Chelsea - Liverpool Postgame

Chelsea is very much deservedly on to Moscow with a 3-2 win over Liverpool. The Blues were clearly the better squad throughout, only allowing Liverpool back into the game in the second half when they stopped pressing the ball and tried to play defensively. The shock is that it looks as if Avram Grant out-managed the great knockout artist Rafa Benitez. Why Fernando Torres came off, and for Ryan Babel no less, was unclear. However for me, the class of the Chelsea players clearly were the story. Chelsea had at least the five best players, with Terry, Essien, Ballack, Makelele, and Drogba making larger impacts than any of the Reds. Gerard was completely shut down by Makelele [again] and Torres was his normal invisible self punctuated with a couple moments of genius.

The problem with this game from me, is that I was actually rooting for Chelsea. I know that I like both of these teams, but I thought that Spanish contingent would have me pulling for Liverpool. I cannot describe why, but I actually did a fist pump when Chelsea scored in Extra Time. What makes an observer with no ties to either team pull for one over the other? Is it that I really like Essien as a player and the fact that he randomly appears in Hollywood movies [Nurse Betty, Charlie’s Angels]? This seems pretty cool to me, added to the fact that he was dominant in the African Cup of Nations means that I follow him pretty closely.

As good as Essien was, Drogba was the obvious man of the match. While El Niño has the same talent, he has never had the motor and desire in either Liverpool or at Atletico. Drogba was outstanding, and there were few players in the world who would have made both those strikes, in addition to his constantly being a thorn in the side of the Reds’ defense. The fact that I cannot stand the man makes these words that much harder to type. The constant whining, the obvious diving, the arguing with his teammates, the egocentric narcissism that he displays in every game makes me sick. If you noticed when he scored his first goal, he did the head first slide, and instead of waiting for his teammates to mob him, he felt the need to try the need slide in the rain by himself to draw more attention. I am torn about whether I want Madrid to sign him; can I root for that man? I had the same feelings for Van Nistelrooy, Beckham, and Robben prior to coming to Madrid, and the first of those three totally turned my mind around with their hustle and determination. Not sure that Drogba can hustle enough for me to turn around my opinion, even if he signs for the merengues. However during today’s game, he was man of the match and Chelsea are well-deserved Champions League finalists.

Chelsea-Liverpool Preview

I am torn about today’s game. Chelsea-Liverpool could turn into a cracker if we get a goal early, or it could be a nightmare of Chelsea trying to hold onto a nil-all draw. I am hoping for the former, so we’ll stay with a 2-1 Chelsea line. I’d say goals from Joe Cole and Ballack for Chelsea, Torres for Liverpool. Key to the game for Liverpool is whether Mascherano plays a Claude Makelele game, simply good tackling and square balls, or whether he plays a Michael Essien game and actually adds something to the offense. Key to the game for Chelsea is getting the ball wide to Cole, Malouda, and/or Kalu, and taking it at the Liverpool fullbacks, especially Carragher or Riise, whoever plays with Arbeloa. The best case scenario is that then Kuyt has to go back and play some defense and slows up any Liverpool attack.

I have yet to see official teams, so here is who I would put out:
Chelsea: Cech, Belleti, Carvahlo, Terry, A Cole, Ballack, Essien, Lampard, Malouda, Drogba, J Cole. I am sure that Grant will probably choose Makelele over Essien or Lampard, but I think this is their strongest lineup.

Liverpool: Reina, Carragher, Hyypia, Skrtel, Arbeloa, Mascherano, Gerard, Alonso, Babel, Kuyt, Torres. For his sake, I hope he leaves off Riise; he has not looked good, even before the header deep into injury time last week.

Enjoy the game, let’s hope the familiarity of these two teams with each other doesn’t produce a boring, defend-at-all-cost game much like we had yesterday. I sort of like both of these teams; Liverpool of course for the Spanish connection, but I am not clear why I find myself rooting for Chelsea so often. It is probably because they can actually challenge Man U, whom I despise with the intensity of a thousand suns. It really doesn’t matter to me who wins, just that some nice football takes place, and we aren’t treated to long ball after long ball like some English games can become.

Barcelona-Man U Postgame

180 minutes plus of boring and cynical football played between Barcelona and Manchester United, interrupted only by a dreadful pass by Gianluca Zambrotta and one moment of genius by Paul Scholls. Barcelona played well enough to hang their heads high, but Manchester never wanted to play an attractive game. The only positive period of play from United was the five minutes after Zambrotta’s horrendous error, where Barça was shell-shocked and lost organization and passion. The best players on the pitch for United were the ones who hustled and thwarted any attack, namely Evra and Tevez coming back to harass the blaugrana back four. The most positive player for United was Park Ji-Sung, whose passing and work rate were outstanding. He seems 100% back from his injury woes; I have not seen a game this good from him since he returned. All that being said, that one moment of brilliance by Scholls make United a worthy winner of the tie, I just wish they had played more positive football. I thought other than Nani, who would stink at the zoo and consistently confuses me as to why is selected, all the United players played well enough.

For Barcelona, I thought other than Messi, no one really stood out. Messi was a menace wherever he was, and his patented staccato dribbling baffled defenders at times. Only his final touches, both shots and passes, betrayed the pygmy genius. To accompany his howler, Zambrotta stooped to Ronaldo’s level of immaturity during his many encounters with the Portugese winger. Deco narrowly missed a couple mid-range shots, but that has never been his game and he did well enough to put himself into those spots.

Throughout this blog, I think you will see a theme after big Man U or Portugal games, and that is how much I loathe Ronaldo. To me, he is the reason why most Americans refuse to take this game seriously. Though he had none of his obvious, card worthy-dives today, his constant complaining, going down when just breathed on, and rolling on the ground and feigning injury is unbelievable. He is bar none the best player in the world, yet he acts like a spoiled, cheating brat. Could you imagine LeBron, or LaDanian acting like that in a game? They would be mocked incessantly and for good reason. How does Sir Alex, or any of the strong, fair players United have [Tevez for one needs to be shot to be brought down, same with Rooney and Park] put up with that crap.

We’ll see tomorrow who they will play in Moscow, but I am thinking 2-1 Chelsea. That or I am just hoping for some goals to make up for the snooze-fest we witnessed today.

Barcelona-Manchester United Preview

Today’s game is an interesting match up for me. Though a Madrid supporter, I have a great admiration for Barcelona. I used to hate them in an elementary way of a fan preconditioned to loathe a rival. It all changed for me back in ’06 when they put the UNICEF logo on the shirts. I had read they were looking for a kit sponsor some time back, and thought that the last bastion of non-commercialism in sport was going to fall. The fact that instead of signing a multi-million dollar deal to sell their shirts, Barcelona actually donates over $2 million to UNICEF to carry their logo on their shirts is amazing, and proves the fact that they are indeed, més che un club. As my frigidness began to wane and I looked past my prejudices, I began to appreciate the flowing, attractive football that they played and even what the club meant to the city and Catalunya as a whole.

Contrast my begrudging respect for Barça for my utter contempt for ManU, and I will be loudly pulling for the blaugrana today. As most hatreds are, mine for United is blind and arbitrary. The things and players I have hated the most, the violent Roy Keene, the petulant Wayne Rooney, the cheating scumbag vile Ronaldo, have been roles played by members of my favorite team [dirty Diarra and Ramos, ill-tempered Guti, swan diving Robben]. However, United is and will always be for me a second rate outfit whose 2 Champions League trophies ties them with Nottingham Forrest and Benefica [who have appeared in 5 more finals]. How is that for a balanced approach?

As to today’s game, I think Barça have a shot. United’s lineup will not feature Rooney, and will feature both Park and Nani. I don’t get it with either of those two, they never seem to do anything that makes me think they belong on the same pitch with Tevez, Ronaldo, and the like. Plus I have seen Vidic as their best defender of late and do not think Wes Brown in the middle can handle the Barcelona attack. As to Barcelona’s team selection, I think United could have their hands full with Messi on for much of the 90 minutes.

The big problem I see with United is that they are used to having the ball in domestic competitions, and do not seem to play well without it. I see Barcelona getting one from a hookup between Zambrotta and Messi and hanging on for a 1-1 tie after Ronaldo gets one back for United. That would send Barcelona on to the finals.

Blog Background

I doubt anyone will read this blog, but I am doing it to keep up my writing skills and work ethic during a period of self-imposed unemployment. I am first and foremost a fan of global soccer; so first thing I will do is state who I support so that my prejudices are out in the open and anyone unlucky enough to read this can blast me appropriately.

I have been a Real Madrid supporter since 1996. I cannot be called a front runner since the 95-96 season was one of the worst in team history. I have been to only a couple games, but catch them on TV every weekend. For national teams, I of course support the United States. In the MLS, I support my home team, DC United

Though Madrid are my one and only favorite team, I enjoy certain teams from other leagues, and for reasons I usually cannot describe. I would like to say it is because I enjoy beautiful, fluid soccer, and outstanding players, but why would I like Chelsea. Objectively, they are a cynical, boring team to watch, and they feature one of the most hated cheaters in the world in Didier Drogba, but I find myself rooting for them more often then not. Other teams I currently enjoy include Liverpool, Getafe, Lyon, Palermo, Schalke.

As important as the teams you love in football are the teams that we love to hate. Strangely enough, Barcelona is not one of those teams. I have an uneasy admiration for Barça that is not easily explained. However when they play Madrid, all of those feelings are on hold. Currently, teams I hate include Manchester United, Sunderland, Real Betis, almost all Italian teams [especially Roma and AC Milan], the Houston Dynamo, and any team that allows racist chants and signs or spectator violence to go unpunished.