Squeeky 'Cling' Play

Do you ever get so wrapped in European League(s) play that it seems like one week is just too much to handle?! We are only halfway through this week and I just seems like one highlight reel after another, along with Wayne Rooney out for God knows how long, Gallas, Arshavan AND Arsenal captain Fabregas done in a single match, and finally with Messi disappearring when his team needed him most...the 'upset' of Arsenal tying the Defending Champs of FC Barcelona in Champions League play. Most people were hoping for a trifecta of hat tricks by Messi, with his surgeance in recent weeks, against a Gunner squad who were dominated in every way except the final score. Arsenal could do nothing except watch Barca dominate for most of the game with shots on goal outnumbering their own by more than three to one. Having a home crowd did not help matters either as most of the stands just watched in silence as the Gunners squeeked by with a tie going into the second leg of quarterfinal matches on Barcelona's home pitch...I am sure we can all see where this match-up will lead with Arsenal clinging on to what little life they have left in Champions League play.

And what's up with all of the recent injuries?! With recent headlines of Bekham and Rooney having some issues of when they will come back...Bekham's World Cup hopes are dashed but what will become of Rooney after such a severe sprain in the 'Wayne-ing' minutes of a devestating loss against a stacked Bayern Munich squad?! Let's all just hope that he is out for maybe 3-4 weeks and is in top condition entering the World Cup in June. I personally just want to see the best players in the world competing at an optimum form, which will only lead to another amazing tournament for the World to watch.

So, as the European Leagues and Champions League is in the last weeks of play, come by Mercury Bar on 3rd Ave and 33rd streets to fill all of your pitch play needs. We are showing ALL matches leading up to the World Cup and will even be showing all the matches from South Africa when the World Cup begins in June. Come check us out and see why we are the best sports bar in Murray Hill, if not the whole island!!!

Lyon Who?

Real Madrid is asking themselves many questions today as they have nothing left to look forward to except La Liga for the rest of the season, where they sit atop the league over their arch rival FC Barcelona...for now. All their Champions League hopes came tumbling down in a 1-1 draw as they lost to an inferior team in Lyon that was dominated during most of pitch play...more shots, more corner kicks, more possession, and copious amounts of shots on goal albeit mainly in the first half. Even defender Alvaro Arbeleo said it best that "[Madrid] fell to an inferior team, which makes it more painful than ever. We lacked a bit unity and aggressiveness." What it all boils down to is the fact that Real Madrid could not capitalize, even with a gimme goal once Gonsalo Higuain slipped past Lyon's keeper for an open net just to hit the post. What it all boils down to is blindly admitting that the French Ligue's fourth ranked team was a good adversary for a dominating squad such as Madrid. And that's about as realistic as finally admitting that Theirre Henry is actually not a cheat. Who thinks that is going to happen anytime soon?!

And once again, I have to give accolades to one of the best players in Champions League play with Wayne Rooney after his 4-0 shellacking of AC Milan. He has to be one of the more cerebral strikers in the game by the way he is able to slip in goals effortlessly and make defenses break down single-handedly. Not surprisingly, Manchester United dominated AC Milan during the Last-16 match play of Champions League futbol where Rooney scored four goals from a goal differential 7-2 over their Italian counterparts. This highlight reel of a game kind of worries me as who to has to play Rooney's England in Group C during World Cup play, which is less than three months away. The United States will probably finish second to move on if their premiere players (i.e., Davies) do not fully recover from injury. But who is to say what Messi can do for Argentina or what Ronaldo can do for Spain in their own groups?

So, if you still have not gotten your fill from my pitch talk then come by Mercury Bar East on 33rd St and 3rd Avenue and catch all of the futbol action every day, seven days a week. We show all sports and we are the best sports bar in Murray Hill, if not the whole island. Feed your futbol fix before the World joins in June.

Helluva 'Friendly' Pitch Play

So this is gonna be a little bit of a rant today...just want to go ahead and forewarn all of the futbol fans out there! This great game is the one sport that takes brute strength, physical endurance, strategy and outright grit to be successful! So with that in mind, I am seriously sick and tired of all the diving that goes on in the glorious game of futbol these days. The South Americans have seemed to perfect the art over the years and now most Europeans apparently spend all of their game-tape study time on how to dive correctly without getting a card for blatant unsportsman-like conduct. Personally, I would spend my time focusing on defensive and offensive strategy of a 2-5-3 line-up rather than perfecting the 'flying Dutchman' that Wesley Sneijder for Holland so successfully pulled off in the box against the US today to get a penalty kick. Sure, the US defensiveman Jonathan Bornstein grabbed his hand while Sneijder was driving to the goal, but the most that play possibly deserves is a direct kick 18 yards out. Sneijder literally went diving to the turf in an off-balance pirouette and reeled in agony as though he got hacked and would walk around as a gimp for the rest of his life! Seriously?! And to be honest, the only great goal of the game was by Carlos Bocanegra with a sweeeeeet consolation header at the end of match play. Come on people, the US is down two of their best players due to injury and who will most likely not make World Cup play, and the US still played with Clockwork Oranje (#3 World ranking). And to beat it all, a real takedown WAS just inside the box that should have been an obvious penalty kick with Jozy Altidore given the smackdown by defensiveman Stijn Schaars. Yet, I digress, considering it was the United States B squad against what Holland concedes to be their best...we will all just have to wait in nervous anticipation with what the World Cup 2010 will bring coming June 12. So, to put the last nail in this coffin and lay the argument to rest, let the game get back to real skill that wins a game...where Diego Maradona abuses 6 defensivemen to score a spectacular goal...'put a Schumacher' on an unsuspecting striker that got too close to his goal and separate some vertebrae...and bend the ball like Roberto Carlos into any corner of the net he chose...heart and grit, that's all I am asking.
Lastly, there were some other sick goals around the world today with all the 'friendlies' on the pitch. Spain continues to show why they are the best team in the world, especially considering David Villa has come up in the individual player rankings since October of '09 to play alongside THE best, Cristiano Ronaldo. I have to give another 'seriously?' here considering Spain has four of the top 20 (3 in top 6) players in the world. The next closest is England with three in the top 20 and do not get me started on the domination of Wayne Rooney. It makes me a little worried for the US come World Cup time, especially with Slovenia routing Qatar 4-1. And finally, where were the defending World Cup champs in their game against Camaroon?! I get it that Marcello Lippi was tweaking his line-up, but the Azzurri are badass and Cameroon Lions' have not shown any domination since their quarterfinals appearance in 1990.
This all boils down to a great tournament that is only weeks away with the World Cup 2010 coming in June. Come by Mercury Bar on 33rd and 3rd and watch all of the games with us and cheer on your favorite teams in match play. Whether it be the Red Devils in Champions League play or your own country in friendlies leading up to the World Cup...we can show ALL games and that is why we are the best sports bar in Murray Hill, if not the whole island.