The Case for MVLee

The MLS MVP race is going to come down to this final weekend, and the race is tight. The clear frontrunner is Robbie Keane, the Irish striker for LA Galaxy that seems to have taken a dip in the fountain of youth before the season began. He has 19 goals and 14 assists on the season, good for third and tied-second respectively, but he has not scored a goal since October 4th, which puts into perspective just how big of a season he was having before the slump. Obafemi Martins has 17 goals and has been one of Seattle Sounders best players all year. And, of course, Landon Donovan will be in contention, well because he is Mr. MLS and it is his last season ever so everyone can feel happy he got a Derek Jeter moment and won the MVP in his final season. But I think there is one clear choice.

No one has been more valuable to their team than Lee Nguyen of the New England Revolution. And I know what your thinking right now, "This is bias, he's from New England, of course he wants his guy to win..." and you're right. I am bias. But this is the truth. Lee Nguyen has been seemingly unstoppable this year. He has 17 goals, same as Obafemi Martins, and 5 assists, which isn't much but it is more than USMNT midfielder Michael Bradley, who has 4. Maybe the best stat Nguyen has is Game Winning Goals. He has 8. That's the most in the league. It's 3 more than Keane. Lee Nguyen has technically won more games than 3 teams in MLS and would be tied with 2 others. He's also done all of this goal-scoring out of the midfield, while Keane is a striker. That, my friends, is what we call a difference maker. He has been without a doubt the Revolution's best, most impactful player. They would not be 2nd in the Eastern Conference without him, in fact they would not be in the playoffs if it was not for his 8 game winners. He is the most valuable player to his team on the list of candidates.

He should also be getting a call up to the U.S. Men's National Team soon. It would be an utter disappointment if Jurgen Klinssman didn't call up the player riding maybe the biggest hot streak of a season in recent memory to the national squad. Lee Nguyen is one of the best MLS players out there right now, and he deserves recognition.

#MVLEE #NGUYENING

Also he scores goals like this, a little incentive: 

If Catalonia Secedes, Barça Will Be Out Of La Liga

Fox News MADRID –  The president of La Liga says Catalan clubs like Barcelona and Espanyol would be excluded from the country's top soccer league if the region succeeds in its bid for independence from Spain. Separatist sentiment has surged in Catalonia in recent years following Spain's refusal to give the region more autonomy and fiscal powers.La Liga President Javier Tebas says the country's sports law entitles only one non-Spanish territory — Andorra — to legally participate in the league or other official competitions.Tebas adds that for clubs from an independent Catalonia to be included in La Liga would require a "modification" of the law that would have to be approved by parliament.

Big news from Spain with pretty major ramifications for the soccer world. Taking Barcelona out of La Liga is a huge deal. Save for Atletico Madrid's title win last season, it's been a two horse race the past nine years between Barcelona and their rivals Real Madrid. Granted, La Liga allows a non-Spanish team to currently play, that being FC Andorra form the small nation of Andorra (sandwiched between France and Spain), although the highest that squad has ever been in the Spanish soccer hierarchy is the third tier. Barcelona is one of the biggest clubs in the world across all sports, never mind just La Liga. New laws would have to be put in place to allow for more non-Spanish teams to play in the league. Barcelona players such as Xavi Hernandez and Gerard Pique, both Catalan-born, have expressed they want the region to continue to seek independence. This could expand past La Liga as well. Catalonia has had its own national team for some time, but they are not recognized by FIFA. With a new, independent nation, they could become recognized and be able to compete in world tournaments. This would also deplete the Spanish national team of key players. This is certainly a double-edged sword for those in the Catalan region: stay and continue to play as they always have, or secede and have their footballing future in doubt.

PS-Has a club motto ever backfired/been more relevant than Barcelona's? It's "Mes que un club", which means "More than a club". As in they represent not just a club but a region. A region that wants to secede. Talk about a rock and a hard place.

PSS- Poor Espanyol just getting sandbagged. No respect for being a second class team in a region that wants to secede.

Have the Patriots Found Their O-Line Solution?

The New England Patriots offensive line has been the target of much scrutiny this season following the trade of veteran guard and team leader Logan Mankins. Well last night on Sunday Night Football we may have seen the solution. It never occurred to me that coach Belichick could just play three centers at once. Yeah, its that simple. No more Jordan Devey, no more Marcus Cannon. Dan Connolly and Ryan Wendell at the guards and rookie Bryan Stork at center. Tom Brady was only sacked once and hit another time. Thats it. So genius. So Belichick. Just play three center and you'll be all set.

Brady looked as fired up as I have seen him the past few weeks, Gronk was getting back to his old ways of being the bruising pass catcher we were all accustomed to, and Tim Wright was impressive as well. Those first two drives had me ready to run through a brick wall. I was so pumped up watching Brady play pissed off. If we have to bring Jimmy Garoppolo in at the end of every game to get Tommy ready to go the next week then that's what we have to do.

I hope they put Garoppolo in at the end of tonight's game, just to piss of Tom Brady again for next week.
— Toucher and Rich (@Toucherandrich) October 6, 2014

Wait, what's that?

Garoppolo finishes the game. Next week is a lock.
— Toucher and Rich (@Toucherandrich) October 6, 2014

Arsenal Bounce Back

Goals scored  by Mesut Ozil, Danny Welbeck and an own goal from Aly Cissokho courtesy of a Kieran Gibbs cross

Arsenal came into the weekend with just six points in four games, and were staring at an Aston Villa squad in second place in the EPL. Everyone was focused on two players under scrutiny: new striker Danny Welbeck, and last summers bug signing Mesut Ozil. Some fans wanted Ozil out of the lineup, or at least moved to his preferred center midfield spot, but manager Arsene Wenger opted to keep him in the same role, out on the left hand side with freedom to roam to the middle. Santi Cazorla was slotted in that middle role, with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlein out on the right, meaning Alexis Sanchez would not be starting. Villa gave the Gunners a few scares at the beginning of the match, but keeper Wojciech Szczesny turned the chances away to keep the match level. In the 32nd minute, Welbeck played a brilliant through ball towards the box, and Ozil raced it down and put a left footed chance past Villa keeper Brad Guzan. It was a huge relief for fans, management and Ozil alike. In the 34th minute, Ozil and Welbeck switched roles, with the German international playing a cross past Guzan and onto the waiting foot of Welbeck. It was Welbeck's first goal in an Arsenal uniform. But then in the 36th Kieran Gibbs gained possession in Villa's half and played a long cross towards Chambo. Aly Cissokho tried clearing it out of the back of Villa's end, but his touch put the ball in the back of the net instead. In all, it was just three minutes and 12 seconds separating all of the Gunners goals. They now currently sit in third place with nine points, but expect that to possibly change by weekends end. Hopefully this served as a wake up for Ozil, who had been invisible all season, and even nation back to last year. Same goes for Welbeck, much maligned at Manchester United. If they both turn it on, Arsenal has the depth and talent to compete with Chelsea, ManCity and the rest of the best in the Premier League.

Is Chelsea Approaching Manchester United Status?

Diego Costa was one of the biggest signings of the summer

They are the number one team in the Premier League. They have arguably the best squad in the world. They have a manager who has won every place he has been, and is nicknamed "The Special One".  They are the boys in blue from West London: Chelsea FC. Chelsea have always been one of the top teams in the Premier League, but this year there is something different about them. Owner Roman Abramovich shelled out a lot of money to ensure this. Reminiscent of the dominant Manchester United teams of this past decade and beyond, Chelsea are dominating, they are confident, and they are full of expensive depth. During the transfer window , manager Jose Mourinho brought in Diego Costa, Cesc Fabregas, Filipe Luis, Didier Drogba, Loic Remy and Thibaut Courtois, among others. Add that firepower onto who they brought in last year: Andre Schurrle, Willian and Nemanja Matic. Oh but they leveled out the expenses by selling a lot of good players: David Luiz, Romelu Lukaku, Victor Moses, Juan Mata, Martin van Ginkel, Michael Essien, Fernando Torres, Frank Lampard, Demba Ba and Ashley Cole just to name a few (yes a few). Chelsea has done a remarkable job building and buying their team, which makes some fans dislike them. I am one of those fans, mainly because I support Arsenal and Chelsea ate up all the good strikers on the market, leaving the Gunners with Danny Welbeck filling in for Olivier Giroud. Fan disdain for the Blues is beginning to rival the disdain for United, although nothing will bring a smile to the face of a fan then seeing United lose. Chelsea could probably beat the World Cup champions Germany right now. The duo of Fabregas to Costa has been unstoppable: in four games Cesc has six assists, and Costa has seven goals. Courtois pushed Petr Cech, the long time starter, out of the number one goalie slot. Eden Hazard continues to be one of the best young players in the world. Chelsea is clicking on all cylinders, evident by picking up every point thus far this season, with a goal differential of +9 to boot. They are the new Man. United. You hate to love them, and love to hate them.

Deadspin Paints Bob Kraft As A Hypocrite

I'm heated and I don't know why. This is something produced by Deadspin. Basically calling Patriots owner Bob Kraft a hypocrite because he says he is against domestic abuse, but oh wait, he once met Floyd Mayweather, a known abuser, during a Monday Night Football game last year and they were captured meeting on TV. Naturally the SHEEP that blindly follow Deadspin and take everything they say as the Bible were calling him a hypocrite and telling Kraft to screw himself and all that. I love it and hate it even though I shouldn't hate it because those people are morons. Kraft and Mayweather met ONE time, and it was on TV because it was a primetime football game and two very wealthy people in the sports business were meeting for the FIRST time. But now that Kraft says domestic abuse is bad he's a hypocrite? Why? Because he was seen with Mayweather briefly last year and hasn't been seen with him since? Implying that they're FRIENDS is asinine. They do not do business together, they don't invite each other to events, they met once. Oh but all the freaking internet trolls and Twitter Know-It-Alls are quick to call him a hypocrite. So I guess meeting somebody who abuses women makes you a supporter of domestic violence. THAT MAKES PLENTY OF SENSE. Seriously, FUCK all the people calling him a hypocrite. It is stupid. STUPID. Read a book for me one time you idiots.

The 2014 Premier League Transfer Window: The Most Expensive In History

Every professional sports league has its own free agency period, and when a notable player is not under contract it can be a frenzy to sign them for big money. The problem is that a big name player is needed to create hype around North American free agency. That is what makes the European soccer “Transfer Window” so special. First off, there are two opportunities, one in the summer offseason and one midway through the season in January. Two chances to get a big name and create a splash. But the other beautiful thing about the Transfer Window is that any player, no matter their contract situation, can move teams, either permanently or “on loan”; basically a rental. 

Big names that moved clubs. From top left and clockwise: Angel di Maria, Mario Balotelli, Luis Suarez, Shinji Kagawa, James Rodriguez, and Alexis Sanchez. All shown with their new teams.

The most recent Transfer Window closed on September 1, 2014 at 11 PM (British time), and the final numbers at the end of the day were nothing short of staggering. According to Forbes.com, the total gross spending of Premier League clubs alone was 835 million British Pounds. To put that into perspective that is nearly 1.4 BILLION U.S. dollars. This is due in part to improved broadcast deals for the league, mainly with the United States, meaning there is more money to spend. Manchester United is often compared to the New York Yankees due to their deep pockets and frivolous spending, and the Red Devils flexed their muscle this summer, leading the league with a £150 million gross spending spree; roughly 16% of the Premier League’s gross total. That trumps Liverpool, the next highest spender, by £23 million. But then we look at net spending, because every team also sold players which cuts into the gross expenditure, and United still topped the rest of the pack with a net spend of £122 million; 30% of the total net spending by the entire league. Yes, a single team was almost a third of the leagues net outlay.  Across all leagues in Europe big names and stars of the World Cup swapped clubs, including James Rodriguez, Mario Balotelli, Luis Suarez, Alexis Sanchez, and Radamel Falcao.  Some of the biggest stars in the game move to new clubs within a summer, something rarely seen in America, and there is so much hype and media generated by this event. Fans stay up all hours of the day to see the latest signings, and there are television shows across the UK dedicated to the final hours. It’s treated like a national holiday. So, I will be the one to say it: soccer has the best free agency period, and it’s not even close. 

Radamel Falcao after his move to Old Trafford