Soccer TV Schedule for the week of 7/17

Saturday (17th):
 - Women's U-20 World Cup: USA vs. Switzerland - 12pm - ESPNU
 - International Friendly: San Jose Earthquakes (USA) vs. Tottenham (ENG) - 4pm - ESPN
 - Women's U-20 World Cup: Ghana vs. South Korea - 5pm - ESPNU
 - Women's International Friendly: USA vs. Sweden - 7:30 - FSC - Second meeting in four days.
 - WPS: Boston Breakers vs. Washington Freedom - 5pm - FSC
 - MLS: DC United vs. LA Galaxy - 7pm - FSC

Sunday (18th):
 - International Friendly: Seattle Sounders (USA) vs. Celtic (SCO) - 3pm - ESPN

Tuesday (19th):
 - Women's U-20 World Cup: Germany vs. France - 1pm - ESPNU

Wednesday (21st):
 - Women's U-20 World Cup: USA vs. South Korea - 12pm - ESPN2
 - International Friendly: Philadelphia Union (USA) vs. Manchester United (ENG) - 7:30pm - ESPN2
 - International Friendly: Celtic (SCO) vs. Sporting Club (POR) - 8pm - FSC
 - Women's U-20 World Cup: Japan vs. England - 9pm - ESPNU
 - Women's U-20 World Cup: Ghana vs. Switzerland - 11pm - ESPNU

Thursday (22nd):
 - International Friendly: New York Red Bulls (USA) vs. Tottenham (ENG) - 8:30pm - FSC
 - MLS: LA Galaxy vs. San Jose Earthquakes - 10:30pm - ESPN2

Friday (23rd):

 - International Friendly: Sporting Club (POR) vs. Manchester City (ENG) - 8:30pm - FSC

New Format Coming Soon For The Free Kicks Report

I have decided to change the format of The Free Kicks Report in order to bring you more news, reports and opinions. Traditionally over the past year I have posted one post a day at about four to five days a week. I've enjoyed the writing the longer posts in order to discuss each of the weekend's results, talk about the current standings, and the latest news and rumors. However, I feel as though there are often times where multiple stories break each day that I would like to be able to update you on in shorter posts versus one long post. With that being said over the next week or two expect to see the format shift to 2-4 posts a day covering soccer news, transfer rumors, league results/standings, video games, etc.

Please feel free to leave me some feedback on what you think about this switch. Are there any topics you would like to see me cover that I traditionally do not? I expect to continue to cover the MLS, USSF D2, EPL, Serie A, UEFA, World Cup, etc.

New York Red Bulls sign French international Thierry Henry

"Stop the rumors about French forward Thierry Henry joining the New York Red Bulls. He's here. The 32-year-old former Arsenal and Barcelona player signed a multiyear contract on Wednesday and he is expected to make his Red Bulls' debut on July 22 in an exhibition against Premier League club Tottenham.


"Some people might think I am going to go there for vacation — I do actually go there for vacation — but it won't be for vacation this time," Henry said in a video interview on the club website. "I'm a competitor and I don't like to lose."

Henry was released by Barcelona last month after scoring just four goals last season. "This marks an exciting new chapter in my career and life," Henry said. Henry will be introduced at a news conference on Thursday at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N.J."

AP - Full Report

Theirry Henry will be formal announced tomorrow at a Red Bulls press conference and will be able to play his first match in a friendly against Tottenham next week. This is clearly the second biggest MLS signing of all time - behind Beckham - and a great post-World Cup move for the league. Depsite his hand ball incident and the French team's poor performance in South Africa, Henry has been one of the top players in the world for the past decade. I think he can make an immediate impact in NY with Juan Pablo Angel up top and could overtake the Crew for 1st place in the East with a win on Saturday. 

Thoughts and Predictions on the big signing?

US Open Cup Update

The US' oldest soccer tournament is down to five teams - with the last quarterfinal match scheduled for July 21st. With a ton of action over the past few weeks - World Cup & the MLS and several new tournaments about to kick off - CONCACAF Champions League & SuperLiga - the US Open Cup still remains in the background. This tournament has such great potential with its long history if it could just get more support from the MLS and get a TV contract. With that being said here is a recap of the 3rd and 4th rounds.

Final 16:

•  Harrisonburg City Islanders 1-0 New York Red Bulls
• DC United 2-0 Richmond Kickers
• Charleston Battery 0-0 Chicago Fire - Charleston 3-0 on penalties
• Columbus Crew 1-0 Rochester Rhinos
• Chivas USA 1-0 Austin Aztex
• Houston Dynamo 1-0 Miami FC
• LA Galaxy 2-0 AC St. Louis
• Seattle Sounders 1-1 Portland Timbers - Seattle 4-3 on penalties

Quarterfinals:

• Harrisonburg City Islanders vs. DC United - Scheduled for July 21st
• Columbus Crew 3-0 Charleston Battery
• Chivas USA 3-1 Houston Dynamo
• Seattle Sounders 2-0 LA Galaxy

Semi-Finals:

• Columbus Crew vs. Harrisonburg/DC United winner
• Chivas USA vs. Seattle Sounders

Of the remaining teams Columbus would look the clear favorite on paper, but the Crew are most likely to put forth the B-team in this tournament with the CONCACAF Champions League and MLS action on the schedule during the same weeks. Chivas and Seattle are also in additional tournaments of their own this summer, leaving DC United as the sole MLS club only focused on the Cup (in addition to league play). I think DC United will push forward if they make it to the final four as this is their best chance for hardware this year after a horrible start in the MLS. 

Thoughts? Predictions? 

MLS Table Update as of 7/12/10

 - Past week's results:

• Two late week match-ups saw defending champions, Real Salt Lake top Chicago 1-0 and Toronto extended their unbeaten run to eight matches against Colorado with a 1-0 victory.
• San Jose 2-1 Philadelphia - The Union tried to follow up their great stadium opening win over Seattle with another over the visiting Earthquakes. They got the early goal and everything seemed to be going smoothly. As the game built San Jose's confidence grew and a stoppage time goal stole 3 points for the West coast team. 
• New England 2-0 LA Galaxy - The big upset of the week as the struggled Revolution stunned the MLS league leaders by two. On the road and without Donovan definitely hurt LA, but on the whole their defense still played a great games. The Galaxy's offensive spark was not the same this weekend and need to bounce back quickly as RSL is charging fast. 
• DC United 0-0 New York Red Bulls - NY had several good chances in a mostly lackluster match-up. The big news surrounding this game had more to do with the pending announcement of Thierry Henry joining the Red Bulls than the action on the field. 
• Columbus 0-0 Houston - These two sides should be able to put on a better performance will so many quality players on the field. Three shots on goal - total - for both clubs combined. The Crew can fall back on the fact that they were on the road and leading the East, but Houston needed to win this game (I'm looking at you Brian Ching and that tap in miss). 
• Chivas USA 2-0 Kansas City - Chivas' first win in eight matches against another of the league's bottom clubs. The Goats have always had the talent to compete and score week in and week out, but usually can't control the game. Two Justin Braun goals picked apart a soft Wizard defensive. 
• Seattle 1-1 FC Dallas - The Sounders are still winless against the Western conference and it took a wonder strike from Ferreira to save a point for Dallas. Seattle started a very young line-up, got the early goal and dominated play until a red card in the second half - perhaps a casualty of that youth. Ferreira now has four goals in the last five matches and is a forming a great strike force with Brek Shea and Jeff Cunningham. 

 - Current MLS Table:

• East: NY (26) missed a golden opportunity to catch Columbus (28) this week by not putting away DC United, and everyones expectations will only grow as the season continues with the big announcement scheduled for later this week. Toronto (22) and Chicago (17) are both quality MLS sides when all the pieces and health issues come together. While the playoff spots seem rather set even half way through the season, Philadelphia continues to impress as a young club with a new stadium and could be a contender next year. 
• West: The LA loss closes the gap between them at the champs (RSL) to 6 points and an extra game played, but make no mistake about it - these two teams are far away the leaders in the West at 36 and 30 points respectively. Dallas's latest win created a three way tie for 3rd with Colorado and San Jose at 22 points. Seattle (16) are dangerously close to becoming the bottom of the West and continue to be a major disappointment for their fans and the MLS in general. 

Thoughts?

Soccer TV Schedule for the week of 7/10

While this week is obviously headlined by the mecca of soccer games, it actually is shaping up to be a good week of action. Saturday we have the 3rd place match-up, a MLS game and a great international friendly set to take place at the Rose Bowl. Sunday the world will be watching as either the Netherlands or Spain wins its first ever World Cup trophy. Tuesday night, the #1 ranked USA Women's National Team takes on Sweden in a friendly, which leads into a double header on Wednesday in the U-20 Women's World Cup. Thursday night is the standard MLS game of the week and we wrap it up with Manchester United vs. Celtic as the Red Devils start their US tour. 

Saturday (10th):
 - World Cup: Third Place Match - Germany vs. Uruguay - 2pm - ABC
 - MLS: San Jose Earthquakes vs. Philadelphia Union - 5:30pm - FSC
 - Friendly: Cruz Azul vs. Club America - 10pm - FSC

Sunday (11th):
 - World Cup: Final - Netherlands vs. Spain - 1:30pm - ABC
 - WPS: FC Gold Pride vs. Washington Freedom - 6pm - FSC

Tuesday (13th):
 - International Friendly (Women): USA vs. Sweden - 9pm - ESPN

Wednesday (14th):
 - Women's U-20 World Cup: USA vs. Ghana - 12pm - ESPNU
 - Women's U-20 World Cup: Switzerland vs. South Korea - 6pm - ESPNU

Thursday (15th): 
 - MLS: DC United vs. Seattle Sounders - 8pm - ESPN2

Friday (16th):
 - International Friendly: Manchester United vs. Celtic - 7pm - ESPN2

Besides the obvious, which match are you looking forward to the most?

World Cup 2010 Analysis: Semi-Finals

Netherlands 3-2 Uruguay:
 - By far the more entertaining match of the two semi-finals as the Dutch continued their perfect record through the 2010 World Cup. Van Bronckhorst opened the scoring with a thunderbolt which is my pick for the goal of the tournament. That goal helped the Netherlands reach their 3rd World Cup Final, which they hope will turn into their first victory. Uruguay took the to the back foot early in the match allowing Robben and company to always have the advantage, but were able to keep the game interesting. With captain Lugano out due to injury and Suarez serving a one match ban due his 'game-winning' hand-ball, Uruguay lacked enough skill players to take their game to the Dutch. While not the Orange force from the 70s and 80s, the Netherlands continue to build into a stronger team each match and will back at full strength on Sunday.

Spain 1-0 Germany:
 - Spain found the best way to stop Germany's strong offensive during this World Cup by simply maintaining your own attack. Spain reaches their first World Cup Final guaranteeing us a new world - the 8th overall. The Germans were out-shot 13-to-5 but just didn't seem to be on the same page to link together their passes and scare Spain. Germany however become an early top 3 or 4 selection for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil with a very young and talented side. All but 4 players on their current squad have a chance to be on the team again in four years. Spain is just one game from completing a remarkable two year run which could see them as cup holders for the European Finals and the World Cup.

Who do I want to win: Netherlands - While both have never won before, the Netherlands over the course of history have faired better in WC play and deserve this title more. Plus Spain has the Euro 2008 title.

Who do I think will win: Spain (2-1)

Thoughts? Predictions?

MLS Table Update as of 7/6/10

 - Past week's results:

• Toronto 1-1 Houston - A fairly slow match at BMO until the 62nd minute when a double red card left a 10-on-10 affair. Two goals off headers coming from a corner, Toronto extended their undefeated streak to 7 and continues to pick up critical points at home. Showing the signs of a true playoff club. 
• Real Salt Lake 5-0 New England - A true Portugal/North Korea reenactment. Four different goal scorers led the way for RSL who out shot the Revolution 24 to 4. Even more impressive was the 18 to 1 difference in shots on goal. RSL are the main competition to LA this season. New England's fourth loss in their last five matches will only get harder with a home match against the Galaxy up next. 
• Columbus 2-1 Chicago - Columbus wanted a tighter score line so they decided to score a 3rd on the night, in their own goal. Both teams looked dangerous and had chances but the Crew are able to put theirs away, which is why they are the top of the East year in and year out. Nyarko seems to have the skills for a breakout player in the MLS but is missing that final touch a few times. 
• Dallas 1-0 Kansas City - A PK was the difference on the night and not much to comment on for these two clubs at the moment. 
• Chivas USA 1-1 Philadelphia - Philadelphia have truly stepped into Seattle's role as the new, exciting brand of soccer to watch this season. Good young players paired with guys tossed aside from their squads in the off-season, while maybe not quite a playoff team yet, Philly are building a good foundation and already have one of the better home environments. 
• Colorado 1-1 New York - Juan Pablo Angel knocked in his 9th goal of the season (2nd best in the MLS) to save a point for the Red Bulls. New York continues to take steps forward as a quality side and have 10 points in their last 4 games. The Rapids are quietly sitting 3rd in the West and could end up being last year's RSL. 
• LA Galaxy 3-1 Seattle - A strong defense, good counter attack and skilled players were the recipe for 3 points on Sunday night, much like the rest of the season for LA. Adding Landon and Edson back into this side make them almost unbeatable with Ricketts in goal. It will be interesting to see if Donovan moves in the transfer window and what LA does when Beckham is healthy. Seattle has now lost 4 out of the last 5 - what is happening here?

 - Current MLS Table:

• East: Who would have guessed nearly half way through the 2010 season the New York Red Bulls would have more than double the points than half of the Eastern conference? Despite the draw NY remains in 2nd at 25 points just behind Columbus (27). Toronto (19) sits just ahead of Chicago (17) in the final playoff spot. I don't expect any of the bottom 4 in the east (Kansas City, Philly, New England, and DC) to make a 2nd half run into the playoffs due to injuries and a talent gap. 
• West: Can we just go ahead and hold the semi-finals this season to see the LA and RSL re-match? The US national players Donovan/Buddle and Findley return in stride to the Galaxy (36) and Real (27), respectively, to help continue their impressive runs. The middle of the West still seems a week-by-week affair as teams continue to impress and falter in consecutive matches. Toward's the bottom of the table, Seattle have already lost more games this year - 8 - than all of their inaugural 2009 season. 

Thoughts? 

EPL 2010-11 Season Preview: Schedule

With the World Cup entering its last week the focus will start to shift to the transfer window for the upcoming European season. In fact, we are now less than 6 weeks away from the kick-off of the 2010-2011 EPL season. Over the next few weeks I will be doing a few features getting you ready for the new campaign as Chelsea try to defend their title by taking a look at the schedule, transfers, newly promoted clubs, predictions and more. This week lets take a look at the first month of action scheduled and highlight a few key match-ups.

August 14th, 2010:
 - Arsenal vs. Liverpool - Hardly a better way to start a new season than two power houses facing off. This match-up could see one or more World Cup winners involved with the Dutch and Spain both into the semi-finals.
 - Tottenham vs. Manchester City - This duo slugged it out for the 4th spot in the EPL last year with the Spurs edging out City for a place in the UEFA Champions League. Expect both teams to re-load with new players in the weeks to come and renew this rivalry.
 - Manchester United vs. Newcastle United - Newcastle makes its return to the EPL after a one year absence and coming of a Football League Championship. How will Manchester United respond to losing their title after a 3 year reign and how will Wayne Rooney come back from a dreadful World Cup?

August 21st, 2010:
 - Manchester City vs. Liverpool - ManCity was one of three clubs to push Liverpool out of their normal finishing position amongst the top 4. With a new manager, no Champions League action and rumors that they could Gerrard and/or Torres this is not a good time to start the season off with two hungry and talented competitors. ManCity could establish themselves as contenders with two early wins over the Spurs and Liverpool.
 - Fulham vs. Manchester United - Fulham have lost their coach, but did make a strong run to the Europa League Final despite finishing 12th in the league. Fulham will look to pull off an early season upset at Craven Cottage against a ManU that might still be reforming with new players and recovering from injuries.

August 28th, 2010:
 - Everton vs. Aston Villa - Two top 8 sides that have been working hard the past few seasons to crack into the elusive EPL 'big four'. Both sides fell less than 10 points behind 4th place Tottenham and will see this as a key early season match-up to gain the advantage. Everton finished their last three months of the season without a loss and will look to continue that strong streak.
 - Chelsea vs. Stoke City - The champions should get off to a great start with their toughest of their first action in August coming against Stoke City (11th last year). Drogba should be back in good form along side a newly crafted Chelsea side that has dropped some age and added new talent. Stoke will be looking to continue their slow climb up the EPL table.

September 11th, 2010:
 - Everton vs. Manchester United - Manchester United doesn't have any highly difficult match-ups in the first month of action, but none of their games shall be push-overs either. A road trip against Everton could be a place where the Red Devils drop early season points. Everton still have all of their key players from last season and the rumors of a Landon Donovan move will linger until the end of the transfer window after his successful loan spell last season.
 - Birmingham vs. Liverpool - Last year's Cinderella team went from newly promoted to top half of the table with a 9th place finish. A good core carried forward from last year has this team primed for an upset over a waving Liverpool. On the other hand Liverpool will want to reaffirm its dominance over the most recently successful clubs with a clear victory.

Soccer TV Schedule for the week of 7/3

The 2010 World Cup edges closer to the finale as the quarter finals wrap up this weekend headlined by Argentina and Germany. Then the semi-finals are schedule for the mid-week, as it all leads up to the Cup Final next weekend. The MLS is back in full swing and is all over the television schedule this week with a double header tomorrow night on FSC, then a bonus ESPN game between LA and Seattle to celebrate the 4th.

Saturday (3rd):
 - World Cup: Quarterfinal - Argentina vs. Germany - 10am - ABC
 - World Cup: Quarterfinal - Spain vs. Paraguay - 2:30pm - ABC
 - MLS: Chicago Fire vs. Columbus Crew - 7:30pm - FSC
 - MLS: Chivas USA vs. Philadelphia Union - 10pm - FSC

Sunday (4th):
 - MLS: LA Galaxy vs. Seattle Sounders - 10:30pm - ESPN2

Wednesday (6th): 
 - World Cup: Semi-Final - Netherlands vs. Ghana/Uruguay - 2:30pm - ESPN

Thursday (7th): 

 - World Cup: Semi-Final - Argentina/Germany Winner vs. Spain/Paraguay Winner - 2:30pm - ESPN

 - MLS: Real Salt Lake vs. Chicago Fire - 9:30pm - ESPN2