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Soccer Saturday: Your Running Commentary

  AndyCarroll (Getty Images)

While we continue to wonder why on earth Newcastle fired manager Chris Hughton and replaced him with Alan Pardew, the Magpies are back in action today and will take on a club with its own shaky managerial situation in Liverpool.

The Reds are currently seven points out of a Champions League place and the pressure is on Roy Hodgson to get Liverpool climbing up the standings quickly. Newcastle sits just three points behind Liverpool, but the pressure is clearly on Pardew to push the team higher.

It's a relatively light day on the soccer calendar, but there are still plenty of matches for American fans to keep an eye on. Clint Dempsey and Fulham take on Asamoah Gyan and Sunderland, while Jonathan Spector will look to continue his recent stellar form when West Ham plays host to Manchester City.

If you will be watching today's action, please feel free to share your own thoughts and opinions in the comments section below.

Enjoy the action (Today's TV Schedule is after the jump):

TODAY'S SOCCER ON TV

9:30am- GolTV- Bayern Munich vs. St. Pauli

10am- Fox Soccer Channel- Aston Villa vs. West Bromwich Albion

10am- Fox Soccer Plus- Fulham vs. Sunderland

10am- ESPN2- West Ham United vs. Manchester City

Noon- Fox Soccer Plus- Udinese vs. Fiorentina

Noon- ESPn3.com- Getafe vs. Villarreal

Noon- ESPN3.com- Palermo vs. Parma

12:30pm- Fox Soccer Channel- Newcastle United vs. Liverpool

12:30pm- ESPN3.com- Borussia Dortmund vs. Werder Bremen

2pm- GolTV- Sevilla vs. Almeria

2:45pm- ESPN3.com- De Graafschap vs. PSV Eindhoven

2:45pm- Fox Soccer Channel- Genoa vs. Napoli

4pm- GolTV- Atletico Madrid vs. Deportivo La Coruna

5pm- Fox Soccer Channel- Everton vs. Wigan Athletic (Delayed)

6pm- Fox Soccer Plus- Stoke City vs. Blackpool (Delayed)

1am- Fox Soccer Channel- Sydney FC vs. Brisbane Roar

 

Comments

  1. It wasn’t the biggest mistake in the world. Spector is doing fairly well considering the circumstances (new position, weak team). I feel pretty confident predicting a West Ham relegation this year.

    Reply
  2. Agreed. Dempsey to Liverpool would be horrendous and laughable.

    but I figure Fulham will sell him by season’s end. I highly doubt Fulham will be relegated. When Zamora returns, things should improve a bit. Dempsey returns to his natural position and backs up Z-man.

    He would fetch them 5million easily.

    Reply
  3. Absolutely right. but what I meant was McBride was decent by PL standards, not Fulham. Of course he might have been the best striker at Fulham in several years.

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  4. franky,

    I must be missing your point.

    I did notice that West Ham, Wolves and Wigan (also know as W3) are all currently at the bottom of the table and they didn’t consider hiring Bradley. Maybe that proves they should have.

    On the other hand I notice Arsenal,the Two Manchesters, Chelsea and Spurs are topping the table and they didn’t consider hiring Bradley. Maybe that proves hiring Bradley for an EPL job is not such a good idea.

    Could you explain your logic again?

    Reply
  5. In a relegation threatened season why would Fulham let Dempsey, their primary scoring threat go? Even if it’s for, say 10 million, they would lose a lot more if they got relegated.

    And if you’re thinking about Liverpool, Hodgson and Dempsey don’t exactly love each other. Hodgson thought of Deuce as a part timer and Deuce had to force his way onto the starting lineup. Besides, Hodgson is hardly secure at Anfield.

    itmer who

    Why would fulham let their Demspey

    Reply
  6. Comparing McBride and Dempsey is pointless.

    Neither is better than the other. They are doing doing different things for what are, basically, two different teams. They are two different players, playing two different positions.

    I don’t really understand the need to put down one guy just to build up another. It is entirely possible to rate both highly without doing that.

    The USMNT is just lucky that both were Americans.

    Reply
  7. Is this supposed to be a knock or parody on the USMNT?? If so, it’s poorly executed and in bad taste. I don’t even know how that would relate, the USMNT is UNLUCKY more than anything. See the Slovenia and Algeria matches for conformation.

    Reply
  8. The fulham faithful LOVED mcbride partly because he was a very good player, but mostly because of the heart he showed while playing. Guy feared nothing and the fans adored him for it. While I think deuce is fearless, he doesn’t do it like McBride did, but I truly believe deuce is the better player. Not a knock on McBride, one of my favorite players ever, just a statement about how good i think deuce is.

    Reply
  9. That was Salcido’s only poor game. He’s been pretty solid otherwise and has been providing better service than Konchesky did.

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  10. This is true McBride was and is a Fulham legend. All American players currently in the PL can thank him for opening the door for Americans. Put that into perspective when trying to compare him to any other American player in the PL.

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  11. I heard he doesn’t want to stay in England but he played under Hughes at Blackburn and City sooo maybe Hughes can convince him to stay

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  12. very well said, A-Lott. That point can’t be stressed enough. Defenders in soccer get it the worst, for the exact reasons you point out. Which, luckily, is why actual scouts and managers look at a lot more than just the couple moments in a game.

    Reply
  13. Clearly Bradley would have been the man to resolve Fulham’s problems at forward. Judging by his time with the US Eddie Johnson would not be playing. Likely he would have played Dempsey at midfield and brought in a few studs like Robbie Findley or Hercules Gomez who score goals in bunches.

    Then Fulham would be tying, or maybe even winning last second, against very poor teams and getting beaten badly against average teams or better. But once in a while they would get completely dominated by a much much better team but luck into a victory. After which the whole team would be bathed in glory for the rest of the season and most of the next season in the Coca-Cola Championship

    Reply
  14. Fulham need a new striker(Roque Santa Cruz or Robbie Keane) and someone like David Bentley, Michael Bradley or Jamie O’Hara.

    Let’s face it EJ and Kamara are not good enough, Dempsey looked really frustrated today

    Reply
  15. I thought Spector did fine considering that this is his third game at this position. He is in a midfield where people have spent their whole lives at their positions. I also noticed he was limping around at the end. Hope he is ok.

    Reply
  16. “McBride was a very good striker but was decent by their standards”

    You know Fulham have a pub called McBride’s right? He’s considered a Fulham legend

    Reply
  17. Yeah, it happens all the time in sports. Second baseman goes 3-4 and plays the field nicely but strikes out with a runner on third to end the game. Running back churns out 90 tough yards in a game but fumbles the ball inside the opponent’s 10. Someone may play a solid game except for a costly mistake. Happens in the reverse, too. Striker who gives the ball away and loafs around for 90 minutes then scores the tying goal in stoppage time.

    Reply
  18. are you joking Salcido hasn’t been that good did you watch the game against Man City?

    I like Salcido but he hasn’t really settled in

    Reply
  19. Feel bad for him about not having a good game. However, puts it in perspective when you realize he was charged with stopping david silva and yaya toure.

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  20. Anyone else notice that both teams who considered hiring Bob Bradley, fulham and Villa, are massively underperforming? And just about everyone in epl recognizes its due to poor coaching. You have to blame short sighted owners

    Reply
  21. Espn has Toure’s 2nd goal as an Own Goal by the keeper, kind of a harsh ruling, shot bounced off keeper’s hand and went in near post…

    Reply
  22. man, Deuce has been unlucky today — seems like someone dives in front of every shot he unleashes. he obviously has the green light to shoot any time he wants.

    remarkable that EJ has retained his inane ability to overrun the play, going way too deep into the box every time. to his credit, he has yet to be flagged offside

    Reply

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