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Soccer Wednesday: Your Running Commentary

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Lazio-Leverkusen-Getty-Images-11- UEFA

By AARON CRANFORD

With heavy hitters already exiting the UEFA Champions League Tuesday, more could be on their way out the door Wednesday.

The UCL group stage will fill out as the final few playoff-round matches come to a close, with Manchester United facing Club Brugge. The Belgians are trailing 3-1 on aggregate but will host today’s second leg.

In Germany, Bayer Leverkusen lost its first meeting, 1-0, with Lazio in Rome, but now back at BayArena, it will look to extend its good home record against European competition. However, while die Werkself has won four of its last five home meetings, Lazio has only lost once in its last 11 UCL road matches.

Across the pond, two MLS games are on deck, with the New York Red Bulls attempting to move up the table against the struggling Chicago Fire in the evening. In NASL, the New York Cosmos and league-leader Ottawa Fury FC meet in an important Fall Season clash.

Meanwhile, the CONCACAF Champions League continues, and Mexican side Tigres UANL must stand toe-to-toe with a dangerous Herediano side late into the night.

If you will be watching today’s soccer, 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):

2:45 p.m. – FOX Sports 2 USA – Bayer Leverkusen vs. Lazio

2:45 p.m. – FOX Soccer 2Go USA/ESPN3 – CSKA Moscow vs. Sporting CP

2:45 p.m. – FOX Soccer 2Go USA/ESPN3 – APOEL vs. Astana

2:45 p.m. – FOX Sports 1 USA – Club Brugge vs. Manchester United

2:45 p.m. – FOX Soccer 2Go USA/ESPN3 – Partizan vs. BATE

2:45 p.m. – beIN Sports USA – Barnsley vs. Everton

7 p.m. – ESPN 3 – Ottawa Fury FC vs. New York Cosmos

8 p.m. – Univision Deportes – San Francisco vs. Queretaro

8:30 p.m. – DirecTV/MLS Live – Chicago Fire vs. New York Red Bulls

9 p.m. – DirecTV/MLS Live – Colorado Rapids vs. Houston Dynamo

10 p.m. – Univision Deportes – Herediano vs. Tigres UANL

10 p.m. – ESPN3 – Atlas vs. Murcielagos

Comments

  1. Olimpia is playing to get a Sounders player sent off, it is simply disgraceful to watch. Throwing themselves wildly at any sign of contact. Also Sounders were robbed on an offside call, Jones and Neagle were in and called wrongly off, it wasn’t even close. This ref is actually doing fairly well so far, he has missed the fans throwing stuff at Sounders players though.

    Reply

      • Rob,

        “Well, it is the Scottish SECOND division.”

        That’s not GZ’s fault. You still have to produce.

        How many times have you seen highly paid and highly touted DP’s NOT produce on the field, even when you were absolutely certain they were the most talented player on either side?

        And if a DP produces what’s wrong with that? Giovinco is playing like he is the best player in MLS by a long shot.

        Sure it’s MLS not Serie A or Champions League but how many people are saying MLS was a bad move for him? He’s 28-29 and may be back in the picture for Italy.

        Talent level is one thing. Actually taking advantage of your talent and being productive with it is another thing entirely.

        Even if Rangers are not what they were, they are still the big boy, high profile team in that division and every team they face will give them their best shot. And they are still expected to win every single game.

        What GZ did today just made that target on his back a little bigger.

        So if pressure to produce makes you grow, GZ will grow a lot. It beats playing in the reserves..

      • Let’s reel it back a little bit. He’s playing against the Scottish third division. Roughly the equivalent of a USL team and not nearly as high as the EPL reserves.
        I’m not saying the Scottish second division is not a good place for a promising young player to develop. After all, they gave us such stars as ……. never mind. No matter how I slice it I just can’t find a good reason for this loan.

      • its only 6 months. he might join a low premier league of a mid table championship side who needs help in midfield

      • Rob,

        Would you prefer GZ stay with the Under 21’s or whatever they call Arsenal’s reserve’s? Because it is clear to me Chelsea, Man City, Real Madrid and Barca probably weren’t calling and this is probably the best loan deal Wenger felt he could work for GZ.

        Why did Arsenal loan out GZ?

        My guess is Wenger felt GZ probably won’t be getting PT at Arsenal at least during the first half of the season, and he didn’t want GZ “sitting” around or rotting in the reserves.

        As is the case in most of these young player loans GZ is unproven and most important, valued for his promise and potential.

        So why Rangers?

        Wenger has said that he would prefer it if Arsenal could operate like they do in Germany and Spain where you have a Bayern 2 or Barca B , basically JV versions of the senior teams playing in the lower divisions. That tells you Wenger is more concerned that his youngsters go to teams that play like Arsenal in terms of style and philosophy.

        Apparently, Warburton, Ranger’s new young manager has impressed Wenger and a lot of people in the UK with his handling of young players.

        It seems clear that Wenger is looking at :

        1. The manager
        2. Style of play
        3. The highly competitive atmosphere, something GZ would not get in the reserves
        4. That it is only until January. I assume GZ could be recalled quickly and easily if Arsenal had an injury crisis or something like that.

        To me these factors override the fact that the average Div. 2 team that GZ will face will not have as many skilled players as Aston Villa, Sunderland or Bournemouth.

        If you watch La Liga, Messi’s skill hasn’t deteriorated because most of the teams in La Liga don’t have any players who are anywhere near Messi’s zip code in terms of skill. If Kaka or Giovinco were to play for their countries tomorrow, do you think their skills would have deteriorated because they have had to face guys like Steve Lenhart? I notice Robbie Keane remains a pretty important member of the Republic of Ireland’s team.

        Granted the guys in question are vets and GZ is an 18 year old rookie. But at this point his skill set which has impressed a whole lot of people, is unlikely to go into the dumpster because he will spend a few months slumming in the Scottish second division. That hasn’t happened to other young players loaned out to lower level teams.

        If we believe the hype GZ may soon be knocking on the door of the first team. Putting him in a highly charged ,competitive atmosphere , something he has never experienced before, is just another step in prepping him for his upcoming challenges.

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