Rafa's latest glowing review of Dirk Kuyt proves that his blind faith in the staggeringly ineffective 'attacker' shows no sign of abating, which is bad news for Liverpool fans everywhere.

Gerard Houllier had illogical blind faith in some of his most ineffective players, a notable of which being Emile Heskey. Click to continue reading...

The MLS is gathering momentum and the quality of players on Stateside is improving. A great number of players have recently made the jump from America to top-level European sides, but who else is good enough to prove they have what it takes to make it big in the football ... Click to continue reading...

3 games, 3 goals, 9 points. If you are a New York soccer fan you've got to love the resurrection of Mike Magee. Five years ago he was a hot young prospect out of the Bradenton Academy, the future of the franchise. Yet only a year ago he was the injury-plagued ghost of Metro past. Not that my amateur analysis amounts to anything more than a barstool appraisal, but if the kid's hot streak retains it's momentum he may simultaneously fulfill the prophecy, exorcise a few demons and make himself a candidate for Comeback Player of the Year. Click to continue reading...

I'm not feeling all that happy today. This morning, just about every paper and Arsenal blog held the story that Mikael Silvestre might be joining us in a cut price deal from United, in order to either slot into our defence or provide squad backup. A story that initially seems ludicrous is gathering momentum, and it [. Click to continue reading...

Ah, yes... a win and a goal from Torres. What could be better? For starters, the entire first half could have been better. In fact, let's pretend that the first half didn't happen at all because some other team wearing our kits showed up and attempted to play football.

Sami Hyypia's first couple of touches made it look like Sunderland had twelve men on the field.

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I had set out to write some of my column on the Chivas USA-Galaxy match and how the luster was off from this game. Then, I scrapped it and decided to write an all-Olympics column. I filed it, and then the Galaxy story about Ruud Gullit and Alexi Lalas broke.

We're still going with the Olympics stuff for tomorrow but when I follow up on the Galaxy and the Super Clasico later in the week, it will be with today's news in mind. Click to continue reading...

The MLS is beginning to build some momentum. With crowds up and the standard of football on offer improving, making a move from Europe's top clubs to the States is a much more healthy proposition. Here is a list of ten big names who just may give the MLS a shot some time in the [...] Click to continue reading...

FourFourTwo said

Slavich was adamant that if all those who had expressed an interest were to put their hands in their pockets then finance would no longer be an issue.

So sign-up and convince them. Full article below


EXCLUSIVE: Canberra's A-League bid team will use the W-League's capital side as leverage when they meet the FFA next week. Click to continue reading...

This is obscure and inside but it is soccer-related, so no moaning from the peanut gallery. So my alma mater, Ohio State, follows up its miraculous, nearly inexplicable run to NCAA men's soccer championship match with.... a recruiting class that's not even ranked in the top 40 by College Soccer News. Click to continue reading...

They might have a more impressive website (ours is yet to be launched, probably Thursday or Friday), and they've been going a lot lot longer, but they are behind already in the financial stakes. We've got em, believe me we've got em.

http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/81422,south-coast-bid-on-course. Click to continue reading...

There appears to be some momentum forming on around speculation that Arsene Wenger could be about to move for a promising Manchester City midfielder. Don't forget to check out Online Football Manager! Michael Johnson is keen on a move away from the Eastlands Stadium, with reports that the midfielder was unhappy . Click to continue reading...

I'm not completely sure we deserved to win this one. I'd like to bet that I'd get an argument from a couple of the lads but, to be honest, it wasn't our best night. That being said, we can all agree that the best teams find ways to win, regardless of competition, regardless of weather, regardless of condtioning. Click to continue reading...

Rafael Benitez remains confident of reaching a successful conclusion in his attempt to complete the £20 million signing of Robbie Keane, the Tottenham Hotspur forward, despite last week's angry attack on the Liverpool manager by Spurs chairman Daniel Levy.

Benitez and Liverpool believe Levy's decision to report the club to the Premier League will come to nothing and that a deal will be struck that will permit Keane to join Benitez's squad within the next week. Click to continue reading...

The facts of this game? The Colorado Rapids managed a 2-2 draw, again showing that this is not a team that gives up easily, having gone down 2-1. In so doing, the Rapids extended their unbeaten run to three games in the MLS. The truth is that our attacking play was so much better than that of FC Dallas that we should have won this game. Click to continue reading...

There's a growing sense that the Colorado Rapids may be able to take advantage of a weakened Dallas side this weekend and further consolidate the good momentum which started with the July 4 victory against the New York Red Bulls. Contrary to the doubters out there, last weekend's 1-1 draw with San Jose was a point well won. Click to continue reading...

My account with my host is expiring next week and, rather than renew it, I'm moving the site to a new host, so BFD might be down for a day or two while this takes place. There are no changes in store, not even a redesign. But the benefit to you is that this whole procedure has made me even more frazzled than I normally am.

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It is a first impressions post, but the match was a story of second impressions. This was a match of reexamination, reconsideration, and perhaps redemption.

The second impressions of Pat Carroll, stranding himself and Zach Wells and allowing Daniel Woodward to chip the ball into the net. After a strong game against Rochester, Carroll was having a perfectly acceptable, but not stellar match, until the paralysis of indecision created the dreaded Big Oops moment.

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Yes, a day early, but why wait 'til Monday?

As for the rankings, no movement within the top six, that is no team dropped out of the top six. If I could, I'd rate New England at 1, skip two and go straight to three as no team is close to the Revolution these days.

1. New England (10-4-3). Click to continue reading...

Yes, a day early, but why wait 'til Monday? And what's a Loch Benevian... behold.

1. New England (10-4-3). First team to 10 victories wins... what exactly, I'm not sure.
2. Columbus (8-4-3). That come-from-behind fight will come in handy come playoff time.
3. DC United (7-7-1). Too bad United didn't have league game this weekend to take advantage of surge in momentum. Click to continue reading...

Call it a coincidence but in the same week when former Houston forward Joseph Ngwenya was revealed to hav a trial with Bayern Munich, the Dynamo were once again struggling to score goal.

A third straight draw, and third scoreless draw of the season, was all the defending champions had to show for its Western Conference showdown vs.

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Call it a coincidence but in the same week when former Houston forward Joseph Ngwenya was revealed to hav a trial with Bayern Munich, the Dynamo were once again struggling to score goal.

A third straight draw, and third scoreless draw of the season, was all the defending champions had to show for its Western Conference showdown vs.

Click to continue reading...

On the first anniversary of the day Fernando Torres arrived at Anfield in a record-breaking £28million deal, manager Rafael Benitez has hailed the potential of a player who cost the club nothing.

Defender Philipp Degen has been signed on a Bosman deal from Borussia Dortmund and met his new team-mates at Melwood for the first time yesterday. Click to continue reading...

Good evening folk. The Red Bulls take on the Colorado Rapids in a crucial match for both teams. With a three-match unbeaten streak and Juan Pablo Angel set to return, the Red Bulls will be looking for a road win to build some momentum with. If you will be watching the match feel free to share your thoughts, opinions and some play-by-play in the comments section below.

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So I start today with a quick look at tonight's game and some other items of not to me over the last week and looking ahead.

Contrary to what many say, Dynamo do not "need" to win tonight at Rice-Eccles Stadium. While a win would be a great way to say sayonara to MLS until July 22 and put the team into first place, however temporarily, we all know that in the playoff-driven MLS, just hanging around and then getting hot is the route to a championship. Click to continue reading...

Disclaimer: I played for Sting Soccer for about four years, so the opinions expressed herein, however unintentional, may be biased.

Now that that bit of administrative necessity is out of the way, I wanted to capture for posterity, already hazy after a few months, at least a summary of the ADASL's 2008 Perrin Cup final held at Silverbacks Stadium. Click to continue reading...