Fern Mc Costigan: November 2017

Thursday, November 30, 2017

Once again Seattle and Toronto in the league finals

Labeled as a rematch of last year MLS final staged by the Seattle Sounders and Toronto FC, this time the Canadians come with an edge and label as all around favorites to win it all in this 2017.

Something that both squads sporting a flamboyant look with back to back wins in their respective conferences and staging an encore of a sudden death final going into the drama of penalty kicks.

This time we expect an all-around show of armadas that both squads have in both of their initial elevens and this time many of its followers expect a display of fireworks from both sides.

With Brian Schmetzer counting win an array of weapons and looking forward to make it back to back wins in what always looked like an elusive cup for the Sounders, this time he is looking forward to join exclusive MLS elite.

By getting their names with the likes of DC United, LA Galaxy and Houston Dynamo with these squads wining a double set of league shields, the Sounders can be a part of this foursome, off course if they win the grand finale.

In his second year in the helm of Seattle, Brian Schmetzer has proven his mettle as manager after seeing his squad plagued with injuries to its most notable players and now getting his majority of starters ready for the grand fete.

By sealing this two leg series with a total of five goals and a double from former Dynamo Will Bruin, who came to haunt his old team accompanied by Gustav Svensson early goal in the first leg and goals from Victor Rodriguez and Clint Dempsey.

The Rave Greens are back and ready to take BMO Field by storm on December 9.

Getting back to the favorites in this match considered as USA vs Canada with a repeat of last year finals between these two squads and going into the infamous penalty kicks, the TFC saw their luck afoul after missing in several opportunities.

Not this time as the Reds manager Greg Vanney is ready for the rematch and this time counting with his multiple weaponry in Sebastian Giovinco and Jozy Altidore lethal frontal attack, the Canadians are looking forward to a successful evening.

Very well a midfield that led by Michael Bradley and this time he is serious after his missed kick in last year final and after seeing a successful postseason, this time he is for real to try to get the big one.

Very well, for manager Greg Vanney having in his lineup multiple weapons and strategies under his sleeve and with his squad coming as total favorites to win it all, he would like to finish the campaign with a high note.

So far he and his bunch have proved wrong that theory of whomever wins the Supporters Shield is somehow cursed and not prone to get the cup, he would like to prove everyone wrong and he and his squad be the first Canadian squad to win an MLS Cup.

In the end this final seems a bit even despite some of these squad injuries and weaknesses as the TFC will need to improve their way to do penalties as this one area of much improvement as you recall last year finals.

At the end despite many making Toronto a clear favorite I believe both squads are even and the outcome to decide its destiny on the field by the best squad that comes with the momentum and all around fighting spirit.

Hopefully the yellow cards accumulation or injuries take the toll on both squads starters, best of luck for both!

Photos Credit and Property of Toronto FC and Seattle Sounders 2017

No hangover for the Burnley bunch delivering a valuable knock

After that heartbreaking loss to Arsenal in the weekend and with little time to regroup, Sean Dyche and company played the ideal game of delivering a valuable win uplifting his Clarets to sixth place.

Regardless of the foe in turn or rival position in the table, that does not constitute a way to minimize the recent achievement the Clarets midweek performance and recovery against a clueless Cherries squad.

With a grand performance yesterday as a visitor and delivering a win that counts a lot in boosting the player’s confidence and momentum, opposite to the one they had against the Londoners.

Still the loss against the Gunners was by a lone goal, showing off this squad mettle and resilience.

Burnley is making a case and turning many heads in this edition of Premiership as much state, that manager Dyche is making a case to see next campaign to get a good suitor that this man considered as a promise in English football circles.

As the man is building with an open mind a top-notch contender and competitor to equal itself with all the big guns of Premiership and so far surprising the living hell of many critics astonished of seeing how a so-called small entity is capturing many headlines.

Possibly if these had a strong start we could had another fairy tale as the once their promotion friends Leicester City performed a couple of years ago and now these are making with their current squad limited by budget restraints this club has.

Look at the way these are making a dandy of a campaign and taking advantage of their matches against a struggling squad and taking the opportunity in netting positive results.

With this win at Vitality Stadium over a troubled Bournemouth that at the end and after seeing a possible reaction of the locals, the Clarets defensive backfield stepped up and persevere for the win and setting themselves solidly in sixth place with 25 points.

A point ahead of another unpredictable Watford and a promising Tottenham and a point shy of Liverpool and three from Arsenal to retake a far better position next weekend match against Leicester City at King Power Stadium.

Here a win over the Foxes can solidify Burnley position in the overall table and proving how this squad game is for real and serious of making an all-around impact in the remainder of this campaign by finishing in a notable position.

Although we have quite a way for this edition to come to a close, if this Lancashire base club, can continue with its winning ways and playing on a one to one basis against the so-called giants of Premiership.

In the press conference that Sean Dyche states about his club weekend loss were having a hangover and he denying such claims with his club making a run over their hosts with goals from Chris Wood and Robbie Brady to seal the deal.

At the end if we are to place our undivided attentions to several squads in this edition of Premiership, Burnley will be the one to follow closely as their wonders performed by a club that barely could afford big name players.

Considered by many as a runt by many in England’s top flight, as every match the Clarets perform solidly, Sean Dyche elevates his bonus as a manager and capturing the attention of many squads in EPL.

Photos Credit and Property of © Copyright Premier League. com 2017

Wednesday, November 29, 2017

Toronto FC looking forward to deliver a first in MLS

With back to back Eastern Conference finals won in the past campaigns and delivering a wondrous campaign after finishing with a league high 69 points and a Supporters shield and now the Eastern Conference trophy.

The TFC is aiming now at the big one and granddaddy of shields the MLS Cup, but now they have to wait for their possible nemesis of last campaign the Seattle Sounders, these near another repeat.

As you recall last MLS final between these two going into the heartbreaking and disputed penalty kicks which the visiting Sounders seized for their first league shield.

Now it’s payback time for the Reds to get even in what many see as an all-around rematch if the Sounders hold to their 2-0 lead these delivered over the Dynamo at Houston and we see an encore of last year finals.

So far, Greg Vanney has two trophies in the campaign and looking forward to the third one with the coveted league shield that last year he and his bunch were so close of seizing it and lost it, but this 2017 is a completely different story.

Coming to the finals to play again in BMO Field in Toronto, the Reds come with the labels of all around favorites and the team to beat as in the postseason these did play a bit conservative and saving their arsenal for the end.

This time the aim is not win the league but to among the first Canadian squads that play in the league to do such a feat over their cross town foes Montreal Impact coming to league play in 2012 and the Vancouver Whitecaps in 2011.

The TFC considered one of the Canadian squad hit with hard luck since their inception to MLS in 2007; it took this club to make it into their first postseason until the arrival of Greg Vanney.

Seeing in his second year at the helm of the TFC the club first playoff appearance in 2015 and eliminated in the knockout rounds by their 401 foes the Montreal Impact.

However, in 2016, these made it all the way into the league finals after winning the East defeating the Montreal Impact in a rematch of last campaign winning the East and now in 2017 after taking the league by storm, they are back in the finals.

Now after winning the Trillium Cup Canada's top trophy awarded to the best club from up north and the Eastern Conference championship shield and the Supporters Shield, looking forward to unload a foursome of a campaign.

Very well seeing how manager Greg Vanney named MLS Coach of the year, what else can you ask to a club winning campaign but just missing the shield and by doing so they will write their own history?

In addition, the arsenal in this intimal eleven in Jozy Altidore and Sebastian Giovinco their top guns and frontal attack, that despite Jozy’s injury he may be ready for the final on the 9^th as well their midfield attack lead by Michael Bradley.

Weapons galore in this squad roster and its starting eleven where manager Vanney utilizes a 5-3-2 or 3-5-2 formations, which one of these will the ideal to stop whoever their rival from the West comes from.

At the end kudos to a determined Jozy Altidore that despite, his injuries he was carrying at the end he was the hero of the match with the lone score in the 60-minute and seeing a top of the line defense locking this up for the win and a trip to another league finals.

Will Canada have in this representative a first MLS Cup?

Photos Credit and Property of Toronto FC and Jack Boland- Postmedia Net and Toronto Sun 2017

The Sam Allardyce era started with a spectacular style

Welcome to Merseyside Big Sam, as Everton have the man they are looking for and now start aiming for better positions and display a one of a kind game that can uplift this squad towards the top.

With manager Sam Allardyce taking charge of the Toffees affairs, today playing as locals in Goodison Park that was enough incentive for this troubled club to deliver three golden points considered vital to its survival and restoring its confidence.

With a midweek series of matches scheduled by EPL, the School of Science were to host another troubled squad in the West Ham Hammers under David Moyes looking at every cost a return to its old winning ways.

However, the afternoon belonged to an inspired Toffee initial eleven delivering a top rated game.

A man considered in many Premiership circles as a savior for rescuing squads on the brink of relegation and delivers their salvation at the end, but these man tenures in those entities have been brief and uneventful.

Still the man delivers when the going goes tough.

A new era with a third operate, at the helm of a troubled Everton that after their multimillionaire investment and hopes of a triumphant campaign went afoul in the campaign that costed Ronnie Koeman job and substituted temporarily by David Unsworth.

Now the winds of change are making their way under big Sam and delivering a new game style that all of a sudden all of his players are seeing revival among one of them Wayne Rooney that return to his old self and scoring a treble.

For the former Manu star today was the day he was to shine and did it with an all-around performance that brought back to his new club that lost sense of winning and fight.

With an early score provoked by Joe Hart after going for the ball and try to stop a the momentum of Dominick Calvin- Lewin by tripping him inside the area, for Michael Oliver the match official did not hesitated to award the penalty in favor of the locals.

For Wayne Rooney going for the shoot blocked by Hart and in the rebound Rooney header opened the score in the 18 minute and to the delirium of a whole Goodison Park finally celebrating loudly how their Boys efforts were paying off.

As one of those spectators nest to the team owner was Big Sam seeing how his son to manage side playing with an all-around heart, inspiration and hunger were to deliver a one of a kind match and rout over a decimated Irons eleven.

Later in the 28 a Jonjoe Kenny pass that Rooney once again took advantage and just with a push scored the second goal to the incredulity of the near sold attendance at the colossus of Walton Liverpool seeing their Boys holding a commanding 2-0 lead.

That was not the end from Wayne Rooney playing like the way that he made himself a reputation as one Bad Boy the unthinkable happened when Joe Hart displaying some heroics at the end these turned out sour.

Once again, a well-placed Wayne Rooney sending a shot from midfield and that the whole of Goodison Park and both elevens in the field saw in awe how that simple clearance became the third goal of the match with 66 minutes in the clock.

Moreover, twelve minutes passed when a corner kick taken Gylfy Sigurdsson found a well-placed Ashley Williams with 78 minutes in the clock to make it a resounding 4-0 and the Toffees backfield coming up strong to close the match with a clean sheet.

In the visiting side, there is a lot of work to do and many answers from a reluctant and controversial David Moyes looking for answers and solutions to turn things around in London Town for his Academy of Football.