Starting Eleven European, World Soccer Blog Random Thoughts:

Temryss Lane

Regular readers know--and love--the semi-regular Starting Eleven Football Blog Roundup. That's a collection of bits and pieces collected from football blogs around the world. Today I'm introducing a new feature called Random Thoughts. It's a collection of bits and pieces of football thoughts collected from my cavernous brain. Basically, it's a crutch I'll lean on when I have nothing else to write about. Enjoy.

• Wait! What? Didier Drogba has malaria? Seriously? Is this stuff contagious? I guess not since you catch if from mosquitoes. May I suggest one of those propane-powered mosquito killers? Or a net? Or some Off? Sheesh.
• Liverpool beats Chelsea, wins four in a row, I write a post somewhat sarcastically suggesting that Liverpool might just be on its way back, considering a cupcake schedule coming up. And what do I get? Grief. 
• And yeah, I screwed up: Liverpool is NOT undefeated since the Red Sox took ownership of the club and Anfield. They lost the Mercyside Derby a couple of days after the acquisition was announced. Mea Culpa. Grief, part 2. Jackasses.
• Speaking of Liverpool, I put forward that Sporting Lisbon is the Liverpool of Portugal--minus of course all those European Cups. Only Sporting can puke all over its own shoes when it has a chance to take possession of second place after starting the season near the relegation zone. Only Sporting can piss away a 2-0 lead in such game and lose 3-2. Only Sporting is this maddening. Oh yeah, don't forget to stomp all over Lille again in your next Europa League game.
• Keeping it in Portugal, I'm taking great simultaneous joy and restraint in Porto's unbelievable 5-0 win over Benfica in the Portuguese classico last weekend. So typical of Portuguese football; Benfica, so brilliant a year ago, couldn't wait to sell off its best players and now they're a shell of their 2009 championship team. Sad really, sad.
• Derbies or Classicos: Aside from Sporting-Benfica, I'll take the classicos every time. No need to go further than Real Madrid-Barcelona.
• Anyone notice that Real Madrid has yet to lose in LaLiga, has a goal differential of 22 and is running away with a difficult Champions League group. Tell me again how Jose Mourinho isn't the best manager in the world? 
• Speaking of Derbies, I'll take City this weekend. Just sayin...
• Who's in the MLS playoffs again? LA, Dallas, Colorado and San Jose? Who again is in the Eastern Conference? 
• Gotta love ESPN's overly dramatic Outside the Lines piece yesterday on the U.S. Women's team's do-or-die game last night against Costa Rica.A U.S. loss would have eliminated them from World Cup qualification. The U.S. wins 3-0 and heads to a two-game playoff against Italy where chances are it will stomp all over Italy and waltz into the World Cup. Someone wake Brandi Chastain.
• David Beckham might be hosting Saturday Night Live soon? Yay. Maybe Posh will float on her big inflated boobs over the audience like the Goodyear blimp providing aerial views.
• Anyone subscribe to the World Football Daily podcast? I miss the free one. Haven't heard it since they went to the pay model. Would love some feedback whether you think it's worth it.
• Anyone notice that Fox Soccer Channel nuked their Monday night talk show? Probably not since no one watched it to begin with. Trust me, I sat through one episode and it was embarrassing. The host doesn't know football from throwball and the conversation was inane. Aside from the lovely Temryss Lane, the thing was unwatchable. Bring back Steven Cohen and anyone else--besides Wynalda.