Live Breathe Futbol

Nine To Five.

2010-09-13T14:00:00.000-07:00

Wow, it has been roughly a month since I posted and I would like to apologize to those who check the site regularly for not updating it. Quite a lot has been happening since then, most especially trying to ready all the shirts/hoodies/sweaters for a Fall 2010 release. If you notice, the store is down and that's because everything is going through a major overhaul so please bare with me.

With that said, I have something new and exciting to show you. Back in July I posted the "teaser" video. Well after two months of countless projects and undertakings, the commercial is here. Enjoy.

The idea is simple. From nine to five, while everyone else slaves away at a job they most likely don't enjoy we Live and Breathe Futbol.

Joga Bonito is Back!!!

2010-08-10T20:25:00.000-07:00

A few minutes ago marked the end of 90 minutes of the resurgence of Brazilian futbol as we know it: stylish, fast and very very entertaining. Long gone are the days of Dunga's defensive and conservative minded Brazil that we saw in South Africa. Tonight we saw a very new and fresh squad that seems to be a rough draft of the team that will take the stage in their home country in 2014. If so, I will begin putting my pennies into my piggy bank because I am going to Brazil to witness this kind of futbol.

Talking Points of the match:

The U.S. came out very aggressively in the first half with Landon Donovan having a formidable chance at goal in the 3rd minute. After this, the U.S. seemed to slow down and lost a great deal of composure. I expected a lot more from a full U.S. squad that has collectively more experience than the entire Brazilian squad. Michael Bradley was the best player in white, but seemed to have no support pushing forward.

A young Brazilian squad looking to impress on a massive stage put on quite the show. Let's talk a little bit about the 'fro-haux'd-haired skinny kid named Neymar. He was, undoubtedly, the star of today's match for me and I am excited to watch him again. At 18yrs of age he showed a great deal of confidence on the ball and worked the U.S. defense like it was practice. It was a lot of fun to watch. At first I thought, "here goes another pelada-wielding kid with nothing else to show" and then boom, the 'fro-haux puts the ball past Tim Howard's post. But the build up was sublime. classic Brazil. classic Joga Bonito.

Jozy Altidore....what were you doing????? For someone with his size and speed I expected him to be much more dangerous and daunting against a Brazilian side whose heaviest player is probably 160lbs (20lbs of that being pure fat in the stomach. *cough* Robinho *cough*). He looked very nervous and uncomfortable on the ball. Add to that he sat in one position with his hands extended calling for a pass instead of giving the attacker an option by making a run into open territory. He's young I guess, so he has time to develop.

Ederson pulls his hamstring on his first touch on the ball trying to dribble into the sideline. pure comedy.

All in all, it was a fun game to watch, and the 70k+ fans in attendance shows that futbol is really picking up some serious steam in the 'States, which is good. Hopefully the increased interest will see us get better commentators who actually talk about the game being played and not how awesome every player is when he does something he is expected to do (when Gomez gets into the box for the header). 'Til later folks! Live Breathe Futbol.

Follow us on twitter: @LiveBrtheFutbol

I will Date Your Girlfriend

2010-08-10T06:40:00.000-07:00

I was just writing a video treatment for a future LIVE BREATHE FUTBOL advert and went nowhere else than Nike Football's YouTube Channel for some inspiration. After clicking through a few videos I stumbled upon this video on their Nike Soccer Channel. The idea behind the advert is to "Play Like An American" and they have young players basically define what it is like to play like an American. Then the hilarious part, which I love, this little kid says, "...then I will date your girlfriend." funny stuff, just thought I would share!

Futbol Makes an Appearance

2010-08-03T07:23:00.000-07:00

I was just on twitter and someone posted this and thought it was the coolest thing ever. On my old blog iEbun I made a post that basically pitted American Football against futbol to see what sport people preferred and, of course, everyone thought futbol was better. This video below just goes to show how universal futbol is. Kevin Glenn throws Dave Stala a nice touchdown pass and in celebration, Stala does a nice little flick. Check it out.

Futbol is Everywhere...

Manchilde- Ain't No Doubt

2010-07-29T19:21:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine and fellow futbol aficionado who I know as Osei Alleyne posted this video on my facebook wall a few days ago and I have not stopped listening to it since. I've been playing futbol with Osei for a few years now, but I only recently found out thathe raps under the name "Manchilde". At first I was a bit skeptical, because everyone seems to be rapping these days, but I gave it a listen and was very impressed. The first track I heard was "Back Again" which is accompanied by a very cool video.

He has a new track and a new video that was shot in the great city of Philadelphia, U.S.A. I really like the song and the visuals, so I thought I'd support him and share it with you all. Gotta support my fellow futbol lovers. Enjoy.

I'm working on the 2010/2011 season line up of tees that I will be releasing shortly. I'm also working on the custom packaging that the tees will be shipped it. At Live Breathe Futbol it's all about the details (as well as moments) and I want to make sure the product is top notch. New updates on the horizon, so stay tuned!

Philadelphia Union vs Manchester United

2010-07-21T21:13:00.000-07:00

About an hour or so ago I returned from a pretty fun game. I am a Gooner, but living in Philadelphia and going to school here has made me become a Philadelphia Union supporter also. Anyhow, I was excited to see a good game and was hoping that the Union would thrash Man U, but that didn't exactly happen as Gabriel Obertan scored in the 75th minute. The Union played with passion and were more menacing in the first half of play.

Some memorable moments from the game:

- Brazilian midfielder Fred skillfully dribbles around 4 ManU players and makes them look like cones during training.
- Ryan Giggs going to take a corner in the first half and everyone getting up to cheer him. Love or hate Man U, Giggs is a legend. respect.

Check out the middle finger at the very bottom of the image. lol. I think that's from the Union supporters' section.

- 2nd half substitutions. Dimitar Berbatov comes on and shows us his new haircut that makes him look like he's 18. More noticeable, however, were the universal boos all around the stadium and the "you are fucking shit" chants from some ManU fans. gotta love it.

- There were 44,200 fans in the stadium. I would say 40 thousand were Man U "fans" and I say "fans" because the atmosphere was pretty dry for a game that had that many Man U supporters. I presume most were just wanna be's since most people who want to get into futbol usually support Man U by default.

- Die Hard Man U supporter who I got the great pleasure or misfortune to stand next to. Guy has the Man U crest tattooed on his left arm. I love Arsenal to death, but I wouldn't go that far, but I applaud his loyalty.

Here are some more shots from the game. Enjoy.

After the game. Lovely Atmosphere

LIVE BREATHE FUTBOL was in attendance. That up there is Nsisong (1st image). He is LBF fam.

The subway scene on our way back home. ManU fans everywhere.

All in all a fun game. I look forward to the Red Bull v Union game in October. I'll finally get to see my idol Thierry Henry play. I think the move is great for his career and confidence and I think he'll prove people wrong.

Locked Stocked and Two Dozen Smoking Shirts

2010-07-17T11:56:00.000-07:00

I'm back with something really exciting to show you all. About an hour or so ago I stopped by the printer's to pick up a new batch of Live Breathe Futbol shirts! Except this time, it had to be done right, so now we have the shirts with our very own cool custom label. Check it out!

The design has also been updated a tad bit. I added our trademark 45 degree angle stripes to the "L" for an added design quirk, hope you like it. These are available in the store now. Click Here

In other LBF news, the new website that I promised around the World Cup is still in the works and it's looking great, I don't want to make any promises, but it will be up soon. It's almost complete. Also new threads will be released soon! Thank you for supporting LIVE BREATHE FUTBOL!

And the Winner is......

2010-07-12T17:39:00.000-07:00

Now that the World Cup is over, I'm seriously wondering what the hell I'm going to blog about. Not to worry we'll keep you in the know with everything futbol related and Live Breathe Futbol related for the next four years, so be sure to add us to your feed reader and check back daily. Some of the things coming soon are:

A new and improved website. This new website will seamlessly incorporate every facet of Live Breathe Futbol. An entirely new store, new blog format, and most importantly, a new reader experience that I think you all will enjoy.

The 2010/2011 lineup. This really excites me because I've been working very hard on it and think you will love it. It is very different from every futbol/soccer related line out there because I am approaching the line from the perspective of being a fan of the game. There will be no corny catch-phrase shirts, no cookie-cutter photoshop mashup jobs. What you will get from us is high quality products that truly reflect the passion and love we all share for futbol. The shirt that the contest winner will get is only a snippet of what is to come.

Without further adu....

I absolutely loved some of the "freestyles" that were posted, but the winner of our first t-shirt giveaway (read: there will be future giveaways) is...........

The greatest game must be the Oranje vs. Brazil,
the game tied up and little time to kill.
With a beautiful flick from Robben to Sneijder,
the header went in and set the world on fire.-- BCooke9

Congratulations, BCooke9!!! You are the first ever Live Breathe Futbol contest winner. Thanks to all who participated it was great and we will definitely be doing more giveaways. Oh and Spain are World Champions!

Twitter: @LiveBrtheFutbol

The Biggest Game of Ever.

2010-07-11T10:46:00.000-07:00

In under an hour The World Cup in South Africa will come to a close and a new winner will be crowned, or err "cupped". Neither Spain nor the Netherlands has won a World Cup so this match means everything to both nations. Who do you guys think will win?

My Prediction:

Netherlands 3-2 Spain.

Why: The Netherlands have been my pick to win the World Cup since since. I am expecting a very open game because it favors both teams' style of play. I do not see Spain's tactics against Germany working here because Van Bommel will be all over Andres Iniesta and Xavi and will prevent them from holding onto the ball too long. Robben will be key in this game and Capdevilla will have a hard time defending him. David Villa will be huge in this game, but Stekelenberg is up to the challenge. I don't really want to say too much, I'm just really excited to see a game for the ages as I'm sure you all are. Let us know who you think/want to win in the comments! Viva Futbol!

P.S. the World Cup contest is still open. Click Here to enter. Follow us on twitter: @LiveBrtheFutbol

Let's Have Some Fun... World Cup Contest

2010-07-07T14:52:00.000-07:00

With the Spain v Germany clash just finished and the World Cup in South Africa drawing to a close I'm sure most of you are feeling pretty sad that the World Cup is over, well Live Breathe Futbol is here to cheer you up!

I thought it would be cool to have a little bit of fun with all the events that have occurred so far in the World Cup. What do I mean by that? Live Breathe Futbol will be giving away ONE t-shirt to ONE lucky winner of our World Cup contest. All you have to do is submit (via comments on this post) a 2-4 line "freestyle" rap talking about an event(s) that took place during this historic World Cup in South Africa! Keep it clean and let's have some fun with it! Be Creative!

Contest Rules:

- Each person MUST submit a comment via a profile that is linked to a valid e-mail address. That way if you win, we can get in touch with you.

- An anonymous entry, no matter how awesome it is, cannot win because we can't give the prize to thin air.

- Each person is limited to 10 entries. So post your 10 best raps.

- The contest is open from 6pm EST July 7th 2010 and closes at 4pm EST July 11th 2010.

- The winner will be announced at 5pm July 12th 2010.

What is the prize you ask?

Here it is!

Good luck to all! Break a leg!

A Clockwork Oranje is still Ticking!

2010-07-06T14:21:00.000-07:00

Wow! That was one hell of a game. Let's review the game, shall we?

Van Bromckhorst Goal

Pure class. Left foot cracker that got the stadium on their feet and forced Uruguay to open up.

Diego Forlan Goal

Classic Diego Forlan. I've always said it, give Forlan an inch of space and he will take you to the cleaners. One of the best players in the entire tournament in my opinion.

Wesley Sneijder Goal

Sneijder sneaks up on David Villa and is now a contender for the Golden Boot. Controversial goal, but no protest from Uruguay. Clear goal for me. van Persie did well to keep his foot off it.

Arjen Robben Header

The most predictable player on the planet scores a sweet goal with his head and not his left foot. Great goal to seal the win for the Oranje. Almost.

Maxi Pereira Extra time Goal

Le Grove, one of my favorite bloggers, tweeted something to the effect of "the Netherlands defend a lead like Arsenal." If you follow Arsenal you know that they rarely keep a clean sheet and almost always give away a late goal. It's classic complacency. Uruguay were clever enough to catch the Dutch fast asleep on a set piece that was played short to Pereira who neatly curls it past Stekelenburg to give Uruguay last minute hope.

Final score: 3-2. Not too far off in my prediction.

Awesome, awesome game. Results should be of no surprise to anyone. Tomorrow Spain faces Germany and as predicted in this morning's post, Germany will edge out Spain by 3 goals to 2.

Thanks for reading and keep supporting Live Breathe Futbol. There are 3 games left in the World Cup. I am sad. Maybe we'll have our own World Cup of sorts over here to keep the excitement going. Follow us on twitter: @LiveBrtheFutbol

World Cup Semi-Finals Predictions

2010-07-05T16:46:00.000-07:00

After a few days off, the World Cup returns tomorrow with a ferocity that no other sporting event can rival. Over the weekend we saw Germany systematically annihilate Argentina by 4 goals to none and Spain get lucky against Paraguay. Neither of those results should have been surprising to anyone, unless you are a Messi-faithful, in which case you failed to see the problems in the Argentine squad that were not exposed earlier because they hadn't faced a side as organized and disciplined as the Germans. Without further adu here are my predictions for the semi final showdowns.

Netherlands v Uruguay

Prediction: Netherlands 3-1 Uruguay

Why: The Netherlands have been my pick to win the entire tournament and everyone did not believe me. A few posts back I mentioned my friend saying that history did not favor them, but I think that issue no longer applies and here's why. They have earned their stripes: they defeated Brazil fair and square. The Brazilians have shown the most quality as a squad so far in my opinion and the Netherlands found a way to come back from an early deficit to beat them. They succeeded in tiring out the Brazilians (which was a very intelligent tactical move by van Marwijk) and made them lose their shape and composure towards the end of the game. That was fun to watch.

As far as Uruguay is concerned, much responsibility will be placed on Diego Forlan's shoulders since Suarez's "Hand of God" in the QF against Ghana sees him performing a Hudini disappearing act in the Semi's. Suarez has 3 of the 8 goals scored by Uruguay in the entire tournament. That's one hell of a loss for them. The Dutch on the other hand don't have a "go-to" striker and share the responsibility pretty evenly. This goes to show a more composed approach to the game that has been successful so far with the Oranje winning every single game they have played so far. However, Heitinga will have to keep tabs on Forlan the entire game and Van Bommel will be key in the middle of the park.

Spain v Germany

Prediction: Germany 3-2 Spain

Why: This will be a test of tactics and discipline. Whoever can be the most composed and the most disciplined will win this game. I presume this will be the Germans because they have been very consistent in their sonning of teams in this World Cup. Spain has also been very impressive, but too much goal-scoring responsibility has been placed on David Villa's shoulders. I believe that Germany will have no problems keeping tabs on the striker. Germany has managed to amass 13 goals in 5 matches, averaging out to 2.6 goals a game. Spain has only scored 6 goals so far with David Villa being responsible for 5 and Iniesta for the other one. Hardly the showing of a complete squad. If you have watched Spain play, only the goal against Portugal was a result of great one-two passing between Iniesta, Xavi and finally Villa. The others have been moments of sheer brilliance from Villa. At this stage in the World Cup, and in this era of futbol, great teams tend to be more successful than individual players (if you get me). David Villa can not single-handedly beat Germany. Thus, I'm touting the Germans to win this one. Keep your eye out for the Kloser to shut the door on Spain's hopes for their first World Cup.

So it looks like we will be witnessing an all European final once again. I'll predict the final once I see the Semi's, but I'm still sticking with the Netherlands to go all the way even though Germany is very teasing.

What are your predictions? I presume that at this stage in the tournament it is almost impossible to be wrong if you've been keeping up with the tournament.

Enjoy the games tomorrow and the next day. Thanks for reading and please follow us on twitter @LiveBrtheFutbol.

LIVE BREATHE FUTBOL

2010-07-04T22:58:00.000-07:00

My good friend Keith, who is also a contributor to this blog (he wrote this piece) wrote this on my Facebook wall a few days ago after Ghana's horrific loss to Uruguay. I think it's pretty cool. Check it out.

I think I understand why people go to extremes during the World Cup. You
wait anxiously for four years for your team to shine in this
tournament, then, one second of brilliance, luck, or stupidity (you name
it), your team ends up crashing out of the tourney and you're there
thinking, "Are you effing kidding me? I went through thick and thin,
buying an authentic 'Gyan' jersey, risking my rent money, got cable just
to watch the WC, etc." Not to mention going through the emotional
roller coaster that these games put you through. Then you're like "this
is all worth it because I Live Breathe Football!!! Do you?

I shot the first "vlog" but I haven't been able to get it off my camera. Technical difficulties. It's coming soon. Stay tuned. We get a few days off from the World Cup, but best believe that once it's back on, it's gonna be even crazier than before! Enjoy. And follow us on twitter @LiveBrtheFutbol

It's About Moments

2010-07-02T21:52:00.000-07:00

What's up guys. I'm really excited about what I have to show you guys, which you probably see above this post. What that is is a 40 second teaser/trailer for the full Live Breathe Futbol commercial/advert that is coming very soon.

Why the phrase? When I examined what I wanted to do with Live Breathe Futbol as a brand I realized that all the shirts and every design is centered around one specific moment that has occurred in futbol or one specific moment that we as fans of the game can all relate to. For me and I'm sure for you all that's one of the things we love about the game of futbol. Those moments that change everything; the moments that change history. I won't speak too much on that in this post, but we witnessed that today in the QF match between Ghana and Uruguay. Epic stuff.

Love to hear what you guys think about the video! Leave a comment and catch us on twitter: @LiveBrtheFutbol as we ramble about futbol and other nonsense!!

P.S. I'm considering doing a video-blog (vlog?) series of posts, what do you guys think? Would you rather read or watch a video? Let me know what you think in the comments!

The World Cup continues in the a.m. Germany v Argentina and then Spain v Paraguay. Great stuff!

I am Gutted.

2010-07-02T14:21:00.001-07:00

That is all.

World Cup Quarter Finals Predictions

2010-07-01T11:31:00.000-07:00

What's up guys? We've had a two day break from the World Cup as the teams remaining in the tournament need to rest up before the Quarter Finals that resume tomorrow morning. I've had some time to review matches, scores and other factors that may affect the games tomorrow and Saturday so here are my predictions.

Ghana v Uruguay

Prediction: Ghana 2-1 Uruguay

Why: Ghana is the last African team left in the tournament, so of course they are going to win. Just kidding. Seriously, Uruguay has performed very well this tournament, but their defense is yet to be tested in my opinion. In order for Ghana to win they must shut down Diego Forlan and Luis Suarez. How will they do this? Forlan has to be closed down quickly and not permitted too much space; we saw what he did to S. Africa when they left him a yard of space. As for Luis Suarez they have to prevent him from getting in behind defenders because he is very good at doing so.

Netherlands v Brazil

Prediction: Brazil 2-2 Netherlands. Netherlands advance on penalties

Why: They are both very quality sides with immense talent. M. Bastos is the left back and he fancies going forward so I think the Oranje will be able to catch Brazil on a counter attack spearheaded by Arjen Robben. It won't happen twice, though. I presume the Netherlands' 2nd goal will come from Dirk Kuyt. Fabiano gets one and Kaka gets the other.

I'm still contemplating long and hard about the Argentina v Germany game, but I think Germany will edge out Messi and co. Check back for more on that.

Spain v Paraguay

Prediction: Spain 4-1 Paraguay

Why: Nobody has figured out how to stop David Villa.

What are your predictions??

Soccer- America's Path to Socialism

2010-06-29T22:05:00.000-07:00

This is the last time this week I'll post other content, but forgive me, this is hilarious. A friend of mine posted this on my facebook and I could not stop laughing at this. Satire? A parody? I'm not sure if this guy is being serious, but I find it funny. This should spark some discussion. Or not.

"You're just gonna have to stand there armless...is that really what you want America? don't watch soccer, don't play soccer, don't say the word soccer. Don't do nothing about soccer. Nothing. Period. Or you're going to hell."-- Billy BobNeck.

Well, we call it futbol, so we should be fine Billy.

Twitter: @LiveBrtheFutbol

A Masterclass Performance

2010-06-28T22:01:00.000-07:00

Earlier today the Netherlands faced Slovakia and Brazil faced Chile. Here's my take on both.

Netherlands v Slovakia

I really like the Netherlands and wish to see them win the World Cup, but that is a bit of a stretch. Here's why. They are certainly a very talented squad and I think they have the skill and depth to go far in the tournament, but a friend of mine made a very good point about the boys in Orange: history doesn't favor them. At first my reaction was "so? every game is different" but then it all began to make sense. If you look back into the history books, the Netherlands have reached the World Cup final twice (1974, 1978) but lost to W. Germany and Argentina, respectively. In recent times the farthest they have made it is 4th place 12 years ago in France. A history like this doesn't exactly give a team the confidence it needs in big games. If you were to compare them to Brazil, who they face in the quarter finals on Friday for instance, history favors Brazil to win the entire tournament, and the Brazilians know this, as well as their opponents. Your swagger is completely different knowing that you have been here many times before and taken the chip. But like ESPN says, "One Game Changes Everything." Onto the game commentary.

The Netherlands looked very, very good today against Slovakia. They were composed and their chemistry has been exceptional all tournament. Robben's goal was typical Robben; starts on the right, puts it on his left foot, drives left past one defender, past another, and then takes the left footed shot and this time, he beats the goal keeper with a low shot. RvP did well with the decoy run. However, the credit goes to Wesley Sneijder whose vision was superb and delivery was even better.

Slovakia never looked menacing and did not really test the Dutch defense. I have said that in order for the Netherlands to do well, their defense must be exceptional, but I am yet to see a team really test their defense and expose the holes in it. Trust a team of Brazil's quality to do that on Friday. The second goal was exceptional for me and all the credit goes to Dirk Kuyt for being composed and having the patience to wait for Sneijder to get into the box before he played the ball in. Unselfish play. That's what futbol is all about.

Brazil v Chile

Once, a few years ago, I was fortunate enough to eat lunch at a five star French restaurant (Le Bec Fin) in Philadelphia. The lunch was crazy expensive and the portion was too small to even feed a stray dog, but the quality of the food was out of this world. You could taste it. I left there hungry and was looking for the nearest McDonalds, but the experience was unmatched. Why am I telling this story? Brazil just has that quality. And it was evident today against Chile. I want to sit here and recap everything that was so awesome about Brazil, but there's just too much to name. Their movement on and off the ball was excellent, the finishing was superb, and their defense was rock solid. Sucks that they will be facing the Netherlands so early in the tournament, but what will be will be. It will definitely be a game to remember.

Thanks for reading, and the comments have been great! keep them coming, I love hearing what you all have to say. Also follow us on twitter: @LiveBrtheFutbol to keep up with my futbol ramblings amongst other things.

The games continue in a few hours. Japan v Paraguay. Spain v Portugal. Exciting stuff! Have a great night/day!

Catch The Fever

2010-06-27T23:59:00.000-07:00

I try not to post other content on here, but whenever I see something interesting or pertains to futbol in a way I'll post it. I found this video on a message board I frequent and thought it was pretty corny, but we all love beautiful women. We love 'em even more when they are all about futbol. Not exactly sure what this was done for (magazine, commercial, etc) but enjoy nonetheless.

Some of the adjectives they use are hilarious, especially with the way some teams have played. My favorite is, "Italy: dramatic" enough said. I like how they brought all the girls in for the Bafana Bafana one. good stuff.

Goal Line Technology

2010-06-27T19:30:00.000-07:00

Earlier today, I was working on this post on my mobile phone, had it finished and when I clicked to post, the 3G signal disappeared and somehow the mobile gods thought it'd be funny to make all my futbol prose disappear. Anyhow, I will try my best to cover everything I had to say. Here we go.

Today we witnessed two epic matches between four well qualified teams. England faced Germany and the Argentinians suited up in clashing blues against the Mexicans. The games were both awesome, there is no denying that, but what tainted them, for me at least, was the two horrible calls made by the referees in both games in regards to goals.

In the England game, Frank Lampard scores a sweet goal that bounces off the crossbar and into the goal. It is clearly two feet or so behind the line, but the referee disallows the goal. This would've tied the game at 2-2 and it would've been, arguably, a different game. Sure the Germans played a better overall game, but there's no denying the psychological effect of such a call on a struggling England side. What ever happened to the striker getting the advantage in those situations? That's game one.

Game two. Early in the Mexico/Argentina game Mexico played with a lot of confidence and had two great shots on goal that easily could've gone in and would've left the Maradona-faithful seeking a new deity. However, Messi had other plans and played the ball into Tevez who heads it in, but is CLEARLY offside. The referee lets the goal stand and the Mexican players swarm the linesman in fury. After about a minute or so, the referee sends them back to the pitch and the goal stands. My question is, if it was clearly a goal, why did the referee run over to the linesman after it had already been called a goal? This was the paradigm shift in the game as it broke the Mexicans' momentum and it was all downhill from that moment forth.

Both calls will undoubtedly lead to the resurgence of the issue of goal line technology in futbol games. If you remember correctly the issue was widely discussed after Thierry Henry's handball against Ireland that sent France to South Africa and the Irish back home.

Futbol is a modern game in a modern era and it is the biggest in the world. Almost every other sport has some form of technology in place to aid officials in making the right calls during matches. Why not futbol? ESPN as well as other broadcasting stations have cameras on the goal net for crying out loud, why can't FIFA? If you think about the dynamic of a futbol match where we see 1 or 2 goals on average/game, getting a call wrong in regards to a goal is a big deal.

I brought up the question to a smart guy I know and he is against goal line technology. He says that it slows down the pace of the game and it is anti-futbol in the sense that it leaves us nothing to talk about after the game. Goal line technology makes futbol a game of absolutes with no ambiguity and room for debate. I see his point, but I disagree. Billions of dollars/pounds/Euros/Yen/Pesos are invested in futbol and aside from the monetary aspect of it, we as fans want to see a fair game. That's what goal line technology does; it makes the game fair. Now, the issue becomes, if implemented, to what extent is the technology used? My friend brought up a scenario that what if a foul is committed on the center of the pitch and everyone stops, but the referee lets the play go on and a goal is scored from that, will goal line technology review the foul and thus disallow the goal? I think goal line technology should be used only in instances like we saw today. Instances where the ball is over the line, but the referee isn't sure; instances where a player in the box is offside, or could be offside. These moments won't slow down the game in my opinion. I'm for goal line technology. Horrible calls like we saw today taint the game for me and it is a shame that FIFA, or rather, Sepp Blatter, does not favor technology in futbol. What are your thoughts on goal line technology? Are you for it? Are you against it? I'd love to hear what you think in the comments!! Thanks for reading and as always you can follow us on Twitter: @LiveBrtheFutbol

The Games continue in the a.m. !! Viva Futbol.

The Stars and Stripes vs The Black Stars

2010-06-25T21:09:00.000-07:00

In 14 hours and 15 minutes the US Men's National Team will take on Ghana in the Round of 16. If you remember the 2006 World Cup, Ghana defeated the United States 2-1 and the US will be seeking revenge tomorrow. This is a very different US squad from four years ago. I will be expecting a phenomenal game because the stakes are high and there is a bit of history there.

Who will you be rooting for?

I'm a bit torn. I've lived in the United States for the past decade even though I am West African. And since Ghana is the only African side to advance to the knockout stages I feel a sense of responsibility in supporting the Black Stars in the first World Cup on African soil. Who are you guys rolling with?

Sentiment and emotions aside, I have been more impressed by the US' showing thus far in the World Cup. Ghana has scored only two goals so far, both of which have been penalties. However, I certainly am not counting them out because they are a strong defensive side and have shown some attacking flair even though they have not particularly finished well.

X- Factor

It goes without saying but Landon Donovan must be on his game and be the leader he has become if the U.S. are to win this. Though he is still young, Jozy Altidore's size and strength is a huge bonus up top for the US and they ought to capitalize on it.

For the Black Stars Asamoah Gyan has to score goals. Not a penalty, but a legitimate product of a well orchestrated attack. Also, Kevin-Prince Boateng has to shine. He is new in the squad, but extremely confident on the ball and he brings creativity to the midfield.

My prediction? The U.S. wins 2-1. Whats yours?

Twitter: @LiveBrtheFutbol

The Defending Chumps; Japan takes the Danes to School

2010-06-24T14:31:00.000-07:00

Before the World Cup started I predicted that it would be a very different World Cup. The teams we all expect to go on suffered and today was no different. The defending champions, Italy, suffered defeat at the hands of the Slovakians. My goodness. Italy was very very disappointing in all three games and seemed to fancy diving to the ground instead of hitting the ground running and dominating the group as everyone expected them to. I have never cared much for Italian futbol, but today I couldn't help but feel sorry for them. Too many teams have waited until the third game to give it everything and by that time it is far too late. Slovakia's attacking was phenomenal and you could tell they came to play. As a result of a well orchestrated offense, Italy managed to finish dead last in a group that is average with only two points. Dismal. Embarassing. *insert term that expresses gross disappointment* I'm sure 99% of everyone's brackets are shot to hell. But I think the World Cup is more interesting now. Depending on how Spain does tomorrow they could potentially face Brasil. Nice.

Japan v Denmark

How do you say "class is in session" in Japanese? The Japanese were exceptional in this game and completely stunned the Danish defense, scoring from two free kicks. Finally somebody has figured out how to score from a set play with Jabulani. It reminds me of that Jay-z line, "Do the Impossible and then do it twice." And they certainly did.

Cameroon v the Netherlands

Glad RvP is doing well and glad he scored a goal. I'm excited to see him return to Arsenal and hopefully we can get a full season out of him. I picked the Dutch to win the World Cup and their display today cements that for me. Their attack was very fluid and entertaining.

And why has nobody figured out that Arjen Robben does the same thing every time? And why can't they stop him? Starts on the right side, goes past one defender, goes past the second and turns 90 degrees and fires on target. This time he was unlucky to hit the post because he had Hamidou beat. Huntelaar puts the rebound in the back of the net to give the Netherlands the victory. And Cameroon sucessfully loses all three of their group games and earns zero point.

Enjoy the rest of the 3rd round of group games. The Race to the Cup officially begins on Saturday. Catch you in the comments, or follow us on twitter: @LiveBrtheFutbol

The American Spirit Wins big

2010-06-23T14:01:00.000-07:00

Breathtaking. Nerve-wracking. Pulsating. These are just a few words that described the United State's 91st minute victory against Algeria to win Group C and advance to the Round of 16. Early in the game we saw Clint Dempsey score a goal that was disallowed because the linesman wrongly made an offside call. Suddenly, Edu's disallowed goal against Slovenia immediately sprung to mind and one began to wonder if the officials had a conspiracy against the U.S. or if they were just that unlucky. Minute after minute, the U.S. pressure and pressure, but are unable to find the back of the net. Jozy Altidore blasts the ball over the bar from 3 yards out; Dempsey hits the post and knocks his rebound shot wide left. The entire match, however, we felt it coming. It seemed almost as if the game could end no other way than the way it did.

You couldn't possibly write a better story than this. Imagine Tim Howard launching the ball in Donovan's path and Donovan surging down the field in slow motion while a Hans Zimmer-composed soundtrack (think Lux Aeterna) blares in the background with intermitent shots of a tense crowd. The soundtrack builds with every step forward that Donovan takes. He passes the ball to Jozy Altidore. The camera zooms in on Jozy's young, nervous face. He passes the ball in to Dempsey who can't be the hero because, well, it's just not his time. The keeper knocks it out and Donovan, with his eyes locked on goal, receives the ball. At this moment, the soundtrack is mellow with only angelic-like voices (think Now We are Free) and as he hits the ball into the back of the net the entire orchestra comes in and the spirits of an entire nation are lifted in that moment. That would make for a cool movie, or some poorly put together youtube clip that will probably be up in the next hour if it isn't already.

Cheers to the Americans and their new hero Landon Donovan. Bill
Clinton is proud.

(Michael Sohn/AP)

Futbol isn't a game of Fairytales

2010-06-22T17:08:00.001-07:00

I'm once again posting from my mobile phone while on the subway to work. Anyhow, I'd like to apologize in advance to anyone who is looking for completely unbiased World Cup commentary because you won't get that with this post. I'm Nigerian and I had a very big emotional connection to today's match. Carrying on.

Uruguay v Mexico

Not much to say here, because, barring a South African victory against the tumultuous French, both Uruguay and Mexico would advance. Despite the Bafana Bafana victory, Mexico advanced to the knockout round with a better goal difference. Look for Uruguay to be the sleeper team in the next rounds.

South Africa v France

I absolutely love how the Bafana Bafana enter the stadium game after game rejoicing and singing. It shows unity and a togetherness that has been absent in the French camp- and it showed in this game.

The Bafana Bafana got on the score sheet first with a beautiful header from Bongani Khumalo. Had the circumstances been different, this would've been considered by most to be a shock lead. However, Les Bleus have seemed more interested in drama than actually playing futbol in recent times. As if being 1-0 down isnt enough of a kick in the behind, the French find themselves down 2-0 after Mphela scores a scrappy goal. Determined to qualify and riding on the sound of the vuvuzelas blown by their home fans, the Bafana Bafana keep their fingers on the trigger but are unlucky as they find the post a few times and Tshabalala fails to elevate the home crowd with his left foot once again. Les Bleus manage to crush the S. African fairytale when Ribery finds Malouda in the box on a well orcestrated attack that comes far far too late.

Well done by the Bafana Bafana, its truly sad to see such a well spirited team go, or rather, stay home. and I bet Les Bleus are feeling pretty blue right now. No sympathy there from me.

Argentina v Greece

Needing only to tie to secure their spot atop Group B the Argentinians had no intention of settling for a tie. At least Messi did not. Although Messi has perhaps the most shots on goal in this tournament, he is yet to find the back of the net. However, I don't see this as an issue because I see him as more of a playmaker for Argentina than the prolific goalscorer he has become at Barcelona. He draws defenders, makes them look silly before dishing off a pass to a teammate. The game ends two nil and Greece returns home.

Nigeria v South Korea

In order for the Super Eagles to advance to the knockout stages they needed a victory against South Korea and some help from Messi and co. The game begins and 12 mintes into the game Odiah muscles his way past two Korean defenders and fires a beautiful cross into the box and poor defending gives Kalu Uche the positioning he needs to find the net. 1-0 to the Super Eagles. I'm elated, but a bit worried because Nigeria has a terrible habit of going up by a goal only to lose the game. The referee seemed to have a penchant for awarding free kicks at the slightest touch and the Koreans used this to exploit Nigeria's weakness scoring both goals from set plays. Game is at 2-1 and Nigeria, once again, finds themselves playing catch up. Kanu goes off and finally the fast-as-hell striker Obafemi Martins comes on. Obasi switches to the left and becomes more dangerous as he constantly attacks the South Korean box. He finds his way through, gives Yakubu the easiest pass he will ever receive and somehow, Yakubu misses from half a yard from goal. There is no excuse for a fail like this other than Yakubu clearly not being focused. Should be 2-2. Odiah draws a penalty and the penalty master Yakubu redeems himself by scoring and avoids the wrath of the Nigerian people being currently felt by Sani Kaita who watched from the stands. 2-2. The Nigerians continue to press and almost find victory when Obasi plays a beautiful ball through to Martins who goes for a cheeky chip, but puts it wide of goal.

Obinna fancies two long range efforts that are very close, but only cigars see you through the next round.

Personal commentary:

Here is where I, as a Nigerian, let out my feelings about the Super Eagles. Reader discretion is advised.***

1. Decision making. It is horrible. Nigeria's woes are beyond the field of play and the mistakes made on it. NFA needs to be overhauled and we need a Nigerian coach. Yes I said it. Lagerback couldnt qualify Sweden for the World Cup so how in the hell is he going to help Nigeria do well in South Africa? Lagerback is no Westerhoff and seems very timid and quite uninterested in Nigeria's success in the World Cup. Westerhoff still lives in Nigeria for crying out loud- thats because he truly cares about the Nigerian people and our way of life. The closest you'll get to that is a Nigerian coach.

2. Team selection: where is Ikechukwu Uche? why is he not on the squad? Why does one of the fastest players in futbol start the game on the bench? Sure Martins didn't do so hot during this past season, but anybody with his speed is always going to be a threat. And why didn't Odemwingie play this match at all?

3. Defensive errors: This issue is what has plagued all of the African sides in the World Cup so far. They are generally stronger and bigger than their asian, european and south american counterparts, but they forget simple defensive tactics like closing down strikers around the box. Too many goals have been scored by allowing the strikers too much space.

4. Fitness: These guys all look terribly out of shape. Maybe it is because most of them are in their late 30s claiming to be in their mid 20s, but come on, there's no reason for you all to be getting cramps so often.

5. Midfield: Nigeria thoroughly missed Mikel Obi in South Africa. Our midfield lacked creativity and strength. Etuhu was way too jumpy today and committed very stupid fouls.

6. Finishing: see Martins and Yakubu. Also, see the first game against Argentina. Absolutely no attack whatsoever and we were saved from being routed only by Victor Enyeama.

7. Composure: Save for the latter stages in today's game, Nigeria was not composed at all. In their second game against Greece, they fell apart once Sani Kaita was sent off. Playing down a man is not the worst thing that can happen as long as you compose your team and play together. Nigeria successfully accumulated a single point in 3 matches. Dismal. Your success should never hinge on another's. There was no need for us to find ourselves needing an Argentina victory in order to qualify with THREE points! Rubbish.

I have a ton more to say, but I will stop here. Nigeria: lets fix these simple issues and we will once again become the African powerhouse we were in the 90s.

Thanks for reading and I'll be back tomorrow with another post. the US takes on Algeria and England take on Slovenia in a must win for both English-speaking cousins. Should be exciting. Follow us on twitter: @LiveBrtheFutbol

The David Villa Show. The Portugese invasion.

2010-06-21T23:18:00.000-07:00

First of all let me apologize for the super late blog post. I went back to work today and had to send out some shirts afterwards. maybe one day soon I'll be able to blog full time about futbol. Anyhow, the games have become more interesting!

So while most Americans on the East Coast were still sleeping or stuck in rush hour traffic on their way to a futbol-less day at work, Portugal were getting busy firing away missiles at the North Koreans in Green Point Stadium. Holy mother of futbol! if you didnt catch this game I would advise that you open a new tab on your browser and navigate to espn3.com and watch the replay. Once you finish watching, return and continue reading.

Portugal v North Korea

After the North Koreans showed strongly against Brazil and managed to squeeze a goal from the game I strongly believed that the North Koreans would be able to, at the very least, get a draw against Portugal (following their so-so showing against the Ivory Coast). boy was I wrong. The first half was ok with Portugal scoring one goal before the break. Im not exactly sure what Captain Cristiano said to his teammates in the locker room, or if they just watched some Chelsea FC matches from this past EPL season, but whatever it was had the Portugese locked and loaded. From then on it was a barrage of goals that left me feeling very sympathetic towards the North Koreans. Nobody deserves to go out that way. This, for me, has been the most exciting match thus far and to those non-believers who complain that futbol is boring because there are very few goals scored need to look no further than this game to find salvation. There was even a bit of comedy courtsey of the Diving Sensation at the end with his hilarious goal. great stuff.

Chile v Switzerland

Today we saw Chile sit comfortably at the top of Group H with 6 points. I must point out an emerging trend. South American teams are doing very well in these games, African teams are playing poorly at best and €uropean teams have been very disappointing for reasons that include reality tv show-worthy drama and heartless performances.

Spain v Honduras

Just for the sake of formality am I calling this section "spain vs honduras" because it was really the David Villa show today. Villa started on the left side and many times turned the Honduras defense inside out like shirts ready to be washed. His first real opportunity was a shot on goal that bounced off the crossbar. Villa comes right back and splits two defenders Messi-style before making a third look clueless before firing past the keeper to give the Spaniards their first goal of the tournament. Somewhere in between the first and the 2nd goal, Fernando Torres looks very unconvincing and uninspired. Villa fancies a right foot shot on the edge of the box that takes a deflection into the back of the net. For whatever reason, David Villa looks seriously upset. But then again, he always does. His perpetual mean mug is justified when he completely misses the goal on a penalty shot that would've put him level on goals with Gonzalo Higuain who already has 3 goals in the tournament.

Xavi is taken off and Cesc Fabregas comes on. Immediately he has a good chance at goal, but the ball is knocked out of bounds for a corner. At this point the game is over and I have time to wonder why Gillette hasn't given him a ring and offered him their new Pro Glide razors. He certainly could use a shave.
Anyhow, the games continue in the morning with Les Bleus taking on Bafana Bafana in a game that is very important for both sides to secure a victory if they are to advance at all.

Thanks for reading. Leave a comment, or you could follow on twitter: @LiveBrtheFutbol where I update by the second during the games.

P.S. Im posting this from my mobile phone so the formatting is out of whack and my grammar is horrible. I apologize and will fix all that when I get to a computer in the a.m.

The Elephants get a Lesson in "Joga Bonito"

2010-06-20T16:03:00.000-07:00

Another interesting day of futbol took place all over South Africa today. Paraguay took on Slovakia, Italy faced New Zealand and the Brazilians faced Cote d'Ivoire. The saga continues. On to the reviews.

Italy v New Zealand

After a first round of games that saw most teams being understandably cautious I hoped we would see the defending champions come out gunning to secure three points against 78th ranked New Zealand. Wait, I momentarily forgot that we are talking about Italy. New Zealand's Shane Smeltz opens up the scoring in the 6th minute to give them a shock lead. Daniele De Rossi DIVES in the box (yeah I said it) and earns the Azzuri a penalty that is tucked away by Vincenzo Iaquinta in the 28th minute. 1-1 draw. After the second round of play the Italians are tied for second place with two points. A dismal showing by the current World Champions.

Paraguay v Slovakia

I didn't wake up in time to catch this game (working late sucks especially during the World Cup). It ended 2-0 with Paraguay sitting at the top of Group F with 4 points. Enrique Vera opens up the scoring in the 26th minute to put Paraguay ahead. Cristian Riveros secures the 3 points in the 85th minute from an assist by Paulo da Silva.

Cote d'Ivoire v Brazil

This is probably the game the whole world was looking forward to. Why? The strongest African side versus the Brazilians. The stage was set for a game of epic proportions. And it did not disappoint. Except for the hideous, suffocatingly-tight jerseys donned by the Elephants. But this isn't a fashion blog, so onto actual futbol commentary. For the first twenty minutes I was very proud of the Elephants for holding onto the ball and more or less controlling the tempo of the game and pressing forward. Unfortunately, my pride took a massive hit in the 24th minute when Luiz Fabiano decided that it was a good idea to score his first goal in a World Cup against the Ivory Coast. The build up play was beautiful one touch futbol between Fabiano and Kaka to set up the goal.

Three minutes into the second half Fabiano, with his confidence peaking, scores a pretty nice goal that was preceded by what is, perhaps, the greatest display of patty cake ever. In real time the goal was exceptional. He made the Ivory Coast defense look like a volleyball net and then places the ball on his left food to guide it past Boubacar Barry. However, thanks to the super duper slow-mo instant replay fancied by ESPN/ABC in this World Cup, it becomes evident that Fabiano's first touch was with his left arm and his "chest" touch to control the ball right before he fires it home was indeed his right bicep. Rubbish. What infuriated me the more, thanks again to the super slow mo, was the referee jogging back with Fabiano after the goal and touching his left bicep and smiling with Fabiano presumably saying "I saw your handball, but sick goal bro! I wasn't gonna disallow that!" Despicable.

Dindane is taken off and Gervinho comes on. Why? After his exceptional display against Portugal in the first round of play why did he start their most important game on the bench?? I am seriously appalled at some of the decision making in regards to African sides so far. The better players are either not played or are brought on when it is a little bit too late. Anyhow, the difference is immediately evident. Gervinho presses forward and cuts through the Brazilian defense, but again the finish is just not there. Then the lesson in Joga Bonito is completed by Kaka's beautiful pass into the box that Elano catches with his left foot and slices it past Barry to put the Brazilians up 3-0. Game over. Didier Drogba was a non-factor in this game until his header in the 78th minute from a beautiful cross from Yaya Toure. It was a beautiful finish and I won't rag on Drogba too much. It's tough playing with a broken arm. I commend him for playing the entire game.

The fight.

We need to address (we meaning futbol fans and lovers of the sport and FIFA and the players) the issue of diving and hideous acting in futbol. It's horrible and it's a disgrace. You bump into Kaka, who's clearly just guarding himself, he hits you in the chest and you fall to the floor clutching your face. Stop it. Perhaps the holiest and well-mannered player in all of futbol gets sent off for a bogus challenge. Why not give the diver a card? It's all over though, the Brazilians already had the game in the bag and now Ivory Coast find themselves with only one point after two games. Keep the faith boys, hopefully Portugal can draw agaisnt North Korea, get obliterated by Brazil and you can defeat the North Koreans. I highly doubt it will happen like that, but again, you never know.

Enjoy the games. The saga begins again tomorrow morning with Portugal taking on North Korea. Thank you all for reading, drop a comment if you will or catch us on twitter: @LiveBrtheFutbol rambling on about futbol and other uselessness. Until next time, joga bonito!!

The Black Stars fail to shine; The Domitable Cubs

2010-06-20T09:50:00.000-07:00

Ok. I'm a bit frustrated. First Ghana draws with Australia then my team loses 2-1 in the semifinals and I return to watch Cameroon lose to Denmark. Not sure about you guys but the outcome of a futbol game greatly affects my mood. At the beginning of this tournament I believed that Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana and Cameroon would be the African sides that would make some noise in the tournament. So far, it has been only a whimper.

Ghana v Australia

Coming from a 1-0 victory over Serbia I expected the Black Stars of Ghana to be confident enough to take 3 points home against an Australian side that got mollywhopped by Germany 4-0. There is a psychological advantage in futbol that a lot of teams are not capitalizing on it seems like. The Black Stars had a great opportunity to comfortably sit atop of Group D (which they currently are) with 6 points. However, they seldom played like they had the desire to win. This is my gripe with every African side so far. We are yet to see the tenacity and hunger for a victory from an African side. Sure there are times when they are pressuring the opponents for minutes on end, but the attack always breaks down in the last third whether it is someone making one pass too many or taking a wild shot from outside the 18 yard box like Kojo Asamoah seemed to fancy all game.

Also, Australia played a man down for a good portion of the game. What happened to taking advantage of this (like Greece did against Nigeria the other day)? At times the Ghanian defense was way too exposed which is the problem with most of the African sides in the tournament. The Black Stars came away with a draw which certainly does not rule them out of the tournament, but if they lose to Germany and Serbia beats Australia they very well could be out of the tournament. Is that going to happpen? Your guess is as good as mine. My bracket is completely shot; the teams we expected to dominate the group stages are falling at the hands of teams we paid no mind at all. Interesting stuff.

Cameroon v Denmark

Where do I begin? The match started out very promising for the Indomitable Lions with Samuel Eto'o showing his class by scoring a goal early on in the match. He would go on to hit the post again before Nicklas Bendtner, perhaps the world's most unreasonably confident striker, would put Denmark level after a half hour. Poor defense from the Lions would see Rommedahl score a left-footed shot that should easily have been prevented. I am absolutely infuriated with African teams seemingly forgetting how to play defense. It's classic futbol. Striker at the edge of the box receives a ball, you close him down. You don't wait for him to exercise judgment upon you and punish your keeper. Then, as all other African teams that find themselves down a goal with time running out, the Indomitable Lions (referred to from hereon out as the "Domitable Cubs") begin to mount the pressure on Denmark with plenty of full and half-chances, but they can not seem to find the back of the net with Idrissou having the best chances at goal with two headers that he knocks high over the bar. Just like that the Domitable Cubs crash out of the World Cup having successfully accumulated zero points in two games. Great stuff.

Netherlands v Japan

Brazil, Argentina, and the Netherlands are the only teams that have kept my bracket from being shot to hell. Thank you Maicon, Higuain and Sneijder, you guys are awesome. Of the three, the Netherlands are the only ones that are yet to concede a goal. This was a big concern for me before the tournament because I believed that if they were able to tighten up their defense and strengthen it they would go far in the world cup. Hopefully they do. I really like their team and they are exciting to watch.

Thanks for reading my useless World Cup rants and I hope you are all enjoying the games. Brazil plays today. Italy just did...er....we'll talk about that in the next blog post.

P.S. what's up with Les Bleus?? They're looking more like the cast of a reality TV show than a futbol team of seasoned professionals. Leave the drama and the egos elsewhere and just play futbol. Your nation is counting on you.

Until next time, au revoir mes amis! Follow us on twitter: @LiveBrtheFutbol where we rant about all things futbol and more.

One Call Changes Everything

2010-06-19T01:36:00.000-07:00

Due to LBF business and staying up late the night before I managed to miss all three World Cup games today. However, thanks to the magic of the wonderful world wide web and a World Cup app on my phone I was able to catch highlights and find out the outcome of the games. Here's my take on what happened.

Germany v Serbia

After scoring 4 goals against Australia in the first round of group matches a few days ago everyone expected the Germans to continue their fine form against Serbia and comfortably sit atop Group D with 6 points. But if the past week of play has told us anything, it is that a "guaranteed win" is anything but. Klose gets sent off after receiving his second yellow card and shortly after, the Serbians take the lead with a very composed goal by Milan Jovanovic. After a handball in the box, the Germans are awarded a penalty in the 60th minute which Podolski misses. All the credit goes to Stojkovic for reading Podolski's mind, but when you are down 1-0 you just don't miss. With the way refs have been letting a lot slide so far in the World Cup, a penalty is a rare gift and we all expected Podolski to tuck the penalty away neatly, but it happens.

USA v Slovenia

I have a lot to say about this game, but it's 3:42am and I don't remember everything that was running through my mind when I caught the last few minutes of the game and recapped what happened. Side note: maybe I should start jotting notes down for these posts, might make my life easier. Anyway, if the U.S. is to do well in this tournament (if they advance) they will have to tighten up their defense and stop conceding the early goals. In this game they gave up two. Anyone who has ever played a soccer match knows that a 1-0 deficit is not the end of the world and neither is a 2-0 deficit, but it is exponentially more difficult to overcome. However, the "Yanks" (what's the "official" name for the US Men's National Team?) found a way to get themselves back in with a goal from Landon Donovan and Bob Bradley's son.

Now comes the biggest bull-feces call I have seen thus far in the World Cup. Maurice Edu scores a beautiful goal off a corner kick and the referee disallows the goal. I don't know what the call was; I don't think anybody knows why the goal was disallowed. If you know the referee or are related to him somehow, please do the entire world (at least the United States) a huge favor and ask us what the hell he was thinking when he made that call. He ruined what would have been the greatest comeback in U.S. soccer history and would certainly have put the U.S. at the top of the group with four points and England desperately searching for answers.

England v Algeria

Speaking of which, I'm sure we have all seen Nike's "Write The Future" advert. Who wants to start placing bets that Rooney's worst nightmare in the advert might actually come true? (Save, of course, for the Ribery/ Nike advert because he has played like complete crap thus far so I doubt Nike will give him a giant billboard). I am thoroughly disappointed with England's showing so far in these games. On paper they have a ton of quality players, but have managed to score only one goal. I expected Wayne Rooney to bring some of the firepower he brings to Manchester United, but so far all we've seen from him is the equivalent of a water pistol.

I wasn't one of those who hailed Fabio Capello as the second coming of Christ, but I'm sure those who did are beginning to question his ability to bring salvation to the English side. There is no doubt that Capello is a good coach, but great coaches find a way to win and England have not yet done that. In the event that England does advance they'll need to score a lot more goals and against tougher opponents than they have faced thus far.

On a final note, with Spain, Germany and France having lost to "lesser" teams wouldn't it be more interesting to see a new set of nations in the knockout rounds of the World Cup? I think it certainly will. Let me know what you guys think in the comments! Adieu!

Twitter: @LiveBrtheFutbol

Gonzalo the Great; Nigeria makes the Greeks look like gods

2010-06-17T10:12:00.000-07:00

Today is a great day for futbol in the World Cup. Argentina took on S. Korea; Nigeria took on Greece and Les Bleus will face the Mexicans in a short while.

Finally, thanks to Gonzalo the Great, we get to see some goals in this World Cup. If you didn't catch the game, Real Madrid's wonder boy scored a hat trick against South Korea and became only the first to do so since Pauleta of Portugal did the same against Poland in 2002. Of course everyone is still waiting for Leo Messi to find the back of the net, but he has done a tremendous job of making the opposition very nervous and has created plenty of opportunities for his teammates. There isn't much else to say about this game. Let's go on to the dismal display put on by the Nigerian Eagles (there certainly was nothing "super" about the way they played today) against Greece.

Greece had never, that's right, NEVER won a World Cup game prior to this match against Nigeria. The Greeks had no clue what it means to leave a World Cup match with 3 points in the bag until Sani Kaita decided to display what is possibly the greatest fail of epic proportions. Out of frustration, he "kicks" Torosidis with the referee having a clear view of the incident. First of all, if you are going to lash out like that, at the very least make sure your kick/punch or whatever connects. Secondly, be certain that the referee has his back turned. Or, since your team is up 1-0 and you have the psychological advantage over a team that has never won a World Cup match and is coming from a 2-0 defeat to South Korea, you maintain your composure and play the game. Not Sani Kaita. He gets a red card in the 33' minute and forces Nigeria to play for another hour down a man.

The Greeks, as any other team with common sense would, take advantage of this fact and begin to mount the pressure on the weak Nigerian defense. Victor Enyeama, who had 6 huge saves in the game against Argentina, comes up huge for Nigeria and records 9 saves. Enyeama is world class, there is no doubt about that, but a goalie should never have to make that many saves against any team. The Nigerian defenders towered over the Greek, but gave them way too much space. Dimitrios Salpingidis took advantage of this and takes a shot that deflected off Haruna's bright yellow boots and into the back of the net. Had Nigeria been able to hang on to their 1-0 lead until half time, the result may have been different.

A rare error from Victor Enyeama saw Torosidis tuck Jabulani neatly in the back of the net to give Greece a much deserved lead. Prior to this Nigeria had a textbook breakaway that should have resulted in nothing more than a goal. Yakubu (I believe it was) misses as Tzorvas pushes it wide with his left hand into the path of Obasi who could not finish. My question is/was: Why was Obafemi Martins not in this game?? If you need goals, which Nigeria desperately needed in this game, he's your guy. Had Nigeria scored there, the game would have changed again, but from then on it was all Greece. Greatly disappointed by the Nigerians today. As always, the games go on and I'm looking forward to France vs. Mexico in about an hour. Enjoy.

Follow us on twitter: http://twitter.com/livebrthefutbol

Upset is spelled S-W-I-T-Z-E-R-L-A-N-D

2010-06-16T11:28:00.000-07:00

Wow. You are probably as shocked as I am at the result of the Spain v. Switzerland game that ended just over an hour ago. The Spaniards came out well organized with a great deal of attacking flair from David Villa and a great chance from Gerard Pique. The Spaniards, made up of 7 FC Barcelona first team members played a very similar passing and attacking style similar to the one played by the Catalan Giants, but that proved to be very ineffective against a well organized Swiss defense. The Spaniards were forced to take long range shots and it seemed, from the many shots that went far wide and over the bar, that they still aren't used to "Jabulani". Xabi Alonso came the closest with a stinger of a shot that hit the crossbar.

The Swiss' patience paid off in the 52nd minute when the African-born Gelson Fernandes scored to put them in front after Iker Casillas came out to stop the attack. I'm pleased with the result because it makes the games a bit more interesting. The Spaniards, on paper, have quite possibly the best team in the world and most people picked them to win the entire tournament. However, history tells us that no team has lost their first game and gone on to win the World Cup. We'll see what happens. As ESPN's World Cup tagline goes, One Game Changes Everything.

Now: South Africa v Uruguay. I'm looking forward to a great game. I really hope the Bafana Bafana can squeeze out a victory in this one, but I'm also expecting a great showing from Diego Forlan. Enjoy.

The Group of Death: A Reaction

2010-06-15T14:24:00.000-07:00

Today was supposed to be the the most exciting day of the games so far with the Group of Death taking center stage, but quite honestly, I am a bit disappointed. Let's start with Portugal and Cote d'Ivoire. Save for Ronaldo's power-packed shot that hit the woodwork in the first half, Portugal never really looked menacing. The Elephants on the other hand were a lot more composed on the ball and I was very impressed with their overall play, except they could not finish to save their lives. Gervinho was very impressive and gave Portugal's defense some trouble, but not enough to earn them three points.

Drogba's introduction into the game in the 66th minute did little to change things. He had perhaps the closest chance at goal, but I'm not sure if his effort was a misguided shot on goal or a pass to a non existent teammate. Being that this is the group of death and Brazil is almost certain to win all three games in the group stages, it seems that the second team to advance will be the one that doesn't get pummeled by Brazil and does the most damage to North Korea.

And speaking of which, North Korea came out ready to play against Brazil today and showed heart the entire game. Maicon's goal was sublime and so was Robinho's (who was excellent the entire match) pass to set up Elano's goal, but the North Koreans played very well and kept pressing enough to get a late goal. If the N. Koreans play the way they did against Brazil today Portugal and Cote d'Ivoire must be 100% on their game.

Verdict: The group is still up for grabs. I, and probably most people, were expecting the Brazilians to rout against North Korea, but that wasn't the case. I don't see the North Koreans moving on, but Portugal and Cote d'Ivoire will have to work very hard against them in order to advance to the Round of 16.

Thanks for reading. Keep watching the games and check back here for more game reviews and more news and releases from LIVE BREATHE FUTBOL.

The Games are Underway!

2010-06-14T15:26:00.000-07:00

Friday marked the beginning of the World Cup of epic proportions: the first to be held on African soil. It was certainly a special moment when the man with the coolest name ever (Siphiwe Tshabalala) scored a cracker with his left foot to christen the goal net in South Africa. It would've been even more special if Mphela scored his last minute opportunity, but a draw was certainly not the worst result ever. Enjoy the games and keep checking back for more World Cup news and t-shirts! Viva Futbol!

32 Teams. One Hope.

2010-06-07T11:02:00.000-07:00

So the World Cup is just four days away or 96 hours! And I know we've been promising that the World Cup designs are coming and guess what? They are here!!! Enjoy!

We felt this design was the best one to go with because it isn't partial to any country, but rather expresses every nation's plight in entering the World Cup. It's simple. There are 32 teams that all share one hope. Available for purchase now in the webstore Click Here

This second design is a bit more cut throat and will only be released as a print/poster and not a t-shirt. It basically expresses the final outcome of the World Cup: 31 losers and One winner. This is not yet available in the store, but will be in a few hours.

Feedback is encouraged and greatly appreciated, so if you're not in too much of a hurry, please shoot us a comment. Thanks
Twitter: @LiveBrtheFutbol

Just. One. Week.

2010-06-04T15:28:00.000-07:00

Where has time gone? It seemed just yesterday that there was a month left until the World Cup, now it is merely one week away. What that means is that I, as well as millions of other soccer fans the world over are pumped for the world's greatest sporting tournament. I am anticipating one of the best world cups ever. For some reason I sense that there will be a lot of upsets and "what the hell???" moments. But that's all a part of the game that we all love.

It's sad to hear that Drogba is out of the tournament. He is a beast plain and simple and his thirst for goal is second to none. Hope the good ol' Elephants can pull it together without their captain.

As far as LIVE BREATHE FUTBOL goes fear not, for the World Cup tees are just a few days away! and so is the all new, intuitive website. I am excited, anxious, and can't wait for to release new product for you guys.

Weekend's coming up, so let's all be safe and enjoy it. I'm off to go play some futbol. yeah.

catch us on twitter: @LiveBrtheFutbol

New Logo. New Website

2010-05-30T12:02:00.000-07:00

Hey guys, some exciting stuff going on here at LIVE BREATHE FUTBOL. As you are probably aware, directing your browser to http://livebreathefutbol.com takes you to to a page that displays our awesome new logo and a link here (the blog). Hope you guys like it. We were going for something classic. Something timeless that shows the essence of futbol, and what better than a crest?! True soccer heads may be able to see where the inspiration comes from, but I'll be quiet about that.

Anyway, things will be changing a lot over the coming week. The website is currently undergoing a massive overhaul and new products will be launching soon. So please bare with us. We appreciate all the support.

P.S. the website will be FULLY launched the same time as kick-off of the first World Cup game between South Africa and Mexico! Exciting stuff!

Don't forget to follow us on twitter @Livebrthefutbol

The Logo

2010-05-24T12:08:00.000-07:00

So we aren't unveiling the logo just yet, but here are some images just to show you guys that we are working hard at this thing. It has to be right. Enjoy. Oh and if you have twitter, please follow us Live Breathe Futbol Twitter

And here's a sketch of a new tee that will be released in the coming weeks...

Thanks for the support and keep following us!

Write The Future - Nike

2010-05-23T20:36:00.000-07:00

A few days ago I saw Nike's Write The Future advert and it, of course, was premiered during halftime of the Champion's League final yesterday. Wow. What a great advert. The depth was phenomenal, but what struck me the most was the ever-so slight exaggeration of football's impact on a nation. Football is big, and the World Cup is the biggest tournament there is. The split second where Rooney sees his wretched future if he let Ribery get away with his intercepted pass is genius. The Nike advert with Ribery instead of Rooney is clever. Wieden + Kennedy did an exceptional job with this. Here's the advert if you haven't seen it yet:

Look out for LIVE BREATHE FUTBOL's first advert coming shortly!!!

Let's Go Bayern!

2010-05-22T11:31:00.001-07:00

I'm neither a fan of Inter nor Bayern Munich, but I'm rooting for Bayern on this one. I think they deserve it. Should be a great match. Enjoy all!

We are almost there...

2010-05-20T22:37:00.000-07:00

Hey guys, we've been working long and hard on the World Cup designs and I want to unveil just one. A little "trailer" perhaps of what is to come very soon. It is simply a merger between the classic LIVE BREATHE FUTBOL tee and the South African flag. The other ones coming are on an entirely different level. Enjoy. And as always we encourage your feedback, so please if you like it, or not, leave a comment. Every feedback is taken seriously. I will be posting scans of my sketch book so you guys can get a glimpse of the process. Later.

Spread LOVE.

2010-05-10T18:39:00.000-07:00

Hey guys, just wanted to give you a taste of what is to come at LIVE BREATHE FUTBOL in the near future.
We are still working hard on the World Cup designs, because we want to make it perfect. As an African this World Cup is special to me and means a great deal to a lot of people, so we must get it right. Anyhow, here's a new tee that will be available in the web store in the next few days.

We appreciate your feedback. Please leave us a comment, shoot us an email or follow us on twitter. Thanks! and LIVE BREATHE FUTBOL!

LIVE BREATHE FUTBOL Tournament

2010-05-10T13:54:00.000-07:00

Hey guys, this past friday LIVE BREATHE FUTBOL had its first ever soccer tournament @ Temple University [where I go to school]. It was a great turn out, lots of soccer players, fans and beautiful girls came to support. My biggest regret? not getting to play. Anyway, enjoy the pics and new tees coming soon.

There's one month left until the World Cup begins so we still have a lot to do here at LBF, but the World Cup tees will be releasing very shortly, I promise.

the winners.

Enjoy. and please check the web store for some great tees. Click Here

Odds vs Evens

2010-04-25T18:16:00.000-07:00

Every year, my high school coach and some others plan an alumni soccer game. It's always a great event to look forward to because it's one of the few times I get to see most of the guys from my high school team. Those who graduated in an odd numbered year play against those who graduated in an even numbered year. Last year was a lot of fun so I had to make sure I came out again. Unfortunately, the odds kicked our a$$es. There was one point I believe they scored three goals in quick succession. I hate losing, but it was a lot of fun and it was great to see everyone again. There were guys who graduated before I was even born! Anyway, here are some pics. Enjoy.

yours truly

Coach Snyder and I.

Some of the old teammates.

Frank Tweneboa; 2009 NJCAA All-American. This kid is one of the best I've played with. Look out for him. I heard he's training with the Red Bulls.

THE coolest jacket EVER.

United?

2010-04-23T21:06:00.000-07:00

So as custom to the World Cup we get a video to show how the World Cup unites the world. It starts off by showing everything that is wrong in the world today and how for one month all of that takes second stage to the dreams of seeing your country win the big game. What happens if your country didn't make it to the world cup?

Peace Love Futbol

49 Days 01 Hours 15 Mins

2010-04-22T13:44:00.000-07:00

So much to do, so little time. That’s the message that keeps popping in my head as there are only forty-nine days left to the greatest sporting event in the world. Even though it can’t come soon enough there are still a lot of things that we need to do over at Live Breathe Futbol. Add school on top of that and it all doubles. Sometimes the hours in the day seem not to last long enough. We are working hard on finishing designs both for t-shirts and to start advertising heavily once school is over.

Here is one of the designs

Be sure to let us know what you think. We are working on stickers too so be sure to keep an eye on that. As soon as we get those printed we are going to start a street team so if you like our product and would like to help spread the word we will be willing to send out free sticker’s posters etc. We will also give out prizes to whoever puts up the most posters/stickers. So keep an eye out for us these next fifty days will be interesting to say the least.

Peace Love Futbol

Totaled 90s

2010-04-22T00:23:00.000-07:00

After the game, I looked down at my Red Nike Total 90 Strike II indoor shoes and see my white tube socks peeking out from within. They had been ripped for some time now, but I only bought them in November!! What's funny is that EVERYONE of my friends who has owned this particular model has had the exact same tear happen a the exact same place on the dominant shoe. As a designer, I must say that it's poor design by Nike. Now, everyone I know that this happened to owned the replica which means they are made with less quality materials than the "real" ones, but come on? I'm gonna have to cough up some cash for some new indoors, which I don't mind, but what bothers me is that these were really comfortable, gave me an excellent touch on the ball and are very light on my feet. However, it'd be foolish to buy the same pair again. What are you guys rocking? I need suggestions...

Pics of the disaster...

You Win Some, You Lose Some...

2010-04-22T00:15:00.000-07:00

Earlier today I had an indoor intramural game which I was very excited about. It was our second playoff game and despite our amazing form, I was a bit nervous because we were finally facing a side I knew was worthy. In intramurals, there are so many teams that you end up playing against a bunch of guys you've never played against before, despite the large soccer culture at Temple University. Anyhow, the team we played against today comprised of fellow blogger and my best friend, "Kiamarosa" (author of the The Return Home post) and guys I play pick up with regularly.

The intensity kicked into high gear immediately after kickoff and never let off for a second. Although I'm usually the type to wait for the ball to come to me and only challenge a defender in his half of the pitch, I found myself tracking back on defense and challenging their attackers. Everyone on the pitch knew bragging rights were at stake and played as one would expect Barcelona to play against Inter in the 2nd leg of the Champion's League Semi Finals. Then Keith scores. Game is kicked up to another level entirely. I nearly equalize after chesting the ball and volleying it with my left only to hit it right into the path of a visibly shaken goalie. The half ends with them up 1-0.

The second half continues where the first left off, but this time our team seems a tad bit hungrier for a goal which we get after many half chances. Tied at 1-1. The intensity carries on...half chances....near misses from both sides...the clock winds down. With less than 5 seconds on the clock, Keith picks up the ball at midfield and does what he does best, he scores in controversial fashion as the buzzer goes off right before the ball hits the back of the net. One referee says it's not a goal, the other says it is and they settle on it being a goal. Bloody hell. It was certainly anybody's game and I can't say that they won because they wanted it more or because we let up. In futbol you win some, and you lose some. It's just the way the game goes....

Welcome to the Union.

2010-04-11T19:47:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a hell of a day. The newest MLS expansion team, the Philadelphia Union had their first home game of their inaugural season at Lincoln Financial Field (Home to the Philadelphia Eagles) and it did not disappoint. I got to the stadium a bit late due to an earlier league game that I had so I missed the first goal, but the rest of the game was insane!

It was my first time attending a professional soccer game and it was worth it. Roughly 35,000 futbol fans were in attendance to watch the Union take on D.C. United. The atmosphere was great and the energy even greater. French midfielder, Sebastian Le Toux stole the show by netting three goals for his first hat trick of the season. Talk about making history. It's one thing to watch a game on FSC or ESPN, but to be there, live and see the action unfold is another thing entirely. After being up 2-0, the Union gave up a two goal lead with D.C. United's 2nd being one of the most bizzare goals I've ever seen. Union goalie, Chris Seitz, under pressure from D.C.'s veteran Moreno, dropped the ball and Moreno was able to dribble around to tie the game at 2 a piece. But the hero of the night, Le Toux netted a low free kick in the 80th minute to seal the victory for the Union. Here are some pictures on the night, and you know I had to rep for LIVE BREATHE FUTBOL

New Threads

2010-04-08T18:05:00.000-07:00

What's up futbol-ers. Here are two tees that I recently completed. The first was done for a classmate of mine and features three past Manchester United superstars who wore the #7 shirt. Top left is Eric Cantona, center-right is David Beckham and bottom-left is Cristiano Ronaldo.

The second is an offical release Live Breathe Futbol shirt. It is currently available for purchase in the store (click link) It is a picture of a player kissing the ball as his way of expressing his love for the beautiful game. More to come soon.

The Return Home

2010-03-30T12:54:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, tomorrow’s clash between Arsenal and Barcelona has been viewed by many to be a very mouth watering encounter. The reasons for this are that both teams play an open game and like to hold on to the ball. However, this particular match that will be played in two legs has subplots that will make an entertaining game, not only for the fans of either teams but also for the neutral. It’s almost as though it were a movie directed by Martin Scorsese. These subplots revolve around Arsene—the Professor—Wenger, Pep Guardiola, Thierry Henry, and Francesc (Cesc) Fabregas.

As a manager of a high caliber team like Arsenal, Arsene Wenger has won all the trophies except for the elusive Champion’s League one. He almost did this in the 2006 final when he faced Barcelona in Paris but went down 2-1. As having failed this once before, he aims to go against the odds (if you so believe Arsenal are underdogs) and pull off an upset. He of people knows there is no point in doing all this if his team is to succumb in the semis or final in the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in May. He is in it to win it!

A lot can be said about Pep Guardiola. He has done it all as a manager and a player. He is just one of half a dozen men to lift the illustrious trophy both as a player and a coach. With that in mind, if he ends up taking his Barça side to lift another unprecedented CL title, there will surely be debates on him being regarded as one of the greatest coaches of modern football.

A record of 226 goals in eight seasons for a player is no mere accomplishment. That is one of the many reasons why Thierry Henry is considered one of the greatest players to ever play the game. His return to the Emirates will be emotional and nerves will play a great deal in the first leg for the player. He did confess that his heart sank when he learned of the draw of facing his former team. He also went on to admit that he did not want to play against Arsenal but will have to as a professional. Henry is likely to feature on the left wing of Barça’s three-man attack. His love and respect for Arsene and the Arsenal fans will make his return all the more unforgettable.

‘The one who got away’ is what Cesc Fabregas is regarded as, as he moved from Barcelona to find greener pastures at Arsenal. Ever since then, maybe knowing that they had made a huge mistake, the Catalans have tried to lure the Arsenal skipper back home. This has become more evident as the candidate Sandro Rosell, who is running for F.C. Barça’s presidency, has made it his platform to lure Fabregas using his close ties with his family. Ultimately, the decision lies with him but that could all change if Coach Guardiola decides to personally persuade him. Knowing that Guardiola is Cesc’s all time hero adds more flavor to this already savory subplot.

History has it that during Fabregas’ time at Barça’s youth academy, Fabregas was going through a torrid time as his parent’s were going through a divorce. Guardiola found out about this and autographed one of his jerseys (ironically it was a number 4 Barça) to Cesc. It was inscribed "One day, you will be the number four of Barcelona". Fabregas cried after being given the jersey. That was in 2001, and nine years later, Cesc Fabregas will be looking to show his idol and long time friends and team mates (Messi and Piqué) how far he has come ever since their academy days together.

Knowing all this reaffirms my belief in a higher power. This is no coincidence that all these subplots occurring outside the pitch are just a matter of fact. They are there to intensify the game and make it as enjoyable as possible. Both teams want would want to progress to the semis but it is unfortunate that only one will have to. It is also a shame that this is to be played in the quarter-finals instead of a repeat of the 2006 final. All I can say is ¡que será, será!

Fenerbahce 1-0 Galatasaray

2010-03-28T11:55:00.000-07:00

In one of the biggest derbies in the world, Fenerbahce prevailed 1-0 over Galatasaray today. It was mostly a sloppy match but a Selcuk Sahin goal 20 minutes from time separated the sides. For those who don't know me, I am a Fener fan till I die, and always look forward to the derbies with GS. I honestly thought we would lose this, despite buying some good players in the off season we have an incompetant coach with no tactical awareness. We play sloppy and GS has been good this season, they play very attacking with Frank Rijkaard as their coach. The funny thing is that our worst player on the pitch, Selcuk Sahin scores the goal which gave us the important win. Volkan Demirel also made an incredible save from Kader Keita right at the death which secured the 3 points.

The Agony

2010-03-27T21:30:00.000-07:00

via One Big Health Nut

As futbol-ers we have all been there. You know, the day where you spend the early hours of your Saturday watching the Premiere League games and then you get all excited for your league game or just pick up with some of your friends. Well, today was one of those days, and even though Arsenal's 90th minute draw with Birmingham put a huge damper on my day I was excited to play because the week was very stressful at school.

A few touches into the game I was feeling great, my team was moving the ball extremely well and the night looked great...and then the unthinkable happened. A defender on my team gives me a nice cross and I jump to chest it into space, then I land on this kid's sneaker and roll my ankle! Ouch! What sucked is that this wasn't one of those walk it off sprained ankles; I couldn't put any weight on it and there was no ice in sight!

The worst part is just sitting there watching your friends have fun playing the beautiful game while you sit there on the sideline with an injury...After about a half hour of sitting I decided, as we all have at some point, to foolishly get back into the game...I twisted it again and I was done for good. I tried playing yet again, but it was hopeless. I was hopping around the pitch like an injured chicken. I couldn't turn, dribble or run at defenders like I usually do. I just thought I would share my story with you all as I sit here with an ice pack around my ankle hoping that tomorrow it will somehow be healed because I have a game that I cannot miss. Until next time, LIVE, BREATHE, FUTBOL!

SIGH Arsenal breaks my heart once again

2010-03-27T10:27:00.000-07:00

For those that don't know, I am a HUGE Arsenal fan. Have been since I was a little boy. As we all know, Arsenal has failed to win a trophy in quite a few years and I, as well as other Gooners out there, really hoped that this season would be the one. Time after time we were counted out of the title race, and time and again we fought hard and got right back in it. We have won six straight premier league games and today we looked to add a very crucial seventh, and Arsenal disappoint. Birmingham isn't an easy side for sure, but when you are in Arsenal's position, you HAVE to leave with the 3 points.

Where do I even begin to complain and say "this is what surely cost us the game" ? Just when we all thought Almunia was stepping up his game, we see that horrific display of goal keeping. And this is one of Arsenal's problem. We the supporters know it, the players surely know it, and Arsene knows it. So why hasn't anything been done to fix it?

Arsenal does a tremendous job of getting your hopes up and then proceeding to let you down. They do this without fail. I really want to hear what Arsene Wenger has to say now, it'll probably go something like "we showed a lot of spirit and character, blah blah blah" Chelsea and United are surely going to drop points, but the way the math is looking right now, they'll have to drop a great deal of points in order for us to go top, and I, frankly, don't see them dropping those points. Champions take the title, they don't hope that other contenders deflect in order for them to advance. Arsenal does not deserve this title, and it hurts to say, we clearly aren't ready for it. And that has nothing to do with the youth of the squad. Arsenal has been in this predicament many many times and they don't seem to have learned from it. It just may be too late now. I'm sick of it as I'm sure you all are.

Lionel Messi v Wayne Rooney: The Form of a Lifetime

2010-03-23T21:02:00.000-07:00

As you are probably aware Wayne Rooney and Lionel Messi are in top form with 33 and 34 goals respectively in all competitions this season. Barcelona's president, Joan Laporta, recently donned Messi the best player of his generation; going as far as saying he might be the best ever. This might sound like one of those over exaggerated statements, but if you have watched the last three Barcelona games, it is hard to deny this claim; it becomes nearly impossible to do so if you watch Messi's second against Zaragoza, for instance. Then there's the Ballon d'Or, which will most likely be joined by another in his trophy case, if it weren't for a little (ok, not so little) English striker named Wayne Rooney.

Rooney has been very impressive as of late, especially his two braces against Italian side AC Milan in the Champion's League. He has shown that he is just as dangerous in the air as he is on the ground. What is so impressive about Wayne Rooney, however, is that he is creative on and off the ball and is active on both ends of the pitch.

Both are incredibly fun to watch and, I imagine, a nightmare to play against. So, my question is who do you feel will emerge as this year's Ballon d'Or winner? This decision of course is heavily influenced by the winner of the Champion's Leauge, but even if neither Barca nor United take the coveted trophy, I certainly don't see anyone else in serious contention for the Golden Ball...

My pick?

(Denis Doyle/Getty Images)

Who's yours?

Welcome to LIVE. BREATHE. FUTBOL

2010-03-22T16:13:00.000-07:00

What’s going on futbol fans, players and the rest of the world. I started this brand out of a profound and sincere love and passion for the beautiful game. Live Breathe Futbol is the embodiment of this idea. It is bigger than the clothes, they are simply a token of that idea. So I’d like to invite you all on a journey with me and the rest of the Live Breathe Futbol family as we seek to bring you quality gear that expresses our love for the game. Viva La Futbol.

Be sure to check back to get updates from the world of futbol. The Champions League is well under way and due to a few exciting draws, there is quite a bit to talk about.

-- Ebun