De Futebol

Do want to talk about racehorse style futebol then this is the friendly match for you. Argentina and Catalunyan started out slow as both sides raced up and down the pitch throwing their best Sunday punches at each other. Catalunyan prevailed over Argentina 4-2.

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I just love this style of futebol.

It is in your face run and gun futebol

Diego Maradona was banned from the sidelines due to his crazy profanity laced tirade press conference after Argentina’s 1-0 win over Uruguay to earn one of the automatic berths in 2010 World Cup.

Maradona was feeling the heat for his sides crappy play. Argentinos were clearly stinking the joint out until Maradona and his men received a gift from God.

Ecuador and Uruguay stubbed their toes in the last two matches thus allowed Argentina passage into the World Cup.

From this friendly we have learned this. Catalunyan torched the Argentines “D”. I mean this was horrible.

In defense of Argentina, Argentinos did not use their first team back line. 

Sergio Garcia ripped a header to give the Spanish side a 1-0. His shot flat-out neat the keeper.

The second goal was a masterpiece by Krkic Bojan. He flat-out beat three defenders and fired a low shot bottom left shelf that made the keeper and the entire Argentine back line look silly.

Argentina drew close when Javier Pastore struck for gold to cut the lead to 2-1.

A foul in the box and Sergio Gonzales nailed the PK to make 3-1.

Argentina raced down the pitch to answer with a wicked strike by Angel De Maria to cut the lead to 3-2.

Catalunyan sealed the deal when Moises Hurtado ripped the twines to make 4-2.

All and all this was a fun match to watch.

Are these matches any indication of how will Argentina perform in the World Cup?

No not really for the big guys won’t be playing in them much. The last thing that Argentina or Brasil needs is to have a Messi or Kaka go down with an injury.

The question that remains is this. Will Maradona remain as the Argentinos head man?

For the sake of Argentina futebol, I hope not. I hope the AFA get struck smart and fire Maradona and Grondona.

On a side note, I am glad Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger did not permit Fabregas to play in this puppy.

The Gunners have a huge match with Aston Villa.

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De Futebol

The more things change the more they stay the same. Thank you Toby Keith for those wonderful words. Chelsea had chance to separate them from the rest of the pack but no, the Blues eked out a one all tie with bottom feeder West Ham.

Dogs rule again on this fine Sunday.

What did I tell ya?

Trust me on this stuff. God gave me a gift to see this junk very clearly.

Instead of breathing fire, the Blues played like a team on mission to tie or lose. I don’t get this. When you have a chance to stomp on a bottom feeder do it. On paper, Chelsea should won by a gazillion goals. The Blues peppered the net with twenty-four shots. Abet only four those bad boys were on goal.

Still with Drogba, Joe Cole, Kalou, and Malouda in the line up the Blues should have scored more than one goal viva the PK route. But hey maybe Chelsea is following in Man U’s footsteps.

Both the Blues and Red Devils should become masons. Both sides are good at making bricks.

Alessandro Diamanti’s PK winner in the 45^th minute gave the Hammers the early 1-nil lead.

Yes, it was the correct call.

The Trumpets blared. The call to arms. The Calvary charge and Frank Lampard to the rescue. This cat has ice water in his veins. Lampard answered in the 61^st. The crowd is in full throat. The shower of boos and you are a bum are shouted at him. The ball is placed on the spot. The run up. The kick. Goal. This sucker is tied at one all.

This was an iffy call by the ref.

The Hammers Mathew Upson clearly got the ball but the ref said no way baby.

Now the race for the title is tighter than a pair of 1955 Elvis Pressley jeans.

What gives here?

Chelsea, Man U, and Arsenal cannot win on the road.

The road is exactly where the 2009-10 EPL will be won.

Chelsea, Man U, and Arsenal have a combined 14 wins, 10 losses, and 3 draws.

This stinks.

Chelsea is the top dog with 41 points. Man U is in second place with 37 points. Arsenal is third with 36 points. Villa is in fourth place 36 points but Chelsea has a better goal difference. The Gunners are a plus 13 while Aston Villa is a plus 8.

Talk about dogfight?

This took place in the 2009 FIFA World Club Championship 

Argentinean side Estudiantes had super power Barcelona on the ropes but Catalans came up with a brilliant goal by Pedro in the 88^th minute to level this sucker up at one all to send this baby in extra time.

Midnight struck twelve for Cinderella Estudiantes when Lionel Messi’s strike ripped the back of net in 110^th minute to send Barca to the Promised Land.

Barcelona came from behind to beat Estudiantes 2-1.

Estudiantes struck first. Mauro Boselli ripped the twines in the 37^th minute for a 1-0 lead.

Estudiantes should have won.

Instead of taking it to Barca, the Los Pincharratas sat back and let the Catalans control the ball in the second half.

The prevent “D” kept Estudiantes from winning.

I don’t get this. If you have a lead on a great team, you can’t let them have possession of the ball 90% of the time.

All it takes is one mistake. Bam. Kiss this baby bye-bye. And this is exactly what happened

Barca has Messi, Danny Alves, Xavi, and Pedro and these players can find a way to score.

Pedro did.

Messi did.

Game, set, and match to Barca.

Estudiantes gave Barcelona all they could handle and then some.

A great come from behind win for the Catalans.

Now Barca can put to rest they can’t win the big one.

Barca did.

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De Futebol

This is one of those lag kinda days. Not much happening. Once Saturday arrives, all kinds of great futebol will be played. The FIFA World Club Cup finals and the EPL is back in action as well.

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Messi and the boys will take on Argentinos side Estudiantes in the World Club Cup Finals. On paper, Barca has all the talent. The Catalans have the Golden Ball winner Messi, Brasilian Danny Alves, Pedro Rodriguez, Xavi, and Thierry Henry. This is enough to put the fear of God into any side.

This is the team that kicked Man U’s butts in the 2009 Champions League Final. Barca made the fake Ronaldo look silly.

I am sorry but the pundits and the useful media idiots think Cristiano Ronaldo is the greatest player since sliced bread. Not.

For surely when it is nut-cutting time, the fake Ronaldo does a Houdini. He quits. The fake Ronaldo is a good regular season player but when the match is on the line, he plays like a girl.

Enough said.

I think it was a shock that Estudiantes won the Copa Title. Estudiantes beat the Brasilian side Cruzeiro 2-1 on aggregate. Both sides played to a nil-nil draw at Estudiantes house Cidade de La Plata. The Argentine side shocked the Brasilians winning in Cruzeiro’s house in Belo Horizonte 2-1.

I was shocked too. I thought that Cruzeiro was going to win but hey crazy things happen in the  futebol world.

The Los Pincharratas (The Rat Stabbers) have Leandro Benitez, Juan Veron, Maximiliano Perez, and Mauro Boselli that can cause fits for Barca.

The key match up will be midfielder Juan Veron verses Lionel Messi. If Veron can at least somewhat control Messi, Estudiantes will have a chance to beat Barcelona.

For all you history buffs, the Catalans have been to this dance twice and each time Barcelona has lost. 

Will the Catalans make it an O for three?

I won’t bet on it.

But remember this, Barcelona is a tired squad. They have played a boatload of matches. The Catalans are discovering what Man U discovered last year. It is really hard to play in the FIFA World Club Cup Championship, Champions League, and fight to win a domestic title all in the same year.

Then add on top of that defend your Champions League crown when every side in Europe wants to kick your butt and send you home packing.

They want to embarrass you.

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De Futebol

Barcelona came out looking for total domination over the Mexican side Atlante. Not so, fast bucko. Atlante sent a shock wave through the mighty Barca squad. Atlante struck first. Guillermo Rojas ripped the twines in the 4^th minute to give Atlante the early 1-0 lead.

A misplayed long ball by the Barca “D” allowed Rojas to slip into the goal area. Bam. Bingo. Goal.

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Barca said this is not going to happen on our watch. We’re not going to allow Atlante to upset us big time.

Barcelona began to apply lots of pressure. The siege began on the Atlante goal. Sergi Busquets rammed home the winner in the 35^th minute to tie this sucker up at one all.

A well-placed corner kick set up this baby. The ball was fired into the box. Pass. One timer. Goal.

Enter the best player in the world Lionel Messi in the 53^rd minute. Instant presto. Goal. Messi takes charge. Mate Ibrahimovic slipped a great pass to Messi.  Messi breaks free in the box. Whoop. Messi makes the keeper looked silly.  Shot. Goal. Messi’s walk in goal in the 54^th minute gave Barca a 2-1 lead.

Pedro flat out beat the keeper in the box in the 66^th minute to give Barcelona a 3-1 lead.

Turn out the lights the party’s over.

Stick a fork in Atlante for they are surely done.

A gallant effort by Atlante but this was close but no cigar.

Barcelona proved they were the better side on this day.

Was there any doubt?

Barcelona comes from behind to beat Atlante 3-1.

It is onto the finals for Barcelona where they will face Estudiantes.

This should be a good one.

Now lets go to the fun in the sun EPL

Chelsea almost pulled a draw out of their hat but thank God, for Frank Lampard’s PK winner in the 79^th minute that gave Chelsea a 2-1 win over lowly Portsmouth.

This baby could have wound up in one all draw.

Nicolas Anelka fired a rocket from inside the box to give the Blues the early 1-nil in the 23^rd minute.

Portsmouth discovered the equalizer in the 51^st minute. Once again, the Blues can’t defend a set piece. Fredrick Piquionne rifled home the winner from dead center of the box to tie this baby up at one all.

Enter a dumb foul in the PK area by Portsmouth’s Marc Wilson. Super man to rescue Frank Lampard and thus Chelsea is rewarded a win instead of a tie.

Do you want to talk about crazy? Try this one on for size. The Gunners had a chance to really keep their “MO” alive. But no Arsenal gives up a dumb penalty and winds up snatching a draw from the jaws of victory. It is one all draw between Arsenal and Burnley. Fabregas scored first on a dead on strike that gave the Gunners a 1-0 lead in the 7^th minute.

Then a boneheaded penalty by Thomas Vermaelen gave Burnley the equalizer in the 28^th minute. The run up. The Kick. Crunch time baby. Goal by Graham Alexander to level this sucker at one all.

Instead of three points, Arsenal has to settle for one point.

There goes the Gunners Mojo right out the window.

Now do want to talk about Mojo taking a hike. Let us look at City and the abomination of a performance against Spurs. Spurs kicked City’s butt. This was one of those old fashion take me to the woodshed whooping. 

Spurs win in a cakewalk 3-0.

Way to go garoto.

I just love it.

Tottenham took it Manchester City from the opening whistle. Sure, Tevez missed a gimmie in the opening moments but that was about it for City. City played with a whimper from that point on.

Niko Kranjcar fired the opening salvo in the 37^th minute.  It was follow the bouncing ball as Kranjcar poked home the winner that gave Spurs a 1-0 lead. Lennon fired the cross into the box. Header by Peter Crouch. The ball bounces off of City’s Ireland. Kranjcar deposits the gift into the bank.

Defoe adds another goal in the 54^th minute to make 2-0 Spurs.

Then City just quit. They sorta attacked but not really. Spurs played pitch and catch the rest of the match.

The icing on the cake came in the final moments of the match. Kranjcar attacked the City goal. It was one on three. Whoop. Kranjcar flied past three City defenders. Adebayor was the last line of defense. Here’s your jock mister defender. Shot. It was right through the keeper’s wickets.

Kiss this baby bye-bye for City.

This was a total domination of City by Spurs.

Sure, City was missing some key players but Manchester City quit.

Liverpool picked up a much needed win. The Reds defeated Wigan 2-1. Ngog and Torres scored for Liverpool.

This win keeps the Reds in the hunt for a Champions League spot.

Chelsea is in the drivers seat with 40 points. Manchester United is in second place with 37 points. The Gunners are third on goal difference with 32 points. Arsenal has as game in hand. Villa is in fourth spot with 32 points.  Spurs are in fifth place with 30 points.

Liverpool is now in sixth place with 27 points. City drops to eighth place with 26 points.

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