Sport Soccer is the Right Choice

Premier League Preview: Arsenal Vs Wigan

admin — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:05:51 +0000

Premier League match time dawns at the Emirates Stadium as Arsenal get ready to host Wigan on January 22 in match week 24.

This is a second leg meeting between the sides, this season; the first that was played in Wigan’s home ground, the DW Stadium, on December 29, 2010, was a 2-2 draw. The game exposed the Gunners’ porous defence, as the hosts went into the lead on 18 minutes, off a penalty taken by Watson, after N’Zogbia was brought down by Koscielny.

Arsenal drew level on the back of Arshavin’s strike in the 39th minute, and appeared heading for a comfortable victory when Bendtner put them ahead 5 minutes later, off an assist from Arshavin. Squillaci’s own goal on 81 minutes brought the hosts level, and a point from a game the Latics were not expected to win.

While Wigan would have been happy with the result, for Arsenal it was a poor game on many counts. Inexplicably, Wenger made 8 changes to the squad that had beaten champions Chelsea in their previous game.

Apart from a weak back-line, the Gunners were also less effective in midfield. Djourou would have been a better alternative to Squillaci in defence. Likewise, having Denilson in midfield did not translate into better control for Wenger’s men.

There was no holding midfielder and that meant that Arshavin was pushed back into a defensive mould, a role he does not relish; Arsenal missed the services of Clichy and Johan.

Wenger was also peeved with a handball from Wigan in the penalty area on 89 minutes that referee Wilson chose to ignore. But in the end, Wigan deserved a point from the game for their perseverance.

Head to head, in 8 league meetings between the sides, the Gunners have established a 5-1 advantage over the Latics.

In their last 5 league games, Arsenal have won 3 while drawing the remaining 2; Wigan have had 1 win and 3 draws while losing the one remaining game in their last 5.

Arsenal have had a reasonably good home record this season with 6 of 10 games won, while losing 3 and drawing the one. Wigan’s away record has been less impressive, with 2 wins in 10 games on the road, while drawing and losing 4 games each.

In their latest game away against West Ham in match week 23, Arsenal won by a 3-0 margin; Wigan’s last game at home against Fulham ended in a 1-1 stalemate.

On current form, Arsenal should prevail over Wigan, on January 22.

Arsenal’s starting eleven against West Ham had Szczesny, Eboue, Djourou, Koscielny, Clichy, Song, Wilshere, Walcott, Fabregas, Nasri and Van Persie. Denilson, Arshavin and Gibbs were used as substitutes.

Premier League Predictions For January 15

admin — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:05:36 +0000

Match week 23 is upon us, and with it comes a full schedule of six matches and hopefully a flood of goals. Here are my predictions for each of the games with the expected score-lines:

Match 1: Chelsea Vs Blackburn

Head to head: Chelsea enjoy a 12-2 lead over Blackburn in 20 league games played between the sides over the last 10 years.

Current form: In their last 10 games, this season, the Blues have won just 2, with 4 draws and 4 losses. Blackburn have won 5 of their last 10 games, while drawing one and losing the rest.

Last performance: Chelsea lost 1-0 to Wolves away at Molineux; Blackburn beat Liverpool 3-1 at home.

Predicted Result: Chelsea to win; Predicted Score: 2-0

Match 2: Man City Vs Wolves

Head to head: In 13 league games between the sides, Wolves have registered a 7-4 lead over Man City.

Current form: In their last 10 games, this season, Mancini’s men have won 6, while losing just once. Wolves have won 4 and lost 6 of their City have won 6 of their last 10 games, in the Premiership.

Last performance: Wolves beat Chelsea 1-0 at home; Man City drew 0-0 away at Arsenal.

Predicted Result: Man City to win; Predicted Score: 3-0

Match 3: Stoke Vs Bolton

Head to head: Bolton have won 3 of their last 5 games against Stoke while losing one and drawing the remaining.

Current form: Stoke have won 5, and lost 3 of their last 10 league games, while drawing the remaining 2. Bolton have won and lost 4 each of their last 10, while drawing the rest.

Last performance: Stoke lost 2-1 away to Manchester United; Bolton drew Wigan 1-1 at home.

Predicted Result: Stoke to win; Predicted Score: 2-1

Match 4: West Brom Vs Blackpool

Head to head: West Brom enjoy a 4-1 advantage over Blackpool in 5 league games played between the sides.

Current form: In their last 10 games, West Brom have won 2, while losing 7 and drawing the rest. Blackpool have won 4 of their last 10 games while drawing 3 and losing the remainder.

Last performance: Albion lost 3-0 away to Fulham, Blackpool lost 2-1 at home to Birmingham.

Predicted Result: Blackpool to win; Predicted Score: 2-0

Match 5: Wigan Vs Fulham

Head to head: In the last 11 league matches played between the sides, Fulham have established a 4-2 lead over Wigan.

Current form: Wigan have won 2 of their last 10 league games while losing 3 and drawing the rest. Fulham have lost 5 of their last 10, while drawing 3 and winning 2

Last performance: Wigan drew 1-1 away at Bolton; Fulham beat West Brom 3-0 at home.

Predicted Result: Draw; Predicted Score: 1-1

Match 6: West Ham Vs Arsenal

Head to head: Arsenal have had a dominant 11-4 lead in the last 20 league games between the squads.

Current form: In their last league games, West Ham have won 3, while drawing 3 and losing 4. Arsenal have won 6 of their last 10, while losing and drawing 2 each.

Last performance: West Ham lost 5-0 away at Newcastle; Arsenal drew 0-0 at home with Man City.

Predicted Result: Arsenal to win; Predicted Score: 2-0

Match 7: Birmingham Vs Aston Villa

Head to head: Villans have established a 6-4 lead over the Blues in the last 13 games between the sides.

Current form: Birmingham have won 3 of 10 games hosted while drawing 5 and losing the remaining 2. Aston Villa, entrenched in the relegation zone, in 18th position, have won just one of their 10 games on the road, while losing 7 and drawing 2.

Last performance: Birmingham won 2-1 away at Blackpool; Villa lost 1-0 at home to Sunderland.

Predicted Result: Birmingham to win; Predicted Score: 2-1

The Structure of Soccer in the United States

admin — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:05:25 +0000

Recently I wrote about the structure of soccer in the USA and the fact that there was no clearly defined path for youth clubs to follow. Another problem is that, as a Director of Coaching, you have no backing unless a board comprised of parents supports you. The problem with this is that most parents are interested in their child and his/her team, so there is almost always an angle.

Parents want their children to have a positive experience, so winning is highly valued. Player development takes a back seat, because if a team is not winning the players leave to find another club with a better team. This is especially true with smaller clubs where the talent pool is shallow.

I think it would be so much easier to keep players, if there was a place to send your special talent on a regular basis to train without cost. The Olympic Development Program (ODP) really only identifies players, who can afford to tryout. If you make the team, then it cost more money to participate. The USSF Academy Programs cost $2500.00 and you first have to tryout to be identified.

The youth club also has a charge attached to it, so we are not much better, but we try to find a place for everyone to play. We try to develop players despite pressures from parents about playing time, winning games, playing in tournaments to showcase their children. What they fail to realize is that it takes time to produce players. There is, therefore, a hindrance to player development with the current structure of youth clubs, because job security at the club level is predicated on parental satisfaction.

Club Directors last an average of 23 months. They are voted out by a board who wish to go in a different direction, or they fold to the unrealistic demands of parents. This is why I say there is no backing. Directors should have to answer to subsidiary of the USSF. We should also be paid by USSF because we are dealing with talent at the grass roots level and this is where the next special player will come from, if developed properly.

The current system is looking for players at the age of 15 and older. By this time it is too late, if players have not been in a training environment conducive to development. More time, respect and funding showed be allocated to the youth system. The national team coaches have all said that we must do a better job developing players, because the national team players are deficient technically and tactically.

The Right Choice Of Soccer Training Equipment Can Help You Play Better

admin — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:05:14 +0000

Soccer training equipment can make a considerable amount of difference in the quality of soccer you play. A company like Adidas with so many years of selling experience needed a Loughborough University as research partners to design the infamous “Jabulani” soccer ball which was used in the World Cup. Even with so much research and care taken to offer the best ball, there were controversies, and many great players had asked for a change in the ball. You have to give due importance to your kit – period.

Soccer is a highly technical sport that demands a great deal from a player to rise up the rungs. It is a progressive game, and players have to understand about their kit. They need to know what they have to add to their soccer training equipment and what is to be discarded. The best way to go about it is to understand two essential components; one is what and how to complete the soccer kit, and the second is to understand what would be a vital addition that can make you a better player.

Some Essential Guidelines When Buying A Soccer Kit

A simple rule of thumb is to try out new technology products released by big brands from online soccer stores. There is very little risk, and quality is not an issue at all. The best part of the deal is that you are likely to get matching T-shirts, cleats, soccer ball, shorts, and stockings. It essentially completes the kit you would need to start professional soccer. Additional items indoor soccer shoes, or portable goals can be bought if required.

Items That Make A Difference In The Soccer Kit

It is not difficult to understand that soccer players have a definite preference in say the best soccer shoes or cleats available. If a pair of soccer shoes released from a leading brand is not tested, a player may miss out on the chance to reduce the learning curve. The ideal way to go about it is to test those shoes when you need to buy a new pair, either because you have outgrown the earlier pair of they just wore out. You need to, of course, ensure the shoes are lighter than the ones you earlier had. Complete soccer training equipment can be bought at online soccer stores in one go to completely do away with the problem of mismatch. A major advantage is that you would always find the latest on offer or get exactly what you need at massive discounts.

Soccer Shooting Techniques

admin — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:05:02 +0000

Some people possess a natural goal scoring skill, an uncanny ability to know where the goal is and can take that awe-inspiring shot without looking at the goal. However scoring goals is one thing that takes work and becoming an expert at several forms of soccer shots can help any player be a natural goal scorer. This informative article will talk about some of the several types of soccer shots like the full volley, half-volley, instep, and swerve shot.

The full volley can certainly produce a strong shot which is usually very hard to save. This shot may be very challenging get on goal but if so, it is very effective. You need to hit the ball correctly and in right moment. If you fail to do so, the ball will often end 20 yards behind the goal. This kind of shot is ideal when you experience several opponents running in your direction as the ball is falling from the sky. Perhaps the most common situation is when the ball is cleared away from a corner kick and you’re positioned about 5-10 yards from your penalty box line.

A half volley is like the full volley except that you will first get control on the ball and then fire the shot. This is also why a half volley can be a better solution for long range shots because you are able to receive, aim and fire the shot while the opponents are not really prepared. However, remember that beating the keeper with a 30 yard shot really requires a great deal of skill. But, I’ve seen people score goals from 70 yard using the half volley so it is possible. Like with almost every other soccer shot it’s not necessary to overdo it. Instead, try it twice but not in excess of three times per game.

A goalkeeper’s most difficult nightmare is known as the swerve shot. This particular shot will swerve once you fire it and to save it requires a great deal of effort. However, learning how to execute a swerving shot is actually difficult and not many players across the world can perform it in high tempo. However, you should still practice it and try it out in real games because failure is vital to success.