It may be hard to believe, but Stuart Holden and Bolton are currently sitting in fifth place in the English Premier League, and could move into with a win against Blackpool today.
Bolton currently sit ahead of the likes of Tottenham (on goal differential) and Liverpool, and are doing so playing attractive soccer. Holden has become a key figure in the Wanderers attack as they look to stay ahead of Tottenham for fifth, and put pressure on Manchester City for fourth place.
Holden is one of several U.S. national team players in action. Clint Dempsey will look to help Fulham move further away from the relegation zone with a win against Birmingham City, while Tim Howard and Everton take on West Brom.
The biggest match involving an American team will take place at Toyota Park today, where the U.S. women's national team takes on Italy in the second leg of their World Cup playoff series. The Americans can clinch a World Cup berth with a win or a tie after beating the Italians on the road.
Wondering why Soccer Saturday was posted at 3:30am this morning? The Los Angeles Galaxy take on the Australian side Newcastle Jets in an exhibition in Australia airing live on Fox Soccer Channel at 3:30am.
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
3:30am– Fox Soccer Channel- Newcastle Jets vs. Los Angeles Galaxy (Exhibition)
7:45am– ESPN2- Aston Villa vs. Arsenal
10am– Fox Soccer Channel- Manchester United vs. Blackburn
10am– Fox Soccer Plus- Stoke City vs. Manchester City
10am– FoxSoccer.tv- Bolton vs. Blackpool
10am– FoxSoccer.tv- Everton vs. West Bromwich Albion
10am– FoxSoccer.tv- Fulham vs. Birmingham City
10am– FoxSoccer.tv- West Ham United vs. Wigan
Noon– Fox Soccer Plus- Sampdoria vs. AC Milan
Noon– Fox Soccer Channel- Fulham vs. Birmingham City (Delayed)
Noon– GolTV- Real Zaragoza vs. Villarreal
12:20pm– FoxSoccer.tv- Burnley vs. Derby County
12:30pm– ESPN3.com- Borussia Moenchengladbach vs. Borussia Dortmund
1pm– FoxSoccer.tv- Brest vs. Lens
1pm– FoxSoccer.tv- Olympique Marseille vs. Montpelier
2pm– ESPN3.com- USA women's national team vs. Italy (World Cup playoff)
2pm– ESPN3.com- Sevilla vs. Getafe
2pm– GolTV- Defensor Sporting vs. Nacional
2:45pm– Fox Soccer Channel- Juventus vs. Fiorentina
4pm– ESPN3.com- Atletico Madrid vs. Espanyol
4:15pm– ESPN3.com- Sporting Lisbon vs. FC Porto
6:20pm– GolTV- Santa Fe vs. Atletico Huila
2am– Fox Soccer Channel- North Queensland Fury vs. Perth Glory
I beg to differ. How many Arsenal games have you seen? How many times have they dropped points by failing to hold second half leads? Yes, the 2 goals today were not on the counterattack. But Villa did generate plenty of chances because Arsenal were pushing too many men forward, as usual.
Believe me I appreciate how the Gunners play, but I also think with the way they pass and possess the ball, they should be able to close out games more effectively.
Enjoyable match, LA vs Newcastle.
Enjoying the commentary, too, not sure who these two guys are though. Especially appreciate the bits of love for the US national team.
Why?
Altidore needs to move
@Brent McD.
You don’t know what your talking about!!
Both goals today weren’t scored on the break so how do you figure we were open in the back?
First goal was down to poor marking because Clichy had to choose between picking up the man with the ball and watching young on the wing, while the two center-halfs didn’t close down in time, granted the goal shouldn’t have counted anyway. The second goal was scored from a corner kick.
Both goals had nothing to do with being left open in the back.
This is the Arsenal!!
Marcus was great last season. Hennessey definitely isn’t any better, but yeah Wolves are for sure going down and Hennessey is only 23. Looks like Marcus will probably be heading to MLS then.
Sounds like a WNBA fan
This may be very true, but you can’t be talking about our WNT. They have played like tactical neophytes from the first time Anson Dorrence coached and all they had to do was overrun the other team’s midfielders with players like Michelle Akers, who was off the charts athletically. Twenty years later, they still have no ideas when it comes to breaking down a tactically sound midfield and defense.
Without commenting on your post script, I will say: GO USA! Lady Nats!
Proud of your idiocy and lack of class?
ruuuude
Shoutout to Subotic who scored.
yawn…
And they do! Congrats!
PS – People who don’t watch high level women’s soccer are missing out on a highly techincal, tactically astute version of the game. I’ve coached both high level girl’s and boy’s soccer, and what I love about the girl’s game is that they have to play the game right, whereas boys try to over power everything. Both games are fun, but the women’s game maybe a “purer” form.
USA! USA! USA!
Couple hairy moments for the US women, but they look poised to qualify
Cause he’s been giving lots of goals and Wolves are going to get relegated.
Why didn’t Marcus Hahnemann start?
No Gooch on the bench for Milan. If he does go back to Liege, I sure hope he gets plenty of PT.
Praise the Lord. I didnt drop him. 50 points.
me too. now im gonna pick him back up and hes going to go back to sleep.
its difficult to like you. youve proved that recently.
Ooh, that burns.
Dammit! I just transferred Berbatov from my fantasy team 🙁
He lost the ball at midfield and fouled the guy to keep Birmingham from breaking. You could tell he had some tired legs.
Damn Berbatov. He had a hat trick against my REDs like 2 months ago and has been quiet until today. You know I’d start him and Hernandez and bring Rooney as a super-sub with say 35mins a game. But that wouldn’t work of course cause he’s Rooney. anyway
gotta give props to the Bulgarian.
My man Deuce is man of the match. You just know it.
what did Dempsey get booked for?
I think you mean “tie.”
Ya and Blackburn scored to make it look less fixed. Teams lose confidence when they go down a goal in the 2nd minute. To say that that game was fixed is idiotic.
wow …
Haha
+1
In a single match, he tied DC United’s leading goal scorers for an entire season.
Berbatov had a nice season today
Great goal by Matthew Etherington in stoppage time for Stoke to beat Man City.
Bolton’s second goal was awesome.
It just clipped the calf of Foster. He almost beat him five-hole on that breakaway.
You’re still not drawing a connection here bud.
In fact, you’re not saying anything other than that you don’t like me.