Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. v. Bolton Wanderers F.C. (Saturday)
Is there actually any natural animosity between the two clubs that make up the “Wanderers Derby?” It strikes me as kind of like assuming that any White Sox v. Red Sox match-up will be significant simply because both teams are the “Sox.” I can’t find any information suggesting that these two teams are rivals of any kind, but feel free to enlighten me, dear readers. So, instead, let us turn our attention to the fact that these are two of the three teams currently sitting in the EPL’s relegation zone. This shouldn’t come as a surprise where Wolves are concerned, but did anyone see Bolton being this bad? Perhaps they are significantly worse than they were last year, but more likely the emergence of teams like Stoke, Sunderland, Burnley, and Birmingham have simply made life more difficult for them this year.
Chelsea F.C. v. Manchester City F.C. (Saturday)
Is this really a “big” match-up? It’s supposed to be, but despite all of the changes that have been made at Citeh over the past few years, I just don’t believe in them. Tens of millions of pounds and what do they have to show for it? They have aspirations to win the EPL- or at least to be in one of the league’s top four places, but right now it doesn’t look like either one is likely to happen. Instead of moving up into that group, they’ve been passed by Tottenham and Aston Villa, and a few dropped points could see them passed by Sunderland, Stoke, Fulham, or Birmingham. Funny, but I can’t say that I have a lot of belief in Chelsea either. They’ve got a five point lead, but the season isn’t yet half over, so there is still time for an injury or a run of poor form that could open the door to the rest of the pack.
Orlando Pirates F.C. v. Lamontville Golden Arrows F.C. (Saturday)
To celebrate today’s World Cup draw I thought I’d include a few matches from the host country’s home league. Orlando, currently in 7th place in the “ABSA Premiership” take on the Golden Arrows of Durban, currently sitting in 10th place in what is sure to be a…meaningless mid-table match-up. I wish I could be more positive about this match, but the season is two-thirds complete and neither side is likely to win the championship or be relegated to the National First Division. Our only hope as fans is that both teams love the sport enough to put on a spirited display. Fun Fact: Fulham’s Kagisho Evidence Dikgacoi played for the Golden Arrows before signing on at Craven Cottage. Fun Fact 2: Orlando Bloom starred in the Pirates of the Caribbean- I’m just sayin’…
MC El Eulma v. MC Alger (Saturday)
This week we’re also touching on all the countries competing along with the U.S.A. in the newly formed “Group C” for next summer’s World Cup in South Africa. Our second stop is in the Algerian Championnat National for a match between third place MC Alger and twelfth place El Eulma. You might not think that football is big in Algeria or that it’s clubs are unimpressive, but you’d be wrong. MC Alger, for example, often loans its fringe players out to teams in France’s Ligue 1 and Ligue 2. Fun Fact: As far as I can tell, there are only two teams in the Algerian top flight that do not feature red, white, or green as their primary kit colors. Fun Fact 2: MC Alger play in “Stade 5 Juliet 1962,” which commemorates Algeria’s independence from France.
Free State Stars F.C. v. Jomo Cosmos (Saturday)
This is the second of three South African matches previewed this week and it finds one of the country’s most well-known teams, Jomo Cosmos, is last place- the less fashionable Free State Stars are not doing too much better, they’re only two points above the relegation zone and four points ahead of Cosmos. If you have a moment, visit the Wikipedia page for Free State. Their club crest is atrocious- or at least I thought it was until I saw their old one. I’m thinking somebody could make a fortune opening up a graphic design studio in Bethlehem, South Africa… Fun Fact: Liverpool legend Bruce Grobbelaar once played for Jomo Cosmos. Fun Fact 2: Former MLS flash-in-the-pan striker Mamadou Diallo (47 goals in 74 matches) once played for Cosmos as well.
Grasshopper-Club Zurich v. F.C. Zurich (Saturday)
Well, a certain somebody at this site is going to be very happy to see the Zurich Derby being previewed this week- he’ll also be happy to know that of the two teams, Grasshopper are known as the club of the city’s “elite.” Lending more than the usual fervor to the derby this year is the fact that the teams are currently tied on points, with Grasshopper in fifth place on goal differential and Zurich in sixth place. Unfortunately, thanks to the strength of Young Boys Bern and the ineptness of Bellinzona and Aarau, it is unlikely that there will be any title or relegation issues at stake in this match. Still, it is being played in Switzerland, so there will presumably be chocolate, cheese, watches, pocket knives, and cuckoo clocks emblazoned with the logos of each side in the club shops.
AS Roma v. S.S. Lazio (Sunday)
The Derby della Capitale is one of, if not the biggest derbies in all of Italian football. This year, however, it may have lost some of its luster. Roma, the better of the two teams at the moment, is in 9th place, and Lazio have fallen all the way to 15th position, and are in danger of falling into the relegation zone. “Danger,” in this case, is one point. Fun Fact: Is a coincidence (seriously) that Lazio is known for the, ah, “far right” leanings of some of its supporters and that the team’s name has “S.S.” in it? It probably is just a coincidence, but even so, it’s a creepy one. Fun Fact 2: Roma are one of only a few teams in Europe (especially “big” teams) presided over by a woman- Rosella Sensi. She is also one of the youngest presidents of a major European club, at only age 37.
C.A. Penarol v. Nacional (Sunday)
Why choose a match from the Primera Division Uruguaya? Simply because this is the longest running derby match outside of the U.K.. Nacional are in first place, but if other results fall into place, a win by Penarol could put them within a point of the league leaders. Urugayan soccer isn’t what it used to be, but think about this- Penarol have won the Copa Libertadores five times (and been runners-up four times). Only Argentine clubs Independiente and Boca Juniors have won the Copa more times. Nacional aren’t fare behind either- they’ve won the Copa Libertadores three times- putting them only behind those teams and Estudiantes and Sao Paulo. Both clubs have won the Intercontinental Cup three times- which ties them for first with AC Milan, Real Madrid, and Boca Juniors. Yikes!
Maritzburg United F.C. v. Kaizer Chiefs (Sunday)
In the last match from South Africa’s Premier Soccer League features Maritzburg United of Pietermartizburg and Kaizer Chiefs of Soweto. So, how does, arguably, the biggest team in South Africa have come to have a Native American headdress on it’s crest? It’s simple, team founder Kaizer Motaung played for the NASL’s Atlanta Chiefs in the late 1960s and early 1970s before returning to South Africa to found the team and name it after himself and his former team. Fun Fact: Maritzburg, as I mentioned above, play in Pietermartizburg, they also have a player on their roster named “Peter Peterson.” Fun Fact 2: As long as we’re playing the name game, Kaizer Chiefs have a player whose first name is “Kaizer”- Kaizer Motaung, Jr.
N.K. Koper v. N.K. Drava Ptuj (Sunday)
Our final stop in “Group C” brings us to Slovenia’s 1.SNL, where league-leaders Koper meet with last place Drava. Just to give you an idea of how small Slovenia and its league are, Drava’s Mestni Stadion holds 2,200 suporters- The Shay, home of Halifax Town F.C. of the Northern Premier League Division One North (the eighth tier of English football!) holds three times the amount of fans! Perhaps there’s a reason most of us know Slovenia more for it’s fashion models than it’s football players. Don’t believe me? Go ahead and do a Google image search (unless you are at work!) for Sanja Grohar- you’re welcome. Fun Fact: Take a look at the Slovenian league table- it may contain the most blandly named group of teams I have ever seen.
Ross County F.C. v. Greenock Morton F.C. (Tuesday)
Fine, so technically Tuesday isn’t the “weekend,” but do you think that I’m going to let something like that stop me from forcing more Staggie-related information on you? Not a chance. The “big news” is that in recent weeks things have tightened up a bit in the Irn-Bru Scottish Football League Championship First Division. With fifteen matches played, only eight points separate the top seven teams. County currently sit in fourth place (though they are tied on points with third place Partick Thistle), and while they’ve dropped off the pace a little bit as far as promotion is concerned, it already looks like they will, at worst, avoid the drop this year. They currently have 25 points while the bottom two teams, Ayr United and Airdrie United have 9 and 7 points respectively.
Grasshopper’s season started was terrible, and Zurich is the defending champions, so this should be harder. We’re going to totally rock them, though; the Champions League seems to have taken the wind out of their sails a bit.
Fun fact: both teams play in the same stadium.
I’m with you on your questioning of Chelski. I have no question that if “November form” meant anything, I’d hand them the title right now. But I remember Arsenal and Hull last year, and the fact that there’s an AFC this year, and look at a relatively “old” squad, and presume an injury or two, and suddenly I see March and April as being big months. That said, I expected much more slippage from ManUre than I’ve seen, and more aggressive advancement from both Liverpool and Arsenal. So, big picture, it would seem that I’ve gotten more wrong than right. I ultimately think that the top 8 or so will be more “compressed” than normal, which would be a nice change to the normal “big-4″ dominance.
Also, Hull’s recent run reminds me that you can’t just presume a bottom 3 this early. But Pompey is in huge trouble, and West Ham’s monetary problems seem to have had a disproportionate effect on the squad. Which is weird given how good they “can” look…
Chelsea’s got a five point lead on United, whom they’ve already beaten; after United, there’s ten points between Chelsea and Tottenham. I’m no Chelsea fan, but they’ve been clinically impressive in the games that matter, and relatively unaffected by losing games that, given their current form, don’t (they responded rather well to the Wigan loss, for example). Plus, they’ll be able to strength in January, and Ancelotti seems to get things out of players (Deco, for example) that Scolari/Hiddink didn’t, which adds some depth.
I’m not saying I’d give them the title now, as there’s a lot left to play for…but I completely expect them to manhandle City tomorrow.
Also, for as much as Liverpool’s struggled (and will likely continue to struggle, given that Fernando Torres is going to be on-again, off-again all season), it’s worth mentioning that they’re only two points (and a game in hand) back from Arsenal for the fourth spot. I think we’ve got a two horse race for the title and a five or six horse race for the two remaining spots in the CL.
Mags, not sure I really disagree at all. But this seems like the kind of team (if there is one?) that can have its fortunes changed in a hurry. No question that they’ve done everything you could ever ask of a champion to be. But something about them scared me 4 months ago, and I guess I’m just not fully assuaged by their performance since. That said, if they were to seriously spend money in January on the presumption of a 2-year ban, they could build a freaking monster that would have SAF changing his underpants 3 times a day…and I think we ultimatley agree on the 8-horse race, even if we see different delineations within that group….
You’re right about that, I do think that things can change quickly for them; if Drogba were to go down, I doubt Anelka/Kalou can fill that role, for example. They’ve managed to be REALLY lucky, too, though…and sometimes that luck is all they need.
Plus, after City, look at their fixture list:
12/12-Everton (H)
12/16-Portsmouth (H)
12/20-West Ham (A)
12/26-Birmingham (A)
12/28-Fulham (H)
1/9-Hull (A)
1/16-Sunderland (H)
If they beat City tomorrow, I don’t see a team I’d expect to get a result against them on that list until Sunderland. At this point, a good run could really separate them away from even United.
As far as the other four spots, I think that maybe Liverpool can squeeze back in now that they’re out of the CL and have some time to recover between games…but that’s admittedly likely to be wishful thinking.
The City is house to Greyville Racecourse, an enormous Thoroughbred horse racing venue which every year hosts a lot of prestigious races together with the rustic’s greatest experience, the July Handicap, and the optimal staying event in South Africa, the Gold Cup. Every other neatly-equipped Racecourse is positioned at Clairwood, simply south of town centre and not far from Durban Global Airport.