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Soccer Saturday: Your Running Commentary

Jones (Getty Images)

This weekend marks the opening of the Bundesliga and Ligue 1 seasons overseas, with U.S. men's national team midfielder Jermaine Jones seeking a fresh start with Schalke and American goalkeeper Quentin Westberg getting a chance to start in Evian Thonon Gaillard's first match since being promoted to France's top flight.

Barcelona is also in action, as it looks to close out the World Football Challenge in style with a friendly against Club America at Cowboys Stadium in Texas.

MLS rounds out the day with a full slate of crucial matches, including Dwayne De Rosario's first game against Toronto FC since being traded earlier this season and Los Angeles and FC Dallas vying for first place in the Western Conference and pole position in the race for the Supporters' Shield.

If you will be watching any of Saturday's matches, please feel free to share any thoughts, opinions and some play-by-play in the comments section below. Enjoy the action (TV schedule after the jump):

SATURDAY'S SOCCER ON TV

9:30 a.m. – GOLTV – Stuttgart vs. Schalke

10 a.m. – Fox Soccer Plus/FoxSoccer.tv – Brighton vs. Doncaster Rovers

12:20 p.m. – Fox Soccer Plus.FoxSoccer.tv – Southampton vs. Leeds United

12:30 p.m. – Fox Soccer Channel – Liverpool vs. Valencia (Friendly)

12:30 p.m. – ESPN3.com – Hertha Berlin vs. FC Nuremberg

1 p.m. – ESPN3.com – Benfica vs. Arsenal (Friendly)

3 p.m. – FoxSoccer.tv – Brest vs. Evian Thonon Gaillard

3 p.m. – FoxSoccer.tv – Ajaccio vs. Toulouse

3 p.m. – FoxSoccer.tv – Caen vs. Valenciennes

3 p.m. – FoxSoccer.tv – Marseille vs. Sochaux

3 p.m. – FoxSoccer.tv – Montpellier vs. Auxerre

3 p.m. – FoxSoccer.tv – Nancy vs. Lille

3 p.m. – FoxSoccer.tv – Nice vs. Lyon

3 p.m. – Fox Soccer Channel – Paris-St. Germain vs. Lorient

4 p.m. – ESPN/ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes – Barcelona vs. America (WFC)

5:30 p.m. – GOLTV – Flamengo vs. Coritiba

6 p.m. – Azteca America – Cruz Azul vs. Atlante

6 p.m. – Telefutura – Queretaro vs. Pachuca

6 p.m. – ESPN3.com – Ecuador vs. Costa Rica (U-20 World Cup)

6 p.m. – ESPN3.com/ESPNU – Spain vs. Australia (U-20 World Cup)

7:30 p.m. – MLS Direct Kick/MatchDay Live – New England Revolution vs. Chivas USA

7:30 p.m. – MLS Direct Kick/MatchDay Live – D.C. United vs. Toronto FC

8 p.m. – MLS Direct Kick/MatchDay Live – Philadelphia Union vs. Houston Dynamo

8 p.m. – Telefutura – Santos Laguna vs. Tijuana

8 p.m. – Telemundo – Chivas de Guadalajara vs. Pumas UNAM

8:30 p.m. – MLS Direct Kick/MatchDay Live – Sporting Kansas City vs. Seattle Sounders

9 p.m. – MLS Direct Kick/MatchDay Live – Real Salt Lake vs. New York Red Bulls

9 p.m. – ESPN3.com/ESPNU – Saudi Arabia vs. Nigeria (U-20 World Cup)

9 p.m. – ESPN3.com – Croatia vs. Guatemala (U-20 World Cup)

10 p.m. – Telemundo – Monterrey vs. Morelia

10:30 p.m. – MLS Direct Kick/MatchDay Live – Los Angeles Galaxy vs. FC Dallas

10:30 p.m. – MLS Direct Kick/MatchDay Live – San Jose Earthquakes vs. Portland Timbers

Comments

  1. Germnay isn’t overly worried about losing players to the US.

    When asked about Chandler Loew made it clear he wants players who want to play for Germany not the US.

    I have read many public statements by Chandler and his agent that playing for the US is his desire and have read nothing anywhere from Chandler to the contrary.

    Do you have any quotes to that effect?

    Everyone will just have to wait for the first WC qualifier or maybe the Olympics.

    Reply
  2. “Also @Overreaction=Mrs. Bradley: News out now that Timmy Chandler has committed to Klinsmann to play in the two (count ’em, two) September friendlies on two continents separated by an ocean, ”

    So was that supposed to be some kind of coup?

    Bradley would have gotten the same deal. Its a deal on Hecking’s terms. One of the games is in Belgium , which is not an Ocean away.

    From Goff:

    “Instead, Chandler and Hecking committed to both U.S. friendlies next month: against Costa Rica Sept. 2 in Carson, Calif., and four days later against Belgium in Brussels.

    Although Chandler has been recovering from an injury, Klinsmann was told by Hecking that he would probably play today.

    Inevitably, the sudden roster change led to speculation that Chandler was considering switching allegiances and playing for Germany. However, he has not said that, no one at the USSF is aware of it, and the commitment to both September friendlies is a strong indication that he is fully intent on playing for the Americans.

    My take: Chandler, just 21, is worried about jeopardizing his starting status with Nuremberg, and with the Bundesliga season just getting under way, he didn’t want to fall out of favor. The USSF erred in emphasizing the injury when it announced Chandler had been dropped from the roster. In reality, a young player and his club coach thought he was better off staying with Nuremberg at this time instead of traveling a long distance for a friendly. Even though clubs are obligated to release players for matches on FIFA fixture dates, such as this one, Klinsmann agreed.”

    Chandler will have had time to get into form by then.

    Those two friendlies still don’t cap tie Chandler. Clubs want their players to play internationally on the club’s terms and everyone has agreed that Chandler needed the break during the Gold Cup. From your point of view Bradley’s decision was a win since , if Chandler had been able to play, maybe we don’t lose to Mexico and maybe Bradley is still employed. Remember, Bradley could probably have forced the issue but chose to respect the wishes of the player and Hecking on this matter.

    As for Klinsmann had he talked to Hecking before he announced his roster this little tempest in a teapot would have been avoided. That was a mistake on Klinsmann’s part.

    What makes you think Chandler, who clearly wants to play for the US but also is very mindful he owes much of his entire career to the chance Hecking gave him(look it up)would have lied to either Bradley or Klinsmann ?

    Reply
  3. Bornstein never had a performance like that one. Only completely delusional “fans” determined to hate Bradley against all logic would think that Bradley would have kept him in the team after that performance.

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  4. No, past performances didn’t keep him off the roster. That’s because his past performances weren’t disasters of this magnitude. I don’t need any evidence other than common sense. Tougher road = going to be dropped = no chance he gets called up anytime soon, no matter who’s coaching. Also, try composing sentences in proper English syntax if you want to be understood.

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  5. way to show your true colors bravo. cheap tackle on noonan (probably shouldn’t have been a red card IMO) followed by standing over him/yelling at him as he was standing up, then faking a headbutt.

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  6. This may come as a shock to you but players sometimes improve.

    I saw Castillo play before and he did not look as good as he did in the Barca game. The Castillo I saw was pretty inconsistent.

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  7. no Bornstein would have not been dropped…there were 10 other poor performaces by Borns where he should have been dropped but no…Borns woulda been called back into camp a few months later by Bradley once all the steam blew over from the Mexico game.

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  8. if Dolo is injured and still coming to the US camp, then it seems awfully strange that Chandler would skip camp for just a little nick…hmmmmmm….starting to think that Chandler is still waiting for an opportunity with the Germ Nats

    Reply
  9. Also @Overreaction=Mrs. Bradley: News out now that Timmy Chandler has committed to Klinsmann to play in the two (count ’em, two) September friendlies on two continents separated by an ocean, after he declined Bob Bradley’s invitation in the off-season to play in a major tournament that could have earned the USMNT a spot in the Confederation Cup. I disagree that it is only a theory that Klinsmann has a lot more international prestige and clout than BB. I think it is a scientific fact and I am so happy he is now coach. But I do agree that Klinsmann is not god.

    Reply
  10. anyone get to see Q. Westerbergs debut in Ligue 1???? heard he was very very good expect for a real bad error on a free kick that slipped through his hands. people said it was very Barthez esque for the young american who is a bit undersized yet a very combative keeper.

    Reply
  11. I saw that and I think the Coaches exact words were “….THEY are going to play for the United States”, after talking about how he would like them to play for the Mexican National team

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  12. Her Klinsi,

    Please call Isaac Acuna now!!!!! His coach says both he and Castillo want to play for the U.S. Both played very well against Barca today.

    Danka!

    Reply
  13. Past poor performances from Bornstein didn’t keep him off the roster. There’s absolutely no evidence to back up your claim. And you didn’t say ‘tougher road’ you said,’going to be dropped’ Careless revisionist also goodbye, waste.

    Reply
  14. CHICAGO (AP)—Timmy Chandler will miss the U.S. game against Mexico next week with a knee injury, and Dallas defender Zach Loyd is taking his spot on the soccer roster.

    Did some of the people here invent this release?
    Conspiracy? Perhaps just poor media release by USSF? I don’t know.

    Reply
  15. He was selected to the team because we don’t have many options at left back (and because, frankly, he hadn’t had a bad US performance in a while, especially after his solid World Cup). He was put into the game because Bradley judged him to be the least of the various evils available. Had I been coaching, I might have done things differently. Nevertheless, the fact of the matter is that making this judgment off of a contingency situation is foolish. Anyway, the assertion I was responding to was that Bornstein was going to face a tougher road to selection now that Klinsi is in charge. The simple truth of the matter is that after that performance, he was going to face a tougher road regardless of who was in charge. That’s mere common sense. And sorry, but I couldn’t care less what you think is juvenile.

    Reply
  16. You’re clueless for not accepting he was selected by Bradley, and put into the game by Bradley. Nothing suggests anything else. I apologize ‘you’re clueless’ is juvenile.

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  17. Edgar castillo looking impressive against Barcelona. And US fans would have you believe he’s not good enough for the USMNT.

    Reply
  18. Not to worry about Chandler, Brooks, Boyd, Huerzeller etc.. because none of these guy are anywhere close to being good enough to make the German NT

    and these guys are damn good players..it’s just that Germany is F’n loaded

    Reply

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