Set Piece Analysts » Europe

Things learned at the World Cup – Day 23: Maradona has had better days; Germany youth served; Batres did a decent job

Ray Curren — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 22:34:54 +0000

Day 23 of the World Cup saw Europe regain its dominance on top of the soccer world. And all it took was getting rid of dead weights like Italy and England. What went wrong for Argentina? Was the Guatemalan official in the Spain-Paraguay game great or poor or somewhere in between? Here’s what we learned:

1) [...] No related posts.

Milito Shines in Champions League Final

Jeff Kassouf — Sun, 23 May 2010 01:06:02 +0000

Argentine forward Diego Milito scored both goals in Internazionale’s 2-0 win over Bayern Munich, powering the Italian club to its first UEFA Champions League title since 1965.

Milito stole the show with spectacular goals in the 34th and 70th minutes and cemented his place in Champions League history. So too did Inter Milan Manager Jose [...] No related posts.

My English Premier League Team of the Season

Richard Farley — Mon, 10 May 2010 20:24:00 +0000

Didier Drogba is consoling Frank Lampard, who must have found out about Set Piece Analyst Richard Farley's decision in midfield. (Photo: ZumaPress)

There is a reason why writers’ and footballers’ associations rely on the wisdom of crowds to pick their teams of the season. Not only is it more egalitarian – something [...] No related posts.

Manchester City 0:1 Tottenham – Peter Crouch goal clinches night to remember for Spurs

Ray Curren — Wed, 05 May 2010 20:58:15 +0000

Tottenham will play Champions League football next season, as Peter Crouch’s 82nd minute goal was the game-winner as Tottenham broke Manchester City hearts, 1-0, at the City of Manchester Stadium Wednesday night.

Spurs stand four points ahead of City in the race for fourth in the English Premier League with only one game to play,.

Tottenham can [...] No related posts.

Sleeping with the Enemy: Are Football Fans Allowed to Root for their Rivals

Brian Zygo — Sat, 01 May 2010 20:01:30 +0000

Benedict Arnold

As the club season winds down in Europe, with tight title races in both England and Italy, I pose this question to you – Can you root for your club’s biggest rival and still respect yourself in the morning?

This is an issue that many Manchester United and Roma fans will be dealing with [...] No related posts.

Liverpool-Chelsea preview: Ancelotti’s message, “Be champions”

Ray Curren — Sat, 01 May 2010 14:48:05 +0000

No excuses.

Although there are some – including on this site – that believe Chelsea would be “unworthy” champions of the English Premier League this season, champions they will be (most likely) if they can find a way to beat Liverpool at Anfield tomorrow afternoon.

The good news for the Blues, who lead Manchester United by a [...] No related posts.

Champions League Redux: Cris and Motta Red Cards, Late Camp Nou Drama

Johnathan Starling — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 03:54:39 +0000

Cris’s tackle was a yellow card offense, and his clapping was an immediate second yellow card. The fifty-ninth minute tackle by Cris on Van Bommel was a stupid one to make. The first rule of thumb people need to realize (see Andy Gray) is this: it does not matter if the tackler gets the ball first. [...] No related posts.

The Race for Third Place in the UEFA Country Ranking

Johnathan Starling — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 02:22:10 +0000

With Bayern Munich’s 3-0 victory Tuesday at the Stade Gerland, the race for third place in the UEFA County Ranking standings, currently being battled out between Italy and Germany, picked up plenty of steam. It could also be the day the entire race swung in Germany’s favor. While this will mean nothing for the 2010-2011 [...] No related posts.

Premier League Redux: Jozy’s Red, Relegation Race Over, Kalou’s Two Footed Goal

Johnathan Starling — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 01:51:11 +0000

Jozy Altidore Deserved to be Sent off in Hull City’s Match against Sunderland Having seen the few places I actually do check out in the blog world (and trust me, it’s very few), one thing has completely baffled me: the amount of people who seriously think that Jozy Altidore did not make contact with Alan Hutton. [...] No related posts.

Aston Villa 1:0 Birmingham – Late penalty very cruel on Birmingham

Ray Curren — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 12:58:16 +0000

A James Milner penalty kick in the 83rd minute kept Aston Villa’s flickering Champions League hopes alive with a 1-0 victory in the Second City Derby over Birmingham City at Villa Park Sunday afternoon.

It was a controversial penalty call, made all the more frustrating for Birmingham because they made a very good account of themselves [...] No related posts.