Monday, August 14, 2006

Weekend Round Up

Barcelona run the Red Bulls out of New York.
Barcelona finished their preseason tour of the United States on Saturday with the one match of three against a MLS club, Red Bull New York. They finished the tour with style as they left the Big Apple with a 4-1 victory over the underachieving MLS side. Ronaldihno scored twice for Barca. Djorkaeff scored the one RBNY goal.

I wanted to simply put –
“HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH

as the comments for this match, but after much thinking about it, I felt that I could add the -

“HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH"

and still be able to write something about it. Still, there was still some urge inside me to leave the write up of this match as –

“HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

but that would leave out the one point I wanted to make. Former DC United midfielder, Dema Kovalenko seemed to have had a good first match with his new club, as he started the play that gave Yuri his goal.

Real Madrid knock off Real Salt Lake 2-0 in Utah.
After helping break ground on the new RSL stadium, David Beckham and Real Madrid proceeded to defeat the MLS club that bears their name, Real Salt Lake, 2-0. Ruud Van Nistelrooy scored at the end of the first half on a penalty kick and assisted on the second with a pass to Robinho.

I watched the first half of the match and I really didn’t think that there was that much to it. Neither club looked that great. Jeff Cunningham actually looked like the most dangerous guy on the field. The one thing I did notice was that Real Madrid was not playing anywhere near the tempo and speed that they played on Wednesday against DC United. I know, that sounds so much like the homer that I am, but as I watched the match with my Dad, who really couldn’t give two shits of soccer, caught the beginning of both matches, remarked that compared to the DC United match, Real Madrid looked like they were going at half speed. Now that could have been due to the altitude, Salt Lake City isn’t at sea level, so it might have posed more a problem to Real Madrid than playing in Seattle did. I just thought that they were playing RSL softer than they did against United. I also did not get to see the second half, so I can’t say much for that part and their tempo of play.

Liverpool deny Chelsea/Mourinho/Roman first silverware of season.
I will admit, for 2 hours yesterday, I was a Liverpool supporter. Here in the Washington, D.C. area, NFL fans have a saying, “I like two teams, the Redskins, and anyone playing Dallas.” I am starting to get that way with the EPL. However, my statement is, “I like three clubs, Manchester United, anyone playing Chelsea and anyone playing Arsenal.” I should add Liverpool to that statement, but for the purposes of yesterdays FA Community Shield, I figured I could support them for 2 hours. Liverpool won 2-1.

Riise’s 9th minute strike was a great individual effort. Taking the ball the whole length of the pitch and wisely using the Chelsea defender as a screen, he put the ball away and Cudicini did a very bad job on defending the goal. In his defense, the fact that he was screened by one of his own defenders gave him more trouble than it looked.

Sheva’s goal at the end of the first half was a classic Chelsea strike, and something everyone following the EPL had better get used to seeing. It was so pretty and Sheva looked like an artist as he put the ball away. Very nice, a goal worth $60 million??

Peter Crouches goal looked more like he was on the training pitch, rather than in the FA Community Shield match, the guy was so unmarked it was unreal. John Terry did a very bad job of marking the lanky giant of a forward for Liverpool. The header was nice, but he should have been marked better.

So what is with Michael Ballack? I know he is used to playing in Germany, but in the two matches I have watched him in this pre-season, he has yet to show the form and skill that got him moved to London. Is he going to be one of those players that only play well in their home country?

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