USA vs Spain Analysis
The USA played a friendly against Spain on Saturday in preparation for the upcoming Gold Cup, which starts for the USA tomorrow against Canada. Both teams started slightly weakened lineups, but Spain still handled the USA in every department. They had a goal called back for offsides and hit the post twice in the first 20 minutes. They finally broke through via Santi Carzola and never looked back. Spain were 3-0 up at halftime before Torres added one more in the second half.
I would have been much more disappointed if another team beat us 4-0 at home, but this was Spain. I wasn’t really expecting anything different. Spain had most of their stars, and are the best national side in the world. The USA should look at this game, learn from it, and forget it. It was a friendly, and they need to now focus on the Gold Cup. I was there in Foxboro, and they were outclassed from the first whistle. Things got a little better when Bradley and Dempsey came on at halftime, but only slightly.
A couple of things I noticed:
- You really have to see world-class players (i.e. Spain) in person to appreciate how good they really are. They make everything look so easy.
- Also, and I have been waiting since Saturday to go off on this: Why on earth were there more Spain fans at a USA home match? I understand Spanish people rooting for their country. But I was extremely, extremely disappointed to find so many Americans in Spain jerseys, and the fact that Spain got louder cheers for pretty much everything, even at the open practice on Friday. It is an utter disgrace, in my opinion, to root for the other team when they are playing your own country. You would never see that in another country. I’m all for rooting for them when their not playing the USA, but when they are? It made me very sad.
There were a couple of brights spots for the USA. Juan Agudelo and his replacement in the second half Alejandro Bedoya both looked alright, and as I mentioned before, Michael Bradley was very composed in midfield after he came on at halftime. He might not be the most skilled player, but he brings heart, grit, and composure to the USA side. He needs to work on his distribution, but he will be the anchor in midfield for the next generation of the USA team.
Champions League Final
The Champions League Final capped off the European season in style on Saturday. Barcelona cruised to a 3-1 win over Manchester United in a game that was only close for a small portion of the match. United took the game to Barca early, but the Spanish team weathered the storm and took control of the game from there on out. Pedro scored before United tied against the run of play, with Rooney finishing off a fine team move with a nice goal.
After United’s goal, Barca continued to dominate the game; they had most of the possession and more of the chances. United didn’t really play poorly, it was more Barca playing great and not letting United have the ball. Their dominance turned into goals, with Messi and Villa striking in the second half. In the end, the better team won. United will be looking to rebuild their midfield, a weakness in the final, over the summer. As for Barca, I have a question that leads to another: when they really turn up to play and don’t have an off-day, can they be beaten? And if so, is this possibly the best team ever?
As expected, Barcelona and Manchester United sealed their respective league crowns after both getting 1-1 results. Barcelona clinched on Wednesday and United, Saturday. Both teams can now focus on preparing for the Champions League final, which is just under two weeks away!
In the Premier League, the intense race to avoid relegation is going down to the last day. West Ham have already been relegated after they lost to Wigan, who scored in the 90th minute to keep their hopes of staying up alive. Wigan and Blackpool currently round out the bottom three. They are both on 39 points. Birmingham are above them only on goal difference. Wolves and Blackburn follow, both on 40 points. It’s very tight, and there are some huge games coming up this weekend. The biggest will probably be Blackburn vs Wolves. Whoever wins that game should be safe. I won’t even start to go through all the other possibilities; I tried to and my head started to spin! Sufficed to say, even with the Championship decided, it’s going to be a throughly entertaining final weekend in the Premier League.
Manchester United, AC Milan, Barcelona Seal Titles; Watch Out For Liverpool Next Season
As the leagues in Europe wind down there is intense competition, depending on the team, for titles, European spots, or to avoid relegation. It is the most exciting and dramatic part of the season. In Portugal, Porto have already secured the title, while in Germany Dortmund have done the same. This weekend AC Milan added themselves to that group, clinching the Serie A crown with a 0-0 tie at Roma. Manchester United and Barcelona have also all but won their leagues, with both teams needing only a point to clinch.
Manchester United played Chelsea on Sunday in the game that would decide the season for both teams. Chelsea were three points behind United going into the game, and were quickly behind after Chicharito put United ahead 40 second into the match. Vidic also scored in the first half before Lampard pulled one back for Chelsea mid-way through the second half. The game ended 2-1 United, who are now 6 points clear of their closest rivals. They need only one point in their last two games, both of which are against relegation-threatened teams, to secure a record 19th league title. It’s about as certain as you can get, although anything can happen.
Barcelona are also one point from clinching the La Liga title with three games to play after beating local rivals Espanyol 2-0. They will play Levante next and will be hoping to finish off the league there so they can rest players in preparation for the Champions League final on May 28th.
Finally, a quick note about Liverpool, who thrashed Fulham last night 5-2. They look like a serious force to be reckoned with. They are playing brilliant football at the moment and I think if they can carry this form over to next season, they will be serious contenders on all fronts. They have been playing really well, but without Steven Gerrard. My only questions is this: where will he fit in when he is ready to play? I’m not suggesting that Liverpool shouldn’t play him, but what impact will he have? Will he make this new team that Dalglish has formed even better? Or will he break up the team chemistry? Time will tell.
Champions League Final Set
Barcelona and Manchester United will square off once again in the final of the Champions League. It is the second time in three years that the teams will meet in the final. Barcelona won 2-0 in 2009, so United will be out looking for revenge. I’m really looking forward to it…it should be a great game.
Both teams still had work to do after they won their opening semi-final matches 2-0. Barcelona were in a good position after the first leg but still had to hold off an attacking Real Madrid side, which is exactly what they did. I believe that Real Madrid did not have a shot on target until their goal in the latter stages of the second half. Barcelona bossed the first half and much of the second and eventually won the tie 3-1 on aggregate. I think that despite the whining by Madrid about UEFA favoring Barcelona, it is obvious to me that Barca are the better team. Without a doubt they are beatable by anybody (Hércules beat them in Barcelona, 2-0), but they always turn up for the big games and compete.
Like Barcelona, Manchester United took a 2-0 lead into their second leg in both comfort and discomfort. They were in a good position, but could not afford to get overconfident and blow their lead. United fielded a weakened team from the first leg, but they were more than up to the task. It was 2-1 United at the half before Anderson added two more goals in the second to give United a 4-1 win on the night and a 6-1 aggregate win to send them to the final. The games against Schalke were all too easy for them, but it was good to see Schalke get so far.
It was an eventful weekend in the world of football. Both Real Madrid and Barcelona managed to lose in the same weekend (I wonder when the last time was that this happened?). Chelsea put serious pressure on Manchester United, who lost to Arsenal on Sunday, by beating Spurs with two questionable goals. In Germany, Borussia Dortmund clinched the German Bundesliga title this weekend with a 2-0 win over Nürnberg while in Italy, AC Milan are within touching distance of claiming their league after a 1-0 triumph against Bologna.
Chelsea beat Spurs 2-1 with goals from Lampard and Kalou. Both goals were questionable: Lampard’s never fully crossed the line, and Kalou was offsides when the ball was played to him just before he scored. This put pressure on United to pick up at least a point at Arsenal and further dampened Spurs hopes of returning to the Champions League next season as it is looking like Manchester City will take their place. I think Spurs will have a difficult time keeping their best players in the transfer window if they don’t qualify for the Champions League.
Manchester United visited Arsenal on Sunday with only a three-point lead over Chelsea, who they face next weekend. United lost the game 1-0 due to both a good Arsenal performance and a bad United one. They looked nothing like the side that easily beat Schalke on Tuesday and have to win or tie next weekend against Chelsea to remain at the top of the table. It is going to be a very interesting end to the season in the Premier League, that is for sure!
Champions League Semi-Finals Don’t Disappoint
I don’t know what to think about the semi-finals of the Champions League. On one hand, well, they’re the semi-finals! What’s not to like? They are usually the biggest games of the season for the teams involved (at least up to that point). But on the other hand, at least for me, they signal that the season is close to being over, which is a very sad thought indeed!
Anyway, let’s forget that now and talk about the games. On Tuesday Manchester United visited Schalke in what I thought could be a tricky fixture for the Red Devils. It turned out not to be a problem. United were superior in every way, and will take a 2-0 lead into the second leg next week with one foot already in the final. The one bright spot for Schalke was their keeper, Manuel Neuer, who showed exactly why he should be considered the top goalie in the world. He made a number of very impressive saves, and United should definitely consider him as a replacement for Edwin van der Sar, who retires at the end of the season.
Wednesday’s game was probably the more anticipated of the two semi-finals. Real Madrid and Barcelona met for the third time in the last month, but you could argue that the stakes were highest in this meeting. Emotions were also high, and there was a fight in front of the tunnel at half-time which saw Barcelona’s reserve keeper, Pinto, shown a red card. The drama did not end there. Pepe was shown a dubious red card in the second half for a challenge of Dani Alves, which then led to Jose Mourinho being sent to the stands by the ref for ranting. Messi then went on to score twice for Barcelona. His second was one for the ages. He beat five Madrid players before cooling slotting the ball home with his weak foot.
Unfortunately, the game will probably be remembered for its ugly side, and not Messi’s goal. It was an exhibition of what is wrong in the sport. Diving, acting, hacking, and heckling were the common themes. It is a huge shame, but it shows that only one thing matters: winning. Even Barcelona were willing to sacrifice their beautiful game in return for winning. (Although that statement is not entirely fair. Barca did try to play their game, whereas Madrid didn’t really even bother. But the point is still relevant: winning is everything.) And they will be laughing all the way back to Barcelona, because they did what they had to do: win. They take a 2-0 lead into the second leg (which, I should mention, is going to be quite tasty), and just like Manchester United, have one foot in the final.
Champions League Semi-Finals Set
The Champions League quarter-finals are complete, and the semi-finals are set. Manchester United will play Schalke, while Real Madrid will face arch-rivals Barcelona. Real Madrid and Barcelona will face each other four times in the next month: once in the league (this Saturday), once in the league cup final, and now twice in the Champions League.
Manchester United sealed their spot in the semi-finals with a 2-1 win over Chelsea on Tuesday. Chicharito opened the scoring right at the end of the first half. Chelsea brought on Drogba at halftime and he made an immediate impact. Chelsea were much more threatening in the attack with him up front, rather than Torres. Drogba scored in the second half, only to watch United score just seconds after, restoring their lead. I thought Chelsea played better this week than last, but United were still the better team. Rooney is in fine form, and United look very dangerous for the run-in.
In Wednesday, Tottenham welcomed Real Madrid to London. Losing 4-0 on aggregate already, the game was a goodbye for Spurs. They ended up playing fairly well, but lost due to a goalkeeping blunder. Real Madrid left nothing for chance, starting their first team despite a few of them being one booking away from a one-game suspension. Carvalho was the only player to pick one up, so he will miss the first leg of the semi-final with Barcelona.
So we have two intriguing semi-finals: Manchester United vs Schalke will be very interesting. Schalke brushed away Inter, and I’m looking forward to seeing how they approach Manchester United. As for the other semi-final, I don’t think I need to say anything about that one!
Champions League Quarter-Finals
The quarter-finals of the Champions League are here! The first legs took place on Tuesday and Wednesday. It was Schalke – Inter and Spurs – Madrid on Tuesday, followed by Chelsea – Man. Utd. and Barcelona – Shakhtar on Wednesday. There was only one shock result, with Inter going down at home to Schalke 5-2. I can’t see Inter coming back from that; they will have to score four goals at Schalke to go through.
The other game on Tuesday wasn’t as shocking. Spurs visited Real Madrid in hopes of keeping their magical run going, but by the end of the game it was practically over – Madrid comprehensively beat Spurs 4-0 - even with the return leg in London. Peter Crouch got himself sent off just after Madrid took the lead early in the first half, and it was downhill from there. In the end it was really no surprise. I had hoped that Spurs would continue to defy the odds, but Madrid were too much.
On to Wednesday. The big game was between Manchester United and Chelsea in a rematch of the 2008 final. Chelsea started the game well, but United eased their way into it and got a priceless away goal thanks to Wayne Rooney. Chelsea came close to scoring right before the end of the first half, when Frank Lampard’s effort of a rebound was cleared off the line by United. Chelsea also should have been given a penalty right at the end of the game, but their shouts were ignored by the ref. Other than those two opportunities, Chelsea looked sluggish and did not play well. United dominated most of the game.
Finally, Barcelona beat Shakhtar 5-1. While Shakhtar did get an away goal, I can’t really see them coming back. This sets up the possibility of a Real Madrid – Barcelona semi-final to go along with their two meetings in April (once in the league, once in the league cup final). Four Clásicos in April? Pretty sure I could die happy after that.
Review of USA Friendlies
The last five days saw the USA Men’s National Team play 2 games: the first on Saturday against Argentina, and the second on Tuesday against Paraguay. The squad of 22 players included regulars – Donavan, Howard, Dempsey, etc. – along with some fresh faces, such as Red Bulls pair Agudelo and Ream.
I’ll start with the Argentina game. Bob Bradley put out his “strongest side” in a 4-5-1 formation. Due to only having one striker up front in Altidore, every time the US managed to get the ball, which wasn’t often, he was completely isolated and outnumbered and quickly lost the ball. All in all the US were poor in the first half, although Argentina were also exquisite. Messi and co. were everywhere, carving the US defense apart at will. They went into halftime with a 1-0 lead, but it could have been way more. Bob Bradley made two changes at the break: he brought on Agudelo to give Altidore a bit of support, and gave a debut to Timmy Chandler. Playing 4-4-2, as they should have from the start, they gave Argentina a hard time and Agudelo tied the game off a scramble in the box after a corner.
A few points about the Argentina game:
- Bocanegra was terrible at left back. He is too slow to play there. His man did him in pretty much every time.
- Chandler was brilliant. He had no fear in going forward from right back and his service into the box was better than Donavan’s.
- We have no creativity in our starters. Bradley, Edu, and Jones are destroyers, not creators.
- The distribution out of the back, minus Chandler, was atrocious.
On to the Paraguay game. Unlike the Argentina game, I expected the US to win this one. I liked the starting lineup much more in this game. Chandler and Ream started in the back, and Agudelo was given the nod up front in a 4-4-2. The US started very well. Distribution out of the back was much better, and we dominated the game. Unfortunately we went behind on a corner, which was disappointing. The US plugged on and were the better side for the whole game, but lost 1-0. Again, some points:
- After watching both games it is obvious to me, and hopefully Bob Bradley, that Chandler should start at right back and Ream should start at center back. Forever. Or at least until they retire. They are better than any of the current players we have in those positions.
- Again, WE HAVE NO CREATIVITY IN MIDFIELD. And it’s killing me. It was painful to watch two defensive mids try to break down a well-organized defense. We are in desperate need of a player who can unlock defenses like Paraguay’s. Mikkel Diskerud could possibly be that player, but Bob Bradley doesn’t seem to fancy giving him much time, so I don’t really know. One reason our forwards are not scoring is that they don’t have a creative player feeding them chances.
- How long can we stick with Altidore? He’s not scored for his team in Turkey yet, and I can’t remember the last time he scored for the USMNT. And his job is to do what he isn’t doing: scoring goals.
- We need a new left back. Bornstein and Bocanegra aren’t getting it done. I would try Lichaj there and keep Chandler on the right.
