David

I am a long time soccer fan who grew up in England traveling the country watching Coventry City in the 70's. Now living in the U.S. I am still as passionate about soccer as I was when I was a kid.

September 15, 2021 David

Ole Puts Blame On Players After Another Champions League Defeat

Per usual, Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer blamed the players for other disappointing Champions League performance.

Solskjaer, who has managed to lose 7 of the 11 Champions League matches he has managed in, said that the players must learn from their mistakes in Europe if they to avoid another early Champions League exit.

Tuesday night’s shock defeat in Bern echoed a 2-1 loss to Basaksehir in Istanbul last November that was the beginning of the end of United’s group campaign as they dropped into the Europa League. Read more... (407 words, estimated 1:38 mins reading time)

September 12, 2021 David

Arsenal, Premier League

Arsenal Ease Pressure Of Arteta With First Win

Arsenal lifted the pressure on manager Mikel Arteta as they secured their first points of the Premier League season with victory over Norwich City at Emirates Stadium.

Arteta was under mounting scrutiny after a miserable start to the campaign with three defeats that left the Gunners at the foot of the table, so a win that was workmanlike rather than spectacular will be gratefully received.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was back on target to set Arsenal on their way after 66 minutes, with a finish from almost on the goal-line after Canaries’ keeper Tim Krul turned Nicolas Pepe’s shot on to the post and the same player then struck the woodwork again. Read more... (275 words, estimated 1:06 mins reading time)

September 12, 2021 David

Premier League, Man Utd.

Ronaldo Delivers As Manchester United Go Top Of Premier League

Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice on his return as Manchester United cruised to victory against Newcastle United and delighted a packed and loud Old Trafford.

United fans have been buzzing for over a week now about the return of Ronaldo and he was cheered from the moment he left the team coach on its arrival at the ground, throughout the warm-up and then once the game had started.

Being the showman that he is, Ronaldo repaid the adoration of the United fans in the best possible manner when he broke the deadlock in first-half added time when he tapped in after visiting keeper Freddie Woodman spilled Mason Greenwood’s shot. Read more... (355 words, estimated 1:25 mins reading time)

September 10, 2021October 7, 2021 David

Chelsea, Premier League, Tickets

Chelsea 2021-2022 Fixtures

Chelsea will face Arsenal and Liverpool in their opening three Premier League games of the 2021/22 season, quickly followed by meetings with Tottenham and Manchester City.

Thomas Tuchel’s first full season begins at home to Crystal Palace on the opening weekend, followed by two tough away trips to Arsenal and Liverpool. Aston Villa will then visit Stamford Bridge before Chelsea make the short trip to north London to face fierce rivals Tottenham at the start of September.

This is followed by a Champions League final re-match with Man City, as the reigning Premier League champions look to exact some revenge for the 1-0 defeat in May. Read more... (293 words, estimated 1:10 mins reading time)

2 Comments

September 5, 2021September 5, 2021 David

Europe, Tickets, World Cup

Scotland In Dire Need Of A Goalscorer

Scotland’s win at home against Moldova was their first in five games, taking them up to third in their World Cup qualifying group as rivals for second place Austria lost in Israel.

Sounds like a good night’s work, so why all the pessimism?

Pre-match, Scotland boss Steve Clarke asked for his side to “be on the front foot, be positive and get the goals needed to win”.

The head coach got his wish, but it could have been so much more comfortable for the hosts against the world’s 175th-ranked nation after a flurry of clear-cut chances were squandered. Read more... (396 words, estimated 1:35 mins reading time)

Leave a comment

September 5, 2021September 5, 2021 David

Europe, Tickets, World Cup

Belgium Reach Euro 2020 Knockout Stages

Romelu Lukaku celebrated his 100th Belgium cap with his 67th international goal in a comfortable win over the Czech Republic in World Cup qualifying.

The Chelsea striker raced onto a Hans Vanaken through ball to score with a first-time finish from the edge of the box. Timing his run to a tee, he darted down the inside right channel to collect Vanaken’s pass. Opening up his body he shaped to bend the ball inside Tomas Vaclik’s far post but instead lifted it high into the top corner Read more... (431 words, estimated 1:43 mins reading time)

Leave a comment

September 5, 2021September 5, 2021 David

Europe, Tickets, World Cup

Anthony Martial Rescues France In World Cup Qualifier

France drew for the fifth game in a row in all competitions as their stuttering World Cup qualifying campaign continued with an entertaining draw in Ukraine.

Mykola Shaparenko put the hosts ahead with an excellent 44th-minute strike into the top corner from 20 yards. But Manchester United striker Anthony Martial bundled in a close-range equalizer for only his second international goal, and first since 2016.

Moussa Diaby almost won the game for France, but hit the post from Karim Benzema’s pass.

Speaking after the match Martial rued the dropped points but was happy to see his side come back and at least get something from a losing position. Read more... (216 words, estimated 52 secs reading time)

Leave a comment

September 4, 2021September 5, 2021 David

Europe, Tickets, World Cup

Germany With Impressive Start To World Cup Campaign

Germany thumped Armenia 6-0 in Stuttgart in World Cup qualifying. That made it two wins from two under new manager Hansi Flick.

Serge Gnabry got Germany off to a flying start with two goals in the first 15 minutes before Marco Reus and Timo Werner took the scoreline to 4-0 before the interval, the latter netting his second in as many international games.

Jonas Hofmann had performed impressively in a full back role for Flick and was rewarded with a goal before two of the great young hopes of German football combined for the sixth in added time, Florian Wirtz giving the ball to Karim Adeyemi, darting on for the pass back to him before teeing up the Red Bull Salzburg striker for a goal on his international debut. Read more... (277 words, estimated 1:06 mins reading time)

Leave a comment

August 27, 2021 David

Juventus, Man Utd., Premier League, Serie A

Viva Ronaldo!

Stunning developments in the transfer market today as Manchester United have confirmed they have reached an agreement to re-sign Cristiano Ronaldo from Juventus.

United have agreed to pay £12.8m for the 36-year-old, with the deal subject to personal terms, a visa and a medical.

Ronaldo seemed destined to join rivals Manchester City, but calls from io Ferdinand and Sir Alex Ferguson persuaded the United legend return to Old Trafford where he spent six years and won three Premier League titles, one Champions League, two League Cups and one FA Cup – as well as the Fifa Club World Cup and Community Shield – Read more... (390 words, estimated 1:34 mins reading time)

August 24, 2021August 24, 2021 David

Tickets, World Cup

Premier League clubs will not release players for international games in red-list countries

The Premier League says its clubs have “reluctantly but unanimously” decided not to release players for matches in red-list countries during September’s international break.

Under current UK government rules, players would be forced to miss several games because of the 10-day isolation period required on return to the UK.

The Premier League said “extensive talks” had taken place with the Football Association and government “to find a solution” but that “no exemption had been granted”.

It added that it “strongly supported” the move made by top-flight sides, which “will apply to nearly 60 players from 19 clubs who are due to travel to 26 red-list countries”. Read more... (364 words, estimated 1:27 mins reading time)

2 Comments