Rossi: Valencia v Villarreal 8/26 (R)

[Reignking]

I, for one, am happy to see any American in La Liga for the first time in a while. For those of you who don't consider him a YA, take it elsewhere. Rossi is expected to start.


Valencia vs Villarreal
Preview (in Spanish with lineups):
http://www.elmundo.es/elmundodeporte/especiales/2007/08/liga/previas/jornada01/valencia-villarreal.html
3:00 EST
On GolTV

[sidefootsitter]

Didn't Gio score this week for the Italian U-21 team vs ... somebody?

[JuanPeron]

Didn't Gio score this week for the Italian U-21 team vs ... somebody?

Yes against France.

[Reignking]

I thought this had been resolved, but there is a television rights debate going on in Spain. The Madrid derby is not being broadcasted anywhere, today, but GolTV still has their other La Liga games listed on the schedule. I don't think it will affect this game.

[BuffloSoldier]

I believe it's just Real Madrid and Barcelona games...we'll see more in a few minutes, see if Getafe/Sevilla is shown.

[BuffloSoldier]

I believe it's just Real Madrid and Barcelona games...we'll see more in a few minutes, see if Getafe/Sevilla is shown.

Yep--just Barca and Madrid, it seems.

[ben84621]

bump

According to ESPN's MatchTracker, Villarreal is up 1-0 at the half, with Rossi starting. Goal by Jon Dahl Tomasson (seems like he's been around forever, but according to wikipedia he's only 30, weird.)

[Pitched]

Rossi scores on a penalty in the 63rd minute

[FC Tallavana]

Valencia have been an absolute disgrace tonight.

Diving, bitching, moaning, diving, pretending to be hurt, diving, diving, bitching, etc.

They are down to nine men.

David Villa got carded for dissent and then sent off for diving.

Jaoquin got a straight red for dissent when he didn't get a penalty after a brilliant dive.

If the ref wanted, he could have sent another couple of Valencia players off.

[Reignking]

Rossi didn't do a lot today, but then again, he didn't have to -- Valencia helped them out. Rossi buried the PK -- interesting that he was the one that got to take it.

Cazorla was all over the game...

Embarassing start for Valencia at home!

[Wahoo]

Valencia have been an absolute disgrace tonight.

Diving, bitching, moaning, diving, pretending to be hurt, diving, diving, bitching, etc.

They are down to nine men.

David Villa got carded for dissent and then sent off for diving.

Jaoquin got a straight red for dissent when he didn't get a penalty after a brilliant dive.

If the ref wanted, he could have sent another couple of Valencia players off.
Just a quick comment (and I'm sure you already know this but just in case someone doesn't know all the rules)....

There is no possible way Jaoquin got a straight red for Dissent.
Dissent is a cautionable offense. You can't get a straight red for it.
If he was given a straight red it's more likely it was for using offensive, insulting, or abusive language or gestures.

By the way, it appears that Rossi also got a yellow in this match - in the 72nd minute - and he came out in the 76th.

[um_chili]

I mean the following as an honest question not a challenge: Why would a fan of US soccer have any enthusiasm for Rossi after he has declined to play for the national team? Is there any reason that his success will reflect well on the US or advance the cause of US soccer? The answers to these questions may be yes, in which case I might reconsider my opinion (that a US citizen who plays for a different country hurts rather than helps US soccer). Interested to hear other opinions on this.

[Hed7181]

I mean the following as an honest question not a challenge: Why would a fan of US soccer have any enthusiasm for Rossi after he has declined to play for the national team? Is there any reason that his success will reflect well on the US or advance the cause of US soccer? The answers to these questions may be yes, in which case I might reconsider my opinion (that a US citizen who plays for a different country hurts rather than helps US soccer). Interested to hear other opinions on this.

My honest answer is this.

My interest in Rossi has nothing to do with the success of the USMNT. I think his story is an interesting and exciting one. He's a second generation Italian American who has the chance to represent the Italian national team. Considering how hard that is to accomplish for all the great footballers born and raised in Italy, I think his accomplishments are that much greater. Just because he chooses to play for the team of his ancestry rather than his birth, I have no beef about. It's his choice to make.

[ben84621]

I second Hed's honest answer. To me Rossi is an American having success playing in Europe. Yes, I'd be happier if he played for the US, but I can understand his desire to play for Italy. And it's his choice to make. And from what I've seen, he's always been straightforward regarding his plans and hopes and has never been disrespectful of the USMNT.

[Reignking]

He's an American, playing in my favorite league.

As for his yellow, it wasn't that bad of a challenge. Didn't need to be called.

Honestly, I missed Joaquin's red, so I can't tell you...from reading the Spanish papers, it was a dive in the penalty area, and his arguing that led to the red, but it was listed as a straight red.

[Metrogo]

I mean the following as an honest question not a challenge: Why would a fan of US soccer have any enthusiasm for Rossi after he has declined to play for the national team? Is there any reason that his success will reflect well on the US or advance the cause of US soccer? The answers to these questions may be yes, in which case I might reconsider my opinion (that a US citizen who plays for a different country hurts rather than helps US soccer). Interested to hear other opinions on this.

Making the Italian national team... if he does... would be the single greatest accomplishment of any yank.

[sidefootsitter]

... Jon Dahl Tomasson (seems like he's been around forever, but according to wikipedia he's only 30, weird.) If it makes you feel any better, he'll be 31 in 2 days.

Also, he was offside on his goal.

That may have precipitated the backlash from the Valencia players but they really went overboard with their nonsense.

[Reignking]

You really thought he was off? The left back -- Moretti? -- kept him on. It was a great pass and a bad offside trap.

[FC Tallavana]

What happened on the straight red:

1) Jaoquin took a dive in the area.

2) It was not extremely blatant so the ref let play continue and did not appear to have any plans to caution him for it.

3) But Jaoquin got up and ran by the assistant ref screaming and slapping his face as if to tell the guy to wake to hell up.


And no, Rossi's card wasn't entirely deserved. Could have gone eitehr way.

The funny thing about his card was that Valencia were already down to nine crybabies at the time yet it was the first card handed out that was a result of a foul.

[Reignking]

FYI if you want some simple La Liga write-ups, in English, this is a good site:

http://www.soccer-spain.com/

They also have a map of teams, which I found very useful (now, though, footiemap.com is better).