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Soccer Banter

Off The Ball

10/24/2014

2 Comments

 
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1.  If Steven Gerrard swapped a shirt with Pepe at half-time, would anyone care?

2.  Speaking of Balotelli, I don’t think he was at fault for any of the three goals that were scored by Real Madrid against Liverpool.  In this instance, it seems Brendan Rodgers and the media are doing a good job of using Super Mario as a scapegoat instead of discussing the real issues facing LFC. 

3.  Rankings and polls, quite possibly the most useless things in American soccer today.  Unless the person doing the ranking has seen every single player and team play multiple times, which in youth soccer (and college soccer) in a country the size of America is impossible to do, the rankings have no value. 

4.  It’s been a poor year for the Timbers this year, but their owner, Merritt Paulson, hasn’t really helped the cause. I think Merritt needs to realize that fans have a right to ask questions when a team is struggling.



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5.  Aren’t there enough soccer specific stadiums in this country that US Soccer could stop having games played at stadiums with football lines on the field?  Recent friendly matches held at college football stadiums would have looked a lot better at Red Bull Arena or Sporting Park. 

6.  As Jurgen Klinsmann continues to mock American soccer, the former head coach of the USMNT, Bob Bradley, continues to enhance the reputation of American soccer.  

7.  The 2014 MLS Cup final will be a rematch of the 2002 Final – New England Revolution v LA Galaxy.  12 years later, Jay Heaps, might finally get his chance for a bit of revenge.

8.  Through three games of World Cup Qualifying, the USWNT, have looked far from a team capable of winning the 2015 World Cup.  It will be interesting to see the lineup in the first match in Canada, will it really be Abby Wambach as the #10?


9.  Liverpool FC - was it worth selling Luis Suarez? 

10.  In the excitement around Jurgen Klinsmann and the United States advancing in the 2014 World Cup, it seems some people have forgotten their history. Bob Bradley led the team to a first-place finish in their group in 2010, while Bruce Arena led the 2002 team to the quarterfinals.  Coaches should be judged on results, not on what they say to the media.
 



2 Comments

    Brendan Faherty

    Faherty is currently the Assistant Women's Soccer Coach at the University of Washington. He passionately supports four clubs, but is always following the game at many different levels. 



    Off the Ball
    Random observations from the last week of soccer. 



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