RailHawks midfielder and 2008 season MVP has been named to the USL-1 Team of the Year. Watson, who joined Carolina this season from the USL-2 Richmond Kickers, logged 2136 minutes for the RailHawks in League play and contributed 1 goal and 4 assists. The RailHawks midfielder was named to the 2nd team honor squad
Named to the first team honor roll was former Carolina RailHawks midfielder Jonny Steele, who lead the League in assists this season for Puerto Rico Islanders with 11 "helpers" in 26 matches played. Click to continue reading...

Ibisevic.. leading the early Hoffenheim charge


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I'm sleepy, so let's not dillydally... #1 - The weekend Americans Abroad goal roundup won't take long this time around, but at least somebody broke the drought. For the second straight Danish Cup match, Randers FC attacker Lee Nguyen lit the lamp. Check out his opportunistic marker here. A pair of homies in Norway's second fight picked up assists: Nybergsund's Joe Lapira and Haugesund's Cameron Click to continue reading...

Photo by ISIphotos.com

With the MLS schedule for September now over, it is time for members of the media to submit their votes for MLS player of the month.

The only problem is that this month, perhaps more than any other month this season, picking the best player for the month is very difficult because there isn't an obvious choice.

Click to continue reading...

Der Bomber. He came from Veendam. He wasn't a team player. Didn't defend or trail back. Didn't take on opponents. Didn't have a lot of assists. Didn't even look like an athlete. But he scored. And he hit them hard. Volleys, half-volleys, whatever. Hard, high. Spectacular. Except for this one... :-) Click to continue reading...

It started promising for Arsenal; great passing football, a constant threat to score; but the first half ended goalless.

One of Theo Walcott's runs came off in the second half, and Cesc was there to tap it in, although it ended up being an own goal (it almost looked like Cesc got a touch). Click to continue reading...

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MLS/Craig Merz - Padula a quiet leader for Crew
Columbus has 8-0-1 record with Argentinean defender in lineup
Gino Padula has missed nearly two-thirds of the season with an injury, but has still had an impact for the Crew.

COLUMBUS -- Good luck charm or just plain good? Click to continue reading...

Real Salt Lake announced Wednesday that the club has reached an agreement on a contract extension with Javier Morales, a deal that will keep the Argentinean midfielder in Utah through 2012. As part of the deal, RSL has purchased Morales' contract rights from UD Vecindario, a team in the Spanish Segunda Division B. Click to continue reading...

The best of the worst Bundesliga "hair cuts". (BILD.de) Six goals and two assists in five Bundesliga matches = Hoffenheim's Vedad Ibisevic. (SoccerBlog.com) Olli Kahn: where has all the testosterone gone? (DW Ballspiel) Want to know more about how Stefan Effenberg mate poached Thomas Strunz's wife? Click to continue reading...

League Two -- Individual Points

Player Team Goals Assists G+A Shots Thorne Brad 8 1 9 19 Saunders D&R 5 4 9 19 Ellison Chest 5 2 7 26 Lowe Chest 2 5 7 17 Benson D&R 4 2 6 17 Clarke Darl 5 0 5 11 Colbeck
Brad
1
4
5
11
Strevens D&R 3 1 4 14 Elder Brentf 3
1
4
16
Parkin Luton 3
1
4
19
Richards PVale 3
1
4
14
Reid Roth 3
1
4
14
Williamson
Wycombe
3
1
4
5
Davies
Shrews
2
2
4
15
Boulding
Brad
3
0
3
14
MacDonald Brentf 3 0 3 9 Morrell
Bury
3
0
3
8
Ward
C'field
3
0
3
31
Gill
Exeter
3
0
3
9
Jackson
Gillingham
3
0
3
27
Morgan Alder 2 1 3 5 Soares
Aldershot
2
1
3
15
Sodje
Bury
2
1
3
3
Martin
Luton
2
1
3
15
Burgmeier
Darl
1
2
3
5
Curtis Morecambe
1
2
3
10
Rodgers P Vale
1
2
3
14
Spence
Wycombe
1
2
3
3
Hamshaw
Notts Co
0
3
3
6


League Two -- Shots

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Photos by ISIphotos.com

There is still a month to go in the MLS regular season but with two clear front-runners for the MVP award we can start to talking about who might win the award.

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The Republican campaign manager has accused the NY Times of no longer being a "journalistic organization".

It's not that often that I identify too much with an old gray lady, but in some ways I feel I've fielded some similar criticism when I write about Landon Donovan, the whole "if you're not attacking him, you're not objective" spin. Click to continue reading...

But in the eight games Huckerby has played on the left side of midfield, the Quakes have scored 13 goals, after netting just 11 times in their first 16 matches. And in the process, he has bucked all of the stereotypes that follow older, foreign players, namely that they only come to MLS to go through the motions and collect one last paycheck. Click to continue reading...

For the second consecutive match, the Wizards came out and took care of business to earn a 2-0 win. Check out the notables below:

· Following the match, Kansas City sits 8-9-8, 32 pts in 6th place in the Eastern Conference.
· Kansas City is one point out of the final playoff place behind D. Click to continue reading...

After a quick look at my youtube user profile, I shocked myself when it was revealed that I had watched 8,905 videos. I haven't watched this many because I am a saddo who spends most of his time blogging.It is because I am a saddo who spends most of his time watching youtube. Whether it be bungee jumping accidents, big faceplants, ridiculous pranks or crazy vloggers I never get bored of it. Click to continue reading...

The Richmond Kickers of USL-2 have announced that Zimbabwe-born midfielder Stanley Nyazamba has signed a developmental contract with the Columbus Crew of Major League Soccer, making him the 22nd player in Kickers history to move on to MLS. Nyazamba, 25, was named USL-2 Rookie of the Year this past season after posting eight goals and two assists in his first season with the Kickers. Click to continue reading...

Columbus crew have signed the midfielder from the USL's Richmond Kickers according to the Richmond club's website. Nyazamba was the USL-2 Rookie of the Year award following his 2008 season in Richmond.

Press Release:
RICHMOND, VA – (Tuesday, September 16, 2008) – The Richmond Kickers are pleased to announce that midfielder Stanley Nyazamba has signed a developmental contract with the Columbus Crew of Major League Soccer, marking the 22nd Kickers player to advance to MLS. Click to continue reading...

Like a fine wine, Steve Ralston just seems to get better with age. The 34-year-old New England Revolution midfielder picked up MLS Player of the Week honors in week 25 for his goal and two-assist performance against Chivas USA last Thursday in the Revs' 4-0 victory. It was Ralston's first game back in the lineup after missing three straight matches with back spasms. Click to continue reading...

The Spanish press isn't easy to please, but they seem to like what they see so far from Jozy Altidore. Myself, I'd have liked for him to score, but I was actually happier to see his passing touch. Nothing increases popularity with teammates more than dishing off sweet assists, even if the other players are so surprised to get the ball that they hash up the shot. Click to continue reading...

Red Bulls midfielder Dave Van Den Bergh is set to undergo sports hernia surgery that will force him to miss two to three weeks.

Van Den Bergh will travel to Germany on Wednesday to undergo the procedure.

Van Den Bergh has enjoyed a strong season for the Red Bulls, registering six goals and three assists in 22 games.

Click to continue reading...

We'll announce shortly that we've acquired 23-year old Ryan Miller off waivers. The defender was originally drafted by the Columbus Crew in the third round (31st overall) of the 2008 MLS Superdraft. He did not appear in any first team games, but did play in seven Reserve Division contests. He'll fill the team's last developmental slot.

Click to continue reading...

Chris Iwelumo...perennially undervalued striker



Shot Differential

Team Shots
For Shots
Against Shot_Diff League
Position
Norwich
70
34
+36
17
Swansea
65
42
+23
10
Derby
74
57
+17
20
Burnley
56
39
+17
19
Blackpool
76
65
+11
12
Wolves
72
61
+11
1
Cardiff
56
48
+8
8
Southampton
68
62
+6
23
Watford
48
42
+6
11
Preston
64
59
+5
3
Coventry
61
60
+1
13
Sheff Wed
50
49
+1
6
QPR
55
58
-3
4
Notts Forest
48
51
-3
21
Birmingham
47
51
-4
2
Ipswich
61
66
-5
15
Doncaster
43
51
-8
14
C Palace
46
56
-10
18
Sheff Utd
57
69
-12
7
Bristol City
59
73
-14
5
Reading
51
67
-16
9
Plymouth
47
69
-22
24
Barnsley
45
67
-22
22
Charlton
45
68
-23
16


Shot Efficiency

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Iniesta the Great, Bojan debuting, Villa bagging a brace and some melodrama about substitutes as always . . oh, and Spain beat Armenia 4-0! And while it wasn't quite the 7-0 slaughter that Bosnia inflicted on Estonia, it was pretty much over by the 16th minute. Iniesta had a mesmerizing homecoming at Albacete, quickening pulses whenever he got the ball and racking up 3 gorgeous assists.

Click to continue reading...

To balance out the new triple-lettered right-sided attack of Boyzzz Khumalo, D.C. United has recently acquired left-sided dirty south MC Bubba Sparxxx. Sparxxx is on loan from Purple Ribbon Records after they failed to make the USL-3 playoffs, and is credited with one gold record and four assists.

Click to continue reading...

Say hello to the newest members of D.C. United - Ibrahim "Marcel" Koroma, Thabiso "Boyzzz" Khumalo and Greg "working on nickname" Janicki. We'll shortly announce that all three players have been signed to represent the Black-and-Red.

Marcel comes to the team from Sierra Leone Premier League, where he spent the last three seasons playing with Kallon FC.

Click to continue reading...

While the Columbus Crew has been the biggest surprise of the 2008 MLS season thus far, this weekend's clash with Toronto FC will be a true test of whether they are MLS Cup contenders or pretenders. That's because it is looking increasingly likely that the Crew will be without their star playmaker and leading MVP candidate Guillermo Barros Schelotto, as the Argentine missed his second straight day of training because of a left hamstring strain. Click to continue reading...

Fryatt...gratuitous Leicester picture #1



Shot Differential

Team Shots For Shots Against Shot_Diff League Position Leeds Utd 87 45 +42 6 Peterborough 82 47 +35 12 Leicester City 55 27 +28 3 Oldham 56 39 +17 1 Walsall 67 52 +15 10 Huddersfield 52 47 +5 17 Tranmere 48 43 +5 13 Brighton 45 40 +5 8 Millwall 35 31 +4 7 Northampton 38 35 +3 20 Bristol Rovers 56 55 +1 15 Hereford 61 65 -4 21 MK Dons 52 56 -4 5 Swindon 47 52 -5 11 Hartlepool 42 47 -5 14 Colchester 24 30 -6 16 Southend 52 60 -8 22 Leyton Orient 57 66 -9 9 Yeovil 39 50 -11 19 Carlisle 52 66 -14 2 Stockport 32 51 -19 18 Crewe 63 84 -21 23 Scunthorpe 49 75 -26 4 Cheltenham 52 80 -28 24


Shot Efficiency

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The expansion San Jose Earthquakes have gone on a 9 game unbeaten streak. This streak has the currently sitting in 9th place overall in the league. For most of the season the expansion club has been on the bottom of the league, a position now shared by 4 teams. The Earthquakes are only 2 points ahead of these bottom 4, but that still has them withing striking distance of the playoffs.

Click to continue reading...

Columbus Crew midfielder Guillermo Barros Schelotto continues to rake in the honors following another stellar performance this past weekend. The former Boca Juniors hero scored the opening goal and then added two helpers in the Crew's 4-0 win over Eastern rivals New England, earning him Player of the Week honors for the fourth time in 2008. Click to continue reading...

Sometimes it is just hard to break a good habit. Right now Columbus is finding out just how valuable Guillermo Barros Schelotto is to their club. Another Schelotto performance this weekend against New England. A goal and two assists lead the way over the Revs 4-0. But for once he won't be winning the Player of [. Click to continue reading...

It's all about GBS and Columbus these days.

The Argentine that is Guillermo Barros Schelotto all but locked up the MVP award with a goal and two assists in a 4-0 destruction of New England.

That's six goals and 18 (!) assists on the year. Wow.

And don't look know, the Galaxy are in last place. Click to continue reading...

The Galaxy has always had a history of former players doing damage in the league. Before, I couldn't figure out if it was bad scouting that led to the release of so many players that did well elsewhere or perhaps just the natural consequence of trades, or maybe just roster limitations that did not allow the Galaxy to keep all of their players. Click to continue reading...

Peter Thorne


Division Two -- Individual Points

Player Team Goals Assists G+A Shots Thorne Brad 6 1 7 15 Saunders D&R 4 3 7 12 Lowe Chest 2 4 6 12 Clarke Darl 4 0 4 8 Strevens D&R 3 1 4 9 Benson D&R 3 1 4 11 Richards PVale 3 1 4 11 Ellison Chest 2 2 4 20 MacDonald Brentf 3 0 3 9 Parkin Luton 3 0 3 15 Morgan Alder 2 1 3 5 Poole Brentf 2 1 3 6 Elder Brentf 2 1 3 13 Reid Roth 2 1 3 12 Holt Shrews 2 1 3 11 Click to continue reading...

Andre Rocha was just beginning to find his place in the FC Dallas midfield. On loan from FCD's partner club Atletico Paranaense, Rocha had stepped up and notched six assists on the season, leading the team in that category.

Then FC Dallas made a coaching switch.

Schellas Hyndman took over for Steve Morrow in late May, and since then the Brazilian playmaker has found himself on the field less and less, with the lack of playing time starting to get to Rocha. Click to continue reading...

With the trade today for former FCD striker Abe Thompson, we added our second attacking player in the last two days. Add the trade for Herculez Gomez into the mix, and we've acquired two 26-year-old forwards who are very different but exciting players. Combined, they have 36 goals and 19 assists in just over six total seasons. Click to continue reading...