Avoiding the Drop

Chievo should really try to line up some sponsors.

New England Revolution v. Seattle Sounders S.C. (Saturday)

I don’t often pick against my Revs in our “MLS Pick ‘em” feature, but this week I did…I had to. It’s not that I don’t think they have a chance, it’s just that they’re a club who can’t afford to make a mistake in any match, and especially in this one. When they do make a mistake matches tend to get away from them and Seattle are just the kind of team that will take advantage of any opportunity given to them- they are the top-scoring team in MLS at the moment after all. As for New England, it’s over. So with that in mind, why not start Diego Fagundez and see what the young man can do over the course of 90 minutes rather than putting him in during “garbage time.” While you’re at it, Coach Nicol, why not start Ryan Guy? I think two goals in three minutes last week may have earned him the opportunity.

Ross County F.C. v. Ayr United F.C. (Saturday)

This is one of those matches where the Staggies should take all three points, but the Honest Men of Ayr United have surprised a few clubs (most recently Hearts in the League Cup) already this year so County will have to hit the ground running on Saturday afternoon. Due to Steven Craig serving his lengthy suspension this match may also see the debut of striker Sam Morrow. The Northern Ireland U-21 international came to the club during the summer but has not yet played due to injuries. Good luck to him! Fun Fact: Though this is a home match for County whenever I mention Ayr United I am contractually obligated to point out that their home ground, Somerset Park, is an absolute dump. You’d think after 122 years of continuous use they could throw a coat of paint on it or something.

L.A. Galaxy v. Real Salt Lake (Saturday)

This will be a good test for Real Salt Lake. They’ve been chasing down the Galaxy as they made up their matches in hand against the rest of the Western Conference and now that they are level in terms of matches played they find themselves in third place and ten points behind L.A.. They would probably have hoped to be a little closer, but they’re in a playoff spot and are five points ahead of (a fading) F.C. Dallas, so their fate is probably in their own hands going forward and that’s all a club can really ask for. The Galaxy haven’t lost in the league since August 3 and I don’t think they will lose to RSL. Despite all of their offensive stars, defense is actually the key to L.A.’s success. While they are a good offensive club, they have only conceded 22 goals- every other club has given up at least 30.

Rangers v. Hibernian (Saturday)

As I said several weeks ago, I’m going to have to grit my teeth and start occasionally start covering at least half of the Old Firm if a good part of Rangers starting eleven is composed of American players- and it appears as though that is going to be the case. Not only are two of the three (Bocanegra and Edu) starting every match, but they are also both being singled out for their contributions to the side- Edu was man of the match last Saturday and Ally McCoist was gushing about him in the press. Things are not as rosy at Hibernian, where a club that has only been out of the top flight for six seasons- and only twice in the post-war period- since 1877-1878 are in the bottom three and in danger of being mired in a relegation battle with Inverness and Aberdeen if they don’t get their house in order quickly.

Everton F.C. v. Liverpool F.C. (Saturday)

The Merseyside Derby is one of my favorites. The most interesting thing this time around is that a win will put the Toffees on equal points with Liverpool and they’ll still have a game in hand. I’m not sure what that means this early in a long season, but it will certainly fuel plenty of debate in the Pool until the clubs meet again. I’ll also be interested to see how Liverpool skipper Kenny Dalglish approaches this match- he’s clearly still trying to sort his squad out and David Moyes’ charges are always very tough to break down. Fun Fact: Are there two less-likely looking footballers in all of the Premier League than Leighton Baines and Leon Osman? I feel like they’re always in the group of utility suit clad workers leaning against a skip and smoking whenever I’m walking through any city in the U.K.

Tottenham Hotspur F.C. v. Arsenal F.C. (Saturday)

It’s North London Derby time and what an interesting one it should be! Spurs won’t need any extra motivation in this derby, but if they want it they’ll only have to keep in mind that they are pushing towards the top five and a defeat for Arsenal could send them right back down into relegation territory. Am I hallucinating or was it only a few weeks ago that Spurs were looking to unload Luka Modric on the first club that would take him? And now, apparently, they are willing to make him the highest paid player in club history? Say what!? I never understood why the wanted to get rid of him in the first place… Fun Fact: It goes without saying that when this fixture pops up on the calendar we all think of our own Two Yellows and his dad. Perhaps an exciting goal-filled draw will please both of them…

Associazione Calcio Chievo Verona SrL v. Associazione Calcio Cesena SpA (Sunday)

Whatever you might think of the Coach’s Kid, he was at the heart of both of Chievo’s goals last week and that’s a hard fact to ignore. Who knows, if Bradley can do well this season he may open Serie A up to more American players in the future and he may help to make Chievo more than the middling Serie A club they have been in recent years. It’s easy to look at last place Cesena and not take them very seriously, but they are one of those clubs for whom survival in Serie A from year-to-year equals “success.” They’ve only played 11 seasons in the top flight since they were founded during the Second World War and their most recent run began in 2010 after successive promotions. Fun Fact: There’s a Michael Bradley-Mussi Volanti joke to be made here but I’m not the one who is going to do it.

Real Betis Balompié S.A.D. v. Levante Unión Deportiva, S.A.D. (Sunday)

This may be the last time this season that the top spot in La Liga is not held by one of the El Clasico clubs so I thought I’d take one more look at first place Real Betis and third place Levante. If Real Betis can win this week they will be guaranteed at least one more week at the top of the table- if they lose they could fall to 8^th place. If Levante can take all three points they will finish the weekend they can, at worst, hold on to third place, or at best, find themselves replacing Betis atop the Spanish table. Fun Fact: Barcelona have scored 22 goals in five matches to Betis’ 9 and Levante’s 7, yet they find themselves tied on points with Levante and trailing Betis by a point. I guess offense isn’t everything. Fun Fact 2: Levante have a bat on their crest and are called the “frogs”- there’s got to be a story there.