Transfers and Playoffs
Big Transfers In Europe It's the 31st and soccer clubs in Europe are scrambing to wrap up their transfers before the window closes at midnight tonight. For those of you who aren't familiar with it, unlike sports in America teams in Europe rarely if ever trade players. Instead of trades, they buy the rights to a player.
West Ham West Ham United have completed the signings of Argentina duo Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano from Corinthians for undisclosed fees.
Spurs Tottenham Hotspur have picked up Mido, Chimboda and Malbranque.
Portsmouth FC The Fantasy PL blog mentions Pompey's latest deal to sign Andy Cole and Niko Kranjcar. The moves don't suprise me. Ever since stumbling into Alexandre Gaydamak's money they've had a policy of buying quantity, not quality. Kanu's had a hot start but so far that looks more like dumb luck on Arry's part than vision. DaMarcus Beasley The best news of the day for American fans is the announcement that PSV Eindhoven has let DaMarcus Beasley join Manchester City on loan. The young man's head has been elsewhere the last year and his game has suffered. Hopefully this move will give him a change and scenary and start playing as well as he was 2 years ago.
MLS Playoffs
Back in America the season for it's top level league, the MLS, is winding down. And while winning the Supporters Shield with the best regular season record means something, it doesn't get the kind of attention that the playoffs do. Today seemed like a good day to take a look at the remaining games in the Western Conference. FCD and Houston both look to be relatively certain of making the playoffs. Although Houston's only up a few points. Maybe in a couple weeks things won't look so good for them.
The Colorado Rapids and Los Angeles-based Chivas USA have 8 games remaining. Real Salt Lake and the Los Angeles Galaxy have 7 games remaining. At this point a coin flip would likely be just as accurate at predicting who makes it and who doesn't. The popular choices right now between the other 4 (assuming Houston and FC Dallas make it) would be LA Galaxy and Real Salt Lake. But after seeing them play last night, neither of those teams looked like they were interested in winning the game let alone making the play-offs. If I had to bet a 6-pack of Bells Two Hearted Ale right now, it would be on Chivas USA and the Colorado Rapids.
Below are the teams with their remaining games. Their form for their 5 most recent games is in parenthesis.
Colorado Rapids (1-3-1) 8 Games left : @ RSL (3-2-0) @KC (2-1-2) Fire (3-1-1) @ Galaxy (3-2-0) @ Chivas (2-0-3) @ New England (1-2-2) NYRB (1-1-3) @ Houston (1-3-1)
Chivas USA (2-0-3) 8 Games left : DC (0-2-3) FCD (2-3-0) @FCD (2-3-0) @Houston (1-3-1) Colorado (1-3-1) @Galaxy (3-2-0) @KC (2-1-2) RSL (3-2-0)
LA Galaxy (3-2-0) 7 Games left : KC (2-1-2) Houston (1-3-1) Colorado (1-3-1) @Fire (3-1-1) Chivas (2-0-3) @ FCD (2-3-0) FCD (2-3-0)
Real Salt Lake (3-2-0) 7 Games left : Rapids (1-3-1) @ DC (0-2-3) FC Dallas (2-3-0) @ FC Dallas (2-3-0) @ KC (2-1-2) Houston (1-3-1) @ Chivas (2-0-3)
And props to George Tanner at the Rocky Mountain News for pointing out my recent entry on MLS coaches that may be let go.
2 comments:
I'm not sure why you say that football teams in Europe don't buy players. Sure things have changed slightly since the bosman ruling, but all the same I would suggest that when Chelsea paid £30million for Shevchenko they considered that they were buying him.
You're spot on Eeore. That's a heck of a lot money. Just to note, I said they don't trade players, they buy rights to them. You're example is excellent. I think a lot of Americans would be shocked to know that much money was spent for just one player.
Post a Comment