Compelling Soccer

I'm still experimenting with the features here at Compelling Soccer; IE things I'll want to do on a weekly basis. This week, I figure I'll try out the good old weekend in review, or the roundup of the games I checked out this weekend. This one features nothing on West Ham v. Liverpool because I wrote enough about that on Saturday.

The games I watched this weekend:

West Ham v. Liverpool (Prem)
Seattle Sounders v. Chivas USA (MLS)
Houston Dynamo v. Real Salt Lake (MLS)
*Manchester United v. Manchester City (Prem)
Valencia v. Sporting Gijon (La Liga)

*- denotes best game I watched

-I did end up watching the Sounders play Chivas USA after the Liverpool game Saturday. I was impressed by Seattle's play, which is far more skilled than a lot of MLS teams I've seen so far. They use a lot of well timed runs and do a few nice things off the ball. Unfortunately, their skill is probably not up to their soccer IQ to this point. For all their nice play yesterday, the Sounders couldn't put one in the net.

However, that's unfair of me. The reason for that was stellar play by Zach Thornton, who takes the cake as the biggest goalie I've ever seen. He also played one of the best games I've ever seen, stoning Seattle on a few near certain goals. It was impressive to watch and also somewhat depressing for those who like merit based results. Seattle flat out dominated Chivas for the full 90 minutes and deserved a 2-0 win, at least. Instead they got a single point. Stylish, higher level play should be rewarded. Unfortunately, good process doesn't always net good results.

-Less stylish but better results came from Houston, who picked up a 3-2 win over Real Salt Lake. Their performance was messier, less dominant and not nearly as impressive as Seattle's. However they picked up the full three points regardless. This match featured three US men's team players, Stuart Holden, Brian Ching and Kyle Beckerman. As usual, I came away less than impressed with Ching, though he did score a goal. One of the stories I keep hearing about Ching is that he's a great holding forward, a big leader and always calm cool and collected. I've now seen enough to know he's a lousy holding/target forward on levels above MLS, his "leadership" was so useful that he took part in both the US embarrassment at the Gold Cup final and the US loss at Azteca, something I was assured by many a US fans he would not allow to happen. And then on Saturday night I watched him get set off for attacking a Salt Lake player after Houston went up 3-2. In other words, he lost his cool. Ching has also long been considered a guy who draws fouls and doesn't dive, though every time I've seen him he picks up fouls and plays like he's auditioning for a role on the US Olympic swim team.

Look, I have no problem with Brian Ching as a person. I just have a problem with people who insist he's good. He's not. It's not an indictment of MLS if he's a useful player in the league and near useless everywhere else. Well, it sort of is, but there are ways around it. Just let's stop pretending he's international quality and making up crazy reasons that are completely subjective so that you can't refute them.

Stuart Holden was all over the field. I'm still not sure what to make of him. He's got a motor and skill, but his play does strike me as undisciplined. You can get away with that far more in MLS. If he goes to Europe in the near future, it could be real good for his game.

I also saw why people like Kyle Beckerman. Not only does he have the dreadlocks, he also runs around like the energizer bunny. His goal in this one was pure class, timing his run perfectly, staying onside and then sliding it past the goalie into the corner of the net. Displays like that make you wonder if he could compete at the international level. However, having seen him at that level, I can safely say the answer is no. His weaknesses, poor first touch, running often without purpose, become apparent there. But give him credit for making me wonder.

-I saw a good chunk of Sunday morning's Manchester Derby and my one regret is that I wasn't able to stay to the end, departing with about 2 minutes to go before stoppage time. So I missed Craig Bellamy's equalizer and then Michael Owen's winner. If there ever was a game that could be called "compelling soccer" that was it. Though United was getting the better of the play for most of the second half, City did enough to draw level twice. Plus United's dominating play was anything but boring, as they did everything but score for about 20 minutes in that one. Dimitar Berbatov will be seeing City goalie Shay Given in his nightmares. And the way Given was playing, despite surrendering the four goals, he might be appearing with Berbatov's breakfast, lunch and dinner and be there to block him off from using the bathroom while he's at it. One would think their rematch later this year will be impossible to top, but that game certainly has to be considered the best of the Premiership thus far, this season.

-Sunday afternoon also has my roommate and I see La Liga on ESPN2, featuring a battle between Valencia and Sporting Gijon. The latter neither side neither had any knowledge of. Much confusion ensued as I saw that Gijon had a player named Michel sent off yet another Michel had just come on. If my knowledge of English soccer is semi passable, and that's debatable, my stuff on La Liga (and pretty much every other European league) is severely lacking. I only knew David Villa of Valencia. Then again, it doesn't prevent someone from knowing a good game when one sees it and the end of that was impressive. Gijon battled back despite being down 10 men and picked up a late equalizer, grabbing a point on the road. Other highlights include wondering of Tommy Smyth (at least I think it was Tommy Smyth) actually was disappointed he was doing a La Liga telecast opposed to a Premiership game and seeing a legit penalty not called.

-Answering a question I posed on Friday, Freddy Adu did not dress for Belaneses game Sunday. One day Freddy, one day.

-I wanted to watch Wolves v. Fulham in order to see Clint Dempsey this weekend, but I was out of luck as everyone had the Manchester Derby. Their decision was the right one. From what I hear, Dempsey had a rough go of it in Fulham's 2-1 loss. In fact, Fulham didn't score until he was pulled off the field.

-A couple more things on Man U v. Man City. Ryan Giggs is still a competent wing player, which is incredible considering he was a "veteran" six years ago. Compare to say Michael Owen, who is clearly a shell of his former self and what Giggs continues to do is impressive. I know I'm just part of the choir on this one, but it needs to be said. And while we're on Owen, I'm not sure how I feel about him. I rooted for him before and when he was on Liverpool and I don't like Man U. On the other hand, it's nice his career seems to be somewhat rejuvenated after falling off the map when he departed from Liverpool. I'm not sure he should be getting a lot run these days; from what I've seen Berbatov is more of a threat, but he certainly can still contribute to a side as Sunday's game winner showed. This may change if he becomes a success at Man U this year and helps them to another championship, but for now I'll say "good for him" and move on.