Don’t miss World Soccer Talk featured columnist Steve Davis’ Reddit AMA (Ask Me Anything) tonight at 6:00pm EST.

Steve has been covering soccer professionally since 1990 and has covered six World Cups (five of them on site). Steve worked at the Dallas Morning News for 15 years before writing for ESPNSoccernet, SI.com and ProSoccerTalk, where he was the lead writer. He and his work can also be found on World Soccer Talk, Fusion TV’s Soccergods and ESPN Soccer Today radio show/podcast, amongst other places.

Steve specializes in MLS and the United States men and women’s national teams. Got a burning question about the men’s recent incredible form, or the women’s World Cup campaign? What about the state of MLS and its new/future teams? This will be the place to get them answered.

This Ask Me Anything comes at a great time for those interested in United States soccer. With the game-changing FIFA investigations, the men’s recent wins vs. Netherlands and Germany, and the women’s second World Cup match tomorrow, there’s nothing short of things to talk about.

We’ll be sending out a link to the AMA once it begins, so be on the lookout!

World Soccer Talk featured columnist Simon Evans is hosting a Reddit AMA this Thursday (3/26) at 6:00pm EST to talk all things Major League Soccer, U.S. National Team, and what it’s like to write for Reuters and The Guardian.

This AMA comes at a time when several narratives are running through these topics. Want to talk about the MLS Collective Bargaining Agreement, new clubs, or everything happening in Miami? What about the U.S. friendlies ahead of the Gold Cup?

Simon will be discussing and answering questions on all of these and more.

The link to access the Reddit AMA is: http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/30f7ci/i_am_simon_evans_a_british_soccer_reporter_based/

World Soccer Talk featured columnist Simon Evans will be hosting a Reddit AMA this Thursday (3/26) at 6:00pm EST to talk all things Major League Soccer, U.S. National Team, and what it’s like to write for Reuters and The Guardian.

This AMA comes at a time when several narratives are running through these topics. Want to talk about the MLS Collective Bargaining Agreement, new clubs, or everything happening in Miami? What about the U.S. friendlies ahead of the Gold Cup?

Simon will be discussing and answering questions on all of these and more.

The link to access the Reddit AMA is: http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/30f7ci/i_am_simon_evans_a_british_soccer_reporter_based/

Simon Evans has been a sports writer for 21 years and has covered every World Cup since 1998 as well as a host of other major sporting events including three Olympics. He was born in Burnley, Lancashire in 1970 and raised in the nearby former cotton mill town of Nelson. At the age of seven, he had his first season ticket for Burnley Football Club.

After graduating in Political Science from the University of Newcastle Upon Tyne, he moved to Eastern Europe where he was a freelance reporter based in Budapest from 1993 to 1999 writing for a wide-range of publications including Time magazine and the Christian Science Monitor as well as sports magazines in the UK and turning out in midfield in the Hungarian fourth division.

While living in Budapest, Simon also co-wrote the first travel guide for soccer fans in Europe — the Rough Guide to European Football, which received critical acclaim and reached the top of the sport books chart in the UK. Maxim magazine called it “one of the best things to have come out of the explosion in football literature”. The book introduced fans to the history of the sport in over 50 European cities as well as giving practical information on how to enjoy a football influenced visit.

After covering Iran and Croatia, amongst others, at the 1998 World Cup for Reuters, he moved to Milan, Italy where he became sports correspondent for the agency. For eight years he covered Serie A, Champions League, the Italian national team – and drug cheating and match-fixing scandals. He reported on the World Cup in 2002 in South Korea and Japan and then Italy’s triumph in Berlin four years later. He also wrote for The Observer, Britain’s oldest Sunday newspaper, and was a regular guest on BBC Radio.

In January 2007, Simon was appointed Reuters’ first sports correspondent in Miami and has covered a range of sports including the NFL, PGA golf, ATP and WTA Tennis and cricket in the Caribbean. He has also reported on Major League Soccer news and followed the fortunes of the U.S national soccer team. He was with the U.S team in South Africa in 2010 and in Brazil in 2014.

After a lengthy career with Reuters, Simon joined CONCACAF as senior manager of public affairs before launching his freelance career. He now writes a weekly column for WorldSoccerTalk.com as well as reporting for CBC radio in Canada, Agence France Press, Fusion TV and of course Reuters.

One of the aspects of soccer that truly makes it the Beautiful Game is the subset of artists, graphic designers and illustrators who create remarkable pieces of art that permeate the sport we love and consume. One such artist is the talented Daniel Nyari, who has added a fresh perspective to the global game through his unique illustrations.

Discover more about Nyari, his perspective on the art of soccer and what makes him strive to continue to be one of the best.

Bo McMillan (Bo): You typically post pictures of your daily warmups to Twitter. Why is it important for you to warm up each day? What does a normal day look like for you?

Daniel Nyari (Daniel): I have a very structured and often rigid aesthetic that’s largely based on an existing grid, so it’s important when I sketch out ideas that I train my hand up to follow that grid as precisely as possible to prevent any deadlock in the ideation process. A normal working day generally consists of coffee, quickly browsing the morning’s news and immersing myself on some inspiration from tumblr, Pinterest, Twitter, etc. I get out the sketchbook and immediately start drawing anything that’s on my mind. Generally with physical exercise it’s important to do as much movement within the first half hour of waking up to tell your body that you are kickstarting the metabolic process. There are days when my work is largely monotonous, either doing a lot of paperwork or constructing an existing sketch digitally, but on days when I have to be more creative, these early sketch sessions make it easier for me to get integrated into a long work day.

Bo: You have a very unique style. How did you develop that and who influenced you as an artist?

Daniel: I like to think I’ve really come into something I feel totally comfortable with only about a year ago, so summer of 2014 to be honest. Any work before that was largely searching for something I wanted but couldn’t articulate in any particularly tangible way. Cultivating “style” is different with each person. I can randomly throw out a group of names but it wouldn’t really say anything uniquely revealing about what they mean to where I am now.

I also think style is less so a combination of a series of influences over time than how you attribute your aesthetic sensibilities to your own psyche. For the most part it was a series of revelatory moments for me throughout my creative career that led to any clear style cultivation. For one, it was learning Photoshop and Illustrator; digital programs that allowed me to think completely differently about my own drawing process which up to that point was largely traditional, photo-realistic and academically safe, for the lack of a better word.

My work in graphic and web design allowed me to attribute my neurosis and compulsive behavior to a very structured and clean way to work. Logo Design in particular was revelatory and I began to fantasize about what it would be like to merge illustration with the visual language of logo and web design that I found so appealing. It felt new, unexplored and right up my alley, so that really kickstarted the process of where I am now. More specifically of course, I like tilted or flattened perspective found in old 16 bit games or Cezanne paintings. Matisse’s flat bold colors always appealed to me and Picasso’s late portraits completely redefined the way I think of portraiture, which have become a large part of my workload now.

Bo: What did your early days of getting your stuff out there look like? What encouragement/advice can you give to readers who are up-and-coming artists?

Daniel: My early days largely just consisted of sitting back, observing and taking notes before I ever decided I would publish great bodies of work. Nevertheless, admittedly some of my early published work was naive, sometimes publishing unrefined work or work that was still too experimental and derivative but I just didn’t know any better when I entered illustration.

I didn’t have any of the networks illustrators have graduating art school since I never attended it. I knew though that information sharing and reception had rules. Any kind of content with in-built audiences would fare much better than simple personal work so I consciously posted pop culture related illustrations in hopes to raise my profile rapidly. It’s one way to go about it, even today.

Fortunately for me I am passionate about soccer and it’s been part of my personal work ever since I was four years old. It still makes up the bulk of interest of a lot of my followers. I’d be lying if I said that’s not totally preferable and that I generally don’t like to be labeled a “soccer artist”. I feel like today’s young artists care maybe too much about a large following or a particular number of likes and followers, much more than about evolving as an artist.

The lines are even more blurred by “hobby” creatives, people who have access to Photoshop and Illustrators and who consciously recycle and steal existing art to gain large following. It just creates an odd tension and unrealistic set of expectations to meet in a market where you have to be very ruthless and loud to get your work noticed. As a result it’s easy to fall into the trap of fan service. My best advice is, if a large following is all you want, pick a niche and go with it until the end or until it’s feasible to transition into something else, albeit it will be much harder. Long term, it’s still more beneficial to post what you love and spend time evolving your voice above all. If it’s good enough, people will come.

Bo: Ok, favorite clubs? How did you become a fan of them?

Daniel: I moved around quite a bit through my life, Romania, Hungary, Austria, New York, so I can’t convincingly say I have a specific allegiance. Maybe that’s what also allows me to just love soccer as a whole above any particular team. I look at soccer and its history much like I view films or art. As great segments that deserve their own level of interest. With that, I can love a particularly great team. Like Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona a few years ago that captured my imagination. With that come its own narratives. Right now for example I am obsessed with Borussia Dortmund’s state of affairs and Simeone’s Atletico Madrid.

Having said that, the first league I fell in love with was the Bundesliga while I was living in Austria. The domestic league was rather dull and we received Bundesliga coverage from Germany regularly. On that note, I began to love and follow the German National Team and I created an illusory, but probably necessary, parallel between its collapse towards the end of the 90’s/early 2000’s and its subsequent rise with my own progression as an artist. On that note I also cheer for Bundesliga clubs in the Champions League when I can.

Bo:  Do you do work outside of soccer? What other passions do you focus your art on?

Daniel: Yes. And I would be remiss of me not to share that. It’s dangerous and creatively claustrophobic to just stay within soccer. Although it’s a large passion of mine, it’s important to me to establish my voice outside of soccer because my predominant love for art is based on my over-arching philosophy and application of, within design and illustration not just based on any particular subject. Luckily half of my work for clients like GQ, Microsoft, Universal Pictures, Wired, and National Geographic still allow me to take on non-soccer related work.

Bo: What are some of your bigger career goals? Where do you want to be in the next 20 years?

Daniel: Ideally I’d love to work in more advertising.

I’ve had the chance this past summer with Hyundai and ESPN, and it’s an area I feel I can contribute a lot more and would be creatively freeing. On a similar note, a very large part of my output is portraiture, which I would like to move away from gradually. Not terminate, but decrease the amount of it as it’s something I feel like I can easily burn out on.

Professionally I would like to continue evolving my role as Art Director. Over the past year and a half I’ve had the chance to be Creative Director of FutbolArtistNetwork and work on projects with MLS and Microsoft within the U.S. market. It’s a deviation from my job as a freelance illustrator but it’s a totally natural fit for me and allows me to flex my other existing creative muscles.

I am determined to be a large part of growing soccer in the U.S. and I think art has a very large and important role to play. I would love to be at the head of this development.

You can find Daniel Nyari’s work on his website, tumblr and in his online store. Plus you can follow Daniel on Twitter at @DanielNyari. You can also spot Daniel’s fine work on World Soccer Talk’s social media accounts on Twitter, Facebook and Google+.

When I first heard that Didier Drogba’s story was being told in comic form, I waited in eager anticipation to get my hands on the book. See, I read comic books on a weekly basis and head straight to my local comic store after work each Wednesday to pick up new issues. I do this largely because I think some of the best stories being told right now are in comic books. Yes, comics have the stigma of being for children, but there are some rich, vibrant characters and plots in modern day comic books.

After reading Didier Drogba: Part 1: From Tito to Drogba, it’s absolutely clear that the author, Gabin Bao, developed this story for a younger audience. That said, Drogba has lived quite an interesting life, becoming a paragon of sorts to an entire continent, and some of those themes peeked out just enough to keep me reading.

Let’s start with the writing, as that’s the backbone of any book. The story itself stays true enough to Drogba’s life, which, as I stated before, is fascinating. There are times when the depiction of the Ivorian striker seems a bit too perfect to be true. A bit of a character flaw is introduced while telling the story of his failing grades as a young student and his attempt to forge his aunt’s signature on a failed test, but apart from that, this book leaves out any negative aspects of his character. The book is also largely devoid of conflict aside from a couple of panels that showed he had to sneak out to train before his father could stop him; a subplot that evolves into nothing. Finally, while the grammar suffices, it’s clear that English was not the first language this comic was written in. There are awkward bits of dialogue scattered throughout that cause the characters to feel a bit stiff an unnatural.

The artwork is perhaps the book’s strongest part. Sketches and filtered, photorealistic backgrounds merge to create an interesting juxtaposition. I was, at times, a little unnerved at the fact that every character is smiling in every single frame, but it grows on you after awhile. On the subject of frames, this book follows the traditional style of varying frame sizes and positioning seen in just about every comic book. The composition stays fairly traditional though and the progression of frames is easy enough to follow, even for the youngest reader.

There are a few instances in From Tito to Drogba that had me yearning for more. One moment in particular takes place right after his initial call up to the Ivory Coast at a time when his nation was split by an armed rebellion. The war obviously played a large part in Didier’s life and his future endeavors for the Ivory Coast and all of Africa, but the conflict is only mentioned on a single page before we cut back to Drogba on the pitch.

Part one of the striker’s life story ends with his transfer to Chelsea. The closing pages are perhaps the most engaging as they depict his struggle in making the decision to leave Marseille for the London club. Drogba’s current devotion to Chelsea is obvious, but he really wrestled with the initial transfer, which is explained in perhaps the most complete subplot in the entire book. There’s also a really great story of what happened when Drogba and Mourinho first met, but I won’t spoil that.

Ultimately, Didier Drogba: Part 1: From Tito to Drogba is intended for a younger reader who appreciates not only Drogba, but simply the sport of soccer. While adult readers will be found wanting, the first part of this comic life of Drogba would make a great gift for a young soccer player, particularly if he or she was just starting to read.

On a beautiful summer’s day in Michigan, Manchester United and Real Madrid played 90 minutes in front of a record crowd of 109,318 Saturday.

World Soccer Talk photographer Bo McMillan was there to capture the action. Here are exclusive images from the match that ended 3-1 in Manchester United’s favor.

Sunday’s International Champions Cup game between Liverpool and Olympiacos had an attendance of 36,170 on a sunny but windy day in Chicago at Soldier Field.

The majority of the fans in the stadium were Liverpool supporters, who cheered their team on to 1-0 victory thanks to a goal by Raheem Sterling in the fifth minute of the match.

World Soccer Talk photographer Bo McMillan was at the game, where he captured the following images.

[portfolio_slideshow id=111714]

Former United States goalkeeper and ESPN analyst Kasey Keller will be taking part in a Twitter chat Thursday, 6/26 at 9:15 am EST ahead of the United States vs Germany match.

Fans can submit questions to Castrol GTX’s twitter page (@CastrolUSA), and use the hashtag #AskKasey to get in on the conversation. This is a great opportunity to ask a US soccer legend about the USMNT and all things World Cup related.

Not sure of what to ask? How about his time in England when he played for the likes of Millwall and Tottenham Hotspur? What about his time with the USMNT (1990-2007)? Maybe you’re curious about his transition from the EPL to the MLS. Whatever you’ve got, Kasey is up for it. And really, what better way to prepare for the United States’ biggest game of the World Cup than talking to a USMNT veteran?

Some of the playing cards featuring art by Adrián Oviedo, Asclê de Oliveira, Thiago Ramon Grizilli and many others.

There have been several times in my life when I’ve run across something that I didn’t even know I wanted. For example, there are artists that add monsters to thrift store paintings, turning boring into amazing. I want one of those hanging in my living room. Google searching “birds with arms” was also something I stumbled upon that I could waste hours on (If you’re googling that right now, you’re welcome). The Kampion card game fits right into this category.

I’ve been into strategy card games since I was young. Magic the Gathering, Pokemon, and most recently Munchkin, have all been staples of game nights with friends. I love the artistry that accompanies card games, and the fact that most are easy to pick up, but difficult to master. When I heard that Kampion combined card strategy with soccer, I knew I had to get into it.

Kampion is still in the very early stages of development, but what’s currently available is impressive. So impressive, in fact, that I’m encouraging you guys to go and support this effort. As of now, physical decks aren’t available, but there are PDFs available online for free at kampioncardgame.com that you can print off, cut out, and play.

You’ll immediately notice the variety of artistic styles that make up the cards. No two are alike, which adds a really cool uniqueness to the game, but also some charm to the overall project. Lourenço Ferreira, the creator of Kampion, explains that the artistic variety wasn’t as much of a choice as it was something that happened organically.

“I could not afford to pay illustrators to build this project, so I just emailed a ‘few,’ hoping they’d want to join us for some fun and for the love of football. It’s now a few months later and we have more than 150 cards. Although in the beginning it was decided out of necessity, the art style ended up being the strongest part of the project. I made a first card to set the tone, then each illustrator used his or her own style, which makes the game so unique.” said creator Lourenço Ferreira

The majority of players on the cards are recognizable. The likes of Diego Maradona, Alexi Lalas, and Luis Suarez appear, and each are rendered in a unique fashion. I really can’t say enough about the wealth of artistic styles here.

Artwork by Dave Habennink, with a character named Lovecraftt who resembles Alexi Lalas

There are currently a couple of games types available and another in the works. “Traditional” mode plays by the classic top-trumps rules where a particular statistic is chosen and each player draws cards. The player who draws the card with the highest chosen statistic wins that round. Each card has eight statistics, ranging from speed to temper. The statistics are ranked from one circle to five, and in the case of a few, five and a star (which is the highest). The second game type, “Evolution,” adds a few tricky rules to the “Traditional” game type. But what really interests me is “Revolution.” Unfortunately, at the time of this writing, this game type is still being beta tested and isn’t available. It does promise a deeper game with more strategy than the first two.

If you’re reading this and finding that you too need this (and didn’t even know it) I encourage you to check out kampioncardgame.com, print off some cards, and play with your friends. If you like it, and want to help support, give these guys a follow on social media (@kampioncardgame), or join their mailing list. They’ll let you know when crowdfunding officially begins. Whether you’re a card geek, like me, or just a lover of the beautiful game, this is a really cool idea that could become a bit hit.

World Soccer Talk’s Bo McMillan recently sat down with Eric Wynalda, the third all-time leading goal scorer for the United States National Team and current FOX Sports soccer analyst and co-commentator. Wynalda is also the Technical Director of the NASL (US Second Division) Atlanta Silverbacks. 

Here’s the transcript of the interview ahead of USA’s game against Ghana:

Bo: How important is the United States’ performance in this World Cup in terms of the popularity of the sport here? How will their performance affect the growth of soccer in the US?

Eric: We are judged every four years on where we are as a soccer nation. Most countries aren’t on this fast track of growth. Most countries have maybe even hit the ceiling already in terms of fan support. But what ends up happening is their countries get excited at the idea of having a wonderful World Cup. For us, we’re always kind of just sitting there waiting to see what happens. I’ve never seen this country this excited about the game. I’ve never seen this kind of fan support. But you’re talking about the casual fan? Americans don’t get it if we don’t win the whole thing. That’s just the mentality. Jurgen’s quote didn’t help, “We’re not going to win the World Cup.” That probably wasn’t the smartest thing to say to the American people, especially the casual fan.

Bo: With the difficult group that we were drawn into, does Klinsmann get a free pass for this World Cup?

Eric: No. No he doesn’t. And he shouldn’t. If you notice, as soon as we saw the draw, his argument was it was that it was unfair for him to be evaluated with his group. So what did he do? He immediately negotiated for four more years, and changed things around quite a bit. He has his people around him now. It is a whole-new look federation. I mean, we all have different opinions on what will make this a successful World Cup. I’ll just tell you this. If we don’t get a win, if we do not win a World Cup game, he will probably be let go.

Bo: With this roster, we have a mixture of veteran players and young talent. Who will need to step up and shoulder more of the weight in this tournament?

Eric: You look at a guy like Graham Zusi who’s a bit older, but playing in his first World Cup. That’s got to be invigorating for him. He’s going to go through a whole slew of emotions. He’s going to run a little faster, he’s going to be a little quicker. We’ll find out in a hurry how good we’re going to be. I actually think this team will play a lot better than expected, especially in that first game. Because, one, we need to. And two, right down the spine, we do have enough experience. Guys like Dempsey, Bradley, and Howard will be the calming voice in the locker room and probably get us through those first 20 minutes.

Bo: The current system of finding young talent in the United States relies heavily on colleges and young travel team programs. Do you think this current system is adequate to discover that next big talent?

Eric: No. We’re nowhere near it. The infrastructure that you see in Europe is far more organized than what we have. My argument is, instead of looking oversees to see what players we can find, it might be more advantageous to start looking into some backyards here in America. There are a lot of possibilities we’re overlooking on a continual basis. I’ve got a kid on my team (Atlanta Silverbacks) right now, and I’m not afraid to talk about him. His name is Poku and he’s from Ghana and he got married to an American girl. Poku is American. He’s 21, 6’1”, and he’s one of the best soccer players, obviously in this league (NASL), but he might be too good for the MLS too. He can play anywhere. He literally lives down the street in Atlanta. He happens to be living here because he had a school visa that expired and he had to figure out a way to stay in this country. Now he’s here, and he’s legal, and he’s good.

Bo: So what changes do we make?

Eric: You hire the right people and you stop being lazy. Stop being afraid. Just because you got an email that said you have to put your jacket on and go to some division one game, don’t be afraid to talk to people. Watch that division three game, or the Mexican league game in East LA that happens to have a 20-year old kid who looks pretty good. People will say, “Yeah, yeah, yeah,” and give you a million reasons not to give him a chance. But there are a million reasons TO give him a chance. We’ve missed the boat a lot. Our coaching in this country is not good. Let’s just say that. The moment that we finally discover a player, the moment he’s been discovered by the powers that be in this country, is the moment we start destroying him. That’s what happens. Nobody wants to admit it, but we’ve got a bunch of coaches that over-coach and turn players into what they want them to be as opposed to letting them become who they are. Power trips and PowerPoint presentations are dictating the show right now. There aren’t enough soccer minds out there making soccer decisions.

Bo: You’ve seen a lot of success in your career both on and off the pitch. What kind of legacy do you want to leave with United States soccer?

Eric: To be fair, I think I can have a far greater effect on the game in the next 10 years than I’ve had in the last 20. What I was able to accomplish as a player… well, it has its good moments, and it has its bad moments. It’s all experience that, if I don’t use it, if I don’t pass it on, it’s useless. The frustration for me has been exclusion. Maybe people don’t like the truth. Maybe people don’t like to…. I don’t know, maybe people don’t like solutions. Because if you come in with a solution, what does that mean? It means you’ve probably just got 10 people fired. So those people are going to protect their jobs. It’s a dangerous path that you walk if you’re a guy like me who just wants to make a difference. You kind of have to play ball and play that political game of not saying anything to make sure that people trust you enough that they’ll be able to put you in a position where you can help but know you won’t say or do the wrong thing in the wrong moment. If anyone has been paying attention to my career as a coach, I don’t think I’ve had very many missteps.

Eric Wynalda spoke to World Soccer Talk on behalf of Sony’s sponsorship of the 2014 World Cup.

In the world of handheld video games, role-playing titles are king. Pokemon was released in the mid-90s and revolutionized what we played in the back seat of our parents’ car. How many family vacation trips did Pikachu save us when we were younger? Heck, you may even play the latest Pokemon titles now while you’re pretending to work in your cubicle. It’s ok, I’m not here to judge. What I am here to do is introduce you to your new addiction, Inazuma Eleven.

The series has been around for awhile, but unless you live in Japan you may not have even heard of it. A few titles in the series have been released in the States and the UK, but they’ve largely done so quietly. That needs to change, and I’m here to do that because this is a game any soccer-loving gamer needs to have in his or her library. Also, I need some people to trade players with…

Here’s the best way to explain Inazuma Eleven: It’s like Pokemon except you’re the captain of a soccer team, and instead of capturing monsters and teaching them different moves, you’re recruiting players and teaching them different tricks. There’s a storyline here, but it’s not the reason you should buy it, nor why you should keep playing it. All you need to know is that you start off captaining a sorry squad that doesn’t even have enough players to field a full team. You roam the school grounds, and places around the city, in search of players to compete in a big tournament. Seriously, it’s Pokemon with soccer balls.

Inazuma Eleven’s two strongest aspects are its controls and its absurdity. The game makes full use of the 3DS’ stylus while you’re on the pitch. Player movements are guided by drawing on the field, and passes and shots are placed by tapping on players and the goal. Truth be told, it’s all a little difficult to get used to at first. I had my butt handed to me more times than I care to admit when I initially picked it up. After awhile, however, you’ll be tapping and drawing like a pro. The stylus is really the best way to command so many players at once on the handheld.

Now on to the absurdity. Oh man, this game is crazy. In true Japanese anime fashion, everything is over the top. One of the first matches you play early on is against a team called Occult, which includes a defender with bolts sticking out the side of his neck, a midfielder wrapped up like a mummy, and a sorcerer. The names are golden too, like Rob Crombie, a third-year defender with stitches scattered around his body and dead eyes.

Each club you face has a theme to it, and if you stop to question why you’re playing against a kid with a diaper on his head, you’re not playing the game the right way. Special moves are really exciting too, like Kevin, a forward you get early who learns the move Dragon Crash. It’s a ferocious strike that literally summons a dragon in its wake. These special moves are governed by TP points that diminish over time, meaning you’ll need to use them wisely during a match. Players can even team up with one another to create even more special moves. When Kevin teams up with Axel Blaze (I swear that’s his name) they can perform the Fire Tornado, a strike that would require a goalie to use his own special move, like God Hand, to stop. The trick is, if you’re controlling the goalie, it’s a gamble on whether or not to use your special move. You won’t know if the opposing striker has just hit a normal shot or a special one until it’s too late. You either use your special ability, and use the TP points, or skip it and hope it’s a normal shot. This decision becomes crucial in later matches with tight score lines.

There are two other ways that Inazuma Eleven flourishes, and two other ways it resembles Pokemon (I swear that was the last Pokemon reference). The first is random battles. As you’re walking around your school, or the surrounding town, you’ll randomly run into a group of thugs to play against. These battles consist of smaller teams and usually tasks you with scoring the first goal. They’re a nice way to dig into the game mechanic without playing through a lengthy match. Your players will also level after these and normal matches, learning new abilities as they go. The second is the sheer amount of players you can recruit. Online functionality means you can play against your friends, but you can also trade players, giving you hundreds of options to choose your best starting XI. If you’ve got friends willing to pick this game up with you, it opens up a huge amount of playability.

Inazuma Eleven isn’t a perfect game by any means. The walking mechanics seem a bit stiff and getting from one side of the school to the other isn’t always as fun as it could be. Just like any RPG, there are times when you just want to get from point A to point B and the frequent stops for random battles make you want to throw your 3DS against the wall.

The other negative is the fact that this game can be really unforgiving at times. For example, there are actually two ways to lose those random battles where the goal is to score first. You can either be scored on, or have the timer run out. The timer is nice because it means battles like this won’t drag on, but there isn’t a stalemate option for 0-0, you just lose. More annoyingly though, is the fact that major matches are scripted. Remember that Occult team I told you about earlier? There’s a pattern of cut scenes to that match. You still have control of your players, but things happen in a certain way. They’re always going to use a certain power at a specific point in the match, and you’re always going to go down a goal when it happens. You can still either win or lose that match, but you’re forced to fight back in a very specific way. And heaven help you if you do lose a scripted match. The game will force you to play the entire match over again, but instead of starting from the first whistle, the game puts you back to your last save. Now, I’ve played enough games in my life to know better, but when this first happened to me it had been a solid two hours since I had saved. All I could think about was the vast amount of un-skippable dialogue I was going to have to wade through to get back to the match. Needless to say, I wasn’t happy.

If you can get past these flaws (and you definitely should), there’s an incredible game here. It’s fun, deep, and the online aspects make it a ton of fun with friends. The 3DS is really the perfect platform for it as well. There’s nothing like grinding out a match while you’re riding the bus to work, or leveling up a couple of players between commercials. Plus, there’s not the constant pressure to collect every single player. So, unlike your unfulfilled, 13-year-old desire to catch the original 150 Pokemon, this won’t weigh heavily on your shoulders while you’re writing out those client reports. Ok, THAT was the last Pokemon reference.

If you’re a gamer and you love soccer, this one is a no-brainer. It’s currently available in the Nintendo eShop for $19.99.

Part of the magic of the World Cup is seeing players suit up and represent their countries in the world’s biggest tournament. Ask any player and they’ll tell you it’s an incredible honor putting on his nation’s colors and playing for all his fellow countrymen watching. In the history of the tournament there have been some really great kits, and some really horrid ones as well. This World Cup will be no different.

We’ve taken the time to collect every home and away (and in two cases, third) kit that the teams will be wearing this summer. Sure, you’ve known what your country’s jerseys will look like for a long time now, but have you seen how awesome the Cameroon kits are, or how the Honduran kits have a huge “H” on the front, Scarlet Letter style? There will be some real jems in Brazil this summer. Head over to our page so you can be in the know come June.

And if you’re on Pinterest, be sure to follow us at pinterest.com/worldsoccertalk for World Cup photos, soccer stickers and other great images for soccer fans.

Or if you’re interested in ordering any of the shirts featured, see the complete collection here.

Admit it, you’re addicted to collecting the Panini World Cup stickers. You’ve bought tons of packs and now you’re turning to friends in order to trade for those specific players you want in your album. Keeping up with all the stickers can be difficult though, and flipping through you album to see who you need can really slow down the trading process.

Enter the Panini Collectors app on iOS and Android devices. This free app has been crucial in my quest to fill my sticker album. Its key feature is the “Scan Stickers” option that lets you hold your phone’s camera to a sticker to catalogue it. The whole process is really smooth and easy to work with. A simple tap of your finger and the app records your sticker. You don’t even have to have particularly steady hands, as the app will recognize a sticker from close-up, sideways, upside down, and anyway you orient your phone as you speed through cataloguing your players. Once scanned, you can then search by country to see what stickers you own. It will even allow you to scan the same type of sticker multiple times so you know how many you have, which is crucial when it comes to trading.

Of course, the most addicting feature is the “Got,” “Need,” “Swap List” page. Here, the app records how many stickers you have, how many you need, and your completion percentage. It will even give you medals for every quarter of the album you complete. The interface is nothing fancy, but it adds that much more fuel to the fire of collection.

Download this app now and start scanning your album into it. It’s a quick way to reference what you have and what you need while you’re on the go. The app is available for free on iOS and Android.

Articles from our series focused on soccer trading cards and stickers:

• Soccer trading cards: Why it’s time to consider investing in the hobby
• What makes soccer trading cards valuable, and why and how to get them graded
• Collecting Panini’s Euro 2020 stickers is a perfect accompaniment to watching the tournament

Videos: Unboxing of soccer cards and stickers

• 2020/21 Obsidian soccer cards
• 2020/21 Topps Museum Collection: UEFA Champions League
• 2018/19, 2019/20 & 2020/21 Topps Bundesliga stickers
• 2020/21 Panini Prizm Premier League
• Euro 2020 Panini stickers
• Panini Chronicles box break featuring Neymar autograph
• Orbis World Cup 1990: The greatest soccer sticker album of all time

You’re reading this article, which means you’re probably somewhat familiar with the plethora of content we provide on the World Soccer Talk website. What you may not be aware of, though, is the even broader spectrum of content we post on our various social media sites. We’re heavily active on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, and Reddit, and we post plenty of stuff you won’t find here.

You may already be following us on one or two of our social sites and think you’ve caught everything there is to see, but you’d be wrong! We make sure to roll out different content that’s unique to each social medium’s strength. Want to see regular GIFs of the best goals and tricks? Make sure you +1 our Google+ page. Maybe longer videos are more your style. No worries, because we’ve got you covered on Facebook. What about up-to-the-minute, news, statistics, and commentary on the biggest matches of the week? Just follow World Soccer Talk on Twitter. Make sure you don’t forget Pinterest either. We just finished putting together a new board with every home, away, and third kit from the countries participating in the World Cup this summer. Come June, when your friends say, “Man, those Cameroon jerseys are awesome!” you can tell them you thought they were cool back in April.

Of course, as an independent voice of soccer, we want to personally interact with you. We always make sure to hang around our posts to see what you’re saying and answer you back when you comment at us. Seriously, grab a cup of coffee and sit down with us one Saturday morning on Twitter while we watch matches. We’ll discuss everything from Everton’s tactics to the best brews to have before 10am.

With all the time we spend on social media, some ask us if we even have a life. We just say we couldn’t imagine anything better than talking soccer 24/7. So stop by our social media sites (we’ve listed them below) and say hello. Comment on something we’ve said, tell us we’re wrong on something, or tell us we’re right (we like that), but mostly stick around for the discussion. Who knows, you may even win some cool prizes.

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Getting your favorite player’s face tattooed on your chest is a big commitment. As much as you love Andrea Pirlo, you can be forgiven for not wanting to permanently ink his mug on your body. Plus, the ink required for that beard is going to really shoot the cost up.

Luckily, I’ve found a solution: The “World Cup Marauders” t-shirt by Kassiano Nossa. This shirt boasts the faces of 42 of the biggest stars to take the stage this summer in Brazil. I don’t use the world ‘awesomesauce’ much. In fact, this is probably the first time I’ve ever written it, but it’s difficult to find another way to more accurately describe this shirt.

Nossa gives you three different colors to choose from: yellow, white, and black. I went with the yellow and green to better fit the theme of the World Cup being in Brazil. I also really like how the yellow stands out. Honestly though, “World Cup Marauders” doesn’t need any help drawing eyes. When you walk into a room with David Luiz, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Wayne Rooney on your shirt, people are going to take notice.

I wore this shirt out the other night and got more than a few comments from strangers, even some who didn’t know the first thing about soccer. It’s a really cool icebreaker that will just get better as the World Cup approaches. A word of warning though: people will poke you in the chest as they point out all the players they recognize.

To get one for yourself, head to https://nossa.merchtable.com.

Editor’s note: Indy Eleven plays its first match this Saturday evening when the team battles Carolina Railhawks in the NASL, the second division of US soccer. The debut of a brand-new soccer club is an exciting milestone in the growth of the sport in the United States, so we wanted to capture the excitement and to find out what goes on behind the scenes before a league game is played. We sent World Soccer Talk’s Bo McMillan to Indianapolis, where Indy Eleven were gracious enough to allow him complete access around the office and with the team, where Bo was able to be a fly on the wall during the exciting period of this club’s history. Here’s what he discovered.

Eight people sit around a table in a small corner office in downtown Indianapolis. It’s early, and a slew of coffee mugs cover the table, sending wispy bits of steam towards the ceiling.

The Indy Eleven office is inconspicuous. A small sign hangs by the front door of a large building, all but lost among the bustle of the city around it. You’d easily miss it if you weren’t looking for it. Inside, though, things are different. Each member of the staff wears the red and blue of their club. Most elect to wear a pullover or a t-shirt with the Indy Eleven logo, some wear suits with a pin depicting the crest. If the outside is inconspicuous, the inside is anything but.

The team members sit around the table, chatting idly, and waiting for the meeting to start. Moments later, Peter Wilt walks into the room. Even if you’d never heard of him, you’d know he was important by the way everyone responds to him. He seemingly unintentionally commands the room.

Peter is the General Manager, and by the looks of him, with an Indy Eleven scarf around his neck, the club’s biggest fan. His name may be familiar to those who closely follow soccer in the States, especially near Chicago. Peter has had his hands in the creation of several clubs, but he’s most known for the inception of the Chicago Fire, one of the oldest clubs in MLS.

Peter takes a moment to open his notebook then looks up with a smile.

“Raise your hand if you’re overwhelmed,” he begins.

The room unanimously confirms his suspicions by putting their hands in the air. They have smiles on their faces, but they know time is of the essence. Every single person in the office has one date on his or her mind, April 12th. The kickoff to the 2014 North American Soccer League season, and Indy Eleven’s first-ever competitive match, happens in just days. They’ve had fifteen months to prepare, but ask anyone in the office and they’ll tell you they’d love another fifteen.

Indy Eleven was first announced in early 2013 as a NASL expansion team. The NASL, which is comprised of thirteen teams, is categorized as a Division II soccer league in the United States, and sandwiched between MLS and USL PRO. The league itself is relatively young, but names like the New York Cosmos carry a lot of history in the States. The Indy Eleven staff have several goals, but chief among them is to become the flagship team of the NASL. Usurping teams like the Cosmos is a tall order in itself, but to have that goal in mind before a single regular-season game has been played is nothing short of ambitious.

Ambitious is actually a word that perfectly defines Indy Eleven. These men and women sitting around the table are fighting to make this club relevant in a city that holds two of the biggest sporting franchises in the United States, the Indianapolis Colts and the Indiana Pacers. They don’t see these teams as direct competition, but they understand they’re coming into a market that’s become accustomed to sporting excellence.

“The challenge is to prove we’re a credible organization,” Peter Wilt admits. “To prove that soccer can be successful in Indiana. There’s a large void in the sports marketplace in Indianapolis that Indy Eleven fills. All the kids who grew up playing soccer? Now they’re adults. They have a passion for the sport, not just because they play the sport but also because they follow it on television and on the Internet. [Soccer] is very accessible now, much more so than even five years ago. They all have their favorite teams in Europe but now they want a local team they can feel connected to.”

These things are on everyone’s minds as they sit in this meeting. The hands go down, Peter continues to smile, and they dive into it. The first order of business? Ponchos. The sun is shining through the windows, but rain is expected later that night, and for the next three days. This will threaten two friendlies scheduled for that time period. Several minutes are spent discussing how many ponchos to order and whether or not to have a logo included on them. It’s tedious, and numbers fly around the room, but they know it’s important to be prepared to contend with the elements if they want fans showing up to their games and sticking around.

Next? Garbage. Tom Dunmore, vice president of marketing (editor’s note: and former Pitch Invasion blogger), has a separate meeting in a few minutes to discuss logistics of trash pickup after matches. They also discuss electrical issues at Carroll Stadium, their home field, and where the food trucks will park on the property. The meeting isn’t glamorous by any means. The squad itself isn’t even mentioned. But these are critical elements that have to be running smoothly in the background if they’re to achieve the excellence they’re striving for.

Directly after this meeting is another. The previous meeting was subdued, efficient, and logistical, but this one is bustling. It takes place in the same small corner room, but nearly everyone is involved. The room is literally overflowing with people. Among them is Juergen Sommer, Indy Eleven’s head coach, who sits on one of the windowsills because all the seats at the table are taken. Others sit on the floor, some just outside the meeting room door. There isn’t enough room to come close to accommodating everyone, but they make do.

There’s an air of anticipation as the meeting kicks off. Just yesterday, Indy Eleven sent out a press release announcing the signing of Brazilian midfielder Jose Kleberson. Everyone is expecting the former Manchester United player, and 2002 World Cup winner, to be a huge boon to the franchise. At 34, he’s no longer in his prime, but they all believe he still has a lot to offer on the field, and they know his name alone will draw audiences.

“Anyone see the Kleberson billboard on their way into town this morning?” Peter asks.

The room erupts with voices keen to share their excitement over the huge sign displaying their new superstar’s face.

John Koluder, head of public relations, slyly raises his hand.

“I saw the billboard yesterday,” he says, then pauses for a moment. “While Kleberson was in my back seat.”

The room erupts again. Even if Indianapolis’ commuters don’t know who Kleberson is, they’ll see the words “World Cup winner” next to his face. It all comes down to credibility. They know they have it, but now they’re trying to prove it to the community. Kleberson is a symbol that the world’s game has come to their city.

The afternoon brings yet another meeting. This one focuses primarily on the friendly later that evening against Peter Wilt’s former club, the Chicago Fire. The normal meeting room that was filled earlier is still taken, so the most critical staff members for tonight’s match sit around what is essentially the lobby of their office space. Schedules for the night are handed out, and they’re specific. At 6:53pm the teams will come out to warm up, and at 7:18 they’ll clear the field. The clubs will have a few minutes to do some final preparations in the dressing room before the national anthem kicks off at 7:30. At 7:32, the teams shake hands, and 7:33 sees the coin toss, Finally, at 7:33 and 45 seconds the whistle blows. It all seems overly planned and tedious, but the discussion centers on ensuring the start time is as close to 7:30 as possible.

One of the major challenges is the fact that the friendly will take place at Purdue University, not Carroll Stadium, where the majority of preparations for the season have taken place. Purdue is nearly an hour and a half away and there’s a lot to do to make sure everything goes well. Since Indy is hosting the friendly, it’s their responsibility to take care of the Fire and set them up with anything they need. Locations of proper dressing rooms and transport to the grounds are immediate issues that need resolving.

Peter is one of the few lucky enough to have nabbed a seat on the couch. His laptop is in front of him, his schedule is to his side, and he’s on the phone with his contacts over in Chicago. Somehow he’s juggling it all, and what’s more impressive: he’s completely composed. If he and his team are going to pull this off, he has to be. It’s not just about tonight, or even April 12th. This is the birth of a franchise, and Indy Eleven have made sure they’ve hired the type of people that can keep up with this balancing act.

A little while later, John Koluder sits in his office organizing social media for the week of the club’s launch. He’s typing instructions to his staff while explaining the climate of the office. “It’s exhilarating. It’s….frantic…” He struggles to find a few words that can sum up the past fifteen months. Outside his office someone runs down the hallway at full speed. “I’m running with scissors!” she screams as she whizzes by. “That,” John says as he points to the now-empty hallway. “That’s what the climate around here is like.”

Talk to anyone in the office and they’ll tell you Indy Eleven is seeking to do something special in not just the NASL but the United States. They want to reach a level of success that seems lofty. Their five-year goals are audacious, including filling an 18,000-seat stadium and offering the best sporting experience in Indianapolis. But they haven’t given themselves these lofty goals just to inspire their staff; they really believe they can achieve them. Of course, everything goes back to their main goal: “We want to win championships and serve the community. Everything else is an extension of that.” That mission statement is loaded. Competing for championships is straightforward enough, but how does a club adequately reach out to a community at such an early stage in its development?

“It’s hard to say how the community will respond to you,” says Koluder. He believes it’s critical that all of Indiana, not just Indianapolis, believes this is their team. “Yeah, it’s less direct competition with the other teams [Colts, Pacers, Indians] and more just creating the emotional bonds we need to build a grassroots fan base.”

Grassroots. That word may as well be on the club’s kits. Indy Eleven’s tagline is, “The World’s Game. Indiana’s Team.” To properly serve the community, this club must become the community.

“It’s the Brickyard Battalion, you know?” Says Wilt. “And the Indiana Soccer Association, and community leaders that really stepped up and supported this. It’s a bottom-up, grassroots effort, which people have taken ownership in. They feel like this is their team, and that’s the key to any successful sports franchise. It’s important that the community feels a sense of ownership, and that’s hard to do in a short time period. Normally that emotional connection comes over generations. But it’s special here because those emotional connections have been created in very short order.”

Peter’s statement is bold. That type of connection to a team can take decades. But he means it, and later that night he would prove it.

Once the staff gets to Purdue later that day they meet for a few moments to ensure everyone knows what they need to do. When they’re done, they split and each person does his or her best to stick to the schedule outlined earlier that day. As they work, everyone seems to have the same question, “Are people going to show up?” No one is sure exactly how many people will come tonight. They’ve sold plenty of tickets, but it’s an hour-and-a-half drive from Indianapolis, and the wind is uncomfortably strong, while the clouds threaten rain.

Any fears of a small turnout are quickly erased the minute the gates open, however. People pour in and before long the stands are full. Most notable among all the supporters is the Brickyard Battalion, the hardcore supporters group of the Indy Eleven. They occupy a small set of bleachers behind one of the goals and they’re so loud they drown out the announcer’s voice coming over the PA. They sing songs about Indy and beat a massive drum, making their presence felt across the small venue. It’s exactly what Peter had talked about. These fans were sold, and Indy hadn’t even played its first competitive match. This group barely knows most of the players, and they’ve only known the name of their club for just over a year, yet they cheer like they’ve been supporters all their lives.

The match starts, and wears on. Indy Eleven fall behind the Fire, but the passion on the sidelines never fades. The fans continue to sing, and Peter Wilt can be seen walking around the stadium, moving from group to group, never making it far before being surrounded by both Indy Eleven and Chicago Fire fans. He does disappear for a time, and then reappears amongst the Brickyard Battalion. He stands on the highest bleacher seat; hands raised high in the air, in full voice, with a scarf around his neck. He’s looking upon something he’s helped create, watching what his hands have made.

Emails from Indy Eleven staff continue to come in that night until well past 1:00am, more than seventeen hours since the staff arrived in the office that morning. They’ll be back in the office at 8:00 am tomorrow, too. Then they’ll do it all over again later in the week when they scrimmage Indiana University. Rest will not be in abundance in these last days before their debut. Every day will be critical. Sleep is for those who aren’t busy creating their own dreams.

Editor’s note: To learn more about Indy Eleven and to find out how to get tickets, visit the club website at www.indyeleven.com   The club’s supporters group also has its own website, which can be found at www.brickyardbattalion.com

To celebrate Heineken’s UEFA Champions League sponsorship, World Soccer Talk would like to offer 4 lucky readers the chance to win a UEFA Champions league match ball signed by former Barcelona and Newcastle striker Patrick Kluivert.

During each UEFA Champions League match week, Heineken invites soccer fans from all over the world to ‘share the sofa’ with a former UCL legend – bringing soccer fans as close to the UEFA Champions League as possible.

Join us on the sofa this Tuesday, 2:30pm ET, as Patrick Kluivert will be watching Manchester City versus Barcelona, answering your questions on the match, his career and the beautiful game in general. Simply follow @Heineken on Twitter and tweet your question to Patrick during the game, including @Heineken and the hashtag #ShareTheSofa in the tweet.

For a chance to win a signed ball, simply follow @Heineken, tweet your question for Patrick to @Heineken and @worldsoccertalk using the hashtag #ShareTheSofa during the Manchester City versus Barcelona match. And then four of the best questions will be selected as winners.

Enjoy the game!

The international break means no Premier League matches until Saturday. Some welcome the break, some loath it. Either way, we can all agree that it’s way too long to go without seeing our favorite clubs play.

We don’t have to waste this time though. The break is an excellent opportunity to analyze the statistical progress clubs have made in the early stages of this season. In light of this, let’s take a look at goals; more specifically, where they’re coming from. The graphs below show the total goals each club has scored, divided up among striker, midfield, and defense. They also show the percentage each position is contributing and the top scorers for each position.

So, where are the majority of your club’s goals coming from? Are you happy with the percentages, or would you like to see a shift in contribution? Share your feedback in the comments section below.

There’s something special about the time just before the Premier League table begins to settle. Clubs that will eventually end up in the Championship next season can be near the top of the table, and for an instant, just an instant, their supporters can look on and revel. I fondly recall seasons when Wolves sat in Champions League spots. It was fleeting, but those that are accustomed to cheering on their clubs as they struggle to stay afloat are allotted a time, however brief, of satisfaction as they gaze at their team’s position near the top, aren’t they?

This season’s table is far from settled, but — just for fun — let’s take a look at what’s transpired thus far and perhaps get a glimpse into the future.

First, let’s look at Arsenal. While the points are distributed evenly for second and third place, the Gunners sit uncontested at the pinnacle. Currently holding a five-match winning streak, the lamentations of supporters over a frugal summer transfer window are long in the past. Mesut Ozil, the main attraction of the summer, isn’t failing anyone’s expectations. There is a bit of a sense of smoke and mirrors, however. Injury has once again plagued the squad and they’re a couple of key players away from disaster. This club is thin, and while they also sit atop their Champions League group and have advanced to the fourth round of the Capital One Cup, it’s difficult to see them being able to balance every competition. Gunners fans will be praying Ozil stays fit.

Liverpool and Tottenham are two clubs looking to attain Champions League spots. While Liverpool haven’t been in the title race for a few seasons now, they seem to have figured something out this season. Daniel Sturridge has especially impressed and though he has many naysayers, this could be the time when the English striker steps up and makes a different for club and country. Luis Suarez’s suspension might have kept him out of the start of the season, but he wasn’t missed too much. Now that Suarez is back and the two strikers are working in tandem, we may be looking at one of the best duos in the Premier League. Liverpool may not challenge for the title, but they have a chance to shatter the mediocrity they’ve been toting for the past few seasons.

Tottenham also have the look of a club that has figured a few things out. The London side is benefiting well from the inclusion of Roberto Soldado, falling only to the league leaders Arsenal at an away derby. Spurs summer transfers were poignant and AVB has now had a year to acclimate to his club. Could this be the season they snag that illusive Champions League spot?

Everton are doing well amidst the absence of Marouane Fellaini. The Toffees are the only unbeaten club in the league, but it’s fair to say they’ve had an easier start. On-loan striker Romelu Lukaku does look to be on course for another impressive goal-scoring season. And he’s joined by Gareth Barry who was a dream pickup, but they will need to pass this week’s test at Manchester City before anyone gets too excited over them.

Chelsea have had a few hiccups, primarily between the end of August to mid-September. Across three different competitions the Blues recorded a streak of DLLL, not quite what fans expected from the second coming of Mourinho. Though some questions have been raised over Jose’s starting XI, namely the regular exclusion of Juan Mata, Chelsea do seem to be falling into a stride. They’re unbeaten in their last four matches, spanning the Premier League, Champions League, and Capital One Cup, outscoring opponents 9 to 1. Whether this streak holds and Chelsea’s messiah really has returned is yet to be seen, but Manchester City on the 27th and Arsenal on the 29th of this month will be a trial by fire the Portuguese manager won’t want to get wrong.

Southampton appearing at sixth, above both Manchester United and Manchester City, is one of the best indications of an unsettled table. That being said, the Saints are deserving of their current spot. Pochettino’s men have allowed the fewest shots on target of any club in the Premier League this season, and have conceded just three goals. It’s been a good start, but it’ll be interesting to see how long they can keep it up. It must be noted that Southampton are the club that gave Sunderland their only point so far.

Manchester City have begun better than their position would lead you to believe. They’ve been solid across all competitions and have already shipped in 14 Premier League goals. The Citizens have had two bad losses to Cardiff and Aston Villa (losing both 2-3) that have marred their start and put them near the middle of the pack. A new manager and signings that will be relied on heavily will do this to any club. Their biggest weakness is conceding goals, which they will have to reign in if they want the title. Gareth Barry’s loan to Everton seems like a bad bit of business and has put a lot of pressure on Yaya Toure. If the Ivory Coast midfielder is injured it will cost City both defensively and creatively going forward.

Hull, Aston Villa, and West Brom round out the final places in the top half and all three clubs are pushing their potential at the moment. Hull have nicked narrow victories against Newcastle, West Ham, and Norwich but failed the bigger tests of Chelsea and City. Those predicting the Tigers going down may want to reevaluate if results like this continue, but a finish near mid-table may be reaching a bit. Aston Villa have had an incredible start, taking down both Arsenal and Manchester City. The biggest worry of this club is star striker Christian Benteke who picked up a hip injury a couple of weeks ago. This surely spelled the end for Villa, but they pushed on and beat City 3-2 last weekend. There is life after Benteke, but how much is yet to be determined. Six weeks will feel like an eternity to their supporters. West Brom lost their star goal scorer in Lukaku, who led the team with more than double anyone else’s tally, when he returned to Chelsea and then to Everton. His absence has been felt dramatically this season. The Baggies have only won two matches thus far, an impressive win against United and another against the languishing Sunderland. These three clubs all have potential to finish around mid-table, but a lower half finish is more likely.

Cardiff City seem to be exactly where they belong in 11th place. The newly-promoted club have been kind of a mixed bag so far. They’ve lost to, and beaten teams, above and below them, which is the sign of a mid-table club. They’re balancing an impressive victory at City and a poor defeat at West Ham (who have beaten them twice this season now). The Bluebirds, or, um, the Dragons, may fall a couple more spots once heftier competition comes their way, but finishing mid-table is an achievable goal.

And then there’s Manchester United. People are quick to shout predictions of the apocalypse, but United have had easily the most difficult fixture schedule thus far. They’ve had losses to Liverpool, City, and West Brom, and their draw against Chelsea was disappointing for Moyes as it could have been a real statement match, but it’s difficult to see a club with this much talent not climbing back up the table. Moyes is no Sir Alex, but the club hasn’t changed much otherwise. We’ve been through this a million times with Arsenal. Things will change.

What can be said about Swansea and Norwich? These two clubs have been glued to one another since their promotion. In their two seasons in the Premier League they’ve finished with a combined difference of just two points, holding anywhere from 9th to 12th place in both seasons. Currently tied with 7 points apiece, and sitting in 13th and 14th, it’s easy to see a minimum amount of movement from either club. If history repeats itself they may each climb a couple spots, but their supporters will likely grow accustomed to seeing these numbers all season.

Stoke had a nice draw against City a few weeks ago, but the positives die out there. Their only Premier League wins this season have come from clubs below them and they have both been narrow. Lack of goals conceded is one thing going for them as they’ve held their opponents in losses to just one goal, aside from Arsenal who scored three. Per usual, Stoke have relied on their defense, and it looks like that won’t change this season. This club has the potential to nick some narrow results if their back line holds, but they could also be drawn into a relegation battle fairly easily if goals don’t start coming from somewhere.

Newcastle were ravaged by City in their opening match of the season and that goal difference led them to the bottom of five clubs sitting on 7 points. They’ve been fighting back ever since and have put away a decent amount of goals. The Magpies have scored twice in the past four matches across all competitions. If they keep the goals flowing they could comfortably avoid another relegation battle.

West Ham complete the list of clubs safe from relegation spots, but they’ve been fickle to say the least. Their record across all competitions this season is WDWLDLWL, scoring nine goals and conceding eight. Without a run of either wins or losses, it’s really difficult to ascertain where they stand. Their goals scored and conceded give them a high boom or bust potential. This club could end up just about anywhere in the mid to lower half of the table.

Fulham, Crystal Palace, and Sunderland sitting at the bottom won’t surprise many. Fulham had a nice win against a surging Everton, but have only managed to score a goal, at most, in all other Premier League matches. Maybe it was the removal of the Michael Jackson statue or maybe it was the loss of Clint Dempsey last season. Either way, Fulham are a sinking ship.

Crystal Palace on the other hand never had their ship afloat. Their only win has come against the one club below them on the table and they’ve failed to score in four of their other matches. There was a lot of doubt after narrowly beating Watford to gain promotion, and those doubts seem to be manifesting themselves. It will take something special for them to not go right back down.

And bringing up the rear is Sunderland. After just beating relegation last season, the Black Cats find themselves right where they left off. With just one point to show from six matches this has to be one of the worst starts from a club in league history. Sunderland have netted four goals and conceded fourteen with the most difficult meetings yet to come. They rightly fired manager Paolo Di Canio but will need the right fit at the helm if things are going to change. If you’re a Sunderland supporter, it’s okay to be in panic mode.

Of course it’s far too early to accurately predict how any of these clubs will finish. But that’s part of the fun, isn’t it? In two or three weeks, this table will probably look completely different and that’s what’s important. If soccer was predictable, no one would watch it. Now let’s see how these clubs choose to shake everything up.

There’s no getting around Chelsea’s slow start the season, both in the Premier League and the Champions League. Mourinho has experimented with different lineups and, as we saw Wednesday versus Basel, formations. Mind you, the squad isn’t unfamiliar with this kind of rotation. Benitez had Chelsea in a constant state of fluctuation last year that allowed them deep cup runs and an eventual Europa League title. But in light of all this rotation and experimentation, the question begs: what is the best possible starting eleven for Chelsea?

Let’s start with formation. Over the past couple of years Chelsea have done well with a 4-2-3-1. They’ve switched up a few times, and some of their players would arguably perform better with a different shape, but this formation has given them the ability to move forward quickly. Counter attacks and dribbles straight into the box have been the name of the game, and this formation allows everyone, even the outside backs, to get in on the action. For the sake of simplicity, and logic, the best eleven will be outlined in this formation.

Čech is the obvious choice in goal. He’s been the uncontested king for some time now and that doesn’t look to change anytime soon. Even with the talent of on-loan Thibaut Courtois waiting in the wings (and doing quite well at Atlético), Čech remains the first choice for the foreseeable future.

For defense, let’s start out on the right. Branislav Ivanović has been Mourinho’s top choice at right back, giving him the opportunity to make runs forward and use his size in set pieces. But César Azpilicueta proved himself as one of Chelsea’s best signings last year in the same position, even though he’s had virtually no playing time under José. Last campaign he moved forward well and provided decent crosses into the box. Putting Azpilicueta here allows Ivanović to move to center back, a position he holds down well. The Serbian may not be able to move forward as easily from the middle, but it makes him a major boon in one of Chelsea’s weakest positions on the field.

Next to Ivanović in the center goes John Terry. At times the Chelsea skipper has been unreliable and a bit injury prone, but at full fitness he’s the top choice here. Terry’s leadership is best demonstrated in the way he organizes his defenders. The overall shape of the defense improves dramatically when the captain is on the pitch shouting orders. Gary Cahill has shown some promise, but he’s not convincing in a squad that’s trying to take on top clubs. Terry’s experience and leadership win out at the end of the day.

Ashley Cole is perhaps one of the biggest staples of the London club. No other left back comes close to his defensive prowess. Certainly not Ryan Bertrand. Cole has the benefit of several years’ experience without suffering much loss of pace and can still keep up with the fastest wingers. This one is a no brainer.

Next up are the two defensive midfield positions. This is probably the most difficult section of the lineup to narrow down. Chelsea have a plethora of players that can occupy these two spots and each of them bring something different to the squad. These two positions can really be augmented in a variety of ways depending on what the manager wants to accomplish against a given opponent. That being said, the best combination (and this is open to much debate) is Frank Lampard and David Luiz.

Luiz came to the club as a center back, but played as a defensive midfielder a few times last year to great success. The Brazilian likes to move forward and can cannon shots into the net from 30 yards out. He strikes a nice balance between defense and offense, giving him flexibility in this position. His physical style of play is also less of a risk in the middle of the pitch than it is in the center of defense. Lampard is the next choice because, well, he scores…a lot. Super Frank’s one-year contract extension means he won’t be at the club for much longer, but his scoring record has easily earned him a place in the first team. Lampard’s sweet spot is around the 25 to 18 yard line, which forces defenders to come out and mark him. He’s scored enough from that range to warrant closing down quickly, which leaves lanes open for more forward players.

The difficulty in choosing these two positions stems mainly from leaving out a player like Ramires, who never seems to run out of steam. His pace and fitness means he’s typically in the thick of the action and while his long-range efforts tend to find themselves in the upper stands, he’s got a wicked affinity for chipping keepers. Ramires, and Mikel for that matter, could easily be switched out for Lampard and Luiz, depending on how much Chelsea want to control the center of the pitch.

There’s also contention for the three attacking midfield roles, though not as much as in the defensive midfield. We’ll start out on the right again, with Oscar. The young Brazilian has been Chelsea’s best player this season and needs to be on the field as much as he can. He frequently plays out right but ultimately likes to drift, often to the center. When Oscar plays out wide he also tracks back, something he’s a bit underappreciated for. His slight frame makes him an unlikely candidate in defense, but he’s proven on numerous occasions that he can get back and pressure players off the ball. Obviously this isn’t his main role, but he can handle himself in a pinch.

In the center is Juan Mata. Here is another player that José hasn’t given as much time to as many fans would like, but the two-time Chelsea Player of the Year can’t be overlooked. His creativity and fluidity unlock the potential of the attacking midfielders around him. His goal and assist tally for the club is nothing short of impressive, but it’s the overall impact he has on matches that makes him a solid choice. He doesn’t quite fit in Mourinho’s quick, counter attacking, style of play, but if he’s utilized as a playmaker he does well controlling the tempo of the game.

The final choice in the attacking three is as obvious as Ashley Cole at left back. Eden Hazard has been a staple of the Three Amigos since arriving last year. The Belgian has been one of the brightest stars for Chelsea and really encompasses the counter attacking style that Mourinho wants to play. It’s hard to think of a player in the Premier League that can turn on a ball and get down the field faster than Hazard. He was also fouled over 70 times last season, fifth in the Premier League for fouls against. His ability to dribble in congested areas makes him dangerous to defend if he’s allowed in the box.

And finally, striker. While Chelsea’s midfielders score more than their fair share of goals, their forwards carry a bit of a stigma for infrequent chances. Torres, Ba, and Eto’o are all capable on paper, but haven’t always put forth the numbers expected of them. Of course this is completely unfair of Eto’o who just joined the club; but in the case of Torres, more negativity is being projected on him than he really deserves. He was Chelsea’s leading scorer last season when they saw their highest number of goals scored in a single campaign.

While Eto’o has been prolific in his career, the number one spot has to go to Torres. He may have garnered a reputation of misfiring, but his numbers have been improving since he joined Chelsea. Really though, it’s not even his goal scoring that makes him first choice, which may seem a bit counterintuitive to say of a striker. But Torres brings something to the table that the other two contending for the position don’t. His work rate and movement off the ball are both fantastic. Torres has mastered the ability to move against the run of play, opening up crucial lanes for the midfielders behind him. There’s a reason Chelsea’s attacking mids score so many goals, and part of that is Torres breaking apart the opposing backs and moving them out of position. While his final touch and dribbling can be scrutinized, his work rate cannot. His refusal to stay still, even away from the ball, keeps defenders preoccupied. Chelsea’s midfield get a lot more looks when Torres is up front.

Ultimately, with the amount of talent in in the Blues midfield it’s difficult to choose a single, strongest starting eleven. Chelsea’s squad is malleable and a different set of starters would change the way the team can play before it decreased the overall talent on the field. With the amount of cup runs this club makes, it’s doubtful that there will ever be a consistent starting eleven. That being said, in a must-win match this eleven could stand up to some of the biggest clubs in the world.

Striker: Torres

Midfield: Hazard, Mata, Oscar

David Luiz, Lampard

Defense: Cole, Terry, Ivanović, Azpilicueta

Goal: Cech

What’s your recommended starting XI for Chelsea? Post it in the comments section below.

Juan Mata has been a fan favorite at Chelsea since joining in 2011, and for good reason. His contributions on the field and social presence off of it have made him a totem for Chelsea supporters to rally behind. But much to the dismay of Chelsea fans, Mata has seen far less playing time under José Mourinho. In light of this, let’s take a look at what the playmaker brings to Chelsea, and, ultimately, what they’ve been missing lately.

Mata first introduced himself to Chelsea supporters over his various social media profiles and personal blog. The Spaniard made no attempt to hide his excitement of moving to London, frequently posting pictures of himself against the city’s most famous backdrops. He also wrote several blog entries about meeting fans during his excursions in the Underground. It was a sequence of moves that immediately endeared him to supporters.

It didn’t take long for Mata to blend in with the squad either. He created 13 Premier League goals in his first year, accounting for 25% of Chelsea’s total assists and finishing second in the league in assists to David Silva. He also netted six goals, making him the third-best scorer at the club. His total, across all competitions, was 12 goals and 20 assists. These numbers, coupled with the less-tangible finesse he brought to the side, won him Chelsea’s Player of the Year. But despite Mata’s performance, Chelsea’s statistics were actually down from the three previous years. Their win percentage fell from an average of 64% to 46% and they scored nearly half a goal less per match. I mention this not so much to gauge the impact Mata had (for one player alone does not account for the statistics of a club over an entire season) but to show how the club would change in relation to Mata during the 2012/2013 season.

For it was this season that the playmaker did what every manager hopes a player will do, he got better. Here, Mata segued from a nice summer pickup to the most influential player in the squad. His previous assist count inflated to 28 for the total season and his Premier League goals doubled to 12, totaling 20 goals in all competitions. What’s most significant about these numbers is the managerial turmoil that plagued Chelsea during this time. Mata was able to improve upon a stellar first season in the face of shifting leadership.

Despite the seemingly-constant changes at the helm, Chelsea’s win percentage increased to 57.9% and their goals per match rose to just under two, which was the highest since 09/10. Again, there are a lot of reasons for this statistical increase but, watching Mata, it was clear to see he played a major role. The inclusion of Hazard and Oscar, two players that work well with Mata, went a long way in changing Chelsea’s style to a fast, shifting, fluid attack. The Three Amigos kept loosely to their positions and used the freedom they were given to play their style, wherever it was needed. Often though, Mata stayed central and allowed the attack to primarily flow through him.

After another stellar campaign, the midfielder was granted Player of the Year by his club for the second season in a row. He was also named to the PFA Team of the Year and was shortlisted for PFA Player of the Year.

Much has been made of Mata’s limited playing time this season. He has only started two matches and was severely limited in pre-season. Reports are conflicting on Mourinho’s feelings towards the player, though he has gone on records to say, “He is a player I trust a lot and will fight for position like everybody else. He will sometimes start, sometimes on the bench. He has to be prepared to not be selected like everybody else.”

As a new(ish) manager, Mourinho is doing what anyone else would do. He’s stated before that every player would have to earn their position. What’s so jarring, perhaps, is the fact that Mata has rightfully been named the club’s Player of the Year in two consecutive years. It’s difficult imagining him not starting. It’s a testament, really, to Mata’s influence at Chelsea. The Blues have a lot of depth and few players (Hazard, Cole, Cech) would draw a terrible amount of attention for not starting.

Mata has proven his worth over the past couple of years. If he continues to play at that level he’ll see a lot of time under Mourinho. His style is as effective as it is attractive, and he brings out the best in the players surrounding him. There’s no doubt that Mata has to be central to Chelsea’s plans moving forward.

It all started early that day at 4th Street Bar. Well, that’s not completely accurate. It really started as I drove into Columbus. There was a discernible change in the atmosphere as cars drove past me sporting “United States is going to Brazil” and “USA vs Mexico” on their windows. The city was charged. It wasn’t getting warmed up. I was joining something that had been going on for days.

The American Outlaws had bunkered down at 4th Street and they had come in numbers. The infantry reported from all over and wore their platoon names proudly on their jerseys. Omaha, Lexington, Seattle. All hands were on deck. The 88-degree bar was bloated and overflowing except for those who were crowding around the freezers posted outside to find relief from the heat under the blazing sun. The heat, the sweat, none of it mattered. War was at hand. Strategy was discussed, battle hymns were sung, and hope was spreading like wildfire.

We marched at 6pm, two hours before kickoff. The streets were indiscernible. Small streams of supporters flowed into one giant, meandering, red sea that flooded the city on the way to the grounds. Columbus belonged to the Yanks.

I spent a good portion of my life living outside of Columbus. I attended the inaugural match at Crew Stadium and have been to countless matches since. To say I was familiar with the coliseum is an understatement. But as our army turned to approach the battlefield, I caught a glimpse of the stadium, and I couldn’t recognize it. Gone was the gold and black home of the Columbus Crew. In its stead was what Mexican newspapers referred to as “La Casa del Terror.” A red and white fortress that had never been overtaken by Mexican forces. The three previous matches at this monolith all ended 2-0 to the United States. This was the home of Dos A Cero.

The first warning shot of the night was fired during the national anthem. US fans, who encompassed the overwhelming majority of supporters in attendance, in one motion, raised their scarves that proudly read “Land of the Free,” and sang at a deafening volume. It was a statement. This was the home of the United States and it would not be taken easily.

The second warning shot came at halftime with the score still 0-0. Mexico entered the match with their qualifying campaign on the ropes, knowing they needed a result to kick-start their final push for Brazil. The first 20 minutes were furious. Mexico had no low gear. Every ball, every player went straight for Tim Howard’s goal. Through this time, the Americans concentrated on holding the line. A few shots from 20 yards peppered the goal, but Howard wasn’t bothered. The Yanks attacked mainly on counters and almost broke Mexico’s defenses, most notably chances from Dempsey and Johnson. But with no points on the board after 45 minutes, both teams returned to their war rooms, Mexico worse for the wear following their all-out attack.

The second half began and almost as soon as it did, a corner kick by Landon Donovan found the head of Eddie Johnson. The 29-year-old forward cannoned the ball into the back of Guillermo Ochoa’s net. What resulted happened in an instant. The supporters, who had been at their bursting point for days, exploded. Crew Stadium was no longer a fortress, it was a volcano. Red, white, and blue erupted from the mouth of the stadium. The city of Columbus shook.

Mexico were wounded, but not out. The United States defense had done their homework and smothered the poacher, Chicharito. At times it was easy to forget he was on the field. The Manchester United striker was literally a non-factor. But Giovani dos Santos was another story. The midfielder was determined to end the Yankees’ undefeated narrative in Columbus. His quick cuts and balls into the box, coupled with a few accurate shots on goal, pestered the US throughout the second half. Unfortunately for him, dos Santos was facing a monster. Tim Howard, throughout the entire night, was an animal. The penalty box was his territory. When a player entered it was because he let him. When a ball came in, it belonged to him. His focus broke for just an instant when play stopped at the other end of the field. His performance had been fed that night by screams of “Timmy Howard! *clap *clap *clap.” As the fans screamed his name he turned to them, for a single second, and thrust a fist into the air. Again, Columbus shook.

The deathblow came in the 77th minute when Donovan, who had assisted the first goal, swept in a cross from the substitute, Diskerud. The play had been pushed on by our chants. The players’ speed and skill came not from their muscles, but from the screams of “U-S-A, U-S-A.” There was another eruption from the stadium but it was different this time. It wasn’t a celebration of a goal, it was the celebration of a victory. Mexico was defeated and everyone knew it. “We are going to Brazil!” echoed for the remainder of the match.

A late penalty was blasted wide of target by Dempsey, but it didn’t matter. For the fourth time in a row the United States felled Mexico 2-0 in Columbus. Fans stuck around after the final whistle to watch Honduras and Panama on the stadium’s scoreboard. A win or tie by Honduras would officially put team USA into the 2014 World Cup. We watched with bated breath, but no one was worried. The result we needed would come. Fate had written that night.

And so it was. In the most dramatic of nights, Honduras tied Panama 2-2 and the United States booked a ticket to the big dance in Brazil. The troops left the stadium in droves. Some went to continue the celebration; some went to take a much-deserved rest, and all left with the smell of victory fresh on their clothes.

There were relatively few positions Chelsea needed to address in the summer transfer window. Two or three signings would have given them nearly a complete squad and, with the addition of José Mourinho, locked them in as favorites for the title. But, in a series of strange moves, the club brought in players in positions that were already bursting with talent, and all but ignored their real needs. Here’s a look at the spots that were overlooked that could have used strengthening.

First up is left back. Ashley Cole has been Chelsea’s stalwart for years. The 32-year-old has lost very little pace for his age and is still capable of chasing down speedy attackers. The problem is that Cole was given a year extension on his contract and may not be at Stamford Bridge next season. Ryan Bertrand has been filling in for him in a lesser role and even played in the victorious Champions League final a couple of years ago. But Bertrand has ultimately failed to impress any of the managers he’s been under recently, and at 24 years of age it’s difficult to see him replacing a world talent such as Cole in a club competing for multiple trophies every season. His playing time is limited, and it’s hard to see him immediately stepping up upon Cole’s departure.

It would have made sense to bring in another well-known left back, even if he split his time with Cole. The player would have a year to adjust to Chelsea’s style before taking the number one spot next season. It also wouldn’t hurt to pad out that position as Mourinho will look to go deep into multiple tournaments. If cup runs are balanced successfully, there’s a potential the Blues could see more matches this season than they did last.

Next is defensive midfield. Mourinho will lean heavily on a 4-2-3-1 this season, meaning Frank Lampard, John Obi Mikel, Marco van Ginkel, and Ramires will trade off in this role. On paper this looks fine. Four great players that can interchange in two spots is alright, but Mikel is really the only defensive mid in the bunch. As he’s demonstrated more than 200 times, Lampard likes to go forward…a lot. Lampard’s most dangerous area is right around the 25 to 18 yard line where he’s looking to receive a ball and have a shot. Ramires is more of a box to box midfielder. This guy can run. Ramires will track back, but he’s another player that moves forward a lot. Because of his pace, he’s been in countless situations where he’s beaten the back line and gone one-one-one with the keeper. Van Ginkel is an interesting addition to the squad this summer and could play a more defensive role, but in the preseason he was constantly moving forward and overlapping with Eden Hazard on the left. None of these traits are necessarily staples of a defensive midfielder. These players compliment the attack rather than buffer the back line.

But then there’s Mikel. Two hundred and seventy eight matches for Chelsea and two goals to his name, both coming in January of 2007. His lack of goalscoring has become a bit of a joke amongst supporters, but in truth, it’s proof of his defensive mindedness. Mikel will occasionally go forward when the momentum allows, but he prefers to sit back and breaks up play. Rumors have floated around that the Nigerian would go to Galatasaray this summer. Mikel is still at the club, but the prospect has brought about rumors that his time as a Chelsea player may be close to ending. If Mikel does go, Mourinho will have three players, none of whom are really defensive, to help the back line. What makes this more problematic is the fact that Chelsea play somewhat of a full-court press, frequently bringing the right and left back up to act as wingers. Their defense simply can’t survive without the extra help of a defensive midfielder.

Last but not least is the position up front at striker. Again, this is another spot that seems to be covered on paper. Romelu Lukaku came back after a wildly successful season on loan to West Brom and padded the front alongside of Fernando Torres and Demba Ba. But even with three strikers there seemed to be something lacking. Lukaku has more than shown his potential, but the 20-year-old is awfully young to be leading a club that’s looking to take on the world. Even if this was true though, Lukaku has been loaned out to Everton for the remainder of the season. Torres netted 23 goals in his last Chelsea outing, leading the Blues in scoring in all competitions. Many can agree, however, that more could be done up front. An overwhelming majority of Chelsea’s goals last season came from the midfield, and the trajectory doesn’t seem to be changing. While Torres broke his Chelsea single-season scoring record, Ba saw just 22 matches and scored a humble six goals.

Samuel Eto’o was brought in from Anzhi Makhachkala but just like van Ginkel, he’s a signing that may not address Chelsea’s problems. There’s no doubt that Eto’o has been impressive for every club he’s played for. His goal tallies are ridiculous. But he is 32-years-old and he’s never played in the Premier League. It’s difficult to see him being favored over Torres. What Chelsea needed was a player like Luis Suarez or Wayne Rooney, someone who could come in and take over the number one spot and compliment the world-class talent behind him in the midfield.

Instead of addressing these deficiencies, Chelsea went and bought players in the exact positions where they didn’t need more talent. Namely, attacking midfielders. Willian and Andre Schürrle were both purchased while Kevin de Bruyne and Michael Essien returned from loan. Victor Moses was loaned out to Liverpool to make room for Schürrle, which would make sense if Mourinho played Juan Mata and occasionally put Oscar out on the right. But Oscar has been the number one in the center since José arrived, with Mata not even coming on late. As it is, de Bruyne will probably substitute for Schürrle, which seems a bit odd when Moses could have done it. Moses gave Chelsea width and while de Bruyne has had a good preseason for the Blues, Moses had a fantastic season for them all last year. Willian was a good pickup to back up Hazard but again, Essien has been effective there for Chelsea in the past. It’s just a strength being strengthened.

These new signings have created an over-packed midfield. The Blues will be capable of heavy rotation as they attempt to nab trophies this year, but the question remains: Will José be able to keep all his midfielders happy with regular playing time? Maybe, maybe not. But the real issue is that Chelsea have ignored some gaps in their squad while adding in places they didn’t really need to add. It will be interesting to see how these changes affect their title run and their January transfer movement.

David Moyes was perhaps overstepping his bounds when he challenged the Premier League over Manchester United’s difficult opening fixture schedule, but he can’t be faulted for being too upset. A quick look at United’s first few matches shows that they’ll be facing some of their toughest challenges straight out of the gate. Their opening game against Swansea was arguably supposed to be much more difficult than it was, and now today they have to face Chelsea, their direct competition for the Premier League title. They’ll need to keep one eye on Liverpool away the following week before what could be an easier match against Crystal Palace at home. But it cranks right back up again the following week away to Manchester City, who are also biting for the title despite a shock loss yesterday against Cardiff.

They say you can’t look too far ahead though, and right now Moyes and his squad are concentrating on the first match against their rival title contenders, Chelsea. Of course, one match won’t be enough to determine who has the superior squad, but it will be a nice benchmark to see where the two clubs are as they being their campaign. Both the players and the table will have had enough time to settle come their second match in January and that may be a better indication of who these teams are.

Lineups are tricky to guess in a fixture like this as both teams are deep in certain positions and have players that can be placed in multiple roles. United and Chelsea have been built to withstand simultaneous cup runs, and with it being so early in the season, and fatigue not playing a role in who sits out, it’s difficult to guess what sides these managers will field. One of the main questions will be the inclusion of Wayne Rooney. He had a great outing against Swansea and would be a no-brainer against Chelsea in a normal situation. But with the Blues chasing after him so heavily, and a new bid recently offered, Moyes faces a delicate choice including him, even as a substitute.

Whether or not Rooney is on the pitch, this match is well suited for Shinji Kagawa. The Japanese playmaker is a great foil for Mata, who will most likely be in Mourinho’s starting eleven to control the game’s tempo. Phil Jones has also had a decent start to the season and would do well to play a bit forward with Carrick, who was one of the best players in the league last year.

Moyes will want to do whatever he can to strengthen in the center as Chelsea have the best midfield in the league. Hazard, Mata, Oscar, Schurrle, De Bruyne, Lampard, van Ginkel, and Ramires are all fighting for a spot and really, there’s no bad combination amongst them. United don’t necessarily have to be better in the center of the pitch, they just have to be good enough to get passes to van Persie and Welbeck. Moyes prefers a wider style of play, but he’ll have to be careful. If his players go wide they’ll have Hazard and Schurrle waiting for them.

It’s clear that Mourinho likes his players to pressure the ball, and he’s made sure they’re fit enough to do it. The Chelsea’s midfield could give United all kinds of headaches, but they’ll need to be careful. The Blues have had phenomenal starts to both their matches this season, but they’ve gone for a more relaxed approach as the games progress. This is a United team that will punish them if they sit back late on like they did against Hull and Aston Villa.

The start-of-season excitement is still fresh and bolsters the anticipation around this huge clash. Both clubs have superiority in different areas of the pitch and it may come down to a battle of wits between the managers. We all enjoy the weekends, but Mondays like today aren’t looking so bad either, is it?

Editor’s note: For viewers in the United States, the match will be shown live on US television on NBC Sports Network, as well as live on NBC Sports Live Extra. Coverage begins at 2:30pm ET, while the kick-off is scheduled for 3pm.

We’re just literally hours away from the start of the 2013/14 Premier League season and the anticipation has reached its pinnacle. But before everything kicks off, before our weekends become significantly busier, let’s pause for a moment and revel in what we’re about to experience.

The 2013 summer hasn’t been without its share of entertaining football. The Confederations Cup and World Cup qualifying matches were decent substitutes even for those who don’t care for the international game. Seeing certain players take the field, even outside the context of their club, was a treat especially in a time when they couldn’t be seen on a weekly basis. Club football wasn’t completely absent either. Pre-season friendlies were littered across the summer months and proved to be a good fix. There was even some pre-season silverware on the line. The Audi Cup let us see Manchester City take on AC Milan and Bayern Munich while the inaugural year of the International Champions Cup threw Everton and Chelsea against some of the top teams in the world. Having a final between Real Madrid and Chelsea before the season even starts was a wonderful preview for the caliber of matches we’ll see in the UEFA Champions League.

But the Premier League is almost back, and we no longer have to rely on inconsistent pre-season matches and transfer rumors to keep us occupied. It’s getting to be about that time of year when the more practical moves have already happened and the only rumors left are outlandish and attention-seeking. Excitement over transfers will get one last boost on deadline day, but until then it’ll be a steady decline into frustration and apathy. We can be certain there’s not much more to see when some of the biggest transfer news is whether or not a player will apologize to his teammates.

That’s all changing though. The time has come. Instead of breaking down each club and previewing all 20 contenders, let’s take a more general look at what we can anticipate in the coming months. If you’re craving individual club previews, check out the latest EPL Talk podcasts that cover just that.

Let’s begin by focusing on shakeups. The top four teams last season were Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal, respectively. Three of those clubs — United, City, and Chelsea — have all gotten new managers. For Chelsea this is nothing new, but Roberto Mancini has been at Manchester City since 2009 and Sir Alex Ferguson had been at Manchester United for almost 27 years. A reorganization of managers at the top, especially at the same time, hasn’t happened in quite some time. There will be growing pangs, doubts, influences being overhyped, and fingers being pointed, all depending on how well their clubs perform. David Moyes and Manuel Pellegrini will constantly be compared to their club’s former managers, while Jose Mourinho will spend some time living in his own shadow from his last stint at Chelsea.

Arsenal are the only top four side to hold onto their manager, but that may not be a good thing depending on who you ask. Over the past few seasons the Gunners have garnered a reputation of being frugal in the transfer market. This season hasn’t been any different. They were able to end their last campaign on a ten-match unbeaten run which saw them into an UEFA Champions League spot, but their direct competition has been strengthening this summer without them. It will be interesting to see how they compete, especially if they fail to sign the likes of Luis Suarez. Such a renowned signing would help to break the stereotype that the club never brings in big players. They’ll have to drop some serious cash in order to snare the Uruguayan, however, and that seems to contradict Wenger’s mantra. In a recent article, The Swiss Ramble reported that Arsenal have spent just 1% of their available cash flow in the transfer market since 2007.

Newcomers Cardiff City, Crystal Palace and Hull City will try to emulate the success that has kept Swansea and Norwich in the Premier League after coming up two seasons ago. Cardiff have spent more than the other two clubs combined. However, unlike what QPR did after promotion, Cardiff aren’t reinventing their squad with a multitude of new signings; they’re bolstering what they already have, in key positions. There were clubs that just missed relegation last season and they may well be joining these new clubs in focusing on staying in the league. Sunderland, who missed relegation by one spot last season, have purchased heavily to avoid a relegation battle while Newcastle United haven’t done much at all, perhaps looking to rely on the transfers brought in last January.

The inclusion of these new clubs also introduces new local derby matches. There are now six teams in London vying for local supremacy in the table. But what’s really exciting is the fact that Cardiff will become the second Welsh club behind Swansea to play in the Premier League since its formation. That means for the first time there will be a South Wales derby in the top flight.

Let’s also not forget that this is the final season leading up to the World Cup and will be the last chance for many players to prove they have what it takes to represent their country. Those on the cusp of being called up to their national team will be pushing themselves harder to get noticed by their respective international managers. It will be interesting to see what players break out, like Christian Benteke did last season for Aston Villa, while striving for an international cap. While not young, Roberto Soldado will be out to show that he can handle the role of Spain’s main striker. He and Fernando Torres, now in the same league, will be going head to head this season with the future of representing Spain this summer possibly resting on who has the better league form.

Finally, if you’re living in the United States you have even more reason to be excited for this season. NBC has been doing some brilliant marketing for their upcoming Premier League coverage. It’s clear that the network is excited about bringing the beautiful game to American homes. If they put forth as much effort in their programming as they have in advertising for the season, it’s going to be a magical year. That’s not to mention the fact that NBC will allow fans to watch more matches than ever before. If your provider has access to NBC Sports Live Extra you never have to worry about missing a single Premier League match. Ever. As in not even one.

So the only question that remains is: Are you ready? Get your cable channels sorted out, make sure you choose next-day air when you order your club’s new 13/14 kit, and don’t forget to tell your loved ones you won’t have as much free time on the weekends. Ladies and gentlemen, the Premier League is back.

Chelsea and Inter Milan faced off in downtown Indianapolis earlier this month. The quarterfinal of the International Champions Cup was a massive event that drew 42,000 fans to Lucas Oil Stadium, and filled the streets of Indianapolis. But there was something more important happening that day, something more subtle. The city was being groomed for something larger than a single pre-season tournament match.

I traveled to the match with the supporters’ group Chelsea in America, one of the largest fan groups of the Blues outside of England. We met downtown at Claddagh Irish Pub and spent the afternoon singing about our common love and chanting “Who are ya” at anyone that came in wearing another team’s kit. Just around the corner, Guinness was having an event that took up an entire block. It was there, while taking a break from the hot, stifled, pub air, that I first heard of Indy Eleven. This new NASL club is preparing to debut at the start of the 2014 season with plans to eventually build a stadium in the downtown district.

Indy Eleven, and the city it was named after, is really a perfect representative of soccer in the United States. After all, downtown Indianapolis is already home to two major teams: The Colts and the Pacers. The two huge stadiums that house these popular clubs take up some serious real estate in an already-cramped city. That’s not even mentioning the AAA baseball team: the Indianapolis Indians, or the Tier 1 hockey team: the Indiana Ice. As I perused the tables filled with information on the newborn club, I couldn’t help but wonder if there was any more room left, not just in downtown Indianapolis but in the hearts of its residents, for another sport.

With about two hours left until kickoff, the myriad of Blues supporters left Claddagh and we began our march, flags held high to Lucas Oil Stadium. “Super Frankie Lampard” echoed from the skyscrapers and drowned out the sound of bumper-to-bumper traffic. It wasn’t long before I, along with several others, realized we were heading in the wrong direction.

“The stadium is that way,” someone yelled, pointing behind us.

“We know, we’ve got another stop first,” said a voice from the front.

Before long we were in the center of the city, climbing the broad stairs that lead to the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument. This tall edifice, erected in 1888, is a monument to Indiana soldiers who fought in the War of 1812, the Mexican-American War, the Civil War, and the Spanish American War. There, upon the steps of the century-and-a-half-old structure, we sang “Keep the Blue Flag Flying High,” and “Carefree” while Lady Victory, who adorns the crest of Indy Eleven, looked down upon us from the top of the monument. People stopped on the sidewalks, in the middle of the street, and even in their cars, to record our concert on their phones. Monument Circle was the venue, Chelsea our muse, and we were the headliners. It was perhaps the first taste of this type of soccer culture the Hoosiers have seen, but it will not be the last.

Like many clubs that have popped up in the MLS and NASL over the past few years, Indy Eleven is focusing their marketing on identifying with their city. The club’s tagline, “The World’s Game, Indiana’s Team” isn’t just catchy, it’s their mission statement. According to the club’s website, indyeleven.com, the name not only represents the number of players on the pitch, but honors the 11th Volunteer Infantry Regiment that fought in the Civil War.

It’s not a new strategy, but the owners of Indy Eleven know that if they’re going to reach the people of Indianapolis, who are already satisfied with their choices of sporting events, they will have to go deeper than just selling entertainment. Identity is the key. It’s a good start, exposing the city to soccer at the level that Chelsea and Inter brought, but to really reel in fans they’ll have to create a connection to the club. If the organization can rally people under the torch of Lady Victory, Indianapolis and its people will have more than enough room for another professional team.

Last season Sunderland found themselves struggling to keep their heads above the murky waters of relegation. A quick look at the club’s statistics from last year reveals that, despite being almost middle of the table in terms of goals conceded, the Black Cats managed to score just 41 goals. Only QPR and Stoke scored fewer.

The acquisition of Wolverhampton striker Steven Fletcher at the beginning of last season was a bright spot as the Scottish striker managed to score eleven goals before injuring his ankle while on international duty. Fletcher was injured in late March and remained the club’s top goal scorer that season. Stephane Sessegnon and Craig Gardner, who had seven and six goals respectively, were the only other players to come close to Fletcher’s tally. The majority of Sunderland players who found themselves on the score sheet managed just one goal.

In January of 2013, Danny Graham was brought in from Swansea and eventually replaced Fletcher after his injury. The result was eleven matches without a single goal, which is exactly what Sunderland didn’t need. Graham is now on loan to Hull City, while Fletcher isn’t expected to return from injury until September. That leaves Paolo Di Canio looking at his new signing Jozy Altidore to put points on the board. The American striker scored 51 goals in 93 appearances for his former Dutch club, AZ Alkmaar, and has recently experienced a resurgence in the USA national team, netting four goals in eight games this year, a substantial feat after playing only seven matches for the States in 2012 and not recording a single goal.

At only 23-years old, Altidore’s size and speed make him a formidable match for defenses. It may take some time to acclimate, but if he can reproduce any amount of the 31 goals he scored for AZ last season, he will no doubt be Di Canio’s first choice up front. It is, of course, still early to be speculating on the American’s success, especially after his last run in the Premier League with Hull that was, to put it mildly, disappointing. Altidore is a different player now, though. He’s older and has the experience of being the primary goal scorer at a club. It’s difficult to see his form being similar to what it was in 2009-2010.

Altidore failed to score in Sunderland’s pre-season Barclay’s Asia Cup run, but did record an assist in the Black Cat’s 3-1 rout of Tottenham. He looked sharp and played off of Sessegnon well in both the match against Spurs and the final against City, where Sunderland lost 0-1, creating space up front with a few clever runs. Sunderland won’t face many opponents tougher than either Tottenham or City, so any promise shown this early could bode well for his future.

Will Altidore be the answer to the Black Cats’ scoring woes? Perhaps, but Di Canio will have to give him the chance to acclimate to both the side and league. His signing, reported to be around £8.5 million, may be a slight gamble, but if he can become as comfortable as he was at AZ, it’s proven he knows how to score.

The return of Special 1 TV is amongst the best news soccer fans have received this summer. Betfair now has five episodes on their YouTube channel chronicling The Special One’s return to the Premier League, and rumors are flying around that the Internet-based company may pick up the series on a long-term basis. In honor of the greatest show in football returning, I’ve listed the ten best episodes of Special 1 TV. You owe it to yourself to catch up on these gems.

10. “Two Becomes Three”

In the aftermath of Rooney’s elbow to James McCarthy, Sir Alex calls in and explains the best way to diffuse these types of situations is with the old “What do you want me to do, electrocute the boy?” routine. José finds this works impeccably well as he uses it to calm an irate crowd left waiting to hear who the show’s new signing will be.

9. “Wormholes”

José’s attempt to comfort Wenger after Arsenal’s crash out of the Champions League takes an odd turn when Wenger shares his belief that his players can still progress to the final. While he notes that their elimination will be a great obstacle, he feels that creating a wormhole will make it possible to enter a parallel dimension in which Arsenal are still in the running. “All credit to quantum mechanics at the end of the day.”

8. “Act of God”

The hosts discuss The Boy Wayne’s incredible bicycle kick goal against City and The Special One reveals it was actually he that gave Wayne the idea. One of my favorite parts of this show is imagining the real life counterparts to these characters in the same situations. Mourinho singing “Bicycle Race” to Rooney in the dressing room is the stuff dreams are made of. Round it out with “Capello After the Dentist” and you’ve got a solid episode.

7. “Conspiracy at the Nou Camp”

The Premier League has now become a two-horse race between Chelsea and United. All hope is lost for Arsenal, but Wenger refuses to rule out his chances. He creates a complicated equation composed of several clubs and the corruption of the FA that proves they can still win the league. Oh, and Puppet Ronnie makes an appearance, which is always appreciated.

6. “José Phones It In”

The Special One is mysteriously absent after his weekday loss to United. Sven and The Boy Rooney continue on with the show, fielding calls from managers. They soon realize that José is faking the voices of the different managers and calling in to praise himself. What’s really impressive here is the fact that this is all done by Mario Rosenstock. The Irish impersonator is doing an impression of a Portuguese manager doing impression of French, Spanish, and Scottish managers. It’s something straight out of Inception.

5. “All In”

In one of the boldest moves ever seen by a television program, José bets the show on United defeating Barçelona in the upcoming Champions League final. Unfortunately, Barça went on to win the final and the show didn’t return until early 2013. No one could believe it was real at the time, and once confirmed, it was downright tragic. Now, though, as we stare at the possibility of more episodes, we can appreciate that The Special One is the type of guy that sticks to his word.

4. “Swine Flu”

This episode grabs the number four spot for one simple reason: it depicts José as The Doctor. Remember that time Mourinho poked Tito Vilanova in the eye? Imagine him doing that to a Dalek…in its eye stalk…with a Sonic Screwdriver.

3. “Sven is Sacked”

We’ve all been in that precarious position of explaining the offside rule to a friend. Most of us believe we understand it perfectly, but in truth, we’ll finish exploring the Universe before fully understand the intricacies of this rule. As a manager, though, you need to at least pretend you know how it works. This is Sven’s mistake, and it sets up a major storyline for the rest of the season.

2. “Webisodes”

Special 1 TV is best enjoyed in small doses, which is why the five-minute format of the show works so well. These minute-long webisode bites are perfect because they’re just long enough to deliver a punch line or two. I had a hard time choosing amongst them so I’ve put them all together. This is Special 1 TV at its best. Some notable entries are: “Wayne vs Wayne,” “Wayne’s Anger Management,” “A Crime!” “Callers, Hello?” “Roy on England and Other Things,” and “Ronnie and Rooney.”

1. “Special1 TV Returns”

This episode ranks number one because it has a little bit of everything. Puppet Ronnie practices his diving, José explains why he isn’t coaching a team in the World Cup (he’s a continental champion and can’t be confined to one country), and last but not least: Tom Cruise calls in. Cruise is one of the best personalities on the show and his lack of football knowledge is on incredible display here. If you want a taste of what Special1 TV is all about and you can only watch one episode, this is the one.

Now, what are you waiting for? Go tell Betfair you’d like to see more Special 1 TV. The only thing more exciting than the upcoming football season is the idea of José and his crew giving us the news every week.

H/T DoitChampions.

I wouldn’t be surprised if this article got me kicked out of my Chelsea supporters’ group. It’s no secret that Rafa Benitez wasn’t a fan favorite at Chelsea since taking the helm in late November of last year. Demeaning signs and jeers rang out at Stamford Bridge and across the Internet every time fans saw his face. The criticisms died down a bit near the end of the season, but whether that was due to the success the club saw or fans getting tired of staying at such emotionally elevated levels for months on end, I can’t be certain.

Many would like to deny that Rafa had been anything but rubbish, owing any success the club had to the players. Don’t misunderstand me, the players deserve a lot of praise, but anyone thinking a manager player-rotating his way through a record-breaking amount of games in a season doesn’t deserve applause is foolish. Chelsea competed in more tournaments than I can even remember this season, and delved deep into the brackets of each.

While the majority of my fellow Blues supports spit and curse at Benitez’s name, I actually commend him for the job he did. I think he more than completed the tasks he was brought in to do, namely take care of the club and make sure they’re in the Champions League next season. And he’s done that, along with nabbing the club’s second European trophy in two years.

Benitez managed the club to a semi-final in both the League Cup and the FA Cup and while their crash out of the group stages of the Champions League was a disappointment, the club rebounded and took home the Europa League trophy. Any silverware won in a season, and Arsenal fans know this all too well, is a success. To take home a trophy from a European tournament, even if it’s the less popular of the major two, is enough to consider the entire season a win. These deep tournament runs were costly, though. The farther the club went into each cup run the more the games stacked up. Forget juggling these different competitions, the Premier League was also on the line. A finish out of the top four, losing Champions League qualification, would destroy everything the club were hoping to accomplish this year.

But Rafa, in the face of this ridiculous fixture congestion, took the club to a third-place finish, giving them an automatic berth for the UEFA Champions League next season. What’s so impressive about this is the ever-changing starting eleven. Benitez is well known as a squad rotator, and in this particular season I believe it was vital to Chelsea. Rafa was able to stave off fatigue and injury in a league where teams playing half the amount of matches Chelsea played were riddled with both. The only big casualty of the season was captain and center back John Terry, who, in all fairness, has been stricken with injuries for quite some time now.

Also critical to the success of the Blues season was the renaissance of Fernando Torres. While he still may not be the player he was at Liverpool, El Nino has seen his best season for the club since his transfer to London. For all the criticism the striker receives, he was Chelsea’s top goal scorer, with 22 goals, in a season where Chelsea broke their previous record for goals scored in a single campaign. Somewhat less tangible is the impact that many of his goals made in matches. It’s difficult for me to remember any of Torres’ goals in previous seasons being all that critical apart from his goal at Camp Nou against Barcelona in the Champions League. This year, however, Fernando has scored a handful of game-winning goals. His most critical, a composed step around the Benfica keeper in the final of the Europa League, ensured their 2-1 victory and the trophy. If you were to tell me that this wasn’t partially due to his former Liverpool manager, whom he saw his best form under, I simply wouldn’t believe you.

Would Benitez be the right fit for Chelsea in the long run? Perhaps not, but he never tried to be that did he? That was never on the table. This past season Chelsea needed someone who would keep them afloat, qualify for the Champions League, and maybe add a little to the trophy cabinet. Rafa did all that and more. So say what you will, but as a supporter I was thankful to have him at Chelsea. Now, let’s see what this Mourinho guy can bring to the table.