Your Annotated WatchList —8/27/2011
By Joe P Hasler —
Here I was already to gush to you about the first truly grand weekend of the still very young 2011-12 soccer season. For the first time, all of Europe’s major leagues were scheduled to kick-off, with the La Liga players strike finally over, and the Serie A scheduled to commence. Alas, the Italians took the labor action baton from their Spanish counterparts, depriving viewers of one or two juicy debuts. All that considered, there’s still plenty to look at this weekend, and you can consider the cancelled games in Italy a blessing. Fewer scheduling conflicts, you know? At least for another weekend.
Note: all game starts listed in Eastern Daylight Time
SUNDAY
8:00 AM – Fulham @ NUFC – Fox Soccer + and Foxsoccer.tv
- Everyone’s talking about how under-strength this Newcastle team is right now. Frankly, don’t see it. The midfield three of Tiote-Cabaye-Obertan might surprise some folks this season. On the other side, there’s our boy Clint, who’s looking to replicate his all-time American-best 12 English Premier League goals.
8:30 AM – City @ Spurs – Fox Soccer
- Reports suggest Samir Nasri will start alongside an up-front trio of David Silva, Edin Dzeko and Kun Aguero. Contrast the depth of that killer crew with a relatively lackluster Spurs attack, and you can see how much things have changed since these two clubs were scrapping for fourth place two seasons ago. Shell-shocked from last week’s 0-3 demolition at the hands of Man United, Spurs can’t be looking forward to a visit from City, who have scored 7 goals in their first three games this season.
11:00 AM – Arsenal @ Man United – Fox Soccer / Ligue 1 Action – Foxsoccer.tv (online only!)
- Fresh off humiliating one team from North London, M.U. looks to repeat the trick two weeks on the trot. Arsenal, are a half-strength concern thanks to various injuries and suspensions picked-up by several essential performers. With most of the Gunners’ first (and even second) choice defensive unit unavailable for the match, the irresistible attacking combination of Wayne Rooney, Danny Welbeck, Ashley Young, Nani and Tom Cleverly must be licking its collective chops.
- Meanwhile, in the French Leauge, a number of Arsene Wenger’s supposed transfer targets spend one last Sunday in the so-called “shop window.” These games are only available on Fox Soccer’s online pay service, but if you’re curious what Wenger sees in such players as Rennes’ Yann M’Vila or Sochaux’s Marvin Martin, here is the place to watch them.
- ALSO @ 11:00 AM, newly minted superclub P.S.G. hosts Toulouse. The talk of the town (Paris, that is) is the $60 million signing Javier Pastore, but we also encourage you to check out fellow new additions Kevin Gameiro and Jeremy Menez. They’re both young-ish guns with points to prove and price tags to justify. So far, so good.
2:45 PM – Real Madrid @ Real Zaragoza – GolTV
- We don’t get GolTV, either. But Madrid spent a lot of money over the summer, beefing up for another run at Barcelona’s crown and are obviously a team one must make an effort to see. Might we recommend a black market live stream site for you?
3:00 PM – l’O.M. @ Lille – Fox Soccer + and Foxsoccer.tv
- Generally speaking, this is a clash of France’s titans. First and second in 2010-11. That should be enough. If it’s not—and if you possess a Premier League-centric worldview—then this matchup entices as a meeting between several of the talents Arsene Wenger (allegedly) covets most. There’s the 30-year old Argentine creator Lucho, who Arsene (we’re told) would like to loan for one season. Lucho plays in the Marseille offense with the 21-year old Ghanian/human cannonball Andre Ayew, who is just small enough and just French enough (he was born near Lille) to fit perfectly in the Arsenal system. On the other side, Lille have Eden Hazard, who, let’s face it, isn’t going anywhere.
SATURDAY
7:05 AM – Wolves @ Aston Villa – ESPN3 (live only!)
- This one’s for the diehards. If an exceedingly early kick-off isn’t enough to put you off, Wolves’ typically pragmatic approach to playing on the road probably will do the trick. Still, if you’re the up and at ’em type, maybe you’d like to watch it for us, and let us know how TINAP fave Le Zog does against dour D of Wolves.
9:30 AM – Bayern Munich @ Kaiserslautern – GolTV
- Do you enjoy watching colossal, awkwardly robotic Teutons in oversized Adidas shorts? Then you will love watching the likes of Bastian Schweinsteiger and Mario Gomez on the lesser individuals employed by Kaiserslautern—none of whom I can even name for you at this moment in time.
10 AM – Norwich @ Chelsea – Fox Soccer
- We look forward with great anticipation to a Chelsea team with some new Blue blood. Juan Mata and Romelu Lukaku should be on the bench, and here’s hoping they get onto the field sooner rather than later.
11: 30 AM – Bolton Wanderers @ Liverpool – Fox Soccer / Borussia Dortmund @ Bayer Leverkusen – ESPN3
- The first veritable scheduling conflict of the weekend. As long as Luis Suarez is making mischief in attack, Liverpool is worth a watch. Beyond that, there’s the whole King Kenny’s Boot Room Revolution Revival Tour storyline.
- Meanwhile, on the banks of the Rhine, defending champs Dortmund visit Leverkusen, runners-up in 2010-11. It’s a showdown between two of the Bundesliga’s liveliest young outfits, and it’s sure to be a frenetic 90 minutes.
3:00 PM – Montpellier @ Lyon – Foxsoccer.tv (online only!)
- We’ve already told you about Montpellier. Catch them while they’re hot.
This Is Not A Pitch 