Upper 90 Soccer Show #23

It was a passionate episode of the Upper 90 Soccer Show, as Bode, Austin and Justin start things off by discussing the first leg of the Copa del Rey between Barcelona and Real Madrid, as well as the Manchester City-Tottenham match and the stomping incidents from Pepe and Mario Balotelli that stole the headlines.


After that, Austin breaks down his Gunners and what went wrong for Arsenal and Arsene Wenger against Manchester United, plus a look at Fulham's American hat trick hero Clint Dempsey.


Speaking of Americans, the guys then take a look at Team USA and their performance against Venezuela.


Finally, the crew makes their PK Predictions and looks forward to having Avi Creditor of SI.com and Soccer By Ives on the show next week.

_

Biggest Busts of the NFL Season

Big plays and stand out players are easy to remember. How quickly we forget about the players who didn't live up to their expectations. Here they are...

Peyton Hillis

The "Madden Curse" rears its ugly head again. Hillis was nagged by injuries and contract issues for most of the season. He picked it up towards the end of the year, but too little too late.

Donovan Mcnabb

The Eagles should rehire Andy Reid simply for the fact he ditched Mcnabb at the perfect time. After leaving the Eagles Mcnabb draw attention for lack of playbook knowledge and endurance issues before getting benched, released, signed, and benched again. All while keeping a sh*t eating grin on his face.

Josh Freeman

Hope should not be lost on Freeman as he is still young. However he has to take better care of the football. He went from 6 interceptions last year to 22 this year. Not all of his regression was under his control (play calling, inconsistent run game). Lets see if a coaching change helps him.

Kevin Kolb

Kolb was 2-9 as a starter this year with 9 touchdowns and 8 interceptions. He suffered a nagging turf toe early on and his last start was December 11th after a concussion sidelined him for the rest of the season. Skelton is far from a great quarterback, but he was able to accomplish more than Kolb. Don't be shocked if the Cardinals make a run at Matt Flynn.

Rob Ryan

The Dallas defense put almost identical numbers to last year. Ryan made only one change in the secondary in the offseason, which collapsed repeatedly in the 4th quarter during crunch time. Simply teaching the schemes and motiviation didn't work with this personel...Let's see how many changes he makes in the offseason. Numbers like this again next year will get him fired.

Mark Sanchez

Not much room for debate anymore. Sanchez commited 9 turnovers in the Jets last 3 games. Worse yet was his final interception on a potential 94 yard scoring drive that ended the Jets season. Sanchez has weapons to throw to, he just can't seem to get the ball to them. Sanchezs name may soon be attached to the saying "He is what he is".

Chad Ochocinco

Chad has gone from an impact reciever to a non factor in just one season. I don't buy the idea that he doesn't fit the Patriots scheme. he simpley doesn't have the speed to seperate anymore. Chad has been injury prone, and is 33 years old. Looks like his run is over.

Copa del Rey "El Clasico" Player Ratings

It was another victory for Barcelona against eternal rivals Real Madrid Wednesday, as the Catalans took the first leg of their Copa del Rey quarterfinal matchup 2-1, with defenders Carles Puyol and Eric Abidal providing the winning goals. Here are my ratings for the players on display.

Real Madrid
GK: Iker Casillas - 6.5
A solid performance from Iker, who made some great stops against the likes of Iniesta and Messi. Was let down by his defense on both goals, and took the initiative to come off his line and clear some dangerous balls.

RB: Hamit Altintop - 5.5
I mentioned on Upper 90 that the right back position is becoming a huge concern for RM, and the fact Hamit got the start in that position proves Mourinho is searching for an answer. Altintop wasn't terrible, and I found it surprising that Barca didn't expose his defensive liabilities more with Iniesta. His cross to Benzema was sublime but unfortunately the striker could only strike the post.

CB: Ricardo Carvalho - 5.0
Surprise start after a lengthy injury setback, Carvalho proved there was plenty of rust. Caught badly on Abidal's goal, and while he showed glimpses of his usual self, it wasn't enough to stop a Barca victory.

CB: Sergio Ramos - 5.5
Looked more comfortable in the middle of the park, but he didn't get a lot of help. Beat rarely and usually by perfect passes, but was unable to assert his authority in the second half when Madrid needed the ball back.

LB: Fabio Coentrao - 5.0
I still think he is a better defender than Marcelo, but Alexis gave him so much trouble that his usual marauding runs forward were kept in check. Still boasts loads of potential, but may never live up to his $30 million price tag.

CM: Pepe - 2.0
Sure, it is a harsh rating, but it was an embarrassing performance. Pepe has shown at Madrid that he is a top five CB at times, but as long as he fails to control his temper, he will never realize his full potential. His tackle on Busquets was sloppy, he was left ball watching for Puyol's header, and his stomp on Messi's hand was despicable. There is a difference between playing hard (Lass) and playing dirty, and that is what Pepe did Wednesday. On the rare occasion Madrid is losing or playing poorly, Pepe always comes across as the kid who resorts to cheap shots and dirty tactics. His flopping and diving was something I expect of a Busquets, Dani Alves or di Maria, not a "tough guy" like Pepe. It is time for #3 to mature, play like a man, and stop being a bitch.

European Soccer Power Rankings #4

1. Barcelona (2) - Despite looking less impressive than in past years, this Barca squad is still up for a quadruple in 2011-12. Also, winning the first leg of the Copa del Rey Clasico matches cements their current standing, as Pep's men currently hold a mental edge over their eternal rivals and are undoubtedly the world's best club.

2. Real Madrid (1) - They continue to score goals in bunches and lead La Liga by five points, but Cristiano Ronaldo has not been as threatening this season, and while he scored an impressive goal against Barca in the first leg of the Copa, his quiet second half in that same match proves he has failed to solve the Barca riddle. If CR7 hopes to do more in the Spanish capital than set goal scoring records, he must make more of an impact against his bitter rivals.

3. Manchester City (4) - Man City has not played nearly as well since December 3rd and their 5-1 win over Norwich City, failing to score goals at an electric rate, losing two BPL matches and drawing 0-0 against West Bromwich Albion. Samir Nasri is a shell of his Arsenal self, and he needs to raise his game immediately with Yaya Toure playing for Ivory Coast at the African Cup of Nations.

4. Bayern Munich (3) - Hard to believe that after a torrid start, Bayern actually lost four matches in the Bundesliga in 2011. The Bavarians did enter the holiday break on a three match win streak, and they hope Arjen Robben will return to the pitch soon with the Champions League resuming in February.

5. Manchester United (6) - The return of Paul Scholes resulted in a goal against Bolton, but he is far from being the missing piece to the Red Devils midfield puzzle. The defense is also a concern, but they are still getting results and perhaps their elimination from the CL will be a (slight) blessing in disguise.

Armchair Quarterbacks Podcast

It has been awhile, but now that the holidays and bowl "week" is over, the Armchair Quarterbacks return. And while the college football season is over and the NFL is nearing completion, there is still plenty to discuss. Moving forward, college football recruiting, spring practices and the NFL Draft will be our main focus, and we are excited for what 2012 has to offer. As for this episode, things begin with a look back at bowl season, including the Rose, Fiesta and more.


Next, we unfortunately have to spend time discussing the incredibly awful BCS championship game, and national champion Alabama.


After recapping all the bowl action, it is time to take a look at all the new coaching hires, as well as a first look at recruiting.


Lastly, it is a way too early look at the NFL Draft, including some of the early entries and possibilities for some of the teams at the top.

Upper 90 Soccer Show #22

The full crew is finally back together on this edition of the Upper 90 Soccer Show, as Bode, Austin and Justin tackle numerous topics. In the first part of the show, the guys give their take on Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany's controversial red card against rivals Manchester United in the FA Cup, plus the Red Devils welcoming back club legend Paul Scholes for a final run. Also, we could finally see an end to the Carlos Tevez transfer saga, and the guys debate whether Bayern Munich GK Manuel Neuer is nuts to think his club is the world's second best.


Next, show favorite Eric Wynalda of Fox Soccer Channel and a USA Hall-of-Famer, joins the crew from Kansas City and the NSCAA Convention. A number of topics were discussed, including Thierry Henry's triumphant return to Arsenal, Tim Howard's improbable goal, the biggest problem facing the MLS, an inside look at what brought Henry to MLS and the Red Bulls, and a preview of FSC's "Soccer Night in America Special" Wednesday night at 9pm.


Finally, to wrap up the show the boys make their PK Predictions, and bad "stick" ensues.

Upper 90 Soccer #21

Hosts Bode and Justin open the show discussing their Christmas gifts, discuss all the BPL action during the winter holiday.


Bode and Justin pick their best starting XIs from the BPL's first half of the season.


Bode and Justin talk about PSG hiring a new manager, and discuss France's Ligue 1 and the state of the league.


Justin and Bode are joined on the phone by Upper 90's third member Austin Sanders, who gives his Arsenal take on Thierry Henry's return as a Gooner, and the crew makes their weekly PK Predictions.

_

Eric Wynalda Interview - Upper 90 Soccer #20

Happy Holidays everyone! Christmas came early for the Upper 90 crew, as former U.S. international and current Fox Soccer Channel analyst Eric Wynalda joined the show for an HOUR-LONG interview. Eric covered numerous topics, from David Beckham joining PSG, Landon Donovan returning to Everton, the future of the U.S. men's national team, the Champions League draw and Round of 16, Fox Soccer Channel in general, and he told us some great stories about his time as an assistant with former U.S. men's national team coach Bob Bradley (now with Egypt), his firing from ESPN, his candid comments about douchebag Jim Rome, his frustration surrounding the omission of Benny Feilhaber from the U.S. squad, Clint Dempsey's path to success (and how he could have more), and how he exchanged shirts with and was one of the last people to speak with Colombian soccer star Andres Escobar before he was murdered for his own goal against the USA. We hope you enjoy the interview, and thanks again to Eric Wynalda. Be sure to also listen to our two other segments, as we break down Liverpool striker Luis Suarez' 8-match ban for racial abuse on Manchester United Patrice Evra, Landon Donovan's loan, the Champions League and of course our PK Predictions.

Wynalda Part 1


Wynalda Part 2


Wynalda Part 3


Wynalda Part 4


Upper 90 Part 1


PK Predictions

_

Brek Shea wants to play in Enlgand, but for what team?

Brek Shea sees an English future/ Getty Images

A source from Sky Sports News is reporting that USA International Brek Shea has revealed that he wants to return to England after being inspired by a short spell training with Arsenal.

Shea spent the past month with the Gunners during the MLS off-season maintaining his fitness and working with the first team to try and improve his game.

The young, but highly rated 21-year-old midfielder will now go back across the pond to FC Dallas for the upcoming 2012 MLS season. Shea is taking a lot of positives from North London and is eager to show what he has learned practicing with distinguished Internationals such as Robin Van Persie, Andrey Arshavin, and Per Mertasacker.

"I enjoyed my stay and can see myself living there in the future," he said in The Sun. "Watching Robin Van Persie practice was unbelievable and hopefully I can learn from that."

Since the firing of Bob Bradley and the hiring of Jurgen Klinsmann Shea has blasted onto the International soccer scene and in the MLS. The young stallion has been one of the standout players brought in by Klinsmann to see what kind of squad depth the USA will have for the next world cup cycle. Shea is on his way to a bright future for both club and country and is pushing for a first team spot for the USA in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Champions League First Knockout Round Preview

I would love to know what the odds were before the CL group stage that all four English sides would be eliminated after the first knockout round, because there is a distinct possibility the world's best domestic league will have no clubs reach the final eight. While Italian soccer is still a far cry from where it was before the Calciopoli scandal, Serie A leads all countries with three clubs still alive in the tournament (AC Milan, Napoli and Inter Milan). While to the naked eye the round of 16 matches are less than exciting, just like Transformers there is more than meets the eye. Here is a quick breakdown of each matchup.

Olympique Lyon v. APOEL Nicosia
Two clubs no one expected to reach this stage, but for different reasons. For APOEL, the small Cyprus side was a long shot to not finish last in their CL group, let alone win. They are the first Cyprus club to make it this far in the competition, and they have a litany of young Brazilians to thank for their exciting play. As for Lyon, the French club is no stranger to CL play, even reaching the semifinals in 2009-10. But on the final match day, Les Gones needed to win, have Ajax lose, and overturn a SEVEN GOAL DIFFERENTIAL. Things looked bleek at the half, as OL were tied with Dinamo Zagreb 1-1, but SIX goals in the second half and a 3-0 Ajax loss ensured their progression. Lyon must take advantage of their unlikely situation, but I think the French side are somewhat jaded to this competition, while APOEL feels a lot like Shakhtar Donetsk last season.
APOEL Nicosia to advance

Napoli v. Chelsea
A horror draw for Chelsea. Napoli emerged from the "group of death" in their first ever CL appearance, eliminating Manchester City in the process. Edinson Cavani cannot stop scoring for Diego Maradona's former club, and the Neapolitan side don't seem to be fazed by anything. As for Chelsea, they were lucky to advance, let alone win their group, but they did just recently beat Manchester City in BPL play, and their is hope that they are finally getting back to their best. A shaky rearguard for the London club will need to improve, or else Napoli's potent attack could prove lethal.
Napoli to advance

AC Milan v. Arsenal
Did I mention how unlucky the English sides were in this draw? Arsenal wins an underrated group despite early season drama, and their reward is probably the best group stage runner-up. The Gunners defense has been a M.A.S.H. unit, with manager Arsene Wenger having to use four centre backs on his back line. It is still unknown when young England international midfielder Jack Wilshere will return, and the same goes with French international right back Bacaray Sagna, but as long as Robin van Persie is healthy and scoring goals at an alarming rate, the London side have a great chance to progress. As for Milan, they were unlucky to feature in the same group as Barcelona, but they played the defending CL winners well in both contests, including a 2-2 draw at the Camp Nou. Zlatan Ibrahimovic will need help from Robinho, Alexandre Pato and Kevin-Prince Boateng in attack, but the key to their success will be their central midfield and fullbacks. Alexandre Song and Mikel Arteta are playing very well in the middle for Arsenal, while Theo Walcott has terrorized left backs all season, and in last season's CL knockout round, Tottenham's Aaron Lennon and Gareth Bale exposed Milan's defensive woes. This is an incredibly tough tie to predict, but I can't imagine all four BPL sides get eliminated this early.
Arsenal to advance