A Premier League showdown between Liverpool and Manchester City headlines another action-packed Sunday of soccer across Europe as all five major leagues are now underway.
Defending champions City pulled off an impressive comeback victory last week over Southampton, but they suddenly find themselves six points adrift of league leaders Chelsea, who have won their first three games. Liverpool, on the other hand, are looking to rebound after a disappointing opening-day loss to West Brom.
Elsewhere in England, Arsenal look to pick up their first win of the campaign when they travel to take on Stoke City. American international Geoff Cameron could be in action for Stoke, who also just signed another American in Maurice Edu.
Real Madrid and Barcelona are also in action in Spain as they travel to Getafe and Osasuna, respectively. Barcelona won their first game of the season last week, but Madrid could only muster a draw and are now very much in need of a win on Sunday.
If you're looking for some MLS action, you're in luck as the league's two most expensive teams both have games later tonight. The Los Angeles Galaxy will play host to FC Dallas, while the New York Red Bulls travel to face Sporting Kansas City.
If you will be watching today's action, please feel free to share your thoughts, opinions and some play-by-play in the comments section below.
Enjoy the action (Today's TV schedule is after the jump):
8 a.m. - beIN Sport - Montpellier vs. Marseille
8:30 a.m. - Fox Soccer Channel - Stoke City vs. Arsenal
10:30 a.m. - Fox Soccer Channel – Liverpool vs. Manchester City
10:30 a.m. - ESPN3.com - Groningen vs. PSV Eindhoven
11 a.m. - beIN Sport – Paris St.-Germain vs. Bordeaux
11:30 a.m. - GOLTV - Hannover 96 vs. Schalke
1 p.m. - beIN Sport – Osasuna vs. Barcelona
1 p.m. - Univision Deportes - Pumas UNAM vs. Cruz Azul
1:30 p.m. - GOLTV - Cruz Azul Hidalgo vs. Estudiantes Tecos
3 p.m. - beIN Sport - Getafe vs. Real Madrid
3 p.m. - GOLTV - Corinthians vs. Sao Paulo
5 p.m. - beIN Sport - Valencia vs. Deportivo La Coruna
6 p.m. - Telemundo - Chivas de Guadalajara vs. Monterrey
6:15 p.m. - GOLTV - River Plate vs. San Lorenzo
6:30 p.m. - Univision Deportes - Atlante vs. Atlas
7 p.m. - NBC Sports Network - Los Angeles Galaxy vs. FC Dallas
9 p.m. - ESPN2/ESPN3.com - Sporting Kansas City vs. New York Red Bulls
I agree with the nastiness part, but I’d add a greta sense of urgency. Arsenal is skilled enough to dominate as if great passing is the intended outcome, not victory. Gunners need a few guys who hate to lose so much they are aggressive and urgent.
How are you watching the game? What stream are you using to view Roma?
MB looks decent. Not quite able to connect Cleanly with that final pass or shot, but pretty clean and smart play in general. Man, Roma’s back line looks awful. Not only defensively, but also kicking the ball wildly upfield whenever they get possession. Does anyone know if this is atypical of them?
If he can stay healthy.
Bradley’s looked pretty good to me overall. Getting well involved.
There are fake US supporters? Why would they bother?
He was clearly offside when the original shot was taken, but may have gotten back onside by the time the deflection occurred. I’m pretty sure that would still be offsides. But none of the Roma players were complaining, so maybe I saw wrong. My stream is not HD.
Ball deflected off of a Roma player meaning he was onside as long as he was onside for the original shot.
Is it just me, or was that Catania player miles offside?
Well, with regards to your second comment, yes that’s ridiculous. But alas, amongst USMNT fans, the Premiership is very often the be-all, end-all of pro soccer – to the exent that Roma can lose a face-off vs. Stoke City! I don’t think that will change any time soon, but I wish it would.
With regards to Ream v Cameron, agreed. I haven’t really had favorite players in any sport since I was much MUCH younger. But back then sure, for whatever reason I would latch on to certain player and view other players playing a similar position as the competition. That can certainly color one’s opinions.
Looking much like the 22-year-old Bradley. I’m sure he’ll calm down as the game goes on.
12 minutes in and MB90 is already on yellow!
Bradley with a bad turnover, then immediately gets a yellow card trying to win the ball back. Settle down buddy 🙂
Bradley with his first YC of the season on a stupid tackle from behind.
Bradley gets his first yellow with a poor sliding tackle after losing the ball at midfield.. had some nifty footwork on the sideline before that though.
Bradley is in a starting midfield with Totti and De Rossi. One of the cooler things I’ve seen for a USMNT player.
I understand that. But what on earth possesses a US soccer fan to root for one guy and against the other, whatever their opinion of their relative merits. Especially when logical observation does not really suggest one is that far ahead of the other (taking age into account, differing skill sets, etc.)
On the subject of mysterious fan reactions… Bradley starting today for Roma is one of the most significant moments in the history of American field players in Europe. Yet I bet if we counted up bulletin board and blog comments, Cameron’s debut will have four to five times the comments.
Even more impressive was the roar of the crowd when it was announced.
Certainly comparing them is fair, and I think each has a few skills that are better than the others. Interestingly, Ream is in a more physical league this year, so it could help that part of his game.
i am with you in that i think that ream gets tougher criticism than cameron. i think people might question ream’s toughness and tackling more so than they do cameron’s though. also, since they are in direct competition for the same position (even thought they could pair there) people will have the tendency to root for the one they think is better and not as much for the other just so they can be “right.”
here’s to hoping they both do well and are solid top flight players by 2014…
No surprise, but via Roma’s twitter account, Bradley will be in the starting 11. Should be a proud day for all true USMNT supporters.
I wouldn’t be so quick to judge public opinion based on some comments on Internet message boards and comment sections. If you put all the negative comments about Ream from, for example, here and Bigsoccer, I think you’d find it’s a very small number of people, oftentimes posting over and over again.
stoke basically plays cbs at cm. could be perfect for him as he will have to pick up his speed of play drastically, but will still have many of the same responsibilities as a cb
Wow. A lot more concrete info in that article that I’d seen before about the Dempsey affair. Is that usually a reliable source?
People just love to criticize a player. Some still HATE on Donovan after all these years. They blame his “lack of ambition”.
Ream is just the latest Edu type. Good player with good potential but for some reason is not as good as fans Hype them up to be. Ream is solid. He’s definitely a starter at Bolton, whether that is Championshop or Premier League is another thing. I don’t understand why he chose Bolton over some clubs in the Bundesliga
Barcelona losing at halftime.
Ray Hudson might start crying on-air.
I’m not crazy about Dempsey going to Liverpool. I just want him to improve his current situation, whether that means reconciling with Fulham, transferring to Liverpool, or transferring somewhere else currently off the radar. I was just watching the game today with an eye towards how/if Dempsey could fit at Liverpool. It seemed to me that the only semi-realistic option for Dempsey getting into Pool’s starting 11 would be as a replacement for Borini, who looked decent, but not spectacular.
Sorry – my post below was meant to be a reply to hogatroge.
“Ream was completely unsettled in his situation against Panama.”
Ream was much younger when he made his mistake and it was in a game that counted more. He’s not the first young player to go through something like that and the fact that he emerged from it should be counted as a positive in his development.
“there’s no denying that Cameron’s star has risen much more than Ream’s over the last year.”
Why? In the last year Ream went to Bolton mid-season and played very well. I don’t see why, up until he transferred, Cameron’s 2012 was on balance better than Ream’s.
Again – I’m not making points for one against the other. It’s the perceptions I question.
People get down on Ream because he followed such a stellar rookie season with a mediocre one. They feel as if they deserve compensation for overhyping him at that stage of his career. Personally, I don’t think it’s justified at all, and am excited to see how the rest of Ream’s year goes. The fact that his egregious error in the Panama game occurred during a meaningful competition didn’t help either.
That said, Cameron is, AT PRESENT, a much more complete (and versatile) player than Ream. It’s also very hard to argue that his OG against Scotland was as bad as Ream’s RC, especially when he was solid for 90′ in a 5-1 W. Cameron also showed that the OG didn’t faze him, and Ream was completely unsettled in his situation against Panama.
So, I guess my point is: The fan reaction to Ream is unjustified, but there’s no denying that Cameron’s star has risen much more than Ream’s over the last year. That doesn’t mean most rational fans don’t wish Ream well, though.
Hmmm. Well, it was the go-ahead goal. But Hannover scored an equalizer in the 80th minute. 2-2 now.
That was an excellent match, and made me for the first time a believer in Brendan Rodgers. Liverpool outplayed Man City and should have had the win except for the massive mistake by Skrtel. A shame that Liverpool did not get the three points. Rasheem Sterling was amazing. How can a 17-year-old kid be that good? Would love to see Clint playing for Liverpool, but after the game today, it would be very difficult for him to hold a starting slot, especially after the arrival of Nuri Sahin. I actually think now that Clint might be more likely to be regular starter for Arsenal.
Anyway, a fresh news story out on Clint:
Liverpool approaching £10million showdown over Fulham’s Clint Dempsey
http://www.people.co.uk/sport/football/news/2012/08/26/liverpool-approaching-10million-showdown-over-fulham-s-clint-dempsey-102039-23921400/
It astounds me that so many people around here still want to see Dempsey at Liverpool. Regardless, they didn’t buy the 21-year-old Borini for ten million pounds this summer just to “replace” him two games into the season.
ha-ha. true. No chance he will win that bet. But I still love the guy and he has the assist on the go-ahead goal.
I don’t expect an answer on this, but fan psychology puzzles and fascinates me. Ream goes tot he EPL last year mid season, plays well, gets pressed into service as a D Mid. Some ups and downs, but some Man of the Match caliber performances too, notably in the final game where his header came within inches of saving Bolton from relegation.
Yet when I read comments here and on Big Soccer, I can’t help but feel that some people seem to root against him. Cameron, on the other hand, seems to get none of that. (Ream, by the way, began playing in the EPL three and a half years younger than Cameron, which is a bit of evidence that his upside may be higher.)
Even their mistakes are treated differently. Ream made an over aggressive bone head play in the Gold Cup that lead to a PK. Cameron scored an own goal for the Nats that was caused in part by being out of position on the play and losing his mark. Yet the 22/23 year old Ream was vocally vilified by many and Cameron…it’s hardly mentioned.
This is not a case of rooting for Ream against Cameron. I happen to like both. I think what Ream could develop into a different kind of CB than the US had had before, someone that is a key part of the attack in the run of play. Doesn’t mean he’ll get there, but it’s intriguing. Cameron is more athletic, but he is also closer to his peak and is not likely to develop much more from a technical stand point (although tactically is another story).
The point is that they are both terrific prospects for the Nats. Yet the treatment by at least some fans is vastly different and… I just don’t get it.
Looks like Jones is going to lose that bet on how many YCs he draws this year.
Yeah, it is always funny when commentators blame defenders for every single goal. Sometimes the other guy just makes a really good play.
As a Dynamo fan, I’m obviously pumped about Cameron.
I hope, however, he gets some time at CB for Stoke (during FA Cup matches, etc.) so he doesn’t get out of form at that position for the Nats.
Pretty entertaining game between City and Pool. I think Dempsey could be an upgrade over Borini for Pool.
Even so, good point for Liverpool.
I’m out. Enjoy the day.
Good grief. Early candidate for blunder of the season by Skrtel with a back pass gift to Tevez. Final 8 mins should lively. Still think the Reds can bag a winner.
I don’t even know what to say about that play. Tie game again. Tevez was, dare I say, clinical.
Watched the whole thing and he was really solid. I think the MotM was more about it being his debut but then again, it was either going to be him or Whelan who also was a stud.
Awesome. Gatt is destined for a better league. I imagine sometime next year he’ll be headed to Holland or Germany.
Hell yeah. Suarez restores the lead for Liverpool. Superbly taken free kick. Com’mon Red Dragons!
Yes Suarezzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
Reds 2 Man City 1.
Josh Gatt with a goal for Molde as they lead Chad Barrett and Valerenga 2-0 in the first half
Hope Parkhurst gets the call=up. His team has been on FIRE in Denmark and are in the CL this season.
Bradley is set for his Roma debut in 2 hrs I believe
any news on Dempsey? 5 days to go. Will he make the move to Liverpool or will Arsenal grab him? Should he try abroad like Italy or Spain or France?
I missed the game but saw some highlights on FSC. Incredible that Cameron played so well and got the MotM award. I guess it’s safe to say he’s going to be our starting centerback with Goodson unless Boca gets a move to another club