Torres to Liverpool - A Red Summer?

Athletico Madrid will be signing Diego Forlan - formerly of Villareal - to replace Fernando Torres. The Torres transfer to Liverpool should be announced in the next few days. Perhaps Forlan should offer the youngster some tips on how not to be a fantastic bust in England.

Supporters of the club had expectations that new owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks would have lavished the funds on manager Rafa Benitez from day 1 to totally reshape a squad that finished runners up in the Champions League. However, the big name signings have not come and the 23 year old Spaniard was one of the top 3 most coveted transfer targets in Europe this summer.

The question to ask right now is was this a signing for the sake of making a big signing? Spanish players do not just walk into the English Premier League and dominate. Instead, they are sent back to Spain after a couple years time. At just 23 and having basically spent his entire life with Athletico Madrid, Torres will have the weight of expectations and the scrutiny that comes with playing for one of the world's biggest clubs on his shoulders. He will have to deal with the drain of a physical domestic campaign, the Champions League, Carling Cup and FA Cup matches.

Dips in form - or worse - a complete disaster of a debut season will be met with criticism unlike anything a mid-table Spanish set of followers and press could level on him. How will this affect a young player in a strange environment? Having fellow Spaniards around him like Benitez, Xabi Alonso and Pepe Reina could be more than enough support. They will coach him on how to deal with the pressure. They will prepare him for what it means to walk out on the pitch at Anfield or Old Trafford or Stamford Bridge and that he will have to raise his game.

In addition, Liverpool will be sending Luis Garcia to Athletico. Garcia scored several crucial goals for Liverpool. The most memorable being during the home leg of the Champions League semi-finals against Chelsea. Liverpool would go on that season to lift the cup in Istanbul.

Is this the one and only deal Benitez will wrangle out of his new owners? With players like Simao (Benitez has been after him for a couple years now) and Florent Malouda the potential still remains for Liverpool to bring in game changing players. The Torres signing alone will not lift the club higher than 3rd place. There is too much quality at Manchester United and Chelsea for one striker to make up the points gap. With Djibril Cisse sold to Marseilles, Craig Bellamy likely headed to Blackburn or Aston Villa and Peter Crouch not a sure bet to be at Anfield next season the funds can still be generated for additional signings.

Carlos Tevez is still out there. Maybe it is a stretch, but maybe not? He has not come out and declared he wants to go to Italy, Spain or remain in England. He says all the right things in interviews about potential suitors - he is flattered by all the rumors and he would be honored to play for any of them. Stories are coming out this morning that Manchester United's Gabriel Heinze could be a new target for Benitez. He fell out of favor at United. But if you watched the Argentina match at Copa America the other night he looked fantastic.

A Program Comes To Life

The United States lost tonight by a 4-1 scoreline to Argentina and coach Bob Bradley's stock has only skyrocketed in the Vein of Form offices. What the hell is this guy saying to his players in training that gets them to leave it all out on the pitch every match? None of the goals tonight from Argentina were due to picking on a minnow of football. Nothing came easy for the world power. Each of the four were goals worthy of any competition against any quality side.

To take a 1-1 score in to half was an absolute thrill for US fans. Who are these guys? Many of them have less than 10 caps and none of them have ever experienced the likes of Lionel Messi, Hernan Crespo or Juan Roman Riquelme running at them full sprint. And they all stood up like heroes tonight for their colors. First things first. Some of these players need to leave MLS right now. Marvell Wynne, Jonathan Bornstein and Richardo Clark were brilliant. I have not been overly impressed with any during their MLS careers. But I have always believed the talent was lurking beneath the eratic play. Tonight has me convinced they are playing down to the competition in MLS, they are not getting tested in training on a daily basis and most important - the coaching is just not there. I think experience in Europe will do them wonders. And I think it is only a matter of time.

Jay DeMeritt has the work rate and talent of an English Premiership player and should find his way out of Watford in the coming weeks. I was extremely impressed with Eddie Johnson and Taylor Twellman as a strike partnership. Keep in mind, Bradley has tremendous youth and ambition on the bench at that position and he will be tempted to use them in the next two matches. However, it is obvious that advancing to the next round is realistic and he may decide to stick with EJ and Twellman.

There are still two matches in the group stage to be played, but Ray Hudson was spot on when he said this US side was as good as any team they've seen in the Copa thus far. The defending was so tight that it took nearly 70 minutes for a team of world class players to wear down the US and break open the match. The US does not have depth in this tournament, but it is clear they do have depth in the program. Argentina has an endless supply of proven class at their disposal and the result was probably inevitable.

But I am certain that in the next couple days Bradley will work his magic on the training ground and in the hearts and minds of these players. Paraguay will be a massive test. Was everything the US brought with them left on the pitch tonight? Will tired legs and minds recover in time to take points off Paraguay? I think a draw is the result the US should pursue. Colombia looked shocking tonight and are probably the worst team in the group. A draw in the next match might just inspire the US to push for the win against Colombia and advance out of the group stage.

I don't want to get ahead of myself though.

If you weren't pulling for the US in this match after the first 20 minutes you were either an Argentina fan or just a US hater. When EJ hit that penalty the hairs on the back of my neck were standing up. I knew they would need 5 more goals to hold off the Argentine fright train, but I believed the US came to play and not just experiment with lineups.

Coach Bradley has got his finger on the pulse of this program. He will lead them to something special in the coming years. A 3 goal defeat was just what the program needed. In a losing effort - an inspired effort - a relentless fight until the US had nothing left in the tank we discovered a sleeping giant of a program.

The talent is there people. The US is growing up as a potential footballing force in the summer of 2007. Enjoy this Copa.

Copa United States of America

If you haven't noticed, Bob Bradley is quite the popular dude around the Vein of Form offices this week. We're ignoring all the cry babies proclaiming that the US should never be invited back to the Copa America because they have brought a "B Squad" and have hurt the integrity of the competition. Why should the 2-time defending Gold Cup champs care what these Copa folks think?

Bradley is handling this summer's double header exactly the way he should. Yes, the Copa is without question a competition with tougher teams, on foreign soil and would be a better measure of where the US full team national squad fits right now. However, the Gold Cup qualified the US for the '09 Confederations Cup in South Africa and has allowed Bradley some freedom to toy with the lineup. There are plenty of US prospects in the pipeline that could be great assets come World Cup qualifying. Now is the chance to give them a shot.

Players such as Heath Pearce, Justin Mapp, Lee Nguyen, Charlie Davies and Eddie Johnson are talents that are playing in fringe European leagues or are standouts in MLS waiting for a top club to give them an opportunity. With teams like Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador and Mexico competing in Copa, there will be plenty of talent scouts in the stands. This is a great showcase for young US talent. The opportunity to compete in a European league for American players will only increase the value they bring to the national squad.

Whether the Americans finish first or last in the group doesn't really matter. If they advance to the knockout round, it is a testament to the depth of the program and proof that bright days are ahead. If they fail to advance it is because Bradley's intent was to blood a young squad in the face of tremendous opposition and see what options he has at his disposal.

Kasey Keller and Jimmy Conrad will offer leadership and keep the youngsters calm. Benny Feilhaber, Mapp, Herculez Gomez, Johnson and Taylor Twellman could play with a nothing to lose attitude that just gets the goals needed to advance to the knockout rounds. Bradley doesn't really lose either way. The American press won't pay attention unless it becomes a Cinderalla Story and the world's media is focused on watching the talent of Argentina and Brazil - a majority of which is in transfer rumors.

Early indications are that the Copa America could be one of the most exciting football competitions in years. Goals have come in bunches during the first two days and they have been of extraordinary class. The Chile v. Ecuador match was phenomenal. And the Brazil v. Mexico match was breathtaking football as the Mexicans scored 2 world class goals and fought off everything the Brazilians had the rest of the way.

Some have accused Vein of Form of over reacting after the US Gold Cup win. Maybe so, but we were proud of our team and we wanted to let the world know that football will move forward and be great in this country. Hats off to Mexico tonight for their showing. Hopefully, the Americans can pull an equally impressive upset for CONCACAF tomorrow night against the favorites - Argentina.

If the US expects beating the Argentines is the only way to advance, then this was a doomed effort from the start. I expect an open match with lots of goals. Hopefully, not so many the US walks off embarrassed.

The Rivalry is Dead

I'm excited about the US National Soccer Team. Today I watched them come back from a goal down at halftime and play 45 minutes of the most determined and attacking football I have seen them play in years. It wasn't so long ago I claimed Bob Bradley was the wrong man for the head coaching job. I was wrong. Bradley knows these players well. He knows them better than his predecessor, Bruce Arena, knew his squad and he knows them better than any high profile foreign signing would have at this point. They didn't overwhelm the competition in route to hoisting the Gold Cup trophy on Sunday. But the team was consistent and they did not lose a match.

Playing on "home soil" at Solider Field in Chicago the US was still the away team. The capacity crowd was very much in favor of Mexico. This much was evident from the eruption when Andres Guardado scored the opening goal and from the dead silence that fell upon the stadium when Benny Feilhaber put a world class laser beam in the upper left hand corner of the net for the match winner. After the final whistle was blown, Mexico had to walk off the pitch relieved that they didn't lose by 3 goals. That is how dominant the US second half performance was.

Landon Donovon and DaMarcus Beasley were phenomenal in outside midfield roles and the entire US defense was inspirational. Captain Carlos Bocanegra put in a Cannevaro like performance and Oguchi Onyewu had his best match of the competition. Jonathan Spector was equally brilliant until a scary head injury, but replacement Frank Simek was up to the task of holding off the attack. Tim Howard was world class in goal. Especially during the closing minutes when he pushed Adolfo Bautista's shot over the crossbar. It was a championship winning save.

CONCACAF will never get the respect of the European Championship or Copa America. I'm sure many people will rate the African Nations' Cup a more prestigious trophy as well. But tell me how it is that Mexico is still deemed a "world power" playing in the same region as the US, but have clearly been the lesser side during the past decade? Tell me why the US gets mocked routinely by the rest of the soccer playing world, when we're clearly the class of the region and Mexico is now scrambling to pull the national program up by the scruff of the neck? No one looks past the US any longer.

As far as I'm concerned the rivalry between the US and Mexico was slayed on Sunday, June 24, 2007 in Chicago. Mexico is nowhere near the US. You can throw the fact that the US was bounced from the World Cup before the knockout round in '06 in my face and I will say they were the only team to take a point off of world champion Italy. In fact, I would say they had the Italians crying on the pitch because they could not handle the physical aspect of the game. The Italians were flopping, diving, and pleading to the referee for mercy.

Bob Bradley will take a very inexperienced side to Venezuela this week for the Copa America. They will open against Argentina. Look at the Argentine squad and it is evident they have come to win this competition. The US may very well get blown out in the group stage matches and return home to prepare for preparation for World Cup 2010 qualifiying and for the 2009 Conferations Cup. But that doesn't change the fact that this is a young team, with its core playing club football in Europe and with an extremely bright future.

MLS has only been around for 12 years. They've been playing the sport for over a hundred years around the world and yet the US is not that far off. Sure, watch a top flight match in the EPL, La Liga or Serie A and it makes MLS look like a bunch of toddlers at times. However, the heart of the US National Team is just a shade below the quality the rest of the world is fielding. American players will still be plucked by European clubs on a regular basis, they will get first team action and this will only help strengthen the national program.

Does the rest of the world really expect the US to be a doormat forever in this sport? Our fans might not be as passionate, our league might not draw the same crowds and our club names might be embarrassingly bad. But the US is closing in on the rest of the world. And they're doing it fast.

The likes of Honduras, Guatemala and Canada have pulled Mexico back to the rest of the CONCACAF pack. The US is the only power in the the region. They have better players. A better professional league and a brighter future. The Gold Cup is just a formality now. The World Cup won't be far behind.

Argentina Copa America Squad

Argentina is going to Venezuela with clear intentions of winning the Copa America and making up for their failure at the World Cup. When they were eliminated by Germany it was clear they were a cut above everyone else in the world. But as we all know, football is tragedy and it wasn't to be. Just look at this group of players going to Copa.

Goalkeepers:
Roberto Abbondanzieri
Juan Pablo Carrizo
Agustín Orión

Defenders:
Javier Zanetti
Roberto Ayala
Gabriel Heinze
Gabriel Milito
Daniel Díaz
Hugo Ibarra
Nicolás Burdisso

Midfielders:
Luis González
Juan Román Riquelme
Javier Mascherano
Esteban Cambiasso
Fernando Gago
Juan Sebastián Verón
Pablo Aimar

Forwards:
Lionel Messi
Hernán Crespo
Diego Milito
Carlos Tevez
Rodrigo Palacio

Wow! This is a world class squad. Good thing the US was distracted by a pesky Canadian squad tonight in the Gold Cup semi-finals (emerging 2-1 winners). And it is even better they have a potential show down with Mexico in the final on Sunday to keep from fretting about their Thursday match against Argentina.

I know it is contradicting myself to say earlier that football is tragedy and then hand the match to Argentina a week before kick off. But it would take quite the artist to muster the creativity required to churn out an American tale of triumph.

Oh Say Can You See..Any Excitment?

It was quite the normal day in the city of Chicago. I sat outside at lunch enjoying a spinach and scallop salad as I coordinated my interview schedule for the remainder of the week with the Vein of Form assistants. Assistant #1 commented on how embarrassingly quiet the streets were given that the city was a day from playing host to a pair of semi-finals in an international football competition. Assistant #2 nervously chewed her pencil fearing that I was about boil over for reasons other than the waiter failing to relay my "easy on the goat cheese" request to the chef.

But the observation was spot on. It was a beautiful 82 degrees and sunny outside. Where were the fans of the semi-finalists? Why wasn't there singing in the streets from supporters of the USA, Canada, Mexico and even Guadeloupe? Why weren't the bars and pubs that regularly show football matches overflowing with fans from the competing countries mingling and taking pictures as they soaked in a Chicago summer afternoon? I wanted to see flags being waved and traffic being stopped as drunk supporters flooded the streets.

I put on my sunglasses to hide the disappointment in my eyes and demanded that Assistant #2 cancel all interviews after 3pm. I would need to go to the lake front for a jog to clear my head. She wondered if I shouldn't be available to talk about the firing of Chicago Fire head coach Dave Sarachan. Surely, there would be people wondering what, if any, implications this sudden change will have on the arrival of Mexico's Cuauhtemoc Blanco. Coincidentally, Blanco will be playing his first match in Chicago for the Mexican national team on Thursday. An interesting thing to point out here is that this may be the only time Blanco plays in the city of Chicago as the Fire play in Bridgeview. Toyota Park is a lovely facility. Bridgeview, I must say, not so pleasant of a place.

Anyways, I can no longer accept the attitude in this country towards soccer. Our national team is a win away from having the opportunity to claim the region's prize trophy on home soil. No one cares. Why is it that Americans will stop whatever they are doing at any given moment and place their hand on heart at the instant they hear "Oh, say can you see" but completely take a pass on coming out in droves to watch a sport where singing your national anthem for 90 minutes is how you support your team? I've been to many baseball games and I have to say, "Not really what I want at a sporting event".

The snide remark of how "Americans have their own football" is tired. Is it not lost on anyone that the only players on an American football team that actually uses his foot to control the ball are the kicker and punter? Positions universally recognized as the weakest on the team. US Soccer should be ashamed at the level of marketing they put behind this event. I've seen students working a free internship handing out Wrigley chewing gum generate more excitement on Michigan Avenue than what an entire marketing department at US Soccer has managed this week.

I would not be surprised to see 60,000 people in Soldier Field tomorrow. I fully expect the majority will be fans of Canada, Mexico and Guadeloupe and I fully expect they will be cheering against the US. Easily drowning out the US supporters as they put on a fine example of how you support a soccer team.

US Soccer and MLS should be taking notes. Whatever plan they have been operating off of to this point has not worked.

No Escape from LA

By now there have been dozens of articles written about Real Madrid winning its 30th championship. Dozens of articles about David Beckham ending his time with a Hollywood ending. So, I know that I am not exactly breaking new ground by reflecting on the events that unfolded in Madrid yesterday. But I am going to pile on your plate another Real/Becks/LA Galaxy story because I'll do just about anything to keep from focusing on the Gold Cup.

The match against Mallorca was exciting. Football fans can only wish for every league to end in such fashion. A Mallorca side with nothing to play and Real Madrid with everything to lose went up and down the pitch for the good part of 90 minutes like either one could come away with the trophy. Raul, Roberto Carlos, Fabio Cannavaro and Beckham played their hearts out. Ruud van Nistlerooy was a force until a hamstring injury ended his night way too early. It was unfortunate the most prolific scorer in Spain this season didn't have the chance to finish the match.

I was getting chills watching a World Player award winner like Cannavaro giving up his body every time a Mallorca player attacked. Cannavaro was a one-man defensive machine for Real Madrid. Goalkeeper Iker Casillas was a lion between the posts and it was quite the sight to see him wiping tears away after Diarra threw himself at a ball to put Real Madrid in front. The great Brazilian Roberto Carlos played his final game for The Whites as well. His surging runs were breathtaking as he looked like his younger self. Captain Raul, Michel Salgado and Sergio Ramos all fought like champions every second they were out there.

Which brings me to The Substitution. Beckham made way for Jose Antonio Reyes in the 2nd half, and it only further illuminated the brilliant managing job Fabio Capello has done this season as Reyes would go on to score two goals. Beckham left the pitch of a footballing cathedral with tens of thousands of Real Madrid fans cheering him off. Fans who love their club more than any LA Galaxy fan could ever understand. Remaining were a collection of world class athletes that were willing to run themselves to exhaustion and beyond for the chance to snatch the title away from Barcelona and be able to hoist it above a bus traveling through Madrid late into the night.

I don't mean this to be a shot at MLS fans or the league itself. I just find it sad that a player like Beckham who so obviously could have given another season to Real Madrid will be suffering through close to capacity crowds in places like Kansas City, Columbus and even New York. It will seem like a long way from the Santiago Bernabeau quite fast. When Beckham is sending crosses that will more times than not be mishandled I wonder while he's scowling on the outside, he isn't thinking on the inside of celebrating on the bus with his Madrid teammates. Running around the Bernabeau with his three sons. A champion of La Liga.

Beckham is a class act. He'll give everything he has on the pitch for the Galaxy and he will do all he can to lift the profile of the sport in America. He'll endure countless articles ripping his fashion sense, his sport, his accent and his haircuts. He'll have to read about how this is America he's in now. And soccer isn't an American sport. Our style of football is physical and dangerous - players are risking death, and so on.

In most cities he will sell lots of tickets and jerseys. He may even convince some other European stars to come to MLS in the next few years. Hell, he well may even be in an England jersey coming Euro 2008! Just think: Fabio Capello now refers to the handling of The Beckham Situation as one of the worst decisions of his career. Mind you this was a man just a couple season ago at the helm of Juventus. So, just consider what bad decisions he could have been a part of.

The reality is that the only time Beckham may see the stands full to capacity and celebrating him madly is if the Dodgers make the World Series and he gets to throw out the first pitch.

Red Panic Button?

Liverpool fans have been striking the Panic Button all week long amidst rumors that the new owenership is having second thoughts about lavishing manager Rafa Benitez with a transfer kitty managers across the world would dream of. The "not going to spend like drunken sailors" line was apparently interpreted as you are going to have to play with the squad you have -- even if it isn't ideal. Funny, seems it wasn't so long ago a former United States Defense Secretary was saying something eerily similar. But I digress...

As any level headed fan knows, this time of year is exciting simply for the transfer rumors that run rampant across every paper, on every website and in every interview. The fact is that Bayern Munich made two great signings (Luca Toni & Franck Ribery), Chelsea are preparing for their Carling Cup defense by bringing in free transfers (Steve Sidwell, Tal Ben Haim, Pizarro) and Manchester United have quite simply done some impressive work thus far (Owen Hargreaves, Nani, Anderson). La Liga has yet to finish out and there are at a minimum 15 players considered "major targets" by "big clubs" waiting for the final whistle to blow this weekend. Or if you are Sevilla and Getafe there will be the matter of the Copa del Rey to attend to. Sevilla's Daniel Alves being much sought after across Europe.

So, the point I'm trying to make is that Liverpool fans shouldn't get too worked up about the dream of signing Samuel Eto'o, or David Villa or Carlos Tevez may have ended. Or even that the buzz around French flyer Florent Malouda has hushed up along with Benfica captain Simao's imminent arrival. Maybe the news that Yossi Benayoun is the only player that the club seems to have launched a bid for with real intent is a bit concerning, but again, it is too early to press panic yet. Right? I mean, it could be a lot worse and for proof of that all you have to do is look at Arsenal. They look likely to lose former Gunner For Life Thierry Henry, Cesc Fabregas and possibly in a year's time manager Arsene Wenger. What owner is going to want to give a lame duck manager any kind of funds to player with?

Don't forget that Darren Bent rejected West Ham's flirtations today as well. He could be like Craig Bellamy except without the golf clubs and poorer finishing. Just kidding.

It's...early...right?

Diego Forlan! Diego Forlan could be outstanding. He was a goal juggernaut for Villareal last season and just because he couldn't hack it the first time around doesn't mean he won't make a triumphant return. Right?!?!

On fifth thought, Yossi Benayoun is just the player Liverpool need. Definately. Without question! A great signing if it comes through.

It's...ear...ly..rrrrrrr....

US Wins Group, VoF Confirms Guadeloupe a Nation

Everything is going exactly as planned for the US Men's National Team. Coach Bob Bradley spread the minutes around to great effectiveness during the three group stage matches, the US won all three matches and did so without conceding a goal. Tonight's match against El Salvador - a 4-0 victory - was the strongest showing of the stage as the US looked dangerous in the attack all night and the defense put in its best effort thus far.

Mexico, the co-favorites to win the Gold Cup have dropped points in this stage and could fail to win the group and end up facing the US in the quarterfinals by placing 3rd. The fact that the US faced considerable criticism for a disappointing opener against Guatemala and another okay showing against T&T is a testament to fans' expectations of the national squad in America. The sport has come a long way regardless of what the naysayers will have you believe. And if they maintain tonight's impressive form the remainder of the tournament there will be no doubt that they have created a mountain for Mexico to climb if they want to regain the regional power status they once held.

But let's not get ahead of ourselves here. For me, the stand out players in the group stage were Clint Dempsey, Tim Howard, DaMarcus Beasley, Michael Bradley and Frank Simek. An argument could be made that Taylor Twellman was just as superb as any player that saw the pitch. But I still am not convinced he is anything beyond a great MLS player.

Dempsey, Howard and Beasley have displayed the steadiness and confidence you would expect from players that have just finished a season against the top talent in the world and are now facing, well, CONCACAF competition. Bradley played for a solid Herenveen in the Dutch league and Simek for Sheffield Wednesday in the English Coca-Cola Championship. Both players have got to be catching the eyes of bigger clubs.

Some questions to ponder heading in to Saturday's quarterfinal (opponent TBD):

Will the US find goals when the level of intensity from the opposition picks up?

Can Simek, Bradley and Benny Feilhaber continue to make attacking runs that gives the US an additional threat?

Does Landon Donovan have the ability to take a decent dead ball? Do we have to tolerate his pre-penalty kick antics?

Can Gooch Oneywu go 90 minutes without getting carded?

Finally - How does Christian Miles continue to get on TV for Fox Soccer Channel?

Ex-United Players Hope Sir Alex is Watching

Were it not for the fact that Manchester United reclaimed English dominance this season, a couple of Real Madrid players would be taking even more satisfaction that their club is 3 points from capturing the La Liga title. Ruud van Nistlerooy is about to finish just shy of 30 goals and David Beckham has arguably been the best player in the Real Madrid squad since getting a recall. Not to mention he was the best player during England's friendly against Brazil and the Euro qualifier against Estonia. You can't tell me that with each strong performance by these two players there isn't some hope that Father Figure Alex Ferguson was tuning in and regretting just a bit that there was a falling out. Beckham has been suffering through this problem of wanting to prove something to Sir Alex for much longer than RvN. Any football manager, player or fan has to look at RvN's output this season in one of the best leagues in the world and be impressed. The guy scores goal in bunches - and has now done it in three different leagues on the continent and continues to score them at the most crucial of moments.

Until the past couple of months Beckham had been mostly an afterthought. It took signing with LA Galaxy to bring him back in the footballing spotlight coupled with the Real Madrid and England recall to make him worthy of front page news once again. Most observers comment there is no way Beckham would get a match in today's Man United lineup. Maybe. I would argue he's in his best form since the '99 season and while his signing was clearly a PR move by Real Madrid, RvN's was one to significantly improve the squad. Discovering that jersey sales were not going to be enough to make it in manager Fabio Capello's squad, the former English captain had to work harder than he ever has in training and be sharper than he ever has in matches.

If Sir Alex is paying any attention to his former players' success, it is probably annoying him that their exploits are pushing his courting of Athletico Madrid's Fernando Torres below the fold. Having Christiano Ronaldo - the best player in the world - at his disposal combined with fantastic new signings that have Man United well positioned to defend the English crown and make another deep Champions League run, Ferguson is not having to deal so much with the "what if" questions that he would be peppered with had his club finished another term without the league title. This is might take some of the joy out of any trophy hoisting by the two former players next weekend in Spain.

I would imagine Ferguson will be sipping his wine on vacation in France while watching the Real Madrid match next weekend. After 90 minutes there might be some "my trophy is bigger than yours" posturing. There might very well be none of that as RvN will take his winner's medal on a summer holiday, Beckham deals with the pressure of trying to lift the profile of a 2nd tier league and Man United attempt to land a striker that has the potential to be as proficient as the Dutchman. Good luck with that Sir Alex. You might have the cash on hand - and the influence - to bring in either Torres, Carlos Tevez or Dimitar Berbatov. None of those players are a sure bet to provide the goal haul that will be needed as Chelsea and Liverpool attempt to bring in signings that will more than make up the goal deficit ground lost last season.

Given Real Madrid's opponent next weekend, I think it is a safe bet that they will hold off Barcelona and win La Liga. Sir Alex will have to deal with looking at the papers and seeing two of the biggest grins in the football world staring back at him. He might take satisfaction in knowing that his discarding of them was one of their biggest motivations to reach the Spanish summit.

USA v. Guatemala: Gold Cup Wrap Up

This was an ugly game of football. There were harsh tackles, poor passing and sloppy finishing in front of the net. Rarely did we see compelling stretches of the match were it looked something like a match at the international level. Of course, some will argue that this is what is to be expected in CONCACAF's Gold Cup. Guatemala were just awful. They never came to attack the US goal. Instead, they wanted to bog the match down with cheap fouls, grab jerseys and hope that a set piece would allow them to squeak a goal and possibly a point. If they wanted to frustrate the US in to mistakes, they did a damn fine job.

And it has to be said, the US were lucky to escape with the 1-0 victory. They did not finish several first half chances and they did not come out in the second half with the mentality that they needed to put the Guatemalan side away. Gooch Oneywu looked shocking. He nearly cost the US 2 goals with his poor positioning and I would argue his red card sending off was the best thing that could have happened. He'll miss the next match and it will give him a chance to collect his thoughts and focus. Oneywu is a serious talent with tons of potential. But in the past year he has gone so cold that I don't know when he will pull himself up and start playing like a top central defender again.

The Gooch red card will also force Bob Bradley to start Jay DeMeritt on Saturday and I believe the Watford defender is the better player right now. He logged a ton of minutes in the EPL this past season and having gone up against some of the best strikers on the planet the competition in the Gold Cup should be no problem for him. Gooch remember was in the EPL for a brief time with Newcastle as well, but never came close to being a regular.

I was surprised that Bradley did not start Vein of Form's current favorite player: Eddie Johnson. Instead he opted to push Clint Dempsey up with Taylor Twellman, and considering Dempsey scored the only goal of the match Bradley came out looking very smart with that decision. When EJ did get in he never looked much of a threat and when he should have been turning towards goal to make a shot he often passed the ball back to an on rushing player. Not what VoF would have expected from a player we were half serious about getting a look in from Arsenal!

Other bright spots on the US squad were Michael Bradley and Benny Feilhaber. They were incredibly solid in the midfield and while they did get beat a couple of times, more often than not they bossed the midfield and got forward to help create chances on goal. I'm very excited about these two players and will be following their progress closely this summer and next season for their clubs in Europe.

Coach Bradley made the decision to play Landon Donovan on the right. Donovan would normally be attacking in the middle of the pitch, but I didn't think he ever looked out of place. He wasn't great tonight, but then he has been very average all season for LA Galaxy. His crosses were okay, but he was atrocious on set pieces. I'm not convinced LD should even be starting right now, but if he does on Saturday (and he will) I would think playing him in the center would be the wise move.

I also think EJ should get the start. Give the guy a chance to get in the flow of the match from the first whistle. Bruce Arena did the same thing to him in Germany at the World Cup. EJ is the best American in MLS right now and if it were not for Juan Pablo Angel he would be the best player overall in the league.

This was a gritty win for the US. Anything less would have been a disaster but just the single goal may still be cause for concern. The team should have rolled through a sloppy and unorganized Guatemala in the first 45 and coasted through the second half. Instead, they let them hang around and before you knew it the crowd for the El Salvador v. Trinidad & Tobogo match were filling the seats and a packed house in California was against the US. Tonight was very near a complete disaster. Bob Bradley has just a couple days to get this sorted out. If the opponent tonight had been Mexico - the only country that should give the US trouble in the Gold Cup - it would have been a complete white washing. There is much work to be done.

Henry on the way out? What about EJ in?

Like any good journalist I have to take credit when I get something spot on. While no deal has been confirmed, it looks very likely that Thierry Henry is on his way out of Arsenal. There have been reports for the better part of a year the Barcelona were primed to make a swoop for one of the finest strikers on the planet, and now it looks as if AC Milan are going to make this the most watched transfer saga of the close season. Any deal that involves Henry going to Barca would probably involve Samuel Eto'o coming to London. But with Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger already going to have to make due without Emmanuel Adebayor, Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Eboue during the African Nations' Cup it makes little sense to bring in the Cameroon international to the squad. Not only would he be giving up a player that has proven he can bag 20 goals a season, he would be getting a player in Eto'o who will be absent for 3 weeks during the competition and has people wondering if he fits the style of play in England.

It would make more sense to send Henry to AC Milan for some cash and...Alberto Gilardino. Yes, you read that correctly. I still think Gilardino is just an ordinary player, but he can probably help the Gunners up front. Several times this past season they would put together an extraordinary string of passes but could never manage to put the ball in the back of the net.

And if Wenger can't find a replacement in Europe that satisfies him, maybe he would be wise to let his eye wander across the pond. I'm of course speaking Kansas City Wizards striker Eddie Johnson. This past weekend EJ became the first MLS player to notch back-to-back hat tricks. The US National Team will hope his form carries over when he suits up for the Gold Cup this week. Johnson has 9 goals in 9 matches for Eastern Conference leading Kansas City and he is a very fast, very strong, and very athletic player. Just the type that Wenger could use in his system. Don't laugh. Just a couple seasons ago Portugeuse club Benfica made Major League Soccer an offer for EJ, but the league shot the club down and Johnson's form soon dipped severely. A short (and somewhat odd) trip to Reading last season just to train never amounted to anything, but with the American in the best form of his career it isn't crazy to think a European club is going to make an approach if he has a massive Gold Cup.

And if you don't believe me, just wait a couple months when I'll be referencing this post when Johnson is off to the Emirates. Serious - just look at the rosters of the Big 4 in England. Chelsea and Arsenal are going to be taking the biggest hit when the African nations call up their players. Those two clubs will be scrambling to bring in players of just enough quality to hold the squad together and not break the bank in the process.