European Team of the Decade

The problem with picking a "Best Team" is that the stars get all the credit. There is never any room for players that stand out for the balance and the support they provide. What would Cantona have been without Keane, Henry without Ljungberg, or Raul without Xabi and Iniesta? Okay those last two are stars in their own rights. But the point remains: its a lot harder to create a team that will play well together than it is to create a flashy team with the best individual talent.

The BBC's Phil Minshull recent European Team of the Decade lacks said balance. Phil's midfield from left to right plays: Figo, Zidane, Beckham. Ironically, this "best" lineup was a reality in 2004. Beckham joined Figo and Zidane in Madrid and Makelele left the same year. There was no balance to the team and the initial success of Los Galacticos waned (it took 3 years for Madrid to win another trophy). And on defense Phil has Carvalho playing next to Philp Lahm. Both are great players by any standards, but a team that represents Europe's best without fielding Maldini or Ashely Cole seems incomplete.

That being said, SOTB will be compiling a few "best team" lists (we can't resist the urge to manage from our armchairs too) to round out both the year and the decade. Leave your comments below on who should or shouldn't be included.

January Transfer Window Action

Its that time of year again folks: when speculation is king and hearsay is always reported. The January European Transfer Window provides teams with the opportunity to prepare for the second half of the season. And it also seems to provide everyone else with the opportunity to guess/judge what exactly is going through our favorite manager's heads. Here at SOTB we are no better, but we can help you through this year's window. Here are the latest:

• This morning it was reported that David Villa is finally ready for a move to England as it appears his chances at joining Madrid or Barcelona have diminished.
• Fergie has ruled out making a transfer window splash to "ease the defensive crisis."
• Tottenham's chairman, Daniel Levy to Redknapp: "You need to sell before you can buy."
• But, United have reportedly bid on 21 year old Benfica winger Angel Di Maria. Offering 9 million pounds plus Michael Jackson look alike Nani.

And if you are looking to get a grasp on what else to expect from this winter's transfers here is a great roundup.

Rumor Mill: Man Utd for Sale?

The transfer windows are when most of the football rumors are floated around the interwebs, but it seems that someone has gotten the jump on the gossip usually reserved for January. There are reports that a group of Chinese businessmen have a bid ready to buy Manchester United for over 1 billion pounds! That is absolutely absurd. While seemingly ridiculous, it might be somewhat believable for a couple of reasons. One is that the club currently has debt in excess of 700 million pounds which it has had some difficulty refinancing. The other reason being that we have seen similar big sales in the last couple of years, including Chelsea and Manchester City to Russian and Middle Eastern billionaires. Let's see what the Glazers (Americans who also own the Tampa Bay Bucs) decide to do.

Is the offer even real? Is it too good to pass up? Are Gillette and Hicks wishing the Chinese would approach them for a sale? We'll find out soon enough.

Tottenham Transfer Speculation

Reports are surfacing that Tottenham Manager Juande Ramos is hoping to make this transfer window a memorable one. ESPN is reporting that Ramos is looking to sign David Villa, Andrei Arshavin and Vedran Corluka for a sum of roughly 120 million dollars. The transfers (and now we move into the heavy speculation) would be partially funded by the 60 million dollar sale of Dimitar Berbatov to Manchester United.

Quite the undertaking? It might not be as far fetched as one would think. David Villa has reportedly stated that he is ready for a move to the Premier League. Tottenham may prove to be an easy transition for the Spaniard because of the fast style of play enforced by Ramos' managing. Arshavin's chances at joining Barcelona seem lost; the striker might be thinking that a trip to Tottenham is his only chance at leaving Russia. And as for Corluka, Ramos has publicly stated that he hopes to base his defense on a partnership between the Croatian and Jonathan Woodgate.

Nothing but another fantastic European transfer window pipe dream? Perhaps, but with the recent inclusion of David Bentley, Giovani and Luka Modric, one has to feel that Ramos has the vision and the capability of putting together a side that is capable of great things. Now all he needs is the money.

Summer Transfers: Shakers and Movers

Ronaldinho: Barcelona to AC Milan

Alexander Hleb: Arsenal to Barcelona

Dimitar Berbatov: Tottenham to Man United??

Gilberto Silva: Arsenal to Panathinaikos

Peter Crouch: Liverpool to Portsmouth

Giovani dos Santos: Barcelona to Tottenham

Luca Modric: Dinamo Zagreb to Tottenham

Brad Guzan: CD Chivas USA to Aston Villa

Claudio Reyna: To Retire from Red Bull New York

Brian McBride: Fulham to ???

Josh Wolff: 1860 Munich to Kansas City Wizards

Video: Top Goals at Euro 2008

I feel as though I've been spoiled by the European Championships. Now I am going to have to wait another 2 months to watch top notch football (I guess we do have the Olympics to tide us over). If you miss the goals and drama of the Euro Cup as much as I do then here is a little video to cheer you up. These are a few of the better goals scored at the tournament.

European Transfer Roundup

Zenit reject Barcelona's 15 million pound offer for Arshavin
The Russian international's dream to play in Spain is put on hold again as Zenit St. Petersberg rejected the Catalan's offer. Zenit has offered to extend Arshavin's contract until 2012, but I don't see Arshavin staying in Russia. Barcelona has already unloaded Deco, and with Ronaldinho and Eto'o on their way out, I think its just a matter of time (and money) until Barca gets Arshavin.

Dani Alves arrives in Barcelona
Barcelona completed the transfer of defender Dani Alves from Sevilla for a transfer fee that is speculated to be roughly 35 million Euros. Alves proved his quality over the past few seasons with Sevilla as he helped them win two UEFA Cups during his 5 years with the club. I think the move to Barcelona is a logical one; his explosive flair should fit well with Barcelona's attacking style of play.

Peter Crouch To Portsmouth
After months of speculation, Peter Crouch is finally leaving Anfield. Benitez accepted Portsmouths' 8 million Euros (with 3-4 million extra in bonuses) bid for the towering striker. Crouch, who had a turbulent stay at Anfield, has to be content at leaving his relationship with Benitez behind. I think Crouch is an underrated player and will justifiably see more time with Pompy. Here is a look back at Crouch's quality; a spectacular bicycle finish against Turkish side Galatasary.

Quarter Finals: Russia 3 - 1 Netherlands

A young and explosive Russian side managed to defeat the high flying Dutch by a score of 3-1 this afternoon. Russia struck first in the second half on a goal by Roman Pavluchenko. A great ball played into the goal area was finished off by the streaking Russian forward. It looked as though the Ruskies would win 1-0 until Ruud Van Nistleroy managed to sneak in behind his defender on a free kick and head home the equaliser in the 86 min.

In extra time it remained tied until Andrei Arshavin crossed in a ball that did not look that threatening but managed to make it drop in on the back post and the substitute Torbinsky flicked it into the back of the "onion bag" for the eventual game winning goal. 4 minutes later Arshavin buried a shot (which took a deflection to be fair) to seal the win. Arshavin was undoubtedly the star of the game, constantly displaying his quickness and nose for good attacking football. He should definitely move somewhere big over the summer transfer window.

This was a tough loss for the Dutch as they coasted through the group stage. I think it is safe to say that anyone who underestimates the Russians from this point on will be making a huge mistake. The Russians will play the winner of the Spain versus Italy game which airs on ESPN tomorrow. Gus Hiddink managed to pull off another unexpected result for his team. The man continues to impress wherever he coaches.

EURO 2008 Quarterfinal 1, Germany Oust Portugal

The German's put in a stunning performance to oust a Portugal team that seemed very uninsipired in the first Quarterfinal of the tournament. Bastian Schweinsteiger was the star of the show, coming back from a suspension with a superb showing, scoring Germany's first, and assisting the second and third goals. Here is a look at Germany's first goal--from which they never looked back; a truly beautiful display of precise football.



Portugal attacked with flair at times, but never seriously threatened Germany. Cristiano Ronaldo was a non factor for most of the game, and one has to wonder if his constant transfer speculations proved to disrupt his focus, as well as that of his countrymen.

Germany looked polished; for a team that struggled through the group stage, they must feel very confident as the look to take on the winner of the Croatia/Turkey Quarterfinal. That Quarterfinal takes place tomorrow, game time is 2:30 EST on ESPN2.

Euro 2008 Recap (Part 3), So far...

So the Group stage is now over. Here is what happened in the last round of group stage games.

- The Turks pulled of a remarkable win against the Czech Republic. Down 2 goals with about 15 minutes left to play, Turkey scored 3 goals in a row and won their way into the quarterfinals. It really seems as though Turkey has some momentum and they could be a team to watch closely. They will face Croatia in the quarters.

- Switzerland wins a game that really doesn't mean anything. 2-0 to the hosts over a second string Portugal squad. Hopefully the Portuguese don't lose their killer instinct that they showed in their first two games.

- Germany beats Austria on a screamer of a free kick from Michael Ballack, 1-0. Germany will face Portugal and the Ronaldo circus in the elimination round.

- Croatia beats Poland 1-0 and earns full points from their 3 games. They will face Turkey next.

- Ahh the "Group of Death." Italy beats an under performing French squad 2-0. A penalty/red card in the first half committed by Abidal gave the Italians the lead. A horrible deflection on a free kick off of Henry led to the second goal. Honestly the Italians did not impress me through their first 3 games. They will face Spain.

- The Dutch continued to roll with a 2-0 victory over Romania. With a +8 goal differential, it seems as though the Dutch will be the team to beat. They match up against a young and dynamic Russian squad next.

- Russia downs Sweden to move out of the rather difficult group D. A 2-0 victory over Ibrahimovic and the Swedes will see Gus Hiddink and the Russians into the quarters. They will try to take down the steamroller known as the Dutch. Should be a good game.

- Spain take out the 2004 European Champions, Greece, with a B squad by a score of 2-1. The Spanish will take on World Cup holders Italy in the quarters. I really hope they kick the shit out of the Italians. Not to sound bias or anything...

Euro 2008 Recap (Part 2), So far...

Here is a summary and some observations after the second round of the group stage games:

- Portugal put on a show against the Czechs and manage to put 3 past Petr Cech on their way to a 3-1 victory. It's safe to say that C. Ronaldo and his countrymen are looking very strong through the first two games.

- Turkey score a very late winner and as a result eliminate one of the tournament's hosts, Switzerland.

- Germany gets out played by the Croatians as they lose by a score of 1-2. Croatia shows its potential and Germany shows that it can be beaten.

- Italy and Romania tie as the Dutch route France 4-1. This "Group of Death" has been a bit unpredictable. The Netherlands are definitely one of the top teams in this tournament. Will Italy fail to make it out of the group stage?? (I guess Italy and France could both fail to advance, wouldn't that be something?!)

- Spain beats Sweden on a last gasp goal by the tournament's leading scorer, David Villa. This was a real heart breaker for the Swedes, although I think that Spain definitely out played Sweden in the second half. They must have had around 65-70% of the possession in the second half but couldn't put a goal in until the 93rd minute. A por ellos!

The third and final round of group stage games starts today. Should be some exciting stuff. If you are looking for the TV schedule, just look to the upper right of the page and there should be a link. Enjoy.

Euro 2008 Recap, So far...

So far there has been some really good soccer played and some not so good soccer played. Here is a quick list of some of the headlines and highlights of the European Championship through the first round of games for each group.

- Portugal wins their first match but all the media can still talk about is the Real Madrid/Man Utd/Ronaldo drama.

- Podolski scores a brace for Germany in route to a 2-0 victory over neighbors Poland.

- Both host countries, Austria and Switzerland, lose 1-0 in games where they could have had a more positive result.

- The "Group of Death" did not live up to its billing with France vs. Romania. Unless that name is referring to being bored to death with watching the game. I really thought France would have done better than a 0-0 tie.

- The other half of said group saw the Netherlands dismantle Italy 3-0. This could prove to be a rather large hole for the World Cup champions to dig themselves out of. It will be interesting to see how they rebound against Romania.

- Many peoples' favorite to win the tournament, Spain, picked apart a young Russian side 4-1. David Villa scored the first hat trick of Euro 2008. Russia was not all that bad though. I still think Spain and Russia will be the two teams to come out of this group.

More to come as the tournament progresses...

Mourinho Unveiled as Inter Manager, No Longer "Special"

Jose Mourinho officially accepted the position as manager of Italy's Internazionale this morning, replacing Roberto Mancini. In the ensuing press conference Mourinho stated, "I have arrived to a special club and I believe I am a great coach but I don't want to be special." He continued, insisting that he is not "special," instead that he is, "Mourinho--period."

Mourinho did admit that he would like to bring in 2 or 3 players in order to make the current Serie A champions "more competitive." Frank Lampard, Ricardo Carvalho, and striker Didier Drogba have been linked with a move to be reunited with Mourinho, but Jose refused to comment on any specific prospects.

This guy is great, I don't know if he purposely soaks his speeches in irony, or its just his nature, but either way, I'm glad he is back. I look forward to the hilarity that will surely ensue with his future dealings with the Italian media. Welcome back Jose.

US Men's National Team Friendly vs Spain Preview

The European Cup almost upon us, its easy to forgot about some of the star power that the US Men's National Team will be squaring off against in the coming days. Just a week after suffering a defeat on English soil the National Team will be traveling to Spain for a friendly surly designed to "prep" the Spaniards for the European Cup.

Ranked number 4 in the world, Spain has the talent to make a run for the Euro 08 title, but on Wednesday, what can the United States expect? The United States won't have to worry about being terrorized by Raul or Bojan, but with a roster as impressive as Spain's, the good news stops there. Spain will probably look to give their European team a chance to gel before the tournament, so the United States should expect to see a full roster. The attack will be lead by Cesc, Xabi, Iniesta, Torres and Villa. Spain's defense will be controlled by Carlos Puyol, Sergio Ramos as well as Liverpool's Alvaro Arbeloa. Impressive.

Bob Bradley will look for Clint Dempsey, Eddie Johnson and DaMarcus Beasley to lead the attack. And with Landon Donovan out with a calf strain, perhaps its time for Freddie Adu to merit a starting position. Adu's injection into the squad could in turn give the United States more fluidity and creativity in the attack, something they will certainly need to break down Spain's defense.

Spain notoriously under preforms. On paper it looks like the US is in over their heads, but in actuality they need to be ready to take advantage of any studdering by the Spaniards. Upset anyone? I believe. Be sure not to miss this one, the game airs tape delayed on Wednesday at 5:30 PM on ESPN2.

European Championship TV Schedule

The start of Euro 2008 is creeping up on us. Luckily we will be blessed with ESPN/ABC airing every game on TV. Here is a fixture list to help you all with scheduling your TiVo.

So Long Avram Grant

It seems that almost winning the Champions League Final won't be enough to save Avram Grant's job as Chelsea's head coach; the London based club terminated his contract this afternoon. This decision probably doesn't surprise many, despite achieving success on the pitch, Grant never won the hearts and minds of the fans, the players, or the media. Grant supporters (the few that are out there) might argue that he wasn't given a long enough tenure (or enough credit for his successes), but in the end the expectations of a club as immense as Chelsea proved to be too great for Grant.

The news of his departure from the Blues will soon be dwarfed by the speculation of who his replacement will be. It has been reported that Frank Rijkaard and Sven-Goran Eriksson are early favorites. Let the rumor mills begin to churn.

The End is the Begining

This can be a very exciting time of year for a soccer fan. All of the major European leagues are coming to an end. All domestic cups and European competitions reach their climax. MLS is starting to heat up. Needless to say there is a lot of soccer available to the fan who is willing to following the game. This also means that the summer doldrums are on their way. 2-3 months of speculation, transfers and gossip. It's kind of like high school all over again. Booooo.

BUT WAIT! This summer we have Euro 2008 held in Austria/Switzerland from June 7th - June 29th. I am pretty sure ESPN/ABC will be broadcasting each and every game of the tournament. (High def soccer! Get a hint FSC.) I really am going to need to invest in a DVR. So go ahead and vote on the poll at the top of the page for who you think will win this summer's European Championship. (Sorry England, maybe next time.)

Ronaldinho to AC Milan

This deal seems pretty legit, Ronaldinho and Barcelona are reported to be in advanced talks with Italian side AC Milan. Ronaldinho's agent (also his brother) stated yesterday that "In general Ronaldinho and Milan are in agreement." Ronaldinho has had a frustrating year with Barcelona and there is no doubt in my mind that a move away from Spain is in the cards. However, is the move to Italy the right one?

It has been speculated that Ronaldinho and Kaká can't play together and that brining the 28 year old Brazilian in is unwise. However, the attacking potential of a side that hosts Kaká, Pato, Ronaldinho, Pirlo and possibly Ronaldo is hard to ignore.

More on this as it develops. In the meantime, Milan continues to struggle to secure a spot in next years UEFA Champions League. They square off against Juventus this afternoon in one of the biggest games of the season. Juventus is struggling to hold on to their 3rd place spot and with both Milan and Fiorintina (5th and 4th place respectively) scrapping for every possible point, the game is a must win for both sides.

The game airs at 2:30 on FSC.

Barcelona's Injury Woes Continue

Barcelona isn't doing itself any favors as it strives to take home both La Liga and UEFA trophies this year. With 10 games to go in La Liga, the Catalan side sits 7 points back from Real Madrid and in the Champions League they are set to face an upset minded Schalke side in two weeks time. But, Barcelona's list of injured superstars keeps growing with the news that Ronaldinho has been left out of the last few games due to injury. Conflicting reports coming out of Spain are making the diagnosis confusing. While most sources are stating that he is suffering from "medical problems" its not exactly clear (perhaps this is how Rijkaard would like things to stay) what those medical problems are. What is certain is that Ronaldinho was unable to play in Barcelona's drawl with Almeria on Sunday, wasn't able to train this week, and won't be playing in Thursdays fixture with Valencia (King's Cup semi-final, second leg).

Confusion surrounds the cause of the Brazilian's injury troubles, but knowing the exact diagnosis doesn't change the fact that none of this poses well for Barcelona. Ronaldinho will be joining the likes of Rafa Marquez, Giovani dos Santos, Deco and Leo Messi on the bench.

Midweek Action

Here is a quick rundown of a few of the midweek results in el mundo de futbol:

UEFA Cup

Everton 2 - 0 Fiorentina
(Fiorentina advances in penalty shootout)

A tough loss for Tim Howard and Everton. They played well and managed a 2 - nil result but the aggregate stood at 2-2. That means extra time which eventually led to a shootout. A Yakubu spot kick off the left post and a Jagielka miss sealed the Toffees fate. Better luck next year.

Tottenham 1 - 0 PSV Eindhoven
(PSV advance in penalty shootout)

Two EPL teams getting knocked out of the UEFA Cup on PK's on the same day? Yup. Berbie and Co. finished regulation 1-0 and tied 1-1 on aggregate. Once it made it to PK's, Chimbonda's miss in the 7th round of kicks doomed Tottenham. Sorry Dilbs.

CONCACAF Champions Cup

DC United 1 - 1 Harbour View (Jamaica)
(Aggragate 1-1)

United managed a 1 nil advantage until late in the game. On a corner kick from the home side, the ball was bouncing around and made its way to the foot of a Harbour View player and ended up in the back of Zack Wells' net. This game was rather sloppy and only a slight departure from the Champions League matchups everyone has been used to watching. I wonder how a chain link fence lining the San Siro would have gone over on Tuesday? The second leg of this series heads to RFK next week.


P.S. MLS starts in about 3 weeks. Who is excited!!!?? Anyone down for some Fantasy MLS this year??