14 comments

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  Richy

  11 months ago

  Good comments Kartik
  you are right the MLS midfield was outstanding last night
  I hope West Ham have good season as they are my team and play football the right way, hope Robert Green gets payrise too
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  Mr Moon

  11 months ago

  It was a good game but I was disappointed to see Curbishley rested 5 0r 6 first team regulars. No Bellamy, Ljundberg, Upson, McCartney, Gabbidon, Dyer, etc.
  
  I thought Faubert showed real class and Parker was imense (as usual), and I thought Kyle Read looked lively alongside 'Snake".
  
  Unfortunately, we weren't fit enough as it's our pre-season but at least the side escaped any re-occering injuries.
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  patrick

  11 months ago

  Anyone with even a passing interest in West Ham should read this book... Explains alot about not only WHU but the state of English football
  http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hammers-Heaven-Hell-Tak...
  
  Explains alot about Pardew, and the Hammers in general over the past few seasons
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  essex boy

  11 months ago

  nice article. I like the way you put that about chelsea lost to a weakened mls team a few years backa nd we did better than any other british side so far against a strong mls side. I agree totally witht he comments about curbs, i think he will bring glory back to west ham, i really do. Us westham fans just have to be patient.
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  eplnfl

  11 months ago

  Well, is the tag line here MLS wins, but no thanks to the Yanks. Kartik, you maybe getting at something else here, at least I hope you are, but I see no need to describe the game as a strong international midfield wins the game for the MLS.I won't expound on that now.
  
  What I will say is that the MLS should be happy that they put out a completely enjoyable All Star event and managed to have a good game also. A rare thing for All Star games.
  
  BTW, a Chicago guy like myself is especially happy with Blanco being MVP and the news this morning that Brian McBride is on his way to The Fire.
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  Dan (West Ham Fan)

  11 months ago

  Patrick, that Book is good. Even watching and following the lasts few seasons closely you learn some things.
  
  Finally, a well thought article about our Hammers. Instead of casting them off as "cheats" or "boring", someone that knows their stuff.
  
  Thank you for writing this.
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  Sam (West Ham fam)

  11 months ago

  Yer i enjoyed that game last night, really thought the MLS team played some good football, great to see faubert back and playing well, Carlton Cole did well and LBM was o.k also, maybe if we get behind those two this season instead of boo we can see the best of them.
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  AtlantaPompey

  11 months ago

  Entertaining match, really enjoyed watching Blanco, especially the back-heel pass to Gomez for the first MLS goal.
  
  What does it say about the league when one of the starters(Kenny Cooper) is interviewed right after he's subbed out about his possible move to...
  
  Norway?
  
  (Quick, name a team in Norway. Any team. Come on, can't you name one?)
  
  If you had asked me before the match, I would have said that was a step down in quality of league. Apparently, I would have been wrong.
  
  They also announced two more expansion teams in 2011. I'm not sure that's a good idea unless the ownership groups have really deep pockets. So what two cities get them? Montreal already has a stadium, easily expandable to MLS standards, a built in crowd, and a good organization, much like Seattle.
  
  I personally would love to see the league back in the South, and specifically come to Atlanta. Arthur Blank, Falcons owner and co-founder of Home Depot, has stated he wants and team and has already scouted land for a Soccer-Specific-Stadium. Deep pockets, 9th largest city in the country, large Hispanic population. Makes sense to me.
  
  Two days until the first match against ManU. I renewed my subscription to PFCTv yesterday. I'm ready.
  
  PLAY UP POMPEY!!!
  POMPEY PLAY UP!!!
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  Kartik

  11 months ago

  RE: Cooper
  
  Norway is generally considered an inferior or at best an equal league to MLS. In the past MLS has "dumped" players that weren't going to be resigned in that league including Pat Noonan and Will John.
  
  However, Rosenborg is a different case entirely. They are in the Champions League every single year and even drew with Chelsea last year in the Special One's last match. So it's not MLS losing a player to Norway as much as Rosenborg.
  
  Besides, MLS has shown if a player is American they are more than eager to sell him in his prime, so they can buy more over the hill or very young foreign players. I don't like it (largely because I seem to be one of the few people left who care about the international game more than the club game) but it is a legitimate way of doing business, and MLS is making more money than ever thanks to it. But expect MLS to continue to be more and more foreign and to see more Americans in Europe and Mexico as time goes on. The reality is sort of the opposite of the PL. American players are undervalued in MLS, so they can make more money in Europe or Mexico, but players from Europe and Mexico sometimes get over valued by MLS and thus come here. This situation is continuing to evolve and is worth monitoring.
  
  Oh and if MLS goes to Atlanta over a return to Miami, the league is officially nuts. Atlanta is the worst pro sports town in the country and does anyone really follow the Silverbacks now? Plus, don't they have turf at that stadium.
  
  I'm partisan in this debate but if Atlanta gets a team before we get the team back that was stolen from us, I and many other people are going to be pretty unhappy.
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  bryan in san francisco

  11 months ago

  Uhhh.... who won? You didn't mention the score once.
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  Dan

  11 months ago

  I thought the game was a bit of a joke. There are some good point in this blog entry
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  Kartik

  11 months ago

  A funny piece that's linked, I did enjoy it and the DeRo hair, but for the record Clarence Goodson was exposed in the expansion draft he was so worthless to Dallas, and the fact that he signed in a European first division after being one of I believe only 36 unprotected senior squad members for the expansion draft league wide actually is a strong statement about MLS.
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  AtlantaPompey

  11 months ago

  Atlanta is a crappy sports town, I'll grant you that one. However, when the teams are well run, this city will support them, especially if the tickets are reasonable. With deep pockets and a soccer only stadium, I think it could do well here. Nobody follows the Silverbacks because they work really hard at maintaining the lowest possible profile in this town. Arthur Blank has never kept a low profile in his life. Think of him as Jerry Jones, Jr. or the proud owner of the George Steinbrenner starter kit. Regardless of what you think of those two, at least their teams traditionally do well.
  
  Florida does have two or three places that could support a team, but haven't in the past. My wish for Atlanta is purely selfish, not based on any knowledge of our chances.
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  Lonnie

  11 months ago

  Kartik,
  
  While I think Curbishley is an OK manager, I'm not sure how much "better" he has been than Pardew. Pardew guided the team to 9th and then had to go through the signing of players he was clearly not comfortable with as well as the takeover drama that disrupted the club.
  
  Curbishley came in and while "saving" them from possible relegation (it's debatable how much of an effect he had) he guided them to 10th last season. Big improvement ! :)
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