MLS All-Stars vs. Man United

Before you continue reading, I should warn you that this is not an in depth critique of tactics used by either coaches, or individual player performances, or even what kind of season Man United will have based on the 4-0 score line. This is purely a critique on the critics of the MLS All Stars.

First off, why even have an All Star Game? Logic does not root itself here, but rather the fact that a professional sport cannot be held in America without featuring a mid-season All Star Game. ESPN2 even showed the MLL (Major League Lacrosse, and yes, I abbreviated only for the integrity of the organization) All Star Game, but good luck trying to find any regular season MLL games. The most un-American way to say that an All Star game for MLS is that you don't see European leagues having an All Star Game... And why would you? Players need time off from international friendlies, competitions and ~50 games in a season, with all of the UEFA games and domestic competitions. Coaches need to rotate rosters and even purchase players half way through the season just to make it through without the financial disaster of relegation, or even just not making it into a European competition. The MLS All Star game is doing nothing for the MLS except making it look even more silly to the international soccer/football community.

That being said, I am also tired of American soccer followers both not treating this seriously at all and taking this game too seriously. As confusing as that sounds, I am both frustrated with people lambasting a team of individuals, coached by someone who's never coached them, in a game that doesn't count for anything, trying not to get injured so they can help their club team make the playoffs.

I am also frustrated at those living in America who are not willing to take hold of the game. I understand the teams of the MLS are not the most beautiful, but watch FC Barcelona more than 10 times a year, and even the biggest soccer fans will start to see repetition and yawn at the most tactically gifted team of perhaps all time. I don't say this to slight Barca, but rather tell off those content to look only to Europe for football, and not support the growth of the American game. The MLS has great goals and talented coaches, players, and growing support. We don't have the financial backing of the England and Spanish and don't have the fanaticism of Italy or Germany, but I would say realistically, that the MLS CAN get there someday. We have the right direction, and with a few tweaks our league could even support 2 leagues (West vs. East, or maybe an MLB-like "American/National" League type of thing, similar to Brazilian Serie A or Argentine futbol).

We can be critical of the game here in the US, but we can't be irrational with expectations both in whether we are over- or under-performing.

Europe - Time to Wrap Up & MLS - Time to Clean Up

As Man U appear to wrap up a 19th title, AC Milan, Porto, and Dortmund have all clinchedtitles in their respective leagues, with Lille and Barcelona waiting in thewingsto lift their trophies. Man City clinched the last Champions League spot in England, making the only worthwhile matches in England involving West Ham, Wolves, Wigan, Blackburn, and Blackpool, aside from those involved with the Championship Playoffs, with QPR now avoiding point deductions and Norwich pushing out the other teams for 2nd.

It is in this point that I have questions for the FA about the proposed point deductions: When Faurlin joined in 2009, why would investigations have not have started then? Why also would you tack a point deduction on after a team had believed that they had clinched the 1st place position/promotion? Asthis controversy fades because of the lack of any point deduction and the controversy of Qatar buying FIFA votes, the MLS is running into its own controversy, more related to that of player conduct.

Colorado Rapids midfielder Brian Mullan and Chivas USA forward Marcos Mondaini, amongst others, are coming under attack of MLS fans for near-season ending injuries to Seattle's Steve Zakuani and RSL's Javier Morales, respectively. Watching these challenges are not for the squeamish, and the punishments are not either, with Mullan receiving a 10 match ban.

One must consider what else can be done to prevent these kinds of tackles, which you may have noticed are occurring on playmakers of teams. It is strange to look at this and see that Red Bulls' DP Thierry Henry has yet to be fouled in 6 games. This point aside, should the MLS enact rules similar to that of the NFL to protect offensive players from hard fouls?

Barca announces US Preseason Tour

FC Barcelona has announced three matches in the US during the late summer as part of their preseason tour.

• July 30th - Washington, DC - vs. Manchester United
• August 3rd - Miami, FL - vs. AC Milan
• August 6th - Dallas, TX - vs. America 

You will see me at the DC match. It's gonna be awesome. 

Associated Press 2010

Something (Anything?!) Left to be Said about El Clasico?

Well, I can't say many people expected the 5-0 score line yesterday, with Jose Mourinho being the most surprised!

I thought with Madrid's starters, they would at least manage one goal in the first half, but although the score suggests an offensive occasion at Camp Nou, it was really down to the teams back four:

Madrid: (starters) RB - Sergio Ramos, CB - Pepe, CB - Carvalho, LB - Marcelo

Barcelona (starters) RB - Dani Alves, CB - Pique, CB - Puyol, LB - Abidal

The real (no pun intended) problem with Mourinho's lineup here is overall weakness. Their back four don't know how to stop the pass. I also dislike the subbing out of a defender, unless injured, as a means of stopping an offense. This shows that the coach did not do his homework. Marcelo gave too much room to Pedro on the first goal to get ahead of him, but even worse was the room the size of the nation of Spain that Sergio Ramos gave to David Villa (of all players with the ball at his feet)!

In Real's first dropping of points this season at Levante, one could imagine Levante's Luis Garcia watching Mourinho's Inter in any given game last season shut down an offensive team. Many critics would say that Real Madrid played too defensively against Barca, but I believe that they just allowed too much room all across the pitch. Had Mourinho implemented catenaccio as he had with Inter, he would have stood a better chance at winning, or avoided the 5-0 pummeling and press ridicule.

I knew Mourinho would not do this somehow, as he basically bounces around to clubs without a universal approach to turning the team around, but, more or less, uses that team's stereotype of the way they play. Combine this with getting the most out of his veteran players and his exquisite ability to turn players that didn't really fit under the old regime into above par workhorses.

This mentality going into the coaching position of Real Madrid enabled him to purchase Di Maria, Ozil and Khedira, when he should've looked at his back four. Though Carvalho was a great signing, those other three starters might could make it into Lyon's starting line-up, with the exception of Ramos. I am also very confused as to why the very talented Raul Albiol did not start. He is perhaps too young for Mourinho, and has yet to really prove himself, but expect this talent to leave the capital city if he is not given chances during the rest of this La Liga season. This is a player who is on the national team, but behind two world class center backs: Puyol and Pique.

Valencia is next for Madrid, where they hope to cash in on this low confidence team, with little to no quality in defending.