Chivas USA acquired Philadelphia’s Danny Califf and NY’s Juan Agudelo in trades made on Thursday, May 17, 2012. Califf, returned to MLS when Philadelphia joined the league after several seasons playing in Denmark. Agudelo, who still considered by many to be a key part to the future of the USA National Team, only had played in four matches (one start) this season. Both players have international experience playing for the USA.

Below are parts the press releases on both trades. First is Califf.

CARSON, Calif.(Thursday, May 17, 2012) – Chivas USA has acquired defender Danny Califf in a trade with the Philadelphia Union, in exchange for midfielder Michael Lahoud and allocation money. Califf will be available for selection this weekend as Chivas USA take on the LA Galaxy in the first leg of the SuperClásico on Saturday, May 19, at 7:30 pm (PT) at The Home Depot Center. The match’s live television broadcast will be on ESPN 2 for English and ESPN Deportes for Spanish, and Radio through KWKW 1330 AM (locally).

Califf, a veteran from California was signed by the Union on January 21, 2010 after rights were previously acquired from Danish Superliga side FC Midtjylland on December 3, 2009. He has appeared in four matches, all as a starter for the Union in this 2012 season. The Red-and-White have traded midfielder Michael Lahoud, who appeared in 23 games (17 starts) in 2011, for Chivas USA, and has two appearances so far in 2012. Per League and team policy, details of the contract were not revealed.

And here’s Agudelo

CARSON, Calif.(Thursday, May 17, 2012) – Chivas USA has acquired forward Juan Agudelo in a trade with the New York Red Bulls, in exchange for Goat’s defender Heath Pearce and allocation money. Agudelo will be available for selection this weekend as Chivas USA take on the LA Galaxy in the first leg of the SuperClásico on Saturday, May 19, at 7:30 pm (PT) at The Home Depot Center. The match’s live television broadcast will be on ESPN 2 for English and ESPN Deportes for Spanish, and Radio through KWKW 1330 AM (locally).

Agudelo, 19, a product of the Red Bulls Academy, is in his second professional season. He has appeared in 33 matches including 13 as a starter, scoring 6 goals with the Red Bulls. The Red-and-White have traded away defender Heath Pearce, who appeared in 40 games (39 starts) during his tenure with Chivas USA. Per League and team policy, details of the contract were not revealed.

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In Episode 21 of the podcast, Martin Rogers talks about the new MLS season, current EPL title race, the greatness of Lionel Messi, and USA U-23′s failure to qualify for the 2012 Olympics. You can view Martin’s articles for Yahoo Sports at http://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/expertsarchive?author=Martin+Rogers, listen to his Mon-Fri podcast World Football Daily at http://www.worldfootballdaily.com/, and follow him on twitter @mrogersyahoo

The 90th Minute Podcast – Episode 21 Featuring Martin Rogers

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Man City to bid for Ronaldo, Luke Rodgers exits MLS, an update on Fabrice Muamba, Villa captain Petrov diagnosed with a serious illness, and much more lead today’s top stories. Links for all stories below will open in a new window.

Aston Villa captain Stiliyan Petrov diagnosed with Acute Leukaemia (AVFC.co.uk)

Arsenal Manger Arsene Wenger give 3 match ban from UEFA (UEFA.com)

Fabrice Muamba tweets picture showing his progress (Guardian.co.uk)

Luke Rodgers’ visa denied; contract denied by mutual consent (MLSSoccer.com)

FIFA Executive Committee agrees to reforms (FIFA.com)

Man City to launch record bid for Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo (Goal.com)

Football rumors/gossip from around the EPL (Football365.com)

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Specific details such as match times or television details have will be announced later. Tottenham’s Chairman Daniel Levy had the following comments on the upcoming tour.

“We are delighted to be heading back to the USA ahead of the 2012-13 season. We enjoyed a successful tour in 2010 and are looking forward to the opportunity to play against the LA Galaxy and New York Red Bulls, two of the leading franchises in MLS.

“The Club is proud of its reputation for playing entertaining football and we believe this attacking style is responsible for the significant rise in the number of fans across the USA in recent years. This tour presents us with a great opportunity to give something back to those fans and also introduce new supporters to the Spurs way of playing football.”

Spurs manager Harry Redknapp, who actually could have taken England job by this time, shared his thoughts.

“The facilities will be first class and the opposition will provide a great test for the squad.  We know how good the MLS sides are from two summers ago when we faced San Jose Earthquakes and New York Red Bulls.  We can expect another tough encounter when we face the Red Bulls again this time.

“Playing the winners of the MLS Cup in LA Galaxy will provide a real challenge too – any team that includes proven international performers like Robbie Keane, Landon Donovan and David Beckham are sure to be top drawer.”

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In today’s top stories, there is news on the future of UEFA club competitions, Tottenham’s pre-season plans, more details on what happened to Fabrice Muamba, and various news from around the world. Links for all stories below will open in a new window.

FIFA and UEFA sign an agreement to continue the Europe/Champions League until 2018 (ESPNSoccernet)

Tottenham Hotspur Announce Details For Their Pre-season Trip To The USA (TottenhamHotspur.com)

Fabrice Muamba Was “Dead” For 78 Minutes, More Details Emerge (BBC Sport)

Mancini Sings The Praises of Tevez In Come From Behind Win Against Chelsea (The Guardian)

A Looks At How Recent Results Show La Liga As The Strongest League (Sports Illustrated)

A Preview Of The USA’s U-23 Olympic Team As It Starts Qualifying (ESPN)

Arsenal Manager Arsene Wenger Believes The Gunners Confidence Is Showing (Sky Sports)

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The reports are out that New York Red Bulls striker Thierry Henry will be at EPL side Arsenal for a loan. It will be similar to Landon Donovan’s loan at Everton which will last about two months and have him back for the start of the 2012 MLS season.

The deal was confirmed by Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger in late December.

“It was my idea because I decide and he was happy with it. It was his idea as well to come here, but I had to make the decision to do it.

“He is certainly very happy and modest about it as well. He just wants to help us get through a period where we lose two strikers.

“First of all we do it because Gervinho and Chamakh go to the African Nations Cup and to cover for two months is ideal.” 

“He is experienced, he is quality, he knows the Club, he can help the players on and off the pitch. He has vast experience.

“No one can measure that but I know it can only be positive. He has exceptional talent; he is a very intelligent man and has a desire to help the Club, so it can only be positive. But it is difficult to measure how positive an influence he is.”

New York Red Bulls General Manager Erik Soler also spoke of the loan deal around the same time.

“It was more like the total package. You sort of need to travel to Arsenal to understand the meaning he has to everybody inside and outside the club. We feel it’s a good honor for a guy who’s been with us 18 months. This is something he thought he wanted to do, and it’s easy to see,” Soler told the Post. “And on sporting side, it’s better for him to train at Arsenal, than if we turn something like that down. I couldn’t find a single reason to say no.

“I was approached by them, and of course I wanted to check if that was what Thierry wanted, and make sure my ownership was happy with it. I did the necessary calls on my part, and on the sporting side both Hans (Backe, coach) and myself think it’s a very good idea. Thierry will be working hard. He’ll be coming to our Phoenix trip. He’ll be coming straight from training and playing with Arsenal, which is a good thing for us. In the end, it’s very easy for us to see this as good idea.’’

“If its finalized, the idea would be to have him from Sunday Jan. 1 approximately that date in February. They have a Champions League game on the 16th, and he would come after that.”

As with most loan deals, Arsenal will pay a pro-rated portion of Henry’s salary to NY (about $5 million base per year).

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It was a year of good and bad for the beautiful game. As 2012 nears, it’s time to reflect on this past year in the world of soccer. Who was the worst transfer, the worst moment, miss, and more? Below is my list of the worst of 2011 soccer awards.

Worst Transfer - Fernando Torres

This wasn’t too hard to pick as Torres cost roughly 50 million pounds (around $75 million) and has scored three goals in 28 appearances. Torres has looked a shell of the player he was at Liverpool and lately has been relegated to the bench. He could still turn things around but for 2011 it was clearly a poor transfer for Chelsea. There shouldn’t be a ton of blame placed on Chelsea for making the move as Torres, when in form, is still capable of being one of the top strikers in the world.

Worst Moment - Sepp Blatter

Blatter made headlines, for all the wrong reasons, when he spoke about racism in the sport. He said the following:

“There is no racism [on the field], but maybe there is a word or gesture that is not correct.The one affected by this should say this is a game and shake hands.”

Now, anyone can make misguided or insensitive comments, but this is just one of several missteps from FIFA and Blatter. They continue to lose credibility and trust from fans, media, and players. The fallout from picking Qatar for 2022 is still there and few believe there wasn’t some money or bribes involved with the decision. This statement might not have been enough to been the worst this year but based it being Blatter and all the problems with FIFA, it adds up to be the worst of 2011.

Most Disappointing Team - NY Red Bulls

At times, the MLS side looked unstoppable but ended up struggling to make the playoffs and eventually eliminated in the quarterfinals. On paper, the team has lots of talent but consistently underachieved on the pitch. It’s not totally clear what went wrong but certainly deserves some blame. The Mexican defender was given a large contact but was a bust and even called out teammates for not being good enough. The team could be losing Tim Ream in the transfer window but could use that money to bring in another top player.

The Red Bulls serve as notice that bringing in top players doesn’t always translate to victories. It’s important to have chemistry and consistency, something that that Red Bulls never had in 2011.

Worst Miss - Fernando Torres

Torres is an easy target these days but his miss on September 18th against Manchester United was poor. The Spaniard had dribbled around the goalkeeper and had an open net from inside the box. He missed in several feet wide and while the goal might not have changed the result (3-1 Man Utd win), it certainly would have helped to give confidence to Torres. There are probably other misses that were easier but Torres’ is the worst based on several reasons. Torres has been a top notch striker (look at Liverpool scoring record), his transfer fee cost, and the fact it was in a crucial EPL match.

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Arsenal and the NY Red Bulls played to a 1-1 draw in the 2011 Emirates Cup on Sunday, July 31, 2011.

Arsenal 1-1 NY Red Bulls Video Highlights

The match highlights can be viewed here at Free Soccer Highlights.

Arsenal 1-1 NY Red Bulls Recap

The NY Red Bulls won the Emirates Cup with a 1-1 draw against the Gunners.

After taking a 1-0 lead on a 42nd minute Robin Van Persie header, Arsenal conceded the lead with a Kyle Bartley own goal in the 84th minute. It was the second match in as many days where Arsenal had a lead but was unable to hold onto it. It was a match where the Gunners were clearly the better side but had to settle for the draw.

The draw clinches the Emirates Cup trophy for New York while Arsenal finished third (just ahead of Boca Juniors) in the table. Thierry Henry, who became a legend playing for Arsenal, play the entire match.

Arsenal 1-1 NY Red Bulls Match Stats

SCORING SUMMARY

ARS – Van Persie (Rosicky), 42’
ARS – Bartley (own-goal) 84′

DISCIPLINARY SUMMARY

None

LINEUPS:

Arsenal –– Wojciech Szczesny, Laurent Koscielny (Kyle Bartley, 74’), Bacary Sagna (Emmanuel Eboué, 74’), Thomas Vermaelen, Kieran Gibbs, Jack Wilshere (Benik Afobe, 7’, Andrey Arshavin, 74’), Tomas Rosciky, Aaron Ramsey, Alexandre Song, Robin van Persie (Marouane Chamakh, 65’), Gervinho (Carlos Vela, 65’)

New York –– Frank Rost, Roy Miller, Chris Albright (John Rooney, 78’), Tim Ream, Rafa Márquez, Carlos Mendes (Stephen Keel, 45’), Teemu Tainio (Juan Agudelo, 55’), Dax McCarty, Jan Gunnar Solli, Dane Richards, Thierry Henry

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The Emirates Cup, an annual pre-season competition, has announced its schedule for the 2011 edition. Arsenal, who are the hosts, will be joined by French side Paris Saint-Germain, Argentine side Boca Juniors, and US side New York Red Bulls. The most anticipated match will be the Red Bulls against Arsenal as it will feature Thierry Henry. The French player had a long successful run with Arsenal and now is playing in MLS for the Red Bulls.

The 2011 Emirates Cup will be televised by GolTV (USA), Sky Sports (UK), and on Al Jazeera Sport (Middle East).

The full schedule is below with the start times in BST (UK time).

2011 Emirates Cup Schedule

Saturday 30th July

New York Red Bulls v Paris Saint-Germain (2pm)
Arsenal v Boca Juniors (4.20pm)

Sunday 31st July

Boca Juniors v Paris Saint-Germain (2pm)
Arsenal v New York Red Bulls (4.20pm)

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It’s not an April fools joke as Toronto FC’s Dwayne De Rosario has joined the New York Red Bulls in trade between both clubs on Friday. In return for sending De Ro to New York, TFC will get Tony Tchani, Danleigh Borman, and a pick in the 2012 MLS SuperDraft.

The move helps to bolster an already stacked Red Bull team that has Thierry Henry, Rafa Marquez, Juan Agudelo, Luke Rodgers, Joel Lindpere, and Luke Rodgers. Below is an excerpt from the press release along with a quote from NY GM Erik Soler.

(press release from NY Red Bulls)

HARRISON, NJ– Red Bull New York announced today that it has acquired five-time MLS Best XI midfielder and four-time MLS Cup winner Dwayne De Rosario from Toronto FC. In exchange, Toronto FC received midfielder Tony Tchani, midfielder/defender Danleigh Borman and their natural first round 2012 MLS SuperDraft selection.

“Dwayne has been one of the league’s best players over the past several years and we are thrilled that he is a Red Bull,” said Red Bull New York General Manager and Sporting Director Erik Soler. “He is one of the most dangerous players MLS has seen in the attacking third and he is a true leader both on and off the field. We had to trade Tony and Danleigh – two very talented, young players who both need more playing time with a first team in MLS to develop their potential. At the end, we think this is a massive step in our quest towards the MLS Cup title.”

De Rosario, who has one goal and one assist in two games this year, has enjoyed a successful career on the club and international level. Last season in his second year with Toronto FC, the Scarborough, Ontario native recorded a career-high in goals scored with 15 to go along with three assists in 27 games played, being named to the MLS Best XI and MLS All-Star Team for the fifth time. Over his time in Toronto, the 32-year-old amassed 27 goals and 10 assists over 57 appearances.

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