Fern Mc Costigan

Tuesday, April 5, 2016

Tough start for the PTFC this 2016

The defending champions Portland Timbers where the biggest story in Major League Soccer nineteenth campaign, after winning the league utmost of prizes in its MLS Cup.

Being the defending champion tells you many things, and one of them the upcoming barrage of challenges coming from your league foes will not be a walk in the park as you think.

Soccer enthusiasts those are the essentials of soccer for you, one campaign you conquer the whole league the next thing you see the next campaign is that reality check as things are not as easy as you expected.

So far, this 2016 after starting with a high note for the Portland Timbers, suddenly their world crumble the next week with a lesson at San Jose, exposing in what used to be the leagues unbeatable backfield and now its seeing red.

One of the PTFC problems is the absence in the lineup by Liam Ridgewell, much state that Villafaña leaving the club was to haunt this club in the end, indeed it’s hitting a sour note but that’s football and the man is now at the Mexican league.

After a not so positive start in this campaign staring in the DL, finally Chris Klute can see some minute’s in future matches and start generating a competition among him and newcomers Valentin and Taylor.

In the upcoming matches, Manager Porter needs to find the right formula and put his backfield to put an abrupt stop in those matches that start with the opposition putting his team in the hole with a lead of two goals or more.

Very well seeing a revival or awakening from this squad sudden stop to its spectacular game substituted by a sloppy and anemic one lately, seen without any motivation and at time lacking that spark characteristic of the Timbers.

Still matches like the one yesterday at Orlando City and so far, between these two clubs meetings, we have seen certain dominance from the Boys of the Sunshine State and this club having the Timbers number.

With a barrage of four goals and three unanswered ones, the PTFC defense is in desperate need of some leadership as Nat Borcher’s cannot perform alone as well seeing players in Alvas Powell and Jermaine Taylor showing fatigue.

Along with Fanendo Adi, Adam Kwarsey and Darlington Nagbe after their National squad’s call-ups and showing jet lag wear, this squad had a disastrous performance at the Citrus Bowl.

I hope that history does not repeat again on the Timbers road woes, with their next match at Stub Hub Center to face a hardened LA Galaxy and try to stop their negative skid and get back into the winning column.

A lot of work needs to be performed to this club in order to get back into the positive as well see them perform as the flamboyant champion’s and defend their title with an all-around pride as the Mighty PTFC!

Crest Credit and Property of Portland Timbers Football Club and Scoot Audeto and Troy Wayrynew/ AP Photo 2016

Photos Credit and Property of © Copyright Major League Soccer. com 2016

Monday, April 4, 2016

Red Day delivered an astounding win for Manu and maybe more

Honor to it whom deserves it and for Sir Bobby Charlton on his especial Day, the colossus of Trafford and Sir Matt Busby Way covered with an all-around gala.

As the South Stands named after, the great one who delivered a lifetime of achievements and today the whole of this venue was honoring him covering the whole stands in a sea of red!

Still for United’s campaign, seeing a sort of a see saw, at the end this match meant a lot as well a step in their quest for this man at the helm to insure an important spot for his club at the end.

The rival in turn was a modest and low key playing cross-town rivals In the Everton Toffees- seen as a tough rival to swallow for the Manu squad in every match.

Being the Academy of Science the one that always gets the upper hand on the United Boys and plays very well its role of a rotten spoiler.

With six matches left the Red Devils where in the need of delivering on the clutch and in front of their faithful along their especial guest and honoree the great Busby Babe and the show of emotion given.

The locals Boss had to create some magic to make this afternoon wonderful and joyous, being in play the coveted Champions’ league spots and second to unseat the surprising and hardened West Ham Hammers.

The visiting Everton Boys along with their Manager Roberto Martinez, this latter one seeking a win to dust off his club negative skid and always being Manu their guinea pig was the perfect scenario for a top notch Derby.

Yes across the region Derby when these clubs meet it is always a sort of something personal between these two and with the Toffees netting a sort of advantage in recent matches netting the upper hand.

This time Old Trafford was ready to stage from its residents a much needed and outstanding of performances to make the celebrations grands and not ruin by a club playing lately a very modest football.

For Louis Van Gaal seeing how his backfield played wonders all ninety minutes as well seeing his young attackers keeping the Everton defenders and keeper at bay all match long was a positive sign that what this club can do.

Along of keeping a one-goal lead and keeping the visitors striker Romelu Lukaku and Ross Barkley as far as possible and just getting a wakeup call from a close header that hit the post by Phil Jagielka, that was the closest of dangers the Red Devils saw.

At the end, the whole afternoon belonged to the one and only Bobby Charlton who left with a humble smile in his face as well overwhelmed by the show off appreciation and affection offered by 75,341 on hand.

Once again Old Trafford live up one memory of a day, after honoring none of this legends as well setting the pace for their Dutch Boss to deliver a possible date with Europe and maybe a Cup if it is possible as well.

Long live one of the great Busby Babes Sir Bobby Charlton!

Crest Credit and Property of Manchester United Football Club 2016

Photos Credit and Property of © Copyright Premier League. com 2016

Saturday, April 2, 2016

Time definitely is not on Newcastle corner

With just a few matches left in this edition of the English Premier League and after seeing a series of surprises all campaign long, there is one squad definitely not celebrating its ending.

Suddenly after a rough start in this campaign as well a continuance of odd results and not so promising position in the league overall table, after fighting for its survival in the bottom of the league table in every one of their matches.

The Boys of the Toon are suddenly scrambling to net positive results that can rescue this squad from the abyss they are situated.

Despite Newcastle, top brass hard at work and delivering their dream operates for their helm of their club, as Rafa Benitez became their long sought man to try to stage a revival at St. James Park.

The Spaniard effect so far has not worked as expected and netting just one point after six in play.

For many skeptics at Newcastle, the move seems too little too late as well impossible- with time running out on the Magpies squad after its latest performances not producing positive results since their new Boss arrival.

Things are looking not on the positive side for a club that in a seven-year span, already relegated and in the infamous Championship League and this campaign; history could repeat itself once again for this troubled club.

In today’s match scheduled as an away one and a win meant a whole shift for the best and new airs of optimism injected for the Newcastle United Boys under the Spaniard the miracle maker of Anfield a few years back.

After the pause from international play, the Magpies scheduled at Carrow Road to play against a resilient Norwich City, a squad looking as a survivalist, this match at the end had all the labels of a Derby.

Right you are if you stated that this match was a fought off one and filled with an all-around spectacle minute by minute along of a top-notch finish from both initial elevens placed in the field by both squad managers.

Still this match deserved a winner, this came with a late goal in injury time that has yielded some drama to many matches and at the end, and this was not an exception when the locals by a late kick from Martin Olsson in the 93^rd minute.

Being the icing in the cake and the decider goal that gave the Canaries the win in a dramatic fashion as well assurance of being four points away from the danger zone of relegation, leaving the Magpies to their luck under the bottom.

The Magpies on their next match they visit St. Mary’s Stadium and face a not so easy Southampton and with the prospects of salvation under the current circumstances and just one point netted, the outlook is not a positive one.

For now on time is gold for Rafael Benitez and his Geordies if they want to perform a miracle or the ultimate of feats in returning next campaign to play with the big guns of the English Premier League an avoid the always infamous Championship.

What kind of magic or trick is under the Spaniard Boss sleeves or in his scheme to rescue this historic club from the grasps of the infamous and not so celebrated demotion once again, wasting time is not the solution.

Crest Credit and Property of Newcastle United Football Club 2016

Friday, April 1, 2016

Forget Euro, for Scotland’s Strachan is all about Russia

By leaving the past behind, is one way that Scotland National squad Boss Gordon Strachan, is sending a message that his Boys are up and ready to start generating some excitement ahead of the World Cup qualifiers for Russia 2018.

For the Comann Ball-coise na h-Alba, its business as usual and so far has netted in three exhibition bouts lately some positive results with three convincing wins.

Ask that to a surprised Denmark and Czech Republic squads who fell prey to the Tartan Army.

Seeing a sort of resurgence after their latest disappointment in the past Euro 2016 tournament, where Tartans came short in their group to try to net a pass behind group leaders Germany and Poland.

Something that went very wrong after that horrible loss in Tbilisi to a Georgian squad that was already out of contention and played the role of spoiler for the Blue Army and seeing its efforts derailed at the end.

This is coming from a squad that has all the potential for major things; it was shocking to see it out of this edition of the Euro 2016 and being the only squad from the UK that did not accomplish such feat.

Still the road to the world cup is paved with lots of dreams and all around efforts to make things work out for the Tartan Army poised to return to the world stages after a certain longtime absence and seeking its rightful spot among the best.

First things first I must say, with an upcoming series of challenges, this Scottish team so far has demonstrated that is up and ready to front a very challenged World Cup fight.

One by its seed in Group F with squads of the likes of England, Slovakia, Slovenia, Lithuania and Malta, many can state the easiness of this group may be for the Tartans but at the end as they state there’s no such thing than an easy foe.

The road to Russia starts with the Scots group play and netting a second place going in to the second round and net a successful run, the Blue Army can net its pass out of thirteen in play for the European region.

With the latest result that has shown a positive for the Scottish National squad, their outlook is very positive and filled with lots of optimism and maybe all of the UK squad is this time can make an impacting run to the World Cup.

For Manager Strachan his moves have been very fruitful and the current list of new and current players making the grade so far and playing a very complicated 4-2-3-1 formation, his methods have been amazing.

At the end, for Scotland’s Manager Gordon Strachan will be an utmost challenge to perform and deliver with his Tartan Army as well seek a spot among fifty two in play from the European zone and thirteen that will net its pass directly.

Scotland can and will be a successful squad in the European region as the way these chaps are playing lately, after all we have witness a wonderful and spectacular game as in the good old days, the Comann Ball-coise na h-Alba will prevail.

Pictures Credit and Property of Telegraph Media Group 2016