French Soccer Star Thierry Henry Comes To The MLS
Titi
Thierry Henry, the French striker who last played for the Spanish league champions F.C. Barcelona, has made it offical and signed a contract to join the Red Bulls as a designated player. Henry will make his Red Bull debut on July 22 against the English club Tottenham Hotspur.
One of the best to ever hit the pitch, at least in my opinion
World Cup: France vs Mexico Preview
TALENT
The highlighted match of the day is France taking on Mexico but most of the focus will be on France’s coach Raymond Domenech to see if he can earn a 2010 World Cup paycheck. France in their opening match against Uruguay looked unorganized, easily jaded, and of course the unusual call of sitting of Florent Malouda and Thierry Henry and playing instead Sidney Govou. Mexico however was involved in an emotional World Cup opener against the host country and South Africa that ended in a draw. Both France and Mexico currently sit 3 points behind Uruguay who picked up a win against South Africa yesterday.
Even with all the criticism of Domenech he still stands one win away from becoming France’s all-time winningest coach eclipsing Michel Hidalgo and his 41 victories. This matchup could rest on the footwork of midfielder Franck Ribery who will need to be on the attack from the start as Mexico has the tendency to let the opposition break them.
Mexico’s coach Javier Aguirre could choose to throw his wingbacks forward to try and isolate Ribery. Gerardo Torrado has to do a better job of controlling the midfield unlike the performance their against South Africa. Torrado can break the match open with the right choices picking out Giovani dos Santos, Carlos Vela or Guillermo Franco.
Because both opening matches in group A finished in ties, this matchup can not send either side packing before the third round of games. France has a history of success on its side versus Mexico. Les Bleus are 5-0-1 against El Tri, though they haven’t met in the World Cup since 1966. Most recently, France won 1-0 in a 2006 home friendly.
PICK: Mexico
World Cup: Uruguay vs France Preview
TALENT
For four years soccer fans have waited for the first day of the World Cup and as South Africa and Mexico will kickoff the show this matchup of Uruguay and France will take a backseat only in anticipation. France once again lines its team with some of the biggest names in soccer while Uruguay is an all out attack squad which could lead for plenty of drama on the pitch.
If France wins this encounter it would be their 42nd victory with Raymond Domenech in charge, making him the country’s most successful coach as he tackles his final tournament before Laurent Blanc takes over. However a loss and they might be starting the Blanc regime sooner than later. In this particular matchup France will have to rely heavy on defenders William Gallas and Eric Abidal. In addition they have Thierry Henry who may have lost some of his quickness on the pitch but hasn’t lost a beat in this writers heart.
Uruguay will use their share of Diego Forlan and Luis Suarez to exploit any openings in France’s defense as they are two of the best pairings in South Africa. Midfielder Walter Gargano adds a triple threat to the already dangerous pair. There are shades of a circumstantial mismatch here, made worse if Gallas fancies the opposition box as he’s apt to do.
Uruguay may not have scored a goal in 44 years against the French but there are shades of mismatches here the will ultimately comedown to the matchup of Forlan vs Gallas. France is in the habit of picking up wins by simply stepping onto the pitch however Uruguay has all the potential to be one of the 2010 World Cup surprising teams.
PICK: Uruguay
Robert Pires Wont Play For Philadelphia Union Because Their In Philly
GREAT GREAT Show
Its not always sunny in Philadelphia former Villarreal midfielder Robert Pires says that he’d rather not play for MLS Philadelphia Union because it’s Philadelphia.
“It does not please me to [go to Philadelphia]. I do not want to be difficult, but if I had to take my family away, I’d rather do it in a beautiful city. Otherwise, I will put an end to my career.”
Pires isn’t down on all of America though, he thinks fellow Frenchman Thierry Henry’s likely move to the New York Red Bulls is a good one, saying “I wish him to go there. That is a beautiful city.”
Take that Philly fan.
Jay Z Interested In Buying The Arsenal Gunners?
He Is A BUSINESS Man
English soccer teams must be the new hot thing for rap moguls. Diddy looking to invest in the Crystal Palace, an English Premier League team, must have set something off in Jay-Z because now he’s also thinking about investing in the Arsenal Gunners.
Hova says he’s been a Gunners supporter since Thierry Henry left North London as the top goal-scorer of all time and has remained a fan despite Henry’s move to Barcelona of the Spanish La Liga. Already a part owner of the New Jersey Nets, Jay likes the possibility of adding a soccer franchise to his ever-expanding portfolio.
“I don’t know a lot about the business of soccer,” he said, “but in the future if the right opportunity presented itself, then who knows? I am a businessman, and I will always look at an opportunity, and if it feels right, great.”
Ever the generous one, Jay added, “I don’t know if there are any Jay-Z fans in the current team but if there are they would be more than welcome to come to my next concert when I am over in London. They can come and see me do my work, and then I will come and see them do their work.”
Who knows if anything will materialize, but since Jay-Z is worth an estimated $500 million, anything is possiblllllllllle.
When Will FIFA & Calvin Casey Address Replay?
The World Cup can be argued as the biggest sporting event in the world only matched maybe by the Olympics. So why is FIFA ‘handing’ it’s qualifiers a spot on it’s biggest stage this day in age of Television and the Internet as it did in a qualify between France and Ireland?
Do you think it’s about time to FIFA finally added replay Thierry Henry? “Oui.”
2010 World Cup Without Thierry Henry?
Personal Favorite
Two days before France’s make-or-break World Cup qualifier in Serbia French striker Thierry Henry launched an attack on coach Raymond Domenech within earshot of reporters.
“Coach, we have something to tell you. I am speaking in the name of the squad. In 12 years with the French team, I have never been in such a situation. We do not know how to play, where to be on the pitch or how to organize. We do not know what to do. We have no style, no guidelines. It is not working,” Henry said to Domenech.
France, who stood by Domenech despite a horrendous showing at Euro 2008, trail group leaders Serbia by four points with three games remaining. Defeat to Serbia at the Stadion Crvena Zvezda in Belgrade today would end their chances of automatic qualification and consign them to a play-off at best.
If Austria wins in Romania this week it could place a meeting between the two nations in the Stade de France on October 14 a winner-takes-all match.
Tony Parker, Ian Mahinmi, Boris Diaw, Ronny Turiaf, Mickael Pietrus and myself are holding our breath.
