Man, does winter ever get to you. Like, all of a sudden you realize, dang it’s cold and then that leads to just wanting to cuddle up under some blankets to stay warm….and then you realize it’s been a few weeks since your last blog….all that to say that I have been a major slacker lately…..and well, no excuses offered for my laziness other that that silly excuse that it’s cold outside. I mean, we Live in Wisconsin after all…so kind of a weak excuse. So….lets get things back to normal and get some soccer updates!

Premier League Update Week 24

So, the elephant in the room, let’s get it out of the way. WHAT IS WRONG WITH LIVERPOOL? Okay, that is the biggest story of the past month. Sitting in first about a month ago and looking like a major factor in the title chase. Since then, well, some very un-Liverpool like performances. Injuries, yep, especially to Virgil Van Dijk, the premier defender in the Premier League who has missed most of the season to date. But still, very odd how they hit a wall. December 19th, they thrashed Crystal Palace 7-0 and were looking a lot like last year and a major headache for everyone else. Since that game, they have played 13 games in all competitions, their record….4-6-3. The have been knocked out of the FA Cup. They have lost games to mid and lower table teams…draws against Newcastle and West Brom, both currently in the bottom 4. Losses to Brighton and Burnly, both sitting around 15th-16th in the table. What the heck Liverpool. And so now, a month later, they sit in 6th and floundering. They are more than capable of turning things around, so many talented players, Van Dijk on his way back, so maybe they make another run. What say you Liverpool? And yesterday a big Champions League win…..say maybe some life?

I promise I am not picking on Liverpool, but the highlights here are just a microcosm of their recent form….they looked great for 70 minutes, but then, what a strange 7 minutes it was, unless you are a Leicester fan.

Hottest Team

That is an easy one…..MANCHESTER CITY. Check this out. Manchester City has won 16 games in a row….let me repeat that…I didn’t say the have gone 16 games without a loss (which would include draws), I said 16 GAMES IN A ROW WERE WINS. What? How is that possible in this league, even if you include FA Cup games. That is just crazy. And…11 of the 16 were shut outs. The last loss was November 21, 2020. 24 games ago…..to Tottenham Hotspur, yes the Hotspur!! They now lead the Premier League title race by 7 points and have a game in hand….another win and that’s a 10 point lead. Oh my. They are on a level all by themselves right now. A distant second in Hot Teams goes to MY TEAM…..Chelsea. They shocked everyone a few weeks back and replaced their club legend coach, Frank Lampard. Well, just kidding really, they replace coaches faster than most teams replace their sponsors….every couple of years. But in this case, maybe they finally got it right. Thomas Tuchel, formerly of PSG, took over a few weeks back, and since his arrival Chelsea has become a new team. Undefeated and with only 1 draw. They have surged up the table from 10th to 4th and have 5 straight wins. As a Chelsea fan, I was bummed for Lampard, loved him for many years, but then, watching the team under Tuchel, it just seems he is the right coach for this team. They look strong. Can they keep it going and continue the rise up the table.

Race for the Top 4

There is a chance Manchester City runs away with the title this year, at least based on current form….but after that, it’s quite a fight for Top 4 and Champions League positions.

1. Manchester City 17-5-2 53 Points (and a game in hand)
2. Manchester United 13-7-4 46 Points
3. Leicester City 14-4-6 46 Points
4. Chelsea 12-6-6 42 Points
5. West Ham United 12-6-6 42 Points
6. Liverpool 11-7-6 40 Points

Rounding out the Top 10 are Everton 37, Aston Villa 36, Tottenham 36 and Arsenal 34. Both Everton and Aston Villa need to play some make up games so a chance they can close the gap on the Top 4.

The Relegation Zone

Right now, the bottom three have a pretty good lock on their positions….and that is not a good thing. Only Newcastle which is still 5 points clear might be in danger. Fulham sits 18th with 18 points, West Brom are 19th and have 13 points and the bottom of the table is Sheffield United sitting at 11 points.

FA Womens Super League

We are 15 games into the season and Chelsea are starting to separate from the pack a bit. They won the title last year and look like they may want to repeat.

1. Chelsea 12-2-1 38 Points
2. Manchester City 10-3-1 33 Points
3. Manchester United 10-2-3 32 Points
4. Arsenal 7-2-4 23 Points

Feels like it’s a 3 team race between Chelsea and the two Manchester clubs this year.

FA Cup Quarter Finals

We are down to 8 in the oldest and most famous football tournament in the world. And only 1 underdog remains. Of the 8 teams, 7 are Premier League teams with the lone hold out a Team from the next level down, The Championship league….Bournemouth. I would say we should cheer for them, it would be cool for a team from the Championship to make it to the Semi-Finals. A shot in the arm for the underdogs of the world. So…..let’s go Bournemouth! Here are the match ups in the quarters.

1. Bournemouth vs. Southampton
2. Chelsea vs. Sheffield United
3. Everton vs. Manchester City
4. Leicester City vs. Manchester United.

That’s five of the top 7 teams in the Premier League in the final eight. Should be some very good Quarter Final games.

Champions League

The round of 16 is under way with games being played this week and next week. This round features a home and away with the Top 8 teams advancing. Here are results for the first 4 games of the round.

1. Liverpool 2-0 over RB Leipzig
2. PSG with a strong 4-1 win over Barcelona
3. Dortmund 3-2 over Sevilla
4. Porto with the 2-1 win over Juventus

I promise….well at least I will try to do better….on getting more blogs out there. It is warming up a bit….right!

And so the year comes to an end, and not many people I know are too disappointed to see 2020 in the rear view mirror. 2021 is on the horizon, we still face many challenges, but it feels there is a bit more optimism in front of us. For soccer, we are continuing to follow the national, state and local protocols for training and games. As we enter the spring, training likely will be able to advance. We are currently in Phase 3….allows team training and competitions….with protocols like face masks for players, limiting attendance, limiting the players based on field size, etc. Phase 4 will happen sometime this spring…fingers crossed, if the situation improves across Wisconsin and Minnesota.

It seems years ago that I had an indoor training session in January prior to the shut down of practices. Was that really just 11 months ago….no way! It feels a lifetime ago. Since then, as a coach, I have been involved in some very interesting training.

Zoom training…..yes, we trained for weeks on Zoom. And the players and participation were amazing. But still crazy to think about running training on your computer and having players watch on their phones and then go do the training by themselves in their front yard. What were we thinking….but it worked..

Socially distanced training….yes, we trained outdoors with players separated into 10 x 10 boxes, coaches in masks and no contact…..and it worked. Was it a challenge….yes. Did players just want to play games….yes. Was it hard on the players every week to stay motivated….yes. But again, I would share the players were amazing and as a coach I would share the players skills improved, in many cases, significantly.

And now we stay optimistic that we will progress thru Phase 3 and 4 and get back to normal this spring. More to follow as things develop. Try to be patient….we are getting there. I appreciate our local club and city have focused on safety protocols and kept your children’s best interest and safety as the most important part of the process. Teams will be formed soon, practices will be set up, we will train and play games and we will put this all in our rear view mirror!

Premier League Update

We are in the middle of Match Week 17 in the Premier league and the games have been coming fast and furious. Multiple games per week for each team, and some teams forced to postpone games with positive COVID tests. Top teams are starting to separate a little, but just a little. The difference between first and tenth is about as close as I have ever seen in my time watching the Premier League. 10 points. Crazy. A team loses and can drop 3-4 positions at the top, win and you can jump 3-4 positions. Liverpool had a chance to separate, but had two recent draws, keeping everyone tight. The hottest team right now and the team making the biggest move has been Manchester United. Jumping from outside the top 10 to 2nd over the past 3 weeks. It was 2012/13 the last time Manchester United was in this position. Chelsea is struggling , dropping from top 4 to now 8th….a very tough spell for them. Manchester City humbled Chelsea today with a 3 goal outburst in 18 minutes for a very solid 3-1 victory and they are moving up the table. It feels like Liverpool vs. Manchester duo for the title….but Everton, Leicester City and Tottenham still have something to say. The top 6 right now with a lot of games to still be played this weekend.

1. Liverpool 33 points. 16 games played
2. Manchester United. 33 points 16 games played
3. Leicester City. 32 points. 17 games played
4. Tottenham Hotspur. 29 points 16 games played
5. Manchester City. 29 points. And only 15 games played.
6. Everton. 29 points 16 games played.

Year End Wrap 2020

Let’s take a quick tour around the world and see how things finished up.

1. Premier League Champions—Liverpool
2. UEFA Champions League Winner—Bayern Munich
3. MLS Champions—Columbus Crew
4. LaLiga Champions—Real Madrid
5. Serie A Champions—Juventus
6. Bundesliga Champions—Bayern Munich
7. Ligue 1 Champions—PSG
8. FA Women’s Super League Champions—Chelsea
9. UEFA Women’s Champions League—Lyon

Player of the Week

It has been fun highlighting some accomplishments in sport for women in recent blog posts. It will be more fun when it isn’t an accomplishment anymore and just business as usual……but until then, let’s keep sharing these fun stories. The most recent comes to us from the NBA. I mean, it’s a sport, but they let you use your hands, so really, I mean, they make it pretty easy to score…..at least there nets are smaller :). Our Player of the week is….

Rebecca Lynn Hammon, a professional basketball coach and former player who is an assistant coach for the San Antonio Spurs of the NBA. A three-time All-American basketball player, Hammon went on to play for the San Antonio Spurs and New York Liberty of the WNBA. Hammon was hired by the San Antonio Spurs as an assistant coach in 2014. She became the second female assistant coach and the first female full-time assistant coach in NBA history. Hammon is also the first full-time female assistant coach in any of the four major professional sports in North America. NFL, NBA, MLB or NHL. Not sure about MLS and their history of full time women assistant coaches.

On December 30, 2020, Hammon became the first female acting head coach in NBA history after Spurs’ head coach Gregg Popovich was ejected during a game against the Los Angeles Lakers. Glass ceiling blown up….and so now, we will look forward to more female Asst. Coaches and hopefully more teams giving more women opportunities at the highest level. Good stuff and important to share. Way to go Rebecca!

2020 Goals of the Year

What better way to end the year than to celebrate the Top Goals of the year in soccer. It will be the best 15 minutes of your day. Check it out!

Movie Review: Soul

And to finish off the blog, how about a movie review of Disney’s new release Soul. I know, I know…what does that have to do with soccer. But like in recent posts, hang with me and I’ll try to connect the dots. First, let’s get the easy stuff out of the way….great movie, very inspirational as you have come to expect from Disney. Two thumbs up for you old ones who know what that means. If you can, check it out. We watched on Disney+. I know not everybody has access, but keep an eye out and I hope you will get the opportunity to watch it in 2021.

Now for the connection. I don’ think a “spoiler alert” here, but the movie focused on finding your spark….your purpose in life….the reason you were put on the planet. But the movie takes a slight turn with the “realization” that maybe the spark or purpose is not the real magic, the real magic might just be the journey along the way and making sure you fully appreciate being in the moment. As a Soccer Parent and a Soccer Coach I related to that pretty strongly.

Soccer Parent–as a parent, at least some parents. Not you, I didn’t mean you….it’s all those other parents I’m talking to….parents can get wrapped up in if their child scores, or if the team wins, or if they take home any trophies after the weekend. I would propose we measure differently. How many times did your child have a smile on their face during the game or weekend? How many times did you catch them laughing and enjoying their teammates? Were you in the moment and enjoying your child or too wrapped up in results?

Soccer Coach–as a coach and from personal experience, we as a group can get way too caught up in skills and development, possession, attack, and really really too caught up in wins and losses. Let’s get real. How many kids that we coach will make a professional team?….or even a college team?…. or maybe even a high school team? Do we have a greater mission to provide an amazing experience, while within that experience allowing them some life skills and soccer skills growth. Can we provide a proper environment for them to enjoy the journey and be fulfilled in soccer or are we just about the score?

Soccer Player–now, I’ll admit I didn’t play so I am interjecting my thoughts into the minds of players (a few of my kids as well). But as a player is it too much about if I scored a goal, if I made an amazing pass, did we take home a trophy, did the team come out with a victory? Can players learn to appreciate the process and the journey? Can they understand they are improving, even if they suffered a loss? Can they understand the value they bring as a great teammate, can they appreciate the lessons of hard work, the lesson of handling defeat with class, the lessons of winning with class? Just playing for the love of the game.

So that was my connection from Soul to the game of soccer that I love.

The Value of Hard Work

My last entry for this blog, I promise. I am a pretty big University of Kentucky basketball fan….tough start to the year if you follow college basketball….actually, one of their worst starts in history. So, it’s been a bummer watching them play this year….until Saturday. An epic double OT thriller that UK ended up winning. But the story of the game was Freshman Dontaie Allen. A redshirt Freshman who had to sit out last year with multiple injuries and a full year of rehab. Then through the first 7 games of the year he played only about 20 minutes total….not much playing time…2 minutes a game and less than 2 points scored per game and several he did not get into the game. Well, the coach had been telling fans he would get his chance and that he hoped he would take advantage….and boy did he. 8 of 12 shooting and 7 of 11 from 3, to lead the Wildcats with 23 points and he basically carried them to the win….hitting big shot after big shot down the stretch (20 points in the second half alone). After the game he was interviewed and shared these thoughts with the media and fans.

“I fall back on my work every time,” Allen said. The reason I said there is no pressure is that if you put the work in, and you get your opportunity, you know you are going to be ready. “A lot of people go down a different path – I was just waiting for my opportunity, and I capitalized on it.” Allen used the opportunity to push young athletes to keep fighting and trusting the process the same way he did, saying they can reach similar breakthroughs at their own levels. “It feels crazy. If there are kids listening, it comes down to work,” Allen said. “It might sound cliche, but if you put in the work, you can do some great things. Just put in the work, put your mind, body and soul into it.”

There’s that Soul again… and that’s it for this blog post and words that I strongly endorse and believe in at my core.

Thanks for reading….appreciate you!

MLS Cup

So I have to admit, it was hard to get fired up for this game, considering the tough loss for our “local team”, Minnesota United in the Semi-Finals….that one still stings, dang it, up 2-0 in the 73rd minute. Uff Da! The finalists were the Seattle Sounders vs. the Columbus Crew.

The Columbus Crew have been part of MLS since its inception in 1996….one of the original 10 franchises to start the league. They have reached the MLS Cup finals three times (SPOILER ALERT) and now have two titles….2008 Winners, 2015 Runner Up and 2020 Winners.

The Seattle Sounders were not an original team, but came aboard as part of the MLS expansion into the Great Northwest…a soccer hotbed in the US. Once they established themselves, they have been one of the top clubs in the league. They have an amazing fan base and are among the league leaders in attendance every year. They had an 8 year run leading the league in attendance from 2009-2016, averaging over 40,000 in that time span….. and really changed the profile for a successful fanbase in the MLS. The past three seasons they have been second, usurped in their title by upstarts Atlanta United, another new franchise who have taken attendance up a notch, averaging over 50,000 per season and selling out about every game. Quite a site to see their home games and the crowd.

Interesting note here. MLS currently is the 3rd best league in American sports as far as average attendance. Would you be surprised to know that MLS has better attendance per game than the National Hockey League….okay….okay….you are not that surprised about that…I mean it’s Hockey. Are you surprised to know that MLS Soccer (22,000) has better attendance than the National Basketball Association (17,800)….oh, okay, I got you on that one! That’s right, MLS has better average attendance than the NBA….interesting. The two leagues ahead of soccer. If soccer continues its popularity run, possible it could inch into the #2 spot and replace America’s pastime…..Baseball (28,000). #1…and in NO danger of ever being replaced is the king of kings regarding attendance…..the National Football League (67,000).

So, what happened there, I lost track of the game. Let’s get back to it!! MLS Cup Final. The game was pretty exciting from a standpoint of big plays, shots, saves, the quality of the goals, the almost goals….but as far as drama….Columbus was in control and dominated the game for long stretches. The goals were high quality goals. The almost goals were pretty exciting too, and made for a fun game. But in the end, Lucas Zelarayan, Columbus Crew and Argentina born, were too much for Seattle. Zelarayan was the star of the night with 2 goals and an assist. Really good stuff. Check out the highlights here.

Congratulations to the Crew.

They have a nice team and some really strong players and were missing a few to injury as well. They might be dangerous again next year. Well done MLS….a nice season and a nice final. The Loons in 21! You heard it here first!

Premier League Match Week 14

We are almost thru Match Week 14, just a few teams who need to catch up and get in another game that was delayed due to scheduling conflicts. And as they say….the cream is starting to rise to the top. Things started very strange, have settled down a bit, and we now have the top teams settling in for the long haul. The team of the week….maybe Everton. They took down Chelsea, Leicester City and Arsenal the past week and after losing sight of the top 6, have made a big push right back into the mix for a title and Top 4 finish.

Quietly moving up the table without much fanfare is Manchester United. Struggling a bit out of the league, they have been steady in league, are winning pretty comfortably, have a game in hand that if they can pull off a win in their 14th game, can go 2nd in the table, their best position in a number of years. Watch out for the them, their history and fanbase are craving a big year and they certainly have the team to make it happen. And even though it has been different than last year, Liverpool are now back on top and in charge of the league. A few teams had opportunities to knock them down a peg, but did not deliver. Chelsea lost 2 straight before today’s win…Tottenham have lost 2 straight after leading the table. Manchester City have stumbled a bit. So….LIVERPOOL is right back on top.

1. Liverpool 9-4-1 31 Points
2. Leicester City 9-0-5 27 Points
3. Manchester United 8-2-3 26 Points (13 games played)
4. Everton 8-2-4 26 Points
5. Chelsea 7-4-3 25 Points
6. Tottenham 7-4-3 25 Points

Rounding out the top 10; Southampton (24), Manchester City (23 but also only 13 games), Aston Villa (22 but only 12 games played), West Ham (21).
Relegation Zone has Fulham (10) in 18th, West Brom (7) in 19th and Sheffield United (2) sitting win 20th. Two more teams are within 3 points of the zone….Burnley and Brighton.

Hard for me to drop in Manchester United highlights, they are kind of the Yankees of soccer….so many titles over the years and you kind of don’t mind when they struggle…unless you are a Man U fan. But, they are playing well and just hit 6 against Leeds. Respect! Well done. Can you keep it going? It’s turning into an interesting battle for the title.

Team of the Week

So this may surprise or confuse you….the Team of the Week….the Vanderbilt Commodores. Yes, that Vanderbilt Commodores…college football Vanderbilt Commodores….SEC Vanderbilt Commodores. So you are thinking, wait a minute, this is a soccer blog, how does that work? Well, let me help connect the dots for you.

Soccer is called football in the rest of the world…..the football Vanderbilt Commodores play football in the SEC….the football Commodores had a series of injuries and COVID 19 issues that forced them to get creative in finding a kicker for their last few games….Sarah Fuller plays soccer for the Vanderbilt Commodores Womens team as a GK and had just been part of the team that won the SEC tournament and qualified for the NCAA tournament scheduled for the Spring….The football Commodores asked Sarah to come and kick for the team and she agreed….She suited up and kicked off in their game against Missouri at the start of the second half…..in their last game of the year against Tennessee, she was selected by the head coach for all kicks inside the 10 yard line based on the competition during practice as she was the most accurate from that distance…..and during their final game, she completed 2 extra points after Vanderbilt touchdowns……. Coach Derek Mason and Coach Todd Fitch stuck to their guns and selected her based on her skills and performance and provided her the opportunity to become the first women to score a point in a POWER 5 Conference Game……and so that’s how we get from Vanderbilt Football commodores to the Team of the week in Soccer. Whew—-hope you followed my strange and convoluted logic.

Here’s to you Vanderbilt football Commodores. For connecting football to soccer and becoming the Team of the Week!

Player of the Week

And of course, the Player of the Week is….drum roll please….SARAH FULLER. Vanderbilt women’s soccer player and Vanderbilt men’s Football player! A very cool story. She has been plagued with injuries during her 3 years at Vanderbilt soccer, but really stepped up for the team to win then SEC tournament. And then, with a crazy set of circumstances, becomes a Record Breaker. First woman to score a point in a Power 5 Conference football game. She announced she is done with football and will head back over to the Vanderbilt soccer team as they prepare for the NCAA tournament. We will be cheering for her. Way to go Sarah!!!

FA Womens Super League

We are in Match Week 10 of the 22 week season and just like the men’s league, the top teams are starting to separate from the pack. Several teams have only completed 8 or 9 games so that will flip things a bit once those games are played.

1. Manchester United. 26 Points and 10 games played
2. Arsenal. 26 Points and 10 games played
3. Chelsea. 20 Points with only 8 games played. With 2 wins, they will reach 26 and tie for the top.
4. Manchester City. 18 Points with 9 games played.

UEFA Champions League Update

The round of 16 is set with Round 1 of the Knock Out stage games during Feb 16th and 23rd weeks. Here are the 8 matchups in the next round. Home and Away games to determine the Quarter Finals.

1. RB Leipzig vs. Liverpool
2. Barcelona vs. PSG
3. Sevilla vs. Dortmund
4. Porto vs. Juventus
5. Athletico Madrid vs. Chelsea
6. Lazio vs. Bayern Munich
7. Atalanta vs. Real Madrid
8. Monchengladbach vs. Manchester City

Please keep an eye out for lots of soccer over the next few weeks. We are into the Holiday season with Premier League teams all playing 2-3 games a week. I hope you have some vacation time and are able to relax and watch some hight quality soccer!!

Okay, time for an update across the wide world of soccer. Things are heating up in the Premier League, Champions League, FIFA Womens Super League and as well, right here in the good ol’ USA, with the MLS Playoffs.

And I would be remiss if I didn’t include an update on the USWNT in their ongoing battle for equality with the Mens team on a number of issues including pay. Hard to argue with this team based on their results and dominance of the sport.

MLS Conference Finals

The Premier League is rolling along but MLS is starting to take center stage as the Conference Finals are being completed and we are a week away from the MLS Cup….and yes….your “local” team…Minnesota United are right in the thick of things. With two strong wins in the first two games, they have probably their biggest game in franchise history on Monday, against the #2 seed Seattle Sounders. No big deal, they just knocked off the #1 seed Sporting KC in dominant fashion, so what the heck, take down the top seed, no big deal.

A win gives them a MLS Cup final against the Columbus Crew who dispatched the New England Revolution 1-0. NE had made it all the way from the playoff play-in round to the Conference Finals in the East….crazy run, but their playoff run turned back into a pumpkin when the clock struck zero, and the Columbus Crew is moving on the the MLS Cup. In the Western Conference Semi-Finals, YOUR Minnesota United Loons made some magic against Sporting KC.

What a start for Sporting KC, it could have been 3-0, but somehow Minnesota United weather the storm with some incredible Goalkeeper skills…and then, they just shock Sporting KC with 3 of their own. A stunning 3-0 win and some momentum heading into the Western Conference Finals.

UPDATE: So…..if you did not know already, I have an update on then Seattle-Minnesota United game. Minnesota was coming into the game feeling really confident. Two strong wins, maybe they felt they were a team of destiny, playing their best soccer at just the right time. Their opponent was a strong team who were favored to win. Winners of last years MLS Cup and having participated in 3 of the last 4. A team with great experience against the upstarts. And then the game starts, and then in the first half an amazing free kick off the inside of the post and its 1-0 Minnesota United. Nice. And they continue to lead into the second half. Around the 53rd minute, Seattle strikes back to level, but wait, the run by the striker started with a little contact….VAR reviews and it looks like a big bump to knock the defender off his feet before coming clear and scoring….VAR overturns the goal….still 1-0. Okay, maybe we are supposed to win thinks Minnesota. And then at the 64th minute, Seattle hits one square off the left post, still 1-0, so maybe we are destined to win this thing thinks Minnesota. Still 1-0. but then, just two minutes later, lightning strikes again, Minnesota United hits with another free kick goal and a sweet glancing header for a 2-0 lead. Oh my, halfway thru the second half and up 2-0. It could really happen.

But, then guess what. As a coach there is one score you don’t really like, a score that really smart coaches, much smarter than me, coaches like JD!!, who all agree. Is it 1-0, no not really…..at 1-0 the leading team is still anxious and fighting hard to get the second goal. Is it 3-0…..no…at 3-0 the losing team starts to lose faith and lose the will to win. The losing team starts to just play to finish the game, emotion and energy are gone. No, the worst lead in soccer is 2-0…..the lead now held by Minnesota. Now usually it’s a halftime thing, but regardless, it still a dangerous scoreline. What happens, well, the winning team, especially if the underdog, starts to think….”this is it, we got it, we are going to win” and maybe just maybe they just ease off the peddle a little bit, they drop their intensity just a smidge, their energy and intensity lowers just 1-2%…..and sometimes that is all it takes.

In the 74th minute, Seattle takes advantage of a shot that clanks off their own player and then drops right at his feet….shot….goal….2-1. Uh oh. Now the leading team starts to get anxious. But the game is almost over, Just 15 minutes left…tock tock, 10 minutes to go….tick tock….5 minutes to go….tick tock, just 1 minute to go in regulation and then it happens, a corner kick, the ball lands on the back side, a free Seattle player unmarked, a shot, a goal….oh no….2-2. And Uncle Mo is firmly on Seattle’s side, they are flying around the pitch and full of energy. Their experience starts to become the difference, maybe Minnesota starts to wonder, could this really be happening. Extra time of 4 minutes, 3 minutes, 2 minutes, 1 minute……corner kick, glancing header, back of the net…..oh dang, 3-2 Seattle. Game over. Shocking comeback….devastating loss, experience wins….Seattle 3-2 over Minnesota United and into the MLS Cup finals for the 4th time in the past 5 years. Wow….just Wow. Bummed for the “local boys”. They deserved better I think, but sports is funny that way.

Premier League Updates Match Week 11

We are almost thru Match Week 11 in this years Premier League, just a few teams with only 9 or 10 games played, but things are starting to settle into form this year. After a very strange looking Table in the first 6 weeks with Aston Villa and Everton leading the table, the quality of the Top 6 is starting to assert itself. With the exception of Arsenal who are really struggling in the bottom half, currently sitting at 15th, the remaining “big clubs” are rising to the top. The Manchester teams…United and City….both have a game in hand, having only played 10 games to date. If they can earn 3 points in their 11th, then the table really tightens up some more. The story so far this year….Jose Mourinjo has Tottenham Hotspur really believing in themselves and currently sitting in first. The Tottenham Hotspur…I just had to write that name again, its is my favorite team nickname in all of sport right now. It just rolls off your tongue. The Tottenham Hotspur. What is a Hotspur you might ask, and it would be a really good question.

Dictionary Definition: an impetuous or fiery person.

Regarding the team, Tottenham, the story goes that the club is named for Sir Henry Percy (20 May 1364 – 21 July 1403), nicknamed Hotspur, who was an English Knight who fought in several campaigns against the Scots and against the French during the Hundred Years War. The nickname “Hotspur” was given to him by the Scots as a tribute to his speed in advance and readiness to attack as he dug in his spurs to make his horse go faster as he charged in battles, and spurs are also associated with fighting cockerels. The club used spurs as a symbol in 1900, which then evolved into a fighting cockerel.

That might be more than you ever wanted to know about the Tottenham Hotspur, but they are one of the most historic clubs in England with many FA Cup and UEFA Championships. The thing is, it’s been awhile since their glory days from 1960-1990. In recent years, they have found ways to stumble, even earning the phrase… “very Spursy”….to signify their inability to get back to the top, win titles, or even win big games. It feels different this year. The quality of players, the mentality, the coaching…..I think they are in it, to win it, and then look very dangerous and capable.

Chelsea seem ready to step forward and be a contender as well this year. After a mixed season last year with a ban on signing new players, they reloaded over the summer with some top and young talent…and its paying dividends. They sit in third with an impressive run of games without a loss. They score a lot of goals and their defense and Goalkeeping has improved significantly since last year. Watch out for Chelsea.

The Current Top 6. Win-Draw-Loss

1. Tottenham Hotspur 7-3-1 24 Points (had to write it again 🙂 )
2. Liverpool 7-3-1 24 Points
3. Chelsea 6-4-1 22 Points
4. Leicester City 7-0-4 21 Points
5. Southampton 6-2-3 20 Points
6. Manchester United 6-1-3 19 Points (only played 10)

Lurking in 7th…Manchester City with 18 Points while only playing 10 games. Assuming the Manchester teams both win their 11th game, then you have the Top 6 with points from 21 to 24. That is 6 teams all in range and all strong enough to win the title. Southampton is right there, but will need to prove they belong at the top. Can they keep up with the other Top 6 teams.

The Current Relegation zone. The bottom 4 with 3 in the Relegation Zone include Fulham (7 points), Burnley (6 points), West Brom (6 points) and Sheffield United (1 point). Sheffield United was the darling of the league last year….their first year in the Premier League in awhile and they played well the entire season. This year….not so much. Premier League is hard!

UEFA Champions League

The final 16 team moving in to the knockout stages is now set. The draw will be held soon. Here are your top 16 European Clubs advancing to the next round. By Country:

Germany (4): Bayern Munich, Mönchengladbach, Dortmund, RB leipzig

Spain (4): Athletico Madrid, Real Madrid, Sevilla, Barcelona

England (3): Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea

Italy (3): Atalanta, Lazio, Juventus

France: Paris Saint- Germain

Portugal: Porto

UEFA Womens Super League

The UEFA Womens Super league is sitting at 8 games played in their current season and here are the current top 4 teams. Teams are on break a little as the top teams in this league are participating in the Womens Champions League which is in the Round of 32.

1. Manchester United 20 points
2. Arsenal 19 Points
3. Chelsea 17 Points (only played 7)
4. Manchester City 15 Points

Team of the Week

The USWNT is our team of the week. I am not sure how all the players feel about it, but I guess everyone feels like there is some progress. The USWNT has sued the Federation of US Soccer for equal pay. That issue is still on the table and not 100% resolved as far as the women’s team is concerned, but one issue did get resolved. Working conditions, staff support, player accommodations, hotel accommodations, player venues, etc. related to Men’s and Women’s teams were granted in favor of the USWNT. And it feels like maybe just maybe , a new sense of collaboration might be in order.

The Women’s team still may pursue more action on equal pay, and maybe the US Federation will close that gap before legal action is needed, but for today, at least the right thing was done on these issues….more to follow on the pay scale.

These women certainly have earned it, the most dominant team in international soccer, The US Womens National Team! Pay them!

Goal of the Week

Let’s give a shout out to the USMNT players as well this week. Recent goals by Christian Pulisic, Gio Reyna and Weston McKennie in Europe are a really positive sign that the core of the National team is full of exciting, dynamic and young, players. And then, during the recent Champions League games this week, this happened during the Juventus-Barcelona game.

Weston McKennie—oh my!

The best ever, The GOAT, it is a question that is asked but one that is difficult to answer. How do you compare the best of an era to the best ever? The game changes, the competition is different, how we view the game changes….but great is still great….and it usually stands up to the test of time pretty well. With his too soon passing this week, we now we get to consider Diego Maradona….best ever?

Diego Maradona 1960-2020

Diego Armando Maradona was an Argentine professional soccer player and manager. Widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, he was one of the two joint winners of the FIFA Player of the 20th Century award. Maradona’s vision, passing, ball control, and dribbling skills were combined with his small stature, only 5′ 5″ tall, allowing him to often dribble past multiple opposing players on a run, using his creativity to pass, shoot and control the ball. A magician with the ball for sure. In addition to his creative abilities, he possessed an eye for goal and was known to be a free kick specialist. As with many genius players and creative talents, he was also a troubled character, who was banned in both 1991 and 1994 for abusing drugs.

An advanced player, and playmaker, he operated in the number “10” position for all his teams. Another sign of his talent, Maradona was the first player in football history to set the world record transfer fee….twice…first when he transferred to Barcelona for a then-world record £5 million, and second when he transferred to Napoli for another record fee of £6.9 million. He started his professional career at 15 for the Argentines Juniors. Over his career he played for Boca Juniors, Barcelona, Napoli, and Sevilla during his club career, and is most famous for his time at Napoli and Barcelona, where he won numerous accolades. He took Napoli to their first La Liga title in 1987 and another title in 1990.

In his international career with Argentina he played in 91 matches and scored 34 goals. Maradona played in four World Cups including the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, where he captained Argentina and led them to a famous win over West Germany in the final, and won the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player. Every great player needs an epic moment that we all remember and that helps define their career, for Maradona, that was the Quarter Final of the 1986 world Cup. In the quarter final, he scored both goals in a 2–1 victory over England that entered football history for two different reasons. The first goal was an unpenalized hand ball foul forever known as the “Hand of God”, while the second goal followed 66 yard dribble past five England players, voted as the Goal of the Century in a vote of fans in 2002.

What if there was VAR in 1986?

And then the Goal of the Century.

Greatest Dribbler Ever?

GOAT Conversation

As I was thinking about best ever, it got me thing about music…I know, what does music have to do with soccer…but stick with me for just a moment. Different eras of music have the same challenge….who is the best ever musician/band of all time. Tastes change, music evolves, but the ones that broke barriers and become iconic all still rise to the top regardless of the era. And music and soccer have another thing in common….pure creativity of thought and action. The best ones at least….free flowing, genius, breath taking, risk taking, beloved and original. Rolling Stones Top 10 Artists of all time have these things in common.

1. Beatles
2. Bob Dylan
3. Elvis
4. Rolling Stones
5. Chuck Berry
6. Jimi Hendrix
7. James Brown
8. Little Richard
9. Aretha Franklin
10. Ray Charles

An impressive list. Originality seems to be key here….no “me too” artist here. And their originality sounds as good today as it did when the music was made. I started buying Vinyl records a few years back, and while shopping for some of my favorites from “back in the day of my youth” decided I should check out the Beatles. So glad I did, and so easy to see why they are considered the GOAT of the music world. Another thing from the list….can you stand the test of time. No artist from the 80’s-90’s or more current on the GOAT list. Maybe they will rise to the top over time, but for now, longevity wins. Will Michael Jackson go higher, Nirvana, Metallica, U2, Prince, Madonna were the best of their era…The Clash and Public Enemy broke ground to a new generation of music….and it is so hard to compare generation to generation, but the Beatles still stand alone on top. You owe it to yourself to check them out if you are a music fan. And the same with Maradona. If you are a newer soccer fan, or young soccer player, you might never have even heard of Diego Maradona. But just like the Beatles, you owe to to yourself to go check out his highlights and career. Unbelievable!. And now back to sports.

It is hard to compare from generation to generation. Was the best QB ever in the NFL Joe Montana or Tom Brady…different era and tough to say. Best player ever….Jerry Rice? Lawrence Taylor? Jim Brown? Walter Payton? The one thing in common….they defined their position for all time. They are the example all players point to as the best at what they did.

Is Micheal Jordon the best ever…..or is it LeBron James….or maybe Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain.

The GOAT in soccer? These lists are always a bit controversial. So many great players over the past 100 years of soccer. And how do you compare the different eras. World Cup winners, Player of the Year Awards, League Titles, goals scored, players who changed the game….all go into the evaluation. So let’s start with the easy part. The current best players still playing the game….that’s easy and there are two….Christiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. You choose who you like better. The power, athleticism, creativity and scoring of Ronaldo……or the speed, dribbling, ball control and scoring of Messi. They both deserve a top 10 place all time..and maybe top 5 if they finish off their careers the same way they started….and maybe a high finish or some magic in the next World Cup. If they could have secured World Cups, then maybe they could be 1-2.

Others consistently mentioned in the Top 10 include:

Alfredo DiStefano. Argentine born but considered maybe the best player ever from Spain. Bobby Charlton who lead England to their only world Cup. Michel Platini, considered France’s best player ever. Zinedine Zidane, considered France’s second best player ever. Garrincha, teammate to Pele and winner of two World Cups.

And then the players considered by most lists as the Top 5 of all time:

1. Diego Maradona. See above. The greatest goal of all time? The iconic hand of God? National treasure? Dragged Napoli to a title. World Cup.
2. Pele. The original #10. Scored over 1200 goals. Three World Cups.
3. Johan Cruyff. Changed soccer with his Total Football, tiki-taka approach at Ajax and Barcelona. League titles and Player of the Year awards.
4. Franz Beckenbauer. The best defender ever. Won WC as a player and a manager.
5. Ronaldo. The original Ronaldo. 2 World Cups, 3 Player of the year awards. A combo of Messi and Christiano Ronaldo. Yes…that good.

You pick, generally it’s either Maradona or Pele first on the lists, but some like Cruyff for changing soccer. It’s a fun discussion and there is no wrong answer. They are all iconic players.

It has been a tough week for world soccer losing one of their greatest ever. I have been watch videos and listening to people talk about Maradona all week. He was the footballing idol and hero to many of our current players. He is revered in Argentina. He had flaws. He was gifted and magical. He had a pure passion for the game. I wanted to share my favorite video and moment of Diego Maradona. It is a moment of pure joy during his time at Napoli that made him a star. It just embodies for me the essence of Diego Maradona. A man, a ball, and magic. Rest in Peace Golden Boy.

Thanks for the memories!

MLS Update

The MLS 2020 Playoffs kicked into action this weekend. 18 teams are participating with 4 teams part of a Play-In process and then the final 16 in a single elimination tournament. So let’s see how this thing is kicking off so far. The two play in games were completed on Friday.

New England took down Montreal 2-1 to advance while Nashville blanked Inter Miami 3-0 to advance. So the 8 games in round 1 are now set. Here is the first results and upcoming schedule.

#4 Orlando City defeated #5 New York City FC 1-1 in a shootout, 6-5.

#3 Columbus Crew edged past #6 NY Red Bulls 3-2 to advance.

Games on Sunday 11/22. #1 Sporting KC vs. #8 San Jose Earthquakes. #4 Minnesota United FC vs. #5 Colorado Rapids. #3 Portland Timbers vs. #6 FC Dallas.

Games on Tuesday 11/24. #2 Toronto FC vs. #7 Nashville FC. #1 Philadelphia Union vs. #8 New England Revolution. #2 Seattle Sounders vs. #7 Los Angeles FC.

Check back for Updates later today on Sunday’s Results!

UPDATE: The MLS Playoffs are off to a fast and epic start.

What a night for the MLS. The Sporting KC game with the San Jose Earthquakes was pretty epic. It was 2-2 when I turned on the game around the 70th minute. And then things started to get interesting. San Jose seemed stronger toward the end of the game. All Time MLS goal scorer Chris Wondolowski looked dangerous and on the verge of a goal and then over the course of 5 minutes, Wondo hits the post, Sporting KC counter with an amazing goal to end it….but no….in extra time a ball into the box finds Wondolowski’s head and shockingly, its 3-3 and into OT. And then on to the PK shootout after 30 minutes of extra time. And something I have never seen in all my years watching soccer. The GK for Sporting KC, Tim Melia, stopped all three of the shots from San Jose, leading the team to a 3-0 Shootout win. Wow. That’s pretty amazing, stopped all 3 shots.

Minnesota United FC advance with a dominating 3-0 win over the Colorado Rapids. This is super cool for our local soccer community, having our “local” team advance to the next round. The team is hot, playing well, and takes some momentum into the next round. Go Loons!

And then to end the night, another epic PK shootout. Portland Timbers and FC Dallas ended the game at 1-1. But it took a 93rd minute goal by FC Dallas to get the game to OT. Wow. And then this.

Premier League Update

It’s Match Week 9 of 38 this week and a few big games with Top clubs impacting the table. The top match of the weekend is being played soon with Top 4 Clubs Leicester City facing off against last years runaway winner Liverpool. A huge match that should build serious momentum for the winner. In the top match so far this weekend, current table leaders Tottenham Hotspur (the best nickname in soccer and maybe all of sports I think!) took down a struggling Manchester City 2-0. Manchester City was tabbed by many to be the favorites this year and currently they are struggling to get into the top 10, sitting in 13th but with a game in hand that could take them into the Top 10….but definitely not up to their recent standards. And then there is Tottenham….a team with a ton of talent who just has not found a way to rise to the top of the table. But this year….they seem to be finding something special. Jose Mourinjo has brought his coaching experience and injected a new sense of confidence. No more “spursy” moments yet this year. Big game next week against his former club Chelsea. BIG match!!

Other winners this week include: Chelsea 2-1 over Newcastle, Brighton 2-1 over Aston Villa, Manchester United with a PK for a 1-0 win over West Brom, Everton back on track with a 3-2 victory over Aston Villa and West Ham United over Sheffield United 1-0. Still 4 games left to complete the Match Week 9.

The Table is in flux with games for Week 9 still being played. Current Top 4 includes:

1. Tottenham
2. Liverpool
3. Chelsea
4. Leicester City

Table updates after the Liverpool game ends.

UPDATE: Liverpool takes down Leicester City in dominating fashion, 3-0, and sets a franchi se record of 64 straight home games without as loss. That’s crazy, all wins our draws and no losses for 64 straight. That’s a home field advantage!!

FA Womens Super League Update

So, seriously bummed. The FA Womens Super League decided they needed a little break in play. No games scheduled for a few weeks….but then I kept snooping around and BAM!…..the league is taking a few weeks off for Cup play. So now I get to report on the update to the FA Womens Super League Cup games. The League Cup is a competition of 23 teams from the top 2 divisions in the English soccer. Currently, the are 6 groups of teams playing round robin games. Once completed, the top 6 from each group plus the top 2 second place teams will advance to a Quarter-Semi and Finals for the League Cup. Currently on Top and likely to quality include:

Aston Villa, Chelsea, Manchester City, West Ham United, Leicester City and Bristol City.

In a tough way to go game, Tottenham finished their Cup game against bitter rival Arsenal 2-2 and the game went into a PK shootout to determine the winner. USWNT player Alex Morgan, now a member of Tottenham stepped to the line at 5-4 in the shoot out and needed a goal to advance the game…..the shot flew high. A tough loss.

UEFA Nations League Update

We are down to the Final Four….but will have to be patient for the next round. The Nations League tournament has completed the Group stages with teams completing their 6 round robin games. The top team from each of the four groups in League A will advance to the semi-final and finals to be played in October 2021…..yes, you read that right, October of 2021. This tournament has taken the place of annual International friendly matches and so the schedule gets a bit weird. They squeeze games into the international breaks from Club competition across Europe. With Covid, the other impact was that in 2020, the European Championships, held every 4 years, were postponed from 2020 and moved to June/July of 2021…..and that pushed back the Nations League Semi-Finals/Finals as well. The good news….next summer will be fun….Euros 2020 and Nations League between June-July and October. The Final Four:

Italy–Belgium–France–Spain

That’s a pretty strong final four….Uff Da!

Spain redeems themselves….and delivers an epic blow to Germany. In the final game of Group 4 this past week, Spain faced off against Germany, yes, powerhouse Germany, and yes, a struggling Spain side that had some detractors. From winning the 2010 World Cup, being the most dominant force in world wide soccer, to a string of losses and frustrating fans with their lack of scoring and creative play. Admittedly, Spain sets a pretty high bar, but regardless, they were not living up to their own standards. They finished outside of the top 4 in the last two Word Cups. We all remember the 4 year run……Euro 2008 Winners……World Cup 2010 Winners….Euro 2012 Winners. What a run…amazing…but then not much. So we come to last weeks games pitting two of the giants of the game. You kind of figured Germany would prevail. Let’s see what happened.

Spain delivered one of the worst defeats in Germany’s storied soccer history, a 6-0 thumping, their worst defeat since 1931. A very humbling loss to proud Germany. And Spain, the team with no flair or scoring prowess, delivered 6 goals. And Ferran Torres, remember that name, delivered a hat trick, scoring three times. How bad was it for Germany…well their first shot on goal came at the 77th minute of the game. And based on a few really good saves by German GK Manuel Neuer, this could have been 7-0 or 8-0. the German defense was just non existent. Holes were everywhere, the break outs and space was massive. Curious how Germany reacts in the Euro 2020 matches next year. Now they need to redeem themselves and we get to see if Spain is ready to step back to the top of European soccer. Or was this just a really really bad night for Germany. Huh?

The German supporters were pretty stunned from this result. Folks calling for the current coach Joachim Low to step away from the team and start over. A very proud team with epic results, but this was epic in all the wrong ways for Germany. It will be very interesting to see the reaction from the team and if the German Federation makes any moves on the coach.

That’s it for now…More coming next week with Premier League action, more FAWSL updates and of course…MLS Updates!!