Across the Pond

An American fan's take on all things football--er, soccer that is. I'm really just trying to make sense of what's happening across the pond in the English Premier League and the rest of the international footballing world. A little match reporting here, a little soccer culture there...hopefully I can give a voice to Americans obsessed with the beautiful game. I'm currently a journalism student in Washington, DC and I've been known to hit a sweet half-volley or two. Take a bow, son!

[acrossthepondsoccer]

The Next Step

So, I graduated from college a couple days ago. We had a big ceremony on the National Mall between the Washington Monument and the Capitol, and it was a pretty special day for everyone. Still, as we cycled through the procession and the graduation speakers, my mind kept drifting back to Arsenal-Newcastle and the race for fourth place.

I mean, there was absolutely no way Arsenal were going to miss the Champions League for the first time in 16 years on the very day I graduated college, right? It just couldn’t happen. My girlfriend, who I had the pleasure of sitting next to during the ceremony, probably got a little tired of lending me her phone so I could frantically check the scores. Tottenham 0-0 Sunderland. Good, good. Arsenal 1-0 Newcastle. YES!! The excitement surged through me as I looked up the goal-scorer. Koscielny? OK, I’ll take it.

Arsenal players salute their traveling fans after beating Newcastle 1-0 and clinching the annual top four trophy, as described by Arsene Wenger (Ian Macnicol/AFP/Getty Images)

I hung onto that single goal for the rest of the ceremony until a text from my friend told me that Arsenal had done it. Despite a stunning strike from player of the season Gareth Bale, my team had won its annual top four trophy and dropped Spurs into the Europa League yet again. Sure, it was a magical day in its own right—how often do you graduate from college and walk over to take pictures in front of the Smithsonian castle? But Arsenal’s massive win made Sunday just a little more beautiful.

Later that day, I was doing what any self-respecting college graduate would have been doing—chugging Yuenglings and playing FIFA 10. As I scored 40-yard screamers with Nicklas Bendtner and Jonathan Woodgate kept turning the ball into his own net, a funny thought struck me. Whenever you play dated versions of FIFA or any other sports game, it’s like you’re being transported to a completely different world. I mean, the landscape of professional sports changes so quickly, and nothing illustrates that better than Arsenal’s FIFA 10 starting lineup. Denilson, Fabregas, Clichy, van Persie, Gallas, Arshavin, Song, and Almunia are all starters in the game, which means that eight out of eleven starters have left the (real-life) club in the last three years. Eight out of eleven! Arsenal may be known as a selling club but that statistic can be applied to other top-tier sides around the world.

Ahh, the good ole' days.

Going back to this graduation nonsense, I think the fleeting nature of professional soccer clubs just shows how quickly things can change these days. If a team’s roster can turn over within a couple years, who says that I can’t make a major career move and find myself in a different city within a few months? This may not be a good thing—and plenty of former players leave clubs for all the wrong reasons—but it speaks to the fast-paced nature of the world we live in. Arsenal’s three-year-old roster feels incredibly ancient, and that just seems strange to me. In an era where there are fewer and fewer players who are loyal to their clubs, it makes you wonder how many more Xavis and Tony Adams we’ll be seeing. If anything, this phenomenon pits loyalty and continuity against the rapid turnover occurring in all the world’s fields—from professional soccer to journalism.

Anyways, this will be the last post on Tumblr before I start up my new website, http://www.acrossthepondsoccer.com! I know there’s nothing there right now, but I’ll be finishing the design and adding some content very soon. In the meantime, check out http://www.thesoccerdesk.com for some of my own writing/reporting as well as lots of other great coverage.

[acrossthepondsoccer]

Peace-Making on the Pitch

I'm not sure if studying for finals was worth missing some of the EPL action this weekend. Well, actually, there wasn't much action of any kind but I still felt a bit deprived. With the three big London teams all winning 1-0, the fight for Champions League places only grows hotter as we get into the final few matches of the season, and I'm feeling the collective nerves of every Arsenal supporter. Chelsea and Tottenham's games in hand would give them the two spots even if each team wins out, and that's certainly a scary thought. Luckily, they'll meet this Wednesday at Stamford Bridge and one of the sides (or both) will be dropping points. A Chelsea win helps Arsenal while a draw doesn't really suit either team.

Anyway, last week I had the pleasure of writing an article about civil war in Ivory Coast and the peace-making role of the national soccer team. It's a great story about how footballers can assume the roles of politicians/leaders and help the healing process of their nation; Didier Drogba is a central figure in the story as the Ivory Coast national team qualifies for the 2006 World Cup and helps bring both sides of the war closer together. Overall, it's a story that we as soccer fans should never forget. You can check out the piece on The Soccer Desk!

Classic shot of the 1992 African Cup of Nations Final between Ivory Coast and Ghana. This match would go on to have one of the most dramatic endings in the history of international competition. (Alexander Joe/AFP/Getty Images)

With finals almost over, I'll definitely be writing more articles like this for The Soccer Desk. Give the site a follow on Twitter or a like on Facebook to stay up to date with all of our content!

Now, join me as I pray for both a Chelsea win and a D.C. United win on Wednesday. And pray a little harder for United if you can--they're up against the Dynamo this week. 

[acrossthepondsoccer]

Bale Bags Both

On Saturday, Gareth Bale scored what will probably be one of the oddest goals of his career against Wigan.

Come Sunday night, however, the Tottenham star claimed a different kind of gift. Bale took home both the PFA Player of the Year award and Young Player of the Year honors. While there's no doubt that Bale deserves at least one of the awards for his great season, his coup has sparked plenty of debate on Twitter:

Yeah, and Suarez also edges Bale in the all-important bites per minute metric.

Still, Bale's double-win is a historic event in the awards' history:

While I understand that Bale is technically a "young player" at 23, I would rather see the young player award go to someone with a break-out season (like Christian Benteke). When Bale won his first PFA Player of the Year award in 2011 at the age of 21, why didn't he also pull in the young player award? It might be due to 19-year-old Jack Wilshere's breakthrough season for Arsenal. Taking this into consideration, I'd like to see the young player of the award go to a footballer who rises to Premier League stardom, not a player who's already established himself as one of the league's best.

Top marks to Bale, though. He deserves his accolades and it will be interesting to see where he ends up after the season, especially with Spurs' Champions League aspirations.

Oh, and the Welshman also scored one of my favorite recent Premier League goals (from the 2010-11 season). You also know how much I love volleys! Enjoy:

[acrossthepondsoccer]

Life After Arsenal Ain't So Bad

With Robin van Persie and Manchester United securing the Premier League title this week, I thought about some other ex-Gunners who have found recent success in parts elsewhere.

Gael Clichy left Arsenal following the 2010/11 campaign and immediately won a Premier League title with Manchester City (his second winner's medal after playing a small role in the Invincibles side of 2003/04). Now, the Frenchman is in contention for an FA Cup and is usually the first-choice left back for Roberto Mancini's side. Several titles and an exponentially bigger paycheck? Looks like Clichy made a wise move.

Gael Clichy celebrates his second Premier League title with Manchester City (Manchester Evening News)

Clichy's countryman Samir Nasri made the same move to City and also capitalized on the Manchester club's success. To be fair, Nasri took a bit more heat than Clichy for his decision to leave the club, and he's still the bane of Arsenal fans for some poorly-worded remarks about his time in London. Still, he's the one with multiple trophies and bigger pay packets in his pocket.

While Cesc Fabregas' return to Barcelona, his boyhood club, was inevitable following the 2010/11 season, it was still a painful departure for fans. Adding salt to the wounds is the fact that after winning two trophies over eight years (he didn't qualify for a winner's medal in 2003-04), he's won four titles in two seasons with the Catalan club. Even though he's failed to break into the first-team--and who can blame him with Xavi and Iniesta playing beyond their years--Fabregas has still factored heavily into Barca's success.

It's about time! Cesc Fabregas celebrates one of his first honors with Barcelona (FC Barcelona)

The Arsenal-Barcelona connection is even stronger considering the moves of Thierry Henry and Alexander Hleb. The pair of former Gunners won a total of twelve trophies over several seasons in Spain. And sure, while Henry had already won plenty in his eight years with Arsenal, his additional riches in Spain further highlight the trophy drought in London.

These five are merely a handful of ex-Arsenal players to find success elsewhere--in fact, there are 25 former players who have won 75 trophies between them. To name a few others: Ashley Cole, Patrick Vieira, Sol Campbell, Kolo Toure, Matthieu Flamini, Lassana Diarra, Emmanuel Adebayor, and Jermaine Pennant. Jermaine Pennant! Well, it was only a Community Shield, but still--you know you're in a title drought when Adebayor and Pennant are lifting trophies ahead of you. Even Emmanuel Eboue, the much-maligned defender who was booed off the Emirates pitch several times, has found success in Turkey. He won the Turkish league and cup last season with Galatasaray (and made it to this year's Champions League quarterfinals as the tournament underdogs).

Going back to RVP, the Dutchman will savor his first title and look for more in the coming seasons. United's strong, young squad will be contenders for quite some time--bad news for Arsenal, City, and everyone else. 

Who will be the next ex-Gunner to lift a trophy? Let's hope it's not Jack Wilshere.

[acrossthepondsoccer]

Politics, Diplomacy, and the Beautiful Game

As I mentioned last week, I’m currently writing for The Soccer Desk, a website that covers every aspect of the game with recaps, analysis, and opinions. We’ll be officially launching the site early next month, and we have some great content in the works. I'm currently preparing a piece that looks back at Ivory Coast’s qualification to the 2006 World Cup, the country’s first-ever World Cup appearance. More importantly—and amazingly—the team’s qualification managed to halt a fierce civil war that had gripped the nation since 2002. Moments like these are what make soccer a world-changing sport—influencing global politics and, in the case of the Elephants, bringing civil wars to a stand-still.

However, not all of soccer’s effects are positive—the sport can start wars in addition to ending them. The Ivorian team’s accomplishment led me to consider other examples of soccer’s effect on the world, and there’s a mixture of positive and negative scenarios. Here are a few moments where the sport became more than just 22 players, two goals, and one ball. This is how soccer can change the world and affect global diplomacy, for better and for worse.

1. The Football War

U.S. fans will know that playing World Cup qualifier matches in El Salvador and Honduras is often a daunting task. Both countries have rabid fans and perhaps the best home field advantages in CONCACAF (barring Mexico and Estadio Azteca). Given their fierce passion, it’s no surprise that Salvadoran and Honduran fans rioted during a qualifying game for the 1970 World Cup, but no one expected the riots to turn into a full-blown border war.

In 1969, tensions were already high in both countries due to political conflicts and issues surrounding immigration between the two nations. There was also the rivalry on the pitch: both countries had won prior qualifying games over the other with heavy fan violence occurring on each occasion. By the time a June play-off match was scheduled for Mexico City, the blood was already boiling.

The play-off game was strongly-contested with El Salvador prevailing in extra time, 3-2. However, the fighting between fans overshadowed the result, and the Salvadoran government dissolved all ties with Honduras following the game. This led to a border war that lasted roughly four days, causing about 900 Salvadoran casualties and over 2,000 Honduran casualties. Over 300,000 Salvadorans were also displaced by the brief conflict, leading to refugee camps, overpopulation, and extreme poverty. Tensions still remain in present-day Central America, and both fan bases contest soccer matches as fiercely as they ever have. While the 1969 play-off match wasn’t a direct cause of the border war, it certainly acted as the tipping point for both countries to launch attacks.

2. Algerian Independence and the FLN

An Algerian player on the late 1950s FLN team takes a shot at goal. (La-Croix.com)

Although admittedly less dramatic than the Soccer War, a renegade group of Algerian players helped prompt the nation’s independence from France between 1958 and 1962. Algeria’s independence coalition, Front Liberation Nationale (FLN), sought to create a soccer team and spread the country’s liberation efforts through sport. In 1957, they recruited Algerian players who had previously played for the French national team and formed an FLN side. These players sacrificed their salaries, their freedom—several players were arrested while leaving France—and their footballing careers in some cases, but they all believed in supporting the liberation of their home nation.

Over the next few years, the FLN side toured the world and won 65 matches, gaining attention for their mission back home and beating powerful teams like Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia along the way. This publicity for the FLN helped lead to negotiations between French President Charles de Gaulle and Algeria’s political factions for the country’s full independence in 1962. After Algeria became a free nation, the FLN side was able to take the field as its official national team, proudly sporting the country’s red, green, and white.

3. Germany’s 2006 World Cup and “Partyotism”

German flags fly during the 2006 World Cup as the country rediscovers its patriotism and national pride. (Learngermannola.com)

A more recent example: with their hosting of the 2006 World Cup, Germany was finally able to express its patriotism unashamedly and put behind the divides of the past. The tremendously successful tournament allowed the host nation to open itself up to the rest of the world, displaying a citizenry that defied the harsh, rigid, and humorless stereotypes of old. Over the course of the tournament, we saw a face-painting, flag-waving, and fun-loving nation that came together to support its team on a run to the semi-finals.

German journalists actually coined the term “partyotism” to define this phenomenon that swept the nation. There was a lot of celebrating, especially in public gathering spaces, and I’m sure the beer was flowing—a little Dunkel ale never hurt a celebration.  Despite their team’s exit at the hands of Italy, the German people proudly showed their renewed patriotism and certainly had the most fun for the entire tournament.

For more examples like this, check out this CNN piece article on soccer and politics or Soccer Politics, a website with pieces written by Duke students. Top quality stuff!       

[acrossthepondsoccer]

Soccer Journalism: Makin' Moves

[Quick note: After an eventful round of Champions League quarter-final action, I ended up going 3 for 4 with my predictions from two weeks ago. I did get some help from a miraculous Borussia Dortmund turnaround and a Messi-inspired comeback for Barcelona, but my pick of Juventus over Bayern Munich couldn’t have been farther from the reality of that tie. Bayern showed that they’re likely the favorites to lift the trophy (based on current run of form) with two emphatic victories over the Italian giants. Finally, Real Madrid held back an energetic Galatasaray side in Turkey to move into the semi-finals—not even a stunning goal from Emmanuel Eboue could keep Ronaldo and co. from reaching the final four. And what a final four it will be: Barcelona will play Bayern while Madrid will face Dortmund—Spain against Germany for a chance at European glory.]

Now, for some exciting news! I’ve joined the editorial staff of startup The Soccer Desk, which looks to provide recaps, analysis, and opinions on everything soccer-related. There’s a lot of coverage focusing on MLS, the US national teams, and European leagues, and I’m grateful for the chance to cover a wide array of topics. The website won’t be officially launching until early next month, but there’s already quite a bit of content on the site. Hopefully, we’ll be able to grow the blog into a hub of American soccer reporting, and it looks like there are some exciting plans in the works. For now, check out the site, follow on Twitter, and stay tuned for more!

I think this opportunity will be great for getting some of my written content out there while gaining some editorial skills. It was tough when I sat down to recap a DC United game for the first time—now, I think I’m starting to get the hang of it. I also want to be able to provide analysis of games, and producing content is the best way to gain this experience. The more I watch and write, the better I can become—and I’ll never pass up the opportunity to watch more soccer.

I’ve also found it helpful to read the work of top soccer journalists like Grant Wahl and Roger Bennett. These are the guys I aspire to become and I really admire everything they do, whether it’s on Twitter or ESPN’s soccer homepage. I know the prospects are bleak for anyone looking to work in American soccer journalism, but I’ll keep the faith. Any chance to work for groups like The Soccer Desk are chances I’ll gladly take.

Speaking of terrific American soccer journalism, check out this great video that follows American fans into Mexico and Estadio Azteca for the hotly-contested USA-Mexico World Cup qualifying game:

[acrossthepondsoccer]

Soccer-Specific = Success

If you were to look back at the American sports landscape 17 years ago, I don’t think many people would foresee a domestic soccer league gaining enough ground to build twelve soccer-specific stadiums and have the third-highest attendance between U.S.-based leagues in 2013. Yet Major League Soccer has proved nearly everyone wrong since its inception in 1996, and the league shows no signs of slowing its expansion.

The MLS currently has 19 franchises spread across the US and Canada (MLS).

In addition to welcoming the Montreal Impact last season and considering franchises in New York City and Miami, the MLS is pushing for all of its team to play in soccer-specific stadiums. These facilities are perhaps the best indicator of the organization’s success—teams no longer have to play games in cavernous football stadiums or under-sized college fields. Soccer-specific stadiums usually seat 18, 000 - 30, 000 fans, a perfect range for the average MLS crowd, and allow fields to conform to FIFA’s suggested dimensions. Most importantly, perhaps, is the opportunity for team owners to collect much more revenue as the sole proprietors of these facilities. Rather than paying an ownership group to play games in a non-soccer facility, teams can control their finances to a much greater extent—in a developing league like the MLS, this is a crucial boost for both individual teams and the entire organization.

The Houston Dynamo's new soccer-specific facility, BBVA Compass Stadium (MLS).

The New York Red Bulls have a new soccer-specific facility as well: Red Bulls Arena (Aren't corporate sponsorships great?).

Unfortunately, there are still a handful of teams who don’t have their own soccer-specific stadiums. While these franchises aren’t necessarily in the red because of  where they play, there’s a lot of pressure to keep up with the rest of the league and build on the MLS’s growth. Currently, the New England Revolution, Vancouver Whitecaps, San Jose Earthquakes, Seattle Sounders—who play in a stadium built for both football/soccer—and my own D.C. United are the only MLS teams that don’t play in soccer-specific stadiums. However, the Earthquakes are already committed to a new soccer facility while the Revolution and D.C. United have new stadium plans in the works.

Here in D.C., I’ve been following the debate and controversy surrounding a new soccer-specific stadium for the city’s most successful pro sports franchise (I had to throw that in there). Even after last season’s success and playoff run, United will still have trouble attracting fans to the less-than-ideal RFK Stadium. In a competitive market, having a first-rate, permanent home for soccer will go a long way towards driving up attendance, increasing revenue, and securing TV and media deals with the city’s best providers. My own trips to RFK for United games—14 and counting—have been good experiences, but the facility is extremely run-down and not even close to its NFL, MLB, or NBA counterparts. Besides, I’m not the family of four that United really wants to attract for matches—what will a mom from Bethesda think about the shabby facilities and lack of amenities?

Still, D.C. United’s push for a new stadium may finally pay off. The club is currently targeting an area of the District called Buzzard Point, which isn’t far from brand-new Nationals Park. While they’ve been attempting to negotiate a deal with the city council for several years—which turned into the possibility of moving the club to Baltimore at one tense point—the club has new financial and legal muscle as they look to build a soccer-specific stadium that will accommodate 20, 000 – 24, 000 fans. The Washington Post has the full story on stadium developments here.

Here's the proposed site of D.C. United's future soccer-specific facility--fingers crossed! (Capital Business).

All of these negotiations show the importance of soccer-specific stadiums in the MLS, especially for a storied club like D.C. United. I have no doubts that American soccer will continue to grow at a tremendous rate, and I think that these new stadiums will play a key part in carving out soccer’s identity in the landscape of American sports.

Besides, anyone who doubts the pull of soccer-specific stadiums should watch this video of the atmosphere at the Portland Timbers’ Jeld-Wen Field. As much as it hurts to say it, the buzz created in this facility could never be replicated in a stadium like RFK--the celebrations in the video below are unbelievable!

[acrossthepondsoccer]

Champions League Quarterfinals Predictions

As American college basketball fans revel in the upsets, buzzer beaters, and general insanity of the NCAA Tournament, Europe’s version of March Madness is playing out with an equal level of excitement. We’ve finally reached the Champions League quarterfinals, and just like the basketball tournament, there’s a mix of heavy favorites and underdogs still standing (Florida Gulf Coast and Galatasaray, anyone?). Here are my predictions for the quarterfinals, which kick off next week:

Bayern Munich vs Juventus

Bayern come into this tie off a surprising home defeat to Arsenal, a loss that displayed some of the German side’s flaws in the midfield and defense. Although their form in the Bundesliga has been impeccable, I think Bayern will struggle to cope with the solidity of an experienced Juventus squad. While Juve doesn’t have a star attacker, they’ve still managed to get the results they need through a balanced front line of Mirko Vucinic, Fabio Quagliarella, and Sebastian Giovinco—all of whom have seven goals on the season. They also have wily old Andrea Pirlo pulling the strings in the five-man midfield, and I think he’ll be able to unlock the Bayern defense. Yes, Juventus did play a weaker Celtic side in the last round, but Bayern played an Arsenal team that’s been struggling mightily of late.

An interesting element of this tie concerns how both teams are approaching Tuesday’s first match. Bayern come into the game after thrashing Hamburg on their stroll to the title, and they’ll certainly be full of confidence. Juve beat Inter Milan earlier today to widen their own lead in Serie A, and their confidence too will be very high coming into Tuesday. Interestingly, Juve manager Antonio Conte says his team’s focus will ultimately be on preserving their place in the league, and today’s result certainly helped.

Fabio Quagliarella (27) celebrates with teammates after scoring against Inter Milan (Luca Brono)

Overall, I think Juve’s experience and defensive solidarity will give them the edge against the soon-to-be German champions. It will be painful for Bayern to make another Champions League exit after a deep run, but I have Juventus moving on in a very close tie.

Winner: Juventus

Paris Saint-Germain vs Barcelona

After routing AC Milan at the Nou Camp, no one is flying higher in this competition than Barcelona. They deserved criticism for a frigid display in Milan, but any doubts about their defensive frailties were dispelled by another commanding performance at home. Unfortunately, this means trouble for Paris Saint-Germain. Even with talisman Zlatan Ibrahimovic cleared to play, PSG face a tall order if they hope to contain Barcelona’s potent attack in Paris. If they concede an away goal, I think the tie is all but over. Barcelona might be without Xavi and Jordi Alba and they’re already missing Puyol and Adriano—this may give PSG a chance to contain Barcelona in the first leg, but Messi can change the game at will.

Here are Messi's contributions to Barcelona's 4-0 rout of AC Milan at the Nou Camp.

While a lot of people may focus on the Barcelona attack matching up against the PSG defense, I wouldn’t overlook the Parisian side’s strike force. Javier Pastore, Ezequiel Lavezzi, and Jeremy Menez have driven PSG’s creative midfield and attack this season, and having Ibrahimovic present will be a huge boost for the team. Barcelona’s make-shift defense might be vulnerable, but PSG will have to take every chance (unlike Milan in the second leg) if they want to stay in the tie.

Oh, and how could I forget David Beckham? I don’t think he’ll have a real impact in this matchup, but who knows—any dead ball situation becomes a dangerous situation with Beckham on the field.

Still, I just can’t see PSG outplaying the Catalans over two games. There may be a lot of pressure on the Barcelona defense, but Messi and co. will get the results they need—especially at home. Barcelona will move on and challenge for yet another Champions League title.

Winner: Barcelona

Malaga vs Borussia Dortmund

I don’t think any team has a better group of young players than Borussia Dortmund. With a midfield comprised of Mario Gotze, Nuri Sahin, and Marco Reus, the German side play some of the best passing soccer on the continent. Having Robert Lewandoski up front to finish off Dortmund’s technical moves only adds to the team’s confidence as well. They’ll be matching up against a Malaga side that’s been forced to sell some key players like Santi Cazorla and Nacho Monreal (both to Arsenal) but still find themselves in contention after a great comeback over Porto. They have a couple rising stars like goal-scorer Isco and midfielder Francisco Portillo to complement more experienced players like Joaquin, Javier Saviola, and Roque Santa Cruz; this experience has led them to the results they need in the Champions League despite being only 6th in La Liga.

Dortmund's Mario Gotze, who's already made a name for himself as one of the Bundesliga's best playmakers.

On paper, Dortmund are the clear favorite. Not only did they top the group of death, but they coasted through their tie against tricky Shakhtar Donetsk. I think they have all the necessary tools to make a serious run for the title despite their lack of experience. However, Malaga and manager Manuel Pellegrini will make life tough for Dortmund. I expect the Spanish side to cut down Dortmund’s swift passing game and look for chances to counter—with their experience, they won’t go down easily. Mats Hummels, Dortmund’s reliable center-back , will also be missing the first leg, giving Malaga a bit more of a chance on the break.

Ultimately, this tie hinges on possession for me. If Dortmund can dominate the game, hold on to the ball, and play their slick style, they’ll create far too many chances for Malaga to cope with. The Spaniards will need to take their chances from counter-attacks if they want to stay within sight of the German side, but that’s something I just don’t see happening.

Winner: Borussia Dortmund

Galatasaray vs Real Madrid

After their dramatic victory over Schalke in the round of sixteen, Galatasaray became my favorite team left in the competition.  It’s been five years since a Turkish team made it to the quarterfinals and Galatasaray may be the biggest underdog left in the competition, even more so than Malaga. I wouldn’t rule them out of it, though—their recent big money moves landed them Didier Drogba and Wesley Sneijder to complement a decent outfit of rising Turkish stars and other internationals (Emmanuel Eboue, anyone?). They also boast the competition’s surprising top-scorer, Burak Yilmaz.

Unfortunately, Galatasaray are running into perhaps the hottest team left in the tournament, Real Madrid. With Barcelona wrapping up La Liga, Madrid and Jose Mourinho will certainly view the Champions League as their ultimate goal. Recent wins over Barcelona and Manchester United have boosted their confidence and they haven’t dropped a point since February 2nd. Despite the loss of captain Iker Casillas to injury, Madrid show no signs of slowing down with Cristiano Ronaldo, Gonzalo Higuain, and Karim Benzema leading a vaunted attack with Mesut Ozil and Xabi Alonso controlling the play in midfield.

Real Madrid showed their poise by knocking off Manchester United in the round of sixteen.

For Galatasaray to get any kind of result, they’re going to need some clinical finishing, a great defensive performance, and a little bit of luck. Still, they showed their defensive vulnerabilities during the tie against Schalke, and I expect Ronaldo and co. to exploit every crack in the Turkish backline and create tons of chances. While Gala showed a lot of spirit to come back against the German side and have the best home-field advantage out of the remaining teams, beating Madrid over two legs is simply too much to ask.

Winner: Real Madrid

[acrossthepondsoccer]

Love and Soccer

As Theo Walcott bears down on the Chelsea goal, I involuntarily stand up and put my hands on my head. It’s early, both in the match and in the hour of day. Really early. Someday, I’ll look back on all the 7:45 and 8:30 morning kick-offs and wonder if that extra sleep might have done me any good. But right now, I’m stifling a yell as Walcott floats a terrible cross into Petr Cech’s welcoming arms. Another frustrating move brings another sigh as I sit back down. My girlfriend pokes her head out from underneath the blanket: “Did they score?”

I had never been in a relationship long enough to see how my love for soccer would coexist with a girlfriend, but now I get to see this phenomenon play out every Saturday or Sunday morning. It’s become a routine: I wake up and go out to the living room to watch the first half, and my girlfriend trudges out to join me for the second. She’s usually still half-asleep, but I appreciate her dedication. She’s learned some of the Arsenal players—her favorite is Oxlade-Chamberlain, purely based on his “super British last name”—and she’s adopted my hatred of Spurs, United, and pretty much everyone else. She’s even picked up on my Spanish inclinations, evidenced by her explanation of how I “don’t really like Barcelona or Real Madrid but I would take Madrid over Barca in most situations.” If being able to discuss the complex relationship between La Liga’s two giants isn’t sexy, then I don’t know what is.

Even though my girlfriend assures me that my obsession is fine, my mom and grandma don’t quite agree. It’ll ruin your relationship, they told me once. They think I’m forcing her to wake up at criminal hours to watch a sport she doesn't care about, but it’s quite the opposite. She’s with me on the couch at 8 AM because she wants to be, and I think that’s pretty incredible. Not even a tequila-induced hangover can keep her from taking in a match with me. Now that’s pure love.

In his pseudo-memoir Fever Pitch, Arsenal fan Nick Hornby talks about growing up as an obsessed fan and the way soccer influences his relationships. Many of the things he went through, including taking girlfriends to games and skipping commitments to watch matches, are some of the things I experience every week—his girlfriends all welcomed his fandom too, thankfully. I’ve dragged my girlfriend to DC United games and intramural games, borrowed her iPhone to check scores every ten minutes, and inundated her with a barrage of weird names and terms—“What’s a ‘Mertesacker’?” Yet through it all, she’s never complained or—even worse—unplugged the TV. Instead, she’s embraced my obsession in a beautiful way and it’s more than I could ever ask for. Besides, anyone who gets you a signed picture of your idol, Thierry Henry, is seriously a keeper.

Probably the greatest gift of all time. She knows me too well.

It’s 9 AM now and Chelsea have already gone 2-0 up on the Gunners. I’m bleary-eyed, hung-over, and pretty disgusted with the Arsenal back line. I’ve also probably lost a few hairs and muttered some terrible things I would never say in public. Then, my girlfriend pokes her head out from the blanket again: “Is Oxlade-Chamberlain playing? Woah, what’s up with that guy’s hair? Does the Arsenal coach always make that miserable  face?” As mad as I am at everything else in the world, I can’t help but grin—these kinds of moments are why I love her so much. With that being said, I hope she’s ready for Reading next Saturday at 11 AM—we desperately need all three points.

[vincecartersisgone-deactivated2]

Home is anywhere that you know all your friends and all your enemies. (x)

[acrossthepondsoccer]

Except for that abomination on the left side, second from the bottom. 

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Classic goal of the night: Glenn Hoddle vs Watford (1983). What a lovely goal from one of finest to ever don a Tottenham shirt. Not even an Arsenal supporter could deny the beauty of this turn and cheeky lob.

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Some say Keane and Lucio may have been the best tacklers in world football, but no one ever had a better one than Sol.

[acrossthepondsoccer]

In the areaaaa!

Gus Johnson, using his go-to phrase during Tuesday's Man United-Madrid Champions League match.

Johnson, Fox's new voice of American soccer broadcasts, has stoked debate over American commentators and their role in the game's coverage. He's also received an equal share of praise and criticism for his performances in the press box so far. A little more grace in high-intensity moments--like Ronaldo bearing down on United's goal--would go a long way, but I'm sure he'll grow into the job. Starting out with a couple United-Madrid matches was a big ask for Johnson, regardless of his prior experience. Yes, there's a lot of work to be done, but I think he'll be ready by the time World Cup 2014 rolls around (he's being tipped as the American voice for the tournament). Oh, and Gus, no more "In the area." Take a phrase or two from a commentator who will probably never run out of original things to say.

[acrossthepondsoccer]

Not-So-Classic Goals of the Day

For every magical run, swiveling volley, and 30-yard howitzer scored in the Premier League, there's plenty of garbage goals to go along with them. Here's a couple great examples from Luka Modric and everyone's favorite bumbling English striker, Peter Crouch.

Here's Modric scoring one of the luckiest headers you'll ever see:

A lot better than this curled finish against Man United yesterday, no?

And, in even less spectacular fashion, here's Peter Crouch scoring his first goal for Liverpool. Not even he could have imagined his first goal being so underwhelming. 

 To be fair, Crouch did score one of THE best goals of the season last year. What a volley! 

[acrossthepondsoccer]

Scarf-sanity!

Warning: this is probably the closest I’ll ever come to talking about fashion on this blog. It’s alright though—this fashion is naturally of the soccer variety.

Way back, I remember watching one of my first European matches on TV and thinking to myself, “Are all those grown men seriously wearing scarves right now?” In fact, just about every fan was wearing a supporter’s scarf, as they’re called. Fast forward ten or so odd years, and I’m absolutely hooked on these scarves. Yeah, it feels a little weird saying that, but I seriously can’t get enough of them. I currently own nine scarves: four Arsenal, one USA, one Roma, one PSG, one DC United, and one Argentina. While the Arsenal scarves are understandable, you may be wondering about the others. Roma and PSG came from my time in Rome and Paris (although I didn’t actually see any matches), USA came from a USA-Turkey friendly before the 2010 World Cup, Argentina came from my girlfriend’s study abroad trip, and I’m a relatively ardent supporter of DC United (my local MLS team).

  Here's a shot of my favorite Arsenal scarf. This official supporter's scarf isn't sold in the US, so I had it shipped from the team store in London. I keep telling myself it's what any reasonable soccer fan would have done. 

Now, I’ve made it a life mission of mine to get a scarf for every game I attend. Yeah, I know I’m cheating with Roma and PSG, but I keep telling myself I’ll get to the Stadio Olimpico and Parc des Princes at some point. And yes, I haven’t seen my beloved Arsenal in person either, but that WILL happen sooner than later. [I have a list of all the global soccer matches—mostly insane derbies—that I want to attend. “Boca Juniors vs River Plate? Yeah, safe enough. Fenerbahce vs Galatasaray? No sweat!”]

Anyways, I just love the simplicity of the supporter’s scarf. I tried to think of the American equivalent to a scarf but couldn’t come up with much. Pennant? Foam finger? Aside from jerseys and hats, which don’t really count, we don’t have any sort of distinguished fan gear that EVERYONE wears to games.

IMPOSTOR!

Also, it’s pretty amazing how wearing a scarf in the wrong part of town could end in a brawl. “It was all over a scarf! I swear!” OK, that probably doesn’t happen often, but a supporter’s scarf is still a badge of allegiance that you wear proudly, even at away matches.

Looks like Manchester United vs Manchester City. The Reds vs the Blues.

  There are some pretty wild scarf designs out there for various teams, and I could browse through them all day. Most teams have one or two “official supporter’s scarves” and then a host of unofficial, alternative designs. To get a sense of my scarf-mania, here are the five best/oddest scarves I could find on Amazon in less than 10 minutes:

 1. Aston Villa official club scarf: I’ve always liked the claret and blue, and the checkerboard trim really kills it on this one.

2. Bayern Munich fan scarf: I like the German flag within the traditional Bavarian checkers.

  3. Ivory Coast scarf: Any scarf with elephants on it is definitely a winner.

  4. Wayne Rooney scarf: ROOOOOONEY

  5.  Jamaica scarf: For all those frigid nights...

  I’m actually a little disappointed by the lack of  resources on soccer scarves. No “best ever” list or anything along those lines. That might be my next project, after buying more scarves, of course.

[acrossthepondsoccer]

Bandwagoners, Glory Hunters, and the American Soccer Fan

I will cry when I walk into Emirates Stadium for the first time. No, really, it’s going to happen. I don’t know when I’ll be making the trip to London to see my team (Arsenal) play, but when I do, the tears of joy will definitely be flowing.

It’s interesting to think about the relationship between a fan and his/her team, especially when that teams plays over 3,000 miles away. I’ve never been to the UK and I’ve never seen Arsenal play in person, but I’m still an ardent supporter. It sounds crazy, doesn’t it? My “trip to the stadium” is just a trip to my couch, where I either watch on TV or struggle through the frustration of a live stream (I’ve recently concluded that buffering is my least favorite thing ever, after Tottenham). Sure, I’ll go and watch at the Arsenal bar in DC, but that match-day experience can’t compare to the real deal.

Ever since the rise of soccer in the USA—which probably started in the 1970s and has continued to swell following the 1994 World Cup—Americans have been supporting international teams just as much as our domestic MLS teams. Some people have ties to certain teams based on their ancestry or former home. Others have just picked teams that they liked—consequentially, they usually end up picking the richer, more successful teams. I have no doubts that the four most popular EPL teams in the USA are Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool, and Arsenal. Manchester City may not be far behind either, especially if they win more trophies. If you’re a successful EPL, La Liga, or Bundesliga team, you’re going to attract the most American fans. There are also many guides and articles on how to pick a team: this one is for the current EPL season, courtesy of EPL Talk. 

Here’s my question, though: does picking a team based on success make you less of a fan than those who have ties to the clubs they support? Maybe discussing different levels of fandom isn’t even worth it. In an ideal world, bandwagon Manchester United fans could get along with the diehard supporters of, say, Fulham; however, I don’t see this happening anytime soon. In fact, I feel this tension a lot.

Barcelona, who recently won five trophies in one season (the "Quintuple") and regularly have the highest-rated squad in FIFA, are also a popular team for bandwagon fans.

My team, Arsenal, has recently been mired in a seven year trophy drought. The club is going backwards, and things seem to be falling apart every season. Manchester United, on the other hand, are on their way to winning another league title this year, and you can usually count on them to win a trophy of some kind every season. They also signed Arsenal’s best player last year, just to make matters worse. Now, when bandwagon United fans (yes, they’re easy to pick out) ridicule me and ridicule Arsenal, I get frustrated. “You’re not even a real fan,” I say in my head. “You win something every fucking year. You don’t know what it’s like to suffer.”

Another term for a bandwagon fan is a "glory hunter." Quite British, no?

Still, as bitter as I get over “fake fans” crowing about United’s latest title, there are many teams who haven’t won anything for long stretches of time. In comparison, Arsenal last won a trophy in 2005—I started following them (watching every single game) in 2006. While I haven’t been able to enjoy an Arsenal trophy yet, there are some older men and women out there who haven’t experienced the thrill of winning anything at all. Consider Birmingham City: they hadn’t won a major trophy for 48 years until they beat Arsenal (ironic, huh?) to win the 2011 League Cup. These long droughts happen all the time, so I don’t have as much right to complain as an Arsenal supporter.

Ultimately, I think you define your own fandom. I love Arsenal, and I love watching them play, even though they are an ocean away. When bandwagon fans jump back and forth between title winners, I don’t think they get the full experience of supporting a club through both good times and bad. It takes some pain to fully appreciate when a club wins a title—in my case, it’s been pretty much all pain. But that’s OK. It’s what supporting a team is all about.

Ah, Drake. Not even you can get away with something this criminal. Also, the teams represented in the left and center pictures (Manchester United and Manchester City, respectively) are cut-throat rivals separated by a few miles. And when I say cut-throat, I literally mean it in some cases.

So, for those fans who sometimes step back and look at their relationship to an overseas team, I know where you’re coming from. It seems stupid, getting up early for matches because of the time zone difference or having an authentic supporter’s scarf shipped to you from London. A lot of people won’t understand why we support soccer teams we may never see play in person. Still, we do it because we love everything about it, from Arsenal fans to Birmingham City fans.

In the end, I don’t like debating what makes you a real fan or not. If you’re simply willing to put your heart and soul behind a team, you’re a real fan. Even if you choose to support Manchester United. 

[acrossthepondsoccer]

Classic goal of the day: Trevor Sinclair vs Barnsley (1997). I know that Ibrahimovic and Rooney make pretty strong arguments, but this is my favorite overhead kick of all time. Sinclair shows his great athleticism in the air--he's moving away from the goal at the time of his leap. There's also no hint of a shin like Rooney's goal. Here, it's all laces.