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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...

On last week's Match of the Day, BBC pundit Mark Lawrenson claimed that if tackles like the one Gael Clichy received at Bolton were banned, the game would be 'for the jessies'. The former Liverpool defender's words will certainly come back to bite him. First Gael Clichy. Now Man United's Rodrigo Possebon. Click to continue reading...

How quickly Sir Alex forgets. On Possebon's injury.

'You don't want to see things like that and I hope I never see anything like it again,' said the United boss.

Its nice for Sir Alex to come up with some nice trite explanation but these sort of injuries have happened many times before and will happen again, so to say that he hopes he never has to see it again is pretty glib.

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I would say that I cant believe the comments made by Kevin Nolan but unfortunately it really doesn't surprise me.

The player is a mug and to tell a team mate to give a fellow professional a kick is a fucking liberty.

He tries to redeem himself and say that football is a contact sport, well I agree with that but football isn't a sport where you deliberately go around kicking people. Click to continue reading...

For anyone that's seen the film, you'll no what I'm on about, for those who haven't read on and I shall try to explain. This is 'good old' English football and it's not for 'jessies' as the grinning Shearer and Lawrenson love saying. This is 'good old' England where we just laugh as the reckless straight legged tackles fly, where we just get on with it as the tibias crack, where we don't see Click to continue reading...

Former Newcastle defender Jean Alain Boumsong has revealed he helped persuade David Ngog to join Liverpool.

Boumsoung endured a difficult time on Tyneside and eventually packed his bags for Juventus.

However, he still believes the Premier League is among the best in the world and was adamant that his teenage cousin should take the opportunity awarded to him. Click to continue reading...

There has been no shortage of shocking tackles so far this season, we had Faye's two footed shocker a couple of weeks back, and now Cattermole's pair and Guthrie's leg breaker this weekend. This has coincided with the hot air surrounding the FA's rather vacuous 'respect' campaign, of note there was no shortage of players surrounding referees last weekend, Manu and Chelsea players being yet Click to continue reading...

SPL RANGERS 2 KILMARNOCK 1 Both Maurice Edu and Damarcus Beasley started tonight for Rangers in a 2-1 win over Kilmarnock. Edu played the first 60 minutes of the match and left a good impression, passing well and winning a number of tackles in the midfield.  By contrast, Beasley (who was replaced at halftime) saw a lot [. Click to continue reading...

Forbes has a breakdown of MLS' money streams, which we already knew looked a lot healthier today than they did six years ago.

Included: A list of each team (excluding San Jose, which just returned to the field this year), with estimates of team value, revenue and operating income.

Los Angeles, Toronto and Dallas are profitable, according to the estimates.

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France turned in a woeful performance to open their World Cup qualifying campaign, one they will want to forget. Austria opened the scoring with two very similar free kicks, with France looking like they didn't know what they were doing.

It was a collective failure to defend set pieces, but Mexes, on the first goal was horribly exposed. Click to continue reading...

It's hard to think back to the time when Gabriel Heinze was a greatly loved member of our squad. He was a ferocious player who never shied away from tackles and loved to get stuck in. "ARGENTINA!" was the chant that would go around Old Trafford every time he put the ball, and the man, [...] Click to continue reading...

Phrases like "taking candy from a baby" come to mind when Clichy repeatedly takes the ball away from a hapless opponent and darts upfield. He took a swerving shot on target today. If he starts adding goals to his game, we'll have to break out the 10s (9).

Nasri - Settling in nicely. Click to continue reading...

Although I am sure that I have admitted many, here is a quick list of rule changes, schemes and slight changes to officiating that have been introduced in top level football world wide. Bear in mind that all of these took place in the last couple of years; FIFA, the top flight leagues and Football Associations are clearly rule happy. Click to continue reading...

So much hope about a new era but the Colorado Rapids crashed to a 3-0 defeat against DC United on Saturday. After going into the game almost like a line of combat soldiers, we lost the battle. The question is have we lost the playoff war also?
The team was in the game for the first 40 minutes or so. Click to continue reading...

Despite knocking on wood as often as possible, I hate to admit that I called this. DC United was consistently crappy early in the year, and was consistently victorious just before the start of Superliga, but at all other times of the season, we've been horribly inconsistent. The team once again failed tonight to string together victories. Click to continue reading...

Who is the top left-back in the Premier League? Here are statistics from the four standout left-backs of 2007/08. They should come as no surprise to our readers. Clichy, Cole and Evra have cemented themselves as among the best players in their position in the world, while Warnock has grown in his ability and is finally starting to become recognized as a competent player. Click to continue reading...

Something funny to start our post. For this, we'll go to Nicolai V. Gogol and his story, Ivan Fyodorovich and His Aunt. The setting: how will a newcomer recognize Stepan Ivanovich? "You will recognize him at once for he is the only one to wear printed cotton trousers and a yellow cotton coat. And here is another sign by which you may recognize him: when he walks he always waves his arms about. Click to continue reading...

Okay, if all I want for the remainder of this season are gritted out wins, then I'll take this one. To give Chicago the respect they deserve - the Fire had done quite a bit and could have legitimately walked out with a draw. That said, United was a post away from a multiple goal win. Ultimately, this kind of win is satisfying.

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I remember writing before the season started that we would probably have to win a lot of games 1-0 this year. Well it took five months and a goalkeeper change to finally do it.

I got back from a great week at Ocean City today and opted to purchase the discounted $9.95 MLSlive package, which will probably be used only to watch tonight's match and next Saturday's. Click to continue reading...

Luiz Felipe Scolari paints a pretty picture

The comment from John Terry was as uncompromising as one of the centre-half's own tackles. "Now that we have got a proper manager,'' came the verdict from Chelsea's captain mid-summer as Luiz Felipe Scolari, the World Cup-winning Brazilian, succeeded Avram Grant. Click to continue reading...

For some reason, I don't know why, readers were interested in our section on the best right-backs of the 2007/08 EPL season. Because of this interest, here is an updated list of the top right-backs of last season. Tottenham's Alan Hutton only played 12 games so he is not included, though he will certainly be in the 2008/09 list - he creates more opportunities for teammates than anybody on the below list - as will new Chelsea full-back Jose Bosingwa. Click to continue reading...

Wenger has made signing a central midfielder to complement Cesc Fabregas a priority. With Flamini's departure, the team has a huge void to fill. His successful partnership with Fabregas in midfield was the salient feature of Arsenal's matchplay.

There have been numerous links to Gareth Barry and Xabi Alonso, both who in my mind lack the speed and industry of a Flamini.

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One of today's footballing headlines is the payout to Ben Collett, former ManUre reserves player who was injured in a bad tackle and has since had to retire from football.

All the reports about the outcome of the court case have been fairly matter of fact but I can't help wondering if there will be any repercussions. Click to continue reading...

Everyone likes having defenders from the Big Four clubs, but picking the regular starters can be deceptive. Ranking defenders for minutes played last season, of the top 25 only 5 come from Chelsea, Man Utd, Liverpool or Arsenal. Many of the big fours' defenders get injured or rotated during the season - picking the few players who regularly start can be tough in the preseason. Click to continue reading...

USA Women Olympic Match Report from du Nord reader Adam.


Group Stage Match 2
Sat Aug 9
USA 1-0 Japan

When four minutes had ticked by in the match between the United States and Japan, US players and fans had to be relieved: the US wasn't two goals down. In contrast to the mess of a team that came out against Norway, the Americans looked more aggressive and confident. Click to continue reading...

Thunder Bay Chill vs Laredo Heat live on Fox Soccer Channel at 8pm.

Having already made history as the first team to reach the PDL Championship game three straight years, the Laredo Heat will be looking to become the sixth team to repeat as league champion and the lowest seed to ever capture the title.

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FC Dallas 2 - TFC 0



This game could be the turning point in the season. Many of the bad things about TFC were on display today, including frustration and violent temper (which in this case go hand in hand). Don't get me wrong, there was lots of good on display, just that it was overshadowed by what happened in the second half. Click to continue reading...

America's Major League Soccer All Star XI defeated West Ham United 3-2 in a preseason friendly. Dean Ashton was the standout performer of the match as he notched both of West Ham's goals. Carlton Cole partnered Ashton up top and was largely ineffective throughout the match, stressing the need for a healthy Craig Bellamy. Click to continue reading...

In a game featuring lots of possession, lots of tough tackles, and lots to build on, the USWNT prevailed over Brazil, again by a 1-0 score. Unfortunately, they lost stalwart forward Abby Wambach who went down after a first half collision and, as it turns out, broke two bones in her leg. She's [... Click to continue reading...

Surrender.

I hate to say it, but some people are right, we're done with Superliga, regardless of the result of the Houston-Chivas match. Yes, I know there might be a mathematical chance, but we don't deserve to advance. Run up the flag, play the subs, we're done like a Five Guys burger. Sometimes you need to know when you're throwing good money after bad, and so it is with Superliga this year.

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If we want a positive spin, it's this. Everything went wrong from United, and they only lost by a goal. Twice shots rattled off the woodwork. A Jaime Moreno penalty was saved. The first Chivas goal was a result of Clyde Simms and Bryan Namoff falling down one second and twenty yards apart. The second was some muddled attempt at breaking out.

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Marcos Senna is listed as a midfielder but his usefulness lies in his being a utility player capable of coming forward on attack, falling back to defend, and controlling midfield. He is strong in the air, very capable with free kicks, burns up the outside turf to slice in a cross, quick and decisive in his tackling, and shows some dribbling chops too, turning and twisting his way through defenders.

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Freedom isn't free - I got the morning off, but of course, I'm here at the game now.

Actually, it's a nice day for a game. Could be worse.

Bad news for the Galaxy - LD isn't starting. He is on the bench, probably with a fever, aches and chills.
Starting Galaxy XI - Cronie, Kleiny, Franklin, Abel, Ante, Becks, Alvaro, Franchino, Mike (Willie), Eddie and Gordo. 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...

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Houston and Dallas battled out a very physical 1-1 draw on MLS' Texas Derby Thursday night. Unfortunately for the fans waiting to tune on ESPN 2, the WNBA game in progress went to quintuple overtime or something insane like that.
In addition, at the end of each overtime, the WNBA teams managed to stretch the last 27 seconds out to an additional five minutes of real time. Click to continue reading...