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.

Portugal, Ivory Coast Fail to Impress at World Cup 2010 Opener

What if Cristiano Ronaldo had scored instead of hitting the post today against Ivory Coast in the Group of Death opener at World Cup 2010?

Would we have had the dreadful snoozer we were left with?

We certainly would have had Didier Drogba enter the game sooner (at the half?) than we did. We certainly would have had the Ivory Coast attack Portugal with some vigor much sooner than in the 91st minute. And we certainly would have had Simao Sabrosa in the game much sooner than he appeared.

One thing's certain, however: Portugal and Ivory Coast owe us an apology for producing a goalless draw that wasn't even up to the depths of a kiss-your-sister tie. Neither team was interested in playing attacking, interesting or imaginative soccer. And as soon as the raindrops started falling, we were more than destined for goose eggs.

So much for the Group of Death producing exciting football. It's going to be tight, but it's not going to be great. Thank goodness Brazil and North Korea played a competitive game. Kudos to the North Koreans for solid tactical defense and for not being intimidated by Brazil's imposing size and patient passing. Say what you will for Brazil's style and flash, it's their patience that will kill you. It's the 10th, 12th pass in a sequence that you need to be alert for. Brazil wore North Korea down with its persistence, its ability to lean on the North Koreans and wear them down physically.

Hopefully Portugal and Ivory Coast were watching because they will need to do the same or they may be doomed to take but just one point from the mysterious Asian team. I'm thinking there was a similar approach from both nations today that they would be happy to take a point out of this game, have their way with North Korea and then let fate roll against Brazil.

Well, Portugal gets first crack at North Korea and assuming it gets a result and Brazil beats Ivory Coast, the Portuguese could be in the driver's seat needing just a tie against Brazil to advance. Then again, Ivory Coast closes against North Korea, and one would have to think that it would jump ugly all over North Korea if it needed three points. That would leave Portugal having to beat Brazil in the group finale. Nothing I saw today told me that could happen.

Hmm, maybe this will be a Group of Death after all.

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Breaking News: Drogba on Bench, Not on Ivory Coast Starting Eleven

ESPN is reporting that Didier Drogba will not start for the Ivory Coast today against Portugal in the Group of Death Opener at World Cup 2010.

Live blogging to come later.

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Black Friday: Injuries claim Drogba, Rio from World Cup

One week out from the start of the 2010 World Cup, and we lose Didier Drogba and Rio Ferdinand in the same day. Black Friday has arrived.

Maybe the bigger question is: Why the f*&k are these guys playing in friendlies leading up to the real thing a week away? You telling me they're not in game condition after 50-plus domestic, cup and Champions League games? You telling me they're going to get some much-needed continuity playing Japan's scrubs in South Africa 4,000 miles away from anyone who gives a crap in either direction?

The U.S. plays Australia today and if Cliff Dempsey, Landon Donovan, Gooch or anyone else within a sniff of the U.S. Starting Eleven gets anywhere near the pitch, Bob Bradley should be fired on the spot. He's already got a balky Jozy Altidore and no Charlie Davies, we don't need no more anxiety. There's definitely some bad mojo in the air south of the equator-for sure.

As for the impact of today's dropping flies, Ferdinand and Drogba, well England got the better of that one. The English are in a much easier group and can get past the U.S., Algeria and Slovakia sans Rio. Beyond that, come see me in three weeks and we'll talk.

Drogba's injury, meanwhile, is a crusher. Ivory Coast needs a legit finisher in that group with Brazil and Portugal; boy you gotta figure there was a collective Yippee in the Queiroz house when it was learned Drogba had an owie in the elbow. Brazil and Portugal may have just gotten a free pass to the second round; now can Portugal win the group and avoid Spain in the second round? We'll see. Big difference between Spain and Switzerland, well at least that's what I hear.

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Bad Day for Drogba, Van Nistelrooy and Maradona

What a nasty day Thursday was. Any time more news is made off the field than on, it qualifies as a bad day. Let's review and analyze:

PENNY FOR YOUR THOUGHTS?: Didier Drogba scores a goal against Burnley in this week's Carling Cup match. Fan throws coin at Didier Drogba. Didier Drogba throws said coin at fan. Let's just call this one universal dumbness. But there is no way in hell Drogba should be banned more than three games on this one, and the police should surely stand clear.

A ticket does not entitle fans to that kind of first-person participation. Boo, curse, chug your beer all you want. As soon as you start interfering with the enjoyment of the game by your fellow ticket-holders or become part of the proceedings on the playing field, then it's time to go--FOREVER.

The police should be looking at the clown chucking pounds at the players and not only ban him from the grounds permanently, but charge him with simple assault. This kind of ignorance cannot be tolerated or misinterpreted as passion for one's club. It's dangerous and stupid. Had the coin taken out Drogba's eye (yes, I sound like your bitty, old aunt here), then not only is the man's eyesight impaired, but Chelsea's multimillion-dollar investment is lost as are the fortunes of the club, the players and the fans.

You never get a second chance to make a first impression. Hammer the fan here; it's an opportunity that cannot be missed.

HOW RUUD!: Ruud Van Nistelrooy is done for the season, and perhaps his career, after knee surgery this week. The Real Madrid striker had the surgery in the U.S. and it's the second time he damaged the knee in his career. Love 'em or leave 'em, Van Nistelrooy is one of the decade's purest scorers. Always in the right position, Ruud was in top form at Manchester United for many years and his transfer to Madrid was huge news.

The question now is how does Madrid answer? With Van Nistelrooy out for at least six months, and probably closer to nine months, it's unlikely he'll be ready for the start of next season. Where does Madrid spend in January and beyond? Carlos Tevez perhaps? Hernan Crespo's name is also being tossed out there. And how does this impact coach Bernd Schuster's future? For now, Gonzalo Higuain is Ruud's stand-in. Higuain is the Argentine who scored four times over the weekend in Madrid's 4-3 win over Malaga.

GO DIEGO GO!: And speaking of Argentina, new coach Diego Maradona was almost the old coach Diego Maradona this week. The legend apparently was in a snit when he learned his assistant coach selections were being questioned, and he threatened to quit. Maradona denies all this, but where there's smoke, there's fire... Concerns have been rampant about Maradona's fitness to run Argentina. His addictive compulsive personality will be put to the test severely, especially if the noose tightens on Argentina's run at qualifying for the World Cup. Failure is not an option there. All I can say is that this will be great theater going forward.

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Chelsea's Drogba Injured;Sidelined Six Weeks, Maybe Longer

Didier Drogba could be out of the Chelsea lineup until early December, and possibly longer, after suffering ligament damage during yesterday's goalless draw against Cluj in the Champions League.

John Terry and Brazilian defender Alex were also injured during yesterday's match, making the Chelsea bench much deeper and more expensive than the product that's already on the field. Note that Deco, Ricardo Carvalho, Joe Cole and Michael Essien are already down.

Drogba has missed the first five weeks of the Premier League season recovering from offseason knee surgery.

The Blues lead the Premiership, but that is a tenuous advantage at best now and puts manager Luiz Filipe Scolari in the spotlight more than ever. A longtime international manager, Scolari hasn't had to make these kinds of day-to-day decisions in a long time. With the winter transfer period coming up, Chelsea could be an active shopper.

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