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Soccer Wednesday: Your Running Commentary

After two days without soccer games to watch, a soccer fix is on the way in the form of today’s Boxing Day clashes in the English Premier League.

Manchester United saw their lead atop the English Premier League reduced to four points after a disappointing draw against Swansea City, and they will need a win against struggling Newcastle United to avoid losing even more ground to a surging Manchester City. The Citizens travel to Sunderland today, a place that has been tough for them to take points from in recent year.

American fans are in for a treat in the afternoon, with Brad Guzan and Eric Lichaj look to help Aston Villa regroup from their 8-0 shellacking against Chelsea by beating Clint Dempsey and Tottenham (Dempsey is out with a groin injury). The last match of the day features Geoff Cameron and Stoke City taking on Liverpool.

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 Soccer TV schedule is after the jump):

TODAY’S SOCCER ON TV

10am- ESPN2.com– Manchester United vs. Newcastle United

10am- Fox Soccer Channel– Sunderland vs. Manchester City

10am- Fox Soccer Plus– Norwich City vs. Chelsea

10am- FoxSoccer2Go– Everton vs. Wigan Athletic

10am- FoxSoccer2Go– Fulham vs. Southampton

10am- FoxSoccer2Go– Queens Park Rangers vs. West Bromwich Albion

10am- FoxSoccer2Go– Reading vs. Swansea City

12:30pm- Fox Soccer Channel– Aston Villa vs. Tottenham

2:45pm- Fox Soccer Channel– Stoke City vs. Liverpool

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Comments

  1. Watched a full 90 of Stoke today.

    Cameron really impressed. I thought he was really stout defensively, and even contributed offensively when the opportunity presented itself.

    My only, albeit picky, concern- his getting accustomed to playing right back, and our needing him at center half for the national team. Am I worrying for no reason?

    Reply
    • It’s not ideal, but as long as he plays well at Stoke, and plays well at CB with the national team, it’s hardly a major worry. Now, who sill partner with him at CB, THAT is a worry. I think we should have spent the last two years finding replacements for Boca and Dolo for 2014, but Klinsmann has wasted much of that time. We’re fine at fullback despite that, but non-Cameron-CB is our biggest issue. Hopefully Omar Gonzalez and John Anthony Brooks can make that issue go away in the next six months….

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  2. Klinsmann shall furthermore direct anyone calling for Lichaj to this game.

    Poor Brad. He has 12 saves in two games… and they’ve still given up 12 goals. Think about that.

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      • Yes, obviously, considering Lichaj didn’t play and Villa’s defense got humiliated once again.

        It’s as much of a joke as Lichaj getting the blame for their 8-1 loss, when he left in the 57th minute with Villa having conceded 3 goals and they gave up 5 more after he left the game.

    • I think Friedel is feeling Guzan’s pain right now. He’s sitting just behind AVB, and is cringing a little just before he gives a golf clap for each of TottHotS goals…

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      • Mr. Ref,

        “What has Guzan done to deserve this?”

        “This” is a great opportunity for Brad.

        He is he only Villa player everyone talks about and it’s usually in glowing terms.

        Of course if it gets too ridiculous then he might get shell shocked but that seems unlikely. He is now getting to demonstrate his skills at the highest level short of the Champions League. If he keeps it up even if Villa get relegated he isn’t going down with them.

        He needed to do something to take Howard’s job and this is as good a showcase for him as any. If the US makes the 2014 World Cup and wants to make some noise they will need a great keeper display.

  3. First goal it looked like the right back failed to track Defoe and the CB’s kept him on.

    Second goal terrible defense by Villa on the counter. One could blame the center back for an awful give away and the right back even more for not just clearing it.

    Lichaj’s not the only problem in the Villa defense seems like their’s a lot of blame to be shared.

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  4. benteke finally stays on, and then starts the TH counter. villa is really playing now, and they’ve apparently allowed the crowd into the stands for the second half…but, you had to worry that they’d let this attacking style get to their heads, and forget that the likeliest way to get a result against this superior team is the way they were playing in the first half.

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  5. 2-0…..several horrible plays by Villa lead to Bale walking in alone on Guzan…Guzan was a little indecisive as to whether or not to come out on Bale, but this one could get ugly again…

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    • i want to say guzan has to do better there…but bale was wide open, sprinting, with a square pass. a little hesitation and he pushed the ball forward again past the keep. i think it would have frozen any top goalie, or at least left them scored on.

      Reply
      • When a player goes in alone on a keeper that player should score.

        If he doesn’t it’s a victory for the keeper.

        If he does you can’t blamer the keeper.

    • I disagree about Guzan being indecisive. It was a 3-1 situation, Guzan stayed on his feet as long as he could, trying to make Bale uncomfortable and force him into taking a bad shot. Had Guzan played it more aggressively Bale could have simply slipped it in to Adebayor for an easy tap in. Guzan make a sound decision, Bale was just able to keep his composure.

      Reply
      • Sometimes you have to be creative to find fault in the american player and point it out to everyone.

        Sorry for the shot Adam – couldn’t resist, Happy Holidays

    • I think Friedel is feeling Guzan’s pain right now. He’s sitting just behind AVB, and is cringing a little just before he gives a golf clap for each of TottHotS goals…

      Reply
      • Have to feel for the guy. Sure, he could have saved one of those goals, maybe, on a perfect day. But you can’t fault the keeper entirely if the field players can’t pass, can’t control psoession, and take mental naps.

  6. Just tuned in to AVvTH and saw 15 corners to none for Tottenham in the 40th minute. Wow, Guzan must be getting hammered once again.

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  7. Evra equalizes for United. A shot from outside the 18 finds its way into the back of the net. May have taken a deflection on the way in. Missed the replay.

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  8. Bit on controversy now. Own goal by Evans. Demba Ba shot on goal and Evan scuffed the clearance and it went in United’s net. The AR raised his flag because Cisse was in a offside position next to Evans. Head ref overruled the AR and gave the goal. Tough decision.

    Reply
  9. United even with Newcastle. Set piece leads to a mess in front of goal where Johnny Evans puts it in back of the net after a save by Krul on Chicarito.

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  10. Chicarito played a bullet to Carrick. Carrick can’t control loses it to Demba Ba. Ba takes a shot and De Gea parries right into the path of Perch I believe. Quite a comedy of errors by United.

    Reply

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