The Colorado Rapids, unbeaten in the past three games, are now headed to New York for a tough game on the turf against the Red Bulls. Much has been made of the consistency of the team in those recent games. Unfortunately, injuries mean there will have to be some changes in tomorrow night's line-up. Click to continue reading...

Following Albert Riera's timely arrival at Liverpool on the last day of the transfer window, Rafa Benitez finally has two good wide players to deploy in his line-up who he can trust to produce excellent performances consistently. Ryan Babel can be played on either flank, but now that the left-footed Riera has turned up he should [. Click to continue reading...

News is slow and I felt like writing about something, so I thought I'd bring everybody up to speed on OL's injuries, since this weekend we play AS Nancy and next week we're off to Bayern for match day 2 of the CL next Tuesday. There is good and bad news.

The BAD:

Juninho: Juni had an MRI this week and was diagnosed with a strained adductor.

Click to continue reading...

Jermaine Pennant is hopeful he can force his way back into contention for a regular place in Liverpool's starting line-up after an impressive performance in their 2-1 Carling Cup win over Crewe.

Pennant was a constant menace on the right flank and delivered the cross for Lucas to score the winning goal after Daniel Agger's free-kick had given Liverpool the lead on Tuesday night. Click to continue reading...

Having missed the midweek CL clash at Kiev, I was really looking forward to this match.

For the third away game in a week, the Arsenal team looked a little different from the one at Blackburn and Kiev. Robin van Persie was given a rest with Bendtner taking his place. Eboue started on the left of midfield. Click to continue reading...

Following in the footsteps of last season's emphatic success was never going to be easy, nor was it ever guaranteed. However, those of a Manchester United disposition could be forgiven for perhaps expecting a little more in the opening games of the new season. This season's early uncertainty culminated in last weekend's frustrating loss to Liverpool, a result which subsequently puts even greater emphasis on the trip to Stamford Bridge on Sunday, but just why haven't things gone quite to plan for the European Champions on the pitch so far this season? Click to continue reading...

Photo by ISIphotos.com

The New York Red Bulls have completed the acquisition of Crystal Palace Baltimore midfielder/forward Matthew Mbuta, sources with knowledge of the deal confirmed late on Friday.

Click to continue reading...

2:45pm, live in the US on Setanta

Last 3 matches:
Liverpool: 2-1 United (h); 0-0 Villa (a); 1-0 Liege (h)
Marseille: 1-1 Bordeaux (a); 2-1 Sochaux (h); 1-0 Le Havre (a)

Referee: Konrad Plautz (AUS)

Guess at a squad:
Reina
Arbeloa Carragher Skrtel Dossena
Kuyt Gerrard Alonso Riera
Torres Keane

In my guess at a squad, I'm assuming Gerrard and Torres are fit enough to start, although, like over the weekend, it'll be a late decision. Click to continue reading...

This is a frustrating way to drop two points that were well within grasp. United had a 2-1 lead, and looked marginally the better side. Still, Dallas was finding moments of slicing through the defense, and so it was that Eric Avila slipped down the left side of the defense and send the ball outside of the diving Crayton to Rocha, and United found themselves settling for one point instead of taking all three.

Click to continue reading...

TORONTO - He got hurt in the 2008 preseason at BMO Field in Toronto. Running onto the pitch, his ankle rolled. He was never the same. But, being Ivano the "Raging Bull" Volpe, he roared on game in and game out playing through injury, and playing his game.

And he was effective. Playing through pain, he never showed it on the field, always charging, tackling, and dribbling the ball up the right flank, ever so often creating chances in the middle for the strikers. Click to continue reading...

England blasted Croatia 4-1 yesterday in Zagreb in their second World Cup 2010 qualifying game, spurred by a hat trick from Theo Walcott, of all people. It was an impressive victory, to be sure, especially since Croatia hadn't lost in a competitive game on home soil since 1994 and England was missing Steven Gerrard and Owen Hargreaves. Click to continue reading...

As everyone's probably already heard, Fabio Grosso went down in the 18th min of Italy's 2-1 win over Cyprus. Fabio left the game with an injury to his flank. The diagnosis is two fractured ribs. It's believed he will be out of the Lyon line-up for at least one month. That amounts to Grosso missing at least (6) matches.

Click to continue reading...

In the heat of Tel Aviv it seemed as if Switzerland had made the crucial (and rather unexpected) result when the game was in extra-time. Yet someone in the back-line forgets that there are two Israeli players on the flank - the Israelis confusedly managed to set up a low Click to continue reading...

Straight from the retirement village bustling metropolis of Callendar, Ontario, my Dad rates various members of the England squad...

James 5 Saves 0, High catches 0, Defense bollockings 0, Timmys 6

Johnson 9 Young kid gave all. Never stopped running particularly prepared to try to go round the full back. Click to continue reading...

Jermaine Pennant is set to extend his contract with Liverpool, although questions remain over his future at the club.

According to The Times, the Reds will take up their option to add a fourth year to Pennant's current deal, which will expire at the end of the season.

However, there are still doubts over the 25-year-old's long-term prospects at Anfield, especially as he is yet to feature at all for the club this season. Click to continue reading...

-
Dave McIntyre/BBC606 - Buzsaky is back
Akos Buzsaky is back and hoping to feature against Southampton on Sunday week.
Buzsaky played the second half of a reserve game against Charlton on Tuesday afternoon and looked encouragingly sharp for a player who had been out since since April. Click to continue reading...

Reina
Arbeloa Skrtel Carragher Dossena
Alonso
Kuyt Mascherano Lucas Keane
Torres

I am not used to Liverpool setting up shop to come away with a point on the road, and I'm not happy about it. Without Gerrard and with Torres going off after 26 minutes thanks to an injury, Liverpool were without invention and rarely looking like getting a goal. Click to continue reading...

Kickoff is about an hour away. Tommy's main changes come in the back line tonight, as he shuffles a few guys around, while Santino Quaranta moves from the attacking midfield spot to the right flank. Here's what they'll look like at the first whistle:

Louis Crayton; Gonzalo Martinez, Bryan Namoff, Devon McTavish, Marc Burch; Santino Quaranta, Clyde Simms, Joe Vide, Ivan Guerrero; Jaime Moreno, Luciano Emilio

And here's what the 4-4-2 formation will look like:

------------Moreno-----------Emilio------------------------------------------------------------------------Guerrero--------------------------------Quaranta---------------Vide----------Simms----------------Burch-------------------------------------Martinez------------McTavish--------Burch-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Crayton------------------------ Click to continue reading...

11am eastern, live on FSC.

Last 4 head-to-head:
2-2 (h) 01.21.08
2-1 Liverpool (a) 06.11.07
0-0 (a) 03.18.07
3-1 Liverpool (h) 10.28.06

Last 3 matches:
Liverpool: 1-0 Standard (h); 2-1 Boro (h); 1-0 Sunderland (a)
Villa: 1-1 FH Hafnarfjordur (h); 2-3 Stoke (a); 4-2 City (h)

Referee: Martin Atkinson

Guess at a squad:
Reina
Arbeloa Carragher Skrtel Dossena
Kuyt Mascherano Alonso Benayoun
Torres Keane

Naturally, as soon as the players who starred at the Olympics were ready to return, there's news that Gerrard's out for the next 10 days at best. Click to continue reading...

Predictably, much has been made of the Reds lack of a cutting edge up front without an obvious out and out striker available to Fergie. But on the evidence of the Champions performance against Portsmouth on Monday night there's little worry about, with Rooney and in particular Carlos Tevez looking razor sharp. Click to continue reading...

10am, live in the US on Setanta.

Last 4 head-to-head:
3-2 Liverpool (h) 02.23.08
1-1 (a) 01.12.08
2-0 Liverpool (h) 04.18.07
0-0 (a) 11.18.06

Last match:
Liverpool: 1-0 Sunderland (a)
Middlesbrough: 2-1 Spurs (h)

Referee: Mike Riley

Guess at a squad:
Reina
Arbeloa Carragher Agger Dossena
Kuyt Gerrard Alonso Benayoun
Keane
Torres

Yes, I know, except for Agger, this would be the same line-up that struggled at Sunderland. Click to continue reading...

So much for settling in.

Uncle Phil set Stamford Bridge ablaze on his debut, guiding Chelsea to a superlative 4-0 win over Portsmouth in the Premiership curtain raiser for both clubs. First-half Goals from Joe Cole, Nicolas Anelka and Frank Lampard insured three points for the Blues, while Deco's out-of-nothing scorcher in the 89th minute capped a memorable performance one which will have put the rest of the league, including Fergie's boys, on notice.

Click to continue reading...

Good afternoon everybody. Toronto FC is at Giants Stadium today to take on the New York Red Bulls in a key Eastern Conference clash. The winner today moves into playoff position while the loser falls into the trailing pack in the rugged East.

I will be providing running commentary for today's match so be sure to stay tuned to SBI for the latest on the action.

Click to continue reading...

For those of you who didn't watch the game tonight, you'll have to take my word for it - Fred was absolutely dicing Fire players on the flank tonight. He made several players look plain silly with his quick, slick, sick moves. He also scored his second goal of the year. Here it is.

Click to continue reading...

The time has finally arrived. Word.

Chelsea begins a new era today as it opens the 2008-09 season against Portsmouth at Stamford Bridge. The match marks the debut for Blues manager Luiz Felipe Scolari, who returns to club football for the first time in seven years.

The Blues are not only looking to extend their immaculate home unbeaten streak to 83 games, but also their 21-game Premiership unbeaten run.

Click to continue reading...

One night after the first team got back to its winning ways with a 3-2 win over Chivas USA, the reserve squad took on a group of local college players with much success. The reserves won 4-0, on goals from Espinoza, Marinelli, Kraus and Pizarro. Jonathan Leathers left the game early in the first half and colliding with an opponent and cutting his head. Click to continue reading...

The Revolution Reserves fell 3-1 to the Chicago Fire Reserves this morning. After the Fire squandered some early chances, Joe Germanese put the Revs ahead in the 24th minute with a chip over the keeper after making a long run into the box. The Fire tied it up a little over ten minutes later when Mike Banner converted a penalty kick. Click to continue reading...

LIke the commentator said, Marvell Wynne may have done the work on the flank, but it's only as good as the finishing. So my question is, just where has that left foot been all year Stu-boy? And, you do plan to bring it back to the States with you when you get back, right?

Right?
Click to continue reading...

-
Dave McIntyre/BBC 606 - Winging it
Emmanuel Ledesma's cross for Dexter Blackstock to score the winner at Northampton could be a sign of things to come.
After featuring in central midfield at Stevenage on Saturday, Ledesma played out wide in last night's game – and that's where he will play from now on. Click to continue reading...

Last night's two-two draw with FC Goldenballs provided plenty of excitement and optimism as the New York Red Bulls head in to the All-Star Break, but frankly, the team did plenty to give away two points in a game New York led into injury time.

The debut of Venezulean midfielder Jorge Rojas, who assisted on both New York goals, provided a significant boost to the Red Bulls' offense, as the team scored more than a single goal for the first time in 14 outings in all competitions. Click to continue reading...

MARKHAM - What started off as a mismatch, soon turned into a nightmare, before Pistolas FC soon reloaded and fired a late goal over Those Guys FC 2-1.

The game started with Those Guys only fielding 8 players, but PFC failed to capitalize on the advantage and played slow and lacklustre, a tendency they seem to have playing at the level of their competition. Click to continue reading...

For those of you who missed last Friday's 2-1 win over Atlas, check out the game-winning goal below shot by Wizards intern Alex Haueter. The clip starts immediately after Atlas was called for a handball near the half line. Sub forward Michael Kraus put the ball down while Atlas players looked around trying to figure out what had been called. Click to continue reading...

By JAMES CLARKAn occasional Pardew's Guardian feature leading up to the August kickoff ...1) Will Julien Faubert become the force he was originally predicted to be down the right flank for West Ham? The Hammers' capture of the fleet Frenchman (pictured above, top) made headlines last season, and sometimes for the wrong reasons. Click to continue reading...

Adam Cristman scored his fifth and sixth goals of the season to help lead the first place Revs to a 2-1 victory over the Western Conference leading Los Angeles Galaxy on Friday night. After taking a 2-0 first half lead, the Revolution survived a late offensive push by the Galaxy, and a lucky goal by David Beckham, to escape Los Angeles with three points and further extend their lead at the top of the standings.

Click to continue reading...

Since I didn't witness the match myself, the following player ratings are based on excerpts taken from comments written about the game on the Soccer Insider:


1. "For me, Marc Burch was by far the player of the match, and not just because of the 2 goals. Through much of the game, he was among the most active player on the field. Click to continue reading...