Lampard, Gerrard, and the new MLS veteran superstars

Photo credit: MLS

Lampard is coming. Finally. Really. The news broke yesterday that the former England national team captain and Chelsea FC superstar would be donning the NYCFC crest during its first season in MLS this year.

Why all the fuss? It is another reminder that, to the rest of the world, MLS is still a second class league.

My argument here is this: if you sign with a team, don't you want to start playing with the team as soon as the season starts? That would mean that if you were on loan during the fall, then you could join the team's pre-season in February and eventually start play in March. Doesn't sound difficult, right?

Not for stars like Beckham, who went on loan to AC Milan during the first half of the year in 2009 and did not return to the Galaxy until the summer window. Now Lampard follows the same path, even thought it was stated that he would start playing for NYCFC in March.

We get it. The EPL is a prestigious league and you want to play through to the end of the season. But it's disingenuous to announce that a player will start on time when the reality is another. It's better to be upfront about it. The loan is for a full season or half a season. Period.

It's just a bit upsetting that these marquee players, or their representatives, ignore basic concepts of courtesy. Is it because MLS is still not considered a serious league? From experience at the World Cup, that sentiment needs revising in the international sphere.

Now don't get me wrong. I love the idea of Lampard, Gerrard, Kaka joining the league and I'm looking forward to seeing them in action. I'm just asking for some respect for our 20-year old league.

Missed opportunity: Liverpool will find it hard to win the Premier League in 2015

Photo credit: Reuters

This was going to be Liverpool's year. All the pieces were together: Sturridge and Luis Suarez, with the latter being the poster boy for goalscoring worldwide. A tie last weekend sealed their fate.

There is talk of "next season" and "even better" but is Liverpool likely to have the same opportunity next year? Not without Luis Suarez, and he is likely to leave for a more lucrative future in the summer transfer window.

Brendan Rodgers had it. He had the team on the cusp of its first title in 24 years and bad defending at the end of the game cancelled all his work. That's how tight things can be in the world's best league.

So what can Liverpool do to win next season? Hold on to Suarez is number 1, and unlikely to occur. A replacement will be difficult to get given the price some other strikers are going for at this time. Fernando Torres won't be moving out of Stamford Bridge, according to Mourinho. Maybe an up-and-coming player that succeeds at the World Cup?

Another reason Liverpool is the resuscitation of Chelsea via serious cash to be spent by Mourinho on strikers and general reshuffling of the team. Diego Costa comes to mind. Manchester United will have a rebuilding year in which they will not participate in European tournaments, reopening the door for the once-perennial contenders.

Liverpool has a young nucleus with which to build around as well: Raheem Sterling, Daniel Sturridge and Coutinho have serious talent made exponentially more productive thanks to Luis Suarez. If Rodgers can tap on their energy and athleticism and make the right moves in the transfer market they could still be in contention, at the very least.

Liverpool missed an opportunity this year, however, with the collapse of Manchester United and Arsenal and some of the struggles Manchester City and Chelsea had.

Liverpool Returns and Performs in the EPL

Photo credit: The Guardian

 

Liverpool FC, undoubtedly one of the more recognized names in world soccer, has had its long-overdue reawakening. With an unstopabble Suarez, a calm Steven Gerrard and a stout central spine, this team is fun to watch and nearly unstoppable.

Liverpool won't stop scoring. That's the long and short of it. With a league-high 88 goals in favor and all of April and May still to go, and a Luis Suarez primed for a record-breaking streak, it's hard to see how this team can be stopped right now.

Brendan Rogers has finally turned this team around after lackluster performances for almost a decade. The team has not won a major tournament since the Champions League in 2005 and domestically they have not won the league since the 1980s. Back then they had a dynasty. Lately, they were knocked out of the top four for several years until now.

Today's Liverpool is a great respite from the monopolizing Manchester United, Manchester City and Cheslea. And where we might have thought that Arsenal would walk away with the league during the first semester of the tournament, it is now clear that Wenger's team has imploded, paving the way for the Merseyside team.

Anfield deserves a major victory after all the work this team has done. From Skrtel to Sturridge, Leiva to Coutinho, this side has a wealth of dedicated stars to support Suarez in his exploits.

Whatever happens in April, Liverpool deserves where it is right now at the top of the Premier League table. This is going to be a classic finish to the league and all of us fans of the sport are rooting for the team that scores the most and enjoys the game. Right now that is Liverpool.

Blame Jabulani: USA ties England 1-1

Fate? Destiny? Defense? The ball? Robert Green? How about all of the above? This was the gritty, physical, disciplined match we had hoped the US would play. A bit of ball-watching by Clark allowed for Gerrard's early strike. I missed the goal and thought the worst when I arrived at my destination. Tim Howard was dealt a blow to the ribs and is questionable for the match against Slovenia. More tests are expected.

Rooney, Heskey, Lampard and Gerrard were relentless against the US defense, but Onyewu, Cherundolo, Bocanegra and DeMerrit made their presence known. England would not score again.

Then there was Dempsey's shot. A weak rolling strike to the right of the English goalkeeper. It should have been a routine save for West Ham's #1, Robert Green. Unfortunately for him, the Jabulani's trajectory didn't include his scooping arms. Green failed to get a hold of it and it rolled off his hands and trickled into the net. Green took his eyes off the ball. Not a good move. Was Capello right in starting him instead of Hart or James? Will Green play against Algeria?

The rest of the game offered more from the Americans as Altidore nearly scored a goal in an acute near-post shot that Green promptly saved (not enough to make up for his blunder). Rooney and Heskey had some clear shots that Howard and Onyewu saved. Onyewu was particularly impressive in this match. Given a good showing in the rest of the games, we can definitely see a starting spot for Milan or another top team (if on loan). He's only 28, so he's got another World Cup cycle still.

As I had stated in my previous post, this game was about dreaming and cellebrating Team USA. I watched it with 20-or so other US fans. Our screams filled the small confiments of a standard living room and the house errupted in cellebration as Dempsey's shot crossed the goal line. We had a collective, continuous heart attack that went through the entire 45 minutes of the second half. After that it was U-S-A chants, hugs and a feeling that we indeed have a quality squad. Slovenia is next. A win is a must, but we should be careful, this Balkan side eliminated Russia and they are capable of doing some damage. A tie wouldn't knock the US out but a loss would put us in serious jeopardy going into our final match.

Player ratings:

• Howard---------8.5
• DeMerrit--------7
• Onyewu---------8
• Cherundolo------6
• Bocanegra-------6
• Clark------------5
• Bradley----------6
• Dempsey--------7.5
• Donovan--------7
• Findley----------4.5
• Altidore---------6.5

Subs: not enough time on the pitch

Highlights:


England v United States

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