Reuters Soccer Blog
World Soccer views and news
Soccer Break Monday – season already over?
Anyone else feel as though all the excitement and potential late drama for this season has disappeared?
Manchester United took less than 40 seconds to score against title rivals Chelsea, all but killing the game and the Londoners’ hopes of retaining their Premier League crown, while in Italy AC Milan made it 18 Serie A trophies with a 0-0 draw at AS Roma. Barcelona took a giant stride towards a third straight La Liga title with a 2-0 win over Espanyol. Click on this link for our European roundup.
Champions League finalists United and Barca both need a point to clinch their respective league titles, though for the Catalans three wins will be their priority. Why? Nine points plus 91 equals 100, which would set a new record for points scored in a La Liga season.
Read here for a look back at the Premier League season and five key moments for United. The first was the signing of Javier Hernandez, who darted through Chelsea’s defence on Sunday to give the home team their explosive start. Another key performer, seemingly in big games, is South Korean Park Ji-sung.
AC Milan’s latest scudetto will come as a relief to their fans but the Italian giants face tough times ahead. Read our analysis on the future for the Rossoneri.
The only league that looks like serving up any kind of late season drama is Ligue 1, where serial past champions Olympique Lyon are making a late title surge. They have the referee to thank mind you. But bring on the drama in France. And the Netherlands, where the Eredivisie will be decided this weekend.
Back to France, and the latest on the racism row. Should coach Laurent Blanc stay or go?
Soccer Break Thursday
As the weekend approaches we can all start getting excited about domestic football again and the increase in stories and transfer speculation.
Read here for Arsenal and Real Madrid transfer news, and Tottenham Hotspur fans beware, Niko Kranjcar appears unsettled. It would be a shame to lose such a talent.
We have a Premier League and a Ligue 1 preview for you, and an analysis of the mountain of statistics that come with football reporting. Do you have any amazing stats up your sleeve?
A very topical issue at this time of the year is player burnout. With all to play for managers must exercise caution when choosing their teams but also risk the wrath of the fans if they do not pick their ‘best’ side. Do you pick your strongest 11 regardless?
A player who may well burn himself out without even setting foot on the pitch is Mario Balotelli. The gifted yet volatile Italian is yet again in trouble, this time apparently for throwing darts out of a window at Manchester City’s youth team.
A word on Euro 2012, where England manager Fabio Capello believes his team’s young players will flourish just like Germany did at the 2010 World Cup. Excited at the prospect? Then buy your tickets now.
Staying with the international game, and click here for a good read on the switching allegiances debate.
Thanks Roque Jr. Still think Van Persie Jr is more skillful though..
Will ‘Little Pea’ make Rooney green with envy?
Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernandez’s two-goal and match-winning performance against Stoke City at the weekend for Manchester United could give manager Alex Ferguson the ideal headache.
Two thirds of United fans have yet to make up their mind on whether to forgive and forget the whole Rooney saga, Sky Sports reported from a Manchester Evening News poll, and with Hernandez and Berbatov on song is there an argument that the England man should have to wait to get his place back when his fitness is resolved?
A bit of healthy competition could be exactly what Rooney needs to rediscover his lethal goalscoring touch of last season.
Hernandez has shown that sort of ruthlessness regularly since it was announced in April that he was moving to United for the new season.
‘Chicharito’, meaning little pea, comes from a strong footballing background with his grandfather scoring in the 1954 World Cup and his father, nicknamed ‘Chicharo’ after his short, stocky appearance and green eyes, having played in the 1986 edition in the family’s native Mexico.
Hernandez was the quickest player recorded at the 2010 World Cup, where he scored twice before his country exited at the hands of Argentina in the last 16, in what has been a whirlwind year for the 22-year-old.
Club stalwart Gary Neville has even tipped the youngster to be a Man Utd great and he appears to have all the attributes: hard work and modesty helping hide an assassin’s touch behind the baby face.
