First: Just watched last Sunday’s Chelsea-Liverpool match that ended 1-0 to the host Blues. I had heard criticism of Cisse and Kirkland but my analysis is that Xabi Alonso and John Arne Riise were the main culprits. True, the oft-injured ‘keeper could have stayed a bit closer to his line in general but his positioning didn’t lead to any scores. Meanwhile the team is 11th in the table as the “real” leagues begin a two week break for national team play.
Second: What … is up with the Earthquakes lately? A healthy Ching has turned out to be far more important to the team than anyone would have guessed at the start of the year. The injury to Dwayne Derosario has deprived us of the only capable substitute on the roster. Landon is either exhausted or out of sorts–take your pick between the unsettled franchise and the possibility he will have to go play in Germany after the New Year–but for sure is not doing or creating any scoring. Only even worse play by the Burn is keeping us in a playoff spot.
Third: But will national team duty over the next seven days for Donovan, Derosario and Onstadt be the end of that? The Quakes will miss all three of them in our last home match of the season against a stronger at full strength anyway Kansas City for sure and one wonders about their condition for the season closer the following Saturday at Dallas.
Fourth: And WTF is up with this Saturday’s US v. El Salvador World Cup qualifier being shown only on pay per view? Are the 27 people willing to shell out to see it more significant to US Soccer than getting exposure on ESPN or FSW, even on tape delay?
BillSaysThis 