New York watch
Tickets are still available for tonight’s game. C’mon, you know you want to go.
Match previews from Philly Soccer Page, MLSsoccer.com, JP Dellacamera, the Inquirer, phillyBurbs.com, the Brotherly Game, Once a Metro (SB Nation NYRB blog – even their name is ridiculous).
Kevin Kinkead presents his scouting report.
Veljko Paunovic is out with a hamstring injury.
Brian Carroll says of tonight’s game, “I think the game in New York will be a good playoff-type of atmosphere, and a good playoff-type of test. It’s big.”
Peter Nowak says, “This game is completely different, it’s national TV, it’s the last game, we have fans traveling. I believe this team recognizes what’s in front of them.” He added, “If you’re not excited and motivated the week before the playoff start, you don’t deserve to be in the playoffs. The group recognizes that as soon as we qualified, that now we can do what it takes to look good.”
Sebastien Le Toux says, “It’s a great stadium to play in and we will have a lot of fans there with us.” He adds, “Our goal here is to do a good game, to play well and to show we are first and we deserve it. It’s great for us to stay focused and not just have a game to play for fun and continue to work.”
Sheanon Williams says, “We have a rivalry with these guys, and we know they are hungry, but so are we. They still have a chance to grab a playoff spot, but we want to be Eastern Conference champions. To me, that is something way more substantial to play for. It’s not going to be easy. It never is when you play New York, but we know what it would mean to this locker room [to win the East], and we are ready to go after it.”
According to the Brotherly Game, “a Sons of Ben source” says “that Philadelphia supporters could number up to 1200 people by game time.”
The Brotherly Game has three questions with fellow SB Nation blog Once a Metro.
Energy Drinks forward Luke Rodgers says, “I’m quite positive we’re going to win the game.”
With Thierry Henry out due to a red card suspension, Dane Richards believes he will partner up top with Rodgers.
Is the absence of Henry hanging in the air over Red Bull Arena? “I think it would be a tough game anyway,” says midfielder Joel Lindpere. “We are in a tough situation, and we all understand it. It doesn’t matter who’s on the field, we need to understand what we have to do. We have enough quality players. Of course, we’re going to miss Thierry — he’s a great player. But what can you do? It’s too late to talk about it. There are 25 other guys on the team, and 11 will be on the field. There’s not too much to say. We all know what happened. Now we need to win, and that’s it.
New York Bulls assistant coach Mike Petke says of Tim Ream, “As a center back, I’ve spoken to him about getting a bit meaner on the field. A forward doesn’t want to play against a center back that’s going to be chomping on him all game long. Sometimes, the first minute of the game you got to make a hard foul on the field so the forward knows your there.”
Union
Peter Nowak’s take on the playoffs: “For months we were looking into the window of the store at the candies inside. After months of hard work, not only for the players but the coaching staff and medical staff, we’re now in the store and it’s up to us how many candies we take. It could be one, three or five, or we could take the whole store.”
SBI says the Union will be relying on its experienced players to lead in the playoffs. Brian Carroll says of the Union’s young players, “Nobody’s a rookie anymore.”
The Farfans were profiled in USA Today.
This post on the Union website make the case for Le Toux as league MVP. Le Toux received an honorable mention in MLS’ Team of the Week for Week 31.
The Jewish Exponent profiles Zac and Zach.
Local
Temple’s Vaughn Spurrier has been names the Philly Soccer Six Player of the Week.
The Saint Joseph’s University is mourning the death former men’s soccer player Matthew (James) DiGiacomo (’04), who dies in an automobile accident on October 16.
MLS
DC United came back from a one goal deficit on a Dwayne De Rosario goal to draw at home with Portland Timbers 1–1 but they needed a win to keep their playoff hopes alive. Portland needs the Union to defeat New York tonight for their playoff hopes to continue.
In the CONCACAF Champions League, Colorado fell 2–0 to Santos Laguna. The Rapids can still advance to the quarterfinals if tonight’s game between Isidro Metapán and Real España ends in a draw.
The league has released this year’s Expansion Draft rules. The basics: Each team can protect 11 players and Montreal will select ten. Generation adidas players and Homegrown Players on the team’s Off-budget Roster are automatically protected and don’t count as part of a team’s 11. Teams must submit their protected list on Monday, November 21 with the draft taking place on Wednesday, November 23.
Independence/WPS
Independence and USWNT forward Amy Rodriguez has tied the knot. Everyone at PSP wishes her and her new husband the very best.
ESPN talks to new league CEO Jennifer Pogorelec O’Sullivan.
US
The Shin Guardian presents Jurgen Klinsmann’s depth chart, the October 2011 edition.
Abby Wambach was named Sportswoman of the Year by the Women’s Sports Foundation on Wednesday.
Bloomberg looks at how Wambach’s sponsorshio deals exploded after the USWNT’s loss in the Women’s World Cup final. Wambach says, “We knew our playing resonated. But we didn’t know how it would translate into dollars and cents.”
ESPN, Fox and NBC all made bids on Wednesday for the US broadcasting right for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.
Elsewhere
FIFA is set to announce which cities will host which games at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
CU tonight! 🙂
And so the Expansion Draft speculation officially kicks-off… i’m still reeling a bit from last year’s draft 😛
Yeah, we’re going to politely postpone our speculation at PSP until after the Union’s playoff run. 🙂