Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Real Madrid's Problems Involve a Woman

The latest big story in Spain is the comments by Sara Carbonero - girlfriend of Iker Casillas - about Casillas' Real Madrid teammate, Cristiano Ronaldo. Carbonero (you should Google her for pictures) is also a famed TV commentator and she said several months back that Ronaldo is 'selfish and individualist.'

Well it turns out that Casillas and Ronaldo met about the comments and supposedly Casillas defended his girlfriend (and if you Googled her like we told you to, you would see why) and told Ronaldo that it is her job to comment, and he had no problem with it. Well Ronaldo didn't like that answer, apparently. Ronaldo also doesn't like the fact that nobody on his team (unsurprisingly) seems to like him.

Is there a solution to these woes? Should Jose Mourinho get involved and mediate. Is Ronaldo upset simply because possibly he has not slept with Carbonero yet? Let us know with your comments below, you could win a great prize!

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Bundesliga Matchday 17 review

It's a good thing we are at the winter break since TBG needs to regroup after a tough weekend.

Friday night

Borussia Monchengladbach v. Hamburg

Prediction: 2-1
Actual result: 1-2

We knew this was going on a limb. We fell off that limb.

Saturday

Werder Bremen v. Kaiserslautern

Prediction: 2-0
Actual result: 1-2

Surely Bremen is headed for a relegation battle now.

Frankfurt v. Borussia Dortmund

Prediction: 0-2
Actual result: 1-0

Barrios misses from point-blank range and Gekas scores a minute later. That's what happens in the most exciting league on the continent.

Schalke 04 v. Koln

Prediction: 3-1
Actual result: 3-0

A matchup with Valencia awaits Schalke, who may be getting their holiday break back?

VfL Wolfsburg v. Hoffenheim

Prediction: 1-2
Actual result: 2-2

Hoffenheim wastefully throws away a two-goal lead.

Nurnberg v. Hannover 96

Prediction: 1-1
Actual result: 3-1

Just when you think Hannover is good enough for a point.

St. Pauli v. Mainz

Prediction: 2-2
Actual result: 2-4

Too much 05ers and Tuchel's bunch is hanging tough.

Sunday

Leverkusen v. Freiburg

Prediction: 2-1
Actual result: 2-2

Looks like a just result, all things considered.

VfB Stuttgart v. Bayern Munich

Prediction: 2-0
Actual result: 3-5

The first half ends with a crazy match in which Bayern could have had seven or eight.

Friday, December 17, 2010

Bundesliga Matchday 17 predictions

This is it for a while so let's enjoy it while we can!

Friday night

Borussia Monchengladbach v. Hamburg

Prediction: 2-1

This is probably ridiculous but TBG thinks Borussia will show up under the lights.

Saturday

Werder Bremen v. Kaiserslautern

Prediction: 2-0

Surely Bremen can finally score some goals in this spot, no?

Frankfurt v. Borussia Dortmund

Prediction: 0-2

Would any reasonable football blog pick against Dortmund now?

Schalke 04 v. Koln

Prediction: 3-1

Magath and company talking Europe now. This is a team on the ascendancy.

VfL Wolfsburg v. Hoffenheim

Prediction: 1-2

TBG keeps waiting for Hoffenheim to take off, but maybe it's not happening.

Nurnberg v. Hannover 96

Prediction: 1-1

Hannover should be the better side, but this is a tough trek to Bavaria.

St. Pauli v. Mainz

Prediction: 2-2

Should be a thriller, with Asamoah promising goals for the home side.

Sunday

Leverkusen v. Freiburg

Prediction: 2-1

Is this really the glamour match of this round or is it the one below?

VfB Stuttgart v. Bayern Munich

Prediction: 2-0

Labbadia should have his men ready for the defending champions, who seem to be catching foes at the worst time.

Bundesliga Matchday 16 review

Bundesliga Matchday 16 review

Friday night

Hannover 96 v. VfB Stuttgart

Prediction: 2-1
Actual result: 2-1

The 96ers wereactually in second for a moment there.

Saturday

Hamburg v. Leverkusen

Prediction: 1-1
Actual result: 2-4

This Hamburg campaign gets worse and worse. Leverkusen eyeing second place at the break.

Kaiserslautern v. VfL Wolfsburg

Prediction: 2-1
Actual result: 0-0

That's five draws in a row for McClaren and company.

Koln v. Frankfurt

Prediction: 1-3
Actual result: 1-0

This is costly if Frankfurt hold European dreams.

Bayern Munich v. St. Pauli

Prediction: 4-1
Actual result: 3-0

Bayern on cruise control.

Hoffenheim v. Nurnberg

Prediction: 2-0
Actual result: 1-1

Hoffenheim denied by Eigler's equalizer in the 87th.

Borussia Dortmund v. Werder Bremen

Prediction: 3-1
Actual result: 2-0

Another Kagawa goal, another three points.

Sunday

Freiburg v. Borussia Monchengladbach

Prediction: 2-1
Actual result: 3-0

Freiburg's six home wins equal the most of anybody.

Mainz v. Schalke 04

Prediction: 3-0
Actual result: 0-1

Schalke gaining steam as the break beckons.

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Congratulations to Akron

The Akron Zips are your NCAA champions of men's soccer! That's right, they beat Louisville 1-0 over the weekend. The Cardinals were coached by Ken Lolla, who previously coached Akron before leaving for greener pastures at Louisville. Well it turns out maybe he should have stayed put since Akron is the team with the title and the program that has produced players such as MLS superstar Steve Zakuani.

Let's give defender Zarek Valentin the last word.

"People think about Akron, they think about LeBron James and that whole fiasco," Valentin said. "This provides a good spirit on our campus."

Saturday, December 11, 2010

Evra calls out Arsenal

Give Patrice Evra credit. He said what all of us football followers have long known on the eve of the big Man Utd-Arsenal clash on Monday night football.

"For me, (Arsenal) is a football training centre. I watch their match, I enjoy it, but are you going to win a title afterwards?" Evra said on French television channel Canal Plus.

"Our real enemy is Chelsea. They can win the title. We are more attentive to Chelsea’s results than Arsenal’s."

But wait, there's more from the French superstar.

"I hear them being compared to Barcelona. Barca play beautiful football but they win," said Evra.

"In 20 years, people are not going to remember Arsenal’s football. People remember trophies. We can lose against them on the 13th (Monday) but at the end of the day, there is nothing, no trophy, nothing.

"Arsenal is a big club that has not won anything in five years: that is a crisis."

Arsene Wenger came up with come lame defense for these remarks, something about "respecting his opponents," blah blah blah.

But does anyone really disagree with Evra? If Chelsea go down 5-0 to Tottenham on Sunday, guess what? They are still a bigger threat to Man Utd. And Spurs may be also. Arsenal? TBG is calling it right now, they will crash out of Champions League no matter who they draw.

What do you think? Is Evra being too harsh or is he spot-on? If you are being honest with yourself, you know he is right.

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Bundesliga Matchday 16 predictions

Two matches left before the winter break so let's get excited!

Friday night

Hannover 96 v. VfB Stuttgart

Prediction: 2-1

Will Jens Keller get a chance at the permanent job at VfB? Probably not, so it's all the more reason for the 96ers to roll.

Saturday

Hamburg v. Leverkusen

Prediction: 1-1

Two teams coming off disappointing efforts, but at least Leverkusen won. TBG will split the difference.

Kaiserslautern v. VfL Wolfsburg

Prediction: 2-1

The home team has been playing good football and tension between Dzeko and McClaren may be too much to overcome for the Wolves.

Koln v. Frankfurt

Prediction: 1-3

An ugly season for the Rhinelanders should get even uglier against one of the league's surprise packages.

Bayern Munich v. St. Pauli

Prediction: 4-1

Another disappointing away trip for Bayern, but they had a nice bounce back in the Champions League and should dominate St. Pauli.

Hoffenheim v. Nurnberg

Prediction: 2-0

Not much to see here. Hoffenheim simply must win.

Borussia Dortmund v. Werder Bremen

Prediction: 3-1

Sure, Bremen just thumped the defending European champions, as ridiculous as that sounds. The opposition at the Signal Iduna Park, though, are more formidable.

Sunday

Freiburg v. Borussia Monchengladbach

Prediction: 2-1

A vote of confidence for Frontzeck. He's living on borrowed time, however.

Mainz v. Schalke 04

Prediction: 3-0

Expect another letdown for Magath's men against a Mainz squad playing their final game at the Bruchweg before the break.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Bundesliga Matchday 15 review

Friday night

St. Pauli v. Kaiserslautern

Prediction: 0-2
Actual result: 1-0

Who figured St. Pauli would wake up?

Saturday

Frankfurt v. Mainz

Prediction: 1-1
Actual result: 2-1

Late winner here for Gekas ruined our prediction.

Freiburg v. Hamburg

Prediction: 2-1
Actual result: 1-0

Hamburg predictably useless again.

VfB Stuttgart v. Hoffenheim

Prediction: 1-2
Actual result: 1-1

This would have been different had Vorsah not been sent off for the visitors in the first half.

VfL Wolfsburg v. Bremen

Prediction: 3-1
Actual result: 0-0

Possibly the most shocking result of the round, if only because it is hard to envision Bremen conjuring up a clean sheet. McClaren must go!

Borussia Monchengladbach v. Hannover 96

Prediction: 2-3
Actual result: 1-2

U.S. superstar Michael Bradley scores, but that's not enough for the worst side in the league.

Schalke 04 v. Bayern Munich

Prediction: 1-2
Actual result: 2-0

We probably should have realized Schalke would wake up for this fixture. Van Gaal concedes title hopes over for the champions.

Sunday

Leverkusen v. Koln

Prediction: 2-1
Actual result: 3-2

Fairly entertaining match between these sides.

Nurnberg v. Borussia Dortmund

Prediction: 1-1
Actual result: 0-2

There's no stopping the runaway table-toppers now. The race is over barring a catastrophe.

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Bundesliga Matchday 15 predictions

Friday night

St. Pauli v. Kaiserslautern

Prediction: 0-2

Playing in the Millerntor at night should be a challenge for any club, but St. Pauli are very poor while K-Town have been flying. We'll trust the team that has the more Hertha rejects between the two.

Saturday

Frankfurt v. Mainz

Prediction: 1-1

Frankfurt have shipped eight goals in their last two while Mainz are on the right track. Eintracht should be able to tighten things up at home.

Freiburg v. Hamburg

Prediction: 2-1

This just looks like the type of match Hamburg will lose the way they have underachieved.

VfB Stuttgart v. Hoffenheim

Prediction: 1-2

Ibisevic is in fine form for the visitors, who are starting to look like they can challenge for the Champions League places.

VfL Wolfsburg v. Bremen

Prediction: 3-1

Two dreadful sides, yet TBG doesn't believe a draw is in the cards. The Wolves' attack should be too much for a Bremen team merely making sure their heads stay above water.

Borussia Monchengladbach v. Hannover 96

Prediction: 2-3

Gladbach's capitulation to the league leaders last week was another blow to their hopes of staying up. Hannover enters with three wins on the trot.

Schalke 04 v. Bayern Munich

Prediction: 1-2

Felix Magath has his side in the knockout phase of the Champions League, but could they be headed for the drop? Facing Bayern coming off a 5-0 thrashing can't be a good thing.

Sunday

Leverkusen v. Koln

Prediction: 2-1

Leverkusen threw away a two-goal lead last week and that could have major psychological ramifications. Not this week, though.

Nurnberg v. Borussia Dortmund

Prediction: 1-1

Although Dortmund need to win at Sevilla to advance in the Europa League, the table-toppers have a margin for error within the league. Their perfect 7-0-0 away mark will finally end.