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Several Stars of World Cup Rocked By Injuries Days Before First Kick
Yesterday saw several key players set to play in the 2010 World Cup in danger of missing matches or the tournament on the whole.
Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba was taken down on a challenge from Japanese defender Tulio Tanaka and suffered a broken elbow. Considering the match was a Friendly between two teams days away from beginning their World Cup the challenge was pretty reckless.
Here is a clip: Rio Ferdinand on crutches and out for the World Cup. According to the Guardian and several other outlet, England captain and starting center back Rio Ferdinand suffered a serious knee injury in training and left the hospital on crutches. He is expected to be declared out of the World Cup.Filed under USMNT
32 Golazos in 30 Days – Italy
Its not hard to enjoy the Italian national team but I chalk most of that up to recent US matches vs the Italians, match fixing scandals in their top flight league, the constant diving, and everything about Alberto Gilardino.That being said you don’t win the World Cup with a +10 goal differential with out having skill. It also helps to have Danielle De Rossi’s howitzer left foot.
Filed under Group F
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Passing is a part of the game. Some teams do it well, some teams put on a clinc.Watch the entire clip Japan strings together 22 passes. 22 passes before scoring.
Filed under Group E
32 Golazos in the 30 Days – Japan
Passing is a part of the game. Some teams do it well, some teams put on a clinc.Watch the entire clip Japan strings together 22 passes. 22 passes before scoring.
Filed under Group E
32 Golazos in 30 Days – Denmark
Yesterday we previewed the Danes and discussed how 6-4 striker Nicklas Bendter could cause problems for defenders if he was on his game. Here is a quick visual representation.
Filed under Uncategorized
Better Know a Player: Tim Howard
Hometown: North Brunswick, NJ Position: Goalkeeper Number: 1 Height: 6-3 Weight: 210 Club: Everton (English Premier League) Twitter: No Appearances with US Team: 50 First Cap: March 10, 2002 Ecuador Goalkeeper has been the one position in soccer where European clubs have been eager to sign Americans. Tony Meola made it over in the early 1990′s and the likes of Brad Friedel and Kasey Keller quick to follow in the 1990′s and into the 2000′s. All three would take the USMNT to World Cups. Over the last eight years the understudy to Friedel and Keller would be Tim Howard. Some scouts site the numerous sports in America that require hand eye coordination combined with athleticism that help to separate American Goalkeepers from their European counterparts. Howard grew up in North Brunswick, New Jersey and was a standout in several sports. Soccer and Basketball being where his abilities were most noticeable. Howard managed to be a standout athlete while fighting Tourette syndrome, Howard has spent most of his life fighting the syndrome with out medication due to the fact he feels the medications can make him feel lethargic. Out of high school Howard would sign with the North Jersey Imperials, a team in the United Systems of Independent Soccer Leagues. His coach there would later take a coaching position with the NY Metro Stars and Howard would get an offered a trial from the NY MLS team. In the 99′ season Howard would make 9 appearances with the Metrostars and would receive a call up to the US under 20 team. In 2001 Howard would have a break out year in the MLS. He won the Goalkeeper of the year at 22 year of age and would play in 41 matches for NY over the 2002 & 2003 seasons. In the middle of the 2003 season Manchester United signed Howard on a 4 million dollar transfer. Howard would make an immediate impact during the 2003-2004 season for Manchester United and would be voted the EPL Goalkeeper of the Year, becoming the second straight U.S. goalkeeper to earn the honor after Brad Friedel.
In his second season with Manchester United, he started poorly, making several errors and was dropped again for Carroll. After Carroll made several errors as well, Howard forced his way back in but his performances were unconvincing, leading to Carroll retaining his place again, playing in the FA Cup final defeat to Arsenal. At the end of the 2005–06 season, Howard signed a new contract, which was to run until 2009. In the summer of 2005, Manchester United released both of his competitors for the goalkeeper position, However, they also bought experienced Dutch goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar soon after. Howard would only see limited action in 2005/06 and in 2006 he was loaned out to Everton. Howard made a quick impact at Everton and when the load deal was up Everton brought Howard in permanently. On March 10, 2002, he received his first senior cap, against Ecuador and registered a shut out. In 2006 Howard was named as one of three goalkeepers on the U.S. roster for the 2006 World Cup but served as a backup to Kasey Keller. Howard has become the team’s first choice keeper under Bob Bradley and started in the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup final, a 2–1 win over Mexico. He was the starting keeper for the 2009 Confederations Cup, including the semifinal in which the U.S. upset Spain, then the number one-ranked team in the world. Howard’s eight saves earned him his first clean sheet of the tournament and the first shutout of the Spanish side since 2007. Following the United States’ second place finish in the tournament, Howard was awarded the Golden Glove award for best goalkeeper. Howard is one of the top Goalkeepers in the tournament and is easily the most vocal player on the US team. If the US gets a result against England expect Howard to have played a major role in the US earning points in that match. He is a tremendous athlete and does well to get himself in front of shots. 
Age: 31
Filed under USMNT
World Cup Preview: Group E – Denmark
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Team: Denmark
Nickname: The Danish Dynamite (quite a cocky name from such humble people)
Group: E
Impress your friends at a World Cup party by mentioning: Denmark has won both a European Championship and a Confederations Cup Championship in the last 16 years. In that 16 year span they’ve also managed to miss out on 2 World Cups (1994 & 2006) and either failed to qualify or were knocked out after the group stages in three of the last four European Championships.
You need to know: Their spine is strong and the Danes will D up on you. GK Thomas Sørensen has been more than reliable for Stoke City in the Premier League. This past season alone Stoke City had 14 clean sheets in the Premier League. Center Backs Daniel Agger (Liverpool) and Per Krøldrup (Fiorentina, Italy) sure up the back line. His name is Christian Poulsen. Christian Poulsen plays his club football for Juventus in Italy and he is the meanest Dane you will ever meet.
In the 2005-06 Champions League tournament, Poulsen’s club Schalke played two games against Italian team A.C. Milan. Following their first match, a 2-2 draw, Poulsen was described as “a coward” by Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti, alleging that Poulsen had been purposle kicking Milan midfielder Kaká when the officials had their backs turned. In the second match Schalke lost 2-3. Following the final whistle.
In 2007, Denmark faced Sweden in a qualifying match for the 2008 Euro’s. With the game tied 3-3 in the 89th minute, Poulsen punched Swedish striker Markus Rosenberg in the stomach inside the Danish penalty area. The linesman notified referee Herbert Fandel, who gave Poulsen the red card and awarded Sweden a penalty kick. This did not go over well infront of a Danish crowd. An angered Danish supporter ran onto the pitch and attempted to attack Fandel, who chose to abandon the game which was subsequently awarded a 3-0 win to Sweden. He accepted UEFA’s punishment of suspension from Denmark’s next three competitive games.
Pedigree: 1st World Cup Appearance.
Journey to South Africa: 1st in Group 1 in UEFA 2010 World Cup Qualifying.
Predicted XI (4-3-3) GK: Thomas Sørensen LB: Patrick Mtiliga CB: Per Krøldrup CB: Daniel Agger RB: Lars Jacobsen LM: Dennis Rommedahl CDM: Daniel Jensen RM: Christian Poulsen LW: Jon Dahl Tomasson RW: Thomas Kahlenberg ST: Nicklas Bendtner
Who to Watch: We’ve established that Christian Poulsen will kill a man. The success Danish attack will fall on the shoulders of Nickals Bendtner the Arsenal striker who can be very hot or very cold. The 6ft 4in striker can trouble defenses with his size. Bendtner will also be able to hold up the ball and supply service to the likes of Tomasson, Rommedahl, and Kahlenberg.
Reasons to root for: The recent outburst by Samuel Eto of Cameroon make the Danes easier to root for. Also when people ask “who ya got,” in a particular match you get to say “The Danish Dynamite,”
Reasons to root against: Christian Poulsen
SWTCF Prediction: It has to be assumed that 2nd place in the group will come down to Denmark and Cameroon. At the moment I have Cameroon suriving group play and matching up with Italy in the 2nd round. However, if the current dressing room issues that are surrounding the Cameroon side persist the Danes will take the 2nd place spot in the group.
Filed under Group E, World Cup Preview
Better Know A Player: Jay DeMerit
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Age: 30
Hometown: Green Bay, Wisconson
Position: Center Back
Number: 15
Height: 5-11
Weight: 170
Club: Watford (Coca – Cola Championship, tier below EPL)
Twitter: No but hit the man up on facebook.
Appearances with US Team: 13, First Cap: Switzerland on October 17, 2007
In 2000, as an American soccer player, failing to get drafted by the MLS should have been a decent indicator that your soccer career was likely over. Sure you could attempt to get picked up by a lower division league but at that time there were not to many players making the move back up to the MLS from the lower American leagues. For one kid from Green Bay who didn’t want to stop playing not getting drafted wasn’t a clear enough signal that a soccer career might be out of reach.
That kid from Green Bay with an art degree form the University of Chicago and a good job offer on the table took his last $1,800 and was off to Europe. His trip to Europe wasn’t going to be like the one you took after you finished college. He wasn’t getting a euro pass, he wasn’t going to the Louvre, and he wasn’t planning on heading to Holland for a wild weekend. Jay DeMerit was going to find a way to play soccer professionally in Europe. On the advice of a European teammate DeMeritt went to England in search of a contract. His grandfather being Danish helped DeMeritt secure a work permit and he was off to find any and all available tryouts. Eventually he got on with a team in the ninth tier of English football, Southall, earning only £40 a week. (Think semi pro, borderline rec league baseball, not even A ball)
In July 2004, DeMerit joined Northwood, a seventh-tier side, to play in some of their pre-season matches. On the pre-season schedule for Northwood was Watford, then a League Championship side (one tier below the Premier League). During the course of the match, DeMerit impressed then then Watford manager Ray Lewington enough to earn a two-week trial. Following the trial, DeMerit signed a one year contract with Watford to play in the 2004–05 season. Amazingly, he made 32 appearances for the Hornets that season, including 22 starts in the Championship. Since that 2004 season DeMerit has made 153 appearances and played a major role in the club being promoted to the Premier League in 2006. DeMerit scored the game-winning goal in the play-off match that decided promotion between Watford & Leeds United. (On average promotion to the Premier League meas about 40-60 million pounds in additional profits for a club) In 2007, after being relegated back to the Championship DeMerit was named captain and remained captain until June 1st, 2010 when the club announced they would not be able to re-sign DeMerit.
In 2007 , DeMerit received his first call up to the US National team in a match versus Guatemala. He was a member of the USA squad for the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup. During the 2009 Confederations Cup, DeMerit started at center back due to Carlos Bocanegra’s hamstring injury. DeMerit’s play in the match where the USA defeated Spain in the Confederations Cup semi-final was one of his finest performances as a US player.
DeMerit is a unique character, he has an art degree from the University of Chicago and his path to the National team is essentially unheard of. I tend to put highlight reels at the end of these pieces but I would ask you to watch the feature US Soccer produced a few months back.
Filed under Uncategorized
Better Know A Player: Maurice Edu
Age: 24
Hometown: Fontana, California
Position: Central Midfielder
Number: 19
Height: 6-0
Weight: 170
Club: Rangers FC (Scottish Premier League
Twitter: Yes, @MauriceEdu Mo enjoys twitter and according to some he enjoys it more ways than most of us do.
Appearances with US Team: 13, First Cap: Switzerland on October 17, 2007
Born in Fontana, California Edu attended theUniversity of Maryland, College Park from 2004 until 2006 and played three years for the Maryland Terrapins. He forfeited his final year of NCAA eligibility to enter the 2007 MLS Superdraft. Edu was drafted by Toronto as the first overall pick of the 2007 MLS SuperDraft. During that first season he made twenty-five appearances in MLS and scored four goal. Edu would go onto win the 2007 MLS Rookie of the Year award.
2008 is when Edu began to establish himself as a player to be noticed. In 2008, he captained the U.S. Olympic Team during a successful qualifying run and appeared in all three games during the Olympics in Beijing. During the 2008 MLS season, Scottish giants Rangers bought Edu. Rangers manager Walter Smith has been drawn to American players in the past and plucked Edu to join Rangers and USMNT teammate DaMarcus Beasley in Glasgow. On August 16, 2008, Edu flew to Glasgow to hold talks with Rangers after a fee of £2.6 million, was agreed with MLS. Edu signed a five-year contract with Rangers on August 17, 2008, but had to wait until August 22 to officially join after successfully gaining a work permit. Edu made his debut for Rangers in a Scottish Premier League match against Kilmarnock on September 13, 2008. Midway through the 2008-09 season Edu began to find his form. He scored his first goal for Rangers on April 8, 2009, in a league match against St Mirren and then followed his goal up with another against Hibernian in a 3–2 win. May would see Edu make his Old Firm debut against Celtic (scotlant’s biggest football match) on May 9 at Ibrox Stadium in a 1–0 Rangers win. He ended his first season in Scottish football by winning the league championship however injury saw him miss out in the 2009 Scottish Cup Final. The US might have seen more of Edu in the 2009 Confederations Cup had it not been for the injury suffered in the Scottish Cup Final.
The injury Edu suffered at the end of the 2009 lead to Edu being in a lengthy battle to regain his form. His knee injury took longer than expected to heal and once healthy Edu would have to earn his place back in the lineup. Edu would finally return in December of 2009 and he would score one of the biggest goals of Rangers season versus Celtic in Feburary of this year. Cue Madness. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqwAeNi0G34 
Edu provides the US with a confident, tough, and athletic play at the center of midfield. Edu can a box to box player but also a defensive cog in midfield. The Scottish league can be a physically brutal league. The weather can be miserable and the style play bruising. Edu has done well to adapt to the Scottish game and that could serve the US well in South Africa. Edu will likely play a more defensive role for the US, his athleticism, passing ability, and ability to get on to the end of free kicks and corners could help the US. Edu could be the player that many US fan have waited for, good size, good speed, and a fearless attitude. Paired alongside Michael Bradley the two could prove to be a nasty force for teams to go up against.
Highlights:
Filed under USMNT
