Maple Lions

Just when you thought that the Special One couldn’t get any more petulant,

• Chelsea faces a slog as they tackle Barça in the group stages
• The Red Devils face Celtic
• Team France go head to head against the likes of former CL winners Porto and former UEFA Cup champions CSKA Moscow
• The Scouse take on PSV Eindhoven, Bordeaux, Galatasaray

Only the Blues failed among English sides to make top seed in its group. Full details here.

Paul Canniff

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The acquisition of Shevchenko aside, many Chelsea supporters were confused by the Special One’s fixation with building up what was already an embarrassment of riches in the midfield and back. The past two weeks have shown that perhaps Mourinho was on to the problem but he has vastly further to go.

While today’s defeat at the hands of Boro was in no small part due to the fighting spirit of Southgate’s lads, there were gobsmacking gaps in the Blues otherwise iron defence. When Terry’s back line was off, it was glaringly so. Part of it could have been poor communication with Cudicini, judging by some instances of lazy marking in the box.

One may argue that their lacklustre performance against the MLS All-Stars in Chicago and the loss to the Scouse in the Community Shield are but signs of a newly reconstituted side trying to come together. Well, there’s little time for this theory to be put to the test. If Mourinho is not going to pursue barnstorming strike tactics like the Gooners, then there is little slack available in the back. Then again, having Cech back between the sticks may make some difference.

Paul Canniff

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Just this week, David Moyes was reminding Tim-mate Cahill that he can’t be wandering forward so much like he did two years ago, that, you know, there’s a four-four-two thing happening now with James and Andy up there, so you gotta hold back and take on more of a mid-field role.

Well, thankfully, Cahill didn’t listen too well as he put on his supersub hat today and rescued a point for Everton against Blackburn. South African and Australian internationals scoring the goals today, with Benni McCarthy and Cahill hitting the score sheet.

Yesterday, I caught the replay of AJ’s Saturday goal at Goodison. More of that, please!! Long forward ball from Pip in the right back position, headed on from Beattie up to AJ, headed back to Beattie, with James making a lovely forward lob pass, springing Johnson thru the defence to score. All lovely. Like I said, more of that, lads!

Mike C.

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It was an interesting Opening Day of the EPL’s 2006-07 campaign.

Hulse’s header was a real cracker to open the season, and Liverpool will be disappointed with their day at Bramhall Lane. The penalty was a crap call, not that Liverpool didn’t deserve to share the points on the day. The Blades really hustled, though, and started their season off well. The announcers commented later in the game that Arne Riise’s ankle injury may not have been that bad ~ surprising to me given the way it looked.

Reading certainly hold “comeback of the season” honours, thus far. Kitson, Sidwell and Kita notched the goals to wipe out Boro’s 2 goal lead. I believe Sidwell was Four Four Two’s ‘best player outside the Prem’ last season, so he’s definitely one ot watch this year.

At Goodison Park, the guy Everton acquired to score the goals actually scored the opener 14 minutes in. (How odd!) Mikel Arteta added a penalty and Everton edged out Watford for their first opening day win in five years. [Later: it seems both Merseyside clubs were beneficiaries of bad penalty calls on Saturday, Everton’s being the more egregious, apparently. Oh well, what can you do?]

So, it was win, draw, loss for the three promoted teams.

Perhaps the biggest surprise of the day for me was Pompey trashing Blackburn Rovers. They had a 2 goal cushion before Neil went off, and Todd’s sending off happened in the 91st minute (so, I don’t think saying that it was a victory “over nine-man Blackburn” quite tells the tale). Could this big win by ‘arry’s boys have been the biggest statement of the young season?

We’ll let Damian report on the solid start by Roeder’s Magpies.

You gotta think Chelsea and Manchester United are more than pleased with the points left on the field by Liverpool, Arsenal and Spurs (though I write in the 82nd minute of that game).

Mike C

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Sky Sports has its preview of the upcoming English Premier League season. Although we had that little tournament in Germany to distract us, it’s high time to get back into things. Can’t wait!

Sky picks no Manchester clubs to finish in the top 3 spots, btw.

As for Everton, Sky foresees an 8th place finish. That’s about right. If you polled most Evertonians, including David Moyes, I bet they would be happy with that. The big anticipation for Toffee fans is how AJ will do ~ we wanna see that hamburger chomp or whatever he does when he scores (anything beats Robbie Keaneian rolls and fist thrusts, if you ask me). I’m interested in seeing what happens at the back — David Weir has the captancy, but will we see youth and strength of Joseph Yobo and Joleon Lescott paired together. Nuno Valente had a solid World Cup and should get off to a good start (he looked a bit shaky at the outset of last season).

Does anyone else think Kuyt is a bit overrated? I just have a feeling he won’t do much this year.

This Saturday, Canadians can see the Reds/Blades, Magpies/Wigan, and Bolton/Spurs on Rogers Sportsnet. As far as I can tell, there’s nothing lined up on Fox Sports World Canada; there must be a Bolivia 2nd division playoff match on or something.

Mike C.

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1. The first England goal was the product of an almost balletic set of ball returns, beautiful to witness.
2. While Lamp’s contribution was more the result of a wonky Greece deflection, it ought to do wonders for his confidence after Germany.
3. Lurch succeeds in hitting a target bigger than him — twice. Nice billiards touch with his header on the second goal.
4. Mark this date down in history: the first successful field goal attempt in an England match was NOT made by Becks.

The future’s looking so bright I gotta wear a WAG’s sunglasses.

Paul Canniff

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New England manager Steve McClaren has dropped former captain David Beckham:

Beckham’s name was absent as McClaren unveiled his first squad - for the friendly against Greece at Old Trafford on 16 August.

The decision could bring the curtain down on 31-year-old Beckham’s 10-year England career.

The Real Madrid midfielder, who has 94 caps, quit as captain after England’s World Cup exit in July but insisted he wanted to continue playing.

This indeed ranks up with the fall of the Berlin Wall as a turn of the historical tide. Seriously.

Paul Canniff

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The Steve McClaren regime takes a great first step by naming John Terry as the new skipper. No sarongs for this Hard Man, it goes without saying.

Oh, and Steve gives Theo Walcott a job more suited to his tender age.

Paul Canniff

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• Chelsea striker and general SW6 big girl’s blouse Hernan Crespo gets his wish and moves on to Italy. How leaving the Blues for a two-year sojourn with Inter Milan could be an upward career move is something only Crespo fully comprehends… we hope. The Telly also reports that William Gallas is staying in London, despite losing his jersey number.
• Sol Campbell does a medical in hopes of completing a move southward to join Pompey. And in a shocker, the Gooners recruit a French footballer.
• Meanwhile the Professor fumes like a carton of Gauloises over the fate of Ashley Cole, who has been left behind in London while the Légion Étrangère de Londres-Nord deploys to Croatia for a CL qualifier.

Paul Canniff

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A good example of how the Zidane head-butt has penetrated the American popular consciousness: a reference in The Family Circus.

Damian P.

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