Arsenal 2 - 0 Newcastle etc.

 The Tynesiders are bottom of the table, so everyone expected today's comfortable Gunners win.  Arsenal spurned several chances to take the lead in the first half, but two excellent strikes after the break secured all three points against the Magpies, condemning the Toon Army to a gloomy train ride home.  Saka scored first, and when he was subbed off for a muscular problem, his replacement Martinelli put the game out of reach with just his second touch, a sublime cushioned volley of a looping pass from over his shoulder.  It's at about 2:15 in this NBCSN highlight reel.  It leaves Arsenal even on points with fourth place West Ham, though the latter are ahead on goal difference and have a game in hand.

Juve lost 2-1 to Atalanta, Notts beat Dagenham and Redbridge 2-1, and the USWNT beat Australia 3-0 in a friendly in which both squads featured a lot of young players and the Matildas played quite well.  This was no runaway, just a matter of better finishing from the Yanks.  The Washington Spirit's Ashleigh Hatch scored 24 seconds from the start of the game, meaning Australia was playing from behind for over 90 minutes.  They created several great chances and really should have scored at least once, despite heroics from the American keeper.

LIV 4 - 0 ARS

 This result was about what most people expected, and was an accurate reflection of the play.  Since I alternated between this game and the Spirit game (I can't remember when two major broadcast networks aired soccer games simultaneously before), I missed some of the action, but saw our backup left back, Nuno Tavares, make several big mistakes that magnified the scoreline difference. However, we lost because we were playing a team that was a lot better than us on the day, and likely every day.  Ramsdale had a great game in goal, or the Reds could have had six or seven.  To be fair, Liverpool's keeper made two very good saves himself, so we could have been on the scoresheet anyway.

I don't think Arteta has cause to be too disappointed with his men.  Sometimes you're going to run into a buzzsaw.  The teams around us mostly lost or drew, so we're still in fifth, I believe.  Manchester United lost big at Watford today and it surely cost Solskjaer his job, though it had been hanging by a thread.  Leicester ran into that buzzsaw at home against Chelsea.  Brighton lost.  It'll be wide open for that fourth Champion's League spot.

Juventus beat Lazio 2-0 on a pair of PKs taken by center back Bonucci.  Notts County was beaten by Eastleigh.

WAS 2 - 0 CHI (NWSL Championship game)

 It was a hard fought, well played contest throughout, with lots of physical play.  A close range header put the Red Stars in front just before the half.  The Spirit had the league's best record (a winning one!) in games where they'd given up the first goal, so they were in no way out of it, and they dominated play in the second half, creating several chances.  Trinity Rodman was a prime instigator, and hit the post on one long range scorcher.  An obvious foul in the box was the occasion for Sullivan to step up and take the penalty kick, which was a poor one right at the keeper who guessed to go to her left, but Chicago's netminder let the ball roll under her past her left hand.  1-1, and after more pressure from Spirit it went to extra time.

Washington kept pressing and in the first period Rodman put in a very nice cross which Kelly O'Hara placed past the keeper into the far side netting to give Washington its first lead on the day.  Washington's keeper, Bledsoe, made a few excellent saves to preserve the narrow lead, and her team won its first national championship.

Spirit was beset with problems this season, so the championship was quite unexpected, especially after the coach was fired (bullying and verbal abuse) and Washington forfeited two games for Covid protocol violations.  They're a young team and there's no reason they can't aim for a repeat next season.

Jamaica 1 - 1 USA

 This was not televised, at least for free, so I didn't see anything but highlights.  A disallowed late goal from Jamaica (I would have allowed it--we got lucky) left us with a point we may not have deserved.  I'm amazed at Canada, which is top of the group after beating Mexico at home.  Ideally, we'd finish in the top three, but Mexico and Panama are just one point behind us, and we're a point behind Canada.  A win over los canaleros at home is a must in my view, and we also need to beat Canada away to ensure a happy ending.  I do not expect anything out of our game at the Azteca, but a point would be fabulous.  We do not want a playoff with a team in the African, South American, or Oceania federation.  There's a healthy enough gap between fourth place and fifth that it would take a collapse for any of the top four not to stay there.  But it could be fine margins that will separate third and fourth.

Speaking of collapses, Italy drew with Switzerland and Northern Ireland this window to drop from automatic World Cup qualification to runner-up in their group to the Swiss, and now Italy will have to enter a playoff to reduce the eight second place teams to two qualifiers for Qatar.  A few months ago, the Azzurri were celebrating their European championship.  Now they face a second straight elimination from World Cup qualification.

Arsenal Women survive Tottenham

 Down 1-0 in stoppage time, seemingly on the way down, while I was in another room looking up the league standings, Arsenal came through with a late goal to eek out a draw.  Pity that I missed the tying goal, but I thought it was over.  

Dos a Cero

 The USMNT showed skill, strength, and lots of energy in their deserved 2-0 beating of Mexico in Cincinnati tonight.  Pulisic was a late substitute and within minutes he sliced through the Mexican defense to redirect a cross with his head past Ochoa.  Tim Weah, who had an excellent game, provided the assist.  Not long after, Weston McKennie got a fortunate rebound off a defender and coolly slotted the ball inside the far post from maybe eight yards.  The first half saw Mexico outplay us by a little, but the second was pretty much all US.  Robinson got sent off for a second yellow at 88', but by then El Tri were well beaten.

At the halfway point, the US tops the group but only on goal difference, as Mexico is even on points and Canada is just one point behind them--and surprising Panama another two behind Canada.  We will have to stay above at least one of those to qualify automatically and avoid a playoff.  I think we can do it.  

Arsenal 1 - 0 Watford, Plus Bonus Coverage!

 The Gunners made hard work of it, but got all three points Sunday when a Smith Rowe goal proved enough to see off the stingless Hornets.  Aubameyang had a miserable day.  He could have had two goals himself, but he miscontrolled a lovely dink from Lacazette and he missed a penalty drawn by Lacazette.  He capped things off by tapping in a goalbound shot from Odegaard from an offside position. None of it mattered, fortunately, because Watford squandered the few opportunities they got.  Arsenal now sits fifth in the EPL.

I noticed something remarkable yesterday.  Arsenal's goal difference is zero.  The four teams above them are double-digit positive, and no team below them is more than +2.  I'm not convinced that West Ham is going to be in the Champions League next season, but the other teams currently in the top four are probably going to stay there.  

DC United missed out on the playoffs, which is just as well because they were not going to get far anyway.  They play a more exciting style of football than they did under Olsen, but they are not in the MLS elite.  I'll have to go to a game next summer.

Arsenal women are perfect so far in the league, but they did get battered by Barca in the champion's league.  (They should advance to the knockout rounds, though.)  They made the finals of last year's (Covid delay) FA Cup and will play for the Cup next month, I believe.

Juventus is having a nightmare season.  It hardly bears thinking about.  The talent on that team...

Notts County drew at League 1 Rochedale and earned a replay at home in the first round of the FA Cup.  They're in the top seven in the National League (England's fifth division) and will be in the hunt for promotion.  But it's early days.

CP Unpredictability

Since CP plays to the level of their opposition (other than Liverpool), I have no idea how well they will play in their next match against 18th Burnley.  A draw or even a loss would not that much of a surprise.  When they play Liverpool, I regard it as a success is they can hold Liverpool to no more than three goals.  Nonetheless, things are looking pretty good at the moment, and we CP fans can even nourish even some hopes they might qualify for a cup.  

CP 2 Wolves 0

 Zaha got a strange call in his favor early in the 2nd half, when a goal that had been disallowed as an offside was changed back to a goal after review by the VAR.  I've never seen that before, but the Wolves did not complain about the call. 

Gallagher added another goal as insurance with 12 minutes remaining.  

All in all, Crystal Palace performed well and deserved to win.    

Youth Shall Be Served--and Serve

 Arsenal has fielded nine of the youngest ten starting lineups in the EPL this season.  They averaged 23.1 to 24.1 years.  The U23s are top of the EPL2 table.  The future looks bright.  Not all the young guys will make the senior squad, of course, but those that don't will attract some nice transfer fees.  Ramsdale (starting from the back) is 23, Tierney 24, White 24, Gabriel 23, Tomiyasu 22, Tavares 21, Lokonga 22, Saka 20, ESR 21, Odegaard 22.  There are other youngsters who don't start often.  The over-25 greybeards are Lacazette, Aubameyang, Partey, and Pepe.  Form does not alwayds improve with age, and injuries can blight careers.  But there are so many good young talented players that I'm optimistic.