifasoccerblog.com/blog/how-to-make-expedition-mode-great/
Champions League Preview
Source: http://soccerprose.com/soccer-fans/champions-league-preview/
Monday, May 28, 2012
Salomon Kalou?s hair spider is fascinating to Didier Drogba
Despite a variety of chances, Bayern Munich failed to score in the first half of the Champions League final. It seemed to be rushing its shots even though Chelsea had considerable problems in�defense�and it might have had something to do with the giant alien spider carved into the back of Salomon Kalou's hair.
Before the match even began, Didier Drogba seemed wary of it. It's unclear why Kalou had a spider cut into his hair for the Champions League final. Perhaps it's viral marketing for the upcoming "Spider-Man" reboot?
If it continued? (Bayern Munich v Chelsea)
Chelsea proved that they had more lives than a video game character this season by beating Bayern Munich in a penalty shootout to win the Champions League final. It was a hard luck loss for Bayern, who had a total of 43 shots and 20 corner kicks to Chelsea's nine shots and one corner kick (which they scored on in the 88th minute) during 120 minutes of play. Bayern's Arjen Robben had a penalty saved early in extra time and yet another chance to win in front of the home crowd was blown when they lost the shootout 4-3.
We've never asked "What if it continued?" after a match that ended with a shootout, buy for this one we must. So...what if it continued?
-Everyone agrees not to give Bastian Schweinsteiger a hard time about hitting the post with his all-important penalty and then getting emotional because he's an awesome guy and not John Terry.
-Fernando Torres shoots, the ball turns into a unicorn.
-Roman Abramovich wonders if its worth spending billions of pounds to win football tournaments. He has his answer when he remembers how meaningless money is to him and that winning football tournaments is really fun.
-Toni Kroos shoots, Petr Cech saves it even though his helmet slipped down over his eyes and he sneezed at the same time.
-Angered by Chelsea's success with a defensive style of play, Xavi declares the Champions League dead to him and starts a new, segregated tournament only for teams with an attacking style of play. He calls it the "Superior Network of Brilliance League" (the SNoB League). Bayern Munich accept his invitation to join before he even sends it.
-Mario Gomez's first-half shot lands safely in a goal in Kuala Lumpur.
-Wearing his kit like the rest of Chelsea's suspended players, John Terry chews through his restraints and attempts to take a penalty kick. The spider carved into Salomon Kalou's hair bites him before he can.
-Arjen Robben regrets falling on top of his lucky hairbrush and smashing it into a thousand pieces.
-Andre Villas-Boas holds his fingers in his ears and shouts "LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA." Then he resumes counting all the money Roman Abramovich gave him and giggles.
-The reality of a goalkeeper taking his team's third penalty kick in a Champions League final shootout and casually making it starts to sink in.
-Petr Cech saves Xherdan Shaqiri's shot before he even officially joins Bayern Munich.
-Arsenal fans' enjoyment of Chelsea snatching away Spurs' Champions League spot is completely ruined by Ashley Cole winning the Champions League before they have.
-Michael Ballack explodes in a cloud of bitterness and confusion. His spirit is pleased that most of the Ballack chunks landed on Philipp Lahm, though.
-The shootout is abandoned when Didier Drogba builds everyone a hospital, ends the entire concept of war and adds 10,000 years to the Mayan calendar.
-Despite his successes, Roberto Di Matteo gets sacked while he's on the toilet.
Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/soccer-dirty-tackle/continued-bayern-munich-v-chelsea-075111800.html
Arjen Robben jeered by Bayern Munich fans at Netherlands friendly
Just three days after Arjen Robben missed a penalty kick that might have won the Champions League final for Bayern Munich, his club hosted his national team -- the Netherlands -- for a friendly in the same stadium that housed his nightmare. And though some of the 33,000 fans in attendance at the Allianz Arena were forgiving, others booed Robben's every touch of the ball after he entered the match as a second half substitute for the Netherlands, who lost 3-2.
Robben's international teammate (and former Bayern teammate), Mark van Bommel, was not amused by the harsh response. From Goal.com:
"It's a disgrace. When you look at what Robben has achieved in his career. He led Bayern to the final at Madrid and is so important to the club. Bayern should be really happy to have a player like him," the veteran told�SBS6 after the match.
"Arjen has signed a new three-year contract but if I was him I would think twice about my future. I don't know what Arjen will do, but I would think about leaving the club if I was him.
"Nobody from the club supports him, I'm the only one that supports him in the press. Mentally he is very strong. Everytime something bad happens to him, he comes back stronger."
"Bayern Munich should be ashamed," Rafael van der Vaart told Bild, echoing Van Bommel's sentiment. "We expected no such thing. It's�embarrassing."
Funny enough, Arjen Robben was the sole reason the match was played in the first place. From Reuters:
The match was organised to compensate the Bavarians after their Dutch winger Arjen Robben aggravated an injury playing for the Netherlands at the 2010 World Cup.
Bayern complained angrily at the time that Robben should not have played and he missed several months of the following season.
But the timing of the match could not have turned out worse for Bayern, coming hot on the heels of Saturday's defeat.
And now they probably wish Robben had gotten hurt while playing for the Netherlands right before Saturday's match. But as difficult as this has been for Bayern fans, it's been much, much worse for Robben himself. This was the fourth major cup final he's lost in the last two years (World Cup final, two Champions League finals and the DFB Pokal final). At Bayern's end of season party on Sunday night, he looked absolutely miserable...
MLS Week 28 Thoughts: Goodbye Parity | WVHooligan - Soccer Blog [Digg]
Making Over the US Open Cup | WVHooligan - Soccer Blog [Digg]
How Chelsea?s Champions League win affects City?s, United?s and Arsenal?s revenues
How Chelsea’s Champions League win affects City’s, United’s and Arsenal’s revenues - originally posted on Soccerlens.com
Chelsea winning the Champions League will see the other English Champions League qualifiers lose a few million pounds each from UEFA’s pot of TV money going to the Premier League. While this is a small part of the overall Champions League revenue split (explained in detail here for 2010/2011), it represents a loss nevertheless. As...
From Soccerlens.com - Football News
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/soccerlens/~3/AlmgGciwruI/
Artur Boruc?s Friday Rage List
AAAAHHHHHHHH I AM ARTUR BORUC AND THIS IS A LIST OF THINGS THAT MADE ME ANGRY THIS WEEK:
1. I LOVE YOU -- I LOVE YOU VERY MUCH!!!!!!!!!! NOW STOP LOOKING AT ME!!!!!!!!!!! STOP IT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
2. THE COLOGNE SMOKE MONSTER -- �I HAVEN'T SEEN THAT MUCH BLACK SMOKE SINCE RIGHT NOW WHEN I JUST REALIZED THAT EVERYTHING IS ON FIRE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AHHHHHHHHH IT'S ACTUALLY NOT BUT I WISH IT WAS!!!!!!!!! WE ALL LIVE FOR OUR FANTASIES!!!!!!!!!!
3. THE HARTLEPOOL SMURFS -- OH GREAT!!!!!!!!!! WHEN THEY DO IT EVERYBODY LOVES IT BUT WHEN I DRESS AS A BUTLER AND BREAK INTO PEOPLE'S HOUSES TO SERVE THEM DINNER IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT EVERYONE FREAKS OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! STOP SCREAMING AT ME AND EAT MY CROQUETTES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
4. CORN -- I THOUGHT SOME CORN SNUCK INTO MY SALAD THE OTHER DAY BUT IT TURNED OUT TO BE A WATCH BATTERY!!!!!!!!!!!! NOW I FEEL LIKE I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT TIME IT IS EVEN WHEN I'M UNCONSCIOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH 4:37!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
5. DIDIER ZOKORA KICKING A RACIST IN THE BALLS -- VIOLENCE IS BAD!!!!!!!!!! BUT RACISM IS WORSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! KICK HIS CROTCH WITH A CANDLE!!!!!!!!!!!
6. THE BLACKBURN CHICKEN -- WHEN I TOLD MY TEAMMATES ABOUT THIS AS LOUD AS I POSSIBLY COULD ONE OF THEM ASKED ME IF THEY CHOKED IT!!!!!!!!!!!!! I DIDN'T KNOW WHY HE WOULD ASK THAT SO I GOOGLE CHICKEN CHOKING AND WAS SO HORRIFIED BY WHAT I LEARNED THAT I DROPKICKED MY IPAD INTO A BOWL OF TERIYAKI SAUCE!!!!!!!!!!! I HAVE NO IDEA WHY I HAD A BOWL OF TERIYAKI SAUCE BUT I JUST DID SO GET OVER IT ALREADY!!!!!!!!!!!!! GET OVER IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 4:45!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
7. POLISH POLICE USING SOUND CANNONS FOR EURO 12 -- YOU HAVEN'T LIVED UNTIL YOU'VE LISTENED TO TAYLOR SWIFT THROUGH A SOUND CANNON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! IT'S LIKE HEAVEN WITH BLOOD POURING OUT OF YOUR EARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! IN OTHER WORDS IT IS JUST HEAVEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
8. WOMEN GRABBING FREDDIE LJUNGBERG -- TOUCHING PEOPLE WITHOUT GETTING THEIR PERMISSION IS UNACCEPTABLE!!!!!!!!!!!!! AND SO IS CHEWING WITH YOUR MOUTH OPEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! DON'T CHEW WITH YOUR MOUTH OPEN OR TOUCH PEOPLE WITHOUT GETTING THEIR PERMISSION!!!!!!!!! IT'S GROSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
9. MY IDIOT NEIGHBOR DAN WYKOWSKI -- SO I WAS MAKING MY CROQUETTES ON TUESDAY FOR THAT BUTLER THING I DO WHEN I SAW DAN DRIVE PAST MY HOUSE TO GET TO HIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING WRONG BUT THE FACT THAT I HAPPENED TO LOOK OUT THE WINDOW JUST AS HE WAS DRIVING BY WAS CREEPY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! IT'S LIKE WE'VE KNOWN EACH OTHER FOR SO LONG NOW THAT WE HAVE SOME KIND OF UNSPOKEN CONNECTION!!!!!!!!!!!!! 4:58 DAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 4:58!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AHHHHHHHHHH I THINK I CAN HEAR HIS GOOBER KIDS IN THE SOUND CANNON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THEY HAVE VOICES LIKE HAIRY �ANGELS!!!!!!!!!!
I AM ARTUR BORUC AND THIS HAS BEEN MY RAGE LIST. SEE YOU NEXT WEEK! GOD BLESS!!!!!!
Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/soccer-dirty-tackle/artur-boruc-friday-rage-list-083247722.html
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Bebe to make triumphant return to Man United
Ring the bells and wake the children -- the King of Old Trafford, Portuguese sensation Bebe, is returning to Manchester United after his almost not completely terrible loan spell in Turkey. The 21-year-old Sir Alex Ferguson bought sight unseen for �7.4 million in August of 2010 has yet to be unloaded and never spoken of again, so he will now rejoin Man United until that inevitably happens.
And how did his year-long loan with Besiktas go? Well, you can't improve on perfection. From the Telegraph:
However, an early season cruciate ligament injury halted Bebe's early progress at Besiktas and he fell foul of coach Tayfur Havutcu last month when he was fined and banished to train away from the first-team after allegedly breaking a curfew in the build-up to a derby game against Galatasaray.
United are understood to be prepared to sell Bebe should they receive a suitable offer for the Portugal U-21 winger, but with the player just two years into a five-year contract, he is likely to rejoin the first-team squad this summer unless a buyer can be found.
Jokes aside, it would be in Man United's best interest to keep Bebe around for a long, long time. The year he was with the club, it won the Premier League title. The year he was sent away, Man City won for the first time in over 40 years. Clearly Bebe is a shepherd of success and dealer of cruel punishment.
2012 MLS, Week 12: Predictions
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WVHooligan/~3/K7CgYVlxGo4/
Manchester United unveil new ?tablecloth? home kit
Manchester United have unveiled their new "gingham" home kit for the 2012/13 season and, as expected, the top part of it was a shirt. But according to people with eyes, it's a shirt that looks like a tablecloth. or a tea towel. Or something else that isn't ideal for a football shirt to look like.
The checkered gingham design of the shirt wasn't just for giggles, though. From Nike's press release:
Manchester United Football club's success has been founded on the traditional values of respect and hard work. Those values are what made Manchester the city it is and from the mid 18th century the cotton mills there were prolific in the industry. From those mills came the gingham fabric, an iconic check that like Manchester United is famous around the world and is now ? for the first time ? used on a Manchester United home shirt.
And they used it on the whole friggin thing.
The shirt has been about as�divisive�as a shirt can be (which is surprising�divisive), with the comments on the club's Facebook page showing just how much people's opinions can differ. Especially among people who don't realize you can get so many uses out of this shirt. In these economically hard times, this is probably just the beginning of the multi-purpose football shirt trend. Spurs' will have the added function of teaching Harry Redknapp what email is, for example.
Here's Rio Ferdinand modeling the new tablecloth. I mean home kit...
Re-Entry Draft To Make MLS Offseason Even More Fun | WVHooligan - Soccer Blog [Digg]
Wednesday Preview: Fire Host TFC | WVHooligan - Soccer Blog [Digg]
Saturday, May 26, 2012
FIFA 13: 1UP Interview
Source: http://fifasoccerblog.com/blog/fifa-13-1up-interview/
FIWC Dubai Live Finals
Source: http://fifasoccerblog.com/blog/fiwc-dubai-live-finals/
Bombings In The Ukraine Weeks Ahead Of Euros
With Euro 2012 due to kick off shortly, the resulting worry that this may be in some way related [...]
Source: http://www.worldcupblog.org/world-football/bombings-in-the-ukraine-weeks-ahead-of-euros.html
Podcast 02 ? FIFA 13 Revealed
Source: http://fifasoccerblog.com/blog/podcast-02-fifa-13-revealed/
2012 MLS, Week 12: Wednesday Quick Picks
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WVHooligan/~3/lfckAhSeTy4/
Llama backs Chelsea in Champions League final
Since the death of Paul, the oracle octopus who had a perfect record in predicting winners at the 2010 World Cup, there have been many other animals to copy his schtick and they have all been pretty terrible. But since Bayern Munich are playing the Champions League final at their home ground, Chelsea will need all the support they can get. Even if it's from a llama.
So, presented with the choice between Bayern and Chelsea, this snack food spokesman/llama resisted the initial urge to back the home side and went with Chelsea. Or, as the llama saw it: the blue thing.
Since this was a llama and not Paul, who was a true genius of our time, this was all a bit meaningless. But, hey, look at the llama!
MLS Week 28 Highlights | WVHooligan - Soccer Blog [Digg]
Friday, May 25, 2012
Bayern Munich fans with Franck Ribery scar makeup at the Champions League final
Since Bayern Munich are not only playing in the Champions League final, but hosting it as well, the locals are understandably excited. So excited, in fact, that a few of them decided to make themselves up to look like Bayern winger Franck Ribery, facial scars and all.
When Ribery was just two years old, he was in a car accident with his family, which left him with injuries to his face that required hundreds of stitches. Luckily, everyone survived the crash and Franck's injuries have had no impact on his brilliance as a footballer. And now, Bayern's prank king he has these jokers desperate to look like him.
Super Pippo Inzaghi scores a winner in his final match with Milan
Though it was meaningless in terms of the Serie A table, Milan's season finale against Novara was an emotional one. Alessandro Nesta, Rino Gattuso, Pippo Inzaghi and Clarence Seedorf all announced they would be leaving the club at the end of the season prior to the match, forcing Milan to finally let go of their aging favorites all at once.
Before kickoff, many of the players were in tears as the departing legends were honored, put it wasn't until the 82nd minute when Inzaghi proved the most fitting of send-offs. On the receiving end of a lovely long ball from Seedorf, Inzaghi fired a shot over the Novara keeper and into the top of the net to score the goal that gave Milan a 2-1 win. It was Inzaghi's 300th appearance for Milan and his first goal of this season. And it was the perfect way to end his 11 years with the club. Well, it would've been more perfect if he was actually offside when he scored, but we can't be that picky.
Here are some photos from the day...
UPDATE: As you might imagine, Pippo's goal was just too much for Tiziano Crudeli to handle...
Torres? reaction to hearing he wouldn?t be CL final shootout
Shortly after Chelsea beat Bayern Munich in a penalty shootout to win the Champions League final, Fernando Torres reportedly claimed that he volunteered to take one of the all-important shots, saying, "I wanted to take a penalty but they didn't let me." And now video showing the moment Roberto Di Matteo left him out of the order makes it clear that Torres didn't hide his frustration.
With the score 1-1 after extra time, Di Matteo gathered his players and announced the order in which they would be taking the shots. When Torres didn't hear his name called, he threw up his hands and turned to walk away, but the Chelsea interim manager grabbed him by the arm and tried to calm him down before the decisive shootout.
Back in March, while Torres was still in the midst of his scoring drought, Juan Mata offered him the chance to take a penalty during Chelsea's 2-0 FA Cup fifth round replay win over Birmingham in his place, but Torres refused.
But now, Chelsea chief executive Ron Gourlay insists everything is fine and Torres will be playing a key role for the European champions now that Didier Drogba has decided to move on. From the Independent:
"We've got Fernando Torres. And Fernando Torres is the man that we will go forward with and Fernando Torres will score us the goals. I have no doubt about that. Fernando Torres is a world-class centre-forward and Fernando Torres will score goals for Chelsea. I'm not worried at all. We've just won the Champions League and Fernando Torres played his part in that.
"He was disappointed that he didn't play, and I think that led to the rest. Things are fine. There is no problem. Fernando is a fantastic player and an asset to the football club and we have no problems at all. It's not all about goals. It's not just about the individual scoring goals, his teamwork... he is a very, very important player. And I think you will see Fernando Torres score many goals for Chelsea."
And no, he didn't start laughing after he said that. Presumably.
Trader Mo and Preki Out In Toronto | WVHooligan - Soccer Blog [Digg]
West Ham United edges Blackpool 2-1 to earn promotion to EPL
Hello world!
Source: http://www.totalsoccerblog.com/2012/05/24/hello-world/
GALAXY: An awful end extends skid
CARSON -- The Galaxy couldn't have felt much better about things as the clock hit 75 minutes Wednesday night: Their best performance of the season had been rewarded with a two-goal lead, and although they were down to 10 men, they were in control. Hold on another 15 minutes, plus a few more in stoppage, and they'd have their first victory in a month.
But in a season in which nearly everything that can go wrong has, L.A. found a new, most devastating way to fall, surrendering three goals over the final 20 minutes -- the last deep in stoppage -- to drop its fourth game in the last five, a 3-2 defeat to the San Jose Earthquakes that left a lot of heads shaking.Source: http://espn.go.com/blog/los-angeles/soccer/post/_/id/16708/galaxy-an-awful-end-extends-skid
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Thursday, May 24, 2012
FIFA 13 Interview: Aaron McHardy
Source: http://fifasoccerblog.com/blog/fifa-13-interview-aaron-mchardy/
The Future?s Not Ours To See
Source: http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2011/04/27/the-futures-not-ours-to-see/
Villa ruled out as Spain look to Torres to provide Euro 2012 spark
Villa ruled out as Spain look to Torres to provide Euro 2012 spark - originally posted on Soccerlens.com
David Villa has been ruled out of Spain’s Euro 2012 campaign, leaving Spain without their all-time record goalscorer. The onus will now fall on the likes of Llorente and of course Torres to step up to the plate and help Spain defend their European Championship crown. The Barcelona forward has failed to prove his fitness...
From Soccerlens.com - Football News
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/soccerlens/~3/eFQRIPjnCQA/
A look back on Michael Owen?s time at Man United
Manchester United informed Michael Owen that they would not be renewing his contract after three years with the club. The 32-year-old made just four appearances for Man United last season and though he�says he will play on elsewhere, his time with the club was special. And so, we look back on the many great memories we have of Michael Owen at Manchester United.
Feel free to play the Sarah McLachlan song of your choice as the emotions overcome you...
"The saddest thing in life is wasted talent," said Lorenzo Anello in A Bronx Tale. And so, one of the great footballers of his generation is hopefully on the verge of a more fruitful chapter in his career.
Job Application
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/BarcelonaFootballBlog/~3/xccTySF28q8/
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Bayern Munich v Chelsea ? Match Preview ? UEFA Champions League ? 19 May 2012
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
May 23/24: What to watch, where to go
WEDNESDAY, MAY 23
TELEVISION
CLUB/NATIONAL TEAM FRIENDLY
Bayern Munich (Germany) at Netherlands
ESPN Deportes, 10 a.m.
A game nobody wants to play -- Bayern is coming off defeat in Saturday's Champions League final, and the Dutch don't want to play against so many German national-teamers just before Euro 2012 kicks off -- but this game was the resolution of a fight between the sides over Holland/Bayern star Arjen Robben.
COPA LIBERTADORES
Boca Juniors (Argentina) at Fluminense (Brazil)
Fox Deportes, 3:30 p.Source: http://espn.go.com/blog/los-angeles/soccer/post/_/id/16677/may-2324-what-to-watch-where-to-go
The Beginner?s Guide to Aussie Rules, 2011 Edition
Source: http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2011/03/21/the-beginners-guide-to-aussie-rules-2011-edition/
The New Barcelona 2012/13 Kits
The New Barcelona 2012/13 Kits - originally posted on Soccerlens.com
The new Barcelona home and away shirts for the 2012/2013 season have a fusion-theme, giving Barcelona players (and Barcelona-supporters) a distinctly unique Nike football jersey to wear. The home shirt sees three vertical bands of blue and maroon blended in to give a slightly electric feel to the traditional Barcelona colours, with blue dominating on...
From Soccerlens.com - Football News
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/soccerlens/~3/NiEXT4KN0EU/
MLS 2012, Week 11: Fantasy Recap
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WVHooligan/~3/3h7rn21fn0E/
International Rules Football Is A Dog?s Game
Source: http://www.davesfootballblog.com/post/2011/10/27/international-rules-football-is-a-dogs-game/
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Didier Drogba leads Chelsea to their first Champions League title
In what could be his final match with Chelsea, Didier Drogba proved to be Mr. Clutch and brought the London club their first Champions League victory in a game that went to a penalty shootout and included more twists than an M. Night Shyamalan movie. But Drogba was far from the only key performer for Chelsea as they overcame a�tumultuous�season and criticism of their defensive style of play in the biggest way possible.
Playing Bayern Munich in Munich was always going to be a daunting challenge and the situation turned almost impossible when Bayern finally scored the match's first goal with a flukey bouncing header from Thomas Muller just seven minutes from full time after missing chance after chance despite Chelsea's defensive failings. Down 1-0 in the 83rd minute in a hostile stadium and with little offensive bite to speak of, Chelsea didn't wilt. Instead, they once again showed the resolve that led them past Benfica, Napoli and Barcelona in the previous rounds, came out of their defensive bunker and attacked with the necessary desperation.
And in the 88th minute, off their first corner kick of the match (Bayern ended up with 20), Didier Drogba propelled a bullet of a header into the top of the net for a shock equalizer.
Having stolen the momentum and put a bit of fear into their frustrated hosts, Chelsea seemed to have snatched control of the match. Early in the first period of extra time, however, Drogba was the one to�surrender�that control when he was shown a yellow card for a foul in the box that gave Bayern a penalty.
[Martin rogers: Chelsea makes good on Abramovich's $1.59 billion investment]
But Chelsea's other hero, helmeted goalkeeper extraordinaire Petr Cech, saved the penalty kick from former teammate Arjen Robben to keep his side alive. From there, both teams slipped into a nervous�hesitancy�as extra time drifted away and the match was forced into a penalty shootout to decide the champions of Europe. This brought back the nightmares of Chelsea's failure to beat Manchester United in a rain-soaked shootout in the 2008 Champions League final and those bad vibes were soon made momentarily worse.
Again Chelsea handed Bayern the advantage when their first shooter, Juan Mata, had his weak shot saved by Bayern keeper Manuel Neuer. But again Chelsea kept their focus. After trading a few successful penalties -- including one from Neuer himself -- it was Bayern's turn to slip up and Cech saved Ivica Olic's attempt. Ashley Cole blasted his in for Chelsea and then the game took yet another vicious turn.
Bastian Schwiensteiger, who scored the winning penalty to put Bayern past Real Madrid in the semifinals, hit the post. He immediately covered his face with his shirt to hide his tears while Didier Drogba stepped up to the penalty spot and put away the winning shot for Chelsea (1:10 into the video).
Whether the 34-year-old Ivory Coast captain ends up signing a big-money deal with a Chinese club or stays with Chelsea a little longer, this was Didier Drogba's defining moment on the pitch. He's been a hero off the field -- credited with ending a civil war in his homeland and pouring millions of dollars of his own money into building hospitals where they're needed them most -- for some time and now he has the finishing touch on a glittering eight years with Chelsea to make him one on the pitch as well.
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Obama jokes about David Beckham?s underwear line during LA Galaxy?s White House visit
The MLS champion L.A. Galaxy visited the White House on Tuesday for the traditional winners ceremony/photo op -- an event especially notable since it brought together the most powerful man in the world and the President of the United States. And President Obama's brief speech about the team quickly turned into a roast of David Beckham (who brought some impressive Three�Musketeers-style facial hair).
Obama introduced the 37-year-old Beckham as a "young up-and-comer on the team" before inviting everyone to giggle at Beckham's line of underwear.
"I have to say, I gave David a hard time. I said half his teammates could be his kids. We're getting old, David. Although you're holding up better than me.
"Last year at the age of 36, David had his best year in MLS. Leading the team with 15 assists He did it despite fracturing his spine halfway through the season and injuring his hamstring a week before the championship game. He is tough. It is a rare man who can be that tough on the field and have his own line of underwear. David Beckham is that man."
That got a laugh from Beckham and his teammates before Obama praised Galaxy captain Landon Donovan, who got the biggest cheer of the day despite his lack of a personal underwear brand.
Video of the ceremony right this way...
