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If there is any defense in the world that can stop Cristiano Ronaldo, please stand up and be heard from. At the pace the young Portuguese winger is going, there are not too many defenses he hasn’t worked over in a 90 minute session.

The man has a run of 17 goals in 17 games and they have come of every shape and variety. Whether it’s calmly slotting home last minute penalties to save Manchester United or delivering unstoppable free kicks or scintillating goals in the run of play he is doing it all. The question of who is United’s most important player has certainly been answered. Wayne Rooney is great, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes provide great leadership and experience, and Nemanja Vidic is a rock in defense, but all of them pale to Ronaldo. Quite simply, if he is not on his game, United is not on its.

Many thought he played ferociously last season after his spat with Rooney during the 2006 World Cup. This season he just looks like the best player in the world, period. While Kaka may have swept all of this season’s awards, Ronaldo is making an early push to have next year’s top honors wrapped up by summer.

Ronaldo has always been known for his dazzling footwork and blinding speed. Many a defender has been made to look helpless and lead-footed with Ronaldo leaving them in his wake. But it is his goal-scoring prowess that is setting him apart. He is now scoring at a Frank Lampard/Steven Gerrard rate. Tallies that had been reserved for attacking central midfielders. This kind of production from the wing is remarkable and his ability to carry United is what has them at the top of the English Premier League. Critics may point out that he only has two assists this season, but quickly glance at his recent performance against Everton in United’s 2-1 win, where he accounted for both goals, and weighing his assist rate right now does not seem too important.

There has always been a love/hate relationship with Ronaldo, from his diving, supermodel looks, off-field behavior and showmanship, but his talent and skill cannot be questioned. The way he has grown from an enigmatic winger to catalyst for the top side in England has put him on the path to possibly becoming one of the all-time greats.

That is unless someone can stop him.

Somehow when the discussions of the world’s top strikers come up, Ruud van Nistelrooy’s name seems to get lost in the shuffle. While the stunning talents of Thierry Henry, Didier Drogba, Samuel Eto’o, Lionel Messi, Wayne Rooney and Zlatan Ibrahimovic deserve mention, Van Nistelrooy should not be forgotten.

Yet somehow the prolific Dutchman continues to be overlooked.

The simple fact is, Ruud scores goals, and in the end that’s all that matters.

Since appearing for two games for FC Den Bosch in the 1993-94 season, Van Nistelrooy has been finishing ever since. After a modest 17 goals in his first three-plus seasons with Den Bosch, Van Nistelrooy transferred to SC Heerenveen and scored 13 goals in 31 games during the 1997-98 season. Next came a move to PSV Eindhoven and a return of 71 goals in 82 games caught the attention of Europe and Manchester United specifically.

While with the Red Devils, Van Nistelrooy scored 150 goals in 201 games, including four seasons of 20 or more goals in league play. He was the Premiership’s top scorer in 2002-03 and named the PFA Player of the Year for 2002.

However a falling out with United manager Sir Alex Ferguson signaled Van Nistelrooy’s exit from Manchester despite 24 goals in 39 games during the 2005-06 season. With the discord between Van Nistelrooy, Ferguson and rumors of blows with Cristiano Ronaldo, the Dutchman was shipped to Real Madrid. Critics promptly began to declare Van Nistelrooy’s career over and his days as a top striker finished.

Then came last season and 33 goals in 46 games, including 25 in La Liga for showed just what type of player he is. Add in 25 goals in 34 games in international competition for the Dutch national squad and a seven-goal start in La Liga this season and it’s clear that Van Nistelrooy is as dangerous as ever.

What has made Van Nistelrooy so deadly over the years isn’t blazing pace or an array of trickery. It is just pure predatory instincts inside the penalty area and an ability to finish clinically and coolly no matter the situation. There may not be a better finisher inside of 12 yards in the world, and that’s a valuable commodity to have because even if the ball is near the goal, that doesn’t mean it’s easy to put in the goal. But Van Nistelrooy isn’t just a box predator he can finish from distance when called upon and uses his height to his advantage to finish off aerial challenges.

His ability to be stand-alone center forward or pair with a partner like Raul at Madrid has made him a versatile and adaptable striker.

At 31-years-old, Van Nistelrooy has not shown the adverse affects of aging (paging Andriy Shevchenko) and continues to produce quality. While he has never wowed the masses with fancy footwork, his relentless effort to find the back of the net has made him as valuable as any striker in the world.

After last weekend’s clash of the Big Four in the Premier League ended in anti-climatic fashion, it appears Arsenal and Manchester United will be left to battle for the league crown.

Never mind that Chelsea sit in third place, five points behind United and six points behind Arsenal. The upcoming African Cup of Nations, plus the injury to Didier Drogba will see to it that the Blues’ title shot is over. As for Liverpool, it is 10 points back of the Gunners, with a game in hand though, but appears to falling instead of rising. It’s been 18 years since Liverpool has won the league and this looks like another missed opportunity.

So back to Man U and Arsenal. The two sides look as strong as ever. Arsenal is doing it with youth and a grittiness not usually seen by the side. William Gallas and Kolo Toure have solidified the back while Cesc Fabregas continues to pull the strings in midfield. Meanwhile, United is getting the most out of its summer signings (Carlos Tevez and Anderson) while Cristiano Ronaldo remains brilliant and Ryan Giggs a rock of stability and experience.

When the season began, many thought Manchester United would be where it is (currently one point out of first), but many prognosticators were less confident in the young Gunners. They were routinely picked to finish fourth, or even fifth. A few pundits pegged them to positively respond to Thierry Henry’s departure, but that was the exception. Now Arsenal is a spitting image of the beautiful game with their one-touch passing and fluid movement. There might not be a side in the world that looks better when it plays.

Some will say that it is better when more teams are involved in the title chase, but if those four teams only include the same four over and over, how great is it? I’m all for teams rising up and challenging the established powers (can Manchester City do it this year?), but Arsenal and Man U have established themselves as the class of the league. The only thing that will be up for grabs is Champions League spots.

I like this. These two teams have superstars and are incredibly talented. They win with ruthless efficiency. Add in the fact that they hate each other and this is shaping up to be a great title race between two powers in the game.

For me, it can only get better from here.

For crying out loud England, decide on a new manager already!

We all know you’ll screw it up anyways, so why not get it over with? Because once you finally do pick a manager the world is going to have to hear about that saga for another six months. Nevermind that you aren’t in Euro 2008 and World Cup 2010 qualifying play doesn’t begin until August 2008, you need a manager and you need the best and you want the whole world to know it.

Please, wake me up when you’re struggling to beat Andorra to qualify for the World Cup.

Should the manager be English or not? That question seems to be as important as whether the manager will guide England to a major tournament and build a solid and successful squad.

Let’s take a look at the contenders:

Fabio Capello: He’s Italian, doesn’t speak English and seemed to have quite the attitude. Remember his interactions with a certain British Goldenballs at Real Madrid? On the other hand he’s had domestic success everywhere he’s been and is lauded as a great tactician. Also, he’s has talks set up with the FA about the job.

Jose Mourinho: It seems like the Special One would be a perfect fit for the England job, if he hadn’t just taken himself out of the running. But come on, he’s handled English players, knows how to deal with the English press and carries an air of invincibility about him that rubs off on his squads. However, he is a megalomaniac and can be a distraction.

Martin O’Neil: He’s from Northern Ireland, so that’s close enough right? He’s had success in Scotland, but hasn’t been able to turn Aston Villa around as quickly. He seems like a favorite, but who knows if the FA thinks his name is big enough for the job.

Jürgen Klinsmann: Everyone’s favorite German always seems to surface when there’s a managerial vacancy, but he probably isn’t a serious contender.

Sam Allardyce: His struggles at Newcastle this season don’t make him as appealing as he once was.

Bruce Arena: He’s unemployed and speaks English.

Whoever gets the job is inheriting the unenviable task of saving a sinking ship, albeit a ship with loads of money and talent. But please England make a choice so our sanity can be saved.

Now that the fall soccer season has officially ended for most schools and teams, it is now time for coaches to turn their attention to the offseason. The offseason is one of the most critical periods of development for teams and players. Soccer coaches need to come up with an off-season program that will benefit the individual player as well as the team. A good off season soccer program combines the elements of aerobic fitness, speed, agility, technical work, and soccer analysis.

An important part of being a good soccer player is having stamina. The offseason is a good time for a soccer player to develop their aerobic base. Playing small sided games can help raise the heart rate and develop some cardiovascular fitness but it is also important that the athlete do some additional aerobic work. After the season has ended and the athlete has had some time to rest, the next weeks should include some aerobic work. The athlete should try to run 20 to 25 minutes and gradually build up to 30 or 40 minutes. By building up their aerobic base, the soccer player can run for longer sustained periods during a game.

All soccer players must possess some level of speed. Athletes can work on speed by performing small distance sprints and progressing to long distance sprints. It is important to work on small distance sprints in order to develop good acceleration and explosion. By progressing to long distance sprints, it can then simulate the longer sprints required in a soccer match. The soccer player should work on good form. They can also incorporate long slow distance runs with sprints in between. This is called a fartlek run and it is very similar to a soccer match.  There are also various soccer devices designed specifically for speed training that can be used on an individual or group basis.

The way that a soccer player moves on the field is extremely important. Timing and quickness is everything in how a soccer player moves. A delay or wrong movement could lead to an opponent having a chance on your goal. Agility helps a soccer player move correctly and efficiently. There are many different agility drills that you can try out and find in different soccer books. It is important that the soccer player learns the correct movement and eventually performs the movement efficiently. […]

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As the holidays approach, the January transfer window has teams searching for gifts to unwrap to turn seasons around, stay afloat or continue to build on success. Here is a holiday wish list for every team in the Premiership and the one thing they want to find in their stocking this time of year. In the current order of standings:

1. Arsenal: Health. Not much has gone wrong for the Gunners so far, even though they suffered their first defeat of the season in Champions League play last week. Still the best can always get better. And the best way for Arsenal to continue its run atop is to stay healthy and get the services of Robin Van Persie back.

2. Manchester United: Cristiano Ronaldo to continue playing like a man possessed. Arguably the best player in the world, he is the one Red Devil (sorry not Wayne Rooney), that United cannot lose or see a dip in play from. With 13 goals this season, it doesn’t look like Ronaldo’s quest to embarrass every defender in the league is going to end any time soon.

3. Chelsea: Depth. With the losses of Didier Drogba, Michael Essien and Mikel Jon Obi for six weeks for the Africa Cup of Nations, owner Roman Abramovich’s billions will be put to the test. If Chelsea can stay afloat for that month, it could mount a title challenge. Also, getting Ronaldinho in January would help.

4. Liverpool: Maximum points. While the Reds have not lost a game in the Premier League this season, eight wins and six draws are the reason they are in fourth. Liverpool needs to capitalize against sides it can gain three points against so at the end of the season it is not ruing missed chances.

5. Manchester City: Elano’s brilliant play. The Brazilian has taken the league by storm and made Sven look like a genius. The Big 4 wish they had studied his DVD a bit more clearly. […]

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Give adidas credit, it continues to reinvent its shoes.

In an arms race with Nike to see who can stuff the most technology into the lightest boot and also make it visually appealing to the masses, both companies have pushed the envelope. The adidas Predator has long been a main stay for the “three stripes” brand. Ever since it hit the market with its external components to affect the spin and power of shots, adidas has been at the cutting edge of giving a player every advantage to hit the perfect shot.

Now the Predator itself is getting reinvented.

The adidas Predator PowerSwerve is company’s latest reincarnation of the boot. The same amenities of its Predator predecessors are there, such as kangaroo leather, a new smaller heel counter and a revamped Predator zone for shooting.  The PowerSwerve also features a new Dynamic PowerPulse that uses a Tungsten powder-filled element that shifts weight toward the point of impact as you kick, allowing more powerful shots and increased flexibility.

Low-profile elements are built into the “power zone” on the top of the boot for more power behind every shot.  Adidas has also added Predator technology into what it calls the “swerve zone” on the side of the boot for more swerve and control.  The move seems simple. What’s a great shot if you can’t pass the ball where you want it?

At just over 11 oz, the adidas Predator PowerSwerve delivers optimal performance without sacrificing anything. The Predator just got more deadly.

Who cares about England?  Well, apparently I do.  I’m an American and I guess I, by joining thousands of other yanks in support and love for England’s National Soccer Team, continue to befuddle England fans who are actually English.  Why in the world would so many yanks want to support England?  I heard Steven on Fox Football Fone-in last week say that everywhere he goes he’s constantly surprised by the number of Americans (United States of, that is) who love to support and follow the English national team.

Why is this when they’re apparently not good enough to qualify for the Euro 2008 competition?

Well I can’t explain it, but I do think Steven was on the right track by saying something to the effect that the English National team is so popular because people love the English Premier League (er, sorry, Barclays) and they view the English National team, albeit falsely, as the ‘National Team’ of the English Premier League.  It’s hard to viably make that connection because the EPL is probably the most diverse league in the world and on some of the best teams it’s difficult to pick out the English players.  (Arsenal has been criticized time and again for not having enough English talent; their current starting 11 includes no English players).  I think the popularity of the English game is also helped by the relatively low occurance of violence and corruption surrounding the EPL.  (Cf. Italian Serie A)

On to the fun stuff.  Here’s who you, O England, should play in the World Cup in 2010. […]

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Next summer Austria and Switzerland will be the center of the European soccer world. It is the second time in the history of the competition that two countries will host the event together (Netherlands and Belgium hosted Euro 2000). From June 7 to June 29 eight cities (four from Austria and four from Switzerland) will welcome 16 nations that won that privilege to compete for the best European soccer nation.

Throughout an extensive series of qualification rounds that started in September 2006 only 14 nations among all European countries earn the right to play for the European trophy. Austria and Switzerland, as host nations, receive automatic participation in this elite soccer competition. The countries are divided in four groups of four teams. The best two from each group will go to the quarterfinals. From there the winners progress to the semifinals and then the final, which will be played on June 29 at a beautiful Prater Stadium in Vienna, Austria.

Host cities from Austria: Vienna, Salzburg, Innsbruck, and Klagenfurt.
Host cities from Switzerland: Basel, Berne, Zurich, and Geneva. […]

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