Premier League

The English clubs are finishing their pre-season tours around America and the rest of the world all in preparation for another dramatic filled season that is just around the corner. The FA Community Shield is the first trophy up for grabs. 

Arsenal, the winners of last years FA Cup, will go head-to-head against their London rivals, Chelsea, winners of the Premier League. Any match that involves these two clubs brings spectators together from around the world, let alone the fact that they fill be fighting for a major trophy. It is sure to be a match not to miss. 

Former Liverpool and Southampton striker Rickie Lambert is off to an auspicious start with new club West Bromwich Albion.

Lambert, a lifelong Liverpool fan who spent just one year with the club, was signed away by West Brom after a disappointing 2014-2015 season.

A few hours later, Lambert bagged a brace against Bristol Rovers (another former Lambert team) in 56 minutes of work with his new club, which led to great jokes on Twitter.

Nick Rimando looks like someone you'd want on your side in a bar fight. He's short for a goalie, but sturdy. He's friendly, gregarious even, but he gives off a subtle intensity, which loses its subtlety when he steps in front of a soccer goal. That's his territory, where he's made his living in MLS since 2000 with (now defunct) Miami Fusion, D.C. United and Real Salt Lake. At 36, he's an MLS lifer at this point. 

Harry begins signing autographs at the south end of Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. He does what looks like a TV interview first, then starts at the beginning of the throng of people lined up to take a picture of him or have him sign something. The crowd stretches from the southwest end of the stadium, where Harry is, to the middle of the north end, where Harry will be. Eventually.

There’s been no action on the pitch since mid-May in the English Premier League. However,  us enthusiasts out there have been able to keep our sanity in large part due to a plethora of transfer rumors, 90% of which never actually come through – your Bale-to-United’s and Benzema-to-Arsenal’s of the world. However, the 10% that do materialize make you question everything you once knew about the game.

Guys, Raheem Sterling might be a stone cold gangster. 

We always say that soccer can bring the truth out of people. If someone feels bad, or guilty, or if a crowd is really getting to them, then they tend to play bad too. It’s not exactly scientific. It can be quietly frankly wrong, but it just makes a certain kind of sense. If a player screws over a fan base and then proceeds to play poorly, or get injured, we tend to say to ourselves, “Good.” It’s as if some kind of universal balance is being maintained. 

While he’s yet to dot his two I’s, it’s as certain as low wages at Walmart that Angel di Maria will sign a contract with Paris St Germain in the coming days. Less than 12 months after shelling out a British record £59.7 million for the Argentine Champions League winner, Manchester United are expected to agree to a fee of around £45 million that will see the former Real Madrid midfielder cross the English Channel.

After having its initial £20M offer for Everton defender John Stones rejected, reigning league champions Chelsea have reportedly decided to up their offer for the England international to £26M.

David, Goliath, etc.

English side Chelsea, in America on a preseason tour, got off to a hot start Wednesday against American powerhouse New York Red Bulls. It's safe to say New York's manager will give his team a talking-to after Chelsea were allowed to not only take the lead in the first half but to score two (!!!) goals in the game.