Red or Blue?

In a few short hours soccer fans around the world will do whatever it takes to make sure they are parked in front a television. Today's Merseyside derby is a must-watch for anyone who considers himself a fan of the beautiful game. Matches between crosstown rivals Liverpool and Everton are always a big deal, but this one carries added importance. Liverpool are currently clinging to fourth place and the final Champions League spot that comes with it. Everton are just one point behind Liverpool. With Arsenal, Manchester City, and Chelsea showing no signs of slipping from the top three, it appears Liverpool, Everton, and Tottenham (and possibly Manchester United if Moyes can right the ship) will battle for fourth the remainder of the season. A win today at Anfield would be massive for either side. I don't want to make a prediction for this match because truly anything could happen. The only thing I am sure of is that the 222nd Merseyside derby will be an exciting match that will make a great watch for neutrals like myself. While we wait for kickoff, let's take a look at some of the more memorable Merseyside derbies in recent years.


1991 FA Cup 5th Round replay: Everton 4 - Liverpool 4
Just three days after playing to a scoreless draw at Anfield the Blues and the Reds exploded for four goals apiece at Goodison Park. Everton trailed on four seperate occasions and showed tremendous resilience in equalizing each time. Of course a few of those goals were gifts from the poor Liverpool defense, but they count all the same. The game was knotted at 3-3 after 90 minutes before John Barnes put Liverpool on top in the first half of extra time with a brilliant strike to the top corner. Once again Everton refused to die, and Graeme Sharp poked one between the legs of the Liverpool keeper in the waning minutes of extra time. Everton went on to win the second replay 1-0.

2001: Everton 2 - Liverpool 3

This was an exciting match throughout, with Everton going down 1-0 and 2-1 and finding equalizers on both occasions. Both sides were awarded a penalty, with Liverpool missing and Everton converting. The reason this match is so well remembered by Liverpool fans is Gary McAllister's absurdly audacious free kick deep into stoppage time that won the match. Even if you don't watch the whole video above be sure and go to the 4:00 mark and watch from there. Truly an unbelievable end to a fantastic derby.

2004: Everton 1 - Liverpool 0
 While not as high scoring as the above matches, this one had just as much excitement. Both teams attacked and generated a number of scoring chances. The game easily could have had several more goals than it did. When Lee Carsley curls in the lone goal in the 68th minute, the Goodison Park crowd goes absolutely mental. Everton just barely stave off a hard-charging Liverpool in the final minutes of the game to secure their first win over Liverpool at Goodison in seven years.


2013: Everton 3 - Liverpool 3
It was only just earlier this season that we were treated to an instant classic between these two sides. Within just eight minutes both teams were already on the scoreboard. Suarez bent in a lovely free kick in the 18th minute to give Liverpool the 2-1 lead. Lukaku equalized in the 72nd minute and then stuck again in the 82nd to give the Toffees the lead. Refusing to accept defeat, Sturridge headed home a Suarez free kick minutes later to level the score again. Both teams would have been simultaneously disappointed to have let their lead slip and relieved to have salvaged a draw. This was a game the kept spectators fixated throughout the whole thing. Some pundits immediately labelled the match as the best Merseyside derby ever.

Bonus footage: The first Merseyside derby that was filmed
                                                        
Enjoy the match!

Tottenham - Chelsea: An American Chelsea supporter at a London derby

I awoke in a cozy house in a suburb of London feeling rather stiff. Sleeping on a floor will have that effect on a person. This particular floor belonged to the grandmother of one of the six classmates that were accompanying me on this journey. We were a group of Americans studying in France for the fall semester. We had taken advantage of our fall break to do some traveling; spending a few nights in Dublin before catching a luxurious Ryanair flight over to London Stansted (which really is London in name only). The Grandmother’s house was only a temporary stop for us. Our real destination was London itself, city of red buses and a million Premier League teams. As we left the house I apologized one last time for breaking a very old looking vase/trophy type of thing the night before when I accidentally knocked it off its perch with my (stuffed to capacity) backpack. It was the sort of item that you would only find in a British person’s home. It was old enough and stoic enough that one might suspect it had at one time belonged to King Arthur or even Elton John.  The grandmother told me that I mustn’t worry about it as she shooed me out the door. The last thing she yelled to us as we were walking to the train station was “make sure you get the fast train.” As if we knew how to do that.

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It was a crisp and comfortable autumn day. The sky was blue and the clouds were white. A juxtaposition of two starkly different colors battling for domination of the horizon. My jacket wasn’t really necessitated by the temperature, but I needed it for another reason. My jacket was needed to cover up the Chelsea shirt I was wearing. Such a shirt wouldn’t be welcomed where I was going. It would make me a small cloud of blue in an intimidating sky of white.

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Within an hour we were rolling into St. Pancras station. I don’t know whether it was the fast train or slow train that we rode in, but it got the job done. This was where I would part ways from my traveling companions and head out on my own. I was headed to White Hart Lane, the historic ground of Tottenham Hotspur. I would be going to the Tottenham – Chelsea derby, the hottest ticket in town. This was not my first London football match, but I was still nervous that the day may not go completely smoothly for me. My only other match experience was at Stamford Bridge, a stadium that is very easy to get to and one at which I support the home team. This was going to be a completely different monster.

My journey from St.Pancras to White Hart Lane went awry before it even got started. The Victoria line was closed in the direction I needed to go. Having not considered this possibility, I didn’t have an alternate route planned out. I was just starting to panic when I saw two tough-looking guys in Tottenham shirts read the closed sign and start to head off in another direction. I checked that my jacket was fully zipped and then started after them. They agreed to let me go with them to the match, but they seemed far from enthusiastic about having a clueless American tagging along. After a convoluted series of underground and bus rides that I certainly wouldn’t have been able to navigate on my own, we arrived at a buzzing White Hart Lane. 

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The area was certainly a departure from most of what I had seen in London. The neighborhood surrounding the stadium seemed to be a rough one, but I didn’t mind. It only added to the character of the place. From the outside the stadium was unremarkable yet at the same time elegant in its simplicity and pragmatism.

As I wedged myself through the remarkably narrow turnstiles I was buzzing with excitement. Chelsea had put together a superb start to the campaign, winning six and drawing once in the first seven matches to sit comfortably atop the table. A win at a fierce rival’s stadium would put Chelsea in absolute prime position. Tottenham would not be slouches though. They too had started the season in impressive fashion and entered the match tied for 4^th.

I took my seat in the third row of the Chelsea supporters section and watched warm-ups as the stadium slowly filled. Just before kickoff a murmur went through our section. Garreth Bale would be missing the match. His wife had just gone into labor. I was of mixed emotions. On one hand Bale’s absence boosted Chelsea’s chances of winning, but on the other hand I missed out on a chance to see Tottenham’s best player and future 100 million dollar man.

As the game began both sets of supporters were in full voice. We hit them early and often with “We know what we are, we know what we are, Champions of Europe, we know what we are.” We traded chants until Gary Cahill hit a fantastic volley off of a corner that flew off the crossbar and into the net. We went mental and the Spurs fans went silent. Chelsea held the lead for the remainder of the first half and we basked in the glory.

Tottenham came out flying in the second half. A goal by William Gallas of all people barely a minute into the half pulled Spurs level. Tottenham continued to dominate and within five minutes they had gone up 2-1. The noise level deafening. 35,000 screaming fans pointed at us and jeered at us and reveled in our disappointment. It was simultaneously terrifying and exhilarating to be among the few outsiders in what had quickly become a cauldron of passion. The slow, haunting “When the Spurs go marching in” rang out across the ground. It really was an amazing thing to experience, but I’m glad it didn’t stay that way.

Juan Mata brought our agony to an abrupt halt when maybe ten minutes later he slotted a shot into the bottom corner. 2-2, game on. Hardly three minutes later, Mata was played through by some fantastic passing combinations. A lunging Brad Friedel never really had a chance at stopping the shot, and it was suddenly 3-2 Chelsea. It was madness in the Chelsea section, complete chaos. Screaming, jumping, and hugging strangers were the natural reactions. Mata sprinted to our corner to celebrate with us, looking into the crowd while pumping his fists and screaming. I swear we made eye contact.

The next 25 minutes were as tense as any sporting event I have ever been to. We all wanted so badly for Chelsea to hold on to win. We expressed our will by singing Chelsea mainstays like “Blue is the Color,” “Carefree,” and the classic family-friendly “John Terry Has Won the Double.” There were a few close calls, but we made it to stoppage time with the lead intact.

The Juan Mata Show decided that one more act was in order to seal the deal. Mata stripped a helpless Kyle Walker of the ball deep in the Spurs half before slipping a cross to Daniel Sturridge who tapped the ball into a gaping net for the insurance marker. 4-2. Pure euphoria. The last few minutes were a like a party in the Chelsea section. It was a dream win and a dream start to the season. Chelsea topped the table by a wide margin. We felt invincible, team and fans alike. The Spurs supporters had gone silent, and we were sure to point it out: “It’s so quiet, it’s so quiet, it’s so quiet at the Lane.”

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After the match I met back up with my soccer-ignorant friends. “Was the game fun?” asked one of them. I started to think of how I could explain to them what I had witnessed and been a part of, but I realized it was a hopeless cause. “Yeah, I guess you could say that,” I said.

RyTof and JD: Altiscore Strikes Again

JD: The USMNT kept the win streak rolling with an exciting win over Bosnia and Hertz Rent-a-Car. Klinsmann patched together a lineup of Europe-based players and for some reason Eddie Johnson. I guess other MLS players like Besler, Gonzalez, and Zusi must be so firmly entrenched in Jurgen’s lineup that he didn’t bother flying them over.

RyTof: Eddie Johnson isn’t that bad. Last World Cup, Bradley paired Altidore up with Robbie Findley for the majority of the time, simply for the sake of Findley’s pace.  Johnson is fast, but also big and strong, much better than any of the three strikers not named Altidore the USA utilized in South Africa. Gomez, Buddle, Findley.

JD: Eddie Johnson is probably wishing he hadn’t been flown in for this one either, because despite his (Bradley and Altidore fueled) goal he had a pretty bad game. Meanwhile newcomer Aron Johannsson looked electric and Jozy Altidore was about as good as we have ever seen a forward in a U.S. shirt.

RyTof:  Aron Johannsson was impressive, and there could be a future for Brooks in the back line if Besler and Gonzalez don’t prove to be long term answers, even though Bosnia’s last goal was a result of a little folly by Brooks. Kljestan had a good game I thought during his time in the match, spotting Bradley making a thirty yard run up the field to set up the Yanks’ final goal.

JD: Johannsson seems like a dynamite pickup for the US. I would love to see him pair with Altidore in a few of these upcoming qualifiers, at least as a sub. Brooks is an exciting up-and-comer who seems to have a lot of potential. As we all know center back is currently a very weak position for the USMNT, so we could really use him. Honestly I didn’t have much of an issue with the way he defended Dzeko on that goal. It was a great play by a world class player.

RyTof: Brooks could end up being very solid. He’s only twenty years old, so I don’t see him being up to starting in the next World Cup, but beyond that, who knows? Back to Kljestan though, I don’t think he’s ever gotten enough of a chance to be an important player in the USMNT. Why does Kyle Beckerman have nearly as many senior team caps as Sacha? Look at the players in the 2010 World Cup side that occupied the spot Kljestan would have. Ricardo Clark? Maurice Edu? Kljestan’s been playing well with Anderlecht, one of the top clubs in the Belgium league, and just recently signed an extension with them.

JD: I have been satisfied with Kljestan’s recent showings for the Nats. I don’t have nearly the infatuation with him that you do, but I do think he is a good guy to have a round. I don’t see him as an A team starter barring a serious rash of injuries, but he is definitely a good depth player. He should be on the World Cup team. Let’s talk about the real star of this Bosnia game though, Jozy Altidore.

RyTof: Three goals, cool. I love to see him playing well, but I’m not going to get too excited. He played great in 2009, and in the 2010 World Cup America’s strikers didn’t score a single goal. Hope it doesn’t happen again this time around. Maybe he just worked great with Charlie Davies. I wonder how the scope of USA soccer would look if Stuart Holden and Charlie Davies hadn’t had their career ruined by injuries. I imagine they’d both be starting for the National Team.

JD: Really, you’re going to dismiss his recent accomplishments because of a bad tournament he had three years ago? Altidore didn’t just have three goals, they were three quality goals. He also added a nice assist. He has now scored in each of his last five games for the USMNT, the longest streak ever by a US player. Altidore had a monster season for AZ Alkmaar last year which earned him a transfer to Sunderland. If you can’t see a difference between current Altidore and 2010 Altidore I don’t know what to tell you. He has clearly developed a lot as a player in recent years which is to be expected for a player in his early twenties. If anything Altidore’s success shows the danger of getting down on young players and writing them off before they fully develop. 

Rytof and JD: Gonzalez gets DP'd

RyTof: Omar Gonzalez recently became the third ever defender in the history of Major League Soccer to sign as a Designated Player, following Torsten Frings and Rafael Marquez.

JD: Hopefully he doesn’t become as much of a villain to the USMNT as those two guys.

RyTof: The terms of the deal have not yet been announced, but it is expected the best defender in the country would be awarded with a lucrative contract. Gonzalez is the first American defender to sign as a Designated Player, and has played in all six of the United States recent World Cup Qualifying matches.

JD: It is probably going to be a big contract considering he reportedly had offers from around the world to choose from. He has a huge impact for the Galaxy when he is on the field. The numbers speak for themselves: the club wins 62.7% of available points when he plays compared to 39.6% without him. Great move for LA to lock him up.

RyTof: I care about the National team much more than any club team in the world, and this isn’t what is best for the National team. Gonzalez is already the best defender in the league, as evidenced by the fact that he’s the only back liner to be tagged as a Designated Player. He should be off to a stronger league with his sights set on becoming one of the best center backs in the world. I don’t see him getting a whole lot better than he already is without stronger opposition to push him.

JD: I too would have liked to see him go to Europe to challenge himself and improve as a player, so we agree there. Going to big leagues in Europe can really help a player as long as he is getting playing time. Just look at what Europe has done for Bradley, Dempsey, and Altidore, the USMNT’s three best players at the moment. All three have vastly improved as players due to challenging yet comfortable club situations. I’m not as confident as you are that Gonzalez is the best defender in the league, but that’s an argument for another time.

RyTof: I would have liked to see the Galaxy acquire one of the big stars they’ve been linked to, such as Lampard or Kaka. Those players would be instrumental in the midfield, and even if they couldn’t still keep Gonzalez, he would gain valuable experience overseas, beneficial to the National Team. As far as the Galaxy are concerned, they have a fair amount of defenders on their bench that could handle Gonzalez’s vacancy: Kofi Opare, Lenardo, Tommy Meyer. I think the club could have been better off signing a bigger name.

JD: The Galaxy made the right choice in keeping Gonzalez, from a purely soccer perspective. I already showed the numbers, Galaxy are a much better team with Gonzalez on the field. If those other defenders are so great why can’t they get the job done when Gonzalez is out? The MLS isn’t Harlem Globetrotters exhibition league, it’s not all about big names and offense. Results are what is important and defenders are vital to getting good results. I don’t have any problem with a defender getting DP’d.

Three to Watch at the Gold Cup

With the Gold Cup already underway, the US enter the fray on Tuesday against the 130^th team in the FIFA rankings, Belize. Also joining the Yanks in group C are the more formidable Cuba and Costa Rica. Though the US roster is a very different one from the one that took part in the June World Cup qualifiers, there are several players who US fans should be keeping an eye on during the tournament.

Landon Donovan

You know, the one who scores for Everton and beats up Mexicans. The question now is can he still do those things. Jurgen Klinsmann and Donovan have not had the warmest relationship from the get go and whatever tension was there was only exacerbated when Donovan decided maybe soccer wasn’t for him and took a break from the game this winter. Klinsmann came off as a bit stubborn when he refused to add Donovan to the June’s roster even when he was left without many options at right midfield, a position which Donovan can comfortably play.

This tournament presents an opportunity for Donovan to force Klinsmann to make him a USMNT mainstay once again. Donovan looked impressive while scoring two goals and adding an assist in the 6-0 friendly win over Guatemala. Of course a good performance in a friendly against a weak Guatemala side doesn’t exactly signal the return of Landon Donovan, but it also isn’t a bad sign. Consistent solid performances in the Gold Cup should be enough to plant Landy Cakes firmly back in the lineup. In my opinion Donovan still has plenty to offer to the US, especially at Brazil 2014. After all, he is all-American.

Stuart Holden

As those of you who read my first blog post know, I’m a bit of a Stu Holden fan. I think if he hadn’t been cut down by an unfortunate series of injuries he would easily be one of the top US players right now. Holden proved himself as a viable USMNT player at the 2009 Gold Cup so it would be fitting for him to re-emerge so to speak at this tournament, four years after he burst onto the scene.

Holden has shown during his career that he has the talent to be a top player both at the Premier League and international level. The question that he needs to answer now is whether he can return to that level after suffering multiple serious injuries. Like Donovan, Holden turned in a solid performance in the friendly win over Guatemala. The entire game changed for the better when Holden and Mix Diskerud were subbed in at halftime. They paired together so well in the center of the midfield that the US was able to net five second half goals.

Holden needs to get as many minutes as possible during the Gold Cup. This tournament will be a great chance for Holden to get his match fitness back since he did not play a ton during the club season after returning from injury. Depending on how well he plays in future matches, Holden could potentially crack the starting lineup in Brazil. It won’t be easy though since he would probably have to be replacing Jermaine Jones, a favorite of Klinsmann’s. Still, this Gold Cup should be a good indicator to fans regarding Holden’s future with the national team.

Jack McInerney

The 20 year-old forward is having himself quite a season for the Philadelphia Union, having already scored 10 goals in 17 games. Unlike the other two players, McInerney has no prior experience with the USMNT. He also may not see much of the field during the tournament, with several veterans ahead of him on the depth chart. Regardless, McInerney offers US fans a lot to be excited about. He is a very intelligent player with a nose for goal, something the USMNT has been in need of for a long time. He has already displayed a natural ability for being in the right place at the right time and finishing his chances.

 McInerney seems to have the potential to be a goal scorer at the international level, already drawing comparisons to Chicharito. I don’t expect McInerney to be a factor in Brazil, but the thinking about the kind of player he could be in the next cycle is exciting. Imagining a forward pairing of Altidore with his pure athleticism and strength and McInerney with his innate poaching ability is the stuff of dreams. I expect we will see McInerney at some point during the Gold Cup. Hopefully he will give us a glimpse of the future.

Though the US roster is for the most part a B team, I still think they will do quite well in the tournament. With Mexico already losing the US have to be the clear favorites and there is no reason they shouldn’t live up to the billing.

9 for 9 in June?

A week after a thorough win over Panama, the US looks to continue its good run of form tonight in an important match against Honduras. I know that every the last two matches have also been labeled by the pundits as very important, but I can assure you that there is no hyperbole at play here. At this stage of World Cup qualifying every match is crucial and they only increase in importance as the hexagonal continues.

Honduras is currently clinging to fourth place, which would put them in a playoff with New Zealand for all the marbles. Honduras has Panama breathing down their neck and is within striking distance of Mexico and Costa Rica. The Hondurans will undoubtedly be doing all they can to get at least a point from this match. Honduras will no doubt look to their 2-1 win over the Americans in the opening game of the hexagonal as proof that they can pull out another three points.

Whatever Honduras tells themselves, tonight’s match will not be the same as the last time these teams met. The Honduras team that enters the field tonight will be one that has been depleted by injuries, suspensions, and egos. Two players are out with injuries, two are suspended, and one has left the team over a disagreement with coach Luis Suarez (no, not that Luis Suarez).

On the other end of the spectrum is the US. The US team will be at full strength with the exception of DaMarcus Beasley, who will miss the match due to yellow card accumulation. Beasley’s likely replacement at left back seems to be Edgar Castillo. Graham Zusi will likely be back in the lineup to take his spot back from Eddie Johnson and Jermaine Jones should be available to resume his role at CM after missing the Panama match due to a mild concussion. Other than those three changes  I presume Klinsmann will stick with what has been successful recently.

The US should not be afraid to come into this game with confidence, but they also should not take a win for granted. Honduras still has dangerous players like Roger Espinoza and Mario Martinez who could give the US problems. Still, if the US show up to play and take care of their business, there is no reason they should not comfortably win. Doing so would put them in a place that would require an epic choke in order to not make the World Cup ( 16 points was good enough for third in 2006 and 2010 and the US still has a home fixture with cellar-dwelling Jamaica). Losing this match would not be at all apocalyptic for the US, but it would set off serious warning sirens. I don’t see that happening though. 2-0 USA.

US cruises to the top of the Hex

Despite an injury, a suspension, and a playing surface that left something to be desired, the USMNT turned in perhaps their most complete performance of the Klinsmann era on Tuesday. Seattle turned out a wildly pro-US crowd that provided outstanding atmosphere and energy throughout the entire match. The US looked comfortable in all areas and a win never really seemed in doubt.

The USSF will surely feel vindicated after much questioning from the media about the decision to host an important qualifier on a temporary grass pitch. The field didn't seem to be as much of an issue as some thought it would be, though there was at least one notable slip by a Panamanian player while in a fairly dangerous attacking position. Ultimately the decision to hold the match in Seattle paid off, with the stellar support offered by the 40,000-plus in attendance outweighing the below average field conditions.

Michael Bradley was the man of the match for my money, distributing pass after pass and making several high-speed runs that gave Panama problems. Bradley seemed to be playing in a more attacking position with his counterpart Cameron more comfortable to stay back in a CDM role. Hopefully Klinsmann will have noted how successful Bradley can be when given the chance to get forward more. I would like to see Klinsmann instruct Jones to sit in a defensive position similar to the one Cameron played so that Bradley may continue to create on the attack.

Jozy Altidore turned in another impressive performance, netting a goal in his third straight game. He used speed and strength to create opportunities for himself and was clearly brimming witgeh confidence throughout the game. In addition to his goal he drew what seemed to be a clear penalty in the first half but it was not granted by the referee. Altidore has clearly been able to transfer his red hot club form over to international duty, and it has the US scoring goals at an impressive rate. If this Altidore that we have been seeing is the new norm, the US should continue to be a high-scoring team.

The biggest concern recently has been the lackluster play of the back four. They got a chance to respond to the doubters on Tuesday and they did a fine job of it. The US managed to keep its first clean sheet since the Azteca game and did so without requiring anything too spectacular from Tim Howard. Panama had five goals in four games of hex play heading into this one, but the US back line seemed comfortable all night and was never overwhelmed.

Tuesday's win puts the US in a dream position through five games of qualifying. If the US can deliver a repeat performance and get the three points next week against Honduras there will be little doubt that they would in fact be headed to Brazil, as the fans in Seattle were proclaiming in the second half of Tuesday's win. They would be in a position to possibly mathematically lock up qualification in September against Costa Rico or Mexico.