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Soccer Saturday: Your Running Commentary

Tim Howard Everton 4 (Getty Images)

Ā By IVES GALARCEP

Tim Howard may be taking a break from the U.S. Men’s National Team, but he will still have plenty of big games to keep him busy over the next year with Everton.

The first of those tough tests awaits today against high-flying Arsenal. The Gunners come in off a last-minute victory in their opener, and they face a Toffees side that will be desperate to avoid starting the season off by dropping points in two straight matches.

The Bundesliga season is underway, and while Bayern Munich draws most of the attention, two of the teams expected to try and knock the champions off their perch square off in an early-season clash as Borussia Dortmund meets Bayer Leverkusen.

In Spain, the opening weekend kicks off today, with Sevilla taking on Valencia in a clash of top La Liga sides. Meanwhile, in Brazil, Atletico Mineiro takes on Internacional in an intriguing clash.

MLS has a marquee match-up on the schedule as well, with the top two teams in the East facing off as D.C. United visits 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 Soccer on TV is after the jump):

TODAY’S SOCCER ON TV

7:15 a.m. – Ipswich Town vs. Norwich City – beIN Sports USA

7:45 a.m. – Aston Villa vs. Newcastle United – NBCSN

9:30 a.m. – Hannover 96 vs. Schalke 04- GOLTV USA

10:00 a.m. – Chelsea vs. Leicester City- NBCSN

10:00 a.m. – Crystal Palace vs. West Ham United –Ā Premier League Extra Time

10:00 a.m. – Southampton vs. West Bromwich Albion –Ā Premier League Extra Time

10:00 a.m. – Swansea City vs. Burnley –Ā Premier League Extra Time

11:00 a.m. –Ā Guingamp vs. Olympique Marseille – beIN Sports USA

12:30 p.m. – Borussia Dortmund vs. Bayer Leverkusen – GOLTV USAĀ 

12:30 p.m. – Everton vs. Arsenal – NBC

1:00 p.m. – Malaga vs. Athletic Bilbao – beIN Sports USA

1:00 p.m. – Portland Thorns FC vs. FC Kansas City – ESPN2

3:00 p.m. –Ā Sevilla vs. Valencia – beIN Sports USA

3:00 p.m. – Granada vs.Ā Deportivo La Coruna – beIN Sports USA

5:00 p.m. – Almeria vs. Espanyol – beIN SPorts USA

5:30 p.m. – Atletico Mineiro vs. Internacional – ESPN 3

6:00 p.m. ā€“Ā Cruz Azul vs. QueretaroĀ ā€“ Univision

6:00 p.m. ā€“Ā Veracruz vs. Chivas de GuadalajaraĀ ā€“ Univision Deportes

7:00 p.m. – New York Red Bulls vs. Montreal Impact – MLS Direct Kick

7:00 p.m. – Toronto FC vs. Chicago Fire – MLS Direct Kick

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

7:30 p.m. – Columbus Crew vs. Houston Dynamo – MLS Direct Kick

8:00 p.m. ā€“Ā Monterrey vs. PueblaĀ – Univision Deportes

8:30 p.m. – Sporting KC vs. D.C. United – MLS Direct Kick

9:00 p.m. ā€“Ā Pachuca vs. AtlasĀ ā€“ Telemundo

10:00 p.m. ā€“Ā Chiapas vs. Club AmericaĀ ā€“ Univision Deportes

10:30 p.m. – LA Galaxy vs. Vancouver Whitecaps – MLS DIrect Kick

Comments

  1. So frustrating. Two 2-2 draws for Everton to start the season. They need to do better if they want to climb the table, and Martinez has to make his squad more air tight in the back.

    Reply
    • Its a funny result because on the balance of play Everton were clearly the better team and deserved full points. However if the ref doesn’t screw up a basic offside call they would actually get nothing from the game.

      Reply
    • Trend or coincidence…(focus issue?)
      Howard giving up late equalizer to Portugal, Giving up late decisive goals to Belgium, giving up late equalizers in Toffee’s last two.

      Not hating, (and I realize that many goals are not the keeper’s fault), but just asking…..

      Is this associate with his stated decision to put more focus into family and his club team?

      Reply
      • The two goals in this game had nothing to do with Howard.

        The first one came from a good cross that went between the legs of like 4 Everton defenders. Close range finish back post.

        The second was 2 defenders failing to clear cross and semi lazy defending from Distin. One misread the flight of the ball and missed the clearance and the other failed to even go up for a challenge on the ball.

      • Increased), respectfully offer that at least the 1st one may have been saved by a more focused keeper. It was almost right in front of him, regardless that it was close in. Just imho.. When was TH’s last clean sheet? It just seems to me that in the early part of games and especially in waning minutes of games, is when he seems to get stung.

      • The first goal maybe. He might have intercepted the ball. But I think getting from near post all the way into the path of the ball would have been difficult. Possible though.

      • The first goal Howard played it textbook and shut down the near post. He could have played a little higher to intercept the cross. But once it’s across the throat of goal it’s too risky to attack the ball.

        The second one, was within reach. Howard blew his footing and he knew it. He should have planted when the cross was made, and than got up and poitioned. Instead, he planted and hopped to the center of the pipes. When Giroud flicked it, Timmy was planted and SOL and his language is all the more telling.

  2. i know aresenal played midweek but if they want to play like barca of 4 to 5 years ago they have to move off the ball. too much walking, standing and/or ball watching.

    Reply
  3. Will the next person who complains about MLS refereeing kindly watch this game. The refs have been disgraceful. A clearly off side goal, every Arsenal contact is a foul, yellows all going against Arsenal, phantom calls. Really, really bad.

    Reply
      • It doesn’t nullify it but puts it in perspective. These calls are very close and hard to make at any level. Many people seem to have an attitude that it is only the case in MLS. Even a player like Bradley (while taking a paycheck he wouldn’t get anywhere else in the world) seems to take this stand.

  4. crazy american tangent – how much better could/would arsenal be if they had Michael Bradley in midfield and Tim Howard in goal?

    Reply
    • Should’ve brought in Bradley last year instead of Kallstrom. Would’ve loved to see them sign Jones for one or two seasons after the World Cup he had.

      Reply
  5. Lukaku gets away with shoving Per in the back and then Naismith is offside on the finish, such great officiating. Arsenal have no ideas in this game, a bunch of midgets is not the answer.

    Reply
    • Funny when people complain about MLS officiating when I see bad calls in EPL every week. That being said, when oh when will Wenger buy a quality holding midfielder to control midfield and stop teams from penetrating? They have too many of the same players (attacking midfielders or wingers). Where is another penetrating center forward? Another quality center back? Quality holding midfielder?

      Reply
      • Yeah, I won’t think of Arsenal as a contender until they get some kind of quality DM who can cover for everyone else.

      • A quality holding midfielder is the highest need for Arsenal, followed by a CB. I actually don’t think a penetrating CF would help them at all, they are a way better team when Giroud is out there and distributing. The entire offense runs through him (for better or worse). They were horrid with Alexis leading the line in the first half.

    • So excited for this season. I still wish they could beef up their bench a bit more, but I am hopeful. Also would be good if Mirallas stepped up.

      Reply
  6. Today is why more players are looking to come home. Yes Europe is nice and the all but playing regular minutes it’s also nice to. The more MLS can offer competitive pay and more teams to put these players in the more appealing playing at home will become.

    Reply
    • DEMPSEY AND Bradley were overpayed. they were making like 4 million and 1.5 million at their former clubs and now make over 6 million.

      Jones might get 2.5-3 million a year but Cameron won’t. He gets nearly a million dollars a year. average MLS player gets like 150,000. That’s still similar to Scandinavia. Players in Greece, Belgium, Turkey, Netherlands still make more cash. And of course more taxes. MLS is growing Yes but the NT needs top players abroad in top leagues.

      Reply
    • When is Bundesliga getting picked up by a major network in the USA? I heard rumors that was supposed to happen soon. Anyone know?

      Reply
      • Anthony: beIN is not showing the BL though, which is currently on GOLTV.. a Spanish lang. only and not on that sports package you mentioned.

      • Yeah..I realized that the game I saw was a German Cup game. My bad. However, on some carriers, Bein and Bein EspaƱol is included in a package that includes Gol TV.

    • Bundesliga is fun. Its very vertical. Thats the way I would put it.

      Watch Hoffenheim. You wil always get an good game. Yhey play suicide ball.

      Reply
  7. hey look it’s Paul Konchesky. The player the Reds picked up from Fulham and yet lowballed them for Dempsey. Shame, shame.

    DEMPSEY YOU WERE BORN TO BE A RED

    Reply
  8. is it more likely that Guzan plays at AV for the next 5-8 years or would he get a chance to move to a bigger club?

    would u advise against it?

    Reply

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