Friday, January 31, 2014

Deadline Day, Weekend Previews, Ronay on Del Piero, The Joy of Six, More Sexism From Gray & Keys

Zaha to Cardiff! Berbatov to Monaco! Holtby to Fulham! Taarabt to Milan?!

And so goes another week. It was a good one, with plenty of excellent mid-week action to sustain us until the weekend. And it's a good thing, because the European Match of the Weekend is actually on Monday. That would be Manchester City vs. Chelsea. But, more on that...next week.

Right. So, the transfer window finally slams shut today and we can move on from this silly, silly season. As such, today we're offering a slew of options to get your fix. Pick your poison: The Mill. Plus One. Deadline Day Deals. Deadline Day Live. Deadline Day Live II. Deadline Day Live III.

Ouch.
So other than that match on Monday, there aren't really any other massive fixtures this weekend. Real Madrid's trip to Bilbao, the Derby d'Italia (Juventus vs. Inter Milan), and the Tyneside Derby between Newcastle and Sunderland are the only other matches that stick out on paper. Let's get down to business, beginning with the Premier League:


And now to Serie A. And now to La Liga. Bundesliga? Sure. Why not?

Alessandro Del Piero. Il Pinturicchio. He's still playing down under for Sydney FC. Barney Ronay had the opportunity to see him play and decided to write about it. And that makes us very, very happy.

It is Friday and that means The Joy of Six. Today's edition is Transfer-Deadline Buys (and other late-season follies). Enjoy The Joy.

Whoa! Check this out: 10 U.S. stars to watch for in 2018 by U.S. Men's National Team expert Jeff Carlisle. Thanks, Jeff! Sticking with the U.S., did you know this summer Landon Donovan will participate in his fourth World Cup? Wow. That drinking fountain photo is old.

Good Grief. These guys, again? Assholes. BT Sport, the ball is in your court. Fire Andy Gray and make him go away. For good.

OK. That'll have to do. Have yourselves a fine weekend.

Onward!!

-SSN
Posted by The Editor at 10:56 AM 0 comments

Thursday, January 30, 2014

City Crush Spurs To Go Top, West Ham Draw With 19th Century Football, Bayern Munich Win, Ribery & Benzema Sex Charges Dropped

Hello! Manchester City now sit at the top of the BPL Table after annihilating Tottenham at White Hart Lane last night. David Hytner reports on the Blues' 5 - 1 victory. Phil McNulty wonders if and how they can be stopped. Amy Lawrence agrees that City's confidence is sky high. Jan Molby thinks they can win the quadruple. Yikes!

Insert your favorite caption here.
Meanwhile, down at Stamford Bridge, West Ham headed back to East London with a point after keeping Chelsea from finding the net. As expected, The Special One was none too pleased. His opposite number, Big Sam, loved it: "He can't take it, can he?" he said. "He can't take it because we've out-tactic-ed him, out-witted him. He just can't cope. He can tell me all he wants. I don't give a shite, to be honest. I love to see Chelsea players moaning at the referee, trying to intimidate the officials, and José jumping up and down in his technical area. It's great to see."

Elsewhere, Villa won a thriller over West Brom at Villa Park, and Sunderland edged Stoke. Here, then, is your current table.
Brad is glad...

There was one match in the Bundesliga yesterday. It involved Bayern Munich. They went down 1-0 to Stuttgart but came back to win 2-1. They've yet to lose this season. Check out the sick winning goal from Thiago Alcantara that clinched it at the death.

You may remember that Franck Ribery and Karim Benzema were charged with having sex with an underage prostitute. Those charges have been dropped.

It's almost closed! It's almost closed! Get 'er done, people! The Mill. Plus One.

West Ham prepare to face Chelsea...
It's the age old question that simply won't go away: Why aren't American players taken seriously in Europe? Roger Bennett attempts to find the answer.

Oh, dear. Chelsea Fans Claim To Know About Players That Don't Exist. Enjoy.

Let's terminate today's post with a European Leagues Review: Best XIs from the Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga, Serie A and Ligue 1, plus analysis of Everton's defeat to Liverpool.

Onward!!

-SSN
Posted by The Editor at 10:56 AM 0 comments

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

The Zlatan Sells Volvos, Liverpool Crush Everton, Southampton & Arsenal Draw, United Beat Cardiff, Today is Tottenham vs. Man City, Meet Serie A's Golden Boy

No comment.

And a very pleasant Hump Day to you. 

The Merseyside Derby certainly did not turn out as expected. Everton went to Anfield really thinking they could get something. They got nothing. The Reds trumped The Blues 4-0. Sturridge should have had a hat-trick but put his penalty into the second tier. Andy Hunter was at Anfield. Elsewhere, RVP returned with a goal, Juan Mata wore red instead of blue, and United staggered to a 2-0 home win against Cardiff. Down on the South Coast, Flamini saw red as a fluid and attractive Southampton side drew 2-2 with a languid and lethargic Arsenal team.

Here's your lot:


Are you man enough? Are you? Man enough to match The Zlatan and buy a Volvo?

The U.S. Men's National Team is currently training in SoCal. Stuart Holden is there! Check these notes.

We've got a few matches today. Four, in fact. Villa vs. West Brom, Chelsea vs. West Ham, Sunderland vs. Stoke, and Tottenham vs. Manchester City. Yes, City travel to White Hart Lane to face Spurs and a rejuvenated Adebayor, the player they still pay £40,000 per week. Ouch. Here's some Team News for youz.

Oh, great. Looks like we'll be seeing this asshole at the World Cup. What are Mexico thinking?

Only a few more days to get that big transfer done, guys. Here's The Mill and your Plus One.

Guillem Balague is Sky's Spanish Expert. He's talking about how Neymar's contract ended Sandro Rosell's reign and how Barcelona are in for big summer spend.

And finally today, would you care to meet Domenico Berardi, Serie A's Golden Boy? How convenient.

Onward!!

-SSN
Posted by The Editor at 10:53 AM 0 comments

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Midweek Action, Scribes, Mata, Liverpool Derby, U.S. Hotlist, World Cup Protests, Reyna on NYCFC

Oh, boy. Goodness us. We had a solid scouting trip on the west coast and have returned with some potential young talent for SSN Headquarters. All in all, very successful. And, to top it off, we get some delicious midweek Premier League fare to enjoy today and tomorrow.

Exciting.
Right. So Juan Mata is now employed by Manchester United. Can he be their new Cantona? Not in terms of flying kung-fu kicks, but rather inspired play on the pitch. Only time will tell.

The United States Men's National Team will be competing in Brazil this summer. Who is Hot? Who is Not? Check it.

Well, guess what woke finally woke up from a Black Forest winter slumber? The Bundesliga. Raphael Honigstein is on the scene where Klaas-Jan Hunterlaar returned with a bang. Here's the rest of your Tuesday scribe action:

Where? South America. Who? Tim Vickery. What? Falcao injury puts Colombia on alert.



Not exciting.
Back to the Premier League. Today's biggie is the Merseyside Derby. It's the biggest Liverpool/Everton clash in quite some time since both clubs are part of the pack at the top of the table. Elsewhere, Arsenal go south to Southampton, Manchester United host Cardiff and 'Ye Ole Gunner, Norwich welcome Newcastle, Swansea host Fulham, and Hull go to Palace. Here's all your preparatory information:

Michael Cox: Barry vs. Gerrard

More protests in Brazil over the weekend. It's such a shit show. As you know, Tim Vickery is there and he filed this report.

The Transfer Window is still open. Essien went to Milan and Cabaye went to PSG, by the way. Here's The Mill and your Plus One.

Former Yank Abroad Claudio Reyna is running the show for New York City FC. They kick off their life next year. Richard Jolly has a word with the former Rangers & Man City star.

Whew! It's good to be back.

Onward!!

-SSN
Posted by The Editor at 11:09 AM 0 comments

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Mata Mata, League Cup, Mancini Built This City

A pleasant Humpday to you. A brief one this morning as SSN Headquarters prepares for a bit of a winter break. Posts will be a wee infrequent over the next several days as most of the staff head to the west coast for some talent scouting. 

The big news today is still Juan Mata. If (and that's a big if) the Spanish spark-plug wants out of Stamford Bridge, United will buy him for £40 million. 

Yesterday, things got worse for West Ham. Andy Carroll has obviously been attending the Nicolas Bendtner hair academy. Sadly for Hammer fans, the samurai look failed to result in any goals while City eased to a 3-0 win. That's 9-0 on aggregate if you're following at home. Ouch.

Speaking about City, Mancini says he built this City. On what, you ask? Yep. Rock and Roll.

Today's other semi should be a bit more competitive. It's Manchester United vs. Sunderland. Will it be a Manchester Derby for the What's In Your Wallet? Trophy? Tune to beIN Sport at 2:45pm EST and find out.

The Mill. Plus One. We're Done.

Told you it'd be brief.

Onward!!

-SSN
Posted by The Editor at 9:08 AM 0 comments

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Messi & Sergio, Hawthorns Draw, Would Mata Matter?, Anelka Charged, USA Hotlist, 2014 World Cup Babes Calendar

Oops...
Welcome, friends. The news today begins with Juan Mata's speculative move to United. Would it even mattah? It probably won't happen anyway, but it's fun to think about.

In actual soccer-playing news, West Brom came back to nab a draw with Everton in Monday Night Football action. Here's the current Premier League table. It's tight at the top...and tight at the bottom. Southampton have created a little space for themselves in ninth but other than that it's quite crowded.
No more Zoopla for you!
Speaking of West Brom, Le Sulk now faces a minimum five-match ban if he's found guilty by the FA of making the controversial "quenelle" gesture. It's described as an inverted Nazi salute. He did it after scoring against West Ham last month. He says it's in support of his friend. Whatever, brah.


World Football. Europe. South America. The Scribes:

Location: Spain
Scribe: Sid Lowe

Location: Italy
Scribe: Paolo Bandini

Location: Germany
Scribe: Uli Hesse

Location: Brazil
Scribe: Tim Vickery

Hot List! Who's Hot & Who's Not in the world of USA men.
Don't mess with the Interisti...

There is also the small matter of the Capital One Cup Semi-Final Second-Leg to discuss. Oh. Right. Well, it'll be entertaining to watch Big Sam chomp furiously on his gum while praying the home fans don't lay into him too much. Here's a preview.

Do The Heads Want More? Hell Yeah! European Leagues Review: Players, Teams and Swansea City's slump.

And finally...yes...it's what you've all been waiting for: The Official 2014 World Cup Babes Calendar!

Onward!!

-SSN
Posted by The Editor at 10:35 AM 0 comments

Monday, January 20, 2014

Chelsea Win, Barcelona & Atlético Draw, Monday Night Foortball, Half-Yank Julian Green, Franck Ribéry Is Pissed

And a happy Monday to you. And a happy MLK Day to you. Yesterday, Chelsea won comfortably over Manchester United. United had their moments, but didn't have what it takes to get a result. They're still a mess on the defensive side. Dominic Fifield was at Stamford Bridge. He says the United players looked haunted. Scary stuff. Phil McNulty says that reality bites for Moyes and his boys. Paul Hayward says it's the end of an era. Michael Cox talks tactics. And David Hytner learned five things at the match and has graciously offered to share them with us. Cheers.

Elsewhere in the Premier League, Liverpool drew against a suddenly fluid Aston Villa, Manchester City, Arsenal, Palace, and Tottenham claimed victories, and Newcastle won at West Ham. Here's your lot:


Over in Italy, Super Mario helped Clarence Seedorf get off to a winning start in Milan. Neighbors Inter lost, and Juventus maintained their top-dog status with another win. Here's a review.

Down in Spain, Real Madrid were the big winners as Barcelona and Atlético Madrid could only manage draws in their respective fixtures. Real are on a roll, baby. Watch out.
Diego finds it tough at the top...
Oh, the insufferable transfer window. Why do you toy with our emotions so? The Mill. Plus One.

Monday Night Football! It's an interesting one today as Pepe Mel takes over at West Brom. The Baggies host Everton. West Brom need points to stay clear of the drop zone while Everton have the opportunity to leapfrog Spurs and Liverpool and get back into fourth. 3pm EST on NBCSN.

Monday Musings! Gab is musing about Man Utd's mistakes, Real momentum and Liverpool's progress. Muse right along with him, why don't ya?

Ever heard of Julian Green? No. Nor us. Turns out he was born in Florida and plays for Bayern Munich. Rafael Honigstein has more on the young buck.

Franck Ribéry is not happy about not winning the Golden Ball award thingy. "I won everything, with the team and individually. Ronaldo won nothing," Ribery apparently said in an interview with Munich's TZ newspaper. Interesting take on things.

Till Tomorrow.

Onward!!

-SSN
Posted by The Editor at 12:09 PM 0 comments

Friday, January 17, 2014

Chelsea vs Manchester United, Neymar Hurt, The Joy of Six

And there goes the week that was. Friday is upon us once again, fair SSN friends, and that means footie on the horizon. Most eyes are on Chelsea's clash with Manchester United on Sunday. That should be juicy. Your Editor will have an eye on the Emirates where his sister and her family will enjoy Arsenal vs. Fulham in North London tomorrow. Here's everything necessary to get you prepared for the weekend's Premier League menu:



West Bromwich Albion have a new manager. His name is Pepe Mel. He's Spanish. We like him already. Sid Lowe knows.

Barcelona's season has been Johnny Marred a bit by an injury to Neymar. He'll be out for at least a month. That first photo is brutal!

Friday The Mill. Friday Plus One.

It's been too bloody long since we've had a good Joy of Six. Let's fix that. Today is Football Fiascos. Sounds so good we need to take a peek. Ahh...yes...Sheffield Wednesday 3 - 2 Manchester United from October, 1991. That was a fiasco.

Spain! La Liga! It's still a three-team race at the top. Let's take a gander, shall we?
Italy! Serie A! Juventus have pretty much sown things up. Let's take a gander, shall we?
Germany! Das Bundesliga! Nope. Still on break.

Barney Ronay is a fine scribe. Today, he's got a column about Arsene Wenger.

We'll finish the week on a high note: Getafe defender taken off against Barca with broken veins in a testicle! 

Onward!!

-SSN
Posted by The Editor at 11:06 AM 0 comments

Thursday, January 16, 2014

Manchester City Stronger, Manchester United Weaker, Southampton Falling Apart, Liverpool Has An Official Donut, Seedorf in at Milan, U.S. Hotlist

Apologies for the quiet. We had some issues here at SSN Headquarters that have been resolved. With violence.

Anyway, what's going on? Manchester City had little trouble with Blackburn in their FA Cup replay as Sergio Agüero returned to action with aplomb. Paul Wilson takes a look at the power in the City side as they attempt to win The Quadruple.

Watch out, because he's back, and he's scoring...
Meanwhile, across town at Old Trafford, more woe as Wayne Rooney looks to be out for a while longer with his groin issue. It turns out his "hot weather" holiday was in Egypt. We figured it was Dubai. Wrong again.

Southampton is going crazy all of a sudden. Their chairman has quit, their manager might leave, and suddenly this impressive, young, attacking squad could be completely unraveled. Dominic Fifield investigates.

Watch out! We're bouncing straight to The Mill and your Plus One.

Nemanja Matic is back at Chelsea. Because Chelsea can do things like that.

Remember Maurice Edu? We'd forgotten he was employed by Stoke City. Philadelphia want to give him some freedom (oh!) and bring him back Stateside. MLS isn't totally on board. Sticking Stateside, let's check out the U.S. Hotlist. Gooch has left QPR for (hopefully) pastures greener at Sheffield Wednesday.

Clarence Seedorf is the new manager of Milan. He's only 37! What did he accomplish in his 22 years of playing soccer? Only this: 400 appearances for Milan. Two Serie A and two Champions League titles. He was the first player to win the Champions League with three different clubs: Ajax in 1995, Real Madrid in 1998, and Milan, in 2003 and 2007. Now that's what we call a CV. Gabriel Marcotti has more.

Anderson. So much potential. Anderson. Such bad hair. Anderson. Out the door.

Ian Rush looks especially pleased...
And...Liverpool have announced a partnership with Dunkin' Donuts. Dunkin' Donuts: The Official Donut of Liverpool Football Club. You can't make this shit up.

Onward!!

-SSN
Posted by The Editor at 10:25 AM 0 comments

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Just One Photograph


Posted by The Editor at 10:03 AM 0 comments

Monday, January 13, 2014

Honors Even In Madrid, Newcastle Controversy, Pellegrini Is A $@%#%* According To Alan Pardew, Milan Sack Allegri, Monday Night Football

Whew! And a very happy Monday to you and yours. Let's begin at St. James' Park where one of the best strikes you'll ever see was deemed not legit. Incorrectly. Louise Taylor usually reports from Newcastle and today is no different. She was there to watch a very eventful match that was eventually won by Manchester City. Not before Samir Nasri left on a stretcher (he's out for eight weeks) after being hacked by Yanga-Mbiwa. He only saw yellow. Not the best day out for Mike Jones and his crew. Nor Alan Pardew. Kristan Heneage has Three Things to say about all of it.



To be fair, Pardew did apologize for calling Pellegini "a fucking old cunt." Did he have a choice?

Meanwhile, in Stoke, Liverpool prevailed thanks to a handball, followed by a dive, followed by a penalty. It was an engrossing match that ended 3-5. Not surprisingly, Luis Suárez played really well. Richard Jolly was at the Brittania.

Here's all you need to know from the weekend in the Premier League where Manchester United, Tottenham, Chelsea, West Ham, Everton, Sunderland, and Southampton emerged victorious. There were no draws.


Unlike the matches in England and Wales, The European Match of the Weekend ended scoreless. Barcelona and Atlético Madrid provided some exciting fare, but nobody could find the net. Jonathan Wilson reports on a match played with ferocious intensity. As does Graham Hunter. Here's even more on that match plus a look at the other weekend action in Spain.

Well, AC Milan lost to Sussudio (some dude named Berardi scored four). They now sit 11th in Serie A, 30 points behind Juventus. That is simply unacceptable. So, they fired Allegri. Rumor has it The Diving Italian Inzaghi might get the call to take over.

Monday Night Football! Today we've got Aston Villa vs. Arsenal. The battle of the "A" teams. Teams that begin with the letter "A". Right. Check it out at 3pm EST on NBCSN. We're closing SSN Headquarters early in order to do just that.

OMG!! We almost forgot The Mill and your Plus One! Never!

That Ballon d'Or crap is today. We don't care.

Onward!!

-SSN
Posted by The Editor at 11:07 AM 0 comments

Friday, January 10, 2014

Defoe to Toronto, Rooney to "Hot Weather", Atlético Madrid vs. Barcelona, Lawro vs. De Niro & Stallone

Is it Friday already? These weeks just have a way of evaporating before our very eyes. 

Sampdoria fans receive plenty of protection during their side's Cup match at Roma.
We'll begin in England (and Wales), where the FA Cup makes way for the Premier League and Wayne Rooney will not be playing for Manchester United. He's been sent away to hang out in some hot weather. Ok, then. Sticking with the Crisis Club of the Month, just why has Old Trafford lost its fear factor? Elsewhere? Here, just look at all of this:


As fans, we don't really care about the reasons Michael Bradley has for jumping to Canada, but here are Three that make sense. They just don't make us very happy.

At least three times every season various SSN staff are asked about Frank Ribery. Why does his face look like that? This is why. Read it and remember it and store it away for later.

El Estádio de Atlético Madrid. En Madrid. Bueno. 
No, it's not El Clásico but it's still a big one. Tomorrow at 2pm EST on beIN Sport USA you can watch the top two teams in La Liga (sorry, Real Madrid -- you're not even the best in your town!) battle it out at the Vicente Calderón. Atlético Madrid vs. Barcelona. Tied at the top of the table. So good it's the European Match of the Weekend. Tactical battles? Look at some slides. Guillem Balague? He's in on this, too.

Don't ask. Do not ask. DO NOT ASK! Are Barcelona better without Messi? We told you not to ask.

The transfer window remains ajar until the end of the month. Hence, The Mill. And, your Plus One.

In Italy, we've reached Round 19 of the Serie A campaign. This is what said round will offer.

Enjoy the weekend.

Onward!

-SSN
Posted by The Editor at 10:26 AM 0 comments

Thursday, January 09, 2014

Dallas Tornado, West Ham Thrashed (Again), More On Hitzlsperger, Statistical Review, Michael Bradley to Toronto?, ESPN Name Darke to do World Cup

Oh, dear. Dear, dear, dear. Poor West Ham. In their last two matches they scored zero and their opposition scored 11. Yesterday it was Manchester City doing the damage and all but ending any doubt that they'll be playing for the Capital One Cup at Wembley next month. To be fair, Big Sam had to work with a patched-up side, but come on! Geez. Phil McNulty says there is no defense for Allardyce at this point. Here are Five Talking Points.

Yup. That's Chris Smalling. Yup. That's the costume he
decided to wear to a party.
Here's another Oh, Dear. It would appear that Yank Abroad in Rome Michael Bradley is poised to become Yank Abroad in Toronto Michael Bradley. What bummer. Sure, you're fighting for a spot at Roma and the money would be great in MLS, but come on, lad! You've proved you can succeed in Serie A. Stick with it! Anyway, Grant Wahl's on the case.

Would you care for a dose of cheeky masseurs, wacky names and grade-a flirting? We assumed as much. It's all here in A Year in Brazilian Football.

Infographics! Statistical Review! How have the 20 Premier League teams fared so far? And in the tightest title race in a long time (just two points separate the top three of Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea), Sky examine the title chances of the top seven clubs.

Martin Tyler will not be on your TV in the U.S. this summer. Sniff. Instead, it'll be Ian Darke. We're fine with that. It could be worse.

We like to learn. SSN Staffers are reknown for their learning ability. Today, we learned something about the Dallas Tornado, thanks to The Guardian. If you didn't already, now you know: The forgotten story of...Dallas Tornado's 1967-68 world tour...Dallas' journey saw them cheat death at the hands of Greek-Cypriot terrorists, visit Vietnam amid war and survive an on-pitch riot in Singapore. The football must have felt like a sideshow.


Emmanuel Adebayor. An exercise in frustration. An outcast. A warrior. A sulker. A scorer. An instigator. Rory Smith takes a closer look at the man from Togo.

Raphael Honigstein heard the news about Tomas Hitzlsperger and had to talk to the man himself. He succeeded in his attempt. Here's the interview.

Where ya at, The Mill? Plus One? Done.

Onward!!

-SSN
Posted by The Editor at 11:49 AM 0 comments

Wednesday, January 08, 2014

To Summer Or Not To Summer, United Lose To Sunderland, Hitzlsperger Comes Out, Lazio, Laurent Dubois On Afro-Europe In The World Cup

Happy Humpday! 

We'll begin with SPECTRE FIFA. One of their guys said Qatar 2022 will not be played in the summer. Then some of their other guys said nothing had been decided. Clowns.

Speaking of clowns, apparently that's what Manchester United think of referees these days. It was another loss for the Red Devils at Sunderland last night. The loss marks the first time United have lost three matches inside a week since 1992. Jamie Jackson took in the show at the Stadium of Light, and Louise Taylor thinks David Moyes is being haunted by Sir Alex Ferguson. Spooky.

Beginning to make Moe Szyslak look handsome...
Ian Darke wants to grade each of the Premier League teams on how they have fared thus far. For example: Cardiff City -- Owner Vincent Tan has made the club a laughing stock and spoiled what should be a wonderful adventure in the top flight. Perhaps he will calm down and let Ole Gunnar Solskjaer pilot the club to safety, but you would fancy them more if they had a striker as good as the former Man United man. C. Read the other 19 grades here.

Thomas Hitzlsperger is gay. The former German International and Villa/Stuttgart/Lazio/West Ham/Wolfsburg/Everton man made the announcement yesterday. One day announcements like this won't have to be announced. Until then, well played, Tommy. Respect. Marcus Christensen has a good piece on the man they called 'Der Hammer'.

Over in Italy, Lazio are a club in chaos. The Roman giants just haven't been able to get it together of late. James Horncastle takes a closer look.

Friend of SSN, Professor at Duke, Haitian Expert, and All Around Good Guy Laurent Dubois has a new piece in Sports Illustrated. This time around, Professor Dubois is looking at Afro-Europe in the World Cup.

Eastern Europe expert Jonathan Wilson is in Venice. The local club are in trouble. They might go under. Sorry. Take a look.

There is a match of note this afternoon. Manchester City host West Ham in a Capital One Cup Semi-Final First Leg clash at the Etihad. Here's a preview. As with yesterday, it can be viewed in the USA on beIN Sport USA at 2:45pm EST.

The Mill is burning up. It's so hot it needs a Plus One.

Onward!!

-SSN
Posted by The Editor at 10:48 AM 0 comments

Tuesday, January 07, 2014

Walcott Injury, Vidic Won't Extend Contract, Sunderland vs. Manchester United, Scribes, Podcast, Free Chili If You Buy A Pint

Top of the Tuesday to you. Theo Walcott's all banged up and won't play again this season. He also will not play for England in the World Cup. It's that cruciate ligament, don't you know. Cue loads of articles on who Arsenal should buy to replace Theo and how England are now really screwed. Amy Lawrence thinks there's no need to panic. Alan Smith begs to differ. Phil McNulty simply looks at all the angles.

Up in Manchester, everyone's favorite Serb Nemanja Vidic could leave for nothing this summer after a contract extension at Old Trafford was ruled out. Apparently, he's keeping his options open. Speaking of United, they're up at The Stadium of Light for the Capital One Cup Semi-Final First-Leg showdown against Sunderland (2:45pm EST on beIN Sport USA).

It's wicked cold as all get out out there so let's hit the U.S. Men's National Team Hot List. Corona? Shea? Onyewu? Go on. Warm up.

Speaking of hot and warm, The Mill is here. As is your Plus One.

International Scribe Time! Phil Ball is still AWOL. What's up with that? Here are his Brothers in Arms:

Location: Spain
Scribe: Sid Lowe

Location: Italy
Scribe: Paolo Bandini

Location: Germany
Headline: Battling Blatter
Scribe: Uli Hesse

Location: Germany
Scribe: Raphael Honigstein

Location: Germany
Scribe: Raphael Honigstein

Location: Brazil
Scribe: Tim Vickery

Podcast! On today's Football Weekly, AC Jimbo has Barry Glendenning, Rafa Honigstein and Jacob Steinberg along for the ride to look back on all the action in the FA Cup, where a fairly uninspiring list of fixtures threw up a surprising amount of drama. We start at Old Trafford, where Swansea claimed the biggest scalp, beating Manchester United, before moving onto Nottingham Forest's 5-0 mauling of West Ham. At least the Hammers and the Red Devils can redeem themselves in the Capital One Cup midweek. Or not. Next, we pour scorn on Paul Lambert whose weakened Aston Villa got what they deserved by being dumped out of the cup by Sheffield United, and wonder how much Arsenal will miss Theo Walcott after he was injured in their 2-0 win over Spurs. Finally, we catch up on some transfer gossip, find out how Juventus got on against Roma, and resume contact with our foul-mouthed friend in Spain, Sid Lowe – all the while hoping that Jimbo doesn't get a parking ticket …
FA CUP 4TH ROUND DRAW (Ties to be played on weekend of January 25/26)
Sunderland v Kidderminster or Peterborough
Bolton v Cardiff
Southampton v Yeovil
Huddersfield v Charlton or Oxford
Port Vale or Plymouth v Brighton
Nottingham Forest v Ipswich or Preston
Southend v Hull
Rochdale v Macclesfield or Sheffield Wednesday
Arsenal v Coventry
Stevenage v Everton
Wigan or MK Dons v Crystal Palace
Chelsea v Stoke
Blackburn or Manchester City v Bristol City or Watford
Bournemouth or Burton v Liverpool
Birmingham, Bristol Rovers or Crawley v Swansea
Sheffield United v Norwich or Fulham

And finally...free chili if we buy a pint? Consider our arms twisted...

Onward!!

-SSN
Posted by The Editor at 10:41 AM 0 comments

Monday, January 06, 2014

Eusébio is Dead, FA Cup, La Liga, Serie A, Monday Musings, Lewandowski to Bayern Munich

A woman pays tribute to Eusébio outside Benfica's ground
Sad news to start the week as Portuguese legend Eusébio passed away. European Footballer of the Year in 1965 and lead scorer at the 1966 World Cup, Eusébio was a class act on and off the pitch. Here's a profile. And another by George Vecsey.

Right. Things resumed in Serie A where Roma are no longer unbeaten. Juventus beat them to go eight clear at the top of the table and effectively end the Serie A title race. Roma finished with nine men after Rossi and Castan saw red. Yank Abroad Michael Bradley was an unused substitute. Elsewhere, Fiorentina won, Napoli won, Milan are winning at the moment (Monday matches!), and Inter are in Rome to face Lazio a bit later this afternoon. We'll get more from Paolo domani.

In Spain, it's all set up rather nicely for next weekend's Barcelona/Atlético Madrid after both teams were victorious. Barcelona hardly missed Messi or Neymar thanks to three from Alexis, while Atlético were able to sneak past Malaga.
Fittingly, a white horse ushers the Tottenham team bus into the Emirates
Back in England, the romance of the FA Cup was in full swing. In the glamour tie, Arsenal beat Tottenham 2-0 but lost Theo Walcott to a knee injury. Apparently he will not be punished for his hand gestures in response to the coins thrown at him by the Spurs supporters. Manchester United's troubles continued as they lost late to Swansea at Old Trafford. Manchester City will have to try again after they could only draw against Blackburn. West Ham? Oh, dear. Five-Nil at Forest. Here's your lot:


Well. Would you look at that. Sepp Blatter said something sensible. The bumbling racist, sexist, homophobic, corrupt twat actually said something smart. Brazil is the worst-prepared World Cup host country ever. Duh.

Rumors! Rumours! The Mill! Plus One!

How about some additional 2013 review action? Here is Serie A Review - 2013: A Year To Remember Part I. Titesboro.

Back to Manchester United for a moment. Daniel Taylor thinks David Moyes's appointment might have been the wrong move. Was it?
Walcott responds to Spurs supporters
Stefan Bienkowski has a great headline here: Bullying Bayern Munich target Europe domination after Lewandowski raid. We suppose they do indeed.

The Diving German has called his U.S. men to camp. Read all about it here.

It's our lucky day. Gab's Monday Musings are available on Monday. Today, he's thinking...The Moyes blame game, imperious Juventus and Eusebio memories.

And with that...we take our leave.

Onward!!

-SSN
Posted by The Editor at 11:37 AM 0 comments

Friday, January 03, 2014

Back in Business with La Liga, Serie A, FA Cup, Bob Bradley, The Mill, Americans Abroad

Oh! And it's the first Friday of 2014. How do you like that? The Germans will keep hibernating, but action thankfully resumes in Spain and Italy. The Premier League takes a wee respite while the FA Cup attempts to maintain its romance and market share. Ahem.

Lionel Messi. Remember that guy? He's almost ready to play again. Almost. It probably won't happen this weekend but he should be in action against Atlético Madrid next weekend. Here's a preview for this weekend as La Liga gets back in gear. And speaking of Atlético Madrid, do they have what it takes to topple the Big Two this year? Can they pull it off?

Over in Italy they'll be back in action as well, and with a doozy, no less. Leaders Juve welcome unbeaten Roma to Turin for a big-ass battle royale on Sunday (beIN Sport USA at 2:45pm EST). Elsewhere, third-place Napoli host Sampdoria and Lazio host Inter. Click here.

North London Derby. 1948.
Back in England they'll be contesting the Third Round of the FA Cup. The standout match has to be Arsenal vs. Tottenham (FOX -- yes, that FOX -- at 12:15pm EST) in the 174th North London derby.

Elsewhere, Derby County host Chelsea, Newcastle United host Cardiff City, Norwich City welcome Fulham, West Bromwich Albion host Crystal Palace and Manchester United host Swansea. Cup holders Wigan Athletic (the first side to win the FA Cup and be relegated in the same season) are home to League One (third tier) MK Dons. Here's some stuff you can read to further prepare:


Oh, dear. Apparently, some Stockport County fans stink.

Not tired of "End of Year" stuff? Good. Neither are we. Welcome to Americans Abroad: Best of 2013 Edition.

Nadderud Stadion. Bob Bradley's new home in Norway.
Hey! Bob Bradley has a new gig! He's been named the new coach at Norwegian club Stabaek. All the best, Bob!

Oh, boy. The Mill. Plus One. Oh, boy.

We'll finish with Adebayor. Why didn't AVB play him? According to some, it's all because of a hat.

Onward!!

-SSN
Posted by The Editor at 10:53 AM 0 comments

Thursday, January 02, 2014

New Year (our 17th) Happiness, The Mill Returns!, Premier League Updates, Serie A Returns, La Liga Returns, FA Cup, Podcast, Ye Ole Gunnar in at Cardiff

Ahoy! Happy New Year! If memory serves, this is the 17th year that Sanford's Soccer Net has existed in some shape or form. What began as an email to those with interest in Le Foot has morphed into various iterations over the years. This is the current form. Yes, it was in our dorm room at NYU where we first decided to start Def Jam. After hearing that cassette, we knew we had...wait...sorry...that was Rick Rubin. Anyway, BIG UPS to Bobbie BS and Tracksuit Bottoms for being there since Day One.

SSN Original Staffers Tracksuit Bottoms (left) and Bobbie BS (right) on the concourse at Craven Cottage
Now back to our regularly scheduled program. New Years Day action in the Premier League. The biggie was Manchester United vs. Tottenham. As with many of the biggies this campaign, it did not disappoint. Unless you're Moe Szyslak. In that case, you're pissed. Moyes thought The Lloris fouled Diving Ashley Young and United should have had a penalty. Tough to say. We can say that it's interesting to see United not getting calls all of a sudden. Speaking of, it seems like nobody is getting calls. Since that terrible mistake by Mike Riley gifted Chelsea a point against West Brom, the refs have been reluctant to award awards in the box. Perhaps that's just an incorrect perception on recent proceedings by those of us at SSN.

Right. What else? Arsenal stay top after leaving it late to beat gaffer-less Cardiff (not so anymore: Ole Gunnar is the new man in charge down in Wales), Manchester City are right there after cruising past Swansea, Chelsea keep pace, as do Liverpool, and West Ham are in trouble as Captain Kevin Nolan loses the plot. Here's your lot:


Table! The EPL will take a little break so the FA Cup can appear on the scene so let's have a look at the standings. Richard Jolly wants to talk Fulham and the return of Clint Dempsey. Please do so, Jolly.

Whew. We've got a Podcast, thank goodness. Word: And so, Football Weekly returns after a mere three days away for this, our first voyage of 2014, with AC Jimbo, Rafa Honigstein, Barry Glendenning and Paul Doyle in tow. We start with Tottenham's victory at Old Trafford, before discussing the genuine Premier League title contenders – ouch! – with Arsenal showing their mettle against Cardiff, Manchester City powering past Swansea, and Chelsea Mou-ing past Southampton. After catching up with important wins for Fulham and Aston Villa, we round up the rumours doing the rounds now that the transfer window opens again. Finally, we look forward to third round of the FA Cup and the return of the Serie A, with Roma taking on Juve.

 Let's see here. Championship strugglers Barnsley have signed U.S. international Brek Shea from Stoke City on a 28-day emergency loan. Good luck, Brek!

Numbers? You want numbers? Fine. Premier League: 2013 in numbers

La Liga swings back into action this weekend. Before those in Spain hit the pitch, let's recall the winners and losers of 2013.

The Mill Returns
2014. What will happen? Grant Wahl looks into his crystal ball and ends up with 14 predictions. Number 6? Sepp Blatter will say at least one offensive thing about women. Come on Wahl, tell us something we don't know.

Well. Would you look at that? The Transfer Window is open once again. Hence, The Mill. Thus, your Plus One.

Onward!!

-SSN
Posted by The Editor at 11:07 AM 0 comments

Monday, December 30, 2013

Premier League Insanity. Anti-Semitism & Anelka. Andy Cole Racially Abused on a Plane. The Year for United States Soccer.

What Up?! We opened SSN Headquarters to check on the dog, make sure the internet is working, and do some cleaning. Turns out it's pretty much all Premier League, friends. While the superstars of the leagues in Spain, Germany, and Italy rest and relax (or hit the dunes in Dubai), those plying their trade in England and Wales are hard at work. For instance...Sachin Nakrani was at Upton Park over the weekend and Nic Anelka is in hot water over some sort of French gesture. Oh. Well, then. "Ye Ol Reverse Nazi." even on the rare occasion when he scores goals and plays hard he still manages to screw it all up. Hey Le Sulk! Thanks for the memories and never fulfilling your potential and letting your brothers lead you down a dark, dark alley. Martin Samuel reckons Anelka should be banned for 16 games.
Idiots
The big match yesterday was Liverpool at Chelsea. It did not disappoint. The Special One jumped around, Suarez jumped around, and Chelsea emerged 2-1 winners. Dominic Fifield was at Stamford Bridge. Elsewhere, Arsenal stayed top by edging (just) Newcastle. Louise Taylor was at St. James' Park. Here's the rest of everything that was in the Premier League Saturday and Sunday. Don't get caught napping -- we've got a whole slew of matches coming up in Wednesday.


Want to listen to some people talk about everything so you don't have to read? Thank The Good Lord for The Podcast: On the final Football Weekly of 2013, James Richardson has Barry Glendenning, James Horncastle and Marcus Christenson for company as he looks back on another wild weekend in the life of the Premier League. Near the top of the Premier League, Chelsea inflicted Liverpool's second defeat in a week, while Crystal Palace almost did the impossible and took points off Manchester City at the Etihad, but it's Arsenal who finish the year looking down on the rest after their ugly win at Newcastle. And at the bottom, Fulham put in a shocking display as they crumbled against rampant Hull City, while West Ham drew with West Brom (a result overshadowed by Nicolas Anelka's latest controversy) and Cardiff threw away the points at home to Sunderland. That, boys and girls, is pretty much it. Thanks for listening and have a happy new year.

2013 is coming to an end. As you know. And ya'll deserve an analysis of what went down in the U.S. of A., yo. Pipe this. Top moments in MLS? Knock yourselves out.

2013 is coming to and end. As you know. ESPN has picked its PL Team of the Year. Plenty to debate here.

Vincent Tan is a Wanker. A Surpreme Wanker. Malkay McKay got the sack. No, "you're fired", for him because there was no reason for the dismissal. We agree with Phil McNulty's take on the silliness.

Christ. Andy Cole was racially abused by some drunk idiots on a flight to Dublin.

Sid Lowe wants to wonder if a Boxing Day schedule could work in Spain. We oblige El Sid.

Right. That'll do for today. Enjoy the last hours of 2013.

Onward!!

-SSN
Posted by The Editor at 11:05 AM 0 comments
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