billyhaisley
Billy Haisley
billyhaisley
Writer

1. Defense is still atrocious. Playing Can as a CB isn't sustainable as he'd be a boss as a CM/DM. This "new" formation requires 3 CBs and they're losing Kolo for a month and will have no actual depth at CB, accounting for once Lovren (who is terrible this season) is back. Read more

It's important to stress they aren't just here for our players... at least not yet. FIFA permits very few minors to move to clubs abroad so, unless European clubs are finding US-based players with EU passports, they aren't going to be funneling all our best talent abroad any time soon. This means they have to set up Read more

Focusing on skill development rather than wins is an improvement, but the biggest problem is a general lack of soccer culture. It's very difficult to develop the basic skills necessary to become a global superstar player when the game itself isn't "what you do" in your spare time. I don't mean playing pick up games Read more

Here's the thing with the U.S., and especially so where the weather allows year-round training (forget the Northeast - snow and mud make soccer strictly a fall sport). The club structure is finally starting to take hold, allowing kids to work in a cohesive system, 12 months a year. But that's only been the last 3-5 Read more

I used to sell Apple Computers on a college campus. The requirements they give make this look positively sane, both in merchandising and marketing. One special note I can remember is that all of the keyboards have to line up on a display and be five inches from the edge of the table. When they inspect, they can Read more

I work for a good size advertising agency on the production side. This is the deal with every big brand. You wouldn't believe the 600 page guideline books we get from companies concerning every conceivable use of their logos and likenesses. We even get rejection letters when everything is 100% done to their Read more

Isco may be the next Iniesta, but he isn't there yet. We remember Iniesta's mazy slaloms through defenders, but what really sets him apart (other than his preternatural connection to his teammates) is his ability to recycle possession in the offensive third constantly for teams that rely on it. Isco isn't quite as Read more

It's almost tragicomic how he fell off so quickly. When we first brought him in from Atleti, just holy shit — I was a little young and wasn't really a soccer/Liverpool fan until after God had stopped being God, and Torres was an absolute fucking supernova. He wasn't just a burner who lost his legs; his sense of Read more

yes. omar gonzalez. he did the same after winning MLS cup in 2012. Read more

Robbie Keane bought over 200 beers at the championship celebration in Hermosa Beach the day after they won. What a guy. Read more

once again, I am reminded of Lincecum's ill-attempt at club house male bonding: "now i know what a chick feels like" Read more

I wore one of those for a month after my heart attack, and it was prone to false alarms. I stopped wearing it and went back to distance running without a single problem. Ran a marathon a year later and have run about 30 miles a week for more than four years. I wouldn't dare make a guess about Engelbrecht's condition, Read more

It's a shame, because the red card was absolutely ridiculous. This only goes to reduce England's coefficient, which could make a top four finish not good enough. Read more

If anyone knows about going down easily, it's a soccer player. Read more