Soccer Saturday: Your Running Commentary

Good morning folks.  A busy day of soccer is already under way but it isn't too late to have a place to discuss the matches.

Here is today's schedule of games (including the ones that started at 10am):

• 10am- FSC- Fulham at Reading
• 10am- Setanta USA- Middlesbrough at Tottenham
• 11:30am- GolTV- Schalke 04 at Werder Bremen
• Noon- FSC- Newcastle at Portsmouth
• 12:15pm- Setanta USA- Watford at West Bromwich Albion
• 2pm- GolTV- Racing de Santander at Valencia
• 2:30pm- FSC- AC Milan at Juventus
• 4pm- GolTV- Barcelona at Recreativo Huelva
• 4:30pm- FSC- Chicago Fire at San Jose Earthquakes
• 4:30pm- Setanta USA- Manchester City at Sunderland
• 6:15pm- Setanta USA- Aston Villa at Derby County
• 8pm- FSC- Catania at Palermo
• 8pm- HDNet- Houston Dynamo at Kansas City Wizards
• 8:30pm- MSG- NY Red Bulls at FC Dallas
• 10pm- GolTV- Once Caldas at Deportivo Cali

If you are watching today's games, and I know plenty of you are currently watching Fulham/Reading, please feel free to share your thoughts on the action in the comments section below.

Enjoy the soccer.

Comments

[Tony in Quakeland]

I'll be doing my watching from the Oakland Coliseum watching my Quakes for the first time in over two years. So today's a happy day in our house.

[Dave Martinez]

Fulham 1-0. Anyone care?

[brant]

McBride for the Olympic team! (If we don't boycott...)

[Ives]

Now that they are toast, I think that Fulham bandwagon has emptied out Dave.

[brant]

Almost 2-0 with McBride. Would Fulham be heading down if he'd been there all year?

[Dave Martinez]

Oh - Healy is playing forward. And Murphy is starting. What? No Kamara, Eddie Johnson or Andreason or somebody?

[Dave Martinez]

Ives - I am the lone boat left in this ocean of despair. And the Hurricane is acomin . . .

[Scott A]

Well I have no great allegiance to either team, just don't want to see Americans go down. I'm weighing if Fulham is already doomed, the fact that Convey hasn't been playing, etc. I'll just watch another game.

[MK]

This has been the most motivated performance I've seen out of Dempsey in a long time. He's done well shifting into the center of the field and marking back to clear things up on defense.

[dano]

Dempsey has had trouble getting into the game

[Dave Martinez]

MK - Demps was playing hardcore too, up till he was benched. So I dont know - he has a lot of heart, =just sometimes seems he and Bullard fight for the ball too mcuh. Not so much this game.

[Neal]

Dano, what game are you watching? Dempsey seems very involved to me....

[Marlon]

what about the red bulls game at 8:30.

[brant]

McBride ought to have a hat trick by now...

[MK]

Cracking volley by McBride!

[aristotle]

Obviously McBride should have taken something off of that to get it in the goal, but not much to criticize when you hit a difficult volley that hard and hit the crossbar. I couldn't even see where the ball went! That may have been the hardest hit ball I have ever seen. (or not seen!)

[eric]

What a joy to watch the legendary McHead doing his thing again!

But Fulham's season was doomed not when he went down, but when they made the awful decision to go with the AC Milan wannabe road jerseys.

[brant]

Just think - we coulda had 7 Americans on the field at once in this game. Too bad Bocanegra was caught sleeping with the manager's wife or something, and is buried in the reserves, and that Johnson can't find the goal with a road map.

[MK]

At least they didn't go fluorescent like their neighbors!

[brant]

McBride at Sunderland next year? They need a striker, and he likely won't want to play in the Championship.

Obviously Bocanegra is gone. Any idea where? Newcastle? They always seem to need defenders.

Will Johnson and Dempsey stay with Fulham?

[Dave Martinez]

Wow - where has this high speed awesome Fulham been all year? Hangeland and McBride look great today. GREAT.

[DURSK]

Dont count Fulham out yet

[eric]

Aye yi yi! The soccer gods are making it tough on Fulham, another off the crossbar.

[Dave Martinez]

3 OFF THE POST! COME NOW!

[brant]

The crossbar = Reading's 12th man!

[MK]

Fulham 1 - Crossbar 3 - Reading 0

[DURSK]

If Fulham drops, I dont think Bocanegra will stay in the EPL - he will prob end up somewhere in Holland/Norway/Sweden

[brant]

That looked like a foul by Staltieri on Kitson...

[aristotle]

Something very cruel is about to happen here. You can see it coming.

[DURSK]

I can feel it too... Im thinkin Fulham's heart is going to be crushed real soon

[eric]

Nice chants from the traveling Fulham side, and for good reason, this is the best they've looked all year.

Who was that #21 on the free kick at the back post? McBride would have thrown himself at that ball.

[aristotle]

How many times have we seen a team up by one goal and then miss a ton of chances, and then pay the price? Especially Fulham!

[sidenetting]

no, Fulham will hold on. They're playing too well and haven't looked bad at the back.

[aristotle]

Keller has looked shaky all game.

[sidenetting]

KK is no spring chicken anymore but smart enough to throw his body around and get the foul

[MK]

That was Dempsey just beyond the deflection on the far post.

[aristotle]

Who is that man on the sidelines!

[MK]

Boca sees minutes!!

[sidenetting]

Boca to seal the deal!

[eric]

Even that! What great control on the passing by Fulham. Totally different side today.

Well, well, Carlos for Deuce.

[brant]

Holy crap! A Bocanegra sighting!

[aristotle]

I wouldn't be surprised if Bocanegra scores just as a way of giving the finger to Hodgson!

[sidenetting]

McBride without the wheels

[aristotle]

No sick jokes from the soccer gods today please!

[sidenetting]

uh oh

[sidenetting]

okay, so now I'm not so confident! 4 minutes...

[MK]

Where would 4 minutes of stoppage time come from??? No goals, no injuries, one booking!

[aristotle]

Time to kill the game. If Fulham blows the game in this situation they should go to the third division!

[brant]

I must say - this has at least been an entertaining game. If only you could get a back-and-forth like this from a Chelsea - Liverpool match...

[aristotle]

Murphy needs a punch in the head!

[eric]

MK - I was hoping it wasn't Dempsey, I didn't like the commitment. Probably too long yes, but he pulled up on a free ball. I thought it was 21, but that's Bullard, and it definitely wasn't him...

How many minutes left??? Come on Fulham/Come on Fulham/Come on Fulham

[brant]

I'm a Newcastle guy myself, but I always like seeing the Americans in the EPL, so I hope Fulham holds on

[aristotle]

Yes!

[brant]

GOOOOOOAAAALLLLLLLLL FULHAM!

[sidenetting]

ej would have buried that as well... ha

[MK]

FULHAM!

[aristotle]

Bad for Hahnemann though. He should have done better.

[Dave Martinez]

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!

NEVLAND! We are still BREATHING!

Somebody pinch me . .

[MK]

EJ would have passed the ball backwards and flopped on the ground... unless he was playing Trinidad & Tobago or Toronto FC!

[brant]

Does Hodgson survive if Fulham stays up? Or does Fayed go find a real manager?

[aristotle]

Is it possible that Fulham have finally come through because they felt the pressure was off? Even now it's VERY unlikely they will stay up, but I think it was made easier for them to play well by the fact that everyone believes they are done.

[Brant]

Now you need Everton to score another against Birmingham.

[eric]

Eh, Hahnemann could've made a great play, that'd be good to see since he's one of our's too. But Nevland hit it hard, and one-on-one with the keeper should always be the attackers advantage. I don't think it's fair to call it a bad play.

Yes! And the Fulham fans go nuts, great traveling support. Fulham dominated the game, and hopefully that's a sign of a run at staying up, not a last hurrah at the top.

[MK]

I think The Special One is pretty familiar with the neighborhood...

[aristotle]

Unbelievable! Birmingham ties Everton and Bolton wins!

[aristotle]

Eric:

It went right over his hand.

[aristotle]

The only thing that sucks about this is that it looks like Reading is the only team, other than Bolton, that Fulham could finish in front of.

[eric]

Nevland hit it hard, so I can't say that play was bad, but it isn't great goalkeeping for sure. The Hahnemann play I didn't like on the replay though was Bullard's free kick on the crossbar, he didn't even reach for it.

I think it's fair to say he was off his game today, I'd want him to get to at least 1 of those 4 shots that rattled the bar or went in in the 2nd half, even if you can't say he should've gotten any single shot.

[Dave Martinez]

So I think this sets up a three way 32 pt tie for the final relegation spot, and Fulham has 30 pts - with Man City Birm Ports and Liverpool coming to town.

eek.

[Brant]

C'mon Toon!

[aristotle]

Murphy needs a punch in the head!

[Beckster]

Lowly Bolton beat West Hamm after "Jonathon Spector impeded his own goalkeeper".....ugh

Reading looked absolutely dreadful and is certainly in the thick of relegation. They are paying for basically not bringing in any strenth during their 2 years in the premiership. Convey didn't make the bench again and one wonders just how long he will stay at Reading

[Brant]

At the risk of jinxing them - it looks like Newcastle has actually remembered how to play defense. Rather refreshing!

[Brant]

The ref in the Portsmouth - Newcastle match appears to be on loan from the WWE.

Am I the only one here watching that match?

[Brant]

Portsmouth are gonna be *pissed* when they see the replay on this.

[Brant]

Boy - if Taylor scores that volley, it's the goal of the week....

[eric]

Pretty bored by the Newcastle - Portsmith game so far, 0-0 at the half. Disappointing given the attacking talent on the field.

The Taylor volley was sweet though, too bad not on target...

[sublicon]

Anyone here who uses the word "we" when referring to Fulham, doesnt know the meaning of the word. Better make your choice who you're going to "support" next season, because if they go down you certainly won't be with "us."

[Brant]

Looks like Newcastle actually *want* to win!

[Brant]

Tho not so much anymore here in the last 15 minutes or so.

[Brant]

Toon 0 - 0 Pompey

Neither team had anything to play for, and it showed. Just trying not to get anyone hurt.

[eric]

Juv and Milan trade goals, great start 1-1 in the 15th.

[eric]

Del Piero and Inzaghi with the goals, btw.

[eric]

The ref somehow misses the attacker offsides by a full yard inside the box, and Inzaghi puts another one home. No Pato today.

Milan 2, Juv 1, 35th

It's weird trying to picture Rolandinho on this Milan team.

[eric]

Madness in Turin, in first half stopage time Del Piero thieves the ball in the Milan end, whips a cross in to Trezeguet, keeper spills his header and it ends up in the back of the net, 2-2 at the half.

Serie A, I got your back this year.

[fieldsy]

McBride is still playing well. Maybe he should reconsider playing for the national team and not just the olympics.

[Brant]

Eric - I wouldn't picture Ronaldinho on *that* Milan team... by the time they pack out everyone who needs to retire or change scenery, and bring in the replacements, it'll look like a totally different team.