Looking Back & Looking Ahead

 

I’m going to reserve the right to not talk about this past weekend’s game against Kansas City.  I just don’t feel like writing about it and I have full autonomy here so I’m not going to.  Everyone knows that we haven’t won in a while so it’s not worth beating a dead horse…

 

But I will look ahead to this weekend.  We host DC United in a must-win match for us.  Even through our slump, our fans have been fantastic and we owe them a win, especially on our home turf.  Last time against DC, it was a bad game and we hope to do a 180 from the last time.  They are a good team, who move the ball well and are dangerous in the attack, but we’re confident that we can take this one if we play to our full potential.

 

This Week

 

This week has been an intense one on the pitch.  With another loss, it’s now do or die for our season.  Training has reflected this truth.  We’ve been going at it, busting our butts, getting stuck in, running, lifting, watching film, and doing everything that we can on the practice pitch to make sure that we get a result on Saturday.  Training has been very tough and result oriented in everything that we do.  I’m confident that we’ll put on a good performance for our fans with Saturday.

 

 

People always ask me “what do you do on your days off?”  So, today I thought I would share with you what I did on my Monday off.  We usually have one day a week off but we’re in every other day so I make sure to get everything done on that one day so I have no obligations other days of the week.

 

1.  I slept in really late and woke up at 9:45.  Before eating anything I went for a 5.5 mile run – I traveled and dressed for the Kansas City game but did not play, so I went for a run to make sure that I was staying fit and sharp.  I ran right next to the San Gabriel River, which runs to the Ocean.  I also ran by the water in Seal Beach, where I live.

 

2.  Then I came home, ate a giant bowl of cereal while I was cooling off, showered, brushed my teeth and sat on the couch to check my emails, read the world news, and go through my daily blog roll of soccer websites (which, of course, includes American Soccer Reader).

 

3.  Then I transformed into Billy English and played a little bit of Football Manager.  He resigned from Tottenham and now he’s with Villareal – he needed a new challenge.  He already turned us into a Champions League squad.

 

4.  Then I had some errands to run.  First I went to the bank.  Then I went to drop some stuff off at the dry cleaners.  Then I went to the post office.  Then I went to Goodwill to drop off some old clothes.   Then I went to Costco!  Many of you may remember my debut article about my trip to Costco.  Well, all of the meat that I bought that day lasted until now – so I bought about the same amount of chicken, salmon, ground beef, steaks, vegetables, and snacks so I’ll be set for the rest of the year.  Then I came home, put all my meat in plastic bags, put in a bunch of different marinades and threw it in the freezer.  It’s full.  Packed to the gills.

 

5.  Then we actually had an appearance.  We had a bowling outing with our corporate partners.  The team was split up into groups of four and corporate partners were also split up.  We bowled about 10 minutes at each station and then rotated to bowl with the next set of partners.  It was a really cool, fun appearance – a good team bonding activity and also good to get to meet some of the companies that are a big part of our organization.  I was on absolute fire.  We weren’t keeping score but I was amazing – two separate times I had 4 strikes in a row.  I usually suck but I was in the zone.

 

6.  After the appearance I came home and just sort of relaxed.  Watched the rest of the Eagles game and some other choice shows.  I am a HUGE HUGE HUGE Eagles fan and actually made some of the Galaxy people put up the game on one of the big screens while we were bowling.  I would usually be devastated with the loss (especially to my most hated Cowboys) but the game was very encouraging and I know that we’re real contenders this year – and it was a great, entertaining game.  GO BIRDS!

 

7.  Then I brushed my teeth, washed my face and went to bed at around 11:00.

 

Around the World

 

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE GROUP STAGE TIME.  Probably my favorite time of the year, except for Christmas.  My Tuesdays and Wednesdays are just amazing now.  This year, the tables are particularly interesting and the quality of teams is as good as any year I can remember.

 

Group A seems pretty open and closed.  A deep Chelsea squad will rummage through the competition and a good Roma side will take second.  Bordeaux will fight hard but not advance and even though CFR Cluj-Napoca shocked Roma on Matchday 1, don’t expect much more from the Romanian team.

 

Group B is another one that is already done in my mind.  Trophy contenders Inter are the class of the group and I’ve always been a fan of Werder Bremen.  I think Bremen has what it takes to go through and Panathinaikos of Greece and minnows Anorthosis Famagusta from Cyprus will fall by the wayside.

 

Group C is intriguing to me.  Barca are the clear frontrunners but the race for 2^nd is open in my mind.  Shaktar is a good Ukrainian side who, year in and year out, produce good Champions League performances – like their Matchday 2 victory.  Basle is a good, organized side that I’ve watched a couple times on SopCast and they can surprise some people and get results.  On paper, the other knockout round qualifier will be Sporting with Joao Mountinho, Yannick Djalo, Fabio Rochembeck, and others but they’re not good enough to coast through to the next round.  We’ll see…

 

Liverpool has to be mad about their group – what I’d consider the Group of Death.  No team is safe in Group D.  Athletico is a good, good team that has reloaded in the past couple years with Kun Aguero, Tomas Ujfaulsi, John Heitinga, Maniche, Forlan, Coupet and the list goes on.  This is a solid side that can contend for multiple trophies this year.  Even though they’re minus Samir Nasri, Marseille is still a good side with lots of firepower.  Their opening day result is not a reflection of what to expect from this team.  Perennial Dutch powers PSV will be a dangerous team in this group and Liverpool is Liverpool.  Can’t wait to watch these games over the next few months.

 

Group E’s another tough one with 3 strong sides.  Man U look to defend their title but an up-an-coming Villareal side hope to sneak into the knockout rounds over Celtic.  The Yellow Submarine and The Bhoys will battle it out.  And Aalborg is out of the question…

 

Group F is another tough one.  Bayern Munich is back where it belongs, in the Champions League, and they look to go through.  They’ll face still competition, however, in a strong Lyon side and a strengthened Fioentina side.  Even Juan Carlos Toja’s Steaua Bucharesti are a team not to be taken lightly.

 

Group G has Arsenal as the class team and Porto as the immediate second choice but don’t sleep on Dynamo Kiev or Fenerbache.  The Turks made it to last year’s knockout round and Dani Guiza will give them more firepower up top.  Dynamo are a good team as well and this group could have some surprising results.

 

Group H rounds out he competition with another interesting trio of teams.  Juve is back in Champions League play after serving match-fixing jail time.  They hope to make a push in the tournament against clear favorites Real Madrid.  Keep Zenit St. Petersburg in mind, though.  They were a joy to watch during last year’s UEFA Cup and hope to continue that success.  I’ve never heard of BATE Borisov…

 

It’s all there and it’s shaping up to be a great Christmas…I mean…Champions League season.

 

Q & A

 

1.  When you know you will be on the bench for a match, what is your typical day of game routine?

 

- Zack, Diamond Bar, CA

 

Zack – Good question.  Usually we don’t know if we’re on the dress list until we arrive at the stadium on gameday.  Saying that, I always prepare the same way, as if I’m going to dress and as if I’m going to play.  Even if we did find out the day before I would still prepare the same, in serious manner…

 

For a 7:30 pm match, I’ll usually sleep in late, to 9:00 or 9:30 am.  Then I’ll have a breakfast of cereal, a bagel, granola, eggs, and stuff along those lines.  I don’t like to sit around all day or lay in bed like some people so I’ll do little errands like go to the grocery store or the dry cleaners or get a carwash or stuff like that – only low key things, but I like to get out and about a bit.  Often times, I’ll go in the hot tub for a few minutes to loosen up in the hours after breakfast.  Then I’ll eat a light lunch, usually pasta and fruit.  After lunch, I usually lie around and watch TV a bit.  Then right before I change and get ready to take off for the game, I cook myself a pregame meal of, usually, chicken, rice, vegetables and stuff like that.  I cook all my own meals all the time and only eat good, healthy things – not just on gameday but all the time.  I hydrate with water and Gatorade all day long.  I leave my house at about 4:55 to make sure that I’m at the stadium nice and early to prepare for the match.

 

Game days are filled with lots of anticipation!

 

2.  How do you feel about Gabe Ferrari (I believe he was on the US MNT with you), playing pro in Italy??  He just got loaned out from a Serie A team (Sampadoria) to a Serie C team (Perugia).  Do you think he is better off just coming back and playing in the US or sticking it out with Italy???  Do you think he has the potential to be a big star in Europe, like Guiseppe Rossi?

 

-Jaclin in NY

 

Jaclin – I know Gabe well and I think that the loan is a good thing.  Being loaned out to a lower league is very common in Europe for young players and something that can be beneficial.  It’s a really good option to get competitive matches and play on a regular basis.  If a player isn’t going to get regular minutes with the first team, they have to play for the reserve team and in many cases it’s better to go on loan and play in important games for another club rather than reserve matches.  On top of all that, Perugia is a club with a really good tradition – players like Nakata and Gattuso have played there and I think there’s more big time players who have also played there.

 

One thing that would benefit MLS youngsters would be a more open loan system.  Bryan Jordan from our team is a good example of this.  BJ went on loan to Portland for a few months, played regular, competitive games, and when we needed him, he came back and did well for the Galaxy.  He scored and assisted against Real Salt Lake and started against Kansas City.

 

I think that Gabe is in good shape and will be a good player in Europe.  He’s explosive, hard-working, and has all the physical and technical tools to be successful in Italy.

 

3.  In training, I would imagine that there are some defense v. offense related drills that take place.  If my assumption is correct, who would you say is the hardest/toughest to mark or matchup against as far as forwards are concerned?  How do you think this improves your overall play and skill set?

 

- B.P., Los Angeles

 

B.P. – You are correct.  We usually end training with some sort of small sided game or 18-18 scrimmage so there’s a lot of offense vs. defense.

 

I’d have to say that playing against Landon is difficult and a good challenge every day.  Not only is his pace a huge threat but he’s also creative, tricky, makes really good runs, and lethal in front of goal.  When playing against him, any mistake gets punished so you have to be on top of your game the whole time.

 

Playing against him has really helped me to read the game better – making good decision on when to step, drop, stand him up, etc.  Because he’ll burn me if there’s balls played over top, I have to anticipate things in order to sniff out that danger before it comes.  He also often drifts to deeper in the midfield and so that I have to step into the midfield space so he can’t turn and run at the backs.  I also try to play to my strengths when playing against him, being physical, stepping to him, blocking shots, and standing him up in 1 v. 1 situations.

 

4.  First, congratulations on getting named to the game-day roster in the last several matches. All the training must be paying off. Hopefully we’ll get to see your league debut soon. Second, the run of tough results is obviously discouraging and I’m sure you’re sick of talking about it, so my question is, do you see yourself as a writer 20 years from now when your career is over? Have you considered being some sort of a sports-writer, or even a different kind of writer? How about coaching? What do you see for your future after your playing career?

 

- Jay in Los Angeles

 

Jay in LA – Writing is something that I’ve always like and have always thought about doing after soccer.  I’ve always been interested in sports journalism and that is something that I would definitely consider doing after soccer.

 

I would also really like to do some sort of TV commentary, whether it’s in-game commentary or Fox Football Phone-In or something like that.  I’ve always considered myself a good public speaker and I would enjoy that.

 

Coaching is also something that I would be interested in.  I’m not sure at what level (our country is lame about requiring licenses and stuff like that) but I feel that I would be a good coach.  I’ve been fortunate to have learned from a lot of great coaches and grown up with good “soccer people” and feel that I would make a good coach.

 

Other than that, I’m not sure.  But I do know that I want to be a good father and a good husband.  Please excuse the mushy moment…

 

 

I hope that you enjoyed my article for the day!  Make sure to keep your questions coming to Julian@americansoccerreader.com and I will see you next Thursday.  Thanks!

 

-jules

Manchester United holding midfielder had been out since the league’s first game before returning to face Liverpool on Saturday.  Minutes into that match, Carrick reinjured his ankle after sliding into a challenge.  He finished the first half limping before being substituted out, but now it looks like the England international will miss more than just Saturday’s second half.

Today United announced that Carrick had broken a bone in his foot.  The injury was discovered after Carrick was unable to train again today in preparation for tomorrow’s Champions League match against Villareal.  X-rays identified the problem, which will take four to six weeks to heal.

The loss of Carrick, who played in each of Manchester United’s Champions League matches last season, makes Paul Scholes and Anderson the choice central midfielders for Ferguson, though the recovery Owen Hargreaves and team leading scorer Darren Fletcher are each likely to factor into Ferguson’s decisions.

Hey ya’ll! I hope that everybody is doing well! Once again I am sorry that I am just getting to write my blog, our schedule has been jam packed with games and lots of travel here recently, so I’m just getting to it.

 

ON THE FIELD:

In my last blog I talked about our second leg game against Joe Public in the CONCACAF Champions League tournament and how we would be ready to avenge ourselves. I meant what I said, about how we wanted to show Joe Public who we really were, but boy was I wrong about the outcome and quality of our play. I would probably put it up there as one of the worst loses of my career. We got outplayed from start to finish and they waxed us by a score of 4-0. They were a step ahead of us all game and our play did not help us one bit. As I have talked about before, in sports, like life, there are many ups and downs, and this was a very low point for the boys and me. It is hard to describe in words how disappointed I was after that game, I’ll just leave it at that. Granted we did not have our full roster out there, we still fielded a good enough squad to beat them, and I can’t use that as an excuse. It just was not our night!

That weekend we faced the number one team in the league, the Columbus Crew, on Saturday. To put it plainly we got spanked, again! They played very well and put a 4-0 whoopin’ on us. I made the trip out to Columbus, but woke up sick on game day and the coach made me stay back at the hotel. Our coach is pretty cautious about sickness on the team he insists that if you are sick that you should stay home and away from the rest of the team. It is understandable though, he doesn’t want any of the other players getting sick. Do not know what to really say about the game except that we were not up for the task and that Columbus was by far the better team on the night. To put things into perspective, we split our two away games there, with a win and a loss, so it isn’t all that bad. That being said, no one likes losing, especially 4-0, so we will look to get some revenge when they come to our turf here in a couple weeks.

         We look to turn things around this week as we face Chivas USA on Thursday. Always seems to be a pretty good and scrappin’ match whenever we face off. An important match for us I believe, so the boys I know will be coming out firing on all cylinders ready to get after it.

 

OFF THE FIELD:

         Seems like all I have been doing these days away from the game is just resting and trying to get over all the sickness that has plagued me over the past several weeks. It is getting close to hunting season though, deer hunting season that is, and I sure have been itching to go hunting. Steve Ralston shares the passion and love for hunting that I do, so we have been talking about our excitement, plans, and hopes for the upcoming season. Steve knows some people who let him hunt on their land, so whenever we have the time we try to get back out in the sticks to mess around and enjoy God’s wonderful creations. We went out the other afternoon scouting and checking out signs and messing around with some of his deer stands. The older I get the more I realize how much of a country boy I am, the more I realize how much I love the land and being away from all the hub-ub and noise of the world. A little piece and quiet in God’s creation really does wonders for my mind and soul. Other than on the soccer field and being back in North Carolina, being in the country on the land is where I feel the most at home, the most myself, and the closest to the Lord. We have a farm in Bethel, NC, where my mom grew up. Growing up the whole family, extended family and all would gather there to spend Thanksgiving together and do some hunting. It is definitely one of my favorite places in the world! I would love nothing more than to settle down there and build a family when my playing days are done. When the season ends I head straight there to meet up with my cousins, uncles, and the rest of the family to get in as much hunting as I can. I have learned while living in Massachusetts and near Boston that the city just isn’t for me. I’m not knocking the city at all, if its what you love that’s all good, but the crop fields, small southern towns, and simple ways of North Carolina are where my heart is and longs to be!

 

RANDOM THOUGHTS:

Much of TV, the news, and radio these days have been focused on politics and on the upcoming presidential election. I was a politics major at Wake Forest, so am somewhat in tuned to what is going on and all. I have found that the older one gets the more interested and more concerned one becomes about politics-mainly because the issues discussed concern you when you start making your own money and are on your own. When you “leave the nest,” so to speak, you have to deal with new things concerning all that hablab. I am not going to get into a discussion about the nominees or any issues or anything like that, because even though I majored in politics I still feel like I know diddly about it all, and also it is the last thing I really care to write or talk about. It is on my mind now only because today I was watching the program “Road To Redemption” about the Olympic basketball team as they prepared for the 2008 Olympic games. The coaches had invited some soldiers who had been injured in battle to come speak to the team about teamwork and sacrifice. I tell you what, it was moving-bout brought me to tears! As bad as it sounds, the truth is, there are so many days that go by where I do not even think about or recognize all the sacrifice, dedication, and duty our soldiers and military personnel have done! No matter what side of the political spectrum one stands on, I think we all should have a deep sense of gratitude and appreciation for all that they have done and continue to do for our freedom and our country-I know I sure do! Whenever I put on that Revolution jersey I am filled with a sense of pride to be representing the team and to have made it to where I am, but I feel it pails in comparison to how each and every one of our soldiers feels when they wear their uniforms. I can at times get so wrapped up into the game and how things are going with my career that I do not realize that there are things that are so much more important and so much bigger than what I am doing, than the battles that I am facing. I guess in some sense it is easy to forget about war when it is in a far off country. I think we all need to be more aware and grateful for the services our military personnel continue to do for our country and for each and everyone of us on a continual daily basis. We live in a wonderful country, the best country, and too many times I feel people can get wrapped up in the politics of it all and forget about all the real heroes out there who are risking their lives for us. I thank God for them and all that they have done-they are the real heroes!

 

 

 

 

QUESTIONS:

1. Wells,

You never cease to amaze me with the effort you put out when you play. Each and every game I watch only inspires me to work harder and harder with my training in hopes that I can someday achieve what you have. I was at the game Saturday night against LA and just being able to watch you play was incredible, all of you. It was such a blessing, truly. So thank you. And for my question, really random, I was reading something online that said you played ice hockey when you were a kid back home? If true, that’s so awesome, I play too! And yeah, I’m a girl. Haha. Well, you’re amazing, keep doing what you’re doing.

-Alexa, East Longmeadow

         —Alexa, thanks so much for your response and all that you had to say-I sincerely appreciate that! I have put and continue to put a lot of effort, energy, passion, sweat, and time into becoming a better soccer player. I love what I do and I love the game. It is always nice to hear compliments and gratitude from fans for all the hard work that we all do. I think I speak for all the boys we I say how grateful we are for all our fans and ya’lls continued support and devotion to the club. So again, thank you so much for that! Now to answer your question-yes, I did play ice hockey while growing up. I can’t tell you how much I loved that experience and playing the game. My dad will tell you that I definitely have some ice hockey in my soccer game. I love getting stuck in and mixing things up a little bit. A lot of people are shocked when I tell them that being from North Carolina that I grew up playing hockey. We were actually pretty good too. In fact, I have a buddy of mine who I grew up playing with that played at Harvard. I firmly believe that the cross training of all the sports I played was no doubt invaluable to my growth and development as a soccer player. As I grew older I began to understand though that my true passion in sports was for soccer. That, and ice hockey was not my best sport-I think I spent more time in the penalty box than my whole team combined. Thanks for the response and support! Hope to hear from you again!

 

2. Wells, do you see the Revs making any new additions to the team before the end of the season? Any tips on any potential players? I heard the team was interested in Benny Feilhaber at one point as well. lovin’ the blog!

-John F.

         —John, I wish I had some inside information I could let you in on, but sorry to say I have no idea about possible additions to the team. We have struggled over the past several games due to our lack of forwards, so there is definitely a possibility the coaches are looking for help up top to get us through the year. We recently just acquired the Costa Rican national team member Gabriel Badilla. I think it was a fantastic pick up for the team. The little that I have seen him play and been around him, I have to say that I am very impressed with his efforts on the field and also how he has carried himself off the field. I feel he could be a vital contributor to the team down the home stretch of the season. If I hear anything new buzzing around ill be sure to let you know!

 

 

Thanks for listening and hope yall enjoyed! Until next time, take care, God bless, and be easy!

Wells

 

Welcome back everyone.  I hope you enjoy today’s column…

 

Looking Back & Looking Ahead

 

Last weekend we drew 2-2 with Real Salt Lake.  With international absences and a number of injuries, this was a good result for us at home and we’re proud of the way that we played.  The first half was a bit rough and we spent a lot of it defending by the skin of our teeth but the coaches made some adjustments at halftime and we played quite well in the second half.  I hope that our fans noticed the effort and determination that we showed to get a point against a good RSL team.  It was a hotly contested, high-flying match that saw goals from Bryan Jordan and Eddie Buddle, as well as Will Johnson and Yura Movsisyan.

 

Now we hit the road again this weekend to take on the Kansas City Wizards.  Our winless streak has reached unprecedented numbers and it’s a must-win for us with only 7 games remaining.  We’ve tied a number of games recently but we need to start picking up points in 3s.  I said it last week and I’ll reiterate again this week: these ties will be important in November.

 

This Week

 

This week has been good.  We’ve been working really hard as usual, with a great deal of focus and intensity.  We’ve worked on possession (using our second goal against RSL as a model), intense small-sided matches, 18 to 18 scrimmaging, and the coaches also split up forwards, midfielders, and defenders to work on position-specific functional work.  The backs worked on movement, shape, clearances, and 1 v. 1 defending.  I had a good week of training and hope to find myself on the reserve bench again this weekend.

 

Off the pitch, it was a good week.  I had an appearance up in West Covina this week.  One of the major ways that younger players make some extra money is by doing local clinics and appearances.  It usually works like this: ticket sales people from the front office sell ticket packages to local clubs, rec centers, and other organizations.  As a part of the deal, they agree to have players visit, meet the kids, mingle, and sign autographs at an event.  It’s never more than an hour and a half worth of work and we make a pretty nice chunk of change for doing it.  And by work, I mean standing around, signing autographs.  The club also reimburses for gas and meals so I rarely complain.  The appearances give me something to do in the evening and put some ducats in my pocket.

 

Other than that, I’ve been playing some more Football Manager.  Billy “Tinkerman” English has won the Champions League for Tottenham and he is a legend at White Hart Lane.  The media calls me “Tinkerman” because my tactics are so spot on and every tactical tinker pays off.  For my title defense, I’ve bolstered my squad with Brazilian Wonderkid Renato Augusto from Flamengo, John Obi Mikel from Chelsea, Taye Taiwo from Real Betis, Alessandro Tuia from Lazio, and Fabrice Maumaba from Arsenal – a very comprehensive set of recruits that will help my squad as we attempt to repeat.  For the record, Giuseppe Rossi’s transfer value (my former teammate from Region 1 ODP) went from $14 million to $18.25 million in just one year – what a good buy by Billy English.  I’m currently lining up a bid for Julio Bapista.

 

To be honest, though, Billy is looking for a new challenge.  If there’s a job opening in Spain or Italy, Billy English will leave Spurs and take it.  I’ll make sure to let you know…

 

Around the World

 

I just finished watching the US/Trinidad match.  Unfortunately it was the only WC Qualifier that I’ve caught from today’s full slate but it was definitely a good one for the Red, White, and Blue.

 

Except for the beginning of the second half, we looked pretty sharp.  Of course the game wasn’t perfect but our movement off the ball was good, our defending was solid and organized, and it could have been a lot more than 2-0 at half.  T&T were a bit disorganized and sluggish defensively but we exposed their errors all over the pitch.  While they caused some problems on set-pieces and counter-attacks, it’s clear that our team is superior technically and tactically.

 

As I watched the match, I noticed the dramatic difference when it comes to play home and playing away in CONCACAF.  This match was noticeably different than the other two qualifiers so far.  The same can be said anywhere in the world, but I think that things are magnified in CONCACAF due to variations of culture and living conditions.  For example, the average soccer fan might look at our first two results (1-0 against Guatemala and 1-0 against Cuba) and say they are unimpressed by the results but I wholeheartedly disagree.  They were great results.  Sketchy refereeing, brutal hooligans, bad field conditions, hurricane rains and unpredictable weather, and excessive chippy/dirty play are all things that make road games challenging in our region.  Opposing teams try to use those things in their advantage to get a World Cup berth and try to kill the game, so to speak.  Home games much smoother sailing – pristine pitches (excuse the alliteration), home-field calls, Sam’s Army, and, overall, it’s much easier to be the aggressor and set the tone in the match.  Any win on the road is great result and our first two have put us in good shape.

 

Q & A

 

 

1.  What do you enjoy most about playing in the MLS and why?

 

-Valerie, Akron, OH

 

Valerie – I think my favorite thing about playing in MLS is being able to play games and train every day…and get paid for it.  I could be out there in the workforce with my English degree, doing some sort of real job but I get to do what I love most.  This isn’t really specific to playing in MLS, more just playing soccer professionally.

 

2.  There has been a lot of discussion about MLS’s schedule this week, as a player would you prefer a single table? Maybe a Clausura/Apertura setup? 

 

-Greg, LA

 

Greg – Good question.  Important question. 

 

First of all, I think that it’s imperative that MLS adopt the FIFA calendar.  Not only does it make our league look inferior because we’re one of the ONLY league that does not adhere, but it hurts the quality of the league when players are gone.  Fans have the right to see the top players and when Toronto FC, for example, is missing 9 starters, having to bring in front office staff to fill out the roster, it’s not fair to the fans or the team.

 

I think that I would like to see a single table – with home and away format.  Again, it would give our league more credibility on the world stage but I also think it would be the fairest way to find the top teams.  It may be nice for those bubble teams but I think it has to change eventually.  With our country, geography makes East and West make sense but I would support a single table.

 

I’m not familiar enough with the Clausura/Apertura system to comment – I just know the split the season up into two parts…

 

3.  Jules, I’ve heard tons of rumors about MLS trying to get in on the Copa Libertadores, what is your opinion on this? Good or Bad?

 

-Shinske, Tokyo, JP

 

Shinske from Tokyo – Konichiwa!  Thanks for reading my blog!

 

I think it would be really interesting to see an MLS side in the Copa Libertadores.  I think it could be a good thing.  The differences in style of player are so drastic; it would make for entertaining football.  South American soccer is generally slower and more technical, while the MLS game is a lot quicker and more physical.  That’s why a lot of South American players struggle to adapt to the American game.

 

The thing about Copa Libertadores, though, is that it’s supposed to be a South American tournament and it might be weird for a team from another continent to impede.  Saying that, I never understood why Mexican teams compete in the tournament because geographically and in the eyes of FIFA, Mexico is in North America. 

 

But overall, I think it could be a good thing for the league to get exposure on that stage.

 

4.  Is there any other player in the game whos traits you think are very similar to yours? Anyone you’ve modeled your game after?

 

-Keith S.

 

Keith S. – I play a lot like John Terry and Carles Puyol.  They are both hard-nosed defenders, tough and brave, who read the game well.  One of the biggest knocks against me is that my speed/agility isn’t the best (something I work on daily), but it’s the same case with Terry and Puyol – people say the same about them.  I try to study their movements of reading the game and making sure that players don’t get in behind them.  They are also strong leaders.

 

5.  With there being a lack of consistency regarding reserve matches and the well-documented low salary for developmental players, how do you feel about sticking it out in the MLS and Galaxy for that matter?  Obviously, playing on a team with players like Donovan, Beckham, and Eddie Lewis is a very worthwhile experience, but does the USL or a smaller European league peak your interest?

 

- B.P., Los Angeles

 

B.P. – Great questions.  As I said a few weeks ago, the reserve league is definitely frustrating due to the lack of players, inconsistent games, and difficult conditions.  It’s also no secret that developmental salaries are embarrassing.  Saying that, I’m still very happy and doing surprisingly well financially.  I’m able to train every day with a great group of guys, learn a lot from great coaches and teammates, and I’m confident that I will look back on these things in 10 years and realize how important they were for my development – right now I’m 21 years old (I graduated from college early) and just sort of living the dream right now.  If I’m still in my current position a couple years from now, however, I think that I’d have to reevaluate things.

 

It’s cool to play with Landon, David, Eddie, and all, but I’m not here just “experience” that.  I’m here to bust my ass, get on the field, and make sure that I can play this game for a long time.

 

Anyone with serious ambition in the game wants to play in the highest European leagues.  I’m no different and share those dreams but I know that if I’m a reserve player here, I won’t be there any time soon.  Could I go to Europe and play in the Finnish second division?  Probably.  But that would not be the best option – and money has never really motivated me that much because I’m a pretty simple guy.  It’s all about finding the right opportunity at the right time.  Right now, I have an amazing opportunity and I’m making the most of it here in LA.

 

Good question and I was happy to answer it honestly.

 

 

I hope that everyone enjoyed my column for the afternoon.  Make sure to keep your questions coming to Julian@americansoccerreader.com and I’ll see you next week!

 

-jules

Welcome!  Let’s go…

 

Looking Back & Looking Ahead

 

We took a trip up to New England last weekend to play the Revs.  We’ve been on a slide lately and it was a big game for us, not only to get a good result but to raise the quality of our game going into the last part of the season.  We need points.  There was a huge crowd and a great atmosphere for the match.

 

We had a very good first half.  We were moving the ball well, making the Revs run, getting in behind them, and creating chances.  We were also defending quite well – getting numbers around the ball, making honest recovery runs, and making things hard for New England.  Even with our good play, we gave up the first goal of the match when Khano Smith served a ball into the box that found Taylor Twellman’s head.  Sort of against the run of play but it was a good, brave play by Twellman to put his team up – brought back memories for myself as Cronin gave him a gash on his cheek.  Both actually suffered injuries on the play as Cronin hurt his hand as well.  We responded shortly after with a brilliant strike from Landon.  Pete served a ball over the top, right into Landon’s stride.  Landon caught Matt Reis on his back foot and drilled the ball into the back of the net with his left foot.  Great goal.  We carried our momentum into the locker room with the score knotted at 1-1.

 

We continued to roll out of the locker room, playing the same way and getting on the board again with another excellent goal from Landon.  New face Eddie Lewis served a perfect through-ball which put LD into the box for a classic finish.  Eddie was been a great addition to the team so far.  Not only is he a great player with lots of experience at the highest level but he is also a great guy off the field – a real team guy.  Anyways, we started to fade a bit after this.  We started to lose the midfield battle a bit and absorbed more pressure from New England.  We did a good job of defending, fighting to win our battles and make plays, but they were able to find the scoreboard once again when Shalrie Joseph tucked a ball away in the 71^st minute.

 

The match ended in a 2-2 tie.  If we weren’t on a long winless streak we would be very happy with the result.  We tied a very good team on the road, in a tough environment, and played well for the majority of the match.  Saying that, we know that we need points and we’re disappointed that we weren’t able to take all 3. 

 

I know that every team is saying this, but in this league, it’s all about stringing together some wins and getting hot at the right time.  One win puts us right back into the race and a string of a few wins will put us right into playoff contention.  I can only imagine how frustrating it is for our fans but these ties will be very valuable at the end of the year.

 

Salt Lake comes to town this weekend and it will be another huge game.  They’re a good team who is ahead of us in the Western Conference table.  They have struggled on the road this year, though, and we’re hoping to take all the points, even with our international call-ups.

 

This Week

 

This week has been another good week of training.  I think it’s clear how much the team has improved and the team mentality has changed in the short time that our new coaches have been here.  We’ve taken a back to the basics approach, focus on the details approach, and change our mentality approach.  With all that, training has been tough – working on tactics, possession play, attacking patterns, weight lifting, video review and preparation, and everything else.  We’re doing everything possible to put ourselves in a good position to win on Saturday.

 

Off the pitch, this week has been uneventful. 

 

I’ve gotten back into one of my favorite pastimes – a computer game called Football Manager.  I used to play this game in college all the time and it’s extremely addicting, fun, and a great way to pass time.

 

The game is pretty self-explanatory: you are the manager of a soccer team.  You control all of the player transfers, set and change all of the team tactics, give players individual tactical instructions, give pregame and postgame talks, loan players, interact with the media, set up all training sessions, and absolutely everything else that a real manager does.  The game is extremely deep and detailed.  When it comes to game time, you don’t play, just like a real manager – you only watch the match and change all of the tactics and substitutions.  This game is great and I’m sure you can see how it’s so addicting.

 

Because of the high expectations for this season and subsequent disappointment in real life, I decided to start with Tottenham.  In my first year, kept most of the existing squad in tact but added winger Thomas Hitzlesperger from Stuttgart, centerback Tomas Ujfaulsi from Fiorentina, and (signing of the year for my squad) Sanli Tuncay from Fenerbache.  (I’m playing the 2007 version, not the newest one).  At the beginning of the year, the Tottenham board expected me to finish mid-table but Billy English (my manager alias in the game) managed a 2^nd place finish in the Premiership behind Chelsea.  Along with that, I won the Carling Cup, the FA Cup, and the UEFA Cup.  Three trophies!  Needless to say, the board and all the fans are thrilled with Billy English and I’m making Tottenham one of the best clubs in the world.

 

Now I’m in year 2 with big expectations.  With a lot more games and playing in Champions League, I knew that I had to strengthen my squad and add some more depth to rotate players and cover for injuries so I asked the board for more money and went on a shopping spree.  I got rid of a few players from the previous year and also bought outside backs Alexy Berezutskiy and Emanuel Pogatetez from CSKA Moscow and Middlesborough respectively, young Brazilian Eduardo Ratinho from Corinthinas, Anthony Vanden Borre from Anderlecht, and I broke the bank to buy Giuseppe Rossi for $14 million from Manchester United.  Things have worked out so far.  I’m already through to the knockout rounds of the Champions League, advanced in FA and Carling Cups, but I’m struggling a bit in the Premiership.  I’m mid-table as I try to rest some of my players and I’ve drawn a bunch of matches.  It’s still only November so I’m good.  I’ll make sure to keep you up to date with Billy English and his Tottenham squad.

 

Around the World

 

Could Manchester City be the next Chelsea? 

 

The Citizens think so.  And under the vision of Sulaiman al-Fahim and the Abu Dhabi United Group for Development and Investment, Man City fans hope to usurp cross town rivals United and compete on a continental level.  The recent takeover was imminent in lieu the personal problems of former owner Thaksin Shinawatra and I’m sure that he gladly accepted the $360 million buy out.  While that seems like a lot of money (and it is!) it’s only chump-change for the UAE company that’s worth $550 billion.  That’s billion, with a B.  The new ownership group has also expressed great commitment and enthusiasm to bring top players to the club in order to win trophies as demonstrated with the purchase of Robinho, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Zabaleta, and Vincent Kompany.  The grand total of those four players is somewhere around £72 million and you can almost double that for American dollars.  It’s also safe to assume that this type of spending will become a regular thing.

 

This ridiculous buyout and rampant spending is nothing new in the football world, though.  All you have to do is look south to London for the best example of how financial investment creates success in the game.  Chelsea was a good club that usually fought for a top 5 finish but hardly an international football superpower.  It wasn’t until Roman Abramovich decided to splash some of his billions in buying it that the Blues blew up, so to speak.  From there, he went on and bought an excellent manager, went on spending spree after spending spree and, well, the rest is history.  Now the club is one of the richest in the world and one of the most successful every year.  City hopes to follow this same model.  In fact, al-Fahim said “I’m the new Abramovic.”

 

City definitely still has a way’s to go in order to be included with the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona, Man U, AC Milan, Liverpool, Arsenal, Bayern Munich, and Chelsea but who’s to say they can’t do it.  It will be interesting to track this story over the next few years and see if City fans can finally win some permanent leverage and bragging rights over the hated Red Devils.

 

Who ever said money can’t buy happiness?

 

Q & A

 

Make sure to send them to Julian@americansoccerreader.com.

 

Take care and I’ll catch you later!

 

-jules

It’s the end of the summer transfer window, with transaction news overshadowing the action on the pitch. Don’t worry - we’ll be getting you up to date on transfer deadline’s action throughout the night. In the interim, you want to talk a little actual soccer? Afterward, we can cleanse ourselves of all the transfer news, delete all those annoying tabloid bookmarks we’ve accumulated over the summer, and cherish three months of nothing but football. Of course, just as I say that, the league goes on hiatus. The first international match window is upon us, giving the Premiership its break three weeks into the season. For Manchester United, that break started a bit early, as they played the UEFA Super Cup on Friday in Monaco. They, like Fulham (who were to play United this week), will have almost three weeks between Premiership matches. Any momentum the Cottagers had accumulated after their Arsenal win will be dragging dust bunnies to their next match. When Fulham and United return, they will see the top of the table as they left it. Though each club left their one hundred percent start in the past, Chelsea and Liverpool remain atop the table with seven points. Chelsea still looks dangerous, though they have let complacency set in. Liverpool looks more the mess. Had Manchester United played and won this week, they would be on seven points also, and with Arsenal sitting amongst a small group one point back, the top four have moved to the rail. Three weeks has been enough time to tell us that nobody is ready to step up and challenge those four. This could change when the break is over, but Aston Villa failed their big test to claim a contender’s spot. They played a wounded and confused Liverpool team to a 0-0 draw on Sunday. Everton is out on their feet after losing to Portsmouth, who have already failed their tests against the top sides. Tottenham, we should not even talk about, and it is too early to tell whether the wheel of fortunes at Manchester City will land on a jackpot or a Whammy (to mix a metaphor). The top four, through 11 matches (none played against each other), have eight wins, two draws, and one loss. One loss in eleven matches. Contrast that against the best four records from the sixteen remaining Premiership teams: seven wins, three losses, and two draws in twelve matches. The Top Four story is old, but it is still true. But that does not mean that are not other clubs playing good football. Manchester City has won two straight 3-0 decisions after beating a strong Sunderland side on the road Sunday. Middlesbrough continues to play quality football, shaking off their Anfield disappointment to win at home this week. Newcastle, despite losing big at the Emirates on Saturday, has been a bright spot, showing a quality in defense that will have them competing all season. In contrast of the Newcastles and Middlesbroughs of the league, you have Everton. Everton finished fifth in the league last season and pushed Liverpool for fourth during the early winter months before the Reds’ improved form in toward the beginning of spring distanced themselves from a Champions League challenge. Now, Everton looks lost, only a one goal win at West Brom giving them any points. Supporters are calling for David Moyes to bring in players while Moyes puts out 16-year-old Jose Baxter and 17-year-old Jack Rodwell. These players may be Premiership ready (or they may not), but are they ready to play for a team that wants European football? No team, however, has more disappointed supporters than Tottenham. Spurs won a point at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, a result they should be elated about until they stop and remember they earned one point in nine from their first three games. Roman Pavlyuchenko will help give the team some direction, but no simple moment exemplified Tottenham’s quagmire than a first-half cross from David Bentley who was trying to serve a Spur being marked by both John Terry and Ricardo Carvalho. There was no chance, with that defense, but even if there can been only one defender there, the target was Giovani, listed at a generous 5′8″. Three months ago, either Dimitar Berbatov or Robbie Keane would have been fighting for that ball. With two weeks off from Premiership football, clubs, fans and writers will have a chance to reflect on these early results. Some clubs will come back and overwrite the early returns. For other clubs, these returns are the trend, and for those teams that failed to make any chances before the transfer window closed today, they will have three months to try and find new solutions. ASR Player of the Week: Shaun Wright-Phillips, Manchester City Even were there not a back-story to this selection, Wright-Phillips could have won this award on the merits of his performance. The winger scored two goals in leading Manchester City to a 3-0 win on the road at Sunderland. It was Manchester City’s second straight convincing win, though since last week’s win was earned while a man up, it was nice for City to get a convincing win which gave the opposition no excuses. That Wright-Phillips led the team to the result after joining the club on Thursday only adds to his case. That he is a returning hero, having spent six seasons with City before going to Chelsea, makes this a poor-man’s fairy tale. ASR Manager of the Week: Steve Bruce, Wigan Wigan had played very well and had nothing to show for it through two weeks, putting a bit of pressure on the squad to get a result at K.C. Stadium on Saturday. Bruce led his Latics to a nail-biting 5-0 win in which his tactics played no small part. Bruce may have ruined Hull’s season by further exposing what was already a porous back line. His allowed Hull to maintain possession and establish themselves in Wigan’s half before countering, leaving Hull’s inferior defenders without a packed in midfield to protect them. The result was a number of corners and set pieces won along with two goals which were directly attributable to the back line’s failings. Hull may have gotten four points in their preceding two games, but their first loss of the season could end up being a huge tactical blow thanks to Steve Bruce.

Premiership Standings Rank Club GP PTS DIFF 1 Chelsea 3 7 5 2 Liverpool 3 7 2 3 Manchester City 3 6 4 4 Arsenal 3 6 3 5 West Ham 3 6 1 6 Middlesbrough 3 6 1 7 Aston Villa 3 4 1 8 Bolton 3 4 1 9 Manchester United 2 4 1 10 Blackburn 3 4 -2 11 Newcastle 3 4 -2 12 Hull 3 4 -4 13 Wigan 3 3 3 14 Fulham 2 3 0 15 Stoke 3 3 -2 16 Portsmouth 3 3 -2 17 Everton 3 3 -3 18 Sunderland 3 3 -3 19 Tottenham 3 1 -2 20 West Brom 3 1 -2 Results August 30, 2008 Middlesbrough 2 1 Stoke West Ham 4 1 Blackburn Hull 0 5 Wigan Everton 0 3 Portsmouth Bolton 0 0 West Brom Arsenal 3 0 Newcastle August 31, 2008 Chelsea 1 1 Tottenham Sunderland 0 3 Manchester City Aston Villa 0 0 Liverpool ASR XI of the Week G David James, Portsmouth LB Gael Clichy, Arsenal CB John Terry, Chelsea CB Kolo Toure, Arsenal RB Alvaro Arbeloa, Liverpool MF Javier Mascherano, Liverpool MF Cesc Fabregas, Arsenal MF Gareth Barry, Aston Villa MF Shaun Wright-Phillips, Chelsea F Jermaine Defoe, Portsmouth F Amr Zaki, Wigan Next Week Home Away September 13, 2008 Liverpool Manchester United Blackburn Arsenal Fulham Bolton Newcastle Hull Portsmouth Middlesbrough West Brom West Ham Wigan Sunderland Manchester City Chelsea September 14, 2008 Stoke Everton September 15, 2008 Tottenham Aston Villa

ASR Premiership Club Rankings, Week 3

	Rank	Last Week	Club
	1	1	Chelsea The ASR rankings don’t expect perfection, and Sunday was Chelsea’s first blemish. Derbies can always be tricky, as Chelsea was reminded. Tottenham played their best match of the season while Chelsea played a lot like they did the week before against Wigan. Seven days earlier, it got them three points, and if it was not for a freak bounce from a Frank Lampard tackle, it might have gotten them three this Sunday.
	2	7	Arsenal They did lose in embarrassing fashion last week to Fulham, but their win over Newcastle was a statement, and given the return of Cesc Fabregas, more weight is given in the ranking to their healthier performances than what they did at Craven Cottage. Simply put: their demolition of Newcastle was the second best performance of the young season, part of the reason I’m putting them second (behind the team that gave the most impressive performance to-date).
	3	2	Manchester United Clearly I am not counting their exhibition loss in Monaco to Zenit St. Petersburg, though there was no shame in it. Manchester United will return to domestic play at Liverpool, likely to have a new set of players available: Michael Carrick, Owen Hargraves, Nani, Park Ji-Sung, and Gary Neville.
	4	3	Middlesbrough A late own goal from Justin Hoyte made their match against Stoke closer than it was played. It was another good performance from Southgate’s men, who got both Anfonso Alves and Tuncay Sanli on the scoresheet. Now all they have to do is get Stewart Downing to make his penalty kicks. Somehow, I don’t think it will be a problem.
	5	11	Manchester City Two weeks ago, I had City at 18. Last week, they we eleven. No team has climbed these rankings as hastily, and whlie I questioned their 3-0 win versus West Ham (at home, up a man), their result at Sunderland was unquestionable. Just consider what Sunderland had done in the weeks before: force Liverpool to use a Fernando Torres trump; win at White Hart Lane. This was an impressive win for the Citizens.
	6	5	Liverpool I admit at being a bit bitter (and bewildered) at having sat through their match at Aston Villa, and yes, I do blame Rafa Benitez. But their drop here has nothing to do with that performance; rather, it’s a function of Manchester City rising. Objectively, the result at Villa Park was a good one, and Benitez deserves some credit for salvaging a point without Gerrard or Torres.
	7	4	Newcastle It is hard to drop Newcastle too far this week. They merely ran into a elite team on one of their good days. But the Magpies were ranked number four last week, an elite ranking, and if they showed anything at The Emirates on Saturday afternoon, it’s that they are not an elite club. Kevin Keegan can still be happy with their performance, particularly considering they were down three starting forwards. This ranking, though, may prove to be their level.
	8	8	Aston Villa Villa had their chance and wasted it. Liverpool was ripe for the picking, and while most clubs should be happy taking a point from the Reds, Aston Villa should have greater aspirations. Should, or should have? After Sunday’s performance (on the back of losing at Stoke), should we really be holding out hope that Villa is the knight to slay one of the top four? Perhaps we should start looking for another metaphor.
	9	17	Portsmouth Pompey’s resume is actually somewhat impressive. Yes, they have lost two of three, but those two losses were against the top two clubs from last season. This week they got only a slightly easier task, going to Goodison Park, home of last year’s fifth place finisher. So tip of the hat to Harry Redknapp and Jermaine Defoe for showing that they still need to be considered a contender for a European football spot. This ranking should end up being a bit low.
	10	16	Wigan Another huge climber this week gave us reason to think their strong performances over the last 80 at West Ham (Week 1) and last week against Chelsea might be followed by a successful season. Steve Bruce did a great job, as did Amr Zaki, whose two goals put him in a tie for the early Premiership lead with three. The big difference in this year’s team is the central midfield duo of Wilson Palacios and Lee Cattermole. Together, they have allowed the Latics to be competitive at all times, in all situations. On Saturday, they even showed they can open up the attack a little. Don’t get greedy, Mr. Bruce.
	11	13	West Ham Two late goals and a Blackburn own goal made the final scoreline a bit deceiving, but it was a win, and with Wigan showing so well at Hull, West Ham can now claim two good victories on the season. For Alan Curbishley, who has to be considered a favorite in the sack race, the win was huge. If the Hammers had dropped this one to Paul Ince, Curbishley would have started feeling heat from more than just media rumors.
	12	12	Fulham Fabio Capello made a controversial pick for the England squad, including Fulham’s Jimmy Bullard in his 23 selected for this weeks action. Thoughts about Bullard aside, it says a lot for how for Fulham came in one week that one of their players gained consideration from Capello. If Fulham doesn’t upset Arsenal last week, Fulham is going through those light Craven Cottage workouts during the international match week.
	13	6	Sunderland I can only drop them so far after being ranked sixth last week. That ranking reflects one side of what the Black Cats are capable of. The other side occurred on Sunday, when Sunderland was picked apart in the second half by Mark Hughes’s blues. Now what was a promising start gets contrasted by the Cats’ table place: 18th. Respect only means so much when you’re on the bottom of the standings.
	14	9	Blackburn Their first week win at Everton is starting to look like an aberration. Since then, the drew at home (to Hull) and lost by three at West Ham. Yes, the score at Upton Park was deceiving, but it augments a general feeling in watching Blackburn that you don’t know how this team wins games beyond grit and happenstance. If Paul Ince can win like that, more power to him. He needs to get Roque Santa Cruz on track. Maybe playing for Paraguay for a week will help.
	15	10	Everton The Toffees were one of the best defensive teams last season, but they have already allowed seven goals, six of them over their two home fixtures. The most telling loss of their loss to Portsmouth was their inability to control the midfield. Portsmouth’s midfield have been nonexistent against Chelsea and Manchester United. Against Everton, all of a sudden Lassana Diarra and Papa Bouba Diop have form. Only Mikel Arteta distinguishes himself, though neutrals must wonder what a player of his skill would look like on a team that had at least one comprable talent.
	16	19	Tottenham Getting a point at Stamford Bridge is definitely worth something, so Spurs’ ranking puts above a number of teams that have better point totals. In fact, no team in the Premiership has a worse point total after three weeks, so while Spurs an their fans may have gottena small moral boost from Sunday’s draw, there is a lot of work to do. Their ranking here still puts them with a group of teams who are going to be relegation-battlers.
	17	14	Stoke They almost got a miraculous point against Middlesbrough, but they were outclassed, and the loss was just. They played an hour of the match a man down after holding midfielder Amdy Faye’s two footed tackle brought an automatic red. Because they played shorthanded, it’s hard to draw anything from their loss. They were at a better team and playing at a disadvantage. One thing that Tony Pulis can be proud of is the effort his team gave. They kept themselves in position to get a result, even if tehy ultimately got none.
	18	18	Bolton If you are drawing nil-nil at home against the bottom team in the table, you have a problem. Greg Megson’s problem: he needs better players. Still playing without Johan Elmander, there is a lack of quality up front, and only Jussi Jaaskelainen’s inpsired play betweent he posts gave the Trotters a point. Supporters should be very happy with the four points their club has gotten, even if all of them have been against promoted sides, because this looks to be a season where Bolton will have to take what they can get.
	19	15	Hull Quite a wake up call given by Wigan. Now that the honeymoon of four points against Fulham and Blackburn is over, Phil Brown needs to fix the back. Michael Turner needs to play better or not at all. Sam Ricketts is giving too much, including fouls. There needs to be more protection in front of the back four. Losing by five goals to a mid-table team needs to be taken seriously, not as a blip.
	20	20	West Brom It was their best performance of the season, and they exhibited some of the spark they shorted in the first week against Arsenal. Now, Tony Mowbray has something to build on. They produced plenty of chances, and if they can continue to generate them, their finishing will get better. The Baggies just need to not dwell on their slow start and realize that it may only take one good run of play to save them from relegation. If they can continue to scrape a point here-and-there until that run comes, it does not matter where in the season their good form falls. They just need to make sure to find that form at some point.

We have had a very busy week this week. We went to Toronto on Friday and played them on Saturday. The following morning we headed off to Trinidad for our first game in the CONCACAF Champions League tournament against Joe Public on Tuesday.

For me, it is always fun and a pleasure playing in Toronto due to the fan base and all their support. We understand that soccer is not the most popular sport in America so appreciate all the wonderful support and fans that we do have, but it is definitely a different level in Toronto, and even though the fans are against us, the environment and atmosphere is topnotch. I was also excited to be in Toronto because I was getting the start, due to extenuating circumstances. It had been too darn long since my last start and I was eager and prepared to get out there and bust it. We also went to a 4-4-2 formation as a result of our lack of forwards. My good buddy Adam Christman was not able to make the trip because of an injury, so we were left with only Taylor Twellman as a forward. That meant that Ralston pushed from central midfield to a more forward position. I really was not too concerned about the change, especially when it is Ralston doing the moving around. I don’t care what position Ralston plays in, he can not only play them all, but he plays them all very well. He is one of the best players I have ever played with and he only continues to amaze me by his ability and skill despite his age and the amount of games he has played. It was a decent performance by the team. We went into halftime with a 1-0 advantage as a result of Chris Tierney delivering a gorgeous ball to the head of Twellman. The game was back and forth quite a bit and they ended up striking even off a fantastic finish from Chad Barrett.

 

My former Wake Forest teammate and roommate Brian Edwards is the back up goalie for Toronto, so we got to catch up and have a few drinks after the game. One of the best parts about traveling is being able to catch up with old teammates and friends. Business is business, we all want so desperately to win, regardless of who is on the other team, but as soon as the game is over it is back to being friends and paling around and all that. I consider Wake to be one of the premier programs in the country, I don’t think many can argue with that, and they have produced a significant amount of pros over the past several years. Justin Moose, Michael Parkhurst, James Riley, Ryan Solle, Pat Phelan, Julian Valentin, Steven Curfman, Amir Lowry, Scott Sealy, and Will Hesmer, to mention a few all come from Wake Forest. It always makes things a little more interesting when you are facing off against a good buddy or former teammate.

Toronto was the first leg of our trip. We then took off to Trinidad early the next morning. To tell you the truth, I do not mind traveling much at all. Some of the guys hate it, and I can understand if you have a family or are scared of flying or for whatever reason, but for me it isn’t so bad. I try to catch up on my reading on the flights, since I do not get to that much in my free time while at home. I just recently finished the autobiography of Steven Gerrard and I am almost finished with the autobiography of Ricky Hatton. Both are fantastic books and I recommend them to anyone who loves sports or likes a good read. I always love reading about other sports figures. I find that you can find a lot of inspiration and motivation through others stories. Besides reading, there is always a card game or two going on. The only thing that really stinks about traveling is the toll that it takes on your body and mind. You can definitely feel the affects on your legs and mind after a long flight. I do think that all the traveling and our busy schedule played a major role in our loss to Joe Public of Trinidad. Joe Public was our first opponent in the CONCACAF Champions League tournament. I think we took them too lightly and they came out strong and proved to be more than a worthy opponent. They were quick, fast, and seemed to have a step on us all night. I am not one for making excuses but I do believe that all the travel was the reason for all of that. In the second half they opened up the scoring with two quick counter attacks. We got one back when Castro tucked home a penalty kick that was given when Shalrie was taken down in the box in the late stages if the game. It is a home and away series so we have a game to redeem ourselves and show them who we really are. I am confident our guys will not take them so lightly this time, and I suspect that we will come out on top. But we will see. First we have to concentrate on the Galaxy who we play this weekend. I am looking forward to the game. Anytime David Beckham comes to town there is always a wonderful atmosphere and bigger crowd.

 

 

 

 

1.

Heya Wells, is the team excited about the CONCACAF Champions League? or is anyone worried about what a more packed schedule could do to the teams playoff aspirations?

-Craig, Somerville

-Ha, good question and well that all depends on whom you ask. I think it is a fantastic experience playing teams from different countries and teams that we would not play otherwise. I think that everyone will agree on that. The prize would be fantastic so that is another positive, but in the grand scheme of things it does make things a lot harder on all of us. All the extra travel and games in an already packed schedule bothers and worries a lot of the guys. This is coming from a younger player as well, so you can only imagine how the older guys feel. Our main goal is to win the MLS Cup and I think that everyone would agree on that, especially considering how close we have been over the past several years. The bottom line is that the extra tournaments, this one and Superliga, take an extra toll on our legs and whether it is too big of a toll we do not know. We just know that we want to be fresh and rested going into the remainder of the season and this tournament is making it hard for that to happen.

 

 

2.

Mr. Thompson, do the guys talk about any soccer websites in the locker room? About rumors or anything else?  Always interested to know, Thanks!

-Belinda W

-Mr. Thompson huh? I like that, ha! Coming from the south I was raised to say sir and mam and Mr. and Mrs. so I can appreciate that kind of respect, whether you meant it that way or not. Believe it or not, in my experience in the North many people do not like it when I say those sorts of things, but it was the way I was raised so there’s no changing it, ha. Really the only website that is talked about is mlsnet.com. I know a lot of the guys, me included, check various soccer websites daily, such as foxsports.com, ussoccer.com, espnsoccernet.com, as well as our own website. Honestly we do not talk about the websites too much unless it concerns new news concerning our league or news about transfers and so forth. Of course we are all interested in the scores of other games around the league and news concerning our opponents. If something new in our league comes out it will for sure make its way around the locker roo