Eight Years Later, The U.S. Men's National Team Return To The World Cup With A 1-1 Tie Vs. Wales

 

    So much has changed since the last time that the U.S. men's national team was in its last World Cup (2014 in Brazil). This afternoon, an almost completely new squad (defender DeAndre Yedlin is the only holdover from that team) took the field in Qatar for their Group B opener vs. Wales. While this team is brimming with far more individual talent than the Americans have ever possessed, they still came away with a disappointing result: a 1-1 draw. Earlier in the day, England opened with a 6-2 thrashing of Iran which is what a heavyweight team like the English are expected to do. Of course, up next the Americans meet England on Black Friday (2, Fox) in a huge showdown that now takes on even more meaning since the U.S. settled for a point rather than earning the full three against the Welsh. Ugh.

    The U.S. played a nearly flawless first half and took a 1-0 lead in the 36th minute on a brilliant build-up play (more on that later) and a top-class finish by 22-year-old forward Timothy Weah. Rather than push for the all-important second goal in the second half, head coach Gregg Berhalter decided to sit on that perilous lead and ended up getting burned by Welsh legend Gareth Bale who drew a dumb foul in the box from defender Walker Zimmerman. The LA Galaxy star (that still sounds so weird to say) predictably converted the penalty kick in the 82nd minute and the Welsh grabbed a point in a match where the U.S. owned 59% possesion and had two more corner kicks (5-3) than Wales. 

    Did I mention that the U.S. finished with just one shot on goal? Yeah, that will not get it done at a major tournament. I think any objective American fan came into this cursed event in an awful and backwards country most scared of Berhalter screwing this whole thing up since he is their most glaring weakness besides inexperience of the players on this stage. Today was not a fireable offense but budding star midfielder Giovanni Reyna never seeing the field while forward Jordan Morris was a late substitute for Weah was a ridiculous decision. Turner did his part with a spectaular save to punch a dangerous Welsh header over the crossbar in the second half. He even got a hand on Bale's penalty kick but it was stuck way too hard to make a difference. 

   Starting with striker Josh Sargent's holdup then Pulisic's rush forward followed by a perfectly weighted pass to Weah who one-timed a finish before Wales' goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey could rush out to stop it, that U.S. goal was utterly gorgeous. Needless to say, past American teams never pulled off sequences like that against legitimate competition. Berhalter's starting 11 was about as good as it gets given the current roster: Turner in goal; Antonee Robinson, Tim Ream, Zimmerman and Sergino Dest in the back; Yunus Musah, newly-elected captain Tyler Adams (who was deservedly voted Man of the Match) and Weston McKennie in the midfield; Pulisic, Sargent and Weah up front. Other than the puzzling Morris move, Yedlin came on for Dest, Kellyn Acosta replaced Musah and Brenden Aaronson subbed in for McKennie. Besides Reyna, there really were not any other guys that never played against Wales that you could make much of a fuss about. 

    Berhalter should not panic and if I were him, I would roll with basically the same lineup vs. England. The U.S. has to be careful then since four guys (Ream, Dest, Acosta and McKennie) will carry yellow cards into that match with risk of missing the Iran Group B finale (should they pick up another yellow) which is likely to be very important for all four countries in the Group. England will be favored but the United States has shown in the past that they can play with the English. Goal differential is always something to pay attention to in this format so if they lose, it cannot be by more a goal or two. The U.S. led 1-0 at halftime against Wales and were up for 46 minutes late into the second half so hopefully this group takes some lessons from their first taste of the World Cup and puts it to good use when they meet one of the best teams on the planet.

Tweet

Follow @RichSlate 

Happy Day: Valencia Midfielder Yunus Musah Chooses The USMNT Over England, Italy & Ghana

 

    You might not have been aware of it but this morning the USMNT scored one of their most important victories in a long time. No it didn't come on a field, in true 2021 form the message that 18-year-old midfielder Yunus Musah had picked them over the likes of England, Italy and Ghana was relayed over social media. Think about that, a prodigious talent that currently starts regularly in La Liga (Spain) for Valenica on his own free will picked the U.S. men's soccer team over two European powerhouses and the African country where his parents are originally from. 

    I liken this whole process to big-time recruits in high school basketball or football in America picking which juggernaut college program they'll presumably play for during the next few years before hopefully making millions of dollars as a pro. The key difference in Musah's case is that while his future is still unwritten, he has already proven at a young age that he can play in one of the top leagues in the world for a middle table club as a teenager. With all due respect to USMNT manager Gregg Berhalter, I'm pretty sure this decision had very little to do with him since who the hell is he in Musah's mind?

    Nope, while it's great that Berhalter gave Musah his first two USMNT caps in November vs. Wales and Panama, the player is betting on the future of the U.S. being brighter than those three other aforementioned countries. The chance to play with great young American players like midfielders Christian Pulisic (Chelsea), Weston McKennie (Juventus), Giovanni Reyna (Borussia Dortmund) and Tyler Adams (Red Bull Leipzig) was too much for Yunus to pass up and that's something which should give U.S. fans plenty of confidence moving forward. 

    It's one thing for sportswriters and media members to project what countries are going to be on top in the near future but who knows better than the guys who are actually on the field, you know playing in the games themselves? Musah has gotten a taste of U.S. training camps and a few friendlies and he obviously liked what he saw. Keep in mind, he went to Arsenal's academy and he captained England at various levels including the Under-18s in 2019 and he played on the Under-19s team in October of 2020. Musah is following in the footsteps of Barcelona defender Sergino Dest who wisely picked the USMNT over the Netherlands in 2019. 

    A very busy year is about to commence for the USMNT as Olympic qualifying starts later this week, they have a pair of friendlies next week against Jamaica and Northern Ireland then this summer they have the Nations League, the Gold Cup and the Olympics (assuming that they make it there this time). World Cup 2022 qualifying begins in September and that doomed tournament takes place in November and December of next year in Qatar. If it feels like you understandably need a refresher course on who plays for the USMNT these days, don't worry since you'll get plenty of chances to see them (obviously with different rosters depending on the time of the year and the various club schedules) in the coming months.

Tweet

Follow @RichSlate 

Another 2-1 Nailbiter vs. Legit European Team (ENG) Propels U.S. to Their 3rd Straight WC Final

The 2019 Women's World Cup delivered another instant classic event (at least if you are a fan of the USWNT) as the Americans outlasted England 2-1 in the semifinals tonight in Lyon, France. This means that the U.S. will be in their record third straight World Cup Final on Sunday (11 a.m., FOX) vs. either Sweden or Netherlands and it will also be the fifth World Cup Final appearance in team history.

Star forward Megan Rapinoe was a surprising late scratch with a hamstring injury (she says she'll be fine for Sunday) so it took some different players to step up: namely Christen Press (who started in her place) and superstar Alex Morgan (who was celebrating her 30th birthday) along with goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher who made a brilliant save in the first half with a diving stop, only to raise the stakes much higher with a penalty kick save on England's captain Steph Houghton in the 84th minute. Believe it or not, that was the first time in USWNT history that one of their goalkeepers had stopped a penalty kick in a World Cup. That would have tied the match at two goals apiece but the English crumbled after that with defender Millie Bright picking up her second yellow card thus earning a red card in the 86th minute.

From the start, there were plenty of twists and turns as for the sixth time in six matches this tournament, the U.S. scored a goal in the opening 12 minutes of play. Wouldn't you know that it came from Press (her 1st of this World Cup and only the 2nd WC goal of her career)? Defender Kelley O'Hara played a perfect cross to Press who was somehow unmarked in the box so she was able to knock in a powerful header to the upper left corner of the net in the 10th minute. In a candid postgame interview she said was inspired by what she sees teammate Carli Lloyd do in training every day.

England was not deterred in the least bit as their star striker Ellen White scored her World Cup leading (for the moment anyway) sixth goal in the 19th minute. She made a beautiful redirection (with her right foot) of Beth Mead's cross that went off the post and by Naeher who could only watch it clank by. That sequence reminded me of the Spain matchup in the Round of 16 for the Americans since the Spanish were able to quickly answer the U.S.' patented early strike.

After not scoring for four matches (1 of which she sat out), Morgan somehow became the first ever woman to score on her birthday at the World Cup (nice stat but seriously, how is that possible?) in the 31st minute. Her goal was pretty similar to Press' as Lindsey Horan (starting in place of Sam Mewis) chipped a ball onto a running Morgan to head past England's goalkeeper Carly Telford. It's weird that England was so clueless on those two scoring plays for the U.S. since their head coach is Phil Neville, a legendary English defender for Manchester United and the English national team not that long ago. Morgan's goal was her sixth in the tournament but first against anyone other than doormat Thailand. She takes the lead in the race for the Golden Boot since she also has three assists (more than White) which apparently comes into play as well.

I haven't hesitated to knock midfielder Rose Lavelle earlier in this World Cup because I couldn't grasp just what head coach Jill Ellis really saw in her. Today's performance made me a believer as Lavelle was lively on the ball with a bunch of clever moves and scoring chances that she created all on her own. She's been plagued by hamstring injuries the last few years so it truly was a shame to see her go down with what appeared to be another one in the 64th minute (Mewis replaced her). She also claimed after the win that she'll be OK for Sunday but we'll have to see about that.

With a one-goal lead, the U.S. actually dodged two serious chances as White temporarily tied it in the 67th minute but our old friend VAR (video assistant referee) ruled that she was offside (by an eyelash). Too easily, the U.S. central defenders allowed her to slip through and beat Naeher to the ball for the goal. If you want to say that the Americans got lucky on that decision, I'll grant you that but then it must have been some sort of cosmic justice when England's shady penalty kick earned by White (after Becky Sauerbrunn accidentally touched her feet causing her to do a face-plant in the box) turned into Naeher's best play of her life. White was clearly England's most dangerous offensive threat so I would have let her take the PK but I'm guessing that Houghton was better on them at practice (when it couldn't matter less). Naeher dove low to her right which is exactly where Houghton put her ill-fated attempt. That resulted in a huge in-game celebration for the U.S. as a bunch of players surrounded Naeher and hugged her before she shooed them away since you know, there was still some time left on the game clock.

Ellis loves those 80+ minute subs in close games which drives me crazy but hey, I guess that it doesn't matter. Lloyd came on for Tobin Heath in the 80th minute and Ali Krieger took out O'Hara in the 87th minute. A fresh Lloyd was able to waste time perfectly, drawing two free kicks from the exhausted English who at that point were had only 10 players left on the field thanks to Millie's clumsy challenges. In the buildup to this much-anticipated battle, Neville had hyped his defender Lucy Bronze as "the best player in the world." Of course, she is a great player but I'm sure that only motivated the U.S. even more to shut her down since she was barely heard from this evening.

Personally, I'm rooting for the Netherlands to beat Sweden since we already saw the U.S. beat the Swedes 2-0 in the group stage finale on June 20. Yes their rivalry with the Swedes is fun but I'd rather watch them face the Dutch who are a serious contender now after winning the European Championship in 2017. England plays in their second third-place match in a row on Saturday afternoon (11 a.m., FOX) against the loser of tomorrow's all-Euro match. Hopefully Rapinoe's hamstring holds up as nobody deserves to play on Sunday in that setting more than our favorite pink/purple-haired hero after her incredible outings vs. Spain and France. Regardless, the U.S. will be the heavy favorite with a 2-1 final score feeling like the lock of the century after they've done that three games in a row vs. European competition. Sunday should be another ratings bonanza for the USWNT and women's soccer/sports in general as they shoot for their fourth World Cup title back in Lyon.

Tweet


Follow @RichSlate

Thanks to Superwoman (Megan Rapinoe), US Top France 2-1 to Reach 8th Straight World Cup Semis

I don't think that it's hyperbole to say that nobody crushed this early week of summer in the world quite like U.S. women's national team icon Megan Rapinoe. From scoring both goals in the U.S.' 2-1 win vs. Spain in the Round of 16 on Monday afternoon, to sparring with the orange buffoon that currently resides in the White House, she was basically everywhere. Proving what a certified baller and legitimate bad ass/role model that she is, Rapinoe left her biggest mark on France in this afternoon's quarterfinal match at the Parc Des Princes (PSG's home stadium) in Paris. Once again, she scored both goals for the Americans as they got out to a 2-0 lead on the French and held on for a mighty impressive 2-1 victory.

Many pundits thought that France (ranked #4 in the latest FIFA world rankings) would represent the toughest test for the top-ranked US and I have to say that the game lived up to the hype and then some. I agree with those that said it's a shame that these two heavyweights had to face off this early in the tournament but I think that also discredits England (ranked #3) who the US now meets in the semifinals on Tuesday afternoon (3, FOX) and Germany (ranked #2) who they could possibly meet in a dream World Cup Final next Sunday.

For days, Rapinoe faced the media and backed up what she said about Donald Trump rather than take the coward's way out by retracting what she had said or even worse, just backing down to the bully. Nope, she faced all the cameras and extra attention but it clearly didn't faze her in the least bit as she gave the U.S. a 1-0 lead five minutes into the match. That means that the U.S. has scored a goal in the first 12 minutes of all five matches in this World Cup which is pretty insane given the quality of their last three opponents (Sweden, Spain and France).

Unlike her two goals vs. Spain which were both on penalty kicks, Rapinoe's first tally against France came via a free kick. Somehow her shot (pass?) found its way through a maze of arms and legs without anybody (not American Julie Ertz, French defenders nor goalkeeper Sarah Bouhaddi) touching it. Including the U.S.' second goal (which also came during the run of play), eight of their 22 goals at this tournament have come from set pieces. As a team, they are only one goal behind their 1991 squad and 2003 Germany (both Cup winners) for the most goals in a single World Cup.

France dominated possession all game (61-39%) but they were so wasteful once they got in the attacking third of the field: they took twice as many shots as the US (20-10) but the Americans actually put three more (8) on target. The French also had more than twice as many corner kicks (7-3) so you have to conclude that this was close to a defensive masterpiece by the U.S. Trailing 1-0 at halftime, France came out with their hair on fire to start the second half with U.S. goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher forced into by far her most stress of this fortnight.

After withstanding that pressure by France, Rapinoe doubled her team's advantage and effectively put a dagger in French hearts around the globe. We had heard that France's backline was a potential weakness against the U.S. and didn't that pan out on the second goal that made it 2-0 in the 65th minute. Tobin Heath had a rare counterattack for the Americans and she made the most of it as Sam Mewis drove to the net but the clever Heath instead hit a changeup slower pass to Rapinoe on the far post that she was able to blast in. France seemed to be in full collapse mode when Heath scored in the 77th minute but for some reason, it was quickly ruled that Crystal Dunn (who gave her the ball) was offsides on the initial pass from Alex Morgan before she found Heath for a one-time finish. With all the VAR delays in this tournament, it was very surprising that this one wasn't looked at least looked at further. Ugh, thankfully it didn't ultimately mean anything.

Speaking of Morgan, she's had a rather bizarre four games (head coach Jill Ellis-who won her 100th game today-sat her vs. Chile): an insane five goals in the laughable opener vs. Thailand but after that no more goals. She's had her chances of course but now Rapinoe along with England striker Ellen White are tied with her for the Golden Boot award (most goals in the World Cup). She's definitely banged up which isn't a total excuse but something to keep in mind when you see her stay on the ground time after time since getting hurt in the Sweden group stage finale. It's not like she's been completely useless as she had the through ball that sprung Heath on the second goal as well.

Credit to France for not completely rolling over though I'm sure they were stunned to be down 2-0. Their massive (6-foot-2) central defender Wendie Renard put in a header from midfielder Gaetane Thiney's free kick in the 81st minute to cut it to 2-1. That was her fourth goal of the tournament, all coming from set pieces where she uses her height and power to head everything in sight. Ellis was a little faster to make a substitution than against Spain as midfielder Rose Lavelle was pulled in the 63rd minute for Lindsey Horan (who should be starting but I digress). Carli Lloyd entered for midfielder Sam Mewis in the 82nd minute and Christen Press replaced Pinoe (her second Woman of the Match award in a row) in the 87th minute. The U.S. used the exact same lineup for the second straight match and Lavelle is the only puzzling decision since even before the game, you questioned it then she went out and played rather terribly.

Rapinoe made some notable history in the win as she became the first American woman to score four straight goals for her team in a World Cup. She was also the first woman since Brazil's Marta in 2007 to get back-to-back braces (2-goal performances). Normally, I would throw out the old cliche that the U.S. has to be careful not to have a letdown vs. England but with so many players still active for them that won the World Cup in 2015 vs. Japan not to mention a few that lost in the heartbreaking Final to the Japanese in 2011 (damn you, penalty kicks!), I doubt that will be an issue. Furthermore, this is the #1 team for a reason, they are always a huge match for any opponent no matter the time or venue so they are used to that constant pressure of living up to their incredible history. Even if they lose to England (who rolled 3-0 over Norway in the quarterfinals), the U.S. is at least assured of another game in France-the third-place match-but who wants to be in that? This team is on a mission and they are two wins away from the fourth Cup title in their storied history joining all the legends from 1991, 1999 and 2015.

Tweet


Follow @RichSlate

England's Frank Lampard Will Miss Euro 2012 With A Thigh Injury

Euro 2012 begins a week from tomorrow but England has already received some terrible news: midfielder Frank Lampard has been ruled out of the tournament with a thigh injury (tear) that he suffered yesterday in training.

It's a tough blow for him personally since he'd regained his starting spot at Chelsea during their run to the Champions League title. England will also miss his leadership and experience in the middle of the field.

At 33, you have to wonder how many big European and international competitions that Lampard will have left in his cleats. Let's hope that he doesn't go out like this though. Liverpool's Jordan Henderson has been called in to replace Lampard but since I've never even heard of him, I'm going to assume that Lampard is a better player even at this stage.

The injuries are starting to pile up for the Three Lions as Gareth Barry is also out and Scott Parker is banged up so his status is uncertain.

England's new manager Roy Hodgson had this to say about Chelsea's captain: “It’s a huge blow for the team, especially coming after the loss of another senior player in Gareth Barry. The fact that the doctor cannot guarantee Frank could take part in any of the group matches means we have to replace him in the central midfield area.

"Apart from it being a huge blow to me and the team, I’m especially disappointed for Frank himself. He has been in very good form and was looking forward to the tournament. He made a huge contribution towards us qualifying for the Euros so it is cruel to be forced out through injury just before the tournament.”

England is in Group D which on paper doesn't look too treacherous. They play France, Sweden and host Ukraine. Finishing in the Top-2 in that group shouldn't be that hard since they look like the best team of the four but I'm confident that England will find a way to screw it up. That's what they always do.

UPDATE 6/3: Chelsea defender Gary Cahill broke his jaw yesterday in England's 1-0 friendly win over Belgium. He's been replaced by Liverpool's Martin Kelly.

Tweet


Follow @RichSlate

Your Next England Manager Doomed To Fail: Roy Hodgson

From afar, you have to appreciate the utter ineptitude of the England national soccer team. Despite loads of talent, they fall short in every major competition and bungle every coaching hire.

Since Fabio Capello left in February, Tottenham's Harry Redknapp was the frontrunner so obviously England went in another direction by naming West Brom's Roy Hodgson as its new manager.

The 64-year-old Hodgson received a four-year deal with his home country and he'll manage West Brom in their final two English Premier League games before leaving the club and turning all his attention to England and Euro 2012. The Three Lions are in a tough Group D with Ukraine, France and Sweden. To prepare, they'll have friendlies with Norway and Belgium before Euro 2012 begins in June.

My general rule of thumb for national team coaches is that you're best served to hire a native, that is if you're from a country with at least a decent soccer history (Jurgen Klinsmann being a special exception for the U.S. men). In that way, England did nothing wrong by hiring Hodgson who also used to coach Liverpool. The part that worries me as a bandwagon England fan (from studying abroad there) is that his previous national team coaching experience came with Switzerland, Finland and United Arab Emirates. Not exactly three powerhouses that have ever done anything globally.

I want to see him succeed but like cheering for the Chicago Cubs, you know that eventually England will find a way to screw it up no matter what the circumstances. God speed Roy!

Tweet


Follow @RichSlate

Only In England: Fabio Capello Resigns A Mere Four Months Before Euro 2012

It's times like these that I wish I was still studying abroad in London for a semester.

The England national team is a constant source of drama and gossip but today it was bombarded with some wild news as head coach Fabio Capello resigned.

Apparently, he was upset with England taking John Terry's captaincy. Really Fabio? Please tell me there was more to it than this. Whatever the case may be, England is left without a manager only four months before Euro 2012 starts. Gee, do you think they'll do well in that?

The good news for English fans is that it sounds like Tottenham's Harry Redknapp is the frontrunner to get the position; not to sound xenophobic but why did they overthink it so much the last two times (Capello, Sven-Goran Eriksson) by not hiring an Englishman?

One of my main beliefs for national teams is that if you're a power, you should hire one of your own. Be that a former star player or a coach in your domestic league. So while it makes perfect sense for a place like the United States to reach out to somebody above its weight class (Jurgen Klinsmann), countries like England, Brazil, Spain, Italy, etc. should keep it simple and get somebody that understands the culture, speaks the language fluently and most importantly, can relate to the players.

Capello left England with a 28-8-6 record with the Three Lions. That looks great until you quickly remember that he didn't win any trophies and those numbers are padded from playing the dredge of Europe and losing to most worthy opposition.

As always, covering English soccer has to be one of the greatest writing jobs in the soccer world. You could devote a blog just to their national team and all the stuff that happens with them off the field.

Tweet


Follow @RichSlate

John Terry Is Still A Piece Of Trash

In case you forgot, John Terry would like to remind you that he is one of the biggest scumbags in all of professional soccer.

The Chelsea defender and mainstay of England's national team was stripped of his captaincy today with his country due to allegations of racism against Queens Park defender Anton Ferdinand.

I used to love Chelsea and Terry was my favorite player along with Frank Lampard but I have a hard time rooting for them and him while he's still a Blue.

England head coach Fabio Capello will reportedly try a rotation of captains, including Steven Gerrard of Liverpool, Lampard, Manchester City's Gareth Barry, Liverpool's Glen Johnson and Tottenham's Scott Parker.

The source says the Italian tactician will implement a system of rotating captains for England's games leading up to Euro2012. He will start with the current vice-captain, Gerrard, when England plays the Netherlands on Feb. 29.

"An England squad will be selected next week and is sure to include Steven Gerrard, which means he is most likely to be named captain for that game but, of course, there is no guarantee that he will be fit at the end of the month when the game is played," the report says.

Gerrard has played 89 times for England, and served as its captain at the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He has been left out of the England squad since Nov. 2010, as he battled injuries for much of the next 13 months.

Capello re-installed Terry as captain in March 2011 -- he had been stripped of the role in Feb. 2010 after his alleged affair with a teammate's made headlines -- to lead England through Euro2012 qualification.

As we said when the first drama with Terry sprung up in 2010, before the World Cup, nobody does soap operas like England. The team is always supremely talented but either through bad management, chemistry or poor performance, they routinely come up short in international competitions. I expect Euro 2012 to be no different with the Three Lions doing down in flames well before the final.

Tweet


Follow @RichSlate

Steven Gerrard Will Apparently Be On Liverpool For The Rest Of His Career

I have always been a proponent of keeping legends on your club for their entire careers, if that's possible and also assuming that they don't become a distraction or unruly as their skills diminish.

Liverpool midfielder and captain Steven Gerrard has always been one of my favorite players so I was psyched today when I read that he'll be there for the foreseeable future after signing a new contract.

Premier League side Liverpool confirmed the news on Thursday, stating Gerrard, 31, has "committed his long-term future" to the Reds, while he will also take up an ambassadorial role when he retires.

The deal caps an excellent 24 hours for the midfielder after he scored from the penalty spot on Wednesday night to help his side to a 1-0 Carling Cup semi-final first leg with over Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.

After emerging through the youth ranks at Anfield, Gerrard has gone on to make 561 appearances in all competitions for Liverpool, winning both the FA Cup and League Cup twice as well as claiming Champions League glory in 2005.

The England international has recently endured a torrid time with injuries, but he made his comeback in September and has since steadily returned to form and fitness.

Of his contract extension, Gerrard told the club's official website: "I'm very happy. It's a very proud day for myself and my family.

"It comes on the back of a fantastic team performance last night when we got the result we were looking for. Hopefully we can finish the job off in two weeks time and take all of our magnificent fans down to Wembley for a day out.

"The contract extension coming the day after has been the icing on the cake so it has been a perfect 24 hours. This is the club I love and is the club I have supported since I was a young boy. I am living the dream as the captain of one of the biggest clubs in the world.

"I love coming to work every day and the experiences I have had since I was eight years of age and first signed for the club, I wouldn't change them for the world. To extend that and to hopefully have some more good times in a red shirt is what I want.

"There will be more highs and lows, there's no doubt about it as that's part and parcel of being a football player at a top club. The important thing is that you react well to the lows and experience more of the highs.

"I'm confident moving forward that the club is going in the right direction. We've got a fantastic team, we've got the right owners in place and the right team behind our team, so I'm really confident we'll have more good experiences in the future."

Reading those quotes from Gerrard, what more can you ask for? It's not just smart PR, you can tell the guy truly loves his club and playing professional soccer for a living. Plus, he's still energized and looking forward to the future rather than sitting back and resting on his laurels and impressive resume. This all makes me love him even more and root for the Reds to do well for the rest of his career.

Tweet


Follow @RichSlate

Wayne Rooney To Miss All Three Games In Euro 2012 Group Stage

England has qualified for Euro 2012 but they'll be without their best player for the group stage (3 matches) since striker Wayne Rooney was suspended for a sloppy challenge (red card) he committed against Montenegro last week.

Rooney won't be available until the quarterfinals of Euro 2012, should his country advance that far without him.

England have three days to appeal the decision, which seems a formality given the severity of the punishment.

A statement from UEFA read: "The UEFA Control and Disciplinary Body has today handed down a three-match suspension to England forward Wayne Rooney following his dismissal during the UEFA EURO 2012 qualifier in Montenegro last Friday, 7 October.

"Today's decision was taken in relation to the red card shown to Rooney for assault after 74 minutes of England's final Group G game, the 2-2 draw with Montenegro in Podgorica. The striker will now be suspended from playing in his country's next three UEFA national competition matches for which he would be eligible.

"An appeal may be lodged against the verdict of the UEFA Control and Disciplinary Body within three days of the dispatch of the reasoned decision."

The FA say they will look at the full reasons behind the UEFA decision before deciding whether to appeal.

An FA statement said: "Further to UEFA's decision to impose a three-match suspension on Wayne Rooney following his sending off against Montenegro, the FA await the full reasons from the disciplinary committee, and will give full consideration to the decision internally, before deciding on any response to UEFA or making any further public comment.''

England head coach Fabio Capello said that Rooney will not start any of England friendlies in the run-up to Euro 2012 as he tries to find a system that works without the Man U superstar. Still, if the three-match ban stands he may have to reconsider his place in the squad.

The draw for the Euro 2012 finals is on December 2.

Follow @RichSlate


Tweet

Gary Neville calls it a career

By nature, defensive players in pretty much any sport don't get as much love as their offensive counterparts. That's the way it has always been and will be forever.

Still, we must recognize greatness when we see it and today the EPL and Manchester United said goodbye to a legend as right back Gary Neville retired.

Gary Neville has become the first of the 'Fergie Fledglings' to end his career after announcing his immediate retirement from professional football at the age of 35.

Neville, who has made only three Premier League starts this season due to fitness problems and a lack of form, made 602 appearances for United and represented England on 85 occasions.

Hailed as "the best English right back of his generation" by Sir Alex Ferguson, Neville was a member of the famous side that won the FA Youth Cup in 1992, and along with fellow academy graduates Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes dedicated his entire career to his manager at Old Trafford.

But while Scholes and Giggs continue to shine in the Premier League, Neville has decided that the time is right to hang up his boots, bringing to a close a trophy-filled career that saw him secure eight league titles, the Champions League, three FA Cups and two League Cups.

"I have been a Manchester United fan all my life and fulfilled every dream I've ever had," Neville told the club's official website. "Obviously I am disappointed that my playing days are at an end, however it comes to us all, and it's knowing when that time is and for me that time is now.

"I have played in the most incredible football teams, playing with some of the best players in the world as well as against them and I have been lucky to have been part of the team's achievements and the club's great success.

"There are so many people I want to thank and, of course, top of that list is Sir Alex. He has given me so many opportunities and countless support over the last 20 years - he is truly one of the greatest managers - and I have to thank him for that."

"I am looking forward to new experiences and the club will always be a part of my life going forward. However, the most important thing now is for the club to continue with the success that is synonymous with Manchester United and I will be supporting them all the way, as a fan."

Striking up a successful partnership with his good friend David Beckham on the right side of the United team, Neville came to epitomise United's spirit under the leadership of Ferguson and his dedication and professionalism saw him awarded the captain's armband in 2005.

Ferguson said: "Gary was the best English right back of his generation. He is an example to any young professional; hard-working, loyal and intelligent. As a United fan born and bred, his fantastic career at Old Trafford has cemented his place in the affection of the club's supporters everywhere.

"His impact on the club in general has been huge; his presence in the dressing room and leadership qualities have been an asset to me as a manager. All the young players who have sought his advice on many matters, particularly on contract issues owe him a great debt.

"As a young boy he had the will and determination to succeed as a footballer and that character remained with him throughout his career. That's the legacy he leaves every young player at Manchester United."

Neville also attracted tributes from his colleagues, with Rio Ferdinand writing on his Twitter page: "Gary Neville has retired from football ... the best right back in premier league history #fact. Gonna be a loss to our dressing room #banter."

You could say he should have retired a year or two earlier but you have to respect Neville for not prolonging it too much ala Brett Favre and a million other washed up professional athletes. I was never a Manchester United fan (and never will be) but I loved Neville's game: it was fundamental, tough, without flash. It was about substance not style and that seems rare these days.

Also, it's crazy that Giggs and Scholes are A) still with Man U and B) playing at such a high level.

Say goodbye to Adam Johnson, for three months

Manchester City has earned its spot (currently third in the EPL) and they look destined for a Top-4 finish barring a collapse. However, the news today that midfielder Adam Johnson is out for three months doesn't help their cause.

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has confirmed that winger Adam Johnson has been ruled out for three months with ankle ligament damage.

Johnson sustained the injury in an accident in training on Thursday and City initially ruled him out of Saturday's FA Cup tie against Notts County.

However, following the 1-1 draw against the League One side, Mancini revealed the bad news for City supporters.

"We have lost Adam Johnson for three months,'' Mancini said. "This will be a very big problem because he is an important player.

"The injury is like the one Aleksandar Kolarov had earlier this season. We do not have another player like Adam.''

The news means it is very unlikely that Shaun Wright-Phillips will be allowed to leave City prior to the close of the transfer window on Monday night, despite suggestions he will hand in a transfer request.

"I can understand his position," Mancini said. "We haven't had any offers for Wright-Phillips at this moment but it is difficult for Shaun to join another team now. We still have another 24 hours, so anything can happen but it probably affects it."

Mancini also ruled out a bid for wantaway Liverpool striker Fernando Torres and confirmed skipper Carlos Tevez had missed out with a back injury rather than merely being rested, as it was thought.

He usually comes off the bench but with three goals, three assists and 28 shots in 22 games, Johnson has quickly become one of the most trusted reserves on the world's most expensive club team.

This has not been the best year of John Terry's life

It was bad enough that Chelsea did not show up against Sunderland last weekend (a pathetic 3-0 defeat) but now comes word that John Terry could be out for months with a back injury.

The star defender did not play last weekend in Chelsea's 3-0 loss to Sunderland in the Premier League because of a nerve problem that he has had since last season.

Terry also will miss Saturday's game against Birmingham and says his absence "could be weeks, it could be months."

He adds that his injury is at a point "where I cannot carry on with it."

The home defeat to Sunderland cut Chelsea's lead at the top of the Premier League to two points.

This is not good at all. Chelsea without Terry in the back is simply not the same team and if he's out for anywhere as long as he thinks, they are in trouble. True, they have enough talent to stay in the top four but I'm going to say they don't win the EPL if he's out for months.

Is this the mug of the next England coach?

Since they are the Chicago Cubs of international soccer (and yes, I coined that), one of the favorite pub games for English national team fans is who will be the next manager.

This revolving door is always spinning since every new face they bring aboard always falls short of unreasonable expectations within the span of a Euro campaign and/or a World Cup.

I give you Carlo Ancelotti, next Three Lions head coach?

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti has declared his interest in becoming England boss in the future.

Ancelotti's contract at Stamford Bridge expires in 2012 - just as Fabio Capello is set to step down as England manager - and the 51-year-old would consider taking up the post currently occupied by his fellow Italian.

Asked if he fancied the England job, he said: "Why not? I would like to do it in the future, to have this kind of experience.

"I have never been the coach of a national team. To manage the national team and manage a club is different.

"Maybe [Tottenham manager Harry] Redknapp doesn't like foreign coaches for the national team, but if you ask me about England, I can say 'Why not?'''

Ancelotti, who led the Blues to a Premier League and FA Cup double in his first season in England, was linked with the Italy job earlier this year, but stressed at the time that he had no intention of replacing Marcello Lippi after the World Cip.

"I am not interested in the national team," Ancelotti said in March. "I prefer to remain in London at Chelsea and lead the team to a Champions League final."

If you've paid attention at all, you've probably noticed that I'm a Chelsea fan through and through. However, if you think I support this notion of Ancelotti as England head coach, you're nuts.

In most cases, I don't believe that foreign managers can do the best job of coaching national team players. Cultural differences, not to mention language barriers and playing styles all come into effect when you hire someone that isn't of a certain nationality.

Furthermore, Ancelotti is a figurehead at Chelsea and if he actually had to do some real work with the English national team, I think he'd fall flat on his face like his boy Fabio Capello.

Harry Redknapp can often sound like the stereotypical English crank but in this case, I think he's correct. As long as he's not promoting himself as the English head coach, the Tottenham coach is onto something: no more foreigners!

Poor Theo Walcott, his bones is very brittle they is

Picking up tons of injuries or not being in shape when you're still at a very young age (21) professionally is never a good sign of things to come.

I shutter to use the Michael Owen comparison but Theo Walcott's career is taking an ominous turn that looks exactly like Owen's: playing for England at a ridiculously young age (17) which gets everyone's expectations way too high then never getting healthy or fit enough for the club team.

Adding to England's woes (Defoe's injury), Walcott will be out four to six weeks with an ankle injury of his own.

Walcott turned over on his right ankle in the early stages of England's 3-1 win over Switzerland and was stretchered off before being taken to hospital for scans on the problem.

Arsene Wenger now admits that with Nicklas Bendtner still out for "three to four weeks" and Robin van Persie absent until the end of October, his attacking options have been hit further by the loss of Walcott.

The news comes as a cruel blow to a player who has suffered extensively with injury problems in recent seasons, but had scored four goals in his past two appearances for the Gunners.

"The tackle looked quite bad," Wenger said. "When you see how it turned his ankle I thought it would be three or four days or it would be four to six weeks. Unfortunately it will be four to six weeks.

"We had some good news about the scan because at some stage we were scared it could be worse. But overall it is a question of patience and rehabilitation."

Defoe out six to eight weeks with ankle injury

Watching Jermain Defoe score a hat trick against Bulgaria in a Euro 2012 qualifier last week, I texted back and forth with Shimer raving about how he was playing the best soccer of his life.

Such is the cruelty of sport that it all came crashing down with the news that Defoe will miss the next six to eight weeks with the ankle injury he picked up vs. Switzerland earlier this week.

Defoe is now due to miss the first half of Spurs' maiden Champions League campaign and is also a major doubt for England's next Euro 2012 qualifier against Montenegro at Wembley on October 12.

"Even if it's a bad sprain, you're still talking about six weeks or so, because it's a nasty one," Redknapp said.

Defoe, who scored a hat-trick in Friday's win over Bulgaria, had been expected to miss both internationals in the past week to undergo groin surgery but the operation was eventually shelved.

Defoe has been fitted with a protective boot and was on crutches at Spurs' training ground on Thursday.

The striker is likely to miss games against Werder Bremen, FC Twente and Inter Milan in the Champions League, the Carling Cup date with arch-rivals Arsenal and a clutch of Premier League games, including the trip to former club West Ham United.

The news contradicts comments from the player on Wednesday which suggested the ankle injury would not be a problem. He said: "I jarred my ankle or my knee but it feels alright. I've always said I'll do my best to make sure I'm out there. I've just got to rest it (the injury). I'll just keep icing it and I'm sure I'll be okay."


Injuries never happen at opportune times but Tottenham has to be especially upset since they're trying to do something in its Champions League matches while also maintaining a good start to their EPL campaign.

Milner leaving Aston Villa, shipping up to Manchester City

It was a move that was whispered for weeks and possibly months, now it's official: James Milner is done at Aston Villa and bound for Manchester City.

Milner, 24, will undergo a medical at Eastlands on Tuesday afternoon and City midfielder Stephen Ireland will move in the opposite direction to Villa Park.

City manager Roberto Mancini hopes to tie up all the loose ends by Wednesday at the latest.

"I hope we can close it between today and tomorrow,'' Mancini said. "I think that Milner is a good player, an English player which is important. I think that Milner can play in different positions.''

City have been pursuing the England international all summer and had an initial bid rejected before the start of the World Cup. The final fee is reported to be around £20 million.

Milner played his final game for Villa in their opening Premier League fixture on Saturday, starring and scoring in a 3-0 home win over West Ham. He received a standing ovation from the home fans.

The midfielder moved to Aston Villa in 2008 having enjoyed a successful loan spell at Villa Park during the 2005/2006 season. Last term he was named the PFA Young Player of the Year and was also selected in the Premier League's Team of the Year.

Aston Villa is good but Manchester City is better, expect them to finish in the top four in the EPL this season and qualify for the Champions League after they just missed out last season by finishing fifth. They lacked an English presence so Milner is a good choice since he's young and his best years should be ahead of him, particularly when you surround him with such talent.

Sorry Becks, get off Capello's fine Italian lawn

Getting older is a fact of life, it happens to everyone. What separates professional athletes from you or I is that they rapidly age in the public eye, while I can sit behind a computer and seemingly never age.

Random tangent aside, David Beckham found out today that he was "too old to play for England," at least according to head coach Fabio Capello. Last I checked, his opinion was somewhat important in those matters for the Three Lions.

Capello said the 35-year-old midfielder will have the chance to play in a friendly "farewell game" but will not be part of England's team in qualifying for the 2012 European Championship.

Beckham has played 115 times for England, second behind only goalkeeper Peter Shilton's 125 from 1970-90.

Beckham has repeatedly said he has no plans of retiring from playing for England. He went to the World Cup in South Africa in June as a member of Capello's off-field staff after being sidelined following Achilles' tendon surgery.

Appearing on ITV television in Britain, Capello was asked whether Beckham would be part of the England squad in the qualifying campaign for Euro 2012.

Capello laughed and said, "Thank you for helping me during the World Cup, but probably (he) is a little bit old."

Later, after England's 2-1 victory over Hungary in a friendly at Wembley, Capello said: "I hope he can play one more friendly game to say bye bye."

"I won't be picking him for any more competitive matches," Capello added. "David is a fantastic player, he was really important, but we have to see the new players for the future because the age is important for a lot of people, not only for David."

Seeing Beckham on the bench (in a suit) in South Africa was depressing enough and Beckham's ill-fated MLS tour has only gotten worse (he's out until at least Sept. 4 with that achilles injury).

We wish Becks the best but let's not make this a mockery Brett Favre style. Hold your stylish head up and retire Beckham after you play this one corny game. It's what England wants, not a soap oprea. Then again, nothing moves the dial in England like Beckham so maybe he will hang around forever.

Hate to see all the WAGs go home so early

As I predicted all along, the English don't even come close to sniffing the World Cup final let alone a title. Once they came in second place in Group B, you knew there was no shot since they'd have to go through Germany and probably Argentina just to get to the semifinals.

Fabio Capello is an Italian bozo that loves art and oprea. These quirks didn't do the English any good and I'm sure he'll get fired soon. It wasn't his fault that they lost, it's time to admit once and for all (until proven otherwise) that the English national team is not one of the superpowers of the world. Time after time, they lump themselves at the top but the results don't match up. Great teams don't tie Algeria or beat Slovenia by one goal.

England

Best moment: When it looked like Frank Lampard had tied it 2-2 against Germany.

Worst moment: The defensive breakdowns (American style) that led to multiple counterattack goals by the Germans today. A 2-1 game quickly became 4-1 and the Three Lions were cooked.

Best result: The 1-0 win over Slovenia in their third game allowed them to be runner-up in Group B and become the sacrificial lamb to Germany. Joy.

Worst result: I was listening to it all on XM radio but the 0-0 draw against Algeria is unforgivable. That was a game England should have won, then they would have had a much easier path to the Cup final.

Final tally: 1 win, 2 ties, 1 loss. 3 goals scored, 5 goals allowed.

Best player: Jermain Defoe. The Tottenham striker should have started against the U.S. but he made the most of his limited time with a goal (the game-winner) against Slovenia.

Worst player: This has been the easiest choice so far of any eliminated team. Wayne Rooney didn't have a goal or assist in the 2010 World cup. It'll probably come out later that he wasn't fully recovered from his ankle injury or some other bullshit but the fact of the matter is that he was on the field so he should have done more.

Great day for Germany

And the worst loss in English World Cup history is complete. Germany wins 4-1 and heads to the 2010 quarterfinals to face either Argentina or Mexico next Saturday at 10 a.m.

I'm happy that the Lampard goal/no-goal is a moot point. Shimer will be writing more about it later but something needs to be done about the lack of replay.

The Germans fully deserved to win; they're so efficient and they have the best counterattack. They always deliver on the big stage and Neuer made a couple nice stops. It wasn't a good game by David James although it probably didn't matter.

And the story remains the same for the English, their team is still not nearly as good as the sum of their parts. It doesn't matter what coach they bring in, they can't get over the hump. And the streak goes on, they haven't won a World Cup since 1966.


Final stats:

Germany England
17(6) Shots (on Goal) 18(7)
7 Fouls 6
4 Corner Kicks 6
4 Offsides 2
45% Time of Possession 55%
1 Yellow Cards 1
0 Red Cards 0
6 Saves 2