Pelé Who?
16 Teams That Formed The North American Soccer League (NASL) in 1968
1. Atlanta Apollos
2. Baltimore Bays
3. Boston Beacons
4. Chicago Mustangs
5. Cleveland Stokers
6. Dallas Tornado
7. Detroit Cougars
8. Houston Stars
9. Kansas City Spurs
10. Los Angeles Wolves
11. New York Generals
12. Oakland Clippers
13. St. Louis Stars
14. Toronto Falcons
15. Vancouver Royals
16. Washington Whips
Friday, August 31, 2007
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Just a bit of fun...
A simple one this one... (and no, I'm not reading from Rio Ferdinand's school report)
If you had to pick one and only one player from each Premiership club, who would you choose?
Try to make a squad if you can (ie a 20 man squad containing at least 2 keepers, 4 or 5 defenders etc) but you dont have to if you don't want to.
Thats the kind people we are on 'Some People are on the Pitch'...
Here are my selection's, below which you find a template to use for your replies.
Arsenal - Fibre Glass
Aston Villa - Gareth Barry
Birmingham - Forsell
Blackburn - The Gamst
Bolton - Jaaskelainen
Chelsea - Michael Essien
Derby - Teale
Everton - Mikel Arteta
Fulham - Antii Niemi
Liverpool - Jamie Carragher
Manchester City - Micah Richards
Manchester Utd - Wayne Rooney
Middlesbrough - Jonathan Woodgate
Newcastle Utd - Michael Owen
Portsmouth - Matthew Taylor
Reading - Ingmarsson
Sunderland - Gordon the Keeper
Tottenham - Berbatov
West Ham - Mark Noble
Wigan - Scharner
Template:
Arsenal -
Aston Villa -
Birmingham -
Blackburn -
Bolton -
Chelsea -
Derby -
Everton -
Fulham -
Liverpool -
Manchester City -
Manchester Utd -
Middlesbrough -
Newcastle Utd -
Portsmouth -
Reading -
Sunderland -
Tottenham -
West Ham -
Wigan -
If you had to pick one and only one player from each Premiership club, who would you choose?
Try to make a squad if you can (ie a 20 man squad containing at least 2 keepers, 4 or 5 defenders etc) but you dont have to if you don't want to.
Thats the kind people we are on 'Some People are on the Pitch'...
Here are my selection's, below which you find a template to use for your replies.
Arsenal - Fibre Glass
Aston Villa - Gareth Barry
Birmingham - Forsell
Blackburn - The Gamst
Bolton - Jaaskelainen
Chelsea - Michael Essien
Derby - Teale
Everton - Mikel Arteta
Fulham - Antii Niemi
Liverpool - Jamie Carragher
Manchester City - Micah Richards
Manchester Utd - Wayne Rooney
Middlesbrough - Jonathan Woodgate
Newcastle Utd - Michael Owen
Portsmouth - Matthew Taylor
Reading - Ingmarsson
Sunderland - Gordon the Keeper
Tottenham - Berbatov
West Ham - Mark Noble
Wigan - Scharner
Template:
Arsenal -
Aston Villa -
Birmingham -
Blackburn -
Bolton -
Chelsea -
Derby -
Everton -
Fulham -
Liverpool -
Manchester City -
Manchester Utd -
Middlesbrough -
Newcastle Utd -
Portsmouth -
Reading -
Sunderland -
Tottenham -
West Ham -
Wigan -
SuperLiga Final 2007
The inaugural SuperLiga reached its climax yesterday as LA Galaxy took on Pachuca in the Final at the Home Depot Center, Carson.
The Mexicans had overcome Houston Dynamo in their semi-final a fortnight ago but did so after a penalty shoot-out which ended 4-3. LA Galaxy, however, knocked out DC United in the other match, 2-0, to set up another classic US/Mexico showdown.
Pachuca took the lead 29 minutes into the Final when Peter Vagenas put the ball into his own net, but it was seen as justice done after Pachuca had dominated the early exchanges. Juan Carlos Cacho and Christian Gimenez both shared a number of chances to score up to that point without doing so. The breakthrough, however, came after a quick one-two between both players that left Gimenez free to centre a ball behind the Galaxy defence which Vagenas didn't clear as well as he'd have liked…
After that, the flood gates opened further. Pachuca found it almost too easy to split open the Galaxy defence at will with Damian Alvarez getting two golden opportunities to extend the lead, neither of which were taken.
The turning point for the Americans undoubtedly came in the 33rd minute when David Beckham suffered a knee sprain following a crude challenge from Fernando Salazar. He was forced to leave the field of play and be substituted, leaving his side ending the first half only 1-0 down but facing an uphill struggle.
The second half started better for LA Galaxy when Landon Donovan forced a save from opposing goalkeeper Miguel Calero after his near-25 yard free kick hit the target. Donovan was denied again when a firm header that looked to be going in was tipped wide by Calero in the 64th minute.
After that purple patch for Galaxy, Pachuca managed to regain control of the game again with Rafael Marquez Lugo guilty of not converting a couple of efforts. The Mexicans remained in control but couldn't find the net - something they'd be made to rue when three minutes into injury time Galaxy sent more men upfield for an equaliser. The result was a Mike Randolph shot which hit the crossbar, cleared only as far as Chris Klein who executed a fine bicycle-kick to level the scores at 1-1.
Extra time had been forced and Pachuca came straight back at Galaxy but once again the finishing was poor and some great goalkeeping by Joe Cannon ensured further goals weren't forthcoming. LA Galaxy also had their chances but after 120 minutes a winner still hadn't been found. Penalties would be needed to separate the two teams.
Vagenas shot first for LA but his miserable night was compounded when his penalty was saved by Calero. That in turn was matched by Cannon who saved from Gabriel Caballero with Pachuca's third penalty and that left the score level at 2-2. Both teams despatched their fourth penalties but missed their fifth, Donovan and Marvin Cabrera the guilty parties.
And so it went to sudden death where the tension quickly reached its peak. Midfielder Carlos Rodriguez stepped up to put Pachuca ahead, 4-3, but when Abel Xavier tried to do the same, he missed the target.
Pachuca had won the first SuperLiga in exciting fashion, setting the new competition off on a sure footing for the future. LA Galaxy, though brave in their attempt to run out champions, were left with the runners-up medals and plenty of time to wonder if things might have turned out differently had Beckham been allowed more of an influence in the game.
The Mexicans had overcome Houston Dynamo in their semi-final a fortnight ago but did so after a penalty shoot-out which ended 4-3. LA Galaxy, however, knocked out DC United in the other match, 2-0, to set up another classic US/Mexico showdown.
Pachuca took the lead 29 minutes into the Final when Peter Vagenas put the ball into his own net, but it was seen as justice done after Pachuca had dominated the early exchanges. Juan Carlos Cacho and Christian Gimenez both shared a number of chances to score up to that point without doing so. The breakthrough, however, came after a quick one-two between both players that left Gimenez free to centre a ball behind the Galaxy defence which Vagenas didn't clear as well as he'd have liked…
After that, the flood gates opened further. Pachuca found it almost too easy to split open the Galaxy defence at will with Damian Alvarez getting two golden opportunities to extend the lead, neither of which were taken.
The turning point for the Americans undoubtedly came in the 33rd minute when David Beckham suffered a knee sprain following a crude challenge from Fernando Salazar. He was forced to leave the field of play and be substituted, leaving his side ending the first half only 1-0 down but facing an uphill struggle.
The second half started better for LA Galaxy when Landon Donovan forced a save from opposing goalkeeper Miguel Calero after his near-25 yard free kick hit the target. Donovan was denied again when a firm header that looked to be going in was tipped wide by Calero in the 64th minute.
After that purple patch for Galaxy, Pachuca managed to regain control of the game again with Rafael Marquez Lugo guilty of not converting a couple of efforts. The Mexicans remained in control but couldn't find the net - something they'd be made to rue when three minutes into injury time Galaxy sent more men upfield for an equaliser. The result was a Mike Randolph shot which hit the crossbar, cleared only as far as Chris Klein who executed a fine bicycle-kick to level the scores at 1-1.
Extra time had been forced and Pachuca came straight back at Galaxy but once again the finishing was poor and some great goalkeeping by Joe Cannon ensured further goals weren't forthcoming. LA Galaxy also had their chances but after 120 minutes a winner still hadn't been found. Penalties would be needed to separate the two teams.
Vagenas shot first for LA but his miserable night was compounded when his penalty was saved by Calero. That in turn was matched by Cannon who saved from Gabriel Caballero with Pachuca's third penalty and that left the score level at 2-2. Both teams despatched their fourth penalties but missed their fifth, Donovan and Marvin Cabrera the guilty parties.
And so it went to sudden death where the tension quickly reached its peak. Midfielder Carlos Rodriguez stepped up to put Pachuca ahead, 4-3, but when Abel Xavier tried to do the same, he missed the target.
Pachuca had won the first SuperLiga in exciting fashion, setting the new competition off on a sure footing for the future. LA Galaxy, though brave in their attempt to run out champions, were left with the runners-up medals and plenty of time to wonder if things might have turned out differently had Beckham been allowed more of an influence in the game.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Antonio Puerta (1984 - 2007)
Some People Are On The Pitch were saddened to hear of the death of Sevilla midfielder Antonio Puerta yesterday.
Puerta, who made his debut for the Spanish national team last October, suffered a heart attack during the first half of his side's opening game of the season against Getafe on Saturday. Medics attended to the player and prevented him from swallowing his tongue but his recovery was brief as Puerta collapsed again in the changing room after the match. He was given cardiac resucitation and rushed to hospital, but an announcement on Tuesday confirmed that Puerta's condition had deteriorated and a further statement later in the day confirmed his death, caused by "multiple organ failure, stemming from prolonged cardiac arrest."
Sevilla's Champions League qualifier against AEK Athens last night was postponed until next Monday as a mark of respect and all La Liga matches next weekend will be preceeded by a minute's silence. Puerta's body is currently lying in state at Sevilla's stadium prior to the funeral which is due to take place later today.
Antonio Puerta is survived by his girlfriend, due to give birth to their first child in six weeks time.
Our sympathies and condolences go to his family and all those associated with him, particularly those at Sevilla Football Club.
Puerta, who made his debut for the Spanish national team last October, suffered a heart attack during the first half of his side's opening game of the season against Getafe on Saturday. Medics attended to the player and prevented him from swallowing his tongue but his recovery was brief as Puerta collapsed again in the changing room after the match. He was given cardiac resucitation and rushed to hospital, but an announcement on Tuesday confirmed that Puerta's condition had deteriorated and a further statement later in the day confirmed his death, caused by "multiple organ failure, stemming from prolonged cardiac arrest."
Sevilla's Champions League qualifier against AEK Athens last night was postponed until next Monday as a mark of respect and all La Liga matches next weekend will be preceeded by a minute's silence. Puerta's body is currently lying in state at Sevilla's stadium prior to the funeral which is due to take place later today.
Antonio Puerta is survived by his girlfriend, due to give birth to their first child in six weeks time.
Our sympathies and condolences go to his family and all those associated with him, particularly those at Sevilla Football Club.
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