Welcome back, soccer fans. It’s been a few weeks since the 2010-2011 English Premier League fixture list was released. While we’ve been caught up in the World Cup for the past month, it will be ending in a week, and the new Premier League season will begin on August 8^th with the FA Community Shield between Chelsea and Manchester United at Wembley. Then on the 14^th, Gameweek 1 commences with some real crackers of opening matches. I’ve gone through the schedule for the top division and picked out the notable matches of the season. Enjoy.

 

 

 

(Home team listed first)

 

August 14^th

 

• Blackpool v Wigan: The first ever game in the EPL for Blackpool and a definite chance to pick up three points right out of the gate. Roberto Martinez’s side, who finished 16^th last season, should be favorites but expect “The Seasiders” to come out charged to make an impression on their new league. If anyone should get on the scoresheet for Blackpool, it would be Charlie Adam, their experienced Scottish midfielder. Prediction: Blackpool 1, Wigan 1

 

• Liverpool v Arsenal: The headline fixture of the opening day pits Liverpool, with new manager Roy Hodgson against Arsene Wegner’s Arsenal, who finished 5^th and 3^rd respectively last season. It will likely be to see who isn’t playing in this match come August than who is. Liverpool stars Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres, and Javier Mascherano are all rumored to be leaving the club, each not surprisingly being linked to a move to Inter Milan to follow their ex-manager, Rafael Benitez. For Arsenal, the only real question is whether their most important player, Cesc Fabregas will still be in red and white for the upcoming season. Forever linked to a return home to Barcelona, the Spanish superstar’s presence is simply a prerequisite to any success the Gunners will have this year. Also expect Moroccan international Marouane Chamakh to make his debut for Arsenal after his summer transfer from Bordeaux. Prediction: Arsenal 3, Liverpool 1

 

• Tottenham v Man City: An instant rematch of last-years virtual playoff game for 4^th place and a Champions League qualifying spot, these two sides meet in what will be the most competitive fixture of the weekend. Manchester City have already added two more young stars to their ...

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Join me in wishing the Goalmouth Scramble's founder and host, Curtis Stelzer, a very happy birthday!

The Goalmouth Scramble, everyone's favorite soccer blogcast, has been writing a story or two about the World Cup for the local paper, the Visalia Delta Times.  Here is our most recent story picked up by the VTD!

                                          

What is next for the United States soccer team?

World Cup 2010 is halfway to the Quarterfinals...how is your bracket looking now?  Ghana is definitely the big bracket buster...but did you have England losing to Germany?  All kinds of drama now starts.  Will this be it for Fabio Capello...this was a huge failure for English football.  If you were in charge of England football - what do you do?  Who do you hire?  First thing I do is say buh bye to John Terry!! 
Also, what former World Leader/Idiot does Diego Maradona look like....I mean to a tee?  It is all covered on this episode of the Goalmouth Scramble. 

                                    

                   

Download | Duration: 00:11:14

Who do you have winning the 1st set of Knockout Stage games??  We break all the matches down - tell you who will win - and also let you know who we think will lift the trophy now that half the field is eliminated, including one of the most embarrassing teams of all time, France, has left the cup in complete utter chaos & turmoil!  Just for the record, how much classier would the World Cup have been if Ireland advanced and not the FFF and the worst coach in the history of the World Cup, Domenech...and that includes Bruce Arena 2006 - and that's as bad as it gets, so we thought!

Let us know how you think the rest of the tourney will shake out in the comment section below!

                           
Can the Dutch erase their recent history of not playing up to their potential and talent level and lift the Cup?

Download | Duration: 00:14:58

Download | Duration: 00:15:01

Thanks to Nitin who has been a fan of our show since the very beginning!! 

A second before the referee blew the final whistle Slovenia were through to the next round ..A second after.. they were ready to board their flight back home. Landon Donovan was the hero ..he was  the villain.  Scoring in the final moments of a very exciting and important tie, the American captain took his team to the Round of 16 & top of Group C with England holding on to a 1-0 lead to progress as well.

                                  

From the crazy error by Robert Green letting a simple Clint Dempsey shot pass through his hands to the even crazier decision by referee Kouman Coulibaly to disallow a fully legitimate goal, this world cup has been full of craziness for the US team, who scraped  in to the Round of 16 in the eleventh hour with the aid of their inspirational captain. The LA Galaxy Star rescued his team again by tapping in an easy ball setup by Jozy Altidore. The Algerian captain was sent off just before the final whistle but ‘The American Job ‘ had been done.

England boss Fabio Capello was under pressure from the media and the ever demanding fans to deliver. John Terry’s press conference has grown matters more out of proportion. As a result the shrewd Italian brought about  a couple of changes in the game against Slovenia with James Milner starting along the right and Jermain Defoe partnering Wayne Rooney up front. And what  a decision it proved to be. James Milner’s fantastic cross was converted by Defoe in the 23rd minute. This proved to be the only goal of the game, the goal that takes England through. Gerrard was in amazing form, making magical passes to teammates.

Slovenia tried to launch a barrage of attacks on the goal but England managed to hold on.

Slovenia go back home disappointed at only loosing one game and still not qualifying for the next round. But the team of the smallest country taking part should take heart with their performances in the group after beating minnows Algeria 1-0 and at a time holding a 2-0 lead over USA at halftime.

                                                                    

                                     

It remains to be seen what impact of  USA finishing first and England finishing second has on the course of the tournament, The Grand Daddy Of the Tournaments.

Hoping Slovenia and Algeria have their team in the next world cup too.

And wishing Best luck to USA and England for their next round matches.

A faithful Goalmouth fan,

Nitin Chandak.

INDIA

Alright soccer fans...sorry for the couple days I missed...I have been doing radio interviews and newspaper writing...but here is an update of everything that is going on in the Group stage, as well as the Preview for the last set of games in each Group?  Almost every team in the tournament still has a statistical chance of moving on to the knockout stage - the next few days should be a blast!!

                                                       

Up to date standings look like this:

Group H

25/06 20:30

CHI-ESP

SUI-HON

Team	MP	W	D	L	GF	GA	Pts
Chile	2	2	0	0	2	0	6
Spain	2	1	0	1	2	1	3
Switzerland	2	1	0	1	1	1	3
Honduras	2	0	0	2	0	3	0

Email the show at epl@goalmouthscramble.com

Download | Duration: 00:16:33

Koman Coulibaly, the referee in the US/Slovenia was an absolute shocker and cost the USA 3 points.

Germany also feel done in after Klose received his 2nd yellow card in Germany's 1-0 loss to Serbia earlier today.  But, the Germans should have at least got a point...Why?  Just ask Podolski, but from 12 yards away.

We had an audio issue for about 60 seconds, but after that it gets ugly for the referees!!

                       

Download | Duration: 00:09:30

                                                             

Sorry for missing today's World Cup Review podcast today www.goalmouthscramble.com fans...but we were busy.  We were able to write the USA/Slovenia preview for the local paper.  The link is http://bit.ly/aGe62p if you would like to check it out.

It was especially tough to miss it...because Higuain went off!!!  The 1st World Cup hat trick since Pauleta in 2002 for Portugal.  It's safe to say the Argentinians, sniff sniff, weren't out at the, sniff sniff, bar with their Head, sniff sniff, Coach.

And Mexico beats France...people are saying upset.  I don't think so.  France has not scored a World Cup goal outside Europe since 1986 - Platini in the Quarters.  How bad is the French Coach?  Now will they fire him...what else does he have to do to prove he is not competent enough a soccer coach to coach at the U-7 rec level!?

We will be back tomorrow...and the USA & England will be sitting with 4 points!!