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Soccer Sunday: Your Running Commentary

Theo Walcott of Arsenal celebrates scoring to make it 5-6By MICHAEL KLINE

The 2012/13 Barclays Premier League will come to a close today, with the entire league simultaneously on display for your viewing entertainment.

Despite the surplus of matches available, only two have actual significance – Newcastle United vs. Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur vs. Sunderland.

Both Arsenal and Tottenham enter the last day of the season with Champions League hopes on the line, but only the Gunners control their own destiny.

An Arsenal victory over the Magpies ensures a top four finish for Arsène Wenger and co., while anything less paves the way for Tottenham to sneak into the last Champions League spot with a victory over Sunderland.

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):

TODAY’S SOCCER ON TV

SUNDAY

11am – Fox Soccer Plus – Chelsea vs. Everton

11am – FoxSoccer2Go.com – Liverpool vs. Queens Park Rangers

11am – FoxSoccer2Go.com – Manchester City vs. Norwich City

11am – ESPN2 – Newcastle United vs. Arsenal

11am – FoxSoccer2Go.com – Southampton vs. Stoke City

11am – FoxSoccer2Go.com – Swansea City vs. Fulham

11am – Fox Soccer Channel – Tottenham Hotspur vs. Sunderland

11am – FoxSoccer2Go.com – West Bromwich Albion vs. Manchester United

11am – FoxSoccer2Go.com – West Ham United vs. Reading

11am – FoxSoccer2Go.com – Wigan Athletic vs. Aston Villa

11am – beIN Sport en Español – Deportivo La Coruña vs. Espanyol

1pm – ESPN2 – New York Red Bulls vs. Los Angeles Galaxy

1pm – beIN Sport en Español – Real Zaragoza vs. Athletic Club

3pm – beIN Sport – Barcelona vs. Real Valladolid

5pm – MLS Direct Kick – DC United vs. Sporting Kansas City

9pm – ESPN Deportes – Cru Azul vs. Santos Laguna

10:30pm – MLS Direct Kick – Chivas USA vs. Real Salt Lake

Comments

  1. Champions League next year…
    Gatt, Cunningham and Molde
    Klejstan and Anderlecht
    Jones and Schalke
    O’Brien and Nordsjaelland

    Europa League next year….
    Altidore and AZ if he sticks around
    Boyd and Rapid Vienna
    Tony Taylor and Estoril
    Dempsey and Spurs
    Diskerud and Rosenberg
    Davies and Randers
    Bradley and Roma if they beat Lazio in the cup game next week
    Gooch and Malaga if he sticks around

    Any other players I’m missing?

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  2. F*** Arsenal, but Spurs don’t deserve the spot. Sucks because now they will have no choice but to sell Bale to the highest bidder.

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  3. Disappointed for Dempsey, but in the end, here’s the difference between Spurs and Arsenal. Arsenal finished 8 wins and 2 draws over the last ten. Spurs finished 5 wins, 3 draws and 2 losses. Now, Arsenal definitely had the easier of the schedule, but Spurs run of results also includes a loss against Fulham and a draw against Wigan. You want CL football? You can’t draw against a team that flirted with relegation the entire season (and ended up getting dropped), and you can’t lose to a team that was bottom half the whole season when Champions League points are on the line. It’s hard to pin an entire season on a few results, but those dropped points are pretty hard to ignore.

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  4. Arsenal — yes! 8 wins, 2 draws in the last 10 = clutch.
    Heartbreak for Spurs.
    Enjoyed the Darke / McManaman outtakes at the end of ESPN’s broadcast.
    Cheers!

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  5. So glad I could see Alexi Lalas yap inane things rather than watch Steve Harper take a last lap for Newcastle United after 19 seasons.

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  6. Arsenal fan here but it’s almost painful for Spurs to knock at the door for so long, never to get in. Perhaps both teams can make the top four next year and knock one of the Chelsea/ManU/City troika out…

    Regardless, Arsenal’s not going to qualify for the CL next year unless they get more players like Cazorla, and fewer players like Gervinho.

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    • Josh,

      I’m an Arsenal fan as well. I was almost hoping they wouldn’t qualify for CL next year. I feel like it would have forced silent Stan to spend some real money.

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      • If a 5th place finish would guarantee that uncle Stan would open his wallet, I’d agree. But my suspicion is that he wouldn’t, and then Arsene would have to begin treating Europa league qualification as a trophy.

    • I was hoping for a Chelsea collapse and both the Gunners and Spurs qualifying. But otherwise, it’s all about the Gunners, who I think are poised for big things next year

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      • I hope you’re right. At the same time, what talent is out there that Arsenal can reasonably afford? I’d absolutely love it if they could sign Lewandowski, for example, but I think he’s got suitors with deeper pockets.

  7. Its funny, people hate on Arsenal when they play attractive and don’t get results. Then when they grind out results and get results people criticize them. When United wins ugly it is a sign of a solid team, when its Arsenal its cause they are playing terrible

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  8. Damn… I feel for my boy Dempsey.

    Well, they can only blame themselves for losing a good lead a few months back… Also Bale’s last game as a Spur perhaps. I hope Dempsey finds a spot somewhere to play CL football

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  9. Spurs had a 7-point lead in March. The team can’t blame anyone for its 5th place finish. Didn’t deserve the Champion’s League place. Now to the international calendar.

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  10. Well, this is the game I have totally lost faith in AVB. Do not disagree with inserting Defoe, but Lennon should have been pulled. Despite drawing the red card, has not been in good form since he came back from injury. Lennon should have been pulled by the 60th minute and replaced with Sigurdsson, who has been an off-the-bench spark plug in several recent games. And pull Dempsey, who is always a danger to score, cannot see it.

    Hears hoping Lennon scores a winning goal and I will gladly eat my crow.

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    • I said the same thing about AVB 2 weeks ago… that maybe Chelsea had it right… and got blasted on here… But the fact is that they had a nice lead in points that they blew, his lineups and subs were baffling at times, Adebayor has been a disappointment, and when they had the chances to get points they looked totally FLAT for a good month or so. I wanted Deuce to get CL like everyone here… but I gotta agree…AVB not for me

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  11. Spurs serving lots of balls into the area but very few are dangerous. One good ball should be a goal but they are struggling to find it

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  12. I am rooting for Arsenal to win. I am a big Deuce fan but that’s not enough for me to root for Spurs. Walcott by the way is just not skillful enough. If a U.S player had the physical skills he had we would be all over him for his failure to live up to his potential. He produces little for the number of touches he gets. He is Gervinho 0.5

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    • Yep, that is amazing if correct. And today, first Bale’s gets shoved down and a yellow card for diving and then Bale shoots and a defender blocks with his arm and not call, so a second clear penalry denied. Anyone know, does the ref for this game, Andre Marriner have a history of liking Arsenal? Cuz he is doing big favors.

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      • Bale’s history of diving hurt him there, clear penalty but he doesn’t get the benefit of the doubt cause of previous actions. I know people will say it shouldn’t factor in but it clearly does

  13. Does anyone else get the feeling that this is all setting up for Clint Dempsey heroics? When everyone else is feeling a bit “nervy”, Deuce is the other side of the pillow.

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      • one of the most overused catch phrases in sports for me

        if you’re not a great team there’s not the chance to overcome, but at least great teams might overcome the jive because they are great

        officials, escpecially in soccer, have an amazing amount of impact

    • After the ref has a look at the replay at halftime, expect a makeup call on a deserved or not-so-deserved PK call in the second half.

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      • Agreed. Still horrible gven the stakes. Ref has gotta get that right with so much riding on the line.

      • no arguments there, but the player of the year got screwed on that one

        suggests the ref is predisposed imo, As suggested, the repution made the call, not the ref’s eyes.

        What was the AR doing on the play? still haven’t been able to determine that

      • No doubt. Someone has to get that call right. If spurs end up losing or tying this game that missed call will have potentially cost spurs a sh*t load of money and even some good transfers (David villa) if rumors are to be believed.

    • I thought it was a penalty as well. But not sure bale’s caution was for diving. I think it was for his reaction to the call.

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      • By JK’s own logic he has to bring in a winger to replace a winger (see his reasoning for leaving out Boca) and how far down the list can Donovan be? Seriously, who else in the pool has logged any sort of important minutes on the left flank?

      • Like in the education system education in America there is very little logic in JK’s decisions.

      • Why bother having a coach if the Landycakes of the world can come and do as they please and have no accountability? Sure have a midlife crisis, skip most of the qualifying and come back when you feel like it.
        No worries the Fanboys will be in full force on the internet blaming the coach

      • cause see, usmnt callups are all about accountability, mind games, and proving a point.

        having your best team? pshaw.

        winning games? overrated.

      • You think you’re making a point, and you are, but it’s not the point you think you’re making.

        The point you think you’re making: I am a witty person who disapproves of Jürgen Klinsmann’s management of the USMNT.

        The point you’re actually making: I am not a reasonable person, and I have such an axe to grind with Jürgen Klinsmann over his management of the USMNT that I have lost all sense of perspective.

  14. We knew it was coming. Looks like Fox Soccer’s last day is August 16th. Just saw an ad for the new Fox Sports 1 August 17th.

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    • I’m not going to miss FOX. They did not treat the sport as good as they should’ve. I hope that NBC does better with the BPL.

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      • Fox gave us a way to watch the EPL for the 10-15 years, which is more than can be said for other networks. I am happy to see it moving now to NBC but stop the Fox hate, I am happy for their coverage over the years.

  15. John Anthony Brooks scored for Hertha Berlin in their 1-1 tie, Morales did not play today. Bobby Wood started and scored for TSV 1860 Munich in their 3-0 win, Joe Gyau played the last 20 minutes of the game in a 2-1 win, and Wooten started and played 90 in Sandhausen in their 0-1 loss.

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  16. News stories out saying that the owner of Newcastle has promised 1 million pounds in bonus to be divided among all non-playing Newcastle backroom employees, including the little old lady who makes tea, if Newcastle beats Arsenal. Love it.

    Go Newcastle. Go Tottenham. Go Clint.

    Reply

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