Friday, June 26, 2015

More Fun With Sepp, USA vs. China, Peru Advance, Argentina vs. Colombia

Well, Argentina play tonight, so, you know...

Woof! There goes another one! We've got loads of great stuff to get to today, so let's do it! Sadly, we'll have to begin with SPECTRE FIFA. Yes, good 'ol Sepp says, "Wait. Hold the phone. I didn't say I'd resign. I never said that." Asshole.

Back on the grass pitch, Peru advanced to the semifinals of Copa América on the back of a hat-trick from Paolo Guerrero. Tim Vickery was at the Estadio Germán Becker and filed this report.

Tonight? Argentina vs. Colombia! Check the rhyme:

Argentina vs. Colombia: Preview
Tim Vickery: Key Battles
Gabriele Marcotti: Questions for Pekerman

As for Copa América's Buttgate? Jara's club side Mainz ain't having it. They say he can piss off. Good for them. And remember when the U.S. beat Argentina at Copa América in 1995? We sure do. So do Wynalda and Alexi.

Over on the not-grass pitch, it's Quarterfinal time. The USA Women face the Chinese in the late game (7:30 p.m. EDT on FOX), and the Germans play the French in the early match. Here we go:

USA vs. China: Preview
Andrew Gibney: Four Key Battles

With these two international tournaments in motion, we've been neglecting Major League Soccer. According to this article, there is a big week coming up. Rivalry Week, in fact. Juicy!




And finally...Atlanta United FC? Really?

Onward!

-SSN

Posted by The Editor at 11:28 AM 0 comments

Thursday, June 25, 2015

Chile Oust Uruguay, Liverpool Sign Firmino, Marcela Mora y Araujo on Messi, USA Gold Cup Squad

Sadly, the tactic employed was successful. Thankfully, he's been banned.
It was a bit chippy and feisty and finger-up-the-butty, but hosts Chile managed (thanks to a ridiculous red card on Cavani) to get past Uruguay and reach the semis of Copa América after a goal from QPR legend Mauricio Isla. Today's match is Bolivia vs. Peru. Here are a few pieces of note about last night's affair in Santiago:

Chile 1 - 0 Uruguay: Three Thoughts

If you want more Women's World Cup, you'll have to wait until tomorrow when France and Germany clash and the U.S. of A. face China. To hold you over until then, we offer Caitlin Murray's Power Rankings. Oh, and a great article by Laurent Dubois on just why the women are playing on turf.

SSN regulars will know that we love us some Marcela Mora y Araujo. She doesn't write much, but when she does she provides some great insight into what's up down in Argentina. Today, she's looking into the Messi enigma. Is Argentine gaffer Tata Martino partly to blame for Messi still not finding his best form in his national jersey?


The Diving German has announced his squad for the Gold Cup. Clint Dempsey's recent lack of discipline has not kept him out of the tournament. Here's the crew:

GOALKEEPERS (3): Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake), William Yarbrough (Club Leon)
DEFENDERS (7): Ventura Alvarado (Club America), John Brooks (Hertha Berlin), Timmy Chandler (Eintracht Frankfurt), Brad Evans (Seattle Sounders FC), Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy), Fabian Johnson (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Tim Ream (Bolton Wanderers)
MIDFIELDERS (9): Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Alejandro Bedoya (Nantes), Michael Bradley (Toronto FC), Brad Davis (Houston Dynamo), Mix Diskerud (New York City FC), Alfredo Morales (Ingolstadt), DeAndre Yedlin (Tottenham Hotspur), Gyasi Zardes (LA Galaxy), Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City)
FORWARDS (4): Jozy Altidore (Toronto FC), Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders FC), Aron Johannsson (AZ Alkmaar), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes)

Liverpool have signed Firmino. That's a pretty big signing. Will he help save Rodgers's job? Phil McNulty is on the case. Inter signed Geoffrey Kondogbia. James Horncastle thinks it will not only benefit the Milan side, but Serie A as a whole. Other signings, almost-signings, rumors, rumours? Here you go:


Amy Lawrence writes this: After the travails of Micah Richards and Ashley Cole in Serie A, is it a coincidence that England’s best World Cup performance since 1966 was in 1990, during a period when more of the nation’s coveted talent played overseas? We shall read more of what she writes about that here.

And finally...Grant Wahl has a fascinating piece on the USWNT kit man who was fired in February. 

Onward!!

-SSN

Posted by The Editor at 11:42 AM 0 comments

Tuesday, June 23, 2015

USA Oust Colombia, England Defeat Norge, Cech to Arsenal, Parma Sadness, Goals of the Week


Come on in! The USA Women defeated the crap-talking about the USA not crap-talking Colombians 2 - 0 last night in Edmonton. The Yanks still looked disjointed but the defense was solid once again and they were able to sneak past the quick and slick Colombians. Gotta hand it to the South American side - they were a joy to watch at times. Gorgeous movement and passing. Anywho, the English also won thanks to a killer shot from Bronze. Here's the rest of your lot from the Great White North:

Women's World Cup: Monday's Day 17 Takeaways
USA 2 - 0 Colombia: Three Things We Learned
USA 2 - 0 Colombia: Three Things Learned
USA 2 - 0 Colombia: What We Learned
Norway 1 - 2 England: Louise Taylor in Ottawa

There is one match tonight: The Japanese vs. The Dutch.

Meanwhile, in what SSN staffers have dubbed the biggest transfer of the summer (at least in the Premier League) thus far, Petr "The Helmet" Cech looks certain to move across London from Chelsea to Arsenal. Here are the other rumors and rumours...


Man oh man oh man. SSN Regulars will know that we were big fans of the Parma sides of the late 90s. 1996-1997, in particular, was such a great  team. Gianluigi Buffon, Lilian Thuram, Enrico Chiesa, Hernán Crespo, Nestor Sensini, Dino Baggio, Mario Stanić...they were a fun side. And they should have won the title but for yet another dubious call in favor of Juventus. But, we digress. They're now in Serie D. As David Gendelman puts it, It is incredible that a Serie A team could go bankrupt so spectacularly twice in a little over 10 years. But in Italy the incredible has become the commonplace.



Smoggy in Santiago...

There are no matches in Copa América until tomorrow, so now would be the perfect time to look back at the tournament and pick 10 highlights. And who better to do that than Tim Vickery, who is taking it all in down in Chile.

Just how did the relationship between Sergio Ramos and Real Madrid turn ugly? El Sid takes a look.


And finally...Stevie G's got a billboard in L.A.

Onward!!

-SSN

nbcsoccer.com
Posted by The Editor at 11:24 AM 0 comments

Monday, June 22, 2015

The Sids, Brazil Women Out, Brazil Men Through, Copa América Quarterfinals Set, USA vs. Colombia Tonight

Fiddy and Joe Hart?!
Hello Week! A very pleasant Monday to you. We'll begin with the Women's World Cup, where Australia shocked Brazil to advance to the Quarters. The United States face Colombia tonight (8 p.m. EDT on Fox Sports 1) to attempt to do the same. Should the U.S advance, they'll face China. Here's what we've got from up in Canada...

Women's World Cup Bracket: Round-of-16 Results After Sunday
Women's World Cup: What we learned on Day 16
Women's World Cup: Sunday's Day 16 Takeaways
Grant Wahl: Best XI So Far
England vs. Norway: Preview

United States vs. Colombia

OMG! It’s the Sids 2015! Our favorite scribe in Spain looks back at the year that was. ¡Excelente!

Way down in Chile, it's time to hit the reset button. It's been an OK tournament at best. Hopefully that'll change. Let's see. What have we learned? Neymar is officially out after Brazil accepted his ban, his team did just enough to advance without him (Tim Vickery calls that progress), and here are your quarterfinals...




West Ham are already back in training. They've got a new gaffer and the Europa League to think about. James Riach takes a gander at the East London outfit here.


That'll do for today, peeps.

Onward!!

-SSN

Posted by The Editor at 10:55 AM 0 comments
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