B9 Football

Big Fish, Small Pond

2009-02-10T22:16:00.000-08:00

Tonight in Columbus the U.S. and Mexico meet in the first game of the final round of CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying. As a fan of both teams, my main hope is for an entertaining match. But unfortunately, because of Mexico's recent struggles due to injuries, suspensions, and the general incompetence of both Sven Goran Eriksson and the Mexican Federation, that probably won't be the case.

In all likelihood the U.S. will roll to an ugly 1 or 2 nil win in a game marred by fouls, bookings, and probably a red card or two. The U.S. players will pump their fists and wave the flag, U.S. fans will brag and talk trash, and the media will continue to tout the American's supposed dominance of CONCACAF.

And then what?

Well, if history is any indication the U.S. will lose when the two teams play in Azteca in August, both teams will easily qualify for next summers World Cup, and both teams will lose in the first or second round.

So how much does this game and this rivalry in general really mean? There's no denying the bad blood between the players and the fans involved, but does a history of trash talk and a couple of dirty plays really make a rivalry great? And we can't overlook the sociopolitical issues between the two countries, but does that have any relevance to what happens on the field? I mean, England vs. Germany didn't become a great rivalry because of the political history between the two nations, certainly that helped, but it became a great rivalry because they've both had great, world class teams, and have faced each other in some of the most important games ever played. Same deal with Italy vs. France, England vs. Argentina, Argentina vs. Brazil, and some of the other great international rivalries. How many truly important, must win games have the U.S. and Mexico played against each other? One by my count. And if you think they've played other important games besides the 2002 World Cup, well then, you probably place more significance on the Gold Cup than I do.

The fact is that the U.S. media and the U.S.S.F. have made this rivalry out to be much more important than it actually is. They've placed more importance on beating Mexico than on actually trying to make real progress at the international level. Why? Because it's an easy way for them to feel good about themselves. It's easy to show off their recent record against the only other decent team in the region as an example of the supposed progress U.S. soccer has made. But mainly, because it's an easy way to deflect attention away from all the real problems U.S. soccer faces.

The media, the U.S.S.F., and to a certain extent U.S. fans act like if we "own" Mexico than all is well in the world of U.S. soccer. (By the way, we don't really own Mexico, because as much as we like to brag about the fact that we haven't lost to Mexico at home since 2000, we almost never mention the fact that we haven't won in Mexico EVER. That's ever, as in not just the past eight years, but all time. The U.S. did win in their only meaningful game at a neutral site in 2002, so we do have a slight edge, but there's certainly no "owning" involved.) But let's look at the facts about tonight's game alone. This game is being played in Columbus largely because if it were played in most other major cities Mexican fans would likely outnumber U.S. fans. That is a problem. Telemundo's Spanish language broadcast of the game will almost certainly get much higher ratings than ESPN2's broadcast. That is a problem. The seats behind the north goal at Crew Stadium, where Sam's Army were seated during the two teams 2002 qualifier is gone, replaced by a stage because MLS teams have decided that it's easier to make money staging concerts at their stadiums than it is to sell tickets and fill seats. That is a problem. But is anyone discussing these problems or working to find solutions? Not this week. This week the only thing anyone involved in U.S. soccer is discussing is the importance of beating Mexico.

"The popularity of MLS has grown stagnant? (And in fact, with the impending loss of Beckham and the current economy, MLS' popularity is likely to decrease this season.) Well that's fine, because we beat Mexico!" "The mainstream media and the general sporting public in the U.S. spend their time either ignoring soccer or insulting soccer? No big deal, because we haven't lost at home to Mexico in eight years!" "Some of the most talented young American players, such as Giuseppe Rossi and Neven Subotic are choosing to represent their parents home countries rather than play for the U.S.? No problem, we're still the best team in CONCACAF!" And what will be the reaction when the team inevitably disappoints at the World Cup? "Oh, so we only scored two goals and finished last in our group again? Oh well, the Gold Cup is less than a year away and we're gonna beat those Mexican's again!"

Speaking of the Gold Cup, the ultimate example of U.S. soccer placing more importance on their rivalry with Mexico than on actually making progress came in the summer of 2007. The U.S. and Mexico were both invited to participate in the Copa America tournament. Other than the European Championship (which of course the U.S. can't compete in) and the World Cup, the Copa America is the most prestigious and important international tournament in the world. Unfortunately, the tournament was scheduled to begin just a few days after the CONCACAF Gold Cup ended, so both the American and Mexican National Teams would be strained by the time it started. As expected, the U.S. and Mexico met in the final of the Gold Cup, and after falling behind early, the U.S. pulled off an impressive 2-1 victory to assert themselves as the best team in the region. Unfortunately, they were a little too impressed with themselves, and by the time Copa America rolled around they disgracefully sent a B-level squad, played horribly, and finished in last place. Mexico meanwhile actually chose to honor their invitation, sent their full squad, and finished a very respectable third place. The message sent out by the U.S.S.F was abundantly clear; we'd rather beat Mexico and prove that we're the best team in CONCACAF than even compete with the better teams in South America. We'd rather be a big fish in a small pond than even see how we would fare at our best against some of the best teams in the world. The U.S.S.F. tried to justify their actions by explaining that, since the tournaments were taking place during the middle of the MLS season, they felt it would put too much strain on the players and be too unfair to their clubs to have them play in both tournaments. But all that excuse does is prove how ridiculous MLS' summer season is to begin with. And if you were only going to send your best players to one of the tournaments, why wouldn't you send them to the bigger and more important one?

I'm not denying that bragging rights are important. Nor am I dismissing how meaningful it is that the U.S. has finally turned the tables on Mexico after the way they dominated us for decades. I just think we need to keep these games against Mexico in perspective. With the current CONCACAF setup, both of these teams are virtually guaranteed World Cup qualification for the foreseeable future, which is not really a good thing. In order to truly make progress, teams need to struggle and compete against world class competition. Being slightly better than a mediocre team isn't good enough. It's still mediocrity.

So enjoy tonight's game U.S. fans. When we do win, celebrate, wave your flags, and talk a little trash. But don't get too full of yourselves, don't think that this win is all that U.S. soccer should strive for, and don't lose sight of the big picture; that there are more important things than being a big fish in a small pond.

Summer without football

2008-07-14T16:21:00.000-07:00

I hate the summers. While every party dude is loving the summer, I'm hating it. No football, stupid rumors, and Domenech staying as coach of the FFF. PSG signed Stephane Sessegnon.... GREAT

At least we're probably going to get Giuly and Makelele, I just wish we were aiming for higher. I guess going after Ricardo Oliveira is pretty alright... Hopefully its not the Oliveira of Milan...

I think this is one of the most boring summers of PSG. I remember the summers where we would drop 21M on some brazilian prodigy. PSG has got to pick up the pace, and Colony Capital has GOT to pay up. I mean come on, they're one of the richest companies/organizations in the world...

Anyways, in this post, complain about the summer...

90's FOOTBALL

2008-04-08T09:15:00.000-07:00

hello

if there is one topic i can talk about endlessly, it's 90s football and 90s footballers.
this was a great time for football and a time where i couldnt go a day without avidly researching or following some kind of sport, aswell as Arsenal FC. pre-internet of course, all football gossip was from the back pages of shitty tabloids and occasionally on news broadcasts (i remember hearing about Arsenal signing David Platt on the lunchtime news - which would never happen now). Arsenal had a tendency - along with most other teams - to buy shitty British players in a 50/50 ratio to good foreigners. The advent of the Premier League and all of it's money took a good few years to seep down through the ranks and into the transfer kitty even for bigger clubs, who still relied on grooming what talent they had and transferring between English teams. Although the foreign players in the league were often decent, no major buys took place until later in the decade. Because of this, players who might be overlooked were they around now actually excelled for lesser clubs. Kinkladze for Man City (youtube his goals for insane skill) and of course Junhinho for Middlesbrough were both incredible players, but not major signings in relation to what Torres or Tevez were/are today.

(my time in the library is up now, so I will finish this ASAP)

So, i never post on here...

2008-03-17T22:00:00.000-07:00

First post. i really dont know why. Laziness i guess. i spend too much time talking shit and wanting to fight pav in the thread.

Well, im fucking frustrated. Not that i should be or have any right to be. I mean, if you listened to all the papers and pundits before the start of the season Arsenal were doomed, a team in decline. We were resigned to missing out on Champions League football and finishing below sp*rs.

But Arsenal have a knack of suprising you and at the same time spoiling you. So when we dont play perfect football we all(Arsenal fans) get mad or frustrated or think our team is shit. This player is useless, that player cant pass anymore, so and so lost his touch and so on.

And ill admitt it, as an Arsenal fan im spoiled. We play the type of football that when its "on" its probably the best in the world. But when its off its reeeeeally off. And the past few games it seems to have been off. and thats annoying.

Wenger has been talking about how this team has a "hunger". Well, when its mattered....down the stretch, these past few crucially important games where the fuck has it been? we look comatose until the 75th minute or until we go a goal down. Only then do we start to play. And no bad pitch excuses or ref excuses(even though Aliadiere was offsides) its down to us. Our players to want to win these games and we just havent looked like we wanted to until its too late ussually.

Anyways, Sorry for the rant.

I still love this fucking team more than anything and that will never change.

Oh Ville Lumière, sens la chaleur, de notre coeur

2008-03-16T16:21:00.000-07:00

PSG, the love of my life. Some friend of ours was telling us how PSG was truly the love of his life. He was 64 at the time and i was 6. He was talking about how for 26 years, PSG grew on him til his heart went blue and red. At the time, i was just starting to watch football, i went to my first football game, and just started to read (almost) decently. And this friend, was speaking of PSG as if it were a woman, an art, a lifestyle... he said it was his life.

Francis Borelli is the man i'm talking about. Emblematic President of Paris Saint-Germain, wonderful man, and excellent father. President Borelli died October the Second of 2007 of a horrible disease. I miss him, we all miss him.

The reason i bring up Borelli, is because he represented the true PSG fans. He was a football fan, and a french fan, but before everything he was a PSG fan. He lived for PSG and everything else came after.

And that's what I am, a PSG fan. And everything else comes after.

Defining moments

2008-03-15T20:25:00.000-07:00

There has never been a moment as intense for any british team as was the champions league final for Manchester United. It was the defining moment to mark the luckiest season to any team in the EPL.

so here is a little video, I still get eye watery

Are you watching?

2008-03-14T11:51:00.000-07:00

Earlier this week I found something out.

A longtime friend of mine, who I had not talked to in about 2 1/2 months and fellow Arsenal fan, will be at Ashburton Grove on Saturday watching Arsenal take on Boro.

Needless to say, I was floored. My jealousy shot through the roof. How am I supposed to watch a game when a close friend of mine is in the stands... and I'm not?

To be honest, I will probably still watch. Curiosity will get the best of me and I'll want to watch Emmanuel Eboue stab Jeremy Aliadiere in the throat with his studs.

But it's going to hurt more than any match in recent memory.

-C. Tech

The Injury That Killed A Season

2008-03-14T09:24:00.000-07:00

When Lionel Messi tearfully limped off the field during Barcelona's Champions League victory over Celtic a few weeks back, millions of Barca fans worldwide all thought the same thing; "Well, this season's over." In a split second, all of the optimism over the team's recent form, the fact that they were about to advance to the Champions League quarterfinals, and having clawed back to within 2 points of Madrid in La Liga had vanished. No one was realistically thinking "Hey, do you think we can still do this without him?" No, instead our thoughts turned to "Do you think we can convince Mourinho to take over for next season?"

This whole situation of course points to bigger problems for the club. No club, especially one as rich with money and talent as Barcelona should be so reliant on one player that the loss of that player effectively dooms their season. Sure Messi is one of the best players on the planet, but the fact that the team feels that they need him at 100% in every game to have any chance of winning is a huge problem. Just watch a game where they play without him; they're a completely different team. The whole squad looks down, disinterested, and depressed.

It also points to the problem of Messi being fragile. He's only twenty years old, but people are already beginning to wonder if he's doomed to be one of those players who never really reach their full potential due to constant injury problems. Will he have to change his style of play to avoid getting hurt in the future? Will he ever be able to play a full season? Only time will tell.

Lastly, the Messi injury may have put the final nail in the coffin for Frank Rijkaard. The revelation by team doctors that they warned Rijkaard after the teams previous game against Atletico that playing Messi against Celtic would be a huge injury risk only makes matters worse for the manager. So why did Rijkaard start him in the home leg of a tie that they already had pretty well wrapped up? Supposedly, because the press talked him into it. They were unhappy about the fact that he hadn't started in the loss to Atletico, so they put the pressure on the manager to get him in against Celtic. Taking the advice of the media over the advice of the team doctors is inexcusable, and hopefully Rijkaard will repeat that type of mistake when he's coaching Chelsea next season.

After last weekend saw Barca again fall 8 points behind Madrid, the press officially dubbed the La Liga season as over. Even the most positive thinking Barca fan has to agree. The team did get a much needed piece of good luck this morning though, when they were drawn against Schalke in the Champions League quarterfinals. Not to take anything away from the German side, but they are one of the only teams remaining in the competition who Barca can realistically handle even without Messi. If they do advance to the semifinals, Messi may be back to play in them. His return to the field, and his return to some level of fitness is the teams only chance of winning the Champions League, which is the only conceivable way to avoid this season having been a total loss.

-Dizzer

How do you spell relief?

2008-03-03T14:26:00.000-08:00

Personally? I spell it "R-V-P."

Hearing that Robin Van Persie is back in the Arsenal squad was a good moment for me today. There were times this season where I had honestly forgotten that he was still on the team. So many days had passed since the last time he was on the pitch.

But, the thought of it happening again makes my planets go back into alignment.

C. Tech

Having a kid

2008-02-25T21:27:00.000-08:00

Well since the b9 is already updated, i am now going to post my plans. This kid is going to go through hell, I will do everything in my power to mold this child into a superstar. Endurance training from 3 minutes old. Learning to be ambidextrous by 5. My own little Beckham. Hopefully it all pays off and i get an appreciation check in a 20 years.

Bredred

How do other's share their love of the beautiful game with their wife/husband/boyfriend/girlfriend?

2008-02-25T08:37:00.001-08:00

To be honest, i don't really. I go to the games alone, and i don't really mind it. I'm so obsessed with PSG that i would turn down money or Sex or weed just to enjoy my game. My mom and her Boyfriend/fiancé/husband whatever he is (lol) never really understood why i was so much into it. My mom though doesn't give me too much shit about it. My dad on the other hand does care. I don't think he's necessarily a PSG fan, but more just a football fan. In the past i had a girlfriend who was into football but i don't think she really was. But now since i've been in france i think i've landed more on girls who don't care that i watch it or obsess about it. All in all, i don't think i share it. I mean if the girl or friend or family member wants to get into it, then by all means i'd be the first to introduce them to football. But besides that, I'm pretty selfish about the game (then again i am a striker ;) )

No excuses for Rijkaard: Barca need a title

2008-02-25T07:59:00.000-08:00

I still remember the first La Liga match I ever watched. Real Madrid, and the great Hugo Sanchez (who was a billion times better as a player than he is as the national team coach, but that's another story) were playing Barcelona. Pretty much everyone I watched it with were Madrid fans, so of course I backed Barca. I was the type of kid who always had to go against whatever was popular (I also rooted for the bad guys in wrestling) so when I learned that Real were the richest, most powerful, and most successful club in Europe, I had to root for their arch rivals.
I've followed Barcelona ever since. Through the good times (Champions of Europe in 1992 and 2006) and the bad times (the title drought to begin this decade, the departure of Figo for hated Real, their collapse last season). They got off to a slow start this season, but appear to be turning things around. However, if they come up empty and don't take home any silverware this year, something must be done.
There is plenty of blame to go around for Barca's early struggles. Injuries, national team commitments, and age certainly haven't helped, but I think the main scapegoat has to be the manager, Frank Rijkaard.
Now, many Barca fans will think I'm crazy to question Rijkaard. In fact, I'm sure that if Ray Hudson is somehow reading this blog he's frantically trying to trace my IP so that he can hunt me down and "edit-face" me Go_Outside_Nurd style. Rijkaard certainly has taken the club to great heights, and I definitely don't want Barca to turn into Real Madrid where the manager is fired every single year, but I think that his style of play and his influence on the players has grown stale.
Rijkaard has relied too much on Messi (one of the best players in the world, but injury prone due to overuse), Xavi, Deco, and Iniesta (all far too inconsistent), and youngsters like Dos Santos and Bojan (great talents who still aren't quite ready for the main stage). Veterans like Ronaldinho, Henry, and Marquez still have a lot to offer, but are no longer among the elite players in the world and can no longer be counted on to win games single handedly.
This isn't meant as some sort of eulogy for Barca's 2007-2008 season. Actually, I'm very optimistic going forward. Madrid's lead in the league, which was 9 points just a few weeks back, has slipped to 2, thanks to a crazy few weeks including Barca being handed a win against Zaragoza on a bogus penalty last week, and Madrid losing to Getafe on a bizarre goal yesterday. In addition, the team looked phenomenal (and Messi proved that he's back to his pre-injury form) in a 3-2 road win against Celtic in the opening leg of their Champions League round of sixteen matchup. They also have to be considered favorites to win their 25th Copa del Rey title.
Things could go either way for Barca at this point. They may very well win the treble. But, if for whatever reason they don't win anything, injuries can no longer be used as an excuse. Changes will have to be made and it should start with the manager.

-Dizzer

Love and Football

2008-02-25T06:49:00.000-08:00

I wonder about this everyday. How do other's share their love of the beautiful game with their wife/husband/boyfriend/girlfriend?

I know its a little off topic, but as I explained the Eduardo injury to my girlfriend she seemed to be like "oh that sucks" even when I told her how much it made my stomach turn and how in all reality it affected my whole day. I kind of felt the same way when Bryce Florie (Red Sox Pitcher) took that ball to the face. It made me think as to how other's share the sport they love with their significant others.

-Rory

Mommy, Can I Go Out and Sing Tonight?

2008-02-24T12:05:00.000-08:00

Every year, I forget about Mother's Day until the week before. To be honest, I don't think I ever really knew when it was. I've always lumped it together with those other "holidays," such as Veteran's Day and President's Day etc. You know, days that are only really significant if everyone gets a day off work. Not to say that I don't love my Mother. Of course I do. But this past year was a special Mother's Day. It was unlike any previous one because, well, I remember it.

Approximately five months prior to that day, I had started a band with three of my best friends. After pouring many hours into the band in those first few months, we were six songs deep and ready to start playing shows. In April, my friend Rich was doing a show in DC and wanted to know if we would like to play. I asked him who else was playing. He said "Blacklisted," and the conversation ended. Of course we wanted to fucking play.

The show was scheduled for May 13th, which was a little over a month away. Excellent. I was fairly positive there wasn't shit going on that day.

It's important to stress that 2006-2007 was a serious period of my life. I was fresh out of college, which can be, from what I've heard, the most confusing time for some young people. The job market was not as accommodating as I had hoped, and in return I was jobless for several months, slowly eating my pockets thin. In addition, the girl that I had previously loved was long gone out of my world, and my love life was non-existent. It was a new stage of limbo that I was not quite ready to deal with. All I had was this band and my friends. And Carlos Tevez.

I'm no different than all of you here in the fact that my football club has a certain hold on my heart that is tough to break, especially when we don't want that hold broken. Having followed West Ham for several years now, last season's campaign was by far the one experience I've had watching a sports team where I felt I was one with the club. The Championship years were a bit of a downer due to so many of our beloved faces leaving the squad (Di Canio, J. Cole etc.), and the struggle to get back into the top flight was apparent. And as if getting back to the Premiership in 2005 wasn't enough emotion for club supporters, the Gods had to break our hearts in the FA Cup final by sending the Angel of Death (Gerrard) down to Sodom & Gomorrah (Cardiff) to slay the wrong-doers (Scaloni). How could a faithful Hammer go back to watching his club after such heartbreak? I don't know, but we all did.

The optimism at the start of the 06-07 season was a little scary. We had taken Liverpool the distance in May, in a game that we felt we should have won. And that was our first year back in the top flight. Dare I say that some of our supporters became a little cocky about the whole Cup run? Well it's the truth. And that cockiness turned to straight unruly arrogance on August 31st, when it was announced that we had signed Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano from Brazilian club Corinthians.

Two of the brightest young prospects in the world coming to Upton Park. The FA Cup is ours! Fuck that, the UEFA Cup as well! Hell, we could win the league!..............Or we could end up in a relegation battle until the last day of the season, that would coincidentally fall on Mother's Day. I'll let you guys guess which of these outcomes happened.

By May 19th, I was convinced that West Ham's luck had run it's course. Six wins in eight games was a phenomenal accomplishment, but let's be honest, we're not beating the League leaders at Old Trafford. It looked pretty likely that Sheffield United would be the ones to stay up, having to only beat Wigan at Brambell Lane. All the signs were pointing to the Irons joining Charlton and Watford in the Fizzy-Pop.

I sat down at 10 a.m. to watch our last match in the Premiership on FSC. I watch our guys come out of the locker room in those shitty Reebok away kits that had abdominal muscles printed on them. As they walked out, I remembered the line from one of the kids in the movie Little Giants as they were presented with their new uniforms: "Death shrouds."

Now, most of us know what it's like for our teams to lose big games. I won't act like we Hammers are the most deprived football supporters in the world. I'm sure you Rossoneri fans had your summer's ruined after the 05 CL, just as you Bayern supporters probably cried for weeks after Ole Gunnar spoiled your party in 99. The Cup final was bad for us, but to submit to another relegation would be a new low, especially after such high expectations for the season.

It is a sad realization to know that your life had been simplified to a game played by some men across the Atlantic, who don't even know you exist. I'm far from Nick Hornby. I am no fanatic. I'm a guy who can step back and look at things for what their worth. Every time I've been enthralled in a West Ham game, I've been able to stop and ask myself, "Why do I care this much?" However, the answer has never been easy to find. And as I watched James Collins and Anton Ferdinand kill themselves to connect with every single ball that came into the box that day, I thought to myself "maybe I care because they care." And as they showed the visiting supporters holding radios to their ears to hear the ongoings in Sheffield, I saw that they too cared as much as I did. Who cares why we care? Sometimes in life, it's the trivial things that we cling onto when there's nothing else to grab. It's not phony, and it's not insincere. It's real, and often it keeps us from killing ourselves.

At around 10:43, my best friend Mike called me to arrange carpooling plans for our show, which was set for 3:00. I reluctantly answered as the first half was winding down. He was well aware of my Hammer fever and swore to make it quick:

Mike: "Yo, what time should I be at your house?"

Me: "Umm, whenever...like 1:00...or someth..."

Mike: "Ok, so I'll jus..."

(Carlos slips the go-ahead goal passed Van der Sar)

Me: "FUUUUUUUUCK YEESSSSSSSS! TEVEZ YOU BEAUTIFUL FUCKIN' BEAUTY!!!!!"

Mike: "Haha, what? Tevez scored, I assume?"

Me: "YESSSSSSSSS!...I'LL CALL YOU BACK!"

The next hour was as stressed as I have ever felt watching a television set. Man United were on constant attack. Robert Green was brilliant, as were the back four of Neill, Ferdinand, Collins and Spector. I recall a specific moment in injury time, where a ball fell to Paul Scholes about 30 yards out, and visions of his miracle volley earlier that year at Villa Park ran through my head. As his rocket of a right leg sent the ball into our back line, ricocheting back towards their goal, I said "Holy shit, they're gonna do it." I always expected things to go awry somewhere, whether it was Ronaldo embarrassing us in the second half or Dave Whelan's men sending us down at Brambell Lane. And while the latter was happening, the former was not. We weren't being embarrassed. In fact, we were somewhat embarrassing the Champs on their trophy day. But as the whistle blew, and I saw Yossi throw his hands into the air in ecstasy, it was clear that this was our day.

The guts that those fourteen men showed on that day is a memory I will treasure. People will speculate for years about whether or not the Hammers should have been able to stay up due to the shady MSI dealings. I hope one day football fans can take a step back and truly behold what an achievement this relegation escape was. We were "done and dusted," as they say. Even I thought so. It took a well defended Paul Scholes strike to finally change my mind.

After the match, I gave my Mother her gift (don't recall what it was) and told her that I loved her. My band met at my house, and we all left for the District.

We played to about twenty-five people in a basement. It ruled. That whole day ruled.

I have since dug my way out of the rut I was in. I have found a new job, and even new love interests that are not inanimate. I still watch every West Ham United game that does not fall on a weekday (new job, remember). I watch every week because I love football, and I love the club. I don't need them like I once did. But I'm confident that if and when I do need them, they will be there for me. That's why I love them.

-Matt R. a.k.a. One Man Jam

Avram Grant's dilemma or the Avram Grant dilemma?

2008-02-24T09:44:00.000-08:00

When Jose Mourinho parted ways with Chelsea and Avram Grant was appointed as the new manager i couldnt believe it. completely wrong decision in my eyes. nothing has changed since. the way i saw it was would Roman Abramovich hire a 16 year old kid who just got his license to drive him around in his Bentley? would you hire a high school kid who made a 5 minute "movie" and put it on his myspace to direct a film with a Oceans 11 type cast? of course not. so the decision to place Grant in charge of one of the greatest collections of footballing talent in the world is deplorable.

Heading into today's Carling Cup final Grant has said that with players returning from injury and the ACN that he was facing one of the toughest decisions of his life in regards to lineup selections. i dont want to hear that from my manager. a manager at a top club must be ballsy and confident. they cant complain about the difficulty of having too many good players. make the starting XI selection with confidence and conviction. dont give in to pressure from players declaring that they have to start. you are in charge. make that known. but i guess he knows he's not in charge. that much is clear.

Since Grant took over the club the results have been pretty good with many people saying he is doing a good job. but results like the 6-0 win against Manchester City mean nothing. matches like that are a anomaly. overall Grant has not brought the promised attacking football. he has brought no results against the top clubs. defeats to Man United and Arsenal and a draw against Liverpool in league play. and today a loss in the Carling Cup final against Tottenham. Jose Mourinho had that ability to pull out results against the top clubs. something Grant clearly does not have. he has neither the top level experience or the tactically ability to lead this club. Mourinho would constantly make quick decisions to affect matches. changes in formation, early subs, etc. whatever it took. with Grant we have hardly seen a sub enter the match before the 70th minute, regardless of whats happening on the pitch. today's final was a perfect example of his tactically inability.

Having both Drogba and Anelka available is a major problem for Grant. he seems completely unsure of how to use them both. today he sent Chelsea out in the usual 433 with both of them in the lineup. horrible decision. neither Drogba or Anelka are wide players. so the choice is either to start both of them in a 442 or leave out Anelka and play the 433. as the match unfolded it was cleart that his approach was not working. a change had to be made but predictably it didnt come. the first change finally came in the 72nd minute. but it was a straight swap of Kalou on for SWP. still no change in tactics. 88th minute we saw Ballack on for Essien. still more of the same. finally in the 98th minute we saw Joe Cole come on for Mikel, bringing upon a switch to a 442. with the offense providing nothing Cole was the player that had to come on atleast 30-40 minutes earlier. he has his downside but also is one of the few players in the Chelsea squad that has an attacking flair that can change a match. it's as though Grants footballing brain moves in slow motion, if at all. any attempts at affecting the match always come far to late while Mourinho was always very proactive and aggressive in his changes. i guess Grant's tactics, and the speed at which he uses them, reflects his personality, as did Mourinho's.

At this point in the season i wouldnt be suprised at all if Chelsea ended up with no silverware at all. of course this would be a complete and utter failure. even if we do manage a trophy or two i hope Grant finds himself where he belongs, in an office as a technical director or advisor. if he continues to lead this club as the manager Chelsea will be unable to take that next step in their evolution as a club. there should be no doubt that Grant should not manage this club next season. If Abramovich doesnt make that decision for next season i think i'll end up completely losing it. there is no dilemma here. the choice is simple. send Grant packing. end of story.

-jim (tender branson)

Goal Keeping Dilemma

2008-02-22T22:42:00.001-08:00

I'll tell you what... I would not want to be Arsene Wenger when it comes to choosing a keeper.

A) Jens Lehmann aka "Mad Jens"
The face of experienced goalkeeping at Arsenal. He's seen the ups and downs of the club, including the disappointment of last season. Though older and entering the final stage of his career, he says he remains committed to the club, even passing up a potential move to Borussia Dortmund. With the exception of two large blunders in the early parts of the season, he has more or less returned to his old ways of dependability. It should be noted that he is looking a bit slower since coming back from an injury this season.

B) Manuel Almunia aka "Inspector Gadget"
The potential new face of goalkeeping. Aside from a few performances in the past, Manuel had some proving to do coming into this season. After Mad Jens went out with an injury, Manuel was given his chance to step between the woodwork. He strung together a great set of performances, including the win against Chelsea at Ashburton Grove, and good number of clean sheets. He has proven himself a worthy keeper, putting aside notions of inconsistency and liability. He has more than challenged for first team positioning.

Tomorrow at St. Andrews will prove a large turning point for both keepers. Should le boss take Jens, and Almunia may be left waiting for his next chance to shine. Take Almunia, and Jens may have to see himself out much like what Gilberto Silva will most likely do at the end of the season.

Personally, I'd have to go with Almunia. He has his best days ahead of him, and his youth puts him more in line with the vibe of the squad and what the team is all about right now. He is passionate, hard-working, and does not take his chances for granted. Plus, Fabianski is still a good deal away from being match ready, so Manuel can really prove his valor.

C. Tech

ADMIN

2008-02-22T11:13:00.000-08:00

Please sign your entires with your usertag from the B9 so we know who is writing, especially as more people get added to write.

Thanks!
C. Tech

Gloria Ajax!

2008-02-22T10:57:00.000-08:00

Marco Van Basten as manager, Johan Cruyff as a technical director. i agree with the second part. Cruyff might be a fairly controversial figure in the football world at times but AFC Ajax need him. but as much as i loved Van Basten as a player, his time in charge of the national team has been a disappointment. player selection problems, tactical and lineup disputes and an overall underwhelming team performance. a case of someone with no experience being given a job he simple wasnt ready for. and now with no experience managing at the club level he is taking over my beloved Ajax on July 1st.

June 2, 1971. Wembley Stadium. the first of three straight European Cups. a period of complete domination. in 1972 they won all five competitions they were in. one of the greatest squads ever. unfortunetely i wasnt around for it but i was for their great mid 90s team, including the Champions League win of 1995. this was the team that made me love club football. beforehand i had already fallen in love with the national team game. on June 8, 1990 i pretended to be sick so that i could stay home from school and watch Cameroon upset Argentina in the opening match of the 1990 World Cup. by the end of the tournament i was completely in love. Paul Caligiuri's goal against T&T had sparked the lust, but the 1990 World Cup turned it into love. but my exposure to the club game was still limited to tapes and watching serie a games on the italian channel we got. eventually it became slightly easier to follow european football leagues, in great part to the fact that i was getting older. as 1992 came and i was able to drive i started buying up every football magazine i could find. i would go to every little shop in my area to try and find them. for whatever reason it is that we choose a club, i chose Ajax and began to love them. i now had a club. then espn did the greatest thing and started showing eredivisie games. now i was able to watch them too. and as this was the mid 90s and they were the dominate dutch club, it was natural for them to show Ajax almost every week. so for years all i knew was success at Ajax. times have changed.

Ajax havent won anything in europe since. its become almost commonplace to not even be in the Champions League. there have been only 2 eredivisie titles since 1998. PSV has taken over as the best club in holland. there have been huge problems with the board running the team. power struggles between the coaches and directors. poor scouting leading to poor buys. even the once renowned youth academy is failing to produce world class players. but now there finally appears to be a change happening. the board that has been running the team (into the ground some might say) is apparently stepping down once a proper management team and structure is in place. the appointment of Cruyff as a technical director of sorts is a step in the right direction. he does polarize with many of his opinions. but he knows the game and is still seen as nearly a god in holland. but Van Basten isnt the man to lead Ajax to glory again. i question his ablility as a coach having watched all but one or two of the Dutch NT matches since he has taken over. the team has not put in good performances. with all the talented attacking players at his disposal the team still struggled to score goals, scoring only 15 in 12 Euro 08 qualifying matches, despite being in a group with luxembourg, albania, slovenia and belarus. i never saw the tactical acumen as a coach that i saw in him as a player. hopefully i'll be wrong in questioning his appointment as coach. somehow i dont see Ajax reliving their glory days of the 70s and 90s anytime soon. but a team that consistantly wins the eredivisie and de Klassieker against the f-word would be a step in the right direction.

-jimxdfa (tender branson)

what a long strange trip it's been

2008-02-21T16:14:00.000-08:00

Every Saturday I find myself glued to my television hoping to watch my reds defeat whomever they are chosen to play. Whether it be a league or cup match, I stand behind them as that 12th man on the pitch. From 6000+ miles away I'm draped in my Liverpool jersey and scarf singing along with the KOP as if I am 5 feet from the pitch. Sure, this year has gone the complete polar opposite of what I had hoped for but I have faith. I sit back and watch these moments where at that time, I was on cloud 9. I was on the highest of highs. Sitting in my friends apartment watching Liverpool play West Ham in the FA cup final. Typically it is a fun cup, however my good buddy loves West Ham so it was me vs. him. There is no way to describe what it feels like when Gerrard drove in that last gasp strike as seen here -
but my god, he did it! Liverpool won

Or even better, and this one still brings tears to my eyes and shivers to my spine. I still get choked up. Once Maureen took over the helm at Chelsea, there was a rivalry born, and it grew! To the point where I was more excited to see Liverpool play Chelski than I was for them to play Man U! When they met in that champions league semi final match and they drew at the bridge, I knew my almighty reds could bring it home at Anfield. The atmosphere was perfect. Luis Garcia snuck the ball past the line only for it to be knocked back out, but guess what? It was called a goal and rightfully so! That would be the only goal scored the entire match. That would secure Liverpool to the champions league final. I don't know which game was more important, winning to get to the final, or the final? If I ever want to describe the atmosphere which draws me to this beautiful game, this is it -

This is why I am here. This is why I love the game with all of my heart. This is Anfield.

Hope for the best, expect the worst

2008-02-20T11:10:00.000-08:00

Ok, I'm quickly writing this as i wait for today's Champions League games to start. i'm always so excited about the CL. it should be the best football we get to see each season. especially when you get to the second round and beyond. but it is so often a huge disappointment. the games are often very defensive and played at a slow pace. managers are so worried about conceding goals, especially an away goal, that attacking football plays a backseat to a tight defensive strategy. the games end up being Chelsea-Liverpool type snoozefests even when neither of those clubs are involved.

This same problem seems to take hold in all big international competitions as well. recent World Cups havent exactly been the most thrilling things in the world. sure there are some great matches here and there, but a cautious approach often leads to less than exciting matches. the occasional quality of the players seems to be the only thing that saves us at times from managers sending out boring 451s that bog down the midfield. and of course the final often ends up as the most boring match of the whole tournament since the managers are more scared of failure than actually trying to win the match.

now that i totally lost the ideas i had when i sat down to write this i'll wrap this up as the games are about to start. maybe arsenal and/or milan will prove me wrong today. i certainly hope so. and if not i'll still get excited in two weeks when the second legs approach. i guess the hope of a classic match outways the all too often disappointing reality.

-shitty rant by Jim.

Hey coach lemme play striker

2008-02-20T04:19:00.000-08:00

As a young kid i used to play left back. I think it was because i didn't really know what i was capable of. Not that being left back is a position for incapables, but i was just content with playing and basically playing at any position was good for me. As i grew though, i gained weight, got taller and stronger (and slower ^_^). It was too easy for me to get smoked by Ludovic Giuly type players who just dragged me around the pitch. So i was then moved up to defensive midfield. i really liked this spot because i always thought i had a really good vision of the game. I'm that player that thinks ahead before making the pass or the little technical move, but it never ends working out because i'm not technically good enough. So after a couple of games i kept losing balls an wasn't aggressive enough in bringing up the ball (i was also 14 at the time). So one match, we had our three strikers injured and i said "hey coach lemme play striker". They all laughed at little and said fine. I laughed too it was really just for fun. What's funny is that my style of play didn't fit our team at all. at the time i lived in Miami where there were a bunch of Venezuelans, Colombians, Brazilian and Argentinian players... and then a French guy. Needless to say they were much more quick and had WAY better ball control then i did. But i guess i could protect the ball good enough. Well anyways coach Beymar let me play striker and in that game i scored 3 goals, and hit two posts. I'll never forget that game because right when i scored i ate it really hard celebrating (funny because last year i did the same thing), and my breath got cut out. Well anyways, ever since striker has been my favorite position in football. I honestly don't think anyone can become a striker. You have to have the need to destroy the nets, to celebrate a goal, to change a game by yourself. Something that isn't really available in other positions. So that's how i became a striker. Later on tonight i have a game with Paris FC -18s against Courbevoie. I'm gonna score.

Missing a match/Background

2008-02-19T23:22:00.000-08:00

For those of us that love our clubs, and all of us do, we know the power of a match.

I admit that I'm a bit of a late bloomer when it comes to following football, but the lovedrug is flowing through my veins. I came to know Arsenal Football Club about 2 seasons ago. It's been non-stop since then. We all know the tricks, spending hours on Wikipedia looking up everything about everything about every club in every league. You memorize cheers, songs, and traditions that you may never even get the chance to do. Immersing yourself in a culture that I would pay dearly to have Stateside. All other sports have taken a back seat. There are clubs that I will watch in other countries, but for me, I am a fan of football, and a lover of Arsenal.

I'd be lying if I said that I didn't fall asleep thinking about the match and how it would fall into place. Which players will do well? Who's going to deserve a sacking?

For weekend matches, I wake up about 5 minutes before kick-off, drag my pillows and comforter to the television and plop on the couch. I live with 12 other guys, and it's always just me, out on the couch alone. I swear heartily underneath my breath so as not to wake anyone, and I take my victories with a confident composure as I fall back asleep on the couch for another few hours as the next two clubs get underway.

But I love the mid-week matches. Another great excuse to go to the pub, have a few laughs with the rando's like me who show up, and usually a few ex-pats who don't mind tellin' the tales of how they got booted from Shite Hart Lane for pissing on the walls in the visitor's section. I yell at the screen and I try to have something witty to say for each of the opponents. And when those delightful moments when the Gunners put one into the net, I'm on my feet yelling as loud as I can, much like the rest of the room wearing red and white.

But every so often, those days come when I can't make it to the television or the pub. I've been known to throw arms up in triumph in class thanks to the beauty of ESPN Gamecast, but everyone knows it's not the same. The worst part about missing a match is that one instant when you realize that you won't be able to watch. It sinks my day.

When the day of the match rolls around, I'll still be walkin' around in my jersey, doing whatever it is that I have to do. If I find out it's a win, you'll see me with arms raised high the rest of the day. A loss might dampen my spirits, but you'll never find me removing the jersey. And you couldn't pay me to stop takin' so much pride in the Kings of North London.

Here's to those of us in it for the long-haul.

COME ON YOU GUNNERS!
C. Tech

Oh to be a red

2008-02-19T21:12:00.000-08:00

My story begins during the FA Cup draw between Manchester United and Arsenal. To many this is the game that many die for, the day in which name's are taken and players are forever forsaken. But to me, this day just showed the disgust that I have always secretly had for my team. The showboating, the ego's, the swag. Is that what being a red is all about? Many of our players (the foreign ones) tend to just try and act like they are the definition of football, that they are simply the best and you cannot touch a finger on them. WELL FUCK YOU TOO YOU PORTUGUESE CUNTS. I'd much rather have a mid table team with players who appreciate the game such as Ji-Sung Park, Darren Fletcher, John O'Shea, Carlos Tevez. So, quit disgracing my club.

/rant

So please don't take my Arsenal away

2008-02-19T18:04:00.000-08:00

We love you Arsenal, We do, We love you Arsenal, We do, We love you Arsenal...

Since I first saw Arsenal I was in love. The Red The White, I needed nothing more. I've always had one love, baseball. I lived and died by the Boston Red Sox. I looked forward to the BC v. Red Sox game every spring, and to the Sunday double headers (when I was real young), to the last game of the season. I now have a competitor with that love. The Mistress who has brought me as much heartache and joy as my beloved. Arsenal Football Club. I'm 25 and have been a fan for a good eight years, and can say that the beautiful game has taken root. I fiend like an addict for Match Day. During the summer I watch my Red Sox and check BBC and SkySports for latest transfer news, search message boards, and shoot the shit on the 9'er. My Arsenal has brought something new, something exciting, and something long lasting into my life. I love the football I love this club, I love Arsene Wenger, and most of all I love this club.

-Rory

Editors Note: that's probably the least sarcastic post that will ever come from me.

Paris SG

2008-02-19T08:54:00.000-08:00

In my first topic, i want to talk about my team, Paris Saint-Germain. PSG is a relatively new team (created in 1970) compared to all of the other great teams in European football, but it's already marked history. PSG has only been champions of the French Ligue1 (D1 included) twice, in 1986 and 1994. From the early 80's all the way to the late 90's, PSG was a dominant team in France and Europe. They've reached the Semi Finals of the CCC, UEFA cup, and have won the C3.
All history aside, what i want to talk about is the players that have made PSG such a great and magical side, and why it's not longer as great and magical. PSG throughout history have had some of the best players in the world: Djorkaeff, Luis Fernandez, RaÏ, Weah, Le Guen, Ginola, Anelka, and Ronaldinho, just to name some. Today, it's no longer the case. Though PSG are equipped with very respectable players (Rothen, Pauleta, Landreau, Yepes), they no longer have the stars that made the great days of the most beautiful city in the world. We haven't finished in top3 in over 4 years now, and haven't played a significant role in any of the euro cups in over 6. What could the reason be? PSG play in a stadium where every two Saturdays over 40,000 fans come and cheer them on. The best fans in France sing their hearts out every two weeks hoping for a PSG win. But the results still don't come in. Is it that the Era Canal + has completely destroyed PSG's finances? It could be, but after Canal +, many investors and presidents have come with plans of a revival of PSG have come through and all have failed (with the exception of one year where the tandem Graille-Halilodzic got PSG to second place 3 points behind Lyon and into the champions league). Could it be the pressure the players suffer from the Media and fans? Could it be the financial situation of PSG that doesn't allow them to recruit big players? Or could it be that the club has lost all hopes of being the best team in France, and is the new St Etienne, or Reims (to name some)?
Canal + was the great PSG era. For those of you who may not be aware, Canal + is a private television channel that once owned PSG and financed the team. Canal + brought in all of the Raï's, Djorkaeff's, Ronaldinho's. Canal + is what made PSG's great history. While making PSG a team of stars, and making it competitive enough to beat Barcelona, Milan AC, etc... Canal + also left PSG in a great amount of Debt. PSG up to now still hasn't been able to pay back all of the debts because they are still 20 million euros in debt accord to the DNCG (detection nationale de controle de gestion). The DNCG are useless anyways and in my opinion are ruining french football because of their strict handling of finances, but that's just my opinion (aka fuck you DNCG). So all in all, could it be the DNCG and Canal + that are ruining/ruined PSG? It's hard to say but i think if this was a three way pie chart with other two options i gave in the introduction paragraph, it would make over 4/6ths.
Fans, fans, fans. Oh how great are the PSG fans. All of us show up to games every Saturday, whether it's home or away. PSG has one of the highest attendances in France. PSG has one of the nicest stadiums in Europe (Parc des Princes). So could it possibly be that the fans expect too much from PSG? Could it be that us fans, put too much pressure on PSG to get us results that are rightfully deserved? Maybe. But if that's the case, then PSG should get players capable of handling pressure, and aren't afraid to give 100 percent of themselves on the field. PSG needs warriors. Players that are aggressive, in the correct way (not violent way). The media? Could it possibly be that the media is putting too much shine on PSG, and therefore putting too much pressure on our players? I couldn't possibly believe this. The pressure isn't possibly as big as it was in the 90s, and in any case, our players should be able to take on the pressure. As i said before, if you can't take the heat, then hand over the PSG jersey on the way out.
PSG, is the 2nd most supported club behind Marseilles in france, with over 7 million fans in the Ile-de-France region alone. Each year, we have high expectations for such a powerful team, with such high capitol, and so many fans. But what if the investors of Paris SG simply did not have the same ambitions that the fans do? What if they just wanted to make PSG a money making machine and nothing else? They could careless about the results as long as there fans who come to the stadium (as there will always be so long as PSG stays in Ligue1), and the jerseys of those "star" players get sold? I would like to think that this is impossible. Because even if this was their mentality, in order to make the club a rich one, they'd have to invest in players that would bring back results and trophies. So this third option isn't really it.
Finally, I'd like to remind you readers that this club, Paris SG means the world to me. And I strongly believe that it'll only be a matter of years until PSG becomes a great and admired club all over the world again. PSG recently bought two Brazilian players, Souza and Everton Santos, who are supposed to be really good players who could bring a lot to the squad. I'd love for them to bring back memories of the Raï's, Leonardo's, and Ronaldinho's. There's nothing better than seeing Brazilian flags flowing through the virage Auteuil of the Parc des Pricnes. I can only hope for the best. And that's all I'll ever do when it comes to PSG!

-Adrian

Match day

2008-02-19T08:31:00.000-08:00

Write about what football means to you.

Leagues, players, managers, stadiums, transfers, songs.

Everyone has something to say, so say it.

Make sure you put your name somewhere in your entry so we know who wrote it, whether at the end or in the title.

Let's make this as good as it gets.

C. Tech