Go Gauchos!! Atta boy, Luis.

Agreed, G-dub.

Wait, what? We lost Nyassi!?!? WTF? I did not see that. Nuts.

I don't know a lot about this cat but how cool is it that he won ROY in Mexico? We need an attacking wing player too. It's a little nervy that he's elibible to play for the US, El Salvador, or Mexico. He hasn't been capped for the US yet, so he's still up for grabs I believe. Lastly, how cool is his name? It's almost a made-up name for an ad-campaign. Felicidades, Joe. Well done.

AZ hasn't played since 12/18. They play on the Thursday vs. Ajax in their domestic cup competition, and then again on Sunday.

These past two years Dempsey has been playing great in the EPL for a bottom table team - why hasn't he moved on? No offers?

I think you're right. The Dutch guys I know just say "AZ" (ah-zet).

Yes, I'll buy that for uneducated Euro footballers. They live a fairly insular existence. However, for the average European, they know a lot about the US. To wit, if you go to any National Park in the US in the summer you're gonna run into enough Euros to get a little kick-about going practically anytime.

Assuming the Union didn't overpay, it looks like a great signing. Shrewd.

I'm not an insider by any means, only a fan, but I agree that Bravo seems to be way more trouble than he's worth.

He said it was a "gevelidig" goal, fantastic! He commented on the good combination outside the box, the one-two, and he said the goal was difficult because of the tight space because of three defenders around him. He was going to go on about the goal/Jozy, but the vid was cut off.

*chuckle*

I thought that was a pretty sweet goal by Jozy. Was he given too much space on the 18? Sure, but it was still a nice interchange and finish.

They are like Fiorentina last year; make a great CL run, won their group, lost controversially to Bayern, but finished mid-table in Serie A. They just didn't have the depth to throw everything at the CL and then compete in Serie A.

As a Rapids fan, I'm sad to see Anthony Wallace go. He was our starting leftback, he's a solid player, very athletic and stong, and he's gotta lot of years left in him at 21. I wish him well and hope he plays his way into the USMNT team picture.

It was a very physical game, but the players did what the ref allowed. Soccer is known as the Beautiful Game, but the finals of tournaments are rarely beautiful; players get hyped up, get tight, tons of nerves, and that does not lend itself to free-flowing, attacking football. Think of the WC final where you had some brilliant footballers playing ugly, but leaving it all out on the pitch. Last year's Champions League Final was not a clinic on fluid play, either. The NBA is fun to watch when the play is high-flying, fast-breaking action, but the Finals are more often won by the grittier team, when the creative play is neutralized by prepared defenses. So, in a word, don't expect a work of art in a final. Last night was hell of entertaining, though.

I agree, Alex was being necessarily harsh on the dude to feel superior (despite Webster's definition of "ignorant").

Kind of a cagey stike - low. Anyone know the Hull City fan sites? I hear Jozy's causing quite a stir among the supporters.

You can argue 'till you're blue in the face about whether LD is as good as another player in Europe, or would fit in well with this or that club - but you can't tell unless you see him get significant minutes in one of the top leagues. He's tough to put a value on right now which is why I think he shoudl give Europe another go now, while he's not too old. Until he goes head-to-head with top defenders in Serie A (for example), sporting directors don't know what they're getting, which is why I think you're not seeing him attract a lot of attention. If he plays a year at Livorno and shows his quality - even it the team gets relegated he'll get picked up. BTW - Fiorentina is not a mid-table club, for the record. They've finished 4th in a 20-team table 4 years in a row.

I don't think Toni will start. He's been out of form and I think Bayern don't even want him back (he's 32). Gila had a great year (25 goals all comp.), is more fit and in better form. He's not a guy who scares the hell out of you with the ball at his feet. He needs good service, or he'll poach a goal here or there. He gets caught offside a lot. He gets it done, though. I'm curious how Gooch will do.

I agree with Paul Lorinczi - Conor Casey should get a look. He's leading the MLS in scoring right now, is still only 27, and is just a classy player. He's not the fastest guy on the pitch, but he's strong as an ox, and has a football IQ that's off the charts. Just a thought.