Arrivederci Roberto

Roman ruling with an iron fist yet again....

I, along with pretty much every other Chelsea fan around the world woke up with quite a shock this morning. After Chelsea's performance against Juventus yesterday we all knew something had to change, but RDM? It all seems pretty harsh doesn't it? People have been yelling for his sacking ever since our downward spiral began a few weeks ago, but I really don't think anyone thought Roman would do it so suddenly. We didn't even get to say a proper goodbye. This one is for you Robbie, the man who led us to lift the Champions League trophy merely six months ago. You will be missed by many. 

Now I could go on all day about how much I respect the guy, I mean he won us the Champions League, but what's done is done. Papa Roman is the one with the wallet and he's the one who makes the decisions, it doesn't mater if we like it or not. This is the big question, WHAT'S NEXT? Pep? Rafa? Pep doesn't want to come until January and Rafa said he could manage until then but people really are ignoring the larger issue. The immediate future. We play City on SUNDAY. In what world could Roman think it would be a good idea to sack RDM 3 days before one of the most important league games of the season???? Who will lead us then? We are 3 points behind United and 4 behind City, this game is a must win, no other result will do. The City game is all that is on my mind right now, and with our team pretty much in ruins what could possibly happen next?

I really don't want to address the Juve game yesterday...but I must. It was a turning point, and it will forever go down in history. If Chelsea doesn't qualify for the knockout round, it will be the first time EVER that the defending champions get knocked out in the group stages. That is not a title that I want for my team, especially since we worked so hard to earn the title Champions of Europe. We have a striker problem, we know this. Torres has been given sooooooooooooo many opportunities. I can't even take it anymore, my days of defending him are over. RDM didn't take a risk not starting him yesterday, he doesn't provide goals, he doesn't deserve to start. Is it RDM's fault that he doesn't have another striker to put in his place? No. Sturridge was injured. Having Hazard, Oscar, and Mata play their attacking midfield positions without the center striker up top was his only option. If it had worked out and we had won, he would have been a genius. Unfortunately, it didn't, and it was his head on the chopping block.

I guess there isn't anything we can do at the moment but look to the future. We have City on Sunday and the Club World Cup in January. We earned a spot in that competition, its too bad that RDM couldn't stick around to lead us through that as well. I don't think that Roman is going to persuade Guardiola to come back to coaching immediately. So we are going to have to suffer with an interim manager until he is ready. Maybe Rafa Benitez. I just don't understand Roman at all. Yes, Guardiola is amazing, he did incredible things at Barcelona but he isn't a miracle worker. I mean does Roman think that just with this new manager things will turn around over night? That as soon as we get Pep we will win every competition on the planet? Now, I'm not hating on Barcelona, they're a great side, but our two league are completely different. The Premier League is the most competitive league in the world, much more difficult to win than La Liga, I don't care what anyone says. If Pep does make his way over to Stamford Bridge, he has a huge job ahead of him. One that apparently if he doesn't get exactly right, his fate will be the same as so many managers before him under Roman's rule.

Chelsea have yet to name who will take his place, and I can barley stand it. If there is someone who can get that fire burning in Torres again maybe it could be Benitez. But is he really going to take the job just until Guardiola is available? I hope not, I would hope we have more respect for him than that. I am a die hard Chelsea fan and I always will be no matter what. Managers come and go, even owners come and go, but my team will always remain.

Europa League Madnessss!!!

Okay...maybe not madness per se, but there we some great moments.

Yes, perhaps a drawback to UEFA's match schedule could possibly be that after two days of unbelievable Champions League play, we must then watch one mashed up day of the Europa League. But there is never a tournament too boring for the Calcio Queen! Now, I couldn't watch every single match but, the ones I did catch were pretty good, especially the Liverpool-Young Boys match up, as exciting as I predicted. But perhaps the most exciting match of all was Calcio Queen v Computer, one that I indeed came out the loser. I unsuccessfully attempted to get a stream of the Napoli game that wasn't blurry and in some strange language. After a frustrating 30 min I gave up and put my full attention on watching Liverpool, which turned out to not be such a bad idea. Napoli ended up beating AIK 4-0. 

Yes, a win for Napoli, I could not be happier! A hat trick by Eduardo Vargas was only made that much sweeter with an additional goal by Blerim Dzemaili in the 91st minute. But, what seemed like what would be a perfect start to their Europa League campaign was marred by a red card for Marek Hamsik in the 75th minute, suspending him from the next match. That really is a huge loss, he is one of my favorite players and an important part of the Napoli side. Also in Italy, Inter Milan were held to a 2-2 draw by Rubin Kazan. Yuto Nagatomo was the savior there, scoring the equalizer in the 92nd minute earning the point for Milan. That, however, wasn't the only close call in Italy today. Udinese drew 1-1 with Anzhi with a goal from the incredible Antonio Di Natale in the 92nd minute. 

Now on to the English clubs. I could not be happier with Liverpool's performance today!! Like many teams, their star players were left on the sidelines to give some new comers their first starts. It was a high intensity match and I was very entertained throughout. The final score ended up being 5-3 Liverpool. Young Boys started off a bit shaky, scoring an own goal in the 4th minute to give Liverpool an early lead. After that, it was an up and down battle for the win right until the end. Young Boys equalized with a goal from Raphael Nuzzolo in the 38th, only to be countered two minutes later in the 40th with a goal for Liverpool from Andre Wisdom. Though the 2-1 Liverpool lead at halftime would have been perfectly fine, it didn't end there.The scorer of the own goal, Juhani Ojala redeemed himself in the 53th with a goal for Young Boys, which was made only that much better with another goal 10 minutes later from Gonzalo Zarate. Liverpool were now down 3-2, something big needed to happen, and boy did it! Sebastian Coates scored from range in the 67th, which from a glance, looked like it was nudged in by Borini, but it was proved a bit later that he missed the ball completely and the goal was given to Coates. It didn't matter though, Liverpool got the goal and it was tied at 3. Then, proof that subs really do make a difference, after coming on in the 67th for Oussama Assaidi, Jonjo Shelvey scored 2 more goals for Liverpool in the 76th and 88th securing the win for Liverpool in Switzerland. If there was any team that needed a win this week, it was them. Good job Liverpool! I have been waiting so long to say that! 

Not such great things can be said about the Tottenham-Lazio game, which ended in London with  0-0 draw. Clint Dempsey got the start for his new side, which I loved, its great seeing Americans in huge competitions like this, however, the Spurs other American, Brad Freidel was on the bench and Hugo Lloris was given the start in goal. This has caused quite a bit of controversy lately. If Freidel is doing consistently well in goal, then there really isn't any reason to change him. However, Lloris is amazing, he captains France and is one of the greats for them in goal. He is quite younger than Freidel, and AVB says that Lloris was bought for the future to be put in the goal at Tottenham. My opinion is that Tottenham is struggling and Lloris is too good to be sitting on the bench, and honestly, I think the people at Spurs know that. No matter what their statement is, I don't think that Lloris is going to be anybody's backup, certainly not until Brad Freidel decides to retire. But this match was pretty bad, and once again, it sucks to be Tottenham. There were two disallowed goals, one was from Clint Dempsey and was ruled off sides by the ref. It didn't look off to me, nor to anyone else, but what the ref says goes. The second came off a header, with a whistle for a foul against the offense right before the ball went into the back of the net. I was expecting more from Lazio, but a point on the road is definitely better than a loss.  

This weekend....

Is really going to be a good one back in the prem! I'll be watching Chelsea v Stoke on Saturday, but Sunday is definitely the big day. Liverpool v Manchester United and right after Arsenal v Manchester City. Those matches will be so incredible, I can't wait!! It was a busy week in the soccer world, I hope you enjoyed it. As always, may your days be as beautiful as the game we love so much! Ciao!!

Calcio Queen 

Europa League Time!!

I just love weeks like these!! Great matches on almost every day of the week!! Today starts the UEFA Europa League campaign, which means another day of some really competitive fixtures. Defending champs and Super Cup winners Atletico Madrid will be starting the defense of their title against Hapoel Tel-Aviv, lets see how many goals Falcao will get today. Here's a never ending list it seems of todays fixtures. Enjoy!!

1:00 pm EST

Liverpool v Young Boys
Udinese v Anzhi Makhachkala
Hapoel Tel-Aviv v Atletico Madrid
Viktoria Plzen v Academica de Coimbra
AEL v Borussia Monchengladbach
Fenerbahce v Marseille
Bordeaux v Club Brugge
Maritimo v Newcastle United
FC Copenhagen v Molde
Stuttgart v Steaua Bucuresti
Dnipro v PSV Eindhoven
Napoli v AIK

3:05 pm EST

Racing Genk v Videoton FC Fehervar
Sporting Lisbon v FC Basel
Inter Milan v FK Rubin Kazan
Partizan Belgrade v Neftchi
Athletic Bilbao v Hapoel Kiryat Shmona
Lyon v Sparta Prague
NK Maribor v Panathinaikos
Tottenham v Lazio
Bayer Leverkusen v FC Metalist Kharkiv
Rapid Vienna v Rosenborg
Levante v Helsinborg
Twente Enschede v Hannover 96

Always a bit overwhelming, but with a huge amount of games like this, there is bound to be a few surprises! I'm looking forward to watching the incredible Miroslav Klose and Lazio take on AVB and Tottenham, also my favorite Italian side Napoli!! The Liverpool-Young Boys match should be great as well, I remember watching the Young Boys from Bern a few years ago in qualification and they were impressive. No matter which match you choose (and there are quite a few) no doubt it will be amazing! Ciao

Calcio Queen 

Noite do OSCAR!!!!!!!

Too bad the final result was a draw....

Yes...no matter what the final result was tonight at the bridge I am still dedicating this blog entry to Oscar. Chelsea's Brazilian savior! It was his first start for Chelsea, first goal for Chelsea (and then second) and first Champions League appearance. His goals were the only 2 of the game and our 1 point is owed to that kid (I don't care that he's only a year younger than me...he looks like he's 12). Now I was clearly watching the Chelsea match...I would have given anything to be at Stamford Bridge tonight, so I'll start there.

The start of the Champions League season always seems to be a bittersweet one for Chelsea fans, though this time there was a different feeling. We are defending our title. Now I'm used to not seeing Drogba in the first few games, in the past years he was always serving some sort of suspension from the previous season at the beginning of the group stages. However, this time, Drogba would never be coming back, and instead, a kid who looked like this game was a bit past his bedtime was wearing the number 11 for Chelsea. Now, Oscar had subbed in a few times so far this season, and I thought he was pretty good, but a CL start against defending Italian champions Juventus? Interesting choice RDM. Well, even though we only managed a draw, Oscar impressed me, and I applaud RDM for taking the chance. Juve was going to be a tough game anyway. Italians are known for having the best defense in the world, and some of the problems that Chelsea ran into were due to that. Giorgio Chiellini alone is one of the best defenders in the world, it was going to be difficult either way, this is the Champions League its not meant to be easy. Chelsea had a good first half, Ramires, Oscar, and Hazard had some amazing crosses into the box, but it was hard for Torres to convert them into goals. He has struggled since coming to Chelsea and a wall of huge Italian defenders wasn't helping that situation. Neither side played badly per se. There were mistakes made by both sides. The midfield was a bit sloppy all together. Balls were given away countless times by both sides. Also, there were a lot of missed opportunities by both sides. A free kick by Andrea Pirlo in the 41st went wide, from an angle he's known to score from. Also, in the 21st Claudio Marchisio had an incredible opportunity on side while the Chelsea defense thought he was off, that shot was blocked by Cech. Chelsea had chances to up the score as well, Lampard hit an amazing free kick from 22 yards out in the 51st which was blocked by Buffon. RDM chose to liven things up in the midfield by replacing Ramires for Ryan Bertrand in the 59th and Oscar in the 73rd for Juan Mata. Mata is known to be creative in the midfield and was involved several times in the few minutes that he played. After two unbelievable goals by Oscar, two minutes apart, in the 31st and 33rd a limping Arturo Vidal scored one for Juve in the 38th, and sub Fabio Quagliarella scored the equalizer in the 80th. Each team took home one point, and though Chelsea won every single home game in the CL last season, this was still a good result. Juve was always going to be a tough game, I said it as soon as I saw the draw. A point against the second best team in the group is still good, Chelsea can't dwell on it, its time to move on. Elsewhere in group E, Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk beat Danish champions Nordsjalland, earning them the top spot in the group. 

After a shaky start, Barcelona beat Spartak Moscow 3-2. Pique went off injured in the 12th minute, followed by a goal for Barca from Tello. Only to be equalized in the 29th by Dani Alves scoring an own goal. Romulo scored in the 59th for Moscow giving them the lead, for a little at least. The always incredible Messi scored in the 72nd and 80th securing the win for Barca. Also in group G, Celtic and Benfica each earned a point with a 0-0 draw. 

In group F, Bayern Munich beat Valencia with a goal in the 38th from Schweinsteiger and one in the 76th from Toni Kroos. Valencia did manage to get one right at the end from Nelson Valdez in the 91st. There was a bit of drama at the end of this one as well, with Adil Rami getting a second yellow in the 3rd minute of stoppage time earning him a red and an exclusion from their next match against Lillie. Unfortunately, Mario Mandzukic missed the penalty, but Bayern didn't need it with the final result ending with a 2-1 win for the Germans. The other match in the group ended with a 3-1 win for BATE Borisov against French side Lille

Manchester United also started their Champions League campaign with a win over Galatasaray from a Michael Carrick goal in the 7th minute. Also in group H, CFR Cluj-Napoca beat Braga 2-0 earning themselves 3 points as well. 

Heres a look at the tables now...

Group E

Shakhtar Donetsk                                       3pts

Juventus                                                      1pt

Chelsea                                                       1pt

Nordsjaelland                                              0pts

Group F

BATE                                                         3pts

Bayern Munich                                          3pts

Valencia                                                    0pts

Lillie                                                          0pts

Group G

Barcelona                                                  3pts

Benfica                                                      1pt

Celtic                                                        1pt

Spartak Moscow                                        0pts

Group H

CFR Cluj                                                    3pts

Manchester United                                    3pts

Galatasaray                                               0pts

Braga                                                        0pts 

Even though my Chelsea got a draw, today was still an exciting day! Its just the beginning of the group stages and we still have a lot more Champions League soccer to go! Tomorrow is the start of the Europa League season. Liverpool will be playing Young Boys and my favorite Italian side, Napoli will be beginning their campaign against AIK. Also, Tottenham will be playing Lazio which should be a good game. The Europa league is full of great teams, like Inter Milan, Atletico Madrid, Newcastle, Udinese, Lyon, and countless others. Too bad they all have to play on the same day! Oh well, that just guarantees tomorrow will be just as exciting as today! Ciao!!!

Calcio Queen 

And Now For Round Two!!!!!

Another day, another load of exciting games to watch!! 

I am so excited for day 2 of the UEFA Champions League!! Especially because my team is playing!! Playing to defend our title we are!!! Here's a list of today's schedule. Enjoy!!  

Chelsea v Juventus

Shakhtar Donetsk v FC Nordsjelland

Bayern Munich v Valencia

Lille v BATE Borisov

Barcelona v Spartak Moscow

Celtic v Benfica

Braga v CFR Cluj-Napoca

Manchester United v Galatasaray

We've got a great bunch of games to watch today!!! The Chelsea game is definitely the best out of this group, but Bayern-Valencia is a great match up too. Its is going to be a fantastic day! Can't wait for the results! Enjoy!!

74TAKYWT8VBN

Mayhem in Madrid!!!

And all quiet on the Italian front....

Well, the first day of the 2012-2013 UEFA Champions League season is in the books! And what a day it was! There were some shockers, some disappointments, and everything in between. The first goal of the Champions League campaign was scored by Malaga's Isco in the 3rd minute. Malaga went on winning that game against Zenit, the only winner in group C, but more on that later. 

I do believe that we should first address this mayhem. Now I chose not to watch this game, for the simple fact that I can't stand either team and why would I put myself through that? But I did refresh my phone every minute to get up to date results on all of the other games around Europe (I watched the AC Milan-Anderlecht game). As I was looking at the Madrid-City game I was in total disbelief. Though for a majority of the game it was scoreless, Madrid had ridiculous attacking numbers. The final stats for them were 35 shots and 12 on goal, Joe Hart had his work cut out for him with 9 saves. I did see one of his saves early on, it was incredible, he is hands down one of the best keepers in Europe, possibly the world. If I HAD to choose the team I wanted to win this one it would probably be City, but as soon as they got their first goal in the 68th, Madrid equalized in the 76th. They were on top again with another goal in the 85th, only to be shut down again when Madrid scored again in the 87th. The third and winning goal for Madrid came in the 90th by hands down my least favorite player in the entire worldddddddd. Ronaldo. Good thing Dortmund also won their game against Ajax to keep Madrid tied for 1st in the group of death. 

PSG pleasantly surprised me with their 4-1 win against Dynamo Kiev. Ibra scored a penalty early on in the 9th, with three more coming from Alex (yaayy!! I love him even though he's no longer at Chelsea), Thiago Silva, and Javier Pastore. This was PSG's first real test competing at the top level and it seems as if they did pretty well. The group isn't too difficult, their only real test should come when they play Porto, who also won their game against Dinamo Zagreb. After conceding a goal due to a penalty early on, Arsenal  won 2-1 against Montpellier with goals from Podolski and Gervinho. They did well against the defending French champs and if they keep this form up, could even win the group. Schalke beat Olympiakos in the other game in group B. 

Now onto group C action! I watched the AC Milan-Anderlecht game for several reasons. I normally support AC Milan so I enjoy watching them (which was why I didn't watch a match between two teams I hate) plus, Anderlecht has all of that young Belgian talent that I talk about oh so much. Milan hasn't exactly had a great start to the season, they're currently 13th in Serie A and have yet to score a single goal at home, this includes today's home match. They have been dealing with injury problems and it is still very early in the Serie A season, only 3 games so far. The season in Belgium has been going on for quite a bit longer, Anderlecht have 13 games in the book so far this season. Milan just didn't seem to get it together, they were sloppy and there was no fluidity at all, Anderlecht were the better team. There were some great chances, but no side produced a goal. After a pretty sad first half for Milan, things seemed to pick up for them at the beginning of the second half. The only stand out player for me was Kevin Prince Boateng, who was subbed out in the 59th minute. The last person I thought to be taken off would be him (he apparently felt the same way, the cameras caught him throwing a water bottle on the ground in anger). But his replacement, El Shaarawy made an immediate impact. He had some amazing crosses and a few shots, but, in the end produced nothing. Anderlecht had a few stand out players, Belgian international Guillaume Gillet, (who I wrote about only last week!) impressed me once again with his performance. A right back who always seemed to make his way up to goal, Gillet also had a few promising moments. Malaga beat Zenit 3-0 in the other group C match.

Here's a look at what the tables look like now...

Group A

PSG                              3pts
FC Porto                       3pts
Dinamo Zagreb             0pts
Dynamo Kiev                0pts

Group B 
Schalke                           3pts
Arsenal                           3pts
Montpellier                     0pts
Olympiakos                     0pts

Group C

Malaga                            3pts

AC Milan                         1pt

Anderlecht                      1pt

Zenit St. Petersburg        0pts

Group D

Real Madrid                      3pts

Borussia Dortmund           3pts

Manchester City                0pts

Ajax                                  0pts

An exciting day 1 to the UEFA Champions League group stages is already over! Tomorrow has some really great matches, including my defending European Champions Chelsea! I can't wait! Here's to tomorrow being just as exciting as today!! Ciao!!

Calcio Queen 

The Day Has Finally Come!!!!!!!!!

I've been waiting for the return of the UEFA Champions League for so long!! The day has finally come!! Today marks the beginning of the group stages, here are list of todays matches. Enjoy!!!!


Dinamo Zagreb v FC Porto
Paris Saint-Germain v Dynamo Kiev
Montpellier v Arsenal
Olympiakos v Schalke 04
AC Milan v Anderlecht
Malaga v Zenit St Petersburg
Borussia Dortmund v Ajax Amsterdam
Real Madrid v Manchester City

No matter which game you choose to watch I guarantee they will all be incredible! This is the Champions League after all. But, the easy choice for the best match of the day definitely goes to Real Madrid v Manchester City. Who will end up on top? We'll have to wait and find out. The road to Wembley starts TODAY!!!! 

The Snub Heard Around the World

To shake or not to shake...

Apparently the younger of the Ferdinand brothers chose not to shake, which is appropriate, since it was just a match played in the schoolyard by a bunch of kids. Oh, wait...it wasn't? It was a grown man pretty much causing a tantrum in front of millions of viewers worldwide? Oh that was very mature of you, Anton. NOT! There was a lot of speculation as to whether or not Ferdinand was going to shake the hands of John Terry and Ashley Cole ahead of Saturday's Chelsea-QPR match, even more so than the game itself. It pretty much turned out exactly how people expected it would, Terry and Cole, the only two adults out of the three apparently, were all ready to shake the hand of every QPR player, until Ferdinand obnoxiously and obviously skipped the hands of the two Chelsea players. No one would have really thought much into it, unless Ferdinand didn't make such a big deal about it. Now, I'm not just saying this from the point of view of a Chelsea fan, Ferdinand was clearly making a big deal out of something as simple as a handshake. JT's good name has been cleared, and I, as well as everyone else I'm sure just want all of this to be over. But no, Ferdinand had to remind us all, and prove how childish he was in the process. Well, thats enough on that! Cole and Terry were the bigger men, and hey, it's not like JT isn't used to people snubbing him on the handshakes (Wayne Bridge...this means you). Next time, let's try to keep the personal problems off the pitch gentlemen. 

Now onto the game itself! The result was a 0-0 draw and honestly, I'm okay with that. There was a fast, high intensity energy throughout the match and either side could have come up with a goal. Chelsea had a few amazing shots on goal, stopped by new QPR keeper, Julio Cesar. Unfortunately (for everyone else, not QPR obviously) the Brazilian legend chose to end his time with Inter in Serie A, to play for the prem in England, and out of all the teams, he chose QPR. Actually, a majority of QPR's starting line up was sort of a whos who of rejected players from around Europe. I mean, they were pretty busy in this transfer window, I guess its time to break the new guys in. Park and Fabio from Manchester United, played well, Park is even QPR's captain. Fabio was subbed out in the 20th due to injury, poor guy can't catch a break. Why he would choose to play the exact same position as his twin brother is beyond me, obviously the better one will get to play, Fabio only had 5 starts for Manchester United last season, his twin, Rafael getting the rest. But you know what, I'm rooting for him at QPR, it's your time to shine Fabio, show us what you've got! Andrew Johnson and Bobby Zamora both came from Fulham, and actually work extremely well together, unfortunately, Johnson went off in the 33rd, also due to injury. Another newcomer, Jose Boswinga, from Chelsea, umm have fun...I didn't like you anyway. 

The Chelsea subs immediately made a difference, Daniel Sturridge, a player who I really want to see more of, both for England and Chelsea, I think he's just great, and Moses with his first start really widened things up for Chelsea, the away side, and had some magnificent crosses. For now, Chelsea is still at the top of the table, with Manchester United in a close second, who also won this weekend (boo who cares), just in case you were wondering. :) 

But the team that impressed me the most this weekend would have to be Arsenal. Sure it was against a newly promoted Southampton side, and 2 of the 6 goals were own goals from them but, still! Since the news of Van Perise's exit this summer everyone was a little nervous about how Arsenal was going to fair without him, and apparently its not too bad. Of the 4 goals scored by the Arsenal players, there was one by Podolski, two by Gervinho, and one by Theo Walcott, exactly the people you would expect to step up with Van Persie gone. My fav Oliver Giroud replaced Podolski in the 75th, a goal is coming for him soon I can feel it!

Now onto the team that made me the most sad this weekend. I want Liverpool to do well, I really do, I just don't know what the problem is! Luis Suarez is one of my favorite players ever, and he was the savior of this game against Sunderland, scoring the tying goal in the 71st after having conceded one in the 29th. Liverpool's starting line up is full of stars, their captain Steven Gerrard, Borini, Daniel Agger, Glenn Johnson, Martin Skrtel, Stewart Downing, and of course Luiz Suarez, so then why are they currently 17th in the table? Sure its early in the season but, they have yet to win a game so far this season, drawing 2 and loosing 2. This is a club with great history, and one that I really respect, I hope that as the season progresses, things look up for them. 

Another disappointment, Spurs (I could care less if they continue to suck or not) managed their first win of the season against newly promoted Reading, and are currently in the middle of the table with 5 points. 

Man City could also only manage a draw against Stoke (hahahahaha!!) I also need to mention that I just finished watching the Newcastle-Everton game and it was fantastic! Thats why this league really is the best in the world, even a game between sides like these can be edge of your seat nail biters! Everton was the better team throughout the first half, deserving the lead at half time, until Newcastle really stepped it up in the 2nd half, starting with an equalizer from Demba Ba in the 49th minute. But it was the last 10 min that really were spectacular. 2 disallowed goals for Everton, one, an offsides call that didn't seem to be offsides, and the second, a ball clearly over the line, but not according to the linesman. Just when you thought it was over, Victor Anichibe scored what seemed to be a game winner for Everton in the 88th, until Demba Ba came back 2 minutes later in stoppage time to equalize for Newcastle yet again! The game was really great!

Next time....

Now if you thought this week in the prem was great, just wait until tomorrow. CHAMPIONS LEAGUE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I've been waiting for so long it seems for the return of my favorite league in the whole entire world! There are so many games I wish I could watch them all! I can't wait to watch my Chelsea defend their title against Juve on Wednesday. The most exciting game on Tuesday will definitley be the group of death match between Real Madrid and Manchester City...too bad I hate them both, here's to Dortmund and Ajax winning that group! (sighhh I can dream can't I?) I do love every game in this league though, and Europa League on Thursday! It's going to be an exciting week in the soccer world, enjoy it! May your days be as beautiful as the game we love!! Ciao!!!!

Calcio Queen 

Revenge is a Dish Best Served Cold

Well, in this case hot...red hot. Red white and blue hot that is!!

Yess!! We did it! Team USA needed a win at home against Jamaica and we managed it beautifully. It wasn't perfect of course, it never is for us. I mean the number of shots that hit the post and the cross bar were ridiculous. The kind of bad luck that the US national team is kind of famous for. Though the final result was only 1-0 the US was definitely the better team throughout and deserved the win. The game winner came off a beautifully crafted free kick in the 56th minute by Hercules Gomez. The Klinsman camp should be so proud of this win, especially since I recently read in the headlines that it could be his fault that the US has been struggling so much. Well I hate whoever started that one!!! I love Jurgen Klinsman, I thought he should have taken the job to be our manager waaaaayyy back in 2006 when he stepped down from the same job for the German team. It took 5 years for the US soccer federation to finally realize what I've been saying for so long but, better late then never I guess. It hasn't been perfect, but he's making a difference. He's experimenting with the team, trying out some new guys. During last night's game I was blown away by newcomer Graham Zusi, who has got his start because of Klinsman. He also understands the importance of Clint Dempsey...I mean Dempsey is not only my favorite player in the entire world (yeesssss!!!!!) he is the backbone of our team and needs to be used as such. Some of my other favorites like Jozy Altidore and Maurice Edu have struggled to find a permanent spot under Klinsman, but they are both strong for their clubs, Altidore in the Netherlands and Edu recently signed for Stoke, that I think they will soon be able to bust their way back in. Well it's pretty clear how big a spot my national team has in my heart. Our next games are must wins, but I am optimistic. Watch out Brazil, the yanks are coming! Also in CONCACAF Mexico won (as always) and they are through to the next round (boooooooo). 

Now on to UEFA qualification. There were actually some shockers there! I'll start with the game that I fully watched...90 minutes of my time went to this. I really hope I'm not a bad luck charm but I watched the England Ukraine game and...oh dear. England is lucky actually, that they even managed to scramble a point out of this one, Ukraine was the better side throughout the match, and that was without Shevchenko. I'm actually kind of pissed that England got the point, their goal was off a penalty in the 87th minute. Now I say kind of pissed because as expected, Frank Lampard took this penalty and no matter what colors he has on there is no situation humanly possible on this earth that would have me root for Super Frank to miss a penalty. He did his job, saved the team, he truly is super. Some not so super things for England, with captain Terry out because of injury Steven Gerrard took that role on, he unfortunately received a red card disqualifying him from the next match. Also, I'm not one to point fingers, but if there was a guy who just had a horrible game it would be poor Tom Cleverley, he missed some huge chances not helping at all with the situation. 

Another team that drew was my team to watch for, Belgium, but it was to Croatia, one of the teams I already knew would be a threat. I attempted to watch the game online, it was a bit fuzzy and I eventually gave up, but it wasn't before I witnessed the amazing shot from range by Guillaume Gillet to equalize in the 45th minute and get the point for Belgium. Another game that I caught for quite a bit longer was the France Belarus game. Now the French team is one that over the past two years I am really starting to enjoy watching. I guess its true what they say, that when you hit rock bottom there is nowhere to go but up because after the horrific 2010 World Cup, France has improved so much, and I'll say it again I really enjoy watching them. I would rather watch them than Spain honestly, I'll say it I don't care, I'm soooooooo bored with Spain. They beat Georgia by the skin of their teeth with a goal in the 86th. Hugo Lloris made his way to Tottenham a few weeks ago, allowing me to see more of him in the premier league which is good. But my French player to watch and pretty much new favorite would probably be Oliver Giroud, it may take some time for him to settle at Arsenal, but when he does I really think he'll do some great things. 

The subject of the French national team actually reminds me why I do like watching international soccer every once in a while. People are always super opinionated with club teams, love some, hate others. This is a way, for me at least, to enjoy watching players who have the unfortunate luck to play for a club team that I hate...and trust me, I hate a lot. Karim Benzema is a perfect example. It's my blog I'll just say it...I hate Real Madrid, maybe more than any other club in the world. When ever I see Benzema play for France, I always forget that he is French, I'm really able to appreciate him in a way that I never would if I were watching a Real Madrid match. The same goes for his teammate Mezut Ozil, I love the German team and think he's a great player, but with Madrid I'm just annoyed by everything. There are lots of other players I love watching play for country because I hate their club, Sergio Aguero or Samir Nasri (what other club could I hate?) However, there are circumstances where I just hate everyone, all the time, (coughhh Man U) 

No shockers anywhere else around UEFA, Germany, Italy (yayyyy!!), the Netherlands, and Portugal all won their games and the groups are beginning to look as expected, with the stronger teams at the top of the tables. 

As I predicted (because I really am just sooooo smart) CONMEBOL is getting all weird and Colombia is slowly rising to the top. They beat a Chile side 3-1, a Chile side that included Alexis Sanchez. They were no match for Falcao who scored 2!! I surprise myself with my predictions!! Colombia is currently 2nd in the table. Heavy hitters Argentina and Uruguay both drew again, to Peru and Ecuador respectively. This is an interesting group, considering that since Brazil are the hosts, they get an automatic spot, meaning that these teams don't have to deal with them at all in qualifying which is a big plus for them. 

Unfortunately just as I was getting into the WC qualifying it has sadly come to an end. Not again until October will we be able to watch our countries battle it out for a spot in the 2014 World Cup. But, no fear, club play has returned to us once again!!! Chelsea plays QPR this weekend, and after what happened last year (I get soooo mad even thinking of it) you know I'll have some thought after that game. But, what I'm most excited for...next week the CHAMPIONS LEAGUE RETURNS!!!!!!!! My Chelsea are defending the title against Juventus, am I scared? Umm Yes, if anyone knows how good they are its me, I wrote about them here before the draw even took place! I have faith in Chelsea though! We'll do it!! Cheer your team on no matter who they are!! As always may your days be as beautiful as the game we all love so much!! Ciao!!

Calcio Queen 

I've Got Brazil Fever!!

Okay...maybe its more like a cold, or a slight cough even. 

Its that time of year again, when the club season that we have waited so long for is stopped, only a few weeks after it started for the international break. It seems like the summer of 2014 is so far away, well it kind of is, but the qualification process is quite a lengthy one, and I have to admit the long drawn out process actually does get me super excited for when the time actually comes. The first round of games are over, and there were some surprises, but honestly the results were pretty standard for me. Except of course for CONCACAF. Ohhhh its too difficult for me to even write that the U.S. lost to Jamaica (a game that wasn't even broadcast in this country, but alas, I could go on about the subject of the absence of soccer in America for days...so I wont) and that Mexico of course won. I'll never give up on my boys in red, white, and blue however and there still is one more day of games to go.

But the most interesting conference in qualification is most definitely UEFA, just because the sheer volume of the games. The game that I watched that day was Italy v Bulgaria, with the commentary in spanish because again, thats what I have to do in this country if I want to watch soccer, but I didn't need to know what was being said to know that it wasn't good. I do know some spanish, so I got some things here and there, they talked for a while about the Mafia and the match fixing in Italy, so thats great...not. My Azzuri were pretty sub par, especially against a team like Bulgaria who they should have beaten. Throughout the first half the Bulgarians had a majority of the possession and scored first leaving the Azzuri trailing for about 5 minutes when they equalized. Things were looking up when Osvaldo scored again before the half was over, but the Bulgarians equalized a few minuted into the second half and Italy was forced to settle with a draw. The other threat in group 2, the Czech Republic also drew against Denmark so currently Armenia, yes, Armenia is at the top of the group with 3 points. But this is of course the beginning of qualification so the stronger teams in this group, Italy, the Czech Republic, and Denmark will still have time to gather up more points. 

Other than the draws in group 2, most of the other teams that you would expect to win in UEFA qualifying did. England thrashed Maldova 5-0, which lets be serious they really needed this win so I say good for them! I also have to add that Bosnia-Herzegovina scored 8 against a side from Liechtenstein that could only muscle up 1. I saw the clips from this game and they were pretty awesome! Goals from all over the place! Including a hat trick from Manchester City's Edin Dzeko. All of the heavy hitters, Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal, France, and even Ireland and Russia all won their games. The team that I want to keep my eye on throughout qualification this time around is definitely Belgium, who also won. In a few years they really are going to be a force to be reckoned with, but their team now is still pretty awesome. Most notably my favorite, Eden Hazard, obviously, he is like a breath of fresh air at Chelsea! He's made a huge impact since his arrival this summer and things can only get better. Keeping on the Chelsea theme, Lukaku also plays for Belgium, he is still pretty young, but he is the future both for Chelsea and for Belgium. The Belgians also have plenty of other Premier League heavy hitters like the head underneath the awesome head of hair that is Fellaini from Everton, and Vincent Kompany from Manchester City. I'm so excited to see what these guys are going to do, especially when some of the tougher games roll around. Though I'm pretty sure they won't get much grief from a group that includes Macedonia, Wales, and Scotland. The real threats are probably gonna be Croatia and definitely Serbia. 

The most surprising result from CONMEBOL would probably be the (I don't want to say it but I have to) embarrassing 4-0 loss Uruguay suffered at the hands of Colombia. Uruguay is one of my favorite teams in this conference, Luiz Suarez, Diego Forlan, and Edison Cavani are some of my favorite players but even they were no match for Colombia and the I just came out of nowhere it seems to blow everyone's mind Falcao. He scored in the 2nd minute, and early goals like that always start the opposing team off kind of shaky, trust me I know. He pretty much embarrassed Chelsea in the same way at the UEFA Super Cup. But honestly, as I was sitting there in disbelief as he just scored goal after goal I realized that they were just amazing. The kind of goals that even though they're against your favorite team, when you see them you just smile and say, wow that was just incredible. Though he claims that he's going to stay at Atletico, I think that the big clubs are going to pay some huge bucks for a talent like that. And for Colombia in qualifying, sometimes it just takes one person to completely change a team, and the fact that they beat the defending Copa America champions 4-0, well I think CONMEBOL could have another big player on their hands. Even though they're currently in the middle of the CONMEBOL table, this huge Falcao ego boost is obviously pushing this team in the right direction. 

And this was only day one!!

There are going to be so many more stories and upsets from qualifying, however at the end of this week, we'll be finished with the WC qualifying and back to club play (YAYYYY!!!) There are a bunch of games tomorrow too, and a whole day of watching soccer seems like a pretty perfect day to me. May your days be as beautiful as the game we all love so much! Ciao!

Calcio Queen

Color Me SHOCKED!!!

Okay, well maybe not shocked, the big transfers always come at the end of the summer and this one will probably be the biggest one of the season. Van Persie to Man U, what can I possibly say about that? I mean there was always the possibility that Van Persie would leave Arsenal this summer, but where exactly he would go was kind of a mystery. Clubs all over Europe were vying for his skill. Personally I think he should have stayed. He could have done well with Podolski and actually give Arsenal a season to be proud of. Or maybe gone somewhere else, like Barcelona, I would have loved that. Now, obviously there are tons of people who are very excited about this move...I am not one of them. Its not just because I'm a diehard Chelsea fan either (well kind of). There are several reasons why this huge transfer might not work out so well, and I'm not saying that I would love for this to blow up in Fergies face but...it is a risk.

I find it hard to believe that the city of Manchester doesn't just explode from all of the ego in that town. Between City and now United the amount of superstars in one place is crazy. I think that United will now have the same problem on their hands that City has, its a lot harder to keep all of those divas happy than it looks. With Berbatov failing to find another place to go this summer United now has an excess of talent for one position. That could be potentially problematic. Rooney and Van Persie both play their best up front alone, will they be able to work together? And poor Chicharito, he's really going to have to do something spectacular if he wants to see any playing time this season.

Also, will Van Persie deliver? He's a pretty inconsistent player. Sure when he's good he's great, but when he's off. Ehhh. Lets also hope that he remains injury free...like we can all forget that horse placenta thing he did the last time he was injured (oh everyone forgot? I can't its weird!) He has a bit of an attitude problem too, sure if there is one person who won't put up with it it probably is Sir Alex Ferguson, but it is still there. Especially when he's off his game, get ready to put up with the temper tantrums. But overall, all I can say on the subject is poor Arsenal, poor Arsene Wenger, another captain lost, au revoir.

I've been doing a lot of talking this summer...but the wait is over! The premier league season starts THIS WEEKEND!!!!!! It's time for all of these players to put their money where their mouths are. Its time for the new transfers to prove to us all that they were worth the money. A new season is a new beginning, and I can't wait to find out who will end up on top! Wear your colors proud, no matter what they are. Chelsea starts their campaign on Sunday and I'll be wearing my new jersey in the face of all the haters!!!! May your days be as beautiful as the game we love so much! Ciao!

 Calcio Queen

5 HUGE Reasons Why Serie A isn't Sleeping With the Fishes

Serie A has been in the news a lot lately, as usual for some not so great things (come on, it wouldn't be summer without another point shaving investigation in Italy). But most recently Serie A has been on everyone's lips for what seems like a mass exodus of talent from the league. Ibra, Lavezzi, and Silva to PSG and Borini to Liverpool just to name a few. It was even said that with the departure of Ibra that there wouldn't be any superstars left. It's also being said that soon the Portuguese or French league could surpass Italy in the UEFA league rankings next year. I'm here to prove to the public that we shouldn't give up on Serie A just yet. There are PLENTY of reasons why I love it and here a 5 big reasons why you should too.

5. The Fans-Nobody loves soccer as much as Italians do. Calcio is a way of life for pretty much everybody. Its not like other countries where there are plenty of other popular sports like Rugby, Cricket, Basketball, or Baseball. You play soccer as a kid, and when you get older and get a job you watch it on tv with as much passion and love for the game you had as a kid. The atmosphere at matches is something that cannot be matched anywhere else. Sure the stadium doesn't get packed until around half time (the refs obviously don't get the memo that Italians are like 45 minutes late to everything). The fans don't care if there are multi million euro players out on the pitch or the neighborhood butcher's son, Italians just love soccer, and honestly a league is only as strong as its supporters. 

4. Euro 2012 Performance-  This reason alone should be enough to convince people of the talent that Serie A has to offer! The national team made it to the finals people! And this is a national team where a majority of the talent, well pretty much all but a few, play in Serie A. This was a competition where the Italians needed to prove themselves. Now I obviously have my opinions, don't get me wrong I love the Spanish national team, but for me the team to beat in Europe is Germany, I don't care what the FIFA rankings say. That semi-final game between Germany and Italy was something out of a dream (well for me at least since I'm Italian). I was proud that we had made it even that far, once I knew we were playing Germany I thought it was all over. But no! Balotelli was our savior! (and trust me, Italians get just as annoyed with him as everyone else does.) The team played just like that, a team. There was so much improvement from the World Cup 2 years ago and I was so proud. Most of the players that wowed us in this competition play in Serie A, Buffon, Maggio, Del Piero, the list goes on. Round of applause boys. Forza Azzuri! 

3. Juventus- After an amazing season domestically, winning Seria A and making it to the finals of the Coppa Italia, Juve was very well represented at the Euros this summer. Captain Buffon, Del Piero, Pirlo, Marchisio, as well as several others on the bench were all from Juventus. In fact, a majority of the starting line up for the Azzuri was made up of Juventus players. Brazilian defender Lucio has also made the switch over from Inter for next season. With all of that talent in one place Juve is really giving the most popular Italian sides, Milan and Inter a run for their money. With the Azzuri making it to the finals of the Euro Cup I'm pretty excited to start watching Serie A again in the fall, the players have really proved themselves worthy. 

2. Napoli- More specifically Edinson Cavani and Marek Hamsik. (I personally think Cavani is one of the top players in the entire world) My bias is going to come out a little bit more here since Napoli is hands down my favorite team in Seria A. Sure my heart broke when Lavezzi left, but there is still plenty of talent left in this squad and their Champions league performance this past season proves that. Now I am obviously a HUGE Chelsea fan, my heart was playing my homeland in the knockout stages. I remember waking up at 5am to watch the draw and once Chelsea's name was pulled I just kept saying over and over again, not Napoli not Napoli...but of course life is so cruel. I didn't want us to be drawn with Napoli because I knew that they wouldn't go down without a fight (and they didn't, through the extra time of the second leg I was on the edge of my seat and my grandma kept asking why I wanted the English team to beat the Italian one). With all of Italy's top teams being from the north, Napoli has finally given the people of the south (like my family) something to cheer about and be proud of. Towards the end of the domestic season they struggled a little in the league finishing 5th, but they did win the Coppa Italia. However, it was their powerful Champions league performance, as well as still hanging on to superstars like Maggio, Cavani, and Hamsik as to why Napoli and Serie A can compete with the best. 

1. Wesley Sneijder-Ok, seriously. How can anyone say with complete honesty that Serie A has no superstars left when pretty much one of the biggest stars in the world plays for Inter? I don't care if the Netherlands crashed and burned at the Euros, Sneijder is still a top class player and is beloved in Milan. Sure he's been linked with a move to Manchester United for like ever it seems but I doubt he'll actually go. (well he better not I would probably die) I don't even have to say anything else about Sneijder because his career pretty much speaks for itself, he is a superstar in every meaning of the word.

Soooooo what have we learned today? A lot! That Serie A shouldn't be written off just yet. There are plenty of other reasons why this league has still got it, but I just gave you 5 to start off with. Plus, can a league with players like Pato, Julio Cesar, and Diego Milito be considered bad? No way! All I'm asking is to give Seria A a chance and I PROMISE you won't be disappointed!! So as usual, may your days be as beautiful as the game we love so much. Ciao!

Calcio Queen

Euro 2012- Actually Exciting? Sort Of.

Caution...
If you are Dutch please proceed with caution...as some of the following content may bring back horrible memories that you have spent so long trying to forget.

Was it really just 2 weeks ago that the world watched Spain lift that ever wonderful Euro Cup? (again) Yes, it actually was. Maybe it just seems so long ago because it's not like we all haven't seen it before. Casillas lifting that same trophy 4 years earlier, then the World Cup 2 years after that. I'm sure most people (with the exception of Spanish people I'm guessing) are just downright sick of seeing Spain win EVERYTHING over the past few years. I'm also pretty sure that I wasn't the only one who noticed that this time around it was a bit harder for them to advance than it was in previous competitions. Could the ever powerful Spain finally be on the decline? I'm thinking yes. For me, this really was a competition that showed a lot of improvement for teams that struggled during the World Cup. It also was one that showed one of the top teams in the world crash and burn right in front of our eyes. As one of those people who get bored with international competitions pretty much in the group stages and just wishes that the summer would be over so I can start watching real soccer again, the constant upsets and surprises that Euro 2012 offered actually kept me pretty interested right up until the end. So lets rewind all the way back to last month...

If you would have asked anyone who was going to win Euro 2012 a few months ago you would have heard the typical answers...Spain, Germany, the Netherlands, and thats probably it. No one would have ever guessed that the Netherlands would crash out in the group stages, that Portugal would make it all the way to the semi finals, or that Italy would make it all the way to the finals. (yayy!!) Now believe me, I was just as surprised at the performance of the Dutch as everyone else was. I also know exactly how the fans feel, I was them 2 years ago at the World Cup. Looking on in disbelief as Italy, the then defending world champions were sent home in the group stages. Its one of those times in life where you remember exactly where you were and what you were doing even years later. You don't know what to think...you just hope that maybe you're dreaming and that this isn't really happening...oh but it did. And it happened to the Dutch as well, reaching the final of the World Cup in 2010 everyone expected them to to the same, and perhaps even better this time at the Euros. So what went wrong? Obviously being in the group of death was the first problem. But I, like the entire world just assumed that Germany and the Netherlands would advance from group B pretty easily, especially since Portugal has been suffering internationally the past few years. That first game against Denmark really was the straw that broke the camel's back. The team is full of superstars though, how on earth can a team with RVP, Sneijder, Robben, De Jong, and countless others not advance. I know why!!!! There isn't a pitch in the world big enough to fit the amount of ego on that team. Also, rumors of disagreements between the players as well as the coaches didn't surprise me one bit. That really is the difference between the Netherlands and teams like Germany and Spain. The domestic league also has a lot to do with the performance of the national team too. The dutch league isn't nearly as strong as the Bundesliga or La Liga. The best players for Germany and Spain are the ones who are used to playing with one another for their club teams, Bayern Munich, Barcelona, or Real Madrid. The Dutch players are all spread across Europe and only play together for the national team when they need to, which is why I kind of hate international competitions. It happens all the time, watching Messi play for Argentina just kind of makes me sad sometimes, but for Barca? He's pretty much a god. Ughh when does the Champions League start again?? :/

Other upsets in the competition were simply the result of just how exciting and unpredictable the game of soccer really is. The Czech Republic still advancing after a humiliating 4-1 loss in the opening match against Russia. Russia not advancing after that win, which kind of surprised me, but only kind of. The team has some players of note, but many of their better players didn't really deliver throughout the club season, Arshavin and Pavlyuchenko didn't impress anyone, but it just frustrated me because you know they have it in there somewhere. And the Ukraine making it sooooooo close to advancing past the group stages in their home country while at the same time reminding us all that Shevchenko's still got it.


Since I'm usually so optimistic (not) I should probably talk a little about the teams that did well and impressed me, rather than go on about the teams that either sucked, or surprised me that they ended up sucking. Three teams that impressed me, England, Italy, and France.

Now I can't hide the fact that I'm a big John Terry fan, no matter what goes on off the pitch. In fact, I really think that the whole reason England did so badly at the 2010 World Cup was because he was stripped of the captaincy so close to the competition, the team was in disarray and it showed. He is a natural leader and the team suffered without him as their fearless leader. France's world cup was just...I can't even think of a word to describe it. I was actually looking forward to finding out what ridiculous things the team was going to do next, and obviously finding it funny because I'm not French, it's not my team acting like a bunch of idiots. Finally, Italy's world cup was...well I already discussed that I don't need to go into it anymore. Wayne Rooney, who I don't particularly care for, actually delivered once his suspension was up and the team did well without him through most of the group stages. France did well too, with Ribery and Nasri playing the way they should and getting me pretty interested in watching some of their teammates play in Ligue 1 next season. We of course cannot forget Italia. We had to deliver in order to fix our reputation, and we did, in a big way. Sure the final against Spain wasn't perfect, but the lead up to it was...simply amazing, especially the win against Germany. I am actually a huge fan of the German national team, not expecting Italy to make it as far as they did I was pretty nervous when the motherland had to play Germany, a team that I fully respect. But my guys accepted that challenge and won in a beautiful way. At that point, I didn't care if we won the whole thing (well kind of) to me we had beat the best team in the competition and whatever happened in the final would be left up to fate. Apparently as fate had it Spain was to win...again.

Though I claim that international competitions are boring, I do kind of like them, especially when they're as exciting as this one. Mark my words, Spain is on the decline, and no matter what the fifa rankings say I think that Germany is the team to beat (and Italy did woohoo!!). This is of course only Europe I'm talking about, I absolutely love Uruguay too, but this was a Euro discussion. We'll see what the Olympics will have to give us (Luis Suarez will play for Uruguay yaaayy!!) but nothing this summer will compare to Euro 2012. Until next time, may your days be as beautiful as the game we love so much! CIAO!

Calcio Queen 

A Cure for the Summer Blues

And so it begins....

Summer can be a boring time for anyone, especially soccer fans. Sure there are always international competitions we can look forward to, for example last months Euro Cup, but nothing can really compare to the club season, the best in the world playing for the best teams in the world.

There is pretty much one thing in life I am truly passionate about, soccer, perhaps its in my Italian blood, hence the name Calcio Queen :). This is my first of hopefully many blogs on everything I find interesting in the soccer world. Since I'm new at this whole thing it might take a while for me to figure out how to work it. (pictures will come soon, everyone loves pictures) This blog is the absolute first from the wise and beautiful Calcio Queen and they will get better, so no worries. Naturally, as a fan I have my teams that I love and hate all others. (I have to say I am and always have been a die hard Chelsea fan, through thick and thin. European Champions, congratulations to us!!! )I'm pretty biased, but who isn't with the teams they grew up supporting? I am very capable of being objective, which I will of course TRY to do, but I'm not making any promises. :) You'll still hear about news from all over the soccer world, but just with a lot of Chelsea love in between.The news you WANT to hear, without all of that bull along with it.

When it comes to summers, this one is actually pretty exciting, Euro 2012, the Olympics, the U-19 Championship, and the Copa Libertadores. I'll go more in depth into the Euro Cup and Olympics next time, but I want to dedicate this blog to my favorite part of the summer, transfers.

Rumors are always so exciting, and anytime you hear of a transfer it is almost always a rumor. I have heard some ridiculous ones so far this summer. Cristiano Ronaldo to Chelsea? Please, over my dead body. Sami Khedira to Bayern? Well, that one I would actually be all for, but its no use focusing on the rumors when there is so much going on in the transfer world this summer that is actually happening.

I of course cannot start my discussion on transfers without having a moment of silence, for a legend has been lost. I'll have a nice shot of vodka at kickoff of the first Chelsea match of the season for you Drogba. (Plus I live in the U.S. the game will be at like 10am that is dedication!) After a disastrous rumor of him possibly going to Barcelona he has officially stared in China for Shanghai Shenhua, alongside former Chelsea teammate Nicolas Anelka. Normally, one would probably think a move like this, at Drogba's age, 34, would mean a step towards retirement, ala Beckham's move to the LA Galaxy. However, Drogba has recently stated that is in fact not the case. He said he wanted to try something new, and it was also not about the money. Personally, if he wanted to try something new why couldn't he go somewhere people can actually watch him play? Like Serie A or the Bundesliga. If Europe was the problem he could have always come to the MLS. (I wouldn't mind running into him around town over here) But, he has left us all, and with a heavy heart I wish him good luck. I really hope the people in China appreciate what they got :(.

Another issue that I can't ignore is Paris St-Germain. Just the whole team is one huge issue to me that I honestly don't get. Last summer they were claiming they were going to buy all of these super stars, I'm of course not going to forget that they stole Javier Pastore right from under Chelsea's nose.  It kind of seems they actually might do something this time around. Thiago Silva has just confirmed his transfer and back to the rumor mill again, it seems that Ibra may follow. With former Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti as their fearless leader, newcomers like Silva and possibly Ibra, of course not to mention Alex, another Chelsea favorite of mine who has since left us, this could perhaps be the year that I actually pay attention to what's going on in France. I've never really followed Ligue 1, but this seems promising to me. Especially after seeing the national team somewhat get their act back together at the Euros. But this is of course all talk, will PSG deliver even with this influx of talent? We'll just have to wait and see.

I'll finish my transfer discussion ( for this time at least, everyone knows the good stuff happens at like 11:59 on the day the transfer window closes) with my personal favorite, the Premier League. At the beginning of the summer we had quite an interesting arrival in England. Lucas Podolski to Arsenal. Now that was very interesting to me, yeah it seems like a great idea, but I'll believe it will work out when I see it. We all remember his brief stint at Bayern Munich a few years ago. After his utterly amazing performance at the 2006 World Cup he pretty much failed to impress and shortly returned to FC Cologne. He's just one of those guys, when it comes to country he never fails to impress, but when it comes to his club performance...ehhh. Its like a reverse Messi. Podolski could potentially have some huge shoes to fill if Van Persie does end up leaving, though to me thats not an even trade. With Van Persie in the middle and Podolski playing of a more offensive midfield role the duo could be unstoppable. But, again, who knows what's going to happen there. Also, who knows what RVP is going to do, he still has a year left in his contract and I honestly think that at least for this season he's going to stay put. Hopefully, Podolski can prove me wrong and actually be a positive thing for Arsenal.
In a season full of big budget disappointments (and no I don't mean Fernando Torres, he scored when he needed to and got more trophies this season than pretty much everyone so boo to all the haters!!!) another rumor I came across was the Andy Carroll to West Ham loan idea. That could work for him, maybe. He has yet to impress anyone at Liverpool, and didn't really do much for me in the Euro Cup either. Yes he's a good player, and Newcastle wasn't that bad when he played for them, but Liverpool had their own problems before he got there. He just got sucked into that horrible train wreck of a few seasons that people can't look away from. Liverpool was always great on paper, Gerrard, Kuyt, Suarez, just to name a few, but for some reason they've just been slacking. Maybe Carroll needs a season at newly promoted West Ham to boost his confidence, come back to Liverpool and restore them to glory. I've also heard rumors of a loan to Spurs or AC Milan too, but honestly I think Carroll needs a team like West Ham to get back in form. With newly signed Borini and potentially Clint Dempsey (who to me, is the best player on the U.S. National Team and my hands down favorite) perhaps this could be the season that we see Liverpool on top again. We'll see how optimistic I am a few weeks into the season.
I'm not even going to address Carols Tevez to AC Milan, he should have gone to China, not Drogba, so I don't have to deal with his crap.
Of course we aren't only concerned with the movement of players, but managers as well. Was I shocked and a little offended when I found out that former Chelsea manager AVB was to replace Harry Redknapp at Spurs...no. (Umm yes I was) Did I care that of all of the teams to go to, he chose to lead our cross town rivals? (...no comment) I'm not one to hold grudges (yes I am, good luck with that AVB) but I'm VERY interested in what is going to happen at White Hart Lane this season, especially with all of this Modric, Van Der Vaart exit talk. They're way lucky Bale stayed on, he would have done well at Barcelona, but I digress.

There are so many more transfer rumors that I haven't talked about here, just some of the big names that came to my attention. Frankly, its way too overwhelming with things changing everyday. I'll just be happy once the season starts again and I can start writing about if these transfers are actually delivering. Next time I'm going to talk about Euro 2012, the upsets (obviously the Netherlands), surprises (Forza Italia!) winners, and everything in between. Until then, may your days be as beautiful as the game we love so much.

Ciao for now from your...

Calcio Queen