Now, Odemwingie’s finally set to move, this time to West Brom.  He still has visa issues [...]]]>

Nigerian attacker Peter Odemwingie has been rumored with moves to the English Premier League for some time.  Last year, he was prominently linked with Fulham, though he would stay another season in Moscow, remaining one of Lokomotiv’s most recognizable players.

Now, Odemwingie’s finally set to move, this time to West Brom.  He still has visa issues to work out, but he should be fine.  Once  in England, he could prove a good complement to Roman Bednar in attack – two very different players who, in combination, should offer Roberto di Matteo a number of options.

Odemwingie’s a either very overrated or underrated, depending on how you look at him.  He has typically been the best player on his teams though he is not good enough to carry a squad.  As such, he usually gets compared to top players for other teams, but he is truly more of a complementary player.  He would be at his best working off a dominant number nine or having a midfielder general with whom he can build attacks, but he’s rarely had either for club or country.  And, unfortunately, he will have neither at West Brom.

While it’s a good move for the club, I’m not sure where Odemwingie is at in his like where this would make sense.  This isn’t just a case of somebody not wanting to play in Russia.  Odemwingie’s a Russian citizen.  He may feel like now, at 29-years-old, he’s at the time to try the Premier League, but he could see himself in the Championship within ten months.

Maybe the wages are good – no idea.  I’m not high on Odemwingie’s chances of making an impact.

Legendary Dutch defender/midfielder Ronald Koeman wants to move to Aston Villa, and with coaching stops at PSV, Benifica and Ajax he certainly has a pedigree.  That in addition to being a truly classic player and Villa could do worse, right?

Remembering the state of Valencia at the end of Koeman’s reign there, I’m not [...]]]>

Of course he is.

Legendary Dutch defender/midfielder Ronald Koeman wants to move to Aston Villa, and with coaching stops at PSV, Benifica and Ajax he certainly has a pedigree.  That in addition to being a truly classic player and Villa could do worse, right?

Remembering the state of Valencia at the end of Koeman’s reign there, I’m not so sure.  Well, Villa could hire me.  That would be worse, but I might be the only person less capable to getting my players to defend than Koeman was when he left Valencia.

It had gotten comic for Los Che.  Anytime you knew they needed to stop a goal, Koeman’s group would give one up (and look clueless in doing so).  This probably was still a bit present after Unai Emery took over, but there was a big drop in goals allowed the next year, and one of the more talented teams in Spanish fútbol actually looked capable of playing a complete match.

I would be a bit surprised if Villa went in this direction, but if they did, I would send my sympathies to the ticket holders at Villa Park.  If watching Aston Villa becomes anywhere near as frustrating as watching Valencia was, I would anticipate a rash of self-inflict baldness as the Villans pull their own hair out.

OK, not my best line.

Skrtel had always been on the edge of Rafa Benítez’s teams though, in my opinion, he’s been their second-best central defender over the last two years.  He’s been [...]]]>

Slovakian defender Martin Skrtel has extended his deal with Liverpool through the summer of 2014, it was announced today.  Skrtel’s previous deal ran until the summer of 2012.

Skrtel had always been on the edge of Rafa Benítez’s teams though, in my opinion, he’s been their second-best central defender over the last two years.  He’s been troubled by injuries, missing most of last season with a foot problem, but the main road block to more playing time has been allegiance to Jamie Carragher, with Sami Hyypiä then Daniel Agger (rightly) getting time before Skrtel.

It looks like Carragher is unlike to find his deserved place under Roy Hodgson, as the England international started Liverpool’s season opener.  But to Hodgson’s credit, he found a place in the starting lineup for Skrtel by moving Agger to left back.  Whether that is viable long-term man management (will Agger want to play there) or the best formation is questionable, but in the near-term it gets Skrtel in the team, something that should have been happening before.

The forward had failed to make an impact of late in Germany, though his style of play could provide an interesting option in Ligue 1.  Odds are this move less consequential, more oddity.  Charisteas’s travels will always be of note [...]]]>

Greece international Angelos Charisteas is moving from Nurnberg to Ligue 1’s Arles-Avignon.  No fee was disclosed.

The forward had failed to make an impact of late in Germany, though his style of play could provide an interesting option in Ligue 1.  Odds are this move less consequential, more oddity.  Charisteas’s travels will always be of note after his contributions to Greece’s 2004 European titleists.

Arles remain amongst the most likely to be relegated.

“The news is as good as we could have expected in the circumstances. We were obviously very concerned about the extent of the damage. But the tests have shown only minor ligament damage. We will assess Kenwyne’s progress over the next few days so [...]]]>

The Guardian has the following quote from Stoke City manager Tony Pulis:

“The news is as good as we could have expected in the circumstances. We were obviously very concerned about the extent of the damage. But the tests have shown only minor ligament damage. We will assess Kenwyne’s progress over the next few days so it is hard to say how long he will be out. We are talking days, though, not weeks or months.”

Jones left Saturday’s match at Wolves after Jody Craddock took him out from behind.  Pulis attributed the team’s dip in mood to the injury.

Thankfully, the £8 million buy looks to be okay.

I couldn’t find a video to Harvey Keitel and Tim Roth.

And you just don’t find many kids named Harvey anymore.ken

FIFA has a piece this morning highlighting some new faces that a.) played roles in last weeks friendlies, and/or b.) look to play roles as competitive matches (i.e., Euro 2012 qualifying) loom.  Soom of the players featured:

Just listen to the enthusiasm:

“wow we have Soccer fan fiction now…” – Steve

“…all in all a fine piece of ‘wondering out loud’.” – VillaFan

“This is hilarious. I loved it.” – Kevin McCauley

“I see what you did there.” – Stoehrst

“Live Avatar, but [...]]]>

The critics all agree. My latest offering at World Soccer Reader is a hit.

Just listen to the enthusiasm:

“wow we have Soccer fan fiction now…” – Steve

“…all in all a fine piece of ‘wondering out loud’.” – VillaFan

“This is hilarious. I loved it.” – Kevin McCauley

“I see what you did there.” – Stoehrst

“Live Avatar, but with more story, less blue people.” – A comment I wish somebody would leave

Here are the highlights of a piece written from one year in the future, after Bob Bradley has completed his first year at Aston Villa.

On Bradley’s first move as manager at Villa:

Four days later, James Milner was sold to Manchester City, giving Bradley a minor war chest and a void in midfield, a combination that justified bringing in Mike. Michael Bradley, Bob’s son, had played for him with the MetroStars and on the United States men’s national team. Why not with Aston Villa? Tolerantly absorbing the cries from critics who said the signing was a symptom of paternal myopia, Villa agreed to give £8 million to Borussia Monchengladbach for Mike.

On Bradley’s formation:

Started by the supporters, the quip would eventually be heard amongst lower management: Villa had gone across an ocean to get their new manager and found the only man in the world who loved 4-4-2 more than Martin O’Neill.

On the Carling Cup final:

In the final, Villa’s luck boomeranged, losing 5-1 to their arch rivals, a result apologists rationalized as Villa’s fourth-or-fifth-choice squad facing a “B-plus” opponent.

On Europa League:

In the first leg of Villa’s two-legged, knockout round tie against Club Brugge, Bradley mistakenly started central defender Richard Dunne, hampered while recovering from a knee injury. Brugge would exploit Dunne for a goal and earn a draw at Villa Park. In Belgium, Bradley would inexplicably start midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker, who had performed poorly in the first leg. An early Reo-Coker giveaway gifted midfielder Vadis Odjidja-Ofoe a goal.

It’s a long piece that walks through the highlights of an Aston Villa 2010-11 season managed by Bob Bradley. You can read the whole piece, Bob Bradley and Aston Villa: If the U.S. Men’s National Team Coach Succeeded Martin O’Neill, at World Soccer Reader, where I publish every Monday.