Tag: 2010

Premier League Predictions

August 20th, 2010 · Chamo · Constantly Offside, Premiership One comment - Tags: , , , , ,

Just as we did (somewhat successfully I might add) last season, Chamo has decided to enlighten everyone on his feelings going into this season, and where he expects to see each team line up come May of 2011.

1. Manchester United

If Chelsea don’t dip into the transfer market some more this summer I see United taking the league after just one year off the top. The key is van der Sar, if he stays healthy, United are set. However given the lack of a quality backup, and van der Sar’s current age, if he gets injured for an extended period of time like he did last season, it could spell disaster for the Devils. That said, they remain largely unchanged from last year, adding Chicarito and Bebe in the attack, and Jonny Evans should be able to stay solid in the backline until Rio can return.

Key Man: van der Sar. The goalie needs to be healthy all season for the Red Devils to perform well.

2. Chelsea

Chelsea have made very little noise in terms of incoming transfers so far, only just completing the Ramires transfer, and replacing Joe Cole with Mr. Benayoun. The incoming traffic certainly doesn’t match the talent they have lost, even if almost everyone who was deemed surplus was well on in the age department. The defense is worrisome, but I have faith Ancelotti will be doing some dealing for a new center back after selling Carvalho. Chelsea has the advantage of their first six matches being against teams expected to end up near the bottom half of the table, so there is still time to perfect the squad. The core remains unchanged, which is their biggest advantage, and Essien returns seemingly fitter and happier than ever, which should terrify everyone in the league.

Key Man: Almost every single year I have said Frank Lampard, but I think Essien will be a much more important figure this coming season. His strength, tenacity, and ability to play anywhere is a huge asset to a team recovering from mass departures.

3. Arsenal

The Gunners have some key issues that Wenger hasn’t addressed in at least three years, mainly the fact that they needed a goalkeeper, because what they have doesn’t cut it. They finally bought a forward that can perform in the air (Chamakh), but they let half of their defense go, and while they replaced one or two of them, it isn’t with anyone that is Premiership tested. Vermaelen was an incredible signing, but surely Wenger can’t be right three times in a row on untested center backs. He managed to keep Fabregas for now, which was key, but the Spaniards happiness levels will be in question this entire term, as he obviously wants a move back to Catalonia.

Key Man: Fabregas, no surprise there, the Spanish midfielder runs that entire team, and without him they tend to look like lost dogs on the pitch.

4. Liverpool

Oh no, I just predicted the return of the big four. Liverpool made huge changes all summer, not the least getting rid of their hero-to-goat manager Rafa Benitez in favor of Roy “everyone loves me because I’m just that damn good” Hodgson. Roy, always the bargain hunter, has hit the transfer season with a bang, bringing slightly lower than top quality players to Anfield for next to no money at all. The Joe Cole swoop could be the greatest or the worst signing of the summer, but seeing as he was free, if he injures himself again all they lose is a weekly pay packet. Gerrard looks in inspired form after England’s woeful World Cup, though Torres’ injury problems are sure to be of great concern, along with his suspected disillusionment with the club.

Key Man: Captain Fantastic, Steven Gerrard, there were times when he seemed out of ideas last season, but with a blank slate, the 30 year old should have a season to remember.

5. Tottenham

Spurs are another team that remains largely unchanged, and will relish the opportunity to play Champions League football. However, the added congestion of European football will be a new experience to many on the squad, and the fatigue will show in their league performances, seeing them fall off the pace of their previous term. Robbie Keane returns to lead the attack alongside Defoe, Crouch, and Pavlyuchenko, but Harry will be relying on good fitness to perform this season. Bale is the man to watch, especially if he gets more time to play on the left wing.

Key Man: Luka Modric. The small Croatian is the creative force in the center of the park for Spurs, and after watching him train this summer it became apparent to me how influential he is to the Tottenham attack.

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Statistics and Best-Of for CO’s Trip to South Africa

July 3rd, 2010 · Chamo · CO soccer trips, Constantly Offside, World Cup 2010 No comments - Tags: , , , , , ,

We were in South Africa for two weeks, plus had a good four days of flights to get to and from, so naturally there are some interesting statistics that go along with our trip. Some are very basic, some a bit funny, and some just plain stupid, but I hope you enjoy the list.

Hours Spent Flying to South Africa (average): 35 hours (including layovers)

Hours Spent Flying back from South Africa (average): 23 hours (including layovers)

Matches Attended: 5

Stadiums Visited: 3 (Green Point in Cape Town, Moses Mabhida in Durban, and the one in Pretoria)

Flights Taken Inside of South Africa: 9

Flights Paid for Inside of South Africa: 8

Planes Seemingly Constructed as a Steel Tube of Death: 1 (thanks British Airways/Comair)

Hours Spent Inside of Airports: 30

Nights Slept Inside of Airports: 1

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The Three Day Extravaganza (Days 8, 9, and 10)

June 27th, 2010 · Chamo · CO soccer trips, Constantly Offside, USMNT, World Cup 2010 One comment - Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Nice field, best stadium, gorgeous.

WARNING: If you are in any way related to Biggy, Chamo, or Striker, you may not want to read this post, if you still insist on reading, try to skip the part JUST after the USA-Algeria game. Should you read it, know we are alive and well, in good spirits, and laughing about the situation now (kind of). That said, this post covers three intense days, in three different cities, where we witnessed three entirely different matches, therefore it will be a rather long read. We hope you enjoy (especially if you don’t have any emotional stake in our well being).

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World Cup Power Rankings

June 22nd, 2010 · Chamo · Constantly Offside, World Cup 2010 One comment - Tags: , , , ,
  1. Argentina - Despite a rather weak performance in the opening match against Nigeria, Argentina returned in leg 2 to dispose of South Korea with ease, and if Higuain continues to fire them in, there will be no stopping Maradona’s men… Unfortunately.
  2. Brazil - Almost shocked by North Korea, Brazil recovered to thump the Ivory Coast and looks like the Brazil of last summer…kinda. You can’t argue with results, but might not be as strong as advertised.
  3. Chile - Dirt nasty on offense, this Chile team is all out attack. It works. I don’t know what it is about South America, but this appears to be their world cup to do damage. Biggy thinks this is currently the most dangerous team in the tournament.
  4. Netherlands - Maybe sluggish in the group will make them dangerous in the knockouts? You can’t argue with two wins, but suggesting that the Dutch have been lucky isn’t a stretch by any means.
  5. Uruguay - The class of group A, everyone and their mother has underestimated this team. Except team CO who had them pegged to win the group. They are classy on the ball and tough as nails on defense.
  6. Portugal -  Did breaking through the flood gates finally open the door to the Portugal team many of us thought we would see this summer? Or is this the overrated Portugal side that struggled to qualify? Only time will tell.
  7. Ghana - Getting it done in the group of death is no easy task, but Ghana has driver seated themselves going into their last group game. The question still stands if they can score off of anything but penalties.
  8. Mexico - Thumped South Africa pretty hard, but faces a rough game against Uruguay that could still prevent them from going through. Still, offensively they look legit.
  9. Paraguay - South America called, and it’s for the World Cup. Drawing with Italy and beating Slovakia makes them the class of the group and with a possible slip up game against New Zealand looming, they should still win the group.
  10. Germany - So good in game one, so absent in game two. Their match with Ghana is make or break, and the German team that shows up will determine if they stumble out after a promising start or go through with slightly less then flying colors.
  11. Serbia - After getting upset by Ghana, Serbia rebounded with a vital win against a very talented German squad. Still, defensive mistakes are dragging down the key candidate for many to be the surprising team of the tournament.
  12. Spain - A poor showing against Switzerland was amended with a clinical display against Honduras, they still have work to do, but with a potent strike force and more talent at midfield than any other team in the tournament, Spain looks to be in a fine position.
  13. Slovenia - The shocking leaders of group C, the small European nation played a stellar first half against the States, though were incredibly fortunate to escape with a point in the end, still, they are in prime position to advance.
  14. Switzerland - They shocked the European champions, and were a bit unfortunate in their second match against Chile to have a man sent off, but they not only almost drew the South Americans, they almost scored as well.
  15. Denmark - They got the win they needed against a good Cameroon squad, but their defense had huge holes and they will be without Kjaer for their final match against a Japanese squad that took the game to the Dutch.
  16. New Zealand - Did anyone expect the Kiwi’s  to draw Italy? Probably not, but they did, and they did well. They have a staunch defense and good goalkeeper, tireless midfielders and surprisingly nimble strikers.
  17. USA - Win and you are in. We have heard this before for Team USA, who looks more and more clutch in big games. Can they do it again? Time will tell, but after a dominating second half where they were robbed of the full 3 by FIFA, team USA looks to have righted the ship. We hope.
  18. England - Did someone say win and you are in? England redefined lackluster against Algeria, but with so much attacking power and so much to play for against Slovenia, I wouldn’t bet against them. Or would I? I’m about to go to the casino so time will tell on that bet. I see them going through if Heskey finds a seat on the pine.
  19. South Korea - Bit surprising, but who doesn’t undervalue the Asian sides at the World Cup? Destroyed Greece, but dismantled by Argentina, today is the day.
  20. Japan - Surprisingly strong in attack, they were unlucky not to at least draw the Netherlands. Should be an entertaining game between Denmark and the Asian nation.
  21. Slovakia - Disappointing against New Zealand, and even more so against Paraguay, Hamsik has not lead his team on to the mediocre glory we may have predicted.
  22. Ivory Coast - They played well against Portugal, but got a bit unlucky from some suspect refereeing during the Brazil game. Still, the goals aren’t flying in as many predicted, despite their wealth of talent. Hopefully they can pull a big result to please their fans against North Korea.
  23. South Africa - Another team I didn’t want to put as low as they ended up, but Bafana Bafana have done their nation proud with their performances. While the Uruguay result was disappointing, their heart and passion against France was unrivaled as they almost produced the impossible.
  24. Greece - Already they have achieved more than their nation ever has in a World Cup, just by scoring a goal. However 2-0 defeats to both South Korea and Argentina see the Greeks crash out of the cup yet again.
  25. Italy - They aren’t even a shade of the team that won it all four long years ago. Their attack is weak, defense is sluggish, and now the best goalkeeper in the world is injured. They don’t deserve to advance, but still hold the possibility to with a result against a very talented Slovakia squad that has underperformed and wants to prove it belongs.
  26. Australia - They may have the best fans, but the Socceroos were manhandled by Germany, and some poor decision making from their top players has resulted in both Cahill and Kewell seeing red, and unable to play in a few of their group stage matches. They showed heart against Ghana, but is it enough? They need a result against Serbia now.
  27. Cameroon - First team to be officially eliminated, however a bit harshly. They outplayed the Danes throughout their match, but came up losers despite tearing apart the opposition defense. Their attack, lead by main man Eto’o, seemed potent, but couldn’t put the ball in the net and avoid elimination.
  28. Algeria - Seemingly more content to spoil the favorites party than actually advance themselves (given their celebrations after the drab England match) the Algerians have a talented side, but fail to show much promise in the attacking half. They control well, but progress to the box poorly, and now need to beat a spirited USA squad.
  29. Nigeria - Their best player all tournament has been their keeper, and even he made a slight mistake against Greece. The Super Eagles will unfortunately crash out today, and we will be present.
  30. Honduras - Honduras haven’t played poorly, rather they drew a group that is underrated in terms of its competition. Chile, Spain and Switzerland are all top sides, and have proven so given their current standings. I held the Hondurans as outside favorites to progress, but the competition was too tough, and they now hold little to no chance of advancing.
  31. France - They are awful, their coach is awful, the players have rifts between themselves, and they no longer seem to care. Bafana Bafana will beat them, just a matter of by how much?
  32. North Korea - They were incredible against Brazil, but Portugal showed the World what we all initially expected, that they would be overwhelmed by class talent, and the 7-0 drubbing proved it so. It is now a matter of how much the Elephants will put past them in two days time.

Days 4 and 5

June 19th, 2010 · Chamo · CO soccer trips, Constantly Offside, World Cup 2010 No comments - Tags: , , , , , , ,

Cape Town was very welcoming

Didn’t post last night due to my dismay after the England result, and I’ll preface this post by stating I will not be delving into the details of that game. That is mainly due to a lack of details to even mention, the game was awful, it was a terrible showing by the Three Lions, and just like every World Cup I have been alive for, they are failing to meet any expectations. That said, I managed to wiggle my way into the 8th row of the expensive seats right behind the bench for the second half (due to Striker’s CAT 1 ticket he bought, more on that later) which was a treat, in the sense that its as close as I’ll get to most of my heroes, probably ever. That, unfortunately, was the highlight of the match.

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Days 2 and 3

June 17th, 2010 · Chamo · CO soccer trips, Constantly Offside, World Cup 2010 2 comments - Tags: , , , , , , , ,

It is a sight from all angles

Biggy reported on the Spain v Switzerland match that we attended yesterday, so I won’t go into reporting further about that wonderful match we were present at, thus I will consolidate days two and three into one wonderful post. The weather in Durban was gorgeous yesterday, so we spent most of our time down by the beach, walking between the fan zone and the casino that lead to the gateway to Moses Mabida Stadium. I have to say, the stadium they constructed in Durban is nothing short of spectacular, something that you must see if you ever go to South Africa.

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Day One*

June 15th, 2010 · Chamo · CO soccer trips, Constantly Offside, World Cup 2010 One comment - Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Yes, finally both here!

Well not really day one, Chamo was here a full day before Biggy got in, but used that day to catch up on sleep, accumulating 16 hours and waking up again at 6 AM this morning. Today was the first day that we both finally made it to Durban, South Africa, though it took Biggy some time to find our wonderful little hotel, since the cab driver had no idea where it was. Apparently, Durban decided to change a majority of its street names in the run up to the World Cup, leaving cabbies invariably flustered. Finally, after we both managed more than 32 hours of traveling the past few days, we were reunited at the Road Lodge in Durban.

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The Enemy’s Reaction to England v. USA

June 13th, 2010 · Chamo · CO soccer trips, Constantly Offside, USMNT, World Cup 2010 No comments - Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

In hindsight, would have probably rather seen this lineup

Having had a good amount of time to reflect on the result from yesterday, and now that I still have at least 5 hours before I board my plane to Johannesburg (though this won’t be posted till I’m settled in Durban) I want to give my English reaction to the match. I will start by saying I believe it was a fair result given the course of the match, but it certainly shouldn’t have been…

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The World Cup Hair Transformation

June 8th, 2010 · Chamo · CO soccer trips, Constantly Offside 2 comments - Tags: , , , , ,

Funny, look who's picture shows up when you type "Eurotrash hair"

After getting a surprising amount of feedback from the poll we threw up last week, and determining that a large number of our fans truly believe that the current USMNT is going to win the World Cup (to which, of course, my British ass says you’re all havin a laugh), it was discovered that the majority of you felt I should truly go all out and destroy my hair in preparation for our trip.

As promised, I not only took your votes to heart, I went above and beyond the call of duty. Check out the photo progression after the jump.

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The Enemy’s Insight

June 2nd, 2010 · Chamo · Constantly Offside, USMNT, World Cup 2010 2 comments - Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Yes: I am an England fan.

He doesn't look very happy.

Yes: I will be repping my Rooney jersey in the bar on the 12th and rooting for England.

Yes: I believe England will win.

Still, I think it will be a well fought game, entertaining for everyone, and will set the tone for the rest of the tournament and what to expect from both teams.

What makes it even more interesting is the question marks that still exist for both teams in terms of what lineup everyone can expect to see. What changes if Gooch simply can’t do it? How does England change without Barry? I will give my biased opinion on both teams, and what to expect given any of the injury situations that still exist.

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