We hadn't done one of these in a good while, but we are doing one today. Let's begin with line-up issues:
- Michael Bradley is not dressed today. If I recall correctly, Prem squads can be registered two over the 18 that suit up, and... there ya go. Kinda surprised, myself.
- Steve Cherundolo, Clint Dempsey, Brad Friedel, Brad Guzan, Stuart Holden, Tim Howard and Jermaine Jones are all in their respective line-ups, as you'd expect. In addition, Eddie Johnson also starts for Preston. All the English matches referenced thus far are about to start.
- Speaking of 'Dolo, Hannover are up 1-0 on derby rivals Wolfsburg after only four minutes, thanks to a sex bob-omb by Sergio Pinto. Seriously, wait 'til you see this one.
- Quick FYI: Neither Freddy Adu nor Jozy Altidore made debuts on Friday night. Rizespor suffered a 1-0 home defeat to slip to fourth, while Bursaspor took a tentative hold on first place with a 2-1 home victory.
Check back in through the day for updates at your leisure (or intense, frothing thirst for knowledge, if you insist). From here, we go to the ol' time stamp...
10.01 AM ET - All the English matches are underway.
10.05 - Bolton are hit with an extraordinarily harsh penalty call. Rafi van der Vaart brings home the bacon, Spurs 1-0.
10.07 - Mere seconds later, Aaron Lennon wins another spot kick for this hosts. After a successful first try is clownishly canceled for encroachment (which has only happened from both sides on every penalty ever), Van der Vaart misses the one that will count wide.
10.14 - Brads Friedel (Aston Villa) and Guzan (Hull) have each been staked to a 1-0 lead. However, Preston are down 1-0 to Bristol. Paging Grown Ass Man...
10.23 - Howard and Everton are now up 1-0, as are Jones and Blackburn thanks to reported MLS target Jason Roberts. Hannover's 1-0 lead is safe into the break.
10.26 - Elmander has struck the post for Bolton, who still trail 1-0.
10.28 - Jones
should have put Rovers up two, but somehow nodded over from the doorstep.
10.35 - Stinky Wigan (a ka Preston North End's "F-word") have evened things up with Rovers, 1-1.
10.40 - Alex Baptiste has beaten Howard for Blackpool, 1-1 there. Meanwhile, Zak Whitbread and Norwich are now down 1-0 at Burnley. And as an FYI, Preston are playing 4-3-3 with Johnson as the #9.
10.53 - All the English games we're watching have gone to halftime. Just before the break, Everton had what looked to be a proper goal called back and Eddie Johnson had a couple of good looks at goals. Here are the scores:
Aston Villa 1-0 FulhamEverton 1-1 BlackpoolTottenham 1-0 BoltonWigan 1-1 Blackburn R.Burnley 1-0 NorwichPreston 0-1 Bristol CityScunthorpe 0-1 Hull10.59 - Stindl whiffs on a glorious chance to put Hannover up two with the keeper adrift, it's still 1-0 in the 73rd minute.
11.03 - By the way, second place Bayer and third place Bayern are losing, so this could be a very profitable day for Hannover.
11.10 - The English games are back on, and we have goals. Saha's second has Everton up 2-1, Rodallega has put Wigan up on Blackburn by the same score and Andy Johnson has beaten Friedel on a rebound to pull Fulham level 1-1.
11.13 - Sturridge brings Bolton level on the break, though Gomes should have had it. Hull, who are trying to run their unbeaten streak to five, have gone up 2-0 near the hour.
11.16 - Young ace James McCarthy has his second of the day and Wigan are now up 3-1 over Rovers. Also, Diego has missed a PK for Wolfsburg with 10 minutes left.
11.17 - Bolton, who ceded two spot kicks in the first 10 minutes today, have an obvious spot kick denied - and Cahill is booked for diving. What fresh nonsense.
11.19 - U.S. #'s 1 & 2 Howard and Guzan concede almost simultaneously. Everton 2-2 with Blackpool, Hull still lead 2-1 at Scunthorpe.
11.24 - More action: Jenas has hit the bar on a free kick and Pienaar was stuffed at close range by Jaskeleinen, then Holden almost sends Elmander free at the other end. Meanwhile, Charlie Adam has Blackpool up 3-2 at Everton and Wigan have traded goals with Blackburn to make it 4-2. Also, Bristol are now up 2-0 on Preston.
11.26 - Hannover have backed a 1-0 derby victory into the garage. And not only did Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich lose, but Mainz allowed a late equalizer to Werder Bremen. Thus, the Reds have climbed to fourth, level on points with third and two points shy of second. A fine moving day, indeed.
11.31 - Young Villa right back Walker (a ka Lichaj competition) has put the hosts up 2-1 on 73 minutes with a surprise cracker. Dempsey has been rather quiet so far today...
11.33 - Preston 0, Bristol now 3. Ugh. Stay strong, Eddie.
11.36 - And as soon as say that about Deuce, he scores with a powerful header!!! Villa 2, Fulham 2. Also, Saha's hat trick has Everton level again, 3-3.
11.39 - In lightning fashion, Beckford has Everton up 4-3. Also, Guzan and Hull now lead 3-1.
11.42 - FYI: Dempsey's goal was his ninth of the Prem season and 10th across all competitions this term, both new career highs. It also lifted him into a tie for sixth place on the EPL goal chart and was his first ever goal against Friedel.
11.44 - Holden makes a huge block in the box for Bolton, then departs for Muamba with three minutes and change left.
11.49 - Friedel stonewalls Andy Johnson at point blank range just before added time begins to jeep things level.
11.50 - More fun! Saha's fourth makes it 5-3 Everton, David Dunn's PK for Rovers has set up a grandstand finish from 4-3 at Wigan, Hull are now up 4-1 and Norwich have fallen behind again at Burnley. And get this... after going down to visiting Arsenal 3-0 in the first 10 and then 4-0, Newcastle have hit four times in 19 minutes to make it 4-4.
11.52 - It seems Kranjcar has won it for Spurs near the death, it's 2-1 with not long left.
11.57 - All of our English games have gone final - this should be a very entertaining Match of the Day show tonight. The scores:
Aston Villa 2-2 FulhamEverton 5-3 BlackpoolTottenham 2-1 BoltonWigan 4-3 Blackburn R.Burnley 2-1 NorwichPreston 0-4 Bristol CityScunthorpe 1-5 HullA few notes on all this: Samba missed an absolute sitter equalizer for Rovers by heading over in stoppage time... if what I have is correct, an active Johnson had three of Preston's eight shots and had another blocked off the foot (which does not count in the stats), but none of them made the target... if what I have is correct, Guzan had five saves.
I'm going to have a nice break now, but I'll be back in a couple of hours to bring updates on the Anderlecht and St-Etienne matches from whence they came.
--
Who needs new desktop wallpaper? Click the pic for full size.
--
1.22 PM ET - And we're back. Bocanegra starts, as usual, and St-Etienne are up 1-0 at Montpellier midway through the first (currently seventh, a win tonight could take them as high as third) . Meanwhile, Kljestan starts on the bench for league leaders Anderlecht, kickoff in about 40.
1.35 - Riviere's second of the evening has Les Verts up 2-0 on 36 minutes.
1.56 - It's halftime at Montpellier, with Bocanegra's boys still up 2-0. Anderlecht about to get underway. I must say, I'm quite surprised Kljestan is not starting after the departure of Jan Polak to Wolfsburg.
2.08 - Both games underway.
2.16 - I must have missed it, stepping out a moment or something, because Bocanegra was booked earlier. That is his second game in a row with a yellow card after going 36 straight for St-Etienne and Rennes without one.
2.38 - Anderlecht heading toward the break, while St-Etienne are into the final 10 minutes.
2.44 - Hold the phone, Les Verts supporters: Montpellier have one back with four minutes left and it's now 2-1.
2.51 - St-Etienne have closed it out, as 2-1 win takes them tentatively up to fourth place. Meanwhile, Anderlecht are still scoreless with Sint-Truiden at halftime, making it 173 minutes since their last goal - all played without Kljestan.
3.06 - Just out of the break, Kanu fires Anderlecht ahead 1-0.
3.26 - Suarez puts Anderlecht up 2-0. They've not used a sub yet.
3.44 - Kljestan on for the final six minutes plus stoppage time.
3.53 - Anderlecht have won, 2-0.
That's all for me today. I'm going to get some sleep for tomorrow's short trip to Utrecht. Have a good one.
- Greg Seltzer
Posts
