Round Two
8.    Sky Blue FC     Keeley Dowling  (Tennessee)
9.    Chicago Red Stars     Ella Masar (Illinois)
10.    Los Angeles     Kendall Fletcher (UNC)
11.    Boston Breakers     Nancy Augustyniak Goffi (Clemson)
12.    Los Angeles     Christie Welsh (Penn State)
13.    Bay Area     Kandace Wilson (Cal St. Fullerton)
14.    St. Louis     India Trotter (Florida St.)

Round Three
15.    St. Louis     Angie Woznuk (Portland)
16.    Bay Area     Liz Bogus (Arizona St.)
17.    Washington Freedom     Lori Lindsey (Virginia)
18.    Boston Breakers     Sue Weber (Hofstra)
19.    Los Angeles     Manya Makoski (Arizona St.)
20.    Chicago Red Stars     Marian Dalmy (Santa Clara)
21.    Sky Blue FC     Kacey White (UNC)

Round Four
22.    Sky Blue FC     Jenny Anderson-Hammond (Clemson)
23.    Chicago Red Stars     Ifeoma Dieke (Florida Int’l)
24.    St. Louis     Joanna Lohman (Penn State)
25.    Boston Breakers     Kristin Luckenbill (Dartmouth)
26.    St. Louis     Amanda Cinalli (Notre Dame)
27.    Bay Area     Tracy Hamm (Cal Berkeley)
28.    Washington Freedom     Emily Janss (Maryland)

Wednesday sees Chelsea and Liverpool’s second Champions League matches, with the Blues in Romania to face CFR Cluj while the Reds welcome PSV Eindhoven to Anfield. The day’s key matches, however, will be in France and Italy. AS Roma goes to France for a match with Bordeaux with each side is trying to rebound from a disappointing first matchday. In Milan, a contrast in styles sees a controlling Internazionale host the wide-open Werder Bremen.

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	Liverpool (Premier League, England) vs. PSV Eindhoven (Eredivisie, Netherlands) Wednesday, October 1 2:45pm Eastern Recent Form: Liverpool won at Marseille on Matchday 1, 2-1, and currently sits in a tie for first in the English Premier League; PSV Eindhoven lost at home to Atletico Madrid 3-0 to open their Champions League campaign. They are in second place in the Eredivisie, having won three of their first four league matches.   Liverpool and PSV are half of the league’s toughest group, which saw La Liga’s Atletico Madrid assert control with a dominating win at Eindhoven to start the competition. That makes today’s match in Liverpool, which PSV would not have expected to win at the league’s outset, critical. If they lose, PSV will be six points behind Liverpool and, if they beat Marseille in Madrid, Atletico. If that happens, what was thought to be the league’s most competitive group could be sorted out before Liverpool and Atletico play each other. While the Reds may have looked ripe at the time this group was drawn, they have since found health and form. Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard were nursing injuries when Liverpool beat Marseille. Each are now completely healthy, and Javier Mascherano could return to action versus PSV. Coming off a strong win over Everton in domestic league play, Liverpool appears to be at the top of their game. What looks like a tough match-up for the Dutch champions could be made easier if they play into Liverpool’s tendency to be excessively deliberate and conversative. This could not only buy time is play for a draw, but it will allow PSV to wait for opportunities to let midfielder Ibrahim Affelay use his speed to attack a plodding Liverpool central defense. If Mascherano plays, this tactic could be easily nullified, but if he does not, it would represent PSV’s best chance to steal three points. Otherwise, Liverpool stands to have too many ways to beat PSV. Prediction: Liverpool 2, PSV Eindhoven 0
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	CFR Cluj (Liga 1, Romania) vs. Chelsea (Premier League, England) Wednesday, October 1, 2:45pm Eastern Recent Form: Cluj beat Roma in Rome to open Champions League and sit fifth in their domestic league; Chelsea leads the Premier League and posted a 4-0 pasting on Bordeaux in their Champions League opener.   Cluj delivered the surprise result of Matchday 1, opening the competition with a win at AS Roma. The result was sufficiently shocking to start a debate as to whether the next tier of European leagues were catching up to the confederation’s big boys. The next two days of Champions League football have since cooled such talk, making Cluj’s win in Italy all the more remarkable. Now the Romanians host Chelsea in an unexpected battle for group supremacy, one in which they would be happy to get a point. Where they to get a draw, they would be in great shape to pull-off a shock advancement to the knock-out stage, then needing only to take care of their home matches with Roma and Bordeaux to get to ten points and a probable advancement. Those wins, as well as a draw with Chelsea, are easier said than done. CFR Cluj is still the group’s underdog and will need another superior effort to get a result against Europe’s best club. Though the Blues have four significant injuries, they are also coming off a light match last weekend.  With a Sunday league match, they will have an extra day to recover from the excusion into Transylvania. Luiz Felipe Scolari will give Cluj the requisite amount of attention. Prediction: Chelsea 3, CFR Cluj 0

Other October 1 Matches
Bordeaux (France) vs. Roma (Italy) - Each of these clubs have designs on getting to the knock-out stage, having finish second in their respective domestic leagues last season. Both clubs have gotten off to slow starts in their leagues this season, and both gave disappointing opening performances to their Champions League campaigns. While it may sound like these two clubs have a lot in common, AS Roma has the superior talent and will win this match if they can continue the improvement they have shown over the last two weeks of their domestic campaign.
Anorthosis (Cyprus) vs. Panathinaikos (Greece) - There is a whole different dimension to this match thanks to the Cyprus-Greece connection, and while Anorthosis is rightfully being considered the underdog, they did get a point from Bremen on Matchday 1. This match is charged with enough subplots and intrigue to see the hosts get a result.
Internazionale (Italy) vs. Werder Bremen (Germany) - While this match presents an interesting contrast in styles, it also plays right into Jose Mourinho’s tactic. His team will let Bremen come to them, stay strong at the back, and destroy them on the counter. Coming off a disappointing result in their Milan derby, Inter will use Bremen to rebound.
Sporting Lisbon (Portugal) vs. FC Basel (Switzerland) - Lisbon was overwelmed by Barcelona on Matchday 1 but get a tonic in hosting the group’s weakest team on Wednesday. There may be a bit of a hangover from this weakend’s match against Benfica in their domestic league. The hangover may make this match tighter than it need be, but Sporting should still get three points.
Shakhtar (Ukraine) vs. Barcelona (Spain) - If Sporting stumbles, Shakhtar are the team that will benefit, as they look to take second spot in this group from the favored Portuguese team. Getting a point at home against the group’s clear favorites would be a nice step towards that upset. Pep Guardiola rested four regulars in Barca’s weekend derby with Espanyol, so his side should be sufficiently prepared.
Atletico Madrid (Spain) vs. Marseille (France) - Atletico is the cute girl in high school that everybody has started to notice. They flew under the radar for a while but now can not get through calculus without catching some senior staring her down. That senior is the footballing world, who did not notice the summer moves the Atleti made to shore-up their defence in anticipation of Champions League and La Liga runs. Now that they have been noticed, Atletico is suddenly the world’s dark horse.  Still, there are some for whom Atletico’s performance is no surprise. The Atleti should be able to get to six points against Marseille, who lost to Liverpool on Matchday 1.

Matchday 2 of the Champions League has already started, with Real Madrid and Zenit St. Petersburg getting an early kickoff in Russia. But before the principle part of today’s UEFA Champions League schedule starts, here is a brief rundown of today’s action, which includes Arsenal, Manchester United, and the match of the day: Bayern Munich hosting Lyon.

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	Arsenal (Premier League, England) vs. FC Porto (Superliga, Portugal) Tuesday, September 30, 2:45pm Eastern Recent Form: Arsenal drew 1-1 at Dynamo Kyiv on Matchday 1 and sit fourth in their domestic league; FC Porto also occupies fourth place in their domestic league and beat Fenerbahce 3-1 to open Champions League If Arsenal’s pattern of inconsistent play holds up, Porto is in big trouble, because after losing to Hull City on Saturday, the Gunners will be looking to bounce back. Arsenal is also coming off a disappointing performance in Kyiv that opened Champions League. A win today will vault them to the top of the Group F. That is where Porto currently sit after beating Fenerbahce on Matchday 1. It was Porto’s most impressive performance of a season in which they have gotten off to a slow domestic start. They currently sit fourth in a league they normally dominate, though they have yet to lose in four matches. Coming off a disappointing performance two weeks ago in which they drew 0-0 against Rio Ave (a team only promoted because of the referee bribing scandal costing another top division team its spot), Porto rebounded this weekend with a 2-0 win over Pacos de Ferreira. Having lost the likes of Ricardo Quaresma (Inter Milan) and Jose Bosingwa (Chelsea), Porto lacks the depth of previous seasons. But with Cristian Rodriguez, Raul Meireles, Lisandro Lopes, and Lucho Gonzalez, they still have the talent to beat any team that fails to play to their potential. If you can predict whether Arsenal will play to their potential, you should spend less time on this site and more time in sports books. Prediction: Arsenal 3, FC Porto 1
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	Aalborg BK (Superligaen, Denmark) vs. Manchester United (Premier League, England) Tuesday, September 30, 2:45pm Eastern Recent Form: Aalsborg drew at Celtic on Matchday 1, 0-0, but sit tenth in their domestic league; Manchester United also drew on Matchday 1, a 0-0 tie when hosting Villareal. They sit 11th in their domestic league but have a game in hand. Aalborg pulled off one of the surprises of Champions League Matchday 1 when they went to Celtic and got a scoreless draw. In light of what CFR Cluj did at Roma, the story was a bit overshadowed, but Aalborg hanging on for a point while a man down not only served as one of the first week surprises, it may have eliminated Celtic’s hopes of unseating Villareal for second place in Group E. Such is the importance of matches against Aalborg: teams are expected to get six points from them. With last season’s Danish champions sitting tenth in their twelve team league, there is no reason why the best of Scotland and Spain should be yielding points, particularly when advancing to the knock-out stage of the Champions League depends on getting six. That is why Alex Ferguson has said he will field a full squad when Manchester United visits Aalborg in a couple of hours. But what is a full United team? This weekend, Wayne Rooney, Wes Brown, and Paul Scholes started on the bench against Bolton, yet the club claimed to be starting a full squad. Such is the depth of Manchester United that their backups have plausible claims to being regulars. Even Manchester United’s backups should be able to get a win in Denmark. If they stumble after failing to get three points at home against Villareal on Matchday 1, their hopes of winning this group will be gone. Prediction: Manchester United 3, Aalsborg 0

Other September 30 Matches
Zenit St. Petersburg (Russia) vs. Real Madrid (Spain) - Zenit has proved capable of biting teams that take them lightly, something Real Madrid is known to do with opponents from time-to-time. It took a strong performance from Juventus on Matchday 1 to hold home pitch against the Russians. Real will need a similar effort today. Zenit needs this win to avoid falling six points behind Real (and possibly Juventus).  They also need to show that they can hole home pitch if they have any chance of advancing to the knock-out stage.
Villareal (Spain) vs. Celtic (Scotland) - Villareal’s draw at Manchester United gives them hope of winning this group. If they can take their points against Aalsborg and Celtic, they just have to protect home pitch against United to finish atop Group E. That road starts today, with Celtic’s visit. If the Scotish champions lose, their Champions League is basically done. They need at least a point after not getting three a home from the group’s weakest team.
Fiorentina (Italy) vs. Steaua Bucharest (Romania) -  Their draw at Lyon was a great point to win, but if they can not match Bayern and Lyon point-for-point against Steaua, any gains they make against the group’s co-favorites will be nullified. Steaua’s loss to Bayern in Romania was a serious blow to their hopes of advanacing to the knock-out stage, but they can make amends with an upset today. Were they to get three points, it would a huge setback for Fiorentina but far from the biggest upset ever. Steaua’s loss on Matchday 1 helped obscure the fact they are a very good team, one that makes this group as deep as any in the tournament.
Bayern Munich (Germany) vs. Lyon (France) - The match of the day. Lyon stumbled on Matchday 1, getting only one point at home from Fiorentina. While Bayern got three tough points in Bucharest against Steaua, they have lost two in a row in the Bundesliga and are going through a small crisis of identity. Jurgen Klinsmann’s experiments with a 3-5-2 formation have blown up.  The team looks confused, particularly at the back.  Lyon, on the other hand, has again grabbed a hold of Ligue 1 and can make a strong claim towards qualifying from this group if they can take advantage of Bayern’s struggles.
Fenerbahce (Turkey) vs. Dynamo Kyiv (Ukraine) - Last season Fenerbahce made Istanbul one of the toughest places in Europe to win, getting a home victory over Chelsea in the knock-out stages. While it would be unreasonable to expect Dynamo to improve upon Chelsea’s performance, consider the possible implications if they do. They have already taken a surprise point from Arsenal, and with the group’s co-favorites playing at The Emirates, Dynamo would be in position to take the group’s second place after two matchdays.
BATE (Belarus) vs. Juventus (Italy) - If you are a follower of BATE, you know your team is not getting out of a group that includes Real Madrid, Juventus, and Zenit St. Petersburg. Your team is the lowest UEFA-ranked club to make the tournament, so you are just happy that those teams will come to Belarus, where you might be experiencing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see a couple of legendary clubs on your home pitch (note:  you may also be tired of web sites writing about you in the second person).  With three points, Juventus could find themselves alone at the top of the group, should Zenit get a result against Real.

This year’s Premier League has had no shortage of stories, given the happenings at Newcastle, Manchester City, Tottenham and Chelsea, but the most remarkable story of the season has been the under-reported plight of West Ham United. After going to Craven Cottage and winning 2-1 on Saturday, the Hammers occupy fifth place in a league in which some think they should have been relegated.

Those feelings come from last week’s decision by an independent review that found West Ham illegally used Carlos Tevez in avoiding relegation during the 2006-07 season. Tevez’s play at the end of that season created a minor legend for him amongst Hammers fans, but amongst Sheffield United followers, the Argentine forward represents everything that was unfair about their team’s relegation.

Tevez should not have been on West Ham, his transfer being handled through a “third party” (and agency that owned Tevez’s registration, against Premier League rules). Sheffield United’s claim isthey were wrongly relegated because of the use of an illegal player.  That claim was upheld by the independent review, and damages are to be awarded. Those damages, meant to compensate Sheffield United for losing out on Premier League revenue, are speculated to be between twenty-one and thirty million pounds, all of which will come out of West Ham’s coughers.

The news of the huge financial judgment is only one part of a summer-long saga engulfing Upton Park. It folows a summer sell-off of payers, the resignation of Alan Curbishley and the appoint of Gianfranco Zola as their new manager.

In the short-term, the decision will have no effect on the pitch, but for a club that was selling players this summer in an attempt to balance their books, it seems likely (despite denials) that January sales will happen.  Owned by Icelandic bankers, the now mythological Credit Crunch could also handcuff West Ham.

For now, Gianfranco Zola’s task is to accumulate as many points as possible before the next transfer window. The idea is to try and stave off relegation with a good run in the fall.

With two wins in two matches, the Italian manager is off to a great start. He has adjusted to the Hammers’ weakness along the back and in the middle by switching formation, going to a 4-3-2-1 that provides the back support while midigating their need for a creative presence in midfield.  The formation has also help offset the loss of striker Dean Ashton by moving the attack away from a tactic that was overly dependent on his scoring goals.

Now in attack, Zola will rely on countryman David Di Michele, last week’s ASR Player of the Week, and Matthew Etherington, who took his turn as Man of the Match against Fulham.  The product is very Italian in style, a team that does not mind their opponent controlling the ball.  While their opponent moves into attack, West Ham coils in preparation for a counter.

When the Hammers struck, Fulham was bitten twice in the waning moments of the first half. More than one viewer at home must have gone to the bathroom only to return to Fulham being down two goals. A Danny Murphy penalty kick pulled Fulham back to within one, but playing a man down after Andy Johnson’s 45th minute dismissal, the Cottagers were not able to get a second goal.

Hosting Bolton next weekend, Zola is given a prime chance to go into the next international match break having won three on the trot. A prolonged winning streak or a stint near the top of the table would be just another in a long line of remarkable headlines for this season’s Hammers squad.

Movement at the Bottom

We spend so much time looking at the top of the table that the machinations at the bottom are often overlooked. While I try to write game summaries each weekend updating ASR on what’s happening to the “Top Four,” the relegation-threated receive no such attention. This year, with Tottenham and Newcastle again spending time at the depths of the table, the stories near the Championship are almost as interesting as those near the Champions League.

This week, two recently-promoted sides took steps to distinguish themselves from the relegation-battlers. Hull’s miracle victory at Arsenal gives them 11 points on the season, as many as Derby had last campaign. West Brom got three huge points at Middlesbrough, helping them to offset the effects of a relatively difficult starting schedule.

These wins have helped created a group of four teams that are unwittingly positioning themselves for a relegation-battle. Newcastle and Tottenham have been well-covered. They are joined by Bolton and Stoke City, two teams who have lacked in both quality and form.

Bolton and Stoke are each teams that lack athleticism, relying on their size and strength to win via set pieces and direct play. While such a style used to be viable in England, the influx of talent from around the world means a league of bigger, stronger, faster players who can dispel such unimaginative attacks.

Unfortunately for both the Trotters and the Potters, there are not many other options for attack within their squads. Bolton and Stoke may not be the worst teams in the league right now, but they are the most likely sides to stay in this conversation throughout the year.

ASR Player of the Week: Fernando Torres, F, Liverpool

Torres made this week’s Player of the Week selection easy, scoring both goals in the Merseyside Derby to give Liverpool a 2-0 win, helping the Reds move back to the top of the table. The goals ended a mini-drought for the Spanish star, having gone goalless in league since the first match of the season. His performance was the main factor distinguishing Liverpool from Everton on Saturday, a level of differentiation no other player can claim in Week 6.  Thus, Torres wins ASR’s Player of the Week.

ASR Manager of the Week: Steve Bruce, Wigan

In ASR’s preview of Wigan’s match with Manchester City, we noted that the Latics lacked a presence on the left wing to match Antonio Valencia’s athleticism on the right, with containing wing play being the key to stopping the Citizens. In response, Bruce gave Olivier Kapo his first start of the season, deploying him to match-up on Shaun Wright-Phillip’s side. Though Wright-Phillips still found opportunities to be dangerous, it was the most containment the winger has encountered since moving from Chelsea.

Bruce also pressed the right buttons in the second half, knowing when and how to let up on the gas after going up 2-1. He moved Emile Hemsky from the middle to the left and gave Amr Zaki free rain up top. The Egyptian star got under the skin of center backs Richard Dunne and Micah Richards, heling sustain a attack that not only played out the rest of the clock but also won some set pieces and corners that nearly made it a two goal match.

Those small tactical advantages Bruce gave his side win him Manager of the Week over Phli Brown, who deserves some recognition for what he was able to motivate his team to do on Saturday.

Premiership Standings Rank Club GP PTS DIFF 1 Chelsea 6 14 9 2 Liverpool 6 14 5 3 Aston Villa 6 13 4 4 Arsenal 6 12 8 5 West Ham United 6 12 3 6 Hull City 6 11 2 7 Blackburn 6 10 -4 8 Manchester City 6 9 7 9 Portsmouth 6 9 -5 10 Wigan Athletic 6 8 4 11 Manchester United 5 8 2 12 West Bromwich Albion 6 7 -1 13 Sunderland 6 7 -2 14 Everton 6 7 -4 15 Fulham 5 6 -1 16 Middlesbrough 6 6 -3 17 Bolton 6 4 -4 18 Stoke City 6 4 -5 19 Newcastle 6 4 -6 20 Tottenham 6 2 -5 Results September 27, 2008 Everton 0 2 Liverpool Aston Villa 2 1 Sunderland Fulham 1 2 West Ham Man United 2 0 Bolton Middlesbrough 0 1 West Brom Newcastle 1 2 Blackburn Stoke City 0 2 Chelsea Arsenal 1 2 Hull City September 28, 2008 Portsmouth 2 0 Tottenham Wigan 2 1 Manchester City ASR XI of the Week G Scott Carson, West Brom LB Joleon Lescott, Everton CB Jamie Carragher, Liverpool CB Christopher Samba, Blackburn RB Jose Bosingwa, Chelsea MF Nigel Reo-Coker, Aston Villa MF Theo Walcott, Arsenal MF Frank Lampard, Chelsea MF Cristiano Ronaldo, Manchester United F Daniel Cousin, Hull City F Fernando Torres, Liverpool Next Week Home Away October 4, 2008 Sunderland Arsenal West Brom Fulham Wigan Middlesbrough Blackburn Man United October 5, 2008 West Ham Bolton Portsmouth Stoke City Tottenham Hull City Chelsea Aston Villa Manchester City Liverpool Everton Newcastle

ASR Premiership Club Rankings, Week 6

	Rank	Last Week	Club
	1	1	Chelsea Chelsea started three players on Sunday (Didier Drogba, Michael Ballack, John Obi Mikel) who have already missed time with injuries. Four other regulars (Deco, Michael Essien, Ricardo Carvalho, Joe Cole) are currently out.  Even while the age and depth of the squad are being tested, the team sits atop the table and these rankings. The international match break, otherwise known as recuperation time, is seven days away.
	2	3	Liverpool For the first time this season, Fernando Torres played a whole match in which he looked completely healthy. Seeing the energy and effort he bought to the pitch on Saturday made his two previous appearances look as if he was playing at less than one hundred percent. That comparison may shed light on Steven Gerrard’s uninfluential performances. Against Manchester City this weekend, a healthy Steven Gerrard and Javier Mascherano will be needed.
	3	4	Manchester United It was not the offensive eruption we were expecting, but United took care of business against Bolton without starting their top team. Questions regarding United’s ability to finish still linger, and until they show more goal scoring aptitude, few will think them Chelsea’s equal.
	4	6	Aston Villa Villa jumps above Arsenal and Manchester City with a convincing win at home against Sunderland. Bouncing back from a ninth minute Djibril Cisse goal, Villa showed the kind of resiliancy you would want to see from a team that aspires towards the top of the table. That they did not let this match turn into a shoot-out, as they would have last season, is also encouraing. Martin O’Neill needs to sort out Nigel Reo-Coker’s role. As a central-dwelling ball winner, Reo-Coker had a great week, though he it is unclear he is supposed to be in the middle of the pitch (as opposed to the right).
	5	2	Arsenal It was difficult deciding to drop Arsenal out of the top four given that they played relatively well, but since these rankings are supposed to give heavy (but not exclusive) consideration to recent form, losing at home to a newly-promoted team has to count for something. Look for Arsenal to creep back into the top four very quickly, regardless of whether Aston Villa loses.
	6	5	Manchester City There is no shame in losing to Wigan, but the way in which Wigan was able to contain their attack after going up 2-1 was surprising. Only Shaun Wright-Phillips looked dangerous. How can an attack with the likes of Jo, Robhinho, Stephen Ireland and Elano not generate more chances?  Answer:  Mark Hughes inexplicably played Stephen Ireland in the middle, Elano in a deep role, and let Robinho move out to left wing.  Was this because Robinho does not want to play as a striker?  That just speculation.  It could also be that Hughes is still experimenting with this lineup.  Funny, I thought they looked pretty good last week, when they beat Portsmouth 6-0 with ireland on the left and Elano sitting right behinda partnership of Robinho and Jô.
	7	7	Portsmouth Their 2-0 win over Tottenham was exactly the kind of victory we needed to see. Spurs never looked capable of giving the home team a real scare, but as we learned in other places this weekend, that does not always stop a club from getting points.  Pompey’s persistence was eventually rewarded with a penalty kick and a goaltender’s gift, accounting for their goals. That the goals were not exactly beautiful does not mean they count less.
	8	12	Hull City After ranking the seven preceding teams, I had a difficult time answering the implicit question: Who is the next best team in the league? I never found a response I was comfortable with, but Hull answered another question: Of the teams being considered, which club is playing best right now? Phil Brown has addressed all the weaknesses with which Hull opened the season, and now with a reinforced back line and more depth is ready to cement Hull’s place in the Premiership.
	9	11	Wigan Athletic Too much is being made of the way Wilson Palacious earned the penalty which led to Amr Zaki’s game winning penalty kick. Too little is being made of the control Wigan asserted after gaining the lead. Their 2-1 victory was not a case of a team lucking into a lead and holding on for their three points. Wigan was the better side after the winning goal and finally have a trademark win on which they can hang their season’s hat.
	10	8	West Ham United The drop is less about their performance and more about Hull and Wigan needing spots higher in the rankings. Many would think West Ham deserving a drop, with the perception that they did not play well at Fulham. Those types of performances are going to become more common with West Ham’s with a move to a 4-3-2-1, a move which will cause confusion for British pundits who dwell on possession statistics. Gianfrano Zola has implemented a system which perfectly compliments a hard-working team without a creative presence in midfield. He has decided to live and die by the counter.
	11	13	Fulham Fulham loses at home, snapping a five match home winning streak, and moves up in the rankings because of a.) they outplayed West Ham, b.) I try to take into account if a team lost a player due to a red card, which Fulham did just before half-time, and c.) Everton and Middlesbrough dropped without another team showing themselves better than the Cottagers. So don’t panic, Fulham-backers. If your team continues to play as they did on Saturday, their losing ways will be short-lived.
	12	16	West Brom Another beneficiary of teams dropping, West Brom got a huge three points on the road Saturday, using a Jonas Olsson goal to support Scott Carson’s clean sheet. It was not the type of match the usually ambitious Baggies are used to winning, but in a league where promoted teams struggle mightly on the road, these points are huge. Tony Mowbray was calling for Carson to be recalled to the England national team after the match. With twelve saves on Saturday, Carson started making his case.
	13	10	Everton Everton has said they will appeal Tim Cahill’s impending three match suspension for the straight red card he received on Saturday. If that appeal fails, Cahill being out of the lineup could not come at a more critical time for the Toffees. It is clear that their Australian star is lacking in game fitness, as he is out-of-sorts on scoring chances he would have buried last season. With Mikel Arteta and Yakubu made to disappear by Liverpool, Everton will need both Cahill and forward Louis Saha to find roles in the offense if their European football hopes are to be revived.
	14	14	Sunderland Sunderland played a strong game at Villa Park but were ultimately outclassed, particularly in midfield. The Black Cats have a stalwart back line and acceptable talent in striking positions, but when they are playing against a midfield featuring Ashley Young, Gareth Barry and Nigel Reo-Coker, their lack of quality through the middle is evident. Stede Malbranque is doing a good job of distributing, but even he is a step below the level Sunderland needs if they want to reach true mid-table status.
	15	9	Middlesbrough Like Arsenal, there is only so much they should take from this weekend’s home less; however, when you consider the defeat to West Brom along with other recent results, you note that Boro’s attack has been nudered since losing Tuncay Sanli. While it’s possible that the Turkish striker is that important, it also seems that early season success has taken away from some of the work rate that made Middlesbrough dangerous. Gareth Southgate needs to put his team in its right mindset if they are to return to their proper station.
	16	17	Blackburn The Rovers have the greatest disparity between ASR rank and place in the Premier League table, but it’s difficult to view any of the Blackburn victories as convincing. A win over the Magpies may count for three in the standings, but it also represents why rankings like these can be valuable. The ASR rankings distinguish between three points against Toon and three points against a team capable of winning. If the Rovers stick with the 4-5-1 formation that put Roque Santa Cruz alone up top, they may soon prove themselves to be one of those capable teams.
	17	18	Stoke City Stoke rises one spot because of other’s failures. For the Potters, losing 2-0 at home to the best team in the league is less disappointing than expected. Without Rory Delap’s long throws in the lineup, Stoke’s main avenue of attack was absent. Short of other options, Tony Pulis has only to wait for Delap’s return and hope to stumble into some goals in the interim.
	18	20	Bolton Bolton gets a bump in these rankings based on pluckiness alone. They have shown heart and effort against Arsenal and Manchester United, qualities that have not always been present in the teams that sit below. Gary Megson has a right to be aggrevated about the penalty kick that was awarded Cristiano Ronaldo, but a better use of his time would be to determine another tactic besides intimidating (ineffective) tackles and long kicks.
	19	15	Tottenham One of the worst tactical ideas of the week saw Juande Ramos go with one striker against a Portsmouth back line that has been porous over. Giving Pompey only one advanced player to deal with gave a weery defense a reprieve. That Ramos also kept speedsters Giovanni Dos Santos and Aaron Lennon out of the starting lineup when Portsmouth has been unable to deal with speed is confounding. If Ramos is not helping tactically, why is he at White Hart Lane?
	20	19	Newcastle There was a stretch of twenty minutes in the second half where Newcastle showed real life. Having been generously awarded a penalty kick (which Michael Owen converted), they saw a chance to steal a point. First, if you are in a position where stealing a point at home against Blackburn accurately describes your goals, you are either a League One side in the Carling Cup or you are in major trouble. Second, that kind of intensity being the exception rather than the rule at Newcastle shows how lacking the team is in leadership. And finally, it is worth noting that the energy led to nothing, meaning Newcastle could not score a goal from open play at home against the Rovers.

Nobody is going to forget José Mourinho any time soon, but if José Bosingwa puts in more performances like he did Saturday at the Britannia Stadium, there will be another José which comes to mind when you mention Chelsea football.

The first-year Blue scored the opening goal and set up Nicolas Anelka for the second as the league’s best side regained the Premiership’s top spot, 2-0 over Stoke.It was a reclamation that required unlocking a Stoke defense that won a scoreless draw from Liverpool last week.  On Saturday, it was evident from the opening kickoff that Stoke would have a difficult time restraining a Chelsea team whose athleticism dwarfs that of Liverpool.  The talent was most evident at the back, where Bosingwa and Ashley Cole were running through the Potter defense within minutes of the first whistle.

For a Potter side built with a size and strength that plays well in the Championship, Chelsea’s athletes highlighted why Stoke is favored to be relegated.  At the second tier, you can win with with superior braun, but most teams in the Premiership are built to deal with such strength.  Didier Drogba, Michael Ballack, Frank Lampard, and John Terry are not going to be deterred by a lineup of six footers.  A Liverpool lineup without the athleticism of Chelsea’s may have been ripe to draw with Stoke, but the Blues’ speed gave them alternatives the Reds never had.

Those alternatives went beyond the back line, with wingers Florent Malouda and Salomon Kalou having their best matches of the league season.  Holding midfielder John Obi Mikel was also able to range forward and create holes in Stoke’s defense, holes which allowed Lampard and Ballack lanes to shoot through.

But it was not Chelsea’s star midfield tandem that accounted for their first goal.  It was the speed on the right side with Kalou and Bosingwa that led to the Portuguese right back running onto a ball in the penalty area, to the left of goal.  A right footed kick towards the far post may have been a pass (as the announcers speculated), but the power and precision of the shot towards the woodwork gave Stoke left back Andy Griffin little chance of saving the opening goal.

Stoke’s response was muted, with Chelsea using their midfield superiority to mantain control of the match.  Frank Lampard and Michael Ballack each had strong matches, but John Obi Mikel in the holding role drew attention to himself with another impact-filled match.

Currenting seeing increased playing time as a result of Michael Essien’s injury, Mikel was a point of summer concern for Chelsea fans who thought him ill-cast to assume the departed Claude Makélélé’s defensive responsibilities.  Mikel, however, has proven up to the task, and coming off a match against Manchester United in which he gave his best performance of the season, the Nigerian international showed a comfort in consistency in his role which will help offset the long-term injury to Essien.

Mikel’s proficiency is absolutely critical for a Chelsea attack which is pushing limits with the frequency and depth of Bosingwa and Cole’s runs.  Even by the standards of the Brazilian style Luiz Felipe Scolari has brought to Chelsea, the Blues’ wing backs have been very aggressive.  Even with Ricardo Carvalho, Chelesea’s underrated center half, out of the lineup, Bosingwa and Cole continued to leave their defensive responsibilities behind.  As long as they do, Mikel’s continued assimilation of Makélélé’s responsibilities will take on special importance.

When Nicolas Anelka found the net in the 76th minute, the crowd, announcers and teams exhaled, knowing that three Chelsea points were assured.  Chelsea’s fear of a Stoke song were alleviated.  Stoke were no longer pressured into competing for a point they did not believe they could win.  The supporters and announcers could stop holding out hope that a match which had been less competitive than its 1-0 score would start living up to its scoreline.  The celebrations by Anelka and his teammates were appropriately muted, commensurate with a goal that provided more certainty and finality than reason for elation.

Also gaining in certainty:  Chelsea is the best team it the league.  The only team with a claim to that label, Liverpool, gives us an informative compare-and-contrast through Stoke.  Last week, Liverpool drew at home against Stoke.  This week, the match with Chelsea was never in doubt.  Until Chelsea goes to Old Trafford to rehash last week’s draw with Manchester United, there will be no reason to doubt Chelsea’s claim to the league’s crown.

Notes
I see the logic behind starting Mamady Sidibe against top teams where holding the ball is going to be very important, but until Dave Kitson starts justifying the fee paid for him, Ricardo Fuller should not be on the bench … This was Chelsea’s first league game of the year without Ricardo Carvlaho, who will be out another month … Alex, Carvalho’s replacement, was untested … Michael Ballack does not look fully fit from the foot injury he suffered last month, but this may have been his best match of the young season … Likewise Drogba, in his first start, looked a bit out of sorts yet still had an influence in winning balls in the middle of the pitch … When Anelka came on at half-time, Chelsea stayed with on central striker, with the French international playing out on right wing … Andy Griffin was lucky not to get a red card for violent conduct when he shoved Florent Malouda to the group when the Chelsea winger stood in front of the ball when Stoke was awarded a free kick … Both players got yellow cards.

One of the misgivings I had when watching Arsenal’s shock loss to Hull was not having enough brass to make the pick.

Of course, seconds after this thought entered my head, I would pontificate on the fine, near-non-existent line between brash as foolhardy self-aggrandizement.  While the Gunners’ loss at Fulham and tie in the Ukraine against Dynamo Kyiv had already established their pattern of inconsistent performance, the idea of predicting a match based on unpredictability was more confusing that what Hull was doing to Arsenal on the pitch.  Noting the pattern in a preview column is one thing.  Having enough to make a pick is another.

Besdies, Arsenal was dominating play, and while they were prone to lapse into unnecessary passing in and through their opponent’s penalty area, they remained aggressive in trying for goal.  Hull barely had possession, let alone opportunities, yet two-thirds of the way through the match, the Tigers had the lead.

That lead would hold up, giving Arsenal their second loss of the season, but unlike their defeat at Fulham in the season’s second week, Arsenal played well on Saturday.  Their loss at home to Hull, only their second defeat at The Emirates, is the reason why seasons are not single elimination tournaments (and single elimination tournaments are so captivating).  If you played this match one hundred times, Arsenal would win ninety-four of the matches.  But on Saturday, one of those long shots came home, and Hull City beat Arsenal at The Emirates, 2-1.

Most football matches that see such long shots come through evoke a similar series of events.  The favorite will come out less than their normal selves.  That uninspired play will go on for most of the first half until the favorite realizes they are about to go into the locker room without scoring.  They increase their intensity, but their lackadaisical play will have bread bad habits.  As they press, their opponents will get opportunities against the run of play.  Maybe via penalty or set piece, maybe not - the underdogs will get a goal, after which they will pack nine men in and around their penalty area, holding on for dear life.

By this formula, Hull’s win was not a typical upstart-does-good.  Arsenal did lack intensity at the onset, but they soon started to break down Hull’s defense and was able to generate a number of early opportunities.  And remarkably (considering the eventual result), Arsenal scored first, thanks to a jaw-dropping burst of speed from Theo Walcott which created havoc down the right side, leading to an own goal.  Paul McShane, who had a strong game at right back for Hull, was the last to touch the ball before it went over the line, giving Arsenal its lead five minutes after half time.

Moments after the goal evoked feelings from last week, when Arsenal use two goals in two minutes to erase a Bolton lead and begin dominating the match.  Witht he goal, Arsenal had the Tigers on their heals, pinning their visitors in their own box, generating a number of corner kicks and Hull from clearing the ball.  But this moment also saw Arsenal revert to their clichéd doppelganger - the team for whom it’s not enough to score a goal - they must score a beautiful goal.

Though that approach did not last long, it was still punished when Geovanni, returning to Hull’s starting lineup after three weeks on the bench, launched the goal of the week, a shot from ten meters beyond the penalty area to the right of goal that hit Manuel Almunia’s far post before tying the score.  At 62 minutes, the match was tied.

Arsenal gave the Brazilian too much room and Almunia could have been better prepared, but those are trifling criticisms in light of a perfect shot from a place that some managers would bate an opponent to shooting.  In a match that would see the long shot come home, the Tigers’ first goal was a long shot of its own.

Before Arsenal had time to adjust, Hull striker Daniel Cousin, in his second start since moving from Scotland’s Rangers, headed home the winning goal off a corner kick that he earned.  Four minutes after tying the match, Hull had taken a remarkable lead in a match nobody imagined they could win.

It was apt that Cousin scored the winning goal.  The Gabon international who scored 11 league goals for Rangers last season has added a much needed level of athleticism to Hull’s lineup.  He is the one player in their lineup with the speed, strength, and quality to take a ball from before midfield, carry it into the opponent’s zone, and establish possession.  At various points against Arsenal, this skill was used to give an overworked defense breathing room.  If last week against Newcastle was forward Marlon King’s Hull coming-out part, this week was Cousin’s, who provides a strong compliment for his new striking partner.

Cousin’s goal, however, would not have been possible were it not for William Gallas.   For the third time this season, Gallas lost his mark on a corner and allowed the goal.

Gallas has been highlighted on this site as Arsenal’s only weakness.  It is only too easy to berate him when he is responsible for allowing the winning goal, but the Frenchman’s faults are the reason Arsenal continues to try (in futility) to transcend the gap between them and the league’s top two clubs:  Chelsea, who have John Terry and Ricardo Carvalho in central defense, and Manchester United, who play Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic.

Gallas represents a significant drop from those four, and his problems on free kicks are not exclusive to Arsenal, being one of the French national team’s new (and oft exploited) problems.  Gallas is the reason why Arsenal is on pace for a third or fourth place finish.  He is the reason why teams like Hull have a six in one hundred chance of winning at The Emirates when the odds of them getting a result at the Bridge would be mworse.

The camera caught Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger in a slight panic after Cousin’s goal.  It was hard to blame his anxiety, given his team was twenty-five minutes away from only their second loss at their new ground.  The only other team to win at The Emirates (West Ham, April 2007) looks like Champions League perennials compared to Hull, who had only five matches of Premier League experience before Saturday.

Wenger’s desperation would see four forwards on the pitch at match’s end.  Emmanuel Adebayor and Robin van Persie (the starters) were augmented by Nicklas Bendtner and Carlos Vela, who combined for five goals in Arsenal’s mid-week Carling Cup match.  William Gallas and Kolo Toure took opportunities to push into the box.  Bacary Sagna and Gael Clichy spent much of the last ten minutes near Hull’s touch line, and Cesc Fabregas launched two rockets that Boaz Myhill did well to save.  No matter what Arsenal did, they could not break through, leaving Hull a historic victory.

Gunners supporters need not overreact to the loss, as this same performance will yield many more victories than losses.  That Arsenal again showed themselves capable of a Fulham, Dynamo Kyiv, Hull-level hiccup is the concern.  None of Chelsea, Liverpool, or Manchester United are immune to such hiccups, but none of them have become associated with such gaffs.  Arsenal, through ten all-competition matches this season, have had three alarming results.  Who knows when the next will come, though it is no wonder that they have become associated with inconsistency.

Notes
Kamil Zayette’s second start at center half again provided stability to what was Hull’s biggest weakness … Emmanuel Adebayor had a goal disallowed when he was whistle for a specious foul after elevating over Paul McShane to head through a cross … One weak after suffering a shin injury beneath an ugly Kevin Davies tackle, Gael Clichy thankfully returned to action … With the match having the late Saturday start time, Arsenal came into the match knowing they needed a win to retain the table’s top place … With the win, Hull has as many points as Derby County, who finished at the bottom of last season’s Premiership, had in 2007-08 … Although he did not play, Mikael Silvestre made his first appearance on Arsenal’s bench.

A late Wayne Rooney strike is all that separated the Bolton Wanderers from feeling legitimately wronged by the referee after Saturday’s trip to Old Trafford. The United forward’s late strike gave the hosts a 2-0 lead, padding a generously given penalty kick had (to that point) been the only scoring.

That kick, awarded as Bolton left back Jlloyd Samuel dispossessed a surging Cristiano Ronaldo, gave the Portuguese superstar his first goal of the season, capping his return to the starting XI with a spot on the scoresheet, deserving for the man who was the most influential player on the pitch.

Though he gave us brief glimpses of his skill the week before (when he came on for the last thirty minutes of Manchester United’s visit to Chelsea), Ronaldo’s absence had allowed us to forget the uniquely massive effect the Portuguese has on a match.  He has the speed to move past his opponents at will; yet, defenders can not give him room, as no player in the world needs space to get off a shot.

That shot was fully on display Saturday as Bolton elected to play off the United striker rather than allow him to run past them.  The result was an array of shots from outside the array that forced grass stains on goaltender Jussi Jaaskelainen’s kit.  He was never given enough room to put a lot of power on his shots, but the one step Ronaldo was given was enough to bounce balls at corner and post.  With end a half-step more to run-up, Ronaldo would have had more than his penalty kick goal.

There were times when Ronaldo was given even less than that single step.  This resulted in a series of fouls around the area, allowing the Golden Boot winner to show his precision from the dead ball.  Again on these shots, it was only Jaaskelainen’s effort which prevented goals in a match where most of the play saw Bolton trying to preserve a 0-0 score.

The possibility of a scoreless draw faded when referee Rob Styles whistled Samuel for an infraction in the 60th minute.  The call came after Ronaldo, moving with the ball from the right wing to his left in Bolton’s penalty area, was dispossessed by a perfectly executed sliding tackle.  Styles, however, whistled for the penalty kick, which Ronaldo easily converted.

Bolton manager Gary Megson was understandably upset with the call after the match.  Even in light of Wayne Rooney’s 77th minute goal, a perfect strike into the far corner from the goalie’s right (set-up by Ronaldo), Megson could argue that the first goal changed the complexion of the match.  Having gone two-thirds of the way toward getting a point at Old Trafford, Megson may have felt the penalty took something from his team that he had start to think theirs.

While Styles did seem to make an erroneous call, the whistle was far from the more generously given penalty in the league’s history.  It was a result of the constant pressure United had asserted, the referee’s bad angle, some dodgy play from the likes of Wanderers Gavin McCann and Kevin Davies forcing the referee to quicken his whistle, and an innocent mistake.

While the decision was not just, it was the type of innocent error that teams accept the possibility of when they step onto the pitch.  That the kick was awarded takes nothing away from the stalwart effort Bolton had given to that point.  It was merely an innocent circumstance of a match, one that put Bolton down 1-0.

Bolton would not have the benefit of such perspectives and philosophies when dealing with their new deficit, and as United continued to dominate possession after assuming their lead, the Trotters hit a wall.  They never genuinely threatened a tie, and after Rooney’s goal, Bolton was gassed.  With the Trotters more fatigued at the end of the match than any team has been this season, much of the last five minutes was played within thirty yards of Bolton’s goal.

Styles’ awarding the penalty is one of many reasons why the strategy of parking a bus in front of  goal rarely works.  Bolton may have been emboldened by Stoke City’s success with the bus the previous week at Anfield, but their loss was the more typical outcome an ultra-conservative approach yields.  Most opponents eventually breakthrough the bus, and when they do, you are either spent from chasing them around all match or unable to shift from a conservative to an aggressive approach.

United was aggressive all match and eventually got their deserved three points.  It as not pretty and they needed some help from the referee, but that does not mean the result was not earned.

Notes
Until Ronaldo’s goal, Bolton had the best chance of the match, with Fabrice Muamba putting an uncontested shot from 10 yards right into Edwin van der Sar … Van der Sar was rushed back from a leg injury sufferred last weekend because Manchester United’s second and third string goalies were both unavailable … United’s back-up goaltender was Ben Amos, who was in net for the Red Devil’s mid-week Carling Cup victory over Middlesbrough … Wayne Rooney not starting was the news of the match prior to Styles’s penalty kill … In Rooney’s absence, United was dependent on Carlos Teves to distribute from the front and provide the energy he and Rooney normally give in tandem … Dimitar Berbatov had another off game and was only a slight factor … Bolton had various chances to counter as United brought more players forward, but each time they found their slower players tracked down from behind by the Red Devils … As early as the 20th minute, Bolton could be seen with ten players behind the ball in their own third … Patrice Evra had another strong match and continues to work with countryman Gael Clichy to distinguish themselves from the rest of the league’s left backs … Gavin McCann had two cynical tackles in the first 27 minutes that may have tighten the referee’s grip on the match … Gary Neville, in his second consecutive league start, again looked sub-standard.

While some derbies’ history can make the teams’ current form irrelevant, Saturday’s Merseyside Derby played out as expected.  Everton came into the match struggling to match last season’s fifth place form, pointless in their two previous home fixtures.  Liverpool had yet to lose a match, establishing itself as a legitimate contender for the league’s title.  After Saturday’s derby, none of that had changed.

With two second half goals from Fernando Torres, Liverpool defeated their intra-city rivals, 2-0, and temporarily moved back to the top of the league’s table.  In the process, Everton were given another reason to think repeating last season’s fifth place finish is out of reach.

The difference in quality was apparent from the opening kickoff.  Liverpool dominated early possession and showed surprising ambition.  This was not the typical, kick-the-ball-around, attack we are used to seeing from Liverpool.  They were running at Everton’s back line, which held up noticeably well during a series of tests in the game’s first twenty minutes.

It was fifteen minutes into the match before Everton saw any prolonged possession.  To that point all they could do to thwart Liverpool’s attacks was clear the ball from their end, giving the ball back to the Reds.   Without possession, Everton’s best players - Yakubu and a more central playing Mikel Arteta - had trouble getting into the match.

Despite these advantages, Liverpool created no chances in the first half.  It happens from time-to-time:  a team struggling with that last piece of touch that would create a scoring chance.   That is what Liverpool was dealing with.  Dirk Kuyt, Steven Gerrard, Robbie Keane and Albert Riera were all had trouble providing that last ball.  Twice Riera’s spikes failed him in the final moments, his right foot slipping from under him as he tried to cross.

This led to the odd phenomenon of Liverpool dominating the first half’s play while having the worse of the chances.  With the little possession they had, Everton was able to win a number of free kicks and corners, a couple of which gave Liverpool problems.  On one piece ,the ball fell to Tim Cahill about 8 yards out, but the Australian was unable to get his preferred foot onto the ball.  The chance was ruined, and Cahill was left looking like the player returning from long-term injury that he is.

Everton’s best chance of the match came when Joleon Lescott, one of the few Everton bright spots, served a ball towards the box from just short of midfield.  His target, Maroaune Fellaini, was cut off by Liverpool goaltender Pepe Reina, who proceeded to botch his catch and put the ball right on Fellaini’s feet.  The Belgian blasted a ball toward the net only to see Jamie Carragher block it off the line, denying what would be the Toffees’ best scoring opportunity.

As Everton generated their few chances, the match temporarily evened out.  At the forty minute mark, the match looked winnable for both sides.  Liverpool, however, started to reclaim their dominance toward the end of the first half.

When the teams went in for halftime, Everton had the look of a team that had accomplished their goal.  Their heads held high, the Toffees walked off the pitch, content to keep the match scoreless.

Liverpool were far from content, and their aggression in the moments after the second half kickoff spoke to an increased intensity.  Within the first five minutes of the half, Kuty, Torres, and Gerrard had made attempts towards goal following a half in which Everton goaltender Tim Howard had no saves to make.

It was Torres, in particular, who showed a renewed ambition.  As he is apt to do, Torres used the first half as a feeling-out process and came back from half time with a new approach.  In the first half, he tried to create opportunities by using his speed: moving out to and come back from the right side, often drawing three defenders to him in the process.  The strong play of Joleon Lescott was key in negating that strategy.

In the second half, Torres stayed in the middle of the pitch and forced center halfs Joseph Yobo and Phil Jangielka to account for him.  Their inability to do so contributed to each of Liverpool’s goals.

The first came in the 59th minute when Liverpool broke through Everton’s right side, from which David Moyes moves Phil Neville for the match.  That lineup change would bite Everton when the Reds broke though right back Tony Hibbert and let Robbie Keane run onto a ball that was rolling towards the touch line.  Keane put a perfect left footed cross back into the middle of the box, where an unmarked Fernando Torres scored his second league goal of the season.

The goal was less the fault of Tony Hibbert, out-manned on the right, than of Everton’s two Phils:  Jangielka and Neville.  Jangielka followed Joseph Yobo towards the ball rather than stay on his side of central defense where he could account for Torres.  When Dirk Kuyt ran near post from his right wing position, left back Joleon Lescott had to follow him, leaving the middle open for Torres.

Neville, playing the holding midfielder’s role, should have been in position to pick up an open man in the box.  He was, however, nowhere to be found.

Both Jangielka, who has spent much of this season in midfield, and Neville, Everton’s normal right back, have played those positions they were assigned less frequently than they did last season.  Both players are veterans and should be used to these assignments, but the breakdown spoke as much to a cohesion issue as a lack of player quality.  Everton’s back line, so poor on set pieces throughout the year, lacks the chemistry that served them so well last season.

Liverpool’s second goal came off another breakdown when a ball being kicked around outside Everton’s area found its way to Dirk Kuyt’s feet near the top of the area.  Phil Jangielka made a strong sliding tackle to dispossess the Dutchman, but his being caught slightly out-of-position forced Joseph Yobo to come off his man to help with Kuyt.  Yobo’s man, Torres, was in position to collect the ball, using a surgical strike into the top of the net to put the match away.  It was another goal which would not have happened to last season’s Everton squad.

Torres would continue to threaten Everton throughout the match, putting a third goal past Howard that was waved off when Dirk Kuyt was judged to have committed a foul away from the ball.  Even before he unlocked Everton’s defense, Torres was doing a great job to pushing the line and finding gaps through which to run and gain possession.  It was the Spaniard’s best league match of the season.  Given that only he and Jamie Carragher had stand out matches for the Reds, it could be said that he won the match for Liverpool.  But, that is what he is paid to do.

That Liverpool did not have a great match yet was still able to beat Everton with an ease taht must be disheartening for Toffees supporters.  The Reds played without injured midfield bulldog Javier Mascherano, whose ball-winning prowess would have been wasted against an Everton side that rarely had meaningful possession.  That Mascherano, Rafa Benitez’s third-best player, was not needed speaks to how far Everton has fallen since last season, when they finished one spot below Liverpool in the table.

On Saturday, the only thing Liverpool and Everton had in common was geography.  Since they last met, a 1-0 Liverpool win in March, the clubs have gone in different directions.  Liverpool is currently playing like a club worthy of their history.  They are amongst the top handful of clubs in Europe.

Everton qualified for the UEFA Cup last season but now looks to be in contention for nothing more than the top half of the table.

Notes
While Torres was the man of the match, the most influential person on the pitch was referee Mike Riley, whose quick whistles kept any rhythm from being established … Robbie Keane set up the first Liverpool goal but again without a meaningful scoring chance … Keane is still scoreless in his Liverpool career … Marouane Felliani, Everton’s record signing, was a non-factor aside from a ninth minute yellow card and missing the scoring opportunity that Carragher blocked … Carragher must be ignorant of the league’s Respect campaign, as he was again seen berating the official … Ironically, Carragher’s outbursts were some of the few times Riley did not elect to stop the match … Tim Cahill’s red card will likely draw a three game suspension but will also serve as another example of Riley’s overzealousness … Riley is the same referee who gave out nine yellow cards in last week’s Chelsea-Manchester United match … Louis Saha gave the crowd at Goodison a thrill in the 87′ minute, clapping a 30 yard shot just wide of the post. The bang of the ball off the behind-goal adverts drew a noticeable gasp from announcers and attendees alike.

Earlier this month, New England suffered a serious thrashing at the hands of Columbus. Reaching the tenth of eleven games in a punishing 38-day stretch, an absolutely gassed Revolution stood little chance against the league’s top team. The Crew out-shot the Revs 27-4, forcing goalkeeper Matt Reis into making nine saves. (Almost makes a 4-0 scoreline look tolerable, considering…) MVP candidate Guillermo Barros Schelotto did the most damage, registering a goal and two assists. But looking back, it’s easy to see how Columbus picked apart an ailing opponent.

The Revolution played a 4-4-2 on September 9th. Coach Steve Nicol would reason that a flat back four would provide a more solid defense, but most Revs fans would beg to differ. With four in the back, Michael Parkhurst and Jay Heaps both played as central defenders –  a role Parkhurst is not used to sharing. This less familiar partnership causes inevitable errors in communication. Not only that, but Chris Tierney started at left back. Personally, I like the rookie and think he shows a lot of potential… but as a midfielder. His inexperience leaves him vulnerable as a defender, and he is prone to getting beat when it comes down to a footrace. And as far as the offense was concerned, Khano Smith was paired with Taylor Twellman up top. As frustrating as Smith can be, he can be a real threat on the left flank. But he needs the time and space to make his crazy, winding runs. And lastly, New England was without Steve Ralston. The Revs’ captain demonstrated his influence just five days later, registering a goal and two assists in the game against Chivas USA and earning MLS Player of the Week honors.

That said, this is easily the most significant of the Revolution’s five remaining games, and there is no doubt that they will come out of the gates flying. A potential playoff game-like atmosphere could present a true home field advantage, and paired with the revenge factor, may add real fuel for the fire. But the biggest key? If he plays, smother Guillermo Barros Schelotto. GBS sat out Columbus’s last game with a hamstring strain, and is still listed as questionable for Saturday. Gillette Stadium’s turf may be taken into consideration, as could the risk of further injury so late in the season. The Crew have already clinched a spot in the playoffs, but the Supporter’s Shield may still be at stake. Perhaps the Revs can expect to see a GBS appearance in the second half, need be.

Expect a good game Saturday night. New England is 1-1-0 against Columbus this season, the first game proving that they can defeat the Crew (away, at that) when closer to full strength. And in the last game, two goals came from Columbus forwards riding the offside line or just plain catching the worn out Revs without enough numbers behind the ball. This time around, the Revolution is rested and should better eliminate those scenarios. And with two legitimate forwards and Steve Ralston back in action… My prediction? 2-1 New England. Let the race for the Supporters’ Shield begin.

The Irishman is best known for his stint as manager of Wimbledon while the club was at England’s top level from 1992 through 1999.  He took the club to as high as sixth in the league, an outstanding achievement considering the club was without a permanent home.  He resigned his position in 1999 after suffering a heart attack.  Wimbledon was soon relegated from the Premier League.  The club no longer exists.

Kinnear has not coached at the club level since a brief stint at Nottingham Forest in 2004.  He joined the club in February of that year and helped them avoid relegation to England’s third tier.  He resigned in December after Forest’s slow start the following season.

Kinnear spent ten seasons as a defender for Tottenham Hotspur from 1965 to 1975.  He also made 25 senior international appearances for the Republic of Ireland.

Though contracted through October, he is expected to guide Newcastle until Ashley finds new owners.

Chris Hughton, the current caretaker manager, will manage the club against Blackburn this weekend.  Kinnear will assume his responsibilities on Monday.

Compounding the problems Kinnear will face from the club’s turmoil, it was announced today that striker Obafemi Martins will be out six weeks with a knee injury incurred in the Magpies’ mid-week Carling Cup fixture.  He joins Jonas as key players who will be unavailable for Kinnear’s Newcastle debut.

Owner Mike Ashley is reported to be in negotiations with a consortium of four Nigerian businessmen who have expressed interest in the club.  Their £350 million offer is £100 million short of what Ashley has asked.  Ashley, however, has told Kinnear that a sale is imminent and that his appointment will be short.  Kinnear expects it to be six to eight matches.

A spokesperson for the Nigerian consortium has said that Kevin Keegan, whose September 4 resignation from Newcastle’s manager position started the turmoil that has led to Ashley selling the team, would be recommended for the manager’s job, should the sale go through.