ell the German (read our National Team “ahem” Manager) is nothing if not consistent. In this case consistently bad. He continues to try new things – trying I guess to find the right combinations this time against a much better Brazil team that just destroyed us. Their speed on the flanks time and time again exposed the back 4 – another new back 4 combination by the way. And when they weren’t destroying the outside backs they just dribbled right thru the middle leaving Bradley, Jones and Bedoya in their wake. Now Bedoya playing protector of the back 4 was comical and had the natural winger who plays wing in France spinning like a top. Jones after looking so strong on Friday night, looked exhausted and slow as he tried in vain to keep up with the Brazilian speed and flare in the middle. (Who knows the German probably had the team running a marathon the night before the game – you know he likes to pound in fitness during these international breaks) . The Defense was a nightmare – he needs to pick 2 maybe 3 central defenders and stick with them. So they can begin to learn to read off one another. This partnership is among the toughest on the field to build and constantly switching guys every half of every game – is OBVIOUSLY not working. For me a back 4 of Fabian Johnson, Geoff Cameron, Matt Besler, and either DaMarcus Beasley or Greg Garza is probably the best line-up against Mexico with either Danny Williams or protecting the back 4. Either Way its going to be make or break time come October 10 vs Mexico.
The EPL and the European leagues are back at full speed this weekend with some great games in the EPL including Liverpool vs Man U (and newly signed keeper De Gea) on Saturday at 12:30 on NBC, Everton and Chelsea (without Courtious) on Saturday 7:30 on NBCSN, and Arsenal vs US Center Back Geoff Cameron and Stoke City at 10 am Sat on USA Network. In Spain Atletico Madrid battles Barcelona Sat 2:30 pm on beIN sports, while Italy has the Milan Derby with AC vs Inter Sunday 2:45 pm.
Champions League is back Tues/Wed with group Stage Battles between Man United and PSV on Fox Sports 1 and Man City hosting Juventus on Fox Sports 2 Tues @ 2:45 pm. Wednesday has Roma vs Barcelona on FS1 and Dinamo Z vs Arsenal on FS2 @ 2:45 pm.
Locally the Indy 11 – fresh off their big 3-0 win last weekend are on the road Sat night at San Antonio at 8:30 pm on ESPN 3 before returning home for Octoberfest vs FC Edmonton Sept 19th. And undefeated Butler, with former Carmel GK Eric Dick between the posts, will host #17 Ranked Indiana next Wed night, Sept 16 at the Butler Bowl at 7:30 pm. Tickets are just $7 ahead of time or $10 at the gate.
Congrats to the Carmel FC Boys U12 Gold and coach Steve Sproull- Grand Park Cup 2015 Champions
USA STORIES
Lessons US must learn after Brazil lost
Midfield Experiment Fails Miserably
The German continues to Experiment in 4-1 Pasting by Brazil –
Armchair Analyst – Experimentation Doesn’t Work — Matt Doyle MLSsoccer
Jones thoughts on US lose to Brazil
US Destroyed by Brazil -Stars and Stripes
US youngster Bed Lederman forced to leave Barcelona Academy
Brooks to sit for Hertha Berlin after injury
Euro Qualifying
Wayne Rooney Breaks England Goal Record
Germany breaks Scotland’s Hearts at euro Qualifiying
Spain and Germany are Back = NY Times
Euro Qualifying Where do we Stand
Match Results – Euro Qualifying
EPL
Courtois needs Surgery will miss months for Chelsea
De Gea signs new 4 yr deal with Man U.
Man U and Liverpool square Off
MLS +Indy 11
Seattles Keeper Frei wins 3rd straight Keeper of Week Award
Indy 11 stop bleeding with 3-0 pasting of Jax at home !
Steinberger named NASL Best with 2 goal effort
Indy 11 inks US U20 star Daniel Cuevas for remainder of season
Octoberfest Promo for Sept 19 home game vs FC Edmonton tix just $10.
Full Table Indy 11 up to tie for 7th
Meet the Team Night – Season Ticket Holders – Sept 25th Friday night at the Mike
Champions League
Carmel High School Pack the House Night Boys vs Columbus North – Fri, Oct 2 JV 6:30, V – 8 pm at Murray Stadium
Carmel FC and Carmel Dad’s Club Kids get in FREE with Jersey’s on!
GAMES THIS WEEK
Sat, Sept 12
7:45 am Everton vs Chelsea NBC Sports Network
9:30 am Bayern Munich vs Augsburg Fox Sports 1
10 am Crystal Palace vs Man City NBC Sports Network
10 am Arsenal vs Stoke City USA Network
12:30 pm Man U vs Liverpool NBC
2:30 pm Athletico vs Barcelona beIn Sports
3 pm Nice vs Monaco beIn Sport – French
8:30 pm Indy 11 vs San Antonio CH 8, ESPN 3
Sun, Sept 13
8:30 am Sunderland vs Tottenham NBCSN
9:30 am Hoffenheim vs Werder Bremen Fox Sports 1 (US Aron Johanson)
11 am Leicester City vs Aston Villa NBCSN
11:30 am Schalke 94 vs Mainz 05 Fox Sports 1
2:45 pm Inter vs AC Milan beIn Sports
5 pm Toronto vs New England ESPN (Must See-
7 pm Orlando City vs Sporting KC Fox Sports 1
Tuesday, September 15
CONCACAF Champions League (Group stage)
8:00 p.m., Fox Sports 2: D.C. United vs. Arabe Unido
10:00 p.m., Fox Soccer Plus: Santa Tecla vs. Real Salt Lake
UEFA Champions League (Group stage)
2:30 p.m., Fox Sports 1: PSV Eindhoven vs. Manchester United
2:30 p.m., ESPN2: Paris Saint-Germain vs. Malmö FF
2:30 p.m., Fox Sports Net affiliates and ESPN Deportes: Real Madrid vs. Shakhtar Donetsk
2:30 p.m., Fox Sports 2: Manchester City vs. Juventus
2:35 p.m., ESPN3: Benfica vs. Astana, Galatasaray vs. Atlético Madrid, Sevilla vs. Borussia Mönchengladbach, VfL Wolfsburg vs. CSKA Moscow
Wednesday, September 16
CONCACAF Champions League (Group stage)
8:00 p.m., Univision Deportes: W Connection vs. Saprissa
10:00 p.m., Univision Deportes: Walter Ferretti vs. Club América
10:00 p.m., Fox Soccer 2 Go: Vancouver Whitecaps vs. Olimpia (tape-delayed on Univision Deportes at 12:30 a.m.)
UEFA Champions League (Group stage)
2:30 p.m., Fox Sports 1: AS Roma vs. Barcelona
2:30 p.m., ESPN2: Olympiakos vs. Bayern Munich
2:30 p.m., Fox Sports Net affiliates: Chelsea vs. Maccabi Tel Aviv
2:30 p.m., Fox Sports 2: Dinamo Zagreb vs. Arsenal
2:30 p.m., ESPN Deportes: Valencia vs. Zenit St. Petersburg
2:35 p.m., ESPN3: Bayer Leverkusen vs. BATE Borisov, Dynamo Kiev vs. Porto, Gent vs. Lyon
7 pm NYCFC vs Toronto FC ESPN 2
Thursday, September 17
CONCACAF Champions League (Group stage)
8:00 p.m., Univision Deportes: Central FC vs. Communicaciones
10:00 p.m., Univision Deportes: Querétaro vs. Verdes FC
10:00 p.m., Fox Soccer 2 Go: Isidro Metapán vs. Herediano (tape-delayed on Univision Deportes at 12:30 a.m.)
UEFA Europa League (Group stage)
12:30 p.m., Fox Sports 1 and ESPN3: Bordeaux vs. Liverpool
12:30 p.m., Fox Sports 2 and ESPN3: Borussia Dortmund vs. Krasnodar
12:30 p.m., Fox Soccer Plus and ESPN3: Ajax vs. Celtic
12:55 p.m., ESPN Deportes: Rapid Vienna vs. Villarreal
12:50 p.m., Fox Soccer 2 Go: Fenerbahçe vs. Molde FK, Groningen vs. Olympique Marseille, Midtjylland vs. Legia Warsaw, Napoli vs. Club Brugge, Qabala vs. PAOK, Sion vs. Rubin Kazan, Slovan Liberec vs. S.C. Braga, Viktoria Plzeň vs Dinamo Minsk
3:00 p.m., Fox Sports 1: Tottenham Hotspur vs. Qarabağ
3:00 p.m., Fox Sports 2: APOEL vs. Schalke 04
3:00 p.m., Fox Soccer Plus and ESPN Deportes: Athletic Bilbao va. Augsburg
3:00 p.m., ESPN3: Anderlecht vs. AS Monaco, Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk vs. Lazio, Fiorentina vs. Basel
3:00 p.m., Fox Soccer 2 Go: , Asteras Tripolis vs. Sparta Prague, Lech Poznań vs. Belelenses, Partizan Belgrade vs. AZ Alkmaar, Saint-Étienne vs. Rosenborg, Skënderbeu Korçë vs. Beşiktaş, Sporting Clube de Portugal vs. Lokomotiv Moscow
International friendly
7:00 p.m., Fox Sports 1: United States women vs. TBA (at Ford Field, Detroit, Mich.)
Sunday, September 20
International friendly
2:30 p.m., ESPN2: United States women vs. TBA (at Legion Field, Birmingham, Ala.)
Tuesday, September 22
CONCACAF Champions League (Group stage)
8:00 p.m., Fox Soccer Plus: Montego Bay United vs. D.C. United
8:00 p.m., Univision Deportes: W Connection vs. Santos Laguna
10:00 p.m., Fox Soccer 2 Go: Verdes FC vs. San Francisco
Wednesday, September 23
CONCACAF Champions League (Group stage)
8:00 p.m, Fox Soccer Plus and Univision Deportes: Central FC vs. Los Angeles Galaxy
10:00 p.m., Fox Sports 2: Seattle Sounders vs. Vancouver Whitecaps
USA GAMES
Thur, Sept 17 USWNT vs ??? Fox Sports 1 (Detroit)
Sun, Sept 20 USWNT vs ??? ESPN 2 (Birmingham)
Sat, Oct 10 USMNT vs Mexico – Fox Sports 1 – Confed Cup Playoff
Full EPL Schedule on NBC along with Capital One Cup + FA Cup